bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interested in urology? The journey from a medical student to urology resident
Authors: Mehr Justin P. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractApplying for a urology residency as a medical student can be very intimidating. The goal of this study is to help provide the framework for understanding the process of becoming a urologist in the United States. This begins with learning about the field of urology, including what they do, the breadth of the specialty, the length of training, and career satisfaction/hours. Following this, it is important to explore the field firsthand when deciding on a specialty. This can be done through many avenues including shadowing in the clinic setting or operating room, doing urologic clinical/translational research, and attending conferences. Once someone has decided that they want to apply for a urology residency, there are several steps along the path. This article attempts to lay out these steps in a structured manner so that prospective applicants can be best set up for success in applying and matching to their desired training program.
Quantification of Micro and Trace Elements in Tobacco Products Using Total Reflection X‐Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry: A Human Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Manjunatha  , Bennal A. S. 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTThe use of tobacco remains a significant public health challenge around the world. Micro and trace elements present in tobacco products pose substantial health risks due to their toxicity and tendency to accumulate in organisms through ingestion or inhalation. This study aims to measure the concentrations of micro and trace elements, including Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, As, Cd, Pb, and Bi in commonly used tobacco‐related products such as chewing tobacco, bidis, and cigarettes in North Karnataka, India. The measurements are conducted using Bruker benchtop S2‐PICOFOX total reflection X‐ray fluorescence (TXRF) combined with a sample suspension method. This paper provides a comprehensive non‐carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessment based on the detected concentration of these elements to evaluate their potential impacts on human health. The results revealed higher concentrations of Cr, Mn, Cu, Cd, and Pb in these products compared with previous studies and WHO/FAO acceptable levels. The hazard index (HI) of all the elements shows < 1, which suggests that non‐carcinogenic effects are not expected. However, Mn showed a notable non‐carcinogenic risk (3.05 × 10−03) compared with other elements. Additionally, the total excess lifetime cancer risk (TELCR) value for Cr (3.77 × 10−06) was near the USEPA limit indicating a carcinogenic health risk. A multivariate statistical approach was used to identify sources and relationships among the trace elements. These findings underline the necessity for stringent regulatory measures to limit the presence of these harmful substances in tobacco products to protect public health.
Can the hot hand phenomenon be modelled? A Bayesian hidden Markov approach
Authors: Calvo Gabriel , Armero Carmen , Spezia Luigi 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSports data analytics has been gaining importance over recent years as an essential topic in applied statistics. Specifically, basketball has emerged as one of the iconic sports where the use and immediate collection of data have become widespread. Within this domain, the hot hand phenomenon has sparked a significant scientific controversy, with sceptics claiming its non-existence while other authors provide evidence for it. We propose a Bayesian longitudinal hidden Markov model that examines the hot hand phenomenon in consecutive shots of a basketball team, each of which can be either missed or made. We assume two states (cold or hot) in the hidden Markov chains associated with each math and model the probability of success for each shot with regard the hidden state, the random effects related the match, and the covariates. This model is applied to real data sets of three teams from the USA National Basketball Association: the Miami Heat team and the Toronto Raptors team in the 2005–2006 season, and the Chicago Bulls in the 2022–2023 season. We show that this model is a powerful tool for assessing the overall performance of a team during a game and, in particular, for quantifying the magnitude of team streaks in probabilistic terms.
Sterbefälle wohnungsloser Menschen vor und während der COVID-19-Pandemie in Hamburg
Authors: Laudien Caroline , Püschel Klaus , Lohner Larissa , Friedrich Peter , Ondruschka Benjamin 
Published: September 2024

ZusammenfassungHamburg verzeichnet in der gesamten Bundesrepublik die mitunter höchsten Zahlen an Wohnungslosen.Während die Bevölkerung während der Pandemie dazu aufgerufen wurde, zu Hause zu bleiben, blieben Wohnungslose auf sich allein gestellt auf der Straße zurück, kurzzeitig sogar vollständig von jeglichen Hilfsangeboten abgeschnitten.Ziel dieser Arbeit war herauszufinden, ob sich die Sterbefälle zweier Kalenderjahre durch pandemische Maßnahmen voneinander unterschieden.Todesfälle 112 Wohnungsloser in Hamburg aus den Jahren 2019 (n = 42) und 2021 (n = 70) wurden hinsichtlich des Geschlechts, Alters, Nationalität, Substanzmittelabusus, Ort des Versterbens und der Todesursachen verglichen.Bereits zu Beginn der Pandemie wurde diskutiert, dass es unter wohnungslosen Menschen zu besonders hohen Transmissionsraten von SARS-CoV‑2 kommen würde. Während einige Studien dies nicht nachweisen können, belegen andere die rasche Virusausbreitung insbesondere innerhalb von Notunterkünften. In der Studie, die dieser Arbeit zugrunde liegt, verstarben 3 (4,3 %) von 70 Wohnungslosen im Jahr 2021 mit oder an SARS-CoV‑2.Es zeigten sich bis auf einen frequenteren Substanzmittelabusus in 2021 (p = 0,009) und eine geringere Anzahl Verstorbener aufgrund von Hypothermie in 2021 (p = 0,023) keine signifikanten Veränderungen durch die Pandemie.Sozialarbeiter diskutieren eine Verbesserung im Kontakt mit den Wohnungslosen mit der Chance gezielter Hilfe.Für relevante Differenzen muss eine longitudinale Betrachtung der postpandemischen Sterbefälle in der Zukunft folgen, um eine veränderte oder verbesserte Situation zu bewerten.
Hearing impairment amongst people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta in Germany
Authors: Felicio-Briegel A. , Müller J. , Pollotzek M. , Neuling M. , Polterauer D. , Gantner S. , Simon J. , Briegel I. , Simon F. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Introduction
Hearing impairment concerns a relevant percentage of individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). When looking at the current literature, the percentage of affected individuals with OI varies greatly from 32 to 58% of patients having mild OI and 21% to 27% of patients having moderate to severe OI. Little is known about the German population with OI.

Method
The goal of this study was to detect how many patients with OI, who visited the annual meeting of the German Association for Osteogenesis Imperfecta in 2023, proved to have a hearing impairment. In this prospective, cross-sectional study, each included individual obtained ear microscopy, audiometry, stapedius reflexes, tympanometry, and OAEs. Furthermore, each patient was asked a set of questions concerning the medical history.

Results
Of the included patients, 33% had hearing impairment. A significant difference was found for the mean air–bone gap (ABG) as well as the hearing threshold of the right ears. The difference was found between OI type III and IV (p = 0.0127) for the mean ABG and OI type I and IV (p = 0.0138) as well as III and IV (p = 0.0281) for the hearing threshold. Spearman’s rank correlation showed a high correlation between age and hearing threshold. Of the patients between 40 and 50 years old, 56% had hearing loss.

Conclusion
Hearing loss in individuals with OI is still a relevant problem, especially age-related in OI type I. Audiometry should be performed at least when individuals experience subjective hearing loss. The implementation of a screening starting at 40 years should be discussed and studied.
First whole genome sequencing and analysis of human parechovirus type 3 causing a healthcare-associated outbreak among neonates in Hungary
Authors: Deézsi-Magyar Nóra , Novák Nikolett , Lukács Adrienne , Tarcsai Katalin Réka , Hajdu Ágnes , Takács László , Farkas Ferenc Balázs , Rigó Zita , Barcsay Erzsébet , Kis Zoltán , Szomor Katalin 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Purpose
In November 2023, the National Reference Laboratory for Enteroviruses (Budapest, Hungary) received stool, pharyngeal swab and cerebrospinal fluid samples from five newborns suspected of having human parechovirus (PEV-A) infection. The neonates were born in the same hospital and presented with fever and sepsis-like symptoms at 8–9 days of age, and three of them showed symptoms consistent with central nervous system involvement. PEV-A positivity was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Methods
To determine the PEV-A genotype responsible for the infections, fecal samples of four neonates were subjected to metagenomic sequencing. For further analyses, amplicon-based whole genome sequencing was performed directly from the clinical samples.

Results
On the basis of whole genome analysis, sequences were allocated to PEV-A genotype 3 (PEV-A3) and consensus sequences were identical. Two ambiguities were identified in the viral protein 1 (VP1) region of all sequences at a frequency of 17.7–53.7%, indicating the simultaneous presence of at least two quasispecies in the clinical samples. The phylogenetic analysis and similarity plotting showed that all sequences clustered without any topological inconsistencies between the P1 capsid and P2, P3 non-capsid regions, suggesting that recombination events during evolution were unlikely.

Conclusion
Our findings suggest that the apparent cluster of cases were microbiologically related, and the results may also inform future investigations on the evolution and pathogenicity of PEV-A3 infections.
Why do Eurasian otters eat so few invasive blue crabs?
Authors: Bedmar Sergio , Oficialdegui Francisco J. , Clavero Miguel 
Published: September 2024

AbstractInvasive species can become key trophic resources for native predators, and thus understanding predator-invasive prey interactions is relevant to assess invasion impacts. The Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) has recently invaded coasts and lower stretches of rivers across the Western Palearctic, often establishing very abundant populations. The blue crab is an important prey for a large number of predators within its native range, but predation upon invasive populations is still virtually unknown. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a flexible predator, known to incorporate invasive prey into its diet when they become available. We studied otter diet in a small estuary of southern Spain hosting a very abundant blue crab population. The role of the blue crab as otter prey was only anecdotal since, out of 223 spraints (otter faeces) collected between 2021 and 2023, its remains were found in a single one. The avoidance of the blue crab by otters, and also by other predators, seems to be a generalised phenomenon in the invaded range of this crustacean. Predation on invasive blue crabs may require a long-lasting learning process to overcome the crab’s anti-predatory structures and behaviours. Trophic interactions between invasive blue crabs and native predators deserves attention for three main aspects: (i) its implications for the functioning and structure of invaded food webs, (ii) its potential role in limiting the invasion, and (iii) the interest in the generation of new predatory traits among animal populations.
Physiological Effects of Psychological Interventions Among Persons with Financial Stress: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Introduction to Psychophysiological Economics
Authors: Lehrer Paul , Derby Lilly , Caswell Jacqueline Smith , Grable John , Hanlon Robert 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIt is known that economic problems can cause psychological stress, and that psychological stress causes physiological changes often linked to disease. Here we report a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on physiological effects of psychological treatment for individuals with economic problems. Of 5071 papers in our initial PsycInfo search, we identified 16 papers on physiological effects for psychological treatment of the economically stressed. We found 11 controlled studies, among which we found a small to moderate significant effect size, Hedges’ g = 0.319, p < 0.001. The largest effect sizes were found for heart rate variability and measures of inflammation, and the smallest for measures involving cortisol. The studies were all on chronically poor populations, thus restricting generalization to other financially stressed populations such as students, athletes in training, and those stressed by relative deprivation compared with neighbors or other reference groups. None of the studies examined effects of these psychophysiological changes on disease susceptibility, and none included elements of financial planning. The nascent field of financial psychophysiology calls for more research in these areas. Even so, results suggest that financially stressed people can benefit physiologically from psychological stress management methods.
Longitudinal perspectives on technology acceptance: Teachers' integration of digital tools through the COVID-19 transition
Authors: Wohlfart Olivia , Wagner Ingo 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe rapid and continuing acceleration of digital transformation in education, propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, has underscored the urgent need to examine how teachers adapt to and integrate digital tools in their teaching practices. Anchored in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as its theoretical framework, this study uniquely uses a longitudinal design to trace the evolving patterns of technology acceptance and integration among teachers. Through qualitative methodology, involving three series of interviews with 13 secondary school teachers over two years, we identify their evolving interactions with digital tools. Our analysis reveals a cyclical pattern of technology acceptance and use across time, characterized by initial rapid adaptation to digital tools, subsequent periods of reflection and skill acquisition, and varied levels of sustained integration or reassessment. Based on our findings we propose an adapted, cyclical TAM framework and highlight the critical role of ongoing support, professional development, and infrastructure improvements, arguing for comprehensive support systems and adequate time for educators to progress through different stages of digital tool integration. We conclude that a deep understanding and support of these cycles are essential for empowering teachers to lead the digital transformation in education effectively.
Responding to Children’s Semiotic Repertoires in Collaborative Digital Storytelling
Authors: Shengjergji Sofije , Myrendal Jenny , Pramling Niklas 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn this study, we analyze activities in which early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers, together with pairs of children, engage in digital storytelling activities with a tablet application. The participating teachers and children speak more than one national language, and the activity has been pursued with the intention of supporting children’s full use of their various semiotic repertoires. Theoretically informed by a sociocultural perspective, the notion of semiotic repertoires here refers to not only national languages, such as English and Swedish, but also other semiotic means for communication such as sign language, gestures, and drawings. With the purpose of addressing how ECEC can be responsive to children’s repertoires of semiotic means of communication, the research question asked is: How are various semiotic repertoires introduced and responded to in the storytelling activities? The results consist of a differentiation and specification of the meaning of responsivity in the context of semiotic repertoires. The implications for children’s participation in developmental activities and the ambition of creating socially just ECEC institutions are discussed.
Rice fields play a complementary role within the landscape mosaic supporting structurally and functionally distinct waterbird communities
Authors: Paulino João , Granadeiro José Pedro , Matos Paula , Catry Teresa 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis study aims to understand how the structure and functions of waterbird communities in rice fields compare to those in other habitats within an agricultural landscape encompassing five habitats: saltpans, lakes, intertidal areas, pastures and rice fields. Over 2 years, waterbird counts were conducted every 15 days in these habitats. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to compare the composition and functional structure of the waterbird communities. Differences in both metrics were found among habitats throughout the year. These appear to be driven by spatial (presence of permanent water cover) and temporal gradients (yearly seasonality). Rice fields occupy a central position within the gradients. The composition and functional structure of waterbird communities in rice fields undergo significant changes throughout the year associated with the annual rice production cycle. Other habitats maintain more consistent communities, reflecting their more stable environmental conditions. Rice fields play a complementary role to other habitats in the landscape, likely acting as a buffer, partially mitigating the loss of some waterbird species amid the global decline of natural wetlands.
Hardship Withdrawals Among Households with Disabilities
Authors: Wann Christi R. , Trussel John , Burke-Smalley Lisa A. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractGiven recent economic and personal challenges, inflation, and periods of unemployment, households with disabilities can become particularly financially challenged, perhaps even to the point of executing hardship withdrawals from their retirement savings. This is an important issue for Americans – particularly for families with disabilities - because typically early withdrawals from retirement accounts are subject to a 10% penalty tax (or 25% penalty tax on Simple IRAs) in addition to being taxed at the individual’s marginal tax rate. In the present study, we use the 2021 National Financial Capability Survey data and find that households with disabilities indeed have a 6.37% higher probability of taking hardship withdrawals than households without disabilities. More specifically, households with seeing, ambulatory, or multiple disabilities have a 7.04%, 7.57%, or 10.93% higher probability of taking hardship withdrawals when compared to households without disabilities, respectively. Given the understudied nature of this niche, we develop, test, and provide a downloadable prediction model that can be used by households with disabilities, financial planners, and other policymakers to identify those who are likely to take a hardship withdrawal, as well as offer practical implications.
Uranium isotopes and several heavy elements in selected waters in Quang Nam-Da Nang provinces, Central Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Dinh Chau , Duong Van-Hao , Chu Trung Tien , Pham Thi Thanh-Xuan , Nguyen Ngoc Truc , Nguyen Thi Hoang Ha , Hoang Dinh Que , Tran Danh Hung , Musthafa Mohamed Saiyad , Nguyen Tien-Manh , Ganbaatar Tuvshinsainkhan , Kovács Tibor 
Published: September 2024

Abstract238U and 234U concentrations, 238U/234U ratios and Na, Ca, Mg, K, Al, As, Cd concentrations were measured in selected surface waters (streams, rivers and lakes), ground waters (dug wells) and underground waters (drill wells and thermal waters) in Quang Nam and Da Nang provinces, Central Vietnam. The mineralization was < 500 mg L−1 and Al, As, Cd contents were a few tenths of µg L−1. 234U and 238U activities were between 0.47–27.6 mBq L−1 and 0.6–15.0 mBq L−1 respectively, these values are lower than WHO recommended limits. Uranium contents trended as Urivers < Ustreams < Ulakes < Udig wells < Uthermal water < Udrill wells. The 234U/238U ratio ranged from 0.69 to 2.31 with 1.26 on average. For groundwaters, the ratio scattered around one. Effects of Nong Son uranium deposit located in Quang Nam region were not observed.
Non-contact electromagnetic control of torsional vibrations of a rigid cylinder
Authors: Atzampou Panagiota , Meijers Peter C. , Tsouvalas Apostolos , Metrikine Andrei V. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe successful deployment of offshore wind turbines hinges on the installation process, particularly the temporary suspension of the turbine components during assembly. External factors or imbalances in control forces can induce vibrations, emphasizing the need for precise control, especially in the torsional mode, to ensure the delicate alignment required for bolted connections. This paper introduces a contactless technique to control the torsional vibrations of a rigid cylinder using electromagnetic interaction between two magnets, incorporating magnetically-imposed damping and active control algorithms. The magnetically-imposed dissipation is achieved by introducing nonlinear damping into the system, i.e. by controlling the orientation of the field exerted by the electromagnetic actuator. Leveraging the nonlinear coupling of the interaction between the magnets and the modification of the stable equilibrium position, the results show a satisfactory active control performance (low residual error and swift response). The key parameters for control efficiency are identified as the separation distance between the magnets, the fluctuation step of the actuator’s magnetic field, and the magnetically-induced stiffness relative to the inherent stiffness of the system. Consequently, the proposed method lays a promising foundation for a non-contact control technique, particularly valuable in offshore wind turbine installations.
Is spacetime curved? Assessing the underdetermination of general relativity and teleparallel gravity
Authors: Mulder Ruward , Read James 
Published: September 2024

AbstractRealism about general relativity (GR) seems to imply realism about spacetime curvature. The existence of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR) calls this into question, for (a) TEGR is set in a torsionful but flat spacetime, and (b) TEGR is empirically equivalent to GR. Knox (Stud Hist Philos Sci Part B Stud Hist Philos Mod Phys 42(4):264–275, 2011) claims that there is no genuine underdetermination between GR and TEGR; we call this verdict into question by isolating and addressing her individual arguments. In addition, we anticipate and evaluate two further worries for realism about the torsionful spacetimes of TEGR, which we call the ‘problem of operationalisability’ and the ‘problem of visualisability’.