bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sepsis-Induced Immunosuppression: The Role of Co-inhibitory Molecules
Authors: Zhao Dai-liang , Li Yan
Published: September 2024

Sepsis is one of the most common cause of death among hospitalized patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), with current therapeutic options falling short of a comprehensive solution. The condition's pathophysiology is marked by a spectrum of immunological impairments, with a growing consensus that immunosuppression plays a decisive role in the condition's rising morbidity and mortality rates. Extensive preclinical and clinical research has identified the upregulation of several co-inhibitory molecules during sepsis, including Programmed Death-1 (PD-1), Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1), Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4), B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA), T Cell Membrane Protein-3 (TIM-3), and Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3). These molecules, which exert a significant inhibitory effect on T cell function, are believed to contribute to the immunosuppressive state induced by sepsis. The elucidation of the intricate mechanisms by which these molecules induce immunosuppression is essential for devising the most efficacious treatment strategies for sepsis. The burgeoning field of immunotherapy, particularly the blockade of co-inhibitory molecules, represents a significant frontier in sepsis research. This approach holds substantial promise for the future of sepsis therapy, warranting further exploration and clinical investigation to harness its potential fully.
Racial Affirmative Action and the Consensus on Phenotypic Hetero-Identification: Notes on the State Universities of the Brazilian Midwest
Authors: Ribeiro Bruno , Vieira Paulo
Published: September 2024

Racial affirmative action policies in Brazil have recently reached consensus in their technical procedures for defining black subjects of law, through phenotypic heteroidentification panels. Such panels aim to minimize reports of fraud, legitimize the subjects of affirmative policy law and provide legal security to institutions. This article revisits the construction of this consensus. Before 2012, the landmark Law 12,711, which standardizes affirmative actions in Federal Higher Education Institutions, there was a diversity of understandings and selection procedures. Currently, there is a unified model for these federal institutions and homogeneity regarding the phenotypic heteroidentification procedure. As federal legislation is not imposed on state universities, we highlight similarities and differences between the hegemonic model of phenotypic heteroidentification of federal and state universities in the Midwest. Methodologically, we conducted documentary and bibliographical research on the selection processes of State Universities in the Central-West region, with an emphasis on the different models of phenotypic heteroidentification implemented throughout the 21st century. The results indicate, in many ways, an essentialization of black identity and a depoliticization of the public debate on racial issues in Brazil. We therefore assess that this resulted in a decrease of criticism of the formation of Brazilian national identity and the establishment of objective parameters for the definition of black subjects of law.
Infant Mortality, Education and Financial Development: Evidence from World Level Data Using Heterogeneous Panel Granger Causality Analysis
Authors: Tiwari Aviral Kumar , Adewuyi Adeolu O. , Effiong Ekpeno L. , Shylajan C. S.
Published: September 2024

Education and financial development are crucial factors in achieving better health, including the reduction of infant mortality. This article investigates the causal relationship between education, financial development and infant mortality rate using annual data for 81 countries for the period 1980–2015 and employing the Emirmahmutoglu and Rose (2011) Granger causality test procedure for heterogeneous mixed panels. The results show that, individually and jointly, education and financial development Granger cause infant mortality in some countries across the major regions of the world. This suggests that improved education and a developed financial system are likely to reduce the infant mortality rate.

JEL Codes: C33; E25; I
Monitoring Technologies in Industrial Systems
Authors: Shekari Saeed , Ray Sourav
Published: September 2024

Monitoring technologies, which are at the heart of the industrial Internet of Things ecosystem, promise significant transactional efficiencies by making it easier to track product performance and contract compliance. These efficiencies are particularly compelling in industrial multivendor, multicomponent systems, where complex component interdependencies often cause disputes around liability in the case of product failures. Drawing on transaction cost theory, fieldwork, and a national survey of industrial original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), we estimate how product performance contracts are specified in these contexts, and how these monitoring technologies can impact ex post exchanges between OEMs and their suppliers. We find that systems architecture associated with multicomponent systems, as well as the presumed efficiencies of monitoring technologies, drive the contract designs through their potential impact on the disputes, monitoring, and contract writing costs faced by the OEM. However, we also find there are clear limits to the benefits offered by these monitoring technologies, as the greater monitoring facilitated by these technologies appears to exacerbate disputes. This counterintuitive finding comports with the view that when unforeseen interdependent failures occur, detailed data from monitoring may trigger a spate of disputes over new and unexpected information, as well as over the appropriateness of existing protocols for failure metrics and remedies.
Creating a space for regulation and reflection
Authors: Cucchiara Maia , Hays Mary Beth
Published: September 2024

In response to the growing awareness of trauma and its impact on student learning, schools across the country are implementing trauma-sensitive practices. Authors Maia Cucchiara and Mary Beth Hays describe an approach to trauma sensitivity in schools: the creation of restoration rooms, spaces designed to help students (and adults) return to a state of regulation. Restoration rooms are not for disciplining students. Instead, they are spaces equipped with fidget toys, soft carpets and cushions, flexible seating, and other materials to promote regulation. Schools can use these spaces as part of larger efforts to respond to student and staff trauma and promote overall wellness.
PDK Connection: Organizational news about PDK International
Authors: Lane James F.
Published: September 2024

In this month’s PDK Connection, CEO James F. Lane offers an update on the association; a unique family connection from the 2024 Educators Rising National Conference is highlighted; and PDK members Michael Odell and Jordan R. Melton Jr. share their insights on change in education.
How Does More Niceness Bring More Happiness? The Association Between Niceness, Depression, and Subjective Happiness
Authors: Okur Sinan , Akyıl Yusuf , Deniz M. Engin , Satıcı Seydi Ahmet
Published: September 2024

Behavioral niceness has an important place in maintaining interpersonal relationships. Scale studies are needed to determine the level of niceness that plays a role in individuals’ development of healthy daily interactions with other people. In this study, firstly, the psychometric properties of the Niceness Scale, which consists of six items, were examined in a Turkish sample ( N = 404). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the six-item one-dimensional structure, and item response analysis revealed a high level of discrimination across all items. The relationship of the Niceness Scale with previously validated and reliable scales was examined, and it was found that criterion-related validity was achieved. Furthermore, a network analysis revealed the relationships between the variables more clearly. In the scale’s measurement invariance analysis, consistency was found for both genders. Then, the reliability of the Niceness Scale was proven with different reliability values. In a different Turkish sample ( N = 372), it was determined that depression played a statistically significant mediating role in the relationship between niceness and subjective happiness. In conclusion, this study revealed that the one factor and six-item Niceness Scale are valid and reliable in the Turkish sample. Moreover, boosting niceness has been determined to reduce negative situations such as depression and therefore enhance subjective happiness. All these important implications about niceness are discussed in light of the literature.
Construction Tasks for Children With Blindness: Analyzing the Completion Ratio of Six Puzzles
Authors: Fukuda Kanako , Sashima Tsuyoshi
Published: September 2024

Introduction: There are major differences when children with blindness perform construction tasks using haptics, without relying on sight, compared to when children with typical vision perform them through sight. When using sight, in all of the processes, the overall image can be grasped simultaneously while executing the task. When using haptics, the construction must be made by touching each piece sequentially and successively. In this study, framed block puzzle construction tasks that can be implemented by haptic means are developed with the objective of considering the order of difficulty of the task. Methods: In all, six framed block puzzle construction tasks were performed by 39 children with blindness, and the analysis was conducted from the perspective of the task-completion ratio. These six tasks were established on the basis of factors such as wood panel division and dimension, symmetry and asymmetry, and the number of block patterns. Results: A significant difference was observed in the completion ratio between one- and two-dimensional tasks, between two-dimensional symmetrical and asymmetrical tasks, and between two-dimensional asymmetrical tasks with multiple and single correct patterns. Discussion: This study clarified that the task order of difficulty is influenced by the factors of division and dimension, symmetry and asymmetry, and number of block patterns. Thus, we identified a task order wherein difficulty increases in the order of one- and two-dimensional symmetrical tasks and two-dimensional asymmetrical tasks with multiple and single correct patterns. Implications for Practitioners: Based on these hypotheses, providing instructions to children with blindness, in the order of simple to difficult tasks, is vital after ascertaining each child's level of capacity for spatial cognition.
Cervical Cystic Lymphangioma in Young Adults: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Kamel Houssem , Ben Ammar Chaima , Tbini Makram , Ben Salah Mamia
Published: September 2024

Cystic lymphangioma is a rare benign congenital malformation of the lymphatic system. It usually presents in childhood and rarely in young adults. Its management lacks consensus, and its prognosis varies depending on the location. We report a case of cervical cystic lymphangioma in a young adult with chronic left lateral cervical swelling. Examination revealed a high jugulocarotid swelling, non-pulsatile, and transilluminable. Radiographic exploration suggested a cystic lymphangioma. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. The patient underwent a sclerotherapy session, followed by surgical excision. Our case illustrates a rare presentation of cervical cystic lymphangioma in a young adult and aims to increase awareness of this rare entity and provide literature insights into its diagnosis and treatment in adult patients.
The Oromo Liberation Front and its Long Journey: Achievements, Challenges, and Resilience
Authors: Jalata Asafa
Published: September 2024

This article identifies and examines several interrelated issues concerning the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which has struggled to liberate Oromo society from Abyssinian/Ethiopian settler colonialism and its authoritarian-terrorist state for almost a half-century. These issues include the formation of the front, its objectives, accomplishments, and obstacles, the emergence of the Abiy Ahmed government, and the consolidation and expansion of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The piece starts its analysis by providing methodological and theoretical insights.
Is lack of goal-conflict-specific rhythmicity a biomarker for treatment resistance in generalised anxiety but not social anxiety or major depression?
Authors: Shadli Shabah M , Donegan Carina J , Bin Mohd Fahmi Muhammad SS , Russell Bruce R , Glue Paul , McNaughton Neil
Published: September 2024

Background:

Anxiety and depression cause major detriment to the patient, family, and society – particularly in treatment-resistant (TR) cases, which are highly prevalent. TR prevalence may be due to current diagnoses being based not on biological measures but on symptom lists that suffer from clinical subjectivity, variation in symptom presentation, and comorbidity.

Aims:

Goal-conflict-specific rhythmicity (GCSR) measured using the Stop-Signal Task (SST) may provide the first neural biomarker for an anxiety process and disorder. This GCSR has been validated with selective drugs for anxiety. So, we proposed that GCSR could differ between TR and non-TR individuals and do so differently between those diagnoses normally sensitive to selective anxiolytics and those not.

Methods:

We recorded electroencephalograms (EEG) from 20 TR participants (4 GAD, 5 SAD and 11 MDD) and 24 non-TR participants (4 GAD, 5 SAD and 15 Comorbid GAD/MDD (GMD)) while they performed the SST.

Results:

There was significant positive GCSR in all groups except the GAD-TR group. GAD-TR lacked GCSR in the low-frequency range. However, TR had little effect in SAD or MDD/GMD populations with apparent increases not decreases.

Conclusions:

Overall, these results suggest that GAD may occur in two forms: one resulting from excessive GCSR and so being drug sensitive, and the other resulting from some other mechanism and so being TR. In SAD and MDD groups, heightened GCSR could be a consequence rather than the cause, driven by mechanisms that are normally more sensitive to non-selective panicolytic antidepressants.
Predicting axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer based on ultrasound radiofrequency time-series analysis
Authors: Sun Pengfei , Guo Ruifang , Hu Xiangdong , Dekker Andre , Traverso Alberto , Qian Linxue , Wang Zhixiang
Published: September 2024

Background

The status of axillary lymph nodes (ALN) plays a critical role in the management of patients with breast cancer. It is an urgent demand to develop highly accurate, non-invasive methods for predicting ALN status

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound radiofrequency (URF) time-series parameters, in combination with clinical data, in predicting ALN metastasis in patients with breast cancer.

Material and Methods

We prospectively gathered clinicopathologic and ultrasonic data from patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Various machine-learning (ML) models were developed using all available features to determine the most efficient diagnostic model. Subsequently, distinct prediction models were created using the optimal ML model, and their diagnostic performances were evaluated and compared.

Results

The study encompassed 240 patients, of whom 88 had lymph node metastases. A leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) method was used to split the entire dataset into training and testing subsets. The random forest ML model outperformed the other algorithms, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92. Prediction models based on clinical, ultrasonic, URF parameters, clinical + ultrasonic, clinical + URF, and ultrasonic + URF parameters had AUCs of 0.56, 0.79, 0.78, 0.90, 0.80, and 0.84, respectively, in the testing set. The comprehensive diagnostic model (clinical + ultrasonic + URF parameters) demonstrated strong diagnostic capability, with an AUC of 0.94 in the testing set, exceeding any single prediction model.

Conclusion

The combined model (clinical + ultrasonic + URF parameters) could be used preoperatively to predict lymph node status, offering valuable input for the design of individualized surgical approaches.
The question of future hope in 2 Kgs 25.27–30 and the book’s dynastic framework in 1 Kgs 1.1–53 and 2 Kgs 11.1–20
Authors: Tafferner Mario
Published: September 2024

The present study revisits the question of future hope in the Book of Kings by inquiring into appropriate intertexts for interpreting the report of Jehoiachin’s release from prison in 2 Kgs 25.27–30. As will be demonstrated, this passage shares the literary motif of ‘two contestants struggling for a throne’ (כסא‎) with both 1 Kgs 1.1–53 and 2 Kgs 11.1–20. These three accounts occupy structurally important positions within the book (beginning, climax, end) and use this motif to communicate Davidic dynastic permanence.
The nature of the response to airway management incident reports in high income countries: A scoping review
Authors: Endlich Yasmin , Davies Ellen L , Kelly Janet
Published: September 2024

Adverse events associated with failed airway management may have catastrophic consequences, and despite many advances in knowledge, guidelines and equipment, airway incidents and patient harm continue to occur. Patient safety incident reporting systems have been established to facilitate a reduction in incidents. However, it has been found that corrective actions are inadequate and successful safety improvements scarce. The aim of this scoping review was to assess whether the same is true for airway incidents by exploring academic literature that describes system changes in airway management in high-income countries over the last 30 years, based on findings and recommendations from incident reports and closed claims studies. This review followed the most recent guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE and Embase, the JBI database, SCOPUS, the Cochrane Library and websites for anaesthetic societies were searched for eligible articles. Included articles were analysed and data synthesised to address the review’s aim. The initial search yielded 28,492 results, of which 111 articles proceeded to the analysis phase. These included 23 full-text articles, 78 conference abstracts and 10 national guidelines addressing a range of airway initiatives across anaesthesia, intensive care and emergency medicine. While findings and recommendations from airway incident analyses are commonly published, there is a gap in the literature regarding the resulting system changes to reduce the number and severity of adverse airway events. Airway safety management mainly focuses on Safety-I events and thereby does not consider Safety-II principles, potentially missing out on all the information available from situations where airway management went well.
The Status of Canadian Radiology Mentorship Programs, Where We Stand and Where to Improve
Authors: Khounsarian Fatemeh , Marinescu Daniel , Lebel Kiana , Sharma Sonali , Hu Jeffrey , Yong-Hing Charlotte J.
Published: September 2024

Background: The importance of mentorship in medicine is well-established. Access to mentors is pivotal in enhancing career opportunities and networking, increasing research productivity, and overall wellness and resilience at all career stages. Our study aims to assess the current status of radiology mentorship programs for Canadian medical students and radiology residents. Methods: We distributed an anonymous survey to Canadian radiology program directors in December 2022. The questions pertained to the existing mentorship programs’ specific goals, structure, and success. Our null hypothesis was that medical students and residents have similar mentorship opportunities. Results: We have received 12 responses (a response rate of 12/16 = 75%), 9 of which had formal mentorship programs and 3 (25%) did not. Comparing the mentorship program for medical students and residents yielded a P-value = .11 > .05. This result does not reject our null hypothesis, indicating there is no significant difference between these 2 groups. Using qualitative analysis, we categorized the responses into 4 main themes: mentorship programs’ goals, structures, evaluation methods, and their results. Conclusion: Although our result did not reach statistical significance ( P-value = .11 > .05), the observed trend shows that one third of Canadian medical schools do not offer a radiology mentorship program for medical students, highlighting a potentially significant opportunity for improvement. Qualitative analysis shows that despite various methods for assigning mentees to mentors, developing formalized yet flexible mentorship models that allow students and residents to self-select their mentors might be more beneficial than randomly assigning mentors to them.
Synthesis of pH-sensitive polymeric micelle drug carries for potential cancer chemotherapy applications
Authors: Pham Uyen Thu , Dung Nguyen Thi , Dinh Nhung Thi , Do Thi My Hanh , Nguyen Mai Anh , Tran Toan Quoc , Le Hung Tien , Pham Dung Thuy Nguyen , Nguyen Duong Thanh
Published: September 2024

Alpha mangostin, a natural xanthone derivative from mangosteen fruit pericarp, exhibits antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on different cancer cells by inhibiting cell cycle progression, inducing apoptosis, and modulating signaling pathways. However, this candidate is limited in medical treatment due to the poor water solubility. Nanoparticles have emerged as promising drug delivery systems to improve drug delivery efficiency but one of the problem of nanoparticles is the capability of endosomal escape. Therefore, pH-sensitive polymer nanosystems were utilized for targeted drug delivery, and enhanced efficacy by offering controlled release and endosomal escape capabilities. This study aimed to synthesize PEG- P(Asp-Hyd-Man) copolymer and create micelle for alpha mangostin delivery. The micelles were measured with particle size average of 80.2 ± 15 nm, and the PDI of 0.17. Additionally, the release behavior of alpha mangostin was examined in vitro that show pH-sensitive polymeric micelles rapidly release at pH 5.0 compared with the arterial pH 7.4. The findings of this study are significant in the development of an effective drug delivery system using alpha mangostin and other therapeutic agents.
Engaging in Postconflict Violence: Militant Trajectories of Young Republican Paramilitaries in Northern Ireland
Authors: Holstein Hadrien
Published: September 2024

This article is based on an ethnographic study of young activists in Irish republican paramilitary organizations opposed to the Good Friday Agreement. It focuses on analyzing these youth’s trajectories as militants in order to understand the process of generational renewal within armed organizations as conflicts come to an end. The specificity of their trajectories is captured through a comparison with nonviolent young republican activists. This approach shows that, despite their different party affiliations, young postwar republican activists share the same sociological profiles, motivations for engagement and daily militant practices. In other words, the article highlights that although republican paramilitary networks claim to be violent actors, they have adopted nonviolent practices as a mode of ordinary and routine action. As a result, these networks are subject to a relative pacification that is explained more by their recruitment methods and the participation of new young militants than by any gradual support for the peace agreement.
Feminist Writing As a Healing Force for Personal Growth: Managing Pain In Black Milk By Elif Shafak
Authors: K Morve Roshan
Published: September 2024

This research analyzes Elif Shafak’s Black Milk: On Writing, Motherhood, and the Harem Within (2011) memoir. It is significant for understanding the layers of feminism and how the idea of motherhood changes after postpartum stress. In this memoir, the role of women in feminist discourse demonstrates a motherhood with stress, and it discusses how to manage pain. In addition, the writer tries to highlight the relationship between women and their social performances and responsibilities. This research aims to examine the body, women, and the motherhood relation from women’s perspective. Women’s issues of postpartum depression, stress management, and economic productivity are analyzed through Black Milk. Shafak’s pregnancy and her understanding of womanhood created a conflict in her life for which she struggled to manage her pain. Feminism is an important part of women’s lives. Women’s mental breakdown calls for a rest cure, during which she discovers challenge.
The statue of Matron Alice Cashin (1870–1939)
Authors: Bharadwaj Hareesha Rishab , Karki Yukti
Published: September 2024

Alice Alanna Cashin (1870–1939) was a pioneering Australian nurse whose career spanned both conflict and humanitarian service. Born to Irish immigrants in Australia, Cashin trained at St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, before expanding her expertise in London and joining the British Red Cross during World War I. Her service included critical roles in France and Egypt, and she was eventually promoted to 'seas-matron' on the HMHS Gloucester Castle. During a torpedo attack by a German U-Boat, Cashin displayed extraordinary bravery, overseeing the evacuation of over 399 patients and ensuring their safety before leaving on the last lifeboat. After the war, she managed a military hospital in England before returning to Australia to care for her ailing father and later her elderly uncle. Cashin's post-war years included a modest stint running a stationery shop and her retirement in Victoria Road. Her exemplary service earned her multiple accolades, including the Star Medal and the Royal Red Cross Medal, the latter being the first awarded to an Australian. She was also honoured with multiple mentions in dispatches and personal invitations to Buckingham Palace. Alice Cashin's legacy is memorialised at the Woronora Cemetery, with her medals and accolades displayed at the ANZAC Memorial in Sydney, reflecting her enduring impact on the nursing profession and her remarkable dedication to service and care.
Positive Youth Development at Sea: A Case Study of the Shenandoah Model
Authors: Blum Casey , Tucker Anita , Levran Mikole , Holmes Lucy , Walsh Hannah
Published: September 2024

Background: Tall ship sail training, a form of outdoor adventure education, has historically been used with youth to build competency in seamanship and social and emotional skills. However, there is a void in the literature documenting precise program models connected to specific goals. Purpose: This paper presents a case study of the Shenandoah Model of sail training. It details its Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework and mean changes in PYD assets reported by participants. Methodology/Approach: Participants were surveyed using a one-group retrospective pretest-posttest pre-experimental design to assess the impact of participation. Findings/Conclusions: The participants reported significant mean increases across all PYD assets (Caring, Connection, Contribution, Competence, Character, Confidence, and Happiness), including moderate effect sizes for all measures except Happiness. In addition, over 70% of the participants would recommend the program and/or do it again, suggesting program satisfaction. Implications: Connecting different PYD assets to various program activities allows future program designs to intentionally develop sail training voyages to build competencies. Future follow-up research is needed, including qualitative methods to capture the impact of these programs from the participants’ viewpoint.
Evaluating the Slip Resistance of Various Walkway Surface Contaminants
Authors: Dixon Levi , DeBusk Hunter , Fenley Ethan , Gill Joellen
Published: September 2024

For decades, falls have been a leading cause of preventable injury and death in the United States. Slip and falls, which are often caused by a contaminant(s) on the walkway, are one of the most prevalent types of falls in several industries. There were two main purposes of this study. The first was to evaluate whether the English XL Tribometer could reliably measure the slip resistance of contaminants other than liquids, including semi-liquids and dry goods. The second purpose was to evaluate the slip resistance properties of various walkway surface contaminants on different types of flooring surfaces using an English XL Tribometer. The findings showed that the English XL Tribometer is capable of reliably measuring the slip resistance of surfaces when they are contaminated with not only liquids, but also semi-liquids and dry goods. The findings also showed that surfaces that were slippery and hazardous for pedestrians when contaminated with water became even more slippery when contaminated with other contaminants such as common beverages, condiments, personal cleaning products, and various dry goods like sugar, cornmeal, and oats. The findings also indicated that even surfaces that were “slip resistant” and “safe” when wet with water can become slippery and hazardous for pedestrians when contaminated with more viscous contaminants such as condiments and personal cleaning products, along with dry goods like sugar, cornmeal, and oats.
The Utility of Neuromuscular Assessment to Identify ADHD Among Patients with a Complex Symptom Picture
Authors: Udal Anne Beate Helseth , Stray Liv Larsen , Pripp Are Hugo , Stray Torstein , Egeland Jens
Published: September 2024

Objective:

Diagnostic assessment of ADHD is challenging due to comorbid psychopathologies and symptoms overlapping with other psychiatric disorders. In this study, we investigate if a distinct pattern of neuromuscular dysregulation previously reported in ADHD, can help identifying ADHD in psychiatric patients with diverse and complex symptoms.

Method:

We explored the impact of neuromuscular dysregulation, as measured by The Motor Function Neurologic Assessment (MFNU), on the likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD, affective disorder, anxiety disorder, or personality disorder among adults ( n = 115) referred to a psychiatric outpatient clinic.

Results:

Logistic regression revealed that neuromuscular dysregulation was significantly associated with ADHD diagnosis only ( OR 1.15, p < .01), and not with affective-, anxiety-, or personality disorders. Sensitivity and specificity for ADHD at different MFNU scores is provided.

Conclusions:

A test of neuromuscular dysregulation may promote diagnostic accuracy in differentiating ADHD from other psychiatric disorders in patients with an overlapping symptom picture. This may have important implications for clinical practice. More studies are needed.
Effect of Deficit Irrigation on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield and Water Use Efficiency in the Semi-Arid Region of Awash Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Bayisa Gobena Dirirsa , Ayana Mekonen , Dinka Megersa Olumana , Hordofa Tilahun , Mekonnen Boja
Published: September 2024

Crop production is largely limited by water availability in arid and semi-arid regions of Ethiopia. Changing climate conditions and declining water resources demand appropriate approaches to improve crop yield and water use efficiency through a reduced and more reliable water supply. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of limited irrigation water use on bread wheat production and water use efficiency under the semi-arid climate conditions of Awash basin of Ethiopia. Five irrigation levels, that is, full irrigation (100% ETc/control), 85% ETc, 70% ETc, 55% ETc, and 40% ETc, were evaluated using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates. Statistical analysis has shown a significant effect of irrigation levels on wheat grain yield, water use efficiency, economic profit, wheat grain quality, and aboveground biomass. The highest grain yield (5,085 kg ha−1) was obtained from 100% ETc irrigation application (i.e. 417.2 mm of water), and the lowest grain yield was obtained from 40% ETc (i.e. 223.7 mm of water) application. A deficit level of 85% ETc resulted in a yield that was comparable to that of full irrigation. Compared to other treatments, the 70% ETc application produced the highest water use efficiency (1.42 kg m−3). Using the saved water obtained from 70% ETc deficit irrigation application, 23.4% more wheat could be produced on 1.38 ha of land, resulting in the highest profit (US$2,563.9) and higher MRR (137%). The yield response factor and crop-water production function indicated that maintaining irrigation at optimal levels can prevent potential yield reductions. Consequently, a 70% ETc deficit irrigation application was found to be optimal for increasing wheat grain yield, water use efficiency, and economic benefits from irrigated wheat production. These results suggest that deficit irrigation for wheat under semi-arid climatic conditions is a viable irrigation management option for enhancing water use efficiency.
Challenges and Possible Solutions for Riverbank Filtration: Case Studies of Three Sites in Egypt
Authors: ElHadary Mohamed , Salah Ahmed , Mikhail Beshoy , Peters Robert W , Ghanem Ashraf , Elansary Amgad S , Wahaab Rifaat A , Mostafa Mohamed K
Published: September 2024

In response to Egypt’s escalating water scarcity and pollution, Riverbank Filtration (RBF) technology is emerging as an effective solution to enhance water quality and simplify drinking water provision. This study evaluates RBF at three sites in Upper Egypt by assessing hydrogeological conditions and water quality based on 36 parameters from 2022 to 2023. Findings indicate that RBF efficiently treats infiltrated river water, with all sites meeting turbidity and microbiological standards (Total Bacterial Count and Coliforms), achieving removal rates of approximately 90% and 99%, respectively. Despite these successes, challenges persist in reducing manganese to safe levels, with concentrations at Alsaayda site reaching 0.51 mg/L, over the drinking water safe limit of 0.4 mg/L. To address this, further post-treatment strategies are proposed to remove the excess manganese. A practical application of an Oxidizer at the Bani Murr groundwater treatment plant has demonstrated the effective removal of iron and manganese, bringing their levels down to safe drinking water standards. This case exemplifies a successful solution for iron and manganese removal. This research highlights RBF’s potential in water treatment in developing countries, while emphasizing the need for supplementary measures to manage specific contaminants.
Liability chains and access to justice
Authors: Headworth Spencer
Published: September 2024

Researchers working across a variety of contexts have documented a common phenomenon: the tendency for one legal liability or entanglement in people's lives to beget another. In this article, I label such phenomena liability chains and provide a framework for analyzing them as an access to justice issue. To do so, I draw on my original research on welfare fraud investigation, which included a review of documentary evidence and interviews with fraud workers in five politically and socioeconomically diverse U.S. states. Building on previous research, these data reveal three primary ways that liability chains contribute to the access to justice crisis. First, liability chains facilitate the origination of new legal problems, often in ways that are biased and systematically unequal. Second, liability chains involve processes that allow authorities to sidestep procedural protections when building criminal cases. Third, and most importantly from the access to justice perspective, liability chains produce outcomes that are unfair, with likelihoods of new legal liabilities contingent on the presence of existing liabilities and entanglements. Moving forward, this framework offers researchers a resource to test and refine in considering the access to justice implications of liability chains in various sociolegal settings.
Retribution for tribal sovereignty: Settler colonial policing and civil justice impacts
Authors: Watters Brieanna Marie , Stewart Robert , Statz Michele
Published: September 2024

Unique among marginalized groups, American Indians are both citizens of the United States and citizens of sovereign tribal nations, as recognized (but not granted) by federal Indian law. However, even as tribal nations exert increasing economic and political power, criminal legal outcomes for tribal members—who interface with an array of tribal, local, state, and federal law enforcement and justice systems—remain detrimental or are worsened. These outcomes also include increased contact with state courts and the delegitimization of tribal courts, which uniquely implicate the civil justice context. We use the settler colonial framework to investigate how tools of state criminal law, such as heavy policing and disparate punishment, may impact the civil justice needs of Indigenous people, and more broadly, the very sovereignty these policies aim to protect. Drawing on interviews and observations in tribal and county-level courts, we examine the experiences of American Indians and other stakeholders in Indian country. We identify how enforcement practices, surveillance of space, and the complexities of layered policing within a “jurisdictional maze” contribute to the deterioration of tribal sovereignty. We contextualize our findings by considering the historical, cultural, and socio-economic factors that influence the experiences of American Indians in the criminal justice system, and by examining the civil justice implications.
A measure of justice: Citizen legal advocates, lay lawyering, and access to justice in Russia
Authors: McCarthy Lauren A , Mustafina Renata
Published: September 2024

What can access to justice look like in an authoritarian setting? In Russia, the law allows ordinary citizens who do not have a legal education to act as so-called citizen legal advocates (CLAs) in both criminal cases and cases on administrative offenses (non-criminal infractions). Drawing on qualitative fieldwork among CLAs in training sessions and in court, we show that lay people can enhance access to justice by impacting defendants’ experiences of the legal process itself despite the likely negative legal outcome. Through their multiple roles from legal advisors and coaches to guardians of prisoner welfare, we demonstrate the ways that lay people can contribute to access to justice at every stage of a defendant's journey through the system. Examining the case of lay lawyering in a repressive setting enables us to elicit and zoom in on practices—often obscured in the existing outcome-oriented scholarship—that are meaningful for access to justice in courts and prisons across the democratic/authoritarian divide.
The tour guide profession: An attractive option for UAE nationals majoring in tourism?
Authors: Rutledge Emilie J
Published: September 2024

The UAE is targeting the tourism sector as part of its drive to diversify away from an overdependence on oil and is seeking to attract more nationals to the tour guide profession. The purpose of this research is to assess what factors influence the likelihood of Emirati tourism students considering this vocation. A model that incorporates Career Decision-Making Profile and Arabian Gulf Social Contract dimensions was developed. Survey results ( n = 186) show that the nature of the job is considered attractive and, traits like ‘willingness to compromise’ and ‘independent decision making’, increased the likelihood of choosing the profession. Yet, “classic public sector” job preferences and perceptions on societal sentiment toward the ‘appropriacy’ of nonconventional vocations acted as deterrents. Recommendations are to make higher education internship programs more tailored to the individual student and modify the remit of the tour guide role at government-owned sites and venues.
Ownership technologies
Authors: Lianidis Konstantinos , Bajde Domen , Nøjgaard Mikkel
Published: September 2024

Consumer research has extensively explored digital ownership and possession, focusing on the entities owned, the owners, and their relationships to their possessions. This paper advances this literature by introducing the concept of “ownership technologies,” as an analytical lens to attend to the technological devices and techniques that mediate ownership (shape social arrangements and interpretations of what constitutes ownership, what can be owned, who can own, and how). We illustrate the utility of this lens by providing historical examples, as well as through the prism of contemporary technologies such as blockchains and NFTs. We identify three ways in which technology mediates ownership—demarcation, enclosure, and transferability—and conclude by suggesting directions for future research on digital ownership.
Optimizing Tigertriever adjustable stentriever technique: Operators’ experience
Authors: Jankowitz Brian , Abergel Eitan , Agid Ronit , Al-Schameri Abdul Rahman , Bartosz Kądziołka Krzysztof , Brook Allan , Diepers Michael , Farkas Jeffrey , Fifi Johanna , Fischer Sebastian , Gandhi Chirag , Gooch Reid , Grandhi Ramesh , Pero Guglielmo , Raphaeli Guy , Roychowdhury Sudipta , Shahram Majidi  , Stracke Christian Paul , Sourour Nader , Tanweer Omar , Tateshima Satoshi , Taussky Phil , Wiesmann Martin , Yoo Albert , Zumofen Daniel W , Singer Justin
Published: September 2024

The Tigertriever is a novel, radially adjustable stentriever that addresses limitations in traditional mechanical thrombectomy devices by providing enhanced user control over clot integration. This provides the ability to adapt to patient-specific factors such as varying vessel sizes and clot compositions and may be particularly crucial for ensuring efficacy and safety in distal locations. This consensus paper synthesizes the clinical techniques from a consortium of experienced international operators. It outlines the current data on the Tigertriever, discusses the new operator-controlled capabilities, and provides a recommended approach for both proximal and distal mechanical thrombectomy, emphasizing the “FLEX” approach (Fast Controlled Expansion with Relaxation) for optimal integration and reduced clot disruption.
The role of animacy in language production: evidence from bare noun naming
Authors: Wang Yufang , Witteman Jurriaan , Schiller Niels O
Published: September 2024

According to Levelt’s language production model, to name an object, speakers must first conceptualise and lexicalise the object before its name can be articulated. Conceptualisation is conducted through the semantic network that exists at the conceptual level, with the highly activated concept(s) activating lexical items at the lemma level, that is, lexicalisation. So far, research focused mostly on semantic categories (i.e., semantic interference) but less so on animacy—a concept that is correlated with semantic categories. To investigate the role of this semantic feature in language production, we conducted a picture-word interference study in Mandarin Chinese, varying animacy congruency and controlling for classifier congruency while recording behavioural and electrophysiological responses. We observed an animacy interference effect together with a larger N400 component for animacy-incongruent versus congruent picture-word pairs, suggesting animacy-congruent concepts may be in closer proximity and hence lead to a stronger spreading of activation relative to animacy-incongruent concepts. Furthermore, a larger P600 component was observed for classifier-incongruent versus classifier-congruent picture-word pairs, suggesting syntactically driven processing of classifiers at the lemma level.
Meibomian gland dropout of upper eyelids as a novel biomarker for early diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome: a pilot study
Authors: Wu Jing , Liang Yongying , Shi Fanjun , Tu Xianghong , Zhang Jingfa , Qiu Qinghua
Published: September 2024

Background:

Early diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) remains difficult due to its insidious onset.

Objectives:

To identify whether meibomian gland dropout (MGD) is a sensitive and noninvasive predictor of pSS by studying its association with histopathology in labial salivary gland biopsy in patients with clinically suspected pSS.

Design:

Prospective, randomized, multicenter, comparative effectiveness study.

Methods:

The study was conducted from July 2022 to July 2023. In all, 56 eligible participants with clinically suspected pSS were recruited from three combined ophthalmology medicine/rheumatology SS clinics. All participants with suspected pSS were evaluated and diagnosed by ophthalmology and rheumatology consultants and underwent infrared imaging of the meibomian glands using Keratograph 5M and histopathological evaluation of labial salivary gland biopsies. The length, width, and tortuosity of the meibomian glands were measured; the dropout rate in the nasal, temporal, and total eyelids was analyzed; and the dropout score was calculated using meibography grading scales.

Results:

Among the 56 participants, 34 were identified with pSS, and 22 were diagnosed with non-SS dry eye (NSSDE) and served as the control group. We recorded significant differences in the temporal and total MGD rates of the upper eyelids between the pSS and NSSDE groups (all p < 0.01). Improved prediction accuracy was achieved with the temporal and total MGD rates in the upper eyelids, with area under the curve values of 0.94 and 0.91, and optimal cutoff points of 0.78 and 0.75, respectively.

Conclusion:

MGD in the upper eyelids, especially in the temporal portion, is strongly associated with the histopathological outcome of labial salivary gland biopsy in pSS and is proposed as a highly predictive and noninvasive biomarker for the early diagnosis of pSS.

Trial registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR2000038911.
A 38-year-Old Woman With Flaccid Tetraparesis after Presenting With Abdominal Pain
Authors: Rodrigues Dal Bo Carolina , Miranda Menezes Julia , Gabriela Gomes Silva Barbara , dos Santos Sarah Ingrid Farias , Petrucelli Doher Marisa , de Araújo Gleizer René
Published: September 2024

A 38-year-old woman presented in the emergency department with acute abdominal pain. She underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Postoperatively, she developed worsening abdominal pain, tachycardia, flaccid tetraparesis, urinary retention, constipation and SIADH. She also developed red-colored urine. Porphobilinogen was requested in an isolated urine sample, with the test result showing 256 mg/g of creatinine. This case didactically emphasizes the necessity of considering differential diagnosis in acute abdomen pain associated with neurological disorders.
Preputial urethrostomy in a cat with suspected glandular hypospadias: case report and literature review
Authors: Murcia-Barba Aina , Serra-Aguado Claudio Iván , Serrano-Crehuet Tomás , Fernández-Salesa Núria
Published: September 2024

Case summary

An 11-year-old neutered male Turkish Angora cat was referred for obstructive feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). On physical examination, the penis was curved at the tip and had a smaller than normal urethral opening proximal to the end, consistent with singular glandular hypospadias with a dorsal penile curvature. Because of its recurrent obstructive FLUTD history and inability to catheterise the urethra, a preputial urethrostomy (PRU) was performed. The PRU resolved the clinical signs with no clinical recurrence and no short- or long-term complications.

Relevance and novel information

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first description of singular glandular hypospadias in a cat. In addition, this is the first time feline hypospadias has been reported to occur with obstructive FLUTD and to be treated by preputial urethrostomy.