bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visual hallucinations after resection of cerebral metastases: two patients with complex phantom images
Authors: Ovchinnikov A. , Andereggen L. , Rogers S. , Gschwind M.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Complex visual hallucinations are rarely seen in neurooncology. They are commonly observed alongside psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia or dementia, in Parkinson’s or Lewy-body disease, after opioid medications or anesthesia, and, in particular, they appear with visual impairments.

Methods

Here we report two normal-sighted and mentally healthy patients with unusual visual hallucinations after the resection and irradiation of brain metastases, the main features of which were persistent colorful and meaningful images with hallucinatory perseveration.

Results

These cases demonstrate the occurrence of complex visual hallucinations after resection of visual cortices as an effect of deafferentation, so-called visual release hallucinations or phantom images, similar to phantom pain after amputation of a limb.

Conclusion

This case serves to heighten awareness in the radiooncology practitioner of the occurrence of visual release hallucinations (Charles Bonnet syndrome) related to multidisciplinary treatment of brain metastases.
Portability of genomic predictions trained on sparse factorial designs across two maize silage breeding cycles
Authors: Lorenzi Alizarine , Bauland Cyril , Pin Sophie , Madur Delphine , Combes Valérie , Palaffre Carine , Guillaume Colin , Touzy Gaëtan , Mary-Huard Tristan , Charcosset Alain , Moreau Laurence
Published: March 2024

Key message

We validated the efficiency of genomic predictions calibrated on sparse factorial training sets to predict the next generation of hybrids and tested different strategies for updating predictions along generations.

Genomic selection offers new prospects for revisiting hybrid breeding schemes by replacing extensive phenotyping of individuals with genomic predictions. Finding the ideal design for training genomic prediction models is still an open question. Previous studies have shown promising predictive abilities using sparse factorial instead of tester-based training sets to predict single-cross hybrids from the same generation. This study aims to further investigate the use of factorials and their optimization to predict line general combining abilities (GCAs) and hybrid values across breeding cycles. It relies on two breeding cycles of a maize reciprocal genomic selection scheme involving multiparental connected reciprocal populations from flint and dent complementary heterotic groups selected for silage performances. Selection based on genomic predictions trained on a factorial design resulted in a significant genetic gain for dry matter yield in the new generation. Results confirmed the efficiency of sparse factorial training sets to predict candidate line GCAs and hybrid values across breeding cycles. Compared to a previous study based on the first generation, the advantage of factorial over tester training sets appeared lower across generations. Updating factorial training sets by adding single-cross hybrids between selected lines from the previous generation or a random subset of hybrids from the new generation both improved predictive abilities. The CDmean criterion helped determine the set of single-crosses to phenotype to update the training set efficiently. Our results validated the efficiency of sparse factorial designs for calibrating hybrid genomic prediction experimentally and showed the benefit of updating it along generations.
Heterogeneity in household consumption behavior: The role of inequality and financial instability
Authors: Laborda Juan , Suárez Cristina
Published: March 2024

We analyze, using the micro data of the Household Financial Survey (HFS) of the Bank of Spain, the consumption consequences of the household balance sheets and debt accumulation during the real estate bubble of 2002–2005, the Great Recession (2008–2011) and the subsequent economic recovery phase (2014–2017). Using quantile regression models, we find heterogeneity in household consumption behavior with respect to income and net worth levels, and in response to changes in household net worth in the last two periods. During the considered real estate bubble period, this heterogeneity in behavior is diminished, and only occurs in relation to the level of net wealth, in line with Hyman Minsky’s Paradox of Tranquility. These findings favor the post-Keynesian theory on consumption. The greater inequality leads to a higher propensity of certain households to consume in response to changes in housing and financial net worth. This is compatible with the relative income hypothesis extended in expenditure cascades models. Otherwise, households will be willing to take on more risk during economic boom periods associated with a real estate bubble, which translates into debt-financed consumption that virtually makes such heterogeneity practically disappear.
Detection and identification of factors in the atrium responsible for blood pressure regulation in patients with hypertension
Authors: Yoshimura Kenshi , Mengyan Wei , Kume Shinichiro , Kurokawa Tatsuki , Miyamoto Shinji , Mizukami Yoichi , Ono Katsushige
Published: March 2024

Resection of the left atrial appendage reportedly improves blood pressure in patients with hypertension. This study aimed to validate the transcriptional profiles of atrial genes responsible for blood pressure regulation in patients with hypertension as well as to identify the molecular mechanisms in rat biological systems. RNA sequencing data of left atrial appendages from patients with (n = 6) and without (n = 6) hypertension were subjected to unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA). Reduction of blood pressure was reflected by third and ninth principal components PC3 and PC9, and that eighteen transcripts, including endothelin-1, were revealed by PCA-based pathway analysis. Resection of the left atrial appendage in hypertensive rats improved their blood pressure accompanied by a decrease in serum endothelin-1 concentration. Expression of the endothelin-1 gene in the atrium and atrial appendectomy could play roles in blood pressure regulation in humans and rats.
Partnerschaftliche Aspekte bei Patientinnen mit fortgeschrittenem Mammakarzinom
Authors: Zimmermann Tanja
Published: March 2024

Die psychosozialen Belastungen einer Brustkrebserkrankung betreffen nicht nur die erkrankte Frau, sondern auch die unmittelbaren Angehörigen, insbesondere die Partner. Neben individuellen Belastungen wie Ängsten, Depressivität oder Sorgen kann es auch zu dyadischen Belastungen des Paars und der Partnerschaft kommen. Insbesondere die partnerschaftliche Kommunikation stellt eine besondere Herausforderung dar. Über eigene Ängste und Sorgen oder Tod und Sterben zu sprechen, führt oft zu einer Sprachlosigkeit innerhalb eines Paars. Dies kann wiederum in einer Unzufriedenheit in der Beziehung und in fehlender partnerschaftlicher Unterstützung resultieren. Das Trennungsrisiko kann sich erhöhen. Hinzu kommen Veränderungen in der sexuellen Funktion, die durch die medizinische Behandlung, die psychische Belastung und/oder das veränderte Körperbild entstehen können. Auch hier findet häufig keine offene Kommunikation sowohl innerhalb des Paares als auch mit dem medizinischen Team statt. Eine Krebserkrankung ist ein Stressor für die Patientin, den Partner und die Partnerschaft. Daher ist ein gemeinsamer Umgang als Paar mit dem Stress durch die Erkrankung – das sog. dyadische Coping – bedeutsam für die Krankheitsbewältigung und Stärkung des „Wir-Gefühls“, welches wiederum zu einer höheren Partnerschaftszufriedenheit und einem höheren Kohäsionsgefühl beiträgt. Für die klinische Versorgung sind somit auch der Einbezug des Angehörigen und die Berücksichtigung partnerschaftlicher Aspekte sehr sinnvoll.
Security-enhanced firmware management scheme for smart home IoT devices using distributed ledger technologies
Authors: Wijesundara W. M. A. B. , Lee Joong-Sun , Tith Dara , Aloupogianni Eleni , Suzuki Hiroyuki , Obi Takashi
Published: March 2024

With the increase of IoT devices generating large amounts of user-sensitive data, improper firmware harms users’ security and privacy. Latest home appliances are integrated with features to assure compatibility with smart home IoT. However, applying complex security mechanisms to IoT is limited by device hardware capabilities, making them vulnerable to attacks. Such attacks have recently become frequent. To address this issue, we developed a secure verification mechanism for firmware released by the device’s manufacturer. We proposed an IoT gateway for secure firmware verification and updating for smart home IoT devices utilizing the IOTA MAM (Masked Authenticated Messaging) protocol and a distributed file system with IPFS (Inter-Planetary File System) protocol. These two communication protocols ensure decentralized communication and firmware file distribution between the IoT device vendor and the IoT end device. The proposed scheme securely shares latest firmware content over IOTA and IPFS networks, performs a secure firmware update on IoT end devices and ensures authenticity and integrity of the firmware. Two types of validation methods were proposed for firmware updating and validation. We implemented the proposed scheme using three entities, Vendor, IoT gateway, and IoT end device. Our system yielded promising results in performing secure automated firmware updates on IoT end devices with very low computational power. The system’s functionality was implemented using IOTA’s MAM run on Raspberry Pi as an IoT gateway along with an ESP8266 Wi-Fi microcontroller, demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach. Our proposed methodology can be used for secure firmware distribution on home IoT applications.
Voicing barriers: accessibility for visually impaired voiceover users on audio chat platforms
Authors: Liljeström Linda , Bern Charlotte , Ferati Mexhid
Published: March 2024

Social media is to a large extent focused on visual elements, negatively affecting accessibility for visually impaired users. Touchscreens, designed to be handled by visual keys, add complexity to the interaction. This study aims to investigate what influences the accessibility for visually impaired VoiceOver users to successfully partake on audio chat platforms and which guidelines could be devised to assist in designing such platforms. The study was conducted as a case study of the audio chat platform Clubhouse. The qualitative data collection methods included interviews with four experts and ten visually impaired users of the platform. The results of the study indicate that clear labelling, audio communication being at the core of the interaction, a limited focus on images and videos, as well as a limited scope of features enhance accessibility for visually impaired users. However, the results additionally showcase that too few features can lead to user-workaround behaviour negatively influencing accessibility. Audio chat platforms have the potential to be highly accessible and make visually impaired users feel independent and included. However, merely relying on labelling, the interface is to miss out on taking the next step in accessibility: implementing gestures as well as haptic and audio feedback. The study proposes that in addition to following principles like WCAG, accessibility can be enhanced by focusing on the user experience perspective. As a result of the study, design guidelines are proposed.
Students’ perceived authenticity and understanding of authentic research while experimenting in a non-formal learning setting
Authors: Hohrath Sarah , Aßmann Sandra , Krabbe Heiko , Opfermann Maria
Published: March 2024

Non-formal learning settings like out-of-school labs provide students with insights into authentic learning situations. For example, in physics, students are engaged in experimenting as an authentic method. However, increasing the authenticity in experimentation can lead to overwhelming demands and hinder concept development and does not even need to be perceived as more authentic. We investigated the role of authenticity in experimenting in an out-of-school lab. Specifically, we explored (a) what influence the level of guidance has on students’ perceived authenticity (RQ1), (b) which references students use in their assessment judging perceived authenticity (RQ2), and (c) to what extent perceived authenticity predicts students’ learning outcomes (RQ3). To address these issues, a mixed methods study was carried out. One hundred forty-two students of seventh and eighth grade experimented in small groups and investigated the pattern that occurs when different apertures are placed between various light sources and a screen. Students were randomly assigned to one of two variants of the learning setting. In the guided experimentation group, students performed five pre-designed experiments and one freely chosen experiment, while the self-determined experimenting students freely designed all six experiments. A questionnaire was administered for perceived authenticity and interviews were conducted about the experimentation process. The learning outcome was measured with a pre- and post-test. We found no significant difference in perceived authenticity and learning outcomes of the two groups. To explain this, we conducted and analyzed interviews in terms of students’ understandings of authentic research to determine the views their authenticity judgments were based on.
Enhancing soil health and carbon sequestration through phytogenic treatment: insights into microbial functional pathways in pasture dieback affected soil
Authors: Ren Xipeng , Whitton Maria M. , Trotter Tieneke , Ashwath Nanjappa , Stanley Dragana , Bajagai Yadav S.
Published: March 2024

Background and aims

Phytogenic bioactive plant products have shown promise in mitigating Australian pasture dieback (PDB) syndrome, a complex condition that adversely affects pasture productivity and sustainability. PDB is characterised by the progressive decline of grass, resulting in reduced soil organic matter. Recent studies have indicated that soil microbial communities play a crucial role in the remediation of affected pastures. In our previous research, the application of a phytogenic secondary metabolic product demonstrated a positive impact on soil microbial diversity, and it significantly increased pasture biomass. Building upon our previous study, we aimed to further investigate the mechanisms underlying pasture improvement through phytogenic treatment by spraying.

Methods

Here, we conducted a shotgun metagenomic investigation of the soil microbiome functional pathways affected by the phytogenic treatment.

Results

The application of phytogenic treatment to the PDB-affected soil resulted in a notable increase in soil microbial functional richness and diversity and showed alterations in beta diversity. Among the 65 significantly altered functional pathways, 54 showed an increase, while 11 decreased in response to the phytogenic treatment. The treatment altered the soil’s functional capacity towards increased production of biomolecules, including amino acids, lipids, and cofactors, thus enhancing the soil’s nutritional value. Furthermore, the phytogenic treatment significantly increased pathways involved in soil detoxification and carbon sequestration, suggesting its potential to promote soil health and carbon storage.

Conclusion

Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in improving the soils affected by pasture dieback. These insights will help develop sustainable strategies for pasture production.
Embodied knowledge and communities of knowledge to cohabit the Earth
Authors: Colonna Angela
Published: March 2024

To address the great challenges facing humanity, humans need to feel united as inhabitants of the Earth, to feel that their future is tied to the future of all living beings, and that the universe contains all levels and all relationships that encompass its parts. To achieve this requires widening knowledge of the interconnection and interdependence that govern the world on all scales, accessing an individual and collective understanding that impacts not only the rational dimension but also the emotional and embodied dimensions. This article addresses the theme of embodied knowledge and awareness/consciousness as a key for individuals and the human community to develop the sensory and emotional perception of being part of a greater whole, of relationship as an ontological condition, and of interconnectedness and interdependence as the basis of life and the universe. Embodied knowledge is capable of nourishing aspiration and being nourished by it. Aspiration is needed to guide and to sustain action, and at a point in history like the current time, it is necessary for humanity to feel “in the flesh” that it is in relationship with and a part of a greater whole, to become a peaceful, equitable, sustainable community, in harmony with the Earth.
Knowing how to learn: development and validation of the strategy knowledge test for self-regulated learning (SKT-SRL) for college students
Authors: Dörrenbächer-Ulrich Laura , Sparfeldt Jörn R. , Perels Franziska
Published: March 2024

Self-regulated learning (SRL) encompasses cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational learning strategies and is highly relevant for academic achievement. Although students have mostly acquired high-level SRL strategy knowledge by the time they reach college, they often show deficiencies in their application of SRL strategies. In order to investigate the gap between SRL strategy knowledge and its application in more depth, it is necessary to develop instruments that assess conditional SRL strategy knowledge for the whole learning process with sufficient validity and reliability. Therefore, based on four distinct studies conducted in Germany, the development and validation of a new Strategy Knowledge Test for Self-Regulated Learning (SKT-SRL) for college students are described. Study 1 describes the development of the test and the results of expert ratings that speak in favour of the test’s content validity. Study 2, the pilot study, was undertaken to gain insight into the psychometric characteristics of the SKT-SRL, examine its relationship to other SRL assessment methods and academic achievement, and reach a sense of its validity. Studies 3 and 4 present the results of two validation studies for the SKT-SRL; they investigated its psychometric characteristics, convergent validity, factorial structure, test–retest reliability, and its relationship to academic achievement as well as other study-relevant factors. Overall, the results are promising and the SKT-SRL mostly showed sufficiently valid assessments. To conclude, the SKT-SRL is a useful tool for analysing conditional SRL strategy knowledge in college students and can be used for further research on the relationship between SRL strategy knowledge and strategy usage.
The distinct roles of reinforcement learning between pre-procedure and intra-procedure planning for prostate biopsy
Authors: Gayo Iani J. M. B. , Saeed Shaheer U. , Bonmati Ester , Barratt Dean C. , Clarkson Matthew J. , Hu Yipeng
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging targeted prostate cancer (PCa) biopsy enables precise sampling of MR-detected lesions, establishing its importance in recommended clinical practice. Planning for the ultrasound-guided procedure involves pre-selecting needle sampling positions. However, performing this procedure is subject to a number of factors, including MR-to-ultrasound registration, intra-procedure patient movement and soft tissue motions. When a fixed pre-procedure planning is carried out without intra-procedure adaptation, these factors will lead to sampling errors which could cause false positives and false negatives. Reinforcement learning (RL) has been proposed for procedure plannings on similar applications such as this one, because intelligent agents can be trained for both pre-procedure and intra-procedure planning. However, it is not clear if RL is beneficial when it comes to addressing these intra-procedure errors.

Methods

In this work, we develop and compare imitation learning (IL), supervised by demonstrations of predefined sampling strategy, and RL approaches, under varying degrees of intra-procedure motion and registration error, to represent sources of targeting errors likely to occur in an intra-operative procedure.

Results

Based on results using imaging data from 567 PCa patients, we demonstrate the efficacy and value in adopting RL algorithms to provide intelligent intra-procedure action suggestions, compared to IL-based planning supervised by commonly adopted policies.

Conclusions

The improvement in biopsy sampling performance for intra-procedure planning has not been observed in experiments with only pre-procedure planning. These findings suggest a strong role for RL in future prospective studies which adopt intra-procedure planning. Our open source code implementation is available here.
Mapping Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy Landscape: A Mixed Method Analysis
Authors: Saheb Tahereh , Saheb Tayebeh
Published: March 2024

As more national governments adopt policies addressing the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, a comparative analysis of policy documents on these topics can provide valuable insights into emerging concerns and areas of shared importance. This study critically examines 57 policy documents pertaining to ethical AI originating from 24 distinct countries, employing a combination of computational text mining methods and qualitative content analysis. The primary objective is to methodically identify common themes throughout these policy documents and perform a comparative analysis of the ways in which various governments give priority to crucial matters. A total of nineteen topics were initially retrieved. Through an iterative coding process, six overarching themes were identified: principles, the protection of personal data, governmental roles and responsibilities, procedural guidelines, governance and monitoring mechanisms, and epistemological considerations. Furthermore, the research revealed 31 ethical dilemmas pertaining to AI that had been overlooked previously but are now emerging. These dilemmas have been referred to in different extents throughout the policy documents. This research makes a scholarly contribution to the expanding field of technology policy formulations at the national level by analyzing similarities and differences among countries. Furthermore, this analysis has practical ramifications for policymakers who are attempting to comprehend prevailing trends and potentially neglected domains that demand focus in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence.
Investigation of different polymeric membranes for removal of phenol from aqueous environment using pervaporation technique
Authors: Eldemerdash Usama , Dandash Alaa , Nosier Shaban , Abdallah Heba , Hawash Samah A.
Published: March 2024

The removal of phenolic compounds from the water was of great importance due to their high toxicity. In this study, the separation of phenol from an aqueous environment by pervaporation technique using (PVA) polyvinyl alcohol, (CA) cellulose acetate, and (PVDF) polyvinylidene fluoride membranes was tested. The effect of feed concentration up to 9000 ppm, operating temperature from 25 to 65 °C, and flow rate ranging from 2 to 6 L h−1 on the separation performance was investigated. It was found that the CA membrane possessed a higher water flux of 348.25 kg m−2 h−1 and a separation factor of 49 compared to PVDF, and PVA/SA membranes at 65 °C and a flow rate of 6 L h−1. The properties and morphology of membranes were observed using mechanical properties, contact angle, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that CA has a lower contact angle of 48.3° indicating the hydrophilicity nature of the membrane, which enhances the separation process and explains the increases of water flux. Moreover, the mechanical properties test indicated that the mechanical strength of CA has a maximum tensile strength of 65.5 MPa and an % elongation of 48% compared to PVDF and PVA/SA which indicates lower roughness, manifesting its improved anti-fouling properties.
Characteristics and outcomes of critically ill children with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury
Authors: Vlaam Géanne Krabben-de , Mulder Hilde D. , Dijkstra Sandra K. , Burgerhof Johannes G. M. , Kneyber Martin C. J.
Published: March 2024

Objective

To characterize outcomes of paediatric moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤ 12.

Design

Retrospective, single-centre cohort study (July 2010 and June 2020).

Setting

Medical-surgical tertiary paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in a level 1 university medical trauma centre.

Patients

One-hundred and thirty subjects < 18 years (moderate N = 56, severe N = 74).

Measurements and main results

Subjects were stratified according to favourable (Paediatric Cerebral Performance Category [PCPC] Scale ≤ 3) and poor (PCPC ≥ 4) neurological outcome determined at PICU discharge. One-hundred and six patients (81.5%) had PCPC ≤ 3; of those, N = 55 (52%) had moderate TBI and N = 51 (48%) severe TBI. Twelve patients (9.2%) died, of whom eight (66.7%) within 24 h of PICU admission. Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring was performed in N = 12 (50%) patients with PCPC ≥ 4 and in N = 15 (14.2%) patients with PCPC ≤ 3. No clinically relevant differences in serum sodium, glucose, temperature, or blood pressure management during the first 72 h of PICU admission were observed between patients with and without favourable outcome. Mortality was highest among patients with severe TBI (N = 11, 14.9%). Among survivors with PCPC ≥ 4, N = 11 (91.7%) were discharged to a rehabilitation facility compared to N = 22 (20.8%) with PCPC ≤ 3.

Conclusion

Severe paediatric TBI (pTBI) remains an important cause of serious morbidity and mortality. Patients with moderate pTBI had a favourable outcome at PICU discharge, although the outcome measurement used may not be granular enough to discriminate. Follow-up after discharge is essential to optimize outcome on physical, cognitive, behavioural, and social functioning.
MANILIUS ON THE IMPERFECT FORMS OF THE CONSTELLATIONS: THE TEXT OF ASTRONOMICA 1.463–5 AND 466
Authors: Possanza D. Mark
Published: March 2024

This paper presents two proposals to improve the text of an important passage in Manilius’ Astronomica, 1.456–68, in which the poet explains natura's rationale for arranging the stars in such a way as to create only a partial, rather than a full, representation of the constellation figures. The text of line 464 is repunctuated in order to give proper emphasis to natura's parsimonious disposition of the stars. Scholars have noted that the sentence atque ignibus ignes | respondent in 466–7 is not consistent with the poet's account of how the constellation figures were delineated nor with what an observer sees in the heavens. The conjecture insignibus (neuter plural), for the transmitted atque ignibus in line 466, is offered to indicate that it is the distinctive features (insignia) of the figures to which specific stars correspond and by means of which the figures are described. Attention is also drawn to a striking paronomasia in 466–7, designat … insignibus ignes, which creates a meaningful phonetic constellation of celestial fire (ignis), sign (signum) and insigne (distinctive feature) and thus provides evidence, on the linguistic level, of natura's providentia.
Assessing global drivers of parasite diversity: host diversity and body mass boost avian haemosporidian diversity
Authors: de Angeli Dutra Daniela
Published: March 2024

Biodiversity varies worldwide and is influenced by multiple factors, such as environmental stability and past historical events (e.g. Panama Isthmus). At the same time, organisms with unique life histories (e.g. parasites) are subject to unique selective pressures that structure their diversity patterns. Parasites represent one of the most successful life strategies, impacting, directly and indirectly, ecosystems by cascading effects on host fitness and survival. Here, I focused on a highly diverse, prevalent and cosmopolitan group of parasites (avian haemosporidians) to investigate the main drivers (e.g. host and environmental features) of regional parasite diversity on a global scale. To do so, I compiled data from 4 global datasets on (i) avian haemosporidian (malaria and malaria-like) parasites, (ii) bird species diversity, (iii) avian functional traits and (iv) climate data. Then, using generalized least square models, I evaluated the effect of host and environmental features on haemosporidian diversity. I found that haemosporidian diversity mirrors host regional diversity and that higher host body mass increases haemosporidian diversity. On the other hand, climatic conditions had no effect on haemosporidian diversity in any model. When evaluating Leucocytozoon parasites separately, I found parasite diversity was boosted by a higher proportion of migratory hosts. In conclusion, I demonstrated that haemosporidian parasite diversity is intrinsically associated with their hosts’ diversity and body mass.
Lower bone strength in young patients with Fontan circulation compared to controls
Authors: Wikner Anna , Johansson Karna , Enocson Elin , Sthen Bergdahl Magne , Hansson Lena , Rydberg Annika , Sandberg Camilla
Published: March 2024

Objectives:

Previous reports indicate bone deficits in patients with Fontan circulation. However, the consequences of these deficits on bone strength and when these changes occur are unclear.

Aim:

To compare the tibial bone strength-strain index between young patients (6–19 years) with Fontan circulation and age- and sex-matched controls, and to determine strength-strain-index in subgroups of children (6–12 years) and adolescents (13–19 years) versus controls.

Method:

The tibia was examined with peripheral quantitative CT. Based on the assessed data, bone strength-strain index was calculated in the lateral and anterior-posterior directions.

Results:

Twenty patients with Fontan and twenty controls (mean age 13.0 ± 4.4 years; 50% females) were examined. Patients had a lower strength-strain index in the lateral direction compared to controls (808.4 ± 416.8mm3 versus 1162.5 ± 552.1mm3, p = 0.043). Subgroup analyses showed no differences regarding strength-strain index in children (6–12 years) with Fontan circulation compared to controls. However, the adolescents (13–19 years) with Fontan circulation had lower strength-strain indexes in both the lateral and anterior-posterior directions compared to controls (1041.4 ± 299.8mm3 versus 1596.4 ± 239.6mm3, p < 0.001, and 771.7 ± 192.4mm3 versus 1084.9 ± 215.0mm3, p = 0.004). When adjusted for height, there were differences between patients (6–19 years) and controls in strength-strain indexes in both the lateral and anterior-posterior directions. In subgroup analyses, the results remained robust.

Conclusion:

Young patients (6–19 years) with Fontan circulation have a lower strength-strain index in the tibia compared to controls. Subgroup analyses show that this deficit is mainly driven by the differences in adolescents (13–19 years), which might suggest that bone strength decreases with age.
The nature of lexical associations in a foreign language: valence, arousal and concreteness
Authors: Planchuelo Clara , Hinojosa José Antonio , Duñabeitia Jon Andoni
Published: March 2024

Recent studies suggest that similarity in emotional features and concreteness are critical cues underlying word association in native speakers. However, the lexical organization of a foreign language is less understood. This study aims to examine the structure of word associations within the mental lexicon of a foreign (English) and a native language. To this end, 145 native Spanish-speakers produced three lexical associates to cue words in both the foreign and native language. We observed that the associates were more neutrally valenced in the foreign language. Moreover, as cue words increased in their arousal, the produced associates were less arousing in the foreign language. Thus, the structure of these lexical associations could account for prior evidence of emotional detachment in foreign languages. Finally, as cues were more abstract, the foreign language associates were more abstract. Our findings revealed that the linguistic context modulated the lexical associations.
Bilingual proficiency effects in paired-associate learning of vocabulary in an unfamiliar language
Authors: Francis Wendy S. , Nájera Oscar I.
Published: March 2024

We investigated three aspects of paired associate learning of vocabulary in an unfamiliar language: monolingual-bilingual differences, effects of dominance and language proficiency, and the possible role of associative strategies. Spanish–English bilinguals (48 English-dominant and 48 Spanish-dominant) and English-speaking monolinguals (n = 48) learned Swahili–English and Swahili-Spanish word pairs. Learning was assessed using cued recall (Swahili cue or Swahili response) and associative recognition tests. English-dominant bilinguals did not outperform English monolinguals on any learning measure. Cued recall accuracy was higher when learning through the dominant language than through the non-dominant language, whether the Swahili words were cues or responses. Proficiency scores in the known language were positively correlated with cued recall accuracy, whether the cue or the response was in Swahili, indicating that proficiency effects occurred not in retrievability of known words but in learning of associations. Bilingual and monolingual participants did not differ in their reported use of associative strategies.
Uncovering the role of foreign language on acquiescence
Authors: Hu Zhimin , Suitner Caterina , Navarrete Eduardo
Published: March 2024

Foreign language can either enhance decision-making by triggering more deliberation or worsen it due to cognitive overload. We tested these two hypotheses in one response bias: acquiescence. In three experiments, 413 participants made dichotomous decisions about whether 100 personality traits described them or not. Participants showed more acquiescence in a foreign language (vs. native), giving more certifying responses when deciding on known traits. Reaction time results suggest that a foreign language particularly impacts rejection more than certification of their comprehension. These findings support the cognitive overload hypothesis and provide valuable insights for the influence of language on response bias.
Do native and non-native speakers make different judicial decisions?
Authors: Rühle Marie-Christine , Lev-Ari Shiri
Published: March 2024

Bilinguals experience diminished emotion when using their foreign compared with their native language. The diminished emotion has been shown to lead to more lenient moral evaluations in a foreign language. Here we show that non-native speakers of English are less sensitive to emotional mitigating circumstances of a crime than native speakers, presumably because of the diminished experience emotion. This can lead non-native speakers to provide harsher, rather than more lenient, evaluations. Native and non-native speakers of English recommended sentence duration for crimes committed because of mitigating emotional circumstances (e.g., fraud to pay spouse's medical treatment) or for selfish reasons (e.g., buying luxury goods). Native English speakers differentiated more between the two types of scenarios than non-native speakers did. The study thus provides preliminary evidence that processing information in a foreign language can influence decisions, and that the directionality of the effect depends on the role of emotion in the context.
Experiences with health information among caregivers of people with cancer from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: A qualitative study
Authors: Yuen Eva Y.N. , Hale Megan , Wilson Carlene
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Although some research suggests that caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities have higher unmet information needs compared to their English-speaking counterparts, few studies have examined determinants of information needs among CALD cancer caregivers and their satisfaction with received information. This study aimed to explore experiences with cancer-related information among caregivers of people with cancer from CALD communities.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 caregivers from Arabic and Chinese backgrounds (12 in each group). Thematic analysis was used to analyze data.

Results

Participants’ mean age was 40.6 years, and most were female (83%). Six themes were identified: (a) lack of information to meet their needs; (b) challenges understanding cancer- and care-related information; (c) proactivity to make sense of, and understand information; (d) interpreting information: the role formal and informal services; and (e) engaging with health providers to access information.

Conclusions

Caregivers identified significant language and communication barriers impacting their capacity to understand cancer-related information given by providers and they invested personal effort clarifying information. The importance of access to formal interpreter services, even when caregivers and care recipients seem proficient in English, was highlighted. Cultural sensitivity of providers when discussing a cancer diagnosis and treatment was also identified as an important consideration.

Significance of results

Culturally tailored outreach programs designed to provide key cancer-related information which are accessible to CALD caregivers have the potential to improve the health outcomes of both caregivers and care recipients.
Effectiveness of a WHO self-help psychological intervention to alleviate stress among healthcare workers in the context of COVID-19 in China: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Li Jinghua , Luo Rui , Guo Pengyue , Zhang Dexing , Mo Phoenix K. H. , Wu Anise M. S. , Xin Meiqi , Shang Menglin , Cai Yuqi , Wang Xu , Chen Mingyu , He Yiling , Zheng Luxin , Huang Jinying , Xu Roman Dong , Lau Joseph T. F. , Gu Jing , Hall Brian J.
Published: March 2024

Aims

To examine the effectiveness of Self-Help Plus (SH+) as an intervention for alleviating stress levels and mental health problems among healthcare workers.

Methods

This was a prospective, two-arm, unblinded, parallel-designed randomised controlled trial. Participants were recruited at all levels of medical facilities within all municipal districts of Guangzhou. Eligible participants were adult healthcare workers experiencing psychological stress (10-item Perceived Stress Scale scores of ≥15) but without serious mental health problems or active suicidal ideation. A self-help psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization in alleviating psychological stress and preventing the development of mental health problems. The primary outcome was psychological stress, assessed at the 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, insomnia, positive affect (PA) and self-kindness assessed at the 3-month follow-up.

Results

Between November 2021 and April 2022, 270 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to either SH+ (n = 135) or the control group (n = 135). The SH+ group had significantly lower stress at the 3-month follow-up (b = −1.23, 95% CI = −2.36, −0.10, p = 0.033) compared to the control group. The interaction effect indicated that the intervention effect in reducing stress differed over time (b = −0.89, 95% CI = −1.50, −0.27, p = 0.005). Analysis of the secondary outcomes suggested that SH+ led to statistically significant improvements in most of the secondary outcomes, including depression, insomnia, PA and self-kindness.

Conclusions

This is the first known randomised controlled trial ever conducted to improve stress and mental health problems among healthcare workers experiencing psychological stress in a low-resource setting. SH+ was found to be an effective strategy for alleviating psychological stress and reducing symptoms of common mental problems. SH+ has the potential to be scaled-up as a public health strategy to reduce the burden of mental health problems in healthcare workers exposed to high levels of stress.
Volcanic Arc Weathering Rates in the Humid Tropics Controlled by the Interplay Between Physical Erosion and Precipitation
Authors: Moore Angus K. , Méndez Méndez Kimberly , Hughes K. Stephen , Granger Darryl E.
Published: March 2024

Volcanic arcs are chemical weathering hotspots that may contribute disproportionately to global CO2 consumption through silicate weathering. Accurately modeling the impact of volcanic‐arc landscapes on the Earth's long‐term carbon cycle requires understanding how climate and physical erosion control weathering fluxes from arc landscapes. We evaluate these controls by examining the covariation of stream solutes, sediment geochemistry, and long‐term physical erosion fluxes inferred from cosmogenic 36Cl in magnetite in volcanic watersheds in Puerto Rico that span a ca. 15‐fold gradient in specific discharge. Analysis of this data using power‐law relationships demonstrates that CO2 consumption from arc‐rock weathering in the humid tropics is more strongly limited by physical erosion and the supply of primary minerals to the weathering zone than by temperature or the flux of fresh, chemically reactive waters through the critical zone. However, a positive correlation between long‐term physical erosion fluxes and specific discharge is also observed. This indicates that fresh mineral supply in arc environments may ultimately depend on precipitation rates, which may maintain a coupling between arc‐rock weathering fluxes and climate under principally supply limited weathering conditions.
Annual 10Be Record for 1510–1701 CE Obtained From Endogenic Travertine at Baishuitai, China: A New Proxy Record of Annual Solar Activity
Authors: Xu Hongyang , Miyahara Hiroko , Horiuchi Kazuho , Matsuzaki Hiroyuki , Zhao Xi , Gan Hailing , Luo Weijun , Meadows Michael E. , Zheng Xiangmin , Zhou Limin
Published: March 2024

The 10Be record in laminated travertines is a potential proxy for reconstructing past solar activity down to the annual scale; however, correcting for the potential influence of climatic or environmental variations remains challenging. Here, we present an annually resolved 10Be record using travertines from Baishuitai, China, covering the period from 1510 to 1701 CE, along with environmental proxies, to evaluate climatic influences and implement corrections to accurately reconstruct solar activity. We demonstrate that the 10Be deposition in travertines exhibits two environmental impacts: the transport efficiency of atmospheric 10Be into travertine and the additional 10Be inflow from overland flow associated with rainfall. We show that these impacts can be corrected based on iron and potassium contents. The resulting corrected record agrees with ice‐core and tree‐ring records, demonstrating the feasibility of using such carbonate sediment 10Be records to reconstruct past solar activity.
Modeled Coastal‐Ocean Pathways of Land‐Sourced Contaminants in the Aftermath of Hurricane Florence
Authors: Moulton Melissa , Zambon Joseph B. , Xue Z. George , Warner John C. , Bao Daoyang , Yin Dongxiao , Defne Zafer , He Ruoying , Hegermiller Christie
Published: March 2024

Extreme precipitation during Hurricane Florence, which made landfall in North Carolina in September 2018, led to breaches of hog waste lagoons, coal ash pits, and wastewater facilities. In the weeks following the storm, freshwater discharge carried pollutants, sediment, organic matter, and debris to the coastal ocean, contributing to beach closures, algae blooms, hypoxia, and other ecosystem impacts. Here, the ocean pathways of land‐sourced contaminants following Hurricane Florence are investigated using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) with a river point source with fixed water properties from a hydrologic model (WRF‐Hydro) of the Cape Fear River Basin, North Carolina's largest watershed. Patterns of contaminant transport in the coastal ocean are quantified with a finite duration tracer release based on observed flooding of agricultural and industrial facilities. A suite of synthetic events also was simulated to investigate the sensitivity of the river plume transport pathways to river discharge and wind direction. The simulated Hurricane Florence discharge event led to westward (downcoast) transport of contaminants in a coastal current, along with intermittent storage and release of material in an offshore (bulge) or eastward (upcoast) region near the river mouth, modulated by alternating upwelling and downwelling winds. The river plume patterns led to a delayed onset and long duration of contaminants affecting beaches 100 km to the west, days to weeks after the storm. Maps of the onset and duration of hypothetical water quality hazards for a range of weather conditions may provide guidance to managers on the timing of swimming/shellfishing advisories and water quality sampling.
Influence of More Mechanistic Representation of Particle Dry Deposition on 1850–2000 Changes in Global Aerosol Burdens and Radiative Forcing
Authors: Clifton Olivia E. , Bauer Susanne E. , Tsigaridis Kostas , Aleinov Igor , Cowan Tyler G. , Faluvegi Gregory , Kelley Maxwell
Published: March 2024

Robust estimates of historical changes in aerosols are key for accurate constraints on climate sensitivity. Dry deposition is a primary sink of aerosols from the atmosphere. However, most global climate models do not accurately represent observed strong dependencies of dry deposition following turbulent transport on aerosol size. It is unclear whether there is a substantial impact of mischaracterized aerosol deposition velocities on historical aerosol changes. Here we describe improved mechanistic representation of aerosol dry deposition in the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) global climate model, ModelE, and illustrate the impact on 1850–2000 changes in global aerosol burdens as well as aerosol direct and cloud albedo effects using a set of 1850 and 2000 time slice simulations. We employ two aerosol configurations of ModelE (a “bulk” mass‐based configuration and a configuration that more explicitly represents aerosol size distributions, internal mixing, and microphysics) to explore how model structural differences in aerosol representation alter the response to representation of dry deposition. Both configurations show larger historical increases in the global burdens of non‐dust aerosols with the new dry deposition scheme, by 11% in the simpler mass‐based configuration and 23% in the more complex microphysical configuration. Historical radiative forcing responses, which vary in magnitude from 5% to 12% as well as sign, depend on the aerosol configuration.
Walking modulates visual detection performance according to stride cycle phase
Authors: Davidson Matthew J. , Verstraten Frans A. J. , Alais David
Published: March 2024

Walking is among our most frequent and natural of voluntary behaviours, yet the consequences of locomotion upon perceptual and cognitive function remain largely unknown. Recent work has highlighted that although walking feels smooth and continuous, critical phases exist within each step for the successful coordination of perceptual and motor function. Here, we test whether these phasic demands impact upon visual perception, by assessing performance in a visual detection task during natural unencumbered walking. We finely sample visual performance over the stride cycle as participants walk along a smooth linear path at a comfortable speed in a wireless virtual reality environment. At the group-level, accuracy, reaction times, and response likelihood show strong oscillations, modulating at approximately 2 cycles per stride (~2 Hz) with a marked phase of optimal performance aligned with the swing phase of each step. At the participant level, Bayesian inference of population prevalence reveals highly prevalent oscillations in visual detection performance that cluster in two idiosyncratic frequency ranges (2 or 4 cycles per stride), with a strong phase alignment across participants.