Specific Usage Research Articles

Interleaved practice enhances grammar skill learning for similar and dissimilar tenses in Romance languages

BackgroundInterleaved practice (or interleaving), the strategy of alternating between categories or concepts during study or practice, can enhance second language grammar skills. It remains to be determined, however, whether that enhancement specifically involves identifying tenses, conjugating verbs, or both, and whether close similarity between tenses is essential. AimsThis study investigated the language skills that interleaving can enhance and the extent to which that enhancement is limited to highly similar tenses. SampleParticipants were college students (Experiment 1, 92 participants; Experiment 2, 109 participants) and adult learners (Experiment 3, 104 participants; Experiment 4, 88 participants). MethodsIn each experiment, participants completed two weekly learning sessions and a one-week delayed criterial test. In the blocked group, participants learned one tense per session. In the interleaved group, participants alternated between two tenses during each session. The criterial test assessed: verb conjugation skills (all experiments), tense identification ability for specific usage scenarios (Experiments 1–3), and the capacity to identify the language of a sentence written in a specific tense (Experiment 4). ResultsInterleaving improved verb conjugation skills in all experiments, tense identification ability in Experiments 1 and 3, and language identification skills in Experiment 4. Benefits of interleaving were observed across tenses varying in usage, meaning, and suffixes. ConclusionsInterleaving enhances multiple language skills, including verb conjugation, tense identification, and language identification. Those benefits are not limited to highly similar tenses. Accordingly, these results challenge assumptions about interleaving and underscore its potential as an effective approach for improving language learning.

Clinical outcomes of edoxaban treatment without parenteral anticoagulation therapy for acute venous thromboembolism: Insight from the COMMAND VTE Registry-2

Abstract Background Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) including edoxaban are currently widely used all over the world. Each DOAC has a specific usage for the treatment and second prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the acute phase as well as in the chronic phase. Edoxaban is recommended to be administered after an appropriate initial treatment including parenteral anticoagulation therapy such as heparin. However, because of the rapid anticoagulant effect of edoxaban after oral intake, some physicians could administer edoxaban initially without parenteral anticoagulation therapy in the daily clinical practice, which has not been investigated so far. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of edoxaban treatment for VTE without initial parenteral anticoagulation therapy. Methods The COMMAND VTE Registry-2 is a multicenter registry enrolling 5,197 consecutive acute symptomatic VTE patients among 31 centers in Japan between January 2015 and August 2020. Of those, 1842 patients received edoxaban including 848 patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) and 994 patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) alone, who were divided into 2 groups based on the presence or absence of initial parenteral anticoagulation therapy with heparin. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for potential baseline differences in the 2 groups. Results PE and DVT patients with initial parenteral anticoagulation therapy with heparin accounted for 623 (73.5%) and 244 (24.5%), respectively. After the PSM, 195 pairs of PE patients and 226 pairs of DVT patients were matched. In PE patients, those matched by the PSM were relatively mild cases compared to the unmatched cases (simplified PESI score=0: 25.9% vs. 12.4%, P<0.001). Whereas, in DVT patients, those matched were relatively severe cases compared to unmatched cases (isolated distal DVT: 24.1% vs. 71.0%, P<0.001). In the matched cohort, there was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the 2 groups, including simplified PESI score in PE patients and thrombus location profile in DVT patients. In both PE patients and DVT patients, the 30-day cumulative incidences of all-cause death were not significantly different between the 2 groups (PE patients: 3.7% vs. 2.6%, P=0.56; DVT patients: 2.7% vs. 4.5%, P=0.31). Similarly, the 30-day cumulative incidences of recurrent VTE and major bleeding were not significantly different between the 2 groups (recurrent VTE: PE patients: 0% vs. 0.5%, P=0.32; DVT patients: 0.6% vs. 0.9%, P=0.99; major bleeding: PE patients: 1.5% vs. 3.2%, P=0.32; DVT patients: 2.2% vs. 3.2%, P=0.54) Conclusion In this current real-world VTE registry, a certain number of patients received edoxaban without parenteral anticoagulation therapy, who did not show a signal of worse clinical outcomes.

Adjectives ‘otdalyonnyy’ [distant], ‘priblizitelnyy’ [approximate], and ‘neulovimyy’ [elusive] as Means of Expressing Semantics of Implicit Similarity

This article is dedicated to linguistic means that denote implicit similarity between one object and another. The author aims to identify common patterns in constructing contexts that describe situations of implicit similarity. The study focuses on the specific usage of the adjectives ‘otdalyonnyy’ [distant], ‘priblizitelnyy’ [approximate], and ‘neulovimyy’ [elusive], along with their derived adverbs, as tools for expressing implicit similarity. The research employs definitional, componential, distributional, and contextual analysis methods, utilizing data from linguistic dictionaries and the Russian National Corpus. The analysis of corpus data reveals that situations of implicit similarity can be characterized by four criteria: “semantic class,” “basis for comparison,” “degree of similarity,” and “presence of explanations.” It is demonstrated that the contextual synonyms ‘otdalyonnyy (-o)’ [distant (-ly)], ‘priblizitelnyy (-o)’ [approximate (-ly)], and ‘neulovimyy (-o)’ [elusive (-ly)] exhibit several distinctions in their functioning across various criteria: frequency of use, collocational compatibility, semantic class of the compared objects, basis for comparison, and degree of expressed implicit similarity. In most cases, implicit similarity between objects is not thoroughly motivated but is presented as a ready result of perception, comparison, and interpretation carried out by the speaker.

Self-presentational concerns and lurking among users on social networking sites: an empirical study based on a moderated mediation model

PurposeThe phenomenon of nonposting behavior, known as lurking, has become increasingly prevalent on social networking sites (SNS). This study aims to understand why certain users are inclined to lurk on SNS by proposing a theoretical framework that integrates self-presentational concerns, SNS fatigue and social presence.Design/methodology/approachBuilding upon the theoretical framework, a moderated mediation model is established to illustrate the mechanisms of lurking on SNS. Survey data were collected from 616 SNS users through an online survey and analyzed using the SPSS macro PROCESS.FindingsThe findings show that self-presentational concerns have positive and direct effects on lurking. Moreover, the relationship between self-presentational concerns and lurking is partially mediated by SNS fatigue. Furthermore, both the direct effect and the mediating effect are moderated by social presence.Originality/valueThis study offers a novel theoretical perspective on lurking behavior by introducing a moderated mediation model. The findings reveal intricate mechanisms underlying this specific SNS usage behavior and its connections to both self-presentational concerns and SNS fatigue, thereby enriching the existing literature on user engagement and inactivity on SNS. Furthermore, this research highlights the pivotal role of social presence in moderating the effects of self-presentational concerns, offering new insights into the dynamics of online social interactions.

Refining the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review of Anatomy and Surgical Approaches

Cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) is a prevalent but often under-recognized compressive neuropathy of the upper extremities, involving the entrapment of the ulnar nerve within the cubital tunnel at the elbow. CuTS is common, but remains relatively unfamiliar to many neurosurgeons compared to other neuropathies. It frequently presents with sensory disturbances and motor deficits in the hand, particularly affecting the ulnar digits, and it may be linked to specific usage patterns or even considered a form of neurotrauma. Its diagnosis typically involves a clinical assessment supplemented by imaging and electrophysiological studies to evaluate the extent of nerve involvement. While conservative management may be sufficient in the early stages, surgical intervention is often necessary for advanced cases, and various techniques offer differing outcomes. This review underscores the importance of a thorough anatomical understanding in guiding an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes. These insights are essential for clinicians encountering the complexities of CuTS in diverse clinical scenarios.

Ablation manual for liver cancer.

Because of recent advances in energy device technology, ablation has become popular worldwide. It is less invasive and provides faster postoperative recovery compared to surgery, and therefore, it has come to be applied to a wide range of organs, such as liver, lung, kidney, thyroid, and bone/soft tissue tumors. In order to properly guide the needle to the target area, imaging support is necessary, and ultrasound, which has the advantages of high resolution and real-time capability, is the most frequently used modality. In other words, ablation can be said to be a therapeutic method that makes the most of the advantages of ultrasound. This article outlines the role of ultrasound in ablation for liver cancer and its specific usage.

A photonic sensor system for real‐time monitoring of turbidity changes in aquaculture

AbstractObjectiveThe objective of this study was to test the compatibility and performance of a developed photonic sensor system, which can serve as a dependable and practical device for continuous monitoring of turbidity changes in aquaculture tanks.MethodsThe fabricated photonic sensor system consisted of an integrated data logger and sensor probe. The sensor probe exhibited a precise emission of infrared light at a wavelength of 850 nm. Moreover, the sensor evaluates the ambient light across the red‐green‐blue spectrum. To ensure accuracy and reliability, the entire system underwent a thorough calibration process, referencing nephelometric turbidity unit values acquired through a specialized handheld turbidimeter. Rigorous trials were systematically conducted in 600‐L seawater tanks featuring tubular sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa and Gilt‐head Sea Bream Sparus auratus to ensure the sensitivity and robustness of the photonic sensor system to the aquaculture environment.ResultA calibration curve revealed a significant correlation between the infrared channel values of the sensor (photon counts) and the turbidity values measured by the turbidimeter. The photonic sensor effectively captured turbidity changes in the aquaculture tanks, with significant differences observed between the tanks. The sensor performance was evaluated in trials with Gilt‐head Sea Bream, which showed sensitivity to high turbidity changes. The photonic sensor system accurately reflects turbidity changes continuously using its own active light source, independent of ambient light intensity, which is essential for turbid water conditions or for taking measurements in total darkness.ConclusionThe photonic sensor is a reliable tool for the continuous and accurate monitoring of turbidity changes in aquaculture systems. However, there are specific usage limitations under low‐turbidity conditions that can be improved in further studies.

Interaction Between Age Pension Means Testing and Innovative Income Streams in Australia*

We investigate the interaction between Age Pension means testing and innovative income streams in Australia, considering the use of an investment‐linked annuity that allows a choice of drawdown level. We find that current means testing arrangements incentivise a very specific usage of investment‐linked annuities that is not materially impacted by individual characteristics or fees, due to incoherencies across the income test and assets test. We investigate alternative means test structures, including a structure that includes only an income test and incorporates capital consumption by adjusting taper rates with age according to an annuitisation schedule. This structure removes the distortions impacting annuity usage, generates the most stable Age Pension over lifetime, encourages drawdown of assets over retirement and more accurately reflects the means of retirees to generate an income at each age.

A copula-based approach for multi-modal demand dependence modeling: Temporal correlation between demand of subway and bike-sharing

As a representative mode of shared mobility, bike-sharing serves not only as a convenient way to conduct short-distance trips in urban areas, but also as a feeder mode to public transit, forming the Bike and Ride (BnR) system. Conducting management for such a hybrid multi-modal system faces various challenges, including the complex interactions between bike-sharing and other modes, highly dynamic passenger demand, and the difficulty of accessing direct transfer data. To overcome such difficulties, our study proposes a framework for assessing the dependency between the two usage modes. Firstly, a Dynamic-Time-Warping-based (DTW) method is utilized to determine the catchment area (CA) between the two modes, allowing the BnR-related tendency similarity under a given time scale to be considered. Then, the patterns of probabilistic dependence between travel demand of the two modes are obtained by a copula-based approach, which separates correlations under specific usage levels from single modal demands. A case study on the multi-modal system formed by docked bike-sharing and subway in New York is conducted to validate the proposed framework. The tendency similarity is found to be most pronounced within 500 m on average under a 4-hour interval. For each formed station group (SG), the best-fitted copula type is selected, capturing the strong tail correlations present only at specific usage levels. The results show a variety of different correlation patterns within SGs, despite the close geographic locations they may share. Areas of potential transfer resistance between the two modes are identified, which is more evident in first-mile-related (FMR) activities. In contrast, the two modes display more weak connections in last-mile-related (LMR) activities. The obtained results can be utilized by bike-sharing service providers to analyze demand distributions and conduct efficient station-level rebalancing. Compared to previous methods, our proposed framework is computationally inexpensive since no direct transfer of data or complex inference network is required. It incorporates statistically significant spatial–temporal information, allowing for a more accurate determination of the bi-modal assessment range. Moreover, considering that single-mode influences are mathematically removed, the resulting correlation in principle links to the strength of the connections between the two modes. Therefore, it can be assessed as an indicator of the reliability of the multi-modal system.

청소년의 스마트폰 사용 목적에 따른 이용 행태 및 변화 유형 분석

This study aimed to classify latent profiles of smartphone usage among adolescents based on usage purposes and explore their transitions from the second year of middle school to the second year of high school. Using data from the 2nd and 5th waves of the 2018 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS), the sample included 1,963 students who provided data on smartphone usage frequency. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), Latent Transition Analysis (LTA), and one-way ANOVA. Five distinct smartphone usage profiles were identified at both time points: low engaged, communication-focused, average usage, entertainment-focused, and high engaged. The majority of participants in the average, entertainment-focused, and high-engaged profiles remained in their respective categories over time. However, those in the low-engaged profile were most likely to transition to the average usage profile, while participants in the communication-focused profile were likely to transition to the high-engaged profile. These findings suggest that while many adolescents maintain consistent usage patterns, some experience significant changes, particularly toward higher engagement. This study contributes to understanding how adolescents' smartphone usage types evolve over time and provides valuable insights for developing tailored interventions aimed at managing smartphone dependency based on specific usage patterns.

THE SEMANTICS OF THE VERB-LEXEME SOLMOQ USED IN THE TRANSLATION OF THE WORK ZAFARNOMA INTO OLD UZBEK LITERARY LANGUAGE

The article examines the semantics of the verb-lexeme “solmoq” in the translation of “Zafarnoma” by Sharafuddin Ali Yazdi, originally written in Persian language in 1424-1425 AH and translated by Muhammad Ali ibn Darvesh Ali al-Bukhari into the old Uzbek language in 1519. Furthermore, the word’s specific usage and differences between the verb “solmoq” in this translation and in other contemporary sources were highlighted. KEY WORDS: Sharafuddin Ali Yazdi, “Zafarnoma” lexicon, semantics, sema, verb, compound verb, the lexeme “solmoq”, old Uzbek literary language.

A survey of cranberry fruit rots in commercial production beds in Oregon and Washington.

Fungal fruit rots are a perennial threat to the production of cranberries. Eleven genera of fungi have been reported to cause cranberry rot in the field and/or during cold storage. Oregon and Washington rank fourth and fifth in the production of cranberries in the USA, but much of the research on cranberry fruit rots has been conducted in Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The primary objective of this project was to describe the current composition of cranberry fruit rot complex in Oregon and Washington. A survey of fungal fruit rot pathogens was conducted over four years in commercial cranberry farms located in the Pacific Ocean coastal zone in Oregon and Washington. Yield, rot incidence, and fungal pathogens isolated varied year-to-year. Pathogens isolated frequently from field-rotted cranberries included the cranberry fruit rot genera described in other cranberry production regions of the USA, such as Colletotrichum, Coleophoma, and Physalospora. Neofabraea actinidiae, a recently described cranberry fruit rot, was isolated consistently from field-rotted cranberries from beds with specific fungicide usage patterns. N. actinidiae also was one of the more common storage rot pathogens in this region, alongside other well-established storage rots like Coleophoma and black rots caused by Allantophomopsis cytisporea, A. lycopodina, and Strasseria geniculata. These findings may have important implications for Washington cranberry production because a large proportion of the crop is dry-harvested, placed in cold storage, and then sold as fresh cranberries. Climatic differences among the cranberry production areas across the United States may affect the disease incidence and prevalence of different genera of cranberry fruit rot pathogens, as summer months in Oregon and Washington are often much cooler and dryer than in Wisconsin and east coast states and may account for differing presence of various cranberry fruit rot fungi.

Which Receives More Attention, Online Review Sentiment or Online Review Rating? Spillover Effect Analysis from JD.com.

Studies have found that competitive products' online review ratings (ORRs) have a spillover effect on the focal product's sales. However, the spillover effect of online review sentiment (ORS) as an essential component of online review analysis has yet to be studied. In this study, we analyze online review content from JD.com using the latent Dirichlet allocation to identify the product attribute topics that consumers are most concerned about. We then construct a baseline regression model of ORS and ORRs to explore the effects of online competitive product reviews on focal product sales. Moreover, we examine how the interaction between ORS and critical factors of online reviews affect sales. Our results indicate that the ORS of competitive products has a negative effect on focal product sales, and the effect is greater than the ORS and ORRs of focal products, respectively. In addition, the ORS of competitive products inhibits the sale of focal products as evaluations of product attributes become more positive or online review usefulness increases. We also find that the effect of ORRs of competitive products is not significant, which may be because clothing, as an experiential product, requires consumers to gain more information about specific usage scenarios before making a decision. This study provides a more accurate basis for consumer decision-making and offers retailers a novel approach to developing marketing strategies.

Covid-19 and firm communication: how do mobility constraints affect the conference call sentiment?

ABSTRACT During the COVID pandemic, the mobility of individuals is largely reduced. This paper is to investigate how this immobility-induced social isolation affects conference calls sentiment. We employ several exogenous events: first death via COVID in the county, declaration of State of Emergency, and Stay at Home Order. We find a consistent result that mobility constraints decrease the sentiment within earnings calls. Our findings suggest the variation of mobility constraints impacts manager mood and further influences short-term market returns beyond firm fundamentals. Our results remain significant after using alternative proxies for mobility constraints and focusing on the manager’s specific sentiment usage.

Unsupervised discovery of family specific vocal usage in the Mongolian gerbil.

In nature, animal vocalizations can provide crucial information about identity, including kinship and hierarchy. However, lab-based vocal behavior is typically studied during brief interactions between animals with no prior social relationship, and under environmental conditions with limited ethological relevance. Here, we address this gap by establishing long-term acoustic recordings from Mongolian gerbil families, a core social group that uses an array of sonic and ultrasonic vocalizations. Three separate gerbil families were transferred to an enlarged environment and continuous 20-day audio recordings were obtained. Using a variational autoencoder (VAE) to quantify 583,237 vocalizations, we show that gerbils exhibit a more elaborate vocal repertoire than has been previously reported and that vocal repertoire usage differs significantly by family. By performing gaussian mixture model clustering on the VAE latent space, we show that families preferentially use characteristic sets of vocal clusters and that these usage preferences remain stable over weeks. Furthermore, gerbils displayed family-specific transitions between vocal clusters. Since gerbils live naturally as extended families in complex underground burrows that are adjacent to other families, these results suggest the presence of a vocal dialect which could be exploited by animals to represent kinship. These findings position the Mongolian gerbil as a compelling animal model to study the neural basis of vocal communication and demonstrates the potential for using unsupervised machine learning with uninterrupted acoustic recordings to gain insights into naturalistic animal behavior.

Patterns of Use of e-Cigarettes and Their Respiratory Effects: Protocol for an Umbrella Review.

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)-e-cigarettes or vapes-have been shown to substantially reduce or eliminate many toxins compared with cigarette smoke, but simultaneously ENDS use also produces their own unique toxins. Yet the patterns of use among people who use ENDS are not homogeneous. Some people who use ENDS also smoke cigarettes (dual use). Other people who formerly smoked cigarettes are completely substituting ENDS (exclusive use). A small number of people who have never smoked cigarettes are using ENDS (naïve use of nicotine). Each of these patterns of use results in different exposures to toxins. Unfortunately, epidemiological studies routinely group together any ENDS use regardless of other tobacco use. This umbrella review primarily aims to present all the evidence available on the respiratory effects of ENDS use by adults based on their pattern of use: dual use, exclusive use, and naïve use. With each of these patterns of use, are there benefits, no changes, or harmful effects on respiratory functioning? Our objective is to provide clinicians with a detailed analysis of how different patterns of ENDS use impact respiratory functioning and to point to the best sources of evidence. This umbrella review follows the Methods for Overviews of Reviews framework and the PRIOR (Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews) statement. Systematic reviews published since 2019 will be searched across 4 databases and 3 gray literature sources. Additional searches will include citation chasing, references lists, and referrals from respiratory specialists. The quality of included reviews will be evaluated using the AMSTAR2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) checklist. We will document biases in 3 areas: protocol deviations, biases from the Oxford Catalogue of Bias, and internal data discrepancies. Two reviewers will independently conduct the search and quality assessments. Our analysis will focus on reviews rated as moderate or high confidence by AMSTAR2. We will use the Vote Counting Direction of Effect method to manage expected data heterogeneity, assessing whether ENDS use is beneficial or detrimental, or has no effect on respiratory functions based on the pattern of use. The review is expected to be completed by December 2024. The database search was concluded in April 2024, and data extraction and bias assessment were completed in June 2024. The analysis phase is planned to be completed by October 2024. A thorough and comprehensive assessment of the evidence will better inform the contentious debate over the respiratory effects of ENDS providing much needed clarity by linking their effects to specific usage patterns. This analysis is particularly crucial in understanding the risks associated with continued cigarette smoking. PROSPERO CRD42024540034; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=540034. DERR1-10.2196/60325.

Drug providers’ perspectives on antibiotic misuse practices in eastern Ethiopia: a qualitative study

ObjectiveAntibiotic misuse includes using them to treat colds and influenza, obtaining them without a prescription, not finishing the prescribed course and sharing them with others. Although drug providers are well...

Addressing localized thermal comfort needs of the human body through advanced personal thermal management garments design and evaluation

Personal thermal management clothing has garnered significant attention in recent years for offering innovative solutions to address extreme environments. By examining the “human-clothing-environment” system, we have analyzed the contribution and developmental trajectory of personal thermal management clothing, considering the diverse human needs and application environments. Local variations in human physiology necessitate localized thermal comfort solutions provided by personal thermal management clothing. Despite advancements, many Personal thermal management garments still encounter challenges such as bulky size, heavy weight, intricate donning process, subpar performance, limited temperature control, and low durability. Furthermore, aspects like comfort, ergonomics, and aesthetics, tailored to specific usage scenarios, have often been overlooked. Enhancing the standardized design and evaluation processes for personal thermal management clothing items is crucial to better cater to individual preferences and usage demands, offering recommendations for development to align with individual requirements, enhance effectiveness, and promote energy conservation.

How Do Organizational Commitment and Workload Influence Cyberloafing Behavior

Cyberloafing, or employees engaging in non-work-related internet activities, has become a prevalent issue for many companies. Finding out how organizational commitment and workload affect cyberloafing behavior in nurses at the Lampung Province Regional Mental Hospital (RSJD) is the goal of this study. The basic data for this study came from a Likert scale questionnaire. There were 115 nurses in the research sample, and SPSS 29 software was utilized for the multiple linear regression analysis of the data. The study's findings provided evidence in favor of the premise that organizational commitment and workload significantly and negatively influence cyberloafing behavior. The recommendation for the Lampung Province Mental Hospital is to help create an atmosphere where nurses can feel content and at ease at work, as well as to inculcate positive values in them. The Lampung Provincial Mental Hospital ought to establish guidelines for the equitable distribution of nursing responsibilities. To lower the amount of cyberloafing among nurses, the Lampung Provincial Mental Hospital must also implement specific internet usage guidelines.

Bibliometric Analysis of Studies on Academic Freedom in the Field of Educational Sciences

This study aims to analyze and interpret academic publications related to “academic freedom” indexed in the Web of Science database using bibliometric analysis methods. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to evaluate the academic publications on the topic of academic freedom in the field of education and educational sciences, which are indexed in the WoS database. Additionally, scientific field mapping techniques were employed. A total of 579 studies on academic freedom were identified within the field of education sciences. The various maps were analyzed in terms of specific usage types, authors, works, years of publication, and authors. The research findings indicate that Philip Altbach is the most frequently cited author. The most frequently cited research is that of African Higher Education: The Challenges for the 21st Century," The most effective source is the Higher Education Journal. The most frequently cited institution is Boston College. The United States of America is the country with the highest number of citations. To contribute to the field, it is recommended to increase the research on "academic freedom" indexed in the WoS database. Increasing the number of bibliometric analysis studies in different fields will contribute to the literature.