bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conformal Predictive Distribution Trees
Authors: Johansson Ulf , Löfström Tuwe , Boström Henrik
Published: June 2023

Being able to understand the logic behind predictions or recommendations on the instance level is at the heart of trustworthy machine learning models. Inherently interpretable models make this possible by allowing inspection and analysis of the model itself, thus exhibiting the logic behind each prediction, while providing an opportunity to gain insights about the underlying domain. Another important criterion for trustworthiness is the model’s ability to somehow communicate a measure of confidence in every specific prediction or recommendation. Indeed, the overall goal of this paper is to produce highly informative models that combine interpretability and algorithmic confidence. For this purpose, we introduce conformal predictive distribution trees, which is a novel form of regression trees where each leaf contains a conformal predictive distribution. Using this representation language, the proposed approach allows very versatile analyses of individual leaves in the regression trees. Specifically, depending on the chosen level of detail, the leaves, in addition to the normal point predictions, can provide either cumulative distributions or prediction intervals that are guaranteed to be well-calibrated. In the empirical evaluation, the suggested conformal predictive distribution trees are compared to the well-established conformal regressors, thus demonstrating the benefits of the enhanced representation.
Implementing Integrated Early Childhood Mental Health Services in Primary Care: Relationships, Vision, and Sustainability
Authors: Nayak Sameera S. , Scoglio Arielle A. J. , Nandi Shurobhi , Anderson Kayla , Mirand Daphney , Roper Kate , Méndez-Peñate Larisa , Moulin Christy , Arty Malika , Molnar Beth E.
Published: June 2023

The Massachusetts Multi-City Young Children’s System of Care Project was a federally funded program to provide integrated early childhood mental health (ECMH) services in primary care for families of very young children (birth-six years old) with Serious Emotional Disturbances across three cities in Massachusetts, U.S.A. This study describes lessons learned from the implementation of this program and makes recommendations for best practices to improve the delivery and efficacy of ECMH services in primary care settings. Staff and leadership (n = 35) from 11 agencies (primary care practices, community service agencies, and local health departments) that co-implemented this program participated in focus groups and semi-structured key informant interviews. Thematic analysis was used to characterize specific facilitators and barriers to successfully implementing system-wide programming for ECMH. Four main themes were identified: (1) Strong multilevel working relationships are critical for integration, (2) Capacity-building activities can be leveraged to improve implementation, (3) Financial challenges are a primary barrier to building efficacious systems of care, and (4) Flexibility and resourcefulness can help overcome logistical challenges in integration. Implementation lessons learned may serve as guidance for other states and institutions in the U.S. seeking to improve the integration of ECMH services into primary care. They may also provide strategies to adapt and scale these interventions to improve the mental health and well-being of young children and their families.
Conditions of Birth and Early Childhood Developmental Risk for Mental Disorders
Authors: Harris Felicity , Dean Kimberlie , Watkeys Oliver J. , Laurens Kristin R. , Tzoumakis Stacy , Carr Vaughan J. , Green Melissa J.
Published: June 2023

Distinct classes of children in the general population are at increased odds of later mental illness and other adverse outcomes according to patterns of early childhood developmental vulnerability. If certain risk factors known at the time of birth are reliably associated with membership in early childhood risk classes, then preventative interventions could be initiated in the earliest years of life. Associations between 14 factors known at the time of birth and membership in early childhood risk classes were examined in 66,464 children. Risk class membership was associated with maternal mental illness, parental criminal charges and being male; distinct patterns of association were shown for some conditions, for example, prenatal child protection notification was uniquely associated with misconduct risk’. These findings suggest that risk factors known at the time of birth could assist in very early detection of children who may benefit from early intervention in the first 2000 days.
Geodesics and gravitational waves in chaotic extreme-mass-ratio inspirals: the curious case of Zipoy-Voorhees black-hole mimickers
Authors: Destounis Kyriakos , Huez Giulia , Kokkotas Kostas D.
Published: June 2023

Due to the growing capacity of gravitational-wave astronomy and black-hole imaging, we will soon be able to emphatically decide if astrophysical dark objects lurking in galactic centers are black holes. Sgr A*, one of the most prolific astronomical radio sources in our galaxy, is the focal point for tests of general relativity. Current mass and spin constraints predict that the central object of the Milky Way is supermassive and slowly rotating, thus can be conservatively modeled as a Schwarzschild black hole. Nevertheless, the well-established presence of accretion disks and astrophysical environments around supermassive compact objects can significantly deform their geometry and complicate their observational scientific yield. Here, we study extreme-mass-ratio binaries comprised of a minuscule secondary object inspiraling onto a supermassive Zipoy-Voorhees compact object; the simplest exact solution of general relativity that describes a static, spheroidal deformation of Schwarzschild spacetime. We examine geodesics of prolate and oblate deformations for generic orbits and reevaluate the non-integrability of Zipoy-Voorhees spacetime through the existence of resonant islands in the orbital phase space. By including radiation loss with post-Newtonian techniques, we evolve stellar-mass secondary objects around a supermassive Zipoy-Voorhees primary and find clear imprints of non-integrability in these systems. The peculiar structure of the primary, allows for, not only typical single crossings of transient resonant islands, that are well-known for non-Kerr objects, but also inspirals that transverse through several islands, in a brief period of time, that lead to multiple glitches in the gravitational-wave frequency evolution of the binary. The detectability of glitches with future spaceborne detectors can, therefore, narrow down the parameter space of exotic solutions that, otherwise, can cast identical shadows with black holes.
The SDGs as integrating force in global governance? Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Bogers Maya , Biermann Frank , Kalfagianni Agni , Kim Rakhyun E.
Published: June 2023

In 2015, the United Nations agreed on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an “integrated and indivisible” set of policy objectives with the aim, among others, to unite the diverse and vast system of international organizations under one shared normative agenda. And yet, have these SDGs really become such an integrative force in global governance? Our conclusion here is negative, and our research suggests that the SDGs have not lived up to these high expectations. We find instead that the 17 global goals have not been taken up by a substantial group of international organizations, and some organizations rather cherry-pick those goals that best fit their own agenda and interests. To overcome these challenges and to fulfill the promise of integrated global sustainability governance enshrined in the SDGs, we propose three urgent actions: first, to further push the use of the SDGs across all international organizations, in particular regional organizations outside the United Nations system; second, to facilitate better collaboration across policy domains; and third, to focus attention on those SDGs that are so far “left behind.”
Entry–Exit Functions in Fast–Slow Systems with Intersecting Eigenvalues
Authors: Kaklamanos Panagiotis , Kuehn Christian , Popović Nikola , Sensi Mattia
Published: June 2023

We study delayed loss of stability in a class of fast–slow systems with two fast variables and one slow one, where the linearisation of the fast vector field along a one-dimensional critical manifold has two real eigenvalues which intersect before the accumulated contraction and expansion are balanced along any individual eigendirection. That interplay between eigenvalues and eigendirections renders the use of known entry–exit relations unsuitable for calculating the point at which trajectories exit neighbourhoods of the given manifold. We illustrate the various qualitative scenarios that are possible in the class of systems considered here, and we propose novel formulae for the entry–exit functions that underlie the phenomenon of delayed loss of stability therein.
An average-compress algorithm for the sample mean problem under dynamic time warping
Authors: Jain Brijnesh , Froese Vincent , Schultz David
Published: June 2023

Computing a sample mean of time series under dynamic time warping is NP-hard. Consequently, there is an ongoing research effort to devise efficient heuristics. The majority of heuristics have been developed for the constrained sample mean problem that assumes a solution of predefined length. In contrast, research on the unconstrained sample mean problem is underdeveloped. In this article, we propose a generic average-compress (AC) algorithm to address the unconstrained problem. The algorithm alternates between averaging (A-step) and compression (C-step). The A-step takes an initial guess as input and returns an approximation of a sample mean. Then the C-step reduces the length of the approximate solution. The compressed approximation serves as initial guess of the A-step in the next iteration. The purpose of the C-step is to direct the algorithm to more promising solutions of shorter length. The proposed algorithm is generic in the sense that any averaging and any compression method can be used. Experimental results show that the AC algorithm substantially outperforms current state-of-the-art algorithms for time series averaging.
For Better and For Worse: Frequent Gamblers Use Dual Counterfactuals to Justify Continued Gambling
Authors: Anthony Christina I. , Cowley Elizabeth , Blaszczynski Alex
Published: June 2023

How might frequent gamblers convince themselves to keep playing despite persistent losses or after a win that should be savored? The purpose of this research is to examine the unexplored question of how frequent gamblers’ use counterfactual thinking to motivate their desire to continue gambling. Using a sample of n = 69 high and n = 69 low frequency gamblers in a field setting, we found that infrequent gamblers tended to consider how the perceived outcome of losing “could have been better” (i.e., upward counterfactual thinking), and how a winning outcome “could have been worse” (i.e., downward counterfactual thinking). This pattern of counterfactual thinking is considered typical in many settings and may, in a gambling context, support a potentially more responsible approach by helping infrequent gamblers to learn from past mistakes to avoid significant future losses and to savor wins to protect returns gained. Alternatively, we found that frequent gamblers were more likely to generate ‘dual counterfactuals’ which include both upward and downward counterfactuals in response to losses and wins. We argue that this dual pattern of counterfactual thinking may allow frequent gamblers to more easily justify their desire to continue gambling. Findings suggest that challenging gamblers counterfactual thinking patterns could assist clinicians in moderating the potential for high-risk behaviors.
Gamma Radiation-Induced Synthesis and Characterization of Decahedron-Like Silver Nanostructure and Their Antimicrobial Application
Authors: Bekhit Mohamad , El-Sayyad Gharieb S. , Sokary Rehab
Published: June 2023

In the current study, a decahedron-like silver nanostructure (D-AgNs) was successfully created in an aqueous solution in the presence of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent using the gamma-radiolysis approach without the use of a reducing agent. The synthesized D-AgNs were characterized using various analytical tools such as UV–Vis. spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, HRTEM, EDX and FTIR. UV–Vis. absorption spectra showed considerable surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) bands at 350–600 nm, indicating that colloidal D-AgNs had been successfully synthesized. HRTEM image demonstrates well-dispersed uniformly decahedral shapes that are well separated from each other. The produced nanoparticles were effectively stabilized by PVP through interactions, confirmed by the FTIR anlaysis. The synthesis of D-AgNs using gamma radiation was accomplished, in addition its antimicrobial potential, antibiofilm activity, and the effect of UV rays were assessed. In addition, protein leakage assays and SEM imaging were employed to analyze the antimicrobial reaction’s mechanism. A wide variety of bacteria, including S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans, were deactivated by D-AgNs. In the antibiofilm assay, D-AgNs inhibited the biofilm formation of S. aureus (89.58%), E. coli (80.35%), and P. aureginosa (78.45%). After investigating the effect of D-AgNs on the growth curve of S. aureus, we concluded that D-AgNs affect the growth curve of S. aureus, and the curve was reduced to be 0.125. The formation of holes in the S. aureus cell membrane is explained by the fact that the amount of cellular protein released from the bacteria is directly proportional to the concentration of D-AgNs, which was determined to be 259.25 µg/ml at concentration equal to 1.0 mg/mL.
Front Transport Reduction for Complex Moving Fronts
Authors: Krah Philipp , Büchholz Steffen , Häringer Matthias , Reiss Julius
Published: June 2023

This work addresses model order reduction for complex moving fronts, which are transported by advection or through a reaction–diffusion process. Such systems are especially challenging for model order reduction since the transport cannot be captured by linear reduction methods. Moreover, topological changes, such as splitting or merging of fronts pose difficulties for many nonlinear reduction methods and the small non-vanishing support of the underlying partial differential equations dynamics makes most nonlinear hyper-reduction methods infeasible. We propose a new decomposition method together with a hyper-reduction scheme that addresses these shortcomings. The decomposition uses a level-set function to parameterize the transport and a nonlinear activation function that captures the structure of the front. This approach is similar to autoencoder artificial neural networks, but additionally provides insights into the system, which can be used for efficient reduced order models. In addition to the presented decomposition method, we outline a tailored hyper-reduction method that is based on the reduced integration domain method. The capability of the approach is illustrated by various numerical examples in one and two spatial dimensions, including an advection–reaction–diffusion system with a Kolmogorov–Petrovsky–Piskunov reaction term and real life application to a two-dimensional Bunsen flame.
Stare Decisis and Equitable Power
Authors: Lewis Sebastian
Published: June 2023

One of the main moral costs of stare decisis lies in the continuous possibility of entrenching morally deficient decisions in the law. Although legal systems usually make provision for dealing with morally deficient precedents, there are cases in which the legal obligation of later courts to follow one of these precedents is undefeated. This possibility affects the overall justification of stare decisis. One traditional answer to this problem consists in accepting this moral cost, on the belief that the benefits of stare decisis outweigh it. On this view, when there is an undefeated legal obligation to follow a morally deficient precedent, the court must simply follow precedent. In this article, I question this approach and defend an alternative solution. I argue that, under some conditions, a court facing a morally deficient precedent should have the power to either follow the precedent or suspend its application to the parties by ordering a temporary stay of proceedings and referring the case to a higher court with power to overrule the precedent. This proposal entails exercising an equitable power recognised by the legal system, which I defend against three possible objections.
McKay quivers and decomposition
Authors: Meynet Shani , Moscrop Robert
Published: June 2023

When a quantum field theory ind-spacetime dimensions possesses a global$$(d-1)$$(d-1)-form symmetry, it can decompose into disjoint unions of other theories. This is reflected in the physical quantities of the theory and can be used to study properties of the constituent theories. In this note we highlight the equivalence between the decomposition of orbifold$$\sigma $$σ-models and disconnected McKay quivers. Specifically, we show in numerous examples that each component of a McKay quiver can be given definitive geometric meaning through the decomposition formulae. In addition, we give a purely group and representation theoretic derivation of the quivers for the cases where the trivially acting part of the orbifold group is central. As expected, the resulting quivers are compatible with the case of$$\sigma $$σ-models on ‘banded’ gerbes.
Evaluation of effectiveness in conversations between humans and chatbots using parallel convolutional neural networks with multiple temporal resolutions
Authors: Escobar-Grisales Daniel , Vásquez-Correa Juan Camilo , Orozco-Arroyave Juan Rafael
Published: June 2023

Chatbots enable the automation of several components in customer service and allow the support of multiple users. Despite their multiple advantages, due to the large amount of conversations generated by a chatbot, it is difficult to determine whether customer requests are well-addressed. For practical reasons, chatbot’s effectiveness is evaluated manually based upon a small sample (randomly chosen) of conversations or through self-reported user satisfaction. This procedure does not guarantee the correct evaluation of the service because the sample is generally not large enough and self-reports might be influenced by different external factors not directly associated to the chatbot’s functioning. This study proposes a methodology for automatic evaluation of chatbot effectiveness in real production environments. The analysis considers convolutional neural networks adapted for natural language processing, using two parallel convolutional layers to evaluate questions and answers independently. The proposed model also incorporates filters to extract features with multiple temporal resolution. This methodology is tested upon real conversations of chatbots that provide service to two different companies. The results are compared to baseline models based on classical techniques with different pre-trained word embedding models. According to our results, the proposed approach provides accuracies between 78.95% and 80.18%, which outperforms the best result of the baseline models by 2.9%.
Phytostabilization alternatives for an abandoned mine tailing deposit in northwestern Mexico
Authors: Borbón-Palomares Dalia Berenice , González-Méndez Blanca , Loredo-Portales Rene , Tinoco-Ojanguren Clara , Molina-Freaner Francisco
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Past mining activities in northwestern Mexico have left a large number of abandoned mine tailings deposits, such as in San Felipe de Jesus, Sonora, that is known to be transferring metal(oid)s to nearby agricultural fields. Given the risk and the need to implement mitigation measures, in this paper, we describe the results of two experiments evaluating the phytostabilization potential of five plant species collected in the area.

Methods

We evaluated the assisted phytostabilization approach using compost and nutrients and the soil capping approach using combinations of soil, gravel, clay, and tailings layers.

Results

The assisted experiment revealed that seedlings were unable to establish under unamended treatments and only Ricinus communis showed potential under this approach. Compost and nutrients reduced the accumulation of As, Pb, Mn, and Zn in leaves of R. communis, but some were above the maximum tolerable levels for domestic animals. Under the capping approach, R. communis also showed better performance under some combinations of soil, gravel, and tailings layers than the other species. The accumulation of As, Pb, and Mn in leaves was below the maximum tolerable levels for domestic animals, indicating that soil capping has greater potential in this abandoned tailing deposit.

Conclusion

The capping approach has more phytostabilization potential than the use of amendments, reducing the risk of incorporating metal(oid)s in the trophic web.
Ovicidal, immunotoxic and endocrine disrupting effects of saponin on Bulinus truncatus snails with special emphasize on the oxidative stress parameters, genotoxicological, and histopathological alterations
Authors: Ibrahim Amina M. , Al-Fanharawi Ali A. , Dokmak Hebat-Allah A.
Published: June 2023

Bulinus truncatus snail is one of the most medically important snails. The goal of this study was to evaluate the molluscicidal effect of saponin on these snails and study how it affects their biological functions. The present results showed that saponin had a molluscicidal activity against adult B. truncatus snails after 24h and 72h with LC50 (57.5 and 27.1 ppm, respectively) and had ovicidal acivity on the snails’ embryos. By studying the effect of the sublethal concentrations (LC10 48.63 ppm or LC25 52.83 ppm) exposure on B. truncatus snails, they resulted in significant decreases in the survivorship, egg-laying, and the reproductive rate compared to untreated snails. Both concentrations caused morphological changes to the snails’ hemocytes, where, after the exposure, granulocytes and hyalinocytes had irregular outer cell membrane and some cell formed pseudopodia. Granulocytes had large number of granules, vacuoles, while hyalinocytes’ nucleus was shrunken. Also, these concentrations resulted in significant increases in sex hormone levels (17β-estradiol and testosterone) in tissue homogenate of B. truncatus snails. It resulted in significant decrease in total antioxidant (TAO) activity, while, significantly increased lipid peroxidase (LPO) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitrogen oxide (NO), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) as compared to control group. Histopathological and genotoxicological damages occurred in snails’ tissue after exposure to these concentrations. Conclusion, saponin has a molluscicidal effect on B. truncatus snails and might be used for the control of schistosomiasis haematobium. Besides, these snails could be used as invertebrate models to reflect the toxic effects of saponin in the aquatic ecosystem.

Graphical Abstract
Characterization of trace elements in thermal and mineral waters of Greece
Authors: Li Vigni Lorenza , Daskalopoulou Kyriaki , Calabrese Sergio , Kyriakopoulos Konstantinos , Bellomo Sergio , Brusca Lorenzo , Brugnone Filippo , D’Alessandro Walter
Published: June 2023

Natural thermal and mineral waters are widely distributed along the Hellenic region and are related to the geodynamic regime of the country. The diverse lithological and tectonic settings they are found in reflect the great variability in their chemical and isotopic composition. The current study presents 276 (published and unpublished) trace element water data and discusses the sources and processes affecting the water by taking into consideration the framework of their geographic distribution. The dataset is divided in groups using temperature- and pH-related criteria. Results yield a wide range of concentrations, often related to the solubility properties of the individual elements and the factors impacting them (i.e. temperature, acidity, redox conditions and salinity). Many elements (e.g. alkalis, Ti, Sr, As and Tl) present a good correlation with temperature, which is in cases impacted by water rock interactions, while others (e.g. Be, Al, Cu, Se, Cd) exhibit either no relation or an inverse correlation with T possibly because they become oversaturated at higher temperatures in solid phases. A moderately constant inverse correlation is noticed for the vast majority of trace elements and pH, whereas no relationship between trace element concentrations and Eh was found. Seawater contamination and water-rock interaction seem to be the main natural processes that influence both salinity and elemental content. All in all, Greek thermomineral waters exceed occasionally the accepted limits representing in such cases serious harm to the environment and probably indirectly (through the water cycle) to human health.
Recognition of systemic differences in municipal waste management in selected cities in Poland and the United States
Authors: Przydatek Grzegorz
Published: June 2023

This study aims to demonstrate differences in the efficiency of municipal waste management from 2014 to 2017 between two selected cities with a comparable number of inhabitants: Radom in Poland and Spokane, WA, in the United States. The study considers the significance of these cities’ rates of waste accumulation and the application of the autoregressive integrated moving average model for forecasting. Within a 4-year period, Spokane recorded a higher total mass of waste collected (4175.4 Mg) than Radom, while Radom recorded a higher monthly average (exceeding 500 Mg) than Spokane. In these cities, nonselectively collected waste was predominant, with an average mass of 1340 Mg, and the highest accumulation rate per capita in the European Union was recorded in Radom (174.04 kg per year). An increase in the number of residents by 2000 people in Spokane fostered an increase in waste accumulation rates per capita by an average of more than 11 kg per year, with the highest value of selectively collected waste accumulation per capita reaching 102.18 kg per year. In comparison to Radom, the Spokane city waste management system is characterised by projected waste growth, greater efficiency, a higher accumulation of selective waste, and rational waste to energy processing. Generally, the results of this study indicate a need to develop rational waste management, while taking into account the principles of sustainable development and the requirements of the circular economy.
Die Lebenszufriedenheit von Geflüchteten in Deutschland – auch eine Frage von Aufnahmelandbedingungen, Assimilation und Zugehörigkeit?
Authors: Ziegler Paula , Hajji Rahim , Voß Gunnar
Published: June 2023

Hintergrund

Die Lebenszufriedenheit von Geflüchteten stellt einen Indikator für das subjektive Wohlbefinden dar und gibt einen Einblick, wie die Lebenssituation als Ganzes von dieser vulnerablen Gruppe eingeschätzt wird. Bisherige Untersuchungen zeigen auf, dass u. a. gesundheitliche Belastungen im Zusammenhang mit einer niedrigen Lebenszufriedenheit von Geflüchteten stehen.

Fragestellung

Im Mittelpunkt des Beitrags steht die Frage, inwieweit aus Sicht der Geflüchteten die wahrgenommenen Aufnahmelandbedingungen sowie die Assimilation und die Zugehörigkeit im Zusammenhang mit der Lebenszufriedenheit stehen.

Methodik

Die Frage wird anhand der IAB-BAMF-SOEP-Befragung von Geflüchteten untersucht und die Aufnahmelandbedingungen (Fairnesserfahrung mit Behörden, Gefühl von Willkommensein, Institutionenvertrauen), die Assimilation (Aufenthaltsdauer, deutsche Sprachkenntnisse, Kontakthäufigkeit zu Deutschen im Freundeskreis) und die Zughörigkeit (Anzahl Freund*innen, Zugehörigkeitsgefühl) mittels einer Korrelations- und Regressionsanalyse in Zusammenhang mit der Lebenszufriedenheit ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Die bi- und multivariaten Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Indikatoren für die Aufnahmeland- und die Zugehörigkeitshypothese signifikant mit der Lebenszufriedenheit zusammenhängen.

Schlussfolgerungen

Die Lebenszufriedenheit von Geflüchteten kann vor allem durch die Verbesserung der Aufnahmelandbedingungen und der Förderung von Zugehörigkeitsprozessen gestärkt werden.
Führen Online-Befragungen zu anderen Ergebnissen als persönliche Interviews? Eine Schätzung von Moduseffekten am Beispiel eines Mixed-Mode Surveys
Authors: Liedl Bernd , Steiber Nadia
Published: June 2023

Der zunehmende Einsatz von Online-Befragungen (CAWI) ist ein Trend, der sich im Zuge der COVID-19 Pandemie weiter verstärkte. Der Umstieg von persönlichen Interviews auf Online-Befragungen wirft die Frage nach Moduseffekten auf. Unterscheiden sich die Ergebnisse von Online-Befragungen von jenen auf Basis von Telefoninterviews? Die vorliegende Studie untersucht diese Frage unter Verwendung der Daten aus dem AKCOVID Panel Survey, der ein Mixed-Mode Design aufweist und im ersten Jahr der COVID-19 Pandemie durchgeführt wurde. Die Ergebnisse von Regressionsanalysen für 46 verschiedene Variablen, die für die Zusammensetzung der CAWI- und CATI-Stichproben kontrollieren, zeigen, dass Moduseffekte auf bestimmte Themenbereiche eingegrenzt werden können. Für manche Themen werden signifikante und substantiell bedeutsame Moduseffekte geschätzt (soziales Vertrauen, Zukunftssorgen, finanzielle Problemlagen und Gesundheit). Telefonisch Befragte antworten stärker sozial erwünscht, bringen Sorgen weniger stark zum Ausdruck, schätzen ihre finanzielle Lage, ihren sozialen Status und ihre Gesundheit besser ein, und sie geben an, anderen Menschen mehr zu vertrauen und prosozialer eingestellt zu sein als Online-Befragte. Kaum von Moduseffekten betroffen zeigen sich ‚faktische‘ Fragen nach krisenbedingten Veränderungen des Einkommens ohne Bezug zur finanziellen Lage, Fragen zu Arbeitsbedingungen, familiären Beziehungen oder vielen politischen Einstellungen. Der Beitrag schließt, dass Ergebnisse persönlicher Befragungen aus Zeiten vor der Pandemie oft nicht direkt mit aktuellen Ergebnissen auf Basis von Online-Erhebungen verglichen werden können und weist auf die Bedeutung heterogener Moduseffekte hin, deren systematische Untersuchung und Berücksichtigung als Forschungslücke identifiziert wird.
The Relationship of Parasite Allergens to Allergic Diseases
Authors: Caraballo Luis , Llinás-Caballero Kevin
Published: June 2023

Purpose of Review

Helminth infections modify the natural history of allergic diseases, by either decreasing or increasing their symptoms. Several helminth components are involved in the increasing of the allergic response and symptoms, overcoming the concomitant immunosuppression of helminthiases. However, the role of individual IgE-binding molecules in this process remains to be defined.

Recent Findings

We updated the list of helminth allergens and IgE-binding molecules, their effects on asthma presentation, and their impact on allergy diagnosis. Data from genetic and epigenetic studies of ascariasis are analyzed. A new species-specificA. lumbricoidesallergen has been discovered, with potential use in molecular diagnosis.

Most helminth IgE-binding components are not officially classified as allergens in the WHO/IUIS database, although there is evidence of their influence increasing allergic manifestations. Further immunological characterization of these components is needed to better understand their mechanisms of action and evaluate the ways in which they can influence the diagnosis of allergy.
Th17 cytokines and factors modulating their activity in patients with pernicious anemia
Authors: Kajdaniuk Dariusz , Foltyn Wanda , Morawiec-Szymonik Elżbieta , Czuba Zenon , Szymonik Ewa , Kos-Kudła Beata , Marek Bogdan
Published: June 2023

The effects of specific cytokines produced by T cell subsets (such as Th1, Th2, and newly discovered Th17, Treg, Tfh, or Th22) are diverse, depending on interactions with other cytokines, distinct signaling pathways, phase of the disease, or etiological factor. The immunity equilibrium of the immune cells, such as the Th1/Th2, the Th17/Treg, and the Th17/Th1 balance is necessary for the maintenance of the immune homeostasis. If the balance of the T cells subsets is damaged, the autoimmune response becomes enhanced which leads to autoimmune diseases. Indeed, both the Th1/Th2 and the Th17/Treg dichotomies are involved in the pathomechanism of autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the cytokines of Th17 lymphocytes as well as the factors modulating their activity in patients with pernicious anemia. The magnetic bead-based immunoassays used (Bio-Plex) allow simultaneous detection of multiple immune mediators from one serum sample. In our study, we showed that patients suffering from pernicious anemia develop the Th1/Th2 imbalance with a quantitative advantage of cytokines participating in Th1-related immune response, the Th17/Treg imbalance with a quantitative advantage of cytokines participating in Treg-related response, as well as the Th17/Th1 imbalance with a quantitative predominance of cytokines participating in Th1-related immune response. Our study results indicate that T lymphocytes and their specific cytokines play an role in the course of pernicious anemia. The observed changes may indicate the immune response to pernicious anemia or be an element of the pernicious anemia pathomechanism.
Music in an Emergent History of Psychology
Authors: Klempe Sven Hroar
Published: June 2023

From a historical perspective, ‘psychology’ can be studied from an abundance of angels. Thus, a selected perspective requires some historiographical reflections, but also a conscious awareness of the actual chosen terms that are at stake. In this study, the historiographical perspective follows an emergent understanding of the history, which implies that the actual chosen terms are dynamically contributing to a web of terms, in which all of them may change in more or less unpredictable directions. In line with this, the aspect of music is consciously chosen, as it probably is one of the most ignored aspects of psychology in historical research. Thus, the findings in this study reveal that music as the ’direct factor’ played an overarching role in the nineteenth centuries experimental psychology, but also that the changes in the understanding of music in the early sixteenth century is comparable with the changes the understanding of the soul underwent along with the introduction of the neologism ‘psychology’. In the understanding of both music and the soul the sensational aspects replaced the mathematical.
CircHIPK3 negatively regulates autophagy by blocking VCP binding to the Beclin 1 complex in bladder cancer
Authors: Wang Chong , Liu Tiantian , Wang Jiawei , Cheng Chao , Zhang Ze , Zhang Jingwei , Huang Houbao , Li Yawei
Published: June 2023

Circular RNA HIPK3 (circHIPK3) mediates the progression of multiple cancers, including bladder cancer, by regulating cell migration, autophagy and epithelial mesenchymal transition. However, the mechanism by which circHIPK3 regulates autophagy in bladder cancer cells remains unclear. Autophagy is a common self-protection mechanism in eukaryotic cells and is essential for cell survival and death regulation. However, it is unclear whether circHIPK3 affects the level of autophagy in bladder cancer through binding proteins, and the potential regulatory mechanism is unknown. Here, we found that circHIPK3 levels were significantly lower and autophagy-related proteins were significantly upregulated in bladder cancer cells and tissues compared to normal controls. CircHIPK3 downregulation promoted bladder cancer cell proliferation, while circHIPK3 overexpression inhibited proliferation. CircHIPK3 overexpression significantly suppressed autophagy in bladder cancer cells. Overexpression of circHIPK3 did not affect VCP protein expression but inhibited the VCP/Beclin 1 interaction. VCP also stabilized Beclin 1 and promoted autophagy in bladder cancer cells by downregulating ataxin-3. Thus, circHIPK3 may play an important role in bladder cancer by inhibiting VCP-mediated autophagy.
Cultivating Global Scholars: Delving into Chinese Doctoral Students’ Integration Experiences at Finnish Universities Through an Institutional Logics Lens
Authors: Zheng Gaoming , Cai Yuzhuo , Zuo Bing
Published: June 2023

International doctoral students are key actors in globalized knowledge society. While the value of international doctorates lies in the ability to develop and leverage knowledge across borders and cultures, such competencies can be acquired only when students successfully integrate into the host systems or universities in their international mobility experiences. However, international doctoral students encounter multiple challenges in integration, highlighting a mismatch between their expectations and the practices at the host universities. This article unpacks this mismatch and its causes from an institutional logics’ perspective through interviews with ten Chinese doctoral students and four Finnish supervisors. We found that Chinese students’ expectations of doctoral education were largely influenced by the institutional logics of profession, bureaucratic state, and family, whereas the contexts of Finnish universities were mainly informed by the logics of profession, democratic state, and corporation. The disparity in logic constellations led to the students’ confusion about their role and relations with supervisors. Further, this study shows that reciprocal learning in intercultural supervision can mitigate logics conflicts and create opportunities for innovations in doctoral education in the host university. We call for more efforts to reconcile the logics conflicts that that affect students’ integration, as this could foster organizational innovation.
Fabrication and optimization of itraconazole-loaded zein-based nanoparticles in coated capsules as a promising colon-targeting approach pursuing opportunistic fungal infections
Authors: Adel Shery , Fahmy Rania H. , Elsayed Ibrahim , Mohamed Magdy I. , Ibrahim Reem R.
Published: June 2023

Itraconazole (ITZ), a broad-spectrum antifungal drug, was formulated into colon-targeting system aiming to treat opportunistic colonic fungal infections that commonly infect chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients due to immunosuppressive therapy. Antisolvent precipitation technique was employed to formulate ITZ-loaded zein nanoparticles (ITZ-ZNPs) using various zein: drug and aqueous:organic phase ratios. Central composite face-centered design (CCFD) was used for statistical analysis and optimization. The optimized formulation was composed of 5.5:1 zein:drug ratio and 9.5:1 aqueous:organic phase ratio with its observed particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency of 208 ± 4.29 nm, 0.35 ± 0.04, 35.7 ± 1.65 mV, and 66.78 ± 3.89%, respectively. ITZ-ZNPs were imaged by TEM that revealed spherical core–shell structure, and DSC proved ITZ transformation from crystalline to amorphous form. FT-IR showed coupling of zein NH group with ITZ carbonyl group without affecting ITZ antifungal activity as confirmed by antifungal activity test that showed enhanced activity of ITZ-ZNPs over the pure drug. Histopathological examination and cytotoxicity tests ensured biosafety and tolerance of ITZ-ZNPs to the colon tissue. The optimized formulation was then loaded into Eudragit S100-coated capsules and both in vitro release and in vivo X-ray imaging confirmed the success of such coated capsules in protecting ITZ from the release in stomach and intestine while targeting ITZ to the colon. The study proved that ITZ-ZNPs is promising and safe nanoparticulate system that can protect ITZ throughout the GIT and targeting its release to the colon with effectual focused local action for the treatment of colon fungal infections.

Graphical Abstract
Customer retention and churn prediction in the telecommunication industry: a case study on a Danish university
Authors: Saleh Sarkaft , Saha Subrata
Published: June 2023

In this study, we explore the possible factors affecting churn in the Danish telecommunication industry and how those factors connect with retention strategies. The Danish telecommunication industry is experiencing a saturated market regarding the number of customers, but the number of service providers has increased significantly in recent years. Due to the high costs of acquiring new customers, the telecommunication industry put great emphasis on retaining customers in such an intensely competitive industry. We employ five machine learning algorithms: random forest, AdaBoost, logistic regression, extreme gradient boosting classifier, and decision tree classifier on four datasets from two geographical regions, Denmark and the USA. The first three datasets are from online repositories, and the last one contains responses from 311 students from Aalborg University collected through a survey. We identify key features extracted by the best-performing algorithms based on five performance measures. Based on that, we aggregate all the features that appear important for each dataset. The results demonstrate that customers’ preferences are not aligned. Among the prominent drivers, we find that service quality, customer satisfaction, offering subscription plan upgrades, and network coverage are unique to the Danish student population. Telecommunication companies need to integrate the sociohistoric milieu of the Nordic countries to tailor their retention policies to different consumer cultures.
Tritordeum: a versatile and resilient cereal for Mediterranean agriculture and sustainable food production
Authors: Papadopoulos George , Mavroeidis Antonios , Stavropoulos Panteleimon , Anastasopoulos Vasilios , Beslemes Dimitrios , Tigka Evangelia , Kakabouki Ioanna
Published: June 2023

This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of × Tritordeum [(Ascherson et Graebner)], a novel cereal crop with promising agronomic, nutritional, and economic potential. Through a comprehensive examination of the crop's agronomic characteristics and management requirements, we highlight its adaptability to Mediterranean climates, resilience under changing environmental conditions, and potential applications in the food industry, such as breadmaking and pasta production. We also discuss the role of digital agriculture technologies in optimizing tritordeum cultivation and their potential impact on agricultural practices. Furthermore, we assess the opportunities and challenges associated with tritordeum's integration into the agricultural economy and production systems, emphasizing its potential to contribute to a more sustainable and health-conscious food system. By offering a holistic understanding of tritordeum's attributes, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, agronomists, food manufacturers, and policymakers interested in exploring the potential of this innovative cereal grain.
Multiparity Reduces Urethral and Vaginal Pressures Following the Bulboglandularis Muscle Stimulation in Rabbits
Authors: Hernández-Bonilla Cecilia , Zacapa Diego , Zempoalteca René , Corona-Quintanilla Dora Luz , Castelán Francisco , Martínez-Gómez Margarita
Published: June 2023

Unlike male mammals showing a well-delimited external urethral sphincter, female mammals have urogenital sphincters shaped by muscles like the urethrovaginal sphincter. Childbirth-related injuries affect morphometry and function of urogenital sphincters in women, which frequently underlies pelvic floor disorders, including stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. The bulboglandularis muscle (Bgm) seems to shape a urogenital sphincter in rabbits. We determined herein the effect of multiparity on urethral and vaginal pressures generated by the Bgm stimulation in age-matched nulliparous and multiparous chinchilla-breed rabbits to stimulate the Bgm with trains of ascending frequencies (from 1 to 100 Hz; 4 s duration each). Subsequently, the Bgm was excised, measured in width, and weighed. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were determined with Mann-Whitney U or Student t-tests or repeated measures two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey tests. Spearman’s partial coefficients were calculated to investigate the correlation between the highest pressure (urethral or vaginal) and the Bgm width. Multiparity reduced the weight and the width in the Bgm origin and medial regions. Urethral and vaginal pressures increased in response to the electrical stimulation of Bgm with frequencies from 20 to 100 Hz. Multiparas showed significant reductions in both types of pressures. We detected a strong correlation (conditioned by multiparity) between the medial Bgm width and the highest vaginal pressure. Our present findings demonstrate that multiparity impairs the function of Bgm, resulting in diminished urethral and vaginal pressures. Furthermore, the significant narrowness of the Bgm was correlated with the vaginal pressure recorded.
Inside out, and upside down, laparoscopic surgery on Situs Inversus Totalis report of 2 cases on IESS Quito-Sur
Authors: Molina Gabriel A. , Jiménez Galo , O Andres Ayala , Di Stefano Marco T. , Suárez Fabián Ramiro , Carvajal Alejandro , Vinueza Dayan , Castillo Soraida , Vintimilla Carol
Published: June 2023

Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard for almost every surgical procedure; the benefits include faster recovery, less pain, and less risk of surgical site infection. Nonetheless, it demands technical knowledge and a high degree of experience from the surgical team to provide patients with the adequate treatment they need. Any variation of the normal anatomy, like situs inversus, can pose a challenge to the surgical team and will need more creativity to perform any surgery accurately and without complications.

We present two situs inversus patients who needed surgical intervention due to cholelithiasis and acute appendicitis. After careful preoperative planning and modifications in the surgical technique, the patients underwent full recovery.

Highlights
The Places of Wit in Early Modern English Comedy
Authors: Zucker Adam
Published: June 2023

What is wit made out of in the comedies of Shakespeare, Jonson, Shirley and their contemporaries? What does it hide? What does it reveal? This book addresses these questions by turning to the relationship between comic form and local history. Explorations of familiar sites, including Windsor Forest, Smithfield, Covent Garden and Hyde Park, are matched with close readings of drama that focus on overlays between theatrical, spatial, narrative and social conventions. Dramatic comedy's definitive interest in cultural competency and incompetence, and wit and witlessness, is revealed through discussions of commerce, gambling, royal forests and new or newly public spaces in and around early modern London. Along with Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor and Ben Jonson's Epicene and Bartholomew Fair, special emphasis is placed on the neglected town comedies of the 1630s - the forerunners of the Restoration comedy of manners and the satirical realism of our own day.
General Principles of the European Convention on Human Rights
Authors: Gerards Janneke
Published: June 2023

The European Convention on Human Rights is one of the world's most important and influential human rights documents. It owes its value mainly to the European Court of Human Rights, which applies the Convention rights in individual cases. This book offers insight into the concepts and principles that are key to understanding the European Convention and the Court's case law. It explains how the Court approaches its cases and its decision-making process, illustrated by numerous examples taken from the Court's judgments. Core issues discussed include types of Convention rights (such as absolute rights); the structure of the Court's Convention rights review; principles and methods of interpretation (such as common-ground interpretation and the use of precedent); positive and negative obligations; vertical and horizontal effect; the margin of appreciation doctrine; and the requirements for the restriction of Convention rights.