bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A critique of the UN Strategy and Guidance on ‘Hate Speech’: Some Legal Considerations
Authors: Fino Audrey
Published: December 2023

This article critically reviews the UN Strategy and Guidance on Hate Speech as examples of practice and uses them as a springboard to engage with the current legal framework. In doing so, it considers not only international human rights law but the related fields of international criminal and humanitarian law. Building upon the UN Strategy and Guidance, whilst also informed by their shortcomings, the article offers a definition and typology of ‘hate speech’ firmly rooted in the rigours of the rules of interpretation, as crystallised in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. The law-based approach ensures more transparency, certainty, and predictability of the law of free speech and its limitations. As such, it should also garner the support of more States, the primary duty-holders in international human rights law and lead to a more holistic approach to countering ‘hate speech’, thus achieving the aims of the UN Strategy.
Sexology, sexual development, and hormone treatments in Southern Europe and Latin America, c.1920–40
Authors: Beccalossi Chiara
Published: December 2023

Displacing the physiological model that had held sway in 19th-century medical thinking, early 20th-century medical scientists working on hormones promoted a new understanding of the body, psychological reactions, and the sexual instinct, arguing that each were fundamentally malleable. Hormones came to be understood as the chemical messengers that regulated an individual's growth and sexual development, and sexologists interested in this area focused primarily on children and adolescents. Hormone research also promoted a view of the body in which ‘hermaphroditism’, homosexuality, and ‘sexual perversions’ such as masochism and sadism were attributed to anomalies in the internal secretions produced by the testes or the ovaries. This article focuses on Spanish, Italian, Argentinian, and Brazilian sexology shaped by endocrinological research in the interwar period. First, it shows the key role hormone treatments played in the historical development of sexology in Southern Europe and Latin America. Second, it looks at how sexologists employed hormone research to study human sexual development in the early stages of life, and how they set about ‘correcting’ what they viewed as ‘sexual anomalies’.
Sexology and development
Authors: Beccalossi Chiara , Fisher Kate , Funke Jana
Published: December 2023

The history of sexology is a well-established field of scholarly investigation animated by ongoing contestations around the disciplinary boundaries, political outlook, and transnational dimensions of the sexological field. This special issue focuses on the multivalent concept of development to address some of the most pressing questions driving current historiographical conversations in this area. The five articles examine how sexology developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries and explore how sexologists deployed various developmental categories to understand sexuality in different national, geographical, and linguistic spaces, including India, Latin America, and Western and Southern Europe. They show how central tracing the relationship between sexuality and human development became to sexologists’ understanding of their project and its value. By interrogating the intersecting individual, social, cultural, and evolutionary developmental frameworks at the heart of sexological knowledge production, the articles engage with sexology as a global and transnational project deeply shaped by ideologies of race, nation, and empire and motivated by a diverse range of political concerns and intellectual questions. In so doing, the special issue as a whole demonstrates the breadth of the sexological field in terms of its interdisciplinary scope, diverse political and intellectual agendas, and global dimensions.
Multiple, active-offer referrals for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis by nurses yields high uptake among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
Authors: Orser Lauren , O’Byrne Patrick
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Current Canadian guidelines focus on indications and uptake of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among groups at-risk for HIV, such as gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (GBM). Less, however, is known about the outcomes of PrEP offers. This study presents on the responses of GBM to multiple offers for PrEP.

Methods

In Ottawa, Canada, we instituted Canada’s first nurse-led PrEP program, pre-exposure prophylaxis by nurses (PrEP-RN), where nurses offered PrEP referrals to persons with indicators for HIV. Responses to offers from nurses and HIV diagnoses were recorded and assessed for multiple occurrences based on responses. Descriptive analyses were used to report frequencies and percentages of findings and chi-square analyses were conducted to determine significance based on HIV risk for those who accepted versus declined PrEP

Results

Over a 4-year period, 644 PrEP offers were made to 236 unique patients, all of whom were GMB, the majority of whom identified as male. Of the eligible patients, 50.8% accepted and 50.0% declined after multiple offers. Seven trajectories were identified in terms of reasons for accepting or declining PrEP. PrEP referrals made based on clinical guidelines and to those who had changes in risk factors over time were significantly correlated with PrEP acceptance. We noted five HIV diagnoses, all of which were among GBM who declined PrEP at least once.

Conclusions

Based on these findings, it appears multiple PrEP may yield increased PrEP acceptance among a sample of GBM.
Psychiatric epidemiology and the Chicago School of Sociology
Authors: Smith Matthew
Published: December 2023

This article explores the Chicago School of Sociology’s influence on psychiatric epidemiology. While the Chicago School text usually associated with psychiatric epidemiology is the 1939 book by Faris and Dunham, it is important to acknowledge the influence of earlier Chicago School projects during the 1920s. These projects, tackling everything from homelessness and delinquency to the ghetto and suicide, provided models not only for Faris and Dunham, but also for numerous methodological and theoretical insights for the social psychiatry projects that would emerge after World War II. The social sciences and the humanities still have important roles to play in informing contemporary approaches to psychiatric epidemiology and deriving ways to tackle the socio-economic problems that contribute to mental illness.
Explaining mobilization for revolts by private interests and kinship relations
Authors: Armandola Niccolò G. , Doehne Malte , Rost Katja
Published: December 2023

Mobilization for revolts poses a significant challenge for rational choice theory because revolts are vulnerable to free-riding, which disincentivizes rational actors from mobilizing. Strong, informal relations such as kinship ties have been identified as factors that can shift the rational calculations of individuals and lead to mobilization for revolts. In social networks that are polarized by the presence of mobilized individuals, such as rebels, and actors opposing the mobilization effort such as the elite, kinship relations have not only a bridging effect but also a diverging one. Building on Tullock’s private interest theory, we develop a framework in which kinship relations determine the extent of individual’s payoffs and costs of mobilization for revolts against an elite. We posit that distant kin of the elite expect high payoffs of mobilization for revolts and face the lowest costs of mobilization for revolts by virtue of their position in the network of kinship relations. Using a unique, hand-collected dataset that reconstructs a revolt in Basel, Switzerland, in 1691, we test our framework and contribute to a better relational understanding of the mechanisms that lead rational actors to mobilize for revolts. Our analyses show that mobilization for revolts is mainly driven by distant kinship relations to the ruling elite rather than close kinship relations to the rebels.
The Incidence of Torsades de Pointes With Perioperative Triple Antiemetic Administration
Authors: Nuttall Gregory A. , Reed Alyssa M. , Pham (Louis) Khue D. , Oyen Lance J. , Marsland Samuel P. , Ackerman Michael J.
Published: December 2023

Background:

The safety of triple antiemetic therapy consisting of ondansetron, haloperidol, and a steroid, to surgical patients is unknown.

Objective:

To determine the incidence of torsade de pointes (TdP) or death following perioperative administration of triple antiemetic therapy.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study identified 19,874 patients who received 22,202 doses of triple antiemetics during the 2.5-year time frame from March 4, 2020 to September 7, 2022 for surgical nausea prophylaxis or treatment of nausea. These patients above were cross-matched with an electrocardiogram and adverse outcome database; this identified 226 patients with documentation of a QTc > 450 ms, all ventricular tachycardias including TdP within 48 hours of receiving triple antiemetic therapy, or death within 7 days of receiving ondansetron.

Results:

There were 3 patients who had documented VT (n = 3), but there were no documented incidents of TdP (n = 0). There were 9 codes called on patients within 48 hours of medication administration, and none of them were due to ventricular arrythmias (n = 0). A total of 11 patients died within 7 days of triple antiemetic therapy. Ten of the 11 deaths were determined to not be from the triple antiemetic. One patient died at home within 24 hours of the procedure of an unknown cause (n = 1).

Conclusions and Relevance:

No episodes of TdP were identified in patients receiving triple antiemetic therapy perioperatively, though the cause of death in 1 patient could not be determined. This suggest that low-dose triple antiemetic therapy is low risk for the development of TdP.
Missing Voices: Examining How Misinformation-Susceptible Individuals From Underrepresented Communities Engage, Perceive, and Combat Science Misinformation
Authors: Amazeen Michelle A. , Vasquez Rosalynn A. , Krishna Arunima , Ji Yi Grace , Su Chao Chris , Cummings James J.
Published: December 2023

This study examines how misinformation-susceptible individuals from historically excluded and marginalized communities engage with science topics (e.g., climate change, vaccines, and health/wellness) and interpret misinformation and corrective intervention strategies. Two focus groups reveal that most participants are highly distrustful of authority figures, celebrity endorsements, and fact-checking strategies to combat misinformation. As one of the first studies to explore underrepresented community members’ experiences with science misinformation, findings reveal structural and institutional power dynamics that impede access to accurate information and indicate how missing voices must be included in the efforts at media and information literacy initiatives.
Angioplasty for dysfunctional arteriovenous fistulas: A meta-analysis of recent randomized controlled trials compared paclitaxel-coated balloon versus conventional balloon angioplasty
Authors: Yang Qin , Xia Congying
Published: December 2023

Background:

Stenosis in arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) due to neointimal hyperplasia is one of the most common causes of hemodialysis vascular access dysfunction. Treating patients with dysfunctional AVF with drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty may potentially improve outcomes.

Objectives:

This systematic review aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of DCB angioplasty versus conventional balloon angioplasty by pooling evidence from the most recent randomized controlled trials.

Methods:

We conducted a comprehensive literature search in the Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane central databases. Two independent researchers screened the article, extracted interest, and evaluated included studies for risk of bias. Pooled estimation was conducted in terms of 6-month target-lesion primary patency (TLPP) and target-lesion reintervention (TLR), as well as other outcomes.

Results:

Results were expressed with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of five RCTs were identified and included in the meta-analyses, with 1107 participants. DCB has a trend of a higher rate of TLPP (OR 1.79, 95% CI 0.66–4.90, p = 0.181) and a significantly lower rate of TLR (0.52, 95% CI 0.29–0.92, p = 0.034), as compared to conventional balloon angioplasty. No difference in the 6-month access circuit primary patency and reinvention was observed between the two groups.

Conclusion:

DCB may be an alternative treatment of dysfunctional AVF given a trend of a higher rate of TLPP and a significantly lower rate of TLR than conventional balloon angioplasty within 6 months after the indexed procedure. Moreover, DCB was non-inferior to conventional balloon angioplasty in terms of safety. Considering variations in the DCB technique, further studies are warranted for a standardized process.
Early arteriovenous fistula failure associated with mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing incident hemodialysis
Authors: Okubo Aiko , Doi Toshiki , Yamada Yumi , Morii Kenichi , Nishizawa Yoshiko , Yamashita Kazuomi , Fudaba Yasuhiro , Shigemoto Kenichiro , Mizuiri Sonoo , Usui Koji , Arita Michiko , Naito Takayuki , Masaki Takao
Published: December 2023

Background:

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency is important for patients undergoing hemodialysis. The association between early AVF failure and the prognosis, including all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), has not been fully investigated. The present study was performed to investigate the association between early AVF failure and 3-year mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and MACE.

Methods:

We analyzed 358 patients who started hemodialysis in our institution from October 2008 to February 2020. We defined early AVF failure as cases requiring percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or reoperation within 1 year after AVF surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of early AVF failure, and the prognosis of each group was examined. The association between early AVF failure and outcomes (3-year all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, and MACE) was determined using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

Results:

During the 3-year follow-up, 75 (20.9%) patients died (cardiovascular death: n = 39) and 145 patients developed MACE. According to the multivariable analysis, the early AVF failure group had a significantly higher risk of 3-year all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09–1.83; p = 0.009), CVD mortality (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.29–2.08; p < 0.001), and MACE (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.25–2.26; p < 0.001). When the patients were stratified by age, early AVF failure was associated with 3-year all-cause mortality in all groups except for the younger group (<65 years of age).

Conclusions:

Early AVF failure was associated with an increased risk of 3-year all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, and MACE.
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Patients with Upper Extremity Arthritis: Overview of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Dabbagh Armaghan , Ziebart Christina , Furtado Rochelle , Boutsikari Eleni C , MacDermid Joy C
Published: December 2023

Background:

Arthritis leads to disabilities impacting patients’ physical and mental health.

Objective:

To synthesize the evidence on measurement properties of the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for people with upper extremity arthritis.

Design:

Overview of systematic reviews (SRs).

Methods:

We performed an electronic search of 6 databases to retrieve SRs looking at any measurement property related to PROMs for people with upper extremity arthritis. Two authors rated the risk of bias (ROB) of the included SRs using AMSTAR. We extracted data on measurement properties from each SR.

Results:

From 6 included SRs, 6 PROMs (Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale [AIMS], AIMS-2, AIMS-Short Form, Cedars-Sinai Health-Related Quality of Life for Rheumatoid Arthritis (CSHQ-RA), Revised CSHQ-RA, and Influence of Rheumatic Disease on General Health and Lifestyle) were evaluated in 2 or more SRs. The ROB of the included SRs ranged from moderate to high. Low- to moderate-quality evidence was found of good construct and criterion validity, acceptable content validity, and good responsiveness of the AIMS. We found low- to moderate-quality evidence of good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of the CSHQ-RA.

Conclusion:

We found a moderate to high ROB in the included SRs on the upper extremity PROMs for patients with arthritis. More evidence was specific to upper extremity arthritis in measures not in common use versus well-validated measures used in upper extremity conditions and recommended in current core sets. These factors suggest an urgent need for additional research to improve the scope and quality of evidence before recommendations can be made specific to patients with arthritis.

Registration Number:

on PROSPERO CRD 42019137491
Reactions to Misoprostol: A Case Report
Authors: Salari Arsalan , Pourrajabi Aseme , Karami Samaneh , Hamidi Madani Zahra
Published: December 2023

Background:

Most of abortions occur before the 13th week of pregnancy. Nowadays, non-surgical approaches for evacuation of uterine have been replaced with surgical ones due to the reduction in bleeding, fewer complications, ease of management, and cost-effectiveness. Misoprostol is a prostaglandin E1 analog that is used for labor induction. It is known as a safe drug with very few side effects.

Case Presentation:

A 29-year-old woman with the gestational age of 11 weeks and 6 days with a diagnosis of cystic hygroma introduced herself to the labor ward. At the time of hospitalization, the patient was conscious. The heart sounds were normal. A vaginal exam indicated no pathological findings. Totally, she received 1000 mg of Misoprostol. Approximately, 2 hours after the last placement of Misoprostol, the patient developed bending and mild cyanosis of fingers and showed tachycardia with a pulse rate of 140 beats/min. Her O2 saturation decreased to 78%. At this time, the patient had a successful miscarriage. Echocardiography showed an ejection fraction of 55% and normal right ventricular size. The electrocardiogram showed sinus tachycardia. Therefore, she was sent to CCU with a possible diagnosis of embolism. The cardiologist administered a heparin drip of 5000-unit IV stat, and 1000 unit/h heparin and asked for a D-Dimer test. However, the laboratory reported that the patient’s blood sample was hemolyzed and they could only check her hemoglobin which was 4 g/dl. Immediately, the heparin drip was held and the patient received 3 packed cells. Her Hb was 6.5 g/dl. 12 hours later she showed tachycardia, and her O2 saturation reduced to 70%. She lost her consciousness. Nearly 40 minutes later, she had cardiorespiratory arrest and CPR wasn’t successful and she died.

Conclusions:

In Conclusion, even a frequently used drug such as Misoprostol can cause life-threatening side effects, leading to emergent situations.
Performance investigation on the ventilation systems of high-speed railway train depots in hot summer regions
Authors: Yu Jinghua , She Yexing , Zou Lei , Song Yi , Zhao Jingang
Published: December 2023

As a place for the maintenance of high-speed trains, the current ventilation system in the train depot cannot meet comfort requirements according to the feedback from the inspection department. The poor thermal environment could seriously affect the physical health and work efficiency of staff. This study provides some basic data and design methods for improving the thermal environment in high-speed railway depots. Field studies were conducted in five different high-speed railway depots in hot summer regions of China, including the form and the operation of the ventilation system, the thermal and humid environment and the characteristics of the heat sources. According to the survey results, the maximum temperature in the depot can reach 41.2°C in summer. There is a clear vertical temperature stratification in the afternoon of the depot, and the maximum temperature difference between three working platforms can reach more than 4°C. The cooling effect of ventilation systems in depot was investigated and compared. The recommended ventilation mode is natural ventilation system + bottom mechanical air supply system + ceiling fan system, and it is recommended to combine the west window louvers with external sun shading to achieve the best cooling effect in high-speed railway depot.
Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of APERTO-Paclitaxel Drug-Eluting Balloon Angioplasty Versus Standard Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty in Dysfunctional Hemodialysis Grafts and Native Fistulae
Authors: Maleux Geert , van der Linden Edwin , Heijboer Roeland J. J. , Serafino Gian Piero , Wüst Aloys F. J. , Dol Johan A. , Gabriels Karen , Pattynama Peter
Published: December 2023

Purpose:

to assess the safety and efficacy of APERTO-Paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty versus standard angioplasty for the treatment of dysfunctional hemodialysis shunts and native arteriovenous fistulae.

Methods:

consecutive patients with dysfunctional dialysis related to underlying efferent vein stenosis were included and randomized 1:1 to either APERTO-paclitaxel drug-coated balloon (study arm) or standard percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (control arm). Primary endpoint is time from treatment until dialysis access dysfunction according to standardized Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI)-guidelines and assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and tested for significance with log-rank analysis. Secondary endpoints include device, technical, and clinical success of the index angioplasty procedure.

Results:

The study included 103 patients (n=51 study-group) with a de novo (n=33) dysfunctional native arteriovenous fistula (n=79) in the forearm (n=60). The majority of included patients were male with a mean age of 69.8 years, presenting with a dysfunctioning autologous arteriovenous fistula in the forearm. Device-related complications did not occur in any of the included patients. Functional hemodialysis access without need for re-intervention at 1 year after index procedure was found in n=10 (19.6%) and n=5 (9.6%) of patients treated with, respectively, paclitaxel drug-coated balloon and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (p=0.612). A nonsignificant benefit of paclitaxel drug-coated balloon (n=5; 25%) over percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (n=1; 11%) was found (p=0.953) in de novo lesions in autologous fistulas.

Conclusion:

APERTO-paclitaxel drug-coated balloon is a safe balloon catheter to manage dysfunctional hemodialysis access; however, longer period of adequate hemodialysis circuit functioning after endovascular index stenosis treatment, using APERTO-paclitaxel drug-coated balloon versus percutaneous transluminal angioplasty could not be demonstrated.

Clinical Impact

APERTO-paclitaxel drug-coated balloon catheter is a safe device to manage dysfunctional hemodialysis access. Compared to conventional angioplasty balloon, the APERTO drug-coated balloon will not result in longer period of adequate hemodialysis circuit functioning. A non-significant benefit of APERTO drug-coated balloon was found in de novo lesions in autologous fistulas.
Design and development of jeans textile antenna for wireless broadband applications
Authors: Kavitha V , Malaisamy K , Murugesh TS , SenthilKumar M
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes a design of a compact jeans textile wearable antenna with miniaturized structure. This textile antenna is designed for wireless broadband applications. This antenna is resonating at 3.4 GHz. This antenna is designed using FR-4, Jeans and Denim as a substrate. The shaft shape is mounted on three different substrates (FR4, denim, and jeans), and the antenna is designed, simulated, and the parameters are analyzed. In the proposed design, textile material (Jeans, Denim) is used as a substrate and copper is used to make ground & patch. The textile material is used because it is wearable, washable, very economical, and flexible. The simulated antenna parameters like bandwidth, return loss, radiation pattern, gain and efficiency are presented. The overall size of the antenna is 30 × 30 mm2. Due to its small size, the proposed antenna may have practical applications in the smart wearable textile fields.
Polarizing Online Elite Rhetoric at the Federal, State, and Local Level During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Heseltine Michael
Published: December 2023

Times of national and international crisis are often unifying events which lower levels of division within the public and between political elites. Yet, COVID-19 pandemic responses in the United States have been viewed as markedly polarized. Using a comprehensive dataset of over four million social media posts sent by local, state, and federal level political officials between January 2020 and September 2022, this paper explores the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic was a rhetorically unifying or divisive event, and whether rhetorical responses differed across levels of government. The results show that federal level officials were less likely to message about COVID-19 and were more likely to do so in a polarizing fashion compared to state and local officials. Temporally, in the early stages of the pandemic there was indeed a collective rhetorical de-polarization across all levels of government. However, as the pandemic progressed, COVID-related messaging became more polarizing, especially among Republicans. Evidence also emerges of dynamic responsiveness from elected officials, with relativeness attentiveness to COVID increasing and polarizing rhetoric decreasing during time periods when local case counts were relatively high. These findings suggest that rhetorical unity is still possible, even in times of high political polarization, but that this unity is also short-lived and tempered by political and electoral considerations.
Epilepsy and Anti-Seizure Medications: Secret Agents for Endocrine Disruption
Authors: Sazgar Mona , Mnatsakanyan Lilit , Pack Alison M. , Harden Cynthia L.
Published: December 2023

There is a reciprocal relationship between epilepsy and reproductive endocrine disorders. Seizures and anti-seizure medications (ASMs) can contribute to reproductive and endocrine dysfunction and reproductive dysfunction may exacerbate seizures. Epilepsy via neuroendocrine mechanisms affects the hypothalamic–pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, disrupting the regulation of gonadotropin secretion, and resulting in dystrophic effects on the ovaries and early menopause. Anti-seizure medications have endocrine-related side effects on sexual function and bone health. Long-term use of ASMs may result in menstrual irregularities, sexual dysfunction, anovulatory cycles, polycystic ovaries, and reduced fertility. Some ASMs also interfere with bone metabolism. Epilepsy patients treated with ASMs are at risk for bone loss and fractures. This article explores the endocrine and hormonal effects of seizures and ASMs.
Adhesion of vessel wall to stentriever during combined technique for mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke: A histomorphological study
Authors: Donnerstag Frank , Werlein Christopher , Götz Friedrich , Fares Omar Abu , Raab Peter , Iglesias Enrico Calvino , Lanfermann Heinrich , Wattjes Mike P , Jonigk Danny
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Detection of vessel wall tissue in thrombus material in patients with ischemic stroke is judged as vascular injury. So far, several studies investigated components of the free clots after mechanical thrombectomy. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the involvement and role of the stentriever in vessel wall injury by analysis of the composition of adherent tissue to the stentriever during combined aspiration thrombectomy with stentriever.

Methods

Stentriever with adherent tissue and free clots in aspiration samples from patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (aspiration plus stentriever) were separately assessed for the occurrence of parts of vascular tissue together with clinical and interventional data as well as clinical outcome data. Specimens were analyzed histomorphologically and immunohistochemically. Findings, focused on parts of vessel wall were reported together with clinical data.

Results

Specimens from 21 identified patients were available. Parts of the vessel wall were detected in 7 out 21 (33%) samples. All specimens revealed fresh thrombus material without signs of organization or atheromatous tissue. In 90% of patients mTICI was greater than 2b without signs of secondary vessel injury. No vascular tissue was found in free clots of the aspiration samples.

Conclusion

The examination of adherent tissue to the stentriever instead of the examination of free clots may affect the number of detected parts of vessel wall. Further studies in combination with vessel wall imaging may elucidate the origin of remnants of vessel wall.
Role of ethical school leadership in shaping adolescents’ aggressive attitudes: A doubly latent multilevel SEM analysis
Authors: Da'as Rima'a
Published: December 2023

Based on ethical leadership and authoritative school climate theories, the current study used doubly latent multilevel structural equation modeling (M-SEM) to test links between school principals’ ethical leadership and students’ aggressive attitudes through the mediation of authoritative school and classroom climates. Data included three sources: 317 educators (homeroom teachers), 504 teachers and 6589 students from 64 Arab Israeli middle schools (grades 7–9). Results showed that ethical leaders positively affect educators’ perceptions of authoritative school climate (a disciplinary structure of fairness and justness, and student support), which in turn affect their classroom conditions of fairness, justness and student support, as perceived by their students; this then negatively affects students’ aggressive attitudes. Furthermore, ethical leaders negatively affected students’ aggressive attitudes through the mediation of authoritative school climate and educators’ work reflected in classroom climate. Classroom climate was directly and negatively related to aggressive attitudes; however, school climate was not directly related. Further examination of the dimensions of climate separately demonstrated that only classroom fairness and student support (students’ willingness to seek help and teachers’ respect) negatively affect students’ aggressive attitudes. Finally, only a school climate of justness was directly related to students’ aggressive attitudes.
Assessing time-based prospective memory online: A comparison study between laboratory-based and web-based testing
Authors: Laera Gianvito , Hering Alexandra , Kliegel Matthias
Published: December 2023

Prospective memory (PM, i.e., the ability to remember and perform future intentions) is assessed mainly within laboratory settings; however, in the last two decades, several studies have started testing PM online. Most part of those studies focused on event-based PM (EBPM), and only a few assessed time-based PM (TBPM), possibly because time keeping is difficult to control or standardise without experimental control. Thus, it is still unclear whether time monitoring patterns in online studies replicate typical patterns obtained in laboratory tasks. In this study, we therefore aimed to investigate whether the behavioural outcome measures obtained from the traditional TBPM paradigm in the laboratory—accuracy and time monitoring—are comparable with an online version in a sample of 101 younger adults. Results showed no significant difference in TBPM performance in the laboratory versus online setting, as well as no difference in time monitoring. However, we found that participants were somewhat faster and more accurate at the ongoing task during the laboratory assessment, but those differences were not related to holding an intention in mind. The findings suggest that, although participants seemed generally more distracted when tested remotely, online assessment yielded similar results in key temporal characteristics and behavioural performance as for the laboratory assessment. The results are discussed in terms of possible conceptual and methodological implications for online testing.
Lower-level oculomotor deficits in schizophrenia during multi-line reading: Evidence from return-sweeps
Authors: Christofalos Andriana L , Laks Madison , Wolfer Stephanie , Dias Elisa C , Javitt Daniel C , Sheridan Heather
Published: December 2023

Reading fluency deficits in schizophrenia (Sz) have been attributed to dysfunction in both lower-level, oculomotor processing and higher-level, lexical processing, according to the two-hit deficit model. Given that prior work examining reading deficits in individuals with Sz has primarily focused on single-line and single-word reading tasks, eye movements that are unique to passage reading, such as return-sweep saccades, have not yet been examined in Sz. Return-sweep saccades are large eye movements that are made when readers move from the end of one line to the beginning of the next line during natural passage reading. Examining return-sweeps provides an opportunity to examine lower-level, oculomotor deficits during reading under circumstances when upcoming higher-level, lexical information is not available for visual processing because visual acuity constraints do not permit detailed lexical processing of line-initial words when return-sweeps are programmed. To examine the source of reading deficits in Sz, we analysed an existing data set in which participants read multi-line passages with manipulations to line spacing. Readers with Sz made significantly more return-sweep targeting errors followed by corrective saccades compared with healthy controls. Both groups showed similar effects of line spacing on return-sweep targeting accuracy, suggesting similar sensitivities to visual crowding during reading. Furthermore, the patterns of fixation durations in readers with Sz corroborate prior work indicating reduced parafoveal processing of upcoming words. Together, these findings suggest that lower-level visual and oculomotor dysfunction contribute to reading deficits in Sz, providing support for the two-hit deficit model.
Emotion Granularity, Regulation, and Their Implications in Health: Broadening the Scope from a Cultural and Developmental Perspective
Authors: Ip Ka I , Yu Kewei , Gendron Maria
Published: December 2023

The ability to represent emotional experiences in a precise fashion with language, termed emotional granularity, is related to a number of beneficial outcomes. However, the emotion granularity construct and operationalization are rooted in the lens of so-called Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic (WEIRD) societies that focus on emotions as a mental-state phenomena. Using evidence from multiple non-WEIRD societies, we illustrate that people's everyday vernacular often emphasizes bodily over, or in addition to, mental states. This suggests that granularity focused only on mental state language may limit our ability to operationalize this construct in a culturally valid manner. To overcome this limitation, we propose capturing “experiential” granularity and a concept model on how it may link to regulation and health.
Dialectical Insights for Global IR: Forum on Snapshots from Home
Authors: Biersteker Thomas J
Published: December 2023

This contribution to a symposium on Karin Fierke’s 2022 book, Snapshots from Home, reflects on the dialectical aspects of her analysis, her contribution to Global IR, and the implications of her work for the field of International Relations.
The Effect of Student–Teacher Relationships on Students’ Math Motivation Across EU Countries
Authors: Desmet Ophélie A. , Camargo Salamanca Sandra , Lee Hyeseong , Tuzgen Abdullah
Published: December 2023

Using PISA 2012 data, we conducted multilevel modeling analyses to explore how student–teacher relationships (STRs) affected mathematics motivation across EU countries. We compared this relationship across high and low achievers and explored how sex, economic, social, and cultural status (ESCS), ability grouping, class size, and teacher intentions moderated this relationship. Results show that positive STR was associated with higher motivation. High-ability students, boys, and high ESCS students had higher motivation, but we found no statistically significant interactions between STR and low or high ability. Class size, ability grouping, and teacher intentions had no statistically significant effects on mathematics motivation. Overall, our findings suggest that positive perceptions of STR can positively impact student motivation in mathematics and that this effect is consistent across different demographic groups. Thus, general trends around STR and motivation also apply to high-achieving populations.
Improving Student Access to and Teacher Training for Advanced Placement
Authors: Ponisciak Stephen M. , Morris Karen M.
Published: December 2023

The Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program in Indiana (AP-TIP IN) program trains teachers to prepare students for college with rigorous math, science, and English coursework using the College Board Advanced Placement Program®. The program's goals are to increase enrollment in math, science, and English Advanced Placement® courses, and increase the number of qualifying scores on AP® exams; subsequently, improved performance in these exams should lead to better postsecondary outcomes. We use comparative interrupted time series models to compare program schools and matched comparison schools and find that AP-TIP IN schools increased the proportion of students taking and passing AP exams, while post-secondary outcomes were similar to matched comparison schools.
Impact of Socialization Tactics on Socialization-Specific Adjustment Via PsyCap: A Lens of COR Theory
Authors: Song Zibin , Chon Kaye , Wang Yutian , Wei Zhen
Published: December 2023

Based on conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study proposes an integrative model, whereby socialization caravan passageways—socialization tactics—shape a resource caravan of PsyCap (psychological capital) that newcomers rely upon to achieve socialization-specific adjustment outcomes. SmartPLS 3.0 is mainly used to analyze the data and this model exhibits acceptable levels of structural equation modeling (SEM) fit indices in a sample of 368 respondents from 16 luxury hotels in Hainan Province, China. Study results indicate that socialization tactics have a positive influence on PsyCap, which in turn affects all six adjustment outcomes including task mastery, fitting in, standing out, role negotiation, membership identification, and interpersonal relationships. Our findings are informative and valuable because socialization resources theory (SRT) represents a new approach to capturing the dynamics of newcomer socialization phenomenon with important implications for theory, research, and practice.
CRISPR futures: Rethinking the politics of genome editing
Authors: Policante Amedeo , Borg Erica
Published: December 2023

New genome editing techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9 aspire to automate and standardize laboratory practices of genetic engineering at the molecular scale. They have been promoted as a ‘revolutionary’ means of production, which will revitalize industry, transform agribusiness and adapt it to changing climatic conditions. To realize this vision, a fundamental regulatory shift is now being enacted by multiple national governments around the world from Argentina to Canada, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, China and the European Union. As corporate science is directly in the service of private entities guided by a strict market rationality, while public research is increasingly pushed to prioritize immediate ‘industrial applications’ and the achievement of measurable ‘socio-economic impact’, genomic interventions are mostly geared towards expanding, accelerating and securing the accumulation of capital on a global scale. Structural market demands are embodied in gene-edited bodies produced for commercialization. While the emerging international regulatory regime for gene-edited organisms has been largely shaped by discussions focused on technical questions of health and safety, this tendency indicates the necessity of a wider democratic debate that would include the socio-economic, ethical and ecological concerns recently stressed by indigenous and peasant movements around the world. How will these new GM bodies transform the way people live and work in agricultural lands, industrial facilities, barnyards and slaughterhouses, in biotech labs and medical clinics? How will they affect lived ecologies? What types of multi-species worlds are being constructed through bioengineering practices, by whom and according to what political visions?
Evaluating COVID-19 infection prevention measures in Malaysia: A fuzzy DEMATEL approach
Authors: Yadegaridehkordi Elaheh , Nilashi Mehrbakhsh , Nizam Bin Md Nasir Mohd Hairul , Safie Bin Mohd Satar Nurhizam , Momtazi Saeedeh
Published: December 2023

Objective

Since unexpected COVID-19 has been causing massive losses worldwide, preventive measures have been emergency provided to curb the expansion of the epidemic and cut off transmission routes. However, there is a lack of studies that comprehensively address COVID-19 infection prevention measures. This aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation framework to identify the factors impacting COVID-19 infection prevention. Meanwhile, categorizing factors into individual, social, environmental, and technological dimensions and uncovering their interrelationships and level of importance are indeed novelties of this study.

Methods

An integration of fuzzy logic and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) is utilized, and data was collected from a panel of professional experts in Malaysia. Using a cause-effect relationship diagram, the fuzzy DEMATEL method evaluates the causal relationships between factors.

Results

Findings showed that environmental factors play the most significant roles in preventing COVID-19 infection, followed by technology, individual, and social factors. Getting vaccinated is the most crucial factor in the environmental dimension in cutting the spread of COVID-19. Telehealth, the use of personal protective equipments (PPEs), and the adoption of social distancing are the most important measures in technology, individual and social dimensions, respectively.

Conclusions

This study offered valuable insights for policymakers and healthcare professionals in designing and implementing effective strategies to prevent pandemic disease transmission. Findings can be practically applied to optimize and prioritize infection prevention measures, assign resources more effectively, and guide evidence-based decision-making in the face of evolving pandemic situations. This process involves the active commitment of all parties, including governments, medical health executives, and citizens.
From the Nation’s ‘Steel Frame’ to Insubordinate Workers: Tracing Changes in the Figure of the Post-colonial Civil Servant from 1947 to 1966
Authors: Krishna Vipin
Published: December 2023

The Indian Civil Service, and consequently, the Indian bureaucracy, was reformed periodically, starting in 1854, then in 1966, and then later in 2007. Each process of reform generated a set of reports known as the Administrative Reforms Commission reports which provide us with an analytical picture of the mode of historical state-rationality espoused at that time. While, usually, these reports were aimed at reforming the bureaucracy, they also betrayed the anxieties of the Indian state itself. Primarily using these reports from the 1966 period, this article examines the post-colonial Indian bureaucracy through three facets, namely, aesthetic imagery, Public Administration, and the notion of the public. Ultimately, it attempts to track changes in state-ideology from 1947 to 1966, through the figure of the civil servant.
Caste, Class and Vote: Consolidation of the Privileged and Dispersal of Underprivileged
Authors: Palshikar Suhas , Mishra Jyoti
Published: December 2023

This article attempts to examine the combined impact of caste and class on voting choices. By using data from National Election Studies conducted by Lokniti from 1996 to 2019, the article seeks to situate the findings in the larger temporal frame of a quarter of a century. This allows us to also examine if changing patterns of party competition affect the impact of caste–class combined. The article argues that two patterns emerge: one is the consolidation of the more privileged social sections in terms of class and caste and the other is the dispersal of the less privileged. The latter, by virtue of their political dispersal, are unable to shape as a political force in both electoral politics and in agenda setting. This finding is partly an extension of the earlier findings that politics of backward castes hit a dead-end and politics of the poor never emerged as an all-India political alternative. Together with the earlier experience, the findings in this article throw light on the limits of democratization and on the prospects of politics of the less privileged sections across the country.
The Role of Minoritized Student Representation in Promoting Achievement and Equity Within College STEM Courses
Authors: Bowman Nicholas , Logel Christine , Lacosse Jennifer , Canning Elizabeth A. , Emerson Katherine T. U. , Murphy Mary C.
Published: December 2023

In the context of continued equity gaps in student success within and beyond STEM, this paper explored the extent to which the representation of underrepresented racial minority (URM) and first-generation college students predict grades in postsecondary STEM courses. The analyses examined 87,027 grades received by 11,868 STEM-interested students within 8,468 STEM courses at 20 institutions. Cross-classified multilevel models and student fixed effects analyses of these data both support the same conclusion: the proportion of URM and first-generation students within a class is positively associated with STEM grades among all students, and these relationships are stronger among students who are members of the minoritized group. Thus, promoting the representation of students with minoritized identities in STEM courses may lead to greater equity in college outcomes.