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The English Debating Self-Efficacy Scale: Scale development, validation, and psychometric properties

The importance of English debate in fostering critical thinking and the role of self-efficacy in enhancing confidence and performance in this domain are widely acknowledged. However, a significant gap exists in the literature regarding the measurement of self-efficacy specifically within English debate. This research seeks to fill this gap by developing and validating an English Debate Self-Efficacy Scale (EDSS). Using a sample of 1,259 participants from an independent college in Hebei Province, China, the study divided participants into two groups: 613 for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and 646 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), with convenience sampling as the chosen methodology. EFA revealed three core dimensions of debate-related self-efficacy: Language proficiency (Cronbach’s Alpha = .894), Debating skills (Cronbach’s Alpha = .861), and Team collaboration (Cronbach’s Alpha = .831). Subsequent CFA validation with an independent sample confirmed the scale’s structure, demonstrating strong structural, convergent, and discriminant validity. Additionally, significant correlations between the English Debate Self-Efficacy Scale and the English Proficiency Self-Efficacy Scale supported the scale’s criterion validity. These findings underscore the scale’s potential as a reliable tool for assessing self-efficacy in English debate contexts, offering valuable insights for research, teaching, and training in educational settings. Limitations related to sample representativeness and research design were also discussed, providing a foundation for future studies to expand upon. In conclusion, the English Debate Self-Efficacy Scale (EDSS) is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring self-efficacy in the context of English debate.

Early-stage immunoexpression of inflammatory, angiogenic, and survival markers in tongue epithelium of mice exposed to hookah smoke

Objective The objective was to evaluate the early-stage immunoexpression of markers (COX-2, NF-kB, VEGFR-1 and apoptotic index) related to inflammation, angiogenesis, and cell survival in the tongue dorsum epithelium of mice exposed to hookah smoke. Materials and methods The sample consisted of Swiss mice (N = 20), female gender, aged 2 months, and approximately 25g each, four groups (n = 5) mice: group exposed to fresh air and groups exposed to hookah smoke for 7, 15, and 30 days. Tongues were embedded in paraffin. A tissue microarray was constructed, and immunohistochemistry was performed for Cyclooxygenase 2, NF-kappa B, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) for apoptotic analysis. The positive and negative cells were quantified in the epithelium of the mid-dorsal tongue region. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests was made. Results The apoptotic index was higher at 30 days of smoke exposure (20.38% basal/ 19.63%/ suprabasal) compared to the group exposed to air (9.55%/ 11.88%), The expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 was higher at 30 days of smoke exposure (30.15%/ 38.15%) compared to the group exposed to air (18.25%/ 3.60%). Conclusion Hookah smoke induced greater apoptosis and increased expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 in the epithelium of the tongue at 30 days, potentially playing a role in the initial stages of carcinogenesis, in the early stages of hookah use.

Effects of prolonged aerobic exercise and training intensity on memory cognition

This study aims to explore whether the impact of varying aerobic exercise intensities on knowledge acquisition is influenced by exercise intensity and gender. The results lay the groundwork for selecting suitable aerobic exercise intervention programs, considering exercise intensity and gender, to enhance knowledge acquisition. Employing a mixed-design approach, a sample of 569 college students engaged in 8 weeks of aerobic exercise sessions with moderate and low intensity, incorporating basketball and badminton. Knowledge acquisition effects were assessed using questionnaires targeting distinct knowledge levels. Declarative and procedural knowledge levels across different acquisition types were evaluated pre and post-exercise intervention for the low-intensity, moderate-intensity, and control groups. The findings reveal that both moderate and low-intensity aerobic exercises distinctly and positively impact college students’ knowledge levels, with no discernible gender-related alterations.

Elevated ambient temperature reduces fat storage through the FoxO-mediated insulin signaling pathway

Temperature profoundly impacts all living organisms, influencing development, growth, longevity, and metabolism. Specifically, when adult flies are exposed to high temperatures, there is a notable reduction in their body fat content. We investigate the roles of the insulin signaling pathway in temperature-mediated fat storage. This pathway is not only highly conserved from insects to mammals but also crucial in regulating lipid metabolism, cell proliferation, and tissue growth. The Forkhead box O (FoxO) protein functions as a key downstream signaling molecule in this pathway, mediating the inhibitory effects of insulin signaling. At elevated temperatures, direct targets of FoxO, such as insulin receptor (InR), Thor (Drosophila eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein), and FoxO itself, are significantly upregulated, which indicates an inhibition of insulin signaling. Interestingly, this inhibition seems to occur independently of Drosophila insulin-like peptide (Ilp) stimuli, as not all Ilp transcripts were reduced at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, when S2R + Drosophila cells are incubated at high temperatures, there is a marked decrease in Akt phosphorylation, directly supporting the notion that elevated temperatures can inhibit insulin signaling in a cell-autonomous manner, independent of Ilp levels. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that either constitutively active InR or knockdown of FoxO prevents the reduction of body fat at high temperatures. Together, these findings highlight the critical role of the insulin signaling-FoxO branch in regulating lipid homeostasis under heat stress conditions.

Differences in the clinical presentation of sleep apnea patients according to age and gender

Background Data on sleep apnea is scarce in the elderly. We aimed to provide insight into the presentation of sleep apnea in people over 70 years of age including gender differences. Methods We conducted a registry study in sleep apnea patients >18 years of age diagnosed at Turku University Hospital in 2012–2019. Patients whose sleep apnea was classified at least moderate according to apnea-hypopnea index were included (N = 5870; Men = 65.7%; Mean age 57.5 ± 13.5 years). Data on cardiorespiratory polygraphy (PG) variables, Body Mass Index (BMI), pre-existing depression diagnoses, number of comorbidities, the scores of Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), depression scale (DEPS) and psychological distress (12-item General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12), and capillary blood gas results were derived from electronic medical records. Patients were stratified into three groups according to age: <70 (young-middle aged), 70–80 (elderly) and >80 years of age (very elderly). Results The severity of sleep apnea did not differ between the age groups based on any of the PG variables studied. No significant differences were found in the level of subjective daytime sleepiness between age groups. Women had higher DEPS scores than men in all age groups. Very elderly men had higher DEPS scores compared to men in other age groups (6.3 ± 4.6 vs. 5.6 ± 5.9 vs. 5.1 ± 4.8, p < 0.05) while the differences in DEPS scores did not reach significance among women. Each unit increase in SpO2 was associated with a 22% decrease in the odds of having a DEPS score of ≥9. Conclusion The severity of sleep apnea or subjective daytime sleepiness did not differ among age groups in moderate-severe sleep apnea patients. Occurrence of depressive symptoms was consistently more common in women than in men of comparable age. Mental wellbeing was the worst in the very elderly. Higher SpO2 was associated with less depressive symptoms.

Gait characteristics in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: A controlled study using an inertial sensor system

Background Gait disturbance is the most pronounced symptom in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). Some gait parameters have been previously described, but an in-depth description of the gait pattern is lacking. The aim was to quantitatively evaluate gait in iNPH patients before and after shunt surgery and compare it to healthy individuals (HI), and correlate it with functional tests preoperatively. Methods In total, 47 patients and 42 HI were included. The patients were assessed with the iNPH scale (total, gait and balance domain scores were analyzed), the timed up and go test (TUG) and an inertial sensor gait analysis system, RehaGait®, pre- and postoperatively. The HI were assessed with TUG and RehaGait®. Gait variables were: stride length, stride duration, velocity, cadence, variability, stance, swing, single support, double support, step height, hip, knee and ankle joint angles. Results Compared to HI, the main differences in the gait variables were: decreased stride length (p < 0.01), velocity (p < 0.01), swing time (p < 0.01), single support (p < 0.01), hip flexion (p < 0.01), heel strike angle (p < 0.01) and toe-off angle (p < 0.01). Step height was normalized postoperatively; all other variables remained significantly worse than the HI. There were strong correlations between stride length, velocity, heel strike angle, and toe-off angle and the functional gait tests, but no correlations for any variable and the balance domain score. Conclusions The patients walked with reduced hip flexion, heel strike angle and toe-off angle, and had shorter strides, decreased velocity, and increased time for swing and single support, compared to HI. Step height was the only gait variable normalized after shunt surgery. Ankle joint kinematics correlated strongly with the results in functional gait tests. More research is warranted about how gait speed affects other gait variables in iNPH. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04795089

Untrained perceptual loss for image denoising of line-like structures in MR images

In the acquisition of Magnetic Resonance (MR) images shorter scan times lead to higher image noise. Therefore, automatic image denoising using deep learning methods is of high interest. In this work, we concentrate on image denoising of MR images containing line-like structures such as roots or vessels. In particular, we investigate if the special characteristics of these datasets (connectivity, sparsity) benefit from the use of special loss functions for network training. We hereby translate the Perceptual Loss to 3D data by comparing feature maps of untrained networks in the loss function. We tested the performance of untrained Perceptual Loss (uPL) on 3D image denoising of MR images displaying brain vessels (MR angiograms - MRA) and images of plant roots in soil. In this study, 536 MR images of plant roots in soil and 450 MRA images are included. The plant root dataset is split to 380, 80, and 76 images for training, validation, and testing. The MRA dataset is split to 300, 50, and 100 images for training, validation, and testing. We investigate the impact of various uPL characteristics such as weight initialization, network depth, kernel size, and pooling operations on the results. We tested the performance of the uPL loss on four Rician noise levels (1%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) using evaluation metrics such as the Structural Similarity Index Metric (SSIM). Our results are compared with the frequently used L1 loss for different network architectures. We observe, that our uPL outperforms conventional loss functions such as the L1 loss or a loss based on the Structural Similarity Index Metric (SSIM). For MRA images the uPL leads to SSIM values of 0.93 while L1 and SSIM loss led to SSIM values of 0.81 and 0.88, respectively. The uPL network’s initialization is not important (e.g. for MR root images SSIM differences of 0.01 occur across initializations, while network depth and pooling operations impact denoising performance slightly more (SSIM of 0.83 for 5 convolutional layers and kernel size 3 vs. 0.86 for 5 convolutional layers and kernel size 5 for the root dataset). We also find that small uPL networks led to better or comparable results than using large networks such as VGG (e.g. SSIM values of 0.93 and 0.90 for a small and a VGG19 uPL network in the MRA dataset). In summary, we demonstrate superior performance of our loss for both datasets, all noise levels, and three network architectures. In conclusion, for images containing line-like structures, uPL is an alternative to other loss functions for 3D image denoising. We observe that small uPL networks have better or equal performance than very large network architectures while requiring lower computational costs and should therefore be preferred.

Explaining rising caesarean section rates in urban Nepal: A mixed-methods study

Introduction Caesarean section (CS) rates are rising in urban hospitals in Nepal. However, the reasons behind these rising rates are poorly understood. Therefore, this study explores factors contributing to rising CS rates in two urban hospitals as well as strategies to make rational use of CS. Methods This cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted in 2021 in two hospitals, one public hospital and one private one in Kathmandu. The quantitative part included a record-based study of 661 births (private hospital = 276 and public hospital = 385) for the fiscal year 2018/19. The qualitative part included semi-structured interviews with 14 health professionals (doctors, nurses & midwives) and five key informants from relevant organisations and four focus group discussions with pregnant women in antenatal clinics in two hospitals. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS v28. Qualitative data were organised through NVivo v12 and thematically analysed. Results The overall CS rate was high (50.2%). The CS rate in the private hospital was almost double than that in the public hospital (68.5% vs. 37.1%). Previous CS was the leading indication for performing CS. Non-medical indications were maternal request (2.7%) and CS for non-specified reasons (5.7%). The odds of CS were significantly higher in the private hospital; women aged 25 years and above; having four or more antenatal clinic visits; breech presentation; urban residency; high caste; gestational age 37-40 weeks; spontaneous labour and no labour. Robson group 5 (13.9%) was the largest contributor to overall CS rate, followed by group 1 (13.4%), 2 (8.8%), 3 (4.4%) and 6 (2.9%). Similarly, the risk of undergoing CS was high in Robson groups 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9. The qualitative analysis yielded five key themes affecting rising rates: (1) medical factors (repeated CS, complicated referral cases and breech presentation); (2) socio-demographic factors (advanced age mother, precious baby and defensive CS); (3) financial factors (income for private hospitals); (4) non-medical factors (maternal request); and (5) health service-related factors (lack of awareness/midwives/resources, urban centralised health facilities and lack of appropriate policies and protocols). Four main strategies were identified to stem the rise of CS rates: (1) provide adequate resources to support care in labour and birth (midwives/trained staff & birthing centres); (2) raise awareness on risks and benefits mode of childbirth (antenatal education/counselling and public awareness); (3) reform CS policies/protocols; and (4) promote physiological birth. Conclusion The high CS rate in the private hospital reflects the medicalisation of childbirth, a public health issue which needs to be urgently addressed for the health benefits of both mother and baby. Multiple factors affecting rising CS rates were identified in urban hospitals. This study provides insights into factors affecting the rising CS rate and suggests that multiple strategies are required to stem the rise of CS rates and to make rational use of CS in urban hospitals.

Impact of varying light intensities on morphology, phytochemistry, volatile compounds, and gene expression in Thymus vulgaris L.

Light is a crucial factor in plant growth and development. Plants exposed to light stress experience various effects on their growth. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of different light intensities on morpho-physiological traits, phytochemical compounds, and gene expression related to the biosynthesis of voletile in Thymus vulgaris L. The results demonstrated that light intensity (20, 50, 70 and 100%) had a significant impact on morpho-physiological characteristics, pigments content, antioxidant enzymes activities, as well as the content of MDA, H2O2, anthocyanin, thymol, carvacrol, phenols, flavonoids, essential oils, and monoterpenes. Moreover, the expression of the biosynthesis genes of monoterpene compounds was significantly influenced by light intensity. While an increase in light intensity led to higher leaf count (164.6%) and biomass (33.5%), it was accompanied by a decrease in leaf area, stem length, and internode length. The highest levels of chlorophyll a (4.92 mgg-1 FW) and b (1.75 mgg-1 FW), carotenoids (907.31 µ Mg-1FW), MDA (9.93 µ Mg-1FW), anthocyanin, SOD (29.62 Umg − 1 Protein), thymol (41.2%), and carvacrol (4.46%) were observed at 70% treatment and decreased as light intensity increased. Also, H2O2, catalase and polyphenol oxidase activities, phenols, flavonoids, essential oils, and monoterpenes increased with higher light intensity, with the highest H2O2 concentration recorded at 100% (4.43 fold). Importantly, key genes involved in monoterpene biosynthesis, including DXR, TPS, CYP71D178, and CYP71D179, exhibited significantly enhanced expression under full light conditions compared to other light intensities. In conclusion, increased light intensity stimulated the elevation of oxidative indicators, antioxidant activity and enhancing the expression of genes involved in phytochemical compound biosynthesis and consequently leading to the accumulation of volatile compounds in Thymus vulgaris L. Future research will focus on investigating the combined effects of various abiotic stresses at the field level and extending the stress duration to evaluate potential additive effects.

Fossil eggshell diversity of the Mussentuchit Member, Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah

The first fossil eggshell from the Cenomanian-age Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation was described over fifty years ago. In the half-century since, oodiversity of this rock unit has been limited to a single, taxonomically unstable ootaxon, currently formulated as Macroelongatoolithus carlylei. Recently, there has been a renewed effort to recover and describe the macrofauna of the Mussentuchit; however, these advances are limited to the body fossil record. Here, we examine the range of eggshells present in the Mussentuchit Member and assess the preserved biodiversity they represent. Gross morphological and microstructural inspection reveals a greater diversity of eggshells than previously described. We identify six ootaxa: three Elongatoolithidae oogenera (Macroelongatoolithus, Undulatoolithus, Continuoolithus), eggs laid by oviraptorosaur dinosaurs; two oospecies of Spheroolithus laid by ornithopod dinosaurs; and Mycomorphoolithus kohringi, laid by a crocodylomorph. The diversity of Elongatoolithidae in the Mussentuchit requires a co-occurrence of at least three putative oviraptorosaurs, the oldest such phenomenon in North America. The occurrence of the crocodylomorph oogenus Mycomorphoolithus is the first recognized occurrence outside of Europe, and the youngest yet documented. This new ooassemblage is more representative of the known paleobiodiversity of Cenomanian-age strata of Western North America and complements the body fossil record in improving our understanding of this crucial—yet poorly documented—timeslice within the broader evolution of the Cretaceous Western Interior Basin.

Error-corrected ultradeep next-generation sequencing for detection of clonal haematopoiesis and haematological neoplasms – sensitivity, specificity and accuracy

Clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is an aging-associated phenomenon that has recently been correlated with a broad spectrum of human diseases, including haematological malignancy, cytopenia, coronary heart disease, stroke, and overall mortality. CHIP is defined as a somatic variant in blood cells with an allele frequency (VAF) ≥ 0.02, however recent reports show smaller clones are associated with poorer clinical outcome. Error-corrected ultradeep next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays detecting variants < 0.02 VAF also have clinical value for monitoring measurable residual disease (MRD) for myeloid neoplasms. However, limited data are available on optimal parameters, limits of detection, and accuracy of ultra-sensitive detection. We investigated parameters to improve accuracy of Illumina sequencing-by-synthesis method, including read depth, input DNA quantity, and molecular barcoding-based data filtering, while adhering to clinical accreditation criteria. Validation data were generated from reference standards and reference samples from a clinically accredited pathology laboratory. Analytical range measurements included linearity and bias, and precision included repeatability, reproducibility and detection rate. The lower limit of detection was ≥ 0.004 (0.4%) at depth > 3,000 × . Trueness measured using reference standards demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of 100%, including FLT3-ITD, and 100% concordance was achieved with reference samples for reported variants and absence of variants. Sequencing blood samples from 383 community-dwelling adults (mean depth 3758×) revealed 2,190 somatic variants/sample, > 99.9% were < 0.02 VAF. Our data including cost-benefit analysis enables pathology and research laboratories to make informed decisions for detection of CHIP (VAF ≥ 0.02), sub-CHIP (VAF 0.01–0.02) and MRD (VAF ≥ 0.004).

Classification of behaviour with low-frequency accelerometers in female wild boar

Accelerometers with low sampling rates (1 Hz) are commercially available as ear tags. While an automated and therefore undisturbed sampling of animal behaviour can be useful not only in behavioural studies but also in ecological or wildlife management studies, the usefulness of such ‘a low data collection rate for the prediction of behaviours was the key question addressed here. We classified the behaviour of female wild boar, kept under semi-natural conditions in a large outdoor enclosure, using acceleration data. Predictions were based on a machine learning algorithm, specifically a random forest model in the open software h2o. Remarkably, prediction of many behaviours was possible using ear-tag acceleration sensors that sampled data only at a low frequency. This measurement device was mainly used to minimise the potentially harmful effects caused by the repeated capture of wild animals to exchange batteries. Long battery life will also help to collect long-term accelerometer data and has the potential to explore seasonal and inter-annual trends. Foraging, lateral resting, sternal resting and lactating were identified well, scrubbing, standing and walking not reliably. Balanced accuracy depended on the behaviour type and ranged from 50% (walking) to 97% (lateral resting). Results show that static features of unfiltered acceleration data, as well as of gravitation and orientation filtered data, were used in the prediction of behaviour. The waveform of certain behaviours in the sampled frequency range played no important role. Certain positively identified behaviours, such as food intake and lactation, could be of interest for wildlife managers attempting to control population growth in this pest-species. We provide several R-scripts that allow the analysis of behavioural accelerometer data.

Neural efficiency in EFL learning and positive psychology

This study aims to investigate how teachers’ positive feedback influences learners’ positive psychology in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction and to examine how positive psychology enhances learning outcomes through the neural efficiency hypothesis. The study employed three neuroscientific and behavioral experiments to address these questions. Study 1, with 78 college-level EFL learners, examined the effect of teachers’ positive feedback on learners’ positive psychology and found a significant positive impact. Study 2, conducted with 102 EFL learners, tested the neural efficiency hypothesis and revealed that higher positive psychology improved neural efficiency, with positive feedback moderating this effect. Study 3, involving 54 EFL learners, explored the relationship between neural efficiency and learning outcomes, confirming that enhanced neural efficiency leads to better learning performance. Beyond education, the results underscore the broader relevance of positive psychology and neural efficiency in other domains, such as workplace performance, skill acquisition, and personal development, where maintaining cognitive efficiency and well-being is crucial. These findings highlight the importance of positive feedback in fostering positive psychology, improving neural efficiency, and enhancing learning outcomes. The study offers theoretical contributions and practical recommendations for EFL educators to leverage positive feedback and promote effective learning.

Bluesky: Network topology, polarization, and algorithmic curation

Bluesky is a nascent “Twitter-like” and decentralized social media network with novel features and unprecedented data access. This paper provides a characterization of its interaction network, studying the political leaning, polarization, network structure, and algorithmic curation mechanisms of five million users. The dataset spans from the website’s first release in February of 2023 to May of 2024. We investigate the replies, likes, reposts, and follows layers of the Bluesky network. We find that all networks are characterized by heavy-tailed distributions, high clustering, and short connection paths, similar to other larger social networks. BlueSky introduced feeds—algorithmic content recommenders created for and by users. We analyze all feeds and find that while a large number of custom feeds have been created, users’ uptake of them appears to be limited. We analyze the hyperlinks shared by BlueSky’s users and find no evidence of polarization in terms of the political leaning of the news sources they share. They share predominantly left-center news sources and little to no links associated with questionable news sources. In contrast to the homogeneous political ideology, we find significant issues-based divergence by studying opinions related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Two clear homophilic clusters emerge: Pro-Palestinian voices outnumber pro-Israeli users, and the proportion has increased. We conclude by claiming that Bluesky—for all its novel features—is very similar in its network structure to existing and larger social media sites and provides unprecedented research opportunities for social scientists, network scientists, and political scientists alike.

Supply chain integration and innovation performance of manufacturing firms: The moderating role of research and development investment intensity

This paper delves into the impact of supply chain integration on corporate innovation performance. Utilizing panel data from 1,038 manufacturing companies listed on China’s A-shares stock market from 2012 to 2021, it analyzes how firms influence their innovation performance through supply chain integration and explores the moderating role of R&D investment in this relationship. The study reveals that internal integration significantly enhances corporate innovation performance, while customer and supplier integration negatively impact it. Furthermore, R&D investment mitigates the negative effect of supplier integration on innovation performance and positively moderates the relationship between customer integration and innovation performance. Given the diversity in ownership structures and equity concentration among Chinese firms, heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effect of internal integration on innovation performance is more pronounced in state-owned enterprises and firms with high equity concentration. Conversely, in non-state-owned enterprises and firms with low equity concentration, the negative impact of customer and supplier integration on innovation performance is more significant, and the moderating effect of R&D investment varies according to the firm’s heterogeneity. The findings can help firms understand the mechanisms through which different dimensions of supply chain integration affect innovation. By leveraging resource dependence theory, this study offers theoretical guidance for supply chain management and offers practical insights aimed at enhancing corporate innovation practices.

Local DEA app: Saving lives with accessible and well-located automated external defibrillators

Purpose Developing technological solutions to reduce care delay and mortality in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases is a challenge both in Brazil and worldwide. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a geolocation application for locating automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the urban area of a medium-sized city in southern Brazil. Methods A mobile application was developed to locate AEDs in public places, indicating the best route to the nearest AED with an intuitive design for emergency use. The app provides information on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), initial care, and AED use. The research steps included a literature review on the double diamond design process, prototyping, expert validation, and simulation tests. Results The Local DEA app, developed for Android and iOS, offers features such as route calculation to the nearest AED and emergency services. In an evaluation conducted by 30 experts, the app was well accepted for its ease of use and efficiency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92). Simulation tests demonstrated that the strategic installation of accessible and well-located AEDs improves coverage and significantly reduces travel time to emergency care as compared with ambulance travel times (p < 0.001). Conclusion The Local DEA app is a promising tool for reducing mortality in OHCA, enabling AED geolocation, use instructions, and CPR guidelines. When combined with the strategic placement of public-access AEDs, the application can increase the likelihood of survival in OHCA cases.

An effective protocol to isolate and mechanically test silk fibers spun by Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) fifth instar larvae

Silk, a remarkable protein-based fiber spun by various arthropod lineages, has been prized for millennia, with the cocoon silk of domesticated silkworms and spiders being the most utilized and extensively studied. There is limited information on how silk can be used to investigate biology, development, and health in other silk-producing species, particularly for solitary bees such as Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Osmia lignaria, an increasingly managed solitary pollinator, produces silk cocoons during the fifth instar larval stage. We have developed a minimally invasive protocol to isolate and mechanically test O. lignaria silk fibers using a 3-D printed well plate system for rearing and two specific isolation techniques. Our protocol allows for collecting individual fibers directly from silk-spinning larvae between silk initiation and cocoon formation without preventing subsequent cocoon development, enabling silk characterization as part of larger rearing and developmental studies. For this study, isolated fibers were mounted on C-cards, facilitating diameter measurement using a microscope and mechanical testing with an MTS Synergie 100 tensile testing instrument. We successfully isolated and tested the mechanical properties of naturally spun silk from O. lignaria, with 20 fibers isolated and mechanically tested from seven larvae. Further examination of isolated silk can reveal physical, molecular, chemical, and morphological characteristics, advancing our understanding of bee silk properties and their role in bee biology, evolution, and nutritional status. This protocol provides a practical tool for researchers to isolate and study silk from silk-producing bee species.

Understanding the influence of online misogyny in schools from the perspective of teachers

Young people are increasingly exposed to toxic online misogyny through social media. However, to date, it is not clear how exposure to online misogyny might be influencing the behaviour and experiences of adolescents and children. As a first step towards answering this question, we gathered data on how such influences are perceived by surveying 200 teachers, 100 of whom were based in secondary schools (working with children aged 11 and above) and 100 of whom were based in primary schools (working with children aged 4–11). 76% of secondary school teachers and 60% of primary school teachers reported that they were extremely concerned about the influence of online misogyny in their schools. When asked to describe an example of the ways in which online misogyny was influencing the behaviour and experiences of male pupils in their schools, teachers referenced cases in which male pupils praised misogynistic influencers, made misogynistic comments and engaged in discriminatory behaviour towards female peers and staff. When asked to describe an example of the ways in which online misogyny was influencing the behaviour and experiences of female pupils in their schools, teachers referenced cases in which female pupils were the victims of misogynistic behaviour and their well-being was adversely affected. 90% of secondary school teachers and 68% of primary school teachers felt that their school would benefit from dedicated teaching materials to address the impact of online misogynists within their schools. Implications of these data for interventions to combat the rise of online misogyny are discussed.

Copper-Mediated Enantioselective C–H Thiolation of Ferrocenes Enabled by the BINOL Ligand

Data collection and analysis of temperature field simulation of steam boiler for soil steam disinfection

Soil steam disinfection (SSD) has emerged as a highly promising substitute for methyl bromide fumigation in the management of soil-borne pathogens, nematodes, and weed seeds. In the present study, an innovative steam boiler driven by Helmholtz-type pulse combustors was meticulously engineered to meet the requirements of SSD in horticultural greenhouses. The water within the boiler was partitioned into discrete zones, and a total of 80 temperature sensors were strategically positioned to precisely monitor the temperature fluctuations at specific locations. Leveraging the Natural Neighbor Interpolation method, a comprehensive model of the temperature field within the boiler was developed. The experimental findings demonstrated that at the initial stage, the temperature in the vicinity of the pulse combustors escalated rapidly, while the regions located farther away exhibited a relatively sluggish heating rate. As the heating process progressed, the area of high temperature expanded progressively. After 35 minutes of operation, the majority of the water within the boiler reached temperatures exceeding 89 °C, signifying the generation of saturated steam. Notably, distinct temperature gradients were discerned along different axes and planes, offering valuable insights for the structural optimization of the boiler. In comparison with other steam boiler models, the designed boiler boasted a relatively compact volume, a lightweight empty weight, and an impressively favorable fuel consumption rate per unit steam production, registering at 0.06867 L·kg⁻¹. These results unequivocally highlight the potential of this boiler for efficient SSD applications, thus laying a solid foundation for further research and development in this field.