bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Context Contributes to Two-Factor Authentication Choices
Authors: Chavez Fabrizio , Fernandez-Reyes Alejandra , Byrne Michael D.
Published: August 2024

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security method for various types of accounts that adds an extra layer of verification. This second layer of verification improves the security of user accounts beyond the regular password. Despite its benefits, the adoption of 2FA has remained low amongst users. A consistent finding in the 2FA literature is that adoption has remained low because users prioritize usability over security benefits when choosing a 2FA method. However, this body of research overlooks the influence of perceived account importance on decisions to adopt 2FA. This study bridges this gap in the literature by offering evidence that, contrary to the current belief in the literature that 2FA adoption is based on perceptions of usability, account context also plays a role in users’ choices. This highlights the importance of incorporating users’ account importance perceptions in future research that aims to understand users’ perceptions of 2FA and in the design of 2FA set-up pages. Furthermore, users’ perceptions of 2FA were captured and compared to previous studies that used a similar sample pool (students who are forced to use DUO, a 2FA service). The results show inconsistent findings across studies and reveal that users have a common mental model of 2FA, regardless of the method used. This suggests interfaces can be redesigned to better match user perceptions with the actual needs of various contexts.
Aging Safely Online: Unpacking Privacy & Security of Online Dating for Older Adults
Authors: Noah Naheem , Thakur Supriya , Beck Jason , Das Sanchari
Published: August 2024

Online dating is increasingly popular among older adults, yet their vulnerability to cyberattacks makes the sharing of personal information particularly risky. This study investigates the privacy and security of online dating applications with a focus on users aged 65 and older. To this aid, we conducted a security analysis of the topmost downloaded dating applications, reviewing their privacy policies and data collection practices. Our findings reveal that these apps collect extensive personal data, including sensitive information such as location, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, health status, and more. Our analysis also identified 61 dangerous permissions implemented by these apps that allow access to restricted data and functionalities, with location access, camera permissions, and third-party data sharing posing significant risks for older users. Through this work, our goal is to promote enhanced privacy protections and raise security awareness to ensure a safer online dating environment for this marginalized group.
Embodiment of Virtual Body and Extremities With Movement Control in Reaching Tasks Using Virtual Reality
Authors: Wu Linfeng , Chen Karen B.
Published: August 2024

The study explores embodiment in virtual reality (VR), investigating its effects on task performance across various body representations. Previous research highlighted the impact of embodiment on motor performance in VR, emphasizing the importance of body representation. While prior studies mainly focused on full-body avatars, this study aims to understand the perceived embodiment in hand and foot-reaching tasks using different body representations. Thirty-two participants engaged in reaching tasks within VR environments, employing a 4 × 3 within-subjects design. Results indicated significant differences in embodiment across body representation conditions, with notable effects on task performance. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring virtual environments to enhance embodiment and consider task-specific demands to optimize performance outcomes. Personalizing VR experiences based on body representations could effectively enhance user engagement and satisfaction, offering valuable insights for future VR applications in various domains.
Driving Change to Electric Vehicles: A Comprehensive Study of Electric Vehicle User Segmentation and Charging Behaviors
Authors: Bae Jaehoo , Yun Myung Hwan
Published: August 2024

Global automakers are implementing strategies to increase the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) due to environmentally friendly policies. While extensive research has been conducted on various aspects of EVs, there is a lack of understanding from the perspective of human factors that could impact EV usability. This study, therefore, aimed to fill this gap by identifying the distinct characteristics of EV users’ charging behaviors and varying needs across different user groups. Our extensive surveys gathered information about EV users’ socio-demographics and overall charging behavior. After preprocessing the data of 114 participants, we derived the “Minimum Charging Frequency (MCF)” index, the distance driven per month divided by the vehicle’s range. The average MCF was used to segregate participants into two groups, and we found statistically significant differences in several characteristics. This underscores the importance of human factors in several stakeholders regarding EVs to meet diverse user preferences better.
Investigating 24- to 48-hr Forecast of Offshore Worker Alertness and Vigilance Using Multimodal Sources: A Proactive Fatigue Monitoring Paradigm
Authors: Nartey David , Kang John , Sasangohar Farzan , Mehta Ranjana K.
Published: August 2024

Fatigue is a significant contributor to accidents in the high-risk oil and gas industry. This study developed and evaluated models for forecasting fatigue manifestation in offshore workers using the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT). Seventy offshore workers participated in a four-week study, providing data on sleep, physiological, subjective, and performance measures. Various machine learning models (Ridge, Random Forest, Support Vector, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) regressions) were employed to predict PVT reaction times using different data normalization between generalized and personalized datasets. Results indicate that personalized Support Vector Regression models outperform other models in predicting short-term fatigue. Age and perceived exertion emerged as crucial predictors of fatigue. The findings underscore the potential of personalized fatigue forecasting for enhancing safety in the oil and gas industry.
Using the IMPRINT Tool to Develop a Simulated Manpower Model for Navy Vessel Acquisition
Authors: Eriksen Joergen , Shattuck Nita Lewis , Matsangas Panagiotis , McClernon Christopher K. , Mjelde Frode Voll
Published: August 2024

This study explored the use of discrete event simulation models as a method to inform the Royal Norwegian Navy acquisition process for making manpower requirements decisions. Work/rest data were collected on a Norwegian Coast Guard vessel (9-day underway, 22 crewmembers). Participants completed questionnaires pre-/post-study, wore Ōura rings, and documented their work/rest patterns in activity logs. The Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT) was used to build two manpower models (Baseline and Augmented) that were compared in terms of workload, sleep, and task completion. Results showed that highly prioritized events were completed sufficiently. However, the addition of more tasks reduced sleep among all sailors but especially for those who were watchstanders. This reduced sleep duration resulted primarily from the increased workload, especially for some crewmembers who were already experiencing restricted sleep. Overall, IMPRINT Pro Forces can be a valuable tool for assessing manpower requirements during ship acquisitions.
A Love Letter to Women, Femme, and Nonbinary Critical Scholars of Color: Theorizing the Four I’s of Love in SiSTARhood
Authors: Kokka Kari , Gutiérrez Rochelle , Myers Marrielle
Published: August 2024

In this love letter, we explore our siSTARhood through we-search as critical women of Color scholars in mathematics teacher education in predominantly white institutions. We analyze the siSTARhood, love, joy, strength, and healing we find with ourselves, each other, and our relationships. Drawing on the Four I’s of Oppression (ideological, institutional, interpersonal, internalized), we flip the framework to theorize the Four I’s of Love in SiSTARhood (4ILS), developed through personal and composite counter-storytelling. The 4ILS framework aims to affirm and support critical women, femme, and nonbinary scholars of Color to unapologetically live our truths.
Tribological investigation of the new combustion chamber with wall-guided fuel injection in a diesel engine
Authors: Temizer Ilker , Cihan Omer
Published: August 2024

Reducing pollutants and increasing thermal efficiency in internal combustion engines is possible by creating better air-fuel mixtures and optimizing the combustion process. In this context, a new combustion chamber providing directed fuel injection was used in a single cylinder diesel engine with a standard combustion chamber. Thus, it was aimed to investigate the tribological behavior of engines with different combustion chambers on long-term engine operation. In engine experiments using two different combustion chambers, the engine was operated at 100 h and partial load. The results of the study showed that changes in combustion chamber structure closely modify engine tribology under the same engine and operating conditions (compression ratio, spray angle and amount, speed, etc.). Looking at the cylinder surfaces examined under an optical microscope, the new combustion chamber showed abrasive wear lines with lower intensity than the standard combustion chamber, while SEM/EDX analysis of the piston ring surfaces showed a similar result. Especially when the analysis of the second ring used in the standard combustion chamber is examined, abrasion occurred in a wider area. Abrasive wear lines were found to be longer, especially in the first ring of the new combustion chamber. It is considered that combustion parameters and exhaust formation processes bring about load/temperature variations of engine lubricating oil and engine components in a chain reaction. This has been found to change the wear levels in engine components and could directly contribute to engine life.
Higher education students’ conceptions of learning gain
Authors: Ilie Sonia , Forbes Karen , Curran Sara , Vermunt Jan D.
Published: August 2024

Learning gain in higher education, specifically the development of subject-adjacent skills, abilities and competencies, is of key scholarly and policy relevance. However, little research focuses on students’ broad understandings of learning gain. This paper takes a phenomenographic approach to explore students’ conceptions of learning gain, and how these may differ by subject and stage of study. Drawing on thirty-three qualitative interviews with a diverse group of undergraduate and postgraduate students across four subjects in three UK universities, this paper derives three distinct categories of understanding in relation to learning gain, increasing in complexity. The first category, naïve understandings, is characterised by short-term learning goals, the prioritisation of surface approaches to learning including memorisation, with subject knowledge more important than skills. Motivations to learn are broadly extrinsic and related to assessments. The second category, emergent understandings, features greater awareness of approaches to learning, including structured planning of learning activities in response to a range of goals, and pragmatic responses to desirable learning outcomes. There is growing recognition of links between subject-specific and generic skills, and adaptation features strongly. The most sophisticated category, comprehensive understandings, is characterised by flexible learning goals, the acknowledgment of the independent nature of higher education learning and strong self-regulation, with deep approaches to learning consciously prioritised. Dynamic views of knowledge prevail, which distinguish this category from the other two. These categories of understanding grow in complexity with study stage, and also vary by subject of study, with interactions present in relation to prioritised aspects of learning gain, views of change and how explicit aspects of learning gain are made within the subject of study. Any attempt to capture learning gain for its improvement would therefore need to encompass a variety of aspects of learning gain, contextualised for subject and stage and include a student perspective.
Corrosion mechanisms of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens on carbon steel based on biofilm perspective
Authors: Xu Ping , Chen Xinyue , Ren Hengyang
Published: August 2024

Corrosion mechanisms of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens and E. coli–P. fluorescens on carbon steel were researched by the corrosion weight loss, electrochemical impedance, microbial inoculation culture, biofilm three-dimensional layer scanning, environmental scanning electron microscope, infrared spectroscopy and other methods. It was found that the corrosion rate in E. coli condition was 1.37–1.48 times higher than that in P. fluorescens condition and 1.23–1.33 times higher than that in E. coli–P. fluorescens condition. Although the types of functional groups contained in the EPS secreted by E. coli and P. fluorescens were the same, the hydrogen bonding was weaker in the former, resulting in a loose biofilm structure. Meanwhile, the metabolic corrosion of E. coli itself dominated in the corrosion. On the contrary, P. fluorescens condition and E. coli–P. fluorescens condition had stronger hydrogen bonding of functional groups, so their biofilm structure was tighter. For P. fluorescens condition, the corrosion behaviour was dominated by inhibitory action of EPS in late. For E. coli–P. fluorescens condition, the corrosion behaviour was dominated by metabolic corrosion of E. coli–P. fluorescens itself in early. However, corrosion behaviour was dominated by inhibitory corrosion of EPS in middle. E. coli–P. fluorescens itself and EPS had comparable roles in late.
Can Rick and Morty Save the Planet? Re-Politicizing Climate Change Through Humor and Animation
Authors: Hellmann Olli
Published: August 2024

Much of the environmental communication literature follows the consensus-building perspective and thus explores how to communicate climate change in ways that can diffuse politico-ideological conflict. My paper, on the other hand, builds on the critical debate approach—which asserts that the depoliticization of climate change acts as a barrier to transformative socio-ecological change—and argues that animated parody offers a powerful rhetorical tool to re-politicize climate change. I develop the paper’s argument through a case study of the Rick and Morty episode “A Rickconvenient Truth”—a parodical take on the 1990s children’s TV show Captain Planet and the Planeteers. By applying reflexive thematic analysis to a dataset of >7,600 Reddit user comments, I reveal that the episode prompts fans to question “standard” ways of thinking about climate change and deliberate radical alternatives for combatting the ecological crisis.
Effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of PBT/PET yarn
Authors: Wan Ailan , Xu Tianlei , Yao Chenxi , Gao Lizhong
Published: August 2024

To study the effect of the finishing process on the mechanical properties of polybutylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate (PBT/PET) bicomponent polyester fiber, PBT/PET yarns were subjected to heat-moisture and dry-heat treatment at different temperatures and times. The tensile properties, elastic recovery, stress relaxation, and creep properties of the yarn were tested. The crystalline structure of PBT/PET fiber before and after heat treatment was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to explain the change in yarn mechanical properties. The mechanical model of PBT/PET yarn was established, and the change in mechanical properties was investigated theoretically. The results show that the strength of PBT/PET yarn decreases by 10.77%, and the elongation increase by 34.81% after dry-hear treatment at 160°C for 25 min. The mechanical properties of the yarn are affected by the temperature and time of heat treatment. XRD analysis shows that the crystallinity of PBT/PET yarn decreases with the increase of heat treatment temperature and time, which may be the reason for the change in mechanical properties of PBT/PET yarn. In addition, the established model can fairly well explain the viscoelasticity of PBT/PET yarn.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Increase Weight and Quality of Life Scores in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Cancer Cachexia: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chua Alfredo V. , Hernandez Aylmer Rex B. , Mendoza Marvin Jonne L. , San Juan Michael D.
Published: August 2024

Background:

Cancer cachexia is a common debilitating weight loss syndrome in advanced cancer, particularly lung cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, with their immune-modulating effects, have been used to improve the nutritional status of patients with cancer cachexia.

Aim:

Evaluate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in change in weight and lean body/skeletal mass, and health-related quality of life scores (HRQoL) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and cancer cachexia.

Design and Data Sources:

Clinical trials from electronic databases and unpublished literature (date of last search 20 December 2023) were independently reviewed and evaluated by authors for their methodological quality. Data from eligible trials were extracted and analyzed in a meta-analysis.

Results:

Six trials were included. Five trials (354 patients) assessed change in weight; 2 trials (132 patients) assessed change in lean body/skeletal mass and HRQoL scores (Global Health and Physical Functioning subscales). There is a significant difference in change in weight (mean difference [MD]: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05-1.38, P < .01) and HRQoL scores (Global Health [MD: 14.40, 95% CI: 9.22-19.59, P < .01] and Physical Functioning [MD: 10.38, 95% CI: 8.50-12.27, P < .01] subscales) favoring the omega-3 fatty acids group. The change in lean body/skeletal mass is not significant (MD: 2.05, 95% CI: −0.55 to 4.66, P = .12).

Conclusions:

Among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and cancer cachexia, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids leads to a significant increase in weight and HRQoL scores but not in change in lean body/skeletal mass.
Talking about Race in a Race-Taboo Land
Authors: Hu Beiyi
Published: August 2024

Race is considered a taboo subject in Sweden, both at the governmental and individual levels, yet racism persists. This bind creates serious difficulties for ethnic and racial minorities, hindering efforts to make their experiences known, challenge the ethno-racial status quo, and build anti-racist alliances.
Examining Prospective Jurors: Sensitivities of Probing for Racial Bias
Authors: Fox Matthew P. , Clayman Steven E.
Published: August 2024

Trial by jury remains the symbolic center of the U.S. justice system. Here, readers bear witness to the process of voir dire, or jury questioning, and efforts to identify racial bias. The problem? Racial prejudice itself is taboo: jurors are reluctant to admit it, and judges and attorneys are reluctant to ask about it.
Making Yourself Ugly
Authors: Kelley Andrea D.
Published: August 2024

Body-focused repetitive behaviors are DSM-classified as obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, but sufferers are frequently treated as being to blame for making themselves “ugly.” The case of trichotillomania reveals the stigma incolved in “violating” beauty norms and the work people do to conceal both the effects and the cause of their deviance.
Seeing Migration and Border Par
Authors: Rios-Contreras Nancy
Published: August 2024

Nancy Rios-Contreras on Afghan and Pakistani refugees' transit experiences.
It’s Still Complicated: Rizz, Situationships, and the Evolution of Relationship Terminology
Authors: Juteau Gabrielle , Loo Jaden , Brown Susan L.
Published: August 2024

Gabrielle Juteau, Jaden Loo, and Susan L. Brown on the terms of modern dating.
Medical Prestige through Collaborative Competition
Authors: Uscola Colter J.
Published: August 2024

Colter J. Uscola on Medical Authority.
Nature Playing: On the Experience of Contemplating Technologically Mediated Nature within the Game World of Riders Republic
Authors: Fizek Sonia
Published: August 2024

This contribution explores the practice of contemplative play or what the author proposes to call “nature playing”. This concept marks a continuity between the literary genre of “nature writing” and the way nature may be contemplatively experienced in video games, especially those with open-world natural landscapes. The author will discuss modes of nature playing within the mediated environments of the sports simulation game Riders Republic (Ubisoft, 2022). Nature playing will be analyzed as an aesthetic practice which may be fostered by purposeful design, or it may emerge from the player's own nature-driven sensibilities triggered by the aesthetic qualities of the game world. The author frames contemplative nature playing within a variety of concepts such as in-game wandering, slow play as well as ludic boredom. The article culminates in three autoethnographic ludic interventions, in which nature playing is captured in three contemplative pieces of nature writing.
MANifest Health Theory: A Holistic Approach to Cis-Gender Men’s Health
Authors: Gallegos Julian L.
Published: August 2024

Men’s health has often been overlooked in health care, with traditional gender norms and societal expectations significantly shaping men’s health behaviors and attitudes. The MANifest Health Theory (MHT) offers a comprehensive framework to address cis-gender men’s unique health needs by considering the complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. Rooted in four interconnected core concepts—Biopsychosocial Model, Health Optimization, Health Synchronicity, and Ethnocultural Expression—MHT provides a holistic understanding of men’s health. This article explores how MHT integrates inductive and deductive reasoning, describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling aspects of men’s health. Key components such as Gender-Sensitive Care, Health Empowerment, Supportive Environments, and Interdisciplinary Collaboration are discussed in relation to practical strategies for health care delivery. The limitations of MHT, including its developmental status, cultural applicability, and inclusivity of diverse gender identities, are acknowledged. Future steps for validating and refining the theory through empirical research, cultural adaptation, and inclusion of diverse gender experiences are outlined. By applying MHT, health care professionals can deliver more holistic and culturally competent care, promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing health care disparities among men.
Health professionals’ experiences and views on obstetric ultrasound in Tanzania: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Bergström Cecilia , Ngarina Matilda , Abeid Muzdalifat , Kidanto Hussein , Edvardsson Kristina , Holmlund Sophia , Small Rhonda , Sengoma Jean Paul Semasaka , Ntaganira Joseph , Lan Pham Thi , Mogren Ingrid
Published: August 2024

Background:

Obstetric ultrasound is considered important for determining gestational age, identifying single or multiple pregnancies, locating the placenta and fetal anomalies and monitoring fetal growth and pregnancy-related complications in order to improve patient management.

Objectives:

To explore health professionals’ perspectives on different aspects of obstetric ultrasound in Tanzania regarding self-reported skills in performing ultrasound examinations and what could improve access to and utilization of obstetric ultrasound in the clinical setting.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Material and Methods:

Data was collected between November and December 2017 using a questionnaire based on previous qualitative research results from the CROss Country UltraSound Study (CROCUS Study). Seventeen healthcare facilities in 5 urban and semiurban municipalities in the Dar-es-Salaam region were included, with 636 health professionals participating (physicians, n = 307 and midwives/nurses, n = 329).

Results:

Most health professionals (82% physicians, 81% midwives/nurses) believed that obstetric ultrasound was decisive in the clinical management of pregnancy. Results indicate proficiency gaps across disciplines: 51% of physicians and 48.8% of midwives/nurses reported no or low-level skills in assessing cervical length. Similarly, deficiencies were observed in evaluating the four-chamber view of the fetal heart (physicians: 51%, midwives/nurses: 61%), aorta, pulmonary artery (physicians: 60.5%, midwives/nurses: 65%) and Doppler assessments (umbilical artery: physicians 60.6%, midwives/nurses 56.1%). Compared to midwives/nurses, physicians were significantly more likely to agree or strongly agree that utilization would improve with more ultrasound machines (odds ratio (OR) 2.13; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.26–3.61), better quality of ultrasound machines (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.10–4.69), more training for health professionals currently performing ultrasound (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.08–4.17) and more physicians trained in ultrasound (OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.30–4.87).

Conclusions:

Improving the provision of obstetric ultrasound examinations in Tanzania requires more and better-quality ultrasound machines, enhanced training for health professionals and an increased number of physicians trained in ultrasound use. To further increase the accessibility and utilization of obstetric ultrasound in maternity care in Tanzania, it is essential to provide training for midwives in basic obstetric ultrasound techniques.
How Lenny the bot convinces you that he is a person: Storytelling, affiliations, and alignments in multi-unit turns
Authors: Relieu Marc
Published: August 2024

This research delves into the world of conversation analysis, focusing on the unique conversational agent, Lenny. In contrast to most modern AI-based chatbots, Lenny employs a minimalistic approach, utilizing pre-recorded turns to engage with unsolicited callers and extend interactions. The study aims to dissect how Lenny’s long turns contribute to displaying ‘his’ personhood. By analyzing Lenny’s long turn in interaction, we uncover how it consolidates Lenny’s relatable character. Through analysis of a corpus of recorded interactions, the paper highlights the role of turn design in simulating human-like interactions. Ultimately, this research offers insights into the interplay between scripted content and human understanding in live conversations.
When God Doesn't Heal: Receiving God's Formative Grace Through Bodily Pain
Authors: Porter Steve L.
Published: August 2024

In this article, I attempt to make theological sense of the following attitude towards Divine healing: although followers of Jesus should hope for, pray for, contend for, and seek Divine healing with the expectation that in all things God is enacting his good purposes, they should not be surprised when Divinely caused healing does not come about. To “not be surprised” is not, in this case, a lack of faith in God’s desire or power to heal. We can have complete faith in God’s power and his intention to do good while recognizing God has other purposes that make Divinely caused healing the exception rather than the rule. To not be surprised that healing hasn’t yet come is to hold steady in our minds that God is powerfully active in salvation history in ways that do not always include immediate elimination of pain and suffering.
The Holy Spirit as a Holistic Healing Balm for the Community
Authors: Harris I. Leon
Published: August 2024

This study examines the theologies of three theologians who incorporate liberation as a prominent part of their theological framework. The goal is to expand Pneumatology beyond the ethical and draw out the implications of a Pneumatology of liberation. The Holy Spirit is working in and through the Church but is not limited to it, liberating all of creation from the negative effects of sin that leads to sickness in various forms. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit is restoring koinonia to God’s good creation, which is made for the glory of Jesus Christ. This study examines how the Pneumatology of liberation can expand beyond ethics. It will review the theologians and draw implications for a Christological, ecclesiological, and eschatological Holy Spirit. Liberation from the negative effects of sin leads to healing individually, communally, and cosmically. Ultimately, the goal is to restore koinonia to God’s creation for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Systematic Evaluation of Isometric Maximal Muscle Strength in an Orthopaedic Cohort
Authors: Ossendorff Robert , Lauter Lisa-Marie , Walter Sebastian G. , Sowa Marco , Haeder Gordon , Salzmann Gian M.
Published: August 2024

Background:

Although the lower extremities are essential for movement function and human gait, no normalized isometric maximum strength values, which include the factors gender, age, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI), have been defined to date for orthopaedic patients.

Objective:

To systematically analyze the isometric maximal muscle strength of a cohort in an orthopaedic outpatient clinic and to evaluate its relation to gender, age, weight, height, BMI, and the differences between diseases.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 4.

Methods:

Isometric maximal muscle strength of knee extension, knee flexion, hip abduction, and hip adduction was measured in orthopaedic patients of an outpatient clinic using a specific muscle strength measurement device. Correlation analysis was performed for age, gender, height, weight, and BMI. Patients were grouped by disease characteristics.

Results:

The cohort consisted of 311 subjects (sex: 164 male, 147 female; age: 48.63 years, SD = 16.595; BMI: 26.56 kg/m², SD = 4.9). Age correlated significantly with maximal isometric muscle strength. At the age of 54 years onward, based on 133 patients, a decline in maximum isometric muscle strength was detected. Gender showed a strong influence on maximal isometric muscle strength, with significantly higher values for male patients. Furthermore, weight and height, but not BMI, correlated significantly with muscle strength.

Conclusion:

For clinical studies comparing different evidence-based training interventions for rehabilitation, it is important to consider determinants such as gender, age, weight, and height for isometric maximum strength measurement. For further validation, follow-up examinations taking into account the performance level, other target groups, and other muscle groups are required to avoid the wide dispersion of isometric maximum strength values. These results and associated determinants are highly clinically relevant and can be used as a reference for further studies in the field of musculoskeletal regeneration.
Establishing a Reference Database for Select Clinical Measures in National Basketball Association Players
Authors: Anloague Philip A. , Strack Donald S. , Short Steve , Eaton Carl , Corbeil Joshua , Windle Shawn
Published: August 2024

Background:

Musculoskeletal injuries are prevalent in the NBA and are associated with a significant number of games missed. There is a lack of reference data for clinical measures in NBA players, making it difficult for sports medicine professionals to set goals and develop programs.

Hypothesis:

Values for clinical measures in NBA players will differ from those of the general population but will not differ between dominant (D) and nondominant (ND) limbs.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 3.

Methods:

Clinical measures were taken on 325 players invited to NBA training camp (2008-2022). Measures included range of motion for great toe extension, hip rotation, weightbearing ankle dorsiflexion, flexibility, arch height (AH) indices, and tibial varum.

Results:

Clinical values for NBA players differ from reference norms of the general population. Results for NBA players include great toe extension (D, 40.4°; ND, 39.3°), 90/90 hamstring (D, 41.5°; ND, 40.9°), hip internal rotation (D, 29.0°; ND, 28.8°), hip external rotation (D, 29.7°; ND, 30.9°), total hip rotation (D, 60.2°; ND, 60.4°), Ely (D, 109.9°; ND, 108.8°), AH difference (D, 0.5 mm; ND, 0.5 mm), AH index (D, 0.310; ND, 0.307), arch stiffness (D, 0.024; ND, 0.024), arch rigidity (D, 0.924; ND, 0.925), tibial varum (D, 4.6°; ND, 4.5°), and weightbearing ankle dorsiflexion (D, 35.4°; ND, 35.6°). Descriptive statistics are presented; 2-tailed paired t tests show that, whereas most measures demonstrated differences between sides, the results were not statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Clinical measures of NBA players differ from those reported for the general population and athletes of other sports although there were no statistically significant differences between D and ND limbs.

Clinical Relevance:

Establishing a reference database may help clinicians develop more sensitive and more effective preseason and return-to-play screening processes, aiding the management of player orthopaedic care and reducing injury risk.
Practicing With a Framework Mindset: A Closer Look at the Principle of Care Coordination
Authors: Stanislo Kimberly J. , Tanner Andrea
Published: August 2024

This is the second in a series of articles highlighting the practice principles of the refreshed School Nursing Practice Framework™. The focus of each article is to provide an in-depth look at each of the principles and emphasize how school nurses can apply them to their daily practice through a Framework Mindset. This article will explore Care Coordination as a practice principle, reflect on how it relates to current practice, and identify examples that illustrate care coordination. With each subsequent article in the series, we will continue to build upon and explore the interconnections between the Framework principles.
Residual capacity of RC beams subjected to impact loading: Influence of reinforcement ductility
Authors: Johansson Morgan , Leppänen Joosef , Andersson Malin , Pettersson Emma
Published: August 2024

Reinforced concrete (RC) is commonly used for protectives structures subjected to impulse loading and in the design of such structures, knowledge gained from static load conditions is often used. However, the response of an impulse loaded structural member may be very different compared to a statically loaded one, and hence it is not for sure that the observations made at static loading are also valid when subjected to impulse loading. The aim of this study is to address this uncertainty and compare the residual capacity, in terms of strength and internal work, in RC beams subjected to a combination of impulse and static loads or static load only. The impulse load was generated using a drop weight impact in which tests of 12 beams were carried out, and the residual capacity was subsequently tested statically. In addition, six beams were subjected to static loading only as references. The beams were simply supported with a span length of 1.3 m, cross section of 0.1 × 0.1 m and 2 + 2 ϕ6 reinforcement bars of various ductility. Two sets of bars were used: regular bars and prestretched bars; the latter being cold-worked regular bars with increased yield strength but decreased ductility. The drop weight (10 kg or 20 kg) was dropped from a height of 5.0 m and a high-speed camera used to record the beams’ response. From the images obtained, Digital Image Correlation technique was used to measure deformations and crack propagation. For pure static loading and mild impact loading (10 kg) combined with static loading, beams with regular bars obtained higher internal work than beams with prestretched bars. However, for severe impact loading (20 kg) combined with static loading, the difference in internal work was negligible. Regardless of bar type, the internal work increased with increased severity of the impact loading.
Association between internet use and self-rated health of patients living with diabetes in the community
Authors: Mori Yuta , Tachi Tomoki , Hamano Hatsue , Kimura Keisuke , Matsumoto Kazutaka , Sakurai Hiroaki
Published: August 2024

Objective

It is not clear whether self-rated health is associated with internet use among community-dwelling patients living with diabetes. This study investigated what kind and level of use of the internet is desirable for the subjective sense of health among patients living with diabetes in the community.

Research Design and Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of patients living with diabetes aged 18 years or older who visited our clinic between April 2022 and June 2022. The final analysis included 654 subjects (mean age: 56–90 years). The objective variable was self-rated health, and the explanatory variable was purpose of internet use. We used logistic regression analysis to identify odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between internet use and self-rated health by purpose of internet use.

Results

Of the 654 patients living with diabetes using our clinic, 488 (64.7%) were internet users. Communication with friends/family (66.6%) was the most common use of the internet, followed by social media (54.3%) and shopping (36.7%). Logistic regression models showed that social media (OR: 1.81; 95% CI [1.02, 3.21], p = 0.04), shopping for food and other items (OR: 1.95; 95% CI [1.00, 3.77], p = 0.04), online securities and banking (OR: 2.75; 95% CI [1.02, 7.39], p = 0.04) were associated with self-rated health.

Conclusions

Using the internet for social media, shopping, and banking were found to be associated with self-rated health. Use for these purposes could help support diabetic care.
Positive views, attitudes, and acceptability toward mHealth applications in addressing queer sexual and reproductive health: Healthcare providers and the queer individuals
Authors: Seretlo R. J. , Mokgatle M. M. , Smuts H.
Published: August 2024

Objective

In the age of digital health, mankind has resources to write over the historical narrative of queer individuals’ healthcare exclusions. The main purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of both healthcare providers (HCPs) and queer individuals regarding the use of web-based tools and mobile health applications (mHealth apps) in the context of addressing queer individuals’ sexual and reproductive health services and needs (SRHSN).

Methods

An overall study was conducted as an exploratory sequential mixed method. This article provides findings from the performed qualitative cycle. The selection method was led by purposeful sampling, which targeted 33 HCPs delivering SRHSN within the defined study settings. Additionally, respondent-driven sampling was employed to select 22 queer individuals. Throughout the study, semi-structured one-on-one face-to-face interviews were used to collect data.

Results

Four major themes and related sub-themes emerged from HCPs and queer individuals: (a) aid queer individuals with consultations and treatment improvements, (b) drawing parallels with technology in other sectors, (c) enhancing knowledge and education, and (d) positive perception of technological advancements.

Conclusions

In accordance with our findings, HCPs and queer individuals were all positive and sees mHealth apps as a tool to address SRHSN for homosexual people.
Innovation Resistance of Vulnerable Workers: Focusing on Corporate Financial Performance
Authors: Kim Cheol Young
Published: August 2024

Innovation, as represented by information technology (IT), is considered essential to the survival of a business. Companies use IT innovation to improve their financial performance and the effectiveness of their operations. While technological innovation in the past focused on the introduction of machines to replace physical labor, modern IT innovation, represented by artificial intelligence, has shown that it can also replace human creativity and intellectual labor, increasing job insecurity for human resources at all levels. Therefore, the interests of companies and workers in IT innovation based on the assurance of job security conflict, and workers are motivated to reject IT innovation just like their predecessors who rejected machines. Moreover, vulnerable groups of workers will experience greater job insecurity. During the economic crisis, companies try to reduce labor costs to survive, which also poses a threat to workers’ job security. This study examines the impact of IT innovation intensity on workers’ innovation resistance by dividing it into system and process aspects and identifying the moderating effects of workers’ vulnerability and firms’ financial performance. Using data from the Korean Labor & Income Panel Study in South Korea, this study reveals that workplaces with a high proportion of female workers are more likely to engage in innovation resistance in response to IT innovation; this tendency is stronger the worse the financial performance of the firm. Furthermore, this study presents the implications and limitations and directions for future research.
Financial Inclusion, Human Capital Development and Economic Growth in Africa: An Examination of the Transmission Channel
Authors: Opoku Emmanuel , Poku Kwasi , Domeher Daniel
Published: August 2024

This study set out to investigate the role played by human capital development in the nexus between financial inclusion and economic growth in Africa. We use GMM as the estimation technique to analyze country-level data pooled from 40 African countries from 2005 to 2018. The findings suggest the presence of a non-linear U-shaped relationship between financial inclusion and economic growth. It was also found that human capital development fully mediates the relationship between financial inclusion and economic growth in Africa. Hence, the growth-enhancing benefits of financial inclusion are transmitted through human development. Whilst pursuing their financial inclusion targets, efforts should be made by governments across the African continent to simultaneously improve the level of human capital development to realize the positive benefits of financial inclusion.
Emerging Adult Life Satisfaction and Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion and Social Support
Authors: Clarke Brian J.
Published: August 2024

Emerging adulthood (EA) is a time of possibilities, self-exploration, and personal growth. However, EA college students experience a high prevalence of mental illness and low engagement in mental health treatment. It is vital to find sustainable ways to increase life satisfaction despite mental distress. This study examined the mediating effects of social support and self-compassion on mental distress and life satisfaction among 200 EA college students. The parallel mediation revealed that self-compassion and social support significantly reduced the negative impact of mental distress on life satisfaction. A follow-up regression identified the self-compassion subscales common humanity (β = .17, p<. 01), and reversed scored self-judgement (β = .13, p<. 05), along with social support from friends (β = .17, p<. 01), and family (β = .32, p<. 01), as predictors of life satisfaction. For EA students experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness, self-kindness and accepting that life struggles are a common human experience, coupled with support from family and friends, can improve mental health and life satisfaction.
Outcomes of Total Shoulder Arthroplasty With and Without Prior Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hop Jack C. , Belk John W. , Mayer Braden K. , Frank Rachel M. , Seidl Adam J. , McCarty Eric C. , Bravman Jonathan T.
Published: August 2024

Background:

The effect of prior rotator cuff repair (RCR) on clinical outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is unclear.

Purpose:

To systematically review the literature to compare the outcomes of TSA in patients with and without prior RCR.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines by searching the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases to identify studies comparing outcomes of TSA with and without prior RCR. The inclusion criteria were full-text studies that directly compared outcomes between patients undergoing anatomic or reverse TSA with and without prior RCR. A quality assessment was performed using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS), and risk of bias assessment was performed using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies–of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. A total of 1542 articles were identified for review based on initial database queries. Weighted means of quantifiable demographics and patient-reported outcomes were calculated for all included studies and compiled, in addition to the MCMS and ROBINS-I tool.

Results:

Twelve studies (10 level 3, 2 level 4) met inclusion criteria, including a total of 885 patients who underwent RCR before TSA (mean age, 68.2 years) and 2275 patients with no prior RCR (mean age, 70.0 years). Of all outcomes evaluated, patients with reverse TSA showed superior results in the no prior RCR group. Three reverse TSA studies found the no prior RCR group to have significantly higher postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores when compared with the prior RCR group ( P < .05). Multiple reverse TSA studies found the no prior RCR group to have significantly higher postoperative Simple Shoulder Test scores ( P < .05) and significantly improved forward elevation ( P < .05) when compared with the prior RCR group. Of all outcomes in anatomic TSA studies, only complication rate was different between groups, with 1 study finding a significantly lower complication rate in the no prior RCR group ( P = .01).

Conclusion:

Patients undergoing reverse TSA without prior RCR can be expected to experience statistically better outcomes when compared with patients with prior RCR, while patients undergoing anatomic TSA can be expected to have similar outcomes regardless of prior RCR status.