bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PREDIKSI NILAI KURS MATA UANG DOLLAR AMERIKA (USD) DAN YUAN CHINA (CNY) DENGAN RUPIAH (IDR) MENGGUNAKAN METODE ARIMA
Authors: Tauryawati Mey Lista , Zainuddin Ahmad Fuad , Teja Satya Dhira Alfa , Derick Luigi
Published: May 2024

Bonus demografi yang sedang terjadi di Indonesia tidak sebanding dengan lapangan pekerjaan yang tersedia. Hal ini menyebabkan banyak dari mereka untuk mencari sumber pendapatan dari berbagai tempat, salah satunya dengan berinvestasi atau trading. Trading forex juga merupakan sumber pendapatan yang potensial jika dilakukan dengan benar. Analisa dengan menggunakan metode yang benar dapat membantu untuk sukses dalam dunia trading forex. Dalam dunia forex, mata uang Dollar Amerika (USD) dan Yuan China (CNY) merupakan mata uang yang sering dipilih karena paling berpotensi menghasilkan keuntungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan prediksi harga kurs Dollar Amerika (USD) dan Yuan China (CNY) terhadap Rupiah (IDR) menggunakan metode Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA). Data kurs mata uang USD dan CNY akan dibagi menjadi data train dan test untuk memprediksi secara long term (10 hari), dan short term (5 hari). Dari hasil analisa tersebut, diperoleh bahwa model ARIMA (2,0,2) adalah model terbaik untuk memprediksi kurs USD terhadap IDR, sedangkan model ARIMA (3,0,2) adalah model terbaik untuk prediksi kurs CNY terhadap IDR. Model terbaik diperoleh berdasarkan nilai AIC terendah dan signifikansi parameter. Setelah mendapatkan model terbaik untuk nilai tukar kurs mata uang USD dan CNY terhadap IDR, selanjutnya dilakukan prediksi untuk jangka waktu short term dan long term. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa untuk meramalkan secara short term, model ARIMA yang telah diperoleh, cocok untuk digunakan. Namun, untuk meramalkan secara long term, model ARIMA tersebut masih kurang akurat untuk digunakan, karena keterbatasan data train.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Hospital Recycling Program for Improving Nurses' Recycling Behaviours
Authors: Gürgen Şimşek Hatice , Özsoy Süheyla Altuğ
Published: May 2024

Background and Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the Hospital Recycling Program conducted for the wastes generated during the practice of nurses on the recycling behavior and waste amounts of the nurses.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test control group was conducted with 64 nurses. Data were collected by the Nurse Descriptive Characteristics Form, Recycling Scale for Sustainable Hospital, and Unit Waste Registration Form. The Hospital Recycling Program based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour was applied to the intervention group.
Results: The Hospital Recycling Program had a positive effect on attitudes/behavior intention, and recycling behavior scores of nurses in the intervention group; the amount of recyclable waste was significantly increased compared to the control group (p
Decision Tree-Based Classification Approach to Discover Factors Affecting Vitamin D Level with Machine Learning
Authors: Ünal Ceyda , Çılgın Cihan , Albaş Süleyman , Koç Esra Meltem
Published: May 2024

Purpose: Vitamin D level is emphasized as an important biomarker in determining risk factors for different diseases. Vitamin D is an important vitamin for human health and its deficiency is associated with serious health problems. Therefore, it is of great importance to detect vitamin D deficiency, which can be easily prevented and treated. The possible relationship between vitamin D deficiency and musculoskeletal pain, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension is frequently discussed in researches. In this research, it is aimed to analyze the factors in determining the vitamin D level and the decision rules related to it.
Methods: A descriptive framework based on one of the machine learning techniques, that is decision tree is followed. The data used to create the decision rules were obtained from volunteers between the ages of 18-85 who applied to Izmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital Infectious Diseases and Family Medicine Polyclinics and agreed to participate in the study between 01.03.2017 and 01.09.2017.
Results: It was observed that age, gender and laboratory test values are strong predictors for vitamin D level. As a result of two CART (Classification and Regression Trees) models, %90.47 and %95 predictive accuracies were observed respectively. In the first model, uric acid, age and creatine; in the second model TSH, ALP and smoking(yes) were the most important three biomarkers affecting vitamin D level.
Discussion: The collected features give a comprehensive list of variables that have an effect on vitamin D in the dataset under consideration. Important findings of the study include not only the identification of these variables, but also the effective categorization determination procedures. In contrast to previous research, the Age variable is the most influential factor within the scope of this dataset, which includes demographic information on patients and their existing disorders.
The Concurrent Validity and Reliability of the Smartphone Measurement Application to Evaluate Iliotibial Band Tightness: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ünüvar Bayram Sönmez , Gerçek Hasan , Demirdel Ertuğrul
Published: May 2024

Purpose: In recent years, the medical use of smartphones has increased with the development of hardware. The study aims to evaluate the reliability and concurrent validity of iPhone® measurement application to measure ITB tightness.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Thirty athletes with ITB tightness (17 males, 13 females) between 20 and 45 years old were included and assessed in this study. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the reliability of each smartphone measurement, and Bland–Altman analysis was used to examine measurement errors. The ITB tightness was measured with Ober test using a bubble inclinometer and iPhone® measurement application and evaluated by two experienced physiotherapists. The researchers carried out three measurements for both extremities, using both the bubble inclinometer and the iPhone® measurement application. Measurement values were recorded by a third physiotherapist.

Results: The iPhone® measurement application has strong inter-rater (ICC=0.941) and intra-rater (ICC=0.986) reliability and concurrent validity (r=0.945) in measuring ITB tightness.

Conclusion: From the cross-sectional study’s results, it can be concluded that the iPhone® measurement application possesses strong intra-rater and inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity and can be used for measuring ITB tightness.
Examining Patients’ Use of Graduated Compression Stockings in Postoperative Period
Authors: Salman Filiz , Baksi Altun , Durna Faruk , Yurt Nida Nur
Published: May 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the use of graduated compression stockings after surgery.
Methods: Employing a descriptive research design, the study was conducted on a sample of 173 patients admitted to the surgical departments of a university hospital.
Results: Among all the patients, 80.9% of them did not lift their feet up for a while when they were in bed before wearing stockings; 72.3% did not wear stockings before getting out of bed. The researchers observed that 50.9% of the patients placed the stockings properly on the heel and 79.2% of them had folds in the stockings they wore. Additionally, upon removing the stockings for observations, 59.5% of the patients exhibited redness in the corresponding area. The use of stockings was more accurate and the damage to the tissue was less in the patients who received information (p
Studies of physical and mechanical properties of thickened concentration tailings and artificial rock masses resulting from their disposal in mined-out spaces of open-pits
Authors: Kalmykov V.N. , Gogotin A.А. , Galyamov V.S. , Tarabaev A.S.
Published: May 2024

The article presents the results of studying physical and mechanical properties of thickened concentration tailings, as well as regularities in their changes during the dumping process in mined-out spaces of open-pits. The necessity of experimental studies is explained by the existing discrepancy between the parameters of the artificial hydraulic deposition of soils and the design solutions, in particular, the spreading angles, the lack of a ponding zone created within the rock mass body, as well as the insignificant influence on the intakes of the dewatering plant. The following characteristics of the thickened tailings that define the parameters of the hydraulic deposition technology and the artificial massif formed inside the pit at the design stage were taken as the research objects: density, mineral density, absolute and relative moisture content, storactivity, viscosity, shear stress, flowing angle, and water conductivity. These characteristics were tested using conventional methods. Representative samples were collected at the discharge points of the thickened tailings in the open pit and directly at the discharge point of the thickener No.2 at the paste thickening plant. It was established that as the thickened tailings are transported to the place of their deposition inside the open pit, no changes take place in their density, moisture content, and water conductivity, but the rheological properties, such as viscosity, shear stress, angle of spreading undergo a significant change, which should be taken into account in design solutions. Being familiar with the technology of thickening, transportation and storage of paste mixtures in open-pit mines allows us to consider the mechanical impact on the pulp flocculi and their destruction, consisting in the rupture of the macromolecules, as the main cause of changes in the structure and properties of the thickened tailings.
Hypothesis about the absolute value of subsoil resources
Authors: Rakhmatov S.N. , Korobovsky N.V. , Pazylov T.Sh. , Kurmanaliev K.Z.
Published: May 2024

Practical assessment of deposits and resources in the Kyrgyz Republic is based on the cost estimation, income and/ or cost methods. The aggregated economic indicators of reduced net cash flows and the internal rate of return, in the dominant sense, reflect the work of capital and premium on capital without legal and economic categories of the mining rent by types of payment for ownership of resources. Currently, the cost of a mining project is defined by the norms of imposed taxes and payments, and, to a large extent, by experimental innovations in the form of a share in the distribution of the net cash flows, bidding and auction payments. Based on the study of the Kumtor mining project for the period of 1996–2020, limits of the mining rent are defined by type, the influence of secondary factors of the economic return from mining and the factor of the project's influence on the macroeconomic indicators of the country. The integrated indicators of the three factors are combined into the category of resource value with the boundaries of revenue sharing for the subsoil owner and the investment capital.
Formation of control contours for technological process in a coal strip mine
Authors: Cherskikh O.I. , Minakov V.S. , Makarov A.M.
Published: May 2024

Mining technological process as a sequence of changing the natural state of the Earth's subsoil to obtain a certain quantity and quality of mineral products is characterized by departures from the specified normative parameter values, which is due to causes of different nature. Most of these causes are man-made, anf they are created during the performance of specific process operations by the personnel. The article presents an original approach to managing the control over the technological process parameters in a coal strip mine. To reduce the magnitude and probability of the process departures from the normative values, the authors propose to create technical and organizational control loops. Each loop is a closed chain of technical means and organizational tools, which secures up-keeping of the normative technological process state. Production risk is proposed to be used as a criterion to assess the efficiency of the control loops. The methodology allowing to calculate the risk is described. The results of the contour approach application to the technological process control at the Solntsevsky coal strip mine are presented.
Policy brief: Polish LGBTQIA+ students at risk: How can schools protect them?
Authors: Prentis Jared
Published: May 2024

Recognising and meeting the social and emotional wellbeing needs of LGBTQIA+ students is an essential education policy issue globally. Yet, research suggests that this vulnerable group continues to face challenges to their ability to feel culturally safe at school. Negative experiences include verbal and physical abuse, and this often results in poor outcomes for students. Certain European countries such as Malta and The Netherlands have demonstrated positive progress towards enacting inclusive policy, while others, including Poland, are known to have made little or no development in this area. This paper provides a policy issue analysis on the current situation in Polish schools while considering the added threat of LGBT+ free zones that have plagued the political landscape and exist as a further barrier to tolerance and empowerment. Following this discourse, recommendations for school communities have been provided for the purpose of establishing safe learning environments for LGBTQIA+ students.
Los vasos geminados de la Edad del Bronce del Este de la Península Ibérica: Del Vinalopó a las Bardenas Reales
Authors: García-Arilla Oliver Andrés , Conget Vicente Héctor
Published: May 2024

Este libro pretende ampliar nuestro conocimiento en torno a los vasos geminados de la Edad del Bronce en el este de la Península Ibérica durante el II milenio BC, aparecidos en asentamientos, cuevas, pozos y tumbas desde el valle del Vinalopó hasta Navarra. A partir de documentación bibliográfica y fotogramétrica, se proporcionan las claves para comprender mejor las conexiones entre estos territorios durante y después del periodo argárico. Se identifica y propone la difusión del vaso geminado de Tipo Pleno en coincidencia con el apogeo de un nuevo centro económico: el Cabezo Redondo en el valle del Vinalopó, donde se ocultó el segundo mayor tesoro de oro y plata de la Edad del Bronce europea. Asimismo, se argumenta mediante el estudio comparativo de fuentes textuales de episodios míticos y fuentes etnográficas que los vasos geminados es una manifestación del culto, presente universalmente, a los divinos gemelos y que está vinculado al culto solar de la Edad de Bronce, cuyas evidencias han sido detectadas tanto en yacimientos del bronce escandinavo como del mediterráneo.
SPATIAL COVERAGE ANALYSIS OF BUS STOP SET AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE SURROUNDING LAND USES. CASE STUDY, MANIZALES, COLOMBIA
Authors:   Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Manizales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Arquitectura, Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Grupo de Investigación en Movilidad Sostenible, Manizales, Colombia, MONTOYA Jorge Alberto , ESCOBAR Diego Alexander ,   Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Manizales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Arquitectura, Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Grupo de Investigación en Movilidad Sostenible, Manizales, Colombia, MONCADA Carlos Alberto ,   Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Facultad de Ingeniería, Departamento de Ingeniería Civil y Agrícola, Programa de Investigación en Tránsito y Transporte – PIT, Ciudad Universitaria Edificio, Bogotá, Colombia
Published: May 2024

The main objective of the research is to determine the efficiency in population and area coverage of the set of bus stops to existing land uses in the city, allowing the identification of possible shortcomings, which leads to the formulation of restructuring proposals in terms of the location of the stops. The research methodology to be applied includes the use of geostatistical models of accessibility based on GIS-type digital tools, supported by the collection of field information and road inventories. As a main result, it is obtained that the stop-system coverage allows the access of more than 80% of the population in a trip time by walking less than 5 minutes. Likewise, it is possible to identify a robust redundancy concerning the system of stops. Thus, it is concluded that the research process facilitates the evaluation and identification of possible interventions, guaranteeing a better coverage of the stops set regarding the city's existing activities.
On the anniversary of Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Olga Silvestrovna Afanasenko
Authors: Loskutov I. G. , Kovaleva O. N.
Published: May 2024

In December 2023, the leading mycologist-phytopathologist of the Russian Federation, head of the laboratory of plant immunity to diseases of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Protection (VIZR), Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Olga Silvestrovna Afanasenko celebrates her anniversary. The main direction of O.S. Afanasenko’s work is a comprehensive study of the mechanisms of variability in populations of phytopathogenic fungi, race-forming processes and interorganismal genetics in the pathosystems “cereal crops - hemibiotrophic pathogens”. In cooperation with colleagues from VIR, as well as from specialized institutions of the Russian Federation and foreign countries, research is being carried out to identify genes for resistance of grain crops to the most harmful pathogens.
Evaluation of the GhMAPK gene expression level under salt stress in cotton cultivars
Authors: Alizade S. A.
Published: May 2024

Background: Abiotic environmental stress factors such as salt stress, drought, oxidative stress adversely affect the development and productivity of plants. To combat adverse environmental conditions, plants have developed a number of protective mechanisms. MAP kinases are protein kinases that regulate cellular activity in response to extracellular stimuli. Given the significant role of MAP kinase mechanisms in universal biological processes, elucidation of its role and mechanisms can be used to create stress-resistant genotypes. The use of stimulators and blockers of MAP kinase mechanisms is promising as a new direction in the management of plant stress resistance. The main goal of the conducted research is the comparative analysis of expression patterns of cotton accessions under salt stress conditions, the study of the relation between an increase in salt concentration and the change in the level of transcripts. Thirteen cultivars from Azerbaijan, nine from Turkey, four from Uzbekistan, four from Greece and one from Kyrgyzstan were used in the research, and changes in the expression level of the GhMAPK gene in cotton accessions was studied with the application of the real-time PCR analysis. In the present study, the evaluation of thirty-one cotton cultivars under different salt stress (NaCl) concentrations revealed significant differences in gene expression levels between cultivars of the same species. The ‘Navai-9’ cultivar from Uzbekistan had the highest expression level at both 100 mM and 200 mM salt concentrations compared to all other cultivars. Among local cultivars, cv. ‘Ganja-110’ (at 100 mM salt concentration), and cv. ‘Zafar’ (at 200 mM) differed from others in the level of changes in transcripts. In addition, there was a wide variation in the expression levels of stress-related genes between groups of accessions identified as resistant and sensitive, and within groups. Thus, both the increase and decrease in the expression level were found within these groups. This diversity in gene expression in sensitive and resistant cultivars in response to the salt stress shows that the mechanisms providing salt tolerance in the studied cultivars are different.
Seasonal impact on Q fever in sheep, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Hadžimusić N. , Velić L. , Čengić B. , Livnjak A. , Šerić-Haračić S. , Hrković-Porobija A. , Hadžijunuzović-Alagić DŽ.
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in sheep and examines the seasonal impact on Q fever distribution. A total of 253 blood samples from sheep in Bosnia and Herzegovina during summer and winter were used, and, the research employed ELISA testing for antibody detection. Findings revealed a significant seasonal variation in seroprevalence, with 41 positive cases identified: 37 in winter and 4 in summer, indicating a higher infection rate during colder months. Statistical analysis suggests a significant association (p<0.05) between season and infection rates; winter conditions, increased indoor density, and lambing activities may elevate transmission risks. These results underscore the importance of considering seasonal factors in Q fever management and surveillance in sheep, contributing to a better understanding of its epidemiology and informing public health strategies. The study highlights the need for further systemic-epidemiological research across different geographies and management practices to elucidate the full impact of seasonality on Q fever prevalence.
Inovasi Keuangan Berbasis Nilai: Mengupas Layanan Tabungan dan Investasi di Bank Syariah
Authors: Dewi Afiatin
Published: May 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengupas lebih dalam tentang bagaimana bank syariah merumuskan inovasi keuangan berbasis nilai melalui layanan tabungan dan investasi bank syariah. Metode yang dgunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode penelusuran pustaka (library research). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa inovasi keuangan berbasis nilai dalam layanan tabungan dan investasi di bank syariah mencerminkan komitmen untuk memadukan prinsip-prinsip ekonomi Islam dengan kemajuan teknologi dan kebutuhan finansial modern.
Measuring student teachers’ beliefs regarding religion in schools: piloting and preliminary validation of two newly developed scales - Postprint
Authors: Penthin Marcus , Pirner Manfred L. , Scheunpflug Annette , Kröner Stephan
Published: May 2024

Previous findings on religious beliefs of teachers suggest a relation between individual religiosity and professional thinking and acting of teachers. Evidence beyond faith schools and teachers with Religious Education (RE) as a subject is scarce, suitable measuring instruments are also lacking. Therefore, this paper reports the development and validation of two scales assessing teachers’ “Beliefs regarding the appropriate role of religion in the school context” and “Beliefs regarding the appropriate role of individual teachers’ religiosity”. Data from N = 348 German teacher education students were analysed. We examined reliability and validity of both scales by employing correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of convergent and discriminant validity, measurement invariance analysis and structural equation modelling. For external validation, we examined the extent to which both scales are explained by the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS, Huber and Huber 2012) and RE as a subject studied. Our analyses support the reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of both scales. Moreover, both scales are substantially explained by the CRS while none of them is explained by RE as subject. Thus, the piloted scales may be applied in future studies investigating the role of religiosity regarding the professional thinking and acting of teachers.
Evaluation of eye-tracking-based personal identification
Authors: Luce Madita , Bernike Gulnora
Published: May 2024

This work investigates gaze-based person identification using different stimuli and machine learning methods. The aim was to find out how different stimuli influence the accuracy of identification by eye movements. Using MATLAB and neural networks, the coordinates of each frame were extracted to perform person classification using a classification learner. 55 subjects participated in the study.
Training Social Skills With a Social Robot: An Experimental Study on the Perception of a Virtual Robot’s Different Training Styles and Roles
Authors: Horstmann Aike
Published: May 2024

Since robots trigger social reactions as social interaction partnersbut are less socially complex and intimidating, they may offer apromising way to train young adults’ social skills and improvetheir social confidence. Since social robots can take overdifferent roles and display different behaviors, two questionsarise: Should the robot take over the role of a coach (higherexpertise, higher hierarchical level) or a training partner (equalexpertise, equal hierarchical level)? Is the training style moreappreciated when it is challenging (focusing on shortcomingsthat can be improved) or encouraging (focusing on successesthat should be strengthened)? These two aspects are examined inan online study with 2x2 between-subjects design whereparticipants get to interact with a virtual robot taking over thedifferent training roles and styles. Results show that a robotcoach is evaluated more positively than a robot training partner,but otherwise does not lead to any evaluation differences. Thechallenging in comparison to the encouraging training style,however, leads to clearly negative evaluations of the robot andthe interaction with it on various measures. Furthermore,participants’ loneliness was found to have an overarchingnegative effect on the robot’s perceived sociability.
Supervision and training to support implementation of a flexible psychosocial support program for refugee mothers and babies: A case study of Baby Friendly Spaces in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Authors: Le Roch Karine , Bubendorff Pauline , Rahaman K. Shafiur , Clouin Laetitia , Lasater Molly , Tonon Brigitte , Berg Kim , Murray Sarah , Nguyen Amanda
Published: May 2024

Background: In humanitarian settings, promoting fidelity in preventive and promotive mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions can be challenging, as they are often designed to be flexible to address a range of risk and protective factors for poor mental health. One such intervention, Baby Friendly Spaces (BFS), is a psychosocial support program for mothers of malnourished children in which various activities may be offered either individually or in groups with no specified sequence. This paper describes the process of establishing standards, re-training providers, and building monitoring and supervision systems to promote fidelity within this flexible support program in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Methods: In 2021, we conducted an audit of the existing BFS program, which showed substantial drifts in fidelity from the intended model. We then worked with an MHPSS expert consultant to balance the need for flexibility while creating an updated curriculum of standardized activities and an accompanying training and supervision package. As part of a randomized controlled trial, As BFS services were already being offered as part of Action Against Hunger programming, we first conducted an audit of current services. In 2021, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, a series of online training sessions were conducted for 12 psychosocial workers and the psychologists were retrained in this model, then both re-trained and comparison providers (with no-retraining) completed an updated assessment of knowledge and confidence for delivering BFS services. The re-trained providers then continued to participate in clinical supervision focused on capacity building and self-care throughout the study.Results: Following the initial training, re-trained providers showed similar levels of knowledge but greater confidence than comparison providers. Re-trained providers reported that the training was useful for improving the quality of their work. Data collected during subsequent supervision confirmed their capacity to deliver services while highlighting a need for workspace improvements, continuous motivation, and additional training for specific issues. Conclusion: Careful attention is needed to promote high quality implementation of flexible MHPSS interventions in humanitarian settings. Small, feasible adjustments to implementation can improve program delivery.
Contextuality, Cognitive Engagement, and Active Inference
Authors: GUÉNIN--CARLUT Avel
Published: May 2024

We revisit existing criticism of the Free Energy Principle and Active Inference through the concept of cognitive contextuality. Contextuality describe the property of physical states which are brought about by the very act of their observation, such as the position or momentum of individual particles in quantum settings. Based on conceptual and physical argument, we propose that contextuality drives the construction of cognitive semiotics. As such, it constitutes a fundamental component of cognition which any formal theory thereof must capture. At a conceptual level, Active Inference seems to capture the inherently contextual nature of cognitive engagement with the world. However, the Free Energy Principle cannot formalize this intuition due to its definition in terms of Dynamical Systems Theory, which comes with a well-defined space of possible states with no contextual properties. We describe the duality between agent-driven interaction and the construction of cognitive spaces which is implicit in the very concept of cognitive contextuality. In consequence, we emphasize the importance of the ontic regime called "Participatory Realism", and consider some ways that the FEP could integrate it.
Global mercury records from natural archives reveal ecosystem responses to changing atmospheric deposition
Authors: Chen Qinqin , Wu Qingru , Cui Yuying , Wang Shuxiao
Published: May 2024

Global ecosystems face mercury contamination, yet long-term data is scarce, hindering understanding of ecosystem responses to atmospheric Hg input changes and policy evaluation. To address this gap, this study compiled a global mercury accumulation flux database using 221 cores from peat, lake, ice, and marine deposits. From 1700 to 2012, global averaged fluxes in peat, lake, ice, and marine deposits increased five-fold, six-fold, six-fold, and eight-fold, respectively. Notably, lake and peat mercury fluxes generally mirrored trends in total atmospheric mercury deposition modelled by GEOS-Chem and thus can reflect policy effects. For instance, the decreases of lake and peat mercury fluxes post-1950 in Europe evidenced effective environmental policies, while rises in East Asia-Oceania highlighted coal-use impacts, inter alia. Conversely, mercury fluxes in marine sediments and high-altitude natural deposits did not correspond well with atmospheric deposition, emphasising natural influences over anthropogenic impacts. Our study underscores these key regions and ecosystems for future mercury management.
Untangling Cue Conflicts: Understanding Spatial Cue Interaction in Navigation through the Bayesian Causal Inference Approach
Authors: Chen Xiaoli , Chen Yingyan , McNamara Timothy P.
Published: May 2024

Spatial navigation is essential for survival, involving the integration of various cues. The current study applied the Bayesian causal inference (BCI) model for multisensory perception to investigate navigation behavior in cue conflict situations for the first time. By contrasting visual landmarks and optic-flow-based path integration cues, we examined how landmark instability influenced underlying cognitive processes of spatial navigation. In the main experiment, 141 participants were assigned to three groups: in the large-conflict-absent group (LC-absent), participants only experienced a small degree of cue conflict; in the large-conflict-present group (LC-present), participants experienced a much larger degree of cue conflict; in the large-conflict-informed group (LC-informed), participants experienced a much larger degree of cue conflict and were made explicitly aware of the landmark instability. Behavioral results showed that increased landmark instability alone did not elicit any noticeable changes in navigation behavior. However, adding explicit awareness to increased landmark instability changed participants’ behavior by reducing their reliance on landmarks. Additionally, combining increased landmark instability with explicit awareness decreased spatial localization precision when only landmarks were used for navigation. The BCI model provided a good account of the data. The modeling results showed that increased landmark instability plus the explicit awareness reduced participants’ reliance on unstable landmarks via two independent mechanisms: first, sensory noise level was increased for unstable landmarks, which naturally resulted in a lower weight assigned to landmarks in the common-cause judgment; second, a lower weight was assigned to unstable landmarks in the different-cause judgment. Surprisingly, increased landmark instability did not decrease the prior belief of a common cause, even when explicit awareness of landmark instability was imposed. Finally, while the cue-weighting strategy in the same-cause judgment is determined by objective cue relative reliability in a bottom-up manner, the cue-weighting strategy in the different-cause judgment correlated with participants’ subjective evaluation of relative cue quality, demonstrating top-down influences from the meta-cognitive process. Further experiments and modeling work verified key findings in the main experiment. Together, the current study offers valuable insights into navigators' reactions to spatial cue conflicts and their strategies in resolving conflicting spatial cues, highlighting the utility of the BCI model in dissecting mechanisms underlying cue interaction during spatial navigation.
Aberrant Auditory Prediction Patterns Robustly Characterize Tinnitus
Authors: Reisinger Lisa , Demarchi Gianpaolo , Obleser Jonas , Sedley William , Partyka Marta , Schubert Juliane , Gehmacher Quirin , Roesch Sebastian , Suess Nina , Trinka Eugen , Schlee Winfried , Weisz Nathan
Published: May 2024

Phantom perceptions like tinnitus occur without any identifiable environmental orbodily source. The mechanisms and key drivers behind tinnitus are poorly understood. The dominant framework, suggesting that tinnitus results from neural hyperactivity in the auditory pathway following hearing damage, has been difficult to investigate in humans and has reached explanatory limits. As a result, researchers have tried to explain perceptual and potential neural aberrations in tinnitus within a more parsimonious predictive-coding framework. In two independent magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies, participants passively listened to sequences of pure tones with varying levels of regularity (i.e. predictability) ranging from random to ordered. Aside from being a replication of the first study, the pre- registered second study, including 80 participants, ensured rigorous matching of hearing status, as well as age, sex, and hearing loss, between individuals with and without tinnitus. Despite some changes in the details of the paradigm, both studies equivalently reveal a group difference in neural representation, based on multivariate pattern analysis, of upcoming stimuli before their onset. These data strongly suggest that individuals with tinnitus engage anticipatory auditory predictions differently to controls. While the observation of different predictive processes is robust and replicable, the precise neurocognitive mechanism underlying it calls for further, ideally longitudinal, studies to establish its role as a potential contributor to, and/or consequence of, tinnitus.Keywords: auditory perceptions, tinnitus, predictive coding, hearing loss, MEG
When sensitivity means strength: distinguishing between soft and hard threats as part of the personality
Authors: Eterović Marija
Published: May 2024

Some people are more sensitive to environmental threats that are easier to objectify and are generally accepted as serious - hard threats, while others are more sensitive to threats that are more subjective, peculiar, and less predictable - soft threats. Defensive denial of distress creates an illusion of mental health and seems to be related to sensitivity to hard threats. People sensitive to soft threats may be more resilient to hard threats. Data from outpatient visits in the aftermath of the 2020 Zagreb earthquake support these hypotheses and could explain why various patient populations (manifestly distressed) seem to cope better with pandemics and natural disasters (sample examples of hard threats) than the general population which consists of genuinely healthy people and those with illusory mental health.
Investigating Transfer of Input Device Practice on Psychomotor Performance in an Aviation Selection Test
Authors: Draheim Christopher , Herdener Nathan D , Rovira Ericka , Melick Sarah R. , Pak Richard , Coyne Joseph , Sibley Ciara
Published: May 2024

Objective: We explored transfer of learning from brief practice with different input devices in the context of the Navy’s Performance Based Measures Battery (PBM), a psychomotor subset of the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB).Background: The PBM is a set of computerized tests used as a part of the ASTB to select aviators in the U.S. military. Official practice is not available, leading candidates to practice with unofficial emulators and with or without access to the stick-and-throttle used on the PBM. Method: Our between-subjects study with 152 cadets from the U.S. Military Academy evaluated the impact of mouse/keyboard or stick/throttle practice on the psychomotor portions of the PBM compared to a control group that was only presented with an informational video.Results: The results showed that practice with either input device resulted in improved performance relative to control on the PBM’s two-dimensional airplane tracking task (ATT). For the simpler vertical tracking task (VTT), the mouse/keyboard practice group showed significantly worse performance than either stick/throttle practice or control groups, indicating a transfer cost from using an alternative input device.Conclusion: The results indicate that becoming familiar and comfortable with the unique dynamics of the ATT are more important than practicing with the appropriate input device. Conversely, device-specific motor learning appears to proportionally be a more impactful determinant of performance for the simpler VTT. This shows that transfer effects from alternative input devices depends in part on properties of the task.Application: This research can inform practice policies for high-stakes psychomotor selection.
“It's nice to be able to have the freedom to talk about how you feel when for so many years you've been squashed. But that's freedom as a woman to help other women”: Including families with experience of domestic violence in a longitudinal qualitative cohort study.
Authors: Sundaram Vanita , Jackson Emma Louise
Published: May 2024

Families with experience of domestic violence are under-represented in cohort studies and little is known about best practice for including them in longitudinal research. This paper explores barriers and enablers to participation in qualitative longitudinal research (QLR) for these families through in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 16) with specialist practitioners and survivors. This paper analyses participants’ views on the benefits of taking part in QLR; and best practice for recruitment, retention and data collection with families that have experience of domestic violence in QLR. We propose that trusted relationships; flexibility and personalisation; and co-production with people with lived experience are crucial to enabling participation across all phases of research.
Examining Audiences’ Epistemological Beliefs about Journalism: Topical Shifts in Beliefs and Implications for Journalistic Practice
Authors: Robertson Craig Thomas
Published: May 2024

This study examines individuals’ epistemological beliefs about journalism: Do people think journalists can arrive at definitive truths? How do they think journalistic knowledge should be sourced? And how do they think journalists’ knowledge claims can best be justified? Understanding such beliefs is important insofar as questions have been raised about the credibility of journalism. Insights may provide perspective on how journalists might improve their practices and repair institutional credibility. In-depth interviews with 65 Americans conducted in early 2020 are used to explore people’s beliefs about what journalists can and should do in epistemological terms. Findings show that individuals’ epistemological beliefs about journalism shift between news topics. Depending on the news topic and the perceived epistemic practices adopted by journalists, news accounts are viewed as more or less credible. The implications of these findings for journalism practice in the US are discussed.
Role of MRI in Evaluation of Post-Traumatic Knee Injuries: A Prospective Study
Authors: Sanju Rawal  , Rajendra KC  , Subhash Chandra Yadav  , Bardan Oli  , Sadhan Mukhi  , Krishna Thapa  , Darshana Dhakal  , Narayan Bohara
Published: May 2024

INTRODUCTIONThe knee joint is the largest and most complex joint in the human body. Therefore it is often affected by trauma. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging modality that provides detailed images of the soft tissue structures of the knee joint. The objective of this study was to evaluate MRI ﬁndings in patients with post-traumatic knee joint injuries.
MATERIAL AND METHODSThis prospective study was carried out using a 3.0 Tesla MRI (Magnetom Lumina) scanner in the Department of Radiodiagno- sis and Medical Imaging at Universal College of Medical Sciences & Teaching Hospital, Bhairahawa, Nepal, involving 128 patients with knee injuries, from September 2023 to February 2024. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.
RESULTSIn this study of 128 participants, 57.81% were male and 42.19% were female, with a mean age of 38.60±13.05 years. The majority of MRI ﬁndings were medial meniscus tear (51.56%), followed by anterior cruciate ligament tear (46.09%), medial collateral ligament sprain (44.53%), lateral meniscus tear (39.84%), lateral collateral ligament sprain (33.59%), and posterior cruciate ligament tear (17.97%). Our study also revealed various grades of collateral ligament injuries, including the medial and lateral ligaments. There were 59.65% of cases with a grade I medial collateral ligament sprain, followed by grade II at 33.33% and grade III at 7.02%. The grade I and grade II lateral collateral ligament sprains were 62.79% and 37.21%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONMRI is a non-invasive and valuable diagnostic modality that can provide an accurate diagnosis. It is often preferred over arthroscopy.
Effect of Social Media on Medical College Students
Authors: Hemant Kumar Halwai
Published: May 2024

Social media has transformed medical education, offering various benefits such as access to diverse learning resources, collaboration opportunities, and networking with professionals worldwide. It's indeed a double-edged sword, offering both benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, social media provides a convenient platform for accessing study materials, communicating with peers, and even engaging with instructors and academic resources. It can foster collaboration, critical thinking, and knowledge sharing. Platforms like Twitter work particularly well for delivering journal clubs and Tweetorials because they permit live global participation. Furthermore, it provides a level of informality that makes experts easier to reach, regardless of status or seniority.
Myśleć Kafką. Teksty i konteksty
Authors: Jochemczyk Mariusz , Olejniczak Józef , Piotrowiak Miłosz
Published: May 2024

Kafka and his work cannot be interpreted unequivocally; his texts cannot be assigned to any of the currents of modern literature (or more broadly — art). Such an unambiguous interpretation and strict assignment would immobilize the potency and dynamics still inherent in this work. Kafka would then become yet another dead butterfly on a pin, placed in the glass case of a collector of butterfly corpses, fascinated by the natural world and running around the meadows with a net… This is what we wanted to avoid in the sketches collected in this book. Did we succeed? The essay is an approximation, “circling around”; it is a testimony of attempts to come closer, and also attempts to tame. The movement of thought here takes place essentially within two separate intellectual circuits. Indeed, the volume constitutes a two-part whole, combining a detailed analysis of selected works by Franz Kafka (interpretive approach) with a broad overview of contextual themes (somatic experience, pacifism and attitude to war, transformations, flows/influences, metamorphoses, aporias, paradoxes of modern knowledge, etc.).
Organizational Culture & Employee Well Being (With Special Reference to Automotive Sector)
Authors: Rathi Gauri , Srivastava Amit Kumar
Published: May 2024

In contemporary workplaces, organizational culture (OC) plays a pivotal role in shaping the experiences and well-being of employees (Belias & Koustelios, 2014). Impact of OC on employee well-being cannot be overstated, as it serves as a cornerstone for fostering a supportive and thriving work environment. OC shapes the attitudes, behaviours, and experiences of employees, influencing their satisfaction, engagement, and overall quality of life. A positive organizational culture can enhance employee morale, motivation, and resilience, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction, lower stress levels, and improved mental health outcomes (Simeli, Theocharis, Vasileiou, & Tsekouropoulos, 2024). On the other hand, a negative or toxic culture can breed disengagement, burnout, and even physical and psychological health issues among employees. Recognizing and nurturing a conducive organizational culture is essential for promoting employee well-being, driving productivity, and sustaining organizational success in the long run (Assoratgoon & Kantabutr, 2023). So, this paper tries to analyse the impact of organizational culture on well-being of employees with the help of literature review a qualitative research approach.