bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Improving Access to Support Services for Victims of Domestic Violence on Demand for Services and Victim Outcomes
Authors: Foureaux Koppensteiner Martin , Matheson Jesse , Plugor Réka
Published: January 2024

We conducted a randomized controlled trial of an intervention designed to assist victims of domestic violence in accessing nonpolice support services. The intervention led to a 22 percent decrease in the fraction of victims providing a witness statement to police. Witness statements are an important piece of evidence and a key input in the prosecution of perpetrators. Despite this, we do not find a significant change in perpetrator arrests and convictions or in reported future violence. Survey responses provide evidence of an increase in nonpolice service use and a reduction in future victimization risk, but also a potential decrease in short-run well-being. (JEL H75, I31, J12, K14, K42)
The Introduction of the Income Tax, Fiscal Capacity, and Migration: Evidence from US States
Authors: Cassidy Traviss , Dincecco Mark , Troiano Ugo Antonio
Published: January 2024

We evaluate how fiscal capacity and migration respond to the introduction of the individual income tax, drawing on new panel data on US states from 1900 to 2010. We find that the introduction of the income tax increased revenue per capita by 12 percent in the short term, 15 percent in the medium term, and 17 percent in the long term. The absolute level of revenue, however, did not significantly change over the long term for post–World War II adopters. To explain this, we show that the introduction of the income tax induced significant outmigration to non-income-tax states by middle- and high-earning households. (JEL H71, H73, N32, N42, N92, R23)
Natural ventilation as a passive cooling strategy of vernacular buildings in historic urban centres in the Mediterranean climate
Authors: Θραβάλου Σταυρούλα
Published: January 2024

Η παρούσα διατριβή διερευνά το φυσικό αερισμό ως στρατηγική παθητικού δροσισμού, η οποία εφαρμόζεται σε αστικά παραδοσιακά κτίρια υψηλής θερμικής μάζας, στο κλίμα της Μεσογείου. Η καινοτόμος προσέγγιση που υιοθετείται αφορά στην αποτίμηση του αερισμού σε πολλαπλές κλίμακες μελέτης, όπως αυτή της γειτονιάς, του αστικού φαραγγιού και του κτιρίου, μέσω μετρήσεων πεδίου. Η έρευνα εστιάζει σε δύο χαρακτηριστικά στοιχεία της παραδοσιακής αρχιτεκτονικής τα οποία ενισχύουν τη στρατηγική του φυσικού αερισμού: το «πόρτικο», που αποτελεί τον κεντρικό, διαμπερή χώρο μιας τριμερούς τυπολογικής διάταξης και το «σαχνισί», την αρχιτεκτονική προεξοχή ελαφριάς κατασκευής με πολλαπλά ανοίγματα. Στο πλαίσιο της διατριβής, καταγράφεται για πρώτη φορά το απόθεμα των ιστορικών κτιρίων με πόρτικο και σαχνισί στο ιστορικό κέντρο της Λευκωσίας, στην Κύπρο. Επίσης, συζητείται ο ρόλος της αστικής μορφολογίας στη διαμόρφωση των τυπολογικών και μορφολογικών χαρακτηριστικών του πόρτικου και του σαχνισιού, από τη σκοπιά της περιβαλλοντικής διάστασης. Η αποτίμηση των συνθηκών θερμικής άνεσης των κτιρίων γίνεται βάσει των παραμέτρων της θερμοκρασίας, της σχετικής υγρασίας και της ταχύτητας του αέρα. Τα αποτελέσματα εκφράζουν τον κτιριακό αερισμό συναρτήσει της ροής του ανέμου σε επίπεδο δρόμου και γειτονιάς, γεγονός που αποτελεί μέρος της πρωτοτυπίας της παρούσας έρευνας. Συγκεκριμένα, διαπιστώθηκε ότι η ταχύτητα του ανέμου στα αστικά οδικά φαράγγια κυμάνθηκε στο ένα τρίτο της ελεύθερης ροής στο ύψος αναφοράς. Αντίστοιχα, η μέγιστη ταχύτητα του αέρα στα πόρτικα έφτασε το ένα πέμπτο της ταχύτητας του ανέμου εντός του αστικού φαραγγιού. Η μέγιστη ταχύτητα η οποία καταγράφηκε στο πόρτικο που διέθετε σαχνισί (κατά το μοτίβο ολοήμερου αερισμού), έφτασε το ήμισυ της ταχύτητας του ανέμου που επικρατούσε στο αστικό φαράγγι. Τα ευρήματα της έρευνας αναδεικνύουν και ποσοτικοποιούν για πρώτη φορά τη λειτουργία του σαχνισιού ως στοιχείου συλλογής του ανέμου (ανεμοσυλλέκτης). Επιπλέον, αξιολογείται ο ρόλος του χρήστη, καθώς και η εφαρμογή συγκεκριμένων μοτίβων αερισμού στη ρύθμιση των συνθηκών θερμικής άνεσης, καταλήγοντας σε συστάσεις βέλτιστης διαχείρισης ανοιγμάτων, δεδομένης της αστικής γεωμετρίας. Η ταχύτητα του αέρα που καταγράφεται στα πόρτικα είναι ιδιαίτερα χαμηλή, γεγονός που καθιστά τη δροσιστική επίδραση του φυσικού αερισμού (αίσθημα ψύξης λόγω εξάτμισης του ιδρώτα) περιορισμένη. Ωστόσο, οι μετρήσεις επιβεβαιώνουν την αποτελεσματικότητα του νυχτερινού αερισμού/δροσισμού. Τέλος, το μεγάλο εύρος των μετρήσεων του αερισμού σε επίπεδο γειτονιάς και αστικών φαραγγιών αποδεικνύει την πολυπλοκότητα της ροής υπό πραγματικές συνθήκες, σε ιστορικά κέντρα με σημαντικό βαθμό γεωμετρικής ανομοιογένειας, καθιστώντας έτσι εμφανή την ανάγκη για περαιτέρω έρευνες πεδίου.
Libro de actas OPTOEL 2023. Conectando la academia y la industria
Authors: Carballar Rincón Alejandro , Fernández Ruiz María del Rosario
Published: January 2024

Este volumen compila el conjunto de actividades llevadas a cabo durante la celebración de la XIII Reunión del Comité de Optoelectrónica, perteneciente a la Sociedad Española de Óptica SEDOPTICA y celebrada en la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de la Universidad de Sevilla los días 14, 15 y 16 de junio de 2023. Bajo el lema "Conectando la academia y la industria" se exploraron durante esta cita los últimos avances en el campo de la foto´nica y la optoelectro´nica realizados en Espan~a y se intercambiaron ideas en torno a las novedades surgidas en este a´mbito de investigacio´n. El libro contiene el programa completo de la reunión, en el que se describen las actividades llevadas a cabo, la relación de empresas participantes con sus espacios de exposición y charlas técnicas, las actividades del Foro de Innovación y Foro de Empleo, las comunicaciones científico-técnicas presentadas por los asistentes, así como el fallo de los premios a estudiantes en sus diversas categorías.
Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta Yeni-Kabileci Milliyetçiliğin Yükselişi: Göç ve Tarih Yazıcılığı Tartışmaları
Authors: ÇOLAK Yılmaz , ŞAHİN Yakup , ÖZDEMİR ÇOLAK Aysel
Published: January 2024

Bu çalışma Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta kimlik ve milliyetçilik tartışmalarını yeni bir analitik çerçeve olan ‘yeni-kabileci milliyetçilik’ temelinde incelemektedir. Kıbrıs’ta özellikle İngiliz sömürgesiyle birlikte karşılıklı

rekabet içinde olan Rum ve Türk milliyetçilikleri 1960’lardan itibaren yeni bir dönüşüm yaşamış ve 1974’ten sonra da yeni bir evreye girmiştir. Adanın her iki kesimindeki hâkim iki resmî milliyetçi konuma yerlici alternatif bir ideoloji olarak ‘Kıbrıs milliyetçiliği’ ya da ‘Kıbrısçılık’ ortaya çıkıp gelişmiştir. Özellikle KKTC’de sol siyasetin ideolojisi olarak dillendirilen Kıbrısçılık 2000’li yıllarla birlikte küreselleşme ve AB üyelik süreçleri etkisi altında gittikçe güçlenmiş, toplum ve siyaset düzeyinde belirleyici hâle gelmiştir. Bu makale, Kıbrıs özelinde milliyetçilik üzerine yapılan çalışmalarda sıklıkla referans verilen etnik ve sivil milliyetçilik zıtlığının Kıbrıs’ta yaşanan dönüşümü açıklamada yetersiz kaldığını ileri sürmekte ve Kıbrıslı kimliği inşa etme anlamında Kıbrısçı yerliciliği merkeze alarak seçmeci bir şekilde mitler yoluyla kurgulanmış bir geçmişe dayalı hayali bir cemaat yaratması, göçmenlere karşı ötekileştirici söylem ve eylemlerle ayrımcı ve dışlayıcı olması bakımlarından Kıbrısçılığı ‘yeni-kabileci milliyetçilik’ olarak değerlendirmektedir. Bu inceleme KKTC’de göç ve tarih yazımı tartışmaları üzerinden yapılmaktadır.
İlk Yazılı Kaynaklarına Göre Oğuzlar Teŋri mi Yoksa Taŋrı mı Diyordu?
Authors: SALAN Erkan
Published: January 2024

Eski Anadolu Türkçesi ile ilgili yayımlarda bir sözcüğün taŋrı (/tan͡grı) ve teŋri (/ten͡gri) şeklinde iki farklı biçimiyle karşılaşılır. Hatta bazen aynı eserde hem taŋrı (/tan͡grı) hem de teŋri (/ten͡gri)

biçiminde ikili okumaların yer aldığı görülür. Farklı okuma ve kabuller, karışıklık oluşturmakla birlikte aynı sözcüğün sözü edilen dönemde iki farklı fonetik varyanta sahip olduğunun düşünülmesine

imkân vermektedir. Var olan bu görünüm, niçin taŋrı ya da niçin teŋri okunması gerektiği konusunda bir kısım tespit ve değerlendirmelerin yapılmasını gerekli hâle getirmiştir. Aynı tarihî

dönemde bir sözcüğün, herhangi bir sebebe bağlanmaksızın iki farklı biçimde okunması dil araştırmaları ve dönemin dil özellikleri bakımından sorun teşkil etmektedir. Eski Anadolu Türkçesinde

teŋri biçiminin mi yoksa taŋrı biçiminin mi kullanıldığını tespit etmeyi amaçlayan bu çalışmayla ortaya çıkan sonuç; adı geçen dönemde teŋri biçiminin bulunmadığı ve Oğuzların, ilk yazılı

kaynaklarından itibaren sözcüğü taŋrı şeklinde kalın ünlülü olarak telaffuz ettikleri yönündedir.
Hematuria after nocturnal exercise of a man: A case report
Authors: Bai Ming-Jian , Yang Song-Tao , Liu Xue-Kai
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

A man experienced multiple episodes of macroscopic hematuria following nocturnal exercise. Urinary stones and tumors were considered the two most likely causes. The patient had two hobbies: Consuming health care products in large quantities and engaging in late-night running.

CASE SUMMARY

Health care products contain a large amount of calcium phosphate, and we hypothesize that this could induce the formation of small phosphate stones. After exercise, the urinary system is abraded, resulting in bleeding. The patient was advised to stop using the health care products. Consequently, the aforementioned symptoms disappeared immediately. However, the patient resumed the above two habits one year later; correspondingly, the macroscopic hematuria reappeared.

CONCLUSION

This finding further confirmed the above inference and allowed for a new avenue to determine the cause of the patient’s hematuria.
Causal associations between gastroesophageal reflux disease and essential hypertension: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wei Ning , Liu Ming-Hui , Song Yu-Hu
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Clinical studies have reported that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have a higher prevalence of hypertension.

AIM

To performed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal link between GERD and essential hypertension.

METHODS

Eligible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected, and weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW) as well as MR egger (MR-Egger) regression were used to examine the potential causal association between GERD and hypertension. The MR-Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier analysis was used to detect and attempt to reduce horizontal pleiotropy by removing outliers SNPs. The MR-Egger intercept test, Cochran’s Q test and “leave-one-out” sensitivity analysis were performed to evaluate the horizontal pleiotropy, heterogeneities, and stability of single instrumental variable.

RESULTS

IVW analysis exhibited an increased risk of hypertension (OR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.33-1.59, P = 2.14E-16) in GERD patients. And the same result was obtained in replication practice (OR = 1.002, 95%CI: 1.0008-1.003, P = 0.000498). Meanwhile, the IVW analysis showed an increased risk of systolic blood pressure (β = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.11-1.44, P = 0.021) and hypertensive heart disease (OR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.36-2.08, P = 0.0000016) in GERD patients. Moreover, we found an decreased risk of Barrett's esophagus (OR = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.83-0.99, P = 0.043) in essential hypertension patients.

CONCLUSION

We found that GERD would increase the risk of essential hypertension, which provided a novel prevent and therapeutic perspectives of essential hypertension.
Urinary metabolic profiles during Helicobacter pylori eradication in chronic gastritis
Authors: An Wen-Ting , Hao Yu-Xia , Li Hong-Xia , Wu Xing-Kang
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection is a major risk factor for chronic gastritis, affecting approximately half of the global population. H. pylori eradication is a popular treatment method for H. pylori -positive chronic gastritis, but its mechanism remains unclear. Urinary metabolomics has been used to elucidate the mechanisms of gastric disease treatment. However, no clinical study has been conducted on urinary metabolomics of chronic gastritis.

AIM

To elucidate the urinary metabolic profiles during H. pylori eradication in patients with chronic gastritis.

METHODS

We applied LC–MS-based metabolomics and network pharmacology to investigate the relationships between urinary metabolites and H. pylori -positive chronic gastritis via a clinical follow-up study.

RESULTS

Our study revealed the different urinary metabolic profiles of H. pylori -positive chronic gastritis before and after H. pylori eradication. The metabolites regulated by H. pylori eradication therapy include cis-aconitic acid, isocitric acid, citric acid, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan, and hippuric acid, which were involved in four metabolic pathways: (1) Phenylalanine metabolism; (2) phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis; (3) citrate cycle; and (4) glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology revealed that MPO, COMT, TPO, TH, EPX, CMA1, DDC, TPH1, and LPO were the key proteins involved in the biological progress of H. pylori eradication in chronic gastritis.

CONCLUSION

Our research provides a new perspective for exploring the significance of urinary metabolites in evaluating the treatment and prognosis of H. pylori -positive chronic gastritis patients.
Abnormal uterine bleeding successfully treated via ultrasound-guided microwave ablation of uterine myoma lesions: Three case reports
Authors: Kakinuma Toshiyuki , Kakinuma Kaoru , Okamoto Rora , Yanagida Kaoru , Ohwada Michitaka , Takeshima Nobuhiro
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Microwave endometrial ablation (MEA) is a minimally invasive treatment method for heavy menstrual bleeding. However, additional treatment is often required after recurrence of uterine myomas treated with MEA. Additionally, because this treatment ablates the endometrium, it is not indicated for patients planning to become pregnant. To overcome these issues, we devised a method for ultrasound-guided microwave ablation of uterine myoma feeder vessels. We report three patients successfully treated for heavy menstrual bleeding, secondary to uterine myoma, using our novel method.

CASE SUMMARY

All patients had a favorable postoperative course, were discharged within 4 h, and experienced no complications. Further, no postoperative recurrence of heavy menstrual bleeding was noted. Our method also reduced the myoma’s maximum diameter.

CONCLUSION

This method does not ablate the endometrium, suggesting its potential application in patients planning to become pregnant.
Multi-stage coherent beam combination of semiconductor optical amplifiers in ready-made fiber couplers
Authors: Nagano Akira , Ihara Toshiyuki , Tanaka Utako , Hayasaka Kazuhiro
Published: January 2024

We report on multi-stage coherent beam combination (CBC) of continuous-wave (CW) outputs from semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) in ready-made fiber couplers. The first CBC stage combines two 120-mW outputs from SOAs seeded by an extended-cavity diode laser (ECDL) at 1458 nm in a 2×2 50%:50% fiber coupler. Two beams generated by two such CBC setups are then combined in the second stage. By concatenating three stages we obtained an output power of 723 mW at 1458 nm from eight SOAs with a total combining efficiency of 75.3%. Stable power generation without interrupts nor degradation over three days was successfully implemented using a simple low-bandwidth servo system. An averaged single-stage combining efficiency of 89.5% deduced from seven CBC setups constituting the three-stage CBC is used to estimate scaling to further stages. As a practical application the output is used to second harmonic generation (SHG) in a nonlinear crystal to achieve an output power of 239 mW at 729 nm.
Dual vector millimeter-wave signal generation based on optical carrier suppression modulation and direct detection with one photodetector
Authors: Bi Jiahao , Xie Tangyao , Guo Dong , Li Xinying , Pan Xiaolong , Yan Hengxin , Hou Jie , Li Zhipei , Wang Chenchen , Zhang Qi , Gao Ran , Dong Ze , Xin Xiangjun
Published: January 2024

We propose a novel, to the best of our knowledge, scheme for dual vector millimeter-wave (mm-wave) signal generation and transmission, based on optical carrier suppression (OCS) modulation, precoding, and direct detection by a single-ended photodiode (PD). At the transmitter side, two independent vector radio frequency (RF) signals with precoding, generated via digital signal processing (DSP), are used to drive an in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) modulator operating at the optical OCS modulation mode to simultaneously generate two independent frequency-doubling optical vector mm-wave signals, which can reduce the bandwidth requirement of transmitter’s components and enhance spectral efficiency. With the aid of the single-ended PD and subsequent DSP at the receiver side, two independent frequency-doubling vector mm-wave signals can be separated and demodulated without data error. Based on our proposed scheme, we experimentally demonstrate the generation, transmission, and detection of 2-Gbaud 30-GHz quadrature-phase-shift-keying (QPSK) and 2-Gbaud 46-GHz QPSK signals over 10-km single-mode fiber-28 (SMF-28) and 1-m wireless transmission. The results indicate that the bit-error ratio (BER) of the dual vector mm-wave signals can each reach the hard-decision forward-error-correction (HD-FEC) threshold of 3.8 × 10−3.
Ultra-thin sub-diffraction metalens with a wide field-of-view for UV focusing
Authors: Dong Lianhong , Kong Weijie , Zhang Fei , Liu Ling , Pu Mingbo , Wang Changtao , Li Xiong , Ma Xiaoliang , Luo Xiangang
Published: January 2024

In recent years, wide field-of-view imaging technology based on a metasurface has been widely applied. However, works on the reported sub-diffraction metalens with a wide field-of-view indicate that multiple structures are essential to effectively eliminate aberrations, which results in a heavy device thickness and weakens the advantage of an ultra-thin metasurface. To solve this problem, according to the super-oscillation theory and the translational symmetry of quadratic phase, as well as the principle of virtual aperture diaphragm based on wave vector filter, this Letter demonstrates a sub-diffraction metalens combined with a single quadratic metalens and a wave vector filter. Our design not only realizes the super-resolution effects of 0.74 to 0.75 times the diffraction limit in the wide field-of-view of nearly 180° for the first time to our knowledge but also compresses the device thickness to the subwavelength order in principle. The proposed ultra-thin sub-diffraction metalens with a wide field-of-view is expected to be applied in the fields of super-resolution fast scanning imaging, information detection, small target recognition, and so on.
Statistical integration of multi-omics and drug screening data from cell lines
Authors: el Bouhaddani Said , Höllerhage Matthias , Uh Hae-Won , Moebius Claudia , Bickle Marc , Höglinger Günter , Houwing-Duistermaat Jeanine
Published: January 2024

Data integration methods are used to obtain a unified summary of multiple datasets. For multi-modal data, we propose a computational workflow to jointly analyze datasets from cell lines. The workflow comprises a novel probabilistic data integration method, named POPLS-DA, for multi-omics data.

The workflow is motivated by a study on synucleinopathies where transcriptomics, proteomics, and drug screening data are measured in affected LUHMES cell lines and controls. The aim is to highlight potentially druggable pathways and genes involved in synucleinopathies. First, POPLS-DA is used to prioritize genes and proteins that best distinguish cases and controls. For these genes, an integrated interaction network is constructed where the drug screen data is incorporated to highlight druggable genes and pathways in the network. Finally, functional enrichment analyses are performed to identify clusters of synaptic and lysosome-related genes and proteins targeted by the protective drugs. POPLS-DA is compared to other single- and multi-omics approaches.

We found that HSPA5, a member of the heat shock protein 70 family, was one of the most targeted genes by the validated drugs, in particular by AT1-blockers. HSPA5 and AT1-blockers have been previously linked to α-synuclein pathology and Parkinson’s disease, showing the relevance of our findings.

Our computational workflow identified new directions for therapeutic targets for synucleinopathies. POPLS-DA provided a larger interpretable gene set than other single- and multi-omic approaches. An implementation based on R and markdown is freely available online.
Dissemination and implementation of an evidence-based voluntary medical male circumcision program: The Spear & Shield program
Authors: Weiss Stephen M. , Bowa Kasonde , Zulu Robert , Rodriguez Violeta J. , Cook Ryan R. , Jones Deborah L.
Published: January 2024

Despite compelling evidence linking voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) with 60–70% HIV risk reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, Zambian men have been especially reluctant to undergo VMMC. The Government of Zambia set targets for VMMC uptake and promoted community-level interventions. Spear & Shield (S&S) is an innovative, evidence-based, service program promoting VMMC uptake while ensuring both VMMC supply and demand. This study assessed the large-scale provincial rollout of the program (S&S2) utilizing the RE-AIM model for translating interventions into the community. The S&S2 study was conducted between November 2015 and December 2020, and sequentially rolled out over four Zambian provinces in 96 clinics; 24 observation clinics received VMMC training only. Local clinic healthcare workers were trained to conduct the VMMC procedure and HIV counselors were trained to lead S&S group sessions. Using the RE-AIM model, primary outcomes were: Reach, the number, proportion, and representativeness of S&S attendees; Effectiveness, the impact of S&S2 on VMMC uptake; Adoption, the number, proportion, and representativeness of clinics implementing S&S2; Implementation, fidelity to the S&S intervention manual; and Maintenance, the extent to which S&S2 became an element of standard care within community clinics. Initially, n = 109 clinics were recruited; 96 were sustained and randomized for activation (Adoption). A total of 45,630 clinic patients (n = 23,236 men and n = 22,394 women) volunteered to attend the S&S sessions (Reach). The S&S2 program ran over 2,866 clinic-months (Implementation). Although the study did not target individual-level VMMCs, ~58,301 additional VMMCs were conducted at the clinic level (Effectiveness). Fidelity to the S&S intervention by group leaders ranged from 42%-95%. Sustainability of the program was operationalized as the number of CHCs initially activated that sustained the program. Intervention delivery ended, however, when study funding ceased (Maintenance). The S&S2 program successfully utilized the RE-AIM model to achieve study goals for implementation and dissemination in four Zambian provinces. Innovative VMMC programs such as S&S2 can improve the uptake of VMMC, one of the most effective strategies in the HIV prevention arsenal.
Ethical considerations related to drone use for environment and health research: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Hoek Spaans Remy , Drumond Bruna , van Daalen Kim Robin , Rorato Vitor Ana Claudia , Derbyshire Alison , Da Silva Adriano , Lana Raquel Martins , Vega Mauricio Santos , Carrasco-Escobar Gabriel , Sobral Escada Maria Isabel , Codeço Claudia , Lowe Rachel
Published: January 2024

Introduction

The use of drones in environment and health research is a relatively new phenomenon. A principal research activity drones are used for is environmental monitoring, which can raise concerns in local communities. Existing ethical guidance for researchers is often not specific to drone technology and practices vary between research settings. Therefore, this scoping review aims to gather the evidence available on ethical considerations surrounding drone use as perceived by local communities, ethical considerations reported on by researchers implementing drone research, and published ethical guidance related to drone deployment.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. The literature search will be conducted using academic databases and grey literature sources. After pilot testing the inclusion criteria and data extraction tool, two researchers will double-screen and then chart available evidence independently. A content analysis will be carried out to identify patterns of categories or terms used to describe ethical considerations related to drone usage for environmental monitoring in the literature using the R Package RQDA. Discrepancies in any phase of the project will be solved through consensus between the two reviewers. If consensus cannot be reached, a third arbitrator will be consulted.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required; only secondary data will be used. This protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (osf.io/a78et). The results will be disseminated through publication in a scientific journal and will be used to inform drone field campaigns in the Wellcome Trust funded HARMONIZE project. HARMONIZE aims to develop cost-effective and reproducible digital infrastructure for stakeholders in climate change hotspots in Latin America & the Caribbean and will use drone technology to collect data on fine scale landscape changes.
A new snouted treefrog (Anura, Hylidae, Scinax) from fluvial islands of the Juruena River, southern Brazilian Amazonia
Authors: Ferrão Miquéias , Hanken James , Oda Fabrício H. , Campião Karla M. , Penhacek Marcos , Anjos Samuel , Rodrigues Domingo J.
Published: January 2024

Southern Amazonia is one of the less-explored regions by anuran taxonomists. We describe a small new species of snouted treefrog, genus Scinax, from this region, from a fluvial archipelago in the Juruena River, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The description is based on external morphology of adults and tadpoles, advertisement call and molecular data. The species is phylogenetically related to other snouted treefrogs of the Scinax cruentomma species group and shows the most southeastern distribution in Amazonia among its close relatives. It is distinguished from congeners mainly by its larger adult body size and bilobate vocal sac that reaches the level of the pectoral fold, a reddish-brown horizontal stripe on the iris, dark melanophores or blotches on the vocal sac and the throat of females, and the uniformly brown posterior portion of the thigh. The advertisement call comprises one pulsed note emitted at regular intervals, with a duration of 189–227 ms, 30–35 pulses/note and a dominant frequency of 2,250–2,344 Hz. The type locality is suffering several environmental impacts, including illegal mining, overfishing, unsustainable agriculture, uncontrolled logging and degradation associated with the construction of new hydroelectric dams. Further study of the biology and regional distribution of the new species is required to propose mitigation measures needed for its conservation.
Enhancing tourist loyalty through location-based service apps: Exploring the roles of digital literacy, perceived ease of use, perceived autonomy, virtual-content congruency, and tourist engagement
Authors: Xiong Shaowei , Zhang Tong
Published: January 2024

Advanced mobile functions and empowered smartphones have provided tourists with various location-based service apps that reshaped the business model of the tourism sector. Despite their importance to tourists, l-apps still have limitations, such as ignorance of tourist preferences and the mismatch between app introduction and tourist experience, therefore affecting tourist loyalty to destinations. Understanding tourist-oriented factors thus becomes critical for l-app designers and service providers. This study integrates the technology-acceptance model (TAM) into a unique context to examine the roles of digital literacy, perceived ease of use, perceived autonomy, virtual-content congruence, and tourist engagement on tourist loyalty. Our empirical test of a structural equation model based on a randomly recruited 319 customers found that tourists’ digital literacy influences their engagement and perceived ease of use, which mediates the relationship between digital literacy and engagement; tourists’ perceived autonomy influences their engagement. Moreover, we found the moderating role of information-experience congruency between digital literacy, perceived ease of use, and perceived autonomy and tourist engagement, thus contributing to the boundary conditions of the TAM model. Finally, tourist engagement contributes to tourist loyalty. The study contributes to the integration of the technology acceptance model with a tourist orientation. The findings also offer meaningful, practical implications and recommendations on l-app design to stakeholders of tourist destinations.
Longitudinal brain structure changes in Parkinson’s disease: A replication study
Authors: Sokołowski Andrzej , Bhagwat Nikhil , Chatelain Yohan , Dugré Mathieu , Hanganu Alexandru , Monchi Oury , McPherson Brent , Wang Michelle , Poline Jean-Baptiste , Sharp Madeleine , Glatard Tristan
Published: January 2024

Context

An existing major challenge in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research is the identification of biomarkers of disease progression. While magnetic resonance imaging is a potential source of PD biomarkers, none of the magnetic resonance imaging measures of PD are robust enough to warrant their adoption in clinical research. This study is part of a project that aims to replicate 11 PD studies reviewed in a recent survey (JAMA neurology, 78(10) 2021) to investigate the robustness of PD neuroimaging findings to data and analytical variations.

Objective

This study attempts to replicate the results in Hanganu et al. (Brain, 137(4) 2014) using data from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI).

Methods

Using 25 PD subjects and 18 healthy controls, we analyzed the rate of change of cortical thickness and of the volume of subcortical structures, and we measured the relationship between structural changes and cognitive decline. We compared our findings to the results in the original study.

Results

(1) Similarly to the original study, PD patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibited increased cortical thinning over time compared to patients without MCI in the right middle temporal gyrus, insula, and precuneus. (2) The rate of cortical thinning in the left inferior temporal and precentral gyri in PD patients correlated with the change in cognitive performance. (3) There were no group differences in the change of subcortical volumes. (4) We did not find a relationship between the change in subcortical volumes and the change in cognitive performance.

Conclusion

Despite important differences in the dataset used in this replication study, and despite differences in sample size, we were able to partially replicate the original results. We produced a publicly available reproducible notebook allowing researchers to further investigate the reproducibility of the results in Hanganu et al. (2014) when more data is added to PPMI.
Mobile resonance frequency breathing smartphone application to support recovery among people with opioid use disorder: Study protocol for feasibility study
Authors: Conway Fiona N. , Kane Heather , Dorsainvil Michele , Kennedy Patrick , Cance Jessica D.
Published: January 2024

Background

Experiencing drug cravings is an aspect of substance use disorders that frequently compromises the recovery efforts of people who use drugs. Most treatment approaches that address drug cravings either involve cognitive strategies or medication. Few interventions directly address the physiological aspects of craving, such as increased heart rate. Previous research has demonstrated that slow-paced breathing may be effective in managing drug cravings by manipulating an individual’s heart rate. The purpose of this paper is to describe a study protocol for an intervention that offers resonance frequency breathing training for managing cravings via a smartphone application (app).

Methods

This trial is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05830773). The intervention focuses on persons in recovery from opioid use disorder who receive services from the Texas Health and Human Service Commission Recovery Support Services division. Participants will be trained to use Camera Heart Rate Variability (CHRV), a resonance frequency breathing app. The CHRV app measures heart rate and the volumetric variations of blood circulation. When experiencing stress, anxiety, or cravings, participants will use the app to practice breathing exercises. Participants (N = 60) will also complete surveys at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks; the survey questions, covers demographic characteristics, personal trauma history, substance use experience, and utilization of substance use treatment services. The surveys will also include psychosocial measures of craving, stress, and anxiety to allow the study team to assess changes between baseline and study completion. Participants who complete the full 8-week intervention will be invited to participate in a 30-minute interview about their experience with the app. Interviews will provide details on implementation outcomes, including acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility.

Conclusion

Many evidence-based interventions for opioid use require interpersonal communication with individuals in one’s recovery network. However, individuals may be unable to engage others in their recovery network in the moments when they are experiencing cravings or stress- and anxiety-related triggers. Therefore, recovery support interventions that emphasize individual self-management of cravings, stress, and anxiety when they occur can empower individuals in recovery and enhance existing interventions.
A dynamical behavior of the coupled Broer-Kaup-Kupershmidt equation using two efficient analytical techniques
Authors: Ansar Rimsha , Abbas Muhammad , Emadifar Homan , Nazir Tahir , S. M. Alzaidi Ahmed
Published: January 2024

The aim of the present study is to identify multiple soliton solutions to the nonlinear coupled Broer-Kaup-Kupershmidt (BKK) system, including beta, conformable, local-fractional, and M-truncated derivatives. The coupled Broer-Kaup-Kupershmidt system is employed for modelling nonlinear wave evolution in mathematical models of fluid dynamics, plasmic, optical, dispersive, and nonlinear long-gravity waves. The travelling wave solutions to the above model are found using the Unified and generalised Bernoulli sub-ODE techniques. By modifying certain parameter values, we may create bright soliton, squeezed bell-shaped wave, expanded v-shaped soliton, W-shaped wave, singular soliton, and periodic solutions. The four distinct kinds of derivatives are compared quite effectively using 2D line graphs. Also, contour plots and 3D graphics are given by using Mathematica 10. Lastly, any pair of propagating wave solutions has symmetrical geometrical forms.
Danish dog owners’ use and the perceived effect of unlicensed cannabis products in dogs
Authors: Holst Pernille , Kristensen Annemarie Thuri , Arendt Maja Louise
Published: January 2024

The interest in the use of medical cannabis has increased in recent years in both human and veterinary fields. In Denmark, there are no veterinary-licensed medical cannabis or cannabinoid supplements, and it is illegal to prescribe or sell cannabinoids intended for the treatment of veterinary patients. This study aimed to explore the unlicensed cannabinoid use in Danish dogs, by questioning dog owners about usage, indication for use, way of purchase, and their perceived effect of the cannabinoid treatment. An anonymous online survey was distributed via social media. The total number of respondents were 2,002, of which 38% indicated using or having administered cannabinoids to their dog. The majority of the respondents confirming the use of cannabinoids (93%) had used cannabidiol drops/oil and only few (4%) reported using Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-based products. Most owners (67%) purchased the products online. The three most common indications for use were pain alleviation, behavioural issues, and allergy. When asked about the respondent-perceived effect the majority reported a good or very good effect. The indication with the highest percentage of owner-perceived positive effect (77%) was pain alleviation. This study shows that, despite no licensed veterinary cannabinoid products being available in Denmark, dog owners do supplement their dogs with cannabinoids and the majority of these perceive that the treatment had a positive effect. This supports the need for more evidence-based knowledge in veterinary cannabinoid therapy.
Preference of cesarean delivery and its associated factors among pregnant women attending ante natal care at public health facilities of Debrebrehan City, Ethiopia: Cross-sectional study
Authors: Zewudu Lemlem , Keshaun Fetene , Silesh Mulualem , Tefera Mitiku , Ketema Bogale Eyob , Demis Aberham , Tekle Zewedie Yeshaw
Published: January 2024

Background

A Caesarean section is a surgical procedure used to prevent or treat life-threatening maternal or fetal complications. Women’s delivery preferences have become a global issue of interest to many researchers and clinicians, especially given the ever-increasing rate of cesarean sections. There is limited data on the preference for cesarean delivery and its associated factors for Ethiopian women, particularly in the study area. The aim of the study is to assess the preference for cesarean delivery and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia, in 2023.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study design was done from May 5–20, 2023, among 512 participants, and a multi-stage sampling technique was used. The data were collected by using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires. The data were entered by Epi Data version 4.6 and then transferred to SPSS version 25 for analysis. With logistic regression, those variables with a p-value <0.25 in the bivariate analysis were candidates for multivariate logistic regression, and variables with a p-value <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Result

The preference for a cesarean section was 26%, with a CI of 22.3% to 29.9%. Pregnant mothers who were not satisfied with their previous intrapartum care (AOR; 6.3 CI = (3.5–11), P = 0.01), had no knowledge about cesarean delivery (AOR; 2.9; 95% CI = 1.6–5.3), P = 0.01), had a previous history of spontaneous abortion (AOR; 3.1; 95% CI = (1.5–6.3), P = 0.001), lived in an urban area (AOR; 1.9; 95% CI = (1.0–3.5), P = 0.038), and had a current pregnancy-related problem (AOR; 4.8; 95% CI = 1.9–10), P = 0.001) were significantly associated with the preference for cesarean delivery.

Conclusion

In this study, the preference for cesarean delivery was high as compared to the World Health Organization recommendation. Pregnant mothers who were not satisfied with their previous intrapartum care, had no knowledge about cesarean delivery, had a previous history of spontaneous abortion, had an urban residence, and had a current pregnancy-related problem were significantly associated with a preference for caesarean delivery. Clinicians who are working in the delivery room should improve their service provision by using patient-centered care to increase patient satisfaction.
Non-invasive cumulus cell analysis can be applied for oocyte ranking and is useful for countries with legal restrictions on embryo generation or freezing
Authors: Adriaenssens Tom , Van Vaerenbergh Inge , Van Landuyt Lisbet , Verheyen Greta , De Brucker Michaël , Camus Michel , Platteau Peter , De Vos Michel , Reis Maria , Van Hecke Elien , Rosenthal André , Smitz Johan
Published: January 2024

Research question

Can a strategy for scoring oocyte quality, based on cumulus cell (CC) gene expression, prioritize oocytes with the highest implantation potential, while limiting the number of embryos to be processed in culture and the number of supernumerary embryos to be vitrified?

Design

An interventional, blinded, prospective cohort study was retrospectively analyzed. In the original study, patients underwent a fresh Day3 single embryo transfer with embryos ranked based on morphology and CC gene expression (Aurora Test). The additional ranking of the embryos with the Aurora Test resulted in significant higher clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. Now it is investigated if the Aurora Test ranking could be applied to select oocytes. The effect of an Aurora Test based restriction to 2 and 3 2PN or MII oocytes on clinical pregnancy and other outcomes, was analyzed in two subsets of patients with all 2PN (n = 83) or all MII oocytes (n = 45) ranked.

Results

Considering only the top three ranked 2PN oocytes, 95% of the patients would have received a fresh SET on Day3 resulting in 65% clinical pregnancies. This was not different from the pregnancy rate obtained in a strategy using all oocytes but significantly reduced the need for vitrification of supernumerary embryos by 3-fold. Considering only top-ranked MII oocytes gave similar results.

Conclusions

In countries with legal restrictions on freezing of embryos, gene expression of CC can be used for the selective processing of oocytes and would thus decrease the twin pregnancy rate and workload, especially for embryo morphology scoring and transfers as the handling and processing of lower competence oocytes is prevented, while improving the ART outcome.
Unveiling the intellectual structure of informality: Insights from the socioeconomic literature
Authors: Gómez-Cruz Nelson Alfonso , Anzola David , Batz Liñeiro Aglaya
Published: January 2024

In the socioeconomic sphere, the concept of informality has been used to address issues pertaining to economic dynamics, institutions, work, poverty, settlements, the use of space, development, and sustainability, among others. This thematic range has given way to multiple discourses, definitions and approaches that mostly focus on a single phenomenon and conform to traditional disciplinary lines, making it difficult to fully understand informality and adequately inform policymaking. In this article, we carried out a multilevel co-word analysis with the purpose of unveiling the intellectual structure of socioeconomic informality. Co-occurring document keywords were used, initially, to delimit the scope of the socioeconomic dimension of informality (macro level) and, later, to identify its main concepts, themes (meso level) and sub-themes (micro level). Our results show that there is a corpus of research on socioeconomic informality that is sufficiently differentiable from other types of informality. This corpus, at the same time, can be divided into six major themes and 31 sub-themes related, more prominently, to the informal economy, informal settlements and informal institutions. Looking forward, the analysis suggests, an increasing focus on context and on the experience of multiple ‘informalities’ has the potential, on the one hand, to reveal links that help unify this historically fragmented corpus and, on the other hand, to give informality a meaning and identity that go beyond the traditional formal-informal dualism.
Relationship between rumination, self-compassion, and psychological health among Japanese university students: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Yamasaki Kaho , Sampei Ayaka , Miyata Hiromitsu
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Rumination is suggested to exacerbate psychological health, but there is room for investigating the potential protecting factors for individuals with high ruminative tendencies against psychological symptoms. The present cross-sectional study aimed to uncover the associations between rumination as a maladaptive dimension of self-focus, self-compassion, and psychological health, and whether and how components of self-compassion may moderate the associations between rumination and psychological health in Japanese undergraduate students.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was conducted by using both an online platform and a paper-based questionnaire. The survey included established Japanese versions of psychological scales on rumination, self-compassion, perceived stress, trait anxiety, and depression.

Results

The results revealed statistically significant positive correlations between rumination and negative dimensions of self-compassion, and rumination and psychological symptoms. Positive dimensions of self-compassion were significantly negatively correlated with both rumination and psychological symptoms. Reflection as a positive dimension of self-focus did not show significant correlations with most psychological variables. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regression analyses involving subscales of self-compassion and their interactions with rumination as predictors revealed that the interactions between rumination and components of self-compassion, i.e., over-identification and mindfulness, significantly predicted trait anxiety. Higher rumination predicted higher anxiety when over-identification was high, but not when over-identification was low. Also, lower rumination predicted lower anxiety when mindfulness was high, but not when mindfulness was low.

Conclusions

The results suggest significant associations between rumination, components of self-compassion, and psychological health in a population of Japanese undergraduate students. The data also suggest that components of self-compassion play moderating roles in the relationship between rumination and psychological health, potentially serving as aggravating/protective factors for psychological health. Longitudinal studies and comparisons between different cultures should be conducted in the future quest.
Will pay-per-view in the advanced charging model recover the business losses for online video companies in China?
Authors: Zhang Congmin , Phoong Seuk Wai
Published: January 2024

The evolution of Internet technology is closely mirrored by the innovative business and profit models emerging within the platform economy. Integrating this economic framework, online video platforms are dynamically refining their pricing strategies to optimize profit margins. This paper, anchored in the theoretical construct of second-degree price discrimination, selects the Chinese online video platforms iQiyi and Tencent Video for in-depth case studies. It charts the progression of its pricing strategies and juxtaposes these with those of prominent international online video sites to highlight both congruities and divergences. The synthesis of theoretical models with real-world case studies culminates in strategic recommendations to foster the growth of Chinese online video platforms in the global Internet arena.
Pseudorabies virus inhibits progesterone-induced inactivation of TRPML1 to facilitate viral entry
Authors: Su Bing-Qian , Yang Guo-Yu , Wang Jiang , Ming Sheng-Li , Chu Bei-Bei
Published: January 2024

Viral infection is a significant risk factor for fertility issues. Here, we demonstrated that infection by neurotropic alphaherpesviruses, such as pseudorabies virus (PRV), could impair female fertility by disrupting the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis (HPOA), reducing progesterone (P4) levels, and consequently lowering pregnancy rates. Our study revealed that PRV exploited the transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1) and its lipid activator, phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PI(3,5)P2), to facilitate viral entry through lysosomal cholesterol and Ca2+. P4 antagonized this process by inducing lysosomal storage disorders and promoting the proteasomal degradation of TRPML1 via murine double minute 2 (MDM2)-mediated polyubiquitination. Overall, the study identifies a novel mechanism by which PRV hijacks the lysosomal pathway to evade P4-mediated antiviral defense and impair female fertility. This mechanism may be common among alphaherpesviruses and could contribute significantly to their impact on female reproductive health, providing new insights for the development of antiviral therapies.