bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening of Cellulolytic Bacteria from Sugarcane Waste (Bagasse) and Optimization of Cellulase Activity as Animal Feed
Authors: Ramadhani Sulistya Ika , Ardyati Tri , Sjofjan Osfar
Published: January 2024

The Sugar Factory of Tjoekir Jombang is one of the sugar factories located in Jombang, East Java under PT Perkebunan Nusantara X. Sugarcane waste, also known as bagasse causes pollution of the environment. Some microorganisms are able to degrade cellulose-containing bagasse, because of cellulolytic enzymes produced by cellulolytic bacteria. This study aims to obtain cellulolytic bacteria isolates, screen the highest cellulolytic activity, identify the highest cellulolytic activity isolates, and optimize conditions (pH and temperature) for the highest cellulase activity. Cellulolytic bacteria from bagasse were grown on a medium containing 1% CMC. Several additional minerals were other than those in the CMC medium. The cellulase activity was assayed semi-quantitatively with the addition of 0.1% Congo red and quantitatively using the 3,5-Dinitro Salicylic Acid (DNS) method. Bacterial isolates with high cellulolytic activity were identified based on the 16S rDNA sequence. This research obtained 20 bacterial isolates, where isolate A1T4 had the highest cellulolytic index of 1.18 mm. Measurement of cellulase activity using the DNS method showed that isolate A2T2 had the highest cellulase activity of 2.19 U/mL. Hemolysis assay showed that from 12 isolates, only two isolates have γ-hemolysis activity (isolates A1T6 and A3T3). Those isolates were optimized in a CMC broth medium with temperatures of 30°C and 37°C and pH 5 and pH 6 to produce the highest cellulase activity. Isolate A1T6 and A3T3 were grown optimally at 30oC and pH 6. Isolate A1T6 was identified as Citrobacter amalonaticus with a similarity of 99.80%, and isolate A3T3 was identified as Pseudomonas mendocina with a similarity of 98.83%.
VLDL Biogenesis and Secretion: It Takes a Village
Authors: van Zwol Willemien , van de Sluis Bart , Ginsberg Henry N. , Kuivenhoven Jan Albert
Published: January 2024

The production and secretion of VLDLs (very-low-density lipoproteins) by hepatocytes has a direct impact on liver fat content, as well as the concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides in the circulation and thus affects both liver and cardiovascular health, respectively. Importantly, insulin resistance, excess caloric intake, and lack of physical activity are associated with overproduction of VLDL, hepatic steatosis, and increased plasma levels of atherogenic lipoproteins. Cholesterol and triglycerides in remnant particles generated by VLDL lipolysis are risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and have garnered increasing attention over the last few decades. Presently, however, increased risk of atherosclerosis is not the only concern when considering today’s cardiometabolic patients, as they often also experience hepatic steatosis, a prevalent disorder that can progress to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. This duality of metabolic risk highlights the importance of understanding the molecular regulation of the biogenesis of VLDL, the lipoprotein that transports triglycerides and cholesterol out of the liver. Fortunately, there has been a resurgence of interest in the intracellular assembly, trafficking, degradation, and secretion of VLDL by hepatocytes, which has led to many exciting new molecular insights that are the topic of this review. Increasing our understanding of the biology of this pathway will aid to the identification of novel therapeutic targets to improve both the cardiovascular and the hepatic health of cardiometabolic patients. This review focuses, for the first time, on this duality.
Piezo1-Mediated Neurogenic Inflammatory Cascade Exacerbates Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Sun Meiyan , Mao Sui , Wu Chao , Zhao Xiaoyong , Guo Chengxiao , Hu Jun , Xu Shijin , Zheng Fen , Zhu Guoqing , Tao Hui , He Shufang , Hu Ji , Zhang Ye
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:

Heart failure is associated with a high rate of mortality and morbidity, and ventricular remodeling invariably precedes heart failure. Ventricular remodeling is fundamentally driven by mechanotransduction that is regulated by both the nervous system and the immune system. However, it remains unknown which key molecular factors govern the neuro/immune/cardio axis that underlies mechanotransduction during ventricular remodeling. Here, we investigated whether the mechanosensitive Piezo cation channel–mediated neurogenic inflammatory cascade underlies ventricular remodeling–related mechanotransduction.

METHODS:

By ligating the left coronary artery of rats to establish an in vivo model of chronic myocardial infarction (MI), lentivirus-mediated thoracic dorsal root ganglion (TDRG)–specific Piezo1 knockdown rats and adeno-associated virus–PHP.S—mediated TDRG neuron–specific Piezo1 knockout mice were used to investigate whether Piezo1 in the TDRG plays a functional role during ventricular remodeling. Subsequently, neutralizing antibody–mediated TDRG IL-6 (interleukin-6) inhibition rats and adeno-associated virus–PHP.S—mediated TDRG neuron–specific IL-6 knockdown mice were used to determine the mechanism underlying neurogenic inflammation. Primary TDRG neurons were used to evaluate Piezo1 function in vitro.

RESULTS:

Expression of Piezo1 and IL-6 was increased, and these factors were functionally activated in TDRG neurons at 4 weeks after MI. Both knockdown of TDRG-specific Piezo1 and deletion of TDRG neuron–specific Piezo1 lessened the severity of ventricular remodeling at 4 weeks after MI and decreased the level of IL-6 in the TDRG or heart. Furthermore, inhibition of TDRG IL-6 or knockdown of TDRG neuron–specific IL-6 also ameliorated ventricular remodeling and suppressed the IL-6 cascade in the heart, whereas the Piezo1 level in the TDRG was not affected. In addition, enhanced Piezo1 function, as reflected by abundant calcium influx induced by Yoda1 (a selective agonist of Piezo1), led to increased release of IL-6 from TDRG neurons in mice 4 weeks after MI.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings point to a critical role for Piezo1 in ventricular remodeling at 4 weeks after MI and reveal a neurogenic inflammatory cascade as a previously unknown facet of the neuronal immune signaling axis underlying mechanotransduction.
Living on the edge: thermoregulation at the niche margin in the Bedriaga’s rock lizard
Authors: Bombi Pierluigi , Calò Fabrizio , Salvi Daniele
Published: January 2024

Thermoregulation is essential for ectotherms but its relative cost, especially under ongoing climate change, depends on the thermal quality of habitats. Populations at the warm margin of a thermal niche could be negatively affected by environmental temperatures that approach the limits of a species’ thermoregulation capacity. This study aims to define the thermal niche of the Bedriaga’s rock lizard, Archaeolacerta bedriagae, a rock-dwelling species endemic to the Corsica and Sardinia islands (western Mediterranean Sea), and to investigate its thermoregulation effectiveness at the warm edge of its niche. We collected data on climate, body temperature, and microhabitat temperature throughout the species’ range to characterize its thermal niche. We found that A. bedriagae does not occupy the entire climatic space available across its distribution range; rather, it selects temperate climates. Remarkably, thermoregulation effort increases when the habitat thermal quality decreases towards warmer sites. Populations at the warm edge of the thermal niche show the best thermoregulation effectiveness, but they are also more sensitive to the effects of climate change as they may already be at (or beyond) the species’ maximum thermal capacity under the current conditions. We observed such a pattern at the extreme hot side of the thermal niche. This study provides key information on the thermoregulatory response of A. bedriagae to ongoing climate change that can be useful to identify populations facing a higher extinction risk either currently or in the near future.
The Road Most Traveled By
Authors: Mesquita Rafael
Published: January 2024

This article applies main path analysis to UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions as a novel way to identify what documents and themes have mattered most in the evolution of the organization. Three successive corpora containing all resolutions adopted by the UNGA during its first fifteen, thirty-five, and seventy-three years were analyzed. Results show that the theme of the main path of the first fifteen sessions was Palestine, and peacekeeping/budget for the other two corpora. Three concluding hypotheses are proposed as possible explanations for this finding. Main paths in networks of international norms might be understood as indicators of ongoing issues, as a sign of groundedness, or as residue from preferential attachment. This paper trail reconstructs relevant chapters of the UN’s institutional development and reveals that texts of little fame can nonetheless be at the origin of large bodies of later works, and that jurisprudential density varies across UNGA topics.
Amabiko: The Oceanic Ape and Its Rhizomatic Body
Authors: Castiglioni Andrea
Published: January 2024

The amabiko アマビコ is a chimerical aquatic hybrid similar to an oceanic ape with oracular and thaumaturgic powers, which inspired ludic and religious micro-practices in the late Edo (1603–1868) and early Meiji periods (1868–1912). The present study investigates the genealogy of the amabiko and the pivotal role played by itinerant sellers known as news criers (yomiuri) in the diffusion of images and stories concerning the amabiko, its worshiping protocols, and talismanic effects. Beyond the philological analysis of written documents, I also examine hitherto understudied prints and local gazetteers’ illustrations to understand the salvific value and “ocular luck” (ganpuku) associated with the amabiko. Moreover, this article shows how the socio-religious milieu concerning the amabiko had a trans-social nature, spanning both elite and subaltern classes. The amabiko’s physicality also provides a unique opportunity to explore the uncanny and polysemic contact areas between human and nonhuman bodies.
A Magnificent Empress, A Brilliant Old Man, and an Ugly Navigator
Authors: Simpson Emily B.
Published: January 2024

Although the legend of Empress Jingū and her divinely mandated conquest of the Korean peninsula first appeared in the Kojiki and Nihon shoki, narratives of Empress Jingū proliferated in the fourteenth century. Following the Mongol Invasions, shifts in worldview, particularly regarding Japan’s relationship with the Asian continent, contributed to changes in how kami were conceptualized. In late medieval Jingū narratives, the kami who assist Empress Jingū take corporeal forms and become active agents in the human world. Drawing on Ernst Jentsch, Motoori Norinaga, and Rudolph Otto, I argue that these kami inhabit uncanny bodies: their physical forms appear human, but contain uncanny attributes that reveal their divinity to observant humans within the narrative. From Jingū in suprahuman form, Sumiyoshi as an old yet incredibly strong man, and Azumi no Isora’s barnacle-encrusted face, I illustrate how uncanny aspects of the physical bodies of kami signify their divine nature.
Stomping on Sacred Grounds
Authors: Reichenbaecher Christoph
Published: January 2024

This paper investigates the changes in the uncanny expressed in historical examples of sumo wrestling. Various pre-modern instances show sumo as a wild and relentless combat, often resulting in the injury or death of one of the wrestlers. However, due to sociopolitical changes in the early Edo period (1600–1868), a new mode of conduct emerged at shrines and temples that complied with regulations in the urban space and forced wrestling to adapt and curtail the uncanny. Eventually, a further drastic image shift occurred when popular culture picked up sumo wrestling. Finally, in the latter half of the nineteenth century, sumo wrestling turned into a “sport” while still retaining uncanny elements in its conduct. Thus, this paper concludes that religious institutions tamed sumo wrestling’s classical uncanniness; at the same time, new conduct secured the integration of uncanny elements within modern sumo wrestling.
Figurist Heavenly Studies among French Jesuits in the Early Modern Period
Authors: Jeon Hong-seok
Published: January 2024

This study aims to develop a reciprocal worldview based on a dialogue between civilizations and the empathetic knowledge network of communication and solidarity between the East and West. It investigates French Jesuit missionaries’ perceptions and knowledge system of the Confucian Orient in the early modern period (the 16th–18th centuries). It establishes a positive image of East Asia and highlights the coexistence of different civilizations along the East-West communication continuum while dispelling negative impressions of East Asia and the closed East-West relationship created by modern Orientalism. It recognizes the issues of prior comparative cultural research and proposes an alternative discussion of Figurism (heavenly studies) (tianxue, 天學) in early modern French Jesuits’ studies of East Asia from the perspective of comparative cultural imagology. In short, focusing on Chinese Figurism, it reveals a positive cultural image of the Confucian civilization, universal biblical self-identification, the Hermetic revelation of truth, and the knowledge system of cultural identification.
Quantifying Changes in the Florida Synoptic-Scale Sea-Breeze Regime Climatology
Authors: Woodson Bowles Harrison , Strazzo Sarah E.
Published: January 2024

Florida’s summertime precipitation patterns are in part influenced by convergence between the synoptic-scale wind and local sea-breeze fronts that form along the east and west coasts of the peninsula. While the National Weather Service previously defined nine sea-breeze regimes resulting from variations in the synoptic-scale vector wind field near Tampa, Florida, these regimes were developed using a shorter 18-yr period and examined primarily for the purposes of short-term weather prediction. This study employs reanalysis data to develop a full 30-yr climatology of the Florida sea-breeze regime distribution and analyze the composite mean atmospheric conditions associated with each regime. Further, given that 1) the synoptic-scale wind primarily varies as a result of movement in the western ridge of the North Atlantic subtropical high (NASH), and 2) previous studies suggest long-term shifts in the mean position of the NASH western ridge, this study also examines variability and trends in the sea-breeze regime distribution and its relationship to rainy-day frequency over a longer 60-yr period. Results indicate that synoptic-scale flow from the west through southwest, which enhances precipitation probabilities along the eastern half of the peninsula, has increased in frequency, while flow from the east through northeast has decreased in frequency. These changes in the sea-breeze regime distribution may be partially responsible for increases in rainy-day frequency during June–August over northeastern Florida, though results suggest that other factors likely contribute to interannual variability in precipitation across the southern peninsula.
North Atlantic Response to Observed North Atlantic Oscillation Surface Heat Flux in Three Climate Models
Authors: Kim Who M. , Ruprich-Robert Yohan , Zhao Alcide , Yeager Stephen , Robson Jon
Published: January 2024

We investigate how the ocean responds to 10-yr persistent surface heat flux forcing over the subpolar North Atlantic (SPNA) associated with the observed winter NAO in three CMIP6-class coupled models. The experiments reveal a broadly consistent ocean response to the imposed NAO forcing. Positive NAO forcing produces anomalously dense water masses in the SPNA, increasing the southward lower (denser) limb of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) in density coordinates. The southward propagation of the anomalous dense water generates a zonal pressure gradient overlying the models’ North Atlantic Current that enhances the upper (lighter) limb of the density-space AMOC, increasing the heat and salt transport into the SPNA. However, the amplitude of the thermohaline process response differs substantially between the models. Intriguingly, the anomalous dense-water formation is not primarily driven directly by the imposed flux anomalies, but rather dominated by changes in isopycnal outcropping area and associated changes in surface water mass transformation (WMT) due to the background surface heat fluxes. The forcing initially alters the outcropping area in dense-water formation regions, but WMT due to the background surface heat fluxes through anomalous outcropping area decisively controls the total dense-water formation response and can explain the intermodel amplitude difference. Our study suggests that coupled models can simulate consistent mechanisms and spatial patterns of decadal SPNA variability when forced with the same anomalous buoyancy fluxes, but the amplitude of the response depends on the background states of the models.
Microscale Updrafts within Northeast U.S. Coastal Snowstorms Using High-Resolution Cloud Radar Measurements
Authors: Oue Mariko , Colle Brian A. , Yuter Sandra E. , Kollias Pavlos , Yeh Phillip , Tomkins Laura M.
Published: January 2024

Limited knowledge exists about ∼100-m-scale precipitation processes within U.S. northeast coastal snowstorms because of a lack of high-resolution observations. We investigate characteristics of microscale updraft regions within the cyclone comma head and their relationships with snowbands, wind shear, frontogenesis, and vertical mass flux using high-spatiotemporal-resolution vertically pointing Ka-band radar measurements, soundings, and reanalysis data for four snowstorms observed at Stony Brook, New York. Updraft regions are defined as contiguous time–height plotted areas with upward Doppler velocity without hydrometeor sedimentation that is equal to or greater than 0.4 m s−1. Most updraft regions in the time–height data occur on a time scale of seconds (<20 s), which is equivalent to spatial scales < 500 m. These small updraft regions within cloud echo occur more than 30% of the time for three of the four cases and 18% for the other case. They are found at all altitudes and can occur with or without frontogenesis and with or without snowbands. The updraft regions with relatively large Doppler spectrum width (>0.4 m s−1) occur more frequently within midlevels of the storms, where there are strong wind shear layers and moist shear instability layers. This suggests that the dominant forcing for the updrafts appears to be turbulence associated with the vertical shear instability. The updraft regions can be responsible for upward mass flux when they are closer together in space and time. The higher values of column mean upward mass flux often occur during snowband periods.

Significance Statement

Small-scale (<500 m) upward motions within four snowstorms along the U.S. northeast coast are analyzed for the first time using high-spatiotemporal-resolution millimeter-wavelength cloud radar pointed vertically. The analysis reveals that updrafts appear in the storms regardless of whether snowbands are present or whether there is larger-scale forcing for ascent. The more turbulent and stronger updrafts frequently occur in midlevels of storms associated with instability from vertical shear and contribute to upward mass flux during snowband periods when they are closer together in space and time.
Effects of Workplace Competition on Work Time and Gender Inequality
Authors: Miller Amalia R. , Petrie Ragan , Segal Carmit
Published: January 2024

High-pay, high-status jobs are competitive and male-dominated and typically demand long work hours. The authors study the role of competition in producing the latter two outcomes using two field experiments. In the first, they find that paying tournament prizes for performance induces both men and women to work longer, but that men respond more than women to the high-prize tournament. In the second, men are more likely than women to choose tournament-based compensation over a wage rate for larger prizes. These results demonstrate that high-stakes workplace competition can fuel gender inequality both directly, because men are more likely to enter and win tournaments, and indirectly, by raising work hours, which hurts women who face greater time demands in household production.
A world systems analysis of union membership and support for government spending on environmental protection
Authors: Ringqvist Josef
Published: January 2024

This article contributes to debates about trade unions and the environment by studying international variation in the association between union membership and support for government spending on environmental protection. Building on research which demonstrates a positive membership effect on support for environmental protection, the article extends the geographical scope beyond the more economically developed contexts studied previously. Using World Systems Theory as a comparative framework, distinguishing between core, semi-periphery, and periphery states, the article explores whether the positive membership effect extends beyond more affluent core states and reveals an intriguing empirical puzzle: while public support for environmental spending is substantially weaker in core states relative to non-core states, the latter being subject to more extensive environmental threats, the reverse holds for the membership effect on environmental spending support which instead tends to be more positive in core states. Union membership thus tends to have the largest positive impact on environmental spending support in countries where public support for such spending tends to be lower. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the global effort to address an ongoing environmental crisis are discussed by considering the notion of a solidarity effect.
Navigating spatial inequalities: The micro-politics of migrant dwelling practices during COVID-19 in Antwerp
Authors: Robinson Hannah , Molenaar Jil , Van Praag Lore
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic and its multiple lockdowns disrupted city life, while restrictions on physical distancing and urban activities highlighted the importance of our living environment and its links to our well-being. As part of the COVINFORM research project, this case study uses a micro-political lens to explore the specific spatial challenges which migrants faced in two of the more socially deprived neighbourhoods in Antwerp, Antwerpen-Noord and Borgerhout. This study aims to understand the specific spatial challenges migrants encountered during the pandemic and examine how they navigated and asserted agency within the confines of their living situation during this period. We combine participant observation with 25 semi-structured interviews with migrants living in two neighbourhoods in Antwerp (Flanders, Belgium), namely Borgerhout and Antwerpen-Noord. Findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced urban spatial disparities, where people’s strategies of adaptation were suddenly disrupted. Lower-income migrants were particularly affected, living in crowded housing without access to private open space. Access to public and green spaces, as well as facilities and public transport links, became more important during the pandemic, especially for those in poorer housing conditions. Within this context of spatial inequalities, migrants deployed their agency through claiming access to the city, shifting dwelling practices, and leveraging neighbourhood and community networks.
Detecting uniform differential item functioning for continuous response computerized adaptive testing
Authors: Wang Chun , Zhu Ruoyi
Published: January 2024

Evaluating items for potential differential item functioning (DIF) is an essential step to ensuring measurement fairness. In this article, we focus on a specific scenario, namely, the continuous response, severely sparse, computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Continuous responses items are growingly used in performance-based tasks because they tend to generate more information than traditional dichotomous items. Severe sparsity arises when many items are automatically generated via machine learning algorithms. We propose two uniform DIF detection methods in this scenario. The first is a modified version of the CAT-SIBTEST, a non-parametric method that does not depend on any specific item response theory model assumptions. The second is a regularization method, a parametric, model-based approach. Simulation studies show that both methods are effective in correctly identifying items with uniform DIF. A real data analysis is provided in the end to illustrate the utility and potential caveats of the two methods.
Comprehensive scoping review of research on intercultural love and romantic relationships
Authors: Yurtaeva Ekaterina , Charura Divine
Published: January 2024

Despite the growing evidence that the modern world is more diverse and so is the nature of relationships that present in therapy, there remains paucity of empirical evidence on how cultural differences impact those in intercultural romantic ties. We conducted this comprehensive scoping review with the aim to outline the size and scope of existing research in the field of intercultural love and romantic relationships. We utilised a five-stage scoping review protocol provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) manual for synthesis of evidence for a scoping review to ensure the rigour, transparency, and replicability of our findings. We reviewed peer-reviewed articles across nine electronic databases as well as “snowballing” the literature from the reference lists. A total of 46 studies were included in this review. We found that the majority of studies approached intercultural relationships from the deficit perspective, focusing on the domains of cultural difference that bring challenges to the relationship. These included culture-rooted differences in parenting standards and gender role expectations, among others. Often, cultural differences were found to bring power impedance into the relationship. Open communication and flexibility were found as important coping strategies. Differences in native language posed challenges to emotional communication between partners. These findings demonstrate that intercultural relationships face an additional layer of challenges and complexities that have to be recognised in therapy. We propose four domains of transmodality relational competencies on the basis of our findings to inform culturally sensitive therapeutic practice.
Investigation of process parameters influence in waterjet peening of AZ31B-Mg alloy for bioimplant applications
Authors: Mohan Mugilvalavan , Radhakrishnan Muruganandhan , Natarajan Yuvaraj
Published: January 2024

The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of parameters standoff-distance, waterjet pressure, traverse speed and number of passes used in the waterjet peening process on AZ31B-Mg alloy to assess surface grain refinement's potential and to improve the alloy's functionality in the biological environment, followed by the study of enhancement in hardening and roughening effect on AZ31B-Mg alloy surface. The optimal parametric condition required for investigating surface texture, X-ray diffraction analysis and electrochemical corrosion analysis with simulated body fluid was obtained through the multi-criteria optimisation, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution, which employs microhardness and surface roughness as response variables. The obtained results show significant improvement in mechanical and corrosion-inhibiting features of AZ31B-Mg alloy. Further, the biocompatibility of waterjet peened and unpeened surfaces was examined using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay and fluorescence analysis with MG63 cell lines.
Psychometric properties of the Bengali-Translated Occupational Self-Assessment Short Form
Authors: Islam Azharul , Nam Sanghun , Akter Shamima , Ishibashi Yu
Published: January 2024

Introduction:

The Occupational Self-Assessment-Short Form (OSA-SF) is a client-centered instrument designed to assess goal setting and intervention planning for adults with a client-centered approach. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Bengali-translated Occupational Self-Assessment-Short Form (BOSA-SF), which could enable occupational therapists to evaluate the occupational competence and value of Bengali adults.

Method:

A total of 170 adult participants participated in the study after the translation phase. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis.

Results:

Among the 12 items, 11 on the competence scale and all 12 on the value scale were unidimensional and demonstrated local independence. The 11 competence items and 12 value items were fitted to the Rasch model, demonstrating good validity and reliability.

Conclusion:

The 11-item BOSA-SF demonstrates to be a valid and reliable tool for use in client-centered goal setting and intervention planning for Bengali adults. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to conduct more comprehensive analyses that thoroughly assess the functions of the BOSA-SF in various contexts.
Gay men and extreme sexual practices in the era of chemsex and online digital dating platforms
Authors: Stevenson Stuart
Published: January 2024

Chemsex is a phenomenon in which, typically, gay men take very powerful and high-risk psychoactive drugs while having sex, often without a condom, otherwise known as bare backing. This frequently, but not exclusively, occurs in a group sex context in a residential or a commercial sex on premises establishment. This use of chemsex can lead to increased rates of HIV transmission, sexual and physical assault, a significant impact and corrosion of mental health and frequent occasions of fatality. Gay men are already a stigmatized group so those who engage in chemsex face multiple stigmas. Christopher Bollas’ seminal paper on Cruising in the Homosexual Arena 1993 (Bollas, 1993) was the inspiration for this article. This article attempts to provide a contemporary psychodynamic and group analytic understanding of the group and inter- and intra-psychic dynamics of more recent developments in gay male cruising practices at this later stage of the AIDS pandemic. The changes result from the demise of the gay male bar scene, its effective replacement with the availability of dating apps, the new digital hook up culture and the aggressive emergence of, for a small subgroup of gay men, the almost overnight replacement of the much less harmful dance floor drugs with extremely hazardous chemsex drugs such as crystal meth, mephedrone and GHB/GBL. Through a group analytic lens this article discusses the challenge of navigating the ungoverned spaces of the extreme and often very dangerous sexual practices in a small but significant subgroup of the modern gay male community.
Design of continuous transition line pattern between layers of composite pressure vessel
Authors: Liang Jianguo , Xue Yuqin , Li Yinhui , Zhao Chunjiang , Liu Jianglin , Zhao Xiaodong , Zu Lei
Published: January 2024

To realize efficient and stable continuous transition between different winding process layers of composite pressure vessels. This article uses the non-geodesic winding equation to propose a transition layer design method for composite pressure vessel shells with circular cross-section core molds and ellipsoidal heads. Firstly, the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method is used to solve the non-geodesic stabilized winding pattern and then analyze different regions’ transition ability. Established a calculation model to determine the corresponding transition winding trajectory according to the known core mold shape and fiber position and carried out computer image simulation of different modes of transition layer patterns, and finally carried out experimental verification of 35 MPa composite pressure vessel based on the simulation. The results show that different regions of the core mold have different abilities to change different starting winding angles, and the design of the transition process layer based on this law can save the area needed for transition. This method realizes the smooth transition of different process layers; the fiber of the transition layer does not slip in the actual winding process, and the actual pattern of the winding is consistent with the simulation results, which saves 20.8% of the winding time, and effectively improves the automation of the composite pressure vessel winding process.
Location Matters: The Role of the Neighborhood Environment for Incident Cardiometabolic Disease in Adults Aging With Physical Disability
Authors: Khan Anam M. , Lin Paul , Kamdar Neil , Mahmoudi Elham , Latham-Mintus Kenzie , Kobayashi Lindsay , Clarke Philippa
Published: January 2024

Purpose

People aging with disability may be limited in their ability to engage in healthy behaviors to maintain cardiometabolic health. We investigated the role of health promoting features in the neighborhood environment for incident cardiometabolic disease in adults aging with physical disability in the United States.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Optum’s Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (2007-2018) of administrative health claims.

Subjects

ICD-9-CM codes were used to identify 15 467 individuals with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Multiple Sclerosis, or Spinal Cord Injury.

Measures

Cardiometabolic disease was identified using ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM codes over 3 years of follow-up. Measures of the neighborhood environment came from the National Neighborhood Data Archive and linked to individual residential ZIP codes over time. Covariates included age, sex, and comorbid health conditions.

Analysis

Cox regression models estimated hazard ratios (HR) for incident cardiometabolic disease. Using a 1-year lookback period, individuals with pre-existing cardiometabolic disease were excluded from the analysis.

Results

Net of individual risk factors, residing in neighborhoods with a greater density of broadband Internet connections (HR = .88, 95% CI: .81, .97), public transit stops (HR = .89, 95% CI: .83, .95), recreational establishments (HR = .89, 95% CI: .83, .96), and parks (HR = .88, 95% CI: .82, .94), was associated with reduced risk of 3-year incident cardiometabolic disease.

Conclusion

Findings identify health-promoting resources that may mitigate health disparities in adults aging with disability.
Climate Change Harm Perception Among U.S. Adults in the NCI Health Information National Trends Survey, 2022
Authors: Muro Abigail , Czajkowski Susan , Hall Kara L. , Neta Gila , Weaver Sallie J. , D’Angelo Heather
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To examine associations between 1) sociodemographics and 2) trust in health information sources with climate change harm perception.

Methods

Weighted adjusted logistic regression models examined correlates of climate change harm perception (harm vs no harm/don’t know) among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (2022, n = 5585).

Results

Sixty-four percent of U.S. adults believed climate change will harm their health. College education (vs high school or less) (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.2) and having greater trust in doctors (AOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2, 1.7), scientists (aOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.6, 2.0), and government health agencies (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5, 1.9) for health information were associated with believing climate change harms health. Conversely, greater trust in religious organizations was associated with 16% lower odds of believing climate change harms health (95% CI .74, .94).

Conclusions

Climate change harm perception varied by sociodemographics and trust in health information source. Health communication delivered via alternative and diverse channels could expand the reach of climate and health messaging and ultimately increase public awareness and support for measures to mitigate the health impacts of climate change.
Research on parallel control strategy of power converters based on fuzzy neural network
Authors: Sun Gui-Bin , Chen Song , Zhou Shen , Zhu Yun-Ying
Published: January 2024

As pure electric vehicles shift toward intelligent technology, the energy demand for onboard equipment is on the rise. In this study, a parallel control strategy for two 3-kW DC–DC power converters was proposed to meet the power requirements of pure electric vehicle loads in this paper. First, the operation mode of the resonant power converter was analyzed. The operation mode of the power converter adopted the advantageous frequency conversion–phase shift control mode. Second, a parallel control method for Takagi–Sugeno-type fuzzy neural network converters with four inputs and a single output first-order was designed to meet the power demand based on the advantages of fuzzy control and neural networks. The neural networks can be trained automatically based on the established requirements, and the fuzzy rules formulated through fuzzy neural networks were more detailed and accurate. Finally, the proposed control strategy was validated by experiments. The experimental results showed that the proposed control strategy can ensure the stable operation of the power converter during switching under the set load. The output power of the primary and sub converters varies linearly, which can meet the load’s demand for high power. There is no need to develop higher-power power converters. These results can provide a new idea for the research of high-power power converters and reduce development costs.
Finite element model with realistic bone geometries for the optimal design of internal fixation during the fibula healing process
Authors: Li Yafeng , Yi Peng , Zou Zichun , Lu Fengyuan , Zhang Xi , Zhang Jing
Published: January 2024

A finite element model with realistic bone geometries is developed to design optimal internal fixation during the fibula healing process in this study. The effect of bone plate parameters on fibula fracture healing is studied. The relationship between differences in plate length, thickness and working length, and bone healing performance is focused. The optimal combination form of the bone plate parameters was selected by the orthogonal experimental design and fracture block strain to achieve bone healing maximize the performance. The model results show that the maximum equivalent force of the bone plate was below the material yield limit; the higher mean contact stresses in the bone fragments indicate that the bone plate is prone to higher contact stresses when they are long. The working length of the bone plate has a greater effect on callus healing than the thickness and length of the bone plate. The optimal internal fixation option for distal fibula fractures is achieved when it provides the stability required for internal fixation during bone healing. It ensures lower contact stresses in the fibula as well as maximum Young’s modulus during callus healing process.
Risk factors for periprosthetic femoral fracture risk around a cemented polished taper-slip stem using an osteoporotic composite bone model
Authors: Jain Sameer , Lamb Jonathan N , Drake Ruth , Entwistle Ian , Baren James P , Thompson Zachary , Beadling Andrew R , Bryant Michael G , Shuweihdi Farag , Pandit Hemant
Published: January 2024

This biomechanical study aimed to determine if variations in stem material, stem geometry, stem offset and cement viscosity affect mechanical resistance to postoperative periprosthetic fracture (PFF) after hip arthroplasty with a commonly used cemented polished taper-slip (PTS) stem (CPT, Zimmer Biomet) in a novel osteoporotic composite femoral bone model. Thirty-six osteoporotic composite femoral models were tested using a standardised in-vitro loading technique to simulate a typical PFF. Outcome measures were torque to failure (N), fracture energy (N/m2) and rotation to failure (°). Comparisons were made by stem material (cobalt chrome vs stainless steel), stem geometry (CPT stem vs Exeter stem), stem offset (standard offset vs extra extended offset) and cement viscosity (high viscosity vs low viscosity). Statistical comparisons were carried out with significance set at p < 0.05. All tested samples produced clinically representative fracture patterns with varying degrees of bone and cement comminution. There was no statistically significant difference in torque to failure, fracture energy or rotation to failure between any of the compared variables (all p > 0.05). This is the first biomechanical study on mechanical resistance to PFF using osteoporotic composite bone models. For the CPT stem, it confirms that stem material, stem offset, stem geometry and cement viscosity do not affect mechanical resistance to PFF in an osteoporotic bone model.
Beyond abjection: Exploring narratives after premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Authors: Buys Megan
Published: January 2024

Qualitative research on the experiences of those living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is limited. Utilising the material–discursive–intrapsychic (MDI) framework, the purpose of the study was to privilege the voices present within individuals who have moved into a space of recovery, management, or transformation of PMDD, and explore these narratives. The study involved seven, in-depth narrative interviews. The data were then analysed using the Listening Guide, a feminist, poststructural method used to capture the polyphony of perspectives surrounding PMDD experiences. The analysis generated two broad narrative themes, with four subsequent voices under each: (a) “within abjection”—the voice toward the Other, the voice silenced, the voice of anger, the voice of agency; and (b) “beyond abjection”—the voice of action, the voice of surrender, the voice of resistance, the voice of reembodiment. Significant findings from the research involved identifying the movement toward a space of recovery, management, or transformation of PMDD as attainable, with PMDD being a negotiable and therefore plastic experience for participants. Further, the participant accounts of dismissive, uninformed, and harmful treatment from medical providers were heard; experiences which led participants toward self-help options for PMDD management.
Working apart: Domestic outsourcing in Europe
Authors: Zwysen Wouter
Published: January 2024

Lower-skilled workers face increasing pressures. Their bargaining position is declining under the twin pressures of globalisation and technological change; and they risk losing access to better positions as firms’ pay and conditions arrangements increasingly drift apart. Rising between-firm differences partly come about through increasing separation of lower-skilled workers into lower-paying firms with worse conditions, thereby reducing their opportunities further. Such polarisation is partly driven by (domestic) outsourcing where main firms take certain tasks that are seen as non-core out of their payroll, instead purchasing those same tasks from another official employer or temporary employment agency while retaining control. Outsourcing generally brings worse conditions and lower pay. This paper uses cross-national European data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) along with contextual data to study how outsourcing – proxied by moves to business services providers or temporary employment agencies – contributes to a worse labour market position of lower-educated workers over time. I find that (1) domestic outsourcing is increasing over time across Europe; (2) outsourced workers are working under generally worse conditions than their counterparts; and (3) this process is not universal: it hits harder in sectors with greater technological innovation and can be alleviated by union density and worker representation.
Association of Stress Dose Hydrocortisone with the Prevention of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Extremely Preterm Neonates
Authors: Oruruo-Eriobu Chinonye , Guillen-Hernandez Juan , Sivadanam Supriya , Tumin Dmitry , Akpan Uduak S.
Published: January 2024

Background

Steroids are a key component of the management of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm neonates, but certain steroids are associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment. Hydrocortisone may be a viable option due to milder side effects, but optimal dosing and timing of use have not been established. We aimed to determine whether early administration of stress dose hydrocortisone to preterm babies during acute illness is associated with decreased incidence of BPD at 36 weeks of gestation.

Methods

We retrospectively identified extremely premature neonates admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit before 24 hours of age. The primary exposure was receipt of a course of stress dose hydrocortisone (at least 3 mg/kg/day for 3 days or more) in the first 14 days of life. Our control group comprised of neonates who did not receive stress dose hydrocortisone in the first 14 days of life.

Results

We analyzed data for 375 neonates, 21 of whom received stress dose hydrocortisone in the first 14 days of life. About 90% of intervention group developed BPD vs. 64% in the control group ( P = .016). Incidence of severe BPD was significantly higher in the stress steroid group—62% vs. 23% in the control group ( P < .001).

Conclusion

We noted that stress dose hydrocortisone administered during acute illness in the first 14 days of life was not associated with decreased incidence of BPD at 36 weeks among extremely preterm neonates. More studies are needed to determine the optimal dose and timing of steroid therapy.
A Cohort Study on Comparison of Volumes of Breast-Pump-Expressed Human Milk Donor Among Term and Preterm Gestational Mothers in South India––Time to Redefine “Coming to Volume” in the Milk Bank?
Authors: Kulkarni Vijay , Nyamagoudar Anita , M Soumya , Bhat Unnati , Awatade Reshma Ramachandra , Uppin Suman
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Human milk banking is an essential perinatal service. The present study evaluates the impact of gestational age on the volumes of milk. Further, it also re-evaluates the definition of “Coming to Volume” in pump-based expression of milk.

Methodology

This cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in south India over 10 months from September 2022 to June 2023. The primary objective of the study was to compare the volume of donor milk secreted in relation to postnatal day among mothers delivered at term and preterm gestation. The secondary objective of the study was to compare the definition of “Coming to Volume” (secretion of 500 mL per day by postnatal day 14) with the volumes of milk in the present study. A surrogate marker for “Coming to Volume”, that is, an expression of at least 80 mL in one sitting of the donation was considered.

Results

Of the total 458 mothers, there were 349 (Term) and 109 (preterm) mothers. The average volumes of donor human milk were 142 mL and 122 mL among term and preterm mothers, respectively ( p-value .0068). Further, 80% of the term mothers and 75% of the preterm mothers were able to secrete>80 mL per sitting. This volume was attained by postnatal day 7 in 80% (223/280) of term mothers and 65% (53/82) of preterm mothers.
Indonesian Farmers’ Subjective Well-being: Determinants and Effect on Discounting Behaviour
Authors: Begho Toritseju , Odeniyi Kehinde
Published: January 2024

The challenges prevalent in agriculture substantially impact the well-being of farmers compared to that of many other occupations. The national average rating of well-being may not provide a true representation of farmers. This article empirically examines the determinants and the effect of subjective well-being (SWB) on discounting the behaviour of farmers by estimating data from the 2014/2015 Indonesian family life survey. The results show that 72% are among the poorest three on a six-step hypothetical economic ladder. Few farmers (38%) are very satisfied with life as a whole. Having a higher level of education and income increases the chance of a higher SWB. Also, SWB decreases with an increasing level of poor health, feeling unsafe, job dissatisfaction and being older. The results examining the effect of SWB on discounting behaviour suggest that unlike the affective component (positive affect) of SWB, the cognitive component (life satisfaction) does not have a statistically significant effect on discounting behaviour.