bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of skin rejuvenation and hair growth through novel near-infrared light emitting diode (nNIR) lighting: in vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Choi Keonwoo , Kim Hongbin , Nam Sun-young , Heo Chan Yeong
Published: April 2024

The study aimed to explore the impact of a novel near-infrared LED (nNIR) with an extended spectrum on skin enhancement and hair growth. Various LED sources, including White and nNIRs, were compared across multiple parameters: cytotoxicity, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction, skin thickness, collagen synthesis, collagenase expression, and hair follicle growth. Experiments were conducted on human skin cells and animal models. Cytotoxicity, ATP synthesis, and ROS reduction were evaluated in human skin cells exposed to nNIRs and Whites. LED irradiation effects were also studied on a UV-induced photoaging mouse model, analyzing skin thickness, collagen synthesis, and collagenase expression. Hair growth promotion was examined as well. Results revealed both White and nNIR were non-cytotoxic to human skin cells. nNIR enhanced ATP and collagen synthesis while reducing ROS levels, outperforming the commonly used 2chip LEDs. In the UV-induced photoaging mouse model, nNIR irradiation led to reduced skin thickness, increased collagen synthesis, and lowered collagenase expression. Additionally, nNIR irradiation stimulated hair growth, augmented skin thickness, and increased hair follicle count. In conclusion, the study highlighted positive effects of White and nNIR irradiation on skin and hair growth. However, nNIR exhibited superior outcomes compared to White. Its advancements in ATP content, collagen synthesis, collagenase inhibition, and hair growth promotion imply increased ATP synthesis activity. These findings underscore nNIR therapy’s potential as an innovative and effective approach for enhancing skin and promoting hair growth.
Utility of the LACE index to assess risk of mortality and readmission in patients with spinal infections
Authors: Schär Ralph T. , Branca Mattia , Raabe Andreas , Jesse C. Marvin
Published: April 2024

Retrospective cohort study. To assess the utility of the LACE index for predicting death and readmission in patients with spinal infections (SI). SIs are severe conditions, and their incidence has increased in recent years. The LACE (Length of stay, Acuity of admission, Comorbidities, Emergency department visits) index quantifies the risk of mortality or unplanned readmission. It has not yet been validated for SIs. LACE indices were calculated for all adult patients who underwent surgery for spinal infection between 2012 and 2021. Data were collected from a single academic teaching hospital. Outcome measures included the LACE index, mortality, and readmission rate within 30 and 90 days. In total, 164 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 64.6 (± 15.1) years, 73 (45%) were female. Ten (6.1%) patients died within 30 days and 16 (9.8%) died within 90 days after discharge. Mean LACE indices were 13.4 (± 3.6) and 13.8 (± 3.0) for the deceased patients, compared to 11.0 (± 2.8) and 10.8 (± 2.8) for surviving patients (p = 0.01, p < 0.001), respectively. Thirty-seven (22.6%) patients were readmitted ≤ 30 days and 48 (29.3%) were readmitted ≤ 90 days. Readmitted patients had a significantly higher mean LACE index compared to non-readmitted patients (12.9 ± 2.1 vs. 10.6 ± 2.9, < 0.001 and 12.8 ± 2.3 vs. 10.4 ± 2.8, p < 0.001, respectively). ROC analysis for either death or readmission within 30 days estimated a cut-off LACE index of 12.0 points (area under the curve [AUC] 95% CI, 0.757 [0.681–0.833]) with a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 69%. Patients with SI had high LACE indices that were associated with high mortality and readmission rates. The LACE index can be applied to this patient population to predict the risk of early death or unplanned readmission.
Forest expansion affects Odonata assemblage in floodplain: a case study in the Kiso River, central Japan
Authors: Higashikawa Wataru , Matsuzawa Yuki , Mori Terutaka
Published: April 2024

In floodplains, which are highly modified and less inundated, trees are expanding, thus raising concerns regarding their impact on freshwater organisms. We analyzed the relationship between forest expansion and the change in Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) assemblage over an extended period of time in the floodplain with ponds of the Kiso River, central Japan. In the 1970s, the ponds were mainly surrounded by grasslands, and approximately 80% of Odonata species were non-forest species. However, the number of forest species increased and that of non-forest species largely decreased with the forest expansion over the past five decades, resulting in almost a similar number of forest and non-forest species in 2021. Whereas the abundance of the non-forest species had been greater than that of the forest species until the 2000s, the difference has been much smaller in the 2010s, and the non-forest species occupied approximately only 30% of the number of individuals in 2021. The forest expansion may have reduced the open-lentic habitats for the non-forest species, which require riparian grasslands for resting, foraging, and reproduction, and may disturb the immigration of non-forest species from the adjacent rice paddy fields and rivers. The development of canopy cover over the waterbodies may have decreased the light and temperature above and within the ponds, which might have caused a decline in species that prefer warm and open-water environments. Maintaining shifting-mosaic patterns of vegetation around the floodplain waterbodies through active management may be effective in conserving floodplain Odonata communities, including both forest and non-forest species.
A robust approach for inference on style analysis coefficients
Authors: Vistocco Domenico
Published: April 2024

Style analysis is an asset class factor model aiming at obtaining information on the internal allocation of a financial portfolio and at comparing portfolios with similar investment strategies. The aim of the paper is to investigate the use of quantile regression to draw inferences on style coefficients. In particular, we compare an approximation widely used from practitioners, the Lobosco–Di Bartolomeo solution, with robust estimators based on constrained median regression. The inference process exploits a rolling window procedure based on subsampling theory. Different sets of outliers have been simulated in order to show differences in the efficiency, in the coverage error and in the length of the resulting confidence intervals. The proposed solution shows better performance in presence of outliers in Y, in X, or in X and Y, in terms both of empirical coverage and of interval lengths, i.e. whereas the performance of the classical solution deteriorates.
Barriers to adherence to standard precautions among community health workers: a scoping review
Authors: Adejumo Margaret Dayo , Baker Melanie , Porock Davina
Published: April 2024

Aim

This review aims to map available evidence on the adherence level and barriers to standard precautions among home-based community health workers.

Methods

A scoping review using the JBI protocol searched multiple databases (Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science) as well as Google Scholar for published articles on standard precaution practices of community health workers during home visits. Search terms included “standard precautions”, “guideline adherence”, “community health” and “home care”. Two-stage screening (title/abstract and full-text) was conducted to select relevant articles.

Results

Eight eligible studies yielded three major themes: home environment context, individual factors and organisational factors. Findings indicated low adherence to standard precautions in home care, attributed to factors such as home layout, family or pet interference, cleanliness, limited access to protective equipment (e.g. gloves) and personal protective equipment allergies.

Conclusion

Providing healthcare at home is challenging, impacting care quality. Further studies on standard precautions in home care can improve adherence, quality of care and patient outcomes.
The effects of using collaborative digital storytelling on academic achievement and skill development in biology education
Authors: Bilici Sinan , Yilmaz Rabia Meryem
Published: April 2024

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of the use of digital storytelling on academic achievement, critical thinking dispositions, co-regulation, and narrative skills of 10th grade students. To this end, the study was conducted using a semi-experimental design with a convenience sample. The participants consisted of 64 students (33 in experimental and 31 in control group) who were studying in a high school. After the groups were trained, a two-week pilot study was conducted by forming collaborative groups among the students. This was followed by eight weeks of main implementation, during which students presented their projects to the class every two weeks. Following the digital story presentations in the experimental group, feedback was provided by the course instructor and peers. In addition, rubric scores were generated by the researchers for each digital story. Academic achievement test, critical thinking disposition scale, co-regulatory skills scale, and digital story evaluation rubric were used as data collection tools at the end of the process. Independent samples t-test, repeated ANOVA, and regression analysis were performed on the collected data. According to the results, digital story activities had moderate positive effects on students’ academic achievement and critical thinking, and high positive effects on co-regulation. In addition, the narrative skills of the students in the experimental group increased significantly over the weeks with a difference of 27.44 points. There was also evidence that storytelling ability was a significant predictor of academic achievement and that this ability increased significantly over the weeks. The results showed that the collaborative creation of a digital story by the students had a positive effect on their academic achievement and the development of their skills.
Exploring pre-service teachers’ intentions of adopting and using virtual reality classrooms in science education
Authors: Ogegbo Ayodele Abosede , Penn Mafor , Ramnarain Umesh , Pila Oniccah , Van Der Westhuizen Christo , Mdlalose Noluthando , Moser Ivan , Hlosta Martin , Bergamin Per
Published: April 2024

This study investigated how pre-service teachers perceive and plan to use a virtual reality classroom for science teaching during microteaching practices. The UTAUT 2 model was adopted as the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through an online survey from eighty-three pre-service science teachers from a large metropolitan university in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and regression analysis. The results revealed that pre-service teachers demonstrated a high level of acceptance and intention to use Virtual reality classrooms in their microteaching practice and future classroom teaching. Thus, implying that they were receptive to the idea of using virtual reality classrooms in their microteaching practice and future classroom practice. Results further indicate that the preservice teachers are fascinated by the utilization of virtual reality classrooms for their microteaching practice based on two significant factors: social influence and technology self-assurance. However, results show that age and gender do not moderate the influence of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, hedonic motivation, self-efficacy, anxiety and attitude on preservice teachers’ behavioural intention to accept and the virtual reality classroom for their microteaching practice and future classroom teaching. The implications of these findings for science teaching and learning are discussed as it delves into the motivations and considerations of pre-service teachers when incorporating virtual reality classrooms into their teaching practices for science education.
Implicit interpolation method for immersed boundary methods
Authors: Ali Md. Sujaat , de Holanda Sousa Renan , Awad M. Ossman , Camarero Ricardo , Trépanier Jean-Yves
Published: April 2024

Immersed boundary (IB) methods have been successfully implemented for different applications. This paper focuses on the immersed boundary implementation for two different governing equations, namely the diffusion equation and Euler equations, using a bi-linear interpolation for the implementation of the boundary condition. The concept of implicit interpolation is introduced which eradicates the problems faced with the explicit interpolation in which it is required to move away from the boundary in the fluid domain in order to complete the interpolation stencil.
An economic valuation of the provisioning ecosystem services in the south-west of Europe
Authors: García-Rubio Noelia , Larraz Beatriz , Gámez Matías , Raimonet Mélanie , Cakir Roxelane , Sauvage Sabine , Sánchez Pérez José Miguel
Published: April 2024

A methodology has been developed to quantify the economic value of the provisioning ecosystem services in the South-West of Europe (SUDOE) at any scale. This article describes the methodology that allows the quantification of nutritional and non-nutritional materials and their economic valuation related to agriculture activities at the regional scale. In a complementary way, quantification and valuation of freshwater consumption for domestic uses is described using regional official statistics converted into basin statistics by a geographical scale change matrix. The results show important differences depending on the regions at a sub-system scale. The highest values of agricultural production and its economic valuation are observed in the southeastern part of the SUDOE territory (South France, Spain, and Portugal), both in absolute and relative terms. In the Tagus basin, where the two capitals (Madrid and Lisbon) are located, the water supply and economic value are the highest in the SUDOE region. Provisioning ES is valued at 56.7 billion euros in SUDOE territory per year (current 2015 euros). In conclusion, this work makes it possible to identify those systems with higher economic valuation of provisioning ecosystem services, which, together with the expected increase in temperature and decrease/irregular rainfall, makes these areas particularly vulnerable. The proposed methodology can be applied to any river basin in the world.

Graphical Abstract
Efficacy of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and anise (Pimpinella anisum) essential oils as anaesthesics in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L. 1758)
Authors: Metin Secil , Didinen Hakan , Yigit Nalan Ozgur , Eralp Hasan , Ozmen Ozlem , Avsever Meric Lutfi
Published: April 2024

In this study, the anaesthetic effects of fennel and anise essential oils were investigated on common carp. Fish (10 ± 0.45 g) were exposed to nine concentrations of essential oils (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg L−1). Additionally, the histopathological effects on the fish tissues including gill, skin and hepatopancreas and physiological effects on some blood parameters (Na+, K+, Ca+2, Cl−, total plasma protein and glucose) of essential oils were investigated in carp. At the end of the experiment, fennel oil showed an anaesthetic effect at a concentration of 500 mg L−1 in carp (anaesthesia induction and recovery times were 308 and 472 s, respectively). Anise essential oil showed deep anaesthesia at a concentration of 100 mg L−1, but anaesthesia induction time was found to be very long (20 min). In addition, anise oil at concentrations above 100 mg L−1 caused 10% mortality in fish. Blood parameters except glucose level in both essential oils were unchanged during deep anaesthesia in carp. However, plasma glucose levels were found lower in fish anaesthetized with anise oil than control and fennel groups (P < 0.05). At the histopathological examination, no pathological findings were observed in any organ of fish in the fennel group. However, severe hyperemia and inflammatory cell infiltrations in gills, erosive lesions in the skin and slight inflammatory reactions in the skin were observed in the anise group. The present study demonstrated that fennel essential oil at 500 mg L−1 concentration can be used as an effective and safe anaesthetic in common carp, but anise essential oil is not suitable.
Big enough for an extra-large meal: a review on predation upon large animals by benthic cnidarians
Authors: Gregorin Chiara , Vega Fernández Tomás , Di Camillo Cristina Gioia , Musco Luigi , Puce Stefania
Published: April 2024

The feeding upon large animals—even larger than the predator—by benthic cnidarians has been reported from many ecosystems but never exhaustively studied to date. By reviewing 38 papers on this topic, this review aims to recap the observations on the predatory behaviour of polyps, to establish feeding plasticity boundaries and to understand the contribute of this trophic strategy to the benthic–pelagic coupling. The reviewed documents published increasingly during the last two decades mostly reported observations on heterotrophic Anthozoa in shallow ecosystems collected through photo/video records. The main prey items are represented by gelatinous zooplankton and echinoderms. The lexical discordance in the considered papers highlights the need to standardize the terminology to describe the feeding behaviour of benthic Cnidaria, opportunistic and characterized by a strong plasticity. Given the importance of large prey in cnidarian trophism, we proposed an unambiguous terminology that will help the online search of literature and address future studies. We suggest identifying micro-predation (predator/prey size ratio ≥ 5:1) and macro-predation (predator/prey size ratio is ≤ 1:1) as distinct feeding modalities, because the capture of large prey involves peculiar movements of polyps, such as stretching and retracting of column and tentacles to pull the prey towards the mouth.
Divergence of zooplankton assemblages in unstable fishless and stable fish ponds
Authors: Sługocki Łukasz , Brysiewicz Adam
Published: April 2024

This study aimed to achieve a better understanding of the features of zooplankton assemblages in small water bodies and their biodiversity and composition in relation to the presence of fish and accompanying environmental characteristics. This study was conducted in 16 mid-field ponds. Compositional and biodiversity indexes and ordination methods were used to analyze the relationship between zooplankton assemblages in unstable fishless and stable fish ponds. A total of 121 zooplankton taxa were identified. Compositional indicators revealed significant differences in zooplankton assemblages between fish ponds (FPs) and fishless ponds (FLPs). Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that variation in zooplankton assemblages depended on the ponds’ features. Most of the high trophic state indicator species were present only in FPs or occurred sporadically in FLPs. Rarefaction and extrapolation indicated a higher number of zooplankton taxa in FPs than in FLPs. The stability of the ecosystem was essential for maintaining the high species richness of zooplankton. Diversity indices were not influenced by variations in species composition or environmental differences among ponds. Diversified pond types are necessary to maintain the heterogeneity of mid-field ponds, which support the high regional biodiversity of zooplankton assemblages.
Videoconference-Supervised Group Exercise Reduces Low Back Pain in Eldercare Workers: Results from the ReViEEW Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Espin Ander , Irazusta Jon , Aiestaran Maialen , Latorre Erezuma Unai , García-García Julia , Arrinda Ismene , Acedo Karmele , Rodriguez-Larrad Ana
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To assess the effects of a group exercise intervention conducted by real-time videoconference on the low back pain of eldercare workers.

Methods

We randomly assigned 130 eldercare workers to an experimental group (EG: n = 65) or control group (CG: n = 65). Participants from both groups took part in routine prevention programs carried out in their workplace, and participants from the EG received an additional 12-week resistance-exercise intervention supervised by real-time videoconference. Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention, and the primary outcome was average low back pain intensity during the last 7 days, measured by the 0–10 numerical rating scale. Secondary outcomes included additional measures of low back, neck, shoulder and hand/wrist pain, as well as psycho-affective parameters, medication consumption and muscle performance. Both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were applied with a group-by-time ANCOVA including baseline measurements as covariates.

Results

125 participants completed post-intervention assessments (EG: n = 63, CG: n = 62). The intention-to-treat analysis showed an effect favouring the EG on average low back pain intensity (p = 0.034). Improvements in additional low back and hand/wrist pain outcomes were also observed, as well as on upper limb muscle performance (p < 0.05). The per-protocol analysis demonstrated additional benefits in depression, quality of life, hypnotic/anxiolytic medication consumption and lower limb and trunk muscle performance in participants with ≥ 50% adherence (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The intervention was effective for reducing the low back and hand/wrist pain of eldercare workers and increasing upper limb muscle performance. The per-protocol analysis showed additional benefits in psycho-affective parameters, medication consumption and muscle performance.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05050526. Registered 20 September 2021—Prospectively registered, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05050526
Rebound growth of BRAF mutant pediatric glioma cells after MAPKi withdrawal is associated with MAPK reactivation and secretion of microglia-recruiting cytokines
Authors: Kocher Daniela , Cao Lei , Guiho Romain , Langhammer Melanie , Lai Yun-Lu , Becker Pauline , Hamdi Hiba , Friedel Dennis , Selt Florian , Vonhören David , Zaman Julia , Valinciute Gintvile , Herter Sonja , Picard Daniel , Rettenmeier Johanna , Maass Kendra K. , Pajtler Kristian W. , Remke Marc , von Deimling Andreas , Pusch Stefan , Pfister Stefan M. , Oehme Ina , Jones David T.W. , Halbach Sebastian , Brummer Tilman , Martinez-Barbera Juan Pedro , Witt Olaf , Milde Till , Sigaud Romain
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Patients with pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), the most common primary brain tumors in children, can often benefit from MAPK inhibitor (MAPKi) treatment. However, rapid tumor regrowth, also referred to as rebound growth, may occur once treatment is stopped, constituting a significant clinical challenge.

Methods

Four patient-derived pediatric glioma models were investigated to model rebound growth in vitro based on viable cell counts in response to MAPKi treatment and withdrawal. A multi-omics dataset (RNA sequencing and LC-MS/MS based phospho-/proteomics) was generated to investigate possible rebound-driving mechanisms. Following in vitro validation, putative rebound-driving mechanisms were validated in vivo using the BT-40 orthotopic xenograft model.

Results

Of the tested models, only a BRAFV600E-driven model (BT-40, with additional CDKN2A/Bdel) showed rebound growth upon MAPKi withdrawal. Using this model, we identified a rapid reactivation of the MAPK pathway upon MAPKi withdrawal in vitro, also confirmed in vivo. Furthermore, transient overactivation of key MAPK molecules at transcriptional (e.g. FOS) and phosphorylation (e.g. pMEK) levels, was observed in vitro. Additionally, we detected increased expression and secretion of cytokines (CCL2, CX3CL1, CXCL10 and CCL7) upon MAPKi treatment, maintained during early withdrawal. While increased cytokine expression did not have tumor cell intrinsic effects, presence of these cytokines in conditioned media led to increased attraction of microglia cells in vitro.

Conclusion

Taken together, these data indicate rapid MAPK reactivation upon MAPKi withdrawal as a tumor cell intrinsic rebound-driving mechanism. Furthermore, increased secretion of microglia-recruiting cytokines may play a role in treatment response and rebound growth upon withdrawal, warranting further evaluation.
On the soliton solutions to some system of complex coupled nonlinear models and the effect of the coupling coefficients
Authors: Ozisik Muslum , Esen Handenur , Secer Aydin , Bayram Mustafa
Published: April 2024

In this work, we take into account the (2+1)-Davey Stewartson equation (DSE) and the (2+1)-complex coupled Maccari system (CCMS) and their analytical solutions. Besides, we tackle the role of the problem parameters on the soliton behavior produced by the presented DSE. Exact traveling wave solutions are highly useful in numerical and analytical theories for such equations. While numerical methods are widely used, improving analytical approaches for obtaining analytical solutions is necessary for a deeper understanding of dynamics. This study marks a significant milestone by implementing the efficient analytical approach, enhanced modified extended tanh expansion method, for the first time to the (2+1)-DSE and (2+1)-CCMS equations, thereby making a notable contribution to the existing literature. We have shown that features of the soliton solutions can represent the spread of propagation on the wavefronts and show a reasonable dependency on parameter values. Some of the solutions discovered in three- and two-dimensional arrangements can also be described in graphic representations of their behavior. With the help of the graphical depictions, bright, singular, and periodic singular soliton characters for the $$(2+1)$$

(
2
+
1
)

-DSE and singular, dark, bright, and periodic singular soliton characters for the $$(2+1)$$

(
2
+
1
)

-CCMS are acquired. The results show that the utilized analytical technique is easily applicable, efficient, reliable, robust, and categorical when it comes to finding analytical solutions for different nonlinear models. Moreover, the problem parameters and the coupling coefficients have significant influences on the behavior of the solitons of the DSE, and this examination is studied for the first time in this article.
What Matters to Others: A High-Threshold Account of Joint Attention
Authors: Bloom-Christen Anna
Published: April 2024

If only implicitly, social anthropology has long incorporated joint attention as a research technique employed in what anthropologists call “the field”. This paper outlines the crucial role joint attention plays in anthropolgical fieldwork—specifically in Participant Observation—and advances the position that joint attention is a goal rather than a starting point of fieldwork practice. Exploring how anthropologists tentatively use attention as a methodological tool to understand other people’s lifeworlds, this paper draws parallels between Participant Observation and ordinary everyday interactions, thus teasing out a view ofjointattention as a goal to be reached only by means of knowing what matters to others in the context of the lifeworld they inhabit.
Towards achieving the sustainable development goals: a collaborative action plan leveraging the circular economy potentials
Authors: Ritter Marie , Schilling Hannes , Brüggemann Holger , Fröhlich Tim , Goldmann Daniel , Henze Roman , Kuhlmann Martin , Mennenga Mark , Mrotzek-Blöß Asja , Niemeyer Jan Felix , Schmidt Kerstin , Spengler Thomas , Sturm Axel , Vietor Thomas , Woisetschläger David M. , Kauffeld Simone
Published: April 2024

This contribution to the journal “Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO)” delves into the critical role of Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17), “Partnership for the Goals,” in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to further circular economy objectives. Aiming to address the existing research focus on isolated technical aspects within the circular economy, this study uses an expertise- and interaction-based foresight process to integrate perspectives from business, engineering, social sciences, and work and organizational psychology to unearth broader, interconnected challenges and solutions for the implementation of circular economy practices. Based on the pooled experience of experts within the foresight process, this contribution elucidates major challenges, ongoing issues, and prospective hurdles to be tackled by 2030 in circular economy, presenting an action plan centered on interdisciplinary cooperation and stakeholder engagement to advance labor conditions and continuous learning, sustainable and regenerative systems, minimize waste, and optimize resource efficiency. The collaborative action plan serves as a pivotal resource for the transformation task for researchers and practitioners, offers insights and strategic directions for implementing circular economy practices, and emphasizes collective responsibility and action in achieving global sustainability, all while aligning with the principles of SDG 17. The presented collaborative approach propels the discourse on sustainability forward, highlighting the potential of the circular economy in realizing a more sustainable world by 2030.
Addressing grand challenges through the bottom-up marketing approach: Lessons from subsistence marketplaces and marketplace literacy
Authors: Viswanathan Madhu , Sreekumar Arun , Sridharan Srinivas , Sinha Gaurav R.
Published: April 2024

We present a bottom-up marketing approach as a pathway to addressing the grand challenge of poverty and inequality for the marketing discipline. We derive this approach from the research stream on radically different contexts of subsistence marketplaces. Research on subsistence marketplaces has typically explored micro-level phenomena but also traversed upward and explained aggregate phenomena at higher levels. We present a conceptual framework to encapsulate general and granular elements of the bottom-up marketing approach. Study 1 demonstrates general elements of the framework through a retrospective examination of the global diffusion of a marketplace literacy program. Study 2 demonstrates the more granular elements of the framework through a qualitative analysis of five case studies of social enterprise start-ups. Though presenting a complementary counter-perspective to conventional thinking, we embed the process of interweaving the bottom-up with the macro level to present an actionable approach. We conclude with insights for marketing research and practice.
Reimagining Transcalar Civil Society Advocacy Collaborations: Starting from the Global South
Authors: van Wessel Margit
Published: April 2024

Addressing the currently highly salient topic of power in civil society collaborations, this article seeks to contribute to reimagining advocacy collaborations in the context of contractual relations between civil society organizations in development. It explores the integration of common aims: (1) relating between levels, commonly sought in civil society advocacy programmes in development and (2) local ownership for civil society organizations in the Global South, in such programmes. Based on 29 interviews with staff of civil society organizations, the article shows that country-based actors see collective process, centered at country level, as the foundation for effective collaboration in advocacy, centering on facilitation and support. This turns collaborations with the international NGO that is involved upside down. It also highlights the limited scope for international advocacy from such understandings, while underlining the role of international NGOs in expanding this scope. At the same time, rather than marginalizing the international NGO, country-based actors see a variety of important roles for international advocates at both national and international levels. Based on these insights, the article proposes new, transformative starting points for shaping transcalar civil society advocacy that integrate advocacy at different levels in new ways, grounded in mutual long-term engagement, with a focus on facilitation and support, while expanding horizons, with a country-up approach.
Consequentialism and Its Demands: The Role of Institutions
Authors: Miklós András , Tanyi Attila
Published: April 2024

Consequentialism is often criticized as being overly demanding, and this overdemandingness is seen as sufficient to reject it as a moral theory. This paper takes the plausibility and coherence of this objection—the Demandingness Objection—as a given. Our question, therefore, is how to respond to the Objection. We put forward a response relying on the framework of institutional consequentialism we introduced in previous work. On this view, institutions take over the consequentialist burden, whereas individuals, special occasions aside, are required to set up and maintain institutions. We first describe the Objection, then clarify the theory of institutional consequentialism and show how it responds to the Objection. In the remainder of the paper, we defend the view against potential challenges.
Balancing Act of the Intestinal Antimicrobial Proteins on Gut Microbiota and Health
Authors: Ra Ye Eun , Bang Ye-Ji
Published: April 2024

The human gut houses a diverse and dynamic microbiome critical for digestion, metabolism, and immune development, exerting profound effects on human health. However, these microorganisms pose a potential threat by breaching the gut barrier, entering host tissues, and triggering infections, uncontrolled inflammation, and even sepsis. The intestinal epithelial cells form the primary defense, acting as a frontline barrier against microbial invasion. Antimicrobial proteins (AMPs), produced by these cells, serve as innate immune effectors that regulate the gut microbiome by directly killing or inhibiting microbes. Abnormal AMP production, whether insufficient or excessive, can disturb the microbiome equilibrium, contributing to various intestinal diseases. This review delves into the complex interactions between AMPs and the gut microbiota and sheds light on the role of AMPs in governing host-microbiota interactions. We discuss the function and mechanisms of action of AMPs, their regulation by the gut microbiota, microbial evasion strategies, and the consequences of AMP dysregulation in disease. Understanding these complex interactions between AMPs and the gut microbiota is crucial for developing strategies to enhance immune responses and combat infections within the gut microbiota. Ongoing research continues to uncover novel aspects of this intricate relationship, deepening our understanding of the factors shaping gut health. This knowledge has the potential to revolutionize therapeutic interventions, offering enhanced treatments for a wide range of gut-related diseases.
Seeing the Void: Experiencing Emptiness and Awareness with the Headless Way Technique
Authors: Ramm Brentyn J. , Lumma Anna-Lena , Sparby Terje , Weger Ulrich
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Practitioners in contemplative traditions commonly report experiencing an awareness that is distinct from sensory objects, thoughts, and emotions (“awareness itself”). They also report experiences of a void or underlying silence that is closely associated with this awareness. Subjects who carry out the Headless Way exercises frequently report an experience of emptiness or void at the same time as other contents (void-like experiences). The goals of this study were to (1) assess the reliability of these methods in eliciting the recognition of awareness and void-like experiences in participants who had no prior exposure to these techniques, (2) investigate the prevalence of these experiences in these tasks, and (3) to differentiate these experiences from closely related and potential precursor experiences.

Method

Twenty adults participated in in-depth individual interviews in which they were guided through the Headless Way exercises. A thematic analysis was conducted on the interview transcripts.

Results

Twelve of the participants reported a void-like experience, and five participants reported an experience of awareness itself. These experiences were respectively categorized as subsets of the more general categories of perceptual absences and the sense of not being person-like. Another novel finding was the real-time reports of awareness and void-like experiences during the exercises.

Conclusions

Our findings provide preliminary evidence that the Headless Way exercises can effectively induce experiences of emptiness and awareness in participants without prior experience. The findings suggest that such experiences can be elicited outside of a traditional meditation context, including in non-meditators. Furthermore, the experience of not being person-like and of perceptual absences may be precursors and more general forms of recognizing awareness itself and the void-like nature of the mind.

Preregistration

This study is not preregistered.
A Murky Ruling Threatens the Fate of Millions of US Wetlands
Authors: Simmons B. Alexander , Beck Marcus W. , Flaherty-Walia Kerry , Lewis Jessica , Sherwood Edward T.
Published: April 2024

For decades, federal protections were extended to wetlands adjacent to “waters of the US” by the Clean Water Act. In its Sackett v. EPA ruling, however, the US Supreme Court redefined the meaning of “adjacent,” eliminating protections to wetlands without a continuous surface connection to these waters (i.e., geographically isolated wetlands, GIWs). Yet it remains unclear how this continuous surface test will work in reality, where ecological connectivity often extends beyond physical connectivity. Here, we calculate the number of US wetlands that could be considered geographically isolated depending upon the distance threshold used to define isolation (ranging from 1 m to 100 m from the nearest hydrological feature). Overall, we estimate that 27–45% of wetlands, at minimum, could be considered geographically isolated using this range of distance thresholds. Over 3 million wetlands are within 1–100 m of the nearest hydrological feature, making them most vulnerable to losing prior protections from the Clean Water Act. The Midwest and Northeast have the largest share of potential GIWs within this range. Freshwater emergent wetlands and forested/shrub wetlands make up the majority of these vulnerable wetlands, though this varies by state. Roughly 47% of these wetlands are located in states without state-level protections for GIWs. Our analysis highlights the heterogeneity of risk to wetlands across the country and the scale of the uncertainty imposed by the updated Sackett definition. State-level protections that are robust to changes in federal protections are urgently needed to secure the country’s wetlands from further pollution and destruction.
AI in Current and Future Agriculture: An Introductory Overview
Authors: Kisliuk Benjamin , Krause Jan Christoph , Meemken Hendrik , Saborío Morales Juan Carlos , Müller Henning , Hertzberg Joachim
Published: April 2024

In recent years, agriculture has become a major field of application and transfer for AI. The paper gives an overview of the topic, focusing agricultural processes and technology in Central-European style arable farming. AI could also be part of the transformation process of agriculture that is emerging world-wide in response to the UN global sustainable development goals (SDGs). In that sense, our overview includes pointers to some research towards AI in future agricultural systems.
Toward robust and efficient communications for urban air mobility
Authors: Becker Dennis , Schalk Lukas Marcel
Published: April 2024

For the realization of the future urban air mobility, reliable information exchange based on robust and efficient communication between all airspace participants will be one of the key factors to ensure safe operations. Especially in dense urban scenarios, the direct and fast information exchange between drones based on drone-to-drone communications is a promising technology for enabling reliable collision avoidance systems. However, to mitigate collisions and to increase overall reliability, unmanned aircraft still lack a redundant, higher-level safety net to coordinate and monitor traffic, as is common in today’s civil aviation. In addition, direct and fast information exchange based on ad hoc communication is needed to cope with the very short reaction times required to avoid collisions and to cope with the high traffic densities. Therefore, we are developing a D2D communication and surveillance system, called DroneCAST, which is specifically tailored to the requirements of a future urban airspace and will be part of a multi-link approach. In this work, we discuss challenges and expected safety-critical applications that will have to rely on communications for UAM and present our communication concept and necessary steps toward DroneCAST. As a first step toward an implementation, we equipped two drones with hardware prototypes of the experimental communication system and performed several flights around the model city to evaluate the performance of the hardware and to demonstrate different applications that will rely on robust and efficient communications.
A study of virtual reality and the empathetic experience in Australian secondary students
Authors: Phillips Emma , Jarden Aaron , Bowles Terence
Published: April 2024

Empathy is a key contributor to moral, pro-social behaviour and an important element of socio-emotional learning (SEL). Schools deliver SEL programmes during adolescence to develop a range of skills including empathy. As education becomes increasingly digital, more research is needed to understand the role digital technologies may play in students’ empathy development. Virtual reality (VR) has been touted as a possible way to provide more realistic experiences to enhance empathy. To investigate this, an intervention of an empathy-provoking documentary (Clouds over Sidra) was shown to adolescents aged 13 to 15 years using either virtual reality (n = 63) or 2D projection (n = 53). Participants completed the Adolescent Measure of Empathy and Sympathy (AMES survey) before (time 1), immediately (time 2) and two weeks (time 3) after viewing the documentary. There was no difference in empathy between the 2D and VR conditions. However, for both conditions, there was an increase in empathy immediately after viewing the documentary but not at the two week follow-up. The results suggest that while empathy could temporarily increase when one is exposed to a novel emotive experience, a one-time intervention does not appear to produce a lasting change. This is an important consideration for schools in considering virtual reality technology for use in SEL.
Ultrasound diagnosis of a pseudoaneurysm of the internal right mammary artery
Authors: Boccatonda Andrea , Balletta Marco , D’Ardes Damiano , Cocco Giulio , Piscaglia Fabio , Serra Carla , Vicari Susanna , Schiavone Cosima
Published: April 2024

One of the principles of managing trauma patients is that of their continuous re-evaluation over the hours and days. Even if the execution of the computed tomography method is classically recommended, especially in the most serious cases and in polytraumas with major dynamics, the clinician can use or request an ultrasound examination, especially in subsequent re-evaluations. Here we report a clinical case demonstrating how an ultrasound re-evaluation after the acute event can lead to a correct diagnosis of a rare complication of thoracic trauma. The findings were suggestive for a pseudoaneurysm of the internal right mammary artery. Subsequently, an ultrasound-guided injection of thrombin was carried out until complete interruption of the flow within the formation. At subsequent follow-up, no arterial or venous blush was highlighted.
Toxicokinetics of aluminium—novel insights in an old adjuvant
Authors: Weisser Karin
Published: April 2024

Purpose

In 2015, an interdisciplinary project was started to fill the gap of knowledge on the toxicokinetics of aluminium (Al) after exposure from adjuvanted products for subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT).

Methods

Two complementary initiatives of the project are explained. The results of two studies are reviewed and put in connection with the overarching goal. An estimate is given which steps have been reached and which are still needed.

Results

Recent in vivo data provided evidence of systemically available Al from SCIT products in rats (Weisser et al. 2020 [1]). The data are highly valuable for further development of the physiology-based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model for Al exposure which has been established in parallel (Hethey et al. 2021 [2]).

Conclusion

The Hethey model is an important step towards prediction of Al exposure in man from various sources. For use in risk assessment of Al exposure from SCIT products further extension of the model is warranted.
Analysis of Rail Potential and Stray Current with an Unified Chain Model of Dual Traction Power Supply System
Authors: Bhatti Ashfaque Ahmed , Liu Wei , Yang Lingyun , Ma Qingan , Pan Zhe , Li Songyuan , Xu Qian , Li Mingze
Published: April 2024

In dual traction power supply systems, the overhead catenary system operates in different power supply modes. It passes across the AC section, DC section, and a neutral part, which influences the features and properties of the feedback current and aggregates its effects on stray current and rail potential. This research paper presents an integrated model of an AC and DC traction power system (TPS), along with a unified chain equivalent circuit model, the ground wire through the AC section, and the insulation joints fixed in the AC–DC neutral section under different operating positions. To make a unified impedance and admittance matrix for traction network, a virtual conductor wire has been added in the DC section to make the balance order of the TPS. The influence of reflex system configuration on rail potential, stray current, and distribution of rail potential at AC and DC stations has also been calculated. The simulation results demonstrate that establishing the insulation joints in the AC–DC section and using ground wires in the AC part can significantly decrease the stray current and rail potential.