bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-attribute-based procedure for seismic loss scenario in a historical area
Authors: Mascheri G. , Chieffo N. , Lourenço P. B.
Published: October 2024

Seismic events have shown to be exceedingly damaging to structures over time, with serious social and economic consequences. As a result, large-scale seismic risk assessments are essential for reducing the potential damage from future earthquakes. Therefore, the proposed study attempts to examine the vulnerability and risk of unreinforced masonry buildings (URM) placed in aggregate conditions in a historical area of the city centre of Lisbon. To this purpose, a comprehensive exposure model was developed combining satellite remote sensing, GIS software, and census data. Subsequently, seismic hazard was evaluated in the area, considering both Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) and macro-seismic intensity for different return periods (i.e. 2-50-100-475-975-2500-5000 years). Vulnerability was assessed by introducing a novel approach to earthquake risk assessment using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making methodologies. Specifically, the method employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) computational methods to evaluate parameter weights and vulnerability index. Damage scenarios, fragility curves and mean damage ratios curves were provided to offer an overview of the vulnerability of the assets exposed to risk. Finally, the expected consequences were evaluated in terms of direct economic losses showing an economic loss of 595 M€ for a 475-years return period, while 1108 M€ for 5000-years. This study significantly enhances seismic analysis for urban areas by introducing a Multi-Criteria Approach. This method simplifies vulnerability assessment, ensuring ease of application and reproducibility. Its insights offer valuable support for disaster risk management decisions, facilitating the implementation of resilience and risk-reduction strategies.
Biochemical characterization of a recombinant laccase from Halalkalibacterium halodurans C-125 and its application in the biotransformation of organic compounds
Authors: Maati Jihene , Polak Jolanta , Janczarek Monika , Grąz Marcin , Smaali Issam , Jarosz-Wilkołazka Anna
Published: October 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to produce an engineered recombinant laccase from extremophilic Halalkalibacterium halodurans C-125 (Lac-HhC-125) with higher protein yield, into a more active conformation and with properties that meet the fundamental needs of biotechnological application.

Results

The rLac-HhC125 was partially purified by size exclusion chromatography and concentrated by ultrafiltration (10 kDa) with a yield of 57.6%. Oxidation reactions showed that adding 2 mM CuSO4 to the assay solution led to activating the laccase. To increase its initial activity, the rLac-HhC125 was treated at 50 °C for 20 min before the assays, improving its performance by fourfold using the syringaldazine as a substrate. When treated with EDTA, methanol, ethanol, and DMSO, the rLac-HhC125 maintained more than 80% of its original activity. Interestingly, the acetonitrile induced a twofold activity of the rLac-HhC125. The putative rLac-HhC125 demonstrated a capability of efficient transformation of different organic compounds at pH 6, known as dye precursors, into coloured molecules.

Conclusion

The rLac-HhC125 was active at high temperatures and alkaline pH, exhibited tolerance to organic solvents, and efficiently transformed different hydroxy derivatives into coloured compounds, which indicates that it can be used in various biotechnological processes.
The association between body mass index and vulvar and vaginal cancer incidence: findings from a large Norwegian cohort study
Authors: Aune Dagfinn , Nordsletten Marie , Myklebust Tor Åge , Robsahm Trude Eid , Skålhegg Bjørn Steen , Mala Tom , Yaqub Sheraz , Saeed Usman
Published: October 2024

Background

There is limited evidence of potential associations between body mass index (BMI) and risk of vulvar and vaginal cancer. We explored these associations in a large cohort of Norwegian women.

Methods

The analytical dataset included 889,441 women aged 16–75 years at baseline in 1963–1975. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between BMI and vulvar and vaginal cancer incidence.

Results

During 30.1 million person-years of follow-up, 1748 incident vulvar and 408 incident vaginal cancer cases occurred. The HRs (95% CIs) for vulvar cancer for a BMI of 15- < 18.5, 18.5- < 25, 25- < 30, 30- < 35, ≥ 35 were 0.62 (0.38–1.01), 1.00 (reference), 1.23 (1.10–1.40), 1.43 (1.23–1.66) and 1.72 (1.35–2.20, ptrend < 0.001), and per 5 kg/m2 increment was 1.20 (1.13–1.26). The corresponding HRs (95% CIs) for vaginal cancer were 1.05 (0.52–2.15), 1.00, 0.89 (0.71–1.12), 0.95 (0.68–1.34), and 2.01 (1.29–3.13, ptrend < 0.001), respectively, and per 5 kg/m2 was 1.11 (0.99–1.25). The HR (95% CI) per 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI at ages 16–29 was 1.28 (1.07–1.54, n = 250 cases) for vulvar and 1.53 (1.11–2.11, n = 66 cases) for vaginal cancers. The HR (95% CI) per 5 kg/m2 for early-onset (< 50 years age at diagnosis) vulvar cancer was 0.92 (0.66–1.28, n = 87 cases) and 1.70 (1.05–2.76, n = 21 cases) for vaginal cancer.

Conclusion

These results further support the associations between higher BMI and increased risk of vulvar and vaginal cancers, with suggestive stronger associations between BMI in early adulthood for both cancers and for early-onset vaginal cancer. Further studies are needed to elucidate these findings and investigate the underlying mechanisms.
On the politics of constitutional law: an environmental case study of the role of politics and economics in constitutional appeals
Authors: Lipford Jody W.
Published: October 2024

The U.S. government has responded to concern about climate change through regulation of carbon-dioxide emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act. Regulation of the electric power industry has been central to the fight to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, but these regulations have been challenged by constitutional appeals that have resulted in episodic advances and reversals. Grounds for constitutional appeal of environmental laws are many, but at their core is the question of whether a given law is consistent with the constitution. If constitutionality is central to the positions the attorneys general take on appeals of environmental regulations, political and economic factors should not affect their positions. Empirical evidence presented in this case study shows, however, that these factors are correlated with the positions the attorneys general of the U.S. states and District of Columbia took towards constitutional appeals of regulations of carbon-dioxide emissions from the electric power industry. At a broader level, these findings shed useful light on the question of how constitutional appeals are brought.
The judicial response to rent controls in Europe: Protecting property rights against state’s intervention?
Authors: Sardo Alessio , Cerruti Gianluca , Mateos Durán Arnulfo Daniel , Grillo Allegra
Published: October 2024

This essay examines, from a legal and economic perspective, the judicial response to rent controls in the EU focusing on three courts that operate at the fundamental rights and constitutional level: the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfGE), and the Italian Constitutional Court. Based on an analysis of a sample of judicial decisions rendered over time, a convergent trend emerges: these Courts have recognized and effectively protected the landlord’s property rights against rent controls that were disproportionate and could not ensure a reasonable return on investment. This trend is prominent in the jurisprudence of the ECtHR: the Strasbourg Court has contributed to reshaping the distribution of power between tenants and landlords, encouraging the transition of Eastern and Southern European Countries to the common European housing market. In both upholding and striking down rent control measures, judges generally take market value and the comparative reference price as the preferred benchmarks for fair rent price. A consumption-based and financial characterization of housing, coupled with the fundamental right to derive economic benefits as core elements of the right to property, underpin the legal reasoning of the three Courts.
Suppletion of numerals ‘one’ and ‘two’ in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Wu Danfeng
Published: October 2024

In many languages numerals may appear in different forms depending on the context, which Greenberg (1978) called the contextual and absolute forms respectively. Greenberg made the universal generalization that if a numeral has two forms, then all the lower numerals also do. He then mentioned Mandarin Chinese as an exception because while its numeral ‘2’ has two forms, he thinks that the lower numeral ‘1’ doesn’t. This paper argues for a different view about Mandarin ‘1’–that is, ‘1’ actually has two forms just like ‘2’, despite their segmental identity. Then I argue that the two forms of ‘1’ and ‘2’ are not distinguished by use as Greenberg claimed for ‘2’, but rather by the morphophonological context: the contextual form appears when followed by overt material at the point of vocabulary insertion of the numeral, otherwise the absolute form appears. This generalization, together with the key assumption that vocabulary insertion proceeds bottom-up, leads to a particular structure for enumerating numerals like liǎng gè nv̌hái ‘two girls’, where the Cardinal head liǎng ‘two’ takes the Classifier Phrase gè nv̌hái as its complement. This paper also provides novel evidence suggesting that in Mandarin a complex enumerating numeral like ‘125 pears’ merges the complex cardinal phrase ‘125’ with the Classifier Phrase, supporting He (2015) and challenging Ionin & Matushansky (2016, 2018).
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention Programming During the Pandemic: How Prevention Educators Navigated COVID-19
Authors: Fishwick Kathryn , Goodman-Williams Rachael , Armenta Estella
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Domestic violence and sexual assault (DVSA) primary prevention programming is often implemented during the school year, but the delivery of such programming was radically altered during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional in-person classrooms were often replaced by virtual learning. The immediate issue facing schools was getting academic content to students in this new environment, but there has been little research into what those priorities meant for supplementary programming like DVSA prevention education. How DVSA prevention education was affected by the switch to virtual learning remains largely unknown, but prevention educators’ experiences navigating virtual learning environments can offer insight into the implementation and delivery of virtual programming by community agencies.

Method

We conducted 20 interviews with DVSA prevention educators across the midwestern region of the United States. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to understand how DVSA prevention programming was impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

We identified four themes through our analysis: Disconnection, New Expectations, Reduced Access, and Safety Concerns. Interviews with prevention educators highlighted the many challenges of delivering DVSA prevention programming online, as well as ways that they adapted and even made improvements in this new environment.

Conclusion

Many students lost access to DVSA prevention education during the COVID-19 pandemic or received a version strongly impacted by social distancing protocols. Findings indicate that students who would have received DVSA prevention programming during the 2020–2021 school year likely did not receive the full dose of intended programming. Curriculum researchers should develop programming suitable for remote delivery for future incidental and fully online learning environments.
A Qualitative Scoping Review of Community Firearm Violence in Low-Income Settings
Authors: Walsh Colleen S. , Sullivan Terri N. , Kliewer Wendy , Ross Katherine M.
Published: October 2024

Firearm violence is a public health crisis in the United States that disproportionately impacts community members in low-income areas who witness and experience violence and violent victimization at elevated rates compared to other socioeconomic groups, often as result of community disinvestment and systemic racism (Smith et al., Soc Sci Med 246:112587, 2020). While quantitative reviews of firearm violence and related factors exist, a review of qualitative methods and findings regarding exposure to firearm violence has not yet been conducted. This scoping review sought to address a gap in the literature by summarizing the findings of qualitative studies on community firearm violence in low-income settings in the U.S. EBSCO databases, Criminal Justice Abstracts, National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts, ProQuest, and PsycINFO were searched for studies that described the firearm related experiences of individuals and families in low-income communities. Thirty studies met the criteria for review. Findings were situated within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Social-Ecological Model as a framework for prevention (CDC, The social-ecological model: a framework for prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/social-ecologicalmodel.html, 2018; Dahlberg and Krug, World Report on violence and health, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2002). A critique of the literature, as well as implications and future directions of findings, are discussed. This study may inform future research questions and programs that center the voices of those most impacted by firearm violence.
Adaptive time step selection for spectral deferred correction
Authors: Baumann Thomas , Götschel Sebastian , Lunet Thibaut , Ruprecht Daniel , Speck Robert
Published: October 2024

Spectral Deferred Correction (SDC) is an iterative method for the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations. It works by refining the numerical solution for an initial value problem by approximately solving differential equations for the error, and can be interpreted as a preconditioned fixed-point iteration for solving the fully implicit collocation problem. We adopt techniques from embedded Runge-Kutta Methods (RKM) to SDC in order to provide a mechanism for adaptive time step size selection and thus increase computational efficiency of SDC. We propose two SDC-specific estimates of the local error that are generic and do not rely on problem specific quantities. We demonstrate a gain in efficiency over standard SDC with fixed step size and compare efficiency favorably against state-of-the-art adaptive RKM.
A generalization of Lehman’s method
Authors: Hales Jonathon , Hiary Ghaith
Published: October 2024

A new deterministic algorithm for finding square divisors, and finding r-power divisors in general, is presented. This algorithm is based on Lehman’s method for integer factorization and is straightforward to implement. While the theoretical complexity of the new algorithm is far from best known, the algorithm becomes especially effective if even a loose bound on a square divisor is known. Additionally, we answer a question by D. Harvey and M. Hittmeir on whether their recent deterministic algorithm for integer factorization can be adapted to finding r-power divisors.
Corporate responsibility and corporate misbehavior: are CSR reporting firms indeed responsible?
Authors: Reitmaier Christine , Schultze Wolfgang , Vollmer Julia
Published: October 2024

We investigate whether firms that proclaim a commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) by CSR reporting indeed internalize such a commitment and behave more responsibly. We analyze the association of the issuance and quality of voluntary CSR reports with the occurrence, number, and severity of corporate misbehaviors, both preceding and subsequent to CSR reporting. We find a significantly positive association of CSR reporting with our measures of prior and future misbehavior. The results are corroborated by a quasi-natural experiment around the Rana Plaza disaster where we find that the signatories of an accord for better working conditions have significantly higher prior and future misbehavior relative to non-signatories and firms unaffected by the exogenous shock. Our results are in line with legitimacy theory implying that, on average, the firms’ proclaiming commitment to CSR is not a signal of internalized commitment but more likely serves greenwashing and impression management purposes.
Comparative Historical Analysis in Political Theory
Authors: Leader Maynard Jonathan
Published: October 2024

Two important methodological debates in political theory concern (i) the place of historical research and interpretation in normative inquiry; and (ii) the importance of comparing different cultural traditions of political thought. The first question animates a long-standing controversy over the relative importance of ‘history of political thought’ versus ‘philosophy’ in political theory, while the second has been central to the recent growth of ‘comparative political theory’. Despite both debates being concerned, in fundamental ways, with history and comparison, they have remained surprisingly disconnected from broader debates in the humanities and social sciences about the use of comparative history and, in particular, of the prominent methodological approach in political science known as ‘comparative historical analysis’. This may reflect the fact that the debates over history of political thought and comparative political theory have fundamentally revolved around thought—history as the history of thought and comparison as the comparison of thought—whereas comparative historical analysis is more centrally focused on the study of political behaviour. In this paper I suggest that this neglect of comparative historical analysis in political theory represents a missed opportunity. Like other forms of social scientific inquiry, comparative historical analysis can yield important empirical knowledge for political theorists. But I wish to more ambitiously suggest that comparative historical analysis can also be adapted for conducting normative political theory itself. I summarise the key features of comparative historical analysis for political theorists, and explain how its use of historical cases can supplement both the use of imaginary thought experiments and the study of contemporary politics. I then delineate three specific ways in which comparative historical analysis might be used to support normative inquiry: deductive testing, inductive construction, and casuistic elaboration. All three, I argue, can help meet recent calls to bring the study of real political behaviour more centrally into political theory research.
My Body, My Choice? Examining the Distinct Profiles Underlying Attitudes Toward Abortion and COVID-19 Mandates
Authors: Osborne Danny , Bahamondes Joaquin , Clarke Eden V. , Cone Deborah Hill , Lilly Kieren J. , Lizzio-Wilson Morgana , Pichardo Eduardo J. Rivera , Satherley Nicole , Simionato Natalia Maria , Thomas Emma F. , Zubielevitch Elena , Sibley Chris G.
Published: October 2024

Protestors recently repurposed the abortion rights’ mantra, “my body, my choice,” to oppose COVID-19 mandates. But do those who oppose public health mandates fully support the right to choose? We answer this question by using exploratory analyses to identify the unique response patterns underlying support for abortion and COVID-19 mandates in random samples from the United States (Study 1; N = 2,331) and New Zealand (Study 2; N = 33,310). Latent profile analyses revealed a small subgroup in both countries (12.6% and 3.4% of the respective samples) who opposed mandates. Yet contrary to the “my body, my choice” rhetoric seen at anti-mandate protests, they also opposed abortion. Across both studies, those in the Anti-Mandate profile tended to be more religious, conservative, and distrustful of institutions. In Study 2, they were also low on cognitive consistency and high on conspiracy belief. Finally, the Anti-Mandate profile was opposed to free speech critical of both the United States and religion (Study 1), high on sexual prejudice (both studies), unsupportive of progressive protests (but supportive of reactionary protests; Study 2), and likely to vote for conservative parties (both studies). These results reveal the mobilization potential of the anti-mandate movement, uncover important contradictions within its members, and illustrate the nuanced ways in which opposition to gender policies (i.e., reproductive rights) coalesce with reactionary protests.
When Successful Action Research is not Legitimized as Scientific Contribution by the Central Sponsors: How can Morten Levin’s Three Pillars of Action Research Support the Arch of Research Collaboration between Large Public Organizations and Universities?
Authors: Dale Stine , Holmemo Marte Daae-Qvale , Kjæmpenes Wenche M.
Published: October 2024

Morten Levin’s work on Action Research (AR) clearly stated that the three pillars participation, action and research was equally important. During his long practice as an AR pioneer, he campaigned for the legitimacy of AR within academia. In this paper we investigate how AR is perceived as sound research within a large and distributed organization. We present a retrospective case study based on a research collaboration between UiT The Artic University of Norway (UiT) and the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Organization (NAV), that fostered an AR project together, ‘Work inclusion, learning and innovation’ (ALIN), but later led to the termination of the collaboration agreement. The ALIN project fulfils all the criteria for being a successful AR project in terms Levin’s action, research and participation criteria. However, external audit and central NAV actors had different expectations of successful institutional research collaboration. Through our case we illustrate several conflict dimensions within the three AR pillars that must be challenged to strengthen the legitimacy of AR. The debate on rigour and relevance should not be limited to academic fields and include various actors and decision makers within large and distributed organizations.
Mixed-precision pre-pivoting strategy for the LU factorization
Authors: Sahraneshinsamani Nima , Catalán Sandra , Herrero José R.
Published: October 2024

This paper investigates the efficient application of half-precision floating-point (FP16) arithmetic on GPUs for boosting LU decompositions in double (FP64) precision. Addressing the motivation to enhance computational efficiency, we introduce two novel algorithms: Pre-Pivoted LU (PRP) and Mixed-precision Panel Factorization (MPF). Deployed in both hybrid CPU-GPU setups and native GPU-only configurations, PRP identifies pivot lists through LU decomposition computed in reduced precision and subsequently reorders matrix rows in FP64 precision before executing LU decomposition without pivoting. Two variants of PRP, namely hPRP and xPRP, are introduced, differing in their computation of pivot lists in full half-precision or mixed half-single precision. The MPF algorithm generates FP64 LU factorization while internally utilizing hPRP for panel factorization, showcasing accuracy on par with standard DGETRF but with superior speed. The study further explores auxiliary functions required for the native mode implementation of PRP variants and MPF.
Design and Evaluation of pH-Sensitive Pectin Films Infused with Anthocyanin-Rich Extracts from Australian Native Fruits for Intelligent Food Packaging Applications
Authors: Nastasi Joseph Robert , Hay Thomas Owen , Fitzgerald Melissa A. , Kontogiorgos Vassilis
Published: October 2024

This study investigates the incorporation of anthocyanin-rich extracts from Mountain Pepper Berry (MPB) and Queen Garnet Plum (QGP) into pectin-based films to develop pH-sensitive indicators. Using glycerol as an extraction solvent, significant differences in anthocyanin composition were identified: MPB extracts contained a diverse range of anthocyanin species, with a total content of 267.13 ± 5.21 mg L⁻¹, compared to the predominantly cyanidin-based QGP extracts, with 222.14 ± 1.61 mg L⁻¹. Differences in anthocyanin structures were elucidated using UPLC-Q-ToF-MS/MS analysis. FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to assess the compatibility of the extracts with pectin and the homogeneity of anthocyanins within the film structure. Mechanical testing revealed that MPB films exhibited superior tensile strength (8.53 ± 0.51 MPa), stiffness (2274 ± 158.64 gmm− 1), and energy to failure (141.7 ± 16.23 J m− 3) compared to QGP films, which had lower tensile strength (7.74 ± 0.32 MPa), stiffness (1947 ± 125.82 gmm− 1), and energy to failure (115 ± 18.81 J m− 3). Both film types displayed similar moisture content (MPB: 48.89%, QGP: 48.13%) and water vapour permeability, indicating comparable barrier properties. When exposed to volatile ammonia, QGP films showed a more pronounced colour change, attributed to their anthocyanin profile, with a notable shift from red to brown. This research highlights the potential of glycerol-extracted anthocyanins from Australian native fruits as functional additives in pectin films, offering promising applications for intelligent packaging with enhanced mechanical performance and responsive colour-changing properties.

Graphical Abstract
Hickam’s Dictum: An Analysis of Multiple Diagnoses
Authors: Aberegg Scott K. , Poole Brian R. , Locke Brian W.
Published: October 2024

Background

Hickam’s dictum (“a patient can have as many diseases as he damn well pleases”) has been touted as a counterargument to Ockham’s razor, which enjoins clinicians to seek a single, simple, or unifying diagnosis. Yet the phenomenon of multiple diagnoses has not been formally analyzed.

Methods

We evaluated multiple diagnoses using three methods of inquiry: (1) a review of 83 case reports; (2) a review of 220 cases from the New England Journal of Medicine; and (3) an online survey of providers’ intuitions.

Results

Eighty-three published case reports claimed to instantiate Hickam’s dictum or violate Ockham’s razor. All reported a primary diagnosis that explained the presenting illness, and one or more additional diagnoses which could be classified into four categories: (1) an incidentaloma (n = 21; 25.3%); (2) a pre-existing disease (n = 26; 31.3%); (3) a disease causally linked to the primary diagnosis (n = 33, 39.8%); and (4) a causally unrelated second disease contributing to the acute presentation (n = 3, 3.6%). Among 220 cases from the New England Journal of Medicine, all reported a unifying final diagnosis. In an online survey, 265 respondents recruited using social media evaluated four hypothetical cases with multiple diagnoses representing this categorization scheme. A majority of respondents (79%; 95% CI, 74–84%) chose the case representing category 4 — a coincident, causally unrelated second diagnosis — as the most unlikely or surprising diagnostic combination.

Conclusion

Multiple diagnoses commonly occur. However, the majority of the multiple diagnoses we analyzed were causally linked, or represented incidentalomas or known pre-existing diseases. These diagnostic combinations were unsurprising to a majority of surveyed providers. We show that multiple diagnoses can be arranged in a framework that considers time, probability, and causation. This framework reconciles the alleged conflict between Hickam’s dictum and Ockham’s razor and has greater practical and pedagogical utility.
Study on the Interaction Dynamics of Magnesium and Molten Cast Iron: A Chill Casting Perspective
Authors: Adhiwiguna Ida B. G. S. , Horn Lucas , Deike Rüdiger
Published: October 2024

This study presents a reassessment of the role of magnesium in the production process of cast iron. Through detailed experimentation involving an interrupted reaction process employing a chill casting approach in a copper mold, several reaction products that emerged during the high-temperature interaction between magnesium and cast iron were thoroughly examined. Two cast irons with different chemical compositions, notably different sulfur contents, were used to describe the contribution of magnesium during desulfurization and nodularization. The designed approach successfully revealed that rapid deoxidation and desulfurization reactions of cast iron involving liquid magnesium take place before following its ignition characteristics. Furthermore, the behavior of dissolved carbon concerning the remaining magnesium and magnesium-containing reaction products in molten iron is also empirically identified. Specifically, large graphite flakes and an indication of solidification behavior shifting are circumstantially detected in the magnesium-rich regions, which, to a certain extent, can provide additional insight into the role of magnesium during graphite nucleation.
Long-term pulmonary repair in rat lungs after sublobar resection: electrocautery versus stapler methods
Authors: Matsuoka Shunichiro , Hara Daisuke , Nakamura Daisuke , Kumeda Hirotaka , Miura Kentaro , Iwaya Mai , Eguchi Takashi , Hamanaka Kazutoshi , Uehara Takeshi , Shimizu Kimihiro
Published: October 2024

Objective

We investigated and compared the long-term (6-month) histologic changes in a rat model of sublobar resection created using electrocautery or stapler techniques.

Methods

Nine-week-old male rats were anesthetized and intubated; thoracotomy with sublobar resection was performed in the right middle lobe using electrocautery or stapler techniques. Histological examination was performed at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks post-surgery to assess long-term effects on lung tissue repair and morphologic changes. Lung expansion and alveolar epithelial cell proliferation were evaluated by measuring the mean linear intercept and counting the number of alveolar type I and II cells.

Results

The electrocautery group showed signs of lung self-repair at the resected area over time, with inflammatory cell infiltration followed by growth of vessels and bronchioles. Mesothelial cells covered the resected area by 2 weeks; elastic fibers gradually connected from both sides by 24 weeks. Lung expansion, measured by mean linear intercept, was initially small below the electrocautery resection area at 2 weeks but recovered from 4 to 24 weeks. The stapler group showed persistently small mean linear intercept over time. In the electrocautery group, the number of alveolar type II cells was higher just below the resection than in other areas from 2 to 24 weeks, followed by alveolar type I cells (4 to 24 weeks). The stapler group showed a transient alveolar type II cell increase at 2 weeks.

Conclusions

Compared to the stapler technique, electrocautery may provide advantages for postoperative lung repair by promoting lung expansion and alveolar epithelial cell proliferation.
Pathologisierung sozial störenden Verhaltens
Authors: Heinz Andreas , Halil Melissa G.
Published: October 2024

Der Text diskutiert die Pathologisierung von Verhaltensweisen in der Psychiatrie. Beispielhaft werden die Veränderungen der Trauerdefinition im DSM‑5, Verhaltenssüchte und die Einflüsse gesellschaftlicher Normen auf die Klassifikation von Verhalten beleuchtet. Ein engerer Krankheitsbegriff und die Einbeziehung von Betroffenen und Angehörigen auf allen Entscheidungsebenen werden als Lösungsansätze vorgeschlagen.
Menschenkunde in strukturdynamischer Absicht
Authors: Bormuth Matthias
Published: October 2024

Nach Karl Jaspers und Kurt Schneider entwickelte Werner Janzarik in der Heidelberger Schule ein psychopathologisches Denken, das methodisch an Nietzsches Verstehenslehre anknüpfte. Der strukturdynamische Ansatz rekurrierte zudem auf dessen Willensphilosophie, deren Grund Arthur Schopenhauer gelegt hatte. Als Alternative zu anthropologisch psychiatrischen und psychoanalytischen Modellen entwarf Janzarik eine kulturwissenschaftliche Perspektive, die empirische und spekulative Elemente verknüpft und subjektive Wertprämissen bietet. Die Pathographie Nietzsches zeigte dabei die Spannung zwischen asketischen und expansiven Aspekten in der Bildung des Willens, der nach Janzarik Gegenspieler des vitalen Wollens ist.

Um die heuristische Triftigkeit des strukturdynamischen Denkens zu erweisen, behandelte er v. a. forensische Kasuistiken und war zuletzt offen für literarische Fälle. Janzarik selbst widmete sich in diesem Sinne spät auch Goethe, dessen künstlerische und wissenschaftliche Kreativität für ihn strukturelle Parallelen besitzen.

Der strukturdynamische Ansatz bewegt sich theoretisch in einer Vielzahl wissenschaftlich-philosophischer Ansprüche, die Janzarik interdisziplinär und synthetisch in seiner Menschenkunde verknüpft. Seine Texte verbergen die subjektiven Wertprämissen meist hinter einer abstrahierenden wie komplexen Sprache. Diese Maske der Objektivität führt mit Nietzsche zu einem nüchternen Pathos, das implizit mit Max Weber für ein von persönlichem Pathos durchzogenes Denken spricht. Aber zugleich vermag der späte Janzarik Selbstbeobachtungen in luzider Nüchternheit zu objektivieren.
Rollenverständnis und Haltungsfragen bei der strafrechtlichen Begutachtung
Authors: Habermeyer Elmar
Published: October 2024

Der Beitrag befasst sich mit den Unterschieden, aber auch Gemeinsamkeiten der forensisch-psychiatrischen Begutachtung und Therapie. Er macht deutlich, dass medizinethische Maximen in beiden Arbeitsbereichen gültig sind. Psychotherapeutische Expertise und eine therapeutische Haltung sind von hoher Bedeutung für die gutachterliche Untersuchung bzw. die Aussagekraft der dabei erhobenen Befunde. Außerdem beeinflusst die Wahrnehmung der Begutachtung durch die zu begutachtende Person deren Einstellung zur Therapie, weshalb ein transparenter und psychoedukativer Ansatz empfohlen wird.
New trends in didactic research in university mathematics education
Authors: Biehler Rolf , Durand-Guerrier Viviane , Trigueros María
Published: October 2024

Recent research in university mathematics education has moved beyond the traditional focus on the transition from secondary to tertiary education and students' understanding of introductory courses such as pre-calculus and calculus. There is growing interest in the challenges students face as they move into more advanced mathematics courses that require a shift toward formal reasoning, proof, modeling, and problem-solving skills. This survey paper explores emerging trends and innovations in the field, focusing on three key areas: innovations in teaching and learning advanced mathematical topics, transitions between different levels and contexts of mathematics education, and the role of proof and proving in advanced university mathematics. The survey reflects the evolving landscape of mathematics education research and addresses the theoretical and practical challenges of teaching and learning advanced mathematics across various contexts.
On Functional Plurality: A Taxonomy of Benign and Problematic Functions
Authors: Vilchis Rogelio Miranda
Published: October 2024

Philosophers interested in conceptual engineering take it for granted that the same concept can unproblematically play diverse functions, but this view overlooks the fact that conceptual and functional change often impair concepts and even functions themselves. I demonstrate that while conceptual and functional engineering may improve concepts and functions, they can also produce detrimental effects. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully assess the potential benefits or problems before making any modifications. Frequently, we overlook the fact that, for instance, adding extra functions to our concepts modifies them; this may increase, but also impair, their theoretical and practical efficacy. I analyze and clarify these possibilities through a general classificatory framework encompassing concepts, functions, and conceptual and functional change. The larger aim of this paper is to bring attention to these complex and under-researched relationships and pave the way for further research in this area.
Clinicopathogenomic analysis of PI3K/AKT/PTEN-altered luminal metastatic breast cancer in Japan
Authors: Tada Hiroshi , Miyashita Minoru , Harada-Shoji Narumi , Ebata Akiko , Sato Miku , Motonari Tokiwa , Yanagaki Mika , Kon Tomomi , Sakamoto Aru , Ishida Takanori
Published: October 2024

This rapid communication highlights the correlation between protein kinase B alpha (AKT1)-phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA)- phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) alterations and clinicopathological factors in Japanese patients with metastatic recurrent breast cancer (mBC). This study analyzed 1967 patients with luminal-type breast cancer who underwent cancer gene panel testing. The results demonstrated that AKT pathway alterations, including PI3K/AKT/PTEN, occurred in 1038 (52.8%) cases. Patients with AKT pathway mutations were older (p = 0.002) and had a higher rate of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) histology (p = 0.001), progesterone receptor (PgR) positivity (p = 0.006), and bone metastases (p = 0.001), and a lower rate of germline BRCA2 (p < 0.001). Comprehensive genomic profile results demonstrated a higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) (< 0.001) and lower tumor BRCA1/2 expression (< 0.001) in patients with mutations in the AKT pathway. These results are crucial for characterizing candidates for AKT pathway-targeted molecular therapies and conceptualizing optimal treatment strategies. Clinical trial registration: This study is an observational study and is therefore not registered with the clinical trials registration.
Enhancing Personalized Learning Through Process Mining
Authors: Wambsganss Thiemo , Schmitt Anuschka
Published: October 2024

Technology-mediated learning offers new possibilities for individualizing learning processes in order to discover, monitor, and enhance students’ learning activities. However, leveraging such possibilities automatically and at scale with novel technologies raises questions about the design and the analysis of digital learning processes. Process mining hereby becomes a relevant tool to leverage these theorized opportunities. The paper classifies recent literature on individualizing technology-mediated learning and educational process mining into four major concepts (purpose, user, data, and analysis). By clustering and empirically evaluating the use of learner data in expert interviews, the study presents three design patterns for discovering, monitoring, and enhancing students’ learning activities by means of process mining. The paper explains the characteristics of these patterns, analyzes opportunities for digital learning processes, and illustrates the potential value the patterns can create for relevant educational stakeholders. Information systems researchers can use the taxonomy to develop theoretical models to study the effectiveness of process mining and thus enhance the individualization of learning processes. The patterns, in combination with the taxonomy for designing and analyzing digital learning processes, serve as a personal guide to studying, designing, and evaluating the individualization of digital learning at scale.
Bacterial cellulose production through the valorization of waste apple pulp and stale bread
Authors: Esmail Asiyah , Morais Maria , Yilmazer Ugur D. , Neves Luísa A. , Freitas Filomena
Published: October 2024

In this work, stale bread and waste apple pulp were used as feedstocks for the production of bacterial cellulose (BC). A glucose-rich solution was prepared from stale bread by dilute acid hydrolysis, while an extract comprising fructose and glucose was obtained from the waste apple pulp, which was used for cultivating Komagataeibacter xylinus DSM 2004, either as sole feedstocks or supplemented with Hestrin-Schramm medium. Supplementation significantly improved BC production: 3.38 ± 0.09 g/L for waste apple pulp extract and 2.07 ± 0.22 g/L for stale bread hydrolysate. There was no significant impact on BC chemical structure or fiber diameter, but the biopolymer produced from waste apple pulp extract had slightly higher crystallinity (CI = 59–69%) and lower thermal degradation temperature (Tdeg = 341–350 ℃) than that of the stale bread hydrolysate (CI = 55%; Tdeg = 316–320 ℃). Moreover, supplementation of the waste apple pulp extract led to the preparation of thicker membranes, with higher Young’s modulus, tension, and deformation at break but lower water uptake capacity and lower permeability to O2 and CO2. These results show that waste apple pulp and stale bread are suitable feedstocks for BC production and the cultivation conditions can be adjusted for tailoring the biopolymer’s mechanical and barrier properties to suit different applications.
An infinite family of chiral, non-slice, non-alternating hyperbolic knots with vanishing Upsilon invariants
Authors: Teragaito Masakazu
Published: October 2024

For a knot in the 3-sphere, its Upsilon invariant is a continuous, piecewise linear function defined on the interval [0,2]. It is a concordance invariant, so vanishes for slice knots. Since it only changes the sign for the mirror image with reversed orientation, it also vanishes for amphicheiral knots. For alternating knots, more generally, quasi-alternating knots, the Upsilon invariant is determined only by the signature. In particular, it vanishes if such a knot has zero signature. On the other hand, it is known that the Upsilon invariant is a non-zero convex function for L-space knots. In this paper, we construct an infinite family of hyperbolic knots, each of which has zero Upsilon invariant, but is chiral, non-slice, non-alternating. To confirm that the Upsilon invariant vanishes, we calculate the full knot Floer complex.
Reshaping Educational Leadership Learning: Adding Politics to Practice
Authors: Morrison Michele
Published: October 2024

During a distinguished academic career, Professor Martin Thrupp alerted diverse audiences to the politics shaping educational practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. The focus of this commemorative article is on Martin’s teaching legacy, in particular, the re-design and enduring impact of a compulsory postgraduate leadership paper at Te Kura Toi Tangata, University of Waikato. Key themes include the three neoliberal policy technologies of markets, managerialism and performativity, and the contested notion of context. Qualitative data from this year’s online student cohort illustrate in representative ways the profound influence that adding politics to practice has had on their educational leadership thinking and practice. This attests to the ongoing importance of sociopolitical insight in informed, responsive and successful leadership praxis.
A Strategy for Predicting the Performance of Supervised and Unsupervised Tabular Data Classifiers
Authors: Zoppi Tommaso , Ceccarelli Andrea , Bondavalli Andrea
Published: October 2024

Machine Learning algorithms that perform classification are increasingly been adopted in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems and infrastructures due to their capability to profile their expected behavior and detect anomalies due to ongoing errors or intrusions. Deploying a classifier for a given system requires conducting comparison and sensitivity analyses that are time-consuming, require domain expertise, and may even not achieve satisfactory classification performance, resulting in a waste of money and time for practitioners and stakeholders. This paper predicts the expected performance of classifiers without needing to select, craft, exercise, or compare them, requiring minimal expertise and machinery. Should classification performance be predicted worse than expectations, the users could focus on improving data quality and monitoring systems instead of wasting time in exercising classifiers, saving key time and money. The prediction strategy uses scores of feature rankers, which are processed by regressors to predict metrics such as Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) and Area Under ROC-Curve (AUC) for quantifying classification performance. We validate our prediction strategy through a massive experimental analysis using up to 12 feature rankers that process features from 23 public datasets, creating additional variants in the process and exercising supervised and unsupervised classifiers. Our findings show that it is possible to predict the value of performance metrics for supervised or unsupervised classifiers with a mean average error (MAE) of residuals lower than 0.1 for many classification tasks. The predictors are publicly available in a Python library whose usage is straightforward and does not require domain-specific skill or expertise.
Unmasking teachers’ proficiency in harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for transformative education
Authors: Bohara Dipak Kumar , Rana Karna
Published: October 2024

This paper examines the awareness of artificial intelligence (AI) among school teachers in Nepal. We interviewed twenty teachers from ten urban schools in Nepal over four weeks using a semi-structured interview tool. The analysis of interview data reveals the teachers’ mixed perception of AI, including their understanding of innovative technologies in education, the potential challenges for new-generation teachers, and the opportunities for pedagogical transformations. The findings suggest that although the teachers have limited awareness of how AI can be used in teaching and learning, they possess some level of understanding that has opened up new opportunities for exploring innovative ways of teaching and learning. Notably, participants discussed tools, such as Education Management Information System (EMIS) for record keeping and automated grading and AI-driven chatbots for student tutoring. However, teachers also expressed concerns about the possibility of AI replacing human teachers. These insights provide valuable implications for policymakers and educators regarding the integration of AI into classroom instructions to promote innovative and equitable learning opportunities.
Quantifiable Cross-cultural Research on Medical Mistrust is Necessary for Effective and Equitable Vaccination in Low- and Middle-income Countries
Authors: Prall Sean P.
Published: October 2024

Perceptions of healthcare personnel and institutions substantially impact healthcare behaviors. In the US, minority experiences with racist events like the Tuskegee study, alongside everyday experiences of marginalization and discrimination, drive medical mistrust in populations that are already burdened with health inequalities. However, the concept of medical mistrust is rarely applied outside of industrialized contexts. Histories of colonialism, underfunded healthcare institutions, and the enormous cultural and ethnolinguistic diversity present in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) make medical mistrust a likely contributor to health behavior in these contexts. In the era of COVID-19 and emergent malaria vaccines, there is an urgent need to mitigate factors leading to medical mistrust, which impedes interest in novel vaccines. Doing so requires substantial investment in research that examines the causes of medical mistrust across diverse communities, develops methodological tools that can effectively measure medical mistrust across diverse cultural and ethno-linguistic contexts, and applies this data to policy and public health messaging. This commentary highlights the role of medical mistrust in vaccination and argues for its utility in addressing vaccine decision-making in LMICs.