bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extracellular Volume and Fibrosis Volume of Left Ventricular Myocardium Assessed by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Patients with a History of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Gać Paweł , Hajdusianek Wojciech , Żórawik Aleksandra , Poręba Małgorzata , Poręba Rafał
Published: October 2024

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) enables the assessment of tissue characteristics of the myocardium. Changes in the extracellular volume (ECV) and fibrosis volume (FV) of the myocardium are sensitive and early pathogenetic markers and have prognostic significance. The aim of the study was to assess ECV and FV of left ventricular myocardium in T1 mapping sequence in patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering vaccination status against COVID-19. The study group consisted of 97 patients (52.54 ± 8.31 years, 53% women and 47% men). The participants were divided into three subgroups: A) patients with a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, unvaccinated against COVID-19 (n = 39), B) patients with a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a full vaccination schedule against COVID-19 (n = 22), and C) persons without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection constituting the control subgroup (C, n = 36). All patients underwent 1.5 T cardiac magnetic resonance. In subgroup A compared to subgroups B and C, both the ECV whole myocardium and ECV segments 2, 5–6, 8, and 10–11 were statistically significantly higher. In addition, the ECV segment 16 was statistically significantly higher in subgroup A than in subgroup C. Also, the FV whole myocardium was statistically significantly higher in subgroup A in comparison to subgroups B and C. There were no significant differences in ECV and FV between subgroups B and C. In summary, unvaccinated against COVID-19 patients with a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection have higher myocardial ECV and FV values in the T1 mapping sequence, compared to those without COVID-19 and those suffering from COVID-19, previously vaccinated with the full vaccination schedule.
Normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism is not associated with cardiometabolic alterations
Authors: Barale Marco , Maiorino Federica , Pusterla Alessia , Fraire Federica , Sauro Lorenzo , Presti Michela , Sagone Noemi , Ghigo Ezio , Arvat Emanuela , Procopio Massimo
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Cardiometabolic disorders are non-classical complications of hypercalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (HC-PHPT), but whether this risk connotes normocalcemic PHPT (NC-PHPT) remains to be elucidated. We investigated cardiometabolic alterations in both forms of PHPT, looking for their association with indices of disease activity.

Methods

Patients with HC-PHPT (n = 17), NC-PHPT (n = 17), and controls (n = 34) matched for age, sex, and BMI were assessed for glucose, lipid, blood pressure alterations, and history of cardiovascular events to perform a case–control study at an ambulatory referral center for Bone Metabolism Diseases.

Results

NC-PHPT, in comparison to controls, showed similar glucose (mean ± SD, 88 ± 11 vs 95 ± 22 mg/dl), total cholesterol (199 ± 25 vs 207 ± 36 mg/dl), and systolic blood pressure levels (SBP, 132 ± 23 vs 132 ± 19 mmHg), together with a comparable frequency of glucose alterations (6% vs 9%), lipid disorders (41% vs 50%) and hypertension (53% vs 59%, p = NS for all comparisons). Conversely, all these abnormalities were more prevalent in HC-PHPT vs controls (p < 0.05). When compared to NC-PHPT, HC-PHPT showed higher glucose (113 ± 31 mg/dl), total cholesterol (238 ± 43 mg/dl), and SBP levels (147 ± 15 mmHg) as well as an increased frequency of glucose (41%) and lipid alterations (77%) and a higher number of cardiovascular events (18% vs 0%, p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Among indices of PHPT activity, calcium levels displayed a significant correlation with glucose (R = 0.46) and SBP values (R = 0.60, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

NC-PHPT is not associated with cardiovascular alterations. The predominant pathogenetic role of hypercalcemia in the development of cardiometabolic disorders could account for the absence of such alterations in NC-PHPT.
Vor dem Stadion, auf dem Platz, auf der Tribüne
Authors: Isenberg Tim , Thole Werner
Published: October 2024

In dem Beitrag wird auf die gesellschaftliche Bedeutung des Sports und insbesondere des Fußballs hingewiesen. Ausgehend von der Beobachtung, dass Projekte der Fußballfangruppenarbeit und der Sozialen Arbeit sich nicht durchgehend aufeinander beziehen, wird für engere Kooperationen plädiert.
Mental well-being of sexual minority individuals: Exploring the role of intraminority stress
Authors: Assink Mark , Bos Henny M. W.
Published: October 2024

The recently posed intraminority gay community stress theory states that sexual minority (SM) men may experience stress within their community resulting in lower levels of mental well-being. However, only few quantitative studies have evaluated this theory, and none of these studies examined the impact of intraminority stress on the mental well-being of SM female populations. In Dutch-speaking SM individuals who were assigned male at birth (N = 293) and SM individuals who were assigned female at birth (N = 527), this exploratory study examined associations between the four facets of intraminority stress and five mental health symptoms. When controlling for demographics and minority stress, intraminority stress was positively associated with psychological distress, body dissatisfaction, and interpersonal awareness in both SM male and SM female individuals, while positive associations with timidity were only found in the latter. As for the intraminority stress facets, particularly the SM community’s focus on competition and exclusion of social diversity seem to impact the mental well-being of SM individuals. The results support the notion that intraminority stress – along with minority stress – has important value in explaining mental health problems in SM male and SM female populations. Future research may examine how intraminority stress relates to the protective effects of community connectedness and having a sense of belonging, and to what extent and how intraminority stress should be addressed in interventions for stress-sensitive mental health symptoms in SM populations.
Can AI Get a Degree in Geoscience? Performance Analysis of a GPT-Based Artificial Intelligence System Trained for Earth Science (GeologyOracle)
Authors: Baucon Andrea , de Carvalho Carlos Neto
Published: October 2024

Generative artificial intelligence systems based on the GPT model have shown groundbreaking capabilities in producing scientific texts, revolutionising how geoscientists research and teach. However, there is a noticeable absence of generative AI systems tailored specifically for geoscience, and the efficacy of GPT technology has not been examined within the Earth Science realm. To fill these gaps, we propose a new artificial intelligence system (GeologyOracle) built upon the GPT-4o model and trained on Earth Science data. It is designed to simulate a conversation with a geoscientist, having the capabilities to analyse geologic datasets, suggest new geoscience hypotheses, explain Earth-Science concepts, and interpret geosites. To evaluate the performance of GeologyOracle, the system was tested with 152 geoscience questions provided and evaluated by a panel of geoscience academics on a scale of 0–10. Performance analysis revealed that 79.6% of the answers scored equal to or above the passing mark of 5, with a tendency to deliver high-quality responses (mean: 6.5; median = 7; interquartile range: 5–8). The results demonstrate that GeologyOracle is effective in performing complex geoscience tasks, such as identifying rocks, fossils, and minerals, and interpreting outcrop, core data, and quantitative datasets. The new AI system has exhibited noteworthy ability in the interpretation of internationally-acknowledged geosites situated within geoparks and nature reserves. The performance of the AI system is comparable to that of trained geoscience specialists, suggesting its potential as an assistant in various geoscience fields, including structural geology, palaeontology, geomorphology, sedimentology, and economic geology. While AI does not render geoscientists obsolete, it offers significant potential for accelerating scientific discovery, automating geoscience research, and assisting educators, students, and geotourists.
New Biorefinery Approach for the Valorization of Fruit Processing Waste at a Local Scale: Pomegranate Pomace as Case Study
Authors: Maggiore Irene , Setti Leonardo
Published: October 2024

The processing of fruit and vegetables generates globally high amount of organic waste, which is suitable to be valorized because of the chemistry it encloses. Conventional treatment methods for waste biomass generate low value products and cause climate altering emissions. Small biorefineries are valid alternatives for the sustainable waste biomass conversion, but their feasibility is strictly related to the use of low-energy process, and the market positioning of the final product. The present work provides an innovative approach for the green conversion of vegetable waste into high value product, with the aim to encourage the deployment of biorefinery at a local scale. It involves the enzymatic disassimilation of plant cell wall into chemicals with specific functions, and their recombination in form of emulsion, as a product prototype for food and cosmetic sector. To explain the biorefinery model, we applied it to pomegranate pomace, the residue from juicing, for the recovery of oil, pectin and antioxidant molecules via enzyme assisted extraction. The process left behind 30% of the initial solid waste. Finally, the dispersion of pomegranate oil into pomegranate pectin solution as emulsifier, brought to a novel emulsion, 98.9% waste-derived, further functionalizable with pomegranate exocarp hydrolysate with high antioxidant capacity.

Graphical Abstract
On (p, q)-eigenvalues of the weighted p-Laplace operator in outward Hölder cuspidal domains
Authors: Garain Prashanta , Pchelintsev Valerii , Ukhlov Alexander
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we will study Neumann (p, q)-eigenvalue problem for the weighted p-Laplace operator in outward Hölder cuspidal domains. The suggested method is based on the composition operators on weighted Sobolev spaces.
‘Your story matters’: the affective and relational work of teachers in sites of poverty and trauma
Authors: Garrett Robyne
Published: October 2024

While teachers work is increasingly constrained by a focus on quantifiable measures and accountability, the persistent underachievement of students from disadvantaged backgrounds is an ongoing and unsolved problem. There is increasing expectation for schools to take responsibility for the social-emotional as well as intellectual capabilities of students. However there has been little exploration into the complexities of teaching in low socio-economic and vulnerable communities. In this paper, I explore the experiences, thoughts and perceptions of teachers who work with complex student cohorts in disadvantaged settings. My interest extends to the affective and relational dimensions of their work. Drawing from two research projects conducted in areas marked by poverty, the paper utilises segments of interviews to illustrate the deeply embodied and sensory and aspects of teachers’ relational practice. In presenting their perspectives and experiences I tell the story of their complex work as well as what ‘comes to matter’ in schools and classrooms where trauma and adversity are ever-present.
‘It makes you feel like you’re at home, you’re safe, you’re happy in here’: Enacting culturally responsive and enabling pedagogies with refugee students in a university pathway program
Authors: Bilic Snjezana , Hetz Heidi , Allain Dashielle
Published: October 2024

Students from refugee backgrounds (thereafter ‘refugee students’) are entering Australian universities in increasing numbers, often via university pathway programs (enabling programs), contributing to the superdiversity in higher education institutions. A growing body of literature acknowledges the academic and socio-cultural challenges faced by these students in higher education. This article draws on the narratives, gained through interviews and focus groups, of 10 refugee students and 15 academic and peer support staff within an enabling program at one Australian university. This study explored the pedagogical approaches used by staff in their teaching and the support offered, and how these approaches were perceived by the refugee students. Academic and peer support staff promoted the use of enabling pedagogies and culturally responsive pedagogies as effective teaching approaches for these students. In line with these pedagogical approaches, we argue that the educational achievements of refugee students can be enhanced when academic and peer support staff are responsive to the educational and socio-cultural experiences of their students in both enabling programs and the wider university.
Hypecotumines A-D, new isoquinoline alkaloids with potential PCSK9 inhibition activity from Hypecoum erectum L.
Authors: Wei Yinling , Wen Hongyan , Yang Lian , Zhang Bodou , Li Xiaoyu , Li Sheng , Dong Jing , Liang Zhenzhen , Zhang Yu
Published: October 2024

Four new isoquinoline alkaloids, hypecotumines A-D (1–4), were isolated and identified from the whole herbs of Hypecoum erectum L. Their structures were determined by a combination of HRESIMS, NMR, and X-ray diffraction analysis methods. Compounds 1–4 were characterized by a terminal double bond at C-9 and their plausible biosynthetic pathway was hypothesized. Since PCSK9 plays a key role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), exploration of PCSK inhibitors from natural products are beneficial for drug discovery of CVD treatment. SPR and Western blot assays showed compound 4 had PCSK9 inhibition activity with KD value of 59.9 µM and thus elevated the LDLR level. Further molecular docking studies demonstrated that 4 and PCSK9 could form stable interactions via key hydrogen bonds.

Graphical Abstract
What Explains Teachers’ Trust in AI in Education Across Six Countries?
Authors: Viberg Olga , Cukurova Mutlu , Feldman-Maggor Yael , Alexandron Giora , Shirai Shizuka , Kanemune Susumu , Wasson Barbara , Tømte Cathrine , Spikol Daniel , Milrad Marcelo , Coelho Raquel , Kizilcec René F.
Published: October 2024

With growing expectations to use AI-based educational technology (AI-EdTech) to improve students’ learning outcomes and enrich teaching practice, teachers play a central role in the adoption of AI-EdTech in classrooms. Teachers’ willingness to accept vulnerability by integrating technology into their everyday teaching practice, that is, their trust in AI-EdTech, will depend on how much they expect it to benefit them versus how many concerns it raises for them. In this study, we surveyed 508 K-12 teachers across six countries on four continents to understand which teacher characteristics shape teachers’ trust in AI-EdTech, and its proposed antecedents, perceived benefits and concerns about AI-EdTech. We examined a comprehensive set of characteristics including demographic and professional characteristics (age, gender, subject, years of experience, etc.), cultural values (Hofstede’s cultural dimensions), geographic locations (Brazil, Israel, Japan, Norway, Sweden, USA), and psychological factors (self-efficacy and understanding). Using multiple regression analysis, we found that teachers with higher AI-EdTech self-efficacy and AI understanding perceive more benefits, fewer concerns, and report more trust in AI-EdTech. We also found geographic and cultural differences in teachers’ trust in AI-EdTech, but no demographic differences emerged based on their age, gender, or level of education. The findings provide a comprehensive, international account of factors associated with teachers’ trust in AI-EdTech. Efforts to raise teachers’ understanding of, and trust in AI-EdTech, while considering their cultural values are encouraged to support its adoption in K-12 education.
Digital Light Processing Followed by Pressureless Sintering of Metal-Reinforced Ceramics: Adjustment of Process Parameters and Correlation with Composites Properties
Authors: Tanska Joanna , Wieclaw-Midor Anna , Misiukiewicz Jakub , Falkowski Pawel , Zygmuntowicz Justyna , Bulejak Weronika , Wiecinska Paulina
Published: October 2024

Digital light processing (DLP) belongs to additive manufacturing techniques and is frequently used in shaping ceramics. The paper concerns the adjustment of the DLP method to metal-reinforced ceramics, especially dispersions containing high concentrations of Al2O3 (45 vol%) and molybdenum or nickel particles (0.5 vol%). Different glycol acrylates, deflocculants (polyelectrolytes and diammonium hydrogen citrate), and photoinitiators (Omnirad group) were examined regarding their influence on the rheological properties of the dispersions and the cure depth under the external halide UV lamp and LED projector built into the 3D printer. In the examined systems, the cationic polyelectrolyte KD1 dissolved in 2-butanone allowed to obtain dispersions of the lowest viscosity. Printing parameters (light exposure time, single layer height) were matched, and the properties of the materials were examined. The Vickers hardness of the sintered bodies equalled 19.4 GPa, 14.5 GPa and 17.3 GPa for Al2O3, Al2O3-Ni and Al2O3-Mo samples, respectively. The microstructure was analyzed using SEM, followed by EDS and XRD. The addition of only 0.5 vol% of Ni has improved the fracture toughness of alumina by up to 36–40% (according to Niihara and Anstis equations). The exemplary objects in the form of cog wheels were printed and densified at 1550 °C in a reductive atmosphere of Ar/H2.
Corruption, Economic Growth, and Non-performing Loans in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Empirical Analysis (2011–2019)
Authors: Akuoko-Konadu Emmanuel , Mahmud Anyars
Published: October 2024

This study explores the impact of corruption and economic growth on non-performing loans (NPLs) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) after the global financial crisis. We use the Arellano-Bond Generalized Method of Moments dynamic panel estimation procedure on 493 banks from 31 Sub-Saharan African countries from 2011 to 2019. We find that corruption and economic growth have significantly positively and negatively influenced NPLs in SSA, respectively. We further investigate how corruption affects NPLs and observe that bank size and NPLs have a positive relationship. Simultaneously, well-capitalized banks and the effectiveness of the judicial system reduce the level of NPLs. The study's uniqueness lies in evaluating the impact of corruption on NPLs at the sub-regional level. The results reveal how corruption has not significantly affected Central and Southern African banks' NPLs but vice versa in West and Eastern Africa. The study concludes that NPLs are a dead weight loss to society. The results confirm how anti-corruption campaigns, improvements in judicial regulation, and sustained economic growth can help mitigate non-performing loans. Furthermore, policy implications such as enhancing institutional quality and implementing growth-sustaining measures have been suggested.
Children’s Guerrilla Play and Dirt Jumps: Parkland as Contested Space During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Australia
Authors: Bessant Judith , O’Keeffe Patrick , Watts Rob
Published: October 2024

In 2020-21 the Victorian state government in Australia imposed 262 days of sustained lockdown on Melbourne’s population in a bid to contain the COVID pandemic. These lockdowns, among the longest in the world, affected young people especially. Children were subjected to months of curfews, home schooling using digital platforms and severe travel. Nonetheless some children engaged repeatedly in autonomous and well co-ordinated efforts to construct dirt jumps and ride their bikes in urban public parklands in eastern Melbourne. This article is mindful of a long tradition of scholarly work tracing the ways young people have used public space, and contested ‘adultist’ representations of them and regulations affecting the use of public space. We address three questions: Why and how did children design, construct and use dirt bike jumps during the COVID pandemic in public parklands? How did Victorian local councils and others like police, older residents and mainstream media respond to children’s construction of DIY dirt jumps? How were these spontaneous DIY dirt jumps understood by Victorian local councils? Adopting a composite case study method and employing a relational perspective, we draw on images, participant observation, field notes, documents and webpage analysis to answer the research questions. We document how children used urban parklands to hang out, to onstruct and use bike jumps during the lockdowns. We show how they challenged adult representations of themselves and public space which depicted their bike riding and the jump making as anti-social and illegal. Meanwhile local governments continued through the COVID-19 pandemic to proclaim the value of ‘youth participation.’ When that youth participation involved young people initiating and managing projects themselves, their conduct was deemed unlawful as councils continued denying them any meaningful opportunities to exercise autonomy, or have say in important policy decisions. In the final section of the article say why providing insider accounts of what happens is useful for good policy-making and professional practice.
Exploring Differences in Leadership Behaviors and in the Perceived Work Environment Between Younger and Older Managers in a Swedish Mining Company
Authors: Lööw Joel , Vinberg Stig , Johansson Jan , Jakobsson Mats , Mattson Molnar Malin , Larsson Johan
Published: October 2024

This study examines differences in leadership behaviors and in the perceived work environment between older and younger managers in a large Swedish mining company. The leadership behaviors and work environment of young managers in the mining industry will become more important in the future due to the changes taking place in the industry. Such changes include the older generation of managers reaching retirement age, while the industry generally finds it difficult to recruit a younger generation of employees. Moreover, rapid technology-centered transition, such as the green transition of the mining industry, is underway which may put young managers in particular under pressure. Meanwhile, research on young managers in the mining industry more broadly is sparse. Data for this study was mainly gathered via a questionnaire, complemented by data from interviews. The questionnaire included 48 validated self-rate questions on background variables, social and organizational working conditions, health, and leadership behavior. The survey was answered by 216 managers (response rate: 63%). Interviews were carried out with ten young managers (35 years or younger). The study found no statistically significant differences between younger and older managers with regards to workload, working hours, health, and work satisfaction. We found that older managers rate themselves higher, at a statistically significant level, for change-oriented leadership behaviors. However, when age is analyzed together with other variables that are significantly different between the two groups, only managerial experience and managerial positions show statistically significant associations with change-oriented and healthy and effective leadership behaviors. The interviews indicate that the young managers encounter challenges that are related to their experience and training, but few are related to their age. Given the influence of managerial experience on leadership behaviors, leadership training appears to be an important area of intervention, and conditions must be improved to enable change-oriented leadership among managers in the mining industry, with a greater focus on young managers.
Climate-induced risk assessment of the quarantine room in a University Library
Authors: Boccacci Giulia , Frasca Francesca , Bertolin Chiara , Chimenti Claudio , Lund Erlend , Saeter Tonje Dahlin , Siani Anna Maria
Published: October 2024

Microclimate conditions in conservation spaces such as museums, galleries, storages, archives, and libraries significantly impact the preservation of cultural materials, potentially leading to permanent damage. This study focuses on quarantine rooms, essential for isolating and inspecting incoming collections for infestations or contamination. Despite their importance, systematic microclimate investigations in such spaces have not been conducted until now. In this research, temperature and relative humidity monitoring has been conducted over the past 3 years (i.e., 2021-2022-2023) within the quarantine room of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) University Library (located within the DORA I concrete bunker, Trondheim, Norway). Data analysis revealed stable indoor conditions due to the buffering capacity of the massive building envelope together with climate control system. Specific metrics for the estimation of climate-induced chemical and biological risks on vulnerable artifacts were applied to compute the percentage of time for which thermohygrometric conditions could favour cellulose hydrolysis and biodeteriogens proliferation on a yearly basis. In this way, the study provided a decision-making tool useful to evaluate the best time (in terms of safest temperature and relative humidity conditions) when to introduce incoming collections into the quarantine room, depending on the material they are made of and on the timeframe selected for their isolation.
Circular Consumption in Everyday Life: Drawing Insights into the Creation of a Circular City
Authors: Tiensuu Akseli
Published: October 2024

Although individual consumption is the biggest contributor to cities’ carbon footprints, the link between personal actions and building a circular city remains narrowly researched. Similarly, the implications of the circular economy in individuals’’ everyday lives are not yet well known. This study bridges these research gaps by examining the impacts of circular consumption on urban neighborhood inhabitants’ everyday lives and by considering the relationship between individual consumption and the creation of a circular city. This qualitative research relies on interviews conducted with inhabitants, companies and a school of Tammela neighborhood. Results derived from a directed content analysis suggest that circular consumption is an advisable instrument for living in accordance with environmental values and promotes economic inclusion for individuals. However, circular consumption requires more consumption work from consumers compared to linear consumption. In conclusion, at the city level mainstreaming circular consumption might be achieved with policies aiming at (a) increasing environmental awareness and teaching circular skills and (b) enhancing convenient circular systems of provision to attract people with various values to engage in circular consumption, while considering the amount of consumption work required by the consumer.
Stepwise methods for more nuanced adoption analysis: a case study of harvest and post-harvest mechanization in Bangladesh
Authors: Brown Brendan , Timsina Pragya , Sharma Akriti , Aravindakshan Sreejith , Krupnik Timothy
Published: October 2024

The adoption of agricultural harvest and post-harvest mechanization is crucial for addressing drudgery, food losses, climate vulnerability and food security. Despite considerable efforts by government and development partners to prioritize agricultural mechanization, labour-intensive manual (post-)harvest activities continue to dominate in Bangladeshi smallholder systems. Explorations of this has been limited by simplistic binary approaches that ignore the dynamic pathways to usage outcomes. Instead, we apply non-binary analytical methods to district representative data to highlight the value in moving beyond binary adoption analysis. Results highlight that a national (post-)harvest mechanisation rate of 74% is insufficient to capture the true adoption status, given substantial disparity exists across machinery and by district. Deeper exploration of temporal and spatial differences enable the identification of key trends that warrant further in-depth explorations, while only 46% satisfaction with extension systems highlights the need to re-evaluate key information exchange mechanisms. We conclude that there is a clear need for district and machinery specific policy arrangements if Bangladesh is to achieve (post-)harvest mechanisation objectives that aim to reduce food loses and enable greater food security nationwide.
Study of transient pressure and fluctuation characteristics in a centrifugal pump using the delayed detached-eddy simulation method
Authors: Zhao Wei , Wang Mengfei , Liang Bingchen , Zhao Leiming , Liu Qixin
Published: October 2024

This study employed OpenFOAM, the delayed detached-eddy simulation (DDES) turbulence model, and structured grids to develop numerical models for three centrifugal pumps with twisted blades. The internal pressure field, velocity field, forces, and fluctuation characteristics of the centrifugal pumps are comprehensively analyzed under various operating conditions. The findings indicate that the pressure is relatively higher in the flow passages near the volute tongue and the outlet within the impeller. Regions of high relative velocity (slip velocity) are mainly found on the suction side of the blades, indicating that the design of the blade suction side affects the fluid outward slip performance. As the flow rate increases, the forces and force fluctuation amplitudes of each pump component also rise. Conversely, as the rotational speed increases, the force on the blades or impeller gradually increases while the fluctuation amplitude decreases. In the stationary domain, the force on the volute gradually decreases while the fluctuation amplitude of this force increases. The shape of the volute tongue influences the rate at which pressure inside the volute is converted to outlet pressure. The power spectral density (PSD) of pressure fluctuations is smallest at the nominal flow rate, displaying a clear and distinct axial frequency pattern without complex low-frequency fluctuations. Under low flow and high-speed conditions, the PSD at the axial frequency is relatively small, whereas the pressure PSD at other low frequencies is relatively large. This indicates instability in the flow under these conditions.
In-person prospective audit and feedback on an oncology ward: development of an immunocompromised antimicrobial stewardship program
Authors: Imlay Hannah , Greenlee Sage B. , Tritle Brandon J. , Fino Nora F. , Spivak Emily S.
Published: October 2024

Objective:

To describe clinical syndromes, opportunities for antimicrobial optimization, and acceptance of recommendations made by an immunocompromised antimicrobial stewardship program performing in-person prospective audit and feedback (IPPAF) on inpatient oncology services.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Three inpatient oncology services including patients with solid tumor malignancies in an academic cancer center.

Patients:

Hospitalized adults with oncologic malignancies receive antimicrobials for any indication.

Methods:

We reviewed all patients receiving antimicrobials on inpatient oncology services who were included in IPPAF and prospectively documented clinical syndromes represented, most common recommendations, and acceptance rate. We also examined the standardized antimicrobial administration ratio (SAAR) for oncology units over the study period.

Results:

Over 34 weeks, we performed 154 interventions for 138 patients. Metastatic malignancy was common (52%) and 90-day mortality was high (43%). Diagnostic uncertainty was common (33/154, 21%), as were cases of intra-abdominal pathology (30/154, 19%), pneumonia (25/154, 16%), and urinary tract infection (12/154, 8%). The most common recommendations were changes in duration (63/154, 41%) and stopping antimicrobials for syndromes determined to be noninfectious (29/154, 19%). Acceptance of interventions was high (77% overall) and several SAARs on the primary oncology unit significantly decreased after starting IPPAF.

Conclusions:

We identified numerous opportunities for antimicrobial optimization among solid tumor malignancy patients. Most clinical syndromes were ones also encountered frequently in non-oncology populations, but several were unique and represented opportunities for targeted education.
Multiple faces of labour market segmentation within the Turkish construction industry
Authors: Gultekin Derya , Hisarciklilar Mehtap , Yusufi Ferimah
Published: October 2024

This study explores labour market segmentation within the Turkish construction industry, in a developing country context characterised by refugee influxes and heightened earthquake risks. We apply statistical and regression analyses using 2002–2020 Household Labour Force Survey data to explore segmentation with a specific focus on payment, job type and social security enrolment. The findings reveal a segmented labour market where the progress in regular, permanent and registered employment in the 2000s failed to encompass most construction workers. Lower wages, and temporary and unregistered work are more common among the youngest and oldest workers, those with poor education and qualification levels, immigrants, and those employed by micro enterprises. The construction industry lags behind both manufacturing and services in terms of registered and permanent employment rates and average wages. The prevalence of workers in elementary jobs with little education highlights the ongoing challenge of ensuring a highly skilled workforce, while reconstruction activities in earthquake-prone zones and the demand for urban transformation in Türkiye are increasing. We argue that improvements in working conditions constitute an urgent restructuring component in the sector for elevating the status of construction jobs, addressing the shortage of skilled labour and ensuring a high-quality building stock that upholds the right to a secure life in Türkiye.
Optimal metabolite transport in hollow fibre membrane bioreactors
Authors: Booth George , Dalwadi Mohit P. , Ye Hua , Mouthuy Pierre-Alexis , Waters Sarah L.
Published: October 2024

Hollow fibre membrane bioreactors provide a fast and efficient method for engineering functional tissue for use in medical treatments. Flow is utilised to overcome mass transport limitations by perfusing a nutrient-rich culture medium through the fibre lumen, which can then transport along the fibre lumen or across the porous membrane wall. Cells seeded at the outer membrane wall consume the nutrient and subsequently produce waste metabolites, which are transported away through an external extra-capillary space (ECS) along with excess nutrient. We present and investigate a two-dimensional axisymmetric model for fluid flow and solute transport through a single-fibre bioreactor configuration, with cells seeded to the external fibre wall. Fluid flow is modelled by steady lubrication and Darcy equations, which are coupled to the solute transport problem modelled by a system of advection–diffusion equations, supplemented with a reaction term to model the cell layer. Our model analysis reveals how spatially varying wall permeability distributions can be utilised to provide uniform nutrient delivery to a spatially uniform, homogeneous cell population. We also reveal how maximising the transmural pressure drop across the membrane wall is the dominant mechanism for waste removal rather than traditional experimental methods of flushing the ECS.
To see, or not to see… pathogens in virtual reality hand hygiene training
Authors: Wolfensberger Aline , Désiron Juliette C. , Domenech-Jakob Beatrice , Petko Dominik , Zingg Walter
Published: October 2024

Background:

ViRTUE, a virtual reality (VR) hand hygiene trainer, offers users the option of visualizing pathogen transfers during virtual patient care either in “real-time” or at the end of a level as a “summary” visualization. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of different timings of pathogen visualization (“real-time” vs “summary”) on in-trainer performance and user’s immersion.

Methods:

The study included first-year medical students undergoing hand hygiene training with ViRTUE, randomized to one of three visualization set-ups: set-up 1 (“on-off-off”, with “real-time” visualization at the first level only, and “summary” visualization at level 2 and 3), set-up 2 (“off-on-off”), and set-up 3 (“off-off-off”). In-trainer performance was defined by number of pathogen transmission events (=contaminations) in level 3. The virtual experience of user’s (among others: immersion) was assessed with a questionnaire.

Results:

173 medical students participated in the study, with 58, 54, and 61 assigned to set-up 1, set-up 2, and set-up 3, respectively. Users assigned to set-up 3 with “summary” visualization at all levels, performed best with 1.02 (standard deviation (SD) +/- 1.86) contaminations, compared to 2.34 (SD +/- 3.09) and 2.07 (SD +/- 2.52) contaminations of users assigned to the other set-ups. “Summary” visualization at all levels also resulted in higher immersion of users.

Conclusions:

“Real-time” visualization of pathogen transmission during VR hand hygiene training with ViRTUE may negatively affect in-trainer performance and user immersion. This emphasizes the importance of pilot testing the effect of VR-based trainings in order to understand their impact on users.
Convention on Int'l Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes
Authors: Moodrick-Even Khen Hilly
Published: October 2024

The international struggle against impunity for perpetrators of atrocities, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, has been a key interest of the international community since the end of World War II. Many achievements have been accomplished with respect to international collaboration on the “substantive issues” of international criminal law (ICL), such as defining and criminalizing the core crimes of international law, yet collaboration on the procedural and practical aspects of ICL, known as mutual legal assistance (MLA) has been neglected.
Parallel evolution of unusual ‘harpiform’ morphologies in distantly related trilobites
Authors: Beech James D. , Bottjer David J. , Smith Nathan D.
Published: October 2024

Harpetid and trinucleid trilobites share a similar and unusual morphology, the most striking feature of which is a wide, flattened cephalic brim with many pits or holes. This similarity was once interpreted as a sign that these two groups of trilobites were closely related, but in recent years it has instead been assumed that the ‘harpiform’ brim arose in both groups independently. However, relatedness and similarity can be difficult to disentangle in fossil taxa without close living relatives, and this assumption about the harpiform brim has never been explicitly tested. Our study re-evaluates the relationship between Harpetida and Trinucleioidea in order to test a longstanding assumption about trilobite relationships and as a case study in evaluating different kinds of morphological similarity in extinct groups. We inferred a new phylogenetic tree using parsimony methods and discrete morphological character data from a broad sampling of harpetids, trinucleids, and their relatives. Despite their gross morphological similarities, we found that harpetids and trinucleids were readily distinguished in our analyses, a result consistent with a hypothesis of multiple origins for the harpiform brim. By mapping brim-related characters across our new phylogeny, we identified a sequence of morphological innovations that arose in parallel in both groups and led ultimately in each case to the evolution of the harpiform brim. These results indicate that harpiform brims are a prime example of parallel evolution—the similar development of a morphological trait in distantly related taxa that nevertheless share a similar original morphology. In addition, our phylogeny supports the idea that trinucleids are specialized, harpiform asaphids, rather than an independent order of trilobites. We also provide new information on the relationships of the putative ‘basal-most’ members of Trinucleioidea, the Liostracinidae, and confirm recent assessments that this family is more distantly related to trinucleids.
The impact of pinning points on memorylessness in Lévy random bridges
Authors: Louriki Mohammed
Published: October 2024

Random bridges have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential applications in various areas, particularly in information-based asset pricing models. This paper aims to explore the potential influence of the pinning point’s distribution on the memorylessness and stochastic dynamics of the bridge process. We introduce Lévy bridges with random length and random pinning points, and analyze their Markov property. Our study demonstrates that the Markov property of Lévy bridges depends on the nature of the distribution of their pinning points. The law of any random variables can be decomposed into singular continuous, discrete, and absolutely continuous parts with respect to the Lebesgue measure (Lebesgue’s decomposition theorem). We show that the Markov property holds when the pinning points’ law does not have an absolutely continuous part. Conversely, the Lévy bridge fails to exhibit Markovian behavior when the pinning point has an absolutely continuous part.
Association between dietary fatty acids and depressive symptoms in Chinese haemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhang Shuang , Liu Shu-Xin , Wu Qi-Jun , Wang Zhi-Hong , Liu Hong , Xiao Ping , Lu Yan , Dong Cui , Meng Qing-Mei
Published: October 2024

Depression is highly prevalent in haemodialysis patients, and diet might play an important role. Therefore, we conducted this cross-sectional study to determine the association between dietary fatty acids (FA) consumption and the prevalence of depression in maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated FFQ between December 2021 and January 2022. The daily intake of dietary FA was categorised into three groups, and the lowest tertile was used as the reference category. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were applied to assess the relationship between dietary FA intake and the prevalence of depression. As a result, after adjustment for potential confounders, a higher intake of total FA [odds ratio (OR)T3 vs. T1 = 1·59, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1·04, 2·46] and saturated fatty acids (SFA) (ORT3 vs. T1 = 1·83, 95 % CI = 1·19, 2·84) was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Significant positive linear trends were also observed (P < 0·05) except for SFA intake. Similarly, the prevalence of depression in MHD patients increased by 20% (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.01–1.43) for each standard deviation increment in SFA intake. RCS analysis indicated an inverse U-shaped correlation between SFA and depression (Pnonlinear > 0·05). Additionally, the sensitivity analysis produced similar results. Furthermore, no statistically significant association was observed in the subgroup analysis with significant interaction. In conclusion, higher total dietary FA and SFA were positively associated with depressive symptoms among MHD patients. These findings inform future research exploring potential mechanism underlying the association between dietary FA and depressive symptoms in MHD patients.
Geographical disparities in temporal trends of low birth weight in Saskatchewan from 2002/2003 to 2021/2022: insights from a joinpoint regression analysis
Authors: Adeyinka Daniel A
Published: October 2024

Low birth weight (LBW) is an important public health indicator that is associated with various negative health outcomes in infants. To effectively implement interventions that would improve health outcomes in children, it is important to understand both the historical trends and current levels of LBW rates. In this study, trends and regional differences in LBW rates in Saskatchewan from 2002/2003 to 2021/2022 were assessed. A joinpoint regression analysis was conducted using historical LBW rates, obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information database. Data were analysed using average percent change and average annual percent change. Spatial patterns and trends were identified using a choropleth map. From a provincial and national rate of 5.2% in 2002/2003, the LBW rate in Saskatchewan increased to 6.5% in 2021/2022, approaching the national rate of 6.8%. Over the 20-year period, average annual changes for Canada were 1.4% and 1.0% for Saskatchewan. There was a turning point in the study: 2004/2005 for Canada and 2011/2012 for Saskatchewan. Initially, Saskatchewan had stable LBW rates, increasing yearly by 0.1%, while the national rate was 5.7%. However, in recent years, Saskatchewan’s rate increased to 1.8% annually, surpassing the national rate of 0.9%. Geographical differences were also observed within Saskatchewan, with the Far North region having the highest LBW rate (9.2%), and the Central West region having the lowest rate (4.3%) in 2021/2022. The Central East, Regina Qu’Appelle, and southern Saskatchewan saw significant upwards trends in LBW rates between 2015/2016 and 2021/2022. There is an increasing trend in LBW rates in Canada and Saskatchewan, as well as geographical disparities within the province. The geographical disparities in LBW rates underscore the need for tailored interventions in high-risk regions in the province.
Doing social science with conservation: co-reflexivity on the project model in conservation
Authors: Schreer Viola , Thung Paul , Freeman Scott , Anirudh Namrata Biligeri , Campbell-Smith Gail , Eghenter Cristina , Spehar Stephanie
Published: October 2024

The conservation sector increasingly values reflexivity, in which professionals critically reflect on the social, institutional and political aspects of their work. Reflexivity offers diverse benefits, from enhancing individual performance to driving institutional transformation. However, integrating reflexivity into conservation practice remains challenging and is often confined to informal reflections with limited impact. To overcome this challenge, we introduce co-reflexivity, offering an alternative to the binary distinction between social science on or for conservation, which respectively produce critical outsider accounts of conservation or provide social science instruments for achieving conservation objectives. Instead, co-reflexivity is a form of social science with conservation, in which conservation professionals and social scientists jointly develop critical yet constructive perspectives on and approaches to conservation. We demonstrate the value of co-reflexivity by presenting a set of reflections on the project model, the dominant framework for conservation funding, which organizes conservation activity into distinct, target-oriented and temporally bounded units that can be funded, implemented and evaluated separately. Co-reflexivity helps reveal the diverse challenges that the project model creates for conservation practice, including for the adoption of reflexivity itself. Putting insights from social science research in dialogue with reflections from conservation professionals, we co-produce a critique of project-based conservation with both theoretical and practical implications. These cross-disciplinary conversations provide a case study of how co-reflexivity can enhance the conservation–social science relationship.