bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Service-oriented manufacturing supply chain: risks and their resonant effect
Authors: Duong An Thi Binh , Diep Uyen My , Sampaio Paulo , Carvalho Maria , Pham Hai Thanh , Hoang Thu-Hang , Truong Dung Quang , Truong Huy Quang
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This research aims to specialise in the investigation of risk management for service-oriented manufacturing supply chains via two stages, highlighting its differences from manufacturing. The research article is commenced by executing an encyclopedic review of earlier research to ascertain the distinctive traits of service-oriented manufacturing supply chains and identify prevalent risks. Secondly, an empirical study in the construction field, amongst the industry hardest struck in the mist of the COVID-19 epidemic, is conducted to thoroughly inspect the resonant effect of these risks on service-oriented manufacturing supply chain performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, to validate the resonant effect mechanism, a thorough assessment is undertaken by juxtaposing theoretical model to a newly constructed comparative model that encompasses the single effects of risks on supply chain performance.

Findings

63% variance of service-oriented manufacturing supply chain performance was showcased by the resonant effect model, compared with 46.3% in the comparative model. Moreover, each risk exerts a more glaringly significant impact on supply chain performance, asserting the mechanism of the resonant influence. Another noteworthy result involves the demand risk possessing a low effect on supply chain performance, thus emphasising the superiority of service-oriented manufacturing supply chains.

Research limitations/implications

Future research endeavours should hinge on the optimal “resonant” model explosion, thereby foreseeing and alleviating worst-case scenarios to guarantee the robustness and resilience of supply chain networks.

Practical implications

Indubitably, reducing the intensity of the resonant effect revolves around lowering the coefficient of “a,” thereby restricting/eliminating the link among risks. Therefore, the suggested resonant impact model might thus serve as “a road map”. In light of the aforementioned considerations, it is advisable that supply chain executives employ supply chain management tactics namely avoidance, prediction, and postponement, but only after meticulous consideration the costs and benefits of adopting such strategies.

Originality/value

The service-oriented manufacturing supply chain features and advantages have been analysed and explained throughout the article. The data gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic is a captivating and topical point of this paper.
Small half‐graben inferred from a Miocene syn‐rift succession in the Kinbusan area, eastern Tottori Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Haji Toshiki
Published: December 2023

Understanding the Miocene tectonics of the southwest Japan Arc is key to elucidating the history of the opening of the Japan Sea, and important advances have been made in the last 10 years, such as clarification of the timing of arc rotation. Syn‐rift successions occur in the eastern San'in basins, but they have received little attention because the basic stratigraphy and development of the basins are poorly understood. This paper provides details of a field survey of the Miocene geology of the Kinbusan area in eastern Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The lithofacies suggest alluvial fan and plain environments, which correlate with the syn‐rifting horizon of the southwest Japan Arc. A syn‐depositional graben, which is newly named the Kinbusan Graben, can be inferred from the geometry of the basin fill, and this graben consists of two sub‐basins bounded by two ENE–WSW‐trending normal faults. Miocene dikes also trend ENE–WSW, indicating that the graben was formed in response to extension oriented perpendicular to the strike of the faults. The age of the Iwami Formation shows that extension was initiated before arc rotation. Fault‐slip data, collected from meso‐scale faults in the basin fill, indicate axial compressive stress with the maximum principal stress being vertical. The stress field suggests that the basin fill was accommodated not only in fault‐perpendicular extension but also in fault‐parallel extensions, and fault‐parallel extension was the probable cause of differential subsidence of the basin fill during faulting. The results show that the basic stratigraphy and structures of the eastern San'in basins provide important constraints on the timing and style of deformation in the southwest Japan Arc and the Japan Sea.
Cover crop diversity for sustainable agriculture: Insights from the Cerrado biome
Authors: Souza Victória Santos , Santos Darliane de Castro , Ferreira Jaqueline Gomes , de Souza Stéfany Oliveira , Gonçalo Tulio Porto , de Sousa João Vitor Alves , Cruvinel Aline Guimarães , Vilela Lourival , do Prado Paim Tiago , de Almeida Rodrigo Estevam Munhoz , Canisares Lucas Pecci , Cherubin Maurício Roberto
Published: December 2023

Brazil is one of the largest soybean producer of the world and the Cerrado biome has played a pivotal role in this expansion. Because of the economic and agronomic challenges associated with the maize production as a second summer crop in this region, cover crops are gaining popularity as a strategy to diversify the agricultural system while enhancing soil health. This study assessed the benefits of single species of cover crops and a mix of cover crop species in between harvest seasons to the soybean grain yield and nematode suppression. The study was carried out for 3 years in two locations within the Cerrado biome. We evaluated six cover crop treatments after soybean cultivation: (1) Mix of cover crops (Pennisetum glaucum, Crotalaria spectabilis and Urochloa ruziziensis), (2) P. glaucum (Pearl millet), (3) C. spectabilis, (4) U. ruziziensis (Congo grass) (5) Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu (Marandu palisadegrass) and (6) U. brizantha BRS Paiaguás (Paiaguás palisadegrass). Pennisetum glaucum and U. brizantha cv. Marandu produced highest amounts of biomass on a 3‐year average. In one site, P. glaucum produced more biomass than other cover crops by 210%. Tropical grasses (U. ruziziensis, Marandu and Paiaguás), along with the cover crop mixture, exhibited intermediate biomass levels in the site with higher P. glaucum biomass production and did not differ from P. glaucum in the other site. Cover crops varied nutrient uptake depending on the species. Decomposition rates varied among cover crops as expected, with C. spectabilis decomposing rapidly and releasing substantial amounts nutrients, particularly nitrogen. In contrast, the cover crop mixture had a slower decomposition. The choice of cover crop significantly influenced soybean population and yield, with some variability across years and locations. The cover crop mixture consistently supported higher soybean populations and yields, highlighting its potential for enhancing soybean production, nutrient cycling and nematode suppression. It effectively reduced nematode abundance in soybean roots, highlighting its role in nematode management. Our findings emphasize the robustness and versatility of cover crop mixtures in mitigating weather variability across years and sites. They consistently performed well in terms of biomass production, nutrient uptake, soybean yields and nematode control. This study highlights the vital role of cover crops in the Cerrado ecosystem, enhancing soil health, crop productivity and environmental sustainability. The choice of cover crop species and mixtures offers a valuable tool for farmers seeking resilient and sustainable agricultural practices amid changing environmental conditions.
Concordance of shoulder symptoms and imaging findings: a protocol for the Finnish Imaging of Shoulder (FIMAGE) study
Authors: Ibounig Thomas , Buchbinder Rachelle , Sillanpää Niko , Rämö Lasse , Toivonen Pirjo , Raatikainen Saara , Koskinen Seppo , Härkänen Tommi , Rissanen Harri , Czuba Tomasz , Paavola Mika , Jarvinen Teppo , Taimela Simo
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Shoulder pain is a substantial medical and socioeconomic problem in most societies, affecting the ability to work or carry out leisure time activities as well as subsequently influencing physical and psychological well-being. According to a nationwide survey in Finland, 27% of the population reported shoulder pain within the last 30 days. In clinical practice, imaging findings of structural abnormalities are typically thought to explain symptoms, even though such findings are also prevalent in asymptomatic individuals, particularly with increasing age. Overall, there is a paucity of high-quality evidence on the prevalence, clinical relevance and prognosis of ‘abnormal’ imaging findings of the shoulder.

The aim of the Finnish Imaging of Shoulder (FIMAGE) study is fourfold: to assess (1) the prevalence of shoulder symptoms and the most common anatomical variants and imaging abnormalities of the shoulder; (2) the concordance between shoulder symptoms, function and imaging abnormalities; (3) the most important determinants of symptoms, function and imaging abnormalities; and (4) the course of shoulder complaints over 5 years.

Methods

The FIMAGE target population of 600 participants, aged 40–75 years, will be randomly selected from a nationally representative general population sample of 9922 individuals originally recruited for the Finnish Health 2000 Survey. On giving informed consent, the participants will be invited to a clinical visit that includes assessment of general health, shoulder symptoms, bilateral shoulder examination and imaging of both shoulders with plain radiography and MRI.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District. The findings will be published according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology criteria.

Trial registration number

NCT05641415.
Rural caregivers’ preparedness for detecting and responding to the signs of worsening health conditions in recently hospitalised patients at risk for readmission: a qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Fox Mary T , Butler Jeffrey I
Published: December 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to explore informal rural caregivers’ perceived preparedness to detect and respond to the signs of worsening health conditions in patients recently discharged from hospital and at risk for readmission.

Design

A qualitative descriptive design and semistructured interviews were used. Data were thematically analysed.

Setting

Data collection occurred in 2018 and 2019 in rural communities in Southwestern and Northeastern Ontario, Canada.

Participants

The study included sixteen informal caregivers who were all family members of a relative discharged from hospital at high risk for readmission following hospitalisation mostly for a medical illness (63%). Participants were mostly women (87.5%), living with their relative (62.5%) who was most often a parent (56.3%).

Results

Three themes were identified: (1) warning signs and rural communities, (2) perceived preparedness, and (3) improving preparedness. The first theme elucidates informal caregivers’ view that they needed to be prepared because they were taking over care previously provided by hospital healthcare professionals yet lacked accessible medical help in rural communities. The second theme captures informal caregivers’ perceptions that they lacked knowledge of how to detect warning signs and how to respond to them appropriately. The last theme illuminates informal caregivers’ suggestions for improving preparation related to warning signs.

Conclusions

Informal caregivers in rural communities were largely unprepared for detecting and responding to the signs of worsening health conditions for patients at high risk for hospital readmission. Healthcare professionals can anticipate that informal caregivers, particularly those whose relatives live far from medical help, need information on how to detect and respond to warning signs, and may prioritise their time to this aspect of postdischarge care for these caregivers.
Social network trajectory of young adults aged 18−35 years diagnosed with a brain tumour: a protocol for a mixed methods study
Authors: Guldager Rikke , Nordentoft Sara , Bruun-Pedersen Mette , Hindhede Anette Lykke
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Research indicates that social networks and roles are disrupted throughout the entire trajectory of someone living with a brain tumour. Young adults aged 18–35 years are particularly vulnerable to such disruption because they are in a process of establishing themselves. Pre-existing social roles and support networks of young adults living with a primary brain tumour may change. This study aims to identify the social networks of young adults aged 18–35 years diagnosed with a primary brain tumour and to map how the diagnosis and disease course affects the social network in relation to changes in relationships and roles over time.

Methods and analysis

The study adopts a longitudinal design with a convergent mixed methods approach to describe the social network of young adults. The study utilizes a quantitative approach to social network analysis to measure network size, composition and density and a qualitative approach with interviews to gain insight into young adult’s narratives about their network. Network maps will be produced, analysed and all the findings will then be compared and integrated. Interviews and network drawing will take place at the time of the diagnoses, with follow-up interviews 6 and 12 months later. This will shed light on transformations in network compositions and network support over time.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (ID P-2022-733). Written informed consent will be obtained from all patients. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and reported at local, national and international conferences on brain cancer.
Medical students impacted by discrimination: a qualitative study into their experiences of belonging and support systems at medical schools in the UK
Authors: Ikhlaq Hamza , Agarwal Srishti , Kwok Catharine , Golamgouse Hadiya , Derby Simone , McRae Nicola , Brown Megan E L , Collin Victoria , Parekh Ravi , Kumar Sonia
Published: December 2023

Objective

To better understand the broader experience of medical students impacted by discrimination and the support systems they engage with.

Design

Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

Setting

Four medical schools based in the UK.

Participants

17 medical students were recruited using volunteer and snowball sampling: all students self-identified as being impacted by discrimination.

Results

5 themes were identified: feelings of isolation, imposter syndrome and exclusion; a lack of representation and positive role modelling; the importance of peer support; issues relating to the accessibility of support; building support networks through shared experiences and attempts to foster a sense of inclusion through peer and institutionally led initiatives.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest medical schools could do more to recognise the importance of acknowledging the multiple identities at risk of discrimination held by students, perpetuating feelings of isolation and exclusion. Our research highlights the need for practical systemic initiatives to improve the sense of belonging of medical students who are impacted by discrimination. Medical educators and institutions should consider formal and informal provisions, such as creating time and space for students to meet and share experiences, access support and reporting networks, to foster a greater sense of belonging.
Anxiety symptoms and associated factors among school students after 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Wang Hao , Zhou Yi , Dai Pinyuan , Guan Yunqi , Zhong JieMing , Li Na , Yu Min
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To ascertain the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety symptoms among middle and high school students in Zhejiang after 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

A school-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

30 counties/districts in Zhejiang Province, China.

Participants

27 019 students attending middle and high schools.

Outcome measures

Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7). A total score of 10 or more is considered indicative of anxiety symptoms.

Results

The overall prevalence (95% CI) of anxiety symptoms was 14.2% (13.4 to 15.0), higher among girls (18.6%, 95% CI: 17.5 to 19.7) than boys (10.2%, 95% CI: 9.5 to 10.9) (p<0.001), higher among rural students (15.1%, 95% CI: 14.1 to 16.2) than urban students (12.5%, 95% CI: 11.6 to 13.4) (p<0.001). Older age (14–15 years, OR=1.25, 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.44; ≥16 years, OR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.63), being girls (OR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.58 to 1.96), living in rural areas (OR=1.14, 95%CI: 1.01 to 1.29), poor academic performance (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.41), alcohol drinking (OR=1.15, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.30), inadequate fruits (OR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.45) and vegetables intake (OR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.57), insomnia (sometimes, OR=2.14, 95% CI: 1.93 to 2.38; often/always, OR=4.73, 95% CI: 4.03 to 5.56), loneliness (sometimes, OR=2.97, 95%CI: 2.59 to 3.41; often/always, OR=8.35, 95% CI: 7.20 to 9.69), sadness (OR=2.51, 95% CI: 2.25 to 2.79) and physical fight (OR=1.29, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.48) were positively associated with anxiety symptoms, while studying at vocational high school (OR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.75), coming from family with middle income (OR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.89), being physically active 3–7 days weekly (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.75 to 0.95) were negatively associated with anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion

Anxiety symptoms prevailed among middle and high school students in China. A variety of factors, containing sociodemographic factors, lifestyle behaviours, mental health, academic performance and physical fight should be taken in consideration in addressing prevention and intervention of anxiety symptoms.
Multivariable risk model for postpartum re-presentation with hypertension: development phase
Authors: McDougall Helen Elizabeth , Yuan Grace , Olivier Nadia , Tacey Mark , Langsford David
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Postpartum hypertension is one of the leading causes of re-presentation to hospital postpartum and is associated with adverse long-term cardiovascular risk. Postpartum blood pressure monitoring and management interventions have been shown to reduce hospital re-presentation, complications and long-term blood pressure control. Identifying patients at risk can be difficult as 40%–50% present with de novo postpartum hypertension. We aim to develop a risk model for postpartum re-presentation with hypertension using data readily available at the point of discharge.

Design

A case–control study comparing all patients who re-presented to hospital with hypertension within 28 days post partum to a random sample of all deliveries who did not re-present with hypertension. Multivariable analysis identified risk factors and bootstrapping selected variables for inclusion in the model. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve or C-statistic was used to test the model’s discriminative ability.

Setting

A retrospective review of all deliveries at a tertiary metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia from 1 January 2016 to 30 December 2020.

Results

There were 17 746 deliveries, 72 hypertension re-presentations of which 51.4% presented with de novo postpartum hypertension. 15 variables were considered for the multivariable model. We estimated a maximum of seven factors could be included to avoid overfitting. Bootstrapping selected six factors including pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, peak systolic blood pressure in the delivery admission, aspirin prescription and elective caesarean delivery with a C-statistic of 0.90 in a training cohort.

Conclusion

The development phase of this risk model builds on the three previously published models and uses factors readily available at the point of delivery admission discharge. Once tested in a validation cohort, this model could be used to identify at risk women for interventions to help prevent hypertension re-presentation and the short-term and long-term complications of postpartum hypertension.
Leveraging Dual Gloss Encoders in Chinese Biomedical Entity Linking
Authors: Lin Tzu-Mi , Hung Man-Chen , Lee Lung-Hao
Published: December 2023

Entity linking is the task of assigning a unique identity to named entities mentioned in a text, a sort of word sense disambiguation that focuses on automatically determining a pre-defined sense for a target entity to be disambiguated. This study proposes the DGE (Dual Gloss Encoders) model for Chinese entity linking in the biomedical domain. We separately model a dual encoder architecture, comprising a context-aware gloss encoder and a lexical gloss encoder, for contextualized embedding representations. DGE are then jointly optimized to assign the nearest gloss with the highest score for target entity disambiguation. The experimental datasets consist of a total of 10,218 sentences that were manually annotated with glosses defined in the BabelNet 5.0 across 40 distinct biomedical entities. Experimental results show that the DGE model achieved an F1-score of 97.81, outperforming other existing methods. A series of model analyses indicate that the proposed approach is effective for Chinese biomedical entity linking.
On the determination of viscoelastic properties of EPP foam in dependence on pre-strain and loading direction
Authors: Müller-Pabel Michael , Meuchelböck Johannes , Koch Ilja , Ruckdäschel Holger , Gude Maik
Published: December 2023

Understanding the viscoelastic properties of EPP foams is of crucial importance for their use in industrial applications. However, mechanical testing of polymeric foams is challenging due to the difficulties that arise from their morphology. For this reason, here currently available DMA methods using a single drive and a multi-drive rheometer as well as multiple loading directions are investigated in detail. Experimental challenges are highlighted and discussed with regard to foam-specific properties. Special focus is laid on the influence of compressive pre-strain. Based on the results, guidelines to perform reproducible DMA tests on the investigated type of material are derived. In addition, the results give deeper insight into the deformation behavior of bead foams at small strain levels and reveal an early onset of the transition from linear to plateau regime.
Orff Schulwerk and Popular Music Education
Authors: Vasil Martina , Dockan David
Published: December 2023

One way to build a comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable music education is through the inclusion of popular music in curricula. However, it can be challenging for teachers to bring popular music into the classroom for many reasons. We suggest that since many teachers are educated in the Orff Schulwerk approach, this can be one way to teach popular music in the classroom. In this article, we discuss the similarities between Orff Schulwerk and popular music education, share our rationale for creating a weeklong course on popular music and Orff, describe how it was structured, and share resources. We invite teachers to build relationships with their students, talk to students about what and who they are listening to, start with activities that are comfortable for them and their students, and know that music standards can easily be achieved through teaching and learning about popular music.
Not Recognizing the Political: Analyzing Franco's Long Dictatorship Through a Genealogy of its Prisoners
Authors: Graham Helen , Rubio César Lorenzo
Published: December 2023

This article analyzes Francoism through its prison system – from the mass incarcerations of the 1940s (deployed as an instrument of overt political repression) to the gaols of the 1960s developmentalist dictatorship, by which time the majority of prisoners were not activists but the ‘ballast’/‘excess’ of high-speed industrialization/urbanization undertaken without any welfare safety net. The article discusses how the dictatorship conceived of the different groups it incarcerated, how it tried to manage them by ‘divide and rule’ and to what purpose. It explores prisoners’ counterstrategies and the paradox of ‘the political’ in a Francoist prison system which never used the term, yet saw each and every inmate as posing a threat to the dictatorship's ideology of ‘social peace’ (i.e., societal stasis). The article charts a prison transition by the early 1970s, from totalitarian to emerging neoliberal model, the latter still designed to ‘contain’ but no longer to ‘sculpt’ its inmates. Notwithstanding this key change, the article highlights core continuities in the prison system across forty years of Francoism: militarized discipline, rule by secret decree, ‘divide and rule’ strategies, and institutionalized abuse that was endemic and structural.
The evaluation of four nano-formulations loaded-Elsinochrome A on characteristics and in vitro cytotoxicity effect
Authors: Yao Yuanyuan , Wu Tianlong , Pan Lili , Yan Shuzhen , Yu Shuqin , Chen Shuanglin
Published: December 2023

Elsinochrome A (EA) is a naturally occurring photosensitizer with potential applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for various malignancies. Despite its promising therapeutic properties, the poor solubility of EA hampers its effective utilization in clinical settings. To circumvent this limitation, we engineered four distinct nano-formulations: PLGA/EA nanoparticles (NPs), CMC-PLGA/EA NPs, mPEG-PCL/EA nanomicelles (NMs), and LHP-CHOL/EA nanoliposomes (NLs), all designed to enhance the solubility of EA. A comparative evaluation of these formulations, based on metrics such as particle size, Zeta potential, drug loading efficiency, and encapsulation efficiency, identified PLGA/EA NPs and mPEG-PCL/EA NMs as the most efficacious candidates. Subsequent in vitro investigations into the drug release kinetics under varying pH conditions and the impact on cell viability and apoptosis in A549 and MCF-7 cell lines were conducted. Remarkably, the maximum drug release for PLGA/EA NPs and mPEG-PCL/EA NMs was recorded at 62.5% and 70.8% in an acidic environment (pH 5.7), respectively. Upon exposure to 460 nm light, PLGA/EA NPs induced a significant reduction in A549 cell viability to 13.8% and an apoptosis rate of 93.8%, whereas mPEG-PCL/EA NMs elicited a decrease in MCF-7 cell viability to 12.8% and an apoptosis rate of 73.0%.
Come Together, But How? Zooming Into Economic Development Collaboration Between State and Local Governments, and Nongovernmental Organizations
Authors: Sánchez José , Qian Haifeng
Published: December 2023

Economic development at the local level presents an intrinsic tension produced by competitive and cooperative dynamics. While empirical studies have identified drivers for collaboration at the local level, less is known about the scope of activities promoted by state-level agencies and the institutional mechanisms that state and local actors create to cooperate. This study exploits a unique data set created by the State of Iowa reporting the economic development agreements from 2007 to 2018. The findings illustrate how workforce development activities are the most prevalent activity while fiscal incentives are the least recurrent practice. In terms of institutional mechanisms, service contracts are used most frequently. Additionally, a state agency and nonprofit organization dyad is the most common collaboration, which highlights the role of state governments in shaping local economic development strategies. This exploration of mechanisms, activities, motivations, and duration contributes by improving theories of formal collaboration and intersectoral governance.
Research on driver posture recognition and prediction in vehicle
Authors: Wu Jun , wang Yu , Liu Jian , Zhu Bochen , Wang Xinwei , Cao Libo , Zhang Haiyang
Published: December 2023

The statistics show that more than 90% of traffic accidents are caused by the individual factors of the driver. Therefore, real-time monitoring of the current driver’s posture in the car and further predicting of the future driving posture are of great significance for designing the Adaptive Restraint System (ARS) to improve the safety protection of drivers. In this study, a real-time vehicle driver posture recognition and prediction method is proposed. The traditional Kinect-OpenPose algorithm, which has the problems such as lack of depth value, key point pulsation and measurement error of Kinect, was optimized. The OpenPose network structure and skeleton model are modified to improve the algorithm. In this study, a key point motion trajectory prediction network based on Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) is developed. The hyperparameter optimization method is combined with multi-layer grid search to obtain the best prediction effect in braking and steering conditions, and the driver’s future posture can be obtained by predicting the subsequent movement trajectory of key points. It has been verified that the method in this study has high accuracy, high robustness and low cost in key point recognition and prediction. And the improved processing speed of the algorithm did not affect the accuracy of driving posture recognition and prediction. This method predicted the driver’s posture in future of the collision, which can be used to guide the development of controlling system of the ARS.
Increased expression of neutrophil CD15 correlates with the severity of anterior ocular surface damage in type II diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhmud Tetiana , Barabino Stefano , Malachkova Nataliia
Published: December 2023

Background

Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased risk of ocular surface diseases in elderly. We consider neutrophil CD15 as a potential marker of ocular surface damage in type II diabetes mellitus patients

Aim

We aimed to evaluate expression of neutrophil CD15 and correlate it with results of conjunctival impression cytology and routine objective anterior ocular surface tests (TMH, NIBUT, LLT, MGD) in T2DM patients.

Materials and methods

We prospectively enrolled sixty type II diabetes mellitus patients (120 eyes) into a study group. The control group included forty (80 eyes) age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. All patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examination, and tear meniscus height test (TMH), noninvasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), lipid layer thickness measurement (LLT), Meibomian gland dysfunction evaluation (MGD), conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) and expression of CD15.

Results

Abnormal Nelson's grades of squamous metaplasia (grades 2 and 3) were observed in 50% (60 eyes) of the study group, and 13.8 (11 eyes) of the control group. Fifteen patients with type II diabetes mellitus suffered from grade 3 squamous metaplasia. Nelson's grades of squamous metaplasia have shown a positive correlation with the level of CD15 expression either in the study and control groups (rs = 0.628, p = <0.0001; rs = 0.746, p < 0.0001; respectively).

Conclusions

The research shows significantly reduced values of routine objective ocular tests in type II diabetes mellitus patients in comparison to healthy participants older than 60 y.o. Increased CD15 in the peripheral blood is associated with the development of squamous metaplasia and may be used to evaluate the severity of ocular surface damage in type II diabetes mellitus patients.
Is parent education a factor in identifying autism/takiwātanga in an ethnic cohort of Pacific children in Aotearoa, New Zealand? A national cross-sectional study using linked administrative data
Authors: Kokaua Jesse , Kolose-Pulefolau Betty , Ruhe Troy , Aldridge Faith , Foliaki Siale , Kokaua Liam , Mapusua Talai , Dacombe Joanne , Richards Rosalina , Blakelock Russell , Bowden Nicholas
Published: December 2023

Studies have found early detection of autism is protective for an individual and their family. Fewer Pacific children are diagnosed with autism compared with non-Pacific children, and those who have significantly higher needs, suggesting an undercount of those diagnosed. The purpose of this study was to explore any association between parental education and autism in Pacific children living in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This was a national cross-sectional study using data from New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure, including Pacific and non-Māori non-Pacific children in the 2013 Census. A novel method was employed to capture autism, while years of parents’ education was estimated from their highest attained qualification level. Apposite regression models were used to analyse the relationship between parental education and autism. We found that autism was identified in 1.1% of Pacific children compared with 1.6% of non-Māori, non-Pacific children. A year of education among parents of Pacific children was associated with increased identification of autism (odds ratio = 1.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.06–1.15). The findings show education plays a positive role in receiving a diagnosis for Pacific autistic children but suggest a systemic failure to support Pacific parents to navigate existing health systems for themselves or their children.

Lay abstract

Previous studies of autism in Aotearoa, New Zealand, suggest that fewer Pacific children receive an autism diagnosis compared to European children. This study aimed to explore if formal education qualification of parents is related to receiving an autism diagnosis for their Pacific child. Our findings show that autism was identified in 1.1% of Pacific children compared with 1.6% among non-Māori, non-Pacific children. Parents with higher levels of education were more likely to receive an autism diagnosis for their Pacific child. While the study findings indicate education plays a positive role in receiving a diagnosis for autistic children, they suggest a systemic failure of supporting Pacific parents and communities to navigate the health and education systems that exist in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Being the nurse for my child at home: A qualitative analysis of parental recognition, appraisal, and reactions to childhood cancer in Ghana
Authors: Mensah Adwoa Bemah Boamah , Nunoo Humaima , Boamah Mensah Kofi , Okyere Joshua , Dzomeku Veronica Millicent , Apiribu Felix , Agyenim Boateng Kofi , Asoogo Comfort , Opare-Lokko Edwina , Clegg-Lamptey Joe-Nat
Published: December 2023

Parental involvement in childhood cancer care is of utmost importance, but the understanding of parental recognition, appraisal, and reactions to childhood cancer in settings such as Ghana is limited. We conducted an empirical phenomenological study to explore these aspects among Ghanaian parents. Twenty parents were purposively sampled to participate in semi-structured interviews between June and September 2022. All interviews were transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic approach. We found that parents recognised symptoms through personal observation and their child's self-report, often perceiving them as non-severe. Emotional reactions upon receiving their child's cancer diagnosis included psychological distress, fear, doubts, and confusion. Enduring emotions experienced by parents were fears of disease recurrence and impending death of their child. Parents assumed the role of nurses at home, monitoring therapy effects, managing pain and symptoms, and dressing wounds. In conclusion, parents in Ghana play a crucial role in the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment pathways of childhood cancer. To enhance their ability to recognise symptoms and take timely actions, it is recommended to implement media programs and health education initiatives targeting parents.
Iatrogenic Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurym: Successful Treatment With Percutaneous Thrombin Injection
Authors: Squecco Denise , Boninsegna Enrico , Simonini Emilio , Sozzi Carlo , Colopi Stefano
Published: December 2023

This report demonstrates the successful treatment of a carotid artery pseudoaneurysm using percutaneous thrombin injection. The patient, a 62-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities, experienced a pseudoaneurysm following an unintentional carotid artery puncture during a failed attempt to place a triple lumen catheter in the right jugular vein. Percutaneous thrombin injection was chosen as the treatment method, with Doppler ultrasound monitoring. Follow-up examinations showed no signs of recurrence, and the patient was discharged after nine days without complications.
Narratives of democracy: Educated elites’ responses to democratic erosion in Indonesia
Authors: Toha Risa J , Cosslett Cheryl N
Published: December 2023

Conventional wisdom maintains that a robust educated middle class is an important factor for a healthy democracy. Recent empirical evidence, however, has shown that there is a significant variation in middle class support for democracy. How do educated elites respond to declines in democracy? To date, we know relatively little about how the educated elites view, talk, and respond as democracy erodes in their country. We address this gap by conducting a discourse analysis of government and educated elites texts in Indonesia from 2010 through 2020. We find that government and educated elites’ discourses on democracy as democracy backslides tend to diverge significantly: While official texts boast of the Indonesia's identity as a Muslim-majority democracy, materials produced by the country's educated middle class express increasing disenchantment with weak political parties, restrictions on freedom of speech, repressive measures toward government critics, and limited checks on executive overreach. Our results suggest that as democracy erodes, government officials’ narratives continue to present the country as a robust democracy, and as such, official narratives alone would not reveal the cracks in democracy in the early stages of decline. Instead, traces of decline are more visible in everyday discourses, where informed citizens express their concerns and criticisms with less fear of reprisals. Rather than standing with the ruling elites, the educated elite authors and producers in our data respond to democratic erosion by resisting and criticizing illiberal measures and demanding greater protection of rights. Our work highlights the importance of an engaged educated middle class who can perceive the subtle erosion in democratic practices and challenge it, both in Indonesia and beyond.
Disentangling Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection
Authors: Castro-Pires Henrique , Chade Hector , Swinkels Jeroen
Published: December 2023

While many real-world principal-agent problems have both moral hazard and adverse selection, existing tools largely analyze only one at a time. Do the insights from the separate analyses survive when the frictions are combined? We develop a simple method—decoupling—to study both problems at once. When decoupling works, everything we know from the separate analyses carries over, but interesting interactions also arise. We provide simple tests for whether decoupling is valid. We develop and numerically implement an algorithm to calculate the decoupled solution and check its validity. We also provide primitives for decoupling to work and analyze several extensions. (JEL D82, D86)
How an international research funder’s forum developed guiding principles to ensure value and reduce waste in research
Authors: Westmore Matthew , Bowdery Michael , Cody Anne , Dunham Kelly , Goble Dorota , van der Linden Barbara , Whitlock Evelyn , Williams Elaine , Lujan Barroso Cristina
Published: December 2023

Background: When health-related research funding agencies choose to fund research, they balance a number of competing issues: costs, stakeholder views and potential benefits. The REWARD Alliance, and the related Lancet-REWARD Campaign, question whether those decisions are yielding all the value they could. Methods: A group of health-related research funding agencies, organisations that represent health-related research funding agencies and those that inform and set health-related-research funding policy from around the world have come together since 2016 to share, learn, collaborate and influence emerging practice. This group meets under the name of the Ensuring Value in Research Funders’ Forum (EViR Funders’ Forum). The EViR Funders’ Forum worked together to develop a set of ten Guiding Principles, that if funders adhered to would reduce research waste and ensure value in research. Results: The EViR Funders’ Forum has previously agreed and published a Consensus Statement. The Forum has agreed on a set of ten Guiding Principles to help health-research funders to maximise the value of research by ensuring that: research priorities are justifiable; the design, conduct and analysis of research minimise bias; regulation and management are proportionate to risks; methods and findings are accessible in full; and findings are appropriately and effectively disseminated and used. Conclusions: When setting research funding policy, we must balance multiple stakeholders’ needs and expectations. When funders do this well, they maximise the probability of benefits to society from the research they support - when funders do this badly, they passively allow or actively contribute to research waste. These challenges must be resolved by funders either working together or in conjunction with other actors in the research ecosystem.
The feasibility of developing an online teacher training program for a neuroscience-informed mental health intervention for Japanese students
Authors: Takizawa Yu , Bambling Matthew , Teoh Hsien-Jin , Edirippulige Sisira
Published: December 2023

Background Neuroscience-informed mental health intervention involves integrating neuroscientific knowledge into mental health interventions, showing potential in effectively enhancing children's mental health. Online platforms are deemed suitable for teaching these strategies to Japanese teachers, especially, under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, there is a lack of research investigating the appropriateness, feasibility, learning needs and goals to develop an online teacher training program focuses on teaching neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Methods Employing a single-group survey design, this study sought to fill the research gap by conducting surveys and interviews to 20 teachers and 245 students in a Japanese primary school. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection from students and teachers. Results Quantitative analysis of student surveys revealed that nearly 30% of students had low subjective well-being and high emotional distress. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews revealed the challenges faced by Japanese educators in delivering effective mental health support, partly attributed to a lack of training in mental health intervention. Approximately 80% of teachers expressed strong or moderate interest in learning about neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. These findings supported the appropriateness and feasibility of an online teacher training program in this domain. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews also revealed the importance of practicality, providing teachers with easily deployable intervention resources, and delivering comprehensive instruction in both intervention and prevention strategies. The analysis also suggested that a format consisting of 6-10 concise, self-paced learning modules, complemented by a brief online interactive session, would be suitable for the online teacher training program focused on teaching neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Conclusions Future research should focus on developing and evaluating an online teacher training program dedicated to delivering neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Such a program holds promise for enhancing the mental health of children, integrating the findings from this study.
Enhancing nursing students’ reflection through Padlet: an action research
Authors: Phenwan Tharin
Published: December 2023

Background Reflective practice is encouraged amongst healthcare students, including nursing students. However, students do not have a ‘safe space’ to practice reflection before being assessed. Padlet is an interactive platform that can potentially facilitate students’ reflection via its features that enables anonymous participation, asynchronous participation and collaborative learning environment. This study aims to explore the influence of current reflection teaching method on students’ reflective practice and how Padlet can facilitate students’ reflective practice. Methods An action research was undertaken with 22 first year nursing students from Feb to May 2023. Participants answered questions anonymously pre-class and post-class in two Padlet boards. The researcher gave constructive feedback and signposted good examples of reflection to participants thus enabling ‘champion’ students to emerge during the process. Anonymous texts from two Padlet boards were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis technique. Results Three themes were generated: i) Unpacking variation in students baseline understanding of reflection; ii) Co-constructed understanding of reflection and iii) Prompting reflective practice through tools and triggers. Students joined the study with different presumptions and understanding of reflection, ranging from descriptive understanding of the concept, a total misunderstanding of the concept and in-depth understanding of reflection. They all indicated a changed understanding of reflection post-class and emphasized the benefits of a socially constructed learning process. Participants suggested the use of reflective tools (via reflective models) and triggers (via probing questions and feedback) as useful to facilitate their reflection. Conclusions This study indicates that the current teaching materials enable students to enhance their understanding of reflection. Nevertheless, students could potentially benefit from tools and triggers that will initiate and support their reflection. To that end, Padlet proves a promising tool to enhance students’ reflection via its function to enable anonymity, asynchronous participation and socially constructed learning environment.
A retrospective study of age-specific disease incidence in major popular breed dogs in Republic of Korea
Authors: Yi Seung-Won , Oh Sang-Ik , Do Yoon Jung , Yoo Jae Gyu , Kim Eunju
Published: December 2023

Dogs exhibit patterns of health issues that vary by life stage. An understanding of disease incidence with respect to breed and age/life stage could be an important component of canine health management and welfare. This study aimed to describe the age-specific disease incidence of 3 small dog breeds that attended veterinary clinics in the Republic of Korea, based on data from electronic veterinary medical records (EVMRs). A total of 40,785 EVMRs from Maltese (n = 21,355), Miniature Poodle (n = 11,658) and Shih Tzu dogs (n = 7,772) were analyzed. Common health problems in 3 small dog breeds were ‘diseases of the skin’ and ‘diseases of the ear,’ respectively. Among dogs aged ≤ 3 years, ‘preventive medicine’ was the most common cause cited for veterinary clinic visits. Among dogs aged 4 to 8 years, the most frequent health problems were ‘diseases of the skin.’ Among dogs aged 9 to 13 years, ‘heart diseases,’ ‘kidney diseases,’ ‘mammary gland tumor,’ and ‘neoplasia (unspecified)’ were considerably more frequent, compared to the rates in dogs ≤3 years. Among dogs aged ≥ 14 years, ‘heart diseases’ and ‘sneezing/cough’ were the main health problems. In all breeds, the frequencies of ‘diseases of circulatory system,’ ‘diseases of respiratory system,’ ‘diseases of the nervous system,’ ‘endocrine’ and ‘neoplasia’ increased rapidly with aging. This surveillance could inform strategies for disease screening tests and management based on life stage in these dog breeds and enable more effective health management.