bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paradiplomacy and international conflict: disengagement from China by Swedish local governments
Authors: Sundqvist Gustav , Jerdén Björn
Published: September 2024

This article analyzes the development of paradiplomatic relations between subnational governments in China and Sweden. The empirical material comprises official documents, media reports, and interviews, and correspondence with local decision makers. Following steady growth in the 1990s and 2000s, the number of paradiplomatic agreements between the two countries declined dramatically at the end of the 2010s. To our knowledge, this extensive “local decoupling” is unprecedented, at least in the history of modern paradiplomacy between Europe and China. The decline can primarily be explained by three interrelated factors: worsening bilateral relations between Sweden and China, growing Swedish concern about the human rights situation in China, and the lack of activity in some of the cooperation projects. Rather than pursuing goals such as peacebuilding and economic benefit, generally described as the main drivers behind local governments’ international activities, several subnational governments in Sweden deemed it appropriate to terminate cooperation with their Chinese counterparts due to other concerns. This development demonstrates the usefulness of a more constructivist perspective of paradiplomacy.
What makes terroir unique? Wine, body techniques, and agricultural modernisation in the Shangri-La region of China
Authors: Zheng Xiangchun
Published: September 2024

Terroir refers to a globally circulating set of ideas about how each wine region or sub-region produces wines that are thought to be unique to that place. While the active involvement of grape-growing farmers in terroir construction has been recognised in the academic literature to some extent, there remains a gap in understanding how farmers address ever-changing situations and uncertainties as they engage in terroir creation. Drawing on fieldwork in the Shangri-La wine region of China, this paper examines processes of constructing terroir through farmers’ body techniques. It argues that farmers’ embodied flexibility and adaptability have been crucial in their navigation of the constant challenges they face, both from alterations in the socio-economic relations of agriculture in modernising China, and from a climate and terrain that is often unconducive to winemaking. In the processes of navigating these never-ending changes and challenges, farmers’ body techniques make a terroir unique.
Drivers and Facilitators of HIV-Related Stigma in Healthcare Settings in Ireland
Authors: Vaughan Elena , Költő András
Published: September 2024

People living with HIV who experience stigma in healthcare settings are at increased risk for engaging in health avoidance behaviours, suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and viral non-suppression. HIV-related stigma erodes trust between patients and healthcare providers, thereby undermining both individual and public health. This study aimed to identify predictors of stigmatising attitudes, stigma practices, and fear of occupational transmission among healthcare workers in the Republic of Ireland. Data were collected from 295 healthcare workers using a standardised tool designed to measure HIV-related stigma. The outcomes examined were stigmatising attitudes, stigmatising practices (such as excessive infection precaution measures), and fear of occupational transmission. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to explore predictors at the individual, clinic, and policy levels. The results indicated that none of the models significantly predicted stigmatising attitudes. However, stigmatising practices were positively associated with never having worked in an HIV clinic, lack of knowledge or agreement with the concept of ‘undetectable equals untransmittable’ (U = U), and the presence of institutional policies, collectively accounting for 25.3% of the variance. Fear of occupational transmission was positively predicted by gender and lack of knowledge or agreement with U = U, explaining 23.8% of the variance. The findings highlight the critical role of U = U knowledge in reducing stigma-related behaviours and fears among healthcare workers. Enhancing knowledge and acceptance of U = U as part of comprehensive stigma interventions may help reduce the stigma experienced by people living with HIV in healthcare settings.
Preferences for Hypertension Care in Malawi: A Discrete Choice Experiment Among People Living with Hypertension, With and Without HIV
Authors: Hoffman Risa , Phiri Khumbo , Kalande Pericles , Whitehead Hannah , Moses Agnes , Rockers Peter C. , Tseng Chi-Hong , Talama George , Banda Jonathan Chiwanda , van Oosterhout Joep J. , Phiri Sam , Moucheraud Corrina
Published: September 2024

Hypertension is the most common non-communicable disease diagnosed among people in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known about client preferences for hypertension care. We performed a discrete choice experiment in Malawi among people with hypertension, with and without HIV. Participants were asked to select between two care scenarios, each with six attributes: distance, waiting time, provider friendliness, individual or group care, antihypertensive medication supply, and antihypertensive medication dispensing frequency (three versus one month). Eight choice sets (each with two scenarios) were presented to each individual. Mixed effects logit models quantified preferences for each attribute. Estimated model coefficients were used to predict uptake of hypothetical models of care. Between July 2021 and April 2022 we enrolled 1003 adults from 14 facilities in Malawi; half were living with HIV and on ART for a median of 11 years. Median age of respondents was 57 years (IQR 49–63), 58.2% were female, and median duration on antihypertensive medications was 4 years (IQR 2–7). Participants strongly preferred seeing a provider alone versus in a group (OR 11.3, 95% CI 10.4–12.3), with stronger preference for individual care among those with HIV (OR 15.4 versus 8.6, p < 0.001). Three-month versus monthly dispensing was also strongly preferred (OR 4.2; 95% CI 3.9–4.5). 72% of respondents would choose group care if all other facility attributes were favorable, although PLHIV were less likely to make this trade-off (66% versus 77%). These findings have implications for the scale-up of hypertension care in Malawi and similar settings.
Evolving routing policies for electric vehicles by means of genetic programming
Authors: Gil-Gala Francisco J. , Đurasević Marko , Jakobović Domagoj
Published: September 2024

In recent years, the growing interest in environmental sustainability has led to Electric Vehicle Routing Problems (EVRPs) attracting more and more attention. EVRPs involve the use of electric vehicles, which have additional constraints, such as range and recharging time, compared to conventional Vehicle Routing Problems (VRPs). The complexity and dynamic nature of solving VRPs often lead to the introduction of Routing Policies (RPs), simple heuristics that incrementally build routes. However, manually designing efficient RPs proves to be a challenging and time-consuming task. Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore the application of hyper-heuristics, in particular Genetic Programming (GP), to automatically generate new RPs. Since this method has not yet been investigated in the literature in the context of EVRPs, this study explores the applicability of GP to automatically generate new RPs for EVRP. To this end, three RP variants (serial, semiparallel, and parallel) are introduced in this study, along with a set of domain-specific terminal nodes to optimise three criteria: the number of vehicles, energy consumption, and total tardiness. The experimental analysis shows that the serial variant performs best in terms of energy consumption and number of vehicles, while the parallel variant is most effective in minimising the total tardiness. A comprehensive analysis of the proposed method is conducted to determine its convergence properties and the impact of the proposed terminal nodes on performance and to describe several generated RPs. The results show that the automatically generated RPs perform commendably compared to traditional methods such as metaheuristics and exact methods, which usually require significantly more runtime. More specifically, depending on the scenario in which they are used, the generated RPs achieve results that are about 20%-37% worse compared to the best known results for the number of vehicles in almost negligible time, in just some milliseconds.
Integration of AHP and fuzzy inference systems for empowering transformative journeys in organizations: Assessing the implementation of Industry 4.0 in SMEs
Authors: Fernández Isabel , Puente Javier , Ponte Borja , Gómez Alberto
Published: September 2024

The combined use of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Inference Systems (FISs) can significantly enhance the effectiveness of transformative projects in organizations by better managing their complexities and uncertainties. This work develops a novel multicriteria model that integrates both methodologies to assist organizations in these projects. To demonstrate the value of the proposed approach, we present an illustrative example focused on the implementation of Industry 4.0 in SMEs. First, through a review of relevant literature, we identify the key barriers to improving SMEs' capability to implement Industry 4.0 effectively. Subsequently, the AHP, enhanced through Dong and Saaty’s methodology, establishes a consensus-based assessment of the importance of these barriers, using the judgments of five experts. Next, a FIS is utilized, with rule bases automatically derived from the preceding weights, eliminating the need for another round of expert input. This paper shows and discusses how SMEs can use this model to self-assess their adaptability to the Industry 4.0 landscape and formulate improvement strategies to achieve deeper alignment with this transformative paradigm.
Virtual Service Delivery in Mental Health and Substance Use Care: A Systematic Review of Preference Elicitation Studies
Authors: Mallise Carly , Wall Laura , Paolucci Francesco , Davies Kate , La Hera Fuentes Gina , Wilson Jessica , Tickner Campbell , Kay-Lambkin Frances , Heinsch Milena
Published: September 2024

Mental health and substance use disorders affect the lives of many people worldwide. Prevention and treatment of these conditions is important for optimal health and wellbeing, yet service access barriers are common. Virtual models of care may help to reduce barriers to receiving care. However, to facilitate uptake and use of virtual services, they need to appeal to patients and clinicians. This systematic review aimed to synthesise preference elicitation studies to determine what features of virtual mental health and substance use care are preferred by service users and service providers. Following the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, we searched PubMed, PsycINFO, EconLit, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Ultimate, and ProQuest Central for all available studies from database inception until May 2023. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Nineteen studies met the eligibility criteria. However, none examined preferences for elements of different models of virtual care. Across the included studies, we identified 41 unique features that mapped to four themes of mental health and substance use care (‘service’, ‘treatment’, ‘clinician’ and ‘additional supports’). Participant preferences were for individual, in-person, effective, flexible, and low-cost treatment. These preferences varied based on demographic factors, such as culture, gender, and participant type (e.g., patients, clinicians, general population). A user-centred approach should be adopted when designing and implementing mental health and substance use services. While preferences for features of mental health and substance use services more broadly are known, preferences for different models of virtual care remain unexplored. Future research should examine what features of virtual services would lead to optimal uptake and use across different users and stakeholders.
Service Providers’ Perspectives of an Integrated Community Mental Health Service in the UK
Authors: Silvonen Taru
Published: September 2024

This qualitative service evaluation aims to provide in-depth insights of service providers’ perspectives of a new integrated community mental health service piloted in one NHS Integrated Care Board locality in South West England, UK, considering to what extent the service is meeting the mental health support needs of adults who are in between primary and secondary care services. In total, 21 semi-structured remote interviews were carried out in June-August 2023 with service providers and lived experience representatives. The evaluation was carried out through a researcher in residence -placement. Qualitative analysis drew on framework and thematic analysis, which was completed using Nvivo 20. Thematic analysis drew on a framework of context, mechanisms and intended or unintended consequences. These showed that service providers’ positive expectations of the service were undermined by insufficient integration, which was evident from the imbalances in information flow and presence of pre-existing provider specific practices. The evaluation found several improvement opportunities: a need for deepening integration beyond the initial service development phase; aligning working practices with service delivery aims and ensuring that new services are not rolled out prematurely before service delivery practices have been fully developed.
Do Different Bank-Level Securitization Variables Measure The Same Thing? A Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Authors: van der Plaat Mark T. , Spierdijk Laura
Published: September 2024

The banking literature has used a wide range of securitization variables to measure banks’ securitization activities. This study analyzes to what extent different securitization variables measure the same dimensions of the securitization process. We consider large U.S. commercial banks during the 2011–2017 period and focus on eleven securitization variables that are available in the Call Reports and the HMDA LAR database. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) shows that eight out of eleven securitization variables share a single common securitization dimension. Two of the three remaining measures are excluded from the analysis in a specification search. The third remaining measure captures the common securitization factor to a lesser extent, resulting in relatively low correlations with the other variables. Each of the eight securitization variables is found to be a reliable measure of the underlying securitization factor according to the CFA. Our results provide a statistical rationale for using either of the eight variables as a measure of securitization. More generally, we recommend CFA to make a grounded choice among the available securitization measures.
Tropical Race 4 and Race 1 strains causing Fusarium wilt of banana infect and survive in Heliconia species and ornamental bananas
Authors: Martínez-de la Parte Einar , Meijer Harold J. G. , Guzmán-Quesada Mauricio , Carr-Rodríguez Claudiana , Masis-Jiménez Silvia , Pérez-Vicente Luis , Kema Gert H. J.
Published: September 2024

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), caused by soilborne Fusarium lineages, is a major global threat to the cultivation of bananas. In addition to persistent chlamydospores, weeds are a reservoir of the causal agents. However, it remains unclear whether other Zingiberales species, which are grown in the same geographic regions, also can serve as hosts for strains that cause FWB. Greenhouse assays were conducted to investigate whether a Race 1 strain (pathogenic to Gros Michel banana) or Tropical Race 4 (TR4) (pathogenic to a plethora of banana varieties, including Cavendish bananas) can infect three Heliconia species, two ornamental banana species or Musa textilis (abacá). Heliconia latispatha, Musa balbisiana, and Musa coccinea displayed external symptoms after inoculation with TR4, while inoculation with Race 1 caused symptoms in H. latispatha, H. psittacorum, M. coccinea, and M. velutina. Isolates were recovered from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants and were subsequently characterized and used to inoculate Gros Michel and Cavendish banana plants. They caused the typical FWB symptoms in these varieties, and the scores for discolored rhizome area were similar to those caused by the Race 1 and TR4 reference strains. These data call for a revision of the race nomenclature of FWB pathogens and adjustment of the current containment protocols.
Rational inattention in games: experimental evidence
Authors: Almog David , Martin Daniel
Published: September 2024

To investigate whether attention responds rationally to strategic incentives, we experimentally implement a buyer-seller game in which a fully informed seller makes a take-it-or-leave-it offer to a buyer who faces cognitive costs to process information about the offer’s value. We isolate the impact of seller strategies on buyer attention by exogenously varying the seller’s outside option, which leads sellers to price high more often. We find that buyers respond by making fewer mistakes conditional on value, which suggests that buyers exert higher attentional effort in response to the increased strategic incentives for paying attention. We show that a standard model of rational inattention based on Shannon mutual information cannot fully explain this change in buyer behavior. However, we identify another class of rational inattention models consistent with this behavioral pattern.
Mathematics Apps Under the Magnifying Glass – An Analysis of the Inventory of Math Apps for Primary Schools Using German-Language Apps as A Case Study
Authors: Walter Daniel , Schwätzer Ulrich
Published: September 2024

The usage of digital media, especially tablet apps, is currently a major concern in educational settings. A controversial discussion is also taking place in relation to mathematics education at primary schools. While on the one hand there are empirical findings on helpful isolated examples and related subject-didactic potentials of digital media, on the other hand numerous apps are criticized. Systematic analyses of the app stores inventory are rare, however. This article therefore deals with the analysis of the app store’s inventory of mathematics apps available for primary school use. Using the German app market as an example, 227 apps were analyzed. The results show that those apps are mainly located in the content-related area of numbers and operations, while process-related competencies and subject-didactic potentials of digital media are largely neglected. Moreover, apps focus on unstructured forms of practising fluent calculation. All in all, only a fragment of mathematics learning at primary schools is addressed, with frequently no consideration of subject-didactic potentials in mathematics apps, making the need for development of subject-didactically based mathematics apps obvious.
Structural Learning in Autistic and Non-Autistic Children: A Replication and Extension
Authors: Oestreicher Svenja , Bowler Dermot M. , Derwent Claire T. , Gaigg Sebastian B. , Roessner Veit , Vetter Nora , Volk Theresia , Beyer Nicole , Ring Melanie
Published: September 2024

The hippocampus is involved in many cognitive domains which are difficult for autistic individuals. Our previous study using a Structural Learning task that has been shown to depend on hippocampal functioning found that structural learning is diminished in autistic adults (Ring et al., 2017). The aim of the present study was to examine whether those results can be replicated in and extended to a sample of autistic and non-autistic children. We tested 43 autistic children and 38 non-autistic children with a subsample of 25 autistic and 28 non-autistic children who were well-matched on IQ. The children took part in a Simple Discrimination task which a simpler form of compound learning, and a Structural Learning task. We expected both groups to perform similarly in Simple Discrimination but reduced performance by the autism group on the Structural Learning task, which is what we found in both the well-matched and the non-matched sample. However, contrary to our prediction and the findings from autistic adults in our previous study, autistic children demonstrated a capacity for Structural Learning and showed an overall better performance in the tasks than was seen in earlier studies. We discuss developmental differences in autism as well as the role of executive functions that may have contributed to better than predicted task performance in this study.
Publishing mathematics education research in English: amplifying voices from the field
Authors: Darragh Lisa , Brodie Karin , Halai Anjum , Planas Núria , Potari Despina , Santos-Trigo Manuel , Scheiner Thorsten , Walkoe Janet
Published: September 2024

In this paper we investigate the issue of representation within the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education (JMTE) and the broader academic publishing landscape, particularly focusing on the underrepresentation of authors from various world regions. A questionnaire, distributed globally, aimed to amplify the voices of the underrepresented, exploring the constraints and affordances of publishing in English-medium mathematics education research journals. The question that guided our investigation was: What do voices from the mathematics education community raise in their responses to questions about publishing in English-medium research journals like JMTE? We used qualitative methods to review the responses and identify common themes. The findings revealed significant barriers and challenges related to language, research location, and institutional support, highlighting the complexities of navigating the global academic community and the academic publishing culture. We propose actionable suggestions to foster a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive publishing environment.
Mapping Segregation Patterns of Hospital Care among Patients with Limited English Proficiency
Authors: Sliwinski Kathy , Ancheta April J. , Muir K. Jane , Lasater Karen B.
Published: September 2024

Individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) are disproportionately more likely to experience suboptimal care outcomes compared to English-proficient individuals, attributed to multi-level social determinants of health, including the quality of the hospital where LEP patients are more likely to receive care. Evidence demonstrates that racial minority patients are more often admitted to lower-quality hospitals serving high proportions of minority patients, despite living closer to higher-quality hospitals. Less is known about where individuals with LEP reside, where they seek hospital care, and the quality of care in these hospitals. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methods, we developed a density map characterizing residential patterns of the LEP population across zip code tabulation areas in New Jersey and designated hospitals as high, middle, or low-LEP volume. We described differences in 30-day hospital wide readmission rates for hospitals across varying LEP volume status using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Care Compare Data. Most hospitals in ZCTAs with higher LEP populations serve a high proportion of LEP patients (i.e. their patients’ demographics are reflective of the community in which they are located). However, our results also show instances in which LEP patients may be forgoing receiving care at closer hospitals to instead receive care at further-distanced, high-LEP volume hospitals. significant. High-LEP volume hospitals have higher 30-day hospital wide readmission rates (20.1%) compared to middle (15%) and low (11.3%)-LEP volume hospitals (p < .001), indicating lower quality of care within high-LEP volume hospitals.
Countering Authoritarian Behavior in Democracies
Authors: Hobolt Sara B. , Osnabrügge Moritz
Published: September 2024

Democratic stability hinges on voters’ commitment to democratic norms, yet there are many examples of voters’ willingness to tolerate politicians who violate such principles. This article examines whether critical responses by other politicians can effectively counter the appeal of political candidates who have engaged in authoritarian behavior. We argue that costly action by fellow partisan politicians can reduce the electoral popularity of authoritarian politicians. We test this in a preregistered conjoint experiment embedded in a nationally representative survey in the United Kingdom. The results show that voters are less likely to choose politicians displaying authoritarian behavior, when they are criticized by other legislators, and that such counteractions are particularly effective when they are costly. These findings have important implications, as they show that politicians, especially co-partisans, can play an important role in reducing the appeal of authoritarian politicians.
Editorial Introduction
Authors: Paoli Francesco , St. John Gavin
Published: September 2024

This is the Editorial Introduction to “S.I.: Strong and Weak Kleene Logics”.
The Quest for the Sli Locus
Authors: Eggers Ernst-Jan , Su Ying , van Heusden Sjaak A. W. , de Vries Michiel E. , Bachem Christian W. B. , Visser Richard G. F. , Lindhout Pim
Published: September 2024

Genetic gain in potato breeding is limited by the heterozygous tetraploid genome of cultivated potato. Recent efforts to breed potato at the diploid level promise to improve genetic gain and allow more straightforward genetics and introgression breeding. Diploid F1 hybrid potato breeding relies on the ability to create diploid inbred lines via repeated self-fertilization. However, self-fertilization of diploid potato is hampered by a gametophytic self-incompatibility system encoded by the S-locus that prevents fertilization by self-pollen. Nonetheless, self-compatible diploid potato genotypes exist and have been used to create inbred lines. The S-locus inhibitor (Sli) gene is a dominant gene that provides strong self-compatibility in diploid potato and was previously mapped to Chromosome 12. While the Sli gene has already been identified and characterized, the most tedious challenge was to develop the optimal phenotyping methods and genetic populations preceding the cloning of this gene. To this end, we developed an effective phenotyping protocol to identify suitable parents and create diploid populations segregating for Sli. We show that an accurate phenotyping method is crucial to discriminate between confounding fertility factors and self-compatibility. In addition, we found that the Sli locus shows extreme segregation distortion on Chromosome 12. Finally, we used these insights to develop three F1 populations that segregate for Sli, which we later used for the identification of the Sli gene.
How histopathological diagnosis interacts with kidney ultrasound parameters and glomerular filtration rate
Authors: Andrulli Simeone , Gigante Antonietta , Rossini Michele , D’Angio’ Pierluigi , Vischini Gisella , Luchetta Franca , Aucella Filippo , Valsecchi Giovanni , Infante Barbara , Vario Maria Giovanna , Giannese Domenico , Granata Antonio , Moggia Elisabetta , Gembillo Guido , Cianci Rosario , Bonomini Mario , Manenti Flavia , Lazzarin Roberta , Renzo Brigida Di , Zanchelli Fulvia , Garozzo Maurizio , Manes Massimo , Battaglia Yuri , Sciri Raffaela , Fabritiis Marco De , Quaglia Marco , Cavoli Gioacchino Li , Gintoli Enrica , Conte Maria Maddalena , Borzumati Maurizio , Benozzi Luisa , Pasquariello Giovanna , Andrulli Giovanni , Leoni Marco , Seminara Giuseppe , Corbani Valentina , Sabiu Gianmarco , Maggio Arcangelo Di , Pollastro Rosa Maria , Gesualdo Loreto ,   ITA-KID-BIOPSY Group
Published: September 2024

The evaluation of estimated GFR (eGFR) is a pivotal staging step in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and renal ultrasound plays an important role in diagnosis, prognosis and progression of CKD. The interaction between histopathological diagnosis and ultrasound parameters in eGFR determination has not been fully investigated yet. The study examined the results of native kidney biopsies performed in 48 Italian centers between 2012 and 2020. The primary goal was if and how the histopathological diagnosis influences the relationship between ultrasound parameters and eGFR. After exclusion of children, patients with acute kidney injury and patients without measure of kidney length or parenchymal thickness, 2795 patients have been selected for analysis. The median values were 52 years for patient age, 11 cm for bipolar kidney diameter, 16 mm for parenchymal thickness, 2.5 g/day for proteinuria and 70 ml/min/1.73 m2 for eGFR. The bipolar kidney diameter and the parenchymal thickness were directly related with eGFR values (R square 0.064). Diabetes and proteinuria were associated with a consistent reduction of eGFR, improving the adjusted R square up to 0.100. Addition of histopathological diagnosis in the model increased the adjusted R square to 0.216. There is a significant interaction between histopathological diagnosis and longitudinal kidney diameter (P 0.006). Renal bipolar length and parenchymal thickness are directly related with eGFR. The magnitude of proteinuria and histopathological kidney diagnosis are associated with eGFR. The relationship between kidney length and the level of eGFR depends on the nature of the kidney disease.
Yoga as Potential Therapy for Burnout: Health Technology Assessment Report on Efficacy, Safety, Economic, Social, Ethical, Legal and Organizational Aspects
Authors: Schröter Marleen , Cramer Holger , Haller Heidemarie , Huster Stefan , Lampert Ulrike , Schaefer Martin , Janssen-Schauer Gesa , Meier Friedhelm , Neumann Anja , Neusser Silke , Koch Anna K.
Published: September 2024

Purpose of Review

This health technology assessment aimed to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of yoga as therapy for burnout. Economic, ethical, legal, social and organizational aspects were considered as well.

Recent Findings

Yoga as a therapy has been shown to have positive effects on a range of symptoms, including stress, anxiety and depression. Regarding work-related stress and burnout, the effects of yoga have mainly been examined in a preventative context.

Meta-analyses revealed no effects on burnout severity comparing yoga with passive controls in general. Compared with passive controls, yoga had a positive effect on subjective stress. Compared to active control, yoga had an effect on the burnout subscale depersonalization on individual study level. Yoga may have positive effects on burnout, but the results are mixed. Common definitions and standardized diagnostic tools are necessary to improve research and further assess yoga as therapy for burnout.

Trial Registration

The HTA is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022299405, on 6th February 2022.
Anti-hypertensive medications and erectile dysfunction: focus on β-blockers
Authors: Corona G. , Vena W. , Pizzocaro A. , Salvio G. , Sparano C. , Sforza A. , Maggi M.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Although anti-hypertensive medications, including thiazides and β-blockers (BBs) in particular, have been suggested to cause erectile dysfunction (ED) their real contribution is still conflicting. The aim of this paper is to summarize available evidence providing an evidence-based critical analysis of the topic.

Methods

An overall comprehensive narrative review was performed using Medline, Embase and Cochrane search. In addition, to better understand the impact of BBs on ED a specific systematic review was also performed.

Results

The negative role of centrally acting drugs, such as clonidine and α-methyldopa, is well documented althuogh limited controlled trials are available. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and calcium-channel-blockers (CCBs) have neutral (CCBs) or even positive (ACEis and ARBs) effects on erectile function. Despite some preliminary negative reports, more recent evidence does not confirm the negative impact of thiazides. BBs should be still considered the class of medications more often associated with ED, although better outcomes can be drawn with nebivolol.

Conclusion

Sexual function should be assessed in all patients with arterial hypertension, either at diagnosis or after the prescription of specific medications. A close related patient-physician interaction and discussion can overcome possible negative outcomes allowing a successful management of possible side effects.
The Cytidine N-Acetyltransferase NAT10 Promotes Thalamus Hemorrhage-Induced Central Poststroke Pain by Stabilizing Fn14 Expression in Thalamic Neurons
Authors: Huang Tianfeng , Zhang Yang , Niu Yan , Xiao Yinggang , Ge Yali , Gao Ju
Published: September 2024

The recognition of RNA N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification as a significant type of gene regulation is growing; nevertheless, whether ac4C modification or the N-acetyltransferase 10 protein (NAT10, the only ac4C “writer” that is presently known) participates in thalamus hemorrhage (TH)-induced central poststroke pain (CPSP) is unknown. Here, we observed NAT10 was primarily located in the neuronal nuclei of the thalamus of mice, with Fn14 and p65. An increase of NAT10 mRNA and protein expression levels in the ipsilateral thalamus was observed from days 1 to 14 after TH. Inhibition of NAT10 by several different approaches attenuated Fn14 and p65 upregulation of TH mice, as well as tissue injury in the thalamus on the ipsilateral side, and the development and maintenance of contralateral nociceptive hypersensitivities. NAT10 overexpression increased Fn14 and p65 expression and elicited nociceptive hypersensitivities in naïve mice. Our findings suggest that ac4C modification and NAT10 participate in TH-induced CPSP by activating the NF-κB pathway through upregulating Fn14 in thalamic neurons. NAT10 could serve as a promising new target for CPSP treatment.
Childfreeness in Poland – group description and reasons behind not wanting to have children
Authors: Ciesielski Paweł , Bakiera Lucyna
Published: September 2024

Childfreeness remains a largely unexplored subject in Poland. We provide insights into the scale of childlessness by choice and the motivations and characteristics of childfree people in the country. We conducted a quantitative study (national stratified random sample, n = 665, age 18–50 (M = 34.14, SD = 9.22), October 2021) and a qualitative exploration (n = 461, age 18–58 (M = 29.07, SD = 7.01), May 2020–January 2021). The quantitative analyses revealed that 14.89% of adult Poles of reproductive age did not have children and were not planning to have them. The decision not to have children was significantly predicted by lower age and left-wing political and liberal social beliefs. The qualitative analyses showed that the most common reasons for being childfree were lack of parental instinct (I do not feel the maternal instinct), not liking children (I cannot stand children) and desire for autonomy (I want to be independent). The results suggest that the Polish childfree population is substantial and diverse in their reasons for not wanting to have children.
The effect of gravity on a nonlocal fiber-reinforced thermoelastic solid with reference temperature-dependent material properties via various theories
Authors: Said Samia M. , Othman Mohamed I. A.
Published: September 2024

The goal of this work is to examine the effect of the gravity on a nonlocal fiber-reinforced half-space with reference temperature-dependent material properties. The three-phase lag model, the type III Green–Naghdi theory, and the Lord–Shulman theory all with memory-dependent derivatives are taken into consideration while analyzing the issue. To derive the precise formulations of physical fields, the harmonic wave analysis method is used. To quantify the impact of temperature-dependent on the characteristics of the medium and gravity, graphs are used. It is found that the physical quantities are affected by gravity, the nonlocal parameter, and reference temperature-dependent material properties. The method that was used in the present article is applicable to a wide range of problems in hydrodynamics and thermoelasticity.
Science as public service
Authors: Hilligardt Hannah
Published: September 2024

The problem this paper addresses is that scientists have to take normatively charged decisions which can have a significant impact on individual members of the public or the public as a whole. And yet mechanisms to exercise democratic control over them are often absent. Given the normative nature of these choices, this is often perceived to be at odds with basic democratic principles. I show that this problem applies in similar ways to civil service institutions and draw on political philosophy literature on the civil service (e.g. Rosanvallon, 2011; Heath, 2022) to discuss when such normative judgements can nevertheless be said to be democratically legitimate. Concretely, I seek to show that normative judgements in research need not be democratically legitimated in order for science to be democratically legitimate. Indeed, it can be democratically legitimate for scientists to go against the expressed views of the public or political representatives if this is justified in light of, firstly, the role science has been asked to fulfil and, secondly, when it is in line with public institutions’ key principles. This is a counter-position to views currently held in the values in science debate (e.g. by Kitcher, 2011; Intemann, 2015; Schroeder, 2021; Lusk, 2021) which argue that value-laden judgements in science are legitimate if they are aligned with the public’s views or directly decided by public.
ECG–gated retinal vessel calibre as a novel measure of aberrant pulsatile retinal flow in diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Lal Anchal , Barry Michael Anthony , Mitchell Paul , Thiagalingam Aravinda
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To evaluate ECG-gated retinal vessel calibre as a novel measure of aberrant pulsatile retinal flow in diabetes mellitus.

Methods

A novel mydriatic ECG-gated fundoscope was used to acquire retinal vessel calibre measurements at four cardiac cycle time points from end diastole to early diastole. An inhouse software recorded the exact time when an image was captured to corroborate ECG-synchronisation. Arterial applanation tonometry, an alternative method of assessing aberrant blood flow, was used to measure carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cPWV) and augmentation index (AIx). The intraclass correlation (ICC) was used to perform intra- and inter-observer reliability analyses. Two reviewers measured the retinal vessel calibre in single retinal arterioles and venules. A receiver operating characteristic curve determined associations with diabetes mellitus.

Results

In this study 119 controls and 120 participants with diabetes mellitus were recruited. Mean peak change in retinal arteriolar calibre from baseline was higher in diabetes mellitus compared with controls (controls: 0.92%, IQR 0.63 vs diabetes mellitus: 2.05%, IQR 1.25, p<0.0001). In a subset of 9 controls and 11 participants, the intra-and inter-observer reliability was high (ICC 0.87-0.97) in mean peak changes in retinal vascular responses from baseline. In a subset of 36 controls and 95 participants with diabetes mellitus, diabetes mellitus was more strongly associated with retinal arteriolar pulsatility (AUC 0.85, 95%CI 0.76-0.93) than applanation tonometry (cfPWV AUC 0.72, 95%CI 0.62-0.82 vs AIx AUC 0.56, 95%CI 0.45-0.68).

Conclusion

Higher retinal arteriolar pulsatility appears to be more strongly correlated with diabetes mellitus than arterial applanation tonometry.
Why People Use Cannabis and Why It Matters: A Narrative Review
Authors: Gex Kathryn S. , Gückel Tara , Wilson Jack , Ladd Benjamin O. , Lee Christine M.
Published: September 2024

Purpose of Review

Motives, or reasons, for cannabis use are salient proximal indicators of cannabis use. The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview of recent research examining motives for cannabis use and a discussion of implications for research, practice, and policy.

Recent Findings

We identified recent studies for this review through searches in PsycINFO, PubMed/Medline, and CINAHL using a variety of terms for “cannabis” and “motives” to capture a broad literature since 2017. The majority of studies examined cannabis motives derived from the motivational model, specifically coping, enhancement/enjoyment, expansion, social, and conformity, with the largest portion of these focused on coping motives. A similarly large body of research focused on medical motives, or using cannabis for medical or “health” reasons. A concerning feature of some medical/health related reasons for using cannabis is their overlap with coping-related reasons and the development of subsequent use-related problems and cannabis use disorder (CUD).

Understanding why individuals use cannabis is critical to determining how it will be used and whether problems develop related to use. Future research is necessary to distinguish between medical/health motives and coping motives, which should inform policy and clinical practice.
Neural Networks or Linguistic Features? - Comparing Different Machine-Learning Approaches for Automated Assessment of Text Quality Traits Among L1- and L2-Learners’ Argumentative Essays
Authors: Lohmann Julian F. , Junge Fynn , Möller Jens , Fleckenstein Johanna , Trüb Ruth , Keller Stefan , Jansen Thorben , Horbach Andrea
Published: September 2024

Recent investigations in automated essay scoring research imply that hybrid models, which combine feature engineering and the powerful tools of deep neural networks (DNNs), reach state-of-the-art performance. However, most of these findings are from holistic scoring tasks. In the present study, we use a total of four prompts from two different corpora consisting of both L1 and L2 learner essays annotated with trait scores (e.g., content, organization, and language quality). In our main experiments, we compare three variants of trait-specific models using different inputs: (1) models based on 220 linguistic features, (2) models using essay-level contextual embeddings from the distilled version of the pre-trained transformer BERT (DistilBERT), and (3) a hybrid model using both types of features. Results imply that when trait-specific models are trained based on a single resource, the feature-based models slightly outperform the embedding-based models. These differences are most prominent for the organization traits. The hybrid models outperform the single-resource models, indicating that linguistic features and embeddings indeed capture partially different aspects relevant for the assessment of essay traits. To gain more insights into the interplay between both feature types, we run addition and ablation tests for individual feature groups. Trait-specific addition tests across prompts indicate that the embedding-based models can most consistently be enhanced in content assessment when combined with morphological complexity features. Most consistent performance gains in the organization traits are achieved when embeddings are combined with length features, and most consistent performance gains in the assessment of the language traits when combined with lexical complexity, error, and occurrence features. Cross-prompt scoring again reveals slight advantages for the feature-based models.
Feasibility of riverbank filtration in Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh , Covatti Gustavo , Nguyen Dan Van , Börnick Hilmar , Grischek Thomas
Published: September 2024

Riverbank filtration (RBF) could contribute to meeting the growing demand for drinking water in Vietnam. This study investigates the feasibility of implementing RBF in different regions of Vietnam, with a focus on the Red River Delta (RRD) and Binh Dinh (a province in central Vietnam). Although Vietnam’s extensive river network and shallow aquifers generally provide favorable hydrogeological conditions for RBF, regional variations in hydrogeology introduce specific challenges. In the RRD, complex hydrogeological settings, such as thick clay layers near the surface and low hydraulic conductivity in the Holocence aquifer, can limit the effectiveness of RBF in maximizing the portion of bank filtrate and improving water quality. In contrast, Binh Dinh generally presents more favorable conditions, with absence of clay layers on top and higher hydraulic conductivity leading to successful RBF implementation. Water quality issues such as high concentrations of ammonium, arsenic, and other pollutants persist in both RBF and groundwater in the RRD, requiring careful site-specific evaluations. The study also highlights that while surface water remains underutilized compared to groundwater, its use may be economically preferable in regions where groundwater quality is compromised. Lessons learned from the RRD and Binh Dinh can serve as good practice for RBF implementation in other parts of Vietnam. The findings indicate that while RBF holds significant promise for enhancing water supply in Vietnam, its application needs to be carefully tailored to local hydrogeological and water quality conditions.
Transnational Solidarity in Rough Times: Documenting and Engaging for Peace
Authors: Zaviršek Darja
Published: September 2024

Social work war studies that incorporate critical theory, including feminist, disability and crip studies, and postcolonial approaches, can be used to respond to the needs of people living through genocide, domicide, ecocide, and scholasticide, and for advocacy of human dignity regardless of state and ethnic affiliation, and thus for peace worldwide. The first case study presents a thematic analysis of the war memories of social work educators and practitioners living in Ukraine and outside the war zone. Oral history, a fundamental method of critical social work research, epistemological reflexivity, and epistemic flexibility to understand the experience of the other(s), began with war stories collected by early Greek historians. The latest memoirs related to the invasion of Ukraine reveal the dichotomy between life-threatening circumstances on the one hand and the necessity of social work educators and practitioners to continue ordinary life on the other; the need for institutional and emotional support; and the recognition that war narrows the perception of human diversity and regiments people into binary identities of gender and singular identity positions regarding ethnicity. The second case study presents a unique example of transnational solidarity and support meetings with social work teachers and practitioners during wartime. From the onset of the war, transnational solidarity was a resistance to the isolation of social work colleagues due to the war and served as a force of connectedness in a time of human suffering and division. The Global Principle of Social Work Ethics (9.3) are used to show complexities and ambivalences of the dangerous peace and the need for situated ethics and standpoints concerning war and peace.