bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intrinsic Atrial Myopathy Precedes Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Predicts Atrial Fibrillation in
Lamin A/C
Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Tremblay-Gravel Maxime , Ichimura Kenzo , Picard Kermshlise , Kawano Yumeko , Dries Annika M. , Haddad Francois , Lakdawala Neal K. , Wheeler Matthew T. , Parikh Victoria N.
Published: December 2022

Background:

In Lamin A/C (
LMNA
) cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation (AF) commonly occurs before dilated cardiomyopathy, and the ability to predict its incidence is limited. We hypothesized that left atrial (LA) echocardiographic phenotyping can identify atrial myopathy and harbingers of AF.

Methods:

Echocardiograms from patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in
LMNA
(n=77) with and without reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, <50%) were compared to healthy individuals (n=70) and patients with Titin truncating variant cardiomyopathy
(TTNtv
) (n=35) with similar LVEF, sex, and age distributions. Echocardiographic analysis, blinded to genotype, included strain and volumetric measures of left ventricular and atrial function. The primary outcome was incident AF.

Results:

At baseline, 43% of the patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic
LMNA
variants had a history of AF, including 26% of those with LVEF ≥50%. Compared with healthy subjects, the patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic
LMNA
variants and LVEF ≥50% had reduced LA contractile strain (
LMNA
, 11.8±6.1% versus control, 15.0±4.2%;
P
=0.003). Compared to LVEF-matched (
TTNtv
) patients, the patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic
LMNA
variants and LVEF <50% displayed no difference in LA size, but a worse LA contractile dysfunction (6.4±4.7% versus 12.6±9.6%;
P
=0.02). Over a median follow-up of 2.8 (1.2–5.7) years, LA contractile strain was the only significant predictor of AF in multivariable Cox regression (hazard ratio, 4.0 [95% CI, 1.04–15.2]).

Conclusions:

LMNA
cardiomyopathy is associated with early intrinsic atrial myopathy reflected by high AF prevalence and reduced LA contractile strain, even in the absence of LV dysfunction and LA dilation. Whether LA strain can be used as a monitoring strategy to detect and mitigate AF complications requires validation.
Rationale, Design, and the Baseline Characteristics of the RHDGen (The Genetics of Rheumatic Heart Disease) Network Study†
Authors: Machipisa Tafadzwa , Chishala Chishala , Shaboodien Gasnat , Zühlke Liesl J. , Muhamed Babu , Pandie Shahiemah , de Vries Jantina , Laing Nakita , Joachim Alexia , Daniels Rezeen , Ntsekhe Mpiko , Hugo-Hamman Christopher T. , Gitura Bernard , Ogendo Stephen , Lwabi Peter , Okello Emmy , Damasceno Albertino , Novela Celia , Mocumbi Ana O. , Madeira Geoffrey , Musuku John , Mtaja Agnes , ElSayed Ahmed , Alhassan Huda H.M. , Bode-Thomas Fidelia , Yilgwan Christopher , Amusa Ganiyu , Nkereuwem Esin , Mulder Nicola , Ramesar Raj , Lesosky Maia , Cordell Heather J. , Chong Michael , Keavney Bernard , Paré Guillaume , Engel Mark E. ,   on behalf of the RHDGen Network Consortium†
Published: December 2022

Background:

The genetics of rheumatic heart disease (RHDGen) Network was developed to assist the discovery and validation of genetic variations and biomarkers of risk for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in continental Africans, as a part of the global fight to control and eradicate rheumatic fever/RHD. Thus, we describe the rationale and design of the RHDGen study, comprising participants from 8 African countries.

Methods:

RHDGen screened potential participants using echocardiography, thereafter enrolling RHD cases and ethnically-matched controls for whom case characteristics were documented. Biological samples were collected for conducting genetic analyses, including a discovery case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a replication trio family study. Additional biological samples were also collected, and processed, for the measurement of biomarker analytes and the biomarker analyses are underway.

Results:

Participants were enrolled into RHDGen between December 2012 and March 2018. For GWAS, 2548 RHD cases and 2261 controls (3301 women [69%]; mean age [SD], 37 [16.3] years) were available. RHD cases were predominantly Black (66%), Admixed (24%), and other ethnicities (10%). Among RHD cases, 34% were asymptomatic, 26% had prior valve surgery, and 23% had atrial fibrillation. The trio family replication arm included 116 RHD trio probands and 232 parents.

Conclusions:

RHDGen presents a rare opportunity to identify relevant patterns of genetic factors and biomarkers in Africans that may be associated with differential RHD risk. Furthermore, the RHDGen Network provides a platform for further work on fully elucidating the causes and mechanisms associated with RHD susceptibility and development.
Optimal Quadratic Binding for Relational Reasoning in Vector Symbolic Neural Architectures
Authors: Hiratani Naoki , Sompolinsky Haim
Published: December 2022

Binding operation is fundamental to many cognitive processes, such as cognitive map formation, relational reasoning, and language comprehension. In these processes, two different modalities, such as location and objects, events and their contextual cues, and words and their roles, need to be bound together, but little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms. Previous work has introduced a binding model based on quadratic functions of bound pairs, followed by vector summation of multiple pairs. Based on this framework, we address the following questions: Which classes of quadratic matrices are optimal for decoding relational structures? And what is the resultant accuracy? We introduce a new class of binding matrices based on a matrix representation of octonion algebra, an eight-dimensional extension of complex numbers. We show that these matrices enable a more accurate unbinding than previously known methods when a small number of pairs are present. Moreover, numerical optimization of a binding operator converges to this octonion binding. We also show that when there are a large number of bound pairs, however, a random quadratic binding performs, as well as the octonion and previously proposed binding methods. This study thus provides new insight into potential neural mechanisms of binding operations in the brain.
Morphometrics, length-weight relationship and relative condition factor in Charybdis (Archias) omanensis septentrionalis Türkay & Spiridonov, 2006 (Brachyura, Portunidae) from the Arabian Sea
Authors: Josileen Jose , Maheswarudu G. , Jinesh P. T.
Published: December 2022

Charybdis (Archias) omanensis septentrionalis Türkay & Spiridonov, 2006, has recently been recorded from the Arabian Sea, while the first record of the species was from the Red Sea. The specimens were collected in a shrimp trawl from a depth of 65-68 metres from the southwest coast of the Arabian Sea, off Kerala, India. The species size ranged between 17 and 37 mm carapace width, from 11 to 22.5 mm carapace length and in total weight between 0.39 and 5.53 g. The interrelationships between various morphometric characters, viz., carapace width and length and chelar propodus length and height in males, as well as carapace width and length and abdominal width and length in females, were estimated for the species and it was found that most relationships are positive and highly significant. In the carapace width/length-weight relationship, the estimated b values for carapace width-weight in males, females and pooled, were 2.674, 2.719 and 2.783, respectively, and for carapace length-weight they were 2.601, 2.588 and 2.681, respectively. The results show a significant deviation from an isometric growth pattern. An analysis of covariance indicated that there is a significant difference between sexes with respect to the carapace width/length-weight relationship. The relative condition factor values estimated in males and females were 0.9794 ± 0.16 and 1.1280 ± 0.26, respectively, also recording a significant variation () between sexes.
The European Pact on Migration and Asylum: Border Containment and Frontline States
Authors: Abrisketa Uriarte Joana
Published: December 2022

The New Pact on Migration and Asylum contains two pieces of proposed legislation which raise several concerns. A closer look at the Proposal for a Screening Regulation and the Proposal for Crisis and Force Majeure Regulation reveals that the frontline States are obliged to become border guards in an exacerbated way. The legislation is excessively technical and unrelated to the capacities of the affected States and, as such, will be difficult, if not impossible, for frontline States to implement. The primary argument of this article is that the mechanisms of the New Pact that are intended to contain the arrival of migrants and to level the imbalances caused by the geographical location of the EU Member states with external borders will actually allow the derogation of migrants’ rights and will hardly compensate for the special circumstances faced by frontline EU States. Instead of balancing the burdens of migration among Member States, the weight will be disproportionately borne by the very States the legislations propose to relieve.
Dolls as a Rights-Affirming Early Childhood Research Method
Authors: Koller Donna , Murphy Ellie
Published: December 2022

In honouring children’s rights to expression and participation in the world around them, we asked “How do researchers use dolls to elicit young children’s perspectives?” We conducted a scoping review of the literature on doll use in early childhood research published between 2004 and 2021. Following an exhaustive search using established methods for evaluating empirical research, 28 studies were included in this review. Patterns, advances and gaps in the literature indicated the benefits of doll use, as well as guidance and future directions for researchers. Dolls offer a practical avenue for exploring perspectives across a range of topics and settings, giving voice to diverse young children whose perspectives are often overlooked.
Unsatisfying Transfer of Climate Research to Urban Planning: The Regulatory Trap in the Triple Helix
Authors: Emeis Stefan , Fallmann Joachim
Published: December 2022

Making urban areas more sustainable by transferring scientific results into the building, shaping, and governance of cities is a complicated process which involves – amongst other dimensions – science, local governance, and regulatory processes. There are non-linear interactions within each of these three dimensions which are influenced and enhanced by interactions between the three dimensions. After a short analysis of different sustainability concepts, this conceptual paper considers each of the three dimensions and finally tries to find some suggestions as to how these dimensions could interact more smoothly also considering Triple Helix theory. One basic suggestion is that without updating laws, norms, and standards, urban administrations will often not be able to integrate new scientific findings into procedures for more sustainable cities. That is, all three dimensions need to be aligned in the process of building sustainable cities.
A new species of Bauhinia (Cercidoideae, Leguminosae) from the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, Brazil
Authors: SANTOS ANTONIO C.B. DOS , VAZ ANGELA M. STUDART DA F. , SILVA MARIA A.P. DA , PAULA ANTONIO P.O. , FEITOZA LIDIANE DE L. , CARVALHO REGINALDO DE
Published: December 2022

Bauhinia andrade-limae is a new species of Leguminosae endemic to the Atlantic Forest domain, occurring in the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil. The new species is morphologically similar to Bauhinia membranacea, both sharing largely ovate bilobed leaves with an obtuse apex, generally with nine main veins and lenticulate stems. B. andrade-limae differs from B. membranacea by the chartaceous leaves with a cordate base and congested lobes in at least 1/3 of the total length, upper and lower sides glabrous; flower buds up to 5.3 cm long in anthesis and glabrous, reticulate legume with woody valves. A detailed description with distribution, photographs and an illustration of the new species is provided.
Randersonia Chamorro, a new genus with two new species of North American Cryptorhynchinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: CHAMORRO M. LOURDES , PRESNALL TARA MILOVANA
Published: December 2022

A new North American genus Randersonia Chamorro with two new species, Randersonia cartwrighti Chamorro & Presnall sp. n. from Prince William County, Virginia, USA and Randersonia schwarzi Chamorro & Presnall sp. n. from Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico are described. The unique specimen of R. cartwrighti was collected under deer droppings in 1965 and the only known specimens of R. schwarzi were collected more than 109 years ago in 1912. An updated couplet is provided for use in the key to genera in American Beetles as well as a key to the species of Randersonia. A short discussion is included regarding veracity of collections. Habitus photographs are included.
Apocalyptic Motifs on Century-Old Ukrainian Rushnyks Through Today’s Digital Folklore Communication
Authors: Brovarets Tetiana M.
Published: December 2022

Thoughts about the end of life and subsequent rebirth are among the most popular motifs in Ukrainian epigraphic embroidery. Embroidered towels (rushnyks) with inscriptions (folk texts) were a mass phenomenon from the end of the 19th till the first half of the 20th century. For instance, there were numerous variants of embroidered inscriptions (folklore formulas) such as “Don’t mourn for Me, Mother”, “My grave is under the cross; my love is on the cross”, “Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!” and so on. The author analyzes some of these folklore formulas connected with apocalyptic motif in Ukrainian epigraphic embroidery. Nowadays, many of them are re-actualized via the Internet. It is worth noting that during modern folklorization of ancient rushnyks, their meaning may be significantly transformed.
Second Death of Dubrovnik: Selected Testimonies from the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century on the Fall of the Republic in the Light of Lujo Vojnović’s Historiosophical Conception
Authors: Kubik Damian
Published: December 2022

This article offers a discussion of various images of the fall of the Dubrovnik Republic at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The end of the independence of this city-state was a watershed event not only in political terms and in terms of statehood, but also in the social, cultural and economic spheres. The study focuses on the occupation of Dubrovnik by the French and the siege by the Russians and Montenegrins (fighting for supremacy over it), as well as on the hopes associated with the emergence of a new reality. In doing so it analyzes examples of literary testimonies describing the events, phenomena and processes that took place at that time. The article is framed by the fundamental dissertation Pad Dubrovnika [The Fall of Dubrovnik] by Lujo Vojnović, which, despite the fact that it was published in 1908, grows out of nostalgia for the Republic and the ideological atmosphere of the nineteenth century.
Antichrist and His Plot Against Russia: Conspiracy Theories and Eschatology
Authors: Dolińska-Rydzek Magda
Published: December 2022

In post-Soviet Russia, there is a relatively widespread conviction that events such as the Bolshevik Revolution, World War II, and the collapse of the Soviet Union were not the results of historical contingency but of a complex vicious plot exercised by some evil forces aiming to destroy Russia. Depending on political needs, the enemy plotting against Russia has the face of a Jew, Muslim, Freemason, oligarch, or liberal, operating both from outside and inside of the country. Interestingly, many conservatives and religious fundamentalists seem to believe that the plot against Russia is orchestrated not by human agents but by the embodiment of all evil and the herald of the end of the world – the Antichrist. In my paper, I will address these beliefs and discuss the proximity between conspiracy theories and eschatological discourses. Referring to the literal meaning of the Greek word apokalypsis (to disclose, to unveil), I will attempt to explain the role of apocalyptic and conspiratorial narratives that offer to reveal the hidden reality behind what ordinary people can see. Also, I will demonstrate their implications in the broader context of the public discourse in contemporary Russia.
Book review: Naum Trajanovski, Petar Todorov, Biljana Volchevska and Ljupcho S. Risteski (eds.), "Cultures and Politics of Remembrance: Southeast European and Balkan Perspectives". Skopje: forum ZFD, 2021, 132 pp. ISBN 978-608-4956-04-4
Authors: Hadjievska Ivana
Published: December 2022

This presentation reviews a recent volume in the field of memory studies, focusing on Balkan historical experiences and perspectives, edited by Naum Trajanovski (PhD in sociology), Petar Todorov (PhD in history, Institute of National History in Skopje), Biljana Volchevska (NGO programme coordinator and PhD candidate in philosophy) and Ljupčo S. Risteski (professor at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology in Skopje). The volume was published in 2021 by the civil peace organisation Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst, Skopje branch, and researched within the framework of a project aimed at creating a platform for the collaboration of academic workers during the pandemic, in 2020. In 12 texts, the authors explore regional and local conflicts and reconciliation processes in Southeast Europe. The common characteristic of all the texts in the publication is the prevailing and almost didactically positioned awareness of epistemic problems in memory studies and historiography – a cohesive aspect of the volume that continuously attracted my attention...
Professor Jerzy Skowronek Award (27th Edition)
Authors: - Editors
Published: December 2022

Books by Dr Maciej Falski, deputy editor of Colloquia Humanistica, and our collaborator Dr Tijana Vuković won recognition in the 27th edition of the Professor Jerzy Skowronek Award.
Examining “Mass Probation” Through an Intersectional Lens: The Intracategorical Effects of Race and Ethnicity on Women and Men’s Probation Outcomes in Kansas
Authors: Boppre Breanna , Sundt Jody , Browne George Ebo
Published: December 2022

Community supervision increased dramatically since the early 2000s. Similar to trends in prison admissions, the increase has not been equal across racial and ethnic groups. In addition to disparities in placement onto supervision, experiences under supervision and outcomes may also be shaped by intersecting identities. Accordingly, this study examined probation outcomes among 4,433 probation cases in 2018 in Kansas. We assess how race and ethnicity impact outcomes among women and men while controlling for criminogenic risk and need, offense, financial stability, and other factors using multilevel modeling. Results indicate that race and ethnicity were unrelated to probation outcomes for women; however, Black men were subject to the worst odds of probation outcomes. Policy and future research implications are discussed.
Does a Victim’s Race Influence Violent Crime Arrest? A Test of the Victim Devaluation Thesis
Authors: Paintsil Isaac K. O.
Published: December 2022

The victim devaluation thesis posits that crimes against minorities are less likely to be cleared than those against White victims. Tests of the victim devaluation thesis on violent crimes are inconclusive, and either focuses on homicides or non-lethal violent crimes. Using data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, this study estimated the effect a victim’s race has on lethal and non-lethal (rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) violent crime arrests. The results provide partial support for the victim devaluation thesis. Although non-lethal violent crimes against Blacks were less likely to be cleared than those against Whites, homicides against Blacks were more likely to be cleared than those against Whites. Further, extralegal variables and the seriousness of the crime affected arrest outcomes.
Attaining well-being beyond the home: A socio-cultural framing of mental health among university students in the Philippines
Authors: Alejandria Maria Carinnes P , Casimiro Kristel May D , Gibe Jolly Anne L , Fernandez Ninna Sandra F , Tumaneng Denise C , Sandoval Erin Ceejay A , Hernandez Philippe Jose S , Quan-Nalus Marie Antonette , Alipao Froilan A , Alejandria Maria Ana Caterina P
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression have been steadily rising among university students in the Philippines. While there exists literature determining students’ quality of life and health access behaviour, there remains a substantial gap in having a local framework with which to understand their vulnerabilities. In this paper, we aim to identify the socio-cultural factors that exacerbate the challenges that Filipino university students navigate in their attainment of well-being.

Design:

The study used an exploratory qualitative design.

Setting:

Data were collected from university students attending a private higher education institution in Manila, the Philippines.

Method:

Using a cultural epidemiological approach and a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted online with 60 university-level students. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Data were open coded and thematically analysed.

Results:

The lived experience of 60 university students revealed that factors including volatile household dynamics, intergenerational [mis]understanding of mental illness, stressful academic engagement and religious associations contributed to the individual framing of their conditions, which ranged from self-stigma to self-prescribed isolation. Various experiences linked to the Filipino value of pagdamay (sharing the burden) significantly aided students’ management of their conditions.

Conclusion:

Drawing on the narratives elicited, a community-based approach using the university as the core for intervention delivery is proposed that may positively impact on students’ mental health seeking behaviour.
Effectiveness of a tool to increase understanding of breast cancer media articles
Authors: Yi Robin H Pugh , Welcsh Piri , Dearfield Craig T , Owens Kelly , Rezende Lisa , Friedman Susan J
Published: December 2022

Objective:

Women aged 45 or younger with breast cancer, or those who are at high risk of breast cancer due to a family history of the disease or genetic test results indicating risk, have distinct health risks and needs. Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), a non-profit advocacy organisation, developed an online resource designed to address these needs.

Design:

In-person surveys were administered to compare baseline and post-test knowledge of two cohorts of 55 volunteer participants. Both groups read a printed media news article related to breast cancer research. The intervention group also read a printed brief review that provided a summary of research findings, and discussion and ratings of research evidence and reporting quality.

Setting:

Participants were recruited at two FORCE conferences. Data were collected at the conference sites.

Method:

Pilot and follow-up sample results were pooled and analysed using t-test comparisons.

Results:

The intervention resource use was associated with a significantly greater increase in knowledge than only reading the media news article.

Conclusion:

An online tool developed to respond to audience needs, offering ratings of evidence quality and relevance, can help readers to better understand research reporting.
What are the Consequences of the Social and Cultural Exchanges between the Two Koreas? Insights from an Experimental Study on the Effect of Superordinate Korean Identity
Authors: Ayhan Kadir Jun , Park Sejung , Bier Lindsey M. , Park Han Woo
Published: December 2022

This study explores whether South Koreans’ superordinate identification with North Koreans leads to increased humanization of and empathy for North Koreans as well as reduced negative feelings toward North Koreans. This study also examines whether superordinate identification intensifies support for people-to-people exchanges and unification using an experiment. South Koreans’ increased superordinate identification with North Koreans leads to greater humanization of the latter as well as less negative feelings toward them but does not affect support for unification. This suggests that extended contact is enough to generate superordinate identification with the outgroup but not enough to affect support for government policies.
Experimental characterization of PLA composites printed by fused deposition modelling
Authors: Del Pilar Fabra Rivera Andrea , de Castro Magalhães Frederico , Campos Rubio Juan Carlos
Published: December 2022

Due to their ability to manufacture highly complex geometries, additive manufacturing technologies have applications in several industrial sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical and electronics. However, parts made of pure polymeric materials may have limitations in their applications because of the shortcomings in their mechanical properties. Thus, polymer matrix composite materials are used as an alternative to obtaining better technical characteristics, especially for parts obtained by additive manufacturing. In this work, the influence of reinforcement and printing orientation on the mechanical behavior of samples manufactured using filaments of PLA/20 wt% Al (Aluminum microparticles) and PLA/20 wt% CF (carbon fiber reinforcement) were studied. The samples were manufactured using fused deposition modelling (FDM) technology. Tests were carried out to analyze the mechanical behavior of the studied materials, such as tensile, compression, and bending. The results obtained from the mechanical tests of the reinforced filaments were compared with the results on the mechanical performance of pure PLA. The results showed the influence of the type of reinforcement, namely short fibers or microparticles, is evident. The tensile strength, compressive strength, and flexural strength were primarily influenced by the type of reinforcement and Young’s modulus was predominantly influenced by the printing angle and type of reinforcement. The fracture mechanism of composite specimens was infill gaps and interface.
Elite Cues and Public Attitudes Towards Military Alliances
Authors: Alley Joshua
Published: December 2022

Do elite cues exert extensive, conditional or minimal influence on public support for military alliances in the United States? I assess the boundaries of elite leadership on public opinion towards alliances by dividing partisan respondents into wings based on isolationism and militant assertiveness. If co-partisan elite cues change public attitudes across three or four wings within their party, elites exert extensive influence. Elite cues exert conditional influence if they reach two party wings, and minimal influence if they impact one or no wings. Using two conjoint survey experiments to examine public attitudes towards forming and maintaining international alliances, I find that elite cues exert extensive influence, but some individuals hold rigid alliance attitudes. Staunch alliance supporters in the Democratic party and consistent alliance skeptics in the Republican party both discount elite cues. Therefore, elites can lead most party wings with alliance cues, but intra-party divisions can constrain their influence.
Investigation of electrical performances of textile conductive lines under different connector configurations and external influences
Authors: Milić Lazar , Movrin Dejan , Simić Mitar , Jeoti Varun , M. Stojanović Goran
Published: December 2022

As textile electronics has undergone a boom in the past few decades, especially the sensing aspect, methods of modular connectivity of these components with classical electrical components and printed circuit boards must be broadened. This study focuses on the aforementioned problem, as well as testing the electrical properties of conductive textile lines through a series of experiments. Fabrication of the conductive structure was done in two parts: embroidery of the conductive threads onto cloths, as well as designing and three-dimensional printing of connectors that will be used for bridging and making a stable connection with pin-based systems. A valid connection between the textile endings and pins has not yet been tested, and is the main focus of this paper, aside from testing outside influences on the designed textile structure. Afterwards, the developed prototype was tested through a realistic scenario that consisted of body temperature validations and the application of artificial sweat, as well as the quantification of the effects of washing on the electrical properties of the device. The outcome shows changes in the impedance modulus after washing. However, after application of artificial sweat, the nature of the parallel wire connections changes significantly, as the sweat acts as a resistive contact between the two wires. This examination can contribute to the field of wearable electronics through the proposed elements (conductive lines and connectors) of future electronic circuits in the concept of internet of bodies.
‘We lurk in the hidden places’: The (un)stable spatialisation of Roma poverty in Romania
Authors: Anghel Ionuţ-Marian , Alexandrescu Filip Mihai
Published: December 2022

This article studies the urban geographies of Roma poverty by exploring variations in spatialisation. We draw on Sassen’s work on expulsions to argue that the spatialisation of poverty does not always result in a ‘ghetto’. We show instead that the ‘savage sorting’ of winners and losers and the resulting expulsions separate Roma into different levels of (housing) market worthiness. However, this sorting is also shaped by a ‘governance of Gypsy urban areas’ that enables a partial stabilisation of expulsion outcomes. We flesh out these arguments using interviews and observations collected in several Roma ghettos and slum areas from two Transylvanian mid-sized cities in Romania. Our research indicates that the spatialisation of (Roma) poverty is the result of disordering and re-ordering processes, that make it more ruthless, but at the same time politically containable.
An Experiential Helping Skills Course for Undergraduates: The Helping Relationship
Authors: Estrada Aaron R. , Lewis Robin J. , Williams Kendra N.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

An innovative undergraduate helping skills course where students learn, practice, and apply a problem management model with a peer volunteer on a non-clinical issue across three supervised helping meetings is presented.

Statement of the Problem

Undergraduate helping skill courses are typically offered as in-class role-plays. This course goes beyond role-plays and provides an authentic helping experience with an out-of-class peer volunteer.

Literature Review

Literature supports an argument for deeper learning by extending the typical process of role-play-based helping skill learning to the application of skills to support a peer with a genuine issue.

Teaching Implications

Lecture, in-class skills practice, and supervision with the instructor facilitates student capacity to work with a non-classmate peer volunteer. Instructors closely oversee student work in and outside of class to provide an ethical, structured, non-professional helping experience.

Conclusion

We highlight here the constructivist and mastery underpinning of an undergraduate helping skills course. Along with instructor feedback, student learning and growth are facilitated by students’ own reflections of the helping process with their peer volunteers. Student helpers describe the course as impactful. Course resources are available in open materials.
Identification of time-delay Markov jumps autoregressive system with recursive expectation maximum and convex optimization algorithm
Authors: Guo Yihan , Ma Cunbao
Published: December 2022

A novel proposed approach of the recursive expectation–maximization (REM)–convex optimization algorithm is developed to solve the parameter identification problem of the Markov jump autoregressive exogenous (MJARX) systems with unknown time delays. First, the REM algorithm is employed for identifying the unknown time delay of the system, based on which the time-delay sequence is obtained. Subsequently, the model parameter vector is determined by the convex optimization algorithm. Finally, the transition probability matrix and variance are calculated based on the minimized mean square error. A numerical example and simulated continuous fermentation reactor process are implemented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The identification results are better than the expectation–maximization algorithm and REM algorithm results.
Openness as Organizing Principle: Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Splitter Violetta , Dobusch Leonhard , von Krogh Georg , Whittington Richard , Walgenbach Peter
Published: December 2022

‘Openness’ has become an organizational leitmotif of our time, spreading across a growing set of organizational domains. However, discussions within these specialized domains (e.g. open data, open government or open innovation) treat openness in isolation and specific to the particularities of those domains. The intention of this Special Issue therefore is to foster cross-domain conversations to exchange insights and build cumulative knowledge on openness. To do so, this Introduction to the Special Issue argues that openness should be investigated as a general organizing principle, which we refer to as Open Organizing. Across domains, we define Open Organizing as a dynamic organizing principle along the primary dimension of transparency/opacity and the secondary dimensions of inclusion/exclusion and distributed/concentrated decision rights. As such, Open Organizing raises an overarching problem of design, which results from more specific epistemic, normative and political challenges.
Alcohol use by Athletes: Hierarchy, status, and Reciprocity
Authors: Harris Marc , Jones Carwyn , Brown David
Published: December 2022

Sport is considered a positive, health enhancing lifestyle choice. However, there is considerable evidence that many athletes, particularly those at university, engage in harmful levels of alcohol use. Despite decades of research showing student athletes consume alcohol at high levels, there have been no substantial in-roads into reducing consumption. At present, there is a need to better understand the social, cultural, and personal factors that drive athletes to consume harmful levels of alcohol. This study aimed to address this gap in literature by investigating the group level dynamics which may be driving heavy alcohol use and jeopardising attempts to reduce drinking. Over the course of one academic year, male (n = 9) and female (n = 6) rugby union athletes were recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. Three overarching themes were identified that best represented the research findings, these were 1) social hierarchy, where alcohol use was used to create and sustain a social hierarchy, 2) status, where alcohol use was used to gain a reputation, and 3) reciprocity, where experienced athletes felt novices needed to go through the same (often painful and degrading) experiences they had. This study suggests that past approaches to reduce alcohol use among student athletes have substantially over-simplified the relationship and have over-focussed on the psychological contributors to this complex phenomena.
Facing the folk devils of modern slavery policy
Authors: Gadd David , Broad Rose
Published: December 2022

Much British crime and immigration policy over the last decade has been justified as a response to the problem of modern slavery perpetrated by ‘evil’ foreign national organised criminals profiting from the exploitation of vulnerable people. Social scientists, by contrast, have drawn attention to the hallmarks of a moral panic. We report here on findings of the first interview-based study of modern slavery offenders in the UK. Our findings reveal a diversity of motives among a disparate sample, only a minority of whom profited substantially from crimes organised internationally by illicit enterprises. Few participants bore much resemblance to the folk devil politicians have evoked to obscure the social, legal, and political factors that render some of the world's most destitute people vulnerable to severe exploitation when their rights are no longer fully protected by Western governments.
Small bowel intussusception caused by a serrated adenoma: a case report
Authors: Chen Yi , Wang Jiwei , Wang Maijian , Zheng Xinbing , Li Jianguo
Published: December 2022

The case was a 17-year-old young woman with a one-year history of recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort. B-scan ultrasonography identified intussusception and contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the pelvis revealed volvulus. A laparoscopic procedure was planned to identify the reason for the intussusception and obstruction. Intraoperatively, the intussusception was found to be caused by a cauliflower-shaped polypoid tumor measuring approximately 4 × 3 cm. Postoperative pathological examination identified the tumor to be a traditional serrated adenoma of the small intestine, which is rare and has atypical clinical manifestations. If unexplained abdominal pain or gastrointestinal bleeding occurs and an abdominal mass cannot be accurately located, laparoscopic or open surgery should be performed immediately. Early surgery is the most effective and reliable way of securing a prompt diagnosis and a favorable prognosis.
Geographies of marketization: Studying markets in postneoliberal times
Authors: Berndt Christian , Boeckler Marc
Published: December 2022

This paper is as an invitation to rethink social studies of economization and geographies of marketization at a time when the heydays of neoliberal marketization seem to be over. After briefly summarizing the thrust of the economization/marketization approach, we make two suggestions to develop the perspective further. The first is to make use of economic geography’s heterodox tradition and contribute to the ongoing “provincialization” of the neoclassical market. Second, theorizing actually existing market arrangements as necessarily involving struggles between competing logics and rationalities, we open social studies of economization and geographies of marketization for questions of social inequality, marginalization and exclusion.
The eco-efficiency of municipalities in the recycling of solid waste: A stochastic semi-parametric envelopment of data approach
Authors: Molinos-Senante Maria , Maziotis Alexandros , Sala-Garrido Ramón , Mocholi-Arce Manuel
Published: December 2022

Eco-efficiency assessment of municipal solid waste (MSW) suppliers is a useful tool in the transition to a circular economy. Furthermore, it provides evidence of the economic and environmental performance of municipalities that can be used for decision-making and/or elaboration of regulatory policies. In this study, eco-efficiency scores were computed for a sample of 140 Chilean municipalities in the provision of MSW services. In doing so, the stochastic semi-parametric envelopment of data method was applied. It is a novel technique which overcomes the limitations of parametric (stochastic frontier analysis) and non-parametric (data envelopment analysis) methods previously employed to evaluate the eco-efficiency of MSW services. The average eco-efficiency of the 140 assessed municipalities was 0.332 which indicates that they could save 66.8% of their operational costs and recycling the same amount of waste. Moreover, 61.4% of the evaluated municipalities presented an eco-efficiency score which was lower than 0.4, whereas the other municipalities (38.6% of the sample) exhibited an eco-efficiency which raged between 0.4 and 0.80. Hence, none of the municipalities assessed was identified as eco-efficient which, implies that there is room for all municipalities to reduce operational costs in the management of MSW. Population density, tourism and location of the municipality were identified as factors influencing the eco-efficiency of the municipalities in MSW management.
Perirenal adipose tissues as a human elastin source, and optimize the extraction process
Authors: Lee Eun Hye , Lee Jun Nyung , Ha Yun-Sok , Chung Jae-Wook , Yoon Bo Hyun , Jeon Minji , Kim Hyun Tae , Oh Se Heang , Kwon Tae Gyun , Kim Bum Soo , Chun So Young
Published: December 2022

Elastin is very rarely repaired extracellular matrix (ECM) in physiological condition. The commercial human elastin for exogenous medical treatment is very expensive, and has a potential for disease transmission. Animal-origin elastin is relatively low price, but has concerns for xenogeneic immune responses. Considering cost and safety, we focused on the perirenal adipose tissue, donated from healthy young people via donor nephrectomy. Until now, all of the perirenal adipose tissues are discarded as a medical waste after kidney transplantation. In the present study, we applied perirenal adipose tissues as the source of human elastin, and optimized the extraction process to get high purified and quantified elastin. Through pre-processing step, the delipidated and decellularized ECM was prepared. Next, with four different elastin extraction process (acidic solvents, neutral salt, organic solvents or hot alkali method), elastin was extracted, and the concentration of amino acid between each product was compared, and bright-field/electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and cytotoxicity analysis were also performed. As controls, bovine neck ligament-derived and human skin-derived elastin were used. Among the elastin extraction methods, the hot alkali insoluble product showed (1) relatively high positive area of Verhoeff’s and low Masson’s trichrome stain, (2) 64.24% purity, 159.29 mg/g quantity, and ∼6.37% yield in amino acid analysis, (3) β-sheet second structure, and (4) thin fiber composed mesh-like sheet structure in SEM image. These values were higher than those of the commercial human skin elastin. When comparing hydrolyzed forms, α-elastin from hot alkali insoluble product showed enhanced cell proliferation and maintained cell properties compared to the κ-elastin. Therefore, we confirmed that the perirenal adipose tissue is an ideal source of human elastin with safety assurance, and the hot alkali process combined with pre-process seems to be the optimal method for elastin extraction with high purity and quantity.
Adaptive prediction of turbine profile loss and multi-objective optimization in a wide incidence range
Authors: Wang Jiahui , Yin Zhao , Zhang Hualiang , Tang Hongtao , Xu Yujie , Chen Haisheng
Published: December 2022

The loss prediction model plays a crucial role in turbine design for fast performance prediction and a shorter design cycle. Owing to the design requirements of high-efficiency turbines under a wide range of operating conditions, the loss prediction of the off-design incidence is increasingly important. However, limited by the modeling database and traditional modeling methods, the accuracy and adaptability of the existing off-design incidence loss predictions are insufficient. This paper proposes an adaptive prediction method based on machine learning and develops a multi-objective optimization process based on adaptive prediction. Machine learning (neural network) is applied for more flexible and accurate loss predictions over a wide incidence range. Compared with two classic loss models (Ainley and Mathieson model and Benner model), the adaptive prediction model significantly improves the ability to predict turbine profile loss with off-design incidence, particularly under large incidence conditions. The prediction root mean square error can be reduced by up to 73.8% (absolute value: 0.063). Furthermore, the multi-objective optimization method based on adaptive prediction is applied to the aerodynamic optimization of the original cascades with a wide incidence range. The weighted objective of the optimized cascade (Cri = 0.211) is reduced by 8.7% compared with that of the original cascade (Cri = 0.231). Within the range of full incidence angle (−40° to +20°), the variation of profile loss is reduced by 24.0%. This study is a preliminary exploration aimed at establishing an accurate turbine loss prediction system based on machine learning, the feasibility, and superiority of this approach are confirmed.
Performance enhancement of an integrated electro-hydraulic actuator using dynamic modeling and optimization
Authors: Amrollah Elmira , Abdellatif A , Alfayad S , Ouezdou FB
Published: December 2022

For robotic applications, hydraulic actuation is still an open research issue. A hydraulic actuation solution based on integrated hydraulics is presented in the form of an integrated electro-hydraulic Actuator (IEHA). This actuator tackles some issues related to compactness and self-contained autonomous robotic systems. One of its primary uses is the actuation of the hydraulic humanoid robot HYDROïD. Primary experimental validation of the IEHA actuator has suffered from several low-performance issues. The main reason for such performance is due to that inner friction forces and leakage losses were not addressed or modeled yet. In this paper, a detailed dynamic model of the IEHA actuator is needed to identify the mechanical components that affect the volumetric and mechanical efficiencies of the actuator. The dynamic model focuses on the dynamics of essential parameters and components like the micro-pump pistons, their internal leakage, and friction during actuation. The design parameters of these mechanical parts are optimally calculated to produce a new enhanced dynamic model. The new IEHA model is verified through simulation to actuate the ankle pitch rotation of the robot. A genetic algorithm is used to optimize the geometrical and design parameters while enhancing the overall mechanical and volumetric efficiencies of the IEHA. The IEHA model was able to generate a locomotion gait cycle successfully for a walking speed of 1.17 m/s. Simulation results have shown that the design enhancements led to 95% and 97% volumetric and mechanical efficiencies respectively. Finally, the new enhanced IEHA prototype is tested experimentally. The output flow of the new prototype has improved by approximately 58%.
Effect of Al2O3 particles on the mechanical and wear properties of Al base composites
Authors: Heydari Vini Mohammad , Daneshmand Saeed , Patra Indrajit , Lafta Holya A , Jawad Kadhim Zainab
Published: December 2022

In this study as its novelty, Al/Al2O3 composites have been fabricated combined stir casting and accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process. Then, the next step was the investigation of the effect of Nano Al2O3 Vol.% on mechanical, wear and microstructural properties of these kind of composites. After the 4th cycle, an excellent particle distribution through the aluminum matrix has been achieved. Then, mechanical properties, wear resistance and microstructural properties have been investigated. The results showed that by higher the alumina Vol.% contents, the strength of these composites were enhanced and the elongation of samples decreased. Also, by increasing alumina content into the Al matrix through stir casting process, a significant increase in wear resistance was achieved.