bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction: Indigenous Studies in Archives and Beyond: Relationships, Reciprocity, and Responsibilities
Authors: O'Neal Jennifer R.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article provides an overview of the entire volume, as well as each article, focused on honoring and centering Indigenous ways of knowing in research through relationality, responsibility, and reciprocity. Each article highlights collaborative, community-engaged, and innovative research projects from various institutions and repositories related to Native American and Indigenous studies. Major themes include preserving Indigenous knowledge systems through language revitalization, establishing Indigenous archives, developing tribal research protocols, repatriating collections, connecting to land, collaborating with non-Native institutions, and cultivating new generations of Indigenous scholars in various fields of higher education. Finally, it reflects on lessons learned from respectful and ethical collaboration with Indigenous communities.
Retinal image quality for multifocal lenses with on- and off-axis annular zones
Authors: Westheimer Gerald
Published: May 2024

Multi-focal intra-ocular or contact lenses, intended to increase depth of focus, conventionally have annular zones of additional refractive power, generating wavefront rings of coaxial spherical surfaces. It is, however, possible to influence depth of focus by changing not only the curvature of the wavefront, i.e., refractive power, in the annulus, but also the tilt, i.e., circularly symmetrical linear radial deviation imposed on the spherical wavefront. Employing the example of a single annulus bifocal, retinal image light distributions in the two regimes are calculated, using standard diffraction theory. Four measures of retinal image quality in through-focus scans show that plus power additions and wavefront tilts operate almost interchangeably. In testing these lenses, attention needs to be paid to the detailed operating characteristics of measuring devices of the Shack-Hartmann type to ensure that their grain and precision is compatible with the framework of the analysis.
Enhancing the performance of coherent Ising machines in the large-noise regime with a fifth-order nonlinearity
Authors: Shi Ruqi , Böhm Fabian , Van Vaerenbergh Thomas , Bienstman Peter
Published: May 2024

Coherent Ising machines (CIMs), leveraging the bistable physical properties of coherent light to emulate Ising spins, exhibit great potential as hardware accelerators for tackling complex combinatorial optimization problems. Recent advances have demonstrated that the performance of CIMs can be enhanced either by incorporating large random noise or higher-order nonlinearities, yet their combined effects on CIM performance remain mainly unexplored. In this work, we develop a numerical CIM model that utilizes a tunable fifth-order polynomial nonlinear dynamic function under large noise levels, which has the potential to be implemented in all-optical platforms. We propose a normal form of a CIM model that allows for both supercritical and subcritical pitchfork bifurcation operational regimes, with fifth-order nonlinearity and tunable hyperparameters to control the Ising spin dynamics. In the benchmark studies, we simulate various sets of MaxCut problems using our fifth-order polynomial CIM model. The results show a significant performance improvement, achieving an average of 59.5% improvement in median time-to-solution (TTS) and an average of 6 times improvement in median success rate (SR) for dense Maxcut problems in the BiqMac library, compared to the commonly used third-order polynomial CIM model with low noise. The fifth-order polynomial CIM model in the large-noise regime also shows better performance trends as the problem size scales up. These findings reveal the enhancements on the computational performance of Ising machines in the large-nose regime from fifth-order nonlinearity, showing important implications for both simulation and hardware perspectives.
Pixelwise immersion factor calibration for underwater hyperspectral imaging instruments
Authors: Liu Hongbo , Summers Natalie , Chen Yi-Chun , Løvås Håvard Snefjellå , Johnsen Geir , Koestner Daniel , Sætre Camilla , Hamre Børge
Published: May 2024

In situ spectral reflectance initially captured at high spatial resolution with underwater hyperspectral imaging (UHI) is effective for classification and quantification in oceanic biogeochemical studies; however, the measured spectral radiance is rarely used as an absolute quantity due to challenges in calibration of UHI instruments. In this paper, a commercial UHI instrument was calibrated for radiometric flat field response and pixelwise immersion effect to support in situ measurement of absolute spectral radiance. The radiometric and immersion factor calibrations of the UHI instrument were evaluated quantitatively through comparative experiments with a spectroradiometer and a spectrometer. Results show that the immersion factor of the center pixel of the tested UHI instrument was 1.763 in pure water at 600 nm, and the averaged difference in immersion factor between the center and edge pixel of the UHI instrument in the visible light band was only 1∼3% across its half angle field of view of 35° in air. The new calibration coefficients were further used to calculate the spectral radiance of transmitted sunlight through ice algae clusters in sea ice measured by the UHI instrument during an Arctic under-ice bio-optical survey.
Axially slow-variation microbubble resonators fabricated by an improved arc discharge method for strain sensing applications
Authors: Lv Gan , Xie Chengfeng , Wang Mengyu , Guo Zhuang , Wei Bin , Shi Jiulin , He Xingdao
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we proposed an axially slow-variation microbubble resonator fabricated by an improved arc discharge method and applied to axial strain sensing. The prepared resonators are characterized by ultra-thin wall thickness and axial slow-variation. The wall thickness was experimentally measured to reach 938 nm and maintain a quality factor of an optical mode as large as 7.36 ×107. The main factors affecting the strain sensitivity of the microbubble resonators are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Experimentally, the maximum sensitivity measured was 13.08pm/µε, which is three times higher than the microbubble resonators without this method. The device is simple to prepare and possesses ultra-thin wall thickness. It is promising for applications in high-precision sensing, such as single molecule and biological sensing.
Multi-functional and actively tunable terahertz metamaterial absorber based on graphene and vanadium dioxide composite structure
Authors: Hossain A. B. M. Arafat , Khaleque Abdul
Published: May 2024

In this paper, a fabrication friendly terahertz (THz) metamaterial hybrid absorber comprised of square-shaped graphene and U-shaped vanadium dioxide is proposed and numerically analyzed. This device can be tuned dynamically to function as a wide-broadband, reduced-broadband, multi-band, or perfect single-band absorber. Switchable qualities are achieved through simultaneous tuning of the electrical properties of graphene and the phase transition properties of vanadium dioxide. The theory behind the absorption is explored using the distribution of the electric field and the theory of impedance matching. It is clear from the simulation results that the suggested structure can perform as a wide-broadband absorber for the transverse electric (TE) wave during the insulating phase of vanadium dioxide. In this case, graphene’s Fermi energy is configured to 0.7 eV, and it has a 0.1 ps relaxation time. Moreover, only changing the relaxation time to 0.5 ps enables the identical structure to perform as a multi-band absorber. On the contrary, the designed structure exhibits a reduced broadband absorption for the TE wave when the vanadium dioxide is thermally tuned to a metallic state and graphene’s Fermi energy is configured to 0 eV with a 0.1 ps relaxation time. Moreover, by inducing the metallic state in vanadium dioxide and adjusting the Fermi energy of graphene to 0.3 eV with a 0.1 ps relaxation time, the structure performs as a single-band perfect absorber. The main advantage of this work is that the proposed absorber device can be operated as a single-band, multi-band, or broadband absorber with two different bandwidths by applying external voltage and changing temperature. Additionally, for both the TE and transverse magnetic (TM) waves, the structure retains a high level of absorption until 40° of incident angle. Finally, due to its multi-functional property, simple geometric structure, and actively adjustable function, the presented structure has possible real-life applications in the terahertz frequency range.
Dissecting Bayes: Using influence measures to test normative use of probability density information derived from a sample
Authors: Ota Keiji , Maloney Laurence T.
Published: May 2024

Bayesian decision theory (BDT) is frequently used to model normative performance in perceptual, motor, and cognitive decision tasks where the possible outcomes of actions are associated with rewards or penalties. The resulting normative models specify how decision makers should encode and combine information about uncertainty and value–step by step–in order to maximize their expected reward. When prior, likelihood, and posterior are probabilities, the Bayesian computation requires only simple arithmetic operations: addition, etc. We focus on visual cognitive tasks where Bayesian computations are carried out not on probabilities but on (1) probability density functions and (2) these probability density functions are derived from samples. We break the BDT model into a series of computations and test human ability to carry out each of these computations in isolation. We test three necessary properties of normative use of pdf information derived from a sample–accuracy, additivity and influence. Influence measures allow us to assess how much weight each point in the sample is assigned in making decisions and allow us to compare normative use (weighting) of samples to actual, point by point. We find that human decision makers violate accuracy and additivity systematically but that the cost of failure in accuracy or additivity would be minor in common decision tasks. However, a comparison of measured influence for each sample point with normative influence measures demonstrates that the individual’s use of sample information is markedly different from the predictions of BDT. We will show that the normative BDT model takes into account the geometric symmetries of the pdf while the human decision maker does not. An alternative model basing decisions on a single extreme sample point provided a better account for participants’ data than the normative BDT model.
Evaluation of mucosal-associated invariant T-cells as a potential biomarker to predict infection risk in liver cirrhosis
Authors: Bengtsson Bonnie , Maucourant Christopher , Sandberg Johan K. , Björkström Niklas K. , Hagström Hannes
Published: May 2024

Background and aims

Infection is a serious complication in patients with cirrhosis. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are involved in the immune defense against infections and known to be impaired in several chronic conditions, including cirrhosis. Here, we evaluated if MAIT cell levels in peripheral blood are associated with risk of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

Patients with cirrhosis seen at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, between 2016 and 2019 were included. Levels of MAIT cells in peripheral blood were determined using flow cytometry. Baseline and follow-up data after at least two years of follow-up were collected by chart review for the primary outcome (bacterial infection) and secondary outcomes (decompensation and death). Competing risk and Cox regression were performed.

Results

We included 106 patients with cirrhosis. The median MAIT cells fraction in the circulation was 0.8% in cirrhosis compared to 6.1% in healthy controls. In contrast to our hypothesis, we found an association in the adjusted analysis between relatively preserved MAIT cell levels, and a slightly higher risk to develop bacterial infections (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (aSHR) 1.15 (95%CI = 1.01–1.31). However, MAIT cell levels were not associated with the risk of hepatic decompensation (aSHR 1.19 (95%CI = 0.91–1.56)) nor with death (adjusted hazard ratio 1.10 (95%CI = 0.97–1.22)).

Conclusions

Relatively preserved MAIT cell levels in blood of patients with cirrhosis were associated with a somewhat higher risk of bacterial infections. The clinical relevance of this might not be strong. MAIT cells might however be an interesting biomarker to explore in future studies.
Environmental attitude and affective-motivational beliefs towards sustainability of secondary school children in Germany and their associations with gender, age, school type, socio-economic status and time spent in nature
Authors: Bucht Charlotta , Bachner Joachim , Spengler Sarah
Published: May 2024

There are warnings that human actions will lead to irreversible environmental damage if they continue at their current pace and scale. With regard to individual aspects, a pro-environmental attitude and positive affective-motivational beliefs towards sustainability represent fundamentals for a more sustainable future. However, there is little data regarding these constructs and relevant explanatory factors, especially with regard to young people. We examined environmental attitude (two-dimensional: utilization and preservation) and affective-motivational beliefs towards sustainability with regard to gender, age, socio-economic status, school type and time spent in nature in 484 adolescents (11–14 years) living in German cities by means of univariate and multiple regression analyses. Mean values were high in preservation and affective-motivational beliefs towards sustainability, and relatively low in utilization. Female adolescents had higher values compared to male students in affective-motivational beliefs towards sustainability. Age did not play a substantial role. Although being strongly correlated with each other, school type and socio-economic status each exhibited positive associations to environmental attitude and affective-motivational beliefs towards sustainability. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses identified time spent in nature as a significant predictor of incremental value, suggesting a tentative recommendation to spend at least half an hour per week in nature in order to promote positive attitudes towards the environment and sustainability. In sum, special needs for topic-related education seem to exist for male students, students with lower formal level of education, students with a lower socio-economic status and students who spend little time in nature.
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with symptomatic chronic myocardial injury in a Tanzanian emergency department: A prospective observational study
Authors: Rahim Faraan O. , Sakita Francis M. , Coaxum Lauren A. , Kweka Godfrey L. , Loring Zak , Mlangi Jerome J. , Galson Sophie W. , Tarimo Tumsifu G. , Temu Gloria , Bloomfield Gerald S. , Hertz Julian T
Published: May 2024

Background

Chronic myocardial injury is a condition defined by stably elevated cardiac biomarkers without acute myocardial ischemia. Although studies from high-income countries have reported that chronic myocardial injury predicts adverse prognosis, there are no published data about the condition in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

Between November 2020 and January 2023, adult patients with chest pain or shortness of breath were recruited from an emergency department in Moshi, Tanzania. Medical history and point-of-care troponin T (cTnT) assays were obtained from participants; those whose initial and three-hour repeat cTnT values were abnormally elevated but within 11% of each other were defined as having chronic myocardial injury. Mortality was assessed thirty days following enrollment.

Results

Of 568 enrolled participants, 81 (14.3%) had chronic myocardial injury, 73 (12.9%) had acute myocardial injury, and 412 (72.5%) had undetectable cTnT values. Of participants with chronic myocardial injury, the mean (± sd) age was 61.5 (± 17.2) years, and the most common comorbidities were CKD (n = 65, 80%) and hypertension (n = 60, 74%). After adjusting for CKD, thirty-day mortality rates (38% vs. 36%, aOR 1.03, 95% CI: 0.52–2.03, p = 0.931) were similar between participants with chronic myocardial injury and those with acute myocardial injury, but significantly greater (38% vs. 13.6%, aOR 3.63, 95% CI: 1.98–6.65, p<0.001) among participants with chronic myocardial injury than those with undetectable cTnT values.

Conclusion

In Tanzania, chronic myocardial injury is a poor prognostic indicator associated with high risk of short-term mortality. Clinicians practicing in this region should triage patients with stably elevated cTn levels in light of their increased risk.
Is there a bilingual advantage in auditory attention among children? A systematic review and meta-analysis of standardized auditory attention tests
Authors: Bao Wenfu , Alain Claude , Thaut Michael , Molnar Monika
Published: May 2024

A wealth of research has investigated the associations between bilingualism and cognition, especially in regards to executive function. Some developmental studies reveal different cognitive profiles between monolinguals and bilinguals in visual or audio-visual attention tasks, which might stem from their attention allocation differences. Yet, whether such distinction exists in the auditory domain alone is unknown. In this study, we compared differences in auditory attention, measured by standardized tests, between monolingual and bilingual children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in three electronic databases: OVID Medline, OVID PsycInfo, and EBSCO CINAHL. Twenty studies using standardized tests to assess auditory attention in monolingual and bilingual participants aged less than 18 years were identified. We assessed the quality of these studies using a scoring tool for evaluating primary research. For statistical analysis, we pooled the effect size in a random-effects meta-analytic model, where between-study heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. No substantial publication bias was observed based on the funnel plot. Further, meta-regression modelling suggests that test measure (accuracy vs. response times) significantly affected the studies’ effect sizes whereas other factors (e.g., participant age, stimulus type) did not. Specifically, studies reporting accuracy observed marginally greater accuracy in bilinguals (g = 0.10), whereas those reporting response times indicated faster latency in monolinguals (g = -0.34). There was little difference between monolingual and bilingual children’s performance on standardized auditory attention tests. We also found that studies tend to include a wide variety of bilingual children but report limited language background information of the participants. This, unfortunately, limits the potential theoretical contributions of the reviewed studies. Recommendations to improve the quality of future research are discussed.
A machine learning model for the early diagnosis of bloodstream infection in patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit
Authors: Liporaci Felipe , Carlotti Danilo , Carlotti Ana
Published: May 2024

Bloodstream infection (BSI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and high healthcare costs. Early detection and appropriate treatment of BSI may improve patient’s outcome. Data on machine-learning models to predict BSI in pediatric patients are limited and neither study included time series data. We aimed to develop a machine learning model to predict an early diagnosis of BSI in patients admitted to the PICU. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who had at least one positive blood culture result during stay at a PICU of a tertiary-care university hospital, from January 1st to December 31st 2019. Patients with positive blood culture results with growth of contaminants and those with incomplete data were excluded. Models were developed using demographic, clinical and laboratory data collected from the electronic medical record. Laboratory data (complete blood cell counts with differential and C-reactive protein) and vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation) were obtained 72 hours before and on the day of blood culture collection. A total of 8816 data from 76 patients were processed by the models. The machine committee was the best-performing model, showing accuracy of 99.33%, precision of 98.89%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 98.46%. Hence, we developed a model using demographic, clinical and laboratory data collected on a routine basis that was able to detect BSI with excellent accuracy and precision, and high sensitivity and specificity. The inclusion of vital signs and laboratory data variation over time allowed the model to identify temporal changes that could be suggestive of the diagnosis of BSI. Our model might help the medical team in clinical-decision making by creating an alert in the electronic medical record, which may allow early antimicrobial initiation and better outcomes.
Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus in oral squamous cell carcinoma with or without chewing habits
Authors: Anwar Namrah , Chundriger Qurratulain , Awan Sohail , Moatter Tariq , Ali Tazeen Saeed , Abdul Rasheed Maria , Pervez Shahid
Published: May 2024

Oral cancer (OC) is the most common cancer in Pakistani males and the second most common in females. Major risk factors include peculiar chewing habits, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and molecular pathways. However, less data is available for this avertible cancer regarding its association with high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) and chewing habits in this region. Therefore, this study was done to determine the prevalence of HR-HPV in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its correlation with p16 and chewing habits. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsy specimens of 186 samples were tested for HR-HPV type 16/18 by PCR, followed by p16 immunostaining (IHC) in a subset of cases (n = 50). Appropriate statistical tests were applied to find the association between HR-HPV/p16 and peculiar chewing habits with significance criteria of p<0.05 with 95% CI. HR-HPV (type 16 &18) was present in seven out of 186 cases (3.8%). Of these seven cases, five were positive for HPV16, whereas two were positive for HPV16/18. The overall expression of p16 protein in 50 samples was 38% (n = 19), and among these 19-IHC positive samples, 26% were positive for HR-HPV DNA. No significant association was found between HR-HPV positivity and p16 and chewing habits (p>0.05). It was concluded that HR-HPV prevalence in OSCC was very low in our population, with no statistically significant correlation with p16 and chewing habits. These results suggest the role of HR-HPV as an independent risk factor in OSCC in the local setting.
The effects of HIV and oncogenic human papillomavirus on the tumor immune microenvironment of penile squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Mumba Chibamba , Muhimbe Zoran , Mapulanga Victor , Kawimbe Musonda , Mutale Keagan , Hamasuku Anglin , Musumali Jane , Mwale Nicholas K. , Ngalamika Owen
Published: May 2024

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) occurs more frequently in some developing countries compared to developed countries. Infection with HIV and/or high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) are risk factors for penile cancer development. The tumor microenvironment of PSCC may predict prognosis and may inform on the best targets for immunotherapy. We evaluated the immune microenvironment of penile tumors histologically, and determined whether and/or how HIV and/or hrHPV infections affect this tumor microenvironment. We conducted a prospective analytical cross-sectional study in which penile cancer tumors from 35 patients presenting at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia were histologically staged and assessed for presence of tumor infiltrating immune cells and expression of immune checkpoints. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate immune checkpoints and infiltrating immune cells, while multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for hrHPV genotyping. The median age of all participants was 55 years. About 24% had advanced histological stage, 83% were HIV+, and 63% had hrHPV detected in their tumors using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction. PDL1 expression was significantly higher in HIV- participants than HIV+ participants (p = 0.02). Tumors with multiple hrHPV infections had a significantly higher number of cells expressing TIM3 than those with one hrHPV (p = 0.04). High grade tumors had a significantly higher infiltrate of FoxP3+ cells (p = 0.02), CD68+ cells (p = 0.01), CD163+ cells (p = 0.01), LAG3+ cells (p = 0.01), PD1+ cells (p = 0.01) and TIM3+ cells (p = 0.03) when compared with low grade tumours. There was significant moderate to strong positive correlation of cells expressing PD1 and LAG3 (⍴ = 0.69; p = 0.0001), PD1 and TIM3 (⍴ = 0.49; p = 0.017) and TIM3 and LAG3 PDL1 (⍴ = 0.61; p = 0.001). In conclusion, the tumor microenvironment of penile squamous cell carcinoma seems to be affected by both HIV and HPV infections. TIM3 appears to be a potential therapeutic target in PSCC patients with hrHPV infections.
Corporate governance for sustainable development in Vietnam: Criteria for SOEs based on MCDM approach
Authors: Hoang Phi-Dinh , Nguyen Ly-Thi , Tran Binh-Quoc , Ta Dao-Thi
Published: May 2024

This research explores the nexus between corporate governance and sustainable development, focusing on State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Vietnam. Recognizing the pivotal role of SOEs in the national economy, this study employs a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making approach (MCDM) to assess and enhance the corporate governance frameworks of these entities. First, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model is employed to identify the most qualified prospective SOEs firms based on several quantitative criteria. Then, the spherical fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (SF-AHP) model is used to identify priority weights for a given set of qualitative criteria, the Evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) model is implemented to rank enterprises in the SOEs sector. To validate the proposed models, a case study conducted within the Vietnamese electric power industry is utilized. The MCDM methodology integrates diverse factors such as business management, corporate social responsibility, and corporate governance shareholder to construct a comprehensive evaluation framework. By applying this approach, the study aims to identify the key drivers and barriers influencing corporate governance practices within Vietnamese SOEs. The study’s findings illustrate the efficacy of the suggested approach in evaluating corporate governance performance, providing valuable insights for policymakers, corporate leaders, and stakeholders involved in shaping the governance landscape of SOEs in Vietnam. By aligning corporate governance with sustainable development principles, the research aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on responsible business practices, offering practical recommendations to enhance the performance and resilience of SOEs in the pursuit of long-term socio-economic and environmental sustainability.
Utility of data from the Danish National School Test Program for health research purposes: Content and associations with sociodemographic factors and higher education
Authors: Hjulmand Anders H. , Trabjerg Betina B. , Dreier Julie W. , Christensen Jakob
Published: May 2024

The Danish National School Test Program is a set of nationwide tests performed annually since 2010 in all public schools in Denmark. To assess the utility of this data resource for health research purposes, we examined the association of school test performance with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as correlations with ninth-grade exams and higher educational attainment. This nationwide descriptive register-based study includes children born between 1994 and 2010 who lived in Denmark at the age of six years. Norm-based test scores (range 1–100, higher scores indicate better performance) in reading (Danish) and mathematics from the Danish National School Test Program were obtained for children aged 6–16 attending public schools in Denmark from 2010 to 2019. Population registers were used to identify relevant demographic and socioeconomic variables. Mean test scores by demographic and socioeconomic variables were estimated using linear regression models. Among the full Danish population of 1,137,290 children (51.3% male), 960,450 (84.5%) children attended public schools. There were 885,360 children who completed one or more tests in reading or mathematics (test participation was 77.8% for the entire population, and 92.1% for children in public schools). Mean test scores varied by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, most notably with education and labour market affiliation of parents. For every 1-point decrease in the test scores, there was a 0.95% (95% CI: 0.93%; 0.97%) lower probability of scoring B or higher in the ninth-grade exam and a 1.03% (95% CI: 1.00%; 1.05%) lower probability of completing high school within five years after graduating from lower secondary school. In this study of schoolchildren in Denmark, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were associated with test scores from the Danish National School Test Program. Performance in school tests correlated closely with later educational attainment, suggesting that these early measures of school performance are good markers of subsequent academic potential.
Meta-analysis: on average, undergraduate students’ intelligence is merely average
Authors: Uttl Bob , Violo Victoria , Gibson Lacey
Published: May 2024

Background:

According to a widespread belief, the average IQ of university students is 115 to 130 IQ points, that is, substantially higher than the average IQ of the general population (M = 100, SD = 15). We traced the origin of this belief to obsolete intelligence data collected in 1940s and 1950s when university education was the privilege of a few. Examination of more recent IQ data indicate that IQ of university students and university graduates dropped to the average of the general population. The decline in students’ IQ is a necessary consequence of increasing educational attainment over the last 80 years. Today, graduating from university is more common than completing high school in the 1940s.

Method:

We conducted a meta-analysis of the mean IQ scores of college and university students samples tested with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale between 1939 and 2022.

Results:

The results show that the average IQ of undergraduate students today is a mere 102 IQ points and declined by approximately 0.2 IQ points per year. The students’ IQ also varies substantially across universities and is correlated with the selectivity of universities (measured by average SAT scores of admitted students).

Discussion:

These findings have wide-ranging implications. First, universities and professors need to realize that students are no longer extraordinary but merely average, and have to adjust curricula and academic standards. Second, employers can no longer rely on applicants with university degrees to be more capable or smarter than those without degrees. Third, students need to realize that acceptance into university is no longer an invitation to join an elite group. Fourth, the myth of brilliant undergraduate students in scientific and popular literature needs to be dispelled. Fifth, estimating premorbid IQ based on educational attainment is vastly inaccurate, obsolete, not evidence based, and mere wishful thinking. Sixth, obsolete IQ data or tests ought not to be used to make high-stakes decisions about individuals, for example, by clinical psychologists to opine about the intelligence and cognitive abilities of their clients.
Die »neue« Rechte im Kontext
Authors: Garsztecki Stefan , Laux Thomas , Nebelin Marian
Published: May 2024

Stefan Garsztecki, Thomas Laux und Marian Nebelin widmen sich in diesem Beitrag der »neuen« Rechten aus unterschiedlichen disziplinären Perspektiven. Zunächst wird die Entstehungsgeschichte der »neuen« Rechten in den Fokus genommen und anschließend ihre gesellschaftliche und politische Dimension diskutiert. Dabei wird deutlich, dass die »neue« Rechte ein globales Phänomen ist, das sich in lokalen Kontexten unterschiedlich zeigt. Exemplarisch wird ihre Bedeutung in Sachsen diskutiert. Die von der »neuen« Rechten ausgehende Gefahr für die Demokratie und den gesellschaftlichen Pluralismus ergibt sich daraus, dass sie gerade nicht neu, jedoch vielfältig in ihrer Erscheinung ist und zu einer Verschiebung der Diskurse nach rechts beiträgt.
Migration, Biopolitiken, Alltagsrassismus
Authors: Friese Heidrun
Published: May 2024

Heidrun Friese macht anhand der Beiträge im Leserforum von Die Zeit (Zeit Online) um Migration deutlich, dass alltagsrassistische Praktiken mitnichten an den ,radikalen Rändern' zu verorten sind. Während die Neue Rechte als extremistische Bewegung erscheint, welche sich von der sog. gesellschaftlichen Mitte absetzt und diese ,verführt' wird deutlich, dass diese im Alltag der ,Mitte' verankert sind. Diese Rassismen richten sich an postkolonialer Imagination und identitären Kulturtheorien aus und sind mit Bio- und Todespolitiken im Mittelmeer verbunden. Vom populär-neurechten Diskurs vehement gefordert, artikulieren sich diese in exterritorialisierten Grenzen Europas, Lagern, Push-Backs, stellen eine machtvolle Verbindung zu Migrationspolitiken her, durchdringen bürgerliche Subjektivität und binden populäre, politische und wissenschaftliche Diskurse zusammen.
Desprecios que matan
Authors: Restrepo Eduardo
Published: May 2024

Colombia ha enfrentado una historia de violencia y desigualdad, con líderes asesinados, masacres y abusos perpetrados por grupos paramilitares, guerrillas y fuerzas estatales. Un ejemplo reciente son las manifestaciones del paro nacional a finales de abril de 2021, surgidas por el aumento de impuestos de productos esenciales y que fueron marcadas por la brutal represión policial. La violencia y despojo de tierras han sido experiencias cotidianas en la vida de muchos colombianos, particularmente en las zonas rurales y empobrecidas. En este libro, Eduardo Restrepo argumenta que la desigualdad y violencia en Colombia están arraigadas en un orden moral jerarquizado que produce existencias »dispensables«, marcadas por el desprecio y la indiferencia. Aunque el análisis se centra en ese país, sugiere que esta dinámica también puede ser relevante en otros países de América Latina. Restrepo aboga por la importancia de un compromiso ético-político en la elaboración de narrativas más comprensivas sobre los problemas sociales y las luchas por el cambio.
Qurb\ani
Authors: Mahar Usman
Published: May 2024

In this article, Usman Mahar reconceptualizes the Urdu termsáqurbá(nearness) andáqurbaniá(sacrifice) by coalescing them intoáqurb\aniá(nearness as a path to altruism). In doing so, he explores the practices and ethics of engagement in the field and its broader politics. By underscoring the methodological and epistemic value of sacrifice and altruism that demands nearness, i.e.áqurb\ani, Mahar diversifies the modes of engaged anthropology that "Global North" scholars have hitherto monopolized with their conceptions. Simultaneously, he reasons that within such methods of engaged and affective anthropology, there are seeds for unbinding humanitarian practices memetic of colonial relations.á
From the Field, With Love
Authors: Grieser Anna , Walter Anna-Maria , Wilk Jacqueline , Bodla Sohaib , Leopold Clarissa
Published: May 2024

Lasting relationships with partners from the field have long been unacknowledged in anthropology. While ethnographers routinely reflect on their positionality and local entanglements during fieldwork, little is exposed of their private and intimate lives, behind closed doors. Instead of asking epistemological questions related to the research setting, this chapter - written in the form of a letter to our shared supervisor Martin Sökefeld - seeks to make sense of the reasons for anthropology students' long-term commitment to a partner met while conducting ethnographic fieldwork. Moreover, we discuss the discipline's reluctance to embrace intimate relationships with partners from the field despite its conceptual aspiration to deconstruct structural inequalities and biases. Lastly, we follow the intricacies of these transnational marriages that, while carrying worldly biases, also push against the (post)-colonial stereotypes and power dynamics anthropology has long aspired to deconstruct.
Performing Technocapitalism
Authors: Coban Alev
Published: May 2024

In Kenya, technology entrepreneurs and makers have to employ their work and emotions in order to re-script their peripheral positionalities within technocapitalism and make Kenya a place for technology development. Based on ethnographic research in makerspaces and co-working spaces in Nairobi, Alev Coban argues that postcolonial technology entrepreneurship is neoliberal and inherently political work. Technology developers, narratives, prototypes, and digital fabrication tools unite to achieve ambiguous Kenyan futures of technocapitalist market integration and decolonial emancipation in order to foster national well-being and disentangle Kenya from exploitative global structures.
Moralische Roboter
Authors: Schmiljun André , Schmiljun Iga Maria
Published: May 2024

Brauchen Roboter moralische Kompetenz? Die Antwort lautet ja. Einerseits benötigen Roboter moralische Kompetenz, um unsere Welt aus Regeln, Vorschriften und Werten zu begreifen, andererseits um von ihrem Umfeld akzeptiert zu werden. Wie aber lässt sich moralische Kompetenz in Roboter implementieren? Welche philosophischen Herausforderungen sind zu erwarten? Und wie können wir uns und unsere Kinder auf Roboter vorbereiten, die irgendwann über moralische Kompetenz verfügen werden? André und Iga Maria Schmiljun skizzieren aus einer humanistisch-philosophischen Perspektive erste Antworten auf diese Fragen und entwickeln einen didaktischen Einstieg in das Thema für die Grundschule.
5 The fluidification of resistance
Authors: Egger Xan , Seefried Neo , Naumann Mascha
Published: May 2024

Berlin's recent history is a product of special circumstances. A place of (political) (social) (cultural) (economic) transformations, repeatedly courted, fought over, idolised, occupied, reinterpreted, overwritten. With the pandemic, there is once again a heightened political and social awareness in society, locally and globally and online. Berlin's much-noted club culture is not only an economic factor but is also a reflection of these social developments. For many queer and marginalised people, club culture is not simply a possibility for hedonistic leisure activities, but a social necessity. Increasingly, we also encounter terms like diversity, awareness or inclusion. All too often, they sound like inflationary buzzwords from (cultural) policy debates, which have been transformed into regulations of neoliberal outsourcing of responsibility without reference to lived realities and their entanglement in power structures. We want to explain these terms, their possibilities in the context of subcultural and queer realities and thus definitions for practice-related action and discuss them within the heterogeneous queer communities and negotiate them in an emancipating way. Furthermore, we want to uncover social power structures, show structural connections, develop multidimensional perspectives and address them to the majority society.
7 "Holding the frame"
Authors: Raiselis Diana
Published: May 2024

In this chapter, Diana Raiselis investigates awareness work in Berlin club cultures through the lens of one queer-feminist collective. Awareness, here, refers to the feminist, activist practice that attends to the crossing of interpersonal boundaries, with an additional focus on harm reduction and safer use. Preceded by a brief summary of previous research findings, this chapter documents how one queer-feminist club cultural collective sees the political and practical project of awareness, implements it in event contexts, and navigates its challenges. This research seeks to illustrate how Berlin club culture actors develop, design and implement awareness teams, to understand how innovations in club culture might yield more broadly applicable forms of social organisation.
»Denken in einer schlechten Welt«
Authors: Pötzsch Holger , Spies Thomas , Kurt Seyda
Published: May 2024

In ihrer Einleitung kontextualisieren Holger Pötzsch, Thomas Spies und eyda Kurt kurz die Entstehung dieses Sammelbandes, bevor sie sich einer Übersicht über den Kritikbegriff zuwenden. Eingeführt werden zentrale Aspekte im Denken von Immanuel Kant und Karl Marx, der kritischen Theorie und der Cultural Studies sowie von Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, Edward Said, Nancy Fraser und anderen. Danach wenden sich die Verfasser kritischen Annäherungen an Videospiele zu und führen dann jeden Beitrag zu diesem Sammelband kurz ein. Zuletzt fordern die Autoren dazu auf, Kritik vor allem mit Blick auf heutige globale Herausforderungen, ernst zu nehmen.
Geschichte im Computerspiel
Authors: Gordeeva Daria
Published: May 2024

Der Beitrag ordnet Computerspiele mit historischem Inhalt in das Feld der populären Erinnerungskultur ein. Daria Gordeeva entwickelt einen methodologischen Ansatz für eine machtkritische Analyse von Historienspielen. Die Anwendbarkeit dieses Ansatzes wird anhand des US-amerikanischen Action-Shooters "Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War" (2020) illustriert. Das Spiel wird einer mehrstufigen Analyse unterzogen: Neben den Spielinhalten und -mechaniken (Narration, Figuren und Immersionspotenziale, audio-visuelle Inszenierung, Wert- und Normvorstellungen sowie Authentizitätskonstruktion) werden der Produktions- und Vertriebshintergrund sowie die Rezeption untersucht. Anschließend wird das Spiel in den erinnerungskulturellen Kontext eingebettet und vor dem Hintergrund der ökonomischen und politischen Logiken der Gaming-Industrie kritisch reflektiert.
Architekturleistungen des Späthistorismus
Authors: Rabl Christian
Published: May 2024

Kaum ein Architekturphänomen ist dermaßen mit Diskredit behaftet wie der Späthistorismus, dessen künstlerische Gelingensbedingungen durch den Kulturumbruch des Fin de Siècle delegitimiert scheinen. Auch wenn die Stilbaukunst um und nach 1900 das bürgerlich-kapitalistische Zeitalter repräsentierte, so lassen sich darunter innovative Ansätze und eklektizistische Weiterschöpfungen ausmachen. Christian Rabl systematisiert diese stilarchitektonischen Fortschritte in ihren Einzelphänomenen - unter anderem an den späthistoristischen Stadtästhetiken von Madrid, Bukarest, Riga, Barcelona und Karlsbad.
Choreophonien
Authors: Ostwald Julia
Published: May 2024

Die Stimme stellt eine konstitutive, aber vernachlässigte Kategorie im Denken über Tanz dar. Anhand von Fallstudien aus dem modernen und zeitgenössischen euroamerikanischen Bühnentanz untersucht Julia Ostwald diverse Stimm-Körper-Konstellationen, die kanonisierten Setzungen von Tanz als stummer Kunstform entgegenlaufen. Mithilfe der Denkfigur der Choreophonien analysiert sie spezifische Verschränkungen von ästhetischen Verfahren, sinnlichen Wahrnehmungen und ihren mikropolitischen Dimensionen. Somit erschließt sie ein tanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsfeld, das nicht nur Impulse für Theorie und Praxis der performativen Künste, sondern auch für die Gender und Queer Studies gibt.
Computergenerierter Zufall als kreatives Moment in Malerei und Literatur
Authors: Vries Andreas de
Published: May 2024

In diesem Beitrag untersucht Andreas de Vries den Einfluss computergenerierten Zufalls auf kreative Prozesse. Als paradigmatisches Beispiel dafür wird eine Werktechnik Gerhard Richters betrachtet, die darin besteht, Farbfolgen quadratischer Raster durch Zufallsgeneratoren berechnen zu lassen. Desweiteren werden die Prinzipien der gängigen Sprachmodelle der Computerlinguistik vorgestellt, die den Zufall in Form von Wahrscheinlichkeitsverteilungen zur Generierung von Texten verwenden. Das öffentlich verfügbare Sprachmodell ChatGPT wird anhand konkreter Dialogbeispiele untersucht und daraus die Schlussfolgerung belegt, dass sein aktuelles Design einerseits das Erkennen oder Vermeiden logischer Inkonsistenzen grundsätzlich nicht ermöglicht, die Rolle des Zufalls allerdings zur Erzeugung neuartiger Texte oder nie dagewesener Aussagen führen kann. Allerdings wäre wie bei Richters Werktechnik der eigentlich kreative Prozess die Auswahl aus zufälligen Artefakten, nicht der Zufall.
Algorithmizität, Autorschaft und Paratext in generativer Kunst und Literatur
Authors: Lucke Alexa
Published: May 2024

Alexa Lucke fragt in ihrem Beitrag nach der Konstitution von Autorschaft und der Bedeutung von Paratexten bei KI-generierten Kunst- und Literaturproduktionen. Der ästhetische Fokus der dargestellten digitalen künstlerischen und literarischen Experimente verlagert sich auf die zugrundeliegenden Algorithmen und maschinellen Prozesse, nicht auf den damit generierten Output. Die begleitenden Paratexte explizieren, implizieren und mystifizieren die algorithmischen Praktiken als Ausdruck von Reorganisationen von historischem Text-, Bild- oder Meta-Datenmaterial. Die Verhandlungen von Autorschaft zwischen Mensch und Maschine werden dabei allerdings häufig für ökonomische oder soziale Platzierungspraktiken in den digitalen (Teil-)Öffentlichkeiten des Kunst- und Literaturmarkts genutzt.
Softwaretools für die Literaturtextanalyse - Ein Überblick
Authors: Johannes Hermann
Published: May 2024

Hermann Johannes gibt einen einführenden Überblick über die verschiedenen Bereiche der Digital Humanities, digitale Methoden sowie deren technische Umsetzungen aus Sicht der Informatik. Dabei werden die Methoden kurz vorgestellt und einige Tools in der digitalen Literaturwissenschaft gemäß ihres jeweiligen technischen Stands, Supports und Anwendungszwecks rezensiert.
Gebiete und Publikationsformen in der Informatik
Authors: Krieger Jennifer
Published: May 2024

Jennifer Krieger gibt nach einer einführenden Definition der Informatik als Wissenschaft und einer kurzen Vorstellung ihrer Gebiete einen Überblick über die wichtigsten Konferenz- und Journalformate in der Informatik sowie einen Einblick in den standardisierten Aufbau von wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten.
Kontingenz und Bildung
Authors: Rangger Matthias
Published: May 2024

Migration ist eines der zentralen Themen der Gegenwart. Migrationsphänomene spiegeln dabei nicht nur die machtvolle Bestimmtheit der sozialen Welt, sondern auch ihre grundlegende Unbestimmtheit. Matthias Rangger geht der Frage nach, wie Bildung unter dieser Bedingung gedacht werden kann. Mittels der Modellierung hegemonietheoretischer Perspektiven leistet er eine migrationspädagogische Akzentuierung eines politisch gedachten Bildungsbegriffs in einer postkolonialen Welt. Bildung zeigt sich hier als Bewegung, die nach einem grundlegend anderen Verhältnis zu sich selbst, zu anderen und zur Welt sucht, um darüber bessere Lebensbedingungen für alle zu ermöglichen.
Der ›dritte Weg‹ - Zur klösterlichen Überwindung der Geschlechterrollen im Zugang zur Schriftlichkeit
Authors: Link Martin
Published: May 2024

Im Mittelalter spielte die Klosterwelt eine besondere Rolle, was die Rolle der Geschlechter angeht. Aufgrund des gemeinsamen Strebens nach einem kontemplativen Leben war eine geschlechtliche Differenzierung bezüglich der zu verrichtenden Arbeit dort zunächst nicht vorgesehen, was sich allerdings in den folgenden Regelwerken schnell änderte. Dennoch sind viele Schriftzeugnisse von Nonnen erhalten, die einige kalligrafische Besonderheiten aufweisen. Dabei erweist sich der Zugang zur Schrift für beide Geschlechter als monastisches Alleinstellungsmerkmal, das zusammen mit dem Streben nach Vollkommenheit einen »dritten Weg« jenseits von stereotypischen Geschlechterrollen darstellt.