bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Deep Insight into Ferroptosis in Renal Disease: Facts and Perspectives
Authors: Han Zhongyu , Luo Yuanke , Chen Haoran , Zhang Guochen , You Luling , Zhang Meiqi , Lin Yumeng , Yuan Lan , Zhou Shiyi
Published: March 2024

Background: Ferroptosis, a newly recognized form of programmed cell death, is distinguished by its reliance on reactive oxygen species and iron-mediated lipid peroxidation, setting it apart from established types like apoptosis, cell necrosis, and autophagy. Recent studies suggest its role in exacerbating or mitigating diseases by influencing metabolic and signaling pathways in conditions such as tumors and ischemic organ damage. Evidence also links ferroptosis to various kidney diseases, prompting a review of its research status and potential breakthroughs in understanding and treating these conditions. Summary: In acute kidney disease (AKI), ferroptosis has been confirmed in animal kidneys after being induced by various factors such as renal ischemia-reperfusion and cisplatin, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is linked with AKI. Ferroptosis is associated with renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD), TGF-β1 being crucial in this regard. In diabetic nephropathy (DN), high SLC7A11 and low nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) expressions are linked to disease progression. For polycystic kidney disease (PKD), ferroptosis promotes the disease by regulating ferroptosis in kidney tissue. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and lupus nephritis (LN) also have links to ferroptosis, with mtDNA and iron accumulation causing RCC and oxidative stress causing LN. Key Messages: Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of programmed cell death that is associated with various diseases. It targets metabolic and signaling pathways and has been linked to kidney diseases such as AKI, CKD, PKD, DN, LN, and clear cell RCC. Understanding its role in these diseases could lead to breakthroughs in their pathogenesis, etiology, and treatment.
Tabakentwöhnung: Einsatz von E-Zigaretten ist mit vielen Risiken und Unsicherheiten verbunden
Authors: Vitzthum Karin , Andreas Stefan
Published: March 2024

Von einigen Tabakraucher*innen werden elektronische Zigaretten (E-Zigaretten) als Hilfsmittel zum Rauchstopp verwendet. Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit müssen aber noch nachgewiesen werden. Die Autor*innen dieser Studie führten eine offene, kontrollierte Studie mit erwachsenen Personen durch, die täglich mindestens fünf herkömmliche Zigaretten konsumierten und die sich bei einem Rauchentwöhnungsprogramm anmelden wollten. Die Proband*innen wurden in zwei Gruppen eingeteilt: Die eine Gruppe bekam gratis E-Zigaretten und E-Liquids, eine Standardberatung zum Rauchstopp und die Möglichkeit, eine (kostenpflichtige) Nikotin-Ersatztherapie zu nutzen. Die andere Gruppe bekam nur eine Standardberatung und einen Gutschein, den sie für alles, auch für eine Nikotin-Ersatztherapie, ausgeben konnten. Hauptziel der Studie war es, zu messen, wie viele der Teilnehmer*innen nach sechs Monaten dauerhaft mit dem Rauchen aufgehört hatten. Ebenso wurde untersucht, wie viele Teilnehmer*innen nach sechs Monaten angaben, weder Tabak noch Nikotin (egal ob durch Rauchen, E-Zigaretten oder Nikotin-Ersatztherapie) zu konsumieren, sowie ihre Atemwegsbeschwerden und ernsten Nebenwirkungen. Die Studie stellt fest, dass die Gruppe mit den E-Zigaretten-Nutzer*innen deutlich mehr Erfolg hatte als die Gruppe, die einen Gutschein erhalten hatte. Außerdem wurde abgefragt, wie viele Teilnehmer*innen in der Woche vor dem 6-Monats-Besuch nicht geraucht hatten. Dabei stellte sich heraus, dass in der Gruppe mit den E-Zigaretten fast doppelt so viele Teilnehmer*innen nicht mehr geraucht hatten wie in der Gutscheingruppe, aber dass in der Gutscheingruppe mehr Teilnehmer*innen waren, die gar kein Nikotin mehr konsumierten. Die Hinzunahme von E-Zigaretten zur herkömmlichen Raucherentwöhnungsberatung führte bei Raucher*innen zu einer höheren Abstinenz vom Tabakkonsum im Vergleich zur alleinigen Raucherentwöhnungsberatung. Unerwünschte Nebenwirkungen traten in der E-Zigarettengruppe häufiger auf.
Patient Screening for Self‐Expanding Percutaneous Pulmonary Valves Using Virtual Reality
Authors: Zablah Jenny E. , Than Jeannie , Browne Lorna P. , Rodriguez Salvador , Morgan Gareth J.
Published: March 2024

Background

In recent years, self‐expanding technology to treat pulmonary regurgitation in the native right ventricular outflow tract became Food and Drug Administration approved in the United States and is now routinely used. The current practice for selection of patients who are candidates for these devices includes screening for “anatomic fit,” performed by each of the manufacturing companies. Our study aims to validate the use of virtual reality (VR) as a tool for local physician‐led screening of patients.

Methods and Results

This retrospective study from Children's Hospital Colorado included patients who underwent pulmonary valve replacement and had screening for a Harmony TPV or Alterra Prestent performed between September 2020 and January 2022. The data from the commercial companies’ dedicated analysis for self‐expanding transcatheter pulmonary valve frames evaluation with perimeter analysis were collected. VR simulation was performed blinded by 2 congenital interventional cardiologists using Elucis VR software and an Oculus Quest 2 headset. Among the 27 evaluated cases, the use of a self‐expandable valve was recommended by companies’ dedicated analysis in 23 cases (85.2%), by VR assessment in 26 cases (96.3), and finally implanted in 25 cases (92.6%). Regarding the level of agreement, both modalities (manufacturer and VR) were good at screening‐in patients who received a self‐expanding valve (100% versus 96.1%). When it came to screening‐out the patients, VR presented good capacity to accurately classify nonsuitable patients (50% versus 100%).

Conclusions

Our institutional experience with VR transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation planning accurately predicted clinical outcomes. This paves the way for routine use of VR in patient selection for self‐expanding valve technologies.
What Do We Really Know About the Effect of Prolonged Heart Rhythm Monitoring After Stroke?
Authors: Ihle-Hansen Håkon , Hagberg Guri , Ihle-Hansen Hege , Sandset Else Chartlotte , Andrade Jason G. , Mandrola John , Diederichsen Søren Zöga
Published: March 2024

The bulk of the current knowledge on atrial fibrillation (AF)-associated stroke risk and benefit of oral anticoagulation derives from studies on patients with clinically diagnosed AF. Subclinical AF (SCAF), defined as AF discovered during the interrogation of prolonged heart monitoring, is often asymptomatic and short-lasting, is associated with increased stroke risk compared with sinus rhythm, and may progress to clinical AF. Despite the extensive screening for and treatment of SCAF, especially in secondary stroke prevention, the net benefit of this practice is not established. Recent studies of SCAF have provided new insights: (1) SCAF is extremely common and may sometimes indicate physiological findings, (2) the stroke risk associated with SCAF is lower than that of clinically detected AF, and (3) any benefit on stroke risk may be countered by increased bleeding risk (no net benefit). How should we interpret the latest knowledge in the setting of poststroke AF screening and prevention?
Vector Symbolic Finite State Machines in Attractor Neural Networks
Authors: Cotteret Madison , Greatorex Hugh , Ziegler Martin , Chicca Elisabetta
Published: March 2024

Hopfield attractor networks are robust distributed models of human memory, but they lack a general mechanism for effecting state-dependent attractor transitions in response to input. We propose construction rules such that an attractor network may implement an arbitrary finite state machine (FSM), where states and stimuli are represented by high-dimensional random vectors and all state transitions are enacted by the attractor network’s dynamics. Numerical simulations show the capacity of the model, in terms of the maximum size of implementable FSM, to be linear in the size of the attractor network for dense bipolar state vectors and approximately quadratic for sparse binary state vectors. We show that the model is robust to imprecise and noisy weights, and so a prime candidate for implementation with high-density but unreliable devices. By endowing attractor networks with the ability to emulate arbitrary FSMs, we propose a plausible path by which FSMs could exist as a distributed computational primitive in biological neural networks.
Tombstones, Stonemasons, and Mental Maps
Authors: Levin Vladimir , Oleshkevich Ekaterina
Published: March 2024

This article proposes a methodology for understanding the business networks and mental maps of Jewish communities in central and eastern Europe from the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. The methodology is based on scrupulous documentation of Jewish tombstones, especially the signatures of stonemasons. Through analysis of the signatures found in the Jewish cemeteries of Croatia, geographical networks become apparent, and we can reconstruct the mental maps of Croatian Jews, both in the Austro-Hungarian period and in interwar Yugoslavia. The Jewish cemeteries in some other central European cities serve as comparative material for our discussion.
Unpublished Nabataean Inscriptions from Southern Sinai
Authors: Ghanem Mahmoud Salem , El-Baset EslamSami Abd
Published: March 2024

In this paper, the authors present a group of previously unpublished Nabataean inscriptions discovered in three sites in the southern Sinai Peninsula, and these are Wadi Kharig, Wadi al-Humryat, and Wadi el-Bdʿ. As part of the study, the personal names and the vocabulary mentioned in them have been thoroughly analyzed.
Animal Protection (husheng) and Ethical Eating Practices in Modern Chinese Buddhism
Authors: Tarocco Francesca
Published: March 2024

This article presents a historical and ethnographic examination of a range of practices connected with the teachings of non-violence and animal protection. I situate Buddhist-inspired vegetarianism in everyday practice rather than referring to clichéd ideas of “identity” and argue that practices connected with ethical eating and the “protection of sentient beings” are useful as a theoretical construct. Conceptualizing vegetarianism as practice can shed light on key aspects of the religious repertoire and the materialities of care that Buddhists can draw from as needed.
Idioms of Dignity and Respect: Addressing Elderly Strangers in Buddhist Monastic Publics in Reformed China
Authors: Shen Yang
Published: March 2024

The paper examines the idioms of dignity and respect in addressing elderly individuals within Buddhist monastic publics in reformed China. It analyzes the use of three common address terms—jushi, shixiong, and lao pusa—and other phrasings as observed during fieldwork in Buddhist temples in Eastern and Southern China in the 2010s. By introducing the concept of “Buddhist monastic publics,” the study illuminates the dynamic interplay between a resident monastic life and the casual encounters of temple-goers. Address patterns are contextualized within the historical tension between monastic and lay statuses in a state-centric, Han-majority society, revealing fluctuating boundaries of inclusivity and exclusivity in Han Buddhist temple interactions. Overall, this study offers anthropological insights into the evolving dynamics of respect and recognition within contemporary Chinese Buddhist sociality. It highlights the diversity of discursive forms that inform and shape this social fabric, contributing to an interactionist interpretation of Buddhist temple engagement.
Prologue
Authors: Howsam Leslie
Published: March 2024

Such is Eliza Orme’s identity—a woman academically trained in law at a time when the discipline’s professional credentials were categorically closed to women—that she was quite well known in her own time and place, late-Victorian London, but has been largely overlooked by posterity despite our ongoing fascination with women’s struggle for equal rights. Miss Orme was ‘hopelessly practical’, as she once told a political audience, but she was also remarkably ambitious. Research in private letters and published accounts reveals her as sarcastic and witty, warm and teasing, blunt and authoritative. Historian Leslie Howsam chooses the genre of ‘research memoir’ to capture key elements of this elusive subject’s life and work while demonstrating how digital resources and methods, increasingly available over four decades of her own career, have transformed the investigation.
The Science Underlying the Probiotic Strain Bifidobacterium in Beneficial Effects on Immunological and Gastrointestinal Health
Authors: Ali Ayub , Islam Nazrul , Fakir Nazrul Islam , Kabir Ahsan , Sharmin Mowmita , Islam Tazul , Rahman Masudur , Badal Fakrul Amin , Taher Abu
Published: March 2024

Probiotics have demonstrated a lot of promise in improving gut health in humans. Despite the encouraging data, nothing is known about the therapeutic effectiveness of many of the probiotics on the market, and it's sometimes unclear how they work. Humans have long used Bifidobacterium, a well-known, multifunctional probiotic, to treat gastrointestinal, immunological, and infectious disorders. It is also therapeutically useful. This review provides a theoretical framework for comprehending the mechanisms of action of Bifidobacterium and highlights the functional advantages from the most pertinent animal and clinical trials. The genus Bifidobacterium belongs to the Actinobacteria phylum. = Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria constitute the most abundant phyla in the human intestinal microbiota, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes being predominant in adults, and Actinobacteria in breast-fed infants, where bifidobacteria can reach levels higher than 90% of the total bacterial population. They are among the first microbial colonizers of the intestines of newborns, and play key roles in the development of their physiology, including maturation of the immune system and use of dietary components. Indeed, some nutrients, such as human milk oligosaccharides, are important drivers of bifidobacterial development. Some Bifidobacterium strains are considered probiotic microorganisms because of their beneficial effects, and they have been included as bioactive ingredients in functional foods, mainly dairy products, as well as in food supplements and pharma products, alone, or together with, other microbes or microbial substrates. Well-documented scientific evidence of their activities is currently available for bifidobacteria containing preparations in some intestinal and extraintestinal pathologies. In particular, it regulates luminal metabolism, maintains gut microbiota stability, and eventually promotes a precisely calibrated homeostatic equilibrium in the host-microbiome relationship. An ideal probiotic selection would benefit from clinical proof of the multifunctional activities' efficacy and mechanism of action.
Stickiness: A New Variable to Characterize the Temperature and Humidity Contributions toward Humid Heat
Authors: Ivanovich Catherine C. , Sobel Adam H. , Horton Radley M. , Raymond Colin
Published: March 2024

Extreme wet-bulb temperatures (Tw) are often used as indicators of heat stress. However, humid heat extremes are fundamentally compound events, and a given Tw can be generated by various combinations of temperature and humidity. Differentiating between extreme humid heat driven by temperature versus humidity is essential to identifying these extremes’ physical drivers and preparing for their distinct impacts. Here we explore the variety of combinations of temperature and humidity contributing to humid heat experienced across the globe. In addition to using traditional metrics, we derive a novel thermodynamic state variable named “stickiness.” Analogous to the oceanographic variable “spice” (which quantifies the relative contributions of temperature and salinity to a given water density), stickiness quantifies the relative contributions of temperature and specific humidity to a given Tw. Consistent across metrics, we find that high magnitudes of Tw tend to occur in the presence of anomalously high moisture, with temperature anomalies of secondary importance. This widespread humidity dependence is consistent with the nonlinear relationship between temperature and specific humidity as prescribed by the Clausius–Clapeyron relationship. Nonetheless, there is a range of stickiness observed at moderate-to-high Tw thresholds. Stickiness allows a more objective evaluation of spatial and temporal variability in the temperature versus humidity dependence of humid heat than traditional variables. In regions with high temporal variability in stickiness, predictive skill for humid heat-related impacts may improve by considering fluctuations in atmospheric humidity in addition to dry-bulb temperature.

Significance Statement

Extreme humid heat increases the risk of heat stress through its influence over humans’ ability to cool down by sweating. Understanding whether humid heat extremes are generated more due to elevated temperature or humidity is important for identifying factors that may increase local risk, preparing for associated impacts, and developing targeted adaptation measures. Here we explore combinations of temperature and humidity across the globe using traditional metrics and by deriving a new variable called “stickiness.” We find that extreme humid heat at dangerous thresholds occurs primarily due to elevated humidity, but that stickiness allows for thorough analysis of the drivers of humid heat at lower thresholds, including identification of regions prone to low- or high-stickiness extremes.
The Great Global Divider? A Comparison of Urban-Rural Partisan Polarization in Western Democracies
Authors: Huijsmans Twan , Rodden Jonathan
Published: March 2024

This study is the first to measure urban-rural electoral divides in a way that facilitates comparisons beyond majoritarian democracies of the UK and North America. Based on national election results at the lowest available geographic level in fifteen countries covering roughly five decades, we present a measure for each election and political party, enabling comparisons over time and between countries with different electoral and party systems. We show that long-term increases in urban-rural divides have been most pronounced in the US, the UK, and Canada, but these divides have also emerged in several European multiparty systems in recent decades, largely because of growing smaller parties with predominantly urban or rural support. Overall urban-rural electoral divides remain lower in these systems due to continued presence of mainstream parties with geographically diverse support. Our contribution paves the way for a comparative research agenda on causes and consequences of urban-rural electoral polarization.
A Quantitative Systematic Literature Review of Self-Monitoring Components Within Mathematics Instruction and Intervention
Authors: Sutherland Marah , Lussier Cayla , Nelson Gena , Suhr Marissa Pilger , Fong Janice , Turtura Jessica , Clarke Ben
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this quantitative systematic literature review was to identify and describe published mathematics studies from 1980 to 2021 that incorporated a self-monitoring component ( k = 22 studies; N = 1,787 students). We examined specific self-monitoring procedures, instructional contexts, implementation variables, and methodological quality. For inclusion, studies needed to (a) include self-monitoring (defined as students observing, evaluating, and/or recording their behaviors), (b) include co-occurring mathematics instruction, (c) include at least one mathematics outcome measure, (d) occur in a school setting, (e) include students in Grades K–12, and (f) utilize a single-case, experimental, or quasiexperimental design. Variables of interest were coded and methodological quality was assessed using What Works Clearinghouse standards. Our findings suggest that students with and without disabilities generally benefit from embedded self-monitoring procedures across mathematical content areas and tiers of instructional support. Future research should further unpack definitions of self-monitoring and related constructs.
Pedalling in Pahlavi Iran: Cycle mobility and competing masculinities
Authors: Koyagi Mikiya
Published: March 2024

Using Persian memoirs, periodicals, and photographs, this essay examines how Iranians integrated the bicycle into their everyday lives in the rapidly changing socioeconomic contexts of the Pahlavi period (1925–1979). It seeks to achieve two goals. First, by drawing comparisons from different geographical contexts, it illustrates how Iran's comparatively belated encounter with bicycle technology shaped its use and social meanings, revealing the agency of consumers of small technologies in the global South. Second, by examining competing ideals of manhood associated with the bicycle, it expands Middle Eastern historiography on masculinity beyond the modern middle class. As growing Iranian working-class men developed peculiar aesthetics and practices around the bicycle that distinguished themselves from modern middle-class men, cycle mobility became highly contested along class and gender lines, raising aspirations and anxieties in the Iranian urban space.
Multiple images captured from a single encounter do not promote face learning
Authors: Matthews Claire M. , Ritchie Kay L. , Laurence Sarah , Mondloch Catherine J.
Published: March 2024

Viewing multiple images of a newly encountered face improves recognition of that identity in new instances. Studies examining face learning have presented high-variability (HV) images that incorporate changes that occur from moment-to-moment (e.g., head orientation and expression) and over time (e.g., lighting, hairstyle, and health). We examined whether low-variability (LV) images (i.e., images that incorporate only moment-to-moment changes) also promote generalisation of learning such that novel instances are recognised. Participants viewed a single image, six LV images, or six HV images of a target identity before being asked to recognise novel images of that identity in a face matching task (training stimuli remained visible) or a memory task (training stimuli were removed). In Experiment 1 ( n = 71), participants indicated which image(s) in 8-image arrays belonged to the target identity. In Experiment 2 ( n = 73), participants indicated whether sequentially presented images belonged to the target identity. Relative to the single-image condition, sensitivity to identity improved and response biases were less conservative in the HV condition; we found no evidence of generalisation of learning in the LV condition regardless of testing protocol. Our findings suggest that day-to-day variability in appearance plays an essential role in acquiring expertise with a novel face.
Stress relaxation behavior of graphene-epoxy nanocomposites: Effects of graphene fraction, strain levels, and temperature
Authors: Acar Alperen , Bakbak Okan , Colak Ozgen
Published: March 2024

In this study, strain level and temperature-dependent stress relaxation behavior of neat epoxy and graphene-epoxy nanocomposites are experimentally investigated. Tests are performed for neat epoxy, graphene-epoxy nanocomposite with content of 0.1 wt% and 0.5 wt% graphene. To determine the effect of strain levels on relaxation behavior, three constant strain levels are chosen: 3.16%, 7.15%, and 35.5%. Those strain levels are chosen to correspond to different zones on the stress–strain curves as: viscoelastic region, yield region, and visco-plastic region. Results have shown that with the addition of 0.1 wt% graphene, relaxation modulus improved 41% at 3.16% constant strain. The effect of graphene is less effective at high strain values: for 7.15% strain, the change in relaxation modulus is 32%, and at 35.5 %strain, the change is 21.25%. In addition, tests are performed for three temperature values: 23, 65, and 120°C to determine the effect of temperature on the relaxation behavior. As expected, nano composition has an improved effect on the stress relaxation behavior. An increasing temperature increases the stress relaxation values. At room temperature (for 7.15% constant strain level) the drop in relaxation modulus for neat epoxy is 32%, this value drops to 22% with the addition of 0.1 wt% graphene. At 65°C, the rate of decrease in modulus with the addition of graphene is almost unchanged. At 120°C, the relaxation performance of the material slightly decreases. Therefore, as a novel result of the research, it is determined through the conducted experiments that increasing temperature lessens the improvement effect of graphene composition on the stress relaxation behavior.
Investigating the influence of annealing and nozzle diameter on tensile strength of polyethylene terephthalate glycol composites
Authors: Raj Tapish , Tyagi Bobby , Jain Akash , Sahai Ankit , Sharma Rahul Swarup
Published: March 2024

Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques, particularly Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), have revolutionized prototyping and low-volume production. Improving the tensile properties of FFF-printed parts is a primary objective to elevate their functional utility. This study aimed to investigate the effects of annealing time (ATM), annealing temperature (ATP), and nozzle diameter (ND) on the tensile strength (TS) of two commonly used printing materials: Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG) and PETG reinforced with carbon fibre (PETG-CF). Samples with varying ND (0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, and 0.8 mm) underwent annealing at ATP of 80°C and 100°C for ATM of 60 min and 120 min, respectively. Subsequent tensile tests were meticulously conducted, and regression models were employed to comprehensively analyse the influence of these control factors on TS. The findings from the tensile tests on annealed specimens revealed substantial improvements in TS for both PETG and PETG-CF materials. Statistical analysis, Taguchi method (TM), and response surface methodology (RSM) indicated that ND exerted a more pronounced impact on TS compared to ATM and ATP. By identifying the optimal control factor combinations for each material, the study pinpointed that the best TS was achieved at 0.8 mm ND, 120 minutes ATM, and 100°C ATP for PETG-CF. The remarkable enhancement in tensile properties for annealed FFF-printed parts underscores the potential of PETG-CF to replace structural metallic components in critical applications within the automotive and aeronautical industries.
Investigation on the optimal ultra-precision machining of nitriding mold steel by in-situ laser assisted diamond cutting
Authors: Huang Kai , Zheng Zhengding , Lin Chuangting , Huang Weiqi , Zhang Jianguo , Chen Xiao , Xiao Junfeng , Xu Jianfeng
Published: March 2024

S136 (STAVAX ESR) mold steel is an advanced material for the optical mold industry. The precisely machined surface quality is essential for guaranteeing the excellent performance of molds. Diamond cutting is a high-efficiency machining technique in optical mold manufacturing. However, the chemical wear of diamond tool is a huge challenge in precisely machining steel mold due to the reaction between atoms C and Fe. In this study, the hybrid machining technique which combined the in-situ laser assisted diamond cutting (LADC) and plasma nitriding was used to machine S136 mold steel. Furthermore, the impact of the various machining conditions on the machined workpiece surface roughness Sa was comprehensively investigated by the Taguchi method (TM) and Response surface methodology (RSM). The experimental results of material characterization indicated that a 90 μm nitride layer was generated on the workpiece surface by plasma nitriding. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) results demonstrated that the feed rate and laser power had an important impact on the machined surface roughness Sa. According to the RSM, a precise mathematical model was developed which is explored by experimental investigations. The results showed that the optimal machining parameter combination by RSM generated the better surface quality of 6.393 nm in in-situ LADC of nitriding steel. This study provides a reference for mold steel ultra-precision machining technique and parameter optimization method for surface integrity.
Building a wall around the welfare state, or around the country? Preferences for immigrant welfare inclusion and immigration policy openness in Europe
Authors: Afonso Alexandre , Negash Samir Mustafa
Published: March 2024

Existing research on welfare chauvinism, which involves preferences about the inclusion or exclusion of immigrants in welfare programmes, often overlooks individual preferences regarding immigration policy openness (the number of immigrants allowed into a country). This article posits that these two dimensions should be considered together. The reason is that the implications of including or excluding migrants in welfare programmes vary significantly depending on whether a country admits few or many immigrants. Utilizing data from two waves of the European Social Survey across 23 European countries, we develop a typology of individual stances that encapsulate attitudes towards both immigration policy openness and immigrant inclusion in the welfare state. Our analysis reveals that the distribution of these stances varies considerably across European nations. We further examine how the probability of endorsing one of these typologies correlates with individual socio-economic characteristics, especially education. We find that higher education levels are linked to a higher likelihood of supporting either a combination of openness and inclusion or, to a lesser extent, openness paired with welfare exclusion. Additionally, more exclusionary attitudes are observed in countries where welfare usage by migrants is higher.
Oral anticancer medicine interventions: A cross-sectional study in French community pharmacies
Authors: Macé Florent , Peyron Christine , Cransac Amélie , Pistre Pauline , Boulin Mathieu
Published: March 2024

Introduction

The increasing number of oral anticancer medicines (OAMs) dispensed in community pharmacies and the associated challenges (misuse, management of side effects) give the community pharmacist (CP) a major role in the pharmacotherapeutic management of cancer patients. In France, as a response to these challenges, cancer outpatients can schedule a meeting with their CP to ensure the safe and effective use of OAMs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the perspectives of these interventions regarding their implementation and the opinion of French CPs.

Methods

A declarative survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with CPs that dispensed at least one OAM between January 2021 and March 2022. The study was conducted between April and August 2022.

Results

Eighty-five CPs completed the survey. Of these pharmacists, 21% ( n = 18) had already performed OAM interventions and 91% ( n = 61) wanted to implement them. Lack of time, knowledge and training were the main barriers to implementation. No correlations were identified between the characteristics of community pharmacies and the likelihood of implementing OAM interventions.

Conclusions

Considering that CPs seem willing to implement them and the favourable context in France, this observational study highlights the potential of OAM interventions to improve the management of cancer patients. Though further studies are required to better evaluate the implementation and the potential effects of these interventions, OAM interventions could be relevant strategies in other healthcare systems to secure the management of cancer patients through the involvement of the CP.
The factors involved in surgical decision-making in younger women diagnosed with breast cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: A qualitative analysis
Authors: Blackmore Tania , Norman Kimberley , Burrett Vanessa , Scarlet Jenni , Campbell Ian , Lawrenson Ross
Published: March 2024

Women diagnosed with breast cancer must make important surgical decisions. The decision-making process for younger women is complex, with this group more likely to have an advanced diagnosis and life-stage considerations that can impact on treatment. This study investigated the decision-making process of women aged <50 years who had undergone breast cancer surgery within the preceding 12 months in Aotearoa New Zealand. Twelve women participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore the factors that influenced treatment decisions. Thematic analysis resulted in three themes. Fear was the main concept identified as the primary influence on initial decision-making. Good quality shared decision-making between patient and clinician was found to provide essential support during the diagnosis to treatment period. In addition, women expressed a need for multi-modal presentation of medical information and more material reflecting younger women. These findings inform provision for younger women making surgical decisions when diagnosed with breast cancer.
Intersemiotic emergence in sketchbook-mediated design learning
Authors: Restrepo-Quevedo D.A. , Cuervo Roberto , Gonzalez-Tobon Juanita , Camacho Jorge , Hernandez Edgar
Published: March 2024

This article presents the concept of intersemiotic emergence as a didactic strategy for design learning, discussed from the perspective of social semiotics and communication studies. With this strategy, students orchestrate autotelic relationships using modes and personalized semiotic resources. The primary value of intersemiotic emergence lies in its efficiency in making sense of the lecturer’s concepts during the design process. The selected sample of design materials was created in the context of two degree programmes – industrial design and graphic design – at two prominent Colombian universities. The methodological design uses an interpretive hermeneutical approach to identify this didactic strategy by analysing a cognitive artifact typical of design learning, the student’s sketchbook. This artifact shows students’ externalization processes, mental model transformations and meaning construction as a form of evolution. The review of iterated samples of the same exercise over a period allowed identifying and characterizing the intersemiotic emergence. In the sketchbooks, the authors found that a student’s mental model evolves due to the interaction between the semiotic resources of the conceptual models used, the mental models of the field in their training process and their experience in the field. This evolution causes the student to mature and produce their own autonomous and personalized externalization whose value resides in its production. The externalization enables students to construct meaning their way, integrating and defining coding and interpretation levels from their understandings of the symbolic field in which they are studying. This process results in the so-called intersemiotic emergence.
Fast, effective, and coherent time series modelling using the sparsity-ranked lasso
Authors: Peterson Ryan , Cavanaugh Joseph
Published: March 2024

The sparsity-ranked lasso (SRL) has been developed for model selection and estimation in the presence of interactions and polynomials. The main tenet of the SRL is that an algorithm should be more sceptical of higher-order polynomials and interactions a priori compared to main effects, and hence the inclusion of these more complex terms should require a higher level of evidence. In time series, the same idea of ranked prior scepticism can be applied to characterize the potentially complex seasonal autoregressive (AR) structure of a series during the model fitting process, becoming especially useful in settings with uncertain or multiple modes of seasonality. The SRL can naturally incorporate exogenous variables, with streamlined options for inference and/or feature selection. The fitting process is quick even for large series with a high-dimensional feature set. In this work, we discuss both the formulation of this procedure and the software we have developed for its implementation via the fastTS R package. We explore the performance of our SRL-based approach in a novel application involving the autoregressive modelling of hourly emergency room arrivals at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. We find that the SRL is considerably faster than its competitors, while generally producing more accurate predictions.
Fifty years on – limitations and opportunities within Ireland`s higher education system and structures
Authors: McTaggart Breda
Published: March 2024

Regional Technical Colleges, later Institutes of Technology, were developed just over fifty years ago in response to a perceived gap in knowledge, skills, and competencies required to promote market growth and success ( Thorn, 2018 ). It was envisaged that this change to Ireland’s higher education landscape would be capable of continuing adaptation to the social, economic, and technological changes (to meet the needs of employers and students (Steering Committee on Technical Education Report to the Minister for Education on Regional Technical Colleges, 1967, 11). Fifty years after this initiative began, the presented paper wishes to reflect and review what is occurring within today’s higher education landscape, posing the question: Did the newly introduced additional higher education institute type evolve from their modest beginnings? Specifically, did they, as suggested by the Steering Committee on Technical Education Report to the Minister for Education on Regional Technical Colleges (1967), avoid the dichotomy and provide students with an opportunity to study in a variety of fields close to their home, or has something else emerged and evolved that is in contradiction to this ambition. This research paper examines these questions using available Higher Education Authority data, considering what this means for student access, equity, and choice within Ireland’s higher education system. The findings of this review suggest that while increased student participation in higher education is evident, the choice for today’s aspiring student is less noticeable or possible within some fields of study because of the socially constructed configuration of Ireland’s higher education system.
Analyzing daily sorties at NAS Kingsville utilizing alternative refueling methods
Authors: Teuschl Ryan , Foraker Joseph , Simpson Scott , Svirsko Anna
Published: March 2024

Training Air Wing TWO (TW-2) is responsible for the intermediate and advanced phases of Undergraduate Jet Pilot Training and provides the US Navy and Marine Corps with newly winged aviators. The objective of this study is to improve daily operations at TW-2 using sortie output and aircraft refuel waiting time as measures of performance. We define a sortie as any flight event attempted on the daily flight schedule to facilitate student training. We create a discrete-event simulation to model daily jet flow and operations at TW-2. We compare current operations with several alternative refueling strategies that incorporate hot pit refueling to minimize the time jets spend on the ground between consecutive sorties. We consider different factors and run a variety of experiments to determine the impact of various fueling strategies on resource utilization rates in an effort to generate more sorties. Our analysis finds that TW-2 can increase daily sortie throughput by an average of 60 sorties by incorporating both hot pit and cold refueling. We recommend using two hot pits to decrease the yearly idle fuel-burn cost by over $342,000 and reclaim a value of $98,422,500 from the annual maintenance contract at TW-2.
Neuromodulation: What the neurointerventionalist needs to know
Authors: Mensah-Brown Kobina G. , Naylor Ryan M. , Graepel Stephen , Brinjikji Waleed
Published: March 2024

Neuromodulation is the alteration of neural activity in the central, peripheral, or autonomic nervous systems. Consequently, this term lends itself to a variety of organ systems including but not limited to the cardiac, nervous, and even gastrointestinal systems. In this review, we provide a primer on neuromodulation, examining the various technological systems employed and neurological disorders targeted with this technology. Ultimately, we undergo a historical analysis of the field's development, pivotal discoveries and inventions gearing this review to neuro-adjacent subspecialties with a specific focus on neurointerventionalists.
Reasonable accommodations and security agendas in multicultural societies: Secular and faith-based approaches to citizenship education in Canada, France and England
Authors: Starkey Hugh
Published: March 2024

In liberal democracies citizenship education is a form of secular worldviews education that focuses on politics and promotes human rights as universal principles. Canada, a bilingual federal state with connections to both Britain and France, illustrates both a liberal nationalist approach, comparable to Britain, in the Anglophone provinces, and radically secularist policies, comparable to France, in the province of Quebec. In a context of global migration and demographic diversity, Canada was a notable pioneer in developing educational responses to its state policies of multiculturalism and human rights. Canadian scholars Charles Taylor and Will Kymlicka developed theories of recognition and reasonable accommodation that accepted religion as both a marker of identity and a set of principles to inform behaviour and decisions. However, national security agendas have also driven education policy in Canada and Europe in response to terrorism motivated by ideological interpretations of religion. Security concerns curtail freedom of religious expression in secularist traditions but also in liberal traditions that recognise the salience of religion. The article argues that education for cosmopolitan citizenship challenges security agendas based on promoting nationalism and that recognition and reasonable accommodation are more likely to promote social cohesion and preserve traditions of democracy and human rights.
Using community-based participatory research to support the development of a co-located intergenerational program
Authors: Kamrudeen Charlotte , Star Harriet , van Rosendal Desma-Ann
Published: March 2024

This paper presents the findings of a ten-week research project exploring the intricacies of a co-located intergenerational program in Southeast Queensland. The research involved an early learning centre, North Early Learning, operated by a large not-for-profit organisation, Queensland Child Learning, and an aged care residence, Aged Care Living (pseudonyms). The research question underpinning this paper focused on identifying the views of educators, children, and families currently attending the early childhood education and care centre who will participate in the co-located intergenerational program. Employing a community-based participatory research approach, the study explores the perspectives of educators, children, and families participating in the program through visual children’s surveys, facilitated interviews, and online surveys. The findings highlight positive attitudes from educators and families toward intergenerational programs, leading to the development of an implementation timeline aligned with the needs of educators, children, and families that are reflective of the unique context of the centre.
Blame for Hum(e)an Beings: The Role of Character Information in Judgments of Blame
Authors: Murray Samuel , O’Neill Kevin , Bridges Jordan , Sytsma Justin , Irving Zachary C.
Published: March 2024

How does character information inform judgments of blame? Some argue that character information is indirectly relevant to blame because it enriches judgments about the mental states of a wrongdoer. Others argue that character information is directly relevant to blame, even when character traits are causally irrelevant to the wrongdoing. We propose an empirical synthesis of these views: a two channel model of blame. The model predicts that character information directly affects blame when this information is relevant to the wrongdoing that elicits blame. Furthermore, the effect of character information on blame depends on judgments about the true self that are independent of judgments of intentionality. Across three preregistered studies ( N = 662), we found support for all three predictions of the two channel model. We propose that this reflects two distinct functions of blame: a social regulatory function that encourages norm compliance and a pedagogical function that encourages personal improvement.
Lifestyle Migration and Native Speakerism in Japan: The Case of NOVA Eikaiwa
Authors: Shircliff Jesse Ezra
Published: March 2024

In this article, the author illustrates how lifestyle migration to Japan is tied to organizational norms of native speakerism and capitalist exploitation. Drawing on 32 interviews and nine months of fieldwork in Tokyo, the author describes how one of the largest foreign conversation schools in Japan (NOVA) has invested in broadcasting whiteness and English skill as traits of authentic native speakers. This process depends on who is viewed as a valuable teacher, but it also depends on migrants who pursue life in Japan through language teaching. Work at NOVA is highly exploitative. Yet because most of the workforce has ulterior motivations, they are willing to exchange substandard work for the privilege of mobility. This case highlights the overlaps between lifestyle migration and native speakerism at the organizational level and how supposedly “win-win” arrangements with labor create an enduring, material setting for the reproduction of ideology.
Debt Bondage and Seasonal Migration: A Study of Western Odisha, India
Authors: Mishra Lopamudra
Published: March 2024

The purpose of the study is to investigate the causes of distressed migration in western Odisha, India, as well as how the economic system is affected by debt bondage. It studies the causes of the seasonal migration of debt bondage utilising the survey. The data are analysed using a binary choice model, and the results suggest that seasonal migrants are more likely to come from impoverished, socially disadvantaged, less educated, indebted and landless households. It suggests the identification of forward and backward linkages between diverse economic activity as well as the creation of job opportunities while deciding on public policy for this region.
In vivo ablation of NF-κB cascade effectors alleviates disease burden in myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Laranjeira Angelo B. A. , Kong Tim , Snyder Steven C. , Fulbright Mary C. , Fisher Daniel A. C. , Starczynowski Daniel T. , Oh Stephen T.
Published: March 2024

Hyperactivation of the NF-κB cascade propagates oncogenic signaling and proinflammation, which together augments disease burden in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Here, we systematically ablate NF-κB signaling effectors to identify core dependencies using a series of primary samples and syngeneic and patient–derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models. Conditional knockout of Rela attenuated Jak2V617F- and MPLW515L-driven onset of polycythemia vera and myelofibrosis disease hallmarks, respectively. In PDXs, RELA knockout diminished leukemic engraftment and bone marrow fibrosis while extending survival. Knockout of upstream effector Myd88 also alleviated disease burden; conversely, perturbation of negative regulator miR-146a microRNA induced earlier lethality and exacerbated disease. Perturbation of NF-κB effectors further skewed the abundance and distribution of hematopoietic multipotent progenitors. Finally, pharmacological targeting of interleukin-1 receptor–associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) with inhibitor CA-4948 suppressed disease burden and inflammatory cytokines specifically in MPN without inducing toxicity in nondiseased models. These findings highlight vulnerabilities in MPN that are exploitable with emerging therapeutic approaches.