bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regenerative Tourism and Mental Health: The Clean Wave Foundation, Costa Rica
Authors: Thornton Michele , Bhatia Marty , Silkaitis Carin
Published: May 2024

Rising mental health needs combined with barriers in access to care has individuals seeking new approaches to accessing care and improving their overall sense of well-being. Intentional forms of tourism, particularly nature-based, and regenerative tourism may have a role to play as an opportunity to address this growing need in a way that traditional efforts to address mental health may be lacking. While studies have begun to document the physical health, mental health and perceptions of well-being impacts of nature-based, sustainable or ecotourism they are just beginning to explore this with regards to regenerative tourism. Regenerative tourism, is slightly more nuanced, and is described as “leaving the place behind better than before.” A hallmark of a sound regenerative tourism model, is that it emerges from within the community, and is often tied to a local community organization doing the ongoing work that spearheads the practice. This paper employs grounded theory to proposes a new model linking regenerative tourism to well-being and documents a qualitative study conducted in the Spring of 2023 with a regenerative based organization (The Clean Wave Foundation)—that connects individuals with beach and underwater clean-up events across Costa Rica. Key participants (n = 12) discuss their experiences, personal well-being and community impacts in a semi-structured interview format. Community organizations, economic development agencies, the tourism industry and scholars in marketing and public health will all find benefit in this work.
Cruise Passengers’ Expenditures in Relation to Satisfaction Levels in a Mediterranean Port of Call
Authors: Polykalas Spyros , Sgora Aggeliki , Konidaris Agisilaos
Published: May 2024

Tourist satisfaction has been recognized as a key element for tourism growth and promotion in all sectors of the tourism industry. Although several studies have been published analysing the importance of cruise tourism to local and national economies, only few of them address the relation between cruise tourist satisfaction and tourism expenditures, especially in new ports of call. This paper examines such interrelations to passengers’ expenditure on goods and services during their stay in a port. The analysis is based on a survey on cruise passengers porting in Argostoli, which is the main port of Kefalonia island (Greece). Findings indicate that cruise passengers’ satisfaction is a key element to elevated levels of expenditure during staying on a visited port, since there is a strong correlation between tourists spending and level of tourist satisfaction. This empirical evidence provided from the analysis of the data present implications for policymakers in search of methods to stimulate economic growth and development on tourist destinations.
Centralization of Information to Understand the Consumer Within the Restaurant Sector
Authors: Maldonado Castillo Idalia , Martínez Ortiz Fabiola Yahel , Guzmán Flores Jessie Paulina
Published: May 2024

The proliferation of online restaurant reviews presents a challenge for consumers seeking valuable insights amid scattered and decentralized information. Despite the potential in these reviews, businesses often decline to explore such information due to perceived expense and unclear future impact. This study integrates technological tools within McKinsey’s consumer decision journey model to navigate this digital landscape effectively. Through analysis of influencer reviews on Twitter and Instagram, as well as objective evaluations on rating platforms like TripAdvisor and Yelp, the study aims to present the information in a centralized and objective way, closer to the reality of a user regarding the aspects of a restaurant in the attempt of helping the consumer decision-making. The paper also provides the restaurant sector relevant information about diner consumption habits, consumer behavior related to multiple factors or improvement areas according to what is reviewed, thus, suggesting a business improvement.
The Challenges of Sustainability Assessment Tools in (Tourism) Higher Education
Authors: Dimou Irini , Xenaki Maria
Published: May 2024

Sustainability and higher education are closely linked, with universities playing a crucial role in promoting sustainability. Furthermore, the significance of incorporating sustainability in (tourism) higher education is beyond doubt. However, incorporating sustainability poses challenges such as unclear definitions and resistance to change. To overcome this, proactive measures and attention to governance are necessary. Towards this direction, Higher Education Institutions can create sustainability reports to showcase progress and identify areas for improvement. Despite efforts to develop standards and methods for assessing sustainability practices, there is still a gap in identifying specific criteria for a truly sustainable university. This article discusses the challenges associated with sustainability integration in HEIs and concludes that the wide variety of available Sustainability Assessment Tools (SATs) could potentially complicate rather than foster the process of integration. The challenges emerging are being discussed, in order to advance the applicability and effectiveness of SATs.
Introduction to groundwater flow
Authors: Rapp Christoph
Published: May 2024

A brief consideration of groundwater flow by means of the potential theory in Chapter 15 rounds up the applied hydraulics Part II. Two problems are solved with the codes provided; one considers a possible influence of extraction and injection well, the other one copes with a possible contamination of a well due to an oil accident.
Hydrostatics
Authors: Rapp Christoph
Published: May 2024

Part II covers the book’s core: applied, one dimensional hydraulics which starts with hydrostatics in Chapter 7. At the beginning hydrostatic pressure, pressure force and buoyancy are described. Next, the very helpful pressure diagrams are introduced before the hydrostatic paradox is discussed. Subsequently, the pressure on arbitrarily inclined flat objects is considered in the framework of the resulting forces and moments of force. Moving liquids and the consideration of compressed air volumes at constant temperatures (Boyle-Mariotte law) complete the chapter.
Assessment of rarity and ecological preferences of the non-marine ostracods (Crustacea) in Çanakkale Province (Türkiye)
Authors: Yavuzatmaca Mehmet , Külköylüoğlu Okan , Ataman Alper , Ayteğin Ahmet , Yılmaz İsmail Ömer
Published: May 2024

Rarity as a multidimensional concept has not been discussed for the ostracods along with the effects of physicochemical factors and sedimentation rates of waters on their distribution. We randomly sampled 91 aquatic sites including eight habitat types in the Çanakkale Province to study ostracod species rarity, commonness, and ecological preferences, and to test the relationships between the rarity index (average of geographic range, habitat specificity, and population size indices) and environmental factors. A total of 44 ostracod taxa (25 living) were reported from 75 sites. Among the species, Candonocypris caledonica was recorded for the first time in Türkiye. Sixty percent of 25 living species exhibited cosmopolitan characteristics, making significant contributions to the diversity of ostracods. The well-known cosmopolitan species, Heterocypris salina (rr = 0.268), Cypridopsis vidua (rr = 0.289), Limnocythere inopinata (rr = 0.330), Ilyocypris bradyi (rr = 0.370), and Psychrodromus olivaceus (rr = 0.390), were identified as common species based on the rarity index (rr) values. Of the environmental variables, only sediment grain sizes (×2000, ×500, and ×63 μm) were found to be effective on the distribution of ostracod species. The Shannon index exhibited a positively significant association with ×2000, while the population size index displayed a linear relationship with ×63 μm grain size, indicating a small population size and rarity. Associations among index values, sediment grain size, and water quality variables showed that comprehensive studies on ostracods, analyzing both water and sediment, can provide a clearer and more precise information for evaluating the rarity and ecological preferences of species.
Lebensqualität nach innerklinischem Herz-Kreislauf-Stillstand
Authors: Treml Benedikt , Eckhardt Christine , Oberleitner Christoph , Ploner Thomas , Rugg Christopher , Radovanovic Spurnic Aleksandra , Rajsic Sasa
Published: May 2024

Hintergrund

Ein Herz-Kreislauf-Stillstand (HKS) ist ein lebensbedrohlicher Zustand, der weltweit eine der häufigsten Todesursachen darstellt. Die Literatur bezüglich der Lebensqualität nach kardiopulmonaler Reanimation ist limitiert und beinhaltet hauptsächlich Daten von HKS außerhalb des Krankenhauses. Diese könnten sich bezüglich Epidemiologie und Outcome von innerklinischen Herz-Kreislauf-Stillständen (IHCA) unterscheiden. Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Lebensqualität mittels EQ-5D-5L-Fragebogen nach einem IHCA zu untersuchen und mögliche Risikofaktoren für ein schlechteres Outcome zu ermitteln.

Material und Methoden

Diese retrospektive Datenanalyse und prospektive Erhebung der Lebensqualität umfasste alle Patient:innen, die einen IHCA im Zeitraum von 2010 bis 2020 überlebten. Der primäre Endpunkt der Studie war die Lebensqualität am Stichtag nach einem IHCA. Sekundäre Endpunkte umfassten Prädiktoren für ein schlechteres Outcome.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt wurden innerhalb des Zeitraums von 11 Jahren 604 innerklinische Reanimationen durchgeführt, wobei 61 (10 %) der Patient:innen bis zum Zeitpunkt der Befragung überlebten. Achtundvierzig (79 %) Patient:innen erfüllten die Einschlusskriterien, und 31 (65 %) wurden in diese Studie eingeschlossen. Es gab keinen signifikanten Unterschied in der Lebensqualität vor und nach dem HKS (EQ-5D-5L Utilität 0,79 vs. 0,78; p = 0,567) und im EQ-5D-5L-VAS-Score. Eine chirurgische Indikation für die Krankenhausaufnahme war mit einer besseren Lebensqualität nach dem IHCA assoziiert, verglichen mit einer medizinischen Aufnahmeindikation (p = 0,009).

Schlussfolgerung

Patient:innen, die einen innerklinischen Herz-Kreislauf-Stillstand überlebten, zeigten eine vergleichbare Lebensqualität vor und nach dem Ereignis. Dennoch berichteten die Patient:innen über eine Verschlechterung der Mobilität und der Angst/Depression. Künftige Studien sollten bei der Erhebung der Folgen eines Herz-Kreislauf-Stillstands die verfügbaren Instrumente zur Bewertung der Lebensqualität miteinbeziehen.
A non-compact convex hull in generalized non-positive curvature
Authors: Basso Giuliano , Krifka Yannick , Soultanis Elefterios
Published: May 2024

Gromov’s (open) question whether the closed convex hull of finitely many points in a complete $${{\,\textrm{CAT}\,}}(0)$$

CAT

(
0
)

space is compact naturally extends to weaker notions of non-positive curvature in metric spaces. In this article, we consider metric spaces admitting a conical geodesic bicombing, and show that the question has a negative answer in this setting. Specifically, for each $$n>1$$

n
>
1

, we construct a complete metric space X admitting a conical geodesic bicombing, which is the closed convex hull of n points and is not compact. The space X moreover has the universal property that for any n points $$A=\{x_1,\ldots ,x_n\}\subset Y$$

A
=
{

x
1

,
…
,

x
n

}
⊂
Y

in a complete $${{\,\textrm{CAT}\,}}(0)$$

CAT

(
0
)

space Y there exists a Lipschitz map $$f:X\rightarrow Y$$

f
:
X
→
Y

such that the convex hull of $$A$$
A
is contained in f(X).
Rational engineering of Halomonas salifodinae to enhance hydroxyectoine production under lower-salt conditions
Authors: Yang Niping , Liu Mengshuang , Han Jing , Jiang Mingyue , Zeng Yan , Liu Ying , Xiang Hua , Zheng Yanning
Published: May 2024

Hydroxyectoine is an important compatible solute that holds potential for development into a high-value chemical with broad applications. However, the traditional high-salt fermentation for hydroxyectoine production presents challenges in treating the high-salt wastewater. Here, we report the rational engineering of Halomonas salifodinae to improve the bioproduction of hydroxyectoine under lower-salt conditions. The comparative transcriptomic analysis suggested that the increased expression of ectD gene encoding ectoine hydroxylase (EctD) and the decreased expressions of genes responsible for tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle contributed to the increased hydroxyectoine production in H. salifodinae IM328 grown under high-salt conditions. By blocking the degradation pathway of ectoine and hydroxyectoine, enhancing the expression of ectD, and increasing the supply of 2-oxoglutarate, the engineered H. salifodinae strain HS328-YNP15 (ΔdoeA::PUP119-ectD p-gdh) produced 8.3-fold higher hydroxyectoine production than the wild-type strain and finally achieved a hydroxyectoine titer of 4.9 g/L in fed-batch fermentation without any detailed process optimization. This study shows the potential to integrate hydroxyectoine production into open unsterile fermentation process that operates under low-salinity and high-alkalinity conditions, paving the way for next-generation industrial biotechnology.

Key points

• Hydroxyectoine production in H. salifodinae correlates with the salinity of medium

• Transcriptomic analysis reveals the limiting factors for hydroxyectoine production

• The engineered strain produced 8.3-fold more hydroxyectoine than the wild type

Graphical Abstract
Influence of stimulation frequency on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cathepsin-B production in healthy young adults
Authors: Nishikawa Yuichi , Sakaguchi Hiroyuki , Takada Tatsuya , Maeda Noriaki , Hyngstrom Allison
Published: May 2024

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) has been shown to stimulate the production of myokines (i.e., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)), but the most effective EMS parameters for myokine production have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to quantify the optimal EMS frequency for stimulating myokine production. This study included sixteen young adults (male, n = 13, age = 27.3 ± 5.5 years). Participants underwent four EMS interventions (20 min each) with the following conditions: (1) 4 Hz, (2) 20 Hz, (3) 80 Hz, and (4) control (no intervention). Blood samples were obtained before and immediately after EMS. For the control condition, blood samples were taken before and after 20 min of quiet sitting. BDNF and cathepsin-B levels were analyzed in serum. Compared to preintervention levels, stimulation at 20 Hz resulted in significantly greater postintervention cathepsin-B and BDNF levels (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the control condition did not result in a significant change between pre- and posttreatment. Furthermore, stimulation at 20 Hz caused significantly larger increases in cathepsin-B and BDNF levels than stimulation at 4–80 Hz or the control condition (p < 0.05). In conclusion, stimulation at 20 Hz effectively causes a robust cathepsin-B and BDNF response. Based on these results, we suggest a new strategy for rehabilitation of people with neurological disorders.
Voriconazole metabolism is associated with the number of skin cancers per patient
Authors: Ike Jacqueline I. , Smith Isabelle T. , Mosley Dominique , Madden Christopher , Grossarth Sarah , Halle Briana R. , Lewis Adam , Mentch Frank , Hakonarson Hakon , Bastarache Lisa , Wheless Lee
Published: May 2024

Voriconazole exposure is associated with skin cancer, but it is unknown how the full spectrum of its metabolizer phenotypes impacts this association. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine how variation in metabolism of voriconazole as measured by metabolizer status of CYP2C19 is associated with the total number of skin cancers a patient develops and the rate of development of the first skin cancer after treatment. There were 1,739 organ transplant recipients with data on CYP2C19 phenotype. Of these, 134 were exposed to voriconazole. There was a significant difference in the number of skin cancers after transplant based on exposure to voriconazole, metabolizer phenotype, and the interaction of these two (p < 0.01 for all three). This increase was driven primarily by number of squamous cell carcinomas among rapid metabolizes with voriconazole exposure (p < 0.01 for both). Patients exposed to voriconazole developed skin cancers more rapidly than those without exposure (Fine-Grey hazard ratio 1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.19–2.66). This association was similarly driven by development of SCC (Fine-Grey hazard ratio 1.83, 95% confidence interval 1.14–2.94). Differences in voriconazoles metabolism are associated with an increase in the number of skin cancers developed after transplant, particularly SCC.
Electroacupuncture and carbamazepine for patients with trigeminal neuralgia: a randomized, controlled, 2 × 2 factorial trial
Authors: Li Rongrong , Sun Jing , Luo Kaitao , Luo Ning , Sun Ruohan , Gao Feng , Wang Yiyi , Xia Yunfan , Li Xiaoyu , Chen Lifang , Ma Ruijie , Shao Xiaomei , Liang Yi , Fang Jianqiao
Published: May 2024

Background

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is difficult to treat due to its severe pain intensity and recurring episodes, which significantly impact quality of life.

Objectives

We aimed to assess the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) in alleviating the pain intensity in TN, and to determine whether EA combined with low-dosage carbamazepine (CBZ) has a synergistic effect.

Methods

A multi-centre, randomized, 2 × 2 factorial trial was conducted. Participants who met the inclusion criteria received active EA or sham EA for 60 min, three times a week for four weeks; CBZ (300 mg per day) or placebo for four weeks. The primary outcome was the change in visual analog scale (VAS) score from baseline to weeks 2, 4, 16, and 28. Secondary outcomes included quality of life and adverse events.

Results

A total of 120 participants (75 females and 45 males; mean (SD) age, 58.5 (15.3) years) were included. The main effects of EA and CBZ were significant (P < 0.001), and there was a significant interaction was identified between the interventions (P = 0.041). Participants who received EA (mean difference [MD], −0.3 [95% CI, −0.40 to −0.20] at week 2; −1.6 [−1.70 to −1.50] at week 4; −1.1 [−1.31 to −0.89] at week 16; −0.8 [−1.01 to −0.59] at week 28), CBZ (MD, −0.6 [95% CI, −0.70 to −0.50] at week 2; −0.9 [−1.03 to −0.77] at week 4, −0.2 [−0.41 to 0.01] at week 16, 0.2 [−0.01 to 0.41] at week 28), and the combination of both (MD, −1.8 [95% CI, −1.90 to −1.70] at week 2; −3.7 [−3.83 to −3.57] at week 4, −3.4 [−3.61 to −3.19] at week 16, −2.9 [−3.11 to −2.69] at week 28) had a greater reduction in VAS score over the treatment phase than their respective control groups (sham EA, placebo, and sham EA plus placebo). EA-related adverse events (6/59, 10.17%) were lower than that of CBZ (15/59, 25.42%) during the whole phases.

Conclusions

EA or CBZ alone are effective treatments for TN, while the combination of EA and low-dosage CBZ exerts a greater benefit. These findings in this trial demonstrate that the combination of EA and low-dosage CBZ may be clinically effective under certain circumstances.

Trial registration

NCT03580317.
Age prediction using fundus parameters of normal eyes from the Kumejima population study
Authors: Yamashita Takehiro , Terasaki Hiroto , Asaoka Ryo , Iwase Aiko , Sakai Hiroshi , Sakamoto Taiji , Araie Makoto
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Artificial intelligence can predict the age of an individual using color fundus photographs (CFPs). This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of age prediction in the Kumejima study using fundus parameters and to clarify age-related changes in the fundus.

Methods

We used nonmydriatic CFPs obtained from the Kumejima population study, including 1,646 right eyes of healthy participants with reliable fundus parameter measurements. The tessellation fundus index was calculated as R/(R + G + B) using the mean value of the red–green–blue intensity in eight locations around the optic disc and foveal region. The optic disc ovality ratio, papillomacular angle, and retinal vessel angle were quantified as previously described. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression with leave-one-out cross-validation was used to predict age. The relationship between the actual and predicted ages was investigated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results

The mean age of included participants (834 males and 812 females) was 53.4 ± 10.1 years. The mean predicted age based on fundus parameters was 53.4 ± 8.9 years, with a mean absolute error of 3.64 years, and the correlation coefficient between actual and predicted age was 0.88 (p < 0.001). Older patients had greater red and green intensities and weaker blue intensities in the peripapillary area (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Age could be predicted using the CFP parameters, and there were notable age-related changes in the peripapillary color intensity. The age-related changes in the fundus may aid the understanding of the mechanism of fundus diseases such as age-related macular degeneration.
Maternal perinatal social support and infant social-emotional problems and competencies: a longitudinal cross-cohort replication study
Authors: Schuijers Melanie , Greenwood Christopher J. , McIntosh Jennifer E. , Youssef George , Letcher Primrose , Macdonald Jacqui A. , Spry Elizabeth , Le Bas Genevieve , Teague Samantha , Biden Ebony , Elliott Elizabeth , Allsop Steve , Burns Lucinda , Olsson Craig A. , Hutchinson Delyse M.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Maternal perinatal social support is theorised to promote offspring social-emotional development, yet few studies have prospectively examined this relationship. Findings may inform preventative intervention efforts, to support a healthy start to emotional life.

Methods

This study examined whether maternal social support perinatally predicts infant social-emotional development at 12 months of age in two longitudinal cohort studies: The Australian Temperament Project (ATP) (n = 1,052 mother-infant dyads [653 mothers, Mage_at_birth = 32.03, 88% Australian-born; 1,052 infants, 52% girls]) and The Triple B Pregnancy Cohort Study (Triple B) (n = 1,537 dyads [1,498 mothers, Mage_at_birth = 32.53, 56% Australian-born; 1,537 infants, 49% girls]). Social support was assessed at pregnancy (third trimester) and eight-weeks post-birth. Infant social-emotional competencies (ATP: Brief Infant and Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA), Competencies Scale; Triple B: Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Social Emotional Scale) and problems (ATP: BITSEA, Problems Scale; Triple B: Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional Scale), were assessed at 12-months of age.

Results

In ATP, social support was associated with lower offspring problems (pregnancy: β = -0.15; post-birth: β = -0.12) and greater competencies (pregnancy: β = 0.12; post-birth: β = 0.16) at 12 months. In Triple B, social support also predicted lower offspring problems (pregnancy: β = -0.11; post-birth: β = -0.07) and greater competencies (pregnancy: β = 0.07) at 12 months. Findings did not indicate an association between support at eight-weeks post-birth and subsequent competencies (β = 0.06).

Conclusions

Evidence suggests that perinatal social support promotes healthy infant social and emotional development. These results underscore the critical importance of social support for mothers transitioning into parenthood.
MobilityDL: a review of deep learning from trajectory data
Authors: Graser Anita , Jalali Anahid , Lampert Jasmin , Weißenfeld Axel , Janowicz Krzysztof
Published: May 2024

Trajectory data combines the complexities of time series, spatial data, and (sometimes irrational) movement behavior. As data availability and computing power have increased, so has the popularity of deep learning from trajectory data. This review paper provides the first comprehensive overview of deep learning approaches for trajectory data. We have identified eight specific mobility use cases which we analyze with regards to the deep learning models and the training data used. Besides a comprehensive quantitative review of the literature since 2018, the main contribution of our work is the data-centric analysis of recent work in this field, placing it along the mobility data continuum which ranges from detailed dense trajectories of individual movers (quasi-continuous tracking data), to sparse trajectories (such as check-in data), and aggregated trajectories (crowd information).
To Add or to Multiply? Gender, Sexual Minority Status, and Sexual Harassment in the Norwegian Police Service
Authors: Bye Hege H. , Bjørkelo Brita
Published: May 2024

Does being a sexual minority member heighten the risk of sexual harassment to the same extent for women and men? We compare two perspectives on the interaction between gender and sexual minority status in predicting exposure to sexual harassment: gender and sexual minority status as independent risk factors (additive effects) versus sexual minority status as a stronger risk factor for men (interactive effects). In a representative survey among N = 4386 employees from the Norwegian Police Service, we found support for the additive perspective. Women, OR = 2.46, 95% CI [2.12, 2.89], and sexual minorities, OR = 2.51, 95% CI [1.81, 3.48], had higher odds of being targeted by sexual harassment. We do not find that sexual minority status is a stronger risk factor for men than for women but that sexual minority status increases the odds of being targeted with sexual harassment for both women and men. The effect of the interaction between gender and sexual minority status (OR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.39, 1.63]) was too small to be significant in our sample. We discuss methodological challenges in studying low-frequency events such as sexual harassment from an intersectional perspective. The group most at risk for being sexually harassed at work in the NPS is sexual minority women. Norway is characterized by gender equality and legal protection of sexual minorities. This does not seem to cancel out the effects that violations of gender ideals have on the likelihood of being harassed.
Consciously stochastic in preference reversals
Authors: Shi Liu , Qiu Jianying , Li Jiangyan , Bohn Frank
Published: May 2024

Stochastic choice, the act of choosing differently in repeated decisions, can be a conscious decision made by individuals who are aware of their inability to make a definitive choice. To examine the prevalence and implications of conscious stochastic choice, we developed a novel method and implemented it in a preference reversal experiment: In each valuation choice between the bet and a varying reference option, subjects could either pay a small cost to select a specific option or opt for a free randomization choice where a computer randomly selects an option. Our findings revealed that the majority of subjects exhibited conscious stochastic choice, and further that their choices were significantly affected by the elicitation procedures.
Evaluating the glymphatic system via magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular spaces in brain tumor patients
Authors: Villacis Gabriela , Schmidt Aileen , Rudolf Justus C. , Schwenke Hannes , Küchler Jan , Schramm Peter , Ulloa Patricia
Published: May 2024

Purpose

To investigate glymphatic system function in patients with brain tumors, including both primary and secondary tumors, using diffusion tensor imaging along perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the MR DTI of 24 patients with unilateral brain tumors and compared them with age and sex-matched controls. We compared the DTI-ALPS index of the ipsi- and contralateral brain hemispheres. The region of interest was placed in the periventricular vessels adjacent to the lateral ventricles. Differences between sex, age, and kind of tumor (primary or brain metastasis) were evaluated. Correlations between DTI-ALPS index and age and the tumor's apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were also investigated.

Results

The DTI-ALPS index was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the tumor-affected hemisphere (mean = 1.26 ± 0.24) than contralateral (mean = 1.43 ± 0.28). A comparison with healthy controls revealed no significant difference on the matched ipsilateral side. However, the DTI-ALPS index of the contralateral side of the patients was larger than the HC. Additionally, no statistically significant differences were found when analyzing the DTI-ALPS index vs. age, sex, and tumor entity. Additionally, we did not find a correlation between the DTI-ALPS index and patient age or tumor ADC.

Conclusion

The decreased DTI-ALPS index in the tumor-affected hemisphere may be related to impaired glymphatic system function. However, cancer is often a systemic disease; thus, the DTI-ALPS index from the contralateral brain hemisphere may not generally be considered as a normal control. Nonetheless, the DTI-ALPS index does not only reflect diffusion in the perivascular spaces but it can also be influenced by factors such as axonal degeneration. Therefore, it does not directly reflect brain waste clearance and changes in the index should be interpreted carefully.
Discursive Resilience
Authors: Bilandzic Helena , Kalch Anja , Kinnebrock Susanne , Buchner Benedikt , Kollar Ingo , Schuller Björn W.
Published: May 2024

In contemporary digitalized media environments, the interaction between technologies and user practices
can lead to polarization, fragmentation, and radicalization of the media discourse. We argue that these
issues require efforts to strengthen ‘discursive resilience’, which we define as the capacity
of the discourse on digital platforms or (social) media and its participants to cope with polarization,
fragmentation, and radicalization, and to adapt and transform its capacities, procedures, and structures
in anticipation of these issues. In this contribution, we propose three strategies to counter such threats
and build discursive resilience: diagnosis of risks and vulnerabilities, user literacy in digital media
environments, and platform regulation and self-management.
Effects of acid deposition control in China: a review based on responses of subtropical forests
Authors: Xie Danni , Ge Xiaodong , Duan Lei , Mulder Jan
Published: May 2024

For many decades, acid deposition used to pose a significant regional air pollution challenge in China. After substantial emission control of anthropogenically derived sulfur and nitrogen containing gasses, both sulfur and nitrogen deposition, as well as the acid rain-affected area, have significantly decreased compared to their peak levels. Forests, particularly in the humid subtropics, are sensitive to acid deposition, as evidenced by soil acidification, sulfate and nitrate leaching in stream water, and elevated soil nitrous oxide emission. Reduction in the total deposition of sulfur and nitrogen, caused a significant decline in sulfate and nitrate leaching from subtropical forest and subsequently in sulfate and nitrate concentrations in stream water, although there was about a 5-year delay. This delay may be attributed to the desorption of accumulated sulfate and continued elevated mineralization of accumulated nitrogen pools. Emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, also declined in nitrogen-saturated subtropical forest soils, as soil water nitrate concentration decreased. Therefore, subtropical forests in China suffering from elevated acid deposition have begun to recover. Yet, the current levels of sulfur and nitrogen deposition continue to exceed the critical loads, i.e., the assigned threshold levels in accordance with emission control policies, in more than 10% of the country’s land area, respectively, indicating remaining risks of acidification and eutrophication. Thus, further emission reductions are urgently needed, also because they will help achieving goals related to air quality and nitrous oxide emissions.
VEXAS syndrome
Authors: Nakajima Hideaki , Kunimoto Hiroyoshi
Published: May 2024

VEXAS syndrome is a recently identified, adult-onset autoinflammatory disease caused by somatic mutations in UBA1. UBA1 is an X-linked gene encoding E1 ubiquitin activating enzyme and its mutation in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells leads to their clonal expansion and myeloid-skewed differentiation. UBA1 mutations in VEXAS are clustered at the second methionine (p.Met41), eliminating UBA1b isoform translated from p.Met41. Loss of UBA1b impairs ubiquitination and activates innate immune pathways, leading to systemic autoinflammation manifested as recurrent fever, chondritis, pulmonary involvement, vasculitis, or neutrophilic dermatitis. VEXAS syndrome is frequently associated with hematological disorders such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), plasma cell dyscrasia and venous thromboembolism. Macrocytic anemia/macrocytosis and vacuoles in myeloid/erythroid precursors are prominent features of VEXAS syndrome, and their presence in patients with autoinflammatory symptoms prompts physicians to screen for UBA1 variant. Treatment of VEXAS syndrome is challenging and no consistently effective therapies have been established. Anti-inflammation therapies including glucocorticoids and anti-interleukin-6 have shown limited efficacy, while azacytidine and JAK inhibitors such as ruxolitinib were found to induce favorable, mid-term responses. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only curative option for VEXAS and should be considered for younger, fit patients with poor prognostic factors or recalcitrant symptoms.
Evaluating Explainable Machine Learning Models for Clinicians
Authors: Scarpato Noemi , Nourbakhsh Aria , Ferroni Patrizia , Riondino Silvia , Roselli Mario , Fallucchi Francesca , Barbanti Piero , Guadagni Fiorella , Zanzotto Fabio Massimo
Published: May 2024

Gaining clinicians’ trust will unleash the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, and explaining AI decisions is seen as the way to build trustworthy systems. However, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods in medicine often lack a proper evaluation. In this paper, we present our evaluation methodology for XAI methods using forward simulatability. We define the Forward Simulatability Score (FSS) and analyze its limitations in the context of clinical predictors. Then, we applied FSS to our XAI approach defined over an ML-RO, a machine learning clinical predictor based on random optimization over a multiple kernel support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. To Compare FSS values before and after the explanation phase, we test our evaluation methodology for XAI methods on three clinical datasets, namely breast cancer, VTE, and migraine. The ML-RO system is a good model on which to test our XAI evaluation strategy based on the FSS. Indeed, ML-RO outperforms two other base models—a decision tree (DT) and a plain SVM—in the three datasets and gives the possibility of defining different XAI models: TOPK, MIGF, and F4G. The FSS evaluation score suggests that the explanation method F4G for the ML-RO is the most effective in two datasets out of the three tested, and it shows the limits of the learned model for one dataset. Our study aims to introduce a standard practice for evaluating XAI methods in medicine. By establishing a rigorous evaluation framework, we seek to provide healthcare professionals with reliable tools for assessing the performance of XAI methods to enhance the adoption of AI systems in clinical practice.
TOPSIS-based factor analytic model for the assessment of agricultural development in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Singh Vishwajeet , Dube Madhulika , Nagasampige Manojkumar , Trivedi Ritanshi
Published: May 2024

This study delves into the nuanced evaluation of disparities in agricultural development in the leading agriculture-producing state, Uttar Pradesh in India. Unfortunately, owing to a multitude of reasons, the pace of development in all the districts of the state is different. Therefore, using the data on twenty-six agricultural indicators for the years 2019 and 2020, a unique and novel application that combines Factor Analytic Model, based on the theory of TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), has been used to develop a composite index system for ranking the agricultural development in various districts in the state. The districts are then categorized into homogeneous groups of Highly Developed, Developed, Developing, and Less Developed in terms of their agricultural development status using Hierarchical and K-Mean Cluster Analysis. Key findings reveal significant prosperity in the Western region of Uttar Pradesh, while the semi-arid Bundelkhand region faces considerable challenges, emerging as the most underdeveloped zone. In order to help the policy makers and planners to achieve a uniform pace of agricultural development in the entire state, the work in the article is also devoted to determine model districts for the identified less developed districts.
Residual serialized cross grouping transformer for small scale sketch face recognition
Authors: Du Kangning , Wang Yinkai , Yin Jianqiang , Cao Lin , Guo Yanan
Published: May 2024

Sketch face recognition has recently gained significant attention in the field of computer vision due to its ability to quickly identify matched pairs of optical and sketch images. This technology has the potential to greatly improve the efficiency of law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed in sketch face recognition algorithms, such as modal differences and limited sample sizes. To overcome these issues, this study proposes a Residual Serialized Cross Grouping Transformer (RSCGT), which contains a residual serialized module to reduce the computation complexity, a two-layer Cross Grouping Transformer module that is capable of extracting modality-invariant context features, a domain adaptive module to mitigate the impact of modal differences. Additionally, we introduce a meta-learning training strategy to augment the generalization ability of this model. Experimental results demonstrate that the RSCGT achieves high accuracy in sketch face recognition tasks, even with small-scale datasets.
Paper Steaks: Live Cattle Futures Markets and the Financial Revolution of 1964
Authors: Paulson Tim
Published: May 2024

This article argues that live cattle futures, launched in 1964 in Chicago, were revolutionary for professional economics, the derivatives industry, and the beef cattle industry because cattle were the first successful “non-storable” derivatives. Since the late nineteenth century, the ability of derivatives to provide financial services to risk-averse farmers rested on the assumption that futures were interchangeable with physical commodities in storage. Live cattle futures upset theories and norms, which enabled experiments in increasingly abstract forms of speculation and tremendous growth in the derivatives industry. Economists, exchange leaders, and commodity producers cooperated to make live cattle futures work, but they all understood and felt their impacts differently. The article applies market performativity theory to better understand how financial instruments and markets became first less and later more physically abstract over time. The article reveals that the changing materiality of derivatives also led to changes in the social purpose of speculative finance. Sources include published economics articles, conference proceedings, congressional hearings, historical newspapers, and archival records from the derivatives and cattle industries.
A Whole-Person Approach to Harm Reduction for Women
Authors: Brown Somer
Published: May 2024

Women are the fastest-growing population of people who use drugs in the US. As a group, they are more likely than men to experience stigma, poverty, and negative mental health outcomes. This article discusses the unique needs of women drug users in the US and provides suggestions on how to leverage national attention — and federal funding — to make harm reduction services in the US more gender sensitive, and, as a result, more effective in reducing harm for women who use drugs in this country.
Integrating Public Health Ethics into Public Health Policymaking: Being in the Room Where It Happens
Authors: Arias Jalayne J. , Goldberg Daniel S.
Published: May 2024

This commentary takes up a challenge posed by Franklin Miller in a 2022 essay in Bioethics Forum. Dr. Miller queried whether bioethicists could be useful in public health policy contexts and while he refrained from issuing an ultimate opinion, did identify several challenges to such utility. The current piece responds to the challenges Dr. Miller identifies and argues that with appropriate training, public health ethicists can be of service in virtually any context in which public health policies are deliberated and decided.
A Federally Qualified Health Center-led Ethics & Equity Framework & Workflow Checklist: An Invited Commentary in Response to a Relational Public Health Framing of FQHCs During COVID-19
Authors: Torres Cristina Huebner , Kassis Sylvia Baedorf , Sayeed Sadath , Bierer Barbara E. , Emmons Karen M.
Published: May 2024

With disparate rates of morbidity and mortality among minoritized communities, COVID-19 illuminated the need for equity-informed practices in public health. Pacia et al posit FQHCs as entities that addressed inequity when others failed. This commentary further situates how FQHCs address the public health crisis of institutional racism and related health inequities every day and presents a FQHC-led Ethics and Equity Framework and Workflow Checklist to guide ethical and equitable engagement with FQHCs.
Body composition from birth to 6 months in term small-for-gestational-age Indian infants: effect of catch-up growth
Authors: Kumar Brijesh , Anand Pratima , Chellani Harish , Agarwal Ramesh , Jain Vandana
Published: May 2024

The objective of this prospective observational study was to assess the growth and body composition of term small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants from birth to 6 months and evaluate the effect of catch-up growth (CUG) on body composition. Term SGA newborns were recruited at birth. Anthropometry and body composition were evaluated at 3 days, 6, 10 and 14 weeks, and 6 months. Fat and fat-free mass (FM and FFM) were compared between infants with and without CUG (increase in weight Z-score by > 0·67) by air displacement plethysmography. Factors that could affect body composition and CUG, including parents’ BMI and stature, infants’ birth weight, sex and feeding, were evaluated. A total of 143 SGA newborns (sixty-six boys) with birth weight of 2336 (sd 214) g were enrolled; 109 were followed up till 6 months. Median weight Z-score increased from −2·3 at birth to −1·3 at 6 months, with 51·9 % of infants showing CUG. Infants with CUG had higher FM (1796 (sd 491) g v. 1196 (sd 474) g, P < 0·001) but similar FFM (4969 (sd 508) g v. 4870 (sd 622) g, P = 0·380), and consequently higher FM percentage (FM%) (26·5 (sd 5·8) v. 19·7 (sd 6·9), P < 0·001), compared with those without CUG. Lower birth weight, exclusive breast-feeding and higher parental stature were positively associated with CUG. In conclusion, CUG in term SGA infants in the first 6 months of life was almost entirely attributable to greater gain in FM. Follow-up of this cohort will provide insight into the long-term effect of disproportionate gain in FM in early infancy in SGA babies.
Evaluating mineral biomarkers as mediators and moderators of behavioural improvements in a randomised controlled trial of multinutrients for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Robinette Lisa M. , Johnstone Jeanette M. , Srikanth Priya , Bruton Alisha M. , Ralle Martina , Ast Hayleigh K. , Bradley Ryan D. , Leung Brenda , Arnold L. Eugene , Hatsu Irene E.
Published: May 2024

Essential minerals are cofactors for synthesis of neurotransmitters supporting cognition and mood. An 8-week fully-blind randomised controlled trial of multinutrients for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrated three times as many children (age 6–12) had significantly improved behaviour (‘treatment responders’) on multinutrients (54 %) compared with placebo (18 %). The aim of this secondary study was to evaluate changes in fasted plasma and urinary mineral concentrations following the intervention and their role as mediators and moderators of treatment response. Fourteen essential or trace minerals were measured in plasma and/or urine at baseline and week eight from eighty-six participants (forty-nine multinutrients, thirty-seven placebos). Two-sample t tests/Mann–Whitney U tests compared 8-week change between treatment and placebo groups, which were also evaluated as potential mediators. Baseline levels were evaluated as potential moderators, using logistic regression models with clinical treatment response as the outcome. After 8 weeks, plasma boron, Cr (in females only), Li, Mo, Se and vanadium and urinary iodine, Li and Se increased more with multinutrients than placebo, while plasma phosphorus decreased. These changes did not mediate treatment response. However, baseline urinary Li trended towards moderation: participants with lower baseline urinary Li were more likely to respond to multinutrients (P = 0·058). Additionally, participants with higher baseline Fe were more likely to be treatment responders regardless of the treatment group (P = 0·036.) These results show that multinutrient treatment response among children with ADHD is independent of their baseline plasma mineral levels, while baseline urinary Li levels show potential as a non-invasive biomarker of treatment response requiring further study.
On the inside looking out: gendered space and virtuous femininity in the Pompeian house
Authors: Milnor Kristina
Published: May 2024

This paper considers the question of how to find “women's space” in the Roman house by looking at a painting of the myth of Pero and Mycon in a small cubiculum off the atrium of Pompeii's House of Marcus Lucretius Fronto. It argues that the combination of the image with an ecphrastic poem functions to draw viewers into the enclosed room, so that they experience the painting from a position of interiority. This echoes the interiority which is thematized in the myth and presented as an important aspect of the virtuous femininity it celebrates. By communicating gendered meaning through both images of place and the viewer's physical experience, the painting offers a way of understanding women's space as simultaneously material and representational.
The record of coal exploration in the Ordovician-Silurian in the Southern Uplands of Scotland and the north of Ireland
Authors: PARNELL John , ARMSTRONG Joseph G. T. , LINGS Alastair
Published: May 2024

The Southern Uplands-Down-Longford Terrane (SUDLT) saw exploration for coal in Ordovician-Silurian marine rocks for several centuries, including well after it was understood that land plant coals would not occur in such rocks. Some lithologies were so carbonaceous that a fuel of sorts was mined. The record of this exploration and mining activity is mostly forgotten, but there are diverse sources to show that it was widespread. Exploration was mostly inspired by outcrops of Moffat Shale, in which deformation and hydrocarbon generation left coal-like products. The hydrocarbon origin conferred high calorific value to the fuel, so it did burn and encouraged exploration. The deposits show that an accretionary prism can be a reservoir of locally abundant carbon.