bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strengths and Resilience Among Central American Parents Seeking Asylum in the United States
Authors: Morales Frances R. , Hawkins Kathleen , Gonzalez Danielle , Garcia Alexander , Patel Sita G. , Mercado Alfonso
Published: April 2023

This study examined the experiences of immigrant parents seeking asylum in the United States after recently fleeing the Northern Triangle region of Central America, attending both to the traumatic events and the strengths that mitigate this experience. The study employs a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to describe the experiences of 51 parents after being processed by U.S. immigration officials for seeking asylum. Quantitative analyses measured trauma exposure and psychological distress and posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as religiosity, dispositional optimism, and perceived quality of life. Qualitative analyses examined migratory experiences more deeply. Quantitative findings suggest that participants displayed high levels of resilience as evidenced by the low endorsement of mental health symptoms associated with trauma despite high violence and trauma exposure. Qualitative analyses revealed two themes underscoring strengths that mitigated the compounded trauma experienced by participants, including: (a) protective factors, and (b) plans for the future. In addition, several subthemes emerged within each of these broader themes. Qualitative findings highlight that asylum seekers come to the United States for the sake of their families, especially their children. Participants shared their desire to ensure the safety of their family and children and their hope of being better able to take care of them. These desires and hopes common among participants in our study not only motivated them to leave their home countries but also helped them to press forward in their journeys. Study results show that religiosity, hope, and optimism also played important roles in sustaining these immigrant parents during their journeys.
Differences in Determinants: Racialized Obstetric Care and Increases in U.S. State Labor Induction Rates
Authors: Masters Ryan K. , Tilstra Andrea M. , Simon Daniel H. , Coleman-Minahan Kate
Published: April 2023

Induction of labor (IOL) rates in the United States have nearly tripled since 1990. We examine official U.S. birth records to document increases in states’ IOL rates among pregnancies to Black, Latina, and White women. We test if the increases are associated with changes in demographic characteristics and risk factors among states’ racial-ethnic childbearing populations. Among pregnancies to White women, increases in state IOL rates are strongly associated with changes in risk factors among White childbearing populations. However, the rising IOL rates among pregnancies to Black and Latina women are not due to changing factors in their own populations but are instead driven by changing factors among states’ White childbearing populations. The results suggest systemic racism may be shaping U.S. obstetric care whereby care is not “centered at the margins” but is instead responsive to characteristics in states’ White populations.
Government–Opposition Relations and the Vote of No-Confidence
Authors: Tuttnauer Or , Hazan Reuven Y
Published: April 2023

The vote of no-confidence is the primary mechanism through which the principle of government accountability to the legislature – the defining feature of parliamentary democracy – is achieved. Yet, no research has been devoted to its influence on the relations between the government and the mechanism’s main users – the opposition. This article attempts to fill this lacuna by theorising how restrictiveness in the vote of no-confidence influences the opposition’s strategies vis-à-vis the government in legislative voting. We delineate the influence of the vote of no-confidence on the opposition via its preference to pursue more cooperative strategies, as opposed to conflictual ones, distinguishing between the two stages of the vote of no-confidence – initiating and voting. We empirically explore the relation between the vote of no-confidence and the voting behaviour of 59 opposition parties in 16 countries, showing that greater restrictions on both stages of the vote of no-confidence correlate with less conflictual opposition behaviour.
Economic Democracy against Racial Capitalism: Seeding Freedom
Authors: Pinto Sanjay
Published: April 2023

In conversation with Ferreras’s proposal for economic bicameralism, the current article makes the case for a more direct confrontation between conceptions of economic democracy and the realities of racial capitalism. In particular, it considers how efforts to expand power and voice for workers must contend with the racial hierarchy that marks the socioeconomic division of labor and the related use of racial distinctions to thwart labor solidarity. Focusing on the American context, the argument draws inspiration from the work and vision of two key figures in the unfinished struggle for Black liberation, W. E. B. Du Bois and Fannie Lou Hamer. After recapping core elements of Ferreras’s proposal, the article briefly examines the historical evolution of racial capitalism, starting with its roots in slavery and conquest. It then considers how movements agitating for greater worker power have intervened within this landscape. Against this backdrop, it draws lessons for how economic bicameralism might fit within a broader set of struggles that challenge racial capitalism as it exists today.
Multiobjective building design optimization using an efficient adaptive Kriging metamodel
Authors: Lahmar Salma , Maalmi Mostafa , Idchabani Rachida
Published: April 2023

Multiobjective building design optimization is a challenging problem because it involves finding a set of solutions that simultaneously optimize multiple conflicting objectives. Simulations-based optimization is widely used, but it is a computationally expensive process in terms of time, as it requires a large number of evaluations of the objective functions. Metamodel-based optimization is an alternative to reduce the time-consuming simulations during the optimization process. Metamodels can approximate the building simulation model with analytical expressions. However, the accuracy of metamodels depends on the number of simulations used to train the model and the sampling strategy used to select informative samples over the design space. This study proposes an efficient sequential sampling approach to fit the metamodels toward the regions of the design space where their accuracy is higher and can improve all objectives simultaneously. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, it was applied to optimize the energy and investment costs of a multi-story residential building. The optimization results were compared with those obtained using a non-dominated sorted genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). The results of this study show that the proposed method reduces the number of building energy simulations required by up to 50% while guaranteeing accurate optimization results. Fifteen energy-efficient buildings designs were proposed, with a wide range of trade-offs between energy and investment costs. This study highlights the potential of the proposed approach to achieve faster and accurate building design optimization and allowing for a larger design space, leading to more creative and innovative solutions.
Antibacterial activity and sustained release properties of curcumin-loaded chitosan microspheres/nanofiber composites membranes for wound healing applications
Authors: Lu Jianhua , Zhang Jing , Xu Chengshu , Tang Shangqi , Lu Shaofeng , Ren Yan , Shang Yudong
Published: April 2023

The application of bioactive curcumin is limited due to its poor stability, lower absorption, and fast metabolism in the human body. In the present study, chitosan/curcumin microspheres were prepared by reverse emulsion polymerization and electrospun with polyvinyl alcohol to fabricate chitosan/curcumin microspheres with polyvinyl alcohol composite nanofibrous membranes. The fiber morphology of chitosan/curcumin microspheres/polyvinyl alcohol composite nanofibrous membranes was observed by scanning electron microscopy, indicating that there are more continuous and uniform fibers of chitosan/curcumin microspheres/polyvinyl alcohol than those without chitosan/curcumin microspheres. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was applied to test the chemical structural changes of nanofibrous membranes, which showed that chitosan/curcumin microspheres were physically mixed with polyvinyl alcohol. The mechanical properties of the samples were tested by an electronic fabric strength machine and the tensile strength of the composite nanofibrous membranes can reach 7.e Mpa. The introduced drug release profiles indicated that after 60 h of culturing, the release rate of composite nanofibrous membranes was 69.8%. The bacterial inhibition rate of the composite nanofibrous membranes was assessed through the oscillation method. The results obtained revealed that the bacterial inhibition rate of chitosan/curcumin microspheres/polyvinyl alcohol composite nanofibers was detected up to 99.9% in the 48 h antimicrobial test.
Family Environment, Loneliness, Hope, and Subjective Well-Being of Asian Older Adults
Authors: Chokkanathan Srinivasan
Published: April 2023

The current study examined the interactions between family environment, hope, and loneliness, and their subsequent influence on the subjective well-being (SWB) of 345 noninstitutionalized older adults (aged 60 years and above) in Singapore. Door-to-door surveys information was collected on family environment (cohesiveness, relationship closeness, and support), hope, loneliness, and SWB (life satisfaction, happiness, and absence of negative affect). Structural equation modelling was conducted to test competing hypotheses derived from life stress and integrated resource theories. The results revealed that family environment influenced SWB both directly and indirectly. Family environment decreased loneliness and increased SWB. Additionally, family environment influenced SWB by offering increased hope. Family environment sets the context for the SWB of older adults in Singapore. Families should therefore be targeted for interventions to reduce loneliness, increase psychological resources, and raise SWB during old age.
Fracture evolution of the main roof in gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting of an inclined coal seam
Authors: Hu Jinzhu , Ma Zimin , Guo Pengfei , Hu Yunjin
Published: April 2023

During the application of gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting in inclined coal seams, the boundary conditions of the main roof in the goaf will change, resulting in the special characteristics of its fracture evolution. This article established a main roof elastic mechanics model through theoretical analysis and obtained the stress expression of any point on the main roof, analyzed the stress distribution characteristics and fracture evolution law of the main roof, finally, and revealed the unloading mechanism of the overburden in the cutting roof of goaf by combining with field mining pressure data. The results show that the stress value on the main roof is related to the dip angle, the poison's ratio, and the geometry parameters of the working face. The main roof stress presented an asymmetric distribution in the inclined direction. The fracture mode of the main roof is the “U-Y” mode under the first weighting and the “L-Y” mode under periodic breakage. The pressure on the upper part of the working face increased, while the lower part decreased according to field mining pressure data. There are two reasons for the reduction of pressure in the lower part of the working face, on the one hand, the reduction of the area of the key block A leads to a decrease in load, on the other hand, the gangue filling and supporting effect of the lower part of the goaf. The surrounding rock of the gob-side entry is not obviously affected by the dynamic pressure, and the deformation is small, achieving a good retaining effect.
Fair Value Measurement in Inactive Crypto Asset Markets
Authors: Beigman Eyal , Brennan Gerard , Hsieh Sheng-Feng , Sannella Alexander J.
Published: April 2023

This article proposes a new dynamic method, the Principal Path Method (PPM), for pricing crypto asset against a primary or functional (fiat) currency in situations where these assets do not trade directly against the functional currency or trade at volumes that prevent resulting pricing information to qualify as Level 1 (ASC 820) for financial reporting. We base our method on the guidance provided in ASC 820, IFRS 13, and IAS 21. Our method is designed to extract prices from “compliant” markets that result in reliable inputs to the valuation process. We believe that our methodology improves the current techniques used to value thinly traded crypto assets such as using the last observable transaction price, creating a weighted-average price across multiple markets, or using data on comparable tokens, if available. Furthermore, we present empirical evidence that suggests pricing information generated by our method for non-exchangeable, thinly traded, or illiquid crypto assets better reflects the fundamental qualitative characteristics of useful information, relevance and faithful representation, and results in more reliable inputs used in the valuation process. Unlike methods currently used in practice, our method ensures the integrity of the valuation data employed by selecting prices from compliant markets.
Liberalism and the problem of domination
Authors: Kaul Volker
Published: April 2023

We can distinguish two liberal paradigms that stand in opposition to each other. Liberalism as non-domination seeks to eliminate identities resulting from domination and oppression and hindering the emancipation of individuals. Liberalism as recognition holds that ‘the idea of a human world without identities makes no sense’ (Appiah) and considers identities to have their source in individual liberty and to provide the grounds for pluralism. The two liberal paradigms come to largely different results regarding the role of the state and civil society. The paradigm of non-domination tends to enforce individual rights, if necessary against a hostile cultural and religious context. The paradigm of recognition defends mostly individual liberties, if necessary at the expense of certain individual rights. Liberalism stands here in front of a major dilemma: Either it protects individual rights in the sense of freedom as non-domination, or it defends individual liberties in Isaiah Berlin's tradition of negative liberty– in too many cases and in too many parts of the world, liberalism, understood in the terms presented here, cannot have it both ways. This review article argues that the liberal paradigms of non-domination and recognition are complementary; liberalism is about both recognition and non-domination. Following policy recommendation can be drawn: (1) Democratic institutions (parliament, political parties and constitutional courts) and democratic rights (right to vote, right of assembly and freedom of speech) are most efficient in fighting domination. (2) Although social identities are not fixed and open to change, they cannot be engineered by the state or civil society organizations and grow out of some form of social consensus. (3) The consensus around identities takes place within the pluralist public and civil sphere of a community. (4) While the support in the development of individual capabilities by the state is effective against domination, also history and collective memory help to overcome the traumatic experience of domination. (5) Systemic transformation requires the support from below, notably from the civil society, and is based on individual liberties.
Machine learning algorithms for population-specific risk score in coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Swamy Abhyuday Kumara , Rajagopal Vivek , Krishnan Deepak , Ghorai Paramita Auddya , Palani Santhosh Rathnam , Narayan Pradeep
Published: April 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to develop a new risk prediction score (NH Score) for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) specific to the Indian population and compare it to the Society of Thoracic Surgeon (STS) Score and the EuroSCORE II.

Method

The baseline features of adult patients who underwent CABG between the years 2015 and 2021 ( n = 6703) were taken and split into training data (2015–2020; n = 5561) and validation data (2020–2021; n = 1142). The CatBoost algorithm was trained to predict risk scores (NH score), and the performance was tested on the validation set by Precision-Recall Curve and F1 Score. Model calibration was measured by the Brier Score, Expected Calibration Error and Maximum Calibration Error.

Results

The NH score outperformed both the STS and EuroSCORE II for all outcomes. For mortality, the PR AUC for NH Score was (0.463 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28–0.64]) compared to 0.113 [95% CI, 0.04–0.22] for the STS score and 0.146 [95% CI, 0.06–0.31] for the EuroSCORE II ( p ≪ 0.0001). With respect to morbidity NH Score was superior to the STS score (0.43 [95% CI, 0.33–0.50]) vs. (0.229 [95% CI, 0.18–0.3, p < 0.0001). The observed to the predicted ratio for NH score was superior to the STS Score and similar to EuroSCORE II. NH Score was also more accurate at predicting the risk of prolonged ventilation compared to the STS Score.

Conclusion

NH score shows an excellent improvement over the performance of STS score and EuroSCORE II for modelling risk predictions for patients undergoing CABG in Indian population. It warrants further validation for larger datasets.
COVID crisis, austerity and the ‘Left Behind’ city: Exploring poverty and destitution in Stoke-on-Trent
Authors: Etherington David , Jones Martin , Telford Luke
Published: April 2023

Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic and ‘cost of living’ crisis revealed and intensified the United Kingdom’s (UK) socio-spatial inequalities, these crises did not emerge into a vacuum. Long-term trends of deindustrialisation and austerity have meant many places particularly the former industrial areas across the North and Midlands have been ‘left behind’. The current crises have exposed the structural fault-lines created by austerity across 2010/20 especially comprising significant cuts to welfare and local government services, with the outcome being sizable parts of the UK’s post-industrial landscape experiencing poverty and destitution. In this paper, we focus upon deindustrialised Stoke-on-Trent in the North Midlands of England. Enduring long-term deindustrialisation and suffering from austerity, the article draws on qualitative and quantitative data to outline how the city contains a panoply of embedded structural problems including low-paid jobs, welfare retrenchment, poverty and destitution. Given it is a possibility that austerity will be reimposed after the next UK general election in December 2024, the paper concludes by briefly discussing the implications of these structural problems for UK government policy, indicating the urgent need for alternative policies to adequately address structural issues in places like Stoke.
Legitimizing path development by interlinking institutional logics: The case of Israel’s desert tourism
Authors: Benner Maximilian
Published: April 2023

The legitimation of new regional industrial paths has become a crucial issue in path development since it touches the institutional foundations of spatial evolution and fits the recent interest in agency. Neo-institutional sociology offers a wealth of insights for how agents build legitimacy. In particular, the institutional logics perspective suggests multiple material and symbolic sources of legitimacy. Seeking a deeper contextualization of paths into their socio-institutional environment, this article argues that new paths are legitimized by agents interlinking institutional logics through symbolic constructions such as visions. Empirical examples from two tourism destinations in Israel illustrate this mechanism.
A Systematic Review of Methods to Incorporate External Evidence into Trial-Based Survival Extrapolations for Health Technology Assessment
Authors: Bullement Ash , Stevenson Matthew D. , Baio Gianluca , Shields Gemma E. , Latimer Nicholas R.
Published: April 2023

Background

External evidence is commonly used to inform survival modeling for health technology assessment (HTA). While there are a range of methodological approaches that have been proposed, it is unclear which methods could be used and how they compare.

Purpose

This review aims to identify, describe, and categorize established methods to incorporate external evidence into survival extrapolation for HTA.

Data Sources

Embase, MEDLINE, EconLit, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify published methodological studies, supplemented by hand searching and citation tracking.

Study Selection

Eligible studies were required to present a novel extrapolation approach incorporating external evidence (i.e., data or information) within survival model estimation.

Data Extraction

Studies were classified according to how the external evidence was integrated as a part of model fitting. Information was extracted concerning the model-fitting process, key requirements, assumptions, software, application contexts, and presentation of comparisons with, or validation against, other methods.

Data Synthesis

Across 18 methods identified from 22 studies, themes included use of informative prior(s) ( n = 5), piecewise ( n = 7), and general population adjustment ( n = 9), plus a variety of “other” ( n = 8) approaches. Most methods were applied in cancer populations ( n = 13). No studies compared or validated their method against another method that also incorporated external evidence.

Limitations

As only studies with a specific methodological objective were included, methods proposed as part of another study type (e.g., an economic evaluation) were excluded from this review.

Conclusions

Several methods were identified in this review, with common themes based on typical data sources and analytical approaches. Of note, no evidence was found comparing the identified methods to one another, and so an assessment of different methods would be a useful area for further research. Highlights This review aims to identify methods that have been used to incorporate external evidence into survival extrapolations, focusing on those that may be used to inform health technology assessment. We found a range of different approaches, including piecewise methods, Bayesian methods using informative priors, and general population adjustment methods, as well as a variety of “other” approaches. No studies attempted to compare the performance of alternative methods for incorporating external evidence with respect to the accuracy of survival predictions. Further research investigating this would be valuable.
Dose-dependent effects of taurine against testicular damage in a streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus rat model
Authors: ElBanna Ahmed H , Osman Afaf S. , Hossny Amira , ElBanna Hossny , Abo El-Ela Fatma I.
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Testicular dysfunction has been associated with chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus patients. We investigated taurine’s possible mechanisms and protective effects against testicular damage using a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

Methods

Wistar rats ( N = 56) were divided into seven equal groups. Untreated control rats received saline, and treated control rats received taurine 50 mg/kg orally. To induce diabetes, rats received a single dose of streptozotocin. Metformin-treated diabetic rats received metformin at a dose of 300 mg/kg. Taurine-treated groups received 10, 25, or 50 mg/kg. All treatments were provided orally once a day for 9 weeks following the streptozotocin injection. Levels of blood glucose, serum insulin, cholesterol, testicular tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) were examined. Sperm count, progressive sperm motility, and sperm abnormalities were examined. Body and relative reproductive gland weights were assessed. Histopathological examinations of the testes and epididymis were performed.

Results

Metformin as well as taurine (in a dose-dependent manner) resulted in significant improvements in body and relative reproductive gland weights, blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and insulin levels, as well as cytokine and oxidative parameters. These findings were associated with significant improvement in sperm count, progressive sperm motility, sperm abnormalities, and histopathological lesions in the testes and epididymis.

Conclusion

Taurine can potentially improve hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and testicular damage associated with diabetes mellitus, possibly by controlling inflammation and oxidative stress.
The Effects of Dance Interventions on Depression in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rittiwong Tanapa , Reangsing Chuntana , Schneider Joanne Kraenzle
Published: April 2023

Meta-analyses of the effects of dance on depressive symptoms in older adults have shown contradictory results, but few primary studies were included (5 and 8 studies). We aimed to examine the effects of dance on depressive symptoms in older adults aged 60 years and older and to examine the moderator effects of the source, participants, methods, and intervention characteristics. We included 23 primary studies that compared depressive symptoms across dance and comparison/control groups of older adults (72 ± 6.7 years old) and were written in English ( N = 1,398) participants. Dance groups showed significantly less depressive symptoms post-intervention than comparison groups (ES = 0.66, 95% CI [0.42, 0.91], p < .001, I 2 = 76.80%). South America and Australia showed the greatest effects. Using quasi-experimental designs showed significant effect sizes compared to using randomized designs. Only one quality indicator, intention-to-treat, influenced effect size. Dance might be used as an alternative treatment to improve depression.
Probation and Parole Revocations: Reviewing Over Two Decades of Revocation Decisions in the United States
Authors: Wilson Amber
Published: April 2023

Spanning over two decades, this systematic review includes 35 studies that focus explicitly on probation and parole revocations in the United States. Findings reveal that studies vary in their operationalization of “revocation” and that researchers have depended primarily on quantitative monomethod approaches to study revocations. Studies suggest that revocations are contributing to incarceration rates, although the extent to which this occurs is not clear. Violation trends show that the accumulation of technical violations, especially ongoing program and treatment noncompliance, contributes to revocation outcomes. Probation/parole client sociodemographic characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, and sex, are differentially associated with supervision outcomes, and these characteristics often work distinctly and in tandem to impact revocation trends. Research implications include providing clear and consistent measurements of revocation outcomes and engaging in more diverse research methodologies. Policy implications focus on empirically evaluating structured decision-making instruments and implementing more extensive reentry programs, especially those focused on employment.
Waste management evolution in the last five decades in developing countries – A review
Authors: Maalouf Amani , Agamuthu Pariatamby
Published: April 2023

This review provides the history and current paradigms of waste management (WM) practices in developing nations during the last five decades. It explores the evolution of the challenges, complexities, and trends during this period. This paper, for the first time, presents an estimation of the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in developing nations in the last five decades based on the material flow analysis approach. Overall, the amount of MSW in developing countries has increased from about 0.64 billion Mt in 1970 to 2 billion Mt in 2019. This review demonstrates the importance of finding new WM approaches in developing nations in the context of formulating policies, strategies, and highlights the major trends that re-define WM in developing countries. It also aims to present the holistic changes in technology, economic and environmental feasibility aspects to attain an integrated sustainable WM system in developing countries. Specific focus on open-burning, open-dumping, informal recycling, food waste, plastic pollution, and waste collection with reference to Sustainable Development Goals are explained. Drivers for the way forward including circular economy are investigated.
Identifying and prioritizing sustainability indicators for China’s assessing demolition waste management using modified Delphi–analytic hierarchy process method
Authors: Han Dongchen , Kalantari Mohsen , Rajabifard Abbas
Published: April 2023

Addressing the sustainability issues arising from construction and demolition waste management (DWM) has gained little traction due to the lack of incentives, stringent regulations, and systematic guidance. This study aims to empower systematic decision-making concerning DWM alternative selection by developing a sustainability assessment framework by coupling a modified Delphi method with the multicriteria decision analysis technique. First, the study identifies a comprehensive inventory of indicators across three dimensions of sustainability in the context of DWM. Next, the study combines a modified Delphi method with the analytic hierarchy process to validate and prioritize the selected sustainability indicators. For the first time, insights regarding the DWM sustainability indicators from China’s construction industry practitioners’ perspectives are elicited using a mixed method comprising online semistructured interviews and two rounds of questionnaire surveys. Experts participating in the research are mostly based in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, where local governments exhaust all efforts in promoting carbon-neutral and sustainable development. The findings reveal that eight sustainability indicators were regarded as the determinants for the sustainability performance of DWM, with the global warming potential (32%), energy efficiency (16.1%) and land use (13.5%) receiving the highest preference scores (weights) based on the experts’ judgment. Notably, the economic factors like the total cost (6.54%) appeared not highly prioritized by the local experts as typically did in the previous studies from developing countries.
We Had a Good Thing Going: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Vocational ESL in the United States
Authors: Hardin Katherine
Published: April 2023

Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) is a form of adult language education that teaches communicative skills in the context of preparing learners for a particular vocation. Despite their pedagogical and logistical benefits for adult language learners, such programs are uncommon today. This literature review traces the emergence and disappearance of VESL in the United States through a corpus study. It then explains these trends by analyzing second language acquisition research and policies related to adult education. It finds that VESL remains a promising approach that fell out of favor due to welfare and workforce policy reforms in the 1990s. It concludes by arguing for the continued relevance of VESL today and the need for adult educators to be vigilant of unintended policy impacts on their programs.
Exposure to bisphenol A induces neurotoxicity associated with synaptic and cytoskeletal dysfunction in neuro-2a cells
Authors: Wang Siting , Ning Hongmei , Wang Xinrui , Chen Lingli , Hua Liushuai , Ren Fei , Hu Dongfang , Li Rongbo , Ma Zhisheng , Ge Yaming , Yin Zhihong
Published: April 2023

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been reported to injure the developing and adult brain. However, the underlying mechanism still remains elusive. This study used neuro-2a cells as a cellular model to investigate the neurotoxic effects of BPA. Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and tau protein maintain microtubule normal function and promote the normal development of the nervous system. Synaptophysin (SYP) and drebrin (Dbn) proteins are involved in regulating synaptic plasticity. Cells were exposed to the minimum essential medium (MEM), 0.01% (v/v) DMSO, and 150 μM BPA for 12, 24, or 36 h. Morphological analysis revealed that the cells in the BPA-treated groups shrank and collapsed compared with those in the control groups. CCK-8 and lactate dehydrogenase assay (LDH) assays showed that the mortality of neuro-2a cells increased as the BPA treatment time was prolonged. Ultrastructural analysis further revealed that cells demonstrated nucleolar swelling, dissolution of nuclear and mitochondrial membranes, and partial mitochondrial condensation following exposure to BPA. BPA also decreased the relative protein expression levels of MAP2, tau, and Dbn. Interestingly, the relative protein expression levels of SYP increased. These results indicated that BPA inhibited the proliferation and disrupted cytoskeleton and synaptic integrity of neuro-2a cells.
Anemia and Poor Iron Indices Are Associated With Susceptibility to Febrile Seizures in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Sulviani Rini , Kamarullah William , Dermawan Sherly , Susanto Helen
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Febrile seizures are the most common type of seizure in children under the age of 5, and a number of risk factors for this condition have been identified. Several studies have examined the connection between iron deficiency anemia and febrile seizures in children, with inconsistent results. As a result, the authors sought to determine the precise link between iron deficiency anemia and its indices (mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, and ferritin) in conjunction to febrile seizures. Methods: A systematic literature search from several databases (PubMed, Europe PMC, ScienceDirect) was conducted from database inception until November 30, 2022. Studies were eligible if they investigated the relationship of the iron deficiency anemia and the aforementioned indices with the likelihood of febrile seizures. Results: This meta-analysis comprised 20 case-control studies with a total of 3856 participants. Our study revealed that iron deficiency anemia, low mean corpuscular volume, low serum iron, high total iron-binding capacity, and low ferritin were associated with the incremental risk of developing febrile seizures, with the odds ratios ranging from 1.24 to 1.59. Moreover, diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis indicated that low serum ferritin level had the highest overall area under the curve value amid other iron deficiency anemia indices regarding our outcomes of interest. Conclusion: This study suggest that iron deficiency anemia and poor iron indices are associated with increased risk of febrile seizures in children.
Evaluation of the osteoconductive properties of scaffold containing platete-enriched-fibrin (PRF) with three calcium phosphate (TCP) in the alveolar socket repair after tooth extraction: An animal study
Authors: Parsaee Fatemeh , Alizadeh Aliakbar , Rezaee Mostafa , Alavi Omid , Alipour Hamed
Published: April 2023

Bone regeneration can be accomplished through osteogenesis, osteoinduction, and osteoconduction mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the properties of the PRF scaffold with tricalcium phosphate nanoparticles in socket preservation in an animal model. Fabrication of PRF performed. In this experimental study, 18 rats were divided into three negative control, PRF, and PRF/TCP groups. The mechanical and chemical tests including swelling rate, degradation time, and MTT tests were applied to the scaffolds. In each animal, the first maxillary right molar was extracted, and extraction sites of test groups were filled with a resorbable biocompatible biomaterial in situ hardening bone substitute. After 2 and 4 weeks all animals were sacrificed and examined histopathologically and with qRT-PCR. Histological results showed TCP in combination with PRF accelerates bone regeneration with the highest amount of lamellar bone and collagen formation compared to the control and PRF alone. Mechanical and chemical tests on the scaffolds showed the addition of TCP to the PRF scaffold decreases the swelling rate and increases the degradation time. qRT-PCR showed expression of osteogenic genes increased significantly ( p < 0.05) in PRF/TCP and PRF, respectively. In conclusion, the gelatin hydrogel containing PRF/TCP scaffold led to more bone formation after tooth extraction. Therefore, the injectable PRF\TCP hydrogel is a promising candidate for bone repair and regeneration.
Exploring Tandem Breastfeeding Motivations Via Self-Determination Theory: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study
Authors: Rodríguez Vázquez Rocío , García Díaz Aitana , Jiménez Fernández Raquel , Corral Liria Inmaculada
Published: April 2023

Background:

Tandem breastfeeding is defined as a situation in which a mother continues breastfeeding her child through a subsequent pregnancy, including after the new baby is born. In some countries where motherhood may be delayed and the time between births may be reduced, support for the promotion of tandem breastfeeding is necessary to help mothers continue to breastfeed their eldest child and avoid early weaning. There is no existing research about mothers’ motivations to breastfeed in tandem.

Research Aim:

To explore the motivations of women to initiate and maintain tandem breastfeeding, based on their lived experience, framed within the self-determination theory.

Methods:

A prospective, cross-sectional, interpretive, phenomenological study was carried out through in-depth interviews with 15 mothers in Madrid, who had practiced tandem breastfeeding for more than 6 months, and whose weaning of their eldest child had occurred within the previous year. Convenience and snowball sampling were used. The data were analyzed using an established interpretive phenomenological analysis process.

Results:

Among the motivations for initiating tandem breastfeeding, the following themes were identified: “avoid wasting the effort invested,” “desire such life experience,” and “exercise the freedom to decide.” The motivations for maintaining tandem breastfeeding were classified as “pass on parenting values” and “benefits of teamwork.”

Conclusion:

The participants based their motivation to tandem breastfeed to follow their freely chosen motherhood model. They discovered the advantages of its implementation, forming a team of themselves and their children, and healing their traumatic perinatal experiences.
Rethinking the Role of Volunteering in the Labor Market Inclusion of Migrants
Authors: Bontenbal Ilona , Calo Francesca , Montgomery Tom , Baglioni Simone
Published: April 2023

In this article, we critically investigate the role that volunteering can have in the labor market inclusion of migrants. We consider how volunteering can both enhance and hinder inclusion through a comparison of two different contexts: Finland and the United Kingdom, where both welfare state and migration regimes are differently shaped. We also question whether volunteering to gain work experience can be defined as “volunteering” or whether it corresponds more with a definition of unpaid labor. Our research is based on 104 interviews with migrants (including refugees and asylum seekers) from various nationalities. We find that volunteering is used in both countries as a way to gain work experience, in the absence of opportunities to enter regular employment. However, volunteering rarely directly leads to employment even though it may facilitate it indirectly and, thus, risks trapping migrants in a vicious cycle that does not always lead to labor market inclusion.
Activity-tracking assemblages in Finnish early childhood education and care
Authors: Paakkari Antti , Paananen Maiju , Grieshaber Susan
Published: April 2023

Children’s activity-trackers have recently gained popularity to ensure sufficient exercise for children attending Finnish Early Childhood Education and Care settings. Device manufacturers collaborate with public and private providers and supply children with bracelets that measure activity. We interviewed staff who used trackers during 2021, and approach these technologies as assemblages where devices are entangled with discourses, rules and practices. Three events show how assemblages produced children as active/inactive; gaming the algorithm, and educators seeking to use the devices pedagogically.
Influence of processing parameters on joint characterization of SS 304 using microwave hybrid heating
Authors: Gautam Uma , Vipin
Published: April 2023

In this study, the microwave hybrid heating process has been explored to produce optimized joints of stainless steel 304. During the experiment, IFB microwave with a 900W output power and a fixed frequency of 2.45 GHz was employed. Three process parameters: microwave welding time, powder size, and slurry weight have been investigated to see their effects on three major joint properties: tensile strength, micro-hardness and surface temperature. In order to identify the optimum settings for the process parameters to provide the best mechanical qualities for joints, Taguchi L9 was used as the design of the experiment. Microwave welding time is the most significant parameter; followed by powder particle size and slurry weight has little influence on output parameters. More welding time & slurry weight with lower powder particle size produced the best results out of the values chosen as processing parameters. The tensile strength was determined to be 499 MPa. The microhardness of the joint region resulting in a value of 452 Hv. X-ray diffraction images of joint area show the presence of nickel and carbides phases. Microstructure and SEM pictures revealed that the substrate and slurry were properly mixed. The maximum temperature on the surface of the joint was found to be 926.3°C. FESEM images of broken joint showed mixed mode of failure (ductile and brittle).
Suspected case of monkeypox reinfection versus reactivation in a immunocompetent patient, Barcelona, 2022
Authors: Álvarez-López Patricia , Borras-Bermejo Blanca , López Pérez Luis , Antón Andrés , Piñana Maria , García-Pérez Jorge , Descalzo Vicente , Monforte Arnau , Martínez-Gómez Xavier , Falcó Vicenç , Arando Maider
Published: April 2023

Vaccines against smallpox are known to have cross-protective activity against monkeypox, and smallpox and monkeypox infections are believed to generate permanent immunity. Nevertheless, there are scarce data about the possibility of reinfection or reactivation. Recently, a case of apparent monkeypox reinfection has been reported. We present a suspected case of second episode of monkeypox in a healthy and previously vaccinated man, with a confirmed primary monkeypox infection occurring three months before the second confirmed presentation.
An 11,000 year record of plant community stability and paludification in a patterned rich fen in northeastern Alberta, Canada
Authors: Vitt Dale H , House Melissa
Published: April 2023

Patterned rich fens have a diverse flora and are maintained by unidirectional inflowing water with high concentrations of base cations, along with high pH and limited nutrients. Rich fens are among the most threatened ecosystems in Europe, but are not uncommon across the western boreal forest zone of Canada. Utilizing 10 radiocarbon dated cores extracted from the wetland, we investigated the Holocene developmental history of a large patterned rich fen in northeastern Alberta (McClelland Wetland). Organic matter accumulation began around 11,457 cal yr BP as primary peat formation on recently deglaciated substrates. Over the 10,000+ years history of McClelland Wetland, the central portions of the wetland have been remarkably resistant to change, with little alteration in dominant species. The resistance to change is set against a background of fluctuations in regional Holocene climate and local varying water balance. The dominant bryophyte species ( Hamatocaulis vernicosus and Scorpidium scorpioides) continued to play a foundational role on site for the duration of the Holocene, dependent on a persistent long-term ground water source. Accumulation rates of organic matter have remained steady once the dominant bryophyte layer was established, but with accumulation rates at paludifying marginal sites lower than those of the central moss-graminoid-dominated areas.
Does higher quality of care in systemic lupus erythematosus translate to better patient outcomes?
Authors: Arora Shilpa , Block Joel A , Nika Ailda , Sequeira Winston , Katz Patricia , Jolly Meenakshi
Published: April 2023

Purpose

To assess if high quality of care (QOC) in SLE results in improved outcomes of quality of life (QOL) and non-routine health care utilization (HCU).

Methods

One hundred and forty consecutive SLE patients were recruited from the Rheumatology clinic at an academic center. Data on QOC and QOL were collected along with demographics, socio-economic, and disease characteristics at baseline. LupusPRO assessing health-related (HR) QOL and non (N)HRQOL was utilized. Follow up QOL and HCU were collected prospectively at 6 months. High QOC was defined as those meeting ≥80% of the eligible quality indicators. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed with QOC and high QOC as independent variables and HRQOL and NHRQOL as dependent variables at baseline and follow up. Multivariable models were adjusted for demographics and disease characteristics. Secondary outcomes included non-routine HCU and disease activity at follow up.

Results

Baseline and follow up data on 140 and 94 patients, respectively, were analyzed. Mean (SD) performance rate (QOC) was 78.6 (13.4) with 52% patients in the high QOC group. QOC was associated with better NHRQOL at baseline and follow up but not with HRQOL. Of all the NHRQOL domains, QOC was positively associated with treatment satisfaction. QOC or high QOC were not associated with non-routine HCU and were instead associated with higher disease activity at follow up.

Conclusion

Higher QOC predicted better NHRQOL by directly impacting treatment satisfaction in SLE patients in this cohort. Higher QOC, however, was not associated with HRQOL, HCU, or improvement in disease activity at follow up.
Misclassification simulation extrapolation method for a Weibull accelerated failure time model
Authors: Sevilimedu Varadan , Yu Lili , Samawi Hani
Published: April 2023

The problem of misclassification in covariates is ubiquitous in survival data and often leads to biased estimates. The misclassification simulation extrapolation method is a popular method to correct this bias. However, its impact on Weibull accelerated failure time models has not been studied. In this paper, we study the bias caused by misclassification in one or more binary covariates in Weibull accelerated failure time models and explore the use of the misclassification simulation extrapolation in correcting for this bias, along with its asymptotic properties. Simulation studies are carried out to investigate the numerical properties of the resulting estimator for finite samples. The proposed method is then applied to colon cancer data obtained from the cancer registry at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.