bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching experience, not surgical residency training, is the critical factor in optimizing student learning outcomes in performing ovariohysterectomy on a model
Authors: Hunt Julie A. , Hendrix Robbia , Anderson Stacy L.
Published: January 2025

Objective

To determine if surgical skills instructors' experience and qualifications influence students' learning of small animal ovariohysterectomy on a model (mOVH).

Sample population

Second‐year veterinary students (n = 105).

Methods

Students were randomized to three groups, taught by: (1) residency‐trained surgeons with over 3 years' experience teaching mOVH, (2) general practitioners with over 3 years' experience teaching mOVH (GP >3), and (3) general practitioners with under 3 years' experience (GP <3). Students completed four 3‐h laboratories where they performed mOVH under the supervision of one of the three types of instructors. Students were assessed performing mOVH using a validated 22‐item rubric and completed a survey about their experience.

Results

GP <3 group students achieved lower total rubric scores than GP >3 group students (p = .021). Surgeon‐taught students' scores did not differ from those taught by GP >3 (p = .685) or GP <3 (p = .052). GP <3 group students were more likely to require remediation than those taught by surgeons (p = .001); there were no differences between the other groups (surgeons vs. GP >3 p = .44; GP <3 vs. GP >3 p = .11). Students reported similar satisfaction with their instruction. Instructors with over 3 years' experience teaching mOVH had better student learning outcomes compared to instructors with under 3 years of experience. While mOVH teaching experience did influence learning, the instructor's completion of a surgical residency did not.

Conclusion

The results of the study indicate a need for more extensive training for new surgical skills instructors and demonstrates that GPs with experience teaching surgical skills are suitable instructors for teaching ovariohysterectomy on a model.

Clinical relevance

This study indicates a need for more extensive training for new surgical skills instructors and demonstrates that GPs with experience teaching surgical skills are suitable instructors for teaching ovariohysterectomy on a model.
Fouling mitigation and wastewater decontamination in UV treatment systems
Authors: Aslam Tooba , Chatzisymeon Efthalia
Published: January 2025

This work applied the photo‐Fenton process to mitigate quartz fouling in ultraviolet‐A (UVA) wastewater treatment. The impacts of the pH, iron and phosphorus concentration in synthetic wastewater were explored. It was observed that the photo‐Fenton process (5 mg/L of Fe2+, 10 mg/L of H2O2) mitigated quartz fouling and achieved 33% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. It was also found that the presence of UVA irradiation and/or acidic conditions substantially decreased fouling formation. X‐ray diffraction as well as energy‐dispersive spectroscopy measurements showed that fouling consisted mainly of Fe, Ca, P, and Na. Increasing P concentration in wastewater from 5 to 40 mg/L enhanced fouling formation as well as COD removal from 35% to 51%, respectively. This work provides insight, for the first time, into the role of Fenton reaction in mitigating quartz fouling, one of the technical challenges in upscaling photocatalytic treatment.
Myofunctional therapy and atypical swallowing multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Martelli Mirko , Russomanno Wanda Lelia , Di Vecchio Stefano , Gargari Marco , Bollero Patrizio , Ottria Liliana , Dolci Alessandro , Gianfreda Francesco
Published: January 2025

Myofunctional therapy offers an innovative approach to correcting orofacial dysfunctions and bad habits. This article describes how myofunctional treatment, in collaboration with various medical specialties, can improve not only orthodontic problems but also other conditions treated by specialists such as Neurologists, Speech Therapists, Osteopaths, Otorhinolaryngologists, Allergists and Pediatricians. This article aims to highlight how the Froggy Mouth, a lightweight and simple device, can offer support and benefits to various specialists across different medical disciplines.
Clinician Knowledge of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation Practices: A Preliminary Survey Study
Authors: Thompson Xavier D. , DelBiondo Gabrielle M. , Hart Joe M.
Published: January 2025

Context: After completing rehabilitation, patients face a high risk of subsequent injury following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. It is important to identify potential barriers to patient success including clinician knowledge. The purpose of this study was to assess clinician knowledge of research related to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation. Design: This was a survey study using snowball sampling. Methods: Survey development began with the creation of a construct map and contained varying levels of advanced concepts, level I indicating the most basic and level V the most complex. The survey was distributed to advertise to target population. A total of 60 participants (24 athletic trainers, 33 physical therapists, and 3 dual credentialed) completed the study. Results: Overall, participants displayed moderate to high levels of knowledge (79.7%–93.5% correct), apart from the implementation of motor learning principles. Conclusions: Clinician knowledge may not be the primary barrier to patient success, but the implementation of this knowledge should be explored in relation to patient outcomes. Future research should examine a larger cohort to examine differences between clinician types.
What Is in a Name? Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Collegiate Athletes With and Without a History of Concussion
Authors: Dunbar Hilary S. , Donahue Catherine C. , Vela Luzita , Freeman Jason , Resch Jacob E.
Published: January 2025

Context: Athletes with a history of concussion (CON) have been demonstrated to have heightened levels of anxiety and depression that may continue well beyond the resolution of concussion symptoms. The global events of 2020 resulted in elevated levels of anxiety and depression in the general population, which may have unequally presented in collegiate athletes with (CON) than those without a history of concussion (NoCON). Using a deception design, our survey-based study compared levels of anxiety and depression in CON and NoCON collegiate athletes in response to the pandemic and social injustices. We hypothesized that the CON group would have significantly elevated anxiety and depression as compared to the NoCON group in response to events of 2020. Design and Methods: Collegiate athletes (N = 106) during the academic 2020–2021 academic year were divided into CON and NoCON groups based on their preinjury (baseline) concussion assessment. Participants completed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SSRS), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) via an electronic survey pertaining to the events of 2020. The term “concussion” was not used in any study materials which was the basis for our deception-based design. An analysis of covariance was used to compare group CES-D and GAD-7 outcome scores while controlling for the SSRS outcome score. Results: Our survey response rate was 14.2% (48/337 [77.1% female]) and 10.1% (58/580 [67.2% female]), for the NoCON and CON groups, respectively. The NoCON group had significantly (F1 = 5.82, P = .018, ) higher anxiety (8.3 [5.89]) as compared to the CON group (5.5 [2.85]). The NoCON group also had significantly (F1 = 13.7, P < .001, ) higher levels of depression (21.0 [12.52]) as compared to the CON group (16.07 [9.10]). Discussion: Our deception-based study revealed NoCON participants had elevated and clinically relevant mood states as compared to CON participants in response to the events of 2020.
Exploring the Impact of Choice and Variety on Adolescents’ Motivation to Participate in High-Intensity Interval Training During Physical Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Eather Narelle , McLachlan Emily , Leahy Angus , Sylvester Benjamin , Lubans David
Published: January 2025

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether variety and choice affect adolescents’ motivation in high-intensity interval training during physical education. Method: We conducted a four-armed randomized controlled trial involving 206 students from one school (aged 12.6 ± 0.5 years), who participated in a 6-week high-intensity interval training program, delivered twice weekly during physical education. Students were randomized by class to the low- or high-varieties, choice, or control (standard warm-up) conditions. Results: Group-by-time effects resulted for the low- and high-variety groups on intrinsic motivation (d = 0.43, 0.47) compared with the control group; high-variety and choice groups had higher enjoyment than the low-variety group, and the high-variety group showed greater positive affect than low-variety and choice groups (d = 0.68, 0.61). Low-variety and choice groups had significant improvements for cardiorespiratory and lower body muscular fitness (respectively). Conclusion: Offering variety or choice in high-intensity interval training during physical education may enhance intrinsic motivation, enjoyment, positive affect, and/or fitness outcomes in adolescents.
Accuracy of the National Early Warning Score version 2 (NEWS2) in predicting need for time-critical treatment: retrospective observational cohort study
Authors: Goodacre Steve , Sutton Laura , Fuller Gordon , Trimble Ashleigh , Pilbery Richard
Published: January 2025

Background

Initial ED assessment can use early warning scores to identify and prioritise patients who need time-critical treatment. We aimed to determine the accuracy of the National Early Warning Score version 2 (NEWS2) for predicting the need for time-critical treatment.

Methods

We undertook a single-centre retrospective observational cohort study. We randomly selected 4000 adults who attended a tertiary hospital ED in England from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 and had NEWS2 routinely recorded on electronic patient records. The first NEWS2 and vital signs were extracted from electronic records. Research nurses selected cases that received a potentially time-critical treatment. Two independent clinical experts then determined whether time-critical treatment was or should have been received using an expert consensus derived list of interventions. We used receiver operating characteristic analysis and calculated sensitivity and specificity at predefined thresholds to evaluate the accuracy of NEWS2 for predicting need for time-critical intervention and, as a secondary outcome, mortality at 7 days.

Results

After excluding 10 patients who received their intervention before NEWS2 recording, 164/3990 (4.1%) needed time-critical treatment and 71/3990 (1.8%) died within 7 days. NEWS2 predicted need for time-critical treatment with a c-statistic of 0.807 (95% CI 0.765 to 0.849) and death within 7 days with a c-statistic of 0.865 (95% CI 0.813, 0.917). NEWS2>4 predicted need for time-critical treatment with sensitivity of 51.8% (95% CI 44.2%, 59.3%) and positive predictive value of 25.8% (95% CI 21.3%, 30.7%). 37 of the 45 patients needing emergency surgery, antibiotics for open fractures, insulin infusion or manipulation of limb-threatening injuries had NEWS2≤4. Patients with NEWS2>4 who did not need time-critical treatment frequently scored maximum points on NEWS2 for their respiratory rate, conscious level or receiving supplemental oxygen.

Conclusion

NEWS2 has limited accuracy for predicting need for time-critical treatment. We have identified time-critical interventions that frequently have low NEWS2 scores and NEWS2 parameters than may overestimate need for time-critical intervention.

Trial registration number

Research Registry 10450
‘Sneaky’ uninflamed oesophageal candidiasis: morphological clues and comparison with candidiasis associated with inflammation
Authors: Mirzabeigi Yasamin , Alkhatery Turky , Abulaban Amr , Ruiz Casas Felipe , Montgomery Elizabeth Anne
Published: January 2025

Aims

Candidaesophagitis is usually readily identified on routine H&E-stained sections as the infection typically presents with prominent acute inflammation as a clue to search for organisms. However, in some cases, inflammation is absent, and detection of organisms relies on the observation of zones exhibiting parakeratosis with a delicate ‘flaky’ appearance. Our study aimed to establish a correlation between the histomorphology of oesophageal candidiasis and an associated clinical profile.

Methods

We reviewed 53 sequential biopsy specimens from patients withCandidaesophagitis collected over 1 year. Biopsies were assessed for acute inflammation, intraepithelial lymphocytosis and lymphoid aggregates. Patients’ medical records were reviewed for data on age, gender, race, immune status, smoking, corticosteroid use, HIV status and organ transplantation history. Correlations between these factors and histomorphological patterns were assessed using test.

Results

Of the 53 biopsies, 20 lacked acute inflammation and 33 had it. 15 biopsies showed both acute and lymphoid inflammation and 5 showed lymphocytosis only. Among 16 smokers, 6 (37%) had acute inflammation and 10 (63%) had parakeratosis. In non-smokers, 24 (71%) had acute inflammation and 10 (29%) had parakeratosis. A significant correlation was found between smoking and absence of acute neutrophilic infiltration (p=0.025), but no other clinical factor was associated with inflammatory patterns.

Conclusions

Candidaesophagitis can be uninflamed with ‘flaky’ parakeratosis or associated with acute inflammation or lymphocytosis with or without neutrophilic infiltration. Inflammation was often absent in smokers, suggesting synergistic local immunosuppressive effect is this overall immunosuppressed population.
Critical air entry value-controlled vacuum consolidation of clayey sludge with horizontal drains
Authors: Zhang Hao , Cui Yujun , Sun Honglei , Geng Xueyu , Cai Yuanqiang
Published: January 2025

The prefabricated horizontal drain (PHD) is increasingly being used for the treatment of high water content slurries with vacuum preloading, thanks to its higher efficiency as compared to the conventional prefabricated vertical drain (PVD). However, certain issues concerning the air-liquid interface of PHD systems, e.g., improved geotextile tubes or slurry pits, require further investigation. In fact, air entry-induced vacuum failure can occur when the surface suction exceeds the critical air entry value (CAEV, corresponding to the intersection point of the compression curve and the void ratio-AEV curve). Existing models, which assume that the excess pore-water pressure remains zero at the drainage boundary, may significantly underestimate the soil consolidation. In this study, a CAEV-controlled large strain consolidation model is proposed to simulate the dewatering process of vacuum-preloaded clayey sludge, incorporating the geometrical and mechanical nonlinearities and self-weight of soil. Numerical solutions are obtained using the alternative direction implicit (ADI) algorithm and are validated through laboratory and field model tests. Further analysis indicates that the discrepancy between the proposed model and the traditional model increases with the increasing horizontal spacing of PHDs, decreasing thickness of the geotextile tube or soil layer, and increasing CAEV.
Improving Sequential Recommendations with LLMs
Authors: Boz Artun , Zorgdrager Wouter , Kotti Zoe , Harte Jesse , Louridas Panos , Karakoidas Vassilios , Jannach Dietmar , Fragkoulis Marios
Published: January 2025

The sequential recommendation problem has attracted considerable research attention in the past few years, leading to the rise of numerous recommendation models. In this work, we explore how Large Language Models (LLMs), which are nowadays introducing disruptive effects in many AI-based applications, can be used to build or improve sequential recommendation approaches. Specifically, we design three orthogonal approaches and hybrids of those to leverage the power of LLMs in different ways. In addition, we investigate the potential of each approach by focusing on its comprising technical aspects and determining an array of alternative choices for each one. We conduct extensive experiments on three datasets and explore a large variety of configurations, including different language models and baseline recommendation models, to obtain a comprehensive picture of the performance of each approach.

Among other observations, we highlight that initializing state-of-the-art sequential recommendation models such as BERT4Rec or SASRec with embeddings obtained from an LLM can lead to substantial performance gains in terms of accuracy. Furthermore, we find that fine-tuning an LLM for recommendation tasks enables it to learn not only the tasks, but also concepts of a domain to some extent. We also show that fine-tuning OpenAI GPT leads to considerably better performance than fine-tuning Google PaLM 2. Overall, our extensive experiments indicate a huge potential value of leveraging LLMs in future recommendation approaches. We publicly share the code and data of our experiments to ensure reproducibility.
Foreword from Chair of 2024 ACM SIGMETRICS DoctoralDissertation Award Committee
Authors: Ayesta Urtzi
Published: January 2025

The ACM SIGMETRICS Doctoral Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding thesis research by doctoral candidates in the field of performance evaluation analysis of computer systems. Nominations for the 2024 award were sought from all faculty with graduating Ph.D. students working in performance evaluation, broadly understood. The award winners were determined by a review committee composed by researchers working in different sub-fields of performance evaluation: Urtzi Ayesta (CNRS & Ikerbasque, chair), Giuliano Casale (Imperial College London), Bo Jiang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Daniel Sadoc Menasche (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro), and Weina Wang (Carnegie Mellon University).
Fluid Limits and Optimal Task Assignment Policies for Locally Pooled Service Systems
Authors: Goldsztajn Diego
Published: January 2025

Task assignment policies play a central role in many online applications, where service requests or tasks arrive over time and are distributed across parallel servers in a data center or cloud computing platform. The way in which the tasks are distributed across the servers has a tremendous impact on the performance perceived by users and the efficiency of server usage, which has attracted strong interest from our research community. Most of this interest has been directed to the so-called supermarket model, but real-life systems have features that fall outside of this standard framework, raising significant challenges which have been pursued in my doctoral thesis [3]. In particular, my thesis provides novel modeling frameworks and performance analysis techniques that enable the study of interactive online applications with fluctuating demand patterns and networked systems.
Learning and Optimization over Robust Networked Systems
Authors: Lin I-Cheng
Published: January 2025

Research Summary: 1 Introduction Networked systems are ubiquitous in our daily lives, playing a critical role across a wide range of scientific fields, including communication, machine learning, optimization, control, biology, economics, and social sciences. In machine learning and optimization, distributed learning and distributed optimization exploit the structure of such networked systems, which enables training models across multiple users [1] and solving complex problems by partitioning tasks among interconnected agents [2]. This significantly enhances both scalability and efficiency of the learning/optimization task. In control systems, for example, networked architectures synchronize the operations of different parts of the system like sensors, controllers etc. across distributed environments, ensuring the overall system's stability and performance [3]. In economics, networked systems were utilized to capture the interdependencies between different part of the economic system, allowing further insights of market dynamics [4]. In the social sciences, specifically social networks, study the propagation of idea, behaviors and opinions, offering a deeper understanding of societal structures and its dynamics [5].
Assessment of Risk Factors Associated With Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in the Western Libyan Patients
Authors: Bheleel Osama , Abdulhamid Alaa , Elmuaget Hajer , Grash Hanaa , Abdelhamid Mohamed Hadi Mohamed , Alhadi Ibtisam
Published: January 2025

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide in both men and women. Accordingly, we retrospectively reviewed the effects of various risk factors on coronary angiographic outcomes. Data were collected from the catheter lab through Tripoli University Hospital records, whereas the team reviewed clinical data and coronary artery diagrams for 1 year from 01/04/2019 to 31/03/2020. In our study, the total number of cases was 666, 401 male and 265 female, aged between 27 and 91 years. Our analysis revealed a significantly higher incidence of CAD among male smokers under 60. Conversely, a majority of nonsmoker patients were female. The most common risk factors for women were diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) (12% and 13%, respectively). While the men share the significant effects of smoking on coronary angiography (C. Angio) findings (40.52%), most of them underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In our study, there was evidence that CAD is a prevalent disease among middle‐aged populations with male gender preference. The risk factors, including diabetes, HTN, and smoking, are the most contributing factors for developing CAD in Libya.
Improving Sexual Well‐Being Support for Men With Prostate Cancer: The Health Professional Perspective
Authors: Charlick Megan , Ettridge Kerry , Tiruye Tenaw , O’Callaghan Michael , Sara Sally , Jay Alexander , Beckmann Kerri
Published: January 2025

Purpose: The provision of evidenced‐based sexual well‐being support is considered a key metric of quality prostate cancer care. However, patients continually report high rates of unmet sexual health needs. To provide insight into the challenges healthcare professionals (HCPs) face in delivering sexual well‐being support, we conducted a qualitative study.

Methods: HCPs were recruited via professional organisations/networks and snowballing. Interviews were semistructured, conducted via telephone/video and transcribed verbatim. Interviews explored work experience, sexual support provided, challenges faced and areas of prioritisation to improve care delivery. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The lack of representation from urologists and radiation oncologists was a limitation.

Results: Twenty‐one HCPs were interviewed, including nurses, pharmacists, sexologists, a physiotherapist and an oncologist. Eight key themes were identified. Themes 1–5 describe the challenges faced by HCPs in providing sexual well‐being support, such as logistical issues and reliance on other HCPs. The remaining three themes describe areas of change recommended by HCPs to improve delivery of support, including standardisation of penile rehabilitation guidelines, training for specialists and GPs and prioritisation of multidisciplinary sexual well‐being support as part of routine care.

Conclusions: HCPs face several challenges in providing sexual well‐being support to prostate cancer patients, which could be ameliorated through greater awareness and education about the importance of sexual well‐being support and through standardising pathways and guidelines. Addressing challenges faced by HCPs in the delivery of sexual well‐being support may ultimately improve patient experiences and reduce unmet sexual health needs following prostate cancer treatment.
The Impact of Auditory Input on Postural Control in Adults with Unilateral Cochlear Implants
Authors: Tutar Volkan , Batuk İsa Tuncay , Özbal Batuk Merve
Published: January 2025

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the impact of auditory input on postural control in young adult cochlear implant users with profound sensorineural hearing loss. The research explores the relationship between auditory cues and static postural stability in individuals with hearing impairment.
Methods: 34 young adult cochlear implant users, consisting of 15 males and 19 females aged 18–35 years, underwent various balance tests, including the modified Clinical Tests of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) and the Unilateral Stance Test (UST), under different auditory conditions: (1) White noise stimulus present with the sound processor activated, (2) Ambient noise present with the sound processor activated, and (3) Sound processor deactivated. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the participants' postural control performance in relation to auditory stimuli.
Results: Statistical analysis revealed that participants exhibited better postural control in the presence of white noise stimuli compared to when the sound processor was turned off in the UST (p = .001) and Fukuda Stepping Test [in terms of displacement (p = .004)]. The composite mCTSIB scores showed no significant difference between sound processors off, sound processors on with ambient noise, and sound processors on with broadband white noise conditions.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that access to auditory cues through cochlear implants plays a crucial role in preserving static postural control in young adults with hearing impairment. This study highlights the positive effect of auditory information on balance performance in individuals with cochlear implants and profound hearing loss. Future research is recommended to further explore the impact of auditory stimuli on dynamic postural abilities and to include preoperative balance assessments in individuals undergoing cochlear implantation (CI).
Maternal diet and vulnerability to cognitive impairment in adulthood: possible link with Alzheimer’s disease?
Authors: Merle Laetitia , Rastelli Marialetizia , Datiche Frédérique , Véjux Anne , Jacquin-Piques Agnès , Bouret Sébastien G. , Benani Alexandre
Published: January 2025

Aging is the main risk factor for developing cognitive impairments and associated neurodegenerative diseases. However environmental factors, including nutritional health, are likely to promote or reduce cognitive impairments and neurodegenerative pathologies. An intricate relationship exists between maternal nutrition; and adult eating behavior, metabolic phenotype and cognitive abilities. The objective of the present review was to collect available data suggesting a link between maternal overnutrition and latter impairment of cognitive functions in the progeny, and to related this relationship with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Indeed, cognitive impairments are major behavioral signs of AD. We first reviewed studies showing an association between unbalanced maternal diet and cognitive impairments in the progeny in humans and rodent models. Then we looked for cellular and molecular hallmarks which could constitute a breeding ground for AD in those models. With this end, we focused on synaptic dysfunction, altered neurogenesis, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, and pathological protein aggregation. Finally, we proposed an indirect mechanism linking maternal unbalanced diet and progeny’s vulnerability to cognitive impairments and neurodegeneration through promoting metabolic diseases. We also discussed the involvement of progeny’s gut microbiota in the maternal diet-induced vulnerability to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Further investigations are needed to fully decipher how maternal diet programs the fetus and infant brain. Addressing this knowledge gap would pave the way to precise nutrition and personalized medicine to better handle cognitive impairments in adulthood.
Positive Governance of Saudi Domain Names
Authors: Alharthi Mashael Helal
Published: January 2025

Most evaluations of the internet in Saudi Arabia focus upon negative (restrictive) aspects of governance that limit the use of the internet, whereas this study focuses upon positive approaches to governance, which enable the fuller use of the internet through positive objectives, by means of developing the logical internet infrastructure. This study is concerned with the Domain Name System (DNS) as an essential element of the logical internet infrastructure layer. Thus, it focuses on the nature of the governance of Saudi domains and the relevant mechanisms in Saudi Arabia. It explains the roles of government and the private sector by assessing their interventions, and it examines to what extent these interventions are effective and fair in encouraging the development of the logical internet infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. It includes data from semi-structured interviews and adopted a policy transfer approach so as to benefit from the UK’s experiences in this field.
Hidden Meaning amidst the Chaos of Life
Authors: Boccassini Daniela
Published: January 2025

This article addresses the presence in Jung’s writings of the archetypes of meaning (‘the wise old man’) and anima (‘life itself’), understood as personalized, yet also timeless, transformative ‘complexes of experience’. In this perspective, Elijah-Philemon, Salomé-anima, Ha, Ka, and Phanēs belong to a kinship that Jung endeavored to retrace to its furthest reaches, the Islamic and Gnostic layers soon giving way to their ancient Egyptian Hermetic roots. By engaging dialogically with these figures, hence by recognizing their transpersonal and transhistorical agency, Jung succeeded in reviving ‘that most ancient’, deeply feminine, form of thinking which understands intelligence as ‘an autonomous activity whose object [mankind] is’ (Jung, 1968a, § 79). The challenge of developing an embodied, feeling-based relationship with the archetypal figures of cosmic psyche remains sound advice today, besieged as we are by increasingly meaning-deprived and life-wanting approaches to ‘intelligence’, construed as an autonomous, hence artificially-reproducible, activity whose subject mankind purports to be.
Co-designing an Ideal Nature-Related Digital Tool With Children: An Exploratory Study From the Netherlands
Authors: Yin Shengchen , Kasraian Dena , Wang Gubing , Evers Suzan , van Wesemael Pieter
Published: January 2025

Emerging digital technologies have the potential to motivate children’s interaction with nature. However, as the end-users of such tools, children have hardly been involved in their design process. This paper aims to investigate the desired characteristics of digital tools for an ideal interaction with nature from children’s perspective. We conducted an exploratory study, combining an outdoor activity and a co-design workshop, with 23 children from a secondary school in the Netherlands. We used a multimodal approach and the children-nature interaction model as a framework to analyze children’s designs. Findings show that children’s experience of using a nature-related digital tool in nature, and outline the design characteristics, requirements, and intervention functions of children’s on ideal digital tools that can increase their interaction with nature from their perspective.
Perceiving Religion as Easily Changeable and Support for Religion as a Protected Class
Authors: Scheitle Christopher P. , Fowler Megan
Published: January 2025

Religion is unique among the characteristics treated legally and socially as a protected class in the United States, as it is seen as more changeable than characteristics like age or race. The research presented here asks three questions. First, what shapes whether someone sees religion as changeable? Second, how does the perceived changeability of religion compare to other characteristics? Third, does the perceived changeability of religion affect public support for religion as a protected class? Using data from an online survey of U.S. adults, our analysis finds that religion is seen as the most changeable characteristic of those measured, and that personal religiosity is negatively associated with seeing religion as changeable. Furthermore, we find that perceptions of religion as changeable are negatively associated with support for religion as a protected class. This finding is moderated by personal religiosity, such that the association is stronger among the non-religious.
Parameterizing history-dependent dynamics of skeletal muscle with a new nonlinear stiffness and damping formulation
Authors: Gürkan Berkay , Iscan Mehmet , Yilmaz Cuneyt
Published: January 2025

This paper introduces a novel mathematical modeling framework for skeletal muscle (SM), capturing its history-dependent characteristics during submaximal contractions and exploring the influence of muscle mechanical parameters and related diseases. The proposed model utilizes a history-dependent nonlinear second-order system, encompassing various contractions: isometric, isotonic, and cyclic. Unlike previous approaches, it incorporates nonlinear stiffness-damping formulation (NSDF) to accurately represent SM’s passive properties, independent of neural excitation. Allowing SM mass deflection for realistic bilateral movement, the model incorporates force–length and force–velocity relationships, yielding accurate SM dynamics predictions with less than 10% normalized force error deviation compared to neural excitation-based model. In addition, it exposes the time-varying natural frequency (TV-NF) of SM using the NSDF and damper coefficients, contributing to our understanding of SM diseases. The model shows a 28.07% rise in initial passive stiffness (IPS) and a 13.18% increase in TV-NF during passive stretching for both healthy and Osgood–Schlatter disease scenarios. During cyclic contraction, IPS increases by 9.19%, TV-NF by 4.49%, and collaborative stiffness by 7.52%. Despite slight disparities in force and muscle length, the healthy muscle generates more power due to the diseased muscle’s higher stiffness limiting length change. This research enhances biomechanical understanding in developing robotics and prostheses by considering SM’s history-dependent dynamics.
Preview repetitive control for discrete-time linear parameter-varying systems with a time-varying delay
Authors: Li Li , Lu Yanrong , Meng Xiaohua
Published: January 2025

It is difficult to access state variables in linear parameter-varying (LPV) systems with a time-varying delay, especially when they are subjected to previewed and periodic reference signals. This study investigates preview repetitive control (PRC) synthesis for these systems, proposes a novel static output PRC law, and establishes an augmented error system, transforming the PRC task into an output feedback problem. The linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique is used as a stability criterion, allowing the closed-loop system to be asymptotically stable with H∞ performance. Finally, the results are verified by numerical simulation, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Digital Pencil Usage and Mathematics Performance Among Students with Learning Disabilities and Their General Education Peers
Authors: Wei Xin , Zhang Susu , Zhang Jihong
Published: January 2025

This investigation explores the relationship between the use of digital pencil and mathematical problem-solving accuracy among 1,530 students with learning disabilities (LD) and 25,400 general education (GE) peers from the 2017 digital National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment. The term “digital pencil” in this context refers to NAEP’s “embedded pencil,” a scratchwork tool within the digital assessment interface that allows students to draw or annotate on the screen using either a stylus or their finger. Findings reveal that students with LD utilized digital pencils less frequently than their GE peers, particularly on more complex items. However, digital pencil use was associated with a 20% increase in the likelihood of GE students accurately solving difficult problems and a 26% increase in accuracy for students with LD solving simpler problems. The study highlights the educational implications of incorporating digital tools like the digital pencil in learning and assessment environments, emphasizing the need for tailored instructional strategies to support diverse learners.
Where are the working class in the British film industry? Data from the British Film Institute
Authors: Campbell Peter , Leigh Danny , O’Brien Dave , Taylor Mark
Published: January 2025

A range of research, including analyses of quantitative data, has demonstrated the existence of inequalities for women and people of colour in the screen sector’s workforce. There has been less data collection in relation to class inequalities, and therefore less analysis of this aspect of the workforce. This paper considers this historic absence of data relating to class and considers a new source of data. Analysis of applicants to the British Film Institute’s Film Fund provides new insight into class inequalities and how they intersect with other demographic categories. This analysis demonstrates the classed patterns of application and success in relation to funding for screen industries in the UK, with the dominance of those from middle class origins throughout each stage of funding. Intersectional analysis of these inequalities shows which groups, at the intersection of class, race and gender, are more likely to receive funding. Drawing on Nwonka’s groundbreaking work on race and data in the screen sector, the paper concludes by highlighting the limitations of solely ‘data-driven’ responses to screen- and creative-sector inequalities, and the need for broader considerations of the structural factors in play.
Organizing vision revisited and reimagined for a changing world
Authors: Swanson E Burton , Ramiller Neil , Wang Ping
Published: January 2025

Organizing vision (OV) theory, developed more than 25 years ago, posits a broad, diverse, and collective envisioning process at the heart of information technology innovation and diffusion. We revisit the theory and review more than 150 publications that have referenced the original paper, seeking to ascertain how the theory has been found useful in addressing innovation with information technology. We group and analyze these contributions according to how the promotion, reception, and enactment of organizing visions engage participants in bringing about change. In our review, we find that a varied group of some 46 technologies and their OVs have been studied. We consider how these contributions have also drawn from and spoken to related theories, topics, and literatures, finding that the influence of OV theory has largely been confined to the information systems field. Looking to the future, we address: (i) whether newer technologies in the changing digitized world are problematic for OV theory; (ii) how the overall engagement mechanism comprising promotion, reception, and enactment can be more deeply understood; and (iii) how OV theory can speak more effectively beyond traditional IS disciplinary bounds. Building especially on the more recent contributions, we propose a reimagining of the theory with which to guide its continued development and application.
Expanded quasi-static models to predict the performance of robotic skins on soft cylinders
Authors: Case Jennifer C , Branin Gabrielle , Yang Ellen , Woodman Stephanie J , Gibert James , Kramer-Bottiglio Rebecca
Published: January 2025

Robotic skins with embedded sensors and actuators are designed to wrap around soft, passive objects to control those objects from their surface. Prior state estimation and control models relied on specific actuator and sensor placement in robotic skins wrapped around soft cylinders, as well as used simplistic assumptions based on geometry and an ideal connection between the robotic skin and underlying structure. Such assumptions limit model fidelity and affect its utility in the design and control of surface-actuated systems. In this work, we relax prior assumptions and present a new quasi-static model with mechanics, controls, state estimation, and kinematic sub-models, or modules, for robotic skins placed around cylindrical structures. The kinematics module is used post-process to analyze the performance of the other three modules. We test the utility of the model on two robotic skin designs and compare the performance against a previous model and physical experiments. We demonstrate that the mechanics, controls, and state estimation modules presented herein outperform the previous model and the mechanics module can be used to predict the behavior of new robotic skin designs. The accuracy of the model increases as the stiffness of the host body material increases. This expanded theory could be utilized to reduce fabrication costs and speed up the design process and could be further extended to include system dynamics and model systems with multiple robotic skins.
Smith-Magenis syndrome with Dandy-Walker malformation in a 2-year-old girl: A case report
Authors: Zhu Wen-Tong , Jiang Lu-Xia , Ma Yu-Mei , Wu Xiang-Yang , Zhao Qi-Ming
Published: January 2025

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) and Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) are uncommon genetic conditions with nonspecific clinical features, which makes reaching a definitive diagnosis challenging. We describe here, a 2-year-old girl who was diagnosed with SMS at the age of 12 months due to delayed growth and development. The child presented to hospital with acute heart failure and respiratory failure. During the treatment process, her response was limited, and her recovery was slow. A subsequent head computed tomography (CT) scan showed abnormalities consistent with the diagnosis of comorbid DWM. We believe that this is the first reported case of a patient with SMS combined with DWM. By reporting this case, we aim to offer clinicians valuable insights into these rare diseases and provide a framework for future clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Investigating Travel Demand Heterogeneity During and After the Pandemic in the Northern California Megaregion: A Data-Driven Analysis of Origin–Destination Structural Patterns
Authors: Gulhare Siddhartha , Sun Ran , Makino Keita , Behara Krishna , Bunch David S. , Circella Giovanni
Published: January 2025

The study delves into the complexities of travel disruption and recovery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a data-driven methodology, we explore spatial-temporal patterns across regions by times of the day, weekdays/weekends, and trip purposes. Using passively collected location-based data from January 2019 to October 2021 in the Northern California Megaregion, our analysis compares travel patterns through the structural similarity of origin-destination (OD) matrices. Introducing the concept of a “local sliding geographical window” based on natural trip flow, the study identifies various impacts of the pandemic on travel demand including but not limited to (a) trip volume and recovery (e.g., weekday trips dropped by 47% in April 2020, gradually recovering already by October 2021); (b) impact on home-based work and other trips which were significantly disrupted on weekdays compared with non-home-based; (c) OD pattern changes (e.g., all sub-regions experienced significant changes, but the San Francisco Bay area faced the maximum disruptions); (d) gradual recovery with regional variations (e.g., San Francisco lagged in its travel activity recovery but this improved after April 2021, whereas the Northern San Joaquin Valley recovered fastest); (e) disruption and recovery linked to socioeconomic factors (e.g., parts of San Francisco, characterized by higher income, white-collar jobs, faced maximum disruption, whereas the Northern San Joaquin Valley, with a higher proportion of blue-collar workers, experienced the least disruption); and (f) differential recovery rates across and within regions, with areas rich in white-collar jobs showing slower recovery for work trips compared with areas with a higher proportion of blue-collar jobs.
A prospective comparative study of open versus laparoscopic stage II Fowler-Stephens orchidopexy in pediatric patients
Authors: Hamid Raashid , Sudanshu Akshit , Fahiem-Ul-Hassan Mir , Nabi Ubayer , Jan Shah Waseem , Bhat Nisar A , Baba Ajaz A , Mufti Gowhar Nazir , Bashir Idrees , Ahmad Fayaz
Published: January 2025

Introduction:

Laparoscopic Fowler Stephens orchidopexy, single stage or two-stage, is now routinely performed in non-palpable testis. We performed second stage orchidopexy as open inguinal approach and compared the outcome of this approach to two-staged laparoscopic orchidopexy.

Methods:

We performed a prospective randomized interventional study of two different approaches for intra-abdominal testis. In group A, Laparoscopic stage I (SFO) followed by open inguinal orchidopexy was compared for final outcome in group B cases, who underwent laparoscopic staged SF orchidopexy. The average duration between stage I SF and stage II SF was 6 months. All the procedures were done under GA and caudal analgesia. The pre-operative and post-operative USG dimensions were compared in cm and cm3/ml. The procedure outcome was considered successful if testis remained inside scrotum below mid-scrotal point. Any testis above the mid-scrotal point was considered as unacceptable or failure of procedure.

Results:

This study was performed on 74 children with 84 testis (group ‘A’ 38 patients (48 testis) and group ‘B’ 36 patients (46 testes)), with average age was 3.3 ± 0.46 and 3.9 ± 0.58 years, respectively. In group ‘A’, 38 patients (48 testes) underwent lap SFO I followed by inguinal orchidopexy and in group ‘B’, 36 patients (46 testes) underwent laparoscopic staged SF O. The mean testicular volume pre-operative in group ‘A’ & ‘B’ was 0.28 ± 0.04 and 0.23 ± 0.06 cm2, respectively. The mean post-operative testicular volume was 0.34 ± 0.07 and 0.28 ± 0.05 cm2, respectively. The average follow-up of the patients in group ‘A’ & ‘B’ was 24 ± 3.67 and 20 ± 2.90 months, respectively. Testis was having good volume in 87.5% and 76.60% of these successful cases, respectively. There were (3/48) 6.25% (4/46) 8.69% testicular atrophy cases in group ‘A’ & ‘B’, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant ( p < 0.05). The mean operative time in group A was 20 ± 8.07 min and group B 30 ± 7.19 min in stage II procedure.

Conclusion:

The success rate in group A was more than the group B which was statistically significant ( p > 0.05). Our study connotes that open stage II orchidopexy is still feasible and practicable with better final outcome of management of non-palpable cases.
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults: The Moderating Effect of Dementia Diagnosis
Authors: Kim Jaehyun , Park Hyejin , Kim Yongseop , Kim Junhyoung
Published: January 2025

This study investigated the relationship between different intensities of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) (i.e., vigorous LTPA vs. leisure walking) and life satisfaction, and the moderating effect of dementia diagnosis on this association in a representative sample of U.S. older adults derived from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey ( n = 8,779). Multivariable regression analysis revealed significant associations between both LTPA intensity and life satisfaction. Moderation analysis revealed that dementia diagnosis significantly influenced the relationship between vigorous LTPA and life satisfaction in older adults, while no significant dementia diagnosis moderating effect was found to affect the relationship between leisure walking and life satisfaction. These findings suggest that vigorous LTPA was particularly beneficial for enhancing the life satisfaction of people living with dementia (PLWD), while leisure walking universally enhances life satisfaction in older adults regardless of their dementia status. Practical suggestions and implications are provided for designing LTPA programs tailored to the specific needs of PLWD.