bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“If I Stay Silent, It Doesn’t Help Anyone”: Understanding How People Use TikTok to Talk About Sexual Violence
Authors: Schwab-Reese Laura , Renner Lynette M. , Quang Duyen , Carlyle Kellie , Nair Isha , Chase Kendall , DeMaria Andrea L.
Published: September 2024

TikTok is the second most popular social media platform among American teenagers, suggesting it may be a way to reach young people with sexual violence-related messages. This qualitative content analysis focused on what TikTok users share about sexual violence. The content of the videos fell into two primary types of information, people sharing experiences of sexual violence (i.e., what happened, how they responded, impacts of experiences) and people sharing other information related to sexual violence (i.e., education, raising awareness). The study results demonstrate that people use TikTok as a platform to share their messages about sexual violence-related topics, underscoring the potential of this platform for prevention and recovery messages targeted toward individuals who directly or indirectly experience sexual violence.
Violation of Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights as Seen Through the Eyes of Displaced Women in the Northern Zone of Colombia
Authors: Boom-Cárcamo Dailyng , Anaya-Cuello Kelly , Boom-Cárcamo Efrain
Published: September 2024

Forced displacement results in social inequalities negatively affecting the well-being of displaced women. Addressing the economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of their vulnerability is crucial. This article examines the perspectives of 59 displaced women in informal settlements in northern Colombia on violations of their rights. Interpretative phenomenological analysis reveals economic hurdles, such as limited access to decent work and workplace discrimination. Social barriers, like stigmatization and discrimination, impede integration and access to essential services. Despite challenges, increasing awareness and implementing inclusive policies can enhance the living conditions of displaced women.
Relational Ontology in the Mapuche Thinking: Possibilities for Indigenous Well-Being Amidst Colonial Settings
Authors: Pérez Camila
Published: September 2024

The imposition of a colonial mindset over indigenous peoples and their relational understanding of life is a common experience in the Global South. Forced displacement and subordination are also part of history in which cultural manners to preserve balance with the environment were severely altered. This article delves into the case of the Mapuche people, an indigenous group from Latin America that faces old and new expressions of colonialism. Because of structural discrimination, the health outcomes of the Mapuche people have been affected, including mental health. In this scenario, intercultural health experiences have been implemented to address the needs of the Mapuche population. Intercultural health policy emerges as an arena in which indigenous understanding of well-being is once again subjugated. From the author’s indigenous position, possibilities for well-being come through the negotiation of meanings and power that complicate indigenous life in colonial settings. Moreover, the subalternization of indigenous perspectives within scientific spaces is acknowledged as an obstacle to achieving horizontality in academic networks and to constructing meaningful interventions.
Fiscal Incidence of the Property Tax
Authors: Ihlanfeldt Keith , Rodgers Luke P.
Published: September 2024

We use data from Florida spanning a decade (2010–2019) to empirically revisit the topic of fiscal incidence, the difference between benefits received and taxes paid, as it applies to property taxation. We first estimate demand equations in order to calculate the Lindahl tax share, or price the median voter would be willing to pay for public goods. Our measure of fiscal incidence is the difference between the Lindahl tax share and the actual tax share. With the exception of police and fire expenditures, benefits tend to outweigh costs for those with higher incomes, a pattern we attribute to public goods being valued more by high-income residents who pay a modestly progressive property tax. Controlling for income, Hispanic and black residents have higher levels of fiscal incidence. We explore how policy reforms, including equitable property assessment, affects fiscal incidence.
Practical Approach to Congenital Anomalies of the Kidneys: Focus on Anomalies With Insufficient or Abnormal Nephron Development: Renal Dysplasia, Renal Hypoplasia, and Renal Tubular Dysgenesis
Authors: Gazeu Alexia , Collardeau-Frachon Sophie
Published: September 2024

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) accounts for up to 30% of antenatal congenital anomalies and is the main cause of kidney failure in children worldwide. This review focuses on practical approaches to CAKUT, particularly those with insufficient or abnormal nephron development, such as renal dysplasia, renal hypoplasia, and renal tubular dysgenesis. The review provides insights into the histological features, pathogenesis, mechanisms, etiologies, antenatal and postnatal presentation, management, and prognosis of these anomalies. Differential diagnoses are discussed as several syndromes may include CAKUT as a phenotypic component and renal dysplasia may occur in some ciliopathies, tumor predisposition syndromes, and inborn errors of metabolism. Diagnosis and genetic counseling for CAKUT are challenging, due to the extensive variability in presentation, genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity, and difficulties to assess postnatal lung and renal function on prenatal imaging. The review highlights the importance of perinatal autopsy and pathological findings in surgical specimens to establish the diagnosis and prognosis of CAKUT. The indications and the type of genetic testing are discussed. The aim is to provide essential insights into the practical approaches, diagnostic processes, and genetic considerations offering valuable guidance for pediatric and perinatal pathologists.
Control, Exogeneity, and Directness: Understanding and Designing Quasi- and Natural Experiments
Authors: Remler Dahlia K. , Van Ryzin Gregg G.
Published: September 2024

This article reviews the origins and use of the terms quasi-experiment and natural experiment. It demonstrates how the terms conflate whether variation in the independent variable of interest falls short of random with whether researchers find, rather than intervene to create, that variation. Using the lens of assignment—the process driving variation in the independent variable—we distinguish three dimensions: control of assignment by the researcher, rather than by a policy process or naturally occurring event; exogeneity of the assignment process; and directness of the link between assignment and the independent variable. These dimensions generate a typology of causal study designs that we illustrate with examples from the social and health sciences. Our framework can assist researchers and practitioners from diverse disciplines to better understand and communicate with one another and, importantly, to recognize opportunities in real-world settings to find or create variation that can be leveraged for valid impact estimates.
Expanding the mutational and phenotypical spectrum of FHONDA syndrome
Authors: Teixeira Bruno Magalhães , Figueiredo Inês , Raimundo Miguel , Quental Hugo , Carvalho Ana Luísa , Silva Rufino , Murta Joaquim , Marques João Pedro
Published: September 2024

Foveal hypoplasia, optic nerve decussation, and anterior segment dysgenesis (FHONDA) is a rare recessively inherited syndrome first described in 2013. FHONDA is associated with biallelic disease-causing variants in the SLC38A8 gene, which has a strong expression in the photoreceptor layer. To date, 60 different disease-causing variants in the SLC38A8 gene have been described. In this cross-sectional case series, we included three unrelated female patients with FHONDA syndrome who presented with congenital nystagmus and decreased visual acuity from infancy. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/100 OD and 20/60 OS for Patient 1 (P1) (72 years old); light perception OD and hand motion OS for Patient 2 (P2) (66 years old); and 20/100 OD and 20/100 OS for Patient 3 (P3) (25 years old). While normal retinal pigmentation was seen on P1 and P3, P2 presented retinal features of retinitis pigmentosa, including a pale optic nerve head, vessel thinning, and 360° dense bone spicule hyperpigmentation OU. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography revealed grade 4 foveal hypoplasia in all patients. In P1 and P2, the novel class IV c.388 + 1G > T p.? variant in SLC38A8 was present in homozygosity; while P3 harboured the novel c.214G > C p.(Gly72Arg) variant in homozygosity, classified as class III. Thus, we expand the mutational spectrum of FHONDA by reporting two novel variants. In addition, we describe features of retinitis pigmentosa for the first time in a patient with biallelic homozygous S LC38A8 variants, thus broadening our understanding of the clinical phenotype associated with this rare syndrome.
Multicenter randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of PASSEO-LUX DCB® drug coated balloon compared to plain balloon angioplasty of arteriovenous fistulae for hemodialysis: Two-years results
Authors: Moreno-Sánchez Teresa , Moreno-Ramírez Manuela , Machancoses Francisco H
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

To compare primary patency after angioplasty with drug-coated balloon (DCB)-Passeo-18Lux, BIOTRONIK versus uncoated balloon in dysfunctional peripheral vascular access (PVA) for hemodialysis.

Material and methods:

A total of 133 patients from four hospitals were randomized to receive DCB or plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA) after satisfactory treatment (residual stenosis <30%) with high pressure balloon (HPB). The primary endpoint was clinical patency of PVA 2 years after angioplasty. Secondary endpoints included the relationship between the location of stenosis and patency and also, other covariates. Mortality at 2 years was compared between both groups.

Results:

Patency measured in days after angioplasty was higher in fistulae dilated with DCB than HPB. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed the next percent of success (free time restenosis) after DCB versus POBA at 6 months—77.1% versus 58.2% (160.41–143.72 days until restenosis), 12 months—51.4% versus 44.3% (274.1–237.23), 18 months—38.6% versus 38% (350.74–305.18), and 24 months—37.1% versus 30.4% (419.04–369.1). At 6 months, this difference was statistically significant ( p = 0.018), but not at 12 ( p = 0.225), 18 ( p = 0.471), or 24 months ( p = 0.236). Mortality was similar in both groups.

Conclusions:

DCB angioplasty resulted in superior target lesion primary patency (TLPP)-free survival at 6 months of follow-up. No significant improvements in TLPP-free survival long term were observed. Mortality observed at 1 and 2 years was similar in DCB and POBA: there was no significant difference, and a safety study demonstrated no difference between the two groups (complications and mortality): DCB is safe to use in stenosis treatment in patients who are PVA carriers.

Level of evidence:

Level Ia, therapeutic study, RCT. EBM ratings will be based on a scale of 1–5.
Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Are Induced by Coinfections With Dengue
Authors: Al-Emran Hassan M , Rahman Fazlur , Sarkar Laxmi , Das Prosanto Kumar , Mondol Provakar , Yesmin Suriya , Sultana Pipasha , Ahammed Toukir , Parvez Rasel , Hasan Md Shazid , Sarkar Shovon Lal , Rahman M Shaminur , Hossain Anamica , Rahman Mahmudur , Islam Ovinu Kibria , Islam Md Tanvir , Nigar Shireen , Akter Selina , Rubayet Ul Alam A S M , Rahman Mohammad Mahfuzur , Jahid Iqbal Kabir , Hossain M Anwar
Published: September 2024

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that emerged in late 2019 has accumulated a series of point mutations and evolved into several variants of concern (VOCs), some of which are more transmissible and potentially more severe than the original strain. The most notable VOCs are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron, which have spread to various parts of the world. This study conducted surveillance in Jashore, Bangladesh to identify the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 coinfected with dengue virus and their genomic effect on the emergence of VOCs. A hospital-based COVID-19 surveillance from June to August, 2021 identified 9 453 positive patients in the surveillance area. The study enrolled 572 randomly selected COVID-19-positive patients, of which 11 (2%) had dengue viral coinfection. Whole genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed and compared between coinfection positive and negative group. In addition, we extracted 185 genome sequences from GISAID to investigate the cross-correlation function between SARS-CoV-2 mutations and VOC; multiple ARIMAX(p,d,q) models were developed to estimate the average number of amino acid (aa) substitution among different SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. The results of the study showed that the coinfection group had an average of 30.6 (±1.7) aa substitutions in SARS-CoV-2, whereas the dengue-negative COVID-19 group had that average of 25.6 (±1.8; P < .01). The coinfection group showed a significant difference of aa substitutions in open reading frame (ORF) and N-protein when compared to dengue-negative group ( P = .03). Our ARIMAX models estimated that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants Delta required additional 9 to 12 aa substitutions than Alpha, Beta, or Gamma variant. The emergence of Omicron accumulated additional 19 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.74, 21.95) aa substitution than Delta. Increased number of point mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genome identified from coinfected cases could be due to the compromised immune function of host and induced adaptability of pathogens during coinfections. As a result, new variants might be emerged when series of coinfection events occur during concurrent two epidemics.
Remediation of Lead-Contaminated Water Using Green Synthesized Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles: Performance and Mechanism
Authors: Li Linyi , Haziq Mohammad Aslam , Ullah Sajid , Stanikzai Abdul Ghani , Bibi Shah Dehrai , Haq Taqweem Ul , Tayyeb Muhammad , Yang Zihua
Published: September 2024

Lead (Pb(II)) ions in water pose a significant threat to both human health and aquatic ecosystems. Various approaches have been employed for wastewater treatment, but adsorption is often preferred due to its effectiveness. However, its practical application is limited by the large quantities of adsorbent required, which consequently increases operational costs. In this study, orange-modified iron-oxide nanoparticles (O-Fe3O4) are synthesized from agro-waste mass (orange peel), and adsorption experiments were conducted for the removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution. Characterization studies confirm that O-Fe3O4 nanoparticles possess a mesoporous hexagonal nanocrystalline structure, with diameters measuring less than 100 nm. The adsorption process was optimized using a central composite design framework combined with response surface methodology. The analysis of interaction effects demonstrated that they significantly influenced the effectiveness of adsorption removal. The study revealed that an initial concentration of 25 mg/L, a dosage of 0.2 g/L, a contact period of 90 min, and a pH of 5.5 were the optimum conditions to achieve above 95% of Pb(II) removal. The green synthesized O-Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which presented high efficacy, makes it a promising option for implementing the sustainable water purification.
Rare Earth and Platinum Group Elements In Sub-Saharan Africa and Global Health: The Dark Side of the Burgeoning of Technology
Authors: Frazzoli Chiara , Bocca Beatrice , Battistini Beatrice , Ruggieri Flavia , Rovira Joaquim , Amadi Cecilia Nwadiuto , Offor Samuel James , Orisakwe Orish E
Published: September 2024

Despite steady progress in the development and promotion of the circular economy as a model, an overwhelming proportion of technological devices discarded by the Global North still finds its way to the Global South, where technology-related environmental health problems start from the predation of resources and continue all the way to recycling and disposal. We reviewed literature on TCEs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), focussing on: the sources and levels of environmental pollution; the extent of human exposure to these substances; their role in the aetiology of human diseases; their effects on the environment. Our review shows that even minor and often neglected technology-critical elements (TCEs), like rare earth elements (REEs) and platinum group elements (PGEs), reveal the environmental damage and detrimental health effects caused by the massive mining of raw materials, exacerbated by improper disposal of e-waste (from dumping to improper recycling and open burning). We draw attention of local research on knowledge gaps such as workable safer methods for TCE recovery from end-of-life products, secondary materials and e-waste, environmental bioremediation and human detoxification. The technical and political shortcomings in the management of TCEs in SSA is all the more alarming against the background of unfavourable determinants of health and a resulting higher susceptibility to diseases, especially among children who work in mines and e-waste recycling sites or who reside in dumping sites.This paper demonstrates, for the first time, that the role of unjust North-South dynamics is evident even in the environmental levels of minor trace elements and that the premise underlying attempts to solve the problem of e-waste dumped in Africa through recycling and disposal technology is in fact misleading. The influx of foreign electrical and electronic equipments should be controlled and limited by clearly defining what is a ‘useful’ second-hand device and what is e-waste; risks arising from device components or processing by-products should be managed differently, and scientific uncertainty and One Health thinking should be incorporated in risk assessment.
Factors Associated With Willingness to Pay for Primary Health Care Services in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical Schemes Members
Authors: Thsehla Evelyn , Hongoro Charles , Miot Jacqui , Kgasi Kate , Marinda Edmore , Maramba Esnath , Chabi Alister , Childs Barry , Modupe Olurotimi , Alaba Olufunke
Published: September 2024

The cost of healthcare is an issue of concern for both consumers and funders of healthcare in South Africa. The country spends approximately 8% of GDP on health care. Health care is financed through the public sector which covers 86% of the population and the private sector which covers 14% of the population. Medical schemes are the main source of healthcare financing in the private sector. Services covered by medical schemes include chronic diseases, emergencies, diagnosis, and treatment of a selected number of diseases. Primary health care services such as screening are limited. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with members of medical schemes’ willingness to pay for a primary health care package in the private sector. A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst principal members of medical schemes between July and September 2020. All principal members with access to an online questionnaire were eligible to participate in this study. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with willingness to pay for primary health care services. A total of 6512 members of medical schemes participated in the study. Thirty-five percent of the participants were willing to pay for the primary health care package. Factors influencing willingness to pay included marital status, employment status, income and household size. The study highlights the need for policymakers to consider socioeconomic factors when designing health care policies.
Making the Most of Familismo to Curb the Diabetes Epidemic: Early Evidence of Success Delivering the Same Intervention to Latinas at Risk for and With Diabetes
Authors: Joachim-Célestin Maud , Montgomery Susanne B
Published: September 2024

Background/objectives:

In the USA, diabetes disproportionately affects Hispanics/Latinx, continuing to contribute to health disparities. To address the diabetes epidemic, separate programs for pre-diabetes and diabetes are promoted nationwide. However, engagement by Hispanics/Latinx in either program is lagging. Recent evidence suggests that offering a single community health worker delivered intervention that includes both groups and allows family members to participate may be more effective and in harmony with Latino cultural values, especially if offered to Latino women (Latinas) who traditionally are in charge of food preparation. Our objective was to explore the results of an intervention delivered to low-income Latinas at various dysglycemic levels (diabetic and pre-diabetic).

Methods:

In this quasi-experimental mixed-methods cohort study we longitudinally assessed biometric outcomes and health behaviors among obese Latinas at risk for—and with—diabetes, participating in the same intervention. Data were collected at baseline and 3 months post-intervention. Focus group discussions and interviews provided qualitative data to help contextualize findings.

Results:

Participants at different levels of the dysglycemic spectrum benefited equally from the intervention across most measures. Among participants whose relatives had diabetes, weight loss exceeded that of participants without diagnosed relatives. Domestic partners’ support, attending the program in a group setting, and previous diagnoses from a healthcare professional were associated with better results.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that a community health worker-delivered intervention for Hispanics/Latinx with—and at-risk for—diabetes is feasible and could be more effective in reducing Hispanics/Latinx’ diabetes burden. Health educators and clinicians should consider tapping into the collective nature of the Latinx/Hispanic culture to encourage healthy behaviors among individuals whose family members have diabetes, regardless of their dysglycemic status. We recommend replicating this study with a more rigorous randomized design, a larger number of participants and longer-term follow-up.
In situ acoustic characterization of a perforated panel on a cavity by means of PU measurement and model fitting
Authors: Briere de La Hosseraye Baltazar , Yang Jieun , Hornikx Maarten
Published: September 2024

The in situ characterization of materials is a crucial challenge in room acoustics, as laboratories measurement cannot always be applied in consultancy practices. In particular, there is a lack of method to characterize in situ systems with perforated facings, which are commonly encountered systems in room acoustics. In this paper, the in situ characterization of a rigidly-backed porous material behind a rigid perforated facing by means of pressure–velocity measurements is presented. The method includes an inverse impedance model fitting based on measurement in a limited frequency range. The applicability of this method was studied by measuring a variety of perforated facings, whether in front of an air cavity or backed by a porous layer, and comparing the obtained impedance model parameters to reference values. Good agreement was observed between the retrieved parameters and the references, with the errors in all retrieved parameters moving mass, facing thickness, cavity depth, porous layer thickness and porous layer flow resistivity not exceeding 15%.
Maternal and fetal outcomes in an Italian multicentric cohort of women with multiple sclerosis exposed to dimethyl fumarate during pregnancy
Authors: Landi Doriana , Bartolomeo Silvia , Bovis Francesca , Amato Maria Pia , Bonavita Simona , Borriello Giovanna , Buccafusca Maria , Bucello Sebastiano , Cavalla Paola , Cellerino Maria , Centonze Diego , Cocco Eleonora , Conte Antonella , Cortese Antonio , D’Amico Emanuele , Di Filippo Massimiliano , Docimo Renato , Fantozzi Roberta , Ferraro Elisabetta , Filippi Massimo , Foschi Matteo , Gallo Antonio , Granella Franco , Ianniello Antonio , Lanzillo Roberta , Lorefice Lorena , Lucchini Matteo , Lus Giacomo , Mataluni Giorgia , Mirabella Massimiliano , Moiola Lucia , Napoli Francesca , Nicoletti Carolina Gabri , Patti Francesco , Ragonese Paolo , Realmuto Sabrina , Schirò Giuseppe , Signoriello Elisabetta , Sinisi Leonardo , Stromillo Maria Laura , Tomassini Valentina , Vecchio Domizia , Sormani Maria Pia , Marfia Girolama Alessandra
Published: September 2024

Background:

Evidence on the impact of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) during pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) is limited.

Objectives:

To investigate disease activity and pregnancy outcomes in a retrospective cohort of women exposed to DMF in early pregnancy.

Methods:

Women discontinuing DMF after pregnancy confirmation were identified from 29 Italian MS Centers. Disease activity 12 months before conception, during pregnancy, and 12 months postpartum were recorded, exploring reactivation predictors. Pregnancy and fetal outcomes were assessed.

Results:

The study analyzed 137 pregnancies (12 pregnancy losses, 125 live births) from 137 women (mean age 32.9 ± 4.7 years), discontinuing DMF within a median (interquartile range (IQR)) interval of 4.9 (3.7–5.7) weeks from conception. In live birth pregnancies, annualized relapse rate (ARR) significantly decreased during pregnancy (ARR = 0.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03–0.14, p = 0.021) compared to pre-conception (ARR = 0.21 (95% CI: 0.14–0.30)) and increased postpartum ((ARR = 0.22 (95% CI: 0.15–0.32), p = 0.006). Median time to first relapse (TTFR) was 3.16 (IQR: 1:87–5.42) months. Higher pre-conception relapse number (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.08–5.02) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS; HR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.17-2.74) were associated with shorter TTFR, while treatment resumption with longer TTFR (HR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.11–0.74). Fetal outcomes were unaffected by DMF exposure.

Conclusion:

DMF discontinuation does not increase relapse risk during pregnancy. Early therapy restart prevents postpartum relapses. Early DMF exposure shows no adverse fetal outcomes.
Rationalising a spectrum of problematic exercise: A qualitative study
Authors: Nicholls Kate , Ogden Jane
Published: September 2024

Whilst a substantial body of evidence supports the benefits of exercise for physical and mental health, the overfocus on the benefits of exercise could result in harmful behaviours in some individuals. Conceptualised as a behavioural addiction, research often dichotomises the behaviour through a medical diagnostic model. The present qualitative study explored the meaning of problematic behaviour from the exerciser’s perspective. Nineteen UK-based frequent exercisers were interviewed regarding their experiences. Thematic analysis described three themes: ‘relentlessly pushing the limits’ of their personal best and comparing to others; ‘an enabling community’ which could promote problematic behaviours; and ‘the complexity of the ideal body’ focussing on perceptions of weight maintenance. Transcending these themes was the notion of ‘rationalising choices’. The results indicate that participants felt that the benefits outweighed the costs, encouraging them to continue, even when causing harm. These findings support the notion of problematic exercise as a continuum, rather than dichotomous.
English vocabulary development in the global south context
Authors: Dubravac Vildana , Brdarević-Čeljo Amna , Bećirović Senad
Published: September 2024

The aim of the current study was to analyse receptive and productive knowledge development of words belonging to 2000, 3000, and 5000 frequency levels in the Global South setting. The data were collected from 278 first-year university students after they finished both elementary and high school in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study researched the dependency of receptive and productive knowledge on a few variables, namely the students’ grammatical competence, the methods of vocabulary teaching, the use of English within EFL classes, and the outside-school exposure to it. The results revealed a significant relationship between all the aforementioned variables and students’ productive and receptive vocabulary knowledge. Such findings are expected to provide assistance to educators and students in similar environments, giving direct guidelines for practice leading to greater receptive and productive EFL vocabulary knowledge, i.e. showing how EFL vocabulary learning challenges can be faced to open up favorable opportunities for its development.
Language exposure and Chinese character handwriting among Hong Kong non-Chinese speaking students: The mediating role of academic self-concept
Authors: Liang Yuan , Li Shangyan , Li Xinxin , Yang Lan
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between language exposure and Chinese character handwriting (CCW) among 103 non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students in Hong Kong. Specifically, it examined the impact of academic self-concept, including students’ self-perceptions of their Chinese character competence and affect, on the complex learning process of CCW in a multilingual context like Hong Kong. NCS students were invited to complete a writing-to-dictation test, a questionnaire on CCW exposure outside of the classroom, and a self-description questionnaire of academic self-concept. Path analysis was employed to analyse the path models within the constructs. The results revealed that language exposure had both direct and indirect effects on CCW through academic self-concept. Notably, the effect of language exposure on CCW was strongly mediated by competence self-concept but not affect self-concept. This suggests that NCS students evaluate their competence in producing desired outcomes within exposure environments based on their own self-perceptions. Drawing on these empirical findings, the article discusses the educational implications for Chinese as a second language learning and teaching. It emphasizes the significance of tailored instructional methods that can enhance the competence and affective self-concepts of NCS students. By implementing such approaches, students will be better equipped to integrate into diverse multilingual societies.
Can combining existing behavioral tools improve identification of infants at elevated likelihood of autism in the first year of life?
Authors: Talbott Meagan R , Young Gregory S , Ozonoff Sally
Published: September 2024

Identifying infants at elevated likelihood for autism and other developmental differences in the first year of life remains a significant challenge. This study explored associations between behavioral differences in infancy and developmental outcomes in toddlerhood. We conducted a secondary data analysis of 256 infants with an older autistic sibling followed from 6 to 36 months of age. We defined conceptually driven cutoffs for three behavioral measures collected at 6, 9, and 12 months and examined the utility of these measures, individually and in combination, in predicting 36-month outcome classification (typical development or developmental concerns, including autism). Overall, relatively few infants met multiple measure definitions (range: 5 to 43 infants across ages). However, infants meeting multiple definitions had a higher likelihood of developmental concerns outcomes at all ages. Positive predictive values for meeting all three measure definitions combined ranged from 0.67 [0.22, 0.96] at 6 months to 0.95 [0.75, 1.0] at 12 months. These findings suggest that while majority of infants ultimately classified with developmental concerns do not show significant behavioral differences in the first year, when early differences are present, they have predictive value. Combining behavioral tools may help to improve identification of infants most in need of early supports.

Lay abstract

Many families have concerns about their infants’ development in the first year of life. Current screeners cannot tell whether these differences might be related to autism, developmental delays, or likely to resolve on their own. As a result, many families are told to “wait and see.” In this study, we looked at whether combining multiple behavior measures can improve prediction of outcomes in toddlerhood. This could help to provide families with more information about the significance of early behavioral differences. We assessed 256 infants with an older autistic sibling at 6, 9, and 12 months. We created three markers of behavioral differences at these ages. We looked at whether infants who had two or more markers were more likely to be on the autism spectrum or have other developmental differences than to have typically developing outcomes at 36 months. We found that very few infants had more than one marker at any age. However, infants who showed two or more markers were more likely to be on the spectrum or have other developmental differences at 36 months than infants who showed only one marker. These findings suggest that when behavioral differences are present on multiple measures, there is no need to wait and see before referring for services.
Keeping it real: A signaling theory perspective on authentic claims of gang membership made on social media
Authors: Leverso John , Densley James A. , Insco Lindsey
Published: September 2024

The advent of social media has transformed the landscape of street gang dynamics. Although existing research has documented gang members’ use of social media—including identity performance, rival taunting, promoting gang culture, and conflict de-escalation—it often lacks a theoretical foundation and process-oriented view of these digital interactions. This study advances a signaling timeline approach to fill this gap. We apply it to a case study of Chicago Latino gangs and qualitative content analysis performed on 2849 posts and thousands more replies and comments web-scraped from a public Facebook page. Our theoretical framework decodes the intricate language of gang communications on social media to uncover the mechanisms behind interpretations and perceptions of gang members’ authenticity and the reasons behind the public nature of what might otherwise be considered clandestine activities. Ultimately this research contributes to understanding the digital negotiation of gang dynamics, highlighting the strategic use of communication in cyberspace.
Limited input and the acquisition of Finnish: The evolution of a child speaker in a multilingual environment
Authors: Halmari Helena
Published: September 2024

Aims and Objectives/Research Question:

This is a case study of a toddler acquiring Finnish in a trilingual (Finnish–Spanish–English) setting. Despite the apparent ease of the child’s acquisition of Finnish, the pressure of the majority language (English) suppresses the use of the acquired minority language. Is it feasible to expect an early-childhood minority language to be maintained at the level of production?

Design/Methodology:

Video-recordings were collected in domestic settings, mostly with the Finnish-speaking mother in interactions with the child, who was between the ages of 3;6 and 4;6. The approach follows loosely the principles of interactional sociolinguistics.

Data and Analysis:

The data were collected in 2008, when the child was 3 years old, and the follow-up data 8 months later, when the child was four. Samples of this corpus are analyzed in detail for the emerging target-like Finnish case endings and verbal inflections, as well as for deviations from adult Finland Finnish. The mother’s strategies of maximizing the effects of the limited input are also discussed.

Findings/Conclusions:

Even though the input the child receives is limited, his acquisition of Finnish morphosyntax follows monolingual patterns and shows overgeneralizations typical of monolingual Finnish children’s language. Some transfer from the contact with English and Spanish languages is present. The question of ultimate attainment in a heritage-language situation is addressed.

Originality:

The study is rare, as it documents the rapid transition from the child’s well acquired minority language to English, the majority language, in the matter of months.

Significance:

This article confirms the vulnerability of childhood bilingualism: even a few months between the two longitudinal datasets show a sharp decline in the child’s output in the heritage Finnish, but the dichotomy between “maintenance” versus “loss” is challenged because the decline in output does not necessarily extend to the loss of comprehension.
Seismic response prediction method of train-bridge coupled system based on convolutional neural network-bidirectional long short-term memory-attention modeling
Authors: Zhang Xuebing , Xie Xiaonan , Zhao Han , Shao Zhanjun , Wang Bo , Han Qianqian , Pan Yuxuan , Xiang Ping
Published: September 2024

Seismic response prediction is crucial for the safety analysis of train-bridge coupled systems. However, due to the complexity, suddenness, and high-risk nature of earthquakes, there are strong nonlinear relationships among different parts of bridges, making it challenging to express their spatial correlations using analytical models and traditional neural networks. To address this, this paper establishes a ballast track shaker scaling model and employs the grating monitoring measurement method to construct a spatial quasi-distributed monitoring system for the ballast track, thereby collecting seismic strain responses of the train-bridge coupled system under various seismic conditions. A hybrid neural network method is proposed for predicting the seismic responses of the train-bridge coupled system. This hybrid neural network integrates the features of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network (BiLSTM), and the attention mechanism, thereby termed the CNN-BiLSTM-attention hybrid neural network. The model was validated using strain responses from 54 seismic scenarios. The results indicate that the model has a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.2349 and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9446. Comparing the prediction results with those from RNN and LSTM models, it was found that the CNN effectively extracts features under various seismic parameters, while the BiLSTM better captures the temporal information of the strain responses, ensuring effective prediction regardless of the magnitude of strain responses. Therefore, the CNN-BiLSTM-attention hybrid neural network model is recommended for predicting seismic response.
Deep learning-based minute-scale digital prediction model for temperature induced deflection of a multi-tower double-layer steel truss bridge
Authors: Meng Lingxin , Sun Bo , Dang Yingjie , Shen Lizhong , Zhuang Yizhou
Published: September 2024

Bridge deflection serves as a vital and intuitive index for the evaluation of bridge safety. Temperature load has the greatest influence on the bridge deformation and studies on the temperature-induced deformation prediction of long-span bridge are in limited numbers. A digital prediction model based on deep learning in minute scale is established to study the bridge deflection caused by temperature. The wavelet transform (WT) is adopted to filter the high-frequency signals of the original deflection caused by the related load factors. Three different networks, long short-term memory (LSTM), bidirectional LSTM (Bi-LSTM), and Transformer variant, are studied and compared in the prediction process. Two different learning strategies considering different input data are also considered to optimize the prediction performance. The proposed prediction model is applied to the temperature induced deflection prediction of a multi-tower double-layer steel truss bridge. The results show that strategy A, which employs temperature time series data as input, is less effective than strategy B. Incorporating both temperature and deflection data as inputs is essential for predicting temperature-induced deflections. Moreover, the Transformer-variant network generally exhibits superior prediction performance compared to the LSTM and Bi-LSTM. The self-attention mechanism of the Transformer allows it to focus on key historical temperature points, thereby enhancing prediction accuracy.
Leakage identification and correlation coefficient method for industrial workshop production process combining with computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Wang Yukun , Liu Fei , Long Zhengwei , Liu Wei
Published: September 2024

Identifying leakage sources in industrial factory production is crucial to improving air quality, ensuring people’s health and safety and preventing safety accidents. In this study, a method for leakage source identification in industrial factories combining with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and correlation coefficient was proposed and validated. The study first experimentally validated the numerical methods, which were fundamental to the leakage identification method. Then impacts of leakage sources, sensor errors and number of sensors on the source identification results were evaluated. The results showed that the identification accuracy could be significantly improved by refining the step size of the coefficient a r in this method. When the number of leakage sources was unknown, the accuracy of this method in identifying the number and location of leakages was 93.5%. The computation time spent on source identification depended on the maximum number of leakage sources. Using four sensors with errors were enough to identify the number of unknown leakage sources. The number of leakage sources did not exceed three at the same time. Overall, coupled CFD and correlation coefficients method could effectively identify the number, location and intensity of leakages.
Dynamics of indoor volatile organic compounds and seasonal ventilation strategies for residential buildings in Northeast China
Authors: Yin Tingting , Gao Weijun , Wei Xindong , Wu Lei , Wang Chao
Published: September 2024

This study utilized a questionnaire survey to collect data from 265 residents in Changchun, encompassing building characteristics, ventilation frequency and overall satisfaction with the indoor environment. Statistical analysis revealed significant disparities in ventilation frequency and satisfaction with indoor temperature. The survey results indicate that the primary mode of indoor air exchange amongst Changchun residents is window ventilation, accounting for 93%. Field tracking was conducted to measure indoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in residential buildings during winter and summer seasons. The study revealed a significant increase in the average indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratio of the targeted 25 VOC concentrations in winter, rising from 10.8 to 17.7. The findings underscore indoor sources as predominant contributors to the measured VOCs. Temperature, humidity and room functions are the main factors affecting VOC concentration. Higher temperatures and increased relative humidity both contributed to elevated indoor VOC levels. This study recommended the opening of more windows during high temperature and high humidity in summer, to maintain good indoor air quality and effectively age the emission of VOCs from furniture. This study contributes to the enhancement of the database on indoor air quality and effective ventilation strategies in cold regions for safeguarding public health.
Scaling the value of multilingualism: ‘Common-sense’ narratives of growth and inequality in an expert report to the U.S. Congress
Authors: Wirtz Kristina
Published: September 2024

I examine the powerful institutional scaling project of the 2017 American Academy of Arts & Sciences report, America’s Languages: Investing in Language Education for the 21st Century. I analyze the scalar configurations emerging in the report’s narrative argumentation with the goal of denaturalizing its scale-making narratives in the production of a ‘common-sense’ regimentation of the value of language learning and multilingualism in the United States. These configurations show how social inequalities in access to language learning are reinforced through the ideologically mapped categorizations of language to sociocultural domains and kinds of speakers. Nomically- and reportively-calibrated, future-oriented narratives present figurations of growth and progress that mix nationalist ideologies of US expansionism, neoliberal and raciolinguistic logics, and even utopian visions. By focusing on scale, and in particular on interscalar processes of comparison, the resonances across these sometimes contradictory ideological frames are brought into focus.
Hide and seek: A game reimagined
Authors: Silin Jonathan , Arndt Sonja , Bailey Chelsea
Published: September 2024

We live in a culture that teaches us to value being seen and heard above all else. In early childhood classrooms teachers are encouraged to create individual spaces for every child and to artfully display their work as it is created. Especially in Euro-Western, neoliberal contexts, policy and curricula commonly call for early childhood professionals to pay special attention to children and families who come from immigrant or otherwise marginalized backgrounds. We are urged to acknowledge and elevate children's and families’ differences for all to see. But does everyone—child, teacher, and caregiver—want to be seen and heard all the time? What are the affordances and constraints of the visibility injunction under which we live? In this article we set out to reimagine the classic hide-and-seek paradigm in order to shed fresh light on the place of hiddenness and withdrawal from public view in the formation of positive self-regard. Is the joy of hiding always defined by the anticipation of being found? Are the pleasures of seeking only realized by the possibility of finding something/someone or is seeking an activity with its own rich rewards? Our stories and responses to each other are set out in a call-and-response pattern that echoes the six semi-structured hour-long conversations on which this article is built. Musical interludes are provided between each story/response couplet offering readers moments to pause, reflect, and argue with us as they move through the article.
(De)politicization of the environmental agenda in Russian media
Authors: Dovbysh Olga , Perkiömäki Mika
Published: September 2024

In the early 2020s, climate change and environmental challenges became increasingly important issues in the Russian political discourse. This was followed by growing media interest in environmental and climate reporting. This article explores how environmental journalists in Russian media outlets make sense of and discursively frame the environmental agenda. Based on in-depth interviews with environmental journalists working in the Russian media inside the country and in exile, we explore the role of the environmental agenda in a authoritarian regime such as Russia’s. The research reveals the forces shaping the environmental agenda and journalists’ perceptions of it. Drawing on theoretical perspectives on the politicization and depoliticization of the environmental debate, we explain how the prevailing forces shaping the environmental agenda lead to the depoliticization of environmental beats. As a result, some topics are treated as purely scientific problems that do not affect society or the state at large. On the other hand, regional environmental issues that do not affect state security issues allow for freer and more investigative reporting.