bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping Innovation Research in Organizations: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Peng Renzhong , Chen Jingshuang , Wu Weiping
Published: December 2021

This essay conducts a bibliometric study on innovation research in organizations within the three levels (i.e., individual, work team, and organizational) by using CiteSpace software to analyze 6,354 academic articles from the year 2000 to 2020 in four aspects: temporal distribution of published papers, scientific community (countries/regions/cited authors), intellectual structure (cited journals/cited references), and research hotspots. The research findings show that the total number and the growth rate of publications at the organizational level are far higher than the other two levels (individual and work team). The top three countries with the number of publications are United States, China, and United Kingdom. The top five highly cited authors are identified and listed from individual, work team, and organizational levels.Academy of Management JournalandAcademy of Management Revieware the top two highly cited journals at all three levels (i.e., individual, work team, and organizational levels). The most highly cited articles at the three levels are about topics of linking empowering leadership and employee creativity, team-level predictors of innovation at work, and organizational ambidexterity. The top three research hotspots are identified and listed from individual, work team, and organizational levels. These findings provide snapshots and comparisons of innovation research in management within the three levels (i.e., individual, work team, and organizational levels), which might be beneficial for researchers and scholars to understand and explore innovative behavior in organizations from a multilevel perspective.
Benefits of Cultural Activities on People With Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review
Authors: Delfa-Lobato Laia , Guàrdia-Olmos Joan , Feliu-Torruella Maria
Published: December 2021

Museums and cultural institutions are increasingly striving to respond to the interests and needs of the society that hosts them. This means, apart from other actions, that these institutions must be involved in the health and wellbeing of society, and the creation of cultural activities aimed at people with cognitive impairment, a group of individuals that is growing worldwide due to the aging of society and the increasing prevalence of dementia. The involved sectors are aware of the potential and benefits of activities for this population, even though there is much research to be conducted. To date, no systematic review has focused on the benefits of cultural activities for cognitively impaired people. This study aimed to explore the benefits of different modalities of cultural activities with evidence from 145 studies from various databases, which met the inclusion criteria. Significant improvements in general cognition, quality of life (QoL), emotional wellbeing, socialization, and communication were generally reported after interventions, with a reduction in depression symptoms. There was not enough evidence to prove memory, language, or daily functioning improvements attributable to cultural interventions. There were no significant reductions reported in apathy, sadness, agitation, or anxiety.
The Influence of Top Management Team Human Capital on Sustainable Business Growth
Authors: Shen Yaoping , Zheng Qian , Lei Xinghui , Hu Fengpei
Published: December 2021

Traditionally, enterprises have subscribed to the belief that top management team (TMT) human capital is of great influence to a specific entity. While long being a question of interest in the field of management, the extant literature rarely discusses the impact of TMT human capital on sustainable business growth. By examining data obtained from 535 TMT members of private enterprises in Zhejiang Province PRC, and investigate the mediating effect of decision-making quality as well as the moderating effect of founder characteristics, we analyze the positive operating mechanisms of TMT human capital on sustainable business growth. Interestingly, the single most striking observation to emerge from the empirical investigation was: (1) TMT human capital has a significant positive impact on sustainable business growth; (2) decision-making quality fully mediates the relationship between TMT human capital and sustainable business growth; and (3) the more open-minded the founders, the stronger the mediating effect of decision-making quality in the relationship between TMT human capital and sustainable business growth. This research has expanded the perspective and scope of the research on TMT human capital, and its practical usage is discussed.
Effects of Directionality on Interpreting Performance: Evidence From Interpreting Between Chinese and English by Trainee Interpreters
Authors: Chou Isabelle , Liu Kanglong , Zhao Nan
Published: December 2021

Interpreters can either interpret from the first language (L1) to the second language (L), or in the other direction. Understanding translation and interpreting as a direction-dependent process contributes to a wider and more critical view regarding the role of both languages in the process, as well as the identity, perspectives, and preferences of translators. The effect of directionality primarily weighs on stimulus and individual factors. This study explores the impact of directionality on the performance of trainee interpreters by examining four critical aspects of quality in target speeches, namely: speech rate, information completeness, delivery, and quality of expression. We observed an advantage for L2-L1 over L1-L2 interpreting in the form of interpreting quality (i.e., delivery and quality of expression) but not in content (i.e., the level of information retained in the target language). These effects of interpreting directionality suggest an important role of L2 proficiency in interpreting. Moreover, L1-L2 interpreting is cognitively demanding compared to L2-L1 interpreting for trainee interpreters. This research sheds light on the cognitive mechanisms of interpreting in different directions and provides pedagogical recommendations for training interpreters.
Nx4 Reduced Susceptibility to Distraction in an Attention Modulation Task
Authors: Mayer Kathrin , Krylova Marina , Alizadeh Sarah , Jamalabadi Hamidreza , van der Meer Johan , Vester Johannes C. , Naschold Britta , Schultz Myron , Walter Martin
Published: December 2021

Background: Stress adversely affects the attentional focus, the active concentration on stimuli, and increases susceptibility to distraction. To experimentally explore the susceptibility to distraction, the Attention Modulation by Salience Task (AMST) is a validated paradigm measuring reaction times (RT) for processing auditory information while presenting task-irrelevant visual distractors of high or low salience. We extended the AMST by an emotional dimension of distractors and an EEG-based evaluation. We then investigated the effect of the stress-relieving medication Neurexan (Nx4) on the participants' susceptibility to distraction.

Methods: Data from a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial (NEURIM study; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02602275) were exploratively reanalyzed post-hoc. In this trial, 39 participants received a single dose of placebo or Nx4 immediately before the AMST. Participants had to discriminate two different tone modulations (ascending or descending) while simultaneously perceiving task-irrelevant pictures of different salience (high or low) or valence (negative or positive) as distractors. Using EEG recordings, RT and the event-related potential (ERP) components N1, N2, and N3 were analyzed as markers for susceptibility to distraction.

Results: In the placebo condition, we could replicate the previously reported task effects of salient distractors with longer RT for high salient distractors on the behavioral level. On the electrophysiological level, we observed significantly increased amplitudes of the N2 and N3 ERP components for positive emotional pictures. In terms of drug effect, we found evidence that Nx4 reduced distractibility by emotional distractors. The effect was shown by significantly reduced amplitudes of N2 and N3 ERP components and reduced RT for the positive valence domain under Nx4 compared to placebo. The Nx4 effects on RT and ERP components also showed a significant correlation.

Conclusion: Emotional distractors in addition to the previously used salience distractors and the EEG based evaluation of ERPs valuably complement the AMST. Salient distractors were affecting attentional processes earlier, while valent distractors show modulatory effects later. Our results suggest that Nx4 has beneficial effects on attention by inhibiting the effect of task-irrelevant information and reducing susceptibility to emotionally distracting stimuli. The observation of a beneficial impact of Nx4 on attention regulation is supportive of Nx4's claim as a stress-relieving medication.
The Relationship of Food Addiction With Other Eating Pathologies and Impulsivity: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Sönmez Güngör Ekin , Çelebi Cengiz , Akvardar Yildiz
Published: December 2021

The concept of food addiction (FA) has become central in recent years in understanding the psychological etiology of obesity. In this matched case-control study from Turkey, it was aimed to examine the prevalence of FA and related risk factors in four consecutive body mass index (BMI) categories. The case group consisted of pre-operative bariatric surgery patients with BMI over 35.0 kg/m2(n= 40) and the control group was composed of age- and gender- matching individuals from the other categories, namely obese (n= 35), overweight (n= 40), and normal weight (n= 40). The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and a standardized clinical interview using the DSM-5 substance use disorders criteria adopted for FA, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ) and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) were used as assessment instruments. It was found that FA was significantly associated with more serious eating pathologies, more frequent weight-cycling and earlier onset of dieting, higher impulsivity, and higher BMI. Motor and total impulsivity scores showed a positive albeit week correlation with the severity of FA but no significant correlation with BMI, indicating a relationship between impulsivity and weight gain in some but not all individuals. The severity of FA predicted the increase in BMI. Our findings suggest that FA is associated with weight gain in a group of individuals, plausibly through impulsive overeating. Emphasis on FA and its clinical implications such as addiction-based treatments may improve outcomes in obesity and facilitate health promotion.
Predictive Role of Body Image in Bulimic Behaviors Among Obese Patients Qualified for Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Bȩtkowska-Korpała Barbara , Ćwiȩk Aleksandra , Izydorczyk Bernadetta , Starowicz-Filip Anna , Major Piotr
Published: December 2021

Bulimic behavior and the associated experience of one's own body are of great importance in the course of surgical treatment for obesity. This study determined the predictive role of multidimensional body image on bulimic-type eating behaviors among individuals scheduled for the surgical treatment of obesity. This study was conducted in a clinical setting on a group of 100 obese patients who were treated at the Centre for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity at the University Hospital in Krakow (Poland) and were qualified for bariatric surgery. Body image was examined with Cash's Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) and bulimic behavior with David M. Garner's Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Part A of the EAT-26 focused only on the bulimia and food preoccupation scale. Part B included sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) in the predictive model. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess psychological predictors of eating behavior. For binary variables, a logistic regression analysis was conducted for the whole group and for the women's group alone. Owing to the small sample size of men, regression analyses were not conducted. Higher values were observed in the Appearance Orientation dimension among women when compared to men. Appearance evaluation and age were found to be significant predictors for bulimic behaviors in the whole group. In regression models for behavior in the last 6 months, the predictors were found to be Health Evaluation and Appearance Orientation for laxative use, and Overweight Preoccupation for vomiting for weight control. Health-promoting behaviors in obesity treatment were conditioned as follows: for exercise, the predictors were sex and Fitness Orientation and for weight loss, they were Overweight Preoccupation and Body Areas Satisfaction. Our study shows that different bulimic behaviors are variously conditioned by body image dimensions, some of which are predictors of behaviors that are risk factors for obesity and poor outcomes of bariatric treatment, whereas others increase the chance of pro-health behaviors among obese individuals.
Effect of Puffing Behavior on Particle Size Distributions and Respiratory Depositions From Pod-Style Electronic Cigarette, or Vaping, Products
Authors: Ranpara Anand , Stefaniak Aleksandr B. , Fernandez Elizabeth , LeBouf Ryan F.
Published: December 2021

The current fourth generation (“pod-style”) electronic cigarette, or vaping, products (EVPs) heat a liquid (“e-liquid”) contained in a reservoir (“pod”) using a battery-powered coil to deliver aerosol into the lungs. A portion of inhaled EVP aerosol is estimated as exhaled, which can present a potential secondhand exposure risk to bystanders. The effects of modifiable factors using either a prefilled disposable or refillable pod-style EVPs on aerosol particle size distribution (PSD) and its respiratory deposition are poorly understood. In this study, the influence of up to six puff profiles (55-, 65-, and 75-ml puff volumes per 6.5 and 7.5 W EVP power settings) on PSD was evaluated using a popular pod-style EVP (JUUL® brand) and a cascade impactor. JUUL® brand EVPs were used to aerosolize the manufacturers' e-liquids in their disposable pods and laboratory prepared “reference e-liquid” (without flavorings or nicotine) in refillable pods. The modeled dosimetry and calculated aerosol mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMADs) were used to estimate regional respiratory deposition. From these results, exhaled fraction of EVP aerosols was calculated as a surrogate of the secondhand exposure potential. Overall, MMADs did not differ among puff profiles, except for 55- and 75-ml volumes at 7.5 W (p < 0.05). For the reference e-liquid, MMADs ranged from 1.02 to 1.23 μm and dosimetry calculations predicted that particles would deposit in the head region (36–41%), in the trachea-bronchial (TB) region (19–21%), and in the pulmonary region (40–43%). For commercial JUUL® e-liquids, MMADs ranged from 0.92 to 1.67 μm and modeling predicted that more particles would deposit in the head region (35–52%) and in the pulmonary region (30–42%). Overall, 30–40% of the particles aerosolized by a pod-style EVP were estimated to deposit in the pulmonary region and 50–70% of the inhaled EVP aerosols could be exhaled; the latter could present an inhalational hazard to bystanders in indoor occupational settings. More research is needed to understand the influence of other modifiable factors on PSD and exposure potential.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Chinese College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Chi Xinli , Huang Liuyue , Hall Daniel L. , Li Raissa , Liang Kaixin , Hossain Md Mahbub , Guo Tianyou
Published: December 2021

A longitudinal assessment of the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and risk factors is indispensable for further prevention and/or treatment. The longitudinal web-based survey enrolled 1,164 college students in China. Measured at two time points (February and August 2020), PTSS, demographic information, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resilience and self-compassion information were collected to explicate the prevalence and predictors of PTSS concurrently and over time. Results showed that although PTSS generally declined throughout the 6 months after the outbreak of COVID-19, the prevalence remained relatively high. Resilience and self-compassion negatively predicted PTSS concurrently and longitudinally. While subjective family socioeconomic status (SES) and ACEs at Wave 1 did not predict PTSS under COVID-19 at Wave 1, but both significantly predicted PTSS at Wave 2. Findings implicate potential targets for detecting and intervening on symptoms of trauma in this vulnerable population.
The Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination Under Different Methods of Investigation: Based on Online and On-Site Surveys in China
Authors: Lyu Yun , Lai Xiaozhen , Ma Xiaochen , Cao Lei , Lei Hong , Wang Jiahao , Zhang Haijun , Jing Rize , Feng Huangyufei , Guo Jia , Li Li , Fang Hai
Published: December 2021

As Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccines became available in December 2020, increasingly more surveys were organized to examine the acceptance of vaccination, while most of them were conducted online. This study aimed to explore the difference between online and traditional on-site surveys in terms of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. From November to December 2020, an online survey (n= 2013) and an on-site survey (n= 4,316) were conducted simultaneously in China. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify influencing factors of acceptance, and propensity score matching (PSM) was adopted to balance the outcomes. As a result, 90.0% of the online respondents accepted COVID-19 vaccination, while it was only 82.1% in the on-site survey. After applying PSM, the acceptance rate of the on-site survey was declined to 78.6%. The age structure, residence location, education, and health status were observed as important factors in addressing vaccination acceptance, which needed to be specifically considered when designing online surveys.
The Impact of Pandemics Sentiment on the Global Art Market
Authors: Wang Wei
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates the effects of pandemics sentiment (the World Pandemics Discussion Index) on the returns of the global art market from 1998Q1 to 2021Q2 at the global level. The Ordinary Least Squares and the Quantile Regression estimations indicate that global pandemics sentiment positively affects the returns of the global art market. This evidence means that investing in the art market can hedge the uncertainty shocks related to pandemics at the global level.
Induction of Robust Future Liver Remnant Hypertrophy Before Hepatectomy With a Modified Liver Venous Deprivation Technique Using a Trans-venous Access for Hepatic Vein Embolization
Authors: Degrauwe Nils , Duran Rafael , Melloul Emmanuel , Halkic Nermin , Demartines Nicolas , Denys Alban
Published: December 2021

Purpose: Hepatic and/or portal vein embolization are performed before hepatectomy for patients with insufficient future liver remnant and usually achieved with a trans-hepatic approach. The aim of the present study is to describe a modified trans-venous liver venous deprivation technique (mLVD), avoiding the potential risks and limitations of a percutaneous approach to hepatic vein embolization, and to assess the safety, efficacy, and surgical outcome after mLVD.

Materials and Methods: Retrospective single-center institutional review board-approved study. From March 2016 to June 2019, consecutive oncologic patients with combined portal and hepatic vein embolization were included. CT volumetric analysis was performed before and after mLVD to assess liver hypertrophy. Complications related to mLVD and surgical outcome were obtained from medical records.

Results: Thirty patients (62.7 ± 14.5 years old, 20 men) with liver metastasis (60%) or primary liver cancer (40%) underwent mLVD. Twenty-one patients (70%) had hepatic vein anatomic variants. Technical success of mLVD was 100%. Four patients had complications (three minor and one major). FLR hypertrophy was 64.2% ± 51.3% (mean ± SD). Twenty-four patients (80%) underwent the planned hepatectomy and no surgery was canceled as a consequence of mLVD complications or insufficient hypertrophy. Fifty percent of patients (12/24) had no or mild complications after surgery (Clavien-Dindo 0–II), and 45.8% (11/24) had more serious complications (Clavien-Dindo III–IV). Thirty-day mortality was 4.2% (1/24).

Conclusion: mLVD is an effective method to induce FLR hypertrophy. This technique is applicable in a wide range of oncologic situations and in patients with complex right liver vein anatomy.
A Modified AUC for Training Convolutional Neural Networks: Taking Confidence Into Account
Authors: Namdar Khashayar , Haider Masoom A. , Khalvati Farzad
Published: December 2021

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is an informative tool in binary classification and Area Under ROC Curve (AUC) is a popular metric for reporting performance of binary classifiers. In this paper, first we present a comprehensive review of ROC curve and AUC metric. Next, we propose a modified version of AUC that takes confidence of the model into account and at the same time, incorporates AUC into Binary Cross Entropy (BCE) loss used for training a Convolutional neural Network for classification tasks. We demonstrate this on three datasets: MNIST, prostate MRI, and brain MRI. Furthermore, we have published GenuineAI, a new python library, which provides the functions for conventional AUC and the proposed modified AUC along with metrics including sensitivity, specificity, recall, precision, and F1 for each point of the ROC curve.
Wireless Terrestrial Backhaul for 6G Remote Access: Challenges and Low Power Solutions
Authors: Saarnisaari Harri , Chaoub Abdelaali , Heikkilä Marjo , Singhal Amit , Bhatia Vimal
Published: December 2021

Despite developments in communication systems over the last few decades, a digital divide exists in the unconnected part of the world. The latter is characterized by large distances to internet access points, underdeveloped infrastructure, sparse populations, and low incomes. This concern of digital divide is raised in the sixth generation’s (6G) initial vision as an extremely important topic. However, it is important to understand affiliated challenges and potential solutions to achieve this vision. Motivated by the recent backhaul link forecasts that expect a dominance of the microwave technology within the backhauling market, this paper studies the potential of a low-power terrestrial microwave backhaul from the sufficient-data-rate and solar powering perspective. Competing technologies (e.g., fiber) may not be energy efficient and commercially viable for global connectivity. Since rural and remote areas may not have grid power, we look at the viability of alternative sustainable sources, in particular solar power, to power the wireless backhaul in 6G. In addition, we also explore services for the operators and users to use the system efficiently. Since the access points are connected to backhaul, we also compare the two prominent solutions based on low-power small-radius cells and a mega-cell that covers a large area and show insights on the power autonomy of the systems. In the end, we propose directions for research and deployment for an inclusive connectivity as a part of future 6G networks.
Diversity of Oral Microbiome of Women From Urban and Rural Areas of Indonesia: A Pilot Study
Authors: Widyarman Armelia Sari , Theodorea Citra Fragrantia , Udawatte Nadeeka S. , Drestia Aradhea Monica , Bachtiar Endang W. , Astoeti Tri Erri , Bachtiar Boy M.
Published: December 2021

Objective:The studies on the influence of geographical and socio-economic factors on the oral microbiome remain underrepresented. The Indonesia basic health research (RISKESDAS) 2018, showed an increasing trend in non-communicable diseases compared with the previous report in 2013. The prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and obesity are reported to be higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Interestingly, non-communicable diseases were found to be more prevalent in women than men. This pilot study aimed to examine the oral health and oral microbiome derived from tongue samples of healthy Indonesian women from urban and rural areas.

Methods:Twenty women aged 21–47 years old from West Jakarta, residents of DKI Jakarta (n= 10) as representative of the urban area, and residents of Ende, Nangapanda, East Nusa Tenggara (n= 10) as representative of the rural area were recruited for this pilot study. The participants were evaluated by the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) according to the criteria of Greene and Vermillion and divided into three groups. High-throughput DNA sequencing was performed on an Illumina iSeq 100 platform.

Results:The principal component analysis displayed a marked difference in the bacterial community profiles between the urban and rural localities. The presence of manifest was associated with increased diversity and an altered oral bacterial community profile in the urban women. Two bacterial taxa were present at significantly higher levels (adjustedp< 0.01) in the urban oral microflora (GenusPrevotellaandLeptotricia) could account for this difference irrespective of the individual oral hygiene status. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed several distinct urban biomarkers. At the species level,Leptotrichia wadei, Prevotella melaninogenica, Prevotella jejuni, andP. histicola, show an excellent discriminatory potential for distinguishing the oral microflora in women between urban and rural areas. Further, using SparCC co-occurrence network analysis, the co-occurrence pattern in the dominant core oral microbiome assembly was observed to be specific to its ecological niche between two populations.

Conclusions:This is the first pilot study demonstrating the characterization of the oral microbiome in Indonesian women in urban and rural areas. We found that the oral microbiome in women displays distinct patterns consistent with geographic locality. The specific characterization of the microbiota of Indonesian women is likely linked to geographical specific dietary habits, cultural habits, and socio-economic status or the population studied.
Green Gentrification and Environmental Injustice: A Discussion Based on the New Pinheiros River Program, São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Alves Estela Macedo , Paz Mariana Gutierres Arteiro da , Fracalanza Ana Paula
Published: December 2021

Through the analysis of the New Pinheiros River Program, São Paulo, Brazil, the differences in the solutions presented are considered to implement environmental projects in different territories over the same sub-basin. Vulnerable neighborhoods upstream will receive only basic infrastructure; while Marginal Pinheiros, a rich place, will be contemplated with aditional leisure, sports and cultural equipments. The general aim is to analyze the process of capitalist production of the Pinheiros River depolluting program area, proposed by the São Paulo State government in 2019, as well as green gentrification and creation of environmental injustice. Methodology consists of bibliographic research and analysis of the program's documents and speeches of people in charge. Global South cities have been experimenting environmental injustice as a result of financial capital investments.
Telelife: The Future of Remote Living
Authors: Orlosky Jason , Sra Misha , Bektaş Kenan , Peng Huaishu , Kim Jeeeun , Kos’myna Nataliya , Höllerer Tobias , Steed Anthony , Kiyokawa Kiyoshi , Akşit Kaan
Published: December 2021

In recent years, everyday activities such as work and socialization have steadily shifted to more remote and virtual settings. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the switch from physical to virtual has been accelerated, which has substantially affected almost all aspects of our lives, including business, education, commerce, healthcare, and personal life. This rapid and large-scale switch from in-person to remote interactions has exacerbated the fact that our current technologies lack functionality and are limited in their ability to recreate interpersonal interactions. To help address these limitations in the future, we introduce “Telelife,” a vision for the near and far future that depicts the potential means to improve remote living and better align it with how we interact, live and work in the physical world. Telelife encompasses novel synergies of technologies and concepts such as digital twins, virtual/physical rapid prototyping, and attention and context-aware user interfaces with innovative hardware that can support ultrarealistic graphics and haptic feedback, user state detection, and more. These ideas will guide the transformation of our daily lives and routines soon, targeting the year 2035. In addition, we identify opportunities across high-impact applications in domains related to this vision of Telelife. Along with a recent survey of relevant fields such as human-computer interaction, pervasive computing, and virtual reality, we provide a meta-synthesis in this paper that will guide future research on remote living.
Rising From the Ashes: The Role of Fires in National Parks
Authors: Sanders Suzanne , Mutch Linda , Wasser Mark , Barnes Jennifer , Perles Stephanie
Published: December 2021

Fire is a natural and healthy part of many ecosystems, and many plant species rely on it to reproduce. Some species require the actual heat and flames for their seeds to be released and sprout. Other species rely on fire to burn off dried needles and leaves on the ground as well as many of the shrubs and small trees. This opens up the forest and allows more space and light for small plants and trees. While fire is a good thing for many plants and ecosystems, this is not the case everywhere. In areas that get high amounts of rain, ecosystems are not adapted to fire. Human-caused fires in these places can be devastating to the plants there. It is the job of fire managers and ecologists to manage wildfires, make decisions about fire suppression, and decide if additional fires are needed in key ecosystems.
Brain Oxygenation in Post-concussion Combat Sport Athletes
Authors: Tiberini Paolo , D'Antona Giuseppe , Cicchella Antonio
Published: December 2021

Purpose: Investigate the feasibility of a non-invasive method to evaluate the physical and cognitive repercussions of long-lasting post-concussion effects in professional combat sports athletes. To help athletes return to professional combat, there is a need for unbiased objective tools and techniques used as a prognostic method of recovery after Sport Related Concussion (SRC).

Methods: Six mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) athletes, age 20 ÷ 43 yr (1 female, 5 males) and 7 not concussed (NC) participants (amateur), age 24 ÷ 38 yr (3 females, 4 males), were tested Inspired/expired gas concentration, Cerebral changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (Δ[HbO2]) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (Δ[HHb]) were measured using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with a 3-step protocol: rest before maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) test, hypercapnia, and recovery after VO2max test. The brain oxygenation and respiratory parameters of both sample sets were calculated using a non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test). Aerobic fitness outcome was quantified through mean average using the Bruce test. Participants performed Fitt's test using a laptop and analysis of medio-lateral and anterior-posterior range of oscillation was carried out via a force platform Romberg test.

Results: mTBI group showed statistically significant differences in saturated hemoglobin Δ[HbO2] (p < 0.001) during rest and recovery phase after maximal incremental exercise, in medio-lateral sway eyes open (p = 0.008, NC 25.35 ± 4.11 mm and mTBI 17.65 ± 4.79 mm). VO2max revealed no significant differences between the two groups: NC 47.47 ± 4.91 mTBI 49.58 ± 5.19 ml/kg/min−1. The 2 groups didn't differ for maximum power output (NC 220 ± 34, mTBI 255 ± 50 W). End-tidal fractional concentration of O2 (FetO2 NC15.20 ± 0.41, mTBI 16.09 ± 0.68) throughout hypercapnia, saturated blood hemoglobin (Δ[HbO2]) revealed significant differences with the mTBI group. No differences emerged from Fitt's test.

Conclusions: It emerges that NIRS is able to reveal differences in long time outcomes of mTBI. The medio-lateral variations cannot be considered as a marker of long-term damage in athletes specifically trained for balance.
Evidence Around the Impact of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Exercise on Redox Status in COPD: A Systematic Review
Authors: Watson Alastair , Wilkinson Tom M. A. , Freeman Anna
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Oxidative stress is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pulmonary rehabilitation, a major component of which is prescribed exercise, is essential in COPD care. Regular exercise has been proposed to increase antioxidant defenses and overall enhance the ability of the body to counteract oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms through which it improves COPD outcomes remain unclear.

Objectives: We aimed to appraise the current evidence around the impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on redox status, compared with other exercise interventions, to gain an understanding of optimal exercise interventions to modify this pathophysiological mechanism.

Methods: We performed a systematic review through searching CENTRAL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results were independently reviewed and relevant studies were selected by two independent assessors. Studies were assessed by two independent people using the modified RoB 2 tool and discrepancies were resolved through discussion.

Results: We identified 1,710 records and 1,117 records after duplicate removal. Six studies were included in the final analysis. The evidence available was low quality and four studies had high risk of bias and two studies had unclear risk of bias. Studies were small (15–56 participants); only two included details of randomization and patient cohorts were of varying ages and poorly described. Differences in smoking status and previous exercise levels, which are known to impact redox status, were not well documented. Studies were not standardized and used different exercise doses and measured different outcomes. One study reported lower malondialdehyde levels, a marker of lipid peroxidation, after pulmonary rehabilitation, compared with control. However, one study saw no difference following whole-body vibration training and another study showed higher malondialdehyde levels following supervised modified arm swing exercise compared with control.

Conclusion: Understanding the impact of exercise on oxidative stress in COPD could lead to tailored exercise programs and modification of pathological mechanisms. However, we identify a lack of high-quality evidence to determine this. Larger, standardized, and high quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are essential, which use carefully clinically characterized and controlled cohorts to determine the relative impact of different exercise interventions on redox status to guide COPD management. We propose an idealized RCT design, which could be used to try and meet this need.
Separate and Joint Interests: Understanding Gendered Innovation Processes in Ugandan Farm Systems
Authors: Rietveld Anne M. , van der Burg Margreet
Published: December 2021

Agricultural innovation is considered paramount in solving poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition in the global south and notably in the East-African highlands. However, processes of change surrounding innovation in agriculture, and potential gender differences in their impacts, are often poorly understood. This paper resorts to principles from Farming Systems Research (FSR) and social gender analysis to study agricultural innovation processes and increase the understanding of the differential ways men and women engage with and are impacted by agricultural innovation(s). We analyze qualitative data from six Focus Group Discussions conducted in each of the two study communities located in Central and Western Uganda. These data focus on the most important agricultural innovations as perceived and assessed by men and women in their community. We list and discuss these most important innovations and further zoom in on one innovation per site: “Use of herbicides in maize production” in Central Uganda and “New agronomic practices for intensified highland banana production” in Western Uganda. Results clearly show that women's and men's domains are not separated as superficially might appear. Women and men have both separate and joint interests and adoption of an innovation by one gender, will affect the other too. The effects are multifold, with positive and negative elements. Women's ability to innovate is constrained as compared to men because gender norms limit women's agency in relation to mobility and financial independence amongst others. The two innovations studied were found to alter some gender roles and relations but did not unambiguously contribute to increasing gender equality.
Campus Food Provision as Radical Pedagogy? Following Students on the Path to Equitable Food Systems
Authors: Classens Michael , Adam Kaitlyn , Crouthers Sara Deris , Sheward Natasha , Lee Rachel
Published: December 2021

On campuses across North America, students are actively prefiguring alternatives to the fundamental inequities and unsustainability of the capital-intensive, industrialized food system. While rarely recognized as such, these Campus Food System Alternatives (CFSA) are intensely pedagogical spaces, and often—importantly—are student led and directed. We make the case that CFSA are sites for a “pedagogy of radical hope” that (a) centre student agency, (b) through informal and prefigurative learning. So far these spaces have received scant scholarly attention, though inasmuch as they constitute pathways toward more equitable and sustainable food systems, while informing liberatory pedagogical practice, we argue that it is high time for CFSA to be taken seriously.
Diagnostic Value of Imaging Combined With Tumor Markers in Early Detection of Lung Cancer
Authors: Wei Su-Ju , Wang Li-Ping , Wang Jun-Yan , Ma Jing-Xu , Chuan Feng-Bin , Zhang Yu-Dong
Published: December 2021

Objective: The objective of this research is to explore the diagnostic value of imaging plus tumor markers in the early detection of lung cancer.

Methods: Sixty patients with lung cancer treated in our hospital from January 2018 to January 2019 were selected as group A. They were matched with 60 patients with benign lung disease as group B and 60 healthy subjects examined in our hospital as group C. The carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), CYFRA21-1, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were assessed, and the diagnostic value of tumor markers plus imaging in lung cancer diagnosis was explored.

Results: The CEA, CYFRA21-1, and NSE in group A were evidently superior to those in groups B and C, and those in group B were superior to those in group C (all P < 0.001). CEA had the highest sensitivity (56.7%), and NSE had the highest specificity (93.3%). The tumor markers plus imaging had the highest sensitivity for different types of lung cancer, and the sensitivity to early lung cancer (90%) was superior to other diagnostic methods (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The tumor markers plus imaging is of great significance in early lung cancer diagnosis and provides a reference for judging the pathological classification.
Small Animal Veterinarians' Communication With Dog Owners From a Motivational Interviewing Perspective
Authors: Enlund Karolina Brunius , Jennolf Ebba , Pettersson Ann
Published: December 2021

Veterinary communication skills are fundamentally important in animal practice. Despite client-centered communication being recommended as the optimal medical communication style, a paternalistic approach is still common in veterinary medical encounters with pet owners. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered, evidence-based counseling method aiming to strengthen a person's motivation and commitment to behavior changes. In this exploratory study, the aim was to investigate Swedish small animal veterinarians' use of client centered communication with dog owners regarding dental home care in dogs. This was achieved by analyzing the use of MI-techniques among veterinarians without previous training or knowledge of the method. Individual telephone calls, reflecting a veterinary clinical scenario, between small animal veterinarians (n = 8) and a trained professional actor playing a dog owner were recorded and coded according to an MI coding protocol (MITI 4.2.1). In the present study, the degree of spontaneously used MI was low. From an MI-communication perspective, with a simulated dog owner, the veterinarians predominantly relied on asking questions, giving information, and persuasive talk. The veterinarians dominated the conversations and made minimal attempts to involve the dog owner resulting in a power imbalance between veterinarian and client. As the degree of spontaneously used MI was found to be low, MI-training may be required in order to apply the method in professional counseling. The veterinarians' communication pattern suggested a paternalistic communication style, when attempting to motivate a client to brush his or her dog's teeth. We suggest that Motivational Interviewing (MI) has a potential to improve veterinary communication and adherence to medical recommendations if introduced and implemented in veterinary practice.
The (Un-)Importance of Generational Dialogue in Georgian Political Tradition
Authors: Skiert-Andrzejuk Katarzyna
Published: December 2021

The aim of this paper is to examine the importance of generational dialogue in the Georgian political tradition. The research statement of this paper is that the generational dialogue in Georgia, which is not particularly rooted in the political tradition, is currently flat and unconstant. In addition, due to the current situation of Georgia related to the democratization of the state, a new chapter for Georgian generational dialogue can be opened. To analyze this research problem, I have used a number of research methods based partly on secondary and primary sources, i.e. expert interviews were conducted online with Georgian researchers from the Ivane Javakhivshvili Tbilisi State University and Ilia State University. The paper is a snapshot of the theory of generational dialogue, and it presents the work of Polish scientists. Moreover, it examines the generational dialogue in the post-Soviet area, and this analysis can be developed in further scientific publications. The study of generational dialogue is essential for analyzing the perception of democracy and democratization among the generations in Georgia.
Locally Scaled and Stochastic Volatility Metropolis– Hastings Algorithms
Authors: Mongwe Wilson Tsakane , Mbuvha Rendani , Marwala Tshilidzi
Published: December 2021

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques are usually used to infer model parameters when closed-form inference is not feasible, with one of the simplest MCMC methods being the random walk Metropolis–Hastings (MH) algorithm. The MH algorithm suffers from random walk behaviour, which results in inefficient exploration of the target posterior distribution. This method has been improved upon, with algorithms such as Metropolis Adjusted Langevin Monte Carlo (MALA) and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo being examples of popular modifications to MH. In this work, we revisit the MH algorithm to reduce the autocorrelations in the generated samples without adding significant computational time. We present the: (1) Stochastic Volatility Metropolis–Hastings (SVMH) algorithm, which is based on using a random scaling matrix in the MH algorithm, and (2) Locally Scaled Metropolis–Hastings (LSMH) algorithm, in which the scaled matrix depends on the local geometry of the target distribution. For both these algorithms, the proposal distribution is still Gaussian centred at the current state. The empirical results show that these minor additions to the MH algorithm significantly improve the effective sample rates and predictive performance over the vanilla MH method. The SVMH algorithm produces similar effective sample sizes to the LSMH method, with SVMH outperforming LSMH on an execution time normalised effective sample size basis. The performance of the proposed methods is also compared to the MALA and the current state-of-art method being the No-U-Turn sampler (NUTS). The analysis is performed using a simulation study based on Neal’s funnel and multivariate Gaussian distributions and using real world data modeled using jump diffusion processes and Bayesian logistic regression. Although both MALA and NUTS outperform the proposed algorithms on an effective sample size basis, the SVMH algorithm has similar or better predictive performance when compared to MALA and NUTS across the various targets. In addition, the SVMH algorithm outperforms the other MCMC algorithms on a normalised effective sample size basis on the jump diffusion processes datasets. These results indicate the overall usefulness of the proposed algorithms.
Role of Public Entities in Suitable Provision of Public Services: Case Study from Slovakia
Authors: Papcunová Viera , Vavrek Roman , Dvořák Marek
Published: December 2021

Local governments in the Slovak Republic are important in public administration and form an important part of the public sector, as they provide various public services. Until 1990, all public services were provided only by the state. The reform of public administration began in 1990 with the decentralization of competencies. Several competencies were transferred to local governments from the state, and thus municipalities began to provide public services that the state previously provided. Registry offices were the first to be acquired by local governments from the state. This study aimed to characterize the transfer of competencies and their financing from state administration to local government using the example of registry offices in the Slovak Republic. In the paper, we evaluated the financing of this competency from 2007 to 2018 at the level of individual regions of the Slovak Republic. The results of the analysis and testing of hypotheses indicated that a higher number of inhabitants in individual regions did not affect the number of actions at these offices, despite the fact that the main role of the registry office is to keep registry books, in which events, such as births, weddings, and deaths, are registered.
Global Sensitivity Analysis for CERES-Rice Model under Different Cultivars and Specific-Stage Variations of Climate Parameters
Authors: Ge Haixiao , Ma Fei , Li Zhenwang , Du Changwen
Published: December 2021

Global sensitivity analysis (SA) has become an efficient way to identify the most influential parameters on model results. However, the effects of cultivar variation and specific-stage variations of climate conditions on model outputs still remain unclear. In this study, 30 indica hybrid rice cultivars were simulated in the CERES-Rice model; then the Sobol’ method was used to perform a global SA on 16 investigated parameters for three model outputs (anthesis day, maturity day, and yield). In addition, we also compared the differences in the sensitivity results under four specific-stage variations (vegetative phase, panicle-formation phase, ripening phase, and the whole growth season) of climate conditions. The results indicated that (1) parameter Tavg, G4, and P2O are the most influential parameters for all model outputs across cultivars during the whole growth season; (2) under the vegetative-phase variation of climate parameters; the variability of model outputs is mainly controlled by parameter P2O and Tavg; (3) under the panicle-formation-phase or ripening-phase variation of climate parameters, parameter P2O was the dominant variable for all model outputs; (4) parameter PORM had a considerable effect (the total sensitivity index, STi; STi>0.05) on yield regardless of the various specific-stage variations of the climate parameters. Findings obtained from this study will contribute to understanding the comprehensive effects of crop parameters on model outputs under different cultivars and specific-stage variations of climate conditions.