bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between non-penetrative sexual activities and depression in women with vaginismus: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yavuzkir Şeyda , Aslan Melike , Yurt Nurdan , Baykara Sema
Published: April 2024

Objective

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between non-penetrative sexual activities (NPSA) and depression levels in women diagnosed with vaginismus.

Methods

A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted between March 2016 and June 2019, after approval by the Fırat University Faculty of Medicine ethics committee. Participants comprised married women referred to our female sexual dysfunction outpatient clinic with vaginismus. Diagnosis of vaginismus was established following comprehensive evaluations, including gynecological examination and psychiatric assessment. Sociodemographic data and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores were collected. We compared depression levels between women who engaged in NPSA and those who did not.

Results

Of the 75 women with primary vaginismus included in the study, 18 did not engage in any NPSA and 57 engaged in at least one NPSA. The average BDI score of those who engaged in NPSA was significantly lower than those who did not. A negative correlation was found between the number of NPSA engaged in and BDI scores (r = −0.494).

Conclusions

Women with vaginismus had high depression scores, but engaging in NPSA was associated with lower depression levels. The findings suggest that incorporating NPSA into clinical interventions may be beneficial for managing depression in women with vaginismus.
Steps towards a therapeutic artificial intelligence
Authors: McCarty Willard
Published: April 2024

Whether artificial intelligence might benefit human well-being in every sense is an open question. I consider it in the following essay, first putting to one side standard accounts of ‘official AI’, then deriving an ‘unofficial’ counterpart from the evidence of newspaper accounts and magazine features from ca. 1945–1965. Unsurprisingly, these demonstrate a bending of artificial intelligence to military and industrial purposes, hence the enormity of the impediment to therapeutic applications, but at the same time the evidence leaves no doubt as to the imaginative power of smart machines. Contemporary commentary is brought to bear to move from intimations of a dark future to possibilities for constructing a healthy practice. I conclude with two quite different 21st century examples of a way towards it.
Testing the Forecasting Power of Statistical Models for Intercity Rail Passenger Flows in Turkey
Authors: Ekici Üsame , Tüydes-Yaman Hediye , Şendil Nuri
Published: April 2024

While going through a major rail transformation, it is important to develop reliable estimation models for rail passenger flows (RPFs) in Turkey. There are two main approaches in RPF estimation, regressions and autoregressive integrated moving-average (ARIMA) models, both of which were in this study developed using the daily RPF data for the period 2011–2015. The ARIMA models (with some variations) were used to forecast first the daily flows in 2016, during which travel restrictions for summer resulted in reduced volumes, successfully captured in the updated ARIMA model. The regression models predicted the expected demand during the restrictions, enabling evaluation of the impact of restrictions, which also showed the models’ power over the longer term. The forecasts were extended to 2017, 2018, and 2019 data. The regression results produced more reliable forecasts over the long term, whereas more accurate predictions were obtained by ARIMA-Sliding (FA-Sld) for short-term planning purposes.
Measuring circular economy in olive oil mills: A review of circularity indicators and tools
Authors: Kounani Aristea , Pavloudi Alexandra , Kontogeorgos Achilleas , Tsiouni Maria , Petkou Dafni
Published: April 2024

Circularity assessment and monitoring have become a core research topic in academic societies, as well as a basis for developing economic development measures. Despite the circular economy (CE) being a game-changer for the agro-food sector, little effort has been made to identify its level of circularity. In order to achieve the transition to a CE, stakeholders and industry professionals must be provided with appropriate indicators, tools and methods. Due to the complexity of CE measurement, it is necessary to devise indicators, methods and tools that are tailored to each industry. The objective of this review article is to identify the indicators and tools required for assessing the level of circularity in olive oil mills. This research collected data regarding available CE indicators at the company and product levels, as well as those applicable to the agro-food industry. As a result, a list of indicators appropriate to the needs of olive mills has been developed that could be used to measure the level of implementation of circular practices in this industry. The main conclusion reached is that once indicators are defined, they should be compared or combined with life cycle assessment methodologies to determine their applicability and effectiveness. There is no doubt that olive oil plays a significant economic, environmental and social role throughout the Mediterranean region. Hence, evaluating the CE is essential to demonstrate the effectiveness of current policies.
Commitment problems and Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Smith Bradley C.
Published: April 2024

This paper applies the logic of commitment problems to deliver insights about the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the canonical crisis bargaining framework, an anticipated power shift can cause bargaining failure. Bargaining breaks down in this context because a declining state reasons that fighting in the present from a strong position is preferable to negotiating in the future from a weaker position. I argue that this logic is relevant for understanding both Ukrainian and Russian decisionmaking in the lead-up to the invasion. The commitment problem logic also provides insight into the role of NATO in the conflict, highlighting flaws in existing arguments that the Russian invasion was “provoked” by NATO.
Serious Games, Knowledge Acquisition, and Conflict Resolution: The Case of PeaceMaker as a Peace Education Tool
Authors: Nicolaidou Iolie , Kampf Ronit
Published: April 2024

Israeli-Jews and Palestinians cannot easily be exposed to contradicting information about “the other” in the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of the emotionally charged situation and prevailing ethnocentrism. Serious games like PeaceMaker are used as innovative interventions for peace education. Winning PeaceMaker indicates better conflict resolution skills and developing an informative viewpoint regarding the situation, which is required for conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The evaluation of the effectiveness of prosocial games in educating about conflict and peace in the literature is severely lacking. We examine the effects of this computerized simulation of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict on enhancing knowledge about the conflict and “the other” among undergraduate players who are direct parties (i.e., Israeli-Jews and Palestinians) and third parties (i.e., Americans and Cypriots). In addition, we investigate the knowledge gap between direct parties and third parties who won and did not win the game. Using questionnaires, we conducted a quasi-experimental study with 168 undergraduates using a pre- and post-intervention research design. We found that direct parties to the conflict acquired significantly more knowledge about the other side, and third parties acquired significantly more knowledge about the conflict after playing PeaceMaker. In addition, PeaceMaker minimized the knowledge gap after playing the game among direct parties who won the game and those who did not win and increased the knowledge gap between third parties who won the game and those who did not win. Our results suggest that serious games might be effective interventions for peace education, because they appear to enhance knowledge about the conflict, and about “the other” particularly for young people who are direct parties to this divide.
High-performance steering tracking control of open circuit variable-speed pump-controlled steering system for heavy-duty vehicles based on flow nonlinearity compensation
Authors: Lin Xiezhao , Xu Jun , Yu Jianchao , Zhang Xiaolong , Zheng Yulan , Li Su , Du Heng
Published: April 2024

Heavy-duty vehicles with long bodies, a large number of axles and large loads are subject to increasingly high requirements for precise steering technology due to the increasing trend toward energy conservation and intelligent assisted driving as well as variable driving conditions. In this paper, an energy-efficient open circuit variable-speed pump-controlled steering system (OPCEHSSS) adapted for heavy loads is used, but its strong flow output nonlinearity and system nonlinear dynamic behavior greatly impede the steering performance. Therefore, in order to reduce the influence of the flow leakage of the fixed-displacement pump on the system and to ensure that the flow output of the system matches the control model, a mapping model based on the fitting of a two-layer neural network algorithm with a dynamic real-time compensation strategy (FNC) is proposed. In addition, considering the strong robustness of the system even under parameter uncertainty and unknown disturbance, a complex nonlinear mathematical model is established based on OPCEHSSS physical characteristics, and a dual-objective control strategy of steering angle and pressure based on sliding mode control (SMC) is proposed. However, in order to reduce the influence of high-order switching discontinuity on the steering and ensure the fast convergence of the control system, a fast super twisting algorithm (STA) based on double saturation function of the boundary layer is proposed. The experimental results show that the three different controllers can effectively reduce the steering angle error after the introduction of FNC. And in the case of a single axle loaded with 6 tons, the improved new FNC+STA integrated dual-objective control strategy improves the accuracy by 53.16% compared with PID and 40.67% compared with SMC. The steady-state error is maintained within 0.9°, realizing the high-performance steering tracking control of OPCEHSSS for heavy vehicles.
Evaluation method with digital expert on the criticality of car-following scenarios for autonomous vehicles testing
Authors: Nan Jiangfeng , Deng Weiwen , Zhao Rui , Zheng Bowen , Xiao Zhicheng , Ding Juan
Published: April 2024

Evaluation of autonomous vehicles is one of the major challenges before they can be released. Due to the advantages in efficiency, cost, and safety, scenario-based simulation methods have recently received great attention. Even so, as the complexity and uncertainty exist in the real driving environment, the scenarios that autonomous vehicles may encounter are infinite. Therefore, it is necessary to classify simulation scenarios according to their criticality. It contributes to accelerating the evaluation processes. This paper presents a novel criticality evaluation method, based on a proposed Digital Expert, for car-following autonomous driving. The Digital Expert acts as the evaluator to evaluate the criticality of scenarios depending on their driving performance. Driving performance refers to the achieved degree of driving intentions. Firstly, a Digital Expert is established as the evaluator for the criticality of the scenario using the inverse reinforcement learning method. Then, based on the fact that the intention of Digital Expert is to maximize its internal reward function, the reward function is used to evaluate driving performance. Finally, calculating the criticality of the car-following scenario according to the mapping relationship between driving performance and criticality. Using the driving data in the NGSIM data set, this paper generates two groups of simulated car-following scenarios and evaluates the criticalities of the two scenarios. The experimental results show that the proposed criticality evaluation method can reasonably evaluate the criticality of car-following scenarios.
A collaborative navigation integrity augmentation method with optimal dynamic partner selection
Authors: Wang Rong , Chen Xin , Xiong Zhi , Zhang Huiyuan , Liu Jianye , Chen Xiaoyi
Published: April 2024

The collaboration among swarmed aircraft can provide additional observation to improve the integrity of its onboard navigation systems. But due to the limitation on relative communicating and measuring burdens, adopting all the observations between aircraft in the swarm is inefficient. The geometry of the collaborated partners is a key factor that influences the effectiveness of the navigation integrity augmentation, which needs to be optimized in collaborative integrity augmented navigation. In this paper, the integrity augmented navigation method for aerial swarm based on collaborative partner optimization is proposed. The geometry constructed by the GNSS satellites and the cooperative partners in the aerial swarm are analyzed dynamically, and the augmented integrity protection levels with different collaborative relationships are predicted to distinguish the partner essential for navigation integrity augmentation. Then the collaborative partner makes a key contribution to integrity augmentation adopted in collaborative navigation integrity monitoring, improving the efficiency of the collaborative navigation. The simulation results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative partnership optimization strategy, as well as the superiority of the proposed method compared with the traditional independent integrity framework in improving the integrity protection level and fault detection capacity.
Velocity-free fixed-time attitude tracking fault-tolerant control for rigid spacecraft based on the homogeneity method
Authors: Yin Zheng , He Zhang , Yan Wang
Published: April 2024

This paper examines the problem of fixed-time attitude tracking fault-tolerant for rigid spacecraft without angular velocity measurement, in the presence of uncertainties, external disturbances, and actuator faults. First, a fixed-time observer is established to obtain accurate estimates of the unmeasurable angular velocities, by applying a fixed-time observer, a fixed-time tracking control method is addressed to enable the tracking spacecraft to track the target spacecraft with time-varying attitude in a fixed time. A fixed-time output feedback attitude tracking controller is designed and the fixed time stability of the system is proved. In addition, the simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Knowledge of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among women living with HIV in Malawi
Authors: Antabe Roger , Sano Yujiro , Kangmennaang Joseph
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To reduce the incidence of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in Malawi, interventions have been created for women to be informed about the MTCT of HIV and for women living with HIV to be entered into the HIV care cascade to ensure safer deliveries. Our study aimed to examine the effectiveness of these strategies by exploring the determinants of adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV among women living with HIV in Malawi.

Methods

We used the 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey data and applied logistics regression analysis to explore the determinants of adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV among women living with HIV.

Results

Our findings estimated that 75% of women living with HIV possessed adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV. We also found that compared to those with no formal education, women with primary education (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.41) and secondary education or higher (OR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.21, 5.62) were more likely to have adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV. Furthermore, women who were resident in rural areas (OR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.58, 5.57), were more likely to have adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV relative to those in urban areas. Finally, women who had adequate HIV knowledge (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.19, 2.89) and those who rejected the endorsement of HIV stigma and discrimination (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.39, 3.81) were more likely to have adequate knowledge about the MTCT of HIV.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, there is an urgent need to offer women living with HIV in Malawi the opportunity to increase their knowledge of MTCT of HIV if the country is to make progress towards the elimination of MTCT of HIV as part of the overall strategy to contain new HIV infections in the country.
Enhancement of light hydrocarbon production from polypropylene waste by HZSM-11-catalyzed pyrolysis
Authors: Lee Heesue , Lim Sam Yeol , Fu Shuting , Kim Yong Tae , Lee Jechan
Published: April 2024

Herein, a mixture of real polypropylene (PP) waste was pyrolyzed with a HZSM-11 catalyst as a potential method to recover light hydrocarbons (C ≤ 12), the potential feedstock for value-added chemicals and fuels, from polyolefin plastic waste. Using the HZSM-11 in the PP waste mixture pyrolysis noticeably improved the yield of gas pyrolysate and oil in compensation for the yield of wax (i.e. hydrocarbons of C > 20) and solid residue particularly at a higher temperature. In addition, the selectivity of C3–C12 in the PP-waste mixture-derived pyrolysate was markedly increased by the HZSM-11. The highest yield of light hydrocarbons was ≈40 wt% (per mass of the feedstock) achieved at 700 °C with the HZSM-11 catalyst. Despite 7.9 wt% coke deposition on the HZSM-11 after its use in the pyrolysis of the PP waste mixture, the catalyst could be reusable for at least three times after regeneration. The experimental results demonstrate that HZSM-11 has the potential for being a promising catalyst to valorize polyolefin waste into value-added chemicals.
Risk factors for hospitalization in Mexican patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: García-Cañas Iveth Eunice , Cuevas-Orta Enrique , Herrera-Van Oostdam David Alejandro , Abud-Mendoza Carlos , Group LUNPOS
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that often requires hospitalization. Most hospitalizations are due to infections and/or disease activity, for which several risk factors have been described in non-Mestizo patients.

Objective

To identify risk factors for hospitalization in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

This was an observational case-control study of patients with SLE in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, evaluated from January 2019 to October 2020. We compared hospitalized lupus patients with non-hospitalized lupus patients. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression to describe potential risk factors.

Results

Of a total of 202 patients, 89 (45.1%) were hospitalized; these patients were younger, had shorter disease duration, higher disease activity scores (systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index-SLEDAI), and more accumulated damage than non-hospitalized patients. The primary reasons for hospitalization were disease activity (60.7%), kidney disease, infection, and drug toxicity (5.6%). Multivariate analysis revealed several risk factors associated with hospitalization, including elevated creatinine, C-reactive protein, neutrophil levels, and constitutional symptoms, while prolonged international normalized ratio (INR), longer stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and vasopressor use were associated with mortality. The use of antimalarials was a protective factor against hospitalization. Survival analysis revealed that patients with hospital-acquired infections had a lower probability of survival.

Conclusions

Disease activity was the most common reason for hospitalization; kidney, constitutional, and hematological factors were associated with hospitalization; and the use of antimalarial was a protective factor for hospitalization.
Oral lesions of systemic lupus erythematosus: A collaborative Latin American study
Authors: de Arruda José Alcides Almeida , Villarroel-Dorrego Mariana , Freire Clara Herrera , Molina-Ávila Ignacio , Pimentel-Solá Juan Martin , Gilligan Gerardo , Piemonte Eduardo , Panico René , Panico Juan Cruz Romero , Aranda-Romo Saray , Tejeda-Nava Francisco Javier , Israel Mônica Simões , Cunha John Lennon Silva , de Medeiros Vanessa Alves , Nonaka Cassiano Francisco Weege , Alves Pollianna Muniz , Cavalcante Israel Leal , Ventura José Victor Lemos , de Lima Fernanda Silva , Drumond Victor Zanetti , Abreu Lucas Guimarães , Silva Tarcília Aparecida , Fonseca Felipe Paiva , Mesquita Ricardo Alves , Martínez-Flores René , Cordero-Torres Karina , Ahumada-Ossandón Richard , Guzmán Jorge , Toro Raiza , Xavier-Júnior José Cândido Caldeira , Sousa-Neto Sebastião Silvério , Arantes Diego Antônio Costa , Mendonça Elismauro Francisco , Palma Victor de Mello , de Oliveira Márcia Gaiger , Visioli Fernanda , Ortega Karem L , Tenório Jefferson R , de Andrade Bruno Augusto Benevenuto
Published: April 2024

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease that may affect the oral mucosa. The variable spectrum of oral lesions observed in SLE can pose challenges in diagnosis, particularly when the lesions occur in isolation. The aim of this study was to describe the oral lesions occurring in patients with SLE from Latin America.

Methods

This collaborative record-based study involving 11 oral and maxillofacial pathology and medicine services across Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico describes the clinicopathological profile of SLE-related oral lesions.

Results

Seventy patients with SLE and oral lesions were included in the study. The majority were females (75.7%; female/male ratio: 3.1:1) and white (62.1%), with a mean age of 38.4 years (range: 11–77 years). The most common site of oral lesions was the hard/soft palate (32.0%). Clinically, oral lesions predominantly presented as ulcers (26.6%), erosions (26.6%), and white lesions (23.4%). Isolated oral lesions occurred in 65.2% of individuals, while cutaneous manifestations occurred in 80.3%. The main clinical diagnostic hypothesis in 71.4% of cases was an immune-mediated disease. Oral biopsies followed by histopathological analysis were performed in 50 cases.

Conclusion

Oral lesions of SLE exhibit a variety of clinical and histopathological features. A key point in diagnosis is that unusual oral changes without an obvious local cause may indicate a possible systemic condition presenting with oral lesions. A multidisciplinary approach, which includes regular oral examination, is warranted to identify oral lesions and provide treatment.
Causal rule ensemble method for estimating heterogeneous treatment effect with consideration of prognostic effects
Authors: Hiraishi Mayu , Wan Ke , Tanioka Kensuke , Yadohisa Hiroshi , Shimokawa Toshio
Published: April 2024

We propose a novel framework based on the RuleFit method to estimate heterogeneous treatment effect in randomized clinical trials. The proposed method estimates a rule ensemble comprising a set of prognostic rules, a set of prescriptive rules, as well as the linear effects of the original predictor variables. The prescriptive rules provide an interpretable description of the heterogeneous treatment effect. By including a prognostic term in the proposed model, the selected rule is represented as an heterogeneous treatment effect that excludes other effects. We confirmed that the performance of the proposed method was equivalent to that of other ensemble learning methods through numerical simulations and demonstrated the interpretation of the proposed method using a real data application.
How secure memorization promotes expression: A longitudinal case study of performing Chopin’s Barcarolle, Op. 60
Authors: Chaffin Roger , Gerling Cristina Capparelli , Demos Alexander P.
Published: April 2024

Experienced musicians can perform reliably from memory because they prepare performance cues (PCs) that allow them to recover when performance is disrupted. We describe a longitudinal case study in which a pianist (the second author) learned and performed Chopin’s Barcarolle, Op. 60, over a 12-year period. The pianist provided PC reports for 28 performances, starting a month before her first public performance. Shortly after each performance, she marked the features of the music that guided her playing (PCs) on a clean copy of the score, distinguishing five types of PC: structural, Schenkerian (tonal elaborations), expressive, interpretive, and basic. Structural PCs predominated at first and were later replaced by expressive and Schenkerian PCs. PCs were more frequent at structural boundaries than at other locations. This boundary effect was larger under typical, compared to atypical performance conditions, and increased over time, suggesting that the main function of PCs was promoting expression rather than guarding against mistakes. Although the pianist’s initial purpose in learning to use PCs was to have a safety net in case of memory failure, she was surprised to find that she enjoyed playing with PCs and believed they helped her to play more expressively.
Theories of Relational Health in Interpersonal Violence Research: A Scoping Review
Authors: Miller Emily K. , Gillani Braveheart , O’Donnell Kari A.
Published: April 2024

Interpersonal violence is a pervasive public health problem that leads to emotional, behavioral, and physical health challenges. Theoretically, sound research examining protective factors, such as relational health, is imperative for developing effective interventions. However, the use of relational health theories in existing research needs to be better understood within the literature and should be further explored. Using scoping review methodology, 23 theories of relational health were identified in the research literature. Attachment theory and emotional security theory were the most frequently utilized. The remaining studies drew on a wide range of theories, including relational cultural theory, social support theories, and others. Findings highlight the complexities of relational experiences in interpersonal violence contexts. Future research should seek a more comprehensive understanding of the inclusion and application of relational health theories.
Incorporating Creativity into Relational Cultural Theory in Couples Counseling
Authors: Sophir Gabriella , Koltz Rebecca
Published: April 2024

This article explores the integration of creativity into relational-cultural therapy (RCT) with couples, emphasizing the potential for creative interventions to enhance clients’ understanding of self and others while promoting relational growth. RCT, rooted in the acknowledgment of chronic disconnection as a source of human suffering, focuses on meaningful interdependence and connection as essential for well-being. Despite the documented benefits of creative techniques in couples therapy, there is a gap in the literature regarding the use of creative interventions within RCT couples counseling. The article argues that incorporating creativity within RCT couples counseling facilitates the development of a common language and understanding of RCT concepts among couples. It provides an overview of RCT concepts, discusses the rationale and research supporting the integration of creativity with RCT and couples work, and offers five creative RCT-based interventions: Reflecting on the relationship, creating a context constellation, honoring strategies of disconnection, visualizing relational images, and exploring shame and authenticity. Each intervention is designed to align with RCT principles, encouraging clients to explore their identities, relational dynamics, and strategies of disconnection in a creative and experiential manner. The article emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and non-judgmental therapeutic space, where clients and counselors can collaboratively engage in these creative activities. Overall, the integration of creativity into RCT couples counseling aims to promote vulnerability, mutual empathy, and strengthened connection within the therapeutic relationship and the couple's dyad.
Introducing Diagnostic Classification Modeling as an Unsupervised Method for Screening Probable Eating Disorders
Authors: Zhang Jihong , Cui Shuqi , Xu Yinuo , Cui Tianxiang , Barnhart Wesley R. , Ji Feng , Nagata Jason M. , He Jinbo
Published: April 2024

Screening for eating disorders (EDs) is an essential part of the prevention and intervention of EDs. Traditional screening methods mostly rely on predefined cutoff scores which have limitations of generalizability and may produce biased results when the cutoff scores are used in populations where the instruments or cutoff scores have not been validated. Compared to the traditional cutoff score approach, the diagnostic classification modeling (DCM) approach can provide psychometric and classification information simultaneously and has been used for diagnosing mental disorders. In the present study, we introduce DCM as an innovative and alternative approach to screening individuals at risk of EDs. To illustrate the practical utility of DCM, we provide two examples: one involving the application of DCM to examine probable ED status from the 12-item Short form of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-QS) to screen probable thinness-oriented EDs and the Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET) to screen probable muscularity-oriented EDs.
Patient-led research and displacements of biomedical knowledge production, distribution, and consumption
Authors: Strand Dixi Louise , Holen Mari
Published: April 2024

Patient and Public Involvement in Research (PPIR) has become an increasingly prevalent and integral part of biomedical research. In this paper, we focus on patient-led research, taking as our case the construction of new biomedical knowledge regarding the rare disease ADNP syndrome. Specifically, we seek to understand how concepts of experiential knowledge and lay expertise become integral to rather than separate from scientific expertise. In the case of ADNP, the parent-led research “mimes” biomedical knowledge practices in a way that, on the one hand, enhances the legitimacy of science and scientific expertise, and on the other displaces and transforms science by the fact that other knowledge agents (patients, next-of-kin) enter these practices.
Slenderness limit for reinforced ultra-high-performance concrete columns
Authors: Wang Qiwu , Peng Fei , Fang Zhi
Published: April 2024

The use of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) allows for much smaller cross-sections compared to conventional reinforced concrete columns, which may make reinforced UHPC (R-UHPC) columns more susceptible to slenderness effects. Currently, there is no guideline in design standards for the slenderness limit of R-UHPC columns. This paper, therefore, attempts to develop a design provision for determining the slenderness limit of R-UHPC columns. Firstly, a numerical analytical model was proposed for predicting the load-deflection of R-UHPC columns under eccentric loading, which was validated by comparing its predictions with available experimental results from the available literature. Based on the validated model, a parametric study was then conducted to determine the key parameters affecting the slenderness limit of R-UHPC columns. It was found that the slenderness limit corresponding to the 5% strength reduction was sensitive to the ultimate compressive strain of UHPC, the tensile strength of UHPC, and the reinforcement ratio. On this basis, a design equation for the slenderness limit of R-UHPC columns in single curvature was statistically derived. Additionally, the slenderness limit for R-UHPC columns in non-sway frames was also proposed in a convenient form for design procedures.
Transferring paternalistic entrepreneurial leadership behaviours (PELB): Chinese organisations in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Qixun Siebers Lisa
Published: April 2024

This article evaluates the processes of transferring managerial and leadership practices of Chinese entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). From the lens of paternalism, we investigate Chinese entrepreneurs’ behaviours towards their African employees in Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa (SA). Through 148 interviews (with 127 interviewees) from 78 organisations, we explain how the Chinese paternalistic entrepreneurial leadership behaviours (PELB) are legitimised, transformed, and resisted in African settings. Chinese leaders adopt a nurturing approach to transfer managerial and leadership behaviours within paternalistic cultures in the development of their organisations in SSA. We articulate the types of Chinese PELB that help to sustain Chinese organisational development and those that hinder this process in SSA.
Channel-attention-based LSTM network for modeling temperature-induced responses of cable-stayed bridges
Authors: Liao Yuchen , Zhang Ruiyang , Zong Zhouhong , Wu Gang
Published: April 2024

Temperature has a significant impact on cable-stayed bridges, yielding structural responses comparable to those from vehicular loads, winds, etc. However, advanced numerical techniques for evaluating long-term temperature-induced responses (TIRs) of cable-stayed bridges are complicated and computationally inefficient. Therefore, this study leverages recent advances in deep learning and develops a channel-attention-based bidirectional long short-term memory network (CABLe) to directly get the complex mapping between structural temperatures and TIRs from the monitoring data. The key concept behind is the proposed channel attention mechanism (CAM), where its attention weights are calculated using a cosine similarity between latent sequential features to find the most informative contents of the signal. A comparison study is conducted with the bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) to show the benefits of the proposed CAM. The proposed method successfully predicts TIRs of a cable-stayed bridge using the imbalanced data. Results indicate that the CABLe outperforms the BiLSTM network and shows a high prediction accuracy with unseen temperature data.
Unmasking the Struggle: A Scoping Review Exploring Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Caregivers of Individuals with Neurodevelopmental, Psychiatric and Neurocognitive Disorders
Authors: Lim Jan Mei , Barlas Joanna , Kaur Divjyot , Ng Pamela
Published: April 2024

The impact of caregiving on caregivers’ mental health is typically considered within the caregiver stress and burden literature; however, more recently, research has investigated the experience of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in caregivers. As an emerging area of research, it is timely to conduct a scoping review to map the existing literature in relation to PTSS among adult caregivers of children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), neurocognitive disorders, and psychiatric disorders. The scoping review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines and Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage methodology framework. Published and unpublished gray literature between 2005 and 2022 was included in the scoping review. Nine thousand one hundred and twenty-five studies were originally identified for screening and 22 studies were selected for inclusion in the final review. Trauma and PTSS experienced by NDD caregivers were related to news breaking, NDD diagnosis, and behavioral issues, whereas caregivers of individuals with psychosis reported aggression and violence as traumatic events. Studies showed that up to half of caregivers reported PTSS, although no conclusions could be drawn about prevalence rates. A wide variety of tools measuring PTSS were used across the 22 studies. Many symptoms of PTSS were reported by caregivers, and cognitive appraisals were associated with PTSS in caregivers. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing the impact of trauma in caregiver mental health and the potential value of using traumatic stress frameworks with these populations. Research should be expanded to establish prevalence rates and to examine the long-term impact of trauma on caregiving as caregivers and care recipients age.
River Epilepsy—A Preventable Form of Epilepsy
Authors: Widdess-Walsh Peter
Published: April 2024

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Genetic Testing in the Presurgical Evaluation of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Bells and Whistles or Nuts and Bolts?
Authors: Karakis Ioannis
Published: April 2024

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Safety and Effectiveness of Abre Self-Expanding Venous Stent for Treatment of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Authors: An Thomas J. , McNamara Stephanie L. , Ardestani Ali , Zurkiya Omar , Cahalane Alexis , Stecker Michael S. , Epelboym Yan , Burch Ezra , Desai Khanant , Kalva Sanjeeva P.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is a constellation of symptoms that results from partial or complete SVC obstruction. Endovascular SVC stenting is an effective treatment for SVC syndrome with rapid clinical efficacy and low risk of complications. In this study, we assess the technical and clinical outcomes of a cohort of patients with SVC syndrome treated with the AbreTM self-expanding venous stent (Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, MN, USA).

Methods

An institutional database was used to retrospectively identify patients with SVC syndrome treated with AbreTM venous self-expanding stent placement between 2021-2023. Patient demographic data, technical outcomes, treatment effectiveness, and adverse events were obtained from the electronic medical record. Nineteen patients (mean age 58.6) were included in the study. Thirteen interventions were performed for malignant compression of the SVC, 5 for central venous catheter-related SVC stenosis, and 1 for HD fistula-related SVC stenosis refractory to angioplasty.

Results

Primary patency was achieved in 93% of patients (17/19). Two patients (7%) required re-intervention with thrombolysis and angioplasty within 30 days post-stenting. Mean duration of clinical and imaging follow-up were 228.7 ± 52.7 and 258.7 ± 62.1 days, respectively. All patients with clinical follow-up experienced significant improvement in clinical symptoms post-intervention. No stent related complications were identified post-intervention.

Conclusions

Treatment of SVC syndrome with the AbreTM self-expanding venous stent has high rates of technical and clinical success. No complications related to stent placement were identified in this study.
Exploring the Structural Plasticity Mechanism of Corticospinal Tract during Stroke Rehabilitation Based Automated Fiber Quantification Tractography
Authors: Zhang Haojie , Zhao Jun , Fan Lingzhong , Wu Xia , Li Fang , Liu Jingya , Bai Chen , Li Xingzhu , Li Bingjie , Zhang Tong
Published: April 2024

Background

Corticospinal tract (CST) is the principal motor pathway; we aim to explore the structural plasticity mechanism in CST during stroke rehabilitation.

Methods

A total of 25 patients underwent diffusion tensor imaging before rehabilitation (T1), 1-month post-rehabilitation (T2), 2 months post-rehabilitation (T3), and 1-year post-discharge (T4). The CST was segmented, and fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusion (AD), mean diffusivity (MD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were determined using automated fiber quantification tractography. Baseline level of laterality index (LI) and motor function for correlation analysis.

Results

The FA values of all segments in the ipsilesional CST (IL-CST) were lower compared with normal CST. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed time-related effects on FA, AD, and MD of the IL-CST, and there were similar dynamic trends in these 3 parameters. At T1, FA, AD, and MD values of the mid-upper segments of IL-CST (around the core lesions) were the lowest; at T2 and T3, values for the mid-lower segments were lower than those at T1, while the values for the mid-upper segments gradually increased; at T4, the values for almost entire IL-CST were higher than before. The highest LI was observed at T2, with a predominance in contralesional CST. The LIs for the FA and AD at T1 were positively correlated with the change rate of motor function.

Conclusions

IL-CST showed aggravation followed by improvement from around the lesion to the distal end. Balance of interhemispheric CST may be closely related to motor function, and LIs for FA and AD may have predictive value for mild-to-moderate stroke rehabilitation. Clinical Trial Registration. URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn ; Unique Identifier: ChiCTR1800019474.
‘He came as a Boy and Returned as a Man’ – Field Research, Parenting and Masculinity in Northern Uganda
Authors: Schulz Philipp
Published: April 2024

Despite growing engagement with researchers’ positionalities and applications of reflexivity, considerations for researchers’ identities and experiences as parents remain under-developed. In particular, reflections about conducting research in the presence of one’s family continue to be a marginal topic in discussions about research methods, ethics and fieldwork. More recently, a small body of literature on the family dimensions of conducting fieldwork has begun to emerge. Most of this existing work relates specifically to the discipline of anthropology, and is often focused specifically on the experiences of mothers and motherhood. Significantly less has been written, however, about the experiences of fathers conducting fieldwork, and related questions about parenting, masculinity and field research. This article intends to counter these tendencies, by reflecting on my experiences of conducting field research in northern Uganda in the company of my wife and my two young children. I reflect on the practical and logistics aspects of this, and specifically on the methodological and ethical components of accompanied fieldwork, and the ways in which my family’s presence in the field impacted upon the knowledge production and research process. I specifically argue that conducting accompanied fieldwork carries immediate implications for researcher positionalities and relationalities with interlocutors. I specifically reflect on how my identity as a father shaped how I was perceived by my research participants, and how it enabled me to build new and different relationships with my interlocutors – thereby contributing to debates about positionality and reflexivity. Such transparent reflections, I hope, will be of interest for others embarking on field research within the presence of their families in the future, and seek to contribute towards a process of raising awareness, facilitating exchanges within the academy and increasing institutional support for accompanied fieldwork.
Peter Goodrich as I Imagine Him: The Man, the Mos, the Legendre
Authors: Giddens Thomas
Published: April 2024

Goodrich’s law veers towards the invisible. Obsessed with images, his concerns are invariably with what cannot be seen. Detectable in his work is always a desire to see the invisible, to capture the articulation of immaterial principle, structure, and imaginal form. To witness an image, and acknowledge it as—at best—an entry point to the infinite depths, mobility, and power of an unseen realm. Across the corpus of his work, this relentless desire produces an emergent jurisprudence that interrogates the formation and appearance of the juristic itself, sought across a range of contexts, but always tracing the invisible movements of principle and doctrine and their dogmatic control that lurk beyond the surface of the text, the madnesses of legal desire and their symptomatic structures and traditions of reading. This paper, encountering and working solely within the archive of Goodrich’s published work, constructs for its reader an overview of my own imaginary form of the man himself, followed by an articulation of the traditions—the mos—of interpretive practices he and his work (if they are separable) can be imagined to excavate from law’s own archive of images, leading—irrefragably—to the Legendrean stage upon which Goodrich builds his jurisprudential show.
Low-frequency electroacupuncture exerts antinociceptive effects through activation of POMC neural circuit induced endorphinergic input to the periaqueductal gray from the arcuate nucleus
Authors: Wang Qian , Li Zhonghao , Nie Dengyun , Mu Xinru , Wang Yuxuan , Jiang Yongwei , Zhang Yongchen , Lu Zhigang
Published: April 2024

It has been widely recognized that electroacupuncture (EA) inducing the release of β-endorphin represents a crucial mechanism of EA analgesia. The arcuate nucleus (ARC) in the hypothalamus is a vital component of the endogenous opioid peptide system. Serving as an integration center, the periaqueductal gray (PAG) receives neural fiber projections from the frontal cortex, insular cortex, and ARC. However, the specific mechanisms how EA facilitates the release of β-endorphin within the ARC, eliciting analgesic effects are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments by transcriptomics, microdialysis, photogenetics, chemical genetics, and calcium imaging, combined with transgenic animals. Firstly, we detected 2 Hz EA at the Zusanli (ST36) increased the level of β-endorphin and transcriptional level of proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Our transcriptomics profiling demonstrated that 2 Hz EA at the ST36 modulates the expression of c-Fos and Jun B in ARC brain nuclear cluster, and the transcriptional regulation of 2 Hz EA mainly occur in POMC neurons by Immunofluorescence staining verification. Meaning while, 2 Hz EA specifically activated the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway in ARC which mediating the c-Fos and Jun B transcription, and 2 Hz EA analgesia is dependent on the activation of cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway in ARC. In order to investigate how the β-endorphin produced in ARC transfer to integration center PAG, transneuronal tracing technology was used to observe the 2 Hz EA promoted the neural projection from ARC to PAG compared to 100 Hz EA and sham mice. Inhibited PAGGABA neurons, the transfer of β-endorphin from the ARC nucleus to the PAG nucleus through the ARCPOMC-PAGGABA neural circuit. Furthermore, by manipulating the excitability of POMC neurons from ARCPOMC to PAGGABA using inhibitory chemogenetics and optogenetics, we found that this inhibition significantly reduced transfer of β-endorphin from the ARC nucleus to the PAG nucleus and the effectiveness of 2 Hz EA analgesia in neurological POMC cyclization recombination enzyme (Cre) mice and C57BL/6J mice, which indicates that the transfer of β-endorphin depends on the activation of POMC neurons prefect from ARCPOMC to PAGGABA. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural circuitry underlying the EA pain-relieving effects and maybe provide valuable insights for optimizing EA stimulation parameters in clinical pain treatment using the in vivo dynamic visual investigating the central analgesic mechanism.