bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What are the priority-setting approaches for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria programmes in Ghana? A qualitative perspective from key informants
Authors: Aryeetey Genevieve Cecilia , Koduah Augustina , Affram Adjeiwa Akosua , Owusu Richmond , Ruiz Francis , Vassall Anna , Nonvignon Justice
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Worldwide, countries have the challenge of meeting the ever-increasing demand for healthcare amidst limited resources. While priority setting is necessary in all settings, it is especially critical in low- and middle-income countries because of their often-low budgetary allocations for health. Despite the long history of disease programmes supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) in Ghana, there is limited evidence on the approaches used in priority setting for the three disease programmes. This study aimed at exploring the priority-setting approaches adopted by the GFATM-supported programmes in Ghana.

Methods

In-depth interviews of ten key informants from the three disease programmes, the Ministry of Health and global health partners were conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed both inductively and deductively.

Results

We identified four main approaches for priority setting: (1) identification of health needs, (2) stakeholder participation, (3) transparency of the process and (4) contextual factors. Priorities were identified through national health strategies and mandates, development/health partners and global mandates and internally generated data and surveillance. The main actors participating in the decision-making or priority setting were ministries and agencies, development partners, research institutions, committees and working groups. These actors had varying influences and power. The involvement of the general public was limited in the priority-setting process. The approaches were often documented and disseminated through various mediums. Contextual factors reported were mainly barriers that affected priority setting, and these included inadequate funding, aligning priorities with funders and interruptions in the priority-setting process.

Conclusion

While explicit priority-setting approaches are being expanded globally to support resource allocation decisions in health more generally, evidence from our study suggests that their use in the three GFATM-supported programmes was limited.
Seroprevalence of measles antibodies in women born between 1985 and 1999 in metropolitan city in India: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hadaye Rujuta , Chandanshive Pradnya D , Khan Nishat
Published: December 2024

Introduction

The Universal Immunisation Programme of India recommends first dose of measles vaccine in children at 9 months as the infant is protected by the maternal antibodies till then, and the vaccine provides optimal protection. However, during the recent outbreaks in 2023, in Mumbai, India, 31% of the measles cases reported till March end were infants below 9 months of age. The study was undertaken in view of increased vulnerability of infants below 9 months of age which might possibly indicate insufficient maternal antibodies against measles.

Aim and objectives

To estimate the seroprevalence of measles antibodies among women born between 1985 and 1999, most likely unvaccinated or vaccinated with a single dose of measles vaccine as per vaccination schedule prevalent then.

Methodology

This is a cross-sectional study conducted during November 2023 to January 2024 in the M/East municipal ward of the metropolitan city of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. A total of 214 women were enrolled and interviewed at the nearest health centre. Their blood samples were analysed for IgG antibodies against measles using ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed to find the seroprevalence and its association with various factors using SPSS V.28.

Results

A total of 214 participants with a mean age of 30.9 years (SD= ±4.5) were included in the study. The mean measles IgG antibody titre among the participants was found to be 1.23 (SD= ±0.32) IU/mL, with as much as 37 (17.3%) women being seronegative for measles IgG. Thirty-four (15.9%) women had borderline (unequivocal) titre, and only 143 (66.8%) of the mothers had adequate antibodies to protect their infants.

Conclusion

Almost one third of women exhibited insufficient antibodies to protect their babies. It was observed that those who have received measles vaccine in their childhood were more likely to have a positive measles antibody titre and immunity against the disease.
Unveiling non-codingDMDvariants: synergising RNA sequencing and DNA sequencing for enhanced molecular diagnosis
Authors: Pan Yinghong , Nallamilli Babi Ramesh Reddy , Liu Ruby , Guruju Naga , Lesperance Daniel , Ma Zeqiang , Mathur Abhinav , Banks Kayla , Martin Ann S , García Rolando , Guo Fen , Hegde Madhuri
Published: December 2024

Background

Pathogenic variants in theDMDgene are associated with dystrophinopathy including Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD). TargetedDMDgene, gene panels, exomes and genome sequencing have advanced genetic diagnostics, yet some cases remain elusive.

Methods

We performed total RNA sequencing (RNAseq) on muscle biopsy from 13 male patients with a clinical diagnosis of DMD/BMD. Splice aberration events are evaluated using the Integrative Genomics Viewers. Targeted DNA sequencing result was used/re-analysed to confirm complex rearrangement events identified.

Results

RNAseq identified aberration splicing or expression events in theDMDgene of 12 cases. Splice-altering intronic single nucleotide variant events including c.7309+5G>T, c.7309+5G>A, c.3276+1G>A and c.3603+820G>T were identified in four cases. Splice-altering events were also detected in one case with small indel c.94-38_94del and two cases with intragenic deletions (exons 51–52 and 45–47 deletions). Furthermore, complex DNA rearrangements inducing aberration splicing/expression events were identified in five cases involving exons 44–45, 55–56, 2–79, 45–79 or 68–79, which were concordant with their DNA sequencing reanalysis results. Some cases with exon deletions have presented non-canonical transcripts expression. The RNAseq result showing aberrant splicing/expression in different exon regions in most of these cases corresponded with their immunohistochemical dystrophin staining results and/or clinical symptoms.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrated RNAseq is a powerful tool to provide functional data forDMDsplice aberration events, especially when integrating with immunohistochemical testing and DNA sequencing, for elucidating the pathogenicity ofDMDvariants and achieving a precise genetic diagnosis in patients with DMD/BMD clinical presentation but without definitive diagnoses after routine genetic testing.
Microseismic evolution and deep sliding surface identification of the Baige Landslide near the Jinsha River
Authors: Wang Zhe , Zhang Bohu , Li Xin , Peng Chaobo , Chen Sihong , Deng Jianhui
Published: December 2024

The Baige Landslide, which occurred twice within a month near the Jinsha River in Tibet, China, posed a threat to more than 3000 people. The area of the post-sliding fracture zone continues to expand, potentially triggering further landslides due to worsening microfractures in the deep rock mass. This study implemented a microseismic monitoring system in the high-risk zone of the Baige Landslide to analyse the evolving damage processes within the deep rock mass. The spatial and temporal distributions of microseismic events, changes in energy, development of displacements, and predicted magnitudes were examined. Based on microseismic data from the Baige Landslide, a method has been proposed to predict and identify the deep sliding surface using microseismic parameter fitting and verification of surface macroscopic cracks. The results indicate a close correlation between the sliding surfaces identified via microseismic parameter fitting and those identified through monitoring deep deformations and surface crack displacements. These findings provide a foundational framework for future mitigation and stability assessments of the Baige Landslide in the Jinsha River area, and offer valuable insights into the prediction of sliding surfaces in other potentially unstable landslide scenarios.
Optimal Aggregation via Overlay Trees: Delay-MSE Tradeoffs under Failures
Authors: Hegde Parikshit , de Veciana Gustavo
Published: December 2024

Many applications, e.g., federated learning, require the aggregation of information across a large number of distributed nodes. In this paper, we explore efficient schemes to do this at scale leveraging aggregation at intermediate nodes across overlay trees. Files/updates are split into chunks which are in turn simultaneously aggregated over different trees. For a synchronous setting with homogeneous communications capabilities and deterministic link delays, we develop a delay optimal aggregation schedule. In the asynchronous setting, where delays are stochastic but i.i.d., across links, we show that for an asynchronous implementation of the above schedule, the expected aggregation delay is near-optimal. We then consider the impact that failures in the network have on the resulting Mean Square Error (MSE) for the estimated aggregates and how it can be controlled through the addition of redundancy, reattempts, and optimal failure-aware estimates for the desired aggregate. Based on the analysis of a natural model of failures, we show how to choose parameters to optimize the trade-off between aggregation delay and MSE. We present simulation results exhibiting the above mentioned tradeoffs. We also consider a more general class of correlated failures and demonstrate via simulation the applicability of our techniques in those settings as well.
Electronic Study of Rare Earth Intermetallics in CsCl Phase
Authors: Bhardwaj Purvee , Bhardwaj Ramakant , Narayan Satyendra
Published: December 2024

In this study, we utilize density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the structural and electronic properties of YAg‐B2(CsCl) and YCu‐B2(CsCl) intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Our enthalpy calculations confirm that these compounds crystallize in a CsCl‐type structure, highlighting their stability in this phase. The lattice constants provide insights into the atomic arrangement and bonding strength within the crystal, influencing the material’s density and overall structural integrity. The bulk modulus reflects the material’s resistance to uniform compression, indicative of its incompressibility, and rigidity, which are essential for applications requiring high strength and durability. By analyzing the density of states (DOSs) and electronic band structure (BS), we further discuss the electronic stability and metallic nature of these materials. Additionally, the electronic properties derived from the DOS and BS analysis suggest good electrical conductivity, making these materials suitable for use in electronic and optoelectronic devices. The calculated equilibrium structural parameters, including bulk modulus, lattice constants, and their derivatives, are found to be in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. Understanding these properties is crucial for optimizing the performance of YAg and YCu intermetallics in practical applications, from structural components to advanced electronic systems.
Comparison of Nobiletin and 5‐Demethylnobiletin as Cancer Chemopreventive Agents
Authors: Rosas-Martínez Marisol , Gutiérrez-Venegas Gloria
Published: December 2024

Natural chemicals have been considered as promising molecules in cancer treatment because of their broad spectrum of activities. Flavonoids show high affinity against key molecular targets associated with developing cancer, and tumor cells exhibit an inability to resist flavonoid treatment. Flavonoids are natural molecules synthesized during secondary plant metabolism that has protective activities against biotic and abiotic factors (animals, bacteria, and fungi) and are resistant to ultraviolet light, temperature, and solid minerals and contaminants. They have been purified from plants and synthetic molecules and have an antioxidant, antitumor, and cardioprotective activities in humans. The large flavonoid family includes polymethoxyflavones, which are extracted from the peels of citrus fruits such as Citrus nobilis, from which nobiletin (NOB) is obtained. The compounds derived from this promising anticancer chemical include 5‐demethylnobiletin (5‐DMN). These compounds inhibit a large number of targets that regulate the hallmarks of cancer by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of proliferation, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, limiting migration, and angiogenesis. 5‐DMN has exhibited potency in the regulation of anticancer activities. This review was conducted to summarize and compare the effects of NOB and 5‐DMN on different types of cancer.
The Flexible Fréchet Distribution: Properties, Inference, and Medical Applications
Authors: Afify Ahmed Z. , Hussein Ekramy A. , Al-Mofleh Hazem , Alsultan Rehab , Aljohani Hassan M.
Published: December 2024

This paper introduces the Marshall–Olkin Weibull–Fréchet (MOWFr) distribution, a modified form of the Fréchet model that demonstrates improved fitting capabilities compared to established generalizations. We present key properties of the MOWFr distribution, noting that its density function can be symmetric, right‐skewed, or unimodal. The failure rate can exhibit monotonically increasing, J‐shaped, and modified bathtub patterns, making it a flexible tool for analyzing real‐life data across various fields. We briefly describe several frequentist approaches for estimating the MOWFr parameters and evaluate their performance through simulation studies, ranked by partial and overall effectiveness for small and large samples. The results indicate that maximum likelihood estimation is the most effective method for parameter estimation. Finally, we illustrate the practical applicability of the MOWFr distribution by modeling two real‐life medical datasets.
Mindfulness to Mental Health: Exploring Bibliometric Pathways via Metacognition, Rumination, and Emotion Regulation
Authors: Suresh Kakollu , Dar Aehsan Ahmad , Prasad D. Lakshmi Narasimha , Fernandes Dean
Published: December 2024

Mindfulness along with cognitive factors such as metacognition, rumination, and emotion regulation profoundly impact individual mental health and well‐being. The primary goal of this study is to understand the global research trends in mindfulness, mental health, and cognitive factors and to provide a bird’s eye view of the research carried out so far, which provides a strong foundation for future research. Bibliometric analysis was carried out using the VOS viewer and RStudio software, using publication data extracted from the Scopus database. The COVID‐19 pandemic triggered researchers to focus more on mental health‐related issues. Developed nations contributed significantly to most of the bibliometric indicators. In developed countries, research on mental health and well‐being emphasizes key determinants such as mindfulness, metacognition, rumination, and emotion regulation more extensively than in developing countries. Significant research gaps are identified in “Mental Health,” “Well‐Being,” and “Metacognition.” A significant share of the research activity is concentrated in the European region. Developing nations need to improve their research and collaborations keeping in view of the potential possibility of improvement of the Human Development Index (HDI) and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, thereby contributing to “Good Health” and “Well‐Being” at a global level.
Educación Continua en la Vejez: Un Desafío Pendiente en Chile
Authors: Soto Márquez Mónica
Published: December 2024

El artículo analiza la situación actual de la educación continua para adultos mayores en Chile, en el contexto del envejecimiento demográfico acelerado en América Latina. Destaca la importancia de implementar programas educativos inclusivos para este grupo etario, señalando las limitaciones actuales en las políticas públicas chilenas y comparando con experiencias internacionales exitosas. Enfatiza la necesidad de desarrollar estrategias innovadoras para mejorar la calidad de vida de los adultos mayores.
Supplementary Movie_1 from Clotting Promotes Glioma Growth and Infiltration Through Activation of Focal Adhesion Kinase
Authors: Knowles Lynn M. , Wolter Carolin , Linsler Stefan , Müller Simon , Urbschat Steffi , Ketter Ralf , Müller Andreas , Zhou Xiangda , Qu Bin , Senger Sebastian , Geisel Jürgen , Schmidt Tim , Eichler Hermann , Pilch Jan
Published: December 2024

U87MG cells on day 1 after embedding in fibrin
Evaluating the Implementation of the Rapid Prenatal Exome Sequencing Service in England
Authors: Walton Holly , Daniel Morgan , Peter Michelle , McInnes-Dean Hannah , Mellis Rhiannon , Allen Stephanie , Fulop Naomi J. , Chitty Lyn S. , Hill Melissa
Published: December 2024

Introduction: In October 2020, a national rapid prenatal exome sequencing (pES) service was rolled out across the English National Health Service (NHS). This service is delivered by multiple clinical and two laboratory teams. While there was high level national guidance to support implementation, it was unclear how the service had been delivered in practice. This study evaluated pES service implementation across England, using the major system change (MSC) framework to explore links between implementation approaches and outcomes. Methods: We conducted a national mixed-methods multi-site study of 17 clinical genomics services, their linked fetal medicine services and two laboratories delivering the pES service. The MSC framework informed the study. Key documents, semi-structured interviews (eight national service developers, 55 staff), and surveys (n = 159 staff) were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Findings were integrated. Results: Implementation was influenced by a range of factors including evidence of benefit, laboratory service reconfiguration, and stakeholder support. Local implementation approaches varied; seven models of service delivery were identified. Key differences between models included leadership, staffing, and multidisciplinary team approaches. Local staff factors (e.g., time, capacity, attitudes), pES service factors (e.g., communication/collaboration, logistics), and organisational factors (e.g., infrastructure and previous experience) influenced implementation. Conclusion: We have identified multiple barriers and facilitators that are associated with implementing a major change to genomic services in a complex national healthcare system. This study highlights which models of pES may work in practice and why. Findings will inform future development of the pES service.
A lexicostatistical survey of northern Berber languages
Authors: Gravina Richard
Published: December 2024

The Berber languages of North Africa comprise a collection of speech varieties where differences can be found as one moves across a Berber-speaking region, or from oasis to oasis. The varieties have a complex history, with multiple layers of contact, both with non-Berber languages and between Berber languages. These two factors make it difficult to categorise the relationships between Berber varieties, or to use the comparative method to provide a neat history of genetic developments. This paper uses lexicostatistical methods on a large dataset to provide a fine-grained picture of the synchronic relationships between Berber varieties, and thus to contribute to a broader understanding of the history and development of Berber.
The Anime Network
Authors: Nuradi Raditya Halimawan
Published: December 2024

Seichi junrei 聖地巡礼—a series of pilgrimages to sites featured in popular media—has received increasing attention from scholars and the public alike for the past few years. While scholarship on the topic is slowly growing, discussions on the material impact of these journeys remain limited. This article examines the seichi junrei phenomenon through a variety of material objects such as ema and notebooks left at pilgrimage sites, focusing on Kamado Shrine (Kamado Jinja 竈門神社) and the city of Takayama. Engaging with these objects reveals a complicated network of agents that participate, maintain, and support this practice. By using ethnographic sketches and the concept of focal objects, I argue that material objects in anime pilgrimages serve as a focal point to understand how networks of human and non-human actors, organizations, institutions, and ideas operate. Examining such elements will provide an insight into the layered meanings behind these pilgrimages.
The Urakami kirishitan as Ancestors and the Church of Nagasaki
Authors: Arcadipane Sofia
Published: December 2024

Through commemorations, ceremonies, and theatrical productions held to represent significant events, the Church of Nagasaki recounts the story of Christianity within the diocese. This narrative intertwines with the broader history of Christianity in Japan, which has significantly shaped Nagasaki’s cultural identity. However, the liturgical narrative also highlights local aspects of Christianity in Nagasaki, focusing on the Urakami kirishitan, the Hidden Christians of Nagasaki, who are descendants of early Japanese martyrs and ancestors of today’s Nagasaki believers. The liturgical narrative of the Nagasaki diocese thus connects contemporary believers to their past and their land. This article studies motifs, mythology, and protagonists within this narrative, exploring the tension between the history of Christian missions in Japan and the localized story of Nagasaki’s Christians. I argue that the diocese fosters a sense of continuity and shared heritage among today’s believers through these narratives, distinguishing Nagasaki’s Christian history within the broader context of Japanese Christianity.
Civil-Military Relations and Antimilitarism in Japan After the End of the Cold War
Authors: Kim Soyoung
Published: December 2024

This article studies the Self-Defense Forces’ (sdf) changing relationship with Japan’s security policymakers, reflecting on changing ideas of antimilitarism in the security discourse. For a long time after defeat in the Second World War, the Japanese public was concerned about protection from, not by, the sdf. Accordingly, strict bureaucratic monitoring and control limited the sdf’s participation in the policymaking process. Using government resources and personal interviews, this article traces how policymakers’ perception and antimilitarist attitude toward the sdf evolved as Japan confronted an increasingly challenging security environment that necessitated the sdf’s military expertise to be integrated in the policymaking process. It examines why and how politicians reclaimed civilian control over the military from civil servants and the process by which they granted increasingly more policy influence to uniformed officers. At a time of Japan’s militarization, this article contributes to understanding the development and remaining limitations on the sdf’s political position and policymaking influence.
The safety of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy: A systematic review
Authors: Freitas Rosana R , Gotsis Efstathia S , Gallo Alexander T , Fitzgibbon Bernadette M , Bailey Neil W , Fitzgerald Paul B
Published: December 2024

Introduction:

Psilocybin, a classical psychedelic, has been rescheduled for use in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression in Australia. While evidence for its use is promising, understanding the associated risks is crucial. Accordingly, this review aims to collate adverse event data from psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy clinical trials and evaluate its definition, way of measurement and reporting.

Methods:

A systematic method was employed to identify clinical trials related to the use of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in clinical populations that reported on adverse events. The quality assessment focused on relevant criteria related to adverse event definition, monitoring and reporting methods.

Results:

A total of 24 articles were included. The studies reported heterogeneous psilocybin doses, study designs and indications. Physical and psychological adverse events during and after psilocybin sessions were examined, revealing variations in measuring, reporting methods and occurrences. The most common adverse events during and after sessions included elevated blood pressure, headaches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and anxiety. In addition, both suicidal ideation and behaviour were observed infrequently and mainly in participants with a history of suicidal ideation or suicide attempt(s).

Conclusion:

The review highlights the need to standardise the defintion of an adverse event, including how they are measured and reported, in psychedelic clinical trials to ensure consistent reporting across studies. In addition, screening participants for suicidality history and ongoing monitoring remains important, given the potential risk identified in the literature. However, based on the available data, the safety of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is generally supported, and no deaths were attributed to psilocybin. Nevertheless, cautious optimism is needed due to the preliminary nature and heterogeneity of the safety data.
Illusory Conduct Stigma: Organizations As Targets As Well As Participants in Conspiracy Theories
Authors: Mithani Murad A.
Published: December 2024

In addition to their conduct, organizations can be stigmatized for conduct they did not engage in. Advancing a conceptual foundation of illusory conduct stigma, I explain how it stems from a perceptional process that is distinct from the one underlying conduct stigma. I use conspiracy theory as an illustrative source of illusory conduct stigma and explain how the former evolves in the absence of evidence, differs from an official narrative, and incorporates organizations. The study proposes that organizations are likely targets when they have higher status, larger size, and recent media coverage, and the targeting is persistent when organizations are complex, diversified, and carry strong emotional appeal. Moreover, organizations are at times participants in the production, facilitation, and forbearance of illusory conduct stigma. The study contributes by explicating how organizations are affected as well as how they participate in the development and propagation of illusory conduct stigma.
How Situated Attentions Affect the Choices of Professional Service Managers in the Transition to Hybrid Work Arrangements
Authors: Reimers Christian Schlaikjær
Published: December 2024

This article explores how top and middle managers in geographically fragmented professional service organizations made decisions about hybrid work arrangements, following COVID-19 (and the end of mandatory working from home). The article reports a single case study of a regional banking corporation in a period when leaders across the organization had to choose between consolidating change or returning to pre-pandemic practices. By applying the concept of situated attention from attention-based view-theory, the article explores what managers in different contexts are attentive to through a potentially disruptive period. Managers’ attention capacity is limited and the issues and answers they allocate their attention to in the immediate chaotic period following a disruptive change in the organizational environment is important to our understanding of future solutions. Various management issues and answers are identified, and the analysis explores how these are formed by contingent considerations and pressures across the diverging micro-contexts of the single managers. The article provides a model of contextualized management types as they relate to different contexts in a regional/rural organizational environment.
Mouse strain-specific habituation to oral metamizole administration
Authors: Schreiber Tim , Leitner Emily , Brandstetter Jakob , Richter Anna , Lange Sandra , Zechner Dietmar , Junghanss Christian , Vollmar Brigitte , Kumstel Simone
Published: December 2024

When pain might occur during an animal experiment, sufficient analgesia is necessary. Metamizole is the third most used postoperative pain medication in animal research. The analgesic effect of metamizole is supposed to last 6–8 h in rodents. Therefore, the supplementation of drinking water with metamizole should be the preferred method to ensure permanent pain relief without unnecessary stressors. The present exploratory study compared the voluntary intake of metamizole-supplemented drinking water (3 mg/ml) between healthy mice of three different mouse strains. After the addition of metamizole to the drinking water, a marginal reduction in body weight was observed in C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice. However, NSG mice displayed a significantly higher body weight loss and reduction of drinking behavior compared with the C57BL/6J and BALB/c strains. The acceptance of metamizole in NSG mice did not increase with a different metamizole formulation. Thus, the mice of the inbred strains C57BL/6J and BALB/c seemed to be able to adapt to the taste of metamizole, while NSG mice were not able to accustom to analgesia within 1 week. Strain-specific habituation should be considered in future animal studies when analgesia is applied via drinking water.
Robust task space position constraint control of kinematically redundant manipulators: A barrier Lyapunov approach
Authors: Gul Samet , Zergeroglu Erkan , Tatlicioglu Enver
Published: December 2024

This study introduces a novel robust control strategy for kinematically redundant robotic manipulators, aimed at maintaining task space position errors within predefined constraints. The proposed design ensures that the tracking errors for both the end-effector’s position and sub-tasks are uniformly ultimately bounded, despite dynamic uncertainties. It also guarantees that the position error of the end-effector stays within a predetermined safe region and achieves predictable overshoot and transient performance, provided the initial error is bounded within this safe area. The incorporation of a BLF into our stability analysis is the cornerstone of our methodological advancement, which is crucial for imposing predefined constraints on task space position errors. Simulations and experiments confirm the controller’s effectiveness, showing consistent error maintenance, stability of error terms, and boundedness of closed-loop signals. Tighter constraints increased control effort but led to faster convergence and improved tracking performance.
Ethics and Artificial Intelligence in the Interdisciplinary Collaborations of Smart Care
Authors: Hine Christine , Barnaghi Payam
Published: December 2024

This article explores how the work of ethical assurance is understood by those involved in artificial intelligence development and deployment, and uses the findings to consider how ethical reflection might be better supported. The article presents a case study of a multi-disciplinary project developing a care support system that used machine learning in remote monitoring of people living at home with dementia. In this project engineering and clinical perspectives come together through a fractionated interdisciplinary trading zone to address goals such as remote detection of urinary infections. Ethics is done, according to project participants, in formal ethical review processes and through a shared understanding of common goals, but also in discipline-specific practices that sit outside of the trading zone. A key role is played by team members who translate concerns between discipline-based research groups and who act as proxies for the ultimate users of the systems not directly present within the trading zone. These insights into cross-disciplinary ethical work in relation to smart care lead us to recommend that infrastructural support for imaginative and transparent ethical reflection needs to be woven through the collaborations that create artificial intelligence, both across disciplines and throughout the lifetime of a project.
Dancing in the streets: Rousseau, the genealogy of vice, and the practice of freedom
Authors: Simpson Sid
Published: December 2024

Only recently has Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality begun to be read as a genealogy rather than a variation on the social contract tradition. This article argues that reading Rousseau as a genealogist not only clarifies his analysis of amour-propre’s inflammation, but also illuminates a conception of freedom achieved through the continuous political practice of shaping of amour-propre. In the first section of this article, I situate this conception of freedom against two separate but relevant bodies of Rousseau scholarship: those who read him as a genealogist, and those who emphasize the ambiguities of amour-propre. Next, I look to The Social Contract’s passages on censorship and court of honor in order to evaluate their roles as institutions that forestall the inflammation of amour-propre. Finally, I examine the social institutions that citizens actively participate in as they practice their freedom: the festivals, dances, balls and games described in The Letter to D’Alembert and Considerations on the Government of Poland. It is in these institutions that we see the political implications of Rousseau’s genealogical system manifest: because his genealogy illuminates the human tendency toward vice, the cultivation of virtuous citizenship appears as a constant struggle rather than an idealist achievement.
Balancing Demands and Resources Along the Work–Family Continuum of Working Mothers: Insights From a Meta-Synthesis Study
Authors: Gerçek Merve
Published: December 2024

Balancing work and family life presents challenges for working mothers, which are influenced by societal expectations, organizational dynamics, and personal aspirations. Despite extensive research on work–life balance (WLB), there remains a gap in understanding working mothers’ WLB experiences and strategies. Drawing on the Work-Home Resources model, the present research addresses the gap by examining the demands and resources that influence working mothers’ WLB, as well as the outcomes of demand-resource interactions. Using a meta-synthesis approach of 49 qualitative studies, an in-depth examination of the WLB was presented. The results demonstrate significant variations in experiences caused by some socio-economic, cultural, and organizational factors, emphasizing the key role of workplace regulations and societal norms in establishing the balance between work and family life. This study enhances the understanding of working mothers’ distinctive struggles and adaptation processes by combining multiple perspectives from numerous studies, with valuable implications for policymakers, employers, and researchers.
Neuropathological Findings in Nonclinical Species Following Administration of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV)-Based Gene Therapy Vectors
Authors: Bolon Brad , Buza Elizabeth , Galbreath Elizabeth , Wicks Joan , Cargnin Francesca , Hordeaux Juliette
Published: December 2024

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vectors are an accepted platform for treating severe neurological diseases. Test article (TA)-related and procedure-related neuropathological effects following administration of AAV-based vectors are observed in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Leukocyte accumulation (mononuclear cell infiltration > inflammation) may occur in brain, spinal cord, spinal nerve roots (SNRs), sensory and autonomic ganglia, and rarely nerves. Leukocyte accumulation may be associated with neuron necrosis (sensory ganglia > CNS) and/or glial changes (microgliosis and/or astrocytosis in the CNS, increased satellite glial cellularity in ganglia and/or Schwann cellularity in nerves). Axonal degeneration secondary to neuronal injury may occur in the SNR (dorsal > ventral), spinal cord (dorsal and occasionally lateral funiculi), and brainstem centrally and in nerves peripherally. Patterns of AAV-associated microscopic findings in the CNS and PNS differ for TAs administered into brain parenchyma (where tissue at the injection site is affected most) versus TAs delivered into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or systemically (which primarily impacts sensory ganglion neurons and their processes in SNR and spinal cord). Changes related to the TA and procedure may overlap. While often interpreted as adverse, AAV-associated neuronal necrosis and axonal degeneration of limited severity generally do not preclude clinical testing.
Open Road to Competition: Media Framing of Social Justice Within Professional Women's Cycling
Authors: Rundio Amy , Kulczycki Cory , Mallhi Arshpreet Kaur
Published: December 2024

The creation of women's versions of popular men's cycling races sparked plenty of media attention as women had historically been denied access to these spaces. Since access to these races and subsequent media provides opportunities and benefits for cyclists, the races become potential sites of social justice, underscoring the importance of understanding the media narrative of social justice in women's cycling. Therefore, we analyzed the presence of the five propositions (distributive justice, procedural justice, interactive justice, recognition, care, and repair) of social justice in public spaces in media narratives surrounding the women's Paris-Roubaix and Tour de France. Issues of distributive, procedural, and interactive justice were present in arguments that gatekeepers could not invest in women's cycling without proof of success, as well as in gatekeepers’ reputation of intolerance. Women faced disproportionate burdens due to lack of resources, representing issues of recognition, procedural justice, and distributive justice.
Comparative Judgement for evaluating young learners’ EFL writing performances: Reliability and teacher perceptions of holistic and dimension-based judgements
Authors: Sickinger Rebecca , Brunfaut Tineke , Pill John
Published: December 2024

Comparative Judgement (CJ) is an evaluation method, typically conducted online, whereby a rank order is constructed, and scores calculated, from judges’ pairwise comparisons of performances. CJ has been researched in various educational contexts, though only rarely in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing settings, and is generally agreed to be a reliable method of evaluating performances. This study extends the CJ research base to young learner EFL writing contexts and innovates CJ procedures with a novel dimension-based approach. Twenty-seven Austrian EFL educators evaluated 300 young learners’ EFL scripts (addressing two task types) from a national examination, using three scoring methods: standard CJ (holistic), CJ by dimensions (our new criteria-based method), and the exam’s conventional analytic rating. It was found that both holistic CJ and our dimension-based CJ were reliable methods of evaluating young learners’ EFL scripts. Experienced EFL teachers who also have experience with using marking schemes proved to be reliable CJ judges. Moreover, despite the preference of some for the more familiar analytic rating method, teachers displayed higher reliability and shorter decision-making times when using CJ. Benefits of dimension-based CJ for reliable and economical scoring of large-scale young learner EFL writing scripts, and the potential for positive washback, are discussed.
Students’ perceptions of instructional quality and learning achievement in everyday life: Do personality traits matter?
Authors: Talić Irma , Rauthmann John F. , Renner Karl-Heinz , Möller Jens , Niepel Christoph
Published: December 2024

Students’ perceptions of instructional quality (SPIQ) are subjective and time-specific to some extent. Yet, they are mostly aggregated across students and assessed at one time point, neglecting student- and lesson-specific variance. The present study examined the role of students’ personality traits in state SPIQ and their relation to perceived lesson-specific learning achievement (i.e., self-reported comprehension). Thereby, we distinguished between idiosyncratic and consensual (classroom) SPIQ. We assessed the three basic dimensions of instructional quality, teacher support, cognitive activation, and classroom management, as state perceptions of all students within classrooms in mathematics’ instruction ( Nobservations = 2681) across three weeks of 372 German secondary school students’ ( Mage = 15.3 years) daily life. Linear mixed effect models revealed (a) that students’ agreeableness and negative emotionality were positively and negatively, respectively, related to state SPIQ, (b) particularly pronounced positive relations between teacher support and perceived learning achievement, which were (c) stronger for lower levels in agreeableness. Differences across idiosyncratic and consensual perceptions could hardly be detected. Thus, the present study shed light on personality traits’ relations to SPIQ and within-student SPIQ–learning achievement associations, while demonstrating a new application for classroom-based state SPIQ that bridges the gap between intra- and intersubjective perceptions of instructional behavior.
The dual engines of political stability and digital technology: An international political economy analysis based on the green trade and climate change reversal mechanism in RCEP countries
Authors: Cui Yiniu , Guo Mengyao , Ma Guoqiang , Wang Jingjing , Su Xuyang
Published: December 2024

Within the complex framework of international political economy, the continued focus on climate change and environmental degradation has spurred the rapid development of green trade. Sovereign states are promoting the cross-border flow of environmentally friendly goods and technologies through the implementation of green trade policies, aiming to accelerate the growth of the green trade system. However, the advancement of green trade faces multiple challenges, such as the inconsistency of international green standards, the relatively high costs of green products, and consumers’ lack of awareness about eco-friendly products. Utilizing the theoretical framework of international political economy, this study explores the interrelationship between green trade and climate change, analyzing how to overcome these challenges from both domestic and international obstacles could potentially reverse the current adverse trends. Particularly, it examines how political uncertainty and the global free-rider problem act as moderating variables in the relationship between green trade and climate change, thereby affecting the dynamic interaction between the two. Relying on this theoretical framework, the study conducts regression analysis using data from member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and finds that the initial stages of green trade may have a negative impact on the climate, and its relationship with climate change follows the environmental Kuznets curve, which will mitigate climate change in the long term. Furthermore, the study concludes that political stability and digital technology can reverse the negative impacts of green trade on the climate, thereby ensuring that green trade can genuinely support the goals of environmental sustainability.
Smooth Muscle and Adenoma-Like Renal Tumor (SMART)- A Rare Biphasic Renal Tumor with a Review
Authors: Panda Manisha , Vangapandu Sushmita , Mandal Swarnendu , Ayyanar Pavithra
Published: December 2024

Smooth muscle and adenoma-like renal tumor (SMART) is a biphasic tumor composed of cytologically bland stromal and epithelial components. It has many histopathological mimickers. A 57-year-old man presented with a left renal mass. The left radical nephrectomy showed a 13.5 cm tumor involving the entire kidney. The microscopic examination showed an unencapsulated, well-circumscribed biphasic tumor composed predominantly of intersecting bundles of smooth muscle, admixed with focal epithelial components arranged in cystic, tubular, tubulopapillary, nests, and cords. Both the components lacked nuclear atypia. Using immunohistochemistry, the spindle cells were positive for SMA and desmin, focally positive for CD10, and negative for ER, PR, and HMB45. The epithelial cells were positive for PAX8 and keratin 7 and negative for CD10. We report an additional example of SMART with a literature review. Knowledge about this recently described entity would lead to a better understanding of the clinicopathological features and histogenesis of this tumor.
Neurobiological Correlates of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis: Remodelling and Plasticity of Nociceptive and Autonomic Innervations in Synovial Joints
Authors: Mathew Sharon , Ashraf Sadaf , Shorter Susan , Tozzi Gianluca , Koutsikou Stella , Ovsepian Saak V.
Published: December 2024

Swelling, stiffness, and pain in synovial joints are primary hallmarks of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Hyperactivity of nociceptors and excessive release of inflammatory factors and pain mediators play a crucial role, with emerging data suggesting extensive remodelling and plasticity of joint innervations. Herein, we review structural, functional, and molecular alterations in sensory and autonomic axons wiring arthritic joints and revisit mechanisms implicated in the sensitization of nociceptors, leading to chronic pain. Sprouting and reorganization of sensory and autonomic fibers with the invasion of ectopic branches into surrounding inflamed tissues are associated with the upregulation of pain markers. These changes are frequently complemented by a phenotypic switch of sensory and autonomic profiles and activation of silent axons, inferring homeostatic adjustments and reprogramming of innervations. Identifying critical molecular players and neurobiological mechanisms underpinning the rewiring and sensitization of joints is likely to elucidate causatives of neuroinflammation and chronic pain, assisting in finding new therapeutic targets and opportunities for interventions.
Modeling and control of flow-vibration responses of a super-high-speed elevator car under gas-solid coupling
Authors: Xie Jingren , Chen Longye , Zhao Mengmeng , Tang Rui , Xu Shuang , Qin Chengjin , Zhang Zhinan , Liu Chengliang
Published: December 2024

Horizontal vibration and aerodynamic characteristics of a super high-speed elevator car are significantly influenced by inevitable gas-solid coupling interactions between the elevator car and the airflow during the upward or downward movement of the elevator car in the hoistway, which will not only result in passenger discomfort but also reduce the life of the elevator car. Hence, it is necessary to reduce these negative and undesirable effects. This paper proposes a unified framework of modeling and control of the elevator car under the gas-solid coupling interactions to suppress the horizontal vibration, thus ensuring a smooth comfortable ride for passengers. First, a two-dimensional airflow-car-vibration model with differential equations is established to mathematically describe the horizontal vibration and aerodynamic characteristics of the elevator car under a few regular assumptions. Flow-vibration responses of the elevator car are carefully investigated under the gas-solid coupling interactions, based on which an active control strategy is utilized to suppress the horizontal vibration, thus achieving better aerodynamic performance and lower horizontal vibration. The results demonstrate that the aerodynamic loads have a great impact on the horizontal vibration and the active control strategy can effectively suppress the horizontal vibration.