Central Element Research Articles

A longitudinal study of breastfeeding relationships at home during the COVID-19 pandemic: A grounded theory method.

To describe the process of breastfeeding relationships among stay-at-home mother and infant dyads at 1, 3, 5 and 6 months. A longitudinal qualitative online survey design was used. Data were obtained at 1, 3, 5 and 6 months from 26 breastfeeding mothers who stayed home with their infants and directly breastfed at least once a day for the first 6 months between June 2022 and August 2023. Mothers' written responses to 3 open-ended questions were analysed to assess breastfeeding experiences at home, thoughts/comments while directly breastfeeding and breastfeeding concerns/problems and strategies they used. Based on grounded theory, inductive content analysis was used to analyse the data. Trustworthiness of results was established by coding to consensus, formal peer debriefing and maintaining an audit trail. 'Breastfeeding Relationships at Home,' the core construct, was identified and organized the process of breastfeeding relationships into 5 domains: (1) mothers' emotional well-being while breastfeeding, (2) infant-led feeding, (3) alternatives to breastfeeding, (4) evaluation of breastfeeding and (5) changes in breastfeeding as infants grow older. Breastfeeding is not simply about feeding breast milk but also involves nurturing and developing a relationship between mother and infant. Across the domains, mutual responsiveness, a central element of the breastfeeding relationship was clear. Mothers who were committed to breastfeeding with embedded infant suckling reached emotional well-being in return for their engagement which has potential to reduce maternal stress and prevent postpartum depression. Findings from the current study add to nurses' knowledge about the relationship building process between stay-at-home mothers and their infants in the first 6 months of breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses must remain sensitive to aid the development of breastfeeding relationships in the home environment to maximize mutual responsiveness. No patients or public involved.

The Russian approach to peacekeeping

Abstract Peacekeeping is a central element of Russian foreign policy. The country has been deploying peacekeeping troops under highly controversial circumstances for more than three decades. A major power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Russia obviously plays an important role in defining the standards by which peacekeeping is and may be done. When Russian troops invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked aggression on 24 February 2022, Russian politicians initially referred to them as ‘peacekeeping troops’. This led UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to declare his concern about ‘the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping’. This article offers a discussion of the Russian approach to peacekeeping as this has been and is being expressed in both recent conceptual thinking and implementation. Relying on a large pool of Russian policy documents and scholarly works, the article finds that Russia is likely to execute more operations with a lowered threshold for intervention and under conditions of greater flexibility. It is a more pragmatic approach. Operations will increasingly be designed comprehensively across the physical, cyber and cognitive domains and will include the use of private military companies. This will almost inevitably bring Russian interests to clash even more with the interests of western states.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone and obesity: From fetal life to adulthood.

Obesity is among the most common chronic disorders, worldwide. It is a complex disease that reflects the interactions between environmental influences, multiple genetic allelic variants, and behavioral factors. Recent developments have also shown that biological conditions in utero play an important role in the programming of energy homeostasis systems and might have an impact on obesity and metabolic disease risk. The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family of neuropeptides, as a central element of energy homeostasis, has been evaluated for its role in the pathophysiology of obesity. This review aims to summarize the relevance and effects of the CRH family of peptides in the pathophysiology of obesity spanning from fetal life to adulthood.

Food safety in consumer relations: the influence of personal values

Purpose: The aim of this article is to analyze the relationship between food safety and personal values in light of consumer behavior theory. Method: In this theoretical essay, this relationship is examined through a discussion on how consumers' subjective perceptions are influenced by their personal values in various contexts involving food safety. Findings: The debate addresses social, cultural, economic and environmental factors, considering that values are shaped through the interaction of these variables. By outlining their positioning strategies based on segments of values that are relevant to consumers, organizations are more likely to evoke favorable attitudes towards product acquisition. This includes considering external factors because they shape the formation of personal values and thus influence individuals' choices related to food and their perception of food safety. Originality: This work enriches the theory of personal values in the field of consumer behavior related to food safety by exploring the complex interplay between personal, cultural and market values. Considering personal values as a central element, the analysis presented provides insights for the development of more targeted marketing actions, effective public policies and food supply chain management approaches that meet consumers' expectations in terms of food safety.

A Look at Human Trafficking and the Anti-Trafficking Apparatus in Mexico through the Experience of Victoria, a Trans Woman

In this article, we discuss the experience of Victoria, a trans woman who was trafficked in the context of the criminal war in Mexico. Drawing on anthropological and feminist perspectives that privilege the dialogue of knowledge, Victoria’s experience allows us to problematise two central elements of the phenomenon of human trafficking in Mexico: first, the relationship between organised crime groups and human trafficking, and its effects on daily life in local contexts in Mexico, specifically in the experience of a trans woman. And second, the functioning of the Mexican anti-trafficking apparatus which, by focusing on the rescue of victims of sexual exploitation in places where independent sex work occurs, overlooks the identification of other forms of trafficking, such as trafficking for labour exploitation and servitude, both experienced by Victoria at the hands of organised crime groups.

Universities as catalysts of change in locked-in and vulnerable resource-based regions of the Global South

ABSTRACT This paper explores the contribution of universities to regional development and innovation in locked-in and vulnerable resource-based regions of the Global South. Building on a regional change agency approach, we identify the combination of key factors and context preconditions for universities to successfully fulfil their local engagement role in a particularly challenging environment. To do so, we use a comparative case study of two mining regions in Peru. Our results reveal that the prevalence of a climate of conflict and the lack of an innovation culture in the regional ecosystem are important challenges, while strategic leadership and institutional capacities are central elements for universities to fulfil their role as transformative agents.

Double Yangian and reflection algebras of the Lie superalgebra 𝔤𝔩m|n

We study the double Yangian associated with the Lie superalgebra [Formula: see text]. Our main focus is on establishing the Poincaré–Birkhoff–Witt Theorem for the double Yangian and constructing its central elements in the form of coefficients of the quantum contraction. Next, as an application, we introduce reflection algebras, certain left coideal subalgebras of the level 0 double Yangian, and find their presentations by generators and relations.

Preference-Based Implementation of Video Consultations in Urban and Rural Regions in Outpatient Care in Germany: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Particularly in rural regions, factors such as lower physician density and long travel distances complicate adequate outpatient care. However, urban regions can also be affected by deficits in care, for example, long waiting times. One model of care intending to improve the situation is the implementation of video consultations. The study protocol presents the methodology of the research project titled "Preference-based implementation of the video consultation in urban and rural regions" funded by the German Federal Joint Committee (funding number 01VSF20011). This study aims to identify existing barriers to the use of video consultation and the preferences of insured individuals and physicians as well as psychotherapists in order to optimize its design and thus increase acceptance and use of video consultations in urban and rural regions. Built on a mixed methods approach, this study first assesses the status quo of video consultation use through claims data analysis and carries out a systematic literature review on barriers and promoting factors for the use of video consultations. Based on this preliminary work, focus groups are conducted in order to prepare surveys with insureds as well as physicians and psychotherapists in the second study phase. The central element of the survey is the implementation of discrete choice experiments to elicit relevant preferences of (potential) user groups and service providers. The summarized findings are discussed in a stakeholder workshop and translated into health policy recommendations. The methodological approach used in this study is the focus of this paper. The study is still ongoing and will continue until March 2024. The first study phase has already been completed, in which preliminary work has been done on potential applications and hurdles for the use of video consultations. Currently, the survey is being conducted and analyses are being prepared. This study is intended to develop a targeted strategy for health policy makers based on actual preferences and perceived obstacles to the use of video consultations. The results of this study will contribute to further user-oriented development of the implementation of video consultations in German statutory health insurance. Furthermore, the iterative and mixed methods approach used in this study protocol is also suitable for a variety of other research projects. DERR1-10.2196/50932.

Analysis of Performance Improvement of Planar Antenna Arrays With Optimized Square Rings for Massive MIMO Applications

The power pattern of the conventional fully optimized planar arrays can be properly reshaped according to the required user-defined constraints. However, the practical implementation of such fully optimized large planar arrays is complex and expensive. This paper introduces a new and efficient technique that is capable of providing better performance and almost the same power pattern shapes as that of the conventional fully optimized planar arrays by optimally adjusting the element amplitude and phase excitations of the outer-square rings instead of all elements' excitations. The proposed technique starts with a massive fully planar array then divides it into two contiguous sub-planar arrays which are both symmetric about the original array center. The elements excitation amplitudes or phases of the outer sub-planar array are only adjusted to form the desired power pattern shapes, while the amplitudes or phases of the central sub-planar array elements which have usually higher weights than the outer elements are made constants (i.e., they made ones for the case of amplitude-only control and zeros for the phase-only control). The results demonstrate the capability of the proposed planar array to form the required power patterns with far less number of the adjustable elements.

Punishment and (In)sensitivity at the Security Border

This article expands on David Garland’s proposal that punitive practices are influenced by logics of (in)sensitivity, shaping how punishment is conceived and applied. It argues that (in)sensitivity is not a mere peripheral aspect of punishment but a central element thereof. Drawing from this premise, the article elucidates the most prominent features of Garland’s proposition, highlighting the conceptual framework it builds upon. Based on this foundation, the discussion branches into two closely related directions. Firstly, it analytically explores Garland’s contribution, explicating the depth underlying notions of meaning and sensitivity; a development that will underscore the significance of corporeality in fully understanding the imposition of punishment. Secondly, this analysis will be projected onto the context of the current discursive hegemony of security and, more specifically, in the specific manner it manifests in the regulation of migrant mobility. The undeniable preeminence of securitized borders will thus become the fundamental space of analysis to project Garland’s proposal regarding an underlying (in)sensitivity permeating the imposition of punishment. Within this context, it asserts that migrant bodies crossing the border endure punishment, yet their suffering lacks empathy within the security discourse.

Unveiling the mechanism of diachronic changes and regional characteristics differences in the built environment of traditional villages from the perspective of color data: evidence from Macheng City, China

Traditional villages hold a vital place in Chinese vernacular built heritage continuation with their colors being a significant constituent of the built environment. While digital technology has advanced our understanding of built environment, current research pays little attention on how color influences the environment, often overlooking temporal changes and regional differences, especially neglects color protection measures. This study establishes an diachronic image dataset using national traditional villages in Macheng City, Hubei Province. By using of K-Means and CIEDE2000 algorithms, we analyze color characteristics differences among 4 regions in Macheng City in 2022. And, we select five year’ s diachronic image data of Dongyuan Village (2017–2022) to elucidate the color changes mechanisms. The results show that: (1) Elements influenced by the government, construction techniques dissemination, and environmental factors exhibit regional similarity, while the color of wall differs significantly. Specifically, K-Means values for northern and eastern wall elements indicate light brown tones [RGB: (159, 151, 136), (163, 159, 147)], whereas southwestern and central wall elements exhibit distinct colors, including grayish brown [RGB: (132, 127, 119)] and light yellow [RGB: (190, 182, 161)], respectively. (2) Dongyuan Village underwent color corrections in accordance with government policies, resulting in a shift from blue [RGB: (138, 154, 213)] to yellow [RGB: (223, 206, 196)] for the walls and a gradual unification of road colors into light gray [RGB: (239, 238, 243)]. This initiative led to increased consistency with government guidelines, and the color data stabilized with minimal changes in the surrounding environment. This study enhances our comprehension of traditional village color and regional characteristics changes, contributing to effective measures for the preservation of these culturally significant built heritage.

Low-energy spectrum of the BULLKID detector array operated on surface

We present the first continuous operation in a surface lab of BULLKID, a detector for searches of light Dark Matter and precision measurements of the coherent and elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. The detector consists of an array of 60 cubic silicon particle absorbers of 0.34 g each, sensed by cryogenic kinetic inductance detectors. The data presented focusses on one of the central elements of the array and on its surrounding elements used as veto. The energy spectrum resulting from an exposure of 39 h to ambient backgrounds, obtained without radiation shields, is flat at the level of (2.0±0.1stat.±0.2syst.)×106\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$(2.0\\pm 0.1\\,\\mathrm{stat.}\\pm 0.2\\,\\mathrm{syst.})\ imes 10^6$$\\end{document} counts/keV kg days down to the energy threshold of 160±13\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$160\\pm 13$$\\end{document} eV. The data analysis demonstrates the unique capability of rejecting backgrounds generated from interactions in other sites of the array, stemming from the segmented and monolithic structure of the detector.

The Evolution of Agrarian Landscapes in the Tropical Andes.

Changes in land-use practices have been a central element of human adaptation to Holocene climate change. Many practices that result in the short-term stabilization of socio-natural systems, however, have longer-term, unanticipated consequences that present cascading challenges for human subsistence strategies and opportunities for subsequent adaptations. Investigating complex sequences of interaction between climate change and human land-use in the past-rather than short-term causes and effects-is therefore essential for understanding processes of adaptation and change, but this approach has been stymied by a lack of suitably-scaled paleoecological data. Through a high-resolution paleoecological analysis, we provide a 7000-year history of changing climate and land management around Lake Acopia in the Andes of southern Peru. We identify evidence of the onset of pastoralism, maize cultivation, and possibly cultivation of quinoa and potatoes to form a complex agrarian landscape by c. 4300 years ago. Cumulative interactive climate-cultivation effects resulting in erosion ended abruptly c. 2300 years ago. After this time, reduced sedimentation rates are attributed to the construction and use of agricultural terraces within the catchment of the lake. These results provide new insights into the role of humans in the manufacture of Andean landscapes and the incremental, adaptive processes through which land-use practices take shape.

The pragmatic view on dual character concepts and expressions

This article introduces a new pragmatic framework for dual character concepts and their expressions, offering an alternative to the received lexical‐semantic view. On the prevalent lexical‐semantic view, expressions such as “philosopher” or “scientist” are construed as lexical polysemes, comprising both a descriptive and a normative dimension. Thereby, this view prioritizes established norms, neglecting normative expressions emerging in specific contexts. In contrast, the pragmatic view integrates pragmatic modulation as a central element in explaining context‐dependent dual character concepts and expressions. This not only accounts for a wider range of phenomena but also addresses several theoretical shortcomings of the lexical view.

[The nurse coordinator, a central element in the improved rehabilitation pathway after surgery].

Enhanced Rehabilitation after Surgery (ERAS) is a paradigm involving a new organization of surgical care pathways. Its main objective is to maximize the rehabilitation of people undergoing surgery. It is a multimodal approach based on evidence-based data and high-level recommendations, combined with daily assessment of the quality of the patient's surgical pathway using clinical indicators grouped around some twenty recommendations. This implementation requires the involvement of all professionals involved in the care process. The ERAS nurse coordinator is one of them.

3-D visual analysis and quantitative characterization on coal matrix based on Micro-CT

Coal matrix, the storage space for adsorbed gas, is highly related to gas recovery and gas outburst disasters. However, existing research predominantly relies on theoretical assumptions, lacking experimental validation. In this study, we employ X-ray computed tomography (CT) to obtain high-resolution (13.45–15.157 μm) internal structure images of various coal samples. The three-dimensional model of coal matrix elements is reconstructed using entropy threshold segmentation and watershed segmentation. A systematic quantification of the size, shape, and spatial arrangement of these matrix elements is then performed. The results reveal that coal matrix element equivalent diameters span 148.45–2800.35 μm, with volume-weighted average equivalent diameters ranging from 1320.82 to 1720.87 μm. Additionally, we explore particle size distribution (PSD) models to characterize size-quantity relationships and identify the Jaky model based on the logarithmic-exponential equation as the optimal PSD model. Observation of the matrix element models shows that large matrix elements typically exhibit flattened morphologies with rough surfaces, while smaller ones tend to be blocky with smooth surfaces. The dimensionless shape factor results suggest that, when scale effects are not considered, the shape of larger matrix elements is more conducive to matrix-fracture gas mass transfer. Based on this, a functional relationship between the matrix shape factor and size, considering changes in matrix morphology, is established. Moreover, we algorithmically determine that the average number of adjacent matrix elements per individual matrix element falls between 13 and 15. For matrix clusters with large volume fractions, the size ratio of the central matrix element to adjacent matrix elements primarily falls within the range of 0.4–0.6, approximately following a Weibull distribution. According to this feature, a method for building a matrix cluster model used for simulations is proposed.

Understanding behavioral and cognitive dispositions as subsystem topologies within cognitive models: A proposal.

In our 2023 paper, entitled "Modeling interactions between the embodied and the narrative self: Dynamics of the self-pattern within LIDA," Kugele, Newen, Franklin, and I propose a functional description and implementation of a central element of Gallagher & Newen's pattern theory of self, which identifies an agent's self with a dynamic pattern of so-called cognitive aspects which govern their thought and behavior (Gallagher, 2013; Newen, 2018; Gallagher & Daly, 2018). The pattern theory explicitly rejects the traditional conceptualization of the self as a unitary entity with certain properties that resides within agents, with the idea of a pattern of aspects being central to its ability to account for the dynamic, yet relatively stable development of most natural agents' selves. Implementing the pattern theory within Learning Intelligent Distribution Agent revealed that, in order for a cognitive architecture to account for both the dynamic and stable nature of an agent's self-pattern, aspects of that pattern had to be realized by dispositions of the agent to either think or act in a certain way. In this commentary, I argue that this fundamental role of dispositions extends to cognitive processes in general and that cognitive systems should be understood in terms of the dynamical interactions of dispositions over time. In order to facilitate such an understanding, dispositions will have to be identified with topologies of cognitive (sub)systems. I provide an example of such a topology by reference to informational topologies in neuronal systems.

Profitability landscapes for competitive photovoltaic self-consumption

Photovoltaic self-consumption (PVSC) is a central element of the energy transition. However, retail electricity tariffs have not adapted to the emerging phenomenon of demand-side generation. We introduce the concept of profitability landscapes to evaluate the effects of a cost-reflective retail tariff and a competitive PVSC regulation on prosumers’ returns depending on system costs and self-consumption share. The trade-off between these two elements reveals the value of demand flexibility. We find that PVSC would be profitable in most European countries when external costs are internalized, confirm the diminishing marginal returns on demand flexibility and quantify the effects of prices, insolation and profitability on the value of demand flexibility.

A Narrative Approach to Foster the Construction of Recursive Thinking in High School Students

In this paper, we will explain the development of a mathematical activity involving narrative and short stories in particular, with the aim of investigating whether it is possible to use the narrative approach to promote the construction of recursive thinking in high school students from a four-year scientific high school (Grades 11 and 12). We present qualitative research based on the networking of two theoretical frameworks used to analyze students’ protocols and the issues surfacing during class discussion: Abstraction in Context (AiC) and Documenting Collective Activity (DCA). In our research, the students, divided into small groups, dealt with a highly immersive “story problem” with the Sierpinski Triangle as its central element. The task was designed to ensure consistency with the story and involved the construction, with GeoGebra 6.0 software, of a fractal city, Fractlandia, with squares and sinkholes. The preliminary results show that the story proposed functioned as a motivation to solve the problem, and the last questions of the task proved the most engaging for the students, mainly because of the connection with the story, and also because they involved some reflection about the behavior to the infinity of the perimeter and the area of the Sierpinski Triangle.

Artistic practice in Waldorf teacher education: a sensory-aesthetic concept for a digital age

One of the general concepts underlying Waldorf education is that teaching is an art. Although this idea is certainly not unique to Waldorf education, what is unique is the way it has been integrated into Waldorf teacher education. While Waldorf teacher education programs are diverse, both in national and international contexts, one of the central elements which they share is the prominent role which different forms of artistic practice play throughout the course of pre-service and in-service programs. This article explores the reasons and aims behind the inclusion of subjects such as music, sculpture, and speech in Waldorf teacher education, at first within the larger context of viewing different perspectives and justifications for the inclusion of the arts in teacher education outside of Waldorf pedagogy. In light of the educational challenges posed by widespread sensory deficits among children and adolescents, viewed here as being connected to the extensive role/s which different forms of digital media play in their lives, the case is made for the potentials of the arts as a way to address those deficits. In examining both the arguments for arts-based courses in teacher education and the pedagogical challenges of our times I propose a concept for the inclusion of the arts in teacher education connected to the concept of aesthesis, from the Ancient Greek concept of aisthésis, understood here as the primary perceptual-sensory basis of aesthetic experience. The integration of scientific courses with arts-based practice in teacher education is seen as providing a fruitful basis for teachers to be able to take on these educational challenges.