bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An AI-based English education platform during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Um Hansuk , Kim Hisam , Choi Dain , Oh Hyungna
Published: October 2023

This study examines whether the use of AI-Pengtalk, an AI-based Conversational English programme, provided by a broadcasting company (EBS) that specializes in public education can significantly improve conversational English skills and bridge the English language proficiency gap associated with parental socioeconomic status. Over the course of four weeks from April 27 to May 22 in 2020, 108 fourth-grade classes in 54 elementary schools voluntarily participated in this experiment. Two classes in each school were designated as a treatment group and a control group. For the treatment group, a tablet installed with a pilot version of AI-Pengtalk was provided and students were encouraged to make use of the programme. Two sets of surveys and English tests were placed pre and post hoc. After 4 weeks, test scores, log files, and survey responses of participants were analysed. A series of DID analyses demonstrate that the use of AI-Pengtalk improves the treatment group’s self-evaluation of their English abilities, confidence in using English, preference on English itself, and amount of time spent on studying English during the pilot experimental period compared to the control group. When other variables were controlled, the use of AI-Pengtalk also helped the treatment group achieve higher test scores. This study implicates that the use of smart English education like AI-Pengtalk may especially be able to better compensate for academic setbacks caused by low parental SES or, in the case of English learning, the reluctance to converse in English with other students.
Multiple factors driving the acquisition efficiency of apple proliferation phytoplasma in Cacopsylla melanoneura
Authors: Corretto Erika , Trenti Massimiliano , Štarhová Serbina Liliya , Howie James Malcolm , Dittmer Jessica , Kerschbamer Christine , Candian Valentina , Tedeschi Rosemarie , Janik Katrin , Schuler Hannes
Published: October 2023

Phytoplasmas are bacterial pathogens located in the plant’s phloem that are responsible for several plant diseases and are mainly transmitted by phloem-sucking insects. Apple proliferation (AP) is an economically important disease associated with the presence of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ which is transmitted by two psyllid species. While Cacopsylla picta is a vector in different regions, the vector efficiency of C. melanoneura varies between different populations. This species is considered the main AP vector in Northwestern Italy but plays a minor role in Northeastern Italy and other European regions. To investigate whether the psyllid and/or the phytoplasma subtype drive the phytoplasma acquisition in C. melanoneura, a phytoplasma acquisition experiment was set up using single mating couples of overwintered individuals from different psyllid populations and phytoplasma subtypes. All analyzed insect populations acquired phytoplasma, but with different efficiencies and concentrations. The main factors driving the acquisition were the phytoplasma subtype and its concentration in the leaves of the infected trees together with the psyllid lineage. The phytoplasma concentration in the psyllids was again influenced by the phytoplasma subtype, the psyllid lineage and the region of origin, whereas the phytoplasma concentration in the leaves and the psyllid haplotype defined with the cytochrome oxidase I gene had only a minor impact on the phytoplasma concentration. This is the first study evaluating the roles of both the psyllid haplotype and the phytoplasma subtype on the acquisition process and highlights the importance of C. melanoneura as an additional AP vector.
Hemodynamic implications of mitral annular calcification in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation for severe aortic stenosis
Authors: Hirasawa Kensuke , Butcher Steele C. , Pereira Ana Rita , Meucci Maria Chiara , Stassen Jan , van Rosendael Philippe , Marsan Nina Ajmone , Bax Jeroen J , Delgado Victoria
Published: October 2023

Purposes

Predicting hemodynamic changes of stenotic mitral valve (MV) lesions with mitral annular calcification (MAC) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) may inform clinical decision-making. This study aimed to investigate the association between the MAC severity quantified by computed tomography (CT) and changes in mean transmitral gradient (mTMG), mitral valve area (MVA) and stroke volume index (SVi) following TAVI.

Methods and results

A total of 708 patients (median age 81, 52% male) with severe aortic stenosis (AS) underwent pre-procedural CT and pre- and post-TAVI transthoracic echocardiography. According to the classification of MAC severity determined by CT, 299 (42.2%) patients had no MAC, 229 (32.3%) mild MAC, 102 (14.4%) moderate MAC, and 78 (11.0%) severe MAC. After adjusting for age and sex, there was no significant change in mTMG following TAVI (Δ mTMG = 0.07 mmHg, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.23, P = 0.92) for patients with no MAC. In contrast, patients with mild MAC (Δ mTMG = 0.21 mmHg, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40, P = 0.018), moderate MAC (Δ mTMG = 0.31 mmHg, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.60, P = 0.019) and severe MAC (Δ mTMG = 0.43 mmHg, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.76, P = 0.0012) had significant increases in mTMG following TAVI, with greater changes associated with increasing MAC severity. In contrast, there was no significant change in MVA or SVi following TAVI.

Conclusion

In patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI, MAC severity was associated with greater increases in post-procedural mTMG whereas MVA or SVi remained unchanged. MAC severity should be considered for potential subsequent MV interventions if TAVI does not improve symptoms.
From Meaning to Ecocide: The Value of Phenomenology for Green Criminology
Authors: Burns Reece
Published: October 2023

The planetary crisis that we face today is not only a result of human-induced environmental degradation, but also of a deep crisis of meaning and value in human existence. In consequence, this article will demonstrate the value of phenomenology towards the existential paradigm within green criminology and its importance to overcome a lived experience that is opposed to the planet’s ecological balance. The article will present Martin Heidegger’s phenomenology through his conception of ‘being-here’, which elaborates on the modes of unreflective and unselfconsciousness of everyday existence. This will then be developed into the theory of being-towards-ecocide that is concerned with the meaning of the individual’s encounter with ecocide. Finally, the value of phenomenology as a conceptual tool for the analysis of green crimes and harms will be outlined as a necessary shift towards transcending ecocide and for an existential, theoretical, and systematic construction for the world of everyday life.
Thread-modular counter abstraction: automated safety and termination proofs of parameterized software by reduction to sequential program verification
Authors: Pani Thomas , Weissenbacher Georg , Zuleger Florian
Published: October 2023

Parameterized programs are composed of an arbitrary number of concurrent, infinite-state threads. Automated safety and liveness proofs of such parameterized software are hard; state-of-the-art methods for their formal verification rely on intricate abstractions and complicated proof techniques that impede automation. In this paper, we introduce thread-modular counter abstraction (TMCA), a lean new abstraction technique to replace the existing heavy proof machinery. TMCA is a structured abstraction framework built from a novel combination of counter abstraction, thread-modular reasoning, and predicate abstraction. Its major strength lies in reducing the parameterized verification problem to the sequential setting, for which powerful proof procedures, efficient heuristics, and effective automated tools have been developed over the past decades. In this work, we first introduce the TMCA abstraction paradigm, then present a fully automated method for parameterized safety proofs, and finally discuss its application to automated termination and liveness proofs of parameterized software.
High-fat diet, but not duration of lactation, increases mammary gland lymphatic vessel function and subsequent growth of inflammatory breast cancer cells
Authors: Balema Wintana , Morton Janelle , Larson Richard A. , Li Li , Velasquez Fred Christian , Fowlkes Natalie W. , Krishnamurthy Savitri , Debeb Bisrat G. , Sevick-Muraca Eva , Woodward Wendy A.
Published: October 2023

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) presents as rapid-onset swelling and breast skin changes caused by tumor emboli in the breast and breast skin lymphatics. IBC has been linked with obesity and duration of breastfeeding, but how these factors affect IBC tumor progression is not clear. We modeled the simultaneous effects of diet and weaning in mice on in vivo lymphatic function; on IBC tumor growth; and on aspects of the mammary gland microenvironment before and after IBC (SUM149) xenograft inoculation. We hypothesized that weaning status and diet would have synergistic effects on lymphatic function and the breast microenvironment to enhance IBC tumor growth. Changes in lymphatic structure and function were characterized with in vivo near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging. Mice were fed either a high-fat diet (HFD; 60 kcal%) or a normal/low-fat diet (LFD; 10 kcal%), bred twice, and subjected to either normal-duration nursing (NW) or forced weaning (FW). SUM149 IBC tumors were implanted at 14 months; images were obtained before and after implantation. Multiparous mice fed HFD showed increased pre-tumor lymphatic pulsing in both the FW and NW groups relative to mice fed LFD. HFD promoted tumor growth independent of weaning time (P = 0.04). Pre-tumor lymphatic pulsing was associated with tumor volume at 8 weeks (P = 0.02) and was significantly correlated with expression of the lymphatic tracking ligand CCL21 (P = 0.05, Table 1). HFD significantly increased the numbers of monocyte-derived IBA1+, CD163+, and CD11c+ cells (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0005) in the contralateral, non-tumor-bearing mammary gland. Numbers of lymphangiogenic podoplanin+/IBA1+ macrophages were increased in the ducts of HFD and FW mice (all P < 0.003). HFD in nulliparous mice had a similar increase in lymphatic pulsing at 14 weeks (P = 0.006), indicating that this functional change was independent of parity. We conclude that HFD induced increases in mammary gland lymphatic function, assessed as pulsing rate before tumor initiation, and correlated with inflammation in the mammary gland and increased SUM149 tumor growth. The relationship between diet, lymphatic pulsing, and tumor growth warrants further investigation.
Time-series analysis of radon monitoring in soil gas in association with earthquakes in Stivos faulting, at Lagadas basin, North Greece
Authors: Stylianos Stoulos , Alexandra Ioannidou
Published: October 2023

Time series analysis was applied to the continuous radon level, temperature, pressure, and rainfall to find clear earthquake signals. Radon signals appeared a few days after heavy rains, and radon signals associated with events M = 3.8–4.2 were detected 12 up to 36 days before. The events are complete data recorded from 1983 to 1986, giving discussion and conclusion on M with prediction time and radon anomaly detected in the Stivos faulting near Thessaloniki, N. Greece.
Has language as resource been the basis for mother-tongue instruction in Sweden? On the evolution of policy orientations towards a uniquely enduring bilingual policy
Authors: Aktürk-Drake Memet
Published: October 2023

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the motivations that key policy documents have put forward as justifications for Sweden’s mother-tongue instruction in immigrant and historical minority languages as a multicultural policy that has endured for nearly half a century. The diachronic development of these motivations is analysed in four periods and interpreted with the help of Ruiz’s (1984) orientations in language planning. The corpus consists of 26 key policy documents making up the coordinative discourse among policy actors. Based on an innovative mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, the motivations are presented in a three-tiered taxonomy consisting of motivational units, themes and language-planning orientations. The results point to both continuity and change in how mother-tongue instruction has been justified over time. Confirming previous research, the results show that the language-as-resource orientation has played a central role in justifying both the establishment and the maintenance of mother-tongue instruction in Sweden and that language as right complemented this orientation. Furthermore, the study illustrates that the language-as-problem orientation need not always be detrimental to bilingualism and minority-language maintenance. Contrary to some claims in the literature, it is argued that language as extrinsic resource is not necessarily underpinned by neoliberalism, as there are also social liberal and conservative inroads to this orientation. The paper concludes that although the language-as-resource orientation plays an indispensable role in supporting bilingualism in education, not only the language-as-right orientation but also the language-as-problem orientation should not be neglected.
Differences in Oxidation Behavior of Conventionally Cast and Additively Manufactured Co-Base Alloy MAR-M-509
Authors: Galiullin T. , Pillai R. , Quadakkers W. J. , Naumenko D.
Published: October 2023

High-temperature oxidation behavior of conventionally cast and additively manufactured (AM) Co-base alloy MAR-M-509 was compared in the present study. The specimens were exposed in air at 1000 °C and characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy/wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX/WDX) and electron backscatter diffraction as well as transmission electron microscopy. Substantial differences in the oxidation processes of two alloy versions were observed. Faster oxidation of the cast alloy was mainly induced by (1) oxidation of coarse primary carbides, (2) internal oxidation and nitridation processes and (3) incorporation of other alloy constituents (e.g., Co, Ni, W) into the Cr-oxide scale. AM specimens, in contrast, formed a more homogeneous, thinner and better adherent external oxide scale. The results are discussed in terms of differences in the chemical composition and alloy microstructure, including the grain size distribution in the material and the morphology of the strengthening precipitate phases.
The influence of electronic effects on the substitution reactions of N,N′-donor cis-palladium(II) complexes with bidentate (pyridin-2-yl)methyl-aniline ligands
Authors: Mjwara Pinky Ncomela , Papo Tshephiso Rose , Sithebe Siphamandla
Published: October 2023

The substitution behaviour of bidentate N,N′-donor (pyridin-2-yl)methyl-aniline chelates with different substituents on the mononuclear Pd(II) complexes was investigated. The complexes were synthesized and characterized using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, LC–MS, and elemental analysis. The study explored the kinetics and mechanistic behaviour of N,N′-pyridyl Pd(II) complexes, viz. dichloro-(N-((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)aniline)palladium(II) (PdL1), dichloro-(4-fluoro-N-((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)aniline)-palladium(II) (PdL2), dichloro-(4-methoxy-N-((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)aniline)-palladium(II) (PdL3) and dichloro-(4-ethyl-N-((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)aniline)-palladium(II) (PdL4). The effect of concentration and temperature on substitution behaviour of coordinated chloride ligands by three bio-relevant thiourea nucleophiles, viz. thiourea (TU), N,N′-dimethylthiourea (DMTU) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylthiourea (TMTU), of different steric demands was studied in a 0.1 M (LiCl) solution of ultra-pure water under pseudo-first order conditions using standard Stopped-Flow and UV–Visible spectrophotometric techniques. The substitution of the chloride ligands from the Pd(II) metal by thiourea nucleophiles was a two-step reaction, where the chloride trans to the pyridine ligand was substituted first due to the strong trans effect on the pyridine ring compared to the amine group. The rate of substitution of the chloride by thiourea nucleophiles increased with the presence of an electron-withdrawing substituent and decreased when an electron-donating group was attached to the para position of the phenyl moiety. The negative activation entropies and positive activation enthalpy for all the substitution reactions support an associative mode of substitution mechanism.
How do others think about my group? Adolescents’ meta-stereotypes about Turkish- and German-origin students’ subject-related German and general school competence
Authors: Haase Jannika , Höhne Elisabeth , Hannover Bettina , McElvany Nele , Zander Lysann
Published: October 2023

In Germany, Turkish-origin students face negative competence-related stereotypes held by different groups in society, including teachers at school. While a large body of research has examined stereotypes (i.e., other-stereotypes) about immigrant students, little is known about their own competence-related meta-stereotypes, i.e., beliefs regarding the other-stereotypes that outgroup peers hold about them. The present study addresses this research gap by examining Turkish- and German-origin students’ meta-stereotypes about two dimensions of competencies not yet investigated, namely Turkish- and German-origin students’ subject-related German competence as well as their general school competence using a newly developed instrument combining verbal and non-verbal measures. These assessments are juxtaposed to the evaluations of a group of peers with other immigrant backgrounds (i.e., others’ meta-stereotypes). In line with previous evidence, we found positive meta-stereotypes (as well as other- and others’ meta-stereotypes) towards German-origin students reported by all three groups. However, our study is the first that supports the existence of negative meta-stereotypes (as well as other- and others’ meta-stereotypes) towards Turkish-origin adolescents, again, among all participants. This pattern was particularly pronounced regarding the dimension of subject-related German competence. We discuss the findings’ potential relevance for students’ self-concepts and intergroup interactions in classrooms.
Effects of urban, peri-urban and rural land covers on plant functional traits around Bogotá, Colombia
Authors: Salamanca-Fonseca Mauricio , Aldana Ana M. , Vargas-Martinez Valeria , Acero-Gomez Sam , Fonseca-Tellez Juliana , Gutierrez Stivenn , Hoyos Yessica D. , León Katherin M. , Márquez Camilo , Molina-R Laura , Moreno-Abdelnur Angelica , Pineda Sara , Pinzón Juan José , Trespalacios Mariana , Velasco Liz , Sanchez-Tello Juan David , Alvarez-Garzón Carolina , Posada Juan M. , Sanchez Adriana
Published: October 2023

The Global South has suffered an accelerated population and urban growth. This has created multiple impacts at the regional level such as erosion, soil degradation and biodiversity loss, as well as temperature increase in the cities causing urban heat islands. Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is one of the largest cities in the Global South and in the last five decades has undergone a rapid urban transition, impacting surrounding ecosystems. However, little is known about how urbanization affects the local flora. To understand how plants are responding and adapting to urbanization processes in the city of Bogotá, we used a land cover gradient of urban, peri-urban and rural areas, and four plant functional traits (leaf area [LA], specific leaf area [SLA], leaf dry matter content [LDMC] and wood density [WD]). We analyzed 16 species shared in at least two land covers. Although urban and peri-urban areas had higher temperatures and higher LDMC and lower SLA values than rural areas, there were no significant differences in functional traits between land covers. Some species showed significant changes between land covers, indicating that there is a species-specific response to urbanization. Considering the need for urban areas to prioritize species that promote cooling and exhibit resistance to stress, as well as the capacity to adapt to climate change, it is essential to include plants possessing different combinations of functional traits.
Relations between undergraduates’ self-regulated learning skill mastery during digital training and biology performance
Authors: Bernacki Matthew L. , Cogliano Megan Claire , Kuhlmann Shelbi L. , Utz Jenifer , Strong Christy , Hilpert Jonathan C. , Greene Jeffrey A.
Published: October 2023

Undergraduate STEM lecture courses enroll hundreds who must master declarative, conceptual, and applied learning objectives. To support them, instructors have turned to active learning designs that require students to engage inself-regulated learning(SRL). Undergraduates struggle with SRL, and universities provide courses, workshops, and digital training to scaffold SRL skill development and enactment. We examined two theory-aligned designs of digital skill trainings that scaffold SRL and how students’ demonstration of metacognitive knowledge of learning skills predicted exam performance in biology courses where training took place. In Study 1, students’ (n = 49) responses to training activities were scored for quality and summed by training topic and level of understanding. Behavioral and environmental regulation knowledge predicted midterm and final exam grades; knowledge of SRL processes did not. Declarative and conceptual levels of skill-mastery predicted exam performance; application-level knowledge did not. When modeled by topic at each level of understanding, declarative knowledge of behavioral and environmental regulation and conceptual knowledge of cognitive strategies predicted final exam performance. In Study 2 (n = 62), knowledge demonstrated during a redesigned video-based multimedia version of behavioral and environmental regulation again predicted biology exam performance. Across studies, performance on training activities designed in alignment with skill-training models predicted course performances and predictions were sustained in a redesign prioritizing learning efficiency. Training learners’ SRL skills –and specifically cognitive strategies and environmental regulation– benefited their later biology course performances across studies, which demonstrate the value of providing brief, digital activities to develop learning skills. Ongoing refinement to materials designed to develop metacognitive processing and learners’ ability to apply skills in new contexts can increase benefits.
LAMB3 Promotes Myofibrogenesis and Cytoskeletal Reorganization in Endometrial Stromal Cells via the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 Pathway
Authors: Qin Xiaomei , Zeng Bin , Sooranna Suren R. , Li Mujun
Published: October 2023

LAMB3, a major extracellular matrix and basal membrane component, is involved in wound healing. We aimed to understand its role in Asherman’s syndrome (AS), which is associated with infertility, by using bioinformatics analysis and cultured endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). MRNAs extracted from tissues obtained from control subjects and patients with severe intrauterine adhesion were sequenced and subjected to bioinformatics analysis and the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 pathway was implicated and this subsequently studied using cultured primary ESCs. The effects of overexpression and knockdown and activation and inhibition of LAMB3 on the mesenchymal to myofibroblastic phenotypic transformation of ECCs were assessed using PCR and western blot analysis. Phalloidin was used to localize the actin cytoskeletal proteins. Silencing of LAMB3 reversed the TGF-β-induced ESC myofibroblast phenotype conversion, whereas overexpression of LAMB3 promoted this process. Activation and silencing of LAMB3 led to remodeling of the ESC cytoskeleton. Overexpression and silencing of LAMB3 caused activation and inhibition of ESCs, respectively. Y-27632 and LPA reversed the activation and inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 pathway after overexpression and silencing, respectively. These results suggest that LAMB3 can regulate ESC fibrosis transformation and cytoskeleton remodeling via the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 pathway. This study provides a potential new target for gene therapy and drug intervention of AS.
Jabal Al-Qarah, Saudi Arabia—from a Local Tourist Spot and Cultural World Heritage to a Geoheritage Site of Possible Global Relevance
Authors: Sen Subhajit , Migoń Piotr , Almusabeh Ali , Abouelresh Mohamed Omar
Published: October 2023

Jabal Al-Qarah in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia is a flat-topped residual hill (mesa) built of calcareous sandstones, mudstones, and marls of Miocene age. It is located within the World Heritage property of Al-Ahsa Oasis, but geoheritage values were not considered in the nomination and remained overlooked. The locality is famous for its systems of maze caves developed along deep fractures by mainly mechanical erosion and wall/roof collapses. They illustrate the origin of non-karstic caves through the action of underground flows, redirected from the surface via sinkholes and open cracks. Hillsides of Jabal Al-Qarah show evidence of various types of mass movements, including spectacular collapses of harder overlying strata after denudation of weaker strata beneath caused loss of vertical support. Thus, the mesa may become a key locality to understand slope development in layered successions and the role of subsurface flows in the global context. The site also has considerable potential to develop geotourism, as an added value to the already recognized cultural assets of the oasis and scenic qualities.
Advantages of the use of ultrasound in newborn vascular access: a systematic review
Authors: Brusciano Valentina , Lecce Miriam
Published: October 2023

Vascular access in neonates and small infants is often challenging. Ultrasound (US) screening and guidance improves its safety and efficacy. The advantages of a pre-implantation ultrasound examination are intuitive; it is a practical and safe technique that doesn’t use radiation, allowing static and dynamic evaluations to be carried out and identifying anatomical variations, the caliber and depth of the vessel, the patency of the entire course and attached structures (nerves, etc.). Optimization of the image is a crucial aspect in achieving a clear view of all anatomical structures while avoiding complications. The goal of this review was to look into the benefits of using US in invasive catheter insertion procedures, especially in pediatric patients. Ultrasonography is used to visualize vessels and related structures in two dimensions (2D), sometimes with the help of color Doppler to detect the presence of intraluminal thrombi by applying gentle compression to assess vessel collapse and evaluate morphologic changes in the internal jugular vein (IJV) who had undergone central venous catheter (CVC) insertion during the neonatal period (Montes-Tapia et al. in J Pediatr Surg 51:1700–1703, 2016).
Kollegiale Hilfe (KoHi) – Beschreibung des Interventionsprogramms zur Reduktion der Auswirkung belastender Arbeitssituationen im Sinne des Second-Victim-Phänomens bei patientennah tätigem Personal in der Klinik Hietzing, Wien, Österreich (KoHi-II-Studie)
Authors: Gatterer Christian , Krommer Elisabeth , Ablöscher Miriam , Klemm Victoria , Rösner Hannah , Strametz Reinhard , Huf Wolfgang , Ettl Brigitte
Published: October 2023

Ein unvorhergesehener klinischer Zwischenfall kann bei medizinischem Personal zu einer Traumatisierung mit psychologischen, kognitiven und körperlichen Folgen führen (Second-Victim-Phänomen). Ein Entlastungsgespräch unter Kolleg:innen (Peer-to-Peer) bedient sich standardisierter Abläufe und scheint eine geeignete, niederschwellige Strategie zu sein, um Kolleg:innen psychisch und emotional zu entlasten. In der Klinik Hietzing (Wien) wurde im Zeitraum von 2019–2021 unter wissenschaftlicher Begleitung ein umfassendes Programm zur Unterstützung der Mitarbeiter:innen nach belastenden Ereignissen implementiert. Ziel dieses Programms, welches im deutschen Sprachraum in diesem Umfang bisher erstmals durchgeführt wurde, war primär die Erhebung valider Daten zur Prävalenz des Second-Victim-Phänomens und zum Interventionseffekt der „Kollegiale Hilfe“ (KoHi). In einem mehrstufigen Verfahren wurden zunächst rund 2800 Mitarbeiter:innen aller Berufsgruppen und Abteilungen mit Hilfe des SeViD-Fragebogens befragt. In weiterer Folge wurden 122 Personen in einer 5‑stündigen Schulung zu Kollegial Helfenden ausgebildet. Diese Personen sollten nach dieser Schulung imstande sein, psychologische Entlastungsgespräche zu führen und Erstmaßnahmen zu setzen. Unmittelbar vor und nach jeder Schulung fand eine schriftliche Befragung der Teilnehmer:innen statt, um Erwartungen und die erworbene Kompetenz sowie die Selbstwirksamkeit zu eruieren. Die häufigsten Beweggründe für die Teilnahme an der Schulung waren ethischer/altruistischer Natur und der Wunsch nach Kompentenzerweiterung. Die bereits initial sehr hohe Motivation wurde durch die Schulungsintervention noch weiter gesteigert. Nach der Schulung fühlten sich 96 % der Teilnehmer:innen kompetent genug, ihre Kolleg:innen über die Relevanz der Second-Victim-Thematik zu informieren. Neben den bereits beschriebenen Maßnahmen wurde eine systematische Evaluation aller KoHi-Einsätze mittels telefonischer Supervision etabliert, um die Kollegial Helfenden selbst zu entlasten und ggf. weitere psychologische Unterstützungsmaßnahmen für die Second Victims zur Verfügung zu stellen. Ungefähr 3 Jahre nach der ersten Basiserhebung erfolgte eine zweite Befragung, um die Jahresprävalenz des Second-Victim-Phänomens, den Wissens- und Kenntniszuwachs sowie die Nutzung der vorhandenen Unterstützungsangebote zu evaluieren.
Stability analysis of a slope containing water-sensitive mudstone considering different rainfall conditions at an open-pit mine
Authors: Yang Guoyu , Chen Yanlong , Liu Xuanyu , Yang Ri , Zhang Yafei , Zhang Jialong
Published: October 2023

Mudstone, as a typical soft rock with wide distribution, has been endangering the slopes containing mudstone by its water-sensitivity of swelling and weakening strength when encountering water. To comprehensively understand the water-sensitivity of mudstone and reveal its influence on slope stability, we took the working slope containing water-sensitive mudstone of Shengli No.1 open-pit coal mine in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China, as an example. Mudstone samples taken from the working slope were remodeled and saturated, and then triaxial tested to obtain the effective cohesion and effective internal friction angle. The filter paper method was used to obtain the soil–water characteristic curve of unsaturated mudstone. The pore structure of mudstone samples with different water contents were analyzed using the mercury intrusion porosimetry tests combined with the fractal dimension. The total pore content of the mudstone sample with lower water content is greater than that of the mudstone sample with higher water content. The mesopores are more in the mudstone sample with lower water content, while the small pores are more in the mudstone sample with higher water content. The variation of water content will change the complexity of mudstone pore structure. The higher the water content, the simpler the mudstone pore structure and the smoother the pore surface. Numerical calculations were conducted on the stability of the working slope under different rainfall conditions. The effective saturation on the mudstone layer surface changed and the plastic strain all occurred on the mudstone steps under different rainfall conditions. The key to preventing landslide of the slope containing water-sensitive mudstone in Shengli No.1 open-pit coal mine is to control the deformation and sliding of the mudstone layer.
Violations of first-order stochastic dominance
Authors: Williams Brett
Published: October 2023

I find necessary and sufficient conditions for first-order stochastic dominance (FOSD) violations for choices from a budget line of Arrow securities. Applying this characterization to existing data, I compare FOSD violation rates across a broad set of risk preference elicitation tasks.
Interaction graph-based characterization of quantum benchmarks for improving quantum circuit mapping techniques
Authors: Bandic Medina , Almudever Carmen G. , Feld Sebastian
Published: October 2023

To execute quantum circuits on a quantum processor, they must be modified to meet the physical constraints of the quantum device. This process, called quantum circuit mapping, results in a gate/circuit depth overhead that depends on both the circuit properties and the hardware constraints, being the limited qubit connectivity a crucial restriction. In this paper, we propose to extend the characterization of quantum circuits by including qubit interaction graph properties using graph theory-based metrics in addition to previously used circuit-describing parameters. This approach allows for an in-depth analysis and clustering of quantum circuits and a comparison of performance when run on different quantum processors, aiding in developing better mapping techniques. Our study reveals a correlation between interaction graph-based parameters and mapping performance metrics for various existing configurations of quantum devices. We also provide a comprehensive collection of quantum circuits and algorithms for benchmarking future compilation techniques and quantum devices.
Phytotherapie, Yoga und Akupunktur in der Gastroenterologie – alles nur Humbug oder mögliche Therapieansätze?
Authors: Schreiner Philipp , Bauerfeind Peter
Published: October 2023

Komplementärmedizinische Therapien werden von Patienten mit gastrointestinalen Beschwerden, insbesondere bei Patienten mit Reizdarmsyndrom („irritable bowel syndrome“, IBS) und bei Patienten mit chronisch-entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen (CED), häufig verwendet. Im Gegensatz zum großen Interesse der Patienten ist das Wissen über solche Therapien bei vielen Gastroenterologen, wahrscheinlich bedingt durch die eher schwache Datenlage, meistens gering. In diesem Übersichtsartikel möchten wir die wichtigsten phytotherapeutischen Therapiemöglichkeiten bei IBS und CED beleuchten und versuchen, einen Überblick über die Datenlage von Bewegungstherapien, Yoga und Akupunktur in der Therapie von gastrointestinalen Krankheiten zu geben.
Knowledge and inquiry—the missing key for a knowledge-based decision theory
Authors: Schulz Moritz
Published: October 2023

Fassio and Gao (2021) object to a knowledge-based decision theory on the ground that it cannot deal with unsuccessful inquiry. One way for inquiry to fail is not to know what one should know. If one’s inquiry fails in this way, is a subsequent choice in any way wrong when based on one’s limited actual knowledge? This paper discusses two strategies for dealing with this problem. On a first strategy, there is nothing wrong with such a choice (but something went wrong prior to one’s choice). On a second strategy, there is something wrong with one’s choice and a knowledge-based decision theory should require that one’s decisions be based on the knowledge one should have, not merely on the knowledge one actually has.
OBIA: An Open Biomedical Imaging Archive
Authors: Jin Enhui , Zhao Dongli , Wu Gangao , Zhu Junwei , Wang Zhonghuang , Wei Zhiyao , Zhang Sisi , Wang Anke , Tang Bixia , Chen Xu , Sun Yanling , Zhang Zhe , Zhao Wenming , Meng Yuanguang
Published: October 2023

With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, biomedical imaging data play an important role in scientific research and clinical application, but the available resources are limited. Here we present Open Biomedical Imaging Archive (OBIA), a repository for archiving biomedical imaging and related clinical data. OBIA adopts five data objects (Collection, Individual, Study, Series, and Image) for data organization, and accepts the submission of biomedical images of multiple modalities, organs, and diseases. In order to protect personal privacy, OBIA has formulated a unified de-identification and quality control process. In addition, OBIA provides friendly and intuitive web interfaces for data submission, browsing, and retrieval, as well as image retrieval. As of September 2023, OBIA has housed data for a total of 937 individuals, 4136 studies, 24,701 series, and 1,938,309 images covering 9 modalities and 30 anatomical sites. Collectively, OBIA provides a reliable platform for biomedical imaging data management and offers free open access to all publicly available data to support research activities throughout the world. OBIA can be accessed at https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/obia.
The asymptotic tails of limit distributions of continuous-time Markov chains
Authors: Xu Chuang , Hansen Mads Christian , Wiuf Carsten
Published: October 2023

This paper investigates tail asymptotics of stationary distributions and quasi-stationary distributions (QSDs) of continuous-time Markov chains on subsets of the non-negative integers. Based on the so-called flux-balance equation, we establish identities for stationary measures and QSDs, which we use to derive tail asymptotics. In particular, for continuous-time Markov chains with asymptotic power law transition rates, tail asymptotics for stationary distributions and QSDs are classified into three types using three easily computable parameters: (i) super-exponential distributions, (ii) exponential-tailed distributions, and (iii) sub-exponential distributions. Our approach to establish tail asymptotics of stationary distributions is different from the classical semimartingale approach, and we do not impose ergodicity or moment bound conditions. In particular, the results also hold for explosive Markov chains, for which multiple stationary distributions may exist. Furthermore, our results on tail asymptotics of QSDs seem new. We apply our results to biochemical reaction networks, a general single-cell stochastic gene expression model, an extended class of branching processes, and stochastic population processes with bursty reproduction, none of which are birth–death processes. Our approach, together with the identities, easily extends to discrete-time Markov chains.
Antimicrobial stewardship for nurse practitioners and physician assistants: enhancing patient safety through education
Authors: Parzen-Johnson Simon , Toia Jacquie , Sun Shan , Patel Sameer J.
Published: October 2023

Background:

As nurse practitioners and physician assistants (APPs) become more prevalent in delivering pediatric care, their involvement in antimicrobial stewardship efforts increases in importance. This project aimed to create and assess the efficacy of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach to teaching APPs antimicrobial stewardship principles.

Methods:

A PBL education initiative was developed after communication with local APP leadership and focus group feedback. It was offered to all APPs associated with Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Participants completed a survey which assessed opinions on antimicrobial stewardship and included knowledge-based questions focused on antimicrobial stewardship. Prescriptions for skin and soft tissue infections associated with APPs were recorded via chart review before and after the education campaign.

Results:

Eighty APPs participated in the initial survey and teaching initiative with 44 filling out the 2-week follow-up and 29 filling out the 6-month follow-up. Subjective opinions of antimicrobial stewardship and comfort with basic principles of AS increased from pre-intervention. Correct responses to knowledge-based assessments increased from baseline after 2-week follow-up (p < 0.01) and were maintained at the 6-month follow-up (p = 0.03). Simple skin and soft tissue infection prescriptions for clindamycin went from 44.4% pre-intervention to 26.5% (p = 0.2) post-intervention.

Conclusions:

A PBL approach for APP education on antimicrobial stewardship can be effective in increasing knowledge and comfort with principles of antimicrobial stewardship. These changes are maintained in long-term follow-up. Changes in prescribing habits showed a strong trend towards recommended empiric therapy choice. Institutions should develop similar education campaigns for APPs.
Vulnerability Theory as a Paradigm Shift in International Investment Law: Reimagining the Role of the State
Authors: Küçüksu Aysel , Ünüvar Güneş
Published: October 2023

This article argues for a fundamental raison d’être reconceptualization of international investment law (IIL) through Martha Fineman’s ‘vulnerability theory’. The theory helps identify the structural sources of IIL’s shortcomings, whilst philosophically challenging the one-sided view that foreign investors are entitled to protections, but are free from obligations vis-à-vis the communities affected by their undertakings. Emphasizing the productive power of the state to take positive action that acknowledges ordinary citizens’ embeddedness within, and dependence upon, surrounding structures, the vulnerability theory challenges the hegemonic perception of the state as a source of danger – a view which has hitherto undermined both the potency and the enforceability of investor obligations. Used as a heuristic device in studying both IIL’s existing structures and the potential avenues for reimagining it, Fineman’s theory not only shines a novel light on the foundational premises of IIL, but also grants theoretical traction to existing ideas about improving the system.
Pandemic and Emergency Manufacturing Innovation: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace
Authors: Xie Tian , Wu Juan , Chen Wei-Fan , Wei Yao-Yao , Chen Krista
Published: October 2023

Objective:

Major epidemics have had a huge impact on the manufacturing industry. This study aimed to explore knowledge innovation in the field of emergency manufacturing during pandemics with a systematic quantitative analysis.

Methods:

Based on the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection, the bibliometric method and the CiteSpace tool were used.

Results:

A total of 286 literature were obtained from the WOS database. During coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there was a surge in the number of publications. A new field of research on pandemic-triggered emergency manufacturing is gradually forming with accumulated research output. The analysis of the document co-citation showed how the research on pandemic situations and viruses brought emergency manufacturing into the research scope of scholars, and what attempts were made by the original scholars. Pandemic-triggered research hotspots and research trends in the post-pandemic era mainly boiled down to 3 aspects: technological innovation, material innovation, and management innovation in the field of emergency manufacturing.

Conclusions:

COVID-19 strengthened academic exchange and cooperation and promotes knowledge output in this field. This study provides an in-depth perspective for emergency manufacturing research and helps researchers realize the panorama of this field and establish future research directions.
Understanding the Policy Integration Challenges of Sustainable Urban Mobility in the Context of Rapid Decarbonisation
Authors: Colombo Carlo Maria , Dijk Marc
Published: October 2023

Given the state of the climate emergency, European Union (EU) cities must find innovative ways to achieve a sustainable and decarbonised urban mobility trajectory. This requires integrated and cross-sectoral approaches that enable all sectors influencing such mobility to contribute to this goal. Building on the concept of the climate-connected city and drawing on an extensive empirical investigation of two Dutch cities (Rotterdam and Maastricht), this study reflects on how decarbonisation targets are integrated with other sustainability objectives across all policies and levels involved in reconfiguring mobility towards an environmentally sustainable model. The study finds that spatial development tools and processes, in combination with regulatory instruments imposing strict limits on emissions, can strengthen cross-sectoral support for the behavioural changes needed to decarbonise urban mobility. However, this integrative dynamic may be countered by local economic actors and by national and EU economic and fiscal instruments, whose narrow focus on reducing vehicle emissions and expanding road capacity forces cities to dilute their sustainable mobility policies. This suggests that in order to accelerate the decarbonisation of urban mobility, these instruments should be aligned with a broader set of sustainability goals and solutions and be combined with greater attention being given to the urban dimension into national and European transport policies.
Might the bioethical principle of individual decisional autonomy have a politically liberalizing effect on soft authoritarian communities?
Authors: Gregg Benjamin
Published: October 2023

According to the bioethical principle of individual decisional autonomy, the patient has a right of informed consent to any medical or experimental procedure. The principle is politically liberal by advocating significant individual freedom as guaranteed by law and secured by civil liberties. When practiced in illiberal communities, might it have a political liberalizing effect? I respond first by analyzing cross-national norms of individual decisional autonomy to identify tensions with illiberal community; second, by examining examining Singapore in a single case study to show that liberal bioethics does not promote political liberalization; and third, by showing that the possibility of practicing liberal bioethics in research, clinically as well as in education, does not require a democratic order, and that liberal bioethics is unlikely to encourage the liberalization of illiberal political communities. Hence, it may never contribute to the development of globally effective cross-national norms for the legal regulation of bioethical research and clinical practice. Fourth, to bolster this analysis, I anticipate several possible objections to various of its aspects.
TRIPLE-PRODUCT-FREE SETS
Authors: AGIGOR-MIKE PRECIOUS U. , HART SARAH B. , OBI MARTIN C.
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we study triple-product-free sets, which are analogous to the widely studied concept of product-free sets. A nonempty subset S of a group G is triple-product-free if
$abc \notin S$
for all
$a, b, c \in S$
. If S is triple-product-free and is not a proper subset of any other triple-product-free set, we say that S is locally maximal. We classify all groups containing a locally maximal triple-product-free set of size 1. We then derive necessary and sufficient conditions for a subset of a group to be locally maximal triple-product-free, and conclude with some observations and comparisons with the situation for standard product-free sets.
ON EXTERIOR POWERS OF REFLECTION REPRESENTATIONS
Authors: HU HONGSHENG
Published: October 2023

In 1968, Steinberg [Endomorphisms of Linear Algebraic Groups, Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society, 80 (American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI, 1968)] proved a theorem stating that the exterior powers of an irreducible reflection representation of a Euclidean reflection group are again irreducible and pairwise nonisomorphic. We extend this result to a more general context where the inner product invariant under the group action may not necessarily exist.