bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kiskiak: The settlement history of a dispersed village in Tidewater Virginia
Authors: Gallivan Martin D , Jenkins Jessica A , Thacker-Gwaltney Sophie
Published: August 2024

Villages organized coastal Algonquian social life in the Chesapeake during the late precolonial and early colonial eras. Even so, archaeologists have only rarely attempted to interpret village or community organization in the region, relying instead on the assumption that communities overlapped closely with individual sites. This study challenges that assumption through a “non-site” assessment of survey and excavation data from Virginia's lower York River. This approach indicates that settlement along Indian Field Creek included spatially discrete but socially connected spaces that comprised the village of Kiskiak. With origins in the Mockley Phase (AD 200–900), this settlement form comes into clear view during the colonial era as a dispersed, creek-side village with domestic spaces around Indian Field Creek, community middens at its mouth, and a palisaded area overlooking the York. The dispersed village and its history in the region represent important dimensions of social life in the Native Chesapeake.
Climate-conscious archaeology: contextualizing drought and history in the Chesapeake
Authors: Henshaw John , Gallivan Martin , Pollak Kaleigh
Published: August 2024

This paper adopts a climate-conscious approach to archaeology, integrating environmental scientists’ definitions of extended droughts and megadroughts into the analysis of historical processes in the Chesapeake region of North America. We explore the relationship between drought conditions and historical processes through three case studies: Ancestral Monacans’ migration, the settlement dynamics in the Middle Potomac, and the emergence of the Powhatan chiefdom. Employing the Palmer Modified Drought Index as a paleoclimatic proxy, the research assesses how variations in rainfall and drought influenced migration, agriculture, and political formations. The findings underscore the complex interplay between Native history and environmental conditions, suggesting that the impact of climate on historical processes ranged from negligible to substantial, particularly with the adoption of maize-based agriculture. This study highlights the benefits of a climate-informed archaeological inquiry that recognizes the historically contingent ways in which climatic variability has shaped and is entangled with social change.
How Does Overeducation Depend on Immigrants’ Admission Class?
Authors: Schultz-Nielsen Marie Louise
Published: August 2024

This study offers new insights into the phenomenon of overeducation by showing that the overeducation rates among immigrants and the wage returns of overeducated immigrants are closely linked to their admission classes. The overeducation rate in Denmark is highest among immigrants from countries that became members of the EU after 2003, 61% of whom are overeducated as compared to 24% of natives. Controlling for demographic and educational characteristics, citizens from these new EU countries, as well as reunified family members, refugees, and students, are highly overeducated compared to natives, while this is not the case for citizens from the Nordics and older EU countries, that is, those that joined the EU before 2003. Furthermore, overeducated higher-educated citizens from the Nordics and from older EU countries only suffer minor wage losses, while other admission classes typically earn between 17% and 36% less than if they had work appropriate to their educational levels. For highly educated refugees, the gap is even larger. These results emphasize the importance of the differences in immigrants’ outside options (e.g., wages and living conditions in the home country) and the admission requirements they face. The results also highlight the potential gains for immigrants as well as their host countries of acknowledging immigrants’ educational skills.
Challenges for Diaspora Women to Rebuild Their Homeland: The Case of Somalia
Authors: Gröschl Stefan
Published: August 2024

Through financial and nonfinancial remittances such as intellectual capital, social capital, advocacy, political capital and voluntarism, diaspora women provide lifelines for their families and support to community development in their homelands. However, their contributions in humanitarian and development actions are poorly documented and reported, and their potential has not been fully harnessed. This country report describes the case of Somali women diaspora and their role in rebuilding Somalia. The report outlines recent migration movements in Somalia, before describing the different profiles of Somali diaspora women returning to Somalia, and their motivation to engage in the rebuilding of their home country. Based on interviews with Somali diaspora women and members of relevant Somali ministries and governmental bodies, the author describes the challenges for Somali diaspora women to leverage their engagements in Somalia, and the changes needed to enhance the impact of their contributions.
The feminization of freedom: An analysis of love, happiness and freedom from the perspective of childfree, never-married single women of color
Authors: Martinez Phillips Kimberly
Published: August 2024

This article addresses singleness as a state of being and not a transition for childfree, never-married single women of color. As the characterization of adult romantic relationships has evolved, the meaning of singleness has also gone through a transformation. My research applies the theoretical framework of feminist standpoint theory through an intersectional lens to explain how women of color experience love and relationships in a non-traditional way and how they create a singular corridor that allows them to exist on the boundaries of heteronormative marriage and romantic love. I examine the research question: How do childfree, never-married single women of color experience and feel about romantic love, singleness, sex, and attachments in society? My study utilized a qualitative research methodology with an inductive inquiry approach. I conducted forty semi-structured interviews with women between 36 and 61. I argue that these women have a unique positionality in society. They are women who have remained free from the heteronormative obligations to a husband or children, and they are also women who have not had the privileges of some of their white counterparts. Therefore, they have a group-based experience and knowledge rooted in group oppression.
Deletion, departure, death: Experiences of AI companion loss
Authors: Banks Jaime
Published: August 2024

Social machines’ human-likeness facilitates relationship formation with humans. This aliveness, though, leaves room for people to experience the loss of machines as a death of sorts. This descriptive study illuminates that potential by identifying dimensions of humans’ experiences when an AI companion stops functioning. In the days before and after the developer-induced shutdown of the AI companion “Soulmate,” users ( N = 58) answered open-ended questions about the imminent or recent companion loss, their decisions around the situation, and their coping mechanisms. Inductive analysis suggests the loss was, for most, a complex emotional and technological experience characterized as a metaphorical or literal death. The imminent loss was often navigated in cooperation with companions and most coped by capturing AI personas to recreate them on other platforms. Patterns indicate a need to better understand idiosyncratic meaning-making around machine-companion loss and to consider a design ethic that plans for such loss.
Social Media adoption for agricultural development: Insights from smallholders in central Vietnam
Authors: Uy Tran Cao , Limnirankul Budsara , Kramol Prathanthip , Sen Le Thi Hoa , Hung Hoang Gia , Kanjina Sukit , Sirisunyaluck Ruth
Published: August 2024

The advent of digital social media has revolutionized interpersonal interactions and effectively facilitated the dissemination of information within the agricultural sector. To contribute novel insights into the adoption of social media for agricultural development, the research explores the adoption and influencing factors among smallholders in Central Vietnam. A randomized sample of 442 smallholder households in Quang Tri province were selected and surveyed by using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis encompassed descriptive statistics using SPSS 20.0 and Ordered Logit Regression using Stata to explore the adoption and factors influencing social media adoption among smallholders. Findings indicate widespread adoption, particularly on Facebook and YouTube of smallholders. They utilized social media platforms either simultaneously or separately with limited frequency. Various adoption purposes were found, primarily for accessing agricultural knowledge or technical tutorials from social networks and extension agencies, and seeking agricultural product consumption help. Higher adoption was linked to more digital information access and device ownership, better education, and larger farms. Conversely, older age and crop-focused farming to lower adoption rates (p < 5%). The study highlights the potential for education and extension agencies to use social media, especially Facebook and YouTube for knowledge sharing and product consumption support among smallholder farmers. The study identifies key factors in social media adoption, advising agricultural agencies to target demographics like the elderly, less educated individuals, crop-focused farmers, and those with smaller land holdings. Promoting digital information access and farmer organization participation is essential for boosting social media adoption.
Exploring the use of technology in improving access to education for internally displaced children in Nigeria: A review
Authors: Elegbede Christie Bola , Adedotun Kikelomo Oluwayemisi , Lapite Akolade Olubunmi , Idhalama Ogagaoghene Uzezi , Aluede Oyaziwo
Published: August 2024

The ongoing conflicts and instability in various regions of Nigeria have resulted in a growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), including a significant population of children. These displaced children face significant barriers in accessing quality education, which is crucial for their personal development, social integration, and future prospects. This literature review aims to explore the potential of technology in improving access to education for internally displaced children in Nigeria. The review examines the current landscape of access to education for internally displaced children in Nigeria, explores, the role of technology in addressing the educational needs of internally displaced children, analyzes innovative technological interventions implemented in Nigeria to improve access to education for internally displaced children, assesses the effectiveness and sustainability of technology-based educational initiatives targeting internally displaced children. Other objectives include identifying the policy and infrastructure requirements necessary for the successful implementation of technology-based initiatives for internally displaced children, identifying the specific challenges and barriers faced by internally displaced children in accessing quality education in Nigeria and making recommendations for the Nigerian Government. The review synthesizes findings from both academic literature and practical case studies, highlighting successful initiatives and best practices in using technology to improve educational access for internally displaced children. The findings of this literature review are expected to inform policymakers, educational stakeholders, and humanitarian organizations on the role of technology in addressing the educational needs of internally displaced children in Nigeria. The review provides recommendations for the development and implementation of technology-driven educational programs that are tailored to the unique circumstances and requirements of this population, ultimately contributing to the goal of providing equitable access to quality education for all.
Development of high corrosion resistant (Ni-Fe) alloy coatings from a low concentration bath through multilayer approach
Authors: Rai Tadagaje Yathish , Hegde Ampar Chitharanjan
Published: August 2024

Here, we report the development of high corrosion-resistant (Ni-Fe) alloy coatings from a low-concentration bath through multilayer approach. The corrosion analysis of (Ni-Fe) alloys electrodeposited at different current densities (2.0–5.0 A/dm2) revealed that the coating developed at 2.0 A/dm2, represented as (Ni-Fe)2.0 A/dm2 is highly anticorrosive. The corrosion resistance of monolayer (Ni-Fe)2.0 A/dm2 coating, showing a corrosion rate of 14.71 × 10−2 mm/y was further improved by utilizing multilayer approach. Corrosion study revealed that multilayer coating having 120 layers, represented as (Ni-Fe)2.0/4.0/120 was six times more anticorrosive (with corrosion rate = 2.33 × 10−2 mm/y), compared to its monolayer counterpart. The improved anticorrosion performance of multilayered coatings was explained in the light of advanced instrumental techniques.
Micro-pore structures and compressive strengths of hydroxyapatite/wollastonite scaffolds prepared by freezing dry
Authors: Jiang Bin , Wang Yuanmeng , Feng Xi , Yang Shujie , Quan Lingzhi , Zhou Yidi , Chen Junhong , Fang Minghao , Huang Zhaohui , Min Xin , Hu Xiaozhi
Published: August 2024

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been wildly used in clinical practice for artificial implants. However, due to its inherent properties and preparation process, it is limited by low strength in practical applications. Therefore, highly porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds reinforced with 0 to 30 wt% doped wollastonite (WS) (HA/WS) were prepared by freeze-drying in combination with pressureless sintering method. The results demonstrated that WS could consistently improve the compressive properties of HA/WS scaffolds. The HA/WS scaffolds have optimal total porosity with good open pores and internal interconnections when the WS doping is 10%. In vitro osteoclast attachment experiments indicated that the HA/WS scaffolds had good biocompatibility. The findings of this study provide theoretical guidance for the application of HA in the field of artificial implants.
Dislocation-intervening carbides mechanism and its impact on the corrosion resistance of 304/Q235 composites
Authors: Wang Chenxu , Ding Wenhong , Lei Xiaoling , Guo Lu , Hu Ying
Published: August 2024

Stainless steel clad plates are highly sought after in industries such as heavy machinery, ships, and pressure vessels. Intergranular corrosion, caused by the uphill diffusion of carbon atoms, hinders the progress of stainless steel composite plates. The controlled rolling and post-deformation of the solution-free treatment described in this paper inhibits the Segregation behavior of alloying elements, leading to increased resistance to intergranular corrosion and improved pitting corrosion ability in the 304/Q235 composites. The intergranular corrosion rate and corrosion potential of the 304/Q235 composites were 792 g/(m2·h) and −473.3 mVSCE, respectively, in their original hot rolled state. The introduction of high-density dislocations before the formation of chromium-rich carbides can hinder the precipitation of carbides along grain boundaries, resulting in an 18·3% reduction in the intergranular corrosion rate of the composite plate. Cold deformation is performed following the precipitation of chromium-rich carbides, resulting in a decrease in the degree of aggregation of C, Cr, and other elements. The aforementioned process described above results in a discontinuous distribution of carbides along grain boundaries, as well as the refinement and dissolution of the precipitation phase. The intergranular corrosion rate of the deformation-treated composite plate was reduced by 79 g/(m2·h) in comparison to its initial hot-rolled state. The aim of this study is to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which deformation influences the carbide precipitation behavior of stainless steel composite plates. This research provides a novel idea for the cost-effective and solution-free hot rolling preparation of stainless steel composite plates.
Understanding DLC system failure influenced by progressed wear
Authors: Zellhofer Manuel , Jech Martin , Badisch Ewald , Mayrhofer Paul H
Published: August 2024

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are among the toughest and most effective measures for preventing wear on critical surfaces. Due to its high wear resistance, the deterioration of the protective coating only occurs upon failure. Understanding the events leading to failure and identifying a mild-abrasive wear process is crucial for sustainable application. We implemented a ‘Wöhler-like’ test matrix on a tribometer with oscillating tribocontact, employing radioactive isotopes for continuous wear measurements. This method allows to analyse the relationship between load and cycling or test time. When combined with friction coefficient changes, it enables the distinction between mild and severe wear, ultimately pinpointing the point of DLC deterioration. This approach was employed to compare different diesel lubricants, and its effectiveness was demonstrated. The relationship between loading condition and remaining DLC thickness illustrates that mild-abrasive wear is the critical factor for DLC lifetime, ultimately leading to coating system failure.
Allied rehabilitation using caregiver-mediated exercises combined with telerehabilitation for stroke (ARMed4Stroke): A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Mulder Marijn , Nikamp Corien DM , Prinsen Erik C , Nijland Rinske HM , van Dorp Matthijs , Buurke Jaap , Kwakkel Gert , van Wegen Erwin EH
Published: August 2024

Objective

To assess the added value of caregiver-mediated exercises combined with telerehabilitation in addition to usual care compared to usual care alone on the self-reported mobility outcome after subacute stroke.

Design

Multicentre, observer-blinded, parallel randomised controlled trial. An off-site researcher allocated treatments using minimisation.

Setting

Four rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands.

Participants

Forty-one patient–caregiver dyads within 3 months poststroke.

Intervention

Eight-week blended care program with caregiver-mediated mobility exercises for 2.5 h per week supported by telerehabilitation and four face-to-face sessions in addition to usual care.

Main measures

Self-reported mobility domain of the Stroke Impact Scale postintervention. Secondary outcomes were functional outcome, dyads’ psychosocial wellbeing, care transition to the community postintervention and after 6 months.

Results

Forty-one dyads (21 intervention, 20 control) were randomised, and 37 (N = 18; N = 19) were analysed following intention-to-treat. The Stroke Impact Scale mobility was not significantly different between groups postintervention (B 0.8, 95% CI –6.8–8.5, p = 0.826). The secondary outcomes, namely, (a) caregivers’ quality of life postintervention ( p = 0.013), (b) caregivers’ symptoms of depression postintervention ( p = 0.025), and (c) independence in leisurely activities at 6 months ( p = 0.024), showed significant benefits in favour of caregiver-mediated exercises with telerehabilitation. A significant difference favouring controls was found in self-reported muscle strength at 6 months ( p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Caregiver-mediated exercises combined with telerehabilitation yielded no differential effect on our primary outcome self-reported mobility. Although the trial is underpowered, current findings are in line with previous trials. Future studies should further explore beneficial effects of caregiver involvement in stroke rehabilitation targeting psychosocial wellbeing.
Oculomotor Behaviour in Individuals with Long COVID-19
Authors: González-Vides L , Hernández-Verdejo JL , Gómez-Pedrero JA , Ruiz-Pomeda A , Cañadas-Suárez P
Published: August 2024

Objective

To determine, the impact of long COVID-19 on oculomotor behaviour.

Design

A case–control study.

Setting

Spanish Association of Persistent COVID.

Participant

Participants were 75 cases (64 women, 11 men, mean age 46.4 years ±8.9) and 42 controls (22 women, 20 men, mean age 53.5 years ±13.13).

Intervention

An eye-tracking test based on visual search paradigm and the Adult Developmental Eye Movement Test were used to evaluate the participants.

Main measures

The primary outcomes in the Adult Developmental Eye Movement Test were horizontal reading time, vertical reading time, and their ratio. And for the eye-tracking test the time to find the target, the duration, and the number of eye fixations.

Results

In cases and controls, eye movement test results were horizontal(Hadj) reading time 74.2 ± 22.7 s vs 52.0 ± 6.1 s ( p < .0001); vertical(Vadj) reading time 67.6 ± 17.8 s vs 50.4 ± 6.9 s ( p < .0001); Hadj/Vadj ratio 0.9 ± 0.1 vs 1.0 ± 0 ( p = .0032), respectively; and eye-tracking test results were fixation number 11.3 ± 3.07 vs 3.51 ± 2.57 ( p < .0001); fixation duration 2.01 ± 0.79 s vs 1.5 ± 0.4 s ( p = .0013), and time to find target 24.5 ± 8.0 vs 18 ± 9.4 ( p = .0034), respectively.

Conclusions

Data showed a lower performance in oculomotor behaviour in people with long COVID-19, compared to healthy individuals. It cannot be affirmed an ocular musculature dysfunction; the differentiated behaviour could be associated to cognitive alterations affected in these people. Both tests used could be an useful tool for the clinical assessment of these participants. Further studies are needed to explore the utility of these procedures.
Impact of Structural Differences on the Modeled Cost-Effectiveness of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing
Authors: Salisbury Amber , Pearce Alison , Howard Kirsten , Norris Sarah
Published: August 2024

Background

Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) was developed to improve the accuracy of prenatal screening to detect chromosomal abnormalities. Published economic analyses have yielded different incremental cost-effective ratios (ICERs), leading to conclusions of NIPT being dominant, cost-effective, and cost-ineffective. These analyses have used different model structures, and the extent to which these structural variations have contributed to differences in ICERs is unclear.

Aim

To assess the impact of different model structures on the cost-effectiveness of NIPT for the detection of trisomy 21 (T21; Down syndrome).

Methods

A systematic review identified economic models comparing NIPT to conventional screening. The key variations in identified model structures were the number of health states and modeling approach. New models with different structures were developed in TreeAge and populated with consistent parameters to enable a comparison of the impact of selected structural variations on results.

Results

The review identified 34 economic models. Based on these findings, demonstration models were developed: 1) a decision tree with 3 health states, 2) a decision tree with 5 health states, 3) a microsimulation with 3 health states, and 4) a microsimulation with 5 health states. The base-case ICER from each model was 1) USD$34,474 (2023)/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), 2) USD$14,990 (2023)/QALY, (3) USD$54,983 (2023)/QALY, and (4) NIPT was dominated.

Conclusion

Model-structuring choices can have a large impact on the ICER and conclusions regarding cost-effectiveness, which may inadvertently affect policy decisions to support or not support funding for NIPT. The use of reference models could improve international consistency in health policy decision making for prenatal screening.

Highlights

NIPT is a clinical area in which a variety of modeling approaches have been published, with wide variation in reported cost-effectiveness. This study shows that when broader contextual factors are held constant, varying the model structure yields results that range from NIPT being less effective and more expensive than conventional screening (i.e., NIPT was dominated) through to NIPT being more effective and more expensive than conventional screening with an ICER of USD$54,983 (2023)/QALY. Model-structuring choices may inadvertently affect policy decisions to support or not support funding of NIPT. Reference models could improve international consistency in health policy decision making for prenatal screening.
Diagnostic accuracy of imaging-guided biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions: a systematic review
Authors: Magnini Andrea , Fissi Armitha , Cinci Lorenzo , Calistri Linda , Landini Nicholas , Nardi Cosimo
Published: August 2024

The histologic definition of peripheral pulmonary lesion (PPL) is critical for a correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy. Non-invasive techniques for PPL biopsy are imaging-guided, using endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), computed tomography (CT), and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB). To assess the diagnostic accuracy of PPL biopsy and provide a framework for reporting data for accuracy studies of PPL biopsy. A systematic review was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify all the articles assessing the accuracy of EBUS, CT, and ENB between January 2000 and June 2023 basing search queries on keywords emerging from PICO question. Only studies investigating biopsy of PPL and reporting accuracy or necessary data to calculate it independently were included. Risk of bias was based on QUADAS-2 tool. In total, 81 studies were included. Median accuracy was 0.78 (range=0.51–0.94) in the EBUS group, 0.91 (range=0.73–0.97) in the CT group, 0.72 (range=0.59–0.97) in the ENB group, and 0.77 (range=0.61–0.92) in the combined group. Sensitivity and NPV ranges were 0.35–0.94 and 0.26–0.88 in the EBUS group, 0.71–0.97 and 0.46–1.00 in the CT group, 0.55–0.96 and 0.32–0.90 in the ENB group, and 0.70–0.90 and 0.28–0.79 in the combined group. Specificity and PPV were 1.00 in almost all studies. Overall complication rate was 3%, 30%, 8%, and 5% in the EBUS, CT, ENB, and combined groups. CT-guided biopsy was the most accurate technique, although with the highest complication rate. When calculating accuracy, indeterminate results must be considered false negatives according to the “intention-to-diagnose” principle.
Personalized treatment using predictive biomarkers in solid organ malignancies: A review
Authors: Tang Haoming , Li Yi Xin , Lian Jun Jie , Ng Hsin-Yueh , Wang Samuel Sherng Young
Published: August 2024

In recent years, the influence of specific biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of solid organ malignancies has been increasingly prominent. The relevance of the use of predictive biomarkers, which predict cancer response to specific forms of treatment provided, is playing a more significant role than ever before, as it affects diagnosis and initiation of treatment, monitoring for efficacy and side effects of treatment, and adjustment in treatment regimen in the long term. In the current review, we explored the use of predictive biomarkers in the treatment of solid organ malignancies, including common cancers such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and cancers associated with high mortalities, such as pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer and cancers of the central nervous system. We additionally analyzed the goals and types of personalized treatment using predictive biomarkers, and the management of various types of solid organ malignancies using predictive biomarkers and their relative efficacies so far in the clinical settings.
Body image at the trunk: An investigation into externally referenced width perception and picture mapping
Authors: Pratt Simon , Wand Benedict M. , Hince Dana A. , Travers Mervyn J. , Schneider Lee , Kelly Sara , Gibson William
Published: August 2024

Body image is a conscious representation of the body, encompassing how our body feels to us. Body image can be measured in a variety of ways, including metric and depictive measures. This study sought to assess body image at the trunk by investigating, and comparing, a metric and depictive measure. Sixty-nine healthy participants estimated their thorax, waist, and hip width by externally referencing mechanical calipers. Participants were also asked to select the true image of their trunk from a random display of nine images containing the true image and incrementally shrunken or enlarged images. Participants demonstrated evidence of thorax and waist width overestimation in the width perception task, with no evidence for hip misestimation. For the picture mapping task, the majority of participants were inaccurate. In participants who were inaccurate, approximately equal proportions underestimated and overestimated their trunk width. The two tasks were found to be independent of each other. Distortions, or inaccuracies, were apparent in a metric measure, and inaccuracies also present in a depictive measure, of body image at the trunk for healthy participants. An overestimation bias was apparent in the metric, but not depictive, task. No relationship was found between tasks..
Development of educational software for stainless steel selection and evaluating usability using the System Usability Scale (SUS)
Authors: Nery Macclarck Pessoa , dos Santos Neto Severiano José , Alves Roberty Santos , Santana João Vitor dos Santos , Griza Sandro , Martins Carlos Otávio Damas
Published: August 2024

The use of educational technologies is an important part of the learning process. The development of educational apps and software is one of the pillars of this evolution in teaching. Material selection is one of the most important subjects in professional engineering education. Regarding materials used to manufacture products, the stainless steels are the most commonly used materials after traditional steels. In the industrial environment, fatigue, corrosion-fatigue, and stress corrosion cracking are three very important considerations in the selection of materials. This study evaluates the usability of educational software developed in Java using object-oriented programming using the System Usability Scale and compares it with results obtained from other educational technologies.
Performing rock art: Contemporary resonances of shamanism
Authors: Philippe Maxime
Published: August 2024

At the end of the twentieth century, after the discovery of the Chauvet cave, Jean Clottes and David Lewis-Williams, drawing on the latter's ethnographic fieldwork and neuroscientific study of trance states, jointly propounded a new shamanistic interpretation of Palaeolithic cave art. This approach, which belongs to a tradition of magical-religious exegesis of such art, stirred a heated controversy, which cast it as heterodox. Nevertheless, the shamanistic interpretation resonates with our contemporary culture. First, this approach helps to recast Palaeolithic art in the contemporary context and eventually helps elaborate a heterodox version of art history where contemporary and Palaeolithic art practices meet. Furthermore, the cultural reception and representation of this interpretation as heterodox reveals the impact of contemporary culture, media and technique on archaeology. Finally, it helps us to understand the heterodox Weltanschauung of Palaeolithic people. Just as the alternative worldviews of autochthonous people, it challenges our conception of the world which is essential in the context of the global ecological crisis. Ultimately, it impacts archaeological practices and merges geology and archaeology into an interdisciplinary palaeoscience.
Enhanced audiovisual associative pair learning in migraine without aura in adult patients: An unexpected finding
Authors: Tót Kálmán , Braunitzer Gábor , Harcsa-Pintér Noémi , Kiss Ádám , Bodosi Balázs , Tajti János , Csáti Anett , Eördegh Gabriella , Nagy Attila
Published: August 2024

Background

Altered sensory processing in migraine has been demonstrated by several studies in unimodal, and especially visual, tasks. While there is some limited evidence hinting at potential alterations in multisensory processing among migraine sufferers, this aspect remains relatively unexplored. This study investigated the interictal cognitive performance of migraine patients without aura compared to matched controls, focusing on associative learning, recall, and transfer abilities through the Sound-Face Test, an audiovisual test based on the principles of the Rutgers Acquired Equivalence Test.

Materials and Methods

The performance of 42 volunteering migraine patients was compared to the data of 42 matched controls, selected from a database of healthy volunteers who had taken the test earlier. The study aimed to compare the groups’ performance in learning, recall, and the ability to transfer learned associations.

Results

Migraine patients demonstrated significantly superior associative learning as compared to controls, requiring fewer trials, and making fewer errors during the acquisition phase. However, no significant differences were observed in retrieval error ratios, generalization error ratios, or reaction times between migraine patients and controls in later stages of the test.

Conclusion

The results of our study support those of previous investigations, which concluded that multisensory processing exhibits a unique pattern in migraine. The specific finding that associative audiovisual pair learning is more effective in adult migraine patients than in matched controls is unexpected. If the phenomenon is not an artifact, it may be assumed to be a combined result of the hypersensitivity present in migraine and the sensory threshold-lowering effect of multisensory integration.
Assessing High-Temperature Performance of Asphalt-Filler Mastic System Treated with Micro-Nano Filler Combinations
Authors: Das Aditya Kumar , Singh Dharamveer
Published: August 2024

This work evaluates the performance of asphalt-filler mastic treated with a combination of inert-active fillers at high temperature. Inert filler does not react with asphalt, whereas active filler actively participates in a chemical reaction with asphalt. This study utilized a viscosity grade (VG)-30 asphalt, basalt stone dust (B), hydrated lime (HL), and nano hydrated lime (NHL) as fillers for asphalt-filler mastic preparation. The dosages of HL and NHL fillers were varied as 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of VG-30. Filler/binder ratios of 0.6 to 1.2 were considered with different filler combinations (B, B-HL, B-NHL) for the production of 36 mastic types. The high-temperature performance of the asphalt-filler mastic was investigated using shear creep and multiple creep-recovery tests. Further, this study evaluated the properties of the fillers which were most influential on the permanent deformation behavior of mastic using grey relational analysis. The findings signify the beneficial effects of NHL over HL in improving the ability of mastic to withstand permanent deformation. Also, mastic treated with NHL was found to be less susceptible to high stress levels than mastic treated with HL. It was also found that the amount of active filler can be reduced by 5% (by weight of asphalt) by using NHL instead of HL to achieve the equivalent high-temperature performance of mastic. Specific surface area and average particle size were found to be the most two influential properties of filler that significantly influenced the high-temperature performance of the asphalt-filler mastic.
Automating Pedestrian Crash Typology Using Transformer Models
Authors: Oliaee Amir Hossein , Das Subasish , Le Minh
Published: August 2024

To accurately analyze and understand the causes of traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool (PBCAT) was developed. However, manual data entry in the tool is labor intensive. Thus, a more automated method is needed for large data sets. This study developed deep-learning models to automate the classification of crash types. Additionally, the PBCAT’s classification typology can lead to imbalanced data sets, underscoring the need to actively tackle the issue of imbalanced native classification. By addressing this issue, researchers can significantly enhance their ability to harness the potential of emerging large language models. This endeavor becomes even more crucial as large language models like transformer models become increasingly accessible, offering promising opportunities in transportation safety research. This study focused on police reports’ text narratives concerning pedestrian crashes in three major cities in Texas from 2018 to 2020 as a case study. It evaluated the effectiveness of classification loss functions, classification typology adjustments, and model pre-training in addressing the adverse effects of data set imbalance. Our tests indicate that better classification results can be achieved by using the balanced categorical cross entropy (BCE) loss function and using a model with a more robust pre-training. This effect was noticeable when a large enough sample size was present for each class. In the case of smaller data sets, a tiered classification system was recommended, with fewer classes and more distinct text sentiment.
City Bus Reliability Measurement Based on Sparse Field Data Supported by Selected State Space Models
Authors: Vališ David , Hasilová Kamila , Vintr Zdeněk , Rymarz Joanna
Published: August 2024

Means of transport are an important part of today’s cities. Bus transport in particular is considered to be a reliable mode of transport. In cooperation with a city’s transport company, we process in this article data collected from two fleets of buses. The data records are related to the failures of individual bus subsystems. We focus on the study of data from engine and brake subsystems, the consequences of failures of which are the most serious in relation to traffic safety. The data are seemingly austere, as the records only contain information such as “operating/fault” during a given month (no known causes, mechanisms, or other more precise time information about the failure). On the basis of such sparse data, however, it is still possible to estimate the trend or predict the development of certain measures over time. For the study and subsequent prediction, we used approaches based on state space models. Specifically, we worked with a linear trend model and a periodic component model. For both fleets of buses, we have also analyzed what the respective model and its prediction could look like if we knew selected and more detailed time information about the failures. This model therefore provides a general idea of the rate of occurrence of failure trend development, expected number of failures within single months, and respective bus subsystem failure occurrence forecasts. Based on this information, operators and entrepreneurs can rationalize the processes related to operations, maintenance, and repair planning.
Real-Time Barge Detection Using Traffic Cameras and Deep Learning on Inland Waterways
Authors: Agorku Geoffery , Hernandez Sarah , Falquez Maria , Poddar Subhadipto , Amankwah-Nkyi Kwadwo
Published: August 2024

Inland waterways are critical for freight movement, but limited means exist for monitoring their performance and usage by freight-carrying vessels (e.g., barges). Although methods to track vessels (e.g., tug and tow boats) are publicly available through Automatic Identification System (AIS), ways to track freight tonnages and commodity flows carried on barges along these critical marine highways are nonexistent, especially in real-time settings. This study developed a method to detect barge traffic on inland waterways using existing traffic cameras with opportune viewing angles. Deep learning models You Only Look Once (YOLO), Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD), and EfficientDet were employed to detect the presence of vessels/barges from video and classify them (no vessel or barge, vessel without barge, vessel with barge, barge). A dataset of 331 annotated images was collected from five existing traffic cameras along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers for model development. YOLOv8 achieved an F1-score of 96%, outperforming YOLOv5, SSD, and EfficientDet at 86%, 79%, and 77%, respectively. Sensitivity analysis was carried out for weather conditions (rain, fog) and location (Mississippi and Ohio River). A background subtraction technique normalized the video images across the various locations for the location sensitivity analysis. This model could be used to detect the presence of barges along river segments, which could be used for anonymous bulk commodity tracking and monitoring. Such data are valuable for long-range transportation planning efforts carried out by public transportation agencies, and for operational and maintenance planning conducted by federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Work-Zone Safety Analysis: Evaluating Rear-End Crash Risk with Extreme Value Theory
Authors: More Prathamesh Avinash , Therattil Jino Thomas , Bharadwaj Nipjyoti
Published: August 2024

This research paper addresses the critical issue of work-zone safety, specifically focusing on the transition area where one or more lanes are reduced, leading to merging operations. Given the limited availability of reliable crash records, alternative methods are explored to evaluate safety in these zones. Surrogate safety measures (SSMs), such as time to collision (TTC), are employed to assess the potential risks. Videographic data is collected from two work-zone sites, located in Guwahati and Pune cities. The trajectories obtained from the data are analyzed to identify key parameters that influence the risk of rear-end crashes. To quantify merging-related crash risk, the study adopts the Gumbel distribution, which falls under the purview of extreme value theory (EVT). The EVT approach involves fitting the minimum TTC values, derived from the trajectory data, to the Gumbel distribution. This analysis allows for the estimation of crash risk associated with merging operations in work zones, providing valuable insights for implementing proactive safety measures. By focusing specifically on work-zone safety and exploring alternative evaluation methods, this research aims to overcome the challenges posed by the limited availability of crash records. The utilization of SSMs and the application of the Gumbel distribution within the framework of EVT offer comprehensive analysis of merging-related crash risk in work zones. Ultimately, the findings of this study aim to enhance safety and contribute to the implementation of effective measures to mitigate risks in work-zone areas, thereby ensuring the well-being of both workers and road users.
Innovative Rheological Modifiers for Decreasing the Cracking Susceptibility of Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Garita-Jimenez Josue , Tran Nam H. , Keuliyan Faustina , Moraes Raquel , Rodezno Carolina , Yin Fan
Published: August 2024

Incorporating additives into asphalt binders or mixtures to mitigate the adverse effects of aging can improve the resistance to fatigue cracking and, thus, prolong asphalt pavement service life. This study aimed to assess five candidate anti-aging technologies through a comprehensive laboratory testing matrix that can reduce the aging susceptibility and enhance the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures. Two base binders were modified with the additives. The resultant asphalt mixtures were tested at three aging conditions, including short-term and long-term oven aging and the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Accelerated Weathering System. The study assessed the impact of additive technology on cracking performance through dynamic modulus and cyclic fatigue testing. The results were utilized to calculate the Sapp and Glover–Rowe mix ( G-Rm) indexes to gauge the cracking resistances and aging susceptibilities of the asphalt mixtures. A 20-year pavement structural analysis was conducted using FlexPAVE™ 1.1 software to determine the evolution of each mixture’s percent cracking damage. The results consistently indicated that additives 3, 4, and 5 increased the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures for both base binders. FlexPAVE™ 1.1 pavement analysis also showed that all tested additives reduced the percent damage over 20 years, except for additive 4 with one of the base binders. Implementing and developing promising additives to counteract aging effects is vital for creating more sustainable and durable asphalt pavements.
NIMBY Attitudes, Homelessness, and Sanctioned Encampments: A Longitudinal Study in Denver
Authors: Orr Jade N. , Németh Jeremy , Rigolon Alessandro , Santos Granja Laura , Slabaugh Dani
Published: August 2024

Many U.S. cities have introduced sanctioned encampments (SEs) for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) to help address this growing crisis. In many cases, SEs have sustained significant NIMBY opposition. In this article, we use a longitudinal survey to examine which socio-spatial factors and personal characteristics of local residents affect support for SEs at the time of their siting and 6 months after their implementation. We find that support for SEs increases over time, is lower among homeowners and more politically conservative residents, and is higher among people believing that homelessness is the result of structural failures.
La Base de données sur les innovations sociales du CRISES : portée et limites d’une innovation méthodologique
Authors: Longtin David , Bouchard Marie J. , Michaud Valérie , Rousselière Damien
Published: August 2024

Résumé

Depuis les années 1990, l’étude des innovations sociales fait l’objet de débats entourant les problèmes de recherche, les approches théoriques et les méthodes. La majorité des recherches ont privilégié les études de cas. Toutefois, plus récemment, des chercheurs ont commencé à réaliser des méta-études à partir de banques de données qualitatives. Cet article examine une démarche novatrice mise en œuvre par le Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (CRISES). Partant de centaines d’étude de cas, le CRISES a mis sur pied une base de données sur l’innovation sociale en vue de réaliser des analyses statistiques. Après avoir présenté les tendances en sciences sociales à la constitution de banques de données et à la réalisation de méta-études, nous exposons la méthodologie et les assises épistémologiques du projet afin d’en dégager l’originalité au regard des cartographies d’innovations sociales. L’article se conclut par une évaluation des limites méthodologiques et de la portée analytique du projet.
Kish grid vs birthday procedures: survey refusal rates by the type of within-household selection procedure in the European Social Survey
Authors: Jabkowski Piotr , Cichocki Piotr , Kołczyńska Marta
Published: August 2024

Two approaches to within-household selection of target respondents dominate cross-national surveys of the general population: the Kish grid and birthday procedures. The Kish grid is a rigorous probabilistic approach expected to produce higher-quality samples. However, its requirement to construct a complete household register is intrusive and may increase refusals. Conversely, birthday procedures, which do not require a household roster, may result in fewer refusals at the cost of lower sample quality. Our paper examines the impact of within-household selection procedures on refusal rates based on a methodological inventory of 120 national surveys from nine rounds of the European Social Survey (2002–2018). Controlling for the implementation of incentives for respondents, the experience of the interviewer teams and the country’s level of economic development, we find that surveys using the Kish grid have higher refusal rates before or during the selection process compared to surveys involving birthday procedures, suggesting that the use of the Kish grid is perceived as more intrusive for household members than birthday procedures. However, we find no significant difference between the two selection procedures regarding respondent refusals and total refusals.