bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gulong ng Buhay: A Correlation of Female Gender Preference in Driving Tricycle
Authors: Sierto Maricel E. , Navarro Ricky J.
Published: October 2024

The study’s primary goal was to identify the challenges and difficulties faced by female tricycle drivers in earning a living and the acceptance of the community for female tricycle drivers. In particular, this study sought answers to the following questions: (1) How long do female drivers ride tricycle as their means of earnings? (2) What are the reasons of female gender in driving tricycle as means of earning a living? (3) What are the advantages of female gender as tricycle driver? and (4) What are the disadvantages of female gender as tricycle driver? The study will use qualitative research design in which researchers will gather data through interviews. The results show that (1) Most drivers drive tricycles to earn a living; (2) In order to provide for their families, female tricycle drivers strive to assist their husbands. It's mainly family motivation that drives them. Every effort has been made to ensure that their children have a good life. In addition, they are able to provide for their families' financial needs and the care of their children; (3) In spite of the difficulties and obstacles encountered on the road, female tricycle drivers can improve safety for passengers by proving that they are able to drive as well as their male counterparts while remaining brave enough to continue driving; and (4) The challenges faced by female tricycle drivers included being able to make ends meet, balancing work and family obligations, encountering discrimination and stereotypes in other people as well as today's lifestyle.
Assessment of Bangus Culture Livelihood Project in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Authors: Agonos Emily M.
Published: October 2024

The study assessed the bangus culture as the key livelihood initiative of the FishCORAL project of BFAR-V covering the coastal barangays in Libmanan, Camarines Sur. The assessment focused on identifying the enterprise's inputs, outputs, and outcomes and its economic and social impacts on the project beneficiaries.  Interviews, focus group discussions, desk reviews, and field surveys were employed to evaluate the project achievements, including using an adopted model for monitoring and evaluation. Descriptive analysis and mixed methods were applied to data analysis.
Five associations take turns running the livelihood enterprise through the circular sea cage located at Barangay Bahao. The beneficiaries encountered challenges, such as the high cost of fuel used in going to and from the project site, especially those coming from far barangays; commercial markets were not yet considered for the product due to insufficient volume of harvest; and the association's need guidance in leadership and business management.  Typhoons affected the project during its initial operation. Still, since the household size of the beneficiary families is primarily tiny, it is easier for them to sustain the family's basic needs with incomes from fishing and other alternative sources. The fishing households share the livelihood assets available in the community. The project achievements met the criteria for relevance, coherence, availability, and perceived utility viz-a-viz the business objectives. Recommended measures, organizational capability, support systems, and internal disagreements must be addressed to sustain the Bangus culture livelihood project.
Multi‐Organ Phenotypes of Offspring Born Following Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Sattwika Prenali Dwisthi , Schuermans Art , Cutler Hannah Rebecca , Alkhodari Mohanad , Anggraeni Vita Yanti , Nurdiati Detty Siti , Lapidaire Winok , Leeson Paul , Lewandowski Adam James
Published: October 2024

Background

Hypertensive pregnancies are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and neurological diseases in the offspring during later life. However, less is known about the potential impact on multi‐organ phenotypes in offspring before disease symptoms occur. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the associations of fetal exposure to maternal hypertensive pregnancy with multi‐organ phenotypes across developmental stages.

Methods and Results

Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), WoS, Scopus, CINAHL, and
ClinicalTrials.gov
were systematically searched until February 2024. Records were independently screened by 2 authors. Studies reporting on the structure or function of the heart, blood vessels, brain, liver, and kidneys in offspring of hypertensive pregnancies compared with a normotensive control population were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Extracted data were presented using harvest plots. Seventy‐three studies including 7091 offspring of hypertensive pregnancies and 42 164 controls were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Thirty‐two studies were investigations in fetuses, 24 in neonates and infants, 12 in children, 2 in adolescents, and 3 in adults. Offspring of hypertensive pregnancies had structural and functional changes in the heart compared with controls in some studies across developmental stages. Offspring of hypertensive pregnancies also had smaller occipital and parietal vessels, higher aortic intima‐media thickness, and lower retinal arteriolar‐to‐venular ratio. Some conflicting evidence existed for other phenotypical alterations.

Conclusions

There is still inconsistent evidence of multi‐organ structural and functional differences in offspring of hypertensive pregnancies. The evidence base could therefore be further strengthened through well‐designed and conducted prospective studies.

Registration Information

www.crd.york.ac.uk
. Unique Identifier: CRD42023387550.
Global Results of Implantable Loop Recorder for Detection of Atrial Fibrillation After Stroke: Reveal LINQ Registry
Authors: Toyoda Kazunori , Kusano Kengo , Iguchi Yasuyuki , Ikeda Takanori , Morishima Itsuro , Tomita Hirofumi , Asano Taku , Yamane Teiichi , Nakahara Ichiro , Watanabe Eiichi , Koyama Junjiroh , Kato Ritsushi , Morita Hiroshi , Hirano Teruyuki , Soejima Kyoko , Owada Shingen , Abe Haruhiko , Yasaka Masahiro , Nakamura Toshihiro , Kasner Scott , Natale Andrea , Beinart Sean , Amin Alpesh N. , Pouliot Erika , Franco Noreli , Hidaka Kazuhiro , Okumura Ken
Published: October 2024

Background

We aimed to quantify the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with cryptogenic stroke globally, as well as separately in patients in and outside of Japan, using an implantable loop recorder from a prospective, observational, Reveal LINQ Registry.

Methods and Results

Patients developing cryptogenic stroke and monitored by implantable loop recorder for searching AF were studied. The primary end point was incidence of AF within 36 months after insertion. Secondary end points were recurrent ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack and AF‐related treatment strategies. A total of 271 patients (61.6±14.3 years, 170 men, 60 from Japan) were enrolled from 12 countries. AF was detected in 28.2% at 36 months. The median time from enrollment to AF detection was 7.9 months. During the first 12 months, the AF detection rate slope was relatively steeper in the Japanese subgroup versus non‐Japanese patients. However, by 3 years, the cumulative incidence of AF detection did not differ between groups. Age was the only variable associated with AF detection (hazard ratio, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.02–1.07] per year), trending higher in older age groups. Of the 271 patients, 11 (4.1%) developed recurrent ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack; AF was detected by implantable loop recorder in only 1 of these patients. Patients with detected AF were more commonly taking oral anticoagulation than those without AF at the last follow‐up (64.7% versus 25.3%,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

The rate of AF detection was similar to other studies in stroke populations monitored by implantable loop recorders, including CRYSTAL‐AF (Cryptogenic Stroke and Underlying Atrial Fibrillation), STROKE‐AF (Stroke of Unknown Cause and Underlying Atrial Fibrillation) and PER‐DIEM (Post‐Embolic Rhythm Detection With Implantable Versus External Monitoring). Patients with detected AF more commonly initiated anticoagulation than those without AF.
Characteristics, Predictors, and Clinical Outcomes in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction According to a 1‐Year Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Following Sacubitril/Valsartan Treatment
Authors: Park Chan Soon , Park Jiesuck , Bae Nan Young , Kwak Soongu , Choi Hong‐Mi , Yoon Yeonyee E. , Lee Seung‐Pyo , Kim Yong‐Jin , Hwang In‐Chang , Kim Hyung‐Kwan
Published: October 2024

Background

Optimal medical treatment can lead to improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF). We investigated the characteristics, predictors, and outcomes of HFrEF according to the 1‐year LVEF following angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitors therapy (ARNI).

Methods and Results

Using the STRATS‐HF‐ARNI (Strain for Risk Assessment and Therapeutic Strategies in Patients With Heart Failure Treated With Angiotensin Receptor‐Neprilysin Inhibitor) registry, we identified 1074 patients with HFrEF who took ARNI and underwent baseline and 1‐year echocardiography. Patients were classified as HF with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) and persistent HFrEF (perHFrEF) (1‐year LVEF >40% and ≤40%). The primary and secondary outcomes were all‐cause and cardiac mortality from the 1‐year follow‐up. Among 1074 included patients, 498 (46.4%) had HFimpEF, and 576 (53.6%) had perHFrEF. Older age, male sex, and large LV end‐diastolic volumes were positive predictors of perHFrEF, whereas atrial fibrillation and high systolic blood pressure were identified as inverse predictors. Patients with HFimpEF showed lower all‐cause and cardiac mortality rates (both log‐rank
P
<0.001). In the multivariable analysis, perHFrEF (hazard ratio, 2.402 [95% CI, 1.251–4.610];
P
=0.008) was an independent predictor of poor outcomes. The risk of all‐cause mortality decreased as the 1‐year LVEF increased up to 40%; however, no additional risk reduction was observed beyond 40%. Compared with patients taking renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system inhibitors in the STRATS‐AHF (Strain for Risk Assessment and Therapeutic Strategies in Patients With Acute Heart Failure) registry, those in the STRATS‐HF‐ARNI registry demonstrated better outcomes in both HFimpEF and perHFrEF.

Conclusions

Patients with HFimpEF had better prognosis than those with perHFrEF, and ARNI treatment in HFrEF could be more beneficial than renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system inhibitors for both HFimpEF and perHFrEF.

Registration

URL:
https://www.who.int/clinical‐trials‐registry‐platform
; Unique identifier: KCT0008098.
Dynamic functional connectivity to tile the spatiotemporal mosaic of brain states
Authors: Van De Ville Dimitri , Liégeois Raphaël
Published: October 2024

Resting-state fMRI has spurred an impressive amount of methods development, among which dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) is one important branch. However, the relevance of time-varying and time-resolved features has led to debate, to which we want to bring in our viewpoint. We argue that, while statistically many dFC features extracted from resting state are contained within a sufficiently strong null model, these features can still reflect underlying neuronal activity. The use of naturalistic experimental paradigms, at the boundary between resting state and task, is essential to validate their relevance. In parallel, leveraging methods that specifically rely on sparsity is an avenue to strengthen the statistical significance of time-resolved information carried by ongoing brain activity.
Behavioral responses of free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to sudden loud noises
Authors: Nakamichi Masayuki , Yamada Kazunori
Published: October 2024

We opportunistically observed 31 cases of responses to sudden loud noises mainly caused by falling rocks and trees in a free-ranging, provisioned group of Japanese macaques, Macaca fuscata, at Katsuyama, Japan, and analyzed 27 cases for which we successfully recorded their responses. In 88% of the 24 cases in which the highest- or second-highest ranking adult male probably heard the noise, one or both of them vocalized aggressively in response. Other males tended to vocalize when they were far away from the two highest-ranking males (in 5 of 7 cases in which they vocalized). Adult females vocalized in only 8% of cases, even when they fled from the noise source. These findings suggest that, unlike tree-shaking and female-directed aggression – both performed often in the mating season and accompanied by vocalizations in both high- and low-ranking males of Japanese macaques – vocalizing in response to sudden loud noises is usually limited to one or two high-ranking males in the vicinity. This vocal response could be a way for the males to advertise their social status; it may also serve to calm group members scared by the noise, preventing them from fleeing in panic and dispersing widely. Our observations also suggest that males may monitor which other males remain nearby, and that whereas females may scream in response to socially induced fear, they are least likely to do so in response to fear arising from non-social contexts.
A preliminary study on the degradation of AFB1 by Tenebrio molitor, Rhizopus oryzae and Trichoderma reesei
Authors: Daniso E. , Pascon G. , Uboni C. , Tulli F.
Published: October 2024

Recently, genus Aspergillus, a fungus capable of producing aflatoxins, secondary highly toxic metabolites, has spread to new areas. These areas became suitable habitats due to the recent climate changes. The use of aflatoxin-contaminated crops is a cause of great concern in guaranteeing food safety and is responsible for major economic losses along the supply chain. For this reason, several strategies have been investigated to utilize these contaminated products as a possible food or feed resource by reducing or eliminating their aflatoxin content, but with limited relevant success. The presented study was aimed to evaluate a combination of biological processes to use aflatoxin B1 contaminated crops for their reintroduction into the production chain. The high tolerance to AFB1 and the apparent lack of accumulation in yellow mealworm larvae, reared on wheat bran substrates, spiked with increasing AFB1 concentration (0, 125, 250, 500 μg/kg) to obtain proteins of high biological value. Subsequently, the aflatoxin-degrading capacity of Rhizopus oryzae and Trichoderma reesei was applied to insect breeding waste (frass) in a fermentation process to ensure further utilization of biohazardous frass as soil conditioner. Individually, each process proven to be able to reduce the AFB1 present by about 80%, while the combination of the two approaches ensured the total degradation of aflatoxin B1-contaminated substrate and frass, which resulted in the possible production of biomass, that could be used for the feed and agricultural industry.
Outcome Measures in intellectual disability: A Review and narrative synthesis of validated instruments
Authors: Kumar Mrityunjai , Sawhney Indermeet , Chester Verity , Alexander Regi , Mitchell James , Shankar Rohit
Published: October 2024

Background

Outcome measurement is essential to determine the effectiveness of health interventions and improve the quality of services. The interplay of social, individual, and biological factors makes this a complex process in the psychiatry of people with intellectual disability (PwID).

Aim

Review of outcome measures which are validated in PwID

Methods

A PRISMA-guided review was conducted, using a predefined criteria and a relevant word combination on four databases: EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL and PsycINFO. Each included study was examined for relevance to intellectual disability psychiatry. The psychometric data of each tool was critically assessed. Findings were narratively synthesised.

Results

Of 1,548 articles, 35 met the inclusion criteria. Several outcome measures were identified relevant to intellectual disability psychiatry, including tools for challenging/offending behavior, specific neurodevelopmental/clinical conditions such as ADHD, epilepsy, and dementia however, psychometric properties, validity and reliability varied considerably. The tools identified were largely clinician rated, with a dearth of measures suitable for completion by patients or their family carers.

Conclusion

Most outcome measures used for PwID lack suitable psychometric properties including validity or reliability for use within the ID population. Of importance, those with alternative expression or are non-verbal have been excluded from the research developing and reporting on measurement instruments. There is an underserved population who risk being left behind in the era of value-based medicine and increasing use of outcome measurement when assessing the effectiveness of healthcare interventions on individual and population levels. This is the first of its kind review in this area.
Dimensions of Participation and Populism in Times of Discontent: A Theory- and Data-Driven Approach
Authors: Huber Robert A , Van Hauwaert Steven M
Published: October 2024

We know that populism influences turnout and vote choice. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how populism drives broader participation patterns. In this study, we argue that populist citizens are more likely to participate in politics beyond the electoral arena because they hold specific political grievances. Extant literature highlights the multidimensionality of participation but remains ambiguous about how many or what dimensions it entails. We rely on an unprecedented 16-item participation battery from a comparative survey in nine European countries to design distinct theoretical and empirical lenses through which to examine the relationship between populist attitudes and political participation. The former relies on operationalisations from the literature that are confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis, while the latter relies on latent class analysis. Both frameworks return similar results, highlighting that populist citizens are effectively more likely to participate across the board, regardless of the form or classification of political participation.
ViCo: Human visual perception-based contour extraction of Chinese Tang dynasty textile patterns
Authors: Shi Xin , Xu Zhengchao , Cui Luo , Zhao Xueqing , Zhang Wenhui
Published: October 2024

The study of ancient textile patterns not only enriches historical material but also inspires modern costume art design. Recent developments in computer vision technology provide novel analytical methods for the study of ancient textile patterns. As contours are one of the most significant features in computer vision tasks, contour extraction serves as a prerequisite to accomplishing intelligent understanding and automatic design of textile patterns. In this paper, a perception-consistent contour extraction method (ViCo) that simulates the human visual system from the retina, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), to the V1 area in the cortex is proposed, along with an ancient textile pattern dataset represented by TuanKe in the Chinese Tang dynasty. Experiments were conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method on the TuanKe dataset. Analysis of the results implies the effectiveness of ViCo because the retinal and LGN filter enhances edge information and restrains tiny pixel changes, and the cortex simulation is direction selective. This study is among the initial efforts to employ computer vision technology for ancient textile pattern studies. The study presents a TuanKe dataset and a novel bio-inspired contour extraction method, which has significant historical research importance, fabric art design inspiration, and computer application value.
Electromagnetic shielding fabric based on graphene layer-by-layer assembly improves the absorption and shielding performance
Authors: Wang Yajing , Wang Xiuchen , Liu Zhe
Published: October 2024

In order to alleviate the threats to human health caused by electromagnetic radiation, it is high time to focus on research into efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material. Stainless steel blended (SSB) fabrics are widely used as EMI shielding products. However, they also present bottleneck issues, including poor electromagnetic wave absorbing performance and difficulty in further improving shielding effectiveness (SE). In this work, the electromagnetic SE and electromagnetic wave absorbing performance of SSB fabrics are enhanced by an improved layer-by-layer assembly method using graphene nanoparticles. The experimental results show that the SE of the fabrics is improved by up to 10 dB and becomes more stable after treatment with the improved layer-by-layer assembly method. In addition, the SE and electromagnetic wave absorbing performance of stainless steel/polyester/cotton blended fabrics are improved by increasing the mass fraction of graphene nanoparticles and the number of assembled layers. The SE is increased by up to 10.4 dB in the X- and K-bands when the mass fraction of graphene is 2.5 wt.%, and the number of assembled layers reaches five. The overall increase is about 5 dB. Furthermore, in the frequency range from 3 to 18 GHz, the effective absorption bandwidth reaches 3.6 GHz, and the minimum reflection loss (RL) is –27.5 dB at 14.8 GHz, which corresponds to 99.8% absorption of electromagnetic waves. The study confirms that this method can effectively enhance the SE and wave absorbing performance of SSB fabrics, providing a feasible strategy for designing absorption-based electromagnetic shielding products.
“Everyone Does Cocaine”: The Impact of Normalization on Practices of Club Drug Use and Risk Management
Authors: Cristiano Nick
Published: October 2024

Background: While many have argued that recreational drug use is becoming increasingly normalized within youth culture, little has been done to explore what this means for risk management. Methods: Drawing on 2 years of ethnographic research with people who use club drugs in the Toronto Electronic Dance Music scene, this study explores how normalization impacts risk-taking and risk management practices of club drug use. Results: It finds that the relationship is complex, as normalization both facilitates and hinders the adoption of risk management practices. The nuances of this relationship are explored by focusing on three key themes: expectation of use, moderation of use, and sharing of risk information and advice. Conclusion: The findings are interpreted with reference to Rhodes’ “risk environment” framework and with particular attention to the need for harm reduction interventions that consider how risk behaviors are shaped by broader social and cultural contexts.
Optimized trajectory tracking control with disturbance resistance for wheeled mobile robot
Authors: Chai Bin , Zhang Ke , Tan Minghu
Published: October 2024

When unavoidable disturbances exist in practical applications, the unicycle wheeled mobile robot (WMR) with non-holonomic constraint is challenging to be accurately controlled in finite time. An optimized dual closed-loop strategy is proposed in this paper to solve the trajectory tracking control problem of the unicycle WMR. The control strategy with fast time convergence and anti-disturbance properties consists of kinematic and dynamics controllers and an optimization algorithm. The kinematic controller is designed with an improved backstepping method to eliminate the non-holonomic constraints. The robust sliding mode control (SMC) method with fixed-time convergence is used to construct the dynamics controller. The optimization algorithm enhances the performance of the strategy and achieves accurate control. The global convergence and robustness of the strategy are theoretically demonstrated. The effectiveness of the strategy is verified by comparison in simulations.
The Relationship Between Time-Related Characteristics of Visual Impairment and Psychological Symptoms in Adults Who Are Blind
Authors: Choi Soyoung
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The prevalence of depression among blind people is higher than in sighted populations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between time-related characteristics of visual impairment (i.e., onset and duration), as well as depressive symptoms, fatigue, sleepiness, and stress, in the context of self-reported total blindness and the inability to perceive light exposure.

Methods

This study employed a cross-sectional design utilizing the combination of online survey and telephone survey. The Centre for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Inventory, the Fatigue Syndrome Inventory, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale were selected for the self-reported questionnaires. For statistical analysis, independent t-tests, analysis of variance tests, Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests, chi-square tests, multiple linear regression models, and multivariable ordinal logistic regressions were conducted using the R software program and its required packages.

Results

A total of 154 respondents completed the online and telephone surveys. Although the number of years of experiencing blindness showed negative correlations with the scores of fatigue ( r = −.16, p < .05), stress ( r = −.18, p < .05), and depressive feelings ( r = −.21, p < .05) in Model 1, the impacts of the onset of blindness on the depressive symptoms (β = −.02, p = .570) and the presence of severe depressive symptoms, OR = 1.42, 95% CI [0.49, 4.19], p = .518, were insignificant in Model 2.

Discussion

Blindness seems to be regarded as a more severe chronic condition which affects individuals’ psychological status. Given the effects of the limited range of social activities and daily tasks and the dramatically reduced accessible visual information inputs, the severe depressive symptoms in this group can be understood.

Implications for Practitioners

Regular counseling and psychological services monitoring depressive symptoms, chronic fatigue, and severe distress should be continued even after the completion of rehabilitation programs.
Corporate Endorsement of Controversial Nationalist Movement: Influences of Divergent Customers and Consequences
Authors: Yue Lori Qingyuan , Zheng Jiexin , Mao Kaixian , Yang Tiantian
Published: October 2024

A growing body of research has revealed that firms leverage nationalism in their strategies. However, it is unclear why some firms are more likely to do so than others. This paper uses institutional theory to address this question and examines the influences of domestic and foreign customers. We study firms’ responses to nationalist movements, a type of sociopolitical mobilization arising in response to international controversies. We argue that, as firms attempt to maintain legitimacy with their customers, those with more domestic customers are more likely to endorse nationalist movements, whereas those with more foreign customers from antagonistic countries are less likely to do so. Furthermore, reputation-sensitive customers exert a stronger influence than other customers. However, when firms have foreign customers who are targets of nationalist movements, they face an urgent need to demonstrate their patriotism and hence are more likely to endorse nationalist movements. We find support for these theoretical propositions in a study of Chinese firms’ endorsements of a nationalist movement. Chinese firms that endorsed the movement obtained short-term gains in the stock market and domestic sales but no significant growth in overall sales. These findings contribute to the research on antecedents of firms’ strategic leverage of nationalism, organizational responses to institutional complexity, and corporate side-taking in sociopolitical controversies.
Neuronal plasma biomarkers in acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Gundersen Julia K , Gonzalez-Ortiz Fernando , Karikari Thomas , Kirsebom Bjørn-Eivind , Mertes Katrin , Zetterberg Henrik , Kvartsberg Hlin , Rønning Ole Morten , Gísladóttir Berglind , Blennow Kaj , Fladby Tormod
Published: October 2024

Early imaging-based detection of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has improved in the era of reperfusion therapy. Despite of this, prognosis of outcome after AIS remains a challenge. Therefore, parameters that support clinical decision making are sought. Blood-based biomarkers have the potential to provide valuable information in addition to the established prognostic factors. Neuronal biomarkers of acute or degenerative neuronal injury have shown to be reliably detected in plasma. These biomarkers are well-established in neurodegenerative pathology, such as Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, we explored the association between stroke diameter and plasma biomarkers for neuronal injury and tau pathophysiology (brain-derived tau [BD-tau], phosphorylated-tau-217 [p-tau21] and neurofilament light [NfL]) in patients (n = 193) admitted to the acute ward, Akershus University Hospital. All patients received a final diagnosis of AIS, transient ischemic attack or stroke mimics. Blood samples were obtained the day after admission. We find that levels of BD-tau (p = .004) and NfL (p = .011) were higher after AIS than in patients with stroke mimics. The cortical stroke diameter correlated with BD-tau (tau-b = 0.64, p < .001) and p-tau217 (tau-b = 0.36, p = .003). Linear regression confirmed BD-tau to be the strongest variable associated with stroke diameter, pointing to the potential clinical value of plasma BD-tau in outcome prediction after AIS.
Translating Parenting Into Affiliative Reward in Early Adolescence: Sex Differences
Authors: Roman Gabriela D. , Dobrean Anca , Florean Ionut S.
Published: October 2024

Early adolescents internalize perceptions of parenting practices to derive affiliative rewards. However, gendered socialization may alter both exposure to different parenting practices and the internalization process itself, leading to differences in experienced affiliative reward. To test this hypothesis, we collected self-reported data from 1132 early adolescents, who completed the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire and the Network of Relationships Inventory. Relative to girls, boys reported: (1) similar levels of positive parenting and involvement, (2) higher levels of poor monitoring, inconsistent discipline and corporal punishment, and (3) lower levels of affiliative reward derived from relationships with mothers, fathers and best friends. The pathways from parenting practices to affiliative reward were similarly strong across groups, except for corporal punishment, which impacted boys more strongly. The findings suggest that the internalization process is similar for boys and girls, but boys’ exposure to more negative parenting impacts their bonds by altering the inputs of this process.
Student Value of a Transdisciplinary Approach to Curriculum Development
Authors: Atkinson-Toal Aarron
Published: October 2024

A transdisciplinary approach to the learning experience offers students a preparedness for life beyond the classroom by enhancing disciplinary knowledge and understanding, developing skills of metacognition, or encouraging collaboration to effectively address increasingly complex societal challenges. To evaluate whether such claims are true from a learner perspective, this article aims to investigate perceived student value of a recently completed marketing module that adopted a transdisciplinary approach within its pedagogic design. A qualitative methodology was deployed to encourage participant reflection, with specific inquiry focused upon distinct dimensions of the learning experience. Findings offer evidence regarding perceived benefits of engaging with a transdisciplinary learning framework. This included the freedoms of intellectual inquiry to appreciate disciplinary connections, the development of personal transferrable skills, increased accessibility within collaborative learning activities, and observed confidence and autonomy within assessment. Practical implications and limitations are discussed, including complexity issues that may inhibit knowledge development, time restrictions that constrain effective inquiry, and personal motivation when adopting a self-regulated learning method. The value of this study permits critique of a renewed and increasingly recognized teaching approach as a solution to enhance the learning experience and prepare graduates to address complex challenges within society.
Coexistence of papillary thyroid carcinoma and sarcoidosis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Duan Chengcheng , Yu Ping , Wu Xianji , Xiao Siqi , Yu Wenxi , Zhong Jingyue , Wei Xinran , Zhang Guang
Published: October 2024

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is a differentiated thyroid cancer that arises from thyroid follicular epithelial cells. Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of unknown cause, characterized by monocytic infiltration and granuloma formation. We herein report a case of thyroid carcinoma complicated by sarcoidosis. When thyroid nodules and lymph node lesions are suspected, it is essential to avoid fixed thinking, conduct a comprehensive preoperative evaluation, and select the appropriate surgical approach. This can help reduce the likelihood of postoperative complications and improve the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, comprehensive diagnosis of the coexistence of papillary thyroid carcinoma and sarcoidosis is crucial.
Urban geography I: Conceptualisation with and beyond the global-local dialectic
Authors: McFarlane Colin
Published: October 2024

In this report, I explore recent work in urban geography to reflect on one of its pervasive ‘thought-infrastructures’: the global-local dialectic. This dialectic features as a prominent force in how we debate, write, and teach cities and urbanization. My aim is not to argue against this dialectic, but to call for greater reflection on it and the work it does, including its increasing resolution through forms of ‘missing middle’. I suggest that de-centring the global-local dialectic may allow greater space for other ways of thinking, writing, and teaching urban geographies – other thought-infrastructures – and set out examples.
Eco-Sustainability in Hospital Pharmacy: A Pilot Survey on ‘Going Green’
Authors: Blanc Ariane , Moulin Delphine , Cameron Jameason
Published: October 2024

Purpose: Between 2009 and 2015, the Canadian health care system was estimated to be responsible for 4.6% of national carbon emissions. Determine awareness of and describe eco-initiatives that the department of pharmacy can implement to aim to reduce the carbon footprint in hospital pharmacy in an effort to ‘go green’. Methods: In a quality improvement initiative, pharmacy employees (i.e. pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) completed a cross-sectional survey designed to gauge willingness to ‘go green’ at work, to identify actionable areas of waste, and to assess commuting practices. Results: A total of 15 respondents completed the survey conducted March 14th –April 7th, 2022. Most respondents (73%) were willing to engage in more sustainable practices at work. The main barriers to implementing green practices at work were ‘too time consuming’ (20%), ‘adds too much complexity’ (20%), and ‘cost’ (16%). For commuting, 60% indicated the primary mode of transportation as ‘personal vehicle’, where ‘subsidized transit’ and was listed as the greatest incentive that could encourage a greener commute. The three largest areas of waste cited were ‘single use plastic’ (36%), ‘limited of awareness of green practices’ (15%), and ‘lights left on in empty rooms’ (12%). Conclusions: Pharmacy staff shared willingness to engage in more sustainable ‘go green’ practices but raised challenges to do so. With the knowledge that Canada has the second most climate intensive health system, there is a need for future research to describe how hospital pharmacies can contribute strategically to ‘go green’, advancing with implementing low carbon sustainable pharmacy practices.
University 4.0 essentials: Influence of industry 4.0 on higher education
Authors: Ülker Nilüfer , Otrar Mustafa
Published: October 2024

This paper explores the essential components of University 4.0, which developed as a response to changing circumstances and needs in the 4th industrial era. Employing a comparative survey design, data was collected from 203 academics in three technical state universities of Türkiye through a scale devised by the researchers based on a comprehensive literature review, pilot study and expert opinion and advice. Essentials of University 4.0 emerged in four categories: knowledge management and communication, continuous improvement, global competitiveness and digitalization. Comparative analyses of data through SPSS indicated a negative correlation between age and importance attached to digitalization as well as more emphasis on practices related with digitalization in positive sciences compared to social sciences. Holding an administrative position and being actively involved in quality studies of an institution were found to have direct positive influences on global competitiveness. This study adds to the existing literature by addressing different aspects of U4.0 from an educational administration perspective collecting data from academics in a variety of disciplines across a number of universities. Practical implications are presented based on the findings of the study.
The Local Declines in Child SSI Applications and Awards During COVID
Authors: Levere Michael , Hemmeter Jeffrey , Wittenburg David
Published: October 2024

Child applications and awards for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fell sharply at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cumulative applications from April to September 2020 were about 30% lower than applications over the same period in 2019 with substantial variation in rates of decline across local areas. In this article, we explore the factors correlated with the change in applications and awards across localities at the beginning of the pandemic. Our findings point to three particularly important factors influencing the magnitude of the change in applications and awards: (a) the restriction of in-person services in all Social Security Administration field offices in March 2020, (b) the pandemic’s disruptions to social and service networks through which people may learn about SSI, and (c) new economic stabilization policies, such as economic impact payments and supplemental unemployment insurance payments. These results highlight the substantial local variation in SSI participation. This variation is especially important in considering general issues around access to SSI, particularly for policies that aim to improve SSI access through outreach. Our findings underscore the importance of local networks in creating program awareness at local levels, and that they might be fruitful avenues for further outreach efforts.
Democratic Civic Engagement in Occupational Therapy
Authors: Ray Sarah M. , Wagner Wendy , Bagby Lisa
Published: October 2024

Democratic adult education (AE) promotes social change through active and pragmatic learning. This learning considers the impact of individual, community, organization, and broader cultural influences. Democratic civic engagement (DCE) in higher education institutions (HEIs) emphasizes inclusive participation and reciprocity. These values are deeply grounded in democratic adult education (AE) practice and community problem-solving processes in practice-based professions like Occupational Therapy (OT). In this article, we examine a new graduate OT program in the northeast region of the US and the roles of OT stakeholders as co-creators and co-educators in both institutional and community education settings. We highlight how this program is grounded in DCE which helps bridge the gap between an academic program (OT within HEI) and the broader social environment (interlocking systems not built to support diverse lived experiences) using a DCE model.
Use of Remote Focus Groups to Improve Inclusive Design Practice
Authors: Entezarizarch Elham , Paquet Victor , Maisel Jordana
Published: October 2024

This study examines the use of remote focus groups to obtain wheeled mobility device user’s ideas regarding Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs). Given the global increase in the aging population and disabled people, inclusive design is essential for accessible transportation. Using remote focus groups, this research collected statements from nine wheeled mobility device users about their design preferences, needs, and challenges with SAVs. Participants attended four virtual sessions featured with presentations and videos of SAVs. Discussions were video recorded in Zoom, with transcripts reviewed for accuracy. Data analysis included cleaning, coding, and assessing interrater reliability using the ICC. The findings not reported here highlighted the diverse needs and preferences of participants, emphasizing the importance of collecting information from this group early in the design process. This study shows well-planned remote focus groups can be an effective tool to gather human factors system design information from user populations that face transportation barriers.
Individual Differences in Stride Length During Powered Exoskeleton Walking Due to Changes in Quasi-Stiffness Control Parameter
Authors: Maples Savannah , Acosta-Sojo Yadrianna
Published: October 2024

Active exoskeletons are driven by controllers that execute commands that respond to a user’s intent. It is unclear how precise these systems need to be to assist humans efficiently and reduce the risk of injury. This study evaluated participants’ stride length during powered ankle exoskeleton walking while controlling the quasi-stiffness coefficient, the relationship between exoskeleton ankle torque and ankle angle. Compared with the reference quasi-stiffness value, 31% of participants showed a statistically significant increase in normalized stride length (NSL) at high and low quasi-stiffness coefficients. In comparison, 50% showed a statistically significant decrease in NSL. Only 19% showed a statistically significant increase at either low or high quasi-stiffness coefficients. The results suggest that it is essential to consider individual responses, as different stride lengths emerged from changes in quasi-stiffness across participants. This knowledge is important for improving user experience and performance and ensuring the system is used efficiently.
HER2 in Gastric Cancer: A Comprehensive Analysis Combining Meta-Analysis and DCE-MRI Radiomics
Authors: Shen Liyijing , Li Yaoqing , Huang Huizhen , Lu Zengxin , Chen Bo
Published: October 2024

Objective

Advanced gastric cancer (AGC) is a severe malignant tumor, and overexpression of HER2/ERBB2 may play a crucial role in its development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the overexpression of HER2/ERBB2 in gastric cancer through a meta-analysis and examine its relationship with perfusion parameters using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) technology.

Methods

We conducted an extensive literature search and collected relevant studies for the meta-analysis. We used a random-effects model and assigned weights using the “inverse variance” method. Additionally, we included 95 AGC patients diagnosed pathologically between April 2018 and October 2021. They all underwent DCE-MRI scans, and the data were subsequently analyzed using the Omni kinetic software. HER2 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry.

Results

The meta-analysis revealed an overall odds ratio (OR) of .21 for HER2/ERBB2 overexpression in gastric cancer, with a 95% confidence interval of [.14, .30]. DCE-MRI results showed a significant association between high HER2 expression and poor tumor differentiation ( P < .005). The extracellular volume fraction (Ecv) quantile, mean, relative deviation, median intensity, and difference entropy were significantly higher in the low HER2 expression group compared to the high HER2 expression group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve (AUC) values of DCE-MRI radiomic parameters with significant differences were close to .7.

Conclusion

Overexpression of HER2/ERBB2 in gastric cancer is significantly associated with certain radiomic parameters of DCE-MRI, providing a valuable diagnostic tool for clinical practice. Furthermore, the meta-analysis further confirmed the critical role of HER2/ERBB2 in the development of gastric cancer.
Climate Change Advocacy and Engagement on Social Media
Authors: Hart P. Sol , Feldman Lauren , Choi Soobin , Chinn Sedona , Hiaeshutter-Rice Dan
Published: October 2024

This study examines how 21 leading environmental organizations framed climate change on Facebook and how these frames were associated with public engagement through reactions (e.g., likes), shares, and comments on the posts. We find that environmental nongovernmental organizations’ (NGOs) posts about climate change tend to emphasize the environmental impacts of climate change, political actions that are being taken by individuals and groups to address climate change, and political threats to climate progress. The results tentatively suggest that Facebook posts with an affective component—either positive or threat-based—are most likely to be associated with greater levels of engagement.
The Bounded Limitlessness of Digital Gender–Sexual Violations: The Implications for Women and Gender–Sexual Relations
Authors: Hall Matthew , Lewis Ruth , Hearn Jeff
Published: October 2024

Developments in digital technologies might provide limitless ways to reshape humanity's very existence, but also open up what we term “bounded limitless” opportunities for digital gender–sexual violations (DGSV). That is, “limitless” opportunities for men to sexually violate women within the inherent “boundedness” of digital technological infrastructures and architectures. Building on the existing interdisciplinary feminist scholarship, we explore the gendered disbenefits, specifically some of the ways in which digital technologies provide men with “bounded limitless” opportunities to perpetrate DGSV in physical and virtual times and spaces, and the implications for women, their bodies, and gender–sexual relations more broadly.
Silenced Echoes: Revenge Fantasies Toward Unjust Events in Drawings and Narratives of Indian Hindu Women
Authors: Girish Meghna , Lev-Wiesel Rachel
Published: October 2024

The study explored revenge fantasies as a response to perceived injustices among Indian Hindu women amid the prevalent gender-based violence. A mixed-method design with 52 women (18–56 years) was used to collect their drawings and narratives depicting revenge fantasies, demographics, the Traumatic Events Questionnaire, and the Injustice Experiences Questionnaire. Participants highlighted non-family events with strangers as perpetrators, preferring avoidance as the common revenge fantasy. Dominant themes included gender bias, sexual violence, body shaming, and feelings of inferiority. Passive aggression/forgiveness as a drawing indicator correlated negatively with Injustice Experiences Questionnaire, offering insights into revenge fantasies toward unjust events among Hindu women.