bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The sound of silence: children’s own perspectives on their hearing and listening in classrooms with different acoustic conditions
Authors: Vettori Giulia , Di Leonardo Laura , Secchi Simone , Bigozzi Lucia 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn this study, we investigated primary school children’s perspectives on their hearing and listening in classrooms with different acoustic quality levels. The sample included 213 children. The children completed a self-report questionnaire rating how well they could hear and listen in various situations in classrooms with two different acoustic conditions: Poor acoustic quality (long reverberation time [Long RT]) versus Adequate acoustic quality (short reverberation time [Short RT]) equipped with a sound-absorbing system. The results showed that auditory perception in the two conditions depends on the child’s age, with only fourth- and fifth-grade children reporting benefits from classroom acoustic correction. Our study provides preliminary results on children’s perspectives regarding their hearing and listening experiences during school learning, drawing out the implications for the design and implementation of school metacognitive interventions aimed at improving children’s and teachers’ awareness of motivational-affective, regulative, and environmental aspects favoring listening at school.
Accuracy Analysis of 3D Bone Fracture Models: Effects of Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging and Image Segmentation
Authors: Bittner-Frank Martin , Strassl Andreas , Unger Ewald , Hirtler Lena , Eckhart Barbara , Koenigshofer Markus , Stoegner Alexander , Nia Arastoo , Popp Domenik , Kainberger Franz , Windhager Reinhard , Moscato Francesco , Benca Emir 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe introduction of three-dimensional (3D) printed anatomical models has garnered interest in pre-operative planning, especially in orthopedic and trauma surgery. Identifying potential error sources and quantifying their effect on the model dimensional accuracy are crucial for the applicability and reliability of such models. In this study, twenty radii were extracted from anatomic forearm specimens and subjected to osteotomy to simulate a defined fracture of the distal radius (Colles’ fracture). Various factors, including two different computed tomography (CT) technologies (energy-integrating detector (EID) and photon-counting detector (PCD)), four different CT scanners, two scan protocols (i.e., routine and high dosage), two different scan orientations, as well as two segmentation algorithms were considered to determine their effect on 3D model accuracy. Ground truth was established using 3D reconstructions of surface scans of the physical specimens. Results indicated that all investigated variables significantly impacted the 3D model accuracy (p < 0.001). However, the mean absolute deviation fell within the range of 0.03 ± 0.20 to 0.32 ± 0.23 mm, well below the 0.5 mm threshold necessary for pre-operative planning. Intra- and inter-operator variability demonstrated fair to excellent agreement for 3D model accuracy, with an intra-class correlation (ICC) of 0.43 to 0.92. This systematic investigation displayed dimensional deviations in the magnitude of sub-voxel imaging resolution for all variables. Major pitfalls included missed or overestimated bone regions during the segmentation process, necessitating additional manual editing of 3D models. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that 3D bone fracture models can be obtained with clinical routine scanners and scan protocols, utilizing a simple global segmentation threshold, thereby providing an accurate and reliable tool for pre-operative planning.
Food security and the value of game animals—a study of Sweden
Authors: Gren Ing-Marie , Andersson Hans , Jonasson Lars , Knutsson Rickard 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe food security value of wild meat is calculated by combining proxy methods for quantifying game animal abundance with shadow pricing techniques for assessing the unit values of food security. This study calculated the food security values of moose, roe deer, wild boar, and fallow deer for Sweden overall and for individual counties. The results showed that meat from these animal populations accounts for approximately 9% of meat consumption in Sweden and for 1.2% of the minimum energy food consumption during periods of crisis for the whole of Sweden, while in some counties it can be as much as 8%. The calculated unit value, or shadow price, of the minimum energy requirement ranged between € 0.1 and € 4.2/mcal, depending on the magnitude of the crisis scenario. At most, the total food security value of actual animal population sizes amounted to 0.50 billion euros, but this was unevenly distributed, with high values in counties that have an abundance of moose and wild boar.
Emb-trattunet: a novel edge loss function and transformer-CNN architecture for multi-classes pneumonia infection segmentation in low annotation regimes
Authors: Bougourzi Fares , Dornaika Fadi , Nakib Amir , Taleb-Ahmed Abdelmalik 
Published: March 2024

AbstractOne of the primary challenges in applying deep learning approaches to medical imaging is the limited availability of data due to various factors. These factors include concerns about data privacy and the requirement for expert radiologists to perform the time-consuming and labor-intensive task of labeling data, particularly for tasks such as segmentation. Consequently, there is a critical need to develop novel approaches for few-shot learning tasks in this domain. In this work, we propose a Novel CNN-Transformer Fusion scheme to segment Multi-classes pneumonia infection from limited CT-scans data. In total, there are three main contributions: (i) CNN-Transformer encoders fusion, which allows to extract and fuse richer features in the encoding phase, which contains: local, global and long-range dependencies features, (ii) Multi-Branches Skip Connection (MBSC) is proposed to extract and fuse richer features from the encoder features then integrate them into the decoder layers, where MBSC blocks extract higher-level features related to the finer details of different infection types, and (iii) a Multi-classes Boundary Aware Cross-Entropy (MBA-CE) Loss function is proposed to deal with fuzzy boundaries, enhance the separability between classes and give more attention to the minority classes. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated using two evaluation scenarios and compared with different baseline and state-of-the-art segmentation architectures for Multi-classes Covid-19 segmentation. The obtained results show that our approach outperforms the comparison methods in both Ground-Glass Opacity (GGO) and Consolidation segmentation. On the other hand, our approach shows consistent performance when the training data is reduced to half, which proves the efficiency of our approach in few-shot learning. In contrast, the performance of the comparison methods drops in this scenario. Moreover, our approach is able to deal with imbalanced data classes. These advantages prove the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed EMB-TrAttUnet approach in a pandemic scenario where time is critical to save patient lives.
The Effects of Switching to Video Therapy on In-Session Processes in Psychotherapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Edelbluth Susanne , Schwartz Brian , Lutz Wolfgang 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Objective and Aim
This study aimed to assess the impact of switching from face-to-face (f2f) psychotherapy to video therapy (VT) due to the COVID-19 pandemic on in-session processes, i.e., the therapeutic alliance, coping skills, and emotional involvement, as rated by both patients and therapists.

Methods
A total of N = 454 patients with mood or anxiety disorders were examined. The intervention group (IG) consisted of n = 227 patient-therapist dyads, who switched from f2f to VT, while the control group (CG) consisted of n = 227 patient-therapist dyads, who were treated f2f before the pandemic. To evaluate the effects of switching to VT on in-session processes, three longitudinal piecewise multilevel models, one per process variable, were fitted. Each process variable was regressed on the session number with a slope for the three sessions before switching to VT and a second slope for up to six VT sessions afterwards.

Results
The therapeutic alliance significantly increased after switching from f2f to VT across the two groups (IG and CG) and raters (patients and therapists) with no differences between IG and CG. On average, patients rated the therapeutic alliance better than therapists. Coping skills significantly increased after switching from f2f to VT across the two groups and raters, but the CG rated coping skills higher than the IG after the switch. Overall, therapists rated coping skills higher than patients. Emotional involvement did not significantly increase after switching to VT across the two groups and raters and there was no significant difference between patient and therapist ratings.

Discussion
In conclusion, the switch to VT had no negative impact on the therapeutic alliance and emotional involvement. However, more coping skills were reported in the CG than in the IG after the switch to VT, which was mainly due to a stagnation in patient-rated coping skills in the IG.
New hard tick (Acari: Ixodidae) reports and detection of Rickettsia in ticks from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia
Authors: Oviedo Ángel , Rodríguez Miguel M. , Flores Fernando S. , Castro Lyda R. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM), located in northern Colombia, is considered a geographical island with high levels of biodiversity and endemism. However, little is known about tick species and their associated microorganisms at the SNSM. In this study we sampled host-seeking ticks in areas of the town of Minca within the SNSM. We collected 47 ticks identified as Amblyomma pacae, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma mixtum, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Ixodes sp. cf. Ixodesaffinis and Ixodes sp. Of these ticks, we tested for Rickettsia spp. by amplifying the gltA, SCA1, and 16S rRNA genes via PCR. Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in one pool of 3 larvae and in a female of A. pacae. Additonally, we isolated Rickettsia sp. belonging to the group of spotted fevers in larvae of A. longirostre. This study reports new findings of six species of ticks and two species of Rickettsia within the SNSM.
Towards invasion ecology for subterranean ecosystems
Authors: Nicolosi Giuseppe , Gerovasileiou Vasilis 
Published: March 2024

AbstractInvasive alien species (IAS) are widely recognized as a major threat to ecosystems globally. Despite the growing interest and research effort on biological invasions, the impact of IAS on both terrestrial and aquatic subterranean habitats remains considerably under-studied in comparison to other environments. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has established global targets to mitigate the impacts of IAS, emphasizing the need for countries, organizations, and the scientific community to identify gaps in knowledge, monitoring, and management strategies for IAS. To this end, we mapped knowledge gaps in biological invasions of subterranean habitats that emerged from the first systematic surveys of the available information. We suggest that there are five main gaps restricting our ability to understand and tackle biological invasions in subterranean ecosystems. Given the vulnerability of subterranean ecosystems and the lack of attention they have received in conservation policies, it is crucial to increase research emphasis on IAS. This opinion paper aims to stimulate such efforts and contribute to the preservation of these ecosystems.
A phase 1 trial of the MEK inhibitor selumetinib in combination with pembrolizumab for advanced or metastatic solid tumors
Authors: Chénard-Poirier Maxime , Hansen Aaron R. , Gutierrez Martin E. , Rasco Drew , Xing Yan , Chen Lin-Chi , Zhou Heng , Webber Andrea L. , Freshwater Tomoko , Sharma Manish R. 
Published: March 2024

SummaryMEK inhibitors have immunomodulatory activity and potential for synergistic activity when combined with PD-1 inhibitors. We evaluated selumetinib (inhibitor of MEK1/2) plus pembrolizumab (anti‒PD-1 antibody) in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors. In this phase 1b study, adults with previously treated advanced/metastatic solid tumors received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks plus selumetinib on days 1‒14 per 3-week cycle (2 weeks on/1 week off); selumetinib dosing began at 50 mg orally twice daily with escalation in 25 mg increments for ≤ 35 cycles. Primary endpoints were dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), adverse events (AEs), and treatment discontinuations due to AEs. Thirty-two patients were enrolled. Dose escalation was completed up to selumetinib 125 mg twice daily. The target DLT rate of 30% was not reached at any dose level. In the selumetinib 100 mg group, 2/11 patients (18.2%) experienced DLTs (n = 1 grade 3 diarrhea, n = 1 grade 3 fatigue). In the selumetinib 125 mg group, 3/14 (21.4%) experienced DLTs (n = 1 grade 2 retinal detachment, n = 1 grade 3 retinopathy, n = 1 grade 3 stomatitis). Dose-related changes in pharmacokinetic exposures were observed for selumetinib and N-desmethyl selumetinib up to 100 mg (saturation at 125 mg). Two patients achieved partial responses (1 each with selumetinib 75 mg and 125 mg) for an objective response rate of 6%. The study was stopped early because of insufficient efficacy. Although the target DLT rate was not reached at any dose level and no new safety signals were identified, selumetinib plus pembrolizumab had limited antitumor activity in this population. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03833427.
The development of the student online learning patience scale (SOLPS)
Authors: Eryilmaz Ali , Basal Ahmet 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLearning does not happen immediately; it takes time and effort. Thus, patience is a virtue required for any type of successful learning. Given the increasing prevalence of online learning, understanding students’ patience is necessary to devise ways to sustain it. In this study, we define online learning patience as the ability to steadily continue studying or practicing in the online learning environments, even when it becomes difficult or takes a long time. The present study aimed to develop and validate a new instrument, the Student Online Learning Patience Scale (SOLPS), using a cross-sectional research design. The study participants, distributed across four distinct groups: Exploratory (n = 250 students), Confirmatory (n = 266 students), Validity for Impulsivity and Test-anxiety (n = 486 students), and Validity for Self-control (n = 232 students). The items in the scale were based on the literature and analysis of interviews with students. The scale structure was examined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and reliability and validity were tested. The final SOLPS consists of 10 items with one dimension and can be used to create teaching methods and strategies that increase students’ online learning patience.
Hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope study of Topusko thermal waters, Croatia
Authors: Pavić Mirja , Briški Maja , Pola Marco , Borović Staša 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThermal waters in Topusko (Croatia), with temperatures of up to 65 °C, have been used for heating, health, and recreational tourism for the past fifty years. Hydrogeochemical monitoring can provide insights into deeper geological processes and indicate system changes from baseline levels. It helps to identify potential anthropogenic impacts, as well as natural changes. Hydrogeochemical, geothermometrical, and environmental isotope studies of thermal waters in Topusko were conducted to improve the existing conceptual model of the Topusko hydrothermal system (THS), providing a baseline for continuous monitoring of the thermal resource. 2-year thermal springs and precipitation monitoring took place from March 2021 until March 2023. Major anions and cations, stable and radioactive isotopes (i.e. 18O, 2H, SO42−, 3H and 14C) and geothermometers were used to assess the origin of thermal waters in Topusko and their interaction with thermal aquifer. The results indicate the meteoric origin of thermal water, which was recharged in colder climatic conditions around the late Pleistocene–Early Holocene. Thermal water was last in contact with the atmosphere before approximately 9.5 kyr. Ca-HCO3 hydrochemical facies suggests carbonate dissolution as the dominant process driving the solute content. Geothermometrical results indicate an equilibrium temperature in the reservoir of 90 °C.
Pre-emergence herbicides widely used in urban and farmland soils: fate, and potential human and environmental health risks
Authors: Parven Aney , Md Meftaul Islam , Venkateswarlu Kadiyala , Gopalan Saianand , Megharaj Mallavarapu 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWe determined the distribution, fate, and health hazards of dimethenamid-P, metazachlor, and pyroxasulfone, the effective pre-emergence herbicides widely used both in urban and agricultural settings globally. The rate-determining phase of sorption kinetics of these herbicides in five soils followed a pseudo-second-order model. Freundlich isotherm model indicated that the herbicides primarily partition into heterogeneous surface sites on clay minerals and organic matter (OM) and diffuse into soil micropores. Principal component analysis revealed that soil OM (R2, 0.47), sand (R2, 0.56), and Al oxides (R2, 0.33) positively correlated with the herbicide distribution coefficient (Kd), whereas clay (R2, ‒ 0.43), silt (R2, ‒ 0.51), Fe oxides (R2, ‒ 0.02), alkaline pH (R2, ‒ 0.57), and EC (R2, ‒ 0.03) showed a negative correlation with the Kd values. Decomposed OM rich in C=O and C–H functional groups enhanced herbicide sorption, while undecomposed/partially-decomposed OM facilitated desorption process. Also, the absence of hysteresis (H, 0.27‒0.88) indicated the enhanced propensity of herbicide desorption in soils. Leachability index (LIX, < 0.02–0.64) and groundwater ubiquity score (GUS, 0.02‒3.59) for the soils suggested low to moderate leaching potential of the herbicides to waterbodies, indicating their impact on water quality, nontarget organisms, and food safety. Hazard quotient and hazard index data for human adults and adolescents suggested that exposure to soils contaminated with herbicides via dermal contact, ingestion, and inhalation poses minimal to no non-carcinogenic risks. These insights can assist farmers in judicious use of herbicides and help the concerned regulatory authorities in monitoring the safety of human and environmental health.
Graphical abstract
Pyruvate Kinase M2 Nuclear Translocation Regulate Ferroptosis-Associated Acute Lung Injury in Cytokine Storm
Authors: Wang Haiting , Fan Chenyu , Chen Xuelian , Zhou Wei , Guo Li , Zhao Feng , Ye Shuang , He Shuangjun , Chen Yi 
Published: March 2024

AbstractCytokine storm (CS) is linked with macrophage dysfunction and acute lung injury (ALI), which can lead to patient mortality. Glycolysis is preferentially exploited by the pro-inflammatory macrophages, in which pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a critical enzyme. The mechanism underlying the link between CS and ALI involves cell death, with the recently discovered programmed cell death known as ferroptosis being involved. However, the relationship between the glycolysis and ferroptosis in the context of CS-related ALI remains unclear. CS-associated ALI induced by poly I:C (10 mg/kg, i.v) and LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p) (IC: LPS) exhibit significant ferroptosis. Ferrostatin-1 (ferroptosis inhibitor) treatment attenuated IC:LPS‑induced mortality and lung injury. Moreover, Alveolar macrophage (AM) from IC:LPS model exhibited enhanced glycolysis and PKM2 translocation. The administration of ML-265(PKM2 monomer/dimer inhibitor) resulted in the formation of a highly active tetrameric PKM2, leading to improved survival and attenuation of ALI. Furthermore, ML-265 treatment decreased ferroptosis and restored the balance between anaerobic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Notably, in patients with lung infection, intracellular expression level of PKM2 were correlated with circulating inflammation. Enhanced ferroptosis and PKM2 nuclear translocation was noticed in CD14+ blood monocytes of lung infection patients with CS. In conclusion, PKM2 is a key regulatory node integrating metabolic reprograming with intra-nuclear function for the regulation of ferroptosis. Targeting PKM2 could be explored as a potential means in the future to prevent or alleviate hyper-inflammatory state or cytokines storm syndrome with aberrant ferroptotic cell death.
Amygdala Volume is Associated with ADHD Risk and Severity Beyond Comorbidities in Adolescents: Clinical Testing of Brain Chart Reference Standards
Authors: Nárai Ádám , Hermann Petra , Rádosi Alexandra , Vakli Pál , Weiss Béla , Réthelyi János M. , Bunford Nóra , Vidnyánszky Zoltán 
Published: March 2024

AbstractUnderstanding atypicalities in ADHD brain correlates is a step towards better understanding ADHD etiology. Efforts to map atypicalities at the level of brain structure have been hindered by the absence of normative reference standards. Recent publication of brain charts allows for assessment of individual variation relative to age- and sex-adjusted reference standards and thus estimation not only of case-control differences but also of intraindividual prediction. Methods. Aim was to examine, whether brain charts can be applied in a sample of adolescents (N = 140, 38% female) to determine whether atypical brain subcortical and total volumes are associated with ADHD at-risk status and severity of parent-rated symptoms, accounting for self-rated anxiety and depression, and parent-rated oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as well as motion. Results. Smaller bilateral amygdala volume was associated with ADHD at-risk status, beyond effects of comorbidities and motion, and smaller bilateral amygdala volume was associated with inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, beyond effects of comorbidities except for ODD symptoms, and motion. Conclusions. Individual differences in amygdala volume meaningfully add to estimating ADHD risk and severity. Conceptually, amygdalar involvement is consistent with behavioral and functional imaging data on atypical reinforcement sensitivity as a marker of ADHD-related risk. Methodologically, results show that brain chart reference standards can be applied to address clinically informative, focused and specific questions.