bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circular closed-loop supply chain network design considering 3D printing and PET bottle waste
Authors: Rajabi-Kafshgar Atefeh , Seyedi Iman , Tirkolaee Erfan Babaee
Published: April 2024

One of the most critical pillars of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is Additive Manufacturing (AM) or 3D Printing technology. This transformative technology has garnered substantial attention due to its capacity to streamline processes, save time, and enhance product quality. Simultaneously, environmental concerns are mounting, with the growing accumulation of plastic bottle waste, offering a potential source of recycled material for 3D printing. To thoroughly harness the potential of AM and address the challenge of plastic bottle waste, a robust supply chain network is essential. Such a network not only facilitates the reintegration of plastic bottle waste and 3D printing byproducts into the value chain but also delivers significant environmental, social, and economic benefits, aligning with the tenets of sustainable development and circular economy. To tackle this complex challenge, a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) mathematical model is offered to configure a Closed-Loop Supply Chain (CLSC) network with a strong emphasis on circularity. Environmental considerations are integral, and the primary objective is to minimize the overall cost of the network. Three well-known metaheuristics of Simulated Annealing (SA), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are employed to treat the problem which are also efficiently adjusted by the Taguchi design technique. The efficacy of our solution methods is appraised across various problem instances. The findings reveal that the developed model, in conjunction with the fine-tuned metaheuristics, successfully optimizes the configuration of the desired circular CLSC network. In conclusion, this research represents a significant step toward the establishment of a circular supply chain that combines the strengths of 3D printing technology and the repurposing of plastic bottle waste. This innovative approach holds promise for not only reducing waste and enhancing sustainability but also fostering economic and social well-being.
State-of-art in modelling particulate matter (PM) concentration: a scoping review of aims and methods
Authors: Gianquintieri Lorenzo , Oxoli Daniele , Caiani Enrico Gianluca , Brovelli Maria Antonia
Published: April 2024

Air pollution is the one of the most significant environmental risks to health worldwide. An accurate assessment of population exposure would require a continuous distribution of measuring ground-stations, which is not feasible. Therefore, significant efforts are spent in implementing air-quality models. However, a complex scenario emerges, with the spread of many different solutions, and a consequent struggle in comparison, evaluation and replication, hindering the definition of the state-of-art. Accordingly, aim of this scoping review was to analyze the latest scientific research on air-quality modelling, focusing on particulate matter, identifying the most widespread solutions and trying to compare them. The review was mainly focused, but not limited to, machine learning applications. An initial set of 940 results published in 2022 were returned by search engines, 142 of which resulted significant and were analyzed. Three main modelling scopes were identified: correlation analysis, interpolation and forecast. Most of the studies were relevant to east and south-east Asia. The majority of models were multivariate, including (besides ground stations) meteorological information, satellite data, land use and/or topography, and more. 232 different algorithms were tested across studies (either as single-blocks or within ensemble architectures), of which only 60 were tested more than once. A performance comparison showed stronger evidence towards the use of Random Forest modelling, in particular when included in ensemble architectures. However, it must be noticed that results varied significantly according to the experimental set-up, indicating that no overall best solution can be identified, and a case-specific assessment is necessary.
Tendency, Repetition, and the Activity of the Mind in Traumatic Experiences
Authors: Ingerslev Line Ryberg
Published: April 2024

The study of traumatic experiences led Freud to investigate what he termed a compulsion to repeat. The present paper takes up the idea of a tendency to repeat something that reinforces psychic pain and asks which kind of agency is possible in the light of traumatic repetitions. First, the experiential roots of repetitive doings induced by trauma are investigated. Might a compulsion to repeat belong to the sphere of the kind of tendencies which Husserl terms “generally unconscious”? And if so, does this sphere bring us to the limit of phenomenology where we might need to cooperate with psychoanalysis to make sense of the manifestations of such an unconscious sphere? This is proposed in section two. In section three, Freud’s notion of the compulsion to repeat is discussed. At this point, the repetitive activity of the mind is investigated as the traumatized person’s ongoing struggle to survive with the trauma and as a struggle to understand what survival in this case even means. In section four, an attempt is made to describe the kind of agency involved in the repetitive activity of the mind. The paper concludes that weak agency is possible in traumatic repetition when understood as the person’s ongoing attempt to compose a future for what has been lost.
Impact of duration of silicone oil tamponade on foveal and parafoveal thickness in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ewais Wael Ahmed , Ali Lamia Samy , Aboalazayem Fayrouz M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To detect and analyze the influence of the duration of tamponade with silicone oil on the foveal and parafoveal thickness in cases of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of 64 eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in one eye who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicone oil injection during the period between January 2019 and December 2021. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Group A with early removal of the silicone oil after 3–4 months and Group B with late removal of the silicone oil (SOR) after 6–8 months. The 2 groups were compared as regards the central foveal (CFT) and parafoveal (PFT) thickness changes from baseline, just before SOR, and after SOR. Changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), relative risk of severe thinning. It was conducted at Kasr Alainy Hospital.

Results

64 eyes were enrolled in the study. Group A included 36 eyes, and group B included 28 eyes. The mean CFT changed insignificantly from 253 ± 52 μm to 252 ± 48 μm after SOR in group A; while it changed significantly from 211 ± 52 μm to 202 ± 46 μm after SOR in group B. The mean PFT decreased insignificantly from 299 ± 39 μm to 297 ± 40 μm in group A, while it decreased significantly from 284 ± 46 μm to 273 ± 44 μm in group B. Lines of improvement of BCVA were 4.11 ± 1.88 in group A, and 2.00 ± 1.24 in group B. Relative risk of severe foveal thinning after SOR was 14.3, and severe parafoveal thinning was 15.43, in group B compared to group A.

Conclusion

Longer period of silicone oil tamponade may carry a higher risk for severe foveal and parafoveal thinning after silicone oil removal.

Trial registration

The study was registered at clinical trial.gov under the title of (Duration of silicone oil tamponade on foveal and parafoveal thickness in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment) with an ID NCT05817630 at April 2023 “retrospectively registered”.
Clinician Opinions Regarding the Usefulness of the BOSA for ASD Assessment in a Service for Children Aged Under 12 Years
Authors: Shapter Sophie , Carroll Amy , Roberts Kate
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent social distancing policies forced healthcare teams to drastically alter the way they deliver services. This was particularly challenging for clinicians involved in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as assessment tools and methods required face-to-face social interactions between clinicians and children. To address this, the Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA) was developed to ensure that people suspected of ASD can receive diagnostic assessments during the pandemic. This project aimed to explore clinicians’ opinions on the BOSA, particularly regarding the usefulness of the assessment for clinicians to clarify diagnostic outcomes of ASD assessments. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered within an NHS community paediatric team. This included a questionnaire for clinicians to complete, and data from the BOSA assessments done in the service. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics revealed that many clinicians felt that the BOSA can be beneficial in certain cases, such as selective mutism, and found the BOSA particularly helpful for observing parent–child interactions. These findings highlighted important information that the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Second Edition (ADOS-2) does not give opportunities to observe. Clinicians reported that at times, the BOSA materials, brevity and parental administration created barriers to gathering information for diagnostic decisions. As may be expected, clinicians showed a clear preference for the more familiar and validated ADOS-2. However, the study highlights perceived limitations of the ADOS-2 and strengths of the BOSA, with recommendations made for future practice and research.
The commercial potential of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, a nitrogen-fixing edible cyanobacterium
Authors: Scoglio Gabriel D. , Jackson Harry O. , Purton Saul
Published: April 2024

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a Gram-negative nitrogen-fixing freshwater filamentous cyanobacterium with a rich nutritional profile that is approved for human consumption by both the Food and Drug Administration and the European Food and Safety Authorities. It has a high protein content (60-70%) and contains numerous vitamins, minerals and trace elements together with several high-value compounds with nutraceutical properties, such as C-phycocyanin and β-phenylethylamine. 500-1000 t of AFA dry biomass are currently wild harvested from natural blooms that occur seasonally in Klamath Lake, Oregon, USA, and distributed as a nutritional supplement worldwide. The requirements and unreliability of wild harvesting, owing to the dependence of AFA growth on environmental conditions and potential contamination by microcystin toxins, threaten the availability of biomass supply and restricts commercial expansion. In this review we propose AFA cultivation in open ponds or closed photobioreactors to obtain a reliable production of unialgal biomass to resolve the supply issue and enhance AFA as a feedstock for specific high-value by-products. Furthermore, we explore potential strategies for maximising overall yield and seasonal robustness by using a synergistic combination of cultivation and wild harvesting. Controlled AFA cultivation would also facilitate the use of genetic manipulation to generate bespoke strains with improved commercial applications, such as increasing the cyanobacterium’s nitrogen-fixation rate to enhance its value as a biofertiliser. Ultimately, realising the untapped biotechnological potential of AFA requires a better understanding of its fundamental biology, robust methodologies for laboratory and large-scale cultivation, and the development of AFA-specific genetic engineering techniques.
Effect of dehydration method on the micro- and nanomorphological properties of bacterial cellulose produced by Medusomyces gisevii on different substrates
Authors: Pogorelova Natalia , Rogachev Evgeniy , Akimbekov Nuraly , Digel Ilya
Published: April 2024

Many important properties of bacterial cellulose (BC), such as moisture absorption capacity, elasticity and tensile strength, largely depend on its structure. This paper presents a study on the effect of the drying method on BC films produced by Medusomyces gisevii using two different procedures: room temperature drying (RT, (24 ± 2 °C, humidity 65 ± 1%, dried until a constant weight was reached) and freeze-drying (FD, treated at − 75 °C for 48 h). BC was synthesized using one of two different carbon sources—either glucose or sucrose. Structural differences in the obtained BC films were evaluated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction. Macroscopically, the RT samples appeared semi-transparent and smooth, whereas the FD group exhibited an opaque white color and sponge-like structure. SEM examination showed denser packing of fibrils in FD samples while RT-samples displayed smaller average fiber diameter, lower surface roughness and less porosity. AFM confirmed the SEM observations and showed that the FD material exhibited a more branched structure and a higher surface roughness. The samples cultivated in a glucose-containing nutrient medium, generally displayed a straight and ordered shape of fibrils compared to the sucrose-derived BC, characterized by a rougher and wavier structure. The BC films dried under different conditions showed distinctly different crystallinity degrees, whereas the carbon source in the culture medium was found to have a relatively small effect on the BC crystallinity.

Graphical Abstract
Can General Practitioner Opioid Prescribing to Compensated Workers with Low Back Pain Be Detected Using Administrative Payments Data? An Exploratory Study
Authors: Vo Jennifer , Gray Shannon , Traeger Adrian C. , Di Donato Michael
Published: April 2024

Background

Approximately one third of Australians with accepted time loss workers’ compensation claims for low back pain (LBP) are dispensed opioid analgesics. Structured administrative payments data is scalable but does not directly link opioids to prescribers. We sought to determine whether opioid prescribing by general practitioners (GPs) to workers with workers’ compensation claims for LBP can be detected in structured administrative payments data.

Methods

We used a sample of workers with accepted time loss workers’ compensation claims for low back pain from 2011 to 2015 from the Australian states of Victoria and South Australia. We structured administrative data to test the assumption that opioid dispenses that occurred immediately after a GP encounter in sequence and occurred on the same date as the GP encounter are likely to be related. We measured the number and proportion of opioid dispenses with a GP encounter prior and the days between a GP encounter and opioid dispense.

Results

Nearly one third of workers (32.2%, N = 4,128) in our sample (n = 12,816) were dispensed opioids a median of five times (interquartile range 2, 17). There were 43,324 opioid dispenses to included workers. 30,263 (69.9%) of opioid dispenses were immediately preceded by a GP encounter. Of those dispenses, 51.0% (n = 15,443) occurred on the same day as the GP encounter.

Conclusion

At least one third of opioids dispensed to workers with claims for LBP can be potentially linked to GP prescribing using workers’ compensation structured administrative payments data. This approach could have potential applications in supporting monitoring and audit and feedback systems. Future research should test this approach with a more diverse array of pain medicines and medical practitioners.
The Role of Spirituality in Stroke Survivors and Their Caregivers: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ambrosca Rossella , Bolgeo Tatiana , Zeffiro Valentina , Alvaro Rosaria , Vellone Ercole , Pucciarelli Gianluca
Published: April 2024

Although several studies have analyzed the effects of spirituality on stroke survivors’ physical functioning and their caregiver’s outcomes, no systematic review or meta-synthesis was found to identify the lived experiences of stroke survivors and caregivers regarding spirituality. For these reasons, this study aimed to analyze quantitively and qualitatively research relating to stroke survivors’ and caregivers’ experiences. The included studies were RCT studies, quasi-experimental studies, qualitative, descriptive, ethnographic, and phenomenological studies, and cross-sectional studies (n = 37), with a total of 6850 stroke survivors and 1953 caregivers enrolled. Spirituality appears to play an important role in improving the quality of life and decreasing anxiety and depression of both stroke survivors and their caregivers.
Development and Application of a Domain-Specific TPACK Questionnaire—Findings from a Longitudinal Study on Teaching Human Biology Using Digital Tools
Authors: Mölgen Leona , Asshoff Roman , Heuckmann Benedikt
Published: April 2024

There are several specific digital tools now that have transformed the way science is taught. Correspondingly, teacher education programs have changed, and now they increasingly address the development of technology-related professional content knowledge (TPACK). Owing to the use of technology in specific domains of science teaching, there is an emergent need for domain-specific TPACK questionnaires. The present study investigates the development and application of a domain-specific TPACK questionnaire for teaching human biology using digital tools in a university-based teacher education program. A quasi-experimental between-subject design was applied for 13 weeks in the four study groups (n = 155). The intervention groups worked with digital tools in human biology, while the control groups participated without specific consideration of digital tools throughout the program. We succeeded in developing a questionnaire comprising seven reliable scales. The questionnaire development procedure described herein may be applicable to other science education disciplines. By the means of linear mixed modeling, we found that all students gained professional knowledge; however, treatment × time interactions revealed that belonging to the intervention group was the main driver of TPACK progression. Comparing the treatments, we found that at post-test, the intervention group reported higher levels of TPCK, TPK, and TCK, but not CK, PK, TK, and PCK. Sequential analyses of the longitudinal data highlighted that working with digital tools on a regular basis constitutes a TPACK boost effect. This study contributes to the literature on technology integration from the perspective of biology education, where specific tools that can be assessed using a domain-specific questionnaire are used.
Analyzing the Effective Use of Augmented Reality Glasses in University Physics Laboratory Courses for the Example Topic of Optical Polarization
Authors: Laumann Daniel , Schlummer Paul , Abazi Adrian , Borkamp Rasmus , Lauströer Jonas , Pernice Wolfram , Schuck Carsten , Schulz-Schaeffer Reinhard , Heusler Stefan
Published: April 2024

For nearly two decades, augmented reality (AR) has found diverse applications in education, particularly in science education, where its efficacy has been supported by relevant theories and many empirical studies. However, previous studies have revealed the following research deficit: While AR technology appears to influence learning-related variables, at the time of this study only few research on the use of AR glasses in physics, a discipline for which this technology seems particularly promising in the context of laboratory experiments, has been found. Thus, the present study uses an experimental comparison group design to investigate the question of how the use of AR glasses in a physics laboratory experiment (compared to in a learning setting without AR) influences students’ motivation to learn, their cognitive load during the learning process and their learning achievement. The study (sample size N = 75) investigated the impact of AR glasses in a physics laboratory experiment on optical polarization. Results align with prior research, indicating heightened motivation among learners using AR applications. However, the absence of a significant difference in cognitive load between AR and non-AR learners was unexpected. Despite expectations based on spatial contiguity, learners with AR showed no advantage in learning achievement, challenging existing meta-analyses in physics education. These findings suggest a need to shift focus from surface features, like specific AR technology, to the content design of AR applications. Future studies should analyze the deep structure of AR applications, identifying features conducive to learning.
Investigation of the relationship between the decline in well waters radon anomalies and the earthquake magnitude (Mw)
Authors: Sandıkcıoğlu Gümüş Ayla
Published: April 2024

Afyonkarahisar and its surroundings are in the middle of the Akşehir-Simav Fault System. Before the earthquakes in the region, radon anomalies were observed in some well waters. Linear equations between radon minima and earthquake magnitudes (Mw) were obtained, and correlation coefficients (R2) were calculated. The correlation coefficient (R2) values of the wells from 1 to 6 were obtained as 0.93, 0.83, 0.82, 0.97, 0.87 and 0.85, respectively. Good correlations (high R2 values) were obtained between the radon minimum and the earthquake magnitude (Mw) in 6 wells. The precursory minimum observed at the radon concentration in groundwater decreased as the earthquake's magnitude increased.
Repurposing mebendazole against triple-negative breast cancer CNS metastasis
Authors: Rodrigues Adrian J. , Chernikova Sophia B. , Wang Yuelong , Trinh Thy T. H. , Solow-Cordero David E. , Alexandrova Ludmila , Casey Kerriann M. , Alli Elizabeth , Aggarwal Abhishek , Quill Tyler , Koegel Ashley K. , Feldman Brian J. , Ford James M. , Hayden-Gephart Melanie
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) often metastasizes to the central nervous system (CNS) and has the highest propensity among breast cancer subtypes to develop leptomeningeal disease (LMD). LMD is a spread of cancer into leptomeningeal space that speeds up the disease progression and severely aggravates the prognosis. LMD has limited treatment options. We sought to test whether the common anti-helminthic drug mebendazole (MBZ) may be effective against murine TNBC LMD.

Methods

A small-molecule screen involving TNBC cell lines identified benzimidazoles as potential therapeutic agents for further study. In vitro migration assays were used to evaluate cell migration capacity and the effect of MBZ. For in vivo testing, CNS metastasis was introduced into BALB/c athymic nude mice through internal carotid artery injections of brain-tropic MDA-MB-231-BR or MCF7-BR cells. Tumor growth and spread was monitored by bioluminescence imaging and immunohistochemistry. MBZ was given orally at 50 and 100 mg/kg doses. MBZ bioavailability was assayed by mass spectrometry.

Results

Bioinformatic analysis and migration assays revealed higher migratory capacity of TNBC compared to other breast cancer subtypes. MBZ effectively slowed down migration of TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 and its brain tropic derivative MDA-MB-231-BR. In animal studies, MBZ reduced leptomeningeal spread, and extended survival in brain metastasis model produced by MDA-MB-231-BR cells. MBZ did not have an effect in the non-migratory MCF7-BR model.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that MBZ is a safe and effective oral agent in an animal model of TNBC CNS metastasis. Our findings are concordant with previous efforts involving MBZ and CNS pathology and support the drug’s potential utility to slow down leptomeningeal spread.
A New Adaptive Robust Modularized Semi-Supervised Community Detection Method Based on Non-negative Matrix Factorization
Authors: Ghadirian Mohammad , Bigdeli Nooshin
Published: April 2024

The most extensively used tools for categorizing complicated networks are community detection methods. One of the most common methods for unsupervised and semi-supervised clustering is community detection based on Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF). Nonetheless, this approach encounters multiple challenges, including the lack of specificity for the data type and the decreased efficiency when errors occur in each cluster’s knowledge priority. As modularity is the basic and thorough criterion for evaluating and validating performance of community detection methods, this paper proposes a new approach for modularity-based community detection which is similar to symmetric NMF. The provided approach is a semi-supervised adaptive robust community detection model referred to as modularized robust semi-supervised adaptive symmetric NMF (MRASNMF). In this model, the modularity criterion has been successfully combined with the NMF model via a novel multi-view clustering method. Also, the tuning parameter is adjusted iteratively via an adaptive method. MRASNMF makes use of knowledge priority, modularity criterion, reinforcement of non-negative matrix factorization, and has iterative solution, as well. In this regard, the MRASNMF model was evaluated and validated using five real-world networks in comparison to existing semi-supervised community detection approaches. According to the findings of this study, the proposed strategy is most effective for all types of networks.
Application of P-TOPALS for Smoothing Input Data for Population Projections ‘At the Edge’
Authors: Dyrting Sigurd , Taylor Andrew , Wilson Tom
Published: April 2024

Sparsely populated areas of developed countries are regions of great demographic diversity and dynamism. While they remain strategically and economically important, trends in urbanization and technology have increased their relative sparsity and isolation making centralized government, service delivery and planning a challenge. Populations of their sub-jurisdictions are small and often exhibit significant heterogeneity in key demographic characteristics, not least between their Indigenous first residents and non-Indigenous citizens. Development of projection models for these areas is challenged by significant input data paucity, biases and structural issues related to the data collection and estimation architectures in place to gather input data across diverse and small populations. While this is the case, the demand for and importance of projections is no less for sparsely populated areas than elsewhere. Variants of the cohort component model are important tools for population projections for SPAs, with their grounding in the demographic accounting equation and modest input requirements. Nevertheless, to attain fit-for-purpose input data requires demographers to consider and select from a growing number of methods for smoothing issues with input data for projections for these regions. In this article we analyze the contributions of recent advances in methods for estimating fertility, mortality, and migration rates for small and diverse populations such as those in SPAs, focusing on the very sparsely populated jurisdiction of the Northern Territory of Australia. In addition to the contributions of our method itself, results at the detailed level demonstrate how abnormal and challenging ‘doing’ projections for sparsely populated areas can be.
Socioeconomic Attainments of Second-Generation South Asian Americans: Evidence from the American Community Survey, 2014–2018
Authors: Raza Fizza , Sakamoto Arthur
Published: April 2024

Using data from the American Community Survey for 2014–2018, we provide empirical evidence about the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of South Asian Americans. Our study investigates not only Indians, but also provides the first multivariate analyses for Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Pakistani, and Sri Lankans. The focus is on second-generation South Asians, but some descriptive statistics are shown for first-generation immigrants. In comparison to Whites, the educational distributions of first-generation immigrants are bimodal to varying degrees across the South Asian groups. However, with the exception of the Nepalese, all of the native-born South Asian groups obtain higher levels of education than Whites. Poverty among South Asian groups tends to reflect their educational levels so that poverty rates decline between the first-generation and the native-born, but second-generation Bangladeshi and Pakistani have somewhat higher than expected poverty due to family size and composition. Second-generation Indians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans are more likely to be affluent than Whites, and these differences are partly but not fully explained by educational and other demographic characteristics. Other findings provide no support for the popular claim that the wages of second-generation South Asian groups are disadvantaged in comparison to Whites.
A Structural Model of Future-Oriented Climate Change Optimism in Science Education: PISA Evidence from Countries with Top Environmental Protection Index
Authors: Cheung Kason Ka Ching
Published: April 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive effects of epistemological beliefs about science and informal reading of scientific texts on students’ future-oriented optimism on the issue of climate change. Future-oriented climate change optimism is defined as encompassing hope and anticipation about the climate future. To identify the relationships among variables, structural equation modelling was conducted on the PISA dataset on 15-year-old students from Denmark, the UK and Finland which have the top three Environmental Protection Index. Students of all three countries demonstrated a consistently low optimism about the future of climate change. Also, the findings indicated that students’ epistemological beliefs about science had a significantly negative predicting effect on their future-oriented climate change optimism across all three countries, while their informal reading of scientific texts had a significantly positive predictive effect on their future-oriented climate change optimism in Denmark and the UK. Across all three countries, 15-year-old students’ awareness of the issue of climate change plays a significantly negative mediating role between their epistemological beliefs about science and their optimism in the future climate, as well as their informal reading of scientific texts and their optimism in the future climate. This calls for a new curricular environmental-science education model that addresses how students’ informal science reading and epistemological beliefs about science can address future-oriented climate change optimism which might in turn impact young people’s action competence to address the issues of climate change.
Confidence in Covid-19 models
Authors: Nguyen James
Published: April 2024

Epidemiological models of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 played an important role in guiding the decisions of policy-makers during the pandemic. Such models provide output projections, in the form of time -series of infections, hospitalisations, and deaths, under various different parameter and scenario assumptions. In this paper I caution against handling these outputs uncritically: raw model-outputs should not be presented as direct projections in contexts where modelling results are required to support policy -decisions. I argue that model uncertainty should be handled and communicated transparently. Drawing on methods used by climate scientists in the fifth IPCC report I suggest that this can be done by: attaching confidence judgements to projections based on model results; being transparent about how multi-model ensembles are supposed to deal with such uncertainty; and using expert judgement to ‘translate’ model-outputs into projections about the actual world. In a slogan: tell me what you think (and why), not (just) what your models say. I then diffuse the worry that this approach infects model-based policy advice with some undesirably subjective elements, and explore how my discussion fares if one thinks the role of a scientific advisor is to prompt action, rather than communicate information.
Establishing Academic Burnout’s Relationship with Problematic Internet Use and Specific Health-Risk Behaviours: A Cross-sectional Study of Finnish Higher Education Students
Authors: Männikkö Niko , Palomäki Jussi , Parikka Suvi , Määttänen Ilmari , Castrén Sari
Published: April 2024

Problematic Internet use is recognised as an emerging public health issue, particularly among young adults. Yet, there is scarce information on problematic Internet use as a predictor for academic burnout. This study aimed to identify academic burnout’s association with both problematic Internet use and specific health-risk behaviour among higher education students. We analysed the population-based cross-sectional survey data (with post-stratification weighting) of Finnish higher education students. Data was collected in 2021 (n = 6258; age 18–34). Regression analyses were used to investigate academic burnout’s relationship with problematic Internet use and health-risk behaviours. The results revealed that female gender, learning difficulties, the use snus (the Swedish-type of moist snuff), problematic Internet use, online shopping, and perceived loneliness were significantly and positively associated with academic burnout. In addition, a higher number of study credits earned, self-perceived good health, and a satisfactory financial level were significantly and inversely associated with academic burnout. The findings suggest that screening students for problematic behaviour and offering support for those in need are likely to be effective at increasing academic well-being among higher education students.
Osteoporotic quality of life, self-efficacy, and fracture protection behaviors in postmenopausal women
Authors: Ünver Gamze , Özlü Aysun , Erdoğan Ahmet , Özdemir Muhammed Fatih , Üstündağ Sema
Published: April 2024

Summary

It is important for postmenopausal women to acquire bone health protective behaviors to protect them from fractures. For this reason, it is necessary to evaluate bone health during menopause and to inform women.

Purpose

This study was conducted to examine osteoporotic fracture protection behaviors, quality of life, and self-efficacy in postmenopausal women.

Methods

In the study, the data were evaluated with the socio-demographic data form, Osteoporotic Fracture Protection Scale, Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy-Efficacy Scale, European Osteoporosis Foundation Quality of Life Questionnaire-41, which includes introductory information on socio-demographic characteristics.

Results

It was determined that the postmenopausal women included in our study were between the ages of 45–92; more than half of them had chronic diseases; their average BMI was 29; and their DEXA score was − 3.00 ± 0.41. Among the people included in our study, those with a history of fractures had lower self-efficacy scores. It was determined that the fracture prevention scale scores of the participants were above the average, and the average of the osteoporosis-related quality of life score was high. In addition, it was determined that there was a strong positive correlation between self-efficacy and fracture prevention scale.

Conclusion

It is important to determine behaviors to prevent osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women, to raise the necessary awareness and to inform patients about the precautions to be taken. It is thought that it will increase patients’ quality of life by increasing their disease-related self-efficacy. Therefore, there is a need for research on providing education to op patients and examining the results.
The Dutch multidisciplinary guideline osteoporosis and fracture prevention, taking a local guideline to the international arena
Authors: van den Bergh J. P. , Geusens P. , Appelman-Dijkstra N. M. , van den Broek H. J. G. , Elders P. J. M. , de Klerk G. , van Oostwaard M. , Willems H. C. , Zillikens M. C. , Lems W. F.
Published: April 2024

Background

In 2018, a grant was provided for an evidence-based guideline on osteoporosis and fracture prevention based on 10 clinically relevant questions.

Methods

A multidisciplinary working group was formed with delegates from Dutch scientific and professional societies, including representatives from the patient’s organization and the Dutch Institute for Medical Knowledge. The purpose was to obtain a broad consensus among all participating societies to facilitate the implementation of the updated guideline.

Results

Novel recommendations in our guideline are as follows:

- In patients with an indication for DXA of the lumbar spine and hips, there is also an indication for VFA.

- Directly starting with anabolic drugs (teriparatide or romosozumab) in patients with a very high fracture risk;

- Directly starting with zoledronic acid in patients 75 years and over with a hip fracture (independent of DXA);

- Directly starting with parenteral drugs (denosumab, teriparatide, zoledronic acid) in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis with very high fracture risk;

- A lifelong fracture risk management, including lifestyle, is indicated from the start of the first treatment.

Conclusion

In our new multidisciplinary guideline osteoporosis and fracture prevention, we developed 5 “relatively new statements” that are all a crucial step forward in the optimization of diagnosis and treatment for fracture prevention. We also developed 5 flowcharts, and we suppose that this may be helpful for individual doctors and their patients in daily practice and may facilitate implementation.
Assessment of large-scale multiple forest disturbance susceptibilities with AutoML framework: an Izmir Regional Forest Directorate case
Authors: Eker Remzi , Alkiş Kamber Can , Aydın Abdurrahim
Published: April 2024

Disturbances such as forest fires, intense winds, and insect damage exert strong impacts on forest ecosystems by shaping their structure and growth dynamics, with contributions from climate change. Consequently, there is a need for reliable and operational methods to monitor and map these disturbances for the development of suitable management strategies. While susceptibility assessment using machine learning methods has increased, most studies have focused on a single disturbance. Moreover, there has been limited exploration of the use of “Automated Machine Learning (AutoML)” in the literature. In this study, susceptibility assessment for multiple forest disturbances (fires, insect damage, and wind damage) was conducted using the PyCaret AutoML framework in the Izmir Regional Forest Directorate (RFD) in Turkey. The AutoML framework compared 14 machine learning algorithms and ranked the best models based on AUC (area under the curve) values. The extra tree classifier (ET) algorithm was selected for modeling the susceptibility of each disturbance due to its good performance (AUC values > 0.98). The study evaluated susceptibilities for both individual and multiple disturbances, creating a total of four susceptibility maps using fifteen driving factors in the assessment. According to the results, 82.5% of forested areas in the Izmir RFD are susceptible to multiple disturbances at high and very high levels. Additionally, a potential forest disturbances map was created, revealing that 15.6% of forested areas in the Izmir RFD may experience no damage from the disturbances considered, while 54.2% could face damage from all three disturbances. The SHAP (Shapley Additive exPlanations) methodology was applied to evaluate the importance of features on prediction and the nonlinear relationship between explanatory features and susceptibility to disturbance.
European consumer price indices since 1870
Authors: Ljungberg Jonas
Published: April 2024

This article presents a database with the probably most up-to-date and reliable consumer price indices for a large sample of European countries since 1870. The database is a compilation but a contribution by going back to original or ignored works. For some countries, where CPIs have been missing, new provisional indices are constructed, and some are reconstructed for critical periods. The article critically examines historical CPIs in oft-used online databases and uncover some alarming inaccuracies and even fallacies. Despite the importance of accurate CPIs in long-term analyses, previously little effort has been put in assessing the quality and comparability of data between countries. Realism of the CPIs is examined within a framework of economic integration that qualifies received views. Lack of integration of Mediterranean countries before mid-20th century is validated, and contradictory patterns of integration in interwar and postwar Europe uncovered.
Predictive factors of renal function after robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in clinical T1b tumors
Authors: Yamamoto Ryohei , Numakura Kazuyuki , Kobayashi Mizuki , Nara Taketoshi , Saito Mitsuru , Narita Shintaro , Habuchi Tomonori
Published: April 2024

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) has been shown to be a safe and effective method for treatment of small renal tumors, including clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma (RCC); however, the impact of RAPN for cT1b renal tumors on renal function is not well understood. In this retrospective study, 50 patients who underwent RAPN for cT1b renal tumors were evaluated for pre- and post-operative renal function and perioperative clinical factors. Renal function was assessed using the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline and on postoperative days (POD) 1, 7, 30, and 180.A significant renal functional decline was defined as ≥ 15% reduction in eGFR at POD180 compared with eGFR at baseline. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for renal function decline, including age, sex, RENAL nephrometry score, operative time, and estimated blood loss. The median patient age was 62 years, and the median tumor diameter and RENAL nephrometry score were 44 mm (IQR 43–50) and 8 (IQR 7–9), respectively. Of these patients, 16 (36%) showed a significant renal functional decline at POD 180. In the multivariate analysis, the L component of the RENAL nephrometry score and an estimated blood loss of 200 mL or more were identified as significant risk factors for renal functional decline. These findings suggest that the preoperatively definable L component of the RENAL nephrometry score and intraoperative blood loss, which may be modifiable factors, play significant roles in post-RAPN renal function decline.
Psychological Problems in the Context of Political Violence in Afghan Children
Authors: Jobson Laura , McAvoy Daniel , Ahmadi Sayed Jafar
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

This review provides an overview of recent literature examining psychological problems in the context of political violence among Afghan children.

Recent Findings

Using recent literature (2018–2023) we identified: 1) heightened levels of psychological problems experienced by children in Afghanistan; 2) the factors associated with these psychological problems, including loss of family and community members, poverty, continuous risk of injury and death, gender, substance use, war, daily stressors, and poor access to education; 3) psychological problems have potentially worsened since the 2021 political changes; 4) conflict and poverty have resulted in violence against children being a serious issue; 5) emerging psychological interventions have been adapted to Afghan contexts; and 6) there is a desperate need for psychological assistance and further research in the region.

All children in Afghanistan have experienced conflict and political violence. While children are not responsible for this conflict, it has impacted their mental health. Further research is needed to examine the development and evaluation of interventions.
Backbone chemical shift and secondary structure assignments for mouse siderocalin
Authors: Moeller Johanna , Bozhanova Nina G. , Voehler Markus , Meiler Jens , Schoeder Clara T.
Published: April 2024

The lipocalin protein family is a structurally conserved group of proteins with a variety of biological functions defined by their ability to bind small molecule ligands and interact with partner proteins. One member of this family is siderocalin, a protein found in mammals. Its role is discussed in inflammatory processes, iron trafficking, protection against bacterial infections and oxidative stress, cell migration, induction of apoptosis, and cancer. Though it seems to be involved in numerous essential pathways, the exact mechanisms are often not fully understood. The NMR backbone assignments for the human siderocalin and its rat ortholog have been published before. In this work we describe the backbone NMR assignments of siderocalin for another important model organism, the mouse - data that might become important for structure-based drug discovery. Secondary structure elements were predicted based on the assigned backbone chemical shifts using TALOS-N and CSI 3.0, revealing a high content of beta strands and one prominent alpha helical region. Our findings correlate well with the known crystal structure and the overall conserved fold of the lipocalin family.
Robbed or Released by the Pandemic? The Dynamics of Integrating and Situating Musician Identity Learning
Authors: Malm Tobias , Lundin Anna Nørholm
Published: April 2024

The aim of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of musician identity learning. Identity is a significant driving-force behind many artistic vocations. However, identity may also pose challenges such as vulnerability, burnout and conflict of commitment. The paper focuses on musician identity, based on interviews with classical and rock musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses reveal that the musicians are either in integrating or situating musician identity learning, two different processes discussed as dynamically interrelated and depending on life situation. The paper argues that breaks of normality accentuate challenges stemming from musician identity and that the proposed learning processes are responses to those challenges, which is previously under-explored. The paper concludes that many musicians or other artistic practitioners likely struggle to de-centralize their identity in order to foster a sustainable vocational career and personal growth, and that temporary career breaks may provide necessary relief and learning space.
E-Watcher: insider threat monitoring and detection for enhanced security
Authors: Wei Zhiyuan , Rauf Usman , Mohsen Fadi
Published: April 2024

Insider threats refer to harmful actions carried out by authorized users within an organization, posing the most damaging risks. The increasing number of these threats has revealed the inadequacy of traditional methods for detecting and mitigating insider threats. These existing approaches lack the ability to analyze activity-related information in detail, resulting in delayed detection of malicious intent. Additionally, current methods lack advancements in addressing noisy datasets or unknown scenarios, leading to under-fitting or over-fitting of the models. To address these, our paper presents a hybrid insider threat detection framework. We not only enhance prediction accuracy by incorporating a layer of statistical criteria on top of machine learning-based classification but also present optimal parameters to address over/under-fitting of models. We evaluate the performance of our framework using a real-life threat test dataset (CERT r4.2) and compare it to existing methods on the same dataset (Glasser and Lindauer 2013). Our initial evaluation demonstrates that our proposed framework achieves an accuracy of 98.48% in detecting insider threats, surpassing the performance of most of the existing methods. Additionally, our framework effectively handles potential bias and data imbalance issues that can arise in real-life scenarios.