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Willingness to pay (WTP) is a metric that is widely valued and utilized among both practitioners and academics. However, the conceptualization of WTP is ambiguous, and this ambiguity is reflected across existing methods of measuring WTP. The authors first present a formal mathematical framework that clarifies WTP as a distributional concept—rather than a single number—constructed as a function of customers, comparisons, and situations. The framework further reveals the operation of two comparative mechanisms, direct and indirect, by which situational factors affect WTP. They then introduce a new method to measure WTP—the comparative method of valuation (CMV)—that, unlike existing methods, is designed to account for the inherently comparative and situational nature of WTP. Across nine studies reported in the article and four additional studies in the Web Appendix, the authors (1) examine differences in results between CMV and choice-based conjoint as well as between CMV and the classic Becker–DeGroot–Marschak methodology, (2) demonstrate that CMV is a valid and reliable measure of WTP, and (3) illustrate applications of CMV to managerial problems. This article offers both conceptual clarity and methodological advances to understanding the construction and measurement of WTP for practitioners and academics alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to understanding the role of the institution of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the context of armed conflict, which is accompanied by a gross leveling of the category of «human rights» and devaluation of its existential essence, and as a result, this determines the strengthening of the institutional capacity of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in the context of the national human rights protection mechanism. The object of this scientific research is the functioning of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in the constitutional and legal dimension of human rights protection, and thus the subject of the study is limited to the peculiarities of the implementation of the human rights functions of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights through the prism of the armed conflict. The methodological basis of the study is a system of general scientific and special methods of scientific cognition, the most common of which are dialectical, formal legal (dogmatic), legal comparative method, legal hermeneutics method, as well as modeling, analysis and synthesis methods which were used to formulate certain definitions, proposed scientific approaches, and to develop certain positions based on the review of regulatory and legal material. Based on the results of this study, the author proposes to deviate from the statutory time limits for applying to the Ombudsman by persons who are in the temporarily occupied part of the territory in order to provide appropriate legal protection and guarantee consideration of applications from this category of applicants, and determines the moment when the time limits begin to be calculated, the feasibility of such an approach, and models different time limits. Interpreting the provisions of the Law of Ukraine «On the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights», the author proposes and deepens the understanding of «exceptional circumstances» for extending the time limits for filing an appeal during the armed conflict for no more than two years. The author draws attention to the state of practical implementation of the principle of institutional independence of the Ombudsman under martial law, notes the imperfect regulation of the direct principle in legislation and comes to a consolidated conclusion that it is necessary to regulate certain provisions of legal acts to ensure full establishment of the principle of impartiality and independence of the legal institution, and suggests options for eliminating conflicts of law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although patterns of population genomic variation are well‐studied in animals, there remains room for studies that focus on non‐model taxa with unique biologies. Here we characterise and attempt to explain such patterns in mygalomorph spiders, which are generally sedentary, often occur as spatially clustered demes and show remarkable longevity. Genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data were collected for 500 individuals across a phylogenetically representative sample of taxa. We inferred genetic populations within focal taxa using a phylogenetically informed clustering approach, and characterised patterns of diversity and differentiation within‐ and among these genetic populations, respectively. Using phylogenetic comparative methods we asked whether geographical range sizes and ecomorphological variables (behavioural niche and body size) significantly explain patterns of diversity and differentiation. Specifically, we predicted higher genetic diversity in genetic populations with larger geographical ranges, and in small‐bodied taxa. We also predicted greater genetic differentiation in small‐bodied taxa, and in burrowing taxa. We recovered several significant predictors of genetic diversity, but not genetic differentiation. However, we found generally high differentiation across genetic populations for all focal taxa, and a consistent signal for isolation‐by‐distance irrespective of behavioural niche or body size. We hypothesise that high population genetic structuring, likely reflecting combined dispersal limitation and microhabitat specificity, is a shared trait for all mygalomorphs. Few studies have found ubiquitous genetic structuring for an entire ancient and species‐rich animal clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge for solid‐state batteries is the fabrication of high‐capacity cathodes with high area loading and good rate performance. To reliably quantify the performance of high‐capacity cathodes, electrochemically stable, and high‐rate counter electrodes are essential. Otherwise, a three‐electrode setup is required. In–Li alloy electrodes are used for years in a kind of standard approach, since these seem to offer stable operation. In this comparative study, seven preparation methods for In–Li electrodes are examined, determining their suitability for cathode testing. The microstructure of a planar (i.e., foil) and a particle‐based (i.e., composite) anode configuration is analyzed in more detail. Their rate‐dependent electrode performance as well as electrochemical and chemomechanical reversibility in full‐cell configuration are analyzed. The combined results demonstrate the limitations of In–Li electrodes for high‐capacity testing, especially at high rates, while confirming their suitability for simple lab‐scale testing. Preparation significantly influences the electrode microstructure and kinetics, consequently impacting the performance benchmarks of cathodes. These findings underscore both the challenges involved in applying In–Li counter electrodes and the resulting limited comparability of results from different laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Comparative approaches in animal gut microbiome research have revealed patterns of phylosymbiosis, dietary and physiological convergences, and environment–host interactions. However, most large‐scale comparative studies, especially those that are highly cited, have focused on mammals, and efforts to integrate comparative approaches with existing ecological frameworks are lacking. While mammals serve as useful model organisms, developing generalised principles of how animal gut microbiomes are shaped and how these microbiomes interact bidirectionally with host ecology and evolution requires a more complete sampling of the animal kingdom. Here, we provide an overview of what past comparative studies have taught us about the gut microbiome, and how community ecology theory may help resolve certain contradictions in comparative gut microbiome research. We explore whether certain hypotheses are supported across clades, and how the disproportionate focus on mammals has introduced potential bias into gut microbiome theory. We then introduce a methodological solution by which public gut microbiome data of understudied hosts can be compiled and analysed in a comparative context. Our aggregation and analysis of 179 studies shows that generating data sets with rich host diversity is possible with public data and that key gut microbes associated with mammals are widespread across the animal kingdom. We also show the effects that sample size and taxonomic rank have on comparative gut microbiome studies and that results of multivariate analyses can vary significantly with these two parameters. While challenges remain in developing a universal model of the animal gut microbiome, we show that existing ecological frameworks can help bring us one step closer to integrating the gut microbiome into animal ecology and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews a book titled "The Grammar of Body-Part Expressions. A View from the Americas" edited by Roberto Zariquiey and Pilar M. Valenzuela. The book explores the less-explored grammar of body parts from a rich American perspective, focusing on South American languages with some mention of Mesoamerica and North American languages. The chapters in the book are structured topically, covering categorialization, lexicalization, semantic processes, possessive constructions, and incorporation of body-part terms in various indigenous languages of the Americas. The volume aims to contribute significantly to linguistic typology and cognitive linguistics, offering detailed descriptive accounts and analyses of body-part terms in diverse languages. [Extracted from the article]

Rewilding is a flexible conservation approach that may be applicable to a wide variety of ecological, historical and socio-cultural contexts. We believe that comparative socio-ecological research on woodland habitat trajectories among contexts is an excellent opportunity to consider possible rewilding approaches. Here, we draw on a comparison between arid and seasonally dry woodlands of the Sahel region of Africa and the Southern Cone of South America. The two regions, while sharing a common Gondwanan floral origin, differ in terms of subsequent biogeographical processes and have different climatic gradients. Historically, both regions were colonised, although along different models, and the Southern Cone has experienced greater land-use change and agricultural modernisation. Culturally, both regions have indigenous populations with traditional management techniques and local ecological knowledge, although attention to these topics in research and conservation has had different emphases in each region. Rewilding, focusing on charismatic animals, has been proposed and implemented in some parts of the Southern Cone, but has hardly been mentioned for the Sahel. We discuss the applicability of potential rewilding models involving key plants for each region, and what a plant-focused rewilding practice could gain from a comparative approach in the two regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRPV4 antagonists that could be potential drugs for treatment and management of neuropathic pain. This study was conducted to systematically design several amino derivatives of 2,4′‐dimethyl‐[4,5′‐bithiazol]‐2‐yl as antagonists. In silico computational methods, such as 3D quantitative structure‐activity relationship modeling (3D‐QSAR), molecular docking, and pharmacokinetic property assessment (ADMET), were used to discover new compounds with strong antagonistic activity. The best‐performing 3D‐QSAR model was developed using a partial least squares approach and comparative molecular similarity analysis (CoMSIA). The developed model demonstrated an excellent ability to correlate and predict properties (R2 = 0.932, Q2 = 0.620, and SEE = 0.109). It was observed that variations in biological activity were significantly influenced by interactions with steric, electrostatic, and hydrophobic fields. Molecular docking was used to validate the 3D‐QSAR methods and to explain the binding site and interactions between the most active ligands and the receptor. Based on these results, a new series of compounds was predicted. The best‐anchored molecules underwent MD simulation to confirm their dynamic behavior and stability, and they also underwent retrosynthetic analysis to assist in their synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home demolition is one of the issues that the Palestinian community faces as a result of Israeli procedures that can impact Palestinian mental health. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and stress among Palestinian citizens whose homes were demolished. Materials and methods: A comparative cross-sectional design was adopted using a purposive sample of home demolished versus not home demolished Palestinian people. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) were used to assess the participants' levels of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and stress. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 25, was applied to the statistical analysis. Results: This study showed that PTSD levels among people whose homes were demolished are significantly high, with a mean of 3.2, which could be indicative of a clinical concern. However, the PTSD level in the comparison group had no significance, with a mean of 1.48. Stress, depression, and anxiety levels were represented as 32.71, in their means, 32.61, and 32.08, respectively, among home-demolished people, compared to stress 18.46, depression 15.87, and anxiety 13.06 among the non home demolished group. Conclusions: This study is one of the few that sheds light on one of the disadvantaged groups who suffer from home demolition and the severe mental problems that affect them, including PTSD, stress, depression, and anxiety). Furthermore, many related risk factors were studied in this research. As a future recommendation, further research is needed in this field, especially among disadvantaged groups. Stakeholders need to take action to improve the health system in Palestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Clonal growth is widespread among herbaceous plants, and helps them to cope with environmental heterogeneity through resource integration via connecting clonal organs. Such integration is considered to balance heterogeneity by translocation of resources from rich to poor patches. However, such an 'equalization' strategy is only one of several possible strategies. Under certain conditions, a strategy emphasizing acropetal movement and exploration of new areas or a strategy of accumulating resources in older ramets may be preferred. The optimal strategy may be determined by environmental conditions, such as resource availability and level of light competition. We aimed to summarize possible translocation strategies in a conceptual analysis and to examine translocation in two species from different habitats. Methods Resource translocation was compared between two closely related species from different habitats with contrasting productivity. The study examined the bidirectional translocation of carbon and nitrogen in pairs of mother and daughter ramets grown under light heterogeneity (one ramet shaded) at two developmental stages using stable-isotope labelling. Key Results At the early developmental stage, both species translocated resources towards daughters and the translocation was modified by shading. Later, the species of low-productivity habitats, Fragaria viridis , translocated carbon to shaded ramets (both mother and daughter), according to the 'equalization' strategy. In contrast, the species of high-productivity habitats, Potentilla reptans , did not support shaded mother ramets. Nitrogen translocation remained mainly acropetal in both species. Conclusions The two studied species exhibited different translocation strategies, which may be linked to the habitat conditions experienced by each species. The results indicate that we need to consider different possible strategies. We emphasize the importance of bidirectional tracing in translocation studies and the need for further studies to investigate the translocation patterns in species from contrasting habitats using a comparative approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The evolutionary success of flowering plants is associated with the vast diversity of their reproductive structures. Despite recent progress in understanding angiosperm-wide trends in floral structure and evolution, a synthetic view of the diversity in seed form and function across angiosperms is lacking. Scope Here we present a roadmap to synthesize the diversity of seed forms in extant angiosperms, relying on the morphospace concept, i.e. a mathematical representation which relates multiple traits and describes the realized morphologies. We provide recommendations on how to broaden the range of measurable traits beyond mass, by using key morphological traits representative of the embryo, endosperm and seed coat but also fruit attributes (e.g. dehiscence, fleshiness). These key traits were used to construct and analyse a morphospace to detect evolutionary trends and gain insight into how morphological traits relate to seed functions. Finally, we outline challenges and future research directions, combining the morphospace with macroevolutionary comparative methods to underline the drivers that gave rise to the diversity of observed seed forms. Conclusions We conclude that this multidimensional approach has the potential, although still untapped, to improve our understanding of covariation among reproductive traits, and further elucidate angiosperm reproductive biology as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the effects of thermal pre-treatments such as convective drying (P-CD), water (BL_W), and microwave blanching (M_BL) and osmotic enrichment pre-treatments with juices from pomegranate (PG), chokeberry (CH), and sea buckthorn (SB) on microwave-vacuum-dried (MVD) carrot properties. Convective drying (CD) and freeze-drying (FD) were used as a comparative method. The dry matter content and water activity of MVD carrots were varied, but in many cases, the values were comparable to those of FD-dried carrots. Pre-enrichment in CH juice significantly reduced the values of the color parameters L*, a*, and b*, regardless of the drying method. The smallest changes were observed in microwave pre-blanching (M_BL). The lowest loss in carotenoid content was observed in CD-dried carrots (14–34 mg/100 g d.m.). Blanching and enrichment in SB juice allowed significant retention of these compounds. As a result of drying carrots, the total phenolic content (TPC) increased. Compared to the raw material, the TPC content in dried carrots increased 3–9 times. Drying using the FD and MVD methods gave a similar effect of increasing the TPC content, including a greater effect after enrichment in CH juice. The highest average antioxidant activity against the DPPH• and ABTS•+ radicals was recorded for FD-dried carrots (6.9 and 30.0 mg Trolox/g d.m.). SB juice contributed to a significant increase in the total vitamin C content, even by 89.1%, compared to raw carrots. Applying osmotic pre-enrichment in PG juice increased the sugar content in dried FD and CD samples by 37.4–49.9%, and in MVD by 21–59%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome chondrosarcoma's (CHS) high chemo- and radioresistance, we used polyethylene glycol-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) for the controlled delivery of the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (IONPDOX) to amplify the cytotoxicity of proton radiation therapy. Human 2D CHS SW1353 cells were treated with protons (linear energy transfer (LET): 1.6 and 12.6 keV/µm) with and without IONPDOX. Cell survival was assayed using a clonogenic test, and genotoxicity was tested through the formation of micronuclei (MN) and γH2AX foci, respectively. Morphology together with spectral fingerprints of nuclei were measured using enhanced dark-field microscopy (EDFM) assembled with a hyperspectral imaging (HI) module and an axial scanning fluorescence module, as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX). Cell survival was also determined in 3D SW3153 spheroids following treatment with low-LET protons with/without the IONPDOX compound. IONPDOX increased radiosensitivity following proton irradiation at both LETs in correlation with DNA damage expressed as MN or γH2AX. The IONPDOX–low-LET proton combination caused a more lethal effect compared to IONPDOX–high-LET protons. CHS cell biological alterations were reflected by the modifications in the hyperspectral images and spectral profiles, emphasizing new possible spectroscopic markers of cancer therapy effects. Our findings show that the proposed treatment combination has the potential to improve the management of CHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the heterogeneity in energy and non-energy commodities by analyzing their four realized moments: returns, realized volatility, realized skewness and realized kurtosis. Utilizing monthly data, we examine two commodity categories over various crisis periods. This study examines a comparative approach to descriptive statistics across different crisis periods and the full sample and assesses the out-of-sample significance of heteroscedasticity using GARCH models. The findings reveal significant heterogeneity in both energy and non-energy commodities, with energy commodities exhibiting higher average returns and volatility. Crisis periods markedly influence the statistical properties of these commodities. GARCH models outperform ARMA models in forecasting realized moments, particularly for non-energy commodities. This research contributes to the literature by providing robust evidence of heterogeneity in commodity markets and highlights the importance of considering all four realized moments in such analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hippocampus of vertebrates and the central complex of insects are both engaged by navigational tasks that require spatial memory or inference. The hippocampus builds flexible place maps of both real and abstract spaces. The insect central complex comprises ordered arrays of cells that are well suited to encode and compute with vectors. Both the hippocampus and central complex feature heading-direction signals based on ring attractor networks, and both structures receive input from partially segregated 'where' and 'what' pathways. Current understanding of the differences between vertebrate and invertebrate navigational systems might reflect ecological, historical, and methodological differences. Future comparative approaches will help to reveal fundamental relationships between brain circuits and navigational and cognitive abilities across species. Across species, navigation is crucial for finding both resources and shelter. In vertebrates, the hippocampus supports memory-guided goal-directed navigation, whereas in arthropods the central complex supports similar functions. A growing literature is revealing similarities and differences in the organization and function of these brain regions. We review current knowledge about how each structure supports goal-directed navigation by building internal representations of the position or orientation of an animal in space, and of the location or direction of potential goals. We describe input pathways to each structure – medial and lateral entorhinal cortex in vertebrates, and columnar and tangential neurons in insects – that primarily encode spatial and non-spatial information, respectively. Finally, we highlight similarities and differences in spatial encoding across clades and suggest experimental approaches to compare coding principles and behavioral capabilities across species. Such a comparative approach can provide new insights into the neural basis of spatial navigation and neural computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the methodological developments that aim to render qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) "time sensitive", I propose a new procedure for carrying out QCA longitudinally. More specifically, I show first why longitudinal case disaggregation should be carried out with change-based intervals (CBIs) rather than with fixed intervals. Second, I develop a flexible lag condition (FLC) that (i) resolves two types of temporal contradictions and outcome redundancies that can result from temporal case disaggregation and (ii) allows to measure the average duration it takes for a combination of conditions to translate to an outcome. Since temporal contradictions and outcome redundancies are most likely with an increasing number of time points and conditions, as well as with CBIs in general, the FLC procedure is most useful in these cases. The fact that the interest of longitudinal analyses increases with the number of disaggregated cases underlines the usefulness of the proposed methodological innovation. Despite its suitability for mid-n and large-n analyses, longitudinal QCA with an FLC preserves a strong case-oriented and qualitative perspective and remains thereby loyal to QCA's original foundations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frogs have a highly conserved body plan, yet they employ a diverse array of locomotor modes, making them ideal organisms for investigating the relationships between morphology and locomotor function, in particular whether anatomical complexity is a prerequisite for functional complexity. We use diffusible iodine contrast‐enhanced microCT (diceCT) imaging to digitally dissect the gross muscle anatomy of the pelvis and hindlimbs for 30 species of frogs representing five primary locomotor modes, including the first known detailed dissection for some of the world's smallest frogs, forming the largest digital comparative analysis of musculoskeletal structure in any vertebrate clade to date. By linking musculoskeletal dissections and phylogenetic comparative methods, we then quantify and compare relationships between anatomy and function across over 160 million years of anuran evolution. In summary, we have found that bone lengths and pelvic crest sizes are generally not reliable predictors of muscle sizes, which highlights important implications for future palaeontological studies. Our investigation also presents previously unreported differences in muscle anatomy between frogs specialising in different locomotor modes, including several of the smallest frog hindlimb muscles, which are extremely difficult to extract and measure using traditional approaches. Furthermore, we find evidence of many‐to‐one and one‐to‐many mapping of form to function across the phylogeny. Additionally, we perform the first quantitative analysis of how the degree of muscle separation can differ between frogs. We find evidence that phylogenetic history is the key contributing factor to muscle separation in the pelvis and thigh, while the separation of shank muscles is influenced more strongly by locomotor mode. Finally, our anatomical 3D reconstructions are published alongside this manuscript to contribute towards future research and serve as educational materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an exploratory account of an applied clinical method, the Comparative Clinical Method, used to address a specific question: how can we best think of the difference between intensive and non‐intensive analytic work? Normally, it is session frequency that is taken as a determining difference, as a marker of a different approach or method being employed. In our investigation, which consisted of the three authors presenting examples of their clinical work to each other, we did not find the intensive and non‐intensive work of each author to demonstrate clear and easily defined differences in method or technique. Instead, we found more evidence of each author adopting a coherent and consistent approach, based on an underlying and implicit working model, across their intensive and non‐intensive work. We conclude from this that the differences between intensive and non‐intensive work are best explored by encouraging more conceptually rigorous and clinically specific descriptions of the different kinds of analytic assumptions and methods employed in ordinary analytic clinical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of road crash Hotspots related to adverse weather is critical in implementing effective measures for reducing road crashes. A reliable hotspot identification method and firm criteria for evaluation are essential for accurately predicting crash risk Hotspots related to adverse weather. These steps will significantly enhance the accuracy of hotspot predictions and improve road safety efforts. This study investigates significant road safety issues related to adverse weather conditions in Jordan by testing hotspot identification methods (HSIDs) for crashes occurring under these conditions. The study applies and compares several hotspot ranking techniques including the Crash rate method (CR), the Crash frequency method (CF), the potential for improvement using predicted crashes (PI), and the Empirical Bayes method (EB), using a detailed dataset of weather-related crashes. The HSID methods are systematically tested using several statistical tests and assessed to determine the reliable approach/es for detecting hazardous sites during adverse weather conditions. The analysis encompasses urban and rural road segments, involving their operational and road characteristics and various crash characteristics. By integrating modern statistical tools, the study provides a detailed assessment of crash-identified Hotspots under adverse weather conditions and highlights major findings. The findings provide significant insights for decision-makers, emphasizing the importance of targeted initiatives and better road safety measures in identifying hotspots. Based on the findings, the study proposes some techniques for improving road safety related to poor weather Given the study's limitations, further and more comprehensive research is recommended to address these limitations and reach more conclusive results. This offers a strong foundation for decision-makers and traffic safety authorities to put into practice strategies to lower crash rates and enhance safety during inclement weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the causes and implications of legal uncertainty in the issuance of conventional municipal bonds in Indonesia and to draw lessons from Vietnam's approach in providing better legal certainty. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a normative legal method with a legislative approach and applies a comparative approach. Data sources involve primary and secondary legal materials from both Indonesia and Vietnam. Findings: The legal uncertainty is caused by a lack of coherence and consistency in legislation. Based on Vietnam's experience, Indonesia can gain valuable insights related to providing strong legal certainty for parties involved in issuing or investing through conventional municipal bonds. Research limitations/implications: This study focuses on the comparative legal analysis of conventional municipal bonds in Indonesia with Vietnam. Practical implications: This research provides recommendations for the refinement of legislation regarding conventional municipal bonds to the government. Social implications: This study is related to legal certainty as a strategy to attract investment through municipal bonds and to ensure the municipal bond issuance process is transparent and efficient. Originality/value: This study provides a comparative perspective on the issuance of municipal bonds in Indonesia, with a special focus on Vietnam, emphasizing the urgency of harmonization in legal regulation and the sustainability of legal certainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This research can be used for future designers and developers who aim to integrate Virtual Reality into their product development workflow. In the development of complex embedded interactive systems, a tension arises between, on the one hand, ever shorter and highly iterative design processes, and, on the other hand, the need for user testing with early prototypes to validate systems from a user-centred design perspective. This study focuses on the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into prototyping embedded interactive systems, examining its potential to bridge the gap between rapid prototyping and user-centered design validation. Adopting a comparative research approach, we analyze a case study: the development of a cultural smart city experience. It juxtaposes in situ, low-fidelity prototype testing with VR-based testing, evaluating their realism, interactivity, functionality, presence and task difficulty. This mixed-method research design incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, engaging 27 design students in a comparative study, conducting participatory research and 8 expert interviews. These findings reveal divergent roles in field testing and VR in the new product development process, highlighting VR's strengths in visualizing procedures and facilitating discussion. This study identifies the limitations of VR in mimicking realistic interactions and incorporating social context yet underscores its superiority over paper prototypes in its realism and interactivity. Where field testing can hold broader contextual insights, the VR prototype gives more concrete and applied insights. The main advantage of VR testing is its visualisation of procedures and its final materialisation according to the participants interviewed. According to the experts interviewed, VR can be used as a useful tool within the development process especially for visualisation and testing user flows of complex interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this paper, we focus on how and when organizations adopt different types of ambidexterity to facilitate projects that operate with fundamentally different time scales compared with the dominant functions of the organization. Design/methodology/approach: Using a comparative case study design, four case studies were conducted of long-term projects in two similar manufacturing plants within the same organization. Findings: We found organizations first use structural and sequential ambidexterity in change efforts, during which new process knowledge is developed. When structural and sequential ambidexterity are not viable, change agents use this developed knowledge to support contextual ambidexterity. This contextual ambidexterity allows change agents to move between distinct time conceptions of event time and clock time. Research limitations/implications: One of the limitations of this study was that it only focused on two plants within one organization in order to control for variation. Future studies should look at a wider range of companies, technologies and industries. Practical implications: While structurally and temporally decoupling change efforts help with differentiation of new technological change, there are limitations with these efforts. It is important to build an organization's contextual ambidexterity as well as organizational supports to facilitate switching between clock time and event time. Originality/value: This paper helps explain how and when organizations use different types of ambidexterity in resolving temporal conflicts when implementing longer-term technological change in fast-paced manufacturing settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural hazards are considered one of the greatest challenges today. Preventing transformation processes that lead to risk and then, crisis need a structural-strategic approach. An approach that can identify the issues and challenges ahead in a systematic and comprehensive method by formulating an operational plan can provide resilience and reduce vulnerability of human settlements and urban infrastructures. The road networks as one of the most important urban elements having a crucial role in management of crisis during the occurrence of natural crises (such as earthquakes) aid in the transferring the injured and rescue forces. The main purpose of this study was to determine the vulnerability of urban road networks for earthquake risk with neural network and machines learning algorithms with a comparative and systematic approach. In order to identify the most accurate and efficient model, a comparative comparison between neural network model (ANN) and machine learning algorithms including ADTree and KNN was carried out. The results of the present study in evaluating the structural condition of the urban road network with Fractal Dimension on hazardous and vulnerable zones showed that these zones were of low fractal dimension, and the distribution and differentiation of roads were low, reducing the efficiency of the road network at times of crisis. Other results of the present research on the application of machine learning algorithms indicate that the accuracy of the ADTree algorithm was equal to 1. In addition, at the stage of measuring the efficiency of the model with the Classification metrics algorithm, the ADTree algorithm efficiency was equal to 1. However, the accuracy of the KNN algorithm (K-Nearest Neighbors) and the artificial neural network model in predicting the vulnerability of the internal road network was equal to 0.92% and 0.98%, respectively. Therefore, since the degree of accuracy of the ADTree algorithm was higher, it is the most accurate and efficient algorithm to predict the vulnerability of the road network at times of the occurrence of hazardous events, and it can be useful and effective in decision-making of policy makers and planners in pre-crisis management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keyphrase extraction is a subtask of natural language processing referring to the automatic extraction of salient terms that semantically capture the key themes and topics of a document. Earlier literature reviews focus on classical approaches that employ various statistical or graph-based techniques; these approaches miss important keywords/keyphrases, due to their inability to fully utilize context (that is present or not) in a document, thus achieving low F1 scores. Recent advances in deep learning and word/sentence embedding vectors lead to the development of new approaches, which address the lack of context and outperform the majority of classical ones. Taking the above into account, the contribution of this review is fourfold: (i) we analyze the state-of-the-art keyphrase extraction approaches and categorize them upon their employed techniques; (ii) we provide a comparative evaluation of these approaches, using well-known datasets of the literature and popular evaluation metrics, such as the F1 score; (iii) we provide a series of insights on various keyphrase extraction issues, including alternative approaches and future research directions; (iv) we make the datasets and code used in our experiments public, aiming to further increase the reproducibility of this work and facilitate future research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-rich whale bones and wood falls occur widely in the deep sea and support diverse faunal communities, contributing to seafloor habitat diversity. Changes in community structure through succession on deep-sea bone/wood substrates are modulated by ecosystem engineers, i.e., bone-eating Osedax annelids, and wood-boring Xylophaga bivalves. Here, we use a comparative experimental approach and Ocean Networks Canada's (ONC) cabled observatory in hypoxic Barkley Canyon to study, at high temporal resolution, colonization and succession on whale-bone, Douglas fir wood, and control carbonate rock over 8.3 mo. Experimental substrates were similar in size and mounted on PVC plates near the seafloor at 890 m depth and monitored by high-definition video camera for 5-min intervals every 6-12 h over a period of 8.3 mo. A broad range of seafloor and sea-surface environmental variables were also monitored at this site over the 8.3 mo to account for environmental variability and food input. Following loss of the high-definition camera, substrates were surveyed approximately annually with lower resolution ROV video for an additional 8.5 y. We find that megafaunal abundances, species diversity, and community structure varied substantially over 8.3 mo on each substrate, with markedly different patterns on whale bones due to the development of extensive white bacterial mats. A combination of seafloor and sea surface variables explained < 35% of bone/wood community variation. Bone-eating Osedax annelids failed to colonize whale bones even after 9.2 years, and boring Xylophaga bivalves colonized the wood at much lower rates than in better oxygenated deep-sea locations. Species diversity on whale-bone and wood substrates appeared to be substantially reduced due to the absence of ecosystem engineers and the low oxygen concentrations. We hypothesize that Osedax/Xylophaga colonization, bone/wood degradation, and bone/wood community development may be limited by oxygen concentrations of 0.22 - 0.33 ml.l on the NE Pacific margin, and that OMZ expansion due to climate change will reduce whale-bone and wood degradation, and the contribution of whale falls and wood falls to beta diversity, on the NE Pacific margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stewardship theory offers considerable promise for strengthening trust between governments and organizations implementing policy. Recent studies show stewardship is partially applicable to the steering of public organizations yet it is not clear under what conditions. This study asserts that the steering of governmental organizations needs to be aligned with preferences and conditions of organizations, combining principal-agent and stewardship theory. The article adopts a unique nested comparative mixed methods study focusing on perceived and preferred steering of Danish agencies and educational institutions. The study finds a higher alignment of steering for agencies, mostly because participants experience real partnerships and closer proximity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Egg parasitoids are important biological control agents of lepidopteran pests of agricultural crops. Trichogramma evanescens Westwood and T. pintoi Voegele (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) are egg parasitoids with worldwide importance. The parasitoid selection necessitates comparative assessment of the life table traits and functional response analysis to provide insights into their effectiveness in pest control. In this study, we examined their life table traits including survivorship and reproductivity, and functional response and associated parameters i.e., attack coefficient and handling time. RESULTS: Life table parameters, using age‐stage, two‐sex theory, revealed similar survival and reproductive strategies for both species. For example, the female longevity, oviposition days and fecundity did not differ between both species. Exceptionally, the male longevity of T. evanescens was shorter than that of T. pintoi. The population growth parameters such as gross reproductive rate (GRR), net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and mean generation time (T) did not differ between species. The polynomial logistic regression yielded a type III functional response and a non‐linear least square analysis revealed different attack coefficient and similar handling time. However, their parasitism rate differed between the lowest (five eggs) and highest (80 eggs) initial host egg densities such that T. evanescens had a lower parasitism rate at the lowest density and higher parasitism rate at the highest density. CONCLUSION: The similarity in survival strategies and minor differences in host handling of both parasitoids are discussed in terms of relevance to applied biological control applications and evolutionary traits. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting an optimal subset of sensors that can accurately reconstruct the full state of the ocean can reduce the cost of themonitoring system and improvemonitoring efficiency. Typically, in data-driven sensor selection processes, the use of Euclidean distance to evaluate reconstruction error is susceptible to non-Gaussian noise and outliers present in ocean data. This paper proposes a Robust Sensor Selection (RSS) evaluation model based on the Maximum Correntropy Criterion (MCC) through subspace learning, enabling the selection of robust sensor measurement subsets and comprehensive data reconstruction. To more accurately quantify the impact of varying noise magnitudes, noise weights were incorporated into the model's objective function. Additionally, the local geometric structure of data samples is utilized to further enhance reconstruction accuracy through the selected sensors. Subsequently, the MCC_RSS algorithm is proposed, which employs the Block Coordinate Update (BCU) method to achieve the optimal solution for the proposed model. Experiments conducted using ocean temperature and salinity datasets validate the proposed MCC_RSS algorithm. The results demonstrate that the sensor selection method proposed in this paper exhibits strong robustness, outperforming comparative methods under varying proportions of outliers and non-Gaussian noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human rhinovirus (HRV), traditionally recognized as the primary etiological agent of the common cold, has become the second most important viral agent in bronchopulmonary conditions, such as pneumonia and asthma exacerbations. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, several viruses exhibited changes in their epidemiological behavior. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with HRV pneumonia before and during the pandemic in Mexico. Methods: A comparative ambispective longitudinal epidemiological study of two cohorts (prepandemic and pandemic periods) was carried out. Two databases were compared: one from 2010 to 2013 and the other from 2021 to 2023. Children under 5 years of age diagnosed with HRV pneumonia were included. Student's t‐test, χ2 tests, and logistic regression were used to assess risk factors associated with severe pneumonia. Incidence density was calculated as HRV cases per 10 new cases of pneumonia per month for each year. Results: During the pandemic, the age of presentation shifted from 5 months to 16 months. There was a higher incidence of HRV pneumonia in children during the pandemic, particularly in the second half of 2021, with a peak in July and August. In addition, there was an increase in severity (53% vs. 63%, p = 0.006) and coinfections (51.3% vs. 76% p < 0.001). A higher prevalence of all risk factors was observed in the second cohort. Conclusions: During the pandemic, a shift toward older age, a higher percentage of coinfections, and increased severity associated to HRV pneumonia were observed. These findings highlight the need for the development and implementation of targeted prevention and treatment measures for HRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the crucial process of drug discovery and repurposing, precise prediction of drug-target interactions (DTIs) is paramount. This study introduces a novel DTI prediction approach—Multi-Layer Graph Attention Neural Network (MLGANN), through a groundbreaking computational framework that effectively harnesses multi-source information to enhance prediction accuracy. MLGANN not only strides forward in constructing a multi-layer DTI network by capturing both direct interactions between drugs and targets as well as their multi-level information but also amalgamates Graph Convolutional Networks (GCN) with a self-attention mechanism to comprehensively integrate diverse data sources. This method exhibited significant performance surpassing existing approaches in comparative experiments, underscoring its immense potential in elevating the efficiency and accuracy of DTI predictions. More importantly, this study accentuates the significance of considering multi-source data information and network heterogeneity in the drug discovery process, offering new perspectives and tools for future pharmaceutical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSpatial community detection plays a crucial role in the analysis of spatially embedded networks. However, most existing methods adopt modularity as an objective function, which may fail to detect small spatial communities (i.e. the well-known resolution-limit problem). To alleviate this problem, a local network structure-based spatially constrained Leiden method was developed. First, the weights of the edges were reset based on the local network structure, which facilitated a clearer delineation between distinct communities. Second, we extended Leiden, an effective community detection method, to spatial community detection content by adding spatial constraints. Experiments on simulated datasets demonstrated that the proposed method is superior to four state-of-the-art methods for detecting spatial communities of different sizes. A case study conducted using the Shenzhen taxi dataset demonstrated that the proposed method outperformed four state-of-the-art methods in revealing urban spatial structures. Notably, the modularity of the spatial communities detected using the proposed method exhibited a marked improvement, nearly doubling that of the four comparative methods in the case study. This study presents a novel and promising framework for detecting spatial communities using modularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated into a comparative approach across twenty European countries, this article conceptualises, maps, and analyses social dialogue outcomes in the governance of professional sports in Europe. Results derived from an online data collection among key stakeholders and subsequent document analysis show that social dialogue is increasingly practiced, yet still a rare phenomenon in this emerging economic sector. While public authorities are largely excluded, actor constellations underpinning the adoption of SD outcomes and the employment and social issues addressed by them are diverse. In the absence of transnational harmonisation, large differences across countries, types of sports, and gender prevail. Linear and logistical regression models suggest that key characteristics of national industrial relations systems such as collective bargaining coverage rates (using data from the OECD and Eurofound) rather than the specific configuration of national sport policy systems are associated with the (non-)existence of social dialogue outcomes in professional sports. This study advances the international labour rights-based discourse on innovative forms of social dialogue in sport policy making and discusses the implications of the diffusion of industrial democracy for the concept of a European Sport Model and the European integration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the safety and stability issues of current electric vehicle charging connection devices, this study proposes a charging system planning for electric vehicles with different capacity charging piles based on the user behavior characteristics of electric vehicles and Monte Carlo methods. It is found that the predicted results under the set management strategy are most consistent with the trend of actual load changes. Moreover, in the prediction of weekly load, the research strategy has better performance than traditional unmanaged strategies. Under the research scheme, the average charging speed of charging piles with capacity of A and B in the peak period was 41.4 min/ and 18.8 min/, respectively, which increased by 29.3% and 11.7% respectively compared with 58.6 min/ and 21.3 min/ in the normal period. The total economic cost of the research plan was 4.871 million yuan, which was 67.0 million yuan and 3.833 million yuan lower than the control methods 1 and 2, respectively. The total number of charging stations of types a and b that need to be purchased for the research method decreased by 18.47% and 63.24% compared to the comparative method 3. The results indicate that the research method significantly improves the utilization rate of charging stations in the electric vehicle charging system. This study has important application value in the intelligent management of electric vehicle charging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of recycled aggregates (RAs), temperature, humidity, and freeze–thaw cycles on the modulus of elasticity in concrete, using a comparative approach between ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and compressive strength tests. A range of RA proportions (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) was explored. These mixes were subjected to environmental conditions, including temperatures of 25, 0, and −18°C in both dry and wet states, to assess their impact on the mechanical properties of concrete rigorously. The findings reveal that the modulus of elasticity decreases by up to 35% with higher recycled content and more severe environmental exposure, with significant variations observed under different temperatures (25, 0, and −18°C) and moisture conditions. Notably, samples with 25% recycled content maintained higher elasticity, suggesting an optimal threshold for incorporating recycled materials. The study also validates using UPV as a nondestructive method to efficiently evaluate concrete's structural integrity. These insights advocate for the tailored use of RA concrete (RAC) in construction, enhancing durability and sustainability in varying climatic conditions. This research contributes to the development of concrete formulations that are both durable and environmentally adaptive, promoting sustainable construction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protists, an umbrella term first coined by Ernst Haeckel in 1866, are a vast collection of (primarily unicellular) eukaryotes that are "neither animals nor plants". This basic definition by exclusion has been exercised for centuries, even though recent advances have led to more rigorous taxonomic assignment of various protist groups. Pioneering comparative phylogenetic approaches have been applied to these organisms to reconstruct the deep branches of the eukaryotic tree, revealing essential clues about early eukaryotic evolution. Protists, including amoebae, flagellates, ciliates, and algae, are also vital constituents of global ecosystems, where they appear at the base of food chains, control the relative abundance of other microbes, and participate in global biogeochemical recycling. Due to their typically small size and lack of nervous systems, protists are often associated with the unfortunate label 'primitive'. Yet they exhibit remarkable behavioural sophistication and are able to feed, predate, navigate and interact with their surroundings. Unlike macroscopic animals, many protists reside in a non-intuitive physical regime where viscous forces dominate over inertia, and where they use diverse propulsion and navigation strategies. Interdisciplinary research into these cell-scale phenomena, characterised by a complex interplay of physical forces and mechanical constraints, has significantly advanced the emerging fields of active matter, microhydrodynamics, and non-equilibrium statistical physics. This primer discusses the biophysics of protist behaviour, with a focus on locomotion and feeding. I will highlight the most extensively studied principles and describe some more esoteric behaviours that have not yet been systematically explored. Kirsty Wan discusses the biophysics of protist behaviour, with a focus on locomotion and feeding, highlighting the most extensively studied principles and describing some more esoteric behaviours that have not yet been systematically explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy management in datacenters is a major challenge today due to the environmental and economic impact of increasing energy consumption. Efficient placement of virtual machines in physical machines within modern datacenters is crucial for their effective management. In this context, five algorithms named CNN-GA, CNN-greedy, CNN-ABC, CNN-ACO and CNN-PSO, have been developed to minimize hosts' power consumption and ensure service quality with relatively low response times. We propose a comparative approach between the developed algorithms and other existing methods for virtual machine placement. The algorithms use optimization algorithms combined with Convolutional Neural Networks to build predictive models of virtual machine placement. The models were evaluated based on their accuracy and complexity to select the optimal solution. The necessary data is collected using the CloudSim Plus simulator, and the prediction results were used to allocate virtual machines according to the predictions of the models. The main objective of this research is to optimize the management of Information Technology resources within datacenters. This is achieved by seeking a virtual machine placement policy that minimizes hosts' power consumption and ensures an appropriate level of service for users' needs. It considers the imperatives of sustainability, performance, and availability by reducing energy consumption and response times. We studied six scenarios under specific constraints to determine the best model for virtual machines' placement. This approach aims to address current challenges in energy management and operational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Denoising low‐dose computed tomography (CT) images is a critical task in medical image computing. Supervised deep learning‐based approaches have made significant advancements in this area in recent years. However, these methods typically require pairs of low‐dose and normal‐dose CT images for training, which are challenging to obtain in clinical settings. Existing unsupervised deep learning‐based methods often require training with a large number of low‐dose CT images or rely on specially designed data acquisition processes to obtain training data.To address these limitations, we propose a novel unsupervised method that only utilizes normal‐dose CT images during training, enabling zero‐shot denoising of low‐dose CT images.Our method leverages the diffusion model, a powerful generative model. We begin by training a cascaded unconditional diffusion model capable of generating high‐quality normal‐dose CT images from low‐resolution to high‐resolution. The cascaded architecture makes the training of high‐resolution diffusion models more feasible. Subsequently, we introduce low‐dose CT images into the reverse process of the diffusion model as likelihood, combined with the priors provided by the diffusion model and iteratively solve multiple maximum a posteriori (MAP) problems to achieve denoising. Additionally, we propose methods to adaptively adjust the coefficients that balance the likelihood and prior in MAP estimations, allowing for adaptation to different noise levels in low‐dose CT images.We test our method on low‐dose CT datasets of different regions with varying dose levels. The results demonstrate that our method outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art unsupervised method and surpasses several supervised deep learning‐based methods. Our method achieves PSNR of 45.02 and 35.35 dB on the abdomen CT dataset and the chest CT dataset, respectively, surpassing the best unsupervised algorithm Noise2Sim in the comparative methods by 0.39 and 0.85 dB, respectively.We propose a novel low‐dose CT image denoising method based on diffusion model. Our proposed method only requires normal‐dose CT images as training data, greatly alleviating the data scarcity issue faced by most deep learning‐based methods. At the same time, as an unsupervised algorithm, our method achieves very good qualitative and quantitative results. The Codes are available in https://github.com/DeepXuan/Dn‐Dp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vivo , the temperature inside preovulatory follicles of cows is approximately 1 °C lower than rectal temperature. However, standard bovine oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) protocols use 38.5 °C based on rectal temperature. This study evaluated the effect of reducing IVM temperature to 37.5 °C on the proteomic profile of oocytes compared to the routine 38.5 °C. Nuclear maturation rate and cumulus cell (CC) expansion (30 COCs per group, 21 replicates) were assessed by observing the first polar body and using a subjective scoring method (0–4). Total nitrite concentrations in the culture medium were measured using the Griess method. Differential proteomics was performed using LC-MS/MS on pooled oocyte samples (500 matured oocytes per group, three replicates), followed by gene ontology enrichment, protein-protein interaction, and putative miRNA target analyses. No significant differences were observed between the groups in nuclear maturation, CC expansion, or nitrite concentration (P > 0.05). A total of 806 proteins were identified, with 7 up-regulated and 12 down-regulated in the treatment group compared to the control. Additionally, 12 proteins were unique to the control group, and 8 were unique to the treatment group. IVM at 37.5 °C resulted in the upregulation of proteins involved in protein folding and GTP binding, and the downregulation of enzymes with oxidoreductase activity and proteins involved in cytoskeletal fiber formation. Furthermore, 43 bovine miRNAs potentially regulating these genes (DES, HMOX2, KRT75, FARSA, IDH2, CARHSP1) were identified. We conclude that IVM of bovine oocytes at 37.5 °C induces significant proteomic changes without impacting nuclear maturation, cumulus cell expansion, or nitrite concentration in the IVM medium. • Temperature reduction during IVM altered the proteomic profile but did not affect nuclear maturation. • The total nitrite concentration in the IVM medium of COCs was similar between groups cultured at 38.5 °C and 37.5 °C • Proteomic analysis identified 12 unique proteins in the control group and 8 unique proteins in the treatment group • IVM at 37.5 °C resulted in the upregulation of proteins involved in protein folding and GTP binding. • 43 bovine miRNAs were found to potentially regulate key genes affected by the temperature change during IVM of bovine oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a perspective based on a comparative viewpoint on the Colombian Penal Code and a theoretical approach to neurolaw and criminal responsibility in contexts of marginality and extreme poverty. We present a further response to the debate on how structural injustice impacts criminal responsibility. By offering a comparative and theoretical insight, this paper enriches the debate and provides an understanding of how legal systems might address these issues. The paper then suggests that other legislations can follow the rule of Article 56 of the Colombian Penal Code, which reduces punishment in circumstances of marginality, ignorance, or extreme poverty. Utilizing neuroscience findings, we briefly highlight the interplay between structural injustice and neurobiological vulnerabilities, emphasizing the complexity of the role of incarceration and criminal law in marginalized populations. We invite scholars to consider debates on alternatives to criminal law, the reduction of prison use and mass incarceration, as well as further remarks on the problem of free will. In this paper, we seek to bridge the gap between neuroscientific insights and socio-legal ethics to foster a more equitable and humane system of justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in coat color is a prominent feature in carnivores, thought to be shaped by environmental factors. As new traits could allow populations to occupy novel niches and habitats, color polymorphism may be maintained by balancing selection. Consequently, color polymorphic species may speciate more rapidly and can give rise to monomorphic daughter species. We thus predicted that, within the Carnivora, (i) speciation rate is higher in polymorphic lineages, (ii) divergence between color polymorphic lineages is more recent, and (iii) within closely related groups, polymorphic lineages are ancestral and monomorphic lineages derived. We also tested whether accelerated speciation rates relate to niche breadth, measured by the number of occupied habitats and range size. We collected data of 48 polymorphic and 192 monomorphic carnivore species, and assessed speciation rates using phylogenetic comparative methods. We found that polymorphic carnivores had higher speciation rates (λ1 = 0.29, SD = 0.13) than monomorphic species (λ0 = 0.053, SD = 0.044). Hidden and quantitative state speciation and extinction models inferred that color polymorphism was the main contributing factor, and that niche breadth was not of influence. Therefore, other selective forces than spatial niche segregation, such as predator-prey coevolution, may contribute to color polymorphism in wild carnivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main objectives of the study were to analyse the use of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to evaluate the skills of medical students in paediatric basic life support (PBLS), to compare two resuscitation training models and to evaluate the measures to improve the teaching program. Methods: Comparative, prospective, observation study with intervention in two hospitals, one undergoing a PILS course (Paediatric Immediate Life Support) and another PBLS. The study was performed over three phases. 1º. PBLS OSCE in 2022 three months after the resuscitation training 2. Measures to improve the training program in 2023 3. PBLS OSCE in 2023. Overall results were analysed and comparison between both sites and those for 2022 and 2023 were made. Results: A total of 210 and 182 students took part in the OSCE in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The overall mean score out of 100 was 83.2 (19), 77.8 (19.8) in 2022 and 89.5 (15.9) and 2023, P < 0.001. Overall cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) effectiveness was adequate in 79.4% and 84.6% of students in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The results of hospital students undergoing a PILS course were better (86.4 (16.6) than those undergoing a PBLS. 80.2 (20.6) p < 0.001. The results from both hospitals improved significantly in 2023. Conclusions: The OSCE is a valid instrument to evaluate PBLS skills in medical students and to compare different training methods and program improvements. Medical students who receive a PILS attain better PBLS skills than those who undergo a PBLS course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On what basis do researchers posit that humans and other animals share cognitive capacities? We argue that such claims are not based on inherent, pre-existing similarities, but rather emerge through a two-step process, which we will call 'anthropofabrication'. In the initial stage, embodied action-based strategies and environmental context in human studies are ignored owing to the need for measurement and quantification. Consequently, cognitive terms become disconnected from the context to which we apply them, and human classificatory cognitive terms are transformed into broad explanatory terms, assumed to be 'species-neutral'. The second phase entails translating and applying these generalized explanatory terms to specific nonverbal animals in ways that serve to further cloak differences between animals and other species. Here, again, researchers selectively discard contextual information to facilitate the comparison with humans. To limit anthropofabrication, we should (re)acknowledge that cognitive abilities are not species-neutral and cannot be detached from embodied action, perception and their context of occurrence. We illustrate our points about anthropofabrication using the example of memory research. This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Obesity and income (wage) distribution have emerged as one of the most serious public health concerns but in this research, the study is continued under body mass index (BMI) and body shape and size index (BSSI) among children and adults in Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the health-related behaviors and outcomes of 2,223 children and adults aged 2 to 19 years from Multan, Pakistan, including both males and females, providing a comprehensive understanding of the health status in this population. Data about gender, weight, height, age, family income and other demographic measures are recorded. For the measurement of BMI and BSSI, the latest formulas and methods were used. Different variables were applied through statistical description understudy. To check out the wage distribution in BSSI and BMI, the comparative approach was used and performed a role in making charts for BSSI and BMI against family income, age group and gender. Results: The mean BMI and BSSI for complete data are 18.00 and 0.23 for the age group of 2 to 5 years of children with family income less than 10,000. Similarly, these figures are 20.59 and 0.29 for the family income greater than 50,000. Conclusion: Most important things have been observed by this study, that income greatly affected the rate of obesity. BMI and BSSI increased by increasing the family income of children and adults in Pakistan. BMI and BSSI show high figures for female respondents as compared to male ones, observed by this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical experiment "Preparation of Ammonium Ferrous Sulfate" generates waste gases, which pose environmental pollution and health risks. This paper explores the greening of this experiment's teaching by optimizing the reaction system. The open apparatus is transformed into a closed system, allowing for the absorption of exhaust gases, thereby achieving zero emissions and fulfilling green chemistry requirements. The implementation of green teaching in this experiment is significant for stimulating students' exploratory spirit, enhancing their practical skills, increasing their environmental awareness, and fostering teamwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant birds stand out among vertebrates in the diversity of parental care types they present, spanning absence of care to uniparental care by either sex, biparental care, or even cooperative care. Despite years of research, key questions remain regarding parental care evolution in birds. Firstly, the parental care type in the most recent ancestor of extant birds is a matter of controversy, with proposed ancestral states including no care, uniparental male or female care, and biparental care. Another unsolved question is the direction, order, and frequency of transitions between parental care types. We address these key questions using a database of 5,438 bird species (~50% of extant diversity) and modern phylogenetic comparative methods controlling simultaneously for model and phylogenetic uncertainty as well as potential confounding effects of state-dependent diversification. Our results indicate that the most likely ancestral state for extant birds is male-only care, with a posterior probability of 0.8. Transition rates across parental care types were generally low and heterogeneous; loss of parental care virtually never occurs and transitions away from female-only or cooperative care most often lead to biparental care. Given the low transition rates, future research should analyze the factors favoring the maintenance of care types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), defined as plant biomass production per unit N assimilated, is an important component of plant resource use strategies as well as a component of ecosystem function. Clarifying the mechanisms underlying the variations of species level NUE is an essential prerequisite for predicting the alterations of ecosystem level N cycling under global change scenarios. While plant NUE is usually examined under the leaf economic spectrum framework, we know little about their associations with broader ecological strategies and evolutionary history. Methods: Using a comparative method, we evaluated the links between NUE and functional traits, Grime's CSR ecological strategies, and phylogeny for 73 species in a temperate steppe of northern China. Results: Plant NUE was strongly constrained by phylogeny, showing a unimodal relationship with taxa divergence times. Under the CSR framework, species with greater R-selection (ruderality) typically had lower NUE. Both phylogeny and R-selection were more important than single functional traits in predicting the species level variations of NUE. Conclusions: Our results highlight the role of phylogeny in structuring the species level variations of plant NUE and established a link between species CSR strategies and NUE, which sheds light on understanding the divergence and convergence in plants in response to the most growth-limiting nutrient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay develops a naturalist framework based on Hume, Darwin, and Wittgenstein against postmodernist constructivism. That framework claims universal features of human biology, cognition, and behavior to explain our cultural histories, running contrary to two core constructivist doctrines of postmodernist scholarship: mutual opacity and epistemic violence. Mutual opacity posits the incommensurability of systems rooted in differing contexts, cultures, and group identities, while epistemic violence morally impugns the extension of the knowledge claims of any such system beyond its strictly localized boundaries. This is the extension that universalist approaches, like naturalism, are recriminated against owing to their claims to discover encompassing standpoint‐independent and transcultural features of human constitution and modes of life. Comparative evaluation of these approaches exposes the failure of postmodernist constructivism to explain parallel practices, conventions, and institutions across human cultural histories, which universalist naturalism succeeds at, while moreover revealing how this failure undermines its agendas of social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-operative sore throat (POST) can be a cause of great discomfort after endotracheal intubation with an incidence of up to 65%. While there are studies demonstrating the efficacy of prophylactic zinc lozenges in decreasing POST in patients intubated using MacIntosh laryngoscope, similar studies with King Vision video laryngoscope (KVVL) are lacking. Hence, we conducted this study to assess whether similar beneficial effects can be seen in South Indian patients. Aims and Objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic zinc lozenges for the prevention of POST in patients intubated using channeled KVVL. The Secondary objectives were to assess the severity of POST, the duration of laryngoscopy, and the number of intubation attempts and their effect on POST. Materials and Methods: In this prospective comparative trial, 94 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status one and two patients, randomized into two groups received either 40 mg of a zinc lozenge or a placebo, 30 min before endotracheal intubation POST was evaluated after surgery at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h. Results: The overall incidence of POST in the zinc group was 13.18% and in the placebo group was 26.37% resulting in an almost 50% reduction in the overall incidence of POST. Conclusion: The administration of zinc lozenge 30 min preoperatively is effective to reduce the incidence of POST in the immediate and early post-operative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Otoliths of actinopterygians are calcified structures playing a key role in hearing and equilibrium functions. To understand their morphological diversification, we quantified the shape of otoliths in both lateral and dorsal view from 697 and 323 species, respectively, using geometric morphometrics. We then combined form (i.e. size and shape) information with ecological data and phylogenetically informed comparative methods to test our hypotheses. Initially, the exploration of morphospaces revealed that the main variations are related to sulcus acusticus shape, elongation and lateral curvature. We also found strong integration between otolith and sulcus shape, suggesting that they are closely mirroring each other, reinforcing a shape-dependent mechanism crucial for otolith motion relative to its epithelium and validating the functional significance of otolith morphology in auditory and vestibular processes. After revealing that otolith shape and size retained a low phylogenetic signal, we showed that the disparity of otolith size and shape is decoupled from order age and from the level of functional diversity across clades. Finally, some traits in otolith disparity are correlated with their morphological evolutionary rate and the order speciation rate. Overall, we observed that the pattern of diversification of otoliths across the fish tree of life is highly complex and likely to be multifactorial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to undertake a comparative analysis of the approaches adopted by preschool teachers employed in the same age groups by two distinct institutions: the Ministry of National Education and the Presidency of Religious Affairs. The focus of this analysis is on the methods employed by these educators in managing their classrooms. For this purpose, the opinions of teachers and trainers were examined and compared in terms of the dimensions of classroom management. This research is a case study suitable for the qualitative research model. In this study, a holistic multi-case design was used. The study group comprises 10 pre-school teachers employed in primary schools during the 2022-2023 academic year and 10 instructors engaged in Quran courses for children aged 4-6. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis. The themes created are presented in the findings section. These are: planning the daily flow of education, physical variables affecting the classroom, behavior management, management of undesirable behaviors, strategies and methods used in classroom communication, and ways of communicating with the family. The findings were presented together with comparative tables in order to solve the research problem more clearly, and direct comparisons were made with direct quotations of the participants related to the same theme. According to the research findings, it has been determined that preschool teachers adopt a holistic approach that is appropriate to the classroom resources and the developmental stages of the children. In contrast, it has been found that instructors teaching at Qur'an courses are limited in terms of classroom management and lack sufficient knowledge and skills regarding the variable affecting classroom management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]