bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experienced teachers talking about their mathematics teaching with linguistically disadvantaged learners
Authors: Ingram Jenni , Abbott Ashley , Smith Kyla , Planas Núria , Erath Kirstin
Published: April 2024

Learners of mathematics who are linguistically disadvantaged for a variety of reasons, including impoverished socioeconomic status, continue to be educationally disadvantaged and at considerable risk of school failure and early dropout. This is the case in many parts of the world. While much has been researched on linguistically disadvantaged learners in the fields of sociology and general pedagogy, little is known about the classroom teaching of mathematical content in language-responsive ways for all learners in school. Experienced mathematics teachers draw on a wealth of knowledge of content teaching in language-responsive ways developed through their practices working with linguistically disadvantaged learners in their classrooms. In this paper we report on interviews with some of these experienced mathematics teachers from seven educational contexts focusing on teaching probability in language-responsive ways. We focus on what we can learn from these teachers that could inform our practice as mathematics teacher educators and our research. We identify three challenges and three practices that add nuance and depth to theoretical research findings and recommendations on language in mathematics teaching, which can potentially develop these findings in more practical and accurate ways.
Mg2+ Doped ZCFAO Spinel Ferrite: Structural, Optical, Dielectric and Magnetic Explorations
Authors: Moustafa A. M. , Gad S. A. , Hashem H. M.
Published: April 2024

A series of Mg doped ZCFAO (Zn0.3−xMgxCu0.7Al0.3Fe1.7O4 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) spinel samples were synthesized by solid state reaction method. XRD, was utilized to investigate the structure phase, microstructural characteristics, The optical properties were analyzed; Biological instruments Sp-150 potentiostate is employed to investigate the dielectric measurements in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 1 MHz at various temperatures from 300 to 650 K. Vibrating sample magnetometer VSM was employed to examine the magnetic characteristics in the applied magnetic field ranging from − 20 to 20 kG. The creation of a single-phase cubic spinel was validated by X-ray analysis. The leverage of replacing Zn by Mg leads to enhancement in the lattice parameters, reducing both of the degree of inversion, crystal distortion and compelled these samples to be normal spinel. It turned out that as the degree of inversion sank, the crystallite size declined. The values of dislocations density was found in the order of 10−5 which reveal improving and completing the crystallization of the ferrite samples. The samples have an optical energy gap in the range 3.1–3.38 eV, according to the inferred optical characteristics. The dielectric constant revealed the normal behavior of spinel ferrite it decreases with increasing frequency and enhanced with increasing temperature. It seems that the microstructure of the compound consists of both high-conductive grains and low-conductive grain boundaries, which has been confirmed by the complex impedance. Additionally, the presence of the Maxwell–Wagner relaxation process is also detected. This information can provide valuable insights into the properties and behavior of the compound. Using Nyquist plot, the sample impedance characteristics were interpreted while taking grain and grain boundary contributions into account. The magnetic properties proved that doping ZCFAO with diamagnetic cations (Mg) increases both of saturation magnetization from 16.416 up to 29.983 emu/g and the magnetocrystalline anisotropic constant from 1319.24 to 1612.804 because the two main factors that influence the magnetic properties are the distribution of cations between the octahedral and tetrahedral sites and the magnetic moment of each of its cations. Novelty of our work replacing Zn by Mg (both of them diamagnetic materials) enhance the magnetic properties. Synthesized materials may reexamine the mechanisms underlying Mg2+ induced cationic exchange in ZCFAO and have prospective uses as soft-magnetic materials.
Wigner- and Marchenko–Pastur-Type Limit Theorems for Jacobi Processes
Authors: Auer Martin , Voit Michael , Woerner Jeannette H. C.
Published: April 2024

We study Jacobi processes $$(X_{t})_{t\ge 0}$$

(

X
t

)

t
≥
0

on $$[-1,1]^N$$

[
-
1
,
1
]

N

and $$[1,\infty [^N$$

[
1
,
∞
[

N

which are motivated by the Heckman–Opdam theory and associated integrable particle systems. These processes depend on three positive parameters and degenerate in the freezing limit to solutions of deterministic dynamical systems. In the compact case, these models tend for $$t\rightarrow \infty $$

t
→
∞

to the distributions of the $$\beta $$
β
-Jacobi ensembles and, in the freezing case, to vectors consisting of ordered zeros of one-dimensional Jacobi polynomials. We derive almost sure analogues of Wigner’s semicircle and Marchenko–Pastur limit laws for $$N\rightarrow \infty $$

N
→
∞

for the empirical distributions of the N particles on some local scale. We there allow for arbitrary initial conditions, which enter the limiting distributions via free convolutions. These results generalize corresponding stationary limit results in the compact case for $$\beta $$
β
-Jacobi ensembles and, in the deterministic case, for the empirical distributions of the ordered zeros of Jacobi polynomials. The results are also related to free limit theorems for multivariate Bessel processes, $$\beta $$
β
-Hermite and $$\beta $$
β
-Laguerre ensembles, and the asymptotic empirical distributions of the zeros of Hermite and Laguerre polynomials for $$N\rightarrow \infty $$

N
→
∞

.
Exploring Features That Play a Role in Adolescents’ Science Identity Development
Authors: Ofek-Geva Ella , Fortus David
Published: April 2024

Many studies done in the last three decades show that, beginning with adolescence and sometimes even earlier, many adolescents undergo a process of distancing themselves from science as they age. This longitudinal study attempts to deepen our knowledge and understanding of factors that play a role in early adolescents’ science identity development. For 3 years, we followed nine early adolescents at school, at home, and at their after-school activities, interviewing them 162 times. A thematic analysis of the interviews led to the identification of 32 themes. When comparing these themes across different participants, we identified three motifs that distinguished between the participants. Our findings suggest that (A) having a clear area of interest, not necessarily in science, positively affected the participants’ self-efficacy in science and self-assessment of their ability in science studies; (B) being or not being the eldest child in a family with multiple siblings played a role in the participants’ identity development in relation to science; and (C) the participants who were wholly dependent on their grades as an indication of their ability in science rejected the possibility of a future in science and studied science out of compliance rather than out of any internal motive. The implications of our findings are discussed and offer insights into ways that may nurture the positive science identity development of early adolescents.
Entrepreneurial prototyping: the role of purpose, prototype recycling, and skills bricolage
Authors: Paust Steffen , Korsgaard Steffen , Thrane Claus
Published: April 2024

This paper explores how entrepreneurs engage in prototyping as part of the venture development process. We conduct a qualitative field study of 156 instances of prototyping across eight venture development processes. From a theoretical perspective, we build on alternative and complementary views of entrepreneurial action and their implicit modes of prototyping, emphasizing experimentation and transformation. Our findings identify three important themes in the prototyping process. These include purposes where the entrepreneurs use prototyping for either flexible experimentation or directed transformation. Further, the entrepreneurs predominantly engage in prototype recycling and skills bricolage when prototyping. Accordingly, the studied entrepreneurs carefully navigate purpose and resource investments in prototyping, making extensive use of their existing resource base of skills and prototypes. After noting the positive aspects of prototyping, we also discuss the potentially destructive outcomes of misapplied prototyping in the form of prototyping myopia and problematic path dependencies of the different ways of prototyping.
NaCl elicitation enhances metabolite accumulation and stress resilience in Inula crithmoides L. shoot cultures: implications for its nutritional and medicinal value
Authors: Rodrigues Maria João , Neng Nuno , Custódio Luísa
Published: April 2024

This study explored the impact of sodium chloride (NaCl) elicitation on the accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites and the oxidative stress responses of Inula crithmoides L. (golden samphire) in vitro shoot cultures. Elicitation involved applying different concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100, and 200 mM) for 4 weeks. This was followed by assessing its impact on plant growth, physiological parameters (pigments, hydrogen peroxide content, total soluble sugars and proteins, and proline), and secondary metabolism (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, shikimic acid, phenolics, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acids) in the shoots. The extracts were also analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The NaCl elicitation did not affect shoot growth but increased physiological functions such as photosynthesis and oxidative stress management under moderate salinity levels. In addition, NaCl treatments increased the synthesis of soluble sugars and proteins, particularly proline, as well as bioactive phenolics such as gentisic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, and naringenin-7-O-glucoside. The NaCl elicitation in golden samphire shoot cultures offers a significant method for enhancing the production of important nutritional and bioactive compounds. This underscores the species’ potential for cultivation in saline environments and provides valuable prospects for its utilization in the health and nutrition sectors.
Spatiotemporal use of urban rivers by local bat populations in a large city (Cracow, Southern Poland)
Authors: Kohyt Joanna , Karczmarz Justyna , Pereswiet-Soltan Andrea , Pierzchała Ewa
Published: April 2024

Urban watercourses are an essential part of blue-green infrastructure (BGI) that can mitigate the negative impact of habitat loss resulting from urbanization. Many studies on temperate urban bats activity did not concern its seasonal variations. Our work evaluated the bats’ activity and occurrence in different urban riverside environments throughout the vegetation period. Our results showed that long-range echolocators were represented mainly by Nyctalus noctula. Their activity peak occurred in late summer in open habitats of high anthropogenic pressure levels, and at least part of the population was present year-round in the city. Recently reported from Cracow: Hypsugo savii and Pipistrellus kuhlii were confirmed in the medium-range echolocators. The high occurrence of P. pygmeus with a relatively low P. pipistrellus was noteworthy and is probably a result of the low competitiveness of the latter in the presence of P. kuhlii. Two spring and late summer activity peaks on different rivers suggest different migration corridors from and to hibernacula. However, the autumn activity in the city center may also indicate partial hibernation in the old town. The activity peak of short-range echolocators occurred in spring, as expected - mainly in a narrow riverbed and low anthropogenic pressure environments. However, ambiguous spring and late summer activity in the open with the highest anthropogenic pressure environment may result from the rapidly progressing synurbization of M. daubentonii. Our results indicate the need to monitor the bat adaptation process to the cities in the context of dynamic climatic and environmental changes.
Determination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds in paper recycling grades using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Mofokeng Nondumiso Nomonde , Madikizela Lawrence Mzukisi , Tiggelman Ineke , Sanganyado Edmond , Chimuka Luke
Published: April 2024

Globally, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)–related research on paper products has focused on food packaging with less consideration on the presence of PFAS at different stages of the paper recycling chain. This study analysed the prevalence of PFAS in paper grades used for the manufacture of recycled paperboard. The presence of PFAS was attributed to the use of PFAS-containing additives, consumer usage, exposure to packed goods as well as contamination during mingling, sorting, collection, and recovery of paper recycling material. Q Orbitrap mass spectrometry was used to analyse the paper samples after accelerated solvent extraction and solid phase extraction. The distribution and possible propagation of 22 PFAS were determined in pre-consumer, retail and post-consumer paper products. Post-consumer samples had the highest combined average concentration (ΣPFAS) at 213 ng/g, while the ΣPFAS in retail (159 ng/g) and pre-consumer samples (121 ng/g) was detected at lower concentrations. This study showed that waste collection and recycling protocols may influence PFAS propagation and that measures must be developed to minimise and possibly eliminate exposure opportunities.
Experimental determination of hypoplastic parameters and cyclic numerical analysis for railway bridge backfills
Authors: Stastny A. , Knittel L. , Meier T. , Tschuchnigg F.
Published: April 2024

Long integral bridges experience an enhanced cyclic soil structure interaction with their granular backfills, especially due to seasonal thermal loading. For numerical modelling of this interaction behaviour under cyclic loading, it is important to employ a suitable constitutive model and calibrate it thoroughly. However, up to the present, experimental data and calibrated soil models for this purpose with focus on typical well-graded coarse-grained bridge backfill materials are rarely available in the literature. Therefore, one aim of this paper is to present results of a comprehensive cyclic laboratory testing programme on highly compacted gravel backfill material. Based on this, a hypoplastic constitutive model with intergranular strain extension for small strain and cyclic behaviour is calibrated and evaluated against the experimental test data. The soil model’s abilities and limitations are discussed at element test level. In addition, cyclic FE analyses of an integral bridge are conducted with several hypoplastic parameter sets from the literature and compared to the calibrated gravel backfill material. The investigation highlights that poorly-graded sands show significantly smaller cyclic earth pressures compared to well-graded gravels intended for the backfilling of a bridge. The soil structure interaction behaviour is clearly governed by the general soil model stiffness, including the small strain stiffness.
Plasmonic Sensor System Embedded with Orthogonal Mode Couplers for Simultaneous Monitoring of Temperature and Refractive Index
Authors: Butt Muhammad Ali
Published: April 2024

The significance of plasmonic sensors lies in their ability to enhance sensitivity and precision in detecting minute variations in the refractive index of surrounding media. In this work, a novel plasmonic sensor design utilizing a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide and two circular cavities is presented, specifically tailored for refractive index and temperature sensing applications. Each cavity serves as an individual and autonomous sensing unit. Tailored for temperature sensing, a designated cavity is filled with polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), while a separate cavity is exclusively allocated for biosensing and contains a liquid with distinct refractive indices. This dual-cavity system allows for precise and specialized sensing functionalities, ensuring accurate measurements and diverse applications. Furthermore, this work integrates orthogonal mode couplers into the plasmonic device, providing an essential capability to seamlessly transform the dielectric mode into a plasmonic mode and vice versa. The device exhibits a refractive index sensitivity of 737.71 nm/RIU and a temperature sensitivity of − 0.336 nm/°C. Additionally, its Q-factor is determined at 20.5 for the refractive index sensing module and 16.5 for the temperature sensing module.
Anatomical assessment of local recurrence site in breast cancer patients after breast reconstruction and post-mastectomy radiotherapy: implications for radiation volumes and techniques
Authors: Salvestrini Viola , Valzano Marianna , Meattini Icro , Becherini Carlotta , Visani Luca , Francolini Giulio , Morelli Ilaria , Bertini Niccolò , Orzalesi Lorenzo , Bernini Marco , Bianchi Simonetta , Simontacchi Gabriele , Livi Lorenzo , Desideri Isacco
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) improves local control rates and survival in patients with adverse prognostic features. The dose coverage to target volumes is critical to yield maximum benefit to treated patients, increasing local control and reducing risk of toxicity. This study aims to assess patterns of breast cancer relapse in patients treated with mastectomy, breast reconstruction and PMRT.

Methods

Breast cancer patients treated with PMRT between 1992 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and pathological characteristics of patients were collected. Recurrences were defined as “in field,” “marginal” or “out of field.” Survival analyses were performed in relation to progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Correlation between baseline features was explored.

Results

Data of 140 patients are collected. After a median follow-up time of 72 months, median PFS and OS of 63 and 74 months were detected, respectively. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, lympho-vascular space invasion (LVI) and size of primary tumor were all significantly associated with worst PFS and OS. Ten patients developed local recurrence: 30% "in field," 30% marginal recurrences, 20% "out of field" and 20% both “in field” and “out of field.” No recurrence was detected under the expander, 80% above the device and 20% patients relapsed on IMN chain. The mean distant relapse-free survival was 39 months. Overall, 39 of 140 patients developed distant metastases.

Conclusions

The onset of local–regional relapses occurred mainly above the expander/prosthesis, underlying the importance of inclusion of the subcutaneous tissues within the target volume. In order to refine new contouring recommendations for PMRT and breast reconstruction, future prospective studies are needed.
Ost- und Westdeutsche für immer? Zu Wahrnehmungen von Unterschieden und Konflikten zwischen Ost- und Westdeutschen
Authors: Mau Steffen , Lux Thomas , Heide Julian
Published: April 2024

Die Unterschiede und Ungleichheiten zwischen Ost- und Westdeutschland wurden nach der Deutschen Einheit als Übergangsstadium verstanden; insbesondere Mentalitätsunterschiede sollten sich im Laufe der Jahre angleichen. Der Beitrag analysiert, wie Ost- und Westdeutsche das Verhältnis zueinander wahrnehmen und inwiefern sich hier Kohortenunterschiede zeigen. Konzeptionell unterscheiden wir drei zentrale Hypothesen, die jeweils eigene empirische Muster nahelegen. Die Sozialisationshypothese geht davon aus, dass es durch die deutsche Teilung einerseits, aber auch durch das Aufwachsen im Staatssozialismus und die Transformationserfahrungen in Ostdeutschland andererseits wahrnehmungsprägende Erfahrungen gibt, die allerdings für nachfolgende Kohorten an Relevanz verlieren. Die Othering-Hypothese besagt, dass sich Ost-West-Differenzen durch Reaktanz auf die (auch diskursive) Dominanz der westdeutschen Mehrheitsgesellschaft immer wieder erneuern und somit für alle Altersgruppen in Ost und West salient bleiben. Die These ostdeutscher Persistenz und Verhärtung schließlich vermutet, dass es nicht zwingend darauf ankommt, selbst in der DDR gelebt zu haben, sondern dass ein ostdeutsches Narrativ in Familien und sozialen Netzwerken weitergegeben wird. Die Salienz des Themas sollte demnach vor allem im Osten nach wie vor hoch sein. Mit neuen Daten aus dem Jahr 2022 können wir zeigen, dass die deutsch-deutschen Trennlinien in der Kohortenfolge unter jungen Westdeutschen verblassen, bei den jungen Ostdeutschen dagegen ein Fortwirken von Unterschieds- und Konfliktwahrnehmungen erkennbar ist. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf die These der ostdeutschen Persistenz und Verhärtung hin, wohingegen für die Westdeutschen die Sozialisationshypothese plausibel erscheint.
How do we reinforce climate action?
Authors: Zhao Jiaying , Radke Jade , Chen Frances S. , Sachdeva Sonya , Gershman Samuel J. , Luo Yu
Published: April 2024

Humanity has a shrinking window to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, yet climate action is still lacking on both individual and policy levels. We argue that this is because behavioral interventions have largely neglected the basic principles of operant conditioning as one set of tools to promote collective climate action. In this perspective, we propose an operant conditioning framework that uses rewards and punishments to shape transportation, food, waste, housing, and civic actions. This framework highlights the value of reinforcement in encouraging the switch to low-emission behavior, while also considering the benefit of decreasing high-emission behavior to expedite the transition. This approach also helps explain positive and negative spillovers from behavioral interventions. This paper provides a recipe to design individual-level and system-level interventions to generate and sustain low-emission behavior to help achieve net zero emissions.
Management of acute exacerbations of COPD in the emergency department and its associations with clinical variables
Authors: Freund Ophir , Melloul Ariel , Fried Sabrina , Kleinhendler Eyal , Unterman Avraham , Gershman Evgeni , Elis Avishay , Bar-Shai Amir
Published: April 2024

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a common cause for emergency department (ED) visits. Still, large scale studies that assess the management of AECOPD in the ED are limited. Our aim was to evaluate treatment characteristics of AE-COPD in the ED on a national scale. A prospective study as part of the COPD Israeli survey, conducted between 2017 and 2019, in 13 medical centers. Patients hospitalized with AECOPD were included and interviewed. Clinical data related to their ED and hospital stay were collected. 344 patients were included, 38% females, mean age of 70 ± 11 years. Median (IQR) time to first ED treatment was 59 (23–125) minutes and to admission 293 (173–490) minutes. Delayed ED treatment (> 1 h) was associated with older age (p = 0.01) and lack of a coded diagnosis of COPD in hospital records (p = 0.01). Long ED length-of-stay (> 5 h) was linked with longer hospitalizations (p = 0.01). Routine ED care included inhalations of short-acting bronchodilators (246 patients, 72%) and systemic steroids (188 patients, 55%). Receiving routine ED care was associated with its continuation during hospitalization (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, predictors for patients not receiving routine care were obesity (adjusted odds ratio 0.5, 95% CI 0.3–0.8, p = 0.01) and fever (AOR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1–0.6, p < 0.01), while oxygen saturation < 91% was an independent predictor for ED routine treatment (AOR 3.6, 95% CI 2.1–6.3, p < 0.01). Our findings highlight gaps in the treatment of AECOPD in the ED on a national scale, with specific predictors for their occurrence.
Metaverse in Mental Health: The Beginning of a Long History
Authors: Cerasa Antonio , Gaggioli Andrea , Pioggia Giovanni , Riva Giuseppe
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

We review the first pilot studies applying metaverse-related technologies in psychiatric patients and discuss the rationale for using this complex federation of technologies to treat mental diseases. Concerning previous virtual-reality applications in medical care, metaverse technologies provide the unique opportunity to define, control, and shape virtual scenarios shared by multi-users to exploit the “synchronized brains” potential exacerbated by social interactions.

Recent Findings

The application of an avatar-based sexual therapy program conducted on a metaverse platform has been demonstrated to be more effective concerning traditional sexual coaching for treating female orgasm disorders. Again, a metaverse-based social skills training program has been tested on children with autism spectrum disorders, demonstrating a significant impact on social interaction abilities.

Metaverse-related technologies could enable us to develop new reliable approaches for treating diseases where behavioral symptoms can be addressed using socio-attentive tasks and social-interaction strategies.
Employee Grievance Redressal and Corporate Ethics: Lessons from the Boeing 737-MAX Crashes
Authors: Chary Shreesh
Published: April 2024

Two Boeing 737-MAX passenger planes crashed in October 2018 and March 2019, suspending all 737-MAX aircraft. The crashes put Boeing’s corporate practices and culture under the spotlight. The main objective of this paper is to use the case of Boeing to highlight the importance of efficient employee grievance redressal mechanisms and an independent external regulator. The methodology adopted is a qualitative analysis of statements of various whistleblowers and Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stakeholders. It suggests that employee feedback flowing up the chain of command should be more flexible and dealt with more seriousness. It recommends that companies adopt a cooling-off period or a lifetime restriction for employees who have gone through the revolving door between regulators and the industry. The Boeing 737-MAX case, which emphasizes the ethical obligations of the job, can offer value to engineers, engineering educators, managers, ombudsmen, and human resource professionals.
Representation Gap in Standardized Affective Stimuli Sets: A Systematic Literature Review of Visual Sexual Stimuli
Authors: Prantner Sabine , Giménez-García Cristina , Espino-Payá Alejandro , Ballester-Arnal Rafael , Pastor M. Carmen
Published: April 2024

Visual sexual stimuli (VSS) are often used to induce affective responses in experimental research, but can also be useful in the assessment and treatment of sexual disorders (e.g., sexual arousal dysfunctions, paraphilic disorders, compulsive sexual behaviors). This systematic literature review of standardized sets containing VSS was conducted by searching electronic databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) from January 1999 to December 2022 for specific keywords [("picture set" OR "picture database" OR "video set" OR "video database" OR "visual set" OR "visual database") AND ("erotic stimuli" OR "sexual stimuli" OR "explicit erotic stimuli" OR "explicit sexual stimuli")]. Selected sets were narratively summarized according to VSS (modality, duration, explicitness, shown sexes, sexual practices, physical properties, emotion models, affective ratings) and participants’ characteristics (gender, sexual orientation and sexual preferences, cultural and ethnic diversity). Among the 20 sets included, researchers can select from ~ 1,390 VSS (85.6% images, 14.4% videos). Most sets contain VSS of opposite- and some of same-sex couples, but rarely display diverse sexual practices. Although sexual orientation and preferences strongly influence the evaluation of VSS, little consideration of both factors has been given. There was little representation of historically underrepresented cultural and ethnic groups. Therefore, our review suggests limitations and room for improvement related to the representation of gender, sexual orientation, sexual preferences, and especially cultural and ethnic diversity. Perceived shortcomings in experimental research using VSS are highlighted, and recommendations are discussed for representative stimuli for conducting and evaluating sexual affective responses in laboratory and clinical contexts while increasing the replicability of such findings.
Stream of Consciousness: Some Propositions and Reflections
Authors: Royle Nicholas
Published: April 2024

This short communication explores the idea of “stream of consciousness” and considers some of the ways in which scientific writing relies – even or perhaps especially insofar as it does not signal this fact – on the resources of literary language and literary thinking. Particular attention is given to notions of literal and figurative or metaphorical language, including “hydrological” and “ontic” metaphor. A crucial figure is simile (the “like”), discussed here in relation to the Thomas Nagel’s “What is it Like to Be a Bat?”, Todd Feinberg and Jon Mallatt’s Consciousness Demystified, and Anil Seth’s Being You: A New Science of Consciousness. Neuroethics cannot restrict itself to the domain of technology and the human. The deconstruction of anthropocentrism, already underway in literary modernism, calls for responsibility in relation to non-human as well as human life-forms. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway provides rich and multifarious resources for exploring these issues. Woolf’s novel is considered as a kind of literary water music, in which sense and feeling is not limited to the human, and distinctions between consciousness and the environment are susceptible to dissolution. Woolf’s work is concerned with a conception of stream of consciousness as telepathic fluidity, as “merging minds” but without restitution of the individual or collective.
Comparison of Outcomes Between Robot-Assisted Language Learning System and Human Tutors: Focusing on Speaking Ability
Authors: Iio Takamasa , Yoshikawa Yuichiro , Ogawa Kohei , Ishiguro Hiroshi
Published: April 2024

This study explores how much current mainstream Robot-Assisted Language Learning (RALL) systems produce outcomes compared to human tutors instructing a typical English conversation lesson. To this end, an experiment was conducted with 26 participants divided in RALL (14 participants) and human tutor (12 participants) groups. All participants took a pre-test on the first day, followed by 30 min of study per day for 7 days, and 3 post-tests on the last day. The test results indicated that the RALL group considerably improved lexical/grammatical error rates and fluency of speech compared to that for the human tutor group. The other characteristics, such as rhythm, pronunciation, complexity, and task achievement of speech did not indicate any differences between the groups. The results suggested that exercises with the RALL system enabled participants to commit the learned expressions to memory, whereas those with human tutors emphasized on communication with the participants. This study demonstrated the benefits of using RALL systems that can work well in lessons that human tutors find hard to teach.
When standard DNA barcodes do not work for species identification: intermixed mitochondrial haplotypes in the Jaera albifrons complex (Crustacea: Isopoda)
Authors: Nymoen August Rustad , Kongsrud Jon Anders , Willassen Endre , Bakken Torkild
Published: April 2024

Here, we characterise the standard “Folmer region” of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) marker and a fragment of nuclear 28S marker in four species of the Jaera albifrons complex. Jaera albifrons (Leach, 1814), Jaera ischiosetosa Forsman, 1949, Jaera praehirsuta Forsman, 1949, and Jaera forsmani Bocquet, 1950 were collected from localities on the Norwegian coast and identified with morphological characters. We compared DNA sequences with sequences available in GenBank and BOLDsystems and calculated haplotype networks and interspecific versus intraspecific genetic distances. These analyses revealed low interspecific genetic distance (CO1 0.00–1.57%, 28S 0.00–0.39%) and extensive haplotype sharing between J. albifrons group species and specimens from both sides of the North Atlantic for both CO1 and 28S. Genetic distances between J. albifrons group species and other Jaera species, however, exceeded 29% for both CO1 and 28S, with no haplotype sharing. These assessments, together with taxonomically unconstrained analyses with software ABGD and ASAP, show that these markers are unable to distinguish between the J. albifrons group of morphospecies. The sequences do, however, clearly identify J. albifrons species complex from other Jaera species. Thus, a likely hypothesis is that taxa in this complex represent a single species. Our results corroborate previous finds where discordance between mitochondrial gene clusters, AFLP, and other data highlights the potential conflict between different “species criteria” and the well-established distinction between gene trees and species trees. In operational terms, common protocols for metabarcoding will potentially underestimate sympatric species diversity with cases like the J. albifrons complex, if the members of this complex indeed represent different species.
Sexual Stigma and Mental Health of LGB Older Adults: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Ribeiro-Gonçalves José Alberto , Jesus Joana Correia , Costa Pedro Alexandre , Leal Isabel
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Studies that examine the mental health of gay, lesbian, and bisexual (LGB) older adults have increased significantly over the last two decades, evidencing sexual stigma as one of the main factors associated with poorer mental health in this population. However, scientific evidence linking mental health and sexual stigma in older adults has not been systematically reviewed.

Methods

We conducted a systematic scoping review investigating the relationships between sexual stigma and mental health in LGB older adults aged 60 and over. EBSCO Host, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Scielo were used to search for peer reviewed studies following PRISMA guidelines and 17 studies were included. The research covered studies between 2000 and 2020 and data collection was carried out between 2020 and 2021.

Results

Sexual stigma showed a strong relationship with mental health in LGB older adults, being mainly associated with worse mental health outcomes, such as anxious and depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and substance abuse. Hypervigilance, invisibility, feeling socially rejected, concealment of sexual orientation, and internal conflicts were suggested among the main mediator/moderator factors between sexual stigma(s) and the older LGB mental health indicators. The findings suggest that sexual stigma affects older LGB people throughout their life course cumulatively, by decreasing their quality of life and access to health care. Yet, LGB older adults have developed resilience and adaptive strategies to manage sexual stigma.

Conclusions and Policy Implications

Sexual stigma has a significant relationship with worse levels of mental health in LGB older adults, affecting their well-being. It is important that future studies address oldest old LGB individuals (e.g., aged 80 or over), particularly evaluating how they manage sexual stigma. Further, there is an urgent need for research that evaluates the positive determinants of mental health in LGB older adults, such as well-being and successful aging, as well the role of the internet and social media in stigmatizing older LGB people.
Dynamic identification methods and artificial intelligence algorithms for damage detection of masonry infills
Authors: De Angelis Alessandra , Bilotta Antonio , Pecce Maria Rosaria , Pollastro Andrea , Prevete Roberto
Published: April 2024

The failure of non-structural components after an earthquake is among the most expensive earthquake-incurred damage, and may also have life-threatening consequences, especially in public buildings with very crowded facilities, because exposition is high and the risk increases accordingly. The assessment of existing non-structural components is particularly complex because in-depth in situ investigation is necessary to detect the presence of deficiencies or damage. This problem concerns interior and exterior partitions made of various materials (e.g., glass and masonry), as well as equipment and facilities in construction (building, industry, and infrastructure). Defining the boundary conditions of these components is of paramount importance. Indeed, external restraints (i) affect dynamic properties and, thus, the action experienced during an earthquake, and (ii) influence the capacity to detach the component before failure from the bearing structure (e.g., an infill wall connected to the main structural frame, or equipment connected to secondary structural members such as floors). The authors, therefore, conducted environmental vibration tests of an infill wall and refined a finite element model to simulate typical damage scenarios to be implemented on the wall. Selected damage scenarios were then artificially realized on the existing infill and further ambient vibration tests were performed to measure the accelerations for each of them. Finally, the authors used these accelerations to detect the damage by means of established OMA, as well as innovative machine learning techniques. The results showed that convolutional variational autoencoders (CVAE), coupled with a one-class support vector machine (OC-SVM), identified the anomaly even when the OMA exhibited limited effectiveness. Moreover, the machine learning procedure minimizes human interaction during the damage detection process.
Compressive sensing-based construction of high-resolution mode shapes for updating bridge boundary constraints
Authors: He Yi , Li Zhipeng , Yang Judy P.
Published: April 2024

In this study, a method of finite element model updating is proposed to quantitatively identify bridge boundary constraints using the high-resolution mode shapes of a bridge. The high-resolution mode shapes are first identified from the responses measured by few randomly distributed sensors using the compressive sensing theory, which is innovatively implemented in the spatial domain with a proposed basis matrix. To speed up finite element updating, the frequency and modal assurance criterion Kriging models are then established to approximate the implicit relation between boundary constraints and bridge modal parameters including frequencies and mode shapes, serving as surrogate models for the bridge finite element model. By adopting the surrogate models in finite element updating, the objective functions of frequencies and mode shape indicators are optimized by a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The numerical examples as well as an actual laboratory experiment have shown that the mode shapes and boundary constraints of a bridge can be identified precisely and efficiently by the proposed method, even for a continuous and variable cross-sectional bridge.
Structural health monitoring of an onshore steel wind turbine
Authors: Simoncelli Marco , Zucca Marco , Ghilardi Matteo
Published: April 2024

The study presents the development of a structural monitoring system installed in a 45-m-high steel wind tower located in Italy. The installed monitoring system was composed by 16 strain gauges placed in the tower wall, in a pattern of four Wheatstone bridges at 45°, together with thermal couples, at 21 m from the ground (half-height of the tower). Moreover, several accelerometers were placed along the tower height (with one of them located next to the strain gauges). The wind velocity and directions were obtained directly from the turbine own monitoring system. Such a monitoring system was designed because, due to the decrement of the total height from the original design, the tower suffers from resonance problems. In fact, the investigated tower was originally designed with 65 m of height but then, to comply with local regulations, the height was decreased to the actual size. Therefore, to allow safe operation and avoid excessive fatigue due to the increased displacements, the velocity of the rotor has been manually limited causing an important reduction in the energy production. The results of the study show the importance of monitoring the resonance issue. The differences between the damage indexes obtained with two different working conditions are discussed: tower working with limited operational capacity and tower working at its maximum capacity (in resonance).
Unrestricted Learning Opportunities for Trainees in Behavior Analysis: A Survey of Current Practices
Authors: Liddon Clare J. , Crandall Madison , Weston Regan
Published: April 2024

Individuals seeking certification as a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) must meet certain eligibility requirements. In addition to passing the BCBA examination, such requirements include completion of a master’s degree, behavior-analytic coursework, and supervised practical fieldwork. In accruing fieldwork hours, trainees must be provided with the opportunity to complete unrestricted activities. The BACB defines unrestricted activities as “. . . those that are most likely to be performed by a BCBA,” and requires that 60% of fieldwork hours are comprised of these activities (BACB, 2022b). Fieldwork hours may be accrued across a number of different host sites (e.g., hospital units, schools, community locations), with each host site having different day-to-day responsibilities affecting how these opportunities are provided. Therefore, exploration of the provision of these opportunities and the barriers to providing these opportunities is warranted. The current study sought to determine the current practices involved in provision of opportunities to gain fieldwork experience hours towards BCBA certification; in particular, practices related to unrestricted fieldwork activities. Results indicate that, although unrestricted learning opportunities are often provided to trainees, contingencies present within the day-to-day operations of a clinical environment can be hampering. A discussion of the implications of these barriers and potential solutions are included.
Multifunctional MOF@COF Nanoparticles Mediated Perovskite Films Management Toward Sustainable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Dong Yayu , Zhang Jian , Zhang Hongyu , Wang Wei , Hu Boyuan , Xia Debin , Lin Kaifeng , Geng Lin , Yang Yulin
Published: April 2024

Although covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with high π-conjugation have recently exhibited great prospects in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), their further application in PSCs is still hindered by face-to-face stacking and aggregation issues. Herein, metal–organic framework (MOF-808) is selected as an ideal platform for the in situ homogeneous growth of a COF to construct a core–shell MOF@COF nanoparticle, which could effectively inhibit COF stacking and aggregation. The synergistic intrinsic mechanisms induced by the MOF@COF nanoparticles for reinforcing intrinsic stability and mitigating lead leakage in PSCs have been explored. The complementary utilization of π-conjugated skeletons and nanopores could optimize the crystallization of large-grained perovskite films and eliminate defects. The resulting PSCs achieve an impressive power conversion efficiency of 23.61% with superior open circuit voltage (1.20 V) and maintained approximately 90% of the original power conversion efficiency after 2000 h (30–50% RH and 25–30 °C). Benefiting from the synergistic effects of the in situ chemical fixation and adsorption abilities of the MOF@COF nanoparticles, the amount of lead leakage from unpackaged PSCs soaked in water (< 5 ppm) satisfies the laboratory assessment required for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Regulation.
Mechanical properties of lightweight 3D-printed structures made with carbon-filled nylon
Authors: Spina Roberto , Morfini Luigi , Galantucci Luigi M.
Published: April 2024

Material extrusion additive manufacturing is a widely used 3D-printing process involving depositing molten thermoplastic materials layer by layer to create a 3D object. Combining material extrusion with composites creates strong, lightweight, and functional parts with unique properties. This study uses chopped carbon fiber reinforcement to investigate polyamide's thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties. The study includes an analysis of the material's thermal properties via differential scanning calorimetry and its flow behavior via rotational rheometry. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of carbon-filled nylon PA material's economic and mechanical properties, which will help optimize its performance for various applications. Tensile and flexural tests were used to appraise the material's strength and stiffness under different loading conditions. A cost analysis was performed to compute the specimen cost as a function of orientation and infill density. The aim was to understand how the type and strategy of infill design impact the material's mechanical properties, helping optimize the performance of components and evaluating its cost.
Transnational Health and Self-care Experiences of Japanese Women who have taken Oral Contraceptives in South Korea, including Over-the-counter Access: Insights from Semi-structured Interviews
Authors: Kang Seongeun , Kato Kazuto
Published: April 2024

In an increasingly globalized world, the accessibility of healthcare and medication has expanded beyond local healthcare systems and national borders. This study aims to investigate the transnational health and self-care experiences of 11 Japanese women who have resided in South Korea for a minimum of six months and have utilized oral contraceptives, including those that were acquired over-the-counter (OTC). Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by utilizing the NVivo software. The analysis yielded three significant thematic categories, namely (1) experiences and perceptions of obtaining and utilizing contraceptive pills, including OTC access; (2) individual and social perceptions of pills and their accessibility in Japan, insights from actual users; and (3) enhancing pill accessibility, transnational health and self-care experiences and perspectives. Participants acknowledged that oral contraceptives are a global product and experienced communication challenges with healthcare providers as a result of differing understandings of these medications. Additionally, this study identified transnational strategies, such as purchasing an adequate supply of pills just before departure and seeking pills from local families or acquaintances. This study not only highlights the implications of clinical care for transnational patients but also underscores their critical global perspectives on access to oral contraceptives. Furthermore, it proposes two models for improving accessibility within the Japanese healthcare system, even in prescription-only contexts, by introducing OTC options.