bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID and Climate: Similarities and differences
Authors: Grundmann Reiner
Published: September 2021

The cases of COVID‐19 and climate change highlight the central role of scientific research which supposedly guides political decision‐making. Models and scenarios assume a central role. However, science cannot tell us what to do. While it provides important facts and metrics, uncertainties remain and decisions are based on considerations pertaining to fundamental values. Apart from these similarities, my aim is to emphasize some significant differences. They relate to policy goals, international cooperation, data and metrics, values, and the time horizons involved.

This article is categorized under:

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Climate Science and Decision Making
Introduction
Authors: van’t Land Hilligje , Corcoran Andreas , Iancu Diana-Camelia
Published: September 2021

On 9 December 2020, the International Association of Universities (IAU) celebrated the 70th anniversary of the historic signing of the IAU Constitution. The IAU was called into life when UNESCO and its Member States brought together universities of the world to jointly draft the founding text, signed on 9 December 1950, in Conference, in Nice, France. By doing so, they officialised the creation of an Association with a unique global mandate. The text of the Constitution opens with the following words, which still mark the work of IAU.
Why IAU?
Authors: Pricopie Remus
Published: September 2021

We all know that evaluation is a sophisticated science. However, when we talk about celebrating 70 years of the International Association of Universities (IAU), the word “sophisticated” gets an even deeper meaning. How do we evaluate the activity of a global organization, founded in 1950 by UNESCO, whose mission it is to be the voice of universities worldwide and the main defender of the two fundamental academic values: (i) academic freedom and (ii) university autonomy? Naturally, an anniversary is always an occasion to look back, just as it is natural to look ahead.
The Role of IAU in Facilitating International Cooperation
Authors: Singh Ranbir
Published: September 2021

The International Association of Universities (IAU), founded in 1950 under the auspices of UNESCO, is a prominent global association of higher education institutions as well as organisations across the world.
Universities, Associations, and Internationalization: Powerful Forces for Our Time
Authors: Rumbley Laura E.
Published: September 2021

It is hard for me to imagine three words that more meaningfully capture the forces that have animated my professional life over the last quarter century. As an international education specialist, a researcher focused on higher education institutions and systems around the world, and as someone who has worked for two European-level higher education associations, the power and potential of universities, working in tandem through the mechanisms of associations, and engaging internationally to advance their collective interests and agendas, resonates with me very clearly and very personally.
A Global View of Internationalisation: What Next?
Authors: Jones Elspeth , de Wit Hans
Published: September 2021

The International Association of Universities has long espoused a values-driven approach to internationalisation “to ensure that the outcomes of internationalisation are positive and of reciprocal benefit to the higher education institutions and the countries concerned” (IAU 2012). In line with this, there is increasing discussion about whether the concept of internationalisation has yet been adopted in more distinctive forms in different parts of the world to better reflect local needs and priorities. This debate seeks to consider the impact on policy and practice through new perspectives from those whose voices do not normally have a strong presence in the discourse. In this contribution, we will reflect further on these key points, and consider what might be involved in taking the internationalisation agenda forward in more sustainable, equitable and inclusive ways.
International Collaboration: Necessary, But Challenging
Authors: Huisman Jeroen
Published: September 2021

The claim that international collaboration is important is a truism. A myriad of reasons for cooperation is evident if one looks at existing cooperative arrangements. These may be motivated by an economic perspective (an efficient and synergetic use of human and technological resources, think for example, of large telescopes, particle accelerators, labs, but also of large international datasets), by a cultural perspective (learning from each other) or by a political perspective (development and diplomacy).
Levelling up International Higher Education: Universities, Nations and Global Goals
Authors: Beall Jo
Published: September 2021

Universities are not only the anchors, shapers and innovators of nations but they galvanise the building and rebuilding of nations. They are a source of knowledge, an arena to develop understanding and provide the vehicles for interpreting and addressing the key challenges of our time. Nations need universities to develop home-grown solutions for the problems and opportunities with which they are presented, and so they can participate with value and confidence in international scientific eco-systems. Yet, national universities do not and should not act alone. Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals constitute the principal international convention of our time and offer a positive step in recognising the importance of tertiary education to individual and social advancement. However, they do not go far enough, particularly from the vantage point of nations with ambitions to grow prosperous economies and engaged societies. This chapter explores the national and international role of universities and the benefits or otherwise of the internationalisation of higher education and global conventions such as Agenda 2030.
Valuing the Civic Role of University Education in an Age of Competition and Rapid Change
Authors: Nuno Teixeira Pedro , Klemenčič Manja
Published: September 2021

In recent decades the discourse about higher education (HE) has been dominated by an instrumentalist view that emphasized the labour market benefits for graduates and the net (social) returns to tax payers for the public funding of HE (Psacharopoulos and Patrinos 2010). Nonetheless, HE’s contribution to students’ development and life is much broader than that through several non-market benefits to graduates, including improved health, improved education prospects for children, and greater longevity (see McMahon 2009). Furthermore, the effects of HE are visible in many civic dimensions, such as strengthened citizenship and civic mindedness and participation in democratic institutions. Thus, in this chapter, we discuss the significance of the civic contribution of HE beyond a narrow version of economic effects and on education practices that foster students’ civic mindedness and civic engagement.
The Beginning of History and the University
Authors: McAllister-Grande Bryan
Published: September 2021

The word “truth” features prominently in the mission statements of the International Association of Universities, the United Nations, and other post-World War II organizations. “Truth” also appears in the official mottoes of many universities: Harvard’s simple Veritus (“Truth”), National University of the South’s elegant Ardua Veritatem (“Through the difficulties to the truth”), Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas’ celebratory Fide Splendet et Scientia (“May it shine with truth and knowledge”), Tianjin University’s practical (“seeking truth from facts”). Yet, “truth” is an elusive concept. This essay argues that a new history of the university and truth is required. A new history of truth will explore the idea from pluralistic perspectives, not the monolithic and all-powerful “Truth” of the twentieth century and those centuries before it.
The Role of Quality Assurance and the Values of Higher Education
Authors: Eaton Judith S.
Published: September 2021

Quality assurance, the internal and external examination of the effectiveness and performance of colleges and universities, has always played a crucial role in sustaining and improving the best of what higher education has done in the past in order to build the future. The “best” includes the core values of academic freedom, institutional autonomy and social responsibility. Quality assurance has a history of buttressing and, at times, leading our commitment to these fundamental values. In these early decades of the 21st century, quality assurance has been playing an especially vital role in sustaining core values as higher education takes on the challenges of change and innovation. Quality assurance plays this key role even as we adopt new teaching and learning practices, develop new types of institutions, engage new types of education providers and continue our commitment to expand access and equity in higher education. Add to this the current environment of both the Covid-19 pandemic and the major and painful focus on social change around issues of race and equality, and it is clear that quality assurance efforts are more important than ever.
Recognition of Foreign Qualifications Celebrates Higher Education Collaboration Too
Authors: Lokhoff Jenneke
Published: September 2021

International higher education collaboration and recognition of foreign qualifications have been inseparable from the very start. The institutionalization of higher education collaboration after the Second World War, when international organizations such as IAU were founded, also marked the start of the institutionalization of recognition of foreign qualifications. This piece celebrates seventy years of IAU by reflecting on the past, present and future of academic recognition of foreign qualifications, as one of the elements of internationalization that facilitate and validate international student mobility. It will do so by providing snapshots from some milestones in the field. The perspective taken is based on the experiences of Nuffic, which was founded only two years after IAU, in the same spirit of international cooperation in education. Nuffic was tasked with the recognition of foreign qualifications in 1958.
Stepping Up Global Collaboration to Protect Higher Education’s Future
Authors: Giannini Stefania
Published: September 2021

Whether a university was founded centuries ago or in recent decades, the past 70 years have seen momentous change in the landscape of higher education and its place in our societies. The year 2020, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the International Association of Universities (IAU), witnessed change that no forecast had anticipated: the closure or re-alignment to online learning of nearly all higher education institutions in the world, affecting some 220 million students in 175 countries.
Creating Responsible and Engaged Students
Authors: Mittal Pankaj
Published: September 2021

Since 6 BC, when the first university of the world was established in Takshila in India, higher education in India has been integrating advanced knowledge and skills with larger social concerns. Apart from teaching and research, a prime concern of universities is to engage with the community and to contribute towards the development of society. Much emphasis is placed on the values of education by complementing curricular instruction for shaping future generations and enabling active engagement with society. The emphasis has been on holistic development of the student leading to complete realization and liberalization of oneself. To quote Swami Vivekananda, a well-known Indian scholar, “Education is not the amount of information that we put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated five ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library. If education is identical with information, the libraries are the greatest sages of the world and encyclopaedia are the greatest Rishis”.
Universities Can Regain the Public’s Trust
Authors: van Vught Frans
Published: September 2021

Public trust in universities appears to be decreasing. In this age of “fake news” and even “fake science”, the esteem of academic institutions is diminishing. In the eyes of the general public, universities may still be respectable institutions, but they are also seen to be relatively self-centred and to have an insatiable hunger for (public) resources. Furthermore, doubts are being raised about the self-organising capacities of autonomous academic institutions to assure and protect the quality, relevance and efficiency of their activities. Stakeholders ask for more information about costs and benefits. And for greater accountability. There are several reasons underlying this growing demand for information and accountability. First, the financial contributions made by students, taxpayers and others to higher education are rising. Second, the increasing number and variety of providers of higher education and the (degree and non-degree) programmes they offer makes it increasingly difficult for (prospective) students to decide where and what to study. Similarly, employers and governments wish to be assured that higher education providers deliver the quality education and research services that are needed for their labour markets, their businesses, and their communities.
The Constant of Change: Remaining Relevant in 21st Century Higher Education
Authors: Makhanya Mandla S.
Published: September 2021

While the old Heraclitan adage: “The only constant in life is change” remains true, it is the scale and impact of that change that distinguishes the routine from the radical, and the evolution from the revolution. This difference is captured succinctly by Palinkas who asserts:“Change uses external influences to modify actions, but transformation modifies beliefs so actions become natural and thereby achieve the desired result ” (Palinkas 2013). Higher education, in its current state of disruption, is forcing us to revisit everything that we know and believe about education, in pursuit of its continued relevance and sustainability as a “new normal”. Key contributors to the state of disruption are fundamental and influential shifts in geo-socio-economic and political practices, rampant technological and scientific innovation, a multiplicity of role players, many of whom reside outside of the traditional higher education sphere, changing views on the nature and value of knowledge and the role of the university, and compelling contextual realities such as the need (and demands) for equity, social justice and redress.
Modern Challenges for Universities
Authors: Klyachko Tatiana , Mau Vladimir
Published: September 2021

During the COVID-19 crisis, which has turned out to be an unprecedented challenge for higher education all over the world, IAU has become a platform that unites the efforts of universities and other educational institutions and also encourages the collaborative search for solutions to the problems they face. The communication mechanisms developed during this period, the global research conducted, and various web resources have significantly enriched the discourse in higher education. But most importantly, a solid foundation for the future strategic rethinking of the management of universities has been laid.
Redefining the Role of Universities in a Rapidly Changing Landscape
Authors: Hashim Datuk Abdul Rahim
Published: September 2021

Over the past few decades, the Malaysian higher education sector has experienced important reform, particularly guided by the Malaysia Education Blueprint for Higher Education 2015–2025 to stimulate continued excellence in the system. However, the dawn of 2020 has unfolded many challenges as COVID-19 rages across the globe bringing sudden paralysis to the whole world. Indeed, the pandemic has affected the world and greatly impacted our lives not only from a health perspective, but also from the political, economic, and social aspects. To date, universities in Malaysia have been closed for more than four months, although the Ministry of Higher Education has recently permitted postgraduate students undertaking full-time research programmes to return to the university should their research necessitate their physical presence in laboratories, workshops, design studios or to use specific equipment available only on campus. For other university students, online or virtual teaching and learning is set to continue until the end of this year, although identified groups of students will be allowed to return to the campus in stages.
The IAU and Contemporary Global Challenges: A Latin American Point of View
Authors: de la Fuente Juan Ramón
Published: September 2021

In today’s world, in which the problems that affect us all are interconnected, global problems and global issues require global solutions. Pandemics, climate change, the growing waves of intolerance, inequality and migration are but some examples of the challenges that require a joint response. In a context where global, multiple stakeholders are needed to formulate efficient solutions to these global problems, universities must play a more active role. To this end, the IAU, the only truly global association of universities, offers a unique and important platform to foster that role.
Overcoming Challenges and Boundaries Through the Innovation of University Learning and Teaching Practices
Authors: Luppi Elena , Balduzzi Lucia , Cavina Nicolò , Salvaterra Carla
Published: September 2021

Our universities today embody the outcome of a long transition of higher education institutions from environments for intellectual selection to engines of democratization, social promotion and widespread innovation.
Are Rankings (Still) Fit for Purpose?
Authors: Hazelkorn Ellen
Published: September 2021

Global rankings emerged in the early years of the millennium at a time of increasing globalisation of higher education. Initially touted as a transparency instrument, a source of information about higher education for students, parents and the public, rankings have succeeded by comparing quality and performance internationally. They soon became an indicator of university reputation and status and national competitiveness in a world in which knowledge and talent reign supreme. Over the past decades, there has been a close correspondence between their growing influence and the expansion of their product range in terms of rankings by world region, subject and discipline, reputation and impact.
Are Universities Better Off Without Rankings?
Authors: Salmi Jamil
Published: September 2021

The advent of international rankings almost twenty years ago—pioneered by the first Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2003— changed the university landscape in an irreversible way. Today, the creation of world-class universities has become part of the political agenda in many countries.
The African Dream for Quality Higher Education
Authors: Legrouri Ahmed
Published: September 2021

Education is well established as a leading means for building broad-based social welfare, promoting economic development and eradicating poverty. Most governments and international development agencies have, for many years, argued for a sequential development of schooling, giving priority to primary and then to secondary education before moving on to higher education. The World Education Forum: Education for All (Dakar, Senegal in 2000) advocated for primary education as a lone driver for development. In 2015, the United Nations recognised the role of HE in advancing the 2030 sustainable development agenda. HE is mentioned among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in target 4.3 and forms an important part of other goals (See Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD) global portal, International Association of Universities).
Drivers of Globalisation of Higher Education over the Last 70 Years
Authors: Deeks Andrew J.
Published: September 2021

The 70th anniversary of the International Association of Universities provides an opportunity to look back over the post-World War II era, and to reflect on the drivers that have led to the international higher education environment we experience today. The anniversary also provides an opportunity to look forward and to consider how such a globalised system of universities might contribute to future society.
Unlocking the Potential of Higher Education by Serving the Common Good
Authors: Blessinger Patrick , Sengupta Enakshi , Makhanya Mandla S.
Published: September 2021

The more pluralistic a society, the more diverse its educational system tends to be to address the diverse needs within society. No single institutional type and no single pedagogical approach can hope to address all the diverse educational and learning needs within society. In short, a one-size-fits-all approach to higher education is not well-suited to the modern age, which is increasingly characterized by diversity, complexity, uncertainty, risk, and hyper-connectivity. Furthermore, the democratic principles of inclusion, equity, justice, and rights require a more pluralistic structure to meet the diverse needs of society at all levels and in all segments. Therefore, a diverse higher education system is better able to promote the general well-being of society.
Toward a Different Type of Education
Authors: Fernández Dávalos David
Published: September 2021

Like Ernesto Sabato said in his last book La Resistencia, we must urgently address the need to reinvent, to bolster, to develop a different type of education. It must be rooted in the conviction that only spiritual values can save us from the tremor that is threatening human existence.
Transforming Universities for a Sustainable Future
Authors: van Damme Dirk
Published: September 2021

Universities have survived history. They survived numerous revolutions of different natures: scientific, economic, and political. Their millenarian history suggests that their core identity and values stand above time, and the expectation is that they will last many more centuries.
IAU President Walter Kamba (1990–1995): A Man of Conscience
Authors: Mohamedbhai Goolam
Published: September 2021

In June 1983, I participated, as representative of the University of Mauritius, in a training course on improving teaching and learning for academics from different African universities. It took place at the Roma campus of the National University of Lesotho. One afternoon, we were introduced to a distinguished guest speaker, Professor Walter Kamba, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe.
Between Global Inequalities and World Ethics. Personal Reflections on Internationalisation of Higher Education over the Past Seventy Years
Authors: Zgaga Pavel
Published: September 2021

When the IAU was founded on 9 December 1950, I had just been conceived. We “met” each other only in the 1990s, but I think it is fair to say that the IAU’s seventy years are, in a sense, also my almost seventy years. We both share one aspect of this historical period: the IAU at the macro-level and I at the micro-level. There is no doubt that we are of the same generation.
Asymmetric List Sizes in Bipartite Graphs
Authors: Alon Noga , Cambie Stijn , Kang Ross J.
Published: September 2021

Given a bipartite graph with parts A and B having maximum degrees at most $$\Delta _A$$

Δ
A

and $$\Delta _B$$

Δ
B

, respectively, consider a list assignment such that every vertex in A or B is given a list of colours of size $$k_A$$

k
A

or $$k_B$$

k
B

, respectively. We prove some general sufficient conditions in terms of $$\Delta _A$$

Δ
A

, $$\Delta _B$$

Δ
B

, $$k_A$$

k
A

, $$k_B$$

k
B

to be guaranteed a proper colouring such that each vertex is coloured using only a colour from its list. These are asymptotically nearly sharp in the very asymmetric cases. We establish one sufficient condition in particular, where $$\Delta _A=\Delta _B=\Delta $$

Δ
A

=

Δ
B

=
Δ

, $$k_A=\log \Delta $$

k
A

=
log
Δ

and $$k_B=(1+o(1))\Delta /\log \Delta $$

k
B

=

(
1
+
o

(
1
)

)

Δ
/
log
Δ

as $$\Delta \rightarrow \infty $$

Δ
→
∞

. This amounts to partial progress towards a conjecture from 1998 of Krivelevich and the first author. We also derive some necessary conditions through an intriguing connection between the complete case and the extremal size of approximate Steiner systems. We show that for complete bipartite graphs these conditions are asymptotically nearly sharp in a large part of the parameter space. This has provoked the following. In the setup above, we conjecture that a proper list colouring is always guaranteed

if $$k_A \ge \Delta _A^\varepsilon $$

k
A

≥

Δ
A
ε

and $$k_B \ge \Delta _B^\varepsilon $$

k
B

≥

Δ
B
ε

for any $$\varepsilon >0$$

ε
>
0

provided $$\Delta _A$$

Δ
A

and $$\Delta _B$$

Δ
B

are large enough;

if $$k_A \ge C \log \Delta _B$$

k
A

≥
C
log

Δ
B

and $$k_B \ge C \log \Delta _A$$

k
B

≥
C
log

Δ
A

for some absolute constant $$C>1$$

C
>
1

; or

if $$\Delta _A=\Delta _B = \Delta $$

Δ
A

=

Δ
B

=
Δ

and $$ k_B \ge C (\Delta /\log \Delta )^{1/k_A}\log \Delta $$

k
B

≥
C

(
Δ
/
log
Δ
)

1
/

k
A

log
Δ

for some absolute constant $$C>0$$

C
>
0

.

These are asymmetric generalisations of the above-mentioned conjecture of Krivelevich and the first author, and if true are close to best possible. Our general sufficient conditions provide partial progress towards these conjectures.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy of lymph node metastases under MR-guidance: First clinical results and patient-reported outcomes
Authors: Weykamp Fabian , Herder-Wagner Charlotte , Regnery Sebastian , Hoegen Philipp , Renkamp C. Katharina , Liermann Jakob , Rippke Carolin , Koerber Stefan A. , König Laila , Buchele Carolin , Klüter Sebastian , Debus Jürgen , Hörner-Rieber Juliane
Published: September 2021

Objective

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a noninvasive treatment option for lymph node metastases (LNM). Magnetic resonance (MR)-guidance offers superior tissue contrast and enables treatment of targets in close vicinity to radiosensitive organs at risk (OAR). However, literature on MR-guided SBRT of LNM is scarce with no report on outcome parameters.

Materials and methods

We report a subgroup analysis of a prospective observational study comprising patients with LNM. Patients received MR-guided SBRT at our MRIdian Linac (ViewRay Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) between January 2019 and February 2020. Local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) analysis were performed using the Kaplan–Meier method with log rank test to test for significance (p < 0.05). Our patient-reported outcome questionnaire was utilized to evaluate patients’ perspective. The CTCAE (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) v. 5.0 was used to describe toxicity.

Results

Twenty-nine patients (72.4% with prostate cancer; 51.7% with no distant metastases) received MR-guided SBRT for in total 39 LNM. Median dose was 27 Gy in three fractions, prescribed to the 80% isodose. At 1‑year, estimated LC, PFS and OS were 92.6, 67.4 and 100.0%. Compared to baseline, six patients (20.7%) developed new grade I toxicities (mainly fatigue). One grade II toxicity occurred (fatigue), with no adverse event grade ≥III. Overall treatment experience was rated particularly positive, while the technically required low room temperature still represents the greatest obstacle in the pursuit of the ideal patient acceptance.

Conclusion

MR-guided SBRT of LNM was demonstrated to be a well-accepted treatment modality with excellent preliminary results. Future studies should evaluate the clinical superiority to conventional SBRT.
Immunohistochemical Inflammation in Histologically Normal Appendices in Patients with Right Iliac Fossa Pain
Authors: Psaltis Emmanouil , Zaitoun Abed M. , Neal Keith R. , Lobo Dileep N.
Published: September 2021

Background

Histologically normal appendices resected for right iliac fossa pain in children demonstrate immunohistochemical markers of inflammation. We aimed to establish if subclinical inflammation was present in histologically normal appendices resected from adults with right iliac fossa pain.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded appendices for tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐2R and serotonin in four groups: Group I (n = 120): uncomplicated appendicitis, Group II (n = 118): complicated appendicitis (perforation or gangrene), Group III (n = 104): histologically normal appendices resected for right iliac fossa pain and Group IV (n = 106) appendices resected at elective colectomy. Expression was quantified using the H‐scoring system.

Results

Median, interquartile range expression of TNF‐α was increased in Groups I (5.9, 3.1–9.8), II (6.8, 3.6–12.1) and III (9.8, 6.2–15.2) when compared with Group IV (3.0, 1.4–4.7, p < 0.01). Epithelial expression of IL‐6 in Groups II (44.0, 8.0–97.0) and III (71.0, 18.5–130.0) was increased when compared with Group IV (9.5, 1.0–60.2, p < 0.01). Expression of mucosal IL‐2R in Groups I (47.4, 34.8–69.0), II (37.8, 25.4–60.4) and III (18.4, 10.1–34.7) was increased when compared with Group IV (2.8, 1.2–5.7, p < 0.01). Serotonin content in Groups I (3.0, 0–30.0) and II (0, 0–8.5) was decreased when compared with Groups III (49.7, 16.7–107.5) and IV (43.5, 9.5–115.8, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Histologically normal appendices resected from symptomatic patients exhibited increased proinflammatory cytokine expression on immunohistochemistry suggesting the presence of an inflammatory process not detected on conventional microscopy.
Dietary and supplemental long-chain omega-3 fatty acids as moderators of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Wood Amy H. R. , Chappell Helen F. , Zulyniak Michael A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

There is an ever-growing body of literature examining the relationship between dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 PUFAs) and cerebral structure and function throughout life. In light of this, the use of ω3 PUFAs, namely, long-chain (LC) ω3 PUFAs (i.e., eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), as a therapeutic strategy to mitigate cognitive impairment, and progression to Alzheimer’s disease is an attractive prospect. This review aims to summarise evidence reported by observational studies and clinical trials that investigated the role of LC ω3 PUFAs against cognition impairment and future risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Methods

Studies were identified in PubMed and Scopus using the search terms “omega-3 fatty acids”, “Alzheimer’s disease” and “cognition”, along with common variants. Inclusion criteria included observational or randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with all participants aged ≥ 50 years that reported on the association between LC ω3 PUFAs and cognitive function or biological markers indicative of cognitive function linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Results

Evidence from 33 studies suggests that dietary and supplemental LC ω3 PUFAs have a protective effect against cognitive impairment. Synaptic plasticity, neuronal membrane fluidity, neuroinflammation, and changes in expression of genes linked to cognitive decline have been identified as potential targets of LC ω3 PUFAs. The protective effects LC ω3 PUFAs on cognitive function and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease were supported by both observational studies and RCTs, with RCTs suggesting a more pronounced effect in individuals with early and mild cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

The findings of this review suggest that individuals consuming higher amounts of LC ω3 PUFAs are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and that, as a preventative strategy against Alzheimer’s disease, it is most effective when dietary LC ω3 PUFAs are consumed prior to or in the early stages of cognitive decline.
Hypersensitivity relief of MIH-affected molars using two sealing techniques: a 12-week follow-up
Authors: Bekes Katrin , Amend Stefanie , Priller Julia , Zamek Claudia , Stamm Tanja , Krämer Norbert
Published: September 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy in reducing hypersensitivity in molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH)-affected molars immediately and over 12 weeks after sealing using two different materials (composite and glass ionomer). Furthermore, the retention rates of both materials were analyzed.

Methods

Thirty-nine children with two MIH-affected molars showing hypersensitivity and non-occlusal breakdowns were included. Hypersensitivity was assessed with an evaporative (air) stimulus. Both teeth were sealed by two calibrated operators using a split-mouth design with either Clinpro Sealant in combination with Scotchbond Universal (C) or Ketac Universal (K), respectively. Clinical pain assessments (Schiff Score Air Sensitivity Scale [SCASS], Visual Analog Scale [VAS]) were made at baseline (“pre”), immediately after treatment (“post”), and after 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Pairedttests were calculated in each group between baseline and all other time points.

Results

Thirty-eight children with 76 molars completed all stages of the study. Regardless of the material used, the application of the sealant decreased hypersensitivity significantly immediately as well as throughout the 12-week recalls (allpvalues < 0.001). We found no statistically significant difference among both materials chosen in any of the time points evaluated. Furthermore, retention of both materials was comparable in both groups.

Conclusions

Both sealant materials were able to reduce hypersensitivity successfully immediately and throughout the 12-week follow-up. Furthermore, their performance was similar in terms of retention.

Clinical relevance

Hypersensitivity can be a major complaint in patients with MIH. This is the first study evaluating hypersensitivity relief of MIH-affected molars using two sealing techniques.
Four-dimensional Einstein manifolds with Heisenberg symmetry
Authors: Cortés V. , Saha A.
Published: September 2021

We classify Einstein metrics on $$\mathbb {R}^4$$

R

4

invariant under a four-dimensional group of isometries including a principal action of the Heisenberg group. We consider metrics which are either Ricci-flat or of negative Ricci curvature. We show that all of the Ricci-flat metrics, including the simplest ones which are hyper-Kähler, are incomplete. By contrast, those of negative Ricci curvature contain precisely two complete examples: the complex hyperbolic metric and a metric of cohomogeneity one known as the one-loop deformed universal hypermultiplet.
The Effectiveness of Psychological Therapies for Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Baker Holly J. , Lawrence Peter J. , Karalus Jessica , Creswell Cathy , Waite Polly
Published: September 2021

Anxiety disorders are common in adolescence but outcomes for adolescents are unclear and we do not know what factors moderate treatment outcome for this age group. We conducted meta-analyses to establish the effectiveness of psychological therapies for adolescent anxiety disorders in (i) reducing anxiety disorder symptoms, and (ii) remission from the primary anxiety disorder, compared with controls, and examine potential moderators of treatment effects. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018091744). Electronic databases (Web of Science, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, EMBASE) were searched from January 1990 to December 2019. 2511 articles were reviewed, those meeting strict criteria were included. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted. Analyses of symptom severity outcomes comprised sixteen studies (CBT k = 15, non-CBT k = 1;n = 766 adolescents), and analyses of diagnostic remission outcomes comprised nine (CBT k = 9;n = 563 adolescents). Post-treatment, those receiving treatment were significantly more likely to experience reduced symptom severity (SMD = 0.454, 95% CI 0.22–0.69) and remission from the primary anxiety disorder than controls (RR = 7.94, 95% CI 3.19–12.7) (36% treatment vs. 9% controls in remission). None of the moderators analysed were statistically significant. Psychological therapies targeting anxiety disorders in adolescents are more effective than controls. However, with only just over a third in remission post-treatment, there is a clear need to develop more effective treatments for adolescents, evaluated through high-quality randomised controlled trials incorporating active controls and follow-up data.
A zeroth order method for stochastic weakly convex optimization
Authors: Kungurtsev V. , Rinaldi F.
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we consider stochastic weakly convex optimization problems, however without the existence of a stochastic subgradient oracle. We present a derivative free algorithm that uses a two point approximation for computing a gradient estimate of the smoothed function. We prove convergence at a similar rate as state of the art methods, however with a larger constant, and report some numerical results showing the effectiveness of the approach.
Global pedigree and national imperative: Hong Kong universities’ response to China’s grand strategies
Authors: Lo William Yat Wai , Lee Jack T. , Abdrasheva Dana
Published: September 2021

Literature offers a theoretical framework exemplifying the inherent tensions between “becoming Chinese” and “remaining global” in the evolution of the international status of Hong Kong. Adopting this framework, this paper examines the global position of Hong Kong’s higher education through an investigation of universities’ participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Greater Bay Area development plan. Specifically, drawing on data from interviews about universities’ engagement with the two Chinese grand strategies, the paper discusses university leaders and academics’ experience and perception of Hong Kong’s global status against a policy context that foregrounds a deeper integration with the Chinese national development. This discussion offers a theoretical dialogue that reveals different but overlapping scenarios for the future of Hong Kong’s higher education and sheds light on the link between the changing geopolitical contexts and international higher education.
Parental Experiences with Early Identification and Initial Care for their Child with Autism: Tailored Improvement Strategies
Authors: Snijder Michelle I. J. , Langerak Ilse P. C. , Kaijadoe Shireen P. T. , Buruma Marrit E. , Verschuur Rianne , Dietz Claudine , Buitelaar Jan K. , Oosterling Iris J.
Published: September 2021

Whereas it is well documented how parents experience the diagnostic process of their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), less is known about parental experiences with the course of the early identification process and first steps in receiving care for their child with ASD symptoms. This mixed-method study investigated these experiences as well as barriers and improvement strategies regarding early detection in the Netherlands. A parental survey (N = 45) showed that, on average, initial concerns started at 22 months. A focus group (N = 10) revealed multiple barriers and proposed strategies of improvement in three domains: “Knowledge and Expertise”, “Attention to Parental Needs” and “System and Organization”. Strategies to improve early identification will be discussed based on parental perspectives and professional perspectives.
Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Variability of Bone Collagen to Determine the Number of Isotopically Distinct Specimens
Authors: Hyland Corrie , Scott Michael B. , Routledge Jennifer , Szpak Paul
Published: September 2021

Archaeological and palaeontological excavations frequently produce large quantities of highly fragmentary bone. These bones can help to answer questions regarding past environments and human and animal lifeways via a number of analytical techniques but this potential is limited by the inability to distinguish individual animals and generate sufficiently large samples. Using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N), we present a metric to identify the number of isotopically distinct specimens (NIDS) from highly fragmented faunal assemblages. We quantified the amount of intra-individual isotopic variation by generating isotopic data from multiple elements from individual animals representing a wide variety of taxa as well as multiple samples from the same skeletal element. The mean intra-individual variation (inter-bone) was 0.52‰ (σ = 0.45) (Euclidean distance between two points in isotopic bivariate space), while the mean intra-bone variation was 0.63‰ (σ = 0.06). Using archaeological data consisting of large numbers of individual taxa from single sites, the mean inter-individual isotopic variation was 1.45‰ (σ = 1.15). We suggest the use of 1.50‰ in bivariate (δ13C, δ15N) space as a metric to distinguish NIDS. Blind tests of modelled archaeological datasets of different size and isotopic variability resulted in a rate of misclassification (two or more elements from the same individual being classified as coming from different individuals) of < 5%.
Predictors of physical activity behavior change based on the current stage of change—an analysis of young people from Hawai’i
Authors: Engels Eliane S. , Nigg Claudio R. , Reimers Anne K.
Published: September 2021

This study investigated the corresponding change between psycho-social predictors and physical activity (PA) behavior and if these relationships were dependent on the stages of change from the Transtheoretical Model in Minority American adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal field study with N = 357 students aged 13–18 years (M = 14.24 years, SD = 0.88); predominantly Filipino (61.2%) using a test–retest design assessing psycho-social PA predictors (enjoyment, self-efficacy, family support, friends’ support, knowledge, stage of change) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at two time points over six months. Hierarchical regression results indicated that a positive change of enjoyment, knowledge about PA and family support predicted a change of MVPA, independently of stage. The time-varying covariation showed the importance of the current stage of change for enjoyment, self-efficacy and support of friends for a change of MVPA. Overall, our findings suggest that an individual’s current stage of change should be considered to determine individually appropriate starting points and goals for designing interventions to promote PA among Minority American adolescents.
Fast Parallel Solver for the Space-time IgA-DG Discretization of the Diffusion Equation
Authors: Benedusi Pietro , Ferrari Paola , Garoni Carlo , Krause Rolf , Serra-Capizzano Stefano
Published: September 2021

We consider the space-time discretization of the diffusion equation, using an isogeometric analysis (IgA) approximation in space and a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) approximation in time. Drawing inspiration from a former spectral analysis, we propose for the resulting space-time linear system a multigrid preconditioned GMRES method, which combines a preconditioned GMRES with a standard multigrid acting only in space. The performance of the proposed solver is illustrated through numerical experiments, which show its competitiveness in terms of iteration count, run-time and parallel scaling.
Verification of two hydrological models for real-time flood forecasting in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region
Authors: Tsering Karma , Shrestha Manish , Shakya Kiran , Bajracharya Birendra , Matin Mir , Lozano Jorge Luis Sanchez , Nelson Jim , Wangchuk Tandin , Parajuli Binod , Bhuyan Md Arifuzzaman
Published: September 2021

The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is extremely susceptible to periodic monsoon floods. Early warning systems with the ability to predict floods in advance can benefit tens of millions of people living in the region. Two web-based flood forecasting tools (ECMWF-SPT and HIWAT-SPT) are therefore developed and deployed jointly by SERVIR-HKH and NASA-AST to provide early warning to Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. ECMWF-SPT provides ensemble forecast up to 15-day lead time, whereas HIWAT-SPT provides deterministic forecast up to 3-day lead time covering almost 100% of the rivers. Hydrological models in conjunction with forecast validation contribute not only to advancing the processes of a forecasting system, but also objectively assess the joint distribution of forecasts and observations in quantifying forecast accuracy. The validation of forecast products has emerged as a priority need to evaluate the worth of the predictive information in terms of quality and consistency. This paper describes the effort made in developing the hydrological forecast systems, the current state of the flood forecast services, and the performance of the forecast evaluation. Both tools are validated using a selection of appropriate metrics in measurement in both probabilistic and deterministic space. The numerical metrics are further complemented by graphical representations of scores and probabilities. It was found that the models had a good performance in capturing high flood events. The evaluation across multiple locations indicates that the model performance and forecast goodness are variable on spatiotemporal scale. The resulting information is used to support good decision-making in risk and resource management.
Predictors and outcomes of behavioral engagement in the context of text comprehension: when quantity means quality
Authors: Bråten Ivar , Latini Natalia , Haverkamp Ymkje E.
Published: September 2021

Using a path analytic approach with a sample of Norwegian undergraduate readers, we investigated the effects of behavioral engagement on text comprehension as reflected in students’ post-reading written reports on the topic in question. Results indicated that the behavioral engagement components of writing time and the length of the written responses had distinctive, unique effects on comprehension performance, and that behavioral engagement also mediated the effects of cognitive (prior knowledge, working memory) and motivational (intrinsic reading motivation) individual differences on comprehension performance. Prior knowledge about the topic affected comprehension performance directly as well as indirectly through behavioral engagement. The results highlight the importance of behavioral engagement in the context of written comprehension assessment, and both theoretical and educational implications of these results are discussed.
Preservice Physics Teachers’ Development of Physics Identities: the Role of Multiple Representations
Authors: Munfaridah Nuril , Avraamidou Lucy , Goedhart Martin
Published: September 2021

Identity-based research in physics education has been receiving increased attention in the past few years given the potential of identity in producing novel insights into the ways’ students engage in physics. In this study, we examined the development of preservice physics teachers’ physics identity through a specific instructional practice: a specially designed course incorporating the use of the multiple representations. Although specific programs and instructional practices have been found to influence the development of physics identity, there is no clear evidence about the kinds of instructional practices that might support its development. To examine the influence of multiple representations on each component of physics identity, we designed and implemented a physics course that used a multiple representation (MR)-based instructional approach with a group of 61 preservice physics teachers at a public university in Indonesia. Data were collected with a pre- and post-questionnaire on physics identity, a conceptual understanding test, and a post-test that examined differences between identity components before and after the course, conceptual understandings, as well as the participants’ views about the use of the MR-based instructional approach. The findings revealed a significant improvement of two components of physics identity, namely, competence and interest, and point to the potential of MR-based instruction in physics courses.