bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An efficient snow flake schema with hash map using SHA-256 based on data masking for securing employee data
Authors: Bharath Tumkur Shankaregowda , Channakrishnaraju Channakrishnaraju
Published: November 2024

In various organizations and enterprises, data masking is used to store sensitive data efficiently and securely. The data encryption and secret-sharing-based data deploying strategies secure privacy of subtle attributes but not secrecy. To solve this problem, the novel snowflake schema with the hash map using secure hash algorithm-256 (SHA-256) is proposed for the data masking. SHA-256 approach combines data masking by secret sharing for relational databases to secure both privacy as well as the confidentiality of secret employee data. The data masking approach supports preserving and protecting the privacy of sensitive and complex employee data. The data masking is developed on selected database fields to cover the sensitive data in the set of query outcomes. The proposed method embeds one or multiple secret attributes about multiple cover attributes in a similar relational database. The proposed method is validated through different performance metrics such as peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and error rate (ER) and it achieves the values of 50.084dB and 0.0281 when compared to the existing methods like Huffman-based lossless image coding and quad-tree partitioning and integer wavelet transform (IWT).
Detrimental Effect of Acute Hyperglycemia on the Outcomes of Large Ischemic Region Stroke
Authors: Tanaka Kanta , Yoshimoto Takeshi , Koge Junpei , Yamagami Hiroshi , Imamura Hirotoshi , Sakai Nobuyuki , Uchida Kazutaka , Beppu Mikiya , Matsumaru Yuji , Matsumoto Yasushi , Kimura Kazumi , Ishikura Reiichi , Inoue Manabu , Sakakibara Fumihiro , Morimoto Takeshi , Yoshimura Shinichi , Toyoda Kazunori ,   the RESCUE‐Japan LIMIT Investigators
Published: November 2024

Background

Although endovascular therapy (EVT) is effective for large ischemic region strokes, the impact of hyperglycemia remains unclear.

Methods and Results

We analyzed data from the RESCUE‐Japan LIMIT (Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra‐Acute Embolism‐Japan Large Ischemic Core) trial, which randomized stroke patients with Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score of 3 to 5 to EVT versus medical management. Outcomes were compared among patients with normoglycemia (<140 mg/dL), moderate hyperglycemia (≥140, <180 mg/dL), and severe hyperglycemia (≥180 mg/dL) on admission. Among 200 patients (median age 76.5 years, median glucose level 131 mg/dL, EVT 50%), diabetes prevalence was 10.0%, 18.4%, and 71.0% in the groups with normoglycemia (n=120), moderate hyperglycemia (n=49), and severe hyperglycemia (n=31), respectively. Achievement of modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 3 at 90 days was less frequent in the group with severe hyperglycemia (6.5%) than in the groups with normoglycemia (25.0%) and moderate hyperglycemia (24.5%), with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 1.48 (95% CI, 0.59–3.72) for moderate and 0.17 (95% CI, 0.03–0.95) for severe hyperglycemia relative to normoglycemia. The risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was higher for moderate hyperglycemia (6.1%; aOR, 2.86 [95% CI, 0.42–19.71]) and particularly for severe hyperglycemia (25.8%; aOR, 18.59 [95% CI, 2.47–139.87]) compared with normoglycemia (2.5%). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rates were similar for EVT and medical management in normoglycemia (1.6% versus 3.4%) and moderate hyperglycemia (5.0% versus 6.9%), but for severe hyperglycemia, the rate was higher in patients with EVT (36.8%) than in those without (8.3%).

Conclusions

Severe hyperglycemia was associated with worse functional prognosis and increased symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in large ischemic region strokes.

Registration

URL: 
https://clinicaltrials.gov
. Identifier: NCT03702413.
Mediation Analysis of Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 20 and Poor Prognosis After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Chen Keyang , Huang Wenting , Hu Beilei , Fu Fangwang , Cao Yungang , Xu Huiqin , Ruan Lixin , Li Yongang , Li Yan , Chen Jun , Liang Fei , Wang Xue , Du Xudong , Lin Li , Li Xiaokun
Published: November 2024

Background

We aimed to examine the relationship between serum FGF20 (fibroblast growth factor 20) levels and stroke prognosis in a multicenter cohort study.

Methods and Results

Patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack were prospectively recruited from 5 participating centers and followed up at 3 months and 1 year. FGF20 levels were measured using the ELISA method. The primary outcome was poor stroke functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 3–6), and secondary outcomes included death and composite vascular events. Multivariable logistic regression analysis or Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was employed to estimate the relationship between FGF20 and study outcomes. Mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediating effects of traditional risk factors on the association between FGF20 and stroke outcomes. A total of 1011 patients with ischemic stroke were included in the study. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, an elevated serum FGF20 level was associated with a reduced risk of the poor outcome and death. Multivariable adjusted spline regression analysis demonstrated a linear correlation between serum FGF20 levels and the stroke outcomes. The incorporation of FGF20 alongside conventional risk factors marginally enhanced the reclassification of adverse outcomes. Renal function and white blood cell count partially mediated the relationship between FGF20 and the prognosis of ischemic stroke.

Conclusions

Elevated FGF20 level is associated with decreased risks of adverse outcomes after ischemic stroke, which was partially mediated by renal function and white blood cells with a modest amount, indicating that serum FGF20 might serve as a promising biomarker for predicting stroke prognosis.

Registration

URL:
https://www.chictr.org.cn
; Unique identifier: ChiCTR2100051104.
Genetic Determinants of Left Atrial Function Are Associated With Stroke
Authors: Vad Oliver B. , Paludan‐Müller Christian , Diederichsen Søren Z. , McKaige Emily A. , Monfort Laia M. , Lundegaard Pia R. , Bertelsen Litten , Andreasen Laura , Svendsen Jesper H. , Olesen Morten S.
Published: November 2024

Background

While atrial fibrillation (AF) is a key risk factor for stroke, recent studies have suggested that atrial cardiomyopathy may also increase stroke risk in the absence of AF. This study aimed to evaluate genetic determinants for left atrial (LA) function and volumes and risk of stroke.

Methods and Results

Polygenic scores (PGSs) for LA measures were constructed and used in 380 017 individuals in the UK Biobank, without history of ischemic stroke, systemic arterial embolism, or AF at enrollment. Risk of ischemic stroke was estimated using time‐to‐event models, considering all‐cause death and incident AF as competing events. Systemic arterial embolism was investigated as a secondary end point. The PGS for LA passive emptying fraction was associated with risk of ischemic stroke. Individuals with a PGS for LA passive emptying fraction in the lowest quartile had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.12 for ischemic stroke compared with those in the top quartile (
P
=0.004). These associations were robust in a subgroup free of prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline (HR for lowest quartile versus top quartile, 1.22;
P
<0.001). No associations were found for 4 other PGSs for LA measures or for risk of systemic arterial embolism. Two‐sample Mendelian randomization was conducted between LA measures and cardioembolic stroke and indicated a protective effect of higher LA functional measurements.

Conclusions

The PGS for LA passive emptying fraction was significantly associated with incident ischemic stroke when considering AF as a competing risk. Consistent results were found in Mendelian randomization analyses. These findings suggest that atrial dysfunction may influence stroke risk independently of AF.
Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Coronary Artery Disease in the Setting of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Pintea Bentea Georgiana , Berdaoui Brahim , Morissens Marielle , van de Borne Philippe , Castro Rodriguez Jose
Published: November 2024

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease are frequently associated and, when so, lead to a grim prognosis. Recent studies suggest the presence of interconnected pathophysiological pathways between the 2 conditions that can promote and aggravate each other, igniting a vicious cycle. Notwithstanding, in contrast with the attention dedicated to the management of antithrombotic treatment, research on other aspects of coronary artery disease in AF is only recently gaining traction. The clinical impact of correct assessment of coronary artery stenosis in AF is especially high, due to the antithrombotic therapy imposed by both AF and coronary stenting. Until recently, an in‐depth characterization of coronary microcirculation in AF was lacking. However, contemporary studies indicate that coronary microvascular dysfunction is a frequent encounter in AF, possibly explaining the ischemic symptoms even in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease and interfering with the use of pressure‐based indices to evaluate the hemodynamic significance of coronary artery stenosis. This comprehensive review addresses our current knowledge on coronary physiology in AF and its repercussion on the invasive management of coronary artery disease in this setting.
Spiritualisation of the Coronavirus in Africa
Authors: Tinashe Nenjerama Theophilus , Matanzima Joshua
Published: November 2024

The advent of the coronavirus pandemic shook the globe. The prevalence of the pandemic was interpreted differently in different quarters. African religious leaders also interpreted the pandemic spiritually. In the beginning of the pandemic the prophets reiterated their past prophecies about the disease from the sea that would rock the world. For many contemporary prophets the emergence of this disease was a confirmation of prophecy. This paper assesses the ways in which coronavirus has been spiritualised. In so doing it underscores the inextricable nexus between disease and religion. The study uses the case of the Nigerian prophet TB Joshua and the Zimbabwean prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa, and critically engages with the myriad ways by which coronavirus was interpreted through a spiritual lens by both. Where relevant, the study compares their prophecies. The article argues that some of the theologies behind the interpretation call for a close analysis in terms of their impact on the community of the followers of both Joshua and Makandiwa. Critical Discourse Analysis is used to analyse the prophesies of these two prophets about the virus during the pandemic.
The Role of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Shaping India’s Foreign Policy towards the European Union since 2014
Authors: Jaskólska Aleksandra
Published: November 2024

The article aims to analyze the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in shaping India’s foreign policy towards the European Union (EU). The article hypothesizes that the BJP, the political party in power since 2014, is the main domestic political actor that impacts India’s foreign policy towards the EU. Its strategy towards the EU is influenced not only by domestic factors but also by external ones. Firstly, the article assesses the formal and informal mechanisms the BJP uses to shape Indian foreign policy. Next, it identifies the main factors influencing the BJP’s foreign policy toward the EU. Finally, it evaluates the importance of the BJP, as an example of a domestic actor, in forming India’s foreign policy toward the EU.
Care Labor and Family Income Inequality: How Childcare Costs Exacerbate Inequality among U.S. Families
Authors: Gonalons-Pons Pilar , Marinescu Ioana
Published: November 2024

Care infrastructures are essential for supporting families and enabling women’s participation in the labor market, but they also have implications for family income inequality. This article examines access to childcare services in the United States as a case study. We propose that market-priced childcare systems generate inequalities in how births affect mothers’ contributions to family income, because they constrain post-birth labor supply for lower-income women more than for higher-income women, and aggravate family income inequality as a result. Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) merged with state-level childcare prices, we estimate individual fixed-effects regression models for the consequences of births on family income and its proximate determinants: mothers’ labor supply and earnings, and partners’ labor supply and earnings. We find that childcare prices increase post-birth earnings losses for mothers without college degrees, but not for mothers with college degrees, and these losses are not compensated for by increases in partners’ earnings or by income transfers. As a result, childcare costs exacerbate family income gaps between partnered women with and without a college degree by 34 percentage points.
15q24 Duplication: A Case Report of Neurodevelopmental Delay
Authors: Cámara-Domínguez Agustín , Stuart-Aguiar Alexandra Margaret , Fuentes-Canto Nicte-Há Asunción , Cervera-Rosado Andrea , Azotla-Vilchis Cuauhtli Nacxitl , Márquez-Quiroz Luz del Carmen , Vargas-Méndez Rodrigo , Contreras-Capetillo Silvina Noemí
Published: November 2024

Chromosomal rearrangements are structural anomalies that affect chromosomal architecture and can impact gene expression, genomic imprinting, or even generate de novo gene fusions, as seen in hematological chromosomal aberrations. Chromosomal rearrangements can be associated with syndromes causing neurodevelopmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, and variable dysmorphic features. This article presents the clinical and molecular characteristics of a 2-year-old male child with neurodevelopmental delay who was diagnosed with a chromosomal rearrangement due to a 15q24 duplication (dup15q24). The 15q24 locus presents controversy between the phenotype associated with duplication and deletion, thus posing a challenge in differential diagnosis for both. The phenotypes of autism spectrum disorder and pediatric patients with language delay should be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team comprising genetics, pediatrics, and pediatric neurology to shorten the diagnostic odyssey for patients with rare diseases and to impact the quality of life of the patient and their family.
Exploring the Moderating Effects of Incidental Emotions on Rewards for Encouraging Hotel Guests’ Towel Reuse Behavior
Authors: Wong Phoebe , Wan Calvin
Published: November 2024

Promoting sustainable practices to hotel guests, such as towel reuse, can help reduce the hotel industry’s environmental impact and raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. However, little is known about how hotel guests’ incidental emotions that arise incidentally (not intentionally induced) influence the effectiveness of rewards in promoting sustainable behavior. This study adopts the Appraisal Tendency Framework (ATF) to examine the interaction effect of incidental emotions (hope vs. fear) and reward certainty on tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors. The study employs a 2 × 2 between-subject experimental design (Incidental emotions: hope vs. fear) × (Reward types: certainty vs uncertainty). The findings show that there are significant interaction effects of incidental emotions and (un)certain monetary rewards on guests’ towel reuse behavior. The research has both theoretical implications for research on reward types and incidental emotions and practical implications for designing and implementing rewards to encourage pro-environmental behaviors.
Factors Predicting Sustained Implementation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Authors: Kittelman Angus , McIntosh Kent , Mercer Sterett H. , Nese Rhonda N. T. , So SoLing , George Heather Peshak
Published: November 2024

Sustained implementation of effective behavior support systems and practices is critical for improving academic and behavior outcomes for students with and without disabilities. Although implementation studies have identified variables facilitating sustained implementation of Tier 1 behavior support systems in schools, little research exists examining Tier 2 and 3 behavior support systems. The purpose of this 5-year prospective study was to identify practice, school, and district variables facilitating sustained implementation of Tiers 2 and 3 behavior support systems in schools. The sample included 646 schools implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) across 23 U.S. states. Using structural equation modeling, we found several key variables to be predictive of sustained implementation (sustained implementation and implementation quality) of Tier 2 (Tiers 1 and 2 fidelity in Year 1 and a general Tiers 2 and 3 sustainability factor) and Tier 3 behavior support systems (Tier 1 and Tier 3 fidelity in Year 1 and a general Tiers 2 and 3 sustainability factor). Implications for how district and school leadership teams can improve sustained implementation of Tiers 2 and 3 behavior support systems are discussed.
Research on the Expansion-Contraction Difference and Limit Degree in ancient Chinese planetary theory: The case of outer planets
Authors: Tang 唐泉 Quan , Wang 王振華 Zhenhua
Published: November 2024

Planetary Expansion-Contraction Difference ( Ying suo cha盈縮差) in ancient Chinese planetary theory was mainly used to correct non-uniform motion of the planet. The independent variable of planetary Expansion-Contraction Difference is the Argument Degree Entry ( Ru li du入曆度) of the planet, which is related to the Limit Degree ( Xian du限度) in the table of planetary Grades of Motion ( Wu xing dong tai biao五星動態表). In this paper, we mainly discuss astronomical meanings of the Expansion-Contraction Difference and Limit Degree of the outer planets. First, we go through the historical development of the astronomical meaning of planetary Expansion-Contraction Difference and Limit Degree in ancient Chinese planetary theory. Then, we reconstruct a new mathematical model of Expansion-Contraction Difference for the outer planets. Finally, we discuss the errors in the longitude of the outer planets in the Era Epoch System ( Ji yuan li紀元曆, A.D.1106) of Northern Song北宋Dynasty (A.D.960–1127) using different mathematical models of planetary Expansion-Contraction Difference and Limit Degree. The result shows that the Expansion-Contraction Difference and Limit Degree of the outer planets in the Era Epoch System and other astronomical systems should be the results of continuous refinement by astronomers on the basis of long-term actual observations and measurements, and their combination was a strong guarantee to ensure that the Era Epoch System is comparable to the Copernican system in the calculations of the planetary position.
The Golden Halo of Defaults in Simple Choices
Authors: Sullivan Nicolette J. , Breslav Alexander , Doré Samyukta S. , Bachman Matthew D. , Huettel Scott A.
Published: November 2024

Defaults are pervasive in consumer choice. The authors combine eye-tracking laboratory experiments with cognitive modeling to pinpoint the influence of defaults in the decision process and conduct naturalistic experiments with large preregistered samples to test the limits of defaults on consumer choices. Contrary to previous assumptions, in simple binary choices, default options did not potentiate rapid heuristic-based decisions but instead altered processes of attention and valuation. Model comparison indicated that defaults received a positive boost in value—a “golden halo”—that was large enough to increase hedonic choices when the default was hedonic, but had limited effects for utilitarian defaults or for when defaults were incongruent with background goals. The findings illustrate and quantify the mechanisms through which default options shape subsequent decisions in simple choices. Further, the authors establish boundary conditions for when defaults can and cannot be used to nudge consumer choice.
Evaluation of the effect on stroke mechanism, stroke recurrence and clinical outcome in stroke patients with basilar artery atherosclerosis: A single centre retrospective observational study
Authors: Dinç Yasemin , Özpar Rifat , Mesut Gizem , Hojjati Farid , Gökçe Serhat , Siğirli Deniz , Akarsu Emel Oğuz , Sarıdaş Furkan , Hakyemez Bahattin , Bakar Mustafa
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Basilar artery atherosclerotic plaque is the predominant cause of stroke in the posterior circulation. İscheamic stroke caused basilar artery atherosclerosis faces a high risk of recurrence despite optimal medical treatment, which might lie in the less than ideal recognition of underlying stroke mechanism and lack of individualized treatment for strokes of different mechanisms. We aim in this study to investigate the effect on stroke mechanism, stroke recurrence and clinical outcome in stroke patients with basilar artery atherosclerosis.

Methods

In this study, 107 ischaemic stroke patients with atherosclerotic stenosis in the BA who were followed up in Uludag University Faculty of Medicine between 1 January 2019 and 1 January 2022. The study was conducted retrospectively and observationally.

Results

According to the results of our study, the degree of stenosis in atherosclerotic stenosis of the symptomatic basilar artery was found to be an independent risk factor for stroke recurrence. Independent risk factors for unfavourable clinical outcomes in these patients were determined as female gender, stenosis being in the proximal segment, stroke mechanism being from artery to artery embolism, and congestive heart failure.

Conclusion

The most striking result of our study is that clinical outcome was found to be closely related to the female gender, the stroke mechanism being artery-to-artery embolism, and the stenosis is in the proximal segment. If stroke mechanisms were evaluated more clearly, it would likely help provide individualised treatments.
Beyond the Body Productive: Exploring the Transformative Potential of Self-Tracking
Authors: Spence Rachel , Ashman Rachel , Patterson Anthony , Hunter-Jones Philippa
Published: November 2024

Previous studies of self-tracking often focus on themes such as control, surveillance and the production of self-optimising neoliberal subjects. This article extends understanding by exploring the affective capacities of self-tracking in fostering wellbeing and forging meaningful relationships. Drawing upon a Deleuzian conceptual framework and the experiences of a sample of self-tracking individuals in the United Kingdom, we examine how self-tracking practices can encourage the formation of new relationships, habits and capacities that enhance wellbeing in unique and personal ways. Our analysis presents three key themes: tracking towards meaningful relationships, routinising wellbeing and self-tracking through the struggle. Crucially, our findings move beyond the ‘body productive’ exposing how the affective capacities of self-tracking emerge through dynamic interactions between users, devices and wider assemblages, rather than being solely determined by technology. In doing so, we highlight the importance of personal and relational dimensions of wellbeing as they intersect with self-tracking technologies.
Missing value imputation method based on correlation analysis and Gaussian mixture model
Authors: Zhang Jie , Chang Yuqing , Wang Ran , Wang Fuli
Published: November 2024

This article proffers a novel procedure for missing value imputation, combining correlation analysis and Gaussian mixture model (GMM). Firstly, the normality of the data is assessed using normality assessment algorithm, and then the appropriate correlation coefficient calculation approach is selected owing to the normality of the data. Subsequently, the original correlation matrix is transformed into a binarized matrix based on a chosen threshold, which is used to group variables into different categories according to the correlation among them. Different missing value imputation methods are applied to these categories: mean imputation for single-variable groups and GMM-driven imputation for multi-variable groups. For multi-variable groups, a GMM model is trained using the Figueiredo-Jain algorithm, after which missing values are imputed using the mean derived from the model. Ultimately, the experimental evidence from Tennessee Eastman process and gold hydrometallurgy process further verify the superiority of the proposed algorithm.
An adaptive neurofuzzy inference system controller design of an SPMSM drive for multicopter applications
Authors: Kuvvetli Ipek , Tap Alper , Ergenc Ali Fuat , Ergene Lale T.
Published: November 2024

This study proposes an adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for field oriented control (FOC) of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) for multicopter applications. FOC is the most widely used speed control method for PMSMs. The utilization of linear control algorithms may not be sufficient for this type of systems due to the nonlinear characteristic of the PMSM and the presence of uncertainties such as parameter variations and external disturbances. In particular, in high power and agility applications, conventional PI controllers alone may cause undesired speed overshoot which degrade the performance of the multicopter. This paper proposes more comprehensive speed control of a PMSM drive employing an ANFIS, which offers improved tracking performance in terms of settling time and overshoot under various operating conditions. The proposed ANFIS controller implements the adaptive approach using offline training data over a PI controller that is tuned to the nominal operation of the PMSM, specifically targeting the speed error and the rate of change of error in speed. The training data is obtained from a dynamic model of the PMSM operating with a conventional PI controller. The performance analysis of both controllers under different operating conditions is simulated, and experimentally verified. By using the ANFIS controller, the overshoot is reduced from 6.17% to 1.57% at no load condition, from 36.3% to 6.23% at load, and the settling time is almost halved in both cases compared to a conventional PI controller.
Resection of the Hemangioma Derived From Pterygopalatine Fossa via Anterior Nasolacrimal Recess: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Yang Liyun , Gao Yuhuan , Zhao Runyu , Chen Kai , Fu Daiquan , Yang Yuwei , Liu Xing , Huang Shuixian , Fang Qin
Published: November 2024

Hemangiomas are rare and benign tumors originating from the pterygopalatine fossa (PPF). In this study, we report a rare case of PPF hemangioma in a 66-year-old male, for which he underwent surgical resection via the anterior nasolacrimal recess after preoperative arteria maxillaris embolization. To enhance our understanding on this rare condition, we conducted a comprehensive review of existing literature on this disease to discuss its clinical characteristics, differential diagnoses, and potential treatment approaches.
Reason to hope
Authors: Thurschwell Adam
Published: November 2024

Drucilla Cornell’s legacy defies easy summary. Thrown out of Stanford for protesting the Vietnam War, by the age of 20 she was organizing sweatshop workers for the United Auto Workers. Union organizing led her to law school (her only post-graduate degree is in law) and eventually a job as a law professor. Meanwhile, a defining encounter with Hegel at the age of 15 launched her intellectual trajectory, which would be followed by various schools of post-Hegelian thought (the Frankfurt School, Derridian deconstruction, Lacanian psychoanalysis, among others), feminisms both practical and theoretical, Rawlsian liberalism and, in her final work, African and Afro-Caribbean philosophy (I am leaving aside her plays and book on Clint Eastwood). Ecumenicism of this breadth can be a sign of shallow thinking. In her case, however, she had a sustained engagement with each tradition of thought, aimed at coaxing its essence from its native vocabulary in the faith that productive dialog is possible between radically different, and even opposed, intellectual traditions. In this reminiscence and memorial piece, I remember Drucilla as a teacher, mentor and friend.
The more, the merrier? Young adults’ sibling relationship quality in medium to large families
Authors: Jensen Alexander C. , Ashby Sarah , Noorda Naomi M. , Jasperson Jennie
Published: November 2024

Approximately 80% of individuals from the United States have at least one sibling. Of those with siblings, a little more than half have two or more siblings. Yet, research on siblings across the life course, including young adulthood, has focused primarily on sibling dyads rather than larger sibling groups or multiple sibling dyads from the same family. The overarching aim of the current study was to explore the form and impacts of entire sibling groups and multiple sibling dyads for young adults with two or more siblings. Data were collected from an online survey of 975 young adults aged 19–29 years from across the United States ( M age = 25.43, SD = 2.52; 48% male; 73% white). Results showed that participants reported greater variation in sibling relationship quality when their siblings were not all the same gender and when their siblings had greater differences in age. Young adults were more likely to report a close aged sibling as the sibling with whom they have the closest relationship or most conflict. Relationship quality also showed links with psychosocial outcomes. In some cases, greater variation in sibling conflict and closer relationships with one particular sibling were linked to better outcomes. More conflict was linked to poorer outcomes. Multiple effects were moderated by gender, gender of the sibling, and characteristics of the entire sibling subsystem. Overall, our findings suggest that sibling relationships in medium to larger families are multifaceted and complex. Our results are in line with a family systems perspective that siblings have unique roles but that sibling dyads within families mutually influence and interact with one another.
Improvement of high-temperature strength of Al-4.5Cu alloys by Sc addition through thermally stable phase
Authors: Wei Qi , Lian Peng , Bai Xiaoyu , Zhang Dan , Mao Hongkui , Xu Hong
Published: November 2024

The microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of Al-4.5Cu alloy, and alloys with Sc addition of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% were studied. The addition of Sc generates high-temperature stable phase – W phase along the grain boundary, which consumes Cu in the matrix and decrease the θ′ after T6 treatment. However, Sc stabilizes the θ′ precipitate during 300°C exposure and contributes to the high temperature strength by Orowan mechanism. The high-temperature performance of Al-4.5Cu alloy is improved and the strength first increases and then decreases with increasing content of Sc, with optimal content of Sc being 0.2%. The tensile strength of 0.2%Sc alloy at 300°C reaches 158 ± 3 MPa, which is 28 ± 3 MPa higher than that of Sc-free alloy.
Giant hydronephrosis management under single-port laparoscopy: a case report
Authors: Li Hualei , Qu Lili , Li Feng
Published: November 2024

Single-port laparoscopic technology has become increasingly more popular in China as economic levels and medical technology have both improved. The advantages of single-port laparoscopic technology, such as less surgical trauma, quick recovery and less postoperative skin scarring, have been unanimously recognized and appreciated by patients. However, this technology has not been developed in Africa, which has relatively limited medical and surgical resources. The medical team of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in Africa successfully performed a single-port laparoscopic giant nephrectomy in a patient who presented to Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The patient recovered well after surgery. This current case report demonstrated that single-port laparoscopy successfully treated giant hydronephrosis for the first time in Africa.
Measurement of initial crystallization temperature of mold flux based on alternate current conductivity method
Authors: Qi Jiang-hua , Bao Guang-da , Zhang Chen , Wang Hai-chuan , Wu Ting
Published: November 2024

To realize the coordinated control of lubrication and heat transfer of mold flux, the accurate measurement of initial crystallization temperature (Tc−initial) of mold flux is an essential guarantee for its development and application. In this paper, four probes and LCR digital bridge were applied to measure the electrical conductivity by alternate current (AC), and the optimal measurement parameters were determined as frequency, voltage, slag liquid level height, and probe insertion depth were 6 kHz, 50 mV, 20 mm, and 9 mm, respectively. The Tc−initial of mold flux was acquired accurately by the AC conductivity method based on the principle of the curve slope variation at solid-liquid transition. The accuracy of Tc−initial were verified by tests of digital optical microscopy with an isolated observation system in an infrared furnace (IR-MOP), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), so as to provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the measurement of the Tc−initial of mold fluxes with high speed and accuracy.
Intimate Partner Violence among Adolescents in Hong Kong
Authors: Ip Melody Wing Shan , Wong Dennis S W
Published: November 2024

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among adolescents is a prime public health concern worldwide. Research found that IPV victimization and peers’ IPV perpetration could increase the likelihood of IPV perpetration. In contrast, healthy partner attachment, forgiveness, shame management, and family harmony could serve as protective factors for IPV. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the risk and protective factors of IPV perpetration among adolescents in Hong Kong. The present study recruited 1,815 full-time secondary school students in Hong Kong aged 11 to 19 years. Healthy partner attachment, forgiveness, shame management, and family harmony were negatively correlated with IPV perpetration. IPV victimization and peers’ IPV perpetration were positively correlated with IPV perpetration. Specifically, peers’ IPV perpetration partially mediated the effect of IPV victimization on IPV perpetration. Thus, the effectiveness of intervention programs targeting IPV could be enhanced by resolving the traumatic experience of IPV victimization and promoting positive peer networks and support.
Efficient Multi-Step Prediction Model That Considers the Influence of Spatial and Temporal Factors on Ride-Hailing Demand
Authors: Ai WenHuan , Fu JianLi , Fang DongLiang , Liu DaWei
Published: November 2024

With the rapid development of the information technology era, accurate ride-hailing demand forecasting can facilitate the pre-scheduling of car routes, optimize vehicle utilization, and alleviate urban peak congestion as information technology advances quickly. Even though many specialists have undertaken research in this area, traditional prediction models seldom use historical data and rarely use multi-step prediction since traffic forecasting involves the influence of many variables, including time and geography. Therefore, this paper proposes an efficient multi-step prediction model (PSA-DM, ProbSparse Self-Attention Distribute Model) for accurate multi-step prediction based on historical request data. In the model, which uses an encoder–decoder framework with long-sequence output prediction. The temporal correlation of the input data is first extracted through the embedding layer, and the correlation between regions is extracted using graph attention networks. To achieve the multi-step prediction effect, the decoder then passes the prediction results back to the encoder for weight distribution and fusion. This allows for further exploration of the complicated spatiotemporal correlation between historical and future information as well as the realization of efficient multi-step prediction. We employed three actual ride-hailing datasets, applied the model to determine the spatial similarity between the data, and tested the projected data for use as the subsequent prediction data. The model performed better than the majority of the baseline models and correctly represented the ride-hailing demand issue according to the data. As a result, the transportation sector has a strong theoretical basis for vehicle scheduling.
Reassessing the political dimension of the labor market: Power relations, recommodification, and epistemic reflexivity
Authors: Sola Jorge
Published: November 2024

Labor market deregulation has been at the core of the changes in the political economy during the last decades. The pervasive neoliberal wisdom has depoliticized the nature and effects of this process, a bias that has also affected the scholarship, which often overlooks its power dimension. This article aims to explore the role of power in the labor market to offer some theoretical insights for empirical research and public debate. Departing from the worker–employer “contested exchange” at the workplace, the article pivots on the concept of “decommodification” to grasp the institutional arrangements that shape this relationship at the institutional level of power. Furthermore, the article addresses the symbolic dimension of power and how epistemic reflexivity enables us to examine whether social research ideologically depicts or conceals the role of power in the study of labor relations, as illustrated by two subjects in vogue: the insiders–outsiders divide and the activation policy. The article concludes with a discussion of the normative implications of the preceding argument about freedom as nondomination for workers.
Gender Pay Disparities in Public Organizations: The Equalizing Externality of Union Membership
Authors: Rodriguez-Plesa Evelyn , Alkadry Mohamad G. , Dimand Ana-Maria
Published: November 2024

Despite laws such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which were intended to address equal pay and prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on sex, the gender pay gap permeates public sector employment. Unions have long represented worker rights but are more often associated with improving salaries and working conditions. This study draws on the literature explaining how workplace characteristics relate to gender pay disparities to examine the impact of union membership on the gender pay gap in public sector organizations. Empirical analysis of responses from public procurement officers in the United States reveals that union membership is associated with an increase of 6% in wages for females and a gender pay gap reduction of 3%. Study findings demonstrate that union membership presents positive externalities that go beyond negotiated salary and benefits terms in collective bargaining agreements.
Racial and Gender Bias in School Psychologists’ Special Education Classification Considerations
Authors: Golson Megan E. , Bera Jac’lyn , Kim Jiwon , Williams Shayna , Brunson McClain Maryellen , Schwartz Sarah E. , Harris Bryn , Sullivan Amanda L.
Published: November 2024

For minoritized groups that disproportionately face insufficient access to clinical services, schools are often the most accessible means for formal evaluation and intervention for a range of disabilities. However, the long history of racial and gender disproportionality in special education necessitates a greater understanding of factors contributing to inaccurate identification. The current study employed a multilevel modeling framework to evaluate the influence of student race, ethnicity, and gender on school psychologists’ ( N = 229) initial special education eligibility considerations and associated confidence. The model revealed a significant four-way interaction between student race/ethnicity, student gender, participant confidence, and eligibility categories on participant likelihood ratings. These results may provide insight into the causes of the nationally documented identification disparities in schools and inform practices to reduce them. School psychologists should regularly reflect on their decision-making and work to reduce the effects of their potential biases in special education identification.
Has ChatGPT Disrupted the Education Sector in the U.S.?
Authors: Haugom Erik , Lyócsa Štefan , Halousková Martina
Published: November 2024

The introduction of ChatGPT and other tools based on artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the field of education. We study how the public release of ChatGPT and the increased attention on this new large language model from OpenAI are associated with the expected returns of publicly traded firms that operate in the education sector. We also perform separate subgroup analyses for the traditional education sector and the so-called education technology sector. Using linear and threshold CAPM-GARCH models, we find that after the public release of ChatGPT, both the education sector as a whole and the education technology sector have underperformed benchmarks. Our results show that increased attention leads to lower next-day returns in the education sector as a whole and the education technology sector in particular. Additionally, during periods of higher attention, expected returns tend to decline in these two sectors. We also show that the introduction of ChatGPT or the increased interest in this AI tool in the population does not affect the traditional education sector. The introduction of ChatGPT thus has a heterogeneous effect across the various education sectors we examine, with the education technology sector receiving most of the disruption.
Many Things to Many People: The Diversity of Motivations for Joining Diasporic Organizations in the Global South
Authors: Anderson Miriam J. , Eskandari Madeline F.
Published: November 2024

Small, grassroots organizations in the Global South play an increasingly prominent role in political advocacy and service provision for displaced populations. Literature on both diasporic organizations and civil society organizations has largely focused on those based in the Global North, however. This article examines the formation of a transnational women’s organization— Mouvement Inamahoro: Femmes et Filles pour la Paix et La Securité—by refugees following Burundi’s 2015 electoral crisis. We focus on the diversity of motivations for individual members in founding and joining it based on 68 interviews conducted in 2019 and 2021. We find that members’ geographical location (Global North vs Global South) played a role in the motivations for membership. Our findings suggest a form of diasporic organization currently untheorized, but one relevant to understanding the influence of displaced groups in local, regional, and international politics.
Analysis of the effect of buffer pads on the cycle life of lithium-ion pouch batteries
Authors: d’Apolito Luigi , Shao Junzhao , Hong Hanchi
Published: November 2024

Lithium-ion batteries have the advantages of long cycle life, high specific capacity, low cost, and are widely used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. However, the battery expansion problem after long-term charging and discharging has been one of the important factors restricting the further improvement of the cycle performance of Li-ion batteries. In order to reduce the negative impacts caused by battery expansion, this paper aims to analyze the application of different buffer pads between ternary lithium-ion soft pack batteries to provide a reference for improving the cycling performance of the batteries, evaluated by capacity test, internal resistance test, polarization degree test, and electrochemical impedance test. In order to refine the contribution of individual electrochemical processes to the battery impedance, the electrochemical AC impedance spectrum was analyzed using the distribution of relaxation time analysis technique (Distribution of relaxation, DRT), employing Relaxl S as analysis software. Compared to the batteries with other buffer pads, the batteries with ceramic aerogel buffer pads performed better, improved the capacity retention of the batteries by 4%, reduced the internal resistance by 13 mΩ, and exhibited the smallest degree of polarization, the smallest ohmic impedance, and the smallest Faraday impedance. In particular, the electrochemical processes of the batteries were analyzed by DRT technique, and it was found that the batteries with ceramic aerogel buffer pads showed better performance in contact impedance, impedance of Li-ion crossing the SEI membrane, and impedance of the liquid-phase diffusion process.
A qualitative analysis of the use of intraoperative acupuncture for patients with nosocomephobia
Authors: Thor Pa , Moreno Andrew , Zhong Haoyan , Sheetz Miriam , Popovic Marko , Strickland Sabrina M , Ast Michael P , Cheng Stephanie I
Published: November 2024

Background:

Nosocomephobia, a type of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a diagnosis of an extreme fear of hospitals that can hinder current/future medical care. There is little research on how nosocomephobia affects elective surgery or how acupuncture can help patients cope.

Methods:

Using the transactional model of stress/coping, this qualitative case study examined the role of acupuncture in nosocomephobia patients’ elective surgery appraisal processes. Two patients were interviewed about their nosocomephobia and prior hospital experiences. Six reviewers coded interview transcripts line-by-line using Dedoose software. Reviewers labeled meaningful words, phrases and sentences and produced over 600 codes. Reviewers discussed/identified themes by grouping similar codes and resolving discrepancies. A thematic analysis was then used to develop final themes. Pseudonyms were assigned to protect patient privacy. Sophie had avascular necrosis in both hips and suffered PTSD from a previous traumatic event. Intraoperative acupuncture calmed her hospital anxiety, allowing her to have both hips replaced. Olivia had experienced PTSD and hospital phobia since she was 12 years old. Acupuncture reduced her anxiety surrounding a necessary knee arthrotomy and osteochondral allograft.

Results:

Thematic analysis showed how nosocomephobia impacted patients’ views of surgery and distinguished between their unique fear rationale. The transactional model of stress/coping illustrated patients’ appraisal process from surgery (stressor) to coping (acupuncture) to reappraisal (mental state).

Conclusion:

Procedural visits can be stressful due to already heightened anxiety. Although no definitive conclusions can be drawn from this small, uncontrolled case series, acupuncture may represent a safe, noninvasive way for nosocomephobia patients to manage preoperative anxiety.
Moritz Nagel (1808–1871): A faceless name in the history of the adrenal glands
Authors: Damiani Ernesto
Published: November 2024

In 1836, an article was published in which the terms Rindensubstanz (cortical substance) and Marksubstanz (medullary substance) were introduced for the first time with reference to the adrenal glands. The author was indicated as ‘Dr Nagel’, without any further specification. Modern scientific literature often identifies the author's name as ‘N. Nagel’, without citing any primary source. Here, Nagel is positively identified as Moritz Nagel (1808–1871), a student of the German physiologist and anatomist Johannes Peter Müller (1801–1858), who graduated in Medicine at the University of Berlin in 1834. The 1836 article represented the German version of Nagel's Latin dissertation. Nagel later left Müller to devote himself to obstetrics and gynaecology. Although current literature attributes to Nagel the merit for introducing the terms ‘cortical’ and ‘medullary’, based on the testimony of Nagel himself and that of Jakob Henle (1809-1885), I conclude that Nagel described and illustrated results previously anticipated by Müller in 1832. Yet, considering that Nagel's description was the first in print, that he published following his own work carried out under Müller's supervision and apparently with Müller's blessing, I believe it is fair to conclude that the credit for the discovery should be justifiably attributed jointly to Müller and Nagel.