bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation of Cognitive (Neuropsychological) Interventions for Older Adults in Clinical or Community Settings: A Scoping Review
Authors: Pike Kerryn E. , Li Lily , Naismith Sharon L. , Bahar-Fuchs Alex , Lee Alessandra , Mehrani Inga , Bentvelzen Adam , Lautenschlager Nicola T. , O’Connell Megan E. , Blackberry Irene , Mowszowski Loren
Published: November 2024

Despite compelling evidence that cognitive interventions for older adults improve cognition, mood, and everyday function, few are implemented in clinical or community practice. This scoping review aims to understand the implementation frameworks and methods used and their contribution to implementation success of cognitive interventions for older adults. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), and searched CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PSYCINFO databases, using terms related to cognitive interventions, implementation, and older adults. This resulted in 5002 studies, of which 29 were included following an iterative process. Most studies reported on implementation of cognitive stimulation for people with dementia. Only four studies used formal implementation frameworks, with three using RE-AIM, and one a process evaluation using complexity theory. The most frequently addressed implementation concepts were Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness, while Cost, Cost-Effectiveness, and Maintenance were rarely reported. Solutions to common barriers included the importance of good stakeholder relationships and engagement, a manualised intervention flexible enough to adapt to the context, and ensuring facilitators were well-trained, confident, and enthusiastic.
Longitudinal validation of the PROMIS-16 in a sample of adults in the United States with back pain
Authors: Rodriguez Anthony , Zeng Chengbo , Hays Ron D. , Herman Patricia M. , Edelen Maria O.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This longitudinal study evaluates whether the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement and Information System (PROMIS)-16 domains capture average change over time comparable to the PROMIS-29 + 2 and have similar associations with change in overall health rating and two disability indices.

Methods

Data were collected using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months among individuals reporting chronic low back pain. The analytic sample includes respondents who completed baseline and at least one follow-up assessment (N = 1137). We estimated latent growth models for eight PROMIS domains and compared growth parameters between the PROMIS-16 and PROMIS 29 + 2 with a z-test. Additionally, for each domain, random intercept and slope scores for individuals were computed for the PROMIS-29 + 2 and PROMIS-16 and correlated to estimate concordance. Using growth parameters for physical function and pain interference, we predicted average change in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), the overall health rating, and compared regression coefficients between the PROMIS-16 and PROMIS 29 + 2.

Results

All growth models fit the data well. Intercept and slope parameters were statistically comparable (p’s > 0.05) in magnitude across all domains between the PROMIS-16 and PROMIS-29 + 2. Correlations between random intercept and slope scores for individuals across domains were high. Additionally, the regression coefficients between slopes for pain interference and physical function and ODI, RMDQ, and overall health rating were statistically comparable (p’s > 0.05) between the PROMIS-16 and PROMIS 29 + 2.

Conclusion

Results provide between-level support for the longitudinal and predictive validity of the PROMIS-16. Similar average baseline scores and changes over time were observed between PROMIS-16 and PROMIS-29 + 2. Further, average change estimates comparably predicted average change in distal outcomes. This work provides evidence supporting the utility of the PROMIS-16 as a viable, short-profile option for use in clinical and research settings.
Day2Dark: Pseudo-Supervised Activity Recognition Beyond Silent Daylight
Authors: Zhang Yunhua , Doughty Hazel , Snoek Cees G. M.
Published: November 2024

This paper strives to recognize activities in the dark, as well as in the day. We first establish that state-of-the-art activity recognizers are effective during the day, but not trustworthy in the dark. The main causes are the limited availability of labeled dark videos to learn from, as well as the distribution shift towards the lower color contrast at test-time. To compensate for the lack of labeled dark videos, we introduce a pseudo-supervised learning scheme, which utilizes easy to obtain unlabeled and task-irrelevant dark videos to improve an activity recognizer in low light. As the lower color contrast results in visual information loss, we further propose to incorporate the complementary activity information within audio, which is invariant to illumination. Since the usefulness of audio and visual features differs depending on the amount of illumination, we introduce our ‘darkness-adaptive’ audio-visual recognizer. Experiments on EPIC-Kitchens, Kinetics-Sound, and Charades demonstrate our proposals are superior to image enhancement, domain adaptation and alternative audio-visual fusion methods, and can even improve robustness to local darkness caused by occlusions. Project page: https://xiaobai1217.github.io/Day2Dark/.
Gun Free Zones in Alcohol-Serving Establishments and Risk for Firearm Violence: A Cross-Sectional, Geospatial Study in Texas
Authors: Reeping Paul M. , Laqueur Hannah S. , Kagawa Rose M. C.
Published: November 2024

To date, there have been no peer-reviewed studies in the United States estimating the impact of gun-free zone policies in alcohol-serving establishments on rates of firearm violence in and around such establishments. In this study, we utilized a cross-sectional design to estimate the impact of Texas’s 51% alcohol law, which prohibits the carrying of firearms in establishments that generate over half of their revenue from alcohol sales. The analysis focused on the difference in shooting incidents in and around establishments with and without firearm carrying prohibitions in 2021 and 2022. After adjusting for establishment type (bar/restaurant), alcohol sales volume, census tract level demographic factors, and the number of nearby restaurants and bars, results indicated that gun-prohibiting bars experienced significantly fewer shootings compared to those that allowed guns. Specifically, establishments that were gun-prohibited had 37% fewer shootings within 50 m than those that were gun-allowing, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 60% fewer to 0.2% fewer. This association was more prominent in bars than in restaurants. The protective association with gun-prohibited status diminished with increased distance from the establishments; results were not significant at 100 m. Our study findings align with research suggesting that gun-free zones can reduce firearm violence. However, future studies using quasi-experimental designs that can better support causal inference are needed to support such a conclusion, as are studies exploring the efficacy of such policies in various settings and over longer periods.
Usefulness of decision tree analysis of MRI features for diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum in cases with placenta previa
Authors: Tanaka Yasuhiro , Ando Hirofumi , Miyamoto Tsutomu , Yokokawa Yusuke , Ono Motoki , Asaka Ryoichi , Kobara Hisanori , Fuseya Chiho , Kikuchi Norihiko , Ohya Ayumi , Fujinaga Yasunari , Shiozawa Tanri
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Placenta previa complicated by placenta accrete spectrum (PAS) is a life-threatening obstetrical condition; therefore, preoperative diagnosis of PAS is important to determine adequate management. Although several MRI features that suggest PAS has been reported, the diagnostic importance, as well as optimal use of each feature has not been fully evaluated.

Materials and methods

The occurrence of 11 PAS-related MRI features was investigated in MR images of 145 patients with placenta previa. The correlation between each MRI feature and pathological diagnosis of PAS was evaluated using univariate analysis. A decision tree model was constructed according to a random forest machine learning model of variable selection.

Results

Eight MRI features showed a significant correlation with PAS in univariate analysis. Among these features, placental/uterine bulge and myometrial thinning showed high odds ratios: 138.2 (95% CI: 12.7–1425.6) and 66.0 (95% CI: 18.01–237.1), respectively. A decision tree was constructed based on five selected MRI features: myometrial thinning, placental bulge, serosal hypervascularity, placental ischemic infarction/recess, and intraplacental T2 dark bands. The decision tree predicted the presence of PAS in the randomly assigned validation cohort with significance (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and the specificity of the decision tree for detecting PAS were 90.0% (95%CI: 53.2–98.9) and 95.5% (95%CI: 89.9–96.8), respectively.

Conclusion

Among PAS-related MRI features, placental/uterine bulge and myometrial thinning showed high diagnostic values. In addition, the present decision tree model was shown to be effective in predicting the presence of PAS in cases with placenta previa.
Cross-Correlation of Interconnection Technologies—A Case Study of Reduced Wire Bond Quality after Ultrasonic Welding
Authors: Groth A. , Hempel M.
Published: November 2024

In modern electronic modules, the packing density of components is increasing. This means that the points at which different assembly and connection technologies are used are moving closer and closer together. This significantly increases the probability of mutual interference. The negative effects of later process steps in particular can be critical here. In the present work, a typical case for power electronics production is considered, consisting of thick-wire bonding on the power semiconductor and subsequent ultrasonic welding of load terminals on the same substrate. The effect on the quality of the bond connections was investigated in setups with different load geometries, materials and load intensities. It was found that both wire damage due to cyclic mechanical alternating loading and a change in the interface between substrate and wire occurred. In the case of harder wire materials, complete breakage of the wire connections was observed after just 24 welds on terminals in typical geometries. However, the interface between the wire and the substrate was also damaged and lost 10% of its strength in this case. The investigations show how such effects can be minimized by the choice of wire material and geometry. This is another important building block in holistic process development, taking into account the interactions between different interconnection processes.
Morphological and molecular analysis of Propanagrolaimus siweyae sp. n. (Nematoda: Panagrolaimidae) from Molepo dam, Limpopo Province, South Africa, and its relationship with water parameters
Authors: Shokoohi Ebrahim , Masoko Peter
Published: November 2024

Panagrolaimidae members are bacterivorous with global distribution. There is no information on this species' morphology and molecular characterization in South Africa. During a survey of Molepo dam, Limpopo Province, a population of Propanagrolaimus nematodes belonging to the family Panagrolaimidae was recovered and determined utilizing conventional and molecular characters. Propanagrolaimus siweyae sp. n., was confirmed by morphological and molecular informations. Propanagrolaimus siweyae sp. n. is characterized by a body length 1026–1258 µm (a = 39.4–45.5, b = 5.4–6.5, c = 8.1–10.0, c’ = 6.9–7.8, V = 53–57), post vulval uterine sac 25–53 µm, and tail length 108–158 µm long. The scan electron microscopy (SEM) photographs revealed a tessellated cuticle and six slightly separated lips. The discriminant analysis placed populations of P. siweyae sp. n. close to P. hygrophilus with clear separation from the mentioned species. Partial sequences of the 18S and 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA gene were amplified for P. siweyae sp. n. The phylogenetic analysis grouped P. siweyae sp. n. in a clade with 1.00 and 0.87 posterior probability values together with other Propanagrolaimus and Halicephalobus based on 18S and 28S rDNA, respectively. Principal component analysis revealed no correlation between Propanagrolaimus and water parameters. However, the result showed a high correlation with diatoms (r = 0.937) in Molepo dam (site MD-6). In contrast, The PCA showed salinity, pH, and temperature with no significant effect on nematodes in Molepo dam, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In conclusion, the usefulness of free-living nematodes as bioindicators is an advantage to studying pollution in aquatic systems. Limpopo Province is facing pollution in the river and dam systems. Therefore, finding a bioindicator is critical to examine the ecological role of free-living nematodes such as Propanagrolaimus.
Cell death in glioblastoma and the central nervous system
Authors: Malone Kyle , LaCasse Eric , Beug Shawn T.
Published: November 2024

Glioblastoma is the commonest and deadliest primary brain tumor. Glioblastoma is characterized by significant intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity, resistance to treatment and dismal prognoses despite decades of research in understanding its biological underpinnings. Encompassed within this heterogeneity and therapy resistance are severely dysregulated programmed cell death pathways. Glioblastomas recapitulate many neurodevelopmental and neural injury responses; in addition, glioblastoma cells are composed of multiple different transformed versions of CNS cell types. To obtain a greater understanding of the features underlying cell death regulation in glioblastoma, it is important to understand the control of cell death within the healthy CNS during homeostatic and neurodegenerative conditions. Herein, we review apoptotic control within neural stem cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons and compare them to glioblastoma apoptotic control. Specific focus is paid to the Inhibitor of Apoptosis proteins, which play key roles in neuroinflammation, CNS cell survival and gliomagenesis. This review will help in understanding glioblastoma as a transformed version of a heterogeneous organ composed of multiple varied cell types performing different functions and possessing different means of apoptotic control. Further, this review will help in developing more glioblastoma-specific treatment approaches and will better inform treatments looking at more direct brain delivery of therapeutic agents.
Teacher Questioning for Engaging EMI: A Quest for the Holy Grail?
Authors: Uştuk Özgehan , Hu Guangwei
Published: November 2024

Questions asked by teachers are vital to maintaining and sustaining learner engagement. In Hong Kong secondary classrooms where English is used as the medium of instruction (EMI), productive teacher questioning is key to promoting both language and content learning. Drawing on classroom observations and in-depth interviews, this study investigated the questioning practices of two teachers from EMI schools in Hong Kong. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data revealed that the teachers adopted different approaches to questioning. Their questioning practices can be captured by a dynamic model of two intersecting dimensions: cognitive demand (lower- and higher-order questions) and interactional orientation (authoritative and dialogic discourses). The findings of this study support the notion of teacher questioning as pedagogy and demonstrate how productive teacher questioning can mediate learner engagement. A guiding framework is proposed for productive teacher questioning that relies on the synergistic combination of cognitive demand and interactional orientation.
An Introduction to Longitudinal Synthetic Cohorts for Studying the Life Course Drivers of Health Outcomes and Inequalities in Older Age
Authors: Kezios Katrina L. , Glymour M. Maria , Zeki Al Hazzouri Adina
Published: November 2024

Recent Findings

Research on the drivers of health across the life course would ideally be based in diverse longitudinal cohorts that repeatedly collect detailed assessments of risk factors over the full life span. However, few extant data sources in the US possess these ideal features. A “longitudinal synthetic cohort”—a dataset created by stacking or linking multiple individual cohorts spanning different but overlapping periods of the life course—can overcome some of these challenges, leveraging the strengths of each component study. This type of synthetic cohort is especially useful for aging research; it enables description of the long-term natural history of disease and novel investigations of earlier-life factors and mechanisms shaping health outcomes that typically manifest in older age, such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Purpose of Review

We review current understanding of synthetic cohorts for life course research. We first discuss chief advantages of longitudinal synthetic cohorts, focusing on their utility for aging/ADRD research to concretize the discussion. We then summarize the conditions needed for valid inference in a synthetic cohort, depending on research goals. We end by highlighting key challenges to creating longitudinal synthetic cohorts and conducting life course research within them.

The idea of combining multiple data sources to investigate research questions that are not feasible to answer using a single cohort is gaining popularity in epidemiology. The use of longitudinal synthetic cohorts in applied research—and especially in ADRD research—has been limited, however, likely due to methodologic complexity. In particular, little guidance and few examples exist for the creation of a longitudinal synthetic cohort for causal research goals. While building synthetic cohorts requires much thought and care, it offers tremendous opportunity to address novel and critical scientific questions that could not be examined in a single study.
Bounds on the acyclic disconnection of a digraph
Authors: Balbuena Camino , González-Moreno Diego , Olsen Mika
Published: November 2024

The acyclic disconnection$$\overrightarrow{\omega }(D)$$

ω
→

(
D
)

of a digraph D is the maximum possible number of (weakly) connected components of a digraph obtained from D by deleting an acyclic set of arcs. In this paper, we provide new lower and upper bounds in terms of properties such as the degree, the directed girth, and the existence of certain subdigraphs and bounds for bipartite digraphs, p-cycles, and some circulant digraphs. Finally, as a consequence of our bounds, we prove the Conjecture of Caccetta and Häggkvist for a particular class of digraphs.
English Workshops with Simulated Patients and Peers Reduce Medical Students’ Apprehension About Speaking in English
Authors: Codron Philippe , Autret Erwan , Fisbach Martine , O’Sullivan Kayleigh , Riveau Helene , Annweiler Cédric , Lerolle Nicolas , Biere Loïc
Published: November 2024

In this study, we evaluated workshops with simulated patients and peers to improve English-speaking confidence among medical students. Results showed reduced apprehension when interviewing patients, high course satisfaction, perceived progress in English proficiency, and increased confidence in future interactions with patients, supporting simulation-based methods in medical English education.
Economic perspectives on redefining public service media in the digital era: broadcasting to media platform
Authors: Rauch Maxi-Josephine , Rösch Jürgen , Kuchinke Björn A.
Published: November 2024

This paper examines the currently debated platform models of public service media (PSM) in Germany. As global platforms such as Meta, Netflix, and YouTube dominate the media landscape, PSM is shifting from linear broadcasting to digital platform strategies. This study analyzes 21 platform proposals and categorizes them into five archetypes using a taxonomy-based method and hierarchical clustering. The findings reveal a range of approaches, from pure public media platforms to hybrid models that include both public and private media organizations. However, despite the innovative character of these proposals, significant challenges remain, particularly in funding, governance, and aligning platform economics with public service media objectives. This research highlights the need to integrate a platform perspective further into the development of PSM strategies and address operational policy and market issues to ensure the successful transformation of PSM in the digital era.
Stability for Coalition Structures in Terms of the Proportional Partitional Shapley Value
Authors: Carreras Francesc , Magaña Antonio
Published: November 2024

Many coalitional values have been introduced in the literature on cooperative games over the last decades, and especially since 2000. The multiplicity of options suggests the convenience of testing the existence of stable coalition structures, in the sense of Hart and Kurz (1983, Econometrica), when payments are made using some of these values. We recall their concept of $$\gamma$$
γ
–stability and give results for the proportional partitional Shapley value, introduced by Alonso–Meijide et al (2015, Discrete Appl. Math.), which shares the utility of any coalition proportionally to the Shapley value of the involved players in the original game.
Unveiling the complexity of G protein-coupled receptor heteromers: advances in live cell imaging technologies and biochemical methods
Authors: Kim Hyunbin , Lee Huimin , Seong Jihye
Published: November 2024

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), crucial for diverse physiological responses, have traditionally been investigated in their monomeric form. However, some GPCRs can form heteromers, revealing complexity in their functional characteristics such as ligand binding properties, downstream signaling pathways, and trafficking. Understanding GPCR heteromers is crucial in both physiological contexts and drug development. Here, we review the methodologies for investigating physical interactions in GPCR heteromers, including co-immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assays, interfering peptide approaches, and live cell imaging techniques based on resonance energy transfer and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. In addition, we discuss recent advances in live cell imaging techniques for exploring functional features of GPCR heteromers, for example, circularly permuted fluorescent protein-based GPCR biosensors, TRUPATH, and nanobody-based GPCR biosensors. These advanced biosensors and live cell imaging technologies promise a deeper understanding of GPCR heteromers, urging a reassessment of their physiological importance and pharmacological relevance.

Graphical Abstract
Visual cognition-based optimised design of primary flight displays in cockpits
Authors: Zeng Z. , Sun Y. , Liu X. , Jie Y. , Zeng Y.
Published: November 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different cockpit primary flight display (PFD) interface designs on pilot cognitive efficiency and cognitive load. This study designed five optimised PFD interfaces and conducted interface cognition experiments to assess cognitive responses across six different PFD interface designs, including the original design. It compared various subjective and objective metrics across different interface designs and evaluated the impact of each design factor on cognitive task performance. The experimental results show that the PFD interface in the original interface design performs better under different flight symbol designs, and the interface with 50% increase in font size performs better among interface designs with different font sizes with relatively lower cognitive load. This study provides experimental support and optimization suggestions for the optimal design of cockpit PFD interface, which can help improve pilots’ perception and operational capabilities, and thus enhance task performance efficiency and flight safety. Future research can investigate the effects of various design factors on the cognitive effects of the interface to enhance the ongoing improvement and optimisation of interface design.
U-net with ResNet-34 backbone for dual-polarized C-band baltic sea-ice SAR segmentation
Authors: Karvonen Juha
Published: November 2024

In this study, the U-net with ResNet-34, i.e. a residual neural network with 34 layers, backbone semantic segmentation network is applied to C-band sea-ice SAR imagery over the Baltic Sea. Sentinel-1 Extra Wide Swath mode HH/HV-polarized SAR data acquired during the winter season 2018–2019, and corresponding segments derived from the daily Baltic Sea ice charts were used for training the segmentation algorithm. C-band SAR image mosaics of the winter season 2020–2021 were then used to evaluate the segmentation. The major objective was to study the suitability of semantic segmentation of SAR imagery for automated SAR segmentation and also to find a potential replacement for the outdated iterated conditional modes (ICM) algorithm currently in operational use. The results compared to the daily Baltic Sea ice charts and the operational ICM segmentation and visual interpretation were encouraging from the operational point of view. Open water areas were located very well and the oversegmentation produced by ICM was significantly reduced. The correspondence between the ice chart polygons and the segmentation results was also reasonably good. Based on the results, the studied method is a potential candidate to replace the operational ICM SAR segmentation used in the Copernicus Marine Service automated sea-ice products at Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Template-based piecewise affine regression
Authors: Berger Guillaume O. , Sankaranarayanan Sriram
Published: November 2024

We study the problem of fitting a piecewise affine (PWA) function to input–output data. Our algorithm divides the input domain into finitely many regions whose shapes are specified by a user-provided template and such that the input–output data in each region are fit by an affine function within a user-provided error tolerance. We first prove that this problem is NP-hard. Then, we present a top-down algorithmic approach for solving the problem. The algorithm considers subsets of the data points in a systematic manner, trying to fit an affine function for each subset using linear regression. If regression fails on a subset, the algorithm extracts a minimal set of points from the subset (an unsatisfiable core) that is responsible for the failure. The identified core is then used to split the current subset into smaller ones. By combining this top-down scheme with a set-covering algorithm, we derive an overall approach that provides optimal PWA models for a given error tolerance, where optimality refers to minimizing the number of pieces of the PWA model. We demonstrate our approach on three numerical examples that include PWA approximations of a widely used nonlinear insulin–glucose regulation model and a double inverted pendulum with soft contacts.
Mod p points on shimura varieties of parahoric level
Authors: van Hoften Pol
Published: November 2024

We study the

$\overline {\mathbb {F}}_{p}$

-points of the Kisin–Pappas integral models of Shimura varieties of Hodge type with parahoric level. We show that if the group is quasi-split, then every isogeny class contains the reduction of a CM point, proving a conjecture of Kisin–Madapusi–Shin. We, furthermore, show that the mod p isogeny classes are of the form predicted by the Langlands–Rapoport conjecture (cf. Conjecture 9.2 of [Rap05]) if either the Shimura variety is proper or if the group at p is unramified. The main ingredient in our work is a global argument that allows us to reduce the conjecture to the case of very special parahoric level. This case is dealt with in the Appendix by Zhou. As a corollary to our arguments, we determine the connected components of Ekedahl–Oort strata.
Gender-based provisions in mental health legislation: a review of English language jurisdictions
Authors: Hoare Fiona , Murphy Niamh , O’Donoghue Ann , Allen Siobhan , Duffy Richard M.
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Legislation is a powerful tool for facilitating mental healthcare. Gender is an important social determinant of physical and mental health. Many jurisdictions are in the process of revising their mental health law, to align with human rights commitments. Consideration of gender in these revisions could enhance the mental healthcare received by women, transgender and non-binary individuals.

Aim:

This paper examines gender-based provisions in mental health law published in English.

Methods:

Countries that use English as an official language were identified. Jurisdictions in these countries with stand-alone mental health laws were included. Legislation was reviewed for gender-specific provisions.

Results:

Seventy-five countries were evaluated; 71 jurisdictions were included. Thirty-eight jurisdictions had 88 gender-specific provisions. These addressed ten key areas, including: general gender-based protections, female representation on boards and review panels, protections during searching and restraint, gender separated facilities, protections in relation to parenting, fertility, sterilisation and termination. Fiji, Ghana, India, and the Australian jurisdictions had the highest number of gender-specific laws. However, gender-specific provisions are highly heterogeneous and are drafted from a cisnormative perspective and fail to adequately address the specific needs of individuals outside of that framework.

Conclusion:

Gender-specific provisions can enhance the protections afforded by mental health law. However, as legislation can be a blunt instrument, careful consideration must be given to potential unintended consequences. During revisions of mental health law consideration should be given to gender-specific provisions and legislation must be inclusive of individuals identifying as transgender, non-binary and other genders.
Expansion of supraglacial lake area, volume and extent on the Greenland ice sheet from 1985 to 2023
Authors: Fan Yubin , Ke Chang-Qing , Luo Lanhua , Shen Xiaoyi , Livingstone Stephen John , Lea James M.
Published: November 2024

Supraglacial lakes (SGLs) are widespread across the Greenland ice sheet and cause transient changes in ice flow. Here, we produce the first annual ice-sheet wide database of maximum summer SGL extents spanning 1985 to 2023 using all July and August Landsat images. Lake visibility percentages were calculated to estimate the uncertainty induced by variable image data coverage. SGLs were mainly distributed between 1000 and 1600 m elevation, with large lake area observed in northwestern, northeastern and southwestern basins. Lake area increased at a rate of 50.5 km2 a−1 across the entire Greenland, and lakes advanced to higher elevations at an average rate of 10.2 m a−1 during 1985–2023. We leveraged spatiotemporally matched ICESat-2 and Landsat 8 reflectance data to develop a deep learning model for lake depth inversion for the period 2014–23. This model demonstrates the highest accuracy among all image-based methods, albeit with an underestimation of ~15% when compared to ICESat-2 data. A significant positive correlation between lake volume and area is used to up-scale the approach to the entire time period, indicating a lake volume increase of 221.9 ± 63.6 × 106 m3 a−1. Increasing air/land surface temperature, surface pressure and decreasing snowfall were the most important contributing factors in driving lake variability.
Essential oils as a strategy to improve gut histomorphometry and performance of broilers: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rocha Roberto Felipe , Fidelis Pedro Henrique da Silva , Massuquetto Andreia , Sobrane Filho Sérgio Turra , de Araújo Marcelle Santana , Silva Camilla Mendonça , Lopes Cláudia da Costa , de Medeiros Elias Silva , Moreira Rennan Herculano Rufino
Published: November 2024

The interest in the search for alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production has been increasing, especially with the focus on essential oils due to their remarkable bioactive properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of essential oils on the performance and gut morphometry of broilers, by using an approach of systematic review and meta-analysis. In the conduction of the systematic review, three electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct and Scielo) were consulted in January 2023. Out of an initial amount of 162 papers, only 27 met the requisites to be included in the database. Furthermore, after the use of established criteria for the meta-analysis, only 16 papers were qualified for the evaluation of the aimed parameters. In the meta-analysis, it was observed that the supplementation had significant impact (P < 0.05) of 2.88% in weight gain, in comparison to the basal diet. In addition, the supplementation of essential oils significantly improved (P < 0.05) gut morphometry parameters such as villus height in the ileum (15.66% higher), and 8.26% increase in the villus height to crypt depth ratio in jejunum compared to the basal diet. Dietary essential oils improve the growth performance and gut histomorphometry of broilers, even when combined with antibiotics as growth promoters.
Six activities of Observers in the Arctic Council
Authors: Chater Andrew
Published: November 2024

There has been great popular and scholarly interest in the activities of non-Arctic actors in the Arctic region, and in the Arctic Council specifically. We find controversy around the activities of Observers in the Council, with some seeing challenges to Arctic states and others seeing positive co-operation. The Arctic Council is the preeminent governance forum for the Arctic region, consisting of the Arctic states (as of 2023, minus Russia) and six Indigenous peoples’ organisations. Non-Arctic states, intergovernmental organisations and non-governmental organisations can be Observers in the institution. Existing literature has examined the significance, interest and powers of these actors; this paper answers the research question, what do Observers actually do in the Arctic Council? To answer this question, this paper presents the results of content analysis of official Arctic Council Observer reviews and reports, which catalogue their activities. The answer may seem obvious: Observers observe. However, Arctic Council Observers do more than this simple function. This paper proposes that all of the activities of Observers fit into a typology of six types of activity. The ultimate finding is that Observers in the Arctic Council work with Arctic states to enhance institutional work around climate change and sustainable development; we see examples of positive co-operation that enhances regional governance. It is another example of peaceful international relations in the Arctic.
Older Adults and Gentrification: The Positive Role of Social Policy
Authors: Weil Joyce , Rooks Ronica N. , Leonard Emily E. , Evans Emily
Published: November 2024

Supportive public policies are suggested as ways to lessen gentrification’s impact for older adults. While explicit policies designed to help older adults with gentrification are rare, literature on age-friendly cities is a close proxy. We utilized three North American cases undergoing gentrification: New York City, NY, and Denver, CO, in the United States and Hamilton, in Ontario, Canada, to present existing neighbourhood-based policies as social determinants of health in housing, resource access, healthcare, transportation, and communal places. Age-friendly policy application gap examples and COVID-19’s impact were included. Using a qualitative comparative case study method, we found policies were not specifically designed to address older adults’ gentrification needs. With the call for age-friendly designations, the role of gentrification in neighbourhoods with older populations must be included. We call for gentrification-specific policies for older adults to provide greater safeguards especially when events such as COVID-19 compete for existing, over-stretched resources.
The Unsettled Governance of the Dual-Use Items under Article XXI(b)(ii) GATT: A New Battleground for WTO Security Exceptions
Authors: Svetlicinii Alexandr , Su Xueji
Published: November 2024

In an era marked by the ‘technologization’ of modern warfare and the privatization of military supply chains, numerous items possess dual-use potential, capable of serving both civilian and military ends. Concurrently, governments increasingly view the acquisition of specific goods, materials, services, and technologies by rival states as a threat to their security. As a result, economic restrictions imposed on dual-use items, including export controls, have proliferated in recent years. These measures have elicited concerns regarding disguised protectionism and potential non-compliance with trade agreements. Central to the debate is the difficulty to strike a balance between addressing legitimate security imperatives and preventing economic protectionism. This article delves into the intersection of trade and security in the regulation of dual-use goods. It offers a focused examination of Article XXI(b)(ii) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) concerning trade restrictions on products destined for military use. The paper first reveals limitations of this provision in governing the regulation of dual-use items. Furthermore, it introduces the concept of a ‘purpose test’ provided by the provision as a safeguard against abusive invocation. Lastly, it sheds light on the challenge posed by the standard of proof issue, which complicates the review and mitigation of bad-faith invocations of security exceptions.
Effect of skin thickness on electromagnetic dosimetry analysis of a human body model up to 100 GHz
Authors: Kaburcuk Fatih
Published: November 2024

The accuracy of electromagnetic (EM) exposure assessments depends mainly on the resolution of a voxel human body model. The resolution of the conventional human body model is limited to a few millimeters. In the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency range, EM waves are absorbed by the superficial tissues in the human body. Therefore, resolution and skin thickness of the human body model are important for accuracy of the EM wave exposure metrics recommended by international human safety guidelines. Realistic thickness modeling of the skin tissue on the human body may provide greater accuracy in the EM exposure assessment, especially at mmWave frequency range. In this paper, effects of the skin thickness on the EM exposure metrics in one-dimensional multi-layered models obtained from different regions of the body model are investigated using the dispersive algorithm based on the finite-difference time-domain method over the frequency range from 1 to 100 GHz. Furthermore, effects of eyelid tissue in a human eye on the EM exposure metrics are studied over the frequency range. The EM exposure metrics such as absorbed power density, heating factor, and power transmission coefficient are calculated up to 100 GHz to evaluate the limits of EM wave exposure.
The overestimation of the effect sizes of psychotherapies for depression in waitlist controlled trials: a meta-analytic comparison with usual care controlled trials
Authors: Cuijpers Pim , Miguel Clara , Harrer Mathias , Ciharova Marketa , Karyotaki Eirini
Published: November 2024

Aims

There is considerable evidence that waiting list (WL) control groups overestimate the effect sizes of psychotherapies for depression. It is not clear, however, what are the exact causes for this overestimation. We decided to conduct a meta-analytic study to compare trials on psychotherapy for depression with a WL control group against trials with a care-as-usual (CAU) control group.

Methods

We used an existing meta-analytic database of randomized trials comparing psychological treatments of adult depression with control groups and selected trials using a WL or a CAU control group. We used subgroup and meta-regression analyses to examine differences in effect sizes between WL and CAU controlled trials.

Results

We included 333 randomized controlled trials (472 comparisons; total number participants: 41,480), 141 with a WL and 195 with a CAU control group (3 included both). We found several significant differences between WL and CAU controlled trials (in type of therapy examined, treatment format, recency, target group, recruitment strategy, number of treatment arms and number of depression outcome measures). The overall effect size indicating the difference between treatment and control at post-test for all comparisons wasg= 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71; 0.84) with high heterogeneity (I2= 84; 95% CI: 82; 85). A highly significant difference was observed between studies with a CAU control group (g= 0.63; 95% CI: 0.55; 0.71;I2= 85; 95% CI: 83; 86) and studies with a WL (g= 0.95; 95% CI: 0.85; 1.04;I2= 80; 95% CI: 78; 82;pfor difference < 0.001). This difference remained significant in all sensitivity analyses, including a meta-regression analysis in which we adjusted for all differences in characteristics of studies with a WL versus CAU control group. We also found that pre-post effect sizes in WL control conditions (g= 0.37; 95% CI: 0.28; 0.46) were significantly smaller than change within CAU conditions (g= 0.64; 95% CI: 0.50; 0.78). We found few indications that pre-post effect sizes within therapy conditions differed between WL and CAU controlled trials.

Conclusions

WL control conditions considerably overestimate the effect sizes of psychological treatments, compared to trials using CAU control conditions. This overestimation is probably caused by a smaller improvement within the WL condition compared to the improvement in the CAU condition. WL control conditions should be avoided in randomized trials examining psychological treatments of adult depression.
Ten minute trips: a case study examining student perceptions of the value of virtual reality in A-level Classical Civilisation
Authors: Johnson Tom
Published: November 2024

Virtual Reality is regularly heralded as a tool which will revolutionise teaching and education, yet little research has been done into its use and, in particular, into its use with secondary school students. Through a case study of a Year 13 Classical Civilisation class this article investigates student perceptions of the use of Virtual Reality in the Classics classroom and its impact upon their learning. This study demonstrated students' positive attitudes towards the use of Virtual Reality and that it appeared to have a positive and lasting impact upon their understanding of Ancient Greek sanctuaries. The study is limited in its scale – both in terms of student numbers and time period – but it can, I hope, offer encouragement for greater use of, and research into, Virtual Reality within the secondary Classics classroom.
Helping the Most Vulnerable Stay Cool in Extreme Heat
Authors: Derouin Sarah
Published: November 2024

Choosing the ideal location for air-conditioned cooling centers in cities facing dangerously high temperatures takes good population data and community engagement.
Isotopic Constraints on Nitrous Oxide Emissions From the US Corn Belt
Authors: Griffis T. J. , Yu Z. , Baker J. M. , Millet D. B.
Published: November 2024

Agriculture is the dominant source of anthropogenic nitrous oxide (N2O) –a greenhouse gas and a stratospheric ozone depleting substance. The US Corn Belt is a large global N2O source, but there remain large uncertainties regarding its source attribution and biogeochemical pathways. Here, we interpret high frequency stable N2O isotope observations from a very tall tower to improve our understanding of regional source attribution. We detected significant seasonal variability in δ15Nbulk (6.47–7.33‰) and the isotope site preference (δ15NSP = δ15Nα–δ15Nβ, 18.22–25.19‰) indicating a predominance of denitrification during the growing period but of nitrification during the snowmelt period. Isotope mixing models and atmospheric inversions both indicate that indirect emissions contribute substantially (>35%) to total N2O emissions. Despite the relatively large uncertainties, the upper bound of bottom‐up indirect emission estimates are at the lower bound of the isotopic constraint, implying significant discrepancies that require further investigation.
Transpolar Arcs Are Not Always Cusp‐Aligned: Evidence of HiLDA‐Aligned Arcs
Authors: Katrougkalou Maria Chloi , Kullen Anita , Cai Lei , Roth Lorenz , Zhang Yongliang
Published: November 2024

Transpolar arcs (TPAs) are often cusp‐aligned. Especially when multiple TPAs appear simultaneously, they join at the auroral signature of the cusp. Here we investigate the dayside connection point of TPAs using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program measurements and identify three cases where the tip of the TPA ends in a localized brightening. One is a typical cusp spot with a TPA attached. The cusp appears just poleward of the oval with a near circular shape. In the second case, multiple cusp spots are observed over a 3 MLT wide region, each connected to a TPA. In the third case, the brightening at the tip of a TPA is identified as high‐latitude dayside aurora (HiLDA). Cusp aurora appears between the HiLDA and the duskside oval. Plasma flows and particle characteristics indicate a lobe origin of the HiLDA. Our results indicate a more complicated connection between TPAs and dayside aurora than previously anticipated.
Targeted protein degradation: advances in drug discovery and clinical practice
Authors: Zhong Guangcai , Chang Xiaoyu , Xie Weilin , Zhou Xiangxiang
Published: November 2024

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) represents a revolutionary therapeutic strategy in disease management, providing a stark contrast to traditional therapeutic approaches like small molecule inhibitors that primarily focus on inhibiting protein function. This advanced technology capitalizes on the cell’s intrinsic proteolytic systems, including the proteasome and lysosomal pathways, to selectively eliminate disease-causing proteins. TPD not only enhances the efficacy of treatments but also expands the scope of protein degradation applications. Despite its considerable potential, TPD faces challenges related to the properties of the drugs and their rational design. This review thoroughly explores the mechanisms and clinical advancements of TPD, from its initial conceptualization to practical implementation, with a particular focus on proteolysis-targeting chimeras and molecular glues. In addition, the review delves into emerging technologies and methodologies aimed at addressing these challenges and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. We also discuss the significant clinical trials and highlight the promising therapeutic outcomes associated with TPD drugs, illustrating their potential to transform the treatment landscape. Furthermore, the review considers the benefits of combining TPD with other therapies to enhance overall treatment effectiveness and overcome drug resistance. The future directions of TPD applications are also explored, presenting an optimistic perspective on further innovations. By offering a comprehensive overview of the current innovations and the challenges faced, this review assesses the transformative potential of TPD in revolutionizing drug development and disease management, setting the stage for a new era in medical therapy.