bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A hierarchical cosimulation algorithm integrated with an acceptance–rejection method for the geostatistical modeling of variables with inequality constraints
Authors: Madani Nasser , Abulkhair Sultan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis work addresses the problem of the cosimulation of cross-correlated variables with inequality constraints. A hierarchical sequential Gaussian cosimulation algorithm is proposed to address this problem, based on establishing a multicollocated cokriging paradigm; the integration of this algorithm with the acceptance–rejection sampling technique entails that the simulated values first reproduce the bivariate inequality constraint between the variables and then reproduce the original statistical parameters, such as the global distribution and variogram. In addition, a robust regression analysis is developed to derive the coefficients of the linear function that introduces the desired inequality constraint. The proposed algorithm is applied to cosimulate Silica and Iron in an Iron deposit, where the two variables exhibit different marginal distributions and a sharp inequality constraint in the bivariate relation. To investigate the benefits of the proposed approach, the Silica and Iron are cosimulated by other cosimulation algorithms, and the results are compared. It is shown that conventional cosimulation approaches are not able to take into account and reproduce the linearity constraint characteristics, which are part of the nature of the dataset. In contrast, the proposed hierarchical cosimulation algorithm perfectly reproduces these complex characteristics and is more suited to the actual dataset.
“SPOCU”: scaled polynomial constant unit activation function
Authors: Kiseľák Jozef , Lu Ying , Švihra Ján , Szépe Peter , Stehlík Milan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe address the following problem: given a set of complex images or a large database, the numerical and computational complexity and quality of approximation for neural network may drastically differ from one activation function to another. A general novel methodology, scaled polynomial constant unit activation function “SPOCU,” is introduced and shown to work satisfactorily on a variety of problems. Moreover, we show that SPOCU can overcome already introduced activation functions with good properties, e.g., SELU and ReLU, on generic problems. In order to explain the good properties of SPOCU, we provide several theoretical and practical motivations, including tissue growth model and memristive cellular nonlinear networks. We also provide estimation strategy for SPOCU parameters and its relation to generation of random type of Sierpinski carpet, related to the [pppq] model. One of the attractive properties of SPOCU is its genuine normalization of the output of layers. We illustrate SPOCU methodology on cancer discrimination, including mammary and prostate cancer and data from Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer dataset. Moreover, we compared SPOCU with SELU and ReLU on large dataset MNIST, which justifies usefulness of SPOCU by its very good performance.
Occurrence and management of postoperative pneumocephalus using the semi-sitting position in vestibular schwannoma surgery
Authors: Machetanz Kathrin , Leuze Felix , Mounts Kristin , Trakolis Leonidas , Gugel Isabel , Grimm Florian , Tatagiba Marcos , Naros Georgios 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
The semi-sitting position in neurosurgical procedures is still under debate due to possible complications such as venous air embolism (VAE) or postoperative pneumocephalus (PP). Studies reporting a high frequency of the latter raise the question about the clinical relevance (i.e., the incidence of tension pneumocephalus) and the efficacy of a treatment by an air replacement procedure.

Methods
This retrospective study enrolled 540 patients harboring vestibular schwannomas who underwent posterior fossa surgery in a supine (n = 111) or semi-sitting (n = 429) position. The extent of the PP was evaluated by voxel-based volumetry (VBV) and related to clinical predictive factors (i.e., age, gender, position, duration of surgery, and tumor size).

Results
PP with a mean volume of 32 ± 33 ml (range: 0–179.1 ml) was detected in 517/540 (96%) patients. The semi-sitting position was associated with a significantly higher PP volume than the supine position (40.3 ± 33.0 ml [0–179.1] and 0.8 ± 1.4 [0–10.2], p < 0.001). Tension pneumocephalus was observed in only 14/429 (3.3%) of the semi-sitting cases, while no tension pneumocephalus occurred in the supine position. Positive predictors for PP were higher age, male gender, and longer surgery duration, while large (T4) tumor size was established as a negative predictor. Air exchange via a twist-drill was only necessary in 14 cases with an intracranial air volume > 60 ml. Air replacement procedures did not add any complications or prolong the ICU stay.

Conclusion
Although pneumocephalus is frequently observed following posterior fossa surgery in semi-sitting position, relevant clinical symptoms (i.e., a tension pneumocephalus) occur in only very few cases. These cases are well-treated by an air evacuation procedure. This study indicates that the risk of postoperative pneumocephalus is not a contraindication for semi-sitting positioning.
Using the five to fifteen-collateral informant questionnaire for retrospective assessment of childhood symptoms in adults with and without autism or ADHD
Authors: Hirvikoski Tatja , Lajic S. , Jokinen J. , Renhorn E. , Trillingsgaard A. , Kadesjö B. , Gillberg C. , Borg J. ,   The F. T. F. working group
Published: July 2020

AbstractDue to lack of previous studies, we aimed at evaluating the use of the Five to Fifteen (FTF) questionnaire in adults with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and in controls without NDD. The NDD group consisted of adults with autism spectrum disorder ASD (n = 183) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n = 174) without intellectual disability, recruited from a tertiary outpatient clinic. A web survey was used to collect data from general population adult control group without NDD (n = 738). The participants were retrospectively rated by their parents regarding childhood symptoms, using five to fifteen-collateral informant questionnaire (FTF-CIQ). Adults with NDD had higher FTF-CIQ domain and subdomain scores than controls, and displayed similar test profiles as children with corresponding diagnosis in previous studies. Based on the FTF-CIQ domain scores, 84.2% of the study participants (93% of the controls; 64% of the adults with NDD) were correctly classified in a logistic regression analysis. Likewise, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis on FTF-CIQ total sum score indicated that a cut-off value of 20.50 correctly classified 90% of the controls and 67% of the clinical cases, whilst a cut-off value of 30.50 correctly classified 84% of the controls and 77% of the clinical cases. The factor analysis revealed three underlying components: learning difficulties, cognitive and executive functions; social skills and emotional/behavioural symptoms; as well as motor and perceptual skills. Whilst not designed as a diagnostic instrument, the FTF-CIQ may be useful for providing information on childhood symptoms and associated difficulties in individuals assessed for NDD as adults.
Impact of mainstream classroom setting on attention of children with autism spectrum disorder: an eye-tracking study
Authors: Banire Bilikis , Al Thani Dena , Qaraqe Marwa , Mansoor Bilal , Makki Mustapha 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIt has long been reported that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit attention difficulties while learning. They tend to focus on irrelevant information and can easily be distracted. As a result, they are often confined to a one-to-one teaching environment, with fewer distractions and social interactions than would be present in a mainstream educational setting. In recent years, inclusive mainstream schools have been growing in popularity due to government policies on equality rights. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate attentional patterns of children with ASD in mainstream schools. This study aims to explore the attentional behaviors of children with ASD in a virtual reality simulated classroom. We analyzed four eye-gaze behaviors and performance scores of 45 children: children with ASD (ASD n = 20) and typically developing children (TD n = 25) when performing attention tasks. The gaze behaviors included time to first fixate (TTFF), first fixation duration (FFD), average fixation duration (AFD) and the sum of fixation count (SFC) on fourteen areas of interest (AOIs) in the classroom. Our results showed that children with ASD exhibit similar gaze behaviors to TD children, but with significantly lower performance scores and SFC on the target AOI. These findings showed that classroom settings can influence attentional patterns and the academic performance of children with ASD. Further studies are needed on different modalities for supporting the attention of children with ASD in a mainstream setting.
Assessment of barrier location effect on debris flow based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulation on 3D terrains
Authors: Choi Shin-Kyu , Park Joon-Young , Lee Deuk-Hwan , Lee Seung-Rae , Kim Yun-Tae , Kwon Tae-Hyuk 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDebris flows are one of the perilous landslide-related hazards due to their fast flow velocity, large impact force, and long runout, in association with poor predictability. Debris-flow barriers that can minimize the energy of debris flows have been widely constructed to mitigate potential damages. However, the interactions between debris flows and barriers remain poorly understood, which hampers the optimal barrier installation against debris flows. Therefore, this study examined the effect of barrier locations, in particular source-to-barrier distance, on velocity and volume of debris flows via the numerical approach based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). A debris-flow event was simulated on a 3D terrain, in which a closed-type barrier was numerically created at predetermined locations along a debris-flow channel, varying the source-to-barrier distance from the initiation point. In all cases, the closed-type barrier significantly reduced the velocity and volume of the debris flows, compared to the cases without a barrier. When the initial volume of source debris was small, or when the flow path was short, the barriers effectively blocked the debris flow regardless of the source-to-barrier distance. However, with a long flow path, installation of the barrier closer to the initiation location appeared more effective by preventing the debris volume from growing by entrainment. Our results contribute to a better understanding of how source-to-barrier distance influences debris-flow behavior, and show that the methodology presented herein can be further used to determine optimum and efficient designs for debris-flow barriers.
“It’s going to be hard you know…” Teachers’ perceived role in widening access to medicine
Authors: Alexander Kirsty , Nicholson Sandra , Cleland Jennifer 
Published: July 2020

AbstractMedical schools worldwide undertake widening access (WA) initiatives (e.g. pipeline, outreach and academic enrichment programmes) to support pupils from high schools which do not traditionally send high numbers of applicants to medicine. UK literature indicates that pupils in these schools feel that their teachers are ill-equipped, cautious or even discouraging towards their aspiration and/or application to medicine. This study aimed to explore teachers’ perspectives and practices to include their voice in discussions and consider how medical schools might best engage with them to facilitate WA. Interviews were conducted with high school teachers in three UK regions, working in schools targeted by WA initiatives. Data were analysed thematically using template analysis, using a largely data-driven approach. Findings showed that although medicine was largely seen as a prestigious and worthwhile career, teachers held reservations about advocating this above other choices. Teachers saw it as their role to encourage pupils to educate themselves about medicine, but to ultimately allow pupils to make their own decisions. Their attitudes were influenced by material constraints in their schools, and the perception of daunting, long and emotionally difficult admissions requirements, with low chances of success. Medical schools may wish to work with teachers to understand their hesitations and help them develop the mindset required to advocate a challenging and unfamiliar career, emphasising that this encouragement can further the shared goal of empowering and preparing pupils to feel capable of choosing medicine. Reciprocally, medical schools should ensure pupils have fair opportunities for access, should they choose to apply.
Valproic acid upregulates the expression of the p75NTR/sortilin receptor complex to induce neuronal apoptosis
Authors: Dedoni Simona , Marras Luisa , Olianas Maria C. , Ingianni Angela , Onali Pierluigi 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe antiepileptic and mood stabilizer agent valproic acid (VPA) has been shown to exert anti-tumour effects and to cause neuronal damage in the developing brain through mechanisms not completely understood. In the present study we show that prolonged exposure of SH-SY5Y and LAN-1 human neuroblastoma cells to clinically relevant concentrations of VPA caused a marked induction of the protein and transcript levels of the common neurotrophin receptor p75NTR and its co-receptor sortilin, two promoters of apoptotic cell death in response to proneurotrophins. VPA induction of p75NTR and sortilin was associated with an increase in plasma membrane expression of the receptor proteins and was mimicked by cell treatment with several histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. VPA and HDAC1 knockdown decreased the level of EZH2, a core component of the polycomb repressive complex 2, and upregulated the transcription factor CASZ1, a positive regulator of p75NTR. CASZ1 knockdown attenuated VPA-induced p75NTR overexpression. Cell treatment with VPA favoured proNGF-induced p75NTR/sortilin interaction and the exposure to proNGF enhanced JNK activation and apoptotic cell death elicited by VPA. Depletion of p75NTR or addition of the sortilin agonist neurotensin to block proNGF/sortilin interaction reduced the apoptotic response to VPA and proNGF. Exposure of mouse cerebellar granule cells to VPA upregulated p75NTR and sortilin and induced apoptosis which was enhanced by proNGF. These results indicate that VPA upregulates p75NTR apoptotic cell signalling through an epigenetic mechanism involving HDAC inhibition and suggest that this effect may contribute to the anti-neuroblastoma and neurotoxic effects of VPA.
Parental Reasoning on Choosing the Mobile Preschool: Enabling Sustainable Development or Adjusting to a Neoliberal Society?
Authors: Ojala Maria , Ekman Ladru Danielle , Gustafson Katarina 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDue to the emergence of new forms of preschools and parents’ increased freedom of choice regarding early childhood education, more research on parental preschool preferences is needed. Although preschool offers a seedbed for the development of knowledge and competencies, this development matures through interaction with parents. Therefore, parental expectations and wishes are very likely to affect children’s learning. The mobile preschool is a new form of educational practice in Sweden where children travel by bus to different places for play and learning. This form of preschool can potentially lay a foundation for social and ecological sustainability because children learn to meet diverse people, explore different places, and spend time in nature. We interviewed 15 parents of children in a mobile preschool, most from a middle-class background. The main aim was to explore how these parents explain their choice of this type of preschool. Another aim was to identify desirable competencies that the parents think their children will achieve through the mobile preschool. Six themes related to preschool choice were identified; of these themes, “being out in nature” and “enlarging the children’s reality” were the most prominent. Two clusters of competencies were distinguished: care- and cooperation-oriented competencies, and freedom- and independence-oriented competencies. After analyzing these results in relation to two current educational discourses—education for sustainable development and entrepreneurship in a neoliberal society—we show how parents participate in reproducing these discourses. These findings add novel and important knowledge to the field of early childhood educational practices concerning parental choice and preferences.
The Self-Regulation-View in Writing-to-Learn: Using Journal Writing to Optimize Cognitive Load in Self-Regulated Learning
Authors: Nückles Matthias , Roelle Julian , Glogger-Frey Inga , Waldeyer Julia , Renkl Alexander 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe propose the self-regulation view in writing-to-learn as a promising theoretical perspective that draws on models of self-regulated learning theory and cognitive load theory. According to this theoretical perspective, writing has the potential to scaffold self-regulated learning due to the cognitive offloading written text generally offers as an external representation and memory aid, and due to the offloading, that specifically results from the genre-free principle in journal writing. However, to enable learners to optimally exploit this learning opportunity, the journal writing needs to be instructionally supported. Accordingly, we have set up a research program—the Freiburg Self-Regulated-Journal-Writing Approach—in which we developed and tested different instructional support methods to foster learning outcomes by optimizing cognitive load during self-regulated learning by journal writing. We will highlight the main insights of our research program which are synthesized from 16 experimental and 4 correlative studies published in 16 original papers. Accordingly, we present results on (1) the effects of prompting germane processing in journal writing, (2) the effects of providing worked examples and metacognitive information to support students in effectively exploiting prompted journal writing for self-regulated learning, (3) the effects of adapting and fading guidance in line with learners’ expertise in self-regulated learning, and (4) the effects of journal writing on learning motivation and motivation to write. The article closes with a discussion of several avenues of how the Freiburg Self-Regulated-Journal-Writing Approach can be developed further to advance research that integrates self-regulated learning with cognitive load theory.
Silicon recycling through rice residue management does not prevent silicon depletion in paddy rice cultivation
Authors: Hughes Harold James , Hung Dao Trong , Sauer Daniela 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSilicon (Si) is known to help plants mitigate environmental stresses and nutrient deficits. In some regions, the limited plant-available Si in soils can have detrimental effects on yields. Crop residue recycling is used to maintain the amount of plant-available Si in soils. However, the effect of crop residue management practices on Si availability to plants remains largely understudied. Here, we study the effects of three different rice residue management practices on Si-depleted rice fields in northern Vietnam. These management practices were (1) the direct incorporation of rice residues into soils, (2) burning in the field, and (3) use as fodder for animals, followed by composting of the obtained manure, and subsequent application to the field. We analyzed different Si reservoirs in soils and the content of plant-Si under these different practices. Our results show correlations between plant Si content and the different soil Si reservoirs, in particular with Si trapped in soil organic material (SiOrg; R2 = 0.68, n = 18, p < 10–4). However, we found no significant difference between the three residue management practices with respect to plant-available Si in soils and to the content of plant-Si. Moreover, our data suggest that strongly Si-depleted rice-cultivation systems proportionally lose Si through grain harvesting twice as fast as less Si-depleted systems because of the enhanced relative Si accumulation in grain. This loss cannot be mitigated by the recycling of rice residues, which suggests that the recycling of rice residues has only a limited effect in extremely Si-depleted rice-cultivation systems.
Students’ Digital Media Self-Efficacy and Its Importance for Higher Education Institutions: Development and Validation of a Survey Instrument
Authors: Pumptow Marina , Brahm Taiga 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAlthough digital media are in general very common, their role in academic settings and their relevance for academic achievement are not satisfactorily explored. A research gap that is particularly apparent during the corona crisis in 2020 when university processes in many countries are suddenly almost completely digitalised. Research suggests a link between students’ diversity, in particular, their socio-economic background, academic self-efficacy expectations, study-related attitudes, and academic achievement. However, previous empirical studies on digital media at universities predominantly describe different types of media usage patterns but little is revealed about the students’ study-related attitudes and performance. The present study aims at developing a survey instrument to explore the relationship of individual, contextual as well as social background factors concerning academic achievement, with a special focus on academic and digital media self-efficacy expectations (DMSE). For this purpose, a new scale for DMSE has been constructed, based on existing psychological research. After pre-testing the instrument in 2017, data was collected at four German universities in summer 2018 (n = 2039). Validity and reliability are shown and the instrument appears suitable for further research in order to explore the interplay of student learning and digital media use in higher education, integrating the institutional and social context.
Cognitive Dissonance in Technology Adoption: A Study of Smart Home Users
Authors: Marikyan Davit , Papagiannidis Savvas , Alamanos Eleftherios 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis study aims to address a research gap related to the outcomes of the use of technology when the performance falls short of initial expectations, and the coping mechanisms that users may deploy in such circumstances. By adopting Cognitive Dissonance Theory, the objectives of the study are a) to examine how dissonance, caused by the negative disconfirmation of expectations, may translate into a positive outcome and b) study how negative emotions, such as anger, guilt and regret, determine the selection of the mechanism to reduce dissonance. The theorised model was tested using a cross-sectional research design and a sample of 387 smart home users. The focus on smart home users fitted the objectives of the study due to the high expectations that users form and the challenges that the utilisation of technology sometimes causes. The collected data was analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings indicate that post-disconfirmation dissonance induces feelings of anger, guilt and regret, correlating with dissonance reduction mechanisms, which in turn have a distinctive effect on satisfaction and wellbeing. The findings of the study contribute to the discussion on expectation-disconfirmation and cognitive dissonance, by illustrating the interrelationship between emotional, cognitive and behavioural factors following the evaluation of technology performance and confirming that negative disconfirmation may result in satisfaction.