bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Risk Factors for Early Pregnancy Loss: A Retrospective Hysteroscopy Study in a Single Institution
Authors: Cao Chaoxia , Liu Xiaoli , Chen Yinan , Yang Xiujun , Peng Bin , Hu Zhouying , Zhou Qin
Published: March 2024

Background: To explore the risk factors for early pregnancy loss and to study the relationship between early pregnancy loss and intrauterine adhesion (IUA) confirmed by hysteroscopy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 226 early pregnancy loss and 51 early pregnancy patients who received medical management combined with hysteroscopy at a regional institution from March 2020 to February 2021. The uterine cavity’s shape was evaluated by hysteroscopy 6 hours after treatment with medicine. Risk factors included maternal age, gestational weeks, gravidity, parity, number of prior early pregnancy losses, number of prior induced abortions, mean sac diameter (MSD) and IUA. Results: Our results showed that the prevalence of IUA increased significantly in early pregnancy loss cases (31.42%) compared with early pregnancy cases (9.8%) (p < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that maternal age (odds ratio (OR): 1.195, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.077–1.326), gestational weeks (OR: 2.919, 95% CI: 2.028–4.201) and IUA (OR: 8.631, 95% CI: 2.455–30.336) were positively associated with early pregnancy loss, while MSD (OR: 0.943, 95% CI: 0.899–0.990) and parity (OR: 0.194, 95% CI: 0.088–0.428) were inversely associated with early pregnancy loss. Conclusions: Maternal age, gestational weeks and, IUA were the risk factors for early pregnancy loss. Special attention is to be given to cases of combined IUA when managing early pregnancy loss.
Pregnancy Carpal Tunnel: Nerve/Tendon Ratio (NTR)—A New Paradigm
Authors: Şahin Fatih , Bayraktarli Recep Yilmaz , Mihmanlı Veli
Published: March 2024

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a prevalent condition during gestation. The recent ability of ultrasound to provide comparable results with electrodiagnostic tests (EDx) has opened the door for investigating new parameters. The objective of this investigation is to explore the clinical importance of a new anthropometric independent parameter called the nerve/tendon ratio (NTR) when compared to EDx and to determine whether it has the utility to be used in clinical practice. Methods: In this prospective case-control study conducted between April 2023 and September 2023, 160 pregnant women displaying clinical symptoms of CTS who presented to the outpatient clinic underwent evaluation employing the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, Visual Analog Scale, and provocative tests (Phalen and Tinnel). The pregnant women with clinical symptoms were divided into two groups: those with positive CTS in the EDx results (mild/moderate/severe) and those without EDx findings (control group). All pregnant women participating in the study had their median nerve cross-sectional area (MN-CSA), flexor carpi radialis (FCR), and MN-CSA/FCR ratio (expressed as a percentage called NTR) values examined. The sonographers were unaware of the clinical and EDx results. Subsequently, the data were examined utilizing logistic regression models, with a significance threshold established at p < 0.05. Results: In pregnant women with CTS, the MN-CSA values were observed to surpass those in the control cohort (10.03 ± 3.28 vs. 7.80 ± 2.50) (p < 0.001). The NTR values in the pregnant women with CTS were also higher than those in the control group (0.94 ± 0.39 vs. 0.81 ± 0.28) (p = 0.045). The best cut-off for MN-CSA values was calculated to be >8.5 mm2. The best cut-off point for MN-CSA/FCR values was found to be >0.82%. A receiver operating characteristic curve was generated, and the NTR cut-off point of 0.82% showed a sensitivity of 51.9% and a specificity of 67.9%. The positive predictive value and the negative predictive value were 61.2% and 59.1%, respectively, with the mentioned point as the diagnostic threshold (area under the curve 0.592 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.503–0.680)). Among ultrasound-related factors, patients with symptoms of CTS exhibited an association with MN-CSA (odds ratio [OR] of 6.396, 95% CI: 2.981–13.722). NTR was not identified as a risk factor for CTS (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Ultrasonography of the wrist may serve as an alternative diagnostic tool for CTS in pregnant women due to its rapid, non-invasive, and reproducible characteristics. Further research should focus on investigating the response to treatment. Clinical Trial Registration: the study was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov (registration number NCT05839769).
Efficacy and Safety of Thermocoagulation vs. Cryotherapy for Cervical Precancerous Lesions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Jie , Chen Hengxi , Peng Xueping
Published: March 2024

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently endorsed thermal coagulation as an alternative to cryotherapy for cervical precancerous lesions. However, the comparative efficacy and safety of these two treatments lack robust support from large-sample data. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of thermocoagulation compared to cryotherapy in the treatment of cervical precancerous lesions. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted from inception. Additional trials were identified through the reference lists of published reviews. Inclusion criteria encompassed original data studies with colposcopically, biopsied, cytologically, or visually inspected (VIA/VILI) identified patients. Studies were required to have a follow-up duration of at least 6 months, a sample size exceeding 20 patients, a follow-up attendance rate exceeding 50%, and involve cryotherapy or thermocoagulation treatments. Results: Inclusive of all patients, thermocoagulation demonstrated a significantly higher pooled cure proportion compared to cryotherapy (85% vs. 81%, z = 2.245, p = 0.025). However, for VIA-positive patients alone, the difference was not statistically significant (80.0% vs. 79%, z = 1.932, p = 0.053). The incidence of pain was comparable between the two treatment arms, while both exhibited a high incidence of vaginal discharge. Thermocoagulation displayed a lower complication rate for intraoperative pain and postoperative vaginal discharge than cryotherapy, providing a higher level of patient comfort. Conclusions: Thermal coagulation proves to be more effective for patients with cervical precancerous lesions, but the effectiveness of the two regimens is similar if only for VIA-positive patients. In terms of complications, thermocoagulation exhibits a similar rate of intraoperative pain and a lower rate of postoperative vaginal discharge than cryotherapy, enhancing patient comfort.
Fermentation Technology and Functional Foods
Authors: Giuffrè Domenico , Giuffrè Angelo Maria
Published: March 2024

Food is an integral part of our civilization. It is a cultural phenomenon that, while having evolved, is associated with societal traditions and identity. This work analyzes studies conducted to highlight the health properties of the most common ethnic foods. Although these foods were originally created from the need to preserve perishable produce, presently, we know that the fermentation process makes them nutritionally more complete. The basis of these transformations lies in that vast range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms that, similar to small biochemical factories, can transform the initial nutrients into metabolically more active biomolecules through fermentation. Although naturally occurring microbes work together for mutual benefit, environmental conditions enhance or inhibit their development. Starting from a selection of microorganisms naturally present on a substrate, we attempt to select the most suitable species to obtain a fermented food with the best nutritional qualities and the richest in nutraceuticals.
Conditioned Media from Deer Antler Stem Cells Effectively Alleviate Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Possibly via Inhibiting the NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wang Dongxu , Ren Jing , Li Jiping , Li Xiuying , Ying Jinchi , Jiang Tiantian , Wang Zhen , Pan Zheng , Guo Qianqian , Li Chunyi , Zhang Guokun
Published: March 2024

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) represents a severe threat to human health. Persistent hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia can lead to damaged liver function, while effective interventions for these complications are currently lacking. Deer antler stem cells (AnSCs), a novel type of adult stem cells, significantly reduced liver injury, which was speculated to be achieved through the paracrine pathway. Methods: In this study, AnSC-conditioned medium (AnSC-CM) was used to treat C57BL/6 mice with T1D symptoms induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The therapeutic effects of AnSC-CM on T1D were evaluated, and the underlying mechanism was investigated. Results: It was shown that AnSC-CM alleviated the T1D symptom: decreased body weight, increased blood glucose levels and islet lesions, and reduced insulin secretion. Moreover, AnSC-CM treatment improved liver function and mitigated liver injury in T1D mice. Impressively, the therapeutic effects of AnSC-CM on T1D were better than those of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-CM (BMSC-CM). The mechanistic study revealed that AnSC-CM significantly downregulated the NF-κB signaling pathway in both pancreatic and liver tissues. Conclusions: Therapeutic effects of AnSC-CM on STZ-induced T1D and liver injury may be achieved through targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis of Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Endometrium Reveals ISL1 as a Potential Biomarker for Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Zhong Cheng , Guo Yu-e , Yang Qianlan , Song Yunfeng , Wang Tongshuai , Cai Bailian , Chen Hao , Du He , Wan Jing , Liu Yin , Li Yiran , Wan Xiaoping
Published: March 2024

Background: As a dedifferentiated tumor, small cell endometrial neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare and frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage with a poor prognosis. Current treatment recommendations are often extrapolated from histologically similar tumors in other sites or based on retrospective studies. The exploration for diagnostic and therapeutic markers in small cell NETs is of great significance. Methods: In this study, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing on a specimen obtained from a patient diagnosed with small cell endometrial neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) based on pathology. We revealed the cell map and intratumoral heterogeneity of the cancer cells through data analysis. Further, we validated the function of ISL LIM Homeobox 1 (ISL1) in vitro in an established neuroendocrine cell line. Finally, we examined the association between ISL1 and tumor staging in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patient samples. Results: We observed the significant upregulation of ISL1 expression in tumor cells that showed high expression of the neuroepithelial markers. Additionally, in vitro cell function experiments demonstrated that the high ISL1 expression group exhibited markedly higher cell proliferation and migration abilities compared to the low expression group. Finally, we showed that the expression level of ISL1 was correlated with SCLC stages. Conclusions: ISL1 protein in NETs shows promise as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and treatment.
A Two-Genome Portrayal of Mitochondrial Disorders: A Review with Clinical Presentations
Authors: Abadie Jude M.
Published: March 2024

Disorders of mitochondrial function are responsible for many inherited neuromuscular and metabolic diseases. Their combination of high mortality, multi-systemic involvement, and economic burden cause devastating effects on patients and their families. Molecular diagnostic tools are becoming increasingly important in providing earlier diagnoses and guiding more precise therapeutic treatments for patients suffering from mitochondrial disorders. This review addresses fundamental molecular concepts relating to the pathogenesis of mitochondrial dysfunction and disorders. A series of short cases highlights the various clinical presentations, inheritance patterns, and pathogenic mutations in nuclear and mitochondrial genes that cause mitochondrial diseases. Graphical and tabular representations of the results are presented to guide the understanding of the important concepts related to mitochondrial molecular genetics and pathology. Emerging technology is incorporating preimplantation genetic testing for mtDNA disorders, while mitochondrial replacement shows promise in significantly decreasing the transfer of diseased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to embryos. Medical professionals must maintain an in-depth understanding of the gene mutations and molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondrial disorders. Continued diagnostic advances and comprehensive management of patients with mitochondrial disorders are essential to achieve robust clinical impacts from comprehensive genomic testing. This is especially true when supported by non-genetic tests such as biochemical analysis, histochemical stains, and imaging studies. Such a multi-pronged investigation should improve the management of mitochondrial disorders by providing accurate and timely diagnoses to reduce disease burden and improve the lives of patients and their families.
Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training vs Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Body Composition and Blood Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Disease Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gonçalves Catarina , Raimundo Armando , Abreu Ana , Pais João , Bravo Jorge
Published: March 2024

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is essential in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a promising exercise intervention for enhancing clinical outcomes in cardiac patients. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two short-term exercise-based programs employing HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in comparison to a control group concerning blood pressure, body composition, and blood biomarkers in patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Seventy-two CAD patients (14% women) underwent randomization into three groups: HIIT, MICT, and control. The training programs encompassed six weeks of supervised treadmill exercises, conducted thrice weekly. MICT targeted ≈70–75% of peak heart rate (HRpeak), while HIIT was tailored to ≈85–95% of HRpeak. The control group received guidance on adopting healthy lifestyles. Outcome measurements included evaluations of blood pressure, body composition, and blood biomarkers. Results: In contrast to MICT, the HIIT exhibited superior improvements in body fat mass (Δ%HIIT: 4.5%, p < 0.001 vs. Δ%MICT: 3.2%, p < 0.001), waist circumference (Δ%HIIT: 4.1%, p = 0.002 vs. Δ%MICT: 2.5%, p = 0.002), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (Δ%HIIT: 10.4%, p < 0.001 vs. Δ%MICT: 32.3%, p < 0.001) and thyrotropin (TSH) (Δ%HIIT: 16.5%, p = 0.007 vs. Δ%MICT: 3.1%, p = 0.201). Both HIIT and MICT induced significant enhancements across all variables compared to the control group. Conclusions: HIIT and MICT emerged as effective modalities for enhancing systolic and diastolic function, body composition, and blood biomarkers in CAD patients, with HIIT demonstrating incremental improvements over MICT. The absence of participation in exercise-based programs following cardiovascular events yielded less favorable outcomes. HIIT holds promise as an adjunct intervention in CR programs for CAD patients. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03538119.
ScholarOne - Machiavelli Against Sovereignty: The Case of the Decemvirate
Authors: Arum Eero
Published: March 2024

A major current in recent scholarship has drawn on Machiavelli’s
writings to articulate a non-sovereigntist conception of popular power.
However, such interpretations have not generally offered a rigorous
analysis of conceptions of sovereignty that were available in
Machiavelli’s own time. In this paper, I focus on Machiavelli’s
discussion of a historical episode which played a central role in
classical and humanist discussions of sovereign power: the Decemvirate
of 451-450 BC, an extraordinary commission created for the drafting and
enactment of Rome’s legal code. Through a close reading of the
Discourses on Livy, I argue that Machiavelli’s chapters on the
Decemvirate comprise a miniature “treatise” on the perils of
“absolute authority.” I also show that Machiavelli’s account of the
decemvirs’ election contains a web of allusions to the lex regia,
the “royal law” by which the Roman people was thought to have
transferred all its imperium and potestas to the emperors.
By illustrating the destructive consequences of the decemvirs’ grant of
authority, Machiavelli poses a challenge to absolutist juridical
theories built on the lex regia; moreover, he illustrates that
electoral institutional arrangements can readily give rise to tyrannical
power.
ScholarOne - Negative Affect and Team Innovation: The Nonlinear Moderating Role of Team Mindfulness
Authors: Wang Ping , Zhang Xiaojie , Quan Xijian
Published: March 2024

Teams will inevitably experience negative affects when performing
innovative tasks. Negative group affect would not necessarily lead to
negative team outcomes. Drawing on theories of mood-as-information and
mindfulness, we propose that team mindfulness will nonlinearly moderate
the relationship between negative group affective tone and team
innovation through the mechanism of external knowledge acquisition. We
collected data from 76 research and development teams to test our
hypotheses. Results indicated that 1) NGAT is positively related to
external knowledge acquisition when team mindfulness is at the medium
level, 2) external knowledge acquisition is positively related to team
innovation, and 3) NGAT is beneficial for team innovation via external
knowledge acquisition when team mindfulness is at the medium level,
rather than low or high level. Theoretical and practical implications
are discussed.
The history of the development of Chinese vocal music art before and after the founding of the New China: reforms and innovations
Authors: Yuanyuan Zhou
Published: March 2024

This article reviews the development history of Chinese vocal music art before and after the founding of New China, and introducing modern educational technology and other innovations. It is of great significance for the future development of Chinese vocal music art education to promote the integration of vocal music art education and Chinese excellent traditional culture.
On The Interannual Variability of Indonesian Monsoon Rainfall (IMR): A Literature Review of The Role of its External Forcing
Authors: Mulsandi Adi , Koesmaryono Yonny , Hidayat Rahmat , Faqih Akhmad , Sopaheluwakan Ardhasena
Published: March 2024

The IMR variability is notorious for its hydrometeorological disasters. This paper examines recent studies on IMR and the main factors controlling its variability. The focus of this study is to investigate the impact of the atmosphere-ocean interaction that acts as the external forcing of IMR in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Specifically, the study will examine the influence of two climate phenomena, namely the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and their interdecadal changes associated Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), on the IMR. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. Furthermore, data sets (such as rainfall, wind field, and SST) spanning 1990-2020 were used to verify the key findings. In general, this study concludes that the majority of the authors coincided with the following conclusion: ENSO and IOD events impact IMR by changing its amplitude, duration, intensity, and frequency of mean and extreme rainfall. Additionally, it has been shown that their impacts on IMR are most substantial during the dry seasons, specifically in June, July, and August (JJA), and not as strong as during the wet seasons, specifically in December, January, and February (DJF). Spatially, the effects of ENSO and IOD on IMR variability are clearly found more eastward and westward of the region, respectively. The expansions towards the east and west directions were facilitated by the displacement of the ascending and descending of Walker circulation patterns in the Indonesian region, respectively. Given the interannual fluctuations in IMR, caused mainly by ocean-atmosphere interactions, the knowledge gap of atmospheric factors like the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) must be investigated in the future, as suggested by previous research and our preliminary study.
DURASI PENYINARAN MATAHARI DAN DIURNAL TEMPERATURE RANGE SERTA KAITANNYA DENGAN PERUBAHAN IKLIM DI PONTIANAK, INDONESIA
Authors: Nelvi Afni , Nata Refky Adi
Published: March 2024

Durasi penyinaran matahari (DPM) memiliki peranan penting dalam perubahan iklim atau cuaca di bumi. Dewasa ini, perubahan iklim dapat diindikasikan dengan perubahan nilai DPM (dimming/brightening) beberapa dekade terakhir. Analisis DPM dan diurnal temperature range (DTR) perlu dilakukan untuk mengetahui dampak perubahan iklim. Dilakukan analisis data DPM, DTR Tmean, Tmak, Tmin, dan curah hujan di Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat tahun 1981-2019 menggunakan Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) dan Wavelet Transform Coheren (WTC). Hasil CWT menggunakan wavelet Morlet, DPM memiliki periode dominan 8-16 bulan. DTR memiliki periode dominan 8-16 bulan dan 32-64 bulan. Peningkatan DPM dapat dikatakan bahwa Pontianak berada pada periode pencerahan (brightening) yang disebabkan oleh perubahan karakteristik awan dan aerosol sehingga terjadi peningkatan jumlah energi matahari yang mencapai permukaan bumi. Perubahan iklim juga telah terlihat dari penurunan DTR. Ditemukan korelasi negatif antara DTR dan DPM (r = -0,80). DTR menjadi indikator penting dari perubahan iklim karena sensitif terhadap perubahan keseimbangan energi radiasi. Perubahan DPM memberikan dampak yang signifikan terhadap Tmean, Tmak dan Tmin. Peningkatan Tmin yang lebih cepat dibandingkan Tmak menyebabkan penurunan DTR sehingga Tmin diprediksi akan semakin tinggi. Tmean dan Tmak memiliki periode dominan 8-16 bulan. Tmin memiliki periode 12-20 bulan dan 32-64 bulan. Peningkatan suhu yang terdeteksi pada periode tersebut diasosiasikan dengan peristiwa kebakaran hutan lahan gambut di Kalimantan yang diperkirakan karena pengaruh brightening period dan peningkatan konsentrasi gas rumah kaca di atmosfer. Curah hujan memiliki periode 4-8 bulan dan 8-16 bulan. Kekeringan yang terjadi dikaitkan dengan peristiwa El Nino mengakibatkan besarnya simpangan jumlah curah hujan terhadap normalnya.
Hrotsvit of Gandersheim and Philosophy
Authors: Ćuk Barbara
Published: March 2024

Hrotsvit of Gandersheim sees music and arithmetic as parts of philosophy. Presenting the motives for engaging in literary creativity and describing her writing process, she says that by glorifying God with her work, she incorporated threads and pieces of the ancient mantle of philosophy into it. The paper aims to provide insight into Hrotsvit’s knowledge of philosophy and the specificities and significance of her approach to the contents of the disciplines of arithmetic and music (in particular to musica humana and the harmony of a world) in her plays Paphnutius and Sapientia, to analyze different elements of her authorial self-perception and to emphasize the similarities between her and Augustine’s understanding of music, and the role of certain types of writing. The paper concludes that Hrotsvit incorporated her knowledge and understanding of ancient and medieval theories of music and numbers into her plays uniquely, showing originality in their interpretation and merging them with everyday moral life and education. In this way, the rarely treated philosophical elements of her oeuvre are presented and evaluated.
How much should public transport services be expanded, and who should pay? Experimental evidence from Switzerland
Authors: Lichtin Florian , Smith E. Keith , Axhausen Kay W. , Bernauer Thomas
Published: March 2024

The twin challenge of increasing capacity to accommodate growing travel demand while simultaneously decarbonizing the transport sector places enormous pressure on public transport (PT) systems globally. Arguably the most fundamental policy choice and trade-off in designing and operating PT systems in the coming years will be service levels versus cost implications. On the presumption that public (citizen and consumer) opinion is crucial to making such choices, we study this question with a focus on Switzerland by using a factorial experiment (n = 1'634) that considers the frequency and geographic coverage of PT services as well as the cost implications for PT users and taxpayers. We find that support for increased frequency of connections and more services to peripheral regions is high as long as such service expansion is funded mainly by the government, rather than PT users. Preferences are generally consistent across subgroups, except in the case of government funding, where preferences differ by political orientation. This suggests that there is substantial demand across the board for PT services expansion funded primarily by the government, but that the question of funding is also potentially politically the most controversial. While our findings are specific to a country with a highly developed PT system, our research provides a template for similar research in other countries that struggle with a similar challenge.
DARIUS: A Comprehensive Learner Corpus for Argument Mining in German-Language Essays
Authors: Schaller Nils-Jonathan , Horbach Andrea , Höft Lars , Ding Yuning , Bahr Jan Luca , Meyer Jennifer , Jansen Thorben
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we present the DARIUS (Digital Argumentation Instruction for Science) corpus for argumentationquality on 4589 essays written by 1839 German secondary school students. The corpus is annotated according toa fine-grained annotation scheme, ranging from a broader perspective like content zones, to more granular featureslike argumentation coverage/reach and argumentative discourse units like claims and warrants. The features haveinter-annotator agreements up to 0.83 Krippendorff’s α. The corpus and dataset are publicly available for furtherresearch in argument mining.
Conditional Word Count and Huffman Code Size are Two Sides of the Same Coin: Response to Koplenig
Authors: Aceves Pedro , Evans James
Published: March 2024

Conditional Word Count and Huffman Code Size are Two Sides of the Same Coin: Response to Koplenig
Mapping Solar Mindsets: Socioeconomic Predictors of Rooftop Solar Reception
Authors: Scheuch Eric
Published: March 2024

Rooftop solar is one of the fastest growing sources of energy generation in the United States, offering owners lower electric bills and greater independence from the grid. However, it faces two ongoing challenges that limit growth: a slowdown in demand and large gaps in installation rates along racial and income lines. These gaps persist even after accounting for factors that correlate with income and race, such as solar installation infrastructure. Together, these challenges threaten to both inhibit progress on climate mitigation and worsen existing energy inequality. This article assesses possible drivers of both problems using a large nationally representative survey focused on consumer attitudes towards rooftop solar. I find that perceived affordability is the greatest concern across all subgroups and that Americans are, on average, pro-rooftop solar across all dimensions. Most notably in light of existing explanations for socioeconomic divides, Black respondents are more pro-rooftop-solar than white respondents. Important dividing lines on solar attitudes include homeownership, partisanship, age, education, and geographic solar potential.
Green Steel Blueprint: Mauritania's Strategic Pathway to Sustainable Industrial Leadership
Authors: Khlil Brahim
Published: March 2024

The paper, "Green Steel Blueprint: Mauritania's Strategic Pathway to Sustainable Industrial Leadership," positions Mauritania at the forefront of a potential economic and industrial revolution through the development of a green steel industry. Despite its current status as an exporter of iron ore without domestic steel production, Mauritania is uniquely poised to leverage its abundant natural resources, including vast iron ore reserves and significant renewable energy potential, to pioneer sustainable steel production.Highlighting the economic context and recent discoveries of gas reserves alongside renewable energy initiatives, the paper advocates for the adoption of green hydrogen technology in steel manufacturing to reduce carbon emissions and align with global sustainability goals. It underscores the economic viability, environmental benefits, and strategic importance of transitioning to green steel production.Addressing challenges such as technological and financial hurdles, the paper recommends strategic actions including international collaborations and policy support to realize this vision. It suggests that Mauritania can not only diversify its economy and enhance its global standing but also contribute to the fight against climate change by embracing green steel production.
Spatiotemporal forecast of extreme events in a dynamical model of earthquake sequences
Authors: Kaveh Hojjat , Avouac Jean-Philippe , Stuart Andrew
Published: March 2024

Seismic (‘earthquakes’) and aseismic (‘slow earthquakes’) slip events result from episodic slips on faults and are often chaotic due to stress heterogeneity. Their predictability in nature is a widely open question. Here, we forecast extreme events in a numerical model of a single fault governed by rate-and-state friction, which produces realistic sequences of slow events with a wide range of magnitudes and inter-event times. The complex dynamics of this system arise from partial ruptures. As the system self-organizes, prestress is confined to a chaotic attractor of a relatively small dimension. We identify the instability regions (corresponding to particular stress distributions) within this attractor which are precursors of large events. We show that large events can be forecasted in time and space based on the determination of these instability regions in a low-dimensional space and the knowledge of the current slip rate on the fault.
A review on how Big Data can help to monitor the environment and to mitigate risks due to climate change
Authors: Montillet Jean-Philippe , Kermarrec Gaël , Forootan Ehsan , Haberreiter Margit , He Xiaoxing , Finsterle Wolfgang , Fernandes Rui , Shum C.
Published: March 2024

Climate change triggers a wide range of hydrometeorological, glaciological and geophysical processes that span across vast spatiotemporal scales. With the advances in technology and analytics, a multitude of remote sensing, geodetic and in situ instruments have been developed to effectively monitor and help comprehend the Earth's system including its climate variability and the recent anomalies associated with global warming. A huge volume of data is generated by recording these observations, resulting in the need for novel methods to handle and interpret such Big Datasets. Managing this enormous amount of data extends beyond current computer storage considerations; it also encompasses the complexities of processing, modeling, and analysing. Big Datasets present unique characteristics that set them apart from smaller datasets, thereby posing challenges to traditional approaches. Moreover, computational time plays a crucial role, especially in the context of geohazard warning and response systems which necessitate low latency requirements. In this review, we delve into the monitoring and analysis of various climate change-related phenomena, including, but not limited to, droughts, floods, cyclones-induced storm surges, urban heat islands, ice mass balance, sea-level rise, and the modelling of the influence of solar variability on the Earth’s climate. By examining these phenomena, we explore some of the current and future trends in Big Data, aiming to encourage and speed-up the development of such techniques and promoting their benefits to timely monitor and towards achieving climate sustainability, thereby addressing its threat to humanity.
Field geology under the sea with a remotely operated vehicle: Mona Rift, Puerto Rico
Authors: ten Brink Uri , Chaytor Jason , Bialik Or , Flores Claudia , Purkey Phillips Marcie
Published: March 2024

We implemented concepts of field geology at great ocean depths by constructing virtual outcrops from a string of overlapping video frames collected by remotely operated vehicles (ROV). This lower cost alternative to drilling boreholes allows stratigraphic extension into the offshore and for regional interpretation of marine seismic profiles. The imagery was collected along a dive transect on the west wall of Mona Rift, a deep and narrow rift NW of Puerto Rico between water depths of 1560 and 3927 m. The northern coast of Puerto Rico and its large offshore area are underlain by a mid-Eocene and younger forearc basin topped by a thick carbonate platform. There are no drillholes offshore and tying seismic lines across the shoreline there is problematic. We describe our virtual outcrop and constrain its age and stratigraphy using 7 ROV rock samples and compare them to deep boreholes and outcrops on land. Our formation descriptions and ages agree for the most part with those on land, but we identified a 100 m thick section, represented on land by an unconformity. Our stratigraphic interpretation indicates lateral variations in formation thicknesses and establishes a cross-section for additional sampling of the Eocene-Pliocene geology. It also suggests that Mona Rift has formed since mid-Pliocene. The presence or absence of Fe-Mn crust on rocks along the transect may be correlated with the smoothness of the rock surface.
A Good Check on the Bayes Factor
Authors: Sekulovski Nikola , Marsman Maarten , Wagenmakers Eric-Jan
Published: March 2024

Bayes factor hypothesis testing provides a powerful framework for assessing the evidence in favor of competing hypotheses. To obtain Bayes factors, statisticians often require advanced, non-standard tools, making it important to confirm that the methodology is computationally sound. This paper seeks to validate Bayes factor calculations by applying two theorems attributed to Alan Turing and Jack Good. The procedure entails simulating data sets under two hypotheses, calculating Bayes factors, and assessing whether their expected values align with theoretical expectations. We illustrate this method with an ANOVA example and a network psychometrics application, demonstrating its efficacy in detecting calculation errors andconfirming the computational correctness of the Bayes factor results. This structured validation approach aims to provide researchers with a tool to enhance the credibility of Bayes factor hypothesis testing, fostering more robust and trustworthy scientific inferences.
Survey instructions bias perceptions of environmental health risks
Authors: Timmons Shane , Papadopoulos Alexandros , Lunn Peter D
Published: March 2024

A basic function of government is to manage environmental risks. This requires measurement of how the public perceive different risks, but it is hard to measure risk perceptions in a neutral, unbiased way. In a pre-registered experiment with a nationally representative sample (N = 800), we tested the effects of survey instructions on perceived risk from common environmental health hazards. Participants were randomised to read instructions that made salient a relatively unfamiliar hazard (electromagnetic fields; EMFs), a familiar hazard (carbon monoxide) or no hazard (i.e., that the study was about environmental health risks in general) before rating perceived risk of a series of hazards. Results showed an asymmetric salience effect. Instructions that highlighted EMFs elicited higher levels of perceived risk from EMFs, but perceptions of other hazards were unaffected. Instructions that made carbon monoxide salient did not affect perceptions of carbon monoxide, but diminished perceived risk from other hazards. Effects were observed on widely used rating scales and on a novel policy budget allocation task. In exploratory analyses, we further sought to test the relationship between perceived risk as elicited by rating scales and revealed risk perceptions. Results showed that how often respondents report thinking about a hazard day-to-day best predicted choices in a hypothetical budget task and self-reported mitigative behaviour, even when other dimensions of perceived risk, such as perceived severity of the consequences of exposure, were controlled for. The results have implications for designing surveys to measure perceived risk of environmental health hazards.
Bonkerism: a NEW Science of Consciousness?
Authors: Lau Hakwan
Published: March 2024

Here I respond to Anil Seth’s recent article on the Worth of Wild Ideas (2023). The debate on whether the integrated information theory (IIT) of consciousness is pseudoscience continues, involving many authors on both sides. Here, instead of focusing on the theory, I highlight a deeper philosophical divide within the science of consciousness.
Sleep Quality – A Potential Link in the Relation Between Occupational Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Singh Gyanendra , Viramgami Ankit , Makwana Bela , Mishra Sukhdev , Padhariya Tejal , Dave Viral , Soundararajan Soundarya
Published: March 2024

Job stress by effort-reward imbalance (ERI) is a predictor of burnout. Job stress is associated with inflammation, that is a forerunner of distal outcomes, including mortality. Sleep quality, an important association between job stress and inflammation has not been extensively studied. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between job stress, sleep quality, and inflammation among female nurses. As the primary outcome measure, a composite inflammation score was constructed from five interleukins (IL-6, 8, 10, 1β, TNF-α). Among fifty participants (mean age 32±7 years, work experience 105±8 months), there was poor sleep quality among the high ERI group (p=0.021). Overcommitment(OC), an intrinsic component of the ERI, was related to poor sleep quality (β =0.21, p =0.025). High OC (β =2.4, p = 0.025) and increased sleep latency (β = 8.3, p =0.027) were associated with elevated inflammation. There was a significant interaction between ERI and OC on inflammation (β =5.186, p =0.017) and conditional effects of ERI on OC to inflammation only in the high ERI group (p =0.002), not in the low ERI group (p = 0.839). Composite inflammation scores from various inflammatory markers may be potential indicators of adverse outcomes in burnout studies among healthcare workers.
Formulation as Representation - Modelling the Cognitive Space of Mental Health Clinical Reasoning
Authors: Hider Andrew , Sim Su Hua
Published: March 2024

This paper discusses the specific characteristics of any hypothetical cognitive space that may be modelled in order to automate (or partially automate) the kind of mental health clinical reasoning - clinical or psychological case formulation - that is used by mental health professionals. It argues that work into the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of mental health needs to consider three components of this kind of clinical reasoning. Firstly, heterotopy. When mental health clinical reasoning statements are made, parsing them does not result in the same representation when the same words are used, due to the fact that mental health ontologies contain multiple meanings for the same words. Secondly, orthogonality. Variables relevant to mental health may not causally intersect but may both be relevant for clinical case formulation and treatment determination. Thirdly, veridicality. The truth of a clinical case formulation may not be determined by any testable observations. Even treatment response may not allow for a determination of truth., The truth status of a clinical case formulation may hinge principally on the degree to which it confers meaning or understanding of a mental state on the person who is experiencing that mental state, and that truth may be different to the truth judgements of a mental healthcare clinician. Automated clinical case formulation models need to accommodate for these features of the cognitive space of mental health clinical case formulation.
The co-design and acceptability of a genital body image educational video for people with a penis
Authors: Fernando Anne Nileshni , Dwyer Bronwyn , Randhawa Alisha , Sharp Gemma
Published: March 2024

Within body image research, genital body image has not received significant attention. This project aimed toexplore how positive genital body image could be fostered among people with a penis by co-designing anddeveloping an educational resource. Participants were 22 people in Australia who identified as having a penisand were involved in three phases of co-design focus groups. Thematic and content analyses were used togenerate themes across the data with each phase informing the next, culminating in a prototype resource being shown to participants in the final phase. Amongst the predominantly cisgender men sample, there was consensus that a brief, animated, educational video could have potential in promoting a positive genital body image in people with a penis. For video content, participants were not supportive of challenging societal messagingaround penis size that “bigger is better”. Instead, participants supported the inclusion of information about the range of penile functions, promoting acceptance of penile size/appearance and that fulfilling intimate relationships were possible irrespective of penis size. The feedback was positive overall for the final prototypevideo. To our knowledge, we describe the first co-designed educational resource for people with a penis and contribute to the understanding of this understudied topic.
What different network models reveal about the relation of engagement to burnout
Authors: Kulakow Stefan , Moeller Julia
Published: March 2024

Schoolwork Engagement and school burnout are both multi-facetted constructs consisting of multiple components, including emotional, affective and behavioral facets for engagement and exhaustion, cynicism and inadequacy for burnout. Although the desirable engagement and the undesirable burnout symptoms are negatively correlated, there are some individuals who report high levels of both engagement and burnout. Within-person analyses are needed to detect such engaged but burned out individuals, who are otherwise overlooked if common between-person correlations are examined.This study extends prior comparison of insights to be gained from between- versus within-person analyses. Based on the critique that multi-facetted constructs may be better represented in psychometric networks than latent factor measurement models (see Lange et al., 2020), we examined the relationships among and between the specific engagement and burnout facets with psychometric and residual network models and compared their insights to the common latent factor (CFA) approach. To account for the problem that within-person co-endorsements of engagement and burnout experiences may be overlooked with between-person correlations, we then compared the inter-individual correlation-based psychometric and residual networks to an intra-individual co-endorsement network.The present study shows how motivational research may benefit from utilizing and contrasting psychometric network models as they may help to examining specific facets of constructs and that the inferences and conclusions that are drawn might change in contrast to the use of conventional latent factor approaches.
Image memorability depends on interference in memory
Authors: Morales-Calva Fernanda , Velgekar Aditi , Sekili Michelle , Leal Stephanie L
Published: March 2024

Some experiences are better remembered than others by most people. This inherent characteristic of an event to be well remembered is known as memorability. Memorability has been typically measured by performance on recognition memory tasks and is calculated as the proportion of participants who correctly recognize a repeated item. However, it is unclear what drives certain experiences to be more memorable than others and whether all aspects of an experience are better remembered. Lure discrimination can capture more nuanced aspects of our memories by measuring our ability to discern similar “lure” items that share overlapping features with items encountered previously. Interference across experiences is a major barrier that our memory system must overcome, yet we do not know how interference may impact the memorability of our experiences. Exploring this facet of memory can allow us to parse what drives certain experiences to be memorable or forgettable. To this end, we developed a memory task that varied image memorability and lure image similarity and measured both target recognition - memory for repeated images, and lure discrimination - discrimination of similar lure images. While effects of memorability were evident for target recognition, the impact of memorability on lure discrimination depended on lure similarity, where higher levels of interference did not benefit from memorability compared to lower levels of interference. Furthermore, these effects were time-dependent: memorability impacted memory immediately, but not after longer time delays. These findings suggest that the concept of memorability depends on how and when memory is measured.
Associations of Exposure Frequencies of Single Adverse Childhood Experiences with Psychological Distress: Evidence from a Cohort Study among Emerging Adults
Authors: Marmet Simon , Bötschi Salome , Vetsch Neela , Stallmann Lina , Jeannette Brodbeck
Published: March 2024

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are significant transdiagnostic risk factors for impaired psychosocial functioning and mental health conditions throughout life. Most research on ACEs has used composite scores, which precludes specific conclusions about the impact of individual adverse experiences and their frequency of occurrence.Objective: To investigate the association between exposure frequencies of single adverse experiences with psychological distress among emerging adults.Participants and Setting: A total of 2528 emerging Swiss adults aged 18 to 22 years (mean age 19.3) from a random population sample participating in the first wave of a cohort study. Methods: ACE measures were 39 specific experiences for neglect (emotional, physical), abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), witnessing violence, peer maltreatment and parental psychopathology. ANOVA models were used to estimate the associations of exposure frequencies for each adverse experience with psychological distress. Results: Single adverse childhood experiences were strongly associated with psychological distress in emerging adulthood, with considerable differences across experiences and their exposure frequencies. Physical and sexual abuse experiences were associated with psychological distress across all exposure frequencies, including if experienced only rarely. Emotional abuse, emotional neglect and verbal abuse by peers experiences showed associations with psychological distress mainly at higher exposure frequencies. Conclusions: The severe impact of adverse childhood experiences on the mental health of emerging adults varies greatly depending on the specific adverse experience and how often a person had to endure them. Our research underscores the value of analyzing the impact of single adversities and their exposure frequencies alongside dimensional approaches in ACE research. Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Emerging adulthood; mental health; Switzerland; psychological distress; peer maltreatment; single adversity approach