bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Takeover Request Time and Warning Modality on Trust in L3 Automated Driving
Authors: Wu Yu , Yao Xiaoyu , Deng Fenghui , Yuan Xiaofang
Published: August 2024

Objective

This study investigated the effects of four takeover request (TOR) times and seven warning modalities on performance and trust in automated driving on a mildly congested urban road scenario, as well as the relationship between takeover performance and trust.

Background

Takeover is crucial in L3 automated driving, where human–machine codriving is employed. Establishing trust in takeover scenarios among drivers can enhance the acceptance of autonomous vehicles, thereby promoting their widespread adoption.

Method

Using a driving simulator, data from 28 participants, including collision counts, takeover time (ToT), electrodermal activity (EDA) data, and self-reported trust scores, were collected and analyzed primarily using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM).

Results

Collisions during the takeover undermined participants’ trust in the autonomous driving system. As TOR time increased, participants’ trust improved, and the longer TOR time did not lead to participant confusion. There was no significant relationship between warning modality and trust. Furthermore, the combination of three warning modalities did not exhibit a notable advantage over the combination of two modalities.

Conclusion

The study examined the effects of TOR time and warning modality on trust, as well as preliminarily explored the potential association between takeover performance, including collisions and ToT, and trust in autonomous driving takeovers.

Application

Researchers and designers of automotive interactions were given referenceable TOR time and warning modality by this study, which extended the autonomous driving takeover scenarios. These findings contributed to boosting drivers’ confidence in transferring control to the automated system.
Policy and Infrastructure for Data Privacy and Data Protection in South Indian States: Issues and Prospects
Authors: Sodhi Inderjeet Singh , Kaur Mankirat , Kaur Jaskirat
Published: August 2024

In the 21st century, data privacy, data protection and cybersecurity have become challenging issues with increasing cases of data breaches and data disasters. Data privacy has emerged as one of the challenging issues after numerous cases of data breaches and manipulations in many departments, agencies, bodies and organisations in every country. A well-designed data framework may enable not just secure data privacy/protection but also enable users’ control over data through a protective and safe system to share data across organisations, leading to individual empowerment and well-being. In India, privacy still remains a complex area, which has affected data safety and protection. A number of government websites clearly mention that data will not be shared with anyone until and unless for the purpose enshrined so far. In India, there have been various policies, guidelines, strategies and initiatives for cybersecurity, data privacy, data protection and data measures, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; the National Cyber Security Policy, 2013; the Information Technology Act 2000; the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008; the Information Technology Rules, 2011 and so on. This article tries to examine policies/regulations for data privacy, data protection and data safety in South Indian states.
Crafting a New Canadian Foreign Policy: Strategic Sovereignty for a “Leaderless World”
Authors: Buck Kerry
Published: August 2024

Defining Canada's foreign policy has always been a conundrum for Canadian decision makers, torn between the desire to carve out a space of Canada's own, while recognizing the benefit and necessity of ties with the US. Today, this job has become much more difficult because America's global leadership role is changing in ways that are difficult to predict, but that will inevitably make it harder for Canada to navigate internationally. Canada has no choice but to develop greater strategic sovereignty. What Canada needs now, nineteen years after the last foreign policy review, is a national conversation about Canada's role in the world. The goal should be to encourage a sense of shared national purpose and craft a renewed foreign policy for an uncertain world. To do so, Canadian decision makers should ask five core questions: first, how should Canada's foreign policy prioritize Canadian values with ‘more pragmatism and less posturing'? Second, what balance should we seek between Canada's global role and its bilateral focus on the US? Third, how can we mitigate the risk to Canada of a more inward-looking, protectionist and unpredictable US? How should we adapt Canada's international engagement to take into account a less globally-engaged US? Finally, what specific Canadian interests, assets and vulnerabilities should our foreign policy prioritize? The article offers a framework for Canada to set about rebuilding its strategic sovereignty, launching a national conversation to rethink and rewrite its foreign policy narrative, redefine its international priorities and create a sense of common purpose around Canada’s role as a global actor.
Reliability and Validity of the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire Health Contribution Score in its Use with Adults with ADHD
Authors: Alotaibi Mansour M. , Motl Robert W. , Lein Donald H.
Published: August 2024

As Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may have an unknown influence on the self-reports of physical activity of adults with ADHD and there is a need for high quality self-report assessments of this kind, we examined the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire–Health Contributions Score (GLTEQ–HCS) in its use with 35 adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (26 females, 9 males; Mage = 28.7, SD = 6.3 years). Participants completed the GLTEQ twice and wore an ActiGraph GT9X–accelerometer for seven-days. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) determined test-retest reliability, and we determined construct validity based on correlations between the GLTEQ–HCS and minutes/day of sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), as well as differences in SB, LPA, and MVPA among the three GLTEQ–HCS subgroups. The GLTEQ-HCS had excellent test-retest reliability [ICC = 0.98, 0.95 to 0.99], and it was positively correlated with MVPA ( r = 0.47, p = .006; r s = 0.52, p = .002). There was a significant and large difference in minutes/day of device-measured MVPA between the three GLTEQ–HCS groups [ F (2,32) = 7.30, p = .003, η 2 = 0.33]. These results provide psychometric support for using the GLTEQ-HCS with adults who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
Interpreting the Signs of the Times: Fostering Social Goods and Historical Transitions
Authors: McEvoy James Gerard
Published: August 2024

Signs of the times are best understood as significant historical transitions, motivated by social goods, which the church must discern and respond to in the light of the Gospel. The argument proceeds in three steps. First, Charles Taylor’s interpretive understanding of historical transitions is expounded. Second, Chenu’s and Vatican II’s understandings of the signs of the times are examined, and Taylor’s approach to historical transitions is applied to Chenu’s and Vatican II’s central insights about signs of the times. The third section considers the movement for gender equality as an example of a sign of the times.
Survey of Vatican Studies on the Diaconate of Women
Authors: Zagano Phyllis
Published: August 2024

The question of women in the ordained diaconate arose in the early 1970s at a Synod of Bishops; it was then considered by three iterations of the International Theological Commission and two pontifical commissions. More recently, the worldwide Synod on Synodality has taken up the question and asked for a review of the research. This article assesses the various studies and synod discussions, concluding with Pope Francis’s stunning “no” in a televised interview.
Book review: Ranabir Samaddar, A Pandemic and the Politics of Life
Authors: Begum Anjuman Ara
Published: August 2024

Ranabir Samaddar, A Pandemic and the Politics of Life, Women Unlimited, 2021, 208 pp., ₹450, ISBN 978-938560634 (Paperback).
A case and intervention for older adult sexual mistreatment
Authors: Flores Renee J. , Murdock Cristina , Halphen John , Reyes-Ortiz Carlos , Burnett Jason
Published: August 2024

Background

The sexual mistreatment of older adults is a significant public health issue; like other forms of sexual violence, it is more prevalent than officially reported. Survivors often hesitate to speak out due to feelings of embarrassment, fear, or potential cognitive impairments. Moreover, the concealment of such mistreatment, coupled with societal stigmas surrounding aging and sexuality, creates challenges in recognizing sexual mistreatment during routine or emergency room visits.

Purpose

This paper provides a framework for informing physicians, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers on best practices screening, detection, and management of sexual mistreatment in older adults.

Methods

A literature review of older adult sexual mistreatment articles between 2005-2024 was conducted.

Results

Medical professionals and psychiatrists are well-positioned to raise awareness and identify sexual mistreatment in older adults and manage such situations when suspected.

Conclusion

Assessing suspected sexual mistreatment can improve detection, responsiveness, and patient safety for older adults through an interprofessional approach.
Vapour permeation characteristics of aliphatic alcohols through PVA/PVC thin films
Authors: Ismayil K M Muhammad , Salini N G , Koyiloth Shabina Koroth , Antony Rosy
Published: August 2024

Nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method using NMP/water system was adopted to prepare PVA/PVC thin films and were characterized by FTIR & FE-SEM analysis. Mechanical strength measurements indicated that an optimum composition of PVA/PVC has maximum tensile strength and might be due to the intercalation of viscous PVA into the stiff PVC matrix. Degree of swelling (DS) and water contact angle (WCA) measurements showed greater wettability of the films with increasing PVA content as is revealed from the higher film porosity and diminished contact angle. Pure water flux (PWF) and mean pore size were studied to determine the water permeation capacity of the film. Vapour permeability of various films was evaluated by using three different aliphatic alcohols viz. Methanol, ethanol and propanol. Barrier property and selectivity in permeation were studied for a particular PVA/PVC composition with moderate number and size of the pores which exhibited minimum permeation capacity.
Numerical study and experimental validation of heat transfer in a CenoPCM reinforced multi-layered meta-material wall for energy efficient buildings
Authors: R Greesan , C Mekala , B Rajesh
Published: August 2024

Increasing concerns about energy consumption have led to an increasing need for buildings that can efficiently manage heat transfer and reduce reliance on active heating or cooling systems. The combination of cenosphere cementitious layers, meta-material layers, and cenoPCM in the proposed wall aims to overcome the limitations of traditional construction materials and provide a potential solution for improved heat transfer control. This study presents numerical modeling and simulations of the proposed wall using SolidWorks and ANSYS software. The thermal performances are evaluated with both heating and cooling loads to determine the thermal efficiency of selected PCMs as well as the Meta-Material Wall Systems. Analysis indicates that the heat transfer between the outer and inner layer is restricted to around 30°C, which is almost 20°C less than the outer wall temperature, while applying heating and cooling loads simultaneously at the outer and inner layers for 120 min.

Practical application

In this study the heat transfer in a cenosphere Phase Change Material reinforced Multilayer Meta-material Wall (cenoPCM-MMW) is analyzed numerically as well as experimentally. This study provides real insight to the optimization of heat transfer in buildings, which has potential practical application in the form of improved building energy efficiency. The proposed ceno cementitious layer could, for example, act as a surface finishing layer for buildings which are located in high ambient temperature zones leading to reduced indoor temperature, improved thermal comfort, and reduced HVAC-related energy use due to its heat storage capacity.
Hidden in Plain Sight? The Case of the Invisible Queer Womanist Biblical Scholar
Authors: Lovelace Vanessa
Published: August 2024

This article explores the politics of respectability, representation, and the intersection of academic womanist and queer hermeneutics of the Bible. As early as the nineteenth century, U.S. born-Black women have had to contend with race and gender prejudice to secure their rightful place in society. Too often this came at the cost of respectability politics. Middle class Black church women advocated for the adoption of a strict code of behavior by Black women in order to advance their agenda of respectability in society. I am interested in whether the politics of respectability both within the church and academy have contributed to the essential invisibility of LGBTIAQ2+-identified womanist biblical scholars or womanist scholarship using a queer hermeneutical approach. Have the male heteropatriarchy and biblical authority in the church and academy effectively silenced womanist LGBTI/queer scholarship? This article suggests that while this may have been true of the past, the closet doors are opening and a growing number of womanist scholars are embracing LGBTI/queer methodological approaches in biblical interpretation.
Language Politics in Sri Lanka: Linguistic Purism, Cultural Pluralism and Identity
Authors: Dassanayake Noel
Published: August 2024

This study, based partly on archival research, tackles a number of interrelated issues regarding the sociolinguistic dynamics of language politics in Sri Lanka from the colonial era to the present. In colonial Ceylon, such politics initially manifested as resistance against foreign elements, but later evolved into internal conflicts when majoritarian Sinhala-focused linguistic purism movements appropriated Sinhala as a national identity marker. The resulting civil war until 2009 indicated that misguided prospects of linguistic purism in the name of ethnic nationalism have been a costly mistake for this small state, threatening to tear the nation apart. Regarding more recent issues of language planning and policy reforms, which also concern the place of English, the focus turns specifically to the rapid digitalisation of communication and related impacts of global virtual language environments. These substantially reduce the significance of any specific language or local vernacular, while individual and group identity is strengthened through inclusive use of linguistic registers within multilingual digital spaces.
Exploring loneliness across widowhood and other marital statuses: A systematic review integrating insights from grief research
Authors: Vedder Anneke , Stroebe Margaret S. , Stokes Jeffrey E. , Schut Henk A.W. , Schut Bibi , Boerner Kathrin , Boelen Paul A.
Published: August 2024

The vital role social relationships play in mental health and well-being has been well-documented. Disruption of an intimate bond through bereavement can be enduringly stressful, with loneliness featuring prominently, possibly compromising mental and physical health. We systematically reviewed studies examining loneliness across marital status groups, focusing on the widowed. The aim was to establish what is known about the prevalence of loneliness in widowhood, to compare loneliness between widowed and people with other marital statuses (divorced, married, never-married persons), and to investigate correlates of loneliness. Furthermore, our objective was to compare the empirical understanding of loneliness within the context of widowhood to how loneliness is addressed in contemporary grief literature. Searches were conducted via multiple, relevant databases. Studies investigating loneliness across marital statuses were considered if they included an adult, bereaved sample, were written in English, and used quantitative research methods. Thirty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Widowhood was associated with a greater likelihood of loneliness. On average, the widowed were found to be lonelier than divorced, married, and never-married people. Additionally, correlates of loneliness were identified, including mental health adversities, lack of social support, recent loss, and gender. Comparing empirical information from the two domains of marital status and grief research contributes to a more comprehensive knowledge about loneliness and bereavement. However, evidence remains limited due to several methodological shortcomings, such as inconsistent use of comparison groups, insufficient control for bereaved individuals in non-widowed marital statuses, lack of prospective, longitudinal studies, unreported means, and the use of different measures of loneliness.
Size effect and indenter shape dependence of indentation and scratching behavior for laser melting deposited Ti-6Al-4V alloy
Authors: Li Xia , Luo Xiaowu , Li Pu , Huang Yanyan , Yang Jianping , Zhou Qinghua
Published: August 2024

Nanoindentation and scratching experiments are used to evaluate the mechanical and tribological properties of laser melting deposition (LMD) repaired Ti-6Al-4 V alloy. The influence of indenter shape and applied load on hardness and material removal behavior has been investigated. Nanoindentation and scratch hardness values generated by the Berkovich indenter exhibit a significant indentation size effect, characterized by an increase in hardness with decreasing penetration depth. Furthermore, the material removal mechanism is also influenced by the load applied and the indenter shape. Special attention must be paid to both the selected indenter geometry and the contact scale being addressed when studying the material's hardness and scratch behavior.
Effect of working hours on prognosis of acute ischemic stroke patients following alteplase intravenous thrombolysis
Authors: Wang JingDa , Yi XingYang , Mi Qian
Published: August 2024

Objective

To investigate the effect of hospital working hours on outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke 3 months after receiving alteplase intravenous thrombolysis.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on 254 individuals with acute ischemic stroke who received alteplase intravenous thrombolysis between January 2018 and December 2020 either during peak hospital working hours (08:00–17:59; Group A) or off-peak hours (18:00–07:59 the following day; Group B). Patients were also categorized according to which of four peak/off-peak-hour periods they received treatment in: Group 1 (08:00–11:59), Group 2 (12:00–17:59), Group 3 (18:00–21:59), Group 4 (22:00–07:59 the following day). Baseline data and 3-month prognosis were compared across groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the correlation between hospital working hours and 3-month prognosis.

Results

There were no significant differences in door-to-needle time, onset-to-needle time, 24-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, 7-day NIHSS score or Modified Rankin Score between Groups 1 to 4 or between Groups A and B. Whether treatment was administered during peak or off-peak hours did not significantly affect 3-month prognosis.

Conclusion

At this hospital, differences in the time at which stroke patients were treated were not associated with outcomes.
Numerical simulation of industrial scale RH degasser under different operational parameters
Authors: Kumar Suraj , Tripathi Pranav Kumar , Satish Kumar D. , Joshi Harsh , Jayakumar Rakesh
Published: August 2024

With increasing stringent requirements, the requirement to produce ultra-clean steel is also increasing. The Ruhrstahl–Heraeus (RH) degasser plays an important role in ultra-clean steel production process by removing the dissolved gases from the molten steel by introducing a re-circulatory motion through a vacuum chamber. The de-gassing in RH vessel is a complex fluid dynamics-controlled process involving interaction between many process parameters. RH vessel performance during the campaign also gets affected due to nozzle blockages and refractory erosion. A detailed combined parametric study was required to understand the flow pattern of argon and molten steel and its effect on refractory wear with varying conditions during the campaign. In the present work, an Eulerian–Eulerian multiphase-based CFD model has been developed to simulate molten steel flow and argon gas distribution inside an industrial RH degasser. The model was validated and used to conduct the parametric study based on the plant operational conditions by varying the argon gas flow rate, snorkel diameter, snorkel immersion depth, nozzle blockage conditions and bottom purging in the ladle. The model indicated an increase in metal circulation rate with increasing argon flow rate but simultaneously leading to increased refractory wear in the upper snorkel area. Increasing snorkel diameter and immersion depth increases the circulation rate and shifts the erosion position towards the vacuum chamber. Maintaining a higher diameter for the up-snorkel improves process performance with lesser refractory wear. Different nozzle blockage conditions result in different circulating flow profiles where the re-circulation rate during treatment is more affected by unsymmetrical and lower nozzle blockage. Bottom purging in the ladle during the treatment leads to open eye formation affecting the steel quality. The developed model can be a valuable tool for optimising the process parameters, improving the RH degasser performance, and ensuring higher refractory life during RH treatment.
Long-term safety of zavegepant nasal spray for the acute treatment of migraine: A phase 2/3 open-label study
Authors: Mullin Kathleen , Croop Robert , Mosher Linda , Fullerton Terence , Madonia Jennifer , Lipton Richard B.
Published: August 2024

Background

Zavegepant is the first small molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist for intranasal administration for the acute treatment of migraine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of zavegepant in the acute treatment of migraine under repeated, as-needed dosing for up to one year.

Methods

This phase 2/3, one-year open-label safety study of zavegepant 10 mg nasal spray for the acute treatment of migraine enrolled adults aged ≥18 years with a history of two to eight moderate to severe monthly migraine attacks. Participants used one dose of zavegepant as needed to self-treat migraine attacks of any severity, up to eight times per month, for 52 weeks.

Results

Participants were enrolled between 29 June and 4 December 2020. Of the 608 participants entering long-term treatment, 603 were treated with study drug. Participants administered a mean (SD) of 3.1 (1.55) zavegepant doses per month. There were no deaths. Of the seven serious adverse events reported, none was considered related to treatment. Altogether, 6.8% (41/603) of treated participants had an adverse event leading to study drug discontinuation. The most frequent adverse event leading to discontinuation was dysgeusia (1.5% [9/603]). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (≥5% of participants) were dysgeusia (39.1% [236/603]); nasal discomfort (10.3% [62/603]); COVID-19 (7.5% [45/603]); nausea (6.1% [37/603]); nasal congestion and throat irritation (5.5% [33/603] each); and back pain (5.3% [32/603]). Aminotransferases >3x the upper limit of normal occurred in 2.6% [16/603] of participants; none had concurrent elevations in bilirubin >2x upper limit of normal.

Conclusions

One year of zavegepant 10 mg nasal spray up to eight times per month was safe and well tolerated. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04408794
Implications for Femoral Tunnel Placement in Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Considering the Sagittal Trochlear Groove Curvature in Severe Trochlear Dysplasia Before and After Deepening Trochleoplasty
Authors: Balcarek Peter , Zimmerer Alexander , Wassilew Georgi I. , Gebhardt Sebastian
Published: August 2024

Background:

Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFL-R) aims to restore proper ligament function with minimal changes in length during range of motion, yet the ideal area for femoral fixation of the graft remains controversial.

Purpose:

To determine the region where the isometric circular path of a simulated MPFL graft (best-fit circle) follows the sagittal radius curvature of the trochlea in normal (nontrochlear dysplastic) knees and to evaluate the best-fit circle coverage of different femoral fixation points in knees with severe trochlear dysplasia (TD) and after deepening trochleoplasty.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Twelve patients (4 male, 8 female; mean age, 24 ± 8 years) who underwent surgical treatment for recurrent lateral patellar instability due to severe TD were prospectively enrolled in this study. Four previously defined reference points for the femoral MPFL-R (Schöttle, Fujino, Stephen, and Oka) were identified, and the best-fit circle was drawn along the sagittal trochlear groove curvature. The divergence between each best-fit circle and the trochlear groove was calculated, with negative values indicating relative slackening and positive values indicating relative tightening of the simulated MPFL graft. Measurements were made on true-lateral fluoroscopic images before and after deepening trochleoplasty and compared with those of a sex-matched control group.

Results:

The best-fit circle of the Schöttle point followed the sagittal curvature of the trochlea most closely in both the control and trochlear dysplastic knees, followed by the Fujino, Stephen, and Oka points. As the radius of the trochlear groove curvature increased, the divergence of all best-fit circles to the trochlear groove became negative (all P < .05). This effect was most pronounced at the Stephen and Oka points, followed by the Fujino and Schöttle points (all P < .05). After deepening trochleoplasty, the divergence of the Schöttle point changed toward positive values (11.6% at 40°; P < .001). Concurrently, the best-fit circle divergence of all other reference points improved toward baseline (all P < .05).

Conclusion:

The isometric circle of the Schöttle point provides the best congruence with the sagittal trochlear groove curvature in both the normal trochlea and the dysplastic trochlea. After trochleoplasty, the best-fit circles of more distal femoral fixation points resulted in better congruence with the deepened trochlear groove, whereas the best-fit circle of Schöttle indicated graft tension during flexion.

Clinical Relevance:

According to the present study, different femoral fixation points should be considered depending on whether the TD is corrected.
Performance study of modified ammonium polyphosphate/natural mineral synergistic flame retardant corn straw/polypropylene composites
Authors: Zhao Zihan , Meng Lingyu , Li Xiangrui , Li Chunfeng , Le Lei , Liu Mingli
Published: August 2024

In the present work, corn straw/polypropylene/modified ammonium polyphosphate composites (CS/PP/KAPP) were prepared by employing melt blending and hot-pressing methods. Due to the high production cost of KAPP and the fact that a large amount of KAPP can reduce the mechanical properties of wood plastic composite (WPC), natural minerals were used to replace some of KAPP to improve the flame retardancy. The results showed that, for all the studied groups, when the amount of ultrafine montmorillonite was 8.6 wt%, the flame retardancy of the co-effective flame retardant was better than that of the pure KAPP group. Meanwhile, the obtained oxygen index of the composite was 30.2%, with a vertical combustion class of V-0. In the other groups, the ultimate oxygen indices of the composites were lower than that of the pure KAPP group due to the reduced content of KAPP. The results showed that the three co-effective flame retardants formed a dense carbon layer during combustion. This enhanced the rate of formation of carbon and reduced the release of smoke and carbon monoxide. In addition, the three natural minerals were found to play a good filling role, enhancing the mechanical properties of the composites, improving their thermal stability, and reducing their rates of absorption of water.
Effectiveness of Exercise on Fatigue for Patients With Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hsiung Ping , Lin Pei-Chao , Lin Tzu-Yu , Wu Wei-Tsung , Sun Jia-Ling , Chou Pi-Ling
Published: August 2024

Exercise is the standard treatment for fatigue in heart failure (HF) patients. However, no study has investigated the effect of exercise on improving fatigue and HR-QoL in HF patients. Our study adhered to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and followed the PRISMA statement. The date of the last search was October 31, 2021. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using exercise to improve fatigue and HR-QoL. The combined exercise training studies showed improvement in fatigue (SMD = −.51, 95% CI = −.89 to −.12, p = .001, I2 = 48%). The IMT studies showed significantly improved fatigue (MD = −11.36, 95%CI = −15.30 to −7.41, p < .00001, I2 = 54%). However, three studies, with moderate heterogeneity ( p = .10, I2 = 56%), showed non-significant changes in HR-QoL (SMD = −0.04, 95% CI = −.45 to .37, p = .83).
Effectively Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students With Special Educational Needs in Inclusive, Intermediate and Special Classroom Settings: A Scoping Review
Authors: Delafontaine Jolien , Fluyt Laura , Aesaert Koen , Nijs Sara
Published: August 2024

Effective teaching plays a vital role in promoting student learning across various domains, including reading comprehension which is an indispensable skill for all learners but difficult to master for most. Recent studies have shown that the effectiveness of teaching is context-specific, influenced by both student characteristics and the classroom setting. These variations in effectiveness underscore the differential impact of teaching behaviors across classroom settings, so-called contingency effects. Therefore, this scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on effective teaching focused on improving reading comprehension outcomes for students with special educational needs (SEN). The primary objective is to identify both general and contingency effects, looking specifically at differences in effective teaching between inclusive, intermediate, and special education settings. Teaching behaviors were categorized according to three dimensions of the Great Teaching Toolkit: creating a supportive environment (CSE), maximizing opportunities to learn (MOL), and activating hard thinking (AHT). In total, 20 studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Most of these studies examined the effect of multiple teaching behaviors on reading comprehension outcomes of students with learning disabilities ( n = 13) in intermediate settings ( n = 10). Overall, many positive effects were found for teaching behaviors classified within the AHT dimension. However, investigating the effectiveness of CSE and MOL, a more nuanced and mixed picture was identified with some studies indicating nonsignificant effects on reading comprehension. Contingency effects were observed for the AHT dimension, favoring intermediate settings.
The Lived Experiences of Hospice Healthcare Workers Caring for Adolescents and Young Adults With Advanced Cancer: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Persaud Nadine , Brearley Sarah , Walshe Catherine
Published: August 2024

Objective: To understand the lived experience of healthcare workers who provide palliative care to adolescents and young adults living with advanced cancer. Methods: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was the design of this study. Hospice healthcare workers from four pediatric hospices across Canada were recruited through purposive sampling. Semistructured in-person interviews were conducted. Results: Eighteen hospice healthcare workers participated. Two superordinate themes were identified. First, balancing on the tightrope of uncertainty wherein hospice healthcare workers strive to do their best while aiming to take the path of least regret. This theme was underscored by a notion of doing for the adolescents and young adults. Second, acting as a proxy revolves around the importance of fostering relationships with adolescents and young adults through honesty and transparency. The cycle of protection between adolescents and young adults, families, and healthcare providers was emphasized. Conclusions: An action-focused orientation when supporting adolescents and young adults was shared by the healthcare workers. The need to do for adolescents and young adults and the need to protect not only the people they care for but also themselves. More exploration is needed on how healthcare workers who care for adolescents and young adults can be supported while better understanding coping mechanisms.
Injectable nanogels to improve triamcinolone acetonide delivery and toxicity on the treatment of eye diseases
Authors: Erdal Ebru
Published: August 2024

Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is a corticosteroid, and widely used in the treatment of eye diseases such as macular edema, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and chronic uveitis. It’s also used in diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the width of its usage, it has toxicity in the eye. Nanogels are advantageous in applying toxic and low bioavailability drugs thanks to their swelling ability and stability. In the presented study, to minimize the disadvantages of TA, and to reach the drug into the back segment of the eye, TA-loaded chitosan (CS) nanogel (CS-TA Nanogel) has been prepared, and in vitro characterized. CS-TA nanogels were prepared by ionic gelation and characterized by SEM, FTIR, and TGA. Drug release profile, and in vitro cytotoxicity was determined to evaluate the efficacy of nanogels for intravitreal eye applications. DNA damage, and oxidative stress caused by nanogels in eye endothelial cells were investigated. CS and CS-TA nanogels were synthesized in the sizes range 200-300 nm with an overall positive charge surface. The loading efficiency of TA on nanogels was determined as 50%. Cells exposed to 250 µg/ml free TA showed 74% viability, while this rate was 90% in cells exposed to CS-TA nanogels. 8-OHdG levels were determined as 54.93 ± 1.118 ng/mL in control cells and 92.47 ± 0.852 ng/mL in cells exposed to 250 µg/ml TA. TA both induces oxidative stress and causes DNA damage in HRMEC cells. However, administration of TA with carrier increased cell viability, total antioxidant capacity, and reduced oxidative DNA damage.
Fostering Trust in Public Health Messaging: Tailoring Communication for Rural Parents
Authors: Passmore Susan Racine , Henning Emma , Margalit Cotter Lynne , Bhattar Mahima , Yang Sijia , Latham Emily , Schultz Daniel , Jones Malia
Published: August 2024

Purpose

As pandemic-related mistrust of public health recommendations in rural communities may compound gaps in pediatric immunizations, our team explored parents’ perceptions of trustworthiness in messaging.

Design

Qualitative study using 4 virtual focus groups.

Setting

Rural Wisconsin.

Participants

Participants (n = 25) were parents or guardians of children recruited through our contacts with community-based organizations serving rural communities.

Methods

Researchers used task-oriented elicitation techniques to initiate discussion on the trustworthiness of messengers and messages providing health recommendations. Participants were asked to (1) review existing public health messaging on a range of topics and from a range of sponsors; and (2) rank a list of potential messengers in terms of trustworthiness (eg, local health department, Centers for Disease Control). Discussions were recorded, and audio files transcribed, to facilitate a team-based, thematic analysis.

Results

Competency in medical knowledge and parenting experience contributed to estimations of trustworthiness. Participants also responded well to messages and messengers that were able to project recognition of their children’s uniqueness and their experience as parents. Participants distrusted messengers who were seen as biased or “one-sided” in their perspectives.

Conclusions

For successful health promotion for rural-living parents, messengers must be recognized as “competent” to provide pediatric health advice and to avoid blanket recommendations that may undermine parents’ experience and feelings of being “understood” and affect perceptions of trustworthiness.
Investigation of energy management strategy based on deep reinforcement learning algorithm for multi-speed pure electric vehicles
Authors: Yang Weiwei , Luo Denghao , Zhang Wenming , Zhang Nong
Published: August 2024

With increasingly prominent problems such as environmental pollution and the energy crisis, the development of pure electric vehicles has attracted more and more attention. However, the short range is still one of the main reasons affecting consumer purchases. Therefore, an optimized energy management strategy (EMS) based on the Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) and Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithm is proposed to minimize the energy loss for multi-speed pure electric vehicles, respectively, in this paper. Vehicle speed, acceleration, and battery SOC are selected as state variables, and the action space is set to the transmission gear. The reward function takes into account energy consumption and battery life. Simulation results reveal that the proposed EMS-based SAC has a better performance compared to DDPG in the NEDC cycle, manifested explicitly in the following three aspects: (1) the battery SOC decreases from 0.8 to 0.7339 and 0.73385, and the energy consumption consumes 5264.8 and 5296.6 kJ, respectively; (2) The maximumC-rate is 1.565 and 1.566, respectively; (3) the training efficiency of SAC is higher. Therefore, the SAC-based energy management strategy proposed in this paper has a faster convergence speed and gradually approaches the optimal energy-saving effect with a smaller gap. In the WLTC condition, the SAC algorithm reduces 24.1 kJ of energy compared with DDPG, and the C-rate of SAC is below 1. The maximum value is 1.565, which aligns with the reasonable operating range of vehicle batteries. The results show that the SAC algorithm is adaptable under different working conditions.
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility at ITC: A Stakeholder Model
Authors: Sinha Shiv Nath
Published: August 2024

ITC, a diversified Indian conglomerate, is a pioneer in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in India. CSR has always been a top priority for the company, with significant resources allocated to social responsibilities even before the government mandated it in 2013. Today, ITC is involved in various social activities, including increasing agricultural productivity, improving animal husbandry, upgrading rural youth skills, enhancing rural education, promoting sustainable livelihoods and improving rural sanitation.

Despite these efforts, the CSR Head faces challenges in prioritizing different CSR initiatives and deciding on a strategic approach. He must determine whether to focus on projects aligned with stakeholder needs or to follow the range of activities suggested by the government. This decision is critical and complex. Which direction should he choose?
Role of Galectin-9, CXCL-10, APRIL, TNFRII and BAFF as Biomarkers in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Dunga Saikumar , Gopal Aishwarya , Mariaselvam Christina Mary , Babu Prakash , Thabah Molly Mary , Negi Vir Singh , Kavadichanda Chengappa
Published: August 2024

Objective:

The study aimed to evaluate serum biomarkers (Galectin-9, TNFRII, APRIL, CXCL10, and BAFF) for their utility in identifying disease activity in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM)

Methods:

We enrolled adult patients who satisfied the 2017 EULAR/ACR criteria for IIM and categorised them into active (n = 16) and inactive (n = 24) subgroups. Inactive disease was defined as the absence of global and extramuscular activity, stable manual muscle testing 8 (MMT-8), and normal muscle enzymes over at least 6 months. We measured serum biomarkers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline, 3 and 6 months. We employed Spearman’s correlation, ROC curves, and multiple linear regression for evaluation.

Results:

We included 40 patients (mean age 38 ± 10 years; median disease duration 27.5 months). The majority had dermatomyositis (DM) (62.5%), followed by anti-synthetase syndrome (ASSD) (27.5%) and polymyositis (10%). Galectin-9, APRIL, and TNFRII levels were significantly higher in active disease ( P < .05). Galectin-9 demonstrated a modest correlation with MMT-8 changes (r = 0.534). A combination of Galectin-9, TNFRII, APRIL and creatine kinase (CK) levels showed the highest ROC AUC (0.953) to detect active disease. During the study, four patients initially categorised as ‘inactive’ patients exhibited improvement of 10% in MMT-8 over 6 months. To enhance sensitivity for detecting these clinically active diseases, we assessed Galectin-9 at lower cut-offs. Levels of 1146 pg/mL and 1109 pg/mL improved sensitivity to identify active disease to 81% and 87%, respectively, without compromising specificity.

Conclusion:

Serum biomarkers, Galectin-9, TNFRII, and APRIL, may help in differentiating between active and inactive disease in adult IIM. Notably, persistently elevated Galectin-9 levels, even in clinically quiescent disease, may signify ongoing activity.
Pharmacotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy prescription for women with depressive and anxiety disorders in a psychiatric mother-baby unit
Authors: Saluja Sushreya , Cooter Anna , Roberts Susan , Branjerdporn Grace
Published: August 2024

Objective

The purpose of this study was to understand the pharmacotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) prescription of women with depression and anxiety admitted to an Australian inpatient psychiatric mother-baby unit (MBU) and compare prescription to national clinical practice guidelines.

Method

A retrospective audit was conducted on women diagnosed with depression or anxiety admitted to a public psychiatric inpatient MBU from March 2017 to July 2019. Data was captured at three time points to assess demographic, clinical and pharmacotherapy treatment characteristics. Descriptive statistics were completed.

Results

Of the 74 women, 57 women had depression, with 73% prescribed Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and 14% provided ECT during admission. For women with anxiety ( n = 17), 23% were prescribed a benzodiazepine with concurrent antidepressant prescription. SSRI prescription increased, with other antidepressant prescription up trending through admission. Atypical antipsychotic prescription was increased initially and trended downwards at discharge.

Conclusions

This study explored the therapeutic armamentarium employed for the treatment of mothers admitted to an inpatient psychiatric MBU with depression and anxiety. The results point to the intricate prescribing practices in a naturalistic setting and highlight that prescribing practices were in line with national guidelines.
Development of a fail-safe magnetorheological fluid device using electro and permanent magnets
Authors: Kikuchi Takehito , Fukuyama Rihiro , Abe Isao
Published: August 2024

An important design strategy in the safety of any mechanical system is the “fail-safe” concept, which is used to prevent inevitable mistakes from resulting in accidents. For a failsafe design, the proper combination or selection of both normally open and closed devices is important. However, most conventional Magnetorheological fluid (MRF) devices are normally open, and their output force/torque disappears in the off state of the current input. Therefore, the development of a normally closed MRF device (NC-MRD) may contribute to a fail-safe mechatronics system. In this study, we analytically and experimentally investigated the effects of separated axial magnetized permanent magnets (PM) on normally closed and rotary-type MRF devices. We used two types of separated axial PM as magnetization resources in the off state of the electric magnet (EM). The distributions of the magnetic flux densities in the off and balanced states were evaluated as representative values of the NC-MRD. As a real testbed, we designed and developed the NC-MRD using three commercially available sectional axial neodymium magnets. The experimental results showed that the device generated a braking torque in the off state of the EM. With a positive input current of approximately 200 mA, the torque was almost balanced, and the minimum torque was less than 0.1 Nm, which was less than 2% of the maximum torque.
Women’s Double Penalty During Telework: A Mixed Method Investigation of the Gender Effect of Interruptions Between Work and Childcare
Authors: Desjardins Camille , Fortin Marion , Ohana Marc , German Hayley
Published: August 2024

Telework arrangements remain popular since they have been “normalized” in the context of the pandemic. Telework may help reduce the gender gap in access to work despite women’s prominent role in caring responsibilities. However, the work experience and career effects of such arrangements may also be gendered, particularly given the increased number of cross-domain interruptions that tend to accompany telework. We investigated the gendered effects of cross-domain interruptions between childcare and telework through a mixed methods approach, including a daily diary study with 339 teleworking parents and semi-structured interviews with 16 teleworking mothers and 16 teleworking fathers. We find that childcare-to-work interruptions have negative effects on the fulfillment of career motives, on work engagement and emotional exhaustion, for both men and women. The effects of work-to-childcare interruptions are, however, different for men compared to women, with only women’s perceived daily balance being negatively affected. Interestingly, men even benefit from some positive effects of these interruptions, which allow them to experience more daily authenticity and challenge. Our qualitative findings help to interpret these findings by suggesting gender motive differences with women reporting more relational and (to a smaller extent) uncertainty related work motives. The interview data also illustrate how various approaches to the division of household labor and boundary management may contribute to gendered interruption experiences. Overall, these findings illustrate how the daily experiences of teleworkers can contribute to growing gender gaps in terms of career and wellbeing.
Design Thinking: Experimental Evidence of Ideation Strategies That Support Team Innovation
Authors: Casper Lisa M. , Helminen Molly , Veinott Elizabeth S.
Published: August 2024

Organizations and universities use Design Thinking (DT) to facilitate team innovation. However, few empirical DT studies have quantified it. Across two experiments, each based on semester-long DT projects to generate innovative solutions to sustainability problems, several different DT strategies were compared. Experiment 1 ( n = 145) compared team performance using a DT-Baseline process to a DT-Expanded process. Results showed that teams in DT-Expanded condition using resource constraint and “Yes and” prompts generated 64% more ideas overall than the DT-Baseline condition, but not more original ideas. Experiment 2 ( n = 140) found that teams using the DT-Reverse Ideas strategy (adding a lateral thinking prompt) generated similar numbers of ideas overall, however, these teams generated 2x more original ideas than the DT-Expanded teams. This is one of the first large-scale, semester-long DT experiments measuring performance and suggests that small DT adjustments have potentially large effects on innovation.