bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, characterisation, and solution behaviour of Ag(I) bis(phenanthroline-oxazine) complexes and the evaluation of their biological activity against the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans
Authors: Evans Clara , Ahmed Muhib , Beirne Darren F. , McCann Malachy , Kavanagh Kevin , Devereux Michael , Rooney Denise , Heaney Frances
Published: June 2023

Three Ag(I) bis(phenanthroline-oxazine) complexes with varying lipophilicity were synthesised and characterised. The solution stoichiometry of 1:2 Ag(I):ligand was determined for each complex by the continuous variation Job’s plot method using NMR spectroscopy. NMR studies were also carried out to investigate the fluxional behaviour of the Ag(I) complexes in solution. The biological activity of the silver(I) complexes and the corresponding ligands towards a clinical strain of Candida albicans MEN was studied using broth microdilution assays. Testing showed the choice of media and the duration of incubation were key determinants of the inhibitory behaviour towards Candida albicans, however, the difference between freshly prepared and pre-prepared solutions was insignificant in minimal media. The activity of the metal-free ligands correlated with the length of the alkyl chain. In minimal media, the methyl ester phenanthroline-oxazine ligand was effective only at 60 μM, limiting growth to 67% of the control, while a 60 μM dose of the propyl ester analogue limited fungal growth at < 20% of the control. MIC50 and MIC80 values for the propyl and hexyl ester analogues were calculated to be 45 and 59 µM (propyl), and 18 and 45 µM (hexyl). Moreover, in a study of activity as a function of time it was observed that the hexyl ester ligand maintained its activity for longer than the methyl and propyl analogues; after 48 h a 60 μM dose held fungal growth at 24% of that of the control. Complexation to Ag(I) was much more effective in enhancing biological activity of the ligands than was increasing the ester chain length. Significantly no difference in activity between the three silver(I) complexes was observed under the experimental conditions. All three complexes were substantially more active than their parent ligands against Candida albicans and AgClO4 and the three silver(I) bis(phen-oxazine) complexes have MIC80 values of < 15 μM. The ability of the silver(I) complexes to hold fungal growth at about 20% of the control even after 48 h incubation at low dosages (15 μM) showcases their superiority over the simple silver(I) perchlorate salt, which ceased to be effective at dosages below 60 μM at the extended time point.
Features of Service Delivery that Young People in Out-of-Home Care Who ‘Self-place’ and Stay in Unapproved Placements Value When Accessing a Specialist Support Service
Authors: Venables Jemma
Published: June 2023

Young people under child protection orders are a vulnerable group and their vulnerability and risk of exploitation increases if they leave approved out-of-home care placements (residential and foster care) and stay in unapproved arrangements. These arrangements are often temporary, insecure and may expose young people to exploitation and harm. Despite their heightened vulnerability, there are limited specialised services that work alongside this cohort of young people. There is a dearth of evidence regarding their needs and effective service responses. These gaps are compounded by the absence of young people’s voices in the literature and policy discussions; with implications for recognising their human rights. This paper reports on the views of thirteen young people who have accessed support via a specialist service in Queensland (Australia), specifically funded by the Queensland Government to provide support to ‘self-placing’ young people (12–18 years). The service aims to improve young people’s resilience, capability, and safety so they can either return to an approved OOHC placement or be supported to make safe and sustainable choices for independent accommodation. This paper reports on interview and survey data about their features of service delivery that young people who self-place value in a specialist support service. The findings highlight the importance of: (1) accessible and responsive support; (2) caring and trusting relationships with workers; (3) supporting young people’s choices and their developing agency; and (4) advocacy and support navigating systems.
Disentangling the Long-Term Compositional Effects of School-Average Achievement and SES: a Substantive-Methodological Synergy
Authors: Marsh Herbert W. , Pekrun Reinhard , Dicke Theresa , Guo Jiesi , Parker Philip D. , Basarkod Geetanjali
Published: June 2023

We juxtapose (positive and negative) compositional effects of school-average achievement and school-average socioeconomic status (SES) on students’ academic self-concept (ASC), final high-school grade-point-average (GPA), and long-term outcomes at age 26 (educational attainment and educational and occupational expectations). We used doubly-latent multilevel compositional models with a large, nationally representative longitudinal sample (16,197 Year-10 students from 751 US high schools), controlling background variables (gender, age, ethnicity, academic track, and a composite risk factor). At the individual-student level, the effects of achievement, SES, ASC, and GPA on long-term outcomes were consistently positive. However, mostly consistent with a priori theoretical predictions, (1) the compositional effects of school-average achievement on ASC, GPA, and educational and occupational expectations were significantly negative (although non-significant for final attainment); (2) the compositional effects of school-average SES on ASC, educational attainment, and educational and occupational expectations were significantly positive (but nonsignificant for GPA); and (3) the compositional effects on long-term outcomes were partly mediated by ASC and particularly by GPA. These findings demonstrate that the positive effects of school-average SES are distinguishable from the adverse effects of school-average achievement. We discuss how these findings extend Göllner et al.'s (Psychological Science 29:1785–1796, 2018) highly controversial conclusion regarding the benefits of schools with high school-average SES but low school-average achievement. We also relate our research to Luthar et al.’s (American Psychologist 75:983–995, 2020) findings of adverse mental health problems associated with attending high-achieving schools. Our results have important implications not only for theory and methodology but also for parents’ selection of schools for their children and policy regarding the structure of schools (a substantive-methodological synergy).
Stimulating Elementary School Students’ Self-Regulated Learning Through High-Quality Interactions and Relationships: A Narrative Review
Authors: de Ruig Niels J. , de Jong Peter F. , Zee Marjolein
Published: June 2023

One of the most important competencies to become a life-long learner is considered to be self-regulated learning (SRL). In this narrative review study, we describe research on the relationships between classroom- and dyad-level student-teacher interactions and the components of elementary students’ SRL. These components include metacognition and the regulation of cognition, motivation, behavior, and emotions. Three electronic databases were examined, which resulted in 30 studies that met our eligibility criteria. The results suggest that both well-organized and emotionally supportive classroom climates, in addition to high-quality instructional support, are associated with students’ metacognition. Results also show that associations between classroom-level interactions and the components of SRL that tap students’ behaviors and motivation are mixed. In contrast, at the dyad-level, higher quality teacher-student interactions were consistently found to be related to the motivational component of SRL. We also found a positive relationship with metacognition, but at the dyad level studies on the other components of SRL were hardly available. The review revealed a number of gaps in research on SRL, such as the paucity of studies on the regulation of cognitions and emotions, the overreliance on self-reports in the measurement of SRL, and the absence of cross-cultural research.
Psychometric properties of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale in Italian young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET)
Authors: Parola Anna , Marcionetti Jenny , Savickas Mark
Published: June 2023

The Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS) is one of the most widely used measures to assess career adaptabilities. Despite intensive worldwide use across heterogeneous populations, no study has assessed its factorial validity in the not in education, employment, or training (NEET) population. This study aims to extend evidence of CAAS factorial validity by assessing the Italian version for NEET. Participants (N= 318) completed the Italian CAAS. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the hierarchical factor structure of this version. Evidence of measurement invariance across age and sex groups were observed. The results supported the CAAS as a reliable and good psychometrically-based assessment of career adaptabilities in the Italian NEET population.
Deviation compensation in LPBF series production via statistical predeformation and structural pattern analysis
Authors: Lechner Philipp , Hartmann Christoph , Wolf Daniel , Habiba Abdelrahman
Published: June 2023

This article proposes two approaches for a tailored geometrical deviation compensation for Laser-Powder-Bed-Fusion production. The deviation compensation is performed by a non-rigid deformation of the manufacturing geometry in each iteration to reduce the geometrical deviations from the target geometry. It is important for geometric compensation approaches to separate deterministic deviations from random scatter, since compensating scatter can result in unstable behaviour. In order to compensate only deterministic deviations two novel approaches for a local estimation of the scatter are successfully introduced and tested using a hybrid model of a series production cycle.
Meaningful Work and Achievement in Increasingly Automated Workplaces
Authors: Parmer W. Jared
Published: June 2023

As automating technologies are increasingly integrated into workplaces, one concern is that many of the human workers who remain will be relegated to more dull and less positively impactful work. This paper considers two rival theories of meaningful work that might be used to evaluate particular implementations of automation. The first is achievementism, which says that work that culminates in achievements to workers’ credit is especially meaningful; the other is the practice view, which says that work that takes the form of an open-ended practice is especially meaningful. Of the two, the practice view is the better tool for assessing the future of meaningful work, because achievementism is explanatorily inadequate in two ways. Moreover, the practice view can explain why the most meaningful forms of work cannot be automated. A procedure can only be automated as long as the steps are defined, whereas, in such work, which steps to take is indefinitely open to redefinition. This reveals the real threat to meaningful work to be a political-economic one. The relevant ethical questions there have to do with how much creative control workers retain in crafting their own jobs, when those jobs involve meaningful work in collaboration with machines; and how to liberate workers from jobs that do not involve meaningful work, which should be left to machines anyway.
Quantifying Bypass Traffic in Partially Meshed Transparent Optical Networks
Authors: Comellas Jaume , Hario Fakhriy , Junyent Gabriel
Published: June 2023

This work investigates the transparent bypassing capacity requirements of elastic backbone optical networks to determine the all-optical cross-connection capacity needed at network nodes. Topological parameters have been used to develop a random network generator, and the generated topologies are evaluated. Reference values are obtained and applied to well-known topologies, and extensive simulations are conducted to obtain network nodes' bypassing traffic under realistic traffic profiles. The study reveals that although bypassing traffic varies by topology, it never exceeds 9% of total network traffic per node degree. These findings can help properly dimension network nodes by determining the necessary quantity of transceivers and cross-connection capacity based on the network topology and expected traffic.
Branching with Selection and Mutation I: Mutant Fitness of Fréchet Type
Authors: Park Su-Chan , Krug Joachim , Touzo Léo , Mörters Peter
Published: June 2023

We investigate two stochastic models of a growing population with discrete and non-overlapping generations, subject to selection and mutation. In our models each individual carries a fitness which determines its mean offspring number. Many of these offspring inherit their parent’s fitness, but some are mutants and obtain a fitness randomly sampled, as in Kingman’s house-of-cards model, from a distribution in the domain of attraction of the Fréchet distribution. We give a rigorous proof for the precise rate of superexponential growth of these stochastic processes and support the argument by a heuristic and numerical study of the mechanism underlying this growth. This study yields in particular that the empirical fitness distribution of one model in the long time limit displays periodic behaviour.
Conceptualisation of family and language practice in family language policy research on migrants: a systematic review
Authors: Bose Priyanka , Gao Xuesong , Starfield Sue , Sun Shuting , Ramdani Junjun Muhamad
Published: June 2023

Family language policy (FLP) is increasingly recognised as a distinct domain of language policy concerned with the family as an arena of language policy formulation and implementation. While FLP is a relatively new research area, its conceptualisation of family and language practice requires re-examination due to social changes and technological developments, including the expansion of digital communication within families  and  the rise of globally dispersed families a product of global migration and transnationalism. In this systematic review of migrant FLP research, we investigate how the notions of family and language practice are conceptualised in research. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we identified a total of 163 articles for analysis. Our analysis reveals that the majority of studies were conducted in nuclear families, i.e., those consisting of a father, a mother, and one or more children. Studies also tend to conceptualise the family as fixed and physically located in one place. Paradoxically, around half of the studies acknowledge the presence of geographically dispersed family relations, but this does not necessarily affect their conceptualisation of what comprises a family. Language practice was conceptualised as physical and face-to-face communication in 51% of instances, with only 11% incorporating an analysis of digital communications. Based on our review, we recommend that FLP researchers researching migrant families reconceptualise the family as geographically dispersed and language practice as digital and multimodal when necessary. Such a reconceptualisation will help researchers understand the hitherto underexamined contributions of dispersed family members and multimodal digital communications in migrant FLP.
Dietary inflammatory index is associated with Vitamin D in CKD patients
Authors: Wu Wenhui , Li Xiurong , Di Jia , Zhou Hua , Niu Hongyan , Yang Min
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Multiple observational studies have shown that low serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been associated with a faster progression of kidney disease and a higher risk of all-cause mortality. We aim to assess the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) with Vitamin D in adults with CKD.

Method

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey appropriated participants from 2009 to 2018 were enrolled. The patients who were under the age of 18, pregnant, and having incomplete data were excluded. DII score were calculated based on a single 24-h dietary recall interview for each participant. Mutivariable regression analysis and subgroup analysis were utilized to determine the independent associations between vitamin D with DII in CKD patients.

Results

In total, 4283 individuals were finally included. The results showed a negative association between DII scores and 25(OH)D with statistical significance (β =  – 1.83, 95% CI  – 2.31,  – 1.34, P < 0.001). In subgroup analysis stratified by gender, low eGFR, age and diabetes, the negative association between DII scores and 25(OH)D was still significant (all P for trend < 0.05). The results from interacion test indicated that the magnitude of the association was the same for the population with and without low eGFR (P for interacion = 0.464).

Conclusion

Higher consumption of pro-inflammatory diet correlates negatively with the 25(OH)D level in CKD patients with and without low eGFR. Anti-inflammatory diet management may reduce the reduction of vitamin D in CKD patients.
All savanna islands of fertility are not equal: colonial birds influence soil nutrient stoichiometries with consequences for tree seedling growth
Authors: Aikins Timothy K. , Thomson Robert L. , Cramer Michael D.
Published: June 2023

Islands of fertility associated with tree/shrub patches in arid grasslands create spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients. Faunal activities under these trees/shrubs may contribute to diverse characteristics of these fertile patches of soil due to different faecal inputs. This study used the tree islands of fertility (TIFs) created by camelthorn (Vachellia erioloba) and shepherd trees (Boscia albitrunca) and these species that also host sociable weavers (Philetairus socius) nests (bird islands of fertility; BIFs) in the Kalahari Desert to investigate the diversity in islands of fertility. We hypothesized that grasslands, the TIFs, and the BIFs differ in both the concentrations and stoichiometries of soil nutrients due to the sources of nutrients and that this subsequently determines the growth and foliar nutrient concentrations and stoichiometries of plants that grow on these soils. We predicted that seedlings grown on soils from BIFs would have greater growth, higher biomass yield, and higher foliar nutrients than those grown on soils from TIFs and grasslands. We sampled and grew camelthorn seedlings in soils from BIFs, TIFs, and matrix grasslands. Despite the higher soil nutrients in TIFs than in grasslands, there were no significant differences in seedling growth. However, we observed significantly higher seedling growth in BIF soils compared to TIF soils. Seedlings grown in soils from BIFs and grasslands allocated more growth to shoots and roots, respectively, while those grown on TIF soils were intermediate. The foliar nutrient stoichiometries of seedlings grown in BIF soils were similar to the stoichiometric ratios in BIF soils and in sociable weaver faecal matter. This shows that the faecal input of the sociable weaver accounts for the growth differences in these islands of fertility. The ecological engineering activities of the sociable weaver address nutrient limitations for camelthorn seedling growth, which TIF soils could not address despite the high faecal input of mammals.
Photoluminescence Study of As Doped p-type HgCdTe Absorber for Infrared Detectors Operating in the Range up to 8 µm
Authors: Murawski K. , Majkowycz K. , Kopytko M. , Martyniuk P.
Published: June 2023

A HgCdTe photodiode grown by chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a GaAs substrate operating in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) range was characterized using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. At high temperatures, the PL spectrum originates from a free-carrier emission and might be fitted by a theoretical expression being the product of the density of states and the Fermi–Dirac distribution. At low temperatures, the PL spectrum consists of multiple emission peaks that do not originate solely from the energy gap. Such spectra are not unambiguous to interpret due to the prominence of different optical transitions. Spectral response (SR) measurements were used to determine the energy gap (Eg) and extract the band-to-band transition from the PL spectra. PL peaks visible within the band gap were fitted by a Gaussian distribution. To identify the sources of individual emission peaks, excitation power dependence analysis was conducted. Band-to-band, free-to-bound, acceptor-bound exciton, and defect-bound exciton transitions were identified. At low temperatures, transitions are mainly impurity-related, with shallow impurity levels estimated to be 6 meV and 16 meV for the donor and acceptor, respectively, while deep-level impurities were associated with VHg. The latter transition with an energy of about 78 meV does not vary with temperature. Its relative positions with respect to the energy gap is 0.8 Eg at 18 K and 0.67 Eg at 80 K.
Epistemic Injustice and Nonmaleficence
Authors: Della Croce Yoann
Published: June 2023

Epistemic injustice has undergone a steady growth in the medical ethics literature throughout the last decade as many ethicists have found it to be a powerful tool for describing and assessing morally problematic situations in healthcare. However, surprisingly scarce attention has been devoted to how epistemic injustice relates to physicians’ professional duties on a conceptual level. I argue that epistemic injustice, specifically testimonial, collides with physicians’ duty of nonmaleficence and should thus be actively fought against in healthcare encounters on the ground of professional conduct. I do so by fleshing out how Fricker’s conception of testimonial injustice conflicts with the duty of nonmaleficence as defined in Beauchamp and Childress on theoretical grounds. From there, I argue that testimonial injustice produces two distinct types of harm, epistemic and non-epistemic. Epistemic harms are harms inflicted by the physician to the patient qua knower, whereas non-epistemic harms are inflicted to the patient qua patient. This latter case holds serious clinical implications and represent a failure of the process of due care on the part of the physician. I illustrate this through examples taken from the literature on fibromyalgia syndrome and show how testimonial injustice causes wrongful harm to patients, making it maleficent practice. Finally, I conclude on why nonmaleficence as a principle will not be normatively enough to fully address the problem of epistemic injustice in healthcare but nevertheless may serve as a good starting point in attempting to do so.
Treatment of osteoporosis using a selective androgen receptor modulator ostarine in an orchiectomized rat model
Authors: Böker K. O. , Komrakova M. , Fahrendorff L. , Spelsberg B. R. , Hoffmann D. B. , Schilling A. F. , Lehmann W. , Taudien S. , Sehmisch S.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The selective androgen receptor modulator ostarine has been shown to have advantageous effects on skeletal tissue properties, reducing muscle wasting and improving physical function in males. However, data on effects in male osteoporosis remain limited. In this study, the effects of ostarine on osteoporotic bone were evaluated in a rat model of male osteoporosis and compared with those of testosterone treatments.

Methods

Eight-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were either non-orchiectomized to serve as a healthy control (Non-Orx, Group 1) or orchiectomized (Orx, Groups 2–6) and then grouped (n = 15/group): (1) Non-Orx, (2) Orx, (3) Ostarine Therapy, (4) Testosterone Therapy, (5) Ostarine Prophylaxis and (6) Testosterone Prophylaxis. Prophylaxis treatments started directly after orchiectomy and continued for 18 weeks, whereas Therapy treatments were initiated 12 weeks after Orx. Ostarine and Testosterone were applied orally at daily doses of 0.4 and 50 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The lumbar vertebral bodies and femora were analyzed using biomechanical, micro-CT, ashing, and gene expression analyses.

Results

Ostarine Prophylaxis showed positive effects in preventing osteoporotic changes in cortical and trabecular bone (femoral trabecular density: 26.01 ± 9.1% vs. 20.75 ± 1.2% in Orx and in L4: 16.3 ± 7.3% vs 11.8 ± 2.9% in Orx); biomechanical parameters were not affected; prostate weight was increased (0.62 ± 0.13 g vs 0.18 ± 0.07 g in Orx). Ostarine Therapy increased solely the cortical density of the femur (1.25 ± 0.03 g/cm3 vs. 1.18 ± 0.04 g/cm3 in Orx); other bone parameters remained unaffected. Testosteron Prophylaxis positively influenced cortical density in femur (1.24 ± 0.05 g/cm3 vs. 1.18 ± 0.04 g/cm3 in Orx); Test. Therapy did not change any bony parameters.

Conclusion

Ostarine Prophylaxis could be further investigated as a preventative treatment for male osteoporosis, but an androgenic effect on the prostate should be taken into consideration, and combination therapies with other anti-osteoporosis agents could be considered.
Two-sided Galois duals of multi-twisted codes
Authors: Taki Eldin Ramy
Published: June 2023

Galois duals of Multi-twisted (MT) codes are considered in this study. We describe a MT code $$\mathcal {C}$$
C
as a module over a principal ideal domain. Hence, $$\mathcal {C}$$
C
has a generator polynomial matrix (GPM) $$\textbf{G}$$
G
that satisfies an identical equation. We prove a GPM formula for the Euclidean dual $$\mathcal {C}^\perp $$

C

⊥

using the identical equation of the Hermite normal form of $$\textbf{G}$$
G
. Next, we aim to replace the Euclidean dual with the Galois dual. The Galois inner product is an asymmetric form, so we distinguish between the right and left Galois duals. We show that the right and left Galois duals of a MT code are MT as well but with possibly different shift constants. Some interconnected identities for the right and left Galois duals of a linear code are established and we also introduce the two-sided Galois dual. We use a condition that makes the two-sided Galois dual of a MT code MT, then we describe its GPM. Two special cases are also studied, one when the right and left Galois duals trivially intersect and the other when they coincide. A necessary and sufficient condition is established for the equality of the right and left Galois duals of any linear code.
Geochemical characteristics and oil–oil correlation of the upper Cretaceous oils from the Iranian part of the Persian Gulf Basin
Authors: Talaie Faramarz , Kadkhodaie Ali , Arian Mehran , Aleali Mohsen
Published: June 2023

The Cenomanian Sarvak oil reservoirs are distributed over large areas of the Persian Gulf basin. The purpose of this study is analyzing the geochemical characteristics of the Sarvak oil reservoirs and their inter-relationships in the Persian Gulf, classification of the Sarvak oil samples and investigation of the possible causes of the genetic difference in oil families. In the previous studies, limited samples of Sarvak oil reservoir in scarce oilfields were studied individually and local interpretations are made accordingly. The current study employs a more complete set of geochemical from the Iranian part of Persian Gulf and regional interpretations are drawn. To achieve this goal, the geochemical data of 41 oil samples from 10 oilfields were collected and assessed based on gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and stable carbon isotope analysis. It was demonstrated with the evaluations that the oils accumulated in the Upper Cretaceous Sarvak reservoirs in the Persian Gulf basin originate from different source rocks. The oil samples are genetically classified into four oil families based on the similarities and differences of parameters related to the depositional environment-dependent parameters using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), star diagram, and stable carbon isotope diagram. The source rocks were mainly deposited in anoxic marine carbonate environments. The thermal maturity of the oils was evaluated using steranes and trisnorhopanes. Oil families 2 and 4 (located at the center of the Persian Gulf) have the highest thermal maturity compared to the other samples; in contrast, oil family 1 (located at the west of the Persian Gulf) has the lowest thermal maturity. The possible source rocks of oil family 1 and family 3 (located at eastern Persian Gulf) using C28/C29 steranes are the upper Cretaceous successions; in contrast, the possible source rocks of oil families 2 and 4 are the upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic formations. Results of the study show a high similarity between the oils of families 2 and 4, which are located at the center of the Persian Gulf; these results also recognize the significant difference between these two oil families and oil families 1 and 3. The significant issue raised in this study is to find out the reason for this difference. The structural analysis of the central Persian Gulf shows that huge vertical faults created by salt domes intrusion provided the migration pathways for trapping oil in Sarvak reservoirs. The oils of the Surmeh, Fahliyan, and Dariyan reservoirs have migrated upwards through these faults to be trapped in the Sarvak Formation across the central Persian Gulf.
Intersectionality and Structural Drivers of Fatal Overdose Disparities in the United States: a Narrative Review
Authors: Valasek C. J. , Bazzi Angela R.
Published: June 2023

Purpose of Review

Disaggregated data has increasingly confirmed the persistence of racial and ethnic disparities in fatal drug-related overdose in the United States. Less is known about additional disparities or how they interact to exacerbate mortality. Utilizing an intersectional framework, we reviewed literature on fatal overdose disparities and potential structural drivers.

Recent Findings

Most published studies document overdose disparities by race and ethnicity; research examining other identity-based and sociodemographic disparities (e.g., gender, sexuality, lifecourse stage, disability) is emerging but more limited. Some studies point to potential structural drivers of disparities (e.g., housing, law enforcement interactions, employment, prevention and treatment service access), yet major data limitations inhibit complex research. Nevertheless, intervention and implementation strategies to reduce overdose exist.

An intersectional framework helps explore how marginalization and unequal access to financial resources, power, legal rights, and services drive fatal overdose disparities while illuminating promising strategies that warrant additional, rapid research.
Psychological features in male and female adolescents with eating disorders: is it the same condition?
Authors: Riva Anna , Purpura Giulia , Di Guardo Simona , Falbo Mariella , Pigni Maria , Nacinovich Renata
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Eating disorders (EDs) are psychiatric disorders with a typical prevalence in adolescence. EDs have long been wrongly considered female gender-bound disorders, resulting in a systematic underrepresentation of males in EDs research. The main goal of the present study is exploring the clinical and psychological characteristics of adolescent males with EDs in comparison with females.

Methods

In this observational and retrospective study, 14 males and 28 females hospitalized for eating disorders during the adolescent age (from 12 to 17.11 years) were recruited. Main clinical data (age, BMI, duration of illness), behavioural characteristic of the disorder (over-exercising, self-harm, purging-behaviours) and psychological symptoms (Eating Disorders Inventory-3rd edition—EDI-3, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised—SCL-90, Children’s Global Assessment Scale—C-GAS) were collected and examined for significant correlations with severity of body mass index (BMI).

Results

Adolescent males show a peculiar and more severe psychopathological profiles partially influenced by BMI and characterized by purging-behaviours, over-exercising, obsessive–compulsive behaviour, anxiety, and psychoticism.

Conclusion

This study suggests a gender-specific profile of adolescent males with EDs, which may be considered in diagnosis and treatment.

Level III

Evidence obtained from retrospective well-designed case–control study.
Content-based comparison of communities in social networks: Ex-Yugoslavian reactions to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Evkoski Bojan , Kralj Novak Petra , Ljubešić Nikola
Published: June 2023

We discuss the added value of various approaches for identifying similarities in social network communities based on the content they produce. We show the limitations of observing communities using topology-only and illustrate the benefits and complementarity of including supplementary data when analyzing social networks. As a case study, we analyze the reactions of the Ex-Yugoslavian retweet communities to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, comparing topological inter-community interaction with their content-based similarity (hashtags, news sources, topics and sentiment). The findings indicate that despite the Ex-Yugoslavian countries having a common macro-language, their retweet communities exhibit diverse responses to the invasion. Certain communities exhibit a notable level of content-based similarity, although their topological similarity remains relatively low. On the other hand, there are communities that display high similarity in specific types of content, but demonstrate less similarity when considering other aspects. For example, we identify a strong echo-chamber community linked to the Serbian government that deliberately avoids the invasion topic, despite showing news source similarities with other communities highly active on the subject. In summary, our study highlights the importance of employing multifaceted approaches to analyzing community similarities, as they enable a more comprehensive understanding of social media discourse. This approach extends beyond the confines of our specific case study, presenting opportunities to gain valuable insights into complex social events across various contexts.
What Causes the Discrepancy in SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Between Parental Hesitancy for Themselves and for Their Children During Lockdown Period?
Authors: Zhao Tianshuo , Wang Chao , Zhang Sihui , Chen Linyi , Han Bingfeng , Liu Hanyu , Xie Mingzhu , Cai Xianming , Zhang Shanshan , Zhou Yiguo , Li Guoxing , Liu Bei , Du Juan , Zeng Jing , Liu Yaqiong , Lu Qingbin , Cui Fuqiang
Published: June 2023

Background

Parents are usually the decision-makers for vaccinations of children. Therefore, it is important to understand parental beliefs and attitudes toward severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine for themselves and their children when it was approved for children age 3–17.

Method

A cross-sectional survey based on an anonymous online questionnaire for parents was conducted in seven provinces of China, and demographic information, vaccination history, parental decision motives, and health belief model toward themselves and their children were collected, respectively.

Results

The overall parental hesitancy rate toward themselves was 20.30%, and that toward their children was 7.80%. More parental concerns on disease severity (odd ratio [OR] = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.61) and susceptibility (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01–1.63) of children could be the causes of discrepancy in hesitancy for themselves and for their children. Parents who hesitated to vaccinate themselves might also be hesitated to vaccinate their children (β = 0.077, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Threat perception may lead to inconsistencies in parental vaccination decisions toward themselves and toward their children. Correcting misinformation and strengthening education about COVID-19 are of great significance in addressing vaccine hesitancy among parents and children.
Expression of androgen receptor in bladder cancer: A tertiary care center study
Authors: Obeidat Fatima N. , Al Khader Ali , Abdaljaleel Maram , Assaf Farah J.N. , Alsa’oudi Ma’mon
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Introduction

The significance of androgen receptor (AR) expression in bladder cancer is the focus of current research. This study aimed to assess the significance of AR expression in bladder urothelial carcinoma.

Methods

A total of 206 cases of urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder were reviewed and immunohistochemical staining for AR was performed. The histological score was calculated as the product of the staining intensity and percentage of cells with positive nuclear staining. The staining results were correlated with demographic parameters, tumor grade, and detrusor muscle invasion status.

Results

Seventy-eight percent (n = 161) of cases tested positive for AR expression. AR was significantly overexpressed in non-muscle-invasive tumors (p = 0.042). Moreover, A higher AR expression was associated with increased disease-free survival (p = 0.019). However, AR expression was not significantly associated with cancer-specific survival, patient sex, or tumor grade (0.359, 0.747, and 0.867, respectively). AR expression is inversely related to muscle invasion and recurrence in bladder cancer.

Conclusion

The results of this study support those of several reports worldwide. Further molecular studies are required to elucidate the role of androgens in bladder cancer pathogenesis and therapy.

Highlights
Title IX’s Unintended Consequences: The Female Athlete Triad and the Need for Special Treatment
Authors: Hill Morgan
Published: June 2023

This Note examines the effects of Title IX’s equal treatment framework on female collegiate athletes in the context of the female athlete triad. It describes the shortcomings of Title IX’s equal treatment approach and its deleterious effects on the health of female student athletes. It argues for the adoption of the special treatment approach as a remedy.
A tax by any other name? Conceptions of taxation and implications for research
Authors: Bak Ane Karoline , van den Boogaard Vanessa
Published: June 2023

As taxation has become a prominent issue on the international development policy agenda, a growing body of research has focused on taxpayer perceptions and experiences of taxation. A strand of this research emphasises the importance of the historical, political and social context of taxation. We position ourselves in line with this research as we pay attention to the emic definitions of taxation in Africa across contexts, languages, and time periods. We explore how the conception of taxation in different contexts is closely interrelated with the language used to describe it, with language being a product of histories of colonialism, conflict, and extraction by social, traditional and political actors. We argue that studies of taxation, particularly survey-based research, need to be complemented, if not informed, by a deeper understanding of the diversity of tax landscapes and of the meanings ascribed to taxation in a given context. This will strengthen content and interpretive validity of taxpayer perception data as well as provide important nuances to the understanding of the dynamics of taxpayers’ experiences of contemporary states and systems of taxation.
Rings from the Forbidden Forest: the function and meaning of Roman trinket rings
Authors: Kiernan Philip , Henz Klaus-Peter
Published: June 2023

A group of 24 bronze finger-rings threaded onto a wire bracelet was unearthed in 2018 at the Roman vicus at Wareswald (the “Forbidden Forest”) in Gallia Belgica. The find is analyzed here alongside evidence for the use, sale, and production of Roman rings. The find represents the work of a local craftsman, active in the first quarter of the 4th c. CE. While the rings were made in a small rural town, they closely imitate expensive global ring forms. The function and meaning of the very common class of trinket rings to which the Wareswald rings belong are considered, along with how these rings were used to make statements about identity, including local and regional affiliations, literacy, marital status, or other social connections. It is suggested that the popularity of many trinket rings lay in their ability to provide a sense of participation in upper-class fashion at a very low price.
Of horses and men – Garrisoning the empire: stable-barracks on a grand scale in the auxiliary fort of the ala I Batavorum milliaria at Războieni-Cetate (Alba Iulia County, Romania) and the spatial planning of Roman forts
Authors: Rubel Alexander , Mischka Carsten
Published: June 2023

This article explores ideas about stable-barracks, which have received much attention in recent provincial Roman archaeology. This renewed attention stems from new discoveries in Romania that prompt a re-evaluation of earlier conclusions. Geomagnetic investigations and subsequent excavations of the fort of the ala I Batavorum milliaria in Războieni-Cetate (Alba County) have shown that, contrary to prevailing opinion, stable-barracks could be considerably larger than similar buildings known from Great Britain and Germany. These findings suggest that a significant reconsideration of the concept of stable-barracks is required, along with an updated discussion about the normal troop strength of alae milliariae in the Roman army.
Cosmic Horror and the Philosophical Origins of Science Fiction
Authors: De Cruz Helen
Published: June 2023

This piece explores the origins of science fiction in philosophical speculation about the size of the universe, the existence of other solar systems and other galaxies, and the possibility of alien life. Science fiction helps us to grapple with the dizzying possibilities that a vast universe affords, by allowing our imagination to fill in the details.
The Immaterial Soul and the Embodied Human Being: Descartes on Mind and Body
Authors: Cottingham John
Published: June 2023

Descartes's arguments in support of his claim that the mind is an immaterial substance are examined and found wanting. But despite the flaws in his dualistic view of the mind, Descartes has fascinating and important things to say about how much of human experience involves an ‘intermingling’ of mind and body. There are still philosophical lessons to be learnt from Descartes's legacy.
Soziale Ungleichheiten und Differenzen in Kindertageseinrichtungen aus der Perspektive von Kindern
Authors: Simon Stephanie
Published: June 2023

Zusammenfassung: Kindheiten sind neben der generationalen Ordnung von vielfältigen weiteren gesamtgesellschaftlichen sozialen Ungleichheits- und Machtverhältnissen durchzogen. Wie stellen sich diese aus der Perspektive von Kindern dar? Im Kontext des BMBF-geförderten Projektes „KiSte – Kinder als ‚Stakeholder‘ in Kindertageseinrichtungen“ wurde nach den Sichtweisen von Kindern auf institutionelle, pädagogische und räumliche Arrangements gefragt. Dabei kristallisierte sich heraus, dass Kinder vielfältige, mit der Differenzlinie Alter in Verbindung zu bringende Strukturierungen innerhalb der Kindergruppe als wirkmächtig erfahren. Auch identitätsbezogene Differenzmarkierungen, etwa zwischen Familie und Institution, werden von den Kindern beim Sprechen über ihre Kita eingebracht.
Die Perspektiven der Kinder in der „Kleinen Rundschau“
Authors: Skalska Agata , Gormanns Yvonne
Published: June 2023

Zusammenfassung: Die von Janusz Korczak (eigentlich Henryk Goldszmit) in den Jahren 1926–1939 in Polen herausgebrachte Zeitung Kleine Rundschau von und für Kinder und Jugendliche (poln. Mały Przegląd) war ein wöchentlich erscheinendes Medium, das nicht nur in der damaligen Zeit dazu beitrug, den Stimmen von Kindern Gehör zu verschaffen, ihnen eine Möglichkeit zu geben sich auszudrücken und sich gegenseitig zu verbinden, sondern ist auch heute noch eine bedeutende Ressource, in der die Perspektiven von Kindern der damaligen Zeit sichtbar werden. Die Kinder positionieren sich als kompetente Wissende und als Expertinnen und Experten ihrer Lebenswelt. Themenübergreifend explizieren sie ein Wissen über sozial-konstruierte Ordnungen und eine Differenz entlang sozial-zeitlicher Lebensphasen in Verbindung mit unterschiedlichen Rechten und Pflichten.
Characterization of Environmental Seismic Signals in a Post‐Wildfire Environment: Examples From the Museum Fire, AZ
Authors: Porter Ryan , Joyal Taylor , Beers Rebecca , Youberg Ann , Loverich Joseph , Schenk Edward , Robichaud Peter R.
Published: June 2023

The 2019 Museum Fire burned in a mountainous region near the city of Flagstaff, AZ, USA. Due to the high risk of post‐fire debris flows and flooding entering the city, we deployed a network of seismometers within the burn area and downstream drainages to examine the efficacy of seismic monitoring for post‐fire flows. Seismic instruments were deployed during the 2019, 2020, and 2021 monsoon seasons following the fire and recorded several debris flow and flood events, as well as signals associated with rainfall, lightning and wind. Signal power, frequency content, and wave polarization were measured for multiple events and compared to rain gauge records and images recorded by cameras installed in the study area. We use these data to test the efficacy of seismic recordings to (a) detect and differentiate between different energy sources, (b) estimate the timing of lightning strikes, (c) calculate rainfall intensities, and (d) determine debris flow timing, size, velocity, and location. We then calculate forward models of seismic signals associated with debris flows and rainfall to better interpret our results and characterize these events. Our observations and modeling show that we can differentiate between these sources and that seismic data can provide insight into post‐fire debris flow characteristics, including relative particle sizes and velocity.
Thermal Resolution of Unblocking Temperatures (TROUT): A Method for “Unmixing” Multi‐Component Magnetizations
Authors: Cych Brendan , Morzfeld Matthias , Heslop David , Maher Sarah , Gee Jeffrey , Tauxe Lisa
Published: June 2023

Some rocks contain multiple remanence “components,” each of which preserves a record of a different magnetic field. The temperature ranges over which these remanence components unblock can overlap, making it difficult to determine their directions. We present a data analysis tool called Thermal Resolution Of Unblocking Temperatures (TROUT) that treats the process of thermal demagnetization as a function of temperature (or alternating field demagnetization as a function of coercivity). TROUT models the unblocking temperature/coercivity distributions of components in a demagnetization experiment, allowing these distributions to overlap. TROUT can be used to find the temperatures/coercivities over which paleomagnetic directions change and when two directional components overlap resulting in curved demagnetization trajectories. When applied to specimens given multi‐component Thermoremanent Magnetizations (TRMs) in the laboratory, the TROUT method estimates the temperature at which the partial TRMs were acquired to within one temperature step, even for specimens with significant overlap. TROUT has numerous applications: knowing the temperature at which the direction changes is useful for experiments in which the thermal history of a specimen is of interest (e.g., emplacement temperature of pyroclastic deposits, re‐heating of archaeological artifacts, reconstruction of cooling rates of igneous bodies). The ability to determine whether a single component or multiple components are demagnetizing at a given temperature is useful for choosing appropriate ranges of temperatures to use in paleodirection/intensity experiments. Finally, the width of the range of temperature overlap may be useful for inferring the composition, grain size and domain state of magnetic mineral assemblages.