bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advancing Donald Schön's Reflective Practitioner: Where to Next?
Authors: Tan Linus , Kocsis Anita , Burry Jane
Published: July 2023

In 1983, Donald Schön published his seminal work, The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. The book emerged during the peak of the Design Methods movement, when works like L. Bruce Archer's Systematic Method for Designers and Herbert A. Simon's The Sciences of the Artificial argued for recognizing design processes as scientific inquiries. Coincidentally, Schön posited an alternative view to rationalizing design processes, called professional artistry, which is implicit professional knowledge. Using protocol studies in various disciplines, he demonstrated that professionals reflect-in-action while working and, as a result, learn and produce knowledge through doing (knowing-in-action). Since the 1980s, design theorists, researchers, and professionals have used Schön's work enthusiastically to articulate that designers learn more about their design process and design project as they design. Forty years after publication, The Reflective Practitioner continues to serve many design researchers as a foundation of learning from the experience of their design processes. However, this theory has limitations that must be recognized and addressed to stay relevant today. The Reflective Practitioner was written for individuals, whereas nowadays, designers often work in teams. The next step is to consider how individual reflections are shared and learned with other designers so that the team benefits from its collective reflective practices.
The Influence of Fonts on the Reading Performance in Easy-to-Read Texts: A Legibility Study with 145 Participants
Authors: Sieghart Sabina
Published: July 2023

This study examines whether the common typographical recommendations for texts in easy-to-read language are helpful. So far, using a sans-serif font in 14 pt has been suggested. The statistical evaluation shows that Thesis TheSans is read significantly faster than Arial. Fonts with serifs are read slightly faster. The font size of 12 pt is large enough. The study clearly indicates that the strict commitment to sans serif fonts—and the Arial font in particular—for texts in easy-to-read language is wrong. The results can be used by designers and clients as a valid decision-making aid when creating barrier-free communication.
La réorganisation du système judiciaire fatimide sous al-Muʿizz
Authors: Pfeiffer Athina
Published: July 2023

Le décret émis par la chancellerie de l’Imam-calife fatimide al-Muʿizz li-Dīn Allāh en 343/954 nomme Abū Ḥanīfa al-Nuʿmān b. Muḥammad (m. 363/974) aux plus hautes charges judiciaires de l’État en Ifrīqiya. Al-Nuʿmān copia ce décret dans son Kitāb Iḫtilāf uṣūl al-maḏāhib (La divergence des principes juridiques des écoles de droit), un ouvrage de polémique juridique où l’auteur fustige les autres écoles doctrinales de droit. L’auteur défend l’autorité politico-religieuse de l’Imam-calife face aux critiques développées par les juristes sunnites à l’égard des Fatimides en Ifrīqiya : il affirme une doctrine juridique ismaélienne modérée, concurrente des écoles juridiques sunnites, dans le but de purger le mouvement fatimide de ses éléments jugés extrêmes, les ġulāt. Le décret d’al-Muʿizz met quant à lui en place une justice bicéphale : d’un côté, il entérine le rôle judiciaire de l’Imam fatimide lequel apparaît de surcroît comme une source de droit ; de l’autre, il confirme l’institutionnalisation de la fonction de « grand cadi » fatimide. Incarnée par al-Nuʿmān, l’institution de « cadi de l’Imam » se mua progressivement en celle de grand cadi fatimide d’Ifrīqiya : sans en porter le titre, al-Nuʿmān remplissait déjà sous al-Manṣūr le rôle de grand cadi. Plus tard, le décret d’al-Muʿizz entérine ce rôle, en lui ajoutant des responsabilités nouvelles. À la tête de la hiérarchie judiciaire, le grand cadi nommait notamment des ḥukkām qui remplissaient la fonction de juge dans les territoires vides d’autorité cadiale. Ces magistrats secondaires faisaient le lien entre le pouvoir central et les espaces ruraux où les Fatimides étaient vulnérables. La hiérarchisation et la centralisation de la justice fatimide sous al-Muʿizz avaient pour double objectif de balayer l’influence des grandes juridictions urbaines (Kairouan et al-Mahdiyya) concurrentes du grand cadi et de contrôler les territoires éloignés, principalement ruraux.
The Philippines species of the genus Prothyma Hope, 1838 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) Part 1: Subgenera Prothyma Hope, 1838, Genoprothyma Rivalier, 1964 and Parasymplecthyma subgen. nov.
Authors: WIESNER JÜRGEN , ANICHTCHENKO ALEXANDER
Published: July 2023

The Philippines species of Prothyma Hope, 1838 (Prothyma s.str., Genoprothyma Rivalier, 1964 and Parasymplecthyma subgen. nov.) are revised to include 12 species. Prothyma (Genoprothyma) rotundatocuprascens Horn, 1923, and Prothyma (Genoprothyma) confluenteangustata Horn, 1924, are elevated to species rank; Prothyma (Symplecthyma) claudinae Dheurle, 2012 is synonymized with Prothyma (Genoprothyma) tenuipenis Horn, 1934; and two species are described: Prothyma (Genoprothyma) masbateensis sp. nov. and Prothyma (Genoprothyma) miltonmedinai sp. nov. The subgenus Parasymplecthyma subgen. nov., its unique species Prothyma (Parasymplethyma) johnsoni sp. nov. are described. Keys to Prothyma subgenera and to the Philippines species are provided. Color photographs of the habitus and diagnostic characters, also showing their variability, are presented.
Glyptothorax viridis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from Manipur, India
Authors: SHANGNINGAM BUNGDON , KOSYGIN LAISHRAM
Published: July 2023

Glyptothorax viridis, new species, is described from the Dujang, a hill stream tributary of the Chakpi River, Chindwin drainage in Manipur, India. It is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of plicae on paired fins; thoracic adhesive apparatus with a deep, cone-shaped median depression opening caudally; a slender pelvic fin reaching the anal fin, and tuberculated skin with three stripes on the body.
A new species of the fish louse genus Dipteropeltis Calman, 1912 (Crustacea: Branchiura) from Peru
Authors: GABOARDI LYRA M. , REEVES LAWRENCE E. , MOREY GERMÁN AUGUSTO MURRIETA , STANTON DANIEL L. , CARNEY RYAN M.
Published: July 2023

Dipteropeltis is a poorly described genus of fish louse endemic to South America. In a small blackwater region within Loreto, Peru, 13 adult and juvenile specimens of an unidentified species of Dipteropeltis Calman, 1912, as well as one adult specimen of D. hirundo Calman, 1912, were observed and collected. Scanning electron and light micrographs were acquired to examine and measure key features of these specimens. Morphological differences from the two known species of Dipteropeltis, D. hirundo and D. campanaformis Neethling et al., 2014, indicate that the collected specimens represent a new species. Dipteropeltis longicaudatus sp. nov. is diagnosed by elongate abdominal lobes, a chevron-shaped carapace, and uniquely shaped maxillae. One specimen represents the longest branchiuran documented to date at 31.5 mm. Additionally, we provide the first sequence data for this genus using DNA barcoding, which corroborates our designation of a new species. Videos were also captured that document behaviors including host attachment, pulsating abdominal lobes, suction disc “walking”, and swimming. Findings have implications for its teleost hosts, Triportheus albus Cope, 1872 and Brycon amazonicus Spix & Agassiz, 1829, the latter being a critical species for aquaculture and commercial fisheries in Amazonia.
6. The Limits of Limitarianism
Authors: Huseby Robert
Published: July 2023

This chapter starts by examining Robeyns’ instrumental limitarianism and argues that this view is not limitarian as such, since the intrinsic values to be promoted are better served by other instrumental principles. Next, it is argued that it is difficult to envision a compelling version of intrinsic limitarianism. The reason is first that the possible versions of intrinsic limitarianism suggested (but not endorsed) by Robeyns really rest on other values, pushing limitarianism back into the instrumental realm. Second, a version of limitarianism based directly on the (supposed) badness of having too much, is unconvincing. Subsequently, instrumental views (other than Robeyns’) are revisited, but also found wanting. Lastly, the attempt to defend a more limited limitarianism, a ‘limitarian presumption,’ is assessed and rejected.
From Handwriting to Footprinting
Authors: Baillot Anne
Published: July 2023

How do we currently preserve and access texts, and will our current methods be sustainable in the future?

In From Handwriting to Footprinting, Anne Baillot seeks to answer this question by offering a detailed analysis of the methods that enable access to textual materials, in particular, access to books of literary significance. Baillot marshals her considerable expertise in the field of digital humanities to establish a philological overview of the changing boundaries of ‘access’ to literary heritage over centuries, deconstructing the western tradition of archiving and how it has led to current digital dissemination practices. Rigorously examining the negative environmental impact of digital publishing and archiving, Baillot proposes an alternative model of preservation and dissemination which reconciles fundamental traditions with the values of social responsibility and sustainability in an era of climate crisis.

Integrating historical, archival and environmental perspectives, From Handwriting to Footprinting illuminates the impact that digitisation has had on the dissemination and preservation of textual heritage and reflects on what its future may hold. It is invaluable reading for anyone interested in textual history from a linguistic or philological perspective, as well as those working on publishing, archival and infrastructure projects that require the storing and long-term preservation of texts, or who want to know how to develop a more mindful attachment to digitised material.
3. What the Climate Crisis Does to Text
Authors: Baillot Anne
Published: July 2023

This chapter proposes a reassessment of the quality criteria for digital text developed in the previous chapter in the light of the climate crisis. It considers the environmental cost of the quantity, quality, circulation and complexity of information that has now been reached in north-western countries. Elaborating on criteria for measuring the environmental impact of text production, dissemination and preservation, this chapter envisions tomorrow's strategies for textual content in a context of greater respect for the limited natural resources that are at our disposal, arguing that the limited environmental weight of raw digital text calls for a reassessment of its role in preservation strategies. This chapter closes with a self-reflexive case study dedicated to the carbon footprint of the book From Handwriting to Footprinting itself.
Quantifying Global Warming Response of the Orographic Precipitation in a Typhoon Environment with Large-Eddy Simulations
Authors: Chen Jianan , Shi Xiaoming
Published: July 2023

The intense and moist winds in a tropical cyclone (TC) environment can produce strong mountain waves and enhanced precipitation over complex terrain, yet few studies have investigated how the orographic precipitation in a TC environment might respond to global warming. Here, we use large-eddy simulation to estimate the global warming–induced change in the precipitation near an idealized mountain (1 km maximum height) with pseudo global warming. Two regions exhibit enhanced precipitation, one over the mountain and the other in the downstream region 25–45 km away from the mountain. The enhanced precipitation in both regions is related to the seeder–feeder mechanism, although the enhancement in the downstream regions differs from the conventional definition and is referred to as the pseudo-seeder–feeder mechanism (PSF). In the PSF, mountain waves generate an intense cloud formation center in the midtroposphere above the lee slope, and the resulting hydrometeors drift downstream, intensifying downstream convection when they fall into proper locations. Under warming, the overmountain precipitation maximum exhibits minimal changes, while the downstream precipitation maximum exhibits a large sensitivity of 18% K−1. The small sensitivity of the first precipitation peak is due to the canceling effects of thermodynamic and dynamic changes. The large sensitivity in the downstream region is mainly due to the strengthening of the wave-induced midtroposphere cloud formation center, which supplies more hydrometeors to the downstream region and enhances precipitation efficiency through the enhanced PSF mechanism. However, the downstream precipitation sensitivity varies with mountain geometry. Higher mountain height enhances precipitation but lowers the sensitivity to warming.

Significance Statement

The combination of typhoon environment and orography can produce intense precipitation and thereby severe flooding risks. Here, we investigate the global warming response of orographic precipitation in a typhoon environment with idealized, high-resolution simulations. The experiments suggest that under warming, a precipitation maximum may emerge in the downstream region of a mountain or strengthen and shift upwind if it already exists in the current climate. This surprising amplification of downstream-region precipitation is related to the enhancement of the midtropospheric cloud generation caused by mountain waves and has critical implications for flooding risk management in mountainous regions.
Exit, Voice, or Both: Why Organizations Engage With Stakeholders
Authors: Billiet Adrien , Bruneel Johan , Dufays Frédéric
Published: July 2023

To shield stakeholders from exploitation, society increasingly expects organizations to engage with stakeholders. While exploitation of stakeholders is of great concern, economic literature points to the costly nature of stakeholder engagement vis-à-vis alternative mechanisms that protect stakeholders, such as competitive markets. When the costs of stakeholder engagement outweigh the benefits, why would organizations engage with stakeholders? Through an analysis of the cooperative enterprise and a comparison with its capitalist counterpart, we theorize two additional reasons why stakeholder engagement is beneficial. First, we explain how stakeholder engagement facilitates long-term organizational resilience and protection of stakeholders in times of crisis, and second, we show how engagement is a decisive ingredient in answering non-economic value requirements of stakeholders. To conclude, we contribute to the broader stakeholder engagement and cooperative literature by stressing that engagement practices, and particularly democratic governance arrangements, are subject to design principles that sometimes favor stakeholders in capitalist firms.
How do the emotional and embodied experiences of international interveners influence their understanding and practice of peacebuilding?
Authors: Wallis Joanne
Published: July 2023

What happens if international interveners feel emotions that they consider unsanctioned, unwanted and unprofessional? What if they enact and manage their emotions in ways that they – or others – deem unacceptable? If international interveners face anxiety about being ‘too emotional’ or not feeling or expressing the ‘right’ emotions, does this challenge their sense of identity? And what consequences could this have for peacebuilding and the conflict-affected population in which they were working? Building on the growing body of critical peace and conflict scholarship that has analysed international interveners at the micro-scale, this article analyses how individual interveners’ emotional and embodied experiences influence their understanding and practice of peacebuilding. Based on a discourse analysis of the memoirs of 10 international interveners, this article identifies two primary interpretive repertoires that the interveners employed and argues that they generated two ideal-type subject positions: the intervener as objective, rational, technocratic ‘expert’ and the intervener as irrational, fallible, vulnerable ‘human’. These subject positions determined the feeling rules that the interveners followed and the dilemmas they faced. This, in turn, affected how the interveners perceived the conflict-affected societies in which they were working, and how they understood and practised peacebuilding.
Music Educators as DJs: Remixing Teaching With Hip-Hop
Authors: Gallo Donna J. , Kruse Adam J.
Published: July 2023

To investigate how music educators engage their students with Hip-Hop, we adopted a “research remix” approach, combining elements of case study and constructivist grounded theory. This approach allowed us to privilege Hip-Hop culture and to construct new understandings about Hip-Hop teaching and learning. Six elementary and middle school music teachers implemented Hip-Hop-focused instruction in their classrooms while also attending professional development workshops. Data included videos of classroom instruction, participant interviews, and videos of the workshops with co-facilitation from Hip-Hop artists and the researchers. Educators encountered tensions and challenges related to a perceived Hip-Hop “realness” and a lack of musical and pedagogical skills. To address these challenges, participants remixed their approaches by blending elements of Hip-Hop music and culture with their established teaching strategies. Teachers’ dispositions and feedback from students and colleagues engendered critical reflections about their positionalities in relation to Hip-Hop. We constructed a visual model of a DJ as a metaphor to describe participants’ approaches to remixing their teaching with Hip-Hop within their contexts. Implications include a need for increased emphasis on Hip-Hop in U.S. music teacher education programs and institutional pathways for Hip-Hop musicians to become music educators.
Post-mortem tetramorphism: Four morphological changes within the same corpse
Authors: Zanovello Claudia , Pallocci Margherita , Passalacqua Pierluigi , Mazzuca Daniela , De Luca Lucilla , Caparrelli Valentina , Milano Filippo , Treglia Michele
Published: July 2023

Transformative processes generally occur singly and jointly involving the whole body. Rarely, they appear simultaneously as distinct transformative phenomena. The case study relates to a corpse found inside a storage tank in a rather unusual position, during the winter months. On external examination carried out at the crime scene, both legs and feet were out of the well bending over the storage tank and showing skeletonisation and tissue defects due to biting inflicted by the environmental macrofauna. The thighs were also skeletonised, inside the well but not immersed in the water, as was the torso which, however, was entirely corified. The colliquated shoulders, head and upper limbs were fully immersed into the water as well as the macerated hands. The corpse was exposed simultaneously to three different environmental conditions: the external setting with changes in temperature, rainfall and the action of the macro fauna, the unventilated and humid setting inside the tank, and lastly the stored water. The corpse, lying in a specific position and being exposed to different atmospheric conditions, underwent four post-mortem changes at the same time, making it challenging to estimate the time of death, based only on the available data and macroscopic findings.
General Mental Health, Loneliness, and Life Satisfaction in the Context of COVID-19 Policies: A 2-Year Cohort Study in the Netherlands, April 2020–January 2022
Authors: van den Boom Wijnand , Marra Elske , van der Vliet Nina , Elberse Janneke , van Dijken Suzan , van Dijk Mart , Euser Saskia , Derks Mare , Leurs Mariken , Albers Casper , Sanderman Robbert , de Bruin Marijn
Published: July 2023

Objective:

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected mental health, understanding who has been affected most and why is incomplete. We sought to understand changes in mental health in the context of transmission numbers and pandemic (social) restrictions and whether changes in mental health varied among population groups.

Methods:

We analyzed data from 92 062 people (aged ≥16 years and able to read Dutch) who participated in the Corona Behavioral Unit cohort study at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, the Netherlands, from April 17, 2020, through January 25, 2022. Participants self-reported mental well-being through multiple rounds of surveys. We used a multivariable linear mixed-effects model to analyze loneliness, general mental health, and life satisfaction.

Results:

As strictness of pandemic prevention measures and social restrictions increased, people’s feelings of loneliness increased and mental health and life satisfaction decreased. As restrictions were relaxed, loneliness decreased and general mental health improved. Younger people (aged 16-24 y) versus older people (aged ≥40 y), people with low (vs high) education levels, and people living alone (vs living together) were more likely to have negative well-being outcomes. We observed that trajectories over time differed considerably only by age, with participants aged 16-24 years affected substantially more than participants aged ≥40 years by pandemic social restrictions. These patterns were consistent across multiple waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that the social restrictions imposed by the Dutch government during the study period were associated with reduced mental well-being, especially among younger people. However, people appeared resilient as they recovered during periods when restrictions were relaxed. Monitoring and supporting well-being, in particular to reduce loneliness, may help younger people during periods of intense social restrictions.
Angry Worship and Preaching: Embodying Context and Text in Liturgy – Part 1
Authors: Wepener Cas
Published: July 2023

In a world plagued by injustices such as gender-based violence, racism, poverty, and inequality, preaching and liturgy can foster a prophetic imagination that simultaneously criticizes and energizes. In two articles, the potentially positive role that anger can play in this kind of liturgy and preaching is explored. After a narrative-style introduction, the first article provides a contextual and theoretical background by describing a South African and global context that elicits a wide range of angry responses. It follows with an exploration of anger as an emotion and the importance of the human body, including the emotions and the senses, in the performance of worship and preaching. Furthermore, anger in theological discussions is presented, as well as the practice of listening to anger. Finally, different kinds of anger are described with one specific type, named Lordean rage by Myisha Cherry, being examined as a meaningful type of anger for liturgical praxis. Expressions of Lordean anger as encountered in biblical and present-day contexts can, and even should at times, be embodied in preaching and liturgy. The second article builds on these insights and develops a preliminary liturgical and homiletical praxis theory for angry preaching and worship.
Research on bearing fault diagnosis method based on SCVMD and CGLF under various rotating speeds
Authors: Li Yong , Cheng Gang , Ma Sencai , Li Xin
Published: July 2023

To solve the problem of bearing fault diagnosis at different speeds, a fault diagnosis method based on single-component variational modal decomposition (SCVMD) and coarse-grained lattice feature (CGLF) is proposed by analyzing the influence mode of speed transformation on frequency spectrum. First, the central frequency of the main resonance band of the signal is extracted based on SCVMD to eliminate the problem of spectrum shift caused by speed change. Then, the signal fragments are intercepted from the original signal spectrum to construct CGLF. Finally, a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) is established to solve the sideband shrinkage problem caused by speed change and used to construct the mapping relationship between CGLF and category labels. In the experiment, bearing fault experimental platform dataset is used for the algorithm verification, and the final recognition rate is 98.3%. It proves that the method can effectively achieve bearing fault diagnosis at different speeds.
Google is Free: Moral Evaluations of Intergroup Curiosity
Authors: Mosley Ariel J. , Solomon Larisa Heiphetz
Published: July 2023

Two experiments investigated how evaluations of intergroup curiosity differed depending on whether people placed responsibility for their learning on themselves or on outgroup members. In Study 1, participants ( n = 340; 51% White-American, 49% Black-American) evaluated White actors who were curious about Black culture and placed responsibility on outgroup members to teach versus on themselves to learn. Both Black and White participants rated the latter actors as more moral, and perceptions of effort mediated this effect. A follow-up preregistered study ( n = 513; 75% White-American) asked whether perceptions of greater effort cause greater perceptions of moral goodness. Replicating Study 1, participants rated actors as more moral when they placed responsibility on themselves versus others. Participants also rated actors as more moral when they exerted high versus low effort. These results clarify when and why participants view curiosity as morally good and help to strengthen bridges between work on curiosity, moral cognition, and intergroup relations.
Beautiful Strangers: Physical Evaluation of Strangers Is Influenced by Friendship Expectation
Authors: Kononov Natalia , Ein-Gar Danit
Published: July 2023

People tend to evaluate themselves as better than they actually are. Such enhanced positive evaluation occurs not only for the self but also for close others. We extend the exploration of enhanced evaluation of close others to that of strangers. We predict that when individuals consider becoming friends with a stranger, their preference for a pleasant physical experience will drive an enhanced evaluation of that person. In two experiments, participants who considered friendship with a stranger evaluated the stranger as looking, sounding, and smelling better than how control participants evaluated them. The amount of time participants expected to spend with the stranger predicted their evaluation (Studies 1–2). In a large-scale third study, using various target stimuli, we found that when participants have an interest in a friendship but then are unable to physically spend time together, the enhanced-evaluation effect is weaker compared with when they could spend time together.
Training and learning support to use smartphones and apps for people with vision impairment (PVI): A multi-site qualitative study on trainers’ perspectives from Australia, Canada, and Singapore
Authors: Tan Hwei Lan , Aplin Tammy , Gullo Hannah , McAuliffe Tomomi
Published: July 2023

Smartphones and applications (apps) are replacing traditional assistive technology devices for people with vision impairment (PVI) to support their mobility and independence in daily life. However, training and learning support to enable PVI to use this technology to its full advantage requires further research. A better understanding of what, and how, training and learning support is currently being provided is required to inform the future development of training and best practice in the area. This study, using an interpretive descriptive qualitative approach, aimed to explore the perspectives of trainers on the current provision of smartphone training in Australia, Canada, and Singapore. Semi-structured interviews with 22 trainers, including 13 trainers with a vision impairment, discussed how training is currently conducted, the challenges, and their ideas on what would constitute a high-quality or ideal training programme. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and six themes emerged: structure and content of training; training provides hope, independence and connection; trainers’ approach and attributes influence training; informal support and other avenues for learning; challenges associated with providing training; and suggestions to improve training. Participants highlighted that smartphone training was a source of hope for PVI and that it enabled independence. The importance of responding to clients’ emotional needs, in addition to their learning needs in an individualised and graded approach, was discussed as critical to the success of training. Trainers with vision impairment who weaved their lived experience into the training sessions found this to be beneficial to their clients’ learning and adjustment to vision loss.
Biomechanical alterations in lower limb lymphedema: Implications for walking ability and rehabilitation
Authors: Tedeschi Roberto
Published: July 2023

Background

Lymphedema is a chronic progressive disease that results in interstitial edema in the limbs, and to a lesser extent in the genitals and face, due to damage to the lymphatic system.

Methods

Research was conducted between July 2022 and September 2022 in biomedical databases: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library), and PEDro.

Results

Two studies showed that lymphedema alters gait parameters by affecting mainly kinematic parameters, although kinetic parameters were found to be significantly altered, especially in patients with severe lymphedema. In other studies, using methods such as videos and questionnaires, difficulties in walking were found in the presence of lymphedema. The most common abnormality was antalgic gait.

Conclusions

Poor mobility can worsen the edema, which, in turn, can compromise joint range of motion. Gait analysis is an essential tool to evaluate and follow.
Long-term patient-reported donor-site morbidity after free peroneal fasciocutaneous flap in head and neck reconstruction
Authors: Lee Shih-Yu , Yang Kuo-Chung , Lin Cheng-Ta , Ho Yen-Yi , Chen Lee-Wei , Liu Wen-Chung
Published: July 2023

Objective

Fasciocutaneous free flap based on the peroneal artery (boneless version) is an option in our practice for head and neck reconstruction. However, the associated donor-site morbidity has rarely been discussed. Thus, this study investigated the long-term patient-reported donor-site morbidity associated with peroneal flaps.

Methods

In this single-center, retrospective, observational study, 39 patients who underwent a free peroneal flap were enrolled. We evaluated donor-site morbidity with a modified questionnaire from Enneking et al. and Bodde et al.

Results

Patient-reported daily life limitation was relatively low (5/39; 12.9%). Donor-site morbidities, namely pain (4/39; 10.3%), sensory disturbance (9/39; 23.1%), and walking limitation (9/39; 23.1%) were reported; most were rated minimal in severity. Among patients with walking limitation, muscle weakness (3/39; 7.7%), ankle instability (6/39; 15.4%), and gait alternation (6/39; 15.4%) were reported. Six patients developed claw toe.

Conclusion

Balancing successful reconstruction and donor-site morbidity is challenging. This long-term patient-reported survey revealed that harvesting peroneal flaps resulted in minimal or minor donor-site morbidity with no obvious impacts on the patients’ daily quality of life. Although free radial forearm flaps and anterolateral thigh flaps are standard, free peroneal flaps have been proven reliable, with acceptable donor-site morbidity.
Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration for the diagnosis of retroperitoneal tuberculosis: A case report
Authors: Xu Zailing , Liu Guoliang , Ying Xiangjian , Wang Jianbo
Published: July 2023

Retroperitoneal tuberculosis is a rare disease that can mimic many conditions and lacks specific clinical manifestations, which makes it difficult to diagnose. As a consequence, it can be misdiagnosed as a malignant tumour. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) can obtain specimens of the lesion site from areas that might be inaccessible using more traditional biopsy methods. A 60-year-old female patient was admitted with a 3-month history of intermittent upper abdominal pain accompanied by nausea. Imaging found pancreatic uncinate process and retroperitoneal lymph nodes at the horizontal part of the duodenum. EUS-FNA found necrotic matter, multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid cells consistent with the signs of tuberculosis bacilli infection, although typical noncaseous granuloma and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were not observed. Retroperitoneal tuberculosis was considered as the diagnosis. After anti-tubercular therapy, the signs and symptoms quickly improved and a repeat computed tomography scan found that the space-occupying lesion had reduced in size. By using EUS-FNA, the cytological and histopathological findings can be obtained in a timely manner to facilitate an earlier diagnosis and avoid unnecessary procedures such as laparotomy or surgery.
Online work as humanitarian relief? The promise and limitations of digital livelihoods for Syrian refugees and Lebanese youth during times of crisis
Authors: Hackl Andreas , Najdi Watfa
Published: July 2023

The global spread of a web-based digital economy raises questions about its potential as a lifeline to people affected by severe economic and humanitarian crises. As local markets crumble and unemployment rises, online freelance work offers a seemingly accessible source of income that is independent of the constraints of local markets and national regulations. This article scrutinizes this promise against the backdrop of multiple evolving crises in Lebanon, asking to what extent a transnational digital economy can serve crisis-affected populations, including refugees, as a secure source of income and work. The research is based on interviews and surveys with Syrian refugees and host community members in Lebanon, who participated in digital skills training programmes and worked as digital freelancers for Social Impact Platforms and Enterprises. Their experience shows how the impact of Lebanon's crises undermined the feasibility of web-based digital work precisely at a time when they needed it most. Syrian refugees in Lebanon are affected by particular layers of regulatory restriction, including their exclusion from digital platforms, skills training programmes, and the financial system. As these layers of exclusion intersect with the precarity of self-employed digital jobs and a severe economic crisis, Syrians’ displacement in Lebanon is reconfigured into a digital space of exile within a transnational digital economy. Viewed from this perspective, the digital economy fails to live up to its inclusive promise and fails to transcend the restrictive regulations, economic instability, and precarity that characterizes crisis-affected states and populations.
Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Original Grit Scale (Grit-O) Among Cambodian Adolescents
Authors: Apsley Hannah B. , Knapp Kyler S. , Eng Sothy , Cleveland H. H.
Published: July 2023

Background

Cambodian youth face many unique challenges, such as high instances of poverty and intergenerational trauma. Grit, a person-level trait defined as having “perseverance and passion for long-term goals”, may be particularly important in helping Cambodian youth to succeed despite the extreme challenges they face. To date, the Original Grit Scale (Grit-O) has not been translated in Khmer or validated for a sample of Cambodian youth.

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of a Khmer translation of the Original Grit Scale (Grit-O) among urban Cambodian youth.

Research Design

A cross-section survey battery --including Grit-O and other relevant covariates --was administered to Cambodian youth.

Study Sample

Data were collected from 580 Cambodian adolescents ( Mage = 15.85 years, SDage = 2.05, 63.7% female).

Data Collection and Analysis

Paper and pencil surveys were sent home from school with each participant and returned to the study team the next day. Analyses included calculating Cronbach’s alphas, interitem correlations, correlations with relevant covariates and both a confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis.

Results

Cronbach’s alphas and interitem correlations indicated that the full scale was not reliable for this sample, and that reliability improved when two items ( I become interested in new pursuits every few months --reverse-scored and I finish whatever I begin) were excluded. The subscales Consistency of Interests and Perseverance of Effort were more reliable than the full scale. Correlations with relevant covariates indicated that the full scale was moderately valid. Factor analyses suggested that items 6 and 7 did not load well onto either identified factor.

Conclusions

Investigators measuring grit in a sample of Cambodian youth should consider excluding items 6 and 7 of Grit-O, and assessing the two subscales on their own, rather than treating them as indicators of a single higher-order construct.
How Do Vape Advertising Campaigns Affect Consumers’ Vaping Tendency? A Meta-Analytic Investigation
Authors: Yang Zhiyong , Velasco Franklin , Tanner Emily C. , Tanner John F.
Published: July 2023

The objective of this research is to help reconcile the mixed findings on the effect of vape advertising campaigns on consumers’ vaping tendency. In a meta-analysis of 43 papers (140 studies, with 77,452 observations; 33% women, 67% men; Mage = 30.5 years), this research shows that in situations where perceived risk is less salient (e.g., social media vs. traditional advertising, ads using picture-dominant vs. text-dominant cues, adolescents vs. adults, nonsmokers vs. smokers), the positive effect of vape advertising campaigns on consumers’ vaping tendency is stronger. In addition, this research provides evidence that vape advertising campaigns reduce, rather than increase, smokers’ tendency to quit smoking, which is contradictory to the claims made by vaping product manufacturers. The authors discuss the theoretical contributions of those findings and provide specific tools that policy makers can use to combat the influence of vape advertising campaigns. Potential limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
Toxicity of methomyl insecticides to testicular cells and protective effect of folic acid
Authors: Lu Mengxi , Liu Yi
Published: July 2023

Methomyl is a carbamate insecticide with confirmed testicular toxicity. This study intended to observe the effect of methomyl on testicular cells and the protective effect of folic acid through in vitro experiments. The GC-1 spermatogonia, TM4 Sertoli cells, and TM3 Leydig cells were treated with methomyl (0, 250, 500, and 1000 μM) with or without folic acid (0, 10, 100, and 1000 nM) for 24 h. It was found that methomyl increased cytotoxicity to testicular cells in a dose-dependent manner. In spermatogonia, methomyl significantly inhibited the expression of proliferation genes Ki67 and PCNA at 1000 μM, and increased the expression of apoptosis genes Caspase3 and Bax at each dose. In Sertoli cells, methomyl dose-dependently inhibited the expression of blood-testis barrier function genes TJP1, Cx43, and N-cadherin, but did not affect Occludin and E-cadherin. In Leydig cells, methomyl inhibited the expression of steroid synthase P450scc, StAR, Hsd3b1 and down-regulated the level of testosterone, but did not affect Cyp17a1 and Hsd17b1. Further, folic acid could basically reduce the damage caused by methomyl. This study provided new insights into the toxicity of methomyl and the protective effect of folic acid.
Canadian Association of Radiologists Practice Guidelines for Computed Tomography Colonography
Authors: Chawla Tanya , Hurrell Casey , Keough Valerie , Lindquist Chris M. , Mohammed Mohammed F. , Samson Caroline , Sugrue Gavin , Walsh Cynthia
Published: July 2023

Colon cancer is the third most common malignancy in Canada. Computed tomography colonography (CTC) provides a creditable and validated option for colon screening and assessment of known pathology in patients for whom conventional colonoscopy is contraindicated or where patients self-select to use imaging as their primary modality for initial colonic assessment. This updated guideline aims to provide a toolkit for both experienced imagers (and technologists) and for those considering launching this examination in their practice. There is guidance for reporting, optimal exam preparation, tips for problem solving to attain high quality examinations in challenging scenarios as well as suggestions for ongoing maintenance of competence. We also provide insight into the role of artificial intelligence and the utility of CTC in tumour staging of colorectal cancer. The appendices provide more detailed guidance into bowel preparation and reporting templates as well as useful information on polyp stratification and management strategies. Reading this guideline should equip the reader with the knowledge base to perform colonography but also provide an unbiased overview of its role in colon screening compared with other screening options.
Design methodology for an integrated axial piston-type electrohydraulic unit
Authors: Sarode Shanmukh , Shang Lizhi , Vacca Andrea , Sudhoff Scott
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a design methodology for power-dense and high-efficient electrohydraulic units (EHUs) that can be used to select design specifications for the electric machine (EM) for a given hydraulic machine (HM) architecture. The proposed method evaluates EHU performance considering both electric and hydraulic power losses. The compactness of the EHU is achieved by integrating an axial piston unit as HM inside a permanent magnet EM. The paper provides a sensitivity analysis for important EHU design specifications and discusses the best choices for reducing total mass and energy loss. The study finds that greater aspect ratios promote power-to-weight ratio, while high voltage promotes energy efficiency. The paper also discusses the choice of fixed versus variable displacement HMs, with the finding that a variable displacement unit helps address low efficiency limits of low-speed operation, particularly for low voltage electric machines. Additionally, variable displacement can also be used to reduce EM losses when meeting a flow-pressure demand. The proposed methodology has applications in fields such as off-road vehicles.
Adaptive authority dynamic game for human-machine cooperative control
Authors: Li Shaosong , Wang Han , Li Detao , Wang Xuyang , Lu Xiaohui , Yu Zhixin
Published: July 2023

An adaptive dynamic allocation strategy for driving authority based on the non-cooperative game was designed to solve the decision conflict problem between the driver and automatic system in human-machine driving. The coupling dynamics model of human-machine interaction was established according to the coupling mechanism between the driver and the automatic system. Considering the driver’s driving status and the driving risk of vehicles, the driving authority dynamic allocation strategy was designed. On this basis, the human-machine cooperative multi-objective optimal control problem is constructed, and the dynamic allocation control system was designed based on the non-cooperative game theory. The optimal control method was used to solve the Nash equilibrium solution and achieve the optimal authority allocation. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive authority dynamic allocation strategy was verified under normal and emergency conditions. Results showed that the proposed strategy can effectively reduce human-machine decision conflicts and achieve harmonious human–machine cooperative driving.
Multisource fusion of exogenous inputs based NARXs neural network for vehicle speed prediction between urban road intersections
Authors: Zhang Yunshun , Gao Minglei , Hua Guodong , Xie Qishuai , Guo Yuchen , Zheng Rencheng
Published: July 2023

The economy and safety of passages through the urban road intersection environment is an important research topic in the field of intelligent transportation systems, but vehicle speed prediction as its subtopic is still under-researched, and its prediction accuracy is unsatisfactory. Therefore, a model for vehicle speed prediction based on the nonlinear autoregressive model with multisource exogenous inputs (NARXs) neural network is proposed. The model combines the human-vehicle-road model with the NARXs neural network to perform speed prediction between urban road intersections. First, multisource features, including the variables of driving behavior characteristics, vehicle responses, and road conditions, are extracted to construct the human-vehicle-road model. Then, the model is introduced into the NARXs neural network. Finally, the advantages of the proposed model are verified from two perspectives by evaluation indices such as mean absolute error ( MAE), mean absolute percentage error ( MAPE), root mean square error ( RMSE), Theil index ( Theil ic), and goodness-of-fit ( R2) compared with several other models. On the one hand, the analysis results show that the proposed model has higher prediction accuracy than the other comparative models for different prediction durations and has the best performance in 30 s duration backward prediction. On the other hand, the curves of each evaluation index of the proposed model are horizontal, which indicates that the prediction performance of the model hardly varies with the length of the training dataset. These positive results demonstrate the higher accuracy and outstanding characteristics of the proposed model in the subject of vehicle speed prediction.
Real-world use and outcomes of belimumab in childhood-onset lupus: A single-center retrospective study
Authors: Roberts Jordan E , Burn Cordelia , Sadun Rebecca E , Smitherman Emily A , Wenderfer Scott E , Son Mary Beth F
Published: July 2023

Background

Studies of real-world effectiveness of belimumab in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus have shown improved disease control and decreased oral glucocorticoid use. However, belimumab use outside of clinical trial settings has not been well studied in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). We aimed to characterize indications for belimumab use and evaluate oral glucocorticoid doses and disease activity scores in the year following belimumab initiation at a single, large pediatric rheumatology center.

Methods

We included children and young adults with cSLE who received ≥ 1 dose of belimumab. Repeated measures one-way ANOVA was used to compare SLEDAI-2K scores and prednisone-equivalent daily oral glucocorticoid doses at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months after belimumab initiation for those who continued therapy for a year.

Results

We identified 21 patients with cSLE who received ≥ 1 dose of belimumab. The median disease duration at belimumab initiation was 30.8 months [IQR 21.0-79.1]. At the time of belimumab initiation, 100% of patients were taking an antimalarial, 81% were on oral glucocorticoids, and 91% were on at least one conventional DMARD. Thirteen patients (62%) continued belimumab for ≥6 months and 11 (52%) for ≥12 months. Among those continuing belimumab for ≥12 months, median [IQR] oral prednisone daily doses in milligrams at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months were 12.5 [7.5–17.5], 9 [6.25–10], and 5 [5–9.5], p = 0.037, and median [IQR] SLEDAI-2K scores at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months were 8 [5.5–10.5], 6 [3.5–10], and 6 [6–8.5], p = 0.548, respectively.

Conclusions

In our cohort of pediatric patients with lupus and moderate disease activity treated with belimumab for ≥12 months, daily oral glucocorticoid doses were significantly lower 6 and 12 months after belimumab initiation than baseline. Use in patients with active nephritis was uncommon. Further research is needed in a large, multicenter cohort to determine the real-world effectiveness of belimumab in children and develop guidelines for use.