bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shortterm and long-term results of bimammary bypass surgery in patients with multivessel coronary disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus after propensity score matching
Authors: Muradov A. G. , Grinshtein Yu. I. , Drobot D. B. , Miller A. Yu. , Sakovich V. A.
Published: December 2023

Background. Among patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), the proportion of people with diabetes mellitus (DM) is about 40 %. To date, the problem of choosing the optimal method of surgical myocardial revascularization, which can provide the best result in this cohort, remains completely unresolved. The aim of the study. To assess the in-hospital and long-term results of bimammary and traditional bypass surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods. From September 2018 to December 2021, 176 CABG surgeries were performed in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes at the Federal Center for Cardiovascular Surgery (Krasnoyarsk). Group 1 (n = 45) included patients who underwent myocardial revascularization using two mammary arteries; group 2 (n = 131) included patients who underwent myocardial revascularization using traditional technique. After propensity score matching, 45 patients were selected into each group, comparable by basic preoperative characteristics. Results. In group  1, cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries were performed in 23 (51.1 %) patients (group 1CPB), off-pump surgeries – in 22 (58.2 %) (group 1OP); in group  2, all patients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries. Hospital mortality was recorded in group 2 in 1 (2.2 %) case. Deep sternal infection developed in 1 (4.5 %) patient in group 1OP. Long-term survival in group 2 was 85.3 %, in group 1CPB – 83.3 % (p = 0.689), in group 1OP – 84.2 % (p = 0.739). 84.2 % of patients in group 2 and 100 % in groups 1CPB and 1OP had no cardiovascular events (p = 0.144 and p = 0.145, respectively). Conclusion. Bimammary bypass surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes is a safe and effective method of surgical treatment of coronary artery disease in both shortand long-term period and may be the operation of choice in patients with multivessel disease. There were no differences in patient survival up to 45 months; bimammary revascularization was associated with 100 % absence of cardiac mortality.
Quality of life of patients with singleand multigland parathyroid disease in sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism before and after surgical treatment
Authors: Ilyicheva E. A. , Bersenev G. A. , Roy T. A.
Published: December 2023

Background. In 15–25 % of cases, the cause of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is multigland parathyroid disease. The complexity of clinical and laboratory prognosis, low efficiency of imaging methods, inaccurate assessment of the radicality of the surgery are the components of the problem of this variant of the disease. Quality of life (QOL) is an important criterion for the effectiveness of surgical treatment. A study of the QOL in patients with multigland parathyroid disease in PHPT has not been previously conducted in our country. The aim of the study. To assess the quality of life of patients with single- and multigland parathyroid disease in sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism before and after parathyroidectomy (PTE). Methods. As part of a prospective observational study, the quality of life of 64 patients with PHPT before and after PTE was assessed using SF-36 (Short Form 36) questionnaire: main group (n  =  13) – patients with multigland parathyroid disease; comparison group (n = 51) – patients with single-gland parathyroid disease. The quality of life indicators of the patients were compared with those in a sample of the Irkutsk region population similar in gender and age. Results. Before performing PTE, the quality of life of patients with PHPT was lower than that of the Irkutsk region population. The greatest decrease in both health components was registered in the main group. In 90 % of patients, the quality of life improved after PTE, while in the main group changes were established 1 year after the surgery, in the comparison group – 6 months after the surgery. Transient complications (laryngeal paresis) and disease outcomes (hypocalcemia, hypoparathyroidism) did not interfere with the improvement of quality of life in both groups. When persistence was detected, no significant improvement in QOL was established. Conclusion. The quality of life of patients with PHPT is significantly reduced. PTE improves the QOL of these patients, and only persistence of the disease does not allow this to be achieved. Therefore, surgical tactics aimed at reducing the frequency of persistence will achieve a decent quality of life in the majority of patients with multigland parathyroid disease in PHPT.
Restoration of X-ray bone density when replacing cortical plate defects with a tissue-engineered construct in the experiment
Authors: Anastasieva E. A. , Cherdantseva L. A. , Medvedchikov A. E. , Lukinov V. L. , Kirilova I. A.
Published: December 2023

Over the past decade, in global practice, the frequency of using high-resolution multi-layer spiral computed tomography (MSCT) for assessing the state of cancellous and cortical bone tissue has significantly increased. Using high-resolution MSCT makes it possible to assess X-ray bone density at various times after replacement of cortical plate defects with osteoplastic materials. The aim of the research. To study the restoration of cortical bone density in the area of osteoplasty using tissue-engineered construct in the experiment. Materials and methods. In an in vivo experiment on New Zeland White (NZW) rabbits, perforation defects of cortical bone were formed in the femoral diaphysis. Three study groups were set up: group 1 – without bone defect replacement; group 2 – with  bone defect replacement with deproteinized cancellous bone; group  3  – with bone defect replacement with tissue-engineered construct based on deproteinized cancellous bone with stromal vascular fraction of adipose tissue. Follow-up periods were 2, 4 and 6 weeks after the surgery. The X-ray density of cortical bone tissue was measured in Hounsfield units (HU). Fragments of deproteinized human cancellous bone were used alone and in combination with the stromal vascular fraction of NZW rabbit adipose tissue as a bone-replacing material for bone defect replacement. Results. Cortical plate density the in the area of the defect in the group 3 by the week 6 is on average 1.3 times lower than that of the intact cortical plate and corresponds to D1 according to Misch classification. Cortical plate density in the area of the defect on the side of medullary canal by the week 6 in the group 3 corresponds to D1 according to Misch classification and is equal to 1351.25 ± 221.18 HU (1052; 1805), which is 1.5  times higher than in group  2 (D2 according to Misch classification; p < 0.05). The obtained results indicate an earlier restoration of X-ray bone density when using a tissue-engineered construct (group 3) compared to the same indicators in groups 1 and 2.
Natural components as the structure of hydrogels for cellular therapy and tissue engineering
Authors: Dremina N. N. , Trukhan I. S. , Shurygina I. A.
Published: December 2023

Hydrogels are a class of dimensional hydrophylic polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining large amounts of water. Natural and synthetic components can serve as a material for the hydrogel production. Hydrogels have unique physico-chemical properties, which are determined by the material composition and concentration, its density, crosslinking methods, and production approaches. This review article describes natural materials used for the production of hydrogels having different properties. The natural components of hydrogels are collagen, elastin, gelatin, chitosan, dextran, hyaluronic acid, alginate, silk fibroin and glycosaminoglycans. These components are considered biodegradable and biocompatible, since they do not have a toxic effect on tissues. Natural materials provide good cell adhesion, the spread of bioactive signals as well as they affect the behavior of cells in vitro and in vivo. To obtain hydrogels, physical and chemical methods of crosslinking are used, which determine the properties of the final product. Also, hydrogels can be further modified by various active molecules, growth factors that increase their biological functionality. To date, hydrogels made of natural materials are widely used in ophthalmology, neurosurgery, in the treatment of skin wounds, in various cardiovascular pathologies, in restoring the volume of circulating blood, some cartilage defects, targeted delivery of pharmacological drugs, active molecules, etc. Thus, hydrogels produced from natural components are an extremely promising material for cellular technologies and tissue engineering.
Antimicrobial potential of iodine-containing substances and materials
Authors: Nevezhina A. V. , Fadeeva T. V.
Published: December 2023

Despite the search and development of new antimicrobial drugs with antibiotic or antiseptic properties, the spread of multidrug-resistant strains of microorganisms remains a serious problem in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases (wound, postoperative and burn infections, preoperative preparation of the surgical and injection fields, hygienic disinfection of the hands of surgeons, medical personnel, etc.). This review of modern domestic and foreign literature sources is devoted to the analysis of data on the prospects of using antiseptics with iodine and iodides as antimicrobial agents. In modern conditions, there is an increasing number of scientific works devoted to the study and development of various drugs, distinguished by their diversity and their specific application. Antimicrobial iodine-containing compounds can be applied to a wide range of  materials such as textile, plastics, metals, ceramics to make them resistant to microbial and biofilm growth. The article summarized the literature data on the high antimicrobial activity of  iodine both in neutral carriers and in synergy with substances already possessing similar properties. Such complex preparations lose their toxicity to a large extent, having prolonged action with the preservation of their properties. The main mechanisms of antimicrobial action of iodine and iodine compounds are determined by their strong oxidizing ability. Attention is drawn to the spectrum of activity of iodine preparations. Along with the antimicrobial effect, they can promote regeneration processes. In general, innovative iodine preparations with antibacterial and fungicidal properties are promising for medical and other purposes.
Complex neuroimaging study of the proximal segment after rigid fixation and dynamic stabilization in patients with degenerative lumbar disease
Authors: Krivosсhein A. E. , Kolesov S. V. , Kalinin A. A. , Konev V. P. , Kazmin A. I. , Moskovskiy S. N. , Byvaltsev V. A.
Published: December 2023

Background. The development of the adjacent level syndrome and, as a consequence, adjacent segment degenerative disease are currently the most common complications of decompression and stabilization surgery with the development of segmental instability. The aim of the study. To conduct a comprehensive neuroimaging assessment of  the proximal adjacent segment after rigid fixation and dynamic stabilization in degenerative lumbar disease. Materials and methods. We conducted a prospective multicenter study of the results of surgical treatment of 274 patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the lumbar spine, who underwent monosegmental decompression and stabilization surgery using the TLIF (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) technique and open transpedicular rigid fixation, as well as open hemilaminectomy with stabilization of the operated segments with nitinol rods. The study included radiography, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography (dualenergy mode) of intervertebral discs and isolated facet degeneration of the upper adjacent level. Results and discussion. Combination of the initial proximal segment degeneration in the form of  facet joints degeneration (density of cartilaginous plate  – 163.5 ± 14.2 HU, density of external facet – 709.35 ± 13.6 HU, density of internal facet – 578.1  ±  12.1  HU), Pfirrmann III, IV  grade degeneration of intervertebral disc and a measured diffusion coefficient of less than 1300 mm2/s cause high risks of developing adjacent segment degenerative disease, which regulates the use of monosegmental dynamic fixation with nitinol rods, or preventive rigid fixation of the adjacent segment. Conclusion. Using complex neuroimaging in the preoperative period makes it possible to predict the results of surgical treatment, take timely measures to prevent degenerative diseases of the adjacent segment, and to carry out dynamic monitoring of processes in the structures of the spinal motion segment.
Hongos de Argentina evaluados por la UICN (Unión Internacional para la Conservación de las Especies) y status de Rickiella edulis basada en un nuevo registro en Jujuy, Argentina
Authors: Hernández Caffot Maria Luciana , Vaira Marcos , Domínguez Laura Susana
Published: December 2023

Sesenta y dos especies de hongos de Argentina han sido incluidas en diferentes categorías de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de las Especies (UICN). Rickiella edulis (Speg.) Pfister es conocida como una especie formadora de ascomas de tamaño considerable, de fácil identificación y reconocimiento a campo y aun así el número de registros de esta especie es bajo en Argentina. Los dos ecosistemas naturales en los que ha sido registrada se encuentran en alarmante estado de retroceso por su reconversión para actividades agrícola-ganaderas y por el crecimiento urbano; por lo cual la especie ha sido categorizada como Amenazada (Endangered) por la UICN en 2020. El presente trabajo proporciona la primera revisión de las especies Argentina incluidas en la Lista Roja de Especies de la UICN revisadas en la unidad “The Global Fungal Red List Initiative”, con énfasis en las especies relevantes; ycontribuye con nueva información respecto a la distribución geográfica de R. edulis en la Argentina, que no contaba con nuevos aportes desde el año 2016, incorporando el primer registro para la Reserva de la Biosfera de las Yungas en la provincia de Jujuy, NO de Argentina.
Indonesian-British Strategic Partnership in the Perspective of International Treaty Law
Authors: Tan Winsherly , Maysura Neha Aswin
Published: December 2023

Countries must interact with other nations or international organizations in order to meet their diverse needs. Countries and countries, countries and international organizations, or one international organization and another international organization can all engage in international relations. One of the forms of international agreements carried out by a country is bilateral cooperation. Among the many countries that have cooperated with Indonesia, one of them is UK, a country that has had a long-standing partnership with Indonesia for approximately 70 years. The research method applied in this study is the normative legal research method. This method is used to describe how the law, particularly international agreements, perceives the bilateral partnership between Indonesia and UK. The ‘conceptual approach’ is chosen to provide insights into the analysis of the strategic partnership between Indonesia and UK. Additionally, various aspects and legal concepts underlying this partnership are analyzed in this research, including the Law Number 37 of 1999 regarding Foreign Relations and the Law Number 24 of 2000 regarding International Agreements. The results of the study show that the implementation of the cooperation agreement between Indonesia and the United Kingdom is in accordance with the two fundamental principles of international agreements according to Kartasasmita, the implementation of the agreement between Indonesia and England also fulfills several theories of the factors in the occurrence of international cooperation, including advances in technology; Economic progress and development; and There is awareness and willingness to negotiate.Keywords: International Agreement, Bilateral, Indonesia-UK
Retention Pond Planning for Flood Management Using Epa SWMM in Sayung Village Demak Regency
Authors: Sentani Ari , Niam Moh Faiqun
Published: December 2023

The area of Sayung Village, Sayung District, and Demak Regency is an area that is often hit by annual floods. According to the Sayung Village Government, floods in 2019 resulted in 5,884 residents of Sayung Village being displaced and 1,471 houses being flooded. The area of submerged rice fields is 300 hectares, with the number of farmers who failed to harvest reaching 436. Comprehensive handling is needed to deal with the flood. For flood management, a simulation of a flood management system was made with EPA SWMM (Environmental Protection Agency Storm Water Management Model) software. The selection of handling concepts is obtained through re-simulation of the capacity of drainage channels in order to accommodate planned discharge. To be able to perform simulations, hydrological data and measurements of existing channels are needed. Flood discharge obtained from the calculation results is Q2 of 110.1 m3 per second, Q5 of 134.9 m3 per second, and Q10 of 147.8 m3 per second. The handling concept obtained from this study is the creation of retention ponds in Dukuh Sayung Kidul and Dukuh Sayung Wetan.
Predicting Various Architectural Styles Using Computer Vision Methods
Authors: ÖZTÜRKOĞLU Meryem
Published: December 2023

Computer Vision (CV), subfield of artificial intelligence (AI), enables computers to process visual data and recognize objects. CV is widely used in, automotive, food industry and diseases diagnosis. AI achieves this by algorithms. One of the important algorithms based on object detection is YOLO (You Only Look Once), provides more accurate results with high processing speed. The aim of this study is to perform an object detection-based CV project, to determine the structures in given video belong to one of the architectural styles: Gothic, Baroque, Palladian, or Art Nouveau. The study consists of data set creation, data labeling, model creation and model training. Roboflow was used as the data labeling platform and YOLOv8 was used for model building and training phases. At the end of the process, the fact that the model predicts architectural styles with high accuracy in a short time revealed that the model is a successful real-time object detection algorithm, and it was emphasized that CV can be used in the field of architecture and can contribute to other fields related to architecture.
Validation of PAMFix, A Novel Platelet Stabilization Product, for Use on Flow Cytometric Analysis of Pigtailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina) Blood
Authors: Lyons Claire E , Feng Aileen J , Metcalf Pate Kelly A
Published: December 2023

Quantification of platelet activation can be important for patients suffering from prothrombotic states, bleeding diatheses, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases in which platelets play a role. The analysis of platelet activation ex vivo typically requires blood processing
immediately after venipuncture; this requirement can create problematic situations for both medical and research personnel. Flow cytometry is one method used to quantify platelet activation by measuring the expression of platelet surface markers with fluorescent antibodies. PAMFix is a fixative
that stabilizes platelet activation markers, including P-selectin (CD62P), in whole blood. PAMFix has already been validated for use in humans and canines for stabilization of whole blood, thus allowing flow cytometry to be performed up to 28 and 22 d, respectively, after venipuncture and
reducing the need for expensive equipment and highly trained personnel at the location of venipuncture. Pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) are frequently used in infectious disease research that may require containment conditions that preclude immediate processing of samples. In
this study, we tested the efficacy of PAMFix on whole blood from pigtailed macaques to determine the short- and long-term effects of PAMFix on platelet P-selectin expression as analyzed by flow cytometry.
El impacto de la inteligencia artificial generativa en educación superior: una mirada desde la ética y la integridad académica
Authors: Gallent Torres Cinta , Zapata González Alfredo , Ortego Hernando José Luis
Published: December 2023

La Inteligencia Artificial Generativa (IAG) ha revolucionado el ámbito de la educación superior, y ha abierto el debate en torno al potencial de herramientas como ChatGPT, Humata.ai o Sudowrite en los procesos de enseñanza, aprendizaje y evaluación. Si bien su integración en este contexto presenta numerosas oportunidades (i.e., retroalimentación instantánea, generación de recursos y materiales docentes, aprendizaje adaptativo, interactividad, etc.), también plantea importantes desafíos que ponen en entredicho la ética y la integridad académica como la fiabilidad de la información, la transparencia respecto a las fuentes utilizadas o la privacidad y seguridad de los datos. El objetivo de este artículo es examinar, desde una triple perspectiva (alumnado, profesorado y centro), las implicaciones éticas de su uso en educación superior. Se busca también analizar su impacto en aspectos vinculados con la seguridad, accesibilidad, sostenibilidad e, incluso, nuevas formas de plagio y fraude académico que suplanten la autoría. A partir de la revisión bibliográfica realizada, y según lo que plantean algunos autores, se explorarán posibilidades de integración de la IAG en las aulas universitarias, mediante prácticas pedagógicas que orienten al alumnado en su correcta utilización, y permitan al profesorado buscar nuevos enfoques educativos. Este proceso de transformación exigirá el establecimiento de unas directrices claras que se ajusten a los códigos éticos y las políticas de integridad de las instituciones de educación superior. En definitiva, la reflexión sobre cómo aunar educación, innovación e integridad académica brindará a la comunidad universitaria una nueva oportunidad para impulsar mejoras en la enseñanza universitaria.
The Complex Terrain of Equity for Multilingual Learners in K–12 Education
Authors: Grapin Scott E.
Published: December 2023

The field of multilingual learner education has become increasingly complex, with longstanding efforts focused on promoting access to multilingual learners being criticized for failing to transform systems responsible for these students’ marginalization. This essay brings clarity to the complex terrain of equity for multilingual learners in K–12 education by highlighting how conceptions of equity as access and as transformation underpin vexing issues in the field related to (a) how learners are categorized, (b) what is being learned, and (c) what instructional arrangements facilitate learning. The essay closes by proposing ways forward across research, policy, and practice toward shaping a field that is mutually engaged yet productively diverse as well as better positioned to foster interdisciplinary dialogue with other fields.
Measuring Accountability for Filling the Acting Regional Heads in Indonesia
Authors: Kurniawan Muhammad Fitra , Al Faruq Muhammad Hamzah , Ruhpinesthi Garuda Era
Published: December 2023

Before the regional head elections, the Minister of Home Affairs(Mendagri) appoints acting regional heads, sparking discussionsabout accountability. This study aims to analyze the development ofregulations for appointing acting regional heads and their implicationsfor accountability. The research, conducted as normative juridicalresearch using secondary data, reveals two key findings. Firstly, thereare three distinct aspects differing in the process of appointing actingregional heads: the reasons for filling the position, the criteria forbecoming acting, and the extended term of the acting position withoutaccountability. Secondly, the lack of accountability in the appointmentprocess has implications, including the potential for acting regionalheads lacking understanding of the region, the presence of actingregional heads driven by political interests, their limited experienceand increased vulnerability to political influence, and the risk ofunsustainable programs initiated by the previous regional head.
Value-Ethical System in Sub-Saharan Africa. From the Past to the Future
Authors:   Institute for African Studies RAS, Moseiko Aida
Published: December 2023

The article is devoted to the analysis of the value-ethical system in Sub-Saharan Africa in historical retrospect with the transition to modernity. The concept of “value-ethical system” reflects the specifics of the African worldview, in which all values have a moral meaning. The article analyzes the value foundation on which Africans want to build “the Africa they dream of” (as stated in the program document of the African Union “Agenda 2063”). The author examines African traditional values based on the research of modern African scientists, on her own African archives, on memories and personal impressions collected by the author during her stay in the countries of the African continent. In traditional Africa, there exist value-ethical complexes in which ancient folk wisdom is concentrated. This is, for example, Ubuntu of the Bantu peoples – humanity, equality of people, regardless of race, nationality, religion. It is also a community solidarity associated with the importance of family ties. The author proves that the culture of Sub-Saharan Africa belongs to the collectivist type. Collectivism in combination with Ubuntu serves as a barrier to the adoption by Africans of a Protestant work ethic that welcomes individual success, competition, and profit orientation (outside of the principle of fairness). “Western” values are the opposite of traditional African ethics and values. Currently, the countries of sub-Saharan Africa are looking for their own way of development within the framework of capitalism. African scientists want to develop a system of economic philosophy that includes traditional African values in order to make capitalism relevant to African countries and acceptable to the African mentality. Special attention is paid to the issues of dialogue, traditional democracy and African organizational and managerial principles.
The Scale of a Country’s Economic Potential as a Factor in Investment Allocation. The Case of Small Island States in Africa
Authors:   Institute for African Studies RAS, Sugakov Gleb
Published: December 2023

The choice of partner countries for potential investment projects constitutes an important issue in the development of Russian-African cooperation. The article aims to answer the question of whether the small island states in the region (Mauritius, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau) should be included in the list of investment priorities. To this end, the author undertakes an analysis at three levels: global, regional and the national (country) one. Accordingly, first, fundamental features of the global investment system are identified, in the light of the Fituni-Abramova theory of the world economy’s subsystemic dichotomy. Second, the author introduces the concept of «economic potential scale» and hypothesizes that it plays a more important role in the allocation of foreign direct investment in Africa than in other regions of the world. As the correlation analysis shows, the important role of economic potential scale is not only characteristic of Africa, but also of other regions except Europe. According to the author, this is due to the fact that in Europe the investment climate is more important, whereas in other regions, including Africa, natural resource potential and other indicators related to economic potential scale remain the important factor. Third and lastly, taking into account the global and regional patterns discussed above, the author considers the potential for inclusion of the African small island states in Russia’s list of investment priorities. For this purpose, the author proposes a typology of these countries based on the intensity of investment attraction: the «high-intensity – offshore», «high-intensity», and «low-intensity» types. The conclusion is that the countries belonging to the first two types can be considered among Russia’s priorities for investment in Africa. Despite their relatively small economic potential, they have a number of competitive advantages, including those associated with the ocean economy.
The Role of the “African” Summits of Summer 2023 in Building of a New World Order
Authors:   Institute for African Studies RAS, Fituni Leonid
Published: December 2023

The article analyses the results of the Second Summit and the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, held on July 27-28, 2023 in St. Petersburg and its connection and influence on the course and decisions of the XV BRICS Summit, which was held on August 22-24, in Johannesburg (South Africa). The author focuses on the analysis of discussions on three innovative areas of Russian-African interaction that are not entirely expected and practically not addressed in scientific publications: issues of cooperation and exchange of experience between Russia and African countries in the field of combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism; combating anti-competitive practices, suppressing anti-competitive activities of cross-border cartels; external audit as a field of cooperation.
Gift and Ghost Authorship and the Use of Authorship Guidelines in Psychology Journals
Authors: De Peuter Steven , Reck Jana , Bellekens Steffi , Storms Gert
Published: December 2023

More than 800 (co-)authors participated in a large-scale survey on gift and ghost authorship and the use of explicit authorship guidelines in psychological science (response rate 29.6%, predominantly from Europe and North America). Almost half of the respondents had experienced gift authorship at least a few times, ghost authorship was considerably less prevalent. In approximately half of the respondents’ research settings, the use of explicit authorship guidelines is actively encouraged, leading to more frequent discussion of authorship in earlier stages, as well as to the perception of authorship decisions as fairer. Encouraging the use of explicit authorship guidelines is a simple yet effective intervention.Importantly, the American Psychological Association’s (APA) authorship guidelines are considerably more lenient than the widely used criteria of the Committee on Publication Ethics and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.
A cross-sectional investigation of the relationship between decentering, and mental health and cognitive processing in adolescence
Authors: Knight Rachel , So Tierney , Sandhu Tim , Franckel Grace , Vainre Maris , Dunning Darren Lee , Kuyken Willem , Blakemore Sarah-Jayne , Dalgleish Tim , Bennett Marc Patrick
Published: December 2023

Over half of psychiatric disorders of behaviour, mood, and emotion begin before the age of 15. Thus, development of emotional regulation skills to cope with psycho-social stressors is imperative to reduce risk of adolescent-onset mental health difficulties. Psychological decentering, a self-reflective capacity through which distressing thoughts, feelings, and memories, are re-perceived from an observer perspective, could be one such skill. However, questions remain about how decentering relates to age, mental health and emotion regulation, and cognitive processes such as executive control and social cognition. Adolescents in Cambridge and London (Mage = 17.4(1.77), N = 904) completed an online battery of mental health and emotional regulation questionnaires and two cognitive tasks: an affective cognitive control task, the Emotional Stop Signal Task (ESST), and a physical perspective-taking task, the Own Body Task (OBT). Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between a widely used measure of decentering, the Experiences Questionnaire (EQ), and: age and gender, mental health, emotion regulation, affective executive control, and perspective-taking. Higher self-reported decentering was significantly associated with older age. Higher decentering was also associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, better psychological wellbeing, more frequent use of emotion regulation strategies, and fewer difficulties with emotion regulation. Decentering was not associated with affective executive control, but better ability to decenter was significantly associated with fewer commission errors on the OBT. This research bolsters evidence of associations between decentering and broader emotion regulation and psychological wellbeing, and provides an indication that decentering may be driven by social cognitive mechanisms involved in physical perspective taking, rather than executive control processes such as inhibition. Understanding associated cognitive processes may provide direction of how to reinforce decentering, and improve psychological interventions of which decentering is a key component.
A randomised controlled trial investigating an intervention to boost psychological decentering in response to distressing mental experiences during adolescence: the Decentering in Adolescence Study (DECADES)
Authors: Knight Rachel , Clegg Hannah , Sakol Anna , Sandhu Tim , Dalmaijer Edwin S. , Archer-Boyd Alan , Franckel Grace , Lenaert Bert , So Tierney , Watson Peter , Vainre Maris , Dunning Darren Lee , Kuyken Willem , Blakemore Sarah-Jayne , Bennett Marc Patrick , Dalgleish Tim
Published: December 2023

Adolescence is a developmental stage in which vulnerability to mental health difficulties increases. One promising strategy to reduce risk of difficulties developing could be to specifically target a key, pan-therapeutic skill broadly relevant for individuals exhibiting preliminary symptoms. Psychological decentering describes the skill of voluntarily adopting an objective, distanced self-perspective from which to experience internal stressors such as difficult thoughts, feelings and memories. However, it is unclear whether psychological decentering can be trained in adolescents and what effect this may have on mental health symptoms. The Decentering in Adolescence Study (DECADES) was a preliminary randomised-controlled trial (RCT). One hundred and fifteen 16-19 year old adolescents (84% female, Mage = 16.8) scoring above the threshold for “at-risk” of depression were randomized to five weeks of either a digital decentering skills programme, delivered via daily podcasts, or an active control intervention, comprising light physical exercise and cognitive training. Outcomes were examined using analyses of variance (ANCOVA) adjusting for baseline scores, with the principle of intention-to-treat. Adolescents in the decentering group self-reported significant improvements in ability to decenter at post-intervention compared with an active control group (p < 0.001, d = -0.64). The decentering group also reported significant increases in psychological wellbeing (p < 0.002, d = -0.67) and decreases in depression symptoms (p < 0.001, d = 0.57) post-intervention, compared with an active control. Our results demonstrate that decentering can be trained in an adolescent population, and that this is beneficial for mental health symptoms. A large scale confirmatory RCT is needed to confirm the clinical benefits suggested by this preliminary trial, which is a promising first step in developing a low-cost, scalable, self-administered intervention to improve psychological wellness in young people.
Bias is persistent - Sequencing case information does not protect against contextual bias in criminal risk assessment
Authors: Oberlader Verena , Verschuere Bruno
Published: December 2023

A large body of research indicates that bias is an inherent phenomenon of human information processing, also present in the psychological forensic assessment, for example, in credibility or criminal risk assessment. However, research on effective debiasing strategies is still in its infancy. Linear Sequential Unmasking-Expanded (LUS-E, Dror & Kukucka, 2021) is an information management protocol designed to reduce bias based on task-irrelevant context information. Inspired by LSU-E we ran a preregistrated experimental study to test, first, if task-irrelevant information introduces bias in criminal risk assessment, and second, if such bias could be reduced by sequencing case information. We collected data of 308 informed lay participants instructed to apply an empirical-actuarial risk scale based on a case vignette. Results showed that task-irrelevant information biased risk assessment. Yet, sequencing case information did not protect against it. Considering various boundary conditions, we discuss challenges to mitigate the biasing effect of task-irrelevant information.
Measuring Cognitive Ability in Children and Adolescents: Development and Validation of a New Test Battery for Working Memory Capacity
Authors: Goecke Benjamin , Watrin Luc , Hartung Johanna , Lösche Patrick , Golle Jessika , Wilhelm Oliver
Published: December 2023

Working memory capacity (WMC) measures for children are unsatisfying in terms of lack of operational continuity with measures for adolescents and adults. Thus, we developed and validated a multivariate WMC test battery that uses WMC paradigms that can be applied from 1st grade onwards. In Study 1, we developed child-contextualized WMC tests and investigated their psychometric properties (including gender differences) in n = 343 1st graders. In Study 2, we juxtaposed child-contextualized and decontextualized instantiations of our tasks in n = 379 5th to 10th graders. Child-contextualized tests were essentially equivalent to structurally identical, decontextualized WMC tests, and the battery correlated strongly with a multivariate measure of fluid intelligence. Across studies, we found support for good psychometric properties of the tests. The battery bridges the gap between child-specific and decontextualized WMC tests, is applicable for all ability levels, can be adapted easily in terms of difficulty and length.
Hair cortisol concentration is associated with executive function in female college football players
Authors: Sato Mayu , Sasaki Miyu , Shima Takeru , Ikegami Ryo , Sato Daisuke , Ochi Genta
Published: December 2023

Chronic stress in athletes can diminish brain functions and mental health which can potentially affect health and sports performance. However, its influences on mental health and executive function remain unknown. This study examined the effects of chronic stress change on mental health and executive function in college female football players by analyzing hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a chronic stress indicator. Measurements were taken in August and December, just before the Japan college national tournament. The results indicated a positive correlation trend between HCC and self-reported training load, suggesting a potential HCC decrease in athletes with reduced training load before the December competition. A significant negative correlation existed between changes in HCC and spatial Stroop task reaction time, indicating that as HCC decreased, executive function also decreased. These findings suggest that an excessively reduced training load may decrease executive function during fatigue recovery before competitions. This study implies that HCC could serve as a physiological training plan evaluation index.
Pro-Life Policy Preferences Partly Reflect Desires to Suppress Casual Sexual Behavior, Not Solely Sanctity of Life Concerns
Authors: Moon Jordan W , Krems Jaimie
Published: December 2023

Pro-life individuals often emphasize sanctity-of-life concerns as driving their opposition to abortion. This implies the straightforward prediction that the more strongly people oppose abortion for such reasons (e.g., “abortion is murder”), the more they will endorse policies preventing abortions (face-value account). An alternative suggests that typically non-conscious reproductive goals (e.g., discouraging casual sex) influence policy preferences; this strategic account predicts a different pattern of policy endorsement: all else equal, abortion opponents will prioritize abortion-preventing policies discouraging casual sex. A pilot study and two pre-registered US experiments (N=1960) provide relatively greater support for the strategic account: the strongest abortion opponents more strongly endorse policies that prevent abortions by discouraging casual sex (e.g., abortion bans, abstinence-only sex education) over policies that do not (comprehensive sex education)—even controlling for conservatism and religiosity. Commonly-voiced arguments against abortion may be more rhetorically effective but less reflective of genuine drivers underlying arguers’ beliefs.
An Improved Framework for Scaling Party Positions from Texts with Transformer
Authors: Nguyen Hung Hoang Viet
Published: December 2023

Previous research in both Natural Language Processing and political science has proven the superiority of Transformer-based large language models (LLMs) over word frequencies and word embeddings on multiple text analysis tasks. This article introduces ContextScale, a novel Transformer-based framework tailored for party position scaling. ContextScale can predict policy topics and scale text sequences on multidimensional left-right scales simultaneously. Cross-validation exercises prove that ContextScale is in line with conventional understanding of left – right politics, while a deeper analysis shows that ContextScale does not confuse repetitions with positions. Moreover, ContextScale can be easily adapted to different bodies of texts across languages, text domains, and theoretical models.
Race and Superfund site remediation
Authors: Topaz Chad M. , Nueva Berenize Garcia , de Souza Patrick Izidro , Schumann Jesse , Shvedova Leah , Cai Xizhen , Ning Shaoyang
Published: December 2023

Superfund is a federal program established in 1980 to manage the cleanup of hazardous waste sites across the United States. Given the health and economic costs borne by people living near these sites, any demographic disparities within the Superfund program are issues of environmental justice. We investigate whether racial demographics local to a Superfund site are associated with its cleanup status, and if so, how. Our work addresses gaps in the literature by using detailed geospatial processing, comprehensive data, and a more complete set of racial/ethnic categorizations. We study 1,688 Superfund sites across the country. Under a wide variety of modeling scenarios, we consistently find that the proportion of the nearby population that is Asian is negatively associated with the probability of a Superfund site being cleaned up. This association has remained unidentified until now, possibly because earlier research on Superfund sites did not distinguish Asian populations as a separate group. Our result underscores the need for specific measurement and inclusion of diverse populations in environmental studies.
Integrating America: Revealing the Complex Tapestry of Immigrant Engagement and Local Governance Dynamics
Authors: Pavel Md Eyasin Ul Islam Ul Islam
Published: December 2023

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the dimensions of immigration integration and engagement within the United States, utilizing a dataset provided by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The study's objective was to identify and understand the factors that significantly affect the incorporation of immigrant populations into the social and political life of American communities. Through meticulous preprocessing and rigorous validation processes, including factor analysis and comparative studies, we analyzed variables such as the size of the immigrant population, forms of local government, regional influences, and service provisions.The results highlighted the size of the immigrant population as a pivotal factor, with larger communities exhibiting more pronounced integration and engagement. The form of government and regional characteristics also emerged as influential, affecting policy-making and access to resources, which are instrumental in shaping the immigrant experience. Notably, services provided by educational institutions were found to be critical in supporting immigrant integration.
Analyse linguistique au service du TAL
Authors: Bogacki Krzysztof
Published: December 2023

Using the notion of predicate in the sense of an element structuring the sentence at the surface level, G. Gross arrives at an interpretation of linguistic facts that is valid for those who adopt the concept of semantic predicate as a tool for analysis. It belongs to the abstract level of meaning and is considered to be an essential part of the mechanism for disambiguation and selecting the meaning of lexemes or grammatical structures. This mechanism is particularly important in the context of machine translation where it is necessary to choose, in the bilingual transfer dictionary, the accurate equivalent of a polysemic lexeme in the target language.
Triticum militinae Zhuk. et Migusch. – definitely not a mutant T.timopheevii Zhuk., as it was believed for many years
Authors: Kuluev A.R. , Matniyazov R.T. , Kuluev B.R. , Chemeris A.V.
Published: December 2023

After sequencing the complete chloroplast genome of Triticum militinae Zhuk. et Migusch. and comparative analysis with those of other polyploid wheat revealed that this species is much closer to the lineage of wheat turgidum than to the lineage timopheevii as it was thought for a long time, taking it for a natural mutant T.timopheevii Zhuk. The investigation of the origin of wheat Militina with high probability pointed to its man–made creation by A.R.Zhebrak in the 1930s - 1940s, who carried out various crosses with Timofeev wheat, including with white-eared, red-eared and black-eared forms of T.persicum wheat, using them both as maternal and paternal forms - Tr.persicum v. stramineum × Tr.timopheevi; Tr.timopheevi × Tr.persicum v. rubiginosum; Tr.persicum v. fuliginosum. At the same time, there are now white-eared and black-eared forms of T.militia, apparently, which are exactly those hybrids.
Optimizing Management Information Systems Based on Efficiency and Quality Management
Authors: Putra Eka
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this research is to explore the increase in efficiency and quality of management in optimizing the application of management information systems at MAN 1 Sungai Full. This research uses qualitative research, and data collection techniques through observation, interviews, and documentation. Data analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation, and data verification. The results of this study indicate that the management of optimizing the implementation of management information systems at MAN 1 Sungai Penuh collects data containing teacher and staff data to manage important information about teaching staff and staff registered at the school such as biodata, rank, position, address, working status, hours work history, educational history, career history, training history, attendance rate, salary info and others, management information systems related to student services in the form of New Student Admissions data, student biodata, Management of Student Class Promotion (manual or automatic), Graduation Management / Alumni, Printing Student Cards, and Management of Student Discipline, and information systems related to teaching and learning activities such as Information Systems containing Curriculum Management, Scheduling of Teaching Units, Management of Student Academic Grades and reports on Student Study results, and Student Presence in teaching and learning activities.