bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GPR modelling and inversion to quantify the debris content within ice
Authors: Santin Ilaria , Roncoroni Giacomo , Forte Emanuele , Gutgesell Pietro , Pipan Michele
Published: September 2023

Scattering is often detected when ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) surveys are performed on glaciers at different latitudes and in various environments. This event is often seen as an undesirable feature on data, but it can be exploited to quantify the debris content in mountain glaciers through a dedicated scattering inversion approach. At first, we considered the possible variables affecting the scattering mechanisms, namely the dielectric properties of the scatterers, their size, shape and quantity, as well as the wavelength of the electromagnetic (EM) incident field to define the initial conditions for the inversion. Each parameter was independently evaluated with forward modelling tests to quantify its effect in the scattering mechanism. After extensive tests, we found that the dimension and the amount of scatterers are the crucial parameters. We further performed modelling randomizing the scatterer distribution and dimension, critically evaluating the stability of the approach and the complexity of the models. After the tests on synthetic data, the inversion procedure was applied to field datasets, acquired on the Eastern Gran Zebrù glacier (Central Italian Alps). The results show that even a low percentage of debris can produce high scattering. The proposed methodology is quite robust and able to provide quantitative estimates of the debris content within mountain glaciers in different conditions.
Public sector reforms in developing countries: A preliminary review
Authors: Knox Colin , Sharipova Dina
Published: September 2023

Developing countries have adopted or adapted public sector reform interventions based largely on the model of new public management (NPM). Since this model has now been rejected as a global ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ framework, what does post‐new public management hold for developing countries? This paper offers a preliminary review of the literature on public sector reforms in developing countries. It charts scholarship which examined the evolution (including different types of policy interventions), the failure of NPM, and contemporary approaches to reform. The post‐new public management era is ill‐defined, eclectic, and characterised as hybrid and layered where new reforms are superimposed on pre‐existing interventions to deliver ‘good enough’ governance in developing countries.
Prenatal diagnosis and treatment for fetal angiotensin converting enzyme deficiency
Authors: Tan Hang‐Jing , Jian Wen‐Yan , Lv Chao , Guo De‐Wei , Liao Zheng‐Chang , Xu Hui , Xiao Yao , Schiller Martin , Zhuo Jia‐Long , Yue Shao‐Jie , Yao Ruo‐Jin , Deng Hong‐Wen , Xiao Hong‐Mei
Published: September 2023

Objective

To elucidate an etiology in a case with persistent oligohydramnios by prenatal diagnosis and actively treat the case to achieve good prognosis.

Methods

We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) of DNA from the fetus and parents. Serial amnioinfusions were conducted until birth. Pressors were required to maintain normal blood pressure. The infant angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) activity, angiotensin II (Ang II, a downstream product of ACE), and compensatory enzymes (CEs) activities were measured. Compensatory enzyme activities in plasma from age‐matched healthy controls were also detected.

Results

We identified a fetus with a severe ACE mutation prenatally. The infant was born prematurely without pulmonary dysplasia. Hypotension and anuria resolved spontaneously. He had almost no ACE activity, but his Ang II level and CE activity exceeded the upper limit of the normal range and the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of controls, respectively. His renal function also largely recovered.

Conclusion

Fetuses with ACE mutations can be diagnosed prenatally through WES. Serial amnioinfusion permits the continuation of pregnancy in fetal ACE deficiency. Compensatory enzymes for defective ACE appeared postnatally. Renal function may be spared by preterm delivery; furthermore, for postnatal vasopressor therapy to begin, improving renal perfusion pressure before nephrogenesis has been completed.
The weighted cumulative exposure method and its application to pharmacoepidemiology: A narrative review
Authors: Kelly Thu‐Lan , Salter Amy , Pratt Nicole L.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The weighted cumulative exposure (WCE) method has been used in a number of fields including pharmacoepidemiology where it can account for intensity, duration and timing of exposures on the risk of an outcome. The method uses a data driven approach with flexible cubic B‐splines to assign weights to past doses and select an aetiologically appropriate time window. Predictions of risk are possible for common exposure patterns encountered in real‐world studies. The purpose of this study was to describe applications of the WCE method to pharmacoepidemiology and assess the strengths and limitations of the method.

Method

A literature search was undertaken to find studies applying the WCE method to the study of medicines. Articles published in PubMed using the search term ‘weighted cumulative exposure’ and articles citing Sylvestre et al. (2009) in Google Scholar or Scopus up to March 2023 were subsequently reviewed. Articles were selected based on title and review of abstracts.

Results

Seventeen clinical applications using the data‐driven WCE method with flexible cubic splines were identified in the review. These included 3 case–control studies and 14 cohort studies, of which 12 were analysed with Cox proportional hazards models and 2 with logistic regression. Thirteen studies used time windows of 1 year or longer. Of 11 studies which compared conventional models with the WCE method, 10 (91%) studies found a better fit with WCE models while one had an equivalent fit. The freely available ‘WCE’ software package has facilitated the applications of the WCE method with flexible cubic splines.

Conclusions

The WCE method allows additional insights into the effect of cumulative exposure on outcomes, including the timing and intensity (dose) of the exposure on the risk. The flexibility of the method is particularly well suited to studies with long‐term exposures that vary over time or where the current risk of an event is affected by how far the exposure is in the past, which is difficult to model with conventional definitions of exposure. Interpretation of the results can be more complex than for conventional models and would be facilitated by a standardised reporting framework.
Safety of removal of ProSeal laryngeal mask airway in children in the supine versus lateral position in a deep plane of anesthesia: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Dhiman Shweta , Bhalotra Anju R. , Sharma Kavita R.
Published: September 2023

Importance

When a ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) is removed with the child in a deep plane of anesthesia, the upper airway muscle tone and protective upper airway reflexes may be obtunded.

Objective

To determine whether the supine or lateral position is safer for the removal of a PLMA in deeply anesthetized children by comparing the incidence of upper airway complications.

Methods

This randomized single‐blind comparative trial was conducted at a tertiary care hospital between January 2020 and September 2020. Forty children of the American Society of Anesthesiologists class I/II of ages 1–12 years age undergoing surgery under general anesthesia with PLMA used as the definitive airway device were recruited. Patients were randomly allocated to lateral group or supine group for PLMA removal in a deep plane of anesthesia in the lateral or supine position. The primary outcome was the number of patients experiencing one or more upper airway complications and the secondary outcomes were incidence of individual respiratory adverse effects and of severe airway complications.

Results

The incidence of airway complications was 30% in the supine group and 20% in the lateral group (P = 0.6641). Incidence of laryngospasm, immediate stridor, and excessive secretions were similar. Early stridor and oxygen desaturation were higher in the supine group (P = 0.0374, P = 0.0183 respectively).

Interpretation

The overall incidence of upper airway complications was similar with the removal of a PLMA in the supine or lateral position in deeply anesthetized children. The incidence of oxygen desaturation and stridor were higher with PLMA removal in the supine as compared to the lateral position.
Multiple urinary peptides display distinct sex‐specific distribution
Authors: Mina Ioanna K. , Mavrogeorgis Emmanouil , Siwy Justyna , Stojanov Riste , Mischak Harald , Latosinska Agnieszka , Jankowski Vera
Published: September 2023

Previous studies have established the association of sex with gene and protein expression. This study investigated the association of sex with the abundance of endogenous urinary peptides, using capillary electrophoresis‐coupled to mass spectrometry (CE‐MS) datasets from 2008 healthy individuals and patients with type II diabetes, divided in one discovery and two validation cohorts. Statistical analysis using the Mann–Whitney test, adjusted for multiple testing, revealed 143 sex‐associated peptides in the discovery cohort. Of these, 90 peptides were associated with sex in at least one of the validation cohorts and showed agreement in their regulation trends across all cohorts. The 90 sex‐associated peptides were fragments of 29 parental proteins. Comparison with previously published transcriptomics data demonstrated that the genes encoding 16 of these parental proteins had sex‐biased expression. The 143 sex‐associated peptides were combined into a support vector machine‐based classifier that could discriminate males from females in two independent sets of healthy individuals and patients with type II diabetes, with an AUC of 89% and 81%, respectively. Collectively, the urinary peptidome contains multiple sex‐associated differences, which may enable a better understanding of sex‐biased molecular mechanisms and the development of more accurate diagnostic, prognostic, or predictive classifiers for each individual sex.
Lavaka (erosional gullies) provide productive patch environments for flora and farming in Madagascar's grassy highlands
Authors: Cox Rónadh , Carrère Alizé , Rakotondrazafy Amos F. M. , Voarintsoa Ny Riavo
Published: September 2023

Societal Impact Statement

Lavaka, large gullies in Madagascar, can cause problems for farmers and for infrastructure, but these features also have beneficial aspects that have generally been overlooked. They provide plant refugia, and commonly host species that would otherwise not thrive on the grassy uplands. Farmers sometimes make use of lavaka to plant crops that require more protection or soil moisture. Colonial narratives blame lavaka erosion on poor land management but ignore their pre‐human‐settlement existence on the landscape and the ecological functions they serve. The knowledge and wisdom of Malagasy farmers are key to better understanding the complex roles that lavaka plays in the landscape.

This paper combines a review of lavaka—erosional gullies in Madagascar's grass‐covered highlands—with new observations of their importance as ecological patch environments for a wide range of plants not seen elsewhere within the grassy biome. Lavaka play a role as a natural refugia for flora that would otherwise not thrive on the exposed and infertile hillslopes, and local farmers exploit their topography and sediment deposits to grow a variety of crops. We provide a classification scheme for lavaka based on the extent to which they have been colonised by vegetation. Our analysis is based on observations made over many field seasons in the highlands as well as interviews with Malagasy farmers living with lavaka on their land. We emphasise the importance of local knowledge and environmental wisdom in the analysis of landscape evolution, and we conclude that lavaka, while certainly an erosional problem in many places, can nonetheless provide valuable ecosystem services and agricultural opportunities that should not be overlooked.
A Markov model of fibrosis development in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease predicts fibrosis progression in clinical cohorts
Authors: Knöchel Jane , Bergenholm Linnéa , Ibrahim Eman , Kechagias Stergios , Hansson Sara , Liljeblad Mathias , Nasr Patrik , Carlsson Björn , Ekstedt Mattias , Ueckert Sebastian
Published: September 2023

Disease progression in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is highly heterogenous and remains poorly understood. Fibrosis stage is currently the best predictor for development of end‐stage liver disease and mortality. Better understanding and quantifying the impact of factors affecting NASH and fibrosis is essential to inform a clinical study design. We developed a population Markov model to describe the transition probability between fibrosis stages and mortality using a unique clinical nonalcoholic fatty liver disease cohort with serial biopsies over 3 decades. We evaluated covariate effects on all model parameters and performed clinical trial simulations to predict the fibrosis progression rate for external clinical cohorts. All parameters were estimated with good precision. Age and diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) were found to be significant predictors in the model. Increase in hepatic steatosis between visits was the most important predictor for progression of fibrosis. Fibrosis progression rate (FPR) was twofold higher for fibrosis stages 0 and 1 (F0‐1) compared to fibrosis stage 2 and 3 (F2‐3). A twofold increase in FPR was observed for T2D. A two‐point steatosis worsening increased the FPR 11‐fold. Predicted fibrosis progression was in good agreement with data from external clinical cohorts. Our fibrosis progression model shows that patient selection, particularly initial fibrosis stage distribution, can significantly impact fibrosis progression and as such the window for assessing drug efficacy in clinical trials. Our work highlights the increase in hepatic steatosis as the most important factor in increasing FPR, emphasizing the importance of well‐defined lifestyle advise for reducing variability in NASH progression during clinical trials.
Asymmetric Domain Nucleation from Dislocation Core in Barium Titanate: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Using Machine‐Learning Potential through Active Learning
Authors: Deguchi Genki , Kobayashi Ryo , Azuma Hikaru , Ogata Shuji , Uranagase Masayuki , Spreafico Samuele
Published: September 2023

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) is a ferroelectric material without toxic elements, whose ferroelectric properties such as permittivity, coercive field, and spontaneous polarization are affected by the nucleation of domains of reversed polarization and the motion of domain walls. Dislocations can act as obstacles to domain‐wall migration or as active sites for domain nucleation. Thus, studies are conducted on the utilization of dislocations to improve the ferroelectric properties of BaTiO3. However, the atomistic mechanism of domain nucleation around the dislocation core is still unclear. In this article, a machine learning (ML) potential is developed to study the influence of dislocations on domain nucleation. The potential is trained using an active‐learning approach to ensure accuracy in the bulk properties of the ferroelectric and paraelectric phases, as well as in the dislocation core structures in BaTiO3. Molecular dynamics simulations using the ML potential show that the influence of dislocations on polarization reversal depends on the directional relationship between the external electric field and the dislocation. Furthermore, strong local polarizations exist surrounding the dislocation core, owing to vacancies in the core. These polarizations can act as both domain nucleation sites and obstacles for domain migration when ordered along the dislocation line.
Growth Anisotropy and Morphology Evolution of Line Defects in Monolayer MoS2: Atomic‐Level Observation, Large‐Scale Statistics, and Mechanism Understanding
Authors: Li Shouheng , Lin Jinguo , Chen Yun , Luo Zheng , Cheng Haifeng , Liu Feng , Zhang Jin , Wang Shanshan
Published: September 2023

Understanding the growth behavior and morphology evolution of defects in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides is significant for the performance tuning of nanoelectronic devices. Here, the low‐voltage aberration‐corrected transmission electron microscopy with an in situ heating holder and a fast frame rate camera to investigate the sulfur vacancy lines in monolayer MoS2 is applied. Vacancy concentration‐dependent growth anisotropy is discovered, displaying first lengthening and then broadening of line defects as the vacancy densifies. With the temperature increase from 20 °C to 800 °C, the defect morphology evolves from a dense triangular network to an ultralong linear structure due to the temperature‐sensitive vacancy migration process. Atomistic dynamics of line defect reconstruction on the millisecond time scale are also captured. Density functional theory calculations, Monte Carlo simulation, and configurational force analysis are implemented to understand the growth and reconstruction mechanisms at relevant time and length scales. Throughout the work, high‐resolution imaging is closely combined with quantitative analysis of images involving thousands of atoms so that the atomic‐level structure and the large‐area statistical rules are obtained simultaneously. The work provides new ideas for balancing the accuracy and universality of discoveries in the TEM study and will be helpful to the controlled sculpture of nanomaterials.
Boost Organic‐Silicon Hybrid Solar Cell Performances with a Facile and Cost‐Effective Sub‐3 nm Interface Control Method
Authors: Yang Yi , Su Dan , Jin Nan-Xi , Liu Fenghua , Zhang Xiao-Yang , Xia Peng , Song Yuan-Jun , Zhou Huan-Li , Wu Weiping , Zhang Tong
Published: September 2023

A facile and cost‐effective approach based on oxygen‐plasma treatment is developed for silicon‐organic hybrid solar cells. By precisely forming a sub‐3 nm SiOx layer at the silicon‐poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) interface with a 10 s oxygen‐plasma treatment, the power conversion efficiency is boosted from 0.02% to 8.18%, 409‐fold increase compared to solar cells with untreated silicon. Utilizing X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, and density‐functional theory, the device physics and mechanisms are revealed from an atomic‐level perspective. The control of interface by oxygen‐plasma treatment reduces the surface work function of Si and introduces an electron barrier, facilitating the transfer of hole carriers from Si to organic materials while effectively blocking electron transmission. This mechanism proves to be highly beneficial in mitigating carrier recombination and promoting the separation of electrons and holes. This approach can be applied to interface optimization for high‐performance photovoltaic and other optoelectronic devices.
Near‐gapless genome assemblies of Williams 82 and Lee cultivars for accelerating global soybean research
Authors: Garg Vanika , Khan Aamir W. , Fengler Kevin , Llaca Victor , Yuan Yuxuan , Vuong Tri D. , Harris Charlotte , Chan Ting‐Fung , Lam Hon Ming , Varshney Rajeev K. , Nguyen Henry T.
Published: September 2023

Complete, gapless telomere‐to‐telomere chromosome assemblies are a prerequisite for comprehensively investigating the architecture of complex regions, like centromeres or telomeres and removing uncertainties in the order, spacing, and orientation of genes. Using complementary genomics technologies and assembly algorithms, we developed highly contiguous, nearly gapless, genome assemblies for two economically important soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] cultivars (Williams 82 and Lee). The centromeres were distinctly annotated on all the chromosomes of both assemblies. We further found that the canonical telomeric repeats were present at the telomeres of all chromosomes of both Williams 82 and Lee genomes. A total of 10 chromosomes in Williams 82 and eight in Lee were entirely reconstructed in single contigs without any gap. Using the combination of ab initio prediction, protein homology, and transcriptome evidence, we identified 58,287 and 56,725 protein‐coding genes in Williams 82 and Lee, respectively. The genome assemblies and annotations will serve as a valuable resource for studying soybean genomics and genetics and accelerating soybean improvement.
Genomic selection of soybean (Glycine max) for genetic improvement of yield and seed composition in a breeding context
Authors: Miller Mark J. , Song Qijian , Li Zenglu
Published: September 2023

Genomic selection has been utilized for genetic improvement in both plant and animal breeding and is a favorable technique for quantitative trait development. Within this study, genomic selection was evaluated within a breeding program, using novel validation methods in addition to plant materials and data from a commercial soybean (Glycine max) breeding program. A total of 1501 inbred lines were used to test multiple genomic selection models for multiple traits. Validation included cross‐validation, inter‐environment, and empirical validation. The results indicated that the extended genomic best linear unbiased prediction (EGBLUP) model was the most effective model tested for yield, protein, and oil in cross‐validation with accuracies of 0.50, 0.68, and 0.64, respectively. Increasing marker number from 1000 to 3000 to 6000 single nucleotide polymorphism markers leads to statistically significant increases in accuracy. Cross‐environment predictions were statistically lower than cross‐validation with accuracies of 0.24, 0.54, and 0.42 for yield, protein, and oil, respectively, using the extended genomic BLUP model. Empirical validation, predicting the yield of 510 soybean lines, had a prediction accuracy of 0.34, with the inclusion of a maturity covariate leading to a notable increase in accuracy. Genomic selection identified high‐performance lines in inter‐environment predictions: 34% of lines within the upper quartile of yield, and 51% and 48% of the highest quartile protein and oil lines, respectively. Statistically similar results occurred comparing rankings in empirical validation and selection for advancements in yield trials. These results indicate that genomic selection is a useful tool for selection decisions.
Warding off freshwater salinization: Do current criteria measure up?
Authors: Kelly Martyn G. , Free Gary , Kolada Agnieszka , Phillips Geoff , Warner Stuart , Wolfram Georg , Poikane Sandra
Published: September 2023

Salinization is a global threat to freshwater habitats that has been intensified by climate change. Monitoring, assessment and management of salinity is therefore essential. The first step is to set criteria that are sufficiently stringent to protect ecosystem health. However, many countries have not yet defined criteria, and there are substantial differences between criteria. This has been noted in the EU, where salinity is a required “supporting element” for ecological status in inland waters but also for implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 6.3.2. for “good ambient water quality” where different approaches and widely different threshold values were reported for salinity criteria. Much of this information has not been published and is difficult to access, hindering further efforts to address the problem. We first discuss the implications of salinization for freshwater ecological health. We go on to discuss the principles and guidelines on how salinity criteria to protect ecology should be established. Next, we review salinity criteria submitted as part of implementation of SDG indicator 6.3.2 and the EU Water Framework Directive. Finally, we discuss setting salinity thresholds in an already‐warming world and the challenges facing anyone trying to develop salinity criteria to protect freshwater ecosystems.

This article is categorized under:

Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems

Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness

Science of Water > Water Quality
Authoritarian Clientelism: The Case of the President’s ‘Creatures’ in Cameroon
Authors: Mişcoiu Sergiu , Kakdeu Louis‑Marie
Published: September 2023

Within this article, we aim at exploring the topic of clientelism in Cameroon as a species of a wider phenomenon affecting Central and Western Francophone Africa. Our argument is that, in spite of the repeated efforts of reinforcing the local power structures, we have witnessed a process of centralisation of clientelism: the new networks are shaped around the ‘Creatures’, who are the President Paul Biya’s formal or informal appointees and play the role of nodal elements relying the rest of the chain to the central command. This happened on the expenses of the locally dispersed and more autonomous clientelistic groups that were either included in or smashed by the pyramidal Creatures’ structured. In order to test our assumption, we analysed a specific body of literature on the theorization of clientelism and on its African and Cameroonian specificity and organized four focus groups with the actual and former members of the clientelistic chains at different levels (central, regional and local). If our main presupposition proved to be generally correct, one of the sub-arguments was only partially validated through this empirical component of our research.
Coordinating the Machine: Subnational Political Context and the Effectiveness of Machine Politics
Authors: Saikkonen Inga A.‑L.
Published: September 2023

Political machines use state resources to win elections in many developing democracies and electoral autocracies. Recent research has noted that the coordination of machine politics can be much more complex and problem-prone than previously thought. Yet, the role that the subnational political context plays in solving these coordination problems has largely been neglected in the comparative literature. This article seeks to fill this gap and suggests that control over the local administration is an important variable that shapes the effectiveness of authoritarian machine politics. We exploit the great institutional and political variation within one of the most prominent electoral authoritarian regimes of today, the Russian Federation, to test the empirical implications of the theory with detailed local level electoral and socio-economic data as well as multilevel regression models. The empirical results highlight the importance of subnational political structures in supporting electoral authoritarian regimes.
Isometries and the double copy
Authors: Easson Damien A. , Herczeg Gabriel , Manton Tucker , Pezzelle Max
Published: September 2023

Abstract

In the standard derivation of the Kerr-Schild double copy, the geodicity of the Kerr-Schild vector and the stationarity of the spacetime are presented as assumptions that are necessary for the single copy to satisfy Maxwell’s equations. However, it is well known that the vacuum Einstein equations imply that the Kerr-Schild vector is geodesic and shear-free, and that the spacetime possesses a distinguished vector field that is simultaneously a Killing vector of the full spacetime and the flat background, but need not be timelike with respect to the background metric. We show that the gauge field obtained by contracting this distinguished Killing vector with the Kerr-Schild graviton solves the vacuum Maxwell equations, and that this definition of the Kerr-Schild double copy implies the Weyl double copy when the spacetime is Petrov type D. When the Killing vector is taken to be timelike with respect to the background metric, we recover the familiar Kerr-Schild double copy, but the prescription is well defined for any vacuum Kerr-Schild spacetime and we present new examples where the Killing vector is null or spacelike. While most examples of physical interest are type D, vacuum Kerr-Schild spacetimes are generically of Petrov type II. We present a straightforward example of such a spacetime and study its double copy structure. Our results apply to real Lorentzian spacetimes as well as complex spacetimes and real spacetimes with Kleinian signature, and provide a simple correspondence between real and self-dual vacuum Kerr-Schild spacetimes. This correspondence allows us to study the double copy structure of a self-dual analog of the Kerr spacetime. We provide evidence that this spacetime may be diffeomorphic to the self-dual Taub-NUT solution.
Principles of oncology taught in a one-week course
Authors: Oettle Matthias , Büttner Marcel , Forster Marie , Gajdi Laura , Mücke Johannes , Nieto Alexander , Heuser Sonja , Huber Johanna , Walter Franziska , Corradini Stefanie , Niyazi Maximilian , Belka Claus , Dreyling Martin , Fischer Martin R. , Fleischmann Daniel F.
Published: September 2023

Background

Growing challenges in oncology require evolving educational methods and content. International efforts to reform oncology education are underway. Hands-on, interdisciplinary, and compact course formats have shown great effectiveness in the education of medical students. Our aim was to establish a new interdisciplinary one-week course on the principles of oncology using state-of-the-art teaching methods.

Methods

In an initial survey, medical students of LMU Munich were questioned about their current level of knowledge on the principles of oncology. In a second two-stage survey, the increase in knowledge resulting from our recently established interdisciplinary one-week course was determined.

Results

The medical students’ knowledge of clinically important oncological topics, such as the diagnostic workup and interdisciplinary treatment options, showed a need for improvement. Knowledge of the major oncological entities was also in an expandable state. By attending the one-week course on the principles of oncology, students improved their expertise in all areas of the clinical workup in oncology and had the opportunity to close previous knowledge gaps. In addition, students were able to gain more in-depth clinical knowledge on the most common oncological entities.

Conclusion

The interdisciplinary one-week course on the principles of oncology proved to be an effective teaching method to expand the knowledge of the future physicians to an appropriate level. With its innovative and interdisciplinary approach, the one-week course could be used as a showcase project for the ongoing development of medical education in Germany.
Wild boar (Sus scrofa) as a potential reservoir of infectious agents in Portugal: a review of two decades (2001–2021)
Authors: Jota Baptista Catarina , Seixas Fernanda , Gonzalo-Orden José M. , Oliveira Paula A.
Published: September 2023

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a mammal with a broad distribution in the Eurasian territory and a potential reservoir for several zoonotic pathogens. Besides being part of the Mediterranean ecosystem and perpetuating these agents in the environment, this species is usually consumed in the Iberian Peninsula, representing a potential public health threat. Due to its extensive expansion and colonization of new geographical areas, which leads to increasing contact with humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, infectious disease assessments are crucial. During the last two decades (2001–2021), several researchers have studied wild boars to identify, understand, and predict potential health risks and disease outbreaks in animals and humans. North-eastern, central-eastern (mainly because of tuberculosis), and southern Portugal were the regions where most pathogens have been identified. Some agents with zoonotic importance (but with few reported data) should be the focus of future surveillance studies, such as Leptospira spp., Brucella spp., or Trichinella spp. This review aims to summarize the available information on pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) reported in wild boars, in Portugal, in the last two decades, with a particular focus on agents with zoonotic potential.
The Quarantine Model and its Limits
Authors: Lavazza Andrea , Levin Sergei , Farina Mirko
Published: September 2023

There are several well-established theories of criminal punishment and of its justification. The quarantine model (advocated by Pereboom and Caruso) has recently emerged as one of the most prominent theories in the field, by denying the very idea of criminal justice. This theory claims that no one ought to be criminally punished because fundamentally people do not deserve any kind of punishment. On these grounds, the quarantine model proposes forms of incapacitation based on public safety considerations. In this article, we briefly review a series of objections raised against the quarantine model and propose some new or revised arguments, which are aimed at showing its inconsistencies and weaknesses. These arguments are related to (a) the lack of a reliable way of determining who is dangerous and the consequent need to make judgments about confinement based on probabilities, and (b) the prospect that the quarantine model may encourage certain crimes. Given the arguments we present in this paper, the quarantine model proves to be less solid, humane, and desirable than its proponents claim.
How multiple levels of metacognitive awareness operate in collaborative problem solving
Authors: Çini Ahsen , Järvelä Sanna , Dindar Muhterem , Malmberg Jonna
Published: September 2023

Metacognitive awareness is knowing about learners’ own thinking and learning, facilitated by introspection and self-evaluation. Although metacognitive functions are personal, they cannot be explained simply by individual conceptions, especially in a collaborative group learning context. This study considers metacognitive awareness on multiple levels. It investigates how metacognitive awareness at the individual, social, and environmental levels are associated with collaborative problem solving (CPS). Seventy-seven higher education students collaborated in triads on a computer-based simulation about running a fictional company for 12 simulated months. The individual level of metacognitive awareness was measured using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory. The social level of metacognitive awareness was measured multiple times during CPS through situated self-reports, that is, metacognitive judgements and task difficulty. The environmental level of metacognitive awareness was measured via a complex CPS process so that group members’ interactions were video recorded and facial expression data were created by post-processing video-recorded data. Perceived individual and group performance were measured with self-reports at the end of the CPS task. In the analysis, structural equation modelling was conducted to observe the relationships between multiple levels of metacognitive awareness and CPS task performance. Three-level multilevel modelling was also used to understand the effect of environmental-level metacognitive awareness. The results reveal that facial expression recognition makes metacognitive awareness visible in a collaborative context. This study contributes to research on metacognition by displaying both the relatively static and dynamic aspects of metacognitive awareness in CPS.
Electric powered wheelchair control using user-independent classification methods based on surface electromyography signals
Authors: Iqbal Hassam , Zheng Jinchuan , Chai Rifai , Chandrasekaran Sivachandran
Published: September 2023

Wheelchairs are one of the most popular assistive technology (AT) among individuals with motor impairments due to their comfort and mobility. People with finger problems may find it difficult to operate wheelchairs using the conventional joystick control method. Therefore, in this research study, a hand gesture-based control method is developed for operating an electric-powered wheelchair (EPW). This study selected a comfort-based hand position to determine the stop maneuver. An additional exploration was undertaken to investigate four gesture recognition methods: linear regression (LR), regularized linear regression (RLR), decision tree (DT), and multi-class support vector machine (MC-SVM). The first two methods, LR and RLR, have promising accuracy values of 94.85% and 95.88%, respectively, but each new user must be trained. To overcome this limitation, this study explored two user-independent classification methods: MC-SVM and DT. These methods effectively addressed the finger dependency issue and demonstrated remarkable success in recognizing gestures across different users. MC-SVM has about 99.05% of both precision and accuracy, and the DT has about 97.77% accuracy and precision. All six participants were successful in controlling the EPW without any collisions. According to the experimental results, the proposed approach has high accuracy and can address finger dependency issues.
Thoughts on Integrating Evolutionary Analysis into Sociological Action Theory
Authors: Tutić Andreas
Published: September 2023

It is explored if and to what extent two approaches in behavioral sciences, which are promising with respect to an evolutionary grounded, integrative action theory, are actually compatible. These two approaches are, on the one hand, evolutionary psychology, which conceptualizes human nature as a collection of evolved psychological mechanisms, each being functionally specialized with respect to a specific problem of adaptation. And on the other hand, the dual-process perspective, which holds that human behavior is driven by the interplay of two qualitatively distinct types of cognitive processes: Autonomous, fast, and associative Type 1 processes, which operate outside of the consciousness of the actor, on the one hand, and controlled, slow, and rule-based Type 2 processes of which the actor is aware. Notably, both of these approaches have descendants in modern sociological action theory, i.e., goal-framing theory (Lindenberg 2008, 2009) and the model of frame-selection (Esser 2001; Kroneberg 2011). It is argued that evolutionary psychology and the dual-process perspective are largely compatible, thereby giving rise to an evolutionary grounded, integrative action theory. Accordingly, Type 1 processes can be traced back to evolutionary old cognitive modules, which humans share with other species and which are highly efficient at solving specific problems of adaptation in a stable environment. In contrast, Type 2 processes of higher cognition are distinctly developed in humans and highly effective at dealing with a rapidly changing life space.
Feasibility and efficacy of ‘Can-Sleep’: effects of a stepped-care approach to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in cancer
Authors: Diggens Justine , Bullen Dani , Maccora Jordan , Wiley Joshua F. , Ellen Steve , Goldin Jeremy , Jefford Michael , Hickey Martha , Ftanou Maria
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of the Can-Sleep stepped-care intervention for people with cancer-related sleep disturbance.

Methods

A total of 147 individuals with cancer were screened. Participants who reported sleep disturbances and were at low-moderate risk for intrinsic sleep abnormalities were given self-managed cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (SMCBT-I). Those reporting sleep disturbance and scoring at high risk of intrinsic sleep abnormalities (i.e., restless leg syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea) were referred to a specialist sleep clinic. In both groups, participants received a stepped-up group CBT-I intervention (GCBT-I) if they continued to report sleep disturbance following SMCBT-I or the specialist sleep clinic.

Results

Overall, 87 participants reported sleep disturbance or screened at risk for intrinsic sleep abnormality. Thirty-four were referred to a specialist sleep clinic, and of the 17 who declined this referral, 14 were rereferred to SMCBT-I. In total, 62 participants were referred to SMCBT-I, and 56 commenced SMCBT-I. At post-intervention, the SMCBT-I group showed a significant decline in insomnia symptoms (p < .001, d = 1.01). Five participants who reported sleep disturbance after SMCBT-I and/or the specialist sleep clinic, accepted GCBT-I. Those who received the GCBT-I showed a significant reduction in insomnia symptoms (p < .01, d = 3.13).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the feasibility and efficacy of a stepped-care intervention for sleep disturbances in people with cancer.

Implications for cancer survivors

A stepped-care intervention for sleep disturbance is a feasible and potentially effective method of addressing a significant and unmet patient need.
Subcutaneous adipose tissue dopamine D2 receptor is increased in prediabetes and T2D
Authors: Vranic Milica , Ahmed Fozia , Kristófi Robin , Hetty Susanne , Mokhtari Dariush , Svensson Maria K. , Eriksson Jan W. , Pereira Maria J.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the dopaminergic signaling in human adipose tissue in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) and potential direct implications in adipose tissue metabolism.

Methods

mRNA and protein expression of dopamine receptors D1 and D2 (DRD1 and DRD2) were determined in subcutaneous adipose tissue from subjects without or with T2D and with different body weight, and correlated with markers of obesity, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. Glucose uptake and lipolysis were measured in adipocytes ex vivo following short-term exposure to dopamine, DRD1 receptor agonist (SKF81297), or DRD2 receptor agonist (bromocriptine).

Results

DRD1 and DRD2 gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue correlated positively with clinical markers of insulin resistance (e.g. HOMA-IR, insulin, and triglycerides) and central obesity in subjects without T2D. Protein expression of DRD2 in subcutaneous adipose tissue, but not DRD1, is higher in subjects with impaired fasting glucose and T2D and correlated positively with hyperglycemia, HbA1c, and glucose AUC, independent of obesity status. DRD1 and DRD2 proteins were mainly expressed in adipocytes, compared to stromal vascular cells. Dopamine and dopaminergic agonists did not affect adipocyte glucose uptake ex vivo, but DRD1 and DRD2 agonist treatment inhibited isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis.

Conclusion

The results suggest that protein expression of DRD2 in subcutaneous adipose tissue is up-regulated with hyperglycemia and T2D. Whether DRD2 protein levels contribute to T2D development or occur as a secondary compensatory mechanism needs further investigation. Additionally, dopamine receptor agonists inhibit adipocyte beta-adrenergic stimulation of lipolysis, which might contribute to the beneficial effects in lipid metabolism as observed in patients taking bromocriptine.
Example-based dynamic façade design using the facade daylighting performance improvement (FDPI) indicator
Authors: Akimov Luka , Bezborodov Andrey , Badenko Vladimir
Published: September 2023

It remains challenging to conduct an efficient dynamic façade design. In this article authors try to address this issue introducing the façade daylighting performance improvement (FDPI) indicator aimed to evaluate the performance of a dynamic (adaptive) façade from its daylighting performance point of view. To illustrate the FDPI application the authors introduced the preliminary dynamic façade concept for an office building located in Tel Aviv (Hot-summer Mediterranean Climate Csa) with further shape modification based on the daylighting performance analysis compared to the three alternatives representative of different typologies of dynamic facades. Al Bahr, One Ocean and The University of Southern Denmark façade systems were simulated under the same weather and building conditions of the preliminary dynamic façade concept and were considered as a benchmark for the study. The final dynamic façade concept elaborated by the authors in the preliminary comparative workflow showed noticeable daylight performance improvement with respect to the case studies comparative scenarios. The FDPI metric allowed to estimate a daylighting performance improvement of 43% of the final dynamic façade concept over the case study dynamic façade that showed the best performance in the daylighting simulations.
A support theorem for parabolic stochastic PDEs with nondegenerate Hölder diffusion coefficients
Authors: Han Yi
Published: September 2023

In this paper we work with parabolic SPDEs of the form $$\begin{aligned} \partial _t u(t,x)=\partial _x^2 u(t,x)+g(t,x,u)+\sigma (t,x,u)\dot{W}(t,x) \end{aligned}$$

∂
t

u

(
t
,
x
)

=

∂
x
2

u

(
t
,
x
)

+
g

(
t
,
x
,
u
)

+
σ

(
t
,
x
,
u
)

W
˙

(
t
,
x
)

with Neumann boundary conditions, where $$x\in [0,1]$$

x
∈
[
0
,
1
]

, $$\dot{W}(t,x)$$

W
˙

(
t
,
x
)

is the space-time white noise on $$(t,x)\in [0,\infty )\times [0,1]$$

(
t
,
x
)
∈
[
0
,
∞
)
×
[
0
,
1
]

, g is uniformly bounded, and the solution $$u\in \mathbb {R}$$

u
∈
R

is real valued. The diffusion coefficient $$\sigma $$
σ
is assumed to be uniformly elliptic but only Hölder continuous in u. Previously, support theorems for SPDEs have only been established assuming that $$\sigma $$
σ
is Lipschitz continuous in u. We obtain new support theorems and small ball probabilities in this $$\sigma $$
σ
Hölder continuous case via the recently established sharp two sided estimates of stochastic integrals.
Dry Grinding by Means of Additively Manufactured Toric Grinding Pins
Authors: Keitel Michael , Denkena Berend , Bergmann Benjamin
Published: September 2023

The dry grinding process is challenging due to the induced thermal loads into the workpiece, which leads to a reduction of the workpiece quality. One approach to reduce the thermal loads is to adjust the grinding tool geometry by inserting a porous structure for dry grinding. This porous structure can be implemented, for example, by additively manufactured grinding tools. For this purpose, the suitability of additively manufactured vitrified cubic boron nitride grinding tools for dry grinding of tempered AISI M3:2 was investigated and compared with conventionally manufactured grinding tools to investigate the possibility of reducing the high temperatures and to verify the advantage of additively manufactured grinding tools. For this the resulting topographies and residuals stress states as well as wear of the grinding tools were analyzed. Additively manufactured grinding tools generated constant surface roughnesses of below 1 µm as well as contant compressive residual stress states. These results were attributed to a continuous self-sharpening of the grinding tools, which was shown qualitatively and quantitatively on the basis of the tool surfaces. Additively manufactured grinding tools with a porous structure thus have the potential to increase the possibilities of dry grinding.
Exploring the Impact of the Corequisite Classroom Climate on Students’ Attitudes Toward Mathematics
Authors: Stone-Johnstone Amelia
Published: September 2023

Many postsecondary institutions across the United States have adopted the corequisite model of academic support to facilitate student learning and the successful completion of introductory mathematics courses within students’ first year of college enrollment. While research have highlighted the benefits of corequisites in terms of academic outcomes, there is little qualitative research on the impact of this model of academic support on students beyond course grades. Through student narratives, this study documents how one university implemented their College Algebra corequisite and investigates the impact of the classroom climate of a corequisite course on students’ attitudes toward mathematics. This study shows that though the classroom climate positively impacted the participants’ attitudes toward mathematics in general, the climate of the corequisite specifically had a greater impact on their beliefs about mathematics and perceptions of themselves as learners of mathematics. However, there were some identified drawbacks to the corequisite course including time-consuming coursework and occasionally unproductive group collaboration. These findings highlight the potential for corequisites to foster positive attitudes toward mathematics, yet it also demonstrated a need for greater intention in the course development to ensure a coherent course structure where course activities and assessments give way to meaningful and productive student engagement.