bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Responses of soil fauna community under changing environmental conditions
Authors: Kudureti Ayijiamali , Zhao Shuai , Zhakyp Dina , Tian Changyan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractSoil faunas account for 23% of known animal species and play a crucial role in ecosystem processes such as mineralizing nutrients, regulating microbial community composition, forming soil aggregates, and enhancing primary productivity. However, due to global climate change, population density, community composition, and distribution patterns of soil fauna vary. Understanding the responses of soil fauna to major environmental change facilitate the conservation of biodiversity. Therefore, a review work of recent researches for analysing the effects of key environmental factors on soil fauna, such as warming, drought, food quality, and soil physical-chemical properties was studied. For most species, warming may exert a positive effect on their abundance and population development, however, it can inhibit the survival and reproduction of hibernating species. Drought leads to low soil porosity and water holding capacity, which reduces soil fauna population and changes their community composition. Drought also can reduce the coverage of flora and alter microclimate of the soil surface, which in turn indirectly reduces fauna abundance. Climate warming and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide can reduce litter quality, which will force soil fauna to change their dietary choices (from higher-quality foods to poor quality foods) and reduce reproduction for survival. However, it is still predicted that enhanced species richness of plant (or litter) mixtures will positively affect soil fauna diversity. Habitat loss caused by the deterioration of soil physical-chemical property is primary factor affecting soil fauna. We mainly discuss the threats of increased salinity (a major factor in arid land) to soil fauna and their potential responses to anthropogenic disturbance in saline soils. The increase in soil salinity can override other factors that favour habitat specialists, leading to negative effects on soil fauna. Moreover, we find that more studies are needed to explore the responses of soil fauna in saline soils to human activities. And the relationship of important ecological processes with soil fauna density, community structure, and diversity needs to be redefined.
Developing and validating a Japanese version of the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire
Authors: Nakamura Yuko , Asano Michiko 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Weight bias internalization (WBI) is significantly associated with negative physiological and psychological consequences. Given its negative effects, appropriate measurement of WBI is required for weight management and mental and physical health in people with weight problems. One of the most reliable and frequently used questionnaires to assess WBI is the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ). However, a Japanese version of the WSSQ has not yet been developed. Thus, the current study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the WSSQ (WSSQ-J) and validate its psychometric properties in the Japanese context.

Methods
A total of 1454 Japanese participants (age 34.44 ± 6.92; male = 498) with diverse weight statuses (Body mass index: 21.44 ± 3.52, 13.79–41.40 kg/m2) completed an online survey for the WSSQ-J. The internal consistency of the WSSQ-J was estimated by calculating Cronbach’s α. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then carried out to confirm that the factor structure of the WSSQ-J was the same as that of the subscales of the original WSSQ.

Results
The WSSQ-J had a Cronbach’s α of 0.917, indicating good internal consistency. In CFA, the comparative fit index was 0.945, the root mean square error of approximation was 0.085, and the standardized root mean square residual was 0.040, indicating that the two-factor model showed satisfactory goodness-of-fit.

Conclusion
This study replicated the original findings related to the WSSQ, showing that the WSSQ-J is a reliable WBI questionnaire consisting of two factors. Therefore, the WSSQ-J would be a reliable tool for assessing WBI among Japanese.

Level of evidence
Level V, descriptive cross-sectional study.
A systematic review of occupational exposure to respirable coal mine dust (RCMD) in the U.S. mining industry
Authors: Shekarian Younes , Rahimi Elham , Rezaee Mohammad , Roghanchi Pedram 
Published: May 2023

AbstractCumulative inhalation of respirable coal mine dust (RCMD) can lead to severe lung diseases, including coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (CWP), silicosis, mixed dust pneumoconiosis, dust-related diffuse fibrosis (DDF), and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Statistics from the number of reported cases showed a significant decrease in the progression of respiratory diseases in the 1990s. However, an unexpected increase in the number of CWP cases was reported in the late 1990s. To date, there has been no comprehensive systematic review to assess all contributing factors to the resurgence of CWP cases. This study aims to investigate the effects of various mining parameters on the prevalence of CWP in coal mines. A systematic review using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) method was conducted to investigate the health effects of RCMD exposure and identify the factors that may contribute to the recent resurgence of CWP cases. The systematic review yielded a total of 401 papers, which were added to the database. The total number of 148 and 208 papers were excluded from the database in the process of screening and eligibility, respectively. Then, 18 papers were considered for data selection and full-text assessment. The review revealed that factors including geographic location, mine size, mining operation type, coal-seam thickness, coal rank, changes in mining practices, technology advancement, and engineering dust control practices are contributing to the recent resurgence of CWP among coal workers. However, the evidence for root causes is limited owing to the methodological constraints of the studies; therefore, further detailed studies are needed.
Wie unterstützen Leitungskräfte der Weiterbildung organisationsinterne digitale Veränderung? Eine qualitative Fallstudie im Kontext von Volkshochschulen
Authors: Wahl Johannes , Herbrechter Dörthe 
Published: May 2023

ZusammenfassungFührungskräfte nehmen im Rahmen der digitalen Transformation nicht zuletzt an der Schnittstelle zwischen Organisation und Umwelt eine wichtige Position ein. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht explorativ aus Sicht der Leitungskräfte, (1) welche Impulse und Akteure aus der organisationalen Umwelt als wichtig erachtet werden, (2) welche Maßnahmen und Aktivitäten ergriffen werden, um organisationsintern digitale Veränderungen anzustoßen und (3) welche Formen der Führung dazu genutzt werden. Die Datengrundlage basiert auf halbstandardisierten Leitfadeninterviews mit Leitungskräften an Volkshochschulen (N = 34), die inhaltsanalytisch induktiv und deduktiv ausgewertet wurden. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen die Komplexität der Anforderungsstruktur an das Führungshandeln und zeigen auf, welche Impulse die Führungskräfte für eine interne Veränderungsdynamik setzen können. Zudem weisen die Befunde auf ein Zusammenspiel verschiedener Formen der Führung hin, die im Kontext der Weiterbildung mit spezifischen Herausforderungen verbunden sind.
Decolonial insights for transforming the higher education curriculum in South Africa
Authors: Govender Logan , Naidoo Devika 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWhile there have been several calls for decolonising the curriculum in South Africa, more needs to be done at the level of policy development and especially its implementation. The curriculum decolonisation impetus gained a few years back has abated somewhat, and there is a need to reinstate its significance amidst other imperatives we face in the current troubling times. There appears to be a reluctance to continue the decolonising journey, not least of all because of the continuing dominance of European hegemony in almost all facets of the lives of decolonised people, especially evident in the education sector, and specifically through the curriculum. The paper argues that without the decolonisation of the predominantly Eurocentric curriculum, the achievement of justice for the colonised remains elusive. This entails focusing the decolonisation debate from the objectification of the colonised to centring the African being, a reconceptualisation of epistemology as pluriversal and greater visibility of the colonised and coloniality as pre-conditions for decolonising the curriculum. The article reviews the South African response to decolonial insights and considers their implications for higher education curriculum development and practice. It identifies changing attitudes of, and ownership by, academic staff as a key challenge in the implementation of a decolonised curriculum and concludes with tabulating the implication of key concepts of decolonial theory for the curriculum.
Functional Fiber Membranes with Antibacterial Properties for Face Masks
Authors: Natsathaporn Papada , Herwig Gordon , Altenried Stefanie , Ren Qun , Rossi René M. , Crespy Daniel , Itel Fabian 
Published: May 2023

AbstractReusable face masks are an important alternative for minimizing costs of disposable and surgical face masks during pandemics. Often complementary to washing, a prolonged lifetime of face masks relies on the incorporation of self-cleaning materials. The development of self-cleaning face mask materials requires the presence of a durable catalyst to deactivate contaminants and microbes after long-term use without reducing filtration efficiency. Herein, we generate self-cleaning fibers by functionalizing silicone-based (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) fibrous membranes with a photocatalyst. Coaxial electrospinning is performed to fabricate fibers with a non-crosslinked silicone core within a supporting shell scaffold, followed by thermal crosslinking and removal of the water-soluble shell. Photocatalytic zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are immobilized on the PDMS fibers by colloid-electrospinning or post-functionalization procedures. The fibers functionalized with ZnO NPs can degrade a photo-sensitive dye and display antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) due to the generation of reactive oxygen species upon irradiation with UV light. Furthermore, a single layer of functionalized fibrous membrane shows an air permeability in the range of 80–180 L/m2s and 65% filtration efficiency against fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 1.0 µm (PM1.0).
Graphical abstract
Is COVID-19 Being Used to Spread Malware
Authors: Ahmed Ruqayah N. , Javed Amir , Bedewi Wafi 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWith the rising number of people using social networks after the pandemic of COVID-19, cybercriminals took the advantage of (i) the increased base of possible victims and (ii) the use of a trending topic as the pandemic COVID-19 to lure victims and attract their attention and put malicious content to infect the most possible number of people. Twitter platform forces an auto-shortening to any included URL within a 140-character message called “tweet” and this makes it easier for the attackers to include malicious URLs within Tweets. Here comes the need to adopt new approaches to resolve the problem or at least identify it to better understand it to find a suitable solution. One of the proven effective approaches is the adaption of machine learning (ML) concepts and applying different algorithms to detect, identify, and even block the propagation of malware. Hence, this study’s main objectives were to collect tweets from Twitter that are related to the topic of COVID-19 and extract features from these tweets and import them as independent variables for the machine learning models to be developed later, so they would identify imported tweets as to be malicious or not.
Dynamic Grammar Pruning for Program Size Reduction in Symbolic Regression
Authors: Ali Muhammad Sarmad , Kshirsagar Meghana , Naredo Enrique , Ryan Conor 
Published: May 2023

AbstractGrammar is a key input in grammar-based genetic programming. Grammar design not only influences performance, but also program size. However, grammar design and the choice of productions often require expert input as no automatic approach exists. This research work discusses our approach to automatically reduce a bloated grammar. By utilizing a simple Production Ranking mechanism, we identify productions which are less useful and dynamically prune those to channel evolutionary search towards better (smaller) solutions. Our objective in this work was program size reduction without compromising generalization performance. We tested our approach on 13 standard symbolic regression datasets with Grammatical Evolution. Using a grammar embodying a well-defined function set as a baseline, we compare effective genome length and test performance with our approach. Dynamic grammar pruning achieved significantly better genome lengths for all datasets, while significantly improving generalization performance on three datasets, although it worsened in five datasets. When we utilized linear scaling during the production ranking stages (the first 20 generations) the results dramatically improved. Not only were the programs smaller in all datasets, but generalization scores were also significantly better than the baseline in 6 out of 13 datasets, and comparable in the rest. When the baseline was also linearly scaled as well, the program size was still smaller with the Production Ranking approach, while generalization scores dropped in only three datasets without any significant compromise in the rest.
The Challenges for Manufacturers of the Increased Clinical Evaluation in the European Medical Device Regulations: A Quantitative Study
Authors: Kearney Breda , McDermott Olivia 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe European Union Medical Device Regulations 2017/745 entered into force on May 2021 with changes related to strengthening the clinical evaluation requirements, particularly for high-risk devices. This study investigates how the increased requirements on medical device manufacturers in relation to how clinical evaluation will challenge manufacturers. A quantitative survey study was utilized with responses from 68 senior or functional area subject matter experts working in medical device manufacturing Regulatory or Quality roles. The findings from the study demonstrated that the highest source of reactive Post-Market Surveillance data was customer complaints and proactive data were Post-Market Clinical Follow-Up. In contrast, the top 3 sources for generating clinical evaluation data for legacy devices under the new Medical Device Regulations were Post-Market Surveillance data, Scientific literature reviews, and Post-Market Clinical Follow-Up studies. Manufacturers’ biggest challenge under the new Medical Device Regulations is determining the amount of data needed to generate sufficient clinical evidence, while over 60% of high-risk device manufacturers have outsourced the writing of their clinical evaluation reports. Manufacturers also reported a high investment in clinical evaluation training and highlighted inconsistencies in the requirements for clinical data by different notified bodies. These challenges may lead to a potential shortage of certain medical devices in the E.U. and a delay in access to new devices, negatively impacting patient quality of life (1). This study provides a unique insight into the challenges currently experienced by medical device manufacturers as they transition to the MDR clinical evaluation requirements and the subsequent impact on the continued availability of medical devices in the E.U.
Disputes over intellectual rights in Brazil: interest organisations and their impacts on copyright law
Authors: de Medeiros Albrecht Nayara F. Macedo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractPrevious studies on lobbying outlined that business groups are more influential on low salient issues due to their organisation, unity, and expertise. This study addresses the causal mechanisms behind issue salience and business influence through an in-depth case study regarding copyright reform in Brazil. By employing a bibliographical and a documentary research, I analysed the statuses and legislative agendas of groups and other policy participants interested in either maintaining or changing copyright laws. Through the investigation of public hearings and draft bills discussed at a special committee of the Chamber of Deputies, I mapped the policy participants and their political preferences. Combining process-tracing and preference attainment, the analysis sought to identify the winners and losers in this debate as well as the strategies they implemented to achieve their goals. In contrast to other studies, the case under analysis revealed that certain participants acted as countervailing forces against powerful groups, though business organisations still succeed to achieve small concessions.
Two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy of trion-polaritons and exciton-polaritons in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides
Authors: Hu Hui , Wang Jia , Lalor Riley , Liu Xia-Ji 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWe present a microscopic many-body calculation of the nonlinear two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy (2DCS) of trion-polaritons and exciton-polaritons in charge-tunable transition-metal-dichalcogenides monolayers placed in an optical microcavity. The charge tunability leads to an electron gas with nonzero density that brings brightness to the trion — a polaron quasiparticle formed by an exciton with a nonzero residue bounded to the electron gas. As a result, a trion-polariton is created under strong light-matter coupling, as observed in the recent experiment by Sidler et al. [Nat. Phys. 13, 255 (2017)]. We analyze in detail the structure of trion-polaritons, by solving an extended Chevy ansatz for the trion quasiparticle wave-function. We confirm that the effective light-matter coupling for trion-polaritons is determined by the residue of the trion quasiparticle. The solution of the full many-body polaron states within Chevy ansatz enables us to microscopically calculate the nonlinear 2DCS spectrum of both trion-polaritons and exciton-polaritons. We predict the existence of three kinds of off-diagonal cross-peaks in the 2DCS spectrum, as an indication of the coherence among the different branches of trion-polaritons and exciton-polaritons. Due to the sensitivity of 2DCS spectrum to quasiparticle interactions, our work provides a good starting point to explore the strong nonlinearity exhibited by trion-polaritons in some recent exciton-polariton experiments.
Prediction of ROP Zones Using Deep Learning Algorithms and Voting Classifier Technique
Authors: Salih Nazar , Ksantini Mohamed , Hussein Nebras , Ben Halima Donia , Abdul Razzaq Ali , Ahmed Sohaib 
Published: May 2023

AbstractRetinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can cause blindness in premature neonates. It is diagnosed when new blood vessels form abnormally in the retina. However, people at high risk of ROP might benefit significantly from early detection and treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis of ROP is vital in averting visual impairment. However, due to a lack of medical experience in detecting this condition, many people refuse treatment; this is especially troublesome given the rising cases of ROP. To deal with this problem, we trained three transfer learning models (VGG-19, ResNet-50, and EfficientNetB5) and a convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify the zones of ROP in preterm newborns. The dataset to train the model contains 1365 fundus images from the ROP screening. This dataset was gathered from the Private Clinic Al-Amal Eye center in Baghdad, Iraq. The models above are ensemble through voting classifier techniques to increase the performance. The proposed method had an overall accuracy of 88.82 percent when employing the voting classifier. On the other hand, EfficientNetB5 has outperformed other models in terms of accuracy with 87.27%.
Introducing the ‘conceptual archive’: A genealogy of counterterrorism in 1970s Britain
Authors: Livesey Michael 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis article contributes to an ‘historical turn’ in security scholarship. It addresses imbalance in security studies’ attention to historical empirics, and argues against notions of temporal disjunct prevalent within the discipline. I employ a genealogical framework to clarify the interpellation of past and present; and I introduce the ‘conceptual archive’ as a lens for pursuing that interpellation in research. My thesis on the ‘conceptual archive’ represents a twofold contribution. Firstly, a conceptual contribution: I advance the ‘conceptual archive’ as a way of thinking about past-present interpellation (specifically, existing conceptual logics’ remodelling in arguments justifying new practice). Secondly, an analytical contribution: I propose the ‘conceptual archive’ as a tool for doing genealogy (a research programme with historicising promise, but one suffering nebulous operationalisation at present). I use the field of terrorism studies as an entry-point to these contributions: adopting a mixed-methods research design to trace British counterterrorism practices’ roots within an ‘archive’ of logics on Northern Ireland. I find 1970s British governments remodelled long-standing ‘archival’ vocabularies in their arguments for new security provisions: framing exceptional practices according to an accepted fabric of concepts.
The unusual atrypide brachiopod Qilianotryma suspectum (Popov, 1982) from the Upper Ordovician of the South China paleoplate
Authors: Zhang Yuchen , Sproat Colin D. , Zhan Renbin 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe atrypide brachiopod Qilianotryma Xu in Jin et al., 1979 is an early member of the subfamily Spirigerininae initially described from the Katian (Upper Ordovician) Koumenzi Formation of the Qilian Mountains, Qaidam terrane, Northwest China. Qilianotryma suspectum (Popov in Nikiforova et al., 1982) is described for the first time from the Upper Ordovician of South China paleoplate. Serial sectioning in this study revealed the typical spiralia and other internal structures of early atrypides. The rephotographing of type material and discriminant analysis support that Qilianotryma and broadly similar Euroatrypa can be differentiated in terms of external morphology. The distribution of Qilianotryma across the South China paleoplate, Qaidam terrane, and a few Kazakh terranes (i.e., Chu-Ili, Boshchekul, and Chingiz-Tarbagatai) supports a low-latitude faunal province separate from that of Laurentia and Baltica during the Katian, but further work describing and reviewing additional fossil material from these plates and terranes may improve our understanding of the position of these plates and the role that paleogeography played in increasing biodiversity during the Ordovician Radiation.