bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction Model for Early Subacute Phase Tracheostomy Decannulation in Patients with Stroke
Authors: Qin Hui-Min , Huang Xi-Yan , Xu Rui-Yun , Xie Qiu-You , Tang Dan-Zhe
Published: January 2025

Objective: This study aims to identify the factors influencing decannulation in patients with stroke who underwent tracheostomy during the early subacute phase. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 219 patients with stroke who underwent a tracheostomy at a tertiary hospital between January 2020 and December 2023. Among them, there were 155 males and 64 females. The age distribution ranged from 13 to 90 years old (average, 54.32 ± 14.96). There were 189 patients diagnosed with cerebral hemorrhage and 30 patients diagnosed with cerebral infarction. The patients were categorized into 2 groups: Those who achieved decannulation during the early subacute phase and those who did not. The decannulation group comprised 69 individuals, while the non-decannulation group comprised 150 individuals. Data collected included general patient demographics, stroke types, levels of consciousness, the presence of airway polyps, and outcomes of the modified Evan’s blue dye test (MEBDT). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent factors influencing early decannulation. The predictive value of these factors was further evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Logistic regression analysis identified Glasgow Coma Scale scores, MEBDT results, and cough ability as independent factors influencing decannulation. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that a predictive model incorporating these 3 factors had a high predictive accuracy, with an AUC of 0.975 ( P < .001, 95% CI 0.958-0.993). The model’s cut-off value of 0.19 yielded a sensitivity of 95.6% and a specificity of 87.3%. Conclusion: The Glasgow Coma Scale score, MEBDT results, and cough ability are independent determinants of early decannulation is patients with stroke. The combined assessment of these factors offers strong predictive accuracy for early decannulation.
Was Spinoza a Deleuzian? Rethinking the Politics of Emotions and Affects
Authors: Aktas Ahmet
Published: January 2025

A salient tradition in contemporary affect theory heavily relies on distinguishing between emotions and affects. The former refers to structured categories of socially coded affective states, while the latter denotes the pre-social libidinal flow underlying emotions. This distinction is commonly attributed to Spinoza and is thought to have been further developed by Deleuze. In this article, I argue that this overall historical picture is misleading and inaccurate. Deleuze radically transforms Spinoza’s theory of affect for the ends of his own ethical-political philosophy. Moreover, I argue that Deleuzian and similar conceptualizations of affect fail to fulfill their political and ethical promises due to two critical problems. In the last section, I show that a unified notion of emotion inspired by Spinoza, which does not create a sharp rift between emotions and affect, can perform the same explanatory function intended by the emotion-affect distinction while allowing us to circumvent these problems.
Clinical characteristics of male lymphedema: A single center-experience
Authors: Özdemir Hande
Published: January 2025

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of male patients.

Methods

Retrospective data were collected from the files of 52 male patients with lymphedema. Duration, diagnostic category, localization and stage of lymphedema, and complaints were analyzed and reported. In addition, subgroups based on age, lymphedema etiology and cellulite history were compared in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics.

Results

The most common cause of lymphedema was chronic venous insufficiency (32.7%), followed by cancer-related lymphedema (30.8%). The location of the lymphedema varied, with 46.2% having it in the unilateral lower extremity, 32.7% in both lower extremities, and smaller percentages in the upper extremities, genital area, and head and neck. The median duration of lymphedema was 12 months, and the most common referral source was cardiovascular surgeons. The most common symptoms reported were swelling and feeling of heaviness. Approximately 23.1% of patients had a history of cellulitis. Non-cancer related lymphedema patients had higher body mass index and longer duration, and a third of them had a history of cellulitis, unlike cancer-related lymphedema patients.

Conclusion

It is crucial to acknowledge that lymphedema can also affect men. Prompt diagnosis of men with potential risk factors, such as chronic venous insufficiency and cancer, is vital to prevent lymphedema and its associated complications.
A Cognitive Interpretation is not at Odds with Equal Odds: A Latent Variable Investigation of Creative Thinking
Authors: Forthmann Boris , Weiss Selina , Goecke Benjamin
Published: January 2025

A fundamental question in creativity research is whether chance models of creativity align with the idea that cognitive ability can explain individual differences in creative cognition. Using two datasets ( NDataset1 = 462 and NDataset2 = 331) we extended previous work on the equal odds baseline (i.e., a chance model of creativity) by using a latent variable analytic approach to model latent residual factors rectified for fluency. We compared three measurement models: the EOB latent variable model, a residualized model, and a ratio score model, examining their reliability and associations with cognitive abilities (i.e., fluid intelligence and working memory capacity). We found that when a chance model of creativity is deemed to be an appropriate fit for a given dataset, as evidenced by Dataset 2 in our study, a cognitive interpretation of originality factor η is warranted (i.e., around 21% of variance can be explained by working memory capacity). Our work, thus, refines discussions about the compatibility of chance models with cognitive explanations of creative cognition.
An exploration of women’s occupational participation and identity during menopause: Descriptive qualitative study
Authors: Daly Róise , Hynes Sinéad M
Published: January 2025

Background:

The menopause transition is a significant stage of a woman’s life, marking the transition from reproductive to postreproductive life. Occupational identity often shifts in response to life transitions but this has not been explored in relation to menopause. Therefore, our study aims to explore women’s experiences of menopause through an occupational perspective, in relation to occupational participation and occupational identity.

Method:

A descriptive qualitative design was implemented. Semistructured interviews were completed with five perimenopausal women online via Microsoft teams. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyse data gathered.

Findings:

The findings of this study revealed that a lack of understanding and awareness during the initial stages of menopause negatively affected women’s well-being. Women faced disruptions to their engagement in meaningful occupations, which in turn, impacted their occupational competence and occupational identity. The experience of menopausal-related changes influenced women’s sense of self-efficacy in engaging in occupations and roles that aligned with their occupational identity.

Conclusion:

Women face significant occupational disruption during the menopause transition. Negative impacts on occupational identity and participation were evident from the participants. This study explores menopausal women’s experiences from an occupational perspective and findings offer potential direction for future research.
Linear Programming Optimization of Local Food-Based Recommendations for Undernourished Urban Poor Malaysian Children Aged 2 to 5 Years
Authors: Miow Yee Xuen , Gan Wan Ying , Fahmida Umi , Lim Poh Ying , Appannah Geeta
Published: January 2025

Background

Poor diet quality may contribute to undernutrition, particularly affecting young children from low-income households. Therefore, affordable and healthy local food-based recommendations (FBRs) are needed.

Objectives

This study aimed to (1) identify problem nutrient(s), (2) identify locally available nutrient-dense food sources that can provide adequate nutrients to meet the recommended dietary intakes of undernourished urban poor children aged 2–5 years, and (3) use linear programming to recommend a daily diet based on the current food patterns that achieves dietary adequacy and meets average food costs for these children.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Seremban, Malaysia. Three-day 24hour dietary recalls were collected from the mothers (n = 168). Food costs were estimated using market surveys. The FBRs were formulated by linear programming analysis using Optifood software.

Results

Folate was an “absolute problem nutrient” (such a nutrient does not achieve the 100% recommended nutrient intake even upon diet optimization). Full-cream milk, chocolate malted milk, fortified cornflakes, and chicken egg were the common locally available nutrient-dense foods that would provide adequate nutrients to meet the recommended dietary intakes of undernourished urban poor children. The final FBR set would ensure dietary adequacy for eight to nine of 11 nutrients at a cost of ringgit Malaysia (RM) 4.80/day (US $1.05/day) and RM6.20/day (US $1.34/day), depending on the age group.

Conclusions

Interventions are required to ensure dietary adequacy for undernourished urban poor children under 5 years old. Dietary adequacy could be improved via realistic changes in habitual food consumption practices.
Developing a Prime Aesthetic Theory: Imprinting of Aesthetic Dress Preferences During Sensitive Developmental Phases
Authors: Bernardoni Jeremy M. , Stannard Casey R. , Ruppert-Stroescu Mary
Published: January 2025

This study advances the Prime Aesthetic Theory for Dress by examining the role of imprinting processes during sensitive developmental phases, particularly emerging adulthood, in shaping Aesthetic Dress Preferences (ADP). Through semi-structured interviews with thirty female participants born before 1992, data were analyzed using constant comparison to explore the relationship between past and present ADP. Findings support the concept of a “Prime Aesthetic,” illustrating how early-life experiences, especially during emerging adulthood, create lasting preferences that persist into adulthood. The study highlights the importance of considering social, psychological, neurological, and physical dimensions in understanding how ADP form and evolve. The proposed Prime Aesthetic model demonstrates the lasting impact of sensitive developmental phases on ADP. This research contributes to theory development in apparel and textile scholarship and offers valuable insights for designers, merchandisers, and marketers, emphasizing the need to understand not only current trends but also the Prime Aesthetic of their target consumers.
Tower cranes mixed H2/H∞ under wind load research on active vibration control
Authors: Sun Shuai , Zhang Qing , Zhang Jibin , Zhang Xu , Meng Qinglin
Published: January 2025

The offshore platform tower crane is affected by sea breeze, which causes severe vibration, which causes damage to the crane structure and reduces the working efficiency and performance of the crane. Therefore, the vibration suppression under the complex environment of sea breeze has become a key problem to be solved in practical engineering. Firstly, a pulsating wind excitation model with wind speed changing at any time is established to simulate the time sequence of downwind and crosswise wind loads, which is used to reflect the actual wind speed fluctuations. Secondly, the pulsating wind model is applied to the crane finite element model, and the structural vibration characteristics are explored by analyzing the dynamics of the tower crane under wind excitation，the dynamic model of tower crane system under pulsating wind excitation is established, and the system state equation is constructed. Considering the vibration displacement performance of tower crane structure, a hybrid [Formula: see text] optimal performance vibration active control strategy is proposed. Finally, simulation experiments are carried out. The results show that, compared with the AA controller under the same conditions, the root mean square of displacement under downwind excitation decreases by 65.77%, 64.31% and 63.13%, respectively, and the root mean square of displacement under transverse wind excitation decreases by 62.8%, 65.51% and 62.6%, respectively. The results show that the proposed control method can effectively suppress tower crane vibration.
Numerical and experimental investigation of vibration of a car chassis and its effect with road gradient on noise and response optimization with factorial design method
Authors: Shaikh Mosin , Yadao Adik
Published: January 2025

This paper delves in to a numerical and experimental investigation of vibration of a car chassis and its effect with road gradient on noise and response optimization. Peak acceleration, peak amplitude as vibration response parameters in vertical motion, internal and pass by noise as a noise response parameters. Vibration parameters obtained numerically by developing a mathematical model of car and equation of motion. Newmark Beta method programmed in MATLAB software used to solve the equation of motion. Experimental investigation of the vibration were carried on a car consist of monocoque chassis, three cylinder engine, Macpherson front suspension and twist beam rear suspension. FFT analyzer and digital sound level meter were used for the data collection. Pass by noise data of vehicle were collected at two locations with gradient 1.15° and 11.31° on state highway (MH SH-44) near Konchi Maharashtra state, India. Comparison between numerical and experimental investigated values of vibration parameters shows minimum error of 0.6035% and average error of 2.81% which validates the car model. Factorial design method was used to optimize the index of response parameters which shows reduction in peak acceleration, peak amplitude, internal noise and pass by noise level by 65.61%, 17.70%, 7.13% and 19.41% respectively. The methodology proposed in this study provides reference to improve the performance of car suspension and passenger comfort.
Comprehensive exergy, exergoeconomic, exergoenvironmental and energy audit assessment in a textile factory
Authors: Ajam Mehdi , Khoshgoftar Manesh Mohammad Hassan
Published: January 2025

In the industry, the discussion of energy and exergy analysis has gained increasing importance due to human needs from the past to the present. In the textile industry, this analysis has only been implemented in a limited manner and in isolated units. Specifically, in the dyeing, printing, and finishing units, steam and hot oil energy is utilized for heating processes. This heating requirement is met by steam boilers and hot oil boilers, which are essential for the operation of an integrated system. Identifying factors of energy loss and pollutant production, along with applying energy improvement techniques in textile factories, can significantly reduce the problems associated with fossil fuels. To identify potential energy and environmental improvements, an energy audit was conducted throughout the Borujerd Textile Factory in Iran, which goes beyond previous fragmented and isolated assessments to provide a comprehensive review of the entire system. This audit integrated thermography and flue gas analysis to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of performance evaluation. By performing exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental (4E) analyses, the performance of the existing system was evaluated, providing a comprehensive overview of efficiency and the potential for improvements and optimizations. Environmental impact analysis was conducted using life cycle assessment in SimaPro for different sections of the plant. The results indicate that the most significant exergy destruction occurs in steam boilers and hot oil boilers, totaling 33.5 MW and 91%, respectively, as well as the washing after printing machine in the dyeing department, accounting for 3% of total exergy destruction due to high energy wastage and low efficiency in these devices. The cost rate of overall exergy destruction is estimated at $61.1 per hour. The highest environmental impacts were observed for steam boilers and the pad steam machine in the dyeing department, primarily due to the equipment's structure and the use of polluting materials that contribute to emissions from these devices. After the energy audit, the most effective solutions to the identified problems were proposed. It was also determined that the most significant heat loss occurs in pad steam machines, washing after printing, and bleaching washing machines.
Misunderstood, excluded, and othered: Lay constructions of autistic women
Authors: Rhodes Madeleine , Seeley-Wait Elizabeth
Published: January 2025

This qualitative investigation explored lay constructions of autistic women, a group that has been invisible from the making of “autism,” as it is constructed by society. Thirty-one neurotypical adults living in Australia (aged 19–65 years) responded to a written vignette about a fictional autistic woman. We performed a constructionist thematic analysis and developed three themes that positioned autistic women as misunderstood, excluded, and othered. We interpreted the results through the lenses of dominant gender constructs, ableist discourse, and intersectionality theory. Our interpretation of the findings illuminates the prevailing influence of male-dominant discourses of autism, hegemonic ideals of womanhood, and medicalised understandings of disability that people draw upon to make sense of autistic women. This novel research underscores the need for more education and awareness about this group.
Implications of assisted dying for nursing practice
Authors: Wareing Mark
Published: January 2025

This conceptual paper considers the practice implications of assisted dying for contemporary nursing practice within the United Kingdom in response to the publication of a parliamentary report leading to a private members’ bill that will form the basis of a debate and possible change in legislation. A recurring theme within the nursing research is how nurses should respond to patients expressing an interest or making a request for assisted dying. This paper explores contemporary evidence and argues that the procedure of assisted dying is a complex (manifold) and puzzling (paradoxical) practice. The UK nursing profession may replicate recent healthcare catastrophes if the response to a proposal for assisted dying is based on a technical-rational stance, or if nurses merely coalesce around a single determinant such as patient autonomy. The paper presents two nursing communicative interventions that seek to address how to respond to a patient request for an assisted death that foregrounds the preferences and personhood of the patient whilst providing opportunities for enquiry-based approaches to enhance nursing responses to intractable suffering.
Engagement in child psychiatry department appointments: An analysis of electronic medical records in one safety-net hospital in New England, USA
Authors: Aguilar Silvan Yesenia , Fortuna Lisa R , Spencer Andrea E , Ng Lauren C
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study examined whether being scheduled in a screening clinic versus scheduled directly with a long-term provider to conduct a mental health intake (MHI) is associated with engagement in child psychiatry services in New England, USA.

Method

We used electronic medical record data from one safety-net hospital serving a predominantly low-income and minoritised population. The study sample included 815 youths aged 0 to 25 years, referred or scheduled for a MHI between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016. We used chi-square and t-tests to examine the association between referral pathways and engagement, logistic regression to understand the relationship between youth’s socio-demographic characteristics and referral pathways, and logistic and Poisson regressions to assess potential moderating effects of socio-demographic characteristics on engagement.

Results

The mean age of the study population was 12 years; 46% were female, and the majority had public health insurance (84%) and lived in high social vulnerability areas (65%). Less than half of the youth attended the first scheduled MHI visit. Those scheduled with the screening clinic were less likely than those scheduled with the provider to ever attend a MHI appointment. Spanish-speakers were more likely to be directly scheduled with a provider (Odds Ratio, OR 0.48; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.73), while those with public health insurance were more likely to be scheduled with the screening clinic (OR 0.56; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.96). Spanish-speaking status and areas social vulnerability scores moderated the relationship between the referral pathway and engagement in psychiatric appointments.

Conclusions

The study highlights the need for psychiatric services to evaluate how MHI referral procedures may mitigate barriers to care and facilitate engagement for youth at high risk of not attending psychiatric service appointments.
The progress without “progress”: Critique of Jaeggi's pragmatist theory of progress
Authors: Chen Yang
Published: January 2025

This article criticizes the pragmatist theory of progress developed by Rahel Jaeggi and argues for a psychologist alternative. In her theory, Jaeggi rejects both moralist and historicist understandings of progress, arguing that progress should be regarded as a non-teleological process of experience enrichment. However, by identifying progress with problem-solving activities, Jaeggi explicitly makes a parallelist argument between social-moral and scientific progress, which is highly questionable. In this analysis, I argue that Jaeggi's analogy fails. And by referring to Kuhn's notion of incommensurability, I demonstrate a more radical, psychologist approach, which departs from any idea of experience enrichment in history. The lack of a sufficient account of progress is not the failure of Kuhn. In contrast, it is his very own insight.
Carving up the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom and blaming the European Union for it: The United Kingdom’s narration of Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading status
Authors: Copeland Paul , Maccaferri Marzia
Published: January 2025

This article analyses the fallout between the United Kingdom and the European Union regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed between the United Kingdom and the European Union to ensure frictionless trade on the Island of Ireland and created a customs border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Opposition to this new trading arrangement soon emerged following the end of the transition period of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (January 2021). We adopt a mixed-method approach of content analysis (narrativisation and framing) and a critical analysis of the articulation of discourses through texts and speeches from the UK right-wing media and Conservative politicians. The analysis finds that despite the Government of Boris Johnson agreeing to the Northern Ireland Protocol, both the Conservative Party and the right-wing media blamed the European Union for the backlash against it, as they attempted to apply pressure on Brussels for a renegotiation.
Zeitenwende as a foreign policy identity crisis: Germany and the travails of adaptation after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Bunde Tobias
Published: January 2025

While Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine represented a shock to countries across Europe, it was perceived as a particularly fundamental challenge in Germany – a ‘ Zeitenwende’ as Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it. This article argues that the Russian invasion undermined widely shared foreign policy ideas, triggering a foreign policy identity crisis. This crisis allowed for significant ideational change and decisions previously considered unattainable. However, other elements of Germany’s foreign policy identity have proven to be remarkably resilient, shaping the response across various policy areas. The absence of a new consensus that could be linked to other elements of the German collective identity has slowed adaptation in some areas and allowed opponents to push back. While German foreign policy has changed significantly since the beginning of the invasion, additional adaptation will not be as swift and extensive as many of Berlin’s partners would like and as the changing security environment arguably demands.
Design of a novel buckling-type quasi-zero stiffness isolator
Authors: Zhao Biao
Published: January 2025

Based on the significant geometric nonlinearity associated with large deformations in beams, this paper presents the design of a buckling-type quasi-zero stiffness (BQZS) isolator using slender beams with positive and negative stiffness. This design achieves a characteristic output of nonlinear load-bearing combined with linear stiffness. The elliptic integral method is employed to solve the mechanical equations of the large deformation beams. Through numerical simulations and theoretical calculations, the mechanical properties of the large deformation beams are obtained. A prototype was designed for validation, and its manufacturing and experimental studies are presented. The results demonstrate that the designed BQZS isolator effectively attenuates the system’s vibration response, achieving a 95% reduction at 5 Hz vibration excitation. Additionally, the natural frequency of the isolator with BQZS is less than 1 Hz.
From artworks to artists’ work: Forming hybrid exchange objects
Authors: Borgblad Hanna , Hagberg Johan
Published: January 2025

This paper explores processes of economisation in the context of publicly funded visual art exhibitions, a setting that has not traditionally been characterised as a market. It examines modes of exchange in the art world and how artists’ work can be transformed into objects of market exchange through the use of a regulatory device. It conceptualises the economisation processes of exhibition work as consisting of objectification, classification, and valuation. Building on previous work on economic exchange, including gift exchange and market exchange, it analyses a transition from a specific form of gift exchange – swings and roundabouts – to a form of market exchange – quid pro quo. The paper shows how new exchange practices in the Swedish art market evolved with the introduction of the so-called MU agreement and how it contributed to transforming parts of artists’ exhibition work into objects of market exchange. Despite these new practices, however, the status of the exhibition work as an object of swings and roundabouts exchange was maintained. Exhibition work instead forms a hybrid exchange object, consisting of both swings and roundabouts and quid pro quo exchanges.
Personalized learning path based on graph attention mechanism deep reinforcement learning research on recommender systems
Authors: Gu Runlong
Published: January 2025

In e-learning, the rapid expansion of learning resources poses challenges for learners in finding suitable materials due to their diverse preferences and cognitive abilities. Consequently, personalized learning path recommendation has emerged as a pivotal research area, especially for advancing e-learning systems. This paper introduces an algorithmic framework that integrates deep reinforcement learning with a graph attention mechanism to tailor learning paths to individual learners. The online course dataset is selected and a series of controlled experiments are conducted on the common recommendation models proposed in the past, and the experimental results are analyzed using a combination of two evaluation indices, such as data evaluation results and model variance. The experimental results show that adding the attention mechanism can significantly improve the accuracy of the model recommendation, compared with the deep reinforcement learning model without adding the graph attention mechanism, the comprehensive scores of the students in the test set were improved by 5.8 and 12.8 points, respectively, and the accuracy was improved by 5.3% compared with the previous deep learning model; the deep reinforcement model used in this paper with the addition of the labeling feedback mechanism was improved by 5.3% compared with the deep learning with feedback mechanism. In the recommendation model, the final scores of the students were improved by 3.7 and 8.2 points, respectively. In addition, the Advanced test set in the recommendation model of the learning path recommended by the student score improvement is more than two times of the Middle test set’s scores improvement, indicating that more learning recommended object knowledge points the richer, the model recommendation accuracy rate is higher. By merging graph attention mechanisms with deep reinforcement learning, our system provides precise recommendations, offering insights into the development of efficient personalized learning path systems and accelerating their educational applications.
Seeking continuities and discontinuities in the European policy agenda(s) for adult learning – Reflections on purposes and governance
Authors: Guimarães Paula , Barros Rosanna
Published: January 2025

This article focus on what is and isn’t ‘new’ in the most recent European Union (EU) key policy document for Adult Learning (AL), because it claims (in its own title) that it will constitute a basis for a ‘new’ agenda. As this document has been much disseminated to Member States, we think it is important to analyse its evidence of the ‘new’ determined by comparing the 2021 Council Resolution [the ‘New European Agenda for Adult Learning 2021–2030’ (CEU, 2021)] with the two other previous EU’s key policy documents for AL [the ‘Renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning’ (CEU, 2011) and the ‘Adult Learning: It is Never too Late to Learn’ (CEC, 2006)]. By highlighting how the discourse of the ‘new' is used in the European policy agenda(s) we expect to give an interesting contribution for the actors that, in each country, are looking for policy implementation beyond rhetoric statements. From this analytical angle, we use an adult education policy discourse analytical model as a theoretical framework to seek for continuities and discontinuities in purposes and governance of AL in the EU. Thus, we seek the policy approach and educational rationale supporting what is claimed by the Commission of the EU to be explicitly ‘new’ in the most recent AL key policy document (which has significantly been entitled ‘The New European Agenda for Adult Learning 2021–2030’). The core results of a comparison focussed on the educational aims, vision and policy purposes as well as main governance mechanisms of these three key documents, suggest that the ‘new’ in the CEU (2021) document (also known in the literature as the NEAAL 2030) is not really ‘new’. Instead, the recent document reflects and maintains trends within previous rationale dating from 2006 and 2011, with policy priorities rooted in the logic of human resources management, as well as governance trends based on multilevel coordination at the European level. Here, the modernising trend toward a framework of control and standardisation, according to our theoretical model, seems to have gained momentum as a political rationale over the last 15 years. We argue those set of major continuities were, indeed, assisted by the discursive power of the ‘new’, which is a hyperbole favourable to the political purpose of disseminating an educational rationale of functional adaptation whose AL guidelines can influence the national policy implementation in the current contexts of Europeanisation.
Enhancing corrosion resistance in HCl environments: Comparative efficacy of a conjugated 3ph-Schiff base versus benzotriazole
Authors: Zheng Weiping , Hao Lifeng
Published: January 2025

This research addresses the need for effective corrosion inhibitors in industrial applications, evaluating the performance of 4-nitro-2-(((1E,2E)-3-phenylallylidene)amino)aniline (noted as 3ph-Schiff base) as a corrosion inhibitor in comparison to benzotriazole (BTA) in a high-concentration 3 M HCl environment. Unlike studies conducted in lower concentrations (e.g. 0.1 and 1 M), this study aims to assess inhibitor performance under more aggressive conditions. Rigorous methods, including Tafel polarisation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and mass loss measurements, revealed variations in inhibition efficiency (IE). Polarisation data indicated that 3ph-Schiff base at 0.3% (approximately 8.96 mM) achieved a maximum IE of 99.5%, surpassing BTA at the same concentration (approximately 25.2 mM), which recorded an IE of 96.9%. Meanwhile, EIS analysis yielded slightly lower IE values, with 3ph-Schiff base reaching 90.21% and BTA 67.39%, reflecting the complementary nature of these methods. The corrosion inhibition mechanism of 3ph-Schiff base is attributed to strong adsorption on the metal surface, where amino (NH2) and nitro (NO2) groups promote stable complex formation with metal ions, enhancing electron donation and forming a protective layer that blocks corrosive agents. Scanning electron microscopy and elemental mapping confirm uniform nitrogen and carbon surface coverage, integral to the protective layer. This layer acts as both a physical barrier and an electrochemical passivator, effectively reducing anodic and cathodic reactions. The combined effects of adsorption, physical blocking and passivation underscore the 3ph-Schiff base's superior performance as a corrosion inhibitor in acidic environments.
Trajectories of Justice Involved Youth: Changing Risk and Protective Factors for Violence
Authors: Kleeven A. T. H. , Hilterman E. L. B. , Mulder E. A. , Popma A. , de Vries Robbé M.
Published: January 2025

Forensic interventions aim to mitigate risk, yet research on change measured through repeated risk assessment is scarce, particularly regarding protective factors. This study examined changes in risk and protective factors during intervention and the impact of change on violent recidivism. Trajectories of 175 male justice involved youth with a history of violence were modeled using multilevel mixture modelling. Findings reveal that youths abstaining from violence displayed fewer risk factors and more protective factors at discharge. Assessments at discharge predicted recidivism. Change scores on several SAVRY/SAPROF-YV subscales over time demonstrated incremental predictive validity above and beyond assessments at discharge, emphasizing the necessity of personalized interventions and considering individual change alongside one’s overall risk level to inform more effective interventions. These insights advocate for balanced approaches informed by repeated assessments encompassing both risk and protective factors.
Text messaging to improve connection between adolescents and their health care providers
Authors: Galvin Claire R , De Souza Astrid M , Potts James E , Sneddon Penny L , Sanatani Shubhayan , Armstrong Kathryn R
Published: January 2025

Objective

Adolescence marks a time of transition where teenagers are learning to advocate for themselves. In those with underlying chronic conditions such as adolescent dysautonomia, improving communication between clinic visits may improve connection with their health care provider which may aide management. Our aims were as follows: (1) to implement a text message platform to increase communication between adolescent patients and health care provider (HCP); (2) to evaluate its effect on quality of life (QoL), symptom burden, and patient engagement; and (3) to determine patient satisfaction with the platform.

Methods

Participants (age 12–18) with access to a personal mobile phone were recruited from a pediatric dysautonomia clinic. A weekly automated text message asking “How are you?” was sent to participants (WelTel Inc.). Responses were triaged to HCP and responded to within 48 hours.

Results

Twenty-six participants with median (interquartile range) age of 16.8 (15.7–17.4) years completed the study. Duration of the text messaging intervention was 33 (26.8–37.3) weeks. A total of 896 automated weekly messages were sent, which resulted in 206 (23%) care conversations. Participants found texting useful (96%) and produced feelings of connection to their HCP (92%). There was no change in overall QoL or symptom burden ( p > 0.05).

Conclusion

A text message platform was successfully implemented in adolescents seen in our Dysautonomia Clinic. Patients were engaged, satisfied with the platform, and felt connected to their HCP despite no changes in QoL or symptom burden.
Investigating the Role of Symptom Duration and Critical Shoulder Angle in Predicting Acromiohumeral Interval Reversibility in Patients With Massive Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Okutan Ahmet Emin , Gürün Enes , Kehribar Lokman , Öner Kerim , Erşen Ali
Published: January 2025

Background:

Acromiohumeral interval (AHI) reversibility is used to evaluate whether superior humeral migration is fixed or flexible in patients with massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs). AHI reversibility is measured as the difference in the AHI observed between standard and stress radiography. However, factors affecting AHI reversibility have not been studied in the existing literature.

Purpose:

To investigate potential factors affecting AHI reversibility in patients with MRCTs.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 58 patients with MRCTs, who had undergone magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and stress radiography of the same shoulder. Potential factors affecting AHI reversibility were evaluated by stepwise regression analysis.

Results:

A total of 58 patients (26 male, 32 female) were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 66.4 ± 8.3 years. There were 33 patients classified as having a reversible AHI and 25 patients classified as having an irreversible AHI. Age, time from symptom onset, anteroposterior tear size, critical shoulder angle (CSA), acromial index, and subscapularis Goutallier grade were associated with AHI reversibility in univariate analysis. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that a longer time from symptom onset and a bigger CSA were significantly associated with lower AHI reversibility. No significant association was found between AHI reversibility and sex; body mass index; activity level; tear retraction; biceps condition; deltoid cross-sectional area; and Goutallier grade of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor muscles. The cutoff values to predict AHI reversibility for time from symptom onset and CSA were found to be 5.5 years and 38°, respectively.

Conclusion:

Time from symptom onset (>5.5 years) and CSA (>38°) were significant independent factors of AHI reversibility. These factors should be considered for the decision-making process in patients with MRCTs.
Implementing a Responsible Conduct of Research Curriculum for an Undergraduate Summer Clinical Research Program in Quantitative Sciences
Authors: Tan Kay See , Du Mengmeng , Satagopan Jaya , Elkin Elena
Published: January 2025

OBJECTIVES

Instilling the principles of ethical and responsible medical research is critical for educating the next generation of clinical researchers. We developed a responsible conduct of research (RCR) workshop and associated curriculum for undergraduate trainees in a quantitative clinical research program.

METHODS

Topics in this 7-module RCR workshop are relevant to undergraduate trainees in quantitative fields, many of whom are learning about these concepts for the first time. These topics include: (1) research collaboration and mentoring, (2) human subjects and privacy, (3) rigor, reproducibility, and responsibility in data analysis, (4) data safety, security, and sharing, (5) responsible authorship, peer reviews, and conflicts of interest, (6) research misconduct and whistleblowing, and (7) social responsibility and contemporary ethical issues. The workshop adopts an active learning approach and is intended to encourage peer-to-peer learning through a critical review of case studies and contemporary media reports. Workshop materials and discussions are designed to address experiences relevant to undergraduate trainees. For example, for the discussion on human subject protection, trainees are asked to review their own university's policies for engaging students as research subjects. Student perceived knowledge and understanding of research ethics were obtained from pre- and post-workshop surveys, with responses ranging from 1 (low level of understanding) to 5 (high level of understanding).

RESULTS

Survey responses from 38 trainees across 4 years demonstrated marked increase in perceived knowledge and understanding of research ethics, from 64% in pre- to 96% in post-workshop responses with scores of 3 and up. Trainees noted the effectiveness of the active learning format of the workshop and relevance of the topics on their own research projects.

CONCLUSION

Intentional instruction is vital to help trainees discern between good and bad science in research. The presented RCR curriculum can be adapted by other programs designed for trainees engaged in medical research and education.
Sentiment analysis of social media responses to the approval of lecanemab for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in Japan
Authors: Sato Kenichiro , Niimi Yoshiki , Ihara Ryoko , Iwata Atsushi , Nemoto Kiyotaka , Arai Tetsuaki , Higashi Shinji , Igarashi Ataru , Kasuga Kensaku , Iwatsubo Takeshi
Published: January 2025

Lecanemab, an anti-amyloid therapy for early Alzheimer's disease, received approval by the FDA and Japan in 2023. Public response on social media was scrutinized, aiming to obtain insights into communication and treatment development. For 478 posts from X and Facebook, their sentiments on efficacy, safety, societal significance, and overall lecanemab impression were assessed by GPT-4 and the authors. Results indicated impressions were 43.7% negative, 26.6% neutral, and 29.7% positive. Social significance concerns dominated negative views. Specific attitude patterns were observed in the overall impression to lecanemab's approval. These insights highlight the need for targeted communication and research on anti-amyloid therapies.
Quantifying household vulnerability to power outages: Assessing risks of rapid electrification in smart cities
Authors: Majowicz Andrew , Popli Chetan , Odonkor Philip
Published: January 2025

As cities accelerate decarbonization through building electrification, the growing dependence on electrical systems introduces new vulnerabilities during power disruptions. While grid-level resilience has been widely studied, household-scale impacts of electrification remain poorly understood. In this study, we develop a vulnerability assessment framework that combines machine learning classification with high-resolution synthetic energy data from 129,000 U.S. single-family homes. Our two-stage approach first identifies household electrification levels with over 80% accuracy and then quantifies outage vulnerability using a composite risk index that incorporates electrification profiles, backup capabilities, and climate exposure. A simulated case study reveals that fully electrified households face significantly higher risks during winter storms, with a 60% greater vulnerability compared to mixed-energy homes. In contrast, solar-equipped electrified households exhibit enhanced resilience during heat waves, leveraging renewable energy resources to mitigate risks. By highlighting critical dependencies and adaptive capacities, our framework emphasizes the importance of energy diversity and distributed energy resources in reducing outage vulnerabilities. This scalable, non-intrusive methodology provides actionable insights for policymakers and urban planners to design climate-resilient urban energy systems.
Consequences of insecticide overuse in Hungary: assessment of pyrethroid resistance in Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes
Authors: Csiba Rebeka , Varga Zsaklin , Pásztor Dorina , Süle Bianka , Mxinwa Vera Ihuoma Ogoke , Soltész Zoltán , Zana Brigitta , Bányai Krisztián , Kemenesi Gábor , Kurucz Kornélia
Published: January 2025

Background

Mosquitoes, as vectors of various pathogens, have been a public health risk for centuries. Human activities such as international travel and trade, along with climate change, have facilitated the spread of invasive mosquitoes and novel pathogens across Europe, increasing the risk of mosquito-borne disease introduction and their spread. Despite this threat, mosquito control in Hungary still relies predominantly on chemical treatments, which poses the risk of developing insecticide resistance in local populations. While pyrethroid resistance has been documented in several countries, there is no information on this issue from Hungary. This study aims to investigate the presence of resistance in Hungarian mosquito populations by analyzing a native, already known disease vector and a recently established invasive species with public health significance.

Methods

We assessed the presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations L1014F in Culex pipiens and V1016G and F1534C in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are responsible for pyrethroid resistance. Mosquito specimens were investigated retrospectively, collected from previous years within the framework of local monitoring programs run in urban areas representing five regions of Hungary. The mutations in mosquitoes were detected individually by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis, following generally used protocols.

Results

In Cx. pipiens, the kdr mutation was detected across all five collection sites, with resistance allele frequencies ranging from 18.1% to 36.3%. Resistance alleles were identified in homozygosity and heterozygosity with the susceptible allele, resulting in 53% of the investigated mosquitoes showing resistance to pyrethroids in the Hungarian populations. In contrast, for Ae. albopictus, the analyzed individuals were found to carry only the susceptible alleles, indicating a homozygous susceptible genotype across the investigated populations on the basis of V1016G and F1534C genes.

Conclusions

Our work highlights the consequences of the unilateral and long-term use of chemical treatments on mosquitoes. This indicates an urgent need for a change of concept in mosquito control strategy in Hungary, as well as in countries where mosquito control still relies dominantly on insecticides. The restricted use of chemical treatment is highly recommended to prevent the development of pyrethroid resistance in recently established populations of the invasive Ae. albopictus, and to decrease the public health risk of vector-borne diseases.

Graphical Abstract