bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of the activation energy under isothermal conditions: revisited
Authors: Arcenegui-Troya Juan , Sánchez-Jiménez Pedro Enrique , Perejón Antonio , Pérez-Maqueda Luis Allan
Published: November 2022

The kinetic analysis of solid-state processes aims at obtaining fundamental information that can be used for predicting the time evolution of a process within a wide range of conditions. It is an extended belief that the determination of the kinetic parameters from the analysis of curves recorded under isothermal conditions is strongly conditioned by the kinetic model used to fit the experimental data. Thus, much effort is devoted to finding the model that truly describes a process in order to calculate the kinetic parameters with accuracy. In this work, we demonstrate that the value of activation energy determined from kinetic analysis of isothermal curves is independent of the kinetic model used to fit the experimental data and, taking advantage of the underlying reason for this, a method for determining the activation energy with two isothermal curves is proposed.
Relationship between [18F]FDG PET/CT and metabolomics in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Imajo Masashi , Norikane Takashi , Yamamoto Yuka , Maeda Yukito , Saitoh Kaori , Kato Keiko , Soga Tomoyoshi , Okano Keiichi , Nishiyama Yoshihiro
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Advances in metabolomics have significantly improved cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Objectives

To investigate the relationship between metabolic tumor volume (MTV) using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/ computed tomography (CT) and metabolomics data in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

The metabolome in tumor tissues was analyzed using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry in 33 patients with newly diagnosed CRC who underwent FDG PET/CT before treatment and had tumor tissue post-surgery. Based on the FDG PET data, MTV was calculated and was dichotomized according to the median value, and tumors were divided into low-MTV and high-MTV tumors. Metabolomics data were compared between the low-MTV and high-MTV tumors.

Results

The levels of most glycolysis-related metabolites were not different between low-MTV and high-MTV tumors. The level of component of the initial part of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, citrate, was significantly lower in the high-MTV tumor than in the low-MTV tumor. The TCA intermediate succinate level was significantly higher in the high-MTV tumor than in the low-MTV tumor. In contrast, the TCA intermediate fumarate level was significantly lower in the high-MTV tumor than in the low-MTV tumor. The levels of many amino acids were significantly higher in the high-MTV tumor than in the low-MTV tumor.

Conclusions

Although preliminary, these results suggest that tumors with high FDG metabolism in CRC may obtain more energy by using a reverse reaction of the TCA cycle and amino-acid metabolism. However, further research is required to clarify this relationship.
Silver nanoparticles induced testicular damage targeting NQO1 and APE1 dysregulation, apoptosis via Bax/Bcl-2 pathway, fibrosis via TGF-β/α-SMA upregulation in rats
Authors: Assar Doaa H. , Mokhbatly Abd-Allah A. , ELazab Mohamed F. Abou , Ghazy Emad W. , Gaber Ahmed A. , Elbialy Zizy I. , Hassan Ayman A. , Nabil Ahmed , Asa Samah Abou
Published: November 2022

In medicine, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are employed often. They do, however, have negative impacts, particularly on the reproductive organs. This research aimed to assess AgNP impact on the testis and the possible intracellular mechanisms to induce testicular deteriorations in rats at various concentrations and different time intervals. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 40) were allocated into four equal groups: the control one, and three other groups injected intra-peritoneally with AgNP solution 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg b.w. respectively for 15 and 30 days. Our findings revealed that AgNPs reduced body and testicular weights, estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) hormone levels, and sperm parameters while elevating the nitric oxide and malondialdehyde levels with inhibition of reduced glutathione contents in testicular tissue. Interestingly, AgNPs significantly upregulated the testicular inducible nitric oxide synthase, B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X, transforming growth factor, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression levels. However, apurinic/apyrimidinic endo deoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1), NAD (P) H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and Bcl-2 expression levels were all downregulated indicating exhaustion of body antioxidant and repairing defense mechanisms in testicles in comparison with the control rats. Various histological alterations were also detected which dramatically increased in rats sacrificed after 30 days such as loss of the lining cells of seminiferous tubules with no spermatozoa and tubular irregularities associated with thickening of their basement membranes. Immunolabeling implicated in the apoptotic pathway revealed a negative expression of Bcl-2 and marked immunoreactivity for caspase-3 after 30 days of AgNP treatment in comparison to the control rats. To our knowledge, there have been no previous publications on the role of the α-SMA, APE1, and NQO1 genes in the molecular pathogenesis of AgNP testicular cytotoxicity following AgNP acute and chronic exposure.

Graphical Abstract
A multinational investigation of healthcare needs, preferences, and expectations in supportive cancer care: co-creating the LifeChamps digital platform
Authors: Marshall-McKenna Rebecca , Kotronoulas Grigorios , Kokoroskos Emmanouil , Granados Andrea Gil , Papachristou Panagiotis , Papachristou Nikolaos , Collantes Gonzalo , Petridis Georgios , Billis Antonis , Bamidis Panagiotis D. ,   on behalf of the LifeChamps consortium
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study is to evaluate healthcare needs, preferences, and expectations in supportive cancer care as perceived by cancer survivors, family caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

Methods

Key stakeholders consisted of cancer survivors diagnosed with breast cancer, prostate cancer, or melanoma; adult family caregivers; and healthcare professionals involved in oncology. Recruitment was via several routes, and data were collected via either online surveys or telephone interviews in Greece, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Framework analysis was applied to the dataset.

Results

One hundred and fifty-five stakeholders participated: 70 cancer survivors, 23 family caregivers, and 62 healthcare professionals (13 clinical roles). Cancer survivors and family caregivers’ needs included information and support on practical/daily living, as frustration was apparent with the lack of follow-up services. Healthcare professionals agreed on a multidisciplinary health service with a “focus on the patient” and availability closer to home. Most healthcare professionals acknowledged that patient-reported outcomes may provide “better individualised care”. Cancer survivors and family caregivers generally felt that the digital platform would be useful for timely personalised support and aided communication. Healthcare professionals were supportive of the “proactive” functionality of the platform and the expected advantages. Anticipated challenges were integration obstacles such as workload/infrastructure and training/support in using the new technology.

Conclusions

Obtaining key stakeholders’ insights provided a foundation for action to further co-create the LifeChamps digital platform to meet needs and priorities and deliver enhanced supportive care to “older” cancer survivors.

Implications for cancer survivors

Co-creation provided insight into gaps where digital support may enhance health and well-being.
Dorsoventral Arrangement of Lateral Hypothalamus Populations in the Mouse Hypothalamus: a Prosomeric Genoarchitectonic Analysis
Authors: Diaz Carmen , de la Torre Margaret Martinez , Rubenstein John L. R. , Puelles Luis
Published: November 2022

The lateral hypothalamus (LH) has a heterogeneous cytoarchitectonic organization that has not been elucidated in detail. In this work, we analyzed within the framework of the prosomeric model the differential expression pattern of 59 molecular markers along the ventrodorsal dimension of the medial forebrain bundle in the mouse, considering basal and alar plate subregions of the LH. We found five basal (LH1–LH5) and four alar (LH6–LH9) molecularly distinct sectors of the LH with neuronal cell groups that correlate in topography with previously postulated alar and basal hypothalamic progenitor domains. Most peptidergic populations were restricted to one of these LH sectors though some may have dispersed into a neighboring sector. For instance, histaminergic Hdc-positive neurons were mostly contained within the basal LH3, Nts (neurotensin)- and Tac2 (tachykinin 2)-expressing cells lie strictly within LH4, Hcrt (hypocretin/orexin)-positive and Pmch (pro-melanin-concentrating hormone)-positive neurons appeared within separate LH5 subdivisions, Pnoc (prepronociceptin)-expressing cells were mainly restricted to LH6, and Sst (somatostatin)-positive cells were identified within the LH7 sector. The alar LH9 sector, a component of the Foxg1-positive telencephalo-opto-hypothalamic border region, selectively contained Satb2-expressing cells. Published studies of rodent LH subdivisions have not described the observed pattern. Our genoarchitectonic map should aid in systematic approaches to elucidate LH connectivity and function.
Metabolic response after 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT-directed IGRT/SBRT for oligometastases prostate cancer
Authors: Gawish Ahmed , Abdullayev Nurlan , El-Arayedh Souhir , Röllich Burkard , Ochel Hans-Joachim , Brunner Thomas B.
Published: November 2022

Background

We used 68Ga PSMA PET/CT in the current investigation to assess the metabolic response and local control of metastasis in patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer receiving SBRT.

Materials and procedures

We performed a retrospective evaluation of the medical data of all patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer who underwent stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) between 2017 and 2021. Our analysis only included medical records of patients who had SBRT for oligometastatic prostate cancer and had pre and post-SBRT 68Ga PSMA PET/CT images. Patient-related (age), disease-related (Gleason score, location of metastases), and treatment-related (factors and outcomes) data were collected from the medical files.

Results

A total of 17 patients (28 lesions) with a median age of 69 years were included in the research. A median follow-up of 16.6 months was used (range 6–36 months). The median follow-up period for 68 Ga PSMA PET/CT was 8 months (the range was 5–24 months). The median pre-treatment PSA level was 1.7 ng/mL (range 0.39–18.3 ng/mL) compared to the post-treatment PSA nadir of 0.05 ng/mL (0.02–4.57). During the follow-up period, local control was 96%, and there was a link between PSMA avidity on PET. In the treated lesions, there were no recurrences. During follow-up, none of the patients experienced toxicities of grade 3 or above.

Conclusions

SBRT is a highly successful and safe way of treating patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer. Additional research is needed to examine 68Ga PSMA PET/CT to assess further for demarcation and follow-up.
Normative Pressure Affects Attitudes Toward Pornography
Authors: Grigoropoulos Iraklis
Published: November 2022

This study examines Greek young women’s attitudes towards pornography and identifies specific context-related social-psychological and socio-cultural predictors of women’s pornography consumption. An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted between September 8 and November 28, 2021, via an online survey. This study’s convenience sample consisted of female undergraduate students (N = 197) who were recruited from two universities in the northern part of Greece. A between-subject, correlational design was employed. Next, a multiple regression model was employed to predict attitudes toward pornography from the other study measures, based on the significance of the associations. Grounded on the theoretical line that individual attitudes are significantly influenced by exposure to context-specific socializing agents, this study examined whether the impact of religiosity on attitudes towards pornography would be mediated by normative pressure (social norms). This study's results identify specific context-related social-psychological and socio-cultural predictors of women’s attitudes toward pornography.
The Longer it is, the Closer One Feels: Perception of Emotional Closeness to the Partner, Relationship Duration, Sexual Activity, and Satisfaction in Married and Cohabiting Persons in Norway
Authors: Træen Bente , Kvalem Ingela Lundin
Published: November 2022

This study explores the connection between relationship duration and feelings of closeness in Norwegian men and women, and the association with sexual satisfaction and activity. A sample of 4160 Norwegians aged 18–89 years was enrolled from a randomly selected web panel of 11,685 Norwegians. This study focused on participants who were married or cohabiting (1432 men, 1207 women). Closeness was the highest for men and women who had been with their partner for 0−6 years. However, among those who had been with their partner for 31 years or longer, men felt closer to their partners than women. Irrespective of relationship duration, the most important factor for both men and women’s perceived closeness with their partner was general sexual satisfaction. Among men who had lived with their partner for 7−20 years and 31 years or longer, having been monogamous in life was significantly associated with “inclusion of others in the self” (IOS). Further, closeness was associated with higher intercourse frequency, lower masturbation frequency, and satisfaction with genital appearance in men who had been with their partners for 31 years or more. Intercourse frequency was significantly associated with IOS in women who had been with their partner for 0−6 years. Furthermore, in women who had been with their partner for 31 years or more, satisfaction with their own weight was important for IOS. In conclusion, men and women reported similar degrees and patterns of IOS up to the point where they had been in their relationship for more than 30 years. Thereafter, women reported feeling less close to their partners, while men’s feelings of closeness increased. This may be related to physiological, psychological, and social changes in the lives of aging men and women.
Using latent profile analysis to understand palliative care professionals’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Lluch-Sanz Cristina , Galiana Laura , Tomás José M. , Oliver Amparo , Vidal-Blanco Gabriel , Sansó Noemí
Published: November 2022

Healthcare workers’ professional quality of life has been increasingly under the spotlight, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has posed a genuine challenge for them. This study aims to describe the professional quality of life profiles of a sample of Spanish palliative care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, encompassing aspects such as work satisfaction, burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction; while studying the relationships between these profiles and sociodemographic variables, clinical situations experienced during the pandemic, protectors of professional quality of life, the quality of care delivered, and the professionals’ wellbeing. Data from a survey of Spanish palliative care professionals were used. The variables measured were professional quality of life, sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19-related experiences, protectors of professional quality of life, wellbeing, and quality of care. Our research included latent profile analyses, along with chi-squared and t-tests. The results suggested two profiles of professional quality of life, namely low (32.78%) and high (67.22%). The following profile displayed a higher likelihood of having a low professional quality of life: younger professionals, registered nurses, with a decrease in their teamwork, without specific training in palliative care, in coping with death and stress or emotional training and with lower levels of self-care and self-compassion, whose patients were unable to die a dignified death. Similarly, a low professional quality of life profile was associated with reduced wellbeing and poorer quality of care offered. In conclusion, providing professionals with education and training to improve their ability to handle end-of-life care and stress, maintaining cohesive teams and promoting self-care and self-compassion are pivotal to maintaining the quality of life and wellbeing of palliative care professionals and the quality of care that they provide.
Application of the Bookmark method: setting standard for the ninth-grade mathematics achievement test in China
Authors: Li Guangming , Wu Yuelin
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this paper is to apply the Bookmark method to the standard setting. Based on the Rasch Model in item response theory, a ninth-grade mathematics achievement test in china has been taken as an example of the standard setting, and 2 cut scores have been established to distinguish students into different performance levels eventually, namely basic and proficient cut scores. In addition, based on the use of generalizability theory, the standard error of the cut scores and the practical standard error are used as indicators to explore the effect that panelists and the standard setting rounds have made on the precision of Bookmark standard setting results through a mixed design of (p: g) × r. Result shows that the cut scores of basic and proficient were respectively 52.25 and 67.53. Besides, increasing the number of panelists in the group or standard setting rounds will reduce the standard error of the cut scores and the practical standard error. In addition, practical standard error is a necessary reference index when applying generalizability theory to analyze the cut scores established by Bookmark method, while the standard error of cut scores also has a great reference value.
Beyond All Splits: Envisioning the Next Generation of Science on Mindfulness and Compassion in Schools for Students
Authors: Roeser Robert W. , Greenberg Mark T. , Frazier Tyralynn , Galla Brian M. , Semenov Andrei D. , Warren Michael T.
Published: November 2022

Objectives

This paper describes the emergence of the scientific study of mindfulness in schools; summarizes findings of experimental research on the impacts of school-based mindfulness programs (SBMPs) on student outcomes in prekindergarten, primary, and secondary school settings (ages 4–18 years); discusses scientific limitations and wider critiques of this work; and offers suggestions for future research.

Methods

Public data are used to describe the emergence of science on SBMPs, the foci of this research, and the academic disciplines contributing to it. A narrative summary of scientific findings regarding the impacts of SBMPs on students, and critiques of this work, is also presented.

Results

Research is increasing and is primarily psychological and prevention-oriented. Evidence shows SBMPs can enhance students’ self-regulation abilities, but SBMPs’ impacts on other student outcomes at different ages are equivocal. The current research has significant limitations, and these, alongside wider critiques of the work, suggest important directions for research.

Conclusions

In the next generation of science, we suggest (a) improving the experimental research; (b) expanding developmental research; and (c) re-envisioning assumptions, theories, and methods in research to go “beyond all splits” towards a non-dualistic and relationally, culturally, contextually, ethically, and developmentally grounded science on mindfulness and compassion for students in schools.
Intracranial Pressure Dysfunction Following Severe Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Middle-Aged Rats
Authors: Kalisvaart Anna C. J. , Abrahart Ashley H. , Coney Alyvia T. , Gu Sherry , Colbourne Frederick
Published: November 2022

Rising intracranial pressure (ICP) aggravates secondary injury and heightens risk of death following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Long-recognized compensatory mechanisms that lower ICP include reduced cerebrospinal fluid and venous blood volumes. Recently, we identified another compensatory mechanism in severe stroke, a decrease in cerebral parenchymal volume via widespread reductions in cell volume and extracellular space (tissue compliance). Here, we examined how age affects tissue compliance and ICP dynamics after severe ICH in rats (collagenase model). A planned comparison to historical young animal data revealed that aged SHAMs (no stroke) had significant cerebral atrophy (9% reduction, p ≤ 0.05), ventricular enlargement (9% increase, p ≤ 0.05), and smaller CA1 neuron volumes (21%, p ≤ 0.05). After ICH in aged animals, contralateral striatal neuron density and CA1 astrocyte density significantly increased (12% for neurons, 7% for astrocytes, p ≤ 0.05 vs. aged SHAMs). Unlike young animals, other regions in aged animals did not display significantly reduced cell soma volume despite a few trends. Nonetheless, overall contralateral hemisphere volume was 10% smaller in aged ICH animals compared to aged SHAMs (p ≤ 0.05). This age-dependent pattern of tissue compliance is not due to absent ICH-associated mass effect (83.2 mm3 avg. bleed volume) as aged ICH animals had significantly elevated mean and peak ICP (p ≤ 0.01), occurrence of ICP spiking events, as well as bilateral evidence of edema (e.g., 3% in injured brain, p ≤ 0.05 vs. aged SHAMs). Therefore, intracranial compliance reserve changes with age; after ICH, these and other age-related changes may cause greater fluctuation from baseline, increasing the chance of adverse outcomes like mortality.
Exploring the negotiation processes when developing a mathematical model to solve a Fermi problem in groups
Authors: Brunet-Biarnes Mireia , Albarracín Lluís
Published: November 2022

Previous research has highlighted the importance of social relationships in mathematical group work while working on modelling activities. This study analyses the interaction of sixth-grade students in Primary Education (11 to 12 years old) carrying out a modelling task in groups with a Fermi problem used as the modelling activity. The focus of the study was to explore how students develop a mathematical model to solve a Fermi problem in groups. The data collected mainly came from the group discussions, although the students’ productions were also considered. The results show that a variety of factors can influence group work and that model development is based on one student introducing an initial model and then, through social interaction with the other group members, the model is improved to develop a solid strategy that may be useful for solving the problem at hand.
Total and non-total suborbits for hypercyclic operators
Authors: Bernal-González Luis , Bonilla Antonio
Published: November 2022

In this note, it is proved that if  X is a separable infinite dimensional Fréchet space that admits a continuous norm then, given a closed infinite dimensional subspace of  X, there exists a hypercyclic operator admitting a dense orbit which in turn admits a suborbit all of whose sub-suborbits are total in the prescribed subspace. This is related to a recently published result asserting that every supercyclic vector for an operator on a Hilbert space supports a non-total suborbit. Here we also extend this result to normed spaces.
Mitotane in adrenocortical carcinoma: a profile of its use
Authors: Shirley Matt
Published: November 2022

The adrenal cytotoxic agent mitotane (Lysodren®) has a central role in the systemic treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare and aggressive cancer of the adrenal glands. Although its precise mechanism of action remains unclear, mitotane has been evaluated and used for more than 60 years and, to date, is the only drug specifically approved for the treatment of ACC. Although ACC continues to be associated with a poor prognosis, mitotane has been shown to provide clinically significant benefit in a good proportion of ACC patients treated with the drug, both in the advanced (unresectable/metastatic) disease and adjuvant therapy settings. While mitotane has generally manageable tolerability with most adverse events (including neurotoxicity) being reversible with dose reduction or treatment interruption, regular monitoring of drug plasma concentrations during treatment is important to help ensure optimal use of mitotane while minimising the impact of drug toxicity.
Assessment of subjective and objective masticatory function among elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Lee Nan-Ju , Kim Hyo-Jung , Choi Yiseul , Kim Taek-Bin , Jung Bock-Young
Published: November 2022

Background

Masticatory function is known to be related to cognitive ability; therefore, factors for improving masticatory function should be identified.

Aims

This study aimed to identify factors influencing masticatory function associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly individuals.

Methods

A total of 123 elderly participants [mean age: 76.5 ± 6.5 years; 82 females (66.7%), 41 males (33.3%)] were included. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (KMMSE). Questionnaires for subjective evaluation were administered, and dynamic objective masticatory function evaluations, including chewing tests and bite force measurements, were performed. Intergroup differences were evaluated by the Wilcoxon rank-sum and chi-square test, and correlations between cognitive ability and masticatory function were evaluated by multilinear logistic regression.

Results

The number of teeth, number of posterior teeth, bite force, masticatory ability index (MAI) and posterior support status showed significant differences between the normal (KMMSE > 23) and MCI (KMMSE ≤ 23) groups. However, only the MAI, representing dynamic masticatory performance, was significantly associated with MCI regardless of age, sex and removable prostheses. The number of teeth and posterior teeth, bite force, subjective masticatory ability and posterior occlusal support showed no significant association with MCI.

Discussion

These results suggested the importance of chewing function for preventing the progression of cognitive impairment.

Conclusions

Considering that only the MAI was significantly associated with MCI, it is more important to improve chewing efficiency by harmonizing therapeutic prosthetics with the surrounding masticatory system than simply increasing the number of teeth to prevent or delay cognitive impairment in elderly individuals.
An imitation learning approach for the control of a low-cost low-accuracy robotic arm for unstructured environments
Authors: Bonsignorio Fabio , Cervellera Cristiano , Macciò Danilo , Zereik Enrica
Published: November 2022

We have developed an imitation learning approach for the image-based control of a low-cost low-accuracy robot arm. The image-based control of manipulation arms is still an unsolved problem, at least under challenging conditions such as those here addressed. Many attempts for solutions in the literature are based on machine learning, generally relying on deep neural network architectures. In typical imitation approaches, the deep network learns from a human expert. In our case the network is trained on state/action pairs obtained through a Belief Space Planning algorithm, a stochastic method that requires only a rough tuning, particularly suited to unstructured and dynamic environments. Our approach allows to obtain a lightweight manipulation system that demonstrated its efficiency, robustness and good performance in real-world tests, and that is reproducible in experiments and results, despite its inaccuracy and non-repeatable kinematics. The proposed system performs well on a simple reaching task, requiring limited training on our quite challenging platform. The main contribution of the proposed work lies in the definition and real-world testing of an efficient controller, based on the integration of Belief Space Planning with the imitation learning paradigm, that enables even inaccurate, very low-cost robotic manipulators to be actually controlled and employed in the field.
Die ambivalente Rolle der Spiritualität für die Erklärung von Verschwörungsglauben und Demonstrationsbereitschaft im Kontext der COVID-19-Pandemie
Authors: Endtricht Rebecca
Published: November 2022

Im Kontext der COVID-19-Pandemie gewinnen zunehmend Gruppen an Sichtbarkeit, die sich als Anker in der Problembewältigung präsentieren und vermeintliche Lösungsansätze zum Umgang mit der Pandemie zur Verfügung stellen. In Teilen solcher Strömungen zeigt sich ein Hang zum Verschwörungsglauben sowie zu abergläubischen und esoterischen Deutungsmustern, die in den Protesten gegen Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung der Pandemie vermehrt zum Ausdruck kommen. Die Vermengung dieser Phänomene in einer gemeinsamen Protestbewegung wirft die Fragen auf, wie diese zusammenhängen und welche Rolle dabei religiöse Zugehörigkeiten und spirituelle Weltanschauungen einnehmen. In der vorliegenden Studie werden spirituelle Welt- und Wertebilder differenziert und religionsunabhängig erfasst, um diesen Fragen nachzugehen. Es lassen sich empirisch zwei Formen der Spiritualität, die aktive und passive Spiritualität voneinander trennen, die sich in den Dimensionen Weltbild und Ethik, Wertekanon und Sinnempfinden teils diametral gegenüberstehen. Es zeigen sich unterschiedliche Effekte dieser beiden Spiritualitätsformen auf die Offenheit gegenüber alternativen und esoterischen Welterklärungen sowie auf die Ausprägung von Skepsis gegenüber der Wissenschaft. Die spirituellen Elemente tragen auch zur Klärung des Glaubens an Verschwörungserzählungen, der Unterstützung von Corona-Demonstrationen und einer diesbezüglichen Teilnahmebereitschaft bei. Dabei wirkt die aktive Spiritualität als Schutzfaktor und die passive Spiritualität demgegenüber als verstärkender (Risiko‑)Faktor für die Auftretenswahrscheinlichkeit von sowohl Verschwörungsglauben als auch Protestbereitschaft. Insgesamt zeigt sich, dass eine mehrdimensionale Erfassung von Spiritualität zur Erklärung von verschwörungstheoretischen und protestrelevanten Einstellungen beiträgt. Auf diese Weise können zudem bisherige ambivalente Befunde der Forschung zu den Effekten von Spiritualität als Resilienz- bzw. Risikofaktor für solche Einstellungen und Verhaltensbereitschaften ausdifferenziert werden.
Strolling Players of Empire
Authors: Wilson Kathleen
Published: November 2022

Why did Britons get up a play wherever they went? Kathleen Wilson reveals how the performance of English theater and a theatricalized way of viewing the world shaped the geopolitics and culture of empire in the long eighteenth century. Ranging across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans to encompass Kingston, Calcutta, Fort Marlborough, St. Helena and Port Jackson as well as London and provincial towns, she shows how Britons on the move transformed peripheries into historical stages where alternative collectivities were enacted, imagined and lived. Men and women of various ethnicities, classes and legal statuses produced and performed English theater in the world, helping to consolidate a national and imperial culture. The theater of empire also enabled non-British people to adapt or interpret English cultural traditions through their own performances, as Englishness also became a production of non-English peoples across the globe.
Transverse mode instability mitigation in a high-power confined-doped fiber amplifier with good beam quality through seed laser control
Authors: Wu Hanshuo , Li Haobo , An Yi , Li Ruixian , Chen Xiao , Xiao Hu , Huang Liangjin , Yang Huan , Yan Zhiping , Leng Jinyong , Pan Zhiyong , Zhou Pu
Published: November 2022

In this work, a confined-doped fiber with the core/inner-cladding diameter of 40/250 μm and a relative doping ratio of 0.75 is fabricated through a modified chemical vapor deposition method combined with the chelate gas deposition technique, and subsequently applied in a tandem-pumped fiber amplifier for high-power operation and transverse mode instability (TMI) mitigation. Notably, the impacts of the seed laser power and mode purity are preliminarily investigated through comparative experiments. It is found that the TMI threshold could be significantly affected by the seed laser mode purity. The possible mechanism behind this phenomenon is proposed and revealed through comprehensive comparative experiments and theoretical analysis. Finally, a maximum output power of 7.49 kW is obtained with the beam quality factor of approximately 1.83, which is the highest output power ever reported in a forward tandem-pumped confined-doped fiber amplifier. This work could provide a good reference and practical solution to improve the TMI threshold and realize high-power high-brightness fiber lasers.
Electron pulse train accelerated by a linearly polarized Laguerre–Gaussian laser beam
Authors: Shi Yin , Blackman David R. , Zhu Ping , Arefiev Alexey
Published: November 2022

A linearly polarized Laguerre–Gaussian (LP-LG) laser beam with a twist index

$l = -1$

has field structure that fundamentally differs from the field structure of a conventional linearly polarized Gaussian beam. Close to the axis of the LP-LG beam, the longitudinal electric and magnetic fields dominate over the transverse components. This structure offers an attractive opportunity to accelerate electrons in vacuum. It is shown, using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, that this scenario can be realized by reflecting an LP-LG laser off a plasma with a sharp density gradient. The simulations indicate that a 600 TW LP-LG laser beam effectively injects electrons into the beam during the reflection. The electrons that are injected close to the laser axis experience a prolonged longitudinal acceleration by the longitudinal laser electric field. The electrons form distinct monoenergetic bunches with a small divergence angle. The energy in the most energetic bunch is 0.29 GeV. The bunch charge is 6 pC and its duration is approximately

$270$

as. The divergence angle is just

${0.57}^{\circ }$

(10 mrad). By using a linearly polarized rather than a circularly polarized Laguerre–Gaussian beam, our scheme makes it easier to demonstrate the electron acceleration experimentally at a high-power laser facility.
‘Well, actually’: investigating mansplaining in the modern workplace
Authors: Smith Chelsie J. , Schweitzer Linda , Lauch Katarina , Bird Ashlyn
Published: November 2022

This mixed-method investigation examines the nature, prevalence, and correlates of mansplaining in modern workplaces. In Study 1, we scrape Twitter and conduct a thematic analysis of 2,312 tweets. These findings ground a comprehensive definition of mansplaining and propose six items for measurement. In Study 2, we quantitatively investigate mansplaining experiences at work (n = 499), finding that almost every participant had experienced mansplaining in the previous year. Expected gender differences emerged among mansplaining perpetrators and targets, yet men were not the only perpetrators, nor were women the only targets. Confirmatory factor analysis results support the possibility that mansplaining is a second factor of incivility. Further, mansplaining predicted significant variance in outcomes such as job satisfaction and turnover intentions above and beyond incivility. This research underscores that mansplaining is more than a social media phenomenon. Rather, it is a form of gendered mistreatment with implications for scholars and practitioners alike.
Ruin probabilities in a Markovian shot-noise environment
Authors: Pojer Simon , Thonhauser Stefan
Published: November 2022

We consider a risk model with a counting process whose intensity is a Markovian shot-noise process, to resolve one of the disadvantages of the Cramér–Lundberg model, namely the constant intensity of the Poisson process. Due to this structure, we can apply the theory of piecewise deterministic Markov processes on a multivariate process containing the intensity and the reserve process, which allows us to identify a family of martingales. Eventually, we use change of measure techniques to derive an upper bound for the ruin probability in this model. Exploiting a recurrent structure of the shot-noise process, even the asymptotic behaviour of the ruin probability can be determined.
Artificial intelligence for early detection of renal cancer in computed tomography: A review
Authors: McGough William C. , Sanchez Lorena E. , McCague Cathal , Stewart Grant D. , Schönlieb Carola-Bibiane , Sala Evis , Crispin-Ortuzar Mireia
Published: November 2022

Renal cancer is responsible for over 100,000 yearly deaths and is principally discovered in computed tomography (CT) scans of the abdomen. CT screening would likely increase the rate of early renal cancer detection, and improve general survival rates, but it is expected to have a prohibitively high financial cost. Given recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), it may be possible to reduce the cost of CT analysis and enable CT screening by automating the radiological tasks that constitute the early renal cancer detection pipeline. This review seeks to facilitate further interdisciplinary research in early renal cancer detection by summarising our current knowledge across AI, radiology, and oncology and suggesting useful directions for future novel work. Initially, this review discusses existing approaches in automated renal cancer diagnosis, and methods across broader AI research, to summarise the existing state of AI cancer analysis. Then, this review matches these methods to the unique constraints of early renal cancer detection and proposes promising directions for future research that may enable AI-based early renal cancer detection via CT screening. The primary targets of this review are clinicians with an interest in AI and data scientists with an interest in the early detection of cancer.
A new reductive perturbation formalism for ion acoustic cnoidal waves
Authors: Olivier Carel P. , Verheest Frank
Published: November 2022

A new formalism for the derivation of the cnoidal wave solution is presented by introducing a new set of initial conditions and a subacoustic moving frame. The resulting set of solutions is also constructed in a way that ensures the conservation of number density. The solutions are illustrated in a variety of graphical representations, and the effect of the amplitude's magnitude on the cnoidal wave form is presented. Interestingly, it is shown that the wavelength of the solutions decreases with amplitude. In addition, it is shown that the small-amplitude cnoidal wave solutions converge to linear waves in the small-amplitude limit.
The impact of neurotypical cognition on communication deficits attributed to pathologized people: schizophrenia as a case study
Authors: Hodgins Vegas , O’Driscoll Gillian , Titone Debra
Published: November 2022

Social communication deficits have been robustly documented in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Historically, attempts to lessen this dysfunction have focused almost exclusively on modifying the person with schizophrenia’s own behaviors and cognition. However, social communication is inherently dyadic, and this approach leaves unaddressed the role of the neurotypical interlocutor in communication breakdown. In this position piece, we review psycholinguistic theories and research in order to propose a more comprehensive and equitable understanding of the social dysfunction that people with schizophrenia experience. We do so by drawing attention to the manner in which neurotypical individuals may drive communication failure in schizophrenia. Stigma is proposed to be a major component of this phenomenon. In addition to an overview of our theoretical framework, we provide a research agenda to test the hypotheses this framework has produced. We hope this piece can inform future research directions within psycholinguistics.
Language as an interpersonal marker in English dissertation acknowledgments
Authors: Jia Mian , An Yi
Published: November 2022

Expressing gratitude and patronage in the form of dedication or acknowledgment can be traced back to the 16th century (Görlach, 2004). In the present time, writing an acknowledgment section has become a common practice in scholarly works, such as books, dissertations, theses, and journal articles. Research on acknowledgments as a text type, however, is relatively new. In his pioneering work, Hyland (2003) dubbed dissertation acknowledgments ‘a Cinderella genre’ because it is often regarded as a taken-for-granted component in a dissertation and has not received due academic attention. Unlike other conventional academic genres that aim to establish claims and reputation, dissertation acknowledgments reflect the reciprocal gift-giving among scholars, constituting ‘the most explicitly interpersonal genre of the academy’ (Hyland, 2004: 323). In addition to expressing gratitude to others, writers also use the acknowledgments section to build interpersonal relationships with their academic colleagues and/or professional communities (Chan, 2015). In this study, we adopt computerized text analysis to further explore how language patterns mark the interpersonal features in English dissertation acknowledgments.
A model to assess the impact of digital technologies on the health-related quality of life
Authors: Lockl Jannik , Schick Doreen , Stoetzer Jens-Christian , Huff Katrin
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a vital instrument to account for individuals’ well-being in various settings. However, no model of HRQoL allows for examining the effect of digital technology on HRQoL. Therefore, we extend an established HRQoL model by adding a digital technology-related construct. We refer to this extension as the technology-affected health-related quality of life (TA-HRQoL).

Methods

We investigate the extended TA-HRQoL model through a survey. In the survey, we exemplify the use of digital technology through a device for self-managing bladder dysfunction. Hence, we explore whether the model extension proposed is valid and how determinants of the HRQoL affect patients with bladder dysfunction.

Results

The results indicate that the use of digital technology improves the HRQoL. In our exemplary use scenario, the digital technology decreases bladder-related functional impairments and increases well-being and life satisfaction directly.

Conclusions

Our study may provide evidence for the influence of digital technologies on the HRQoL, thus supporting our model extension. We consider our proposed TA-HRQoL model as valid and as useful to account for the influence of digital technology on an individual’s HRQoL. With the TA-HRQoL model, the impact of a digital technology on an individual’s HRQoL can be assessed.
Getting the Message Out: Why Mail-Delivered GOTV Interventions Succeed or Fail
Authors: Fortier-Chouinard Alexandre , Bodet Marc André , Gélineau François , Savoie Justin , Ouimet Mathieu
Published: November 2022

Mail-delivered get-out-the-vote (GOTV) field experiments have been found to increase voter turnout in some but not all contexts. We hypothesize that mail-delivered GOTV interventions are more successful in low-salience elections and test this in a systematic way for the first time. Relying on a systematic literature review and a meta-regression framework, we find that primary elections have a strong and significant positive impact on the success of mail-delivered GOTV interventions, whereas other commonly used measures of election salience, such as voter turnout, margin of victory, and a dummy for local elections, do not. These results highlight the possibility of fostering voter turnout using GOTV mail messages, especially in primary elections.
Evaluation of distress management in inpatients with cancer by means of the distress thermometer: A mixed methods approach
Authors: Götz Anna , Kröner Anja , Jenewein Josef , Spirig Rebecca
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To improve psychosocial care for oncology inpatients, we implemented screening for distress by means of distress thermometer (DT) at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre Zurich in 2011. Since then, several screening barriers have been reported regarding the application of the DT. This study aimed to evaluate the distress screening process between 2012 and 2016 to identify barriers preventing sustainability.

Methods

In this sequential explanatory mixed methods study, we synthesized the results of 2 quantitative retrospective descriptive studies and 1 qualitative focus group study. To compare and analyze the data, we used thematic triangulation.

Results

Nurses screened 32% (N = 7034) of all newly admitted inpatients with the DT, and 47% of the screenings showed a distress level ≥5. Of these cases, 9.7% were referred to psycho-oncological services and 44.7% to social services. In 15.7% of these cases, nurses generated a psychosocial nursing diagnosis. In focus group interviews, nurses attributed the low screening rate to the following barriers: adaptation to patients’ individual needs, patient-related barriers and resistance, timing, communication challenges, established referral practice, and lack of integration in the nursing process.

Significance of results

To improve distress screening performance, the screening process should be tailored to patients’ needs and to nurses’ working conditions (e.g., timing, knowledge, and setting-specific factors). To gain more evidence on distress management as a basis for practical improvements, further evaluations of distress screening are required.
Testing the Resilience of the Amazon
Authors: Moutinho Sofia
Published: November 2022

A mega-experiment in Brazil will evaluate how tropical rain forests absorb carbon as emissions increase.
Obliquity Induced Latitudinal Migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone During the Past ∼410 kyr
Authors: Zhang Peng , Xu Jian , Holbourn Ann , Kuhnt Wolfgang , Xiong Zhifang , Li Tiegang
Published: November 2022

Obliquity influences the latitudinal position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). However, the specific forcing mechanism remains unclear due to scarcity of long‐term and high‐resolution precipitation records from the Indo‐Pacific region. Here, we present a new, extended, high‐resolution (∼2 kyr) precipitation record covering the past ∼410 kyr from a marine sedimentary sequence collected at the southern margin of the ITCZ's latitudinal displacement within the Indo‐Pacific region. By integrating this new precipitation record with the published precipitation records at the northern margin of the ITCZ's latitudinal displacement, we found that precipitation in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres varied in anti‐phase on the obliquity band, indicating that the latitudinal migration of the ITCZ was dominated by obliquity. The obliquity forcing on the latitudinal migrations of the ITCZ could be imparted by variations in the North Atlantic sea ice cover, resulting from Agulhas leakage induced changes in the ventilation strength of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation.