bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The pivotal role of the polyethylene glycol amount as compatibilizing on the morphological features of silica-based blends
Authors: Catauro Michelina , Raimondo Marialuigia , Vertuccio Luigi , Guadagno Liberata , D’Angelo Antonio
Published: April 2024

Silica-based hybrid blends at different molecular or nanometer scale have gained a lot of interests from the technological point of view. In particular, several inorganic-organic hybrids find application in the biomedical field. In this context, inorganic SiO2 and hybrids made up of SiO2 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) have been synthesised via the sol-gel route and characterised from the morphological (throught the Atomic Force Microscopy - AFM) and spectroscopic point of view to shed light on their features as possible hybrid biomaterials. AFM investigation allowed for an effective quantitative evaluation of surface roughness of bioactive sol-gel-based materials. The results revealed an increase in material porosity as a function of the PEG amount in the systems, thus highlighting the pivotal role of the PEG amount as compatibilizing on the morphological features of silica-based blends. The co-presence of both the inorganic and organic phases was confirmed by the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Moreover, the influence of PEG was also investigated by analysing the deconvoluted FT-IR spectra in the range of 1600-750 cm−1.
Mechanical recycling of biobased polyethylene-agave fiber composites
Authors: González-Aguilar Sandra Esmeralda , Robledo-Ortíz Jorge Ramón , Arellano Martín , Martín del Campo Alan Salvador , Rodrigue Denis , Pérez-Fonseca Aida Alejandra
Published: April 2024

Biobased polymers have emerged as a promising alternative to petroleum-based polymers in terms of lower environmental impact. However, to improve their carbon footprint, it is important to study strategies, such as recycling, extending the useful life of these biopolymers, and mitigate their higher costs compared to petroleum-based polymers. Adding agro-industrial wastes as fillers or reinforcements is another option to reduce the cost and increase the biobased content to produce composites. This study aimed to evaluate the addition of agave fibers to biobased linear low-density polyethylene (bio-LLDPE) and their effect on its reprocessing by extrusion, i.e., close-loop mechanical recycling. The results revealed that it was possible to reprocess the bio-LLDPE alone as limited changes in their physical properties were observed up to 34 cycles. However, for the composites, the viscosity changed in the first eight cycles mainly due to fiber break-up (lower aspect ratio). The dimensions of the agave fibers are modified by reprocessing. In the initial 8 cycles, there is a notable decrease in fiber dimensions, affecting the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the composites. The water uptake was found to decrease with each cycle due to better fiber dispersion and the reduction of interfacial voids/defects. Nevertheless, the color of the bio-LLDPE and its composites showed significant changes by reprocessing, which is associated with thermal and oxidation degradation. Despite minor property losses, the study reveals that bio-LLDPE/agave fiber composites exhibit a commendable level of sustainability. This characteristic enables their extended reuse and reprocessing over a prolonged duration.
The Making of a Reserve Army of Labor: Paradoxes of American Disability Policy
Authors: Ruppel Emily H.
Published: April 2024

Since the 1980s, despite much United States legislation to promote the employment of people with disabilities and reduce their reliance on government benefits, employment rates among people with disabilities have fallen while rates of disability benefits receipt have risen. I conducted historical research on two sites of contradiction in the state treatment of disability: (1) antidiscrimination legislation and (2) disability benefits. I show that the goals of antidiscrimination legislation were undercut by court interpretations of this legislation, while cyclical expansion and contraction of disability benefits produced haphazard integration of recipients into the labor force and inhibited cessation of benefits. These findings demonstrate that the legislative push for the labor market inclusion of disabled people, undertaken simultaneous to ongoing labor market exclusion with roots in the very same legislative program, led to the incorporation of disabled people into the labor market on contingent terms. Contradictions in disability employment policy have thus constituted people with disabilities as a labor force suited to the precarious positions characteristic of economic restructuring. This argument develops Marxist theories of disability, conceptualizing disabled people as a reserve army of labor malleable to the needs of capital.
Trusting by Numbers: An Analysis of a Chinese Social Credit System Governance Infrastructure
Authors: Liu Chuncheng , Rona-Tas Akos
Published: April 2024

To govern, states collect and evaluate information about citizens. This paper examines a social credit system (SCS) in China, a state initiative aimed at governing trust through the quantification of social behavior. Our analysis opens the ‘black box’ of an SCS metric, investigating how trust is translated into numbers and the implications of this translation. We reveal that the SCS is deeply relational and embedded in specific interests, biases, and logics of governance. The system has the potential to reinforce structural injustices and inequalities as it particularly disadvantages rural residents. Meanwhile, it subjects government employees to stricter surveillance, indicating its multifaceted objectives. Our finding uncovers the nuanced ways the system interacts with social stratification in Chinese society and the administrative structure inside the state. We problematize the individualistic, decontextualized, and behavioral assumptions undergirding the metric, and advocate for a critical reassessment of the sociopolitical dimensions of such quantitative governance infrastructures.
Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Obstetric Patients
Authors: Klaserner Emma L , Popova Kayla J , Gaudet Rikki-Leigh
Published: April 2024

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including both pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is the leading cause of maternal death in developed countries. Pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of VTE due to physiologic changes during the obstetric period that promote a hypercoagulable state. Appropriate use of prophylactic anticoagulants can decrease the event rate of thrombus formation in at-risk patients. In the United States, there is not a validated risk-assessment tool for VTE in obstetric patients or a clear consensus on initiation and optimal dosing strategy for the prophylactic use of anticoagulants. This article reviews the mechanism of coagulation disturbance that leads to an increased risk of VTE in obstetric patients, as well as the available literature surrounding pharmacologic prophylaxis.
Associations Between Self-Reported Visual Difficulty, Age of Onset, and Cognitive Function Trajectories Among Chinese Older Adults
Authors: Xu Shu , Su Yan-Jhu , Ehrlich Joshua R. , Song Qian
Published: April 2024

Objectives: This study examined the association between self-reported visual difficulty and age-related cognitive declines among older Chinese adults and how the timing of visual difficulty onset plays a role in cognitive trajectories. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2011–2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, involving 9974 respondents aged 60 years or older (mean age 65.44 years, range 60–101 years). Results: At baseline, 14.16% respondents had self-reported visual difficulty. Growth curve models showed that Chinese older adults with visual difficulty experienced a faster decline in cognitive function compared to those without visual difficulty ( β = −0.02, p < .01). Older adults who began experiencing visual difficulty between 61 and 75 years of age had steeper cognitive declines compared to those with earlier or later onset ( β = −0.05, p < .01). Discussion: Older adults with self-reported visual difficulty experience faster rates of cognitive decline. Future research should explore potential factors that underlie the association between onset timing of visual difficulty and cognitive function.
Why Neighbors Would Help: A Vignette Experiment on Reciprocity in Informal Helping
Authors: Ramaekers Marlou J. M. , van der Lippe Tanja , Derks Belle
Published: April 2024

Reciprocity in informal helping, or informal volunteering, is often seen as a way to ensure that people who are not altruistically motivated exchange help. Yet, it could be problematic for those who are unable to help, as they would be excluded from this exchange. We study to what extent people’s reciprocity expectations affect informal helping intentions and whether necessity of helping and perceived helpfulness (indirect reciprocity) compensate and moderate this relationship. Expectations are tested with a factorial survey conducted among the Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences panel ( N vignettes = 3,299). Multilevel regression analyses show that people have stronger intentions to help those who are likely to reciprocate but that a strong need for help and having helped others in the past are more important reasons to help. Furthermore, the effect of likelihood of reciprocity on informal helping intentions is stronger for neighbors who never helped others. Policy implications of these results are discussed.
Understanding Dyslexia Guidance for Parents and Teachers: A Review of States' Handbooks
Authors: Brown-Chidsey Rachel , Scott Amy N. , Hauerwas Laura , Nalls Amanda
Published: April 2024

Most U.S. states have laws related to supporting students with dyslexia, including dyslexia screening, intervention, and teacher training. Additionally, 40 states have published dyslexia handbooks that include information about defining dyslexia, screening, core instruction, intervention, and progress monitoring. This study utilized a qualitative content analysis to identify the major topics and themes included in these handbooks. Results showed that most of the handbooks included details about the intended audience, defining dyslexia, methods of assessment, types of instruction and intervention, information for parents, and additional resources. Dominant themes in the handbook content were translating research to practice, educator focus, intervention over instruction, and a lack of information related to multilingual learners. The findings suggest that the current handbooks offer consistent information about the definition and features of dyslexia but do not always include information from research-based practices to support students with dyslexia.
The influence of aniline on the properties of polyaniline nanotubes and their polymerisation mechanism
Authors: Jiao Shengqing , Wang Yanmin , Xiao Yuansong , Han Yongqin , Li Tingxi , Ma Yong
Published: April 2024

Polyaniline is a kind of polymer material with excellent electrochemical performance, and it stands out among a number of conductive polymer materials owing to its low cost, easy availability of raw materials, and excellent physical and chemical properties. However, the poor processability of polyaniline impedes its broad application. Preparing nanosized structure and introducing big molecular organic acids as dopant are practical strategies to solve this problem. Here using ammonium persulfate as oxidant, sodium dodecyl sulfate as surfactant, and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid as doping acid, polyaniline nanotubes were successfully prepared via emulsion polymerization method and characterized by various measurements. The influence of aniline concentration on the morphology and property of the product was explored. The polymerization mechanism of polyaniline nanotubes was discussed in detail based on the analysis of the microscopic morphology. As the concentration of aniline monomer increases, the position of the characteristic absorption peak in the infrared spectrum of the polyaniline main chain remains almost unchanged, but the ratio of benzene to quinone gradually increases. Along with the increasing aniline concentration, the crystallinity of polyaniline gradually decreases from 56.21% to 40.37%. In addition, the optimal conductivity is 2.05×10−2 S/cm when the concentration of aniline monomer is 0.5 mol/L.
Seat-to-hand vibration transmissibility influence on cognitive performance via tablet evaluation
Authors: Costa Matheus Carvalho Barbosa , Duarte Maria Lúcia Machado , Viana Pedro Augusto Xavier , Nick Herbert Camara
Published: April 2024

Exposure to Whole Body Vibration can affect the individual’s cognition, and different frequencies and magnitude of vibration cause different effects, which can have either an improvement or deteriorate the individual’s cognitive abilities. The present work aims to correlate seat-to-hand vibration transmissibility with the cognitive performance, simulating the working condition of a bus fare collectors. For this purpose, tests with 20 volunteers on a vibrating platform with sinusoidal vibration applied in the vertical direction were performed. The vibration amplitudes of 0.2 and 0.7 m/s2, and frequencies of 5 and 30 Hz were used. A daily routine of a bus fare collectors was simulated, based on data from the public transport system in the Belo Horizonte city. Vibration signals were collected on the platform chair and on the volunteer’s hands, and were post-processed. Cognitive performance was assessed using a Brain Training App, and three indicators were considered: score, accuracy and reaction time to respond. The results showed that the frequencies adopted were beneficial to the score and accuracy, with the frequency of 5 Hz having better results, and the reaction was negatively affected for both frequencies. The vibration transmissibility showed that both frequencies presented the characteristic of attenuation, that is, the vibration amplitudes decreases from the platform chair to the volunteer’s hands. Furthermore, there was a correlation (direct or inverse correlation) between the transmissibility with the reaction, accuracy and score when exposed to whole body vibration, and the type of correlation varied for each frequency and amplitude tested.
Extracellular mitochondrial components as new biomarkers for lupus nephritis
Authors: Gowda Sharath , Rana Khushboo , Kumar Ankit , Prajapati Pradip Kumar , Patel Namisha , Pandya Sapan , Srivastava Ratika
Published: April 2024

Major reason for mortality among systemic lupus erythematosus patients is renal failure due to the deposition of immune complexes in the glomeruli. Being a chronic disease with multiple relapses and remissions across the lifespan, it’s important to know the degree of nephritis for diagnosis as well as the long-term clinical management of the patients. Currently, renal biopsy is being used as the gold standard to diagnose and define the stages of the disease. However, renal biopsy being invasive only provides a localized picture of nephritis, and has the risk of bleeding. Additionally, it is also cost-intensive. Hence, a reliable, non-invasive biomarker is required for lupus nephritis. This study has evaluated extracellular mitochondrial components, including cell-free mitochondria, and cell-free mitochondrial DNA as probable biomarkers of the degree of nephritis. Both showed a significant correlation with proteinuria and protein-creatinine ratio. Our study substantiates their usage as clinical biomarkers of nephritis upon their validation in a larger cohort of lupus nephritis patients and other forms of nephritis. Although the current data suggest using cell-free mitochondria as a biomarker of lupus nephritis is better than the cell-free mitochondrial DNA.
Estimating dynamic treatment regimes for ordinal outcomes with household interference: Application in household smoking cessation
Authors: Jiang Cong , Thompson Mary , Wallace Michael
Published: April 2024

The focus of precision medicine is on decision support, often in the form of dynamic treatment regimes, which are sequences of decision rules. At each decision point, the decision rules determine the next treatment according to the patient’s baseline characteristics, the information on treatments and responses accrued by that point, and the patient’s current health status, including symptom severity and other measures. However, dynamic treatment regime estimation with ordinal outcomes is rarely studied, and rarer still in the context of interference – where one patient’s treatment may affect another’s outcome. In this paper, we introduce the weighted proportional odds model: a regression based, approximate doubly-robust approach to single-stage dynamic treatment regime estimation for ordinal outcomes. This method also accounts for the possibility of interference between individuals sharing a household through the use of covariate balancing weights derived from joint propensity scores. Examining different types of balancing weights, we verify the approximate double robustness of weighted proportional odds model with our adjusted weights via simulation studies. We further extend weighted proportional odds model to multi-stage dynamic treatment regime estimation with household interference, namely dynamic weighted proportional odds model. Lastly, we demonstrate our proposed methodology in the analysis of longitudinal survey data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study, which motivates this work. Furthermore, considering interference, we provide optimal treatment strategies for households to achieve smoking cessation of the pair in the household.
The “Why” behind including “Y” in your imputation model
Authors: D’Agostino McGowan Lucy , Lotspeich Sarah C , Hepler Staci A
Published: April 2024

Missing data is a common challenge when analyzing epidemiological data, and imputation is often used to address this issue. Here, we investigate the scenario where a covariate used in an analysis has missingness and will be imputed. There are recommendations to include the outcome from the analysis model in the imputation model for missing covariates, but it is not necessarily clear if this recommendation always holds and why this is sometimes true. We examine deterministic imputation (i.e. single imputation with fixed values) and stochastic imputation (i.e. single or multiple imputation with random values) methods and their implications for estimating the relationship between the imputed covariate and the outcome. We mathematically demonstrate that including the outcome variable in imputation models is not just a recommendation but a requirement to achieve unbiased results when using stochastic imputation methods. Moreover, we dispel common misconceptions about deterministic imputation models and demonstrate why the outcome should not be included in these models. This article aims to bridge the gap between imputation in theory and in practice, providing mathematical derivations to explain common statistical recommendations. We offer a better understanding of the considerations involved in imputing missing covariates and emphasize when it is necessary to include the outcome variable in the imputation model.
Unveiling nurses’ end-of-life care experiences: Moral distress and impacts
Authors: Lee Myung Nam , Kwon So-Hi , Yu SuJeong , Park Sook Hyun , Kwon Sinyoung , Kim Cho Hee , Park Myung-Hee , Choi Sung Eun , Kim Sanghee , Kim Sujeong
Published: April 2024

Background

Nurses providing care to patients with end-of-life or terminal illnesses often encounter ethically challenging situations leading to moral distress. However, existing quantitative studies have examined moral distress using instruments that address general clinical situations rather than those specific to end-of-life care. Furthermore, qualitative studies have often been limited to participants from a single unit or those experiencing moral distress-induced circumstances. A comprehensive and integrated understanding of the overarching process of moral distress is vital to discern the unique circumstances surrounding end-of-life care and its consequential impacts.

Research objectives

To explore the moral distress experiences of nurses who are frequently involved in caring for patients with end-of-life or terminal illnesses and apply it to two existing theories: the model of moral distress and the ecological model.

Research design

A qualitative descriptive approach was employed.

Participants and research context

Seven focus group interviews involving 30 nurses were performed. The subsequent transcriptions underwent rigorous content analysis.

Ethical considerations

We obtained Institutional Review Board approval from a university. Focus group interviews were conducted with nurses who agreed to participate and signed the consent form.

Findings

The moral distress-inducing factors and nurses’ perceived impact of moral distress were identified and categorized based on moral distress theories and ecological models. A total of 15 categories and 30 subcategories across the following 4 domains were derived: (1) intrapersonal, (2) interpersonal, (3) organizational, and (4) structural factors.

Conclusions

End-of-life-specific circumstances induced moral distress among nurses, with both negative and positive impacts identified. Effective organizational and policy support is essential to manage conflicts, form a healthy organizational culture, provide training, and prevent unnecessary expenses due to the negative consequences of moral distress.
Social Groups and Unequal Employment Opportunities in Skilled Occupations in India
Authors: Banerjee Tanima
Published: April 2024

Differential labour market outcomes are a major concern in the Indian labour market. This article looks into the caste and ethnicity-based employment gap in skilled jobs in India. The study has used data from two Periodic Labour Force Survey rounds, namely the 2021–2022 round and 2018–2019 round. The employment gap has been decomposed using the non-linear decomposition method. The results suggest that socially forward groups are more likely to participate in skilled jobs than socially backward classes. Moreover, a significant part of the employment gap remains unexplained by characteristic differences, including differences in endowments. However, both the employment gap and the contribution of discriminatory hiring practices are generally less in more skill-oriented jobs. The employment gap in high-skilled occupations is significantly explained by differences in productivity factors. The jobs requiring higher levels of skills are largely prevalent in the public sector that comes under the reservation policy. In the private sector as well, compared to low- or unskilled jobs, high-skilled occupations are more likely to be found in the form of formal jobs to which anti-discrimination laws may be applicable. Low-paying unskilled jobs are mainly dominated by socially backward-class workers in the Indian labour market.
A Comprehensive Analysis of Smart Hospital Technologies and Applications – Our Experience and Narrative Review of Literature
Authors: Loria Gaurav , Nayak Yogamaya , Nishit Nishant
Published: April 2024

Aims and Objectives:

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the applications and impact of smart hospital technologies in addressing challenges within India’s health-care system, focusing on patient-centric care, reduced errors, and operational efficiency.

Materials and Methods:

A detailed examination of smart hospital technologies, including electronic health records, internet of things, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine, was conducted. The study includes a case study of Apollo Hospitals to showcase real-world implementation and outcomes.

Results:

Smart hospitals leverage advanced technologies to enhance patient experiences and care quality. Verified market research predicts substantial growth in global demand for smart hospital technology, reflecting their transformative potential. Apollo Hospitals’ integration of smart tech positively influenced patient satisfaction, diagnostics, workflows, and data analytics, leading to improved clinical decision-making and coordination of care.

Conclusion:

The study underscores the compelling need for smart hospitals as a response to India’s health-care challenges. These technologies offer patient-centric care, decreased errors, and optimized workflows. Apollo Hospitals’ case study demonstrates the positive impact of technology integration on patient welfare and operational efficiency. Embracing smart hospitals facilitates innovation, improved outcomes, and enhanced patient experiences, laying the foundation for a brighter and healthier future across socioeconomic spectrums.
Acceptability and feasibility of a short-term group therapy for people with borderline personality disorder symptoms
Authors: Bartsch Dianna R , Cooke-O’Connor Laura , Connerty Tracy J , van Roekel Helen , Cammell Paul
Published: April 2024

Objective

This study evaluated the acceptance, feasibility and safety of a short-term group program for adults (18 years and older) and youth (16 to 18 years) with borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. Termed Road Maps, the content and development were informed by common treatment factors identified from evidence-based therapies for BPD.

Method

Two-hundred and eight people consented to participate in the research trial and completed baseline measures. Intervention participants rated the acceptability and subjective experience of the group. Attrition rates informed feasibility, and serious adverse events were tracked to identify potential harms.

Results

Participant post-group ratings of the group’s acceptability and subjective experience were above average across both adult and youth populations. Attrition rate after commencement of group was 38% for adults and 27% among youth. The incidence rate of emergency department presentations was reduced by 41% in the 6 months post-group, relative to 6 months pre-group.

Conclusions

The current study provides preliminary support for the acceptability and feasibility of a short-term group therapy program for people with a diagnosis of BPD. Road Maps may be a useful intermediate intervention in a broader model of stepped care. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12622000849796.aspx, (ACTRN12622000849796)
Enhancing End-of-Life Care Knowledge Among Older Spanish-Speaking Adults: Results From a Pilot Educational Intervention on Advance Care Planning and Care Options
Authors: Beltran Susanny J. , Molina Olga , Chapple Reshawna
Published: April 2024

Background

Disparities in advance care planning (ACP) among older Latinos necessitate targeted interventions to enhance engagement and knowledge in end-of-life care. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a resource-efficient, culturally tailored educational intervention in improving ACP readiness and knowledge among older Latino adults in the community.

Methods

A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to assess the impact of the intervention. The study involved community-dwelling older Latinos (aged 61-94) in the U.S. attending community wellness centers. Measures included participants’ knowledge of ACP, care options, familiarity with hospice and palliative care, and attitudes toward hospice, assessed using pre- and post-intervention surveys.

Results

Statistically significant improvements were observed in ACP knowledge, understanding of care options, and attitudes towards hospice and palliative care post-intervention. Demographic factors influenced knowledge scores, with no significant gender differences in the intervention’s efficacy.

Conclusions

The educational intervention effectively enhanced end-of-life care planning readiness and knowledge among older Latinos. The study highlights the potential for sustainable, accessible, and culturally sensitive educational strategies to reduce disparities in ACP knowledge and possibly engagement.
Impact of the Pandemic on Dementia Care and Caregivers: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Velarde-García Juan Francisco , Ortego-Maté Carmen , Sarabia-Cobo Carmen , Delgado Uria Aroa , Fernández-Peña Rosario
Published: April 2024

Physical distancing measures to limit contagion in the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to care for older persons with dementia. Non-essential home visits were prevented and family caregivers took over most of their care. The aim of our study was to describe the lived experience of peoples living with dementia caregivers during the pandemic regarding the care provided and the person cared for. A qualitative phenomenological design was used. Participants were recruited using purposeful sampling. Informants were selected from primary healthcare centers, day centers, and a community mental health unit. The study participants comprised 21 caregivers. Semi-structured in-depth interviews by telephone were used, and field notes were collected from the researchers. A thematic analysis was conducted. The criteria used to control trustworthiness were credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Three main themes and six related sub-themes were identified: (1) care for the person with dementia during the pandemic, including lockdown, associated with difficulties in coping with restrictions, deterioration in health, and the impact of the closure of health and social resources; (2) health and social care provided to people with dementia after the disruptions and the care received from primary care prior to hospital or residential admission; and (3) the caregiver’s perspective on the effects of the psycho-emotional impact, and coping strategies adopted in caring. Interventions for people with dementia should be planned in order to prevent the worsening of their health and cognitive status, while also developing programs to prevent stress and alleviate caregiver burden in case of health crises.
Rise of Populism: Identity Threats as an Explanation in Relation With Deprivation and Cultural Fear
Authors: Babst Axel , Groß Martin , Lang Volker
Published: April 2024

This article introduces the thesis of threatened social identities as a new explanatory approach to the emergence of populist attitudes and tests it explicitly for the first time using quantitative data. We examine whether SIT indicators explain populist attitudes directly and influence effects of indicators of two established approaches: the losers of modernization thesis (LOM) and the cultural backlash thesis (CBT). We use a sample representative for the German labor force. Furthermore, we developed items to quantify the recognition of social identities for the first time with respect to social class and occupational identities. All four of our SIT indicators—recognition of social class, recognition of an East or West German identity, political recognition of occupational groups, and identity insecurity—are significant predictors of populist attitudes. Based on SEMs, we also conclude that these variables are important antecedents of previously established indicators of LOM and CBT on populist attitudes. Overall, we conclude that SIT adds to the literature on the emergence of populism as another complementary explanatory approach. In addition to being effective as an explanation in its own right, this thesis can also fill theoretical and empirical gaps of the established LOM and CBT.
Investigating Disparities in Hypopharyngeal/Laryngeal Cancer Survival in Florida With Geospatial Mapping Analysis
Authors: Ezeh Uche C. , Al-Awady Abdurrahman , Buitron Isabella , Lee Ming , Forman Garrett , Peifer Sophia , Deo Alana , Sweeny Larissa , Weed Donald , Kobetz Erin K. , Reis Isildinha M , Franzmann Elizabeth
Published: April 2024

Objective

Identify predictors of overall survival (OS) after hypopharyngeal/laryngeal cancer in Florida.

Material and Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS) on patients diagnosed with hypopharyngeal or laryngeal cancer from 2010-2017. Primary outcome was OS. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from univariable and multivariable Cox regression models for OS. Data was analyzed from November 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

Results

We analyzed 6771 patients, who were primarily male (81.2%), White non-Hispanic (WNH) (78.2%), publicly insured (70.1%), married (51.8%), and residents of urban counties (73.6%). Black patients were more likely to be younger at diagnosis (38.9%), single (43.4%), to have distant SEER stage disease (25.6%). Median OS were lowest among patients who were uninsured (34 months), with hypopharyngeal site disease (18 months), and a smoking history (current: 34 months, former: 46 months, no smoking: 63 months). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed worse OS for single/unmarried vs married (HR 1.47 [95%CI: 1.36-1.59], P < .001), history of tobacco use (current: HR 1.62 [95%CI: 1.440-1.817], P < .001; former smokers: (HR 1.28 [95%CI: 1.139-1.437], P < .001) vs no history). Improved OS was observed among White Hispanics (WH) vs WNH (HR .73 [95%CI: .655-.817], P < .001) and women vs men (HR .88 [95%CI: .807-.954], P = .002). Geographical mapping showed that mortality rates were highest in census tracts with low income and education.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that sociodemographic and clinical factors impact OS from hypopharyngeal/laryngeal cancer in Florida and vary geographically within the state. These results will help guide future public health interventions.
Getting the Recipe Right: How Content Combinations Drive Social Media Engagement Behaviors
Authors: Lapresta-Romero Sara , Becker Larissa , Hernández-Ortega Blanca , Terho Harri , Franco José L.
Published: April 2024

Social media has become a key touchpoint in contemporary customer journeys. Consequently, prior studies have investigated how social media content drives outcomes. However, much of this research has focused on the design of individual, isolated content elements, paying limited attention to how individuals respond to their holistic combinations. Drawing on multimodality, this study investigates how combinations of content elements drive social media engagement behaviors (SMEBs), a critical social media outcome. Through a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis with 516 Instagram stories, the findings reveal four content element configurations that can drive high SMEBs: the loud, the informative, the affective, and the relational. These findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating that multiple configurations of content elements can simultaneously drive SMEBs, thus challenging the dominant view in the literature, which has focused on the effectiveness of isolated elements on diverse outcomes.
Better Cardiorespiratory Fitness Defined as VO2max Increases the Chance of Partial Clinical Remission and Prolongs Remission Duration in People with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Flotyńska Justyna , Naskręt Dariusz , Niedźwiecki Paweł , Grzelka-Woźniak Agata , Pypeć Aleksandra , Kaczmarek Anita , Cieluch Aleksandra , Zozulińska-Ziółkiewicz Dorota , Uruska Aleksandra
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

An essential process affecting the course of type 1 diabetes (DM1) is the appearance and duration of clinical remission. One of the most important factors promoting the occurrence of remission is physical activity, due to increased activity of antioxidants, reduces insulin resistance and improves glucose transport. Maximal oxygen capacity (VO2max) is an objective measure of the body’s aerobic capacity. To assess VO2max, oxygen uptake should be measured directly during the exercise test. The aim of the study was to evaluate the physical capacity in adults with DM1 and its relationship with the occurrence of partial clinical remission (pCR) during 2 years follow-up.

Methods:

The pCR was assessed by the following mathematical formula: A1c (%) + [4 × insulin dose (U/kg/d)]. The result ⩽9 indicates pCR. VO2max was assessed between 6th and 24th month of diabetes duration using an ergospirometer (COSMED K5 System), during an exercise test carried out on a cycloergometer (RAMP incremental exercise test).

Results:

The study group consisted of 32 adults with DM1. People with pCR were proved to have higher VO2max level [36.0 (33.0-41.5) vs 30.9 (26.5-34.4) ml/min/kg, P = .009. Univariate and multivariate regression confirmed a significant association between VO2max and presence of pCR [AOR 1.26 (1.05-1.52), P = .015]. Duration of remission was longer among group with higher VO2max results [15 (9-24) vs 9 (0-12) months, P = .043]. The positive relationship was observed between diabetes duration and VO2max (rs = 0.484, P = .005). Multivariate linear regression confirms a significant association between remission duration and VO2max (ml/min/kg) (β = 0.595, P = .002).

Conclusion:

The higher VO2max, the better chance of partial clinical remission at 2 years of DM1 and longer duration of remission.
MiR-339-5p Inhibits Ferroptosis by Promoting Autophagic Degradation of FTH1 Through Targeting ATG7 in Liver Cancer Cells
Authors: Cao Fei , Hao Weiyuan , Liang Weiren , Zeng Hui , Zheng Jiaping
Published: April 2024

Background:

Liver cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide, and there is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic strategies and predictive targets to improve the clinical outcomes of advanced liver cancer. Ferroptosis holds promise as a novel strategy for cancer therapy. Epigenetic dysregulation is a hallmark of cancer, and noncoding RNAs are tightly involved in cell fate determination. Therefore, we aimed to identify a novel ferroptosis regulator from aberrantly expressed microRNAs that may serve as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for liver cancer.

Methods:

The expression signature and prognostic value of miR-339 was assessed using TCGA data set. The role of miR-339/ATG7/FTH1 axis in liver cancer cells were evaluated through growth curve, colony formation, 7-AAD staining. The role of miR-339 in regulation of ferroptosis was determined by immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and Elisa kits.

Results:

Here, we showed that miR-339 is aberrantly overexpressed in patients with liver cancer. In addition, miR-339 inhibition dramatically suppresses liver cancer progression. Furthermore, miR-339 silencing drives cell death and inhibits liver cancer progression, indicating that miR-339 may serve as a novel ferroptosis suppressor. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that miR-339 targets ATG7 to facilitate the autophagic degradation of FTH1 and prevent ferroptosis in liver cancer cells.

Conclusions:

We provide important evidence that the miR-339 inhibition activates of the autophagy pathway to promote ferroptosis by degrading FTH1 in liver cancer cells. We found that miR-339 regulates the balance between ferroptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells.
Understanding learners’ relationships with music
Authors: Ojala Juha , Pohjannoro Ulla
Published: April 2024

Relationships with music are at the core of music education. However, they are rarely studied from learners viewpoints—especially those of exceptionally motivated, advanced students—as they are incorporated into the theoretical underpinning or methodological stance of research in instrumental education. In this research project we follow the musical lives of ten advanced, mastery-oriented adolescent instrumentalists. The focus of this first report of our narrative ethnography is on how their relationships with music manifest in written narratives on the role of music and instrument learning in their life. While corroborating findings of previous research, the results demonstrate many idiosyncracies in the trajectories of our participants, including critical events. The results show that studying relationships with music and their development may reveal complex ecological systems in instrument learning and interconnected theoretical concepts, such as self-regulation, self-efficacy, agency, autonomy, identity, and metacognition. These phenomena—which can be challenging to differentiate, adapt, and apply in terms of learning practices—may seem far-removed from everyday musical practices, but can be consolidated when looking at relationships with music as gateways to the learning of musical instruments.
Buffer zones in Wayanad: A social constructivist exploration into farmers’ mental health
Authors: Menon Rahul R , Warrier Manjusha G
Published: April 2024

Buffer zones are regions set aside to border protected areas to preserve biodiversity, control interactions between people and wildlife, and foster sustainable development. The majority of research on buffer zones focuses on ecological issues, and little is known about how they affect local communities’ mental health. This study explores buffer zones’ potential consequences on farmers’ mental health in Wayanad. Through purposive sampling, eleven participants residing in Wayanad were recruited for the study. The socio-demographics of participants were collected through printed translated questionnaires. The qualitative exploration of their lived experiences, perceptions, and coping strategies was conducted using semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke was used to gain a clearer understanding of the data collected. Through in-depth analysis of the data, it was identified that Mental Health Factors, Communication Factors, Financial Impact, Operational Stress, Interference of Judiciary and Legislature, and Seclusion of the Tribal Community were the issues the farmers faced in Wayanad. The results will contribute to the expanding mental health field and give policymakers, conservationists, and mental health professionals information about the potential psychological effects of buffer zones and guide them in creating suitable interventions and support systems to improve mental health.
Tourist engagement: Toward an integrated framework using meta-analysis
Authors: Rasul Tareq , Santini Fernando de Oliveira , Lim Weng Marc , Buhalis Dimitrios , Ramkissoon Haywantee , Ladeira Wagner Junior , Pinto Diego Costa , Azhar Mohd
Published: April 2024

Tourist engagement (TE) has gained prominence in academia and industry. While previous studies have focused on exploring TE in tourism and hospitality, no consolidated empirical study has been conducted. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis using data from 73 independent studies retrieved from 72 papers, with a total sample size of 41,757. Our analysis, using meta-analytic structural equation modelling, tested a conceptual framework and found that tourist experience and TE individually mediate tourists’ satisfaction, emotion, behavioral intention, and loyalty. Additionally, cultural (e.g., power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, indulgence) and economic (e.g., human development index) moderators influence TE. Our findings also suggest that popular global destinations enhance the relationship between tourist experience, engagement, and behavioral intention.
What is ‘freelance feminism’?
Authors: Curran-Troop Hannah , Gill Rosalind , Littler Jo
Published: April 2024

This article introduces the concept of ‘freelance feminism’: a term we use to highlight how a combination of casualised precarious labour and platformised entrepreneurialism constitute a key terrain through which contemporary feminist work is enacted. The article proposes that this term can be a way to understand new formations and constellations of activity which are being shaped in the intersections between precarity, feminism and entrepreneurialism. How, in what ways, and with what consequences are feminist activism and platformised entrepreneurialism becoming entwined? How are new forms of self-promotion, self-branding and precarity shaping feminist cultures? Are entrepreneurial projects more broadly taking on feminist forms and, if so, how can we understand their politics? To explore these issues, the article examines in turn (1) neoliberal, short-term, precarious labour in the cultural industries and its exacerbation during the pandemic, (2) contemporary entrepreneurial ‘platformisation’ and (3) the increased visibility of feminism in contemporary popular culture. It concludes by introducing the range of articles in the special issue.
Women as ‘space invaders’ in a gendered billiards hall: The male space and moments of change
Authors: Zhang Yichen
Published: April 2024

This article takes inspiration from feminist sociologist Nirmal Puwar’s conception of ‘space invaders’, to examine the gendered dynamics within a billiards hall in suburban Shanghai. Drawing upon insights obtained via participant observations in the hall and interviews conducted with members of the college billiards society affiliated with the hall, the article not only identifies the nuanced forms of sexism operating within/through the billiards space, but also explores how the arrival of new types of bodies can introduce new dynamics to the landscape and engender possibilities of change. Ultimately, it outlines three interconnected dimensions or ‘moments’ of spatial mutation – positional displacement, embodied transgression and ontological disruption of the subject. Considering that existing critiques on gendered relations in billiards are limited to media releases, this study marks the first scholarly attempt to analyse the gender power dynamics within the realm of billiards.
Indigenous environmentalism: For a political economy where people (and planet) matter
Authors: Hesketh Chris
Published: April 2024

This article investigates how well E. F. Schumacher’s ideas travel beyond his own time and place. To do so, I contrast the environmental critique offered by Schumacher in Small is Beautiful with contemporary forms of everyday environmentalism provided by Indigenous communities in Latin America that form part of a response to processes of ongoing territorial dispossession. In exploring how well Schumacher’s ideas travel to Latin America, I argue that there are seemingly a significant number of similarities between these forms of environmental politics. However, they can be understood in two different registers. I submit that Schumacher’s environmental critique and political project remains at the level of idealism and contains a variety of elements that remain contradictory for a progressive praxis. By contrast, Indigenous environmentalism in Latin America offers a materially-grounded, structural critique of colonialism that concomitantly offers a new notion of a community-based revolutionary subject. It therefore provides a stronger basis for realising many of the goals Schumacher had in mind. Nevertheless, I conclude that whilst important and necessary, this mode of resistance remains insufficient on its own to achieve an alternative political economy where people and planet matter. For this to be realised, a more encompassing counter movement remains vital. The mantra of ‘small is beautiful’, therefore, still needs to grasp the scale of the ecological crisis.
Managing Innovation From an S-D Logic Perspective
Authors: Lu Lu , Hau Le Nguyen , Ngo Liem Viet , Northey Gavin , Duong Trang Thi-Thuy , Gregory Gary
Published: April 2024

Innovation has traditionally been studied under a goods-dominant (G-D) logic perspective, focusing on product designs and innovations in production, manufacturing, and traditional value chain functions. However, with the development of information technologies and the increasingly competitive business service environment, a services-dominant (S-D) logic has emerged, emphasizing relational interactions among network stakeholders (e.g. partners, suppliers, and customers). Using a services-dominant (S-D) logic perspective coupled with a resource-based perspective, this study examines how resources and capabilities influence innovative strategy, leading to enhanced innovative performance. Employing 200 valid survey data using questionnaires from firms located in Vietnam, this study confirms that basic operant resources and dynamic capabilities significantly affect firms’ innovation performance either directly or indirectly through a mediation effect of S-D logic orientation.