bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Where is the ‘posterior hot zone’? Open Review of Cogitate et al (2023): “An Adversarial Collaboration to Critically Evaluate Theories of Consciousness”
Authors: Lau Hakwan
Published: August 2023

The target of this review is the June 26, 2023 version of a recent preprint (1), in which the authors reported the first set of results of a highly publicized project (Cogitate) generously supported by the Templeton World Charity Foundation. The aim of the ongoing project is to empirically arbitrate between two theories of consciousness in the form of an adversarial collaboration. Overall, the project is strong in large part because of the scale, ample funding, and some aspects of the quality and quantity of the data. Unfortunately, there are several inherent flaws in the experimental design that limit the interpretations of these studies. However, the current studies were skillfully executed, and the data will no doubt be very useful for future studies. Also, an upcoming second set of future studies, as anticipated in the discussion section, sound relatively promising.The most surprising and critical problem here concerns the anatomical definitions of the regions of interests (ROIs), without which the hypotheses are unspecified and meaningless in practice. The selection of ROIs for IIT, which neglected the formalisms of the theory, excluded areas originally labeled as part of the so-called ‘posterior hot zone’ (e.g. precuneus, posterior cingulate (5)), and instead included important frontal areas as ‘extended’ ROIs, will puzzle many, and probably be considered false advertisement by others. Excluding parietal regions for GNWT likewise went against how the theory (GNWT) has been characterized in print. Although the study was overall pre-registered, these critical and surprising ROI definitions were only uploaded to OSF in Dec 2022 - by which point data collection was probably already completed or near completion - and made public as recently as late June 2023.In other words, while the current studies tested some partially (?) pre-registered hypotheses made by some theorists, these hypotheses were unfortunately developed and tested in rather idiosyncratic ways, compromising their relevance to the topic. But the vast amount of data collected will no doubt still be tremendously useful for other researchers and for different scientific purposes. Below I discuss both some strengths and limitations of the preprint in more detail.
Information Acquisition and Evaluation in Decision Making: A General Computational Framework
Authors: Wall Dan , Bhatia Sudeep
Published: August 2023

How do people acquire and aggregate information when making decisions? This question has been widely studied; however existing theories have not been comprehensively compared on data. We present a general computational framework that allows us to jointly model several different types of attentional and decision processes. We use our framework to test 63 distinct decision models, which apply assumptions from classical decision theories (e.g., the weighted additive rule, the tallying heuristic), contemporary dynamic theories (e.g. decision field theory, the attentional drift diffusion model), as well as several variants of these theories. We combine these decision models with a general attentional model that predicts the dynamics of information acquisition, and fit our models to eye-movement and choice data from three core decision making domains: risk, time, and effort allocation. Our tests identify the set of modeling assumptions necessary to best describe search and choice behavior. In doing so, they reveal the cognitive mechanisms at play in choice, resolve recent theoretical debates on the interplay of attention and choice, and provide new insights on how to generate choice environments aligned with people’s goals.
When a Clue is Unhelpful: Dynamics of Cognitive Control and Automated Processes in Insight Problem Solving
Authors: Hattori Masasi , Orita Ryo , Nishida Yuki
Published: August 2023

This study investigated the interaction between cognitive control and automated processes in insight problem solving through five experiments manipulating the level of cognitive control and the presence of implicit clues. Experiment 1 explored the impact of unconscious clues and conscious cognitive control on problem-solving performance. Unexpectedly, implicit clues, previously thought to aid insight, hindered those employing conscious effort, revealing a novel "negative clue effect." Experiment 2 replicated this phenomenon with a different task and instructional condition. To probe the connection between clues and cognitive control, Experiment 3 examined if reduced cognitive control enhanced implicit clue utilization (i.e., a reduced control effect), yielding unexpected performance improvement under cognitive load. Experiment 4 aimed to validate the negative clue and reduced control effects in a single experiment; the latter was significant, but the former was not. Experiment 5 demonstrated a reduced control effect in individuals with moderate inhibitory function. These findings highlight the competition between explicit cognitive control and implicit clues. Paradoxically, robust cognitive control can transform a clue into a hindrance. Further research is needed to explore potential confounders.
The effects of directed and free self-monitoring on goal-directed and habitual decision-making
Authors: Miandari Hossein Mostafa , Ershadmanesh Sara , Vahabie AbdolHossein , Ahmadabadi Majid Nili
Published: August 2023

Many studies on humans and animals have provided evidence for the contribution of goal-directed and habitual valuation systems in learning and decision-making. However, how the arbitration between these two systems is affected by other cognitive processes is not well known. Here, we study the effects of directed and free self-monitoring of one’s decisions on this arbitration. In our experiments, in a within-subject design, the subjects participated in a control and a two modified versions of the Two-step decision-making task, where we could measure each system’s contribution to decisions. We had two modified tasks. In both, every few trials subjects had to think about what they have experienced in the past trials in one of the two days. In one task, they had to designate which action was better and then report their confidence about this decision (directed self-monitoring task). In the other modification of task, they had to explain what had happened in the past few trials by talking (free self-monitoring task). We hypnotized that in both modified tasks, the behavior of the participants would shift toward goal-directed behavior because they need to think more about the structure of the task. Our experimental results showed that subjects indeed became more goal-directed in the directed self-monitoring task, but in the free self-monitoring task, they became more habitual. We would discuss the underlying reasons for these shifts in the behavior.
Investigating the heritability of school grades from age 10 to 16 using biometric growth curve models
Authors: Ruks Mirko , Starr Alexandra , Dierker Philipp
Published: August 2023

School grades are an important signal of academic ability with far-reaching implications, from educational attainment to labor market success. While there is robust cross-sectional evidence of the influence of environmental and genetic factors on school grades, less is known about the development of both influences over time. On the one hand, cognitive ability is one central predictor of school grades so that the well-studied pattern of increasing heritability of cogni-tive ability with age may also apply to school grades. On the other hand, school grades are affected by a number of non-cognitive abilities for which heritability estimates decrease or remain stable over time. Using twin data from the German TwinLife survey (52% males, 32% with migration background, 51% with high-educated parents), we employ biometric growth curve models to study how the heritability of math and German grades develops from age 10 to 16. For math grades, environmental influences shared on the family level decrease over time while genetic influences increase as the result of the amplification of already active genetic influences. By contrast, the genetic influences on German grades slightly decrease over time while non-shared environmental influences increase. So, for math grades the development of genetic and environmental influences resembles the pattern of cognitive ability, while for German grades, the results are comparable to the developmental pattern of non-cognitive traits. Our findings suggest that the Wilson effect cannot be simply applied to school grades in general as there are substantial between-subject differences in the developmental etiology of school performance.
Revisiting the relation between steroid hormones and unethicality in an exploratory, longitudinal study with female participants
Authors: Stern Julia , Schild Christoph , Zettler Ingo
Published: August 2023

Research on the relation between hormones and unethical behaviors and tendencies has provided mixed results, hindering the understanding of the potential biological regulation of unethical behaviors and tendencies. We conducted an exploratory, longitudinal study (N = 257 women) allowing to estimate relations between, on the one hand, steroid hormones (testosterone, cortisol, estradiol, and progesterone) and conception probability, and, on the other hand, a broad variety of measures related to unethicality (self-reported personality variables, cheating in committed relationships, self-serving economic dishonesty in a behavioral task, namely, the Mind Game). Contrary to theoretical assumptions of and results from some previous studies, we find no consistent relation between hormones and unethical behavior or tendencies in the majority of analyses. Yet, some small, exploratory found associations emerged that call for (preregistered) replications, before more firm conclusions can be made.
Changes in rates of special considerations in higher education applications pre and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Gao Caroline X. , Clarke Emily , Nicholas Jennifer , Teo Shu Mei , Koppe Caleb , Peter Gavin , Lum Alex , Barth Tamara , Farish Steve , Rudd Matthew , Gong Yiting , Gan Daniel ZQ , Browne Vivienne , Tjia Teresa , Filia Kate M. , Killackey Eóin
Published: August 2023

Aims: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant rise in mental ill-health has been observed globally in young people, particularly among those in their final years of secondary school. Students’ negative experiences coincide with a critical transitional period which can disrupt milestones in social and educational development. This study aimed to use innovative population-level data to map the impact of the pandemic on students entering higher education. Methods: Pre-pandemic (2019/2020) and pandemic (2020/2021) tertiary education application data were obtained from the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre. Prevalence of applications for special consideration related to mental ill-health were compared between cohorts across various geographical areas and applicant demographic subgroups. Relative risk regression models were used to understand the role of different risk factors. Results: The rate of mental health-related special consideration applications increased by 38% among all applications (pre-pandemic: 7.8%, n=56916; pandemic: 10.8%, n=58260). The highest increases were observed among students in areas with both extended and close-quarter lockdown experiences, and areas impacted by 2019/2020 black summer bushfires. The increases were higher among year 12 students and students with other special consideration needs (e.g., physical condition, learning disability). Slightly higher increases were observed in areas with higher socioeconomic status, which may potentially be related to inequality in mental health service access. Conclusion: As the consequences of mental health difficulties and academic disruption in youth can be long-lasting, it is critical to establish a mental health support framework both in and outside of higher education to facilitate young people’s recovery from the pandemic.
Munging the Ghosts in the Machine: Coded Bias and the Craft of Wrangling Archival Data
Authors: Yung Vincent , Colyvas Jeannette
Published: August 2023

Data wrangling is typically treated as an obligatory, codified, and ideally automated step in the machine learning pipeline. In contrast, we suggest that archival data wrangling is a theory-driven process best understood as a practical craft. Drawing on empirical examples from contemporary computational social science, we identify nine core modes of data wrangling. Although these modes can be seen as a sequence, we emphasize how they are iterative and nonlinear in practice. Moreover, we discuss how data wrangling can address issues of coded bias. Although machine learning emphasizes architectural engineering, we assert that to properly engage with machine learning is to properly engage with data wrangling.
Edward Westermarck, the Developmental Paradigm, Reading History Sideways, and Family Myths
Authors: Thornton Arland
Published: August 2023

In this paper I describe how Edward Westermarck became an influential creator of a marriage myth in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In The History of Human Marriage, Westermarck marshalled a remarkable array of empirical data to show marriage was relatively late and that many never married in Western Europe. He further concluded marriage was young and universal outside Europe and that there was an East-West gradient within Europe in the timing and prevalence of marriage. Reading history sideways, Westermarck used these geographic marriage patterns to infer historical change over time. He concluded that societal development caused later and fewer marriages because he viewed Western Europe as more developed than Eastern Europe and places outside Europe. Westermarck’s ideas were well accepted and widely circulated in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1965, John Hajnal confirmed these geographic divisions in marriage patterns, but revealed the belief that development, or industrialization, was the causal agent pushing marriage timing later was a myth. Rejecting reading history sideways in favor of analyzing historical data, Hajnal traced the Western European marriage pattern back to at least the 1700s, finding even rural eighteenth-century Scandinavia practiced late marriage. The content of this working paper was originally prepared as part of my 2005 book, Reading History Sideways: The Fallacy and Enduring Impact of the Developmental Paradigm on Family Life.
How Biased Is the Voice of People? Introducing The Political Voice Inequality Index (PVI-index)
Authors: Barsegyan Vardan
Published: August 2023

In a perfect democracy, social characteristics of people should not affect their political participation. If they do, the voice of people is skewed, and certain groups are underheard and underrepresented. I state that the extent to which social characteristics affect political participation defines political participation inequality. In this paper, I develop a new Political Voice Inequality Index (PVI-index) to measure political participation inequality. Via simulations, I show that the adjusted R-squared coefficient is a good metric for the PVI-index because it is a valid, comparable, multidimensional, simple, generalizable, and robust measure, and it outperforms the alternative measures such as b-coefficients, (unadjusted) R-squared, MAE, MSE, and RMSE, and other measures proposed in the literature. To validate the index, I analyze about 1.5 million respondents from high quality cross-national longitudinal surveys: ANES, CSES, ESS, ISSP, and WVS – spanning 1980 to 2022, comprising 700 country-years. I measure PVI-index as the adjusted R squared coefficient by regressing political participation on seven basic social characteristics: age, sex, education, employment, urban residence, marital status, and religiosity, – within each country-year. Machine learning modeling based on about 180 country-level indicators showed that the best predictors of political participation inequality were the form of government (presidential vs mixed or parliamentary systems), the number of changes in government per year, the share of women in parliament, the Index of Participation of the Democracy Barometer, and other variables. The PVI-index can be updated yearly for all countries with available data, becoming an important indicator of the health of democracy across the world.
Global Capital Allocation
Authors: Florez-Orrego Sergio , Maggiori Matteo , Schreger Jesse , Sun Ziwen , Tinda Serdil
Published: August 2023

We survey the literature on global capital allocation. We begin by reviewing the riseof cross-border investment, the shift towards portfolio investment, and the literature focusing on aggregate patterns in multilateral and bilateral positions. We then turn to the recent literature that uses micro-data to document patterns in global capital allocations. We focus on the importance of the currency of denomination of assets in international portfolios and the role that tax havens and offshore financial centers play in intermediating global capital. We conclude with directions for future research in this area.
Parental separation and children’s education – changes over time?
Authors: Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist Sanna , Jalovaara Marika , Myrskylä Mikko
Published: August 2023

Objective and backgroundThe association between parental separation and children’s education has been widely studied, but mostly at a single time point, for one educational outcome at a time and for marital dissolution only. We examine whether the (generally negative) association has changed across cohorts for several educational outcomes and whether the association differs by parental union type (marriage, cohabitation) and family background (parental education). Due to high rates of separation, the association with children’s education could have weakened over time.MethodsWe use Finnish total population register data. We focus on child cohorts born between 1987 and 2003 (N=1,004,823) and analyse grade point averages, secondary education and tertiary education using linear probability models with standard errors clustered within families.Results and conclusionThe association between parental separation and educational achievement is negative and has remained similar across the birth cohorts. Differences according to parental union type and socioeconomic family background are small and do not exhibit changes over time. The stability of the association over time suggests that the consequences of parental separation on children’s education have not changed, even though attitudes towards separation may have changed.
The BTS Effect: How K-Pop Fandoms Reshape Sociopolitical Messaging on Twitter
Authors: Regla-Vargas Alejandra , Alvero AJ , Kao Grace
Published: August 2023

K-Pop Boy Group BTS’s tweet in support of #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate was the most retweeted tweet of 2021, spawning a million retweets and 2.4 million likes. Using an original dataset of 2.5 million tweets, we utilize Structural Topic Modeling and Word-Shift Graphs to examine how the quantity and content of tweets changed from before to after BTS’s tweet in March 2021. Our original dataset of tweets includes a sample of tweets from the week prior to the Atlanta murders that prompted BTS’s tweet to the week after BTS’s tweet. Following BTS’ tweet, we found a 21% increase in tweets containing the #StopAAPI and #StopAsianHate hashtags. Beyond the hashtags, we also found that the content of the tweets shifted from more passive, descriptive language to action-oriented language. Specific words that were used more frequently included "stand", "BTS", and "discrimination." Similarly, we found that topics about "Standing against Asian hate", "BTS ARMY against Asian hate", and "Stop Asian hate" became more prevalent. Finally, the tweets shifted from the local (LA, Atlanta, US) to the global (“world” and “worldwide”). Combined, these results highlight the influential role of cultural icons in amplifying social messages and carry significant implications for understanding the evolving nature of collective mobilization in the digital era.
Quality Control for Quality Computational Concepts: Wrangling with Theory and Data Wrangling as Theorizing
Authors: Yung Vincent , Colyvas Jeannette , Hwang Hokyu
Published: August 2023

Sociologists encounter digitized data in all aspects of social life, albeit data of indefinite quality. We ask, how might scholars use the process of inspecting and cleaning such data as an occasion to advance social theory? We draw on Art Stinchcombe’s theory of formality to demonstrate how the craft of data wrangling can be used to assess and improve the quality of our concepts. Drawing on examples from contemporary computational social science, we show how the cognitive adequacy, communicability, and improvability of conceptual abstractions can be developed and refined in the data wrangling process. Using Stinchcombe to highlight the link between theorizing and the organizational and institutional systems in which such theorizing is embedded, we argue that the systems that impact the quality of our data simultaneously impact the quality of our concepts. Inspired by AI oversight research, we provide a roadmap for evaluating the systems involved in computational abstractions.
John Millar and Other Scholars of the 1700s and 1800s Using the Developmental Paradigm, Reading History Sideways, and International Cross-Sectional Data to Reach Conclusions about Changes in Family Relationships and Processes
Authors: Thornton Arland
Published: August 2023

In this paper I show how John Millar and other scholars of the 1700s and 1800s formulated ideas about several family transitions, including changes from emphases on family commitments to individual rights; from strong parental authority to individual autonomy of children; from arranged marriages to love matches; and a burst of sentiment in marital and parent-child relationships. These scholars observed many remarkable differences in family relationships between their own Western cultures and societies outside the West. These substantial and real cross-cultural differences in family patterns were also probably exaggerated by the inability of Western observers to correctly interpret family life of other cultures. These Western scholars believed they could use data from societies outside the West to proxy for the Western historical past. Consequently, differences between family life in Western and non-Western societies--both real ones and those misperceived through cultural insensitivity--were believed to represent social change that occurred in the Western past. The content of this working paper was originally prepared as part of my 2005 book, Reading History Sideways: The Fallacy and Enduring Impact of the Developmental Paradigm on Family Life.
A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Digital Technology-Assisted STEM Education
Authors: Öztop Feyyaz
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study was to reveal the effect of digital technology-assisted STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education on academic achievement. To achieve this purpose, experimental studies, including pre-test and post-test, were examined by meta-analysis. The study's data were obtained from 34 studies that met the inclusion criteria due tothe searches made in the Databases of the National Thesis Center of the Council of Higher Education, where Turkey's postgraduate theses are located. Effect sizes of 38 comparisons were calculated from these studies. The study calculated effect sizes based onCohen’s d coefficient. The effect size obtained after the analysis was found to be d=2.582. This finding shows that STEM education assisted by digital technology greatly affects academic achievement. In addition, a significant difference was found between the effect sizes in the study according to the level of education and the subject discipline of academic achievement. This research is expected to contribute to educational practice and future research.
Descriptions of the Reading History Sideways Method (the Comparative Method) by Scholars of the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s
Authors: Thornton Arland
Published: August 2023

In the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s, scholars turned to the experiences and institutions of contemporary societies they judged as less developed as proxies for Western Europe’s past. Early scholars referred to this practice as the comparative method, while I label it reading history sideways. In this paper, I document several early scholars’ descriptions and promotion of this practice. Early French scholars who read history sideways, include Montesquieu, Turgot, Auguste Comte, and Frederick Le Play. Across the channel, Scottish scholars, such as Adam Ferguson and John Millar, and English scholars, like John Lubbock and Herbert Spencer, endorsed the practice. Other European and American scholars, including Lewis Henry Morgan and Edward Westermarck, were also proponents. The content of this working paper was originally prepared as part of my 2005 book, Reading History Sideways: The Fallacy and Enduring Impact of the Developmental Paradigm on Family Life.
Robert Malthus, the Developmental Paradigm, Reading History Sideways, and Family Myths
Authors: Thornton Arland
Published: August 2023

In this paper I describe how Robert Malthus was one influential creator of the myth that marriage was young and universal in the recent past of Western Europe. His belief in this myth traces its origins to his broader endorsement of the developmental paradigm and reading history sideways in his famous volume, An Essay on the Principle of Population. In Book I of this volume, Malthus described what he termed “less civilized nations,” which were a mix of ancient European societies and contemporary societies located outside Europe. He also emphasized the practice of young and universal marriage in contemporary East Asia and Africa. In Book II, Malthus described contemporary information for what he termed “modern Europe.” Believing all populations follow a natural progression, he then used the characteristics of what he viewed as “less civilized nations” to infer the past of “modern Europe.” He mistakenly concluded marriage must have been young and universal in Europe’s recent past because it was young and universal in societies he viewed as proxies for when Europe was “less civilized.” Malthus further described several mechanisms that would lead to delayed marriage. The content of this working paper was originally prepared as part of my 2005 book, Reading History Sideways: The Fallacy and Enduring Impact of the Developmental Paradigm on Family Life.
Exit Rights, Seamless Borders and the New Carceral State
Authors: Macklin Audrey
Published: August 2023

Enlisting states of origin or transit to prevent exit from their own territory has become a tool of extraterritorial migration control for states of the global North. Violeta Moreno-Lax and Mariagiulia Giuffré (2019) dub this trend ‘consensual containment.’ I view it as the harbinger of a loosely networked global migration regime for constraining human circulation. This article first explores the practical erosion of the right of exit since the demise of communism. Next, I turn to the legitimating function performed by anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling campaigns in reframing breaches of exit rights as an exercise of the cynical practice now dubbed ‘penal humanitarianism’. I conclude by querying whether a paradigm of mobility organized around entry and exit is veering toward obsolescence. Current trends, particularly in relation to securitization of migration, push the logic of migration governance beyond obstructing exit and preventing entry as ends in themselves. I suggest that the logic is increasingly directed more at assuming control over movement as such. Against the contemporary claim of increased global mobility for some and decreased mobility for others, I contend that mobility - understood as the capacity for 'free movement' - is on the decline for everyone, even if actual movement by some is on the increase.
Diversity of Ultraviolet Reflection Pattern in Arachis Flowers
Authors: Levinson Chandler M. , Chu Ye , Leal-Bertioli Soraya C.M. , Stalker H. Thomas , Holbrook C. Corley , Gao Dongying , Ozias-Akins Peggy
Published: August 2023

Over a third of global agriculture is dependent on insect pollination, especially by bees. Yields of insect-pollinated crops are often managed by the addition of honeybees (Apis mellifera) to increase pollination, yet wild bee species (Bombus spp.) also increase pollination and fruit set for many globally important crops. Plant biodiversity within and surrounding crop fields can attract wild bee species and increase pollination in those fields. Peanut is an important global food crop known to attract honeybee and wild bee pollinators despite being self-pollinating and not reliant on bee pollination for seed set. Some wild Arachis species derived breeding materials have been documented to have early flowering, high flowering throughout the growing season, and large flowers as compared to cultivated peanut, which can increase attractiveness to bees. However, the presence and diversity of UV floral guides, color and UV absorbance and reflectance flower patterns that aid in flower detection and orientation towards nectar and/or pollen, have not been studied in Arachis. This study documents the presence and diversity of UV floral guides in two A. hypogaea genotypes, two peanut breeding lines, eight wild Arachis species, 19 unique allotetraploids, and four BC1F3 lines. All Arachis genotypes studied had UV floral guides and genotype was a significant indicator of flower size and UV floral guide size. Further studies evaluating the nutritional quality and abundance of pollen in Arachis species are needed to better understand the impact of ornamental Arachis species and peanut cultivars on wild bee abundance and diversity in urban landscapes and in agricultural fields, respectively.
Evaluation of Quality of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Seed in Ghana from Three Seed Sources
Authors: Abogoom Jennifer , Akromah Richard , Aidoo Robert , Awuah Emil , Jordan David
Published: August 2023

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) contributes to food security and reduction of poverty in Ghana. However, low yields minimize the potential financial returnof peanut in part because of limited access by farmers to high quality seed. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of peanut seed saved by farmers, seed purchased from local markets, and seed received from public research institutions. Forty-six, forty-five, and nine seed samples were collected from these respective sources in 2019 during the planting season across the five regions in Ghana. Uniformity of phenotypes from seed samples was at least 96% for all sources with the greatest uniformity observed for plants derived from seed collected from research institutions. Field emergence was greatest for seed collected from research institutions followed by farmer-saved seed and then seed collected from local markets. However, field emergence did not exceed 53% of seed planted regardless of seed source. Nine fungal species were identified on peanut seeds, with Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, and Curvularia lunata being the most prevalent. However, differences among seed sources were noted only for A. niger and A. tamarii.
Genetic Similarity from Collections of Seed for Two Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Cultivars in Ghana
Authors: Abogoom Jennifer , Akromah Richard , Aidoo Robert , Awuah Emil , Asibuo James Y. , Hoisington David , Jordan David
Published: August 2023

Maintenance of genetic purity of crop cultivars is critical to meet the needs of farmers, processors, and consumers. In Ghana where the informal seed sector is popular (e. g., farmer-saved seed), purity of improved cultivars in the farming community can be compromised. The objective of the study was to assess the genetic purity of farmer-saved seed of two peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars (Shitaochi and Yenyawoso) using molecular marker techniques. Twenty samples of Shitaochi and eight samples of Yenyawoso were collected from farmers across five regions of the country and were compared with seed provided by the research institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Genetic similarity ranged from 43% to 100% when comparing seed collections from farmers to those from research institutes. Only five of the 20 seed samples of Shitaochi (25%) and two of the 8 samples of Yenyawoso (25%) collected from farmers were found to be completely similar to the reference samples provided by CSIR. These results demonstrate the lack of purity among described cultivars in the informal seed sector in Ghana. While diversity between samples of Shitaochi have been reported and would be expected in the informal seed system, the pace at which Yenyawoso has lost genetic purity in a relatively short period of time indicates that a more effective formal seed system is needed to maintain cultivar purity.
Peanut Response to Simulated Carryover of Terbacil
Authors: Carter O.W. , Randell-Singleton T.M. , Prostko E.P.
Published: August 2023

Current label restrictions prohibit the planting of peanut for two years after an application of terbacil in watermelons. Thus, research was conducted from 2016-2018 to determine peanut response to terbacil with the ultimate goal of reducing the current rotation restriction. Small-plot replicated field trials were conducted near Ty Ty, Georgia. Terbacil was applied preemergence (PRE) to peanut (cv. Georgia-06G) at the following rates: 28, 56, 112, and 224 g ai/ha. Terbacil use rates in watermelon range from 112 to 224 g ai/ha. A non-treated control (NTC) or 0 g ai/ha rate was included for comparison. Peanut density/stand was not reduced by any rate of terbacil. With the exception of the 56 g ai/ha rate at 28 days after planting (DAP), the only rates of terbacil that caused significant visual peanut injury were the 112 g ai/ha and 224 g ai/ha rates. Injury at these rates ranged between 12% and 81%. The 224 g ai/ha rate caused more peanut injury than the 112 g ai/ha rate. The injury caused by terbacil at 112 g ai/ha and 224 g ai/ha resulted in significant peanut yield losses of 28% and 70%, respectively. Peanut yield losses from terbacil were only observed from the typical range of watermelon field use rates. Consequently, these results suggest that peanut could be safely planted following terbacil after approximately two field half-lives or approximately 240 d have occurred.
Neurosurgical management of cervicomedullary compression, spinal stenosis, and hydrocephalus in pediatric achondroplasia: a systematic review
Authors: Akinnusotu Oluwatoyin , Isaacs Albert M. , Stone Michelle , Bonfield Christopher M.
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVE

Pediatric achondroplasia is often associated with conditions requiring neurosurgical intervention, including CSF diversion and multilevel spinal decompression. However, there is a lack of clinical guidelines and reliable estimates of the benefits and risks of these interventions. This study aimed to summarize the literature on the neurosurgical management of pediatric achondroplasia patients in order to aid in determining optimal treatment and standardization of care.

METHODS

A systematic review of peer-reviewed studies with an objective diagnosis of achondroplasia, patient demographic information, and available data on neurosurgical interventions performed before 18 years of age for cervicomedullary compression, spinal stenosis, and hydrocephalus was performed. Study quality and risks of bias were assessed using standardized scores. Independent patient data on surgical indications, outcomes, reoperations, and complication risks were aggregated using means and percentages.

RESULTS

Of 204 records, 25 studies with 287 pediatric achondroplasia patients (mean age 25 ± 36 months) treated for cervicomedullary compression (n = 153), spinal stenosis (n = 100), and obstructive hydrocephalus (n = 34) were evaluated. Symptomatic cervicomedullary compression occurred early in life (mean age 31 ± 25 months), with apnea (48%), T2-weighted MRI cord signal (28%), myelopathy (27%), and delayed motor skills (15%) requiring foramen magnum decompression observed in 99% of patients, as well as cervical laminectomy in 65% of patients. Although 91% of treated patients had resolution of symptoms, 2% mortality, 9% reoperation, and 21% complication rates were reported. Spinal stenosis was treated in relatively older children (mean age 13 ± 3 years) with laminectomy (23%), as well as with instrumented fusion (73%) for neurogenic claudication (59%), back pain (15%), and sciatica (8%). Although 95% of patients had symptom resolution after surgery, 17% reported complications and 18% required reoperation. Of the hydrocephalus patients (mean age 56 ± 103 months), half were treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and half had a shunt placed for progressive ventriculomegaly (66%), headaches (32%), and delayed cognitive development (4%). The shunted patients had a 3% mortality rate and an average of 1.5 shunt revisions per patient. None of the patients who underwent ETV as the primary procedure required a revision.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurosurgical intervention for pediatric achondroplasia conditions, including cervicomedullary compression, spinal stenosis, and hydrocephalus, is associated with high recovery rates and good outcomes. However, complications and reoperations are common. Further studies with follow-up into adulthood are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes.
The prevalence and risk factors of coagulopathy in pediatric patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy
Authors: Zhu Renqing , Wang Qing , Zhou Yuanfeng , Shi Wei , Zhang Yi , Wang Min , Li Hao , Zhao Rui
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVE

Hematological consequences of novel antiseizure medications (ASMs) or combined therapies are rarely reported, especially in pediatric patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of coagulation dysfunction in this population and evaluate their relationship with intra- and postoperative bleeding.

METHODS

Three hundred ninety children who underwent surgery for epilepsy and 104 children without epilepsy who underwent nonepilepsy surgery at the authors’ center were included in the study. The authors retrospectively collected and analyzed the following clinical data: sex, age, weight, course of epilepsy, antiseizure therapy, first laboratory data after admission, and transfusion-related data.

RESULTS

ASMs were responsible for the higher incidence of coagulation dysfunction in pediatric epilepsy surgery patients. Low body weight (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.98) and valproic acid (VPA) therapy (OR 5.13, 95% CI 3.25–8.22) were the most relevant factors leading to coagulation dysfunction. The most common hematological side effects of VPA were thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia, whereas low body weight was only associated with hypofibrinogenemia. Both VPA and low body weight increased the need for intra- or postoperative transfusion (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric epilepsy surgery patients often take multiple ASMs, resulting in an increased incidence of coagulopathy. VPA levels and low body weight were found to be the main influential factors associated with an increased risk of coagulation dysfunction. Platelet and fibrinogen levels were the main indices that were affected. Both VPA and low body weight were relevant to additional surgery-related transfusion, necessitating the need for increased awareness of preoperative coagulopathy before pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Clinical trial registration no.: NCT05675254 (ClinicalTrials.gov)
Optimizing surgical management of facet cysts of the lumbar spine: systematic review, meta-analysis, and local case series of 1251 patients
Authors: Ganga Arjun , Leary Owen P. , Setty Aayush , Xi Kevin , Telfeian Albert E. , Oyelese Adetokunbo A. , Niu Tianyi , Camara-Quintana Joaquin Q. , Gokaslan Ziya L. , Zadnik Sullivan Patricia , Fridley Jared S.
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVE

Lumbar facet cysts (LFCs) can cause neurological dysfunction and intractable pain. Surgery is the current standard of care for patients in whom conservative therapy fails, those with neurological deficits, and those with evidence of spinal instability. No study to date has comprehensively examined surgical outcomes comparing the multiple surgical treatment options for LFCs. Therefore, the authors aimed to perform a combined analysis of cases both in the literature and of patients at a single institution to compare the outcomes of various surgical treatment options for LFC.

METHODS

The authors performed a literature review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and meta-analysis of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases and reviewed all studies from database inception published until February 3, 2023. Studies that did not contain 3 or more cases, clearly specify follow-up durations longer than 6 months, or present new cases were excluded. Bias was evaluated using Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias in Nonrandomised Studies–of Interventions (ROBINS-I). The authors also reviewed their own local institutional case series from 2015 to 2020. Primary outcomes were same-level cyst recurrence, same-level revision surgery, and perioperative complications. ANOVA, common and random-effects modeling, and Wald testing were used to compare treatment groups.

RESULTS

A total of 1251 patients were identified from both the published literature (29 articles, n = 1143) and the authors’ institution (n = 108). Patients were sorted into 5 treatment groups: open cyst resection (OCR; n = 720), tubular cyst resection (TCR; n = 166), cyst resection with arthrodesis (CRA; n = 165), endoscopic cyst resection (ECR; n = 113), and percutaneous cyst rupture (PCR; n = 87), with OCR being the analysis reference group. The PCR group had significantly lower complication rates (p = 0.004), higher recurrence rates (p < 0.001), and higher revision surgery rates (p = 0.001) compared with the OCR group. Patients receiving TCR (3.01%, p = 0.021) and CRA (0.0%, p < 0.001) had significantly lower recurrence rates compared with those undergoing OCR (6.36%). The CRA group (6.67%) also had significantly lower rates of revision surgery compared with the OCR group (11.3%, p = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONS

While PCR is less invasive, it may have high rates of same-level recurrence and revision surgery. Recurrence and revision rates for modalities such as ECR were not significantly different from those of OCR. While concomitant arthrodesis is more invasive, it might lead to lower recurrence rates and lower rates of subsequent revision surgery. Given the limitations of our case series and literature review, prospective, randomized studies are needed.
The Influence of The Problem-Based Learning Model on The Learning Outcomes of Seventh-Grade Students Junior High School
Authors: Khalifah Shela Mardha , Susanta Agus , Sumardi Hari , Susanto Edi
Published: August 2023

Learning outcomes, especially mathematics, are still low both at the international and national levels. The results of the 2021 minimum competency assessment show that student achievement in Indonesia is still low. This requires educators to be more innovative in learning in class so that they can support students' thinking skills. This study aims to determine the effect of the Problem-Based Learning model on the mathematics learning outcomes of seventh-grade students of junior high school number 1 in North Bengkulu. This research is a quasi-experimental type with Nonequivalent Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. The population in this study were all students of seventh-grade students of junior high school number 1 in North Bengkulu. The sample selection used a simple random sampling technique with class VII D as the experimental class and class VII E as the control class. Data collection was carried out using a test using the research instrument, namely the learning achievement test. Data were analyzed using the t-test statistic. The results showed that there was a significant effect of the problem-based learning model on the social arithmetic learning outcomes of seventh-grade students of Junior High School 1 in North Bengkulu.
Application of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis and Fault Tree Analysis in Determining Prevention Efforts Failure of The Fire Extinguishing Process
Authors: Melinda Jessy , Nurshiami Rahmah , Triyani Triyani
Published: August 2023

Banyumas is one of the regencies that still experiences frequent fires. The fire caused physical or material losses. To minimize fire losses, many efforts can be made to prevent the occurrence of these potential causes, which are the cause of the failure of the firefighting process. This study aims to implement the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) methods in determining efforts to prevent fire suppression failures. The result of the FMEA is Risk Priority Number (RPN) values to assess critical potential causes that need to be analyzed using FTA. In this research, there are ten important causes of potential, namely burned assets, difficult assets to save, victims panicking, witnesses/owners were not present, officers slipping, water sources being far from the location, victims being rescued too late, victims being trapped, officers being hit by debris, and officers inhaled excess smoke (congested). The result FTA obtained eleven minimum cut sets, which can fail the firefighting process in the Banyumas Regency, namely lack of awareness from related agencies, the protection system is not up to the firefighting standard and lack of maintenance of the fire protection system, lack of knowledge about how to evacuate yourself, the water source is far from the location, the owner does not live in the place (location), the victim has responsibility for the assets saved, high-priority asset value, a witness has not reported because the incident is considered to be handled by the residents, fire smoke is thick and firefighters not using self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
Mathematical Model of Leukemia Treatment with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cell Therapy
Authors: Khumaeroh Mia Siti , Shalehah Mar Atus , Ilahi Fadilah
Published: August 2023

Leukemia, a type of blood cancer that originates in the bone marrow, is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal blood cells, which disrupt the normal functioning of blood cells. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment, a form of immunotherapy, utilizes genetically modified T cells to specifically target and eliminate cancer cells. This treatment has shown promising results for leukemia patients who are unresponsive to chemotherapy or other therapies, as well as those who experience relapses.  In this study, we develop a mathematical model of leukemia that incorporates chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. The model takes into account the logistic intrinsic growth rate of leukemia cells, which gradually declines over time due to limited resources within the body. There are four compartments in this model: susceptible blood cells, infected blood cells, leukemia cells, and immune cells. We have analyzed the equilibrium points and their local stability, determined the basic reproduction number, and conducted a sensitivity analysis.  Through numerical simulations, we observed that prior to treatment, the number of leukemia cells in the blood escalated rapidly towards endemic conditions. However, after receiving CAR T-cell therapy through external infusion, the leukemia cells either became extinct or took a significant amount of time to reach endemic levels in the blood. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the growth rate of cancer cells (r) and the death rate of immune cells (significantly contribute to the increase in the basic reproduction number (.