bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bonding in PdCl(NO) and Related Nitrosylmetal Species of the Enemark–Feltham {MNO}10Type
Authors: Schröder Daniel , Klüfers Peter
Published: January 2023

The crystal‐structure analysis of the coordination polymer PdCl(NO) (1) by Evers et al. shows a two‐dimensional PdCl network of four‐coordinate Pd atoms and triply bridging chlorido ligands. The fourth ligand at Pd is a terminally bonded nitrosyl ligand in a bent PdNO function (Pd−N−O=129°). In terms of the Enemark–Feltham notation,1is an {MNO}10compound which leaves a choice regarding the assignment of the ten electrons as d10‐Pd0Cl−(NO+), d9‐PdICl−(NO) or d8‐PdIICl−(NO−) with 0, 1 and 2 electrons allocated at the nitrosyl ligand, respectively. The quantum‐chemical treatment by DFT methods and subsequent determination of the oxidation states (OSs) by Salvador's Effective‐OS (EOS) method shows highly covalent Pd−NO bonds which narrowly end up on the Pd0Cl−(NO+) side in the course of the OS assignment's heterolytic bond‐cleavage procedure. Related halonitrosyls are included to examine the obvious suitability of both linear and bent MNO units as ‘ground‐state canditates’ of {MNO}10systems. Local‐mode analysis confirmed the recently formulated weakening of both the metal−nitrosyl and the N−O bond on bending a linear MNO function.
The Initial Impact of Technology Enabled Relationship Creation in Rural Lebanon
Authors: Inversini Alessandro , Müller Maxie , Talhouk Salma
Published: January 2023

Technology enables actor-to-actor experience co-creation leading to value creation for the parties involved in the process. This research presents the initial impact of a mobile application developed to foster technology enabled relationship in rural Lebanon. Results indicate that technology has the potential to positively impact both host and guest fostering relationships building in all the trip stages and leading to socio-economic development and transformative experiences. In fact, the paper shows that relationships created and strengthened with the support of technology are expected to have effects at personal, community and business level.
Where You Sleep Tells What You Care About
Authors: Marine-Roig Estela , Daries Natalia , Martin-Fuentes Eva , Ferrer-Rosell Berta
Published: January 2023

Online reviews are valuable sources of information that can help other tourists gain an idea of the destination they seek. The aim of this research is to examine what types of content is reviewed by hotel guests and Airbnb guests in two of the main urban tourist cities in Spain (Barcelona and Madrid) to distinguish content between the destination where the accommodation is located and to observe variations on users of these platforms when they write reviews. Comparing more than one million reviews posted on TripAdvisor and Airbnb through compositional data analysis (CoDa), results show that there are different patterns between Barcelona and Madrid and between their accommodation mode according to the reviews. This study can help researchers and managers know what useful information can be extracted from online travel reviews.
Exploring Post-COVID-19 Branding Strategies of African Destinations
Authors: Ukpabi Dandison , Quarshie Benjamin , Karjaluoto Heikki
Published: January 2023

The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions has led to the opening of many tourism destinations, with many destination marketing organizations (DMOs) adopting different strategies to attract tourists. This study explores the post-COVID-19 branding strategies of four award-winning African destinations (South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, and Mauritius) and how they utilize social media to communicate their destination brand identities. We curated the tweets of the National Tourism Boards of the examined destinations from their official Twitter accounts and analyzed them using Atlas.ti. We found that each of the destinations uniquely identifies and communicates its destination’s competitive advantages. We provide insights and implications.
Back in Time with Immersive Heritage Tourism Experience: A Study of Virtual Reality in Archaeological Sites
Authors: Bideci Mujde , Bideci Caglar
Published: January 2023

This study focuses on how virtual reality applications might evoke nostalgic sensations in travellers during cultural heritage tourism. While extensive research on the tourism experience has revealed different extrinsic and intrinsic dynamics that affect the tourist experience, this research aims to explore what feeling of back in time VR users experience in an archaeological destination. The gap in visitor experience employing VR research still persists, despite the rising adoption rate of immersive technology, such as virtual reality. In this study, a qualitative method has been applied to analyse online reviews of VR users who visited the Olympia Archaeological Site in Greece and used the ‘Back in Time Olympia’ VR application. The findings drawn from the results show that nostalgia, presence, engagement by learning, and service experience are essential determinants of tourist VR experiences in such cultural heritage destinations.
Legal Considerations on the Relationship Between Tourism Marketing and AR
Authors: Ide Akira
Published: January 2023

Augmented reality (AR) is greatly changing the tourism scene in this decade. With the recent expansion of AR, it is now possible to obtain digital flyers and coupons by physically visiting a place. Various AR-based games, such as Pokémon Go, have encouraged many people to visit various locations in the real world. However, the use of AR as a marketing strategy to attract customers and induce movements in humans has created new legal issues, such as the appropriateness of placing coupons on private properties and its use in public parks by private companies for sales promotions. In addition, since AR can make valuable digital information appear in a space for a specific period, it raises new issues regarding time management. This paper considers the problems that arise in guiding people using AR, mainly from a legal perspective, and discusses the future direction.
Talking Houses: Transforming Touristic Buildings into Intelligent Characters in Augmented Reality
Authors: Kalloori Saikishore , Chalumattu Ribin , Chalet François , Zimper Martin , Klingler Severin , Gross Markus
Published: January 2023

Augmented reality (AR) technologies can enhance the user’s experience of visiting attractions, shops, and restaurants by using AR-based virtual elements and additional information about the places they are visiting. In this work, we transform the city landscape or iconic buildings into a unique experience by bringing iconic characters onto the buildings to increase users’ engagement. Our techniques transform buildings or parts of a building into a virtual character with which the user can interact. We designed two unique experiences: (a) ‘The Square’ in which the character will talk about the building’s history and other anecdotes about the area, and (b) ‘The Hunt’ in which the user is involved in a scavenger hunt where they have to identify buildings using the hints given by virtual characters. We have conducted a live user study to assess our prototype’s usability. Our preliminary experimental results demonstrated that our prototype has high usability and users using our system felt a pleasant and enjoyable experience.
Assessing Turnover Intentions of Algorithmically Managed Hospitality Workers
Authors: Segovia-Perez Mónica , Jianu Brana , Tussyadiah Iis
Published: January 2023

Employee turnover has been one of the main concerns facing the hospitality industry. This issue seems to be aggravated in artificial intelligence (AI) environment, where AI implementation is associated with pressure, job alienation, and labor replacement, increasing workers’ desire to quit their job. To analyze the relationship between AI awareness, job alienation, discrimination, and turnover intention, an online survey was distributed to hospitality employees (n = 450). From a series of independent-samples T-tests and regression analyses, this study found employees’ turnover intentions are significantly associated with employees’ concerns of being replaced by AI, perception of job alienation, and workplace discrimination. Importantly, current algorithmically managed workers tend to feel more powerless and discriminated against, and thus have higher turnover intentions. Recommendations for practice and future research are provided.
Older Adults’ Perceptions of Digital Cultural Tourism in ‘Super-Aged’ Nations: The Case of Finland and Japan
Authors: Zainal Abidin Husna , Tuomi Aarni , Moreira Kares Elina
Published: January 2023

Older adults have been recognized as a key tourist segment for cultural tourism. Despite the growing population of older adults, limited research have explored their experiences and needs within digital cultural experiences. Therefore, this research note takes on an exploratory approach in understanding older adults’ perceptions towards digital cultural experiences in the context of two ‘super-aged’ nations: Finland and Japan. The findings illustrate that differences do exist, and that Finnish older adults are found to be more open to technology-use in the context of digital cultural experiences than their Japanese counterparts. Implications for e-tourism research and management are discussed.
A Re-rank Algorithm for Online Hotel Search
Authors: Cavenaghi Emanuele , Camaione Lorenzo , Minasi Paolo , Sottocornola Gabriele , Stella Fabio , Zanker Markus
Published: January 2023

Recommender Systems were created to support users in situations of information overload. However, users are consciously or unconsciously influenced by several factors in their decision-making. We analysed a historical dataset from a meta-search booking platform with the aim of exploring how these factors influence user choices in the context of online hotel search and booking. Specifically, we focused our study on the influence of (i) ranking position, (ii) number of reviews, (iii) average ratings and (iv) price when analysing users’ click behaviour. Our results confirmed conventional wisdom that position and price were the “two elephants in the room” heavily influencing user decision-making. Thus, they need to be taken into account when, for instance, trying to learn user preferences from clickstream data. Using the results coming from this analysis, we performed an online A/B test on this meta-search booking platform comparing the current policy with a price-based re-rank policy. Our online experiments suggested that, although in offline experiments items with lower prices tend to have a higher Click-Through Rate, in an online context a price-based re-rank was only capable to improve the Click-Through Rate metric for the first positions of the recommended lists.
Spatial Spillover Effects of the Digital Economy on Tourism Demand: Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Zhen , Kim Yoo Ri
Published: January 2023

Despite widespread concerns about the effect of the digital economy on productivity, few studies have examined the relationship between the digital economy and tourism demand. Based on 285 China’s prefectural-level city statistical data and big data from 2011 to 2019, a comprehensive index of the digital economy is developed and a spatial econometric model is employed to investigate such relationship. The result shows that the growth of the digital economy has positive spatial spillover effects on tourism demand, contributing to extending the impact of the digital economy on tourism demand from the spatial perspective and providing insights for policymakers on regional cooperation in the digitalisation context.
Holographic non-Fermi liquids at large d
Authors: Kachru Shamit , Shyani Milind
Published: January 2023

Abstract

Motivated by the results of Dynamical Mean Field Theory, we study the two-point function of fermions moving in a charged black brane background in AdSd+1 in the limit of large d. We observe the emergence of a locally critical form of the fermion self-energy, with a strongly constrained range of possible scaling behaviors at large d. Novelties compared to the analysis in d = 3, 4 include an enlarged regime of temperatures where the results apply, and the analytical tractability of the calculations.
Descalarization by quenching charged hairy black hole in asymptotically AdS spacetime
Authors: Chen Qian , Ning Zhuan , Tian Yu , Wang Bin , Zhang Cheng-Yong
Published: January 2023

Abstract

In this work, we study the real-time dynamics of the charged hairy black hole with the time-dependent source of scalar field in asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime. The numerical results reveal a novel descalarization mechanism. In order to obtain the hairy black hole as the initial data for the quench process, we first analyze the quasi-normal modes of the massive complex scalar field on the Reissner-Nordström anti-de Sitter (RN-AdS) black hole background. We find the dominant unstable modes for large and small RN-AdS black holes come from the zero-damped modes and AdS modes, respectively. Then, the unstable RN-AdS black holes are perturbed to trigger the transition to hairy black holes. With the hairy black hole in hand, we specify a time dependent scalar source for the system. As the source is turned on, the electric charge, energy and scalar condensation of the system start to oscillate with the entropy increasing monotonically. Finally, with the decay of the scalar source, the system gradually settles down to a new state. Interestingly, the final state of the evolution could be a hairy black hole with less scalar condensation, a RN-AdS black hole or a Schwarzschild-AdS black hole, which depends on the quench strength. However, as long as the quench strength is large enough, the system always loses all the electric charge and converges to the Schwarzschild-AdS black hole.
Is FDI a potential tool for boosting firm’s performance? Firm level evidence from Ecuador
Authors: Camino-Mogro Segundo , Bermúdez-Barrezueta Natalia , Armijos Mary
Published: January 2023

In developing countries, the evidence regarding the direct and indirect effects of FDI on economic and financial performance at the firm level is mixed. To contribute to this literature, we provide empirical evidence of direct and indirect effects of FDI on firm’s performance, using return on assets (ROA), gross revenues and gross revenues growth rate as performance measures. We examine the private formal enterprise sector in Ecuador from 2007 to 2018. Our identification strategy relies on the use of the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) methodology for dynamic panel data which allows us to control for potential endogeneity, autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity issues. The results suggest that firms with inward FDI grow faster than their counterparts, and firms with higher amounts of FDI as a share of total revenues have on average higher levels of gross revenues. Moreover, we find negative horizontal wages and gross revenues spillover effects on gross revenues growth rates, but positive horizontal gross revenues spillover effects on ROA. There is also significant evidence of negative horizontal spillover effects in all economic sectors, whereas evidence for forward and backward spillovers is heterogeneous across them.
Tits (Paridae sp.) use social information when locating and choosing nest lining material
Authors: Vistalli Sally , Jäger Tim , Aplin Lucy M. , Wild Sonja
Published: January 2023

As an important determinant of reproductive success, avian nest building is under strong selection and requires behavioral plasticity to optimize conditions in which offspring develop. Learning is a one form of plasticity that allows adaptation to the local environment. Birds may refine nest-building behavior with personal experience or use social information to guide their choices. While there is mounting evidence for an effect of experience-based learning on nest building and social information use when selecting nesting material in the laboratory, experimental evidence for social information use in wild birds is lacking. Here, we provided sources of two differently colored wool as nest lining material in a wild mixed-species community of tits (Paridae sp.) to investigate experimentally (i) whether females use social information to locate lining materials and (ii) whether preferences for specific materials (here color) are socially influenced. We investigated pathways of social transmission through a foraging association and a spatial breeding network using the time of arrival at the wool in a network-based diffusion analysis. Our results gave evidence that birds learned about the location of lining resources from foraging associates. Furthermore, we found significant non-random clustering of wool colors in nest boxes across the study area, suggestive of a social influence on selecting lining materials. Taken together, we provide quantitative evidence for a role of social information use in both finding and selecting lining material in wild tits and demonstrate that social information use constitutes an important factor towards behavioral plasticity in nest building in wild birds.

Significance statement

As vessels of reproduction, avian nests are under strong selection to provide optimized conditions for developing offspring. Learning is one mechanism that allows individuals to adapt to local environmental conditions. Previous work has shown that nest-building birds use both social information and personal experience to refine their nests. Yet, evidence for social information use for nest construction in the wild has been purely anecdotal and experimental evidence lacking. Here, we demonstrate for the first time experimentally that in wild tits (Paridae sp.), females rely on social information from their foraging associates to locate and choose material to line their nests. This research highlights the importance of social information use as a potential mechanism of behavioral plasticity in wild nest-building birds.
Analyzing web searches for axial spondyloarthritis in Germany: a novel approach to exploring interests and unmet needs
Authors: Berr Kristina , Tizek Linda , Schielein Maximilian C. , Welcker Martin , Knitza Johannes , Kleinert Stefan , Zink Alexander
Published: January 2023

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an underdiagnosed condition with a high disease burden. Due to delayed diagnosis and limited access to specialist care, conventional health data might not sufficiently capture the perspective of affected individuals. The aim of this study was to assess public interest, unmet needs, and disease burden of axSpA in Germany through the analysis of thematic, geographic, and temporal patterns in national web search data. Google Ads Keyword Planner was used to identify axSpA-related keywords and their monthly search volume in Germany between January 2017 and December 2020. Identified keywords were qualitatively categorized into six categories. Overall, 265 axSpA-related keywords with a search volume of 3,881,490 queries were identified. Nearly 81% of the total search volume was assigned to the category terms and definition, while 19% referred to either outcomes, symptoms, diagnosis, management, or causes. In the category outcomes, prognostic outcomes like “life expectancy” generated more searches than physical manifestations like “pain”. Less populated cities showed significantly more searches per 100,000 inhabitants than larger cities. Searches were seasonally stable with a Germany-wide peak in July 2017. This study provides an overview of public interest in axSpA based on web search data in Germany. The identified search patterns could be used to guide public health campaigns and optimize axSpA management in Germany.
Home-based immersive virtual reality physical rehabilitation in paediatric patients for upper limb motor impairment: a feasibility study
Authors: Phelan Ivan , Carrion-Plaza Alicia , Furness Penny J , Dimitri Paul
Published: January 2023

Upper limb motor impairment (ULMI) rehabilitation is a long-term, demanding and challenging process to recover motor functionality. Children and adolescents may be limited in daily life activities due to reduced functions such as decreased joint movement or muscle weakness. Home-based therapy with Immersive Virtual Reality can offer greater accessibility, delivery and early rehabilitation to significantly optimise functional outcomes and quality of life. This feasibility study aimed to explore the perceptions and impacts of an immersive and interactive VR scenario suitable for ULMI rehabilitation for children at home. It was analysed using mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) and from a multidirectional perspective (patients, clinicians and family members). Amongst the main results, it was found that IVR for ULMI home rehabilitation (1) is easy to learn and acceptable; (2) improves motor function; (3) reduces the difficulty in the reproduction of therapeutic movements; (4) is motivating and enjoyable and (5) improves quality of life. This study is the first study on the use of IVR applied to home rehabilitation of ULMI in children. These results suggested that similar outcomes may be possible with self-directed IVR home rehabilitation compared to face to face conventional rehabilitation, which can be costly to both the patient and the healthcare system, decreasing the length of stay at the hospital and treatment duration. It has also presented an innovative solution to the Covid-19 emergency where children could not receive their clinic therapy. Further research is recommended to understand better the mechanisms involved in physiotherapeutic recovery and how IVR rehabilitation helps to improve conventional treatments.

Trial Registration Protocol ID NCT05272436. Release Date: 9th March 2022.
Sensitivity analysis of combinatorial optimization problems using evolutionary bilevel optimization and data mining
Authors: Schulte Julian , Nissen Volker
Published: January 2023

Sensitivity analysis in general deals with the question of how changes in input data of a model affect its output data. In the context of optimization problems, such an analysis could, for instance, address how changes in capacity constraints affect the optimal solution value. Although well established in the domain of linear programming, sensitivity analysis approaches for combinatorial optimization problems are model-specific, limited in scope and not applicable to practical optimization problems. To overcome these limitations, Schulte et al. developed the concept of bilevel innovization. By using evolutionary bilevel optimization in combination with data mining and visualization techniques, bilevel innovization provides decision-makers with deeper insights into the behavior of the optimization model and supports decision-making related to model building and configuration. Originally introduced in the field of evolutionary computation, most recently bilevel innovization has been proposed as an approach to sensitivity analysis for combinatorial problems in general. Based on previous work on bilevel innovization, our paper illustrates this concept as a tool for sensitivity analysis by providing a comprehensive analysis of the generalized assignment problem. Furthermore, it is investigated how different algorithms for solving the combinatorial problem affect the insights gained by the sensitivity analysis, thus evaluating the robustness and reliability of the sensitivity analysis results.
No Consumer Is an Island—Relational Disclosure as a Regulatory Strategy to Advance Consumer Protection Against Microtargeting
Authors: Davola A. , Querci I. , Romani S.
Published: January 2023

Presently, most business-to-consumer interaction uses consumer profiling to elaborate and deliver personalized products and services. It has been observed that these practices can be welfare-enhancing if properly regulated. At the same time, risks related to their abuses are present and significant, and it is no surprise that in recent times, personalization has found itself at the centre of the scholarly and regulatory debate. Within currently existing and forthcoming regulations, a common perspective can be found: given the capacity of microtargeting to potentially undermine consumers’ autonomy, the success of the regulatory intervention depends primarily on people being aware of the personality dimension being targeted. Yet, existing disclosures are based on an individualized format, focusing solely on the relationship between the professional operator and its counterparty; this approach operates in contrast to sociological studies that consider interaction and observation of peers to be essential components of decision making. A consideration of this “relational dimension” of decision making is missing both in consumer protection and in the debate on personalization. This article defends that consumers’ awareness and understanding of personalization and its consequences could be improved significantly if information was to be offered according to a relational format; accordingly, it reports the results of a study conducted in the streaming service market, showing that when information is presented in a relational format, people’s knowledge and awareness about profiling and microtargeting are significantly increased. The article further claims the potential of relational disclosure as a general paradigm for advancing consumer protection.
Prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa Before Onward Dispersal Toward Europe
Authors: Saaed Frhat M. A. , Ongerth Jerry E.
Published: January 2023

Viral hepatitis is a global health care challenge due to its worldwide distribution, chronic persistence, complications, and high prevalence with unchecked conditions in areas like sub-Saharan Africa. A high proportion of asymptomatic infections allows serious complications and poses infection risk to destination populations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of both HBV and HCV among 3248 migrants from different parts of sub-Saharan Africa newly arrived at Kufra, Libya, a remote agricultural North African city. All these migrants were required by the Libyan authorities to undergo a complete medical check-up for different purposes such as joining new jobs, and obtaining licenses for trade and commerce. UAT sera from 3248 migrants, aged 18–53 years, attending the Al Kufra city hospital from January 01 to December 31, 2019, were screened for HBsAg and anti-HCV antibody by rapid tests and positive samples were further tested by ELISA method. The results showed that 761/3248 (23.4%) of the migrants were positive for HBV and 1014/3248 (31.2%) were positive for HCV. Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa carry high rates of HBV and HCV infection. This suggests the importance of increased attention to actions to deal with findings among positive migrants, and for awareness about risks of transmission to the local population. Study results indicate the value of routine migrant monitoring, the need for awareness in destination country health authorities, and the potential for impact on migrant destination populations.
The Utility of Oncology Information Systems for Prognostic Modelling in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Kotevski Damian P. , Smee Robert I. , Field Matthew , Broadley Kathryn , Vajdic Claire M.
Published: January 2023

Cancer centres rely on electronic information in oncology information systems (OIS) to guide patient care. We investigated the completeness and accuracy of routinely collected head and neck cancer (HNC) data sourced from an OIS for suitability in prognostic modelling and other research. Three hundred and fifty-three adults diagnosed from 2000 to 2017 with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, treated with radiotherapy, were eligible. Thirteen clinically relevant variables in HNC prognosis were extracted from a single-centre OIS and compared to that compiled separately in a research dataset. These two datasets were compared for agreement using Cohen’s kappa coefficient for categorical variables, and intraclass correlation coefficients for continuous variables. Research data was 96% complete compared to 84% for OIS data. Agreement was perfect for gender (κ = 1.000), high for age (κ = 0.993), site (κ = 0.992), T (κ = 0.851) and N (κ = 0.812) stage, radiotherapy dose (κ = 0.889), fractions (κ = 0.856), and duration (κ = 0.818), and chemotherapy treatment (κ = 0.871), substantial for overall stage (κ = 0.791) and vital status (κ = 0.689), moderate for grade (κ = 0.547), and poor for performance status (κ = 0.110). Thirty-one other variables were poorly captured and could not be statistically compared. Documentation of clinical information within the OIS for HNC patients is routine practice; however, OIS data was less correct and complete than data collected for research purposes. Substandard collection of routine data may hinder advancements in patient care. Improved data entry, integration with clinical activities and workflows, system usability, data dictionaries, and training are necessary for OIS data to generate robust research. Data mining from clinical documents may supplement structured data collection.
A multivariate complexity analysis of the material consumption scheduling problem
Authors: Bentert Matthias , Bredereck Robert , Györgyi Péter , Kaczmarczyk Andrzej , Niedermeier Rolf
Published: January 2023

The NP-hard problem Material Consumption Scheduling and related problems have been thoroughly studied since the 1980’s. Roughly speaking, the problem deals with scheduling jobs that consume non-renewable resources—each job has individual resource demands. The goal is to minimize the makespan. We focus on the single-machine case without preemption: from time to time, the resources of the machine are (partially) replenished, thus allowing for meeting a necessary precondition for processing further jobs. We initiate a systematic exploration of the parameterized computational complexity landscape of Material Consumption Scheduling, providing parameterized tractability as well as intractability results. Doing so, we mainly investigate how parameters related to the resource supplies influence the problem’s computational complexity. This leads to a deepened understanding of this fundamental scheduling problem.
Can “publishing game” pressures affect the research topic choice? A survey of European accounting researchers
Authors: Ramassa Paola , Avallone Francesco , Quagli Alberto
Published: January 2023

This study explores the uninvestigated area of research agenda setting, which has considerable influence on the societal impact of accounting academia, which the paying-off mentality stemming from a “publish or perish” culture risks jeopardizing. More specifically, it investigates the research topic choice of accounting researchers to ascertain whether and how the “publishing game” pressures induced by the governance principles of new public management influence this crucial decision. Survey evidence shows that European accounting researchers choose their research topics by considering (i) explicit research requests, (ii) short-term publishing opportunities, (iii) practical and educational needs, and (iv) the intellectual needs of the academic community. In this respect, researchers seem to form a heterogeneous community that places varying importance on these factors, suggesting different effects of “publishing game” pressures. The three clusters aim at societal impact through diverse avenues, while the probability of rapid publishing seems to be the primary driver of another cluster, thus revealing a substantial risk of goal displacement. This study contributes to the debate on publishing pressures in accounting academia by complementing the contextualized reflections of previous literature with evidence documenting their effects on what (in addition to how) accounting researchers study. These findings have policy and practical implications that can help policymakers, university managers, gatekeepers of the publishing process, and our entire academic community.
EPSILOD: efficient parallel skeleton for generic iterative stencil computations in distributed GPUs
Authors: de Castro Manuel , Santamaria-Valenzuela Inmaculada , Torres Yuri , Gonzalez-Escribano Arturo , Llanos Diego R.
Published: January 2023

Iterative stencil computations are widely used in numerical simulations. They present a high degree of parallelism, high locality and mostly-coalesced memory access patterns. Therefore, GPUs are good candidates to speed up their computation. However, the development of stencil programs that can work with huge grids in distributed systems with multiple GPUs is not straightforward, since it requires solving problems related to the partition of the grid across nodes and devices, and the synchronization and data movement across remote GPUs. In this work, we present EPSILOD, a high-productivity parallel programming skeleton for iterative stencil computations on distributed multi-GPUs, of the same or different vendors that supports any type of n-dimensional geometric stencils of any order. It uses an abstract specification of the stencil pattern (neighbors and weights) to internally derive the data partition, synchronizations and communications. Computation is split to better overlap with communications. This paper describes the underlying architecture of EPSILOD, its main components, and presents an experimental evaluation to show the benefits of our approach, including a comparison with another state-of-the-art solution. The experimental results show that EPSILOD is faster and shows good strong and weak scalability for platforms with both homogeneous and heterogeneous types of GPU.
Influence of dietary Bacillus coagulans and/or Bacillus licheniformis-based probiotics on performance, gut health, gene expression, and litter quality of broiler chickens
Authors: Elleithy Ebtihal M. M. , Bawish Basma M. , Kamel Shaimaa , Ismael Elshaimaa , Bashir Dina W. , Hamza Dalia , Fahmy Khaled Nasr El-din
Published: January 2023

Probiotics are non-pathogenic microorganisms that are potentially important non-antibiotic alternatives. This study aimed to compare novel multi-strain and single-strain Bacillus probiotics and their respective influences on broiler chickens’ performance, gut health, litter quality, immune response, and NBN and TLR gene expression. A total of 1200 Arbor-Acres 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into three treatments (T1 was a control, T2 was supplemented with a combined Bacillus coagulans (2 × 109 cfu/g) and Bacillus licheniformis (8 × 109 cfu/g) probiotic strains (0.2 kg/ton of feed), and T3 was supplemented with Bacillus licheniformis (3.2 × 109 cfu/g) probiotic (0.5 kg/ton of feed) with eight replicas of each. Supplementing the broiler diet with either the single-strain (T3) or the multi-strain (T2) Bacillus-based probiotic raised the overall birds’ body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and European production efficiency factor compared to the control (T1), with a significant enhancement achieved by the multi-strain Bacillus product (P = 0.005). T2 and T3 exhibited significantly improved cholesterol, Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase levels than the control (P ≤ 0.05). The transcript levels of both NBN and TLR genes were upregulated in the liver in the T2 and T3 groups. The T2 group experienced significant reductions in gut bacterial counts, especially for Clostridia, and recorded the lowest litter moisture and nitrogen. In conclusion, supplementing broiler diets with probiotics of multiple Bacillus strains increased production profitability by promoting bird growth, improving feed intake, enhancing gut mucosa and immune organs, and upregulating genes responsible for immunity. All these inhibit the overgrowth of enteric pathogens and sustain litter quality.
Metaldehyde Transport Processes in a Water Abstraction Catchment in Essex, Southeast England
Authors: Balashova Natalia , Hiscock Kevin M. , Reid Brian J. , Ellis Simon , Reynolds Richard
Published: January 2023

This paper addresses the issue of pesticide loss from agriculture and its impact on the aquatic environment. Specifically, this study assesses the transport of the relatively water-soluble polar molluscicide compound metaldehyde in a small (14 km2) water abstraction catchment in Essex, southeast England during a 14-month period (January 2019–February 2020). A rise in metaldehyde concentrations was observed at all monitoring points, to varying extents, in the months of seasonal metaldehyde applications. The highest increases in metaldehyde concentrations (up to 0.05 µg L–1) across the catchment were observed in the autumn months and in December. These findings reinforce the mobile nature of the pesticide, with surface and field drain runoff likely to be the predominant mode of transfer to surface waters. The scale of individual sources of metaldehyde influx to the Ardleigh surface storage reservoir in the catchment showed that the highest contribution to the total flux to the reservoir was from water transferred from the adjacent River Colne catchment. Atmospheric deposition of metaldehyde followed a similar seasonal pattern to that observed in metaldehyde levels in surface water and field drain runoff, and in certain months accounted for a higher input than influx from surface runoff (May, August–October 2019). Monthly values of metaldehyde mass in the reservoir ranged from 27.7 to 47.4 g. An increase in mass was associated with elevated levels of flux from individual sources. Relatively stable levels of metaldehyde total mass in the reservoir are probably due to the aqueous solubility and decreased degradation rates of metaldehyde in the aquatic environment.
Two are better than one: the combinations of Beauveria bassiana, diatomaceous earth, and indoxacarb as effective wheat protectants
Authors: Wakil Waqas , Kavallieratos Nickolas G. , Nika Erifili P. , Ali Abid , Yaseen Taha , Asrar Muhammad
Published: January 2023

The current study evaluates the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), diatomaceous earth (DE) (Protect-It), and the oxadiazine indoxacarb, at single or combined applications on wheat kernels, for the management of the rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae), the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), and the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae). The study was conducted between November 2020 and August 2021 in Faisalabad under a complete randomized block design. The combination of DE + indoxacarb was the most efficient as it caused higher overall mortalities ranging between 59.34 and 100%, and lower overall progeny production ranging between 8.35 and 33.70 individuals per vial, than all other treatments. Beauveria bassiana alone exhibited the lowest mortality rates ranging between 22.33 and 47.76%, and the highest offspring emergence, ranging between 51.33 and 78.55 individuals per vial. Similar pattern was observed when persistence bioassays were conducted. For a period of 120 days, the DE + indoxacarb was the most powerful combination against all tested species, providing overall mortality rates between 17.06 and 63.80%. The overall progeny production was lower for the insect individuals exposed on wheat treated with the DE + indoxacarb combination, ranging between 13.66 and 52.23 individuals per vial, and higher for those exposed to B. bassiana alone, ranging between 44.03 and 107.67 individuals per vial, for the entire duration of storage. However, the efficacy of all treatments decreased gradually during the course of storage. The findings of the current study indicate that the combinations of entomopathogenic fungi, DE, and indoxacarb can be used for the prolonged protection of stored wheat from the tested noxious insect species of stored products. Further research, which will include other inert dusts in combination with entomopathogenic fungi and indoxacarb, may provide additional knowledge towards an effective management of noxious species occurring in storages.
Review on Artificial Intelligence-aided Life Extension Assessment of Offshore Wind Support Structures
Authors: Yeter B. , Garbatov Y. , Soares C. Guedes
Published: January 2023

The primary objective of the present literature review is to provide a constructive and systematical discussion based on the relevant development, unsolved issues, gaps, and misconceptions in the literature regarding the fields of study that are building blocks of artificial intelligence-aided life extension assessment for offshore wind turbine support structures. The present review aims to set up the needed guidelines to develop a multi-disciplinary framework for life extension management and certification of the support structures for offshore wind turbines using artificial intelligence. The main focus of the literature review centres around the intelligent risk-based life extension management of offshore wind turbine support structures. In this regard, big data analytics, advanced signal processing techniques, supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods are discussed within the structural health monitoring and condition-based maintenance planning, the development of digital twins. Furthermore, the present review discusses the critical failure mechanisms affecting the structural condition, such as high-cycle fatigue, low-cycle fatigue, fracture, ultimate strength, and corrosion, considering deterministic and probabilistic approaches.
Peri-osteosarcoma adipose computed tomography attenuation and volume for predicting chemotherapy response in pediatric patients
Authors: Fu Dong
Published: January 2023

Background

The chemosensitivity of osteosarcoma patients to MTX is closely related to prognosis. There is currently a lack of advance prediction methods for MTX sensitivity.

Objective

We proposed novel peri-osteosarcoma fat parameters based on computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the chemotherapy response preoperatively and calculate the correlation between image characteristics and methotrexate (MTX) blood concentration and systemic inflammation.

Materials and methods

Pediatric patients with osteosarcoma (OS) who were treated with high-dose MTX were retrospectively studied and grouped according to postoperative Huvos classification. Clinical data were collected and reviewed. Image characteristics including peri-osteosarcoma fat volume and fat attenuation index were measured using the threshold method based on CT images. Statistical significance, correlation and prediction performance were performed.

Results

Eighteen patients (good response (GR) group/poor response (PR) group: 10/8) was enrolled. MTX peak value at 6 h differed significantly between the two groups which was significantly higher in GR group (745.1 μmol/L vs 529.0 μmol/L p = 0.001). Peri-osteosarcoma fat attenuation index was significantly lower in GR group compared with that in PR group (− 104.90 vs. − 97.19, p < 0.0001). MTX blood concentration at 6 h negatively correlated with peri-osteosarcoma fat attenuation index (R = − 0.519, p = 0.027). In addition, 6 h MTX blood concentration (OR 0.974; 95% CI 0.951–0.998, p = 0.037) and FAI (OR 2.108; 95% CI 1.047–4.243, p = 0.037) were, respectively, independently related to good response to chemotherapy. The prediction performance on chemotherapy response of peri-osteosarcoma fat attenuation index and 6 h MTX blood concentration were both good with the comparable area under the ROC curve (0.950, 95% CI 0.856–1.000 and 0.963, 95% CI 0.878–1.00).

Conclusions

Peri-osteosarcoma fat parameters based on CT were associated with the chemotherapy response and the MTX blood concentration, but not with the systemic inflammation. Combined with the requirement of current clinical practice, peri-osteosarcoma fat parameters may have the potential to be valuable image characteristics for monitoring chemotherapy response in OS pediatric patients.
Examining the Relationship Between Acculturation and Socioeconomic Status and Their Role for the First Generation Polish Immigrants’ Well-Being
Authors: Wilczewska Ina Teresa
Published: January 2023

Studies investigating the relationship between acculturation, socioeconomic status (SES), and well-being in migrant populations have brought discrepant results. This paper offers a possible explanation of such discrepancies by focusing on the relationship between different indicators of acculturation and SES, in addition to their effects on well-being. Language proficiency, length of stay, social contacts, and sense of belonging were the acculturation indicators included in the analysis. SES was measured through subjective financial situation. A proposed path model specified a pattern of direct and indirect relationships between variables. The data was collected from first generation Polish immigrants living in the city of Vienna (N = 307). Both fitted models, of life satisfaction and happiness, achieved a good fit to the data (χ2 (7) = 6.02, p = .537, SRMR = .022; χ2 (7) = 7.45, p = .384, SRMR = .026, respectively). The results demonstrated that SES, measured as subjective economic situation, is at least partially predicted by the two most popular indicators of acculturation: language proficiency and length of stay. Furthermore, both belonging and subjective financial situation were directly and positively associated with immigrants’ well-being. Acculturation, therefore, can be associated with immigrant’s well-being directly as well as indirectly through SES. These findings suggest that distinguishing between different indicators of acculturation is crucial for understanding the complex relationship between acculturation and SES, and that it can be beneficial for future studies to include their mutual relationships in the tested models rather than juxtaposing SES and acculturation while trying to predict well-being.
A debiasing intervention to reduce the causality bias in undergraduates: the role of a bias induction phase
Authors: Martínez Naroa , Rodríguez-Ferreiro Javier , Barberia Itxaso , Matute Helena
Published: January 2023

The causality bias, or causal illusion, occurs when people believe that there is a causal relationship between events that are actually uncorrelated. This bias is associated with many problems in everyday life, including pseudoscience, stereotypes, prejudices, and ideological extremism. Some evidence-based educational interventions have been developed to reduce causal illusions. To the best of our knowledge, these interventions have included a bias induction phase prior to the training phase, but the role of this bias induction phase has not yet been investigated. The aim of the present research was to examine it. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups (induction + training, training, and control, as a function of the phases they received before assessment). We evaluated their causal illusion using a standard contingency judgment task. In a null contingency scenario, the causal illusion was reduced in the training and induction-training groups as compared to the control group, suggesting that the intervention was effective regardless of whether or not the induction phase was included. In addition, in a positive contingency scenario, the induction + training group generated lower causal judgments than the control group, indicating that sometimes the induction phase may produce an increase in general skepticism. The raw data of this experiment are available at the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/k9nes/