Introductory Section Research Articles

Mainland China's 2021 restrictions on under-18s' video game time were imposed when older 2019 restrictions already applied: Omitting the historical regulatory context is misleading.

Investigating the impacts of addiction policymaking following implementation is important. Effective policies should be considered for emulation elsewhere, whilst ineffective policies should be repealed. Zhou etal. (2024) reported how Mainland Chinese under-18s responded to the 2021 restrictions on their online videogame playtime, which were intended to curb online gaming addiction. However, Zhou etal. failed to mention that Mainland China had previously tried to achieve the same regulatory aim by imposing rules in 2019 that were more lenient than the 2021 rules but nonetheless restricted under-18s' gameplay time. These 2019 restrictions were neither acknowledged as crucial background in the introduction section nor accounted for by Zhou etal. when interpreting their results, thus giving readers the incorrect impression that the 2021 rules were the first ones introduced and that under-18s' gameplay time was not restricted at all prior to 2021. Importantly, Zhou etal.'s entire sample of young people therefore consisted not merely of 'heavy gamers' as they euphemistically described them as, but'counterplayers' who actively contravened the 2019 rules. The misleading omission of this context is a major limitation and misrepresentation. The results should be interpreted accordingly and not overgeneralised.

Unravelling Suicide and Related Behaviours in Indigenous Youth and Young Adults in the Canadian Context.

Suicide, rooted in antiquity, is now identified as a global dilemma, particularly impacting Indigenous peoples. The backdrop for this non-systematic focused review is the worldwide challenges faced by vulnerable Indigenous peoples with untenable poverty, degraded life-quality conditions, and suicidality, while the focus, as a specific case, is on the complexity of suicidality in Canadian Indigenous high-risk age groups. The aim here is to present overt and covert intersecting factors underlying suicide in Indigenous youths and young adults in the vast Canadian context. Although living in a privileged geopolitical region, their physically remote and economically compromised communities meshed with a haunting history combined with authorities' ingrained attitudes of exclusion and neglect, spawned meager health and education resources, services, and consequent dire results. The article's guiding theoretical frameworks are Transcultural Psychiatry with its emphasis on context that explains health, illness, and recovery in groups and individuals, and the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide to identify individuals' suicidality triggers. The article highlights indigenous social determinants of health, identifies elements underlying the tragic suicidality trend in these groups, and addresses literacy and education as poverty driven issues and suicidality-contributing factors promoting attitudes of hopelessness. The discussion includes joint suicide combatting efforts by Indigenous communities and Canadian authorities, these authors' psychosocial-cognitive literacy acquisition plan to address all age-groups simultaneously, and a take-home message introducing employers' desirable worker competencies for effective future employment, thereby uplifting life-quality and prospects to help thwart the spectre of suicide. The Conclusion introduces current trends in suicidality science, confirming the authors' intervention plan is a good fit in the psychosocial intervention trend. Future directions include advice to examine the effectiveness of the plan in the Indigenous context, and tweak it accordingly. For ease of reader comprehension, the article flow is included at the start of the Introduction section.

A convolution inequality, yielding a sharper Berry–Esseen theorem for summands Zolotarev-close to normal

The classical Berry–Esseen error bound, for the normal approximation to the law of a sum of independent and identically distributed random variables, is here improved by replacing the standardised third absolute moment with a weak norm distance to normality, using Zolotarev’s ζ \zeta norms. We thus sharpen and simplify two results of Ul’yanov (1976) and of Senatov (1998), each of them previously optimal, in the line of research initiated by Zolotarev (1965) and Paulauskas (1969). Our proof is based on a seemingly incomparable normal approximation theorem of Zolotarev (1986), combined with our main technical result: The Kolmogorov distance (supremum norm of difference of distribution functions) between a convolution of two laws and a convolution of two Lipschitz laws is bounded homogeneously of degree 1 in the pair of the Kantorovich distances (often called Wasserstein distances, the L 1 ^1 norms of differences of distribution functions) of the corresponding factors, and also in the pair of the Lipschitz constants. Side results include a short introduction to ζ \zeta norms on the real line, simpler inequalities for various probability distances, slight improvements of the theorem of Zolotarev (1986) and of a lower bound theorem of Bobkov, Chistyakov and Götze (2012), an application to sampling from finite populations, auxiliary results on rounding and on winsorisation, and computations of a few examples. The introductory section in particular is aimed at analysts in general rather than specialists in probability approximations.

A Comparative Study of Different Autoencoders Architectures

The paper is aimed to present a comparative study of different autoencoder architectures. The introduction section provides the background of autoencoder architectures and display the motivation for conducting this study. In the second part, I would like to systematically introduce the method I used to design and implement the experiment. This section begins with data preparation, where I describe the procedures for data acquisition and normalization to ensure the dataset’s suitability for analysis. After that, I have roughly described the implement logics for each autoencoder architecture. At last, the visualization techniques are used to display the results and it can help to emphasize how these graphical representations contribute to understanding the experiment’s outcomes. In the last part, I would like to make some deepen analysis on these three autoencoder types based on the images we got on the methodology part. After that, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each autoencoders, which can help us choose the most reliable autoencoder according to different dataset and conditions.

A névtani tudománykommunikáció szerepe és fórumai napjainkban

The importance of science communication lies in countering misconceptions that are often deeply rooted in the public consciousness, and the pseudo-scientific content spreading with unprecedented dynamism. The cultural and social changes brought about by the technicisation and virtualisation of information flows mean an unprecedented challenge. But it has also opened up new venues for science communication. Over the last decade and a half, the emergence of blogs and various multimedia and internet platforms has been a major development in the field of onomastic and science communication in general. After a more general introductory section, the paper presents a selection of good examples of contemporary platforms for science communication in onomastics, both in Hungary and abroad, with a more detailed discussion of the onomastic blog of the Onomastic Student Study Circle at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, the NÉVállomás.

Home movies, teoria krajobrazu i edukacja filmowa. Studium przypadku z Polskiego Archiwum Filmów Domowych

The article is a preliminary study to further research of home movie archives in the context of representing the landscape of the Anthropocene and identifying the relations between humans and their environment in the manifestations of visual culture. The introductory section explains the choice of home movies as the subject of research. In addition, the context of an anthropological understanding of landscape in Tim Ingold’s concept and its relevance for film studies is presented. The next part of the paper is a case study of the Bełżeccy Family Archive from the Polish Archive of Home Movies project, with particular emphasis on examining the film’s form and style in portraying the landscape. The final part contains conclusions and suggestions for transdisciplinary research paths, connecting the exploration of home movie archives with visual culture studies and natural sciences. The presented reflections are meant to inspire educational activities. There are also six examples of tasks to be modified and elaborated by teachers according to group preferences.

Reconfigurable Photonic Lattices Based on Atomic Coherence

AbstractThe array of coupled optical waveguides, which is also viewed as a photonic lattice, can exhibit abundant photonic band structures depending on the desired spatial arrangements of involved waveguides. Studies of photonic lattices are usually performed in solid‐state materials, where the required periodic susceptibilities can be achieved by employing the femtosecond laser direct‐writing or optical induction method, and have spawned flourishing achievements in manipulating the behaviors of light. Recently, the concept of electromagnetically induced photonic lattice (EIPL) is proposed under the well‐known electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in coherently prepared multilevel alkali‐metal atomic systems, where the strong coupling beams producing EIT possess spatially periodic intensity profiles. The inherited instantaneous tunability of susceptibility from EIT‐modulated atomic coherence allows for the easy reconfigurability of EIPLs, which gives rise to exotic beam dynamics under such a readily controllable framework. This paper summarizes the historical overview and recent advances of the in situ and all‐optically reconfigurable EIPLs. The Introduction section provides the scheme and formation of the EIPL via atomic coherence. The following sections review the recently demonstrated dynamical properties of light in various 1D and 2D EIPLs and in compound EIPLs built by two coupling fields. The final section gives brief concluding remarks.

Electroanalysis with Carbon Paste Electrodes: A Look Behind the Scientific-Research Activities of the Electroanalytical Group in Pardubice

In this article, a retrospective view of the research activities of the electroanalytical group at the University in Pardubice (UPCE) is presented, offering a concise overview on the development, continuing work, and significant achievements in electrochemical measurements with carbon paste electrodes (CPEs). At the very beginning, a brief history of the field is provided and the state-of-the-art in a global view outlined. Second, research activities with CPEs and related configurations in the former Czechoslovakia and the succeeding Czech Republic are also summarised and the respective publications cited. The introductory section ends with a historical survey of the activities of the electroanalytical group at the UPCE, characterising the individual time periods with CPEs from the mid-1980s up until now and highlighting the most important achievements and the corresponding publications. The pivotal part of the text then gathers five various examples representing some of the truly key-themes that have made electroanalysis at UPCE well-known and, at the same, distinctive. Namely, overviewed, commented, and illustrated in selected figures are (i) carbon paste mixtures with atypical binders from liquid esters, (ii) extractive pre-concentration onto the carbon paste bulk and determination of iodine, (iii) method for determination of Ag(I) ions at a CPE with extraordinary analytical performance, (iv) carbon pastes as substrates for mercury, gold, bismuth, and antimony films, and (v) recent applications of CPEs prepared from carbonaceous materials of natural origin.

Fictionality in “Fog on the Barrow-downs”: Myth and Reference

Exploring fictionality as the link between imagined and referential reality, the paper draws on the theoretic al framework of cognitive narratology in examining the mechanisms on which the creation of myth relies in the narratives introduced at the beginning of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, in Chapters 7 and 8 of The Fellowship of the Ring. In the introductory section, the authors review relevant literature pertaining to the manner in which immersion occurs, how analogous links are formed between fiction and reality, and whether the pragmatic dichotomy of the fictional and factual holds in all fictional circumstances. Essentially, the reviewed literature offers an insight into how text reception depends on context and the imported or integrated rhetorical frame of the fictional text. Next, the paper uses these two chapters as illustration, with reference to the appendices relevant to their interpretation, from the perspective of the formulated framework. The concluding remarks summarise the importance of immersion, as well as other automatic processes activated during reading, in internalising truth programs contained within fiction and myths that render their fictionality almost irrelevant.

A Bibliometric Studies: Digital Learning and Teacher Teaching Quality

This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis aimed at exploring the intersection between digital learning and teacher teaching quality. In recent years, the landscape of education has been significantly influenced by advancements in digital technology, leading to the widespread adoption of digital learning platforms. An overview of the importance of digital learning and high-quality teacher instruction in modern education is given in the introduction section. The problem statement outlines the main obstacles and gaps in the research on digital learning and the calibre of teaching methods. By elucidating these issues, the study aims to address pertinent questions concerning effective pedagogical strategies in the digital era and ways to enhance teachers’ effectiveness. Methodologically, this study employs bibliometric analysis techniques and VOSviewer version 1.16.20 to examine a corpus of scholarly publications retrieved from reputable databases. The focus is on identifying relevant literature, analysing citation patterns, and mapping out thematic trends and research trajectories. Through systematic data extraction and analysis, this approach enables the synthesis of existing knowledge and the identification of prominent themes and research clusters. The results of the bibliometric analysis reveal significant insights into the scholarly landscape of digital learning and teacher teaching quality. Findings include the identification of seminal works, influential authors, key research themes, and emerging trends. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the current state of research on digital learning and teacher teaching quality. By synthesizing existing knowledge and identifying research gaps, it provides a foundation for future research endeavours aimed at advancing our understanding of effective educational practices in the digital age.

Regression: Understanding What Covariates and Confounds Do in Adjusted Analyses.

The use of regression analysis is common in research. This article presents an introductory section that explains basic terms and concepts such as independent and dependent variables (IVs and DVs), covariates and confounds, zero-order correlations and multiple correlations, variance explained by variables and shared variance, bivariate and multivariable linear regression, line of least squares and residuals, unadjusted and adjusted analyses, unstandardized (b) and standardized (β) coefficients, adjusted R2, interaction terms, and others. Next, this article presents a more advanced section with the help of 3 examples; the raw data files for these examples are included in supplementary materials, and readers are encouraged to download the data files and run the regressions on their own in order to better follow what is explained in the text (this, however, is not mandatory, and readers who do not do so can also follow the discussions in the text). The 3 examples illustrate many points. When important covariates are not included in regressions, the included IVs explain a smaller proportion of the variance in the DV, and the relationships between the included IVs and the DV may not be correctly understood. Including interaction terms between IVs can improve the explanatory value of the model whether the IVs are intercorrelated or not. When IVs are intercorrelated (such as when one is a confound), although their net effect in multivariable regression may explain a greater proportion of the variance in the DV, their individual b and β coefficients decrease in proportion to the shared variance that is removed. Thus, variables that were found statistically significant in unadjusted analyses may lose statistical significance in fully adjusted analyses. Readers may find it useful to keep these points in mind when running regressions on their data or when reading studies that present their results through regressions.

Usage of Chlorella and diverse microalgae for CO2 capture - towards a bioenergy revolution.

To address climate change threats to ecosystems and the global economy, sustainable solutions for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are crucial. Existing CO2 capture projects face challenges like high costs and environmental risks. This review explores leveraging microalgae, specifically the Chlorella genus, for CO2 capture and conversion into valuable bioenergy products like biohydrogen. The introduction section provides an overview of carbon pathways in microalgal cells and their role in CO2 capture for biomass production. It discusses current carbon credit industries and projects, highlighting the Chlorella genus's carbon concentration mechanism (CCM) model for efficient CO2 sequestration. Factors influencing microalgal CO2 sequestration are examined, including pretreatment, pH, temperature, irradiation, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and sources and concentrations of CO2. The review explores microalgae as a feedstock for various bioenergy applications like biodiesel, biooil, bioethanol, biogas and biohydrogen production. Strategies for optimizing biohydrogen yield from Chlorella are highlighted. Outlining the possibilities of further optimizations the review concludes by suggesting that microalgae and Chlorella-based CO2 capture is promising and offers contributions to achieve global climate goals.

Modular Open Chamber Stand for Biomass Densification Using the Example of Miscanthus × Giganteus Greef Et Deu

This article presents a modular open chamber stand which simulates the densification process that occurs in a single channel of a pelletising die. The results of the verification tests confirmed the suitability of this stand for determining the optimal geometry of the channel. The test material was the biomass of Miscanthus × giganteus which is considered to be a difficult material for pressure densification; therefore, it was decided that it would be a good material for verifying the stand. The stand consists of four modules: an introductory section with a diameter of D = 12 and 10 mm, a conical part with an angle of α = 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, a cylindrical part with lengths L = 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 mm and diameter d= 8 mm and a pellet receiving module. The stand is able to heat the densification channel. Individual modules can be assembled into test combinations; this results in a change in channel geometry without the necessity to manufacture many singular channels. The optimum geometry of the channel for miscanthus with a moisture content of 13%, densified at 100 °C was determined. It should be a channel with D = 10 mm, α = 40° and L = 18 mm.

Elucidating the non-genetic risk factors for celiac disease: an umbrella review of meta-analyses.

The breadth and validity of the associations of nongenetic risk factors with celiac disease (CeD) are elusive in the literature. We aimed to evaluate which of these associations have strong epidemiological credibility and assessed presence and extent of potential literature biases. We systematically searched PubMed until April 2024 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies examining associations between putative risk factors and CeD. Each association was categorized in five evidence grades (convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, and not statistically significant) based on broadly used criteria for evaluating quality of evidence in observational studies. Five eligible publications were included, describing 15 meta-analytic associations on seven nongenetic risk factors, three of which were nominally significant ( P < 0.05). None of the associations received a strοng or highly suggestive evidence. One meta-analytic association received suggestive evidence, namely any infections during childhood and adulthood for a higher risk of CeD (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.2-1.56; P =3.77 × 10 -6 ). Two meta-analyses reported weak evidence, pertaining to current smoking for a lower risk of CeD (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32-0.84; P =7.84 × 10 -3 ) and use of antibiotics for a higher risk (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.04-1.38; P 14.8 × 10 -3 ). The rest of the meta-analyses did not report statistically significant results, and pertained to breastfeeding, time of gluten introduction, rotavirus vaccination, and cesarean section. No association of nongenetic risk factors for CeD received high levels of evidence. The evidence was suggestive for the association of any infections during childhood and adulthood with higher risk of CeD. More and prospective future research is warranted.

Recent Advances in Aptamer‐Based Sensors for In Vitro Detection of Small Molecules

AbstractSensitive and accurate detection of small molecules from complex matrix has aroused increasing interest in many fields, yet remains an open challenge. Recent years have witnessed a considerable advance of aptasensors for diagnostic assay development towards diverse small molecules because aptamer is one of the most powerful classes of molecular receptors with advanced affinity and specificity. Herein, we reviewed the small‐molecule aptasensors in the past five years, focusing on the principles to specific applications in clinical diagnosis, food safety, and environmental monitoring. The first introductory section on the development of aptasensors in historical view and its analytical features contextualizes essential health‐related small molecules. The second part highlights the basic components of aptasensor and the detection principles of different sensors based on signal output modes. The subsequent part systematically discusses various small‐molecule sensing platforms by interfacing aptamers with diverse signal amplification strategies. Finally, challenges and perspectives for improving the aptasensor performance are also discussed. By describing biochemical and analytical procedures, this review highlights the optimal use of aptamers in the detection, quantification, and imaging of important health‐related small molecules and presents new insights, technical advances, and engineering strategies for practical applications.

Reviewing the role of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in climate mitigation

Climate change poses an imminent threat, necessitating innovative and sustainable strategies for mitigation. This paper explores the potential of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) as a promising approach. The introductory section sets the stage by elucidating the urgency of climate action. The background section surveys existing climate mitigation strategies, introducing bioenergy and carbon capture technologies. The paper delves into the distinctive contributions of bioenergy to carbon emission reduction and assesses the viability of various bioenergy sources. Simultaneously, the discussion on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) provides insight into the technological aspects of carbon capture. An integral focus is the integration of bioenergy and carbon capture technologies in BECCS, exploring synergies that enhance their combined efficacy. Real-world examples and case studies illustrate successful BECCS projects. Environmental and social impacts are critically examined, considering sustainability and ethical dimensions. Challenges and criticisms associated with BECCS are discussed comprehensively, addressing concerns and proposing potential solutions. The paper concludes by outlining future prospects for BECCS, offering recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders. It also suggests avenues for further research and development in this evolving field. Keywords: Bioenergy, Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), Climate Mitigation.

Quality Assessment of Traditional Persian Medicine Observational Studies.

Although observational studies are valuable sources of scientific evidence, they are prone to bias and confounding. This study aimed to assess the quality of observational studies in Traditional Persian medicine (TPM). A systematic search was conducted in national and international databases up to the end of 2022 to identify observational studies on TPM. The quality of articles was evaluated using the STROBE checklist and CARE guidelines. Out of the 192 articles identified, 109 met the eligible criteria for quality assessment. Cross-sectional and case-control studies had a mean STROBE score of 1.2±0.51 out of 2, with the introduction section scoring highest and the results and methods sections scoring lowest. The worst reported items in the method section involved sensitivity analyses, bias control, and management of missing data. Case reports and case series had a mean score of 1.4±0.55 out of 2, with the section on therapeutic interventions scoring the highest. Other sections like keywords, follow-up and outcomes, diagnostic assessment, patient perspective, and informed consent scored below one. Many reviewed articles did not adhere to the recommended formatting in the evaluation tools, making it challenging to assess their quality. Having said that, the quality of observational studies in the field of TPM is a point of concern.

A MATLAB-based simulator for the study of process control of fed-batch yeast fermentations

This paper presents a MATLAB-based simulator for the study of process control of fed-batch yeast fermentations that meets the educational needs of undergraduate and graduate students. Against the background of challenges in interdisciplinary education, the paper examines the evolving environment of simulation tools in the field of bioprocesses. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinarity to prepare students for the complexities of the modern biotechnology industry. Built with accessibility and flexibility in mind, the simulator offers a modular structure with a graphical user interface (GUI) for novice users and direct access to MATLAB functions for advanced users. This design choice ensures ease of use for students with different programming backgrounds and allows for adaptability to alternative software environments. The introductory sections provide a detailed overview of the simulator development, including the mathematical models that govern biomass growth kinetics, mass transfer, and process quality indicators. Selected process control strategies such as rule-based and feedforward approaches are incorporated in the simulator to enhance the learning experience by allowing students to experiment with different scenarios. The paper concludes by emphasizing the simulator's adaptability, modularity, and user-friendly interface as a valuable asset in educating students about the complexities of bioprocess control.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Methods Within An Independent Curriculum(A Literature Review)

In this article, the author provides an overview of the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) methods within an independent curriculum. The introduction section introduces the topic and highlights the significance of PBL in education, while the overview of PBL methods section explains the key principles and components of this pedagogical approach. The importance of an independent curriculum is discussed in terms of empowering students to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-directed learning skills. The article then outlines the benefits of implementing PBL, including enhanced critical thinking skills, improved problem-solving abilities, and increased engagement and motivation. Finally, the challenges and considerations of implementing PBL are addressed, such as the need for adequate teacher training and support, the development of new assessment strategies, and the integration of PBL with existing curricula. The article concludes by offering best practices for successful implementation, such as establishing clear learning objectives and outcomes and fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Punishable Offenses Leading to the Loss of Clerical Status According to The Code of Canon Law Currently in Force

In this article, the author presents and analyses delicts threatened by the penalty of dismissal from the clerical state according to the Code of Canon Law currently in force. In the introductory section, the author defends the validity of examining this topic, due to the reform of criminal law carried out by Pope Francis with the apostolic constitutionPascite gregem Dei of 23rd May 2021. This reform expands the catalogue of crimes which are punishable with the lifelong expiatory penalty dimissio de statu clericali. The author also provides an understanding of the concept of crime in canon law, and then, in the main part of the study, he presents and discusses individual crimes in the order corresponding to their arrangement in the revised Book VI of the Code of Canon Law devoted to penal sanctions in the Church.