bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rekonstruktion der Kommunikation des betrieblichen Ausbildungspersonals in Online-Foren. Eine computerlinguistische Analyse des Online-Forums foraus.de
Authors: Jahn Robert W.
Published: November 2024

Der Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit Ausbilder:innen in der beruflichen Bildung. Während Lehrkräfte an berufsbildenden Schulen relativ stark professionalisiert sind, absolvieren Ausbilder:innen oft nur kurze formale Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen gemäß der Ausbildereignungsverordnung. Um den Mangel an pädagogischen Qualifizierungsangeboten und das Fehlen professioneller innerbetrieblicher Gemeinschaften auszugleichen, nutzen Ausbilder:innen alternative Kommunikationsräume (z. B. Online-Foren) zur Diskussion, zum Informationsaustausch und zur Lösung von Problemen. Trotz ihrer großen Bedeutung für die berufliche Bildung sind empirische Untersuchungen zum betrieblichen Bildungspersonal relativ selten, weil u. a. oftmals kein geeigneter Feldzugang besteht. Aus diesem Grund wird im Beitrag die öffentlich zugängliche, authentische Kommunikation von Ausbilder:innen in Online-Foren analysiert, um die Diskurse in der Ausbildungspraxis im Laufe der Zeit zu rekonstruieren und Zusammenhänge mit bildungspolitischen und ausbildungsmarktlichen Entwicklungen exemplarisch zu analysieren.

Die Untersuchung zielt darauf ab, Themen der Ausbildungspraxis zu identifizieren und ihre Bedeutung zu quantifizieren. Als Stichprobe dienen 4827 Beiträge aus den Jahren 2000 bis 2022 aus dem Ausbildungsforum foraus.de. Mithilfe computerlinguistischer Verfahren (structured topic modeling) werden Topics induktiv identifiziert. Das entwickelte Topic-Modell (k = 16) spiegelt zentrale Handlungsfelder der Ausbilder:innentätigkeit sowie bildungs- und berufspolitische Fragen wider. So werden unter anderem Probleme mit Auszubildenden, die Qualifizierung und Professionalisierung des betrieblichen Bildungspersonals oder didaktische Fragen zur Planung und Durchführung der Ausbildung diskutiert. Durch die Quantifizierung der Themen können Veränderungen im Zeitverlauf mit bildungspolitischen und ausbildungsmarktlichen Entwicklungen in Zusammenhang gebracht werden.

Die Befunde zeigen anhand dieses Prototyps, dass derartige Verfahren zur Rekonstruktion der Diskurse der Bildungspraxis geeignet sind und auf vergleichbare Kommunikationsformate für Lehrer:innen übertragen werden können.
Associations Among Estrogens, the Gut Microbiome and Osteoporosis
Authors: Kverka Miloslav , Stepan Jan J.
Published: November 2024

Purpose of the Review

The purpose of this Review was to summarize the evidence on the associations among estrogen status, cellular senescence, the gut microbiome and osteoporosis.

Recent Findings

Indicate that osteoporosis is a global public health problem that impacts individuals and society. In postmenopausal women, a decrease in estrogen levels is associated with a decrease in gut microbial diversity and richness, as well as increased permeability of the gut barrier, which allows for low-grade inflammation. The direct effects of estrogen status on the association between bone and the gut microbiome were observed in untreated and treated ovariectomized women. In addition to the direct effects of estrogens on bone remodeling, estrogen therapy could reduce the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis by preventing increased gut epithelial permeability, bacterial translocation and inflammaging. However, in studies comparing the gut microbiota of older women, there were no changes at the phylum level, suggesting that age-related comorbidities may have a greater impact on changes in the gut microbiota than menopausal status does.

Estrogens modify bone health not only by directly influencing bone remodeling, but also indirectly by influencing the gut microbiota, gut barrier function and the resulting changes in immune system reactivity.
From awareness to empowerment: self-determination theory-informed learning analytics dashboards to enhance student engagement in asynchronous online courses
Authors: Lee Jeongwon , Kim Dongho
Published: November 2024

Although learning analytics dashboards (LADs) are being recognized as tools that can enhance engagement—a crucial factor for the success of asynchronous online higher education—their impact may be limited without a solid theoretical basis for motivation. Furthermore, the processes through which students make decisions using dashboards and engage are not well understood. This study aimed to design a LAD informed by self-determination theory and to investigate university students’ experiences with it. The findings, including those from stimulated recall interviews using eye-tracking data, shed light on how the LAD fosters student engagement. Interacting with the LAD fulfilled students’ basic psychological needs. Awareness and reflection on learning status facilitated by the LAD boosted enthusiasm for active learning participation. The LAD offered essential information to support autonomous, strategic decisions, empowering students to take proactive actions toward personal goals while reinforcing their belief in achieving them. Despite its potential benefits, various improvements have been identified to further enhance its effectiveness. Based on the findings, we discuss the implications of this study for future research in the field.
Highly dispersive optical solitons with polarization–mode dispersion for non–local law of self–phase modulation
Authors: Shohib Reham M. A. , Alngar Mohamed E. M. , Biswas Anjan , Yildirim Yakup , Jawad Anwar Ja’afar Mohamad , Hussein Layth
Published: November 2024

The current paper recovers a variety of highly dispersive optical solitons with non–local form of self–phase modulation structure and having polarization–mode dispersion. Two integration approaches have made this retrieval successful. The soliton solutions are enlisted and presented with the parameter constraints that ensures their existence. A shortcoming of these approaches is that neither one revealed dark soliton solution to the model. This limitation suggests the need to explore additional approaches to obtain dark soliton solutions. This is one of several future avenues of research for the model in this work.
Conceptions of High School Students About the Relevance of Mathematics in Higher Education—their General Perspective and Their Views About Specific Mathematical Requirements
Authors: Rohenroth Dunja , Neumann Irene , Heinze Aiso
Published: November 2024

Mathematics is central to the STEM subjects (science, technology/computer science, engineering, and mathematics) and also to a wide range of non-STEM subjects. Accordingly, it is important that first-year students have adequate mathematical knowledge when they enter higher education. However, it remains unclear whether high school students are aware of the relevance of mathematics in higher education and what, if any, prior mathematical knowledge is relevant in different subjects. Although high school students were found to consider mathematics to be highly relevant, they limited this perceived benefit only to basic mathematics. In addition, university students were found to have incorrect or inadequate ideas about the mathematical content required for and covered in university study programs, which can lead to unfulfilled expectations and, in the worst case, to dropping out of university. This study therefore aims to complement the university students’ perspective with the school students’ perspective. To this end, we investigated 984 high school students’ conceptions of (1) the relevance of mathematics for future studies at a university in general and (2) the specific mathematical requirements in particular subjects. The results show that most students underestimate the relevance of mathematics in several subjects. In detail, we found students to have various vague and inadequate ideas about the specific mathematical requirements of particular subjects. In social sciences, and to some extent in economics, the mathematical requirements were largely underestimated. Such misconceptions may lead students to choose mathematics-intensive subjects when they actually want to avoid mathematics in their university studies.
Role of sleeve gastrectomy in improving metabolic syndrome: an overview
Authors: Poljo Adisa , Kraljević Marko , Peterli Ralph , Müller Beat P. , Billeter Adrian T.
Published: November 2024

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) presents a global health challenge characterized by cardiometabolic risk factors like central obesity, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and high fasting glucose levels. Despite lifestyle interventions and medications, the increasing prevalence of MetS calls for effective treatments. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has emerged as a promising intervention. This review examines the role of SG in improving MetS outcomes, drawing from a PubMed/Medline literature search. It highlights SG’s multifaceted metabolic effects, including hormonal changes and improved insulin sensitivity, contributing to improved metabolic outcomes. Additionally, SG leads to significant weight loss and effectively addresses comorbidities like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with low rates of early morbidity and mortality. However, long-term studies indicate that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) provides more sustained weight loss and superior resolution of metabolic comorbidities, whereas SG is associated with fewer early complications and a lower risk of nutritional deficiencies. In conclusion, SG offers a valuable option for managing MetS, providing significant weight loss and comorbidity improvement. Nevertheless, potential long-term complications, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and suboptimal weight response, emphasize careful patient selection and monitoring.
Numerical Study of Near-Field Radionuclides Dispersion Around Barakah Power Plant During Postulated Accidental Release Scenarios
Authors: Almazrouei Fatema Ali , Addad Yacine , Rodgers Peter
Published: November 2024

This study explores the assessment of hazards arising from nuclear power plant incidents, informed by the Fukushima catastrophe. It evaluates the environmental impact of noble gases, such as iodine-131 releases, recognizing the limitations of current local computational tools, particularly in predicting near-field dispersion accurately. Utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD), this study validates this approach’s effectiveness in predicting pollutant dispersion around buildings. Among the five turbulence models tested, the Lag Elliptic Blending (EB) k-ε model emerges as the most suitable for simulating radioactive pollutant dispersion due to its superior performance in capturing flow dynamics. The findings underscore the inadequacy of traditional Gaussian plume models in accounting for the effects of buildings on dispersion patterns. Notably, simulations around the Barakah nuclear site located in the United Arab Emirates reveal the significant influence of buildings on the trajectory of radioactive pollutants from hypothetical cracks. Consequently, it advocates caution in relying solely on classical Gaussian plume models for evacuation plans, as they may overlook crucial flow patterns due to building presence, potentially leading to distorted assessments of gas distribution and deposition rates.
On the transcendence of pairs of certain Rosen continued fractions
Authors: Dammak Khouloud , Hbaib Mohamed
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we present novel transcendence results for the certain Rosen continued fractions by using the Subspace Theorem.
Dynamical structures of optical solitons for highly dispersive perturbed NLSE with $$\beta $$-fractional derivatives and a sextic power-law refractive index using a novel approach
Authors: Abdullah Eman H. M. , Ahmed Hamdy M. , Zaghrout Afaf A. S. , Bahnasy Amal Ibrahim Ahmed , Rabie Wafaa B.
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we investigate the highly dispersive perturbed nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) with $$\beta $$
β
-fractional derivatives, generalized nonlocal laws and sextic-power law refractive index. This equation is crucial for modeling complex phenomena in nonlinear optics, such as soliton formation, light pulse propagation in optical fibers, and light wave control, with potential applications in designing efficient optical communication devices. Furthermore, it provides a framework for understanding the intricate interactions between high dispersion, nonlocality, and complex nonlinearity, contributing to the development of new theories in wave physics. To accomplish this, we use the modified extended direct algebraic method. A variety of distinct traveling wave solutions are furnished. The obtained solutions comprise dark, bright, combo bright-dark and singular soliton solutions. Additionally, singular periodic solutions, rational and exponential solutions. Furthermore, graphical simulations are presented that highlight the distinctive characteristics of these solutions. Compared to Nofal et al. (Optik 228:166120, 2021), the proposed technique produced novel and diversified results. The results showcase the significant influence of fractional derivatives in shaping the characteristics of the soliton solutions, which is crucial for accurately modeling the dispersive and nonlocal effects in optical fibers. The extracted solutions confirmed the efficacy and strength of the current approach. The parameter constraints ensure the existence of the obtained soliton solutions. It is worth noting that the proposed method, being effective, consistent, and influential, can be applied to solve various other physical models and related disciplines.
The Structure of Child Adoption Based on the Relationship Between Adoptive Parents and Adoptive Children in Finland
Authors: Lehti Hannu , Tanskanen Antti O.
Published: November 2024

Humans, like many other primates, possess the ability to adopt, and the practice of child adoption exists across human societies. It is well-known that there are three distinct categories of child adoption—kin adoption (i.e., when a relative adopts a child), intrafamilial adoption (i.e., when a stepparent adopts a child) and stranger adoption (i.e. when a child is unrelated to the adoptive parents). However, there is a lack of studies providing exact information on the relationship between adoptive parents and children. We calculated the relative frequencies of the adoption types using high-quality register data covering all child adoptions in Finland between 1999 and 2021 (n = 7422). Stranger adoption was the most common category of child adoption, followed by intrafamilial adoption, with kin adoption being the least frequent. Among stranger adoptions, it was found that single females were more likely to become adoptive parents than single males. In intrafamilial adoptions, stepfathers were more frequently adoptive parents than stepmothers, and female same-sex couples were more likely to be adoptive parents than male same-sex couples. In the case of kin adoptions, grandparents were the most common adoptive parents, followed by aunts and uncles. Maternal kin were more likely to become adoptive parents than paternal kin. The findings are discussed regarding evolutionary theories on parental investment and substitute parenting.
Evaluating the Reaction Kinetics on the H2 Reduction of a Manganese Ore at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Sarkar Alok , Schanche Trygve Lindahl , Wallin Maria , Safarian Jafar
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the hydrogen reduction of Nchwaning manganese ore at elevated temperatures to enhance understanding of reaction kinetics and optimize industrial applications. Experimental investigations were conducted across temperatures ranging from 600 °C to 900 °C to observe reduction behavior and identify rate determining steps. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was employed to monitor manganese ore weight loss, facilitating precise measurement of reduction rates. Various kinetic models validated experimental outcomes for H2 reduction, revealing an apparent activation energy (Ea) of 65.76 kJ/mol and an apparent pre-exponential factor (k0) of 319.66 min⁻1. The rate constant (k) exhibited a significant temperature-dependent increase, following the Arrhenius equation where rates approximately doubled every 100 °C, rising from 0.037 min⁻1 at 600 °C to 0.377 min⁻1 at 900 °C. Morphological and compositional analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) assessed structural changes post-reduction. Results demonstrated that pre-reduction temperature critically influences the physical and microstructural properties of the ore particles, particularly above 700 °C, where a notable reduction in BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) surface area and pore volume indicated sintering within the ore. The rate determining step for this reduction process is most likely the chemical reaction at the gas–solid interface between hydrogen and the manganese ore. These findings highlight advancements in efficient manganese ore reduction processes, with significant implications for metallurgical practices and the hydrogen economy.

Graphical Abstract
Personalism in Generative AI Deployment: Deciding Ethically When Human Creative Expression is at Stake
Authors: Fioravante Rosa , Vaccaro Antonino
Published: November 2024

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) has the potential to automate, integrate or augment human creativity. Current literature reveals that organizations adopting such disruptive technology can both boost or hinder human creativity. Such ambiguity poses an ethical dilemma for decision-makers: while managers are pressured to adopt GAI quickly for optimization, holding on to their economic responsibilities, they must also ensure that its deployment is ethically enrooted and yields people-centered outcomes. This work seeks to discuss and inform managerial decision-making upon GAI deployment, by elucidating how ethically-salient dimensions of human creativity can be safeguarded and supported through GAI adoption. To do so, we draw on Personalism and its account of human creativity, as tied to inner morality and intrinsic dignity of the person. By this way, we present a model that highlights how three core dimensions—uniqueness, relationality, and unpredictability—are essential to preserve the human element in creative tasks in GAI adoption. Overall, this normative work contributes to enhance our knowledge on personalism within organizational studies, to shed new light on how organizations can safeguard the ethical nexus between human creativity and human intrinsic dignity, and to highlight how humanism in business can support people-centered AI deployment.
Struggles over memory?
Authors: Pauls Christina
Published: November 2024

In this contribution, I introduce decolonial memory activism as struggle over meaning (Deutungskampf). Decolonial memory activism is understood as a specific form of memory activism that calls for the decolonization of both memory culture and politics, which necessitates a confrontation with dynamics of violence, power, and oppression. Unlike research that has primarily focused on the contents of collective memory, I argue that decolonial memory activism seeks to fundamentally challenge and transform the epistemological foundations of collective memory itself. Grounded in decolonial theories and drawing from a shared resolution of decolonial memory activists across Germany, I illustrate three interwoven elements of hegemonic knowledge that are being challenged by decolonial memory activism: nationalism, temporality, and the storage model of memory. Through this lens, the paper suggests that an understanding of struggles over memory gains more depth by considering the epistemic dimensions of these struggles. Such an approach opens up new possibilities for peace and conflict research as well as for social and political transformations.
Human spinal height growth: a description of normal spine growth patterns and adult spine height prediction from a longitudinal cohort
Authors: Sanders James O. , Obudzinski Sarah E. , Karbach Lauren E. , Qiu Xing , Liu Raymond W.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study describes spinal growth and predicts future growth by standardizing timing relative to the growth spurt.

Methods

From a longitudinal cohort of normal, healthy children followed through their growth, we identified those who completed their growth and compared spinal heights to chronological age and timing relative to the growth spurt. Anthropometrics and radiographs were correlated to identify heights to C1, T1, and S1 using three separate methods with validation performed by comparing to heights predicted by pelvic width. Heights and spinal lengths were normalized to percentages of adult lengths, and multipliers of growth remaining determined for both age and timing relative to PHV90% (peak height velocity defined by achieving 90% of final height) as adult length divided by current spine length. The age at PHV90% is termed Peak Growth Age (PGA)90%.

Results

Fifty-four subjects completed their growth at the study terminus (35f, 19 m). We identified multipliers allowing calculations of adult spine length based on the child’s current timing relative to peak growth. At PHV90%, children were 90% adult total height and 87% adult spine height. During childhood, spinal growth is 1.55 ± 0.21 cm/yr in girls, 1.14 ± 0.23 cm/yr in boys increasing to 1.75 ± 0.11 cm/yr in girls and 2 ± 0.11 cm/yr in boys during the growth spurt.

Conclusion

This study identifies multipliers of spinal growth determination and identifies their values relative to the adolescent growth spurt timing which is known to be closely related to skeletal maturity. Timing compared to the PGA90% provides reliable predictions of final spine length for both sexes.
Turning the Page on Hardcopy Risk Management Plan Educational Materials: Digitalization Made Possible
Authors: Ng Anabel , Celo Ayn Nova , Fernandes Beliz
Published: November 2024

‘Risk Management Plan Educational Materials’ (RMP EMs) are additional risk minimization measures (aRMMs) intended to prevent or reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions associated with the exposure to a medicine, or to reduce their severity or impact on the patient. While the healthcare sector is embracing various digital tools and platforms for educational and/or awareness building purposes, paper-based materials have remained the mainstay approach for implementation of aRMMs by pharmaceutical companies. Novartis in Singapore conducted a pilot on the feasibility of distributing electronic copies of RMP EMs (e-RMP). Post-pilot, e-RMP was officially implemented in Novartis Singapore. A year following the launch of e-RMP, a survey was performed with healthcare professionals (HCPs) to understand end-users’ experience. The survey responses revealed a general preference by both HCPs and patients towards e-RMP. Digital methods of delivering educational aRMMs offer great benefits over traditional paper-based programs. e-RMP significantly reduces the time needed for updated RMP EMs to reach HCPs and their patients/caregivers. This is important to ensure that HCPs and patients/caregivers are made aware of any updates in key safety messages of the products in a timely manner to ultimately ensure patient safety. The successful transition to digital solutions requires purposeful collaborations between key stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem including regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical companies, HCPs, patients and caregivers. This article aims to provide insights on the digitalization journey of e-RMP, a case study in Singapore, outlining the value but also some of the challenges faced during this transformation.
Investigation of the physicochemical parameters of drinking water in Herat province and its comparison with World Health Organization standards
Authors: Fetrat Safiullah , Islam Safiullah
Published: November 2024

The physical, chemical, and microbial parameters of drinking water are the basis for judging if it is potable. Undesirable changes in these parameters can threaten the users’ health. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical qualities of drinking water in Herat Province and compare them with the WHO standards. 45 drinking water samples were collected from Herat Province to undergo physicochemical tests. This study was conducted in 2023. The mean values measured for parameters such as temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), fluoride, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, and total hardness (TH) were 26.3℃, 0.93 NTU, 1328 μS/cm /cm, 7.32, 576.8, 0.26, 12.014, 6.8, 11.25, and 58.33 mg/L, respectively. The turbidity, TDS, and EC of some samples were higher than the highest desirable limit (HDL) but lower than the Maximum allowable limit (MAL). Also, there is a shortage of fluoride in samples. The Water Quality Index (WQI) shows that the quality of drinking water in Herat Province is classified as Poor.
SPIRRIG is required for BRICK1 stability and salt stress induced root hair developmental plasticity in Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhang Chi , Zeng Jingyu , Xie Wenjuan , Liu Chuanseng , Niu Linyu , Wang Yanling , Wang Yali , Shi Muyang , Shao Jingxia , Wang Wenjia , Schiefelbein John , Yu Fei , An Lijun
Published: November 2024

Developmental plasticity is critical for plants to adapt to constantly changing environments. Plant root hairs display dramatic plasticity under different environments and therefore play crucial roles in defense against environmental stressors. Here, we report the isolation of an Arabidopsis mutant, salinityover-sensitivemutant 1–1 (som1-1), also exhibiting root hair developmental defects. Map-based cloning and allelic analyses confirmed that som1-1 is a new mutant allele of SPIRRIG (SPI), which encodes a Beige and Chediak Higashi (BEACH) domain-containing protein. SPI has been reported to facilitate actin dependent root hair development by temporally and spatially regulating the expression of BRICK1 (BRK1), a subunit of the SCAR/WAVE actin nucleating promoting complex. Our living cell imaging examinations revealed that salt stress induces an altered actin organization in root hair that mimics those in the spi mutant, implying SPI may respond to salt stress induced root hair plasticity by modulating actin cytoskeleton organization. Furthermore, we found BRK1 is also involved in root hair developmental change under salt stress, and overexpression of BRK1 resulted in root hairs over-sensitive to salt stress as those in spi mutant. Moreover, based on biochemical analyses, we found BRK1 is unstable and SPI mediates BRK1 stability. Functional loss of SPI results in the accumulation of steady-state of BRK1.
Development and validation of the academic hope scale (AcHS) for students
Authors: Khormaei Farhad , Kamari Songhorabadi Saman , Khanna Maya M.
Published: November 2024

Since the majority of hope-related instruments constructed so far assessed the domain-general concept of hope, developing the domain-specific hope scale can provide valuable information in academic fields. The present study aimed at developing and validating the academic hope scale (AcHS). This scale consisted of 27 items which were extracted from the results of interviews with students and based on the theoretical foundations of Snyder’s (The psychology of hope: you can get there from here, 1994) and Pekrun’s theories (Educ Psychol Rev 18(4):315–341, 2006). The psychometric properties of AcHS were examined in two studies. For the first study, 241 high school students and for the second study, 566 undergraduate students were selected using the multi-stage random cluster sampling method. The results of an exploratory factor analysis in the first study showed that there were 4 components of AcHS, namely hope to gain opportunities, hope to gain life skills, hope in school’s usefulness, and hope to gain competency. In the second study, the results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the existence of the 4 components of AcHS. The Cronbach’s Alpha (α) and McDonald’s Omega (ω) coefficients in both studies indicate high levels of scale reliability. The results provide evidence that the AcHS has appropriate reliability and validity in both high school and university populations.
Explaining Phenomenal Explanationism: a précis of Appearance & Explanation: Phenomenal Explanationism in Epistemology
Authors: McCain Kevin , Moretti Luca
Published: November 2024

In this article, we offer a précis of Appearance & Explanation: Phenomenal Explanationism in Epistemology. We explain the central features of our theory of epistemic justification, Phenomenal Explanationism (PE). Further, we describe how PE applies to justification of various kinds and how it solves problems that plague its closest rival, Phenomenal Conservatism (PC).
Dexmedetomidine for electroencephalogram in children with behavioural disorders: a comparative study between intranasal and intravenous administration
Authors: Poletto Elisa , Amigoni Angela , Sartori Stefano , Da Dalt Liviana , Gregori Dario , Frigo Anna Chiara , Mazza Alessandro
Published: November 2024

Objective

The aim of the project was to compare the efficacy and safety of intranasal (IN) and intravenous (IV) dexmedetomidine (DEX) in procedural sedation for electroencephalogram (EEG) in paediatric patients with behavioural disorders.

Methods

Single-centre comparative observational study in the tertiary care centre of Padua, regarding all consecutive patients < 18 years old affected by behavioural disorders, who needed sedation for EEG recording. From 2018 to 2019 a group of children received IV administration of DEX, from 2020 to 2021 a second group of children received IN administration of the same drug. In both groups, the target of sedation was level 2, in accordance with the Paediatric Sedation State Scale (PSSS). Heart rate (HR), pulse oxygen saturation and blood pressure (BP) were registered. The quality of the EEG recordings and the satisfaction of caregivers were collected.

Results

DEX was used in 48 patients (IV = 24; IN = 24) with total sedation success rate of 98%. Only one patient failed with IN DEX. IN DEX showed longer median onset time (p < 0.01), but shorter offset (p = 0.01) than IV route. All adverse effects were self-resolved. The IN group reported 9 cases of bradycardia, while hypotension and hypertension occurred in the IV group. EEG recording quality and level of satisfaction among caregivers and EEG technicians were high in both groups.

Conclusions

IN DEX is an effective sedative; its recovery time shorter than IV DEX and its favourable adverse events profile make this route a reasonable alternative, especially in paediatric patients with a low compliance to procedures.
Manipulating carrier transport in static Schottky MSM structure via mechanical friction
Authors: Li Yahui , Hu Zhiyuan , Ren Han , Yu Yangtao , Zhang Mingyu , Li Mengqiu , Wang Fei , Chen Sicheng , Zheng Yuanjin , Yang Zhuoqing
Published: November 2024

Expanding the metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) structure to encompass a broader range of passive networks is crucial for enhancing the understanding of carrier transport theory and broadening its application scope. Here, a mechanism to modulate the Schottky barrier using mechanical friction is proposed to generate electricity. The findings reveal that contact electrification occurs between the MSM structure and the friction medium, leading to charge redistribution within the system and the application of a bias voltage across the Schottky barrier via a conductive bridge. The conductive friction medium, whether liquid or solid, functions analogously to a conventional physical bias in a Schottky barrier diode, enabling the efficient regulation of the carriers. Aligning the electronegativity of the friction medium with that of the MSM structure, in accordance with the triboelectric sequence, enables the Schottky MSM structure to switch between AC and DC outputs, further validating the proposed carrier transport mechanism. Additionally, we showcase a constant generator composed of a parallel diode array to harvest energy from droplets excitation and the generation of a control signal through solid friction. This work advances the theoretical understanding of the Schottky MSM structure driven by mechanical friction and highlights its potential applications in passive networks.
Evaluating the potential of two-dimensional materials for innovations in multifunctional electrochromic biochemical sensors: a review
Authors: Anwar Nadia , Jiang Guangya , Wen Yi , Ahmed Muqarrab , Zhong Haodong , Ao Shen , Li Zehui , Ling Yunhan , Schneider Grégory F. , Fu Wangyang , Zhang Zhengjun
Published: November 2024

In this review, the current advancements in electrochromic sensors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials with rich chemical and physical properties are critically examined. By summarizing the current trends in and prospects for utilizing multifunctional electrochromic devices (ECDs) in environmental monitoring, food quality control, medical diagnosis, and life science-related investigations, we explore the potential of using 2D materials for rational design of ECDs with compelling electrical and optical properties for biochemical sensing applications.
Roots to the rescue: how plants harness hydraulic redistribution to survive drought across contrasting soil textures
Authors: Sha Shenglan , Cai Gaochao , Liu Shurong , Ahmed Mutez Ali
Published: November 2024

Hydraulic redistribution (HR) is a critical ecological process whereby plant roots transfer water from wetter to drier soil layers, significantly impacting soil moisture dynamics and plant water and nutrient uptake. Yet a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism triggering HR and its influencing factors remains elusive. Here, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis to discuss the influence of soil conditions and plant species characteristics on HR occurrence. The threshold of HR ranges from -1.80 to -0.05 MPa, with soil hydraulic conductivity between 1.51 × 10–13 and 6.53 × 10–5 cm s−1 when HR occurs. HR is influenced by various factors. Soil texture plays a pivotal role, with loamy soils promoting HR more effectively than sandy and clay soils. Plant root structure and hydraulic conductivity significantly influence HR occurrence, where HR is more prevalent in deep-rooted tree species with larger root canal diameters and dimorphic roots. Additionally, mycorrhizal fungi enhance HR by expanding root uptake area, reducing water transport distances and improving soil structure. However, adverse soil conditions, inadequate plant physiological regulatory capacity, or methodological limitations can hinder HR detection. The findings highlight that HR is more likely to occur where there is a significant water potential gradient, appropriate root-soil contact, and low nocturnal transpiration. Plants can effectively replenish the water in dry root systems under drought conditions by HR by increasing the water potential of root systems to maintain normal physiological functions. Our study identifies key factors influencing HR, offering a comprehensive framework for future research aimed at improving plant drought resistance and refining ecohydrological models.
Eye-tracking analysis to assess the mental load of unmanned aerial system operators: systematic review and future directions
Authors: Russo A.C. , Cardoso Junior M.M. , Villani E.
Published: November 2024

This article presents a systematic review on the use of eye-tracking technology to assess the mental workload of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operators. With the increasing use of unmanned aircraft in military and civilian operations, understanding the mental workload of these operators has become essential for ensuring mission effectiveness and safety. The review covered 26 studies that explored the application of eye-tracking to capture nuances of visual attention and assess cognitive load in real-time. Traditional methods such as self-assessment questionnaires, although useful, showed limitations in terms of accuracy and objectivity, highlighting the need for advanced approaches like eye-tracking. By analysing gaze patterns in simulated environments that reproduce real challenges, it was possible to identify moments of higher mental workload, areas of concentration and sources of distraction. The review also discussed strategies for managing mental workload, including adaptive design of human-machine interfaces. The analysis of the studies revealed a growing relevance and acceptance of eye-tracking as a diagnostic and analytical tool, offering guidelines for the development of interfaces and training that dynamically respond to the cognitive needs of operators. It was concluded that eye-tracking technology can significantly contribute to the optimisation of UAS operations, enhancing both the safety and efficiency of military and civilian missions.
Does Cognitive Phenomenology Support Dualism?
Authors: Saad Bradford
Published: November 2024

Dualism holds that experiences and physical states are distinct in that neither sort of state is identical with or grounded in the other. Cognitive phenomenal realism holds that cognitive experiences are irreducible to sensory experiences. While dualism and cognitive phenomenal realism are logically orthogonal and usually discussed separately, I argue that dualism’s plausibility is sensitive to whether cognitive phenomenal realism is true. In particular, I argue that if cognitive phenomenal realism is true, then it bolsters the case for dualism via a cognitive knowledge argument that has several advantages over the standard sensory knowledge argument.
The Practical Otiosity of Exclusionary Reasons
Authors: Himma Kenneth Einar
Published: November 2024

One of Joseph Raz’s most influential contributions to legal philosophy is the Exclusionary Thesis, according to which any prescription that counts as mandatory is identical with an exclusionary reason that bars acting on certain reasons favoring noncompliance. This essay argues that exclusionary reasons are otiose in the sense there is no deliberative work they are ever needed to do under objective norms of practical reasoning.
Exploring the contributions of open data intermediaries for a sustainable open data ecosystem
Authors: Shaharudin Ashraf , van Loenen Bastiaan , Janssen Marijn
Published: November 2024

Open data promises various benefits, including stimulating innovation, improving transparency and public decision-making, and enhancing the reproducibility of scientific research. Nevertheless, numerous studies have highlighted myriad challenges related to preparing, disseminating, processing, and reusing open data, with newer studies revealing similar issues to those identified a decade prior. Several researchers have proposed the open data ecosystem (ODE) as a lens for studying and devising interventions to address these issues. Since actors in the ecosystem are individually and collectively impacted by the sustainability of the ecosystem, all have a role in tackling the challenges in the ODE. This paper asks what the contributions of open data intermediaries may be in addressing these challenges. Open data intermediaries are third-party actors providing specialized resources and capabilities to (i) enhance the supply, flow, and/or use of open data and/or (ii) strengthen the relationships among various open data stakeholders. They are critical in ensuring the flow of resources within the ODE. Through semi-structured interviews and a validation exercise in the European Union context, this study explores the potential contribution of open data intermediaries and the specific ODE challenges they may address. This study identified 20 potential contributions, addressing 27 challenges. The findings of this study pave the way for further inquiry into the internal incentives (viable business models) and external incentives (policies and regulations) to direct the contributions of open data intermediaries toward addressing challenges in the ODE.
The inconvenient truth of ground truth errors in automotive datasets and DNN-based detection
Authors: Chan Pak Hung , Li Boda , Baris Gabriele , Sadiq Qasim , Donzella Valentina
Published: November 2024

Assisted and automated driving functions will rely on machine learning algorithms, given their ability to cope with real-world variations, e.g. vehicles of different shapes, positions, colors, and so forth. Supervised learning needs annotated datasets, and several automotive datasets are available. However, these datasets are tremendous in volume, and labeling accuracy and quality can vary across different datasets and within dataset frames. Accurate and appropriate ground truth is especially important for automotive, as “incomplete” or “incorrect” learning can negatively impact vehicle safety when these neural networks are deployed. This work investigates the ground truth quality of widely adopted automotive datasets, including a detailed analysis of KITTI MoSeg. According to the identified and classified errors in the annotations of different automotive datasets, this article provides three different criteria collections for producing improved annotations. These criteria are enforceable and applicable to a wide variety of datasets. The three annotations sets are created to (i) remove dubious cases; (ii) annotate to the best of human visual system; and (iii) remove clear erroneous BBs. KITTI MoSeg has been reannotated three times according to the specified criteria, and three state-of-the-art deep neural network object detectors are used to evaluate them. The results clearly show that network performance is affected by ground truth variations, and removing clear errors is beneficial for predicting real-world objects only for some networks. The relabeled datasets still present some cases with “arbitrary”/“controversial” annotations, and therefore, this work concludes with some guidelines related to dataset annotation, metadata/sublabels, and specific automotive use cases.
The false peril of great power retrenchment: Types of strategic withdrawals and their consequences
Authors: Graefrath Moritz S.
Published: November 2024

According to conventional wisdom, a great power engaging in international retrenchment regularly incurs tremendous costs. Following its withdrawal from a commitment abroad, the argument goes, windows of opportunity emerge that rivals exploit to their benefit, thus imposing significant costs on the retrenching great power. I argue that pundits and policymakers consistently overestimate the dangers associated with strategic withdrawals: great powers can – and in the past frequently have – successfully engaged in international retrenchment without creating opportunities for their rivals to gain significant strategic benefits. To make this case, I develop a new typology of international retrenchment strategies based on the kind and degree of disengagement they entail and demonstrate that most types do not regularly pave the way for rival gains. I support my argument through a series of plausibility probes: the Soviet retrenchment from Romania in the 1950s; the US retrenchment from Korea in the 1970s; and the US retrenchment from Western Europe in the 1990s.
Beyond Medical Pathography: Iconographic Pathography as Transfigured Storytelling
Authors: Drahos Kristen
Published: November 2024

In this article, I argue that iconographic pathography provides a transformational form of storytelling for ill persons and the communities around them. This work addresses the reduction of illness narration to clinical vocabularies. It targets often excluded communities—chronic and terminal narrators—as well as promotes ethical practices of creative and collaborative inclusion for ecclesial communities. I use Devan Stahl’s Imaging and Imagining Illness as an example of this distinctive form of pathography, first differentiating it from other narrative forms of the genre as well as contextualizing its decentralized narrational form with criteria drawn from icons’ emergence within early Christian art. I claim that such decentralized narration changes the trajectory of self-understanding for the ill person as well as the ethical response required for those who bear witness to such narratives.
Do blood contamination reduction devices work? A single institution comparison
Authors: Navas Maria E. , Siddiq Salman , Bauer Laurie , Rivera Jose A. , White Anita J. , Ache Stella , Osborne Mark , Kachaluba Nataliya , Klonowski Brian , Robbins Christine , Donskey Curtis
Published: November 2024

We compare two initial specimen diversion devices evaluated over 3 months to investigate their utility in lowering blood culture contamination rates at or below 1%. Overall contamination rates during trial periods were 2.46% and 2.60% but usage was low, whereas device-specific contamination rates were 0.68% and 0.8%, respectively.
A note on judgments and behavior: Distancing and Corona virus exposure
Authors: Svenson Ola , Duce Gimeno Inés , Nilsson Mats , Salo Ilkka , Lindholm Torun
Published: November 2024

In a questionnaire, participants judged the increase in SARS-CoV-2 virus exposure when moving closer to an infected person. Earlier studies have shown that the actual increase in virus exposure is underestimated and the present study replicated and extended these studies. The primary purpose was to investigate to what extent questionnaire judgments about hypothetical situations can predict judgments and actual behavior in real physical space. Participants responded to a questionnaire and the same participants also took part in a parallel study that was conducted in a room with a mannequin representing a virus infected person. The earlier reported bias in the perception of exposure as a function of distance to a virus source was replicated in the questionnaire and the physical laboratory study. A linear function connected median exposure judgments at the same distances from a virus source in the questionnaire and in the laboratory, R2 = 0.99. When asked to move to a distance that would give a prescribed exposure level, a linear function described the relationship between questionnaire distance judgments and moves to distances in the physical space, R2 = 0.95. We concluded that questionnaire data about perceived virus exposures are reliable indicators of real behavior. For health reasons, the significant underestimations of the steep increase of virus exposure during an approach to a virus source need to be stressed in communications to policy makers, the public, professionals working close to clients, nursing staff, and other care providers.
Dynamic hysteresis of an oscillatory contact line
Authors: Shen Jiaxing , Lee Yaerim , Li Yuanzhe , Zaleski Stéphane , Amberg Gustav , Shiomi Junichiro
Published: November 2024

During oscillatory wetting, a phase retardation emerges between contact angle variation and contact line velocity, presenting as a hysteresis loop in their correlation – an effect we term dynamic hysteresis. This phenomenon is found to be tunable by modifying the surface with different molecular layers. A comparative analysis of dynamic hysteresis, static hysteresis and contact line friction coefficients across diverse substrates reveals that dynamic hysteresis is not a result of dissipative effects but is instead proportionally linked to the static hysteresis of the surface. In the quest for appropriate conditions to model oscillatory contact line motion, we identify the generalized Hocking's linear law and modified generalized Navier boundary condition as alternative options for predicting realistic dynamic hysteresis.