bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Media-Based Tourist Flow Weighting
Authors: Weismayer Christian , Pezenka Ilona , Ladurner Katharina
Published: January 2023

The identification of tourism flows is of great importance for the tourism industry to design memorable experiences. Since Millions of smartphone users are sharing their routes on online social networks (OSNs), social media analytics (SMA) based on location-based social networks (LBSNs) became a powerful tool to analyze tourism flows. Thus, this paper proposes a novel analytical approach to investigate tourism flows based on geotagged social media data through the weighted inclusion of comments and likes.
Boundaries of Visitors’ Willingness to Disclose Personal Information to Tourism Destinations
Authors: Stocker Hubert , Groth Aleksander , Mirski Peter
Published: January 2023

With the rising demand for personal information, touristic websites and service providers collect and increasingly depend on the willingness of tourists’ private data disclosure. While legislation slowly provides directions for data collection practices, tourists remain wary on which and how much data they should or have to provide to organize their visit in a tourism destination. Our qualitative study explores this domain holistically and lays out four boundary evaluations: blurred, but clear view, positive incentives, subjective well-being, and restraining factors on how tourists evaluate their willingness to disclose personal information to a destination. By drawing upon and substantiating theory of information privacy behavior, we contribute to the field of personal information sharing in the tourism domain by expanding and coloring the complexities of tourists’ expectations, intentions, and boundaries.
How Do Destinations Relate to One Another? A Study of Destination Visual Branding on Instagram
Authors: Nixon Lyndon
Published: January 2023

Destination marketers are aware that online communication about their destination is increasingly dependent on visual media rather than text, due to the growing popularity of social networks such as Instagram. An accurate understanding of how the destination is being presented to users in this medium is critical for digital marketing activities, e.g. to know if the desired destination brand is present or if visitors focus on other aspects of the destination than those being promoted in marketing. Unlike text mining, which has well established techniques to extract keywords and associations from text corpora, a consistent approach to understanding the content of images and expressing the resulting destination brand is lacking. This paper presents a visual classifier trained and fine-tuned specifically for destination brand measurement from images using 18 visual classes. It presents an exploratory study of how different destinations are being presented visually on Instagram and discusses how these insights could be used by destination marketers to adapt and improve their digital marketing.
Estimating Tourist Arrivals by User Generated Content Volume in Periods of Extraordinary Demand Fluctuations
Authors: Höpken Wolfram , Regitz Dominic , Liedtke Nadine , Fuchs Matthias
Published: January 2023

In extraordinary situations, like the Covid-19 pandemic, irregular demand fluctuations can hardly be predicted by traditional forecasting approaches. Even the current extent of decline of demand is typically unknown since tourism statistics are only available with a time delay. This study presents an approach to benefit from user generated content (UGC) in form of online reviews from TripAdvisor as input to estimate current tourism demand in near real-time. The approach builds on an additive time series component model and linear regression to estimate tourist arrivals. Results indicate that the proposed approach outperforms a traditional seasonal naïve forecasting approach when applied to a period of extraordinary demand fluctuations caused by a crisis, like Covid-19. The approach further enables a real-time monitoring of tourism demand and the benchmarking of tourism business in times of extraordinary demand fluctuations.
Comparing Marketing and Computer-Based Methods for Evaluating Online Reviews
Authors: Houssou Noudéhouénou Lionel Jaderne , Lallement Jeanne , Coustaty Mickael , Béal Luc
Published: January 2023

This short paper aims to compare humanities and computer-based online review analysis methods. In particular, we evaluate two classical methodologies coming from marketing and natural language processing fields. We assessed them through their ability to translate online reviews into synthetic evaluations reflecting consumers’ overall feelings. Both methods were run in separate ways, then we confronted the results.
Never-Ending Tourism: Tourism Experience Scenarios for 2030
Authors: Prodinger Barbara , Neuhofer Barbara
Published: January 2023

The advent of recent technological advancements, and particularly, the metaverse, has brought unprecedented opportunities for tourism. The integration of multiple realities extends tourism beyond the traditional chronological classification of pre-travel, during-travel, and post-travel stages. The novel concept of never-ending tourism captures a holistic multi-dimensional experience in which technological solutions are at the foundation to elevate tourism to an on-going, never-ending activity that permeates every day and travel life. This study adopted a futures methods approach through qualitative in-depth interviews and a scenario development supported by a storytelling technique. The findings present three distinct scenarios of never-ending tourism on a spectrum of digital companion, digital escape and digital connection. The scenarios suggest a growing importance of the pre-travel and post-travel phases, while technologies continue support visitors to enjoy the irreplaceable multisensory experiences on site. Towards 2030, the metaverse will enable visitors to mentally teleport themselves to destinations, regardless of time, financial resources and physical abilities. Individuals will seamlessly move between integrated digital and physical realities, where the engagement with travel becomes a part of daily life. The study is novel and original in that it empirically explores the emerging concept of never-ending tourism and contributes to the wider metaverse discourse in the tourism context. Several practical suggestions and future research directions are given to unlock the potential of never-ending tourism in relation to integrated experience design, new business models and long-term customer engagement.
Marketing Tourism Products in Virtual Reality: Moderating Effect of Product Complexity
Authors: Chan Chung-Hao , Wong King Yin , Lui Tsz-Wai
Published: January 2023

As the tourism industry faces growing competition and digital transformation in the post-pandemic era, virtual reality has emerged as a creative marketing strategy. However, investing in virtual reality may be costly. Evaluating what type of products can generate higher returns through virtual reality is critical. Our study explored the moderating effect of product complexity on the relationship between virtual reality characteristics and behavioral intention. Our results indicated that the relationship between telepresence and consumer trust is stronger for a complex tourism product than a simple product. Firms with limited resources should invest in virtual reality to market complex products.
AI-Generated Content, Creative Freelance Work and Hospitality and Tourism Marketing
Authors: Tuomi Aarni
Published: January 2023

Powerful new AI models such as OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 or GPT-3 afford creative freelancers as well as hospitality and tourism SMEs new ways of generating and using creative content for marketing purposes. However, given AI’s rapid development, little is known about the current and potential future applications and implications of AI-generated content on the key stakeholders involved in hospitality and tourism marketing management. This conceptual research note presents preliminary ideas from an ongoing research project. Examples of AI models used for marketing content generation are reviewed and potential implications for hospitality and tourism marketing management are discussed from an e-tourism research point of view.
“Domestic or International?” The Impact of Cognitive Absorption of Short-Form Videos on Tourists’ Post-COVID Travel Intention: An Exploratory Study on Douyin
Authors: Zhou Han , Sun Tao , Ong Yi Xuan , Ito Naoya
Published: January 2023

The extant studies have attested to the effects of media experiences in shaping destination image and influencing the behavioral intentions of potential tourists. However, limited works have focused on the impact of holistic experiences during the interaction with destination-related short-form videos on potential tourists’ negative emotional responses and post-COVID travel intention. This study aims to elucidate how cognitive absorption affects tourists’ travel anxiety and post-pandemic travel intention in different travel settings (domestic versus international). The comparative results show that users’ cognitive absorption when interacting with destination-related short-form videos can effectively influence the behavioral intentions of potential tourists. The result also identified that travel anxiety significantly contributes to higher post-COVID travel intention. This study expands cognitive absorption research in the contexts of tourism and short-form videos, offers an angle for future studies to positively interpret tourists’ travel anxiety, and provides tourism practitioners with suggestions on the tourism industry's recovery in the post-COVID era.
Agent-Based Modelling for Sustainable Tourism
Authors: Wallinger Stefanie , Grundner Lukas , Majic Ivan , Lampoltshammer Thomas J.
Published: January 2023

Agent-based modelling (ABM) is a computer-based system to simulate the interactions, relationships and behavior of individual agents in a defined spatial context. Due to its stochastic and heterogenic nature, the method has the potential to represent the complexity of the tourism system with a broad range of possible applications. In the context of visitor flow management for instance, ABM can function as a possible decision support tool for policy makers to better understand and evaluate the dynamics of future scenarios and proposed policy changes towards a more economically, socially and environmentally resilient tourism development altogether. The following paper discusses the potential and implications of agent-based models in tourism research with a complex system approach in regard to ABM’s inherent elements of agents, interactions and environment. It introduces the planned application of ABM in an ongoing project dealing with visitor flows in an urban as well as rural destination context and draws up possible implications for sustainable tourism development.
Exploring Customer Experience with Service Robots in Hospitality and Tourism: Activity Theory Perspective
Authors: Ciftci Olena , Berezina Katerina
Published: January 2023

Addressing a call for theoretical development in human-robot interaction research, this study introduces activity theory to the field of service robots (SRs) in hospitality and tourism. Activity theory was used as the foundation for the conceptual analysis of in-depth interviews with hospitality customers. The results of content analysis of the interviews and future research directions are presented based on each of the service activity system’s components: object (customer experience (CE) with SRs in a hospitality unit), subject (customers), technology (SRs), rules (implementation procedures of SRs), community (customers, other customers, and employees), division of labor (a division of service), outcome (satisfaction, overall experience with hospitality establishments, and behavioral intentions), and context. The study provides future research directions in using activity theory in studies on human-robot interaction and CE with SRs in hospitality and tourism. Robot developers and hospitality professionals can use the data analysis framework proposed in this study to evaluate CE with SRs.
How Do Affect the Infusion of Smart Technology and Mindfulness of Tourism SMEs on Competitiveness?
Authors: Diaz Estrella , Esteban Águeda , Carranza Rocío , Sánchez-Camacho Carlos , Martín-Consuegra David
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this research is to analyse the effect of the infusion of smart technologies and the mindfulness of tourism small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs) in the use of smart technologies on several aspects related to the companies and their employees. Specifically, its effect on service advantage, value co-creation, employee job satisfaction, employees’ perception of service cannibalisation and competitiveness of tourism companies is analyzed. The total sample obtained was 877 employees/managers of tourism SMEs located in Europe and the United States. The model proposed in the study was estimated with PLS-SEM, a variance-based structural equation modeling statistical technique. The results of the study offer important implications and recommendations to researchers in the tourism field, tourism organisations and destinations on the importance of using smart technologies.
User Experience and Spatial Presence in a Walk-In Augmented Reality 3D Model for Tourists
Authors: Partala Timo , Kosonen Mikko , Hellsten Tuomas , Riissanen Henri
Published: January 2023

In the context of vulnerable tourist attractions, it is often the case that tourists cannot be allowed the enter all the premises of the attraction, which potentially has a negative impact on the visitors’ experience. Virtual reality technologies are available for presenting the attraction for tourists in these cases, but the use of augmented reality (AR) also seems to have a role in certain use cases. The current paper presents our first experiment of using a walk-in augmented reality model to present an attraction to visitors near the original attraction. The tourist attraction visualized using AR was Mannerheim’s Saloon Car dating back to World War II. Nine participants used a tablet-based AR application to examine a realistically sized three-dimensional (3D) model of the saloon car in the close vicinity of the actual tourist attraction and filled in a questionnaire, which probed their user experience, spatial situation model, and spatial presence when using the system. These early results suggested that viewing a 3D model of the attraction using tablet-based AR provided a positive user experience for the participants and that the tablet-based AR implementation was successful in supporting the participants’ formation of a spatial situation model of the saloon car. The participants also gave relatively high ratings for spatial presence while viewing the 3D model using tablet-based AR.
Critical dynamics in holographic first-order phase transition
Authors: Chen Qian , Liu Yuxuan , Tian Yu , Wang Bin , Zhang Cheng-Yong , Zhang Hongbao
Published: January 2023

Abstract

We study the critical phenomena of the dynamical transition from a metastable state to a stable state in the model of first-order phase transition via two different triggering mechanisms. Three universal stages during the fully nonlinear evolution are extracted. On the one side, by perturbing the scalar source, an isolated seed nucleus is injected into an initial homogeneous state in the supercooled region. For critical parameters of the seed nucleus, the real-time dynamics reveal that the system will converge to a critically unstable state. For supercritical parameters, the system exhibits a phase separation, while for subcritical parameters falls back to homogeneous. The shape independence of the seed nucleus is also investigated, which implies that the critical phenomena are universal. On the other side, we propose a novel mechanism to render the critical phenomena via a collision of two gravitational shock waves on the dual geometries. Specifying an inhomogeneous momentum density, the initial system can be also attracted to a critically unstable state. Aside from these dynamical constructions, we also quantitatively analyze the critical nucleus preventing the system from reaching the final phase separation. We find the depth of the critical nucleus increases almost linearly with the temperature, which implies that the hotter the supercooled state is, the harder for it to trigger phase separation.
Non-Hermitian Hamiltonian deformations in quantum mechanics
Authors: Matsoukas-Roubeas Apollonas S. , Roccati Federico , Cornelius Julien , Xu Zhenyu , Chenu Aurélia , del Campo Adolfo
Published: January 2023

Abstract

The construction of exactly-solvable models has recently been advanced by considering integrable $$ T\overline{T} $$
T

T
¯

deformations and related Hamiltonian deformations in quantum mechanics. We introduce a broader class of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian deformations in a nonrelativistic setting, to account for the description of a large class of open quantum systems, which includes, e.g., arbitrary Markovian evolutions conditioned to the absence of quantum jumps. We relate the time evolution operator and the time-evolving density matrix in the undeformed and deformed theories in terms of integral transforms with a specific kernel. Non-Hermitian Hamiltonian deformations naturally arise in the description of energy diffusion that emerges in quantum systems from time-keeping errors in a real clock used to track time evolution. We show that the latter can be related to an inverse $$ T\overline{T} $$
T

T
¯

deformation with a purely imaginary deformation parameter. In this case, the integral transforms take a particularly simple form when the initial state is a coherent Gibbs state or a thermofield double state, as we illustrate by characterizing the purity, Rényi entropies, logarithmic negativity, and the spectral form factor. As the dissipative evolution of a quantum system can be conveniently described in Liouville space, we further study the spectral properties of the Liouvillians, i.e., the dynamical generators associated with the deformed theories. As an application, we discuss the interplay between decoherence and quantum chaos in non-Hermitian deformations of random matrix Hamiltonians and the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model.
Black hole evaporation beyond the Standard Model of particle physics
Authors: Baker Michael J. , Thamm Andrea
Published: January 2023

Abstract

The observation of an evaporating black hole would provide definitive information on the elementary particles present in nature. In particular, it could discover or exclude particles beyond those present in the standard model of particle physics. We consider a wide range of motivated scenarios beyond the standard model and identify those which would be best probed in the event of an observation. For those models we define representative benchmark parameters and characterise the photon spectra as a function of time. For the supersymmetric benchmark model, where most of the new particles produce secondary photons, we provide secondary spectra and discuss the subtle interplay between faster black hole evaporation and an increased flux of secondary photons. Finally, we discuss the impact of these models on future experimental analysis strategies.
Wheeler-DeWitt states of the AdS-Schwarzschild interior
Authors: Hartnoll Sean A.
Published: January 2023

Abstract

We solve the Wheeler-DeWitt equation for the planar AdS-Schwarzschild interior in a minisuperspace approximation involving the volume and spatial anisotropy of the interior. A Gaussian wavepacket is constructed that is peaked on the classical interior solution. Simple observables are computed using this wavepacket, demonstrating the freedom to a choose a relational notion of ‘clock’ in the interior and characterizing the approach to the spacelike singularity. The Wheeler-DeWitt equation may be extended out through the horizon, where it describes the holographic renormalization group flow of the black hole exterior. This amounts to the Hamilton-Jacobi evolution of the metric component gtt from positive interior values to negative exterior values. The interior Gaussian wavepacket is shown to evolve into the Lorentizan partition function of the boundary conformal field theory over a microcanonical energy window.
Electric field-directed migration of mesenchymal stem cells enhances their therapeutic potential on cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity in rats
Authors: Abdelrahman Shaimaa A. , Raafat Nermin , Abdelaal Ghadeer M. M. , Aal Sara M. Abdel
Published: January 2023

Cisplatin is widely used as an anti-neoplastic agent but is limited by its nephrotoxicity. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the management of acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a new era in treatment but effective homing of administered cells is needed. This study aimed to investigate the effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on cisplatin-induced AKI in rats after directed migration by electric field (EF). Forty-eight adult male albino rats were equally classified into four groups: control, cisplatin-treated, cisplatin plus BM-MSCs, and cisplatin plus BM-MSCs exposed to EF. Serum levels of IL-10 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis for gene expression of Bcl2, Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-8 was measured. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, periodic acid Schiff staining, and immunohistochemical analysis were also done. MSC-treated groups showed improvement of kidney function; increased serum levels of IL-10 and decreased levels of TNF-α; and increased mRNA expression of Bcl2 and decreased expression of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-8 proteins comparable to the cisplatin-injured group. EF application increased MSCs homing with significant decrease in serum urea level and caspase-3 gene expression together with significant increase in Bcl2 expression than occurred in the MSCs group. Restoration of normal kidney histomorphology with significant decrease in immunohistochemical expression of caspase-3 protein was observed in the BM-MSCs plus EF group compared to the BM-MSCs group. EF stimulation enhanced the MSCs homing and improved their therapeutic potential on acute cisplatin nephrotoxicity.
Age validation in early stages of Sepia officinalis from beak microstructure
Authors: Guerra-Marrero Airam , Perales-Raya Catalina , Lishchenko Fedor , Espino-Ruano Ana , Jiménez-Alvarado David , Couce-Montero Lorena , Castro José J.
Published: January 2023

This is the first study addressing validation of the early growth stages (including the first increment) in the beaks of juvenile cuttlefishes. The age validation in juveniles of Sepia officinalis was performed by comparison of the number of increments observed in the rostrum surface of lower jaws with their true age. A total of 159 individuals were reared at 18 ºC and 21 ºC, with ages up to 31 days from hatching. The number of growth increments in the beak was counted and contrasted with the days of life after hatching, validating the hypothesis of one increment of growth corresponding to one day of life. The mean coefficient of variation between readings (measuring precision) was 2.95 ± 5.98%. The growth of the reading area (rostrum surface) and the periodicity of increment deposition showed no difference between the two culture temperatures and therefore daily deposition was confirmed at these temperatures.
Anatomy of the greater palatine foramen and canal and their clinical significance in relation to the greater palatine artery: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kim Dong Woon , Tempski Jonasz , Surma Jan , Ratusznik Jakub , Raputa Wiktor , Świerczek Izabella , Pękala Jakub R. , Tomaszewska Iwona M.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Accurate knowledge of greater palatine foramen (GPF) and greater palatine canal (GPC) anatomy is necessary to avoid injury to the greater palatine artery (GPA) when performing a variety of anesthesiologic, dental or surgical procedures. The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature on the anatomy and localization of bony structures associated with the GPA, namely the GPF and GPC.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases. Seventy-five studies were included in the meta-analysis (n = 22,202 subjects).

Results

The meta-analysis showed that the GPF is positioned 17.21 mm (95% CI = 16.34–18.09 mm) from the posterior nasal spine, 2.56 mm (95% CI = 1.90–3.22 mm) from the posterior border of the hard palate, 46.24 mm (95% CI = 44.30–48.18 mm) from the anterior nasal spine, 15.22 mm (95% CI = 15.00–15.43 mm) from the midline maxillary suture, 37.32 mm (95% CI = 36.19–38.45 mm) from the incisive foramen, and opposite the third maxillary molar (M3) in 64.9% (58.7–70.7%) of the total population.

Conclusion

An up-to-date, comprehensive analysis of GPF and GPC clinical anatomy is presented. The results from this evidence-based anatomical study provides a unified set of data to aid clinicians in their practice.
Trans-fatty acid blood levels of industrial but not natural origin are associated with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with HFpEF: a secondary analysis of the Aldo-DHF trial
Authors: Lechner Katharina , Bock Matthias , von Schacky Clemens , Scherr Johannes , Lorenz Elke , Lechner Benjamin , Haller Bernhard , Krannich Alexander , Halle Martin , Wachter Rolf , Duvinage André , Edelmann Frank
Published: January 2023

Background

Industrially processed trans-fatty acids (IP-TFA) have been linked to altered lipoprotein metabolism, inflammation and increased NT-proBNP. In patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), associations of TFA blood levels with patient characteristics are unknown.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of the Aldo-DHF-RCT. From 422 patients, individual blood TFA were analyzed at baseline in n = 404 using the HS-Omega-3-Index® methodology. Patient characteristics were: 67 ± 8 years, 53% female, NYHA II/III (87/13%), ejection fraction ≥ 50%, E/e′ 7.1 ± 1.5; NT-proBNP 158 ng/L (IQR 82–298). A principal component analysis was conducted but not used for further analysis as cumulative variance for the first two PCs was low. Spearman’s correlation coefficients as well as linear regression analyses, using sex and age as covariates, were used to describe associations of whole blood TFA with metabolic phenotype, functional capacity, echocardiographic markers for LVDF and neurohumoral activation at baseline and after 12 months.

Results

Blood levels of the naturally occurring TFA C16:1n-7t were inversely associated with dyslipidemia, body mass index/truncal adiposity, surrogate markers for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and inflammation at baseline/12 months. Conversely, IP-TFA C18:1n9t, C18:2n6tt and C18:2n6tc were positively associated with dyslipidemia and isomer C18:2n6ct with dysglycemia. C18:2n6tt and C18:2n6ct were inversely associated with submaximal aerobic capacity at baseline/12 months. No significant association was found between TFA and cardiac function.

Conclusions

In HFpEF patients, higher blood levels of IP-TFA, but not naturally occurring TFA, were associated with dyslipidemia, dysglycemia and lower functional capacity. Blood TFAs, in particular C16:1n-7t, warrant further investigation as prognostic markers in HFpEF.

Graphical abstract

Higher blood levels of industrially processed TFA, but not of the naturally occurring TFA C16:1n-7t, are associated with a higher risk cardiometabolic phenotype and prognostic of lower aerobic capacity in patients with HFpEF.
A converse to the neo-classical inequality with an application to the Mittag-Leffler function
Authors: Gerhold Stefan , Simon Thomas
Published: January 2023

We prove two inequalities for the Mittag-Leffler function, namely that the function $$\log E_\alpha (x^\alpha )$$

log

E
α

(

x
α

)

is sub-additive for $$0<\alpha <1,$$

0
<
α
<
1
,

and super-additive for $$\alpha >1.$$

α
>
1
.

These assertions follow from two new binomial inequalities, one of which is a converse to the neo-classical inequality. The proofs use a generalization of the binomial theorem due to Hara and Hino (Bull London Math Soc 2010). For $$0<\alpha <2,$$

0
<
α
<
2
,

we also show that $$E_\alpha (x^\alpha )$$

E
α

(

x
α

)

is log-concave resp. log-convex, using analytic as well as probabilistic arguments.
Diagnostic compatibility of various fixed orthodontic retainers for head/neck MRI and dental MRI
Authors: Juerchott Alexander , Roser Christoph J. , Saleem Muhammad Abdullah , Nittka Mathias , Lux Christopher J. , Heiland Sabine , Bendszus Martin , Hilgenfeld Tim
Published: January 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the diagnostic MRI compatibility of different fixed orthodontic retainers using a high-resolution 3D-sequence optimized for artifact reduction.

Materials and methods

Maxillary and mandibular retainers made of five different materials were scanned in vitro and in vivo at 3 T MRI using an MSVAT-SPACE sequence. In vitro, artifact volumes were determined for all maxillary and mandibular retainers (AVmax; AVmand). In vivo, two independent observers quantified the extent of artifacts based on the visibility of 124 dental and non-dental landmarks using a five-point rating scale (1 = excellent, 2 = good, 3 = acceptable, 4 = poor, 5 = not visible).

Results

Rectangular-steel retainers caused the largest artifacts (AVmax/AVmand: 18,060/15,879 mm3) and considerable diagnostic impairment in vivo (mean landmark visibility score ± SD inside/outside the retainer areas: 4.8 ± 0.8/2.9 ± 1.6). Smaller, but diagnostically relevant artifacts were observed for twistflex steel retainers (437/6317 mm3, 3.1 ± 1.7/1.3 ± 0.7). All retainers made of precious-alloy materials produced only very small artifact volumes (titanium grade 1: 70/46 mm3, titanium grade 5: 47/35 mm3, gold: 23/21 mm3) without any impact on image quality in vivo (each retainer: visibility scores of 1.0 ± 0.0 for all landmarks inside and outside the retainer areas).

Conclusions

In contrast to steel retainers, titanium and gold retainers are fully compatible for both head/neck and dental MRI when using MSVAT-SPACE.

Clinical relevance

This study demonstrates that titanium and gold retainers do not impair the diagnostic quality of head/neck and dental MRI when applying an appropriate artifact-reduction technique. Steel retainers, however, are not suitable for dental MRI and can severely impair image quality in head/neck MRI of the oral cavity.
Topical Collection: International Year of Groundwater—managing future societal and environmental challenges
Authors: Petitta Marco , Kreamer David , Davey Ian , Dottridge Jane , MacDonald Alan , Re Viviana , Szőcs Teodóra
Published: January 2023

Groundwater’s role in maintaining the well-being of the planet is increasingly acknowledged. Only recently has society recognised groundwater as a key component of the water cycle. To improve public understanding and the proper use of groundwater, the hydrogeological community must expand its efforts in groundwater assessment, management, and communication. The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) intends to help achieve the United Nation’s water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the adoption of innovative hydrogeological strategies. This essay introduces a topical collection that encapsulates IAH’s 2022 ‘Year for Groundwater’.
The affordances of clinical simulation immersive technology within healthcare education: a scoping review
Authors: Aiello Stephen , Cochrane Thomas , Sevigny Charles
Published: January 2023

Whilst clinical simulation is established as an effective education tool within the healthcare community, the inability to offer authentic educational learning environments remains problematic. Advances in technology such as immersive virtual reality offer new opportunities to enhance traditional practice to an extent that may transform learning. However, with traditional clinical simulation stress and anxiety can both hinder performance and learning, yet it is unknown what nuances are applicable within a clinical virtual simulation environment. Determining potential benefits, drawbacks (including related stress and anxiety) and affordances of immersive technology clinical simulation designs may help provide an understanding of its usefulness. The aim of this scoping review is to investigate the range and nature of evidence associated with immersive virtual reality clinical simulation and education design. In addition, the review will describe authentic immersive technology clinical simulation use and reported stress response measurements. A search of seven electronic database and grey literature was performed in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A key term search strategy was employed with five themes identified and investigated: (1) Healthcare professionals, (2) Clinical simulation, (3) Immersive virtual reality, (4) Stress/anxiety and (5) Authentic learning design. Application of the search strategy resulted in a hit total of 212 articles. Twelve articles met inclusion criteria. With most literature focusing on procedural performance and non-transferable education needs, there was a paucity of research that specifically investigated immersive virtual reality clinical simulation education and related stress. Therefore, this scoping review contributes new understandings by providing valuable insight and potential research gaps into current immersive virtual reality clinical simulation, its relationship to stress and the education design models currently being utilised to develop these concepts.
Electrophysiological and neuropsychological assessment of cognition in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 patients: a pilot study
Authors: Contaldi Elena , Sensi Mariachiara , Colucci Fabiana , Capone Jay Guido , Braccia Arianna , Nocilla Mattia Roberto , Diozzi Enrica , Contini Eleonora , Pelizzari Anna Chiara , Tugnoli Valeria
Published: January 2023

Background

Event-related potentials (ERPs) reflect cognitive processing: negative early components (N100, N200) are involved in the sensory and perceptual processing of a stimulus, whereas late positive component P300 requires conscious attention. Both neuropsychological and affective disorders are present in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), but the underlying mechanisms need further clarification.

Materials and methods

In this pilot study, we assessed cognitive processing by recording auditory ERPs in 16 consecutive SCA1 patients and 16 healthy controls (HC) matched for age and sex. Motor and nonmotor symptoms were evaluated using the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and an extensive neuropsychological battery. ERPs were recorded using an oddball paradigm, and peak latency and amplitude of N100, N200, and P300 were measured in the averaged responses to target tones.

Results

We found in SCA1 significantly increased latencies of N200 and P300 (p=0.033, p=0.007) and decreased amplitudes of N100 and P300 (p=0.024, p=0.038) compared with HC. Furthermore, P300 latency had the highest AUC in the discrimination of SCA1 in ROC analysis. The expansion of trinucleotide repeats correlated with P300 latency (r=−0.607, p=0.048), whereas both P300 and N100 amplitudes correlated with the severity of motor symptoms (r=−0.692, p=0.003; r=−0.621; p=0.010). Significant correlations between P300 latency and the scores of Emotion Attribution Task (r=−0.633, p=0.027), as well as between N200 latency and the scores of Frontal Assessment Battery and Stroop test (r=−0.520, p=0.047; r=0.538, p=0.039), were observed.

Conclusions

This research provides for the first time an extensive characterization of ERPs as useful electrophysiological markers to identify early cognitive dysfunction in SCA1.
Successive volcanic eruptions (1809–1815) and two severe famines of Korea (1809–1810, 1814–1815) seen through historical records
Authors: Kim Sungwoo
Published: January 2023

Based on the government’s historical records and personal documents of the pre-modern Chosŏn Dynasty, this paper examines the socio-economic impacts in Korea in response to climatic variability from 1809 until 1819 that may have been influenced to some degree by the eruption of the “unknown volcano” (1809) and the Tambora eruption (1815). In the early 1800s, when volcanic eruptions occurred successively, the Korean Peninsula experienced a temporal precipitation variation—drought, abundant rainfall, and normalcy—twice. The precipitation variation in this period had a heavy impact on the yields of rice, major crop on the peninsula. In the phase of drought in 1809 and extreme climatic anomalies in 1814, the country suffered record poor harvests, and in the abundant rainfall phase in 1810 and 1816–1817, it had bumper crops. For this reason, 1816–1817 were the halcyon years for Korea, unlike the case of Europe and the northeastern USA which suffered from extreme climatic anomalies in those years. This case of the Korean Peninsula indicates that the climate change and natural disasters of the 1810s were influenced by not only of the single event of the Tambora eruption but of the successive eruptions of volcanoes in the 7 years from 1809 to 1815, which also affected other areas on the globe for 11 years (1809–1819).
An access control model based on blockchain master-sidechain collaboration
Authors: Yang Liang , Jiang Rong , Pu Xuetao , Wang Chenguang , Yang Yue , Wang Meng , Zhang Lin , Tian Feifei
Published: January 2023

The centralized storage and centralized authorization approach in medical information systems can lead to data tampering and private information privacy leakage, while the traditional access control model has an overly simple authentication approach, relies excessively on trusted third-party organizations for the enforcement of access control policies, and has low efficiency in processing access requests. To address these problems, this paper proposes an access control model based on the collaboration of blockchain main and side chains, AC-BMS. Firstly, a password-based authentication scheme is designed based on doctors’ identity information; then Polygon side chain is designed to enhance the storage scalability of the blockchain; finally, the access node information on the main Ethereum chain is located on the side chain, and resources are obtained by executing Roll-up contracts deployed on the side chain. It is confirmed by simulation experiments in Hyperledger Fabric that the access efficiency and throughput of the blockchain access model proposed in this paper are improved when the number of accesses is multiplied, the average access time is saved by 2–3 s, the latency time is floating and stable, and the security, scalability, and availability are enhanced.
What really changes when developers intend to improve their source code: a commit-level study of static metric value and static analysis warning changes
Authors: Trautsch Alexander , Erbel Johannes , Herbold Steffen , Grabowski Jens
Published: January 2023

Many software metrics are designed to measure aspects that are believed to be related to software quality. Static software metrics, e.g., size, complexity and coupling are used in defect prediction research as well as software quality models to evaluate software quality. Static analysis tools also include boundary values for complexity and size that generate warnings for developers. While this indicates a relationship between quality and software metrics, the extent of it is not well understood. Moreover, recent studies found that complexity metrics may be unreliable indicators for understandability of the source code. To explore this relationship, we leverage the intent of developers about what constitutes a quality improvement in their own code base. We manually classify a randomized sample of 2,533 commits from 54 Java open source projects as quality improving depending on the intent of the developer by inspecting the commit message. We distinguish between perfective and corrective maintenance via predefined guidelines and use this data as ground truth for the fine-tuning of a state-of-the art deep learning model for natural language processing. The benchmark we provide with our ground truth indicates that the deep learning model can be confidently used for commit intent classification. We use the model to increase our data set to 125,482 commits. Based on the resulting data set, we investigate the differences in size and 14 static source code metrics between changes that increase quality, as indicated by the developer, and changes unrelated to quality. In addition, we investigate which files are targets of quality improvements. We find that quality improving commits are smaller than non-quality improving commits. Perfective changes have a positive impact on static source code metrics while corrective changes do tend to add complexity. Furthermore, we find that files which are the target of perfective maintenance already have a lower median complexity than files which are the target of non-pervective changes. Our study results provide empirical evidence for which static source code metrics capture quality improvement from the developers point of view. This has implications for program understanding as well as code smell detection and recommender systems.
Snakes and Ladders: Unpacking the Personalisation-Privacy Paradox in the Context of AI-Enabled Personalisation in the Physical Retail Environment
Authors: Canhoto Ana Isabel , Keegan Brendan James , Ryzhikh Maria
Published: January 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to bring to the physical retail environment the kind of mass personalisation that is already common in online commerce, delivering offers that are targeted to each customer, and that adapt to changes in the customer’s context. However, factors related to the in-store environment, the small screen where the offer is delivered, and privacy concerns, create uncertainty regarding how customers might react to highly personalised offers that are delivered to their smartphones while they are in a store. To investigate how customers exposed to this type of AI-enabled, personalised offer, perceive it and respond to it, we use the personalisation-privacy paradox lens. Case study data focused on UK based, female, fashion retail shoppers exposed to such offers reveal that they seek discounts on desired items and improvement of the in-store experience; they resent interruptions and generic offers; express a strong desire for autonomy; and attempt to control access to private information and to improve the recommendations that they receive. Our analysis also exposes contradictions in customers’ expectations of personalisation that requires location tracking. We conclude by drawing an analogy to the popular Snakes and Ladders game, to illustrate the delicate balance between drivers and barriers to acceptance of AI-enabled, highly personalised offers delivered to customers’ smartphones while they are in-store.
Egocentric Computer Vision for Hands-Free Robotic Wheelchair Navigation
Authors: Kutbi Mohammed , Li Haoxiang , Chang Yizhe , Sun Bo , Li Xin , Cai Changjiang , Agadakos Nikolaos , Hua Gang , Mordohai Philippos
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we present an approach for navigating a robotic wheelchair that provides users with multiple levels of autonomy and navigation capabilities to fit their individual needs and preferences. We focus on three main aspects: (i) egocentric computer vision based motion control to provide a natural human-robot interface to wheelchair users with impaired hand usage; (ii) techniques that enable user to initiate autonomous navigation to a location, object or person without use of the hands; and (iii) a framework that learns to navigate the wheelchair according to its user’s, often subjective, criteria and preferences. These contributions are evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively in user studies with several subjects demonstrating their effectiveness. These studies have been conducted with healthy subjects, but they still indicate that clinical tests of the proposed technology can be initiated.
In vitro studies of 223Ra- and 225Ac-labelled α-zirconium phosphate as potential carrier for alpha targeted therapy
Authors: Sakmár Michal , Ondrák Lukáš , Fialová Kateřina , Vlk Martin , Kozempel Ján , Bruchertseifer Frank , Morgenstern Alfred
Published: January 2023

In this study suitability of α-ZrP nanoparticles as a 223Ra and 225Ac carriers for TAT was investigated. The yields of radiolabelling were higher than 98% in both cases. Subsequently, in vitro stability studies were carried out in various biological matrices during 48 h period. Measurements of released radioactivity showed the highest stability in saline. Released activity of 223Ra, 225Ac and their daughter radionuclides was around 0.5%. On the other hand, the lowest stability was shown in plasma and serum. Released activity for 223Ra, 225Ac and their progeny atoms was from 15 to 32%.
Se(IV)/Se(VI) adsorption mechanisms on natural and on Ca-modified zeolite for Mediterranean soils amended with the modified zeolite: prospects for agronomic applications
Authors: Zafeiriou Ioannis , Gasparatos Dionisios , Ioannou Dafni , Katsikini Maria , Pinakidou Fani , Paloura Eleni C. , Massas Ioannis
Published: January 2023

In the present study, the ability of a modified CaCl2 zeolite (Ca-Z) to both increase Se(IV) availability and restrict Se(VI) mobility in soils is examined. As it was resulted from batch experiments and verified by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopies, higher amounts of both Se species adsorbed on Ca-Z compared to natural zeolite (Z-N) forming outer-sphere complexes while the oxidation state did not alter during agitation of samples. Thereafter, Ca-Z was incorporated in six Greek soils, divided into acid and alkaline, at a 20% (w/w) rate and a series of equilibrium batch experiments were performed with soils alone and soils-Ca-Z mixtures to investigate sorption and desorption processes and mechanisms. The acid soils, either treated with Ca-Z or not, adsorbed higher amounts of Se(IV) than alkaline ones, whereas soils alone did not adsorb Se(VI) but impressively high adsorption of Se(VI) occurred in the Ca-Z-treated soils. Desorption of Se(IV) was higher from the Ca-Z-treated soils and especially from the acid soils. Higher distribution coefficients of desorption than the distribution coefficients of sorption were observed, clearly pointing to a hysteresis mechanism. The experimental data fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. In the presence of Ca-Z, the Langmuir qm values increased indicating higher Se(IV) retention while Langmuir bL values decreased suggesting lower bonding strength and higher Se(IV) mobility. Overall, treating the soils with Ca-Z increased Se(IV) adsorption and mobility whereas it provided sites for Se(VI) adsorption that did not exist in the studied soils.