bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MRI-derived cardiac washout is slowed in the left ventricle and associated with left ventricular non-compaction in young patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke
Authors: Lehmonen Lauri , Putaala Jukka , Pöyhönen Pauli , Kuusisto Jouni , Pirinen Jani , Sinisalo Juha , Järvinen Vesa
Published: May 2022

To elucidate underlying disease mechanisms, we compared transition of gadolinium-based contrast agent bolus in cardiac chambers in magnetic resonance imaging between young patents with cryptogenic ischemic stroke and stroke-free controls. We included 30 patients aged 18–50 years with cryptogenic ischemic stroke from the prospective Searching for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young: Revealing the Etiology, Triggers and Outcome (NCT01934725) study and 30 age- and gender-matched stroke-free controls. Dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted first-pass perfusion images were acquired at 1.5 T and analyzed for transit time variables, area under curves, relative blood flow, and maximum and minimum enhancement rates in left atrial appendage, left atrium, and left ventricle. These data were compared with previously published left ventricular non-compaction data of the same study population. Arrival time of contrast agent bolus in superior vena cava was similar in patients and controls (6.7[2.0] vs. 7.1[2.5] cardiac cycles, P = 0.626). Arrival and peak times showed comparable characteristics in patients and controls (P > 0.535). The minimum enhancement rate of the left ventricle was lower in patients than in controls (− 28 ± 11 vs. − 36 ± 13 1/(cardiac cycle), P = 0.012). Area under curves, relative blood flow, and other enhancement rates showed no significant differences between patients and controls (P > 0.107). Relative blood flow of cardiac chambers correlated with non-compacted left ventricular volume ratio (P < 0.011). Our results indicate slower washout of contrast agent and blood flow stagnation in the left ventricle of young patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke. The washout was associated with left ventricular non-compaction, suggesting conditions favoring formation of intraventricular thrombosis.
Quality gatekeepers: investigating the effects of code review bots on pull request activities
Authors: Wessel Mairieli , Serebrenik Alexander , Wiese Igor , Steinmacher Igor , Gerosa Marco A.
Published: May 2022

Software bots have been facilitating several development activities in Open Source Software (OSS) projects, including code review. However, these bots may bring unexpected impacts to group dynamics, as frequently occurs with new technology adoption. Understanding and anticipating such effects is important for planning and management. To analyze these effects, we investigate how several activity indicators change after the adoption of a code review bot. We employed a regression discontinuity design on 1,194 software projects from GitHub. We also interviewed 12 practitioners, including open-source maintainers and contributors. Our results indicate that the adoption of code review bots increases the number of monthly merged pull requests, decreases monthly non-merged pull requests, and decreases communication among developers. From the developers’ perspective, these effects are explained by the transparency and confidence the bot comments introduce, in addition to the changes in the discussion focused on pull requests. Practitioners and maintainers may leverage our results to understand, or even predict, bot effects on their projects.
Practitioners’ best practices to Adopt, Use or Abandon Model-based Testing with Graphical models for Software-intensive Systems
Authors: Alégroth Emil , Karl Kristian , Rosshagen Helena , Helmfridsson Tomas , Olsson Nils
Published: May 2022

Model-based testing (MBT) has been extensively researched for software-intensive systems but, despite the academic interest, adoption of the technique in industry has been sparse. This phenomenon has been observed by our industrial partners for MBT with graphical models. They perceive one cause to be a lack of evidence-based MBT guidelines that, in addition to technical guidelines, also take non-technical aspects into account. This hypothesis is supported by a lack of such guidelines in the literature.

Objective: The objective of this study is to elicit, and synthesize, MBT experts’ best practices for MBT with graphical models. The results aim to give guidance to practitioners and aspire to give researchers new insights to inspire future research.

Method: An interview survey is conducted using deep, semi-structured, interviews with an international sample of 17 MBT experts, in different roles, from software industry. Interview results are synthesised through semantic equivalence analysis and verified by MBT experts from industrial practice.

Results: 13 synthesised conclusions are drawn from which 23 best-practice guidelines are derived for the adoption, use and abandonment of the technique. In addition, observations and expert insights are discussed that help explain the lack of wide-spread adoption of MBT with graphical models in industrial practice.

Conclusions: Several technical aspects of MBT are covered by the results as well as conclusions that cover process- and organizational factors. These factors relate to the mindset, knowledge, organization, mandate and resources that enable the technique to be used effectively within an organization. The guidelines presented in this work complement existing knowledge and, as a primary objective, provide guidance for industrial practitioners to better succeed with MBT with graphical models.
Harnessing the Potential of Google Searches for Understanding Dynamics of Intimate Partner Violence Before and After the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Köksal Selin , Pesando Luca Maria , Rotondi Valentina , Şanlıtürk Ebru
Published: May 2022

Most social phenomena are inherently complex and hard to measure, often due to under-reporting, stigma, social desirability bias, and rapidly changing external circumstances. This is for instance the case of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), a highly-prevalent social phenomenon which has drastically risen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper explores whether big data—an increasingly common tool to track, nowcast, and forecast social phenomena in close-to-real time—might help track and understand IPV dynamics. We leverage online data from Google Trends to explore whether online searches might help reach “hard-to-reach” populations such as victims of IPV using Italy as a case-study. We ask the following questions: Can digital traces help predict instances of IPV—both potential threat and actual violent cases—in Italy? Is their predictive power weaker or stronger in the aftermath of crises such as COVID-19? Our results suggest that online searches using selected keywords measuring different facets of IPV are a powerful tool to track potential threats of IPV before and during global-level crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, with stronger predictive power post outbreaks. Conversely, online searches help predict actual violence only in post-outbreak scenarios. Our findings, validated by a Facebook survey, also highlight the important role that socioeconomic status (SES) plays in shaping online search behavior, thus shedding new light on the role played by third-level digital divides in determining the predictive power of digital traces. More specifically, they suggest that forecasting might be more reliable among high-SES population strata.
Stability of black holes with non-minimally coupled scalar hair to the Einstein tensor
Authors: Chatzifotis Nikos , Vlachos Christoforos , Destounis Kyriakos , Papantonopoulos Eleftherios
Published: May 2022

General relativity admits a plethora of exact compact object solutions. The augmentation of Einstein’s action with non-minimal coupling terms leads to modified theories with rich structure, which, in turn, provide non-trivial solutions with intriguing phenomenology. Thus, assessing their viability under generic fluctuations is of utmost importance for gravity theories. We consider static and spherically-symmetric solutions of a Horndeski subclass which includes a massless scalar field non-minimally coupled to the Einstein tensor. Such theory possesses second-order field equations and admits an exact black hole solution with scalar hair. Here, we study the stability of such solution under axial gravitational perturbations and find that it is linearly stable. The qualitative features of the ringdown waveform depend solely on the ratio of the two available parameters of spacetime, namely the black hole mass m and the non-minimal coupling strength $$\ell _\eta $$

ℓ
η

. Finally, we demonstrate the gravitational-wave ringdown transitions between three distinct patterns as the ratio $$m/\ell _\eta $$

m
/

ℓ
η

increases; a state which is dominated by photon-sphere excitations and maintains a typical quasinormal ringdown, an intermediate long-lived state which exhibits gravitational-wave echoes and, finally, a state where the ringdown and echoes are depleted rapidly to turn to an exponential tail.
The Working Mechanisms of Parental Involvement in Interventions for Children with Chronic Illness
Authors: Willemen Agnes M. , Kuzminskaite Erika , Maurice-Stam Heleen , Grootenhuis Martha A. , Last Bob F. , Schuengel Carlo , Scholten Linde
Published: May 2022

Children with chronic illness (CI) are at risk for internalizing problems, which reduce their quality of life, hamper treatment, and increase family stress. Accordingly, behavioral interventions are provided at the family level. However, the effects of parental involvement on child outcomes are not consistently beneficial. Therefore, it is relevant to study the working mechanisms. In the present study, we tested child coping and parenting stress as underlying mechanisms of the effect of an intervention for children and an additional group intervention for parents. Data were analyzed from a randomized controlled trial. Families of children with chronic illness (N = 120, child M age = 12.11 years, range 7.98–18.07) participated in a cognitive-behavioral-based group intervention and were randomized in the child-only intervention or parent–child intervention. Primary outcomes were parent- and child-reported internalizing problems, whereas the mediators were the use of child active coping skills and parenting stress. The causal model was tested with multilevel mediation analysis. Active coping skills and parenting stress stood out as significant mediators of the effect of the intervention on parent- and child-reported internalizing behavior (Cohen’s d effect size range 0.29–1.57). When parents were involved in the intervention, children increased their use of active coping skills and parents decreased in parenting stress, which in turn improved child internalizing problems. Knowing that coping skills and parenting stress underlie the benefit of involving parents can be used for optimizing interventions for children with CI and addressing the risk of internalizing problems.
Ear recognition with ensemble classifiers; A deep learning approach
Authors: Sharkas Maha
Published: May 2022

Biometrics has emerged as a major domain for security systems. Ear as a biometric has many distinctive features which makes it promising for personal identification systems. In this paper, two tracks for classification of ear images are implemented and tested. The first employs a classical machine learning technique based on extracting features from the discrete curvelet transform and passing the extracted features to a classifier. Image preprocessing is needed for enhancement and segmentation. Ear region is first selected from the background then the curvelet transform via wrapping is applied on the segmented ear images. Different levels are investigated. The coarse image is divided into blocks and the mean, variance and entropy are calculated for each block and concatenated with the same calculated statistical features from the subimages at different levels forming the feature vector. The feature vector is passed to a classifier for ear recognition and the only classifier that provided comparative results was the ensemble classifiers. In the second track, deep learning methods are employed. Different end-to-end networks are used for classifying ear images. Features are then extracted from each network and fed to a shallow classifier for ear classification. Principal component analysis is used for feature reduction. Different classifiers are again investigated and the only classifiers which succeeded to give superior results are the Ensemble classifiers. The achieved classification rate showed improved results compared to the published methods that proves the superiority of the Ensemble classifiers for correctly classifying ear images.
Responses of Rice Seed Quality to Large-Scale Atmospheric Nonthermal Plasmas
Authors: Rongsangchaicharean Thunyapuk , Srisonphan Siwapon , Onwimol Damrongvudhi
Published: May 2022

Atmospheric nonthermal plasma (ANTP) is used for various biological applications including seed quality improvements in crop production. However, the underlying mechanisms of plasma-induced seed action are not fully explained and operating large-scale ANTP on seeds is highly challenging. Two large-scale ANTPs, streamer corona plasma (SCP) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma, were used to enhance rice seed vigor through surface modification and functionalization. The SCP and DBD plasma were conducted under the same power source and applied to rice seeds to modify their surface from being highly hydrophobic to being highly hydrophilic, as defined by the apparent contact angle measurement. The results show that SCP requires less treatment time (~ 2 min) for surface activation than the DBD plasma process (~ 10 min). Both plasma-treated seeds showed higher seed vigor than non-treated seeds. For 50% of the viable seeds to emerge, the SCP-treated seeds took on average about 62 h., while the untreated rice seeds took around 72 h. The germination percentage of all conditions is ~ 92% which is a typical proportion of good seed quality. The microstructure of the rice seed surface suggests that the bombardment of highly energetic ions and the reaction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species on the seed surface cause morphological changes via surface etching and functionalization without any adverse effects on seed nutrition.

Graphical abstract
Towards a genetic model organism: an efficient method for stable genetic transformation of Eschscholzia californica (Ranunculales)
Authors: Lotz Dominik , Imani Jafargholi , Ehlers Katrin , Becker Annette
Published: May 2022

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a member of the Ranunculales, the sister order to all other eudicots and as such in a phylogenetically highly informative position. Ranunculales are known for their diverse floral morphologies and biosynthesis of many pharmaceutically relevant alkaloids. E. californica it is widely used as model system to study the conservation of flower developmental control genes. However, within the Ranunculales, options for stable genetic manipulations are rare and genetic model systems are thus difficult to establish. Here, we present a method for the efficient and stable genetic transformation via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, somatic embryo induction, and regeneration of E. californica. Further, we provide a rapid method for protoplast isolation and transformation. This allows the study of gene functions in a single-cell and full plant context to enable gene function analysis and modification of alkaloid biosynthesis pathways by e.g., genome editing techniques providing important resources for the genetic model organism E. californica.
Numerical model for static chamber measurement of multi-component landfill gas emissions and its application
Authors: Xie Haijian , Zuo Xinru , Chen Yunmin , Yan Huaxiang , Ni Junjun
Published: May 2022

The quantitative assessment of landfill gas emissions is essential to assess the performance of the landfill cover and gas collection system. The relative error of the measured surface emission of landfill gas may be induced by the static flux chamber technique. This study aims to quantify effects of the size of the chamber, the insertion depth, pressure differential on the relative errors by using an integrated approach of in situ tests, and numerical modeling. A field experiment study of landfill gas emission is conducted by using a static chamber at one landfill site in Xi’an, Northwest China. Additionally, a two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical model for multi-component gas transport in the soil and the static chamber is developed based on the dusty-gas model (DGM). The proposed model is validated by the field data obtained in this study and a set of experimental data in the literature. The results show that DGM model has a better capacity to predict gas transport under a wider range of permeability compared to Blanc’s method. This is due to the fact that DGM model can explain the interaction among gases (e.g., CH4, CO2, O2, and N2) and the Knudsen diffusion process while these mechanisms are not included in Blanc’s model. Increasing the size and the insertion depth of static chambers can reduce the relative error for the flux of CH4and CO2. For example, increasing the height of chambers from 0.55 to 1.1 m can decrease relative errors of CH4and CO2flux by 17% and 18%, respectively. Moreover, we find that gas emission fluxes for the case with positive pressure differential (∆Pin-out) are greater than that of the case without considering pressure fluctuations. The Monte Carlo method was adopted to carry out the statistical analysis for quantifying the range of relative errors. The agreement of the measured field data and predicted results demonstrated that the proposed model has the capacity to quantify the emission of landfill gas from the landfill cover systems.
Acoustic based assessment of cross-sectional concentration inhomogeneity at a suspended sediment monitoring station in a large river
Authors: Pomázi Flóra , Baranya Sándor
Published: May 2022

Establishing and operating a harmonized sediment monitoring system along large rivers such as the Danube River is a challenging international task. As an element of such a system, a new monitoring site with state-of-the-art instrumentation is currently under development in the Upper-Hungarian section of the Danube River. The monitoring station will consist of a near-bank optical backscatter sensor and a horizontal acoustic Doppler current profiler (H-ADCP). As previous studies showed, the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) that is continuously measured with near-bank sensors can significantly enhance the temporal resolution of sediment transport monitoring. However, sediment plumes from tributary inflows upstream of the monitoring station can alter the detected near-bank concentrations, eventually biasing the sediment load estimation. Such an influence is likely in the cross-section of the planned monitoring station, therefore, a thorough preliminary analysis of the cross-sectional variation of the SSC was performed, based on expeditionary sediment measurement campaigns. Between 2018 and 2021 24 campaigns were carried out at different hydrological regimes, where physical sediment samplings together with fixed and moving boat ADCP measurements were performed. The cross-sectional variability of SSC and its influence on the sediment load estimations were assessed based on the moving boat ADCP measurements, after calibrating the backscatter signal with more than 500 physical samples. Based on the results, we identified different cross-sectional patterns of the SSC which is apparently governed by: (i) the actual hydrological situation considering both the main river and the tributary, and (ii) the local river morphology. Based on our findings, we suggested a correction method that accounts for the above effects, using which the near-bank SSC can be reliably converted into total suspended sediment load.
Partizipation im Workplace Change – Praxisbericht über die Prozessbegleitung einer Expertenorganisation vor Bezug neuer Büroräume
Authors: Ulbrich Sebastian , Mateescu Magdalena , Schulze Hartmut
Published: May 2022

In Zukunft wird die Zunahme mobil-flexibler Arbeit einen größeren Einfluss auf die Veränderungen von Arbeitsumgebungen in Organisationen haben. Das Potenzial für Beteiligung ist hier besonders hoch, da neben der Büroraumgestaltung auch gewohnte Arbeitsweisen vom Wandel betroffen sind. Dabei ist oft unklar, in welchem Umfang und in welcher Form Partizipation praktisch umgesetzt werden kann und welche Erfolgsfaktoren und Barrieren damit verbunden sind. In diesem Beitrag der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO) berichten wir über unsere Erfahrungen mit Partizipation im Workplace Change vor dem Bezug neuer Büroräume für 550 Mitarbeitende einer Expertenorganisation in der Schweiz. Wir geben einen Überblick über die Umsetzung eines umfassenden Partizipationskonzepts und diskutieren die Wirkung von Beteiligungsmaßnahmen. Die Ergebnisse aus 30 qualitativen Interviews zeigen, dass ein gut geplantes Beteiligungskonzept, das Beteiligungsradius und Beteiligungsgrade berücksichtigt, Kommunikations- und Feedbackprozesse verbessern und die Akzeptanz von Entscheidungen erhöhen kann. Ferner zeigten sich Aspekte der Fairness und angemessene Erwartungen von Mitarbeitenden und Führungskräften als wichtige Erfolgsfaktoren für Beteiligung.
Effect of Aluminum Content on the Dynamic Recrystallization of Fe18MnxAl0.74C Steels During Hot-Forging Treatments
Authors: Rodriguez J. S. , Duran J. F. , Aguilar Y. , Alcazar G. A. Perez , Souza R. M. , Zambrano O. A.
Published: May 2022

In the present work, the dynamic recrystallization and microstructural evolution of the family of advanced high-strength steels Fe18MnxAl0.74C are studied, varying the aluminum content in 0, 3, 6, and 9 wt pct subjected to hot-forging treatments through three consecutive heating-deformation cycles. For characterization, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer absorption spectroscopy (MAS), and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) were used. It was determined that for the steels under study, dynamic recrystallization occurs due to strain-induced boundary migration (SIBM) and is strongly influenced by the aluminum content of the alloy and its stacking failure energy (SFE), increasing that the aluminum content will generate greater nucleation sites, favoring the refinement of grains in the material and achieving a crystalline structure of random crystallographic orientation. The results are discussed throughout the article, allowing us to determine potential processing routes for advanced high-strength steels with predominantly plastic deformation mechanisms such as transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP), twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP), and microband-induced plasticity (MBIP).
Stochastic model predictive braking control for heavy-duty commercial vehicles during uncertain brake pressure and road profile conditions
Authors: Nakahara Ryota , Sekiguchi Kazuma , Nonaka Kenichiro , Takasugi Masahiro , Hasebe Hiroki , Matsubara Kenichi
Published: May 2022

When heavy-duty commercial vehicles (HDCVs) must engage in emergency braking, uncertain conditions such as the brake pressure and road profile variations will inevitably affect braking control. To minimize these uncertainties, we propose a combined longitudinal and lateral controller method based on stochastic model predictive control (SMPC) that is achieved via Chebyshev–Cantelli inequality. In our method, SMPC calculates braking control inputs based on a finite time prediction that is achieved by solving stochastic programming elements, including chance constraints. To accomplish this, SMPC explicitly describes the probabilistic uncertainties to be used when designing a robust control strategy. The main contribution of this paper is the proposal of a braking control formulation that is robust against probabilistic friction circle uncertainty effects. More specifically, the use of Chebyshev–Cantelli inequality suppresses road profile influences, which have characteristics that are different from the Gaussian distribution, thereby improving both braking robustness and control performance against statistical disturbances. Additionally, since the Kalman filtering (KF) algorithm is used to obtain the expectation and covariance used for calculating deterministic transformed chance constraints, the SMPC is reformulated as a KF embedded deterministic MPC. Herein, the effectiveness of our proposed method is verified via a MATLAB/Simulink and TruckSim co-simulation.
Cumulative Genetic Score of DRD2 Polymorphisms Is Associated with Impulsivity and Masked Semantic Priming
Authors: Sanwald Simon , Montag Christian , Kiefer Markus
Published: May 2022

Individual differences in the magnitude of semantic priming effects are associated with executive functions (EF). Striatal dopamine has been shown to be associated with EF as well as impulsivity and could therefore be associated with differences in the magnitude of semantic priming. We investigated n = 155 individuals in an unmasked as well as in a masked semantic priming paradigm. We additionally assessed self-reported impulsivity and a cumulative genetic score (CGS) comprising six polymorphisms that have been found to be functionally relevant for the expression of the DRD2 gene. We found a significantly negative association between the DRD2 CGS and reaction time priming in the masked semantic priming paradigm. In addition, the DRD2 CGS was positively associated with self-reported impulsivity. Our findings complement previous research by showing a role of the DRD2 gene for masked semantic priming. Therefore, the investigation of genes within the dopamine system might improve our understanding of the genetic basis of impulsivity and semantic processing. Thus, the DRD2 CGS is of interest for clinical as well as experimental psychological research.
Taxonomic revision of Saxicolella (Podostemaceae), African waterfall plants highly threatened by Hydro-Electric projects
Authors: Cheek Martin , Molmou Denise , Magassouba Sekou , Ghogue Jean-Paul
Published: May 2022

Species of the genusSaxicolellaEngl. (Podostemaceae) are African rheophytes, restricted to rapids and waterfalls as are all members of the family. Previously,Saxicolella sensu latowas shown to be polyphyletic with two separate clades. The namePohliellaEngl. was recently resurrected for one clade that is sister to the American generaCeratolacis(Tul.) Wedd.,PodostemumMichx. and all Old World Podostemoideae.Pohliellahas distichous phyllotaxy, bilocular ovaries, filiform roots with paired holdfasts, and rootcaps. The second clade,Saxicolella sensu stricto, including the type of the generic name, has spiral phyllotaxy, unilocular ovaries, ribbon-like or crustose roots that lack both holdfasts and rootcaps.Saxicolella sensu stricto, sampled from the type species,S. nanaEngl. of Cameroon, is embedded within and near the base of the major clade of African podostemoids and is sister to all other African genera apart fromInversodicraeaR.E.Fr. andMonandriellaEngl. Recently reduced to three species in Cameroon and SE Nigeria by the resurrection ofPohliella, Saxicolella sensu strictois expanded to eight species in this monograph by description of five new taxa.Saxicolella futaCheek andS. deniseaeCheek are newly described from Guinea,S. ijimCheek from Cameroon, the informally namedS.sp. A from Gabon, andS. angolaCheek from Angola. The known geographic range of the genus is thus expanded c. 2,500 km westwards to Guinea from eastern Nigeria and c.1,500 km southeastwards from near Yaoundé to Cuanza do Sul, Angola. The greatest concentration of species occurs in the Cross-Sanaga interval of western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria, with three species. Cameroon (3 species) followed by Nigeria and Guinea (2 species each) are the countries with highest species diversity. A classification is proposed grouping the species into three subgenera (Saxicolella, Butumia(G.Taylor) Cheek comb. et stat. nov. andKinkoniaCheek subgen. nov.) based on root morphology and shoot position and morphology. The discovery, morphology, circumscription, distribution and ecology ofSaxicolellais reviewed, an identification key to the species is presented, together with descriptions, synonymy and links to illustrations. All of the species are provisionally assessed as either Endangered or Critically Endangered using the IUCN 2012 Red List Criteria. The major threats, above all, are hydro-electric projects.Saxicolella deniseaemay already be globally extinct, and two of the four known locations ofS. angolaappear lost,S.sp. A of Gabon is threatened at at least one of its three locations, whileS. futais threatened at all three locations. Contamination of watercourses by increased turbidity from silt-load due to anthropic changes and by eutrophication from pollution are also threats for the majority of the species.
Einsamkeitserfahrungen junger Menschen – nicht nur in Zeiten der Pandemie
Authors: Thomas Severine
Published: May 2022

Inden vergangenen Jahren hat das Thema Einsamkeit an Raum im wissenschaftlichen und politischen Diskurs gewonnen. So gibt es inzwischen zahlreiche Forschungsarbeiten und Publikationen zu Einsamkeit im Alter, die auch in der öffentlichen und politischen Diskussion besonders wahrgenommen werden. Empirische Befunde sollen diese Wahrnehmung unterstützen. Anhand von Daten des Sozioökonomischen Panels (SOEP) aus dem Jahr 2016 unterstreicht der Dritte Teilhabebericht der Bundesregierung, dass sich 16 % der Befragten oft einsam fühlen, unter den Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen sind es sogar 31 %. Seit der Corona-Pandemie wird aufgrund der angeordneten Regelungen zum Social Distancing eine Häufung von Einsamkeitserfahrungen festgestellt. Eine Studie des wissenschaftlichen Dienstes der EU-Kommission kam zu dem Ergebnis, dass 25 % der EU-Bürger:innen sich nach den ersten Monaten der Pandemie einsam fühlten (im Vergleich zu 12 % im Jahr 2016. Regelmäßige Befragung zu Familie, Erwerbsarbeit, Politik und u. a. Gesundheit mit ca. 15.000 teilnehmenden Haushalten bzw. 30.000 Personen.). In nordeuropäischen Ländern hat sich der Anteil der einsamen Menschen seit Beginn der Pandemie sogar vervierfacht. Nach und nach etabliert sich dabei die Erkenntnis, dass Einsamkeit auch unter jungen Menschen kein seltenes Phänomen ist, das aber in dieser Altersgruppe in der Pandemie überdurchschnittlich an Bedeutung gewinnt. Dieser Beitrag analysiert Einsamkeitserfahrungen junger Menschen insbesondere anhand der Forschungsergebnisse aus den Studien JuCo I–III zu der Lebenssituation und den Erfahrungen von Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen während der Corona-Pandemie und diskutiert abschließend, welcher Forschungsbedarf sich daraus ableiten lässt.
Upregulation of long noncoding RNA linc02544 and its association with overall survival rate and the influence on cell proliferation and migration in lung squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wei Wei , Xu Teng , Zhang Ying , Huang Yong , Wang Xiang
Published: May 2022

Background

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert crucial biological functions by regulating miRNAs, which are implicated in cancer progression and tumorigenesis. A previous study has indicated that lncRNA linc02544 expression is upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma, whereas, the role of linc02544 in LUSC is elusive.

Methods

The differential linc02544 expression in LUSC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues were evaluated with RT-qPCR. Kaplan-Meier curve was conducted to evaluate the clinical prognostic significance of linc02544. Then cellular experiments were performed to assess the influence of linc02544 in LUSC proliferation, invasion, and migration, and a western blot assay was used to measure the metastasis-related protein levels. The downstream miRNAs were verified using the LncBase Experimental v.2 database and dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results

Linc02544 was overexpressed in LUSC tissues from positive lymph node metastasis-positive and TNM high-stage patients. Low linc02544 expression was associated with a longer survival rate. Downregulation of linc02544 by si-linc02544 restrained cell growth capacities, migration, and invasion abilities. Expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and vimentin was decreased while E-cadherin was increased in si-linc02544 cells compared with that in untreated cells. Mechanistically, we identified that linc02544 acted as a sponge of miR-138-5p, which expression had a negative correlation. E2F3 was a potential target of miR-138-5p,

Conclusions

Notably, high linc02544 expression was associated with severe clinical parameters and was a putative prognostic predictor for patients with LUSC. Downregulation of linc02544 may weaken the LUSC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating miR-138-5p/E2F3, which maybe serve as a biomarker for the prognosis and target treatment of LUSC.
Securing the Environmental Water Requirements of Seasonally Ponding Wetlands: Partnering Science and Management through Benefit Sharing
Authors: Barchiesi Stefano , Camacho Antonio , Hernández Eva , Guelmami Anis , Monti Flavio , Satta Alessio , Jordán Osvaldo , Angelini Christine
Published: May 2022

Although environmental flow regime assessments are becoming increasingly holistic, they rarely provoke water managers to enact the adaptive water reallocation mechanisms required to secure environmental water for wetlands. The conditions that cause science-based environmental flow assessments to succeed or fail in informing the management of environmental water requirements remain unclear. To begin to resolve these conditions, we used process tracing to deconstruct the sequence of activities required to manage environmental water in four case studies of seasonally ponding wetlands in Mediterranean and Mesoamerican watersheds. We hypothesized that, when the flexibility and equitability of the socioeconomic system do not match the complexity of the biophysical system, this leads to a failure of managers to integrate scientific guidance in their allocation of environmental water. Diagnostic evidence gathered indicates that science-management partnerships are essential to align institutional flexibility and socioeconomic equitability with the system’s ecohydrological complexity, and thus move from determination to reallocation of environmental water. These results confirm that institutions e.g., river basin organizations need to be supplemented by motivated actors with experience and skill to negotiate allocation and adaptive management of environmental water. These institutional-actor synergies are likely to be especially important in water scarce regions when the need to accommodate extreme hydrological conditions is not met by national governance capacity. We conclude by focusing on benefit sharing as a means to better describe the conditions for successful science-based environmental flow assessments that realize productive efficiency in environmental water allocation i.e., recognition of multiple values for both people and ecosystems.
Habitat selection of smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the peri-coastal, urbanised landscape of Goa, India
Authors: Jonah Dias Stephen , James Ciaran White Patrick , Borker Atul Sinai , Fernandes Nandini Vaz
Published: May 2022

Human development can have detrimental impacts on the environment and its contained ecosystems. However, several species have adapted to thrive in human-modified landscapes. This study was aimed to assess habitat selection of threatened smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the peri-coastal landscape of Goa, India. In the Indian context, there are significant gaps in knowledge pertaining to factors that influence otter occurrence in such environments. Otter presence/absence in 78 1 km2 plots across two river catchments was modelled against several habitat variables including measures of agricultural pollution, salinity, mangrove cover, and fishing presence. The effect size and direction of relationships between the probability of otter occurrence and the habitat variables were analysed by building a set of candidate generalised linear models. The models were subsequently ranked using small-sample Akaike’s information criterion (AICc). Analysis indicated that water salinity, mangrove cover, and fishing presence had a significant positive influence on otter occurrence. However, the concentrations of agricultural pollutants (nitrates, phosphates, and sulphates) were not contributing factors in influencing otter occurrence in the surveyed landscape. The metrics used in this study can be applied for preliminary assessments of presence and occupancy of otters in other coastal landscapes of India, and aid in the conservation of the species.
Drop-out in der Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung Erwachsener – Pandemiebedingte Herausforderungen und theoretische Perspektiven
Authors: Bickert Marie , Arbeiter Jana , Sindermann Lena , Thalhammer Veronika
Published: May 2022

Das Feld der Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung Erwachsener nimmt einen zentralen Stellenwert in der Förderung gesellschaftlicher Partizipation von vulnerablen Gruppen ein. Die Covid-19 Pandemie bringt neue Transformationsprozesse mit sich, die sich auch auf die Risikofaktoren von Drop-out (Abbruch) in der Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung auswirken. Drop-out kann als Verstärker sozialer Ungleichheit beforscht werden, was insbesondere im Kontext pandemiebedingter Lernbedingungen an neuer Relevanz gewinnt. So werden in diesem Beitrag die pandemiebedingten Herausforderungen für das Feld mit besonderer Berücksichtigung von Drop-out herausgearbeitet. Anhand eines mehrstufigen Analyseverfahrens (Expert:inneninterviews & narratives Review) kann gezeigt werden, dass „Medienkompetenz und Medienzugang“, „Kontinuität und Kursstruktur“ sowie „Vertrauen und Kursbindung“ zwar als bereits bekannte Risikofaktoren für Drop-out gelten, jedoch vor dem Hintergrund pandemiebedingt veränderter Strukturen eine gestiegene Bedeutung bekommen. Pandemiebedingte Transformationsprozesse wirken wie ein Brennglas auf bereits bestehende Problemlagen im Feld der Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung. Somit kommt der pädagogischen Aufgabe der entsprechenden Gestaltung von unvorhersehbaren Veränderungen eine besondere Bedeutung zu, um der Verschärfung sozialer Ungleichheiten entgegenzuwirken.
Tarifbindung ist nicht gleich Tarifbindung: Ergebnisse eines Vergleichs unterschiedlicher Tarifbindungsformen in der Metall- und Elektro-Industrie
Authors: Bach Helena , Lesch Hagen , Schröder Christoph , Vogel Sandra
Published: May 2022

Die Politik strebt eine Stärkung der Tarifautonomie durch eine Stärkung der Tarifbindung an. Die vorliegende Untersuchung zeigt anhand einer Analyse von Ergänzungs- und Haustarifverträgen in der Metall- und Elektro-Industrie, dass es unterschiedliche Formen von Tarifbindung gibt, die mit einer unterschiedlichen tariflichen Regelungsbreite und mit unterschiedlichen Kostenniveaus verbunden sind. So kam es durch Ergänzungstarifverträge zu Ersparnissen von durchschnittlich 5,8 %, wobei die Spanne der monetären Abweichung vom Branchentarifvertrag zwischen Mehrkosten in Höhe von 8,6 % bis hin zu Einsparungen in einem Volumen von 33,9 % lag. Andererseits gibt es tarifungebundene Betriebe, die sich eng am Branchentarifvertrag orientieren, möglicherweise sogar enger als Betriebe, die über Ergänzungstarifverträge vom Branchentarifvertrag abweichen. Wenn die Politik Tarifbindung stärken will, sollte sie auf die gelebte Tarifbindungspraxis Rücksicht nehmen.
Einige ökonomische Überlegungen zu (Fehl‑)Anreizen des Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetzes im Strafprozess
Authors: Daumann Frank , Follert Florian
Published: May 2022

Die ökonomische Rechtsanalyse kann durch ihr spezifisches Instrumentarium und ihre Konzentration auf das Effizienzprinzip mögliche Fehlallokationen aufdecken und dem Gesetzgeber Alternativvorschläge unterbreiten. Der vorliegende Beitrag widmet sich der Rechtsanwaltsvergütung im Strafprozess und arbeitet auf Basis des ökonomischen Ansatzes heraus, dass die gegenwärtige Ausgestaltung des Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetzes sowie die diesbezügliche Ausweitung der Rechte des Angeklagten Anreize setzen, die Verfahrensdauer über ein aus ökonomischer Sicht optimales Niveau hinaus auszudehnen, aus gesamtgesellschaftlicher Sicht ineffizient.
Fehlerdiagnose mit Virtual Reality trainieren – Entwicklung und Erprobung einer virtuellen Offshore-Windenergieanlage
Authors: Kapp Felix , Matthes Nadine , Kruse Linda , Niebeling Moritz , Spangenberger Pia
Published: May 2022

Virtual Reality Lernumgebungen bieten besonderes Potenzial für die Vermittlung komplexer Inhalte und Fähigkeiten im beruflichen Kontext. In solchen Lernumgebungen lassen sich authentische Arbeitsaufgaben umsetzen anhand derer anwendungsnah Kompetenzen erlernt werden können. In der VR Lernumgebung MARLA wird die Fehlerdiagnose in den Bereichen Elektro- und Metalltechnik in Form eines achtstufigen Prozesses anhand eines konkreten Beispiels auf einer Offshore-Windenergieanlage trainiert. Auszubildende bekommen dafür in Anlehnung an den Cognitive Apprenticeship Ansatz zunächst von einem Non-Player Character innerhalb der Anwendung die einzelnen Schritte erklärt und vorgemacht, bevor sie anschließend schrittweise selbständig den Prozess durchlaufen. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die Anwendung und ihre Entwicklung vor und berichtet Ergebnisse der formativen Evaluation, welche wichtige Erkenntnisse für die Ausgestaltung der Umgebung geliefert hat.

Praktische Relevanz Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird zum einen auf theoretische Erkenntnisse hinsichtlich des Potentials von Virtual Reality Anwendungen für die berufliche Bildung eingegangen. Zum anderen werden Erfahrungen aus dem Bereich der konzeptionellen Entwicklung der VR Anwendung und der empirischen Evaluation der Anwendung präsentiert. Beide Punkte haben zum Ziel einen Beitrag zur Weiterentwicklung der Weiterbildung im Arbeitskontext zu leisten.
Performance of a trigger tool for detecting adverse drug reactions in patients with polypharmacy acutely admitted to the geriatric ward
Authors: Noorda Nikki M. F. , Sallevelt Bastiaan T. G. M. , Langendijk Wivien L. , Egberts Toine C. G. , van Puijenbroek Eugène P. , Wilting Ingeborg , Knol Wilma
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) account for 10% of acute hospital admissions in older people, often under-recognised by physicians. The Dutch geriatric guideline recommends screening all acutely admitted older patients with polypharmacy with an ADR trigger tool comprising ten triggers and associated drugs frequently causing ADRs. This study investigated the performance of this tool and the recognition by usual care of ADRs detected with the tool.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed in patients ≥ 70 years with polypharmacy acutely admitted to the geriatric ward of the University Medical Centre Utrecht. Electronic health records (EHRs) were screened for trigger–drug combinations listed in the ADR trigger tool. Two independent appraisers assessed causal probability with the WHO-UMC algorithm and screened EHRs for recognition of ADRs by attending physicians. Performance of the tool was defined as the positive predictive value (PPV) for ADRs with a possible, probable or certain causal relation.

Results

In total, 941 trigger–drug combinations were present in 73% (n = 253/345) of the patients. The triggers fall, delirium, renal insufficiency and hyponatraemia covered 86% (n = 810/941) of all trigger–drug combinations. The overall PPV was 41.8% (n = 393/941), but the PPV for individual triggers was highly variable ranging from 0 to 100%. Usual care recognised the majority of ADRs (83.5%), increasing to 97.1% when restricted to possible and certain ADRs.

Conclusion

The ADR trigger tool has predictive value; however, its implementation is unlikely to improve the detection of unrecognised ADRs in older patients acutely admitted to our geriatric ward. Future research is needed to investigate the tool’s clinical value when applied to older patients acutely admitted to non-geriatric wards.
Multimodal motivation modelling and computing towards motivationally intelligent E-learning systems
Authors: Wang Ruijie , Chen Liming , Ayesh Aladdin
Published: May 2022

Motivation to engage in learning is essential for learning performance. Learners’ motivation is traditionally assessed using self-reported data, which is time-consuming, subjective, and interruptive to their learning process. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel framework for multimodal assessment of learners’ motivation in e-learning environments with the ultimate purpose of supporting intelligent e-learning systems to facilitate dynamic, context-aware, and personalized services or interventions, thus sustaining learners’ motivation for learning engagement. We investigated the performance of the machine learning classifier and the most and least accurately predicted motivational factors. We also assessed the contribution of different electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye gaze features to motivation assessment. The applicability of the framework was evaluated in an empirical study in which we combined eye tracking and EEG sensors to produce a multimodal dataset. The dataset was then processed and used to develop a machine learning classifier for motivation assessment by predicting the levels of a range of motivational factors, which represented the multiple dimensions of motivation. We also proposed a novel approach to feature selection combining data-driven and knowledge-driven methods to train the machine learning classifier for motivation assessment, which has been proved effective in our empirical study at selecting predictors from a large number of extracted features from EEG and eye tracking data. Our study has revealed valuable insights for the role played by brain activities and eye movements on predicting the levels of different motivational factors. Initial results using logistic regression classifier have achieved significant predictive power for all the motivational factors studied, with accuracy of between 68.1% and 92.8%. The present work has demonstrated the applicability of the proposed framework for multimodal motivation assessment which will inspire future research towards motivationally intelligent e-learning systems.