bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the preparation of fully thermoplastic composite sandwich structure by non-isothermal molding process and its bending properties
Authors: Guo Da , Li Yong , Wang Wuqiang , Zhu Kang , Liu Hao
Published: January 2025

The sandwich structure is widely used in bearing and performance because of its high strength, lightweight, and functional integration. Thermoplastic composites have excellent toughness, impact resistance, and damage tolerance. In this paper, (CGF/PP) is used as a panel, and PP is used as the core material. The fully thermoplastic composite sandwich structure panel and core material are melted and connected through the non-isothermal molding process of high-temperature mold forming a low-temperature workpiece. The effects of the heating temperature of the heating plate, the heating time of the sample, the pressure applied during the cooling and forming process, and their coupling on the quality of the face-core connection were studied by the response surface method. The failure mode of the sample after peeling was studied. The stiffness of the whole structure was characterized by a three-point bending test, and the influence of different plate layers on the stiffness of the sandwich structure was discussed. The results show that the optimum process combination is that the heating temperature of the high-temperature die is 262°C, the heating time is 14 s, and the cooling forming pressure is 0.08 MPa. In the three-point bending test, the sandwich structure of the three-layer plate has the largest specific stiffness.
Engaging 6th-Grade Students in Ecosystem Education: Exploring Roles and Relationships in Ecology With an Interactive Gamified Module
Authors: Bosch Emery , Sun Jonathan , Wang Andrew , Montclare Jin Kim
Published: January 2025

Gamified simulations, integrating gameplay into education, cater to younger learners’ digital preferences and align with Next Generation Science Standards. Current virtual modules focus on advanced high school classes, leaving a gap for middle school students. This study investigated the impact of substituting recitations in a 6th-grade ecology class with Feed the Dingo, a gamified module. Through quizzes evaluating academic performance and free-response surveys to gauge students’ attitudes, the module appeared to enhance intuitive understanding of core ecological concepts (e.g., ecosystems, food webs, biodiversity, etc.), resulting in commendable academic achievement and positive feedback. Such simulations serve as valuable supplements for K-12 lesson planning.
Income Protection for Vulnerable Groups During the Pandemic in Brazil and Chile: The Relevance of Policy Trajectories and Governance Arrangements
Authors: Oliveira Maria Clara , Junior Sergio Simoni
Published: January 2025

How can we understand the variation in countries’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis in the context of income protection policies for vulnerable families? This article provides a comparative presentation and discussion of the measures put in place in Brazil and Chile in 2020. We argue that the similarities and differences in the strategies adopted are largely due to the trajectories both in the area of social policy, which constrain the design and implementation of emergency measures, and in the general context of politics in each country. Furthermore, our empirical analysis indicates that the explanation should not be focused exclusively on the actors present in the central government, but should also include the role of the opposition and subnational governments in shaping emergency responses.
Adaptive event-triggered security control for networked control systems under hybrid attacks
Authors: Zhao Maosen , Liu Xia , Zhou Xiaoyu
Published: January 2025

This paper studies an adaptive event-triggered security control for networked control systems (NCSs) under aperiodic denial of service (DoS) attacks and false data injection (FDI) attacks. A state-FDI attack observer is designed to estimate the unmeasurable system state and unknown FDI attacks simultaneously. An adaptive event-triggered scheme (AETS) is proposed to conserve network resources while eliminating the impacts of DoS attacks, where the event-triggering (ET) parameter is adjusted according to the average value and the rate of change of neighboring state estimation errors. Based on the AETS, a security control strategy is designed to compensate for FDI attacks actively. Meanwhile, the entire closed-loop switched system is constructed under DoS and FDI hybrid attacks. Using the Lyapunov–Krasovskii function, the exponential stability conditions of NCSs with [Formula: see text] are obtained. Furthermore, the gain matrices of the observer, the ET parameter of the AETS, and the gain matrices of the active compensation controller are co-designed. Finally, the proposed scheme is verified by a numerical example and practical experiment on a brushless direct current motor NCS. The proposed scheme can not only defend hybrid DoS and FDI attacks in NCSs but also effectively relieve network congestion and improve communication efficiency.
Predicting the heat pump readiness of existing heating systems in the UK using diagnostic boiler data
Authors: Childs Laurence , Bennett George , Watson Stephen , Wilson Grant
Published: January 2025

Decarbonisation of domestic heating in the UK is expected to involve widespread replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps. This transition requires a reduction in heating system flow temperature for the heat pump to operate efficiently, which can necessitate costly radiator or fabric upgrades to provide sufficient heat. The requirements for existing dwelling and heating systems to have these upgrades therefore directly impacts the “heat pump readiness” of the UK stock. This paper applies a novel approach in using diagnostic data for approximately 4600 boilers to evaluate the viability of installing heat pumps with no changes made to the existing radiators or fabric. Results indicate that 31% of dwellings in the sample could operate with Low Temperature Heat Pumps (LTHPs) without upgrades to radiators or fabric, or up to two thirds with High Temperature Heat Pumps (HTHPs), whereas previous analysis using surveys has found that radiator upgrades are almost always needed. Therefore, the costs and disruption of heat pump roll out could be substantially lower than previously predicted, and the use of real heating system performance data could supplement survey-based assessments of heat pump readiness to help identify more accurately where upgrades are needed.

Practical application

Current design practices almost always lead to replacement of existing radiators when switching a gas boiler for a heat pump. However, analysis of diagnostic data from approximately 4600 boilers in the UK suggests this may not be entirely necessary. This measured heating system data indicates that up to two-thirds of UK dwellings could operate with High Temperature Heat Pumps (HTHPs) without upgrading existing radiators. Henceforth, development of data-driven testing procedures for the design of future heating systems has significant potential to facilitate rapid heat pump deployment at a national scale, a crucial step in decarbonising buildings in the UK.
Cardiac Rehabilitation for Persons with Stroke: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Authors: Ruff Jessica , Udeh Belinda , Linder Susan
Published: January 2025

Objective

To investigate the cost-effectiveness of a cardiac rehabilitation program in individuals with stroke compared with customary care.

Design

A Markov model was created using a 30-year time horizon, with cycle lengths of 1 year to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a cardiac rehabilitation program in persons with stroke. Input parameters were based on recently published literature. Health states were defined as degree of disability evaluated by the modified Rankin scale score. Costs were based on recent cost-effectiveness analyses and inflated to 2024 US Dollars using the medical care component of the US Consumer Price Index.

Setting

Outpatient ambulatory setting

Participants

Persons with mild disability after ischemic stroke

Intervention

A model comparing cardiac rehabilitation versus usual care was created.

Main Measures

Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were used to measure the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation versus usual care. The cost-effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation versus usual care was compared with respect to incremental costs, incremental effectiveness, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

Results

Cardiac rehabilitation was the superior strategy, resulting in higher incremental effectiveness of 3.28 QALY at an increased incremental cost of $5704. The ICER was $1740/QALY. A two-way sensitivity analysis of these variables had no change, with cardiac rehab remaining the optimal strategy.

Conclusions

While numerous studies and systematic analyses have reported compelling evidence of the clinical benefits of cardiac rehabilitation for patients with stroke, the current study contributes to the existing body of literature, demonstrating that cardiac rehabilitation is also cost-effective in the stroke population.
How Can Marketing Address the Big Issues of Our Time
Authors: Sirgy M. Joseph
Published: January 2025

To set the stage for the readers of this special issue on How Can Marketing Address the Big Issues of Our Time, I take you through a brief history of the scholarly work related to the broadening of the marketing concept. The broadened concept can be described in terms of three dimensions: broadening the nature of the product (an economic good or service) to anything of value; broadening the objective of the exchange from profit to any type of payoff; and broadening the target audience of the exchange from consumers to any stakeholder group that relates to the organization. I expose the reader to early studies applying the broadened marketing concept, as well as studies on recycling of solid waste and population growth. I then describe more classic studies related to broadening the scope of marketing activities, after which I make the case that the broadening of the marketing concept is consistent with general theories of marketing (e.g., Alderson's and Bagozzi's theories of marketing). Brief summaries of the 10 articles of the special issue are provided.
Research progress on prediction of FeO content in sinter based on intelligent algorithm
Authors: Zhang Xin-yu , Xiong Da-lin , Xie Meng , Yu Zheng-wei , Chen Liang-jun , Long Hong-ming , McLean Alexander
Published: January 2025

The FeO content of sinter is closely related to the drum strength and reduction performance of sinter and reflects the heat control level of the sintering process. It is one of the key indicators to measure the quality of sinter and the level of production operation. However, due to the large lag of sintering process and quality detection, the detected FeO content can only reflect the production state several hours ago, so the early prediction of FeO content is very important. In this paper, the theoretical basis of FeO content prediction is expounded from the aspects of FeO formation mechanism, influencing factors and prediction difficulties of sinter. The advantages, disadvantages and applicable scenarios of traditional FeO detection methods are compared and analysed. Then, the evolution, application and latest progress of the prediction technology of FeO content in sinter are summarised from the perspectives of process parameters and tail section, and the technical bottleneck and future direction of FeO content prediction are pointed out.
Effect of B2O3 on stability of magnetite oxidation process and hematite reduction process
Authors: Gao Weimin , Zhang Fang , Peng Jun , Wang Yongbin , Liu Shuang , Yang Fan
Published: January 2025

Ludwigite is usually introduced into iron ore concentrate as an additive to enhance the quality of pellets. It is widely accepted that the addition of B2O3 can facilitate the growth of hematite grains and enhance the compressive strength of pellets. However, there is currently no consensus regarding the influence of B2O3 on the stability of hematite reduction process. This study employed X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy to analyse the impact of B2O3 contents (0–8 wt.%) and roasting times (10–40 min) on the stability of magnetite oxidation process and hematite reduction process. The results indicate that the growth and crystallisation of hematite are facilitated with the increase of B2O3 content and roasting time. The addition of B2O3 induced crystal defects in Fe2O3. However, the properties in question exhibited a downward trend when B2O3 content exceeds 6 wt.%. Furthermore, the reduction degree exhibited a notable decline with an increase of B2O3 content. Fe2O3 particles are tightly enveloped by a liquid phase rich in boron element, hindering their reduction. Nonetheless, the discovery of the effect of B2O3 on hematite reduction process has contributed to the application of ludwigite in pellets.
Feasibility study of HIsmelt smelting of vanadium–titanium magnetite based on slag viscosity: influence of slag chemistry on its fluidity
Authors: Ma Hengbao , Chen Chunlin , Zhang Jianliang
Published: January 2025

Vanadium–titanium magnetite (VTM) is a symbiotic composite mineral composed of iron, vanadium, titanium and other metals and has high comprehensive utilisation value. HIsmelt smelting reduction is a flexible and environmentally friendly ironmaking process that can cope with complex raw material conditions and is a feasible process for smelting VTM. However, the presence of a large amount of TiO2 will make the slag sticky and difficult to tap. In this article, the viscosities of the slag generated in the smelting of various proportion of VTM and Australian PB fines were measured by using the rotating cylinder method. Meanwhile, SEM-EDS were used to determine the crystalline phase in the slag and verified with the Factsage thermodynamic calculation results. In addition, the solid phases formation during the titanium-containing slag cooling were observed in situ by using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The experimental results show that increasing the TiO2 content in slag will reduce the viscosity of the liquid slag, but will also increase the critical-viscosity temperature (Tcv) of its viscosity–temperature curve and hence reduce the operability of high titanium slag. When the slag basicity is 1.2, the TiO2 content ranging from 6% to 40% can meet the operating requirements of HIsmelt. An increase in basicity will reduce the slag viscosity and Tcv. When the TiO2 content is 30% and 40%, the slag basicity should be maintained at 1.2. For high titanium slag, the perovskite precipitated at high temperatures floats on the slag surface, hence has little impact on the slag viscosity. However, as the temperature decreases, the precipitated pseudobrookite suspends in the slag and leads to a sharp increase in slag viscosity. Therefore, the operating temperature should be controlled to be above 1450 °C during HIsmelt smelting of VTM to ensure the fluidity of the slag.
Return to Play After Arthroscopic Superior Labral Repair: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rowe Dana G. , Hurley Eoghan T. , Bethell Mikhail A. , Lorentz Samuel G. , Meyer Alex M. , Klifto Christopher S. , Lau Brian C. , Taylor Dean C. , Dickens Jonathan F.
Published: January 2025

Background:

Superior labral tears are common shoulder injuries among athletes, and for athletes undergoing surgical intervention, one of the main priorities is to return to preinjury levels of activity in a timely manner. However, the literature surrounding return to play after superior labral repair presents inconsistent results, with limited studies evaluating the timing of return to play.

Purpose:

To systematically review the rate and timing of return to play in athletes after arthroscopic superior labral repair.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, using the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. Eligible for inclusion were clinical studies reporting on return to play after arthroscopic superior labral repair. Subgroup analysis was conducted for overhead and collision athletes as well as for return to duty among military personnel. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager to compare superior labral repair to biceps tenodesis in the subset of studies comparing these treatments directly. A P value <.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results:

This review identified 42 studies including 1759 unique cases meeting the inclusion criteria. The majority of patients were male (76.7%), with a mean age of 31.5 years (range, 15-75 years) and a mean follow-up of 50.4 months. The overall rate of return to sport was 77.5%, with 68.2% returning to the same level at a mean of 8.2 months. In overhead athletes, the overall rate of return to play was 69.9% and the rate of return to preinjury level was 55.5%. In collision and contact athletes, the overall rate of return to play was 77.2% and the rate of return to preinjury level was 70.2%. Among military personnel, the overall rate of return to duty was 83.4%, and 81.7% returned to preinjury level at a mean of 4.4 months. In the studies comparing return to play after superior labral repair and biceps tenodesis, a nonsignificant difference was found (risk ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.85-1.00; I2 = 13%; P = .05).

Conclusion:

Overall, nearly a quarter of athletes were unable to return to play after arthroscopic superior labral repair. However, a high rate of return to duty was found among the military population treated with arthroscopic superior labral repair.
Toughening of ceramics and ceramic composites through microstructure engineering: A review
Authors: Gavalda-Diaz Oriol , Saiz Eduardo , Chevalier Jérôme , Bouville Florian
Published: January 2025

We conventionally assume that ceramics are brittle. The risks induced by this structural behaviour do not cancel the undeniable need for ceramics in applications with extreme environmental demands. These constraints could be a high working temperature or wear, where metals cannot be used, or in contact with the human body, where the inherent chemical resistance of ceramics makes them more biocompatible and durable. While the first statement on brittleness still holds true for most ceramics, solutions have been found for some: damage-resistant Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) are now part of plane engines, and tough zirconia-based ceramics are routinely used in orthopaedic and dental implants. Because of the intrinsic brittleness of ceramics, the required toughness increase must be introduced by tailoring their microstructure. A lot of ground has been covered since the first descriptions of the toughening mechanisms in ceramics in the 1970s. The goal of this review is thus three-fold: summarise the necessary background in fracture mechanics to discuss complex fracture behaviours, provide a picture of the recent development on all the strategies to toughen ceramics, and finally extract lessons on the efficiency of these various toughening mechanisms. In terms of materials, this review will cover CMCs, zirconia-based ceramics, and bulk ceramics using microstructural engineering, which includes the combination of elongated grains with grain boundary engineering, using carbon allotropes, MAX phases, and bioinspired microstructures. For each we will discuss both the core toughening mechanisms and the most recent studies on it. By gathering all these research strands, we will provide in the final part a reflection on the link between toughness and pseudo-ductile behaviour and how it can help to hopefully reach uncharted territory in terms of structural properties in the future.
Two fast models to compute the thermal field in wagons with brake blocks via finite differences
Authors: Siniscalchi Riccardo , Cantone Luciano
Published: January 2025

Train braking is a critical operation for ensuring operational safety. During this operation, a large amount of kinetic energy is converted into frictional heat due to the tribological contact of brake components. The focus of this paper is the simulation of brake block and wheel temperatures during braking of freight trains and how they can be affected by Longitudinal Train Dynamics (LTD). The determination of their temperatures is important to improve operational safety, optimise system design, and streamline maintenance management. The paper presents two novel models using Finite Differences (FD) instead of the usual Finite Elements. A 2D axisymmetric FD model is presented and then a 1D radial model is presented, calibrated, validated and used in the TrainDy software for LTD to show how the main parameters affecting LTD also affect the thermal field of tread brakes.
Conceptualising family well-being in elite swimming
Authors: Christoforou Anastasia , Mansfield Louise , Blair Richard , Rhind Daniel
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a novel theoretical framework for understanding family well-being (FWB) in elite swimming. It uses qualitative data from longitudinal interviews with families of elite swimmers in Cyprus to show the importance of understanding the impact of FWB on athlete well-being. Adopting an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, a year-long study was conducted to understand the experiences of four Cypriot families with an adolescent swimmer who had Olympic potential. The study employed four rounds of individual interviews with each family member to explore in-depth well-being, family life and elite sporting experiences. The findings revealed that a mutual sense of FWB was characterised by health, emotions and a sense of belonging and worthwhileness. We argue for the need to move from individual accounts of athlete well-being to multidimensional models that help to understand the sociocultural contexts and complex relationships that impact how athletes feel. Our research argues that understanding athletes’ well-being cannot be separated from the environment and communities in which they live and practise their sport, and explores this issue through the family context.
Evaluation of facings and sandwich properties of carbon fiber/epoxy-PVC foam sandwich composites: Comparison of VARI co-cure and precure manufacturing methods
Authors: Ahmadi Rijal , Wirawan Riza , Judawisastra Hermawan
Published: January 2025

The manufacturing process of sandwich composites using vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) can be achieved in a one-step infusion process (co-cure). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the properties of the facing and sandwich composites manufactured by the VARI co-cure method. The sandwich composite was fabricated by VARI co-cure and precure for comparison using carbon fiber-epoxy as the facing and PVC foam as the core material. Thickness measurement, fiber volume fraction test, and tensile test were conducted to evaluate the facing properties. The flexural properties of the sandwiches and the effect of different plies on the facing and sandwich properties were also analyzed. The thickness of the co-cure facing is thicker and more varied than the precure. In addition, for the co-cure sandwich, the vacuum bag side (upper) facing has higher thickness and thickness variation than the mold side (lower) facing. The tensile strength of the co-cure facing is lower than the precure facing, which is 433–490 MPa (upper) and 455–521 MPa (lower) compared to 467–538 MPa (precure). The flexural and shear rigidity of the co-cure sandwich is affected by the side of the facing (upper/lower) exposed to tension or compression normal stress as a result of differences in facing properties on both sides. The specific flexural stiffness of the co-cure sandwich was lower by 17.09–45.19 MN-cm5/g compared to the precure of 16.86–46.83 MN-cm5/g due to a combination of increased flexural rigidity and the addition of density to the co-cure sandwich. Increasing facing plies from 2 to 6 plies results in an increase in facing thickness (166%) and thickness variation (477%), an increase in the fiber volume fraction of facing (11%), resulting in an increase in tensile modulus (12%) and strength (14%) of facing as well as increased stiffness of flexural (339%) and shear (42%) of sandwich.
Understanding substance use patterns among adolescent girls in Norway through the lens of mattering
Authors: Dyrendahl Hanna P. S. , Ellingsen Ingunn T. , Kiik Riina
Published: January 2025

Aims: This research explores patterns of views on substance use among Norwegian adolescent girls aged 16–19 years. By examining the participants’ experiences, attitudes and needs, the study seeks to uncover how teenage girls experience the use of substances, how the use impacts their daily lives, and their relationships with peers, family and welfare professionals. Methods: To achieve this understanding, we utilised Q methodology to capture the perspectives of 42 Norwegian adolescent girls. Q methodology provides a comprehensive understanding of participants’ shared viewpoints and offers insight into their perspectives on substance use. We use the concept of “mattering” to interpret the perspectives on substance use revealed through the Q methodological analysis. Results: We identified three distinct perspectives among the participants: (1) Confident – against illegal substances; (2) Ambivalent – substance use normalised, yet with negative consequences; and (3) Outgoing – positive and curious about illegal substances. The key differences lie in the adolescents’ attitudes to illegal substances, parental relationships, and openness about their own substance use. Substance use serves different functions and has varying consequences for each perspective. Conclusions: Secure interpersonal relationships within families, peers and broader social contexts are crucial in shaping adolescent girls’ attitudes to substance use. Feeling valued and experiencing mattering within these contexts can protect against problematic behaviours and encourage healthier choices. To support adolescent girls’ well-being, healthcare and social work professionals should consider the family's emotional climate and the girls’ sense of connectedness to family, peers and society.
AI-replicas as ethical practice: introducing an alternative to traditional anonymisation techniques in image-based research
Authors: Kamelski Tobias , Olivos Francisco
Published: January 2025

This article introduces the use of AI-replicas as an alternative to traditional anonymisation methods in image-based qualitative research. It emphasises the ethical and practical dilemmas posed by current anonymisation methods, such as distortion or loss of emotional and contextual information in images, and proposes the use of AI-replicas to preserve the integrity and authenticity of visual data while ensuring participant anonymity. The article outlines the technological foundations of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the practical application of Stable Diffusion to generate AI-replicas for anonymisation and fictionalisation purposes. Furthermore, it discusses the potential biases present in generative AI to suggest ways to mitigate these biases through careful prompt engineering and participatory approaches. The introduced approach aims to enhance ethical practices in visual research by providing a method that ensures participant anonymity without compromising the data's qualitative richness and interpretative validity.
Through the Eyes of Black Nurses: The Impact of the Nurse Training Act of 1964
Authors: Anchrum Hafeeza
Published: January 2025

The Nurse Training Act (NTA) was passed by the United States Congress in 1964 in response to growing national concerns about a shortage of nurses. The legislation provided substantial funding for nursing education to increase the supply of nurses and improve the quality of nursing services. However, contemporary investigations into the causes of the shortage focused on the professional lives and experiences of white women, who were the main target of nurse recruitment and retention efforts. This research shifts the focus to Black women nurses, examining both the causes of the shortage and the impact of the NTA on the nursing workforce from their perspective. It argues that a key achievement of the NTA—alongside the Civil Rights Act of 1964—was the dismantling of legalized racial segregation in professional nursing schools, a major barrier to the development of the Black professional nursing class. Yet, this federal intervention was not simply bestowed; it was the result of decades of sustained advocacy by Black nurses from the 1890s to the 1960s to secure equal educational opportunity and federal support for their civil liberties. Viewing this landmark legislation through the eyes of Black nurses underscores the federal government's pivotal role in both promoting and obstructing racial and healthcare equality. As the nation faces yet another nursing shortage, coupled with the eradication of affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, this perspective is especially timely and important for informing current and future issues pertaining to health equity.
The Detrimental Effect of Stroke on Motor Adaptation
Authors: Abram Sabrina J. , Tsay Jonathan S. , Yosef Heran , Reisman Darcy S. , Kim Hyosub E.
Published: January 2025

Background

While it is evident that stroke impairs motor control, it remains unclear whether stroke impacts motor adaptation—the ability to flexibly modify movements in response to changes in the body and the environment. The mixed results in the literature may be due to differences in participants’ brain lesions, sensorimotor tasks, or a combination of both.

Objective

We first sought to better understand the overall impact of stroke on motor adaptation and then to delineate the impact of lesion hemisphere and sensorimotor task on adaptation poststroke.

Methods

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies comparing individuals poststroke to neurotypical controls, with each group consisting of over 200 participants.

Results

We found that stroke impairs motor adaptation ( d = −0.63; 95% confidence interval [−1.02, −0.24]), and that the extent of this impairment did not differ across sensorimotor tasks but may vary with the lesioned hemisphere. Specifically, we observed greater evidence for impaired adaptation in individuals with left hemisphere lesions compared to those with right hemisphere lesions.

Conclusions

This review not only clarifies the detrimental effect of stroke on motor adaptation but also underscores the need for finer-grained studies to determine precisely how various sensorimotor learning mechanisms are impacted. The current findings may guide future mechanistic and applied research at the intersection of motor learning and neurorehabilitation.
Linking distributed leadership to teacher job satisfaction in China: Mediating roles of teacher well-being and work motivation
Authors: Ma Xiaorong , Marion Russ
Published: January 2025

With the increasing complexity in schools, there is a growing interest in distributed leadership as a potential response to the challenges faced by centralized leadership. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of distributed leadership by examining its impact on teacher job satisfaction and the mediating effects of teacher well-being and work motivation, using hierarchical linear modeling. Data were obtained from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey, which included 3716 teachers from 193 Chinese lower secondary schools. Results show that distributed leadership has direct and indirect impacts on teacher job satisfaction, with teacher well-being and work motivation serving as partial mediators. The strongest indirect path in the model is the one from distributed leadership via well-being to teacher job satisfaction; further analyses show that well-being also has the strongest direct and total impacts on satisfaction. These findings extend prior research by more fully revealing how leadership behaviors and teachers' psychological processes interact to shape teacher job satisfaction.
Spanners and enhancers: The role of teacher leaders in school evolution
Authors: Francis Sara Sands , Margolis Jason , King Fiona
Published: January 2025

This study explores how the New York City Department of Education attempted to impact instruction and school quality through Teacher Career Pathways, a teacher leadership program. We apply Complexity Theory for Teacher Leadership (CTTL) to examine how teacher leaders may contribute to the improvement of stakeholder experiences and school quality. Using mixed methods, we compare schools with formal teacher leaders appointed into roles with targeted responsibilities and positional authority to lead to schools without formal teacher leaders. Diverging from prior literature, we find that schools with formal teacher leaders show improvement in school quality that matches targeted program areas not mirrored in schools without teacher leaders, suggesting formality may provide an important role in school change. In line with CTTL, we suggest that the effectiveness of formal teacher leaders may be attributed to their functioning as boundary spanners and network enhancers, reinforcing and amplifying changes over time.
Revision wrist arthroplasty strategies
Authors: Cash Thomas , Talwalkar Sumedh
Published: January 2025

Wrist arthrodesis performed to salvage a failed total wrist arthroplasty can be challenging owing to bone loss and poor soft tissue quality. This article focuses on the evidence base and our experience as a tertiary unit in managing this cohort of patients. A systematic and meticulous approach is required to attempt to minimize complications.

Level of evidence: V
Social-Emotional Ability of Chinese College Students: “Fragile, Lying Flat” or “Rising Wave, Positive”?
Authors: Gao (高迎爽) Yingshuang , Wang (王涛) Tao
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Social-emotional ability is an important human basis for the sustainable development of society. At present, researchers are focusing on the improvement of primary and secondary school students’ social-emotional ability. This study explores the current situation of college students’ social-emotional ability.

Design/Approach/Methods

Based on the existing questionnaires on social-emotional ability in primary and secondary schools, we examined the universality of social-emotional ability along with the unique development of college students and developed a questionnaire on social-emotional ability for college students. Research was conducted on students in 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Chinese Taiwan) in China, and 4,720 valid questionnaires were obtained.

Findings

It was found that the college students’ social emotions are at the upper-middle level, showing a “rising wave, positive” state, but their tenacity needs to be further improved. Education level, gender, type of university, origin, family affiliation, and teacher–student relationships significantly affect college students’ social-emotional ability.

Originality/Value

This study contributed a social-emotional questionnaire designed for Chinese local discourse, and identified the current social-emotional ability of college students in China.
Non-pharmacological interventions targeting motor difficulties in neurodivergent children: A systematic review
Authors: Short Aunnika D , Chen Huilin , Hulks Victoria , Scerif Gaia
Published: January 2025

Motor interventions are commonplace for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, as motor skills such as walking, balancing and using one's hands functionally are instrumental for early exploration and developing a sense of agency and independence in later life. This review explores the use of non-pharmacological interventions for motor delays in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, specifically looking at the characteristics of effective and ineffective interventions, what skills were targeted, and the transferability of interventions to non-clinical settings. From the 119 reports included in the final sample, the findings demonstrated that gross motor skills were most frequently targeted for intervention. These skills were most often assessed using standardised measures. Characteristics of effective interventions involved twice weekly implementation and unfamiliar environments. Transferability of interventions varied drastically from home-based yoga and parent-implemented massage therapy to interventions requiring virtual reality, treadmills and specialised interventionists.
Integrating Sustainable Design Principles into Business Strategies: A Framework for Enhancing Corporate Social Responsibility in the Indian Leather Product Industry
Authors: Rana Anoop Singh
Published: January 2025

This expository research study outlines a path for the Indian leather products industry to a greener, sustainable, and more socially responsible future. In a world where environmental and social concerns are becoming increasingly important, our research focuses on how firms may connect their strategy with sustainable design principles, benefiting not just themselves but also the earth and society. The incorporation of sustainable design concepts into business strategies to improve corporate social responsibility in the leather product industry is the subject of this explanatory research article. This offers a thorough framework that describes the essential elements and tactics for integrating sustainable design principles into the operations of companies that produce leather goods. This study intends to provide insights and direction for leather companies looking to adopt more environmentally and socially responsible practices by analysing the industry's present level of sustainability and highlighting opportunities and difficulties. The methodology employed is to study the secondary data and relate it with Indian companies and draft a framework. This research presents a framework for organisations to incorporate sustainable design ideas into their plans. It is not just about producing leather products, it is also about producing them responsibly, reducing waste, and addressing the well-being of all stakeholders who are involved.
Advancing therapeutic strategies for graft-versus-host disease by targeting gut microbiome dynamics in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: current evidence and future directions
Authors: Azhar Ud Din Muhammad , Lin Yan , Lyu Changkun , Yi Chengxue , Fang Anning , Mao Fei
Published: January 2025

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a highly effective therapy for malignant blood illnesses that pose a high risk, as well as diseases that are at risk due to other variables, such as genetics. However, the prevalence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has impeded its widespread use. Ensuring the stability of microbial varieties and associated metabolites is crucial for supporting metabolic processes, preventing pathogen intrusion, and modulating the immune system. Consequently, it significantly affects the overall well-being and susceptibility of the host to disease. Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) may experience a disruption in the balance between the immune system and gut bacteria when treated with medicines and foreign cells. This can lead to secondary intestinal inflammation and GVHD. Thus, GM is both a reliable indicator of post-transplant mortality and a means of enhancing GVHD prevention and treatment after allo-HSCT. This can be achieved through various strategies, including nutritional support, probiotics, selective use of antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to target gut microbes. This review examines research advancements and the practical use of intestinal bacteria in GVHD following allo-HSCT. These findings may offer novel insights into the prevention and treatment of GVHD after allo-HSCT.
Mixture of Experts Framework Based on Soft Actor-Critic Algorithm for Highway Decision-Making of Connected and Automated Vehicles
Authors: Yao Fuxing , Sun Chao , Lu Bing , Wang Bo , Yu Haiyang
Published: January 2025

Decision-making of connected and automated vehicles (CAV) includes a sequence of driving maneuvers that improve safety and efficiency, characterized by complex scenarios, strong uncertainty, and high real-time requirements. Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) exhibits excellent capability of real-time decision-making and adaptability to complex scenarios, and generalization abilities. However, it is arduous to guarantee complete driving safety and efficiency under the constraints of training samples and costs. This paper proposes a Mixture of Expert method (MoE) based on Soft Actor-Critic (SAC), where the upper-level discriminator dynamically decides whether to activate the lower-level DRL expert or the heuristic expert based on the features of the input state. To further enhance the performance of the DRL expert, a buffer zone is introduced in the reward function, preemptively applying penalties before insecure situations occur. In order to minimize collision and off-road rates, the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM) and Minimizing Overall Braking Induced by Lane changes (MOBIL) strategy are designed by heuristic experts. Finally, tested in typical simulation scenarios, MOE shows a 13.75% improvement in driving efficiency compared with the traditional DRL method with continuous action space. It ensures high safety with zero collision and zero off-road rates while maintaining high adaptability.
Collecting perspectives on project prioritisation process in the EU co-funded multinational partnership for the assessment of risks from chemicals (PARC) through focus group discussion
Authors: Permana Katya Manuella , Tannous Maria , Mouaziz Hanna , Sanders Pascal , Bonvallot Nathalie , Rousselle Christophe
Published: January 2025

Introduction

The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) is a 7-year multinational partnership aimed at consolidating and strengthening European Union’s (EU) research and innovation capacity for chemical risk assessment (RA) to protect human health and the environment. It consists of nine work packages (WP) involving more than 200 participating organisations from 29 countries. PARC is currently mapping the most relevant needs in the field of European chemical RA to steer PARC’s future activities in the coming years. The present study aims to gather the perspectives of WP/Task/Project Leaders of PARC to understand their experience during the first prioritisation round of PARC activities and to identify potential points of improvement for future rounds.

Methods

Three online 90-min focus group discussion (FGD) sessions were conducted between the 3rd and 9th of May 2023. Each session was attended by 4-5 participants with at least one representative from each PARC WPs 4, 5 and 6 (n = 13). The sessions were recorded and transcribed, then analysed in NVivo 12 software using thematic analysis.

Results

Some important aspects for the prioritisation of activities that were mentioned include: (1) having a transparent prioritisation process even though each WP might need different prioritisation criteria, (2) balancing the fulfilment of short-term regulatory needs and anticipating long-term needs in chemical RA, (3) maintaining alignment and synergy between the WPs and with other relevant EU initiatives to avoid duplication and to ensure continuity of work and (4) making sure that PARC can effectively respond to requests from different PARC stakeholders.

Conclusions

The next round of PARC research activity steering process will provide an opportunity to implement the various improvements identified. PARC should utilise the advantage of having stakeholders from different backgrounds (e.g., risk assessors, policymakers, regulatory bodies, academia, etc.) within its consortium and its advising bodies to prioritise projects and activities that will support its overall objectives. These recommendations could also be of interest outside PARC in the context of prioritising research and innovation needs related to chemical RA.
Crisdesalazine alleviates inflammation in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis multiple sclerosis mouse model by regulating the immune system
Authors: Park Su-Min , Oh Yong-Hun , Lim Ga-Hyun , An Ju-Hyun , Lee Jin-Hwan , Gwag Byoung-Joo , Won So-Jung , Seo Kyoung-Won , Youn Hwa-Young
Published: January 2025

Microglia/macrophages participate in the development of and recovery from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and the macrophage M1 (pro-inflammatory)/M2 (anti-inflammatory) phase transition is involved in EAE disease progression. We evaluated the efficacy of crisdesalazine (a novel microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 inhibitor) in an EAE model, including its immune-regulating potency in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, and its neuroprotective effects in a macrophage-neuronal co-culture system. Crisdesalazine significantly alleviated clinical symptoms, inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination in the spinal cord, and altered the phase of microglial/macrophage and regulatory T cells. Crisdesalazine promoted the M1 to M2 phase transition in macrophages (immunomodulation) and reduced neuronal necrosis (neuroprotection) in vitro. This is the first study to directly demonstrate the therapeutic effects of a microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 inhibitor in an EAE model and its ability to alter macrophage polarization, suggesting that it may be a new therapeutic option for the treatment of patients affected by multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
Response of Kapok seedlings were irrigated with water of different qualities and heavy metal contents for foliar application of antioxidants
Authors: Abou-Sreea Alaa I. B. , Matter Faisal M. A. , Hassanain Mahmoud A. , Hassan Abdallah H. A.
Published: January 2025

Background

The imbalance between Egypt's water requirements and supply necessitates the use of unconventional water sources, such as treated sewage water (TSW) and agricultural drainage water (ADW), to combat water scarcity. This study investigated the effects of foliar glycine betaine (GB) on vegetative growth parameters, physiological characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, leaf element contents, anatomical leaf structures, and antioxidant activity. The experiment was conducted in two successive seasons (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) using Kapok seedlings irrigated with ADW and TSW at different mixing ratios with normal irrigation water (NIW) (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), combined with foliar spraying of GB at concentrations of 0.0 and 50 mM.

Results

The results revealed that irrigation with 100% TSW or ADW significantly decreased vegetative growth parameters, physiological characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, leaf element contents, leaf thickness, and the contents of the leaf mid-vein, N, P, K, and Ca. In contrast, the levels of free proline, total phenolic content, Na, Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, Pb, and antioxidant activity increased. Additionally, GB significantly improved all parameters, while reducing the contents of Na, Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, and Pb in the leaves.

Conclusions

Irrigation of Kapok seedlings with TSW or ADW mixed with NIW at 25% and 50% resulted in better performance, similar to irrigation with NIW alone for most parameters. Combining GB and water treatments by mixing TSW or ADW with NIW at a 50:50 ratio and spraying with 50 mM GB produced better results than control seedlings irrigated with 100% NIW. Antioxidants also play a defensive role in plants against various stress factors. Therefore, GB may have a protective effect on peroxidation-linked membrane deterioration, scavenge free radicals, and provide osmotic protection.