bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative effectiveness of contact tracing interventions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review
Authors: Pozo-Martin Francisco , Beltran Sanchez Miguel Angel , Müller Sophie Alice , Diaconu Viorela , Weil Kilian , El Bcheraoui Charbel 
Published: February 2023

AbstractContact tracing is a non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) widely used in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its effectiveness may depend on a number of factors including the proportion of contacts traced, delays in tracing, the mode of contact tracing (e.g. forward, backward or bidirectional contact training), the types of contacts who are traced (e.g. contacts of index cases or contacts of contacts of index cases), or the setting where contacts are traced (e.g. the household or the workplace). We performed a systematic review of the evidence regarding the comparative effectiveness of contact tracing interventions. 78 studies were included in the review, 12 observational (ten ecological studies, one retrospective cohort study and one pre-post study with two patient cohorts) and 66 mathematical modelling studies. Based on the results from six of the 12 observational studies, contact tracing can be effective at controlling COVID-19. Two high quality ecological studies showed the incremental effectiveness of adding digital contact tracing to manual contact tracing. One ecological study of intermediate quality showed that increases in contact tracing were associated with a drop in COVID-19 mortality, and a pre-post study of acceptable quality showed that prompt contact tracing of contacts of COVID-19 case clusters / symptomatic individuals led to a reduction in the reproduction number R. Within the seven observational studies exploring the effectiveness of contact tracing in the context of the implementation of other non-pharmaceutical interventions, contact tracing was found to have an effect on COVID-19 epidemic control in two studies and not in the remaining five studies. However, a limitation in many of these studies is the lack of description of the extent of implementation of contact tracing interventions. Based on the results from the mathematical modelling studies, we identified the following highly effective policies: (1) manual contact tracing with high tracing coverage and either medium-term immunity, highly efficacious isolation/quarantine and/ or physical distancing (2) hybrid manual and digital contact tracing with high app adoption with highly effective isolation/ quarantine and social distancing, (3) secondary contact tracing, (4) eliminating contact tracing delays, (5) bidirectional contact tracing, (6) contact tracing with high coverage in reopening educational institutions. We also highlighted the role of social distancing to enhance the effectiveness of some of these interventions in the context of 2020 lockdown reopening. While limited, the evidence from observational studies shows a role for manual and digital contact tracing in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic. More empirical studies accounting for the extent of contact tracing implementation are required.
Practicing security: securitisation of transboundary rivers by hydrocrats in Himalayan South Asia
Authors: Vasani Harsh 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThis paper examines the intersection of regional geopolitics and the governance of transboundary rivers using the case studies of multipurpose reservoirs in Himalayan South Asia. It uncovers the various ways Indian hydrocracy uses its institutional and technical expertise to strengthen India’s centrality in Nepal’s water and hydropower sectors. The practices of security undertaken by the hydrocrats are classified as structural, institutional, and statutory acts. By focusing on practices of an epistemic community like hydrocrats, this paper addresses longstanding weaknesses of the securitisation theory of being elitist and ignoring the agency of mid-level bureaucrats. It also highlights the constructivist nature of international politics. The findings contribute empirically to securitisation theory’s ‘Paris School’ of thought.
Dimensional comparisons in the formation of faculty members’ research and teaching self-concepts?
Authors: Wolff Fabian , Dresel Markus , Daumiller Martin 
Published: February 2023

AbstractDimensional comparisons—i.e., comparisons between achievements in different domains—have to date been examined particularly between students’ achievements in different school subjects. Numerous studies have documented that dimensional comparisons between mathematical and verbal achievements significantly affect students’ mathematical and verbal self-concepts. However, dimensional comparisons also take place and affect self-evaluations in other contexts. The present study is the first to examine indications of dimensional comparisons between faculty members’ research and teaching achievements. For this purpose, we extended the reciprocal I/E model, which describes the relations between mathematical and verbal achievements and self-concepts over time, to the domains of research and teaching. We examined our generalized reciprocal I/E model in a sample of 681 faculty members from German universities by considering their research and teaching achievements and self-concepts at four measurement points over two years. Results of cross-lagged analyses indicated positive dimensional comparison effects: The participating faculty members reported higher (lower) research and teaching self-concepts after high (low) achievement not only in the same domain, but also in the other domain. This core finding has important implications for our knowledge of the impact of dimensional comparisons in the formation of domain-specific self-concepts, as well as for the debate about the research–teaching nexus, as it suggests a strong link between research and teaching in terms of self-assessments.
Cross-Cultural Psychometric Analysis of the Mature Happiness Scale-Revised: Mature Happiness, Psychological Inflexibility, and the PERMA Model
Authors: Carreno David F. , Eisenbeck Nikolett , Greville James , Wong Paul T. P. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Mature Happiness Scale, a measure focused on inner harmony. Mature happiness is achieved when a person can live in balance between both positive and negative aspects of their life. A total sample of 2,130 participants from five countries (Canada: n = 390, United States: n = 223, United Kingdom: n = 512, Spain: n = 724, and Hungary: n = 281) responded to an online survey including the original Mature Happiness Scale, the PERMA-Profiler, and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded a one-factor solution with seven positive items (non-reversed). We called this new version of the questionnaire the Mature Happiness Scale-Revised (MHS-R). Measurement invariance was found across countries, age groups, gender, and mental disorder diagnosis. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were high. Older people, males, and people without a mental disorder diagnosis scored higher in mature happiness than younger ones, females, and those with a mental health disorder diagnosis, respectively. Mature happiness showed strong positive associations with various subscales of the PERMA-Profiler, specifically with positive emotions and meaning in life. In addition, mature happiness was strongly correlated with less negative affect and inner conflict and lower psychological inflexibility, whereas it was moderately correlated with lower loneliness. This validity evidence supports the cross-cultural use of the MHS-R in the aforementioned countries to reliably measure happiness among adults. With its holistic approach, the MHS-R may be a unique complement to other well-being measures, particularly to better predict mental health problems.
Smile Back at Me, But Only Once: Social Norms of Appropriate Nonverbal Intensity and Reciprocity Apply to Emoji Use
Authors: Stein Jan-Philipp 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIn computer-mediated communication, small graphical icons (emojis) can be used to compensate for the lack of nonverbal cues such as facial expressions or hand gestures. Accordingly, literature suggests that the use of emojis may also be subject to social norms—similar to nonverbal behavior in face-to-face interactions. However, actual empirical investigations into this assumption remain lacking. To remedy this research gap, I explored whether traditional norms of appropriate emotional intensity and reciprocity also apply to emoji usage. A first online experiment (N = 188) revealed that excessive emoji use in a first-contact scenario leads to diminished interpersonal outcomes, corresponding to the drawbacks of overly intense nonverbal displays in natural interactions. Proceeding to a different communicative stage, Experiment 2 (N = 242) explored nonverbal reciprocity with acquainted interaction partners. Inviting participants to reply to fictitious text messages (at varying levels of interpersonal intimacy), it was observed that stimulus messages containing more emojis also evoke stronger emoji use in return—indicating that principles of nonverbal attunement are in full effect during text-based online interactions.
Unsupervised discretization by two-dimensional MDL-based histogram
Authors: Yang Lincen , Baratchi Mitra , van Leeuwen Matthijs 
Published: February 2023

AbstractUnsupervised discretization is a crucial step in many knowledge discovery tasks. The state-of-the-art method for one-dimensional data infers locally adaptive histograms using the minimum description length (MDL) principle, but the multi-dimensional case is far less studied: current methods consider the dimensions one at a time (if not independently), which result in discretizations based on rectangular cells of adaptive size. Unfortunately, this approach is unable to adequately characterize dependencies among dimensions and/or results in discretizations consisting of more cells (or bins) than is desirable. To address this problem, we propose an expressive model class that allows for far more flexible partitions of two-dimensional data. We extend the state of the art for the one-dimensional case to obtain a model selection problem based on the normalized maximum likelihood, a form of refined MDL. As the flexibility of our model class comes at the cost of a vast search space, we introduce a heuristic algorithm, named PALM, whichpartitions each dimensionalternately and thenmerges neighboring regions, all using the MDL principle. Experiments on synthetic data show that PALM (1) accurately reveals ground truth partitions that are within the model class (i.e., the search space), given a large enough sample size; (2) approximates well a wide range of partitions outside the model class; (3) converges, in contrast to the state-of-the-art multivariate discretization method IPD. Finally, we apply our algorithm to three spatial datasets, and we demonstrate that, compared to kernel density estimation (KDE), our algorithm not only reveals more detailed density changes, but also fits unseen data better, as measured by the log-likelihood.
Fuzzy-based dynamic difficulty adjustment of an educational 3D-game
Authors: Chrysafiadi Konstantina , Kamitsios Margaritis , Virvou Maria 
Published: February 2023

AbstractAn educational game aims to employ the pleasant and fascinating environment of a game for educational purpose. However, when the game’s educational content or playing environment does not match with the player’s learning needs or game-playing skills, the player can find the game either too easy or too difficult and decide to drop it. Therefore, a successful educational game has to offer Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) of both the game’s educational content and the game’s playing environment. Considering the above, in this paper a fuzzy-based DDA mechanism of a 3D-game, that teaches the programming language ‘HTML’, is presented. The game adapts dynamically the difficulty of battles and mazes navigation to each individual player’s skills. The novelty of the presented game lies on the application of DDA in the two dimensions (educational content and playing environment) of an educational game and on the use of fuzzy logic for succeeding balance between the game’s difficulty and the user’s playing skills. The adaptation is realized in real-time, during the playing and not each time the player changes game level/track. Furthermore, fuzzy logic allows to apply DDA without the need of many learning data, like other Artificial Intelligence techniques for DDA (i.e. machine learning techniques). The presented game was evaluated through a comparative evaluation, which included questionnaires, an experiment in real conditions and t-test statistical analysis method. The evaluation results showed that the incorporated adaptation mechanism increases the user’s motivation and succeeds to keep players’ interest for the game undiminished.
Soil properties and plant species can predict population size and potential introduction sites of the endangered orchid Cypripedium calceolus
Authors: Rusconi Olivia , Steiner Théo , Le Bayon Claire , Rasmann Sergio 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background and Aims
To counteract the ongoing worldwide biodiversity loss, conservation actions are required to re-establish populations of threatened species. Two key factors predominantly involved in finding the most suitable habitats for endangered plant species are the surrounding plant community composition and the physicochemical parameters of the soil rooting zone. However, such factors are likely to be context- and species-dependent, so it remains unclear to what extent they influence the performance of target species.

Methods
We studied large and small Swiss populations of the endangered orchid Cypripedium calceolus. We measured functional traits related to C. calceolus plant and population performance (clonal patch area, plant height, number, of leaf, stems, flowers and fruits), realized vegetation surveys, soil profile analyses, and tested for relationships between plant traits and the surrounding vegetation structure or soil physicochemical parameters.

Results
Large populations contained bigger patches with more stems and leaves, and produced more flower per individual than small populations. Neither vegetation alliances nor soil classes per se could predict C. calceolus functional traits and population size. However, functional traits explaining population performance and size were related to specific soil parameters (soil organic matter content, pH and phosphorus), in addition to a combination of presence-absence of plant indicator species, relating to ecotones between forests and clearings.

Conclusion
We show that even for species that can grow across a wide range of vegetation groups both indicator species and specific soil parameters can be used to assess the most favourable sites to implement (re)-introduction actions.
Getting into the university track: Parents’ implicit theories about ability predict which type of secondary school their children are tracked into
Authors: Matthes Benjamin , Stoeger Heidrun 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe few studies about whether parents’ implicit theories about ability (ITs) predict their children’s academic success and relevant parental behavior have produced mixed results. In response, research suggested that parents’ ITs might be more important in contexts that make children’s intellectual potential salient. Therefore, we investigated the role of parents’ ITs in such a situation: After fourth grade in Bavaria, Germany, students are tracked into one of three secondary school types (one university-track and two non-university-track) depending on their grades (in mathematics, German, and basic science). First, we examined if parents’ ITs predicted whether their children achieved the required grade average for a university-track school (that requires the highest grades). Second, because not all parents whose children achieved this threshold sent them to university-track schools, we investigated among the parents whose children had achieved the university-track threshold grade average whether parents’ ITs predict their track choice. Participants were 578 fourth-graders and their parents. Parents’ educational level was controlled for in all analyses. As expected, children of parents with a more incremental theory were more likely to achieve the university-track threshold grade average. For those children who achieved that threshold, parents with a more incremental theory were more likely to actually send their children to university-track schools. This effect was moderated by grade average. These results suggest that parents’ ITs may indeed be more important in contexts that make children’s intellectual potential salient, such as tracking decisions—especially if children’s achievement raises even slight doubts about whether they will succeed.
Processes and their modal profile
Authors: Baratella Riccardo 
Published: February 2023

AbstractA widely debated issue in contemporary metaphysics is whether the modal profile of ordinary objects has to be explained in non-modal terms (that is,Thesis 1). However, how to solve such an issue with respect to occurrences – namely, processes and events – is a question that has been largely neglected in the current metaphysical debate. The general goal of this article is to start filling this gap. As a first result of the article, we make it plausible that, ifThesis 1holds for objects, then it also holds for processes and events. Then, we develop a metaphysical account of processes derived from Fine’s (1999, 2022) suggestions, according to which a process is a variable embodiment that is manifested by different events at the different times it goes on – namely,Thesis 2. We raisedthe challenge from the completion of a processthat asks the Finean account of processes to explain relevant modal features of processes in non-modal terms. As a second result, we argue that four initially plausible strategies for solving such a challenge fall short of solving it. As a third result, we show that the theory of variable embodiments Fine formulates for objects must differ from the theory of variable embodiments that aims to model processes. We conclude by investigating some revisions to a theory of variable embodiments that aims to model processes.
An epistemic logic of preferences
Authors: Naumov Pavel , Ovchinnikova Anna 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe article studies preferences of agents in a setting with imperfect information. For such a setting, the authors propose a new class of preferences. It is said that an agent prefers one statement over another if, among all indistinguishable worlds, the agent prefers the worlds where the first statement is true to those where the second one is true. The main technical result is a sound and complete logical system describing the interplay between a binary modality capturing preferences and the knowledge modality. The proof of completeness is using a newly proposed “tumbled pairs” technique.
Realist dependence and irrealist butterflies
Authors: Strandberg Caj 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIn this paper, I argue that a realist account of the modality of moral supervenience is superior to a non-cognitivist account. According to the recommended realist account, moral supervenience amounts to strong supervenience where the outer ‘necessary’ is conceptual and the inner metaphysical. It is argued that non-cognitivism faces a critical choice between weak and strong supervenience where both options are implausible on this view. However, non-cognitivism seems to have an important advantage: It can explainwhythe outer ‘necessary’ is conceptual by reference to the function of moral language to influence behaviour. In the main part of the paper, I argue that realism is able to explainwhy‘necessary’ in moral supervenience needs to be understood in the recommended manner by reference to the connection between moral properties and moral reasons. Moreover, I argue that the realist account has other attractive features. In contrast to non-cognitivism, it can unify the normative sphere by being generalizable to other normative notions. In addition, it can be part of an explanation of why moral language can have the function to influence behaviour.
Wettability Alteration to Reduce Water Blockage in Low-Permeability Sandstone Reservoirs
Authors: Lopez Gonzalo Mauricio Ceron , Myers Matthew B. , Xie Quan , Wood Colin D. , Al-Bayati Duraid , Saeedi Ali 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThis study is a continuation of our previous work, which focused on a near-wellbore water blockage alleviation by applying a thermally cured silane-functionalized benzoxazine to modify rock wettability. In this new analysis, we have demonstrated that the resin can be applied in low-permeability sandstones (approximately 15 mD as opposed to 100 to 200 mD in the previous study) to change the rock surface wettability from water-wet to intermediate gas-wet. We have also demonstrated that curing temperatures as low as 125 °C (as opposed to 180 °C in our previous study) can significantly change wettability, indicating surface functionalization through the silane moiety and ring-opening polymerization of the benzoxazine moiety. In drainage core flooding experiments at 2.5 wt.% resin loading, compared to untreated samples, brine recovery increments of 6.3 to 6.9% were obtained for curing temperatures of 125 to 180 °C, respectively. A maximum 20% increment in the end-point relative gas permeability was achieved at a curing temperature of 180 °C. A coupled experimental and numerical study, conducted at core and wellbore scales, demonstrates the potential effectiveness of our chemical treatment in improving gas productivity at the field scale. Reservoir simulations indicate a 2.9 to 10.6% improvement in gas deliverability for a treatment radius of 4 to 16 m, respectively.
SMG: A Micro-gesture Dataset Towards Spontaneous Body Gestures for Emotional Stress State Analysis
Authors: Chen Haoyu , Shi Henglin , Liu Xin , Li Xiaobai , Zhao Guoying 
Published: February 2023

AbstractWe explore using body gestures for hidden emotional state analysis. As an important non-verbal communicative fashion, human body gestures are capable of conveying emotional information during social communication. In previous works, efforts have been made mainly on facial expressions, speech, or expressive body gestures to interpret classical expressive emotions. Differently, we focus on a specific group of body gestures, called micro-gestures (MGs), used in the psychology research field to interpret inner human feelings. MGs are subtle and spontaneous body movements that are proven, together with micro-expressions, to be more reliable than normal facial expressions for conveying hidden emotional information. In this work, a comprehensive study of MGs is presented from the computer vision aspect, including a novel spontaneous micro-gesture (SMG) dataset with two emotional stress states and a comprehensive statistical analysis indicating the correlations between MGs and emotional states. Novel frameworks are further presented together with various state-of-the-art methods as benchmarks for automatic classification, online recognition of MGs, and emotional stress state recognition. The dataset and methods presented could inspire a new way of utilizing body gestures for human emotion understanding and bring a new direction to the emotion AI community. The source code and dataset are made available:https://github.com/mikecheninoulu/SMG.