bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Implementation of an Electronic Health Record‐Integrated Hypertension Management Application
Authors: Funes Hernandez Mario , Babakhanian Meghedi , Chen Tania P. , Sarraju Ashish , Seninger Clark , Ravi Vishnu , Azizi Zahra , Tooley James , Chang Tara I. , Lu Ying , Downing N. Lance , Rodriguez Fatima , Li Ron C. , Sandhu Alexander T. , Turakhia Mintu , Bhalla Vivek , Wang Paul J.
Published: January 2024

Background

High blood pressure affects approximately 116 million adults in the United States. It is the leading risk factor for death and disability across the world. Unfortunately, over the past decade, hypertension control rates have decreased across the United States. Prediction models and clinical studies have shown that reducing clinician inertia alone is sufficient to reach the target of ≥80% blood pressure control. Digital health tools containing evidence‐based algorithms that are able to reduce clinician inertia are a good fit for turning the tide in blood pressure control, but careful consideration should be taken in the design process to integrate digital health interventions into the clinical workflow.

Methods

We describe the development of a provider‐facing hypertension management platform. We enumerate key steps of the development process, including needs finding, clinical workflow analysis, treatment algorithm creation, platform design and electronic health record integration. We interviewed and surveyed 5 Stanford clinicians from primary care, cardiology, and their clinical care team members (including nurses, advanced practice providers, medical assistants) to identify needs and break down the steps of clinician workflow analysis. The application design and development stage were aided by a team of approximately 15 specialists in the fields of primary care, hypertension, bioinformatics, and software development.

Conclusions

Digital monitoring holds immense potential for revolutionizing chronic disease management. Our team developed a hypertension management platform at an academic medical center to address some of the top barriers to adoption and achieving clinical outcomes. The frameworks and processes described in this article may be used for the development of a diverse range of digital health tools in the cardiovascular space.
Digital Health Interventions for Heart Failure Management in Underserved Rural Areas of the United States: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials
Authors: Azizi Zahra , Broadwin Cassandra , Islam Sumaiya , Schenk Jamie , Din Natasha , Hernandez Mario Funes , Wang Paul , Longenecker Chris T. , Rodriguez Fatima , Sandhu Alex T.
Published: January 2024

Background

Heart failure disproportionately affects individuals residing in rural areas, leading to worse health outcomes. Digital health interventions have been proposed as a promising approach for improving heart failure management. This systematic review aims to identify randomized trials of digital health interventions for individuals living in underserved rural areas with heart failure.

Methods and Results

We conducted a systematic review by searching 6 databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed; 2000–2023). A total of 30 426 articles were identified and screened. Inclusion criteria consisted of digital health randomized trials that were conducted in underserved rural areas of the United States based on the US Census Bureau's classification. Two independent reviewers screened the studies using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute tool to evaluate the risk of bias. The review included 5 trials from 6 US states, involving 870 participants (42.9% female). Each of the 5 studies employed telemedicine, 2 studies used remote monitoring, and 1 study used mobile health technology. The studies reported improvement in self‐care behaviors in 4 trials, increased knowledge in 2, and decreased cardiovascular mortality in 1 study. However, 3 trials revealed no change or an increase in health care resource use, 2 showed no change in cardiac biomarkers, and 2 demonstrated an increase in anxiety.

Conclusions

The results suggest that digital health interventions have the potential to enhance self‐care and knowledge of patients with heart failure living in underserved rural areas. However, further research is necessary to evaluate their impact on clinical outcomes, biomarkers, and health care resource use.

Registration

URL:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/
; Unique identifier: CRD42022366923.
On null models for temporal small-worldness in brain dynamics
Authors: Rossi Aurora , Deslauriers-Gauthier Samuel , Natale Emanuele
Published: January 2024

Brain dynamics can be modeled as a temporal brain network starting from the activity of different brain regions in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals. When validating hypotheses about temporal networks, it is important to use an appropriate statistical null model that shares some features with the treated empirical data. The purpose of this work is to contribute to the theory of temporal null models for brain networks by introducing the random temporal hyperbolic (RTH) graph model, an extension of the random hyperbolic (RH) graph, known in the study of complex networks for its ability to reproduce crucial properties of real-world networks. We focus on temporal small-worldness which, in the static case, has been extensively studied in real-world complex networks and has been linked to the ability of brain networks to efficiently exchange information. We compare the RTH graph model with standard null models for temporal networks and show it is the null model that best reproduces the small-worldness of resting brain activity. This ability to reproduce fundamental features of real brain networks, while adding only a single parameter compared with classical models, suggests that the RTH graph model is a promising tool for validating hypotheses about temporal brain networks.
Eucherius’ Enigmatic Formulas of Spiritual Knowledge
Authors: Toom Tarmo
Published: January 2024

Cassiodorus grouped Eucherius’ Formulae spiritalis intellegentiae with four other introductiones, all of which are supposedly about biblical interpretation. However, and despite its Preface, Eucherius’ treatise does not fit well with the other hermeneutical treatises. This article attempts to determine the alleged purpose of Eucherius’ Formulae and assess the interpretative advice that it provides. It is argued that Formulae is a compendium assisting one in a meditative lectio divinae.
Ghana Armed Forces’ Contributions to African-Led Peace Support Operations from 1990-2020
Authors: Salihu Naila , Aning Kwesi
Published: January 2024

Ghana’s role in African-led peace support operations (pso) is best situated within the first Economic Community of West African States Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ecomog) mission deployed in 1990 to Liberia. Ghana, and Nigeria, spearheaded this initiative at a time when regional interventions in intra-state conflicts had not been properly elaborated and UN collaboration with regional organizations in conflict interventions were underdeveloped. Through its multiple expanded contributions in Sierra Leone, La Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Gambia, Ghana’s experiences provide critical and important cognitive lessons in how a resource constrained state adapted to the changing operational environments of pso s. This paper explores Ghana’s contributions to ecowas pso s and argues that Ghana, though not a hegemon, has been a driving force behind some ecowas pso s. It argues that participation in pso s have provided opportunities through which Ghana has demonstrated and enhanced its influence and agency in regional affairs and the international system.
Freshwater lamprey and fishes of Iran: Reappraisal and updated checklist with a note on Eagderi et al. (2022)
Authors: SAYYADZADEH GOLNAZ , ESMAEILI HAMID REZA
Published: January 2024

This checklist aims to update the list of the inland fish fauna of Iran including newly described species and also clarify the status of some taxa including some gobies and catfishes which were ignored in the checklist provided by Eagderi et al. (2022). The checklist is arranged by classes, orders, families, and species. In total, 300 species, belonging to 110 genera, 38 families, 23 orders, and three classes were recognized from Iranian basins, with the presence of 11 reported species that need confirmation by specimens. Additional notes about the taxonomy of several taxa are provided in the discussion section.
2. The Bible in Whitman
Authors: Dobbs-Allsopp F. W.
Published: January 2024

The chapter takes up the topic of biblical quotations, allusions, and echoes in Whitman’s writings, albeit with a very specific end in view. G. W. Allen pioneered this line of research in his “Biblical Echoes,” which remains the single largest published collection of biblical quotations, allusions and echoes in Whitman. This sampling alone establishes Whitman’s knowledge and use of the Bible, and the direct quotations from the Bible make clear Whitman’s use of the KJB translation in particular. Allen also ably emphasizes the “elusive” nature of Whitman’s allusive practice in Leaves as it pertains to the Bible. My own point of departure is the (modest amount of) research carried out on this topic since Allen’s foundational study. I begin by elaborating a number of general observations that entail from these more recent studies, not a few of which contrast with emphases placed by Allen (e.g., the prominence of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in Whitman’s collages from the Bible). The main part of the chapter focuses on the important period from 1850-55. A survey of Whitman’s writings (both poetry and prose) from this period reveals a plethora of biblical language, imagery, themes, characters, and imitations of all sorts, and this allusive practice turns out to be a very tangible way of tracking one dimension of Whitman’s evolving poetic theory—“no quotations.” At the time of the three free-verse poems from the spring and summer of 1850, Whitman could still freely embed quotations from the Bible in his poems. But by the time of the early notebooks and poetry manuscripts, and then in the 1855 Leaves, Whitman’s new poetics is firmly in place: no more direct quotations, a concerted trimming away of some biblical trappings, and a tendency to work-over allusions to the point that they become, as B. L. Bergquist says, “more ‘elusive,’ more hidden.” The survey includes close scrutiny of Whitman’s prose writings (mostly journalistic in nature) from 1850-53 and the early pre-Leaves notebooks and unpublished poetry manuscripts.
3. Whitman’s Line
Authors: Dobbs-Allsopp F. W.
Published: January 2024

The question of the origin of Whitman’s signature long line remains shrouded in mystery. The renewed attention paid to the early notebooks and poetry manuscripts has enabled scholars to see much more clearly the emergence of that line and to have a better idea of its rough chronology. But what of this line’s inspiration? Its animating impulse? Where does it come from? And why? The evidence at hand does not permit conclusive answers to these and related questions. Still, in this chapter, the possibility that the KJB played a role in shaping Whitman’s ideas about his emerging line is probed. In particular, the central argument if the chapter builds on an insight of George Saintsbury who, in a review of the 1871(-72) edition of Leaves, calls attention to the likeness of Whitman’s line to “the verse divisions of the English Bible, especially in the poetical books.” A number of aspects of Whitman’s mature line (e.g., its variability, range of lengths, typical shapes and character, and content) become more clearly comparable to the Bible when thought through in light of Saintsbury’s appreciation of the significance of the actual “verse divisions of the English Bible.” Along the way the chronological development of Whitman’s line is sketched, emphasizing the poet’s break with meter as key to opening the possibility for a longer line. Other possible means by which knowledge about the Bible beyond direct readerly encounters may have been mediated to Whitman (such as the poetry of James Macpherson and Martin Farquhar Tupper) are also considered.
Afterword
Authors: Dobbs-Allsopp F. W.
Published: January 2024

The main aim of this study is to measure the KJB’s impact on Whitman’s poetic style, especially as it is developing in the immediate run-up to the 1855 Leaves and during the period of the first three editions more generally. The style of Whitman’s later poems shifts dramatically in places (e.g., shorter lines, more conventional punctuation, less aversion to stock phrases) and a full accounting of the stylistic debt Whitman owes to the English Bible would require an equally substantial engagement with these later materials. This brief “Afterword” gestures toward this fuller accounting to come through a reading of Whitman’s late (and posthumously published) “Death’s Valley” (1889), a poem simultaneously provoked by George Inness’s painting, “The Valley of the Shadow of Death” (1867) and the psalm of the latter’s inspiration, including that most mesmerizing of the KJB’s mistranslations, “the valley of the shadow of death,” which Whitman deftly (and unbiblically) rephrases in his title.
Bond Strength of Laser-Treated Titanium Alloy with Glass Based Ceramic/Porcelain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Alhenaki Aasem M.
Published: January 2024

Objective: The study systematically reviewed the bonding strength of laser-treated titanium (Ti) alloy with porcelain compared to other conditioning methods. Methods: A search was performed using Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for PICO focused question, “Does
the laser treatment (I) of titanium surface enhances the bonding strength (O) between a titanium substrate and porce- lain/composite (P) as compared to other surface treatments (C)?” The standard mean difference (SMD) was calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) through
the use of meta-analyses. Results: Of the 8 included studies, five studies used the shear bond strength (SBS) test, one study used tensile bond strength (TBS) analysis, and two utilized the flexural bond strength (FBS) test. Sandblasting showed SBS values ranging between 6.02 ±0.91
MPa and 7.00±2.45 MPa; while lased samples demonstrated scores of 6.16 ±0.37 MPa and 21.22±3.41 MPa. A TBS score of 52.62 MPa for the samples treated with air abrasion (control group) and 24.02 MPa for the laser- welded samples was observed. The meta-analysis revealed
improvement in SBS (p = 0.04) scores for laser treatment, compared to the controls. Conclusion: The application of laser treatment of Ti alloy with ceramic is a promising alternative to improve the bonding strength of acrylic resin to titanium.
Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer Management: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Authors: Prasath Vishnu , Quinn Patrick L. , Arjani Simran , Li Sharon , Oliver Joseph B. , Mahmoud Omar , Jaloudi Mohammed , Hajifathalian Kaveh , Chokshi Ravi J.
Published: January 2024

Across the nation, patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) are managed with modalities including upfront surgery (US) and perioperative chemotherapy (PCT). Preoperative therapies have demonstrated survival benefits over US and thus long-term outcomes are expected to vary between the options. However, as these 2 modalities continue to be regularly employed, we sought to perform a decision analysis comparing the costs and quality-of-life associated with the treatment of patients with LAGC to identify the most cost-effective option. We designed a decision tree model to investigate the survival and costs associated with the most commonly utilized management modalities for LAGC in the United States: US and PCT. The tree described costs and treatment strategies over a 6-month time horizon. Costs were derived from 2022 Medicare reimbursement rates using the third-party payer perspective for physicians and hospitals. Effectiveness was represented using quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). One-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were utilized to test the robustness of our findings. PCT was the most cost-effective treatment modality for patients with LAGC over US with a cost of $40,792.16 yielding 3.11 QALYs. US has a cost of $55,575.57 while yielding 3.15 QALYs; the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $369,585.25. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses favored PCT in all variations of variables across their standard deviations. Across 100,000 Monte Carlo simulations, 100% of trials favored PCT. In our model simulating patients with LAGC, the most cost-effective treatment strategy was PCT. While US demonstrated improved QALYs over PCT, the associated cost was too great to justify its use.
The Association Between the Albumin-Bilirubin Score and Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Chen Jun-Han , Zhang Li-Wei , Lin Zhi-Jie , Chen Xiao-Fang , Chen Li-Chuan , Wang Chang-Xi , Lin Kai-Yang , Guo Yan-Song
Published: January 2024

The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score is considered an effective and convenient scoring system for assessing liver function. We hypothesized that the ALBI score was predictive of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) and long-term mortality in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We retrospectively observed 5629 patients undergoing elective PCI. Contrast-associated acute kidney injury is defined as a 50% or 0.3 mg/dl increase in baseline serum creatinine levels within 48 h of contrast exposure. The incidence of CA-AKI was 6.2% (n = 350). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, multivariate analysis showed that the ALBI score was an independent predictor of CA-AKI ( P = .002). A restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed approximately linear relationships between the ALBI score and risks of CA-AKI. Furthermore, at a median follow-up of 2.8 years, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the ALBI score was an independent risk factor for long-term mortality ( P < .001). The ALBI score was closely related to the occurrence of CA-AKI and long-term mortality in patients who underwent elective PCI. This score might be useful for risk stratification in high-risk patient groups to predict CA-AKI.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Substrate Time Stability Improvement Using an External Oxygen Barrier Method
Authors: Song Congxi , Li Xiaoping , Jiang Zhihui , Zhang Shen , Mao Hongmin , Zhao Xin , Lu Huanjun , Cao Zhaoliang
Published: January 2024

The poor time stability of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates greatly limits their application potential. Although core–shell structures are commonly used to enhance stability, their complex preparation processes, high costs, and susceptibility under acidic or alkaline conditions result in serious disadvantages for practical applications. Here, we propose a new method of external oxygen barrier to improve spectral stability, in which SERS substrates are stored in an oxygen-free environment. Controlled experiments are carried out under air and vacuum. Raman spectrum intensity is measured 11 times within six months for each group. Using the attenuation formula, the Raman spectrum intensity decay results of each SERS substrate over time are obtained. The effectiveness of the external oxygen barrier method is demonstrated through curve fitting using the corresponding function. The substrate spectral attenuation rates of the vacuum group and the argon group within six months are <20%, proving the effectiveness of the external oxygen barrier method.
Finite element simulation of electromagnetic axial powder compaction of SS 316 powder
Authors: Thirupathi Nadimetla , Kore Sachin D.
Published: January 2024

Electromagnetic axial powder compaction (EMAPC) uses strong magnetic fields to compact powder metallurgy components at high speeds. Lorentz forces accelerate the punch to compact powder in EMAPC. Thus, high magnetic fields cause powder deformations in microseconds. Therefore, measuring the compact height, magnetic field distribution, and compaction velocity was difficult. No literature has reported EMAPC finite element (FE) modeling. Thus, an LS-DYNA multi-physics solver-based FE 3D model has been developed to study SS316s EMAPC. A cylindrical SS316 sample was simulated for EMAPC at various discharge energies. The powder-compressed sample's final deformation was predicted through simulation. To characterize compacted samples, sintered samples were studied for density, porosity, and microhardness. Compressed samples were microscopically examined using optical microscopy. Increased discharge energy lowers height, increases density, and microhardness. FE analysis can be used to optimize EMAPC process parameters for powder compact density and porosity.
From mosquitoes to menace: Unveiling the dangers of West Nile virus in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Moiz Ahmed , Adnan Fareeha , Khursheed Nazia
Published: January 2024

Pakistan, a subtropical nation, has seen a rapid rise in Arboviral transmission in the past decade. Environmental hazards such as intense monsoon rains and yearly floods in addition to unsanitary living conditions pose an increased risk of arboviral infections. In recent years, the emergence and spread of West Nile virus (WNV), which can lead to a life-threatening meningoencephalitis, in Pakistan has alarmed the health care authorities of an impending outbreak. Health professionals and policymakers should give paramount importance to prevent its transmission across Pakistan as another arboviral outbreak would wreak havoc on the already fragile health infrastructure of the country. Proactive surveillance and prompt reporting are crucial for mitigating this threat as there are no vaccines available to prevent WNV infection.
Do internet and mobile usage affect the democracy-economic growth nexus in Africa?
Authors: Dossou Toyo A. M. , Jotham Kihumuro , Pascal Dossou K. , Kambaye Emmanuelle N. , Asongu Simplice A. , Alinsato Alastaire S.
Published: January 2024

Recently, many studies have examined the ICT-economic growth relationship and the democracy-economic growth linkage with conflicting results. However, the study on the moderating effect of internet and mobile usage on the democracy-economic growth relationship is very scanty. This study, therefore, contributes to the economic development literature by examining the impact of internet and mobile usage on the democracy-economic growth relationship in 26 African economies over the period 2000–2020. The panel corrected standard errors (PCSE) estimation technique has been applied. The results show that improving the democratic system in Africa can foster economic growth. Moreover, the result reveals that increasing internet and mobile usage can improves economic growth in Africa. Furthermore, the results reveal that the interaction between internet and mobile usage and democracy can boost economic growth in Africa. Policy implications regarding the moderating effect of internet and mobile usage on the democracy-economic growth nexus are discussed.
Effect of fretting wear on TC4 alloy prepared by laser shock peening at high temperature
Authors: Wei Song , Kaimin Li , Wanjia Li , Wanwu Ding
Published: January 2024

The fretting wear properties of a nanocrystalline layer with laser shock peening (LSP) on the surface of Ti–6Al–4V (TC4) alloy were investigated to improve the fretting friction performance at 25 °C and 500 °C. The fretting operation characteristics and material damage mechanism of the LSP–TC4 alloy were investigated through a friction dissipation model and two kinds of operation fretting models. The contact morphology and three-body behaviour on the surface were also revealed. The wear resistance performances of the strengthened surfaces exceeded those of unreinforced surfaces at 25 °C and 500 °C but the LSP-treated alloy was more stable at 25 °C. As revealed in the operation fretting models, the fretting running region of the LSP layer consisted of a mixed slip regime and gross slip regime. The material response area was composed of slight and abrasive wear areas at 500 °C. The improved fretting fatigue resistance of TC4 alloy was attributed to the refined internal organisation and high-density dislocation organisation of LSP, which inhibits the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks.
Layton's Marketing Systems at the Intersection of Provisioning Systems: Examining Failure
Authors: Williams Janine , Davey Janet , Kennedy Ann-Marie , Krisjanous Jayne
Published: January 2024

Drawing on the work of Layton and Duffy, and Williams, Davey and Johnstone, this paper examines the infant formula marketing system. Using a Systems of Provisioning approach, marketing system failure as a result of regulatory intervention at the intersection of two systems is conceptualized - the infant health system and the infant formula marketing system. Positive population-based outcomes for breast feeding rates and negative stigmatizing outcomes at an individual consumer level occur as the two provisioning systems respond to regulatory interventions. The mechanisms are identified whereby intervention restricts participant choice and coevolution of the marketing system contributing to the failure. Taking a Systems of Provisioning approach, we advance the understanding of marketing system failure, and we recommend co-design processes involving multiple stakeholders as a way forward to remedy such occurrences.
Characteristics and Clinical Prognosis of Septic Patients With Persistent Lymphopenia
Authors: Jing Juanjuan , Wei Yushan , Dong Xue , Li Dandan , Zhang Chenyang , Fang Zhiyao , Wang Jia , Wan Xianyao
Published: January 2024

Background: Septic patients with persistent lymphopenia may be in an immunosuppressed state. Therefore, we evaluated and compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of septic patients with persistent lymphopenia (≥2d) and those with nonpersistent lymphopenia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed. A total of 1306 patients with sepsis who were attended to the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from March 2016 to August 2022 were included. The primary clinical outcome was 90d mortality. The secondary clinical outcomes were the length of stay, hospital mortality, 28d mortality, the incidence of secondary infection, and differences in clinical characteristics. Results: Among 1306 patients with sepsis, 913 (69.9%) patients developed persistent lymphopenia. Compared with patients with nonpersistent lymphopenia, patients with persistent lymphocytopenia were admitted to intensive care unit (75.7% vs 52.7%, P <  .05), treated with mechanical ventilation (67.6% vs 39.2%, P < .05), positive rate of microbial culture pathogens (86.7% vs 71.2%, P <  .05), SOFA [8.0 (6.0-10.0) vs 6.0 (4.0-8.0), P < .05], length of stay [17.0d (12.0-27.0) vs 13.0d (10.0-21.0), P < .05], hospital mortality (37.7% vs 24.2%, P < .05), 28d mortality (38.0% vs 22.9%, P < .05), and 90d mortality (51.2% vs 31.3%, P < .05) were higher. As the duration of lymphocytopenia increased, so did the mortality rate in hospital. In addition, the onset time of persistent lymphopenia was not associated with SOFA. But we found that the frequency of persistent lymphopenia during hospitalization was positively associated with SOFA. Conclusion: Septic patients with persistent lymphopenia have higher mortality, worse conditions, increased risk of secondary infection, and poor prognosis regardless of shock.
Exploring Shopper Psychographic Characteristics From a Human Ecosystem Perspective: A Proposed Typology of Millennial Luxury Consumers
Authors: Slaton Kelcie , Hurst Jessica , Niehm Linda
Published: January 2024

An enhanced understanding of millennial luxury consumers is needed for luxury retailers to develop loyalty strategies and foster business success. Guided by the human ecosystem framework, the objective of this research was to classify millennial luxury consumers into a shopper typology based on shopper psychographic characteristics to provide an understanding of their shopping motivations and behaviors regarding luxury goods. Two studies were conducted. Semistructured interviews of millennial luxury consumers in Study 1, analyzed through interpretive analysis, resulted in 11 major themes or shopper psychographic characteristics. An online survey to a larger sample of millennial luxury consumers in Study 2 was then employed. Reliability and validity testing confirmed the 11 psychographic characteristics and latent profile analyses revealed a four-class shopper typology. Findings provide retail industry executives with in-depth information on customer profiles which includes shopping and product preferences, motivations, and customer expectations that was previously absent in the literature.
Thermoelectric properties of half-Heusler alloys
Authors: Chen Rongchun , Kang Huijun , Min Ruonan , Chen Zongning , Guo Enyu , Yang Xiong , Wang Tongmin
Published: January 2024

Half-Heusler alloys (HHs) as medium- and high-temperature thermoelectric materials have attracted increasing considerable attention, owing to their excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. Nonetheless, the intercoupling between the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, and their high thermal conductivity limit the furthermore enhancement of their thermoelectric properties. This review systemically summarizes and analyses the various current strategies for improving thermoelectric properties, such as manipulating band structure, optimizing electron and phonon transports, and constructing high configurational entropy, etc. Moreover, the possible deficiencies of the existing electric-phonon transport mechanisms are highlighted and discussed, which aiming to provide a meaningful guide for future efforts to accelerate the development of HHs. Finally, based on current research, a new potential future for the integration of single crystal technology and high-entropy effect is introduced for HHs.
Enhancing Social Workers’ Capacity Building for Career and Life Development Services: A Quasi-Experimental Outcome Study
Authors: Ng Yuen-hang , Ngai Steven Sek-yum , Cheung Chau-kiu , Pang Wing-tsam , Zhou Qiushi , Mai Chunyan , Yu Elly Nga-hin , Liu Cornelia Meng-ting , Siu Hok-yee
Published: January 2024

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a training program for social workers who provide services for promoting the career and life development (CLD) of non-engaged youth (NEY). Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized to compare the changes between the training ( n = 58) and the comparison groups ( n = 48). Focus groups and individual interviews with training participants ( n = 13) and guest speakers ( n = 2) were also conducted. Results: The training group showed greater improvement in all four aspects of capacity building—implementation, commitment, knowledge, and orientation—than the comparison group. The qualitative analysis generated four themes about how social workers benefited from the training program. Discussion: The findings provided evidence for the positive impact of the training program in building social workers’ capacity for facilitating NEY's CLD. As such, the Program offers a holistic framework of CLD-related theory and practice for social workers and evaluators.
Understanding the Narratives of Child Sexual Abuse
Authors: Herland Mari Dalen
Published: January 2024

This qualitative study consisted of in-depth, retrospective interviews with participants over the age of 18 who experienced child sexual abuse. Through narrative analysis, study findings shed light on three overall findings: the perception of memories, the perception of grooming, and the perception of the lived lives of child sexual abuse survivors. Findings suggest that the narratives elicited from the participants included current views but also past experiences and anticipation about the future, including individual and societal levels of meaning. These narratives are furthermore entangled and inexorably linked – temporally, culturally, generationally, materially, and emotionally – and the results are thus presented from a holistic perspective. Study findings help explain the complex dimensions concerning the lived experiences of child sexual abuse. As such, this research speaks to the field of social and health care practitioners working with children and families facing the complex phenomenon of child sexual abuse.
Determination of vWF, ADAMTS-13 and Thrombospondin-1 in Venous Thromboembolism and Relating Them to the Presence of Factor V Leiden Mutation
Authors: Al-Awadhi Anwar , Marouf Rajaa , Jadaon Mehrez M. , Al-Awadhy Mohammad M.
Published: January 2024

Thrombophilia in venous thromboembolism (VTE) is multifactorial. Von Willebrand factor (vWF) plays a major role in primary hemostasis. While elevated vWF levels are well documented in VTE, findings related to its cleaving protease (ADAMTS-13) are contradicting. The aim of this study was to determine vWF, ADAMTS-13, and the multifactorial Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) protein levels in patients after 3-6 months following an unprovoked VTE episode. We also explored a possible association with factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation. vWF, ADAMTS-13 and TSP-1 were analyzed using ELISA kits in 60 VTE patients and 60 controls. Patients had higher levels of vWF antigen ( P = .021), vWF collagen-binding activity ( P = .008), and TSP-1 protein ( P < .001) compared to controls. ADAMTS-13 antigen was lower in patients ( P = .046) compared to controls but ADAMTS-13 activity was comparable between the two groups ( P = .172). TSP-1 showed positive correlation with vWF antigen (rho = 0.303, P = .021) and negative correlation with ADAMTS-13 activity (rho = −0.244, P = .033) and ADAMTS-13 activity/vWF antigen ratio (rho = −0.348, P = .007). A significant association was found between the presence of FVL mutation and VTE (odds ratio (OR): 9.672 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.074-45.091- P = .004), but no association was found between the mutation and the studied proteins ( P > .05). There appears to be an imbalance between vWF and ADAMTS-13 in VTE patients even after 3-6 months following the onset of VTE. We report that the odds of developing VTE in carriers of FVL mutation are 9.672 times those without the mutation, but the presence of this mutation is not associated with the studied proteins.
The Political Dimensions in Discourses of Youth Organizations Operating in Poland: Scope and Dynamics of Changes in the Context of the Russo-Ukrainian War
Authors: Kopińska Violetta
Published: January 2024

In this article, the research aim was to reconstruct the political characteristics of the discourses of four youth organizations operating in Poland in three intertwined dimensions: content, structure and time. In the content dimension, by using the analysis of the discursive strategies, the focus was on political goals and political features of collective identities. In the structure dimension, by using the analytical tool provided by discursive institutionalism, the internal dynamics of discourses were explored. In the dimensions of structure and time, an attempt was made to capture the discursive change as a reaction to the war in Ukraine. Over 700 texts posted by the organizations’ websites or Facebook pages were analysed. Three types of discourses were identified, which show various ways of representing political objectives and collective identities. Furthermore, all of the discourses reacted to the war in Ukraine. The results show the scope and dynamics of such changes.
Social, Spatial and Material Conditions for Mattering: Newly Arrived Young Migrants’ Possibilities to Matter in Everyday Life in a Swedish School
Authors: Lögdberg Ulrika , Öhlander Magnus , Lindgren Eva-Carin , Nilsson Bo
Published: January 2024

Mattering as a central part of well-being has not been studied in the context of newly arrived young migrants in Swedish schools. Neither have studies on mattering included material and spatial conditions. This article draws on data collected from ethnographic fieldwork to address this. The theoretical contribution is based on the combination of the concept of mattering with Ahmed’s feminist and postcolonial theory of orientation and a critical view of lived experience as social and bodily orientation devices. Combining these theoretical frameworks, we explore social, spatial and material conditions for mattering in newly arrived youths’ everyday school lives. The overall outcome of our analysis illustrates that mattering is not only a question of social relations but also related to spatial and material dimensions. A conclusion is that Swedishness as an unspoken norm of whiteness is ‘built into the walls’ of Swedish schools and that (in)directly discriminates newly arrived young migrants.
Unpacking categorizations in researching GBTIQ+ parents
Authors: Ammann Carole
Published: January 2024

In this article, based on anthropological research conducted in the Netherlands and Switzerland, I show the diversity and multi-faceted nature of GBTIQ+ (gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer) parenting. In contrast to recent research on GBTIQ+ parents, which often distinguishes between parents who have children through a (former) heterosexual encounter, adoption, fostering, surrogacy, co-parenting, or trans pregnancy, I deliberately chose not to study just one form of family formation. Drawing on 37 biographical, narrative, and thematic interviews and two group discussions with GBTIQ+ parents, I adopt a processual understanding of parenting that takes into account its fluidity and transformations over the life course. I argue that we should pay attention to how both the unique ways of forming and being a GBTIQ+ family, and common notions of imagining and doing family, intermingle in practice. Furthermore, I stress the importance of taking into account the intersecting differences within the category of GBTIQ+ parents, and accordingly, we should critically analyze which factors are relevant to an individual in a particular time and space.
Nonlinear bond-slip model for fiber-reinforced polymer laminates externally bonded to thermally damaged concrete
Authors: Lv Heng-Da , Xie Wen-Jian , Gao Wan-Yang
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a novel nonlinear local bond-slip model for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates externally bonded to thermally damaged concrete substrates. The proposed model is an extension of an existing two-parameter bond-slip model and incorporates two key parameters including interfacial fracture energy ([Formula: see text]) and interfacial brittleness index ([Formula: see text]). To study the variations of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with different thermal damage levels of the concrete substrate, an extensive experimental database of shear tests on FRP-to-thermally damaged concrete bonded joints was collected from the existing literature. The [Formula: see text] values were calculated from the peak pull loads with proper consideration of the bond length and width effects, while the [Formula: see text] values were obtained by least-squares regression analysis using experimental load-displacement curves or measured strain distributions in the FRP laminates. The results have indicated that the [Formula: see text] values initially exhibit a slight increase accompanied by mild thermal damage of the concrete substrate after exposure to moderately high temperatures; however, these values significantly decrease when the exposure temperature exceeds 300°C. The [Formula: see text] values initially decrease with high-temperature exposure and stabilize at around 50% of the initial values when the temperatures reach around 400°C. Despite the inherent variability in the test database, the proposed temperature-dependent bond-slip model has demonstrated its accuracy, as demonstrated by the comparisons between the theoretical predictions generated by the model and the corresponding shear test results. This interfacial bond-slip model is expected to serve as a constitutive law to characterize the bond behavior between externally bonded FRP laminates and thermally damaged concrete substrate, thus facilitating the practical application of high-performance FRP composites in the repair and strengthening of thermally or fire-damaged RC members.
The imbalanced effect of politicization: How EU politicization favours Eurosceptic parties
Authors: Beaudonnet Laurie , Gomez Raul
Published: January 2024

This article investigates how the systemic politicization of the EU is associated with support for different political parties. We argue that, while politicization involves actions by both Eurosceptic and Europhile parties, it does not affect parties at both extremes of the continuum in the same way. To investigate these differentiated effects, we leverage data from the European Elections Study and the Chapel Hill expert survey covering two decades (1999 to 2019). The evidence supports the hypothesis that, when it comes to voters’ preferences, politicization strongly favours Eurosceptic parties. We conclude that the systemic politicization of European issues is thus a one-way street leading to the reinforcement of the constraining dissensus on the EU.
The moral behaviour of single young women immigrants to Mandatory Palestine: Between nationalism, gender, and professionalism in social work
Authors: Shimei Nour
Published: January 2024

Migration has always constituted a meeting point of opportunity, risk, and vulnerability. Concerns surrounding the sex trafficking of women have caused moral panic since the mid-1800s and led to social workers’ preventive initiatives and interventions in Europe and the United States. This article explores a historical moment in which Henrietta Szold, who headed the Social Welfare Department in Mandatory Palestine in 1934, decided to send social workers to the Jaffa and Haifa ports to welcome young, single immigrant women from Germany in the light of rumours of the moral dangers they faced upon entering the country. This feminist historical study of social work employed qualitative analysis of archival texts to investigate the professional decision-making processes involved in sending a social worker to the Jaffa port and the results of the decisions that were made.

Findings

The findings trace the course of events that took place in 1934 using three categories: the rumours, their investigation, and the results and implications of the investigations. The findings point to intersections of nationalism, gender, and professionalism in social work.

Applications

This article contributes to the evolving knowledge on moral panic in social work and reveals the historical practice used in social work policy and interventions in facing moral panic regarding young women immigrants.
Deciphering the Tumor Microenvironment of Colorectal Cancer and Guiding Clinical Treatment With Patient-Derived Organoid Technology: Progress and Challenges
Authors: Li Jingwei , Liu Jianhua , Xia Wuzheng , Yang Hongwei , Sha Weihong , Chen Hao
Published: January 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors of the digestive tract worldwide. Despite notable advancements in CRC treatment, there is an urgent requirement for preclinical model systems capable of accurately predicting drug efficacy in CRC patients, to identify more effective therapeutic options. In recent years, substantial strides have been made in the field of organoid technology, patient-derived organoid models can phenotypically replicate the original intra-tumor and inter-tumor heterogeneity of CRC, reflecting cellular interactions of the tumor microenvironment. Patient-derived organoid models have become an indispensable tool for investigating the pathogenesis of CRC and facilitating translational research. This review focuses on the application of organoid technology in CRC modeling, tumor microenvironment, and guiding clinical treatment, particularly in drug screening and personalized medicine. It also examines the existing challenges encountered in clinical organoid research and provides a prospective outlook on the future development directions of clinical organoid research, encompassing the standardization of organoid culture technology and the application of tissue engineering technology.
PRADclass: Hybrid Gleason Grade-Informed Computational Strategy Identifies Consensus Biomarker Features Predictive of Aggressive Prostate Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Balraj Alex Stanley , Muthamilselvan Sangeetha , Raja Rachanaa , Palaniappan Ashok
Published: January 2024

Background

Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is a common cancer diagnosis among men globally, yet large gaps in our knowledge persist with respect to the molecular bases of its progression and aggression. It is mostly indolent and slow-growing, but aggressive prostate cancers need to be recognized early for optimising treatment, with a view to reducing mortality.

Methods

Based on TCGA transcriptomic data pertaining to PRAD and the associated clinical metadata, we determined the sample Gleason grade, and used it to execute: (i) Gleason-grade wise linear modeling, followed by five contrasts against controls and ten contrasts between grades; and (ii) Gleason-grade wise network modeling via weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Candidate biomarkers were obtained from the above analysis and the consensus found. The consensus biomarkers were used as the feature space to train ML models for classifying a sample as benign, indolent or aggressive.

Results

The statistical modeling yielded 77 Gleason grade-salient genes while the WGCNA algorithm yielded 1003 trait-specific key genes in grade-wise significant modules. Consensus analysis of the two approaches identified two genes in Grade-1 (SLC43A1 and PHGR1), 26 genes in Grade-4 (including LOC100128675, PPP1R3C, NECAB1, UBXN10, SERPINA5, CLU, RASL12, DGKG, FHL1, NCAM1, and CEND1), and seven genes in Grade-5 (CBX2, DPYS, FAM72B, SHCBP1, TMEM132A, TPX2, UBE2C). A RandomForest model trained and optimized on these 35 biomarkers for the ternary classification problem yielded a balanced accuracy ∼ 86% on external validation.

Conclusions

The consensus of multiple parallel computational strategies has unmasked candidate Gleason grade-specific biomarkers. PRADclass, a validated AI model featurizing these biomarkers achieved good performance, and could be trialed to predict the differentiation of prostate cancers. PRADclass is available for academic use at: https://apalania.shinyapps.io/pradclass (online) and https://github.com/apalania/pradclass (command-line interface).
Balloon-assisted U-turn Technique to Access Cortical Vein for Transvenous Embolization of Mixed Dural-pial Arteriovenous Malformation
Authors: Essibayi Muhammed Amir , Vaishnav Dhrumil , Holland Ryan , Altschul David J
Published: January 2024

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations can be classified into pure pial, mixed dural-pial, and pure dural types. Mixed pial-dural AVMs (DPAVM) are rare and often receive blood supply from dural meningeal arteries, including branches of the internal carotid, external carotid, and vertebral arteries. 1 – 6 DPAVMs, which are usually large and complex, require delicate endovascular and surgical treatment methods. The cure rate is low, and recurrence is very common, leading to high morbidity and mortality. In this case video, we present a case of PDAVM that recurred after initial endovascular onyx embolization, requiring additional endovascular coiling which resulted in obliteration of the DPAVM.