bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Dried Thyme Leaf Meal on Production Performance, Egg Quality and Blood Parameters of Laying Hens
Authors: Yasin Abdulwahid , Tamiru Metekia , Alkhtib Ashraf , Mohammed Abdo , Tadesse Tagesse , Wamatu Jane , Burton Emily
Published: November 2024

Background

The use of commercially extracted phytogenic compounds to maintain poultry health and productivity in the absence of in‐feed antibiotics is prohibitively costly in developing countries.

Objectives

The goal of the study is to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with Thymus schimperi leaf meal (TLM) on production performance, egg quality and haemato‐biochemical parameters of Bovan brown layers.

Methods

A total of 96 laying hens at 25 weeks of age were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 6 replications each. The treatments include the control (standard commercial laying diet), TLM1.5 (control + 1.5% TLM), TLM2.5 (control + 2.5% TLM) and TLM3.5 (control + 3.5% TLM). Egg production, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded for each replicate. Two eggs per replication were used to measure internal and external egg quality traits on a monthly basis. At the end of the trial, blood samples were collected from 2 birds/replicate for the determination of albumin, uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, luteinizing hormone, prolactin and progesterone.

Results

All blood parameters were within the normal ranges of the breed. Egg production, feed conversion ratio, internal egg quality traits and external egg quality traits of hens fed diets containing 2.5% TLM were significantly higher than the control. Furthermore, diets containing 2.5% TLM led to a significantly reduced feed conversion ratio compared to all other dietary treatments.

Conclusions

In conclusion, 2.5% TML is recommended to improve egg production and egg quality without adverse effect on hen health.
Assessing drought stress impact on olive trees using AI and Sentinel‐2 satellite imagery
Authors: Majikumna Kaloma Usman , Zineddine Mhamed , Alaoui Ahmed El Hilali
Published: November 2024

Olive tree cultivation in the Mediterranean region faces significant challenges due to drought stress, highlighting the critical role of water resources in sustaining agricultural productivity. This study proposes a novel approach to evaluate the impacts of drought on olive trees by analyzing LULC variations from 2018 to 2023. We integrated Sentinel‐2 data for LULC classification with the Vegetation Health Index (VHI) for drought assessment. Three machine learning algorithms, namely Support Vector Machine (SVM), K‐Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Random Forest (RF), were employed to assess LULC classification, with RF demonstrating the best overall performance. Our results show that both RF and KNN achieved significantly better performance when combining spectral bands with spectral indices, compared to using spectral bands alone, and both outperformed SVM. The LULC analysis reveals an initial growth in the olive cultivation area, peaking at 148.573 km2 in 2020, followed by a decline to 124.276 km2 in 2022, with a slight recovery to 129.485 km2 in 2023. This trend suggests that while the initial expansion was driven by favorable conditions, subsequent reductions may be linked to climate variability, resource limitations, or economic factors. This observation is supported by a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.74 between VHI and rainfall. To promote sustainable olive cultivation, the study recommends optimizing irrigation practices, enhancing climate and vegetation monitoring, investing in drought‐resistant olive varieties, and adopting precision agriculture technologies.
The State of Marriage in Somalia, Djibouti, and Comoros
Authors: Omar Yusuf Sheikh
Published: November 2024

There are many types of marriage in Somalia, Djibouti, and Comoros, the main ones being arranged and great marriages. One of the main differences in arranged marriage is that the ethnic Afar group in Djibouti does not give strong consideration to the bride-price and material gains during the marriage process, while ethnic Somalis do. Instead, Afar people put a lot of emphasis on the attitudes and attributes of the girl’s suitor, as well as the best ways to strengthen social bonds within the kinship group that both the bride and groom belong to. For the ethnic Somalis, marrying outside one’s own clan is encouraged in order to widen social relationships and create alliances, or to reconcile warring groups from different clans. In the great marriage of Comoros, the economy is the main factor that enables people to have this costly marriage, which influences social attitudes, views, and mainstream society’s perceptions of the groom and his bride.
Automatic exposure strategy network for robust visual odometry in environments with high dynamic range
Authors: Li Jieyu , Zhen Ruiwen , Stevenson Robert
Published: November 2024

The success of visual-based localization requires the image features to be sufficiently captured in well-exposed images and reliably tracked among image sequences. In this paper, a learning-based exposure strategy algorithm is developed to improve the performance of visual odometry or simultaneous localization and mapping in scenes with sudden illumination changes and high dynamic range (HDR). The exposure value is predicted by optimizing a novel image information metric, which is calculated based on a multi-scale image histogram. Experimental observations show that the proposed metric is highly related to the localization performance, and achieves better localization accuracy when compared to other state-of-the-art metrics. Using this novel metric, the exposure control network is designed to predict the exposure value for the next image given a sequence of recently captured images as inputs. For different application scenarios, alternative network frameworks are proposed with the options to include an optimization module providing improved exposure values for feedback learning, but with additional computation complexity. The approach is light-weight for real-time video applications and the images captured using the predicted exposure values are well-exposed with better detected and matched features in a variety of challenging HDR scenes. Code will be available in https://github.com/leejieyu13/HDR-AE.
Government regulation or industry self-regulation of AI? Investigating the relationships between uncertainty avoidance, people’s AI risk perceptions, and their regulatory preferences in Europe
Authors: Wilczek Bartosz , Thäsler-Kordonouri Sina , Eder Maximilian
Published: November 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to influence people’s lives in various ways as it is increasingly integrated into important decision-making processes in key areas of society. While AI offers opportunities, it is also associated with risks. These risks have sparked debates about how AI should be regulated, whether through government regulation or industry self-regulation. AI-related risk perceptions can be shaped by national cultures, especially the cultural dimension of uncertainty avoidance. This raises the question of whether people in countries with higher levels of uncertainty avoidance might have different preferences regarding AI regulation than those with lower levels of uncertainty avoidance. Therefore, using Hofstede’s uncertainty avoidance scale and data from ten European countries (N = 7.855), this study investigates the relationships between uncertainty avoidance, people’s AI risk perceptions, and their regulatory preferences. The findings show that people in countries with higher levels of uncertainty avoidance are more likely to perceive AI risks in terms of a lack of accountability and responsibility. While people’s perceived AI risk of a lack of accountability exclusively drives their preferences for government regulation of AI, the perceived AI risk of a lack of responsibility can foster people’s requests for government regulation and/or industry self-regulation. This study contributes to a better understanding of which mechanisms shape people’s preferences for AI regulation.
Age-dependent self- and individual chemosensory discrimination in male Psammodromus algirus lizards is based on lipids and proteins from their scent
Authors: Martín José , López Pilar , Rodríguez-Ruiz Gonzalo , Cuervo José Javier , Sacchi Roberto , Mangiacotti Marco
Published: November 2024

Self- and individual discrimination are needed to maintain social relationships. However the extent of precision of these abilities may depend on the social strategy of each individual, which may vary with ontogeny. Many animals use chemical cues to discriminate conspecifics. For example, many lizards use femoral gland secretions, which are composed of lipids and proteins, but it is not well known the role of each of these chemical classes in conspecific discrimination. We examined whether and how differences in age-dependent social strategies of male lizards Psammodromus algirus affect self- and individual chemosensory discrimination, and whether these are mediated by the lipid and/or protein fraction of femoral secretions. In this lizard species, there are two age categories of males that adopt alternative reproductive strategies; dominant and territorial “old” males and “young”, but reproductively mature, satellite-sneaker males. We examined chemosensory responses to separated lipid and protein fractions of femoral secretions. Both young and old males discriminated both their own lipids and proteins from those of conspecific males of their same age category. With respect to individual discrimination, only old males distinguished different unfamiliar old males based on their lipids alone, but not on proteins, while they do not discriminate between different individual young males. In contrast, young males do not show individual discrimination in any case. Therefore, our results show age-related differences in chemical social discrimination abilities in male P. algirus lizards that could be explained by their different age-dependent social strategies.
Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound for symptomatic uterine fibroids: clinical outcome of two European centers
Authors: Dohmen Sara , Recker Florian , Ivanova Yoana , Strunk Holger M. , Tonguc Tolga , Ramig Olga , Thudium Marcus , Stader Judith M. , Conrad Rupert , Essler Markus , Egger Eva-Katharina , Mustea Alexander , Gortchev Grigor A. , Dimitrov Dobromir , Marinova Milka
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The aim of this study is to assess the clinical outcome and mid-term efficacy of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) as a treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids at two major European HIFU centers.

Materials and methods

This bi-center longitudinal clinical study involved the treatment of 100 patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids using USgHIFU (n = 59 in Germany, n = 41 in Bulgaria). Clinical outcomes were evaluated at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year follow-up utilizing the uterine fibroid symptoms-quality of life questionnaire for fibroid-related symptoms and health-related quality of life as well as MRI imaging for determining the fibroid volume.

Results

The mean fibroid volume reduction rate was 33.2 ± 22.9%, 51.3 ± 24.2%, and 59.1 ± 28.0% at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year, respectively (each p < 0.001). The mean symptom severity score decreased from 43.9 ± 18.8 at baseline to 35.4 ± 18.2 at 6 weeks, 31.1 ± 20.0 at 6 months, and 23.1 ± 14.0 at 1 year (each p < 0.001). The mean QOL score improved from 56.5 ± 23.4 at baseline to 65.4 ± 22.2 at 6 weeks, 72.5 ± 19.5 at 6 months, and 79.4 ± 15.3 at 1 year (each p < 0.001). No major complications were observed, though two patients experienced temporary sciatic nerve irritation following the procedure. Four patients had pregnancies and deliveries without any complications after USgHIFU therapy.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study conducted in two major European HIFU centers that reveals the clinical efficacy of USgHIFU ablation on symptomatic uterine fibroids. Our results confirm that USgHIFU is a non-invasive approach with a low risk of complications, offering an innovative treatment option for affected women.

Key Points

QuestionTo evaluate mid-term clinical efficacy and safety of US-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treating symptomatic uterine fibroids and patient outcomes across two European centers.

FindingsUS-guided HIFU treatment resulted in significant fibroid volume reduction (up to 59.1% after 1 year) improving symptoms and quality of life with no major complications.

Clinical relevanceThis prospective longitudinal study provides preliminary data assessing mid-term efficacy and clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided HIFU. It is shown to be a low-risk, non-invasive treatment option for symptomatic uterine fibroids that reduces fibroid size and improves patients’ quality of life.
Paediatric meningiomas: a multi-centre case series of 27 patients
Authors: Mattey Luke Rhys , James Zoë , Lilo Taha , El Adwan Yazan , Scala Maria Rosaria , Kamaly-Asl Ian , Mallucci Conor , Leach Paul
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study presents a series of paediatric meningiomas and discusses aetiology, risk factors and outcomes with comparison to current literature.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of surgically treated paediatric meningiomas from three UK centres: the University Hospital of Wales, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Twenty-seven patients aged 16 and under at the time of their first procedure were identified over a 15-year period (1 January 2007 and 1 March 2023). Electronic medical records were used to collect data on age at presentation, sex, location of tumour(s), extent of resection, histology, WHO grade, complications, outcomes and associated conditions, notably neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2).

Results

Twenty-seven patients underwent 39 procedures. There were 13 males and 14 females. The median age was 13 years (range, 8 months to 16 years). Twenty-one (75%) were WHO grade 1, 6 (21%) were grade 2 and 1 (4%) was grade 3. Eight patients (30%) had confirmed NF2. Twelve patients (44%) were sporadic cases. Twenty-five percent and 50% were the recurrence rate in WHO grade 1 and 2 tumours, respectively.

Conclusion

The risk of grade 1 tumour recurrence was higher than within the adult population. This may be due to histological features of paediatric meningiomas differing from the adult population, and therefore, the WHO grading system may not be reflective of recurrence risk. Future molecular profiling and larger studies are required given the rarity of these cases.
Temporal forecasting of plant height and canopy diameter from RGB images using a CNN-based regression model for ornamental pepper plants (Capsicum spp.) growing under high-temperature stress
Authors: Ruiz-Gonzalez Ruben , do Nascimento Antonia Maiara Marques , Santos Marcos Bruno da Costa , Porto Rutten Kécio Soares de Brito , Medeiros Artur Mendes , dos Santos Fábio Sandro , Martínez-Martínez Víctor , Barroso Priscila Alves
Published: November 2024

Being capable of accurately predicting morphological parameters of the plant weeks before achieving fruit maturation is of great importance in the production and selection of suitable ornamental pepper plants. The objective of this article is evaluating the feasibility and assessing the performance of CNN-based models using RGB images as input to forecast two morphological parameters: plant height and canopy diameter. To this end, four CNN-based models are proposed to predict these morphological parameters in four different scenarios: first, using as input a single image of the plant; second, using as input several images from different viewpoints of the plant acquired on the same date; third, using as input two images from two consecutive weeks; and fourth, using as input a set of images consisting of one image from each week up to the current date. The results show that it is possible to accurately predict both plant height and canopy diameter. The RMSE for a forecast performed 6 weeks in advance to the actual measurements was below 4.5 cm and 4.2 cm, respectively. When information from previous weeks is added to the model, better results can be achieved and as the prediction date gets closer to the assessment date the accuracy improves as well.
Long-term tumor control following gamma-knife radiosurgery of recurrent or residual pituitary adenomas: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Gabri Alexander , Lindberg Felicia , Kristiansson Helena , Gubanski Michael , Höybye Charlotte , Olsson Martin , Förander Petter , Skyrman Simon , Lippitz Bodo , Fletcher-Sandersjöö Alexander , Bartek Jiri
Published: November 2024

Background

Pituitary adenomas (PAs) often require adjuvant Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) due to partial resection or postoperative recurrence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of GKRS for such cases.

Methods

Population-based, observational cohort study of patients who underwent GKRS for postoperative residual or recurrent PAs between 1999 and 2020. We assessed long-term progression-free survival (PFS), identified predictors of tumor growth, and documented adverse radiation events (AREs).

Results

147 patients were included, with a median follow-up time of 8.1 years. Following GKRS, the 5-year and 10-year PFS was 86% and 68%, respectively, with a median PFS of 18.7 years. Somatotrophic adenomas showed a significantly lower risk of tumor progression in the regression analysis (OR 0.11, p = 0.003). Hypopituitarism was the most common ARE, affecting 32% of patients.

Conclusion

GKRS is an effective treatment option for recurrent or residual PAs, offering substantial long-term control. However, the risk for AREs, particularly hypopituitarism, is not negligeable.
Assessing the Multi-Regime Capability of the Super-Grid Linear Eddy Model (SG-LEM) Using the Darmstadt Multi-Regime Burner
Authors: Menon Abhilash , Kerstein Alan , Oevermann Michael
Published: November 2024

Recent advances in combustion modelling for Large Eddy Simulation (LES) have increasingly utilised lower-dimensional manifolds, such as Flamelet Generated Manifolds and Flamelet/Progress Variable methods, due to their computational efficiency. These methods typically rely on one-dimensional representations of flame structures, often assuming premixed or non-premixed configurations. However, practical combustion devices frequently operate under partially-premixed conditions and present challenges due to mixture inhomogeneities and complex flow features. The Linear Eddy Model (LEM) offers an alternative by directly simulating turbulence-chemistry interactions without presuming specific flame structures. However, traditional LES-LEM approaches are computationally quite expensive due to the need for resolved LEM domains to be embedded in every LES cell.The authors developed the Super-Grid LEM (SG-LEM) method (Comb. Theor. Model.  28, 2024) to address these computational challenges by coarse-graining the LES mesh and embedding individual LEM domains within clusters of LES cells. This study evaluates SG-LEM in the context of the Multi-Regime Burner (MRB) introduced by Butz et al. (Combust. Flame, 210, 2019), which features both premixed and non-premixed flame characteristics. SG-LEM simulations of the MRB case demonstrate the method’s sensitivity to clustering parameters, with flow-aligned clusters significantly improving flame stability. LEM domains on the super-grid were able to represent the MRB flame topology while LES radial profiles including velocity, mixture fraction, temperature, and

$${\textrm{CO}}$$

CO

mass fraction, were validated against experimental data and also reference simulations using standard combustion closures. The work also investigates discrepancies in CO profiles using conditional statistics and stand-alone LEM simulations. Finally, the work identifies areas of improvement for the SG-LEM framework, in particular relating to cluster generation, and (advective and diffusive) mass exchange between neighbouring LEM domains, as well as possible solutions for future SG-LEM implementations which could improve the model’s predictive capability.
Tool report: EvoMaster—black and white box search-based fuzzing for REST, GraphQL and RPC APIs
Authors: Arcuri Andrea , Zhang Man , Seran Susruthan , Galeotti Juan Pablo , Golmohammadi Amid , Duman Onur , Aldasoro Agustina , Ghianni Hernan
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we present the latest version 3.0.0 of EvoMaster, an open-source search-based fuzzer aimed at Web APIs. We discuss and present all its recent improvements, including advanced white-box heuristics, advanced search algorithms, support for databases and external services, as well as dealing with GraphQL and RPC APIs besides the original use case for REST APIs. The tool’s installers have been downloaded more than 3000 times. EvoMaster is in daily use for fuzzing millions of lines of code in hundreds of APIs in large Fortune 500 companies, such as for example the e-commerce Meituan.
Lower parasite pressure in invasive freshwater bivalves than in sympatric native Unionidae mussels in southern European lakes
Authors: Deng Binglin , Riccardi Nicoletta , Urbańska Maria , Marjomäki Timo J. , Andrzejewski Wojciech , Taskinen Jouni
Published: November 2024

The Enemy Release Hypothesis (ERH) proposes that the success of bioinvasions is attributable to lower enemy pressure on invasive species compared to native ones, giving a competitive advantage for invaders. In line with the hypothesis, we previously observed in northern European bodies of fresh water that invasive bivalves were subject to lower parasite pressure than sympatric native mussels. Here, we investigated ERH in three southern European lakes, where the native mussels are rapidly declining and being replaced by non-native bivalves. In total, 679 bivalves (n of individuals per species per lake varying from 12 to 187) were collected during 2016–2018. Ten parasite taxa were found. The mean lake-specific number of parasite taxa in the native mussels (Anodonta exulcerata, A. cygnea, A. anatina and Unio elongatulus) was 2.6 times that in the invasive bivalves (Dreissena polymorpha, Corbicula fluminea and Sinanodonta woodiana). Similarly, the mean lake-specific sum of prevalences of infection by different parasite taxa in the native mussels was 3.4 times that in the invasive bivalves. Notable was the complete lack of parasites in C. fluminea. Thus, the results supported the Enemy Release Hypothesis and were in accordance with previous results from northern Europe, suggesting, on average, a lower parasite pressure in invasive bivalves than in sympatric native mussels. As parasites are usually harmful, this may contribute to the observed successful invasion of non-native freshwater bivalves in Europe.
Upcycling Agency: Material and Human Transformation for Sustainability in Fashion
Authors: Painter Mollie , Hiller Alex , Oehlmann Johanna
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we offer some conceptual building blocks, or rather conceptual flows, towards a radical processual rethinking of the type of agency that allows for the sustainable production and consumption of fashion. Appeals to principled decision making or calculating costs and benefits instrumentally fail to engender the necessary behavioural changes, and more importantly, our current conceptual apparatus cannot account for the relationality that fosters sustainable lifestyles. An empirical study of upcycling practices allows us to interrogate the agency involved in sustainable organising and acknowledge the complex forms of valuation that take place in and through the making process. Our data were analysed through the lens of John Dewey’s pragmatist perspectives on valuation and were brought into conversation with literature on ‘making’, more specifically through the anthropological work of Tim Ingold. We contend that current conceptualisations of sustainable organising are inadequate because they undermine the relational orientation that sustainable organising entails. We argue for a processual, relational approach to valuation, which allows for the accommodation of a plurality of ways of thinking about what sustainable organising may mean. To live sustainably, one has to stay close to materials, engage relationally with one’s histories and contexts, and allow valuation to present itself as part of everyday practice.
Investigating dialogic interaction in K12 online one-on-one mathematics tutoring using AI and sequence mining techniques
Authors: Wang Deliang , Shan Dapeng , Ju Ran , Kao Ben , Zhang Chenwei , Chen Gaowei
Published: November 2024

Online one-on-one tutoring serves as a supplementary approach to traditional classroom instruction. It has been shown to enhance personalized learning and academic performance. However, the dynamics of dialogic interactions within this educational setting are not fully understood. Thus, we present a computational analysis of dialogic interactions in online one-on-one mathematics tutoring. Specifically, we devised a coding scheme tailored to online tutoring sessions and leveraged advanced artificial intelligence techniques to construct an automated model for annotating dialog acts. We then investigated the basic characteristics and interaction patterns in a dataset encompassing online one-on-one tutoring dialogs within K-12 mathematics education and obtained insightful findings. First, tutors were found to often apply both didactic and other effective teaching strategies. Second, off-task chatting accounted for a significant proportion of tutoring sessions. Third, high school students exhibited greater engagement and cognitive abilities than primary and middle school students through their more active participation and superior reasoning skills. Primary school students, despite their less active participation, responded positively when engaged by tutors. The findings highlight the importance of optimizing strategies applied by tutors and students to create a more dynamic and effective learning environment and provide valuable insights into the nature of online one-on-one tutoring.
A survey on batch training in genetic programming
Authors: Rosenfeld Liah , Vanneschi Leonardo
Published: November 2024

In Machine Learning (ML), the use of subsets of training data, referred to as batches, rather than the entire dataset, has been extensively researched to reduce computational costs, improve model efficiency, and enhance algorithm generalization. Despite extensive research, a clear definition and consensus on what constitutes batch training have yet to be reached, leading to a fragmented body of literature that could otherwise be seen as different facets of a unified methodology. To address this gap, we propose a theoretical redefinition of batch training, creating a clearer and broader overview that integrates diverse perspectives. We then apply this refined concept specifically to Genetic Programming (GP). Although batch training techniques have been explored in GP, the term itself is seldom used, resulting in ambiguity regarding its application in this area. This review seeks to clarify the existing literature on batch training by presenting a new and practical classification system, which we further explore within the specific context of GP. We also investigate the use of dynamic batch sizes in ML, emphasizing the relatively limited research on dynamic or adaptive batch sizes in GP compared to other ML algorithms. By bringing greater coherence to previously disjointed research efforts, we aim to foster further scientific exploration and development. Our work highlights key considerations for researchers designing batch training applications in GP and offers an in-depth discussion of future research directions, challenges, and opportunities for advancement.
General bounds for the deficit distribution at ruin in the Sparre Andersen model
Authors: Gajek Lesław , Rudź Marcin
Published: November 2024

We present constructive methods that give upper and lower bounds of Ψ, the insurer’s deficit distribution at ruin time in the Sparre Andersen model. The methodology effectively provides monotone sequences of upper and lower bounds of Ψ, and those sequences converge to Ψ with exponential rate. Several new lower and upper bounds of Ψ are given. As an example, we introduce new bounds of the deficit distribution at ruin when the claim distribution satisfies the new better/worse than used property. We show that some of the examined lower and upper bounds of Ψ may coincide with the exact values of the considered probability.
Length of stay following elective craniotomy for tumor resection in children and young adults: a retrospective case series
Authors: Lesha Emal , Roach Jordan T. , Miller L. Erin , Nichols C. Stewart , Vaughn Brandy , Laird David G. , Orr Taylor , Graham Delaney , Motiwala Mustafa , Shimony Nir , Klimo Paul
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Length of stay (LOS) is a critical metric of healthcare delivery. Prolonged LOS is associated with a heightened risk of adverse complications. We aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of LOS, specifically identifying variables associated with extended LOS (eLOS), in children and young adults following elective craniotomy for tumor resection.

Methods

All elective craniotomies for tumor resection performed at our tertiary care children’s hospital from January 2010 to December 2022 were included for review, excluding patients > 21 years of age. Demographic, clinical, and procedural variables for each craniotomy were collected. LOS was defined as the interval in days from index surgery to discharge. eLOS was defined as greater than 7 days.

Results

1,276 patients underwent a total of 1,497 elective craniotomies for tumor resection. The median age was 9.45 years old, with the most common age group being > 10 years (45.6%). Most patients had supratentorial tumors (63.4%) and underwent de novo surgery (60.7%). Patients with an eLOS experienced longer ICU admissions, longer surgical times, and were younger. Variables found to be significantly associated with eLOS were posterior fossa resection (OR = 2.45), de novo craniotomy (OR = 0.49), prior shunt or ETV (OR = 1.80), tumor type (craniopharyngioma (OR = 3.74) and medulloblastoma (OR = 0.51)), and the presence of at least one postoperative event (POE) (OR = 29.85).

Conclusion

This is the largest study evaluating factors (patient, tumor, surgical) associated with eLOS after elective craniotomy for tumor resection in children and young adults. The findings of this clinical study are important for preoperative counseling, neurosurgical team preparedness, and healthcare delivery optimization.
How Does Students’ Negative Feedback Affect University Teachers?
Authors: Mendzheritskaya Julia , Maier Nicola A. , Hansen Miriam
Published: November 2024

The relevance of student evaluation of teaching (SET) for both development of individual teaching as well as for institutional quality management in higher education (HE) contexts has been investigated in numerous studies. However, how educators incorporate students’ feedback into their teaching, especially in the case of negative evaluations, depends on how educators perceive and deal with students’ feedback. To address this issue, we conducted an experimental vignette study to document how university teachers (N = 107) respond to negative SET at cognitive, emotional, and behavioral levels. Further, we varied the focus (student- vs. teacher-oriented) and the content (learning outcomes, interest in course, and learning activities) of feedback messages in the vignettes. Our results show that students’ negative feedback, especially concerning learning outcomes, evoked predominantly negative emotions of sadness or anxiety in HE teachers. Further, participants perceived the students’ negative feedback as moderately unstable and as to some extent limited within their control. Student-oriented negative comments regarding students’ interest in course or students’ engagement in learning activities were interpreted as more trustworthy and valid than negative feedback on teacher-focused characteristics related to the educators’ instructional competences. On average the participants indicated higher approach tendencies than avoidance tendencies after receiving students’ negative feedback. Finally, how HE teachers perceived and dealt with negative SET was linked to teachers’ perceived value of students’ feedback. Our findings underline the importance of incorporating more student-focused elements into SET and introducing activities that assist HE teachers in handling negative feedback within the SET process.
Employment Quality: A Social Determinant of Health and Well-Being in a Changing Labor Market in Korea
Authors: Vanderleyden Julie , Seo Hyojin , Vanroelen Christophe , De Moortel Deborah
Published: November 2024

Against the background of increased labor market flexibilization, health issues amongst employees have become a pressing social concern in Korea. Yet, little is known about the diversity in employment experiences and the associated health implications amongst employees. To accurately gauge labor market segmentation, whilst simultaneously accounting for health-risk factors, we employ the multidimensional Employment Quality (EQ) concept in a typological manner. This method differentiates various employment segments, with the Standard Employment Relationship (SER) serving as a benchmark. Using the 2017 Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), we employ Latent Class Cluster Analysis on a sample of the salaried workforce (N = 25.376) to construct a typology of EQ. Via logistic regression, we link the EQ typology to poor mental well-being and poor self-rated general health. As a result, we find six distinct types of EQ arrangements in Korea: SER-like, Instrumental, SER Intensive, Instrumental Intensive, Precarious Intensive, and Precarious Unsustainable. We find that deviations from the SER-like segment are associated with poorer health and well-being outcomes, even when accounting for confounding factors, with precarious EQ segments showing the most pronounced adverse health and well-being associations. This study furthers our understandings of health disparities within the salaried workforce. Our findings underscore the need for targeted reforms of workplace- and employment-related health policies to foster a healthier working population in Korea.
Truthmaker Semantics for Intuitionistic Modal Logic
Authors: Litland Jon Erling
Published: November 2024

A truthmaker for a proposition P is exact if it contains nothing irrelevant to P. What are the exact truthmakers for necessitated propositions? This paper makes progress on this issue by showing how to extend Fine’s truthmaker semantics for intuitionistic logic to an exact truthmaker semantics for intuitionistic modal logic. The project is of interest also to the classical logician: while all distinctively classical theorems may be true, they differ from the intuitionistic ones in how they are made true. This sheds new light on the status of the T and B axioms.
How Planning Shared Infrastructure could Support Agriculture and Desalinated Irrigation
Authors: Zolghadr-Asli Babak , McIntyre Neil , Djordjevic Slobodan , Farmani Raziyeh , Pagliero Liliana
Published: November 2024

The high price of desalination is often considered one of the primary obstacles to making desalinated water a viable option for irrigated agriculture. Relatively little attention has been given to how strategic planning of regional water supplies might contribute to addressing this issue, particularly in leveraging investment in desalination by wealthier sectors to support agricultural communities. The Copiapó valley in Chile has been selected as a case study to investigate this. The study illustrates using modelling how the expansion of the mining and associated investment in desalination can reduce the economic and environmental costs of supplying desalinated water to irrigators. It was observed that the reduction of costs is affected by the degree of expansion in the mining sector, the degree of expansion in the irrigated agriculture sector, and the energy market. With potential expansions, if they invest strategically in creating an optimal water supply network, the marginal costs of producing desalinated water can be reduced to between 1.09 USD/m³ and 2.53 USD/m³ depending on the energy price. This represents a reduction of 58–3%, respectively, compared to the average cost of producing desalinated water under baseline conditions where irrigated desalination is not supported. Results show that foresightful integrated water planning, which accounts for planned expansion in water demand, can result in more realistic costs of irrigating with desalinated water - although subsidy remains a likely requirement. Such integrated water planning would help bridge the gap between the price of desalinated water for irrigation practices. Furthermore, as demonstrated in this study, these practices can minimize the environmental impact of establishing a water conveyance network.
A trust-region approach for computing Pareto fronts in multiobjective derivative-free optimization
Authors: Mohammadi Aboozar , Hajinezhad Davood , Garcia Alfredo
Published: November 2024

This paper presents a modified trust-region approach for computing approximations to the complete Pareto front of multiobjective derivative-free optimization problems. It is assumed that the derivatives of the objective function components are not available, impossible or very expensive to estimate, such as in simulation optimization, bandit optimization, and adversarial black-box machine learning. The algorithm alternates between two main steps, namely, the extreme point step and the scalarization step, until predefined stopping criteria are met. The goal of the extreme point step is to expand the approximation to the complete Pareto front, by moving towards the extreme points of it, corresponding to the individual minimization of each objective function component. The scalarization step attempts to minimize the size of gaps in the Pareto front approximation, by solving a suitable scalarization problem. The scalarization step includes a pivotal additional step, referred to as the middle point step. This step plays a significant role in determining initial points for solving the scalarization problem. To overcome the absence of derivatives, a new technique based on polynomial interpolation and minimum Frobenius norm approaches is proposed to build models that approximate different objective function components. The convergence analysis is well established, even with the extra complexity introduced by the challenge of lacking derivative information. Numerical results are presented, indicating that this algorithm is efficiently and robustly competitive against state-of-the-art multiobjective derivative-free optimization algorithms that also aim to approximate complete Pareto fronts.
Regularity and Compactness Properties of Integral Hankel Operators and Their Singular Vectors
Authors: Guiver Chris
Published: November 2024

Integral Hankel operators on vector-valued

$$L^2(\mathbb {R}_+,U)$$

L
2

(

R
+

,
U
)

-function spaces are considered. Regularity (integrability) and compactness properties of the kernel are shown to give rise to quantifiable regularity and compactness properties of the Hankel operator, and consequently of the associated singular vectors (also called Schmidt pairs), which finds relevance in model order reduction schemes. As demonstrated, strong- Lebesgue and Sobolev spaces naturally arise in the case that U is infinite dimensional. The theory is illustrated with examples.
‘Not only bad things happened in the COVID-19 lockdown’: Lived experience of individuals with eating disorders symptoms
Authors: González-Sánchez Cristina , Mendia Jara , Gómez-Odriozola Joana , Alonso-Arbiol Itziar , Conejero Susana , Pascual Aitziber
Published: November 2024

The high impact of COVID-19 pandemic on individuals’ well-being was especially detrimental to those suffering from an eating disorder (ED). The aim of the present study was to examine the perceived adverse and beneficial effects of lockdown on people with ED symptoms from a qualitative approach. The sample was made of 129 adults (Mage = 33.63; SDage = 10.95; 78.3% women) with symptoms compatible with ED according to DSM-5-TR. Participants completed an online survey containing two open-ended questions inquiring about their lived experience regarding perceived negative and positive effects of the pandemic quarantine. Data were analyzed based on a content analysis using Atlas.ti software. In terms of negative effects, the following topics emerged: increased anxiety and perceived stress, loneliness perception, worsening symptoms and thoughts associated with ED, increased attention to body image, and detection of worse eating habits. Among the positive effects, the key themes were the ED recognition, linked to the awareness of the need to start therapy, the reduction of binge eating episodes, an increased self-esteem, a sense of protection and well-being, and improved health and eating behavior. Social isolation and the possibility to cover up ED symptomatology were also mentioned as positive features of the confinement. From a clinical viewpoint, examining positive perception on stressful events provides practitioners with therapeutic tools for treating individuals with ED based on a client-centered approach.
Psychopathological sequelae and posttraumatic stress disorder in children of victims of intimate partner violence against women
Authors: Ferrera-Silva Mónica , Bueso-Izquierdo Natalia , Barbosa-Torres Carlos , Moreno-Manso Juan Manuel
Published: November 2024

The aim of this research study was: to analyze psychopathological symptomatology and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children of victims of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) compared with children who have not suffered this type of violence; to analyze the following two objectives: relationship between PTSD and psychopathological symptomatology in children victims of IPVAW; and to determine to what extent PTSD can predict the presence of psychopathological symptomatology in this population. The participants consisted of 60 children aged 7 to 11 years who completed behavioral assessment instruments and two valid and reliable measures of PTSD. The children showed behavioral and emotional difficulties which severely hinder their capacity to adapt to their surroundings and may affect their capacity to respond adequately to a range of everyday situations. They also showed symptoms of PTSD. This study highlighting the need to design intervention strategies aimed at alleviating and modifying the problem areas in this population.
Process evaluation of a health- and fitness-related physical education program
Authors: Rosenstiel Stephanie , Volk Carmen , Dernbach Maike , Teutemacher Brit , Demetriou Yolanda , Thiel Ansgar , Sudeck Gorden
Published: November 2024

Objective

The aim of this process evaluation study was to investigate fidelity, acceptance, applicability and movement time with respect to the health- and fitness-related GEKOS program (Förderung bewegungsbezogener Gesundheitskompetenz im Sportunterricht) linking theory and practice in physical education.

Methods

Fidelity was investigated by observation, self-report forms and poster documentations. Applicability and students’ (n = 472) and teachers’ (n = 27) acceptance were examined by qualitative interviews and surveys directly after the GEKOS program. Movement time was assessed using accelerometer data and compared to students’ (n = 369) movement time in regular physical education classes.

Results

Overall, fidelity was high and statements in the interviews and surveys with regard to applicability and acceptance were heterogeneous. Particularly critical was the low net movement time, which was assessed using device-based accelerometer data.

Conclusion

The results allowed us to identify barriers such as standardization and facilitators such as teachers’ acceptance of teaching student-centered approaches. Therefore, flexibility in the delivery of programs and the balance between net time moving and theoretical cognitive activating content in PE need to be discussed further in terms of long-term implementation of such a program.
Electronic health records reveal that COVID-19 impacted health resources and survival of Basque population
Authors: Cruces-Salguero Sara , Larrañaga Igor , Mar Javier , Matheu Ander
Published: November 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted worldwide. The Basque Country was one of the regions in Spain most affected by the virus.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we took advantage of the Basque Health Service electronic health records data lake of over 20,000 deceased individuals, including 5000 positives for COVID-19, between 2020 and 2022 in Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain).

Results

Comparison between COVID-19-positive and negative individuals’ showed that the prevalence of infections was higher inside nursing homes and COVID-19 promoted a significant rise in hospitalizations, emergency entrances, and ICU admissions. No differences were observed between genders in terms of infections or survival but were detected in health resources and vaccination showed a strong protective effect against the disease.

Conclusions

Our results provided a complete characterization of the impact of COVID-19 on the Basque population, which expands the knowledge of the pandemic on older individuals and the health system. Our study also highlights the benefit of the use of Electronic Health Records in studying human diseases.
Dementia Risk and Social Determinants of Health Among Adults Racialized as Black: A Community-Based System Dynamics Perspective
Authors: Trani Jean-Francois , Hart Robbie , Walker Alexis I. B. , Safi Meena , Singh Ramkrishna K. , Zhu Yiqi , Babulal Ganesh M.
Published: November 2024

Background

The aging population in the USA is projected to increase significantly, with a corresponding rise in dementia cases, particularly among racial minorities. This study examines the key drivers of racial disparities in dementia risk among older Black adults in the St. Louis area, a region characterized by entrenched structural racism. Utilizing a Community-Based System Dynamics (CBSD) approach, we engaged cognitively normal Black adults (age ≥ 45) to explore the complex interplay of social and structural determinants of health (S/SDOH) affecting dementia risk.

Methods

Eight CBSD workshops were conducted, during which participants identified and analyzed various factors influencing dementia risk through group model-building techniques. These workshops revealed multiple reinforcing and balancing feedback loops, highlighting the intricate relationships between trauma, health literacy, social isolation, education, healthcare access, and systemic racism.

Results

There were 59 participants with an average age of 64, a majority of women (88%) and college-educated (15.9 years) residing in areas with moderately severe deprivation. The resulting Causal Loop Diagrams underscored the impact of poverty, discrimination, and limited access to quality education and healthcare on dementia risk across the lifespan. Participants proposed actionable interventions, including health information campaigns, community mobilization, and improvements in public transportation and healthcare accessibility.

Conclusion

This study emphasizes the necessity of addressing S/SDOH to mitigate dementia risk among Black Americans. The findings call for targeted public health initiatives and policy changes to improve socioeconomic conditions and reduce racial disparities in dementia outcomes.
Fixed point and stability results for multi-valued nonlinear graph contractions in complete metric spaces
Authors: Moga Mădălina , Truşcă Radu
Published: November 2024

In this work we will present a generalization of Covitz-Nadler’s contraction principle, as well as of the multi-valued graph contraction principle. The results of this paper extend and complement well-known fixed point theorems. Also, several stability properties are proved. In the last section, a Maia type theorem for a multi-valued nonlinear graph contraction is proved. An application to an integral inclusion of the Volterra type is given.