bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Everyday Executive Function in Observed Social Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Burroughs Christina , Muscatello Rachael A. , Corbett Blythe A.
Published: May 2024

Recent research suggests there may be differences in the social presentations of autistic males and females. Camouflaging is believed to account for some of these differences and executive function (EF) may support compensatory social behaviors. As few studies have explored the role of sex and everyday EF when evaluating specific social difficulties among autistic youth, the present study seeks to address this. The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) was used to measure types of social difficulties and the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF-2) served as a measure of everyday EF. Four three-step hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with SRS-2 social subscales as dependent variables. Autism symptom severity, BRIEF-2 EF Indices (i.e., behavioral, emotional, and cognitive regulation), and sex served as independent variables. Types of EF impairment significantly predicted social symptoms of autism. Behavioral dysregulation predicted all social symptoms assessed, cognitive dysregulation predicted social awareness and communication challenges, and emotion dysregulation predicted social motivation and communication difficulties. Sex significantly predicted social communication and cognition challenges, beyond the contributions of age, IQ, autism severity, and EF impairment. Findings from this study provide evidence for the contribution of EF to observed social symptoms of autism. Results suggest there may be sex-based differences in the relationship between EF and social problems for autistic youth. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Exploring the interdependence of calcium and chloride activation of O2 evolution in photosystem II
Authors: Haddy Alice , Beravolu Shilpa , Johnston Jeremiah , Kern Hannah , McDaniel Monica , Ore Brandon , Reed Rachel , Tai Henry
Published: May 2024

Calcium and chloride are activators of oxygen evolution in photosystem II (PSII), the light-absorbing water oxidase of higher plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Calcium is an essential part of the catalytic Mn4CaO5 cluster that carries out water oxidation and chloride has two nearby binding sites, one of which is associated with a major water channel. The co-activation of oxygen evolution by the two ions is examined in higher plant PSII lacking the extrinsic PsbP and PsbQ subunits using a bisubstrate enzyme kinetics approach. Analysis of three different preparations at pH 6.3 indicates that the Michaelis constant, KM, for each ion is less than the dissociation constant, KS, and that the affinity of PSII for Ca2+ is about ten-fold greater than for Cl−, in agreement with previous studies. Results are consistent with a sequential binding model in which either ion can bind first and each promotes the activation by the second ion. At pH 5.5, similar results are found, except with a higher affinity for Cl− and lower affinity for Ca2+. Observation of the slow-decaying Tyr Z radical, YZ•, at 77 K and the coupled S2YZ• radical at 10 K, which are both associated with Ca2+ depletion, shows that Cl− is necessary for their observation. Given the order of electron and proton transfer events, this indicates that chloride is required to reach the S3 state preceding Ca2+ loss and possibly for stabilization of YZ• after it forms. Interdependence through hydrogen bonding is considered in the context of the water environment that intervenes between Cl− at the Cl−1 site and the Ca2+/Tyr Z region.
Evaluation of hydrometallurgical black mass recycling with simulation-based life cycle assessment
Authors: Rinne Marja , Aromaa-Stubb Riina , Elomaa Heini , Porvali Antti , Lundström Mari
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The recycling of lithium-ion batteries is an emerging field faced with the challenge of recovering more than the most valuable elements from the batteries. While the literature presents many innovative approaches to the problem, an overview of the technical and environmental prospects of hydrometallurgical black mass recycling remains crucial. The goal was to analyze the impacts of a black mass process flowsheet and suggest ways to further reduce the impacts of battery recycling.

Methods

The flowsheet was drafted from the literature by combining both state-of-the-art and experimentally demonstrated unit processes by starting with the leaching system, where reductive leaching is performed using only the copper and iron impurities already present in the black mass. The process targeted copper, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lithium recovery, and three scenarios for manganese recovery were investigated. The flowsheet was simulated using HSC Sim software, and the mass and energy balances were adapted into internally consistent life cycle inventories. The scope was “gate-to-gate” in Europe and CML methodology was used for impact assessment.

Results and discussion

Assuming that mechanical pre-treatment carries more environmental benefits than burdens, the results indicated that hydrometallurgical black mass recycling had a tentatively lower environmental footprint compared to virgin raw materials in all impact categories except ozone depletion, the results indicated that hydrometallurgical black mass recycling had a tentatively lower environmental footprint compared to virgin raw materials in all impact categories except ozone depletion. Sulfuric acid and neutralizing chemicals were among the most significant contributors to the impacts, and therefore further analysis was conducted based on an experimental study on low acid leaching with a low (< 0.5 M) initial sulfuric acid concentration instead of the baseline 2 M. This reduced the impacts by approximately 30–40% in all categories by decreasing downstream chemical consumption, and more significantly decreased ozone depletion. The challenges and opportunities for further process improvement were also considered.

Conclusions

The study highlights the importance of process optimization to improve the environmental sustainability of battery chemical production, but also revealed critical research gaps in the experimental literature. Rather than focusing on a single unit process, experimental black mass recycling research should aim at finding solutions that are optimal for the up- and downstream units, such as minimization of aluminum in the black mass and acid consumption.
The Inconsistent Reduction: An Internal Methodological Critique of Revisionist Just War Theory
Authors: Surber Regina Sibylle
Published: May 2024

This article argues that the reduction of the morality of killing in war to the morality of killing in self-defense by ‘reductive-individualist’ revisionist just war theories is inconsistent, because when those theories apply the moral notion of self-defense to the morality of killing in war, they do not preserve the two conceptions of the “individual” inherent in this notion. The article demonstrates this inconsistency in two steps: First, it disentangles the two conceptions of the individual inherent to the notion of self-defense, namely (1) that the individual is an “entity” potentially bearing a right to self-defense (unlike, e.g., groups) and (2) that the individual is a “particular,” where “particular” signifies that every human is different from every other human. The conception of the individual as a “particular” is tied to the idea that a justification grounded in a rule of self-defense is necessarily “concrete,” in the sense of referring to individually given and specific perceptions or cases, as opposed to “abstract,” in the sense of being detached from specific perceptions or cases. The article then demonstrates that reductive individualism reflects the first notion of the individual, but not the second. Due to the “loss” of the individual as a “particular”, the reductive-individualist reduction of the morality of killing in war to the morality of killing in self-defense is inconsistent, and hence its justification of killing in war grounded in self-defense is not concrete. Since such a justification must be concrete, reductive individualism cannot offer a justification for belligerent killing.
Can Democratic Equality Justify Capitalism?
Authors: Franken Cade
Published: May 2024

Jeppe von Platz has recently argued that welfare-state capitalism can be justified by a theory of democratic equality, challenging John Rawls’s critique of capitalism. Von Platz develops his argument by introducing a social democratic interpretation of democratic equality as an alternative to Rawls’s justice as fairness. Unlike justice as fairness, in which there is only one possible principle of reciprocity (the difference principle), social democracy includes four possible principles in an eligible set that could be chosen as a principle of reciprocity. However, I argue that von Platz’s conception of reciprocity still fails to justify welfare-state capitalism. Of the four principles of reciprocity in social democracy’s eligible set, one of them, the principle of utility, does not express a notion of reciprocity and thus does not belong. The other three – the principle of equality, the difference principle, and the principle of equity – are not compatible with welfare-state capitalism. Thus, since capitalism cannot satisfy a principle of reciprocity in the (revised) eligible set, it is incompatible with the social democratic interpretation of democratic equality.
Auf der Suche nach Grünwald und Grunewald: Zu einer Soziologie der Räume des Reichtums
Authors: Born Anthony Miro , Meier Lars
Published: May 2024

Bislang haben sich hiesige Soziolog:innen unzureichend mit Räumen des Reichtums befasst. Auf der Basis einer kritischen Analyse internationaler Literatur lädt dieser Beitrag zu einer soziologischen Erforschung der Wohngebiete am oberen Ende der Sozialstruktur in Deutschland ein. Insbesondere stellt der Beitrag drei vielversprechende Perspektiven heraus: den ethnographischen Blick, den historischen Blick und den relationalen Blick.
Comparison of perioperative and functional outcomes of single-incision versus standard multi-incision robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a prospective, controlled, nonrandomized trial
Authors: Fan Shida , Chen Zhengjun , Zhou Fang , Lv Qian , Wang Dong , Ren Shangqing , Tian Xuemei
Published: May 2024

To compare perioperative and functional outcomes between improved (port-free) single-site robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (pf-ssRARP) and standard multi-port robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (MPRARP). A total of 372 consecutive patients underwent RARAP using the da Vinci Si® robotic surgical system. Group I (n = 210) included patients undergoing pf-ssRARP and Group II (n = 162) included patients undergoing MPRARP. Demographics and perioperative data including postoperative recovery outcomes were recorded and compared between the two groups. Overall mean operative time was significantly shorter with the pf-ssRARP compared to the MPRARP (p < 0.05). The length of hospitalization after the pf-ssRARP was shorter (p < 0.05). In Group I, the positive surgical margin rate was 15.2%; while in Group II, the positive margin rate was 33.3% (p < 0.05). The rate of instant urinary continence was significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (p < 0.05). The percentage of urinary continence was higher in the pf-ssRARP than in the MPRARP, at 6 months post-surgery (p < 0.05) and 9 months post-surgery (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the proportion of erectile function in the pf-ssRARP and MPRARP groups at the time of reaching the endpoint of this study (p > 0.05). The two groups were comparable in terms of total hospitalization costs (p < 0.05). The improved (port-free) single-site robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a practical and easy technique to implement in clinical practice. Extraperitoneal implementation of the modified technique requires only a small incision, no special PORT, no additional auxiliary foramen creation, increased postoperative aesthetics and reduced hospitalization costs, and a high percentage of early postoperative urinary control recovery.
A Prognostic Model Based on the Log Odds Ratio of Positive Lymph Nodes Predicts Prognosis of Patients with Rectal Cancer
Authors: Li Jian , Yang Yu zhou , Xu Peng , Zhang Cheng
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of rectal cancer by comparing different lymph node staging systems, and a nomogram was constructed based on superior lymph node staging.

Methods

Overall, 8700 patients with rectal cancer was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015. The area under the curve (AUC), the C index, and the Akaike informativeness criteria (AIC) were used to examine the predict ability of various lymph node staging methods. Prognostic indicators were assessed using univariate and multivariate COX regression, and further correlation nomograms were created after the data were randomly split into training and validation cohorts. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model, the C index, calibration curves, decision curves (DCA), and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were used. We ran Kaplan-Meier survival analyses to look for variations in risk classification.

Results

While compared to the N-stage positive lymph node ratio (LNR), the log odds ratio of positive lymph nodes (LODDS) had the highest predictive effectiveness. Multifactorial COX regression analyses were used to create nomograms for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). The C indices of OS and CSS for this model were considerably higher than those for TNM staging in the training cohort. The created nomograms demonstrated good efficacy based on ROC, rectification, and decision curves. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed notable variations in patient survival across various patient strata.

Conclusions

Compared to AJCC staging, the LODDS-based nomograms have a more accurate predictive effectiveness in predicting OS and CSS in patients with rectal cancer.
Morphological Tracing and Functional Identification of Monosynaptic Connections in the Brain: A Comprehensive Guide
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Fang Yuanyuan , Li Kaiyuan , Yang Hongbin , Duan Shumin , Sun Li
Published: May 2024

Behavioral studies play a crucial role in unraveling the mechanisms underlying brain function. Recent advances in optogenetics, neuronal typing and labeling, and circuit tracing have facilitated the dissection of the neural circuitry involved in various important behaviors. The identification of monosynaptic connections, both upstream and downstream of specific neurons, serves as the foundation for understanding complex neural circuits and studying behavioral mechanisms. However, the practical implementation and mechanistic understanding of monosynaptic connection tracing techniques and functional identification remain challenging, particularly for inexperienced researchers. Improper application of these methods and misinterpretation of results can impede experimental progress and lead to erroneous conclusions. In this paper, we present a comprehensive description of the principles, specific operational details, and key steps involved in tracing anterograde and retrograde monosynaptic connections. We outline the process of functionally identifying monosynaptic connections through the integration of optogenetics and electrophysiological techniques, providing practical guidance for researchers.
Improving Visitors’ Geoheritage Experience: Some Practical Pointers for Managers
Authors: Crofts Roger
Published: May 2024

This short paper describes 8 practical pointers to improve visitors’ experience of geoheritage sites and areas. These are based around 5 themes: putting communication and education at the heart of geoconservation, focussing communication on the target audiences, challenging the current scientific thinking, making sure there is a duty of care towards the visitor and connecting geoconservation to other conservation interests of the public. It is written on the basis of personal experience from visiting protected areas in many parts of the world. Examples of good practice with web links are provided. It builds on the IUCN Best Practice Guideline on geoconservation. The key message is that visitor target audiences and visitor experience should be included throughout the development of geoconservation protected areas, rather than the more traditional approach of adding these considerations later in the developmental process.
Enhancing spatial streamflow prediction through machine learning algorithms and advanced strategies
Authors: Darabi Cheghabaleki Sedigheh , Fatemi Seyed Ehsan , Hafezparast Mavadat Maryam
Published: May 2024

Forecasting and extending streamflow is a critical aspect of hydrology, especially where the time series are locally unavailable for a variety of reasons. The necessity of preprocessing, model fine-tuning, feature selection, or sampling to enhance prediction outcomes for streamflow forecasting using ML techniques is evaluated in this study. In this regard, the monthly streamflow at Pol-Chehr station is analyzed using various monthly rainfall and streamflow time series data from different stations. The results of streamflow prediction in the k-folds cross-validator approach are generally better than those of the time series approach, except when raw data with no preprocessing or feature selection is used. Applying the simple SVR model to raw data leads to the weakest result, but using the GA-SVR model on raw data significantly increases the Nash coefficient by about 215% and 72%, decreases the NRMSE by about 48% and 36% in the k-fold and time series approaches, even with no feature selection. On the other hand, standardization produces highly accurate model predictions in both the k-fold and time series approaches, with a minimum Nash coefficient of 0.83 and 0.73 during the test period in the simple SVR model, respectively. Finally, using optimization algorithms like GA to fine-tune ML models and feature selection does not always yield improved prediction accuracy, but it depends on whether raw or preprocessed data is chosen. In conclusion, combining k-fold cross-validator and preprocessing typically yields highly accurate predictive results, with an R value exceeding 93.7% (Nash = 0.83, SI = 0.55, NRMSE = 0.09), without requiring any additional fine-tuning or optimization. Using feature selection is only significant when utilizing the TS approach as well.
Nucleic acid-loaded poly(beta-aminoester) nanoparticles for cancer nano-immuno therapeutics: the good, the bad, and the future
Authors: Magaña Rodriguez J. Rodrigo , Guerra-Rebollo Marta , Borrós Salvador , Fornaguera Cristina
Published: May 2024

Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to cancer treatment, offering improved survival rates and enhanced patients’ quality of life. However, realizing the full potential of immunotherapy in clinical practice remains a challenge, as there is still plenty of room for modulating the complexity of the human immune system in favor of an antitumor immunogenicity. Nanotechnology, with its unique properties, holds promise in augmenting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies in biotherapeutic protection and site- and time-controlled delivery of the immune modulator biologicals. Polymeric nanoparticles are promising biomaterials among different nanocarriers thanks to their robustness, versatility, and cost-efficient design and production. This perspective paper overviews critical concepts in nanometric advanced delivery systems applied to cancer immunotherapy. We focus on a detailed exploration of the current state of the art and trends in using poly(beta-aminoester) (pBAE) polymers for nucleic acid-based antitumor immunotherapies. Through different examples of the use of pBAE polymers reported in the literature, we revise the main advantages these polymers offer and some challenges to overcome. Finally, the paper provides insights and predictions on the path toward the clinical implementation of cancer nano-immunotherapies, highlighting the potential of pBAE polymers for advancements in this field.

Graphical abstract
Comparison of post-COVID-19 symptoms in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants delta and omicron—results of the Cross-Sectoral Platform of the German National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON-SUEP)
Authors: Hopff Sina M. , Appel Katharina S. , Miljukov Olga , Schneider Johannes , Addo Marylyn M. , Bals Robert , Bercker Sven , Blaschke Sabine , Bröhl Isabel , Büchner Nikolaus , Dashti Hiwa , Erber Johanna , Friedrichs Anette , Geisler Ramsia , Göpel Siri , Hagen Marina , Hanses Frank , Jensen Björn-Erik Ole , Keul Maria , Krawczyk Adalbert , Lorenz-Depiereux Bettina , Meybohm Patrick , Milovanovic Milena , Mitrov Lazar , Nürnberger Carolin , Obst Wilfried , Römmele Christoph , Schäfer Christian , Scheer Christian , Scherer Margarete , Schmidt Julia , Seibel Kristina , Sikdar Shimita , Tebbe Johannes Josef , Tepasse Phil-Robin , Thelen Philipp , Vehreschild Maria J. G. T. , Weismantel Christina , Vehreschild J. Janne
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The influence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants on the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) remains unanswered. Therefore, we examined the prevalence and predictors of PCC-related symptoms in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants delta or omicron.

Methods

We compared prevalences and risk factors of acute and PCC-related symptoms three months after primary infection (3MFU) between delta- and omicron-infected patients from the Cross-Sectoral Platform of the German National Pandemic Cohort Network. Health-related quality of life (HrQoL) was determined by the EQ-5D-5L index score and trend groups were calculated to describe changes of HrQoL between different time points.

Results

We considered 758 patients for our analysis (delta: n = 341; omicron: n = 417). Compared with omicron patients, delta patients had a similar prevalence of PCC at the 3MFU (p = 0.354), whereby fatigue occurred most frequently (n = 256, 34%). HrQoL was comparable between the groups with the lowest EQ-5D-5L index score (0.75, 95% CI 0.73–0.78) at disease onset. While most patients (69%, n = 348) never showed a declined HrQoL, it deteriorated substantially in 37 patients (7%) from the acute phase to the 3MFU of which 27 were infected with omicron.

Conclusion

With quality-controlled data from a multicenter cohort, we showed that PCC is an equally common challenge for patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants delta and omicron at least for the German population. Developing the EQ-5D-5L index score trend groups showed that over two thirds of patients did not experience any restrictions in their HrQoL due to or after the SARS-CoV-2 infection at the 3MFU.

Clinical Trail registration

The cohort is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov since February 24, 2021 (Identifier: NCT04768998).
Long-term symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of people living with HIV
Authors: Degli Antoni Melania , Maifredi Giovanni , Storti Samuele , Tiecco Giorgio , Di Gregorio Marco , Rossi Benedetta , Gasparotti Cinzia , Focà Emanuele , Castelli Francesco , Quiros-Roldan Eugenia
Published: May 2024

Background

Our Hospital in Northern Italy assists 3817 people living with HIV (PLWH) and has faced the impact of COVID-19. Little is known about the impact of HIV infection on the risk of post-COVID-19 conditions (PCCs) onset. We aim to assess the incidence of PCC in PLWH and the factors associated with its occurrence.

Methods

We performed a retrospective, observational study including all PLWH > 18 years registered in the Brescia Health Protection Agency database, assessing SARS-CoV-2 burden, vaccination status, socio-demographic, and viro-immunological parameters from February 2020 until May 2022. Persistence of self-reported symptoms (clustered into gastrointestinal, respiratory, osteo-muscular, and neuro-behavioral symptoms) was evaluated after 3 months by a telephone-administered questionnaire. We estimated the associations between all variables and outcomes through univariate and multivariable logistic models.

Results

In the study period, 653 PLWH were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection (17.1%). We observed 19 (2.9%) reinfections, 71 (10.9%) hospitalizations, and 3 (0.5%) deaths. We interviewed 510/653 PLWH (78%), and 178 (PCCs prevalence 34.9%; CI 95% 30.7–39.2) reported persistent symptoms. Asthenia/fatigue was the most reported symptom (60/178), followed by muscular pain (54/178). In the multivariate regression model, there was a lower risk of PCCs in males respect to females (adjusted OR = 0.64; CI 95% 0.99–3.66), while hospitalization during acute infection was associated with an increased the risk of PCCs (adjusted OR = 1.9; CI 95% 0.99–3.66). Notably, no viro-immunological variable modified the PCCs risk onset.

Conclusions

Our study highlights a substantial prevalence of PCCs among PLWH, three months post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, independent of viro-immunological features or vaccination status.
Depth in arrangements: Dehn–Sommerville–Euler relations with applications
Authors: Biswas Ranita , Cultrera di Montesano Sebastiano , Edelsbrunner Herbert , Saghafian Morteza
Published: May 2024

The depth of a cell in an arrangement of n (non-vertical) great-spheres in $${\mathbb {S}}^d$$

S

d

is the number of great-spheres that pass above the cell. We prove Euler-type relations, which imply extensions of the classic Dehn–Sommerville relations for convex polytopes to sublevel sets of the depth function, and we use the relations to extend the expressions for the number of faces of neighborly polytopes to the number of cells of levels in neighborly arrangements.
Non-central m-point formula in method of lines for solving the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation
Authors: Alshareef A. , Bakodah H. O.
Published: May 2024

The present study is committed to devising efficient spatial discretization with two non-central difference formulae incorporated in the method of lines (MOL). The method is then implemented numerically on the renowned dispersive evolution equation, the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) model while infusing Euler and fourth-order Rung-Kutta (RK4) methods, respectively. The resulting schemes are proven to be numerically stable using Fourier’s stability approach, with the MOL matrix admitting negative real eigenvalues. Moreover, this proposal has been assessed on certain initial-boundary value problems of the KdV model by examining so many factors, like the percentage errors, absolute error differences, the error norms, and the invariants

$$I_{k},$$

I
k

,

for

$$k=1,2,3,$$

k
=
1
,
2
,
3
,

among others. In this work, we solve KdV by applying a new approach of MOL to improve the results presented in some published articles. Lastly, the assessment revealed that our proposal was found to be better than those of the exponential finite-difference method (Exponential) and the Heat Balance Integral (HBI) methods, respectively, which serve as competing approaches for validation, in terms of both the accuracy and efficiency. The numerical examples are obtained by using MATLAB.
Environmental challenges and air pollution in Bac Lieu, Vietnam: assessing sources and impacts
Authors: Lang Ton That , Thao Tran Quoc , Hien Nguyen Thi , Van Trinh Tran Thi , Huy Nguyen Nhat
Published: May 2024

Bac Lieu, a region with diverse industries like handicrafts, agriculture, tourism, and a thriving marine economy, faces environmental challenges from climate change, resource exploitation, and rising air pollution due to vehicular, industrial, and agricultural emissions, along with waste management issues. The materials and methods employed in this study encompassed various phases critical for assessing air quality and devising an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for Bac Lieu province. The AQMP framework involved activities such as baseline assessments, emission inventories, air quality monitoring, and modeling using dispersion models like AERMOD. The study proposed the application of the AirQ + model to analyze the correlation between air quality and human health, emphasizing the short-term effects of pollutants on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and estimating potential avoidable cases in Bac Lieu province. The emissions inventory in Bac Lieu province categorizes sources into point, mobile, and area. Major CO emissions come from waste burning, cooking, and mixed sources, while traffic significantly impacts CO levels. Residential areas show significant PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 emissions. Point sources impact nearby areas, notably in districts like Hong Dan and Phuoc Long. Cooking activities lead to high PM10 and CO emissions, especially in Bac Lieu city. Traffic emissions, particularly in urban hubs, significantly contribute to pollution, notably in Bac Lieu City, Vinh Loi, and Hoa Binh districts. Transportation emissions in urban zones contribute significantly to air pollution, while rural areas are influenced by various activities like burning, construction, and cooking, shaping diverse local air quality.
Farmers participatory evaluation of bread wheat varieties through seed producer cooperatives: evidence from Ethiopia
Authors: Sisay Dawit Tsegaye , Sharie Getnet , Getnet Belayneh , Demissie Anteneh , Gebretsadik Rebeka , Dessalegn Tadesse , Ruediger Andrea , Molla Dessalegn , Zewde Sebsebe , Gesesse Cherinet Alem , Abebe Eshete
Published: May 2024

The limited engagement of farmers and their community agents in the process of variety development and evaluation is one of the main factors for lower rates of variety adoption, which resulted in lower crop productivity. Participatory bread wheat variety evaluation was jointly conducted by breeders, members of seed producer cooperative (SPC) and local experts with the objectives to identify farmers’ selection criteria, to assess farmers’ preferred varieties and to increase the SPC’s variety portfolios. Twelve released bread wheat varieties were evaluated during 2019 cropping season at Sekela district of Amhara region, Ethiopia. Pair-wise ranking was used to identify farmers’ selection criteria and direct matrix ranking to prioritize those selected criteria. Varieties were planted in two sets with and without lime application. Grain yield, followed by earliness, disease tolerance, and tillering capacity, was identified the first preferred criterion by farmers. The mean values showed that higher yield was recorded with the lime application compared to no lime application. Lemu (6.4 t/ha), Alidoro (6.3 t/ha), Dambal (6.3 t/ha), Obora (6.1 t/ha) and Liben (6.1 t/ha) had greater yield with lime application. The t-test results indicated that significant difference between with and without liming for the number of tillers per plant, spike length per plant, plant height, 1000 seed weight, and hectoliter weight, but non-significant difference for grain yield. The selected varieties should be included in the production plan of the cooperatives for large scale production to increase the variety portfolios and to address the demand of the farming community.
Bot-mimicry in Digital Literary Culture
Authors: Erslev Malthe Stavning
Published: May 2024

This Element traverses the concept and practice of bot mimicry, defined as the imitation of imitative software, specifically the practice of writing in the style of social bots. Working as both an inquiry into and an extended definition of the concept, the Element argues that bot mimicry engenders a new mode of knowing about and relating to imitative software – as well as a distinctly literary approach to rendering and negotiating artificial intelligence imaginaries. The Element presents a software-oriented mode of understanding Internet culture, a novel reading of Alan Turing's imitation game, and the first substantial integration of Walter Benjamin's theory of the mimetic faculty into the study of digital culture, thus offering multiple unique lines of inquiry. Ultimately, the Element illuminates the value of mimicry – to the understanding of an emerging practice of digital literary culture, to practices of research, and to our very conceptions of artificial intelligence.
Private Equity and the Demise of the Local
Authors: Feldman Maryann , Kenney Martin
Published: May 2024

Capitalism is a powerful engine that requires finance. Private equity is part of the neoliberal transformation of capitalism that has failed the average citizen and unleashed a tsunami of leveraged acquisitions that have destroyed entire sectors of our economy. Private equity has become a powerful force that has moved from restructuring industrial firms to buying up just about any economic activity in local communities that has assets that can be monetized, without any consideration of the impact on the quality of life and well-being of the community. Th a process has been aided and abetted by government policy. The authors of this Element explain the workings of the private equity model and the reasons it has been so profitable. They document the effects of PE on firms and communities by examining a range of activities that once had a local focus. They conclude by offering policy recommendations.
A Practical Guide to Second Language Teaching and Learning
Authors: Loewen Shawn , Sato Masatoshi
Published: May 2024

An essential resource for individuals entering the field of second language (L2) teaching and learning, this book provides a complete set of instructional materials written in accessible language. Providing enough material to use for an entire semester, the book offers exciting activities for the L2 classroom, alongside outlining the theories and research that support them, including how to connect theory with practice. Each chapter includes: extensive and up-to-date content presented in a clear, engaging, and accessible manner; pre- and post-reading activities to help students connect the topics to their own lives; pedagogical guidelines with practical suggestions; summaries of empirical studies in non-technical, jargon-free language; end-of-chapter assignments which re-enforce students' learning and relate directly to the content. The book concludes with a compelling chapter on the research–practice dialogue. Online resources include lecture slides for instructors and audio files.
Prioritizing Equity in Antimicrobial Stewardship Efforts (EASE): a framework for infectious diseases clinicians
Authors: Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C. , Tan Karen K. , Johnson Candace L. , McGrath Caitlin L. , Zerr Danielle M. , Marcelin Jasmine R.
Published: May 2024

Health equity gaps persist across minoritized groups due to systems of oppression affecting health-related social needs such as access to transportation, education and literacy, or food and housing security. Consequently, disparities in the prevalence of multidrug-resistant infections, infectious disease outcomes, and inappropriate antimicrobial use have been reported across minoritized populations. The Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have formally acknowledged the importance of integrating health equity-focused initiatives into existing hospital quality improvement (QI) programs. Here, we review documented disparities in antimicrobial stewardship and offer a framework, derived from components of existing health equity and QI tools, to guide clinicians in prioritizing equity in antimicrobial stewardship efforts (EASE).
Predictors of Emergency Preparedness Among Parents in Hawaii: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Glauberman Gary , Fontenot Holly B. , Lim Eunjung
Published: May 2024

Objective:

To determine factors predicting emergency preparedness (EP) behaviors among Hawaii parents.

Methods:

A cross-sectional online survey of parents of children (age 0-12 y) living in Honolulu, Hawaii, in March 2023 examined associations with (1) having an EP kit (supplies for use during emergencies) and (2) having a family emergency plan (what to do, where to go, how to communicate during emergencies) with demographics/household characteristics and theoretical constructs of the Health Belief Model. A multivariable regression model obtained odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results:

Participants (N = 278) were mainly female (84%), college-educated (68%), and were similar in diverse racial/ethnic composure (White; 13.3%) to the overall Honolulu County. Logistic regression determined participants with lower perceived susceptibility to disasters, greater time barriers, and those who needed help to prepare for emergencies were less likely to have an EP kit. Among participants without an EP kit, a website able to create personalized instructions for household EP would be useful. Participants who needed help to prepare for emergencies were less likely to have a family emergency plan.

Conclusions:

Future interventions should focus on evidence-based strategies that improve self-efficacy associated with developing EP kits and family emergency plans.
Modes of Cosmopolitanism in Waguih Ghali’s Egypt in Beer in the Snooker Club
Authors: Ibrahim Doaa Mohamed Abd El-Salam
Published: May 2024

This paper examines the different expressions of nationalism and cosmopolitanism in Waguih Ghali’s semi-autobiographical Beer in the Snooker Club (1964). It defines two different forms of cosmopolitanism in the novel (colonial versus imperial) and their influence on the identity of the main characters. The paper also examines the obsession with defining ‘Egyptianess’ in the novel in the wake of Egyptian nationalism during Nasser’s regime. The paper argues that cosmopolitanism and nationalism are two opposite ideologies that hold each other in balance but when the balance tips off in favour of one pole, an immoderate ideology raises its ugly head: racial or class-based nationalism, on the one hand, or colonial hegemony, on the other. Finally, the paper concludes that Ghali favours imperial cosmopolitanism which boasts of multiple communities that interact together and still preserve their uniqueness and specificities.
Aeolian dynamics at the northern edge of Deliblato (Banat) Sand Sea, Vojvodina, Serbia, at the time of the last deglaciation
Authors: Marković Rastko S. , Perić Zoran M. , Gavrilov Milivoj B. , Marković Slobodan B. , Vandenberghe Jef , Schaetzl Randall J. , Obreht Igor , Bartyik Tamás , Radaković Milica G. , Radivojević Aleksandar , Marjanović Miloš , Lukić Tin , Sipos György
Published: May 2024

The Deliblato (Banat) Sand Sea, which is one of the largest areas of аeolian sand in Europe, is located near the Iron Gate, which marks the crossing of the Danube River through the biggest gorge of this river. Here, Danubian alluvium has served as the sand source for the Banat Sand Sea, which was formed primarily through southeasterly (Košava) winds. Utilizing a multi-proxy approach, the objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of the environmental dynamics of the Banat Sand Sea. To achieve this goal, we conducted an analysis of an archive representing an approximately 20-m-thick dune formation on the northern edge of this dune field. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, we calculated aeolian sedimentation rates and dune ages. Sand was deposited here approximately between 17 ka and 13 ka. Magnetic susceptibility, grain size, and colorimetric analyses were interpreted in terms of local paleoenvironmental conditions. Calculated sedimentation rates (SR) indicate intensive aeolian deposition during the study period that range from 483 cm/ka to 502 cm/ka. We compared our data with regional and other European archives, as well as with climatic variations recorded in the Greenland ice core North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP).
A Comprehensive Dataset of Four Provincial Legislative Assembly Members
Authors: Rivard Alex B. , Bodet Marc André , Godbout Jean-François , Montigny Éric
Published: May 2024

This research note reports on a new dataset about legislators in four Canadian provinces since the establishment of their colonial assemblies in the eighteenth century. Over 7,000 legislators from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia are included, with consolidated information drawn from multiple sources about parliamentarians’ years of birth and death, religion, electoral performance, kinship, and several other biographical indicators. We also illustrate the utility of such data with the help of a few descriptive examples drawn from the four provinces. We believe this consolidated dataset offers several opportunities for future research on representation, legislative activities and party politics.
EMERGING EMPIRES AND OPPORTUNISTIC LAND-USE LEGACIES: TESTING A NEW MODEL ON ROME'S CONQUEST AND COLONIZATION THROUGH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY DATA IN THE TERRITORIES OF COSA AND TARRACO
Authors: Casarotto Anita
Published: May 2024

This paper tests a new model to study the Roman conquest and colonization of the Western Mediterranean. This recent model depicts Roman expansion as a more sustainable process than previously assumed, which tapped into, reinforced and integrated wider Mediterranean settlement trends. Contrary to what is assumed by traditional narratives, colonization did not entail the immediate destruction and restructuring of native landscapes — but rather the integration, opportunistic reuse, appropriation and development of previous land-uses and settlements. Two legacy datasets collected through pedestrian survey in the colonial territories of Cosa (Italy) and Tarraco (Spain) were used to test this model on a supranational scale. The analysis indicated that certain portions of the native landscape were possibly integrated into the Roman Empire without initial drastic changes being reflected in the settlement patterns or the landscape.
Visual Attention in Crisis
Authors: Rosenholtz Ruth
Published: May 2024

Research on visual attention has uncovered significant anomalies, and some traditional methods may have inadvertently probed peripheral vision rather than attention. Vision science needs to rethink visual attention from the ground up. To facilitate this, for a year I banned the word “attention” in my lab. This constraint promoted a more precise discussion of attention-related phenomena, capacity limits, and mechanisms. The insights gained lead me to challenge attributing to “attention” those phenomena that can be better explained by perceptual processes, are predictable by an ideal observer model, or that otherwise may not require an additional mechanism. I enumerate a set of critical phenomena in need of explanation. Finally, I propose a unifying theory in which all perception results from performing a task, and tasks face a limit on complexity.
The Ethical Principles in Ethical Guidance Documents during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland: A Qualitative Review
Authors: Raajakesary Kesidha , Galvin Lucy , Prendiville Kate , Newport Sarah , MacAnulty Calum , Hussein Ghaiath
Published: May 2024

Background:

The sudden onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was accompanied by a myriad of ethical issues that prompted the issuing of various ethical guidance documents for health care professionals in clinical, research, and public health settings throughout the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The aim of this review was to identify the main principles in ethical guidance documents published in the UK and Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

This review used a qualitative review methodology with thematic synthesis to analyze the included ethics-related guidance documents, as defined in this review, published in the UK and Ireland from March 2020 through March 2022. The search included a general search in Google Scholar and a targeted search on the websites of the relevant professional bodies and public health authorities in the two countries. The ethical principles in these documents were analyzed using the constant comparative method (CCM).

Results:

Forty-four guidance documents met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Ten main ethical principles were identified, namely: fairness, honesty, minimizing harm, proportionality, responsibility, autonomy, respect, informed decision making, duty of care, and reciprocity.

Conclusion:

The guidelines did not present the ethical principles in equal detail. Some principles lacked definitions, leaving them vulnerable to misinterpretation by the documents’ end users. Priority was frequently given to collectivist ethics over individualistic approaches. Further clarity is required in future ethical guidance documents to better guide health care professionals in similar situations.
Dissident Sounds: Electronic music in Venezuela from the notions of radical education
Authors: Pérez-Valero Luis
Published: May 2024

Based on the theories of radical education, this article discusses the education of electronic music in Venezuela. After a historiographical review of the state of music education in the country, which shows that there is little information on the subject, the institutional life that has promoted electroacoustic music in Venezuela is approached from a critical perspective. This documentary research gathers and analyses data provided by a bibliographic review and unstructured interviews with experts in the field. Among the most salient findings is the discontinuity in the teaching of electroacoustic music, as well as a critical review of the notions of radical education in the case of Venezuela, where the educational system shows stagnation in the face of the global context.
Predicting food insecurity among UK university students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Round Emily K , Weatherston Sarah , Stretesky Paul B , Defeyter Margaret Anne
Published: May 2024

Objective:

The present study investigated potential predictors of food insecurity among UK university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design:

Close-ended questionnaire administered to a cross-sectional sample of UK university students.

Setting:

Data were collected using an online survey platform in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants:

A nationally representative sample of UK university students (n 640).

Results:

Odds ratios (OR) obtained from logistic regression were statistically significant for three measures of economic hardship. First, students who relied on financial aid from student loans were 1·9 times more likely to report being food insecure than students who did not rely on financial aid from student loans. Second, students who could not pay their utility bill (v. those that could pay) were 3·1 times the odds of being food insecure. Finally, as perceived difficulty in paying for accommodation increased across the sample, the odds of being food insecure also increased (OR = 1·9). We also found that students who were recently ill were 2·2 times more likely to be food insecure compared with students who were not recently ill. We did not find any evidence that testing positive for COVID-19 predicted food insecurity, and university supplied food parcels/boxes did not reduce student food insecurity.

Conclusions:

Both economic factors and illness play a significant role in self-reported food insecurity in higher education students during pandemic lockdown. Further research is needed to explore food insecurity, economic factors and illness outside of a pandemic context.