bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leading Basic Modes of Spontaneous Activity Drive Individual Functional Connectivity Organization in the Resting Human Brain
Authors: Chen Xi , Ren Haoda , Tang Zhonghua , Zhou Ke , Zhou Liqin , Zuo Zhentao , Cui Xiaohua , Chen Xiaosong , Liu Zonghua , He Yong , Liao Xuhong
Published: May 2023

Spontaneous activity of the human brain provides a window to explore intrinsic principles of functional organization. However, most studies have focused on interregional functional connectivity. The principles underlying rich repertoires of instantaneous activity remain largely unknown. We apply a novel eigen-microstate analysis to three resting-state functional MRI datasets to identify basic modes that represent fundamental activity patterns that coexist over time. We identify a few (i.e., five) leading basic modes that dominate activity fluctuations. Each of these modes exhibits a distinct functional system-dependent coactivation pattern and corresponds to specific cognitive profiles. In particular, the spatial pattern of the first leading basis mode shows the separation of activity between the default-mode and primary and attention regions. We further reconstruct individual functional connectivity as the weighted contribution of these leading basic modes based on theoretical modelling. Moreover, these leading basic modes capture sleep deprivation-induced changes in brain activity and interregional connectivity, primarily involving the default-mode and task-positive regions. Our findings reveal a dominant set of basic modes of spontaneous activity that reflect multiplexed interregional coordination and drive conventional functional connectivity, furthering the understanding of the functional significance of spontaneous brain activity.
“Hugging the middle” on selection of educational philosophy: empirical evidence from higher education in Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Kunjumuhammed Siraj Kariyilaparambu , Tabash Bassam Khalil Hamdan , Pandurugan Vaidehi
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This research aims to examine the educational philosophy of teachers in classrooms. Teachers' educational philosophy influences the power balance, course content function, student and teacher roles, responsibility for learning and assessment purposes and processes. The research also analyzes whether gender, qualification, specialization and experience significantly influence classroom educational philosophies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilized a quantitative research design, utilizing data from 193 teachers working in a public higher education institution in the Sultanate of Oman. The study utilized a survey method to solicit data from the respondents. Besides utilizing descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, the study used analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Analysis revealed an instructional strategy's preference, including elements of both teacher-centered and student-centered educational philosophies. Elements of progressivism, constructivism, reconstructivism and perennialism are more relevant in the teacher's instructional design. The results show no significant differences in teachers' pedagogical philosophy that exist based on gender, specialization and experience. However, teachers' age significantly influences their educational philosophy preferences.

Research limitations/implications

This research centers on a public higher education institution in the Sultanate of Oman, with a particular focus on the Department of Business Studies. This resarch delimits its discussion on teachers' chosen educational philosophy. Other possible factors may also impact student retention and effective teaching and learning.

Practical implications

This research offers valuable insights to academicians, higher education administrators, and policymakers. Specifically, this research emphasizes the significance of employing a blended approach, which incorporates both student-centered and teacher-centered educational philosophies, to enhance student engagement, retention, and effective teaching and learning.

Social implications

This research emphasizes the importance of educators' adoption of a blended educational philosophy in promoting student retention and engagement within higher education institutions. To achieve desirable outcomes, policymakers in higher education must ascertain which educational philosophy is most effective in the classroom. Additionally, ensuring congruence between preferred educational philosophy and teachers’  instructional practices is vital in facilitating effective teaching and learning.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind among teachers in higher education in the Sultanate of Oman. The outcome of this study helps detail the specific strategies teachers deploy and categorize into various educational philosophies.
Business schools’ transformation towards sustainability: empirical insights from UN PRME signatories
Authors: Godemann Jasmin , Nguyen Bich-Ngoc , Herzig Christian
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to present the progress of the implementation of sustainability in business schools in line with the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and its principles of responsible management education.

Design/methodology/approach

By analyzing the content of the Sharing of Information on Progress reports from PRME signatories, this study identified significant developments in the strategies business school use to implement sustainability. However, it seems that a framework that business schools can apply to accomplish that goal is still lacking. This paper proposes a framework that addresses four components of the integration process and stresses the important role of stakeholders. The authors discuss the results from 2021 in comparison to the results of a previous analysis of the first 100 signatories from 2010 and analyze the findings in relation to the developed framework.

Findings

This study shows that business schools have improved their sustainability engagement in many areas (e.g. education offerings and teaching methods, campus practices and engaging stakeholders). However, less attention has been paid to other aspects, such as reviewing and assessing, capability development or communication, which could slow the transformation process. The authors discuss further implications of the findings for enhancing the PRME signatories’ ability to implement the underrecognized aspects.

Originality/value

While the analysis focuses on the status and progress of the integration of PRME within business schools during the past decade, the framework may enable higher education institutions to analyze their potential to implement change and plan future transformation strategies.
Entrepreneurial micro-ecosystem development: the communality of craft breweries
Authors: Perry Lane Graves , Woolard Nathan
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Leveraging the boom of a craft beer renaissance, this paper explores social capital theory through the impact of the craft brewing industry. The exploration addresses entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems that share one commonality – the need for community development and revitalization. North Carolina's deregulation of craft brewing (Pop-the-Cap Initiative, 2005) led to a boom of brewery startups, from 54 in 2010 to more than 380 in 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study focuses on 15 brewery founders who have launched ventures within a few years of the Pop-the-Cap Initiative. This included 15% of those breweries launched between 2012 and 2017. Naturalistic Inquiry methodology was utilized, and semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifact analyses were applied to each participant via content analysis and NVivo.

Findings

Framed by two contributing entrepreneurial mindset factors (anti-establishment mindset and business-person's burden mindset) and three external entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems conditions (community conditions, doom and boom conditions, and economic conditions), these emergent themes represent the ecosystem contributors (mindsets/conditions) associated with startup success and social value creation in rural and downtrodden urban areas.

Research limitations/implications

This study facilitated a deep dive into two evolving entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems (rural/urban) through the perspective of brewery startups. It illuminated the actors, conditions, and domains in play. Conceptualizations of “nestedness” (Spigel, 2022) with “microfoundations” (Wurth et al., 2022) integrated to see a specific sector (craft brewing) developing within a sub-ecosystem's capacity to help frame and “understand the co-evolution of agents with entrepreneurial ecosystems” (Cho et al., 2022). Additionally, antecedents to the birth of local economies suggest the value of agents involved in evolution of nascent local economies (Cho et al., 2022). These findings reinforce developing literature while presenting opportunities for future studies.

Social implications

Craft breweries in rural and urban environments represent third places within communities. Third places can be recognized as conduits for developing social capital among individuals, groups, and firms. High levels of social capital positively impact communities. These conditions helped anchor tenants thrive and did not occur accidently. They are intentional value propositions of entrepreneurs and ecosystem conditions.

Originality/value

Brewery entrepreneurs were aware of their contribution to social capital value, economic impact (e.g., tax revenue, jobs, space, attraction/destination, etc.), and how these facets interplay as revitalizing anchor tenants (i.e., craft breweries). Insight into how entrepreneurs come to understand and recognize their impact on community through social capital development and the economy can aid in further support ecosystems at the community level.
Post-fire investigation on the mechanical properties and physical characteristics of fibre-reinforced geopolymer concrete
Authors: Prasad Burle Vijaya , Kiran Tattukolla , Anand N. , Andrushia Diana , Al-Jabri Khalifa
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The construction industries at present are focusing on designing sustainable concrete with less carbon footprint. Considering this aspect, a Fibre-Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete (FGC) was developed with 8 and 10 molarities (M). At elevated temperatures, concrete experiences deterioration of its mechanical properties which is in some cases associated with spalling, leading to the building collapse.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, six geopolymer-based mix proportions are prepared with crimped steel fibre (SF), polypropylene fibre (PF), basalt fibre (BF), a hybrid mixture consisting of (SF + PF), a hybrid mixture with (SF + BF), and a reference specimen (without fibres). After temperature exposure, ultrasonic pulse velocity, physical characteristics of damaged concrete, loss of compressive strength (CS), split tensile strength (TS), and flexural strength (FS) of concrete are assessed. A polynomial relationship is developed between residual strength properties of concrete, and it showed a good agreement.

Findings

The test results concluded that concrete with BF showed a lower loss in CS after 925 °C (i.e. 60 min of heating) temperature exposure. In the case of TS, and FS, the concrete with SF had lesser loss in strength. After 986 °C and 1029 °C exposure, concrete with the hybrid combination (SF + BF) showed lower strength deterioration in CS, TS, and FS as compared to concrete with PF and SF + PF. The rate of reduction in strength is similar to that of GC-BF in CS, GC-SF in TS and FS.

Originality/value

Performance evaluation under fire exposure is necessary for FGC. In this study, we provided the mechanical behaviour and physical properties of SF, PF, and BF-based geopolymer concrete exposed to high temperatures, which were evaluated according to ISO standards. In addition, micro-structural behaviour and linear polynomials are observed.
A hybrid agent-based model integrated with a multi-stage learning-based fuzzy cognitive map
Authors: Kocabey Ciftci Pinar , Unutmaz Durmusoglu Zeynep Didem
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This article proposes a novel hybrid simulation model for understanding the complex tobacco use behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The model is developed by embedding the concept of the multistage learning-based fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) into the agent-based model (ABM) in order to benefit from advantageous of each methodology. The ABM is used to represent individual level behaviors while the FCM is used as a decision support mechanism for individuals. In this study, socio-demographic characteristics of individuals, tobacco control policies, and social network effect are taken into account to reflect the current tobacco use system of Turkey. The effects of plain package and COVID-19 on tobacco use behaviors of individuals are also searched under different scenarios.

Findings

The findings indicate that the proposed model provides promising results for representing the mental models of agents. Besides, the scenario analyses help to observe the possible reactions of people to new conditions according to characteristics.

Originality/value

The proposed method combined ABM and FCM with a multi-stage learning phases for modeling a complex and dynamic social problem as close as real life. It is expected to contribute for both ABM and tobacco use literature.
Numerical investigation on the premature and extended contact behaviour of engineering thermoplastic gears and its effect in gear kinematics
Authors: Vignesh S. , Johnney Mertens A.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This research work aims to determine the maximum load a thermoplastic gear can withstand without the occurrence of extended contact. The extended contact of polymer gears is usually overlooked in basic design calculations, although it considerably affects the gear's load-carrying ability. Although various researchers highlighted the phenomenon, an extensive investigation of the extended contact behaviour is limited. Hence the work aims to investigate the premature and extended contact behaviour of thermoplastic gears and its effect in the gear kinematics, bending stiffness, stresses induced and the roll angle subtended by the gear pair.

Design/methodology/approach

The work uses finite element method to perform quasi-static two-dimensional analysis of the meshing gear teeth. The FE model was developed in AutoCAD and analysed using ANSYS 19.1 simulation package. A three-dimensional gear model with all the teeth is computationally intensive for solving a static analysis problem. Hence, planar analysis with a reduced number of teeth is considered to reduce the computational time and difficulty.

Findings

The roll angle subtended at the centre by the path of approach is higher than the path of recess because of the increased load sharing. The contact stress profile followed a unique R-F-R-F pattern in the premature and extended contact regions due to the driven tip-driver flank surface contact. A non-dimensional parameter was formulated correlating the young's modulus, the load applied and deflection induced that can be utilised to predict the occurrence of premature and extended contact in thermoplastic gears.

Originality/value

The gear rating standards for polymer gears are formulated from the conventional metal gears which does not include the effect of gear tooth deflection. The work attempts to explain the gear tooth deflection for various standard thermoplastics and its effect in kinematics. Likewise, a new dimensionless number was introduced to predict the extended contact that will help in appropriate selection of load reducing the possibility of wear.
Investigation of the effect of preparation processes on CO2 laser-faded denim fabric quality
Authors: Uysaler Tuna , Altay Pelin , Özcan Gülay
Published: May 2023

Purpose

In the denim industry, enzyme washing and its combination with stone washing are generally used to get the desired worn-out look. However, these conventional methods include high water, energy and time consumption. Nowadays, laser fading, which is a computer-controlled, dry, ecological finishing method, is preferred in the denim fading process. The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of chemical pretreatment applications on laser-faded denim fabric in terms of color and mechanical properties. To eliminate the enzyme washing process in denim fading and to minimize the disadvantages of laser fading, such as decreased mechanical properties and increased fabric yellowness, various chemical pretreatment applications were applied to the denim fabric before laser fading, followed by simple rinsing instead of enzyme washing.

Design/methodology/approach

Two different indigo-dyed, organic cotton denim fabrics with different unit weights were exposed to pretreatment processes and then laser treatment, followed by simple rinsing. Polysilicic acid, boric acid, borax and bicarbonate were used for pretreatment processes, and laser treatment was carried out under optimized laser parameters (40 dpi resolution and 300 µs pixel time). Tensile strength was tested, and color values (CIE L*, a*, b*, ΔE*, C* and h), color yield (K/S), yellowness and whiteness indexes were measured to identify the color differences.

Findings

Before laser fading, 30 g/L and 40 g/L polysilicic acid pretreatments for sulfur-indigo-dyed fabric and a mixture of 10 g/L boric acid and 10 g/L borax pretreatments for the fabric only indigo-dyed were recommended for the laser fading with sufficient mechanical properties and good color values.

Originality/value

With the chemical pretreatments defined in this study, it was possible to reduce yellowness and maintain the mechanical properties after laser fading, thus minimizing the disadvantages of laser treatment and also eliminating enzyme washing.
Toward a Values‐Informed Approach to Complexity in Health Care: Hermeneutic Review
Authors: GREENHALGH TRISHA , ENGEBRETSEN EIVIND , BAL ROLAND , KJELLSTRÖM SOFIA
Published: May 2023

Policy Points

The concept of value complexity (complexity arising from differences in people's worldviews, interests, and values, leading to mistrust, misunderstanding, and conflict among stakeholders) is introduced and explained.

Relevant literature from multiple disciplines is reviewed.

Key theoretical themes, including power, conflict, language and framing, meaning‐making, and collective deliberation, are identified.

Simple rules derived from these theoretical themes are proposed.
Back into Focus: Women Filmmakers, the Amateur Trade Press and 1960s British Amateur Cinema
Authors: Johnston Keith M.
Published: May 2023

While recent scholarship has helped uncover specific stories of women in different commercial cinema industries, there remains a lacuna around the role of amateur women filmmakers within national amateur contexts. Where male amateur filmmaking has often been linked to a range of solitary or group‐based leisure pursuits, we cannot make the same assumption about women amateur filmmaker’s involvement in social groups, not least due to the gendered nature of domestic and non‐work activities in the post‐war era. This article considers the representation of women's creative labour across the 1960s within a dominant and patriarchal trade journal, Britain's Amateur Cine World. Combining feminist and digital humanities approaches allows us to analyse data from this magazine to reveal recurring debates and tensions around women's amateur creativity, with particular concerns around domesticity, leisure and the gendered nature of technology.
Does virtual reality technology reduce pain and anxiety during outpatient hysteroscopy? A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Sewell Thomas , Fung Yinka , Al‐Kufaishi Asmaa , Clifford Katy , Quinn Stephen
Published: May 2023

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality technology in reducing pain and anxiety during outpatient hysteroscopy.

Design

A prospective randomised controlled trial.

Setting

A London University Teaching Hospital.

Population

Women aged 18–70 years undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy procedures.

Methods

An unblinded randomised controlled trial was performed between March and October 2022 comparing standard outpatient hysteroscopy care with standard care with the addition of a virtual reality headset playing a virtual reality immersive scenario as a distraction technique.

Main outcome measures

Pain and anxiety numeric rating scores (NRS) from 0 to 11.

Results

Eighty‐three participants were randomly allocated to the control (n = 42) and virtual reality groups (n = 41). The virtual reality group experienced significantly less anxiety during the procedure than the control group (mean NRS 3.29 versus 4.73, mean difference 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12–2.88; P = 0.03). There was no difference in reported average pain (mean NRS 3.73. versus 4.24, mean difference 0.51; 95% CI −1.76 to 0.64; p = 0.41) or maximum pain scores (mean NRS 5.32 versus 5.07, mean difference 0.25; 95% CI −1.05 to 1.55; P = 0.71).

Conclusions

The use of virtual reality technology as an adjunct to standard care can reduce patient‐reported anxiety but not pain during outpatient hysteroscopy procedures. Continued improvements in the technology and the development of increasingly immersive environments may continue to increase the potential to improve the patient experience in this setting.
Hemochromatosis as a secondary condition to systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report
Authors: Liu Jun , Zeng Jiashun , Li Peiting , Li Long , Gao Xueqin
Published: May 2023

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organs and systems, including joints, the cardiovascular system, lungs, skin, kidneys, the nervous system, and blood. The clinical presentations of SLE are diverse and vary widely. In this report, we present a case of a patient whose SLE was complicated by hemochromatosis to enhance clinicians' comprehension of this infrequent or rare complication of SLE. We aim to provide insights into the diagnosis and treatment processes of this condition.
Letrozole‐induced inflammatory arthritis and tendinopathy in pediatric rheumatology setting
Authors: Baba Ozge , Kisaoglu Hakan , Kalyoncu Mukaddes
Published: May 2023

Musculoskeletal symptoms associated with the use of aromatase inhibitors are a well‐known side effect of these drugs and are more prevalent in postmenopausal women. Aromatase inhibitor‐associated symptoms are not overt inflammatory processes so are described as arthralgia syndrome. In contrast, aromatase inhibitor‐associated inflammatory conditions such as myopathies, vasculitis, and rheumatoid arthritis were also reported. To our knowledge, inflammatory arthritis or tendinopathy associated with aromatase inhibitors were not reported in children despite their increased off‐label use in the pediatric setting. Herein, we report a girl with inflammatory arthritis and tendinopathy associated with letrozole treatment.
Potential for homoacetogenesis via the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway in Korarchaeia lineages from marine hydrothermal vents
Authors: Vulcano Francesca , Hribovšek Petra , Denny Emily Olesin , Steen Ida H. , Stokke Runar
Published: May 2023

The Wood–Ljungdahl pathway (WLP) is a key metabolic component of acetogenic bacteria where it acts as an electron sink. In Archaea, despite traditionally being linked to methanogenesis, the pathway has been found in several Thermoproteota and Asgardarchaeota lineages. In Bathyarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia, its presence has been linked to a homoacetogenic metabolism. Genomic evidence from marine hydrothermal genomes suggests that lineages of Korarchaeia could also encode the WLP. In this study, we reconstructed 50 Korarchaeia genomes from marine hydrothermal vents along the Arctic Mid‐Ocean Ridge, substantially expanding the Korarchaeia class with several taxonomically novel genomes. We identified a complete WLP in several deep‐branching lineages, showing that the presence of the WLP is conserved at the root of the Korarchaeia. No methyl‐CoM reductases were encoded by genomes with the WLP, indicating that the WLP is not linked to methanogenesis. By assessing the distribution of hydrogenases and membrane complexes for energy conservation, we show that the WLP is likely used as an electron sink in a fermentative homoacetogenic metabolism. Our study confirms previous hypotheses that the WLP has evolved independently from the methanogenic metabolism in Archaea, perhaps due to its propensity to be combined with heterotrophic fermentative metabolisms.
Performing Aboriginal Rights in 1951: From Australia's Top End to Southeast
Authors: Harris Amanda , Onus Tiriki , Barwick Linda
Published: May 2023

In 1951, performers from Daly River and Tiwi Islands Aboriginal communities staged a corroboree strike. The musicians and dancers had routinely entertained visiting cruise ships in the Darwin Botanic Gardens, but now joined dockside workers to protest the jailing and exiling of two Aboriginal agitators Lawrence Wurrpen (Urban) and Fred (Nadpur) Waters. In Melbourne, the Australian Aborigines' League expressed solidarity with the Darwin strikes and protested the exclusion of Aboriginal voices from the Jubilee of Australian Federation. The League's leaders Doug Nicholls and Bill Onus produced a new work of musical theatre featuring east coast Aboriginal performers Fred Foster, Margaret Tucker, Georgia Lee, Harold Blair, and others in ‘Out of the Dark — An Aboriginal Moomba’. In this paper we examine political uses of performance in Australia's assimilation era, and show how Aboriginal agitators used music and dance to connect struggles for rights across Australia, and to keep cultural identity alive. In doing so we show how performance operated both as work and as assertion of cultural sovereignty.
A Polanyian Perspective on the Conflict Between Neoliberal Economics and Countrymindedness in Australian Drought and Water Policy
Authors: Robertson Angus , Habib Benjamin
Published: May 2023

This article evaluates the successes and failures of Australian drought and water policy reforms. By analysing the influence of the ideas central to neoliberal economics and countrymindedness on the development and implementation of the National Drought Policy and the Murray Darling Basin Plan, we illustrate that drought and water policy reforms in Australia can be explained in the context of Karl Polanyi's double movement theory. We demonstrate that founding Australia's agricultural policy on economic assumptions is unlikely to be well‐received in a nation that exhibits widespread sympathy for the plight of agricultural producers. As such, we postulate that neoliberal agricultural policies that ignore the relevant social and historical context will be unpopular and vulnerable to a countermovement that undermines the intent and hinders the implementation of the policy.
Efficiency of genetic modification in gene‐knockout sperm‐derived zygotes followed by electroporation of guide RNA targeting the same gene
Authors: Takebayashi Koki , Wittayarat Manita , Lin Qingyi , Torigoe Nanaka , Liu Bin , Hirata Maki , Nagahara Megumi , Tanihara Fuminori , Otoi Takeshige
Published: May 2023

Genetic mosaicism is considered one of the main limitations of the electroporation method used to transfer CRISPR‐Cas9/guide RNA (gRNA) into porcine zygotes. We hypothesized that fertilization of oocytes with sperm from gene‐deficient boars, in combination with electroporation (EP) to target the same region of the gene in subsequent zygotes, would increase the gene modification efficiency. As myostatin (MSTN) and α1,3‐galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) have beneficial effects on agricultural production and xenotransplantation, respectively, we used these two genes to test our hypothesis. Spermatozoa from gene‐knockout boars were used for oocyte fertilization in combination with EP to transfer gRNAs targeting the same gene region to zygotes. No significant differences in the rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation as well as in the mutation rates of blastocysts were observed between the wild‐type and gene‐deficient spermatozoa groups, irrespective of the targeted gene. In conclusion, the combination of fertilization with gene‐deficient spermatozoa and gene editing of the same targeted gene region using EP had no beneficial effects on embryo genetic modification, indicating that EP alone is a sufficient tool for genome modification.
Understanding how educational maths apps can enhance learning: A content analysis and qualitative comparative analysis
Authors: Outhwaite Laura A. , Early Erin , Herodotou Christothea , Van Herwegen Jo
Published: May 2023

Educational applications (apps) are ubiquitous within children's learning environments and emerging evidence has demonstrated their efficacy. However, it remains unclear what the active ingredients (ie, mechanisms), or combination of ingredients, of successful maths apps are. The current study developed a new, open‐access, three‐step framework for assessing the educational value of maths apps, comprised of type of app, mathematical content and app design features. When applied to a selection of available maths apps previously evaluated with children in the first 3 years of school (the final sample included 23 apps), results showed that practice‐based apps were the most common app type tested (n = 15). Basic number skills, such as number representation and relationships, were the most common area of mathematics targeted by apps (n = 21). A follow‐up qualitative comparative analysis showed observed learning outcomes with maths apps were enhanced when apps combined the following: a scaffolded and personalised learning journey (programmatic levelling) and explanations of why answers were right or wrong (explanatory feedback), as well as praise, such as ‘Great job!’ (motivational feedback). This novel evidence stresses the significance of feedback and levelling design features that teaching practitioners and other stakeholders should consider when deciding which apps to use with young children. Directions for future research are discussed.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

Educational apps have been shown to support maths attainment in the first 3 years of school.

Several existing frameworks have attempted to assess the educational value of some of these maths apps.

Emerging experimental evidence also demonstrates the benefits of specific app design features, including feedback and levelling.

What this paper adds

Practice‐based maths apps are the most common type of app previously evaluated with young children.

These evaluated maths apps have mostly focused on basic number skills.

The combination of explanatory and motivational feedback, with programmatic levelling (either dynamic or static), was a necessary condition for enhancing learning outcomes with maths apps.

Implications for practice and policy

The inclusion of feedback and levelling in maths apps should be considered by app developers when designing apps, and by educational practitioners and parents when deciding which apps to use with their children.

Further consideration is also needed for the development of educational apps that include a broad range of maths skills.
Online Avatar Motion Adaptation to Morphologically‐similar Spaces
Authors: Choi Soojin , Hong Seokpyo , Cho Kyungmin , Kim Chaelin , Noh Junyong
Published: May 2023

In avatar‐mediated telepresence systems, a similar environment is assumed for involved spaces, so that the avatar in a remote space can imitate the user's motion with proper semantic intention performed in a local space. For example, touching on the desk by the user should be reproduced by the avatar in the remote space to correctly convey the intended meaning. It is unlikely, however, that the two involved physical spaces are exactly the same in terms of the size of the room or the locations of the placed objects. Therefore, a naive mapping of the user's joint motion to the avatar will not create the semantically correct motion of the avatar in relation to the remote environment. Existing studies have addressed the problem of retargeting human motions to an avatar for telepresence applications. Few studies, however, have focused on retargeting continuous full‐body motions such as locomotion and object interaction motions in a unified manner. In this paper, we propose a novel motion adaptation method that allows to generate the full‐body motions of a human‐like avatar on‐the‐fly in the remote space. The proposed method handles locomotion and object interaction motions as well as smooth transitions between them according to given user actions under the condition of a bijective environment mapping between morphologically‐similar spaces. Our experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed method in generating plausible and semantically correct full‐body motions of an avatar in room‐scale space.
Video frame interpolation for high dynamic range sequences captured with dual‐exposure sensors
Authors: Çoğalan U. , Bemana M. , Seidel HP. , Myszkowski K.
Published: May 2023

Video frame interpolation (VFI) enables many important applications such as slow motion playback and frame rate conversion. However, one major challenge in using VFI is accurately handling high dynamic range (HDR) scenes with complex motion. To this end, we explore the possible advantages of dual‐exposure sensors that readily provide sharp short and blurry long exposures that are spatially registered and whose ends are temporally aligned. This way, motion blur registers temporally continuous information on the scene motion that, combined with the sharp reference, enables more precise motion sampling within a single camera shot. We demonstrate that this facilitates a more complex motion reconstruction in the VFI task, as well as HDR frame reconstruction that so far has been considered only for the originally captured frames, not in‐between interpolated frames. We design a neural network trained in these tasks that clearly outperforms existing solutions. We also propose a metric for scene motion complexity that provides important insights into the performance of VFI methods at test time.
Physics‐Informed Neural Corrector for Deformation‐based Fluid Control
Authors: Tang Jingwei , Kim Byungsoo , Azevedo Vinicius C. , Solenthaler Barbara
Published: May 2023

Controlling fluid simulations is notoriously difficult due to its high computational cost and the fact that user control inputs can cause unphysical motion. We present an interactive method for deformation‐based fluid control. Our method aims at balancing the direct deformations of fluid fields and the preservation of physical characteristics. We train convolutional neural networks with physics‐inspired loss functions together with a differentiable fluid simulator, and provide an efficient workflow for flow manipulations at test time. We demonstrate diverse test cases to analyze our carefully designed objectives and show that they lead to physical and eventually visually appealing modifications on edited fluid data.
Robust Pointset Denoising of Piecewise‐Smooth Surfaces through Line Processes
Authors: Wei Jiayi , Chen Jiong , Rohmer Damien , Memari Pooran , Desbrun Mathieu
Published: May 2023

Denoising is a common, yet critical operation in geometry processing aiming at recovering high‐fidelity models of piecewise‐smooth objects from noise‐corrupted pointsets. Despite a sizable literature on the topic, there is a dearth of approaches capable of processing very noisy and outlier‐ridden input pointsets for which no normal estimates and no assumptions on the underlying geometric features or noise type are provided. In this paper, we propose a new robust‐statistics approach to denoising pointsets based on line processes to offer robustness to noise and outliers while preserving sharp features possibly present in the data. While the use of robust statistics in denoising is hardly new, most approaches rely on prescribed filtering using data‐independent blending expressions based on the spatial and normal closeness of samples. Instead, our approach deduces a geometric denoising strategy through robust and regularized tangent plane fitting of the initial pointset, obtained numerically via alternating minimizations for efficiency and reliability. Key to our variational approach is the use of line processes to identify inliers vs. outliers, as well as the presence of sharp features. We demonstrate that our method can denoise sampled piecewise‐smooth surfaces for levels of noise and outliers at which previous works fall short.
What's in a Decade? Transforming Faces Through Time
Authors: Chen Eric Ming , Sun Jin , Khandelwal Apoorv , Lischinski Dani , Snavely Noah , Averbuch‐Elor Hadar
Published: May 2023

How can one visually characterize photographs of people over time? In this work, we describe theFaces Through Timedataset, which contains over a thousand portrait images per decade from the 1880s to the present day. Using our new dataset, we devise a framework for resynthesizing portrait images across time, imagining how a portrait taken during a particular decade might have looked like had it been taken in other decades. Our framework optimizes a family of per‐decade generators that reveal subtle changes that differentiate decades—such as different hairstyles or makeup—while maintaining the identity of the input portrait. Experiments show that our method can more effectively resynthesizing portraits across time compared to state‐of‐the‐art image‐to‐image translation methods, as well as attribute‐based and language‐guided portrait editing models. Our code and data will be available at facesthroughtime.github.io.
A Survey on Discrete Laplacians for General Polygonal Meshes
Authors: Bunge A. , Botsch M.
Published: May 2023

The Laplace Beltrami operator is one of the essential tools in geometric processing. It allows us to solve numerous partial differential equations on discrete surface meshes, which is a fundamental building block in many computer graphics applications. Discrete Laplacians are typically limited to standard elements like triangles or quadrilaterals, which severely constrains the tessellation of the mesh. But in recent years, several approaches were able to generalize the Laplace Beltrami and its closely related gradient and divergence operators to more general meshes. This allows artists and engineers to work with a wider range of elements which are sometimes required and beneficial in their field. This paper discusses the different constructions of these three ubiquitous differential operators on arbitrary polygons and analyzes their individual advantages and properties in common computer graphics applications.
We can work it out: A qualitative study of the work‐life experiences of people living with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Cleal Bryan , Nexø Mette Andersen , Willaing Ingrid
Published: May 2023

Aims

People with type 2 diabetes experience a range of negative work‐related outcomes at a time when people are expected to remain active within the labour market for longer. This study sought to identify the work‐related challenges faced by people with type 2 diabetes and ways to address them.

Methods

Recruitment was undertaken in two contexts and focussed on people living with type 2 diabetes of working age (18–67). A further inclusion criterion for participants was that they were registered as having at least one diabetes‐related complication. Qualitative data was gathered via semi‐structured interviews and interactive workshops and analysed using systematic text condensation.

Results

Three themes were identified. The first theme highlighted that participants did not generally believe that their diabetes caused them any problems in the context of work, though this was not fully supported in their own accounts. The second theme pointed to the positive value attached to work, simultaneously indicating that work could negatively impact diabetes management and general health. The final theme highlighted the ways that both participants and their healthcare providers considered diabetes in isolation from other aspects of life, potentially delaying remedial actions.

Conclusions

Epidemiological data indicate that there are serious issues linked to living with type 2 diabetes and work‐related outcomes. The extent to which these issues are recognized and understood may be obfuscated or contained by the value which people attach to work‐life. More needs to be done to tease out work‐related challenges for people with type 2 diabetes to better initiate timely remedial actions.
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy during cenobamate clinical development
Authors: Rosenfeld William E. , Ferrari Louis , Kerr Wesley T. , Sperling Michael R.
Published: May 2023

Objective

We assessed mortality, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) among adults treated with cenobamate during the cenobamate clinical development program.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed deaths among all adults with uncontrolled focal (focal to bilateral tonic–clonic [FBTC], focal impaired awareness, focal aware) or primary generalized tonic–clonic (PGTC) seizures who received ≥1 dose of adjunctive cenobamate in completed and ongoing phase 2 and 3 clinical studies. In patients with focal seizures from completed studies, median baseline seizure frequencies ranged from 2.8 to 11 seizures per 28 days and median epilepsy duration ranged from 20 to 24 years. Total person‐years included all days that a patient received cenobamate during completed studies or up to June 1, 2022, for ongoing studies. All deaths were evaluated by two epileptologists. All‐cause mortality and SUDEP rates were expressed per 1000 person‐years.

Results

A total of 2132 patients (n = 2018 focal epilepsy; n = 114 idiopathic generalized epilepsy) were exposed to cenobamate for 5693 person‐years. Approximately 60% of patients with focal seizures and all patients in the PGTC study had tonic–clonic seizures. A total of 23 deaths occurred (all in patients with focal epilepsy), for an all‐cause mortality rate of 4.0 per 1000 person‐years. Five cases of definite or probable SUDEP were identified, for a rate of .88 per 1000 person‐years. Of the 23 overall deaths, 22 patients (96%) had FBTC seizures, and all 5 of the SUDEP patients had a history of FBTC seizures. The duration of exposure to cenobamate for patients with SUDEP ranged from 130 to 620 days. The SMR among cenobamate‐treated patients in completed studies (5515 person‐years of follow‐up) was 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI] .84–2.0), which was not significantly different from the general population.

Significance

These data suggest that effective long‐term medical treatment with cenobamate may reduce excess mortality associated with epilepsy.
Pan‐carpal arthrodesis as a treatment for distal radial fracture in a pony
Authors: Haddad Rabea , Kelmer Gal
Published: May 2023

Complete, displaced radial fractures carry a poor prognosis in adult horses. In foals and ponies, fracture repair may have a good outcome following internal fixation. Distal radial fractures are difficult to stabilise due to limited bony purchase. Therefore, carpal arthrodesis may provide a viable option for salvaging the horse. In this report, we describe pan‐carpal arthrodesis as a treatment for distal radial fracture in an adult pony. A 12‐year‐old pony, 180 kg bodyweight, was presented due to left front non‐weight bearing lameness. Diagnosis of a closed, comminuted, displaced distal radial fracture, with antebrachiocarpal joint involvement, was made radiographically. The fracture was repaired and pan‐carpal arthrodesis was performed. Recovery was uneventful. The implants were gradually removed, in a minimally invasive standing procedure, due to surgical site infection. Two years following surgery, the horse is sound at a walk and trots freely with flexion of the affected carpus. Radiographs revealed healing of the fracture and failure of the arthrodesis. In essence, unintentionally, we performed temporary trans‐articular stabilisation by repairing a distal radial comminuted fracture, while preserving partial carpal range of motion. This technique, of temporary trans‐articular stabilisation, could be applied intentionally on other distal or proximal long bone fractures in horses.
Association between the type of hypnotic drug and in‐hospital fractures in older patients with neurocognitive disorders: A case–control study using a nationwide database
Authors: Matsumoto Shoya , Tamiya Hiroyuki , Yamana Hayato , Hosoi Tatsuya , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Akishita Masahiro , Yasunaga Hideo , Ogawa Sumito
Published: May 2023

Aim

Hypnotics might increase the risk of falls and fractures in older patients with neurocognitive disorders. Orexin receptor antagonists have recently been approved, but the relationship between the new drugs and fractures remains unclarified. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the type of hypnotic and in‐hospital fractures in older patients with neurocognitive disorders using a nationwide inpatient database.

Methods

Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we collected information on inpatients aged ≥65 years with neurocognitive disorders between April 2014 and March 2021. We examined trends in the prescription patterns of benzodiazepine drugs, Z‐drugs, orexin receptor antagonists and melatonin receptor agonists. We also carried out a 1:4 matched case–control analysis of in‐hospital fractures. The odds ratio of each hypnotic drug was estimated using a generalized estimating equation with adjustment for walking ability, comorbidities, osteoporosis, dialysis, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use and anti‐dementia drug use.

Results

The prescription of benzodiazepine hypnotics decreased and that of orexin receptor antagonists increased. This case–control analysis included 6832 patients with fractures and 23 463 controls. Ultrashort‐acting benzodiazepines, short‐acting benzodiazepines and Z‐drugs were associated with an increased risk of bone fracture (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.38 [1.08–1.77], 1.38 [1.27–1.50], 1.49 [1.37–1.61], respectively). Orexin receptor antagonists were not associated with an increased risk of bone fracture (1.07 [0.95–1.19]).

Conclusions

In contrast to other types of hypnotics, orexin receptor antagonists were not associated with in‐hospital fractures in older patients with neurocognitive disorders. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 500–505.
PRIVATE RELIGION AS RESISTANCE IN ANNA SEGHERS’ DER PROZESS DER JEANNE D'ARC ZU ROUEN 1431 (1937) AND BERTOLT BRECHT'S 1952 STAGE ADAPTATION
Authors: Böcking Cordula
Published: May 2023

This article will examine the representation of religion in Anna Seghers’ radio play Der Prozess der Jeanne d'Arc zu Rouen 1431 (1937) and Bertolt Brecht's subsequent adaptation of this text for the stage (1952). While religiosity is central to the identity of the medieval heroine, Seghers chooses to communicate this feature to modern audiences in a ‘lacunary’ way that sees Jeanne refusing to elaborate on the details of her belief throughout the play. The protagonist's faith creates a distance from contemporary listeners and spectators as well as from characters within the text, but when absolute commitment to her private belief results in Jeanne's execution, this moves the people at large to rebel against their oppressors. Thus Seghers’ Jeanne emerges as a figure of political resistance who draws on her private faith to bring about social change. In Brecht, the voices that move Jeanne to withstand oppressive forces are revealed to be those of the people rather than an expression of the divine. For Seghers and Brecht, the twentieth‐century relevance of Jeanne's characteristic religiosity, depicted differently by each author, lies in the political transformation which it can inspire both within the text and outside it.