bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Parenting Practices in Greek Families Through the “Child Rearing Practice Report” Questionnaire: A Validation Study
Authors: Kadoglou Maria , Tziaka Eftychia , Kotsis Konstantinos , Samakouri Maria , Serdari Aspasia
Published: February 2025

Parenting practices are vital in a child’s development. The modified Block “Child Rearing Practices Report” has been used to assess these practices, allowing further analysis combining other parental characteristics. This study aimed to validate the measure in a Greek sample and explored the associations between parenting practices, styles, and parental characteristics. The sample consisted of 547 parents of pre-school children. The psychometric properties of the Q-short Child Rearing Practices Report (CRPR) provide evidence for its feasibility as an assessment tool for parenting approaches. Two factors of parenting practices were validated from the CRPR Greek version. Authoritative style predicted nurturing approaches. Authoritarian and strict styles indicated restrictive practices among mothers, as fathers adopted permissive and strict styles. The higher the mother’s educational level was, the lower the restrictive behaviors she exhibited toward the child. These links may enrich the existing scientific evidence on the effects of parenting styles in parenting practices and allow cross-cultural comparisons.
EXPRESS: Beyond Opt-Out: How Presumed-Consent Language Shapes Persuasion
Authors: Cadario Romain , Zimmermann Jenny , Van den Bergh Bram
Published: February 2025

When using opt-out (vs. opt-in) policies, choice architects presume that people consent, rather than explicitly asking them to state their consent. While opt-out policies often increase compliance, they are also associated with managerial issues such as ethical considerations, legal regulations, limited public support, and increased no-show rates. This research demonstrates that choice architects can also establish presumed-consent through the language they use, holding the opt-in policy constant. Seven studies in various health domains indicate that presumed-consent language (e.g., “a vaccine was arranged for you”) rather than explicit-consent language (e.g., “you can choose to get a vaccine”) increases persuasion (i.e., behavioral intentions, actual behaviors). This effect occurs through perceived endorsement: Decision makers infer through the presumed-consent language that the desired health behavior (e.g., vaccination) is the recommended course of action. Furthermore, this research examines the proposed endorsement process under various conditions. When product tangibility is low (e.g., a flu shot), the effectiveness of presumed-consent language stems primarily from perceived endorsement rather than psychological ownership or perceived ease. In contrast, when product tangibility is high (e.g., a sunscreen lotion), the effect stems primarily from psychological ownership rather than perceived endorsement or perceived ease.
Do Technologies Damage Our Personal Life? The Association of Technostress and Work-Life Fit for Employees’ Psychological Well-Being: A Cross-Cultural Mediation Model
Authors: Bottaro Rossella , De Giovanni Katya , Faraci Palmira
Published: February 2025

Introduction: The integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into the daily and professional lives of individuals has a significant impact on their psychological well-being. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to gain novel insights into the relationships between technostress, psychological well-being and work-life fit, as well as the cultural differences between Maltese and Italian employees. Methods: The study sample consisted of 362 workers, with equal representation from both countries, who completed an online survey from March to April 2023. The mean age of the participants was 43.36 years ( SD = 11.51). A series of psychometric self-report instruments were used to assess the study variables. t-tests and mediation analyses were conducted to compare the new theoretical model across groups. Results: The results indicated that the Maltese group scored higher on technostress, techno-invasion, and work-life interface than the Italian group. However, the Maltese group scored lower on work-life improvement, perceived social support from family and friends, life satisfaction, and self-esteem compared to the Italian group. Finally, our findings support the indirect effect of technostress on the indicators of psychological well-being mediated by work/personal life enhancement for both the whole and Maltese sample, but only partially for the Italian group. Conclusions: This paper provides further insight into the impact of ICTs on employees’ work and personal lives, while highlighting the significant cultural differences between countries. It is crucial to promote the healthy use of ICTs in the workplace while ensuring an appropriate work-life fit. Finally, a culture-oriented perspective was emphasized.
How Memes Affect Constituents’ Social Approval and Intention to Support Firms
Authors: Reger Rhonda K. , Deng Chaoqun , Mmbaga Brandy , Mmbaga Nick
Published: February 2025

Theorists have suggested that firms seek to maintain or increase their social approval—defined as constituents’ general affinity for a firm—due to the belief that such approval significantly influences support for the firm and other important firm outcomes. However, the mechanisms underlying changes in constituents’ social approval and the translation of such approval into intention to support the firm remain unclear. In addition, most social approval research has focused on traditional media, whereas constituents increasingly get their news about firms from social media. To address these omissions, we use rhetorical theory to theorize that two characteristics of social media content—emotionality and satire—persuade constituents to change their social approval evaluations of firms and that changes in social approval affect constituents’ intention to support firms. We test the framework using memes in three online surveys that allow us to isolate these effects while maintaining ecological validity. Our results indicate that positive negative emotionality in social media content increases and decreases an individual’s approval of a firm, respectively, and satire amplifies these effects. Changes in approval similarly affect intention to support the firm. We also find a spillover effect for positive content but an individuating effect for negative content. We contribute to social approval and social media research by showing the power of social media content to change constituents’ approval of firms. Our findings advance social approval and social media research in management as new forms of media content emerge and shift how individuals evaluate and subsequently support firms.
Quantitative natural language processing markers of psychoactive drug effects: A pre-registered systematic review
Authors: Ahuja Sachin , Zaher Farida , Palaniyappan Lena
Published: February 2025

Psychoactive substances used for recreational purposes have mind-altering effects, but systematic evaluation of these effects is largely limited to self-reports. Automated analysis of expressed language (speech and written text) using natural language processing (NLP) tools can provide objective readouts of mental states. In this pre-registered systematic review, we investigate findings from applying the emerging field of computational linguistics to substance use with specific focus on identifying short-term effects of psychoactive drugs. From the literature identified to date, we note that all the studied drugs – stimulants, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cannabis, ketamine and psychedelics – affect language production. Based on two or more studies per substance, we note some emerging patterns: stimulants increase verbosity; lysergic acid diethylamide reduces the lexicon; MDMA increases semantic proximity to emotional words; psilocybin increases positive sentiment and cannabis affects speech stream acoustics. Ketamine and other drugs are understudied regarding NLP features (one or no studies). One study provided externally validated support for NLP and machine learning-based identification of MDMA intoxication. We could not undertake a meta-analysis due to the high degree of heterogeneity among outcome measures and the lack of sufficient number of studies. We identify a need for harmonised speech tasks to improve replicability and comparability, standardisation of methods for curating and analysing speech and text data, theory-driven inquiries and the need for developing a shared ‘substance use language corpus’ for data mining. The growing field of computational linguistics can be utilized to advance human behavioral pharmacology of psychoactive substances. Achieving this will require concerted efforts towards consistency in research methods.
Barriers to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake for men who have sex with both men and women: A global scoping review
Authors: Crossman Jodie , Richardson Daniel
Published: February 2025

Background

Although PrEP is a highly effective HIV prevention method, some groups are underrepresented in PrEP uptake. Much HIV prevention research groups gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men together; however, men who have sex with both men and women (MSWM) may have needs distinct from those who identify as exclusively gay. This scoping review aims to explore documented barriers to PrEP use among MSWM.

Methods

Literature was searched using four databases. Studies were included if data referring to MSWM were reported as a distinct category. Data were extracted using a standardised form, and findings were stratified into relevant categories of the social ecological framework.

Results

Alongside intersectional barriers, MSWM were found to have lower awareness of PrEP, and access sexual health services less than men who have sex only with men. Those who did not identify with the LGBT community often missed out on health promotion messages for this group and were less likely to be offered HIV prevention interventions. MSWM identified more stigmatisation around PrEP use than gay men. However, when aware of PrEP, MSWM were very motivated to use this intervention.

Conclusions

Not all MSM will identify within the LGBTQ + community and may miss out on valuable opportunities for HIV prevention. PrEP information should be widely available in a variety of health and community settings. Health care professionals should avoid assumptions when assessing patients and provide information about HIV and STI prevention to all attending sexual health services.
EXPRESS: Navigating the digital hospitality frontier: Unravelling the intricacies between technology adoption level and tech-induced role ambiguity
Authors: Park Hyekyung , McGinley Sean P , Wei Wei
Published: February 2025

The restaurant industry rapidly adopted mobile ordering technology during the pandemic, with certain customers preferring it post-pandemic. Understanding its impact on employees is crucial, particularly regarding role ambiguity in handling both face-to-face and mobile orders. Using the Job Demands-Resources Model and the Coping Model of User Adaptation, this study explores how mobile order adoption in restaurants impacts employees' perceived role ambiguity and job performance. Findings from 483 restaurant frontline employees showed a curvilinear relationship between the level of mobile order adoption and role ambiguity – a moderate adoption level induced peak ambiguity. These findings emphasize the need to manage role ambiguity in integrating mobile ordering technology effectively.
Characterizing gait in people with multiple sclerosis using digital data from smartphone sensors: A proposed framework
Authors: Karatsidis Angelos , Angelini Lorenza , Scaramozza Matthew , Bartholome Emmanuel , Clinch Susanne P , Shen Changyu , Lindemann Michael , Mazzà Claudia , Scotland Alf , van Beek Johan , Belachew Shibeshih , Craveiro Licinio
Published: February 2025

Background:

Mobility assessment is essential for monitoring disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Technologies such as wearable sensors show potential for this purpose, but consensus is needed to optimize collection and interpretation of digital measures in PwMS.

Objective:

To propose a framework for measuring and interpreting key aspects of impaired gait in PwMS using a smartphone worn at the waist level.

Methods:

The framework was developed on the basis of clinical understanding and knowledge of sensor signal processing, supported by a systematic literature review (SLR). The SLR targeted articles published after 2011 that measured gait characteristics in PwMS. Findings were used to propose standardized definitions for complementary gait domains and define digital measures that should be captured for each domain.

Results:

The resulting framework for PwMS recommends definitions for pace, rhythm, stability, symmetry, variability, smoothness, complexity and fatigability gait domains. For each domain, a set of digital measures is described with respect to their interpretability and associated caveats.

Conclusion:

This framework provides recommendations for measuring complex gait patterns in PwMS using widely available technology. This work promotes the use of standardized gait domain definitions and harmonized descriptions of associated digital measures, paving the way for future validation efforts.
Correlates of Youth Sex Trafficking in the United States: The Role of the Environment in Shaping Vulnerability and Demand
Authors: Twis Mary , Cimino Andrea N. , Plunk Marilyn , Mendenhall Ashley , Mancus Gibran
Published: February 2025

This study explores potential correlates of youth sex trafficking (YST) within the exosystem and macrosystem of the social-ecological model (SEM). A literature review of studies ( n = 25) published between 2012 and 2024 identified factors linked to YST vulnerability and demand, including factors related to land use, concentrated disadvantage, the digital environment, and the built and social environment. Protective factors in the exosystem and macrosystem, such as strong community ties and anti-trafficking education and legislation, were also noted. Findings highlight the need for broader research on environmental predictors of YST, as predictive variables have the capacity to inform YST prevention strategies.
“Simpleness”: a qualitative description study exploring patient perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of using digital health tools to self-manage inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Ajibulu Lekan , Chappell Kaitlyn Delaney , Seow Cynthia H. , Goodman Karen J. , Wong Karen
Published: February 2025

Background:

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition requiring lifelong management and frequent interactions with healthcare providers. Digital health tools have the potential to enhance disease management by providing real-time data and improving care coordination. Despite their potential, there is limited evidence on patient perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators to the adoption of these tools.

Objectives:

To explore patient perspectives on the barriers and facilitators associated with using digital health tools for IBD self-management, focusing on the adoption of a tool called MyIBDToolkit.

Design:

This study employed a qualitative description approach to gather detailed insights into patient experiences.

Methods:

Participants with a confirmed IBD diagnosis were recruited from clinics in Alberta, Canada. Data were collected via virtual semi-structured interviews conducted between June and July 2024. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes, and member checking ensured the credibility of the findings.

Results:

Eighteen interviews were conducted, reaching thematic saturation. Participants viewed MyIBDToolkit as beneficial for enhancing disease monitoring and care coordination. However, concerns about data entry burden, privacy, and engagement emerged as significant barriers. Variability in healthcare provider use of the tool was another critical concern.

Conclusion:

While digital health tools such as MyIBDToolkit have the potential to improve IBD self-management, addressing barriers such as usability, privacy, and sustainability is crucial. Incorporating patient feedback during the design process can enhance the effectiveness and acceptability of these tools in chronic disease management.
Advanced prediction of Myers-Briggs personality traits using hybrid CNN-LSTM models and textual data
Authors: Zhu Zhimo
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the application of deep learning models to predict MBTI personality types, leveraging their potential to identify prevalent patterns and support organizational interventions. Four models were evaluated: 1-layer, 2-layer, and 3-layer Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), and a hybrid CNN-LSTM model. The performance of these models was assessed using metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and confusion matrices. Training involved 60 epochs with regularization techniques like early stopping, batch normalization, and dropout to mitigate overfitting and enhance model performance. Key findings reveal that the 1-layer CNN demonstrated superior performance among standalone CNN models, while the hybrid CNN-LSTM outperformed all models, achieving a high F1-score of 97.16%. The hybrid model's balanced metrics highlight its robustness and efficiency in classifying personality types within the MBTI dataset. Insights from confusion matrices further emphasize the hybrid model's ability to provide correct predictions across multiple classes, surpassing simpler and multi-layer architectures. The study underscores the utility of hybrid architectures in complex classification tasks and their potential for workplace applications, such as task assignments and promoting inclusivity. By integrating personality insights, organizations can foster more effective work environments, boosting employee satisfaction and productivity. These findings offer a solid foundation for refining model selection in future personality prediction research.
Tooth morbidity and its impact on oral related quality of life in elderly tribal population-The Irula experience
Authors: Sukumar Margret Beaula Alocious , Peter Roshni Mary , Joseph Alex
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Oral diseases are a major global health challenge, posing health and economic burdens that have profound impacts on the quality of life, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations such as tribal communities. Among scheduled tribes in India, the Irula community belongs to one of the tribes most vulnerable by poor access to health care and education. The elders in the population have increased incidence and prevalence rates of tooth morbidities-an increased incidence of caries, non-carious lesions, and periodontitis-related conditions that affect oral health related quality of life (OHQOL) dimensions.

Objectives

This study aims to assess tooth morbidity and tooth loss among older Irula community members, identify risk factors, and evaluate how oral and physical comorbidities have been associated with OHRQoL.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on elderly persons aged 60 years and above in Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India. A multi-stage random sampling technique was employed in the study. Data were collected by semi-structured questionnaires covering demographics, medical history, oral health practices, and quality of life by clinical dental examination. The tools used included the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) the Smith and Knight Tooth wear index for non-carious lesions, and the Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Needs (CPITN) index for periodontal disease Furthermore, quality of life assessment was carried out utilizing the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Subsequently, Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the predictors of OHRQoL.

Results

The prevalence of carious lesions was 38.5%, non-carious lesions 70%, periodontitis 70.8%, and tooth loss 53.6%. Only 2.3% of participants had restorative dental treatments. Multivariate analysis reveals that illiteracy (AOR = 0.163, p = 0.003), arthritis (AOR = 0.340, p = 0.001), carious lesions (AOR = 1.402, p = 0.031), periodontal disease (AOR = 1.663, p = 0.002), and tooth loss (AOR = 2.744, p = 0.001) affected OHRQoL significantly.

Conclusion

The results regarding the elderly community of Irula point towards the severe oral health disparities observed among them; thus, this raises an urgent need to develop a public health intervention for this eminent existing fact. Removing education and socioeconomic barriers, improving access to dental health care, and advocating culturally appropriate preventive programs could increase OHRQoL. Longitudinal study and policy-driven approaches should be carried out in future studies for sustainable health equity of the tribal population.
Dementia as a predictor of palliative care: Uncovering patient patterns based on German claims data
Authors: Rakuša Elena , Reinke Constantin , Doblhammer Gabriele , Radbruch Lukas , Schmid Matthias , Welchowski Thomas
Published: February 2025

Background

Palliative care aims to ensure a dignified and self-determined life for people facing the end of life. While palliative care is established for tumor diseases, it’s notably absent from German medical guidelines for other progressive diseases with an unfavorable prognosis such as dementia. This study will identify predictors of palliative care use in older patients and explore how these predictors relate to the probability of palliative care.

Methods

We used data from the largest German health insurance company of people over 50 years of age from the period 2014–2019. The analysis focused on the last year of life. Outcomes were outpatient and inpatient palliative care and predictors were demographics, comorbidities, therapeutic remedies and rehabilitation, care and medical interventions, medication and patient group. Combined logistic regression models and discrete conditional inference survival forests were used to predict the utilization of outpatient and inpatient palliative care. For evaluation we used concordance-index and calibration plots. We identified the most important predictors by using a permutation approach and the log-loss metric.

Results

The study cohort for the analysis of inpatient palliative care comprised 43,896 patients, while the cohort for the analysis of outpatient palliative care included a total of 37,430 patients. The models had appropriate discriminatory power (inpatient palliative care: concordance-index = 0.737 (95%CI = 0.721–0.754); outpatient palliative care: concordance-index = 0.689; 95%CI = 0.675–0.704) and showed appropriate calibration. A diagnosis of dementia, like a diagnosis of cancer, is predictive of inpatient palliative care and outpatient palliative care. We observed a lower probability for inpatient and for outpatient palliative care for dementia patients compared to cancer patients.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the need to focus palliative care on other patient groups besides cancer patients, such as dementia patients, and to facilitate access for all patients.
Predictive modeling of biodegradation pathways using transformer architectures
Authors: Brydon Liam , Zhang Kunyang , Dobbie Gillian , Taškova Katerina , Wicker Jörg Simon
Published: February 2025

In recent years, the integration of machine learning techniques into chemical reaction product prediction has opened new avenues for understanding and predicting the behaviour of chemical substances. The necessity for such predictive methods stems from the growing regulatory and social awareness of the environmental consequences associated with the persistence and accumulation of chemical residues. Traditional biodegradation prediction methods rely on expert knowledge to perform predictions. However, creating this expert knowledge is becoming increasingly prohibitive due to the complexity and diversity of newer datasets, leaving existing methods unable to perform predictions on these datasets. We formulate the product prediction problem as a sequence-to-sequence generation task and take inspiration from natural language processing and other reaction prediction tasks. In doing so, we reduce the need for the expensive manual creation of expert-based rules.
Nasal pathobiont abundance does not differ between dairy cattle with or without clinical symptoms of bovine respiratory disease
Authors: Centeno-Delphia Ruth Eunice , Long Erica A. , Ellis Audrey C. , Hofmann Sarah , Mosier Kara , Ulloa Noelmi , Cheng Johnnie Junior , Richards Andrew , Boerman Jacquelyn P. , Koziol Jennifer , Verma Mohit S. , Johnson Timothy A.
Published: February 2025

Background

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains a significant health and economic problem to the dairy cattle industry. Multiple risk factors contribute to BRD susceptibility including the bacterial pathobionts Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni, and Mycoplasma bovis. Studies have characterized and quantified the abundance of these bacteria in the nasal cavity of cattle to infer and help disease diagnosis; nonetheless, there is still discrepancy in the results observed of when these microbes are commensal or pathogenic. Additionally, some of these studies are limited to a specific farm. The goal of this study is to compare the nasal microbiome community (diversity and composition) and the abundance of the four bacterial pathogens (by qPCR) in the nasal cavity to identify differences between dairy calves that are apparently healthy and those identified to have BRD. Nasal swabs were collected from approximately 50 apparently healthy and 50 BRD-affected calves sampled from five different dairy farms in the US (CA, IN, NY (two farms), and TX).

Results

Calves diagnosed with BRD in NY, and TX had lower nasal microbiome diversity compared to the apparently healthy calves. Differences in the nasal microbiome composition were observed between the different farms predicted by Bray-Curtis and weighted UniFrac dissimilarities. Commensal and pathobiont genera Acinetobacter, Moraxella, Psychrobacter, Histophilus, Mannheimia, Mycoplasma, and Pasteurella were prevalent in the bovine nasal microbiome regardless of farm or disease status. The BRD-pathobiont H. somni was the most prevalent pathobiont among all the samples and M. bovis the least prevalent. Only in CA was the abundance of a pathobiont different according to disease status, where M. haemolytica was significantly more abundant in the BRD-affected animals than apparently healthy animals.

Conclusions

This study offers insight into the nasal microbiome community composition in both animals diagnosed with BRD and healthy animals, and shows that the farm effect plays a more significant role in determining the microbiome community than disease status in young dairy calves.
Marital Bargaining and Assortative Mating on Fertility Preference : Evidence based on Cross-sectional Data in China
Authors: Zhuang Meiyi , Naito Hisahiro
Published: February 2025

Background Decisions regarding child-bearing are among the most consequential ones within families, as child-rearing necessitates the active involvement of both partners. This dynamic suggests that individuals may seek partners with similar fertility preferences, leading to assortative mating based on these shared preferences. Data and Methods This study investigates second-child fertility decisions using data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies and applies the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. Furthermore, it examines assortative matching based on fertility preferences, utilizing the 2020 provincial-level sex ratio for individuals aged 20–39 as a proxy for women’s bargaining power in the marriage market. Results The results, based on a sample of 2,351 household-level observations, indicate that spouses’ preferences are complementary. When a husband (or wife) desires a second child, their own preference has a stronger impact on the actual decision to have a second child if their partner also expresses the same desire. Additionally, the findings reveal evidence of assortative mating in terms of preferences for the desired number of children: when a husband’s (or wife’s) ideal number of children increases by one, the wife (or husband) prefers 0.32 (0.49) additional children. Moreover, in provinces with higher male-to-female sex ratios—indicating stronger bargaining power for women—a wife’s preference is more strongly aligned with her husband’s preference. For men, however, a husband’s preference aligns with his wife’s preference regardless of the sex ratio, suggesting that men’s bargaining power in the marriage market is relatively weak. Conclusions The findings have two key implications. First, shared fertility preferences between spouses exert a complementary effect, increasing the likelihood of having a second child. Second, marriage matching is not random, as individuals are more likely to partner with those who share similar fertility preferences. Additionally, women with greater bargaining power positively influence their husbands’ desired family size.
The macroeconomic determinants of trade openness in Latin American countries: A panel data analysis
Authors: Morán Santamaría Rogger Orlando , Llonto Caicedo Yefferson , Cúneo Fernández Francisco Eduardo , Nikolays Pedro Lizana Guevara , Percy Junior Castro Mejía , Pérez Pérez Milagros Judith , Vela Meléndez Lindon , Montenegro López Moises Elias
Published: February 2025

Background Trade openness shows a positive impact on economic growth, supported by economic theory, and export diversification and economic complexity show a positive dynamic in trade openness in the world; however, a specificity is generated in South American countries. Therefore, the objective of the research is to analyse the macroeconomic determinants of trade openness in Latin American countries. Methods The research approach was quantitative and explanatory using panel data methodology from the databases of the World Bank, Harvard University and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean for the period 2000-2020. Results The fixed effects panel data model showed that the variables that had a negative impact on trade openness were GDP, the economic complexity index and the logistic performance index, while the variables that had a positive impact were exports of high-tech products (a proxy for innovation), exports, imports, research and development expenditure and interregional trade in goods. Conclusions Therefore, during the analysis period of 2000-2020 in South America, based on the panel data analysis under fixed effects, a total of 8 countries had a negative impact on trade openness, and only the economies of Chile, French Guiana, and Brazil had a positive impact on trade openness; these economies are characterized by their better performance in the economic complexity index, their higher percentage of budget for research and development expenses, and their trade policies oriented towards the industrialization of their value-added products.
Micromegas with GEM preamplification for enhanced energy threshold in low-background gaseous time projection chambers
Authors: Castel Pablo Juan Francisco , Cebrián Guajardo Susana , Dafni Theopisti , Díez Ibáñez David , Galán Lacarra Javier , García Pascual Juan Antonio , Ezquerro Sastre Álvaro , García Irastorza Igor , Luzón Marco Gloria , Margalejo Blasco Cristina , Mirallas Sánchez Héctor , Obis Aparicio Luis , Ortiz de Solórzano Alfonso , Pérez Lázaro Óscar , Porrón Lafuente Jorge , Jiménez Puyuelo María
Published: February 2025

Background We develop the concept of a Micromegas readout plane with an additional GEM preamplification stage placed a few millimetres above it to increase the maximum effective gain of the combined readout. Methods We implement it and test it in realistic conditions for its application to low-background dark matter searches like the TREX-DM experiment. For this, we use a Micromegas of microbulk type, built with radiopure materials. Results We report on GEM effective extra gain factors of about 90, 50 and 20 in 1, 4 and 10 bar of Ar-1%iC4H10. These results are obtained in a small test chamber allowing for systematic scanning of voltages and pressures. In addition, a TREX-DM full-scale set-up has also been built and tested, featuring a replica of the fully-patterned TREX-DM microbulk readout. Conclusions The results here obtained show promise to lower the threshold of the experiment down to 50 eV ee , corresponding to substantially enhanced sensitivity to low-mass WIMPs.
Current Perspectives on Psoriasis and Its Therapeutic Approaches: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Oleksy Daria , Hermanowicz Kamil , Kaczmarska Urszula , Woźniak Aleksandra , Cioch Michał Jakub , Nowak Julia , Doman Katarzyna , Mycyk Marcin , Najdek Agnieszka , Komada Dawid
Published: February 2025

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by an accelerated keratinocyte cell cycle, leading to the formation of scaly plaques. The pathogenesis of psoriasis involves complex interactions between immune system cells and keratinocytes, with a key role played by T lymphocytes. Genetic and environmental factors play a significant role in the development of the disease.
Contamination of dietary supplements: the impact of the undeclared compounds on health, consequences of daily usage and prevention strategies
Authors: Przygodzka Sabina , Rutkiewicz Maciej , Gadżała Katarzyna , Garbino Karolina , Brudniak Katarzyna , Szuścik Antoni Szuścik , Czyczerska Magdalena
Published: February 2025

Throughout recent years, dietary supplement usage significantly increased. The reason behind it is a desire to enhance physical performance due to the healthy-body trend. As the primarily unregulated market grows, so does the possibility of consumer exploitation. By releasing products intentionally or unintentionally contaminated by undeclared active compounds, producers endanger the health of many people worldwide. Components found in ergonutritional products have a broad spectrum of properties but also many adverse effects, which may occur in long-term use, including cardiovascular, neurological complications, and hormonal imbalance, among others. It is pivotal for users to be aware of the possible risks of DS consumption and crucial for governments to tighten regulations regarding manufacturing, testing, and labeling food supplements to ensure the safety of consumers.
Évolution de la sante vegetale et impacts de l’erosion dans la region d’Oueltana Amont (Maroc): Une analyse basee sur l’indice NDVI.
Authors: El Bakkari Mohamed
Published: February 2025

L’article explore l’évolution de la santé végétale dans la région d’Oueltana amont à
travers l’analyse de l’indice de végétation normalisé (NDVI) entre 1984 et 2016.
L’indice NDVI, calculé à partir des images satellites, montre une tendance générale à
la régression de l’activité végétale malgré des fluctuations saisonnières et annuelles.
Cette dégradation est principalement attribuée à la surexploitation des forêts et aux
pratiques agricoles non durables telles que le défrichement et le surpâturage.
L’érosion hydrique, exacerbée par la diminution du couvert végétal, est identifiée
comme une conséquence majeure de ces activités humaines. Les terrains très
accidentés de la région sont particulièrement vulnérables à ce phénomène, affectant
la fertilité des sols et la qualité de l’eau. Les pratiques agricoles inadaptées, telles que
le labour intensif et la jachère, aggravent encore ce problème en réduisant
l’infiltration et en augmentant le ruissellement.
Les agriculteurs locaux ont adopté des stratégies d’adaptation, telles que la culture
d’arbres fruitiers et la construction de terrasses, pour atténuer les effets de l’érosion
et améliorer la gestion des ressources en eau. Cependant, ces efforts sont confrontés
à des défis tels que le coût élevé d’entretien et la déprise rurale, limitant leur efficacité
à long terme.
L’article met en lumière l’importance de politiques et de pratiques agricoles durables
pour préserver la santé écologique de la région, soulignant la nécessité d’une gestion
intégrée des ressources naturelles et d’une participation communautaire accrue
pour renforcer la résilience face aux défis environnementaux croissants.
Integrated GIS and remote sensing tools approach for the management of peripheral areas in Maghreb cities from 1988-2005. Case study: Greater Agadir (Morocco) and the city of Algiers (Algeria).
Authors: Atik Mohamed , Mahmoud Sebbab Mohamed , Ousbih Mehdi , El Ouahidi Abdelhadi
Published: February 2025

This paper aims to characterize the state of land use and its spatio-temporal evolution
of the two representative sites: Greater Agadir (Morocco) and the eastern periphery
of Algiers (Algeria). To fulfill this objective, we applied the supervised classifications
and grid method on a series of satellite images, “Landsat-TM and ETM” from 1988-
2005, and aerial photos and orthophotos. This processing is supported by surveys
and field data. Then we produced maps to obtain quantitative data on the
spatiotemporal evolution of land cover and the assessment of agricultural land
consumption. We concluded that the study areas experienced poorly managed
urbanization which has encroached on half of the agricultural area during the period
1987-2005 with the loss of more than 12,000 ha at a rate of 700 ha/year.
Cartographie et l’évaluation de l’érosion hydrique dans le bassin versant de l’Ouèd Bou Lajraf (BV de l’Ouèd Inaouène) à l’aide du modèle PAP/CAR et des outils SIG.
Authors: Benaissa Mohamed , Gartet Jaouad , Sahi Fouad , Hamdach Mustapha
Published: February 2025

L’étude de l’érosion hydrique dans les sous bassins versants d’Inaouène représente
un phénomène dynamique au fil du temps, avec le changement d’un ou plusieurs
facteurs responsables.
Dans le bassin versant Bou Lajraf qui représente un sous bassin versant d’Inaouène,
la fragilité des sols, les pentes élevées et la succession des années sèches favorisent
de plus l’exposition des versants vers la dégradation de la couche superficielle, plus
particulièrement dans la partie amont du BV.
Utilisation de l’approche PAP/CAR pour une étude descriptive de l’érosion hydrique
dans le BV Bou Lajraf fournira une connaissance géomorphologique de l’état des
versants.
La méthode d’approche adoptée, basée sur l’observation systématique de divers
phénomènes sur le terrain. Ainsi pour chaque type de milieu défini composant le
bassin versant, nous avons relevé toutes les manifestations morphogéniques. Les
interprétations sont basées sur l’analyse des éléments du milieu physique et humain
(modes d’exploitation du sol).
L’analyse qualitative de l’érosion hydrique dans le bassin versant Bou Lajraf par la
méthode PAP/CAR, permis de donner des résultats sur la situation géomorphologique
de la surface au niveau de l’érosion hydrique. L’approche prédictive montre que 75%
du BV présentent un état érosif élevé et très élevé.
La fragilité des matériaux et leur sensibilité à l’érosion hydrique revêtent d’autant
plus d’importance que la plupart des terrains sont dénudés et directement exposés
aux effets morphogéniques des évènements pluviométriques.
The evolution of canon law in the church of Englad: from the act of supremacy to the canons of the church of England
Authors: Kilanowski Igor
Published: February 2025

The study explores the axiological, theological, and doctrinal underpinnings of Canon Law in the Church of England, alongside the historical development of Anglican legal philosophy. It includes references to state law, acknowledging its impact on the Anglican community. The article culminates in a historical analysis of modern canon law formation within the Canons of the Church of England. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of ecclesiastical communities having autonomy in shaping their own laws, free from external influences.
Code and Data Repository for Approximate Resolution of Stochastic Choice-based Discrete Planning
Authors: Zhang Jiajie , Lin Yun Hui , Berbeglia Gerardo
Published: February 2025

This repository provides data for the problem and code for the proposed sampling-based Benders decomposition (SBBD) algorthm and the benchmarking solution approaches.
SAMANTHA: IA APLICADA AO ESTUDO DA RELAÇÃO ENTRE ATENÇÃO E APRENDIZAGEM
Authors: Souza Ribeiro Elias , Eduardo Batista de Sousa Carlos
Published: February 2025

Este estudo apresenta uma Inteligência Artificial (IA) generativa chamada Samantha, desenvolvida para investigar a relação entre atenção e aprendizado. A pesquisa foca na capacidade da atenção de prever conflitos educacionais e desempenho em sala de aula. Foi criada uma aplicação psicométrica chamada iGnosi, que classifica a atenção em quatro categorias: Concentrada, Alerta, Dividida e Alternada. Dados psicométricos foram coletados de 144 alunos de graduação. Para o desenvolvimento da Samantha, utilizou-se o modelo base GPT-3.5 turbo 125, treinado com um dataset contendo 577 entradas para três papéis: System, User e Assistant. O treinamento envolveu 307.266 tokens em 3 epochs, resultando em uma perda de treinamento de 0,0318. Nos testes iniciais, Samantha demonstrou habilidade em interpretar e orientar pesquisadores e docentes com base nos resultados, mostrando-se inspiradora e motivadora. Seus feedbacks foram cuidadosos, mesmo em cenários de baixo desempenho dos alunos. Conclui-se que a utilização da IA em pesquisas educacionais pode prever problemas em sala de aula e que o uso generativo da IA pode ajudar a superar barreiras entre a cultura científica e os docentes.
MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in transfusion medicine
Authors:   Department of Medical Technology, College of Allied Health Sciences, Rattana Bundit University, Pathum Tani Province, Thailand., Arpornsuwan Teerakul , Roytrakul Sittiruk ,   National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development, Pathum Thani Province, Thailand.
Published: February 2025

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a valuable tool in clinical research. In transfusion medicine, DNA-based genotyping is increasingly replacing serological methods for precise blood group determination. MALDI-TOF MS platforms for SNP genotyping have been rigorously developed and validated against serological techniques. MALDITOF MS offers high-throughput capacity, exceptional multiplexing, and direct detection, resulting in high accuracy and flexibility. The ability to perform blood group genotyping, bacterial identification via peptide barcoding, and detection of hemoglobinopathies and hemoglobin adducts in both donors and recipients makes MALDI-TOF MS a promising technology for resolving complex blood typing cases and enhancing clinical utility in transfusion medicine.
Electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation techniques for patients with rotator cuff injury
Authors: Wang Zi-Yue , Zhang Yi , Pei Hang , Wang Chao , He Bang-Jian
Published: February 2025

Recently, we read a retrospective study by Chen et al , which demonstrated that electroacupuncture is highly effective in relieving pain due to rotator cuff injuries and accelerating the recovery of shoulder function, promoting repair of rotator cuff injuries. This study provides a new way to the conservative treatment of early rotator cuff injuries. In the present letter, we review the current treatment of rotator cuff injury with electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation techniques and propose our views.
Improving the performance of multifocal diffractive lens designs by adding a peripheral piston
Authors: Goswami Sabyasachi , Zou Tianlun , Aissati Sara , Gandara-Montano Gustavo , Zheleznyak Len , Marcos Susana
Published: February 2025

Peripheral piston modulation in diffractive multifocal lenses suggests potential improvements in distance vision quality. Five lens designs—bifocal (BF), bifocal with piston (BFP), trifocal (TF), trifocal with piston (TFP), and a commercial refractive (RCN)—were compared using an adaptive optics visual simulator. Optical simulations revealed enhanced optical quality for distant objects with peripheral pistons, without compromising near vision. Visual performance and quality were assessed in eight cycloplegic young subjects. The peripheral piston was associated with trends toward improved high- and low-contrast visual acuity and visual preference scores at distance, suggesting functional and perceptual benefits over non-piston designs.
Dynamic coded encryption using tunable spatial coherence of random lasers
Authors: Gao Liming , Wang Wenzhi , Li Zhihao , Xu Lihailiang , Cai Yangjian , Wan Yuan
Published: February 2025

Random lasers hold significant promise in the field of information encryption due to their advantages of low spatial coherence and multi-degree-of-freedom control. We propose a dynamic coded encryption approach based on the tunable spatial coherence of random lasers. By varying the magnitude of the external voltage applied to the sample, the spatial coherence of the random laser can be reversibly changed. This phenomenon derives from the electric dipole moment effect in liquid crystals, where the application of voltage causes deflection of the liquid crystal molecules, leading to a change in the refractive index, and consequently affecting the spatial coherence of the random laser. Therefore, multiple visibility outputs, which are utilized for dynamic coded encryption, can be achieved through the double-slit interference method by applying different voltages to the sample array. Information encryption transmission is accomplished by interconverting the data into ASCII code according to different systems based on binary or quaternary digits. Moreover, pulse time series of random laser visibility can be realized by modulating the voltage in real time for individual samples, facilitating a compact encryption system. This work is expected to inspire the application of random lasers in secure data storage and information encryption.
Solidarity with the Dead
Authors: Pápai Zsolt
Published: February 2025

From the 1950s onwards, Hollywood has broken with the racist portrayal of Natives found in classic Westerns of previous decades, yet the emancipation/rehabilitation of Natives has still barely succeeded. This is due to the evaluative principles and value perspectives of Hollywood films. Hollywood films are structurally unsuitable for the emancipation/rehabilitation of Natives. This paper proves this assertion in three steps. First, we will briefly review the situation before the supposed turning point of the 1950s and outline the paradigm shift of the fifties. In the second step, we examine the image of the hero in Hollywood films and how compatible (or incompatible) it is with the portrayal of Native people in films. Finally, we will analyze the portrayal of Natives in a contemporary film, Killers of the Flower Moon (director: Martin Scorsese), released in 2023. The film was undoubtedly made with good intentions, but it is not free from the problems of representation of Natives. In the paper, we discuss the indigenous people and their descendants in the current territory of the United States, but we consistently avoid using the term “Native American”, opting instead for the simplified noun “Native”. The politically correct term “Native American” actually reflects the perspective of the white mainstream, making it incorrect. It interprets the homeland of the Natives as America, even though it was the conquering whites who named the continent America.