bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greener Method for the Application of TiO2 Nanoparticles to Remove Herbicide in Water
Authors: Hiep Hoang , Tuan Anh Pham , Dao Van-Duong , Viet Quang Dang
Published: July 2023

TiO2 nanoparticles have emerged as a great photocatalyst to degrade organic contaminants in water; however, the nanoparticles dispersed in water could be difficult to be recovered and potentially become contaminant. Herbicide like 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) used in agriculture usually ends up with a large fraction remaining in water and sediment, which may cause potential risk to human health and the ecosystem. This study proposes a greener method to utilize TiO2 as photocatalyst to remove 2,4-D from water. Accordingly, TiO2 nanoparticles (10–45 nm) were synthesized and grafted on lightweight fired clay to generate a TiO2-based floating photocatalyst. Experimental testing revealed that 60.2% of 2,4-D (0.1 mM) can be decomposed in 250 min under UV light with TiO2-grafted lightweight fired clay floating on water. Degradation fits well into the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The floating photocatalysts can degrade approximately 50% 2,4-D in 250 min under sunlight and the degradation efficiency is stable for cycles. The results revealed that the fabrication of floating photocatalyst could be a promising and greener way to remove herbicide contaminants in water using TiO2.
Heuristics, Biases, and Decisions in Resource Allocation for Home Care Packages under Consumer Directed Care: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis
Authors: Kenny Danelle , Nguyen Kim-Huong , Friesen Lana , Breig Zachary , Comans Tracy
Published: July 2023

Consumer-directed care (CDC) is a policy solution for quality deficiencies in aged care where seniors accessing care services are empowered with full choice and flexibility over their service packages. Various programs have been developed using this policy approach around the world, and implementation has invoked a mixture of responses. While consumer organisations welcome a policy direction providing additional choice, there is a concern that this policy complicates the decision-making process, leading people to rely on “rules of thumb” (heuristics) that may not reflect their best interests. Behavioural science provides a lens for looking at heuristics and biases that may occur during complex decision making, particularly as people age. Objective. To explore the presence and influence of heuristics and biases on the decision-making processes of older people receiving home care services under a CDC model. Method. Qualitative systematic review involving systematic searching of PubMed, MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase via Elsevier, CINAHL via Ebsco, PsycINFO via Ovid, Web of Science, Scopus, and EconLit, from inception until 14th April 2022 was undertaken. Identified articles were deduplicated, screened, and extracted for information relevant to the research question using PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction considered descriptive data and metadata including study type, participants, overall objectives, chosen methodologies, and their relationship to the research question. The variety of study types prompted a thematic synthesis to achieve greater comprehension of the existing knowledge base. Results. Descriptive categories were analysed to reveal five themes relevant to the presence and influence of heuristics and biases in decisions made by older people when allocating home care resources. Principally, CDC is implemented to afford autonomy but is complicated by the decision-making environment. Choice and decision making are both specific to the individual, and the processes employed for decision making vary over the life-course. Decision quality can be improved through the identification and mitigation of complicating factors. More research is needed to understand how modifications can assist decision making and improve health outcomes.
Intraperitoneal Paclitaxel Is a Safe and Effective Therapeutic Strategy for Treating Mucinous Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ito Ichiaki , Yousef Abdelrahman M.G. , Chowdhury Saikat , Dickson Princess N. , Naini Zahra A. , White Michael G. , Fleten Karianne G. , Flatmark Kjersti , Fournier Keith F. , Fowlkes Natalie W. , Shen John Paul
Published: July 2023

Appendiceal adenocarcinomas (AA) are a rare and heterogeneous mix of tumors for which few preclinical models exist. The rarity of AA has made performing prospective clinical trials difficult, which has partly contributed to AA remaining an orphan disease with no chemotherapeutic agents approved by the FDA for its treatment. AA has a unique biology in which it frequently forms diffuse peritoneal metastases but almost never spreads via a hematogenous route and rarely spreads to lymphatics. Given the localization of AA to the peritoneal space, intraperitoneal delivery of chemotherapy could be an effective treatment strategy. Here, we tested the efficacy of paclitaxel given by intraperitoneal administration using three orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of AA established in immunodeficient NSG mice. Weekly intraperitoneal paclitaxel treatment dramatically reduced AA tumor growth in all three PDX models. Comparing the safety and efficacy of intravenous with intraperitoneal administration, intraperitoneal delivery of paclitaxel was more effective, with reduced systemic side effects in mice. Given the established safety record of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in gastric and ovarian cancers, and lack of effective chemotherapeutics for AA, these data showing the activity of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in orthotopic PDX models of mucinous AA support the evaluation of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in a prospective clinical trial.

Significance:

The activity and safety of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in orthotopic PDX models of mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma supports the evaluation of intraperitoneal paclitaxel in a prospective clinical trial of this rare tumor type.
Supplementary Data from Identification and Validation of T-cell Receptors Targeting RAS Hotspot Mutations in Human Cancers for Use in Cell-based Immunotherapy
Authors: Levin Noam , Paria Biman C. , Vale Nolan R. , Yossef Rami , Lowery Frank J. , Parkhurst Maria R. , Yu Zhiya , Florentin Maria , Cafri Gal , Gartner Jared J. , Shindorf Mackenzie L. , Ngo Lien T. , Ray Satyajit , Kim Sanghyun P. , Copeland Amy R. , Robbins Paul F. , Rosenberg Steven A.
Published: July 2023

Supplementary Data all
Supplementary Data Description from Integrative Prognostic Machine-Learning Models in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Hill Holly Ann , Jain Preetesh , Ok Chi Young , Sasaki Koji , Chen Han , Wang Michael L. , Chen Ken
Published: July 2023

Supplementary Data Description
Direito à saúde na área de neoplasias: entendimentos doutrinários a partir de ementas selecionadas do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul
Authors: Quevedo André Luis Alves de
Published: July 2023

O objetivo do presente estudo foi conhecer os entendimentos doutrinários do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul em relação ao direito à saúde, especificamente ao tema das neoplasias. Tratou-se de estudo empír ico com abordagem qualitativa, considerando decisões da corte no período de janeiro de 2019 a março de 2020. Realizou-se, nos meses de abril e maio de 2020, busca no site do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, que resultou em 344 ementas de processos julgados em segunda instância. O critério de seleção do material empírico coletado foi a saturação dos dados. Na análise, surgiram temas sobre a saúde como direito social, direito à vida e direito à dignidade da pessoa humana; direito à saúde versus as ideias de mínimo existencial e reserva do possível; direito à saúde versus princípios orçamentários e financeiros; direito à saúde versus princípio da separação dos poderes; direito à saúde versus responsabilidade dos entes federativos; e direito à saúde, Código de Defesa do Consumidor, dano moral e responsabilidade civil. Os achados do presente estudo demonstram que, mesmo com as especificidades das neoplasias – como gravidade, urgência e transcendência –, os entendimentos doutrinários não diferem daqueles que têm sido produzidos em relação ao tema mais amplo do direito à saúde.
Os perigos da desdiferenciação e a pandemia da Covid-19: o caso da hidroxicloroquina no Brasil
Authors: Schwartz Germano André Doederlein , Costa Renata Almeida da , Finco Matteo
Published: July 2023

A pandemia de covid-19 representou um grande desafio para a diferenciação dos sistemas sociais. O Brasil foi a segunda nação do mundo em número de vítimas, e a influência das decisões tomadas dentro de diferentes esferas sociais (em particular saúde, ciência, direito e mídia de massa) tenderam, no país, a afetar as demais de maneria imprópria. O propósito do presente estudo foi apresentar, com base nas teorias dos sistemas sociais de Luhmann, os perigos dessa desdiferenciação para a sociedade e, também, para o indivíduo. A metodologia consistiu na pesquisa bibliográfica. O estudo concluiu que a preservação da função de cada um dos sistemas citados é essencial para a preservação de suas respectivas autonomias e da saúde coletiva e individual em solo brasileiro.
Tactical Opposition: Obstructing Loss and Damage Finance in the United Nations Climate Negotiations
Authors: Falzon Danielle , Shaia Fred , Roberts J. Timmons , Hossain Md. Fahad , Robinson Stacy-ann , Khan Mizan R. , Ciplet David
Published: July 2023

In 1991, in meetings constructing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the small island state of Vanuatu introduced a proposal requiring wealthy countries to pay for damages related to sea level rise. More than thirty years later, countries finally agreed to establish a financing mechanism for loss and damage associated with climate change. Scholars have observed the slow progress on loss and damage finance, but what tactics did countries use to obstruct negotiations? We answer this question using data from primary and secondary sources, observations at negotiations, and key informant interviews. Our analysis details four periods of obstruction and outlines a typology of fourteen tactics countries have used to delay progress. These tactics limited the issue’s scope, reduced transparency, manipulated language, and advanced nontransformative solutions. These findings contribute to the study of obstructionism in climate governance and can help loss and damage advocates better anticipate and respond to obstruction.
Functional Organization of Auditory and Reward Systems in Aging
Authors: Belden Alexander , Quinci Milena Aiello , Geddes Maiya , Donovan Nancy J. , Hanser Suzanne B. , Loui Psyche
Published: July 2023

The intrinsic organization of functional brain networks is known to change with age, and is affected by perceptual input and task conditions. Here, we compare functional activity and connectivity during music listening and rest between younger (n = 24) and older (n = 24) adults, using whole-brain regression, seed-based connectivity, and ROI–ROI connectivity analyses. As expected, activity and connectivity of auditory and reward networks scaled with liking during music listening in both groups. Younger adults show higher within-network connectivity of auditory and reward regions as compared with older adults, both at rest and during music listening, but this age-related difference at rest was reduced during music listening, especially in individuals who self-report high musical reward. Furthermore, younger adults showed higher functional connectivity between auditory network and medial prefrontal cortex that was specific to music listening, whereas older adults showed a more globally diffuse pattern of connectivity, including higher connectivity between auditory regions and bilateral lingual and inferior frontal gyri. Finally, connectivity between auditory and reward regions was higher when listening to music selected by the participant. These results highlight the roles of aging and reward sensitivity on auditory and reward networks. Results may inform the design of music-based interventions for older adults and improve our understanding of functional network dynamics of the brain at rest and during a cognitively engaging task.
Alpha Oscillations Create the Illusion of Time
Authors: Wutz Andreas
Published: July 2023

Recent neuroscience experiments have brought inconsistent findings to light about the influence of neural activity in the alpha-frequency band (at ≈10 Hz) on the temporal dynamics of visual perception. Whereas strong alpha effects were found when perception was more based on endogenous factors, there were null-effects for alpha when perception relied more on objective physical parameters. In this Perspective, I open up a new view on neural alpha activity that resolves some important aspects of this controversy by interpreting alpha not as temporal processing of sensory inputs per se but above all as the observer's internal processing dynamics, their so-called perception sets. Perception sets reflect internally stored knowledge for how to organize and build up perceptual processes. They result from previous sensory experiences, are under top–down control to support goal-directed behavior, and root in pre-established neural networks that communicate through alpha frequency channels. I present three example cases from the recent neuroscience literature that show an influence of alpha-driven perception sets on the observer's visual-temporal resolution, object processing, and the processing of behaviorally relevant image content. Because alpha-driven perception sets can structure perception from its high-level aspects, like categories, down to its basic building blocks, like objects and time samples, they may have a fundamental impact on our conscious experience of the sensory world, including our perception of time itself.
Feature-based Attentional Amplitude Modulations of the Steady-state Visual Evoked Potentials Reflect Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Changes in Feature-sensitive Visual Areas
Authors: Boylan Maeve R. , Panitz Christian , Tebbe Anna-Lena , Vieweg Paula , Forschack Norman , Müller Matthias M. , Keil Andreas
Published: July 2023

Recent EEG studies have investigated basic principles of feature-based attention by means of frequency-tagged random dot kinematograms in which different colors are simultaneously presented at different temporal frequencies to elicit steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs). These experiments consistently showed global facilitation of the to-be-attended random dot kinematogram—a basic principle of feature-based attention. SSVEP source estimation suggested that posterior visual cortex from V1 to area hMT+/V5 is broadly activated by frequency-tagged stimuli. What is presently unknown is whether the feature-based attentional facilitation of SSVEPs is a rather unspecific neural response including all visual areas that follow the “on/off,” or whether SSVEP feature-based amplitude enhancements are driven by activity in visual areas most sensitive to a specific feature, such as V4v in the case of color. Here, we leverage multimodal SSVEP-fMRI recordings in human participants and a multidimensional feature-based attention paradigm to investigate this question. Attending to shape produced significantly greater SSVEP-BOLD covariation in primary visual cortex compared with color. SSVEP-BOLD covariation during color selection increased along the visual hierarchy, with greatest values in areas V3 and V4. Importantly, in area hMT+/V5, we found no differences between shape and color selection. Results suggest that SSVEP amplitude enhancements in feature-based attention is not an unspecific enhancement of neural activity in all visual areas following the “on/off.” These findings open new avenues to investigating neural dynamics of competitive interactions in specific visual areas sensitive to a certain feature in a more economical way and better temporal resolution compared with fMRI.
Ecstatic or Mystical Experience through Epilepsy
Authors: Picard Fabienne
Published: July 2023

Ecstatic epilepsy is a rare form of focal epilepsy, so named because the seizures' first symptoms consist of an ecstatic/mystical experience, including feelings of increased self-awareness, mental clarity, and “unity with everything that exists,” accompanied by a sense of bliss and physical well-being. In this perspective article, we first describe the phenomenology of ecstatic seizures, address their historical context, and describe the primary brain structure involved in the genesis of these peculiar epileptic seizures, the anterior insula. In the second part of the article, we move onto the possible neurocognitive underpinnings of ecstatic seizures. We first remind the reader of the insula's role in interoceptive processing and consciously experienced feelings, contextualized by the theory of predictive coding. This leads us to hypothesize that temporary disruptions to activity in the anterior insula could interrupt the generation of interoceptive prediction errors, and cause one to experience the absence of uncertainty, and thereby, a sense of bliss. The absence of interoceptive prediction errors would in fact mimic perfect prediction of the body's physiological state. This sudden clarity of bodily perception could explain the ecstatic quality of the experience, as the interoceptive system forms the basis for unified conscious experience. Our alternative hypothesis is that the anterior insula plays an overarching role in the processing of surprise and that the dysfunction caused by the epileptic discharge could interrupt any surprise exceeding expectations, resulting in a sense of complete control and oneness with the environment.
Graph-Regularized Tensor Regression: A Domain-Aware Framework for Interpretable Modeling of Multiway Data on Graphs
Authors: Xu Yao Lei , Konstantinidis Kriton , Mandic Danilo P.
Published: July 2023

Modern data analytics applications are increasingly characterized by exceedingly large and multidimensional data sources. This represents a challenge for traditional machine learning models, as the number of model parameters needed to process such data grows exponentially with the data dimensions, an effect known as the curse of dimensionality. Recently, tensor decomposition (TD) techniques have shown promising results in reducing the computational costs associated with large-dimensional models while achieving comparable performance. However, such tensor models are often unable to incorporate the underlying domain knowledge when compressing high-dimensional models. To this end, we introduce a novel graph-regularized tensor regression (GRTR) framework, whereby domain knowledge about intramodal relations is incorporated into the model in the form of a graph Laplacian matrix. This is then used as a regularization tool to promote a physically meaningful structure within the model parameters. By virtue of tensor algebra, the proposed framework is shown to be fully interpretable, both coefficient-wise and dimension-wise. The GRTR model is validated in a multiway regression setting and compared against competing models and is shown to achieve improved performance at reduced computational costs. Detailed visualizations are provided to help readers gain an intuitive understanding of the employed tensor operations.
Ǧuḥā/Giufà: a Cunning Fool Bridge of Dialogue between East and West
Authors: Corrao Francesca Maria
Published: July 2023

Ǧuḥā/Giufà is a foolish rogue whose anecdotes are spread in the Mediterranean region; this area is characterized by different religious culture and the anecdotes show that these convey important shared values. Recent studies proved that a good number of these stories have far Eastern origins demonstrating that human community has important values to educate to a more harmonious global society. The study gives some information on the analysis of the hero from Western and Eastern perspectives and indicates some of the stories of far Eastern origins spread in the Mediterranean.
Two new Thereus species from Peru, with notes on ecological niche partitioning (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae)
Authors: FAYNEL CHRISTOPHE , FÅHRAEUS CHRISTER
Published: July 2023

Male hairstreaks (Theclinae) are often territorial, known for occupying their observation posts at a specific time during the day and at a certain height in the vegetation. The time and height for their perch vary from species to species but remain surprisingly stable year after year in any particular location. From these strategic observation posts males can check the passage of virgin females and chase away competing males. Consequently, these posts act as resources for the males and are not only vigorously defended from conspecific males but also form males of other species. In Peru, males of two closely related species belonging to the genus Thereus Hübner were observed in situ, defending their territories. One of them, Thereus tierralinda Faynel & Fåhraeus, sp. nov., is described here based on five male specimens from Cosñipata valley, Cusco, southern Peru. Further, it is compared to Thereus columbicola (Strand) and other close species in the Thereus eryssus species group. Observations over several years of T. columbicola and this new species show that they have different spatial and temporal characteristics for their perches, presumably to avoid competition with one another. Additionally, as a result of the partial revision of the group, a second new species, Thereus vicens Faynel & Fåhraeus, sp. nov., is also described based on one male and two females from Tingo María, Huánuco, central Peru. We also note that French Guiana is a new country record for Thereus eryssus (Herbst).
A new genus and species of whiptail armored catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariinae) from southern Venezuela
Authors: PROVENZANO-RIZZI FRANCISCO
Published: July 2023

A new genus and species of whiptail loricariid catfish belonging to the Pseudohemiodon group is described with 12 specimens captured from the upper Orinoco River and Casiquiare River, Amazonas State, Venezuela. The specimens show delicate and fragile appearance, and are small (largest specimen 74.3 mm SL). The new species has external morphological characters that support its inclusion in the Pseudohemiodon group; however, its mouth morphology is distinctive and unique with features not observed in any species of that group, nor in any other species included in tribe Loricariini or in subfamily Loricariinae. The distinctive buccal characters include: 1) barblets on upper lip border and the maxillary barbel included and interconnected by translucent membrane, leaving the tips free; 2) lower lip surface covered with elongated, cylindrical, unbranched, and fleshy barblets, which resemble filaments, some of them surpassing the border of lower lip. The comparative analyses carried out determined that the recently described species Rhadinoloricaria papillosa has the same two diagnostic buccal characters observed in the new species; therefore it is transferred to the new genus.
Corrections for Geostationary Cloud Liquid Water Path Using Microwave Imagery
Authors: Smalley Kevin M. , Lebsock Matthew D.
Published: July 2023

Geostationary observations provide measurements of the cloud liquid water path (LWP), permitting continuous observation of cloud evolution throughout the daylit portion of the diurnal cycle. Relative to LWP derived from microwave imagery, these observations have biases related to scattering geometry, which systematically varies throughout the day. Therefore, we have developed a set of bias corrections using microwave LWP for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16 and -17 (GOES-16 and GOES-17) observations of LWP derived from retrieved cloud-optical properties. The bias corrections are defined based on scattering geometry (solar zenith, sensor zenith, and relative azimuth) and low cloud fraction. We demonstrate that over the low-cloud regions of the northeast and southeast Pacific, these bias corrections drastically improve the characteristics of the retrieved LWP, including its regional distribution, diurnal variation, and evolution along short-time-scale Lagrangian trajectories.

Significance Statement

Large uncertainty exists in cloud liquid water path derived from geostationary observations, which is caused by changes in the scattering geometry of sunlight throughout the day. This complicates the usefulness of geostationary satellites to analyze the time evolution of clouds using geostationary data. Therefore, microwave imagery observations of liquid water path, which do not depend on scattering geometry, are used to create a set of corrections for geostationary data that can be used in future studies to analyze the time evolution of clouds from space.
Thromboelastography Use to Guide Resuscitation and Antivenom Administration after Gaboon Viper Bite
Authors: Faulkner Justin D. , Carballo Christopher J. , Acquista Elizabeth , Baughman Samuel D. , Powers William F. , Novosel Timothy J. , Yon James R.
Published: July 2023

The Gaboon viper ( Bitis gabonica) is an exotic snake native to sub-Saharan Africa. Gaboon viper venom is an extremely toxic hemotoxin, causing severe coagulopathy and local tissue necrosis. These are not aggressive snakes and therefore bites involving humans are rare and there is not a substantial amount of literature documenting how to manage these injuries and resultant coagulopathies. We report a 29-year-old male presenting 3 hours after a Gaboon viper envenomation resulting in coagulopathy requiring massive resuscitation and multiple doses of antivenom. The patient received various blood products based on thromboelastography (TEG) and also underwent early continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) to assist in correction of severe acidosis and acute renal failure. The combination of TEG to guide resuscitation, administration of antivenom, and early implementation of CRRT allowed our team to correct venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy and ultimately allow the patient to survive following this extremely deadly Gaboon viper envenomation.
When identity meets strategy: The development of British and German anti-torture policies since 9/11
Authors: Heaphy Janina
Published: July 2023

Since 9/11, considerable research has been done on US interrogation and detention operations, but comparatively little is known about the involvement of other traditionally liberal states’ intelligence agencies and their evolving perspectives on torture-related policies for foreigners abroad. Particularly, the United Kingdom and Germany provide interesting cases; despite similar levels of public and political pressure regarding their indirect involvement in Central Intelligence Agency’s operations, the two states took different strategic decisions in 2010 on whether to implement new extraterritorial human rights safeguards. While the United Kingdom introduced a new intelligence guidance for interrogations overseas, the German government opted for policy-continuance, which raises the question why the two states embarked on different policy trajectories, even if they found themselves in contextually similar situations and were subjected to the comparable accountability measures. By bridging insights from Rationalist and normative literature, the article addresses this conundrum by clearly outlining the states’ differing strategic preferences, and by dissecting the multi-layered composition of these interests. As a result, the article delineates how strategic constraints pertaining to the states’ national, international, or political elite level affect decision-makers’ policy responses.
Transforming Psychological Testing With Saccadic Responses: Internal Consistency is High for Rorschach and Facial Expressions
Authors: Dauphin Barry , Greene Harold H. , Juve Mindee , Boyle Mellisa , Day-Suba Ellen
Published: July 2023

Psychologists have long been interested in the underlying visual perceptual processes associated with forming responses to certain psychological tests, including the Rorschach Ink Blot Test, which modern users conceptualize as a conceptual problem-solving task. Accordingly, we used eye tracking technology to assess the internal consistency of saccadic responses to both the Rorschach Ink Blot Test and a facial expression task. Internal consistency was highest for eye Fixation Duration (FD) and Saccade Amplitude (SA), and both FD and SA measures in the Rorschach were positively related to the same measures in the facial expression task. Given this high internal consistency of FD and SA for viewing Rorschach ink blots and viewing pictures from well-known collections of facial expressions, and given high correlations between these eye tracking measures across the two tasks, FD and SA may now be used in further studies of eye movements in visuo-attentive psychological/neuropsychological tests (e.g., the Thematic Apperception Test). Reliability of these eye movement measures across tasks enables their use for better understanding of underlying visual processes and improved interpretations of the meaning of behavioral responses to psychological/neuropsychological tests.
Exploring the Experiences of Women Social Entrepreneurs: Advancing Understandings of ‘Emotional Capital’ in Women-only Networks
Authors: Stahl Garth , Burnard Pamela , McDonald Sarah
Published: July 2023

The field of social entrepreneurship, a domain focused on implementing solutions to social, cultural and environmental issues, remains highly male-dominated. Research continues to emphasise that women social entrepreneurs are often expected to behave in masculine ways in order to become successful. The study presented in this article explored the perceptions and experiences of thirty-three women living in the United Kingdom who were developing their skills in social entrepreneurship. Documenting their experiences, we sought to understand how women work in a male-dominated field. Our analysis primarily builds on a Bourdieusian-revisionist approach of emotional capital to advance understandings of how women’s networks with other women allow them to navigate social entrepreneurship. Drawing on emotional capital, as a theory, we examine the ways in which these women find these spaces generative and how it contributes to their problematising of masculine orthodoxies.
Adult Nasopharyngeal Hamartoma: A Case Report
Authors: Feng Yu , Jia Guotao , Du Yongya , Li Maocai , Li Lianqing , Gong Lili
Published: July 2023

Hamartomas are benign tumors characterized by an abnormal combination and arrangement of normal tissues during development. It is more common in lung, gastrointestinal tract and other parts, rare in the head and neck, such as oral cavity, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, etc. This case report describes a patient with nasopharyngeal hamartoma who presented with headache and rhinorrhea and was confirmed to have smooth nasopharyngeal neoplasm by electronic fibro laryngoscopy. After admission, the nasopharyngeal neoplasm was removed under general anesthesia and was postoperatively diagnosed as a hamartoma polyp. The patient recovered well postoperatively.
Mitral valve surgery in octogenarians: Identifying factors that can guide clinical decision-making
Authors: Pavlopoulos Dionysios , Mylonas Konstantinos S , Avgerinos Dimitrios , Petsios Konstantinos , Samanidis George , Katsaridis Sotirios , Perreas Konstantinos
Published: July 2023

Background

Mitral valve surgery in octogenarians is a clinical challenge due to the impact of inherent, age-related comorbidities. Within the context of an aging population, the number of mitral surgery candidates over 80 has been gradually increasing. We sought to evaluate our institutional experience with mitral valve surgery in octogenarians to identify factors that may prove useful during the process of clinical decision-making.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed our institutional database for all patients over 80 years of age who underwent mitral valve surgery in our department from October 2002 up to February 2021. The primary endpoints of our study were 30-day all-cause mortality and long-term survival after the first postoperative month.

Results

In total, 99 octogenarians underwent mitral valve surgery for various types of mitral pathology. In particular, 70 patients underwent mitral valve replacement with or without concomitant procedures and 29 underwent mitral valve repair with or without concomitant procedures. There was no difference between the two approaches in terms of 30-day mortality and long-term survival. Chronic kidney disease and total operative time were independent predicting factors for 30-day mortality. Etiology of mitral valve pathology and EuroSCORE II was independent predicting factors for long-term survival.

Conclusions

The type of mitral valve surgery did not affect 30-day and long-term mortality rates in our study. Renal impairment and EuroSCORE II were independent predictors of 30-day mortality and long-term prognosis, respectively. Rheumatic valve disease was also associated with a poorer prognosis.
A Gradient of More and Less Demanding Impositions: Reflections on the Special Issue on Resistance
Authors: Antaki Charles
Published: July 2023

People resist various kinds of imposition, which can be ranged along a gradient—impositions from those heavily entitled to make them, along to those where the matter is more balanced, to where the imposed-upon person is the one who has the greater rights. The articles in this Special Issue cover the whole range, from the police officer issuing bald imperatives, through to a tutor trying to help a student with their essay. In one case the resistor is may have little room for maneuver without incurring cost; in the other, the resistor will be given more latitude. The signal characteristic of the analysis throughout is a very close attention to the actual exchange of talks between the two parties: it is there that conversation analysis reveals the intricacy with which imposition is attempted and resistance succeeds or fails.
Exploring the level of digital citizenship awareness among female students in the information science department at Umm Al-Qura University
Authors: Shenishen Lotfia Mahmoud Refaat
Published: July 2023

This study tried to unveil the female students’ awareness level in the department of information technology, Umm Al Qura University, Saudi Arabia with the criteria of digital citizenship under the digital revolution in the world today. The digital transformation has a great effect on how persons would deal with the digital data and information. The study depended on the descriptive analytical methodology, because the nature of this methodology is suitable for the subject of the study from the beginning of data collection, that are required to the study, analyzing and interpreting data, to the results phase, that contributes in achieving the goals of this study. Current results pointed out that the total level of female students’ awareness level with the nine criteria of digital citizenship was medium with an average of 139.3 degree. The total values of the nine criteria from the lowest to the highest value ranges from 149 to 237 degree. In some criteria, the female students’ awareness level was high, but in other criteria, this level was medium. The students’ awareness level was raised with the following criteria: “digital access to the information sources”, “educational services”, “electronic market”, “digital communication”, “digital etiquette”, “digital laws”, “digital rights and responsibilities”, and “digital security”. On the other hand, female the students’ awareness level was medium with two creating the criterion of “promotion of digital culture” and the criterion of “digital health and safety”. Among the most important recommendations of this study is the enlightenment of society with the digital revolution, and the dissemination of a culture of digital citizenship among Members of the Society, in addition to putting forward a plan at the level of Saudi universities to teach the “digital citizenship” curriculum.
The roles of environmental conditions in the pollutant emission-induced gross primary production change: Co-contribution of meteorological fields and regulation of its background gradients
Authors: Gui Xuan , Wang Lunche , Cao Qian , Li Shiyu , Jiang Weixia , Wang Shaoqiang
Published: July 2023

Anthropogenic emissions affect vegetation photosynthesis and carbon flux through meteorological variations induced by aerosols and clouds. However, the insufficient consideration of meteorological conditions limits the understanding of relevant mechanisms, and further inhibits the projection of future terrestrial carbon balance. Based on multiple sets of model simulations, we characterized changes in gross primary production (GPP) due to three typical individual pollutants emissions (black carbon, organic carbon, and sulfate), quantified the relative contributions of co-varied environmental factors, and explored the regulatory roles of background meteorological conditions across China. Our results showed that the heterogeneous GPP enhancement induced by emissions was dominated by cloud cover (CC) change. During its short-term effect, air temperature (Tair), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and radiation (both quality and quantity) played a collectively non-negligible role in GPP variation, among which the universal diffuse radiation fertilization effect was generally far less than the benefits of brighter, cooler, and wetter environmental conditions. However, the sensitivity of GPP to an individual environmental variable was also altered by background meteorological gradients, whose changing pattern differed substantially among factors, indicating that the meteorological-regulated vegetation optimal photosynthetic range was a trade-off among heat, water, and light instead of being controlled by the univariable. This study implies that a deeper understanding of concurrent environmental variables is an effective way to reduce uncertainties in assessing the terrestrial carbon cycle perturbation exerted by human-induced emissions, especially under future scenarios with ongoing climate change.
A complete characterization of THE fracture forming limits in bulk forming by means of an upset geometry sequence
Authors: Sampaio Rui FV , Pragana João PM , Bragança Ivo MF , Silva Carlos MA , Martins Paulo AF
Published: July 2023

This paper presents an upset geometry sequence to determine the fracture forming limits in a wide variety of strain loading paths ranging from uniaxial compression to equibiaxial tension. The strains at fracture in principal strain space are obtained by combination of digital image correlation and experimental evolutions of the compression force versus time, and their representation in the effective strain versus stress triaxiality space is accomplished by means of a new analytical framework that uses the instantaneous slope of the strain loading paths. Modeling of the experimental strains at fracture by means of an uncoupled ductile fracture criterion built upon combination of the Cockcroft-Latham and McClintock criteria and fractography analysis using a scanning electron microscope allow understanding and characterizing the crack opening modes by shear and tension as well as the uncertainty region inside which mixed crack opening modes are observed. Results confirm that the overall philosophy and objectives underlying the new upset geometry sequence for determining the fracture forming limits in bulk forming resemble those of the Nakajima test that is commonly used in sheet forming.
Thermal performance of nanofluids in a sinusoidal channel with embedded porous region
Authors: Ali Asif , Shuja SZ , Yilbas BS
Published: July 2023

Inclusion of porous structures in micro-channels enhances heat transfer rates in energy harvesting devices, which signifies as the working fluid becomes a nanofluid. The present study compares the thermal performance of CuO-water, TiO2-water and graphene-water nanofluids in a sinusoidal channel with a porous insert. The flow and heat transfer characteristics are simulated and the effects of volumetric fraction of nanofluids, Reynolds number ( Re), porous insert width, and its permeability on the flow and temperature fields are examined. The findings reveal that CuO-water nanofluid results in higher heat transfer rates than those of other nanofluids considered. Graphene-water nanofluid gives rise to lower performance than that of CuO-water nanofluid in terms of convection heat transfer despite the fact that graphene has higher thermal conductivity than CuO. In this case, a decrease in Nusselt number of as much as 6.34% is observed for CuO-water nanofluid among all the cases considered for the Reynolds number of 100. Increasing the permeability of the porous insert slightly enhances (∼0.24%) the average Nusselt number. The porous insert with a small width in the channel improves the heat transfer rates (2.25% increase in Nusselt number), i.e. the average Nusselt number reduces as the porous insert width increases.
Vulnerable advantages: Re-searching my self while navigating queer identity, research ethics, and emotional labour
Authors: Pillay Suntosh R.
Published: July 2023

Using an autoethnographic approach, I reflect on and unpack my journey towards my doctoral research on queer South Africans of Indian descent. I demonstrate how my decision to become an insider-researcher forced me to confront personal resistances towards turning the academic gaze upon myself. Although my journey towards intersectional LGBTQ+  research began with a yearning for epistemic visibility, prompted by a curious search for psychological literature about people like me, I now grapple with a flip side—doing the emotional labour of visibility and managing my vulnerabilities. Drawing on Gloria Anzaldúa's feminist theory of Borderlands, I (re)conceptualize these vulnerabilities as vulnerable advantages, that is, liminal spaces of heightened reflexivity that can ignite psychopolitical potential in scholar-activism. I discuss and theorize the productive possibilities of these emotionally complex spaces by drawing on four interconnected life experiences related to the epistemic, ethical, artistic, and activist dimensions of vulnerabilities. I consider the emotional labour embedded in researching insider communities, and my anxieties about traversing through these psychosocial conflicts. I argue that reflecting on one's own vulnerabilities can provide researchers with unique perspectives as scholar-activists. These vulnerable advantages exist because of—not in spite of —one's initial trepidations as valuable psychopolitical and decolonial resources.
Qualitative psychology of the Brentano school and its inspirations (another look at empirical qualitative research)
Authors: Citlak Amadeusz
Published: July 2023

This article explores a psychological tradition inspired by or originating from Franz Brentano and which played a vital role in the development of qualitative empirical psychology. This was the psychology of acts with a focus on the analysis of mental phenomena and a first-person perspective. Brentano’s psychology directly influenced the emergence of the main schools of European psychology in the first half of the 20th century: the Würzburg School, Gestalt psychology, phenomenological psychology, the Dorpat School, and the Lvov–Warsaw School. These schools cultivated a psychology of mind and consciousness par excellence, the theoretical and methodological assumptions of which effectively inhibited reductionist tendencies. The aim of this article, however, is not so much to reconstruct the historical achievements but rather to indicate their relevance for contemporary qualitative psychology, which can be seen in a broader perspective than simply as an alternative to quantitative research.
Identifying Key Features of Equity-Centered Professional Learning
Authors: Jacobs Jennifer , Burns Rebecca W. , Haraf Samantha , McCorvey Jennifer
Published: July 2023

To address the inequities within the educational system, there are calls for teachers to have an intentional focus on equity. Unfortunately, teachers often do not receive enough preparation within their certification programs or during in-service trainings to center equity- driven practices. This study provided insight into the features that one group of teacher leaders relied upon and found essential when working to enact high-quality, equity-centered professional learning for teachers, and researchers utilized these findings to develop a framework for equity-centered professional learning. The context for this research was teacher leader-led professional learning within the context of a job-embedded professional learning experience for teacher leaders. Data collection included professional learning lesson plans, written reflections by teacher leaders after the professional learning sessions, and field notes. Findings point to five features of professional learning focused on equity that teacher leaders utilized. These include: (1), Safe, trusting community grounded in relationships, (2) Dialogue to explore and critically reflect upon biases, beliefs, and experiences, (3) Active learning opportunities that promote dissonance, (4) Authentic connections to equity within the local context through inquiry, and (5) Responsiveness to participants’ varied experiences and understanding of equity. The findings have implications for routines of practice that can be utilized to enact these essential features and how an equity lens can permeate the design of professional learning.
EBV-Positive Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Small Intestine: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Pan Chenglong , Ma Xiaoling , Yao Yanfei , Wang Chunyan
Published: July 2023

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare lymphoma that affects the brain, skin, and bone marrow. We describe the case of a 75-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital after 4 h of stomach aches. A thorough physical examination indicated stomach discomfort and skin discoloration. Laboratory tests revealed thrombocytopenia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed that the small intestine wall was thickened, edematous, and necrotic. The necrotic small bowel was surgically removed, revealing many little round, homogenous, and unusual cells in the mesenteric vein. In-situ hybridization revealed that these cells were positive for PAX5, CD20, CD79a, CD10, and BCL2, as well as Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNA. After 1 week of hospitalization without treatment, the patient was diagnosed with IVLBCL and died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. IVLBCL is a rare illness that affects the small intestine and possibly the gastrointestinal system. It has an insidious start, a fast development, and a dismal prognosis. Knowing its clinicopathologic traits helps in understanding the illness, making an early diagnosis, and preventing rapid worsening.
Ogilvie Syndrome, Bradycardia, and Neostigmine
Authors: Tasleem Asna , Finkelstein Adam , Waheed Abdul
Published: July 2023

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO), known as Ogilvie Syndrome, is an acute dilation of the colon in the absence of an underlying mechanical or anatomic cause. Neostigmine treatment is indicated following failed conservative management of ACPO, however neostigmine has its contraindications. This is a report of a unique case of a patient with a past medical history of symptomatic first degree heart block with a permanent pacemaker who received a bolus dosage of neostigmine treatment for ACPO in an ICU setting.