bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Property as the Modern Form of Weltbeziehung
Authors: Rosa Hartmut
Published: April 2024

Private property is one of the most basic institutions in modern society. It produces a very specific form of relating to things, to other human beings and towards the self, and by doing this, it defines Weltbeziehung in the objective, the subjective, and the social dimensions simultaneously. This property-induced form of possessive Weltbeziehung, however, proves to be highly problematic under contemporary ecological, technological, and political conditions. Structural change of property might induce new habits of participatory property like sharing practices.
Reconstructing an Impartial and Pluralistic Notion of Progress in Contexts of Diversity
Authors: Kemmerling Achim
Published: April 2024

World relations (Weltbeziehungen) are always also political relations, and they have recently seen a new increase in contestation, polarisation, and negativity. Against this background, this chapter reconstructs an idea of progress suitable for decision-making in contexts of human diversity. While classic notions of progress are either politically tainted or conceived as old-fashioned, worn-out Eurocentric ideas, a pluralist notion of progress is, rather paradoxically, both necessary and seemingly impossible. This contribution starts by problematising what happens in the absence of a notion of progress: the mushrooming of alternative, inferior concepts such as development, or increasing national greatness. It then reconstructs an idea of pluralist and impartial progress as a tool for allowing political decisions under conditions of diversity. Decisions, in turn, are a crucial “diabolical” tool in policymaking that requires special analytical considerations: a temporal dimension, a normative dimension, and a symbolic dimension. This discussion opens up the process of decision sciences and pleads for a notion of progress as slower and harder to achieve but avoiding the typical pitfalls of standard tools in accelerated decision-making. In doing so, this contribution adds to our understanding of how to address global challenges in their own time.
The Cultural Meaning of “Market” in China and the Western tradition
Authors: Herrmann-Pillath Carsten
Published: April 2024

This chapter explores the shift in China's economic policy under Xi Jinping's leadership, which surprised Western observers with its increased government intervention and subsequent economic costs. We argue that these policies do not indicate fundamental changes in Chinese views of the government-economy relationship. Instead, they align with long-standing traditions of the Chinese Communist Party which tie up with economic thinking over two millennia, epitomized in early documents such as the Guanzi and the Yantielun. The chapter delves into the CCP's understanding of the market, highlighting the differences with Western conceptualizations maintained by international institutions. Chinese views on the market are deeply rooted in the notion of good governance, thus approaching the market as a device of the art of governing the commonwealth and emphasizing its moral dimensions. We emphasize the continuity of historical roles of the market, resulting in the persistent weakness of economic liberalism in China, resurfacing in recent trends of leading economic research in China. Hence, we question the compatibility between Chinese mainstream views and Western intellectual traditions, particularly regarding the assumption of market autonomy. However, the Western tradition also reveals a diversity of thought beyond mainstream economics that opens the vista for reconciliation, foremostly in the tradition of Hegel.
Living World Relations
Authors: Hollstein Bettina
Published: April 2024

The last contribution uses the concepts of Weltbeziehung and “creativity of action” (Hans Joas) to analyse how resonant relationships can be created in the world of science through specific institutions, namely Institutes for Advanced Study (IAS). IAS were established to enhance inter alia independent research, interdisciplinarity, creativity, and innovation. They are characterized by collegiality, tranquility, and inter-relationality. Drawing on the example of the Max-Weber-Kolleg, Hollstein shows that resonant relationships allowing for creative interdisciplinary research can be observed and enabled, but not enforced.
Den Umbruch denken
Authors: Dikovich Albert
Published: April 2024

Auf den Ersten Weltkrieg folgte in Mitteleuropa ein grundlegender politischer Umbruch. Albert Dikovich arbeitet die Folgen dieser demokratischen Zeitenwende für die deutschsprachige Philosophie umfassend auf. Dabei wird zum einen untersucht, wie nach dem katastrophalen Gewaltereignis des Krieges und angesichts der akuten Eskalation im Inneren die Grenzen der moralisch legitimen Mittel politischer Konfliktaustragung neu gezogen wurden. Zum anderen wird der Zusammenhang zwischen rechts- und erkenntnistheoretischen Annahmen und Positionierungen innerhalb eines Spannungsfeldes konkurrierender politischer Neuordnungsentwürfe beleuchtet. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die damals geführten philosophischen Kämpfe um die Demokratie mit unserer Gegenwart mehr zu tun haben, als es der geschichtliche Abstand vermuten lässt. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Health-related quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers in the Arab world: a systematic review
Authors: Mairghani Maisoon , Patton Declan , Sorensen Jan , Elmusharaf Khalifa , Jassim Ghufran , Eltahir Omer , Moore Zena
Published: April 2024

Objective:

To conduct a systematic review to identify the impact of diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals within the Arab world.

Method:

A PRISMA-guided systematic search for HRQoL studies in Arab populations was conducted in CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and EBSCO. Relevant studies were critically appraised using the STROBE statement checklist.

Results:

A total of five studies were included. Three studies originated from Saudi Arabia, one from Jordan and one from Tunisia. The studies consistently demonstrated lower (poorer) HRQoL in patients with DFU, and worse HRQoL compared with both patients with diabetes and no DFU, and with healthy subjects.

Conclusion:

This review confirmed the negative impact of DFU on HRQoL in individuals with diabetes. It also highlights the scarcity of HRQoL studies from the Arab world. However, given that all studies included were conducted between 2013–2019, this could reflect a growing interest in DFU and HRQoL in the Arab world, and could potentially indicate that more studies will follow. In light of this, there is a need for a renewed focus on the completion of a high-quality standardised approach to research in this region.
The Slow Garden: Gardening as Deceleration
Authors: Roeland Johan
Published: April 2024

Abstract: Much more than a hobby or a leisure activity, gardening is for many gardeners a way of creating a place that escapes our contemporary culture of speed. As a counterpart to acceleration that strongly defines the late modern human condition, resulting in feelings of business, stress and haste, the garden offers a slow zone in which a regime of time operates that differs from the regime of clock time that dominates everyday life. Gardening thus offers an opportunity to find balance in an accelerating world.
History, Persecution, and Protest: Fernando de Pulgar and the Conversos
Authors: Rodriguez Bretton
Published: April 2024

Abstract: This article explores the tension between Fernando de Pulgar's personal identity as a converso and his official role as the royal chronicler of the Catholic Monarchs during the earliest stages of the Spanish Inquisition. It argues that, in addition to supporting most of the political positions of the Catholic Monarchs, Pulgar also developed a defense of the converso community within his personal letters, literary works, and official history. The presence of this argument within the last text is particularly significant. By embedding a protest of the Inquisition into his Crónica de los reyes católicos , Pulgar subverted the genre of official history—normally used to support and justify the actions of the monarchy—to articulate a defense of a marginalized and persecuted community. In doing so, this article claims that Pulgar gave a voice to a converso community that had been forcibly silenced by the Spanish Inquisition and the Catholic Monarchs.
Exploring Transformation in an Entrepreneurial Academic Library
Authors: Otike Fredrick , Kiszl Peter
Published: April 2024

abstract: Academic libraries are experiencing drastic changes due to unprecedented advancements in technology. This advancement has caused changes in users’ information-seeking behavior, increased information competitors, and easy access and availability to free information on the internet. It is unfortunate that all this is happening amidst the dwindling financial support libraries receive from their parent organization. These variations, such as the digital shift and remote access, changing user expectations, open access movement, the need for data management and preservation models are causing havoc and disruption to academic libraries; therefore, academic libraries need to justify their position and relevancy. This paper discusses the conundrum academic libraries face and suggests why and how they should adopt entrepreneurial practices.
“In the Greater Context of the Field”: What Undergraduate Reflections on the Research Process Tell us about Information Literacy
Authors: Vanderwerff Madelaine , Sharun Sara , Thomas Christopher
Published: April 2024

abstract: This study examines undergraduates’ research practices, as described in reflective essays submitted in applications to a library research award. Thematic analysis of 24 student award essays identified three strong themes in student reflections about their research experiences. Students experienced research as a social process, made meaning closely tied to disciplinary ways of knowing and practicing, and underwent a transformative process from beginner to apprentice researchers. Through a discussion of these themes, the authors highlight implications for information literacy instruction and suggest this instruction be closely connected to disciplinary practices.
Controllable nonlinear effects in a hybrid magnonical semiconductor microcavity
Authors: Bhatt Vijay , Singh Madhav K. , Agrawal Anju , Jha Pradip K. , Bhattacherjee Aranya B.
Published: April 2024

We investigate the bistability properties of the magnomechanical system driven by an amplitude-modulated pump laser. The bistable behavior exhibits a characteristic magnon switching pattern. This behavior is studied for different values of system parameters. A distinct indication of energy transfer between the mechanical and magnon modes becomes evident while examining the mechanical displacement spectrum within the system. Further, by appropriately adjusting the system parameters, it is observed that the system in its steady state exhibits entanglement dynamics. These findings imply that this system holds potential applications in highly responsive magnon switches, magnon sensors, and quantum communication platforms.
Cross-waveband optical computing imaging
Authors: Bie Shu-Hang , Xie Jin-Tao , Zhang Yue-Xi , Li Ming-Fei , Yu Wen-Kai , Chen Xi-Hao
Published: April 2024

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, cross-spectral optical computing imaging experiment has been achieved through a single exposure of a charge-coupled device. The experimental setup integrates single-pixel imaging (SPI) with ghost imaging (GI) through a photoelectric conversion circuit and a synchronous modulation system. The experimental process involves modulation in one wavelength band (in SPI) and demodulation using the GI algorithm in another. Significantly, our approach utilizes optical computing demodulation, a departure from the conventional electronic demodulation in GI (SPI), which involves the convolution between the bucket optical signals and the modulated patterns on the digital micromirror device. A proof-of-concept cross-band imaging experiment from near-infrared to visible light has been carried out. The results highlight the system’s ability to capture images at up to 20 frames per second using near-infrared illumination, which are then reconstructed in the visible light spectrum. This success not only validates the feasibility of our approach but also expands the potential applications in the SPI or GI fields, particularly in scenarios where two-dimensional detector arrays are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive in certain electromagnetic spectra such as x-ray and terahertz.
Impact of exposure time on optical-phase measurements
Authors: Kalensky Matthew , Hyde Milo , Getts Darren , Spencer Mark
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we explore the impact of exposure time on optical-phase measurements collected on light that has propagated through atmospheric-optical turbulence. We model the exposure time by phase averaging over a convective distance, and we quantify the associated impact of imposing an exposure time using the piston and tilt-removed phase variance. We accomplish this analysis through the development of an analytic solution and wave-optics simulations. In turn, we show that the analytic solution and simulation results are in good agreement when the convective distance is less than ~0.1 m. When the convective distance is larger than ~0.1 m, the analytic solution underestimates the piston and tilt-removed phase variance relative to the simulation results, and we discuss these differences. This work, at large, informs wavefront sensing and adaptive-optics efforts where either the wind speed is high, we mount the system on a high-speed platform, the beacon is on a high-speed platform, or the beacon signal is very faint thereby requiring long-exposure data collections.
Anisotropic below bandgap harmonic generation in $\beta$-gallium oxide
Authors: HUSSAIN MUKHTAR , Antunes André Mesquita , Vaz Gonçalo , Alves Joana , Pires Hugo , Imran Tayyab , Peres Marco , Lorenz Katharina , Villora Encarnacion , Shimamura Kiyoshi , Madas Saibabu , Kahaly Mousumi Upadhyay , Kahaly Subhendu , Figueira Goncalo , Fajardo Marta , Williams Gareth
Published: April 2024

Harmonic generation in wide bandgap semiconductors and dielectrics has attracted a surge of interest as compact solid-state light sources and a method of mapping the band structure and crystal symmetry in the material itself. Longer driving wavelengths can support longer electron trajectories and suppress interband transitions, yielding spectra that are sensitive to crystal orientation and band shapes. Here, we combine a longer wavelength ($\approx$ 3.0 $\mu$m) laser to drive harmonic generation in a wide band-gap material with wide-ranging applications in photonics and power electronics, beta-gallium oxide ($\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$). We generate harmonics up to the ninth order (H9=3.7 eV) in air, with a $\approx$ 3.0 $\mu$m, 100 kHz, 40 fs mid-infrared (MIR) driving laser in (100) and (010) oriented single crystals of $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$. We observe odd and even harmonics, spectral interference, and the strong anisotropic response of both odd and even harmonics to laser polarization.
Our results are explained in terms of the microscopic crystal structure and macroscopic optical properties of $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$, and reveal the high-order non-linear optical properties of this material.
Modelling cell shape in 3D structured environments: A quantitative comparison with experiments
Authors: Link Rabea , Jaggy Mona , Bastmeyer Martin , Schwarz Ulrich S.
Published: April 2024

Cell shape plays a fundamental role in many biological processes, including adhesion, migration, division and development, but it is not clear which shape model best predicts three-dimensional cell shape in structured environments. Here, we compare different modelling approaches with experimental data. The shapes of single mesenchymal cells cultured in custom-made 3D scaffolds were compared by a Fourier method with surfaces that minimize area under the given adhesion and volume constraints. For the minimized surface model, we found marked differences to the experimentally observed cell shapes, which necessitated the use of more advanced shape models. We used different variants of the cellular Potts model, which effectively includes both surface and bulk contributions. The simulations revealed that the Hamiltonian with linear area energy outperformed the elastic area constraint in accurately modelling the 3D shapes of cells in structured environments. Explicit modelling the nucleus did not improve the accuracy of the simulated cell shapes. Overall, our work identifies effective methods for accurately modelling cellular shapes in complex environments.
Habitat use of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles at the northern limit of their distribution range of the Northwest Pacific Ocean
Authors: Kim Il-Hun , Park Il-Kook , Park Daesik , Kim Min-Seop , Cho In-Young , Yang Dongwoo , Han Dong-Jin , Cho Eunvit , Shim Won Joon , Hong Sang Hee , An Yong-Rock
Published: April 2024

Verifying habitats, including the foraging and nesting areas for sea turtles, enables an understanding of their spatial ecology and successful planning of their conservation and management strategies. Recently, the observation frequency and bycatch of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles have increased in the northern limit of their distribution range, in the northern part of the East China Sea and East (Japan) Sea. We conducted satellite tracking to investigate the habitat use of seven loggerhead and eight green turtles from June 2016 to August 2022 in this area, where little is known about their spatial ecology. We applied a 50 percent volume contour method to determine their main foraging areas and analyzed 6 environmental variables to characterize their habitats. Loggerhead turtles mainly stayed in and used the East China Sea as a foraging area during the tracking period, while two individuals among them also used the East Sea as a seasonal foraging area. Most green turtles also used the East China Sea as a foraging area, near South Korea and Japan, with one individual among them using the lower area of the East Sea as a seasonal foraging area. Notably, one green turtle traveled to Hainan Island in the South China Sea, a historical nesting area. Our results showed that the two sea turtle species included the East Sea as a seasonal foraging area, possibly owing to the abundance of food sources available, despite its relatively lower sea temperature. Considering that loggerhead and green sea turtles were observed using the northern part of the East China Sea and East Sea more frequently than previously known and that the sea temperature gradually increases due to climate change, conservation and management activities are required for sea turtles in these areas.
Evaluating the psychometric properties of the Hispanic Stress Inventory-2 Simplified version among a diverse sample of Latinos who smoke
Authors: Hernández-Torres Ruthmarie , Cartujano-Barrera Francisco , Arana-Chicas Evelyn , Chávez-Iñiguez Arlette , Dontu Vignya , Gao Shan , Cai Xueya , Castro-Figueroa Eida , Ossip Deborah J. , Cupertino Ana Paula
Published: April 2024

Objective

Acculturation stress can negatively impact Latinos immigrant mental and physical health related behaviors such as smoking. It is essential to have validated and updated instruments that allow the evaluation of acculturation stress on this population. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of an abbreviated version of the Hispanic Stress Inventory Version 2 (HSI2) immigration scale among Latinos who smoke.

Methods

The study consisted of a secondary data analysis from a baseline assessment of Decídetexto, a mobile health (mHealth) smoking cessation randomized clinical trial. Of 457 Latinos included in the parent study, 352 immigrants who smoke were included. Construct validity was analyzed by completing a Pearson correlation coefficient matrix. Structural validity was analyzed using an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Cronbach alpha analysis was used to estimate the internal consistency of the items constituting a factor.

Results

The results included an abbreviated version of the HSI2 including 52 items. From the Pearson correlation coefficient matrix with a cutoff point of 0.4, 22 of the 52 items were excluded. From the Pearson correlation coefficient matrix with a cutoff point of 0.4, 22 items were excluded. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) results in six factors extracted, explaining 69.1% of the variance. According to the EFA, two items were relocated in different factors from the original scale. The HSI2 30 items scale reflected excellent reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.93. The six factors reflect acceptable to excellent reliability, ranging from 0.77–0.93 across factors. The median for the HSI2 total score was 34.00 (25–45) out of a possible total score of 150.

Conclusion

Results confirmed acceptable psychometric properties of the HSI2 simplified 30-item version and provided a reliable and shorter measure of acculturation stress for Latinos groups. Having a valid and reduced measure of acculturation stress is the first step in understanding diverse ethnic groups of Latinos that are at higher risk of presenting health risk behaviors such as smoking. The present results provided the possibility of assessing the impact of acculturation stress among adults who smoke.
Care navigation addresses issues of tele-mental health acceptability and uptake in rural and remote Australian communities
Authors: Fisher Olivia J. , McGrath Kelly , Grogan Caroline , Cockshaw Wendell , Leggatt-Cook Chez
Published: April 2024

Introduction

People living in rural and remote areas face substantial barriers to accessing timely and appropriate mental health services. In the Bowen Basin region of Queensland, Australia, barriers include: limited local providers, long waiting lists, unreliable telecommunication, and reluctance to trial telehealth. Isaac Navicare is a new, community co-designed care navigation service which addresses these barriers by coupling care navigation with supported telehealth, and referrals to mental health providers and other supports. We aimed to understand the reach and effectiveness of Isaac Navicare in improving access to mental health services and address an evidence gap on strategies for improving telehealth acceptability.

Methods

This mixed-methods implementation science evaluation used the RE-AIM Framework. It involved a client database review, survey and semi-structured interviews with service users during the 12-month pilot from November 2021.

Results

197 clients (128 adults, 69 minors) were referred to Navicare during the pilot. Half of adult clients were unemployed, meaning referral options were limited to low-cost or bulk-billed services. Participants described Navicare as supportive and effective in helping to access timely and appropriate mental health supports. Most clients who expressed a treatment modality preference selected face-to-face (n = 111, 85.4%), however most referrals were for telehealth (n = 103, 66.0%) due to a lack of suitable alternatives. The rapport and trust developed with the care navigator was critical for increasing willingness to trial telehealth. Barriers to telehealth included privacy issues, technical difficulties, unreliable internet/phone, and perceived difficulties developing therapeutic rapport. The supported telehealth site was under-utilised. The majority (88.3%, n = 182) of referrals to Navicare were from local health or community service providers or schools.

Discussion

Coupling supportive, individualised care navigation with tele-mental health provider options resulted in increased uptake and acceptance of telehealth. Many barriers could be addressed through better preparation of clients and improving promotion and uptake of the supported telehealth site.

Conclusion

Attitudes towards telehealth have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, however although the need exists, barriers remain to uptake. Telehealth alone is not enough. Coupling telehealth with other supports such as care navigation improves acceptance and uptake.
Identification of the soil physicochemical and bacterial indicators for soil organic carbon and nitrogen transformation under the wheat straw returning
Authors: Yang Yajun , Wang Hui , Li Chengjuan , Liu Hexiang , Fang Xianhui , Wu Mengyuan , Lv Jialong
Published: April 2024

Wheat straw returning is widely practiced in agriculture; therefore, it is critical to determine the physicochemical and bacterial indicators in soil for the organic carbon storage, accumulative C mineralization, total nitrogen improvement, and nitrogen mineralization in various soil types after wheat straw returning. This study evaluated the influenced indicators of wheat straw addition on soil organic carbon and nitrogen transformation in diverse soil types. For this purpose, an incubation experiment was conducted to analyze the carbon and nitrogen transformation in soil from eight Chinese provinces treated with the same dry weight of wheat straw. The results indicated that the primary physicochemical and bacterial indicators that predict the carbon and nitrogen transformations in the acidic and alkaline soils were different. Of all the natural physicochemical properties of soil, cation exchange capacity and clay content were significantly correlated with organic carbon, mineralized carbon, total nitrogen, and mineralized nitrogen in the alkaline soil. In the acidic soil, the initial C/N ratio of soil was the most significant indicator of carbon and nitrogen transformation. From the perspective of the carbon- and nitrogen-relating bacterial communities, Proteobacteria were largely responsible for the accumulative C mineralization in both types of soil. Furthermore, Proteobacteria strongly regulated the organic carbon storage in the acidic soil after wheat straw addition, whereas Gemmatimonadetes was the main predicted indicator in the alkaline soil. Additionally, total nitrogen and mineralized nitrogen levels were largely explained by Bifidobacterium and Luteimonas in the alkaline soil and by Nitrospira and Bdellovibrio in the acidic soil. Soil physicochemical and biological properties significantly influence soil carbon and nitrogen transformation, which should be considered crucial indicators to guide the rational regulation of straw return in several areas.
Microdose lithium improves behavioral deficits and modulates molecular mechanisms of memory formation in female SAMP-8, a mouse model of accelerated aging
Authors: Pereira Arthur Antonio Ruiz , Pinto Alessandra Macedo , Malerba Helena Nascimento , Toricelli Mariana , Buck Hudson Sousa , Viel Tania Araujo
Published: April 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neuronal disorder that leads to the development of dementia. Until nowadays, some therapies may alleviate the symptoms, but there is no pharmacological treatment. Microdosing lithium has been used to modify the pathological characteristics of the disease, with effects in both experimental and clinical conditions. The present work aimed to analyze the effects of this treatment on spatial memory, anxiety, and molecular mechanisms related to long-term memory formation during the aging process of a mouse model of accelerated aging (SAMP-8). Female SAMP-8 showed learning and memory impairments together with disruption of memory mechanisms, neuronal loss, and increased density of senile plaques compared to their natural control strain, the senescence-accelerated mouse resistant (SAMR-1). Chronic treatment with lithium promoted memory maintenance, reduction in anxiety, and maintenance of proteins related to memory formation and neuronal density. The density of senile plaques was also reduced. An increase in the density of gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) and α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptors was also observed and related to neuroprotection and anxiety reduction. In addition, this microdose of lithium inhibited the activation of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3β), the classical mechanism of lithium cell effects, which could contribute to the preservation of the memory mechanism and reduction in senile plaque formation. This work shows that lithium effects in neuroprotection along the aging process are not related to a unique cellular mechanism but produce multiple effects that slowly protect the brain along the aging process.
Ensemble effort estimation with metaheuristic hyperparameters and weight optimization for achieving accuracy
Authors: Yasmin Anum , Haider Butt Wasi , Daud Ali
Published: April 2024

Software development effort estimation (SDEE) is recognized as vital activity for effective project management since under or over estimating can lead to unsuccessful utilization of project resources. Machine learning (ML) algorithms are largely contributing in SDEE domain, particularly ensemble effort estimation (EEE) works well in rectifying bias and subjectivity to solo ML learners. Performance of EEE significantly depends on hyperparameter composition as well as weight assignment mechanism of solo learners. However, in EEE domain, impact of optimization in terms of hyperparameter tunning as well as weight assignment is explored by few researchers. This study aims in improving SDEE performance by incorporating metaheuristic hyperparameter and weight optimization in EEE, which enables accuracy and diversity to the ensemble model. The study proposed Metaheuristic-optimized Multi-dimensional bagging scheme and Weighted Ensemble (MoMdbWE) approach. This is achieved by proposed search space division and hyperparameter optimization method named as Multi-dimensional bagging (Mdb). Metaheuristic algorithm considered for this work is Firefly algorithm (FFA), to get best hyperparameters of three base ML algorithms (Random Forest, Support vector machine and Deep Neural network) since FFA has shown promising results of fitness in terms of MAE. Further enhancement in performance is achieved by incorporating FFA-based weight optimization to construct Metaheuristic-optimized weighted ensemble (MoWE) of individual multi-dimensional bagging schemes. Proposed scheme is implemented on eight frequently utilized effort estimation datasets and results are evaluated by 5 error metrices (MAE, RMSE, MMRE, MdMRE, Pred), standard accuracy and effect size along with Wilcox statistical test. Findings confirmed that the use of FFA optimization for hyperparameter (with search space sub-division) and for ensemble weights, has significantly enhanced performance in comparison with individual base algorithms as well as other homogeneous and heterogenous EEE techniques.
Nurses’ perception of uncertainty regarding suspected pain in people with dementia: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Rababa Mohammad , Tawalbeh Raghad , Abu-Zahra Tala
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This study aims to qualitatively examine nurses’ perception of uncertainty regarding suspected pain in people with dementia (PWD).

Design

The study utilized a qualitative descriptive design.

Participants

The participants in this study were nurses with a minimum of six months of experience caring for PWD and currently working in a university hospital in Irbid, Jordan. Twenty-five participants were selected using convenience sampling from the selected hospital.

Results

Four major themes and 12 subthemes relating to nurses’ perceptions of uncertainty regarding suspected pain in PWD emerged. The main themes were (a) the culture-bound nature of uncertainty regarding suspected pain in PWD, (b) dimensions of uncertainty regarding suspected pain in PWD, (c) indicators of uncertainty regarding suspected pain in PWD, and (d) assessment methods of uncertainty to suspected pain in PWD. Moreover, for each major theme, different subthemes were developed.

Conclusions

It is crucial to address factors influencing -nurses’ uncertainty regarding suspected pain in PWD to improve pain assessment and management in PWD. Additionally, the study identified five indicators of uncertainty: complicated decision-making, knowledge deficit, bias, intuition, and misconceptions. Effective assessment methods, such as semi-structured interviews and simulated assessments, should be employed to evaluate uncertainty accurately. By addressing these issues and utilizing appropriate assessment approaches, healthcare professionals can enhance pain management for individuals with dementia.
Logistic burdens of cancer care: A qualitative study
Authors: Dona Allison C. , Jewett Patricia I. , Hwee Sharon , Brown Katherine , Solomon Matia , Gupta Arjun , Teoh Deanna , Yang Guang , Wolfson Julian , Fan Yingling , Blaes Anne H. , Vogel Rachel I.
Published: April 2024

Cancer treatment often creates logistic conflicts with everyday life priorities; however, these challenges and how they are subjectively experienced have been largely unaddressed in cancer care. Our goal was to describe time and logistic requirements of cancer care and whether and how they interfered with daily life and well-being. We conducted interviews with 20 adults receiving cancer-directed treatment at a single academic cancer center. We focused on participants’ perception of the time, effort, and energy-intensiveness of cancer care activities, organization of care requirements, and preferences in how to manage the logistic burdens of their cancer care. Participant interview transcripts were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Burdens related to travel, appointment schedules, healthcare system navigation, and consequences for relationships had roots both at the system-level (e.g. labs that were chronically delayed, protocol-centered rather than patient-centered bureaucratic requirements) and in individual circumstances (e.g. greater stressors among those working and/or have young children versus those who are retired) that determined subjective burdensomeness, which was highest among patients who experienced multiple sources of burdens simultaneously. Our study illustrates how objective burdens of cancer care translate into subjective burden depending on patient circumstances, emphasizing that to study burdens of care, an exclusive focus on objective measures does not capture the complexity of these issues. The complex interplay between healthcare system factors and individual circumstances points to clinical opportunities, for example helping patients to find ways to meet work and childcare requirements while receiving care.
Program evaluation of a school-based mental health and wellness curriculum featuring yoga and mindfulness
Authors: McCurdy Bethany H. , Bradley Travis , Matlow Ryan , Rettger John P. , Espil Flint M. , Weems Carl F. , Carrion Victor G.
Published: April 2024

Background

Interest in the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions such as yoga in primary schools has grown. Evidence shows promise, as youth who engage in yoga to promote mindfulness show improved coping skills, increased socio-emotional competence and prosocial skills, academic performance, attention span, and ability to deal with stress.

Objective

This study reports the results of a program evaluation of a universal health and wellness curriculum, Pure Power, designed to teach youth yoga techniques, mindfulness, and emotion regulation.

Methods

A non-randomized comparison design examined outcomes among participants from schools that completed the intervention with highest fidelity of implementation (n = 461) and from students in matched comparison schools (n = 420). Standard measures of coping, emotion regulation and emotion dysregulation, spelling, and math achievement were collected.

Results

Analyses suggest the youth in the intervention schools demonstrated relative improvement on measures of emotion regulation, spelling, and math.

Conclusions

Challenges in implementation in real-life settings are vital to identify. The data provide some real-world evidence for the effectiveness of a universal health and wellness curriculum on emotion regulation and positive academic outcomes. Training school staff to deliver the intervention may foster implementation. Future research should test the effectiveness of who delivers the intervention; for example, teacher-delivered groups vs. other wellness personnel.
Fidelity of family centered care model to early disability diagnosis and rehabilitation in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Opoku Maxwell Peprah , Pearson Emma , Elhoweris Hala , Alhosani Najwa , Mustafa Ashraf , Efstratopoulou Maria , Takriti Rachael
Published: April 2024

Background

The role of parents in supporting early intervention for young children with disabilities is critical. Indeed, models of family centered care (FCC), which emphasis strong partnerships between health professionals and families in disability health services delivery are now widely associated with best practice. While FCC is consistently argued to be an appropriate model for disability service delivery, its utilization is limited primarily to Western countries such as Australia and the United States. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have prioritized early childhood development and are thus in search of best practices for delivery of early intervention for children and their families.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the appropriateness of the FCC model in disability service delivery in the UAE. This study was conducted from the perspectives of health professionals who are involved in disability diagnosis, referral and ongoing support for families and children with disabilities.

Method

A total of 150 health professionals were recruited from health facilities, rehabilitation centers and schools in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi. The 27-item Measure of Process of Care for Service Providers (MPOC-SP) was used for data collection. The data were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis to confirm applicability of the model to this context. Multivariate analysis of variance and moderation analysis were also conducted, to ascertain the relationship between participants’ satisfaction levels with their ability to diagnose, refer and provide on-going support and their likelihood of practicing key components of FCC.

Result

Computation of confirmatory factor analysis provided support for applicability of the MPOC-SP in the UAE context. Further inspection showed moderate to large correlations between the four components of FCC measured by MPOC-SP, providing further support for utilization of FCC in disability health service delivery in the UAE.

Conclusion

The study concludes with a call to policymakers in the UAE to consider developing disability health policy based on key components of FCC. This could be supplemented by development of training modules on FCC to upskill health professionals involved in disability diagnosis and rehabilitation.
Informed consent in cancer clinical care: Perspectives of healthcare professionals on information disclosure at a tertiary institution in Uganda
Authors: Kampi Rebecca , Okello Clement , Ochieng Joseph , Mwaka Erisa Sabakaki
Published: April 2024

Introduction

While there have been several studies examining the understanding and quality of informed consent in clinical trials of cancer therapies, there is limited empirical research on health practitioners’ experiences on the informed consent process in cancer care, especially from low resource settings. This study explored health professionals’ perspectives on information disclosure during the consenting process in cancer care.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive approach was used to collect data. Face to face interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected healthcare professionals who were actively involved in soliciting informed consent at a cancer treatment centre in Uganda. A thematic approach was used to interpret the results.

Results

There were five key themes, and these included information disclosure to patients; assessment of patients’ cancer awareness, treatment preferences and expectations; informed consent practices; barriers to optimal informed consent and information disclosure; and recommendations for improving the consenting process. All respondents appreciated the value of disclosing accurate information to patients to facilitate informed decision making. However, the informed consent process was deemed sub-optimal. Respondents asserted that patients should be the psychological wellbeing of patients should be protected by mentally preparing them before disclosing potentially distressing information. All healthcare professionals were appreciative of the central role the family plays in the consenting process.

Conclusion

Overall, informed consent practices were not ideal because of the several challenges. Inadequate time is devoted to information disclosure and patient education; there is lack of privacy; and informed consent documentation is poor. There is a need for significant improvement in informed consent practices and healthcare professional-patient communication.
Assessing the performance of Moghani crossbred lambs derived from different mating systems with Texel and Booroola sheep
Authors: Talebi Reza , Mardi Mohsen , Zeinalabedini Mehrshad , Kazemi Alamouti Mehrbano , Fabre Stéphane , Ghaffari Mohammad Reza
Published: April 2024

In our ongoing project, which focuses on the introgression of Booroola/FecB gene and the myostatin (MSTN) gene into purebred Moghani sheep, we assessed the performance of second-generation Moghani crossbreds such as second crossbreds (F2) and initial backcross generation (BC1). These crossbreds were generated through different mating systems, including in-breeding, outcrossing, first paternal backcrossing (PBC1), and first maternal backcrossing (MBC1). Notably, F2 strains exhibited lean tail, woolly fleece and a higher percentage of white coat color compared to BC1. The impact of mating systems and birth types on pre-weaning survival rates was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.0001), with singleton offspring resulting from paternal backcross showing a particularly substantial effect. The F2 crossbred lambs carrying the Booroola gene did not show a statistically significant difference in survivability compared to those carrying the MSTN gene, implying the Booroola prolificacy gene had no significant impact on survival outcomes. However, the occurrence of multiple births had a significant negative impact on lamb survival (P < 0.0001). The PBC1 sheep strains, specifically Texel Tamlet ram strains carrying the MSTN mutation, exhibited superior growth rates compared to others (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the MSTN mutation in the homozygous variant genotype significantly impacts growth rate before weaning compared to other genotypes and pure Moghani sheep (P < 0.05). In conclusion, this study objectively underscores the pivotal role of genetic factors, specifically through strategic mating systems like paternal backcrossing, in enhancing desired traits and growth rates in Moghani sheep, thereby contributing valuable insights to the field of sheep breeding programs.
Imigrantes e minorias étnicas na pandemia
Authors: Magalhães Catarina , Santos Clara Almeida
Published: April 2024

A 11 de março de 2020, a OMS declarou a pandemia de Covid-19 e, a partir desse momento, os media tornaram-se um palco de primeira necessidade para agentes de saúde pública. O universo mediático não se reduziu, no entanto, à pandemia. As migrações têm sido uma constante na agenda mediática e, num momento marcado por uma crise sanitária, revelam-se um objeto de estudo sobremaneira importante de analisar. O facto de se tratar de um vírus cuja propagação se iniciou na China fez regressar indubitavelmente ao debate público o binómio ‘Nós’ e ‘Eles’, característica dos discursos sobre migrantes (Boréus, 2020; Cohen, 2011; Cottle, 2006). Assim, pretendemos avaliar como foram representados os imigrantes e minorias étnicas durante o primeiro ano de pandemia, na imprensa semanal portuguesa, e qual a influência da pandemia na cobertura da temática. Para tal, foi levada a cabo a análise de conteúdo quantitativa de um corpus recolhido no jornal Expresso e na revista Sábado composto por 296 peças. Concluímos que os imigrantes e as minorias étnicas se mantêm presentes na agenda noticiosa, mesmo com a prevalência da pandemia no contexto mediático.
Characterizing forest recovery following stand-replacing disturbances in boreal forests: contributions of optical time series and airborne laser scanning data
Authors:   Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, B.C., V8Z 1M5, Canada, White Joanne C.
Published: April 2024

The success and rate of forest regeneration following disturbance has implications for sustainable forest management, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity, among others. Systematic monitoring of forest regeneration over large and often remote areas of the boreal forest is challenging. The use of remotely sensed data to characterize post-disturbance recovery in the boreal forest has been an active research topic for more than 30 years. Innovations in sensors, data policies, curated data archives, and increased computational power have enabled new insights into the characterization of post-disturbance forest recovery, particularly following stand-replacing disturbances. Landsat time series data have emerged as an important data source for post-disturbance forest recovery assessments, with Landsat’s 40-year archive of 30-m resolution data providing consistent observations on an annual time step and enabling retrospective capacity to establish spatially explicit recovery baselines. The application of remote sensing for monitoring post-disturbance forest recovery is a rapidly growing area of research globally; however, despite the large amount of disturbance and the disproportionate effects of climate change in the boreal, the boreal biome is relatively underrepresented in the remote sensing forest recovery literature. Herein, the past and present contributions of optical time series and airborne laser scanning data to the characterization of forest recovery in boreal forests are highlighted, and future research priorities are identified.
(µ + λ) Evolution Strategy with Socio-cognitive Mutation
Authors: Urbańczyk Aleksandra , Kucaba Krzysztof , Wojtulewicz Mateusz , Kisiel-Dorohinicki Marek , Rutkowski Leszek , Duda Piotr , Kacprzyk Janusz , Yew Chong Siang , Yao Xin , Byrski Aleksander
Published: April 2024

Socio-cognitive computing is a paradigm developed for the last several years in our research group. It consists of introducing mechanisms inspired by inter-individual learning and cognition into metaheuristics. Different versions of the paradigm have been successfully applied in hybridizing Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithms, Differential Evolution, and Evolutionary Multi-agent System (EMAS) metaheuristics. In this paper, we have followed our previous experiences in order to propose a novel mutation based on sociocognitive mechanism and test it based on Evolution Strategy (ES). The newly constructed versions were applied to popular benchmarks and compared with their reference versions.