bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MRI deep learning models for assisted diagnosis of knee pathologies: a systematic review
Authors: Mead Keiley , Cross Tom , Roger Greg , Sabharwal Rohan , Singh Sahaj , Giannotti Nicola
Published: October 2024

Objectives

Despite showing encouraging outcomes, the precision of deep learning (DL) models using different convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for diagnosis remains under investigation. This systematic review aims to summarise the status of DL MRI models developed for assisting the diagnosis of a variety of knee abnormalities.

Materials and methods

Five databases were systematically searched, employing predefined terms such as ‘Knee AND 3D AND MRI AND DL’. Selected inclusion criteria were used to screen publications by title, abstract, and full text. The synthesis of results was performed by two independent reviewers.

Results

Fifty-four articles were included. The studies focused on anterior cruciate ligament injuries (n = 19, 36%), osteoarthritis (n = 9, 17%), meniscal injuries (n = 13, 24%), abnormal knee appearance (n = 11, 20%), and other (n = 2, 4%). The DL models in this review primarily used the following CNNs: ResNet (n = 11, 21%), VGG (n = 6, 11%), DenseNet (n = 4, 8%), and DarkNet (n = 3, 6%). DL models showed high-performance metrics compared to ground truth. DL models for the detection of a specific injury outperformed those by up to 4.5% for general abnormality detection.

Conclusion

Despite the varied study designs used among the reviewed articles, DL models showed promising outcomes in the assisted detection of selected knee pathologies by MRI. This review underscores the importance of validating these models with larger MRI datasets to close the existing gap between current DL model performance and clinical requirements.

Key Points

QuestionWhat is the status of DL model availability for knee pathology detection in MRI and their clinical potential?

FindingsPathology-specific DL models reported higher accuracy compared to DL models for the detection of general abnormalities of the knee. DL model performance was mainly influenced by the quantity and diversity of data available for model training.

Clinical relevanceThese findings should encourage future developments to improve patient care, support personalised diagnosis and treatment, optimise costs, and advance artificial intelligence-based medical imaging practices.

Graphical Abstract
Revolution or risk?—Assessing the potential and challenges of GPT-4V in radiologic image interpretation
Authors: Huppertz Marc Sebastian , Siepmann Robert , Topp David , Nikoubashman Omid , Yüksel Can , Kuhl Christiane Katharina , Truhn Daniel , Nebelung Sven
Published: October 2024

Objectives

ChatGPT-4 Vision (GPT-4V) is a state-of-the-art multimodal large language model (LLM) that may be queried using images. We aimed to evaluate the tool’s diagnostic performance when autonomously assessing clinical imaging studies.

Materials and methods

A total of 206 imaging studies (i.e., radiography (n = 60), CT (n = 60), MRI (n = 60), and angiography (n = 26)) with unequivocal findings and established reference diagnoses from the radiologic practice of a large university hospital were accessed. Readings were performed uncontextualized, with only the image provided, and contextualized, with additional clinical and demographic information. Responses were assessed along multiple diagnostic dimensions and analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.

Results

With its pronounced propensity to favor context over image information, the tool’s diagnostic accuracy improved from 8.3% (uncontextualized) to 29.1% (contextualized, first diagnosis correct) and 63.6% (contextualized, correct diagnosis among differential diagnoses) (p ≤ 0.001, Cochran’s Q test). Diagnostic accuracy declined by up to 30% when 20 images were re-read after 30 and 90 days and seemed unrelated to the tool’s self-reported confidence (Spearman’s ρ = 0.117 (p = 0.776)). While the described imaging findings matched the suggested diagnoses in 92.7%, indicating valid diagnostic reasoning, the tool fabricated 258 imaging findings in 412 responses and misidentified imaging modalities or anatomic regions in 65 images.

Conclusion

GPT-4V, in its current form, cannot reliably interpret radiologic images. Its tendency to disregard the image, fabricate findings, and misidentify details, especially without clinical context, may misguide healthcare providers and put patients at risk.

Key Points

Question

Can Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 Vision (GPT-4V) interpret radiologic images—with and without clinical context?

Findings

GPT-4V performed poorly, demonstrating diagnostic accuracy rates of 8% (uncontextualized), 29% (contextualized, most likely diagnosis correct), and 64% (contextualized, correct diagnosis among differential diagnoses).

Clinical relevance

The utility of commercial multimodal large language models, such as GPT-4V, in radiologic practice is limited. Without clinical context, diagnostic errors and fabricated findings may compromise patient safety and misguide clinical decision-making. These models must be further refined to be beneficial.
The IMproving Preclinical Assessment of Cardioprotective Therapies (IMPACT): multicenter pig study on the effect of ischemic preconditioning
Authors: Kleinbongard Petra , Arriola Carlos Galán , Badimon Lina , Crisostomo Veronica , Giricz Zoltán , Gyöngyösi Mariann , Heusch Gerd , Ibanez Borja , Kiss Attila , de Kleijn Dominique P. V. , Podesser Bruno K. , Carracedo Rafael Ramírez , Rodríguez-Sinovas Antonio , Ruiz-Meana Marisol , Sanchez Margallo Francisco M. , Vilahur Gemma , Zamorano José Luis , Zaragoza Carlos , Ferdinandy Peter , Hausenloy Derek J.
Published: October 2024

Numerous cardioprotective interventions have been reported to reduce myocardial infarct size (IS) in pre-clinical studies. However, their translation for the benefit of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been largely disappointing. One reason for the lack of translation is the lack of rigor and reproducibility in pre-clinical studies. To address this, we have established the European IMproving Preclinical Assessment of Cardioprotective Therapies (IMPACT) pig AMI network with centralized randomization and blinded core laboratory IS analysis and validated the network with ischemic preconditioning (IPC) as a positive control. Ten sites in the COST Innovators Grant (IG16225) network participated in the IMPACT network. Three sites were excluded from the final analysis through quality control of infarct images and use of pre-defined exclusion criteria. Using a centrally generated randomization list, pigs were allocated to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R, N = 5/site) or IPC + I/R (N = 5/site). The primary endpoint was IS [% area-at-risk (AAR)], as quantified by triphenyl-tetrazolium-chloride (TTC) staining in a centralized, blinded core laboratory (5 sites), or IS [% left-ventricular mass (LV)], as quantified by a centralized, blinded cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) core laboratory (2 sites). In pooled analyses, IPC significantly reduced IS when compared to I/R (57 ± 14 versus 32 ± 19 [%AAR] N = 25 pigs/group; p < 0.001; 25 ± 13 versus 14 ± 8 [%LV]; N = 10 pigs/group; p = 0.021). In site-specific analyses, in 4 of the 5 sites, IS was significantly reduced by IPC when compared to I/R when quantified by TTC and in 1 of 2 sites when quantified by CMR. A pig AMI multicenter European network with centralized randomization and core blinded IS analysis was established and validated with the aim to improve the reproducibility of cardioprotective interventions in pre-clinical studies and the translation of cardioprotection for patient benefit.
The importance of coding and translation between programming languages in sequential activities of pre-service teachers: an approach
Authors: Berciano Ainhoa , Cuida Astrid , Novo María-Luisa
Published: October 2024

In the last two decades, computational thinking has gained wide relevance in international educational systems. The inclusion of this new type of thinking poses educational challenges with some underlying research questions that need to be answered to meet these challenges with quality. Thus, this study focuses on analyzing the difficulties that teachers in initial training experience have, when carrying out translation tasks of programming languages used by certain educational robots, in this case, the Cubetto. For this purpose, a specific learning sequence has been designed to work with different programming languages (Cubetto, Bee-Bot, Scratch) and natural language. The work of early childhood and elementary trainee teachers in these tasks has been analyzed using a descriptive approach. The main results are: (1) some of the difficulties encountered are clearly caused by the Cubetto hardware (regardless of the language to which it is translated) and (2) the designed learning sequence has enabled coding skills to be improved remarkably. We conclude that translation tasks between programming languages are necessary in initial teacher training to improve their ability programming and their computational thinking, and for them to be able to detect the disadvantages and benefits of educational robots in their transposition to the classroom.
Mapping-Based Accounts of Applicability and Converse Applications
Authors: Molinini Daniele
Published: October 2024

While the problem of the applicability of mathematics in science has been the object of much philosophical discussion, the converse issue of accounting for the successful application of science in mathematics is still in its exploratory stages. In this paper I focus on the latter issue and I discuss it in connection with the mapping view of applied mathematics, which is currently the most influential approach adopted by philosophers to account for the applicability of mathematics in the empirical sciences. More specifically, I address the question of whether the mapping view works for cases of converse applications (i.e., successful applications of the empirical sciences in mathematics). By focusing on some case studies, I argue that the answer to this question is negative and the mapping account of applied mathematics, as it is usually presented in the literature on the applicability of mathematics, does not have the resources to handle the converse applicability issue. To make my point, I will proceed in the following way: first, I will maintain that we can distinguish two types of converse applications, which I name in-argument and in-result converse applications; next, I will assess the mapping account on these types of converse applications and I will point to the reasons why such view cannot accommodate converse applications within its framework.
Incommensurability and population-level bioethics
Authors: Herlitz Anders
Published: October 2024

This paper introduces incommensurability, its potential relevance to population-level bioethics, and thecontributions to the special issue. It provides an overview of recent research on incommensurability, outlines somereasons to believe in its possibility and relevance, and presents some problems and opportunities that arise onceone accepts that incommensurability is possible.
The MAXLab aggression and bystander intervention scenario set (MAXLab_ABISS): A modular scenario set for studying decision making in situations of interpersonal violence in virtual reality
Authors: van Gelder Jean-Louis , Barnum Timothy C. , Herman Shaina , Wozniak Peter
Published: October 2024

Objective

This Research Note describes the MAXLab Aggression and Bystander Intervention Scenario Set (MAXLab_ABISS) and provides empirical examples of its applicability. We describe the scenarios, elaborate on the production process, provide technical specifications, and explain how materials can be obtained.

Method

This modular stimulus set, which is currently available in the English, German and Dutch language, includes 360° videos for studying decision-making in interpersonal violence. It offers researchers a complimentary method to collect data on emotions, perceptions, and reactions to violent situations using immersive technology.

Results

Analysis from two samples (n = 101 and n = 55) show the immersive scenarios of the stimulus set are effective at evoking targeted emotional experiences at the moment of a crime decision.

Conclusion

MAXLab_ABISS is a safe and effective tool for studying decision making in real-life, emotion-laden criminogenic settings. We offer insights for how researchers can further use the materials to study decision making related to crime and violence.
The cost of going public and financial constraints
Authors: Pinto Gerard
Published: October 2024

We provide empirical evidence on the bargaining power model proposed in Hu and Ritter (2007) by examining the financial constraints channel on the direct and indirect cost of going public. We find that financially constrained firms possess lower bargaining power and thereby incur higher direct costs (gross spreads) and higher indirect costs (underpricing) in an IPO. Consistent with the bargaining power model, we find that IPOs of financially constrained firms are usually managed by sole bookrunners and underwritten by smaller syndicates. Finally, we find that these financially constrained IPO firms underperform their non-financially constrained IPO peers in the long term. These results are robust to multiple endogeneity tests.
Influence of Binding Energies on Required Process Conditions in Aerosol Deposition
Authors: Daneshian Bahman , Gärtner Frank , Assadi Hamid , Höche Daniel , Klassen Thomas , Weber Wolfgang E.
Published: October 2024

With the high interest in aerosol deposition in order to form high-quality coatings by solid-state impact, there is an increasing demand for developing general guidelines to estimate needed particle velocities and thus process parameter sets for successful deposition of ceramic materials. By using modeling approaches, rather different material properties in first instance can be expressed in terms of binding energies. Needed velocities for possible bonding can then derived by impact simulations and compared to experimental results from the literature. In order to study the role of binding energy on the impact behavior of ceramic particles in aerosol deposition, a molecular dynamics study is presented. Single-particle impacts are simulated for a range of binding energies, particle sizes and impact velocities. The results show that increasing the binding energy from 0.22 to 0.96 eV results in up to three times higher characteristic velocities corresponding to the threshold of bonding or grain size-dependent fragmentation of the particles. However, regardless of the binding energy, exceeding the characteristic velocities results in a similar deformation and fragmentation pattern. This allows for a general representation of the impact behavior as a function of normalized impact velocity for different ceramic materials. Apart from dealing with prerequisites for bonding of different materials by aerosol deposition, this study could also be generally relevant to the high-velocity deformation behavior of ceramics with different grain sizes.
Organic fluorophores in developing latent fingerprints: an up-to-date review
Authors: Jain Rakshitha K. , Sunil Dhanya , Bhagavath Poornima
Published: October 2024

Fingerprints have been established as legitimate and critical forensic science evidence for identifying criminals beginning as early as the twentieth century. This article details the different types of fingerprints, the broad range of surfaces, and various development techniques available for on-site latent fingerprint collection, with fingerprint fidelity being of prime significance. Fluorescent imaging of latent finger-marks benefits from enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and reduced reliance on instruments. The review focuses on the topical developments reported on small-molecule organic fluorophores which could be used to develop latent prints through powder, solution, and fuming approaches. These inexpensive luminophores extend wide emission profiles that span the visible spectrum to visualize the latent prints with exceptional resolution, free from any interference originating from the background surface. Further, the critical challenges and prospective scope for future research developments to improve the detection of latent fingerprints using small-molecule fluorophores are also discussed.

Graphical abstract
A case of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with epidermization showing a unique morphology
Authors: Mizuno Jyunichi , Urabe Yuji , Nakahara Hikaru , Yamashita Ken , Hiyama Yuichi , Takigawa Hidehiko , Ishikawa Akira , Kuwai Toshio , Hinoi Takao , Oka Shiro
Published: October 2024

An 80-year-old woman with a history of endoscopic balloon dilation for esophageal stricture caused by accidental ingestion of caustic soda during infancy presented with dysphagia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 10-cm-long, highly white, elevated lesion with a feathered appearance. This lesion was determined to be the cause of dysphagia and was completely resected via endoscopic submucosal dissection. Histopathological examination revealed a thick keratin layer on the surface of the stratified squamous epithelium, with a prominent granular layer underneath and some areas showing nuclear atypia. The lesion was diagnosed as a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, pT1a-LPM, derived from epidermoid metaplasia. Cancer genome analysis revealed mutations in TP53 as well as amplification of MYC, FGFR1, chromosome 7, and chromosome 20q. This case suggests that epidermoid metaplasia caused by chronic irritation from an esophageal stricture may have been exacerbated by the dilation procedure.
Combined strategy of upfront CTCA and optimal treatment for stable chest pain: rationale and design of the CLEAR-CAD trial
Authors: Verpalen Victor A , Coerkamp Casper F , Hinderks Mark J , Meeder Joan G , Winter Michiel M , Arkenbout E Karin , Vis Jeroen C , Habets Jesse , Smulders Martijn W , Mihl Casper , van Ofwegen-Hanekamp Clara E E , van der Spoel Tycho I G , Tanis Wilco , van Gelder Rogier E , van der Wielen Marloes L J , Somsen G Aernout , Kikkert Wouter J , Carati Luc F , el Barzouhi Abdelilah , van Bergen Paul F M M , Dedic Admir , Prokop Mathias , Stallmann Hein P , Beele Xavier D Y , Quarles van Ufford Henriëtte M E , Nijveldt Robin , Dijkgraaf Marcel G W , Damman Peter , Planken R Nils , Henriques José P S ,   CLEAR-CAD investigators
Published: October 2024

Background

Patients with stable chest pain suspected of coronary artery disease (CAD) usually undergo multiple diagnostic tests to confirm or rule out obstructive CAD. Some tests may not effectively assess the presence of CAD, precluding optimal treatment. A diagnostic strategy of upfront computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) combined with optimal medical therapy (OMT) tailored to the extent of CAD may be superior to standard care in preventing major adverse cardiac events.

Study design

The CLEAR-CAD trial is a prospective, open-label, multicentre, randomised, superiority trial of an upfront CTCA-guided strategy in 6444 patients presenting in an outpatient setting with suspected CAD compared with standard care, in approximately 30 participating centres in the Netherlands. The upfront CTCA-guided strategy consists of an initial CTCA which is assessed using the Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS 2.0). In patients without CAD (CAD-RADS 0) no specific cardiac medication is mandated. Patients with non-obstructive CAD (CAD-RADS 1–2) are treated with preventive OMT. Patients with obstructive CAD (CAD-RADS ≥ 3) are treated with preventive and anti-anginal OMT; in the presence of pharmacologically refractory symptoms patients undergo selective revascularisation after non-invasive functional imaging for myocardial ischaemia (≥ 10%). Patients with significant left main or proximal left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis on CTCA undergo direct invasive coronary angiography and subsequent revascularisation. The primary endpoint is the composite of all-cause death and myocardial infarction.

Conclusion

The CLEAR-CAD trial is the first randomised study to investigate the efficacy of a combined upfront CTCA-guided medical and selective revascularisation strategy in an outpatient setting with suspected CAD compared with standard care.
Canonical structure constants for simple Lie algebras
Authors: Geck Meinolf , Lang Alexander
Published: October 2024

Let $$\mathfrak {g}$$
g
be a finite-dimensional simple Lie algebra over $$\mathbb {C}$$
C
. In the 1950s Chevalley showed that $$\mathfrak {g}$$
g
admits particular bases, now called “Chevalley bases”, for which the corresponding structure constants are integers. Such bases are not unique but, using Lusztig’s theory of canonical bases, one can single out a “canonical” Chevalley basis which is unique up to a global sign. In this paper, we give explicit formulae for the structure constants with respect to such a basis.
Catalytic influence of alkali and alkali earth metals in black liquor on the gasification process: a review
Authors: Majoe Nampe , Patel Bilal , Gorimbo Joshua , Beas Isaac
Published: October 2024

During the pulping process, either alkali or alkali earth metals are added in a cooking solution to turn wood chips into pulp, and these alkali and alkali earth metals (AAEMs) end up in the black liquor. These AAEMs are known to catalyze the gasification process, by lowering the reaction temperature and degrading tar in the syngas. Of the various black liquor valorization methods, gasification is a promising process that can be integrated into existing pulping processes to recover the process energy via syngas utilization. It is, therefore, important to firmly understand how AAEMs in black liquor catalyze the gasification process. This review paper also discusses how black liquor is generated from both the Kraft pulping and the sulfite pulping process. The paper also examines advances that have been made in terms of an integrated gasification process into the existing pulping process. The paper explores the supercritical water gasification of back liquor and syngas as fuel in the pulp and paper industry. A discussion of the co-gasification of black liquor with either fossil fuels or biomass, focusing on the catalytic effect of AAEMs in the co-gasification process as well as the synergistic effects of fossil fuels and biomass is presented.
Environmental conditions in the pre-Jenkyns event times (late Pliensbachian—early Toarcian) in the South Iberian Palaeomargin (Betic External Zones, Southern Spain)
Authors: Nieto L. M. , Ayadi C. , Fraguas Á. , Molina J. M. , Reolid M.
Published: October 2024

Three stratigraphic sections of the Betic External Zones were studied, two from the Median Subbetic (PEL and PR) and one from the External Subbetic (CE). The upper Pliensbachian materials and the transition to the lower Toarcian were dated with calcareous nannofossils in PEL and PR in this paper, while in the CE section, previous ammonite and nannofossil biostratigraphies were considered. The dominant facies are alternance of marly limestone—marl, although in the CE section, the Toarcian is represented by marls, where the Jenkyns Event has been recorded. In terms of ichnofossils, in the PEL section Macaronichnus predominates. In the PR and CE sections, the ichnoassemblages are dominated by Planolites, Thalassinoides and Chondrites. The facies and ichnofacies distinguished formed in pelagic or hemipelagic marine environments. Analysis of the correlation between δ13C and δ18O and of each of them with Sr and Fe/Ca and Sr/Ca, as well as the Z-factor, indicate that the geochemical signal has not been modified by diagenesis. In the PEL and PR sections, the δ13C and δ18O ratios do not allow to clearly identify isotopic events, except in CE where the Jenkyns Event was recorded. The proxies used to study detritism (Zr/Rb, Sr/Cu, Chemical Index Alteration, CIA, and C-value) show trends opposite to those detected in other Tethys sections and even between them. These peculiarities in the geochemical data are interpreted as the result of the opening of the Hispanic Corridor, the mixing of Panthalassa and Tethys seawaters and extensional tectonics, which favoured the development of half grabens with significant differential subsidence, especially during the NJT5b Subzone (latest Pliensbachian). These half grabens could be affected by contourite currents according to the Macaronichnus assemblage in some of these sections.
Liquid crystalline elastomers as artificial muscles and flexible actuators for robotics/hybrid engineered machinery
Authors: Ince Joshua , Prasad Krishnamurthy , Subhani Karamat , Duffy Alan , Salim Nisa
Published: October 2024

Reducing the weight and profile of machinery and robotics is currently a prime challenge for materials scientists and engineers alike. Solving this challenge could lead to an improvement in space travel feasibility, manufacturing capability, and the birth of new medical interventions and technologies altogether. LCEs are currently considered to hold good potential as artificial muscles due to their unique molecular structure. With the recent boom in materials science and the emergence of advanced fabrication techniques, LCE-based artificial muscles/flexible actuators are at the cusp of commercialization. LCEs can now be fabricated into several different forms (films, fibers, and 3D printed arbitrary shapes). Furthermore, LCE artificial muscles fabricated using these advanced techniques can also be functionalized so that they can controllably be triggered into actuating via stimuli such as light or electrical currents. This has led to reports of several LCE-based artificial muscles which boast impressive performance as artificial muscles. For example, recently certain Joule heating LCE fibers can directly be stimulated into actuation via the application of electrical currents and can actuate on sub-second time frames and outperform human skeletal muscles in terms of actuation stress. Given this, whilst currently there are no commercial applications of LCEs as artificial muscles in robotics, we believe that LCEs are poised to soon be directly applicable as artificial muscles in the broader field of robotics, which inspired us to author this review. This review presents an overview of the mechanisms, synthetic methods, and alignment methods for LCEs. In addition, we provide the latest achievements in fabrication techniques and means of inducing/controlling the actuation of LCEs. We do so in the aspiration that this review can bridge the gap that exists between academia and industry on the topic of LCEs.

Graphical abstract

Illustration of LCEs acting as artificial muscles in robotics.
Biomechanical Analysis of the “Cuban Motion”
Authors: Centrone Antonia , Viglialoro Rosanna M. , Di Pietro Andrea , Di Puccio Francesca
Published: October 2024

Purpose

“Cuban Motion” (CM) is a term often used to label a basic movement of many Latin-American dances, such as salsa and bachata. It is characterized by a cyclical and rhythmic flexion and rotation of the pelvis, accompanied by ample movements of the spine and lower limbs. Since Latin dances are considered both a recreational activity and a kind of healthy gymnastics for young and older subjects, a biomechanical analysis of the CM was performed to quantitatively assess the main features of this movement, from joint kinematics to muscle activations.

Method

The study combined experimental acquisitions with a Vicon Motion Capture system and musculoskeletal analyses in OpenSim. Only one subject was considered, an instructor of Latin dances, who was equipped with 55 retro-reflective markers, according to the Full Body CGM2.5 marker set. Data were processed in OpenSim, using the ThoracoLumbar model (111 DoFs and 620 musculo-tendon actuators).

Results

The cycle of the CM and its main events were defined. Results showed a wide RoM of many joints, with correlations between hip and knee flexion angles and among list, between hip adduction and shoulder flexion. The main role of the iliopsoas and the ileus costalis muscles was observed.

Conclusions

The current study quantified the CM as a physical exercise using a biomechanical approach similar to a gait analysis. The main kinematic and kinetic features were described, also providing an estimation of the muscle activations and joint reactions, derived from simulation activity in OpenSim. The main limitation of this study is the focus on a single subject, but this step was necessary to define a context and guidelines for future investigations, where we are going to compare èlite vs. novices and male vs. female dancers.
PMVd/PPDd model for predicting thermal comfort in air-conditioned buildings in hot and humid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ze Ze Cyrille Brice , Nneme Nneme Léandre , Monkam Louis
Published: October 2024

The model for predicting thermal comfort conditions established by Fanger remains widely used in scientific work, as a default means of in situ measurements. However, the use of Fanger data leads to dissatisfaction among users of air-conditioned buildings in humid tropical areas. This conclusion emerges from the work of Kemajou and al. (Cameroon) and Olissan and al. (Benin) in 2012, after survey studies on the judgments of thermal sensations of people occupying various air-conditioned spaces. This article develops a correction model for the Fanger model, by coupling the latter to models for predicting skin temperature and heat loss by evaporation of sweat through the skin, as well as to the skin thermal sensitivity of people active in a humid tropical climate. The model thus determined shows that the predicted optimal comfort temperatures are located in the range of 26.1 °C to 27.5 °C and better meets the expectations of the populations in this region. The respective differences with the investigations of Kemajou and al. and those of Olissan and al. are 0.40 °C and 0.55 °C. It also appears that the comfort humidity range is 30% to 80%, apart from any other safety measures.
From dreamers to doers: A personal and job resources interaction among intrapreneurial managers
Authors: Lajçi Rrezon , Berisha Gentrit , Bach Norbert
Published: October 2024

Drawing on job-demands resources and self-consistency theories, this study investigates individual and contextual factors influencing managers’ intrapreneurial intention (INI). We focus on the role of personal resources (organization-based self-esteem and proactivity) related to INI. Further, we analyze job resources (top management support and role clarity) shaping INI, and their interaction with proactivity. Our data comprises 193 Kosovan managers employed in companies varying in size and industry. The results show that organization-based self-esteem and proactivity are positively related to INI. Additionally, proactivity serves as the underlying mechanism, mediating organization-based self-esteem-INI relationship. Furthermore, job resources – top management support and role clarity – strengthen the likelihood of INI among proactive employees, suggesting a moderated mediation model.

By jointly examining individual and contextual antecedents of INI, this study contributes to the debate of who the intrapreneur is and what nurtures his/her inclinations. Furthermore, this is among the few studies to examine INI using a managerial sample and in an emerging economy context.
Analyzing the impact of work meaningfulness on turnover intentions and job satisfaction: A self-determination theory perspective
Authors: Wandycz-Mejias Joanna , Roldán Salgueiro José Luis , Lopez-Cabrales Alvaro
Published: October 2024

While employees actively seek out workplaces that offer meaningful work experiences, the concept of meaningful work remains notably underexplored within the turnover literature. The present study addresses this gap by examining the role of work meaningfulness among knowledge workers and its direct and indirect effects on turnover intentions and job satisfaction through the lens of self-determination theory. Our findings show significant effects on turnover intentions and job satisfaction, with work meaningfulness emerging as a stronger predictor of job satisfaction, while still contributing to reducing turnover intentions. Most extant literature focuses on sources and ways to enhance work meaningfulness. We contribute to more recent research on its relationship with its outcomes especially the link with turnover intentions, offering insight into a relationship that has produced few, but conflicting,results.
Responses to observing others caught cheating: The role of schadenfreude
Authors: Motro Daphna , Perkins Benjamin G. , Ellis Aleksander P. J.
Published: October 2024

While unethical acts are common in the business world, we know little about how employees react when they observe coworkers caught engaging in unethical behavior. This is both theoretically and practically relevant, given that many supervisors take unethical behavior in the workplace very seriously. Drawing on appraisal theory, we argue that observing a coworker caught engaging in unethical behavior elicits feelings of schadenfreude. Then, this positive feeling spills over to a separate task and enhances performance. Finally, we suggest that trait empathy can weaken this effect because individuals with high trait empathy are more likely to understand the motivations of the person caught. Across two studies, our results showed that perpetrators getting caught increased schadenfreude among observers, which then increased their subsequent task performance. However, trait empathy did not significantly affect these results. Our work contributes to the literature on unethical behavior and emotions in the workplace.
Response to Comments on State-Building as Lawfare
Authors: Lazarev Egor
Published: October 2024

I would like to thank the editors of Nationalities Papers for providing a forum for the discussion of my book and for facilitating the symposium. I would also like to express my deep gratitude to Lisa Blaydes, Anastasia Shesterinina, and Dan Slater for taking the time to read the book and for offering their insightful comments and questions. Their scholarship was an inspiration and a source of wisdom for my research in almost all its aspects, from the art of theory-building to their methodological input on survey research and qualitative fieldwork (Belge and Blaydes 2014; Blaydes 2018; Shesterinina 2019, 2021; Slater 2010). It was a wonderful feeling to read their engagement with my work. I believe that the ways the authors of the symposium presented some of the central ideas of my book were often better than the ways I did it myself. In this response, I’ll address some of the central questions and comments raised by the reviewers.
Functional morphology of the Ediacaran organism Tribrachidium heraldicum
Authors: Olaru A. , Gutarra-Diaz S. , Racicot R. A. , Dunn F. S. , Rahman I. A. , Wang Z. , Darroch S. A. F. , Gibson B. M.
Published: October 2024

Tribrachidium heraldicum is an Ediacaran body fossil characterized by triradial symmetry. Previous work has suggested that the anatomy of Tribrachidium was conducive to passive suspension feeding; however, these analyses used an inaccurate model and a relatively simple set of simulations. Using computational fluid dynamics, we explore the functional morphology of Tribrachidium in unprecedented detail by gauging how the presence or absence of distinctive anatomical features (e.g., apical pits and arms) affects flow patterns. Additionally, we map particle pathways, quantify deposition rates at proposed feeding sites, and assess gregarious feeding habits to more fully reconstruct the lifestyle of this enigmatic taxon. Our results provide strong support for interpreting Tribrachidium as a macroscopic suspension feeder, with the apical pits representing loci of particle collection (and possibly ingestion) and the triradial arms representing morphological adaptations for interrupting flow and inducing settling. More speculatively, we suggest that the radial grooves may represent ciliated pathways through which food particles accumulating in the wake of the organism were transported toward the apical pits. Finally, our results allow us to generate new functional hypotheses for other Ediacaran taxa with a triradial body plan. This work refines our understanding of the appearance of suspension feeding in shallow-water paleoenvironments, with implications for the radiation of Metazoa across the Ediacaran/Cambrian boundary.
Reproductive response of the predator Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to temperatures outside their ideal thermal range
Authors: Carmo Enggel Beatriz S. , Silva-Torres Christian S. A. , Torres Jorge Braz
Published: October 2024

Global warming has driven changes in the biology and fitness of organisms that need to adapt to temperatures outside of their optimal range to survive. This study investigated aspects of reproduction and survival of the lady beetle Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) subjected to temperatures that varied from its optimal (28°C) to a gradual decrease (12, 14, 16, and 18°C) and increase (32, 34, 35, and 36°C) over time at a rate of 1°C/day. Fertility, fecundity, oviposition period, and survival were determined. There was a significant reduction in fertility and fecundity at temperatures below 18°C and above 34°C, whereas survival was reduced only above 34°C. Additionally, we evaluated that fecundity was the lowest when females were kept at low temperature, and when males were kept under high temperature. Therefore, if the T. notata remained for a long period under exposure to temperatures outside the ideal range, then the species could present different reproductive responses for each sex to high and low temperatures. This factor must be considered when releasing natural enemies into an area to understand the effect of temperature on the decline of a local population a few generations after release.
Redeeming the orphaned souls: fragments of a Mongolian translation from Khara-khoto
Authors: Galambos Imre
Published: October 2024

In 1983 and 1984, archaeologists excavated at the ruins of Khara-khoto, Inner Mongolia, about 3,000 fragments of handwritten and printed texts from the Yuan period (1271–1368). The texts were chiefly written in Chinese and Tangut but also included a handful of other languages. Among a small group of texts in Mongolian were fragments of a woodblock-printed book with illustrations, using the Uyghur script. The content of the text, as well as the presence of a few interlinear Chinese characters, made it clear that this was a translation of a Chinese work, probably of Daoist content. Because the folios were incomplete, the narrative framework of the text could only be reconstructed partially, which is also why the source text has not been identified so far. This article locates Chinese versions of the story and identifies one of them as the closest to that used by the translator. This, in turn, helps to improve our interpretation of the Mongolian fragments and provide background information for understanding the context of the text's circulation in the Khara-khoto region. My primary aim here is to engage with the original Chinese story, rather than the translation and its place in Mongolian literature.
Cokernel statistics for walk matrices of directed and weighted random graphs
Authors: Van Werde Alexander
Published: October 2024

The walk matrix associated to an
$n\times n$
integer matrix
$\mathbf{X}$
and an integer vector
$b$
is defined by
${\mathbf{W}} \,:\!=\, (b,{\mathbf{X}} b,\ldots, {\mathbf{X}}^{n-1}b)$
. We study limiting laws for the cokernel of
$\mathbf{W}$
in the scenario where
$\mathbf{X}$
is a random matrix with independent entries and
$b$
is deterministic. Our first main result provides a formula for the distribution of the
$p^m$
-torsion part of the cokernel, as a group, when
$\mathbf{X}$
has independent entries from a specific distribution. The second main result relaxes the distributional assumption and concerns the
${\mathbb{Z}}[x]$
-module structure.

The motivation for this work arises from an open problem in spectral graph theory, which asks to show that random graphs are often determined up to isomorphism by their (generalised) spectrum. Sufficient conditions for generalised spectral determinacy can, namely, be stated in terms of the cokernel of a walk matrix. Extensions of our results could potentially be used to determine how often those conditions are satisfied. Some remaining challenges for such extensions are outlined in the paper.
The CHD severity classification system: development of a tool to assist with disease stratification for CHD research
Authors: O’Malley Bridget R. , Raja Nayem , Blue Gillian M. , Winlaw David S. , Sholler Gary F. ,   the Congenital Heart Disease Synergy Study Group
Published: October 2024

Background:

Complexity stratification for CHD is an integral part of clinical research due to its heterogenous clinical presentation and outcomes. To support our ongoing research efforts into CHD requiring disease severity stratifications, a simplified CHD severity classification system was developed and verified, with potential utility for clinical researchers without specialist CHD knowledge or access to clinical/medical records.

Method:

A two-tiered analysis approach was undertaken. First-tier analysis included the audit of a comprehensive system based on: i) timing of intervention, ii) cardiac morphology, and iii) cardiovascular physiology using real patient data (n = 30), across 10 common CHD lesions. Second-tier analysis allowed for a simplified version of the classification system using morphology as a stand-alone predictor. Twelve clinicians of varying specialities involved in CHD care ranked 10 common lesions from least to most severe based on typical presentation and clinical course.

Results:

First-tier analysis identified that cardiac morphology was the principal driver of complexity. Second-tier analysis largely confirmed the ranking and classification of the lesions into the broad CHD severity groups, although some variation was noted, specifically among non-cardiac specialists. This simplified version of the classicisation system, with morphology as a stand-alone predictor of severity, allowed for effective stratification for the purposes of analysis.

Conclusion:

The findings presented here support this comprehensive and simple CHD severity classification system with broad utility in CHD research, particularly among clinicians and researchers with limited knowledge of CHD. The model may be applied to produce locally relevant research tools.
Left aortic arch and aberrant right subclavian artery in children: spectrum of symptoms and response to surgical intervention
Authors: Cole Lianne , Brown Jennifer , Yasuda Jessica , Ngo Peter , Staffa Steven J. , Crilley Naomi , Chiu Peter , Zendejas Benjamin , Baird Christopher
Published: October 2024

Background:

Children with left aortic arch and aberrant right subclavian artery may present with either respiratory or swallowing symptoms beyond the classically described solid-food dysphagia. We describe the clinical features and outcomes of children undergoing surgical repair of an aberrant right subclavian artery.

Materials and methods:

This was a retrospective review of children undergoing repair of an aberrant right subclavian artery between 2017 and 2022. Primary outcome was symptom improvement. Pre- and post-operative questionnaires were used to assess dysphagia (PEDI-EAT-10) and respiratory symptoms (PEDI-TBM-7). Paired t-test and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyse symptom resolution. Secondary outcomes included perioperative outcomes, complications, and length of stay.

Results:

Twenty children, median age 2 years (IQR 1–11), were included. All presented with swallowing symptoms, and 14 (70%) also experienced respiratory symptoms. Statistically significant improvements in symptoms were reported for both respiratory and swallowing symptoms. Paired (pre- and post-op) PEDI-EAT-10 and PEDI-TBM-7 scores were obtained for nine patients, resulting in mean (± SD) scores decreasing (improvement in symptoms) from 19.9 (± 9.3) to 2.4 (± 2.5) p = 0.001, and 8.7 (± 4.7) to 2.8 (± 4.0) p = 0.006, respectively. Reoperation was required in one patient due to persistent dysphagia from an oesophageal stricture. Other complications included lymphatic drainage (n = 4) and transient left vocal cord hypomobility (n = 1).

Conclusion:

Children with a left aortic arch with aberrant right subclavian artery can present with oesophageal and respiratory symptoms beyond solid food dysphagia. A thorough multidisciplinary evaluation is imperative to identify patients who can benefit from surgical repair, which appears to be safe and effective.
Staged ventricular recruitment following single-ventricular palliation in unbalanced atrioventricular septal defect with heterotaxy syndrome
Authors: Im Somin , Kwak Jae Gun , Kim Woong-Han
Published: October 2024

A newborn with unbalanced atrioventricular septal defect and heterotaxy syndrome underwent early surgeries for single-ventricular palliation due to a small left ventricle. Following procedures, including the modified Damus–Kaye–Stansel, there was a notable increase in left ventricular size. This progression allowed successful biventricular repair at 7 months. This case highlights potential ventricular development after palliative procedures in patients with borderline ventricular size.
The development of the Negative Mental Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ-N)
Authors: Oaie Florentina Ecaterina , Bower Joanne L. , Steel Craig
Published: October 2024

Background:

Mental imagery plays a key role in the onset and maintenance of psychological disorders, and has become the target of psychological interventions for the treatment of several anxiety-related conditions. However, there are currently no transdiagnostic measures designed to assess the varied dimensions of mental imagery relevant to psychopathology.

Aim:

To develop and validate a new measure assessing the experiences and appraisals of negative mental imagery.

Method:

The initial item pool was generated through a comprehensive literature review and interviews with subject-matter experts. An online community sample provided data for the exploratory (n=345) and confirmatory (n=325) factor analyses.

Results:

The new 16-item Negative Mental Imagery Questionnaire demonstrated four subscales (Intrusiveness, Controllability, Beliefs about Mental Imagery, and Realness). Reliability and validity were good to excellent for both the full- and sub-scales.

Conclusions:

Appraisals of mental imagery captured by the new measure are consistent with previous research on mental imagery and psychopathology.