Narrow Scope Research Articles

Emergency medicine needs a narrower scope and a broader worldview.

Emergency medicine needs a narrower scope and a broader worldview.

The Role of Sibling Patterns in the Educational Attainment of Hungarian Twins.

Studies concerning twins with a sociological focus are scarce in Hungary as well as international research, although the number of twin births has increased dramatically worldwide. The raising and education of twins are tasks demanding special attention from both the family and institutions. In our study we examine these aspects, looking back from adulthood, using the narrow scope of the available data from research based on the 'Hungarostudy 2021' database (N total: 7000; n twins: 106). Our results, corresponding to the hypotheses of educational sociology, demonstrate how the relationships between family size and school career and increasing number of siblings reduces the chances of high educational attainment. A regression analysis confirmed that both the number of siblings and a later position in the birth order reduces the chance of obtaining a higher education. For the second child in a family, the chance of earning a university degree is reduced to to 0.743. The role of a large family concerning higher education showed a stronger relationship in the case of twins compared to nontwins. For twins, the sibling pattern has a decisive effect in educational attainment. Twins themselves have a 1.449 times higher chance of obtaining a higher education compared to nontwins (p = 0.101), and fraternal twins have half (0.517) the chance of obtaining a higher education compared to identical twins; but both results are not significant (p = 0.156).

Sport spectator well-being: a scoping review

ABSTRACT A clear understanding of sport consumer well-being is central to enriching research on the interaction between sport organizations and consumers, and more tangibly, to advancing public policy. This research offers a scoping review of existing studies on the well-being of sport spectators, resulting in the formulation of a Sport Spectator Well-being Process Model designed to direct future research endeavors. The review includes 76 peer-reviewed articles comprising reviews, qualitative and quantitative studies. A dual approach of frequency and thematic analysis was utilized to synthesize the findings. The frequency analysis highlighted an increasing trend in relevant publications over time, and the thematic analysis informed the development of a conceptual model of the four key stages of the sport spectator well-being process. The review also identified three significant research gaps: (1) the narrow scope of research contexts, (2) a limited range of theoretical frameworks employed and (3) challenges in research methodology. The findings significantly contribute to the transformative sport service research by integrating positive psychology concepts into the discourse on sport spectator well-being. The conceptual model is vital for researchers exploring the intricate relationship between sport spectatorship and spectator well-being, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of this significant topic.

From local to global: understanding shifts in production processes

ABSTRACT As the global economy continues to integrate, there are notable shifts in how and where products are manufactured. This study examines how increased outward foreign direct investment (FDI) influences shifts in domestic production processes, with a focus on the vertical dimensions of production lines. Using unique Korean firm-level data, we investigate the scope of a firm’s involvement within the production line and the specific stages that have undergone changes. Our findings show that firms with foreign affiliates generally have a narrower scope in their production lines, skewed towards downstream stages – closer to the final stages – compared to firms not engaged in FDI. These micro-level observations are in line with broader trends, such as the decrease in domestic value-added share in gross exports. This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of FDI’s association with production line modifications, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of global production fragmentation.

Specialization trends in economics research: A large‐scale study using natural language processing and citation analysis

AbstractThis article conducts a comprehensive analysis of specialization trends within and across fields of economics research. We collect data on 24,273 articles published between 1970 and 2016 in general research economics outlets and employ machine learning techniques to enrich the collected data. Results indicate that theory and econometric methods papers are becoming increasingly specialized, with a narrowing scope and steady or declining citations from outside economics and from other fields of economics research. Conversely, applied papers are covering a broader range of topics, receiving more extramural citations from fields like medicine, and psychology. Trends in applied theory articles are unclear.

THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON TEACHING CAREERS: PEDAGOGICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This article reviews the impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on teaching careers, with a focus on the pedagogical, administrative, and ethical dimensions, based on an analysis of recent studies (2022-2024). In the pedagogical dimension, AI has the potential to personalize teaching through adaptive systems and virtual tutors, adjusting content to students needs. However, this personalization could compromise teachers autonomy, as they may become dependent on algorithms for decisions regarding lesson pacing and content. In the administrative dimension, AI automates tasks such as grading and lesson planning, allowing for more teaching-focused time. However, this requires new training and technological adaptations, which may increase teachers workloads. In the ethical dimension, challenges such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and digital exclusion could exacerbate educational inequalities. The article provides recommendations for leveraging AI as a teaching aid while preserving teacher autonomy and ensuring ethical and inclusive implementation. Methodological limitations, such as the narrow temporal scope and the lack of long-term impact studies, are acknowledged. The article also calls for future research on AI integration in various educational contexts and the development of public policies to ensure equitable technology adoption in schools and universities.

Leveraging Contemporary Project Management Techniques and Technology for Sustainable Telecommunications Advancement in Yemen

The digital techniques and technology have transformed formal project management field dramatically by enhancing communication, resource management and efficiency. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of contemporary project management methodologies in promoting and facilitating sustainable development within the telecommunications sector in Yemen. Situated within the broader discourse on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the research employs a mixed methods approach to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected through a survey of 150 professionals across major telecommunications firms in Yemen. The survey examined familiarity and application of techniques and technology such as waterfall, agile, six sigma, and lean. Qualitative insights were derived from 22 in-depth interviews with project managers and stakeholders. The findings of the study indicate that there is a narrow scope for integrating sustainability in Yemen’s telecommunications sector projects. Despite the research indicating a considerable level of awareness and utilization of contemporary methodologies, the integration of sustainability objectives varies considerably between projects. While numerous projects adopt environmental sustainability strategies, such as enhancing energy efficiency to reduce environmental impact and minimize carbon emissions, they lack comprehensive sustainability strategies that encompass economic, social, and environmental aspects in an integrated manner. The qualitative interviews yielded insights into the significant challenges to sustainable implementation, including insufficient training, organizational obstacles, and the effects of the ongoing conflict. In light of these findings, the paper addresses these challenges and provides recommendations and effective strategies to overcome them.

Negation in clause combining in Kazakh

This paper examines the function of negation in discourse units containing more than one clause in Kazakh. When clauses are combined through coordination or subordination, negation can be formally marked in all linked clauses to deny the proposition described in the given clauses. The verbal predicates are negated by the bound morpheme -MA. The non-verbal predicates are negated either with the negative particle emes, ‘not’, or with the existential negation žoq, ‘non-existent’. As for the distinction between these three negations, I argue that -MA is an internal negative expressing a weak denial, whereas emes and žoq are external negatives expressing a strong denial and absolute non-existence respectively, in terms of their pragmatic function in discourse. With regard to the scope of negation in clause combining, the coordinate and subordinate clauses have a narrow negative scope, whereas chain clauses tend to have a wide negative scope.

A selective diesel vehicle ban’s impact on NO2 concentrations in Munich: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract Background The European Union’s current NO2 concentration limit of 40 μg/m³ is regularly exceeded in Munich, Germany. This limit is likely to be reduced towards the WHO recommended target of 10 μg/m³. In response, the city enacted a selective ban on older diesel vehicles, specifically those categorized as Euro 4 or older, within the current low-emission zone in February 2023. Our study examined how Munich’s selective ban on diesel vehicles impacted NO2 levels, concentrating on the six-month period after its introduction. Methods We employed a synthetic control approach in the primary analysis and a controlled interrupted time series approach in the secondary analysis. These quasi-experimental methods establish a ‘counterfactual’ no-intervention scenario, allowing for comparison with the actual observed scenario and estimation of the impact of the intervention. Historical data from monitoring stations within and outside the low-emission zone from 2014 to 2022 were utilized as controls, while potential confounders were considered. Results NO2 concentrations within Munich’s low-emission zone decreased across the study period. Effects of the selective diesel vehicle ban at monitoring stations within the low-emission zone were minimal, with wide confidence intervals indicating uncertainty. At Landshuter Allee, the average intervention effect was -2.67 μg/m3 (95%-CI = [-12.72; 7.38]), at Stachus it was -2.74 μg/m3 (95%-CI = [-9.91; 4.42]) and at Lothstrasse, it was -1.03 μg/m3 (95%-CI = [-7.75; 5.69]). The secondary analysis confirms these findings. Conclusions Munich’s selective diesel vehicle ban had limited effects in reducing NO2 concentrations. Factors such as its narrow focus on Euro 4 diesel vehicles, numerous exemptions, and unclear enforcement may explain this outcome. Comprehensive strategies and continuous monitoring and evaluation are crucial for effectively addressing urban air pollution and protecting public health. Key messages • Munich’s selective diesel vehicle ban had minimal effects on reducing NO2 levels, possibly due to its narrow scope, many exemptions, and unclear enforcement. • Current guidelines and court rulings signal the need for more effective solutions beyond selective bans, emphasizing the importance of well-designed interventions and rigorous evaluation.

An ensemble machine learning approach for predicting heart failure risk in acute coronary syndrome patients: heartguardai

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) constitutes a major post-event morbidity in patients experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), underscoring the imperative for precise risk stratification methodologies. Traditional prognostic models, although beneficial, are limited by their reliance on a narrow scope of variables, thereby overlooking the comprehensive analytical potential afforded by extensive clinical datasets. Aims To develop "HeartGuardAI," an ensemble machine learning model that predicts HF risk in ACS patients. By incorporating a wide array of variables including ejection fraction (EF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), body mas index(BMI), male sex, this model seeks to offer a more practical tool for clinical decision-making. Methods We queried ACTION-ACS a large-scale multicenter database of 3335 patients at 10-year follow-up. We employed a feature selection process informed by Random Forest Classifier to identify the most predictive variables. An ensemble model combining the strengths of Random Forest and Gradient Boosting methodologies was then developed. The model's predictive performance was validated through Stratified K-Fold cross-validation, focusing on Area Under the Curve (AUC) and confidence intervals to assess its efficacy. The model's predictive performance was validated through Stratified K-Fold cross-validation, focusing on Area Under the Curve (AUC) and confidence intervals to assess its efficacy. Results Demonstrating a mean AUC of 0.76 ± 0.036, "HeartGuardAI" showed a high capability to predict HF risk in post-ACS patients and emphasizes the significance of incorporating multifactorial clinical assessments Conclusions HF risk can be predicted by a handy tool developed with advanced machine learning methods. Future studies are needed to prospectively validate this algorithm.Graphic 1Graphic 2

The Golden Bachelor: Age and Romance in Contemporary Reality Television.

The Golden Bachelor completed its first season in late 2023. Its companion show, The Golden Bachelorette premiered in September of 2024. The reality dating franchise features contestants over the age of 60 and represents an advance in the visibility of older adults in popular media, particularly the dating show genre, while also perpetuating age-related stereotypes. This review will focus on The Golden Bachelor and how it brought aging and associated conversations about dating, intimacy, and grief into popular discourse. While the show significantly revises how older adults are portrayed in popular media, it tempers this potentially subversive move by doubling down on its other socially conventional elements - beauty, monogamy, able-bodiedness, and traditional family values. The Golden Bachelor represents a step forward in visibility of older adults while also being a reminder of the problematic ways that aging is portrayed in popular media. It opens opportunities for dialogue and learning but also reveals the narrow scope of identity that reality television is prepared to depict. Ultimately, The Golden Bachelor revealed both a widespread interest in popular media that engages substantively with older adults and a still-unfulfilled need for this representation to be comprehensive, diverse, and inclusive.

Protein–Polymer Conjugates: Advancing Enzyme Catalysis in Synthetic Chemistry

AbstractEnzyme catalysis is prominent in chemical synthesis due to its specificity, selectivity, and efficiency. However, enzymes often face challenges, such as inactivation and inhibition in practical applications, and they are also limited by narrow reaction scopes in complex catalytic scenarios like cascade reactions. These persistent issues have driven the development of chemical modifications of enzymes, aiming to enhance enzyme catalysis with external chemical entities. Polymers are particularly notable among these entities for their functional moieties and protective effects on biomolecules, enhancing enzyme properties, and even creating new‐to‐nature catalysis by harnessing catalytic promiscuity. This concept aims to introduce the field of protein–polymer conjugates for diverse emerging applications across emulsion biocatalysis, artificial enzymes, and supramolecular enzyme catalysis.

An interprofessional postgraduate quality improvement curriculum: results and lessons learned over a 5-year implementation

ABSTRACT Problem Quality Improvement (QI) is interprofessional by nature; however, most academic QI programs occur in silos and do not leverage the opportunity to bring interprofessional learners together. Intervention To evaluate QI competencies of physician, nursing, pharmacy, behavioral health, and social work residents after participating in a longitudinal QI curriculum. Lessons learned are shared to guide educators in developing QI curriculum for interprofessional learners. Context Cohorts of graduate students over 5 years participated in a QI curriculum that aligned with each professions’ core quality competencies. Residents engaged in didactics and experiential learning in primary care clinics. Impact All learners (N = 74) demonstrated improvement in QI knowledge measured by the QIKAT-R and applied their skills demonstrated by completion of a QI project presented at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement annual forums. Participation in QI curriculum resulted in knowledge and skill improvement. Lessons learned An experiential QI curriculum is a natural place to bring diverse post-graduate learners together to improve QI knowledge and skills. Successful QI curriculum goals are to (a) align projects with institutional and stakeholder goals, (b) include coaches to promote teamwork and project management, (c) narrow project scope, (d) develop an improvement mindset that failures are learning opportunities, and (e) address needs for data access.

Influence of Simulations on Students' Achievement in Physics in Secondary Schools in Nandi East, Kenya

Many secondary schools in Kenya are yet to incorporate Mobile Technologies into their educational practices, despite widespread ownership and use by both students and teachers. This study investigated the influence of simulations on students' achievement in physics in secondary schools in Nandi East, Kenya. The dismal performance in physics locally and nationally may be linked to slow technological integration, hence the need for the study. The target population consisted of Form Three physics students and 30 Heads of Department (HODs) from 31 secondary schools. A descriptive survey design was utilized. Random and purposive sampling was used to select participants, and data collection involved questionnaires and interviews. Using Taro Yamane’s Formula, the sample size was determined to be 300 students, 30 HODs, and 30 schools. Data were analyzed using SPSS, providing descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, pie charts, means, and standard deviations (SD). The reliability of the questionnaire items was confirmed with a Cronbach Alpha coefficient above 0.7. The findings emphasize the significant benefits of integrating simulations on students' academic achievement in secondary school physics learning. While the study offers important insights, its geographical limitation, technological access issues, and narrow scope constraints must be considered. These results have implications for various stakeholders including learners, parents, teachers, school administrators, curriculum developers, and policymakers. Learners will benefit from improved effectiveness, engagement, and personalized instruction, while policymakers will gain insights for future improvements. The study recommended learners be allowed to bring their own devices to school to ensure equality and equity in access to digital learning materials.

Re-visiting copyright: is there a way to tackle selective enforcement and non-contextual algorithmic takedowns? A discussion through the lens of internet meme culture

ABSTRACT Internet memes, a bourgeoning form of communication, resemble accessory elements of language. However, internet memes are conceptually complex. Their collective re-creative process relies heavily on copying underlying works, usually without asking for prior-permission from their rightsholders. Internet memes challenge core copyright assumptions on reasons of re-creation and modes of exploitation. Without a fundamental rethink of this mismatch, internet meme culture may be threatened. Going forward, copyright reforms should be holistic and distinguish between traditional and newer forms of re-creative processes. This article proposes that existing copyright can be flexibly interpreted to limit private property rights of underlying works and meme variations when they are used as internet memes, so as to facilitate their adaptation and support socio-cultural discourse. This article proposes a two-step holistic interpretation: copyright can conceptualise and confer limited rights for underlying works and meme variations when they are copied and re-used as internet memes. Copyright can also conceptualise a narrower scope of property rights by flexibly interpreting a combination of fundamental notions, including joint authorship, fair dealing, idea-expression, or user rights. This holistic approach sits comfortably with user-creators and their blurry cultural production-consumption patterns, alongside their nuanced (non)economic use of internet memes.

Substrate selectivity and inhibition of the human lysyl hydroxylase JMJD7.

Jumonji-C (JmjC) domain-containing protein 7 (JMJD7) is a human Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate dependent oxygenase that catalyzes stereospecific C3-hydroxylation of lysyl-residues in developmentally regulated GTP binding proteins 1 and 2 (DRG1/2). We report studies exploring a diverse set of lysine derivatives incorporated into the DRG1 peptides as potential human JMJD7 substrates and inhibitors. The results indicate that human JMJD7 has a relatively narrow substrate scope beyond lysine compared to some other JmjC hydroxylases and lysine-modifying enzymes. The geometrically constrained (E)-dehydrolysine is an efficient alternative to lysine for JMJD7-catalyzed C3-hydroxylation. γ-Thialysine and γ-azalysine undergo C3-hydroxylation, followed by degradation to formylglycine. JMJD7 also catalyzes the S-oxidation of DRG1-derived peptides possessing methionine and homomethionine residues in place of lysine. Inhibition assays show that DRG1 variants possessing cysteine/selenocysteine instead of the lysine residue efficiently inhibit JMJD7 via cross-linking. The overall results inform on the substrate selectivity and inhibition of human JMJD7, which will help enable the rational design of selective small-molecule and peptidomimetic inhibitors of JMJD7.

Missing methods: a call for holistic analysis of history textbooks

The purpose of this article is to call for a holistic approach to the study of history textbooks. We engaged in an extensive analysis of textbook studies for the purpose of developing our own textbook study framework for the Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future project. We found that scholars rely on a narrow scope of research methods and that the field lacks attention to a holistic approach that broadens the researcher’s capacity to dissect positionality and perpetuation of historical knowledge(s). We demonstrate why it is beneficial for scholars to expand beyond narrow methods in the field of history textbook studies. Specifically, we illustrate that a holistic approach enables textbook researchers to further contest the often uncritical embrace of history textbooks and expand upon our understanding of the textbook as an artefact of our societies. In this article we significantly extend the yet to be taken-up call for a holistic approach to textbook studies.

Rozważania na temat pozycji prawnej (prawa) świadka pozostającego ze stroną w związku partnerskim

The article aims to present the issue of protecting the rights of a witness who is a partner of a party to the proceedings. The presentation of the legal position of these persons in individual proceedings is based on the analysis of the right to refuse to testify and the right to refuse to answer a question. The key issue is to determine the subjective scope of the above-mentioned rights. Analyzing the provisions of criminal, civil and administrative proceedings, it can be concluded that only the Criminal Procedure Code covers persons living together subjectively. This means that this regulation will not only cover spouses but also persons who are cohabitants. A narrower scope for other procedures may entail procedural and evidentiary problems. The problem also concerns ailments and the method of imposing administrative fines. The article’s purpose is not only to present the problem but also to show a possible solution. Therefore, the postulate de lege ferenda was put forward, showing the potential ways of closing the legal loophole which gives a certain advantage to married persons over those who live only together.

Staying terminologically rigid, conceptually open and socially cohesive

Abstract When he introduced the framework now known as Construction Grammar, Charles Fillmore said: “Grammatical Construction Theory differs from […] other frameworks […] in its insistence that syntactic patterns are often tightly associated with interpretation instructions” (Fillmore 1989: 17). Construction Grammarians view the patterns, the associations and the interpretive instructionsas a matter of linguistic convention-a fact not generally appreciated within the wider cognitive-functional community that embraces Construction Grammar, In CxG, we do not use general principles to explain the existence of the form-function pairs we encounter in a language, but rather treat those as the product of lexical and constructional licensing (Zwicky 1994). But emergentists and stipulators share one core belief: grammatical structure is inherently symbolic. Sign-Based Construction Grammar (SBCG) makes this insight formally explicit by treating constructions as licensors of signs-signs that are phrases, lexemes or words-and allowing for semantic and usage constraints to be directly associated with constructions. But practitioners of Construction Grammar might reasonably reject the SBCG formalism as incompatible with major foundations of constructional thinking: the top-down nature of constructional meaning, the idiomaticity continuum and the narrow scope of linguistic generalizations. My task in this article is to address this concern, illustrating a variety of applications.

Progress and gaps in climate change adaptation in coastal cities across the globe

Coastal cities are at the frontlines of climate change impacts, resulting in an urgent need for substantial adaptation. To understand whether, and to what extent, cities are on track to prepare for climate risks, this paper systematically assesses the academic literature to evaluate evidence on climate change adaptation in 199 coastal cities worldwide. Results show that adaptation in coastal cities is rather slow, of narrow scope and not transformative. Adaptation measures are predominantly designed based on past and current—rather than future—patterns in hazards, exposure and vulnerability. City governments, particularly in high-income countries, are more likely to implement institutional and infrastructural responses, whereas coastal cities in lower-middle-income countries often rely on households to implement behavioral adaptation. There is comparatively little published knowledge on coastal urban adaptation in low- and middle-income countries, and regarding particular adaptation types such as ecosystem-based adaptation. These insights make an important contribution for tracking adaptation progress globally and help to identify entry points for improving adaptation of coastal cities in the future.