bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantum decoherence effects: A complete treatment
Authors: Barenboim Gabriela , Gago Alberto M.
Published: November 2024

Physical systems in real life are inextricably linked to their surroundings and never completely separated from them. Truly closed systems do not exist. The phenomenon of decoherence, which is brought about by the interaction with the environment, removes the relative phase of quantum states in superposition and makes them incoherent. In neutrino physics, decoherence, although extensively studied has only been analyzed thus far exclusively in terms of its dissipative characteristics. While it is true that dissipation, or the exponential suppression, eventually is the main observable effect, the exchange of energy between the medium and the system, is an important factor that has been overlooked up until now. In this work, we introduce this term and analyze its consequences.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Different origins of running in the 2D
CP(1)
model
Authors: Kiaee Kasra , Monin Alexander
Published: November 2024

We revisit the computation of the beta function in the two-dimensional CP(1) sigma model. We show that in different schemes, different diagrams are responsible for the running, such as momentum-independent tadpoles or even UV-finite bubble diagrams. We also comment on the relation between the beta functions and the energy dependence of scattering amplitudes.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Resonant conversion of gravitational waves in neutron star magnetospheres
Authors: McDonald Jamie I. , Ellis Sebastian A. R.
Published: November 2024

High-frequency gravitational waves are the subject of rapidly growing interest in the theoretical and experimental community. In this work we calculate the resonant conversion of gravitational waves into photons in the magnetospheres of neutron stars via the inverse Gertsenshtein mechanism. The resonance occurs in regions where the vacuum birefringence effects cancel the classical plasma contribution to the photon dispersion relation, leading to a massless photon in the medium which becomes kinematically matched to the graviton. We set limits on the amplitude of a possible stochastic background of gravitational waves using X-ray and IR flux measurements of neutron stars. Using Chandra (2–8 keV) and NuSTAR (3–79 keV) observations of RX J1856.6-3754, we set strain limits hclim≃10−26–10−24 in the frequency range 5×1017  Hz≲f≲2×1019  Hz. Our limits are many orders of magnitude stronger than existing constraints from individual neutron stars at the same frequencies. We also use recent JWST observations of the Magnetar 4U 0142+61 in the range 2.7×1013  Hz≲f≲5.9×1013  Hz, setting a limit hclim≃5×10−19. These constraints are in complementary frequency ranges to laboratory searches with CAST, OSQAR and ALPS II. We expect these limits to be improved both in reach and breadth with a more exhaustive use of telescope data across the full spectrum of frequencies and targets.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
First Indication of Solar
B8
Neutrinos through Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering in PandaX-4T
Authors: Bo Zihao , Chen Wei , Chen Xun , Chen Yunhua , Cheng Zhaokan , Cui Xiangyi , Fan Yingjie , Fang Deqing , Gao Zhixing , Geng Lisheng , Giboni Karl , Guo Xunan , Guo Xuyuan , Guo Zichao , Han Chencheng , Han Ke , He Changda , He Jinrong , Huang Di , Huang Houqi , Huang Junting , Hou Ruquan , Hou Yu , Ji Xiangdong , Ji Xiangpan , Ju Yonglin , Li Chenxiang , Li Jiafu , Li Mingchuan , Li Shuaijie , Li Tao , Li Zhiyuan , Lin Qing , Liu Jianglai , Lu Congcong , Lu Xiaoying , Luo Lingyin , Luo Yunyang , Ma Wenbo , Ma Yugang , Mao Yajun , Meng Yue , Ning Xuyang , Pang Binyu , Qi Ningchun , Qian Zhicheng , Ren Xiangxiang , Shan Dong , Shang Xiaofeng , Shao Xiyuan , Shen Guofang , Shen Manbin , Sun Wenliang , Tao Yi , Wang Anqing , Wang Guanbo , Wang Hao , Wang Jiamin , Wang Lei , Wang Meng , Wang Qiuhong , Wang Shaobo , Wang Siguang , Wang Wei , Wang Xiuli , Wang Xu , Wang Zhou , Wei Yuehuan , Wu Weihao , Wu Yuan , Xiao Mengjiao , Xiao Xiang , Xiong Kaizhi , Xu Yifan , Yao Shunyu , Yan Binbin , Yan Xiyu , Yang Yong , Ye Peihua , Yu Chunxu , Yuan Ying , Yuan Zhe , Yun Youhui , Zeng Xinning , Zhang Minzhen , Zhang Peng , Zhang Shibo , Zhang Shu , Zhang Tao , Zhang Wei , Zhang Yang , Zhang Yingxin , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhao Li , Zhou Jifang , Zhou Jiaxu , Zhou Jiayi , Zhou Ning , Zhou Xiaopeng , Zhou Yubo , Zhou Zhizhen ,   PandaX Collaboration
Published: November 2024

The PandaX-4T liquid xenon detector at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory is used to measure the solar B8 neutrino flux by detecting neutrinos through coherent scattering with xenon nuclei. Data samples requiring the coincidence of scintillation and ionization signals (paired), as well as unpaired ionization-only signals (US2), are selected with energy threshold of approximately 1.1 keV (0.33 keV) nuclear recoil energy. Combining the commissioning run and the first science run of PandaX-4T, a total exposure of 1.20 and 1.04  tonne·year are collected for the paired and US2, respectively. After unblinding, 3 and 332 events are observed with an expectation of 2.8±0.5 and 251±32 background events, for the paired and US2 data, respectively. A combined analysis yields a best-fit B8 neutrino signal of 3.5 (75) events from the paired (US2) data sample, with ∼37% uncertainty, and the background-only hypothesis is disfavored at 2.64σ significance. This gives a solar B8 neutrino flux of (8.4±3.1)×106  cm−2 s−1, consistent with the standard solar model prediction. It is also the first indication of solar B8 neutrino “fog” in a dark matter direct detection experiment.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Language framing of reporting climate change issues in online media and its potential to trigger reader apathy
Authors: Yusri  , Mushaddiq Muhammad Aqil , Awaliyah Nur Iffa , Kahar Siti Hardianti , Al Arqomi Royhan Jamil , Muhammad Essam S. Sappe Abdulwahid
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the language features (framing analysis) used in reporting climate change issues in online media and their potential effect on triggering reader apathy.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining discourse analysis and survey. The data for this research is derived from news articles published between 2023 and 2024 in Indonesia’s three largest online media platforms. The Apathy Evaluation Scale assessed 305 people’s apathetic attitudes toward climate change.

Findings

The findings reveal that many respondents exhibit moderate apathy toward climate change issues. The research establishes a correlation between the frequency of news consumption and apathetic attitudes toward climate change. The findings identify four aspects that are likely to contribute to triggering apathetic behavior among readers of online media reporting on climate change: the dominant focus of the news, the explanation of potential impacts of climate change, contextual factors and the clarity of information sources.

Practical implications

This study offers valuable recommendations for policymakers and relevant organizations, empowering them to develop effective educational initiatives and formulate impactful climate change reporting strategies in mass media. These findings can motivate action and change, ensuring a more informed and engaged public.

Originality/value

More research is still needed on framing analysis of reporting on climate change issues in online media using language framing theory. The findings of this research have the potential to make a substantial contribution to the advancement of science, particularly in linking language and the environment.
Enhancing energy efficiency in Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector: the untapped potential of LED lighting retrofits
Authors: Hasan Md Mahmudul , Moznuzzaman Md , Shaha Akash , Khan Imran
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Previous studies emphasized the substantial energy-saving potential of light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems, especially in the clothing industry. However, the specific quantification of energy conservation potential in industrial factories, particularly in Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector, remains unexplored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential energy savings and efficiency improvements of lighting systems in Bangladesh’s RMG sector using LED technology.

Design/methodology/approach

Understanding and optimizing energy consumption is crucial in the RMG sector because this sector contributes significantly to the country’s export earnings. For this, an RMG factory was surveyed and possible lighting system retrofitting was estimated and compared.

Findings

The adoption of energy-efficient lighting options, particularly LED, could decrease the current lighting energy usage from 15% to 7.5% in Bangladesh. First, this study reveals, that the reduction of annual energy consumption was determined to be 18,220 kWh due to the retrofitting of the lighting system with LED tube. Second, it conducts real-time measurements to assess the suitability of in-building lighting systems, providing insights into the current scenario. Lastly, it evaluates the economic and environmental benefits of the proposed lighting system in the RMG industries. Due to the retrofitting of the lighting system, the reduction of equivalent CO2 gas emissions was found to be 119.896 tCO2.

Originality/value

For the first time, this study explored the potential for enhancing energy-efficient lighting system design through retrofitting in the RMG industry, with a focus on Bangladesh. By addressing these aspects, this study aims to contribute to the advancement of energy efficiency and conservation efforts in the RMG sector, ultimately fostering sustainable industrial development in Bangladesh and beyond.
The influence of a gender equality course in tourism on university students’ SDG knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP)
Authors: Muñoz-Mazón Ana Isabel , Villacé-Molinero Teresa , Fuentes-Moraleda Laura , Moncada Jiménez Pedro
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of an online course on gender equality in tourism on the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of students concerning sustainable development goals (SDGs) at two universities in Spain and Mexico.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses 38 online qualitative surveys administered to participants both before and after the university online course. The methodology incorporates the three variables of the KAP model: knowledge, attitudes and practice.

Findings

Following the online course, disparities in knowledge levels were observed, accompanied by positive shifts in attitudes and practices toward SDG 5 among university students from Mexico and Spain. The results suggest that a positive initial attitude markedly enriches the learning experience, even without extensive preexisting knowledge and notably increases the likelihood of participants engaging in practical actions postcourse completion.

Practical implications

The study proposes an innovative framework for designing SDGs-oriented training courses within university settings. Additionally, it outlines a pathway by which enhancements in knowledge, attitudes and practices related to SDGs, with a focus on SDG 5, empower students to act as catalysts for societal change.

Originality/value

This study presents a novel application of the KAP model’s variables in analyzing the results of a university course within the tourism sector. It underscores the essential role of expert-led instruction using real-life case studies for SDG education, providing fresh perspectives on augmenting the contribution of higher education to sustainable development.
Developing resilient leaders: a training for students
Authors: Jansen Amy L. , Wieland Alice
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This assignment is designed to enhance resilience among students in leadership courses. It leverages the US Army’s Master Resilience Training (MRT) framework and positive psychology to develop resiliency skills.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-part experiential workshop integrates academic readings (providing a foundation of resilience concepts), explores the influence of personal identities on leadership and connects leadership skills with resilience concepts.

Findings

Participants reflect on self-awareness tools and positive psychology and create personalized action plans. Participants' resilience skills are enhanced with their personalized resiliency plan.

Practical implications

The program provides a structured approach to resilience training, which can be integrated into university curriculums. Students gain self-awareness and psychological tools to manage challenges, which are valuable for personal growth and professional development. There is a persistent gender gap in leadership, and for women to attain greater parity in leadership positions, resilience skills are imperative. By focusing on identity-related factors, the program prepares future leaders for challenges in attaining leadership positions.

Originality/value

This program is uniquely tailored for students aspiring to leadership positions, with an emphasis on the role of identity, such as gender, in leader emergence and overcoming related challenges.
An MILP model for workload fairness and incompatibility in seafaring staff scheduling problem
Authors: Ben Moallem Marwa , Tighazoui Ayoub , Houssin Remy , Ammar Mohamed Haykal , Dhouib Diala , Coulibaly Amadou
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper treats the problem of scheduling seafaring staff inspired from a real case study, where the shipowner operates several vessel categories that require specific skills aiming to achieve a fair workload distribution and minimizing incompatibility between workers while meeting legal constraints, including requirements for days off and rest intervals between shifts.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed integer linear problem (MILP) formulation has been built to address the seafaring staff scheduling problem by integrating multiple objectives and constraints. The model’s performance is tested through experimental results across varying parameter adjustments.

Findings

Our model was tested and validated using the XPRESS solver, and the results demonstrate its effectiveness in meeting the specified objectives and constraints. Notably, findings reveal that increasing the number of qualified workers leads to improved gains, until a certain threshold. Additionally, expanding the size of the workforce can result in longer execution times, specifically when incompatibility increases.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in proposing a generic novel model that deals with maritime staff scheduling, incorporating worker incompatibilities and workload fairness as key objectives.
The efficacy of intelligence-led policing in fighting robbery in the republic of Zimbabwe
Authors: Mugari Ishmael , Chakanyuka Tongai
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing in fighting crime, particularly robbery. The study also looks at the impediments to the implementation of intelligence-led policing in fighting robbery.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a mixed method design on a sample of 60 police officers in Mutare policing district, who were selected using stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected through a mainly closed-ended questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used to analyse quantitative data, while thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data.

Findings

Findings revealed that the Zimbabwe Republic Police has embraced intelligence-led policing, with informer management, crime database management and physical surveillance as the main intelligence-led policing strategies. Findings also revealed that the intelligence-led policing strategy has largely been reactive rather than proactive. Notwithstanding some positives, such as intelligence-led arrests, the implementation of the initiative has been hampered by lack of resources, such as human resource, modern technology and motor vehicles.

Originality/value

This study interrogates the effectiveness of one of the widely used crime fighting strategies across the globe. While most of the previous studies focused on developed countries, this study focused on a developing country that, however, is one of the first countries to embrace the intelligence-led policing strategy on the African continent. The study also highlights the impediments to the effective implementation of intelligence-led policing, as well as offering prescriptive measures to deal with these challenges.
A methodological procedure for the estimation of ecological value applied to a neotropical cloud forest
Authors: Amador‐Cruz Francisco , Figueroa‐Rangel Blanca L. , Olvera‐Vargas Miguel , Mendoza Manuel E.
Published: November 2024

Ecological value (EV) refers to the intrinsic values of a landscape based on the assessment of five criteria: biodiversity, vulnerability, fragmentation, connectivity, and resilience. While many studies use remote sensing for EV assessment, few incorporate fieldwork data. In our research, we present a novel methodology involving field data collection to quantify each criterion. Additionally, we propose a numerical procedure to aggregate rankings and determine EV. Our study took place in a highly biodiverse neotropical cloud forest in western Mexico. Biodiversity was assessed through evenness, vulnerability by counting threatened species, fragmentation based on tree functional traits, connectivity by tree dispersal syndrome and successional behavior, and resilience from tree species' information and material legacies. To reveal similarity patterns among plots regarding the criteria and EV, we used nonmetric multidimensional scaling with permutational multivariate analysis of variance. To assess EV estimation reliability, we used altitude and azimuth as predictors through generalized additive models. The methodology unveiled that plots with the highest EV do not necessarily possess superior ecological properties (biodiversity and/or vulnerability) or structural and functional features (fragmentation, connectivity, and/or resilience), thus demonstrating the importance of including all criteria in the assessment and avoiding the use of a single criterion. Results showed that cloud forest plots with the highest EV were at an altitude of 1900–2200 m asl, facing southeast and northwest orientations. These plots were characterized by a high number of threatened species, low fragmentation, and high levels of connectivity and resilience.
Crisis? What Crisis? The Contestation of Urgency in Creeping Crises
Authors: Geisemann Pia , Geiger Daniel
Published: November 2024

Whilst research on extreme contexts has mainly studied responses to and perceptions of urgency in abrupt crisis settings, this paper examines the construction and contestation of urgency in ambiguous creeping crisis settings. It builds on the empirical case of the Alpine Region of Tyrol and the discourse that emerged around the climate crisis and ski tourism. By taking an abductive approach, we investigate how the temporal dynamics of urgency contestation unfold between different actors. Our findings show three discursive dynamics that drive the contestation of urgency over extended periods of time. We further reveal that actors draw on specific temporal dimensions when constructing high or low senses of urgency – a measurable, normative or synchronicity dimension. This contributes first to research on urgency by uncovering that urgency is not something that can be taken for granted in crises, but instead a multidimensional and relationally contested construct. Second, we point to the nestedness of crises by showing that the urgency of a crisis is shaped by the perception of urgency in related crises. Third, we contribute to crisis research outlining that creeping crises do not necessarily peak in a “hot phase” but instead remain contested and continue to creep on forever.
Psychometric evaluation and measurement invariance of the problematic smartphone use scale among college students: A national survey of 130 145 participants
Authors: Sun Haocan , Tang Kun
Published: November 2024

Background and Aims

Given the insufficient validation of previously imported smartphone addiction scales in China, this study revised and evaluated the Problematic Smartphone Use Scale among Chinese college students (PSUS‐C).

Methods

We based our research on a national sample comprising 1324 higher education institutions and 130 145 participants. Using cross‐sectional data, comprehensive methods were employed to examine validity, reliability and measurement invariance.

Results

The final scale consists of 20 items across four dimensions: withdrawal and loss of control, negative impact, salience behaviors and excessive use. All Heterotrait‐Monotrait (HTMT) values were below 0.85, and the lower 90% and upper 95% confidence intervals were also below 0.85, except for factors 1 and 3. The amount of variance (AVE) values were greater than 0.5, composite reliability (ω) values exceeded 0.89 and all factor loadings were above 0.5. The criterion validity was supported as expected: problematic smartphone usage positively correlated with depression (r = 0.451), loneliness (8 items, r = 0.455), loneliness (6 items, r = 0.504), social media use (r = 0.614) and phone usage duration (r = 0.148); and negatively correlated with life satisfaction (r = −0.218) and self‐esteem (r = −0.416). Across sex, type of university and place of residence, the measurement invariance performed well, with most changes in root mean square error of approximation (ΔRMSEA), comparative fit index (ΔCFI) and Tucker–Lewis index (ΔTLI) values being less than 0.005, and no indicator showing a difference greater than 0.010.

Conclusions

The Problematic Smartphone Use Scale for College Students (PSUS‐C) demonstrated good factor structure, internal consistency, construct validity, discriminant validity and criterion validity. Strict and structural invariance were demonstrated across sex, type of university and place of residence. The PSUS‐C has the potential to assess smartphone addiction among Chinese university students.
Histochemical Characterisation of the Turquoise‐Fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva) Digestive Tract
Authors: de Moraes Sabrina , de Moura Fernanda Barthelson Carvalho , de Carvalho Jaqueline Candido , de Lima Heloísa Coppini , de Anchieta de Castro e Horta Júnior José , Nishida Silvia Mitiko , Ferreira João Carlos Pinheiro , Lacerda Zara Alves , de Toledo Rodovalho Maria Valeria , Fonseca‐Alves Carlos Eduardo
Published: November 2024

Amazona aestiva, a member of the Psittacidae family, belongs to the genus Amazona. These animals are endowed with adaptations in their digestive systems that allow a natural diet composed of seeds and fruits, with anatomical characteristics that facilitate the acquisition and use of nutrients from these food groups. Although it is an important species, no previous information is available regarding the histology and histochemistry of its digestive tract. This study aimed to describe the morphological and histochemical characteristics of the digestive tract of this species. Fragments of the tongue, oesophagus, crop, proventriculus, ventriculus, small intestine, large intestine, liver and pancreas were collected from seven specimens without any clinical alterations in the digestive tract. A. aestiva's digestive tract observed the presence of an extremely developed tongue, a proventriculus with more delicate walls and a ventricle with less‐developed musculature. Here, we present a detailed morphological and histochemical description of the Turquoise‐fronted Parrot's digestive tract.
Dexamethasone is a regulator of clock genes in testicular peritubular cells
Authors: Welter Harald , Kreitmair Nicole , Schneider Michaela , Schneider Julia , Petkov Stoyan , Stepanov Youli , Köhn Frank‐Michael , Pickl Ulrich , Trottmann Matthias , Fröhlich Thomas , Behr Rüdiger , Mayerhofer Artur
Published: November 2024

Background

We recently found that peritubular cells of the human testis are a dominant site of expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR; encoded by NR3C1). Activation of GR by dexamethasone (Dex) strongly influences the phenotype of cultured human testicular peritubular cells (HTPCs), causing massive changes of their proteome and secretome. As glucocorticoids (GC) are also known to set the internal clock of peripheral organs by regulating clock genes, we tested such an influence of Dex in HTPCs.

Methods

We performed cellular studies with HTPCs and immortalized nonhuman primate (Callithrix jacchus; Cj)‐derived peritubular cells, organotypic incubations of testicular fragments of Cj, qPCR and proteomic, as well as immunohistochemical studies.

Results

Basal clock gene expression levels, when monitored by qPCR under standard culture conditions, showed alterations over 24 h, suggesting an endogenous circadian rhythm, especially for BMAL1. Dex (1 µM) when added to cells, caused a strong and significant increase of PER1, followed by elevations of BMAL1, and other clock genes. This action was observed as early as 4 h after the addition of Dex. Immunohistochemistry and data mining revealed GR in testicular peritubular cells and other somatic cells of Cj, in situ. We therefore performed organotypic incubations of testicular fragments of Cj (n = 3) and found that upon addition of Dex (1 µM), mRNA levels of BMAL1 and PER1 also increased in samples of two out of three animals after 6 h. Mass spectrometry did, however, not reveal significant alterations of the testicular proteome, possibly due to the short time point and/or the fact that the somatic GR‐expressing cells represent only a small portion of the testis. In support for this assumption, Dex (1 µM; 6 h) significantly increased mRNA levels of BMAL1 and PER1 in Cj‐derived immortalized testicular peritubular cells.

Conclusion

The results indicate that an internal clock system likely exists in peritubular cells of the testis and that Dex, via testicular GR expressed by peritubular cells and other somatic cells, is a strong regulator of this system. In a physiological situation, GC thus may be important regulators of the testicular clock, while in a situation of prolonged stress or GC‐medication, derangements in clock gene expression may result.
Urinary interferon‐γ‐induced protein‐10/creatinine ratio as a predictor of severe paediatric infections: A prospective pilot study
Authors: Chen Cheng‐Han , Liao Wan‐Ting , Cheng Chao‐Min , Chen Chih‐Chia , Liu Ching‐Chuan , Shen Ching‐Fen
Published: November 2024

Aim

This prospective pilot study evaluated urinary interferon‐γ‐induced protein‐10 (IP‐10)/creatinine and tumour necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL)/creatinine ratios as non‐invasive biomarkers for distinguishing bacterial from viral infections and assessing disease severity in febrile children.

Methods

The study involved 85 febrile children and 29 healthy controls, measuring urinary IP‐10/creatinine and TRAIL/creatinine ratios to determine their diagnostic utility.

Results

Both ratios were significantly elevated in infected patients compared to controls. The IP‐10/creatinine ratio effectively assessed disease severity in the overall cohort and subgroups (AUC: 0.7324, 0.7192, 0.7277; p < 0.05). Serum C‐reactive protein showed limited discriminatory ability in viral infections (AUC = 0.5385, p = 0.7257). Differentiation between bacterial and viral infections using IP‐10/creatinine approached significance (p = 0.082). No significant differences in biomarker levels were observed across pathogens.

Conclusion

The urinary IP‐10/creatinine ratio shows promise as a biomarker for assessing paediatric infection severity, particularly when traditional markers are less effective. Larger studies are needed to validate these results and improve its discriminatory accuracy in clinical practice.
Creating a blockchain platform: An empirical analysis in the Italian banking sector
Authors: Vella Giacomo , Gastaldi Luca
Published: November 2024

Digital platforms continue to be a focal point for scholars and practitioners, with growing attention being paid to the dynamics that shape platform leadership. Against this backdrop, blockchain technology emerges for its disruptive potential, offering attractive opportunities for collaboration through shared infrastructure, and arguably remodelling power dynamics in platform ecosystems. The increase in interest has, however, produced only a scattering of empirical insights into the creation of blockchain platforms. The research presented in this paper addresses the gap through an exploratory case study, investigating the early phases of a blockchain platform. The study focuses on a project conducted within the banking sector, outlining the process of blockchain platform development and the unique role of its orchestrator. These findings contribute to our understanding of how blockchain platforms are created, and set out the broader implications for digital platforms, exploring the transformative potential of blockchain technology.
Mobile stroke units services in Germany: A cost‐effectiveness modeling perspective on catchment zones, operating modes, and staffing
Authors: Rink Johann S. , Szabo Kristina , Hoyer Carolin , Saver Jeffrey L. , Nour May , Audebert Heinrich J. , Kunz Wolfgang G. , Froelich Matthias F. , Heinzl Armin , Tschalzev Andrej , Hoffmann Jens , Schoenberg Stefan O. , Tollens Fabian
Published: November 2024

Background and Purpose

Investigating the cost‐effectiveness of future mobile stroke unit (MSU) services with respect to local idiosyncrasies is essential for enabling large‐scale implementation of MSU services. The aim of this study was to assess the cost‐effectiveness for varying urban German settings and modes of operation.

Methods

Costs of different operating times together with different personnel configurations were simulated. Different possible catchment zones, ischemic stroke incidence, circadian distribution, rates of alternative diagnoses, as well as missed cases were incorporated to model case coverage and patient numbers. Based on internationally reported clinical outcomes of MSUs, a 5‐year Markov model was applied to analyze the cost‐effectiveness for the different program setups.

Results

Compared with standard stroke care, MSUs achieved an additional 0.06 quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) over a 5‐year time horizon. Assuming a catchment zone of 750,000 inhabitants and 8 h/7 day operation resulted in an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €37,182 per QALY from a societal perspective and €45,104 per QALY from a healthcare perspective. Lower ICERs were possible when coverage was expanded to 16 h service on 7 days per week and larger populations. Sensitivity analyses revealed that missing ischemic strokes significantly deteriorated economic performance of MSU.

Conclusions

Major determinants of cost‐effectiveness should be addressed when setting up novel MSU programs. Catchment zones of more than 500,000–700,000 inhabitants and operating times of at least 12–16 h per day, 7 days per week could enable the most cost‐effective MSU services in the German healthcare system.
Interval Time Series Forecasting: An Innovative Approach Transforming Interval to Single Time Series
Authors: Varelas George , Tzimas Giannis
Published: November 2024

Interval Time Series are present in everyday life. An example is the opening and closing value of some stock in a market for certain time intervals. The forecasting plays an essential role in many financial organisations. The development of new mathematical tools or improving the existing ones will lead to more accurate forecasting techniques. Interval Arithmetic is a mathematical field that uses intervals by nature and algorithms that use it are involved in the solution of Interval Time Series. Another classical algorithm is VAR models. In this paper, a method that comes from the insurance sector is used to forecast Brent Oil monthly values. The innovation of what we propose is that it converts the Interval Time Series system into a single time series and can propagate the results back to each time series of the system. This way the researcher works with only one time series instead of two (or more). The forecasting algorithm is a choice of the researcher, expediting the development of forecasting (even ARIMA can be applied). We demonstrate our methodology in forecasting the Brent Oil monthly prices by applying the ANFIS algorithm.
Urinary Tract Infections Amongst Adults With Intellectual Disabilities With Urinary Incontinence
Authors: Finlayson Janet , Gore Nick , Ord Paul , Roche Fiona , Butcher John , Kean Ryan , Skelton Dawn A.
Published: November 2024

Background

Between 26% and 52% of adults with intellectual disability experience urinary incontinence (UI). Little is known about the implications of urinary tract infections (UTIs) for this group. The aim was to screen for UTIs in a sample of adults with intellectual disability and UI.

Method

Twenty adults with intellectual disability and UI recruited via community intellectual disability health care teams and provided a urine sample. Each sample was tested for the presence of UTI bacteria.

Results

Half of the sample were found to have a possible or probable UTI. Nine adults had also been treated for a UTI within the previous 12 months; six adults had more than once.

Conclusion

UTIs appear to be very common amongst adults with intellectual disability and UI, and careful attention to UTI symptoms, screening and treatment options for this group are recommended. Larger studies on UTI prevalence and associated factors are also warranted.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05626062
Prognosis of patients with wild‐type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis and non‐sustained ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Sehrawat Ojasav , Swain William H. , Alcantara Hannah P. , Tan Nicholas Y. , Abou Ezzeddine Omar F. , Grogan Martha , Dispenzieri Angela , Lin Grace , Noseworthy Peter A. , Siontis Konstantinos C.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Little is known regarding the prevalence and prognostic implications of non‐sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) in patients with wild‐type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt‐CA). We aimed to investigate the prevalence of NSVT in patients with ATTRwr‐CA, and the association of NSVT with sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and all‐cause mortality.

Methods

In a cohort of ATTRwt‐CA patients from 2011 to 2022 without prior sustained VA, we ascertained the presence and characteristics of NSVT during clinically indicated ambulatory Holter monitoring. Patients were stratified based on the presence of NSVT at baseline. The primary and secondary endpoints of sustained VA and all‐cause mortality, respectively, were assessed during follow‐up.

Results

The cohort included 217 patients with ATTRwt‐CA (95% males, median age 75 years; median NYHA class 2). Baseline Holter monitoring demonstrated NSVT in 116 (53%) patients. During a median follow‐up of 27 months (IQR 16–45) after the index Holter monitor, 11 (5.1%) patients reached the primary endpoint of sustained VA (incidence 1.8 per 100 person‐years, all monomorphic VT), and 46 (21%) patients died. In univariable Cox proportional hazard model, NYHA class 3 or 4 heart failure (p = .048), the presence of NSVT (p = .04), the duration of longest NSVT run (p = .029), and the percentage of ventricular ectopy (p < .001) were associated with the primary outcome. When adjusting for age and NYHA class 3 or 4 heart failure, the presence of NSVT remained associated with the primary outcome (p = .03). All‐cause mortality was not significantly different between patients with and without NSVT. A cutoff for ventricular ectopy burden of 0.5%, the median for all patients in this study, was associated with increased risk in sustained VA (log‐rank p = .004) and mortality (log‐rank p = .02).

Conclusion

NSVT is highly prevalent among ATTRwt‐CA patients undergoing clinically indicated Holter monitoring and may confer an increased risk of incident sustained VA.
Old genres, new media: Collective witnessing and social memory‐making on Argentine Twitter
Authors: Martin Samantha A.
Published: November 2024

Through a linguistic anthropological lens of interdiscursivity, this article analyzes the semiotic and historical development of the testimonio genre of #Cuéntalo (“tell it [your story]”), a 2018 Twitter movement that began in Spain to protest sexual violence and evolved when the hashtag traveled to Argentina. The recognition of #Cuéntalo tweets as a genre helped to put the narratives on the public record by offering a paradigmatic frame that invited participation and poetic variation, producing a sense of performance of witnessing and memory‐making. I argue that this endeavor was ultimately a successful intervention due to the following factors: the infrastructure and participation frameworks of social media, the historical precedent of women's and feminist movements in the region, the genre's allowance for first‐person storytelling by other narrators, and the subsequent archival efforts and media recontextualizations. The large quantity of tweets—iterations of a similar story—demonstrated the truth and severity of the issue, as each tweet was simultaneously narrated by the victim, the tweet's author, and society as a whole. In the case of #Cuéntalo testimonios, the individual and the aggregate came together via hashtag activism in a collective witnessing of social injustice that was archived as subaltern social memory.
Influence of the post‐processing protocol on a biocompatible 3D‐printed resin
Authors: López‐García Sergio , Pecci‐Lloret Miguel Ramón , Pecci‐Lloret María Pilar , García‐Bernal David , Oñate‐Sánchez Ricardo Elías
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of a biocompatible 3D‐printed resin material for occlusal devices after post‐processing with two different high‐intensity UV‐polymerization devices and two rinsing solvents, in the presence of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs).

Material and Methods

Sample discs from the 3D‐printed resin material were printed (2 mm in height and 6 mm in diameter [N = 40]) and divided into 4 groups (n = 10) based on post‐processing methods: a high‐intensity UV polymerization device with isopropyl alcohol, a high‐intensity UV polymerization device with a modified glycol solvent, a UV cleaning and curing unit with isopropyl alcohol, a UV cleaning and curing unit with a modified glycol solvent, and a control group cultured in DMEM medium. Different tests were performed to evaluate their cytocompatibility on HGFs: MTT assay, cell migration assay, cell cytoskeleton staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cell apoptosis and generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Statistical analyses were performed using one‐way ANOVA and the Tukey post hoc test (α = 0.05).

Results

Cytocompatibility, MTT assay, cell migration assay, cell cytoskeleton staining, and SEM images were similar, regardless of the post‐processing protocol, compared with the control group.

Conclusions

No differences were found in the cytotoxicity of the 3D‐printed resin material for occlusal devices after the following post‐processing methods: two different UV‐polymerization devices and two rinsing solvents (isopropyl alcohol and a modified glycol solvent).
Old‐Age Support Policy Effects on Economic Growth and Fertility
Authors: Yakita Akira
Published: November 2024

Salient features of major economies around the world, specifically in high‐income countries, are graying population and declining fertility. Incorporating the quantity–quality tradeoff of children into an overlapping generations model, this paper presents an analysis of the effects of formal old‐age support on fertility and economic growth. Because of health risks during old age, which might be too severe to be covered privately, some economically developed countries have public old‐age support programs. Formal old‐age support provision is regarded as involving management costs, for instance, caused by X‐inefficiency in addition to labor costs. Findings demonstrate that when management costs are sufficiently small, formal old‐age support raises the balanced economic growth rate, involving a smaller tax burden and freeing individual time from family old‐age support, but it lowers fertility. Effects on the lifetime utility of individuals are indeterminate. By contrast, when management costs are high, the increased formal old‐age support deters economic growth through a negative income effect. However, it also lowers the fertility rate. In this case, lifetime utility becomes lower. Our major finding is that, when the cost inefficiency of public support is not high, formal old‐age support might increase long‐term lifetime welfare of individuals, but it lowers fertility.
You shall know a species by the company it keeps: Leveraging co‐occurrence data to improve ecological prediction
Authors: Siefert Andrew , Laughlin Daniel C. , Sabatini Francesco Maria
Published: November 2024

Aim

Making predictions about species, including how they respond to environmental change, is a central challenge for ecologists. Because of the huge number of species, ecologists seek generalizations based on species’ traits and phylogenetic relationships, but the predictive power of trait‐based and phylogenetic models is often low. Species co‐occurrence patterns may contain additional information about species’ ecological attributes not captured by traits or phylogenies. We propose using a novel ordination technique to encode the information contained in species co‐occurrence data in low‐dimensional vectors that can be used to represent species in ecological prediction.

Method

We present an efficient method to derive species vectors from co‐occurrence data using Global Vectors for Word Representation (GloVe), an unsupervised learning algorithm originally designed for language modelling. To demonstrate the method, we used GloVe to generate vectors for nearly 40,000 plant species using co‐occurrence statistics derived from sPlotOpen, an open‐access global vegetation plot database, and tested their ability to predict elevational range shifts in European montane plant species.

Results

Co‐occurrence‐based species vectors were weakly correlated with traits or phylogeny, indicating that they encode unique information about species. Models including co‐occurrence‐based vectors explained twice as much variation in species range shifts as models including only traits or phylogenetic information.

Conclusions

Given the widespread availability of species occurrence data, species vectors learned from co‐occurrence patterns are a widely applicable and powerful tool for encoding ecological information about species, with many potential applications for describing and predicting the ecology of species, communities and ecosystems.
Framing Effects in Intertemporal Choices: 3 Two‐Step Experiments
Authors: Faralla Valeria , Migheli Matteo , Novarese Marco
Published: November 2024

Framings may affect individuals' choices. In particular, the perception of (implicit) risks and their costs may influence intertemporal choices. In a between‐subjects experimental design, participants are presented choices either in a standard (i.e., current vs. future payoffs), penalty (i.e., the same as before, presenting the differences between present and future amounts as losses), future‐improved (i.e., increasing by 35% the future payoff with respect to the standard frame) or penalty present‐improved way (i.e., with small differences between present and future amounts). Undergraduate students participated in 3 two‐step experiments. The results show that the negative and the present‐improved frames render the participants more patient and subjects who are trained to be more farsighted using a penalty decision problem continue to be patient in subsequent classical formulations where that specific attribute is no longer present.
Positive correlation between shock stage and petrologic type in ordinary chondrites: Implications for the internal structures and thermal histories of ordinary‐chondrite parent asteroids
Authors: Rubin Alan E.
Published: November 2024

H, L, and LL chondrites all exhibit positive correlations between mean shock stage and petrologic type. At a given shock energy, hot samples exhibit more intense shock features than cold samples. After the ordinary‐chondrite (OC) parent asteroids were collisionally disrupted, jumbled, and gravitationally reassembled, the correlations between mean shock stage and petrologic type may have resulted from stochastic collisions into material of different temperatures that were randomly distributed in the near‐surface regions of the rubble‐pile asteroids. Late‐stage processes including shock events and post‐shock annealing affected the preexisting correlations to only minor degrees. This model, combined with literature data, permits the following scenario: Each principal OC asteroid initially had an onion‐shell structure with deeply buried type 6 materials cooling slowly, yielding young closure ages in Pb‐phosphate data. The OC bodies were disrupted at ~60 Ma, locking in the Pb‐phosphate record of the onion‐shell structure. The H‐chondrite parent body was collisionally disrupted somewhat later than the L or LL bodies and was thus somewhat cooler at the time of disruption. In the OC asteroidal rubble piles, materials of different petrologic types cooled at similar rates through ~500°C, precluding a correlation between petrologic type and metallographic cooling rate. Shortly after rubble‐pile formation, materials of higher petrologic types remained hotter than materials of lower petrologic types. The hotter materials recorded more intense shock features from the common meteoroid flux, leading to positive correlations in each OC asteroid between petrologic type and mean shock stage. The cooler H‐chondrite materials manifested a lower range in mean shock stage.
Cardio‐Ankle Vascular Index: Test–Retest Reliability and Agreement in People With Stroke
Authors: Ho Lily Y. W. , Lai Claudia K. Y. , Ng Shamay S. M.
Published: November 2024

The cardio‐ankle vascular index (CAVI) is superior to traditional methods of measuring arterial stiffness. However, its application in clinical practice has lagged behind the science. This study aimed to (1) examine its test–retest reliability and agreement between repeated measurements, (2) identify the correlation with fatigue and sleep quality, and (3) compare the CAVI values of the bilateral sides of people with stroke, and those of stroke survivors with and without fatigue. Participants (n = 67) were assessed using the CAVI, Fatigue Assessment Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The test–retest reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.86. The Bland–Altman plots showed good agreement between test and retest. The standard error of measurement ranged from 0.59 to 0.66. The minimal detectable change ranged from 1.15 to 1.29. The CAVI values of the bilateral sides correlated with fatigue and those at the paretic side correlated with sleep quality. The CAVI values of the paretic side were higher than those of the non‐paretic side in people with stroke. Stroke participants with fatigue had higher CAVI values than those without fatigue. CAVI has good test–retest reliability and agreement between repeated measurements for clinical use.