bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of ablation behavior on 2.5-dimensional C/SiC composites processed via short electric arc milling with various parameters
Authors: Mao Jiazheng , Zhou Jianping , Wang Bingbing , Xu Yan , Ding Shengwei
Published: November 2024

The machinability of 2.5D C/SiC composites is severely limited by their inherent brittleness, inhomogeneity, and anisotropy. Conventional machining techniques are often associated with several drawbacks, including elevated costs, significant tool deterioration, and suboptimal efficiency. In contrast, short electric arc milling (SEAM) emerges as a promising innovation in the field of specialized machining, serving as a crucial technical approach for the effective processing of conductive materials that pose machining challenges. This work explores the surface quality law after short arc machining of 2.5D C/SiC composites under different process parameters and investigates etching damage incurred. To assess the influence of different parameters on the surface quality post-machining, two evaluation indices were established: surface roughness ( Sa) and the thickness of the heat-affected layer (HAL). A one-factor test was set up to analyze the voltage and current waveforms, the electron microscopy images of the processed surface, Raman spectra, and the surface energy spectrum, using Sa, HAL, and the microscopic morphology as the detection indices. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the arc discharge energy and the discharge frequency exert considerable influences on the quality of the machined surface. Both the Sa and HAL values increase with higher voltage and duty cycle, while they decrease with rising frequency and electrode rotation speed. Consequently, the surface quality can be enhanced by lowering the voltage and duty cycle and by increasing the frequency and electrode rotation speed. Notably, short arc machining leads to a high-temperature oxidation reaction, primarily producing SiO2, which serves to prevent further oxidation of the material. However, the process also results in microscopic defects, such as fiber breakage and fiber pull-out. These findings offer both theoretical and experimental foundations for the future realization of high-efficiency and high-quality processing of 2.5D C/SiC composites via SEAM.
Study on mechanical properties of deposited metallic objects for different build strategies using semi-automatic welding setup
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Bera Tarun K
Published: November 2024

Gas metal arc welding-based metal printing is an effective tool to fabricate complex prototypes and tangibles products having enormous advantages such as low cost and minimum lead time for widespread engineering applications in the developed industry. Gas metal arc welding-based metal-deposition was implemented to build three dimensional specimens with varying cross-sections through different paths strategies, that is, spiral-in (circular and square) and raster (square, diagonal and circular). The given trajectory was followed by providing programmed inputs to the controller of the setup to deposit metal layer over the layer for producing a positive slope on the lower half and a negative slope on the upper half section of the deposited object. The fabricated setup can be used to produce sloped objects having 20° inclination. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength, bending strength and microhardness of the deposited 3D parts were investigated to observe the effect of different depositing strategies. Amongst the various deposition strategies adopted to build parts, the raster diagonal (square) and raster linear (circular) showed the maximum value of tensile and bending strength. The microstructural characterization of the deposited parts was also carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Shaping light rail vehicle wheel profile in terms of wear and ride safety
Authors: Staśkiewicz Tomasz , Firlik Bartosz
Published: November 2024

This paper presents relationships between tram wheel profile geometry and ride safety and wear factors in a model based approach. In order to properly formulate the assumptions for the wheel profile geometry, the influence of selected parameters of the tram wheel profile (number of contact points, clearance between the wheel and the rail, flange inclination) on the dynamic interaction with the rail was determined. Referring to the current state of tram operation conditions in Polish cities, as well as the available scientific literature, the existing, incorrectly selected wheel-rail pairs were also identified in terms of unfavourable placement of contact points, similarity of profile shapes and clearance between the wheel and rail. The interdependencies presented in this work complement the knowledge in the field of cooperation of the tram wheel with the rail, as well as shaping the wheel profile, which is particularly valuable due to the limited number of scientific studies on this subject so far.
Improved chronological constraints for Holocene rock glacier activity in the Ben Ohau Range, Southern Alps/New Zealand
Authors: Winkler Stefan
Published: November 2024

Schmidt-hammer exposure-age dating (SHD) was applied to selected rock glaciers in the south central Ben Ohau Range, Southern Alps, New Zealand, to expand the available regional data set following a previous pilot study. Additional SHD-sampling was conducted on high-altitudinal moraines at two locations with published cosmogenic 10Be surface-exposure ages and utilised to establish a new regional SHD-age calibration equation. SHD-age estimates available for a total of eight rock glaciers and based on >16,000 sampled boulders were analysed in a chronological, morphodynamic, and palaeoclimatic context. SHD-age estimates for initiation of rock glacier formation indicated by the age of their respective frontal ridges spread between 12.1 ± 1.6 and 7.2 ± 0.8 ka with a cluster of four individual features between 9.3 and 8.6 ka. Activity at some rock glaciers commenced immediately after local deglaciation and all are considerably older than previously anticipated. Successive transverse ridges dated on the rock glaciers reveal a clear general trend of increasing age with increasing distance from the rooting zone. This reflects conveyor-like transport of boulders in predominantly stable position on the surface. The SHD-age estimates of the ridges themselves are interpreted as morphological evidence for phases of strong morphodynamic activity connected to cold periods and increased debris supply by climate-driven frost weathering. All investigated rock glaciers show a climax of such activity during the Early Holocene. After c. 7.0 ka such phases became less frequent and subsequently rare during the Late-Holocene. These newly obtained chronological constraints for rock glacier activity are discussed in the context of related palaeoclimatic conditions and their potential to complement the hitherto limited regional palaeoclimatic records for the Early Holocene based on glacial activity.
Effectiveness of acupuncture as an adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Roshanzamir Sharareh , Mohamadi Jahromi Leila Sadat , Zakeri Mohadese , Ghaderpanah Rezvan , Parvin Reyhaneh
Published: November 2024

Background:

Considering the importance of cardiac rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and the development of acupuncture over the past few decades, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on patients’ exercise tolerance, heart rate and blood pressure after CABG.

Methods:

Thirty-four patients with a history of recent CABG were recruited between 2019 and 2020 for this clinical trial and randomly divided into two groups receiving acupuncture plus cardiac rehabilitation (group A) and cardiac rehabilitation alone (group B). In both groups, exercise-based rehabilitation exercise was performed. Group A additionally received acupuncture at PC6, PC4, HT7 and GB20 bilaterally. Changes in blood pressure, heart rate and Borg scale score were evaluated before, during and after the course of the treatment.

Results:

Heart rate was significantly lower in group A compared to group B after completion of the course of the treatment (P = 0.022). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in systolic or diastolic blood pressure or Borg scale scores (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, the Borg scale scores showed a significant decrease within each group over time (P < 0.001), reflecting an improvement in the patients’ ability to tolerate activity after cardiac rehabilitation with or without acupuncture.

Conclusion:

Acupuncture in combination with exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation was more effective at decreasing heart rate than cardiac rehabilitation alone after CABG. Both approaches appeared to be similarly effective at improving exercise tolerance. In this study, the addition of acupuncture at the aforementioned traditional acupuncture point locations to exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation did not affect blood pressure.

Trial registration number:

IRCT20171208037793N1 (Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials).
Review: Application and research progress of near infrared spectroscopy for multidimensional assessment of coffee beans
Authors: Li TingTing , Yu XiangYang , Zu Wenzao , Cai Yefan , Hong Weibin
Published: November 2024

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), recognized as a rapid, non-invasive, easy-to-operate and cost-effective tool for substance analysis, has been widely used and intensively researched in the field of coffee bean analysis. From the perspective of multidimensional evaluation (physical assessment of green coffee, extrinsic assessment, descriptive assessment and affective assessment), this review systematically explores the current applications of near infrared spectroscopy in characterizing the attributes of Arabica coffee beans, and further investigates the identification of coffee bean adulteration and chemical properties through an exhaustive survey of more than 90 published, peer-reviewed articles. Building upon this foundation, this review analyzes and discusses the roles of chemometrics, spectral preprocessing methods, characteristic wavelength screening strategies and outlier removal methods. Through the combined application of these methods, the optimal NIR spectral inversion mechanisms corresponding to different coffee bean properties are revealed. This body of research not only highlights the substantial potential of near infrared spectroscopy but also pinpoints the pressing research gaps within the industrial process of coffee bean quality control. Currently, few studies have differentiated processing methods and elucidated the sweetness attributes, grading attributes, and flavor descriptors of coffee beans. Looking ahead, near infrared spectroscopy technology is anticipated to driving the establishment of a comprehensive and objective coffee bean value system.
Prediction of unknown compressive stress/damage in concrete structure using 3D convolutional neural network-based deep learning of raw electromechanical admittance signals
Authors: Ai Demi , Mo Fang
Published: November 2024

Deep learning approach promotes automated identification of concrete structural stress and damage using electromechanical impedance/admittance (EMI/EMA) technique, while currently automatic identification is overly depending on the known label with certain stress level, which hinders its real-life application for those unknown loading conditions. To this end, this paper proposed a novel deep learning approach using three-dimensional convolutional neural network (3DCNN)-enhanced EMA technique to detect unknown stress and its corelated damage in concrete structures. In the approach, sub-range raw conductance signatures according to the critical root mean square deviations were selected to construct 3D input of the CNN model, and the unknown stress and its belonged range were rapidly predicted. Unknown single stress level and multiple stress range prediction were investigated via monitoring of a concrete structure subjected to uniaxial compression from initial loading to final failure. Experimental validation results demonstrated that the unknown stress level in a range as wide as 16 MPa could be rapidly predicted with high accuracy and efficiency by using the well-trained 3DCNN model, which outperformed the existed two-dimensional CNN and traditional back-propagation networks. Promising results in this study potentially provided a possible paradigm of the EMA data-driven compressive stress prediction in concrete structures with limited condition measurements.
Magnetostrictive Vibration Suppression via Integration of Current Amplification Negative Capacitor and Current Inversion Semi-Active Control Circuit
Authors: Li An , Kobayashi Yuusuke , Hara Yushin , Makihara Kanjuro
Published: November 2024

When attempting to suppress structural vibrations employing a magnetostrictive transducer, owing to the control force is generated from current, a larger amplification of the current entails superior control performance. The semi-active control theory uses the synchronized switching damping (SSD) technique for structural vibration suppression while requiring a minimal energy supply. However, the absence of external energy input limits the current amplification performance. To address this limitation, this study proposes a novel method that combines semi-active vibration suppression method with negative capacitance to improve the current amplification performance. The proposed circuit switches the circuit status between shunt, inductor-capacitor (LC) electrical oscillation, and negative capacitance circuits. A mathematical model was employed to analyze the current operation, suppression performance, and robustness of the proposed circuit. Further, machine learning and kernel regression model were employed to predict the optimal control force gain. Validation experiments conducted on a 10-bay truss structure identical to the simulation model show that the experimental results align with the simulation predictions. The vibration suppression rates of the proposed method under single-mode and multiple-mode vibrations reached 85.8% and 78.3%, respectively, which are 2.64 and 1.89 times higher than those achieved by conventional methods.
Digital Stories on the Anthropocene: Transforming Student Experiential Learning and Creativity
Authors: Arevalo Jorge A. , Alcaraz Jose M. , Shandler Keary
Published: November 2024

Based on action learning, we propose a new use of digital story telling (DST) in sustainability in management education (SiME). Using thematic analysis (TA), we analyze a set of 63 student generated DST films on the Anthropocene to propose an experiential learning framework based on five key learning domains: the Planetary Boundaries, scale issues (time and place), complex governance (levels of approach), social justice (humans and animals), and environmental justice. This innovative framework will help instructors introduce and conceptualize the Anthropocene to business students while promoting cognitive, behavioral, emotional, experiential, and creative learning needed to manage business sustainably while becoming less impactful key drivers and amplifiers of planetary change. Our proposed multi-modal/multi-dimensional framework aims to transform our current education system by offering a point of entry to educators and students on the Anthropocene, while encouraging teaching and research on issues of high societal and future relevance.
CHECK Visual Schedules to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum
Authors: Liang Zhigao
Published: November 2024

Visual schedules use a series of images and text to visually illustrate a sequence of events, prepare the individual for the following action or step within an activity or chain of activities, and prompt them to follow a series of activities or tasks independently. As an evidence-based practice, visual schedules can be effectively used in different settings across age groups and a range of skills and behaviors for learners with autism spectrum disorder. The authors summarize the key steps of making and using visual schedules using the acronym CHECK. Special education and general education teachers or professionals can use the CHECK strategy to increase the participation and independence of their students on the autism spectrum.
A Commentary on Miron et al. (2024): Resolving Identity Conflicts Through Identity Integration and Expansion
Authors: Thrasher Gregory R. , Biermeier-Hanson Benjamin , Hammond Michelle M.
Published: November 2024

The focal article (Miron et al., 2024) asks the important question of how gender influences the effect of managerial power on actions to promote gender equality in the workplace. The authors propose that holding conflicting identities (i.e., gender identity and managerial identity) may lead to differential justice standards. While we agree with the fundamental propositions made in the focal article, we highlight the authors’ either/or identity framework and narrow view of self-schema content as two issues that may be resolved by taking a more complex perspective on identity within the workplace. We specifically propose that by considering the intersection, integration, and breadth of multiple complex identities we can better understand how multiple identities combine to create a more holistic sense of self.
The Impact of Workflow Interruptions on Multidisciplinary Team Communication in Hybrid Healthcare Settings
Authors: Janssens Margo , Van Der Bruggen Samantha S. C. P. , Meslec Nicoleta , Beerepoot Laurens V. , Leenders Roger Th. A. J.
Published: November 2024

Workflow interruptions are skyrocketing in the contemporary workplace, especially in collaborative team environments. The reliance on (communication) technologies and accessibility through email and phone creates increasing avenues for frequent teamwork interruptions. In this study, we investigate in fourteen multidisciplinary team meetings in hybrid healthcare settings (1) which workflow interruptions naturally emerge and (2) how these interruptions influence the communicative processes within the team. We find evidence for an interruptive meeting environment, characterized by videoconferencing issues, disruptive beepers/phones that go off, and people leaving and entering the meeting room during patient discussions. Contrary to what was expected, team members initially respond to the interruption with positive statements (i.e., humor) as a coping mechanism, which decreases significantly in the minutes after the interruptive event. After the interruptive episode, significantly more negative statements, as well as conversational repetitiveness occurs. This research contributes to understanding naturally occurring workflow interruptions in actual organizational healthcare teams, by providing objective and fine-grained empirical insights into how workflow interruptions affect changes in the teams’ communication.
Exploring Respectful Inquiry in Leader-Team Interactions: The Differential Effect of Leader Question Asking and Listening on Team Interaction Dynamics in Decision Making
Authors: Hemshorn de Sanchez Clara S. , Rieg Julia , Lehmann-Willenbrock Nale , Van Quaquebeke Niels
Published: November 2024

Despite extensive research streams on leadership and team processes, there is a surprising paucity of studies at their intersection. Both research streams share an increasing attention to the social interactions at the core of these phenomena. Leveraging this behavioral lens, this study draws on respectful inquiry theory to explore how specific leader communication behaviors affect team interaction dynamics during decision-making, as one important team process. We conducted a laboratory study with 22 four-person teams and a confederate leader who engaged in a hidden profile task in a personnel selection scenario. We manipulated the leader’s question asking behavior (open questions vs. statements only) and listening behavior (listening attentively vs. not listening) and randomly assigned teams to one of the four conditions. Team interactions were video-recorded and analyzed at the micro-level of communication. Specifically, we explored how leader communicative behaviors affected (1) the quality of team decision-making, (2) the conversational structure (via speaker turns), and (3) constructive communication patterns. We found that team’s yielded the lowest performance in the “disrespectful inquiry”-condition (i.e., asking questions but not listening). This condition was also characterized by increased levels of interaction amongst team members that could be interpreted as an attempt to compensate for the lack of functional leadership. By adopting a consistent, micro-level behavioral perspective, our findings bridge the literature of leadership and team interactions and suggest an update to extant theorizing on leadership substitutions.
Exploring Key Drivers for Embracing Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations Pedagogy
Authors: Mazid Imran , Wallace Adrienne , Chen Jin , Choi Sera
Published: November 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform all sectors and daily life, but its integration into Public Relations (PR) education and adoption by PR professors is underexplored. This study examines these factors using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), focusing on seven variables: social influence, perceived AI knowledge, trust, emotion, AI self-efficacy, willingness, and behavioral intentions. Survey data analyzed with Hayes’ Model 80 in SPSS revealed participants’ moderate AI knowledge and its partial integration into PR courses. Social influence, AI knowledge, and emotion significantly drive AI acceptance among PR professors. These findings highlight key considerations for AI integration into PR education.
Regeneration: A Collaborative Writing, Making, and Moving Inquiry
Authors: Dunlop Melissa , Mendus Alys , Price Mark , Abadie Karen , Brown Laurinda , Laidler Carol , Liebmann Marian , Malthouse Marina , Mendus Grace
Published: November 2024

Nine members of the Collaborative Artful Narrative Inquiry network (CANI-net) gathered to explore a regenerative intention. This article tracks our interplay of writing, making, and moving together and questions that arose: How do we go about regenerating? Can we find openings to processes happening outside awareness? How does the refrain “now let’s write” act in relation to the un/intention of regeneration? Is our material, embodied co-presence regenerative? Answers were intimated through listening, touching hands, printmaking, and sculpting clay; in letting things be said and unsaid, writing as response, in making shapes and animal sounds, and dancing Zorba’s Dance.
Analysis of residual stress field in strain-hardened hollow circular discs subjected to autofrettage by radial temperature difference
Authors: Rajput Mohit , Kamal Seikh M , Patil Roshan U
Published: November 2024

Autofrettage is a material forming procedure commonly practised to induce beneficial compressive residual stresses in the proximity of the inner wall of a thick-walled cylinder or hollow disc that are subjected to high pressure in service. This work presents theoretical predictions of residual stresses induced in a hollow circular disc subjected to autofrettage by a radial temperature difference across its wall thickness, called thermal autofrettage. A plane stress condition is assumed for the analysis. The plastic flow of the material in the disc under radial temperature difference is modelled using von Mises yield criterion incorporating Ludwik’s material strain hardening law. The solutions for the thermo-elasto-plastic stresses upon loading the disc by a plastically deforming radial temperature difference and the thermal residual stresses after cooling the disc to room temperature are obtained. The process is numerically exemplified for a typical disc. The beneficial effect of autofrettage-induced residual stresses on the in-service pressure carrying capacity of the disc is investigated. The results obtained in this work are corroborated with the solutions of a corresponding analytical model based on Tresca yield criterion.
When DNA Is and Isn’t Magic: A Conjunctive Analysis of How Context Matters in Homicide Investigations
Authors: Chamberlain Jillian L. , Miethe Terance D. , Regoeczi Wendy C.
Published: November 2024

Previous studies of homicide have examined the probative value of DNA and other forensic evidence for increasing case solvability and identifying best practices in prioritizing investigative resources. The current study was designed to extend this research by evaluating how different types of model specifications may dramatically alter substantive conclusions about the overall and context-specific effects of a DNA match on the likelihood of a homicide’s solvability. Analyses of a sample of 315 homicide cases from Cleveland, Ohio revealed that the presence of a DNA match had no overall significant effect on case clearance, but the impact of DNA exhibited large context-specific effects on this case outcome when its effect was evaluated conjunctively within subsets of offense attributes (i.e., different case profiles involving the presence or absence of eyewitnesses, contact weapons, and incidents in indoor locations) and victim characteristics (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, income level of the victim’s place of residency). Results show that the most difficult to solve homicide cases are assisted by DNA matches, while DNA matches in homicides that occurred indoors with no eyewitnesses were associated with lower solvability. The results of these analyses are discussed in terms of their implications for future research to better identify the particular situational contexts in which DNA evidence is most and least effective in homicide solvability.
Understanding Solid Waste Collectors’ Awareness of Occupational Hazards and Personal Protective Equipment Practices in Northern Malawi
Authors: Ngwira Mercy , Chitete Moses MN , Sibande Mary , Ngwira Yoram , Damazio Chitsanzo
Published: November 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Solid Waste Collectors’ (SWCs) knowledge of occupational hazards, their views on personal protective equipment (PPE), strategies for PPE use, and challenges in managing occupational risks. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of protective measures in addressing occupational hazards, but there was a need for further research to assess the knowledge levels of waste collectors regarding these hazards and PPE practices. This study used a qualitative research technique, specifically a phenomenological research design, to capture the lived experiences of SWCs. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were employed to gather data. Subgroups of topics were created by coding the data using a predefined codebook as part of the content analysis process. The findings revealed that SWCs are aware of the risks they face in their work environments. These risks range from longterm health issues caused by repeated exposure to harmful substances and injuries from sharp objects. However, a significant issue identified was the lack of accessibility and availability of PPE, which exposes waste collectors to various diseases and accidents and forces them to work without necessary safeguards. Efforts to increase PPE availability through public-private partnerships (PPPs) should be promoted. The city council should provide regular on-the-job training on health risks, occupational hazards related to waste collection, and PPE usage. Additionally, efficient channels for SWCs to report problems should be established to ensure their grievances are properly addressed.
High Expression of ZNF208 Predicts Better Prognosis and Suppresses the Tumorigenesis of Breast Cancer
Authors: Wei Jing , Jiao Fangzheng , Wang Xiaoya , Qiao Yifan , Yuan Zihan , Liu Fang , Fang Yan , Pan Yanfang
Published: November 2024

Background:

Breast cancer (BRCA), the hormone related malignant tumor, is well-known for poor prognosis. ZNF208 mainly acts as a transcription factor in various tumors, and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ZNF208 are related to telomere length. Nevertheless, its role in breast tumorigenesis is largely unknown.

Methods:

We systematically investigated the gene expression, prognostic value, and promoter methylation of ZNF208 in BRCA with Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and DNA Methylation Interactive Visualization Database (DNMIVD). Meanwhile, we clarified the association of ZNF208 with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) from Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). Furthermore, we determined the biological process and functional enrichment from Cancer single-cell state atlas (CancerSEA). Finally, we verified our results with prognostic analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay.

Results:

We discovered that ZNF208 was downregulated in breast cancer, and low expression of ZNF208 predicted worse prognosis of BRCA patients. The promoter methylation level of ZNF208 was obviously increased, and ZNF208 was associated with TlCs in BRCA. In addition, ZNF208 could inhibit the metastasis and invasion biological processes, and regulate the MAPK and RAS signaling pathways in BRCA.

Conclusion:

Our findings illustrate that ZNF208 can function as a tumor suppressor and predict prognosis of breast cancer.
Development and Validation of Algorithms to Identify Individuals With Cutaneous Lupus From Healthcare Databases
Authors: Guo Lisa N. , Said Jordan T. , Woodbury Michael J. , Nambudiri Vinod E. , Merola Joseph F.
Published: November 2024

Background:

There are no validated methods to identify individuals with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) from large databases including claims data and electronic health records, severely limiting the study of the epidemiology of this disease.

Objectives:

To develop and validate accurate algorithms to identify individuals with CLE from healthcare records.

Methods:

Twelve case-finding algorithms were developed based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 diagnosis codes, provider specialty, and medication prescription data. To validate performance, algorithms were applied to a test cohort of 300 individuals drawn from a clinical data repository of a multi-institutional healthcare network in Boston, MA. Documentation of a CLE diagnosis by a dermatologist or rheumatologist determined from chart review or supportive biopsy findings was used as the case definition standard. Performance was evaluated based on calculated positive predictive values (PPVs), specificities, and sensitivities of each algorithm.

Results:

PPVs ranged from 58.0% to 92.9%. The use of a single diagnosis code for CLE from any provider had poor PPV. The algorithm with the highest PPV (89.0%) while maintaining sensitivity required at least 1 ICD-10 CLE diagnosis code recorded by a dermatologist.

Conclusions:

Utilizing CLE diagnosis codes and dermatology as the coding provider specialty is a valid method for identifying CLE patients from electronic health records.
Evaluating Difluoromethylornithine Safety and Efficacy for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Chemoprevention: A Systematic Review
Authors: Koulmi Kaouthar , Cattelan Leila , Litvinov Ivan V.
Published: November 2024

Introduction:

Recent FDA approval of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase for the prevention of neuroblastoma in children, has renewed interest in this medication for the prevention of other cancers including keratinocyte carcinomas (KCs). It has been investigated for cancer chemoprevention, including neoplasms of the colon, breast, and prostate.

Methods:

We assessed the current body of literature that determines DFMO efficacy and safety in non-melanoma skin cancer prevention. A systematic search of PubMed Central, and Web of Sciences was performed.

Results:

In this analysis, 12 studies were included evaluating 1618 patients. Most patients were Caucasian 90% (1452/1618) with a mean age of 61 years, and 73% (1214/1618) had previously been diagnosed with KC. For oral DFMO, reduction in KC was significant in 24% (291/1214) of patients. Nonsignificant reduction was observed in 17% (207/1214) of patients. The remaining studies, representing 59% (716/1214) of patients explored DFMO’s pharmacological/biological effects without elucidating its direct impact on KC. Topical DFMO shows modest efficacy in reducing the number of actinic keratosis (AK), as indicated in 4 studies representing 38.12% (154/404) of patients. For patients taking the oral eflornithine, the most frequently reported adverse events included reversible ototoxicity (11% of patients) gastrointestinal disturbances (10.39%). For the topical DFMO transient local cutaneous eruptions were common impacting 28.76% (111/386) of patients.

Conclusion:

Current evidence highlights the lack of conclusive data supporting the efficacy of oral DFMO, making it difficult to recommend its use. Conversely, topical DFMO demonstrates more promising outcomes in preventing AKs, presenting a potentially useful alternative in select patients.
‘The military dream of society’: The military-state, security and the recreation of organisational order
Authors: Hanlon Gerard
Published: November 2024

This paper argues the military are a central force in creating industrial-capitalist organisational order. It suggests that in the interests of preparedness for organised violence, the military come to see work organisation as a problem and so develop an ‘organising logic’ built on surveillance, control, and hierarchy. Using Foucault on discipline, security and population, and Marxist understandings of modes of production, it demonstrates how the military ensured productive workforces. In so doing, it developed a production network – a security apparatus – located in the real subsumption of labour, technical and bureaucratic controls, deskilling, and separating strategy and operations to ensure control, productivity, and state security. These processes and organisational forms were then diffused to the private sphere to reshape organisational order.
Rhythms of repetition and disturbance: Reimagining business-as-usual in the Anthropocene
Authors: Nadegger Monica , Wegerer Philipp K.
Published: November 2024

This article scrutinizes the role of rhythms in perpetuating and transforming business as usual in the Anthropocene. The focus is on understanding how some rhythms become authoritative and repeat business as usual while others prompt radically different temporal imaginaries in and beyond organizations. Empirically, we examine how diverse organizational and natural rhythms come together in the context of the alpine winter tourism industry. By analyzing the constitution of rhythms in materialities, practices, and voices through multimodal vignettes, we trace the development of dominant rhythms with eurhythmic harmony and arrhythmic disturbance emerging as key configurations. This study contributes to a temporal understanding of how business remains locked in its repetition, pointing to eurhythmia as a chronopathic organizational experience when crises in the Anthropocene demand immediate action. Further, we highlight the potential of understanding arrhythmia as an invitation to transform business-as-usual by attuning to neglected, more-than-human temporalities. Overall, this paper draws attention to the power of rhythms in shaping predominant yet unseen configurations of authority in organizational temporality in the Anthropocene.
Association between education level and disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis in France
Authors: Lefort Mathilde , Dejardin Olivier , Berger Eric , Camdessanché Jean-Philippe , Ciron Jonathan , Clavelou Pierre , De Sèze Jerome , Debouverie Marc , Heinzlef Olivier , Labauge Pierre , Laplaud David Axel , Le Page Emmanuelle , Lebrun-Frénay Christine , Moreau Thibault , Pelletier Jean , Ruet Aurélie , Thouvenot Eric , Vukusic Sandra , Zephir Hélène , Defer Gilles , Leray Emmanuelle
Published: November 2024

Background:

Studies have reported an association between socioeconomic status and disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), but findings using the pre-MS individual socioeconomic status are missing.

Objective:

The objective was to investigate the association between education level and disability progression.

Methods:

All Observatoire Français de la Sclérose en Plaques (OFSEP) patients with MS clinical onset over 1960–2014, and aged ⩾25 years at MS onset were included. Education level was classified into four categories from low (primary/secondary school) to very high (master/doctoral degree). Time from MS onset to EDSS 4.0 was studied using flexible parametric survival models adjusted for age, period, and center, and stratified by phenotype (relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)) and sex.

Results:

A total of 11,586 patients were included (women/men ratio = 2.5; age = 36.7 ± 8.6 years; follow-up duration 16.7 ± 9.3 years; 86.4% RMS). For women with RMS, the risk of reaching the outcome at 5 years was inversely associated with the education level (Hazard Ratio medium: 0.74 (0.63–0.87), high: 0.51 (0.43–0.62), very high: 0.39 (0.30–0.50) vs low). Results were similar for men. In PPMS, the risk was significantly different between the extreme groups (very high vs low) for women (0.45 (0.28–0.75)) and men (0.54 (0.32–0.91)), but no gradient was evident.

Conclusion:

Our study showed a strong association between education level and disability progression, regardless of sex and phenotype.
Breakthroughs, advocacies and a return to validity in programme evaluation
Authors: Kushner Saville , Stake Robert
Published: November 2024

This article offers one possible position statement on contemporary Programme Evaluation. Recent developments in this field of practice have seen some commercialisation, politicisation and retreat into theory. There has been a burgeoning growth of the use of programme evaluation for advocacy purposes. We argue that this has been to the neglect of validity – the justification, defensibility and credibility of an evaluation – and we counsel a return to earlier preoccupations with validity, some of which have been lost. We go further, to argue that there is a deficit in validity considerations which is ameliorated with a focus on judgement, experience and expansion of the ‘peripheral vision’ of the evaluator. A broad take on Humanism as an aspect of validity evaluation is also offered.
Perspectives on weight change and antiretroviral therapy from people living with HIV in New York City: A qualitative study
Authors: Kaufman Jennifer E , Wu Yiyi , Manalel Jasmine A , Fusaris Ethan , Correa Arlene , Ernst Jerome , Brennan-Ing Mark
Published: November 2024

Some people living with HIV experience weight gain or loss after initiating or switching antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens. There is limited research on how perceptions of weight change affect health behaviors in this population. We interviewed 61 people living with HIV (aged 23–65; 51% cisgender men, 36% cisgender women, 13% transgender/nonbinary; 87% Black and/or Hispanic) in New York City about their feelings about weight change. Using an inductive thematic approach, we identified four themes: weight changes were attributed to external and internal factors; weight management was seen as an individual responsibility; feeling in control of one’s health was linked to body image satisfaction; and one’s sense of control related to health behaviors in divergent ways. Low perceived control could interfere with recommended behaviors, but some long-term survivors focused on controlling what they could. Healthcare providers should consider HIV patients holistically and be aware of ART’s impact in their daily lives.
COVID-19 and the (smart) city: Capturing the ‘lived-in’ pandemic experiences of the hijra communities in bhubaneswar and New Delhi
Authors: Mukherjee Sramana , Ray Sthitapragyan
Published: November 2024

Hijras, a non-normative sexual minority, routinely experience an array of risks, stigmas, and exclusions in their everyday lives and livelihoods which intensified during COVID-19. The present study explores perceptions and lived-in experiences of hijras during the pandemic in two Indian Smart cities – Bhubaneswar and New Delhi. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, FGDs, and non-participant observation from a sample of 84 hijra respondents via snowball sampling. Using thematic analysis, study findings have been conceptualized into economic challenges, healthcare challenges, and discrimination, that reflects how hijras in New Delhi were relegated to the urban margins, as compared to those in Bhubaneswar.
Emotional impact on language practices of bilingual couples: A study of discursive positioning
Authors: Stępkowska Agnieszka
Published: November 2024

Aims:

By applying the framework of positioning theory, this study seeks to gain insight into how bilingual partners position themselves and each other when emotionally conveying their thoughts and feelings.

Methodology:

Based on the data collected through in-depth interviews, a qualitative analysis has been conducted to obtain the sociolinguistic complexity of private discourse between bilingual couples. Since the idea of discourse as a dynamic process of negotiating meanings by individuals is placed at the core of positioning theory, conversation is viewed as a social interaction.

Data and analysis:

The analysis herein presents the concept of ‘role’ in narratives which shows how individuals locate themselves and each other in talk, which has been illustrated by selected excerpts.

Findings and conclusions:

The data analysis of the researched couples discloses a range of language practices caused by emotions. The findings provide qualitative insights by testing the positioning theory as a means to investigate bilingual couples’ talk from a micro-cultural perspective.

Originality:

This study enunciates positioning theory in a critical approach for a better grasp on the ways of language use in private language contact. It unfolds an account of the dynamics of emotional situations in intimate relationships.

Significance and implications:

The study is intended to provoke a keen reflection on the phenomenon of language use by bilingual couples. The findings contribute to the ongoing discussion of bilingual practices at home, while the exploration of bilingual couples’ talk through a positioning lens helps understand bilingualism ‘in action’.
Bilingual young adults’ perceived influence of parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends on their Spanish and English proficiency: A qualitative analysis
Authors: Jasso Javier , Castilla-Earls Anny , Fulcher-Rood Katrina , Heredia Gabriela
Published: November 2024

Aims and objectives/purpose:

Qualitative studies on bilingual individuals’ perspectives can inform research by identifying community understanding of lived phenomena and aiding in theory building. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived role of external factors in the family, school, and community on the Spanish and English proficiency of a group of Latine Spanish–English bilingual university students.

Methodology:

A qualitative content analysis was used to compare participants’ perspectives and establish the commonality of their experiences. Researcher triangulation was used to ensure rigor. A consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research was used to ensure that the design, collection, and analysis were consistent with accepted qualitative research standards ( Tong et al., 2007 ).

Data and analysis:

Twenty-three bilingual university students in Houston, United States, rated their proficiency in Spanish and English using the Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q; Marian et al., 2007 ) and participated in a structured in-person interview regarding their perceptions of the influence of various external factors on their English and Spanish proficiency.

Findings:

Factors reported to contribute most to adults’ Spanish proficiency included home interactions with parents, family language policies that encouraged Spanish language use, and the need to communicate with grandparents. The most important factors for English proficiency were friends, siblings, and the school environment. These findings aligned with the self-reported ratings.

Originality:

This study is one of the few to qualitatively examine bilingual adults’ experiences and report on relevant factors during childhood to early adulthood.

Significance:

Bilingual experiences in the Houston context are documented here. Findings from this and future studies may be useful to estimate the impact of external factors on proficiency in adulthood, which has implications for conceptual frameworks for bilingual acquisition research.
Exploring cross-linguistic transfer of phonology, morphology, syntax, and orthography from Arabic (L1) to English (FL): An intervention study
Authors: Haddad-Najjar Laila , Abu-Rabia Salim
Published: November 2024

Aim and Objectives:

There is ample evidence available in correlational studies for cross-linguistic transfer from the first language (L1) to a second or a foreign language (L2/FL). Less extensive are the interventional studies in this area. The current study sought to determine which linguistic skills transfer from Arabic (L1) to English (EFL) after employing an intervention program in Arabic.

Design/ methodology:

Participants were sixty-nine Arabic-speaking ninth graders randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving an intervention program in Arabic and a control group not receiving an intervention. Pre-tests and post-tests tapping phonological, orthographic, morphological, and syntactic awareness in English and Arabic were administered to all participants.

Data Analysis:

A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures compared the pre-test and post-test results in English and Arabic within each group and between the groups. In addition, a linear regression model was used to examine the predictive effect of pre-test scores and the intervention program in Arabic on post-test performance in English.

Findings/Conclusion:

Findings revealed a within-language improvement in all Arabic skills after the intervention. As for the cross-linguistic transfer, significant differences favoring the intervention group were only demonstrated in phonological and morphological skills. No transfer was evident in orthographic or syntactic transfer.

Originality:

By employing an intervention program addressing four linguistic skills in Arabic concurrently, the present study revealed a robust transfer of phonological and morphological awareness from Arabic to English, whereas it showed no transfer of orthographic or syntactic awareness.

Significance:

Findings, on the one hand, lend support to the linguistic Interdependent Hypothesis by suggesting that some linguistic skills can interdependently transfer across distant languages. On the contrary, findings endorse the Script Dependent Hypothesis, by showing that some other linguistic skills are language-specific, thereby, impeding cross-linguistic transfer.
Unlearning journalism through decolonising, Indigenous approaches
Authors: Patrick Rhianna , McLaughlin Julie , King-Smith Leah , Schultz Tristan , Thomson TJ , Dezuanni Michael
Published: November 2024

Journalism has both contributed to shaping and been shaped by colonialism and has reproduced the status quo at the expense of those on the margins. Considering this reality, this study explores how journalism education and practice can be unlearned through a decolonising, Indigenous standpoint. It does this through an Indigenous co-led approach that brings together journalism students, journalism academics, and working journalists with family connections to, or extensive experience working with, 10 distinct Indigenous people groups. The participants provided provocations to journalists interested in unlearning the standard way that journalism is learned and practised.