bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resilience among primary care professionals in a time of pandemic: a qualitative study in the Spanish context
Authors: Palmar-Santos Ana María , Pedraz Marcos Azucena , Rubio-Casado Laura Alicia , Pulido-Fuentes Montserrat , García-Perea María Eva , Navarta-Sanchez Maria Victoria
Published: July 2023

Objectives

This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Spanish primary care structure and services and the mechanisms implemented by the primary care workforce to restore and reinforce their reference care model.

Design

An exploratory, qualitative study with semistructured interviews and a focus group discussion conducted during the fall semester of 2020.

Setting

Primary health centres in Madrid (Spain), chosen based on factors such as infection rates during the earliest stages of the pandemic and demographic and socioeconomic aspects.

Participants

A total of 19 primary health and social care professionals were purposively selected. Criteria for inclusion were gender (male/female), at least 5 years of experience in their current position, category (health/social/administrative worker), and whether they worked in a rural or urban healthcare setting.

Results

Two main themes were identified: (1) reflecting on a model in crisis—particularly the reopening of centres to users and the proactive, participative strategies implemented by primary care professionals to reach their community; and (2) regaining a sense of purpose—how healthcare professionals implemented strategies to sustain their vision of their reference model. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed leadership deficiencies that, together with the initial unavailability of resources and difficulties maintaining face-to-face contact with users, triggered a sense of loss of professional identity. On the other hand, the analysis revealed potential strategies to restore and reinforce the traditional model, such as the adoption of digital technologies and reliance on community networks.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of a solid reference framework and enhances the strengths and skills of the workforce to reinforce the community-based service provision model.
Study pion distribution amplitudes from the electromagnetic form factor by data-driven dispersion relation
Authors: Chai Jian , Cheng Shan , Hua Jun
Published: July 2023

We study the pion electromagnetic form factor in the modulus squared dispersion relation, and do the model independent extraction of the chiral mass embedded in the sub-leading twist light-cone distribution amplitude. The motivation of this work is the recent measurement of timelike form factor in the resonant regions, which makes up the piece lacking solid QCD-based calculation. With the perturbative QCD calculation up to next-to-leading-order of strong coupling and twist four level of meson distribution amplitudes, we obtain the chiral mass of pion meson as $$m_0^\pi (1 \, \textrm{GeV}) = 1.31^{+0.27}_{-0.30} \, \textrm{GeV}$$

m
0
π

(
1

GeV
)

=
1
.

31

-
0.30

+
0.27

GeV

. Due to the chiral enhancement contribution from the sub-leading twist distribution amplitudes in the perturbative QCD calculation, we can not extract the lowest Gegenbauer moments of pion from the study of electromagnetic form factor. This problem could be settled down with the foresee Belle-II and BESIII measurement of the transition form factor especially in the large momentum transfers regions.
High-resolution X-ray emission study for Xe$$^{54+}$$ on Xe collisions
Authors: Herdrich Marc Oliver , Hengstler Daniel , Keller Michael , Geist Jeschua , Schötz Christian , Krantz Matthäus , Fleischmann Andreas , Enss Christian , Gassner Tobias , Hillenbrand Pierre-Michel , Gumberidze Alexandre , Spillmann Uwe , Trotsenko Sergiy , Indelicato Paul , Stöhlker Thomas
Published: July 2023

We report on an experiment conducted at the ESR storage ring aiming at the study of the X-ray emission of $$\text {Xe}^{54+}$$

Xe

54
+

ions colliding with Xe atoms at a beam energy of 50 MeV/u. The radiation resulting from the ion–atom interaction was observed using a high-resolution spectrometer based on metallic–magnetic calorimeter technology. In order to benchmark the capabilities of these detectors for high-precision atomic physics experiments, we identified several transitions from H-like and He-like xenon and determined their energies. Furthermore, the 1s-Lamb shift in $$\text {Xe}^{53+}$$

Xe

53
+

was estimated using the measured line energies. The results are compared with previous experimental studies and theoretical predictions.

Graphicalabstract
Preserved endothelium-independent vascular function with aging in men and women: evidence from the peripheral and cerebral vasculature
Authors: Shields Katherine L. , Jarrett Catherine L. , Bisconti Angela V. , Park Soung Hun , Craig Jesse C. , Broxterman Ryan M. , Richardson Russell S.
Published: July 2023

To confidently explain peripheral and cerebral vascular dysfunction, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the endothelial-independent function of VSMCs across age and sex. By assessing endothelium-independent dilation using sublingual nitroglycerin, endothelial-independent VSMC function in the periphery (popliteal artery), and in the cerebral circulation (middle cerebral artery), was not different due to age or sex. In addition, endothelial-independent VSMC function in one of these vascular beds is not reflected in the other.
Evaluation of Antibiotics Residues in Milk and Meat Using Different Analytical Methods
Authors: Getahun Melaku , Abebe Rahel Belete , Sendekie Ashenafi Kibret , Woldeyohanis Alem Endeshaw , Kasahun Asmamaw Emagn
Published: July 2023

Veterinary drugs are pharmacologically and biologically active chemical agents. At present, veterinary drugs are extensively used to prevent and treat animal diseases, to promote animal growth, and to improve the conversion rate of feed. However, the use of veterinary drugs in food-producing animals may leave residues of the parent compounds and/or their metabolites in food products resulting in harmful effects on humans. To ensure food safety, sensitive and effective analytical methods have been developing rapidly. This review describes sample extraction and cleanup methods, and different analytical techniques are used for the determination of veterinary drug residues in milk and meat. Sample extraction methods, such as solvent extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, and cleanup methods such as dispersive solid-phase extraction and immunoaffinity chromatography, were summarized. Different types of analytical methods such as microbial, immunological, biosensor, thin layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry were discussed for the analysis of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived foods. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry is the most widely used analytical technique for the determination of antibiotic drug residues. This is due to the powerful separation of LC and accurate identification of MS, and LC-MS/MS is more popular in the analysis of veterinary drug residues.
A DFT Mechanistic Study of the Regio-, Chemo-, and Stereo- Selectivities of the (3 + 2) Cycloaddition of Diarylnitrone Derivatives with 1-(4-Nitrophenyl)-5H-Pyrrolin-2-One
Authors: Adomako Sylvia , Atta-Kumi Joshua , Botchway Cecil H. , Tia Richard , Adei Evans , Aniagyei Albert
Published: July 2023

Heterocyclic compounds are vital in rational drug design by providing convenient means for the optimization of drugs or drug candidates. Isoxazolidine (a heterocyclic compound) derived from the (3 + 2) cycloaddition reaction is reported to possess anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The mechanistic study of the chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selectivities of the (3 + 2) cycloaddition reaction (32CA) of diarylnitrones (A1) to 1-(4-nitrophenyl)-5H-pyrrolin-2-one (A2) has been conducted using the density functional theory (DFT) method at the M06/6-311G (d,p) computational level. The 32CA reaction of A1 and A2 proceeds through a chemo-selective addition of A1 across the C=C olefinic bond of A2 to furnish both kinetically and thermodynamically favored reaction routes. The effect of substitution on the 32CA reaction has been studied using a representative set of electron-acceptor and electron-releasing groups on both A1 and A2. The chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selectivities observed in the 32CA reaction remained unchanged irrespective of the substituents used on both reactants, but a change in kinetics and thermodynamics was observed based on the substituents. In the 32CA reaction of A1 and A2, the “exo” cycloadduct formation was favored over the “endo” cycloadducts in all instances.
miRNA326‐5p Targets DKC1 Gene to Regulate Apoptosis‐Related Proteins and Intervene in the Development of Neuroblastoma
Authors: Wang Xiao-Hui , Zhang Shu-Feng , Wu Hai-Ying , Gao Jian , Wang Lin , Wang Xu-Hui , Gao Tian-Hui
Published: July 2023

Objective. To study the effect of congenital dyskeratosis 1 (DKC1) on neuroblastoma and its regulation mechanism. Methods. The expression of DKC1 in neuroblastoma was analyzed by TCGA database and molecular assay. NB cells were transfected with siDKC1 to observe the effects of DKC1 on proliferation, cloning, metastasis, and invasion, and apoptosis and apoptosis‐related proteins. The tumor‐bearing mouse model was constructed, shDKC1 was transfected to observe the tumor growth and tumor tissue changes, and the expression of DKC1 and Ki‐67 was detected. Screening and identification of miRNA326‐5p targeting DKC1. NB cells were treated with miRNA326‐5p mimic or inhibitors to detect the expression of DKC1. NB cells were transfected with miRNA326‐5p and DKC1 mimics to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, and apoptotic protein expression. Results. DKC1 was highly expressed in NB cells and tissues. The activity, proliferation, invasion, and migration of NB cells were significantly decreased by DKC1 gene knockout, while apoptosis was significantly increased. The expression level of B‐cell lymphoma‐2 in shDKC1 group was significantly lower than that of the control group, while the expression level of BAK, BAX, and caspase‐3 was significantly higher than that of the control group. The results of experiments on tumor‐bearing mice were consistent with the above results. The results of miRNA assay showed that miRNA326‐5p could bind DKC1 mRNA to inhibit the protein expression, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of NB cells, promoting their apoptosis, and regulating the expression of apoptotic proteins. Conclusion. miRNA326‐5p targeting DKC1 mRNA regulates apoptosis‐related proteins to inhibit neuroblastoma proliferation and promote the apoptotic process.
Bambara Nut Root-Nodules Bacteria from a Semi-Arid Region of South Africa and Their Plant Growth-Promoting Traits
Authors: Ayangbenro Ayansina Segun , Adem Mohomud Rashid , Babalola Olubukola Oluranti
Published: July 2023

Rhizobial nitrogen-fixing bacteria are the main inhabitants of the root nodules of legume plants. Studying the bacterial community of legume nodules is important in understanding plant growth and nutrient requirements. Culture-based technique was used to examine the bacterial community of these underground organs from Vigna subterranea L. Verdc (Bambara nut), an underutilized legume in Africa, for plant growth-promoting traits. In this study, Bambara nuts were planted to trap root-nodule bacteria, and the bacteria were morphologically, biochemically, and molecularly characterized. Five selected isolates were screened in vitro for their plant growth-promoting traits and exhibited differences in their phenotypic traits. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were subjected to partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing for phylogenetic analysis. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence, the isolates were identified as BA1 (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia), BA2 (Chryseobacterium sp.), BA3 (Pseudomonas alcaligenes), BA4 (Pseudomonas plecoglossicida), and BA5 (Pseudomonas hibiscicola). Results showed that four of the five isolates could produce IAA. The capability to solubilize phosphate in Pikovskaya’s agar plates was positively shown by four isolates (BA2, BA3, BA4, and BA5). Three isolates could produce hydrogen cyanide while isolates BA1, BA3, BA4, and BA5 were found to have ammonia-production traits. The results suggest that these plant growth-promoting isolates can be used as inoculants for plant growth and productivity.
Digital Image Progressive Fusion Method Based on Discrete Cosine Transform
Authors: Chen Jiezi
Published: July 2023

The current progressive fusion methods for digital images have poor denoising performance, which leads to a decrease in image quality after progressive fusion. Therefore, a new method for digital image progressive fusion was proposed based on discrete cosine transform, and its effectiveness was verified through experiments. The experimental results show that the proposed method has a PSNR value higher than 42.13 db in image fusion, both of which are higher than the comparison method, and the fusion effect comparison also has higher image quality. In terms of fusion time, the time of the research method is lower than that of the comparison method when the data volume is between 10 and 100, while in the comparison of structural similarity, the structural similarity of the image fused by the research method is always higher than 0.83. Overall, the fusion method proposed in the study results in higher image quality and is effective in progressive digital image fusion, which is of great significance for practical digital image fusion.
Safety and Closeness in Religious Socialization: A Mixed Methods Study of Finnish Families
Authors: Kallatsa Laura , Spännäri Jenni , Tervo-Niemelä Kati
Published: July 2023

In this study, we analyze how do safety and closeness, or the lack of them, affect religious socialization in Finnish families. Our empirical data consist of family interviews and a large survey data. As a result, three key dimensions were found: 1) the atmosphere in families, 2) the atmosphere related to religious communities, and 3) the atmosphere related to one’s own spirituality. Our study suggests several implications both for practice in religious and other communities of existential meaning and for the study of those communities and empirical theologies. The study is part of the international research project “The transmission of religion across generations: a comparative international study of continuities and discontinuities in family socialization”, funded by Templeton Foundation.
Is All Mental Harm Equal? The Importance of Discussing Civilian War Trauma from a Socio-Economic Legal Framework’s Perspective
Authors: Solomon Solon , Bayer Ya’akov M.
Published: July 2023

In recent years, international law scholars have discussed how civilian mental harm in warfare should also form part of the jus in bello proportionality principle and be balanced to the anticipated military advantage. Yet, these scholars have not proceeded one step further to examine whether socio-economic parameters shaping the individual’s personality, such as education, family ties or the level of income, should be also taken into account as varying variables in this balancing task. This is particularly important given that the particular parameters are tied to the socio-economics rights discourse and the relevant minimal living standards notion developed there. Based on a study we conducted, the article explores whether civilian mental harm should be affected by socio-economic parameters and what this means for the wider role socio-economic rights can play in armed conflicts as well as for the reading of jus in bello along Marxist terms.
UN Peacekeeping Will Be Paralyzed as Long as Putin Is in Power: What Can the US and nato Do about It?
Authors: Dziedzic Michael
Published: July 2023

The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a watershed moment in global security affairs comparable to the end of World War ii and the Cold War. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has forewarned “Geostrategic divides … are paralyzing the global response to the dramatic challenges we face.” This article assesses the implications of this paralysis for peacekeeping and suggests what the US and nato can do to cope with the impact. Five of the UN’s six peacekeeping missions addressing internal conflicts are in Africa, and the most likely future for UN peacekeeping is to be endlessly mired in quagmires there, exacerbated by Russia’s mercenary Wagner Group. This paper offers measures to address the threat the Wagner Group poses by bolstering the capacity of peacekeeping operations to deal with its spoiling behavior, as well as that of other criminalized power structures, and to ameliorate the risk of destabilization in Africa.
Peacekeepers in Combat: Protecting Civilians in the D.R. Congo
Authors: Dorn A. Walter
Published: July 2023

Largely uncredited in public media and academic literature, the United Nations has used armed force frequently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (drc), probably more than in any other UN peacekeeping operation. Though unheralded, this saved lives and protected cities and towns. However, attacks on civilians in drc are so frequent and widespread that many times the mission has been unable to respond in a timely fashion. To save more lives and gain trust in the local population, a much greater UN effort is needed to support robust measures, with more resources, determination and accountability (for inaction as well as action), even as “donor fatigue” sets in for a mission that has been operating since 1999. Still, it is important for peacekeeping as a whole to recognize and learn from cases of use of force against Congolese illegal armed groups (iag s), like the adf, cndp, fdlr, frpi, and M23. These cases show some remarkable successes, including removing some major poc threats, fracturing rebel groups, increasing UN deterrence, and enhancing the rule of law in the still untamed “Wild East” of the immense African country.
The Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Nationally Determined Contributions
Authors: Abidin Handa
Published: July 2023

The inclusion of explanations related to indigenous peoples (ip s) in Nationally Determined Contributions (ndc s) contributes to amplifying the harmony between climate change (cc) and the rights of ip s. The existence of ip s in ndc s explains and improves the position of ip s in their own states, and serves as a model for other parties to the Paris Agreement (pa). Nonetheless, not all parties to the pa mention and have the same standards in explaining the rights of ip s in their ndc s. There are different standards on whether or not the rights of ip s are included in ndc s, and there is also a disparity in the quality and quantity of explanations of the rights of ip s in ndc s. These differences occur in the ‘engagement form’ of Annex i of Decision 4/cma.1 or elsewhere in ndc s.
Runners at the Gates: Growing Around the Barriers to Diagnosis in Autism, adhd and SpLDs
Authors: Cameron Harriet
Published: July 2023

Disability Studies and Educational Psychology tend to construct autism, adhd and dyslexia as specific, universal neurodevelopmental disorders. A person is thus autistic, or not; dyslexic, or not; has adhd, or not, in line with the binary logic which also produces modern concepts of neurodivergence and neurotypicality. However, some do not fall neatly either side of the diagnostic line, but land half-in, half out, giving the line an ontological wobble. This paper explores the experiences of adults who consider themselves autistic, dyslexic, or to have adhd, despite being told that they fall short of a diagnostic threshold, or that assessment is inappropriate or unavailable. It adds to the gathering momentum in Critical Disability Studies which questions the givens of psychopathology and centres ‘becoming’ rather than static, ‘neuro-identity’ as core in understanding human experience. The becoming of those living in diagnostic borderlands can be welcomingly disruptive of those arborescent façades constructed in Western edu-psy-disciplines, and increasingly transported around the globe.
Suicide in a Colombian indigenous community: Beyond mental illness
Authors: Agudelo-Hernández Felipe , Amaya Nathalie Valencia , Cardona Marisol
Published: July 2023

Background:

Among the causes associated with suicide there are social factors such as forced displacement has been described and health factors in general that have an impact on pediatric mental health.

Aims:

To describe clinical and psychosocial factors, and their relationship with suicidal behavior in a Colombian indigenous community.

Participants and setting:

The mean age were 9.23 years old, 53.7% male and 46.3% female.

Method:

Mixed approach study. A thematic analysis was carried out with the youth of the community to investigate emotional aspects. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out and correlations between variables were made.

Results:

Correlations were found between suicidal behavior and medical findings. When comparing the mental health disorders and nutritional problems, statistically significant differences were found in the Suicide Risk domain (<.001). This was reaffirmed in the thematic analysis, where factors such as migration and difficulty understanding the language are highlighted as related to suicidal behavior in the pediatric population.

Conclusions:

Suicidal behavior should not be approached solely from psychopathology. Hunger, the weakening of one’s own culture, armed conflict, migration, and other clinical conditions are found to be associated with suicidal behavior.
Thermoforming, characterization, and in-house recycling of multi-layered laminated composites made with polyamide 6/recycled carbon fibers hybrid yarns-based plain weave fabrics
Authors: Donatelli Antonio , Casciaro Giovanni , Schioppa Monica , Palazzo Barbara , Scalone Anna Grazia , Valentino Filiberto , Capodieci Laura , De Pascalis Fabio , Nacucchi Michele , Caretto Flavio
Published: July 2023

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) in the form of laminated composites are widely used in various sectors, such as aeronautics and clean energy fields, due to their superior mechanical properties compared to traditional homogeneous composites. In this study, the authors developed a manufacturing process based on thermoforming a 7-layer stack of plain weave fabrics made from hybrid yarns (polyamide 6/recycled carbon fibers) to introduce a new method for reusing end-of-life (EoL) CFRPs and avoid landfilling. Several attempts were made to determine the optimal combination of process parameters, including forming temperature, forming pressure, and holding time. The manufactured multi-layered laminated composites underwent in-depth mechanical and thermal characterization tests to obtain information on their physical properties and identify potential applications for market exploitation. The developed materials exhibit very interesting mechanical properties, which are comparable to or greater than those of commercial carbon or glass fiber-reinforced polymers. Morphological analysis revealed good wettability of PA6 on rCFs and a very low degree of porosity. Finally, the re-use of yarn scraps and fabric remnants generated during the manufacturing process, as well as the recyclability of the manufactured composites once they reach the status of EoL materials, were studied through an in-house recycling process based on comminution and hot pressing of materials.
The Relationship Between Perceived Parental Competence and Bereavement Outcomes in Widows With Young Children
Authors: Williams Christian
Published: July 2023

Adjustment to bereavement, while a normative life experience, is one that impacts every aspect of life. Widows with young children face the unique challenge of managing both their grief and the grief of their child while also redefining roles, responsibilities, and resources. This study used a cross-sectional survey method to explore the relationship between perceived parental competence and bereavement outcomes in widows with young children ( n = 232). Participants completed study measures including a demographic survey, the Revised Grief Experience Inventory, and the Parental Sense of Competence Scale. Results indicate that the constructs of competence, parenting self-efficacy and parental satisfaction, were directly correlated to decreased grief experiences. Additionally, grief experiences were found to be higher in widows reporting lower levels of education, those who were not currently in a relationship, and those who had more children to care for. This study highlights the potential that perceived parental competence has to influence the grief experience for widows and their bereaved children.
Dissonant intimacies: Coloniality and the failures of South–South collaboration
Authors: Roy Srila
Published: July 2023

North–South research collaborations have come to include both an epistemic and ethical promise – of disrupting hierarchies, inequalities and asymmetries in global knowledge production. In practice, however, these have been ridden with limits, tension and failure. The ‘South–South’ has emerged as a worthy foil: an easy repository of positive affects and of decolonial futurity. This article turns to a feminist collaborative research initiative that seemed primed to fulfil these promises, but in fact, failed to do so. A partnership between African and Indian feminist scholars did not provide meaningful and reciprocal intellectual exchange. On the contrary, it powerfully revealed the coloniality of knowledge and power in higher education and how it manifested, differently, in two distinct locales in the Global South. This partnership constituted less of a shared ground, than one of complex and uneven relationships – a terrain of dissonant intimacies. It is not surprising that these were Southern scholars working in marginalised areas of research, like gender and sexuality. Such a double marginalisation produces specific sets of choices – and ambivalent desires – when it comes to being included in an unequal global epistemic order (and responding to neoliberal demands). This article contributes to larger debates on decolonising higher education, by shifting the scale from the North–South to the complexities of knowledge-making and power within and across the South.
Liberal and anti-establishment: An exploration of the political ideologies of American tech workers
Authors: Selling Niels , Strimling Pontus
Published: July 2023

The tech industry profoundly impacts our lives and has gained great economic and political influence. Yet, we know little about the people inside tech firms, whose actions and decisions shape technological progress and its impact on society. What is of particular relevance is their opinions and beliefs about the proper order of society and the societal role of tech firms – that is to say, their political ideologies. The few existing studies on this topic mainly concentrate on tech leaders. Our study shifts attention to the workers who develop the technology. Numerous works highlight their influence on the affordances of technology and decisions taken by their firms. Our quantitative analysis of campaign contributions shows that American tech workers exhibit a unique combination of left-wing (liberal) and anti-establishment attitudes. Moreover, we expose a substantial ideological divide between tech workers and their leaders. We discuss these findings in relation to the development of new technologies, employee activism, and tech workers as a distinct class fraction.
Spiking-free disturbance observer-based fixed-time sliding mode control of maximum power extraction from wind turbine
Authors: Wang Yang , Guan Yan , Li Huanyun , Chen Mingshu
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a new spiking-free fixed-time disturbance observer (DO)-based sliding mode control (SMC) scheme of maximum power extraction for the wind turbine system. First, a fixed-time DO is developed by using uniform robust exact differentiator (URED). Then, an SMC scheme is proposed by using the estimation of fixed-time DO and designing a spiking-free function. The proposed spiking-free fixed-time DO-based SMC scheme exhibits three attractive features: first, compared with existing scheme, the proposed scheme can guarantee the fast convergent performance under different initial system conditions based on the design of fixed-time stability. Second, by designing a novel spiking-free function, the potential spiking problem of fixed-time DO that occurs when observer gain is high and initial estimate states and initial true states are not equal is avoided. Third, the control input of proposed SMC is continuous, thus the undesirable chatter of conventional SMC is avoided. Finally, the attractive features of proposed scheme are illustrated based on simulation.
Medication Adherence among Primary Care Patients with Common Mental Disorders and Chronic Medical Conditions in Rural India
Authors: Salazar Luke Joshua , Srinivasan Krishnamachari , Heylen Elsa , Ekstrand Maria L.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Only a few studies have explored the relationship between psychosocial factors and medication adherence in Indian patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). We aimed to examine the association of psychosocial variables with medication adherence in people with NCDs and comorbid common mental disorders (CMDs) from primary care in rural southern India.

Methods:

We performed a secondary analysis using baseline data from a randomized controlled trial in 49 primary care health centers in rural southern India (HOPE study). Participants were adults (≥30 years) with NCDs that included hypertension, diabetes, and/or ischemic heart disease, and comorbid depression or anxiety disorders. Medication adherence was assessed by asking participants if they had missed any prescribed NCD medication in the past month. Data were collected between May 2015 and November 2018. The association between psychosocial and demographic variables and medication nonadherence were assessed via logistic regression analyses.

Results:

Of the 2486 participants enrolled, almost one-fifth (18.06%) reported missing medication. Male sex (OR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.37–2.22) and higher internalized mental illness stigma (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.07–2.00) were associated with higher odds of missing medication. Older age (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.26–0.60, for participants aged 64–75 years vs 30–44 years), reporting more social support (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.49–0.86), and higher satisfaction with health (OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.61–0.89) were associated with lower odds of missing medication.

Conclusions:

Greater internalized mental illness stigma and less social support are significantly associated with lower rates of medication adherence in patients with NCDs and comorbid CMDs in rural India.
An investigation into the process and impact of introducing the ‘colour coded eye’ to learning assistants working with pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and cerebral visual impairment
Authors: Woolvine Nicola
Published: July 2023

With vision being our most powerful sense and cerebral vision impairment (CVI) being a growing concern in our special schools, it is crucial that support staff working with children have a thorough understanding of both CVI and how to support their individual levels of functional vision. Creating an inspiring new innovation to support learners with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) was the focus of this research. Using an approach provided by the Education Endowment Foundation, questionnaires were given to all 49 support staff; training via PowerPoint was then provided to volunteer participants who also spent time using the innovation in the classroom. The main findings were that the training increased participants’ overall confidence in CVI and how to support learners with a visual impairment. Using the innovation in the classroom also positively impacted the participants’ daily practice. Potential challenges such as ensuring staff all have a thorough understanding of the innovation and having a suitable learning environment for visual work were identified.
Making sense of changes in military partners’ post-deployment adjustment concern: Turning points, trajectories, and accounts
Authors: Dorrance-Hall Elizabeth , Gettings Patricia , Wilson Steven R , Hintz Elizabeth , Vidal Ana
Published: July 2023

Reintegration after a military service member returns home from deployment is a time of uncertainty that requires adjustment by all family members. Building on accounts (i.e., story-like constructions that help make sense of stressful events) scholarship, this study documents (a) turning points (TPs) and (b) patterns in partners’ levels of concern about post-deployment adjustment and investigates (c) how romantic partners account for why changes in adjustment concern occurred. Findings from interviews with 26 military partners reveal that accounts (a) involve multifaceted explanations spanning many domains of life, (b) explain why certain TPs increased and/or decreased concern, and (c) engage the meaning of time in varied ways. The importance of integrating an account-making framework with the TP methodology, theoretical implications for relational turbulence theory, and practical suggestions are discussed.
Harnessing placebo: Lessons from psychedelic science
Authors: Pronovost-Morgan Chloé , Hartogsohn Ido , Ramaekers Johannes G
Published: July 2023

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) research design assumes that a drug’s “specific” effect can be isolated, added, and subtracted from the “nonspecific” effect of context and person. While RCTs are helpful in assessing the added benefit of a novel drug, they tend to obscure the curative potential of extra-pharmacological variables, known as “the placebo effect.” Ample empirical evidence suggests that person/context-dependent physical, social, and cultural variables not only add to, but also shape drug effects, making them worth harnessing for patient benefits. Nevertheless, utilizing placebo effects in medicine is challenging due to conceptual and normative obstacles. In this article, we propose a new framework inspired by the field of psychedelic science and its employment of the “set and setting” concept. This framework acknowledges that drug and nondrug factors have an interactive and synergistic relationship. From it, we suggest ways to reintegrate nondrug variables into the biomedical toolbox, to ethically harness the placebo effect for improved clinical care.
Fleet Operator Perspectives on Heavy-duty Vehicle Alternative Fueling Infrastructure
Authors: Bae Youngeun , Rindt Craig Ross , Mitra Suman Kumar , Ritchie Stephen G.
Published: July 2023

Despite the aggressive policy goals aiming to transition heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) toward zero-emission technologies, the penetration rates of zero-emission or even alternative fuel technologies (including zero-emission and other fuels cleaner than petroleum) are still very low. Given that the majority of HDVs are used as fleet vehicles, a better understanding of fleet operator behavior and perspectives on clean fuel technologies is crucial to develop effective demand-side strategies to achieve such policy goals. Of many adoption barriers, a well-known major obstacle is the lack of fueling/charging infrastructure. However, there is limited understanding on how HDV fleet operators have navigated the issues involving the insufficient infrastructure. This study explores how HDV fleets have used alternative fueling infrastructure, how dis/satisfied fleet operators are with the infrastructure, and for what reasons they have decided to construct their own on-site fueling facilities, or to use off-site stations. Based on a case study of compressed natural gas, the most prevalent alternative fuel option so far in the HDV sector, 17 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with HDV fleet operators in California. Content and thematic analyses of the data yielded detailed qualitative inferences on use behavior, satisfaction, and fleet decisions between on-site versus off-site fueling. The study findings are the first step toward enhancing our understanding of HDV fleet behavior regarding alternative fueling infrastructure, which can contribute to filling the knowledge gap in this field and to developing further research questions to elicit policy recommendations that can support the adoption of clean fuel technologies in HDV fleets.
Preparation of wood plastic composite from flax fibers and post consumed polystyrene foam based on environmental and economical scales
Authors: Khedr Rania F , Elnahas H H
Published: July 2023

Due to the high cost of transportation and the lack of established, affordable recycling routes, the rate of recycling of previously used polystyrene foam is extremely low. In this study, a novel treatment technique will be used to examine the feasibility of using waste polystyrene foam as a raw material to produce wood plastic composite (WPC). Where, the recycled polystyrene (rPS) foam waste was first dissolved in methylene chloride and compounded directly with flax fiber (FF) and additives forming a composite paste. The composite paste was then passes through vacuum distillation process for drying the composite paste and also for solvent recovery to reuse it in a further process. The dried composite was processed through thermal mixer extruding and compression molding processes to form the final WPC. The study discovered that WPC with 60 parts per hundred parts of resins (phr) of FF and 2 phr of dioctylphthalate (DOP) may be used to create rPS/FF composite with a proper tensile strength of 19.3 MPa, flexural strength of 78 MPa and compressive strength of 173 MPa compared to another WPS,s based on PVC, HDPE and PP . In addition of that the resulted composite possesses a great potential in manufacturing WPC with environmental and economical demanding application as wooden furniture and as a wooden panels for cladding the exterior building faces.
Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Experiences Among Older Adults With Disabling Conditions
Authors: Shenk Marisa , Hicks Bernadette , Quiñones Ana , Harrati Amal
Published: July 2023

Objectives

This paper examines the health, work, and financial experiences of older adults with disabling conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also explores the role of county- and state-level conditions in these experiences.

Methods

Using data from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study, we estimated regression models to assess differences in outcomes between those with and without disabling conditions and by race/ethnicity. We used multilevel modeling to assess whether and how county or state factors might be associated with the differences in these effects.

Results

Older adults with disabilities were more likely to report experiencing financial hardships, delaying health care, and experiencing effects on work than those without disabilities; these differences are heighted between race and ethnicity. Older adults with disabilities were more likely to live in counties with greater social vulnerability.

Discussion

This work underscores the importance of developing a robust, disability-inclusive public health response that protects older adults.
Synthesis of a phosphorus and triazole-containing compound and its enhancement on flame retardancy and mechanical properties of an epoxy resin
Authors: Ma Menghua , Chen Rui , Huang Wei , Zhao Shidong , Li Guohui , Bao Lingling
Published: July 2023

A high effective P/N-containing flame retardant additive CDD was triumphantly synthesized with nitrogen-rich 3,5-Diamino-1,2,4-triazole, DOPO and cinnamaldehyde. With the help of 4 wt% CDD, Epoxy resin (EP) sample succeeded in UL-94 V-0 test, and improved its LOI value to 33.5%. EP/4 wt%CDD sample also performed very well in cone calorimeter (CC) test. For example, the peak of heat release rate of EP/4 wt%CDD decreased to 603 kW/m2, which was 56.8% of EP sample without flame retardants. All these details showed that CDD was highly effective in fire resistance. Besides, the addition of CDD also drastically improved mechanical strength of EP. Tensile strength, flexural strength and izod iMPact strength of EP/4 wt%CDD sample was increased to 102 MPa, 124 MPa and 38 kJ m−2, which was 118.6%, 129.2% and 126.7% of control group. At last, the flame-retardant mechanism of CDD was studied by FTIR, XPS, Raman spectra, and SEM. The results showed that CDD’s perfect performance in fire resistance was ascribed to the generation of phosphorus-rich char layer in condensed phase.
Improvement of material flow in tube hydroforming by advanced sealing methods
Authors: Kasaei Mohammad Mehdi , Naeini Hassan Moslemi , Abbaszadeh Behnam , Hashemi Seyed Jalal , da Silva Lucas FM
Published: July 2023

In this paper, two advanced sealing methods are proposed to enhance the formability of aluminium alloys in the tube hydroforming process. These methods are aimed at omitting friction force at the contact area between the tube and the die in the feed region and facilitating the material flow to the deformation region. The advanced sealing methods are numerically and experimentally examined against the conventional sealing method by conducting the free bulge test on AA6063 aluminium tubes. The deformation mechanics are deeply analysed in the principal strain space to identify the influence of the sealing methods on deformation paths. In addition, the effectiveness of the advanced sealing methods is evaluated under different lubrication conditions and contact lengths in the feed region. Results show that in the advanced sealing methods compared to the conventional one, the thickness in the feed region does not increase and the necking occurs in larger in-plane strains, leading to a higher bulge height. Results also allow concluding that a higher bulge height is formed using the second advanced sealing method, in which the tube is pressurized from both sides in the feed region. Thus, the advanced sealing methods are recommended for tube hydroforming of aluminium alloys with low formability.
Modeling and analysis on motion accuracy of hydrostatic guideways incorporating the manual lapping effect
Authors: Shi Chenchun , Wang Zhenzhong , Lei Pengli , Zhang Xiaokang , Fang Hao , Yu Aibing , Peng Yunfeng
Published: July 2023

As one of the crucial functional units in ultra-precision machines, the hydrostatic guideways have been commonly adopted due to their own superiority. Although the existed analysis approaches can enable researchers to understand the influence of various design parameters on motion accuracy of hydrostatic guideways, the corresponding imperfections remain to be captured easily. In this paper, targeted at avoiding those defectiveness as much as possible, the kinematic theory based quasi-static analysis model with less simplification is developed directly, wherein the profile pattern difference between main and vice guide rails induced by the manual lapping technology is taken into consideration, and the general structure of hydrostatic guideways extracted from Z axis of the ultra-precision grinding machine UPG80 is determined as the research object. Three CASE studies are proposed orderly to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the established analytical model, and the results demonstrate that the variation trends of the theoretically calculated vertical straightness errors are in good accordance with those of the experimentally measured. Furthermore, the fluctuation amplitude deviation between the predicted and the measured motion accuracy does occur in CASE 3, which should be attributed to the accumulated thermal effect revealed via an experimental platform of hydrostatic guideways with similar structure type to the research object. It also is figured out that, the variation of three components of guide rails’ profile errors caused by the thermal accumulation leads to the fluctuation amplitude deviation reflected in CASE 3, and the level of influence can be known as Amplitude component ( E) > Phase component ( φ) Upside wavelength component ( λup) > Downside wavelength component ( λdown). This study can serve as a valuable foundation for improving the motion accuracy of hydrostatic guideways and is also confirmed to be valuable to the peer designers.
Brake-by-wire architecture design and analysis in accordance with functional safety standard
Authors: Fang Yanfeng , Wang Weida , Yang Chao , Zhang Yuhang , Chen Zhentao
Published: July 2023

The brake-by-wire (BBW) system is one of the safety-critical components of intelligent vehicle chassis, and ensuring its reliability requires a comprehensive functional safety design process. Although many studies have been conducted on electro-mechanical braking (EMB), there is a lack of relevant content on electro-hydraulic braking (EHB), another scheme of BBW system. And the key components affecting EHB system reliability need to be further explored. To address these issues, a system-architecture for EHB with fail-operational capabilities based on ISO 26262 is proposed. Additionally, Fault tree analysis (FTA) and Bayesian network (BN) are used for assessing its reliability. Fault tree (FT) is established to quantitatively calculate the Automotive Safety Integration Level (ASIL). Then FT is mapped into BN, and the conditional probability table is modified to express the polymorphic and uncertain logical relationship of events. To mitigate the dimensional disaster caused by numerous risk factors in the joint probability distribution, a Noisy-or gate method is applied in the BN to address this problem. Finally, the crucial events of system reliability are analyzed. The results indicate that the proposed EHB architecture can meet the safety and reliability requirements of ASIL D and can provide essential reference for the design of EHB related fail-operational system.
Anlotinib induces apoptosis and second growth/mitosis phase block in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells via the aurora kinase A/p53 pathway
Authors: Wang Hongli , Wang Yu
Published: July 2023

Background

Cisplatin (DDP) resistance in ovarian cancer (OC) patients usually leads to treatment failure and increased mortality. Anlotinib has been shown to improve progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, but the mechanism is unclear. This study aims to explore the mechanism by which anlotinib ameliorates platinum resistance in OC cells.

Methods

Cell viability was detected by the 3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method, and the apoptosis rate and changes in the cell cycle distribution were evaluated by flow cytometry. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the potential gene target of anlotinib in DDP-resistance SKOV3 cells, and its expression was verifies it by RT-qPCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Finally, ovarian cancer cells overexpressing AURKA were constructed, and the predicted results were verified by animal experiments.

Results

Anlotinib effectively induced apoptosis and G2/M arrest in OC cells and decreased the proportion of EdU-positive cells. AURKA was identified as a possible key target of anlotinib for inhibiting tumorigenic behaviors in SKOV3/DDP cells. Through combined immunofluorescence and western blot analyses, it was demonstrated that anlotinib could effectively inhibit the protein expression of AURKA and upregulate the expression of p53/p21, CDK1, and Bax protein. After overexpression of AURKA in OC cells, the induction of apoptosis and G2/M arrest by anlotinib were significantly inhibited. Anlotinib also effectively inhibited the growth of tumors in nude mice injected with OC cells.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that anlotinib can induce apoptosis and G2/M arrest in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells through the AURKA/p53 pathway.