bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of thermomechanical properties of solid rocket propellant used in multi-barrel rocket systems
Authors: Cegla Marcin , Czerwinska Magdalena , Kasprzak Piotr
Published: January 2024

The effectiveness of multi-barrel rocket systems on today’s battlefields is strongly dependent on the reliability of operation and, hence, proper action of all components, especially rockets and propellants. Therefore, the properties of the solid rocket propellants used in the rocket motors must be determined with an efficient and reliable tool providing repeatable results. The article presents the results of a thermomechanical analysis of solid double-base rocket propellant used in multi-barrel rocket systems. One of the recommended methods for testing solid rocket propellants is dynamic mechanical analysis. Mechanical properties such as the dynamic storage modulus $$(E^\prime )$$

(

E
′

)

, the dynamic loss modulus $$(E^{\prime \prime }),$$

(

E
″

)
,

and the tangent tan$$(\delta )$$

(
δ
)

of the phase shift angle $$(E^{\prime \prime }/E^\prime )$$

(

E
″

/

E
′

)

were measured with the use of the TA Instruments DMA Q 800 device, in a temperature range of − 100 to $$+$$
+
100 $$^\circ $$

∘

 C with the use of different frequencies of applied force and heating rates. Special attention was devoted to determining the glass transition temperature following the STANAG 4540 standardization agreement, as well as the influence of testing parameters on the obtained experimental results. Dynamic mechanical analysis has proven to be an effective method for the evaluation of key properties influencing rocket motor behavior.
Linear models with time-varying parameters: a comparison of different approaches
Authors: Lucchetti Riccardo “Jack” , Valentini Francesco
Published: January 2024

Estimation of linear models with time-varying parameters can be accomplished in a variety of ways, each making different assumptions, with varying degrees of accuracy and computational complexity. In this paper, we compare different packages by means of simulated and real data focusing on both statistical and computational aspects. Our findings show that all the estimators provide similar results under ideal conditions, but the practitioner’s choice could be far from obvious.
Establishing performance metrics for quantitative non-targeted analysis: a demonstration using per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
Authors: Pu Shirley , McCord James P. , Bangma Jacqueline , Sobus Jon R.
Published: January 2024

Non-targeted analysis (NTA) is an increasingly popular technique for characterizing undefined chemical analytes. Generating quantitative NTA (qNTA) concentration estimates requires the use of training data from calibration “surrogates,” which can yield diminished predictive performance relative to targeted analysis. To evaluate performance differences between targeted and qNTA approaches, we defined new metrics that convey predictive accuracy, uncertainty (using 95% inverse confidence intervals), and reliability (the extent to which confidence intervals contain true values). We calculated and examined these newly defined metrics across five quantitative approaches applied to a mixture of 29 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The quantitative approaches spanned a traditional targeted design using chemical-specific calibration curves to a generalizable qNTA design using bootstrap-sampled calibration values from “global” chemical surrogates. As expected, the targeted approaches performed best, with major benefits realized from matched calibration curves and internal standard correction. In comparison to the benchmark targeted approach, the most generalizable qNTA approach (using “global” surrogates) showed a decrease in accuracy by a factor of ~4, an increase in uncertainty by a factor of ~1000, and a decrease in reliability by ~5%, on average. Using “expert-selected” surrogates (n = 3) instead of “global” surrogates (n = 25) for qNTA yielded improvements in predictive accuracy (by ~1.5×) and uncertainty (by ~70×) but at the cost of further-reduced reliability (by ~5%). Overall, our results illustrate the utility of qNTA approaches for a subclass of emerging contaminants and present a framework on which to develop new approaches for more complex use cases.

Graphical Abstract
Selenium speciation studies in cancer patients to evaluate the responses of biomarkers of selenium status to different selenium compounds
Authors: del Castillo Busto M. Estela , Ward-Deitrich Christian , Evans Stephen O. , Rayman Margaret P. , Jameson Michael B. , Goenaga-Infante Heidi
Published: January 2024

This work presents the first systematic comparison of selenium (Se) speciation in plasma from cancer patients treated orally with three Se compounds (sodium selenite, SS; L-selenomethionine, SeMet; or Se-methylselenocysteine, MSC) at 400 µg/day for 28 days. The primary goal was to investigate how these chemical forms of Se affect the plasma Se distribution, aiming to identify the most effective Se compound for optimal selenoprotein expression. This was achieved using methodology based on HPLC-ICP-MS after sample preparation/fractionation approaches. Measurements of total Se in plasma samples collected before and after 4 weeks of treatment showed that median total Se levels increased significantly from 89.6 to 126.4 µg kg−1 Se (p < 0.001), particularly when SeMet was administered (190.4 µg kg−1 Se). Speciation studies showed that the most critical differences between treated and baseline samples were seen for selenoprotein P (SELENOP) and selenoalbumin after administration with MSC (p = 5.8 × 10−4) and SeMet (p = 6.8 × 10−5), respectively. Notably, selenosugar-1 was detected in all low-molecular-weight plasma fractions following treatment, particularly with MSC. Two different chromatographic approaches and spiking experiments demonstrated that about 45% of that increase in SELENOP levels (to ~ 8.8 mg L−1) with SeMet is likely due to the non-specific incorporation of SeMet into the SELENOP affinity fraction. To the authors’ knowledge, this has not been reported to date. Therefore, SELENOP is probably part of both the regulated (55%) and non-regulated (45%) Se pools after SeMet administration, whereas SS and MSC mainly contribute to the regulated one.

Graphical abstract
Updated systematic review and network meta-analysis of first-line treatments for metastatic renal cell carcinoma with extended follow-up data
Authors: Yanagisawa Takafumi , Mori Keiichiro , Matsukawa Akihiro , Kawada Tatsushi , Katayama Satoshi , Bekku Kensuke , Laukhtina Ekaterina , Rajwa Pawel , Quhal Fahad , Pradere Benjamin , Fukuokaya Wataru , Iwatani Kosuke , Murakami Masaya , Bensalah Karim , Grünwald Viktor , Schmidinger Manuela , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Kimura Takahiro
Published: January 2024

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combination therapies are the recommended first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, no head-to-head phase-3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared the efficacy of different ICI-based combination therapies. Here, we compared the efficacy of various first-line ICI-based combination therapies in patients with mRCC using updated survival data from phase-3 RCTs. Three databases were searched in June 2023 for RCTs that analyzed oncologic outcomes in mRCC patients treated with ICI-based combination therapies as first-line treatment. A network meta-analysis compared outcomes including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and complete response (CR) rate. Subgroup analyses were based on the International mRCC Database Consortium risk classification. The treatment ranking analysis of the entire cohort showed that nivolumab + cabozantinib (81%) had the highest likelihood of improving OS, followed by nivolumab + ipilimumab (75%); pembrolizumab + lenvatinib had the highest likelihood of improving PFS (99%), ORR (97%), and CR (86%). These results remained valid even when the analysis was limited to patients with intermediate/poor risk, except that nivolumab + ipilimumab had the highest likelihood of achieving CR (100%). Further, OS benefits of ICI doublets were not inferior to those of ICI + tyrosine kinase inhibitor combinations. Recommendation of combination therapies with ICIs and/or tyrosine kinase inhibitors based on survival benefits and patient pretreatment risk classification will help advance personalized medicine for mRCC.
Carcass provisioning and intra-guild risk avoidance between two sympatric large carnivores
Authors: Nordli Kristoffer , Walton Zea , Eriksen Ane , Rogstad Marius , Zimmermann Barbara , Wikenros Camilla , Aronsson Malin , Wabakken Petter
Published: January 2024

Apex carnivores that rely primarily on predation play a central but complex role within scavenging ecology by potentially suppressing intra-guild competitors, but also facilitating them by providing a reliable supply of carrion. We investigated the competitive relationship between sympatric wolves (Canis lupus) and wolverines (Gulo gulo) in Norway across three seasons. We deployed remote cameras at fresh wolf kills (n = 29) and built Bayesian generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to explore the use of fresh wolf-killed prey by sympatric wolves and wolverines. Our results showed that wolves facilitated wolverines by providing scavenging opportunities. Biomass available from wolf kills was influenced by seasonal wolf prey preference and group size. Wolverines visited 100% of wolf kills in fall and winter, whereas only 18% in summer. We found that in winter, wolverines visited wolf kills 3.6 and 6.7 times more often than single wolves and wolf groups revisited their kills, and spent 10 and 25 times as much time at carcasses compared to single wolves and groups of wolves. Thus, wolverines played an important role in the depletion of wolf-killed prey, with potential effects on the scavenging behavior of other guild members. Understanding how globally threatened top predators may function as key species in scavenging processes is important to conservation as this may have community-wide cascading effects and support important ecosystem functions and services.

Significance statement

Large carnivores serve a central role within scavenging ecology through the suppression and facilitation of intraguild competitors. The wolf, as an apex obligate predator, can provide a reliable supply of carrion, that can serve as an important resource to facultative scavengers. However, while facultative behavior helps to mitigate the effects of limited prey for scavengers, it can also increase exposure to competition and intraguild predation. Across three seasons, we explored the use of fresh wolf-killed prey by sympatric wolves and wolverines. Our findings reveal that wolves facilitate wolverines by providing scavenging opportunities, where biomass available from kills is influenced by wolves’ prey preference and group size. Wolverines, like wolves, utilized kills heavily during winter, when increased access to food is important to wolverine reproductive rates. Wolverines exhibited caching behavior, possibly reducing exposure to interspecific competition, while serving an important role in the depletion of carrion biomass.
A 15-year review of lightning deaths in Germany—with a focus on pathognomonic findings
Authors: Bingert Rebecca , Bremer Larissa , Büttner Andreas , Nigbur Stefan , Blumenthal Ryan , Zack Fred
Published: January 2024

Lethal accidents caused by lightning are divided into observed and unobserved events. Pathognomonic or characteristic findings are often overlooked during external postmortem examination. Classical mistakes may be made which may often lead to an incorrect diagnosis. An analysis of 270 fatalities was performed on a historical collection of the Committee for Lightning Conductor Construction for the United Economic Area e. V. (ABBW) on lethal accidents due to lightning that occurred in Germany for the period 1951–1965. Furthermore, a selective literature research was carried out. The aim of the study was to analyze the death scene, the clothing, and the victim. The authors focused on chief findings which were relevant to the correct diagnosis of “death by lightning.” Both Lichtenberg figures and singed body hair were considered pathognomonic for a lightning strike. The question arose as to whether Lichtenberg figures, for example, represented the finding that most often led to the correct diagnosis. Of the 270 lightning-struck victims from the case collection, 129 (47.8%) had singed body hair and 25 (9.3%) had Lichtenberg figures. A comparison of the frequency of the two reported findings, singed body hair versus Lichtenberg figures, has only been performed in the literature for case numbers below 40. This study is the first evaluation of a relatively large number of lethal accidents due to lightning. Singed body hair was reported more frequently in lightning-struck victims than Lichtenberg figures. This study showed that singed body hair is probably more diagnostically important than Lichtenberg figures.
A visualization analysis of hotspots and global trends on pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer
Authors: Wang Jiawen , Wang Xinhao , Ma Tianming , Lu Yu , Yan Zehao , Wang Jianye , Hao Qiang
Published: January 2024

Background/objective

Cervical cancer is the major cause of cancer-related mortalities in women globally. It constitutes one of the life-threatening conditions for women in developing countries. The popularization of cervical cancer screening and the improvement of treatment levels has caused the mortality rate of cervical cancer to decrease gradually, but pelvic floor dysfunction before and after cervical cancer treatment has become prominent and attracted more and more attention. Bibliometric analysis has been carried out in this research. The main goal of this research is to provide a comprehensive insight into the knowledge structure and global research hotspots about pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer.

Methods

Literature related to cervical cancer and pelvic floor dysfunction as of May 2023 was searched on the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The visualization and bibliometric analyses of the number and contents of publications were performed to analyze the temporal trends, spatial distribution, collaborative networks, influential references, keyword co-occurrence, and clustering.

Results

There were 870 publications from 74 countries or regions, with the U.S. publications in a leading position. Since 2020, the number of publications has rapidly increased with the emphasis on the quality of life of cervical cancer patients. Although pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer mainly occurs in developing countries, developed countries have made great contributions to this disease. However, in developing countries such as China and India, the quality of publications needs to be improved. In this field, the studies focused on the sexual dysfunction or urinary incontinence of cervical cancer patients, and the most cited papers discussed the effect of cervical cancer treatment on the sexual activities of females. The frontier keywords were represented by pelvic radiotherapy and risk factors.

Conclusion

This study provides an objective and comprehensive analysis of the literature available on pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer and identifies future trends and current hotspots. It can provide a valuable reference for researchers in this field.
Preference learning and multiple criteria decision aiding: differences, commonalities, and synergies–part I
Authors: Hüllermeier Eyke , Słowiński Roman
Published: January 2024

Multiple criteria decision aiding (MCDA) and preference learning (PL) are established research fields, which have different roots, developed in different communities  –  the former in the decision sciences and operations research, the latter in AI and machine learning  –  and have their own agendas in terms of problem setting, assumptions, and criteria of success. In spite of this, they share the major goal of constructing practically useful decision models that either support humans in the task of choosing the best, classifying, or ranking alternatives from a given set, or even automate decision-making by acting autonomously on behalf of the human. Therefore, MCDA and PL can complement and mutually benefit from each other, a potential that has been exhausted only to some extent so far. By elaborating on the connection between MCDA and PL in more depth, our goal is to stimulate further research at the junction of these two fields. To this end, we first review both methodologies, MCDA in this part of the paper and PL in the second part, with the intention of highlighting their most common elements. In the second part, we then compare both methodologies in a systematic way and give an overview of existing work on combining PL and MCDA.
An innovative methodology for the adjustable use of energy line angle for susceptibility mapping by using cone propagation approach
Authors: Kalender Aycan , Sonmez Harun
Published: January 2024

Rockfall frequently occurs in the mountainous areas and threatens structures such as settlement areas, transportation lines, and agricultural field. The empirical approaches for rockfall mapping have been an attractive research topic in rock mechanics in the recent years, because producing rockfall maps of large areas by using the deterministic and the probabilistic analysis seems difficult due to the necessity of numerous inputs. The cone propagation approach is preferred as a practical tool particularly in the regional scale. The digital elevation model (DEM) of a region prone to rockfall is used for determination of possible propagation zones based on a simple geometric rule known as the energy line angle (reach angle). As a new term, ELAmax_stop was defined to represent the energy line angle that extends to the border of the propagation zone as the maximum run-out distance that is obtained from application of the cone approach to all points (pixels) in source area. The angle denoted as α refers to the threshold slope angle of the steep areas utilized to identify potential source areas by using DEM. Conceptually, the fallen rock blocks within a rockfall-prone region stop within the cone propagation zone, which is bounded by the energy line angles α and ELAmax_stop. While the value of α is susceptible to the resolution of DEM, ELAmax_stop, which exhibits a wide angle range as documented in the literature, is controlled by rock block features together with slope surface properties of the propagation zone. Due to the variability of ELAmax_stop and α depending on the studied region and the resolution of the DEM, the boundary value of the energy line angles between different susceptibility classes need to be adjusted by considering α and ELAmax_stop. By adopting the cone propagation approach to enable adjustable use of energy line angles for rockfall susceptibility mapping, a series of graphical presentations was prepared. These graphical presentations allowed for the prediction of energy line angles corresponding to various rockfall susceptibility classes including very low, low, medium, high, and very high. In addition to the graphical presentations, a series of practical equations were derived for the same purpose. In the final part of the study, a new rating system, namely the run-out distance rating (RDR), was introduced for the preliminary determination of ELAmax_stop. Due to the empirical structure of the methodology, the suggested supportive approach to the practitioners for determining ELAmax_stop should be considered as an initial step that opens to improvement. The proposed methodology in this study was implemented in the regions of Kargabedir Hill and Sivrihisar residential areas in Turkey to prepare rockfall susceptibility maps.
Scientometric analysis of quantum-inspired metaheuristic algorithms
Authors: Pooja  , Sood Sandeep Kumar
Published: January 2024

Quantum algorithms, based on the principles of quantum mechanics, offer significant parallel processing capabilities with a wide range of applications. Nature-inspired stochastic optimization algorithms have long been a research hotspot. The fusion of quantum mechanics with optimization methods can potentially address NP-hard problems more efficiently and exponentially faster. The potential advantages provided by the ground-breaking paradigm have expedited the scientific output of quantum-inspired optimization algorithms locale. Consequently, a pertinent investigation is required to explain how ground-breaking scientific advancements have evolved. The scientometric approach utilizes quantitative and qualitative techniques to analyze research publications to evaluate the structure of scientific knowledge. Henceforth, the current research presents a scientometric and systematic analysis of quantum-inspired metaheuristic algorithms (QiMs) literature from the Scopus database since its inception. The scientometric implications of the article offer a detailed exploration of the publication patterns, keyword co-occurrence network analysis, author co-citation analysis and country collaboration analysis corresponding to each opted category of QiMs. The analysis reveals that QiMs solely account to 26.66% of publication share in quantum computing and have experienced an impressive 42.59% growth rate in the past decade. Notably, power management, adiabatic quantum computation, and vehicle routing are prominent emerging application areas. An extensive systematic literature analysis identifies key insights and research gaps in the QiMs knowledge domain. Overall, the findings of the current article provide scientific cues to researchers and the academic fraternity for identifying the intellectual landscape and latest research trends of QiMs, thereby fostering innovation and informed decision-making.
Personalized choice prediction with less user information
Authors: Chen Francine , Zhang Yanxia , Nguyen Minh , Klenk Matt , Wu Charlene
Published: January 2024

While most models of human choice are linear to ease interpretation, it is not clear whether linear models are good models of human decision making. And while prior studies have investigated how task conditions and group characteristics, such as personality or socio-demographic background, influence human decisions, no prior works have investigated how to use less personal information for choice prediction. We propose a deep learning model based on self-attention and cross-attention to model human decision making which takes into account both subject-specific information and task conditions. We show that our model can consistently predict human decisions more accurately than linear models and other baseline models while remaining interpretable. In addition, although a larger amount of subject specific information will generally lead to more accurate choice prediction, collecting more surveys to gather subject background information is a burden to subjects, as well as costly and time-consuming. To address this, we introduce a training scheme that reduces the number of surveys that must be collected in order to achieve more accurate predictions.
The potential of patient-based nurse staffing – a queuing theory application in the neonatal intensive care setting
Authors: Sülz Sandra , Fügener Andreas , Becker-Peth Michael , Roth Bernhard
Published: January 2024

Faced by a severe shortage of nurses and increasing demand for care, hospitals need to optimally determine their staffing levels. Ideally, nurses should be staffed to those shifts where they generate the highest positive value for the quality of healthcare. This paper develops an approach that identifies the incremental benefit of staffing an additional nurse depending on the patient mix. Based on the reasoning that timely fulfillment of care demand is essential for the healthcare process and its quality in the critical care setting, we propose to measure the incremental benefit of staffing an additional nurse through reductions in time until care arrives (TUCA). We determine TUCA by relying on queuing theory and parametrize the model with real data collected through an observational study. The study indicates that using the TUCA concept and applying queuing theory at the care event level has the potential to improve quality of care for a given nurse capacity by efficiently trading situations of high versus low workload.
Decolonising the African doctorate: transforming the foundations of knowledge
Authors: Gumbo Mishack T. , Knaus Christopher B. , Gasa Velisiwe G.
Published: January 2024

Despite revolutions, ongoing student protests, and long-standing transformational efforts, African higher education remains steeped in a colonial model, with current structures, approaches, and purposes paralleling Western universities. The doctorate, the highest level of formal education one can attain, reflects this commitment to Western domination, relying upon European conceptions of knowledge to shape the entire research process. Thus, knowledge construction in higher education, and particularly in the African doctorate, has remained fixed to Eurocentrism. This conceptual article presents a critical race theory model to transform the African doctorate towards a social justice orientation, arguing for investments in race-conscious, Black affirming approaches that recognise doctoral researcher positionalities and African languages as ways to disrupt socio-political and racialised contexts. This transformation requires re-alignment of the entire research endeavour through an Ubuntu lens, with doctoral recipients engaging in training and support that embody antiracist, decolonial, and African Indigenous-affirming approaches.
Review of the globally invasive freshwater mussels in the genus Sinanodonta Modell, 1945
Authors: Douda Karel , Zieritz Alexandra , Vodáková Barbora , Urbańska Maria , Bolotov Ivan N. , Marková Jana , Froufe Elsa , Bogan Arthur E. , Lopes-Lima Manuel
Published: January 2024

In this review, we synthesize the current knowledge of the biology, ecology, and impact of Sinanodonta freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionidae), native to East Asia, that have successfully invaded Europe, Central America, North Africa, and several Asian regions. The main introduction pathways of Sinanodonta were reconstructed based on DNA sequence data and distribution records. We show that invasive lineages of Sinanodonta belong to three species, namely, S. woodiana s. str. (“temperate invasive” lineage), S. pacifica (“tropical invasive” lineage), and S. lauta. Their generalist fish-dispersed larvae, short life span, high fecundity, use by humans for multiple purposes, and ability to establish populations in anthropogenically disturbed conditions were identified as crucial traits driving their invasions. Information on the consequences is scarcer, but Sinanodonta can impact native species through larval parasitism, host fish/food competition, and parasite transmission. In addition, ecosystem effects through their filtration—biodeposition—excretion activity and the occurrence of massive die-offs were detected. Ecosystem services and disservices have not yet been quantified, even at local scales, and management methods in the invasive range are understudied. A better understanding of Sinanodonta ecology, impacts, and management options is urgently needed to make informed decisions and set realistic and impactful restoration goals.
Pathways between Child Maltreatment, Psychological Symptoms, and Life Satisfaction: A Network Analysis in Adolescent Inpatients
Authors: Kolar David R. , Monteleone Alessio Maria , Cascino Giammarco , Ertl Sebastian , Meule Adrian , Naab Silke , Voderholzer Ulrich
Published: January 2024

Child maltreatment is a risk factor for mental disorders and decreased life satisfaction during adolescence. We investigated whether child maltreatment would link to life satisfaction both directly and through psychological symptoms, whether these relations would change from admission to discharge after treatment, and which types of maltreatment, symptoms and facets of life satisfaction would be most influential in adolescent inpatients with internalizing mental disorders. N = 896 adolescent receiving inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment completed questionnaires on child maltreatment experiences, current psychopathology and subjective life satisfaction at admission and discharge (n = 765). Main diagnoses were affective (n = 322), eating (n = 447), obsessive–compulsive (n = 70) and anxiety disorders (n = 57). Network models of child maltreatment, psychopathology and life satisfaction nodes were estimated at admission and discharge and compared using network comparison tests. Potential causal shortest pathways were investigated using directed acyclic graphs.

Network models were stable with no significant differences between admission and discharge. Strongest nodes of each cluster were “emotional abuse” (child maltreatment), “worthlessness”, “thinking about dying” and “feeling lonely” (psychopathology) and “satisfied with life” (life satisfaction) at both admission and discharge. Emotional neglect showed direct connections to life satisfaction, indicating its relevance for therapeutic interventions. At both admission and discharge, “sexual abuse” indirectly predicted lower life satisfaction through psychological symptoms. In conclusion, child maltreatment is directly and indirectly connected to life satisfaction in adolescents with mental disorders. Emotional abuse and neglect were especially important in linking child maltreatment to life satisfaction and psychopathology.
New semi-analytical solution of fractional Newell–Whitehead–Segel equation arising in nonlinear optics with non-singular and non-local kernel derivative
Authors: Maghsoudi-Khouzani Sara , Kurt Ali
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a combined form of Laplace transform is applied with the Adomian Decomposition technique for the first time to obtain new semi-analytical solutions of the fractional Newell–Whitehead–Segel equation which is a model arising in nonlinear optics with Caputo–Fabrizio derivative which involves non-singular and non-local kernels in its definition. The obtained results by the suggested method are compared with exact solutions, as a result of remarkable concurrence between the acquired results and the exact proposed method and the exacted solutions. Plotted graphs and given tables illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed technique. All the calculations are made by the computer software called MAPLE and Mathematica.
Assessment of transdisciplinarity by its participants: the case of Tertúlias do Montado, Alentejo, Portugal
Authors: Guimarães M. Helena , Jacinto Gonçalo , Isidoro Catarina , Pohl Christian
Published: January 2024

Evaluation plays a pivotal role in transdisciplinary (TD) research, often discussed during funding stages or when assessing project impacts. A few studies delve into the participant perspective when examining the quality of transdisciplinarity. Our work contributes to this area of assessment. Rather than providing a definitive definition of transdisciplinarity, we developed a questionnaire to evaluate a set of TD principles within a specific TD initiative. We collected insights from 100 individuals out of a pool of 200 participants engaged in a TD initiative since 2016. Given the long-term nature of the case study, our sample included both frequent and occasional participants. Using non-parametric statistical, we concluded that frequent participants express higher satisfaction with their involvement, identify more outcomes stemming from their participation, and assign greater importance to TD principles. These findings highlight the significant impact of investing in long-term TD initiatives. Additionally, our questionnaires featured open-ended questions to capture participants’ individual definition of the initiative, along with their perceived benefits and drawbacks. Through content analysis, we identified two distinct discourses: positivism and postpositivism. The positivist discourse predominantly features male participants over 60 years of age, primarily from the research community. These participants express lower satisfaction with their participation and assign less value to TD principles. We found no association between positivism/postpositivism and participation frequency (i.e., frequent/casual). This suggests that these two discourses can coexist and interact within a TD environment. Nevertheless, the perceived value of TD is not uniform across these groups, indicating that TD may not align with everyone’s objectives, even in complex contexts where the approach is considered essential.
Taking games: a meta-analysis
Authors: Flage Alexandre
Published: January 2024

This paper presents the first meta-analysis of the ‘Taking Game,’ a variant of the Dictator Game where participants take money from recipients instead of giving. Upon analyzing data from 39 experiments, which include 123 effect sizes and 7262 offers made by dictators, we discovered a significant framing effect: dictators are more generous in the Taking Game than in the Dictator Game (Cohen's d = 0.26, p < 0.0001), leaving approximately 35.5 percent of the stakes to recipients in the former as opposed to 27.5 percent in the latter. The difference is higher when the participants have earned their endowment before sharing or when the recipient is a charity. Consistent with the standard literature on giving, we also find that participants take less from a charity than from a standard recipient, take less when payoffs are hypothetical, or when recipients have previously earned their endowment. We also find that women (non-students) take less than men (students). Finally, it appears that participants from non-OECD countries leave more money to recipients than participants from OECD countries.
Tropical cyclone warning and forecasting system in Bangladesh: challenges, prospects, and future direction to adopt artificial intelligence
Authors: Rahman Sabbir , Sharmin Nusrat , Rahat Ahsan , Rahman Mukhlesur , Rahman Mahbubur
Published: January 2024

Bangladesh is a disaster-prone area due to its geographic location, especially since it is affected by a tropical cyclone (TC) almost every year. TC causes severe damage to lives and livelihoods in this region of Bangladesh. TC prediction and monitoring are still based on the traditional statistical model. In general, the conventional statistical model has the limitation of not handling nonlinear datasets in a precious way. However, the country is gradually adopting modern technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4) technology for disaster management. The purpose of this study is to identify the scope of adopting new technologies like machine learning and deep learning (DL) for cyclone prediction in countries like Bangladesh, which are cyclone-prone but have constraints on funds to invest in this field. To establish the idea, we examine the research work on the TC forecasting model used in the country from 2010 to 2022. This paper examines the TC forecasting model used to identify the scope of improvement in the current system based on AI and process a better cyclone prediction system using an AI-based model. This study intends to reveal the gaps in mainstream cyclone prediction methods and focus on cyclone prediction system improvement. Moreover, this work will summarize the current state of the TC prediction forecasting system in Bangladesh and how the incorporation of modern technology can increase its efficiency. Finally, as a final note, we conclude this paper with the answer of proximity to the proposal of including AI in cyclone detection and prediction systems. A workflow diagram to address cyclone prediction based on ML and DL has also been presented in this paper, which may augment the capacity of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) in performing their responsibility. Moreover, some specific recommendations have been proposed to improve the cyclone prediction system in Bangladesh.
Understanding the role of antibiotic-associated adverse events in influencing antibiotic decision-making
Authors: Cherian Jerald P. , Helsel Taylor N. , Jones George F. , Virk Zunaira , Salinas Alejandra , Grieb Suzanne M. , Klein Eili Y. , Tamma Pranita D. , Cosgrove Sara E. ,   for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: January 2024

Objective:

To (1) understand the role of antibiotic-associated adverse events (ABX-AEs) on antibiotic decision-making, (2) understand clinician preferences for ABX-AE feedback, and (3) identify ABX-AEs of greatest clinical concern.

Design:

Focus groups.

Setting:

Academic medical center.

Participants:

Medical and surgical house staff, attending physicians, and advanced practice practitioners.

Methods:

Focus groups were conducted from May 2022 to December 2022. Participants discussed the role of ABX-AEs in antibiotic decision-making and feedback preferences and evaluated the prespecified categorization of ABX-AEs based on degree of clinical concern. Thematic analysis was conducted using inductive coding.

Results:

Four focus groups were conducted (n = 15). Six themes were identified. (1) ABX-AE risks during initial prescribing influence the antibiotic prescribed rather than the decision of whether to prescribe. (2) The occurrence of an ABX-AE leads to reassessment of the clinical indication for antibiotic therapy. (3) The impact of an ABX-AE on other management decisions is as important as the direct harm of the ABX-AE. (4) ABX-AEs may be overlooked because of limited feedback regarding the occurrence of ABX-AEs. (5) Clinicians are receptive to feedback regarding ABX-AEs but are concerned about it being punitive. (6) Feedback must be curated to prevent clinicians from being overwhelmed with data. Clinicians generally agreed with the prespecified categorizations of ABX-AEs by degree of clinical concern.

Conclusions:

The themes identified and assessment of ABX-AEs of greatest clinical concern may inform antibiotic stewardship initiatives that incorporate reporting of ABX-AEs as a strategy to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
A National Laboratory Perspective: The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Management of Patients With Non-Communicable Disease in South Africa: Impact of COVID-19 on patients with noncommunicable diseases
Authors: Kruger Elsie C. , Van der Westhuizen Diederick J. , Erasmus Rajiv T. , Banderker Razia B. , Jacob Doreen , Moodley Nareshni , Ngxamngxa Unathi , Kengne Andre P. , Zemlin Annalise E.
Published: January 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on test requests for the diagnosis and routine care of patients with various non-communicable diseases (NCD) across South Africa (SA).

Methods:

A retrospective audit of laboratory test requests received from hospital outpatient departments and primary healthcare facilities across SA was performed. The following analytes were studied: glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipids profiles, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroxine (fT4), as well as triiodothyronine (fT3), serum protein electrophoresis (SPE), serum free light chains (SFLC), and prostate specific antigen (PSA); these tests were used as a proxy of NCD detection and follow-up. Requests received during the 3 waves of the pandemic were compared to requests received within the same period during 2017 - 2019.

Results:

During the first wave, requests for all analytes were reduced, with the biggest reduction observed for SPE (− 37%); TSH (− 29%); fT4 (− 28%); and HbA1c (− 25%). Requests received from urban facilities showed a larger decrease compared to those from rural facilities. During the third wave there was an increase in requests for all analytes; the biggest increase observed was for fT3 (21%) and HbA1c (18%).

Conclusions:

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the South African population receiving care in the public healthcare sector.
Gender gap in residential independence and employment of young people
Authors: Colom Andrés M. Consuelo , Molés Machí M. Cruz
Published: January 2024

Residential independence and incorporation into the labour market are two fundamental aspects of the transition of young people to adulthood, and gender differences have been observed in both. This study aims to determine the reasons behind the gender gap seen in young adults leaving their parental home and in finding paid employment. We analyse both the decisions of residential independence and employment jointly, for the sample of men and that of women. We separate the influence of observed factors from the influence of unobserved factors or preferences on the gender gap using decomposition techniques. The analysis is carried out for two points in time; this temporal comparison can help demonstrate whether the recent social changes experienced have modified the behaviour patterns of young people. Our findings indicate that, in accordance with the trend observed in recent decades in Europe, there is a convergence between men and women in the residential independence of young adults in Spain. However, in the labour market, there is still much to be done to reduce the gender gap. One recommendation arising from our study would be to promote policies which further improve the conciliation of family and work life, since this could reduce female labour abandonment associated with starting a family or motherhood.
Identity Poetics in Modern Amazigh Poetry: Dramatizing History and Memory in Ali Sidki Azaykou's Poem “Taketbiyt”
Authors: Hamdoune Lahoussine
Published: January 2024

A pioneer of the Amazigh Cultural Movement and modern Amazigh poetics, and one of the first intellectuals to interrogate – from the margin – Moroccan official historiography, Ali Sidki Azaykou has produced two collections of poetry, Timitar (Signs) and Izmuln (Scars), in addition to a posthumous collection, Indguiguen Aghaman (“Eternal Sparks”), appearing in 2019. The present article examines “Taketbiyt” (1971), a poem about the Koutoubia Tower in Marrakesh. While considering the poem, I use Pierre Nora's notion of “site[s] of memory” and Paul Ricœur's “trace of memory” to probe the significance of this centuries-old tower in Azaykou's poetry. I argue that Taketbiyt is evoked as a “site of memory” or a “trace of memory” to both remember and celebrate the forgotten Amazigh ancestry and history. I demonstrate that Azaykou's central concern, through such an act of remembrance, is to interrogate the biased representation of the Moroccan past in the present. As such, the poem complicates Amazigh cultural identity vis-à-vis the hegemony of Moroccan official historiography. Along with an abundance of metaphors, the poem displays an unparalleled allusive diction and a copious array of historical and geographical symbols. I conclude that, with its intellectually-informed theme and its self-consciously weaved form, “Taketbiyt” is a quintessential architype of modern Amazigh poetry.
Effects of physical form of β-lactoglobulin and calcium ingestion on GLP-1 secretion, gastric emptying and energy intake in humans: a randomised crossover trial
Authors: Watkins Jonathan D. , Smith Harry A. , Hengist Aaron , Nielsen Søren B. , Mikkelsen Ulla Ramer , Saunders John , Koumanov Francoise , Betts James A. , Gonzalez Javier T.
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study was to assess whether adding Ca2+ to aggregate or native forms of β-lactoglobulin alters gut hormone secretion, gastric emptying rates and energy intake in healthy men and women. Fifteen healthy adults (mean ± sd: 9M/6F, age: 24 ± 5 years) completed four trials in a randomised, double-blind, crossover design. Participants consumed test drinks consisting of 30 g of β-lactoglobulin in a native form with (NATIVE + MINERALS) and without (NATIVE) a Ca2+-rich mineral supplement and in an aggregated form both with (AGGREG + MINERALS) and without the mineral supplement (AGGREG). Arterialised blood was sampled for 120 min postprandially to determine gut hormone concentrations. Gastric emptying was determined using 13C-acetate and 13C-octanoate, and energy intake was assessed with an ad libitum meal at 120 min. A protein × mineral interaction effect was observed for total glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1TOTAL) incremental AUC (iAUC; P < 0·01), whereby MINERALS + AGGREG increased GLP-1TOTAL iAUC to a greater extent than AGGREG (1882 ± 603 v. 1550 ± 456 pmol·l−1·120 min, P < 0·01), but MINERALS + NATIVE did not meaningfully alter the GLP-1 iAUC compared with NATIVE (1669 ± 547 v. 1844 ± 550 pmol·l−1·120 min, P = 0·09). A protein × minerals interaction effect was also observed for gastric emptying half-life (P < 0·01) whereby MINERALS + NATIVE increased gastric emptying half-life compared with NATIVE (83 ± 14 v. 71 ± 8 min, P < 0·01), whereas no meaningful differences were observed between MINERALS + AGGREG v. AGGREG (P = 0·70). These did not result in any meaningful changes in energy intake (protein × minerals interaction, P = 0·06). These data suggest that the potential for Ca2+ to stimulate GLP-1 secretion at moderate protein doses may depend on protein form. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04659902).
Ecomprovisation: Project Markarian 335
Authors: Aliel Luzilei , Simurra Ivan , Messina Marcello , Keller Damián
Published: January 2024

Through an ecological approach to creative practice (henceforth ecomprovisation), this project deals with the expansion of creative strategies applicable to everyday contexts. Within ubiquitous music (ubimus), we target the convergence of sonification methods with the application of ecological models within the context of comprovisation. These conceptual frameworks inform the technological and aesthetic approaches applied in the making of Markarian 335. We describe the creative procedures and the implications of the design choices involved in this artwork. The contributions and shortcomings of our ecomprovisational approach are situated within the context of the current efforts to foster expanded creative possibilities in ubimus endeavours.
„Nein, wir blättern noch nicht um“
Authors: von Dapper-Saalfels Tina
Published: January 2024

Zusammenfassung: Basierend auf dem Begriff der Sensitiven Responsivität ( Remsperger, 2011 ) untersucht der Beitrag die Fachkraft-Kind-Interaktion in Kindertageseinrichtungen. Auf der Basis von 83 videografierten dyadischen Bilderbuchbetrachtungen aus dem „allE-Projekt“ wird das Interaktionsverhalten hinsichtlich des sensitiv-responsiven Verhaltens der pädagogischen Fachkräfte anhand eines dreistufigen Ratingverfahrens eingeschätzt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass 19,3% der Fachkräfte in der Bilderbuchbetrachtung ein niedrig ausgeprägtes sensitiv-responsives Verhalten gegenüber dem Kind zeigen. Die Befunde liefern erste Hinweise darauf, dass das sensitiv-responsive Verhalten von Fachkräften weder durch deren Ausbildungsart noch durch das Alter oder den Sprachentwicklungsstand des Kindes maßgeblich beeinflusst wird. Diese Ausgangslage deutet auf einen erheblichen Bedarf an entsprechenden Fort- und Weiterbildungen hin.
Are There Age-Related Differences in Effects of Positive and Negative Emotions in Arithmetic?
Authors: Lallement Camille , Lemaire Patrick
Published: January 2024

Abstract: We investigated effects of emotions on arithmetic problem-solving and age-related differences in these effects. Young and older adults verified addition problems displayed superimposed on emotionally negative, positive, or neutral pictures. Participants obtained poorer performance in emotion than in neutral conditions, with stronger interference by negative than positive emotions. Also, participants were more impaired by negative emotions while solving true problems than false problems, whereas they were influenced by positive emotions similarly on true and false problems. Interestingly, effects of both positive and negative emotions were comparable in young and older adults. These findings have important implications for further understanding how negative and positive emotions influence arithmetic problem-solving.