bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conclusion
Authors: Heywood Emma
Published: December 2023

This chapter summarises the evidence that radio, as the main source of information in the three countries under discussion, can play a significant role in promoting women’s empowerment. However, to achieve this, there must not only be a clear understanding of the many perceptions of this concept but the different levels of empowerment and their perceptions must also be considered at the programming design stage. Starting these initial conversations about radio’s empowering role based on the content it broadcasts, the manner in which it broadcasts (format and platforms), and the choice of who is involved in the broadcasting as producers, editors, presenters, or guests is important. If women are portrayed in non-stereotypical ways and are included in the production and output of broadcasts, radio can influence how women perceive topics, how they perceive themselves, and, importantly, how society perceives them.
Introduction
Authors: Kühne Thomas , Mamigonian Marc A. , Jane Rein Mary
Published: December 2023

This introduction provides a valuable overview of the life and accomplishments of Taner Akçam, a Turkish-American historian and sociologist. An international authority on the Armenian Genocide and a leader in human rights, Akçam is the first scholar of Turkish origin to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and to publish groundbreaking research on this topic. Imprisoned in 1976 for criticizing injustices in Turkey and the government’s treatment of minorities, especially the Kurds, Akçam escaped and fled to Germany. Amnesty International adopted him as a “prisoner of conscience” and the German government granted him asylum. He eventually obtained citizenship in Germany, where he established his reputation as a genocide scholar and an authority on the history of political violence and torture in late Ottoman and early Republican Turkey. In fall 2008, Akçam joined Clark University as the Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Professor in Armenian Genocide Studies. While at Clark, he advanced the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies as the leading academic institute focused on research and education about the Armenian Genocide. In addition to pursuing his own remarkable scholarship, he has been committed to training doctoral students in order to ensure that scholarship about the Armenian Genocide continues as a subject of serious inquiry.
Mediatized Witnessing, Spectacles of Pain, and Reenacting Suffering: The Armenian Genocide and Humanitarian Cinema
Authors: Maksudyan Nazan
Published: December 2023

Focusing on the conception, production, distribution (and disappearance) of Ravished Armenia (1919) and Alice in Hungerland (1921), two silent films on the Armenian Genocide from a gendered perspective, this chapter combines media history (“technologies of witnessing”) with the history of global humanitarianism. These two oldest movies on the genocide were shot with the initiative of the Near East Relief in order to raise donations and international awareness through the reenactment of suffering, sensationalization of violence, and victimized Armenian bodies. Both films enjoyed a short-lived fame and revenue, followed by disappearance and subsequent oblivion. The early humanitarian cinematic representation of the Armenian genocide sheds light on the ferocious mediatization and marketing strategies of humanitarian agencies, specifically as to how they targeted the corporal bodies of their lead orphan actresses, Arshalouys Mardigian and Esther Razon, through extensive bodily interventions, enormous workload, and reenactment of suffering.
The Property Law and the Spoliation of Ottoman Armenians
Authors: Kévorkian Raymond H.
Published: December 2023

The genocide perpetrated against the Ottoman Armenians obviously had several dimensions: in addition to the physical destruction of the population, it included the appropriation of all collective and individual assets, in other words the systematic spoliation of a historical group for the benefit of a state or of private individuals. Beyond the extreme violence perpetrated to accomplish these criminal aims, the later management of such spoils remains a legal headache that will take generations and a panoply of laws to digest.

This aspect of the Armenian Genocide is all the more important since for more than a century it has perpetuated a material memory of the Armenian presence through houses, schools, churches, and so on, which have survived or still survive. In certain respects, spoliation constitutes a central element of the immoral development of individual and collective actors observed in Turkey. Moreover, it was clearly one of the acts favoring the material construction of the modern Turkish state. It is even today one of the reasons for the denial organized by the Turkish state and shared by a large part of Turkish society. It is this issue that this chapter will examine over time, while also drawing up a corpus of the official laws adopted to carry out the program of spoliation of Armenians.
The Danish Civil Society Elite 1910–2020: Continuity, Reproduction and Integration
Authors: Sevelsted Anders , Lunding Jacob Aagaard
Published: December 2023

This chapter analyses the case of the historical development of the Danish civil society elite from 1910 to 2020. Existing approaches focus on elitesincivil society, while this study focuses on elitesofcivil society, that is, leaders of central civil society organisations in Denmark. Using social network analysis, the analysis builds on a dataset from the Danish Who’s Who from 1910, 1965, and 2020. The study shows the causes that this elite has engaged in, the composition and reproduction of the elite, and the integration of this elite with other sector elites. Findings indicate a democratising, but distinguished elite concentrated in the capital and born by elite parents. They have continuous high engagement in health and humanitarian aid, but a declining engagement in housing and crime prevention. This elite is well integrated with the state, less so with politics, and increasingly with the educational-scientific sector, pointing to ‘diploma governance’.
Organisational, Reputational, and Visible Leaders: A Comparison of Three Approaches to Civil Society Elite Identification
Authors: Santilli Cecilia , Scaramuzzino Roberto
Published: December 2023

This chapter compares three different types of elite identification methods—the positional method, the reputational method, and claims-making analysis. The aim is to address the implications of different methods of elite identification for our understanding of civil society elites and to reflect on the methodological challenges in the study of civil society elites. Hence, we focus on comparing both the application and operationalisation of the methods and their results in terms of which actors are identified. The methods are applied to the context of Italian civil society. Common to all three methods is that they address power stratification in Italian civil society by exploring the accumulation of different types of resources whose uneven distribution can give rise to civil society elites. The application of the three methods of elite identification in civil society highlights some crucial challenges when it comes to drawing the horizontal and vertical boundaries of the elite.
Civil Society Boundary Crossing and Elite Integration
Authors: Arvidson Malin , Uhlin Anders
Published: December 2023

This chapter explores elite boundary crossing between civil society and other societal sectors—including the state, party politics, and business—and how this may lead to inter-elite integration. We illustrate how qualitative life-work history interviews provide an important complement to established quantitative approaches to the study of elite integration. Through these interviews, we explore the drivers and motivations related to a boundary crossing career. The personal accounts of the boundary crossing experiences unveil essential aspects of the prerequisites of elite integration, if by integration we assume not only networking but also a degree of elite value congruence. This study identifies different motivations driving boundary crossing, making individuals more or less likely to contribute to value congruence. Those who move to another sector to impose values from their sector of origin typically contribute to value congruence. Those who leave a sector where they no longer feel at home and seek out new and more attractive values in another sector are less likely to contribute to value congruence. Those who move back and forth across sector boundaries to gain influence may or may not contribute to value congruence. This study opens up new ways of defining and exploring value congruence in elite integration studies.
The Interstitial Elites of the Italian Foundations of Banking Origin
Authors: Arrigoni Paola
Published: December 2023

The foundations of banking origin (Fobs) are a consequence of the 1990s reform of the Italian banking system and one of the main places where political, economic, and financial power is concentrated. This chapter focuses on the elites that can be observed in the Compagnia di San Paolo in Turin. In particular, it shows how a group of people, already powerful in other areas, constitute themselves as a new political elite through their membership in this foundation. The study identifies a distinct elite group that is mobile, broker-like, located in interstitial spaces between different fields, and institutionally ‘capricious’ but paradoxically also solid. Against a backdrop of radical institutional change, this civil society elite is playing a role in public policymaking, replacing mechanisms of representation with mechanisms of funding and philanthropy.
Surgical Treatment of Solitary Orbital Wall Fractures
Authors: Dubois Leander , Sabelis Juliana F. , Jansen Jesper , Maal Thomas J. J. , Schreurs Ruud
Published: December 2023

This chapter focuses on the preparation, execution, and evaluation of orbital reconstruction, once the indication for surgery has been established. A logical order in the surgical decision-making process is created with the help of a step-wise approach, starting with timing and biomaterials considerations. The virtual treatment planning is described and how it affects the choice for a preformed or patient-specific implants. A detailed explanation of the transconjunctival approach is provided, and the role of key anatomical landmarks in the dissection and reconstruction is reviewed. The rationale behind and indications for surgical navigation and intra-operative imaging are discussed. A clinical example is provided to demonstrate the potential of the advanced workflow discussed in this chapter.
Diagnosis of Graves’ Orbitopathy
Authors: Mourits Maarten P.
Published: December 2023

The diagnosis of Graves’ orbitopathy is based on a typical clinical presentation, supported by a family history of Graves’ disease, in combination with typical findings on CT or MRI scans and/or elevated serum levels of TSH-receptor-binding immunoglobulins and anti-thyroid peroxidase. In order to treat patients with Graves’ orbitopathy, not only the diagnosis, but also the severity and activity scores have to be assessed. The impact of a diagnosis of Graves’ orbitopathy should not be underestimated. The disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire for patients with Graves’ orbitopathy, the so-called GO-QOL, is very helpful to perceive the disease from the patient’s point of view.
Medical Management of Graves’ Orbitopathy
Authors: Wiersinga Wilmar M.
Published: December 2023

Management of Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) short of surgery is based on three pillars: (1) to refrain from smoking as smoking is associated with more severe GO and less favorable response to immunosuppressive treatment of GO; (2) restoration and maintenance of euthyroid function as both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affect eye changes unfavorably; and (3) treatment of GO itself: (a) local measures as required (liberal use of artificial tears; dark glasses; botulinum toxin; prisms; (b) wait-and-see policy or selenium for mild GO; (c) intravenous methylprednisolone pulses (± mycophenolate) for active moderate-to-severe GO; in case of partial or no response, several options are available for second-line treatment (low-dose oral prednisone + either retrobulbar irradiation or cyclosporin; rituximab). Teprotumumab appears very effective, already approved in the USA; and (d) urgent high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone pulses for very severe GO (dysthyroid optic neuropathy); in case of partial or no response within 2 weeks, surgical orbital decompression.
Chronicles of a Norm for Sale: Norm Entrepreneurship in the Myanmar NCA Negotiations
Authors: Palmiano Federer Julia
Published: December 2023

This chapter provides granular empirical analysis on just how NGO mediators promoted inclusivity to the negotiating parties in Myanmar. Based on the my framework of assessing normative agency, I forward an empirical take on (1) how NGO mediators interpret the meaning of inclusivity based on their own self-conceptions and normative socializations and frame them to the negotiating parties; (2) how NGO mediators engage in a set of mediation and knowledge production practices to intentionally promote their interpretation of inclusivity to the parties; and (3) how the negotiating parties in the Myanmar NCA process interpreted and accepted the inclusivity norm.
High Resolution Numerical Weather Simulation for Orographic Precipitation as an Accurate Early Warning Tool for Landslide Vulnerable Terrains
Authors: Bandara H. A. A. I. S. , Onishi Ryo
Published: December 2023

Accurate early warning for rain-induced landslides is still challenging due to regional and local variations of rainfall prediction due to low accuracy, and resolution. The “Multi-Scale Simulator for the Geoenvironment (MSSG)” system, developed by the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology and Waseda University allows for high-resolution simulations and seamless modeling of weather and climate interactions, and employs advanced meteorological aspects.

MSSG simulations compared with rainfall data recorded in the Aranayaka automated rain gauge for past events, including the devastating landslide in 2016. The simulations achieved satisfactory results in reproducing rainfall events. Higher-resolution simulations exhibited higher maximum rainfall intensity and cumulative rainfall accumulation. This study emphasizes the importance of considering finer scales in meteorological simulations to effectively capture the intricate variations associated with extreme rainfall events. This study places significant emphasis on the importance of considering finer scales in meteorological simulations in order to confirm the necessity of high resolutions to capture the temporal and spatial variations of orographic rainfall.
Procedure of Data Processing for the Improvement of Failure Time Prediction of a Landslide Based on the Velocity and Acceleration of the Displacement
Authors: Ariyarathna Imaya , Sasahara Katsuo
Published: December 2023

Time prediction methods based on monitoring surface displacement (SD) are effective for early warning against shallow landslides. However, failure time prediction by Fukuzono’s original inverse-velocity (INV) method is less accurate due to variation in the inverse-velocity (1/v) caused by noise in the measured SD, which amplifies the fluctuation in the resultant 1/v. Therefore, the present study incorporates pre-analysis to acquire better prediction by reducing the effect of noise on the measured SD. The data extraction (DE) and moving average (MA) methods are used to filter the measured SD for better smoothing of 1/v. The root mean square error (RMSE) and determining factor (f) values are used to select the optimum SD interval (Δx) in the DE method. The RMSE and f values are used to evaluate the reproducibility of the measured data and the scattering in the relationship between velocity and acceleration in an orderly. The data, treated by the DE and MA methods, are utilized to predict the failure time based on the INV method and the relationship between velocity and acceleration on a logarithmic scale (VAA) method. Accordingly, Δx gives the smallest sum of the normalized RMSE and normalized (1-f), which offers a better prediction. When the SD at failure changes, Δx is changed. The best prediction is obtained by DE preprocessing with the VAA method because it minimizes the effect of the individual 1/v by reducing the scatter in the relationship between velocity and acceleration. However, the time prediction using data processed by the MA method shows poor prediction due to some scattering of the inverse velocity. In some cases, the prediction by the VAA method using MA data provides better prediction than the results of the INV method.
Community Scale Landslide Resilience: A Citizen-Science Approach
Authors: Ramesh Maneesha Vinodini , Thirugnanam Hemalatha , Mohanan Nitin Kumar , Singh Balmukund , Ekkirala Harichandana C , Guntha Ramesh
Published: December 2023

Building landslide resilience at a community scale is the most effective way to protect people against landslides. But building resilience at a community scale can become difficult, given the large spatial scale spanned by locations vulnerable to landslides and the number of communities that might get affected. So, in this chapter, we discuss how to build community-scale landslide resilience using a citizen-science approach. The potential of citizen-science approaches for building landslide resilience at the community level is immense, given that the citizens become resources to build resilience. Yet challenges exist in this approach as novel tools and operationalizing methods are seldom found in the literature. Therefore, this chapter examines the requirements, solutions, and dimensions of landslide resilience and presents a framework to strengthen community-scale resilience. The framework addresses how citizens can be engaged before, during, and after a disaster. This chapter also presents a few example tools used to operationalize this theoretical framework, such as Landslide tracker mobile app, Amritakripa mobile app, social media data analysis, and community involvement. It also examines the difficulties found while applying the citizen science approach in two case study locations in India: Munnar in the Western Ghats and Chandmari in Sikkim. This chapter and the case study can help policymakers, community leaders, change makers, administrative officials, and researchers in disaster management.
Goldstone bosons on celestial sphere and conformal soft theorems
Authors: Kampf Karol , Novotný Jiří , Trnka Jaroslav , Vaško Petr
Published: December 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we study celestial amplitudes of Goldstone bosons and conformal soft theorems. Motivated by the success of soft bootstrap in momentum space and the important role of the soft limit behavior of tree-level amplitudes, our goal is to extend some of the methods to the celestial sphere. The crucial ingredient of the calculation is the Mellin transformation, which transforms four-dimensional scattering amplitudes to correlation functions of primary operators in the celestial CFT. The soft behavior of the amplitude is then translated to the singularities of the correlator. Only for amplitudes in “UV completed theories” (with sufficiently good high energy behavior) the Mellin integration can be properly performed. In all other cases, the celestial amplitude is only defined in a distributional sense with delta functions. We provide many examples of celestial amplitudes in UV-completed models, including linear sigma models and Z-theory, which is a certain completion of the SU(N) non-linear sigma model. We also comment on the BCFW-like and soft recursion relations for celestial amplitudes and the extension of soft bootstrap ideas.
Robustness of Flat Bands on the Perturbed Kagome and the Perturbed Super-Kagome Lattice
Authors: Kerner Joachim , Täufer Matthias , Wintermayr Jens
Published: December 2023

We study spectral properties of perturbed discrete Laplacians on two-dimensional Archimedean tilings. The perturbation manifests itself in the introduction of non-trivial edge weights. We focus on the two lattices on which the unperturbed Laplacian exhibits flat bands, namely the $$(3.6)^2$$

(
3.6
)

2

Kagome lattice and the $$(3.12^2)$$

(
3
.

12
2

)

“Super-Kagome” lattice. We characterize all possible choices for edge weights which lead to flat bands. Furthermore, we discuss spectral consequences such as the emergence of new band gaps. Among our main findings is that flat bands are robust under physically reasonable assumptions on the perturbation, and we completely describe the perturbation-spectrum phase diagram. The two flat bands in the Super-Kagome lattice are shown to even exhibit an “all-or-nothing” phenomenon in the sense that there is no perturbation, which can destroy only one flat band while preserving the other.
Das SCATTER-Projekt: Computerbasierte Simulation zur Unterstützung bei der strategischen Verlegung von Intensivpatienten
Authors: Bathe Janina , Renner Hanna-Joy , Watzinger Sven , Olave-Rojas David , Hannappel Leonie , Wnent Jan , Nickel Stefan , Gräsner Jan-Thorsten
Published: December 2023

Hintergrund

Der Bedarf für ein Konzept für die bundesweite strategische Verlegung von Intensivpatienten wurde durch die COVID-19-Pandemie („coronavirus disease 2019“: Coronavirus-Krankheit-2019; ausgelöst durch eine Infektion mit dem Virus SARS-CoV-2) deutlich. Trotz des eigens hierfür entwickelten Kleeblattkonzeptes stellt die Verlegung einer großen Anzahl von Intensivpatienten eine große Herausforderung dar. Mithilfe einer Computersimulation werden in dem Projekt SCATTER (StrategisChe PATienTenvERlegung) Verlegungsstrategien für die Krisenbewältigung am Beispiel eines fiktiven Szenarios getestet und Empfehlungen entwickelt.

Methode

Nach sorgfältiger Erhebung von Prozess- und Strukturdaten für innerdeutsche Intensivtransporte erfolgte die Programmierung der Computersimulation. Hier können auf diverse Parameter Einfluss genommen und unterschiedlichste Verlegungsszenarien erprobt werden. In einem fiktiven Übungsszenario wurden von Schleswig-Holstein ausgehend bundesweite Verlegungen simuliert und anhand verschiedener Kriterien beurteilt.

Ergebnisse

Bei den bodengebundenen Verlegungen zeigte sich aufgrund der eingeschränkten Reichweite und in Abhängigkeit der gewählten Zielregion, dass meist nicht alle Patienten verlegt werden können. Luftgebunden lässt sich zwar eine höhere Anzahl von Patienten verlegen, dies ist jedoch oft mit zusätzlichen Umlagerungen verbunden, die ein potenzielles Risiko für die Patienten darstellen. Eine distanzabhängige luft- oder bodengebundene Transportstrategie führte in dem Übungsszenario zu identischen Ergebnissen wie der rein luftgebundene Transport, da aufgrund der großen Distanz stets der luftgebundene Transport gewählt wurde.

Diskussion

Aus der Computersimulation können wichtige Erkenntnisse über verschiedene Verlegungsstrategien und Rückschlüsse auf die Realität gezogen und Empfehlungen entwickelt werden.
Intravitreal ranibizumab injection is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease: a population-based study in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Chang-Hsu , Lim Paik Seong , Wu Tsai-Kun , Chuang Wu-Lung , Yu Teng-Shun , Tsai Fuu-Jen , Chen Chuan-Mu , Chang Kuang-Hsi
Published: December 2023

Systemic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) blockade has been the top adjunctive chemotherapy since 1990. Anti-VEGF therapy has also been associated with worsened renal function in some patients. However, the association between patient outcomes and use of intravitreal VEGF inhibitors remains controversial. Thus, it is necessary to determine the action mechanism and long-term renal effects of ranibizumab. The National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) is one of the largest global databases that are extensively used for epidemiological research. NHIRD contains the medical information of all insureds, such as inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and traditional Chinese medicine records. We selected subjects aged ≥ 20 years who recently administered ranibizumab for the ranibizumab cohort. Non-ranibizumab cohort consisted of subjects who did not receive ranibizumab, and the index date was a random date between 2008 and 2018. We excluded subjects with missing sex and age records and those in which the date of primary outcome was before the index date. The two cohorts were matched via 1:1 propensity score matching based on sex, age, index year, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, stroke, coronary artery disease, alcoholism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, and diabetic macular edema. Medical confounders were angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors, statins, corticosteroids, VEGF inhibitors including bevacizumab and aflibercept, lithium, amphotericin B, adefovir, NSAIDS, cisplatin, and calcineurin inhibitors. Among 48,248 participants aged ≥ 20 years, 24,136 (50%) received ranibizumab (13,565 male [56.20%] and 10,571 female [43.80%]). Moreover, 24,136 participants who did not receive ranibizumab were matched by age, sex, comorbidities, and medications. Subjects who received ranibizumab exhibited a significantly higher risk of CKD than those who did not receive ranibizumab (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.79–1.96). Our findings revealed that exposure to intravitreal ranibizumab is an independent risk factor for CKD. Therefore, physicians and ophthalmologists should make the patients aware of such a correlation to increase patient safety and decrease the CKD burden.
Restorative justice in a case of traumatic birth following an unperceived pregnancy
Authors: Olza Ibone , Alfaro Vanessa Cascante , Klier Claudia M.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Pregnancy can be denied or better “unperceived” by women in up to 1:300 pregnancies and poses the mother and her unborn at high risk when an unassisted birth follows. The importance of recognizing unperceived pregnancy and the risk of unassisted births for both mothers and their babies are described.

Methods

Description of a case of unperceived pregnancy and traumatic unassisted birth.

Results

A pregnant woman was not diagnosed in a clinic despite being at the verge of giving birth. She was turned away, was on her way to another hospital, and gave birth in a toilet in a dissociative state. The baby survived, but the mother was declared guilty of attempted manslaughter and received a 6-year prison sentence. The expertise of a perinatal psychiatrist reversed the verdict and the court apologized to the mother, now living with her son.

Conclusions

This case shows the severe consequences when pregnancy and labor are not recognized by health professionals. The reversal of the original sentence is considered a pioneer case of restorative justice in the context of unperceived pregnancy and obstetric violence. Health providers and courts need to be informed by perinatal mental health professionals about the impact of unperceived pregnancy and obstetric violence.
Spiral groove bearing design for improving plasma skimming in rotary blood pumps
Authors: Jiang Ming , Hijikata Wataru
Published: December 2023

High-efficiency plasma skimming is hopeful to prevent hemolysis inside spiral groove bearings (SGBs) because it can exclude red blood cells from the ridge gap with a high shear force. However, no study reveals the shape design of SGBs to improve plasma skimming. Therefore, this study proposed and applied a groove design strategy to designing an optimal SGB for enhancing plasma skimming in a rotary blood pump (RBP). Initially, we proposed the design strategy that the shape of the groove for enhancing plasma skimming corresponds to the direction of blood flow in the ridge gap. Second, we visualized the cell flow in a specially designed experimental RBP to determine the direction of blood flow, which was helpful in the subsequent SGB design. Then, we created an SGB to provide superior plasma skimming and applied it to the experimental RBP. We evaluated the plasma skimming effect of SGB at rotational speeds ranging from 2400 to 3000 rpm and hematocrit conditions between 1% and 40%. At a 1% hematocrit, the plasma skimming efficiency for the entire SGB was greater than 95%. In all hematocrit conditions, the efficiency at the inner ridges of the SGB was greater than 80%. The results showed the designed SGB successfully induced excellent plasma skimming within ridge gaps. This study is the first to propose and apply a shape design strategy to generate excellent plasma skimming within an SGB. This study may contribute to the prevention of SGB hemolysis inside SGB for use in RBPs.
Movement ecology and minimum density estimates of red foxes in wet grassland habitats used by breeding wading birds
Authors: Porteus Tom A. , Short Mike J. , Hoodless Andrew N. , Reynolds Jonathan C.
Published: December 2023

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a widely distributed generalist meso-predator implicated in declines of wading bird populations. In the wet grassland habitats where waders breed, wildlife managers work to mitigate fox predation risk to waders during the nesting period through lethal and non-lethal control methods. However, limited knowledge on fox movement ecology in these habitats makes it difficult to design effective management strategies. We used GPS telemetry to understand fox home range size, daily activity and movement patterns, and how these metrics may vary among wet grassland sites with different management. We caught and GPS-tagged 35 foxes in the March–June wader nesting period on two wet grassland sites in central southern England; Britford during 2016/17 and Somerley during 2018/19. We estimated home range areas from location data using local convex hulls, and from these estimates we derived the minimum fox density at each site and year. Daily activity patterns and movement behaviour of each fox were obtained using both telemetry and trail camera data. Mean fox home range area at Britford (0.21 km2, SE = 0.025) was significantly smaller than at Somerley (0.68 km2, SE = 0.067), and estimated minimum densities were around four times higher (Britford = 10.6 foxes/km2, Somerley = 2.4 foxes/km2). Foxes were more active and moved faster during twilight and night hours, but both telemetry and camera data indicate they were also active for one-third of daylight hours. Distances moved per day were variable between foxes but generally smaller at Britford. We also found evidence for dispersal during spring, with movements of up to 19 km per day. Home ranges at both wet grassland sites were smaller than comparable sites elsewhere. These indicated foxes were living at exceptionally high densities at Britford, where there is no fox control, increased food availability and where waders no longer breed. Spatio-temporal movement patterns were closely related to home range metrics, with higher levels of fox activity at Somerley, where home ranges were larger. The movements of itinerant and dispersing foxes during the nesting period suggests that lethal control would need to be very intensive to be effective. The likely anthropogenic food subsidy of fox density at Britford suggests that controlling access to similar food resources would help reduce predation pressure on breeding waders.
Genetic and Environmental Influences on Sexual Orientation: Moderation by Childhood Gender Nonconformity and Early-Life Adversity
Authors: Oginni Olakunle Ayokunmi , Alanko Katarina , Jern Patrick , Rijsdijk Frühling Vesta
Published: December 2023

Existing evidence indicates genetic and non-genetic influences on sexual orientation; however, the possibility of gene-environment interplay has not been previously formally tested despite theories indicating this. Using a Finnish twin cohort, this study investigated whether childhood gender nonconformity and early-life adversities independently moderated individual differences in sexual orientation and childhood gender nonconformity, the relationship between them, and the etiological bases of the proposed moderation effects. Sexual orientation, childhood gender nonconformity, and early-life adversities were assessed using standard questionnaires. Structural equation twin model fitting was carried out using OpenMx. Childhood gender nonconformity was significantly associated with reduced phenotypic variance in sexual orientation (β =  − 0.14, 95% CI − 0.27, − 0.01). A breakdown of the underlying influences of this moderation effect showed that this was mostly due to moderation of individual-specific environmental influences which significantly decreased as childhood gender nonconformity increased (βE =  − 0.38; 95% CI − 0.52, − 0.001) while additive genetic influences were not significantly moderated (βA = 0.05; 95% CI − 0.30, 0.27). We also observed that the relationship between sexual orientation and childhood gender nonconformity was stronger at higher levels of childhood gender nonconformity (β = 0.10, 95% CI 0.05, 0.14); however, significance of the underlying genetic and environmental influences on this relationship could not be established in this sample. The findings indicate that beyond a correlation of their genetic and individual-specific environmental influences, childhood gender nonconformity is further significantly associated with reduced individual-specific influences on sexual orientation.
Faculty members’ perceptions and students’ experiences of research-based curricula: a multiple case study of four undergraduate programmes
Authors: Zou Tracy X. P. , Lee Jetty C. Y. , Yu Ka Sing , Chow King L. , Barry Tom J. , Leung Lily Y. Y. , Brew Angela
Published: December 2023

The implementation of a research-based curriculum that enables students to develop essential capabilities for this complex world is challenging. There is limited understanding of the implementation of a research-based curriculum in a whole degree programme, and few studies examined how faculty members and students perceived such a curriculum. This study explored faculty members’ perceptions and students’ experiences of four research-based curricula in two research-intensive universities in Hong Kong. Based on document review, 18 faculty interviews, and 113 student interviews, we discovered an overall positive view of research-based curricula but also substantial differences between faculty members’ perceptions and students’ experiences. For example, faculty members emphasised the learning and critical evaluation of knowledge. In comparison, students focused on exploring specific interesting issues and collecting and analysing information without fully recognising the potential of research in generating, applying, and validating knowledge. Moreover, students’ experiences of research-based curricula contained a broader scope of activities than the curriculum perceived by faculty members. These gaps demonstrate that the fundamental goals of research-based curricula to develop ‘powerful knowledge’ and induct students into disciplinary ways of thinking have yet to be fully achieved. The study implies a need to enhance communication between students and faculty members and build a consensus on designing and supporting undergraduate research across the curriculum.
Preparation of polyamide 6 with reduced flammability by polymerization casting
Authors: Doležal Jan , Benešová Václava , Brožek Jiří
Published: December 2023

The paper describes the preparation of polyamide 6 with reduced flammability by anionic in situ polymerization of ε-caprolactam in the presence of flame retardants, a method not described in the literature. Selected inorganic and brominated organic flame retardants were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis. Polymerization tests were used to test the compatibility of flame retardants with the components of the initiation system of anionic polymerization. Based on their results, polyamide plates for the preparation of test specimens were prepared by the method of polymerization casting in a mold. The content of water-extractable portions did not exceed 3%, i.e., the conversion of monomer into polymer took place to a high degree. The presence of flame retardants both inorganic and brominated organic in the polymer matrix did not affect the thermal stability, the content of the crystalline phase and also the mechanical properties. Samples containing brominated organic flame retarders were classified as V-0 according to the UL94 methodology.
The Ethical Obligation for Research During Public Health Emergencies: Insights From the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Barosa Mariana , Jamrozik Euzebiusz , Prasad Vinay
Published: December 2023

In times of crises, public health leaders may claim that trials of public health interventions are unethical. One reason for this claim can be that equipoise—i.e. a situation of uncertainty and/or disagreement among experts about the evidence regarding an intervention—has been disturbed by a change of collective expert views. Some might claim that equipoise is disturbed if the majority of experts believe that emergency public health interventions are likely to be more beneficial than harmful. However, such beliefs are not always justified: where high quality research has not been conducted, there is often considerable residual uncertainty about whether interventions offer net benefits. In this essay we argue that high-quality research, namely by means of well-designed randomized trials, is ethically obligatory before, during, and after implementing policies in public health emergencies (PHEs). We contend that this standard applies to both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions, and we elaborate an account of equipoise that captures key features of debates in the recent pandemic. We build our case by analyzing research strategies employed during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding drugs, vaccines, and non-pharmaceutical interventions; and by providing responses to possible objections. Finally, we propose a public health policy reform: whenever a policy implemented during a PHE is not grounded in high-quality evidence that expected benefits outweigh harms, there should be a planned approach to generate high-quality evidence, with review of emerging data at preset time points. These preset timepoints guarantee that policymakers pause to review emerging evidence and consider ceasing ineffective or even harmful policies, thereby improving transparency and accountability, as well as permitting the redirection of resources to more effective or beneficial interventions.
Racial and ethnic disparities in self-reported general and mental health status among colorectal cancer survivors: impact of sociodemographic factors and implications for mortality—a SEER-CAHPS study
Authors: Yoon Paul S. , Navarro Stephanie , Barzi Afsaneh , Ochoa-Dominguez Carol Y. , Arizpe Angel , Farias Albert J.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Patient-reported outcomes are recognized as strong predictors of cancer prognosis. This study examines racial and ethnic differences in self-reported general health status (GHS) and mental health status (MHS) among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of Medicare beneficiaries between 1998 and 2011 with non-distant CRC who underwent curative resection and completed a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey within 6–36 months of CRC diagnosis. Analysis included a stepwise logistic regression to examine the relationship between race and ethnicity and fair or poor health status, and a proportional hazards model to determine the mortality risk associated with fair or poor health status.

Results

Of 1867 patients, Non-Hispanic Black (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.06–2.28) and Hispanic (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.04–2.11) patients had higher unadjusted odds for fair or poor GHS compared to Non-Hispanic White patients, also Hispanic patients had higher unadjusted odds for fair or poor MHS (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.23–3.01). These relationships persisted after adjusting for clinical factors but were attenuated after subsequently adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Compared to those reporting good to excellent health status, patients reporting fair or poor GHS or MHS had an increased mortality risk (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.31–1.76 and OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.34–1.99, respectively).

Conclusion

Racial and ethnic differences in GHS and MHS reported after CRC diagnosis are mainly driven by sociodemographic factors and reflect a higher risk of mortality. Identifying unmet biopsychosocial needs is necessary to promote equitable care.
Polarization adaptation to improve cell border area bitrates and system capacity in small cells
Authors: Lempiäinen Jukka , Sheikh Muhammad Usman , Asp Ari , Jäntti Riku
Published: December 2023

The target of this paper is to show the impact of polarization adaptation on the received signal quality in an outdoor small-cell deployment scenario. The signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) is the key factor in defining the achievable data rate, and the capacity of the cell. At the cell border area, the SIR value is typically low and causes a significant decrease in the system capacity and achievable data rates. These bad SIR areas at the cell border can be improved by using orthogonal polarizations in the neighboring cells rather than using all polarizations over the whole cell coverage area. For the research work of this paper, a series of measurements were carried out to measure a received signal power and a cross polarization discrimination (XPD) ratio while the signal is transmitted and received with a different set of polarizations. In the measurements, we have considered horizontal, vertical, +/− 45° slanted polarizations, and two different environments, urban street and open space, and three frequency bands, 970−1030 MHz, 2000−2030 MHz and 3364−3400 MHz. The measurement results revealed that at a different distance from the transmitter, for horizontal/vertical polarization, the average XPD is around 24.7 dB and 31.7 dB in the urban street and open area environments, respectively. For +/− 45° slanted polarization, the average XPD is around 11.5 dB and 12.1 dB in the urban street and open area environments, respectively. This paper goes on to propose polarization adaptation in each cell, where the primary polarization is valid for the whole service area of the cell, and secondary polarization is only used in close proximity of the base station antenna. Considering the results, it is emphasized that system capacity can be significantly improved by having only one channel with good SIR values compared to multiple channels with bad SIR values. However, MIMO channels with orthogonal polarizations or with spatial multiplexing can be utilized in the closed vicinity of the base station, i.e., in an area with good SIR values. It is shown that the overall cell capacity can be increased by almost 35% by utilizing polarization adaptation compared to MIMO 2 × 2.
Studying teacher withitness in the wild: comparing a mirroring and an alerting & guiding dashboard for collaborative learning
Authors: Kasepalu Reet , Chejara Pankaj , Prieto Luis P. , Ley Tobias
Published: December 2023

Teachers in a collaborative learning (CL) environment have the demanding task of monitoring several groups of students at the same time and intervening when needed. This withitness (both the situational awareness and interventions taken in class) of the teacher might be increased with the help of a guiding dashboard alerting the teacher of problems and providing suggestions for interventions. This paper introduces a quasi-experiment carried out in authentic classrooms. We examined how a mirroring and an alerting & guiding dashboard affected the withitness of teachers in a face-to-face learning environment while students discussed and used a collaborative writing tool. Twenty-four teachers were observed, interviewed, and answered surveys in three different conditions altogether: with no extra information about the situation, using a dashboard mirroring low-level data about the collaboration, and additionally an AI assistant indicating problems in pedagogical terms and potential solutions (i.e., a guiding dashboard). The results show that the situational awareness of the teachers increased with the introduction of a mirroring dashboard. The workload of the participating teachers dropped more with the introduction of an alerting & guiding dashboard, helping teachers feel less frustrated and more accomplished.
Psychosoziale Notfallversorgung von Kindern und Jugendlichen nach Suizid oder Tötung im Nahfeld
Authors: Kern Tita , Rinne-Wolf Susanna , Finkeldei Simon
Published: December 2023

Hintergrund

Sowohl der Suizid als auch die Tötung einer nahen Person stellen folgenreiche und risikohafte traumatische Erlebnisse für Kinder und Jugendliche dar, welche zahlreiche Familien betreffen. Diese Fälle sind potenzielle Einsätze für die Fachkräfte der Psychosozialen Notfallversorgung (PSNV), deren frühe und spezifische Ansätze nach hoch belastenden Lebenserfahrungen fachlich indiziert sind.

Ziel

Ziel der zugrunde liegenden Studie ist es, die Erfahrungen von Fachkräften der Psychosozialen Akuthilfe (PSAH) bei Einsätzen, in denen es um Suizid oder Tötung geht und Kinder betroffen sind, zu erheben. Es sollen der Stand der Versorgung betroffener Familien und die Einschätzung des Hilfebedarfs sowie die anschließenden Versorgungsangebote der PSNV für betroffene Kinder, Jugendliche und Familien nach der unmittelbaren PSAH abgebildet werden.

Methode

Per teilstandardisiertem Online-Fragebogen wurden Daten von 506 Fachkräften der PSNV im deutschsprachigen Raum erhoben. Themen waren die Einschätzung des Versorgungsbedarfs und der bestehenden Versorgungssituation von Familien nach Suizid/‑versuch oder versuchter/vollendeter Tötung, die Erfahrungen der Fachkräfte bei Einsätzen mit diesen Indikationen sowie die Ausbildung und (Selbst‑)Einschätzung der Kompetenzen zu diesbezüglich relevanten traumaspezifischen Aspekten.

Ergebnisse

Bedarfe für weiterführende Betreuung werden von Fachkräften der PSNV nach Alter der betroffenen Kinder unterschiedlich und teilweise entgegen der aktuellen Forschungslage eingeschätzt. Es werden deutliche Versorgungslücken für von Suizid/‑versuch oder Tötung/-sversuch der betroffenen Familien beschrieben. Fachkräfte der PSNV wünschen sich selbst mehr Kompetenzen im Bereich der Betreuung von Kindern und Jugendlichen nach Suizid/‑versuch und Tötung/-sversuch. Ebenso wird der Wunsch nach einer niedrigschwellig erreichbaren Rückfallebene geäußert.

Schlussfolgerung

Fachkräfte der PSNV sehen den Bedarf für weiterführende Betreuung bei den Betroffenen, beschreiben jedoch einen Mangel an weiterversorgenden Angeboten. Die Angebote, in die lokal weitervermittelt werden kann, sind in den meisten Fällen weder spezifisch, passgenau noch kurzfristig verfügbar. Es besteht ein Bedarf für eine unmittelbar erreichbare, spezifische Unterstützung sowohl für Fachkräfte als auch für betroffene Familien (z. B. durch eine Notfallrufnummer).