bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment and Evaluation of Psychosocial Distress in Outpatients with Cancer at a University Hospital in Germany
Authors: Hohmann Laura , Merx Kirsten , Weingaertner Simone , Schreiber Annette , Hetjens Svetlana , Hofmann Wolf-Karsten , Hofheinz Ralf-Dieter , Gencer Deniz
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Cancer patients (pts) suffer from a significant amount of psychosocial distress related to tumor disease itself or straining treatments. Despite recommendations on how to screen for and to deal with psychosocial distress in cancer pts, data about implementation of psycho-oncological interventions (poi) in outpatient settings of cancer pts are scarce. The aim of this study was to identify outpatients with cancer in need of poi and to evaluate different assessment instruments. Methods: N = 200 outpatients with hemat-/oncological malignancies were interviewed between October 2015 and December 2017 at the University Hospital Mannheim using the Basic Documentation for Psycho-Oncology (PO-Bado) and the Hornheider Screening Instrument (HSI) – both clinician-administered assessment tools – followed by descriptive, univariate, and agreement analysis. Results: N = 61 cancer pts (31%) were identified to be in need for poi considering the results of both questionnaires. The number of identified pts in need of poi was lower when analyzing the results of the PO-Bado (n = 42, 21%) and the HSI (n = 39, 20%) separately. The degree of agreement between the results of PO-Bado and HSI was low (kappa = 0.3655). Several factors like gender, age and diagnosis were identified to have significant impact on the need for poi (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Our study underlines that different screening instruments for psychosocial distress may identify disparate populations of cancer pts. The study data also revealed significant characteristics that might be associated with elevated levels of psychosocial distress and a clear indication for poi. However, further analyses on larger populations of cancer pts are needed to provide information how to transfer positive screening to poi in clinical routine.
The Relationship between Cognition and Brain Size or Neuron Number
Authors: Barron Andrew B. , Mourmourakis Faelan
Published: July 2023

The comparative approach is a powerful way to explore the relationship between brain structure and cognitive function. Thus far, the field has been dominated by the assumption that a bigger brain somehow means better cognition. Correlations between differences in brain size or neuron number between species and differences in specific cognitive abilities exist, but these correlations are very noisy. Extreme differences exist between clades in the relationship between either brain size or neuron number and specific cognitive abilities. This means that correlations become weaker, not stronger, as the taxonomic diversity of sampled groups increases. Cognition is the outcome of neural networks. Here we propose that considering plausible neural network models will advance our understanding of the complex relationships between neuron number and different aspects of cognition. Computational modelling of networks suggests that adding pathways, or layers, or changing patterns of connectivity in a network can all have different specific consequences for cognition. Consequently, models of computational architecture can help us hypothesise how and why differences in neuron number might be related to differences in cognition. As methods in connectomics continue to improve and more structural information on animal brains becomes available, we are learning more about natural network structures in brains, and we can develop more biologically plausible models of cognitive architecture. Natural animal diversity then becomes a powerful resource to both test the assumptions of these models and explore hypotheses for how neural network structure and network size might delimit cognitive function.
Children’s Use of Evaluative Devices in Response to the Global TALES Protocol
Authors: Westerveld Marleen F. , Nelson Nickola Wolf , Claessen Mary , Westby Carol
Published: July 2023

Introduction: It has been well established that the function of sharing personal narratives is to inform the listener about what the event meant to the narrator, for example, by using a range of evaluative devices. The use of these evaluative devices may reflect a person’s understanding of the differences between one’s own mind and others, by expressing their beliefs, emotions, thoughts, and desires. This paper investigates children’s use of evaluative devices when producing personal narratives in response to the six emotion-based prompts contained in the Global TALES protocol (excited, worried, annoyed, proud, problem situation, something important). It addresses three research questions: (1) What types and proportions of evaluative devices do 10-year-old English-speaking children use in response to the six prompts contained in the Global TALES protocol and are there differences in performance between boys and girls? (2) What are the correlations between the different types of evaluative devices? (3) Does children’s use of evaluative devices differ depending on the type of prompt used? Methods: Eighty-two native English-speaking ten-year-old children from three English-speaking countries (Australia, New Zealand, and the USA) participated. None of the children had been identified with language and/or learning difficulties. Children’s personal narratives were transcribed and analysed for the use of 12 evaluative devices: compulsion, internal emotional states, evaluative words, intensifiers, mental states, causal explanations, hypotheses, objective judgements, subjective judgements, intent, negatives, and repetition. Results: Results showed that children use a high number of evaluative devices, with “intensifiers” and “evaluative words” used most frequently. There were few effects for sex, apart from girls using a wider range of evaluative devices than boys. We found moderate to large correlations between most devices, with factor analysis revealing three factors we labelled “causality,” “hypothesis,” and “judgement.” Although there were significant overall effects for prompt type on the use of evaluative devices, there was no clear pattern when inspecting responses to individual prompts. Conclusion: The results from this study shed light on children’s use of evaluative devices to convey the meaning of their personal narratives in response to six different prompts tapping into different emotions. Moving beyond appraising children’s structural language skills when narrating their personal experiences may enhance the understanding of interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects of theory of mind, which may inform clinical practices, such as individualized goal setting and intervention choices.
Роль ультразвукового дуплексного ангіосканування у виявленні рецидивів варикозної хвороби вен нижніх кінцівок
Authors: Павук Ф. М. , Борсенко М. І. , Попович Н. М. , Русин В. В.
Published: July 2023

Мета роботи: розпрацювання системного підходу в діагностиці рецидиву варикозної хвороби нижніх кінцівок після склерохірургічного та хірургічного лікування у віддаленому післяопераційному періоді.

Матеріали і методи. Проведено аналіз результатів обстеження і лікування 228 хворих на варикозну хворобу нижніх кінцівок, які проходили лікування в хірургічній клініці КНП “ЗОКЛ ім. А. Новака” ЗОР з 2012 до 2015 р. Критеріями включення в дослідження були хворі на варикозну хворобу (С2-С6 за CEAP). 1-шу групу хворих склали 153 хворі (оперовані 189 кінцівок), яким виконували склерохірургічне втручання. У 2-гу групу хворих увійшли 75 пацієнтів (96 кінцівок), яким виконувалось хірургічне лікування в основному флебектомія за Бебкоку – Нарату.

Результати досліджень та їх обговорення. При порівняльній оцінці результатів лікування хворих із варикозною хворобою нижніх кінцівок встановлено, що у 96 (100 %) хворих другої групи виявлено неспроможні пронизні вени гомілки, а в першій групі ці показники становили 183 (96,83 %) пацієнтів. Неспроможні пронизні вени стегна виявляли у 60 (31,75 %) хворих 1-ї групи та 30 (31,25 %) 2-ї групи.

Найчастіше ультразвуковою знахідкою в обстежених пацієнтів була неспроможність клапанного апарату пронизних вен у 96,83 % хворих 1-ї групи та 100 % випадків хворих 2-ї групи. Виявлення рецидуального стовбура магістральної ВПВ або його фрагментів є свідченням тактичних і/або технічних помилок допущених під час операційного лікування. Варикозна трансформація раніше інтактної МПВ та її притоків після представлених методів лікування є свідченням прогресуючого характеру перебігу захворювання. Аналіз дуплексного ангіосканування показав, що за 7 ультразвуковими критеріями порівняння статистично значимих відмінностей після склерохірургічного та хірургічного (венектомія) лікування варикозного розширення вен нижніх кінцівок не спостерігається.
Three new species of the family Cirolanidae Dana, 1852 (Isopoda, Cymothoida) from the shallow Brazilian bathyal
Authors: PAIVA RICARDO J. C. , SOUZA-FILHO JESSER F.
Published: July 2023

Three new species of isopod crustaceans of the family Cirolanidae—Dolicholana ivanyae spec. nov., Natatolana hadassae spec. nov. and Politolana cleoniceae spec. nov.—are described from the shallow waters of the Brazilian bathyal. The specimens were collected from the shallow bathyal zone of the Potiguar Basin, off the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, from Pernambuco and Bahia, and the Campos Basin, off Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states. Dolicholana ivanyae spec. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the subrectangular shape of the head, its very long frontal lamina, which surpasses article 2 of the peduncle of antenna 1, and its densely setose pereopod 7. Natatolana hadassae spec. nov. is unique due to the subacute posteroventral angle of epimeron 4, ischial pereopod 3 as produced as those of pereopods 1 and 2, and the distal margin of the pleotelson with 10 robust distal setae. Politolana cleoniceae spec. nov. differs from its congeners based on the combination of the following traits: the pereon-pleon articulation is tight, with pleonite 1 clearly visible, and not covered completely by pereonite 7, while the pleon (in the dorsal-ventral view) is arched in a uniform sequence with the pereon, and the uropodal endopod is shorter than the exopod. In addition to these findings, the known geographical distribution of Dolicholana brucei, which was described recently from Brazil, is extended southward to include Bahia, Brazil. This study increases the number of cirolanid species recorded from Brazilian waters to 23.
Česká i-kmenová feminina na -n a jejich vývoj ve starší češtině (od r. 1300 do r. 1900)
Authors: Vajdlová Miloslava
Published: July 2023

Czech i-Stem Feminine Nouns Ending in -n and Their Development in Older Czech (from 1300 to 1900)
In this paper we follow both the functional and formal development of word-formative formants *-snь, *-znь, *-nь during the Old and Middle Czech periods and during the period of the National Revival and afterwards, and the word-formative and formal development of Czech i-stem feminines with the component -n- during the same period. These nouns are formed by derivation using the suffixes mentioned above or by conversion using the grammatical formant *-ь, and, after the disappearance of the softness correlation, they identically end in the form of direct singular cases on the -n nasal. In order to eliminate alternations of the morphological base, they change their ending in these forms from -(e)n to -(e)ň during their development. As a result, in the later developmental stages of the language, they converge formally to the Old Czech ja-stem feminines originally ending in -ně or -ně/-eň, which also changed their forms nom./acc. sg. in favour of the ending -eň during the development. At the same time, the no longer productive suffixes -n, -ně (in Proto-Slavic *-nьja) and partly also -sn, -zn (Modern Czech -seň, -zeň) merge into a new, self-applying suffix -(e)ň.
 
Czeskie rzeczowniki żeńskie z tematem -i zakończone na -n i ich rozwój w starszych okresach rozwoju języka czeskiego (1300–1900)
Niniejszy artykuł pokazuje zarówno funkcjonalny i formalny rozwój formantów słowotwórczych *-snь, *-znь, *-nь w okresie staro- i średnioczeskim oraz w okresie odrodzenia narodowego i poodrodzeniowym, jak również słowotwórczy i formalny rozwój czeskich rzeczowników żeńskich z tematem -i z komponentem -n- w tym czasie. Analizowane rzeczowniki są tworzone przez derywację za pomocą wymienionych sufiksów lub przez konwersję za pomocą formantu gramatycznego *-ь, a po zaniku miękkości w przypadkach niewymagających przyimka kończą się w liczbie pojedynczej spółgłoską nosową -n. W toku dalszego rozwoju, w celu wyeliminowania zmienności podstawy morfologicznej zmieniają swoje zakończenie w tych formach z -(e)n na -(e)ň. W rezultacie na późniejszych etapach rozwoju języka zbiegają się one formalnie ze staroczeskim tematem -ja rzeczowników żeńskich zakończonych pierwotnie na -ně lub -ně/-eň, które również zmieniły formy w mianowniku/bierniku liczby pojedynczej na końcówkę -eň. Jednocześnie nieproduktywne już sufiksy -n, -ně (prasłowiańskie *-nьja) i częściowo także -sn, -zn (współczesne czeskie -seň, -zeň) łączą się w nowy sufiks -(e)ň.
Surrealism, Socialist Realism, Dialogue?
Authors: Kozłowski Michał
Published: July 2023

The text offers a critical and comprehensive review of Dorota Jarecka’s book Surrealizm, realizm, marksizm. Sztuka i lewica komunistyczna w Polsce w latach 1944–1948 [Surrealism, Realism, Marxism: Art and the Communist Left in Poland between 1944 and 1948]. The reviewer appreciates the main methodological premise of the book, namely that the tensions and conflicts generated within the triangle “avant-garde – realism – emancipatory role of art” cannot be reduced to a binary opposition between totalitarian ideology and the legitimate art world. In fact, it reflects the contradictory dynamics of politically engaged art in general and thecontext of post-war Poland in particular. Despite the book’s formidable factual support, the result of extensive and comprehensive query, the reviewer still regrets that the author remains primarily an art historian rather than social historian of art. This note of regret however does not diminish this noble contribution to understanding the logics of Polish visual arts in the aftermath of World War II. This area is much less known generally than the literature of this very period.
The Concept of Localness (“Tutėĭshastsʹ”) in Visual Communication in Public Space in Belarus as a Source of Exclusion
Authors: Pihalskaya Ala
Published: July 2023

Does the presence of several languages in visual communication in public space mean tolerance and equality between those who use them? Visual communication in public space creates and employs the concept of belonging to a community and constructs identity. Thus, multilingual public space communication may produce different meanings and identity mechanisms. In the article, I reconstruct the meanings produced in this communication in two periods of the national rise in Belarus (the 1920s and 1990s–2000s) and the concept of local identity they built. I show how they were shaped and what kind of exclusion mechanisms were produced in relatively different cultural contexts to preserve multilingualism in public space communications. To do this, I compare city signboards and printed materials from both periods.
Development and Validation of Nomogram Based on the Systemic-Immune Inflammation Response Index for Predicting Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients
Authors: Şaylık Faysal , Çınar Tufan , Sarıkaya Remzi , Tanboğa İbrahim Halil
Published: July 2023

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a prominent complication of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The systemic immune inflammation response index (SIIRI) is a novel inflammatory marker developed by multiplying the monocyte count by the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and is associated with coronary artery disease severity. We investigated the predictive ability of SIIRI for detecting CIN in STEMI patients (n = 2289) following pPCI and developed a nomogram based on SIIRI for risk stratifying. CIN was diagnosed based on an elevation in baseline creatinine levels >.5 mg/dL or 25% within 72 h after pPCI; 219 CIN (+) and 2070 CIN (−) patients were included. CIN (+) patients had higher SIIRI than CIN (−) patients and SIIRI was an independent predictor of CIN. A nomogram based on SIIRI had good calibration and discrimination abilities for predicting CIN development. SIIRI was superior to SII in discriminating CIN (+) patients. Adding SIIRI to the baseline model, which consists of age, hypertension, hemoglobin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, albumin, ejection fraction, lesion length, and pain-to-balloon time, had a higher discriminative ability and benefit in detecting CIN (+) patients than baseline model as assessed by decision curve analysis.
Tensile behavior of CFRP-Steel composite laminates
Authors: Li Yunyu , Chu Tianshu , Shi Shuyan , Peng Longfan , Chen Jing , Liang Qian , Guo Xiwei
Published: July 2023

Carbon-fiber/epoxy steel composite laminate (CSL) is a type of fiber metal laminate formed by stacking thin layers of carbon-fiber/epoxy and steel sheet. To investigate the stress–strain relationship under monotonic tensile and cyclic tensile, comprehensive experiments were conducted on five groups, including four groups of CSL specimens with different steel volume fractions (SVF) and one group of control steel plate specimens. Furthermore, stable post-yield modules and comparatively small residual deformation could be observed from CSLs curves. Based on the experimental failure mode, the theoretical models were proposed, and the numerical simulation was established, and verified by the test results. Theoretical calculations and numerical analysis were performed to estimate the effect of varying the SVF on the mechanical performance of the CSL, particularly in the absorption and energy dissipation coefficients.
Rethinking Collective Reflection in Teacher Professional Development
Authors: Segal Aliza
Published: July 2023

Collective reflection, which has become a de rigueur activity in teacher training and professional development, is predicated upon Schön’s theory of reflective practice. This concept, according to which people learn to be reflective-in-action through reflection on practice, relates primarily to individual and one-on-one mentorship processes. The shift from individual to collective processes has gone largely unstudied and unproblematized. This study of collective teacher reflection in a professional development workshop calls prevailing assumptions into question by bringing an alternative lens, textual trajectories, to bear on this ubiquitous activity to better account for oft-ignored issues of context and identity. Using linguistic ethnographic methods, it traces textual trajectories of key ideas indexed in a collective reflection event. Key findings include the nonlinearity of the reflective process and the centrality of identity-work in collective teacher reflection. This study thus reveals functions of this ritual that belie its ostensible purposes and suggest a rethinking of this practice.
Repetitive negative thinking mediates the relationship between experiential avoidance and emotional distress among South African university students
Authors: Munsamy Kimberley , Walker Stephen , McHugh Louise
Published: July 2023

The psychological processes contributing to emotional distress among university students in South Africa have not been extensively researched. The current study sought to examine the mediating role of repetitive negative thinking on the relationship between experiential avoidance and student emotional distress. A convenience sample of 419 students from a large public university in South Africa participated in this study. The results indicated that experiential avoidance and repetitive negative thinking positively predict emotional distress. Furthermore, repetitive negative thinking partially mediates the interaction between experiential avoidance and emotional distress. These findings highlight the importance of targeting experiential avoidance and repetitive negative thinking in the alleviation and management of emotional distress among students in the South African higher education environment.
Improving physical activity in hospitalized patients: The preliminary effectiveness of a goal-directed movement intervention
Authors: van Grootel JWM , Bor P , Netjes JA , Veenhof C , Valkenet K
Published: July 2023

Objective

To evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a goal-directed movement intervention using a movement sensor on physical activity of hospitalized patients.

Design

Prospective, pre-post study.

Setting

A university medical center.

Participants

Patients admitted to the pulmonology and nephrology/gastro-enterology wards.

Intervention

The movement intervention consisted of (1) self-monitoring of patients’ physical activity, (2) setting daily movement goals and (3) posters with exercises and walking routes. Physical activity was measured with a movement sensor (PAM AM400) which measures active minutes per day.

Main measures

Primary outcome was the mean difference in active minutes per day pre- and post-implementation. Secondary outcomes were length of stay, discharge destination, immobility-related complications, physical functioning, perceived difficulty to move, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality and the adoption of the intervention.

Results

A total of 61 patients was included pre-implementation, and a total of 56 patients was included post-implementation. Pre-implementation, patients were active 38 ± 21 minutes (mean ± SD) per day, and post-implementation 50 ± 31 minutes per day (Δ12, P = 0.031). Perceived difficulty to move decreased from 3.4 to 1.7 (0–10) (Δ1.7, P = 0.008). No significant differences were found in other secondary outcomes.

Conclusions

The goal-directed movement intervention seems to increase physical activity levels during hospitalization. Therefore, this intervention might be useful for other hospitals to stimulate inpatient physical activity.
Healthcare worker burnout during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: experiences from an intensive neurological rehabilitation unit
Authors: Luca Rosaria De , Rifici Carmela , Terranova Aurelio , Orecchio Luigia , Castorina Milva Veronica , Torrisi Michele , Cannavò Antonino , Bramanti Alessia , Bonanno Mirjam , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore , Cola Maria Cristina De
Published: July 2023

Objective

The study aim was to investigate the prevalence of behavioral symptoms and burnout in healthcare workers in an intensive neurological rehabilitation unit in Messina, Italy, during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.

Methods

Forty-seven healthcare workers (including neurologists, physiatrists, nurses and rehabilitation therapists) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from February 2020 to June 2020. Participants were administered the following psychometric tests to investigate burnout and related symptoms: the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which measures emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment; the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS); the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS); the Dyadic Adjustment Scale; and the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ).

Results

We found several correlations between test scores and burnout subdimensions. Emotional exhaustion was correlated with SDS (r = 0.67), PSAS-Cognitive (r = 0.67) and PSAS-Somatic (r = 0.70) scores, and moderately correlated with all BPAQ dimensions (r = 0.42). Depersonalization was moderately correlated with SDS (r = 0.54), PSAS-Cognitive (r = 0.53) and PSAS-Somatic (r = 0.50) scores.

Conclusion

During the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy, healthcare workers were more exposed to physical and mental exhaustion and burnout. Research evaluating organizational and system-level interventions to promote psychological well-being at work for healthcare workers are needed.
Spatio-Temporal Fusion of LiDAR and Camera Data for Omnidirectional Depth Perception
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Yu Xiang , Adu-Gyamfi Yaw , Sun Carlos
Published: July 2023

Object recognition and depth perception are two tightly coupled tasks that are indispensable for situational awareness. Most autonomous systems are able to perform these tasks by processing and integrating data streaming from a variety of sensors. The multiple hardware and sophisticated software architectures required to operate these systems makes them expensive to scale and operate. This paper implements a fast, monocular vision system that can be used for simultaneous object recognition and depth perception. We borrow from the architecture of a start-of-the-art object recognition system, YOLOv3, and extend its architecture by incorporating distances and modifying its loss functions and prediction vectors to enable it to multitask on both tasks. The vision system is trained on a large database acquired through the coupling of LiDAR measurements with complementary 360-degree camera to generate a high-fidelity labeled dataset. The performance of the multipurpose network is evaluated on a test dataset consisting of a total of 7,634 objects collected on a different road network. When compared with ground truth LiDAR data, the proposed network achieves a mean absolute percentage error rate of 11% on the passenger car within 10 m and a mean error rate of 7% or 9% on the truck within 10 m and beyond 10 m, respectively. It was also observed that adding a second task (depth perception) to the modeling network improved the accuracy of object detection by about 3%. The proposed multipurpose model can be used for the development of automated alert systems, traffic monitoring, and safety monitoring.
Quantifying disparities in fire-related mortality of US career and volunteer firefighters: A 43-year database study
Authors: Li Jian , Li Jun , Wang Shitan
Published: July 2023

There is no consensus on the leading causes of occupational disparities in firefighter mortality risk and whether these disparities have changed over time. This article prioritizes fire-related risks associated with mortality among US career and volunteer firefighters to inform targeted prevention efforts. We collected records of 3724 firefighter fatalities from the database between 1979 and 2021. Grey relational analysis was adopted to reveal the interrelationships between occupational risks and mortality. Firefighter mortality differed by occupation; the primary fire-related causes changed over 43 years for both career and volunteer firefighters. Volunteer firefighters exhibited higher risks across multiple variables than their career counterparts. These variables include alarm response/return, sudden cardiac death, age exceeding 60, and years of service below 10 or surpassing 30. These findings quantified disparities in the temporal evolution and fire-related occupations with elevated risk factors for deaths between career and volunteer firefighters, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
“Care About us First”: Israeli Youths’ Perspectives on Child Neglect
Authors: Gross-Manos Daphna , Marey-Sarwan Ibtisam , Barnea Osher , Cohen Ayala
Published: July 2023

Child neglect is considered the most common form of child maltreatment with severe implications for children’s development. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of scholarly literature examining child neglect, possibly stemming from a lack of consistent definition. The current qualitative study addresses this gap by aiming to understand the phenomena of child neglect from the direct perspective of youth from the general population, a perspective that has so far barely been considered. Data were collected by 10 focus groups conducted among multicultural youth aged 12 to 15 years in the north of Israel. The qualitative-thematic analysis generated three main themes, each including several subthemes: (a) experience of neglectful behavior (lack of parental care, lack of parental priority, dynamics of blaming the child, rejection, and relinquishment of the child); (b) instrumental characteristics of neglect (lack of material and financial investment in the child, expressions of neglect in providing food and nutrition, poor appearance and hygiene of the child and home); (c) lack of parental involvement (lack of parental guidance, lack of communication and availability, lack of presence in the child’s life). The perspectives of the Israeli youth resembled existing conceptualizations of child neglect. The youth also added a new dimension to the conceptualizations in their focus on the emotional context involved in the range of neglectful behaviors they described. This new conceptualization of child neglect is discussed together with some suggestions for how it can inform better professional practice.
The Impact of Stalking and Its Predictors: Characterizing the Needs of Stalking Victims
Authors: Storey Jennifer E. , Pina Afroditi , Williams Cherise S.
Published: July 2023

Victims of stalking suffer severe and varied impacts requiring assessment and treatment. Research to inform support is limited. This study examines a national sample of stalking victims to identify the types and prevalence of impact reported and the predictors of impact. A secondary analysis of 258 stalking cases reported to a stalking charity was conducted. Four categories of victim reported impact were coded; psychological and substance abuse, physical health, practical impact on life, and impact on others. Stalking duration, severity, the diversity of stalking behaviors, and the relationship between the victim and perpetrator were investigated as predictors of impact. In all, 48 types of impact were identified with victims experiencing an average of four types. Psychological impact was the most prevalent (91.5%). Several new forms of impact were identified including a variety of impacts on persons known to the victim (e.g., children, friends) in 35.3% of the sample. Increased diversity of stalking behavior was predictive of impact in all models (explaining 11% of the variance in total impact scores), except for physical impact which was not analyzed due to low prevalence. Stalking impact was prevalent and varied, suggesting that victims (and potentially those close to them) require trauma-informed support from clinicians. Future research should include the development of a stalking impact index to improve the consistency of research and clinical assessment of need.
Thermoelastic nonlinear vibration and dynamical response of geometrically imperfect carbon nanotube-reinforced composite plates on elastic foundations including tangential edge constraints
Authors: Anh ND , Thinh Nguyen Van , Tung Hoang Van
Published: July 2023

The combined influences of initial geometrical imperfection, elasticity of in-plane constraints of edges, elastic foundations and elevated temperature on the nonlinear vibration and dynamical response of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite rectangular plates are investigated in this paper. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are reinforced into matrix according to functionally graded distributions. The properties of CNTs and matrix are assumed to be temperature dependent and effective properties of nanocomposite are determined using an extended rule of mixture. Governing equations in terms of deflection and stress function are established within the framework of thin plate theory including von Kármán nonlinearity, geometric imperfection and interactive pressure from elastic foundation. Analytical solutions are assumed for simply supported plates and Galerkin method is applied to result in nonlinear time differential equation. This nonlinear equation is solved using fourth-order Runge–Kutta scheme. Parametric studies are executed to examine numerous influences on the natural frequency, nonlinear to linear frequency ratio and nonlinear dynamical response of CNT-reinforced composite plates. The results reveal that increase in imperfection size results in increase and decrease in natural frequencies and the amplitude of forced vibration, respectively. In contrast, it is found that the elevated temperature reduces the natural frequencies and enhances the amplitude of forced vibration.
“I Only Tell Them the Good Parts:” How Relational Others Influence Paid Careworkers’ Descriptions of Their Work as Meaningful
Authors: McAllum Kirstie , Elvira Marta M. , Villamor Martin Marta
Published: July 2023

The occupational images associated with paid care work for older adults range from a job carried out by earthly angels to a form of stigmatized dirty work: This ambiguity makes maintaining a committed long-term care workforce challenging. Encouraging careworkers to view their work as meaningful has been touted as a potential solution. Moving beyond a purely subjective approach to meaningfulness, we explore how careworkers construe their work as meaningful and how relational others influence careworkers’ ability to speak about meaningfulness. Others’ messages matter, although their importance depends on relational others’ knowledge of care tasks and involvement in the care relationship. By documenting how others’ accounts both enhance and compromise careworkers’ ability to speak about meaningfulness and moments of meaninglessness, our study identifies sources of meaningfulness for careworkers, a socially essential workforce under-examined by meaningful work research, and extends meaningful work research in contexts where relationships are central to occupational identity.
Interactive on-ramp merging decision-making with motion prediction considering merging motivation
Authors: Liu Jinqiang , Zhao Wanzhong , Wang Chunyan , Zhou Yuning , Zhang Ziyu , Qin Yajuan
Published: July 2023

On-ramp is one of the scenarios most likely to cause traffic accidents and congestion. In order to mitigate the conflict between mainline vehicles and ramp vehicles, and improve vehicle safety and travel efficiency, we propose an interactive on-ramp merging decision-making (IORMDM) method based on motion prediction. We first propose a motion prediction method for different actions of vehicles based on model predictive control. Meanwhile, the game theory is employed to construct the interaction behavior between the ramp vehicle and the mainline vehicle, and the merging motivation of the ramp vehicle is modeled to describe the collision risk between it with the end of the acceleration lane. Afterward, according to the predicted trajectories of vehicles, the comprehensive payoff of vehicle collision risk, efficiency, passenger comfort, and merging motivation of each action is solved. The Nash equilibrium solution is solved to determine the optimal action of each vehicle according to the payoff table. Simulation experiments demonstrate that our proposed method could reduce collision risk and improve traffic efficiency.
Coordinated control of AFS and DYC for electric vehicles with mechanical elastic electric wheels considering the roll effects and uncertain parameters
Authors: Li Danyang , Zhao Youqun , Lin Fen , Zhang Chenxi , Lin Tao
Published: July 2023

In order to improve the lateral stability of in-wheel motors electric vehicles (IMEV) equipped with mechanical elastic electric wheels (MEEW) under extreme conditions, this paper proposes an integral sliding mode control (ISMC) algorithm based on the coordination of active front steering (AFS) and direct yaw moment control (DYC) considering the roll effects and the uncertainty of tire cornering stiffness. Firstly, the AFS control algorithm based on adaptive integral terminal sliding mode is proposed, which uses radial-basis-function neural network (RBFNN) to adaptively approximate the integrated nonlinear unknown disturbance. Secondly, considering the roll effects and uncertain cornering stiffness, a mismatched uncertain system for integrated control of AFS and DYC is established. An integral sliding mode control algorithm based on linear matrix inequality (LMI) is designed, and the asymptotic stability of sliding mode dynamics is proved. Further, a constraint optimization algorithm is used to distribute the additional yaw moment. Then, a coordinated control strategy based on the elliptical stable region of the phase plane and the rollover index is designed to activate the integrated controller of AFS and DYC at the right time. Finally, the effectiveness of the control algorithm is verified by high-fidelity CarSim-Matlab simulations. The results show that the proposed controller can effectively and robustly ensure the vehicle lateral stability under extreme conditions.
Debunking the myth of instant harmonisation and embracing the iterative approach
Authors: Hill Guzyal
Published: July 2023

Calls for federal harmonisation of legislation can result in a heated debate revolving around substantive law and an approach to achieve harmonisation. Some favour a bottom-up approach whereby the state and territory jurisdictions achieve uniform legislation without interference from the Commonwealth. Others favour a top-down approach whereby the Commonwealth achieves uniform legislation. This article argues that these two approaches create a false impression of instant harmonisation. Harmonisation of legislation cannot be treated as a short-term project in which uniformity has to be achieved by a specified deadline; rather, the exercise of harmonisation requires ongoing reforms based on consecutive waves. Therefore, policymakers, law reformers and legislative drafters must adopt a long-term view of harmonisation as an iterative process.
‘I Had It. I Don’t Think I Have It…But I Do Feel It Will Come Back Somewhere’: A Qualitative Investigation of the Experience of People With Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Stewart Ruth , Richards Helen L. , Houghton Sharon , Sweeney Paul , Fortune Donal G.
Published: July 2023

Very little is known about the impact of living with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). NMIBC patients’ experiences of their illness–in terms of their perceptions, coping strategies and psychological wellbeing–were explored. This study describes an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of individuals’ accounts of living with NMIBC while on routine surveillance for cancer recurrence. Ten individuals took part in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Three superordinate themes were derived from the data. The first theme, Being Diagnosed and Treated for NMIBC, concerned the observation that participants considered the physical implications, timeline and practicalities of their illness of primary importance and focused less on its psychological aspects. The second theme, Grappling with the Illness, outlined the impact of the doctor–patient relationship. The final theme, ‘I don’t treat it as a problem. I treat it as an issue’, delineated how participants managed difficult emotions in the context of the illness. Findings from this study demonstrated that participants generally found effective ways to cope with their illness and experience of ongoing surveillance, though delay of emotional responses was common. Clinical implications for healthcare professionals are outlined including the importance of high-quality communication with the urology team.
School Nurses’ Experiences and Needs in COVID-19 Pandemic Response: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Seo Kyoungsan , Kim Se-an , Choe Young June , Moon Jihyun
Published: July 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic drastically shifted the public health burden onto the school health system. We, therefore, explored the school nurses’ experiences and needs for confronting the pandemic in school settings across Korea. This qualitative investigation enrolled 30 participants after their written consent. A written interview conducted through email and focus group interviews using an online meeting application verified participants’ opinions and experiences. Collected data were subjected to text-mining and content analysis. The school nurse was found to be responsible for many tasks, including education on preventive measures with unclear quarantine guidelines. Content analysis identified three key themes: “aggravated difficulties owing to lack of support resulted in burnout,” “reflection on supportive resources; direct provisions were helpful,” and “needs and suggestions to safeguard students’ health in the event of another pandemic.” Recommendations should all be considered to keep schools and students safe from future pandemics.
Understanding Body Resistance in El Salvador: A Qualitative Discussion of a Pilot Program for Embodied Empowerment
Authors: Brigden Noelle K.
Published: July 2023

This article evaluates a Body Resistance Program in an urban area of El Salvador. The goal of this program is to facilitate women's reclamation of bodily autonomy and recognition of their shared struggle, thereby laying a foundation for solidarity and structural change around gendered body norms. As a pilot project with limited scope, a key objective is to identify meaningful concepts that address the goals, motivations, and worldviews of Salvadoran participants. This article provides insights into their understandings and experiences of trauma, resistance, and embodied empowerment.
Couple-stress–based gradient theory of poroelasticity
Authors: Zheng Pei , Li Guoqiang , Sun Ping , Xi Shangbin , Zhang Keming
Published: July 2023

In this research, we present a gradient theory of poroelasticity based on the couple-stress. Within the context of finite deformations and in a thermodynamically consistent manner, the constitutive equations for the porous solid are derived by including the solid vorticity gradient and its power-conjugate counterpart, namely, the couple-stress. Subsequently, a linearized theory for an isotropic porous solid is developed in which two microstructure-dependent constitutive moduli (or equivalently, two material length-scale parameters) are introduced. To investigate the gradient effects on the responses of the material, the problem of wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous solids is formulated and solved based on the proposed theory. For comparison, the wave dispersion and attenuation curves are compared with those obtained from classical theory of poroelasticity.
Effect of ultrasound pretreatment and soaking time on Quinoa malting
Authors: Eftekhari Yazdi Arezu , Pedram Nia Ahmad , Naghi Pour Fariba , Elhami Rad Amirhosein , Saeidi Asl Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2023

In this study, malt was produced from quinoa seeds using different ultrasound treatment with different intensities (20%, 60%, and 100%), ultrasound times (5, 10, and 15 minutes), and soaking times (2, 6, and 10 hours) at a frequency of 20 kHz. The seeds were soaked in water at 25 °C during exposure to ultrasound waves. The results showed that an increase in soaking time led to a higher malting yield and percentage of soluble solids (°Brix), followed by a downward trend. This trend was intensified by longer exposure to ultrasound waves at higher intensities. The interaction effect of ultrasound wave and soaking time on physicochemical properties showed a downward trend, followed by an upward trend in cold-water and hot-water extract yields, reducing sugar, soluble nitrogen, color, and Kolbach index, with increasing levels of the variables. Finally, quinoa malt treated with an ultrasound intensity of 100% for 15 minutes and soaked for 6hours exhibited the best physicochemical characteristics.
WhatsApp and political communication in West Africa: Accounting for differences in parties’ organization and message discipline online
Authors: Fisher Jonathan , Gadjanova Elena , Hitchen Jamie
Published: July 2023

Social media has become central to how political parties plan, organize, and coordinate electoral campaigns in Africa, with WhatsApp increasingly the preferred medium. How, we ask, have African political parties made use of WhatsApp to organize internally during elections, and what explains the approaches they have taken? We argue that pre-existing party institutionalization is the main factor influencing how parties use WhatsApp to organize and coordinate campaign events, and reach voters. Comparing Ghana and Nigeria, we show that more institutionalized parties create formal, hierarchical online structures, with in-group policing of message content. Conversely, less institutionalized parties rely on informal, personality-based online structures with unclear hierarchies and where there is little message discipline. This matters both for the spread of mis/disinformation and inflammatory content online, and for parties’ future organizational strength. In both instances, “digital clientelism” ensures that existing patrimonial structures are replicated online, restricting the empowerment of new political actors.
Vortex-induced vibration performance and mechanism of long-span railway bridge streamlined box girder
Authors: Duan Qingsong , Ma Cunming , Li Qiusheng
Published: July 2023

To investigate the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) characteristics of a narrow-streamlined railway box girder and optimize its VIV performance, a long-span railway cable-stayed bridge was analyzed. Based on sectional model wind tunnel tests, the influence of the wind attack angle and the damping ratio on the VIV performance of the girder was investigated. The main inducing factors of the VIV of the narrow railway box girder were explored and a series of corresponding optimization schemes was put forward. The results show that there is no VIV when the wind attack angles are −5°, −3° and 0°, and the damping ratio is 0.2%. The non-dimensional maximum amplitudes 1000 y/ D of the girder at wind attack angles of +3° and +5° are 14.4 and 19.4, respectively. The maximum amplitudes decrease with the increase of the damping ratios. The railing base is the influence factor that induces the vertical VIV, because the separation vortices between the railing base and ballast wall, as well as behind the railings, cause the VIV of the railway steel box girder. Compared with that of the girder section with the ballastless track board, the non-dimensional maximum vertical VIV amplitude of the girder without the ballastless track board greatly increases from 19.4 to 63.5, which could effectively suppress the VIV of the main girder. Lastly, in the construction state, vertical VIV occurs for girder sections I and II, which have respective aspect ratios of 4.3 and 4.6, at wind attack angles of +3° and +5°. Girder section III, which has a 6.7 aspect ratio and is more streamlined, does not have a VIV. The greater the aspect ratio of the bridge girder, the better the VIV performance. The relevant results could serve as a guide for wind resistance design of railway streamlined box girders.
Investigation of the performance of recycled copper swarf tool electrode processed through bound powder extrusion for micromachining
Authors: Srinivasan Navaneetha Krishnan , Radhakrishnan Raj Mohan , Srinivasan Raghuraman , Ramamoorthi Venkatraman
Published: July 2023

This experimental study used recycled copper chips as a base material for electrode manufacturing through the additive manufacturing route utilizing the bound powder extrusion (BPE) process. Initially, the copper chips were collected from a conventional machining centre. Then, the chip size was reduced by the two-step milling process (ball-to-powder ratio, 2:1) to attain the micro-sized fine particles around 44 μm, which is the prerequisite for preparing the base material for the BPE process. Subsequently, the input parameters were optimized to a layer thickness of 0.125 mm, nozzle diameter of 1 mm, and printing speed of 20 mm/s by the Box-Behnken design approach and attained a maximum relative density of 98.57%. Finally, the BPE-recycled copper tool electrode was manufactured in 0° and 90° orientations. Further, the electrical conductivity of the tool, material removal rate, tool wear rate, and surface roughness of the machined surface of manufactured components were evaluated and compared for BPE-90°, BPE-0°, and conventional tools. The result shows that the BPE-90° tool electrode performs better than BPE-0° and conventional tools.