bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religion, Spirituality, and the Workplace: A Review and Critique
Authors: Dik Bryan J. , Daniels Denise , Alayan Alexandra J.
Published: December 2023

Religion and spirituality strongly influence how most people experience the world, and opportunities to integrate faith and work abound. Yet research on religion, spirituality, and the workplace continues to have somewhat limited impact on mainstream organizational psychology and organizational behavior research. We review the most recent generation of research in this area. We describe high-level trends in the literature and summarize consistent patterns of results linking these constructs with usually beneficial attitudinal, behavioral, and other types of criterion variables. We identify four challenges that hamper progress in this area of research: conceptualizing and measuring core constructs, finding coherence amid theoretical diversity, integrating multiple levels of analysis and explanation, and navigating religion and spirituality in organizational practice. All of these challenges point to paths forward that may usher in a new wave of scholarship using meaning systems as an integrative framework, and practices that foster inclusion, integration, and both individual and organizational well-being.
A Novel Electrochemical Strategy for the Highly Sensitive Investigation of Tinidazole Using Newly Designed Halloysite Nano Clay and TiO2 Based Sensor
Authors: Kurundawade Sandeep R. , Megalamani Manjunath B. , Patil Yuvarajgouda N. , Nandibewoor Sharanappa T.
Published: December 2023

A voltametric technique with high sensitivity has been introduced to perform the electrochemical reduction of Tinidazole (TDZ), a significant antihistamine medication employed to combat infections instigated by various protozoans like Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis. This method employs a Titanium oxide and halloysite nano clay modified Glassy Carbon electrode (TiO2-HNC/GCE), which displayed remarkable sensitivity and selectivity in detecting TDZ. The electrode characterization was carried out by XRD and SEM-EDS. The analysis of TDZ explored using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The best reduction activity of TDZ was observed in pH of 7.0. The process was determined to be irreversible and controlled by diffusion. Through concentration variance assessments, a linear range of 1.0 μM to 10.0 μM was established. Detection and quantification limits were computed to be 14 nM and 46.9 nM, which is superior to reported works. The practical utility of the modified sensor was verified to detect TDZ concentration in pharmaceutical and biological samples. The investigation of various parameters indicated the sensor’s stability, and sensitivity in yielding valuable outcomes and can be used in pharamaco-kinetics and quality control laboratories.
Estimating insulin sensitivity and β-cell function from the oral glucose tolerance test: validation of a new insulin sensitivity and secretion (ISS) model
Authors: Ha Joon , Chung Stephanie T. , Springer Max , Kim Joon Young , Chen Phil , Chhabra Aaryan , Cree Melanie G. , Diniz Behn Cecilia , Sumner Anne E. , Arslanian Silva A. , Sherman Arthur S.
Published: December 2023

The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is determined by a balance between insulin sensitivity ( SI) and β-cell function (BCF), which can be determined by gold standard direct measurements or estimated by fitting differential equation models to oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). We propose and validate a new differential equation model that is simpler to use than current models and requires less data while maintaining good correlation and agreement with gold standards. Matlab and Python code is freely available.
A Novel Model-Based Adaptive Feedforward-Feedback Control Method for Real-Time Hybrid Simulation considering Additive Error Model
Authors: Ning Xizhan , Huang Wei , Xu Guoshan , Wang Zhen , Wu Bin , Zheng Lichang , Xu Bin
Published: December 2023

Adaptive control methods have been widely adopted to handle the variable time delay in real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS). Nevertheless, the initial parameter settings in adaptive control law, the parameter estimation method, and the testing system nonlinearity will affect RTHS’s accuracy and stability at different levels. To this end, this study proposes a novel model-based adaptive feedforward-feedback control method that considers an additive error model. In the proposed method, the time delay and amplitude discrepancy are roughly compensated by a feedforward controller and then finely reduced by an adaptive controller, and an outer-loop control formed by the feedback controller is introduced to improve the ability and robustness furthermore. What’s more, the testing system, composed of the transfer system and physical specimen, is divided into the nominal and additive error models. The feedforward controller is devised using the inverse nominal model, whose parameters are constant. The adaptive controller is designed to adopt a discrete-time additive error model, in which the parameters are identified online by the Kalman filter. Numerical simulations, parametric studies, and actual experiments were carried out to inspect the feasibility and effectiveness of this method thoroughly. Results indicate that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy and stability of RTHS and significantly reduce the dependence on the adaptive control law. Moreover, the proposed method exhibits strong robustness and is, therefore, useful in RTHS.
Synergetic Effect of Fermented Coconut Inflorescence Sap for the Production of Virgin Coconut Oil
Authors: Pandiselvam R. , Akshay A. T. , Manikantan M. R. , Ramesh S. V. , Patil Hrishikesh , Gopal Murali
Published: December 2023

The study aimed to optimize the process parameters for the production of virgin coconut oil (VCO) by exploring the use of aerobic fermented neera (coconut inflorescence sap) at different concentrations (ranging from 5% to 25%). Fermented neera can be prepared from fresh neera without incurring additional expenses, presenting a potential advantage over commercially available cultures in the market. Coconut milk was extracted from a coconut kernel using a hydraulic coconut milk expeller. The extracted coconut milk was then fermented with varied concentrations of fermented neera ranging from 5% to 25%, and then, the oil layer was separated. Fermented neera as a starter at a concentration of 10% resulted in the highest VCO yield of 19.8% following 14 hours of fermentation. The study also found that the fermentation duration of the starter (6-hour, 8-hour, and 10-hour fermented neera) and its concentration had significant effects on the yield of VCO. However, the effects of starter on the physical properties (moisture content, viscosity, specific gravity, and refractive index) and biochemical profile (free fatty acid, peroxide value, acid value, saponification value, iodine value, and total phenolic content) of the resultant VCO were not significant. The physicochemical properties of the VCO produced using the fermented neera-based coconut milk fermentation method met the standards stipulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). Thus, fermented neera offers a novel economical alternative to enhance the fermentation rate during VCO production.
Gender Disparities in Patients’ Decisions about the Management of Myocardial Infarction in East Chinese Province
Authors: Lou Chaobin , Xu Tao , Dong Fangying , Xu Yangmiao , Zhang Muhua , Xia Shudong , Xu Yinchuan , Feng Chao
Published: December 2023

Background. Previous studies showed that there are gender disparities in various respects of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), including risk factors, symptoms, and outcomes. However, few of them noticed the gender disparities in patients’ decision about the management of AMI, which might also be associated with the outcome. Aims. To identify gender disparities in patients’ decisions about the management of myocardial infarction. Methods. In this cohort study, the critical time points including the time of symptom onset, visiting hospital, diagnosis of AMI, consent to coronary angiography (CAG), beginning of CAG, and balloon dilation were recorded. Medication and major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 6 months were also recorded. Results. Female patients took more time from symptom onset to visiting hospital (

P
=
0.001

), from diagnosis of AMI to consent to CAG (

P
<
0.05

), and from door to needle/balloon than male (

P
<
0.05

). Less female patients accepted CAG (

P
<
0.05

) and coronary intervention/bypass grafting (

P
<
0.05

). Less female patients kept good inherence to antiplatelet therapy (

P
<
0.05

) and statins (

P
<
0.05

) than male, more female preferred traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) than male patient (

P
<
0.05

), and most of them had MACE within 6 months (

P
<
0.05

). Patients’ good adherence to antiplatelet therapy and statins and accepting coronary intervention/bypass grafting were associated with a reduced risk of MACE. Conclusion. Female patients were more reluctant to make decisions about emergency management of AMI and tended to choose conservative treatment. More female patients preferred TCM than evidence-based medicine. Their reluctance about the critical management of AMI and poor adherence to evidence-based medicine were associated with an elevated risk of MACE.
The Association between Depression Severity, Prosody, and Voice Acoustic Features in Women with Depression
Authors: Seifpanahi Mohammad-Sadegh , Ghaemi Tina , Ghaleiha Ali , Sobhani-Rad Davood , Zarabian Mohammad-Kazem
Published: December 2023

The aim was to define the association between the severity of depression, prosody, and voice acoustic features in women suffering from depression and its comparisons with nondepressed people. Prosody and acoustic features in 30 women with major depression hospitalized in a psychiatric ward and 30 healthy women were investigated in a cross-sectional study. To define the severity of depression, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRS-D) was applied. Acoustic parameters such as jitter, shimmer, cepstral peak prominence (CPP), standard deviation of fundamental frequency (SD F0), harmonic-to-noise ratio, and F0 and also some speech prosodic features including the speed of speech, switching pause duration means, and durations of produced sentences with different modals were measured quantitatively. Also, six raters judged the patient’s prosody qualitatively. SPSS V.28 was used for all statistical analyses (

p
<
0.05

). There was a significant correlation between HRS-D with jitter, SD F0, speed of speech, and switching pause means (

p
≤
0.05

). The means of CPP and duration of producing emotional sentences differed between the depression and control groups. The HRS-D scores were significantly correlated with switching pauses in patients (Pearson coefficient = 0.47,

p
=
0.05

). The results of the perceptual evaluation of prosody judged by six raters showed an 85% correlation between them (

p
≤
0.001

). Some acoustic and prosodic parameters are different between healthy women and those with depression disorder (e.g., CPP and duration of emotional sentences) and may also have an association with the severity of depression (e.g., jitter, SD F0, speed of speech, and switching pause means) in women with depression disorder. It was indicated that the best sentence modal to assess prosody in patients with depression would be exclamatory ones compared to declarative and interrogative sentences.
Study on the Performance and Green Degree Evaluation of the Reference Cement–Sulfoaluminate Cement Composite System
Authors: Shi Yi , Shi Zhenping , Yuan Lei , Wang Tao
Published: December 2023

With the large-scale construction of infrastructure such as high-speed railways and the rapid development of building industrialization and prefabricated buildings, the precast concrete industry has ushered in vigorous vitality. However, there are many tricky problems such as high-energy consumption and unstable long-term performance in the existing production technology of steam-cured concrete. Based on the current research on concrete early strength technology, this paper focuses on the early strength performance and greenness evaluation of the reference cement–sulfoaluminate cement (C–SAC) system. The results confirm that when the 30% mineral admixture—60% C–10% SAC system is mixed with the composite early strength agent, the 1 day strength of mortar can reach 38.0 MPa under the condition of 45°C steam curing. The water absorption is 1.1% after 28 days. The carbon emission of the system (32.1%) is lower than that of the reference cement, and the production energy consumption and the initial resource energy are reduced by 14.4% and 8.2%, respectively. This paper provides a promising strategy for the development of low-carbon, and early strength concrete and ultimately provides technical support for the realization of high-quality and green production of precast concrete components.
Novel Pharmacological Treatment Options of Steroid-Refractory Graft-versus-Host Disease
Authors: Kovalenko Iuliia , Saleem Tabinda , Shah Mitali , Seyedroudbari Sara , Golubykh Konstantin , Ali Rimsha , Mirza Taaha , Laek Babray , Wahab Ahsan , Chattaraj Asmi , Proskuriakova Ekaterina , Garg Chandi , Khan Rafiullah
Published: December 2023

Background. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a potentially fatal complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The mainstay of treatment is corticosteroids, which are ineffective in 30–50% of cases. Steroid-refractory GVHD (SR-GVHD) confers a poor prognosis, with high mortality rates despite appropriate therapy. While there is no reliable treatment for SR-GVHD, a variety of novel therapeutic options are slowly emerging and have yet to be examined simultaneously. Objectives. This review evaluates the potential of novel therapeutic options, as well as their efficacy and safety, for the treatment of SR-GVHD. Study Design. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase, employing MeSH terms and keywords. The studies had to be prospective phases 1, 2, or 3. We excluded retrospective and nonoriginal studies. Results. While the only approved drug for acute GVHD is ruxolitinib with an impressive overall response rate of 73.2% and a complete response of 56.3%, several monoclonal antibodies and other agents are currently under investigation, offering promising results. These include anti-CD2, anti-CD147, IL-2 antagonist, a mixture of anti-CD3 and anti-CD7 antibodies, anti-CD25, monoclonal antibody to a4b7 on T-cells, anti-CD26, pentostatin, sirolimus, denileukin diftitox, infliximab, itacitinib, and alpha-1 antitripsin. However, the toxicities associated with these novel drugs need further investigation. For chronic GVHD, approved options include ruxolitinib with an ORR of up to 62%, ibrutinib with an ORR of up to 77%, and belumosudil with an ORR of up to 77%. Meanwhile, emerging treatments include tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as nilotinib, rituximab, and low-dose IL-2, as well as axatilimab and pomalidomide. Conclusion. While their efficacy needs to be better evaluated through large-scale, multicenter, randomized clinical trials, these novel agents show potential and could provide a better alternative for SR-GVHD treatment in the future.
Overcoming Resistance in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia—Maybe Less Is More?
Authors: Al-Sawaf Othman , Davids Matthew S.
Published: December 2023

Acquired mutations in BTK, PLCG2, and BCL2 are associated with resistance to continuous targeted agent therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Here, we discuss new evidence that limiting the duration of CLL therapy may prevent the evolution of such resistance mutations, potentially facilitating effective retreatment strategies.

See related article by Jain et al., p. 498
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Guided Cryobiopsy Combined with Conventional Biopsy for Ground Glass Opacity-Predominant Pulmonary Nodules
Authors: Huang Zhihong , Chen Junxiang , Xie Fangfang , Liu Shuaiyang , Zhou Yongzheng , Shi Meng , Sun Jiayuan
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Cryobiopsy (CB) using a 1.1-mm cryoprobe under fluoroscopic guidance is feasible and safe for diagnosis of ground glass opacity (GGO) lesions. However, the efficacy of CB combined with cone-beam CT (CBCT) for GGO-predominant pulmonary nodules remains elusive. Methods: We retrospectively studied patients who underwent CB combined with conventional biopsy under CBCT guidance for GGO-predominant pulmonary nodules with a consolidation-to-tumour ratio <50.0%. Results: A total of 32 patients with GGO-predominant pulmonary nodules were enrolled: 17 pure GGOs and 15 mixed GGOs. The mean lesion diameter was 15.81 ± 5.52 mm and the overall diagnostic yield was 71.9%. Seven lesions were diagnosed by CB alone, which increased the diagnostic outcomes by 21.9%. Diagnostic yields for CB, forceps biopsy (FB), brushing, and guide sheath flushing were 65.6%, 46.9%, 15.6%, and 14.3%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that positive computed tomography (CT) bronchus sign (p = 0.035), positive CBCT sign (p < 0.01), and CB-first biopsy sequence (p = 0.036) were significant predictive factors for higher diagnostic yield. Specimens obtained by CB had larger mean sample size (p < 0.01), lower blood cell area (p < 0.01), and fewer crush artefacts (p < 0.01) than specimens from FB. No severe bleeding or other complications occurred. Conclusion: CB using a 1.1-mm cryoprobe under CBCT guidance increased diagnostic yield for GGO-predominant pulmonary nodules based on conventional biopsy. Further, it provided larger and nearly intact samples compared with forceps.
Ecobordering
Authors: Okolie Mary J.N. , Ukwueze Ogochukwu
Published: December 2023

Considering the literary response to the environmental crisis in the Niger Delta, it is observable that most critics of the literary arts on the Niger Delta homogenise the effects of the environmental problem, rather than focusing on particular groups of ecological subjects. These critics universalise environmental discourse, thereby overlooking more silenced and marginalised ecological subjects and subverting environmental justice. Using Helon Habila’s Oil on Water and Kaine Agary’s Yellow Yellow, this study responds to the need to individualise the effect of environmental degradation by focusing on Niger Delta women who are both culturally and environmentally constrained. It combines border theories and ecofeminism to pay detailed attention to the literary representation of women’s precarious positionality, a situation of both spatial and symbolic vulnerability. It also explores women’s reception of and interaction with the polluted environment, given that the locations of degradation (the farms and freshwater), according to African culture, are gender-sensitive spaces and that African rural women mostly depend on farming and water for household work. Lastly, this paper examines women’s response to the violence of environmental pollution, thereby underscoring agency and visibility for women in connection with environment.
A new genus and two new species of fossil deraeocorine plant bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) from Eocene Baltic amber
Authors: KIM JUNGGON , TASZAKOWSKI ARTUR , JUNG SUNGHOON
Published: December 2023

A new fossil genus, Balticranocapsus gen. nov. and two new fossil species, Balticranocapsus aleksanderi sp. nov. and Deraeocoris gorczycai sp. nov. are described from Eocene Baltic amber. Morphological information, including the description and the diagnosis for the genus and species, is provided with photographs.
Detachment, hesitation, indifference: An anthropology of the religious being
Authors: Piette Albert
Published: December 2023

In this article, the author attempts to retrace his various explorations of religious experience: rituals in Belgium, Catholic parishes in France, and his own experiences of belief. A common theme emerges: a negation that is found in the modes of human presence and that has various expressions. During rituals, it primarily concerns modes of detachment and distraction; during parish meetings, it involves modes of oscillation to deal with the obscurity of religious statements. It also includes a sort of reserve or hesitation, which the author has observed in his own belief. The article hypothesizes that these modes of hesitation originate from the very first act of believing, which may date back 100,000 years. Specifically, the author identifies that moment as the starting point of a mode of human presence that is characterized by presence-absence and indifference. A section of this article consists of a critical debate between the author’s own concepts and the ontological turn in anthropology.
Theorizing ‘religion’ in Canadian law
Authors: Hart Patrick , Sabo Peter
Published: December 2023

With primary reference to two Supreme Court rulings – Syndicat Northcrest v. Amselem ([2004] 2 SCR 551) and Ktunaxa Nation v. British Columbia (Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations) ([2017] 2 SCR 386) – the focal points of this study are twofold. In the first part, the authors analyse Amselem’s definition of religion with reference to concepts and theories that have a well-entrenched place in the field of religious studies. They contend that even as Amselem frames religion as an ontological entity, the Court’s definition is best understood as a particular type of social construct – namely, an ‘ethno-definition’ that is polythetic in approach. Segueing from a discussion of Amselem, the second part of this study concerns the issue of why – or perhaps whether – the Amselem articulation of religion remains relevant. In this regard, it is argued that there is a palpable transition between Amselem and Ktunaxa in terms of how the Supreme Court analyses the concepts of religion and religious freedom under the Charter.
Positivity, daily time use, mood, and functioning in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Results from the diapason multicentric study
Authors: Martinelli Alessandra , Moncalieri Giulia , Zamparini Manuel , Alessandri Guido , Vittorio Caprara Gian , Castelnuovo Gianluca , Rocchetti Matteo , Starace Fabrizio , Zarbo Cristina , de Girolamo Giovanni
Published: December 2023

Background:

Positivity (POS) indicates the proclivity to see life and experiences in a positive light. There is limited research on its effects on individuals with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD). Very little is known about the relationship between POS and daily activities in people with SSD.

Aim:

The study aims to compare the POS rated by patients with SSD with those obtained in an Italian normative sample matched by age and sex and to use the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to investigate the association between POS and daily time use (i.e. productive activities, leisure activities), functioning and mood in individuals with SSD.

Method:

620 SSD patients were recruited from mental health services in Italy as part of the DiAPAson project. POS, symptom severity, functioning, and quality of life (QoL) were assessed. POS scores were compared to a normative sample of 5,002 Italian citizens. Additionally, a subset of 102 patients underwent 7-day assessments using mobile EMA.

Results:

People with SSD did not significantly differ from the Italian normative sample in POS levels (0.035, p = .190). POS showed a significant inverse association with support network (−0.586, p = .036) and symptomatology (BPRS −0.101; 95% p < .001; BNSS B = −0.113, p < .001). A significant direct association was found between POS and QoL ( B = 0.310, p < .001) and functioning ( B = 0.058, p < .001). In the subsample using EMA, POS ratings showed significant associations with Positive Emotions ( B = 0.167, p < .001) and Negative Emotions ( B = −0.201, p < .001).

Conclusion:

People with SSD exhibited comparable levels of POS to the normative sample. Higher POS was linked to better functioning, QoL, fewer severe symptoms, and increased positive emotions. However, it did not relate to increased productivity or engagement in leisure activities. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between POS and time use in individuals with SSD.
Beyond the Land of Thorns: Epistemic Authorship in Dual Language Bilingual Education
Authors: Solano-Campos Ana
Published: December 2023

Using an ethico-epistemic lens that integrates Latina decolonizing feminist thought, I examine the ways in which Latina dual language teachers in a Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) program in Massachusetts mobilized epistemic authorship to address knowledge-based injustices that they experienced at work. The teachers enacted epistemic authorship by inscribing experiential, relational, and healing epistemic practices and communities as vehicles for hope and possibility. I argue that epistemic authorship is a crucial dimension of critically conscious DLBE teacher preparation.
Funding and Implementation of Recovery Oriented Treatment Programs in the US from 2006–2020
Authors: van den Berk-Clark Carissa , Fedorova Margarita , Duncan Emily , Ju Tiffany , Pickard Joseph
Published: December 2023

Background: Not much is known about funding for and implementation of Person-centered, long-term services – referred to as “recovery services.” Methods: SAMSHA funding archives from 2004–2020 were analyzed using Latent Class Analysis (LCA). Results: All 50 states (plus DC and Guam) received about 482 recovery-based grants from 2004–2020 (total from 2004–2020 = $425 million vs. 63.3 ± 29.1 million in total SAMSHA funding per year on average). LCA showed 4 trends: peer focused (Pr(Class) = .09, 95%CI = 0.08, 0.10), treatment focused (Pr(Class) = 0.14, 95%CI = 0.12, 0.18), system focused (Pr(Class) = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.54, 0.59) and consumer focused (Pr(Class) = 0.19 (0.17, 0.21). Conclusions: Funding for recovery makes up a relatively low percentage of overall funding for substance prevention and treatment . Implications are discussed.
Teaching by Examples: Rousseau’s Lawgiver and the Case of Benjamin Franklin
Authors: Brennan Timothy
Published: December 2023

Rousseau’s account of the “legislator” or “lawgiver” is commonly regarded as one of the most far-fetched, ominous, and baffling parts of his teaching in the Social Contract. In brief, Rousseau’s lawgiver seems to be a proto-totalitarian figure whose self-appointed mission is to found a political community by “denaturing” people at a single stroke and who may be a mere figment of Rousseau’s overheated imagination. Accordingly, this part of the Social Contract threatens to make a mockery of Rousseau’s claim to be “taking men as they are and laws they can be,” as well as his claim that the combination of “ freedom and equality” is “the greatest good” in the civil state. Following and extending Rousseau’s own method of teaching by examples, however, this essay argues that Benjamin Franklin’s influence over the American republic—especially through his posthumous Autobiography—offers a prosaic example of the apparently fantastical phenomenon sketched by Rousseau. In fact, I argue that Franklin’s case corresponds more fully to Rousseau’s description than do any of Rousseau’s own examples (such as Moses, Lycurgus, and Numa) and that Franklin showed in practice what Rousseau suggested in theory: that a lawgiver can succeed without relying on coercion and without undercutting the equality that underlies a just society. Franklin’s denaturing influence, I suggest, has been crucial for the durability of republicanism in the United States, given the country’s size and diversity.
Effectiveness of a universal school-based intervention for reducing internalizing problems in irish primary school children: A cluster randomized control trial
Authors: Clancy Aoife , O’Connor Martin , Murphy Eddie , Connaughton Leda , O’Reilly Gary
Published: December 2023

Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health concerns in youth, with rates of these internalizing problems continuing to rise. Universal school-based interventions have shown promising results in improving poor mental health outcomes; however, more research is needed across different cultural contexts. This study is part of an ongoing evaluation of A Lust for Life Schools Programme, a universal process-based cognitive behavioral therapy intervention for Irish primary school children. This study investigated the efficacy of the program through a cluster randomized controlled trial. Nine schools were randomly allocated to the intervention or control groups. Four hundred and seventy participants completed measures at three timepoints (baseline, post-intervention, and 6-week follow-up) assessing internalizing problems, anxiety, and depressive symptoms (primary outcomes) and avoidance, problem-solving, seeking social support, academic self-efficacy, social self-efficacy, and emotional self-efficacy (secondary outcomes). Although participants reported that they were mostly satisfied with the intervention, results revealed that the intervention did not have a significant effect on the outcome variables compared to the control group. Implications of the findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.
How adolescents’ perceived teachers’ mindset beliefs influence school engagement in China: Roles of perceived classroom goal structures and adolescents’ mindset beliefs
Authors: Jia Xiaoyu , Li Ping , Zhao Jing , Zhang Yuchi
Published: December 2023

Students’ perception of teachers’ mindset beliefs (TMB) is associated with their school engagement (SSE). Based on SSE's contextual-personal interplay, perceived classroom goal structures (CGS) and students’ mindset beliefs (SMB) were considered. Data from 1071 high school students were analyzed. The results show that CGS significantly mediated the negative connection between perceived headteachers’ fixed mindset beliefs and SSE. Students who perceived headteachers to endorse more fixed mindset beliefs aligned with classroom performance goal structure (PGS) rather than mastery goal structure (MGS) environments, predicted fewer engagements. SMB played a moderated role. The effect of MGS on SSE was much stronger for students with low fixed mindset beliefs, whereas the effect of PGS on SSE was significant only for students with high fixed mindset beliefs. These findings corroborate SSE's development-in-sociocultural-context theory, indicating the value of inculcating growth mindset among teachers, and the fitness of classroom-student motivational systems to improve adolescents’ engagement.
Social Solidarity and Crime: The COVID-19 Effect in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago*
Authors: Seepersad Randy , Bailey Corin , Marmolejo Lina
Published: December 2023

Previous studies used the strain, rational choice, or routine activities approach to explain changes in crime levels after the COVID-19 pandemic. Observed changes have not always been consistent with predictions made by these theoretical approaches. This study uses a social solidarity approach which can be used to better explain observed changes. It is argued that national disasters, such as pandemics, can result in an increase in social solidarity which can have a suppressive effect on crime. Official crime data from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica are used to explore this hypothesis. The results from auto-regressive integrated moving average modeling show that there was a decline in crime in Trinidad and Tobago but not in Jamaica after COVID-19 restrictions. The study argues that social solidarity may have increased in Trinidad and Tobago, but not in Jamaica, accounting for the observed differences.
Multiple barriers to the Dutch welfare state. Black Feminists’ intersectional claims to social citizenship in the 1980s
Authors: Westra Eline
Published: December 2023

Already in the 1980s, Black feminists contributed to political debates on the Dutch welfare state. Their intersectional analyses of social citizenship were directly based on the lived experiences of Black women in the Netherlands. However, then and now, these contributions have been largely overlooked in both Dutch politics and welfare state research, leading to social policies that do not correspond with the lived experiences of all women. Through archive research, and using the analytical framework of political claims-making, this article sheds light on the social rights claims of the Surinamese-Dutch feminist organization Ashanti that was active between 1980 and 1987. Their Black feminist perspectives provide important insights into the underlying mechanisms of in- and exclusion of the Dutch welfare state, from the standpoints of Dutch citizens and families that did not necessarily fit the picture of the “imagined citizens” for whom the Dutch welfare state was built.
Key Challenges for In Vitro Testing of Tobacco Products for Regulatory Applications: Recommendations for the In Vitro Mouse Lymphoma Assay
Authors: Crooks Ian , Clements Julie , Curren Rodger , Guo Xiaoqing , Hollings Michael , Lloyd Mel , Smart Daniel , Thorne David , Weber Elisabeth , Moore Martha
Published: December 2023

The Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) is sponsoring a series of workshops to develop recommendations for optimal scientific and technical approaches for conducting in vitro assays to assess potential toxicity within and across traditional tobacco and various tobacco and nicotine next-generation products (NGPs), including Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). This report was developed by a working group composed of attendees of the seventh IIVS workshop, ‘Approaches and recommendations for conducting the mouse lymphoma gene mutation assay (MLA) and introduction to in vitro disease models’, which was held virtually on 21–23 June 2022. This publication provides a background overview of the MLA, and includes the description of assay conduct and data interpretation, key challenges and recommended best practices for evaluating tobacco and nicotine products, with a focus on the evaluation of NGPs, and a summary of how the assay has been used to evaluate and compare tobacco and nicotine products.
Defining a user profile for e-government services: The diffusion of innovation perspective
Authors: Sandoval-Almazan Rodrigo , Cifuentes-Faura Javier , Millán Vargas Adrian O
Published: December 2023

E-government users evolve through time. The maturity of information technologies used by the public sector allows new opportunities and perils for citizens worldwide. It also leads to more efficient use of government resources applied to the knowledge and profile of potential users. Despite the importance of e-government, the diffusion of this technology is an exception for many governments. There are very few studies on this topic to understand how user profiles support public policies for technology. This research aims to contribute to the profile of e-government using the diffusion of innovation theory as a framework. We collect information from Mexico's and Spain's users from governmental databases and analyze them through logistic regression, which helps define e-government users’ profiles in these two countries.
Breaking barriers in higher education: Implementation of cost-effective social constructivism in engineering education
Authors: Khalid Azfar , Kazim Tayyaba , Diaz Katherine Regina Vasquez , Iqbal Jamshed
Published: December 2023

Social constructivism is considered the main driver of curriculum overhaul for the new set of learning in the digital age. Implementation of cost-effective solutions of social constructivism in higher education is a challenge. The paper circumnavigates around the principle and practice methods and implemented in a module design for robotics teaching to students from diverse academic backgrounds and familiarity levels. A gap analysis between the current practices of a generalized module design and a social constructive approach revealed the specific areas for a focussed approach to consider. Such strategies are employed in the module redesigning strategy and found cost-effective and impactful in Engineering higher education. The designed module is presented to engineering students in an integrated robotics education in the context of control, communication, sensing and biomechatronics. Multiple implemented innovations for social constructivism in different aspects of the module have not only made it a popular option among engineering students but also resulted in better engagement, student achievement, inclusivity, and resource utilization.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in diabetic ketoacidosis-related cardiac and respiratory failure
Authors: Sharif Ammar , Brewer J Michael , El Banayosy Aly , Mihu Mircea R , Reaves Zachary , Swant Laura V , Schoaps Robert S , Benson Clayne , Khalid Malik Ibithaj , Maybauer Marc O
Published: December 2023

Introduction:

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common clinical problem. When patients develop severe shock and/or respiratory failure, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be considered. This case series describes the clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with DKA supported with ECMO.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective and anonymized review of 15 patients with DKA who required ECMO at our institution. Demographic and ECMO-specific data were collected. Additional variables include ICU length of stay (LOS), acute kidney injury and use of continuous renal replacement therapy, disposition, and mortality.

Results:

All ECMO cannulations were performed by an intensivist using peripheral vascular access. The majority of patients were female (73%) with a median age of 27 (IQR = 21.5–45) years. A diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) prior to ECMO was present in 11 (73%) patients. Venoarterial ECMO was the initial mode used in 11 (73%) patients. The median duration of ECMO support was 7 (IQR = 6–14) days. The median ICU LOS was 12 (IQR = 8.5–20.5) days, and the median hospital LOS was 21 (IQR = 11–36.5) days. Eight patients had cardiac arrest and underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) of which 4 (50%) patients survived to discharge. Overall, 10 (66.7%) patients were successfully weaned from ECMO and survived to discharge.

Conclusion:

This is the largest case series regarding the use of ECMO for patients with refractory shock, cardiac arrest, or respiratory failure related to DKA. The findings suggest that ECMO is a viable support option for managing these patients and has excellent outcomes, including patients with cardiac arrest.
Exploration Into Usage, Frequency, and Prominence of Propaganda Devices by Political Parties in Nigerian Newspapers During the 2019 Electioneering Campaigns
Authors: Obukoadata Presly ‘Ruke , Okon Patrick Ene , Obogo Linus
Published: December 2023

The study explored the usage, frequency and prominence of placements of propaganda devices by All Progressives Congress and People’s Democratic Party in select Nigerian newspapers during the 2019 electioneering campaigns. Content analysis design was used. Sample size of 288 was drawn from a population of 1,096 daily and weekly editions of four national newspapers in Nigeria between July 2018 and March 2019. Systematic sampling technique and intercoder reliability of 92% were used. The study found that propaganda devices were effectively used by political parties with grave implications for the processes of political communications in Nigeria. The most used propaganda devices were name-calling and bandwagon while the least used was transfer. These appeared more daily, placed in the front and inside pages, and helped to advance the tenets of agenda-setting and propaganda theories. It concluded that the usage, frequency, and prominence of placements of propaganda devices are effectually important in the entire process of electioneering, coverage, and mobilization, but recommended a professional use of propaganda to mitigate its reference as a negative tool of communication.
Living the Art of Nursing
Authors: Carroll Karen
Published: December 2023

The article that follows reflects on the importance, the precision, and the guidance provided through theoretical foundations, science, and art of nursing as directed by these paradigmatic theoretical frameworks and their corresponding practice methodologies. The mainstay element common across all frameworks is the precise essentials contained within the nursing theoretical frameworks that, in turn, guide the contributions of the nursing discipline. The humanbecoming paradigm serves as the primary highlighted focus of the article.
The Art of Teaching-Learning the Humanbecoming Paradigm
Authors: Hamilton Teresa
Published: December 2023

In this column, the author argues that art, literary, visual, and performing should be requisite concepts in nurse curricula, and describes her personal journey teaching-learning the humanbecoming paradigm.
A Parsesciencing Inquiry on Feeling Ashamed
Authors: Alanizi Amal Wanis
Published: December 2023

Feeling ashamed is a universal humanuniverse living experience. According to humanbecoming, all persons choose to feel ashamed or not from moment to moment. Therefore, it is significant to discover the newknowings of the phenomenon of feeling ashamed. The investigation method was Parsesciencing, a unique mode of inquiry within the humanbecoming paradigm. The investigation included 10 historians between the ages of 18 and 65 years, who were willing to share their experiences of feeling ashamed. The inquiry stance was: What is the discerning extant moment of the universal humanuniverse living experience of feeling ashamed? The major discovery of this Parsesciencing inquiry was the discerning extant moment: Feeling ashamed is profound agonizing regretfulness with persistent unwelcome recollections arising with desired concealment with distancing affiliations.
Doctoral Contribution to Nursing Science in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Document Review
Authors: Nyoni Champion N. , Botma Yvonne , Hugo-van Dyk Lizemari
Published: December 2023

Nursing science is at serious risk of extinction. The lack of funding for research, absence of healthcare policies underpinned by nursing science, and general lack of understanding of nursing metaparadigms all contribute to the stunted growth in nursing science. Doctoral research is a platform for the development and refinement of nursing science. The purpose of this qualitative retrospective document review was to describe the doctoral contribution to nursing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Electronic dissertations for doctoral degrees in nursing within a 5-year period from universities in SSA were included. The extracted data comprising the purpose of the studies, the models used in the studies, and the studies’ contributions to nursing science were analyzed against a knowledge contribution framework. In total, 166 documents were included, mostly from South African universities, with a predominant focus on developing models, frameworks, and strategies within nursing practice. Only 17% of the studies applied grand nursing theories or models, with the rest of the studies applying theories from other disciplines. The contribution to nursing science from the doctoral studies was poor. The low uptake of nursing models in doctoral research in SSA may significantly contribute to the lack of refinement of nursing science within SSA. Structured approaches focused on integrating the nursing metaparadigms, theories, and models and fundamental underpins for doctoral education in Africa are essential to influencing the refinement of nursing science.
The Efficiency of the Health Belief Model in Predicting the Preventive Behaviors of Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran
Authors: Hatamzadeh Nasser , Shakerinejad Ghodratollah , Navak Tayebeh , Haghi Mehdi , Haghighizadeh Mohammad Hosein , Baumann Steven L.
Published: December 2023

This study examined the efficiency of the health belief model in understanding preventive behaviors of pregnant women in Iran. A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical methodology study was conducted of pregnant women who were referred to a healthcare center in 2021. The data were the responses to a questionnaire designed for this study. The data were analyzed with SPSS 24 software, Amos 22 software, correlation tests, regression analysis, and independent t tests. In terms of the health belief model, pregnant women with high perceived susceptibility showed the highest vaccination rate, while those with high perceived barriers had the lowest. The model predicted 20% variance in the preventive behavior from COVID-19, with perceived susceptibility and cues to action being the strongest and weakest predictors of behavior, respectively. The conclusion of the study was that the health belief model was an appropriate model to guide the care of pregnant women.
Humanuniverse Emerging
Authors: Bunkers Sandra Schmidt
Published: December 2023

The author presents poetry that expands understanding of the humanuniverse experience at a lake.
Social Grooming on Social Media and Older Adults’ Life Satisfaction: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Liu Piper Liping , Yeo Tien Ee Dominic
Published: December 2023

Despite the growing prevalence of social media usage among older adults, the impact for their well-being remains unclear. This study investigates the impact of social grooming on social media (SGSM) on the life satisfaction of a representative sample ( N = 591) of older adults (aged 55 and above) in Taiwan. Using an indirect effects paradigm, the study examines the mediation mechanisms of bridging social capital and perceived social support in the relationship between SGSM and life satisfaction. Additionally, the moderating effect of social network size (SNS) is assessed. The results indicate that bridging social capital and social support fully and sequentially mediate the influence of SGSM on older adults’ life satisfaction. Furthermore, SNS is identified as a significant moderator in this sequential mediating effect. These findings contribute to the existing literature on social media use and highlight the importance of understanding the impact of SGSM on life satisfaction and other psychological outcomes for older adults. The results also emphasize the need to consider the unique characteristics and specific needs of older adults, and to promote and assist them in effectively using social media to expand their social networks and acquire social support, which are crucial for their life satisfaction.
Voices of hidden children in customary adoption: The politics of identity under China’s one-child policy
Authors: Meng Ling
Published: December 2023

Due to the enforcement of the one-child policy, customary adoption was revised in rural China as a family strategy to resist state policies. Through the birth control campaign, peasant couples would temporarily give up their out-of-plan or unwanted children to the care of relatives or friends. Most existing studies on this phenomenon look at China’s population policies, but few studies pay attention to the families and individuals involved. Based on empirical data obtained from interviews and fieldwork conducted in Jiangli County, northern China, this article examines the subject of ‘hidden children’ in customary adoption at different levels. The identity of hidden children was created under various institutional and cultural forces and these hidden children live a life marred by discrimination, ambivalence, and other unique experiences. Although confronted by structural constraints from institutions and cultural norms, I argue that individuals actively adopt strategies to cope with these constraints rather than passively accept them. Thus, by exerting their agency, individuals continue to reshape and renegotiate their identities and life experiences.