bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graduated compression socks can improve the circulation in athletes - the basis for ‘performance enhancement’: A randomised, crossover, controlled trial
Authors: Salinas Camila Hidalgo , Raptis Dimitri Aristotle , Lenaghan Anthony , Wojnicka Justyna , Padhiar Nat , Padhir Ciaran , Barker Stephen , Agu Obiekezie
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Evidence suggests that below-knee graduated compression apparel may improve training performance. However, its use to have the potential to truly improve sports performance still lacks firm evidence. Furthermore, the extent to which compression wear impacts blood flow has rarely been addressed. This study was designed to evaluate a novel, below-knee graduated compression sock (Anatomic Focus Limited) and to compare it with two other, well-established, leading, sports compression socks, assessing any changes to blood flow in the legs during exercise. Methods: This was a crossover, randomised, controlled trial whereby participants were allocated to three different graduated compression socks; Anatomic Focus (AF), product ‘A’, and product ‘B’, while carrying out pre-specified exercise on a treadmill. Prior, baseline vascular ultrasound doppler measurements from the popliteal artery and vein were obtained at rest. Results: 122 ‘healthy volunteer’ sportspersons participated; their median age was 30 (IQR 26-44) years, 90 were male (74%). AF popliteal artery blood velocity scored highest with a median of 140 (IQR 111-160) when compared to ‘B’ (median 131, IQR 107-156, p<0.001), and ‘A’ (median 127, IQR 107- 150, p<0.001) cm/sec. Similarly, popliteal vein AF measurements scored significantly higher, with a median of 45 (IQR 35-59) when compared to ‘A’ (median 40, IQR 30-52, p< 0.001), and ‘B’ (median 39, IQR 30-47, p< 0.001) cm/sec.Conclusions: The AF sports compression sock was associated with the greatest improvements in both lower leg arterial and venous blood velocities. It is considered that such enhancement of the circulation forms the primary basis for improved performance during (aerobic) exercise and sports.
Model Ensemble with Dropout for Uncertainty Estimation in Binary Sea Ice or Water Segmentation using Sentinel-1 SAR
Authors: Karimzadeh Morteza , Pires de Lima Rafael
Published: January 2024

Despite the growing use of deep learning in sea ice mapping with SAR imagery, the study of model uncertainty and segmentation results remains limited. Deep learning models often produce overconfident predictions, a concern in sea ice mapping where misclassification can impact marine navigation safety. We incorporate and compare dropout and model ensemble within a convolutional neural network segmentation architecture to highlight regions with prediction uncertainty, and explore the impact of loss function choice. We evaluate model generalization and uncertainty characterization by training and evaluating models on the AI4Arctic Sea Ice Challenge Dataset (primary). We further explore model uncertainty by testing the trained models on the Extreme Earth version 2 Dataset (secondary). The primary and secondary datasets vary in number of scenes as well as in the available data and preprocessing. We obtain test F1 results higher than 0.97 for the primary dataset. Although the F1 performance for the secondary dataset is reduced to 0.93, the generated sea ice maps are reasonable across several Sentinel-1 scenes, and our proposed strategy helps in identification of misclassified and uncertain regions for human quality control. Our models seem to be robust against banding noise in Sentinel-1 SAR, and the prediction uncertainty frequently highlights ice regions misclassified as water, indicating its potential for real-world applications. Our study advances the field of machine learning-based sea ice mapping and highlights the importance of uncertainty estimation and cross-dataset evaluation for model development and deployment. Our approach can be adopted for other remote sensing applications as well.
Cooperation Science: Mapping the Landscape of a New Discipline
Authors: Gibson Abraham , Ayers Jessica Daphne , Parmeggiani Cristiano , Alcaraz Gissel Marquez , Jungwirth Arek Rein , Ellison Christopher E. , Bassel George , Maynard Andrew , Cronk Lee , Aktipis Athena
Published: January 2024

Cooperation is ubiquitous across biological and social systems and is critical for the healthy functioning of those systems. Across these many systems, cooperation is underlain by a set of shared principles. Here we give an overview of those principles and describe diverse systems in which cooperation is manifested, from genomes to human groups to human-machine interactions. We also offer a universal language that can be used to talk about cooperation across systems and, thus, facilitate interdisciplinary research and collaborations. By creating a shared understanding and common language for cooperation science, we will be better able to identify and address key issues in the study of cooperation in each of the realms in which it occurs.
Depersonalisation-derealisation as a transdiagnostic treatment target: A scoping review of the evidence in anxiety, depression, and psychosis.
Authors: Černis Emma , Antonović Milan , Kamvar Roya , Perkins Joe , Cernis Emma
Published: January 2024

Depersonalisation and derealisation (DPDR) describe dissociative experiences involving distressing feelings of disconnection from oneself or one’s surroundings. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesise the evidence-base regarding DPDR as a transdiagnostic target for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and psychosis.Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, APA PsychInfo, Scopus, and PubMed were searched for empirical published research and ‘grey’ literature addressing transdiagnostic DPDR and primary anxiety, depression, or psychotic disorders. Extracted data were summarised and provided to the Lived Experience Advisory Panel for interpretation and analysis.We screened 3740 records, resulting in 42 studies addressing DPDR in the context of psychosis, 28 in anxiety, and 24 in depression.The results indicate that transdiagnostic DPDR is highly likely to be a viable treatment target in psychosis, and that it may share common cognitive processes with anxiety disorders. Evidence for the feasibility of DPDR as a treatment target in depression was sparse, and thus inconclusive.Whilst no established interventions targeting transdiagnostic DPDR were identified by this review, its findings highlight many viable options for treatment development. Given the difficulty drawing clinically meaningful conclusions from the current evidence-base, we strongly recommend that this work actively involves people with lived experience of DPDR.
Evaluating Interventions: A Practical Primer for Specifying the Smallest Effect Size of Interest
Authors: Peetz Hannah Katharina , Primbs Maximilian , dudda leonie , Andresen Pia K. , Pennington Charlotte Rebecca , Westwood Samuel James , Buchanan Erin Michelle
Published: January 2024

Effect sizes provide important information to evaluate the effectiveness and meaningfulness of various interventions, strategies, or initiatives. However, researchers often experience difficulty in deciding what effect sizes are meaningful and how to interpret them. In this chapter, we present the Smallest Effect Size of Interest (SESOI) approach to effect size interpretation, which represents the smallest effect a researcher considers to be meaningful in a given study. We highlight three approaches to specifying meaningful SESOIs that do not require much statistical training: the Person as effect size, cost benefit analysis, and minimal important differences. We also provide a case study to demonstrate how to apply these approaches in a real-world setting. The hope is that this chapter facilitates the use of SESOIs in the broader scientific community.
Motion Concept of the Evolution of the Psyche
Authors: Khudiakov Alexander P.
Published: January 2024

The problem of evolution and the nature of the psyche is one of the greatest scientific mysteries. It is impossible to understand the nature of the psyche without tracing its development from simple initial forms to complex and highly organized systems. I propose a holistic concept of the evolution of the psyche based on the development of the ability of animals to perceive three main types of motion inherent in nature, motions of the environment, objects, and animate subjects. I propose a hypothesis about the information structure of perception formed during evolution, which divides the incoming information flow into four elements, conditions of the environment, phenomena of the environment, properties of objects, and behavior of subjects. I show that Jung's psychic functions are manifestations of the elements of the information structure of perception, and individual differences at the basic level are due to differences in the processes of attention, memory, and consciousness within this structure. I claim that the presented information structure of perception is the “skeleton” of the psyche, on which it is built. Together with understanding the mechanisms of evolution of the psyche, it provides a solid theoretical basis for the psychology of perception and makes a breakthrough in the psychology of individual differences.
Exploration of the links between psychosocial wellbeing and face recognition skills in a French-speaking sample
Authors: Nigrou Trishia , Hansenne Michel , Devue Christel
Published: January 2024

Face recognition abilities vary tremendously in the general population. People at the lower end of the spectrum, those with developmental prosopagnosia, report stress, anxiety or social interaction issues due to their poor face recognition abilities. It is thus important to develop adequate diagnostic tools convenient to use for clinicians and to examine relationships between face recognition skills and negative affects. In the present study, we provide a validated French translation of the 20-item prosopagnosia index (PI20), a self-report measure excellent at detecting people with face recognition deficits (Shah et al., 2015; Tsantani et al., 2021). We also examined links between face recognition skills measured with the PI20 and a standard face recognition test (Cambridge face memory test-CFMT; Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006) and measures of social anxiety (social interaction anxiety scale, social phobia scale) and negative affects (state trait anxiety scale, Beck depression inventory). We found a weak positive association between the PI20 and social interaction anxiety. Although this association is weak and warrants further research, raising awareness about developmental face recognition issues may help improve the well-being of people with face recognition deficits and provide new investigation or intervention avenues for clinicians who treat patients with social interaction anxiety.
Parafoveal Preview Benefits Magnified
Authors: Yao Bo , Hand Christopher , Miellet Sebastien , Sereno Sara C
Published: January 2024

This study investigated the impact of word-initial letters and contextual predictability on eye movements during reading. In two experiments, we manipulated the properties of target words in 2 ⨉ 2 within-subject designs, focusing on high- or low-constraining word-initial letter trigrams (e.g., dwarf or clown) that were embedded in high- or low-predictable contexts. Experiment 1 followed a normal reading paradigm, while Experiment 2 employed gaze-contingent magnification to enhance parafoveal text. We found that parafoveal magnification significantly augmented parafoveal processing, enabling word-initial letters and contextual predictability to interactively influence the prelexical activation of parafoveal targets. Our findings showed that the degree of parafoveal processing can be increased by perceptual magnification of preview information. This enhancement made orthographic information of the parafoveal target word accessible earlier, which in turn interacted with contextual factors to shape the graded activation of prelexical candidates for the target word. Our results demonstrate the utility and potential of parafoveal magnification as a novel tool for studying the temporal dynamics and attention allocation in parafoveal processing during reading.
Comparison between clinician and machine learning prediction in a randomized controlled trial for nonsuicidal self-injury
Authors: Ponten Moa , Flygare Oskar , Bellander Martin , Karemyr Moa , Nilbrink Jannike , Hellner Clara , Ojala Olivia , Bjureberg Johan
Published: January 2024

Nonsuicidal self-injury is a common health problem in adolescents and associated to future suicidal behavior. Predicting who will benefit from treatment is a critical first step towards personalized treatment approaches. Machine-learning algorithms have been proposed as techniques that might outperform clinicians’ judgment. The aim of this study was to compare clinician and machine-learning algorithm predictions of which patients would abstain from nonsuicidal self-injury (measured using youth version of Deliberate Self-harm Inventory) after an Internet-delivered emotion regulation therapy (n = 138). Both clinician (accuracy = 0.63) and model-based (accuracy = 0.67) predictions achieved significantly better accuracy than a simple all‐respond model (accuracy = 0.49 [95% CI 0.41 to 0.58]), however there was no statistically significant difference between them. Adding clinician predictions to the random forest model did not improve accuracy. Emotion dysregulation was identified as the most important predictor of nonsuicidal self-injury absence. Here we show comparable prediction accuracy between clinicians and a machine-learning algorithm in the psychological treatment of nonsuicidal self-injury in a moderately sized clinical sample among youth. As both prediction approaches achieved modest accuracy, the current results indicate the need for further research to enhance the predictive power of machine-learning algorithms. Screening for emotion dysregulation may be an important factor to consider in the treatment planning of adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury.
Hand to Hand: A novel pattern of remote tactile improvement following training-independent learning
Authors: Muret Dollyane , Silvia Macchione , Dinse Hubert R. , Koun Eric , Salemme Romeo , REILLY Karen , FARNE ALESSANDRO
Published: January 2024

Tactile perception is key for our hand dexterity and daily occupations. As we predominantly use our hands together in a cooperative manner, better understanding how perception on one hand can impact - and maybe benefit - perception on the other hand is crucial. While growing evidence points towards interactions between both cortical and perceptual processing across hands, little is known about such interactions following perceptual learning. To fill this gap, here we used an Hebbian-like repetitive stimulation of the right index finger to induce training-independent learning on that finger and assessed tactile perception of the thumb, index and middle fingers of both hands. Across two experiments, including one in double-blind and against a control group receiving a sham stimulation, we report in the test groups consistent improvements in tactile perception not only locally at the stimulated finger, but also remotely on the contralateral hand, at the left thumb and middle fingers. In contrast, tactile perception in the ipsilateral hand (i.e., right thumb and middle fingers) and control group remained stable. These findings provide new and compelling evidence that Hebbian-like stimulation on one hand affects the way sensory information is processed on the other hand. This represents a substantial step forward in understanding how somatosensory plasticity may occur between hands. The present results also open new horizons, both methodological and conceptual, that can substantially impact sensorimotor rehabilitative strategies.
How Ideology Shapes Legal Concepts: The Case of Public Order
Authors: Palisek Petr , Smejkalova Terezie , Serek Jan , Štěpáníková Markéta
Published: January 2024

This study explores how ideology and legal reasoning intersect, using a unique network modelling approach to examine the vague legal concept of public order as a social representation. We find support for the assumption that while the core of public order is commonly agreed upon among lawyers, the periphery is variable and connected to ideology, especially Right-Wing Authoritarianism. In this regard, political beliefs seem to be linked with reasoning about some public order judgements, such as when assessing LGBTQ+ rights.
Dare to know!: The existential costs of a faith in science
Authors: Folk Dunigan Parker , Rutjens Bastiaan T , van Elk Michiel , Heine Steven
Published: January 2024

Over the past century many people have left religion in favor of science, but it is unclear how this change affects how people make sense of their own existence. We sought to explore the differing dimensions of science beliefs and how they relate to existential benefits such as a sense of meaning in life and feelings of significance. Across two studies involving American adults and American STEM workers (N = 1001), we found that scientism and scientific reductionism are negatively associated with existential benefits that are typically linked to religious beliefs. In contrast, optimism towards science was positively associated with existential benefits. Our findings suggest that a dogmatic view of science does not serve as a substitute for the meaning and significance that religion often provides. The results also highlight the importance of treating faith in science as a multi-dimensional construct.
Profiles of cybersickness symptoms
Authors: Kelly Jonathan , Hayes Nicole Lyn , Doty Taylor , Gilbert Stephen B. , Dorneich Michael
Published: January 2024

Cybersickness -- discomfort caused by virtual reality (VR) -- remains a significant problem that negatively affects the user experience. Research on individual differences in cybersickness has typically focused on overall sickness intensity, but a detailed understanding should include whether individuals differ in the relative intensity of cybersickness symptoms. This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to explore whether there exist groups of individuals who experience common patterns of cybersickness symptoms. Participants played a VR game for up to 20 minutes. LPA indicated three groups with low, medium, and high overall cybersickness. Further, there were similarities and differences in relative patterns of nausea, disorientation, and oculomotor symptoms between groups. Disorientation was lower than nausea and oculomotor symptoms for all three groups. Nausea and oculomotor were experienced at similar levels within the high and low sickness groups, but the medium sickness group experienced more nausea than oculomotor. Characteristics of group members varied across groups, including gender, virtual reality experience, video game experience, and history of motion sickness. These findings identify distinct individual experiences in symptomology that go beyond overall sickness intensity, which could enable future interventions that target certain groups of individuals and specific symptoms.
The How and Why of Sleep: Motor Theory and Catecholamine Hypothesis
Authors: Ma Chenyan , Dan Yang
Published: January 2024

The transition from wakefulness to sleep is associated with profound changes in the brain and body. In addition to altered states of consciousness, there are marked reductions in somatic and autonomic motor activity. To understand how mammalian sleep is generated, whole-brain screening for sleep neurons has revealed a large network spanning the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. We unify various experimental findings in a “motor theory”, in which the sleep-control mechanism is integral to somatic and autonomic motor control circuits, allowing coordinated reductions in mental arousal and physical activity for sleep generation. Regarding the why question, sleep deprivation is known to cause metabolic and immune disruptions in addition to cognitive and emotional impairments, but could these diverse effects be traced to a single, basic biological process? We here propose a “catecholamine hypothesis”, in which inactivation of catecholamine (dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline) signaling is essential for not only sleep generation but also the various benefits of sleep. Besides promoting brain arousal and somatic/autonomic motor activity, catecholamines are master regulators of metabolic and immune functions; suppression of catecholamine activity during sleep has wide-ranging effects that together facilitate repair and rejuvenation. Furthermore, catecholaminergic neurons are particularly vulnerable to metabolic stress and neurodegeneration. Such vulnerability, hence the recurring need for rest and recovery of these neurons, may be a major cause for homeostatic sleep pressure. Thus, the motor theory offers a simple framework for understanding how sleep is controlled by a distributed circuit mechanism, and the catecholamine hypothesis posits a singular process that underpins the multifaceted reasons for sleep.
Cleavage Theory Meets Gender Equality: Examining Party Positions in Germany
Authors: Wallaschek Stefan , Verbalyte Monika , Eigmüller Monika
Published: January 2024

The paper analyses party positions on gender equality policies in Germany. While these policies have been intensively studied in various national contexts and for different parties, less is known to what extent these positions are explained by socio-cultural or socio-economic cleavages. Based on an original party expert survey, conducted in Germany in 2021, we demonstrate that the political space in Germany on gender equality policies is strongly structured along the GAL-TAN divide. We also show that the positions of moderate TAN parties differ most strongly regarding LGBTQI issues whilst GAL parties equally support women -related and LGBTQI-related issues. The Green party and the right-wing party AfD occupy the most consistent and salient but also outermost positions in the political space. Our study makes a substantial contribution to the analysis of gender equality policies and offers a systematic analysis of party positions in the realm of the cultural GAL-TAN cleavage.
A mechanism of random opinion fluctuation for the modeling of reflective agents and its influence on the opinion formation in the C/PA relative agreement societies
Authors: Abrica-Jacinto N. Letica , Kurmyshev Evguenii
Published: January 2024

This article explores the mathematical modelling of intricate internal process of agents’ thoughts, highlighting its importance in the opinion formation at both personal and social level. Current models of opinion dynamics often evade the reflective and focus primarily on the reactive agents. With intent to fill this gap, the article introduces an al?gorithm that simulates the reflection process, assigning this capacity to a number of agents. Simulations and comparative analysis on a small?world network reveal that the reflective agents have a notable impact on the dynamics of opinion; in particular, the proportion and activeness of reflective agents influence the breadth and smoothness of the opinion spectrums, and their presence encourages agents in the formation of centrist groups and create greater tolerance of agents to the opinion of others. These results highlight the intricate dynamics and importance of reflective agents in opinion formation.
Permanent Crisis Governance in the European Union
Authors: Rhinard Mark
Published: January 2024

Existing studies on the impact of crises on the EU often overlook the meta-level effects wrought by a series of repeated crises and the continuous mobilization of crisis management activities. This chapter addresses that gap not by studying the role of crises in any particular sector, institution or level, but rather by drawing on empirical material that reveals the remarkably broad extent to which crisis management has permeated European governance in general. The argument pursued here is that European governance, defined as the actors, rules, tools, practices, and norms that attempt to steer collective outcomes across the EU, has been increasingly infused with crisis-oriented dynamics. The implications of the move from European governance to ‘permanent crisis governance’ are significant, not only for how the EU works as a shared decision making system across a host of policy areas but also for what the EU is as a political entity. The chapter is structured in terms of the causes, content, and consequences of EU crisis governance.
Precision Accelerated Clinically Embedded Research (PACER): A Model Architecture for Supporting Rapid Scalable Point-of-Care Research
Authors: STARREN JUSTIN , Friedman Emma , Sehgal Shruti , Hosseini Mohammad , Steans Matthew Russell , Baumann Matthew J. , Theresa L Walunas , Michelson Kelly
Published: January 2024

Across the United States, only 3% of eligible patients participate in clinical research. One challenge of engaging patients in clinical research is that most people obtain their healthcare outside of major Academic Medical Centers (AMCs), whereas most research occurs within major AMCs. This situation limits the number and diversity of research participants. To increase both the number and diversity of research participants, and the number of clinical practices participating in research, we propose a technology-based model architecture which makes minimal risk clinical research accessible and scalable outside of AMCs. Our approach, Precision Accelerated Clinically Embedded Research (PACER), leverages emerging health care computing technologies to automatically identify eligible patients for a particular study and to incorporate a question or low-risk physical exam seamlessly into the clinical workflow with minimal time commitment for clinicians, staff, and patients. The PACER model is inspired by a thought experiment: “If you could ask every person with a particular medical condition or on a certain medication who walked into a doctor’s office anywhere in the country today just one question, how would research change?” Recent advances in health care information technology, such as the Fast Health Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standards and Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Hooks, make it possible to support the PACER approach across organizations and disparate EHRs. Besides describing the PACER model architecture and how it could be implemented, we identify potential ethical issues, as well as sociotechnical aspects of implementing PACER that should be considered in future work.
The Foundational Inequality – Race Differences in Education Mobility in the US
Authors: Fletcher Jason , Grodsky Eric , Jajtner Katie
Published: January 2024

Education can break the intergenerational cycle of disadvantage but, like socioeconomic status, education is also persistent across generations (Fletcher & Han, 2019; Hertz et al., 2007). This persistence can erode the power of education to fuel the mobility prospects of members of some groups relative to others. To describe variation in the mobility-enhancing potential of education, we examine sex and racial/ethnic patterns in intergenerational education mobility. Results suggest women unambiguously experience better mobility outcomes relative to males; however, patterns by race/ethnicity are less clear. Although there is evidence of some differentiated education mobility by race/ethnicity, estimates often lack precision. Among males, upward mobility is relatively consistent across race/ethnicity. Downward mobility appears highest among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Americans and lower among Asian Americans relative to non-Hispanic White American males. Females have less evidence of differentiated education mobility across race/ethnicity. Contextual correlates at the individual and spatial levels tend to reveal less upward mobility and more downward mobility for disadvantaged groups; however, certain mobility metrics do not offer consistent findings.
Efectos de la inseguridad alimentaria en población vulnerable adulto mayor: revisión rápida de la literatura
Authors: Valbuena Jorge Sebastian Ramirez , Rodríguez Manuela Quiñonez , Palencia-Sánchez Francisco , Valenzuela Alexia Morales , Quezada Vanessa Nuñez , Morales Diego Castillo , Hoffmann Constanza Yévenes
Published: January 2024

Food insecurity and malnutrition are topics of great importance today, especially among certain population groups, such as the elderly. This quick literature review aims to examine the impact of food on the vulnerable population, the "elderly." To do so, a literature search was conducted, followed by an analysis of 37 articles, categorizing the results into three different groups: the effects of food and malnutrition in the elderly, the impact of food banks, and diet in the elderly. The findings indicate that food insecurity and malnutrition are significant issues among the elderly population and have been identified as a significant risk factor for both mortality and various negative outcomes, including frailty, unintentional weight loss, an increase in chronic diseases, and quality of life. Furthermore, the importance of the diets consumed is highlighted, revealing various associations between poor and moderate-quality diets and negative outcomes, primarily in terms of frailty. In conclusion, our study encompasses the primary impacts of malnutrition and food insecurity in the elderly population, uncovering multiple negative outcomes in various evaluated aspects.
Effective Community Entry: Reflections on Community Engagement in Culturally Sensitive Research in Southwestern Nigeria.
Authors: Omobowale Olubukola , Koski Alissa , Olaniyan Halimat Omowumi , Nelson Bidemi , Egbokhare Olayinka , Omigbodun Olayinka
Published: January 2024

AbstractEffective community entry processes influence community participation and acceptance of public health interventions. Though there is a growing body of literature on the importance of community partnerships, there is a lack of pragmatic and practical documentation of the experiences involved in the community entry process as it relates to culturally sensitive topics such as child marriage which can help to support researchers working in this field.This article highlights key themes related to knowledge of the community, effective communication, cultural sensitivity, coproduction, and giving feedback which help to build trust between the community members and the research team. Institutional representation, not managing expectations, and lack of clarity, along with personal opinions of community gatekeepers can create challenges for the fostering of trustworthy relationships with the community. These realities must be actively addressed right at the onset of the process between the research team and community stakeholders.Researchers can develop trust, form connections, and engage different communities by working with local groups and leaders, using culturally appropriate methods, and addressing community concerns. Future projects working with communities on child marriage in Nigeria and other countries would benefit from the reflections presented in this commentary.
Hearts and Minds: The Technopolitical Role of Affect in Sociotechnical Imaginaries
Authors: Hughes Stephen
Published: January 2024

Sociotechnical Imaginaries (SIs) have emerged as a popular and generative concept within Science and Technology Studies (STS). However, the affective component of SIs has been under-theorized thus far in the literature. This article combines a review of literatures in SIs scholarship, affective practice, and psychoanalytic psychosocial studies alongside an empirical case study of an anti-fracking imaginary in Ireland to suggest how we might theorize an affective technopolitics of SIs. The literature review identifies three key aspects of SIs that would benefit from a more coherent conceptualization of affect. These are the utopian, productive, and collectivizing dimensions of imaginaries. The review points out that emotions such as desire and fear appear prominently in SI literature but in ways that require development. Using empirical examples from my research, I outline what this developed understanding of emotions in imaginaries might look like. I examine the role that emotions played in the development and settlement of an anti-fracking imaginary in Ireland, highlighting how the intensive, multimodal, and dynamic nature of affect underpinned the productive, collective, and utopian dimensions of the SI. I conclude with some remarks about how this developed theory of emotion in the imaginary positions STS researchers to address issues of humanity, representation, and the building of better worlds.
Acutely Absent: A Four-Year Statewide Descriptive Analysis of Missing Children and their Educational Characteristics
Authors: Vanderhaar Judi , Hill John C.
Published: January 2024

Each year, children in the United States go missing. Some are reported missing, and others are not. This paper examines reported missing children trends over four years, including temporal changes, duration of disappearance, recurrence, and demographics. Utilizing the state's student information education data, it addresses a literature gap by emphasizing educational characteristics. Notably, findings indicate a disproportionate representation of missing children among students of color, those with emotional/behavioral disabilities, and those in alternative programs. The study suggests policy and practical implications to enhance prevention in schools, identify high-risk students for trafficking, and support those rejoining after an absence. This research aims to prioritize addressing the prevention and support of missing children through K-12 educational systems.
Quantifying Lifetime Productivity Changes: A Longitudinal Study of 320,000 Late-Career Scientists
Authors: Kwiek Marek , Szymula Łukasz
Published: January 2024

The present study focuses on persistence in research productivity over the course of an individual’s entire scientific career. We track “late-career” scientists—scientists with at least 25 years of publishing experience (N=320,564)—in 16 STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) and social science disciplines from 38 OECD countries for up to five decades. Our OECD sample includes 79.42% of late-career scientists globally. We examine the details of their mobility patterns as early-career, mid-career, and late-career scientists between decile-based productivity classes, from the bottom 10% to top 10% of the productivity distribution. Methodologically, we turn a large-scale bibliometric dataset (Scopus raw data) into a comprehensive, longitudinal data source for research on careers in science. The global science system is highly immobile: half of global top performers continue their careers as top performers and one-third of global bottom performers as bottom performers. Jumpers-Up and Droppers-Down are extremely rare in science. The chances of moving radically up or down in productivity classes are marginal (1% or less). Our regression analyses show that productivity classes are highly path dependent: there is a single most important predictor of being a top performer, which is being a top performer at an earlier career stage.
Science Journalism Practice in India: Results From a Scoping Survey
Authors: Datta Sayantan , Sundaresan Shruti , Thapliyal Utsav
Published: January 2024

In the absence of a systematic study that investigates the contours of science journalism practice in India, we, a group of science journalists and communicators, undertook a scoping survey. The survey, circulated through formal and informal networks of science journalists in India, received 23 responses comprising science journalists working as editors, reporters, and writers in both freelance and full-time capacities. Here, we present a preliminary analysis of the 22 suitable responses to the survey. Our findings provide a glimpse into both encouraging and worrying trends in science journalism practice in India; notably, we find evidence of an improving relationship between science journalists and scientists in India. We also report survey respondents’ opinions on barriers to effective science journalism practice in India. Our study demonstrates the importance of systematic investigations into science journalism practice in India in order to ideate strategies to bolster its effectiveness.
Is There Convergence in Government Expenditures on Health in the EU?
Authors: Macanović Paola , Malešević Perović Lena
Published: January 2024

Ovaj rad empirijski procjenjuje postojanje konvergencije državne po­trošnje na zdravstvo među zemljama EU. Ekonomske integracije i ujedinjenje tr­žišta unutar Europske Unije potiču konvergenciju u dohocima, čime se nameće pitanje postojanja konvergencije i nekih drugih varijabli vezanih uz dohodak, kao što je državna potrošnja za zdravstvenu zaštitu. Stoga se u ovom radu te­stira konvergencija ove vrste troškova unutar EU, tijekom razdoblja 2005.-2019. Rezultati empirijskog testiranja ukazuju na postojanje konvergencije u izdaci­ma na zdravstvo po stanovniku, i u BDP-u, u promatranom razdoblju.
Demographic Structure of the European Union
Authors: Mrvica Mađarac Sandra , Šibila Svetlana , Gubić Kučan Lana
Published: January 2024

Europska unija se sastoji od 27 europskih država, a cilj joj je integraci­ja i jedinstveno tržište europskog kontinenta. Demografska struktura utječe na gospodarsko stanje države, a uzročno-posljedično i gospodarsko stanje države utječe na demografska kretanja. Starenje stanovništva je efekt u razvijenim društvima, a nastao je kao posljedi­ca različitih čimbenika (zdravstvene i socijalne zaštite, smanjene stope fertilite­ta, urbanizacije, industrijalizacije). Usprkos smanjenju prirodnog rasta unutar Europske unije i starenju stanovništva ona prolazi kroz konstantan rast broja stanovnika zbog pozitivnog migracijskog salda. Za gospodarski razvoj države i razvoj njenog stanovništva je važna dobno-spolna struktura jer iz nje proizla­zi uravnoteženje muškog i ženskog stanovništva koje je važno za reprodukciju stanovništava i iz koje se formira radno sposobno stanovništvo.
The Influence of Experienced Entrepreneurial Self-Efficiency on the Tendency to Apply Effective Logic
Authors: Stanić Marina , Jakopec Ana , Delač Marković Sara
Published: January 2024

Efektualna logika predstavlja način promišljanja i donošenja od­luka karakterističan za poduzetnike eksperte koji odluke donose najčešće u uvjetima visoke razine neizvjesnosti. Sklonost primjene efektualne logi­ke vezana je uz percepciju kontrole nad određenom situacijom i ishodima iste, dok je percepcija kontrole usko vezana uz doživljaj samoefikasnosti. Cilj istraživanja je testirati pretpostavku kako će pojedinac koji vjeruje u svoje sposobnosti potrebne da izvrši određeni zadatak (visoka razina samoefika­snosti), imati snažniji osjećaj kontrole nad događajima i biti skloniji primjeni efektualne logike u donošenju odluka. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo eksperimentalni dizajn, a podaci su prikuplje­ni na uzorku studenata ekonomskog fakulteta kao predstavnika populaci­je potencijalnih poduzetnika. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju kako je skupi­na ispitanika s induciranim višim doživljajem poduzetničke samoefikasno­sti sklonija primijeniti efektualnu logiku pri donošenju odluka u hipotet­skim poslovnim situacijama u odnosu na skupinu sudionika s induciranim niskim doživljajem poduzetničke samoefikasnosti i kontrolnom skupinom ispitanika.
تحولات القوة على امتداد شرق النيل: قضية سد النهضة والمفاهيم الخاطئة الشائعة
Authors: السعيدي محمد , بشير محمد
Published: January 2024

تشهد الأنهار العابرة للحدود ضغوطًًا متزايدة بسبب تنامي عدد السكان والاقتصادات، ف ضلًًا عن عواقب التغيّّر البيئي. ومع تنامي استغلال تدفّّق الأنهار، كشفت النقاشات العامة عن بروز بعض المخاوف من جراء النزاعات العنيفة المحتمََلة بين الدول. ومن أجل حلّّ تلك المشكلات الناشئة، تدعو الأدبيات الأكاديمية إلى آراء أكثر دقة، تقوم على أدلة متعلّّقة بالنزاعات المائية العابرة للحدود، وتقترح أدوات تستند إلى دبلوماسية المياه والتعاون المشترك. وتستخدم هذه الدراسة النزاع في شرق النيل، بوصفه دراسة حالة، لتحديد ثمانية مفاهيم خا طئة شائعة ترتبط بالنزاع الدائر حول بناء سد النهضة الإثيوبي الكبير. وت ضع الدراسة النزاع المذكور في سياق التحوّّل الأوسع لاستغلال النهر، في ظل منافسة متزايدة تتعلّّق باستخدام المياه. إن النزاع المتواصل في شرق النيل، يتجاوز القضايا التقنية الخاصة بتشغيل السد، وينطوي على ق ضايا أكبر ترتبط بحقوق استخدام المياه والتنمية الوطنية وتقلّّب المناخ وتغيّّره، كما أنه جزء لا ينفصل من السياسات المائية الإقليمية المعقّّدة التي تشارك فيها جهات فاعلة جديدة. وتُُظهِِر الأدلّّة الأكاديمية الحديثة أن دول شرق النيل المتشا طئة )مصر والسودان وإثيوبيا( تواجه حقائق تفاوضية فريدة، وتأثيرات بيئية متفاوتة للنزاع في سد النهضة. إن هذا النزاع يوفّّر فرصة لتيسير تقاسم المنافع في حوض النيل. ويظل التعاون في مجال المياه المسارََ الواقعي الوحيد لحلّّ النزاعات المائية العابرة للحدود في المنطقة.
دبلوماسية المياه: ما أهميتها؟ وكيف تعمل؟
Authors: حسين حسام , كامبل زوي , ليذر جوزفين , رايس باتريك
Published: January 2024

تثير الطبيعة المشتركة للموارد المائية العابرة للحدود، غالبًًا، توتراتٍٍ حول تخصيصها واستخدامها، ما قد يؤدي إلى توتر العلاقات والتعاون بين الدول. ومع مشاركة 153 دولة في هذه الموارد عبر الحدود، فإن إدارة الأنهار والبحيرات وطبقات المياه الجوفية على نحو مستدام وتعاوني أمرٌٌ بالغ الأهمية. وهذا يتطلب اتباع نهج منسق من خلال دبلوماسية المياه لتجنب تفاقم الصراعات. في حين تختلف تفسيرات دبلوماسية المياه، فمن ال ضروري تسليط ال ضوء على أهمية الدبلوماسية في تحقيق أهداف أوسع خارج نطاق إدارة المياه.
الليطاني نهرًا جامعًا بين الطوائف: نحو إعادة بناء فضلى في لبنان
Authors: عميري حسين
Published: January 2024

تتناول هذه الدراسة الأهمية الحيوية لنهر الليطاني في لبنان، وتعالج التحديات البيئية الناجمة عن التلوث الشديد في النهر، حيث يُُلقى حوالى 40 مليون متر مكعب من مياه الصرف الصحي غير المعالجة سنويًًا. وتحاجّّ في أن الهشاشة السياسية والاستجابة الحكومية غير الكافية في لبنان، مع النظام الطائفي والحرب الأهلية والفقر المدقع، عوامل أسهمت في تعزيز عدم التوصل إلى صيغة لحل أزمة لبنان المائية. وتؤكد الدراسة على الحاجة الملحّّة لتنمية مستدامة وإعادة إعمار متوازنة في لبنان، من خلال تطبيق حلول متكاملة وحوكمة فعالة للماء والأرض. وتُُبرز أهمية الاستخدام الفعّّال للموارد الطبيعية وتبنّّي تقنيات مبتكرة لبناء مرونة تجاه تغير المناخ، مثل خدمات الاستشعار عن بعد وتحسين جمع مياه الأمطار وتعزيز ر طوبة التربة.
دور محكمة العدل الدولية في تطور القانون الدولي للمياه
Authors: عاصي جوني
Published: January 2024

يلجأ عدد متزايد من الدول إلى محكمة العدل الدولية لحل نزاعاته المائية. وهذا تطور إيجابي، لأنه يسمح للمحكمة بوضع معايير استخدام الممرات المائية وتحسينها والمساعدة في حل النزاعات المائية. وتعكس قرارات المحكمة التوتر بين السيادة والقانون الدولي. وتعطي بعض القرارات الأولوية للسيادة والمعاهدات، في حين يعطي البعض الآخر المبادئ الأخلاقية والنظريات الاجتماعية وزنًًا أكبر. ومع ذلك، ا ختارت المحكمة عدم تناول المياه باعتبارها حقًًا من حقوق الإنسان. تركز هذه الدراسة على دور محكمة العدل الدولية في تطور القانون الدولي للمياه، وترى أنه من ال ضروري أن نفهم أن المحكمة لا تزال تقدّّر السيادة في تفسيرها للقوانين، وهو ما يحدّّ في كثير من الأحيان من حماية حقوق الجماعات غير التابعة للدولة.
القرن الأفريقي عمقًًا استراتيجيًًا خليجيًًا
Authors: تركي خالد
Published: January 2024

عنوان الكتاب: القرن الأفريقي عمقًًا استراتيجيًًا خليجيًًا. المؤلف: مدوخ عجمي العتيبي. سنة النشر: 2021 . الناشر: الدوحة: مركز الجزيرة للدراسات. عدد الصفحات: 230 .
المياه العابرة للحدود في المنطقة العربية: من النزاع إلى تقاسم المنافع والتعاون الإقليمي
Authors: السعيدي محمد
Published: January 2024

يرتكز هذا العدد الخاص على المناقشات الأكاديمية في مجال التعاون المائي والدبلوماسية. وقد حظيت تلك المناقشات بالاهتمام في العقود الماضية؛ بفعل التهديدات المتنامية، التي يواجهها استخدام الموارد المائية المشتركة. يجمع هذا العدد الخاص إسهامات مهمة تهدف إلى فهم تحدّّيات التعاون في ملف المياه العابرة للحدود وآفاقها في المنطقة العربية. وتوضح مواده أن تعاون المنطقة العربية على مستوى المياه أمر لا غنى عنه، عبر استراتيجيات أكثر انخراطًًا في مجال دبلوماسية المياه والتعاون الإقليمي. لقد تأثّّرت الدول العربية مؤخّّرًًا بسياسات الهيمنة الخارجية، التي فرضتها الدول المجاورة فيما يتعلّّق بالمياه، ولم تعثر في كثير من الأحيان على الاستجابات المناسبة. فتطوّّر القانون الدولي للمياه لم يكن كافيًًا لحلّّ النزاعات بين الدول على نحو فاعل. لكنّّ هذا العدد يبيّّن أيضًًا أن دبلوماسية المياه وحدها لا تكفي لحلّّ مشكلات المياه المتعدّّدة الأوجه في المنطقة. إن كثيرًًا من هذه المشكلات نتجت من عقود من الفشل في تطوير الإدارة المستدامة للمياه، وتنميتها على المستوى المحلي.
COV-19 RELATED DISCOURSE GENERIC ANALYSES
Authors: Goradze Tamta , Gvarishvili Zeinab
Published: January 2024

COVID-19 related discourse has been gaining widespread attention due to its extension and coverage area (geographical area, age groups, layers of society, etc.). It can therefore be argued that the problem is global and sorting it out goes far of the local medical interventions. Cov-19 related discourse, presented by authoritative persons on the press conference (which is not a coincidental area and plays an intermediary role), responsible for preventing the society from killing virus requires not only medical treatment but the real art of communication as well.

On the one hand, selecting an efficient communicative strategy and on the other, analyzing a real idea lying under meticulously chosen generic features requires generic analyses of either discourse or a text.

This paper is established on corpus based linguistic analysis, which enabled us to identify the frequency and apportioning of each discourse marker observed in target empirical material, to highlight dominant and supplementary discourse features, to strengthen hypotheses that Cov-19 related discourse or a text is hybrid. Over and above that, analyses outcome, sheds new light on generic features of COVID-19 related discourse and opens a wider scope for a socio-critical look at what responsible persons do with language and why do they do it.
REGIONAL SECURITY: THE CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE TRENDS IN CENTRAL ASIA
Authors: Densmaa Oyuntsetseg , Baasankhuu Suren
Published: January 2024

In an interconnected world, the security of a nation is closely intertwined with the security of its neighboring regions. Regional security changes have the potential to significantly impact a nation's overall security. In the geopolitical and geo-economic scenario, the strategic position and possession of a state or region remains a challenging issue as evident from the evolving strategic scenario of 21st Century international politics. In this framework, the Central Asian region is considered to be of major strategic significance because of its geopolitical position. In addition, the region possesses some of the important energy resources, mainly oil and gas, and access to them is of strategic significance to all involved – regional as well as external players. This study aims to provide an overview of the current situation of Central Asian countries and their prospects in security. Geographically Central Asia, the central part of Asia, this region is directly bordered by influential players in international relations. Central Asia is bordered by the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. The region consists of former Soviet republics such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.

Central Asia has been an area of geopolitical interest due to its strategic location and abundant natural resources. To understand the current situation and future trends in regional security, it is essential to consider a few key factors. First of all, the Political Stability: Central Asia comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. While these nations have made progress in political stability since gaining independence from the Soviet Union, challenges persist. Authoritarian governance, limited political pluralism, and ethnic tensions have occasionally affected stability in the region. Next, Terrorism and Extremism: Central Asia has faced the threat of terrorism and extremism, primarily from groups like the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), the Taliban, and now the Islamic State (IS). Also, it is Poverty, lack of economic opportunities, and political repression have contributed to the vulnerability of Central Asian populations to radicalization. The intricate balancing act of Central Asian states is examined through the concept of multi-vectors, a strategy used by these nations to diversify foreign alliances and resist domination by any single power.