bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of genetic parameters for proximate composition traits in the muscle of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853 (Brachyura, Varunidae)
Authors: Zhang Guang-Bao , Jin Wu , Zhang Dong-Dong , Zhuang Zhen-Jun , Liu Qing , Wu Xu-Gan
Published: May 2023

This study examined the heritability and genetic correlations of muscle proximate composition (including crude lipid, protein, moisture, and ash) in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. The results showed that the heritability of proximate composition traits, was 0.12 ± 0.07 for moisture, 0.04 ± 0.04 for crude fat, 0.07 ± 0.05 for crude protein and 0.03 ± 0.04 for ash, respectively. A positive genetic correlation (0.88) was observed between crude lipid and protein, whereas a negative correlation existed between crude lipid and moisture (−0.74), indicating that crude lipid content could be improved by moisture selection indirectly. The muscle-moisture trait has the highest heritability, and is the easiest parameter to measure among the four proximate composition traits. Our results provide fundamental information for the development of improved genetic-programmes utilizing quality traits of E. sinensis.
The Relevance of the Phenomenological Method of Epoché and Reduction for Psychology
Authors: Wertz Frederick J.
Published: May 2023

Husserl’s (2023) “Paradox of the Psychological Reduction,” with support and elucidation from Husserl’s published writings, shows the necessity of employing the phenomenological epoché and reduction in order to perform valid psychological research. The relationship between the transcendental and psychological reductions, including their closeness, differences, and peculiar identity are explored. Although necessary, the phenomenological method does not guarantee true psychological knowledge but rather requires a reflexive, self-critical, self-corrective historical process that confronts and overcomes naturalistic prejudice and other misguiding assumptions and dogma as well as superficial and flawed research performances. Phenomenological psychology and philosophy are inseparable, in a bidirectional relationship that informs the socio-cultural sciences including empirical psychology and all disciplines that study persons, communities, human artifacts, and humanity. The implications and relevance of phenomenological method are spelled out in light of the history and contemporary challenges of psychology.
The Psychological Epoché and the Promise of Humanistic Psychology
Authors: DeRobertis Eugene Mario
Published: May 2023

In this paper, I contend that the narrative presented in Husserl’s recently translated Text 7 is a strikingly clear affirmation and vindication of the psychological adaptation of phenomenology developed by Amedeo Giorgi. I argue that Giorgi’s methodological advocacy of the epoché makes good sense when considered in the context of the history of humanistic psychology. A review of Carl Rogers’s and Abraham Maslow’s attempts to revision psychology shows that they each, in their own way, argued for a turn away from all-out objectivism in research, toward what phenomenologists would refer to as the being-in-the-world-with-others that permeates the relationship between researcher and research participants. But neither could envision or develop a methodological procedure for the researcher to simultaneously suspend their habitual way of making judgements and forming conclusions in that relationship. Instead, they advocated for the extension of a humanized therapeutic clinical presence of openness, acceptance, and affirmation in psychological research. Thus, a Husserlian approach to phenomenological psychology was not only a desirable addition to humanistic thought, it was sorely needed for humanistic psychology to fulfill its research promise. Giorgi, more than any other thinker of his time, provided this addition. It is further argued that Giorgi’s contribution remains highly relevant, though underappreciated.
Teaching and Preaching
Authors: Tesfamariam Temesgen
Published: May 2023

During European colonial times in Africa and elsewhere, missionary education was an integral part of the colonial instruments for political domination, economic exploitation, and cultural assimilation. This paper aims to investigate the process of making colonial subjects through missionary education that was mainly provided by Catholic and Evangelical mission schools during the Italian colonial period in Eritrea. The paper argues that the Catholic and Evangelical mission schools distinctively worked to achieve their separate objectives that can be explained as employment versus salvation, teaching versus preaching, flag versus Bible, and hands versus soul, respectively. While the Catholic mission school focused on training the hand in order to supply labour, the Evangelical mission school stressed harvesting the soul to cultivate a docile labour force. Despite their differences, the works of the Catholic and Evangelical mission schools placed much emphasis on and exerted much effort to producing a class of colonial subjects that could serve as brokers of power.
Frozen Hydrometeor Terminal Fall Velocity Dependence on Particle Habit and Riming as Observed by Vertically Pointing Radars
Authors: Matrosov Sergey Y.
Published: May 2023

Vertically pointing Ka-band radar measurements are used to derive fall velocity–reflectivity factor () relations for frozen hydrometeor populations of different habits during snowfall events observed at Oliktok Point, Alaska, and at the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC). Case study events range from snowfall with highly rimed particles observed during periods with large amounts of supercooled liquid water path (LWP > 320 g m−2) to unrimed snowflakes including instances when pristine planar crystals were the dominant frozen hydrometeor habit. The prefactor a and the exponent b in the observed Vt–Ze relations scaled to the sea level vary in the approximate ranges 0.5–1.4 and 0.03–0.13, respectively (reflectivities are in mm6 m−3 and velocities are in m s−1). The coefficient a values are the smallest for planar crystals (a ∼ 0.5) and the largest (a > 1.2) for particles under severe riming conditions with high LWP. There is no clear distinction between b values for high and low LWP conditions. The range of the observed Vt–Ze relation coefficients is in general agreement with results of modeling using fall velocity–size (υt = αDβ) relations for individual particles found in literature for hydrometeors of different habits, though there is significant variability in α and β coefficients from different studies even for a same particle habit. Correspondences among coefficients in the Vt–Ze relations for particle populations and in the individual particle υt–D relations are analyzed. These correspondences and the observed Vt–Ze relations can be used for evaluating different frozen hydrometeor fall velocity parameterizations in models.

Significance Statement

Frozen hydrometeor fall velocities influence cloud life cycles and the moisture transport in the atmosphere. The knowledge of these velocities is also needed to enhance remote sensing of snowfall parameters. In this study, the relations between fall velocities and radar reflectivities of snowflakes of different types and shapes are quantitively analyzed using observations with vertically pointing radars.
Impact of Evaporation in Yangtze River Valley on Heat Stress in North China
Authors: Bu Lulei , Zuo Zhiyan , Zhang Kaiwen , Yuan Jiacan
Published: May 2023

In North China (NC), heat stress, which can be quantitatively characterized by wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), is closely related to specific humidity. This study focuses on the total days for NC average daily maximum WBGT exceeding 26°C (WGBT26) per summer (June–August) from 1979 to 2017. Rather than local precipitation or evaporation in NC, the NC WBGT26 is significantly related to the nonlocal evaporation around the Yangtze River valley (YR). The abnormal positive evaporated water vapor in YR, associated with anomalously high water vapor flux from south to north at 925 hPa, is continuously transported to NC in the above-normal WBGT26 years. Such an abnormal “evaporation and transportation” process can significantly increase the water vapor in NC and therefore enhance WBGT26. The evaporation in YR peaks in mid- to late July and is closely associated with the occurrence days for daily maximum WBGT exceeding 26°C and maximum daily mean specific humidity at 925 hPa in summer. The main driver for the strongest YR evaporation anomaly from 15 July to 15 August is the simultaneous surface air temperature rather than the simultaneous or earlier soil moisture, precipitation, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) anomaly. This condition is due to the continuously abundant soil moisture in the YR from April to September. The results of this study provide new ideas for studying heat stress in NC, indicating that nonlocal land–atmosphere interactions are crucial.
A Multiscale Four-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation Scheme: A Squall-Line Case Study
Authors: Sun Tao , Sun Juanzhen , Chen Yaodeng , Chen Haiqin
Published: May 2023

This study presents a multiscale four-dimensional variational data assimilation (MS-4DVar) scheme that aims to assimilate multiscale information from conventional and radar observations. The MS-4DVar scheme separately assimilates conventional and radar data in different outer loop iterations of an incremental 4DVar with varied resolutions in the tangent linear and adjoint models (TLM/ADM) and time window lengths in the 4DVar. The MS-4DVar scheme was evaluated through a series of single observation tests and several cycled assimilation and forecasting experiments for a real squall-line case. Our results indicated that different TLM/ADM resolutions and time window lengths applied to the conventional and radar observations improved the multiscale analysis. In addition, the MS-4DVar scheme was more efficient than the common 4DVar because of the low-resolution TLM/ADM used for conventional data and the shortened time window length for radar data. Verification of the squall-line forecasts suggested that the MS-4DVar scheme improved the hourly accumulated precipitation and radar reflectivity forecast skills and reduced the forecast errors of both large-scale environmental and convective-scale states. Further diagnosis revealed that the improvement of precipitation forecast skill was attributable to the stronger cold pool, deeper saturated water vapor layer, and stronger updraft of the simulated squall-line system, as well as a more favorable convective environment.
The Development and Evaluation of a Tropical Cyclone Probabilistic Landfall Forecast Product
Authors: Trabing Benjamin C. , Musgrave Kate D. , DeMaria Mark , Zachry Brian C. , Brennan Michael J. , Rappaport Edward N.
Published: May 2023

Improving estimates of tropical cyclone forecast uncertainty remains an important goal of the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP). Intensity forecast uncertainty near landfall is especially complicated because intensity forecasts depend on track forecasts. Ensembles can be difficult to interpret near land due to differences in both spatial and temporal resolution and differences in landfall timing (if at all) and location. The Monte Carlo Wind Speed Probability (WSP) model is a statistical ensemble based on the error characteristics of forecasts by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the spread of several track forecast models. The landfall distribution product (LDP) introduced in this paper was developed to use the statistical ensemble of forecasts from the WSP model to estimate both the track and intensity forecast uncertainty associated with potential landfalls. The LDP includes probabilistic intensity estimates as well as estimates of the most likely and reasonable strongest intensity at landfall. These products could communicate concise intensity uncertainty information to users at risk for tropical cyclone impacts. Demonstration on a retrospective dataset from 2010 to 2018 and evaluation of the LDP on the 2020–21 Atlantic hurricane seasons shows that the probability of landfall and the landfall intensity probabilities generated by the WSP model are reliable and potentially useful for preparedness decision-making. A case study of Hurricane Ida (2021) highlights how the LDP can be implemented to communicate landfall uncertainty to a broad range of users.

Significance Statement

With the new landfall distribution product (LDP), the National Hurricane Center can provide both track and intensity forecast uncertainty surrounding the landfall of hurricanes. The issuance of a reasonable worst case scenario for the strongest winds that could impact a region could amplify messaging to encourage people to take appropriate action prior to a landfall.
Being on the Frontline? Immigrant Workers in Europe and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Fasani Francesco , Mazza Jacopo
Published: May 2023

This article provides the first systematic assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the labor market for immigrant workers in Europe. The authors estimate that in 2020 extra-EU migrants were twice as likely and EU migrants were 1.6 times as likely to experience employment loss relative to comparable natives. To understand the determinants of these large gaps, the article focuses on three job characteristics— essentiality, temporariness, and teleworkability—and documents that migrants were overrepresented among essential, temporary, and low-teleworkable occupations at the onset of the pandemic. The authors estimate that pre-pandemic occupational sorting accounts for 25 to 35% of the explained migrant–native gap in the risk of employment termination, while sorting into industries accounts for the rest of the explained gap. More than half of this gap remains unexplained. Although major employment losses were averted thanks to the massive use of short-time work programs in Europe, migrant workers—particularly extra-EU migrants—suffered from high economic vulnerability during the pandemic.
Fatigue condition monitoring of notched thermoplastic-based hybrid fiber metal laminates using electrical resistance measurement and digital image correlation
Authors: Mrzljak Selim , Trautmann Maik , Blickling Philipp , Wagner Guntram , Walther Frank
Published: May 2023

In this work, the monitorability of fatigue damage in notched thermoplastic-based hybrid fiber metal laminate, containing AA6082-T4 sheets and glass and carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide 6, is investigated using constant amplitude tests. Electrical resistance measurement and digital image correlation were combined to determine the initiation and evolution process of fatigue damage. Preliminary to the application of the electrical resistance measurement during fatigue load, basic investigations regarding necessary measurement accuracy and conditions, e.g. temperature and cross-section influence, were conducted to achieve reliable measurement results. Via digital image correlation fatigue crack growth was determined and correlated with the change in electrical resistance for two metal/fiber-reinforced polymer layer configurations (2/1 and 3/2) and notch geometries (drilling hole and double-edge notch). The results show that reliable detection of fatigue-related damage states is possible independent of aluminum sheet treatment (mechanically blasted or anodized surface), with earlier crack initiation and faster propagation for higher metal volume fraction (layer configuration 2/1). For the two investigated notch geometries an overall similar crack behavior was found. The electrical resistance values directly correlate to varieties of crack formation and growth, representing the aluminum sheet damage progress of the laminate well, and enabling the possibility of e.g. a limit value-based failure criterion. However, geometry and crack-related changes in electric current flow and thus current density must be taken into account for targeted monitoring of the laminate condition, as they cause significant changes in electrical resistance.
The impact of digital information treatment on the evaluation of service performance of agricultural extension agents
Authors: Tian Xianghui , Xu Pengmin , Liu Xinmin , Xu Xiaojing
Published: May 2023

A randomized survey experiment was used to investigate the influence of digital information treatment on the subjective attitudes of agricultural extension agents. The objective was to explore the influence and mechanism of the digital economy on agricultural extension performance. This paper sets up the digital economy as a counterfactual information treatment. The sample was split into two groups using group randomization according to the location and type of unit where the agricultural extension agents were stationed. When responding to questions about the issues encountered, the randomly chosen treatment participants were informed of the numerous changes and implications the digital economy would bring to agricultural extension. In contrast, the control group answered the same questions without receiving the treatment information. The empirical results indicate that digital information treatment significantly affected agricultural extension agents’ preferred choice of extension service supply. Also, the recognition of the impact of actions to innovate the service mode and enhance the service capability of agricultural extension agents was much enhanced by the use of digital information treatment. The type of units dispatched and the scale of production of service recipients have significant moderating effects. Digital information treatment has a greater influence on the attitude of specialists from universities and research institutes and those whose service recipients are small farmers. The paper highlights the important role of government in the development of the digital economy by actively providing digital public goods for agricultural extension services.
Real-world effectiveness of repeated intravenous ketamine infusions for treatment-resistant depression in transitional age youth
Authors: Chisamore Noah , Danayan Kevork , Rodrigues Nelson B , Di Vincenzo Joshua D , Meshkat Shakila , Doyle Zoe , Mansur Rodrigo , Phan Lee , Fancy Farhan , Chau Edmond , Tabassum Aniqa , Kratiuk Kevin , Arekapudi Anil , McIntyre Roger S , Rosenblat Joshua D.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Ketamine is an emerging treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) associated with rapid and robust improvements in depressive symptoms and suicidality. However, the efficacy and safety of ketamine in transitional age youth (TAY; age 18–25) populations remains understudied.

Methods:

In this retrospective analysis, TAY patients ( n = 52) receiving ketamine for TRD were matched for sex, primary diagnosis, baseline depression severity, and treatment resistance with a general adult (GA) sample (age 30–60). Patients received four ketamine infusions over 2 weeks (0.5–0.75 mg/kg over 40 min). The primary outcome was the change in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report 16-item (QIDS-SR16) over time. Secondary outcomes were changes in QIDS-SR16 suicidal ideation (SI) item, anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7)), and adverse effects (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04209296).

Results:

A significant main effect of infusions on reduction of total QIDS-SR16 ( p < 0.001), QIDS-SR16 SI ( p < 0.001), and GAD-7 ( p < 0.001) scores was observed in the TAY group with moderate effect sizes, indicative of clinically significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and suicidality. There were no significant differences between TAY and GA groups on these measures over time, suggesting comparable improvements in both groups. Safety and tolerability outcomes were comparable between groups with only mild, transient adverse effects observed.

Conclusion:

Ketamine was associated with comparable clinical benefits, safety, and tolerability in a TAY sample as compared to a matched GA TRD sample.
Ethical Performance in Local Governments: An Empirical Study of Organizational Leadership and Ethics Culture
Authors: Demir Tansu , Reddick Christopher G. , Perlman Bruce J.
Published: May 2023

How to promote ethical conduct in the public sector has been discussed extensively in the public administration literature, yet empirical studies that employ comprehensive datasets are rare. This study proposes a hybrid model to explain ethical performance in local governments. Results of our study point to the importance of leadership in creating ethical organizations. Analysis of comprehensive survey data collected from local governments supports our hypothesis that organizational leadership not only promotes ethical behavior directly but also indirectly through reinforcing ethics culture in local governments. This paper discusses the practical implications of our findings and advances some recommendations to enhance ethical conduct in the public sector.
Autogenerated manipulation primitives
Authors: Huang Eric , Cheng Xianyi , Mao Yuemin , Gupta Arnav , Mason Matthew T
Published: May 2023

The central theme in robotic manipulation is that of the robot interacting with the world through physical contact. We tend to describe that physical contact using specific words that capture the nature of the contact and the action, such as grasp, roll, pivot, push, pull, tilt, close, open etc. We refer to these situation-specific actions as manipulation primitives. Due to the nonlinear and nonsmooth nature of physical interaction, roboticists have devoted significant efforts towards studying individual manipulation primitives. However, studying individual primitives one by one is an inherently limited process, due engineering costs, overfitting to specific tasks, and lack of robustness to unforeseen variations. These limitations motivate the main contribution of this paper: a complete and general framework to autogenerate manipulation primitives. To do so, we develop the theory and computation of contact modes as a means to classify and enumerate manipulation primitives. The contact modes form a graph, specifically a lattice. Our algorithm to autogenerate manipulation primitives (AMP) performs graph-based optimization on the contact mode lattice and solves a linear program to generate each primitive. We designed several experiments to validate our approach. We benchmarked a wide range of contact scenarios and our pipeline’s runtime was consistently in the 10 s of milliseconds. In simulation, we planned manipulation sequences using AMP. In the real-world, we showcased the robustness of our approach to real-world modeling errors. We hope that our contributions will lead to more general and robust approaches for robotic manipulation.
Development and evaluation of a virtual simulation experiment system for the course of fluid mechanics
Authors: Shi Pengkun , Fu Xiaoli , Yang Juntian , Dai Lincheng
Published: May 2023

Fluid mechanics is a fundamental course in many disciplines such as civil engineering and hydraulic engineering, with broad applicability and practical significance in engineering. However, the abstractness and multiplicity of its basic concepts hinders students’ first-hand experience during traditional classroom learning, and the time and space limitation of its offline experiment often results in unsatisfying teaching effectiveness. To address these challenges, a set of virtual simulation experiment system is developed for the course of fluid mechanics, along with an external support system to maximize its performance. Evaluation based on curriculum objective achievement shows that this experimental system has significantly improved the teaching effectiveness for the course of fluid mechanics. It promotes students’ independent learning skills and their ability utilizing fluid mechanics knowledge to understand, simplify and solve practical engineering problems.
Enhancing Highway Functional Classifications with Road User Demands
Authors: Tignor Samuel C.
Published: May 2023

Highway functional classifications (FCs) were first created in the Federal-Aid Act of 1921. The purpose of FC of highways is to ensure that national and state highway systems provide both mobility and accessibility for the public. The system created has worked reasonably well over the course of the last 100 years. But problems are occurring and it is time to consider new ways to implement road classification systems. The 1921 legislation established a national system of highways which included a federal aid and primary system for the United States. The national system has greatly enhanced users’ ability to travel long distances by land and to move products from the factory and farm to customers throughout the U.S. much more quickly and cheaply than before. But times have changed and economic growth is being threatened by delays in adding to, improving, and modifying the 3.5 million mi highway network. Both urban and rural daily traffic delays are common. Modification and changing FC of roads take years to finalize. Progress must be improved for continued national transportation success, local growth, and world competitiveness. But even with the willingness to make enhancements in how FCs are managed and modernized, the question is, can the U.S. continue its national economic success? This article will describe two recommendations that if implemented will ensure continued transportation growth and success while taking into account the needs of users at all road levels.
How Time Inefficient and Uncertain are Paratransit Trips Compared to Car Trips
Authors: Akcicek Cemal , Misra Aditi , Shirgaokar Manish , Marshall Wesley
Published: May 2023

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) stipulates that paratransit mobility be comparable to public transit. However, with just under 5% of the population relying on public transportation, transit is not a representative benchmark. To highlight this inequality, we compare trip times by paratransit to counterfactual car-based travel. Using 2.5 years of demand data from the Denver Regional Transportation District’s Access-a-Ride service, we compare paratransit trip times to counterfactual car-based trips for the same origin–destination pairs, controlling for various trip characteristics. Compared to car travel, the findings indicate high variability and uncertainty associated with paratransit trip times. For the same origin–destination pairs, the mean paratransit trip time is almost twice that of the mean car travel time, with a standard deviation for paratransit trip time fourfold that of the standard deviation for car trip time. For perspective, traveling an average of 10 mi during the 7–8 a.m. morning peak can take about 16 min by car with almost no variability, while that same trip can take an average of 25 min by paratransit, with 5% of trips being outside the 95% confidence interval and thus unpredictable. Paratransit trip time inefficiency tends to be particularly worse for females; older adults; those making trips between 9 and 11 a.m.; cash-paying customers; those making shorter trips; and those traveling during inclement weather, including cold temperatures. These findings suggest a need to re-assess using public transit as a benchmark for paratransit supply as regulated by the ADA.
Financialization and Militarization: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Akçagün-Narin Pelin , Elveren Adem Yavuz
Published: May 2023

Based on Arrighi, we empirically investigate whether financialization and militarization are mutually reinforcing phenomena in the United States. Military spending during the 1950–1960s in the United States counteracted the stagnation of the monopolistic stage of capitalism. Monopoly capital was transformed into finance monopoly capital as the intensity of financial capital increased during the late 1970s in response to stagnation. Considering alternative financialization variables and the profit rate in the financial sector, and using several parametric and nonparametric methods, we found a significant relationship between financialization and militarization in the United States for 1949–2019. The results suggest that the rise in financialization is parallel to the decline in the profit rates, leading to larger military expenditure in total, but with relatively smaller share in GDP.

JEL Classification: C14, E11, G32
The Effects of Worked-Out Example and Metacognitive Scaffolding on Problem-Solving Programming
Authors: Shin Yoonhee , Jung Jaewon , Zumbach Joerg , Yi Eunseon
Published: May 2023

This study explores the effects of worked-out examples and metacognitive scaffolding on novice learners’ knowledge performance, cognitive loads, and self-regulation skills in problem-solving programming. 126 undergraduate students in a computer programming fundamentals course were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) task performance with a traditional WOE (TW), 2) task performance with a faded WOE (FW), 3) task performance with traditional WOE and metacognitive scaffolding (TWM), and 4) task performance with a faded WOE and metacognitive scaffolding (FWM). Over the course of 3 weeks, participants in these four groups were asked to solve programming problems using Python with WOE and metacognitive scaffolding. The results demonstrate that the provision of metacognitive scaffolding with faded WOE (FWM) is the most effective for problem-solving programming and self-regulation skills. In addition, an interaction effect exists between the two treatments for the germane load in FWM. Therefore, results in this study provide empirical insights into ways to effectively apply WOE and metacognitive scaffolding to problem-solving processes for programming-based complex problem-solving, especially for novice learners.
Treating People Fairly: The Feeling that Underlies the Trends
Authors: Livingston Beth A.
Published: May 2023

The phenomena of “Quiet Quitting” and the “Great Resignation” reflect feelings of underappreciation and a lack of a respect at work. These are indicators of interpersonal injustice in the workplace, which can be ameliorated via the promotion of inclusive, safe, and supportive work climates. Individual employees and managers can engage in specific actions to promote feelings of interpersonal fairness at work in order to mitigate against these negative workplace trends.
Lay representations of artificial intelligence and autonomous military machines
Authors: Wagner Wolfgang , Viidalepp Auli , Idoiaga-Mondragon Naia , Talves Kairi , Lillemäe Eleri , Pekarev Janar , Otsus Markus
Published: May 2023

This study is about how lay persons perceive and represent artificial intelligence in general as well as its use in weaponised autonomous ground vehicles in the military context. We analysed the discourse of six focus groups in Estonia, using an automatic text analysis tool and complemented the results by a qualitative thematic content analysis. The findings show that representations of artificial intelligence-driven machines are anchored in the image of man. A cluster analysis revealed five dominant themes: artificial intelligence as programmed machines, artificial intelligence and the problem of control, artificial intelligence and its relation to human life, artificial intelligence used in wars and ethical problems in developing autonomous weaponised machines. The findings are discussed with regard to people’s tendency to anthropomorphise robots despite their lack of emotions, which can be seen as a last resort when confronting an autonomous machine where the usual interpersonal understanding of intentions does not apply.
Assessing the Impact of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Policy Guidance on Part D Prescriptions Among Hospice Patients
Authors: Irvin Katherine , Kitsantas Panagiota , Wojtusiak Janusz , Avramovic Sanja , Xue Hong
Published: May 2023

Hospice care facilities are required to provide prescription drugs related to a hospice patient’s terminal illness. From October 2010 to present, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a series of communications regarding Medicare paying for hospice patients’ prescription drugs under Part D that should be covered under the hospice Medicare Part A benefit. On April 4, 2011, CMS issued specific policy guidance to providers aimed at preventing inappropriate billing. While CMS has documented Part D prescription decreases in hospice patients, no research exists that connects these decreases and the policy guidance. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the April 4, 2011, policy guidance on hospice patients’ Part D prescriptions. This study employed generalized estimating equations to assess (1) total monthly average prescriptions of all medications and (2) four categories of commonly prescribed hospice medications in pre-and-post policy guidance. This research used the Medicare claims of 113,260 Part D-enrolled Medicare male patients aged 66 and older between April 2009 and March 2013, including 110,547 non-hospice patients and 2713 hospice patients. Hospice patients’ monthly average total Part D prescriptions decreased from 7.3 pre-policy guidance to 6.5 medications following the issuing of the guidance, while the four categories of hospice-specific medications decreased from .57 to .49. The findings of this study show that CMS’s guidance issued to providers to prevent the inappropriate billing of hospice patients’ prescriptions to the Part D benefit may lead to Part D prescription decreases as observed in this sample.
Psychological Factors Associated With Mental Adjustment to Breast Cancer: A Hospital-Based Observational Study
Authors: Dadzie Henrietta Ama Nyameke , Teye-Kwadjo Enoch , Oppong Asante Kwaku , Amankwah-Poku Margaret , Gyasi-Gyamerah Angela Anarfi , Akotia Charity S. , Osafo Joseph , Amankwaa-Frempong Emmanuel , Roomaney Rizwana , Kagee Ashraf
Published: May 2023

This study examined mental adjustment to breast cancer, that is, coping strategies. Participants were 130 women undergoing breast cancer treatment in two medical settings in Accra, Ghana. They completed questionnaires assessing mental adjustment to cancer, psychological distress (anxiety and depression), negative religious coping, body change stress, and illness perceptions. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. Results showed that patients who reported higher depression were more likely to engage in anxious preoccupation (worry and thinking about breast cancer). Higher depression was associated with a greater sense of helplessness/hopelessness. Moreover, patients higher in negative religious coping were more likely to experience a greater sense of helplessness/hopelessness. Illness perception facets of personal control and emotional response were positively associated with fatalism and anxious preoccupation, respectively. The results suggest that screening breast cancer patients for psychological morbidity could help identify patients with increased risks for maladaptive adjustment to the disease.
What culturally safe cancer care means to Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
Authors: Gifford Wendy , Dick Peggy , Larocque Catherine , Modanloo Shokoufeh , Wazni Liquaa , Awar Zeina Al , Benoit Maggie
Published: May 2023

Understanding what culturally safe care means to First Nations people is the first step to reimagining how healthcare can be conceived and operationalized. This study explored the meaning of culturally safe cancer care with Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation in Canada, including community members’ perceptions of barriers to receiving it. Two focus groups using journey mapping were held with cancer survivors and family members ( n = 16) and healthcare providers ( n = 12), followed by individual interviews ( n = 13). Discussions were video-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed. Culturally safe cancer care encompassed: (a) family and community, (b) culture as healing, and (c) stories for sharing cultural teachings. Ongoing systemic racism was described as prevalent in cancer care today and a significant barrier to culturally safe care. Further research is needed for health system change to dismantle the systemic and structural factors that continue to make healthcare unsafe and harm Indigenous People.
Fluid agency in relation to algorithms: Tensions, mediations, and transversalities
Authors: Siles Ignacio , Gómez-Cruz Edgar , Ricaurte Paola
Published: May 2023

This paper argues for a fluid approach to the study of agency in relation to algorithms, one that promotes crossing the boundaries of established analytical positions and breaking away from dualistic forms to frame its study. Building on various intellectual traditions, we develop three sensibilities for implementing such an approach: (a) working with tensions as an alternative to thinking about algorithmic power and human agency as an either/or binary; (b) examining mediations to reverse the tendency to treat algorithms as an ahistorical and universal force; and (c) exploring transversalities to navigate the spaces that emerge between various temporalities and levels of analysis. To make our case, we examine a crucial tension in the study of agency and algorithms, namely how scholars have either attributed power to algorithms or agency to users of algorithmic systems. The conclusion situates our argument for fluidity within larger historical debates in the study of technological power and human agency.
J.S. Mill and the Indian land question: From the political economy of small proprietorship to the support of ryots and British Imperialism?
Authors: Manioudis Manolis , Yiardoglou Dimitra
Published: May 2023

J.S. Mill is considered one of the most influential figures of the classical political economy. In attempting to reconcile Ricardian and non-Ricardian political economy, Mill developed radical views on various matters, including the distribution of wealth and his political economy of small proprietorships. Mill, as an Examiner of the East India Company, was inclined towards defending imperialism and British rule in India. His support for British imperialism aimed at promoting the material and moral improvement of British colonies while, at the same time, he believed that the harm principle sets limits to coercion, as people in India were not savages but enslaved people to despots. This article points out that the Indian land case provides a crucial link to connect Mill’s political economy of small proprietorships with his tolerant imperial political thought. It is argued that this conjunction is necessary to our understanding of Mill’s political economy and political theory.
Analysis of separating acoustics from the thermoacoustic system of methane combustion based on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes and linearized Navier-Stokes equations
Authors: Shen Yaorui , Fu Jianqin , Liu Jingping
Published: May 2023

A model coupling Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method and linearized Navier-Stokes equations (LNSEs) was established in order to investigate the acoustic excitation and attenuation effect from a coupling perspective of time–space–frequency under various flow velocities and mass fractions of methane. Results show that the energy distribution of acoustic modes under high-frequency acoustic excitation is more uniform. The amplitude of the acoustic oscillation at a multiple coupling physical field is 10,000 times higher than that at simple flow field. The case when [Formula: see text] = 0.8 owns the largest percentage of energy conversion from fundamental to high-frequency signals, the largest percentage of transmitted waves from the combustion chamber system to outside and the strongest non-linear effect. When [Formula: see text] rises, the amplitude of oscillations at points and the attenuation effect of high-frequency signals along the axial are enhanced. At the case of Uin = 15 m/s, the amplitude of harmonics is reduced by 18% compared with other cases, while the proportion of the high-frequency harmonic increases, proving the non-linearity cannot be neglected in this case. As velocity rises, the energy conversion from fundamental to high-frequency signals enhances; while closer to the outlet position, the more complex the oscillation signal is. Model-shapes analysis shows that a case of [Formula: see text] = 0.8 owns the largest amplitude of the second harmonic at downstream of the burner, while the amplitude of the harmonics rapidly increases at Uin = 15 m/s at the end of the burner, which further indicates that the energy conversion of low-frequency signals to high-frequency signals occurs mainly in the middle and downstream regions.
Structural health monitoring of carbon nanotube-modified glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites by electrical resistance measurements and digital image correlation
Authors: Uribe-Riestra Gabriela , Ayuso-Faber Pedro , Rivero-Ayala Miguel , Cauich-Cupul Javier , Gamboa Fidel , Avilés Francis
Published: May 2023

A method based on changes of electrical resistance was used to evaluate non-visible damage inflicted to multiscale hierarchical composites subjected to monotonic and cyclic bending loads. The composites comprise glass fiber weaves modified by carbon nanotubes in a vinyl ester matrix. Damage sensing is achieved by placing an array of electrodes close to the surfaces of four-point bending specimens and is correlated to strain fields measured by digital image correlation (DIC). The top (compressive) surface exhibited lower electrical resistance changes than the bottom (tensile) one. Spatial measurements of electrical resistance allowed identification of the most severely damaged zones, which coincided with those pinpointed by DIC. DIC also indicated an important presence of irreversible interlaminar shear strains accumulating close to the supports and/or loading introduction elements, which coincided with the location of delamination. The electrical technique allowed not only the detection of the onset of damage in the form of initial fiber breakage and matrix cracking, but also the detection of damage progression under cyclic loading and low-velocity impact.
Tackling an Accumulation of Inequities
Authors: Fried Mindy
Published: May 2023

Mindy Fried on policies to promote women’s economic security.
Policy advocacy, network formation and network governance
Authors: Yi Hongtao , Yuan Meng
Published: May 2023

This article examines the mechanisms underlying the formation of U.S. national clean energy policy network. Informed by the Institutional Collective Action (ICA) framework, this article develops and tests hypotheses regarding cooperation versus coordination hypotheses regarding the reasons underlying clean energy policy actors’ networking activities. Using a webcrawler data collection strategy and measuring policy network with hyperlink network, a data set of network relationships among the clean energy policy actors is collected. Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) are applied to test the proposed hypotheses, and results show strong empirical evidence supporting cooperation hypotheses, with partial support for coordination hypotheses.
Clinical and radiological outcomes of surgically treated osteochondral lesions of the talus in children and adolescents
Authors: Kim Dae-Yoo , Park JiSu , Kang Ho Won , Shin Chang Ho , Lee Dong Yeon , Cho Tae-Joon , Yoo Won Joon
Published: May 2023

Background:

Osteochondral lesions of the talus are uncommon in children and adolescents. Surgical procedures differ from those used for adults to avoid iatrogenic physeal injuries. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of surgical treatment in pediatric patients with osteochondral lesions, specifically investigating the patient age and the status of distal tibial physis as factors associated with surgical success.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 28 patients who had symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the talus that were treated surgically between 2003 and 2016. If the lesion was stable and articular cartilage was intact, retrograde drilling was performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Lesions with detached overlying cartilages were treated by debridement of the cartilage combined with microfracture and drilling. Radiographic outcomes, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score, and skeletal maturity were evaluated.

Results:

Radiological improvement was observed in 24 (24/28, 86%) patients and complete and incomplete healing in 8 and 16 patients, respectively. Changes in pain grades, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society scores, and radiological healing after surgery were significant (pain grade, p < 0.001; American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, p = 0.018; radiological healing, p < 0.001). In addition, patients in the younger age group (≤13 years) showed greater improvements in pain grades than older patients (p = 0.02). Improvement in pain grade after surgery was better in the skeletally immature group than in the skeletally mature group (p = 0.048).

Conclusion:

Clinical and radiological improvements were observed after surgical treatment. The younger age group and open physis group showed more pain improvement.

Level of evidence:

Therapeutic level IV.
Discovery of 2 New Dibenzocyclooctadiene Lignans Cauliflorins A and B From Schisandra cauliflora
Authors: Trang Bui Thi Thu , Hoang Nguyen Huy , Yen Pham Hai , Trang Do Thi , Cuc Nguyen Thi , Yen Duong Thi Hai , Kim Jinyoung , Choi Junjung , Kim Seung Hyun , Tai Bui Huu , Nhiem Nguyen Xuan , Kiem Phan Van
Published: May 2023

Sarcopenia is having a serious impact on highly aged populations. A Japanese traditional medicinal remedy containing Schisandra fruits and Astragalus roots recently showed effective treatment of sarcopenia and thus needed to be investigated further. This current study selected Schisandra cauliflora fruits for investigation of their chemical constituents and evaluation of their antisarcopenia effects. Dried S cauliflora fruits were ultrasonically extracted with methylene chloride. This extract was purified by a combination of chromatographic techniques. The isolated compounds were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electronic circular dichroism, and high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry methods. Antisarcopenia activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated by their effects on the viability and proliferation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Seven dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, including 2 that had been previously undescribed, cauliflorins A and B (1 and 2), ananolignan C (3), 6- epi-ananolignan D (4), ananolignan F (5), ananonin H (6), and ananonin J (7) were isolated from the methylene chloride extract of the fruits of S cauliflora. The C2C12 cells treated with compounds 1-7 (5 µM) exhibited proliferation in the range of 75.7% ± 7.4% to 98.2% ± 11.7%, compared to 100.0% ± 6.0% of the untreated cells. Two previously undescribed and 5 known dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans were isolated from S cauliflora fruits. All the isolated compounds were inactive on the proliferative enhancement of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.
Teachers’ experiences of students with social, emotional and mental health needs
Authors: Gibson Alaster Raymond
Published: May 2023

This report focuses on part of a recently completed New Zealand case study exploring teachers’ experiences of effectively supporting students with social, emotional and mental health needs. The participants came from nine diverse faith-based and State school contexts. The findings pertain to the first interview question which invited participants to reflect on and share anonymized experiences of teaching children with SEMH needs. These life-world insights will be useful to Christian teachers and teacher-leaders as they pursue their own contextualized professional dialogue, policies and programmes to engage with this significant educational opportunity, to make a positive difference in students’ troubled lives.