bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The terpene synthase genes of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) and comparative gene family analysis among Myrtaceae essential oil crops
Authors: Voelker Julia , Mauleon Ramil , Shepherd Mervyn
Published: April 2023

Terpene synthases (TPS) are responsible for the terminal biosynthetic step of terpenoid production. They are encoded by a highly diverse gene family believed to evolve by tandem duplication in response to adaptive pressures. Taxa in the Myrtaceae family are renowned for their diversity of terpenoid-rich essential oils, and among them, the tribe Eucalypteae has the largest TPS gene family found in any plant (> 100 TPS). In this study, comparative analysis of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), from the related tribe Melaleuceae, revealed some Myrtaceae have smaller TPS families, as a total of 58 putatively functional full-length TPS genes, and 21 pseudogenes were identified by manual annotation of a newly released long-read assembly of the genome. The TPS-a and TPS-b2 subfamilies that synthesise secondary compounds often mediating plant-environment interactions were more diminutive than those in eucalypts, probably reflecting key differences in the evolutionary histories of the two lineages. Of the putatively functional TPS-b1, 13 clustered into a region of around 400 kb on one scaffold. The organisation of these TPS suggested that tandem duplication was instrumental in the evolution and diversity of terpene chemistry in Melaleuca. Four TPS-b1 likely to catalyse the synthesis of the three monoterpenoid components that are used to classify tea tree chemotypes were encoded within a single small region of 87 kb in the larger cluster of TPS-b1, raising the possibility that coregulation and linkage may lead to their behaviour as a single locus, providing an explanation for the categorical inheritance of complex multiple-component chemotypes in the taxon.
Drop-out and ineffective treatment in youth with severe and enduring mental health problems: a systematic review
Authors: de Soet R. , Vermeiren R. R. J. M. , Bansema C. H. , van Ewijk H. , Nijland L. , Nooteboom L. A.
Published: April 2023

Youth with severe and enduring mental health problems (SEMHP) tend to drop out of treatment or insufficiently profit from treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP). Knowledge about factors related to treatment failure in this group is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to thematically explore factors associated with dropout and ineffective treatment among youth with SEMHP. After including 36 studies, a descriptive thematic analysis was conducted. Themes were divided into three main categories: client, treatment, and organizational factors. The strongest evidence was found for the association between treatment failure and the following subthemes: type of treatment, engagement, transparency and communication, goodness of fit and, perspective of practitioner. However, most other themes showed limited evidence and little research has been done on organizational factors. To prevent treatment failure, attention should be paid to a good match between youth and both the treatment and the practitioner. Practitioners need to be aware of their own perceptions of youth’s perspectives, and transparent communication with youth contributes to regaining their trust.
The role of effort in understanding academic achievements: empirical evidence from China
Authors: Jin Xin
Published: April 2023

From the perspective of comparative education, it has often been stressed that Chinese families hold high expectations on school achievement and believe in the pay-off of effort. However, the literature on the relationship between effort and academic achievement is limited. Individual effort is not widely considered a significant cause of educational disparities, which often is mainly attributed to structural and contextual factors, such as family socioeconomic status (SES). Using the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS 2013, 2014), this study examined the role of effort in affecting educational outcomes and investigated the interplay between effort and family socioeconomic status. The results showed that effort has a positive impact on academic performance, though to a lesser degree than family SES. The study also discovered that low-SES students tend to exert more effort than high-SES students and that the effect of effort is greater for low-SES students. These findings underlined the importance of individual effort for academic success, particularly for low-SES students, and suggested policies that aim at enhancing motivation and engagement.
Temporal changes in soil chemical compositions in acidified mountain forest soils of Czech Republic
Authors: Thai Saven , Pavlů Lenka , Tejnecký Václav , Chovancová Sabina , Hin Lyhour , Thet Bunthorn , Němeček Karel , Drábek Ondřej
Published: April 2023

The study aimed to investigate the temporal changes of pH, sorption complex, and structure of soil organic matter through the forest soil profile under beech and spruce forests located in Jizera mountains (Czech Republic) and affected by natural and anthropogenic acidification. Soil samples were collected in four different years (2008, 2013, 2015, and 2020) in each horizon: fermented horizons (F), humified horizons (H), organo-mineral horizons (A), and subsurface mineral horizons (B) (cambic or spodic). The cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation (BS), exchangeable element contents, pH, and soil organic carbon content (SOC) were determined. The infrared soil spectra were used to calculate indices of potential wettability, aromaticity, and decomposition. Our results showed that most nutrients and aliphatic compounds were retained in the uppermost soil layers. The aromaticity of organic matter increased with depth, while polysaccharides, regarding the decomposition compound, disappeared through the soil horizons. In a long-term observation, SOC content had constantly increased under beech, while spruce remained stable in the organic horizons. Exchangeable element contents increased in each horizon, except for Al and Fe; their content quickly decreased in F horizons and slowly decreased in H horizon under both forest tree species, while the deeper horizons remained constant, but increased in A horizon under spruce. Continuously increasing base cations concentrations in sorption complex of both forest tree species during the study period revealed the effect of forest stand types on acid deposition reduction and mitigation. The temporal changes in CEC, BS, SOC, and soil wettability are more intensive in beech than in spruce forest floor.
InfoFaunaFVG: a novel progressive web application for wildlife surveillance
Authors: Tomè P. , Pesaro S. , Orioles M. , Pascotto E. , Cadamuro A. , Galeotti M.
Published: April 2023

The Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A) at the University of Udine, in collaboration with Friuli Venezia Giulia regional authorities, within northeastern Italy, set up a wildlife monitoring and surveillance regional network, named InfoFaunaFVG. Here we describe the development and application of this data repository system based on a novel progressive web application, and report the data gathered in the first two and a half years of its use. InfoFaunaFVG is made of a Web Database and an integrated WebGIS system. In particular, the following open source softwares are used: Apache HTTP Server, Oracle MySQL, Symfony, Apache Tomcat, GeoServer, OpenLayers. The web app can be accessed from any web browser or by installing the progressive web application in the desktop or mobile devices. In short, operating from November 2019, InfoFaunaFVG currently (April 2022) contains a total of 40,175 records, from 300 different users, from 16 institutions. Among all species recorded, mammals were 40% (16,018) of the total, whereas avian species represented 59% (23,741), and others (reptiles and amphibians) 1% (416), respectively. Two hundred twenty-six different species (175 avian and 51 mammals) were recorded. Details about causes of death and live animal rescue were reported. To date, InfoFaunaFVG has proven to be a successful wildlife data repository system providing high quality consistent, accurate and traceable data. These had a considerable impact on regional wildlife governance. In the authors’ knowledge, InfoFaunaFVG is the first example described in literature of such a progressive web application, coordinated on an institutional level, and not based on voluntary-citizen observations. InfoFaunaFVG has the potential to become the largest wildlife monitoring and surveillance data repository system on a national level.
Analysis of In Vivo Skin Anisotropy Using Elastic Wave Measurements and Bayesian Modelling
Authors: Nagle Matt , Price Susan , Trotta Antonia , Destrade Michel , Fop Michael , Ní Annaidh Aisling
Published: April 2023

In vivo skin exhibits viscoelastic, hyper-elastic and non-linear characteristics. It is under a constant state of non-equibiaxial tension in its natural configuration and is reinforced with oriented collagen fibers, which gives rise to anisotropic behaviour. Understanding the complex mechanical behaviour of skin has relevance across many sectors including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and surgery. However, there is a dearth of quality data characterizing the anisotropy of human skin in vivo. The data available in the literature is usually confined to limited population groups and/or limited angular resolution. Here, we used the speed of elastic waves travelling through the skin to obtain measurements from 78 volunteers ranging in age from 3 to 93 years old. Using a Bayesian framework allowed us to analyse the effect that age, gender and level of skin tension have on the skin anisotropy and stiffness. First, we propose a new measurement of anisotropy based on the eccentricity of angular data and conclude that it is a more robust measurement when compared to the classic “anisotropic ratio”. Our analysis then concluded that in vivo skin anisotropy increases logarithmically with age, while the skin stiffness increases linearly along the direction of Langer Lines. We also concluded that the gender does not significantly affect the level of skin anisotropy, but it does affect the overall stiffness, with males having stiffer skin on average. Finally, we found that the level of skin tension significantly affects both the anisotropy and stiffness measurements employed here. This indicates that elastic wave measurements may have promising applications in the determination of in vivo skin tension. In contrast to earlier studies, these results represent a comprehensive assessment of the variation of skin anisotropy with age and gender using a sizeable dataset and robust modern statistical analysis. This data has implications for the planning of surgical procedures and questions the adoption of universal cosmetic surgery practices for very young or elderly patients.
Suspicious Minds: the Problem of Trust and Conversational Agents
Authors: Ivarsson Jonas , Lindwall Oskar
Published: April 2023

In recent years, the field of natural language processing has seen substantial developments, resulting in powerful voice-based interactive services. The quality of the voice and interactivity are sometimes so good that the artificial can no longer be differentiated from real persons. Thus, discerning whether an interactional partner is a human or an artificial agent is no longer merely a theoretical question but a practical problem society faces. Consequently, the ‘Turing test’ has moved from the laboratory into the wild. The passage from the theoretical to the practical domain also accentuates understanding as a topic of continued inquiry. When interactions are successful but the artificial agent has not been identified as such, can it also be said that the interlocutors have understood each other? In what ways does understanding figure in real-world human–computer interactions? Based on empirical observations, this study shows how we need two parallel conceptions of understanding to address these questions. By departing from ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, we illustrate how parties in a conversation regularly deploy two forms of analysis (categorial and sequential) to understand their interactional partners. The interplay between these forms of analysis shapes the developing sense of interactional exchanges and is crucial for established relations. Furthermore, outside of experimental settings, any problems in identifying and categorizing an interactional partner raise concerns regarding trust and suspicion. When suspicion is roused, shared understanding is disrupted. Therefore, this study concludes that the proliferation of conversational systems, fueled by artificial intelligence, may have unintended consequences, including impacts on human–human interactions.
Port environmental efficiency assessment using the one-stage and two-stage model DEA: comparison of Koper and Dublin ports
Authors: Krmac Evelin , Djordjević Boban
Published: April 2023

Ports are important and central hubs for logistical activities in transportation chains that contribute to economic growth. Nevertheless, port activities are associated with undesirable impacts such as energy consumption and air pollutant emissions. Various policy instruments and measures have been developed and adopted to reduce energy consumption and emissions from ports. In an effort to manage all undesirable impacts of port operations, the search for best practices has proven to be an effective approach. This study examines one- and two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models for measuring port environmental efficiency. The adequacy of the models was analyzed using two case studies, i.e., the port of Koper and port of Dublin. The results of the study provided the best practices and the main differences between one-stage and two-stage models. Distance metrics were used to identify the necessary improvements of inefficient decision-making units (DMUs) to achieve the best practices.
Hyping the REF: promotional elements in impact submissions
Authors: Hyland Ken , Jiang Feng
Published: April 2023

The evaluation of research to allocate government funding to universities is now common across the globe. The Research Excellence Framework, introduced in the UK in 2014, marked a major change by extending assessment beyond the ‘quality’ of published research to include its real-world ‘impact’. Impact submissions were a key determinant of the £4 billion allocated to universities following the exercise. The case studies supporting claims for impact are therefore a high stakes genre, with writers keen to make the most persuasive argument for their work. In this paper we examine 800 of these ‘impact case studies’ from disciplines across the academic spectrum to explore the rhetorical presentation of impact. We do this by analysing authors’ use of hyperbolic and promotional language to embroider their presentations, discovering substantial hyping with a strong preference for boosting the novelty and certainty of the claims made. Chemistry and physics, the most abstract and theoretical disciplines of our selection, contained the most hyping items with fewer as we move along the hard/pure – soft/applied continuum as the real-world value of work becomes more apparent. We also show that hyping varies with the type of impact, with items targeting technological, economic and cultural areas the most prolific.
Brief Reports: Influence of Friendship on Loneliness Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Japan
Authors: Sumiya Motofumi , Senju Atsushi
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Previous studies have reported that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have higher levels of loneliness than neurotypical (NTP) people, most likely because of their difficulties in social communication with their predominantly NTP peers. However, direct investigations on the causal influence of friendship on their feelings of loneliness is scarce.

Methods

In the current study, using the causal mediation analysis, we investigated whether friendship among ASD individuals influences their feelings of loneliness, especially during adolescence when the importance of friendship is typically most elevated. Furthermore, we examined whether individual differences in autistic behavioral features or age affect feelings of loneliness or the qualities of friendship with linear regression analyses.

Results

The results demonstrated that the higher levels of loneliness in adolescents with ASD were mediated by one aspect of friendship, companionship. We also found that positive aspects of friendship, but not negative aspects, influence the feelings of loneliness in both ASD and NTP populations. One subcategory of the measured autistic trait, difficulty in imagination, which is associated the ability to consider another’s perspective, had a negative relationship with the positive aspects of friendship in the ASD group, but not in the NTP group.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that the quality of the positive aspects of friendship is similarly important for both adolescents with ASD and NTP adolescents, but the autistic behavioral features could interfere with the experience of such positive friendships.
Do Children Think it is Important to Predict Learning and Behaviour Problems, and Do They Think Genetic Screening Has a Role to Play in This?
Authors: Fields Diana , Asbury Kathryn
Published: April 2023

This study explores how capable young children are of thinking about a potential future that uses DNA screening to assess an individual’s likelihood of experiencing learning or behaviour difficulties. Puppets and a scenario-based approach were used to ask children aged 4–10 (n = 165) whether they thought DNA screening might be helpful or harmful. A content analysis derived six categories: (1) ‘Worried about being – and being seen as – different’; (2) ‘Beliefs about the origins of learning and behaviour’; (3) ‘Testing is harmful’; (4) ‘Testing could help’; (5) ‘How soon is too soon for testing?’; and (6) ‘What’s the point?’. Findings indicate young children, as key stakeholders, can make useful contributions to public debate in this important and controversial area.
The Development of Accuracy and Fluency in Second Language (L2) Speaking Related to Self-Efficacy Through Online Scaffolding: A Latent Growth Curve Modeling Analysis
Authors: Li Cha , Zhang Lawrence Jun
Published: April 2023

This longitudinal study made the first attempt to employ Latent Growth Curve Modeling to analyze the development of L2 speaking accuracy and fluency through online scaffolding as well as the dynamic relationship between L2 speaking performance and self-efficacy. From the perspective of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, it tracked the development of 45 Chinese undergraduates’ English-speaking accuracy, fluency, self-efficacy for accuracy (SEA) and self-efficacy for fluency (SEF) over one semester of online teaching (six observations). Results show that speaking accuracy, SEA and SEF all improved significantly, but speaking fluency did not; these four variables all developed in non-linear trajectories, and the greatest growth of accuracy, SEA and SEF all took place at Time 2; there existed significant individual differences in the initial levels of fluency, SEA and SEF, and in the change rates of SEA; a higher initial level of accuracy was related to a greater increase in SEA and a greater decrease in growth rates with time. These findings provide evidence for non-linearity, variability and inter-individual differences in the development of L2 speaking and self-efficacy through online scaffolding, and partly confirm the dynamic relations between self-efficacy and L2 performance. Pedagogical implications for online scaffolding are also discussed.
Analysis of the association of NPHS2 and ACTN4 genes polymorphism with nephrotic syndrome in Egyptian children
Authors: al-azzawy Mohammed F. , Al-Haggar Mohammad , ElSaid Afaf M. , El-khawaga Omali Y.
Published: April 2023

Background

One of the most common kidney illnesses in developing countries is pediatric nephrotic syndrome (PNS), which is frequently associated with dyslipidemia and edema. The rapid discovery of genes related to NS has aided in the understanding of the molecular mechanics of glomerular filtration. The goal of this study is to determine the relationship between NPHS2 and ACTN4 in PNS youngsters.

Methods

A study with 100 NS children and 100 healthy matched volunteers was conducted. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped using ARMS-PCR.

Results

A substantial decline in the level of albumin was found in NS cases (P < 0.001) Further on, a significantly difference in T.C and TG level between healthy and NS patient. Molecular study showed a highly significant difference of NS patients from controls regarding NPHS2 rs3829795 polymorphic genotypes as the GA heterozygous genotype shows highly significant difference from controls (P < 0.001) as well as GA + AA genotypes (P < 0.001) in comparison with GG genotype. Regarding rs2274625, The GA heterozygous genotype showed no statistically significant difference between genotypes and alleles with NS (P = 0.246). Association of AG haplotype NPHS2 rs3829795–rs2274625 haplotypes found a significant association with the risk of developing NS (P = 0.008). Concerning the ACTN4 rs121908415 SNP, there was no link between this mutation and NS children.

Conclusion

The correlation of AG haplotype NPHS2 rs3829795–rs2274625 haplotypes identified a strong association with the likelihood of getting NS, according to our findings. There was no connection found between the ACTN4 rs121908415 SNP and NS children.
Fourier coefficients of Hilbert modular forms at cusps
Authors: Davis Tim
Published: April 2023

The aim of this article is to study the fields generated by the Fourier coefficients of Hilbert newforms at arbitrary cusps. Precisely, given a cuspidal Hilbert newform f and a matrix $$\sigma $$
σ
in (a suitable conjugate of) the Hilbert modular group, we give a cyclotomic extension of the field generated by the Fourier coefficients at infinity which contains all the Fourier coefficients of $$f||_k\sigma $$

f
|
|

k

σ

.
Michelson Interferometer for Global High-Resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) On-Orbit Wind Observations: Data Analysis and Instrument Performance
Authors: Englert Christoph R. , Harlander John M. , Marr Kenneth D. , Harding Brian J. , Makela Jonathan J. , Fae Tori , Brown Charles M. , Ratnam M. Venkat , Rao S. Vijaya Bhaskara , Immel Thomas J.
Published: April 2023

The design, principles of operation, calibration, and data analysis approaches of the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) on the NASA Ionospheric Connection (ICON) satellite have been documented prior to the ICON launch. Here we update and expand on the MIGHTI wind data analysis and discuss the on-orbit instrument performance. In particular, we show typical raw data and we describe key processing steps, including the correction of a “signal-intensity dependent phase shift,” which is necessitated by unexpected detector behavior. We describe a new zero-wind calibration approach that is preferred over the originally planned approach due to its higher precision. Similar to the original approach, the new approach is independent of any a priori data. A detailed update on the wind uncertainties is provided and compared to the mission requirements, showing that MIGHTI has met the ICON mission requirements. While MIGHTI observations are not required to produce absolute airglow brightness profiles, we describe a relative brightness profile product, which is included in the published data. We briefly review the spatial resolution of the MIGHTI wind data in addition to the data coverage and data gaps that occurred during the nominal mission. Finally, we include comparisons of the MIGHTI wind data with ground-based Fabry-Perot interferometer observations and meteor radar observations, updating previous studies with more recent data, again showing good agreement. The data processing steps covered in this work and all the derived wind data correspond to the MIGHTI data release Version 5 (v05).
Predictors of educational aspirations of Roma mothers in Czech Republic, Greece, and Portugal
Authors: Obrovská Jana , Aguiar Cecília , Silva Carla Sofia , Petrogiannis Konstantinos
Published: April 2023

Roma communities are a disadvantaged minority in Europe which is particularly underrepresented in social and educational research. This study aimed to investigate the predictors of Roma mothers’ educational aspirations for their children in the Czech Republic, Greece, and Portugal. Participants included 461 mothers with a Roma background (135 from the Czech Republic, 130 from Greece, and 196 from Portugal), with a child between 3 to 6 (n = 181) or 9 to 12 (n = 280) years old. Data were based on mothers’ reports, obtained during a structured in-person interview. Material deprivation (microsystem level), frequency and quality of interactions with non-Roma parents, as well as the quality of parent-teacher interactions (mesosystem level), predicted Roma mothers’ educational aspirations. Findings suggest that, in addition to microsystemic variables such as material deprivation, mesosystemic predictors such as those examining contact with non-Roma parents may play an important role in shaping Roma mothers’ educational aspirations and need to be further examined.
Efficient and generalizable tuning strategies for stochastic gradient MCMC
Authors: Coullon Jeremie , South Leah , Nemeth Christopher
Published: April 2023

Stochastic gradient Markov chain Monte Carlo (SGMCMC) is a popular class of algorithms for scalable Bayesian inference. However, these algorithms include hyperparameters such as step size or batch size that influence the accuracy of estimators based on the obtained posterior samples. As a result, these hyperparameters must be tuned by the practitioner and currently no principled and automated way to tune them exists. Standard Markov chain Monte Carlo tuning methods based on acceptance rates cannot be used for SGMCMC, thus requiring alternative tools and diagnostics. We propose a novel bandit-based algorithm that tunes the SGMCMC hyperparameters by minimizing the Stein discrepancy between the true posterior and its Monte Carlo approximation. We provide theoretical results supporting this approach and assess various Stein-based discrepancies. We support our results with experiments on both simulated and real datasets, and find that this method is practical for a wide range of applications.
Modified microbiology through enhanced denitrification by addition of various organic substances—temperature effect
Authors: Ortmeyer Felix , Guerreiro Marco Alexandre , Begerow Dominik , Banning Andre
Published: April 2023

Worldwide, the environmental nitrate (NO3−) problem is increasingly coming into focus. These increases in NO3− concentration result mainly from agricultural inputs and are further exacerbated by decreasing and finite geogenic NO3− degradation capacity in aquifers. Thus, treatment methods are becoming more and more important. In this study, the effects of enhanced denitrification with addition of organic carbon (C) on thereby autochthonous occurring microbiology and compared at room temperature as well as 10 °C were investigated. Incubation of bacteria and fungi was carried out using natural sediments without degradation capacity and groundwater with high NO3− concentrations. Addition of the four applied substrates (acetate, glucose, ascorbic acid, and ethanol) results in major differences in microbial community. Cooling to 10 °C changes the microbiology again. Relative abundances of bacteria are strongly influenced by temperature, which is probably the explanation for different denitrification rates. Fungi are much more sensitive to the milieu change with organic C. Different fungi taxa preferentially occur at one of the two temperature approaches. Major modifications of the microbial community are mainly observed whose denitrification rates strongly depend on the temperature effect. Therefore, we assume a temperature optimum of enhanced denitrification specific to each substrate, which is influenced by the microbiology.
Gesundheitsförderung im Reallabor?
Authors: Abu-Omar Karim , Popp Johanna , Bergmann Matthias , Messing Sven , Till Maike , Gelius Peter
Published: April 2023

Hintergrund

Die partizipative Gesundheitsförderung verwendet verschiedene theoretische Konzepte, um Prozesse und Wirkungen von Projekten zu beschreiben. In der Praxis ergeben sich daraus jedoch Probleme bezüglich der Bekämpfung sozialer Ungleichheiten, der Skalierung von Pilotprojekten oder der Anschlussfähigkeit an aktuelle Gesundheitskonzepte.

Zielstellung

Dieser Beitrag stellt das Konzept des Reallabors als möglichen Lösungsansatz für aktuelle Probleme der partizipativen Gesundheitsförderung vor und untersucht seine praktische Anwendbarkeit am Beispiel eines bestehenden Projekts.

Methode

Der Beitrag beschreibt zunächst die aktuellen Probleme, die sich aus der Verwendung verbreiteter theoretischer Konzepte in der partizipativen Gesundheitsförderung ergeben. Anschließend führt er den Ansatz des Reallabors als mögliche Lösung ein. Anhand des Projekts PArC-AVE (Physical Activity-related Health Competence in Apprenticeship and Vocational Education) wird retrospektiv aufgezeigt, wie sich der Ansatz verwenden lässt, um die beschriebenen Problemlagen zu bearbeiten.

Ergebnisse

Das Reallabor ist ein transdisziplinärer Ansatz an der Schnittstelle zwischen Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft, der ein Umfeld für die flexible Erprobung innovativer Lösungsansätze unter sich verändernden Rahmenbedingungen bietet. In der partizipativen Gesundheitsförderung ist er bisher jedoch wenig verbreitet. Das Beispiel PArC-AVE zeigt, dass bestehende partizipative Projekte in Richtung von Reallaboren weiterentwickelt werden können. Mögliche Perspektiven sind (a) die gezieltere Einbindung verschiedener Akteur*innen in den Beteiligungsprozess, (b) variablere Ansätze zur Skalierung von Interventionen, (c) die flexiblere Nutzung verschiedener Partizipationsmethoden und (d) eine stärkere Berücksichtigung von Konzepten wie planetare Gesundheit.

Schlussfolgerung

Der Reallaboransatz hat das Potenzial, die Handlungsräume der partizipativen Gesundheitsförderung zu vergrößern. Allerdings kann nur die weitere Erprobung in der Praxis klären, wie effektiv sich Reallabore tatsächlich einsetzen lassen, um z. B. soziale Ungleichheiten oder die starke Kontextabhängigkeit partizipativer Projekte zu überwinden.
EEG decoding for effects of visual joint attention training on ASD patients with interpretable and lightweight convolutional neural network
Authors: Tan Jianling , Zhan Yichao , Tang Yi , Bao Weixin , Tian Yin
Published: April 2023

Visual joint attention, the ability to track gaze and recognize intent, plays a key role in the development of social and language skills in health humans, which is performed abnormally hard in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The traditional convolutional neural network, EEGnet, is an effective model for decoding technology, but few studies have utilized this model to address attentional training in ASD patients. In this study, EEGNet was used to decode the P300 signal elicited by training and the saliency map method was used to visualize the cognitive properties of ASD patients during visual attention. The results showed that in the spatial distribution, the parietal lobe was the main region of classification contribution, especially for Pz electrode. In the temporal information, the time period from 300 to 500 ms produced the greatest contribution to the electroencephalogram (EEG) classification, especially around 300 ms. After training for ASD patients, the gradient contribution was significantly enhanced at 300 ms, which was effective only in social scenarios. Meanwhile, with the increase of joint attention training, the P300 latency of ASD patients gradually shifted forward in social scenarios, but this phenomenon was not obvious in non-social scenarios. Our results indicated that joint attention training could improve the cognitive ability and responsiveness of social characteristics in ASD patients.
Die Bedeutung migrationsbezogener Überzeugungen von frühpädagogischen Fachkräften für die Qualität pädagogischer Praxis
Authors: Kurucz Csaba , Hachfeld Axinja , Lehrl Simone , Anders Yvonne
Published: April 2023

Migrationsbezogene Überzeugungen von frühpädagogischen Fachkräften werden insbesondere in kulturell diversen Kindertageseinrichtungen eine handlungsleitende Bedeutung zugesprochen, obwohl es für diese Annahme kaum empirische Belege gibt. Die vorliegende Studie setzt hier an und untersucht, ob die migrationsbezogenen Überzeugungen von N = 206 frühpädagogischen Fachkräften im Zusammenhang mit der in ihren N = 107 Kindertageseinrichtungen beobachteten sprachspezifischen Prozess- und Strukturqualität stehen. Als migrationsbezogene Überzeugungsfacetten wurden die multikulturellen und assmiliativen Überzeugungen berücksichtigt, die anhand von Selbsteinschätzungen erfragt wurden. Die sprachspezifische Prozess- und Strukturqualität wurde mithilfe verschiedener Subskalen der Skala zum Sustained Shared Thinking und zum emotionalen Wohlbefinden (SSTEW), der Kindergarten-Skala-Erweiterung (KES-E) sowie einer selbst entwickelten Skala „Sprach- und kultursensible Raumgestaltung“ (SKR) in Beobachtungen eingeschätzt. Die multikulturellen und assimilativen Überzeugungen der frühpädagogischen Fachkräfte gingen neben ausgewählten Struktur- und Fachkraftmerkmalen getrennt in Strukturgleichungsmodelle ein. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die multikulturellen Überzeugungen der frühpädagogischen Fachkräfte signifikant positiv mit der Subskala „Sprache“ der KES‑E und der Skala „Sprach- und kultursensible Raumgestaltung“ zusammenhingen. Die assimilativen Überzeugungen waren hingegen mit keiner der drei sprachspezifischen Qualitätsmaße assoziiert.
Radiological lung sequelae, functional status and symptoms in older patients 3 and 6 months after hospitalization for COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors: Di Pentima Chiara , Cecchini Sara , Spannella Francesco , Giulietti Federico , Allevi Massimiliano , Schiavi Paola , Carnevali Francesca , Zoppi Lorenzo , Ciociola Maria Carmela , Ventura Fiammetta , Dragano Gina , Giordano Piero , Paci Enrico , Sarzani Riccardo
Published: April 2023

The aim of our study was to assess the lung sequelae and clinical consequences 3 and 6 months after hospitalization for COVID-19 pneumonia in older patients. An observational study was conducted on 55 patients aged 65 years and older. Activities of daily living (ADL) and clinical frailty scale (CFS) were assessed at baseline and after 3 months. Both quantitative assessment at chest high-resolution computed tomography (CT) and semi-quantitative severity score (CTSS) were performed at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. Mean age: 82.3 ± 7.1 years. Male prevalence: 56.4%. After 6 months, ground-glass opacities (GGO) were still detectable in 22% of subjects, while consolidations were no longer appreciable. During follow-up, CTSS reached an overall median score of zero after 6 months. Fibrotic-like changes were found in 40% of subjects with an overall median score of 0 (0–5) points, being more prevalent in males. Patients reporting worsening ADL and CFS were 10.9% and 45.5%, respectively. They were associated with the burden of comorbidities, especially history of heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at baseline. Amnesic disorders, exertional dyspnea, and fatigue were the most relevant symptoms reported. No association emerged between persistent or new-onset symptoms and evidence of fibrotic-like changes. The typical chest CT abnormalities of the COVID-19 pneumonia acute phase resolved in most of our older patients. Mild fibrotic-like changes persisted in less than half of the patients, especially males, without significantly affecting the functional status and frailty condition, which instead were more likely associated with pre-existing comorbidities.
Design and modeling of high-performance mid-wave infrared InAsSb-based nBn photodetector using barrier band engineering approaches
Authors: Shaveisi Maryam , Aliparast Peiman
Published: April 2023

We report a new nBn photodetector (nBn-PD) design based on the InAlSb/AlSb/InAlSb/InAsSb material systems for mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) applications. In this structure, delta-doped compositionally graded barrier (δ-DCGB) layers are suggested, the advantage of which is creation of a near zero valence band offset in nBn photodetectors. The design of the δ-DCGB nBn-PD device includes a 3 µm absorber layer (n-InAs0.81Sb0.19), a unipolar barrier layer (AlSb), and 0.2 μm contact layer (n-InAs0.81Sb0.19) as well as a 0.116 µm linear grading region (InAlSb) from the contact to the barrier layer and also from the barrier to the absorber layer. The analysis includes various dark current contributions, such as the Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH), trap-assisted tunneling (TAT), Auger, and Radiative recombination mechanisms, to acquire more precise results. Consequently, we show that the method used in the nBn device design leads to diffusion-limited dark current so that the dark current density is 2.596 × 10−8 A/cm2 at 150 K and a bias voltage of − 0.2 V. The proposed nBn detector exhibits a 50% cutoff wavelength of more than 5 µm, the peak current responsivity is 1.6 A/W at a wavelength of 4.5 µm and a − 0.2 V bias with 0.05 W/cm2 backside illumination without anti-reflective coating. The maximum quantum efficiency at 4.5 µm is about 48.6%, and peak specific detectivity (D*) is of 3.37 × 1010 cm⋅Hz1/2/W. Next, to solve the reflection concern in this nBn devices, we use a BaF2 anti-reflection coating layer due to its high transmittance in the MWIR window. It leads to an increase of almost 100% in the optical response metrics, such as the current responsivity, quantum efficiency, and detectivity, compared to the optical response without an anti-reflection coating layer.

Graphical Abstract
Uncountable Family of 0-Rigid Continua that are Homeomorphic to Their Inverse Limits
Authors: Črepnjak Matevž , Kac Teja
Published: April 2023

It is a well-known fact that there are continua X such that the inverse limit of any inverse sequence $$\{X,f_n\}$$

{
X
,

f
n

}

with surjective continuous bonding functions $$f_n$$

f
n

is homeomorphic to X. The pseudoarc or any Cook continuum are examples of such continua. Recently, a large family of continua X was constructed in such a way that X is $$\frac{1}{m}$$

1
m

-rigid and the inverse limit of any inverse sequence $$\{X,f_n\}$$

{
X
,

f
n

}

with surjective continuous bonding functions $$f_n$$

f
n

is homeomorphic to X by Banič and Kac. In this paper, we construct an uncountable family of pairwise non-homeomorphic continua X such that X is 0-rigid and prove that for any sequence $$(f_n)$$

(

f
n

)

of continuous surjections on X, the inverse limit $$\varprojlim \{X,f_n\}$$

lim
←

{
X
,

f
n

}

is homeomorphic to X.
A Synthetic Indicator of the Quality of Support for Businesses in Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, and Ghana
Authors: Kouam Jean C. , Asongu Simplice A. , Meh Bin J. , Nantchouang Robert , Asanga Fri L. , Foretia Denis A.
Published: April 2023

This paper proposes a synthetic indicator of the quality of support for companies and identifies the factors that can contribute towards improving the quality of such support in three countries (i.e., Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, and Ghana). The study uses static mechanics and applies techniques of factor analysis. A principal component analysis is performed on the data collected from 80 business support structures in the sampled countries. After constructing the indicators, correlates are provided on how the constructed indicators are linked to the objectives of sustainable development. Our results are robust after controlling for variables relating to the general characteristics of the support structure. The findings are consistent with the position that taking sustainable development objectives into account in business support practices would significantly improve business performance in sampled countries and, by extension, in sub-Saharan Africa. The originality of the study stems from the fact that it considers specific sustainable development goals and assesses their contribution to improving the quality of support for companies, a research area that has not been investigated hitherto by the extant literature. Implications for all stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and future research directions are discussed.
Condition-based multi-component maintenance decision support under degradation uncertainties
Authors: Islam Abu MD Ariful , Vatn Jørn
Published: April 2023

Multi-component maintenance optimization is a well-studied area for age-based failure models but in contrast, incorporation of condition-based maintenance (CBM) is still an open area of research. Taking advantage of condition monitoring information for updating components’ health conditions demands a dynamic short-term approach when grouping multiple activities subject to CBM policy. Degradation models are commonly utilized in CBM for predicting the future condition of a given component to decide appropriate maintenance actions where inherent uncertainties exist in the degradation processes. There are a limited number of works in literature that account for degradation uncertainties where maintenance cost is a function of such uncertainty. This paper aims to develop a maintenance decision support for a multi-component system by incorporating CBM while considering the degradation uncertainties. In this paper, a two-stage stochastic programming is proposed to address such an issue and the problem is formulated for situations where maintenance opportunities are limited due to practical constraints (e.g., remote offshore maintenance operations of wind farms, unmanned platforms in oil and gas industries, etc.). The concept of marginal cost is used in developing the equation of optimality. This is a combinatorial problem and becomes intractable when the number of components is large therefore a heuristic is proposed to reduce the problem size which reduces the required computational time substantially. It is shown that significant cost savings are possible, especially, when the downtime cost and common setup cost are significant. A numerical example is provided with a system of six components achieving above$$10\%$$10%cost reduction when the degradation uncertainties are taken into account.
Correction factors for commissioning and patient specific quality assurance of stereotactic fields in a Monte Carlo based treatment planning system
Authors: Goodall Simon K. , Rowshanfarzad Pejman , Ebert Martin A.
Published: April 2023

Validation of small field dosimetry is crucial for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Accurate and considered measurement of linear accelerator dose must be compared to precise and accurate calculation by the treatment planning system (TPS). Monte Carlo calculated distributions contain statistical noise, reducing the reliance that should be given to single voxel doses. The average dose to a small volume of interest (VOI) can minimise the influence of noise, but for small fields introduces significant volume averaging. Similar challenges present during measurement of composite dose from clinical plans when a small volume ionisation chamber is used. This study derived correction factors for VOI averaged TPS doses calculated for small fields, allowing correction to an isocentre dose following account for statistical noise. These factors were used to determine an optimal VOI to represent small volume ionisation chambers during patient specific quality assurance (PSQA). A retrospective comparison of 82 SRS and 28 SBRT PSQA measurements to TPS calculated doses from varying VOI was completed to evaluate the determined volumes. Small field commissioning correction factors of under 5% were obtained for field sizes of 8 mm and larger. Optimal spherical VOI with radius between 1.5 and 1.8 mm and 2.5 to 2.9 mm were determined for IBA CC01 and CC04 ionisation chambers respectively. Review of PSQA confirmed an optimal agreement between CC01 measured doses and a volume of 1.5 to 1.8 mm while CC04 measured doses showed no variation with VOI.
Expressive Avatars: Vitality in Virtual Worlds
Authors: Ekdahl David , Osler Lucy
Published: April 2023

Critics have argued that human-controlled avatar interactions fail to facilitate the kinds of expressivity and social understanding afforded by our physical bodies. We identify three claims meant to justify the supposed expressive limits of avatar interactions compared to our physical interactions. First, “The Limited Expressivity Claim”: avatars have a more limited expressive range than our physical bodies. Second, “The Inputted Expressivity Claim”: any expressive avatarial behaviour must be deliberately inputted by the user. Third, “The Decoding Claim”: users must infer or figure out the expressive meaning of human-controlled avatars’ behaviour through cognitively onerous processes. With the aim of critically assessing all three claims, we analyze data collected through observations of and interviews with expert players of the avatar-based video game League of Legends. Focusing on Daniel Stern’s (2010) notion of vitality, we analyze the participants’ descriptions of seeing and interacting with other avatars during performance. Our analysis shows that the informants experience human-based avatarial interactions as qualitatively different than interactions with bots, that the informants see the movements of other players’ avatars as having different expressive styles, and that the informants actively use and manipulate this avatarial expressivity during performance. The results of our analysis, we argue, provide reasons for loosening or resisting the three claims concerning the limits of avatarial expressivity.
Zika virus infection of retinal cells and the developing mouse eye induces host responses that contrasts to the brain and dengue virus infection
Authors: Cowell E. , Kris L. P. , Bracho-Granado G. , Jaber H. , Smith J. R. , Carr J. M.
Published: April 2023

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection causes ocular and neurological pathologies with ZIKV-induction of developmental abnormalities following in utero infection a major concern. The study here has compared ZIKV and the related dengue virus (DENV) infection in the eye and brain. In vitro, both ZIKV and DENV could infect cell lines representing the retinal pigmented epithelium, endothelial cells, and Mueller cells, with distinct innate responses in each cell type. In a 1-day old mouse challenge model, both ZIKV and DENV infected the brain and eye by day 6 post-infection (pi). ZIKV was present at comparable levels in both tissues, with RNA increasing with time post-infection. DENV infected the brain, but RNA was detected in the eye of less than half of the mice challenged. NanoString analysis demonstrated comparable host responses in the brain for both viruses, including induction of mRNA for myosin light chain-2 (Mly2), and numerous antiviral and inflammatory genes. Notably, mRNA for multiple complement proteins were induced, but C2 and C4a were uniquely induced by ZIKV but not DENV. Consistent with the viral infection in the eye, DENV induced few responses while ZIKV induced substantial inflammatory and antiviral responses. Compared to the brain, ZIKV in the eye did not induce mRNAs such as C3, downregulated Retnla, and upregulated CSF-1. Morphologically, the ZIKV-infected retina demonstrated reduced formation of specific retinal layers. Thus, although ZIKV and DENV can both infect the eye and brain, there are distinct differences in host cell and tissue inflammatory responses that may be relevant to ZIKV replication and disease.