bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estudo comparativo do ciclo evolutivo do Triatoma infestans alimentado em diferentes animais (Hemiptera, Reduviidae)
Authors: Corrêa Fernando M. de A.
Published: April 2024

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Notas sôbre Rhopalopsyllidae. I. Sobre algunas formas de Polygenis Jordan (Siphonaptera, Rhopalopsylloidea)
Authors: Machado-Allison C. E.
Published: April 2024

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Miscelânea ornitológica: VII. Notas sobre a variação geográfica nas populações brasileiras de Neomorphus geoffroyi, com a descrição de uma subspécie nova. VIII. Nome novo para as populações este-brasileiras de Pionus menstruus Linn (Aves, Psittacidae)
Authors: Pinto Olivério
Published: April 2024

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Sôbre uma nova espécie do gênero Rhexoza Enderlein (Diptera, Scatopsidae)
Authors: Rabello E. X. , Forattini O. P.
Published: April 2024

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Bostrichidae (Coleoptera). II. Dolichobostrychus vitis (Mendes, 1932), sinônimo de Dolichobostrychus angustus (Steinh., 1874)
Authors: Reichardt Hans
Published: April 2024

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Ibidionini (Coleoptera, Cerambycinae). XX. Descrições, redescrições e novas combinações
Authors: Martins Ubirajara R.
Published: April 2024

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Bostrichidae (Coleoptera). V. Sôbre a distribuição geográfica de duas espécies de Apate introduzidas no Brasil
Authors: Reichardt Hans
Published: April 2024

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Ibidionini (Coleoptera, Cerambycinae). XXI
Authors: Martins Ubirajara R.
Published: April 2024

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Segunda contribuição ao conhecimento da tribo Cuphoceratini Townsend (Diptera, Tachinidae)
Authors: Guimarães J. H.
Published: April 2024

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Ibidionini (Coleoptera, Cerambycinae). XXIII. Sôbre Ibidion maronicum Thomson, 1867, espécie polimórfica
Authors: Martins Ubirajara R.
Published: April 2024

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Descrição de uma nova espécie de Ubristes Walker, 1852 (Diptera, Syrphidae, Microdontinae)
Authors: Papavero Nelson
Published: April 2024

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Contribuição para o conhecimento dos tripanossomos de roedores, com a descrição de duas novas espécies
Authors: Coutinho José de Oliveira , Pattolli Dino
Published: April 2024

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Additions to the knowledge of the Cephalotini ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
Authors: Kempf Walter W.
Published: April 2024

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Duas novas espécies de Strophocheilus do Brasil (Mollusca, Gastropoda)
Authors: Leme José Luiz Moreira
Published: April 2024

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Chelodesmid studies. II. The status of the milliped Telonychopus meyeri Verhoeff, and of the family name Telonychopidae
Authors: Hoffman Richard L.
Published: April 2024

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A propósito de los Leptodactylidae (Amphibia, Anura)
Authors: Gallardo José M.
Published: April 2024

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A key to the described species of new world anthicidae of the genus Acanthinus Laferté, with new synonymy (Coleoptera)
Authors: Werner Floyd G.
Published: April 2024

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Uma nova espécie de Parthenopidae (Crustácea, Brachyura)
Authors: Righi Gilberto
Published: April 2024

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Uma coleção de borboletas (Lepid., Rhopal.) do rio Amaparí (território do Amapá) com anotações taxonômicas sôbre Rhopalocera do Brasil
Authors: Ebert Heinz
Published: April 2024

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Estudos sôbre flebotomíneos americanos. I. Notas sôbre espécies de Lutzomyia França, subgênero Psychodopygus Mangabeira, 1941, com a descrição de uma nova espécie (Diptera, Psychodidae)
Authors: Barretto Mauro Pereira
Published: April 2024

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Helmintos parasitos de espécies simpátricas de Astyanax (Pisces, Characidae). I
Authors: Kloss G. R.
Published: April 2024

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Novos gêneros e espécies de Anisocerini. II. (Coleoptera, Lamiidae)
Authors: Lane Frederico
Published: April 2024

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Novos gêneros e espécies de Hemilophini. I. Gêneros com antenas de 12 artículos (Coleoptera, Lamiidae)
Authors: Lane Frederico
Published: April 2024

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Notas sôbre Orphninae neotrópicos com descrição de um gênero e uma espécies novos (Coleoptera)
Authors: Vulcano M. A. , Pereira F. S. , Martinez A.
Published: April 2024

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Schlüssel der Dicladispa-arten des afrikanischen festlandes. 208. Beitrag zur kenntnis der Hispinae (Col. Chrysomelidae)
Authors: Uhmann Erich
Published: April 2024

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A família Succineidae (Gastropoda, Pulmonata) da ilha de Trindade, costa do Brasil
Authors: Lanzieri Pedro Domingos
Published: April 2024

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Sôbre o segundo exemplar de Bachia bresslaui (Sauria, Teiidae)
Authors: Vanzolini P. E.
Published: April 2024

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Biological observations on some Masiphyini (Diptera, Tachinidae) parasites of Mantodea
Authors: Heitzmann-Fontenelle Therezinha J. , Guimarães J. H.
Published: April 2024

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Neocorus ibidionoides (Serville, 1834): notes on the biology, descriptions of the larva and pupa (Col., Cerambycinae)
Authors: Martins Ubirajara R. , Meyer Fernando R.
Published: April 2024

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Notas sôbre o crescimento de Astyanax schubarti (Pisces, Characidae)
Authors: Rebouças-Spieker Regina
Published: April 2024

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Duas novas espécies de Drosophila do grupo "Saltans" (Drosophilidae, Diptera)
Authors: Mourão Celso Abbade , Bicudo Hermione Elly Melara de Campos
Published: April 2024

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Duas novas espécies de Bittacus Latreille, 1807 (Mecoptera, Bittacidae)
Authors: Morgante João S.
Published: April 2024

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Presença de substâncias lipídicas nas glândulas do sistema salivar de Trigona (Hym., Apoidea)
Authors: Landim Carminda da Cruz , Puga Flávio R.
Published: April 2024

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Sôbre o gênero Pseudogonatodes, com a descrição de uma espécie nova da Amazônia (Sauria, Gekkonidae)
Authors: Vanzolini P. E.
Published: April 2024

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Revisionary notes on the american Pentagonicini (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Authors: Reichardt Hans
Published: April 2024

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Uma nova espécie de Armitermes Wasmann, 1897 (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae)
Authors: Canter Henrique Moisés
Published: April 2024

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Contribuição ao estudo dos opiliões do Chile (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae, Triaenonychidae)
Authors: Soares Helia E. M.
Published: April 2024

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Catalogue of new world Dermaptera (Insecta). Part II: Labioidea, Carcinophoridae
Authors: Reichardt Hans
Published: April 2024

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On a large and surprising sample of Calliscincopus agilis from Brasil, with the invalidation of the genus (Sauria, Teiidae)
Authors: Vanzolini P. E. , Rebouças-Spieker Regina
Published: April 2024

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Sôbre o gênero Epimetopus (Col., Hydrophilidae)
Authors: Rocha Aristides A.
Published: April 2024

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Lista dos tipos de peixes das coleções do Departamento de Zoologia da Secretaria da Agricultura de São Paulo
Authors: Britski Heraldo A.
Published: April 2024

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Studies on spirostreptoid millipeds. VIII. Supplementary notes on some brasilian species described by Otto Schubart
Authors: Hoffman Richard L. , Knight Linda Sue
Published: April 2024

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New neotropical Tabanidae. II. Three primitive undescribed pangoniine-like flies of unusual interest from Chile
Authors: Philip Cornelius B. , Coscarón Sixto
Published: April 2024

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On Prof. Mauro Pereira Barretto's collection of Tabanidae types
Authors: Papavero Nelson
Published: April 2024

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A revision of the genus Doru Burr (Dermaptera, Forficulidae)
Authors: Brindle A.
Published: April 2024

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Uma via para a legitimidade: o caso das denúncias de fraude na Via Varejo
Authors: Serpa Saulo Augusto Félix de Araújo , Freitas Juliana Bacelar de , Guerra Mariana
Published: April 2024

This teaching case addresses the history of Via Varejo S.A. which received reports of fraud and accounting irregularities at the end of 2019. The company appointed an investigation committee to conduct an independent and detailed analysis which found indications of fraud such as the manipulation of labor provisions, undue delays in writing off assets and accounting for liabilities; and failures in internal controls that could have resulted in material errors in the company’s accounts. The impact was approximately 1.19 billion reais, which fully recognized in their 2019 financial statements and the reexamination of previous periods was not deemed necessary. Considering this uncertain scenario, managers were faced with the following dilemma: how to behave in relation to society considering the findings of fraud? This teaching case is aimed at students in graduate majors in Administration and Accounting who want to study the assumptions of the Legitimacy Theory as well as analyze the actions of this company as strategies designed to maintain or recover its legitimacy.
On Nonhuman Agency
Authors: Robles Whitney Barlow
Published: April 2024

The concept of nonhuman agency is a contentious issue in historical discourse, provoking disagreement due to its loose definition. The lack of a consistent definition for the term has led to varied and contradictory interpretations, sometimes rendering it counterproductive. Diverse theoretical models across disciplines engage questions of nonhuman agency, spanning Indigenous methodologies, actor-network theory, and new materialisms. Exploration of early modern scientific study of animals reveals the importance of rooting theories of nonhuman influence in concrete historical processes rather than abstractions and within the context of period actors’ categories. Challenging the centrality of nonhuman agency in historical discussions prompts a deliberate consideration of its role for historians, suggesting alternative ways of valuing and analyzing past human entanglements with nonhumans, and questioning whether agency must remain so central to discussions of the more-than-human.
Stalking Wild Maize: Taxonomy, Plant Exploration, and the Search for Corn’s Origins in South America
Authors: Curry Helen Anne
Published: April 2024

In the twentieth century, plant explorers in many countries were enlisted in the assembly of seed and plant collections that brought together hundreds and sometimes thousands of varieties of the same crop species. These collections were, and are, understood chiefly as the foundations for effective plant breeding. Crop seed collections, like other biological collections, were also essential tools of taxonomy; their study was both conditioned by and productive of evolutionary narratives about plant cultures and human natures. A search for Zea mays (maize or corn) and its wild relatives in South America in the 1940s revealed that developing taxonomies of cultivated plant species, especially accounting for distinct local forms of these crop plants, was a profoundly interdisciplinary enterprise. It was also a project conditioned by researchers’ expectations of the places, peoples, and plants that they would encounter. The taxonomy of maize, like other taxonomic enterprises, emerged as a mirror of those who taxonomized.
The Lumumba Legacy and the Enduring Tragedy of the Congo
Authors: Rotberg Robert I.
Published: April 2024

Had the first prime minister of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo lived, he might have led the Congolese people to a unified and prosperous nation post-independence. But Patrice Lumumba’s aspirations were cut short by his brutal assassination in late 1960, just months after Congo gained independence from Belgian rule. His death and the enduring impact of it on the Congo’s trajectory are the focus of Reid’s compelling The Lumumba Plot, which exposesthe many egregious errors and sinister efforts of the cia to eliminate Lumumba.
Contribution to the genus Phlugiolopsis (Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from China
Authors: ZHENG MENGJIA , SHI FUMING
Published: April 2024

This paper reports four new species from Yunnan, Hunan and Guangdong in China, i.e. Phlugiolopsis procera sp. nov., Phlugiolopsis clavata sp. nov., Phlugiolopsis nanlingensis sp. nov. and Phlugiolopsis spina sp. nov. While the females of Phlugiolopsis bispinata Bian & Shi, 2018 and Phlugiolopsis breviproceris Zheng, Shi & Chang, 2023 are described for the first time. All specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.
Corniclypeus gen. nov., a replacement name for Cornifrons Jin, Li & Zhang, 2024 (Araneae: Trachelidae), preoccupied in Lepidoptera
Authors: JIN CHI , LI LIANGTAO , ZHANG FENG
Published: April 2024

N/A
A new replacement name for Lonchodes fruhstorferi (Carl 1913)
Authors: SEOW-CHOEN F.
Published: April 2024

N/A
A new species of the leafhopper genus Satsumanus Ishihara (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from China
Authors: HASSAN MUHAMMAD ASGHAR , XING JICHUN
Published: April 2024

Satsumanus Ishihara is a small leafhopper genus in tribe Opsiini with six described species, and each have a very restricted biogeographical distribution in the Australian, Oriental and Palearctic regions. The species Satsumanus satsumae (Matsumura) is recorded for the first time from Zhejiang Province, and a new species Satsumanus discedens sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Guizhou Province, China. The digital photographs of adult male habitus and male genitalia are provided. An updated checklist, global distribution map and taxonomic identification key to known species are provided. The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (GUGC).
Challenges With Robot-Assisted Surgery Setup for Complex Minimally Invasive Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
Authors: Kanji Falisha F. , Marselian Aleeque , Burch Miguel , Jain Monica , Cohen Tara N.
Published: April 2024

Background

The utilization of robot-assisted approaches to surgery has increased significantly over the last two decades. This has introduced novel complexities into the operating room environment, requiring management of new challenges and workflow adaptation. This study aimed to analyze challenges in the surgical setup for complex upper gastrointestinal robot-assisted surgery (UGI-RAS) and identify opportunities for solutions.

Methods

Direct observations of surgical setup processes for UGI-RAS were performed by a trained Human Factors researcher at a non-profit academic medical center in Southern California. Setup tasks were subdivided into five phases: (1) before wheels-in; (2) patient transfer and anesthesia induction; (3) patient preparation; (4) surgery preparation; and (5) robot docking. Start/end times for each phase/task were documented along with workflow disruption (FD) narratives and timestamps. Setup tasks and FDs were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Twenty UGI-RAS setup procedures were observed between May-November 2023: sleeve gastrectomy +/− hiatal hernia repair (n = 9, 45.00%); para-esophageal hernia repair +/− fundoplication (n = 8, 40.00%); revision to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 2, 10.00%); and gastric band removal (n = 1, 5.00%). Frequent FDs included planning breakdowns (n = 20, 29.85%), equipment/supply management (n = 17, 25.37%), patient care coordination (n = 8, 11.94%), and equipment challenges (n = 8, 11.94%). Eleven of 20 observations were first-start cases, of which 10 experienced delayed starts.

Discussion

Interventions aimed at improving workflows during UGI-RAS setup include performing pre-operative team huddles and conducting trainings aimed at team coordination and equipment challenges. These solutions could result in improved teamwork, efficiency, and communication while reducing case start delays and turnover time.
Rates and Risk Factors for 30-Day Morbidity After One-Stage Vertical Banded Gastroplasty Conversions: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Scott Adam W. , Amateau Stuart K. , Leslie Daniel B. , Ikramuddin Sayeed , Wise Eric S.
Published: April 2024

Background: The vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) is a historic restrictive bariatric operation often requiring further surgery. In this investigation utilizing the 2021 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) national dataset, we aim to better define the outcomes of VBG conversions.

Methods: We queried the 2021 MBSAQIP dataset for patients who underwent a conversion from a VBG to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Demographics, comorbidities, laboratory values, and additional patient factors were examined. Rates of key consequential outcome measures 30-day readmission, reoperation, reintervention, mortality, and a composite endpoint (at least 1 of the 4) were further calculated.

Results: We identified 231 patients who underwent conversion from VBG to SG (n = 23), RYGB (n = 208), or other anatomy (n = 6), of which 93% of patients were female, and 22% of non-white race. The median age was 56 years and body-mass index (BMI) was 43 kg/m2. The most common surgical indications included weight considerations (48%), reflux (25%), anatomic causes (eg, stricture, fistula, and ulcer; 10%), and dysphagia (6.5%). Thirty-day morbidity rates included reoperation (7.8%), readmission (9.1%), reintervention (4.3%), mortality (.4%), and the composite endpoint (15%). Upon bivariate analysis, we did not identify any specific risk factor for the 30-day composite endpoint.

Discussion: One-stage VBG conversions to traditional bariatric anatomy are beset with higher 30-day morbidity relative to primary procedures. Additional MBSAQIP data will be required for aggregation, to better characterize the risk factors inherent in these operations.
Education and Training of Archery in Mughal India
Authors: Ashraf Syed Shahid
Published: April 2024

It has been long held that Mughal India had a long tradition of education and learning. The Mughal period witnessed the emergence of great scholars in different fields; some prominent names are Fathullah Shirazi, Sheikh Mubarak, his two sons Faizi and Abul Fazl, and Abdul Qadir Badauni. These scholars left their intellectual imprint on Mughal history. Even the Mughal Emperors took a keen interest in the education and training of the princes. Along with educating the royal family members, the Mughal Emperors also worked to educate the ordinary people. Akbar had taken great interest in designing the syllabus for madarsa education himself. In contrast, Aurangzeb gave the merchants the responsibility of education for the smooth functioning of the madarsa and inspected its progress from time to time. Many works have been produced about madarsa education in Mughal India, but the education and training in the technical field have yet to be discussed. The present research study investigates education and training in warfare, especially archery, as the education of archery was considered very important in the Islamic world. The Mughals, too, turned their attention to educating the princes and common people on the art of archery.
Language Dependency of /s/ Production: Native Dutch Versus Non-Native English
Authors: de Boer Meike M. , Heeren Willemijn F. L.
Published: April 2024

With forensic recordings being collected in multiple languages increasingly often, this study investigates the language dependency of the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ in speakers of native (L1) Dutch and non-native (L2) English. Due to phonetic similarity between the languages, Dutch learners of English may exhibit language-independent /s/ acoustics, making it an interesting feature for multilingual forensic speaker comparisons (FSCs). However, the findings show that out of the four spectral moments, center of gravity, standard deviation ( SD), skewness, and kurtosis, only SD remained stable across the languages; the other measurements were language-dependent. The results were largely independent of the /s/ tokens’ contexts, although an interaction between language and context was found for skewness and kurtosis: With a labial right phonetic neighbor, language dependency was largely reduced. The findings have implications for FSCs: as /s/ is language-dependent in speakers of L1 Dutch and L2 English, it shows limited potential for cross-linguistic speaker comparisons in forensic casework.
Racialised terminologies and the BAME problematic: A perspective from football’s British South Asian senior leaders and executives
Authors: Lawrence Stefan , Fletcher Thomas , Kilvington Daniel
Published: April 2024

This article problematises the usage of the term ‘BAME’ (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) and considers its limitations as a diversity intervention. It draws on sociolinguistics, critical race theories and poststructuralism and is based on interviews with 21 British South Asian people working at senior and executive levels of the professional football industry in England and Scotland. Our analysis delineates formal and informal modes of racialisation, extending theories of racialisation beyond the creation of legal categories, to consider the discursive construction of ‘race’ and its institutionalising effects. At the same time, we show that it is important for sporting institutions to recognise and celebrate British South Asian representation, wherever and however it exists. The article calls for a greater focus on the sociolinguistic dimensions of racialised terminologies and their (in)ability to capture racialised difference; secondly, through invoking anti-essentialism and differential racialisation as heuristic tools it explores how racialised language reflects and sustains racialised hierarchies; and thirdly, it advocates for a deconstruction of the term ‘British South Asian’ to encourage a more nuanced approach to policy development aimed at realising better diversity outcomes.
Intermediate Educational Transitions, Alignment, and Inequality in U.S. Higher Education
Authors: Ciocca Eller Christina , Khanna Katharine , Mellon Greer
Published: April 2024

Substantial social stratification research conceptualizes education as a series of standard transitions from one stage to the next, such as from high school to college. Yet less research examines mandatory transitions within each educational stage, which we call “intermediate educational transitions.” In this article, we examine a crucial intermediate transition in U.S. higher education, shifting from an undeclared to a declared major by major declaration deadlines, to provide a novel perspective on educational transitions. Bridging theoretical approaches from symbolic interactionism, social stratification, structural functionalism, and neo-institutionalism, we argue that successful major declaration transitions depend on students’ individual-level alignment between socially structured actions and culturally informed goals and organization-level alignment between organizational intentions and organizational actions. We use longitudinal interview data paired with 4.5 years of administrative records to assess this argument, finding that both individual- and organization-level alignment contribute to whether students experience seamless, stalled and restarted, or persistently stalled major declaration transitions. We further find that access to compensatory college organizational support determines whether stalled students can restart their major declaration trajectories. These findings indicate that colleges and universities can help to mitigate inequality in intermediate transitions by providing timely, high-quality support.
Supporting Stabilization: A Qualitative Evaluation of a Pilot Program to Integrate Personal Caregiving Services Into Housing Settings
Authors: Roth Sarah E. , Marsi Katherine , Kenton Natalie , Cohen-Cline Hannah
Published: April 2024

Three organizations in Clark County, WA, partnered together to implement a pilot program to expand access to personal caregiving services in the homeless crisis response system. The aim of this study is to describe staff and clients’ experiences of the program and its impact on clients’ daily living activities, health and wellbeing, and housing stability. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 clients and 5 pilot staff, representing 4 housing service providers. Interviews were analyzed descriptively to examine staff and clients’ perspectives and experiences with the personal care services pilot program. Caregivers helped clients establish routines, find companionship, and connect to health and social services both logistically and socioemotionally, supporting clients’ stabilization and reducing barriers to healthcare. Hiring and retaining caregivers remained difficult due to the challenging nature of the work. Staff interviews highlight the need for additional supports to better retain caregivers. Findings from the evaluation have important implications for addressing the needs of individuals exiting homelessness and suggest that personal caregivers can play an important role in supporting the stabilization process. However, employing strategies such as training and increasing wages and benefits that support the needs of the caregiving workforce is essential to sustain this type of service delivery model.
The Paradox of Positivity: How Overly Positive Responses by Hosts Can Backfire on Peer-to-Peer Rental Platforms
Authors: Liang Sai , Wu Danmeng , Li Ziru , Yang Yang , Xu Hong , Yin Dexiang
Published: April 2024

Effective strategies for managerial responses to guest reviews on peer-to-peer rental platforms remain undefined. This study utilizes symbolic interaction theory to explain the effect of hosts’ response positivity on guests’ review-posting intention. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining econometric modeling with experiment, to empirically examine the effects of response positivity and the underlying mechanism. The econometric findings indicate a “positivity paradox” in that overly positive responses reduce review-posting intention. This reduction is more pronounced for hosts who have made fewer responses to reviews and those without “Superhost” status. The results of the experiment reveal that this effect is largely driven by guests’ perceptions of the hosts’ authenticity, with overly positive responses often being interpreted as inauthentic. Our findings provide both theoretical and practical implications for stakeholders on peer-to-peer rental platforms. (Also available in Chinese)
Tales of the sea: Seafarers’ sense of place in the management of socialities and safety culture at sea
Authors: Turgo Nelson
Published: April 2024

Workplaces can be tricky for migrant workers like seafarers to navigate, especially on board cargo ships which in recent times have become multi-ethnic in composition. Diverse cultures and individual differences can pose challenges to working relationships on board, which in turn can have negative implications on operational safety. In this context, the article highlights the role of seafarers’ sense of place in enacting harmonious socialities and safety culture on board. Sense of place refers to marked positioning in space where seafarers conduct themselves in relation to others in terms of hierarchy. In turn, this helps fashion the collective mind among seafarers as a way of dealing with the challenges of life at sea, including operational safety on board. This article draws from data gathered from fieldwork on board four ocean-going cargo ships and informal conversations with seafarers in seafarer centers in the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2020.
Disturbance-rejection position tracking control of industrial robots via a discrete-time super-twisting observer–based fast terminal sliding mode approach
Authors: Han Linyan , Mao Jianliang , Du Haibo , Gan Yahui , Li Shihua
Published: April 2024

Facing the system uncertainties caused by unmodeled dynamics and unpredictable external disturbances, the robot position control for meeting the high-performance control requirements on higher accuracy and faster beat is vital for many industrial applications, such as welding and laser cutting tasks. This work aims to cope with the problem of precise and fast position tracking for robot manipulators with an effective and safe control scheme. Specifically, a discrete-time super-twisting observer (STO) is integrated into the scheme to estimate the uncertain dynamics (e.g. unmodeled dynamics and external disturbances) in the feedforward compensation part of the dynamics. Subsequently, a discrete-time fast terminal sliding mode controller (FTSMC) dominates the robot control to guarantee fast convergence of the position tracking error. The significant improvement of the proposed method with respect to other discrete-time sliding mode control approaches lies in that it is capable of alleviating the chattering-like problem, achieving a fast convergence and improving the robustness of sliding mode control against uncertain dynamics. To illustrate the effectiveness of the presented control scheme, several experiments on a six degrees of freedom (6DoF) robot manipulator are provided.
Event-triggered-based finite-time pinning synchronization control for multi-layer complex networks
Authors: Sun Shixiang , Wei Xinjiang , Zhang Huifeng , Hu Xin
Published: April 2024

In this paper, the issue of event-triggered finite-time pinning synchronization control for multi-layer networks is discussed. To reduce control costs and ensure that the networks under consideration synchronize to the intended trajectory in a finite amount of time, the finite-time pinning controller is first created for nodes of various sorts. The controller based on the event-triggered scheme is then suggested to lessen the pressure on the networks’ channels. We determine the prerequisite for the multi-layer network’s ability to accomplish finite temporal synchronization through the stability analysis of the Lyapunov function. Finally, a numerical analysis is used to confirm the validity of the suggested strategy.
Perceived Values of Public Participation Practices in Budgeting: Insights From Incorporated Local Governments in Oregon
Authors: Muthomi Frankline
Published: April 2024

This field notes provide insights into how local officials value different participatory procedures used to inform and invite the public to participation activities, and participatory mechanisms used to solicit public input during budget decision-making processes. The analysis is based on a framework that helps categorize and assess traditional, non-digital participatory practices versus modern, digital ones. Using survey responses from local officials in Oregon, the findings reveal greater value for modern methods like government websites and social media to inform and invite residents to public participation activities, but more traditional methods like public hearings and citizen committees to solicit their input. The author offers practical suggestions for fostering meaningful public engagement, and the need for practitioners is to be adaptable to innovative strategies that guarantees their participatory procedures and mechanisms are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the changing needs of communities.
Benefits of open access to researchers from lower-income countries: A global analysis of reference patterns in 1980–2020
Authors: Karlstrøm Henrik , Aksnes Dag W , Piro Fredrik N
Published: April 2024

The main objective of the open access (OA) movement is to make scientific literature freely available to everyone. This may be of particular importance to researchers in lower-income countries, who often face barriers due to high subscription costs. In this article, we address this issue by analysing over time the reference lists of scientific publications around the world. Our study focuses on key issues, including whether researchers from lower-income countries reference fewer publications in their research and how this trend evolves over time. We also investigate whether researchers from lower-income countries rely more on the literature that is openly available through different OA routes compared with other researchers. Our study revealed that the proportion of OA references has increased over time for all publications and country groups. However, publications from lower-income countries have seen a higher growth rate of OA-based references, suggesting that the emergence of OA publishing has been particularly advantageous to researchers in these countries.
Exploring music learning needs of working-age individuals in Thailand
Authors: Saibunmi Skowrung , Thuntawech Saya
Published: April 2024

This quantitative study delves into the music learning needs of working-age individuals in Thailand, focusing on those aged 21 to 59 years outside the music profession. The research, conducted in October 2023, collected responses from 503 participants through an online structured questionnaire. The findings revealed that “As a hobby/for relaxation” emerged as the primary motivation for enrolling in music classes, among currently enrolled, previously enrolled, and prospective participants. Desired learning contexts revealed “Onsite learning” with a “Very High” mean score for current ( x− = 4.89) and past enrollees ( x− = 4.58), while those aspiring to enroll rated this and “Hybrid Learning” in a “High” level. “Private learning” earned a “High” rating across groups, and “Small group learning” received a “High” rating for prospective and past enrollees. Exploring learning styles, participants consistently rated items at a High Level, encompassing “Involvement in learning choices,” “Prioritizing adaptation over theory,” “Using metaphor,” “Visual learning,” “Auditory learning,” and “Kinesthetic learning.” Barriers to music learning, including “Time management” and “Memory,” were notably high among past enrollees. These insights offer valuable guidance for tailoring music activities or lessons to the specific needs of adult learners.
The methodological legacies of Theda Skocpol’s State and Social Revolutions: Locating the three pillars of comparative historical analysis
Authors: Kreuzer Marcus
Published: April 2024

Stein Rokkan and Barrington Moore revived comparative historical analysis (CHA) in Europe and the United States, respectively, during the 1960s without, however, elaborating its methodological underpinnings. Theda Skocpol’s State and Social Revolutions as well as her Visions and Methods Historical Sociology filled this gap. In her important essay with Margaret Somers, she identified three distinct strands of CHA that tackled macro-historical question in distinct but ultimately also complimentary ways. In doing so, she established the foundation for subsequent work on CHA methodology. The article elaborates the subsequent elaborations of Skopol and Somer’s CHA typology and the factors contributing to this evolution. It also underscores how many of those innovations were already implicit in Skocpol’s State and Social Revolutions even though she herself did not highlight it in her own methodological writings. Skocpol the empirical scholar thus turns out to have been methodologically more advanced than Skocpol the methodologist.
Digital fashion and metaverse platforms: Do platform attributes drive shopper’s purchase intention?
Authors: Prashar Atul , Prashar Anupama
Published: April 2024

This study aims to understand consumer behavior in fashion shopping on the Metaverse platforms. It proposes a behavioral model grounded on a stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, where the platform attributes namely interactivity, personalization, and sociability act as stimuli to activate the experiential (utilitarian and hedonic value) and immersive responses, which in turn drive the purchase intention of digital fashion shoppers. The moderating role of shoppers’ personal characteristics is also tested. Survey data of 327 users of Metaverse platforms are used to test the proposed model. DRESSX, a multibrand fashion retailer offering branded nonfungible tokens (BNFTs) in the form of digital clothing and accessories, is used to simulate the Metaverse. The results show that personalization is the strongest platform attribute offering experiential value, and sociability features of the platform play the key role in driving immersiveness. Furthermore, both experiential value and immersiveness drive the shoppers’ purchase intention.

JEL Code: M30 Marketing and Advertising: General
Influence of High-Speed Railway Subgrade Form on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of the Overhead Contact System Positive Feeder in the Gale Area
Authors: Liu Yuantao , Zhao Shanpeng , Zhang Taizhen , Zhang Youpeng , Wang Sihua , He Yaping
Published: April 2024

To analyze the influence of subgrade form on the aerodynamic characteristics of the overhead contact system (OCS) positive feeder in the gale area of the Lanzhou–Urumqi high-speed railway, based on the aerodynamic theory, the flow field calculation model of the OCS positive feeder under different embankment forms is established, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the OCS positive feeder under various embankment forms are simulated and analyzed. The research shows that the embankment height significantly influences the aerodynamic characteristics of the OCS positive feeder. The aerodynamic coefficient of the positive feeder with an 8 m embankment height is 1.3 times that of the 4 m embankment height. The higher the embankment height, the greater the influence on the aerodynamic characteristics of the positive feeder. When the embankment slope rate is 1:1.5, the aerodynamic coefficient of the positive feeder is smaller than that of other slope rates. In the bridge structure, when the windshield height is greater than 4 m, the aerodynamic coefficient of the positive feeder rises obviously. Therefore, when the windshield is set, the height of the windshield is not too high. The research results can further clarify the mechanism of the OCS positive feeder galloping of the Lanzhou–Urumqi high-speed railway and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of OCS positive feeder galloping, as well as the construction of railway windproof engineering.
“He Was Able to Rely on Me”: Negotiating the Sibling Intragenerational Bargain among Latino First-generation College Student Families
Authors: Marín Estéfani
Published: April 2024

Though some frameworks suggest that siblings deplete family resources, alternative conceptualizations suggest that siblings, particularly in working-class and minoritized families, are pivotal sources of educational support that may replenish familial capital. Drawing on 41 in-depth interviews with Latino first-generation college students, this study addresses how siblings negotiate educational support. This study builds and extends prior literature on familial capital by proposing that college attendance generates additional resources that (re)shape family obligations and expectations, a process I refer to as the sibling intragenerational bargain. In negotiating the sibling intragenerational bargain, Latino students seek to (1) contribute to the family’s intragenerational mobility by providing educational support and/or (2) repay sibling sacrifices and help with their academic success. Furthermore, birth order and sibling educational attainment shape how students negotiate the sibling intragenerational bargain. This study shows how Latino first-generation siblings (older and younger) are agentic producers of familial capital.
Human-driven fire and vegetation dynamics on the Caribbean island of Barbuda from early indigenous to modern times
Authors: LeBlanc Allison R , Kennedy Lisa M , Burn Michael J , Bain Allison , Perdikaris Sophia
Published: April 2024

We present a multiproxy analysis of a sediment core from Freshwater Pond, Barbuda, one of just a few inland paleoenvironmental records from the Lesser Antilles. Our results shed light on the relative contributions of climate variability and Pre- and Post-Columbian human activities to vegetation and fire dynamics on Barbuda. The presence of macroscopic charcoal and pollen of ethnobotanically-useful and disturbance-indicator plant taxa in the sediment record suggests that Pre-Columbian subsistence activities occurred within a few kilometers of the pond between ~150 BCE and ~1250 CE. Our record extends anthropogenic fires back into the early Ceramic (500 BCE–1500 CE) and possibly late Archaic Ages (3000–500 BCE) adding evidence to the timing of arrival of the island’s earliest inhabitants. The history of island-wide biomass burning inferred from microscopic charcoal fragments showed heightened fire activity between ~540 and ~1610 CE followed by a period of quiescence that reflected the transition from Pre- to Post-Columbian land-use practices associated with European colonization of the region. The British established a permanent settlement on Barbuda in the 1660s, but given Barbuda’s unsuitability for large-scale agriculture, timber harvesting, small-scale farming, and livestock rearing, activities that left no detectable charcoal footprints likely dominated post-colonial land use. The lack of any clear correspondence between the reconstructed histories of fire and effective moisture at Freshwater Pond supports the idea that Late-Holocene fire activity on Barbuda was driven primarily by human activity.
Application of a dual depressant system and microwave irradiation for flotation-based Separation of Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyvinyl Chloride, and Polystyrene Plastics
Authors: Jabbari Salva , Ostad Movahed Saeed , Jourabchi Shahab
Published: April 2024

The absence of an effective technique for the individual separation of plastics within a plastic mixture remains a paramount concern in the domain of plastic waste management. Recently introduced, the floatation technique has emerged as a method for segregating specific plastics, such as polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), from mixed waste streams. This separation process involves the utilization of traditional dual depressants (chemical agents). The study investigated the impact of pre-microwave irradiation of plastic surfaces at varying microwave output powers (20-100%) on the floatation behavior of each plastic. Additionally, the influence of depressant concentration (200-1600 mg/L) on plastic floatation was examined. The results revealed that pre-microwave irradiation at different output powers and varying depressant concentrations significantly affected the sink-float behavior of the studied plastics, with the exception of PET. It was observed that the microwave irradiation altered the number and type of active sites on the plastics' surfaces. Notably, there was no discernible regular trend in the flotation of plastic with an increase in microwave output power. The outcomes were substantiated by conventional identification techniques, including contact angle (θ) measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectra analysis. Equations derived through the use of the design of experiment software (Design-Expert®) demonstrated a commendable alignment between the predicted and actual values of plastic flotation. This underscores the efficacy of the applied methodology in forecasting and validating the outcomes of the floatation process.
Height and Weight, Not Body Mass Index, Are Closely Associated With Activities of Daily Living in Japanese Older Adults
Authors: Tanaka Yuji , Ando Takashi , Tsuchiya Kyoichiro , Mochizuki Kazuki
Published: April 2024

Body mass index (BMI) is routinely used to ascertain health status, including activities of daily living (ADLs); however, the associations of ADLs with height and weight in older adults have not been elucidated. Therefore, we cross-sectionally investigated the correlations between ADLs and height, weight, and BMI in 155 participants aged 82 to 103 years and characterized the naïve Bayesian prediction for ADLs. Activities of daily living showed a significant negative correlation with height and weight and a positive correlation with age. In males, a shorter height was associated with an increased risk of falling and disability in phone calling independently, and losing weight was associated with an increased risk of disability in going out. Combining age, weight, and height improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the prediction of disability in going out and phone calling independently in males. Therefore, height and weight, not BMI, are potential predictors of ADL decline.
Recent Progress of Bioinspired Cell Membrane in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Zhang Min , Wang Yuanhang , Song Zhiyuan , Lu Yimeng , Zhao Houyu , Wang Yihan , Lu Ping , Liu Yanting
Published: April 2024

By modifying immune cells, immunotherapy can activate immune response to establish long-term immune memory and prevent tumor recurrence. However, their effectiveness is largely constricted by the poor immunogenicity, immune escape, and immune tolerance of the tumor. This is related to the characteristics of the tumor itself, such as genome instability and mutation. The combination of various nanocarriers with tumor immunotherapy is beneficial for overcoming the shortcomings of traditional immunotherapy. Nanocarriers coated by cell membranes can extend blood circulation time, improve ability to evade immune clearance, and enhance targeting, thus significantly enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy and showing great potential in tumor immunotherapy. This article reviews the application research progress of different types of cell membrane–modified nanocarriers in tumor immunotherapy, immunotherapy combination therapy, and tumor vaccines, and provides prospects for future research.
‘They Should have been Looking after People for a Long Time’: Human Giving and Generosity During COVID-19, in Austerity Britain
Authors: McDonnell Liz , Clarke Amy , Phipps Alison
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic mobilised a multitude of acts of giving and generosity. This article provides a snapshot of giving and generosity among a small sample of individuals in the UK, in a context following years of ungenerous austerity politics. Giving and generous actions played a crucial role in mitigating the negative effects of COVID and we report on data collected using in-depth interviews to understand experiences of giving and generosity. We conceptualise giving and generosity as pro-social or other-focused actions that involve sharing of resources, underpinned by a crossing of the hyphen between self and other. This article explores the ways in which participants were mobilised by perceived social and political injustices and thus we offer a different understanding of giving and generosity as micro-activism that is done with a critical eye turned towards the macro context.
Probing heterogeneity to identify individualized treatment approaches in autism: Specific clusters of executive function challenges link to distinct co-occurring mental health problems
Authors: Pugliese Cara E , Handsman Rebecca , You Xiaozhen , Anthony Laura Gutermuth , Vaidya Chandan , Kenworthy Lauren
Published: April 2024

Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, aggression, and inattention are common in autistic youth and are challenging to treat by community providers. We aim to parse the heterogeneity of autism based on dimensions of executive function and determine whether specific executive function profiles are differentially related to psychiatric symptoms. Parents of 397 well-characterized 8–14-year-old autistic children without an intellectual disability reported on their child’s executive function skills and psychiatric symptoms. We applied a data-driven, graph theory-based, community-detection approach to a common executive function measure, revealing three distinct executive function profile subgroups. Despite having similar social challenges, the executive function subgroups differed on anxiety, aggression, affect, and inattention symptoms. Results support the need for more intensive subtyping with autistic youth to develop appropriate, individualized mental health treatments and supports. Characterizing youth through neurocognitive strengths and challenges can guide the development of precision medicine, allowing for more meaningful, specialized treatment.

Lay Abstract

Many autistic people struggle with mental health problems like anxiety, depression, inattention, and aggression, which can be challenging to treat. Executive function challenges, which impact many autistic individuals, may serve as a risk factor for mental health problems or make treating mental health conditions more difficult. While some people respond well to medication or therapy, others do not. This study tried to understand if there are different subgroups of autistic young people who may have similar patterns of executive function strengths and challenges—like flexibility, planning, self-monitoring, and emotion regulation. Then, we investigated whether executive function subgroups were related to mental health problems in autistic youth. We found three different types of executive function subgroups in autistic youth, each with different patterns of mental health problems. This helps us identify specific profiles of executive function strengths and challenges that may be helpful with identifying personalized supports, services, and treatment strategies for mental health conditions.