bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of metaheuristic optimisation techniques for simulated matrix production systems
Authors: Benfer Martin , Heyer Valentin , Brützel Oliver , Liebrecht Christoph , Peukert Sina , Lanza Gisela 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIncreasing demand for individualised products has led to the concept of mass customisation, combining high product variety with production efficiency coming along with mass production. Companies are moving to matrix production systems with complex product flows for mass customisation. One challenge in such systems is the determination of optimal system configurations to fulfil future demands while minimising production costs. An approach to determine the ideal configuration is to use metaheuristics like genetic algorithms or simulated annealing to optimise simulation models. However, it is unclear which methods are ideally suited to finding the best solutions. This contribution compares the performance of genetic algorithms and simulated annealing when optimising the configuration of a company-specific matrix production system using discrete event simulation. The methods are evaluated using different objective functions. For the genetic algorithm, different observation strategies are also tested. Overall, the simulated annealing approach delivers better results with shorter solution times. The contributing factors leading to the different results are discussed, and areas for future research are pointed out.
One-year regional brain volume changes as potential predictors of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study
Authors: Meira Torcato , Coelho Ana , Onat Seyda , Ruano Luís , Cerqueira João José 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
The most reliable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) marker of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) is brain atrophy. However, 1-year volumetric changes prior to cognitive assessment were never studied as potential predictors of cognition, which we aim to assess with this pilot work.

Methods
Twenty-two MS patients were submitted to a baseline measure of 83 regional brain volumes with MRI and re-evaluated 1 year later; they were also tested with the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS): sustained attention and processing speed were examined with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), verbal and visuo-spatial learning and memory with the learning trials from the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT) and the Brief Visuo-spatial Memory Test-revised (BVMT), respectively. Controlling for age, sex, and years of education, a multivariate linear regression model was created for each cognitive score at 1-year follow-up in a backward elimination manner, considering cross-sectional regional volumes and 1-year volume changes as potential predictors.

Results
Decreases in the volumes of the left amygdala and the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex in the year prior to assessment were identified as possible predictors of worse performance in verbal memory (P = 0.009) and visuo-spatial memory (P = 0.001), respectively, independently of cross-sectional brain regional volumes at time of testing.

Conclusion
Our work reveals novel 1-year regional brain volume changes as potential predictors of cognitive deficits in MS. This suggests a possible role of these regions in such deficits and might contribute to uncover cognitively deteriorating patients, whose detection is still unsatisfying in clinical practice.
Longitudinal course and correlates of realness
Authors: Hopwood Christopher J. , Nissen Adam T. , Bleidorn Wiebke 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPeople who are real are able to express how they truly think and feel and what they truly want even when there is social pressure not to. Previous research suggests that realness is associated with better social functioning and adaptive personality traits including lower neuroticism and higher extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness. However, unlike other measures of the broader concept of authenticity, realness is not related to agreeableness. This suggests that people who are real are able to be disagreeable in circumstances in which the situation calls for it, perhaps because they are more motivated to be true to themselves than to avoid social costs. This study extended previous research in three ways: (1) replicate associations with personality traits, (2) examine whether lower stress and higher social support are related to realness, and (3) examine the longitudinal course of realness over 18 months during the critical period of young adulthood. In 412 young adults from California, we replicated associations between realness and adaptive personality traits and found that it was also associated lower stress and higher social support and was highly stable over time. These findings provide further evidence that realness corresponds closely to the core of authenticity as described in foundational theories of positive personality development among young adults.
Improving Knowledge Learning Through Modelling Students’ Practice-Based Cognitive Processes
Authors: Gao Huifan , Zeng Yifeng , Ma Biyang , Pan Yinghui 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPractice is an essential means by which humans and animals engage in cognitive activities. Intelligent tutoring systems, with a crucial component of modelling learners’ cognitive processes during learning and optimizing their learning strategies, offer an excellent platform to investigate students’ practice-based cognitive processes. In related studies, modelling methods for cognitive processes have demonstrated commendable performance. Furthermore, researchers have extended their investigations using decision-theoretic approaches, such as a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP), to induce learning strategies by modelling the students’ cognitive processes. However, the existing research has primarily centered around the modelling of macro-level instructional behaviors rather than the specific practice selection made by the students within the intricate realms of cognitive domains. In this paper, we adapt the POMDP model to represent relations between the student’s performance on cognitive tasks and his/her cognitive states. By doing so, we can predict his/her performance while inducing learning strategies. More specifically, we focus on question selection during the student’s real-time learning activities in an intelligent tutoring system. To address the challenges on modelling complex cognitive domains, we exploit the question types to automate parameter learning and subsequently employ information entropy techniques to refine learning strategies in the POMDP. We conduct the experiments in two real-world knowledge concept learning domains. The experimental results show that the performance of the learning strategies induced by our new model is superior to that of other learning strategies. Moreover, the new model has good reliability in predicting the student’s performance. Utilizing an intelligent tutoring system as the research platform, this article addresses the modelling and strategy induction challenges of practice-based cognitive processes with intricate structures, aiming to tutor students effectively. Our work provides a new approach of predicting the students’ performance as well as personalizing their learning strategies.
The Caribbean intertidal mite Alismobates inexpectatus (Acari, Oribatida), an unexpected case of cryptic diversity?
Authors: Pfingstl Tobias , Bardel-Kahr Iris , Schäffer Sylvia 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMolecular genetic analyses of Caribbean populations of the supposedly widespread intertidal oribatid mite Alismobates inexpectatus revealed the existence of a cryptic species. The new species, Alismobates piratus sp. n., shows considerable COI and 18S rRNA gene sequence divergences and although morphometric analyses indicate considerable variation between the taxa, no distinguishing morphological feature could be detected. The extreme intertidal environment is suggested to be responsible for the observed morphological stasis of the two species and vicariance is supposed to be responsible for their speciation. Alismobates piratus sp. n. was found on Hispaniola, Guadeloupe, Barbados and Curaçao indicating a predominant distribution on the Greater and Lesser Antilles, whereas the occurrence of A. inexpectatus is primarily restricted to Central America, the northern Caribbean and the Greater Antilles. Haplotype network analyses indicate distinct geographic structuring and the absence of recent gene flow among the Antillean A. piratus sp. n. populations. Central American and Antillean populations of A. inexpectatus show similar patterns but populations from Bermuda and the Bahamas are characterized by a common origin and subsequent expansion. Genetic landscape analysis demonstrates that vast stretches of open ocean, like the Caribbean Basin and the Western Atlantic, act as rather effective barriers, whereas the continuous continental coastline of Central and North America may facilitate dispersal. Genetic data also indicates that the Gulf Stream plays an important role for the biogeography of intertidal oribatid mites as it may be responsible for the strong link between Central and North American populations as well as for the colonization of Bermuda.
Can natural forest expansion contribute to Europe's restoration policy agenda? An interdisciplinary assessment
Authors: Frei Theresa , Espelta Josep Maria , Górriz-Mifsud Elena , Hampe Arndt , Lefèvre François , Martín-Forés Irene , Winkel Georg 
Published: September 2023

AbstractNatural forest expansion (NFE), that is, the establishment of secondary forest on non-forested land through natural succession, has substantially contributed to the widespread expansion of forests in Europe over the last few decades. So far, EU policies have largely neglected the potential of NFE for meeting policy objectives on restoration. Synthesising recent interdisciplinary research, this paper assesses the challenges and opportunities of NFE in view of contributing to European forest and ecosystem restoration. Specifically, we discuss the potential for supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and forestry and economic use, summarize the current knowledge about societal perceptions and the policymaking on NFE, and make policy recommendations to better use the potential of NFE. We conclude that NFE has the potential to contribute to the European restoration policy agenda if local contexts and possible trade-offs are properly considered.
Weakening of mechanical parameters of ion-absorbed rare-earth ores subjected to leaching
Authors: Wang Hao , Wang Xiaojun , Li Gang , Ye Huachang , Zhang Cheng , Zhou Lingbo 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIon-adsorbed rare-earth ores are mined using in-situ leaching, and their mechanical properties significantly affect the efficient and safe recovery of rare earth elements. However, the mechanism of the change in the mechanical properties of the ore body due to the physicochemical processes caused by leaching remains unclear. To explore the strength evolution characteristics of the ore body during the leaching process, unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests were conducted to confirm how the stress–strain curve and shear strength of rare-earth samples change during leaching. Magnetic resonance imaging and T2 spectral characterizations were obtained by using nuclear magnetic resonance technology to measure the interior pore structure of samples during leaching. A scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer was used to investigate the morphology evolution and the composition changes of the internal micro-area of the samples, to demonstrate the correlation between the microstructural change and the macroscopic mechanical properties. The results show that when a 2% ammonium sulfate solution is employed for mineral leaching, the effective leaching duration is 0–3 h. During this time, ion exchange occurs along the direction of solution seepage, resulting in the dispersion and migration of fine particles from the top to the bottom of the sample, which further triggers a change in the sample's pore structure and pore size. In addition, the local loss of fine particles resulted in a reduced bond strength between minerals, forming an unstable soil structure with a loose upper part and a dense lower part, which is macroscopically expressed as a declining shear strength parameter of the rare-earth sample.
Graphical abstract
diſputiren und Responsibilisieren in der mitteldeutschen Hiob-Paraphrase
Authors: Wick Maximilian 
Published: September 2023

ZusammenfassungDie so genannte Hiob-Paraphrase ist eine wohl 1338 von einem Anonymus im Kontext des Deutschordens fertiggestellte, mitteldeutsche Bearbeitung der biblischen Vorlage, welche sie in über 15.000 Versen nicht nur ausführlich und zum Teil in recht wörtlicher Übersetzung wiedererzählt, sondern die sie auch durch zahlreiche, in den Text eingewobene Versatzstücke aus der Kommentartradition und eigene Deutungen erweitert und perspektiviert. Der Beitrag untersucht, wie dieser Text Narrative der Verantwortung beim Wiedererzählen des biblischen Stoffes sowohl im Kontext des Erzählens biblischer Offenbarung als auch dem der Interpretation des Offenbarten als zwei Seiten eines poetisch-hermeneutischen Problems modelliert. Dabei geht es dem Text um die Herstellung von Eindeutigkeit, mit der eine ästhetische Verantwortung für die angemessene Gestaltung der Wiedererzählung des Hiobbuches einhergeht. Dessen wesentlich dialoghafte narratio beziehungsweise disputatio bedingt schließlich eine im Erzählstoff verbürgte Vielstimmigkeit, die es einerseits narrativ auszustellen und andererseits interpretierend einzuhegen gilt, um der Verantwortung für die Arbeit am heiligen Text adäquat nachzukommen.
Resource saving via ensemble techniques for quantum neural networks
Authors: Incudini Massimiliano , Grossi Michele , Ceschini Andrea , Mandarino Antonio , Panella Massimo , Vallecorsa Sofia , Windridge David 
Published: September 2023

AbstractQuantum neural networks hold significant promise for numerous applications, particularly as they can be executed on the current generation of quantum hardware. However, due to limited qubits or hardware noise, conducting large-scale experiments often requires significant resources. Moreover, the output of the model is susceptible to corruption by quantum hardware noise. To address this issue, we propose the use of ensemble techniques, which involve constructing a single machine learning model based on multiple instances of quantum neural networks. In particular, we implement bagging and AdaBoost techniques, with different data loading configurations, and evaluate their performance on both synthetic and real-world classification and regression tasks. To assess the potential performance improvement under different environments, we conducted experiments on both simulated, noiseless software and IBM superconducting-based QPUs, suggesting these techniques can mitigate the quantum hardware noise. Additionally, we quantify the amount of resources saved using these ensemble techniques. Our findings indicate that these methods enable the construction of large, powerful models even on relatively small quantum devices.
Description of antibiotic stewardship expertise and activities among US public health departments, 2022
Authors: Bizune Destani , Luciano Angelina , Neuhauser Melinda , Hicks Lauri , Kabbani Sarah 
Published: September 2023

Background: In 2021, the CDC awarded >$100 million to 62 state, local, and territorial health departments (SLTHDs) to expand antibiotic stewardship expertise and implement antibiotic stewardship activities in different healthcare settings. Our objective was to describe SLTHD antibiotic stewardship personnel and activities to characterize the impact of the funding. Methods: SLTHDs submitted performance measures, including quantitative and qualitative responses, describing personnel supporting antibiotic stewardship activities, types of activities, and healthcare facilities and professionals engaged from January through June 2022. A quantitative analysis of performance measures and qualitative thematic analysis of select narrative responses are reported. Results: Most SLTHDs (58 of 62, 94%) submitted performance measures. Among them, 37 (64%) reported identifying an antibiotic stewardship leader or coleader; most were pharmacists (57%) or physicians (38%) with infectious diseases training (68%) (Table 1). Of the remaining STLHDs, 20 reported barriers to identifying a leader or coleader, including hiring process delays and programmatic barriers (Table 2). SLTHDs reported 254 antibiotic stewardship activities; most reported activities involving multiple activity types (44%). Education and communication (eg, providing stewardship expertise) was the most common single activity (30%), followed by antibiotic use tracking and reporting (13%), assessment of antibiotic stewardship implementation (8%), and action and implementation (eg, audit and feedback letters) (4%). The highest number of activities were implemented in multiple healthcare settings (35%), followed by acute care (21%), outpatient (18%), long-term care (17%), and other (9%) (Fig. 1). SLTHDs reported engaging 4,970 healthcare facilities and 15,194 healthcare professionals in antibiotic stewardship activities across healthcare settings, to date, as part of this funding opportunity (Fig. 2). Conclusions: Antibiotic stewardship funding to SLTHDs allowed for increases in capacity and expanded outreach to implement a variety of antibiotic stewardship activities across multiple healthcare settings. Sustaining STLHD antibiotic stewardship activities can help increase engagement and coordination with healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals, and other partners to optimize antibiotic prescribing and patient safety.Disclosure: None
Inpatient pediatric antimicrobial use for respiratory infections during the RSV surge
Authors: Hunt Aaron , Burgos Rodrigo , Lora Alfredo Mena 
Published: September 2023

Background: In the United States, pneumonia causes >100,000 pediatric hospitalizations annually. On November 4, 2022, the CDC issued a Heath Advisory concerning an upcoming surge of respiratory illnesses including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Differentiating between viral and bacterial causes is challenging and can lead to antimicrobial overuse. Currently, tools are being developed to distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia. The VALS-DANCE Pneumonia Etiology Predictor (PEP) provides clinical scoring criteria (Fig. 1) to determine probable cause of pneumonia with 93.1% sensitivity for bacterial pneumonia. Scores >11 have a >25% likelihood of having bacterial etiology. Given that antimicrobial exposure increases resistance rates, disrupts natural flora, and increases the risk of side effects, a core goal of researchers is to develop ways to promote stewardship and reduce inappropriate use. We assessed the patterns of use for antimicrobials in pediatric patients admitted with pneumonia at our institution. Methods: This retrospective review included pediatric cases admitted to an urban safety-net community hospital from July 22, 2022, to December 16, 2022. A daily list of all patients receiving antimicrobials was reviewed, and pediatric patients with diagnosis of a respiratory infection were included. Patients with additional indications for antimicrobial therapy, diagnosis of bronchitis, incomplete records, or without complete information were excluded from the scoring criteria. The primary objective was to assess the appropriateness of antimicrobial use for pneumonia, defined as use consistent with PEP scoring recommendations. Results: Of 53 patients reviewed, 37 met inclusion criteria. Of 37 patients, 22 (59.5%) met study criteria for appropriate therapy. The 15 patients (40.5%) who were inappropriate for treatment received an average of 4.67 ± 1.91 days of antibiotics. Of these 15 patients, 11 (73.3%) also had a positive viral test, further increasing the likelihood of a viral etiology. This subgroup had an average antibiotic exposure of 4.27 ± 1.79 days. Documented rationale for therapy included severity of illness (4 of 11), radiograph consolidation (4 of 11), and provider disagreement with radiograph interpretation (3 of 11). Conclusions: Pediatric respiratory infections represent a significant opportunity for antimicrobial stewardship. In this study, as many as 40% of pediatric patients may have received unnecessary antibiotic exposure. Use of the VALS-DANCE criteria may help clinicians identify patients with low likelihood of bacterial infection and reduce antimicrobial use. The national surge of viral infections serves to highlight the vital importance of appropriate diagnostic stewardship.Disclosure: None
Alarming prevalence of Candida auris among critically ill patients in intensive care units in Dhaka City, Bangladesh
Authors: Chowdhury Fahmida , Hussain Kamal , Khan Sanzida Khan , Ahmed Dilruba , Sen Debashis , Hassan Zakiul , Rahman Mahmudur , Prema Sajeda , Jordan Alex , Lockhart Shawn , Lyman Meghan , Mah-E-Muneer Syeda 
Published: September 2023

Background:Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant yeast capable of invasive infection with high mortality and healthcare-associated outbreaks globally. Due to limited labratory capacity, the burden of C. auris is unknown in Bangladesh. We estimated the extent of C. auris colonization and infection among patients in Dhaka city intensive care units. Methods: During August 2021–September 2022 at adult intensive care units (ICUs) and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of 1 government and 1 private tertiary-care hospital, we collected skin swabs from all patients and blood samples from sepsis patients on admission, mid-way through, and at the end of ICU or NICU stays. Skin swab and blood with growth in blood-culture bottle were inoculated in CHROMagar, and identification of isolates was confirmed by VITEK-2. Patient characteristics and healthcare history were collected. We performed descriptive analyses, stratifying by specimen and ICU type. Results: Of 740 patients enrolled, 59 (8%) were colonized with C. auris, of whom 2 (0.3%) later developed a bloodstream infection (BSI). Among patients colonized with C. auris, 27 (46%) were identified in the ICU and 32 (54%) were identified from the NICU. The median age was 55 years for C. auris–positive ICU patients and 4 days for those in the NICU. Also, 60% of all C. auris patients were male. Among 366 ICU patients, 15 (4%) were positive on admission and 12 (3%) became colonized during their ICU stay. Among 374 NICU patients, 19 (5%) were colonized on admission and 13 (4%) became colonized during their NICU stay. All units identified C. auris patients on admission and those who acquired it during their ICU or NICU stay, but some differences were observed among hospitals and ICUs (Figure). Among patients colonized on admission to the ICU, 11 (73%) were admitted from another ward, 3 (20%) were admitted from another hospital, and 1 (7%) were admitted from home. Of patients colonized on admission to the NICU, 4 (21%) were admitted from the obstetric ward, 9 (47%) were admitted from another hospital, and 6 (32%) were admitted from home. In addition, 18 patients with C. auris died (12 in the ICU and 6 in the NICU); both patients with C. auris BSIs died. Conclusions: In these Bangladesh hospitals, 8% of ICU or NICU patients were positive for C. auris, including on admission and acquired during their ICU or NICU stay. This high C. auris prevalence emphasizes the need to enhance case detection and strengthen infection prevention and control. Factors contributing to C. auris colonization should be investigated to inform and strengthen prevention and control strategies.Disclosure: None