bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Rheological and Filtration Loss Control Potential of Selected Plant-Based Additives in Oil-Based Mud
Authors: Bassey Idara , Okon Anietie , Igbafe Anselm , Essien Aniel
Published: September 2024

In drilling operations, chemical additives pose environmental concerns during mud disposal. This study evaluated three plant-based additives, namely rice husk (RH), Detarium microcarpum (DM), and Brachystegia eurycoma (BE), in oil-based mud at low-pressure, low-temperature conditions. The mud’s rheological profile followed Herschel Bulkley’s model. With 8 g additive content, RH increased the mud's apparent viscosity (AV), plastic viscosity (PV), and yield point (YP) by 62.5%, 51.25%, and 34.38%, respectively. DM showed higher increases of 200.0%, 195.0%, and 162.5%, while BE exhibited the most significant improvements of 287.5%, 272.5%, and 250.0%. The filtration tests indicated that RH reduced spurt loss and fluid loss volumes by 83.33% and 62.35%, while DM decreased by 82.41% and 47.94%, as BE had the highest reduction of 94.44% and 51.18%. Again, the filter cake thickness of RH, DM, and BE muds increased by 210.29%, 273.53%, and 79.41%, respectively, with permeabilities of 8.90×10-3 mD, 11.87×10-3 mD, and 7.35×10-3 mD. Furthermore, the mud susceptibility to NaCl showed that AV decreased for RH, DM, and BE, while YP decreased significantly. The filter cake thickness and permeability increased by 62.38 and 359.55% for RH, as the DM decreased by 93.80% and 84.37% and the BE by 96.68% and 96.62%, which indicates that RH is more susceptible to NaCl than DM and BE in the mud. Also, these plant-based additives in mud exhibited fragile gel strength and commendable cake characteristics: firm, smooth, and soft/slippery, which make them potentially suitable for oil well drilling.
Formulation and in vitro Evaluation of Liquisolid Compact of Celecoxib
Authors: Andrew Ezegbe , Chidera Anikwe , Ekemezie Okorie , Pauline Okafor , Ezegbe Amarachi , Chinedu Nwankwo , Chinemerem Okorafor
Published: September 2024

Introduction: The liquisolid technique presents a promising avenue for enhancing the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs like celecoxib. This study investigated the formulation and evaluation of celecoxib tablets using this technique. Aim: To formulate and evaluate celecoxib tablets using the liquisolid technique, with the objective of enhancing its dissolution rate and bioavailability. Methods: Celecoxib tablets were prepared using the liquid-solid technique by incorporating a non-volatile liquid medication carrier and a suitable solid carrier. Various formulations were developed by altering the ratios of drug, carrier, and coating materials. The prepared tablets were characterized for their physical properties, drug content uniformity, in vitro dissolution behavior, and compatibility using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results: The solubility profile showed that the maximum rate of solubility was recorded in PEG-400 (11.03 ± 0.01) when compared to other non-volatile solvents. The angle of slide, indicated that the excipients used were within the acceptable limit of 33°. The FTIR spectroscopy showed compatibility of the drug and excipients. The results of the SEM showed that spherically-shaped vesicles were formed. Evaluation of the pre-compression parameters indicated that the drug content was highest in batch F-11 hence its optimization (96.1 ± 0.90). The post compression evaluation indicated that the official tests were within the acceptable range for disintegration time (2.25 ± 0.35). The results of the in vitro release studies of the optimized formulation, conventional tablet and reference commercial tablet showed that the amount of drug released increased steadily with time over the 1-hour period. Conclusion: Our findings underscore its viability as a strategy to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of poorly water-soluble drugs, offering promising prospects for pharmaceutical formulation.
Specific Technologies of Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Operations over the Years
Authors: Marzęda Andrzej
Published: September 2024

The twentieth century was a period of rapid development in aviation. It was a time of great progress in the construction of aircraft, the development of ground infrastructure and the improvement of qualifications of aviation personnel. Over the years, aviation has gone from cruise flights in simple aircraft to transatlantic flights, complex aircraft with hundreds of passengers on board. Military aviation can operate at speeds exceeding the speed of sound and in all weather conditions. The infrastructure of large airports has reached the size of cities. Over the past century, the development of aviation has been followed by changes in the organization and equipment of rescue and fire-fighting services. The public does not accept the loss of human life or large-scale material damage and environmental damage. In the search for effective extinguishing agents and methods of administering them, people began to look for ways other than field fire services. Specialized firefighting units have appeared at airports, which are designed for specific rescue and firefighting operations on aircraft and infrastructure. For many years, attempts have been made to select special rescue and firefighting technologies capable of improving the effectiveness and safety of operations. Quite quickly, the car was chosen as the means of transport for airport rescue services. But over time, the need was recognized for it to have different characteristics and equipment than a vehicle for village and town safety units. As a result of various experiments, unusual technical solutions designed to solve basic problems specific to airports were developed. Equally interesting was the path to determining the best fire extinguishing agents and their means of administration. From hand-held fire extinguishers to remote-controlled cannons administering thousands of liters or kilograms of extinguishing agents over a long distance. The publication provides information on the history and development of basic firefighting technologies specific to aviation and some pointers to the future.
Climate Profile Over Jeldu Woreda of West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Wami Abdisa , Balcha Gashawun , Game Asaminew
Published: September 2024

Identifying the climate profile of an area is essential for effective water resource management, agricultural planning and disaster preparedness. This study focuses on characterizing rainfall patterns and identifying the variability of Jeldu woreda in Oromia, Ethiopia. Previously and recently, little study tried to show the woreda profile, which did not bases on station data properly. Forty years (1981-2020) of stations’ rainfall and temperature data were utilized. The study area had natural forest, highland and mid land with varying topography. Based on the annual rainfall cycle, the woreda had bi-modal rainfall types, with the peak of the year being July. Statistical methods and python script were applied to identify the climate profile. The results show that main rainy seasonal rainfall starts on average from 12-14 June and ceases averagely around 10-15 October. During second rainy period, the rain starts from 25 February to 10 March. The mean annual rainfall of woreda is 1395.1 mm, and the average maximum temperature is 19.5°. Kiremt contributes the highest percent, which is more than 64 % of the annual total rainfall. The 1987 and 2015 were the driest years, and 1996 and 2010 is the wettest during kiremt, 1987 and 2010 the wettest, and 1999 and 2015 the driest during Belg. Seasonal rainfall had a regular to moderate precipitation concentration over woreda. Identifying the causes of unseasonal rainfall that happened during dry season over the study area can help to decrease weather hazard during the season.
Effect of Thermal Mass on Fuel Consumption of Solid Biomass Cooking Stoves
Authors: Irro Maman , Adihou Coffi , Ibrahim Hassane , Maza Abouzeidi , Houngan Comlan , Anjorin Malahimi
Published: September 2024

The use of rudimentary cooking stoves has harmful consequences not only for the health of users but also for the environment. Faced with these problems, studies are being carried out to develop more efficient stoves. The materials used for the construction and/or design of cooker range from heavy materials to light materials. However, cookers built from heavy materials accumulate a portion of the heat produced in their walls. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the influence of thermal mass on the fuel consumption of cookers. The study concerns not only a set of stoves taken from the literature but also a set of stoves that we tested. The two sets of stoves differ in terms of their characteristics: Single-pot wood stove without chimney or skirt, Single-pot wood stove without chimney with skirt, Multi-pot wood stove with chimney, Single-pot charcoal stove without chimney or skirt, etc. The adapted approach consists of classifying all stoves by category. Then, for each category, the mass of the cookers as well as the quantity of fuel necessary for the same cooking task will be compared. It appears that for all the stoves taken from the literature and all the stoves submitted to the test, in each of the categories, the higher the mass of the stove, the more fuel it consumes for the same cooking task.
Characterization of Adansonia Digitata Seed Cake with a View to Identifying an Energy Recovery Strategy
Authors: Haro Kayaba , Nourou Abdel , Sandwidi Sayouba , Compaore Abdoulaye , Tubreoumya Guy , Bere Antoine , Sanogo Oumar
Published: September 2024

Agri-food processing emits huge quantities of waste and is considered one of today's major environmental problems. There are many different options (anaerobic digestion, thermochemistry and feed production) that can be applied to the management and evaluation of waste treatment. The aim of the present study was to explore the appropriate recovery option for Adansonia digitata seed cake through its characterization. The physicochemical characteristics of Adansonia digitata seed cakes were determined in accordance with international standards. Anaerobic digestion was tested under thermophilic conditions in batch mode over 75 days. Results showed that dry matter content averaged 87.35 ± 0.03%, organic matter content averaged 95.03 ± 0.41%, carbon to nitrogen ratio averaged 19.75. Digestion of Adansonia digitata seed cakes proved highly productive, with a maximum percentage of 68.5% CH4 for 185.57 liters of biogas, i.e. an average production of 2.47 liters per day for 1720 g DM. The methanogenic potential (BMP) of Adansonia digitata seed cake was 331.21 ml/g of organic matter introduced. Adansonia digitata oilcake had an average gross calorific value of 18.54MJ/Kg. These results are encouraging and mark the start of any study on the energy recovery of Adansonia digitata seed cake in biogas.
The Role of Traditional Social Institution “Mada'a” in Afar Region in Crime Prevention - The Case of Asaita Woreda
Authors: Alo Kedirx , Debele Efa
Published: September 2024

The role of traditional social institutions in maintaining social order in general and crime prevention in particular is very indispensable. Despite the importance of the role of traditional social institutions in crime prevention, academic attention to this issue is still being determined. This study was conducted on the role of the traditional social institution "made" a" in afar region in Crime prevention. Mada'a is Afar customary law practiced around all Afar communities and does not limit law in some areas. mada'a is Afar customary law that plays a crucial role in preventing deviance and crime in the Afar community. Moreover, mada'a classified criminal acts into five types, namely: 1) crime against life, 2) crime against the body, 3) crime against the property, 4) crime related to adultery, and 5) crime of insult. For this reason, Asaita woreda was selected because it is the center of Ausa sultanet, where steadily practiced the Afar Mada "a particularly around Hinnale and Barga Kebels. Ausa sultanate is a form of indigenous governance system where power is vested in or leader of remaining Afar sultanates. The study employed only a qualitative research method and used purposive sampling. The researchers used 100 participants (43 people for in-depth interviews, 38 people for Focus Group Discussion, and 19 people for Key Informant Interview) from Asaiyta Woreda. The researchers employed data collection methods and used a meticulously prepared interview checklist, Focus Group Discussion guide, and key informant questions as the key instruments. The study explored the various roles and functions, which are mada'a, Xinta, and cello, which can play a significant role in Ausa communities, and mada'a is a fundamental rule to prevent crime and deviance in the community. The study also found out the various unwritten social rules and norms and considered that there are a lot of unwritten social rules and norms. One of is afkaaqik maqaadih madqa, which is ausa sultan. The study recommended that the people and government strongly support mada'a and must be linked to institutional support, capacity building, and structural arrangements.
Strategic Planning, Systematic Formulations and Skillful Analysis: Repercussion for the Twenty-First Century Business Education in Nigeria 360 Degrees
Authors: Afo Odey , Bassey Rajunor
Published: September 2024

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the global economy, business education in Nigeria faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities. This study explores the vital roles of strategic planning, systematic formulations, and skillful analysis in revolutionizing business education in Nigeria for the 21st century. It posits that a strategic, well-formulated, and analytically driven approach to business education would significantly enhance the development of requisite skills, adaptability, and responsiveness among students and educators alike. The design of the study is descriptive survey research design. Four research question was formulated to guide the study. The population of Eight hundred and one (801) business education students in the University of Cross River State Nigeria and one hundred and thirty (130) lecturers of business education from tertiary institutions of learning in cross river state Nigeria total nine hundred and thirty one (931) was used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structures questionnaire titled “planning formulations analysis for Business Education Questionnaire (PFABEQ)”. A sample size of 269. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha method. The reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. The data collected was analyzed using mean and standard deviation for research questions. The implications of this study suggest that an integrated approach, combining strategic planning, systematic formulations, and skillful analysis, would lead to a more dynamic, relevant, and effective business education system. This, in turn, shall equip future business leaders in Nigeria with the tools and mindsets required to thrive in a complex, rapidly changing global business environment. The study concludes with recommendations for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders on implementing these strategies to foster a robust and future-ready business education ecosystem in Nigeria.
Review of Channel Measurements and Modeling for Successful 5G System Deployments
Authors: Kola-Jnr Akorede , Ibikunle Francis , Olamide Ariba , Unaegbu Bright , Joshua Olubiyi , Collins Adedire
Published: September 2024

The deployment of 5G wireless networks has enabled the investigation of numerous potential applications across a variety of sectors. To enhance the efficiency of 5G systems, it is imperative to have a thorough understanding of millimeter-wave wireless channels, different multi-access techniques, massive MIMO technologies, beamforming, modulation, and coding. Adjusting the channel modeling approach to accommodate specific characteristics of the deployment site, such as geographical obstructions like hills, tunnels, road infrastructure, and mountains, may prove to be crucial. This review paper delves into the challenges associated with channel modeling, underscoring the importance of multipath components and the diverse measurement techniques required for enhancing 5G communication. Additionally, it delves into the complexities of accurately depicting the behavior of wireless channels in various scenarios and assesses the key factors that could significantly affect the functionality of 5G networks across different environments. For instance, it becomes clear that indoor channels provide a greater impediment than outdoor channels because barriers such as walls, furniture, and human activities can impede signal transmission and interrupt communication. Indoor channels display complex characteristics that include fluctuations in the angles at which signals arrive, transmission of numerous signals over different paths, and a wide range of scattering qualities that are specific to indoor environments. Hence, it is crucial to modify the measurement procedures to correspond to the unique characteristics of indoor channels. Indoor wireless communication relies on channels available both within and outside the structure. Evaluation aspects such as, macroscopic fading, microscopic fading, and shadow fading are critical because these elements have a significant impact on the channel capacity.
The Vicious Impact of Antimicrobial Resistance on Global Public Health Security and the Role of Healthcare Systems and Policy in Combating AMR
Authors: Sultana Maleka , Perves Noman , Uddin Nasir , Chowdhury Mahbub-E-Elahi , Amin Nurul
Published: September 2024

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most formidable challenges to public health security worldwide, threatening the effectiveness of essential medical treatments and the management of infectious diseases. The relentless spread of resistant pathogens compromises the effectiveness of life-saving treatments, leading to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality. This article delves into the profound and multifaceted impact of AMR, illustrating how it undermines the ability to treat common infections, perform routine surgeries, and manage chronic conditions. The vicious cycle of AMR not only exacerbates the burden on healthcare systems but also threatens to reverse decades of medical progress, potentially plunging the world into a post-antibiotic era where minor infections could once again be fatal. The article further explores the integral role of healthcare systems and policy frameworks in addressing this burgeoning crisis. It discusses how the lack of coordinated global strategies and inconsistent policy implementation have allowed AMR to flourish, emphasizing the need for robust healthcare infrastructures that prioritize the prevention and control of resistance. Critical measures such as enhancing global surveillance systems, promoting antimicrobial stewardship, and fostering innovation in new drug development are identified as pivotal in the fight against AMR. Moreover, the article highlights the importance of policy-driven interventions, including the enforcement of regulations on antibiotic use, investment in public health education, and the integration of AMR action plans into national health policies. By examining successful case studies and identifying gaps in current approaches, the article provides a comprehensive analysis of how healthcare systems and policy can be leveraged to combat AMR effectively. The discussion culminates in a call for a unified global response, underscoring that combating AMR requires not only technological advancements but also sustained political commitment and international collaboration to secure a safer, healthier future for all.
Perception of Patients with High Blood Pressure in Haitian Hospital Regarding Traditional Medicine
Authors: Ervilus Donnet
Published: September 2024

In Haiti, high blood pressure (HBP) is a major public health problem. Many patients have uncontrolled blood pressure due to poor adherence to care, which in their case requires. In the North Department, particularly in the city of Cap-Haitian, this pathology continues to increase. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends behavioral measures such as a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, and compliance with treatment in order to reduce this scourge. For sociocultural and economic reasons, some patients resort to traditional medicine/natural medicine. However, the effectiveness of the management of HBP by the latter remains to be proven. In the Haitian hospital environment, professionals are committed to a merciless fight to control this pathology. Irregular control of HBP, neglect, poverty, lack of psychological assistance both in hospital and at home favor the choice of traditional/natural medicine as a first resort to modify their blood pressure figure. The objective of this article is to understand the factors that influence the psychological care of hypertensive patients in the health zone of Cap-Haitian in order to improve psychological care. It also intends to review the prevalence of hypertensive patients using traditional medicine as a curative method to lower their HBP.
Parents’ Willingness to Vaccinate Their Children Aged From 6 Months to Under 5 Years With COVID-19 Vaccines
Authors: Duong An Hoai
Published: September 2024

Despite strides in vaccinating priority groups against COVID-19, children under 5 years in Vietnam are still under-immunized, emphasizing a significant gap in prioritization. This study aimed to assess parental willingness to vaccinate children aged 6 months to under 5 years against COVID-19 in Vietnam and identify influential factors affecting this willingness. Data were collected via a survey of 5960 parents/guardians between May and June 2022. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to analyze the impact of various factors on parents’ willingness to vaccinate their children, alongside investigating reasons for reluctance or refusal and preferences for vaccine origins. Approximately 50.5%, 30.2%, and 19.3% of parents were willing, hesitant, and unwilling to vaccinate their children, respectively. Primary reasons for reluctance included concerns about vaccine safety, efficacy, and the severity of the pandemic. The most preferred vaccines originated in the United States. Factors significantly influencing willingness included parents’ age, knowledge of COVID-19 and vaccines, residency, education, perception of information sufficiency, children’s comorbidities, and family members’ vaccination status. Promoting child vaccination habits can boost COVID-19 immunization rates. Targeting hesitancy among parents of children with comorbidities is crucial. Enhancing parental knowledge and leveraging fully vaccinated family members are effective strategies.
A Study of the Psychometric Properties of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 for Children With Developmental Delays and Disorders
Authors: Meinert Allison C. , Mire Sarah S. , Kim Han Joe , Shellman Alison B. , Keller-Margulis Milena A. , Curtis David F.
Published: September 2024

Primary care physicians (PCPs) frequently serve pediatric patients with developmental delays and disorders (DD/D). Although the most widely used primary care behavioral health screener, the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 ( PSC-17), is validated for use with children without DD/D, it is unclear whether this measure accurately identifies behavioral health symptoms in youth with DD/D. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the PSC-17 for children with DD/D. Medical record data from 3596 pediatric patients at a primary care clinic were analyzed. Descriptive analyses, measurement invariance testing, and internal consistency evaluations were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the PSC-17. The results of these analyses support the use of the PSC-17 for behavioral health screening for children with DD/D. Behavioral health screening in this population is critical, because the timely identification of behavioral health concerns can facilitate early intervention, which may enhance long-term functioning.
Project Lifeline–II: Feasibility of Implementing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Authors: Cloutier Renee M. , Dowd William N. , Aldridge Arnie , Walsh Caitlin A. , Messman Brett A. , Northcott Jessica L. , Talbert Abigail , Manolis Chronis , Campbell Vanessa , Pringle Janice L.
Published: September 2024

Objectives:

US community pharmacies are a unique and underused health service setting for identifying and potentially intervening with patients at risk of opioid overdose or opioid use disorder with evidence-based practices such as screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT). The aim of our study was to assess the feasibility of implementing SBIRT in community pharmacies in an urban county in terms of engagement, reach, and equity across the cascade of pharmacy screening and care.

Methods:

Patients aged 18 years or older receiving a schedule II or III opioid prescription at 1 of 17 participating community pharmacies in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, were invited to engage in SBIRT as part of Project Lifeline–II from June 2020 through January 2023. Participants completed a prescreen and/or a full screen. We calculated the percentage of patients who participated across the cascade of pharmacy screening and care, overall and by sex (male and female) and race (Black and White).

Results:

During the study period, 1952 unique adults (79.6%) were screened at least once (52.1% female; 58.0% White, 30.7% Black). Patients who identified as male (vs female) and Black (vs White) were more likely to have a positive prescreen (14.7% male vs 9.8% female; 16.4% Black vs 9.5% White), receive and complete a full screen (82.7% male vs 80.0% female; 83.6% Black vs 78.4% White), and score positively on the full screen (26.6% male vs 20.4% female; 26.8% Black vs 21.9% White).

Conclusion:

Although additional research is needed to characterize the full effect of Project Lifeline–II on patient outcomes, our findings help reinforce the benefits of multipronged public health initiatives that include community pharmacists to address the substance use disorder crisis in the United States.
(In-)formal settlement to whom? Archaeology and old urban agendas for sustainability transitions in Ethiopia
Authors: Sulas Federica , Isendahl Christian
Published: September 2024

African urban populations are growing predominantly through types of settlement commonly referred to as ‘informal’– settlements constructed outside the control of city or state governments. For the UN New Urban Agenda, informal settlement presents a challenge to developing sustainable cities. Settlement qualification in urban development discourse often relies on prescriptive formal models and considers anything not complying to these as ‘informal’ and unsustainable. This paper advances informal settlement as an adaptive response to Western planning models that builds on regional histories of organising urban space. Examining archaeological and historical urban records from northern Ethiopia, we define spatial patterns and social processes of urban transition over millennia. In the analysis, settlements that in current urban debates fall under the ‘informal’ rubric contribute to building urban resilience. A century-scale resolution reveals contingent conditions for cities enduring climatic and socio-political shifts during the Pre-Aksumite and Aksumite periods (c. 800 BCE–CE 900) and afterwards. Past urban transitions were marked by inverse settlement dynamics: as urban cores shrank, peri-urban settlement grew and new centres were established. Although spatial reconfigurations followed political shifts, urban settlement remained largely consistent: urban landscapes of food production, material processing, resource trading and ritual making. In the Aksumite record, informal processes convey flexibility and diversity of settlement forms to undergo sustainability transitions. The durability of urban morphologies in the archaeological record warrants against stereotyping informal settlement as a challenge to sustainability transitions. A long-term perspective supports emerging approaches to informal settlement today as a locally adaptive property of urban systems.
Developing and Validating a 15-Item True/False Measure of News Literacy Knowledge
Authors: Maksl Adam , Boedeker Peter J. , Vraga Emily K. , Craft Stephanie , Tully Melissa , Ashley Seth
Published: September 2024

Given growing interest in the potential importance of news literacy around the world, a theoretically grounded and empirically validated measure of news literacy is essential. Building on existing theory, we developed and validated a 15-item true/false measure of news literacy knowledge. This measure comprehensively operationalizes the five C’s of news literacy—context, creation, content, circulation, and consumption—in a concise, adaptable, knowledge-based format. Using item response theory and differential item functioning analysis, we followed a three-survey process with representative U.S. samples, developing and assessing 80 true/false items in Study 1 ( N = 1,502) to reduce to 43 items in Study 2 ( N = 1,273). The final reduced set of 15 items was evaluated and validated in Study 3 ( N = 681) along with related measures of civics and current events knowledge, which were positively predicted by the news literacy knowledge measure. While this measure is designed and tested in the U.S. context, our process of operationalizing these complicated concepts and the novel true/false format facilitates its applicability to those interested in studying news literacy around the globe.
The Impacts of Code-Mixing in a Cross-Cultural Narrative: How Processing Fluency Impacts Narrative Engagement and Attitudes Toward Out-Groups
Authors: Fort Kara S. , Lopez Rachel , Shulman Hillary C. , Riggs Elizabeth E. , Cruz Ibarra Jorge
Published: September 2024

This experiment (N = 1,241) investigates the impact of code-mixing, defined as the use of more than one language, on processing fluency, narrative engagement, and cross-cultural attitudes. Using a sample of native English speakers located in the United States, we found that narratives that include code-mixing, a common feature of intercultural communication, felt more difficult to process and, in turn, led to more negative out-group bias and less narrative engagement. These findings integrate and extend intercultural communication and narrative theory and consider the challenges and opportunities that accompany diverse representations of characters in storytelling. Rather than highlight these challenges, however, we consider theoretically based strategies to improve audiences’ reception to cross cultural content and, in doing so, hope to inform communication practices that lead to a greater regard for others.
Socioeconomic Status and Health Outcomes in Malaysian Adults: Findings From the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS)
Authors: Khaw Wan-Fei , Chan Yee Mang , Alias Nazirah , Tan LeeAnn , Nasaruddin Nur Hamizah , Tham Sin Wan , Ahmad Noor Ani
Published: September 2024

The relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and health outcomes has garnered significant attention. However, there is a limited amount of research exploring the association between SES and the risk of metabolic syndrome in Malaysian adults. This study aimed to determine the association between SES and risk of hypertension, diabetes and obesity. By using data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), SES was derived through principal component analysis involving six variables. Two different SES components were identified and labeled as “social status” and “wealth status.” Among the participants, 36% were diagnosed with hypertension, 18% with obesity, and 21% with diabetes. Adults with high wealth and social status showed a significantly increased risk of obesity. Meanwhile, high social status was significantly associated with a reduction in the risk of hypertension and diabetes. A comprehensive understanding of the associations between SES and noncommunicable diseases could facilitate initiatives that promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, thereby enhancing the holistic well-being of Malaysians.
Educational Needs and Priorities of People with Diabetes and Healthcare Providers in South Korea: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Seo Shinae , Kim Chun-Ja , Kang Hee Sun , Schlenk Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Effective self-care for managing diabetes requires culturally sensitive and patient-centered education. This study explored the educational needs and priorities of people with diabetes (PWD) and healthcare providers (HCPs). Method: A mixed-methods approach was employed with participants from a university-affiliated hospital in South Korea. Descriptive and content analyses were used for the questionnaire and interview data. Results: Both PWD (n=33) and HCPs (n=42) ranked diabetes-related side-effect management and medication purpose as the most important aspects of diabetes education. PWD had higher educational needs regarding diagnosed diseases and lifestyle modifications than HCPs. Three themes were revealed: incorporating lifestyle changes and medication taking, collaborating with HCPs and caregivers and providing care to meet person-centered mental health needs, and enhancing education on disease and complications. Discussion: Culturally sensitive and patient-centered education programs that recognize communal values, reflect individual preferences and needs, and promote lifestyle changes by leveraging technologies for Korean PWD are crucial.
Enhancing Nursing Care through Cultural Competence: Focus on the Inupiat Community
Authors: Brown Nicole , Billingsley Luanne , Brown Douglas D. , Agosta Lucie
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

This article explores the historical and cultural background of the Inupiat community, highlighting health disparities and emphasizing culturally competent care’s role in addressing them.

Methods:

Inupiat health beliefs, communication styles, family dynamics, and dietary habits are examined in relation to Western medical practices within tribal health systems. Strategies for cultural education include curriculum development, simulations, clinical assignments, and partnerships with Inupiat healthcare professionals.

Results:

Challenges in providing culturally competent care to the Inupiat community are identified, including barriers in nursing education and legal implications for nursing practice. Strategies for enhancing nursing cultural competency are outlined.

Discussion:

This paper advocates integrating cultural competency into nursing practices to improve care for the Inupiat community, focusing on training, education, and policy recommendations. It emphasizes the importance of respecting and integrating Inupiat cultural practices to enhance health outcomes and healthcare experiences.
Disability Inclusion in Development Efforts: Analyzing the United States Agency for International Development’s Funding Solicitations for Evidence of Inclusive Practices
Authors: Altali Wael K. , Karr Valerie L. , Hayes Anne
Published: September 2024

In 1997, the United States Agency for International Development established a policy focused on including people with disabilities in its development efforts. For the past two decades, this initiative has been echoed globally, yet research on its effectiveness remains limited. This study revisits a previous 2015 analysis by examining the language in the agency’s 2021 solicitations, a total of 194, which detail program requirements and activities. The research reveals an incomplete adherence to the commitment to including persons with disabilities. Of the solicitations, 44% did not mention persons with disabilities. Thirty-eight percent ( n = 92) of Requests for Applications included some or significant inclusive language, while 23% ( n = 22) of Annual Program Statement solicitations did. All ( n = 11) Requests for Proposals had some degree of inclusive language. Education and global health are the most inclusive sectors. This study also identifies four practices in the more inclusive solicitations: (a) explicit clarity on who to engage, (b) inclusion of instruments to protect persons with disabilities, (c) the outlining of indicators linked directly to persons with disabilities, and (d) mandated co-design and engagement with persons with disabilities. This highlights a need for more consistent inclusion of disability considerations in development solicitations.
Emotional Dysregulation in Emerging Adult ADHD: A Key Consideration in Explaining and Classifying Impairment and Co-Occurring Internalizing Problems
Authors: Goh Patrick K. , A. Wong Ashlyn W. W. , Suh Da Eun , Bodalski Elizabeth A. , Rother Yvette , Hartung Cynthia M. , Lefler Elizabeth K.
Published: September 2024

Objective:

The current study sought to clarify and harness the incremental validity of emotional dysregulation and unawareness (EDU) in emerging adulthood, beyond ADHD symptoms and with respect to concurrent classification of impairment and co-occurring problems, using machine learning techniques.

Method:

Participants were 1,539 college students ( Mage = 19.5, 69% female) with self-reported ADHD diagnoses from a multisite study who completed questionnaires assessing ADHD symptoms, EDU, and co-occurring problems.

Results:

Random forest analyses suggested EDU dimensions significantly improved model performance ( ps < .001) in classifying participants with impairment and internalizing problems versus those without, with the resulting ADHD + EDU classification model demonstrating acceptable to excellent performance (except in classification of Work Impairment) in a distinct sample. Variable importance analyses suggested inattention sum scores and the Limited Access to Emotional Regulation Strategies EDU dimension as the most important features for facilitating model classification.

Conclusion:

Results provided support for EDU as a key deficit in those with ADHD that, when present, helps explain ADHD’s co-occurrence with impairment and internalizing problems. Continued application of machine learning techniques may facilitate actuarial classification of ADHD-related outcomes while also incorporating multiple measures.
Deliberative democracy in feminist theory and practice: The case of the Unitary Feminist Assembly of Seville (Spain)
Authors: Candón-Mena Jose , Arencón-Beltrán Sandra , Sola-Morales Salomé
Published: September 2024

Feminist democratic theory has questioned and added complexity to the Habermasian deliberative model. In this article, we conduct a case study on the Unitary Feminist Assembly of Seville through participant observation and ‘active’ interviews. We reflect on the development of the field by discussing six key findings that capture a number of resolved issues in feminist theory. The aim is to verify the presence and relevance of the debates formulated by feminist theoreticians in the assembly and, above all, to check if these debates about deliberative democracy among feminists have a real reflection on feminist practices. We concluded that the concerns feminist theoreticians express about the conditions for the debate are shared, to a greater or lesser extent, by the activists who, moreover, implement measures to enhance participatory equality albeit with important pending challenges.
Crisis in world politics. Corporate roles and responses in the Ukraine war and beyond
Authors: Hofferberth Matthias
Published: September 2024

For some time, Global Governance has made the case that multinational enterprises (MNEs) have become so involved in multistakeholder provisions of public goods that they should be considered as global governors. Their involvement and whether it improves governance, however, remain fiercely debated. In this context, MNEs are frequently framed and discussed as entities sui generis, pursuing private interests while reconciling with broader public expectations. The article argues that the concept of crisis, if adequately theorized, offers a new perspective into this discussion. To do so, I draw from American Pragmatism to introduce crisis both as a challenge for an actor but also a lens into the beliefs expressed throughout for the researcher. Against this dual use of the concept, I develop a typology of crises and relate this to the roles and responses of MNEs that are likely to follow from different crises. As a lens into corporate beliefs, I illustrate the conceptual potential of crisis by looking into how Shell and ExxonMobil respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As an exogenous, rather immediate crisis, the article discusses to what extent their responses reveal a broader acceptance or rejection of new corporate responsibilities. Based on careful reconstruction, the article concludes that neither productively solved the crisis. More specifically, as Shell remains reluctant to engage with it and ExxonMobil outright rejects to do so, ambiguities remain. This is discussed in the broader context of what role MNEs play in world politics as the article ends with the potential of and need for reconceptualizing these actors.
Health behaviors at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence for indirect effects of subjective social status via psychological distress
Authors: Rodriguez-Stanley Jacqueline , Bogg Tim , Jiang Yanping , Zilioli Samuele
Published: September 2024

Subjective social status (SSS), the perception of one’s social standing compared to others in society, and socioeconomic status (SES) are interconnected but distinct determinants of health. Intermediary factors such as distress and health behaviors can contribute to this relationship. This pre-registered study hypothesized that, in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, nonspecific psychological distress would indirectly link SSS and SES to perceived changes in three health behaviors: sleep quality, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. Data from 412 US adults were collected from April to June 2020 through an online cross-sectional survey. Findings indicated that lower SSS was indirectly associated with lower current sleep quality, worsened sleep quality, and decreased physical activity since the pandemic onset via greater psychological distress. Path analyses controlled for age, gender, race, COVID-19-related worry, and shelter-in-place status. Results are discussed in light of findings from COVID-19 research and the broader literature on SES health disparities.
‘My enemy’s enemy is my friend’? European radical left parties’ response to Russia’s war in Ukraine
Authors: Wondreys Jakub , March Luke , Pytlas Bartek
Published: September 2024

The 2022 Russian (re)invasion of Ukraine highlights the need to understand better how European parties react towards aggressions by anti-liberal authoritarian states. In this article, we focus on the still relatively understudied yet crucial case of the radical left. Since our initial quantitative overview shows that there is no united front on positions of radical left parties towards Russia’s actions, we argue for the necessity of a deeper analysis of radical left strategies. A similar empirical analysis, however, is lacking. To fill this gap, we provide a qualitative content analysis of the reactions to Russia’s 2022 aggression on Ukraine from different ideological sub-types of radical left parties from the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland and Portugal. We conclude that there is a clear heterogeneity in the way the radical left approaches the invasion of Ukraine, which, albeit not perfectly, corresponds with ideological and strategic sub-types within the party family. Therefore, it makes little sense to regard the party family as a whole as ‘pro-Russian’. The findings invite further comparative studies on varying reactions to Russia’s aggressions within and across particular party families.
Drivers and barriers to academic instructors’ willingness to adopt student-generated online quiz games as an assessment method
Authors: Meishar-Tal Hagit , Amzalag Meital , Persi Jenny , Sapir Liat
Published: September 2024

In recent years, academia has begun recognizing the necessity of integrating innovative assessment methods into academic courses. Nevertheless, initiatives to introduce alternative assessment practices may encounter resistance, despite the strong pedagogical rationale behind it. This research was conducted following a workshop titled “Make Games, Not Exams,” which aimed to introduce higher education instructors to an alternative method of assessing academic course achievements through student-generated online quiz games. The primary objective was to explore the instructors’ attitudes toward the assessment method introduced in the workshop and their willingness to integrate it into their courses, two months after the program’s conclusion. The study utilized a qualitative approach involving the participation of 10 instructors who took part in the workshop. The results revealed that only half of the instructors were willing to incorporate this method into their teaching. Most instructors agreed with the pedagogical rationale for using digital game generators as assessment tools. Nevertheless, they expressed reluctance to adopt this method primarily due to resistance to change, the time investment required, concerns about the compatibility of games with academic content, and apprehensions regarding evaluating student outcomes. Institutional support and peer influence were also noted as barriers. These findings suggest that integrating such an innovative approach demands a prolonged commitment involving ongoing exposure and consistent support for instructors within the institutional context.
20 years of monitoring of a steel jacket offshore platform: variability of environmental and modal parameters
Authors: Zini Giacomo , Marafini Francesca , Spadaccini Ostilio , Castelli Paolo , Betti Michele
Published: September 2024

The fixed steel offshore platform VEGA-A has been operating in the Sicily channel since 1988. The platform, one of the largest in the Mediterranean Sea, is equipped with a monitoring system that collects environmental (by means of a current meter, a depth gauge, and a system for detecting wind speed and direction) and structural (by means of nine accelerometers) data. After a description of the recording system, this paper provides a statistical interpretation of the structural response of the platform over the last 20 years. The structural monitoring system is aimed at performing dynamic identification (i.e., evaluating main frequencies and mode shapes), and part of the acquired data is directly processed on the platform in order to constantly check their representativeness in relation to the structural control of the platform. The possible variation of main frequencies and mode shapes over time may be due to both changes in environmental loads/conditions and/or structural damage; in this respect, a data-driven approach capable of recognizing anomalies in the dynamic behavior was adopted here to assess the performances of the platform over the 20 years monitoring period.