bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
It’s not (only) about Getting the Last Word: Rhetorical Norms of Public Argumentation and the Responsibility to Keep the Conversation Going
Authors: Bengtsson Mette , Villadsen Lisa
Published: November 2023

The core function of argumentation in a democratic setting must be to constitute a modality for citizens to engage differences of opinion constructively – for the present but also in future exchanges. To enable this function requires acceptance of the basic conditions of public debate: that consensus is often an illusory goal which should be replaced by better mastery of living with dissent and compromise. Furthermore, it calls for an understanding of the complexity of real-life public debate which is an intermixture of claims of fact, definition, value, and policy, each of which calls for an awareness of the greater ‘debate environment’ of which particular deliberative exchanges are part. We introduce a rhetorical meta-norm as an evaluation criterion for public debate. In continuation of previous scholarship concerned with how to create room for differences of opinion and how to foster a sustainable debate culture, we work from a civically oriented conception of rhetoric. This conception is less instrumental and more concerned with the role of communication in public life and the maintenance of the democratic state. A rhetorical meta-norm of public argumentation is useful when evaluating public argumentation – not as the only norm, but integrated with specific norms from rhetoric, pragma-dialectics, and formal logic. We contextualise our claims through an example of authentic contemporary public argumentation: a debate over a biogas generator in rural Denmark.
Sleep and Socioemotional Outcomes Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Wong Mark Lawrence , Nagata Jason M. , Barreto Manuela
Published: November 2023

Sexual and gender minority adolescents face specific stressors associated with their minority status, leading to compromised socioemotional outcomes and sleep. Sleep patterns have, in turn, been found to predict socioemotional outcomes. As such, we aimed to investigate whether healthy sleep patterns prospectively predicted socioemotional outcomes, and whether associations varied as a function of sexual and gender minority status. We conducted a secondary data analysis among adolescents at age 14 to 17, from a nationally representative prospective cohort in the United Kingdom (N = 8923, mean age = 13.8), with 7021 cisgender heterosexual, 1801 sexual minority, and 101 gender minority adolescents. Indicators of socioemotional outcomes included self-esteem, emotional well-being, peer relationships, and relationship with parents. The results showed that gender minority adolescents reported the worst sleep patterns and socioemotional outcomes, followed by sexual minority and cisgender heterosexual adolescents. Results from multi-group path analyses showed that emotional well-being, self-esteem, and peer relationships at age 17 were prospectively predicted by sleep patterns and the associations were moderated by sexual and gender minority status. Influence of sleep patterns, particularly sleep initiation problems and frequent awakening, on socioemotional outcomes was greater among gender minority adolescents, when compared to cisgender heterosexual adolescents. In conclusion, positive socioemotional outcomes were predicted by healthy sleep patterns. The potential role of sleep health in optimizing socioemotional outcomes among sexual and gender minority adolescents might warrant further investigation in prevention or intervention studies.
Elevated concentrations of Neu5Ac and Neu5,9Ac2 in human plasma: potential biomarkers of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Cheeseman Jack , Badia Concepcion , Elgood-Hunt Georgia , Gardner Richard A. , Trinh Duong N. , Monopoli Marco P. , Kuhnle Gunter , Spencer Daniel I.R. , Osborn Helen M.I.
Published: November 2023

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of health conditions affecting the heart and vascular system with very high prevalence and mortality rates. The presence of CVD is characterised by high levels of inflammation which have previously been associated with increased plasma concentrations of N-acetyl neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac). While Neu5Ac has been studied in the context of CVD, Neu5,9Ac2 has not, despite being the second most abundant sialic acid in human plasma. A small-scale pilot study of thirty plasma samples from patients with diagnosed CVD, and thirty age and sex-matched healthy controls, was designed to gain insight into sialic acids as biomarkers for CVD and potential future areas of study. Each sample was assayed for Neu5Ac and Neu5,9Ac2 concentrations. Mean Neu5Ac and Neu5,9Ac2 concentrations were significantly elevated in patients with CVD compared to healthy controls (Neu5Ac: P < 0.001; Neu5,9Ac2: P < 0.04). Receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis indicated that both Neu5Ac and Neu5,9Ac2 have reasonable predictive power for the presence of CVD (Neu5Ac AUC: 0.86; Neu5,9Ac2 AUC: 0.71). However, while Neu5Ac had both good sensitivity (0.82) and specificity (0.81), Neu5,9Ac2 had equivalent specificity (0.81) but very poor sensitivity (0.44). A combination marker of Neu5Ac + Neu5,9Ac2 showed improvement over Neu5Ac alone in terms of predictive power (AUC: 0.93), sensitivity (0.87), and specificity (0.90). Comparison to a known inflammatory marker, high sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP: P-value: NS, ROC:0.50) was carried out, showing that both Neu5Ac and Neu5,9Ac2 outperformed this marker. Further to this, hs-CRP values were combined with the three different sialic acid markers to determine any effect on the AUC values. A slight improvement in AUC was noted for each of the combinations, with Neu5Ac + Neu5,9Ac2 + hs-CRP giving the best AUC of 0.97 overall. Thus, Neu5Ac would appear to offer good potential as a predictive marker for the presence of CVD, which the addition of Neu5,9Ac2 predictive power improves, with further improvement seen by the addition of hs-CRP.
An Adaptive and Quasi-periodic HDG Method for Maxwell’s Equations in Heterogeneous Media
Authors: Camargo Liliana , López-Rodríguez Bibiana , Osorio Mauricio , Solano Manuel
Published: November 2023

With the aim to continue developing a hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) method for problems arisen from photovoltaic cells modeling, in this manuscript we consider the time harmonic Maxwell’s equations in an inhomogeneous bounded bi-periodic domain with quasi-periodic conditions on part of the boundary. We propose an HDG scheme where quasi-periodic boundary conditions are imposed on the numerical trace space. Under regularity assumptions and a proper choice of the stabilization parameter, we prove that the approximations of the electric and magnetic fields converge, in the $$\textrm{L}^2$$

L
2

-norm, to the exact solution with order $$h^{k+1}$$

h

k
+
1

and $$h^{k+1/2}$$

h

k
+
1
/
2

, resp., where h is the meshsize and k the polynomial degree of the discrete spaces. Although, numerical evidence suggests optimal order of convergence for both variables. An a posteriori error estimator for an energy norm is also proposed. We show that it is reliable and locally efficient under certain conditions. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the performance of the quasi-periodic HDG method and the adaptive scheme based on the proposed error indicator.
Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults
Authors: Verville Leslie , Hincapié Cesar A. , Southerst Danielle , Yu Hainan , Bussières André , Gross Douglas P. , Pereira Paulo , Mior Silvano , Tricco Andrea C. , Cedraschi Christine , Brunton Ginny , Nordin Margareta , Connell Gaelan , Shearer Heather M. , Wong Jessica J. , Hofstetter Léonie , Romanelli Andrew , Guist Brett , To Daphne , Stuber Kent , da Silva-Oolup Sophia , Stupar Maja , Myrtos Danny , Lee Joyce G.B. , DeSouza Astrid , Muñoz Laguna Javier , Murnaghan Kent , Cancelliere Carol
Published: November 2023

Purpose

To evaluate benefits and harms of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline.

Methods

We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from various electronic databases from July 1, 2007 to March 9, 2022. Eligible RCTs targeted TENS compared to placebo/sham, usual care, no intervention, or interventions with isolated TENS effects (i.e., combined TENS with treatment B versus treatment B alone) in adults with CPLBP. We extracted outcomes requested by the WHO Guideline Development Group, appraised the risk of bias, conducted meta-analyses where appropriate, and graded the certainty of evidence using GRADE.

Results

Seventeen RCTs (adults, n = 1027; adults ≥ 60 years, n = 28) out of 2010 records and 89 full text RCTs screened were included. The evidence suggested that TENS resulted in a marginal reduction in pain compared to sham (9 RCTs) in the immediate term (2 weeks) (mean difference (MD) = -0.90, 95% confidence interval  -1.54 to -0.26), and a reduction in pain catastrophizing in the short term (3 months) with TENS versus no intervention or interventions with TENS specific effects (1 RCT) (MD = -11.20, 95% CI -17.88 to -3.52). For other outcomes, little or no difference was found between TENS and the comparison interventions. The certainty of the evidence for all outcomes was very low.

Conclusions

Based on very low certainty evidence, TENS resulted in brief and marginal reductions in pain (not deemed clinically important) and a short-term reduction in pain catastrophizing in adults with CPLBP, while little to no differences were found for other outcomes.
Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Structured Exercise Programs for Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults
Authors: Verville Leslie , Ogilvie Rachel , Hincapié Cesar A. , Southerst Danielle , Yu Hainan , Bussières André , Gross Douglas P. , Pereira Paulo , Mior Silvano , Tricco Andrea C. , Cedraschi Christine , Brunton Ginny , Nordin Margareta , Connell Gaelan , Wong Jessica J. , Shearer Heather M. , Lee Joyce G. B. , Wang Dan , Hayden Jill A. , Cancelliere Carol
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Evaluate benefits and harms of structured exercise programs for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline.

Methods

We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in electronic databases (inception to 17 May 2022). Eligible RCTs targeted structured exercise programs compared to placebo/sham, usual care, or no intervention (including comparison interventions where the attributable effect of exercise could be isolated). We extracted outcomes, appraised risk of bias, conducted meta-analyses where appropriate, and assessed certainty of evidence using GRADE.

Results

We screened 2503 records (after initial screening through Cochrane RCT Classifier and Cochrane Crowd) and 398 full text RCTs. Thirteen RCTs rated with overall low or unclear risk of bias were synthesized. Assessing individual exercise types (predominantly very low certainty evidence), pain reduction was associated with aerobic exercise and Pilates vs. no intervention, and motor control exercise vs. sham. Improved function was associated with mixed exercise vs. usual care, and Pilates vs. no intervention. Temporary increased minor pain was associated with mixed exercise vs. no intervention, and yoga vs. usual care. Little to no difference was found for other comparisons and outcomes. When pooling exercise types, exercise vs. no intervention probably reduces pain in adults (8 RCTs, SMD = − 0.33, 95% CI − 0.58 to − 0.08) and functional limitations in adults and older adults (8 RCTs, SMD = − 0.31, 95% CI − 0.57 to − 0.05) (moderate certainty evidence).

Conclusions

With moderate certainty, structured exercise programs probably reduce pain and functional limitations in adults and older people with CPLBP.
Research hotspots and development trends in volume management of peritoneal dialysis patients: a bibliometrics and visual analysis up to 2022
Authors: Liu Tingting , Zhao Dan , Huang Jiaying , Gu Aiping , Liu Qian , Fang Wei , Gu Leyi , Zhang Haifen
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Among different renal replacement therapies (RRTs), peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a family based treatment method with multiple advantages, which allowing patients to maintain autonomy, avoiding frequent hospital visits, and preventing the spread of the disease virus. To visually analyze the literatures related to volume management of PD patients through bibliometric methods, to explore research hotspots and development trends in this field.

Methods

The relevant literatures of PD patient volume management in the Web of Science core collection database were retrieved with the terms of peritoneal dialysis, volume management, capacity management, fluid status, and volume overload. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to October 2022. CiteSpace 6.1.R3 software was used to visually analyze Country, Institution, Author, Keyword, and draw keyword clusters and keyword emergence maps.

Results

A total of 788 articles were included in the analysis, and the annual number of papers was on the rise, with the American, China, and Brirain in the top three, and Peking University and University College London in the top. Keywords cluster analysis showed 11 clusters. In the keyword emergence analysis, the keywords with higher emergence intensity rank are continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis, ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, and icodextrin. The current research hotspots and trends are in the evaluation of peritoneal dialysis patients’ volume status, the selection and adjustment of dialysis prescriptions, and adverse health outcomes.

Conclusion

The research on peritoneal dialysis volume management in China started late, but it has developed rapidly, and has a firm grasp of current research hotspots. However, there is less cooperation with other countries, so international exchanges and cooperation should be strengthened. At present, the volume assessment methods and dialysis modes are still the research hotspots, paying more attention to the adverse health outcomes of patients.
Rice husk–based pyrogenic carbonaceous material efficiently promoted peroxymonosulfate activation toward the non-radical pathway for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in water
Authors: Paredes-Laverde Marcela , Porras Jazmín , Acelas Nancy , Romero-Hernández Jhonnaifer J. , Jojoa-Sierra Sindy D. , Huerta Lázaro , Serna-Galvis Efraím A. , Torres-Palma Ricardo A.
Published: November 2023

Pristine pyrogenic carbonaceous material (BRH) obtained from rice husk and modified with FeCl3 (BRH-FeCl3) were prepared and explored as carbocatalysts for the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade a model pharmaceutical (acetaminophen, ACE) in water. The BRH-FeCl3/PMS system removed the pharmaceutical faster than the BRH/PMS. This is explained because in BRH-FeCl3, compared to BRH, the modification (iron played a role as a structuring agent mainly) increased the average pore diameter and the presence of functional groups such as -COO−, -Si–O−, or oxygen vacancies, which allowed to remove the pollutant through an adsorption process and significant carbocatalytic degradation. BRH-FeCl3 was reusable during four cycles and had a higher efficiency for activating PMS than another inorganic peroxide (peroxydisulfate, PDS). The effects of BRH-FeCl3 and PMS concentrations were evaluated and optimized through an experimental design, maximizing the ACE degradation. In the optimized system, a non-radical pathway (i.e., the action of singlet oxygen, from the interaction of PMS with defects and/or -COO−/-Si–O− moieties on the BRH-FeCl3) was found. The BRH-FeCl3/PMS system generated only one primary degradation product that was more susceptible to biodegradation and less active against living organisms than ACE. Also, the BRH-FeCl3/PMS system induced partial removals of chemical oxygen demand and dissolved organic carbon. Furthermore, the carbocatalytic system eliminated ACE in a wide pH range and in simulated urine, having a low-moderate electric energy consumption, indicating the feasibility of the carbocatalytic process to treat water polluted with pharmaceuticals.
Increased brain cytokine level associated impairment of vigilance and memory in aged rats can be alleviated by alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist treatment
Authors: Bali Zsolt Kristóf , Nagy Lili Veronika , Bruszt Nóra , Bodó Kornélia , Engelmann Péter , Hernádi Zsófia , Göntér Kitti , Tadepalli Sai Ambika , Hernádi István
Published: November 2023

Age-related neurocognitive disorders are common problems in developed societies. Aging not only affects memory processes, but may also disturb attention, vigilance, and other executive functions. In the present study, we aimed to investigate age-related cognitive deficits in rats and associated molecular alterations in the brain. We also aimed to test the effects of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist PHA-543613 on memory as well as on the sustained attention and vigilance of aged rats. Short- and long-term spatial memories of the rats were tested using the Morris water maze (MWM) task. To measure attention and vigilance, we designed a rat version of the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) that is frequently used in human clinical examinations. At the end of the behavioral experiments, mRNA and protein expression of alpha7 nAChRs, cytokines, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were quantitatively measured in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, striatum, and cerebellum. Aged rats showed marked cognitive deficits in both the MWM and the PVT. The deficit was accompanied by increased IL-1beta and TNFalpha mRNA expression and decreased BDNF protein expression in the hippocampus. PHA-543613 significantly improved the reaction time of aged rats in the PVT, especially for unexpectedly appearing stimuli, while only slightly (non-significantly) alleviating spatial memory deficits in the MWM. These results indicate that targeting alpha7 nAChRs may be an effective strategy for the amelioration of attention and vigilance deficits in age-related neurocognitive disorders.
Peer-Related Correlates of e-Cigarette Use in Australian Adolescents: a Cross-sectional Examination
Authors: Hunter Emily , Gardner Lauren A. , O’Dean Siobhan , Newton Nicola C. , Thornton Louise , Rowe Amy-Leigh , Slade Tim , McBride Nyanda , Devine Emma K. , Egan Lyra , Teesson Maree , Champion Katrina E.
Published: November 2023

Background

This study examined cross-sectional associations between e-cigarette use and (i) perceived peer use of e-cigarettes and (ii) bullying (perpetration and/or victimisation) in Australian adolescents.

Methods

Data were collected in 2022 as part of a cluster randomised controlled trial. Logistic regressions examined associations between e-cigarette use (ever use) and the perceived proportion of friends who use e-cigarettes, bullying victimisation, bullying perpetration and “bully-victim” status (i.e. having perpetrated and been bullied).

Results

The sample comprised 4204 participants (Mage = 15.70, SD = 0.60). Perceived peer e-cigarette use (OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 2.42, 2.77 p < .001), bullying victimisation (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.46, p = .004), bullying perpetration (OR = 3.00, 95% CI = 2.45, 3.66, p < .001) and being a “bully-victim” (OR = 2.58, 95% CI = 2.06, 3.24, p < .001) were associated with increased odds of ever having used an e-cigarette.

Conclusions

While further longitudinal research is required, results suggest that future prevention efforts for adolescent e-cigarette use could target peer-related factors, such as perceived peer use and bullying.
Die Milieukoalition des Rechtspopulismus. Kombinationen politischer Einstellungen innerhalb des potenziellen Elektorats der AfD
Authors: Buchmayr Florian
Published: November 2023

Obwohl in den letzten Jahren viel zu den Charakteristika des AfD-Elektorats geforscht wurde, gibt es bisher nur wenige Erkenntnisse darüber, inwiefern unterschiedliche soziale Gruppen und Milieus aus jeweils unterschiedlichen Motiven zur AfD neigen. Da es der AfD erfolgreich gelingt, sowohl Angehörige der Arbeiterklasse als auch Teile der Mittelklasse für sich zu mobilisieren, stellt sich die Frage, wie diese Koalition an AfD-Sympathisantinnen aus unterschiedlichen Klassenlagen zustande kommt und erklärt werden kann. In dem Beitrag wird mit Daten des ALLBUS 2018 untersucht, inwiefern sich die AfD-freundlichen Milieus innerhalb der Arbeiter- und der Mittelklasse in ihren Einstellungsprofilen zu vier politischen Konfliktdimensionen (Umverteilung, Migration, individuelle Freiheitsrechte und Leistungsethos) sowohl vom nicht-AfD-affinen Teil ihrer jeweiligen Klasse als auch voneinander unterscheiden. Anhand von Regressions- und Clusteranalysen kann gezeigt werden, dass der mit der AfD sympathisierende Teil der Arbeiterklasse ein national-solidarisches Weltbild aufweist und Gleichheitsansprüche einfordert, während in dem mit der AfD sympathisierenden Teil der Mittelklasse regressive Normalitätsvorstellungen vorherrschen und die AfD als Verteidigerin bestehender Hierarchien und Privilegien angesehen wird. Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen wird abschließend diskutiert, wie es der AfD gelingt, durch eine Anrufung dieser Einstellungsmuster Milieus mit divergierenden ökonomischen Interessen für sich zu mobilisieren.
Classroom Management als Heilsversprechen
Authors: Gräber Sebastian
Published: November 2023

Classroom Management oder Klassenführung setzt auf die Maxime „Prävention statt Reaktion“ und unterbindet Störungen unter Rückgriff auf Konditionierungsmaßnahmen. Im Hintergrund steht dabei das Idealbild eines effektiven Unterrichts, der zwar zum Lernerfolg beitragen, dafür aber Selbstbestimmung und Mündigkeit verhindern kann. Stattdessen käme es darauf an, Konflikte im Unterricht auszuhalten und die paradoxale Struktur von Bildung und Disziplin in den Blick zu bekommen.
Erziehung – wozu …
Authors: Thole Werner , Marks Svenja
Published: November 2023

In dem Beitrag wird an kritische Infragestellungen wie an Varianten der Wiederentdeckung von Erziehung erinnert, um die aktuelle Bedeutung von Erziehung für die Praxis und die wissenschaftlichen Diskussionen in der Sozialen Arbeit zu lokalisieren.
Convergence and Catch-Up of the Region Types in the Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Egri Zoltán , Lengyel Imre
Published: November 2023

Our study investigates the economic growth and catch-up of the NUTS3 regions of 6 Central and Eastern European (CEE) member states of the European Union (EU), 4 countries acceding in 2004 (Czechia, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia) and further two admitted in 2007 (Bulgaria and Romania), compared to the average of 14 older members of the EU between 2000 and 2019. We based our analysis on the urban–rural region types of the EU in the case of 185 regions, identifying predominantly urban, intermediate, and predominantly rural types. We apply Theil Index to examine the development of disparities and test the phenomena with unconditional β-convergence hypothesis. The analysis indicates that the growth of all CEE countries and their regions is faster than the EU14 average; the capitals considerably exceed it, the catch-up of other urban regions is also relatively fast, while it is very slow in the case of other regions. The convergence between the 185 regions is weak, based on the EU region typology it was initially strong between the capitals, moderate in the case of intermediate and rural types, while divergence can be observed in the urban types. The catch-up of less developed regions is very slow despite EU cohesion funding, even though 80% of the population live here. The stagnation of regional disparities and slow catch-up of less developed regions indicate the poor efficiency of the EU cohesion policy.
Struktur eines spannungsregulierten Membrantransporters aus Spermien
Authors: Peter Martin F. , Kalienkova Valeria , Paulino Cristina
Published: November 2023

The sperm-specific Na+/H+ exchanger SLC9C1 stands out by its unique tripartite domain composition. It is the first known secondary-active transporter which is directly activated by membrane voltage via a voltage-sensing domain (VSD). Our cryo-EM structures of sea urchin SLC9C1 reveal the domain arrangement and new structural coupling elements, allowing us to propose a mechanism for a voltage-activated alternative access mechanism.
Molekularer Abdruck oder Selektion bei der Erzeugung biomimetischer Specifyer
Authors: Menger Marcus M. , Yarman Aysu , Oktay Aysel , Scheller Frieder W.
Published: November 2023

Aptamers and imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the recognition of low-molecular substances, proteins, nucleic acids, viruses and cells have been developed with the advantage over antibodies of not having to use animals for their production. They can also be generated against toxic substances and structures of low immunogenicity. Their affinities to the target molecules, especially for protein biomarkers, are mostly comparable to those of antibodies. However, the cross-reactivity of highly abundant interferences is still a challenge for MIPs.
A size and taxonomic assessment of non-lethal DNA sampling of gastropods using Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards
Authors: Leung Kelley
Published: November 2023

Sampling the DNA of rare animal species should have minimal impacts on individual health. This can be accomplished through non-lethal/non-invasive sampling. Few of these methods have been developed for invertebrates, including the Mollusca, which are in global decline. Tissue clipping the foot is a common non-lethal method for gastropods. However, it causes permanent damage and is inappropriate for smaller snails. This study used Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards to sample DNA from snail mucus for species of different sizes and habitat types, and across evolutionarily distant lineages. In a survival assay, the death rate of individuals sampled with FTA cards (12.1%) was greater than in the controls (3.7%), but the difference was not significant. Of 224 individuals representing 27 snail species (17 Hawaiian native, ten non-native) sampled using both FTA cards and tissue clipping, 80.4% of FTA samples and 91.6% of tissue samples amplified for COI, a significant difference. COI sequencing success did not differ significantly between the two methods. For individuals that failed to produce a COI sequence, an attempt was made to sequence 16S. For 16S, amplification and sequencing rates did not differ significantly between FTA and tissue samples. Habitat type and shell size did not affect FTA sampling success. Phylogenetically basal taxa exhibited lower success rates, but this may have been because of difficulty in sampling operculate taxa, and not because of identity. These results indicate that the FTA sampling is a viable non-lethal alternative to tissue clipping and can be used for diverse gastropods.
Current vs. Desired: Transforming the Gender-Affirming Path Through the Work of Trans, Non-binary, and Gender-Questioning Activists Within an Ecological Framework
Authors: Lorusso Maric Martin , Compare Christian , Albanesi Cinzia
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Due to medical, psychological, and social factors, Italian trans and gender-diverse (TGD) people encounter significant barriers in their gender affirming pathway (GAP), both in formal and informal settings. The minority stress model highlights how structural obstacles reinforce the marginalization of the TGD population in society, while activism becomes a strategy to cope and a source of resilience.

Methods

The research aims to investigate challenges in the GAP for TGD individuals, adopting an ecological perspective. Twenty-five Italian TGD activists were interviewed using semi-structured interviews with sections on personal experiences, relationships with professionals and the LGBTQIA + community, and activism. Data were collected in June–November 2021.

Results

Following an ecological approach, the results were organized into a multilevel systemic model. Overall, participants highlighted the rigidity of the actual institutional GAP, calling for a more tailored approach. The study suggests that the Italian institutional GAP system is detached from the TGD population’s needs.

Conclusion

From participants’ accounts, engaging with TGD individuals through bottom-up approaches can represent a turning point in addressing the TGD population’s medical, psychological, and social needs throughout their GAP.

Policy Implications

Professionals involved in the pathway should play a role in supporting and listening to the needs of TGD people, aiming to reduce the structural and bureaucratic difficulties encountered within the GAP.
Computing well-covered vector spaces of graphs using modular decomposition
Authors: Milanič Martin , Pivač Nevena
Published: November 2023

A graph is well-covered if all its maximal independent sets have the same cardinality. This concept was introduced by Plummer in 1970 and naturally generalizes to the weighted case. Given a graph G, a real-valued vertex weight function w is said to be a well-covered weighting of G if all its maximal independent sets are of the same weight with respect to w. The set of all well-covered weightings of a graph G forms a vector space over the field of real numbers, called the well-covered vector space of G. Since the problem of recognizing well-covered graphs is $$\textsf{co}$$
co
-$$\textsf{NP}$$
NP
-complete, the problem of computing the well-covered vector space of a given graph is $$\textsf{co}$$
co
-$$\textsf{NP}$$
NP
-hard. Levit and Tankus showed in 2015 that the problem admits a polynomial-time algorithm in the class of claw-free graphs. In this paper, we give two general reductions for the problem, one based on anti-neighborhoods and one based on modular decomposition, combined with Gaussian elimination. Building on these results, we develop a polynomial-time algorithm for computing the well-covered vector space of a given fork-free graph, generalizing the result of Levit and Tankus. Our approach implies a polynomial-time recognition algorithm for the class of well-covered fork-free graphs and also generalizes some known results on cographs.
Sleep is the best medicine: assessing sleep, disordered eating, and weight-related functioning
Authors: Barnes Rachel D. , Palmer Brooke , Hanson Sheila K. , Lawson Jessica L.
Published: November 2023

Sleep quality is linked to disordered eating, obesity, depression, and weight-related functioning. Most research, however, has focused on clinical populations. The current study investigated relationships between sleep quality, disordered eating, and patterns of functioning in a community sample to better understand relationships among modifiable health behaviors. Participants (N = 648) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk completed assessments of eating, depression, weight-related functioning, and sleep. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate body mass index (M = 27.3, SD = 6.9). Participants were on average 37.6 years (SD = 12.3), primarily female (65.4%), and White, not Hispanic (72.7%). Over half of participants endorsed poor sleep quality, and average sleep scores were above the clinical cutoff for poor sleep quality. Sleep scores were significantly positively correlated with disordered eating, depression, and weight-related functioning, even after adjusting for age, body mass index, and sex. Multivariate regression models predicting weight-related functioning and depression showed that both sleep quality and disordered eating independently predicted depression. Sleep quality did not independently predict weight-related functioning; however, disordered eating did. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess sleep behaviors, disordered eating, and weight-related functioning in a community sample of weight diverse participants. Results indicate that most participants endorsed poor sleep quality, which was associated with disordered eating patterns, including binge eating and poorer weight-related functioning, even after controlling for body mass index, highlighting that this relationship exists across the weight spectrum. These results speak to the importance of health behavior assessment and intervention within nonclinical samples.

Level of evidence Level III: evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies
»All you need is a marker pen!«
Authors: Eßlinger Eva
Published: November 2023

In der Gegenwartslyrik kommen immer öfter Geräte zum Einsatz, die bislang nicht als künstlerische Werkzeuge galten und deren Zweck in der kreativen Zerstörung besteht. Anstatt ein Werk gleichsam aus dem Nichts heraus zu erschaffen, bringen sie durch Demontage des schon Bestehenden etwas Neues hervor. Verwendung findet dieses Verfahren der Texttilgung in der so genannten »Erasure Poetry«. Damit ist eine Form der Lyrikproduktion bezeichnet, bei der es darauf ankommt, einen vorhandenen Text mit einem zum Übermalen geeigneten Büroutensil, vorzugsweise einem schwarzen Filzmarker, nach bestimmten Regeln zu bearbeiten. Der Aufsatz geht der Frage nach, was sich ändert, wenn Texte nicht mehr geschrieben, sondern durchgestrichen werden. Beispiele aus verschiedenen Gebrauchszusammenhängen zeigen das Spektrum gestalterischer Möglichkeiten und zugleich die unterschiedlichen Funktionen auf, die die erasure erfüllen kann: als kollektive Praxis dient sie der Selbsttherapie und Lebensbewältigung; als artistisches Verfahren dagegen kommt sie derzeit in vielen Lyrikbänden und Künstlerbüchern zum Einsatz, die den herkömmlichen Umgang mit Literatur ebenso in Frage stellen wie bestimmte Praktiken der Macht. Die erasure erweist sich hier als ästhetische Strategie der Offenlegung verschwiegener, negierter oder vom Vergessen bedrohter Inhalte. Entscheidend in produktions- wie wirkungsästhetischer Hinsicht ist dabei der Bruch mit konventionellen Darstellungsweisen. Er manifestiert sich in der Art, wie die übrig gebliebenen Wörter oder Lettern auf der Buchseite angeordnet und in Beziehung zu den sie umgebenden leeren Flächen gesetzt werden: Word placement und white space managment bezeichnen die beiden zentralen Operationen der post-avantgardistischen Literatur und ihres page design.
Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Improving Sleep and Health Status in Patients with Cardiometabolic Syndrome: a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Dawei , Cardell Elizabeth , Xu Miao , Ji Yunxin , Lou Zhongze , Sun Jing , Li Li
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy intervention on sleep and health improvement in patients with cardiometabolic syndrome and sleep problems. This study also aimed to assess the effect of different study designs to explain the overall intervention effect through subgroup analysis. Relevant randomized controlled trial studies were searched through six online databases. The PEDro scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. The random effects model was used to assess the mean difference, effect size, and standard deviation of the outcome variables. The heterogeneity of the included studies was assessed using I2 and Q tests. Publication bias was assessed by the Egger test. Cognitive behavioural therapy intervention provided a significant effect in improving the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, depression, fatigue, and HbA1c. The effect of cognitive behavioural therapy is more significant when relaxation training and education components are included. Cognitive behavioural therapy is suitable for the treatment of sleep problems in patients with cardiometabolic syndrome. Cognitive behavioural therapy is also effective on depression and fatigue but has a limited effect on blood pressure and biomedical indicators related to cardiometabolic syndrome.
Optimal allocation of multiple capacitors in a hybrid AC/DC microgrid for power quality improvement
Authors: Mousa Hossam H. H. , Ali Abdelfatah , Shaaban Mostafa F. , Ismeil Mohamed A.
Published: November 2023

Along with the various features for implementing the Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid (HMG), this article proposes an approach for optimal allocation of multiple capacitors which are investigated in a proposed modeling based on the IEEE 14-bus distribution system. The power quality of the HMG has been investigated during the urgent intermittent of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Reactive Power Compensation (RPC) methods. Moreover, the investigation has been achieved in the presence of unbalanced loads and nonlinear loads with maximum and minimum demand scenarios. To cope with the power quality concerns in the studied cases, the fixed capacitor bank as an RPC system in Medium Voltage (MV) level load buses has been utilized. Although the performance indices of the power quality improved in MV-level buses, the Low Voltage (LV) level load buses still endure extensive operation performance deteriorations caused by unbalanced loads. Therefore, in this article, a compensation scheme applied in LV-level load buses and MV-level buses has been proposed consistent with the power flow computations. The Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimizer (MOGWO) algorithm is implemented to optimize both the size and location of capacitor banks over different voltage levels with high accuracy. The comprehensive assessment and discussion of the simulation results demonstrate the superiority of utilizing the proposed compensation scheme in both MV-level and LV-level load buses. Hence, the power quality is not only enhanced but also the installation cost is reduced. The complete model of the studied system has been validated using MATLAB/ Simulink.

Article Highlights

The reactive power compensation method is used to improve the power quality in a hybrid AC-DC microgrid.

The applied RPC method verifies using the MOGWO algorithm to optimize both the location and size of multiple capacitor banks.

Power quality challenges and future research trends are debated.
Mapping the global free expression landscape using machine learning
Authors: Ortega-Martorell Sandra , Bellfield Ryan A. A. , Harrison Steve , Dyke Drewery , Williams Nik , Olier Ivan
Published: November 2023

Freedom of expression is a core human right, yet the forces that seek to suppress it have intensified, increasing the need to develop tools that can measure the rates of freedom globally. In this study, we propose a novel freedom of expression index to gain a nuanced and data-led understanding of the level of censorship across the globe. For this, we used an unsupervised, probabilistic machine learning method, to model the status of the free expression landscape. This index seeks to provide legislators and other policymakers, activists and governments, and non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations, with tools to better inform policy or action decisions. The global nature of the proposed index also means it can become a vital resource/tool for engagement with international and supranational bodies.
Asymmetric indentation: problem and solution
Authors: Ali M. El-Sayed , El-Houte S. , Ibrahim Omyma H. , Othman Kolthoum I.
Published: November 2023

Vickers and Knoop testers are the most common tools used to measure the hardness of materials. However, a very small tilt in the sample surface even in the order of a fraction of a degree produces a noticeable asymmetry, which affects the accuracy of the measured hardness. In this investigation, a mathematical approach has been used to correct asymmetry in the Vickers and Knoop indentations in both metallic and ceramic materials. Measurements were taken for metals such as aluminium 6061(Al-6061), 304 stainless steel as well as various zirconia toughened ceramic materials including tetragonal zirconia doped with: 2.5 mol% Y2O3 (TZ2.5Y), 3 mol% Y2O3 (TZ3Y) and the composite containing 20 wt% alumina (TZ3Y20A), all prepared from commercial powders. A hardness tester equipped with Vickers and Knoop indenters was used for hardness and elastic modulus determination. Optical and scanning electron microscopes have been used to get the indentation micrographs. The method enabled accurate determination of both hardness and elastic modulus from corrected Vickers and Knoop indentations. The hardness and elastic modulus values obtained in this study are in good agreement with reported data for similar materials. The results obtained in this study have been successfully validated using the Zwick reference block. The developed method is readily applicable for the most widely used Vickers hardness machines for the correction of asymmetric indentations if existing, consequently leading to accurate determination of the hardness.
Analyzing transportation mode interactions using agent-based models
Authors: Uthpala Nimashi , Hansika Nanduni , Dissanayaka Sachini , Tennakoon Kumushini , Dharmarathne Samal , Vidanarachchi Rajith , Alawatugoda Janaka , Herath Damayanthi
Published: November 2023

Traffic in urban areas contributes significantly to congestion and air pollution, which contributes to climate change issues and causes economic losses and fuel wastage. Agent-based models have significant advantages for analyzing urban transportation and its sustainability. The main objective of this paper is to provide a critical review of research on agent-based models for traffic simulation in urban areas. This article reviews the literature on the subject and examines earlier case studies that dealt with agent-based models for micro-mobility and traffic simulation considering six criteria. The study analyzes multiple publications obtained from databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. These publications span from 2014 to 2022 and are scrutinized to fulfill the stated objectives. Furthermore, a thorough critical evaluation is performed on a chosen set of 16 publications. The research also proposes traffic simulation tools based on insights gathered from case studies. Further, it discusses how to choose a decent data set through a balanced and objective summary of study findings on the topic and recommends future work in this topic.
Preußen im 175. Jubiläumsjahr der Revolution von 1848/49
Authors: Ries Klaus
Published: November 2023

Der Beitrag ordnet das umfangreiche Werk von Konrad Canis über die Politik der preußischen Regierung in den Revolutionsjahren 1848 bis 1850/51 in den Kontext des 175-jährigen Jubiläums der 48er-Revolution ein. Trotz mancher Einseitigkeiten und ideologischen Verzerrungen, die klar benannt werden, gelingt es Canis, einen neuen Blick auf das Gesamtgeschehen der deutschen Revolution zu werfen, mit welchem die künftige Forschung sich auseinanderzusetzen haben wird. Zum ersten Mal wird die preußische Unionspolitik als integraler Bestandteil des Revolutionskomplexes dargestellt und als staatliche Handlungsalternative zum revolutionären Weg ‚von unten‘ gedeutet. Damit öffnet und erweitert Canis die Perspektive auf das revolutionäre Geschehen, das nicht mehr im Spätsommer 1849 endet, sondern bis 1850/51 reicht und zugleich eine der Vorbedingungen der Bismarck’schen Reichsgründung darstellt.
A multi-step linguistic validation for cultural adaptation of the German-language Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire
Authors: Steinbrueck Pia-Cecilia , Meyer Gabriele , Ayerle Gertrud
Published: November 2023

The four-dimensional Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) is an original English self-report questionnaire aimed for detection of postpartum mother–infant bonding disorders. The aim of this study was to create a German version of the PBQ that corresponds conceptually and linguistically to the original questionnaire. The systematic multistep translation process followed the guidelines of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, consisting of forward and backward translations, pilot testing, and cognitive interviews of mothers and a panel of experts. Cognitive interviews with users (n = 10) resulted in 15 changes that improved the completeness and accuracy of the translation. The translation was reviewed by a panel of four experts for practicality, resulting in two changes. As a result of the translation process and cognitive interviews, the German PBQ is linguistically equivalent to the original English version and can be evaluated in psychometric validation for further use in primary care.
Public health quality frameworks: a scoping review
Authors: Ramlackhan Kalisha , Aloosh Mehdi , Hopkins Jessica P.
Published: November 2023

Background

Reliable performance frameworks and indicators are essential for understanding the ability of public health systems to meet their mandates and to encourage ongoing learning and quality improvement. While such frameworks exist in health care, they are not well established in public health.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review of indexed and grey literature to identify quality frameworks for public health systems in Canada and comparable countries. The search included documents published in English from 2012 to May 2022 and focused on countries with similar national contexts and public health systems to Canada. Articles that focused solely on the health care system, editorials, opinions, books, correspondence, or commentaries, and those that were highly focused on a specific area of public health work that was not generalizable, were excluded. The included studies underwent thematic analysis to identify common themes.

Results

The indexed literature search yielded 420 citations, none of which met the inclusion criteria. The grey literature search identified 1500 documents, four of which originated from national-level public health organizations in England, Wales, and the United States. The identified quality frameworks varied in their goals, reflecting the role of the organization producing the document. However, several themes common to the majority of frameworks emerged, including a skilled workforce, strong leadership, effective and timely service, equity, quality improvement, close partnerships, adequate resourcing, and innovation.

Conclusion

Although the study did not identify a commonly used framework or approach, it highlights major themes that can guide the development of a suite of indicators supporting structural and process enablers and community impact to measure and report on the quality of public health systems. Notably, the study emphasizes the importance of non-peer-reviewed literature in this field and underscores the need for more transparent documentation of framework and indicator development processes. Developing reliable performance frameworks and indicators that promote ongoing learning and quality improvement is crucial for public health systems to fulfill their mandate of promoting and protecting health in the population.