bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Liu Jun , Zhang Hui , Yu Hua , Xia Ye , Liu Qiang , Geng Chao , Dong Lihong , Wang Yong
Published: December 2023

Objective

The aim was to investigate the changes in retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods

Twenty-nine patients with SLE (29 eyes) and 25 control subjects (25 eyes) were enrolled. SLE activity was assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Retinal thickness (RT), inner retinal thickness (IRT), outer retinal thickness (ORT), choroidal thickness (ChT), retinal superficial vascular density (SVD), retinal deep vascular density (DVD), choriocapillary vascular density (CCVD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), superficial FAZ (sFAZ), and deep FAZ (dFAZ) were measured using OCTA. The retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density between the control group and SLE group were compared. The relationships between SLEDAI scores and the retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density in SLE group were analyzed.

Results

The SVD was significantly increased, and the DVD and CCVD were significantly decreased in the SLE group compared to the control group ( p < .05). The results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of SVD, DVD, and CCVD were 0.873, 0.729, and 0.727, indicating a high accuracy in discriminating patients with SLE from controls. Correlation analysis showed that the SLEDAI scores were positively correlated with dFAZ ( r = 0.589, p = .001) and FAZ ( r = 0.451, p = .018), and negatively correlated with DVD ( r = −0.491, p = .009) and CCVD ( r = −0.521, p = .005).

Conclusions

DVD and CCVD were decreased in the SLE and might be related to the disease activity. SVD, DVD, and CCVD may hold promise in the discovery of biomarkers for diagnosing SLE.
The clinicopathological features and renal prognostic factors in pure membranous lupus nephritis—a large series cohort study from China
Authors: Hu Jing , Zhu Mengyue , Wang Jingjing , Lou Wenyuan , Zhang Haitao
Published: December 2023

Background

Membranous lupus nephritis (MLN) is a subepithelial immune deposition or its morphological sequelae with or without mesangial changes. Previous studies on the prognosis of MLN have shown relatively small sample sizes and short follow-up periods.

Methods

Our study was a retrospective analysis of biopsy-proven MLN patients from January 2010 to January 2020 at Jinling Hospital in China. The clinical manifestations, pathological features, and renal outcomes of MLN patients were collected. The endpoint was defined as end-stage kidney disease (eGFR≤15 mL/min·1.73 m2 or need for renal replacement therapy) or a doubling of serum creatinine or an eGFR decline of more than 40%. We used Cox regression to analyze the risk factors for renal outcome and Kaplan–Meier curves were used to analyze renal survival rate.

Results

In the total of 2884 lupus patients, we screened 535 MLN patients. 456 MLN patients were recruited with an average age of 34 ± 12 years, 87.8% for female patients and 62.1% patients of nephrotic syndrome with proteinuria of 2.67 g/24h. After follow-up of 78 (IQR, 47.3–113.0) months, 37 (8.1%) patients reached the renal endpoint. The 5-year and 10-year renal survival rates were 95.8% and 89.4%, respectively. 370 patients (81.1%) achieved complete remission, 43 patients (9.4%) had partial remission, and only 43 had no response. 34.4% MLN experienced a relapse. The Cox regression showed the risk factors that affect the renal prognosis include male, hypertension history, anemia, high uric acid, acute kidney injury, and interstitial fibrosis in the renal pathology.

Conclusions

MLN mostly manifested as nephrotic syndrome, with few renal dysfunctions. Although MLN had a high relapse rate, most patients had a response to immunosuppressants and had a good renal outcome.
Impact of Capital Structure on Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Indian Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Panchal Shobha , Chand Subhash
Published: December 2023

The present study has been carried out to investigate empirically the impact of capital structure on a firm’s performance in the Indian manufacturing sector from the year 2013 to 2022 and a comparative analysis of its findings with the results of previous studies. A sample of 51 firms from the Nifty India Manufacturing Index is selected for the study. The data are analyzed by employing the panel data technique and the random effect model is found to be consistent as per the results of Hausman test. The capital structure is proxied by debt-equity ratio, whereas return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA) are used as firm performance indicators. Apart from these, some control variables such as firm size, liquidity, tangibility and growth are also included in the study. The results exhibit that the debt-equity ratio has a detrimental effect on the performance of the Indian manufacturing firms. This negative association is substantial when performance is measured using ROA as opposed to ROE. Among the control variables, only size revealed a negative relationship with firm performance. The comparative analysis highlighted that for the time being, the negative association between capital structure and performance is consistent over time for the developing nations. The outcomes of the study will have ramifications for the managers and policymakers responsible for decision making to enhance performance and will drive them to consider the influence of debt financing on performance before deciding the debt level. It also provides updated insights that can guide the strategic and financial decisions of the manufacturing firms in India.
Anticipating the main theme: A model for understanding prospective memory and reward learning in sonata-form listening
Authors: Tsai Chen-Gia
Published: December 2023

A number of studies have established a connection between musical anticipation and reward processing, yet the interrelated roles of the musical themes, their anticipatory cues, and the large-scale design of musical forms have not been adequately explored. To fill this gap, I present in this article a psychological model that focuses on listeners’ anticipation of musical themes while listening to familiar pieces written in sonata form. Active listening may engage prospective memory, which refers to the ability to recall an intended action in the future. While listening to a piece in sonata form, an intended action is to monitor the recapitulation of the main theme in the home key. The retransition preceding the recapitulation may prompt listeners to engage in anticipatory imagery of the imminent theme. I identify four types of musical cues present in retransitions: dissonance-related, attention-related, goal-related, and time-based. These cues can foster listeners’ attention allocation toward predicting the theme through sequence processing and subvocal humming along with the music. The confirmation of this prediction and the harmonic resolution at the beginning of the recapitulation can serve as positive reinforcers, strengthening the listening habit of anticipatory imagery of main themes. Drawing on recent brain-imaging studies, the proposed model suggests that sensitization to anticipatory musical cues and precise prediction/imagery of themes are essential for reward-based learning of music. Moreover, this model clarifies both the presence of themes in various musical forms and a critical attribute of effective musical themes, namely, their ease of memorization and imaginability.
Explaining the Extraordinary Decline in Chicago’s Homicide Arrest Rates, 1965 to 1994 and Beyond: Trends in Case Mix Versus Standards for Arrest
Authors: Cook Philip J. , Lopez Javier
Published: December 2023

Chicago’s homicide arrest rate dropped from 91% in 1965 to 57% in 1994 and dropped still lower in recent years. This pattern mirrors the trend in the national homicide clearance rate. A plausible explanation for this great decline is the trend in homicide case mix, which arguably has made it intrinsically more difficult to solve homicide cases. Our analysis describes the change in case mix for the period 1965 to 2020 and analyzes the effect on the arrest rate for the first 30 years of this period, all by use of a unique homicide case microdata set. We document the large changes in case mix: for example, the percentage of all homicides in which a male victim was shot outdoors increased from 18% (1965) to 69% (2020). But the change in case mix does not account for Chicago’s great decline during the earlier decades, as we demonstrate by use of a novel arrest rate index. In fact, the arrest rates in each of the categories defined by location, sex, and weapon type exhibited similar declines through 1994. (Subsequent years of arrest data are unavailable for now.) Our preferred explanation for the great decline is that the operational standard for making an arrest increased during this period. That interpretation is well supported by evidence explaining the corresponding national trend, though direct evidence is lacking for Chicago. This interpretation challenges the use of the arrest rate as a police performance indicator and offers a positive interpretation of the great decline.
Numerical analysis of the dynamic characteristics of a fractional-order viscoelastic beam with fixed supports at both ends
Authors: Li Hongyu , Chen Ning , Chen Yandong , Tai Yongpeng , Zhang Yong
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we present a generalized model of a viscoelastic beam, which takes into account the influence of axial forces and incorporates a fractional constitutive relationship. In addition, we propose a novel numerical calculation method for analyzing fractional-order viscoelastic beams. This method takes the transverse displacement and bending moment of the beam as state variables, transforms the beam model into a discrete state space equation through the application of the central difference method, and utilizes an improved precise integration algorithm to solve the equation. To evaluate the performance of the method, the responses of the beam under two types of excitations, namely uniformly distributed transverse load and the motion of the support at both ends, are calculated under fixed hinge conditions. The results demonstrate that the present method has excellent accuracy and convergence, and also reveal some nonlinear phenomena of the system.
Ethnicity and Response to Internal Environmental Migrants in the United States
Authors: Ash Konstantin , Winchester Puck
Published: December 2023

We examine how responses to individuals displaced by environmental shocks vary based on the ethnicity of the migrants, the locals, and their ethnic groups’ political status. We embed an experiment into a stratified sample of 2,188 white, Black, and Latinx Americans surveyed through Qualtrics Panels. The experiment shows respondents a photo of a flooded road, randomly assigning whether there are white, Black, Latinx, or no persons wading through the water. Results show no outward change in approval for migrants settling in respondents’ neighborhoods based on their ethnicity. However, emotional responses to migrants, perceptions of migrants’ economic backgrounds, and levels of tolerance and ethnocentrism among locals vary based on migrants’ ethnicity. While there may not be outward xenophobia and conflict in the face of internal climate-related migration, the underlying attitudes of members of receiving communities suggest internal migrants from politically excluded groups lack local acceptance and may face more subtle prejudice.
Percutaneous Fifth Metatarsal Osteotomy for Bunionette Deformity Without Fixation or Strapping: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Al Ramlawi Akram , Patel Dev Paul , Ashinsky Beth G. , Aiyer Amiethab A. , Vulcano Ettore
Published: December 2023

Background:

Bunionette deformity (BD) is a painful condition of the fifth metatarsal characterized by an osseous prominence and fifth toe varus deformity. The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes of percutaneous distal metatarsal metaphyseal osteotomy (DMMO) without fixation or postoperative strapping of the foot.

Methods:

A retrospective case series was performed on 111 patients (132 feet) with symptomatic BD who underwent percutaneous DMMO of the fifth metatarsal from September 2020 to January 2022 by an experienced minimally invasive surgeon. According to the Shimobayashi classification, we treated 1 type I deformity, 37 type II deformities, 52 type III deformities, 42 feet with type IV deformity, and no patient with a type V deformity. Ninety patients (81%) underwent unilateral osteotomy, and 21 (19%) had bilateral osteotomies. Most cases included other procedures including treatment of 114 associated deformities of the same feet: 68 bunions, 12 lesser metatarsal osteotomies (2-3-4 metatarsals), and 34 hammertoes (20 second hammertoes, 10 third hammertoes, 1 fourth hammertoes, 2 fifth hammertoes). Patient-reported clinical outcome measures, including the Foot Function Index (FFI) questionnaire, the visual analog score (VAS), and overall satisfaction were collected. Fourth-to-fifth intermetatarsal angle (IMA) correction, time to bone union, and complication rates were assessed in all patients.

Results:

Mean follow-up was 24.1 months (range, 14-39 months). Both radiographic parameters and patient-reported outcome measures significantly improved after DMMO procedure. The average fourth-to-fifth IMA improved from 12.2 degrees, preoperatively, to 4.4 degrees, postoperatively ( P < .001). Patient outcomes reflect the overall outcomes of the combined surgeries on a per-patient basis. Preoperatively, patients had a mean VAS score of 7.6, which improved to 0.6 at the last follow-up ( P < .001). Furthermore, the average FFI significantly decreased from pre- to postoperation from 19.2 to 4.4, respectively ( P < .001). Overall, 108 of 111 patients reported being satisfied with the outcomes of the procedure. Average bone union was achieved at 12.6 weeks postoperation, with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 25 weeks. The complication rate was 1.5%, including 1 case of an asymptomatic cock-up deformity and 1 case of lateral fifth metatarsal shaft bone overhang pain, which resolved with an exostectomy.

Conclusion:

The results of this study of patients who had minimally invasive surgery from an experienced surgeon suggest that percutaneous DMMO of the fifth metatarsal without internal fixation or postoperative immobilization or strapping can be effective at improving radiographic alignment, pain, function, and overall satisfaction with minimal rates of complication.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Investigating the PHQ-9 With Mokken Scale Analysis and Cognitive Interviews
Authors: Kristófersdóttir Kristín Hulda , Kristjánsdóttir Hafrún , Asgeirsdottir Ragnhildur Lilja , Karlsson Thorlakur , Vésteinsdóttir Vaka , Thorsdottir Fanney
Published: December 2023

Scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) are frequently used to assess depression both in research and in clinical practice. The aim was to examine the validity of the PHQ-9 sum score by using Mokken scale analysis (Study I) and cognitive interviews (Study II) on the Icelandic version of PHQ-9. A primary care sample of 618 individuals was used in Study I. The results indicate that the PHQ-9 items are not close enough to perfectly unidimensional for their sum score to accurately order people on the depression severity dimension. In Study II, the sample consisted of 53 individuals, with 28 having a history of depression and 25 not. The findings reveal a number of issues concerning respondents’ use of the PHQ-9. No systematic differences were found in the results of the two groups. The PHQ-9 sum score should thus be interpreted and used with great care. We provide scale revision recommendations to improve the quality of PHQ-9.
Further Evidence for a Dimensional Latent Structure of Health Anxiety: Taxometric Analyses of the Whiteley Index Based on Two German Representative Samples
Authors: Bräscher Anne-Kathrin , Brähler Elmar , Häuser Winfried , Witthöft Michael
Published: December 2023

Health anxiety is an intricate part of illness anxiety and somatic symptom disorder. Based on convenience samples, two out of three available studies indicate that it is a dimensional rather than a categorical construct. Using two representative datasets, this study investigates whether previous results can be clarified. Conventional taxometric analyses as well as comparison curve fit indices (CCFI) profile analyses (MAMBAC and MAXSLOPE procedures) were calculated with two datasets of the German adult population assessing the Whiteley Index (WI-14, N = 2,072; WI-7, N = 2,498). Mean CCFIs indicated a dimensional structure for both the WI-7 (mean CCFI = 0.42, mean CCFI profile = 0.40) and the WI-14 (mean CCFI = 0.44, mean CCFI profile = 0.32). The results support and extend previous findings by strongly suggesting a dimensional distribution of health anxiety in the general population. Implications for research and practice comprise the adoption of a dimensional description of psychopathology as well as transdiagnostic treatment approaches.
Academic Production and Collaboration Among BRICS-Based Researchers: How Far Can the “De-Westernization” of Communication and Media Studies Go?
Authors: Comel Naiza , Kohls Chirlei , Orso Maíra , Otavio Prendin Costa Luiz , Marques Francisco Paulo Jamil
Published: December 2023

Considering the claims for “de-Westernizing” Communication and Media studies, we examine the publication trends of BRICS-based researchers between 2012 and 2021. The article compares SciVal and SJR data concerning 7,938 articles to understand the circulation of such academic communities in top-ranked outlets. The results reveal a remarkable productivity growth in all BRICS countries, striking differences within the group in the number of research articles, the emergence of China as the bloc’s leading hub, and the lack of cooperation among such five countries. We also discuss and criticize how the “de-Westernization” agenda may eventually become another category domesticated by the Global North.
Comparing Media Systems in Western Democracies: Examining the Role of Multiplatform News Use and Fake News Concern on News Engagement and Selective Exposure
Authors: Wu-Ouyang Biying
Published: December 2023

Amid the proliferation of multiplatform social media use and fake news, the ongoing debate about social media’s impact on news engagement and selective exposure remains inconclusive. Drawing on a representative sample of 17 countries ( N = 34,633), the present study examined the association of country-level media systems, individual-level fake news concerns, and multiplatform news use with news engagement and selective exposure. The multilevel analyses revealed (a) an overall positive association between multiplatform social media use and news engagement, (b) the role of fake news concerns on the formation of echo chambers, and (c) the role of state intervention in mitigating individuals’ news engagement in a multiplatform landscape.
Gun Control Agendas in Networked Digital Environment: An Intermedia Comparison Between News Outlets, Activism Media, and Ephemeral Websites
Authors: Li Qian , Shao Chun , Walker Shawn , Kwon K. Hazel
Published: December 2023

This study explores the intermedia agenda-setting of the U.S. gun control movement in 2018, with a specific focus on the role of activism/advocacy media and ephemeral websites in shaping the movement discourse in news outlets. Structural topic modeling and cross-lagged correlation analyses of the Facebook URLs Share dataset show that activism/advocacy media played an important role in proposing unique agendas and aligning them with other news outlets. Meanwhile, ephemeral websites were prone to containing conspiratorial information, which could have been purposive to influence the movement. The study provides empirical insights into how various media actors interact to shape social movement discourses.
An Exploration of a General Social Outcome Measure
Authors: Stichter Janine P. , Buranova Nargiza , Stormont Melissa
Published: December 2023

The General Social Outcome Measure (GSOM) is a performance-based measurement tool designed to assess the change in social skills performance during and after intervention for students with social skills deficits. In the current study, the psychometric properties of the GSOM, including the total score and social communication domains, were examined using a sample of U.S. in adolescents with social skill deficits. Internal consistency alphas were conducted, which showed promising results. Correlational analyses were conducted using the GSOM and the Children’s Communication Checklist-2 (CCC-2), School Social Behavior Scales (SSBS), and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule–Second Edition (ADOS-2). A small but significant correlation was documented between the GSOM and the ADOS-2, with higher GSOM total scores (higher social skills) associated with lower ADOS-2 scores. Additional analyses revealed that individuals with different levels of symptomology according to the ADOS-2 (low, moderate, or high) differed significantly in the GSOM total score. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the utility of the GSOM as a progress-monitoring tool for targeted populations with social skill impairments.
Global injustice and the production of ontological insecurity
Authors: Lerner Adam B.
Published: December 2023

This article argues that a renewed focus on how dominant international practices produce ontological insecurity can help better orient ontological security studies (OSS) to injustice in world politics, particularly as it affects structurally marginalized political actors at multiple levels. It makes this case by bringing the work of Iris Marion Young to bear on OSS, particularly her theory of justice as the elimination of domination and oppression. Drawing on Young’s “Five Faces of Oppression,” this paper argues that multiple injustices endemic to the international system should be understood as key producers of ontological insecurity in the international system, both in their direct ability to destabilize identities and in their undermining of disadvantaged actors’ ontological security-seeking practices. On international scales, these processes transcend levels of analysis, affecting individuals, social groups, and even states in differing ways. Incorporating Young’s work into OSS not only helps build a vital bridge between the oft estranged sub-disciplines of political theory and IR, but also can provide scholars a means of better theorizing how ontological insecurity is so often a product of the international system’s injustices. The paper thus concludes by proposing a normative turn within OSS, asking whether global justice should be understood as a precondition for ontological security-seeking among multiple co-existing actors.
‘It’s life threatening, it’s not life limiting but it’s life threatening’ – Dyadic framework analysis of adolescent and parent adjustment to a type 1 diabetes diagnosis
Authors: Habenicht Andrea , Ahern Elayne , Cody Declan , McDarby Vincent , Houghton Sharon
Published: December 2023

Type 1 diabetes-management can be considered an adolescent-parent collaboration. Given particular adolescent adherence challenges, it is integral that adolescent-parent dyadic relationships are investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore dyads’ adjustment to type 1 diabetes, while examining the congruence/dissimilarity within these dyads. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 dyads (20 individuals) separately. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with thematic analysis using a dyadic framework method. Findings suggested complex experiences of adjustment among parents and adolescents which reflect two main themes – Never-Ending Abyss of Management and Diabetes Integration, with three subthemes – A Life of Food Restrictions, Evolving Familial Bonds and Technology as easing the burden of Diabetes. Dyadic analyses revealed dyadic congruence across most themes. This study adds to the adjustment literature by providing a systemic perspective rarely presented in prior paediatric research.
Rethinking gender from the ethnographic museum. Introduction to the special issue
Authors: Almudéver Chanzà Josep , Benedicty-Kokken Alessandra , Veys Fanny Wonu
Published: December 2023

The present proposed volume takes as its fulcrum the concept of gender, and in its most simple iteration asks: What happens when, we – that is, the varied individuals and communities who take a vested interest in the collections housed by ethnographic museums – think more deliberately from the objects in our museums? How might we theorize gender in ways that allow us to think our relationships to each other in Povinelli's (2011) ‘otherwise’ ways? Ultimately this volume brings together cutting-edge thinking in gender studies, material culture, and museum practice, centering the lens on the ethnographic as a critical category of analysis that continues to regiment how we organize the very collections in our museums.
Roles of ambiguity tolerance and learning effectiveness: Structural equation modeling evidence from EFL students’ perceptions of factors influencing peer collaboration
Authors: Lin Yupeng , Niu Ruihua , Yu Zhonggen
Published: December 2023

Ambiguity tolerance reflects learners’ abilities to accept unpredictable and unfamiliar contexts in language learning without frustration and discomfort. However, it has yet to be thoroughly explored when associated with engagement, motivation, and peer collaboration collaborative learning in course of English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. Relying on questionnaire survey data, this study adopts structural equation modeling techniques based on 1,200 Chinese high school students’ responses. The findings ascertain that engagement and volition significantly and positively predict ambiguity tolerance and learning effectiveness. Additionally, ambiguity tolerance predicts learning effectiveness. For peer collaborative learning, ambiguity tolerance and learning effectiveness are also critical predictors. They significantly and positively predict collaborative learning willingness. Moreover, ambiguity tolerance predicts peer feedback acceptance but not sensitivity to peer pressure. Learning effectiveness significantly and negatively predicts sensitivity to peer pressure, but its impact on peer feedback acceptance is insignificant. Dominant strategies for high school English learners to cope with unfamiliar and uncertain contexts are external help-seeking from dictionaries and instructors. The findings in this study contribute to educational research on psychological mechanisms behind ambiguity tolerance, language education in high school, learning effectiveness, and collaborative learning. As such, this study encourages continued efforts to explore such topics and the consideration of ambiguity tolerance in teaching practice.
Family socioeconomic status and foreign language emotions: Moderation of teacher–student relationships
Authors: Ma Lihong , Xiao Leifeng , Liu Ning , Liu Jian
Published: December 2023

Family context has been found to influence achievement emotions, but the factors that might moderate this association remain relatively unexplored. To address this gap, this research examined the moderation of teacher–student relationships (TSR) in the link between family socioeconomic status (SES) and emotions in foreign language (FL) learning drawing on control-value theory of achievement emotions and attachment theory. The research involved 4,155 eighth-grade students from China, who completed scales reporting their SES, FL enjoyment, FL anxiety, and FL burnout. The moderating effect model demonstrated that TSR played a moderating role in the relationship between SES and negative emotions in FL learning such as anxiety and burnout. However, no significant moderation was observed between SES and FL enjoyment. Specifically, a warm TSR was found to alleviate the negative impact of low SES on negative emotions in FL learning, such as anxiety and burnout. Conversely, TSR did not demonstrate the capacity to enhance the positive emotions associated with FL learning, such as enjoyment, among students from higher SES backgrounds. This research suggests the necessity to intervene with low SES students, with the aim of fostering supportive TSR and ultimately alleviating negative emotions in FL learning.
Assessing L2 secondary student writing feedback literacy and its predictive effect on their L2 writing performance
Authors: Zhang Emily Di , Zhou Nan , Yu Shulin
Published: December 2023

While student feedback literacy has garnered increasing attention in second language education, there is a paucity of research on the relationship between second language (L2) student writing feedback literacy and L2 student writing performance, especially in secondary school contexts. Based on two independent samples of 600 (54.3% female) and 727 (46.2% female) secondary students, the present study validated the L2-Student Writing Feedback Literacy Scale (L2-SWFLS) for secondary students in the Chinese context of English as a foreign language (EFL) and probed into the association between L2 secondary student writing feedback literacy and L2 writing performance. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were carried out to examine the factorial structure of the L2-SWFLS for secondary students. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to examine the relationship between L2 secondary student writing feedback literacy and L2 writing performance. The findings revealed that the L2 secondary student writing feedback literacy comprised two factors, i.e. Using Feedback (10 items) and Evaluating Feedback (4 items), which had acceptable reliability. However, the L2 secondary students’ writing feedback literacy was not associated with their writing performance, which might be due to the existence of some mediators between the two and the students’ limited level of writing feedback literacy. This study advances the understanding of L2 student writing feedback literacy and provides notable insights for L2 secondary teachers to foster students’ capabilities of using feedback and evaluating feedback.
Puzzles in exploratory practice: The role of why questions
Authors: Kato Yoshitaka
Published: December 2023

This article delves into the concept of ‘puzzles’ in exploratory practice (EP), an innovative branch of inclusive practitioner research. EP encourages teachers and learners to define their own agendas (i.e. puzzles) to explore their practice. It has been argued that puzzles are most effective when framed as why questions (e.g. Why do we cheat?) rather than other types of questions. This is because why questions are believed to assist practitioners in gaining a deeper understanding of their practice. However, I have observed that learners often generate other forms of questions, such as what or how. Additionally, exploring a why question did not always lead to a deeper understanding. To address this issue, I conducted an investigation with my own 66 second-year undergraduate students in Japan to determine whether the puzzle had to be a why question in EP. The students created and investigated their puzzles using a preferred format of what, how, and why questions and shared their thoughts with their classmates through poster presentations. This was followed by questionnaires and focus group discussions where I asked for their thoughts on the differences between the three puzzles. The results revealed a general affinity between EP and why questions, but the qualitative analysis of EP posters suggested that, rather than the puzzle format itself, ensuring process-oriented puzzling in EP could be key to developing practitioners’ local understandings. This article highlights the significance of curiosity-driven ongoing engagement in practitioner research and discusses ways to cultivate this ‘I/we wonder’ mindset among practitioners.
Measuring autism-associated traits in the general population: Factor structure and measurement invariance across sex and diagnosis status of the Social Communication Questionnaire
Authors: Hegemann Laura , Bugge Askeland Ragna , Barbo Valand Stian , Øyen Anne-Siri , Schjølberg Synnve , Bal Vanessa H , Bishop Somer L , Stoltenberg Camilla , von Soest Tilmann , Hannigan Laurie J , Havdahl Alexandra
Published: December 2023

Autism screening questionnaires are sometimes used as a measure of “autism-associated traits” in samples drawn from the general population, even though such tools are primarily developed and designed for use in samples of children diagnosed with or being assessed for autism. Here, we explore the psychometric properties of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) current version reported at age 8 in a large population-based sample. Using data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study (MoBa), we perform exploratory ( N = 21,775) and confirmatory ( N = 21,674) factor analyses on items and compare our results with previously suggested factor structure models of the SCQ. Furthermore, we test for measurement invariance across sex and registry-ascertained autism diagnostic status ( Ndiagnosed = 636). A 5-factor model provided best fit to the data in both children with and without autism diagnoses, though with some qualitative differences in what the factors represent across these groups. This model performed largely consistently across boys and girls in the general population. Taken together, the SCQ’s measurement properties must be carefully considered when it is used in population-based samples and measurement invariance testing of other autism screening tools used in similar contexts is warranted.

Lay abstract

Using questionnaires in research relies on the expectation that they measure the same things across different groups of individuals. If this is not true, then interpretations of results can be misleading when researchers compare responses across different groups of individuals or use in it a group that differs from that in which the questionnaire was developed. For the questionnaire we investigated, the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), we found that parents of boys and girls responded to questionnaire items in largely the same way but that the SCQ measured traits and behaviors slightly differently depending on whether the children had autism. Based on these results, we concluded that researchers using this questionnaire should carefully consider these differences when deciding how to interpret findings. SCQ scores as a reflection of “autism-associated traits” in samples that are mostly or entirely made up of individuals without an autism diagnosis may be misleading and we encourage a more precise interpretation of scores as a broader indication of social-communicative and behavioral traits.
Civilizing social media: The effect of geolocation on the incivility of news comments
Authors: Guo Yufan , Li Yuhan , Yang Tian
Published: December 2023

Many social media affordances can affect the quality of online discourse, but such an effect remains understudied for the visibility of geolocation, which is available on most social media platforms. We looked at the event in which Weibo started to display users’ IP locations on 28 April 2022, which was supposed to reduce incivility as the deindividuation hypothesis predicted. Leveraging a natural experiment, we examined the effect of IP location visibility, with special attention to COVID-19-related news posts and location-based, uncivil name-calling. We found that displaying the IP location in the comments section increased location-based incivility, as geolocation can function as an effective cue that signals ideological affiliation and fuels conflicts between users holding different political positions on the Chinese Internet. Meanwhile, we characterized a moderating effect of audience size on this decivilizing effect. Our study suggests that diverse social media affordances can fuel group identification and facilitate intergroup behaviors.
Association Between the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 Public Education Campaign and Initial Adult COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake by Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2020–2022
Authors: Luchman Joseph N. , Nighbor Tyler , Kranzler Elissa C. , Denison Benjamin , Dahlen Heather , Kim Jae-Eun C. , Williams Christopher , Trigger Sarah , Bennett Morgane , Hoffman Leah , Peck Joshua
Published: December 2023

Non-Hispanic Black (Black) and Hispanic/Latino (Latino) populations face an increased risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 relative to non-Hispanic White (White) populations. When COVID-19 vaccines became available in December 2020, Black and Latino adults were less likely than White adults to get vaccinated due to factors such as racial discrimination and structural barriers to uptake. In April 2021, the U.S. HHS COVID-19 public education campaign (the Campaign) was launched to promote vaccination through general and audience-tailored messaging. As of March 2022, Black and Latino adults had reached parity with White adults in COVID-19 vaccine uptake. This study evaluated the relationship between Campaign exposure and subsequent vaccine uptake among Black, Latino, and White adults in the United States and assessed whether participant race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between Campaign exposure and vaccine uptake. Campaign media delivery data was merged with survey data collected from a sample of U.S. adults (n = 2,923) over four waves from January 2021 to March 2022. Logistic regression analysis showed that cumulative Campaign digital impressions had a positive, statistically significant association with COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and that participant race/ethnicity moderated this association. Compared with White adults, the magnitude of the relationship between cumulative impressions and vaccination was greater among Black and Latino adults. Results from a simulation model suggested that the Campaign may have been responsible for closing 5.0% of the gap in COVID-19 vaccination by race/ethnicity from April to mid-September 2021. We discuss implications for future public education campaigns that aim to reduce health disparities.
Transcriptomic profile of the mechanosensitive ion channelome in human cardiac fibroblasts
Authors: Mitrokhin Vadim , Bilichenko Andrei , Kazanski Viktor , Schobik Roman , Shileiko Stanislav , Revkova Veronika , Kalsin Vladimir , Kamkina Olga , Kamkin Andre , Mladenov Mitko
Published: December 2023

Human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) have mRNA transcripts that encode different mechanosensitive ion channels and channel regulatory proteins whose functions are not known yet. The primary goal of this work was to define the mechanosensitive ion channelome of HCFs. The most common type of cationic channel is the transient receptor potential (TRP) family, which is followed by the TWIK-related K+channel (TREK), transmembrane protein 63 (TMEM63), and PIEZO channel (PIEZO) families. In the sodium-dependent NON-voltage-gated channel (SCNN) subfamily, only SCNN1D was shown to be highly expressed. Particular members of the acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) (ASIC1 and ASIC3) subfamilies were also significantly expressed. The transcripts per kilobase million (TPMs) for Piezo 2 were almost 100 times less abundant than those for Piezo 1. The tandem of P domains in a weak inward rectifying K+channel (TWIK)-2 channel, TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+channel (TASK)-5, TASK-1, and the TWIK-related K1 (TREK-1) channel were the four most prevalent types in the K2P subfamily. The highest expression in the TRPP subfamily was found for PKD2 and PKD1, while in the TRPM subfamily, it was found for TRPM4, TRPM7, and TRPM3. TRPV2, TRPV4, TRPV3, and TRPV6 (all members of the TRPV subfamily) were also substantially expressed. A strong expression of the TRPC1, TRPC4, TRPC6, and TRPC2 channels and all members of the TRPML subfamily (MCOLN1, MCOLN2, and MCOLN3) was also shown. In terms of the transmembrane protein 16 (TMEM16) family, the HCFs demonstrated significant expression of the TMEM16H, TMEM16F, TMEM16J, TMEM16A, and TMEM16G channels. TMC3 is the most expressed channel in HCFs of all known members of the transmembrane channel-like protein (TMC) family. This analysis of the mechanosensitive ionic channel transcriptome in HCFs: (1) agrees with previously documented findings that all currently identified mechanosensitive channels play a significant and well recognized physiological function in elucidating the mechanosensitive characteristics of HCFs; (2) supports earlier preliminary reports that point to the most common expression of the TRP mechanosensitive family in HCFs; and (3) points to other new mechanosensitive channels (TRPC1, TRPC2, TWIK-2, TMEM16A, ASIC1, and ASIC3).
IP3R-1 aggravates endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in mice by regulating MAM formation and mitochondrial function
Authors: Dong Shuan , Wu Ya , Zhang Yuan , Li Shaona , Zhao Qin , Liu Shasha , Guo Yan , Li Xiangyun , Song Kai , Wu Lili , Wu Lina , Shi Jia , Gong Lirong , Yu Jianbo
Published: December 2023

Acute lung injury (ALI) caused by endotoxin represents one of the common clinical emergencies. Mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAM) serve as a critical link between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which has an essential effect on maintaining intracellular homeostasis. As an important component of MAM, type-1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R-1) mediates the ER-to-mitochondrial transport of Ca2+. This study explored the role of IP3R-1 and MAM in ALI. Besides the levels of inflammasome-associated components interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) were increased in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum, increased cross-sectional area of mitochondria, elevated MAM formation, and decreased respiratory control ratio (RCR) were observed within lung tissues collected in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, accompanied by upregulation of IP3R-1 in total lung lysates and MAM. Ca2+uptake level in the mitochondria, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondria, and the formation of MAM were elevated within LPS-treated MLE-12 cells, and all those changes in response to LPS were partly inhibited by knocking down of IP3R-1 expression in MLE-12 cells. Collectively, IP3R-1 has a critical effect on MAM formation and mitochondrial dysfunction, which could be innovative therapeutic targets for ALI caused by endotoxin.
Traumatic Iliac Arteriovenous Fistula Treated With the Amplatzer Vascular Plug II: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: An Rui , Li Jiatao , Zhu Tianyi , Zhang Yanrong , Li Yunsong , Li Liang , Gao Ruijiao , Liu Xiangdong , Cao Pengkai
Published: December 2023

Traumatic iliac arteriovenous fistula is a rare complication of vascular injury. Open surgical repair has an incidence of postoperative complications. In recent years, endovascular treatment has shown better efficacy. We report a 62-year-old female AVF patient with a stab injury history of more than 16 years. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed a large arteriovenous fistula between the right internal iliac artery and the common iliac vein. After considering the patient's relevant conditions, an endovascular approach was satisfactorily performed with the implantation of an Amplatzer Vascular Plug II to interrupt the abnormal vascular communication and maintain arterial and venous patency. The final control images showed closure of the arteriovenous communication.
College Students’ Adaptations of Activities and Experiences During the Pandemic Occupational Disruption
Authors: Atler Karen E. , Krishnagiri Sheama
Published: December 2023

During life disruptions, people adapt their activities responding to environmental stressors, resulting in new routines that support well-being. To explore college students’ daily life experiences during the pandemic. Thirty students completed three time-use diaries, and responded to a survey on activity change during Coronavirus Disease 2019, satisfaction with social/leisure occupations, and well-being. Survey questions, duration of activities, and levels of were analyzed across 3 days. Exercise, school, socializing, and work were the most changed, often eliminating the activity, or modifying the activity, social context, or location. Time-use data indicated participants engaged in similar types of activities compared with nonpandemic times, but experienced different levels of pleasure and productivity related to some activities. Participants adjusted their activities/experiences to support their well-being. Examination of students’ occupations and experiences uncovered the dynamic interaction between all levels of context—the macro (pandemic) and the micro (place to study).
Parenting With and Beyond Cancer: A Photo-Elicitation Study
Authors: Glazer Kara , Wazirali Diya , Koszer Laura , Canter Benjamin Ezra , Pinto Brianna , Stursberg Laura , Coster Wendy J. , Newman Robin
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to understand the occupational performance of parents with cancer and to understand if photo-elicitation would provide new insights into these experiences. In a semi-structured photo-elicitation interview, 36 participants living with and beyond cancer who had children under 18 years old shared and discussed photographs related to their parenting experiences. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified. Parents shared how they (a) managed daily responsibilities and (b) maintained connection with their family. Across all types, stages and phases of the cancer continuum parents shared experiences related to maintaining child and family responsibilities and maintaining connection with their children. Photo-elicitation was an efficient and effective method to gather rich data from parents living with cancer. The results emphasize the clinical utility of using photo-elicitation to understand the occupational performance of parents throughout the cancer continuum of care.
Assessing Older Adults’ Functional Visual Performance Using the Performance Quality Rating Scale
Authors: Boey Debbie , Tse Tamara , Fitzmaurice Kerry , Chan Mei Leng , Carey Leeanne M.
Published: December 2023

Visual impairment has distinct impacts on the activities of older adults. Quantifying the functional impact of visual loss would facilitate targeted rehabilitation. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop an observational assessment of the functional visual performance of older adults using the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS); (2) test the feasibility and inter-rater agreement in a pilot sample of older adults with visual impairment. A convenience sample of older adults with vision loss ( N = 20) performed seven pre-selected activities. Performance was videoed ( N = 126 videos) and rated by two raters using specific operational definitions. All participants completed the seven activities with the given resources and 90% of videos were successfully rated using the developed PQRS. Inter-rater agreement was substantial (weighted Kappa = 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.64, 0.79]) for all activities. The developed PQRS for functional vision is feasible, with substantial inter-rater agreement, to assess functional vision of older adults in an outpatient setting.