bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Method for Angioscopic Imaging and Visualizing the Skull Base Using Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Cameras
Authors: Porwal Mokshal H. , Feller Christina , Bales Justine , Sacho Raphael
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) electrode arrays are a novel technology for miniaturized endoscopes; however, its use for neurointervention is yet to be investigated. In this proof-of-concept study, we aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of CMOS endoscopes in a canine model by providing direct visualization of the endothelial surface, deploying stents and coils, and accessing the spinal subdural space and skull base.

METHODS:

Using 3 canine models, standard guide catheters were introduced into the internal carotid and vertebral arteries through the transfemoral route using fluoroscopy. A 1.2-mm CMOS camera was delivered through the guide catheter to inspect the endothelium. Next, the camera was introduced alongside standard neuroendovascular devices including coils and stents to provide direct visualization of their deployment within the endothelium during fluoroscopy. One canine was used for skull base and extravascular visualization. A lumbar laminectomy was performed, and the camera was navigated within the spinal subdural space until the posterior circulation intracranial vasculature was visualized.

RESULTS:

We successfully visualized the endothelial surface and performed several endovascular procedures such as deployment of coils and stents under direct endovascular, angioscopic vision. We also demonstrated a proof of concept for accessing the skull base and posterior cerebral vasculature using CMOS cameras through the spinal subdural space.

CONCLUSION:

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of CMOS camera technology to directly visualize endothelium, perform common neuroendovascular procedures, and access the base of the skull in a canine model.
Defining developmental trajectories of prosensory cells in human inner ear organoids at single-cell resolution
Authors: Ueda Yoshitomo , Nakamura Takashi , Nie Jing , Solivais Alexander J. , Hoffman John R. , Daye Becca J. , Hashino Eri
Published: June 2023

The inner ear sensory epithelia contain mechanosensitive hair cells and supporting cells. Both cell types arise from SOX2-expressing prosensory cells, but the mechanisms underlying the diversification of these cell lineages remain unclear. To determine the transcriptional trajectory of prosensory cells, we established a SOX2-2A-ntdTomato human embryonic stem cell line using CRISPR/Cas9, and performed single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses with SOX2-positive cells isolated from inner ear organoids at various time points between differentiation days 20 and 60. Our pseudotime analysis suggests that vestibular type II hair cells arise primarily from supporting cells, rather than bi-fated prosensory cells in organoids. Moreover, ion channel- and ion-transporter-related gene sets were enriched in supporting cells versus prosensory cells, whereas Wnt signaling-related gene sets were enriched in hair cells versus supporting cells. These findings provide valuable insights into how prosensory cells give rise to hair cells and supporting cells during human inner ear development, and may provide a clue to promote hair cell regeneration from resident supporting cells in individuals with hearing loss or balance disorders.
The lipid transfer proteins Nir2 and Nir3 sustain phosphoinositide signaling and actin dynamics during phagocytosis
Authors: Kaba Mayis , Carreras-Sureda Amado , Nunes-Hasler Paula , Demaurex Nicolas
Published: June 2023

Changes in membrane phosphoinositides and local Ca2+ elevations at sites of particle capture coordinate the dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton during phagocytosis. Here, we show that the phosphatidylinositol (PI) transfer proteins PITPNM1 (Nir2) and PITPNM2 (Nir3) maintain phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] homeostasis at phagocytic cups, thereby promoting actin contractility and the sealing of phagosomes. Nir3 and to a lesser extent Nir2 accumulated on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae juxtaposed to phagocytic cups when expressed in phagocytic COS-7 cells. CRISPR-Cas9 editing of Nir2 and Nir3 genes decreased plasma membrane PI(4,5)P2 levels, store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and receptor-mediated phagocytosis, stalling particle capture at the cup stage. Re-expression of either Nir2 or Nir3 restored phagocytosis, but not SOCE, proportionally to the PM PI(4,5)P2 levels. Phagosomes forming in Nir2 and Nir3 (Nir2/3) double-knockout cells had decreased overall PI(4,5)P2 levels but normal periphagosomal Ca2+ signals. Nir2/3 depletion reduced the density of contractile actin rings at sites of particle capture, causing repetitive low-intensity contractile events indicative of abortive phagosome closure. We conclude that Nir proteins maintain phosphoinositide homeostasis at phagocytic cups, thereby sustaining the signals that initiate the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton during phagocytosis.
Subconcussion revealed by sound processing in the brain
Authors: Kraus Nina , Colegrove Danielle , Otto-Meyer Rembrandt , Bonacina Silvia , Nicol Trent , Cunningham Jenna , Krizman Jennifer
Published: June 2023

Introduction/Purpose

We tested the hypothesis that an objective measure of auditory processing reveals a history of head trauma that does not meet the clinical definition of concussion.

Methods

Division I collegiate student-athletes (n = 709) across 19 sports were divided into groups, based on their sport, using prevailing classifications of “contact” (317 males, 212 females) and “noncontact” (58 males, 122 females). Participants were evaluated using the frequency-following response (FFR) to speech. The amplitude of FFR activity in a frequency band corresponding to the fundamental frequency (F0)—the voice pitch—of the speech stimulus, an outcome reduced in individuals with concussions, was critically examined.

Results

We found main effects of contact level and sex. The FFR-F0 was smaller in contact athletes than noncontact athletes and larger in females than males. There was a contact by sex interaction, with the FFR-F0 of males in the contact group being smaller than the three other groups. Secondary analyses found a correlation between FFR-F0 and length of participation in contact sports in male athletes.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the disruption of sensory processing in the brain can be observed in individuals without a concussion but whose sport features regular physical contact. This evidence identifies sound processing in the brain as an objective marker of subconcussion in athletes.
Does Discipline Decrease Police Misconduct? Evidence from Chicago Civilian Allegations
Authors: Rozema Kyle , Schanzenbach Max
Published: June 2023

Reformers are calling for greater oversight of police behavior, in part through enhanced use of civilian complaints. However, others counter that greater oversight could chill effective policing. We assess police officer response to administrative determinations of misconduct. Using Chicago data, we find strong evidence that a sustained allegation reduces that officer’s future misconduct. We find no evidence that this effect is driven by incapacitation, such as assignment to desk duty, or by officer disengagement. We conclude that our findings are most consistent with improved officer conduct, in part from oversight and officer concerns over promotion, salary, and desirable assignments. (JEL H76, J45, K42, M54)
Generic Aversion and Observational Learning in the Over-the-Counter Drug Market
Authors: Carrera Mariana , Villas-Boas Sofia
Published: June 2023

Through a labeling intervention at a national retailer, we test three hypotheses for consumer aversion to generic over-the-counter drugs: lack of information on the comparability of generic and brand drugs, inattention to their price differences, and uncertainty about generic quality that can be reduced with information on peer purchase rates. With a difference-in-differences strategy, we find that posted information on the purchases of other customers increases generic purchase shares significantly, while other treatments have mixed results. Consumers without prior generic purchases appear particularly responsive to this information. These findings have policy implications for promoting evidence-based, cost-effective choices. (JEL D12, D83, L65, L81, M37)
What Difference Does a Health Plan Make? Evidence from Random Plan Assignment in Medicaid
Authors: Geruso Michael , Layton Timothy J. , Wallace Jacob
Published: June 2023

Exploiting the random assignment of Medicaid beneficiaries to managed care plans, we find substantial plan-specific spending effects despite plans having identical cost sharing. Enrollment in the lowest-spending plan reduces spending by at least 25 percent—primarily through quantity reductions—relative to enrollment in the highest-spending plan. Rather than reducing “wasteful” spending, lower-spending plans broadly reduce medical service provision—including the provision of low-cost, high-value care—and worsen beneficiary satisfaction and health. Consumer demand follows spending: a 10 percent increase in plan-specific spending is associated with a 40 percent increase in market share. These facts have implications for the government’s contracting problem and program cost growth. (JEL G22, H51, I13, I18, I38)
Η διαταραχή αυτιστικού φάσματος στο σύγχρονο κινηματογράφο: Κινηματογραφικές αναπαραστάσεις σύμφωνα με τα διαγνωστικά χαρακτηριστικά του DSM- V
Authors: Αντώνογλου Μαρία , Σοφός Αλιβίζος (Λοΐζος)
Published: June 2023

Οι κινηματογραφικές αναπαραστάσεις των αυτιστικών ατόμων στον κινηματογράφο, υπόκεινται σε συζητήσεις με έντονο ενδιαφέρον τα τελευταία χρόνια.  Ο προβληματισμός σχετικά με το αν αυτές οι αναπαραστάσεις είναι ακριβείς ή όχι, σχετίζεται με το ερώτημα αν μπορούν να οδηγήσουν σε στερεότυπες αντιλήψεις σχετικά με την διαταραχή. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας, είναι να μελετήσει  εάν οι αναπαραστάσεις ατόμων με διαταραχή αυτιστικού φάσματος, συνάδουν με τα διαγνωστικά κριτήρια του DSM-V.  Το νόημα που προκύπτει από τα αποτελέσματα, συζητιέται σε σχέση με την πιθανή εκπαιδευτική αξία που μπορεί να έχουν οι κινηματογραφικές αναπαραστάσεις για το κοινό. Σύμφωνα με τα ευρήματα της μελέτης, οι κινηματογραφικοί χαρακτήρες με ΔΑΦ φαίνεται να πληρούν με ακρίβεια τα διαγνωστικά κριτήρια του DSM-V.  Η πλειοψηφία των αναπαραστάσεων αφορά νεαρούς, λευκούς άνδρες, ενώ πολλοί από τους χαρακτήρες παρουσιάζουν ιδιαίτερες δεξιότητες και ταλέντα. Από την μελέτη των αποτελεσμάτων διαπιστώθηκε ότι,  παρόλο που τα στερεότυπα που ακολουθούν  την διαταραχή ήταν εμφανή στο δείγμα,  ο κινηματογράφος θα μπορούσε να έχει και εκπαιδευτικό χαρακτήρα, κυρίως όσο αφορά  πληροφόρηση και ευαισθητοποίηση του ευρύτερου κοινού.
Μελέτη των αντιλήψεων εκπαιδευτικών πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης για τη Φύση της Επιστήμης σε συνάρτηση με τις Πεποιθήσεις Αυτό-επάρκειάς τους και τις Ανησυχίες τους για διδασκαλία για τη Φύση της Επιστήμης
Authors: Παλπάνη Χρυσούλα Αικατερίνη , Τσιβιτανίδου Όλια
Published: June 2023

Στην παρούσα έρευνα, επιδιώκεται η μελέτη των αντιλήψεων των εκπαιδευτικών για τη φύση της επιστήμης, όπως αυτή σχετίζεται με την αυτό-επάρκειά, στα στάδια ανησυχίας τους και το επίπεδο ετοιμότητάς τους για διδασκαλία της φύσης της επιστήμης κατά την έκτακτη εξ αποστάσεως διδασκαλία που εφαρμόστηκε την περίοδο της πανδημίας covid-19. Ακολουθήθηκε ποσοτική μεθοδολογία, για τη συλλογή και ανάλυση δεδομένων από ερωτηματολόγια με εκπαιδευτικούς πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης. Τα αποτελέσματα κατέδειξαν δύο ομάδες: εκπαιδευτικούς με ενημερωμένες αντιλήψεις για τη φύση της επιστήμης (Ν= 52) και εκπαιδευτικούς με λιγότερο ενημερωμένες αντιλήψεις (Ν=21). Ο έλεγχος t-test για ανεξάρτητα δείγματα μεταξύ των δύο ομάδων, έδειξε ότι η πρώτη ομάδα των εκπαιδευτικών με πιο ενημερωμένες αντιλήψεις για τη φύση της επιστήμης φαίνεται να έχει υψηλότερες πεποιθήσεις αυτό-επάρκειας και μεγαλύτερες ανησυχίες για τη διδασκαλία της φύσης της επιστήμης συγκριτικά με τη δεύτερη ομάδα. Ακολουθεί συζήτηση επί των αποτελεσμάτων, εστιάζοντας στις επιπτώσεις αυτών στη διδασκαλία της φύσης της επιστήμης σε περιβάλλοντα εξ αποστάσεως διδασκαλίας.
Optimization of binding affinities in chemical space with generative pre-trained transformer and deep reinforcement learning
Authors: Xu Xiaopeng , Zhou Juexiao , Zhu Chen , Zhan Qing , Li Zhongxiao , Zhang Ruochi , Wang Yu , Liao Xingyu , Gao Xin
Published: June 2023

Background: The key challenge in drug discovery is to discover novel compounds with desirable properties. Among the properties, binding affinity to a target is one of the prerequisites and usually evaluated by molecular docking or quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models.

Methods: In this study, we developed Simplified molecular input line entry system Generative Pre-trained Transformer with Reinforcement Learning (SGPT-RL), which uses a transformer decoder as the policy network of the reinforcement learning agent to optimize the binding affinity to a target. SGPT-RL was evaluated on the Moses distribution learning benchmark and two goal-directed generation tasks, with Dopamine Receptor D2 (DRD2) and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the targets. Both QSAR model and molecular docking were implemented as the optimization goals in the tasks. The popular Reinvent method was used as the baseline for comparison.

Results: The results on Moses benchmark showed that SGPT-RL learned good property distributions and generated molecules with high validity and novelty. On the two goal-directed generation tasks, both SGPT-RL and Reinvent were able to generate valid molecules with improved target scores. The SGPT-RL method achieved better results than Reinvent on the ACE2 task, where molecular docking was used as the optimization goal. Further analysis shows that SGPT-RL learned conserved scaffold patterns during exploration.

Conclusions: The superior performance of SGPT-RL in the ACE2 task indicates that it can be applied to the virtual screening process where molecular docking is widely used as the criteria. Besides, the scaffold patterns learned by SGPT-RL during the exploration process can assist chemists to better design and discover novel lead candidates.
Evaluating the Amyloidosis Speakers Bureau: the influence of amyloidosis patients’ narratives on medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intent
Authors: Adebayo Adebanke L. , Rowan Katherine E. , Sanchorawala Vaishali , Boedicker Mackenzie N. , Boedicker Deborah D.
Published: June 2023

Background:  Amyloidosis is a complex multi-systemic disease. Lack of knowledge about amyloidosis and subsequent mis- or under-diagnosis are major obstacles to treatment, which result in life-threatening organ damage, morbidity, and mortality. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of amyloidosis patients’ narratives on medical students.

Methods:  The Amyloidosis Speakers Bureau (ASB) arranges for amyloidosis patients to speak about their diagnostic and treatment experiences with medical students. Using a randomized post-test only experiment, we compared the effectiveness of patients’ narratives between two groups (treatment and control). Outcome measures included medical students’ intent to actively communicate with patients, acquire knowledge about amyloidosis, and reconsider diagnoses when warranted.

Results:  The treatment group (those who listened to an ASB patient speaker) had higher mean differences on all measures, including the desire to improve communication with patients, acquire and apply knowledge of amyloidosis, and willingness to reconsider diagnoses when symptoms are puzzling.

Conclusions:  ASB patient educators widened awareness of an under-diagnosed disease. Listening to a patient’s narrative was associated with positive attitudes toward communication with patients, interest in acquiring and applying knowledge of amyloidosis, and humility about diagnosis. Narrative and persuasion theory are used to explain this quantitative evidence of the power of patient narratives.
Bursztyn od neolitu do wczesnego średniowiecza w zbiorach Muzeum Okręgowego w Toruniu
Authors: Bielińska-Mjewska Beata , Bokiniec Ewa , Uziembło Romualda
Published: June 2023

Artykuł przedstawia podstawowe dane źródłowe na temat bursztynów  przechowywanych w Dziale Archeologii Muzeum Okręgowego w Toruniu, datowanych od neolitu do wczesnego średniowiecza. Informacje te ujęte są w postaci katalogu znalezisk, wraz z krótkim ich omówieniem i dokumentacją rysunkową.
Zarys zasadniczych problemów metodycznych w badaniach składu chemicznego szkieł zabytkowych (wybrane przykłady)
Authors: Stawiarska Teresa , Bis Magdalena
Published: June 2023

Celem artykułu jest wskazanie niektórych, zasadniczych kwestii metodycznych związanych z badaniami składu chemicznego szkieł zabytkowych, które występują na etapie interpretacji rezultatów analiz oraz klasyfikacji technologicznej szkieł. Zarysowane tu problemy dotyczą szkieł z różnych epok i obszarów, głównie z kontynentu europejskiego. Są one omawiane z odwołaniem do przykładowych prac i zabytków, według nas najważniejszych dla poruszanych tu zagadnień, oraz wybranych publikacji zawierających główne ustalenia lub metody oraz dalszą literaturę przedmiotu. Tekst niniejszy jest adresowany do archeologów podejmujących badania archeometryczne szkieł zabytkowych.
Historia versus polityka. Projekty muzealno-wystawiennicze jako sposób zachowania białorusko-polskiego dziedzictwa historycznego lat 20.–40. XX wieku — refleksje historyka i autora
Authors: Melnikau Ihar
Published: June 2023

Artykuł poświęcony jest wystawom organizowanym przez białoruskiego historyka Ihara Melnikaua w latach 2014–2019. Wspomniane w publikacji projekty poświęcone były różnym aspektom ogólnej białorusko-polskiej historii pierwszej połowy XX wieku.
System polityczny Szwajcarii, czyli przypadek jedyny w swoim rodzaju
Authors: Bankowicz Marek
Published: June 2023

POLITICAL SYSTEM OF SWITZERLAND OR ONE OF A KIND CASE
Switzerland has a unique political system, because of its institutional curiosities and unique democratic procedures. It seems that everyone should be surprised by the same state construction that dialectically combines confederation with federation. The Swiss political system represents a rare model of assembly government, known also as parliamentary-committee system. Its main trait is the lack of power division as a foundation of democratic order. Bicameral parliament – the Federal Assembly, composed of the National Council as representation of people and the Council of States representing the cantons acts as supreme authority and appoints all remaining federal institutions. The mode of election of the National Council is based on strict proportional representation without electoral thresholds and with maximal openness of the whole electoral process. The Federal Council that is popularly considered as government is executive institution and always has seven members. The Swiss governments acts as a collective body without prime minister. One of the members of the Federal Council serves as president. He has only formal procedural duties and has no political prerogatives. And, what is important, contrary to the name of his office, the president is not head of federation, because this role falls to the entire Federal Council. Four strongest political parties of country are represented in the government, and in a result of this, the permanent cooperation of the Swiss system makes a unique consensus democracy.
Demokracja bezpośrednia w Austrii – praktyka i perspektywy rozwoju
Authors: Miecznikowska-Jerzak Justyna
Published: June 2023

DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN AUSTRIA – PRACTICE AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS First, the article traces the historical development of and legal regulations related to the instruments of direct democracy in the Second Republic. It details such forms of direct democracy as: the obligatory and optional referendum (Volksabstimmung), consultative referendum (Volksbefragung) and popular legislative initiative (Volksbegehren), as well as provides historical examples of their use. The latter part of the article elaborates on the positions of the main political parties in Austria and federal coalition plans for the years 2003-2020 against the backdrop of popularisation of forms of direct democracy. The research hypothesis adopted assumes that there is no agreement among the Austrian establishment as to whether direct democracy should become a permanent and significant supplement to representative democracy. The scarce interest in referendums and non-binding (consultative) referendums in Austria results from institutional and legal barriers, which make it difficult to initiate any forms of direct democracy, as well as from the huge influence of political parties that support representative democracy.
Szwajcarska demokracja z perspektywy hermeneutyki wielojęzykowości
Authors: Szymczyński Tomasz R.
Published: June 2023

DEMOCRACY OF SWITZERLAND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE HERMENEUTICS OF MULTILINGUISTICALITY
The aim of this article is to attempt to look at the phenomenon of the multilingual democracy of Switzerland, from the point of view of a methodological perspective called the hermeneutics of multilinguisticality, to answer the question of whether this proposal may prove useful in the area of a better understanding of the phenomena and processes taking place within that field. In a more detailed form, it considers the extent to which this relatively constant presence in the consciousness of the Swiss optic of multilingualism, can influence the ideas about potential solutions of a political and institutional sort.
Wpływ stosowania form demokracji bezpośredniej oraz zasady federalizmu na kształt polityki imigracyjnej i integracyjnej Szwajcarii
Authors: Matykiewicz Aleksandra
Published: June 2023

THE INFLUENCE OF USING FORMS OF DIRECT DEMOCRACY AND THE PRINCIPLE OF FEDERALISM ON THE SHAPE OF SWISS IMMIGRATION AND INTEGRATION POLICY
Switzerland’s migration policy today is the result of international commitments, the needs of the labor market and an aging society, as well as the fears of some Swiss people about the influx of foreigners. Despite the restrictive immigration policy, 39.5% of permanent residents of Switzerland are immigrants or descendants of immigrants in the first generation. Such a state requires measures to integrate newcomers with the host society. The aim of the article is to show to what extent Switzerland’s immigration and integration policy is dependent on the political solutions characteristic of this country – often used forms of direct democracy, such as referendum or popular legislative initiative, and the strong position of the cantons.
Russia’s Foreign Policy Priorities in Eurasia and Northern Africa after America’s Withdrawal from the Middle East: The Purport of Statements
Authors: Diec Joachim
Published: June 2023

The article focuses on the priorities of Russian foreign policy in relation to the Middle East, North Africa, and, above all, Russia’s Eastern European neighbors, after a significant reduction in the activity of the United States in the Middle East. The main research material is the official statements of the top-level Russian decision-makers. It is assumed that the priorities can be examined after analyzing the determination of states to sacrifice a certain group of benefits for more significant gains in the long-term and axiological perspective. The official Russian narrative since President Putin’s Munich speech in 2007 has been characterized by increasing criticism of the US and its allies, especially in view of the destabilization of the situation in the Maghreb, Syria and Afghanistan.What Russia proposes instead is to stop promoting political patterns that are alien to the region and to start pragmatic cooperation. Its obsessive goal is to build a multipolar world that respects zones of influence. The annexation of Crimea and further steps towards assertiveness towards Belarus and Ukraine, whichcould be observed verbally, became the motivation for sanctions by NATOcountries. However, according to its narrative, Russia does not trade with its sovereignty, and the economic activity of the state and the oligarchs rather focused on moderating the effects of the sanctions that the Kremlin was and still is ready to take into account in the long-term perspective with the hope to reunite the socalled Russian World and keep an eye on the ‘near abroad’. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian narrative only became sharper, without departing from its fundamental assumptions. In addition to the obsession with multipolarism, the imperative of defending the Russian population in eternally Russian territories sounded even clearer. Despite the obvious aggression in real behavior, the Kremlin’s verbal propaganda portrays Western policy as the source of international problems and makes it responsible for the outbreak of war. This may indicate the validity of Mearsheimer’s thesis that the presence of Russia’s closest neighbors in the European Union, and even more so in NATO, is perceived in Moscow as an existential threat.
Approximation Benefits of Policy Gradient Methods with Aggregated States
Authors: Russo Daniel
Published: June 2023

Folklore suggests that policy gradient can be more robust to misspecification than its relative, approximate policy iteration. This paper studies the case of state-aggregated representations, in which the state space is partitioned and either the policy or value function approximation is held constant over partitions. This paper shows a policy gradient method converges to a policy whose regret per period is bounded by ϵ, the largest difference between two elements of the state-action value function belonging to a common partition. With the same representation, both approximate policy iteration and approximate value iteration can produce policies whose per-period regret scales as [Formula: see text], where γ is a discount factor. Faced with inherent approximation error, methods that locally optimize the true decision objective can be far more robust.

This paper was accepted by Hamid Nazerzadeh, data science.

Supplemental Material: Data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4788 .
Treatment Effect Risk: Bounds and Inference
Authors: Kallus Nathan
Published: June 2023

Because the average treatment effect (ATE) measures the change in social welfare, even if positive, there is a risk of negative effect on, say, some 10% of the population. Assessing such risk is difficult, however, because any one individual treatment effect (ITE) is never observed, so the 10% worst-affected cannot be identified, whereas distributional treatment effects only compare the first deciles within each treatment group, which does not correspond to any 10% subpopulation. In this paper, we consider how to nonetheless assess this important risk measure, formalized as the conditional value at risk (CVaR) of the ITE distribution. We leverage the availability of pretreatment covariates and characterize the tightest possible upper and lower bounds on ITE-CVaR given by the covariate-conditional average treatment effect (CATE) function. We then proceed to study how to estimate these bounds efficiently from data and construct confidence intervals. This is challenging even in randomized experiments as it requires understanding the distribution of the unknown CATE function, which can be very complex if we use rich covariates to best control for heterogeneity. We develop a debiasing method that overcomes this and prove it enjoys favorable statistical properties even when CATE and other nuisances are estimated by black box machine learning or even inconsistently. Studying a hypothetical change to French job search counseling services, our bounds and inference demonstrate a small social benefit entails a negative impact on a substantial subpopulation.

This paper was accepted by J. George Shanthikumar, data science.

Funding: This work was supported by the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems [Grant 1939704].

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4819 .
Effects of phytoncide on immune cells and psychological stress of gynecological cancer survivors: randomized controlled trials
Authors: Heo Seung-Jae , Park Sang-Kyun , Jee Yong-Seok
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to identify neuroendocrine substances and natural killer (NK) cells, including their subsets and receptors, to determine whether phytoncides scented in an urban hospital could help improve stress in cancer survivors. Fifty-five gynecological cancer survivors were assigned to either the control group (CG, n= 28) or phytoncide group (PTG, n= 27). The PTG meditated by lying down in a space scented with phytoncide for 1 hr a day, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. Stress levels in both groups were high prior to the experiment and decreased by 9.31%± 45.98% (P= 0.003) only in the PTG after the experiment. Although the parasympathetic nerve activity of the PTG increased, the epinephrine and cortisol levels were significantly (P< 0.001) decreased by 5.29%± 25.5% and by 24.94%± 11.62%. Moreover, the PTG showed a significant increase in the levels of NK cell subsets after 8 weeks, whereas there was no improvement in the CG. In conclusion, phytoncide fragrance reduces stress, increases the number of NK cells and their family even in a nonforest environment, and improves innate immunocytes in gynecological cancer survivors; parasympathetic nerve activity and cortisol hormones play critical roles in this process. That is, a phytoncide essential oil helps to stimulate changes in immunocytes’ mobility by affecting the human nervous and endocrine systems, thereby providing relief for psychological stress among cancer survivors who previously had cancer cells.
Effects of muscle damage indicators and antioxidant capacity after interval training on the 800-m records of adolescent middle-distance runners
Authors: Zhao Yaowei , Sim Young-Je
Published: June 2023

To examine the effect of 10-week interval training (IT) at varying intensities on serum muscle damage indicators and antioxidant capacity and determine its effect on the 800-m records of adolescent middle-distance runners. Twenty male high-school middle-distance runners were randomized between the high-intensity IT (HIIT; n= 10) and the medium-intensity IT (MIIT; n= 10) groups. Three sessions/week for 10 weeks (total of 30 sessions) were performed; one session of IT was for 60 min. The high and medium exercise intensities were set at 90%–95% and 60%–70% heart rate reserve (HRR), respectively. Intensity at rest was 40% HRR for both groups. Weight training was performed at 60%–70% of one repetition maximum for two sessions/week. The changes in serum muscle damage indicators and antioxidant capacity in the two groups were measured, and their effects on the 800-m records were analyzed. The 10-week training reduced serum muscle damage indicators in middle-distance runners, but only the HIIT group displayed a decrease in creatine kinase. For the change in antioxidant capacity, the two groups demonstrated no significant change in malondialdehyde (MDA), whereas the HIIT group exhibited a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD). IT also reduced the 800-m records in middle-distance running, and the effect was stronger in the HIIT group. In conclusion, 10-week HIIT can have a positive effect on muscle damage indicators, showed a significant increase in SOD as a key indicator of antioxidant capacity, and improved the 800-m records in middle-distance runners.
The effects of physical exercise therapy on weight control: its regulation of adipocyte physiology and metabolic capacity
Authors: Park Hyun Jung , Rhie Sung Ja , Shim Insop
Published: June 2023

Factors associated with increased body mass, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance, vascular endothelial dysfunction and sleep disorders, may contribute to the exacerbation of cardiovascular disease. These health problems associated with obesity are caused by accumulated metabolism and physical and emotional stress. Lifestyle, especially exercise, is a major therapeutic strategy for the treatment and management of obesity-induced metabolic problems. Metabolic disease often co-occurs with abdominal obesity. Exercise is necessary for the treatment of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A potential benefit of exercise is to promote fat burning and energy use increases both during exercise itself and in the post-exercise period. Exercise suppresses basal metabolic rate and also has many health benefits. Why should we exercise to lose weight? Does physical activity help lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar? In this article, we review the positive effects of physical exercise on weight maintenance and weight loss, and the effectiveness of physical exercise on the treatment and prevention of metabolic syndrome.
Assessment and management of fractures
Authors: Walker Jennie
Published: June 2023

Fractures can have significant impact on function and quality of life, and an cause significant disruption to psychological and social wellbeing. A systematic approach is required for the assessment and management of fractures to ensure effective and timely recovery. Nurses play a key role in the care continuum to support the acute and rehabilitation phases of recovery. The use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures ensure a patient-centred approach to management, gauge progress and identify actions needed to optimise recovery. This article outlines the assessment and management of fractures, common concerns and potential complications.
Everything on Tower (EoT) – Enabling Broadband Access in Rural Areas Through License-Exempt Spectrum – Making the Business of Rural Broadband Happen
Authors: Thakur Kishore Kumar , Gupta Satya N. , Sharma Keshav
Published: June 2023

This paper mainly aims to throw the light on telecom technologies of today and tomorrow. It briefly discusses, how technologies are now starting to be available to connect every village and also it details challenges faced by the technologies in rural areas. With these in mind, a total innovative business model is required to deliver Internet services to rural areas. In order to meet this need, a Danish technology start-up called BLUETOWN took the initiative to significantly enhance the quality of life of rural people in India in various villages of Eastern India by setting up a network of public Wi-Fi hotspots in various villages of India. The challenges from a technology point of view were many. The systems that provided the solution needed to be cost-effective, low maintenance and affordable to the rural masses [1].
A Scoping Review and Framework of Green Business Models Related to Future Wireless Technology: Bridging Green Business Models to Future Wireless Technology
Authors: Lindgren Peter
Published: June 2023

There is a growing interest on the profitability and value of Green Business and Green Business Models related to our societies strong push to greening our businesses due to climate change and environmental challenges. Regulation on businesses is everyday getting tighter on different topics of green. Energy and water consumption, type of energy used, greenhouse emissions, waste, use of materials and resources, recycling of materials, collaboration types and latest fulfillment of UN’s 17 world goals. All topics are more or less being related to the term green and in this case green economy, green business, green business models and green technology are seen as solutions to fulfill the green goals and deals.

In this context many business have endeavored willingly or unwillingly to become and adapt the term green. Studies have shown that business however often find it difficult transforming into green. When users and customers and even competitors are not always loyal to those green business offerings and standards a green business and green business model concept have then it becomes even worse to trust and act on the green business vision.

Knowledge and awareness for green business model within the business model communities lacks. Systematic ways and taxonomies to classify and use the term “green” gives the motivation for the study. In this context the paper commence presenting a literature study on the term green business model and relates this to projects on green business and case studies on green business models. The overall research questions discussed are

1. How have and can green business model be defined?

2. How can Future Wireless Technology enhance the evolvement of Green Business Modelling and green business transformation?

The paper seeks to unwrap the different approaches, origin and views available on the term Green Business Model. The paper verifies their success criteria for classifying a green business model and discuss the role wireless technologies plays and can play in operating Green Business Models. The paper ends by proposing a framework to classify the degree of green related to business models.
Smart City Development in Nordic Medium-sized Municipalities
Authors: Lindtvedt Ida Cathrine Ringdal , Frøhaug Ragnhild Skirdal , Nesse Per Jonny
Published: June 2023

The Nordic countries stand out as digital frontrunners in Europe as well as in a global perspective. However, smart city development in medium-sized municipalities in the Nordic region is less researched than large Nordic cities. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to study how medium- sized municipalities in the Nordic region are organized for smart city development, and how the development is influenced by contextual factors. Data has been collected through interviews of smart city and digitalization leaders in medium-sized municipalities in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, as well as secondary data in the form of strategy documents, statistics and reports. The analytical approach is multiple case study analysis where the selected case-municipalities are analyzed and compared in terms of understanding of the smart city concept, smart city governance, resources and collaboration. Our findings indicate that there are great variations in the maturity of smart city development in medium-sized municipalities in the Nordic region. The findings indicate that successful implementation of smart city projects is related to a structured organizational setup, clear goals and strategies, support from a strategic facilitator and focus on project scaling. Further, the findings suggest that the contextual factors local autonomy, local conditions and the country-level approach to public innovation influence smart city development. The paper provides originality and value by identifying characteristics on how smart city development is organized in medium-sized municipalities across Nordic countries, and how the development is influenced by contextual factors.
Validation of 5G Use Case Solutions – Simultaneous Assessment of Business Value and Social Acceptance in Early Stages of the Research and Innovation Projects
Authors: Nesse Per J. , Hallingby Hanne Stine , Briguglio Luigi , Markopoulos Ioannis
Published: June 2023

This article recommends a lean approach when validating next generation mobile technology (5G) use case solutions in research and innovations projects (R&I). This validation should include a simultaneous and iterative assessment of business value and social acceptance beyond the traditional assessment of technological performance. The context studied in the article is R&I projects funded by the European Commission. Here a consortium of academic and enterprise partners jointly develops 5G product and service solutions for different industry verticals. From the literature review we learn that partnerships and ecosystems accelerate innovations as well as the significance of performing the validation already in the initial steps of the innovation projects. Based on a case study of seven completed 5G R&I projects we revealed that lean methodology for development of use case solutions were not applied. Furthermore, the assessment of potential business values from the 5G use case solutions, was postponed to the later stages of the R&I projects, and that assessing the social acceptance of these solutions were absent. After piloting the lean start-up methodology in an ongoing 5G R&I project (5G SOLUTIONS) we found that the partners advocated technological performance, business value and social acceptance to be ranked equally important to successfully validate the 5G use case solutions in the early steps in the innovation process. The two pilots we executed was performed as online workshops with partners from the 5G SOLUTIONS consortium and the media and entertainment vertical. The prototype was presented and feedback from the stakeholders were collected using surveys and interactive software tools. We recommend further studies and pilots of our lean start-up validation methodology in forthcoming 5G R&I projects funded by Horizon Europe for confirmation of our findings and further refinement.
Inntak konungdóms í konungsríkinu Íslandi
Authors: Bragason Björn Jón
Published: June 2023

Í greininni er gerð grein fyrir inntaki konungdóms í konungsríkinu Íslandi en allt fram til þess tíma er Ísland verður frjálst og fullvalda ríki eru konungbornir þjóðhöfðingjar áhrifamiklir gerendur við stjórn ríkja Norðurálfu, sér í lagi hvað varðar utanríkismál. Í greininni er rakið hvernig meðferð utanríkismála var kjarni konungdómsins í huga Kristjáns X, fyrsta og eina konungs konungsríkisins Íslands, en í hans huga kom ekki annað til álita en aðeins ein utanríkisþjónusta starfaði í hans umboði. Fyrst kastaðist verulega í kekki með konungi og íslenskum ráðamönnum þegar þeir hinir síðarnefndu léðu máls á uppsögn sambandslagasamningsins og þar með stofnun eigin utanríkisþjónustu. Í greininni eru hugtökunum persónusambandi og málefnasambandi gerð skil, leidd að því rök að milli Íslands og Danmerkur hafi verið persónusamband og um tvö aðskilin konungsembætti hafi verið að ræða.
Policy responsiveness and media attention
Authors: Chen Catherine
Published: June 2023

The extent to which policies are genuinely responsive to public opinion is a key indicator of democratic performance. The media plays an agenda-setting role between the public and the legislators, serving as a mechanism through which policies can be responsive to the public. Existing literature has explored policy responsiveness, the media’s agenda-setting power, and how the media’s effect on the political agenda is contingent on socio-political contextual factors. However, the literature has yet to provide rigorous empirical evidence with chronological precision that policies do respond to media attention. This study examines the driving forces behind the responsiveness of energy development policies to media discourse with a novel methodological approach. Using a machine-learning approach, the author analyses thousands of state-level media reports and legislation featuring hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) issues in 15 US states from 2007 to 2017. To model legislation’s responsiveness to media reports, the author identifies topic models for prevalent topics in news articles published in the period leading up to the proposal of a bill. Logistic regression models are estimated with political and socio-economic factors as the predictor variables and whether the bill targets prevalent topics in the news as the dependent variable. The findings suggest that state government ideology, legislators’ partisan affiliations, and unemployment rates predict state-level policy responsiveness to media attention on fracking issues. This study advances our understanding of policymaking’s democratic implications for unconventional energy development and highlights how policymakers can respond strategically to media attention.
Electromagnetic wave propagation in a chiroplasma-filled elliptical waveguide, bounded by a perfect electromagnetic conductor
Authors: Abdoli Arani Abbas
Published: June 2023

This work presents electromagnetic wave propagation in the elliptical waveguides filled with chiroplasma core and an outer perfect electromagnetic conductor boundary. The electromagnetic fields were theoretically examined. The hybrid modes’ dispersion relations and power flux density were calculated considering appropriate boundary conditions, and their behaviors were numerically and graphically studied. The effects of the plasma frequency, the cyclotron frequency, the chirality parameter, and the perfect electromagnetic conductor admittance parameter were investigated for the cutoff frequency. Different modes were considered, and the dispersion relation was plotted and studied for each case. It was shown that the cutoff frequency changes with the change of various parameters such as the plasma and cyclotron frequencies, the chirality parameter, and the perfect electromagnetic conductor admittance parameter. In addition, it was shown that for the considered mode, when the plasma or cyclotron frequencies increase, the values of correspond cutoff frequencies have higher or lower values, respectively. Higher values of the perfect electromagnetic conductor admittance parameter or the chirality admittance parameter yield lower or higher cutoff frequencies of the modes, respectively.
Fourier-transform ghost imaging with super-Rayleigh speckles
Authors: Chen Qian , Tan Zhijie , Yu Hong , Han Shensheng
Published: June 2023

Ghost imaging based on the high-order correlation of optical field has developed rapidly and has been extended to the x-ray region. However, the limited flux leads to severe image deterioration. Here, an approach of Fourier-transform ghost imaging with super-Rayleigh speckles is proposed to realize high quality ghost imaging at low photon flux level. The super-Rayleigh speckles are designed by optimizing binary modulating screens based on the direct binary search algorithm. The experimental results show that the speckle contrast can be greatly enhanced and high visibility Fourier-transform diffraction pattern of the sample can be obtained. The sample’s image in spatial domain is successfully achieved even if the detected photon level decreases to 0.1 photons/pixel. This method is of great importance for high-resolution imaging in the photon-limited scenarios, especially for laboratory x-ray systems.
Investigation polarimetric scattering of light from the randomly rough surface based on the calculation of the Mueller matrix
Authors: Song Baoming , Cao Changqing , Feng Zhejun , Wu Zengyan , Yu Chaoran , Wei Runxi
Published: June 2023

As the transmission matrix of scattering and incident light, the Mueller matrix reflects the polarimetric scattering characteristics of the rough surface, providing a significant reference for the study of light scattering. Currently, few calculations of the Mueller matrix for a two-dimensional randomly rough surface have been carried out by numerical methods. In this paper, we use six polarization states of incident light and calculate their scattering polarization states numerically by finite-difference time-domain method and obtain the rough surface Mueller matrix by combination. To verify the accuracy of the calculated Mueller matrix, the polarization state of the scattering light obtained by simulation is compared with the predicted result, and the maximum relative error is 0.0635, yielding a good result. In addition, we use this method to obtain the Mueller matrix at different incidence angles and investigate the polarization scattering characteristics. The results show that the derived parameters of the Mueller matrix of different media at different incidence angles have distinct trends. This polarization scattering property obtained from the Mueller matrix can be effectively applied to target recognition, material detection, and other fields.