bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring strategies to manage expectational knowledge in higher education after COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sunarsi Denok , Djulius Horas , Affandi Azhar , Priadana M. Sidik , Narimawati Umi , Sudirman Iman
Published: November 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and opportunities for knowledge management systems (KMS) in various domains and sectors. This research explores the strategies to manage expectational knowledge in higher education after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employed a qualitative research method with a case study design to capture the students’ perspectives on strategies to manage expectational knowledge in higher education after the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants are students at the doctoral program, Universitas Pasundan, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. The interview was conducted in December 2022 using a semi-structured interview technique and then was analyzed using thematic analysis. This research found four strategies doctoral management students use to manage expectation knowledge after the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategies are codification, personalization, knowledge partnering, and knowledge harvesting. The research implications of this study provide a foundation for future research endeavors to advance the understanding and application of knowledge management strategies in the post-pandemic higher education landscape.
Use and forms of metadiscourse features in COVID-19 Malaysian news
Authors: Mei Hooi Chee , Roy Swagata Sinha , Md Ismail Norhaniza Binti , Selvaraj Thinusha A/P , Md Nor Muhamad Elyas Bin , Affrin Josephine Anak Freni , Darryl Chow King, , Woon Tan Yee , Heng Henry Tan Tze
Published: November 2024

Metadiscourse features are fundamental for coherence and cohesion to be achieved by the writers in the texts. Writers might have employed metadiscourse widely, but they might have used it incorrectly, causing the texts to be disjointed. Numerous studies have been carried out in various academic contexts in the use of metadiscourse. However, there are still limited studies in news settings. Hence, the most common types, functions, and forms of metadiscourse features in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) news are identified through Dafouz-Milne’s model. Fifteen COVID-19 news articles were collected from The Star and The Edge, respectively from November 2021 to March 2022. The study is conducted to examine the comparison between textual and interpersonal functions and their forms. This is done to examine the engaging content in COVID-19 news from The Star or The Edge to create awareness for the journalists. The findings revealed that interpersonal metadiscourse was used more than textual metadiscourse for The Star, but textual metadiscourse was used more than interpersonal metadiscourse for The Edge. The findings also displayed the significance of metadiscourse in COVID-19 news, and a glossary of metadiscourse forms in COVID-19 news would expose the COVID-19 journalists and practitioners to the employment of metadiscourse.
Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards volunteerism: a perspective from Sultan Idris Education University
Authors: Jamal Mohamad Basri , Sarifin Muhammad Ridhwan , Hamzah Intan Suria
Published: November 2024

Volunteering requires a high level of commitment to community development, especially from young people. The first study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of university students of education regarding volunteering and the second study, analysing the differences in students’ knowledge regarding interest in volunteering. The survey method using Google form was distributed among the students of volunteer course semester 2 2022/2023 at Sultan Idris Education University. A total of 459 respondents provided the feedback. Overall, students’ knowledge about the volunteer course was excellent. Their attitudes towards volunteering activities tend to undertake activities related to their interests in terms of the types of volunteers available. Encouraging things in volunteering practice shows that students keep learning things related to volunteering, keep looking for opportunities to help others, and influence others to do it together. The analysis of students’ knowledge related to volunteering among students by interest showed that there was a significant difference in the mean of students’ knowledge by interest, where respondents’ interest in volunteering for the community was much higher than in other volunteering activities. Further studies should be conducted to better understand volunteerism among high school students who are now immersed in technology.
Theta Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Is Not Effective in Improving Working Memory Performance
Authors: Kasanov Dauren , Dorogina Olga , Mushtaq Faisal , Pavlov Yuri G.
Published: November 2024

There is an extensive body of research showing a significant relationship between frontal midline theta activity in the 4- to 8-Hz range and working memory (WM) performance. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is recognized for inducing lasting changes in brain oscillatory activity. Across two experiments, we tested whether WM could be improved through tACS of dorsomedial PFC and ACC, by affecting executive control networks associated with frontal midline theta. In Experiment 1, after either a 20-min verum or sham stimulation applied to Fpz–CPz at 1 mA and 6 Hz, 31 participants performed WM tasks, while EEG was recorded. The tasks required participants to either mentally manipulate memory items or retain them in memory as they were originally presented. No significant effects were observed in behavioral performance, and we found no change in theta activity during rest and task after stimulation. However, alpha activity during retention or manipulation of information in WM was less strongly enhanced during the delay period after verum stimulation as compared with sham. In Experiment 2 (n = 25), tACS was administered during the task in two separate sessions. Here, we changed the order of the stimulation blocks: A 25-min task block was either accompanied first by sham stimulation and then by verum stimulation, or vice versa. Again, we found no improvements in WM through either tACS after-effects or online stimulation. Taken together, our results demonstrate that theta frequency tACS applied at the midline is not an effective method for enhancing WM.
Thermoregulation and microhabitat use of Tachymenis peruviana (Dipsadidae) in semi-captivity conditions
Authors: Miranda-Calle Alejandro Bruno , De la Quintana Paola , Aparicio James , Ríos Ninón , Pacheco Luis F.
Published: November 2024

We studied Tachymenis peruviana`s thermoregulatory strategy, and microhabitat use and selection in an open enclosure at 3400 m elevation during the wet season. We expected that thermal conditions at a high elevation locality would result in differences in the thermoregulatory efficiency within microhabitats through their use and selection along the day. We obtained preferred temperatures and critical thermal tolerance limits of field-captured individuals. Some individuals were kept in an open enclosure with access to four microhabitat types with retreats where to hide. We measured individuals’ field-body temperatures along with substrate and air temperatures, and recorded where the snakes were found according to microhabitat type and if they were inside or outside retreats. Meanwhile, operative temperatures were registered every hour at each offered microhabitat between 08:00 to 18:00 hours. The body and microenvironmental temperatures were highly correlated. Even though the enclosure offered appropriate thermal sources for snakes to reach their preferred temperatures, results indicate that the species met its energy requirements with a low effort in this high elevation enclosure. Almost three-quarters of the observations were recorded in retreat sites, showing a lower thermoregulatory efficiency compared to when they were captured aboveground. A comparative evaluation of the thermoregulation of the species in the field within a variety of thermal regimes experienced along its altitudinal and latitudinal range must still be carried out to better understand the species’ thermoregulatory strategies across the Andes.
Effects of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in neonates exposed to antibiotics: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Lozar Krivec J. , Bratina P. , Valcl A. , Lozar Manfreda K. , Petrovčič A. , Benedik E. , Obermajer T. , Bogovič Matijašić B. , Šetina U. , Rupnik M. , Mahnič A. , Paro-Panjan D.
Published: November 2024

Perinatal antibiotic exposure potentially leads to gut microbiota dysbiosis, which is associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). We aimed to investigate the effects of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 supplementation on the development of FGIDs, crying and sleep duration, and the gut microbial composition in infants exposed to antibiotics during the neonatal period. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we included 89 term neonates treated with antibiotics. Neonates received the study product for six weeks. FGIDs, assessed by the Infant Gastrointestinal Symptom Questionnaire, crying and sleep duration were assessed at four and eight weeks, and six months after enrolment. Faecal samples were collected six weeks and twelve months after enrolment. The gut microbial community composition was analysed using 16S amplicon sequencing and qPCR. The proportion of infants with FGIDs was greater in the control group, although the difference between the groups was significant only six months after enrolment. At all time points, the probiotic group presented a longer sleep duration and shorter crying time than the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Probiotic consumption had no significant effect on the gut microbiota composition except for increased L. reuteri DSM 17938 abundance in the probiotic group at six weeks after enrolment. At specific time points after supplementation with L. reuteri DSM 17938, a reduction in the prevalence of FGIDs was observed in the probiotic group. However, no observable effect on the gut microbiota was detected during the intervention. We believe that probiotic supplementation in neonates during and after antibiotic treatment to minimise the negative effects of antibiotics on gut function during this vulnerable period of human development warrants further investigation.

The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02865564)
Digital Feminism, Public Theology, and the Reshaping of Female Subjectivity in Ghana
Authors: Agana Agana-Nsiire
Published: November 2024

Taking the online feminist group Pepper Dem Ministries as a case study, this article assesses how a public theological approach to gender activism underlies public gender discourses by allowing online feminism to attain global-local and post-colonial dimensions. This is explored through a rhetorical analysis of Pepper Dem Ministries’ online and offline discourses, and the response of young Christian women to their activism. These responses are obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted via zoom calls. The discourse of identity fragmentation in modernity frames the analysis of this data, revealing the coherence of Pepper Dem Ministries’ rhetoric with fragmentary or unsystematic theology as a mode of public theological engagement. The article concludes that the social shaping of female subjectivity in Ghana transpires as a public theological discourse influenced by and coherent with global discursive patterns in online feminism, Christian and secular feminist discourse, and public theology.
Field Programmable Gate Array Implementation of Reversible Binary Coded Decimal Multiplier
Authors: Sharmila Devi S. , Bhanumathi V. , Abiseha Aruna T.
Published: November 2024

Decimal data processing is gaining more importance in recent years, which increase the need for hardware support. The significance of reversible logic is growing in the research area of Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) design so as to minimize the power dissipation. This logic can
be employed in the computing technologies like nanotechnology, quantum computing, digital signal processing, optical computing, low power Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS), etc., Multiplier is one of the essential components in a processor. Hence so as to enhance the efficiency
of the method, better multiplier architectures are used. This paper presents a new method of Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) multiplication using Reversible logic. Based on a two-stage operation procedure, this concept calls for a binary-to-BCD conversion step and a BCD multiplication stage. Here
the first stage is implemented using Peres gate and the second stage is implemented using the combination of different reversible gates. The intended multiplier is constructed in a manner that the area, delay, power is reduced compared to the previous works in computing the BCD product and
the implementation is carried out using Spartan 3A FPGA kit.
Eco-Friendly Synthesis of MnFe2O4 Nano-Ferrites with Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract: Investigating Structural, Magnetic, and Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Sharma Monali , Sharma Anjana , Kumar Sushil , Kaur Jaspreet , Alam Mir Waqas , Almutairi Hayfa Habes , Ansari Sajid Ali , Ahmad Mohamad M.
Published: November 2024

The Present work describes green synthesis, eco-friendly, cost-effective and energy-efficient method for synthesizing magnesium zinc ferrite nanoparticles, or AILE@Mn ferrites, utilizing Azadirachta indica leaf extract (AILE). Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement,
the AILE-mediated Mn ferrite’s crystal structure was determined to be a face-centered cubic structure with the space group Fd3-m. The structural analysis was performed by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), revealed well-defined particle morphology, with an average
grain size of 59 nm. FTIR ranges demonstrated the presence of the hydroxyl (OH) group at 1625 and 3440 cm−1. Magnetic studies, including a hysteresis loop analysis, confirmed the superparamagnetic nature of the AILE@Mn ferrites. Further, the synthesis of AILE@ Mn NPs for antibacterial
tested pathogenic bacterial strains were Bacillus cereus (Gram +ve) and Escherichia coli (Gram −ve). The results validated significant antibacterial activity, particularly in suppressing the growth of the harmful bacteria Escherichia coli.
BaO Nanofluids: An Investigation of the Fluid-Particle Interaction Employing Ultrasonic Technique
Authors: Prakash P. , John J. Catherine Grace , Rohini B. , Britto T. Merita Anto , Jeevaraj A. Kingson Solomon , Hashem Mohamed , Abd El-Salam Nasser M.
Published: November 2024

This study reports on barium oxide nanofluid ultrasonic investigations. BaO nanoparticles are synthesized by chemical precipitation method. Stable dispersions of BaO nanosized particles in a base fluid of Hi-Tech Therm60 are prepared with the aid of sonication. An ultrasonic investigation
values are measured for different concentrations (0.001–0.006 wt%) of BaO nanofluids at 28, 30, 40 and 50 ºC. The behavior of ultrasonic velocity can be understood by analyzing various acoustical parameters, which include adiabatic compressibility (β), intermolecular
free length (Lf), specific acoustic impedance (Z), Rao’s constant (R), molar compressibility (W), viscous relaxation time (т), free volume (Vf), Gibbs free energy (ΔG), and internal pressure (πi)
are calculated from the experimental data. These acoustical parameters were determined by calculating them from observed values of ultrasonic velocity and density using standard equations and relations. Variations in ultrasonic parameters allow for nanoparticle interparticle interactions and
cluster formation. A dipole meter was used to detect the dielectric properties. Various dielectric properties, including dipole moment (μ), molar polarization (P12), excess dielectric constant (εE), static dielectric constant (ε0),
and excess dipole moment (μE), were assessed for BaO nanofluids at different temperatures. The variations in dielectric characteristics of six unique combinations of nanofluid systems, 0.001–0.006 wt% at 28, 30, 40 and 50 ºC are examined in terms of the interactions
between molecules. The findings show that aggregation of BaO nanoparticles becomes more prevalent at greater concentrations.
Investigating the Underlying Mechanisms of Monsoon Season Heavy Precipitation in Central Asian High Mountain Areas
Authors: Zhao Wenqing , Ma Yaoming , Takemi Tetsuya , Chen Xuelong , Cao Dianbin
Published: November 2024

In this study, fifth major global reanalysis produced by ECMWF (ERA5) reanalysis data from 1979 to 2022 were utilized to investigate extreme precipitation in the central Asian high mountain (CAHM) region, comprising the Pamir Plateau and western, central, and eastern Tianshan regions. This study found that westerlies and monsoons are the primary drivers of extreme precipitation, with distinct mechanisms in the southwestern and northeastern CAHM (divided at approximately 79°E). In the southwestern CAHM, a weak Indian summer monsoon (ISM) leads to negative potential height anomalies, enhancing meridional water vapor flux from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, thereby increasing precipitation. Conversely, extreme precipitation is associated with the negative phase of the Silk Road pattern in the northeastern CAHM. While the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) plays a lesser role, it influences water vapor supplies and atmospheric circulation in the southwestern CAHM and modulate meridional wind position in the northeastern CAHM with the ISM, contributing to extreme precipitation. Seasonal analysis revealed May as the peak for extreme precipitation in the southwestern CAHM region, while extreme precipitation in the northeastern CAHM region peaked in the midmonsoon months (June and July) due to the synergy between monsoons and westerlies of different strengths passing through the CAHM.

Significance Statement

This study explores the occurrence and mechanisms of extreme precipitation in CAHM and explores their four key regions’ water vapor transport pathways during the monsoon period. CAHM has a sensitive and vulnerable ecosystem highlighting the importance of understanding their processes, including the roles of westerlies and monsoons. This is crucial for detecting abnormal water cycles under climate change, such as flood prevention, and enhancing mountain weather forecasting abilities for the monsoon period.
Temporal Variation of Relationships between Circulation Modes and Surface Temperature in the Twentieth Century in Winter
Authors: Hynčica Martin , Huth Radan
Published: November 2024

Modes of low-frequency variability of atmospheric circulation undergo decadal variations, which affect their spatiotemporal impact on climatic variables on long time scales. Previous studies focused either to one circulation mode or to limited geographical areas. Here, the topic is substantially extended as we provide an overview of long-term variations of all detected circulation modes in the northern extratropics in winter and their impact on relationships with temperature during the twentieth century. Circulation modes are identified by rotated principal component analysis of 500-hPa geopotential heights in the ERA-20C reanalysis; gridded surface temperature data are gained from the Climatic Research Unit Time Series (CRUTS) dataset. Temporal variations of relationships are evaluated by 15-yr running correlations between the circulation modes and surface temperature at all land grid points. Time series of running correlations with all nine circulation modes at all grid points are clustered using the partitioning around medoids (PAM) method into 18 clusters. Both composite maps and temperature advection at the 850-hPa level during specific periods of strengthened, weakened, and normal relationships with surface temperature are used for the determination of mechanisms responsible for the variation of relationships. The main mechanisms are changes in the location, shape, and intensity of centers, and formation or split of centers. These mechanisms affect mainly the intensity and direction of advection, which translate into the magnitude of relationships. Possible causes of changes in the spatial structure of circulation modes are linked with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), shifts of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), and long-term changes in the sea ice extent.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of Biases in Convective Storm Parameters in CMIP6 Models over North America
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Deepak , Cuervo-Lopez Carlos , Allen John T. , Trapp Robert J. , Robinson Eric
Published: November 2024

This study presents an evaluation of the skill of 12 global climate models from phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) archive in capturing convective storm parameters over the United States. For the historical reference period 1979–2014, we compare the model-simulated 6-hourly convective available potential energy (CAPE), convective inhibition (CIN), 0–1-km wind shear (S01), and 0–6-km wind shear (S06) to those from two independent reanalysis datasets: ERA5 and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA2). To obtain a comprehensive picture, we analyze the parameter distribution, climatological mean, extreme, and thresholded frequency of convective parameters. The analysis reveals significant bias in capturing both magnitude and spatial patterns, which also vary across the seasons. The spatial distribution of means and extremes of the parameters indicates that most models tend to overestimate CAPE, whereas S01 and S06 are underrepresented to varying extents. Additionally, models tend to underestimate extremes in CIN. Comparing the model profiles with rawinsonde profiles indicates that most of the high CAPE models have a warm and moist bias. We also find that the near-surface wind speed is generally underestimated by the models. The intermodel spread is larger for thermodynamic parameters as compared to kinematic parameters. The models generally have a significant positive bias in CAPE over western and eastern regions of the continental United States. More importantly, the bias in the thresholded frequency of all four variables is considerably larger than the bias in the mean, suggesting a nonuniform bias across the distribution. This likely leads to an underrepresentation of favorable severe thunderstorm environments and has the potential to influence dynamical downscaling simulations via initial and boundary conditions.

Significance Statement

Global climate model projections are often used to explore future changes in severe thunderstorm activity. However, climate model outputs often have significant biases, and they can strongly impact the results. In this study, we thoroughly examined biases in convective parameters in 12 models from phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project with respect to two reanalysis datasets. The analysis is performed for North America, covering the period 1979–2014. The study reveals significant biases in convective parameters that differ between models and are tied to the biases in temperature, humidity, and wind profiles. These results provide valuable insight into selecting the right set of models to analyze future changes in severe thunderstorm activity across the North American continent.
Active Inference Models of AV Takeovers: Relating Model Parameters to Trust, Situation Awareness, and Fatigue
Authors: Wei Ran , McDonald Anthony D. , Mehta Ranjana K. , Garcia Alfredo
Published: November 2024

Objective

Our objectives were to assess the efficacy of active inference models for capturing driver takeovers from automated vehicles and to evaluate the links between model parameters and self-reported cognitive fatigue, trust, and situation awareness.

Background

Control transitions between human drivers and automation pose a substantial safety and performance risk. Models of driver behavior that predict these transitions from data are a critical tool for designing safer, human-centered, systems but current models do not sufficiently account for human factors. Active inference theory is a promising approach to integrate human factors because of its grounding in cognition and translation to a quantitative modeling framework.

Method

We used data from a driving simulation to develop an active inference model of takeover performance. After validating the model’s predictions, we used Bayesian regression with a spike and slab prior to assess substantial correlations between model parameters and self-reported trust, situation awareness, fatigue, and demographic factors.

Results

The model accurately captured driving takeover times. The regression results showed that increases in cognitive fatigue were associated with increased uncertainty about the need to takeover, attributable to mapping observations to environmental states. Higher situation awareness was correlated with a more precise understanding of the environment and state transitions. Higher trust was associated with increased variance in environmental conditions associated with environmental states.

Conclusion

The results align with prior theory on trust and active inference and provide a critical connection between complex driver states and interpretable model parameters.

Application

The active inference framework can be used in the testing and validation of automated vehicle technology to calibrate design parameters to ensure safety.
The Issue Correlates of War (ICOW) Identity Claims Dataset, 1946-2021
Authors: Hensel Paul R , Mitchell Sara McLaughlin , Owsiak Andrew P , Wiegand Krista E
Published: November 2024

This article introduces the Issue Correlates of War Identity Claims Dataset. An identity claim occurs when two states diplomatically contest the treatment of an ethnic group that both states share. A state that advances such a claim (i.e. the challenger) demands that the other state (i.e. the target) either: (i) change its domestic treatment of the group, (ii) grant the group independence, or (iii) allow the group to reunite with the challenger state (i.e. irredentism). Our research locates all known instances of identity claims throughout the world from 1946 to 2021 ( n = 111; 45 ongoing as of 31 December 2021). We first highlight the differences between these data and what appears in various existing datasets. We then elaborate on our data generating and coding processes, before descriptively presenting some of the dataset’s noteworthy characteristics (e.g. frequency over time and across regions; the most common challengers, targets, and ethnic groups involved; and claim militarization rates). Finally, we conclude with a discussion about promising ways to use the data in future research.
Development and Validation of the Career Authenticity Scale (CAS)
Authors: Yam Faruk Caner
Published: November 2024

The self is crucial in career development, and authenticity emerges when individuals live in accordance with their true selves. This true self includes a deep awareness of one’s abilities, cognitive, physical, and emotional traits, and unbiased answers to “Who am I?”. Given its importance in career development, originality can significantly impact one’s professional journey. This study brings a new structure to the field of career counseling with the term career authenticity. Career authenticity is a condition that emerges when individuals manage external influences and make their career choices in accordance with their true selves, thus achieving a work life that contributes to the meaning and purpose of their lives. The Career Authenticity Scale (CAS) was developed and validated in two samples of university students. In Study 1 ( n = 402), the CAS was developed, and a structure consisting of 12 items and three dimensions was obtained as a result of exploratory factor analysis. Calculations also included the internal reliability coefficients of the CAS. In Study 2 ( n = 322), the structure confirming the factors obtained in the first study was confirmed. Analyses also included convergent and discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, measurement invariance across gender, and item discrimination power of the CAS. The results show that the CAS meets the conditions for convergent and discriminant validity. A positive relationship was detected between the CAS and vocational outcome expectations and career proactive behaviors. The CAS was found to provide measurement invariance at configural, metric, scalar and strict invariance levels according to gender. In conclusion, the CAS was proven to be a valid and reliable measurement tool.
Living with Brexit: Families, relationships and the temporalities of everyday personal life in ‘Brexit Britain’
Authors: Davies Katherine , Carter Adam
Published: November 2024

Drawing upon ethnographic research with families as they navigate a year in ‘Brexit Britain’, this article explores how people live with Brexit, examining the effect of Brexit politics on everyday personal life, particularly relationships with family. In order to examine how macro-political events and timescapes interact with the quotidian, the article explores interactions between ‘Brexit time’ (including key political moments as well as periods of slowed political activity) and ‘personal time’ (including the day-to-day rhythms of everyday life and more special occasions). The temporal interactions between Brexit and people’s daily lives, whether through the constant low-level simmering presence of the issue, the impactful moments when Brexit ‘boils over’ into family life, or a more profound relationship with the substance of Brexit politics, offer a lens through which we can understand how politics and other socio-economic events of (inter)national significance are lived in the context of everyday personal lives. The resonance of this analysis applies beyond Brexit and contributes to political sociology more broadly as well as to sociologies of everyday personal life.
Evidence-Based Implementation Support: Considering Motivation and Capacity Within the Ecosystem of Training and Technical Assistance
Authors: Bumbarger Brian K. , Moore Julia E. , Crane Margaret E.
Published: November 2024

This invited commentary reflects on Wandersman and Scheier’s (2024) call for a more evidence-based model of training and technical assistance (i.e. TTA or implementation support). Their clarion call prompts us to consider what steps need to be taken to refine and scale a solution that genuinely enhances the effectiveness of TTA through a re-imagined model of implementation support. We highlight eight priorities to re-imagine a more effective and efficient model of TTA that reflects best practice and simultaneously contributes to continuous, collective evidence-building. The eight priorities include: (1) an ecosystem of TTA connecting TTA research and practice; (2) TTA capacity building; (3) health equity, and equitable partnerships; (4) trust and relationships; (5) TTA evaluation; (6) continuous quality improvement; (7) implementation support mechanisms; and (8) cost-effective solutions. We advocate for an international, cross-disciplinary, applied agenda aimed at establishing a robust empirical foundation for TTA to foster a culture of continuous quality improvement and knowledge generation across government agencies and philanthropies that fund TTA Centers. We describe a potential scenario for how funders can initiate and support evidence-based TTA.
Effects of Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Programming on Social Support, Coparenting, and Parenting Among Teen Parents: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kan Marni L. , Feinberg Mark E.
Published: November 2024

Understanding mechanisms and secondary outcomes of intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention programs for teen parents can help to improve relationships. This study used data from a randomized pilot trial of the Safe Dates for Teen Mothers IPV prevention program compared to the original Safe Dates program with 32 teen mothers recruited from four community-based sites. We examined effect sizes of cross-sectional associations between IPV, social support, coparenting, and parenting, and of differences between the adapted program and the original on social support, coparenting, and parenting over 6 months. Effect sizes of associations were medium on average. Effect sizes on social support, coparenting, and parenting favored the adapted program over the original program and were medium to large. IPV prevention programs adapted for teen parents have the potential to support positive dynamics in their social relationships. These preliminary estimates can inform the design of larger research and intervention studies.
Reducing the prime cardiopulmonary bypass volume during paediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Mathieu Laurent , Brunetti César , Detchepare Jean , Flambard Maude , Germain Christine , Langouet Elise , Tafer Nadir , Roubertie François , Ouattara Alexandre
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Despite technological advances, the use of homologous blood to prime the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits of infants under 10 kg remains common. However, such rapid massive transfusion may increase post-CPB morbidity.

Method

We retrospectively included consecutive patients weighing 2.3–10 kg who underwent cardiac surgery under CPB. Patients were divided into two groups based on their priming volumes: low priming volume (LPV) (below the median volume) or high priming volume (HPV) (the median volume or above).

Results

The study included 208 patients, of whom 104 had priming volumes below the median [37.9 (28.4–51.7) mL/kg] and 104 had at least the median volume. We recorded positive correlations between the priming volume, on the one hand, and the peak creatinine and CRP levels within 5 days postoperatively, the duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and the mechanical ventilation time, on the other. A relationship was also observed between a higher median priming volume and the need for renal replacement therapy in the ICU and mediastinitis.

Conclusion

Although the differences in priming volume between the twogroups were small, they significantly influenced the postoperative complications. Perfusionists should seek to limit the priming volume to reduce the post-CPB inflammatory response, the duration of ICU stay, and possibly the risk of mediastinitis.
Investigation of the acute effect of the synthetic hemodialysis membrane on the expression of XRCC1 and PARP1 in chronic hemodialysis patients
Authors: Unal Selin , Yalin Serkan Feyyaz , Altiparmak Mehmet Riza , Batar Bahadir , Guven Mehmet
Published: November 2024

Objective:

The interaction between blood from end-stage renal failure patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment and the hemodialysis (HD) membranes used may lead to DNA damage, contingent upon the biocompatibility of the membranes. Given that this process could impact the disease’s course, it is crucial to assess the efficacy of DNA repair mechanisms.

Methods:

In our study, we investigated the gene expression levels of XRCC1 and PARP1 enzymes, which are involved in the base excision repair (BER) repair mechanism crucial for repairing oxidative DNA damage, in 20 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing HD treatment both before and after dialysis sessions. Additionally, we compared our findings with those from 20 healthy controls. We assessed gene expression levels using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results:

We observed that the HD process utilizing a polysulfone membrane did not impact the expression levels of genes. However, we noted a lower expression level of the PARP1 gene in ESRD patients undergoing HD compared to the control group (0.021 ± 0.005 vs 0.0019 ± 0.0013, p = 0.0001).

Conclusion:

Although our study findings indicate that HD membranes do not affect gene expression overall, the specific decrease in PARPI gene expression suggests that the effectiveness of the BER DNA repair mechanism is impaired in ESRD patients, which may play a significant role in the progression of the disease.
A Novel Customized Oral Appliance in Restoring the Height of the Lower Third of the Face
Authors: Chen Itay , Georgolios Alexandros , Horne Sylvia , Tham Tristan , Dume Edlir , Gelb Michael , Romo Thomas
Published: November 2024

Background:

The aging process involves intricate changes in various facial structures, including soft tissue volume, midface descent, lower eyelid position, mandibular height, and skin quality. Bone resorption and jowl formation further contribute to facial aging. We introduce a pioneering non-surgical aesthetic device designed to rejuvenate the face by addressing the loss of vertical facial architecture.

Methods:

Six patients underwent treatment with a customized bite plate, combined with injectable fillers in the perioral area. Treatment was administered by a facial plastic surgeon following established standards of care.

Results:

Patient feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with only 3 of 36 responses being negative. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed improved bites in all 5 patients who underwent pre-treatment and post-treatment scans. A 3-mm increase in incisor bite for every 1 mm of molar bite was observed, demonstrating the effectiveness of the bite plate.

Conclusion:

The presented innovative device showcases promising outcomes, emphasizing its potential to restore the architectural integrity of the lower third of the face. Positive patient feedback serves as a critical endorsement for this groundbreaking technology in facial rejuvenation.
György Konrád as a Post-Dissident Public Intellectual Biography, Interventions, Reception
Authors: Laczó Ferenc
Published: November 2024

The paper offers a case study of György Konrád, a leading intellectual from post-Communist eastern Europe, who was arguably the most internationally visible and influential former dissident—or post-dissident—from Hungary after 1989. The paper introduces the biography and intellectual activities of Konrád, which stretched from the periphery of interwar Hungary to post–Cold War international fame, and it focuses on his post-1989 public interventions and the reception of his key ideas. The main question it poses is: “How did Konrád wield his post-dissident moral and political authority, and with what effects?” To answer this overarching question, I explore Konrád’s key contributions as a public intellectual in post-Communist Hungary and analyze his high-profile involvement in international discussions via prominent interviews, debate participations, and appearances in various documentaries. I also provide an overview of the scholarly reception of his most influential ideas. The paper concludes that by recurrently dissenting from more mainstream intellectual opinions, at times even those shared in his own liberal milieu, Konrád simultaneously employed and deflected his political and moral authority. More concretely, I show how Konrád oscillated between universalistic and civilizational discourses and between a generous spirit of openness and profound personal fears when his post-dissident authority made his voice so widely audible.
Expelled from the Fairytale: The Impact of the Dissident Legacy on Post-1989 Central European Politics
Authors: Szulecki Kacper
Published: November 2024

To understand the political dimension of dissident legacies, we need first to understand the components that “made” the dissidents and follow their reconfiguration after 1989, leading to initial empowerment followed by gradual demise of the liberal post-dissident elite. Dissidence in the form that first appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s in central and eastern Europe constituted a particular mode of political practice, combining open, non-violent dissent with universalist moral claims. The phenomenon of dissidentism was transnational, as political empowerment of oppositionists was achieved through a particular network of relationships between domestic audiences, repressive regimes, and Western media, social movements, trade unions, political parties, and policymakers. The specificities of the dissidents’ empowerment can partly explain key features of post-dissident politics and the visible backlash against former prominent dissidents, which has contributed to the rise of illiberalism and to democratic backsliding. This article traces the post-1989 trajectories of a few who belonged among central Europe’s most prominent representatives in this symbolic category, to try to explain the causes and character of the swift backlash against them—or as Václav Havel put it, their “expulsion from the fairytale.” Three pillars of dissident political power turned into the roots of their demise. First, critics question the dissidents’ uniqueness and rewrite their master narrative. Further, we see a clash of representations that results from the dissidents’ transnational empowerment, and third, the broader anti-elite and anti-intellectual tendencies that always accompanied dissidence as its shadow became amplified by more recent populist rhetoric.
Communist Prison Camps as Sites of Memory and Legacies of Dissent: Belene and Goli Otok in Bulgarian and Croatian Cultural Memory
Authors: Koleva Daniela , Andersen Tea Sindbæk
Published: November 2024

This article investigates how two Communist forced labour camps, Belene in Bulgaria and Goli Otok in Croatia, became sites of memory and remain icons of political repression and state-organized torture. The article discusses how the public memory of the two camps has been shaped through vivid depictions in former inmates’ memoirs and in works of fiction. It analyzes recent debates about the preservation and institutionalization of these sites of memory and about what, whom, and how to commemorate. As a further step, it investigates how the camp sites have attracted visitors interested in so-called dark tourism. The article explores the creation of a literary tradition of memory by tracing the writings that have helped to establish Belene and Goli Otok as sites of memory of political repression in Bulgaria and Croatia, and it examines the processes involved in the construction of the physical sites as heritage sites and tourist attractions.
An Arrested Dialectic: The National Past and (Post-)Dissident Catholic Moral Reasoning in Slovakia
Authors: Šústová Drelová Agáta
Published: November 2024

During the 1980s, Catholic dissidents in Slovakia constructed divergent modes of moral reasoning. While national democratic Catholic dissidents looked to universal Catholic morality, nationalist Catholic dissidents anchored their moral reasoning in nationalized ethics. Their respective modes of moral reasoning were crucially formed in the making of national Catholic memory. If both appreciated Slovak sovereignty, the former prioritized democracy, human rights, and dialogue across religious and ethnic divides, the latter national independence over democracy. This in turn determined how and when they pursued Slovak cultural and political sovereignty across the boundary of 1989.
Critical length prediction for fiber breaking in injection molded of long-fiber reinforced thin-walled products
Authors: Huang Ming , Zu Yunqiu , Wang Huaxin , Lei Jinyu , Zhang Na , Liu Chuntai , Gao Guoli
Published: November 2024

Fiber length is one of the vital factors in determining the properties of long fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFRT). However, many factors may generate fiber breakage in the injection molding process of LFRT, such as friction, melt shear, injection rate, etc. Especially for thin-walled products, owing to the relatively narrow mold cavity and frozen layer near the mold wall, it’s usually difficult for the fibers to move freely with the melt, leading to fiber breakage under the shear stress of the flow field eventually. In such a situation, the existing buckling breakage model based on the assumption fibers immersed in the flow field being in an unconstrained state is no longer applicable. In this paper, a new model for calculating the critical length of constrained fiber in thin-walled injection molded products is developed. A typical long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene thin-walled product was employed to verify the reliability of the model. The high-precision fiber length analyzer was used to calculate the fiber length distribution at different distances from the injection port. At the same time, the length distribution at the corresponding position was predicted via the model. The average prediction accuracy in the three sampling sections is 87.8%, 91.4% and 83.6%, respectively. The results show that the proposed model can effectively predict the fiber length distribution of injection molded thin-walled products. This conclusion provides important support for further accurate calculation of the mechanical properties of products.
Self-Management and Relationships: Perspectives of Young Adults With Chronic Conditions and Their Peers
Authors: Flick Uwe , Röhnsch Gundula
Published: November 2024

Because their disease is largely managed in the private environment, people with chronic conditions perform “chronic homework.” The environment with which self-management is coordinated forms a kind of “chronic care infrastructure” in dealing with the disease and, in the case of young adults with chronic conditions (YACCs), is essentially formed by peers. The article investigates how YACCs handle their illness in the context of their peer relationships and how peers see their own role in the context of the YACCs’ self-management. What do chronic homework and chronic care infrastructures look like, if the chronic conditions concern young adults in comparatively unstable and non-committal relationships with their peers? Episodic interviews were conducted with 60 YACCs (with type 1 diabetes, cancer, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and rare conditions) and 30 peers. The interviews were analyzed using thematic coding. The YACCs’ statements were compared to the peer perspectives on a case-by-case basis. We found that peers differ in the extent to which they seek to monitor or control the YACCs’ self-management. We identified three groups of YACCs: (a) those who focus on their health needs; (b) those who seek to balance their disease management with their need for sociability and belonging; and (c) those who deprioritize their illness in their everyday life in favor of peer acceptance. The multi-perspective approach to YACCs’ and their peers’ experiences with self-management on the one hand and referring to a range of chronic conditions on the other allows to analyze this issue in a complex and comprehensive way.
Reflections on embodiment and pandemic pedagogies in Greek higher education: lessons from students’ considerations / Reflexiones sobre la corporeidad y las pedagogías de la pandemia en la educación superior griega: lecciones extraídas de las opiniones de los estudiantes
Authors: Zaimakis Yiannis
Published: November 2024

Using quantitative and qualitative findings from a study conducted at a large Greek university, the article observes the COVID-19 pandemic pedagogies through students’ perspectives and lived experiences and examines emergent online learning as both an opportunity and a danger. The study reveals students’ divergent views of emergency online learning. These views include both concerns about the further digitalization of higher education eroding the physical space of the embodied learning community on-campus and hopes for a more inclusive and digitalized university based on blended education. Blended systems appeal to students from divergent social backgrounds for a variety of reasons. There are several advantaged students who claim that the further digitalization of higher education will benefit primarily from the integration of academic requirements with digital capabilities. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds support blended learning systems including online learning, which may help overcome economic hardship in a country experiencing protracted crises. While the study points out that advanced technology needs to be encouraged and integrated into higher education learning practices, it challenges the sociotechnical imaginary of a post-coronial university based on platformization and learnification processes, which decentralize educational practices and bring them into students’ homes, away from campus-based educational practices.