bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Call for Counter-Public Sociology
Authors: Mahadeo Rahsaan
Published: August 2023

This paper seeks to decenter the academy as the gatekeeper of knowledge, while presenting a critique of ‘public sociology’ and ‘public-facing’ scholarship. I argue that public sociology’s aim to make research more ‘accessible to a wider audience’ presupposes that the university has something to offer to this audience in the first place. This not-so-tacit arrogance only further privileges the university as the primary site of knowledge production, while rendering invisible the many knowledge producers outside the academy. As public sociology continues to curry favor with mainstream media, politics, and policy institutes, it reveals a steadfast faith in the state and capital, while obscuring radical alternatives. In turn, public sociology functions as a counterinsurgency tool via professionalization. Conversely, a counter-public sociology refuses to comply with oppressive state protocols. Instead, it seeks to dismantle them. A counter-public sociology aims not to affirm the university, but to insist that this current academic enterprise remains untenable.
Advancing feminist relationality in childhood studies
Authors: Bodén Linnea , Joelsson Tanja
Published: August 2023

Relationality has become central to Childhood Studies and even described as its ontological ground. Feminist theories offer articulate theorizing on relationalities, yet feminist ideas of relationality have not had a significant impact on Childhood Studies. Through focusing on feminist notions of corporeal specificity, sexual-temporal difference and asymmetry, and transcorporeality, this paper argues that feminist theorizations open up a space to engage with childhood and children’s lives as not only relational or entangled, but as inevitably imbricated in relations of power.
Policy initiatives for Artificial Intelligence-enabled government: An analysis of national strategies in Europe
Authors: van Noordt Colin , Medaglia Rony , Tangi Luca
Published: August 2023

Governments have been putting forward various proposals to stimulate and facilitate research on Artificial Intelligence (AI), develop new solutions, and adopt these technologies within their economy and society. Despite this enthusiasm, however, the adoption and deployment of AI technologies within public administrations face many barriers, limiting administrations from drawing on the benefits of these technologies. These barriers include the lack of quality data, ethical concerns, unawareness of what AI could mean, lack of expertise, legal limitations, the need for inter-organisational collaboration, and others. AI strategy documents describe plans and goals to overcome the barriers to introducing AI in societies. Drawing on an analysis of 26 AI national strategy documents in Europe analysed through the policy instrument lens, this study shows that there is a strong focus on initiatives to improve data-related aspects and collaboration with the private sector, and that there are limited initiatives to improve internal capacity or funding.
Effects of different amine-functionalized graphene oxide on the mechanical and thermal properties of polyimide composites
Authors: Zhang Yuxia , Liu Haojie , Liu Menghan , Ma Xiaofan , Shi Haifeng
Published: August 2023

The utilization of functionalized graphene oxide as nanofillers has attracted significant attention in the development of high-performance composite materials. In this study, amine-functionalized graphene oxide (AFGO) by different amines, including p-phenylenediamine- (PPD-GO) and 4, 4’-diaminodiphenyl ether (ODA-GO), respectively, was prepared and used to synthesize a series of polyimide (PI) composite membranes via in situ polymerization method. The PPD-GO/PI and ODA-GO/PI composite membranes exhibited much higher mechanical and thermal properties than that of neat PI, owing to the diverse interfacial interaction and the surface architecture behavior. Compared to neat PI, the tensile strengths were enhanced 14.6% and 14.5%, the tensile modulus were enhanced 26.9% and 23.2%, and the Tg increased by 9°C and 17.5°C of the PI composite membrane containing 0.3 wt% PPD-GO or ODA-GO, respectively. This study provides a guidance for the development of high-performance PI composite materials through the regulated interfacial structure via the moderate chain length.
Electro-plastic effect in Ti-6Al-4V: An experimental and numerical study
Authors: Adabala Subrahmanyam , Konka Praveen , Nallagundla Venkata Reddy
Published: August 2023

Electric pulse aided deformation is gaining importance in plastic deformation processes because of its ability to form difficult-to-form materials like Ti-6Al-4V at much lower temperatures than hot/superplastic forming processes. Applying electric pulses with suitable parameters during plastic deformation reduces the flow stress near instantaneously (stress-drop) due to thermal (expansion and softening) and electro-plastic effects. To quantify the electro-plastic effect, one needs to predict thermal effects accurately. In the present work, electrically assisted uniaxial tensile tests on Ti-6Al-4V are carried out both in elastic and plastic regions. Flow stress reduction due to thermal effects are predicted using finite element analysis. Comparison of predicted thermal effects with that of experimentally measured in elastic region revealed that they are in excellent agreement, as it is well known that thermal expansion only plays a role in the elastic region. In the plastic region, a considerable difference between measured (thermal and athermal) and predicted (only thermal effects) stress-drop values is observed, and this difference is due to the electro-plastic effect. The effect of different process parameters on electro-plastic effect is studied, and the same is quantified.
Modular robotic manipulator and ground assembly system for on-orbit assembly of space telescopes
Authors: Zhang Enyang , Sai Huayang , Li Yanhui , Sun Xiangyang , Zhang Tao , Xu Zhenbang
Published: August 2023

In the field of astronomical observation, large space telescopes are key tools for deep space exploration. However, the aperture of space telescopes is limited by the ability to fabricate large monolithic mirrors or lenses and by severe restrictions on the overall volume and mass capacity of the launch vehicle. The use of robots for autonomous assembly while in orbit is a promising option for the deployment of large-aperture space telescopes. In this paper, we describe a modular robotic manipulator that offers high precision and flexibility. A space telescope ground assembly system is then designed, the key components of which are a redundant robotic manipulator and a reconfigurable telescope unit. The ground-based assembly of the space telescope is implemented through a combination of trajectory planning, visual perception, and robotic supple control techniques, validating the ability of the robotic manipulator to automatically assemble modular space telescopes. Finally, the developed robotic manipulator is used to conduct ground assembly demonstration experiments, and the modular space telescope is assembled according to the assembly task plan, accumulating technical experience for future space telescope assembly tasks in orbit.
Effects of Ga, Nb, V, Zr, and Cr on the crystal structures and thermal behavior of CuAlMn shape memory alloys
Authors: Özkul İskender , Karaduman Oktay , Canbay Canan Aksu
Published: August 2023

CuAlMn alloys are cheaper and more promising alloy types compared to NiTi alloys. In this study, based on CuAlMn shape memory alloy, thermodynamic and structural characteristics of some new alloys containing four elements were investigated in detail. In this study, five new quaternary shape memory alloys, each containing a CuAlMn base alloy and a different fourth additive element (Ga, Nb, V, Zr, and Cr), were produced. The properties of the obtained alloys were characterized using a series of analysis methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The results showed the effects of different elements on the crystal structures of the alloys and how different elements could change the thermal behavior of the alloys.
A Perspective of Investment Relationship on Effects of Social Media Investment Outcomes
Authors: Radhika Modimpally , Reddy P. Madhu Kumar , Prasad V. S.
Published: August 2023

The rise of social media has had an impact on conventional media since it has given individuals a platform to engage in marketing and investment activities. This article examines about the majority of firms use social media as a marketing tool genuinely aids in establishing and keeping relationships with investors. Currently, social media facilitates investors as well as companies an opportunity to establish relationships. Social media truly considered an investment in relationships, and by means of the execution of relationship quality, it is measured for how it influences behaviours such as fulfilment, word-of-mouth and trust. Both institutions and financial investors emphasize the effective use of social media marketing. Online survey mode was used to reach target group of respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the reliability of each component using the Cronbach alpha test, correlation, KMO for the precision of the factor analysis and pivot of the Varimax, all of which were related to seven distinct parameters and 27 dimensions. Research results show that investors who follow a company on social media are more likely to be satisfied, to trust it and to want to recommend it to non-followers. Additionally, they perceive higher levels of commitment and excellence in relationships. Together, these results show that social media is likely to have an effect on crucial relationship marketing variables that lead to more relational clients.
The Withering of Kerala’s Higher Education Sector?: Concerns, Choices and the Way Forward
Authors: George Justine , Menon Akhil
Published: August 2023

The transformation of labour markets has generated various concerns for policymakers in the higher education sector in Kerala, ranging from skill mismatches, student migration, and vacant seats in the higher educational institutions being some of the most pressing issues raising concern withering the progress made in the sector till now. It is time for policymakers to take serious note of the problem, and they must embrace all the suggestions they could receive to improve the higher education sector in the state, which is well integrated into the global labour markets.
Landslide Modeling in a Tropical Mountain Basin Using Machine Learning Algorithms and Shapley Additive Explanations
Authors: Vega Johnny , Sepúlveda-Murillo Fabio Humberto , Parra Melissa
Published: August 2023

Landslides are a geological hazard commonly induced by rainfall, earthquakes, deforestation, or human activity causing loss of human life every year specially on highlands or mountain slopes with serious impacts that threaten communities and its infrastructure. The incidence and recurrence of landslides are conditioned by several aspects related to soil properties, geological structure, climatic conditions, soil cover, and water flow. Precisely, Colombia is one of the most affected by this type of natural hazard, as well as by floods, since they are the natural phenomena that bring with them the most severe risks for communities. In this work, we articulated the statistical approach of the landslide conditioning factors, Machine Learning Algorithms (MLA), and Geographic Information System (GIS), evaluating a flexible and agile methodology to estimate the landslide susceptibility defining areas prone to the landslide occurrence. The MLA were validated in a case study in the “La Liboriana” River basin, located in the Municipality of Salgar in the Colombian mountains Andes where Landslide Susceptibility Maps (LSMs) were obtained. The obtained MLA results hold immense potential in the field of regional landslide mapping, facilitating the development of effective strategies aimed at minimizing the devastating impacts on human lives, infrastructure, and the natural environment. By leveraging these findings, proactive measures can be devised to safeguard vulnerable areas, mitigate risks, and ensure the safety and well-being of communities. Seven supervised MLA were employed, two regression algorithms (Logistic) and five decision tree algorithms (Recursive Partitioning and Regression Trees [RPART], Conditional Inference Trees [CTREE], Random Forest [RF], Ranger, and Extreme Gradient Boosting Algorithm [XGBoost]). The LSMs were produced for each MLA. Considering different performance metrics, the RF model yields the best classification accuracy with an area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 95% and 90% of accuracy, providing the most representative results. Finally, the contribution of each landslide conditioning factor on predictions with RF model is explained using the SHAP method.
A Multi-objective Mathematical Programing Model for the Problem of P-envy Emergency Medical Service Location
Authors: Khalilzadeh Mohammad , Bahari Arman
Published: August 2023

To prevent the great dangers caused by emergency situations, providing rapid and high-quality emergency aid highly depends on the location of emergency medical centers. The purpose of this research is to present a multi-objective mathematical programing model based on the minimum P-envy algorithm to locate and construct emergency medical services (EMS). Maximizing the coverage in order to increase the probability of survival of different categories of patients, minimizing the costs of constructing EMS and optimizing the ratio of regions having the right to emergency medical services is one of the fundamental challenges in the health care system of countries. In this paper, a model for maximum utilization of EMS considering budget limitations is presented. In this study, since the problem is NP-Hard, the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm were used to solve this problem. The parameters of the metaheuristic algorithms were tuned using the Taguchi method. Several instance problems were solved to compare the performance of 2 algorithms. The results demonstrate that the validity of the proposed model. Also, the mean of the solutions obtained by GA for small, medium, and large-size problems are better than the SA algorithm. Also, the GA algorithm obtained more efficient solutions than the SA algorithm.
The Case of Vanishing Borders: Theorizing diversity management as internal border control
Authors: Kalonaityte Viktorija
Published: August 2023

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the theorizing of diversity management, studied from a postcolonial perspective. This paper draws on an empirical study of a Swedish municipal school for adults in order to theorize how construction of privileged and disadvantaged ethnic identities is an integral diversity management practice, situated in the Swedish context. Further, the paper looks not only at limiting identity construction effects, but also at the traces of ongoing resistance. The contribution of the postcolonial lens in the study of workplace diversity lies in the conceptual space it provides for rendering visible, and legitimizing, non-traditional forms of resistance to hierarchical differentiation of cultural identities.
‘We live in a capitalist world, we need to survive!’: Feminist cultural work, platform capitalism, and pandemic precarity
Authors: Curran-Troop Hannah
Published: August 2023

This paper analyses the working practices of several feminist creative and cultural enterprises in London (which I term ‘feminist CCIs’). In particular, it shows how pandemic precarity has driven feminist CCIs towards more entrepreneurial, self-promotional, and self-branding practices in order to sustain their work. Drawing on both digital ethnographic material and interviews with 12 workers in feminist CCIs conducted online between 2020 and 2022, the article provides insights into the landscape and contemporary realities of arts and cultural funding within these fields. It considers how decades of austerity measures and cuts have forced some feminist CCIs to operate independently outside of the UK public sector funding models. Survival tactics include adopting corporate funding models, subscription and membership schemes, platformisation and digitalisation. Focusing on funding, money and subjectivity, it unpacks the contradictions these imperatives bring to feminist politics: tensions about which some feminist CCI workers themselves are aware of and critical of. In the process, this paper considers how activism, feminism, entrepreneurialism, and precarity are fused together and negotiated in this form of ‘freelance feminism’.
‘Audiencing’ the travel blog: Examining how practices of audiencing influence the affective labour of travel bloggers online
Authors: Willment Nina
Published: August 2023

This article demonstrates how applying the concept of audiencing allows us to better understand how the presence of different audiences online mediates the affective labour practices of content creators. The article focuses on one distinctive example of online content creators: British travel bloggers. First, the article argues that audiencing provides an important lens to witness the diversity of affective labour practices being undertaken by travel bloggers, contributing to the wider literature around affective work. Second, the article also demonstrates how travel bloggers are an important focus of study, as they utilise visual and narrative experiences of place as the key foci through which they tailor their affective work to different relationships of audiencing. This finding contributes to the labour on audiencing, by demonstrating how creative labourers use a stimulus (such as discussions of place) as a mechanism through which to tailor their affective work.
A two-material thermal barrier coating spatially tailored for high-efficiency GCI combustion
Authors: Gainey Brian , Gandolfo John , Yan Ziming , Vedpathak Kunal , Kumar Rishi , Jordan Eric H , Sellnau Mark , Filipi Zoran , Lawler Benjamin
Published: August 2023

Continued research into thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for internal combustion engines has generated insights into the design of TBCs that can increase fuel conversion efficiency. In this work, two low thermal inertia TBCs (a commercially available Gen 1 material, Gadolinium Zirconate, and a proprietary Gen 2 material) were experimentally tested in gasoline compression ignition (GCI) on a light-duty single cylinder research engine. Compared to a metal baseline, a 250-micron thick Gen 1 coated piston produced an efficiency benefit of 0.4 percentage points (pp) at 6 and 10 bar net indicated mean effective pressure (IMEPn) and a 0.2 pp penalty at 15 bar IMEPn. The Gen 1 coating also showed an uHC and smoke penalty. An 80-micron thick Gen 2 coated piston showed an efficiency benefit of 0.9 pp at 6 bar IMEPn and 0.4 pp at 10 bar IMEPn, but an efficiency penalty of 0.5 pp at 15 bar IMEPn. The Gen 2 coating, which has a lower thermal inertia than the Gen 1 coating, displayed durability problems while the Gen 1 coating did not. A third piston was coated with a 120-micron thick Gen 2 coating everywhere except the high failure outer bowl region, which was coated with a 120-micron Gen 1 coating. This hybrid coating displayed good durability, an uHC emission penalty, a smoke benefit, an efficiency benefit of 0.1 pp at 6 bar IMEPn, an efficiency benefit of 0.4 pp at 10 bar IMEPn, and no change in efficiency at 15 bar IMEPn. These results indicate that a durable Gen 1/Gen 2 coating can provide an efficiency benefit to GCI combustion, and that further improvements on piston-spray interaction optimization and surface sealing of the TBC, as well as increasing the coated combustion chamber surface area (e.g. head and valves) can add further improve efficiency.
Net promoter score and future consumer behavior in the casino gaming industry
Authors: Kim Sanghee , Gruca Thomas S
Published: August 2023

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a widely used measure of customer loyalty. It was touted as “the one number you need to grow” due to a purported relationship between the NPS and firm growth. A number of academic papers have examined this macro relationship with decidedly mixed results. In this study, we focus on the micro relationship between a customer’s loyalty segment (Promoter, Passive, or Detractor) and purchasing behavior. While other studies focus on the relationship between a customer’s NPS segment and word of mouth (the other driver of firm growth), only a few have examined the impact of the NPS segment on consumer retention and future spending. Unlike prior studies using consumers, we have objective measures of retention, past spending, and future spending. We explore three important research questions: (1) Does past purchase behavior vary differ across the NPS segments? (2) Does future consumer behavior vary across the NPS segments? And (3) How do the NPS segments compare to other metrics in predicting future consumer behavior? Our data comes from post-visit surveys and transaction histories from the casino gaming industry. We find Promoters have significantly higher levels of past spending, retention, and future spending (controlling for past spending) than Detractors. However, using other metrics such as satisfaction or likelihood-to-revisit provides comparable fit to the data. Furthermore, the average difference in future spending between the Promoters and Defectors is small, despite its statistical significance. While this study provides empirical validation of the use of the NPS segments to capture differences in consumer behavior, managers have options with comparable explanatory power to measure the state of their relationships with customers. This study adds to the very limited empirical research that validates the assumptions about consumer behavior that underlie the use of the NPS for predicting firm growth.
Endurance, exhaustion and the lure of redemption
Authors: Dawney Leila , Jellis Thomas
Published: August 2023

This paper is concerned with the lure of redemption in contemporary academic and accounts of exhaustion, endurance, and biopolitical life. Drawing on, and contributing to recent work on negativity in cultural geography, the paper analyses how optimism and redemption find their way in to academic writing on the contemporary condition. It interrogates the optimism in these literatures, paying attention to the genealogical roots of the propensity to redeem accounts of slow and attritional violence and biopolitical subjectivity. In particular, the paper charts the implicit politics and ethics at play in the invocation of the Deleuzian ‘otherwise’ which haunts many accounts of the transformatory potential of exhaustion, and the remnants of dialectical historicism and Christian morality at the heart of redemption narratives in accounts of endurance. The paper ends by questioning the motives behind such hopeful readings, and asks what it might entail to refuse to redeem tales of violence with optimistic glimmers of an as-yet unspecified world.
Weaponizing settler slogans to mandate colonial school policy in the Americas: Transformation through Indigenous futurity
Authors: Mullen Carol A
Published: August 2023

The topic of this academic review is settler slogans that mandate colonial school policy in North America. Also discussed is Indigenous futurity as a strategy for transforming education and countering the educational harm that comes from weaponized language. Beginning in 1887, the US federal government authorized colonial schooling, using the dangerous educational cliché “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.” The purpose of this article was to illuminate this weaponizing rhetoric in education, which served as a guiding principle for imposing Indigenous assimilation that manifested as federal policy in the Americas. Research questions were, How did the kill-and-save slogan shape US and Canadian education and policy? How can the concept of Indigenous futurity improve Indigenous education? Colonial settler efforts to control tribal nations with weaponizing rhetoric leveled at education policy, public perception,and compulsory boarding/residential schools are exposed. Peer-reviewed studies were read, with analysis of 51 sources, many authored by Indigenous academics. Resultant cultural genocide, systemic discrimination, and educational disparity are described. Indigenous resistance to settler ideologies, policies, and settlements, as well as assertions of tribal rights, freedom, and sovereignty, reflect patterns in the material analyzed. Modern-day empowerment of society’s most vulnerable ethnic group requires a deep rethinking of schooling processes. Debunking settler futurity, the lesser-known Indigenous view of futurity looks to sustaining Indigenous communities and calls on society for amends.
Training Informal Supporters to Improve Responses to Victim-Survivors of Domestic Violence and Abuse: A Systematic Review
Authors: Schucan Bird Karen , Stokes Nicola , Rivas Carol , Tomlinson Martha , Delve Mollin , Gordon Lindsay , Gregory Alison , Lawrence Kate , O’Reilly Nicola
Published: August 2023

Informal supporters (friends, family, colleagues, and community members) play a crucial role in societal-wide responses to victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Familial and social networks, however, report a sense of helplessness and difficulties in knowing how to respond. This mixed method systematic review examines the effectiveness, and perceived effectiveness, of training informal supporters to improve their responses to victim-survivors. A novel conceptual framework was developed to underpin the review. A systematic search of four electronic databases, specialist repositories, and websites were used to identify empirical research (in academic or gray literature). Eleven included studies examined educational interventions that aimed to improve responses from informal supporters. Quality appraisal was undertaken, and studies were judged to be “good enough” for synthesis. The studies in the review indicated that informal supporters recognized the value of training for building understanding and equipping them with the skills to respond to victim-survivors. The synthesis identified statistically significant improvements in the knowledge and attitudes of informal supporters in the immediate and short-term following training. Using a behavior change model to frame the evidence, the review found that training/educational activities prime informal supporters to respond to victim-survivors, as well as enhancing their capacity and motivation to do so. This increases the likelihood that informal supporters will take action to support victim-survivors of abuse. We don’t know, however, what type of support they will provide and/or whether it would be judged to be helpful by victim-survivors.
Arthritis Foundation/HSS Workshop on Hip Osteoarthritis, Part 2: Detecting Hips at Risk: Early Biomechanical and Structural Mechanisms
Authors: Vassileva Maria T. , Kim Jason S. , Valle Alejandro Gonzalez Della , Harris Michael D. , Pedoia Valentina , Lattanzi Riccardo , Kraus Virginia Byers , Pascual-Garrido Cecilia , Bostrom Mathias P.
Published: August 2023

Far more publications are available for osteoarthritis of the knee than of the hip. Recognizing this research gap, the Arthritis Foundation (AF), in partnership with the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), convened an in-person meeting of thought leaders to review the state of the science of and clinical approaches to hip osteoarthritis. This article summarizes the recommendations gleaned from 5 presentations given in the “early hip osteoarthritis” session of the 2023 Hip Osteoarthritis Clinical Studies Conference, which took place on February 17 and 18, 2023, in New York City. It also summarizes the workgroup recommendations from a small-group discussion on clinical research gaps.
Local and global control adjustments to stimulus-based task conflict in task switching
Authors: Moretti Luca , Koch Iring , Schuch Stefanie
Published: August 2023

A prominent feature of cognitive control is that its deployment is regulated depending on the environmental circumstances. Control upregulation has been widely documented in response-conflict paradigms where congruency effects are reduced both following incongruent trials, and in blocks where incongruent trials are the majority. In two pre-registered task-switching experiments, we investigated whether similar flexible mechanisms are also available when dealing with stimulus-based task conflict. Building up on previous Stroop studies, task conflict was measured as the difference in performance between bivalent congruent and univalent trials, which we name the “valency effect.” If cognitive control is upregulated analogously to what observed with response conflict, valency effects should be reduced following bivalent trials and in majority-bivalent blocks. Furthermore, as cognitive control upregulation has been proposed to be task specific, we assessed whether switching to a new task eliminates the expected modulations of task. The results broadly matched our predictions. First, we observed a reduction of the valency effect following bivalent trials similar to the well-known congruency sequence effect, demonstrating similar patterns of flexible control adjustment to task and response conflict. This valency sequence effect was limited to task repetitions, indicating that local control adjustments are task specific. Furthermore, task conflict was reduced in majority-bivalent blocks, similar to the proportion-congruency effect. This finding extends previous Stroop studies suggesting that control is recruited proactively when dealing with stimulus-based task. The proportion valency effect was limited to task-switch trials, leaving open the question on the precise mechanisms behind sustained control adjustments.
The outcomes of penile prosthesis in neurologic patients: a multicentric retrospective series
Authors: Falcone Marco , Capogrosso Paolo , Cirigliano Lorenzo , Geretto Paolo , Preto Mirko , Timpano Massimiliano , Ceruti Carlo , Peretti Federica , Ferro Ilaria , Plamadeala Natalia , Dehò Federico , Bettocchi Carlo , Manfredi Celeste , Spirito Lorenzo , Palmieri Alessandro , Manassero Alberto , Blecher Gideon , Gontero Paolo
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Neurological disease is a known entity for causing erectile dysfunction (ED). Pharmacological therapies are not always effective these patients – penile prosthesis implant (PPI) is an established surgical treatment option. For a variety of reasons, neurological patients may experience differing outcomes of PPI compared to those whose ED arises from other causes. We investigated outcomes of PPI in neurological patients using the Italian multi-institutional national registry of penile prostheses [Italian Nationwide Systematic Inventarization of Surgical Treatment for ED (INSIST-ED)].

Methods:

Patients undergoing PPI were investigated via the INSIST-ED registry, from 2014 to 2021. Data were prospectively recorded by 45 surgeons on a dedicated website ( www.registro.andrologiaitaliana.it ) and reviewed by a data manager. We subselected patients with neurological disease undergoing PPI for ED, and these patients were reviewed at 3, 6, and 12 months, and annually thereafter. Postoperative complications and functional outcomes were evaluated through validated questionnaires [International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), Sexual Encounter Profile 2–3, and Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS)]. A nonvalidated questionnaire was administered to assess patient satisfaction.

Results:

A total of 33 patients were included with a median age of 49 [interquartile range (IQR) 41–55]. Median follow-up was 83 months (IQR 67–99.5). A penoscrotal approach for PPI was performed in most cases (90.9%), while infrapubic was used in three cases (9.1%). Inflatable and malleable devices were implanted in 30 (90.9%) and 3 cases (9.1%), respectively. Intraoperative complications occurred in one case (3%). Early postoperative complications (<90 days) were observed in three cases (9.1%): two wound dehiscence (Clavien-Dindo G1 and G3a respectively) and one device infection requiring prosthesis explant (Clavien-Dindo G3a). Mechanical failures of inflatable devices were not observed during the follow-up period. Median IIEF-5 before surgery was 8 (IQR 7–9). At the latest follow-up, IIEF-5 was 22 (IQR 19–23.5), and median EDITS was 79 (IQR 64–88). A total of 28 patients (84.8%) self-reported to be fully satisfied with the PPI.

Conclusion:

Although PPI in the neurological population has been historically considered to be at increased risk, in our study, PPI complications and infections rates in this cohort did not differ from general population.
Mitigating casualty risks from primary fragmentation hazards
Authors: Qin Hao , Stewart Mark G
Published: August 2023

Primary fragmentation from detonation of high-explosive metal-cased munitions imposes significant risks to the safety of related personnel and the public. Barricades or other protective structures are commonly used to stop fragments and reduce casualty risks caused by detonated munitions when a sufficient safety distance cannot be guaranteed. This study aims to provide decision support for the positioning of barricades that can reasonably mitigate primary fragmentation hazards from the detonation of large calibre munitions using a probabilistic risk assessment approach. This approach enables a stochastic characterization of fragment ejections, stacking effects, fragment trajectories, human vulnerability and fragment hazard reduction by barricade. In a case study, the assessments of casualty risks and effectiveness of barricades were conducted for a single and a pallet of 155 mm projectiles. It was found that barricades with heights exceeding the height of munitions can significantly reduce the hazardous fragment densities and casualty risks beyond the barricade. The benefit of increasing the barricade height becomes marginal when it exceeds the height of munitions.
The Influences of gradient color on the weight perception and stability perception: A preliminary study
Authors: Xu Xing , Zhang Jieying , Zhu Qi , Xia Tiansheng
Published: August 2023

Gradient colors are widely used in product design. The variation of gradient colors muting a color as a series of steps from bright to dull creates a soft and gradual impression while also affecting people's perceptions. This study manipulates the types of gradient colors to explore the relationship between color gradients and perception of stability to determine whether weight perception plays a role. In the case of controlling for aesthetic differences, the study manipulated two types of color gradients (dark colors fading upward from the bottom versus downward from the top) and measured the perceptions of product stability. In the same hue, an upward gradient gives a stronger perception of stability. In addition, gradient colors significantly influence women's perception of stability more than men's. The study also investigated the mediating effect of weight perception: participants evaluated color fading-upward products with less weight relative to fading-downward colors. Furthermore, dark colors fading upward from the bottom lead to a stronger perception of weight, increasing the stability perception of the object. Finally, to aid future research, we discuss the practical implications of the current findings for areas such as sensory marketing, as well as possible directions for future research.
Diagnostic pitfalls in young onset parkinsonism and its unique challenges: A case report from rural Nepal
Authors: Bhattarai Himal Bikram , Basnet Bibhusan , Bhattarai Madhur , Shrestha Ayush , Gautam Swotantra , Lamichhane Saral , Uprety Manish , Pokhrel Bidushi , Sah Sanjit Kumar , Yadav Jayant
Published: August 2023

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease resulting from the loss of dopamine-secreting neurons present in the substantia nigra of the brain. Parkinson’s disease is classified as early-onset and late-onset disease based on the time of its presentation. Since young patients with Parkinson’s disease have an atypical clinical presentation and have to deal with their careers, raising families, or both at the time of diagnosis and also have a higher risk of drug-related side effects, it poses unique challenges for the patient, clinical team, and community. We present the case of a 40-year-old female with young onset Parkinson’s disease from rural Nepal and the challenges faced during and after the disease in a resource-limited setting.
Accuracy of smartphone camera urine photo colorimetry as indicators of dehydration
Authors: Bustam Aida , Poh Khadijah , Shuin Soo Siew , Naseem Fathmath Sausan , Md Yusuf Mohd Hafyzuddin , Hishamudin Naseeha Ubaidi , Azhar Muhaimin Noor
Published: August 2023

Objective

Direct urine color assessment has been shown to correlate with hydration status. However, this method is subject to inter- and intra-observer variability. Digital image colorimetry provides a more objective method. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of urine photo colorimetry using different smartphones under different lighting conditions, and determined the optimal cut-off value to predict clinical dehydration.

Methods

The urine samples were photographed in a customized photo box, under five simulated lighting conditions, using five smartphones. The images were analyzed using Adobe Photoshop to obtain Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) values. The correlation between RGB values and urine laboratory parameters were determined. The optimal cut-off value to predict dehydration was determined using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results

A total of 56 patients were included in the data analysis. Images captured using five different smartphones under five lighting conditions produced a dataset of 1400 images. The study found a statistically significant correlation between Blue and Green values with urine osmolality, sodium, urine specific gravity, protein, and ketones. The diagnostic accuracy of the Blue value for predicting dehydration were “good” to “excellent” across all phones under all lighting conditions with sensitivity >90% at cut-off Blue value of 170.

Conclusions

Smartphone-based urine colorimetry is a highly sensitive tool in predicting dehydration.
Limited Emotional Value Added by Immersive 3D Audio: A Reanalysis
Authors: Sander Kilian , Wycisk Yves , Kopiez Reinhard
Published: August 2023

Music in three-dimensional (3D) audio formats is becoming increasingly important in many areas of the entertainment industry. However, little research has been done on the effects of various playback formats on the emotional listening experience. A study by Hahn made an important contribution to this topic. Based on a repeated measures design and using the Geneva Emotional Music Scale (GEMS), he conducted a listening experiment comparing music experiences resulting from presentations in stereo, 5.1 surround sound, and Auro-3D 9.1 (a 3D audio format containing a 5.1 surround sound layer and four height channels) reproduced by loudspeakers. Data were made available for a reanalysis. The main aims of this study were (1) analyzing listening differences between formats as measured by the original GEMS factors, (2) calculating effect sizes for a better estimation of sample sizes for future studies, and (3) making the data set available to the public. For the reanalysis, the ratings of participants were aggregated (mean values for the nine GEMS factors per audio format). There were significant differences between the formats as shown by a nonparametric MANOVA ( N = 52) with the GEMS factors as dependent variables and the three audio formats as a repeated measures factor. For the GEMS factor Transcendence, an ANOVA ( N = 52) revealed a large omnibus effect (ηp2 = .206) for the three formats. Pairwise contrasts showed a significant increase (small to medium effect size) in emotional experiences for the Transcendence factor from stereo to surround sound (Cohen's dZ = 0.31), surround sound to 3D audio (Cohen's dZ = 0.45), and stereo to 3D audio (Cohen's dZ = 0.64).
Lessons Learned From Contact Tracing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Public Health Students’ Experiences in the Field
Authors: Fenton Tienna , Brown Talegria , Bastida Elena
Published: August 2023

Contact tracing is a cornerstone in public health practice, providing an effective response to infectious disease outbreaks. Beginning in April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread quickly in the United States, public health departments increasingly relied on contact tracers to control disease spread and reduce the impact on the community. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) employed hundreds of public health students to pursue transmission control statewide as contact tracers. This study employed a qualitative thematic approach to capture 11 graduate-level public health students’ experiences, motivations, challenges, and recommendations on contact tracing procedures as DOH contract tracers. In-depth interview questions focused on students’ interest in public health, experiences as a contact tracer, patient/case interactions, and personal outlook on the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic brought new experiences and challenges for public health students employed by local health departments as contact tracers. Three categories and subthemes emerged from interviews: (1) motivations to work as a contact tracer, (2) challenges faced throughout employment, and (3) overall assessment of the contact tracing process. Identifying and understanding the work of contact tracers from the system-level perspective is vital as they contribute to improving training and working relationships with management and ultimately extend to the community. Lessons learned during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic should help inform public health practice, especially when considering recruitment, curricula, training, and retention of the public health workforce in the face of current and emerging public health emergencies.
Collection Efficiency of Public Pension Funds: Based on Dynamic Panel Threshold Model
Authors: Liang Yangyang , Long Zhaoyang
Published: August 2023

This study examines the impact of the regional old-age dependency ratio on the collection efficiency of public pension funds using statistical data on contributions of public pension schemes for urban employees in 31 Chinese provinces and municipalities between 2010 and 2015. An inverted U-curve relationship between the regional old-age dependency ratio and the collection rate of public pension funds was observed with a single threshold value of .5439, thus, suggesting the need for a change in the soft constraints on collection responsibility and an optimization of the institutional structure underlying public pension schemes.
Reconsidering the Use of L1 in the Algerian EFL Classroom
Authors: Khelalfa Nawal , Kellil Mountassar-Billah
Published: August 2023

There has been a considerable shift in opinion in recent years concerning the use of language learners’ first language (L1) in the teaching and learning of the second language (L2). Recent research has revealed that L1 use is less problematic than once believed. That research, however, has yet to consider the multiple contextual factors affecting L1 use, notably in the Algerian context. The current study explored beliefs held by Algerian teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) concerning the use of learners’ L1 with the aim of comparing these beliefs with expected language teaching practices established by the country’s teaching policy. A questionnaire was distributed to 219 EFL teachers across three academic levels and six categories of teaching experience. The results revealed that teachers often felt neutral toward the use of L1 or considered L1 as a vital element in certain L2 teaching/ learning practices. Additionally, these results remained consistent when analyzed by teachers’ academic level, gender, and years of teaching experience, indicating that learning circumstances hold little to no importance in determining the role of L1 in the Algerian L2 classroom. These findings stand in stark contrast to the “strictly-no-L1” policy set by the country’s education system. Based on these findings, it is recommended that perhaps the country’s educational framework should be reconsidered to meet teachers’ and learners’ needs.
Contemporary Women in Qatar: An Ethnographic Study of Their Challenges in Terms of Traditional Applications and Modern Requirements
Authors: Al-Ghanim Kaltham , Gardner Andrew , Lari Noora
Published: August 2023

This study analyzes the interaction and friction between tradition and modernity as experienced by Qatari women. We explore the experiences and perspectives of contemporary Qatari women across generations and their continuity and friction with the historical sociocultural past. The general aim was to discern and analyze the sociological reasons that encourage and/or inhibit women’s participation in public life. The working hypothesis was that the purported friction between tradition and modernity was false and that the dichotomy could be demonstrably challenged through a systematic exploration of women’s experiences, both past and present. Part of this task comprised qualitatively mapping the continuities between past and present generations of women. Another element comprised qualitatively mapping the perseverance and ongoing strength of gender discrimination in the “modern era” in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Linking Entrepreneurial Passion to Entrepreneurs’ Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Work Engagement
Authors: Karimi Saeid , Reisi Sima
Published: August 2023

Although scholars suggested that entrepreneurial passion may be related to entrepreneurs’ life satisfaction, the mechanism underlying this association remains unclear. Drawing upon the self-determination theory, this study aimed to explore the mediating roles of basic psychological needs satisfaction and work engagement in the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurs’ life satisfaction in an Iranian context. Data for this study were collected from a convenience sample of 102 rural entrepreneurs using a self-administered survey. The results of structural equation modelling indicated that basic psychological needs satisfaction and work engagement mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial passion to entrepreneurs’ life satisfaction, both in series and in parallel. Overall, these findings advance the understanding of how entrepreneurial passion leads to rural entrepreneurs’ life satisfaction. A discussion of the findings, contributions, limitations and future directions is provided.
An Exploratory Study of Scheduled Caste Undergraduate Students in Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Kumar Bushan , Shah Rizwan Ahmad , Bhat Gh Jeelani , Rayees Peer Zada
Published: August 2023

Scheduled caste is a backward section of Indian society. The educational resources and benefits provided to the scheduled castes constitute a substantial community. The population is still socially and educationally lagging behind other sections of society. Educational backwardness is the indicator of socio-economic inequalities in the structure of the Indian social order. Thus, in the present article, an attempt has been made to study the enrolment and dropout rate of scheduled caste undergraduate students in Jammu and Kashmir. The primary data in the present study has been collected from various colleges in the Doda and Ramban districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The findings of the study discovered a significant difference in the enrolment of scheduled caste male and female students. Furthermore, the dropout of male scheduled caste students was found highest as compared to females; however, the dropout rate of scheduled caste students is decreasing every year concerning both genders.