bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of patient reported symptom data in co‐producing meaning in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Skyrme Sarah , Dixon William G. , van der Veer Sabine N. , Sanders Caroline , Sharp Charlotte A. , Dowding Dawn
Published: October 2024

Rationale

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience a range of symptoms including joint pain and inflammation, stiffness, fatigue, anxiety, and low mood. Similar to patients with other long‐term conditions, they may have periods of time when their disease is under control, and times when their condition is less stable, requiring treatment adjustments. The REMORA2 feasibility study explored the implementation of an integrated symptom‐tracking system using a smartphone application (app), enabling patients to track day‐to‐day symptoms. The data was available in the electronic health record to be viewed at subsequent consultations.

Aims and Objectives

This paper explores patients' comments on living with RA, and how patient‐reported symptom data supports informed interactions as patients and clinicians work together to coproduce meaning from the data.

Method

Individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 21 patients and 7 clinicians, supplemented by nonparticipant observations of 5 clinical appointments. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from the interviews, with an ethnographic approach used to analyse the observational data.

Results

Both clinicians and patients reported the benefits of reviewing the data in the clinic together. This helped inform decisions about pain management and identified patients who might otherwise have dismissed symptoms such as pain, because of their natural inclination to be stoical.

Conclusion

Improved insights on the care of RA were generated as patients and clinicians discuss symptom tracking data. This can assist the patient‐clinician dyad in the process of two‐way learning and shared decision‐making on the management of a long‐term condition.
Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Self‐Efficacy Tool for the Ability to Support Breastfeeding Mothers
Authors: Bayri Bingol Fadime , Dişsiz Melike , Karaçam Yilmaz Zeynep Dilşah , Kocataş Aleyna , Polat Merve , Karanfil Sabriye
Published: October 2024

Aim

The aim of the study is to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Self‐Efficacy Tool for the Ability to Support Breastfeeding Mothers.

Methods

In the current methodological study, research data were collected using a Descriptive Information Form and the Self‐Efficacy Tool for the Ability to Support Breastfeeding Mothers. Validity analysis was conducted using the content validity index, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The Pearson product‐moment correlation and Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients were performed for reliability analysis. High scores indicate a higher ability to support breastfeeding mothers.

Results

To evaluate the tool's invariance over time, test‐retest measurements were made at an interval of at least two weeks and showed no difference in mean scores (p > 0.05). Corrected item‐total score correlations varied between 0.43 and 0.77. The Cronbach alpha value was determined to be 0.97, which indicated high internal consistency.

Conclusion

The results of the present study show that the Turkish version of the Self‐Efficacy Tool for the Ability to Support Breastfeeding Mothers is valid and reliable. It can be utilised as a measurement tool to determine the degree of self‐efficacy in the ability to support breastfeeding mothers.
Quantitative evaluation of internal cluster validation indices using binary data sets
Authors: Pakgohar Naghmeh , Lengyel Attila , Botta‐Dukát Zoltán
Published: October 2024

Aims

Different clustering methods often classify the same data set differently. Selecting the “best” clustering solution from alternatives is possible with cluster validation indices. Because of the large variety of cluster validation indices (CVIs), choosing the most suitable index concerning the data set and clustering algorithms is challenging. We aim to assess different internal clustering validation indices.

Methods

Artificial binary data sets with equal‐ and unequal‐sized well‐separated a priori clusters were simulated and three levels of noise were then added. Twenty replications of each of the six types of data sets (two group sizes × three levels of noise) were created and analyzed by three clustering algorithms with Jaccard dissimilarity. Twenty‐seven clustering validation indices are evaluated including both geometric and non‐geometric indices.

Results

Although, in theory, all CVIs could differentiate between good and wrong classifications, only a few perform as expected with noisy data. Tau and silhouette widths proved to be the best geometric CVIs both for equal and unequal cluster sizes. Among non‐geometric indices, crispness and OptimClass performed best.

Conclusion

We recommend using these best‐performing CVIs. We suggest plotting the CVI value against the number of clusters because the lack of a sharp peak means that the position of the maximum is uncertain.
We prefer night‐time, they prefer daytime: Biological rhythm variability in cave‐dwelling whip spiders (Amblypygi: Charontidae) in the Neotropics
Authors: de Souza P. E. , da Silva Brandão Gonçalves B. , Souza‐Silva M. , Ferreira R. L.
Published: October 2024

The lack of understanding regarding how endogenous and behavioral factors affect the biological rhythms of amblypygid arachnids in cave environments underscores a gap in chronobiologic knowledge for this group. This study investigates the influence of specialization on subterranean habitats and the presence of biological rhythms on the locomotor activity patterns of the troglobitic and troglophilic species of the genus Charinus. Specimens collected from carbonate caves in Brazil were subjected to experimental treatments of constant light (LL), constant darkness (DD), and light–dark cycles (LD). The results revealed variations in the distribution of main periods among species, without a uniform pattern. Although some specimens showed greater variability in activity patterns in the DD and LL treatments, no significant differences were observed between troglobites and troglophiles. The lack of a clear distinction in rhythms between the two groups suggests the dynamic nature of circadian rhythms in these populations, where individual variations in activity patterns indicate this behavioral diversity. Additionally, intraspecific competition for food resources, probably intensified by the oligotrophic conditions of the cave environments, may play an important role in shaping these patterns and differences in activity phases. The presence of infradian rhythms and weak circadian rhythms in some individuals underscores the importance of considering non‐photic zeitgebers for a deeper understanding of these rhythms in cave organisms.
Food Preference of Purple‐Spotted Bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus Richardson 1846) in Northern Coast of Java, Indonesia
Authors: Setyobudi Eko , Murwantoko Murwantoko , Satriyo Tony Budi , Hardianto Eko , Waskitho Wahyu Novianto Bagas , Astuti Niken , Maharani Hana Cahya , Prastiwi Fentriana Aji
Published: October 2024

Diet is one of the essential information used in the management of fisheries resource. The objective of this study was to assess the dietary preferences, index of preponderance, trophic level, food niche breadth, and food overlap of purple‐spotted bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus) caught from the northern coast of Java, Indonesia. A total of 407 fish samples were collected from July to October 2023. Each fish sample was measured for total length and body weight. Fish were then dissected to determine sex, gut length, gut volume, and diet composition. Data analysis included relative gut length, diet composition, frequency of occurrence, trophic level, index of preponderance, food niche breadth, and food overlap. The result showed that the purple‐spotted bigeye is a carnivorous fish (trophic level ranges from 3.88 to 4.18), whose main food is fish and shrimp. Based on the niche breadth value, purple‐spotted bigeye from East Java were more diverse in finding food (niche breadth = 0.26) than from West Java (niche breadth = 0.06) and Central Java (niche breadth = 0.09). The purple‐spotted bigeye species from West Java and Central Java exhibited a high level of competition in their search for food, as indicated by a food overlap value of 0.998.
Randomised trial of three treatments for amblyopia: Vision therapy and patching, perceptual learning and patching alone
Authors: Hernández‐Andrés Rosa , Serrano Miguel Ángel , Alacreu‐Crespo Adrián , Luque María José
Published: October 2024

Background

Active vision therapy for amblyopia shows good results, but there is no standard vision therapy protocol. This study compared the results of three treatments, two combining patching with active therapy and one with patching alone, in a sample of children with amblyopia.

Methods

Two protocols have been developed: (a) perceptual learning with a computer game designed to favour the medium‐to‐high spatial frequency‐tuned achromatic mechanisms of parvocellular origin and (b) vision therapy with a specific protocol and 2‐h patching. The third treatment group used patching only. Fifty‐two amblyopic children (aged 4–12 years), were randomly assigned to three monocular treatment groups: 2‐h patching (n = 18), monocular perceptual learning (n = 17) and 2‐h patching plus vision therapy (n = 17). Visual outcomes were analysed after 3 months and compared with a control group (n = 36) of subjects with normal vision.

Results

Visual acuity (VA) and stereoacuity (STA) improved significantly after treatment for the three groups with the best results for patching plus vision therapy, followed by monocular perceptual learning, with patching only least effective. Change in the interocular difference in VA was significant for monocular perceptual learning, followed by patching. Differences in STA between groups were not significant. For VA and interocular differences, the final outcomes were influenced by the baseline VA and interocular difference, respectively, with greater improvements in subjects with poorer initial values.

Conclusions

Visual acuity and STA improved with the two most active treatments, that is, vision therapy followed by perceptual learning. Patching alone showed the worst outcome. These results suggest that vision therapy should include monocular accommodative exercises, ocular motility and central fixation exercises where the fovea is more active.
Non‐orthogonal spectacle correction for irregular astigmatism
Authors: Hulpus Adela , Henry Ritchie , White Lynn , Lopes Bernardo T. , Romano Vito , Abass Ahmed
Published: October 2024

Purpose

To investigate the potential improvement in visual acuity and subjective perception of image quality in patients with keratoconus using non‐orthogonal correction (NOC) cylinder trial lenses where the steep and flat power meridians are set at angles less or greater than 90°.

Methods

A set of NOC plano/cylindrical trial lenses, where the axes between the power meridians were set at a range of non‐orthogonal angles, were used to refract 18 participants with keratoconus in whom 23 eyes were used for testing. Corneal elevation data were processed by bespoke MATLAB code from Pentacam Scheimpflug tomographer scans. Each participant first underwent subjective refraction using standard orthogonal cylinder trial lenses, and the monocular best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA, logMAR) was recorded for each eye. They then underwent a second subjective refraction using NOC cylinder trial lenses created for the study and completed a questionnaire to elicit their subjective appraisal of letter clarity and ghosting.

Results

Fourteen (61%) eyes demonstrated an increase in objective BCVA with the NOC versus the orthogonal correction; seven (30%) eyes showed no change and in two (9%) eyes, the BCVA was slightly worse. Further, 87% and 79% experienced an increase in letter clarity and a reduction in ghosting, respectively, independent of changes in BCVA. The majority of non‐orthogonal angles were in the range of 80°–85°, and it was possible to refine the cylinder and axis of the NOC further compared with the orthogonal correction. All but one of the participants said they would be interested in trying non‐orthogonal spectacles if the opportunity arose.

Conclusions

Correcting irregular astigmatism in keratoconic individuals with non‐orthogonal spectacle correction may provide benefit in terms of increased visual acuity, improvements in letter clarity and a reduction of ghosting effects. This type of correction has the potential to improve the overall quality of life for patients with keratoconus.
Recombinant Gad c 1 improves diagnostic efficacy of cod allergy but not horse mackerel allergy
Authors: Yanagida Noriyuki , Chiyotanda Masako , Kimura Haruka , Sato Sakura , Takahashi Kyohei , Nagakura Ken‐ichi , Ogura Kiyotake , Itonaga Takaaki , Miura Yoko , Fusayasu Naoko , Ebisawa Motohiro
Published: October 2024

Background

Parvalbumin Gad c1 is a major cod allergen used as a follow‐up marker of fish‐allergic children. However, the diagnostic efficacy of recombinant Gad c 1 (rGad c 1) for fish allergy diagnosis remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of rGad c1 for diagnosing cod and horse mackerel allergy.

Methods

This single‐centered, retrospective study obtained oral food challenges (OFCs) information performed for cod and horse mackerel. Cod‐, horse mackerel‐, and rGad c1‐specific immunoglobulins (sIgEs) were investigated. Diagnostic performances of these parameters were compared using areas under the curve (AUC).

Results

We enrolled 45 and 38 children with suspected cod and horse mackerel allergies, respectively. The median age (interquartile range) of children with suspected cod allergy was 5.7 (0.7–11.7) years and that of children with suspected horse mackerel allergy was 6.0 (1.0–12.3) years. Fourteen and 22 children reacted to OFCs with 25 (10–40) g of cooked pacific cod and 40 (10–40) g of cooked horse mackerel, respectively. The cod sIgE and rGad c 1 sIgE AUCs for cod allergy diagnosis were 0.85 and 0.90, respectively. For horse mackerel allergy diagnosis, AUCs of horse mackerel and rGad c 1 sIgE were 0.76 and 0.72, respectively. Both AUCs for cod and mackerel allergy were significantly different.

Conclusion

rGad c 1 sIgE is more effective than cod sIgE as a diagnostic marker of cod allergy, but less effective than horse mackerel sIgE as a diagnostic marker of horse mackerel allergy. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential applications of rGad c 1 sIgE in the diagnosis of various fish allergies.
Cross‐cultural dynamics of narcissism and prosocial behavior: Unveiling the role of social status pursuit and collectivism
Authors: An Zihao , Zou Yuhan , Wu Sheng , Tong Song , Peng Kaiping
Published: October 2024

This paper explores the relationship between narcissism and prosocial behavior, challenging the mainstream view that narcissism typically undermines prosocial actions. We argue that in collectivist cultures, where social harmony and interdependence are central, narcissistic traits can manifest as prosocial behavior, driven by the pursuit of social status. This dynamic is moderated by interdependent self‐construal, which ties personal identity to group relationships. To substantiate our claim, we conducted four comprehensive studies. Study 1 (N = 425) analyzed the cross‐cultural variance in the relationship between narcissism and prosocial behavior. Studies 2A (N = 244) and 2B (N = 295) accessed and manipulated the interdependent self‐construal individuals in both Eastern and Western cultural settings to explore the moderating role of cultural tendencies. Study 3 (N = 605) explored a moderated mediation model to explore the mechanisms underpinning the facilitated effect of narcissism on prosocial behavior through the social status pursuit. Our research shows that in collectivist settings, narcissism can fuel prosocial behaviors, moderated by interdependent self‐construal, which connects narcissism to prosocial behavior through the desire for social status. This breakthrough deepens our understanding of narcissism within cultural contexts, highlighting the importance of considering cultural factors in psychological research and offering new insights into the diverse expressions of personality traits across societies.
Systematic review of the evidence for treatment and management of common skin conditions in resource‐limited settings: An update
Authors: Amgarth‐Duff Ingrid , Thomas Hannah , Ricciardo Bernadette M. , Anderson Lorraine , Stephens Mike , Currie Bart J. , Steer Andrew C. , Tong Steven Y. C. , Crooks Kristy , Hempenstall Allison , Tatian Artiene , Foster Rachel , Kavalam George , Pallegedara Tharushi , Walls Kennedy , Bowen Asha
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The skin is the largest and most visible organ of the human body. As such, skin infections can have a significant impact on overall health, social wellbeing and self‐image. In 2019, we published a systematic review of the treatment, prevention and public health control of skin infections including impetigo, scabies, crusted scabies and tinea in resource‐limited settings where skin infections are endemic. This current review serves as an update to assess the evidence for treatment of these conditions as well as atopic dermatitis, molluscum contagiosum and head lice in endemic settings. The data from this systematic review have supported an update to the Australian National Healthy Skin guidelines.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using two separate searches in MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane and Web of Science. The first search was an update of the 2018 systematic review using the same search strategy for the same skin conditions to identify emerging literature from 2018 to 2022. The second search strategy used the same key terms but with the addition of atopic dermatitis, head lice and molluscum contagiosum from 1960 to 2022. Eligible studies included Indigenous peoples and populations in resource‐limited settings with a diagnosis of impetigo, scabies, crusted scabies, tinea capitis, atopic dermatitis, molluscum contagiosum or who presented with head lice. Studies conducted in high‐income countries were excluded. Articles were screened for inclusion independently by one author with a second group of reviewers independently double screening. Data extraction and an in‐depth quality assessment conducted by one author and checked by two others.

Results

Of 1466 original articles identified, 68 studies were included and key findings outlined for impetigo, scabies, crusted scabies, atopic dermatitis, head lice and molluscum contagiosum. Recommendations for each condition based on the available evidence are provided.

Conclusion

The importance of assessing literature relevant to the populations with heavy burden of skin infections is outlined in this systematic review. We have summarised updates to this literature, which may benefit in developing guidelines for skin infection management similar to the National Healthy Skin Guidelines for Australia.
Role of local anisotropy in hybrid stars
Authors: Lopes Luiz L. , Das H. C.
Published: October 2024

Using the Bower–Liang model, we discuss how pressure anisotropies affect the microscopic and macroscopic properties of hybrid stars. We find that anisotropies affect the maximum mass, central density, and radius of the canonical stars. Anisotropies also affect the minimum neutron star mass that presents quarks in their core, as well as the total amount of quarks for the maximally massive stars. We also confront our results with standard constraints, such as the radius and the tidal parameter of the canonical star, as well as the mass and radius of the PSR J0740+6620 pulsar. We observe that moderate values for anisotropies could fulfill these constraints simultaneously. On the other hand, within more extreme degrees of anisotropies, more speculative constraints such as black widow pulsars PSR J0952-0607 and the mass-gap object in the GW190814 event can be explained as hybrid stars. We also investigate the role of anisotropies in the neutron stars’ moment of inertia.
Satanwebs and the Torch Bearer: Reading Samīr Naqqāsh’s Unreadable Vernacular Novel
Authors: Caiani Fabio
Published: October 2024

Nzūlah u-khēṭ al-shīṭān (1986) is the great “vernacular novel” of the late Iraqi Jewish writer Samīr Naqqāsh (1938–2004). The novel, set in the 1940s–early 1950s, tells of the twilight of Jewish Baghdad. Vernacularity and hybridity are the hallmarks of the text’s difficulty, its supposed unreadability and untranslatability. Nzūlah manifests an extreme case of heteroglossia, as it is written in literary Arabic, but also in the Jewish and Muslim Baghdadi vernaculars, while also including hundreds of footnotes that affect and direct the act of reading. In this article, this seemingly inaccessible novel is analyzed through the lens of the theoretical concepts of “untranslatability” and “comprehensibility.” Besides being a lament for a lost homeland, Nzūlah calls for its readers to appropriate a seemingly dying idiom and, in so doing, perform a significant political gesture that resonates with the ways Naqqāsh’s work has been read in both Iraq and Israel since his death in 2004.
Beyond Frankenstein: the Politics of the Gothic in Iraqi Fiction
Authors: Courtney Molly
Published: October 2024

This article examines works of post-2003 Iraqi fiction that draw on the aesthetic and thematic conventions of the postcolonial gothic genre by centering the grotesque figure of the animated corpse. Through these figures, the texts bring the disposable victims of necropolitical violence back into view, resisting their erasure while also resurrecting the buried histories that contributed to the outbreak of ongoing conflict. As these texts foreground the victims of violence both past and present, they issue powerful critiques of neocolonial and sectarian violence, particularly through their inversion of the gothic trope of the terrifying Other. In these texts, initially frightening animated corpses are revealed to be the sympathetic victims of violence, rendering necropolitical violence, rather than the corpses, the true source of horror in the texts and issuing a call to the reader to sympathize and even empathize with the frightening Other.
Review of the Chinese Stomis, with description of nine new taxa and a new key (Carabidae: Pterostichini)
Authors: SCIAKY RICCARDO
Published: October 2024

In this work the Chinese species of the genus Stomis Clairville, 1806 are reviewed and divided into five species-groups. Nine new taxa are described: S. vignai ssp. maior ssp. nov. is a subspecies of S. vignai from eastern Sichuan and western Shaanxi with large size and very transverse pronotum; S. vignai ssp. megacephalus ssp. nov. is a subspecies of S. vignai from Hubei with large size, very large head and short mandibles; S. exilis ssp. pauli ssp. nov. is a subspecies from Henan, the easternmost taxon of the genus, characterized by elongate body and rounded elytra; S. wrasei sp. nov. is a species from Sichuan of the S. chinensis-group related to S. gigas Sciaky, 1998, but with slenderer and flatter elytra and deeper and more markedly punctate striae; S. davidi sp. nov. is a species from Sichuan of the S. chinensis-group related to S. titanus Sciaky, 1998, but different in the narrower and more convex body, stronger greenish hue, smaller pronotum with more abrupt constriction before base, striae more superficial and less evidently punctate; S. bousqueti sp. nov., from Sichuan, is a species of the S. robustus-group previously confused with S. chinensis and as such mentioned in previous works; it is the smallest species in the S. chinensis-group and has square shoulders and well-developed eyes; S. magrinii sp. nov. is a species from Shaanxi and Sichuan of the S. robustus-group, related to S. bousqueti, but different in the larger size and more rounded elytra; S. dilaticollis sp. nov. is a species from Yunnan of the S. robustus-group related to S. robustus, but smaller and with pronotum more markedly constricted towards base; S. jani sp. nov. is a species from Sichuan of the S. robustus-group related to S. dilaticollis, but larger, more evidently depressed and with proportionally longer elytra. Many new distributional data are given for many of the known species and some systematic and synonymic notes on other Chinese species of the genus are given, too. The new nomenclatural acts here proposed are:
Stomis cavazzutii Lassalle, 2003 = S. vignai Sciaky, 1998 syn. nov.; Stomis taibashanensis Lassalle, 2003 = S. vignai ssp. taibashanensis Lassalle, 2003 stat. nov.; Stomis fallettii Facchini, 2003 = S. vignai ssp. taibashanensis Lassalle, 2003 syn. nov.; Stomis brivioi Sciaky, 1998 = S. exilis ssp. brivioi Sciaky, 1998 stat. nov.; Stomis brivioi ssp. taoyuanensis Lassalle, 2003 = S. exilis ssp. brivioi Sciaky, 1998 syn. nov.; Stomis ludmilae Dvořák, 2001 = Stomis romani Dvořák, 2001 syn. nov.; Stomis jelineki Lassalle, 2003 = Stomis romani Dvořák, 2001 syn. nov.; Stomis benesi Dvořák, 2006 = Stomis romani Dvořák, 2001 syn. nov.; Stomis elongatus Tian & Pan, 2004 = Stomis schoenmanni Sciaky, 1998 syn. nov. Eventually, a new key and a summarized list of the Chinese species of this genus is proposed.
An overview of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest species of Pachythone Bates (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae), with the description of a new species and an updated checklist of Pachythonina
Authors: DOLIBAINA DIEGO RODRIGO , DIAS FERNANDO MAIA SILVA , MIELKE OLAF HERMANN HENDRIK , CASAGRANDE MIRNA MARTINS
Published: October 2024

The taxonomy of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest endemic species belonging to the Neotropical metalmark genus Pachythone Bates, 1868 is revised. A new endemic species is described, Pachythone gagarini Dolibaina & Dias, sp. nov., based on historical specimens from a single locality in Rio de Janeiro state. Adults and genitalia of the new species are illustrated and described in detail. Pachythone palades Hewitson, (1873) and P. pasicles Hewitson, (1873), described from females and males, respectively, and regarded as two distinct species since their descriptions, are here recognized as a single species, the former being considered a junior subjective synonym of the latter (syn. nov.). Lectotypes are designated for both P. palades and P. pasicles. Pachythone sumare Callaghan, 1999, so far known from its type locality in Rio de Janeiro state, is here reported from Joinville, Santa Catarina, which extends its occurrence 700 km southwards. Lastly, an updated checklist for the recently proposed subtribe Pachythonina is given.
Setting the record straight: a re-examination of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Cyprus deposited at the Museum of Zoology of Athens
Authors: DEMETRIOU JAKOVOS , GEORGIADIS CHRISTOS , RALLI VASILIKI , SALATA SEBASTIAN , BOROWIEC LECH
Published: October 2024

Situated in the Eastern Mediterranean, the island of Cyprus is a biodiversity hotspot hosting an important number of endemic species. In recent years, its myrmecofauna has been increasingly enriched with the detection of both new alien and native species as well as the description of new endemic taxa. Nevertheless, earlier reports of dubious taxa remaining in scientific literature constitute an impediment towards the study of the island’s biodiversity. This article summarizes the results of re-examination of a collection of ants deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the University of Athens, which was a source of some faunistic records recently published as a conference poster. Specimens have been re-identified, and their metadata have been digitalised, supplementing our knowledge of the species’ distribution and correcting previous misidentifications. Tapinoma festae Emery, 1925, Tapinoma glabrella (Nylander, 1849) (Dolichoderinae), Plagiolepis perperamus Salata, Borowiec & Radchenko, 2018, Plagiolepis xene Stärcke, 1936 (Formicinae), Crematogaster lorteti Forel, 1910, and Tetramorium indocile Santschi, 1927 (Myrmicinae) are reported for the first time for the island. Adiitionally, a new distributional record is also provided for Camponotus cf. vitiosus, an enigmatic alien species on Cyprus. Lastly, a number of dubious records are removed from the checklist of Cypriot ants with notes on further taxa that could be removed in the future.
Four new species of Crinopseudoa (Araneae: Corinnidae) from West Africa
Authors: PETT BROGAN L. , PASHKEVICH MICHAEL D. , FREEMAN BENEDICTUS , TIMPERLEY JONATHAN H. , JOCQUÉ RUDY
Published: October 2024

Four new species of Crinopseudoa are described from West Africa. Crinopseudoa kru sp. nov. (male, female) and C. sinoensis sp. nov. (male, female) were collected as part of a new sustainable oil palm project in southern Liberia, C. nimba sp. nov. (male, female) from expeditions to Mount Nimba in Guinea, and C. elisabethae sp. nov. (male) from historic museum material from Ivory Coast. An updated key to species is presented as we increase the number of known species of Crinopseudoa from 11 to 15.
Genetic relationships of populations of the Black Kite Milvus migrans (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) in the east of its range in Asia and Australia
Authors: ANDREYENKOVA NATALYA G. , HONG SHIAO-YU , LIN HUI-SHAN , IWAMI YASUKO , KIRILLIN RUSLAN A. , LITERÁK IVAN , ZHIMULEV IGOR F. , KARYAKIN IGOR V.
Published: October 2024

While the Black Kite Milvus migrans is one of the most widespread birds of prey, occurring over Eurasia, Africa and Australia, it remains poorly understood outside of Europe, with southeast Asian populations particularly mysterious as their taxonomy is based on outdated morphological data. The subspecies M. m. formosanus, described in 1920, is thought to inhabit Taiwan and Hainan; however, populations in these areas have experienced dramatic changes over the past fifty years. Furthermore, M. m. formosanus is the only officially recognised subspecies for which almost no genetic data is yet available. Based on two mitochondrial genes, we compared Taiwanese Black Kites with northeast Asian and Japanese M. m. lineatus, Indian M. m. govinda and Australian M. m. affinis to reconstruct details of their population history. While Indian and Australian Black Kites are descendants of the same population, they do not share common haplotypes, probably having diverged by the end of the last glaciation. The Japanese population is distinctive in showing genetic uniformity, and it may be isolated from the mainland population. Nesting Taiwanese kites carry two previously known M. m. lineatus haplogroups and a new haplogroup possibly inherited from M. m. formosanus previously occurring in the area. A recent decline in the local population, along with expansion of M. m. lineatus, most likely led to Taiwan now being inhabited by descendants of both subspecies, which form two genetically isolated populations in southern and northern Taiwan.
A new genus and species of Peleopodidae Hodges, 1974 (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from South-East Asia
Authors: RAYHAN MD JAHIR , JAHAN SAYEMA
Published: October 2024

Paraxenoacria gen. nov., a new genus belonging to the family Peleopodidae is described to accommodate a new species Paraxenoacria spinosa sp. nov. from Bangladesh. This genus is peculiar and clearly distinct from the other genera of this family and others of the related families on the basis of external morphology as well as genitalia features of males such as having downwardly curved digitiform projections in the tegumen and distinct shape of the valva. Additionally, analysis of observations from different citizen science platforms reveals that this newly described genus is distributed throughout South-East Asia up to Malaysia. The biological aspects of this new species are also provided. The genus is tentatively being placed within the subfamily Acriinae due to its close resemblance to the genus Acria Stephens, 1834 pending further comprehensive taxonomic study.
A new species and new records of Cephennomicrus Reitter in Japan (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)
Authors: JAŁOSZYŃSKI PAWEŁ
Published: October 2024

Twelve species of Cephennomicrus Reitter are currently known to occur in Japan, and four of them inhabit Okinawa Island. One more Okinawan species, Cephennomicrus tenebrosus sp. nov. is described. A new record of C. japonigenus (Jałoszyński & Hoshina) on Kyushu is given, and new collecting sites of the endemic Okinawan C. nagoanus Jałoszyński are reported. The distribution of Japanese Cephennomicrus species is summarized.
Who Shortlists? Evidence on Gender Disparities in Hiring Outcomes
Authors: Sarabi Almasa , Lehmann Nico
Published: October 2024

A substantial body of research examines the relevance of hiring as a source of gender disparities in organizations. However, there is limited evidence on how different sets of key organizational decision makers contribute to gender disparities in hiring outcomes. To address this research gap, we exploit the staggered adoption of a new hiring process in a multinational corporation, which transferred from hiring managers to HR departments the task of shortlisting: narrowing a large pool of candidates to a more manageable set before final decision making. Using a difference-in-differences design, we find that the transfer of shortlisting responsibility increased the share of newly hired women. Additional tests based on quantitative and qualitative data are largely consistent with our finding that the transfer of shortlisting from hiring managers to HR departments led to fewer gender disparities in hiring outcomes given the increased expert knowledge in evaluating candidates and reduced opportunity costs for conducting such evaluations. Our setting offers a unique opportunity to help isolate key organizational decision makers’ role in contributing to gender disparities in hiring outcomes, and our findings have implications for how to alleviate gender disparities in employment.
Against Climate Aid Colonialism: The Case for Climate Reparations and South-South Solidarity
Authors: Malherbe Nick , Oladejo Abiodun Omotayo
Published: October 2024

Legacies of colonial rule, continuing neocolonial extraction, and excessive carbon dumping have meant that the majority of those living in the Global South experience many of the consequences of climate change more acutely than those in the Global North. As such, several countries in the Global North have committed to providing climate aid to decarbonise and reverse the alarming climate trajectory in the Global South. Yet, climate aid by and large discounts the internal competencies and resources within the Global South and aligns climate policies with neoliberal market agendas. In arguing against what has been called climate aid colonialism, we advocate for South-South solidarity and climate reparations, wherein climate justice articulated and advanced at the grassroots level from within the Global South is attuned to the socio-political requirements of decolonisation. Together, climate reparations and South-South solidarity can address the structures of coloniality that drive both climate change and climate aid.
Traditional Worldviews, Strategic Culture and Revolutionary Mentality: The Case of People’s Republic of China
Authors: Morgado Nuno , Druhalóczki Éva Dóra
Published: October 2024

This article explores China’s ambitions to become a global hegemon in the 21st century. The research traces the origins of these ambitions in China’s strategic culture and system of ideas and representations. Forming a geopolitical study in this way, this article zooms in the concepts of ‘middle’, ‘Middle Kingdom’ and Tianxia. ‘Middle’ symbolises China’s centrality and moral authority; ‘Middle Kingdom’ embodies the idea of a state where political power is concentrated; and Tianxia represents China’s historical visions of the global order. The research results show that China’s traditional worldviews suggest ambitions for a leading status in the international chessboard, which is confirmed by China’s aspects of revolutionary mentality and development of the military power. While the extent to which China will ascend to a leading role remains uncertain, understanding China’s identity—via its strategic culture—is crucial for grasping both China’s ambitious policy and its impact on the world.
Point-of-Care Ultrasound for the General Pediatric Resident: A Needs Assessment
Authors: Delacruz Nicolas , Dessie Almaz , Strumph Kaitlin , Malia Laurie
Published: October 2024

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable tool in pediatric care, but formalized education on POCUS is not a standard part of pediatric residency. Our primary objective was to conduct a needs assessment to determine pediatric residents’ attitudes toward ultrasound education. A Likert scale–based survey was distributed to residents at 48 pediatric residency programs. Respondents were asked to rate their agreement to statements about ultrasound education at their respective programs. Participants were also asked to rank ultrasound indications in order of importance. Ninety-seven survey responses were included in the final data set. Sixty percent of respondents had not performed any ultrasound scans during residency. Ninety-two percent of respondents indicated an interest in ultrasound training during residency and that they desired a formal POCUS curriculum. Eighty-one percent of residents indicated that having more ultrasound education would make their programs more attractive to applicants. Pediatric residents recognize the utility of POCUS and desire additional education during training.
Complete Blood Count in Children With COVID-19: A Predictor of Disease Severity
Authors: Loggetto Sandra Regina , Vilela Thiago de Souza , Beatrice Julia Maimone , Grizante-Lopes Priscila , Emerenciano Janahyna Gomes , Angel Andrea , Braga Josefina Aparecida Pellegrini
Published: October 2024

Blood count abnormalities are frequent in patients with severe COVID-19 disease and there is still a lack of information in pediatric complete blood count (CBC) results. Thus, this study aims to correlate the CBC in the emergency room of children with COVID-19 between 0 and 10 years old and the clinical severity of the disease. A retrospective cohort study was performed in children with COVID-19 who collected at the emergency room CBC, C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil to monocyte ratio (NMR), lymphocyte to neutrophil ratio (LNR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), monocyte to neutrophil ratio (MNR) and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR). In total, demographic data from 93 children with median age of 19 months (0.3-126), 60.2% males, were included. The main changes in the CBC were atypical lymphocytes (51.6%) and eosinopenia (49.5%). From 69 hospitalized children, 21 were considered severe. There was no association between age, gender, and CRP value with clinical severity. The presence of underlying disease was five times higher (odds ratio [OR] = 5.08) in patients who required hospitalization and a higher NLR value was 54% (OR = 1.54) more likely to occur. Eosinopenia was three times more frequent in inpatients with disease severity criteria (OR = 3.05). In conclusion, children younger than 10 years of age with COVID-19 have changes in the CBC collected in the emergency room, mainly atypical lymphocytes and eosinopenia. The presence of a comorbidity or a higher NLR increases the chance of hospitalization. In addition, eosinopenia was a predictor of severity in inpatient children due to COVID-19.
Pacifiers and Teething Devices: A Risk for Craniofacial Injury in Children Under 2 Years Old
Authors: Reese Alyssa D. , Kenny Alaina , Miller Victoria , Long Meghan , Smith Hannah M. , Neimanis Sara , Morrison Clinton
Published: October 2024

Pacifiers and teething devices are commonly introduced during infancy to soothe and comfort. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of emergency room visits for pediatric craniofacial injuries associated with pacifiers and teething devices. All craniofacial injuries due to “Pacifiers or Teething Rings” in children less than 2 years old were retrieved from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Age, sex, race, context of injury, cause of injury, and patient disposition were collected. Query revealed an estimated nationwide incidence of 5424 injuries from the years 2012 to 2021, with a mean age of 12.1 months at the time of injury. Most injuries occurred at home (70.2%), often resulting from falls while using the pacifier/teething device (71.0%). An estimated 97.6% of patients were released after emergency room treatment. Education regarding abstaining from pacifier and teething device use during activity may reduce the incidence of these injuries.
Multi-UAVs task allocation method based on MPSO-SA-DQN
Authors: Pengfei Peng , Xue Gong , Yalian Zheng
Published: October 2024

Multi-UAVs play an important role in the battlefield. Although many methods are proposed to solve the Multi-UAV task allocation, there still existing the problems of complex time constraints and uncertain solution space. The reason is that multi-UAVs usually face changing environmental factors. Aiming at solving such problem, this paper proposes a multi-UAV task assignment method based on Deep Q-based evolutionary reinforcement learning algorithms (MPSO-SA-DQN). Specifically, this method builds a multi-agent training framework based on the deep evolutionary reinforcement learning mechanism and SA-DQN. Its aim is to improve the global exploration and optimization capabilities of multi-agents. At the same time, the multi-dimensional particle swarm optimization algorithm is introduced to optimize the state space. Based on task priority mapping, the MPSO-SA-DQN algorithm framework is proposed. As a result, multi-agents can optimize the execution state in real time in the environment interaction. Besides, it also has the ability to reach optimal state and maximum reward. According to the characteristics of multi-UAV global task assignment, this paper designs a priority state space autoencoder strategy and global task feature. A multi-UAVs tasks allocation and iterative optimization method based on MPSO-SA-DQN algorithm is proposed, so as to continuously optimize the task allocation scheme. The simulation results show that the multi-UAV task allocation method based on MPSO-SA-DQN can effectively solve the problem of uncertainty in the optimal solution space of task allocation. At the same time, the algorithm achieves faster convergence result, and a good prospect of promotion in the field of UAV swarm cooperative task planning.
The Growing Impact of Natural Language Processing in Healthcare and Public Health
Authors: Jerfy Aadit , Selden Owen , Balkrishnan Rajesh
Published: October 2024

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a subset of Artificial Intelligence, specifically focused on understanding and generating human language. NLP technologies are becoming more prevalent in healthcare and hold potential solutions to current problems. Some examples of existing and future uses include: public sentiment analysis in relation to health policies, electronic health record (EHR) screening, use of speech to text technology for extracting EHR data from point of care, patient communications, accelerated identification of eligible clinical trial candidates through automated searches and access of health data to assist in informed treatment decisions. This narrative review aims to summarize the current uses of NLP in healthcare, highlight successful implementation of computational linguistics-based approaches, and identify gaps, limitations, and emerging trends within the subfield of NLP in public health. The online databases Google Scholar and PubMed were scanned for papers published between 2018 and 2023. Keywords “Natural Language Processing, Health Policy, Large Language Models” were utilized in the initial search. Then, papers were limited to those written in English. Each of the 27 selected papers was subject to careful analysis, and their relevance in relation to NLP and healthcare respectively is utilized in this review. NLP and deep learning technologies scan large datasets, extracting valuable insights in various realms. This is especially significant in healthcare where huge amounts of data exist in the form of unstructured text. Automating labor intensive and tedious tasks with language processing algorithms, using text analytics systems and machine learning to analyze social media data and extracting insights from unstructured data allows for better public sentiment analysis, enhancement of risk prediction models, improved patient communication, and informed treatment decisions. In the recent past, some studies have applied NLP tools to social media posts to evaluate public sentiment regarding COVID-19 vaccine use. Social media data also has the capacity to be harnessed to develop pandemic prediction models based on reported symptoms. Furthermore, NLP has the potential to enhance healthcare delivery across the globe. Advanced language processing techniques such as Speech Recognition (SR) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) tools can help overcome linguistic barriers and facilitate efficient communication between patients and healthcare providers.
Introducing the Transcendent Media Experience Model (TMEM)
Authors: Janicke-Bowles Sophie H.
Published: October 2024

Eudaimonic media experiences are vast. A comprehensive theoretical model of inward- and outward-focused eudaimonic media outcomes, that can explain how they come about and how they can be discriminated, is still missing. The current manuscript introduces the Transcendent Media Experiences Model (TMEM) to categorize eudaimonic content and experiences as they pertain to healthy self-focus or outward-focused (transcendent) responses and outcomes using self-construal theory as a backbone. This model allows for a more cohesive understanding of when, how, and for whom inward- or outward focused eudaimonic media experiences develop and the mechanisms for why they do so. As such, the model provides a framework for future research directions to systematically address the challenges of predicting, describing, and measuring eudaimonic media experiences and effects.
The Micro-Governance of Collaborative Networks for Water Protection: A Configurational Analysis
Authors: Wegner Douglas , Dias Marcelo Fernandes Pacheco , Agostini Lara , Nosella Anna
Published: October 2024

This article aims to identify the configurations of micro-governance functions (aligning, mobilizing, integrating, organizing, arbitrating, monitoring) that foster an internal collaborative environment in collaborative networks. We collected data from 36 networks for water protection in Brazil and performed a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). Results yield four configurations, three of which have been adopted by collaborative networks whose members have not collaborated before. The fourth configuration is specific to networks whose members have a previous history of collaboration. Our study contributes to theory and practice since the extant literature on micro-governance is purely theoretical, with no empirical studies.