bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How the cost of veterinary care impacts the wellbeing, learning and practice of early career vets
Authors: Williams Rachel
Published: September 2024

Background

Investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority into the veterinary sector have highlighted the cost of veterinary care. This paper examines the changing attitudes of early career vets towards these costs.

Methods

Ninety‐seven semi‐structured interviews were held with 25 vets as part of a 2.5‐year longitudinal study. An inductive approach to analysis was adopted with flexible thematic analysis being undertaken using NVivo 12.

Results

High veterinary care costs create a financial burden for clients and an emotional burden for vets. Vets felt unprepared to deal with restricted client budgets and were unsupported by their practices in relation to charging. When owners could not afford treatment, vets had fewer opportunities to perform procedures and practise their skills. Eventually, vets distanced themselves from their clients’ circumstances to prioritise their own wellbeing and began to value their expertise and charge appropriately.

Limitations

The small sample size and emphasis on graduates of UK universities limit the generalisability of the findings.

Conclusion

This paper highlights the impact of veterinary care costs on early career vets’ wellbeing, practice and learning opportunities and advocates a ‘spectrum of care’ approach to veterinary education. It also encourages practices to engage with vets regarding charging behaviours.
Study on the effects of red imported fire ants invasion on the Chinese pangolin in Guangdong, China
Authors: Zhao Ting , Zhang Yihang , Dou Hongliang , Wang Kai , Zhang Zhidong , Tong Fuchun , Wang Cai , Zou Chuanshan , Sun Song , An Fuyu , Yang Jinzhen , Wang Jingxin , Wang Zhiya , Wang Lei , Hua Yan
Published: September 2024

The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus) is a critically endangered species that feeds on ants and termites. In 2022–2024, we observed two rescued pangolins being attacked by Solenopsis invicta Buren while in captivity. Clusters of pustules and erythema were found on the face, abdomen and limbs of the pangolin. Histopathological examination of the blistered tissue showed epithelial hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis of the skin tissue with surface crusting. In addition, we found remnants of S. invicta heads in the faeces of stung pangolins, suggesting that pangolins would feed on S. invicta. Currently, most of southern China has been invaded by S. invicta, so we conducted two S. invicta invasion surveys in pangolin habitats in Guangdong, and the results indicated that pangolin habitats in China have been invaded by S. invicta. Therefore, we suggest that S. invicta should be taken into account when developing conservation strategies for pangolins.
Improving an Alternative Glycerol Catabolism Pathway in Yarrowia lipolytica to Enhance Erythritol Production
Authors: Liu Feng , Tian Jing‐Tao , Wang Ya‐Ting , Zhao Lingxuan , Liu Zhijie , Chen Jun , Wei Liu‐Jing , Fickers Patrick , Hua Qiang
Published: September 2024

Engineering the glycerol‐3‐phosphate pathway could enhance erythritol production by accelerating glycerol uptake. However, little work has been conducted on the alternative dihydroxyacetone (DHA) pathway in Yarrowia lipolytica. Herein, this route was identified and characterized in Y. lipolytica by metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. Moreover, the reaction catalyzed by dihydroxyacetone kinase encoded by dak2 was identified as the rate‐limiting step. By combining NHEJ‐mediated insertion mutagenesis with a push‐and‐pull strategy, Y. lipolytica strains with high‐yield erythritol synthesis from glycerol were obtained. Screening of a library of insertion mutants allows the identification of a mutant with fourfold increased erythritol production. Overexpression of DAK2 and glycerol dehydrogenase GCY3 together with gene encoding transketolase and transaldolase from the nonoxidative part of the pentose phosphate pathway led to a strain with further increased productivity with a titer of 53.1 g/L and a yield 0.56 g/g glycerol, which were 8.1‐ and 4.2‐fold of starting strain.
Numerical simulation of melting heat transport mechanism of Cross nanofluid with multiple features of infinite shear rate over a Falkner‐Skan wedge surface
Authors: Darvesh Adil , Santisteban Luis Jaime Collantes , Khan Shahzeb , Maiz Fethi Mohamed , AL Garalleh Hakim , Sánchez‐Chero Manuel
Published: September 2024

The wedge geometry is a cornerstone in thermal transport mechanism, sepcially in scenarios involving fluid flow over surfaces. The current study emphasizes the melting heat transport mechanism in a Graphene oxide nanofluid over a Falkner‐Skan wedge geometry in the presence of multiple features of infinite shear rate accompanied with variable thermal transport characteristics and activation energy. Additionally, Cross model incorporated in the sytem, which predicts accurate behavior of intricate flow for better thermal simulation. The flow is governed by framed set of partial differential equations based on Naver stokes relations. A highly nonlinear system is altered in simplified non dimensional form using similarity variables. Numerical simulations are performed by an efficient MATLAB (bvp4c) solver scheme and the results of emerging parameters are compiled via different pictorial and tabular representations. The higher values of velocity ratio and melting heat parameter boost up the heat transfer rate over the Falkner‐Skan wedge geometry, whereas Brownian motion of nanofluid molecules arises by thermophoresis which declines the concentration profile. Numeric growth in the values of Schmidt number reduce the mass diffusivity, which declines the fluid temperature distribution. Likewise, Increasing value of Prandtl number causes reduction in thermal conductivity and produces temperature fall. It is worth noting that, this computational assessment is crucial in thermal processes because the results derived from this analysis enable the optimization of designs for better performance, efficiency, and control in practical applications.
PyBDR: Set-Boundary Based Reachability Analysis Toolkit in Python
Authors: Ding Jianqiang , Wu Taoran , Liang Zhen , Xue Bai
Published: September 2024

We present PyBDR, a Python reachability analysis toolkit based on set-boundary analysis, which centralizes on widely-adopted set propagation techniques for formal verification, controller synthesis, state estimation, etc. It employs boundary analysis of initial sets to mitigate the wrapping effect during computations, thus improving the performance of reachability analysis algorithms without significantly increasing computational costs. Beyond offering various set representations such as polytopes and zonotopes, our toolkit particularly excels in interval arithmetic by extending operations to the tensor level, enabling efficient parallel interval arithmetic computation and unifying vector and matrix intervals into a single framework. Furthermore, it features symbolic computation of derivatives of arbitrary order and evaluates them as real or interval-valued functions, which is essential for approximating behaviours of nonlinear systems at specific time instants. Its modular architecture design offers a series of building blocks that facilitate the prototype development of reachability analysis algorithms. Comparative studies showcase its strengths in handling verification tasks with large initial sets or long time horizons. The toolkit is available at https://github.com/ASAG-ISCAS/PyBDR.
Discourje: Run-Time Verification of Communication Protocols in Clojure — Live at Last
Authors: Jongmans Sung-Shik
Published: September 2024

Multiparty session typing (MPST) is a formal method to make concurrent programming simpler. The idea is to use type checking to automatically prove safety (protocol compliance) and liveness (communication deadlock freedom) of implementations relative to specifications. Discourje is an existing run-time verification library for communication protocols in Clojure, based on dynamic MPST. The original version of Discourje can detect only safety violations. In this paper, we present an extension of Discourje to detect also liveness violations.
Stochastic Games for User Journeys
Authors: Kobialka Paul , Pferscher Andrea , Bergersen Gunnar R. , Johnsen Einar Broch , Tapia Tarifa Silvia Lizeth
Published: September 2024

Industry is shifting towards service-based business models, for which user satisfaction is crucial. User satisfaction can be analyzed with user journeys, which model services from the user’s perspective. Today, these models are created manually and lack both formalization and tool-supported analysis. This limits their applicability to complex services with many users. Our goal is to overcome these limitations by automated model generation and formal analyses, enabling the analysis of user journeys for complex services and thousands of users. In this paper, we use stochastic games to model and analyze user journeys. Stochastic games can be automatically constructed from event logs and model checked to, e.g., identify interactions that most effectively help users reach their goal. Since the learned models may get large, we use property-preserving model reduction to visualize users’ pain points to convey information to business stakeholders. The applicability of the proposed method is here demonstrated on two complementary case studies.
AGVTS: Automated Generation and Verification of Temporal Specifications for Aeronautics SCADE Models
Authors: Wang Hanfeng , Yang Zhibin , Zhou Yong , Wang Xilong , Deng Weilin , Li Wei
Published: September 2024

SCADE is both a formal language and a model-based development environment, widely used to build and verify the models of safety-critical system (SCS). The SCADE Design Verifier (DV) provides SAT-based verification. However, DV cannot adequately express complex temporal specifications, and it may fail due to complexity problems such as floating numbers which are often used in the aeronautics domain. In addition, manually writing temporal specifications is not only time-consuming but also error-prone. To address these challenges, we propose an AGVTS method that can automate the task of generating temporal specifications and verifying aeronautics SCADE models. At first, we define a modular pattern language for precisely expressing Chinese natural language requirements. Then, we present a rule-based translation augmented with BERT, which translates restricted requirements into LTL and CTL. In addition, SCADE model verification is achieved by transforming it into nuXmv which supports both SMT-based and SAT-based verification. Finally, we illustrate a successful application of our methodology with an ejection seat control system, and convince our industrial partners of the usefulness of formal methods for industrial systems.
Code-Level Safety Verification for Automated Driving: A Case Study
Authors: Nenchev Vladislav , Imrie Calum , Gerasimou Simos , Calinescu Radu
Published: September 2024

The formal safety analysis of automated driving vehicles poses unique challenges due to their dynamic operating conditions and significant complexity. This paper presents a case study of applying formal safety verification to adaptive cruise controllers. Unlike the majority of existing verification approaches in the automotive domain, which only analyze (potentially imperfect) controller models, employ simulation to find counter-examples or use online monitors for runtime verification, our method verifies controllers at code level by utilizing bounded model checking. Verification is performed against an invariant set derived from formal specifications and an analytical model of the required behavior. For neural network controllers, we propose a scalable three-step decomposition, which additionally uses a neural network verifier. We show that both traditionally implemented as well as neural network controllers are verified within minutes. The dual focus on formal safety and implementation verification provides a comprehensive framework applicable to similar cyber-physical systems.
A Pyramid Of (Formal) Software Verification
Authors: Brain Martin , Polgreen Elizabeth
Published: September 2024

Over the past few years there has been significant progress in the various fields of software verification resulting in many useful tools and successful deployments, both academic and commercial. However much of the work describing these tools and ideas is written by and for the research community. The scale, diversity and focus of the literature can act as a barrier, separating industrial users and the wider academic community from the tools that could make their work more efficient, more certain and more productive. This tutorial gives a simple classification of verification techniques in terms of a pyramid and uses it to describe the six main schools of verification technologies. We have found this approach valuable for building collaborations with industry as it allows us to explain the intrinsic strengths and weaknesses of techniques and pick the right tool for any given industrial application. The model also highlights some of the cultural differences and unspoken assumptions of different areas of verification and illuminates future directions.
Software Verification with CPAchecker 3.0: Tutorial and User Guide
Authors: Baier Daniel , Beyer Dirk , Chien Po-Chun , Jakobs Marie-Christine , Jankola Marek , Kettl Matthias , Lee Nian-Ze , Lemberger Thomas , Lingsch-Rosenfeld Marian , Wachowitz Henrik , Wendler Philipp
Published: September 2024

This tutorial provides an introduction toCPAcheckerfor users.CPAcheckeris a flexible and configurable framework for software verification and testing. The framework provides many abstract domains, such as BDDs, explicit values, intervals, memory graphs, and predicates, and many program-analysis and model-checking algorithms, such as abstract interpretation, bounded model checking,Impact, interpolation-based model checking,k-induction, PDR, predicate abstraction, and symbolic execution. This tutorial presents basic use cases forCPAcheckerin formal software verification, focusing on its main verification techniques with their strengths and weaknesses. An extended version also shows further use cases ofCPAcheckerfor test-case generation and witness-based result validation. The envisioned readers are assumed to possess a background in automatic formal verification and program analysis, but prior knowledge ofCPAcheckeris not required. This tutorial and user guide is based onCPAcheckerin version 3.0. This user guide’s latest version and other documentation are available athttps://cpachecker.sosy-lab.org/doc.php.
Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial
Authors: Barrett Clark , Tinelli Cesare , Barbosa Haniel , Niemetz Aina , Preiner Mathias , Reynolds Andrew , Zohar Yoni
Published: September 2024

Great minds have long dreamed of creating machines that can function as general-purpose problem solvers. Satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) has emerged as one pragmatic realization of this dream, providing significant expressive power and automation. This tutorial is a beginner’s guide to SMT. It includes an overview of SMT and its formal foundations, a catalog of the main theories used in SMT solvers, and illustrations of how to obtain models and proofs. Throughout the tutorial, examples and exercises are provided as hands-on activities for the reader. They can be run using either Python or the SMT-LIB language, using either the cvc5 or the Z3 SMT solver.
B2SAT: A Bare-Metal Reduction of B to SAT
Authors: Leuschel Michael
Published: September 2024

We present a new SAT backend for the B-Method to enable new applications of formal methods. The new backend interleaves low-level SAT solving with high-level constraint solving. It provides a “bare metal” access to SAT solving, while pre- and post-calculations can be done in the full B language, with access to higher-order or even infinite data values. The backend is integrated into ProB, not as a general purpose backend, but as a dedicated backend for solving hard constraint satisfaction and optimisation problems on complex data. In the article we present the approach, its origin in the proof of Cook’s theorem, and illustrate and evaluate it on a few novel applications of formal methods, ranging from biology to railway applications.
Synchrony Between Facial Expressions and Heart Rate Variability During Game-Based Learning: Insights from Cross-Wavelet Transformation
Authors: Cloude Elizabeth B. , Dindar Muhterem , Ninaus Manuel , Kiili Kristian
Published: September 2024

Game-based learning (GBL) environments are designed to foster emotional experiences conducive to learning; yet, there are mixed findings regarding their effectiveness. The inconsistent results may stem from challenges in measuring and modeling emotions as multi-dimensional constructs during GBL. Traditional approaches often use one data channel and conventional statistics to study emotions, which limit our understanding of the multi-componential interactions that underlie emotional states during GBL. In this study, we merged non-linear dynamical systems (NLDS) theory with the component process model of emotion to examine interactions and synchrony among two emotion signals during GBL, facial expressions and heart rate variability (HRV), and assessed its relation to knowledge and learning gain. Data were collected from 58 participants (n = 58) at a university in Central Finland while they learned about pathology with a tower defense game called Antidote COVID-19. Results showed a significant improvement in knowledge after GBL. A NLDS technique called cross-wavelet transformation showed there were varying degrees of synchrony between facial expressions and HRV. Neutral expressions showed the highest degree of synchrony with HRV, followed closely by happiness and anger with HRV. However, the synchrony between facial expressions and HRV did not affect knowledge and learning gain. This research contributes to the field by studying emotions as multidimensional systems during GLB.
Update on cutaneous mesenchymal tumors in the 5th edition of WHO classification of skin tumors with an emphasis on new fusion-associated neoplasms
Authors: Kalmykova Antonina V. , Baranovska-Andrigo Vira , Michal Michael
Published: September 2024

The section on mesenchymal tumors in the 5th edition of WHO classification of skin tumors has undergone several changes, the most important of which is the inclusion of newly identified tumor entities, which will be the main focus of this review article. These specifically include three novel cutaneous mesenchymal tumors with melanocytic differentiation, and rearrangements of the CRTC1::TRIM11, ACTIN::MITF, and MITF::CREM genes as well as EWSR1::SMAD3-rearranged fibroblastic tumors, superficial CD34-positive fibroblastic tumors, and NTRK-rearranged spindle cell neoplasms. Some of the other most important changes will be briefly mentioned as well.
On the use of scaled boundary shape functions in adaptive phase field modeling of brittle fracture
Authors: Birk Carolin , Pasupuleti Ajay Kumar , Assaf Rama , Natarajan Sundararajan , Gravenkamp Hauke
Published: September 2024

This paper addresses the numerical modeling of brittle fracture using a phase field approach. We propose solving the coupled phase field / displacement problem by employing the scaled boundary finite element method, which facilitates the use of hierarchical meshes. An adaptive meshing approach based on this method is summarized. Contrary to existing applications of the scaled boundary finite element method in the context of phase field modeling, scaled boundary shape functions are employed in both staggered and monolithic solution schemes. The proposed methodology is verified considering two-dimensional benchmark problems. Very good agreement with finite element results of the force-displacement curves and crack paths is observed regardless of the solution scheme or meshing strategy.
Mentalization-based interventions in schools for enhancing socio-emotional competencies and positive behaviour: a systematic review
Authors: Chelouche-Dwek Gali , Fonagy Peter
Published: September 2024

Mentalization-based interventions (MBIs) have been increasingly applied in school settings to support the social-emotional development and mental health of children and adolescents. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of MBIs implemented in educational contexts for students aged 6–18 years. A comprehensive search was conducted in PsychInfo, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and ERIC databases from inception to October 2023. The search strategy combined terms related to mentalization, school-based interventions, and the target age group. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022302757). Inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed publications in English, studies published between 1980 and 2023, interventions based on mentalization principles, and a primary focus on children aged 6 to 18 years. Exclusion criteria involved non-mentalization based interventions and research outside the 6–18 age range. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tools from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data were synthesized narratively due to the heterogeneity of study designs and outcomes. Of the 5,250 articles screened, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising over 7,500 participants. The reviewed interventions targeted various aspects of mentalizing, such as emotion-understanding, empathy, perspective-taking, and Theory of Mind. Significant improvements were found in social-cognitive abilities, emotion regulation, and mental health outcomes, including reductions in disruptive behaviours. Interventions that combined mentalizing training for both students and teachers showed promising results. However, the long-term sustainability of these benefits remains unclear. Limitations of the reviewed studies include the lack of control groups, small sample sizes, and variations in outcome measures. The findings highlight the potential of MBIs as a promising approach to fostering socio-emotional competence, positive behaviour, and well-being in school-aged children. Future research should aim to establish the active components and optimal delivery of these interventions through well-designed randomized controlled trials with larger, more diverse samples and extended follow-up periods. The integration of MBIs within educational systems holds promise for promoting resilience and positive mental health outcomes in young people. Embedding MBIs within school curriculums and evaluating cost-effectiveness are important next steps to guide widespread implementation.
Advances in the Goertzel Filter Bank Channelizer for Cryogenic Sensors Readout
Authors: Ferreyro L. P. , García Redondo M. E. , Salum J. M. , Muscheid T. , Hampel M. , Almela A. , Fuster A. , Geria J. M. , Bonaparte J. , Bonilla-Neira J. , Ardila-Perez L. E. , Gartmann R. , Müller N. , Wegner M. , Sander O. , Platino M. , Kempf S. , Etchegoyen A. , Weber M.
Published: September 2024

Neutrino mass estimation experiments and cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation surveys both employ low-temperature detectors (LTD) known as calorimeters and bolometers, respectively. These detectors operate typically between 10 and 300 mK. LTDs multiplexed by means of a microwave superconducting quantum interference device multiplexer (µMUX) demonstrated to be an excellent device for the readout of several detectors in the microwave region. This entails generating a multi-tonal signal and its subsequent readout. A single-tone detection method based on a Goertzel filter bank (GFB) channelizer was used for the readout of the aforementioned signal, implemented in a software-defined radio readout architecture within a field-programmable gate array. The measurements presented here demonstrate remarkable results in validating the suitability of the GFB channelizer for this system.
The Poetic Wavelength—Tuning into the Meaningful Poetics of Psychosis
Authors: Pearson Mark
Published: September 2024

Despite the emerging evidence base to support the therapeutic potential of creative writing and poetry for a variety of mental health problems, the therapeutic potential of poetry for people who have experienced psychosis remains poorly understood. The paper argues that by considering psychosis as meaningful poetics, this epistemological shift has the potential to foster curious inquiry and increase opportunities for meaningful dialogue. The paper introduces and explores the concept of the ‘poetic wavelength’, building on the previously established notion of the psychotic wavelength, which proposes that others need to ‘tune in’ to what is being communicated through psychosis. The concept of the poetic wavelength suggests that the reading and writing of poetry may support this process of ‘tuning in’ both for those experiencing psychosis and those working therapeutically with them.
Comparison of Vision Transformers and Convolutional Neural Networks in Medical Image Analysis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Takahashi Satoshi , Sakaguchi Yusuke , Kouno Nobuji , Takasawa Ken , Ishizu Kenichi , Akagi Yu , Aoyama Rina , Teraya Naoki , Bolatkan Amina , Shinkai Norio , Machino Hidenori , Kobayashi Kazuma , Asada Ken , Komatsu Masaaki , Kaneko Syuzo , Sugiyama Masashi , Hamamoto Ryuji
Published: September 2024

In the rapidly evolving field of medical image analysis utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), the selection of appropriate computational models is critical for accurate diagnosis and patient care. This literature review provides a comprehensive comparison of vision transformers (ViTs) and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), the two leading techniques in the field of deep learning in medical imaging. We conducted a survey systematically. Particular attention was given to the robustness, computational efficiency, scalability, and accuracy of these models in handling complex medical datasets. The review incorporates findings from 36 studies and indicates a collective trend that transformer-based models, particularly ViTs, exhibit significant potential in diverse medical imaging tasks, showcasing superior performance when contrasted with conventional CNN models. Additionally, it is evident that pre-training is important for transformer applications. We expect this work to help researchers and practitioners select the most appropriate model for specific medical image analysis tasks, accounting for the current state of the art and future trends in the field.
Ivories in the Late Chalcolithic Period and Their Significance for Understanding Contacts Between Egypt and the Southern Levant
Authors: Rosenberg Danny , Chasan Rivka
Published: September 2024

One of the most interesting aspects of the Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant (c. 4500–3900 cal BC), a period marking notable societal transformations and developments in economy, craft and cult, was the appearance of ivory objects. Ivory, originating from the tusks of elephants and hippopotamuses, suddenly appeared in this period in low quantities and only at a few sites, restricted mainly to the northern Negev, Judean Desert and the central Mediterranean coastal plain. The current paper discusses the Late Chalcolithic ivory objects found in the southern Levant and suggests that we should not merely view these finds as artistic objects charged with symbolic value, but rather, we should acknowledge the role of the specific raw material from which they were made, for its social and economic values based on the likely non-local origin of the ivory and the inherent difficulty in its acquisition. These factors bestowed the ivory items with special significance and prestige value that differentiated them from other more common bone tools. Moreover, we suggest that although these findings reflect contacts, albeit limited between the southern Levant and Predynastic Egypt.
Yarrowia lipolytica growth, lipids, and protease production in medium with higher alkanes and alkenes
Authors: Miranda Sílvia M. , Belo Isabel , Lopes Marlene
Published: September 2024

Two strains of Yarrowia lipolytica (CBS 2075 and DSM 8218) were first studied in bioreactor batch cultures, under different controlled dissolved oxygen concentrations (DOC), to assess their ability to assimilate aliphatic hydrocarbons (HC) as a carbon source in a mixture containing 2 g·L−1 of each alkane (dodecane and hexadecane), and 2 g·L−1 hexadecene. Both strains grew in the HC mixture without a lag phase, and for both strains, 30 % DOC was sufficient to reach the maximum values of biomass and lipids. To enhance lipid-rich biomass and enzyme production, a pulse fed-batch strategy was tested, for the first time, with the addition of one or three pulses of concentrated HC medium. The addition of three pulses of the HC mixture (total of 24 g·L−1 HC) did not hinder cell proliferation, and high protease (> 3000 U·L−1) and lipids concentrations of 3.4 g·L−1 and 4.3 g·L−1 were achieved in Y. lipolytica CBS 2075 and DSM 8218 cultures, respectively. Lipids from the CBS 2075 strain are rich in C16:0 and C18:1, resembling the composition of palm oil, considered suitable for the biodiesel industry. Lipids from the DSM 8218 strain were predominantly composed of C16:0 and C16:1, the latter being a valuable monounsaturated fatty acid used in the pharmaceutical industry. Y. lipolytica cells exhibited high intrinsic surface hydrophobicity (> 69 %), which increased in the presence of HC. A reduction in surface tension was observed in both Y. lipolytica cultures, suggesting the production of extracellular biosurfactants, even at low amounts. This study marks a significant advancement in the valorization of HC for producing high-value products by exploring the hydrophobic compounds metabolism of Y. lipolytica.
Concentrations of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Pancreatic Cancer: A Case–Control Study in New York
Authors: Long Sara , Porta Miquel , Yang Jeffrey , Jing Xiaohong , Gasull Magda , Burgos Gabriela , Simeone Diane , Trasande Leonardo
Published: September 2024

The aim was to investigate the concentrations of some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in patients with pancreatic cancer from New York, and to compare them with a group of controls from the general population of the United States. We selected 50 cases of pancreatic cancer from donors to the New York University Pancreatic Biorepository. Controls were selected from the 2017–18 National Health and Examination Survey sample (n = 167), matched to cases on age, sex, and race and ethnicity. Six PFAS were analyzed in serum samples using high performance liquid chromatography in conjunction with mass spectrometry. PFAS concentrations were categorized into tertiles to explore non-linear associations, and odds ratios (OR) were estimated using conditional logistic regression, adjusting by BMI. Most PFAS were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Serum perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) was associated with a decreased risk (OR for upper tertile = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.67). In contrast, participants with the highest tertile of perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) had a higher risk (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.11, 6.09). Adjusting for BMI did not materially change the results. Study limitations include: in pancreatic cancer patients, blood used to measure PFAS was collected around the time of diagnosis; cases and controls could not be sampled from the same geographic location; slightly different laboratory methods were used to analyze PFAS in cases and controls. Most PFAS studied were not significantly associated with pancreatic cancer, except for PFHxS and PFUnDA, which exhibited opposite trends. Findings and limitations of the present study warrant further investigation with improved study designs and data on complex PFAS mixtures.
Erlangization/Canadization of Phase-Type Jump Diffusions, with Applications to Barrier Options
Authors: Asmussen Søren
Published: September 2024

For a jump diffusion with upward phase-type jumps with p phases, the maximum before an independent Erlang time $$e^q_\eta$$

e
η
q

with q stages and rate parameter $$\eta$$
η
is again phase-type with $$q(p+1)$$

q
(
p
+
1
)

phases. An iterative scheme for computing the phase generator is presented and applied to representing the price of a barrier option with time horizon $$e^q_\eta$$

e
η
q

as a single ordinary integral. Canadization then means to approximate a fixed horizon T with an $$e^q_\eta$$

e
η
q

satisying $${\mathbb {E}}e^q_\eta =T$$

E

e
η
q

=
T

for a sufficiently large q. Similar results holds for Greeks like the delta and the gamma. A numerical example is given for a down-and-in call option and the Canadization is combined with Richardson extrapolation. Finally, a recursion is developed that only requires the iteration to be performed in $$p+1$$

p
+
1

dimensions.
Systematic review of data exchange for road side unit in a vehicular ad hoc network: coherent taxonomy, prominent features, datasets, metrics, performance measures, motivation, opportunities, challenges and methodological aspects
Authors: Shakir Ahmed Thair , Islam Md. Shabiul , Mandeep Jit Singh , Islam Mohammad Tariqul , Abdullah Nor Fadzilah , Taher Younus Hasan , Abdullahi Omer T. , Soliman Mohamed S.
Published: September 2024

Nowadays, more cars are being added to the roads, which increases the risk of deadly accidents and the average commuter's daily travel time. To address these issues, vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) were developed, facilitating communication both among vehicles and between vehicles and infrastructure. Due to the great mobility of vehicles, the primary issue in VANETs is the requirement for very short communication latency, particularly for applications related to safety. Moreover, security is a significant concern that arises from Because nodes share sensitive information with one another about themselves and their surroundings. The infrastructure-based elements defined as roadside units (RSU) were formulated to overcome this problem by allowing information to be transmitted amongst vehicles, which could then be used to increase system safety and efficiency. However, in order to achieve certain desired Quality of Service (QoS), such as service coverage, throughput, reduced latency, or energy consumption, there are primary obstacles that arise when implementing (RSUs). These obstacles include performance issues, data security during transfer, and overall cost considerations. This article introduces a thorough survey of Roadside Units (RSUs) in VANET networks, providing an examination of the current research trends in this field. The survey explores the strengths, weaknesses, specific scenarios, methods, topologies, and potential future improvements of RSUs. Additionally, the paper focuses on three key aspects of RSUs: deployment, management, and security, analyzing their prominent features, motivations, challenges, methodology aspects, real datasets, metrics, and performance measures.
Partizipationsmöglichkeiten von Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen im Sport – eine explorative Interviewstudie zum demokratiebildenden Potenzial von Sportvereinen
Authors: Quade Sarah , Barkemeyer Lorena , Neuber Nils
Published: September 2024

Partizipation von Heranwachsenden im Sportverein ist sowohl für die Entwicklung der jungen Menschen als auch für die Zukunftsfähigkeit der Vereine von großer Bedeutung und hat sogar eine darüber hinausragende, gesellschaftliche Relevanz für die Demokratie. Der Beitrag analysiert unter Rückgriff auf den breit angelegten demokratischen Partizipationsbegriff nach Eikel (2007) Möglichkeiten für Mitbestimmung, Mitsprache und Mitgestaltung im Sportverein aus der Perspektive von Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen.

In einem ersten Befragungszeitraum im Sommer 2021 wurden 16 Interviews mit jungen Sportler*innen (n = 16) im Alter von 16 bis 20 Jahren geführt. Darauf aufbauend fanden zum Ende des Jahres 2022 vier Fokusgruppeninterviews mit engagierten Sportler*innen im Alter von 16 bis 27 Jahren statt. Mittels einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse wurden die Ergebnisse in einem deduktiv-induktiven Verfahren kategorisiert und analysiert. Grundsätzlich zeigt sich, dass der Sportverein aus der Perspektive der Heranwachsenden Möglichkeiten der Partizipation in allen drei Facetten bieten kann. Dabei werden in der Analyse unterschiedliche Strukturebenen für Partizipationsmöglichkeiten im Sportverein sowie der Grad an Formalisierung herausgearbeitet.
Spying in South Asia
Authors: McGarr Paul M.
Published: September 2024

In this first comprehensive history of India's secret Cold War, Paul McGarr tells the story of Indian politicians, human rights activists, and journalists as they fought against or collaborated with members of the British and US intelligence services. The interventions of these agents have had a significant and enduring impact on the political and social fabric of South Asia. The spectre of a 'foreign hand', or external intelligence activity, real and imagined, has occupied a prominent place in India's political discourse, journalism, and cultural production. Spying in South Asia probes the nexus between intelligence and statecraft in South Asia and the relationships between agencies and governments forged to promote democracy. McGarr asks why, in contrast to Western assumptions about surveillance, South Asians associate intelligence with covert action, grand conspiracy, and justifications for repression? In doing so, he uncovers a fifty-year battle for hearts and minds in the Indian subcontinent.
What Might Be in the Pure Business of Being True?
Authors: Shieh Sanford
Published: September 2024

I argue that Charles Travis’s interpretation of Frege, in Frege: The Pure Business of Being True, as consistent with Travis’s conception of occasion-sensitivity does not in fact require any modal notions, and so is consistent with the amodalist interpretation of Frege I elaborate in Necessity Lost.
The Value of Independence between Experts: Epistemic Autonomy and Different Perspectives
Authors: Wright Jack
Published: September 2024

I offer two interpretations of independence between experts: (i) independence as deciding autonomously, and (ii) independence as having different perspectives. I argue that when experts are grouped together, independence of both kinds is valuable for the same reason: they reduce the likelihood of erroneous consensus by enabling a greater variety of critical viewpoints. In offering this argument, I show that a purported proof from Finnur Dellsén that groups of more autonomous experts are more reliable does not work. It relies on a flawed ceteris paribus assumption, as well as a false equivalence between autonomy and probabilistic independence. A purely formal proof that more autonomous experts are more reliable is in fact not possible – substantive claims about how more autonomous groups reason are required. My alternative argument for the value of autonomy between experts rests on the claim that groups that triangulate a greater range of critical viewpoints will be less likely to accept hypotheses in error. As well as clarifying what makes autonomy between experts valuable, this mechanism of critical triangulation, gives us reason to value groups of experts that cover a wide range of relevant skills and knowledge. This justifies my second interpretation of expert independence.
Arendt, Natality, and Indigenous Reproductive Justice
Authors: Tyson Sarah
Published: September 2024

In their recent book, Arendt, Natality and Biopolitics, Rosalyn Diprose and Ewa Plonowska Ziarek reconstruct Hannah Arendt's concept of natality in order to diagnose and resist biopolitical threats to democratic plurality. Their analysis leads them to engage indigenous reproductive justice organizing; that engagement is the focus of my critique. I argue that their understanding of the biopolitical targeting of indigenous people needs further development. Diprose and Ziarek tend to read indigenous organizers as working toward inclusion in the democratic plurality of settler societies. While that is the aim of some indigenous organizations and actors, that is not the aim of many, including a theorist and activist they engage, Katsi Cook (Mohawk). I suggest that their engagement with indigenous reproductive justice organizing is shaped by the important, but unthematized role settler colonialism has in Arendt's work. I further argue that Cook provides crucial theoretical and practical challenges to the settler state and its role in feminist theoretical projects of critique.
Exchangeable molybdenum concentration in lowland paddy fields of Sri Lanka as affected by the differences in agro-climatic zones, soil orders, and water sources
Authors: Hettiarachchi Indeera , Ariyaratne Mojith , Rathnayake Upul , Madushan Ranga , Kadupitiya Harsha , Chandrajith Rohana , Suriyagoda Lalith
Published: September 2024

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential micronutrient for plants. However, Mo status in Sri Lankan paddy fields as affected by climate and soil is not known. This study was conducted to (i) determine the distribution of exchangeable Mo concentration, and (ii) examine the interactive effects of the agro-climatic zone (ACZ), soil order, water source, and their interactions in determining exchangeable Mo concentration in lowland paddy fields of Sri Lanka. A total of 3,719 soil samples representing six ACZs, six soil orders, and three water sources were collected using a stratified random sampling approach. Exchangeable Mo concentration was determined after extracting in 0.01 M CaCl2 solution and detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Soil Mo concentration varied in the range of 0.01 to 245 µg kg−1 with a mean of 25.9 µg kg−1. Samples collected from the Wet zone, particularly Wet zone Low country, had higher Mo concentrations than those reported in other ACZs. Among the soil orders tested, Histosols had a higher Mo concentration while that in other soil orders was similar. Rainfed paddy fields had more Mo than supplementary irrigated paddy fields. Spatial maps were generated to visualise the geographical variation in soil Mo concentration. Due to the presence of a spatial heterogeneity of exchangeable Mo concentration, it is important to implement ACZ, soil, and water source-based strategies to improve Mo status in Sri Lankan paddy fields.
Revolution and Counterrevolution in Egypt
Authors: el-Hamalawy Hossam
Published: September 2024

Why did the Egyptian revolution happen? How did it happen? Was it planned? What did it achieve? Was it defeated? These are some of the questions that usually surface in January each year, and during grim anniversaries of the infamous massacres that Egyptians witnessed after the 2013 military coup against Egypt's first elected president.
The Politics of Plant Life: Transatlantic Animisms in Leslie Marmon Silko's Gardens in the Dunes
Authors: Newby Diana Rose
Published: September 2024

This essay argues that Leslie Marmon Silko's 1999 historical-fiction novel Gardens in the Dunes enables Indigenous-centered interventions into Victorian studies, ecocriticism, and their intersection. Dramatizing an animistic Native American view of nature as agentic and enspirited, Silko's novel critiques Victorian plant hunting as rooted in settler-colonial logic that treats nature as inert. In turn, through representations of late Victorian gardeners, Silko suggests that British horticulture was also informed by colonial and capitalist ways of thinking about plants. At the same time, however, the novel locates an animistic strain running through Victorian gardening discourses, which I demonstrate through readings of Victorian garden books depicting plants as agentic and enspirited. Silko, I argue, invites us to revisit the late nineteenth century as characterized by a cultural revival of animistic thought, even as this period also saw the racist stigmatization of animism in the field of Victorian anthropology. I connect this fraught discursive moment in British history to an inherited hesitation toward animism in contemporary Victorian studies and ecocriticism, a hesitation that has contributed to uneven engagement with Indigenous thought in both fields. In response, this essay explicates and emulates Silko's critical methodology for an undisciplining engagement with animism in white-authored, ecocritical Victorian studies.
What candidate will fight corruption? Gender and anti-corruption stereotypes across European countries
Authors: Bauhr Monika , Charron Nicholas , Wängnerud Lena
Published: September 2024

What candidates do voters perceive as best to combat corruption? While recent studies suggest that parties recruit women in order to restore legitimacy, we know less about whether voters believe that women candidates are better equipped than male candidates to fight corruption. This study suggests that women mayors are seen as more likely to fight corruption, yet that the credibility of both male and female politicians increases if they are ascribed traits traditionally seen as ‘female,’ including being risk averse or specializing in the provision of welfare services. Leveraging the diverse levels of socio-economic development, corruption, and gender equality across 25 EU member countries, our unique conjoint experiment shows support for these claims. Both women and male candidates benefit from being described as risk averse and prioritizing social welfare issues, while outsider status has no effect. Male candidates, however, have a consistent disadvantage, particularly among women voters. Moreover, the effects of candidate gender are strongest in areas of Europe with the highest levels of political gender equality.
Too Crooked to be Good? Trade-offs in the Electoral Punishment of Malfeasance and Corruption
Authors: Breitenstein Sofia , Hernández Enrique
Published: September 2024

While elections are an instrument to hold politicians accountable, corrupt politicians are often re-elected. A potential explanation for this paradox is that citizens trade-off integrity for competence. Voters may forgive corruption if corrupt politicians manage to deliver desirable outcomes. While previous studies have examined whether politicians’ competence moderates the negative effect of corruption, this paper focuses on voters’ priorities and directly assesses what citizens value more: integrity or favourable outcomes. Using a survey experiment, we assess citizens’ support for politicians who violate the law in order to improve the welfare of their community and, in some cases, benefit personally from these violations. The results indicate that citizens prefer a politician who follows the law, even if this leads to a suboptimal outcome. However, voters are more likely to overlook violations of the law that benefit the community if these do not result in a personal gain for politicians (i.e., in the absence of corruption). These findings suggest that the mild electoral punishment of corruption may be due to the public’s unawareness of private gains from malfeasance, or to the delay in these private benefits becoming apparent by election day.
Lernunterstützende Interaktionsgestaltung in der Kita in Abhängigkeit von der gewählten Spielform
Authors: Mai Matthias , Johannsen Theresa , Damaske Lisa , Linck Stefani
Published: September 2024

Zusammenfassung: Vor dem Hintergrund, dass Interaktionen in Kitas ein hohes Entwicklungspotenzial für die Kinder innewohnt ( Mackowiak et al., 2021 ) und dass das Spiel mit seiner Bedeutung für kindliche Entwicklungsprozesse zentraler Bestandteil des Kita-Alltags ist ( Bosshart, 2012 ), stellt sich die Frage, ob sich Unterschiede hinsichtlich der lernunterstützenden Interaktionsgestaltung durch die Fachkraft je nach gewählter Spielform zeigen. Hierzu wurden Videografien von 97 dyadischen Fachkraft-Kind-Interaktionen aus den KoAkiK-Projekten herangezogen. Diese wurden mit zwei Beobachtungsinstrumenten hinsichtlich der gewählten Aktivität (B-AKA) und hinsichtlich der Art und Häufigkeit potenziell lernunterstützender Äußerungen der Fachkraft (B-LuKA) ausgewertet. Es fanden sich deutliche Unterschiede zwischen Regel- und Lernspielen einerseits und Freien Spielformen andererseits: In beiden Spielformen tätigten Fachkräfte zwar fast gleich viele potenziell lernunterstützende Äußerungen, in den Freien Spielformen traten jedoch signifikant häufiger anspruchsvollere Äußerungen sowie an das Kind gerichtete Fragen auf.