bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mixed-Method Analysis of the News Media Framing of Gender Non-Conforming Victims of Homicide in the U.S. from 2012 to 2022
Authors: Avalos Susana , Jackey Hayley , Wickel Iyan
Published: March 2024

Recent analyses of transgender homicide victims find that the news media often uses improper terminology, delegitimizes, and victim blames them. These analyses, while insightful, are limited as they have largely analyzed cases involving trans women and trans feminine individuals. The present study employs a mixed-method approach to analyze news media articles (N = 88) published in U.S. online news media outlets about 17 gender non-conforming victims killed between 2012 and 2022. We found that most articles did not delegitimize or victim blame. However, we find (1) victim blaming occurred when reporting on cases of officer-involved shootings, (2) certain victims receive more coverage and support, (3) confusion about terminology when discussing the gender of victims, and (4) episodic framing of transphobic violence. Implications and potential areas of research and practice are provided to address, challenge, increase, and improve news media reporting of these victims.
Fostering engaging online learning experiences: Investigating situational interest and mind-wandering as mediators through learning experience design
Authors: Wong Joseph T. , Chen Edward , Au-Yeung Natalie , Lerner Bella S , Richland Lindsey Engle
Published: March 2024

Traditionally, learning among young students has taken place within structured, physical classroom settings. However, the emergence of distance learning has introduced a diverse range of learning methods, including online, hybrid, and blended approaches. When the COVID-19 pandemic led to extended delays in in-person instruction, use of educational technologies such as asynchronous videos and online platforms were deployed to deliver mathematics curricula aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), though best practices for teaching mathematics asynchronously are not well studied. This study focuses on exploring the effectiveness of a math course on proportional reasoning that was co-designed, developed, and deployed in 5th and 6th grade Orange County classrooms. Examining the learning experience design (LXD) paradigm, this research focuses on discerning its influence on (n = 303) children's engagement during their involvement in an online, video-based math course. LXD is implemented by combining evidence-based pedagogical instructional design with human-centered user experience (UX) design. The study utilized a structural equation model to analyze the relationships between learners' user experiences, situational interest, mind-wandering, and online engagement. The results demonstrated significant direct effects between students' situational interest, user experience, and their level of online engagement. Findings also indicate that students' situational interest and mind-wandering significantly mediate the relationship between their user experiences and online engagement. These results have important theoretical and practical implications for researchers, designers, and instructors. By combining evidenced-based pedagogical learning design with human-centered user experience design, LX designers can promote situational interest, reduce mind-wandering, and increase engagement in elementary mathematics courses conducted in asynchronous online settings.
In service of school digitalisation in Sweden – a study on ICT coordinators’ conditions for work in a local municipal context framed by national educational policy
Authors: Gustafsson Ulrika , Olofsson Anders D. , Bergström Peter
Published: March 2024

The aim of this study was to explore, analyse, and critically discuss conditions for Swedish ICT coordinators working on school digitalisation in a local municipal school context. More specifically, the study draws on findings from interviews with 13 Swedish information and communication technology (ICT) coordinators working in eight municipalities that have adopted two contrasting approaches to school digitalisation. One is a general approach with a strong element of individual within-school accountability in the work, and the other a specific approach in which such work is addressed more as an organisational process with involvement of municipal governing officials. Findings show that the two approaches set different conditions in terms of how and with whom the ICT coordinators work and the foci of their efforts although both are framed by the same national educational policy. A conclusion is that the ICT coordinators’ role, function, and responsibility should be considered in parity to the level of support, in-school resources, and mandate given to them, not least when organisational instability and reorganisations hamper the work in progress.
A genetic programming approach to the automated design of CNN models for image classification and video shorts creation
Authors: Kapoor Rahul , Pillay Nelishia
Published: March 2024

Neural architecture search (NAS) is a rapidly growing field which focuses on the automated design of neural network architectures. Genetic algorithms (GAs) have been predominantly used for evolving neural network architectures. Genetic programming (GP), a variation of GAs that work in the program space rather than a solution space, has not been as well researched for NAS. This paper aims to contribute to the research into GP for NAS. Previous research in this field can be divided into two categories. In the first each program represents neural networks directly or components and parameters of neural networks. In the second category each program is a set of instructions, which when executed, produces a neural network. This study focuses on this second category which has not been well researched. Previous work has used grammatical evolution for generating these programs. This study examines canonical GP for neural network design (GPNND) for this purpose. It also evaluates a variation of GP, iterative structure-based GP (ISBGP) for evolving these programs. The study compares the performance of GAs, GPNND and ISBGP for image classification and video shorts creation. Both GPNND and ISBGP were found to outperform GAs, with ISBGP producing better results than GPNND for both applications. Both GPNND and ISBGP produced better results than previous studies employing grammatical evolution on the CIFAR-10 dataset.
An electric kickscooter multibody model: equations of motion and linear stability analysis
Authors: Agúndez A. G. , García-Vallejo D. , Freire E.
Published: March 2024

In this work, a detailed multibody model of an electric kickscooter is presented. The model includes toroidal wheels as well as rear and front suspensions. The equations of motion are derived and linearized along the steady forward motion of the vehicle. Using an efficient linearization approach, suitable for complex multibody systems with holonomic and nonholonomic constraints, allows for obtaining the reduced linearized equations of motion as a function of the geometric, dynamic, wheels’, and suspensions’ parameters. The proposed electric kickscooter multibody model is validated with the stability results of a previously presented electric kickscooter benchmark. Since the resulting eigenvalues are parameterized regarding the design parameters, a detailed linear stability analysis of the system is performed. In particular, the influence on the stability of the toroidal geometry of the wheels, the elliptic cross-section of the toroidal wheels, the rider model, the steering axis inclination angle, the inertia tensor of the front frame, and the rear and front suspensions is analyzed. The model presented, together with the linearized equations of motion obtained in this work, enables a systematic analysis of the stability of these vehicles, which helps design new electric kickscooters with improved vehicle safety conditions and oriented to a wider range of potential users.
Choice under uncertainty and cognitive load
Authors: Dominiak Adam , Duersch Peter
Published: March 2024

Does exposure to cognitive load affect key properties of economic behavior? In this experiment, subjects face a series of simple binary decision tasks between prospects, testing for monotonicity in monetary payments, consistency with (first-order) stochastic dominance, reduction of compound lotteries, risk attitudes, and ambiguity attitudes. Cognitive load is manipulated via simultaneous memory tasks. Our data show treatment differences resulting from cognitive load for decision tasks with risky outcomes. However, cognitive load has no impact on monotonicity and ambiguity attitudes. Under a dual-process view of human decision-making, our findings suggest that ambiguity attitudes and preferences for “more certain money” are intuitive, not reasoned.
Perioperative Levels of IL8 and IL18, but not IL6, are Associated with Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis Atrophy Three Months after Surgery
Authors: Heinrich Maria , Spies Claudia , Borchers Friedrich , Feinkohl Insa , Pischon Tobias , Slooter Arjen J. C. , von Haefen Clarissa , Zacharias Norman , Winterer Georg , Lammers-Lietz Florian
Published: March 2024

Past studies have observed that brain atrophy may accelerate after surgical procedures. Furthermore, an association of systemic inflammation with neurodegeneration has been described. We hypothesize that postoperative interleukin (IL) levels in circulation as well as the perioperative change in interleukin levels are associated with increased postoperative atrophy in the Nucleus basalis magnocellularis (of Meynert, NBM) which is the major source of cortical acetylcholine. We analyzed data from the BioCog cohort which included patients ≥ 65 years presenting for elective major surgery (≥ 60min). Blood samples were taken before surgery and on the first postoperative day. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and neuropsychological assessments were conducted before surgery and after three months follow-up. We used linear regression analysis to determine the association of three interleukins (IL6, IL8 and IL18) with NBM atrophy (in % volume change from baseline before surgery to follow-up), as well as to examine the associations of NBM atrophy and volume with postoperative cognitive ability and perioperative cognitive change. Receiver-operating curves were used to determine the prognostic value of preoperative interleukin levels. For IL8 (N = 97) and IL18 (N = 217), but not IL6 (N = 240), we observed significant associations of higher postoperative IL levels at the first postoperative day with higher NBM atrophy at three months after surgery. Subsequent analyses suggested that in both IL8 and IL18, this association was driven by a more general association of chronically elevated IL levels and NBM atrophy, reflected by preoperative IL concentrations, rather than IL response to surgery, measured as the difference between pre- and postoperative IL concentrations. At follow-up, NBM volume was positively associated with the level of cognitive performance, but NBM atrophy was not significantly related to perioperative cognitive change. Prognostic value of preoperative IL concentrations for NBM atrophy was low. Our results suggest that an association of postoperative interleukin levels with NBM atrophy is driven by preoperatively elevated interleukins due to pre-existing inflammation, rather than perioperative change in interleukin levels in response to surgery and anesthesia. The BioCog study has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov on Oct 15, 2014 (NCT02265263).

Graphical Abstract
Advancing brain tumor classification through MTAP model: an innovative approach in medical diagnostics
Authors: Ozdemir Cuneyt , Dogan Yahya
Published: March 2024

The early diagnosis of brain tumors is critical in the area of healthcare, owing to the potentially life-threatening repercussions unstable growths within the brain can pose to individuals. The accurate and early diagnosis of brain tumors enables prompt medical intervention. In this context, we have established a new model called MTAP to enable a highly accurate diagnosis of brain tumors. The MTAP model addresses dataset class imbalance by utilizing the ADASYN method, employs a network pruning technique to reduce unnecessary weights and nodes in the neural network, and incorporates Avg-TopK pooling method for enhanced feature extraction. The primary goal of our research is to enhance the accuracy of brain tumor type detection, a critical aspect of medical imaging and diagnostics. The MTAP model introduces a novel classification strategy for brain tumors, leveraging the strength of deep learning methods and novel model refinement techniques. Following comprehensive experimental studies and meticulous design, the MTAP model has achieved a state-of-the-art accuracy of 99.69%. Our findings indicate that the use of deep learning and innovative model refinement techniques shows promise in facilitating the early detection of brain tumors. Analysis of the model’s heat map revealed a notable focus on regions encompassing the parietal and temporal lobes.

Graphical Abstract

Grad-CAM heat map visualization results
Internationale Kooperationen und Kollaborationen in der Lehrer*innenbildung
Authors: Iwers Telse A. , Spath Saskia
Published: March 2024

Dieser Beitrag in der Zeitschrift „Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO)“ stellt die Ergebnisse einer Studie zum Spannungsverhältnis post- und neokolonialistischer Interaktionen in Internationalisierungsprojekten dar.

Aktuelle Globalisierungstendenzen, u. a. bedingt durch Migration und Flucht, nach Europa insbesondere aus dem Globalen Süden und Westasien, führen zur Intensivierung der Internationalisierungsbemühungen akademischer Bildungsgänge. Damit geht die Forderung nach der Reflexion neokolonialer, hierarchisierender Dominanzen in verschiedenen bildungsbezogenen Disziplinen einher. Diese Reflexion hat auf theoretischer Ebene ebenso zu erfolgen wie in direkten Kollaborations- und Kommunikationsbeziehungen.

Dieser Artikel unternimmt den Versuch die Kollaboration zwischen einer Universität im Globalen Süden und einer Universität in Deutschland zu beschreiben und daraufhin zu untersuchen, ob kolonialistische Kooperationsformen neokolonial reproduziert werden oder ob postkoloniale Kollaborationsbeziehungen entstehen, die frei von eurozentristischen Hierarchisierungen und Stereotypisierungen gestaltet werden.

Die Untersuchung erfolgt auf Grundlage von drei Interviews mit den Referatsleitungen für Internationalisierung sowie Koordinationsleitungen internationaler Projekte beider Standorte. Aufzeigbare Tendenzen von partizipativer Kollaboration aber auch von neokolonialen Einschlüssen sind in Folgestudien differenziert zu untersuchen.
Preparation of HOPO-containing lariate ethers based on the diaza-18-crown-6 scaffold
Authors: Paßler Florian , Belke Linda , Reissig Falco , Kopka Klaus , Mamat Constantin
Published: March 2024

Cyclic and acyclic ligands containing the hydroxypyridinone (HOPO) moiety as donor group are known as strong coordinating compounds for a wide variety of metal ions. Based on the diaza-crown[18]ether Kryptofix K22, five different tendentate ligands were prepared using 1,2-HOPO, 1,2,3-HOPO and 2,3-Me-HOPO as additional binding moieties. The diaza-crown ether basic skeleton was furnished with two primary amine functions and subsequently reacted with the respective HOPO acids or the HOPO acid chlorides to obtain the desired HOPO derivatives in two synthesis steps after final deprotection. All compounds were evidenced by NMR and MS analyses.
Young Learners’ Well-Being and Emotions: Examining Enjoyment and Boredom in the Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Tsang Art , Davis Christelle
Published: March 2024

Emotions have received widespread attention in the education field globally thanks to the greater emphasis on well-being in recent times. Against this backdrop and the fact that foreign language (FL) education is increasingly common from a young age, this study set out to investigate what FL classroom activities children find most enjoyable and most boring, and why. Ninety-eight Grade-5 English-as-a-FL learners in Hong Kong participated in this study. The participants put forward 18 activities that they thought were most enjoyable, especially games and videos (together making up about 49% of the responses). Fifteen activities were deemed most boring, especially writing and dictation (together 45% of the responses). Fun, knowledge-gaining, and opportunities for interaction were among the most common reasons given for activities being enjoyable, while difficult, troublesome, and tiring were the main descriptors of the activities they thought were boring.
Association of circulating hsa-miRNAs with sarcopenia: the SarcoPhAge study
Authors: Millet Marjorie , Auroux Maxime , Beaudart Charlotte , Demonceau Céline , Ladang Aurélie , Cavalier Etienne , Reginster Jean-Yves , Bruyère Olivier , Chapurlat Roland , Rousseau Jean-Charles
Published: March 2024

Objective

To identify a microRNA signature associated to sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults form the SarcoPhAge cohort.

Methods

In a screening phase by next generation sequencing (NGS), we compared the hsa-miRome expression of 18 subjects with sarcopenia (79.6 ± 6.8 years, 9 men) and 19 healthy subjects without sarcopenia (77.1 ± 6 years, 9 men) at baseline. Thereafter, we have selected eight candidate hsa-miRNAs according to the NGS results and after a critical assessment of previous literature. In a validation phase and by real-time qPCR, we then analyzed the expression levels of these 8 hsa-miRNAs at baseline selecting 92 healthy subjects (74.2 ± 10 years) and 92 subjects with sarcopenia (75.3 ± 6.8 years). For both steps, the groups were matched for age and sex.

Results

In the validation phase, serum has-miRNA-133a-3p and has-miRNA-200a-3p were significantly decreased in the group with sarcopenia vs controls [RQ: relative quantification; median (interquartile range)]: −0.16 (−1.26/+0.90) vs +0.34 (−0.73/+1.33) (p < 0.01) and −0.26 (−1.07/+0.68) vs +0.27 (−0.55/+1.10) (p < 0.01) respectively. Has-miRNA-744-5p was decreased and has-miRNA-151a-3p was increased in the group with sarcopenia vs controls, but this barely reached significance: +0.16 (−1.34/+0.79) vs +0.44 (−0.31/+1.00) (p = 0.050) and  +0.35 (−0.22/+0.90) vs  +0.03 (−0.68/+0.75) (p = 0.054).

Conclusion

In subjects with sarcopenia, serum hsa-miRNA-133a-3p and hsa-miRNA-200a-3p expression were downregulated, consistent with their potential targets inhibiting muscle cells proliferation and differentiation.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of nutrient supplements for treating sarcopenia in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Huang Wen-Jian , Ko Chih-Yuan
Published: March 2024

Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prone to malnutrition and sarcopenia as a result of nutritional deficiencies and increased energy metabolism. However, the effects of nutrient supplements (NS) on treating sarcopenia in patients with COPD are not well established from systematic evidence. This meta-analysis examined the effect of NS on sarcopenia in patients with COPD. A systematic search of multiple databases was conducted, and 29 randomized controlled trials involving 1625 participants (age, mean [SD] = 67.9 [7.8] years) were analyzed. NS demonstrated significant improvements in body weight (MD,1.33 kg; 95% CI, 0.60, 2.05 kg; P = 0.0003; I2 = 87%), fat-free mass index (MD, 0.74 kg/m2; 95% CI, 0.21, 1.27 kg/m2; P = 0.007; I2 = 75%), and 6-min walk test (MD, 19.43 m; 95% CI, 4.91, 33.94 m; P = 0.009; I2 = 81%) compared with control. However, NS had nonsignificant effects on handgrip strength (SMD, 0.36; 95% CI, − 0.15, 0.88; P = 0.16; I2 = 87%) and quadriceps muscle strength (SMD, 0.11; 95% CI, −  0.06, 0.27; P = 0.20; I2 = 25%) compared with the control. In conclusion, NS may be an effective treatment for improving body composition and physical performance in COPD. Future studies should explore the effects of intervention durations, specific NS types, or combined training in patients with COPD and sarcopenia.
Diagnosis of Pentastome Infections and the Need for Increased Awareness Among Medical Practitioners and Diagnosticians in the Developed World
Authors: Barton Diane P. , Shamsi Shokoofeh
Published: March 2024

Purpose of Review

The patterns of movement of people, and animals, are changing due to climate change, immigration and ongoing refugee crises. Subsequently, many parasitic diseases, including pentastomiasis, are also changing their patterns of distribution. This review is aimed at raising awareness among medical practitioners and diagnosticians, especially in non-endemic areas for pentastomiasis, the disease, and highlighting the issues with the identification of pentastome infections in humans.

Recent Findings

Pentastome infections in humans can be either visceral or nasopharyngeal in location. Visceral pentastomiasis is generally asymptomatic and is usually only discovered incidentally during examination for other issues or at autopsy. Nasopharyngeal pentastomiasis presents as an acute infection, generally following ingestion of raw or undercooked offal. Identification of the causative agent/s of pentastomiasis is based on general morphological features, determined through histology or radiology, with molecular confirmation of species rare.

Although specific identity of the pentastome infection is probably not required from a medical viewpoint with regard to treatment of the infection, it is needed to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of infections. Additionally, with the increased movements of humans, and other animals, and their associated parasitic diseases, these parasites will start to appear in non-endemic areas. Medical practitioners and diagnosticians, as well as veterinarians, need to be aware of these parasites to ensure an accurate identification of the disease.
Responses of soil stoichiometry and soil enzyme activities in the different distance around opencast coal mine of the Hulun Buir Grassland of China
Authors: Bi Yinli , Guo Nan , Zhang Yanxu , Li Xianglei , Song Ziheng
Published: March 2024

The objectives of this study were to explore the changes in soil stoichiometry and enzyme activities at different distances from an opencast coal mine in the Hulun Buir Grassland of China. Four transects were established on north and east sides of the opencast coal mining area, and samples were collected at 50 m, 550 m, and 1550 m from the pit on each transect. Control samples were collected from a grassland station 8 km from the opencast coal mining area that was not disturbed by mining. Four replicate soil samples were collected at each point on the four transects. Soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities were determined, and correlations between soil properties and stoichiometric ratios and enzyme activities were explored using redundancy analysis. The increase in distance from mining did not significantly affect soil properties, although soil urease activity was significantly lower than that of the control area. Soil properties 1550 m from the mine pit were similar to those at the grassland control. In addition, soil total nitrogen had the greatest effect on soil stoichiometry, and soil total potassium had the greatest effect on soil enzyme activities. Coal dust from opencast mining might be the main factor affecting soil stoichiometry and enzyme activities. The results of this study provide direction for the next step in studying the influence of mining areas on soil properties and processes.
Exploratory Factor Analysis of the NEPSY-II Conceptual Template: Acting on Evidence
Authors: McGill Ryan J. , Beaujean A. Alexander , Benson Nicolas F. , Dombrowski Stefan C. , Canivez Gary L.
Published: March 2024

The present study examined the structure of the NEPSY-II within the norming sample using exploratory factor analysis. For the 3–4-year-old group, our results were conceptually uninterpretable. As a result, a unidimensional model was retained by default as a remedy to local fit issues. For the 7–12-year-old group, our analysis supported some aspects of the NEPSY-II conceptual domains in the form of a six-factor model that yielded the best fit to the data. While variance partitioning results indicate that the majority of NEPSY-II subtests at ages 7–12 contain adequate specificity to be interpreted in isolation, caution is suggested for interpreting the Social Perception subtests; in particular, given the inability to locate that latent dimension in either of the analyses conducted. Implications for the clinical interpretation of the instrument moving forward are discussed.
Energy choice and women’s economic empowerment among the rural households in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Dumga Kassahun Trueha , Goswami Kishor
Published: March 2024

Access to reliable and affordable energy is crucial for women to carry out household duties efficiently, including cooking and cleaning. However, many women in developing countries still lack access to modern energy sources, which strains their time, health, and overall well-being. This study investigates the relationship between women’s economic empowerment and energy choices among rural households in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples region of Ethiopia. Utilizing a multi-stage cluster sampling design, 569 households were selected from six randomly chosen woredas (districts). Employing a multinomial model, the research explores factors influencing energy source selection. The findings reveal that a majority of households rely on traditional energy sources, with a positive correlation observed between women’s economic empowerment, as measured by the CWEEI, and the adoption of modern energy sources. Additionally, household size and income significantly predict energy source choices. This study underscores the pivotal role of women’s economic empowerment in promoting cleaner energy use in rural settings. Policymakers and program implementers are urged to consider household size and income levels when formulating effective energy programs and interventions.
The symphony of maize signaling quartet defending against gray leaf spot
Authors: Wang Ping , He Ping
Published: March 2024

In plant immunity, a well-orchestrated cascade is initiated by the dimerization of receptor-like kinases (RLKs), followed by the phosphorylation of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) and subsequent activation of NADPH oxidases for ROS generation. Recent findings by Zhong et al. illustrated that a maize signaling module comprising ZmWAKL-ZmWIK-ZmBLK1-ZmRBOH4 governs quantitative disease resistance to grey leaf spot, a pervasive fungal disease in maize worldwide, unveiling the conservation of this signaling quartet in plant immunity.
Advances in in situ/operando techniques for catalysis research: enhancing insights and discoveries
Authors: Chen Linfeng , Ding Xinzhi , Wang Zheren , Xu Shutao , Jiang Qike , Dun Chaochao , Urban Jeffrey J.
Published: March 2024

Catalysis research has witnessed remarkable progress with the advent of in situ and operando techniques. These methods enable the study of catalysts under actual operating conditions, providing unprecedented insights into catalytic mechanisms and dynamic catalyst behavior. This review discusses key in situ techniques and their applications in catalysis research. Advances in in situ electron microscopy allow direct visualization of catalysts at the atomic scale under reaction conditions. In situ spectroscopy techniques like X-ray absorption spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy can track chemical states and reveal transient intermediates. Synchrotron-based techniques offer enhanced capabilities for in situ studies. The integration of in situ methods with machine learning and computational modeling provides a powerful approach to accelerate catalyst optimization. However, challenges remain regarding radiation damage, instrumentation limitations, and data interpretation. Overall, continued development of multi-modal in situ techniques is pivotal for addressing emerging challenges and opportunities in catalysis research and technology.
Fueling Sovereignty
Authors: Mukoyama Naosuke
Published: March 2024

European colonialism was often driven by the pursuit of natural resources, and the resulting colonization and decolonization processes have had a profound impact on the formation of the majority of sovereign states that exist today. But how exactly have natural resources influenced the creation of formerly colonized states? And would the world map of sovereign states look significantly different if not for these resources? These questions are at the heart of Fueling Sovereignty, which focuses primarily on oil as the most significant natural resource of the modern era. Naosuke Mukoyama provides a compelling analysis of how colonial oil politics contributed to the creation of some of the world's most “unlikely” states. Drawing on extensive archival sources on Brunei, Qatar and Bahrain, he sheds light on how some small colonial entities achieved independence despite their inclusion in a merger project promoted by the metropole and regional powers.
Exploring Religious Pluralism
Authors: Knight Christopher C.
Published: March 2024

How can we more deeply understand religious pluralism? In this study, Christopher C. Knight suggests that current explorations of religious pluralism may be supplemented by combining new thinking about divine action with the kind of 'mystical theology' that sees doctrinal statements as aids to contemplation rather than as philosophical truth claims. While Knight sees the 'perennialist' tradition of pluralistic thinking as deeply flawed, he nevertheless proposes that we can adopt a kind of neo-perennialism in which the supposed incompatibilities of different faith traditions may still be seen in the way that perennialists have usually considered them: as relating only to the exotericdimension of religious faith and practice. In this way, he suggests, the perennialist notion of esoteric ecumenism may still be valid. He cautions, nevertheless, that at a methodological level, there may be defensible reasons to hesitate before adopting a full-blown pluralism of this kind.
A Markov multiple state model for epidemic and insurance modelling
Authors: Tran Minh-Hoang
Published: March 2024

With recent epidemics such as COVID-19, H1N1 and SARS causing devastating financial loss to the economy, it is important that insurance companies plan for financial costs of epidemics. This article proposes a new methodology for epidemic and insurance modelling by combining the existing deterministic compartmental models and the Markov multiple state models to facilitate actuarial computations to design new health insurance plans that cover epidemics. Our method is inspired by the seminal paper (Feng and Garrido (2011)North American Actuarial Journal,15, 112–136.) of Feng and Garrido and complements the work of Hillairet and Lopez et al. in Hillairet and Lopez ((2021)Scandinavian Actuarial Journal,2021(8), 671–694.) and Hillairet et al. ((2022)Insurance: Mathematics and Economics,107, 88–101.) In this work, we use the deterministic SIR model and the Eyam epidemic data set to provide numerical illustrations for our method.
Regular exposure facilitates dual-mapping of Cantonese pronunciation variants
Authors: Soo Rachel , Babel Molly
Published: March 2024

The multilingual landscape of Canada creates opportunities for many heterogeneous bilingual communities to experience systematic phonetic variation within and across languages and dialects, and exposes listeners to different pronunciation variants. This paper examines phonetic variation through the lens of an ongoing sound change in Cantonese involving word-initial [n] and [l] across two primed lexical decision tasks (Experiment 1: Immediate repetition priming task, Experiment 2: Long-distance repetition priming task). Our main question is: How are sound change pronunciation variants recognized and represented in a Cantonese-English bilingual lexicon? The results of both experiments suggest that [n]- and [l]-initial variants facilitate processing in both short and long-term spoken word recognition. Thus, regular exposure to Cantonese endows bilingual listeners with the perceptual flexibility to dually and gradiently map pronunciation variants to a single lexical representation.
Diffuse Support, Partisanship, and the Electoral Relevance of the Supreme Court
Authors: Davis Nicholas T. , Hitt Matthew P.
Published: March 2024

Despite the Supreme Court’s lack of direct electoral accountability, voters may factor its outputs into their voting decisions because elected representatives can affect the Court’s powers and composition. In this paper, we uncover an ironic predicament that faces candidates running on reforming this institution. Citizens who possess higher levels of diffuse support for the Court are more likely to rank it as an important factor in their voting logic. But because this diffuse support has sorted along partisan lines, candidate messaging about reform may not motivate partisans who have lost support for the Court because they view it as less important than other pressing issues. Thus, although Democrats are sympathetic to reform, Democratic candidates may have weak incentives to promote reform given low levels of diffuse support among their constituents. This dynamic mitigates against the possibility of a public or congressional backlash against the Court, preserving the status quo.
Modeling post-Pleistocene megafauna extinctions as complex social-ecological systems
Authors: Kopels Miriam C. , Ullah Isaac I.
Published: March 2024

The role of human hunting behavior versus climate change in the mass extinction of megafauna during the Late Quaternary is much debated. To move beyond monocausal arguments, we treat human–megafauna–environment relationships as social–ecological systems from a complex adaptive systems perspective, to create an agent-based model that tests how human hunting may interact with environmental stress and animal life history to affect the probability of extinction. Using the extinction of Syncerus antiquus in South Africa at 12–10 ka as a loose inspirational case study, we parameterized a set of experiments to identify cross-feedbacks among environmental dynamics, prey life history, and human hunting pressure that affect extinction probability in a non-linear way. An important anthropogenic boundary condition emerges when hunting strategies interrupt prey animal breeding cycles. This effect is amplified in patchy, highly seasonal environments to increase the chances of extinction. This modeling approach to human behavior and biodiversity loss helps us understand how these types of cross-feedback effects and boundary conditions emerge as system components interact and change. We argue that this approach can help translate archaeological data and insight about past extinction for use in understanding and combating the current mass extinction crisis.
USING RAPID ATMOSPHERIC 14C CHANGES IN THE 7TH CENTURY BC TO PRECISELY DATE THE FLOATING CHRONOLOGY FOR PINE WOOD FROM JÓZEFOWO (NORTHERN POLAND)
Authors: Wiktorowski Damian , Krąpiec Marek , Pawlyta Jacek , Barniak Joanna , Rakowski Andrzej
Published: March 2024

The floating dendrochronological sequence of pine wood from Józefowo, N. Poland was expected to cover the ∼660 BC radiocarbon (14C) excursion. The sequence was radiocarbon dated using the OxCal wiggle matching procedure and the IntCal20 calibration curve. 14C concentrations were measured in one-year α-cellulose samples from around 660 BC. The published data on the ∼660 BC 14C excursion from Grabie, Poland were used to absolute date the Józefowo chronology with 1-year accuracy. The results confirm the occurrence of a rapid increase in Δ14C in 664/663 BC and its potential to be used as a fixing point for floating dendrochronological sequences.
The Distributive Politics of Grants-in-Aid
Authors: ROSENSTIEL LEAH
Published: March 2024

How does politics affect, and possibly distort, how resources are allocated? I show that where the federal government provides public goods and financial assistance depends not only on who has power within Congress but also on the characteristics of their constituents. In a federal system like the United States, the central government provides resources by allocating grants to subnational governments based on demographic characteristics. Thus, to maximize funding for their states, members of Congress must also distribute funding to states with similar characteristics. Using panel data on education spending and a difference-in-differences design, I demonstrate that grants disproportionately benefit states represented by Senate committee chairs, but this benefit spills over to similar states. However, I find no evidence of committee influence over grants in the House. These findings contribute to our understanding of distributive politics and shed light on the consequences of allocating resources within a federal system.
A CLASS OF SYMBOLS THAT INDUCE BOUNDED COMPOSITION OPERATORS FOR DIRICHLET-TYPE SPACES ON THE DISC
Authors: BESLIKAS ATHANASIOS
Published: March 2024

We study the problem of determining the holomorphic self maps of the unit disc that induce a bounded composition operator on Dirichlet-type spaces. We find a class of symbols
$\varphi $
that induce a bounded composition operator on the Dirichlet-type spaces, by applying results of the multidimensional theory of composition operators for the weighted Bergman spaces of the bi-disc.
Forum: Authority, Sovereignty, Interpretation … Subtext? Controversies in Recent German Historiography
Authors: Hett Benjamin Carter , Evans Jennifer V. , Hájková Anna , Richter Hedwig , Stoltzfus Nathan
Published: March 2024

Like other historiographical fields, that of German history has been defined through most of its existence by the things historians argued about. We could go back well over a hundred years to the Methodenstreit over Karl Lamprecht's efforts to write multidisciplinary history, follow the line through the work of Eckart Kehr, Fritz Fischer, Hans Ulrich Wehler, and the Sonderweg debate, and continue on through the Historikerstreit and the Historikerinnenstreit of the 1980s, and the Goldhagen and Wehrmacht exhibit fights in the mid-1990s, to recent debates over the relative weight of colonial and Holocaust memory.
The protective effect of vitamin D supplementation as adjunctive therapy to antidepressants on brain structural and functional connectivity of patients with major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zhao Wenming , Zhu Dao-min , Shen Yuhao , Zhang Yu , Chen Tao , Cai Huanhuan , Zhu Jiajia , Yu Yongqiang
Published: March 2024

Background

Growing evidence points to the pivotal role of vitamin D in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, there is a paucity of longitudinal research investigating the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the brain of MDD patients.

Methods

We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial in 46 MDD patients, who were randomly allocated into either VD (antidepressant medication + vitamin D supplementation) or NVD (antidepressant medication + placebos) groups. Data from diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state functional MRI, serum vitamin D concentration, and clinical symptoms were obtained at baseline and after an average of 7 months of intervention.

Results

Both VD and NVD groups showed significant improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms but with no significant differences between the two groups. However, a greater increase in serum vitamin D concentration was found to be associated with greater improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms in VD group. More importantly, neuroimaging data demonstrated disrupted white matter integrity of right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus along with decreased functional connectivity between right frontoparietal and medial visual networks after intervention in NVD group, but no changes in VD group.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation as adjunctive therapy to antidepressants may not only contribute to improvement in clinical symptoms but also help preserve brain structural and functional connectivity in MDD patients.
Reconsidering the link between past material culture and cognition in light of contemporary hunter–gatherer material use
Authors: Stibbard-Hawkes Duncan N. E.
Published: March 2024

Many have interpreted symbolic material culture in the deep past as evidencing the origins sophisticated, modern cognition. Scholars from across the behavioural and cognitive sciences, including linguists, psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, primatologists, archaeologists, and palaeoanthropologists have used such artefacts to assess the capacities of extinct human species, and to set benchmarks, milestones, or otherwise chart the course of human cognitive evolution. To better calibrate our expectations, the present paper instead explores the material culture of three contemporary African forager groups. Results show that, although these groups are unequivocally behaviourally modern, they would leave scant long-lasting evidence of symbolic behaviour. Artefact sets are typically small, perhaps as a consequence of residential mobility. When traded materials are excluded, few artefacts have components with moderate–to–strong taphonomic signatures. The present analyses show that artefact function influences preservation probability, such that utilitarian tools for the processing of materials and the preparation of food are disproportionately likely to contain archaeologically traceable components. There are substantial differences in material use among populations, which create important population-level variation in preservation probability, independent of cognitive differences. I discuss the factors – cultural, ecological, and practical – that influence material choice. In so doing, I highlight the difficulties of using past material culture as an evolutionary or cognitive yardstick.
The entrepreneurial theory of ownership
Authors: Sazonov Sergei
Published: March 2024

This paper introduces a theory of ownership that is rooted in Israel Kirzner’s theory of entrepreneurship – The Entrepreneurial Theory of Ownership. Its central idea is that natural resources are not available to us automatically as other approaches to justice implicitly assume. Before we can use a resource, we need to do preparatory work in the form of making an entrepreneurial judgement on it. This fact, as I argue, makes it possible to put private ownership as a natural right on a firm normative ground and answer many traditional challenges to private property.
XR4DRAMA a knowledge-based system for disaster management and media planning
Authors: Vassiliades Alexandros , Stathopoulos-Kampilis Grigorios , Antzoulatos Gerasimos , Symeonidis Spyridon , Diplaris Sotiris , Vrochidis Stefanos , Bassiliades Nick , Kompatsiaris Ioannis
Published: March 2024

In the previous two decades, Knowledge Graphs (KGs) have evolved, inspiring developers to build ever-more context-related KGs. Because of this development, Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications can now access open domain-specific information in a format that is both semantically rich and machine comprehensible. In this article, we introduce the XR4DRAMA framework. The KG of the XR4DRAMA framework can represent data for media preparation and disaster management. More specifically, the KG of the XR4DRAMA framework can represent information about: (a) Observations and Events (e.g., data collection of biometric sensors, information in photos and text messages), (b) Spatio-temporal (e.g., highlighted locations and timestamps), (c) Mitigation and response plans in crisis (e.g., first responder teams). In addition, we provide a mechanism that allows Points of Interest (POI) to be created or updated based on videos, photos, and text messages sent by users. For improved disaster management and media coverage of a location, POI serve as markers to journalists and first responders. A task creation mechanism is also provided for the disaster management scenario with the XR4DRAMA framework, which indicates to first responders and citizens what tasks need to be performed in case of an emergency. Finally, the XR4DRAMA framework has a danger zone creation mechanism. Danger zones are regions in a map that are considered as dangerous for citizens and first responders during a disaster management scenario and are annotated by a severity score. The last two mechanisms are based on a Decision Support System (DSS).
Rethinking the American Industrial Policy Debate: The Political Significance of a Losing Idea
Authors: WRAIGHT TOM
Published: March 2024

In the early 1980s “industrial policy” seemed to be emerging as the American left’s answer to supply-side economics. Yet soon after, supply-side economics was triumphant and industrial policy back in the political wilderness. This article investigates why the American left rejected industrial policy in the 1980s but appears to be reembracing it under the Biden administration. Via reviewing the history of the industrial policy debate, I argue that the American left rejected industrial policy proposals for several reasons including disunity within the Democratic party coalition, the growing strength of the venture capital industry, and the perceived incompatibility of industrial policy with American political institutions. Despite the defeat of industrial policy movement in the 1980s, however, I argue that a process of adaptation and reworking during the Clinton administration allowed industrial policy ideas to survive in “hibernation,” ultimately reemerging in the changed policy environment which followed the 2008 financial crisis.
Mobilizing for the Mind: Veteran Activism and the National Mental Health Act of 1946
Authors: PITT JORDEN
Published: March 2024

Within a year of World War II’s end, the United States federal government passed the National Mental Health Act of 1946. This bill was the country’s first significant foray into the realm of psychological health. Many studies have examined the act and its legacy, including the creation of the National Institute of Mental Health. Fewer studies, however, have investigated the significant roles of veterans and veterans’ organizations in the passage of this legislation. This essay delves into these various roles and argues that veterans, from various professional backgrounds, united by creating strategic arguments to lobby for this act. Their motivations ranged from the desire to destigmatize mental health issues to discovering methods for the prevention and treatment of psychiatric problems among American society. Ultimately, these veterans helped the nation revolutionize its approach to mental health policy and paved the way for future servicemembers to take a stand and become political actors.