bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating classroom response systems in engineering education: Which metrics better reflect student performance?
Authors: Abbas Rubén , Sebastián Andrés , Casanova Jesús 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Classroom response systems (CRS) represent an innovative educational technology that can be used to promote active learning and student engagement. This study explores the effectiveness of CRS in enhancing student learning and performance across various engineering courses related to heat engines. During five academic years, CRS have been used weekly in six subjects that belong to two bachelor’s degrees and one master’s degree to promote continuous learning. The performance of the students in the CRS benefits the student by up to + 10% in the final mark. In this period, data from more than 1,000 students has been collected, including key performance indicators (KPIs) derived from Kahoot!, such as the number and correctness of responses and time spent answering, and other evaluations such as theory and numerical problem exams results. The objective of the study is to find the KPI that best identifies the knowledge acquisition by the students. In order to do so, the correlation of the KPI with the final exams is analysed by means of the correlation of determination and the root mean square error. The findings reveal that KPIs based on the number of questions asked exhibit stronger correlations with exam results compared to those based on responses or correctness. The study also highlights the positive impact of CRS on student engagement, classroom dynamics, and exam preparation, supported by student feedback. In essence, this research provides insights into the relationship between CRS metrics and academic outcomes, offering valuable considerations for the integration of technology in engineering education.
Cryptic speciation in the nematode family Longidoridae from South America: description of Xiphinema cryptocostaricense sp. nov. from Colombia and notes on X. seinhorsti
Authors: Kornobis Franciszek , Osten-Sacken Natalia , Winiszewska Grażyna , Castillo Pablo 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
The genus Xiphinema Cobb, 1913 belongs to the family Longidoridae and consists of approximatelly 280 described species of plant-root ectoparasites. They occur on all continents except Antarctica and many species are important pests of crops, harming plants either by direct parasiting or by vectoring of nepoviruses. Due to their economic importance, several species were subjected to regulations aimed to limit their global spread. Moreover, the use of molecular techniques allowed to confirm the occurrence of cryptic species within the genus. In this paper we describe Xiphinema cryptocostaricense sp. nov., which constitutes the first instance of cryptic speciation within the family Longidoridae from South America. In terms of morphology this species is characterised by the body measuring 2.00–2.35 mm; lip region detached from the body outline only by a shallow constriction; odontostyle 129–135 µm long; V = 34.0–36.6; anterior branch of the genital tract largely reduced; tail short, almost hemispherical; lack of males and presence of four juvenile stages. This species is also characterised using molecular markers D2-D3 expansion domains of 28S rRNA, ITS1 rRNA and partial cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 gene sequences. Based on morphology, this species is indistinguishable from X. costaricense Lamberti and Tarjan (Nematologia Mediterranea, 2, 1–11 1974). Additionally, a nomenclature remark is given- the name X. cryptocostaricense sp. nov. has been created by adding prefix ‘crypto’ to an already existing name of species. The advanatage of this approach is that it immediately points to which species it is cryptic to. Finally, new data regarding the second species, X. seinhorsti are given, including a first report of this species outside the place of its original description, data on molecular markers and morphology, including the first description of the J1 and J2 stages.
Knowledge Versus Understanding: What Drives Moral Progress?
Authors: Bodlović Petar , Kudlek Karolina 
Published: September 2024

AbstractMoral progress is often modeled as an increase in moral knowledge and understanding, with achievements in moral reasoning seen as key drivers of progressive moral change. Contemporary discussion recognizes two (rival) accounts: knowledge-based and understanding-based theories of moral progress, with the latter recently contended as superior (Severini 2021). In this article, we challenge the alleged superiority of understanding-based accounts by conducting a comparative analysis of the theoretical advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. We assess them based on their potential to meet the following criteria: (i) moral progress must be possible despite evolutionary and epistemic constraints on moral reasoning; (ii) it should be epistemically achievable to ordinary moral agents; and (iii) it should be explainable via doxastic change. Our analysis suggests that both accounts are roughly equally plausible, but knowledge-based accounts are slightly less demanding and more effective at explaining doxastic change. Therefore, contrary to the prevailing view, we find knowledge-based accounts of moral progress more promising.
Limited support for a direct connection between prebiotics and intestinal permeability – a systematic review
Authors: Acharya Binayak , Tofthagen Marthe , Maciej-Hulme Marissa L. , Suissa Michal Rachel , Karlsson Niclas G. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe intestinal barrier is a selective interface between the body´s external and the internal environment. Its layer of epithelial cells is joined together by tight junction proteins. In intestinal permeability (IP), the barrier is compromised, leading to increased translocation of luminal contents such as large molecules, toxins and even microorganisms. Numerous diseases including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Coeliac disease (CD), autoimmune disorders, and diabetes are believed to be associated with IP. Dietary interventions, such as prebiotics, may improve the intestinal barrier. Prebiotics are non-digestible food compounds, that promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. This systematic review assesses the connection between prebiotic usage and IP. PubMed and Trip were used to identify relevant studies conducted between 2010–2023. Only six studies were found, which all varied in the characteristics of the population, study design, and types of prebiotics interventions. Only one study showed a statistically significant effect of prebiotics on IP. Alteration of intestinal barrier function was measured by lactulose/mannitol, chromium-labelled Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (51Cr-EDTA), lactulose/rhamnose, and sucralose/erythritol excretion as well as zonulin and glucagon-like peptide 2 levels. Three studies also conducted gut microbiota assessment, and one of them showed statistically significant improvement of the gut microbiome. This study also reported a decrease in zonulin level. The main conclusion from this review is that there is a lack of human studies in this important field. Futhermore, large population studies and using standardized protocols, would be required to properly assess the impact of prebiotic intervention and improvement on IP.
STEM Outside of School: a Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Informal Science Education on Students' Interests and Attitudes for STEM
Authors: Xia Xin , Bentley Lillian R. , Fan Xitao , Tai Robert H. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis meta-analysis explores the impact of informal science education experiences (such as after-school programs, enrichment activities, etc.) on students' attitudes towards, and interest in, STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The research addresses two primary questions: (1) What is the overall effect size of informal science learning experiences on students' attitudes towards and interest in STEM? (2) How do various moderating factors (e.g., types of informal learning experience, student grade level, academic subjects, etc.) impact student attitudes and interests in STEM? The studies included in this analysis were conducted within the United States in K-12 educational settings, over a span of thirty years (1992–2022). The findings indicate a positive association between informal science education programs and student interest in STEM. Moreover, the variability in these effects is contingent upon several moderating factors, including the nature of the informal science program, student grade level, STEM subjects, publication type, and publication year. Summarized effects of informal science education on STEM interest are delineated, and the implications for research, pedagogy, and practice are discussed.
Sawfly Sex Pheromones: Analysis of Their Impact on Pine Odor Attractive to Egg Parasitoids
Authors: Rahman-Soad Asifur , Skuras Ludwig , Reinecke Andreas , Varama Martti , Hilker Monika 
Published: September 2024

AbstractPinus sylvestris trees are known to efficiently defend themselves against eggs of the herbivorous sawfly Diprion pini. Their direct defense against eggs is primable by prior exposure to the sex pheromones of this species and their indirect defense involves attraction of egg parasitoids by egg-induced pine needle odor. But it is unknown whether exposure of pine to D. pini sex pheromones also affects pine indirect defense against sawfly eggs. In this study, we investigated the influence of exposure of P. sylvestris trees to the sex pheromones of D. pini on indirect defense mediated by egg parasitoids. Behavioral assays with Closterocerus ruforum, a key parasitoid of sawfly eggs, revealed no significant attraction to odor from egg-free pines pre-exposed to pheromones. Chemical analyses of odor from egg-free pines showed no pheromone-induced change in the emission rates of the known key terpenoids promoting parasitoid attraction. Further comparative analyses of odor from egg-laden pines pre-exposed to the sex pheromones and of odor from egg-laden pines unexposed to pheromones neither revealed significant differences in the emission rates of terpenoids relevant for parasitoid attraction. The results suggest that a pheromone-induced or pheromone-primed, egg-induced pine indirect defense seems to be redundant in addition to the known pheromone-primable pine direct defense against the eggs and the known egg-inducible indirect defense.
Social gradients in employment during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Alstadsæter Annette , Bratsberg Bernt , Markussen Simen , Raaum Oddbjørn , Røed Knut 
Published: September 2024

AbstractWe examine employment effects of the COVID-19 crisis in Norway from March 2020 through June 2022: during the initial lockdown, through the subsequent recovery, and after the dust had settled. While we identify large and socially skewed effects of the crisis through its early phases, we find no long-term effects on employees exposed to early risk of job loss. For those employed at the onset of the pandemic, both the level and the socioeconomic composition of employment quickly returned to normal. In contrast, we find considerable negative long-term employment effects on people who were neither in employment nor in education when the crisis hit. We argue that these patterns can be explained by social insurance policies that gave priority to protecting existing jobs and to distribute benefits to those who were temporarily laid off. Given the extreme increase in the social insurance caseload, an almost unavoidable side-effect was reduced capacity for providing services to the already non-employed.
Aircraft conflict resolution with trajectory recovery using mixed-integer programming
Authors: Dias Fernando , Rey David 
Published: September 2024

AbstractTo guarantee the safety of flight operations, decision-support systems for air traffic control must be able to improve the usage of airspace capacity and handle increasing demand. This study addresses the aircraft conflict avoidance and trajectory recovery problem. The problem of finding the least deviation conflict-free aircraft trajectories that guarantee the return to a target waypoint is highly complex due to the nature of the nonlinear trajectories that are sought. We present a two-stage iterative algorithm that first solves initial conflicts by manipulating their speed and heading control and then identifying each aircraft’s optimal time to recover its trajectory towards their nominal one. We extend existing mixed-integer programming formulations by modelling speed and heading control as continuous variables while recovery time is treated as a discrete variable. We develop a novel iterative approach which shows that the trajectory recovery costs can be anticipated by inducing avoidance trajectories with higher deviation, therefore obtaining earlier recovery time within a few iterations. Numerical results on benchmark conflict resolution problems show that this approach can solve instances with up to 30 aircraft within 10 min.
Why Conceptual Engineers Should Resist Dialogical Individualism
Authors: Podosky Paul-Mikhail Catapang 
Published: September 2024

AbstractConceptual engineering has strong political roots. But if conceptual engineering is to be a useful tool for promoting social justice, there must be a means by which the concepts we design can take root and propagate in dominant contexts. This is known as the implementation challenge. In this paper, I caution against movements toward a particular methodological perspective on the challenge called dialogical individualism. This perspective centres the role of speakers in speech-situations to persuade hearers to change their minds about currently held concepts. This individualism has a distorting effect: it warps our perception of the size of the challenge. In particular, dialogical individualism ignores the social environmental factors that make conversation an unfriendly site for conceptual change. Moreover, it is not sufficiently attentive to the history of conceptual change in communities of practice. In the end, I argue for a methodological perspective shift: discursive strategies, such as speaker persuasion, should be decentralized in our overall thinking about the best solutions to the implementation challenge. Our attention is better focused on tailoring strategies to deal with the social environment in which concept-users are embedded.
Genomic diversity study of highly crossbred cattle population in a Low and Middle Tropical environment
Authors: Guerrero Luisa Fernanda Naranjo , Rogberg-Muñoz Andrés , Rodríguez Nancy , Herrera Luis Gabriel González 
Published: September 2024

AbstractMilk production in tropical regions plays a crucial role both economically and socially. Typically, animals are utilized for dual purposes and are genetically obtained by an intense crossbreeding between Zebu and/or locally adapted breeds, alongside specialized breeds for dairy production. However, uncontrolled mating and crossbreeding may affect the establishment of an effective animal breeding program. The objective of this study was to evaluate Genomic diversity of highly crossbred cattle population in a Low and Middle Tropical environment. All sampled animals were genotyped using the Genessek GGP Bovine 100 chip (n = 859) and public genomic information from eight breeds were employed as reference. The genetic structure of the population was estimated using a Principal Component, Bayesian clustering and a linkage disequilibrium analysis. PCA results revealed that PC1 explained 44.39% of the variation, associated with the indicus/taurus differentiation, and PC2 explained 14.6% of the variation, attributed to the differentiation of Creole and European components. This analysis underscored a low population structure, attributed to the absence of genealogical tracking and the implementation of non-directed crossbreeding. The clustering shows an average contribution of Zebu, Creole, and European Taurine components in the population was 53.26%, 27.60%, and 19.13%, respectively. While an average LD of 0.096 was obtained for a maximum distance of 400 kb. The LD value was low in this population, probably due to the almost no selection applied and the recombination events that occurred during its development. These findings underscore the value of crossbreeding in tropical dairy production but emphasize the importance of directing the mattings.
Risk factors of hematoma after SWL for renal calculi: analysis from RCTs and a literature review
Authors: Wong Chris Ho-Ming , Ko Ivan Ching-Ho , Tang Emmy Sui-Fan , Yuen Steffi Kar-Kei , Leung David Ka-Wai , Kong Angel Wing-Yan , Chiu Peter Ka-Fung , Teoh Jeremy Yuen-Chun , Ng Chi Fai 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Objective
To identify risk factors of perinephric hematoma following extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) for renal calculi through combined analysis of two randomized controlled trials.

Patients and methods
This post-hoc analysis included adult patients with solitary renal calculi ranging from 5 to 15 mm, treated with SWL between 2016 and 2022. All patients received cross-sectional imaging (either non-contrast computer tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging) two days post-SWL to assess the presence and severity of perinephric hematoma.

Results
Among 573 patients analyzed, 173 (30.9%) developed perinephric hematoma by Day 2 post-SWL. Multivariate logistic regression identified higher total energy delivered (odds ratio [OR] = 1.533, p = 0.003), higher mean stone density (OR = 2.603, p = 0.01), higher maximal stone density (OR = 3.578, p = 0.03), and lower pole stone location (OR = 1.545, p = 0.029) were risk factors for the development of hematoma. Conversely, the stepwise ramping protocol was a protective factor for hematoma formation. (OR = 0.572, p = 0.042).

Conclusions
This study elucidates key factors influencing the risk of perinephric hematoma post-SWL, highlighting the importance of procedural adjustments such as the stepwise ramping protocol to reduce complications. These insights call for targeted patient and treatment strategy optimization to enhance SWL safety and efficacy.
Mercury exposure in ringed seals (Pusa hispida saimensis) in Lake Saimaa, Finland, and the placenta as a possible non-invasive biomonitoring tool
Authors: Simola Jesse , Kunnasranta Mervi , Niemi Marja , Biard Vincent , Akkanen Jarkko 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is a subspecies of ringed seal, landlocked in Lake Saimaa, Finland. The small population of less than 500 seals is facing many human-induced threats, including chemical contaminants. Mercury, in particular, has previously been suggested to be one of the chemicals affecting the viability of this endangered population. We analysed mercury concentrations from placentas and lanugo pup tissues (blubber, brain, kidney, liver, and muscle) to determine current prenatal exposure levels. These pups were found dead in or near birth lairs and were less than 3 months old. Additionally, we used threshold values available in the literature to estimate the potential mercury toxicity to the Saimaa ringed seal. We also determined selenium concentrations for its potential to alleviate the adverse effects of mercury. We further supplemented our study with brain samples collected from various seal age classes. These seals were found dead by either natural causes or by being caught in gillnets. The analysed chemicals were present in all tissues. For lanugo pups, mercury concentrations were the highest in the kidney and liver, whereas the highest selenium to mercury molar ratio was observed in placentas. The toxicity evaluation suggested that, in severe cases, mercury may cause adverse effects in lanugo and older pups. In these cases, the selenium concentrations were low and selenium to mercury ratio was below 1:1 threshold ratio and thus unlikely to provide adequate protection from the adverse effects of mercury. Furthermore, adverse effects are more likely to occur in adult seals, as mercury bioaccumulates, leading to higher concentrations in older individuals. Placental mercury concentrations correlated to those in the livers and muscle tissues of lanugo pups. This, together with the fact that placentas can be collected non-invasively and in good condition, provides a potential novel method for biomonitoring mercury exposure in Saimaa ringed seals.
Responding to negative emotion in a pre-service mathematics classroom
Authors: Higgins Joanna , Bonne Linda , Eden Raewyn 
Published: September 2024

AbstractEmotions associated with prior mathematics learning experiences endure for some pre-service teachers, leaching into their own teaching of mathematics. Taking a sociology of emotions framing, the naturalistic study used event-oriented social inquiry and employed multiple methods (classroom transcripts, interviews, email conversations and reflective notes). In the event selected for this paper, we identified the importance of teacher educators intentionally attending to emotions in pre-service mathematics classes to address a dominant cognitive emphasis in learning to teach mathematics. We found that collective empathy was central to an emotional climate in which responses to individual and collective emotions were considered. We argue that collectively creating an emotionally safe environment in pre-service teacher education can help disrupt cycles of negative emotion associated with mathematics.
First observation results of Macao Science Satellite 1 on lightning-induced electron precipitation
Authors: Wang Yongping , Sun Yixin , Zong Qiugang , Lu Gaopeng , Gu Xudong , Hu Ze-Jun , Li Bin 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe Medium-energy Electron Spectrometers (MES) is a space-borne instrument onboard Macao Science Satellite-1 (MSS-1) dedicated to monitoring the typical charged particle radiation characteristics in the satellite orbit and the process of their occurrence and development, including short bursts of lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP). This paper presents the first results of the LEP measurements by the MSS-1. 47 LEP events are identified with the routine operation for 3 months since satellite launch, all within the range of 1.5<L<3.0 (where L represents the McIlwain L-parameter), and the causative lightning discharges are definitively geo-located for these LEP events. The LEP events occur within <1 s of the causative lightning and consist of 40–300 keV electrons. A preliminary observation result indicates that, with medium-energy electron detectors, MSS-1 can present in-situ observations of large regions of enhanced background precipitation and reveal their fine spatiotemporal characteristics and spectral signatures. The collaborative VLF ground-based measurements at the Great Wall Station, Antarctica also have a good correspondence with LEP measurements of MSS-1. The observations also imply that lightning activity has a modulation effect on the energetic electron energy-spatial structure.