bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of biomarkers of metals to improve prediction performance of cardiovascular disease mortality
Authors: Fansler Samuel D. , Bakulski Kelly M. , Park Sung Kyun , Walker Erika , Wang Xin
Published: November 2024

Background

Whether including additional environmental risk factors improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) prediction is unclear. We attempted to improve CVD mortality prediction performance beyond traditional CVD risk factors by additionally using metals measured in the urine and blood and with statistical machine learning methods.

Methods

Our sample included 7,085 U.S. adults aged 40 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2004 through 2015–2016, linked with the National Death Index through December 31, 2019. Data were randomly split into a 50/50 training dataset used to construct CVD mortality prediction models (n = 3542) and testing dataset used as validation to assess prediction performance (n = 3543). Relative to the traditional risk factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes), we compared models with an additional 17 blood and urinary metal concentrations. To build the prediction models, we used Cox proportional hazards, elastic-net (ENET) penalized Cox, and random survival forest methods.

Results

420 participants died from CVD with 8.8 mean years of follow-up. Blood lead, cadmium, and mercury were associated (p < 0.005) with CVD mortality. Including these blood metals in a Cox model, initially containing only traditional risk factors, raised the C-index from 0.845 to 0.847. Additionally, the Net Reclassification Index showed that 23% of participants received a more accurate risk prediction. Further inclusion of urinary metals improved risk reclassification but not risk discrimination.

Conclusions

Incorporating blood metals slightly improved CVD mortality risk discrimination, while blood and urinary metals enhanced risk reclassification, highlighting their potential utility in improving cardiovascular risk assessments.
Implantation of biomimetic polydopamine nanocomposite scaffold promotes optic nerve regeneration through modulating inhibitory microenvironment
Authors: Pan Tonghe , Huang Yate , Wei Jinfei , Lai Chen , Chen Yangjun , Nan Kaihui , Wu Wencan
Published: November 2024

Optic nerve regeneration remains challenging worldwide due to the limited intrinsic regenerative capacity of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the inhibitory microenvironment. Oxidative stress, induced by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) following optic nerve injury, is associated with prolonged neuroinflammation, resulting in a secondary injury of RGCs and the impairment of axon regeneration. Herein, we developed a bionic nanocomposite scaffold (GA@PDA) with immunoregulatory ability for enhanced optic nerve regeneration. The ice-templating method was employed to fabricate biopolymer-based scaffolds with a directional porous structure, mimicking the optic nerve, which effectively guided the oriented growth of neuronal cells. The incorporation of bioinspired polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) further confers excellent ROS scavenging ability, thereby modulating the phenotype transformation of microglia/macrophages from pro-inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2. In a rat optic nerve crush model, the implantation of GA@PDA scaffold enhanced survival of RGCs and promoted axonal regeneration. Our study offers novel insights and holds promising potential for the advancement of engineered biomaterials in facilitating optic nerve regeneration.
Suicidal behaviour, depression and generalized anxiety and associated factors among female and male adolescents in Mozambique in 2022–23
Authors: Pengpid Supa , Peltzer Karl , Efraime Boia
Published: November 2024

Background

The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and past 12-month suicidal behaviour (PSB) among adolescents in Mozambique.

Methods

Data from 3,109 females (aged 15–19 years) and 1,439 males (aged 15–19 years) that participated in the 2022-23 Mozambique Demographic and health Survey were analysed. MDD was assessed with the PHQ-9 and GAD with the GAD-7.

Results

Results indicate that among girls the prevalence of PSB was 4.3% (attempt 1.0%, plan 1.9% and/or ideation 3.6%) and among boys 2.5% (attempt 0.3%, plan 0.7% and/or ideation 2.4%). Among girls and boys, the prevalence of MDD (≥ 8 scores) was 15.5% and 3.7%, respectively, and the prevalence of GAD (≥ 5 scores) was 25.0% and 10.3%, respectively. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, among girls, GAD was positively and solid fuel use was negatively associated with PSB, while among boys MDD and urban residence were positively associated with PSB. Among female adolescents, currently being pregnant and “big problem to get money for medical treatment” increased the odds of MDD. While among male adolescents, urban residence, having a genital sore or ulcer, has living children, and early sexual debut were positively associated with MDD. Urban residence, current alcohol use, and early sexual debut were positively associated with GAD in male adolescents, while poorer wealth status, being pregnant, and having a “big problem to get money for medical treatment” were positively associated with GAD in female adolescents.

Conclusion

About 3% of participants had PSB, among girls one in five had MDD or GAD and among boys more than 5% had MDD or GAD. Public health interventions can be guided by several associated factors that have been identified.
Integration of disamenity costs and equality considerations regarding onshore wind power expansion and distribution into energy system optimization models
Authors: Lohr C. , Peterssen F. , Schlemminger M. , Bensmann A. , Niepelt R. , Brendel R. , Hanke-Rauschenbach R.
Published: November 2024

Background

Social acceptance of energy infrastructure projects affects public support for the energy transition and is essential for the transition’s sustainability and success. Despite extensive research focusing on the social acceptance of renewable energy, and on the acceptance of onshore wind power in particular, energy system models have largely prioritized techno-economic aspects. This focus has created a gap between model results and decision-makers’ needs. In this study, we offer recommendations for integrating disamenity costs and equality considerations—two critical social aspects related to onshore wind power—into energy system optimization. To achieve this, we use a spatially distributed model from a climate-neutral Germany and explore various implementations and trade-offs of these two social aspects.

Results

We identified effective linear formulations for both disamenity costs and equality considerations as model extensions, notably outperforming quadratic alternatives, which exhibit longer solution times (+ 50–115%). Our findings reveal that the endogenous consideration of disamenity costs in the optimization approach can significantly reduce the human population’s exposure to wind turbines, decreasing the average disamenity per turbine by 53%. Drawing on notions of welfare economics, we employ two different approaches for integrating equality into the optimization process, permitting the modulation of the degree of equality within spatial distributions in energy system models. The trade-offs of the two social aspects compared to the cost-optimal reference are moderate, resulting in a 2–3% increase in system costs.

Conclusions

Disamenity costs emerge as a predominant factor in the distribution of onshore wind power in energy system optimization models. However, existing plans for onshore wind power distribution in Germany underscore equality as the driving factor. The inclusion of social aspects in energy system models facilitates the identification of socially superior wind turbine locations. Neglecting disamenity costs and equality considerations leads to an overestimation of the practical solution space for decision-makers and, consequently, the resulting energy system designs.
Comparison and combination of mutation and methylation-based urine tests for bladder cancer detection
Authors: Gordon Naheema S. , McGuigan Elspeth K. , Ondasova Michaela , Knight Jennifer , Baxter Laura A. , Ott Sascha , Hastings Robert K. , Zeegers Maurice P. , James Nicholas D. , Cheng K. K. , Goel Anshita , Yu Minghao , Arnold Roland , Bryan Richard T. , Ward Douglas G.
Published: November 2024

Background and aims

Several non-invasive tests for detecting bladder cancer (BC) are commercially available and are based on detecting small panels of BC-associated mutations and/or methylation changes in urine DNA. However, it is not clear which type of biomarker is best, or if a combination of the two is needed. In this study we address this question by taking a 23-gene mutation panel (GALEAS™ Bladder, GB) and testing if adding a panel of methylation markers improves the sensitivity of BC detection.

Methods

Twenty-three methylation markers were assessed in urine DNA by bisulphite conversion, multiplex PCR, and next generation sequencing in 118 randomly selected haematuria patients with pre-existing GB data (56 BCs and 62 non-BCs), split into training and test sets. We also analysed an additional 16 GB false-negative urine DNAs.

Results

The methylation panel detected bladder cancer in haematuria patients with 69% sensitivity at 96% specificity (test set results, 95% CIs 52-87% and 80-99%, respectively). Corresponding sensitivity and specificity for GB were 92% and 89%. Methylation and mutation markers were highly concordant in urine, with all GB false-negative samples also negative for methylation markers.

Conclusions and limitations

Our data show that, with a comprehensive mutation panel, any gains from adding methylation markers are, at best, marginal. It is likely that low tumour content is the commonest cause of false-negative urine test results. Our study does have a limited sample size and other methylation markers might behave differently to the those studied here.
Characteristics of foundries and alloy composition of modern and contemporary Korean artistic bronze
Authors: Kwon Heehong
Published: November 2024

This study investigated the changes in foundries and production techniques of modern and contemporary Korean artistic bronze constructions from the 1910s to the 2000s. To determine the characteristics of foundries and changes in alloy composition based on era, interviews with key sculptors and foundry technicians, analysis of archival materials related to casting, and nondestructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of 92 bronze sculptures by Manlin Choi, were conducted. This study found that foundries for artistic bronze underwent technical and organizational changes from the 1910s to the 2000s. Modern casting techniques and foreign technologies have been introduced since the late 1960s that have resulted in various production methods. The portable X-ray fluorescence analysis of Manlin Choi’s 92 bronze sculptures revealed distinct differences in alloy composition depending on the foundry, findings that have also been supported by records (contracts, receipts, payment confirmations). This study systematically organizes the changes in foundries and production techniques of modern and contemporary Korean artistic bronze, identifying correlations between alloy composition and foundries, and is expected to provide important data for the future conservation and scientific authentication of artistic bronze.
Modifiable risk factors that mediate the effect of insomnia on the risk of low back pain: a network mendelian randomization study
Authors: Lu WeiSong , Wang YongQuan , An Yue , Li MengZe , Wang Sen , Lian Jie , Xu Hegui
Published: November 2024

Background

Low back pain (LBP) and insomnia are common global health issues, but their relationship and potential mediators remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the impact of insomnia on LBP using mendelian randomization (MR) methods and analyze the mediating role of modifiable factors.

Methods

Univariable MR (UVMR) analysis was employed to examine the causal relationship between insomnia and LBP, as well as the association between modifiable factors [smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), and type 2 diabetes (T2DM)] and LBP. Subsequently, multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was conducted to explore the impact of insomnia on the mediation of LBP risk by modifiable factors.

Results

In the UVMR analysis, insomnia [odds ratio (OR) = 2.95, 95%CI: 2.33–3.72)] and BMI (OR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.02–1.37) were positively associated with the prevalence of LBP. The effects of smoking, alcohol consumption, and T2DM on LBP were not significant (P > 0.05). In the MVMR analysis, the proportion of mediation of BMI on the relationship between insomnia and LBP was 7.12%.

Conclusion

This study revealed the causal relationship between insomnia and LBP using MR methods for the first time, and identified the mediating role of BMI. These findings offer new insights into understanding the relationship between insomnia and LBP, informing the prevention and treatment of these two health issues.
Addressing treatment hurdles in adults with late-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a detailed case report
Authors: da Silva Leandro Sandra Isamar , Alves Kelvin Corrêa Miranda , de Oliveira Francisco Ícaro Silvério , de Aquino Matoso Lavínnya Yáskara , Zamoner Beatriz Mazzer , Romano Thaís Malta , de Lima Nardin Karoliny , Cavalcante Fernanda Susy Bessa Menezes , Müller Paulo Guilherme , Gervásio Bruna Capello , Gusmão Camilla Teixeira Pinheiro , dos Santos Júlio César Claudino
Published: November 2024

Background

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in children, characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This neurobehavioral disorder often persists into adulthood, presenting significant challenges when undiagnosed and untreated, due to potential long-term implications and comorbidities, including anxiety, mood instability, and mixed symptoms along the bipolar spectrum.

Case presentation

A 49-year-old married male patient presented with anxiety and recurrent depressive episodes, initially diagnosed as major depressive disorder. His mood symptoms fluctuated between depressive lows, irritability, and impulsivity. His diagnosis was revised to ADHD with comorbid bipolar spectrum disorder. The patient exhibited lifelong ADHD symptoms affecting academic performance, relationships, and job responsibilities. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was employed to manage symptoms and enhance coping strategies. Despite progress in controlling anger and impulsivity, challenges persisted in inhibitory control and negative triggers, causing impulsive decisions. The patient reported a restless mind, depressive mood, and a sense of inadequacy. Improvements were noted in anxiety regulation, concentration, and sleep quality, though deficits in cognitive and behavioral domains remained. The patient faced challenges in academic performance, information processing speed, attention, and executive functions.

Conclusion

This case underscores the importance of accurately diagnosing ADHD and its comorbidities in adults to ensure effective treatment. Delayed diagnosis can have lasting impacts, emphasizing the need for further research and personalized therapeutic approaches. The insights from this case serve as a valuable resource for healthcare professionals enhancing their understanding of the diverse manifestations of ADHD, aiding in better diagnosis and management strategies.
Causality relationships between climate policy uncertainty, renewable energy stocks, and oil prices: a mixed-frequency causality analysis
Authors: Zaier Leila Hedhili , Mokni Khaled , Ajmi Ahdi Noomen
Published: November 2024

This paper investigates the predictive relationships among climate policy uncertainty (CPU), oil prices, and renewable energy (RE) stock market returns, particularly highlighting the challenges posed by the varying data frequencies of these variables. The study utilizes a comprehensive dataset comprising monthly CPU, daily oil prices, and RE stock returns, sourced globally. By applying a mixed-frequency causality test (MFCT), the analysis reveals significant predictability across different time horizons, particularly highlighting the strong influence of oil prices on RE stock returns over short-term horizons, while CPU demonstrates a more pronounced effect over medium to long-term horizons. In contrast, the application of the classical Granger causality test on low-frequency (monthly) data indicates an insignificant relationship between CPU and RE stocks, suggesting that traditional models may overlook important predictive dynamics. The analysis was conducted using Matlab code, and the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers in designing effective climate policies and for investors in optimizing portfolio strategies and hedging against risks.
Power, behaviour and the economic subject
Authors: Παπαδαντωνάκης Παναγιώτης
Published: November 2024

Η παρούσα διατριβή προσφέρει μια κριτική ανάλυση ως προς τη θέση της εξουσίας στην οικονομική θεωρία και πράξη, εστιάζοντας σε ζητήματα της σύγχρονης πολιτικής οικονομίας. Διερευνάται η χρήση τής έννοιας τής εξουσίας στη σχετική βιβλιογραφία, και κατόπιν αξιολογούνται ορισμένοι τρόποι μέσω των οποίων διαμορφώνεται το οικονομικό υποκείμενο, η οικονομία και η ευρύτερη κοινωνική πραγματικότητα. Έμφαση δίνεται στο συστημικό επίπεδο, εξετάζοντας τις πηγές, τις μορφές, τις λειτουργίες και τους διαφορετικούς τρόπους διάρθρωσης τής εξουσίας σε συγκεκριμένα πολιτικοοικονομικά πλαίσια. Αντλώντας από το έργο του Michel Foucault, διατυπώνεται ένα θεωρητικό πλαίσιο μέσω του οποίου αναλύονται οι υπό διερεύνηση σχέσεις εξουσίας, οι ευρύτερες διαδικασίες και τα αποτελέσματά τους. Σε ένα από τα κύρια μέρη αυτής της διατριβής, εξετάζεται το πώς λειτουργεί η εξουσία μέσω της οικονομικής επιστήμης. Για το σκοπό αυτό, συζητιούνται οι ιστορικοί μετασχηματισμοί στην οικονομική σκέψη και τη θέση του οικονομικού υποκειμένου, και κατόπιν αναλύονται κριτικά τα συμπεριφορικά οικονομικά, ένα θεωρητικό παράδειγμα που παρουσιάζεται ως εναλλακτική στα νεοκλασικά οικονομικά. Σε ένα δεύτερο κεντρικό κομμάτι της διατριβής, εξετάζονται σύγχρονα πολιτικοοικονομικά ζητήματα εξουσίας και διακυβέρνησης στο πλαίσιο ορισμένων εξελίξεων στην ψηφιακή τεχνολογία. Μετά από μια κριτική ανάλυση του κατασκοπευτικού καπιταλισμού της Shoshana Zuboff, διαμορφώνεται ένα εναλλακτικό θεωρητικό πλαίσιο, η κυβερνητική, μέσω του οποίου προτείνεται μια νέα προσέγγιση της (ψηφιακής) επιτήρησης αλλά και ευρύτερων ζητημάτων εξουσίας και διακυβέρνησης στον σύγχρονο καπιταλισμό.Συνολικά, αυτή η διατριβή εξετάζει τον τρόπο με τον οποίο η εξουσία και σχετικές διαδικασίες αναπαράγονται μέσω πολιτικοοικονομικών θεσμών, πρακτικών και κοινωνικών προτύπων, καθώς και μέσω της οικονομικής επιστήμης, διαμορφώνοντας τη συμπεριφορά και το κοινωνικό υποκείμενο. Ευρύτερος στόχος της διατριβής είναι να ανοίξει ο διάλογος, πρώτον, για τις σύγχρονες εξελίξεις στην οικονομική επιστήμη και, πιο συγκεκριμένα, το πώς λειτουργούν τα συμπεριφορικά οικονομικά ως πεδίο εξουσίας, μέρος μιας ευρύτερης συγκρότησης και διακυβέρνησης του (οικονομικού) υποκειμένου, και, δεύτερον, για σύγχρονα κοινωνικά ζητήματα όπως ο ρόλος της ψηφιακής τεχνολογίας στον σύγχρονο καπιταλισμό, προσεγγίζοντας και ερμηνεύοντας τις επιπτώσεις τους μέσω μιας εξέτασης του συστημικού τους χαρακτήρα και της λειτουργικότητάς τους σε ένα πλαίσιο εξουσίας.
The BSSO Foundry: A community of practice for ontologies in the behavioural and social sciences
Authors: Hastings Janna , Zhang Lisa , Schenk Paulina , West Robert , Gehrke Björn , Hogan William R. , Chorpita Bruce , Johnston Marie , Marques Marta M. , Webb Thomas L. , Baird Harriet M. , Crombez Geert , Michie Susan
Published: November 2024

There has been a rapid expansion in the quantity and complexity of data, information and knowledge created in the behavioural and social sciences, yet the field is not advancing understanding, practice or policy to the extent that the insights warrant. One challenge is that research often progresses in disciplinary silos and is reported using inconsistent and ambiguous terminology. This makes it difficult to integrate and aggregate findings to produce cumulative bodies of knowledge that can be translated to applied settings. Ontologies can address these challenges; their development and use have the potential to accelerate the behavioural and social sciences. Ontologies can facilitate communication through precise specification and dissemination of terms, and enable efficient data integration, sharing, comparison and analysis. The widespread use of ontologies in the biomedical and biological sciences has led to multiple successes. It is time now for the behavioural and social sciences to follow that lead. In recent years, a number of ontologies have been developed within the behavioural and social sciences; however, efforts have tended to be isolated, with limited resources to support developers and those who work (or would like to work) with and use ontologies. There is a need for coordination and exchange to reduce duplication of work and leverage the value of a community to support the interoperability of these ontologies (linking of entities across domains and datasets). We have therefore initiated the Behavioural and Social Sciences Ontology (BSSO) Foundry, a community of practice and online repository for the development, adoption and use of ontologies in the behavioural and social sciences. The BSSO Foundry aligns with and builds upon the model provided by the Open Biological and Biomedical Ontology Foundry. We describe this new initiative and how to join and contribute to the community of interoperable ontologies for the behavioural and social sciences.
The genome sequence of Tenthredo livida Linnaeus, 1758
Authors: Crowley Liam M. , Falk Steven , Green Andrew ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: November 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual female sawfly, Tenthredo livida (Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Tenthredinidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 348.40 megabases. Most of the assembly (98.94%) is scaffolded into 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 45.27 kilobases in length.
Rights of the Shareholders in Limited Liability Company. Selected Issues
Authors: Moszyńska Anna , Żochowski Wiktor , Kugacz Bartłomiej , Löhnig Martin , Sikorska-Lewandowska Aleksandra , Staudigl-Ciechowicz Kamila , Kłoda Mariusz Tomasz
Published: November 2024

The model of a limited liability company (GmbH) was created by German jurists in 1892 and quickly became one of the most popular forms of conducting business around the world.  Although this model has been operating in a slightly changed form for more than 130 years, it still raises numerous questions and controversies. The rights of shareholders have proved to be a particularly important issue in this regard. Although the chapters of this book, focusing only on selected issues, do not exhaust the broad subject of shareholders' rights in a limited liability company, they constitute an interesting study of the problems currently discussed in the practice and theory of German (chapter 1), Austrian (chapter 2) and Polish law (chapters 3–7), framed in the European context. This book is the result of the cooperation of academics from the University of Regensburg (Germany), the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Poland), including young researchers from Academia Rerum Socialium (Doctoral School of Social Sciences).
Przesiedlenia a pamięć. Studium (nie)pamięci społecznej na przykładzie ukraińskiej Galicji i polskich "ziem odzyskanych"
Authors: Wylegała Anna
Published: November 2024

Książka stanowi porównawcze case study pamięci społecznej w miejscach, które na skutek wojennych i tużpowojennych czystek etnicznych, masowych przesiedleń i migracji doświadczyły niemal całkowitej wymiany ludności. Żółkiew – do 1939 roku wieloetniczne (zamieszkane przez Żydów, Polaków i Ukraińców) miasteczko w województwie lwowskim, należące do II Rzeczpospolitej – po wojnie weszła w skład Ukraińskiej SRR. Krzyż, przed wojną niemiecki Kreuz (Ostbahn), znalazł się po 1945 roku w granicach polskich „ziem odzyskanych”. Oba miasta nie tylko straciły większość swoich mieszkańców i znaczną część tkanki miejskiej, zostały również pozbawione dotychczasowej tożsamości i historii. To samo spotkało ludzi, którzy do Krzyża i Żółkwi przyjechali: niezależnie od tego, czy byli migrantami przymusowymi, czy dobrowolnymi, musieli rozpocząć nowe życie i przystosować się do zupełnie nowych warunków. Musieli też – fizycznie i symbolicznie – zająć miejsce tych, których we wspomnianych miejscowościach już nie było. Na podstawie analizy ponad stu pięćdziesięciu wywiadów biograficznych i biograficzno-tematycznych autorka odtwarza proces kształtowania się nowej, powojennej rzeczywistości społecznej w obu miastach, ograniczony przez represywny system polityczny, wewnętrzne konflikty i indywidualne ludzkie dramaty. Pokazuje, w jaki sposób różne grupy nowych mieszkańców odnoszą się do przeszłości grupy własnej, obcego miejsca zamieszkania oraz ludzi, którzy żyli tu przed nimi. Pamięć przesiedlenia i postmigracyjna rekonstrukcja tożsamości, dynamika procesów zakorzenienia w różnych pokoleniach mieszkańców Krzyża i Żółkwi, lokalne spory o bohaterów i zdrajców – to najważniejsze tematy pojawiające się w książce. Osadzając analizę empiryczną w instrumentarium teoretycznym współczesnych studiów nad pamięcią biograficzną i zbiorową, praca proponuje oryginalne spojrzenie porównawcze na problematykę pamięci w Europie Środkowo-Wschodniej.
Neopragmatyzm
Authors: Szubka Tadeusz
Published: November 2024

W książce proponuje się spojrzenie na neopragmatyzm z punktu widzenia filozofii analitycznej. Na tle pragmatyzmu klasycznego i nowego przedstawiono krytykę pragmatyzmu, dokonaną przez współtwórców filozofii analitycznej - George'a E. Moore'a oraz Bertranda Russella. Następnie pokazano wątki pragmatyczne w filozofii Clarence'a I. Lewisa, Franka P. Ramseya i Rudolfa Carnapa oraz opisano skomplikowane związki pragmatyzmu z koncepcjami filozoficznymi Ludwiga Wittgensteina i Willarda V. Quine'a. Zasadnicza część pracy dotyczy kolejno: wybranych poglądów Richarda Rorty'ego, niewątpliwie kluczowego i najbardziej znanego neopragmatysty, ciągle modyfikowanego stanowiska Hilary'ego Putnama, głównie w tych aspektach, które uczyniły z niego nowego pragmatystę, oraz koncepcji Roberta B. Brandoma, jednego z najoryginalniejszych myślicieli ostatnich kilkunastu lat, łączącego wątki analityczne, pragmatyczne i idealistyczne. Książka ma przede wszystkim charakter historyczno-egzegetyczny, a tylko w marginalnym stopniu krytyczny. Nie jest to jednak - by posłużyć się sugestywnym przeciwstawieniem - przyczynek do historycznej historii filozofii, lecz do filozoficznej historii filozofii.
Don Kichote w krainie filozofów. O kichotyzmie Pokolenia '98 jako poszukiwaniu nowoczesnej formuły podmiotowości
Authors: Krupecka Iwona
Published: November 2024

Tematem książki jest kichotyzm filozoficzny, ujęty jako spoiwo Pokolenia '98, nieformalnej grupy wpływowych myślicieli hiszpańskich przełomu XIX i XX wieku. Praca została podzielona na dwie części. Pierwsza pokazuje, w jaki sposób dokonało się przejście od interpretacji dzieła literackiego do zastosowania tego dzieła jako narzędzia wyjaśniania rzeczywistości. Druga przedstawia koncepcje filozoficzne, wypracowane w trakcie analizy utworu Cervantesa i zogniskowane wokół zagadnienia podmiotu, zarówno indywidualnego, jak i zbiorowego. Główna para bohaterów - Don Kichote i Sanczo Pansa - posłużyła do stworzenia dynamicznej wizji podmiotowości, nieustannie rozdartej między tym, co idealne, a tym, co materialne, własne i obce, trwałe i ulotne.
Reproducible Feature Selection for High-Dimensional Measurement Error Models
Authors: Zhou Xin , Li Yang , Zheng Zemin , Wu Jie , Zhang Jiarui
Published: November 2024

The literature has witnessed an upsurge of interest in dealing with corrupted data in diverse operations research and optimization applications. Despite the substantial progress of feature selection, how to control the false discovery rate (FDR) under measurement errors remains largely unexplored, especially in the knockoffs framework. In this paper, we extend the recently developed knockoff procedures designed for clean data sets to deal with corrupted data. To be specific, we propose a new method called the double projection knockoff filter (DP-knockoff) for reproducible feature selection under additive measurement errors in the high-dimensional setup. Our key contribution is to show that the FDR of the proposed DP-knockoff can be asymptotically controlled within a user-specified level. This is nontrivial because there is no way to obtain the exact knockoff copies due to the unobservable measurement errors. We address this issue by resorting to certain bias-corrected test statistics. Our numerical studies and real data analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.

History: Accepted by Ram Ramesh, Area Editor for Data Science and Machine Learning.

Funding: Financial support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China [Grant 2022YFA1008000], the Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 11671374, 12101584, 71731010, 71921001, and 72071187], the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [Grants WK3470000017 and WK2040000047], the Doctoral Research Start-up Funds Projects of Anhui University [Grant S020318033/005], and the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province [Grant 2023AH050101] is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2023.0282 ), as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2023.0282 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .
A spectacular effect of tocilizumab in Takayasu arteritis
Authors: Saïd Fatma , Naceur Ines , Ben Achour Tayssir , Jridi Mayssam , Smiti Monia
Published: November 2024

Background: Anti-interleukin-6 receptors (anti-IL-6R) have been a promising new therapeutic alternative in the treatment of Takayasu arteritis. Case description: We report the case of a 34-year-old patient with Takayasu arteritis diagnosed in 2017. While she was on corticosteroid and methotrexate, the patient presented twice with clinical and radiological signs of activity, requiring an increase of corticosteroid dose and an increase in the methotrexate dose to 20 mg/week. Anti-IL-6R infusions were indicated. At the end of the fifth infusion, the patient was totally asymptomatic: she no longer experienced episodes of syncope or amnesia. Conclusion: Our case perfectly illustrates the effectiveness of anti-IL-6R in the treatment of Takayasu arteritis, especially in its refractory form.
Childhood Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy: A Comparison Between Türkiye and the signifificance of vaccination
Authors: Kömürlüoğlu Tan Ayça , Yalçın S. Songül
Published: November 2024

Vaccination is the cheapest, safest, and most successful public health approach to protect children's health and prevent infectious diseases. High vaccination rates ensure community immunity and prevent epidemics. A drop in immunization rates below 95% can lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly measles, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. With the recent emergence of vaccine hesitancy (VH) and vaccine refusal (VR) concepts, especially in developed countries, the number of unvaccinated children is increasing both in our country and around the world. Vaccine hesitancy stems from many personal and environmental reasons, as well as sociocultural, environmental, economic, and political reasons. Lack of information about vaccines, fear of side effects, concerns about vaccine efficacy and safety, the idea that vaccines are harmful, anti-vaccine publications on the internet and social media, belief in natural immunity, and religious reasons are seen as the most common reasons for VH and VR in different studies. Raising awareness in society about the importance and necessity of vaccination, identifying the factors that lead to VH, and producing solutions are among the primary measures to be taken. Healthcare personnel play a very important role in the fight against vaccine hesitancy. It is important to establish good, effective, and trusting communication with vaccine-hesitant parents. Recently, in addition to vaccine refusal cases, the number of families refusing vitamin K and heel blood sampling has been increasing. Vaccine refusal, and refusal of health care services will increase neonatal and childhood morbidity and mortality. Legal measures should be taken to protect the best interests of the child. Valid and reliable scales that evaluate parents' vaccine acceptance and hesitancy will be a source of information in the fight against vaccine hesitancy.
The impact of in-house education on staff confidence in delivering palliative and end-of-life care: a service evaluation
Authors: Cuthbert Tracey , Taylor Siobhan
Published: November 2024

Background:

Palliative and end-of-life care (EoLC) education is available to all community and hospital healthcare staff in one NHS trust in the north-east of England. It is also available to care home and domiciliary care staff within the geographical area of the trust.

Aims:

This service evaluation assessed the effect of current in-house education on staff confidence levels in delivering palliative and EoLC. It also examined staff perceptions of how attendance at these courses impacted on the palliative and EoLC patients receive across the locality.

Method:

A mixed-methods approach was undertaken. Anonymous data were collected via surveys (n=238) sent out in March 2023 covering educational courses that were delivered from 1 January to 31 December 2022 with a 13% response rate. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were explored using Braun and Clarke's (2012) six-stage approach to thematic analysis. A second staff member was asked to review the data to increase the trustworthiness of the study.

Findings:

Staff confidence levels in delivering palliative and EoLC increased by 19% (somewhat confident) and 23% (extremely confident) following attendance at trust education. Staff perceived that those patients received better palliative and EoLC as a result their attendance at these courses. The qualitative data identified five main themes: symptom control, psychological support, holistic care, patient advocacy, and advance care planning. Limitations of the study included the low survey response rate and lack of exploration of patient/carer perceptions directly.

Conclusion:

Palliative and EoLC education can increase staff confidence levels in care delivery and, as perceived by staff, results in better care for patients receiving palliative and EoLC. These findings provide evidence for the trust to consider making palliative and EoLC training mandatory, which could also be considered more widely regionally and nationally.
The reality of nursing time: how nurses spend their shifts
Authors: Walsby Alex , Williams Sharon , Gammon John , Best Stephanie
Published: November 2024

Background:

Nurse staffing levels are increasingly challenged while pressures on healthcare systems are rising. There is a clear need to optimise efficiency in healthcare delivery in order to deliver safe, effective and quality health care.

Aim:

To understand how nurses working shifts spend their time and explore opportunities to improve efficiency in care delivery.

Method:

A time-motion study was conducted on three acute care wards in a district general hospital in West Wales; 13 nurses were observed over 14 shifts, each activity undertaken was recorded in real time.

Findings:

In all, 109 hours were observed. Approximately half of nurses’ time is spent delivering direct patient care, with medications administration taking the majority of time.

Conclusion:

A number of recommendations are made involving processes and workforce modelling with the aim of improving efficiency and safety. Further research would be required to assess the impact of their introduction.
Nurses' views on changes to pressure ulcer categorisation: results of a Wound Care Alliance UK survey
Authors: Stephen-Haynes Jackie
Published: November 2024

The Wound Care Association UK (WCAUK) is committed to supporting both the accurate and consistent delivery and reporting of pressure ulcers/injuries based on the best available research and evidence. It is known that strategic and clinical guidance to support the delivery of evidence-based care does have a significant impact. Recent proposals to change pressure ulcer categorisation led the WCAUK to undertake a questionnaire survey of its members. This article outlines the importance of evidence-based guidance on the categorisation and assessment of pressure ulcer, highlighted by the responses to published changes to pressure ulcer categorisation for nurses in England, and presents the results of the survey. The article concludes that, although the discipline of tissue viability is constantly developing, the changes must be based on evidence, and clinicians must be supported strategically and practically to implement any proposed changes. Since publication of the new guidance the document has become the subject of further discussion, following concerns raised by tissue viability nurse specialists with strategic responsibility for change, as well as generalists who are expected to implement the changes.
What do we know?
Authors: Symons Anne
Published: November 2024

Anne Symons explores the links between Ozempic and oral health.
Handling with care
Authors: Beckwith Mark
Published: November 2024

Mark Beckwith outlines a step-by-step guide to the manual and automated process for the cleaning, lubrication and sterilisation of handpieces.
Finding ways forward
Authors: Silver Rebecca
Published: November 2024

Rebecca Silver discusses maintaining positivity in a tumultuous time.
Impact of variations in the molarity of sodium hydroxide on metakaolin-ground granular blast-furnace slag-based geopolymer concrete
Authors:   Indian Institute of Technology, Department of civil engineering, Guwahati, Assam, India, Kumar Rahul , Singh Rajwinder ,   Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India, Patel Mahesh ,   Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Published: November 2024

The present study investigates the optimization of geopolymer concrete mixes with the addition of metakaolin and ground granular blast-furnace slag as binding agents, ensuring a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional concrete. In this study, different proportions of the input parameters, such as the molarity of sodium hydroxide, ratio of sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide, and ratio of fixed alkali activator to binder have been considered. Attributes such as compressive strength, ultra-sonic pulse velocity, electricity resistance, mass loss, and strength variation due to acid attack for six geopolymer concrete mixes have been evaluated at different ambient curing periods. In addition, the mathematical relationship, i.e., linear regression, between these properties was also evaluated. The results show that a sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide ratio of 1,8; n sodium-hydroxide molarity of 14, and an alkali activator to binder ratio of 0,45 demonstrated the highest strength (43,3 MPa), electrical resistivity (35,1 K.Ohm.cm), and pulse velocity (4,2 km/s) with the minimal effect of H2SO4 solution on mass (1,2 %) and strength (5,8 %). Additionally, statistical analysis indicated a strong relationship of compressive strength with other properties, which improved as the curing days extended from 28 (Avg. R2=0,68) to 56 (Avg. R2=0,74) days. The outcomes of the study are expected to contribute to the advancement of sustainable construction by providing relevant data regarding material selection, ensuring quality, and optimizing geopolymer concrete production with metakaolin and ground granular blast-furnace slag.
Deficiencies of technical specifications in tender documentation for construction project
Authors:   Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic, Mikulík Michal , Hanák Tomáš ,   Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Published: November 2024

In the context of tender documentation for construction projects in the Czech Republic, technical specifications define the content and scope of work to be conducted using drawing documentation and a list of works, supplies and services. In practice, such documents are often burdened with errors (deficiencies) that can have different causes and impacts on the success of a project in terms of cost, time and quality. This study aims to explore the perception of the probability of occurrence and degree of impact of errors from various perspectives including risk factors, causes, possible effects, responsibility and the role of stakeholders. Data collected from experienced construction professionals in the Czech Republic show that documentation errors mainly affect project constraints in terms of cost and time and are often underestimated by investors concerning their impact and the probability of occurrence. Several recommendations are formulated to serve as preventive measures contributing to the elimination of errors and their early detection.
Spectacle and Sympathy in the Origin Narratives of Lifesaving at Sea
Authors: Stafford Jonathan
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT: The early years of the nineteenth century saw an explosion in publications that advocated for lifesaving intervention in the numerous shipwrecks that occurred around Britain’s coastline. With a striking frequency, the authors of this literature root the origins of their humanitarian impulses in a distinctive narrative device: the motif of a shipwreck close to shore, witnessed by a crowd of spectators helpless to intervene but united in sympathetic identification with the suffering of its victims. Engaging with this overlooked aspect of humanitarianism’s early history provides insight into the discourses that were mobilized to promote new technological means of lifesaving intervention.
Scans and Prints
Authors: Stahl Devan
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT: This essay reflects on occasions when images of the author’s body stirred wonder and challenged the author’s understanding of her relationship to her body. Wonder is not a sentimental or romantic feeling, but an intermingling of both admiration and fear. Wonder is perhaps closest to awe, which has connotations of both reverence and terror. Wonder holds together both the negative and positive emotions that awe once elicited. Finding wonder in your own body, therefore, can be both a fearful and exhilarating experience, one that demands a kind of reconstitution of the self, since the body that was once taken for granted has now become alien.
Disability and the Practice of Wonder
Authors: Belser Julia Watts
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT: In her landmark volume Freakery: Cultural Spectacles of the Extraordinary Body , Rosemarie Garland-Thomson argues that the Enlightenment heralded a striking change in the way European and American thinkers conceptualized disability—away from earlier notions of disability as a marvel or wonder, toward a discourse of normalcy and deviance that framed disability as an aberration. Might returning to wonder offer us a path to approach disability differently? This article probes two risks: the way treating disabled people as wondrous can be used to objectify, turning disabled bodies into sites that matter because they spark feeling in others; and the way a call to experience wonder can figure certain feelings or modes of perception as prerequisites for a meaningful life. Considering the way that disabled writers narrate our own experience showcases wonder’s possibilities: new orientations toward beauty, care, interdependence, and a sensuous engagement with the complex present of disabled people’s lives.
Koan: Leonard laughing
Authors: Fessenden Tracy
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT: Leonard Norman Primiano (1957–2021), esteemed folklorist and ethnographer of religion, relied for 16 years on assistive technology to speak. Described by an anonymous reviewer as “our ever-vanguard of thought, work, and ethics, not to mention creativity, funkiness, and joy,” Primiano brought a reverential delight to his vocation and inspired a reverential delight in return. This essay reflects on Primiano as a radiant example of the capacity for wonder.
People on Floors: Creating Relics Out of Medical Waste
Authors: Konerman-Sease Jaime
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT: This article examines three debates over the nature of human specimens: anatomical dissection in Victorian Britain, the question of ownership over Henrietta Lacks’s cells, and recent debates over how to treat remnants of abortion. These cases reveal that specimens are deeply connected to human persons and should be considered with a particular kind of care. The author uses Andrew Solomon’s concept of horizontal kinship to support reframing medical waste as “relics”—objects of veneration interpreted as revealing truth about the human experience. Envisioning medical waste as relics allows us to wonder at the ability of the body to provide transformative knowledge, which leads to practices of appreciation to honor the sacrifices of the body.
From Wonder to Anger: Rethinking The Showman and the Slave Through Standpoint Theory
Authors: Reiss Benjamin
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT: Wonder exalts its object. Can it also degrade? This question was a central interpretive tension guiding the author’s archival research and analysis when he set out to write his first book almost 30 years ago, about a 19th-century woman who was simultaneously degraded—for her race, her disability, her old age, and her enslavement—and lionized for the stories she had to tell and for the symbolism of her very existence. The author reflects on how his fascination with the story he was recovering in the archives reflected his “positionality,” or the ways in which his social identity shaped his understanding. A reading of a recent collection of poems by Bettina Judd reimagining the same story helped clarify both what his own standpoint allowed him to see, and what he missed.