bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
More than convenience: The engagement of university students in research on global and social issues
Authors: Murphy Mikela A , Minahan Zucchetto Jillian , Barber Isabelle , Annunziato Rachel A
Published: August 2024

Young adults have long been leaders of social change, yet university student samples are often criticized for limits to generalizability. However, students may be a critical population to gather insight from to understand how they engage in activism and how their wellbeing is impacted by global conflict. We conducted two studies examining college students’ perceptions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and their activism at an urban Northeastern US university. In study one which included two waves of data collection ( n = 44 at T1; n = 30 at T2), students reported increased anxiety related to the invasion which decreased over time, but not significantly. In study two, participants ( n = 123) reported high levels of direct and indirect activism across a variety of social issues. Findings indicate that students were impacted by global conflict and engaged in social activism. University students provide valuable insight into global and social issues and should be considered as more than a convenience sample.
‘With you, sister @JenniHermoso’: Productive rage in the viralization of #SeAcabó
Authors: Fernández Romero Diana , Núñez Puente Sonia
Published: August 2024

The hashtag #SeAcabó [It’s over], which was originally published on X by Spanish football player Alexia Putellas in support of her teammate Jenni Hermoso following a nonconsensual kiss by the then president of Spanish football, Luis Rubiales, managed to channel the transformative collective rage toward sexual violence in Spain. Following the World Cup final, while mainstream media, especially sports media, either ignored the act, gave Rubiales a voice, or even defended him, indignation at an act seen as sexual violence went viral on the networks. #SeAcabó spurred the expression of rage in a digital environment conditioned by the previous La Manada ( The Wolf Pack) gang rape case in 2016 that gave rise to the hashtag #YoSiTeCreo [I do believe you] in support of the accuser. While Rubiales has maintained that the kiss was consensual and has accused ‘false feminism’ of conspiring against him, Hermoso has become a legitimate spokesperson for those who fight against the affective injustice suffered by victims of sexual violence, who even go so far as to deny their condition, for fear of not being believed. In this short piece, we draw on Lorde and Cherry’s concept of productive rage to argue that Spanish feminism fostered, through the #SeAcabó movement, collective resistance to sexual violence, managing to put consent at the center of the debate in the public sphere. This piece is a part of a special themed issue on the Rubiales / Hermoso non-consensual kiss.
Narrating refusals of work: Feeling through two European novels and the organizing potential of sharing stories
Authors: van den Berg Marguerite
Published: August 2024

This article is about telling stories about refusals of work. It investigates storytelling about refusals of work as powerful political responses to precarization. Workers, this article posits, learn through listening to each other’s refusal narratives about (1) the conditions of their work, (2) the precariousness it organizes, and (3) the possibilities for refusal. Through storytelling, this learning also happens on an affective level: possibilities can be made to feel real. To work through this problem in more detail, the article focuses on learning from the narratives in two literary works: Heike Geißler’s Saisonarbeit, translated from German to English as Seasonal Associate (2018), and Ali Smith’s Hotel World (2001). The article concludes that in telling stories about refusals of work, workers may find a potential for collaborative political action and potentially collective action in a time when unions are struggling and it is becoming harder for workers to survive.
Cultural proximity and gender representation: Why Italian women are drawn to Turkish TV serials
Authors: Berg Miriam , Sansalone Antonella
Published: August 2024

This study investigates why women in Southern Italy are attracted to Turkish TV serials, which may seem culturally distant at first glance. By conducting semi-structured interviews with 30 women, the research aims to uncover the specific elements of Turkish serials that resonate with these women. The findings reveal that participants appreciate the portrayal of strong, independent female characters in Turkish serials, which challenge their preconceptions about Muslim women and foster a sense of shared human experiences across cultures. The romantic ideals depicted, without overt sexualization, and the subtle reinforcement of traditional gender roles, align with the viewers’ cultural values, offering a comforting blend of familiarity and novelty. Additionally, the high production values and aesthetically pleasing depiction of Turkish settings and lifestyles enhance the appeal. These serials not only entertain but also prompt audiences to reflect on their own cultural and feminist issues. This study highlights the intricate dynamics of cross-cultural media consumption and its impact on cultural perceptions and viewer engagement.
Capacity reinstatement of reinforced concrete one-way ribbed slabs with rib-cutting shear zone openings: Hybrid fiber reinforced polymer/steel technique
Authors: Elsanadedy Hussein , Al Kallas Amjad , Abbas Husain , Almusallam Tarek , Al-Salloum Yousef
Published: August 2024

This study examined the use of two configurations for capacity restoration of reinforced concrete (RC) one-way ribbed slabs containing openings in shear zones. Four specimens of half-scale comprised three ribs in addition to a top RC slab. The test plan included a control specimen without openings, one with two rib-cutting shear openings, one strengthened using a blend of carbon FRP (CFRP) composites and steel plates, and another retrofitted with a combination of glass FRP (GFRP) composites and steel plates. The two strengthening schemes were found successful at fully restoring the ultimate load of the specimens. The ultimate load of specimen strengthened using the hybrid CFRP/steel system exceeded the control slab without openings by 52%. However, in the other specimen where a mix of steel plates and GFRP sheets was used, the load capacity was only 5% less than the control specimen without openings. While the dissipated energy and stiffness were reinstated and improved for the hybrid CFRP/steel system, they were partially restored for the GFRP/steel system. Additionally, a prediction approach was developed to estimate the maximum load of the slabs. The developed approach considered potential shear and flexural modes of failure, providing close predictions of the ultimate load.
Going Viral: Sharing of Misinformation by Social Media Influencers
Authors: Mulcahy Rory , Barnes Renee , de Villiers Scheepers Retha , Kay Samantha , List Eleanor
Published: August 2024

This paper tackles the issue of health and well-being misinformation, the dissemination of false or misleading information related to medical treatments, diseases, mental health, nutrition, exercise or general well-being, propagated by social media influencers. It investigates the virality of misinformation posts by TikTok and Instagram influencers exploring users’ appraisals and their sharing tendencies. Grounded in social influence and cognitive appraisal theories (CAT), three online experimental studies dissect the dynamics of virality, user comments and their effects on perceived deception, parasocial interaction and sharing intent. The results of Study 1 demonstrate heightened post virality reduces perceived deception, fostering stronger parasocial connections and sharing intentions. Conversely, lower virality levels heighten deception perceptions. In Study 2, critical comments are shown to enhance deception in high virality posts. Whereas supportive comments are shown to enhance the indirect effect of low virality posts on sharing intentions, via deception and parasocial interaction. The study contributes by demonstrating how social influence theory and CAT together explain how social media influencer misinformation posts based on their virality and user responses are likely to be shared and what consumer appraisals explain this effect. It provides directions of how marketers can tackle this issue.
Doppelganger as method: A framework for examining datafication
Authors: Pierlejewski Mandy
Published: August 2024

This paper explores an emerging methodological approach called doppelganger as method. This method uses the idea of a doppelganger or double to explore the social world. It is specifically used to examine datafication, or the increase in the production and use of data and its impact on education. Doppelganger as method begins by locating doubles, finding that doubles of the child and teacher are created through the focus on data production in early childhood education. It then asks how this doubling operates as an instrument of power, using understandings of the literary genre of the doppelganger along with its psychoanalytic interpretations to formulate novel interpretations. Doppelganger as method has been used as a tool to reconceptualize datafication, the increase in the volume and use of data in educational contexts. Using interpretations of Freud's work on the uncanny, a psychoanalytic understanding of the doppelganger is established. This is then applied in an educational context to interpret the function of various doppelgangers. Findings from this method include an ambivalent relationship with data, the marginalization of bilingual children and changes to both teacher and child subjectivity.
International fiscal rules and domestic support for austerity
Authors: Aspide Alessia
Published: August 2024

In recent decades, fiscal integration in Europe has manifested through restrictive rules. However, the consolidation of public finances often encounters citizens’ resistance. International obligations can raise public support for costly domestic policies that are consistent with the obligations’ terms, but can European fiscal pledges influence public opinion and boost support for austerity? I fielded an original survey experiment in Italy and manipulated information about the existence of a new fiscal rule, national or European, mandating austerity measures. In stark contrast with extant research, I find no evidence that the source of the fiscal rule matters when measuring respondents’ support for austerity. This result suggests that the effect of international pledges on garnering public support for costly domestic measures wanes if these measures directly burden citizens’ financial well-being. Moreover, relinquishing fiscal autonomy in favour of new European rules appears unlikely to aid politicians in winning public endorsement for an austerity agenda.
Exploring nuances of liminality: Unbridled, oriented, and restrained liminality in cultural rituals
Authors: Chaney Damien , Goulding Christina
Published: August 2024

Numerous consumption experiences have been conceptualized as rituals, comprising pre-liminal, liminal, and post-liminal stages. While prior research has proposed interconnections between these stages, it has been limited in addressing nuanced variations within the liminal stage. Specifically, this study examines the interaction between the pre-liminal and liminal stages. Through a longitudinal and multi-sited approach, incorporating visual anthropology and participant interviews at rock music festivals, we demonstrate that consumers can undergo three types of liminality—unbridled, oriented, and restrained liminality—depending on their approach to preparation and anticipation. While some meticulously prepare for the festival experience, others embrace spontaneity. Similarly, while some eagerly anticipate the festival with positivity, others harbor negative expectations. This research contributes a nuanced understanding of liminality within diverse consumer trajectories.
Algorithmic agencing in platform markets
Authors: Wei Ruiqi , Geiger Susi
Published: August 2024

Algorithms are central in shaping platform markets, impacting not only calculation processes but also influencing market actors’ relationships and market structures more broadly. As “autonomous” market devices that are executable or operate without the need for human intervention, algorithms continuously organize, prioritize, and rank product profiles, resulting in personalized exchange offers based on data processing. However, different market actors also actively attempt to influence these processes, turning platform markets into what could be described as algorithmic battlefields. Despite the growing significance of market-based algorithms, research on their role in market shaping remains scarce. This paper explores the role of algorithms in shaping platform markets. By drawing together literatures from market studies and critical algorithm studies, four key algorithmic characteristics in “agencing” markets are identified: as market actors, targets of market contestations, boundary objects, and market systems connectors. Based on these roles, the paper formulates a research agenda for studying algorithmic agencing in platform markets.
Severe hypoglycaemia-induced microglial inflammation damages microvascular endothelial cells, leading to retinal destruction
Authors: Hu Yuxin , Li Zhen , Li Hongxue , Xu Qian , Xu Chengye , Lin Wenjian , Ma Xuefei , Hao Ming , Kuang Hongyu
Published: August 2024

Human microglia (HMC) are stress-induced inflammatory cells of the retina. It is unknown whether severe hypoglycaemia causes inflammation in microglia, affects the permeability of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs), and causes retinal damage. This study aimed to explore the effects of severe hypoglycaemia on retinal microglial inflammation and endothelial cell permeability and evaluate the damage caused by hypoglycaemia to the retina. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell viability. Western blotting was used to detect IL-1β, IL-6, TNF- α, claudin-1, and occludin expression. ELISA was used to detect IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF- α. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and haematoxylin and eosin staining were used to observe the retinal structure. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining assays were also used to detect IL-1β, IL-6, TNF- α, claudin-1, and occludin expression. Severe hypoglycaemia promoted inflammation in HMC3 cells. Inflammation caused by hypoglycaemia leads to the decreased expression of tight junction proteins. In vivo, severe hypoglycaemia induced structural damage to the retina, increased the expression of inflammatory factors, and decreased the expression of tight junction proteins. Our results suggest that severe hypoglycaemia leads to acute retinal inflammation, affecting the permeability of HRMECs and causing retinal damage.
Development and initial validation of the ILD-Anxiety-Questionnaire (IAQ): A new instrument for assessing disease specific fears in interstitial lung disease
Authors: Stenzel Nikola M. , Piel Nina , Kenn Klaus , Kreuter Michael
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Multiple studies focusing on chronic lung diseases (i.e. COPD), have indicated that the quality of life (QoL) can be impacted by disease-related fears. In the context of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD), however, these have never been systematically examined. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to develop and evaluate an appropriate measuring tool, and to investigate the influence of disease-related anxieties on QoL in ILD. Method: N = 166 ILD patients participated in the study and completed an itempool on disease-related fears, based on the COPD-Anxiety-Questionnaire (CAF-R) and expert assessments. Further, demographic and psychological variables were assessed (anxiety: GAD-7, QoL: K-BILD; Beliefs about Health: KKG). Psychometric properties were analyzed (factor structure, reliability, validity). Regression analyses were used to calculate the differential predictive power of disease-related anxieties on QoL. Results: The factor structure was confirmed (Scales: Fear-of-Dependence-and-Progression, Fear-of-Social-Exclusion-and-Isolation, Fear-of-Physical-Activity, Fear-of-Dyspnea, and Sleep-related- Complaints). The Scales showed satisfying reliabilities (α = 0.68 to 0.89) and good validity. Disease-related anxieties proved to be differential predictors for different scales of the K-BILD (ß = −0.15 to ß = −0.58, all ps < .01). Conclusions: The ILD-Anxiety-Questionnaire (IAQ) is an easy-to-use, valid measurement tool for assessing disease-related anxieties. These vary in their impact on different aspects of QoL. Therefore, it might aid in specifying the indication for potential psychological supplementary interventions. Additional long-term studies are required to investigate how specific anxieties affect both overall and condition-specific QoL in diverse situations.
Was COVID-19 a Game Changer for the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics?
Authors: Liu Xuepeng , Ornelas Emanuel , Shi Huimin
Published: August 2024

No, it was not. We do not find evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the distribution of medals in a systematic way. Countries that suffered a higher share of deaths due to the pandemic, or that imposed stricter lockdowns, performed just as prior performances and standard economic and demographic variables alone would have predicted. Hence, while COVID-19 has surely affected the performance of some individual athletes, it did not have a perceptible effect on the distribution of medals across countries. The only impact of the pandemic on the outcome of the Games was to reduce the advantage that host countries traditionally have. This effect, probably caused by the lack of local spectators in most competitions, was particularly strong for teams’ events, where the “host effect” vanished.
Smaller Hospital Size is Associated With Higher Mortality in Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection
Authors: Li Renxi , Luo Qianyun , Green Derrick , Huddleston Stephen
Published: August 2024

Background

Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection (TAAD) is associated with high in-hospital mortality and the need for immediate surgical intervention. Larger hospital size may be associated with better patient care and surgical outcomes. This study aimed to examine the effect of hospital size on TAAD outcomes.

Method

Patients who underwent TAAD repair were identified in National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from Q4 2015-2020. NIS stratifies hospital size into small, medium, and large based on the number of hospital beds, geographical location, and the teaching status of the hospitals. Patients admitted to small/medium and large hospitals were stratified into two cohorts. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to compare in-hospital outcomes, adjusted for demographics, comorbidity, primary payer status, and hospital characteristics including procedural volume.

Results

There were 1106 and 3752 TAAD admitted to small/medium and large hospitals, respectively. Among patients admitted to small/medium hospitals, there was higher mortality (17.27% vs 14.37%, aOR = 1.32, P < 0.01), but shorter length of stay ( P < 0.01) and lower cost ( P = 0.03) compared to larger hospitals. There was no difference in morbidities.

Conclusions

Marked higher mortality is associated with admission to smaller hospitals among patients with TAAD, which may in turn decrease the average hospital stay and cost. Given that a significant percentage of patients are already being transferred out of the initial hospital and small/medium hospital is associated with higher mortality, centralization of care in centers of excellence may decrease the high mortality associated with TAAD.
“You Can’t Work for Somebody Who Doesn’t Exist”: The Decline of Games Journalism and the Rise of Independent Gaming News
Authors: Stanton Ryan , Johnson Mark R
Published: August 2024

Despite the continued growth of the gaming sector, media conglomerates have recently begun a disturbing trend of downsizing their gaming-oriented publications, leading many journalists to pivot towards independence. This paper analyses the current moment in games journalism, highlighting how search engine optimization (SEO), artificial intelligence (AI), and guide-based content have motivated this pivot. Following this we show that some creators have used gaming podcasts as an opportunity to provide independent games coverage. To examine these issues, we draw on interviews with eleven gaming podcast creators which highlight their perspectives on the medium and why gaming podcasts have become a viable alternative. We conclude by contrasting the differences between influencer-focused games coverage and games journalism. This paper therefore emphasizes the importance of continued analysis of gaming journalism to studies of games media—illustrating how the issues that these journalists face are relevant to the broader online media sphere.
Pediatric interventional neuroradiology: “How I do it” vol. II—Embolization
Authors: Jones Jesse George Atherton , Deveikis John
Published: August 2024

Pediatric arteriovenous shunts can be challenging to embolize and the consequences of excess venous penetration disastrous. Moreover, the congenital nature of most shunts necessitates neonatal intervention whenever (medically refractory) heart failure occurs. Here, we describe current endovascular treatment strategies based on personal experience and literature review. While disparate, arteriovenous malformation, dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF), pial AVF, and vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation share unifying features such as high output heart failure and venous hypertension. This tutorial is divided into passages on Goals, Access, and Treatment which respect differences among pediatric arteriovenous shunts while maintaining a narrative economy.
Bad leadership - Why we steer clear
Authors: Kellerman Barbara
Published: August 2024

The article points out that more than a half century into the modern leader continues virtually entirely to ignore, or at least badly to shortchange, the dark side of leadership. Bad leadership - which is, alas, as ubiquitous as pernicious. Given that bad leaders, and their bad followers, are part of everyday life - in companies and countries, and in cultures of every sort - the question is why leadership experts continue to relegate them. Why do we attempt to develop what is good while continuing even now largely to avoid the utterly urgent question of how to stop bad? On the assumption that bad leaders - including for example political leaders drunk on power and corporate leaders drunk on money - are part of the human condition the question is why we still stick our heads in the sand. To this question the article provides four answers - which in a perfect world would point the way toward a study of leadership that is more pragmatic, more grounded in the world as it is as opposed to how we would like it to be.
The association of vagal atrophy with parameters of autonomic function in multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy
Authors: Kleinz Teresa , Scholz Leonard , Huckemann Sophie , Rohmann Rachel , Kühn Eva , Averdunk Paulina , Kools Saskia , Hilker Lovis , Bieber Antonia , Müller Katharina , Motte Jeremias , Fisse Anna-Lena , Schneider-Gold Christiane , Gold Ralf , Kwon Eun Hae , Tönges Lars , Pitarokoili Kalliopi
Published: August 2024

Background:

Vagal atrophy is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and has been found to be associated with autonomic dysfunction, while analyses of the vagus nerve (VN) in atypical Parkinsonian syndromes (APS) have not yet been performed. We here investigate the characteristics of the VN in multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and, in a second step, its potential as a possible biomarker for orthostatic dysregulation.

Objectives:

The aim was to compare the VN pathology in MSA and PSP with healthy individuals and patients with PD as a differentiating factor and to further analyse the correlation of the VN with clinical parameters and cardiovascular response.

Design:

We conducted a monocentric, cross-sectional cohort study in 41 APS patients and compared nerve ultrasound (NUS) parameters with 90 PD patients and 39 healthy controls.

Methods:

In addition to a detailed neurological history and examination, several clinical severity and motor scores were obtained. Autonomic symptoms were reported in the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease – Autonomic questionnaire. Further scores were used to detect other non-motor symptoms, quality of life and cognition. Additionally, we performed a head up tilt test (HUTT) and NUS of the VN. We conducted correlation analyses of the VN cross-sectional area (CSA) with clinical scores and the heart rate and blood pressure variability parameters of the HUTT.

Results:

The examination demonstrated a high prevalence of abnormal autonomic response in both MSA (90%) and PSP (80%). The VN CSA correlated with spectral parameters of the HUTT, which are associated with sympatho-vagal imbalance. In addition, the CSA of the VN in patients with PD and PSP were significantly smaller than in healthy controls. In MSA, however, there was no marked vagal atrophy in comparison.

Conclusion:

The occurrence of autonomic dysfunction was high in MSA and PSP, which underlines its impact on these syndromes. Our findings indicate a connection between vagal pathology and autonomic dysfunction and might contribute to a better comprehension of APS. To further evaluate the clinical relevance and the VN as a possible marker of autonomic dysfunction in APS, prospective longitudinal observations are necessary.
Increasing the odds for success: Applying evidence-based professional learning to foster self-regulation and executive functioning in preschool classrooms
Authors: Muir Rosalyn , Howard Steven J , Kervin Lisa
Published: August 2024

Higher educator qualifications and training are associated with more positive child outcomes. For in-service educators, professional learning (PL) is promotive of high-quality pedagogical practices. Yet rarely is PL efficacy evaluated. This paper elucidates the principles underpinning a PL program for in-service preschool educators that generated educator-level practice change and child-level self-regulation and executive function improvement. Grounded in contemporary research on characteristics for effective PL, expected mechanisms of change are articulated in relation to the design and implementation of PL programs. Mechanisms included: presenting credible information from high-quality evidence and sources; managing educators’ cognitive load; modelling new learning within the specific educational context; and encouraging self-monitoring. This paper details how the PL program leverages these mechanisms, in alignment with recognised characteristics for effective PL. Through this mapping, this paper provides an example of the potential of PL to foster a positive shift in educator practices.
Exploring the Bioactivity of Siddhalepa Asamodagam Spirit from Seeds of Trachyspermum roxburghianum (DC.) H. Wolff
Authors: Jayawantha Dilan , Hettigoda Lankani , Mudalige Tharindya Dinethri , Paranagama Priyani Ashoka
Published: August 2024

Objectives

The water distillate derived from Trachyspermum roxburghianum seeds has been traditionally employed in medicine for treating stomach infections and gastric ulcers. However, no systematic study has been conducted to evaluate its efficacy. Therefore, the present study focused on evaluating the potential health benefits, including the chemical constituents of the distillate. This distillate was prepared and identified as Siddhalepa Asamodagam Spirit (Sid.AS).

Methods

The chemical constituents of Sid.AS were identified and quantified using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method. The antioxidant potential of Sid.AS samples was assessed in vitro using DPPH and ABTS assays. Various concentrations of Sid.AS were subjected to antimicrobial, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and urease inhibition assays according to the standard methods specified by the Ayurvedic Department in Sri Lanka.

Results

Thymol was identified as the major compound in Sid.AS through GC-MS analysis. Sid.AS demonstrated significant anti-urease, anti-inflammatory, anti-lipase, and antioxidant activities, as evidenced by low IC50 values compared to the positive controls. This suggests its potential in controlling gastric-related disorders, scavenging free radicals, and managing obesity by inhibiting the breakdown and absorption of fats. Additionally, Sid.AS exhibited inhibitory effects against alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes, indicating potential anti-diabetic activity by regulating blood sugar levels. Sid.AS displayed strong antimicrobial activity against tested microorganisms, with higher zones of inhibition and lower MIC and MLC values, indicating its effectiveness in combating microbial infections. Findings from the anti-lipase assay demonstrated activity comparable to that of the positive control, Orlistat.

Conclusion

The findings of Sid.AS suggest its potential as a multi-functional bioactive herbal distillate with various pharmacological activities. Our results highlight that Sid.AS is a promising natural herbal extract with diverse pharmacological properties, including anti-urease, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and antimicrobial activities. Further research and development could explore its potential applications in various therapeutic areas.
Joint-sensemaking, innovation, and communication management during crisis: Evidence from the DCT applications in China
Authors: Qu Jingjing , Chen Liwei , Zou Hui , Hui Hui , Zheng Wen , Luo Jar-Der , Gong Qingyuan , Zhang Yuwei , Wen Tianyu , Chen Yang
Published: August 2024

As exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the design and implementation of data-driven health surveillance, like digital contact tracing (DCT) apps, carry significant implications for society. However, its rushed development calls for careful consideration from all involved stakeholders to achieve a shared understanding and engage in joint-sensemaking in order to implement DCT collaboratively and effectively utilize it in the fight against the pandemic. Yet, the empirical ground truth and theoretical mechanism of joint-sensemaking are both unclear. Drawing on this gap, this article applies a multistep approach, including sentiment analysis, topic analysis coupled with regression and unique network analysis, to thoroughly explore, examine, and explain the dynamic process of joint-sensemaking in the context of a public crisis. Based on evidence from 113,264 Weibo posts, we illustrate two joint-sensemaking pathways and three key interventions using the case of China's Health Code in the context of the DCT. We reveal that the effectiveness of different interventions and contributions made by stakeholders vary significantly between different joint-sensemaking pathways. Specifically, we find that official media and opinion leaders act as crucial mediators in bridging intervention conductors and the public. However, their influence presents heterogeneity toward different network modularity, thus leading to distinct patterns. Additionally, inconsistent with previous literature, we find that within the context of the China Health Code, official media has a greater impact on opinion leaders in engaging the public.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament light chain as biomarkers in pediatric multiple sclerosis
Authors: Saucier Laura , Healy Brian C , Saxena Shrishti , Sanon Eunnindy , Chitnis Tanuja
Published: August 2024

Background

Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) is a marker of neuroaxonal injury, and serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) reflects reactive astrogliosis. In adult multiple sclerosis (MS), sNfL correlates with relapsing disease activity while sGFAP correlates with progressive disease.

Objectives

We evaluate sNfL and sGFAP as biomarkers in pediatric-onset MS (POMS) compared to pediatric healthy controls (PHC), and correlations with the disease course.

Methods

In this single-center observational cross-sectional study, we extracted data from a longitudinal database and measured NfL and GFAP from bio-banked serum using single-molecule array technology.

Results

The analysis included 61 POMS patients and 45 PHC. Controlling for age and BMI, sNfL was 414% higher and sGFAP was 42.3% higher in POMS. Disability (EDSS) is associated with higher sNfL ( β = 0.32, p = 0.002) and higher sGFAP ( β = 0.11, p = 0.03). sNfL is associated with MRI lesion burden, recent disease activity ( β =0.95, p < 0.001), and untreated status ( β = 0.5, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

sNfL and sGFAP are elevated in POMS compared to PHC. Both biomarkers are associated with clinical disability. Elevated sGFAP may reflect early neurodegeneration in POMS, while sNfL reflects disease activity and DMT response. Elevated sNfL among some clinically and radiographically stable POMS patients suggests ongoing neuroaxonal injury with a potential role for sNfL monitoring disease stability.
Impact of race and socioeconomic deprivation on clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization in pediatric multiple sclerosis
Authors: Poisson Kelsey E , Cofield Stacey S , Ness Jayne M
Published: August 2024

Background

Health disparities in adult-onset multiple sclerosis have been identified in the Black/African American (AA) population. A higher relapse rate has been suggested in Black/AA patients with pediatric-onset MS (POMS), but little work explores healthcare utilization and social determinants of health (SDOH).

Objective

To evaluate racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in POMS outcomes.

Methods

Retrospective chart review identified 31 eligible patients diagnosed with POMS at Children's of Alabama between 2013 and 2023. Demographics, outcomes, and healthcare utilization over 2 years from diagnosis were collected. Patient addresses were connected to SDOH measures from the US Census. Bivariate analysis was performed using Fisher's Exact Test, Wilcoxin Test, and 2-sided t-test.

Results

Black/AA children had a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at first presentation (p = 0.0276) and were more likely to initiate fingolimod vs. glatiramer acetate (p = 0.0464). Living further from Children's of Alabama was associated with a higher most recent EDSS (p = 0.0301) and fewer neurology appointments (p = 0.0167). Families living in more socioeconomically deprived census tracts had significantly more hospital admissions.

Conclusion

Black/AA POMS patients had a more severe initial presentation and were started on higher efficacy medication. We identified disparities in EDSS and healthcare utilization based on SDOH data linked to a child's home address.
Internal Fractures: The Competing Logics of Social Media Platforms
Authors: Christin Angèle , Bernstein Michael S. , Hancock Jeffrey T. , Jia Chenyan , Mado Marijn N. , Tsai Jeanne L. , Xu Chunchen
Published: August 2024

Social media platforms are too often understood as monoliths with clear priorities. Instead, we analyze them as complex organizations torn between starkly different justifications of their missions. Focusing on the case of Meta, we inductively analyze the company’s public materials and identify three evaluative logics that shape the platform’s decisions: an engagement logic, a public debate logic, and a wellbeing logic. There are clear trade-offs between these logics, which often result in internal conflicts between teams and departments in charge of these different priorities. We examine recent examples showing how Meta rotates between logics in its decision-making, though the goal of engagement dominates in internal negotiations. We outline how this framework can be applied to other social media platforms such as TikTok, Reddit, and X. We discuss the ramifications of our findings for the study of online harms, exclusion, and extraction.
Roles of International Teachers in the Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Yin Jinghui , Niu Huayong , Pan Zhichao
Published: August 2024

In the context of economic globalization, cultural exchanges are becoming more and more frequent, and more and more international teachers come to China to teach. Using qualitative data collected from a university in Beijing, this study explored the international teachers’ roles perceived by school administrators, students, and international teachers in the internationalization of Chinese higher education. Results indicate that international teachers play an important role in promoting higher education internationalization in China by serving as the backbones of the teaching process. They also act as walking billboards of internationalization and bridges facilitating communication with international students. However, the cognitive differences between international teachers and students regarding teaching, coupled with administrators’ lack of understanding of international teachers’ professional needs, hinder the teachers from fulfilling their roles and seeking continuing development. This study provides a new analytical perspective on the role of international teachers, exploring their role from the perspectives of students, school administrators and international teachers themselves, presenting practical recommendations to enhance international teachers’ roles and providing suggestions such as cooperation model between international teachers and domestic teachers for future research, which may help managers of high education institutions to find the reason why they should introduce many international teachers and what kind of kind of teachers they should introduce to develop education internationalization.
A Bayesian Longitudinal Network Analysis of Panic-Disorder Symptoms and Respiratory Biomarkers
Authors: Cassidy Galen P. , Rubin Mikael , Papini Santiago , Telch Michael J.
Published: August 2024

The network theory of psychopathology is gaining popularity as a conceptualization of psychological disorders that may aid the identification of mechanisms of therapeutic change. However, many existing networks do not consider other relevant variables beyond the symptoms themselves. We present a large-scale ( n = 1,873), longitudinal Bayesian network analysis of panic disorder using the symptom items from the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) and two respiratory biomarkers (respiration rate and end-tidal CO2) collected during routine monitoring of a capnometry-guided respiratory intervention (CGRI). Our findings offer support for avoidance and fear of panic as drivers of subsequent panic-disorder symptoms over the 4-week course of treatment. Moreover, respiration rate but not end-tidal CO2 was associated with downstream PDSS symptoms. These findings provide further evidence supporting the role of respiratory biomarkers in the maintenance of panic disorder and some support for normalization of dysfunctional breathing as one therapeutic mechanism governing CGRI.
Is Dosage of a Meditation App Associated With Changes in Psychological Distress? It Depends on How You Ask
Authors: Goldberg Simon B. , Kendall Ashley D. , Hirshberg Matthew J. , Dahl Cortland J. , Nahum-Shani Inbal , Davidson Richard J. , Bray Bethany C.
Published: August 2024

Despite growing popularity, associations between dosage and outcomes in meditation-app interventions have not been established. We examined this relationship using a range of operationalizations of dosage (e.g., minutes of use, days of use, number and type of activities completed) and strategies for modeling outcomes (e.g., ordinary least squares regression, multilevel modeling, latent class analysis). We used data from a recently completed randomized controlled trial that tested a meditation app ( N = 662; 80.4% with elevated depression/anxiety) that included psychological distress as its preregistered primary outcome. Across 41 models, whether an association was detected and the shape and direction of this association varied. Although several models indicated that higher dosage was associated with larger decreases in psychological distress, many models failed to show this relationship, and some even showed the opposite. These results may have implications for optimizing and studying dosage in meditation apps and for open-science practices.
Linking Green Innovation and Business Sustainability: The Mediating Role of Strategic Thinking
Authors: Gorondutse Abdullahi Hassan , Alqershi Nagwan , Ibrahim Ahmad Said , Abdussalam Iyanda Ismail , Salisu Isyaku
Published: August 2024

Our planet’s growth, progress, and prosperity can be facilitated through innovation, knowledge, and thinking, and such facilitators may also assist in reversing the damage our planet has been experiencing throughout the years. The article determines the relationship between managerial innovation, process innovation, product innovation, and business sustainability among large manufacturing firms in Malaysia with mediating effect of strategic thinking. After extant literature, a research model was developed to examine the formulated study hypotheses, tested on data obtained from 208 large Malaysian manufacturing firms using partial least square-structural equation modeling. The findings showed that the two dimensions of green innovation significantly affected the business sustainability of large manufacturing firms but not green process innovation. Also, green managerial innovation significantly affected strategic thinking but not green process innovation and green product innovation. Strategic thinking also significantly affected business sustainability and fully mediated the green process innovation dimension GPCI but had no mediating effect on green managerial innovation and green product innovation. These results are expected to enlighten researchers and managers of large manufacturing firms concerning the topic under discussion. In addition, this article will assist academicians to understand the influence of managerial innovation, process innovation, product innovation, and business sustainability among large manufacturing firms in Malaysia.
La tecnología músico-gestual para la inclusión: uso de MotionComposer para el desarrollo de competencias transversales, creativas e inclusivas en los Grados de Educación
Authors: Peñalba Acitores Alicia , Blanco García Yurima
Published: August 2024

La educación musical se está encaminando hacia metodologías más inclusivas y democráticas. En ese camino, el uso de la tecnología digital es una herramienta eficaz para promover experiencias y aprendizajes que estimulen la creatividad e inclusión. Los instrumentos digitales favorecen esos objetivos en tanto se pueden adaptar a las necesidades de las personas y no requieren de habilidades musicales para su inter pretación. El estudio describe una exper i encia educativa centrada en el uso del dispositivo MotionComposer como vehículo para el desarrollo de competencias digitales, transversales y el conocimiento sobre educación musical inclusiva. El objetivo es analizar las percepciones de futuros educadores sobre las posibilidades de este dispositivo en su formación y desempeño profesional. Se realizan acciones educativas para su posterior análisis a través de observaciones y cuestionarios. Los resultados señalan las potencialidades educativas del MotionComposer como recurso que promueve la inclusión, el aprendizaje-servicio, la experimentación y expresión musical y artística, la innovación y el desarrollo de aprendizajes transdisciplinares y transversales necesarios para el desempeño profesional.
Interdependence and coordination challenges: EV charging infrastructure and carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Huang Qiqi , Xiang Changying
Published: August 2024

The ambition towards net-zero emission fuels the significance of electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) as a strategic asset. Yet, a conspicuous gap remains in the comprehensive quantitative analysis of its impact on carbon emissions stemming from fossil fuel combustion, referred to as ODIAC-CE. This study embarks on a longitudinal comparison of EVCI and ODIAC-CE data in 2018 and 2020, further classifying cities by scale to analyze the association between expansion of EVCI and ODIAC-CE change. Utilizing a battery of analytical tools, including correlation analysis, spatial autocorrelation, and coupling coordination analysis, the study dissects the evolving relationship between EVCI and ODIAC-CE within Yangtze River Delta in China. The results underscore a growing interdependence between EVCI expansion and ODIAC-CE change, yet pronounced heterogeneities in coupling coordination are evident across urban scales. Megacity and supercity exhibit quality coordination between rapid expansion of EVCI and ODIAC-CE dynamics. However, in most large, medium-sized, and small cities, the impact of EVCI growth on ODIAC-CE change has proven to be inconsistent or mismatched, affected by various factors such as location and infrastructure, industrial and technological patterns, and social practice and awareness. The study provides systematic insights into potential solutions for decarbonization through EVCI deployment at regional and city levels.
A Characteristic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Finding to Identify Morton Neuroma: The Slug Sign
Authors: Horita Masahiro , Saiga Kenta , Fujiwara Tomohiro , Nakata Eiji , Ozaki Toshifumi
Published: August 2024

Background:

Morton neuroma is a common cause of forefoot pain and sensory disturbances, but it is difficult to identify on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of this study was to verify the usefulness of a characteristic MRI finding (slug sign) for identifying Morton neuroma and to clarify the relationship between excised neuroma characteristics and preoperative MRI findings.

Methods:

Twenty-two web spaces were retrospectively assessed from the second and third intermetatarsal spaces of 11 feet of 10 patients (7 women and 3 men, aged average 59.5 years) who underwent surgical excision of Morton neuroma between 2017 and 2022. Asymptomatic web spaces were used as control. Neuromas with 2 branches of the plantar digital nerves on axial T1-weighted MRI (MRI-T1WI) were considered the slug sign. We investigated the preoperative presence of the slug sign in Morton neuroma and asymptomatic control web spaces. We also investigated the relationship between the maximum transverse diameter of the excised specimen and that estimated on coronal MRI-T1WI.

Results:

A total of 15 Morton neuromas were excised and assessed. The slug signs were present in 10 intermetatarsal spaces in 15 web spaces with Morton neuroma whereas the sign was found in 1 intermetatarsal space in 7 asymptomatic web spaces. The sensitivity and specificity for the slug sign to diagnose Morton neuroma was 66.7% and 85.7%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 90.9% and 54.5%, respectively. The mean maximum transverse diameter of excised neuromas was 4.7 mm. The mean maximum transverse diameter of neuromas on coronal MRI-T1WI was 3.4 mm. A significant positive correlation was found between the maximum transverse diameters of excised specimens and diameters estimated on coronal MRI-T1WI ( r = 0.799, P < .001).

Conclusion:

The slug sign may be a useful indicator of Morton neuroma on MRI to confirm nerve involvement after bifurcation.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective series.