bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Independent Electronic Music Party Scene/Circuit in São Paulo: A Panorama of the 2010s
Authors: Pereira Simone Luci , Gheirart Oziel
Published: May 2023

The independent electronic music scene/circuit in São Paulo—techno, house, and their subgenres—migrated from clubs to street parties or locations in central areas of the city in the 2010s. This scene/circuit has a strong political bias, focusing on the uses of urban spaces, LGBTQIA+ rights, corporeality, and aestheticization. Ethnographic study of the activities of four collectives highlights their ways of occupying and claiming the right to the city and the diversity and temporal dynamics of the circuit.

A cena/circuito e música eletrônica independente em São Paulo (tecno, house e suas vertentes), migrou dos clubes para as festas em ruas ou locações em áreas centrais da cidade na década de 2010. Esta cena possui forte viés político ressaltando os usos dos espaços urbanos, os direitos LGBTQIA+, as corporalidades e estetizações. Evidencia-se a centralidade da música e sua dimensão comunicacional e política: dança, corpo e identidades aliadas à construção de modos de estar juntos e ocupar a cidade. A metodologia centra-se na etnografia de quatro coletivos e suas festas em suas formas colaborativas/autogestionárias e maneiras de ocupar e reivindicar o direito à cidade e a diversidade e dinâmica temporal do circuito.
Outlier-resistant observer-based control for interval type-2 T-S fuzzy systems under adaptive event-triggered protocols
Authors: Zhang Sunjie , He Jiawei , Yang Yi , Yan Tingli
Published: May 2023

This paper is concerned with the outlier-resistant observer-based control problem for a class of interval type-2 (IT2) Takagi–Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy systems under adaptive event-triggered protocol (AETP). To improve the efficiency of resource utilization, AETP is mainly through an adjustable threshold parameter to dynamically schedule the data transmission, which occurs in the sensor-to-controller channel. In order to resist the abnormal measurement values, an output saturation composition is constructed in the observer. With the aid of Lyapunov theory, sufficient conditions are obtained to ensure the desired performance. Furthermore, the desired controller is designed for a class of IT2 T-S fuzzy systems. The combination of orthogonal decomposition and linear matrix inequalities is implemented to deal with the nonlinear coupling terms in the gain solving process. Finally, a numerical example is employed to justify the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Impact of Religion on Regional Economic Development: Evidence From 19th Century Prussia
Authors: Chung Seung-hun , Partridge Mark D.
Published: May 2023

Economic development can be influenced by various policies such as improving infrastructure, changing the legal system, or increasing educational attainment. However, to the extent that culture influences economic outcomes, that is very difficult for policy to alter. To examine culture’s role, we assess religion’s influence on historical regional economic development using 19th-century Prussian data. We find that compared to predominantly Catholic Prussian regions, Protestantism facilitated 19th-century industrialization and agricultural productivity growth. On the other hand, there was not a positive and significant impact of Protestantism on early 19th-century regional population growth, though there is a negative and significant effect in the latter 19th century. This result is robust to using IV regression. Protestantism’s positive impacts on the growth of industrialization and agricultural growth is not explained by differing education levels or by differing birthrates across regions, ruling out other indirect effects of Protestantism, suggesting other cultural roles of religion.
Doing Gender, Avoiding Crime: The Gendered Meaning of Criminal Behavior and the Gender Gap in Offending in the United States
Authors: Boyle Kaitlin M.
Published: May 2023

Men are overrepresented in criminal offending, arrest, and incarceration rates, resulting in a gender gap in crime data. I use the mathematical structure and propositions of affect control theory to understand how the symbolic meanings society holds for gender and crime relate to this observed difference in women’s and men’s offending. While criminal behaviors are deviant for both men and women, I hypothesize that they produce even more deflection when enacted by a woman actor than by a man actor in computer simulations. This first hypothesis is supported in a dataset containing 109 criminal behaviors drawn from three affect control theory dictionaries collected in English in the United States in 1998, 2002 to 2004, and 2012 to 2014. Second, I hypothesize that when a crime produces a greater gender gap in deflection in simulations, there will be a greater observed gender gap in alleged offending. I test this hypothesis using four sources of crime data: victim self-reports, police reports, arrest data, and juvenile court statistics. I find hypothesis support using all data sources except victim self-reports. Affect control theory provides an explicit social psychological understanding of how gendered meanings of behavior translate into criminal behavior as recorded in offending data (e.g., Uniform Crime Report).
Five-year outcomes of tricuspid valve repair versus replacement; a propensity score-matched analysis
Authors: Alghamdi Rawan , Alaloola Alhnouf A , Aldaghar Abdulelah S , Alfonso Juan , Ismail Huda , Adam Adam I , Pragliola Claudio , Albabtain Monirah A , Arafat Amr A
Published: May 2023

Background

Tricuspid valve repair (TVr) is the recommended approach for managing tricuspid regurgitation; however, there is a concern about the long-term durability of the repair. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of TVr versus tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) in a matched cohort of patients.

Methods

This study included 1161 patients who underwent tricuspid valve (TV) surgery from 2009 to 2020. Patients were grouped according to the procedure into two groups: patients who underwent TVr ( n = 1020) and patients who underwent TVR (n = 159). The propensity score identified 135 matched pairs.

Results

Renal replacement therapy and bleeding were significantly higher in the TVR group compared to the TVr group both before and after matching. Thirty-day mortality occurred in 38 (3.79%) patients in TVr group versus 3 (1.89%) in the TVR group ( P ≤ 0.001) but was not significant after matching. After matching, TV reintervention (hazard ratio (HR): 21.44 (95% CI: 2.17–211.95); P  =  0.009) and heart failure rehospitalization (HR: 1.89 (95% CI: 1.13–3.16); P  =  0.015) were significantly higher in the TVR group. There was no difference in mortality in the matched cohort (HR: 1.63 (95% CI: 0.72–3.70); P  =  0.25).

Conclusions

TVr was associated with lower renal impairment, reintervention, and heart failure rehospitalization than replacement. TVr remains the preferred approach whenever feasible.
Carceral and colonial domesticities: Subaltern case geographies of a Delhi rescue home
Authors: Legg Stephen
Published: May 2023

This article explores a relatively rare archival account of female subjectivity, experience, mobility, and voice within a carceral institution in late-colonial Delhi. The capital’s “Rescue Home” was created to house women and girls removed from the city’s brothels under new legislation. While no brothels were closed in the first year of the laws functioning, the home accepted 18 women and girls and detailed their circumstances and experiences in its 1940 report. It was able to forcibly detain girls and was run upon disciplinary and racial lines, like other colonial institutions. But its inhabitants were not subject to detailed surveillance. Rather, their lives were ones usually beyond recording or whose stories were actively silenced. The 1940 Rescue Home report provides us with rich details of the commonplace, quotidian struggles which women and girls faced in colonial Delhi. The 18 case geographies of the Home’s inhabitants help us understand how sexuality and motherhood, education and character, and race all shaped routes into the home and destinations when people left. The accounts tell us of a carceral governmentality with influence beyond the disciplinary institution’s walls, but also of female subjects who resisted, spoke back, and absconded. This relationship between forced immobility and willed mobility suggests that brothels and rescue homes were not just connected, through the intended transfer of inhabitants, but can be directly compared as carceral domesticities.
An investigation into high school mathematics teachers and inclusive education for students with visual impairments
Authors: Baykaldı Gamze , Corlu M. Sencer , Yabaş Defne
Published: May 2023

Inclusive education strives to support all students, regardless of their differences, so no child is left behind. However, some teachers, especially those in high schools, may oppose inclusive education. This study aimed to examine the experiences and actions of high school mathematics teachers as they taught students with visual impairments to understand the challenges they faced and how these affected their willingness to embrace the inclusion of these students. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with eight mathematics teachers experienced in teaching students with visual impairments. The findings were organized into five themes: mathematics teaching practices, curriculum, material preparation, assessment practices, and beliefs about inclusive education and students with visual impairments. The results revealed that while mathematics teachers were conscious of not being adequately equipped to implement inclusive education, those with strong teaching efficacy beliefs were more inclined to teach rigorous mathematics to students with visual impairments.
Implementation of an accommodations policy for candidates with diverse needs in a large-scale testing system
Authors: Motteram Johanna , Spiby Richard , Bellhouse Gemma , Sroka Katarzyna
Published: May 2023

This article describes the implementation of a special accommodations policy for a suite of localised English language and numeracy tests, the Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN) Assessments. The WPLN are computer-delivered assessments, part of the WPLN training and assessment programme, which exists to provide access to workforce skills training across the Singaporean population. Operational and interview data were analysed to investigate three main areas: the extent to which WPLN accommodations are considered appropriate and effective for the test-taker population; the impact of the accommodations on test-takers’ future opportunities; and the main factors perceived by stakeholders as playing an important role in test accommodations. The findings indicate that while the accommodations provided are generally considered to be appropriate and effective for the diverse WPLN test-taker population and facilitate improved future educational and workplace opportunities, some areas of the process are problematic or worthy of further consideration. Specifically, recommendations are made for future improvement in special accommodations policy development, dissemination, and implementation in large-scale test systems to safeguard access and inclusion.
Management of scalp arteriovenous malformations: a rising trend towards percutaneous direct puncture embolization technique—our experience
Authors: Israrahmed Amrin , Singh Vivek , Prasad Surya Nandan , Singh Anil Kumar , Bhatnagar Ankur , Singh Anupama , Phadke Rajendra Vishnu
Published: May 2023

Background

Scalp arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), or cirsoid aneurysms of the scalp, usually present with troublesome symptoms and cosmetic disfigurement. Endovascular/percutaneous embolization has evolved as a sole treatment method or adjunct to surgical excision in the management of scalp AVMs with an excellent outcome.

Purpose

To discuss minimally invasive techniques for treating scalp AVMs as well as to highlight the role of embolization before surgery.

Material and Methods

This is a retrospective study of 50 patients with scalp AVM who underwent embolization (percutaneous/endovascular) during 2010–2019 at a tertiary care center. n-butyl cyanoacrylate (n-BCA) was used as an embolizing agent in all the cases and the patients were followed up at three- and six-month intervals with Doppler evaluation.

Results

A total of 50 patients were included in the study. The occipital region was the most common location; 82% were Schobinger class II lesions and 18% were class III lesions. Thirteen patients had small-sized AVMs and 37 patients had large-sized AVMs. Post-embolization surgery was performed in 36 patients. Of the patients, 28 underwent percutaneous embolization, 20 underwent endovascular embolization, and two underwent both to achieve complete embolization of the lesion. The number of percutaneous procedures increased in the latter half of the study period as the safety and efficacy of the technique were established. No major complications were seen in this study.

Conclusion

Embolization of scalp AVMs is a safe and effective technique and can be used in isolation for small lesions and as an adjunct procedure to surgery for large-sized lesions.
Phenotyping mice with skin, hair, or nail abnormalities: A systematic approach and methodologies from simple to complex
Authors: Sundberg John P. , Rice Robert H.
Published: May 2023

The skin and adnexa can be difficult to interpret because they change dramatically with the hair cycle throughout life. However, a variety of methods are commonly available to collect skin and perform assays that can be useful for figuring out morphological and molecular changes. This overview provides information on basic approaches to evaluate skin and its molecular phenotype, with references for more detail, and interpretation of results on the skin and adnexa in the mouse. These approaches range from mouse genetic nomenclature, setting up a cutaneous phenotyping study, skin grafts, hair follicle reconstitution, wax stripping, electron microscopy, and Köbner reaction to very specific approaches such as lipid and protein analyses on a large scale.
Social geography III: Emotions and affective spatialities
Authors: Ho Elaine Lynn-Ee
Published: May 2023

The emotions and the affective qualities of space (i.e. affective spatialities) have featured prominently in social geography research. This report discusses how recent studies have taken seriously earlier critiques of affect theory, foregrounding intersubjective relations, collectives and the socio-spatial hierarchies of power instead. The emotions can be mobilised to serve entrenched interests or challenge power hierarchies in social life, including through digitally mediated spaces. Whether in real or digital life, emotional labour and emotion work are constitutive of temporality, sociality and spatiality. The report concludes by reflecting on what ‘caring-with’ the emotions means for our institutions and the international academy.
Electrical Resistivity Imaging for Identifying Critical Sulfate Concentration Zones Along Highways
Authors: Zamanian Mina , Thorat Yatindra Anand , Asfaw Natnael , Chavda Prakash , Shahandashti Mohsen
Published: May 2023

Assessing sulfate concentration levels and their distributions within road alignments is crucial for the design of highway projects. Sulfate minerals in soils react with calcium-based additives, leading to sulfate-induced heaving and pavement failures. However, a reasonable assessment of the extent and levels of sulfate concentration using current practices, such as conventional laboratory-based methods, is still challenging because of the spatial heterogeneity of sulfate minerals and their seasonal fluctuations. This study aims to assess the application of electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) to determine levels and distributions of sulfate concentration. Finite element and least-squares optimization were used to process the data and generate subsurface inverted resistivity profiles. Fourteen ERI surveys were carried out for two sites with a potentially high risk of sulfate-induced heaving to help determine the extent of critical sulfate concentration zones. Laboratory tests (sulfate and moisture content tests) were conducted on ten samples collected from the field sites to validate ERI findings. The results showed that electrical resistivities of critical sulfate concentration zones are significantly lower than typical ranges of electrical resistivity of earth materials because of the abundance of salt ions in pore water, which facilitates the flow of electric current. The findings of this study were consistent with laboratory test results in determining the sulfate concentration levels. This study showed that ERI successfully provides a rapid and continuous assessment of critical sulfate concentration zones within highway alignments. The findings of this study will help materials and pavement engineers determine where alternative materials and pavement designs are needed.
Optimizing Parcel Locker Locations in a City Crowd Logistics Network
Authors: Zhang Shang , Le Tho V. , Roorda Matthew
Published: May 2023

There is a growing market for crowd-shipping (CS), which hires people to transport parcels on their regular commutes. This paper considers a hybrid CS operation that hires crowd-shippers and regular drivers (RDs) in a physical internet environment. A city crowd logistics (CCL) network is designed to serve business-to-consumer logistics demand through solving a mixed-integer linear program of a parcel locker location assignment problem. The problem minimizes the total cost by optimizing the placement of parcel lockers and the movements of parcels. As an input to the program, the spatial distribution of potential crowd-shippers is analyzed by leveraging a behavior model and data that combines household travel survey data from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada, and Canadian census data. Parcel demand is simulated based on the proportions of retail employment and the population of the corresponding planning district in the GTA. The numerical results reveal that optimal parcel locker locations are more likely to be placed in Toronto while less likely to be installed in Durham and Halton regions. Concerning the service levels of the proposed network, it is found that a CCL network can provide more stable and cost-effective services when the parcel demand level is higher. The hiring of RDs is necessary to service some regions with low crowd-shipper supply. Insights from this study can help logistics companies to develop an effective business strategy for a hybrid CS operation system.
Determining the Key Factors Affecting Pseudo-Pilot Workload Based on Real-Time Simulations
Authors: Özdemir Mustafa , Dönmez Kadir , Demirel Soner
Published: May 2023

Pseudo-pilots work in real-time simulations in air traffic control training and carry out an important task to ensure appropriate training for the trainee controllers. They are in constant communication with controllers during the training and are responsible for fulfilling the instructions given by the controllers. Unlike real operations, pseudo-pilots are required to monitor many aircraft simultaneously on the simulator’s radar screen and perform various interventions. This situation can be challenging, and the impact of such situations on their workload is usually neglected. In the literature, various studies have revealed the factors affecting controller workload; however, the factors affecting the workload of pseudo-pilots have not been emphasized. In this study, statistical analyses were carried out using the data obtained from real-time simulations and NASA-TLX surveys. As a result, the number of aircraft, controller performance, and the interruption duration were determined as the key factors that affect the overall workload of pseudo-pilots.
People, Process, and Technology Maturity Levels for Successful Technology Implementation by State Departments of Transportation
Authors: Tripathi Amit , Nassereddine Hala , Sturgill Roy E , Dadi Gabriel B , Hatoum Makram Bou , Ammar Ashtarout
Published: May 2023

The demand for safe, reliable, and higher-quality infrastructure systems often increases the complexity of transportation construction projects and necessitates more comprehensive evaluation methods. This often leads to the incorporation of technologies for oversight and management. With a focus on effective technology implementation, this research stretches beyond simply evaluating technologies to consider integrating the technology with personnel and procedures at departments of transportation (DOTs). Drawing from literature and a survey of state DOT personnel, this study applies and evaluates maturity models for people, process, and technology with regard to technology implementation at DOTs. The findings support the need for understanding technology implementation in the aspects of people, process, and technology maturity to improve the probability of implementation success. The framework allows DOTs to move toward higher maturity levels and improve the likelihood of implementation success. The study’s objective is to assess the importance of people, process, and technology as implementation dimensions that state DOTs need to focus on for successfully implementing technologies. The idea and scope of the paper can be extended to any new technology implementation efforts at DOTs, including Automatic Identification and Data Capture technologies, emerging sensing and wireless technologies, safety technologies, and others. The maturity models presented enable organizations to audit and benchmark their status for technology implementation, and the relative levels allow these organizations to advance from basic to advanced stages. This paper introduces three maturity models for people, process, and technology, their adaptation to DOT operations, and their possible future use, as presented through preliminary survey results. The final result of this study provides a maturity model methodology for successful technology implementation and a self-assessment tool for state DOTs to gauge and improve their current maturity levels. Preliminary validation of these products was conducted via a workshop of subject matter experts, and the results indicate that state DOTs can use these products to self-assess their organization’s maturity and devise a plan as required for improved technology implementation.
Modeling Pedestrian Injury Severity: A Case Study of Using Extreme Gradient Boosting Vs Random Forest in Feature Selection
Authors: Wu Zhenxi , Misra Aditi , Bao Shan
Published: May 2023

Walking and bicycling are lauded for their negative net carbon impact and for their health benefits. However, national crash statistics suggest that pedestrians are disproportionately harmed in any vehicle–pedestrian conflict situation. Although automated transportation in the future is anticipated to increase overall safety, multiple incidents involving automated vehicles have been reported recently, indicating that the technology needs more training on real-world scenarios and conflicts. This research is motivated by the need for contextual data and related levels of harm in potential conflict scenarios in mixed traffic and we use a national police reported crash dataset, CRSS, to address this need. Our study uses a new gradient boosting algorithm, XGBoost, to identify important features among a host of seemingly significant variables. We compare the performance of XGBoost with the more frequently used random forest method and find that XGBoost is more reliable and robust for handling an unbalanced and sparse dataset like crash data, and the features extracted are more aligned to findings from previous research on the topic. We also compare feature importance between NASS-GES and CRSS—two national crash databases with different sampling strategies but the same objective—and find that sampling strategy influences selection of feature importance. We further use the features extracted using XGBoost in a multiclass logistic regression to quantify the effect of these features on different levels of pedestrian injury. Our findings indicate that speed limit, light conditions, pre-crash movements, and location of pedestrian are important contributors to crash severity, along with driver distraction and impairment.
Bidirectional Green Waves for Road Arterials: Optimization and Simulation
Authors: Liebchen Christian
Published: May 2023

Consider a bidirectional arterial road along which several junctions are controlled by fixed-time traffic signals. The driving times between the junctions are far from showing the ideal condition of integer multiples of half the cycle time. At the junctions, separate left-turn phases have to be scheduled. In particular, the two opposite directions of the arterial can but do not need to be scheduled at the same time. This paper provides an integrated mathematical optimization model that maximizes the widths and lengths of the green bands of both directions of the arterial. Within this, the model selects among three predefined signal programs with different phase sequences, and computes optimum offsets for the selected signal programs at each junction. Arranging the left-turn phases before or after the arterial’s through-traffic in a dedicated way provides much better results in the optimization model than always scheduling them at the same time. To validate the optimization result, we implemented a microscopic traffic flow simulation model (using the SUMO simulation package) inspired by certain arterials in the city of Berlin, Germany. With 11 crossings, the result was an average of less than 1.7 stops per car—already including one possible stop at the two entry points of the coordinated arterial. This compares favorably with the average number of at least 3.4 stops per car when the straight traffic in both directions is always scheduled at the same time, that is, in parallel.
Synovial Fluid Proteomics From Serial Aspirations of ACL-Injured Knees Identifies Candidate Biomarkers
Authors: Rai Muhammad Farooq , Cai Lei , Zhang Qiang , Townsend R. Reid , Brophy Robert H.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears often result in knee effusion and an increased risk for developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) in the long run. The molecular profile of these effusions could be informative regarding initial steps in the development of posttraumatic OA after an ACL tear.

Hypothesis:

The proteomics of knee synovial fluid changes over time after ACL injury.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Synovial fluid was collected from patients with an acute traumatic ACL tear presenting to the office for evaluation (18.31 ± 19.07 days from injury) (aspiration 1) and again at the time of surgery (35.41 ± 58.15 days after aspiration 1 (aspiration 2). High-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry was used to assess the quantitative protein profile of synovial fluid, and differences in protein profile between the 2 aspirations were determined computationally.

Results:

A total of 58 synovial fluid samples collected from 29 patients (12 male, 17 female; 12 isolated ACL tear, 17 combined ACL and meniscal tear) with a mean age and body mass index of 27.01 ± 12.78 years and 26.30 ± 4.93, respectively, underwent unbiased proteomics analysis. The levels of 130 proteins in the synovial fluid changed over time (87 high, 43 low). Proteins of interest that were significantly higher in aspiration 2 included CRIP1, S100A11, PLS3, POSTN, and VIM, which represent catabolic/inflammatory activities in the joint. Proteins with a known role in chondroprotection and joint homeostasis such as CHI3L2 (YKL-39), TNFAIP6/TSG6, DEFA1, SPP1, and CILP were lower in aspiration 2.

Conclusion:

Synovial fluid from knees with ACL tears exhibits an increased burden of inflammatory (catabolic) proteins relevant to OA with reduced levels of chondroprotective (anabolic) proteins.

Clinical Relevance:

This study identified a set of novel proteins that provide new biological insights into the aftermath of ACL tears. Elevated inflammation and decreased chondroprotection could represent initial disruption of homeostasis, potentially initiating the development of OA. Longitudinal follow-up and mechanistic studies are necessary to assess the functional role of these proteins in the joint. Ultimately, these investigations could lead to better approaches to predict and possibly improve patient outcomes.
Frontotemporal Brow lift With Suspension to Frontal Bone
Authors: Martins Lessandro , Zarate Juan Martin , Fakih-Gomez Ibrahim , Fakih-Gomez Nabil
Published: May 2023

Brow position is a key feature to define a fresh and youthful appearance of the periorbital region. Frontotemporal brow lift implies the elevation of both the medial brow and lateral brow and can be performed through an open (coronal), endoscopic, or combined approach. While endoscopic brow lift has the advantage of minimal incisions compared with the open coronal approach, it requires specific equipment, a longer learning curve, and has been associated with high recurrence rates. Herein, the authors’ technique for frontotemporal brow lift is presented, an approach that includes complete access under direct vision to the lateral brow and glabellar area, through 2 limited frontotemporal incisions and a novel method of 3-vectoring suspension to the frontal bone. It has proved to be predictable with long-lasting results.
Taking Care at Work: Gender, Coping, and Anti-Violence Work During COVID-19
Authors: Welch Leigh , Schwarz Corinne
Published: May 2023

COVID-19 transformed frontline anti-violence workers’ organizational routines by transitioning to virtual formats, decreasing face-to-face interactions, and shifting client needs. To address ever-changing workplace stressors, service providers adapted and/or modified coping mechanisms. In this paper, we analyze interviews with 23 anti-violence workers in the US Great Plains region, focusing on tactics used to avoid burnout and meet client needs. We discuss how workplace pace, direct-action coping practices, and a lack of inter/intra-agency social support impact how workers do their necessary jobs. Though some challenges were pervasive pre-pandemic, anti-violence workers’ experiences also highlight how “post-COVID-19” workplaces must adequately support staffers.
Event Characteristics of Sexual Violence Perpetration Against Romantic Partners Versus Non-Romantic Partners
Authors: Ybarra Michele L. , Strøem Ida F. , Goodman Kimberly L. , Mitchell Kimberly J.
Published: May 2023

Tactics used to perpetrate sexual violence may be crucial to understanding when and why sexual violence occurs. Moreover, most sexual violence occurs between people who know each other—including in the context of dating or sexual relationships. Little is known about the context of sexual violence that occurs with non-romantic partners. To address these research gaps, we examined online survey data from 786 young adults (weighted n = 763) aged 19 to 27 years, living across the United States. Findings suggest that 60% of sexual assault, 40% of attempted rape, 42% of rape, and 67% of coercive sex were perpetrated against a romantic partner, defined as a current or ex-boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or domestic partner. Contextual differences were noted by relationship type: Those who perpetrated against romantic partners were more likely than those who targeted non-romantic partners to report that it occurred because they were feeling sad or angry. They were also more likely to say that the other person was completely responsible for what happened. Conversely, those who aggressed against non-romantic partners were more likely to say that someone else found out about what happened. Making the other person feel guilty was the most common tactic for both groups. The most frequently endorsed reason for perpetrating sexual violence was “feeling really horny,” although feeling “good” or being drunk/high were also common reasons noted by aggressors. Afterward, many said they felt guilty or ashamed and were worried about the other person’s feelings. Fear of getting caught was universally absent. Findings support the importance of building emotion regulation and emotional awareness skills in sexual violence prevention programming. Prevention programs should also discuss coercion as a violence tactic, since perpetrators may not always recognize this to be sexual violence. More generally, violence prevention programs should also address healthy relationships, consent, and taking responsibility.
Assessment of the Newcomen engine’s development potential as heat engine for low temperature waste heat
Authors: Müller Gerald , Mereš Branislav
Published: May 2023

There is a large but mostly unused energy resource available from low temperature waste heat with temperatures of 80–150°C. The lack of a cost-effective technology prevents the generation of power from this potential. Recently, the Condensing Engine, which employs the condensation of steam and the arising vacuum as the driving force, had been developed to address this problem. Its simplicity and the use of water as working fluid promises cost-effectiveness. In the context of this work, it was decided to investigate the Newcomen Engine to assess its potential. This engine is usually neglected because of is low efficiency, thought to be caused by the continuous cooling and re-heating of the cylinder. A thermodynamic model of the engine was developed. Surprisingly, the model indicated that 78% of the heat losses are caused by the re-heating of the injection water and only 22% by the cooling and re-heating of the cylinder. This finding allowed to conceptualise a new engine, the Internal Condensation Engine, where plastic material for the cylinder and the forced ejection of the water minimise losses. The engine would have a similar or better efficiency than competitive technologies whilst being simpler, and therefore more cost-effective.
Can green credit inhibit regional carbon emissions? evidence from China
Authors: Guo Lingjun , Tan Wenyu , Xu Yi , Tang Qinchen , Liu Guangfu
Published: May 2023

During the inhibition path of carbon emissions, the role of green finance is of increasing concerns, among which, green credit is regarded as crucial instrument. However, there exist insufficient empirical explorations on effects of green credit. Therefore, this study introduced intergovernmental panel on climate change method to calculate regional carbon emissions based on eight fossil fuels from 2008 to 2019 in China. Subsequently, spatial measurement, threshold regression, and intermediary model were further applied to examine how green credit may affect carbon emissions regarding the restraining effect, threshold effect, transmission mechanism, and spatial heterogeneity. The results show that: (1) green credit can effectively inhibited China's provincial carbon emissions although there existed regional inconsistency. (2) Appropriate levels of environmental regulation and marketization can enhance the repress effect of green credit. (3) Green credit can suppress provincial carbon emissions through optimizing the energy consumption structure, while there exists no intermediary effect of industrial structure upgrading during impact path. (4) Considering endogeneity, green credit can still significantly inhibit regional carbon emissions. These findings further enrich the current literature and provide references for policy design of constructing efficient carbon neutralization path.
The health and environmental risks and rewards of modernity that shape scientific optimism
Authors: Price Anne M. , Peterson Lindsey
Published: May 2023

Individuals in high-income countries increasingly express less scientific optimism than in lower-income societies. In this article, we utilize risk society theory to understand the complicated relationship between individual- and country-level factors, and optimism toward the role of science in society in “reflexively modern” societies. We use multilevel modeling with 16 high-income countries to determine the individual-level and country-level factors that shape scientific optimism. Next, we look at the individual characteristics that affect scientific optimism in each country individually. At the individual level, we find that older people, the more highly educated and higher earning, those farther to the Right on the political spectrum, and those with more materialist (rather than postmaterialist) attitudes have higher scientific optimism, while more religious people have lower optimism regarding science. At the country level, we make a corollary argument about materialism: societies that have higher measles immunization rates, generate more electricity from fossil fuels, and have a greater percentage of mobile phone subscriptions, have populaces that are more optimistic toward science.
Combinational Treatment Involving Decellularized Extracellular Matrix Hydrogels With Mesenchymal Stem Cells Increased the Efficacy of Cell Therapy in Pancreatitis
Authors: Kojima Hideaki , Kushige Hiroko , Yagi Hiroshi , Nishijima Takayuki , Moritoki Nobuko , Nagoshi Narihito , Nakano Yutaka , Tanaka Masayuki , Hori Shutaro , Hasegawa Yasushi , Abe Yuta , Kitago Minoru , Nakamura Masaya , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: May 2023

Cell transplantation using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has emerged as a promising approach to repairing and regenerating injured or impaired organs. However, the survival and retention of MSCs following transplantation remain a challenge. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of co-transplantation of MSCs and decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) hydrogels, which have high cytocompatibility and biocompatibility. The dECM solution was prepared by enzymatic digestion of an acellular porcine liver scaffold. It could be gelled and formed into porous fibrillar microstructures at physiological temperatures. MSCs expanded three-dimensionally in the hydrogel without cell death. Compared to the 2-dimensional cell culture, MSCs cultured in the hydrogel showed increased secretion of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and tumor necrosis factor-inducible gene 6 protein (TSG-6), both of which are major anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic paracrine factors of MSCs, under TNFα stimulation. In vivo experiments showed that the co-transplantation of MSCs with dECM hydrogel improved the survival rate of engrafted cells compared to those administered without the hydrogel. MSCs also demonstrated therapeutic effects in improving inflammation and fibrosis of pancreatic tissue in a dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC)-induced rat pancreatitis model. Combinational use of dECM hydrogel with MSCs is a new strategy to overcome the challenges of cell therapy using MSCs and can be used for treating chronic inflammatory diseases in clinical settings.
Moral courage, job-esteem, and social responsibility in disaster relief nurses
Authors: Yu Qiang , Wang Huaqin , Tian Yusheng , Wang Qin , Yang Li , Liu Qiaomei , Li Yamin
Published: May 2023

Background

Social responsibility can motivate disaster relief nurses to devote themselves to safeguarding rights and interests of people when facing challenges that threaten public health. However, few studies focused on the relationship of moral courage, job-esteem, and social responsibility among disaster relief nurses.

Objective

To explore the influence of moral courage and job-esteem on the social responsibility in disaster relief nurses and clarify the relationship model between them.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 716 disaster relief nurses from 14 hospitals in central China through an online survey, including moral courage scale, job-esteem scale, and social responsibility questionnaire. The data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation, and the mechanism of the effect of moral courage and job-esteem on social responsibility was completed.

Ethical considerations

This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (Approval Number: 2019016).

Results

Disaster relief nurses’ moral courage positively impacted social responsibility (r = 0.677, p < 0.01), and moral courage could affect social responsibility through the mediating role of job-esteem.

Conclusion

Job-esteem mediated between moral courage and social responsibility among disaster relief nurses. Nursing managers regular assessment of nurses’ moral courage and interventions such as meetings and workshops can reduce moral distress, foster morally courageous behavior, enhance job-esteem, and improve social responsibility performance among disaster relief nurses.
Moral courage, burnout, professional competence, and compassion fatigue among nurses
Authors: Alshammari Mohammed Hamdan , Alboliteeh Mohammad
Published: May 2023

Background

Moral courage is the ability to defend and practice ethical and moral action when faced with a challenge, even if it means rejecting pressure to act otherwise. However, moral courage remains an unexplored concept among middle eastern nurses.

Aim

This study investigated the mediating role of moral courage in the relationship between burnout, professional competence, and compassion fatigue among Saudi Arabian nurses.

Research design

Correlational, cross-sectional design following the STROBE guidelines.

Participants and research context

Convenience sampling was used to recruit nurses ( n = 684) for four government hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Four validated self-report questionnaires (Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale, Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Nurses Compassion Fatigue Inventory) were used to collect data between May to September 2022. Spearman rho and structural equation modeling analyses were employed to analyze the data.

Ethical considerations

The ethics review committee of a government university in Ha’il region, Saudi Arabia, approval this study (Protocol no.: H-2021-012; Approved: 08/022,021). Participants were fully explained the study aims, and consent was voluntarily secured.

Results

The emerging model showed that burnout had a direct and positive influence on compassion fatigue, while professional competence had a direct, negative effect on compassion fatigue. Moral courage had a small and direct but negative influence on compassion fatigue. Mediation analyses also indicated that moral courage significantly mediated the indirect effects of burnout and professional competence on compassion fatigue.

Conclusion

Moral courage can be a crucial aspect in preserving the psychological and mental health of nurses, particularly under stressful conditions. Therefore, it is advantageous from an organizational and leadership standpoint to implement measures such as programs and interventions to foster moral courage among nurses.
Associations of Lifestyle-Related Factors With Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure in the Middle-Aged and Older Population-Based Cohort in Japan: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hiramatsu Yuji , Ide Hiroo , Furui Yuji
Published: May 2023

This study aims to analyze associations between lifestyle-related factors and body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged and older people in Japan. An association analysis using a multilevel model with demographic and lifestyle-related factors as variables and with BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) as outcomes was conducted. Among the modifiable lifestyle factors, we found a significant dose-response association for BMI and slower eating (fast: reference; normal: −0.123 kg/m2 and slow: −0.256 kg/m2). Consuming >60 g/d ethanol was significantly associated, before and after adjustment for BMI, with an increase in SBP of 3.109 and 2.893 mm Hg, respectively. These findings suggested that health guidance should focus on factors such as the eating rate and drinking habits.
Thermomechanical characterization of phase transformation surfaces for thin SMA wires
Authors: Kazi Arif , Hauber Max , Honold Michael
Published: May 2023

The phase transformation of thermal shape memory alloys (SMAs) can be described by surfaces in a temperature-stress-strain space. A novel experimental technique for the thermomechanical characterization of thin SMA wires allows to scan these surfaces with high resolution. Each experimental run uses a sequence of experimental conditions to traverse the phase transformation surfaces on a different path from “full martensite” to “full austenite” and vice versa. At all times, stress and strain are kept within the limits specified for the use of the SMA wire in actuators. The wire is heated externally through a silicon oil bath, which ensures a controlled and homogeneous temperature of the specimen. The experimental setup is designed to minimize the impact of the large oil temperature variations on measurement results. Experimental results are shown for both mechanical contraction and electrical resistance, each of which forms consistent surfaces for the phase transformation. Measurements for external heating in the oil bath are compared to electrical heating in air.
Navigating Cisgenderism: The Experiences of Three Gender-Expansive Music Educators
Authors: Palkki Joshua
Published: May 2023

With the intent of improving music teacher education for people of trans and/or gender-expansive (TGX) experience, the purpose of this study is to convey the voices and experiences of three TGX music educators. These data are drawn from four semi-structured interviews with three participants totaling 268 min. Utilizing transgender theory and cisgenderism as theoretical frameworks, four major categories arose during data analysis: (a) modes of disclosure, (b) building safe space, (c) negative experiences, and (d) policy. While these three teachers found support at school, they also faced difficulties and policies that affected their careers and decisions about disclosure of their gender identity. For example, all three participants expressed concerns about parent backlash. Drawing upon the participants’ stories, I explore how music teacher educators can better support TGX students navigate cisgenderism. In addition, music teacher educators can gain perspective on how policy decisions can influence the careers of TGX music educators.
When Family Life Contributes to Cancer Caregiver Burden in Palliative Care
Authors: Benson Jacquelyn J. , Washington Karla T. , Landon Olivia J. , Chakurian Daphne E. , Demiris George , Parker Oliver Debra
Published: May 2023

The difficulties of caring for a family member with advanced cancer are well documented. Support from a caregiver’s social network—especially other family—is vital to reducing caregiver burden and psychological distress. However, the family environment is not always supportive as reports of family conflict and dissatisfaction with support are common. Despite knowing that family relationships are complex, little is known about the types of family stress that caregivers of advanced cancer patients face in their daily lives. To address this gap, researchers applied concepts from the double ABCX model to conduct a reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with 63 caregivers of cancer patients receiving outpatient palliative care. Four themes of family stress were identified: failed support, relational tensions, denial, and additional care work. Findings inform clinical assessment and caregiver intervention development by revealing the importance of measuring the mundane machinations of family life for caregivers of adult cancer patients.