bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why Inuit culture and language matter: decolonizing English second language learning
Authors: MacDonald Natasha Ita
Published: November 2023

While English as a second language is a component of the education programme in Nunavik, Canada, Inuit (Indigenous people of the Arctic) need to protect Inuktitut (Inuit language) as they navigate an online world where English is often the lingua franca on social media. Inuit qaujimajatuqangit (traditional knowledge) could provide the framework for decolonizing English as a second language education, as it has guided Inuit through centuries of change. This narrative literature review with commentary analysed 50 studies and related resources, summarizing Nunavik’s colonial history of linguistic imperialism and how some Indigenous communities resisted colonialism by decolonizing their education programmes. This analysis found a gap in studies specific to decolonizing English as a second language education in the Inuit context; therefore, the findings extrapolated that Inuit can decolonize by decentralizing colonial practices and centralizing Inuit qaujimajatuqangit and Inuktitut. The literature review offers pedagogical recommendations for decolonizing English as a second language education in Nunavik and other Indigenous communities.
Rapua te kurahuna: an occupational perspective of internalised oppression
Authors: Emery-Whittington Isla , Davis Georgina
Published: November 2023

Internalised oppression can be tricky to recognise and hard to talk about. Described as the most devastating kind of racism, it remains poorly researched and understood. Nuanced and expansive ways of understanding internalised oppression are necessary for the work of being recognised and seeing each other as fully human. For many complex reasons, internalised oppression can be performed by targets of oppression in service of white supremacy, turning Indigenous spaces into new foci for racism via everyday occupations. This article outlines our critical examinations and steps to grapple with internalised oppression as Indigenous occupational therapists who observe how racism is transmitted in daily tasks of life. Steps include growing critical consciousness, developing a relational ethic of manaaki (to support, take care of, and give hospitality) and building community to support recognition and healing from internalised oppression. We call for the development of a critical ally workforce in solidarity with the racially targeted.
Mainstream Parties’ Construction of Populist Discourse in Australia’s Temporary Migration Policy
Authors: Yu Kyoung-Hee , Wright Chris F.
Published: November 2023

Growing alarm has been expressed about populism in mainstream political parties, yet the vast majority of scholarship investigating populism has documented the role of radical right populist parties rather than that of mainstream parties. This article draws on non-essentialist understandings of populism—the idea that populism is a central aspect of democracy and not restricted to the realm of radical political parties and “populist” leaders—to examine how mainstream political leaders discursively articulate the antagonism between “the people” and the institutional order. We also examine how mainstream party leaders, who are likely to be deeply embedded in the institutional order, negotiate tensions between the institutionalized system and populist articulation. We study this in the Australian context, which is appropriate for examining populism in mainstream political parties given that far-right and far-left parties have gained much smaller shares of electoral support in Australia than elsewhere. Our findings indicate that mainstream party leaders discursively construct the idea of “the people” by homogenizing disparate social demands and claiming their right to represent the community as a whole. In doing so, these leaders must negotiate pressures from the institutionalized order in the form of clientelism and accountability. This article contributes insights on the reconciliation of contemporary populism with institutionalized settings and processes.
Introduction
Authors: Dattatreyan Ethiraj Gabriel , Ray Avishek , Raman Usha , Webb Martin
Published: November 2023

Expressions of the self as articulated in and through digital media lend themselves to how we might see self-making practices captured, recirculated, monetized, maneuvered and governed. This special section of Convergence explores the proliferation of digital expressions of the self on social media. It explores how digital-audio-visual practices that have become ubiquitous in recent decades are at once shaped by, reproductive of, and a disruption to mass mediated, normative figures of personhood.
Source identification of a vibrating plate using phase conjugation and interior boundary element method
Authors: Liu Song , Zhao Renjie , Yang Kang , Liu Panpan , Du Yifan
Published: November 2023

Noise pollution is the most serious environmental pollution, which seriously affects people’s normal life and physical and mental health, as well as normal production work. Therefore, noise control is necessary, but before noise control, the first thing to do is to identify the location of the noise source, and the noise control work is meaningless when the noise cannot be identified. Flat plate structures are a fundamental part of complex ship structures, and their vibration, noise, and their interrelationships when excited by the outside world are receiving increasing attention. The core of the research in this paper is the identification of the sound source of the vibrating plate. A method combining phase conjugation with interior boundary element method is developed for the identification of the pressure and normal velocity distribution of a vibrating plate. An interior problem is formed by enclosing the phase conjugation array plane and the plate surface. The pressures at the array elements are phase-conjugated as the specified pressure boundary condition. The impedance relationship between the surface pressure and the surface normal velocity of the plate is utilized as a specified impedance boundary condition. The interior boundary element method is applied to solve the interior problem. The identification of the surface pressure and normal velocity distribution is studied numerically. The numerical results show that with the array located in the near field the proposed method achieves subwavelength focusing to identify the surface pressure and normal velocity distribution and clearly shows the response shapes.
Dissolving dichotomies: Norbert Elias’s legacy for thinking “memory” sociologically
Authors: Domingos Cordeiro Veridiana
Published: November 2023

This paper discusses how Elisian ideas on memory could have changed the history of Memory Studies ideas. The history of the phenomenon of memory inside the sociological field reflects the foundational dichotomies of the discipline: macro × micro dimensions and biological × social realms. Many of the hurdles and discussions of Memory Studies still lie upon these dichotomies. Although Elias has never investigated this topic properly, he has a rich discussion on relationality, interdisciplinarity, and processuality. These three aspects would dissolve many of the actual hurdles faced by Memory Studies.
Measuring data similarity in population-based structural health monitoring using distance metrics
Authors: Wickramarachchi Chandula T , Maguire Eoghan , Cross Elizabeth J , Worden Keith
Published: November 2023

Population-based structural health monitoring (PBSHM) expands structural health monitoring (SHM) from a single structure to a group of structures, allowing inferences to be made within and between populations by transferring knowledge across them. Within the populations of interest, the similarity of structures, via their corresponding data, should be assessed to successfully implement PBSHM. This paper focusses on using distance metrics to assess similarity at the very start of the analysis chain, to discover information about a population for which there is little prior knowledge and before any analysis has taken place on individual structures. By doing so, it is possible to quickly and automatically identify abnormalities within the population, group similarly behaving structures together, and inform further decisions. The suitability of several candidate metrics that are not widely employed in SHM are tested using a number of commonly occurring feature behaviours, such as varying amplitudes and temporary mean shifts. The effect of data normalisation/standardisation on the metrics is also explored to identify interesting behaviours within the data. A case study is then presented where distance metrics are used to discover similarities and dissimilarities within temperature data from turbines in an offshore wind farm.
Humor, Ridicule, and the Far Right: Mainstreaming Exclusion Through Online Animation
Authors: McSwiney Jordan , Sengul Kurt
Published: November 2023

This paper critically examines the use of online humor and ridicule to promote and normalize far-right exclusionary discourses. Through a critical qualitative study of the Please Explain miniseries, a series of thirty-four short web cartoons produced by Australian far-right populist party, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, we explore the strategic use of humor in the communicative arsenal of the contemporary far-right. Drawing on critical discourse analysis and thematic analysis, we examine how humor is used to soften articulations of exclusionary and supremacist ideas, including racism, misogyny, and queerphobia. Our findings suggest that the frivolity and irony of the online animated genre works to stretch the boundaries of the sayable, potentially making the content more palatable to non-far-right audiences. We argue that the strategic use of exclusionary humor forms part of a wider project of far-right discursive mainstreaming that simultaneously (re)legitimizes everyday expressions of exclusion.
Shenqi Fuzheng Injection Combined With Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Authors: Xu Jing , Li Xiao , Dong Qing , Lv Liyuan , Yun Zhangjun , Hou Li
Published: November 2023

Background:

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Chemotherapy (CT) is the primary treatment for GC, but it is accompanied by toxic side effects. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) on the combination of Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SFI) with CT for GC have been published; however, the conclusions have been inconsistent. This overview of SRs/MAs aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of SFI for GC, establishing a dependable foundation for its clinical application.

Methods:

We utilized 7 databases, namely PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed, to conduct our search. The retrieval period spanned from inception to August 2023. The methodological quality, bias risk, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the SRs/MAs were assessed using the evaluation tools AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, PRISMA 2020, and GRADE, respectively. Subsequently, the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included in the SRs/MAs were quantitatively analyzed through the implementation of RevMan 5.4 software.

Results:

Eleven SRs/MAs were included in this study, comprising 54 RCTs involving a total of 9539 patients with GC. The studies covered the period from 2012 to 2021, with the number of original RCTs per study ranging from 3 to 20 and sample sizes ranging from 159 to 1413. The methodological quality of all 11 SRs/MAs was assessed as low or very low, and the quality of evidence was determined to range from moderate to very low. The comprehensive quantitative meta-analysis revealed that the combination of SFI with CT improved the objective response rate (ORR) (RR = 1.30, 95% CI = [1.21, 1.41], P < .00001) and disease control rate (DCR) (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = [1.09, 1.18], P < .00001) in GC patients, without heterogeneity observed among the studies. In comparison with CT alone, SFI combined with CT also demonstrated improvements in the Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (RR = 1.36, 95% CI = [1.25, 1.49], P < .00001) and CD4+/CD8+ level (RR = 1.16, 95% CI = [0.87, 1.46], P < .00001) of patients. In terms of adverse reactions, the combination therapy of SFI with CT was associated with a reduced incidence of gastrointestinal reactions (RR = 0.67, 95% CI = [0.58, 0.78], P < .00001) and neurotoxicity (RR = 0.64, 95% CI = [0.50, 0.81], P = .0002).

Conclusions:

SFI combined with CT can enhance the clinical effectiveness and enhance the quality of life in patients with GC, while minimizing adverse reactions. Nonetheless, the evaluation of overall quality remains deficient, thus restricting the reliability and stability of the conclusions. High-quality, large-sample RCTs remain crucial for establishing dependable clinical evidence.

Systematic review registration:

INPLASY20239004
Transcriptomic profiling of cerebrospinal fluid identifies ALS pathway enrichment and RNA biomarkers in MND individuals
Authors: Fröhlich Alexander , Pfaff Abigail L , Bubb Vivien J , Quinn John P , Koks Sulev
Published: November 2023

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND) which is characterized by the damage and death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord of affected individuals. Due to the heterogeneity of the disease, a better understanding of the interaction between genetics and biochemistry with the identification of biomarkers is crucial for therapy development. In this study, we used cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) RNA-sequencing data from the New York Genome Center (NYGC) ALS Consortium and analyzed differential gene expression between 47 MND individuals and 29 healthy controls. Pathway analysis showed that the affected genes are enriched in many pathways associated with ALS, including nucleocytoplasmic transport, autophagy, and apoptosis. Moreover, we assessed differential expression on both gene- and transcript-based levels and demonstrate that the expression of previously identified potential biomarkers, including CAPG, CCL3, and MAP2, was significantly higher in MND individuals. Ultimately, this study highlights the transcriptomic composition of CSF which enables insights into changes in the brain in ALS and therefore increases the confidence in the use of CSF for biomarker development.
Health Status of Total Hip Versus Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients and Possible Effects on Decisions Regarding Surgical Location, Cost, and Access to Care
Authors: Harper Katharine D. , Sullivan Thomas C. , Wininger Austin , Incavo Stephen J. , Lambert Bradley S.
Published: November 2023

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are no longer considered inpatient-only procedures. Qualifying for inpatient status reimbursement requires additional, unreimbursed administrative effort, and may limit care to these patients. Purpose: We sought to evaluate and compare the overall health status of patients receiving THA and TKA. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review evaluating 2207 patients undergoing primary THA and TKA from 2015 to 2018 at a single institution. Clinical parameters, surgical procedure, medical history, laboratory values, length of stay (LOS), and discharge location were recorded and compared between the 2 groups. Results: In 2202 patients, we observed differences for body mass index (THA = 29.4 ± 0.4, TKA = 32.1 ± 0.3), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (THA = 105.8 ± 13.5 mg/dL; TKA = 128.6 ± 13.7 mg/dL), and blood glucose levels (THA = 98.2 ± 1.7 mg/dL; TKA = 101.4 ± 1.3 mg/dL), indicating that TKA patients were more likely than THA patients to be classified as obese, hypercholesterolemic, and hyperglycemic. We observed longer LOS in THA patients (51.25 hours, 95% CI ± 3.87 hours) than in TKA patients (36.93 hours, 95% CI ± 1.17 hours). A greater proportion of TKA patients were discharged home (81.97%, N = 1155) rather than to additional care facilities compared with THA patients (71.84%, N = 539). Conclusion: In this retrospective study, we observed that TKA patients had higher rates of comorbidities than did THA patients, but TKA patients spent less time in the hospital and were more likely to be discharged home. Future studies should evaluate reasons for poor clinical outcomes for patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty with an outpatient designation.
The Safety of the Volar Intraarticular Extended Window (VIEW) Approach for Intra-articular Distal Radius Fractures
Authors: Kamal Robin N. , Gomez Giselle I. , Schultz Emily A. , Shapiro Lauren M.
Published: November 2023

Background:

A novel volar approach to intra-articular distal radius fractures has been introduced for treatment of intra-articular distal radius fractures, in which volar extrinsic ligaments are released to create a volar window into the radiocarpal joint (Volar Intraarticular Extended Window [VIEW] approach). Our purpose was to evaluate the safety of VIEW approach for treatment of intra-articular distal radius fractures.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was performed for 13 patients with intra-articular distal radius fractures treated operatively with the VIEW surgical technique using an intra-articular window in the volar capsule to aid in reduction and fixation. Postoperative radiographs were reviewed to assess for ulnocarpal translocation by assessing lunate uncovering and radial-carpal distance.

Results:

Thirteen patients were treated with the VIEW approach with mean follow-up of 28 weeks (range, 7-67 weeks; SD, 18 weeks). The mean postoperative lunate uncovering was 34.6% (SD, 7.7%) and mean radial-carpal distance was 4.6 mm (SD, 1.5 mm). Postoperatively, mean intra-articular step-off was 0.9 mm (SD, 1.2 mm) and mean intra-articular gap was 1.2 mm (SD, 1.0 mm). No patients reported clinical symptoms of wrist instability.

Conclusions:

Using the VIEW approach during a volar approach to intra-articular distal radius fractures is safe and does not lead to carpal instability. Surgeons can consider using the approach when direct visualization of the articular surface may be beneficial for reduction or fixation.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic IV
Care and justice: How elementary teachers adapt experiences for social issues
Authors: Odebiyi Oluseyi Matthew
Published: November 2023

This study explored how elementary teachers identified and adapted their personal experiences, or lack of them, to address social issues that students face in classrooms. The study involved six elementary school teachers. Using ethics of care and justice theories, the findings show that teachers use their own experiences to help them make decisions about social issues for students and to engage in practices that center care and justice for young learners. However, not all teachers react the same way to these issues. Some are resistant to addressing social issues facing young learners in their classrooms, while others are more open to taking responsibility for addressing such issues. If a teacher has not experienced social issues themselves or has not learned about social issues from others, it is harder to understand teachers’ intention to extend practices focusing on care and justice to their students. Representing these dimensions are themes (1) resonance and in/experience of the margin, (2) evoking interest group pedagogy, and (3) fostering empathy as a curriculum of care. Implications are discussed in light of deploying in/experience and pedagogy centered on social justice, care, and needs in elementary education.
The role of emotions in critical thinking about European politics: Confronting anti-immigration rhetoric in the classroom
Authors: Piedade Filipe , Malafaia Carla , Neves Tiago , Loff Manuel , Menezes Isabel
Published: November 2023

The rise of anti-immigration arguments within the European Union (EU) poses significant challenges to our democratic existence. As such, the promotion of critical thinking (CT) for the development of a multicultural citizenship education has been underlined. Recent research also shows a close connection between emotions and cognition with positive effects over students’ motivation to engage in CT. Through the analysis of focus groups with 61 Portuguese secondary school students, this research shows that they are critical about democratic political values and practices at the EU level, and highly motivated to discuss controversial political and humanitarian issues that are emotionally engaging. Educational practices that encourage the discussion of controversial topics in the classroom, welcoming students’ emotional engagement with these topics, can increase their resilience to anti-immigration rhetoric.
‘Your School Needs You to Buy a Poppy’: Dominance and fragility in school remembrance practices
Authors: Liddle Anna
Published: November 2023

Generated by the centenary of the First World War, there has been an increased interest in how war is commemorated in English schools. Whilst other authors have argued that the way in which remembrance is marked in schools is militarised and nationalistic, this article reports on a single school case study to provide a deeper discussion of how this is reproduced in everyday practices and a consideration of how alternative forms of remembrance are resisted. Butler’s concept of ‘grievability’ is deployed to interpret the practices where some lives are privileged above others in commemoration creating a militarised ‘red poppy remembrance discourse’. I go on to argue that this discourse, although dominant, is also fragile in nature and attempts to counter this are treated with suspicion to maintain nationalistic and war-normalising messages for the next generation.
Girl power? Ethics of joy and becoming Chilean feminist high school students in relation to ideal citizenship normativities
Authors: Errázuriz Valentina
Published: November 2023

This article traces the narratives and experiences of feminist high school students during the Chilean feminist movement of 2018 and explores their relations with normative political and gender subjectivization processes happening at their schools. The data for this article was produced through a critical ethnographic study in a Chilean all-female public high school, which included participant observation, testimonial interviews, arts-based collective testimonial workshops, and analyzed through affect theory. This article shows how this school reproduced binary norms under traditionally feminine parameters and at the same time neoliberal ones that demanded that students be successful and resilient women who individually managed to become productive members of society in the future. The student participants in this study were critical of how their school and their teachers tried to produce them as these types of gendered citizens. They managed to become feminist students in relation to these norms and at the same time create discourses, actions, and materialities that produced more just spaces for them in the present. This article suggests that reading the relations between the feminist students’ becomings and new gendered citizenship normativity deployed at school through a relational and affirmative ethics lens identifies relevant and often unseen aspects in research about structural oppression and resistance.
First hitting time distribution and cost assessment in a two-unit system with dependent degradation processes subject to imperfect maintenance
Authors: Bautista Lucía , Castro Inma T. , Bérenguer Christophe , Gaudoin Olivier , Doyen Laurent
Published: November 2023

This paper proposes a degradation model for a two-unit series system, where the components exhibit dependence and are subject to imperfect maintenance. The interdependence between both components is captured using the trivariate reduction method. The system failure occurs when the degradation level of either component exceeds a predetermined threshold. The main motivation of this work is to develop a preventive maintenance strategy for this system, incorporating periodic imperfect maintenance actions in order to extend its useful lifetime. These actions aim to reduce the accumulated degradation level of each component from its installation in a fixed percentage, following the Arithmetic Reduction of Degradation model of infinite order. Another goal is to derive the distribution of time to the system failure, which provides crucial insights into the system’s reliability and performance, especially in the case of bivariate degradation. Additionally, a cost model for this maintenance strategy is developed and several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the practical implications. The maintenance decision variables are optimized in order to obtain the minimal expected cost rate within a finite time horizon.
Promoting care for the wellbeing of early childhood professionals in Australia
Authors: Quinones Gloria , Berger Emily , Barnes Melissa
Published: November 2023

Early childhood (EC) professionals are valuable educators and teachers, and their work involves being caregivers, yet the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the lack of ‘caring about’ and ‘for’ EC professionals. With the increasing focus on educator wellbeing, this paper explores how eight EC professionals understand the role of care for their wellbeing. Drawing upon a feminist ethics of care, this paper interrogates the role of care in the everyday professional work lives of educators. The findings reveal that while EC professionals understand the importance of self-care, however, their self-care is more likely to be prioritised when it is promoted by leadership (e.g., centre directors, organisational). This study also found that EC professionals need to receive care through recognition by parents, centre leaders and colleagues.
“If we can’t advocate for ourselves, nobody else will”: Teacher agency during early childhood reform
Authors: Robertson Natalie , Bussey Katherine Anne , Morrissey Anne-Marie
Published: November 2023

The Victorian Government has engaged in multiple reforms in early childhood education and care, marketed to support quality education and increase investment in social reform. Initiatives accompanying reforms, aiming to assist teacher knowledge and skills. However, with each new initiative more pressures are placed on early childhood professionals. Throughout 2021 and 2022, a group of early childhood teachers employed in kindergartens across Melbourne participated in focus groups and interviews, sharing experiences of working with these initiatives and providing recommendations for their roll out. The Capability Approach has been used to analyse their experiences and recommendations to identify how teacher's agency was enabled and constrained. We identified three key recommendations for Governments to consider during current and future early childhood reforms to support an agentic profession. Specifically, focused support for teachers, an urgent need for increased consultation with the EC community and new opportunities for career progression were identified.
The Influence of Linguistic Styles in Property Titles on Room Rates: A Hedonic Pricing Model
Authors: Yoonjoung Heo Cindy , Park Kwangsoo
Published: November 2023

Consumers are drawn to the inherent quality of a product or service and how it is portrayed and described. This study investigated the impact of language used in property titles on pricing strategies and financial performance in peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodations by adopting the Language Expectancy Theory (LET) as a theoretical framework. The findings of this study demonstrate the significance of linguistic styles in property titles for determining P2P room rates, rental volume, and overall performance. Property titles that exhibit formal, logical, and hierarchical thinking are perceived as more sincere, personalized, and informative, resulting in higher rates, more significant rental volumes, and improved overall performance. On the contrary, properties with titles that convey expertise, and confidence, or adopt a positive and upbeat style tend to put lower room rates and yield lower performance yet generate higher volumes. This study expands the application of LET to P2P communication between an Airbnb host and a potential guest.
Defining work-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (W-CBT) and whether it is effective at facilitating return to work for people experiencing mental health conditions: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
Authors: Slater Dylan , Venning Anthony , Matthews Lynda , Iles Ross , Redpath Paula
Published: November 2023

It is unclear what constitutes Work Focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (W-CBT). This review sought to define W-CBT and ascertain its effectiveness at facilitating return to work (RTW) for people experiencing mental health conditions. A systematic review and narrative synthesis were undertaken. Five databases were searched (Medline, ProQuest, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science). English publications with an intervention combining CBT with RTW were selected. Quality checklists from the Joanna Briggs Institute were applied. Searching yielded 16,863 results. 23 moderate-to-high quality studies from 25 articles were included (13 experimentally designed studies, 3 pilots/case studies and 7 reviews). Results indicated W-CBT is effective at facilitating RTW for mild-to-moderate mental health conditions. For a program to be labelled W-CBT it is recommended it is (1) a stand-alone intervention; (2) delivered with an understanding RTW is the goal; and, (3) the CBT components are always framed by matters, subjects and contexts related to work.
Toxoplasma gondii spinal granuloma in a cat
Authors: Tyroller Florian , Haas Barbara , Posch Barbara , Hettlich Bianca , Schwandt Christian , Pfleghaar Stephan
Published: November 2023

Case summary

A 7-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat was presented with a history of progressive pelvic limb ataxia. A CT scan of the thoracic spine identified an extradural, left lateralised and compressive soft tissue mass at the level of T9. A decompressive hemilaminectomy at the level of T8–T10 and tissue sampling of the mass were performed. Histopathological examination revealed a parasite granuloma caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection. Postoperatively, the cat improved consistently, but mild left pelvic limb lameness remained. At 5 weeks, a recheck CT scan showed a small, enhancing soft tissue lesion in the left epidural space at T9, causing a mild left lateral compression of the spinal cord. After 9 months, the cat acutely deteriorated neurologically and was euthanased without postmortem examination.

Relevance and novel information

To our knowledge, this is the first report of a T gondii spinal granuloma in a cat. Such a granuloma should be considered as a differential in cats with evidence of an extradural soft tissue mass.
Successful treatment of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a cat using bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane after surgical adhesiolysis and long-term prednisolone
Authors: Yokoyama Nozomu , Kinoshita Ryohei , Ohta Hiroshi , Okada Kazuki , Shimbo Genya , Sasaoka Kazuyoshi , Nagata Noriyuki , Sasaki Noboru , Morishita Keitaro , Nakamura Kensuke , Kagawa Yumiko , Takiguchi Mitsuyoshi
Published: November 2023

Case summary

An 8-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair indoor cat was presented with an 8-week history of intermittent vomiting, anorexia and weight loss that had been unresponsive to supportive treatment. Abdominal ultrasound revealed plication of the small intestine and fluid accumulation proximal to the lesion, and a linear foreign body was suspected. An exploratory celiotomy showed cocoon-like encapsulation of the entire intestine. Surgical adhesiolysis and full-thickness biopsy were performed, and histopathologic examination revealed mild thickening of the visceral peritoneum with fibrin deposition, as well as mild neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration. These findings were compatible with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP). The cat recovered well postoperatively and was discharged the next day. Prednisolone was administered for 7 weeks to prevent recurrence of SEP. Five months after surgery, the cat was re-presented with anorexia and chronic vomiting. Based on the clinical examination findings, recurrent SEP was suspected. At the second surgery, surgical adhesiolysis was repeated and a bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane was used to cover the serosal surface and thus prevent adhesion formation. Histopathologic findings of the peritoneal biopsy specimen confirmed SEP. Long-term prednisolone treatment (1 mg/kg for the first dose and 0.5 mg/kg every 48 h for maintenance) was administered postoperatively. The cat survived for more than 1239 days without recurrence.

Relevance and novel information

To our knowledge, this is the first report of SEP in a cat with long-term survival. The use of a bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane and long-term prednisolone treatment may have prevented short-term and long-term recurrence, respectively, in this case.
Examining the Interplay Between Growth and Fixed Mindsets, L2 Grit, and L2 Motivational Self-System of L2 Learners
Authors: Kırmızı Özkan , Irgatoğlu Aydan , Atalmış Erkan Hasan
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyse the structural relations between L2 learners’ mindsets, L2 grit and the L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS). The main driving force behind the study is the observation that mindsets have emerged as a significant variable in language-teaching research over the past years. The study was conducted with 403 L2 learners. To see the structural relations between and among the variables in the study, a structural equation model was used. The revised model showed that a growth mindset affects both the perseverance of effort (POE) and the consistency of interest (COI), which are the components that make up grit. Moreover, POE and COI mediate the relationship between the growth mindset and L2MSS, with the highest mediating impact between growth mindset and ideal L2 self. The study discovered that a fixed mindset only predicted ought-to L2 self/others. Finally, several theoretical and pedagogical implications are proposed based on the findings of the study.
What Type of Learning Methods do Pupils Prefer in Museums and at School? Elementary School Pupil’s Perceptions of Visual Thinking Strategies as Applied at the Barcelona Picasso Museum
Authors: González-Sanz Myriam , Wilson-Daily Ann E. , Feliu-Torruella Maria , Ibanez-Etxeberria Alex
Published: November 2023

This case study, using triangulation-focused mixed methodology, analyzes the perceptions of 477 elementary school pupils after exposure to Visual Thinking Strategies through the educational programs of the Barcelona Picasso Museum. Pupils’ learning preferences and their perceived impact of Visual Thinking Strategies were studied in the aftermath of an experience based on this teaching method, which focused on skill development and total class participation through exposure to art. The study also aimed to determine if this visit contributed to pupils’ desire for future use of similar methods in museums and at school. Results articulate student voices, showing that, when faced with choosing between participatory and discursive teaching methods, most preferred the former; however, over 40% favored a combination of both strategies. This research contributes to the field in showing that many pupils would favor more art-historical content during Visual Thinking Strategies sessions as well as highlighting the potential of a single-session experience in generating a perception of impact.
Students’ Perspectives on the Factors That Influence the Use of Private Tutoring Usage in Qatar
Authors: Abu-Shawish Reem Khalid
Published: November 2023

This paper unpacks the factors likely to influence students’ use of supplementary private tutoring in Qatar. Drawing on insights from Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB), the current study seeks to understand the main predictors of private tutoring usage in the context of Qatar. This study used survey questionnaire data to ascertain key predictors of participation in private tutoring, as perceived by students in preparatory schools (grades 8 and 9) and secondary schools (grades 11 and 12). The regression analysis revealed that upper-grade students were more likely to use private tutoring than their lower-grade counterparts. Additionally, parental attributes, particularly their educational levels, employment status, and involvement in their children’s schooling, were strong determinants of household decisions to hire private tutors. The results also indicated that the demand for private tutoring is strongly associated with the quality of teaching. The paper offers relevant recommendations for policymaking and calls for future study and research.
A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Cost and Benefits of Overlay versus Separate Displays
Authors: Warden Amelia C. , Wickens Christopher D. , Clegg Benjamin A. , Ortega Francisco R.
Published: November 2023

Costs and benefits are associated with how information is presented depending on the type of task required. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the costs and benefits associated with overlaying information on a single display, as in the case with a head-mounted display, or presenting information more separately, as in the case with a head-down display (e.g., a tablet). Seventeen studies contributed a total of 82 individual effect sizes that met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Overall, overlaid displays led to a response time benefit for integration tasks without compromising accuracy, whereas separate displays led to an accuracy benefit for focused attention tasks. The findings here speak favorably to the use of head-mounted displays for tasks that require integrating information on the display with information in the real world.
Evaluating the dissociation between drivers’ self-perceived and objective need for vehicle assistance during obstacle avoidance tasks
Authors: Luster Maya S. , Pitts Brandon J.
Published: November 2023

Driver-assistance systems are becoming more commonplace; however, the realized safety benefits of these technologies depend on whether a person accepts and adopts automated driving aids. One challenge to adoption could be a preference-performance dissociation (PPD), which is a mismatch between a self-perceived desire and an objective need for assistance. Research has reported PPD in driving but has not extensively leveraged driving performance data to confirm its existence. Thus, the goal of this study was to compare drivers’ self-reported need for vehicle assistance to their objective driving performance. Twenty-one participants drove on a simulated road and traversed challenging, real-world roadway obstacles. Afterwards, they were asked about their preference for automated vehicle assistance (e.g., steering and braking) during their drive. Overall, some participants exhibited PPD that included both over- and underestimating their need for a particular type of automated assistance. Findings can be used to develop shared control and adaptive automation strategies tailored to particular users and contexts across various safety-critical environments.
Systemic Analysis of Barriers of High Quality of Care in Telemonitoring: Integrating the Seips Framework and Fault Tree Analysis
Authors: Tabibzadeh Maryam , Shivakumar Apurva
Published: November 2023

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare systems have undergone a transformation with telehealth playing a key role. There has been a dramatic shift in the use of telehealth due to its benefits including the convenience it has offered. With the use of telehealth to monitor patients’ health on the rise, it has become more critical to improve the quality of care by identifying and resolving barriers to virtual care delivery systems. In this study, we apply the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 2.0 framework to systematically investigate telemonitoring implementation, as a main category of telehealth services, and identify barriers to high quality of care while monitoring care virtually. We analyze those barriers by capturing them across different work systems of the SEIPS framework, which are: people (patients, healthcare providers, nurses, telemonitoring staff), organization, tools and technology, tasks, internal environment, and external environment. We then, through some research, determine some of those barriers that are more influential and conduct Fault Tree Analysis to identify their root causes. Furthermore, some recommendations are provided to address the identified barriers and their root causes.
Sentiment analysis of Artificial Advisors in Search and Rescue Tasks
Authors: Li Huao , Chis Maximilian , Zheng Keyang , Lewis Michael , Hughes Dana , Sycara Katia
Published: November 2023

The potential of Artificial Intelligence in assisting human teamwork has yet to be fully realized, despite its success in other domains. To ensure AI’s effectiveness and credibility as a team advisor, it must be able to effectively infer team dynamics and issue appropriate interventions. This study focuses on AI-mediated human teamwork in an simulated search and rescue (SAR) task, where a team of humans is monitored and guided by an artifical social intelligence (ASI). Six different ASIs are compared against a human baseline investigating the characteristics and effectiveness of their interventions. When adjusted for initial player competence ASIs performed on par with the human advisor although the human advisor was rated as more trustworthy and useful. Additionally, sentiment analysis of the interventions reveals that participants were more likely to accept interventions with negative emotions and resulted in improved team performance.
Testing a Proof of Concept of an Online Simulator-Based Training for Facilitators of Evidence-Based Sexual Health Education Interventions: A Small Randomized Trial Involving Making Proud Choices
Authors: Sontag-Padilla Lisa , Ye Feifei , Firpo-Triplett Regina , Lucas Brittany , Meyer Amanda , Lanna Serafina , Ohana Elie , Chinman Matthew
Published: November 2023

Well-trained facilitators are critical for prevention programs. However, in-person facilitator training can be expensive and inconvenient. To make facilitator training affordable and accessible, we tested a prototype of online simulator-based training for Making Proud Choices! (MPC) facilitators using a mixed-method approach of survey assessments and observations of teaching. MPC is a leading evidence-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexually transmitted infection (STI), and teen pregnancy risk-reduction program. A convenience sample of 53 adults was randomly assigned to receive facilitator training on one MPC activity either via an online simulation or via in-person. Participants completed pre–post-surveys and role-played the activity to demonstrate both fidelity and quality of instruction post-training. Pre–post-survey findings demonstrated that the online simulation group was no different compared to the in-person group for improvement in creating a safe and inclusive environment and for engagement of students. This was not the case for knowledge of the curriculum and steps of proper condom use, self-efficacy, and self-reported handling of some sensitive questions and student whispering. However, we did find comparable pre–post-change between the two groups on these measures. Role-play observation results showed that the online simulation group was no different, and in many cases better, than the in-person group on fidelity and quality indicators. Participants reported high levels of acceptability, likability, and applicability to teach youth about sexual health and safety using the prototype. Findings suggest online simulation training can replicate the learning experience from in-person methods, which, in turn, increases access to effective educator training.
Comparative Transcriptome Combined with Morphophysiological Analyses Revealed Carotenoid Biosynthesis for Differential Chilling Tolerance in Two Contrasting Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genotypes
Authors: Zhang Peng , Wu Xiang , Chen Yulin , Ji Guangmei , Ma Xinling , Zhang Yuping , Xiang Jing , Wang Yaliang , Wang Zhigang , Li Liangtao , Chen Huizhe , Zhang Yikai
Published: November 2023

Early spring cold spells can lead to leaf chlorosis during the rice seedling greening process. However, the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the rice greening process under low-temperature conditions remain unknown. In this study, comparative transcriptome and morphophysiological analyses were performed to investigate the mechanisms mediating the responses of the Koshihikari (Kos) and Kasalath (Kas) rice cultivars to chilling stress. According to their growth-related traits, electrolyte leakage, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, Kos was more tolerant to low-temperature stress than Kas. Moreover, chloroplast morphology was more normal (e.g., oval) in Kos than in Kas at 17 °C. The comparative transcriptome analysis revealed 610 up-regulated differentially expressed genes that were common to all four comparisons. Furthermore, carotenoid biosynthesis was identified as a critical pathway for the Kos response to chilling stress. The genes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway were expressed at higher levels in Kos than in Kas at 17 °C, which was in accordance with the higher leaf carotenoid content in Kos than in Kas. The lycopene β-cyclase and lycopene ε-cyclase activities increased more in Kos than in Kas. Additionally, the increases in the violaxanthin de-epoxidase and carotenoid hydroxylase activities in Kos seedlings resulted in the accumulation of zeaxanthin and lutein and mitigated the effects of chilling stress on chloroplasts. These findings have clarified the molecular mechanisms underlying the chilling tolerance of rice seedlings during the greening process.
Investigation of the response of Platycodongrandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC to salt stress using combined transcriptomics and metabolomics
Authors: Zhang Meixi , Xing Yushu , Ma Jiannan , Zhang Ying , Yu Juan , Wang Xiaoqin , Jia Xin
Published: November 2023

Background

Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC is a famous traditional Chinese medicine in China and an authentic medicine in Inner Mongolia. It has been traditionally used as an expectorant in cough and also has anti-inflammatory and other pharmacological effects. As a homologous plant of medicine and food, P. grandiflorus is widely planted in Northeast China. Soil salinity isa limiting factor for its cultivation. In this study, we comprehensively described the physiological characteristics of P. grandiflorus and combined transcriptomics and metabolomics to study the response of roots of P. grandiflorus to salt stress.

Results

Overall, 8,988 differentially expressed genes were activated and significantly altered the metabolic processes. In total, 428 differentially abundant metabolites were affected by salt stress. After moderate and severe salt stress, most of the differentially abundant metabolites were enriched in the L-phenylalanine metabolic pathway. Through the comprehensive analysis of the interaction between key genes and metabolites, the main pathways such as lignin compound biosynthesis and triterpene saponin biosynthesis were completed. The relative content of compounds related to lignin biosynthesis, such as caffeic acid, coniferin, and syringing, increased under salt stress, and the related genes such as PAL, C4H, and the key enzyme gene UGT72E2 were activated to adapt to the salt stress. Platycodon saponin is one of the major triterpene saponins in P. grandiflorus, and Platycodin D is its most abundant major bioactive component. Under severe salt stress, Platycodin D level increased by nearly 1.77-fold compared with the control group. Most of the genes involved insynthetic pathway of Platycodin D, such as HMGCR, GGPS, SE, and LUP, were upregulated under salt stress.

Conclusion

Salt stress led to a decrease in the biomass and affected the activities of antioxidant enzymes and contents of osmotic regulators in the plant. These results provided not only novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of response of P. grandiflorus to salt stress but also a foundation for future studies on the function of genes related to salt tolerance in the triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis pathway.