bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inventing “the White Voice”: Racial Capitalism,
Raciolinguistics & Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies
Authors: Alim H. Samy
Published: August 2023

In this essay, I explore how paradigms like raciolinguistics and culturally sustaining pedagogies can offer substantive breaks from mainstream thought and provide us with new, just, and equitable ways of living together in the world. I begin with a deep engagement with Boots Riley and his critically acclaimed, anticapitalist, absurdist comedy Sorry to Bother You, in hopes of demonstrating how artists, activists, creatives, and scholars might: 1) cotheorize the complex relationships between language and racial capitalism and 2) think through the political, economic, and pedagogical implications of this new theorizing for Communities of Color. In our current sociopolitical situation, we need to continue making pedagogical moves toward freedom that center and sustain Communities of Color in the face of the myriad ways that white settler capitalist terror manifests. As we continue to theorize the relationships between language and racial capitalism, frameworks like raciolinguistics and culturally sustaining pedagogies provide fundamentally critical, antiracist, anticolonial approaches that reject the capitalist white settler gaze and its kindred cisheteropatriarchal, English-monolingual, ableist, classist, xenophobic, and other hegemonic gazes. What they offer us, instead, is a break from the assimilationist politics of the past and a move toward abolitionist frameworks of the future.
Measurement of Sufentanil in Human Milk by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Huang Yangfa , Liao Lianming , Zeng Manlin , Huang Qijian , Zeng Jian , Zhang Liangcheng
Published: August 2023

A sensitive quantification method for sufentanil in human milk was developed. Samples were prepared by liquid-phase extraction. Analytes were chromatographically separated. The mobile phase contained 10 mM ammonium formate (A) and methanol (B). The ratios of A to B were 50:50, 10:90,
and 50:50 sequentially. For LC-MS-MS detection, transition of the protonated precursor ions to product ions (sufentanil: m/z 387.2→m/z 238.2; internal control fentanil: m/z 337.2→m/z 158.2) was monitored. The linear quantification range of sufentanil concentration was 3.2–400
pg ·mL−1. The correlation coefficient (r2) was 0.996. The % RSD was less than 6.0% for intraday and less than 8.68% for interday precision. By this method, sufentanil contents were determined to be very low in the postnatal maternal milk samples.
An Insight-Based Computational Approaches to Estimate Molecular Weight Distribution, Allergenicity and Immunological Aspects, Toxicity Profile, Possible Biodegradation, Persistence and Bioaccumulation Factor of Four Phyto-Compounds
Authors: Bensaad Mohamed Sabri , Kahoul Mohamed Amine , Khier Mokrane , Mitra Debasis , Benhoula Mohammed , Banjer Hamsa Jameel , Al-Eisa Rasha A. , Algehainy Naseh A. , Helal Mahmoud , Al-Mushhin Amina A. M. , Sami Rokayya
Published: August 2023

Clinical pharmacology and toxicology are considered nowadays two complementary and indispensable medical disciplines that allowed clinicians to achieve the optimal therapeutic effect of a several substance, but also to characterize their toxicity threshold. The contribution of bioinformatics
tools and databases in these two fields has provided key elements, sometimes impossible to explain during early clinical phases. In this context, some computational approaches were used in this work to investigate the molecular weight distribution (MWD), allergenicity, toxicity profile, possible
biodegradation, persistence and bioaccumulation factor of four natural compounds. Results revealed that MWD indices of compound 2 and 3 were the best among the tested compounds. However, the route of administration of compound 1 could be considered the safest for rats, especially the oral,
intravenous and subcutaneous ways, in which LD50 values were the best, comparing to the other compounds. The two allergenicity tests revealed that the four phyto-compounds could be considered non-allergen agents and may not present any drug toxicity risks. Concerning cytotoxicity,
compound 4 exhibited the best cytotoxic effect among these compounds with a corresponding value of Pa = 0.782 against colon carcinoma (HCT-116) cell line. The four bio-compounds could be toxic for avian species but non-toxic for Daphnia magna, a key aquatic species. Compound 1 exhibited
the lowest bioaccumulation factor value (0.17). All compounds were inactive against Tox21-Stress response pathways, but compound 2 and 3 could potentially be immunotoxic. Finally, all tested compounds may possess a non persistent profile, while only compound 1 and 4 could possibly be biodegradable.
This preliminary work, revealed once again the potential of phyto-compounds and certain fundamental aspects, which could represents an initial step for further investigation.
Facile Synthesis of Melamine/G-C3N4 Covalent Organic Framework (COF) by Indirect Intercalation and Its Flame Retardant
Authors: Shen Liqin , Xu Boqiang , Hu Hengming , Lv Zichun , Ben Liu
Published: August 2023

In this paper, a covalent organic framework (COF) based on g-C3N4 was designed firstly. The COF is arranged through an indirect interrelation method among melamine and g-C3N4. During the reaction, Cu2+ was used to expand the layer
space of g-C3N4. The as-prepared COF were characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, and XRD. The obtained product is a melamine interrelation g-C3N4 composite material (MCN) with COF structure. The MCN was used as flame retardant for cable sheath material.
The thermal stability, thermal shrinkage, oxygen record and vertical burning of link sheath material contain MCN were tested. The results showed that the MCN flame retardant increases the thermal stability time of the sheath material from 89 min to 131 min, and the thermal shrinkage rate diminished
from 4.17% to 2.00%. The LOI is 29.5, and the flame retardant grade reaches UL-94 V-0. The SEM analysis of the carbon residue of the cable sheath material after burning, it was found that the state of the carbon layer of the link sheath material transform into a thick honeycomb structure by
the impact of the MCN flame retardant, which forestalls the dispersion of oxygen and burnable gases, in this way hindering the transmission of flame.
Analysis of Archaeal Diversity in Three Samples from Danquan Distillery
Authors: Gan Shanling , Zou Qiman , Guo Yuwen , Li Yujia , Yang Donglin , Shang Changhua
Published: August 2023

Archaeal communities from high temperature Daqu (HTD) and stillage are very vital for the production of Maotai-flavor liquor, for instance Danquan liquor. As an agent for saccharification and fermentation, Daqu severely influences the flavour of liquor. But archaeal compositions in
three samples derived from Danquan company (dqjq_ck/dqjqcp/dqjp3) are indistinct at present, thereby hindering further improvement of Danquan liquor. The “dqjq_ck”/“dqjqcp” represent HTD at 45 d/135 d. The “dqjp3” represents stillage. In this paper, the
archaeal compositions in three samples were demonstrated by amplicon sequencing. The archaeal compositions in all samples mainly included methanogenic archaea. The most abundant archaeal species were unclassified_Thaumarchaeota, Methanobrevibacter and Methanothrix in dqjq_ck/dqjqcp/dqjp3.
The main archaea included Methanothrix, Methanobrevibacter, Methanobacterium, Nitrososphaera, Methanoregula, unclassified_Thaumarchaeota and unclassified_Methanoregulaceae in three samples. The archaeal succession (changes in the composition of archaea) in three sample types was clarified.
This study will lay base for screening some excellent indigenous archaea and constructing its genetic engineering microbes to enhance the character of Danquan liquor.
Impact of Natural Chinese Medicine Acupoint Application on Anxiety in Long-Term Hemodialysis Patients and Analysis of the Corresponding Nursing Measures
Authors: Liu Juan , Geng Xinlian
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to determine the effects of natural herbal acupoint application on anxiety in long-term hemodialysis patients and analyze the corresponding nursing measures. Between March 2020 and January 2022, 150 long-term hemodialysis patients admitted to our hospital were surveyed
for this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the anxiety status of the patients. Patients with anxiety were registered and randomly divided into a research group and a control group. The control group received traditional routine nursing care, while the research group
received personalized interventional nursing care combined with natural herbal acupoint application. The comfort level, sleep quality, emotional management ability, and negative emotional status before and after the intervention were compared between the two groups. The 58 (38.66%) patients
who experienced anxiety were divided into control and research groups, with 29 patients per group. No significant differences in baseline characteristics were detected between the two groups (P >0.05). The research group had significantly higher General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ)
scores and significantly lower Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores compared with the scores in the control group (P <0.05 for both). The research group had higher scores in emotional processing, interpersonal relationships, and psychological activity management than the
control group, indicating better emotional management ability (P <0.05). Moreover, the research group had significantly lower scores on the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) than the control group (P <0.05). In this study, targeted interventions
combining individualized nursing care and traditional Chinese medicine acupoint patching were administered to patients, which effectively promoted their physical and mental well-being, enhanced patient comfort, improved sleep quality, and effectively managed patient anxiety, as well as alleviated
negative emotions. Therefore, natural herbal patches are worthy of promotion and application in clinical settings.
Dynamic modelling of the impact of community-based acute mental health services for children and adolescents
Authors: Skinner Adam , Occhipinti Jo-An , Song Yun Ju Christine , Scott Elizabeth M , Hickie Ian B
Published: August 2023

Objective:

To evaluate the potential impact of the recently announced ‘Safeguards’ initiative on mental health-related emergency department presentation rates for children and adolescents (0−17 years). This state-funded initiative aims to establish 25 Child and Adolescent Acute Response Teams across New South Wales.

Methods:

We estimated the effects of the ‘Safeguards’ initiative using a state-level dynamic model of child and adolescent acute mental health care. Potential reductions in total numbers of mental health-related emergency department presentations and re-presentations (i.e. presentations within 3 months of an initial presentation) were assessed via a series of simulation experiments in which we systematically varied the total number of Child and Adolescent Acute Response Teams and the mean duration of care per patient.

Results:

Assuming a mean treatment duration of 6 weeks per patient, 25 Child and Adolescent Acute Response Teams are projected to reduce total numbers of mental health-related emergency department presentations and re-presentations over the period 2022–2031 by 15.0% (95% interval, 12.0−18.2%) and 31.7% (26.2−37.8%), respectively. Increasing the total number of Child and Adolescent Acute Response Teams above 25 has minimal additional impact on projected reductions in numbers of emergency department presentations and re-presentations, provided the mean duration of care is no more than 8 weeks. However, where the mean duration of care is greater than 4 weeks, a decrease in the number of Child and Adolescent Acute Response Teams below 25 reduces the potential effectiveness of the ‘Safeguards’ initiative significantly.

Conclusion:

Our simulation results indicate that full and timely implementation will be critical if the potentially substantial impact of the ‘Safeguards’ initiative on demand for hospital-based emergency mental health care is to be realised.
Evaluation of the Association Between Coronary Artery Aneurysms and Concomitant Infection in Patients With Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Liu Jie , Su Danyan , Qin Suyuan , Ye Bingbing , Wang Baofeng , Pang Yusheng
Published: August 2023

We analyzed the relationship between recovery from coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) and concurrent infections in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). The estimated median time of aneurysm persistence between patients with and without infections was compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Risk factors associated with persistent CAAs at 2 years were identified using multivariable analyses. Co-infection was confirmed in 20.5% (106/518) of patients diagnosed with KD. No significant differences regarding treatment or coronary artery outcome were identified between patients with and without infections. The estimated median time of aneurysm persistence was higher in the co-infected group (9 vs. 6 months). A maximum Z-score ≥ 4.00 at 1 month had 78% sensitivity and 83% specificity in predicting CAAs without recovery within 1 year of onset, whereas the predictability was higher within 2 years of onset, with a Z-score ≥ 4.88 (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 91%). Concomitant infections did not affect the response to treatment or coronary artery outcomes in patients with KD.
Comparing Methods for Estimating Demographics in Racially Polarized Voting Analyses
Authors: Decter-Frain Ari , Sachdeva Pratik , Collingwood Loren , Murayama Hikari , Burke Juandalyn , Barreto Matt , Henderson Scott , Wood Spencer , Zingher Joshua
Published: August 2023

We consider the cascading effects of researcher decisions throughout the process of quantifying racially polarized voting (RPV). We contrast three methods of estimating precinct racial composition, Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding (BISG), fully Bayesian BISG, and Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP), and two algorithms for performing ecological inference (EI), King’s EI and EI:RxC using eiCompare. Using data from two different elections we identify circumstances in which different combinations of methods produce divergent results, comparing against ground-truth data where available. We first find that BISG outperforms CVAP at estimating racial composition, though fully Bayesian BISG does not yield further improvements. Next, in a statewide election, we find that all combinations of methods yield similarly reliable estimates of RPV. However, county-level analyses and results from a non-partisan school board election reveal that BISG and CVAP produce divergent estimates of Black preferences in elections with low turnout and few precincts. Our results suggest that methodological choices can meaningfully alter conclusions about RPV, particularly in smaller, low-turnout elections.
The Bolsonaro Government in the Face of the Pandemic: Neoliberalism at a Crossroad?
Authors: Deos Simone , Ferreira Adriana Nunes , Palludeto Alex Wilhans Antonio
Published: August 2023

Neoliberalism is a normative system that endeavors to universalize competition and the generation of inequality as fundamental behavioral norms, not only encompassing corporate entities but extending to the whole society. The tenets of this system came under strain amid the coronavirus pandemic which, on one hand, has accentuated its more assertive traits, and on the other, compelled certain strategic concessions primarily in response to pressures coming from society. An assessment of a representative array of economic, political, and health care measures implemented by the neoliberal administration of Jair Bolsonaro during the critical period of 2020–2021, corresponding to the most acute phase of the pandemic, indicates that these measures were underpinned by a regrettable, misguided, and detrimental notion positing a dichotomy between economic prosperity and public health preservation. They were based on the idea that life is not a right for everyone, only for the strongest, and that individual freedom should prevail over the collective interest. The outcomes of this orientation, in aggregate, manifested themselves as a deleterious combination of high unemployment, declining wages, liquidity and solvency problems in businesses, and, most significant, a substantial loss of human lives.

El neoliberalismo es un sistema normativo que busca universalizar la competencia y la generación de desigualdad como normas fundamentales de comportamiento, abarcando no solo a las entidades corporativas sino extendiéndose a toda la sociedad. Los principios de este sistema se vieron sometidos a presión por la pandemia del coronavirus, la cual, por un lado, acentuó sus rasgos más asertivos y, por otro, obligó a que se hicieran ciertas concesiones estratégicas, principalmente en respuesta a presiones provenientes de parte de la sociedad. Una evaluación de una serie representativa de medidas económicas, políticas y de atención médica implementadas por la administración neoliberal de Jair Bolsonaro durante el período crítico de 2020-2021 (correspondiente a la fase más aguda de la pandemia) indica que estas medidas estaban respaldadas por una noción lamentable, equivocada y perjudicial que postula una dicotomía entre la prosperidad económica y la preservación de la salud pública. Se basaban en la idea de que la vida no es un derecho universal, sólo el de los más fuertes, y que la libertad individual debe prevalecer sobre el interés colectivo. En conjunto, los resultados de esta orientación se manifestaron como una combinación perjudicial de alto desempleo, una disminución de los salarios, problemas de liquidez y solvencia en las empresas y, lo más importante, una pérdida sustancial de vidas humanas.
Canto femenino cuequero: Voicing Feminist Solidarity in Chile
Authors: Azahar Christina
Published: August 2023

Cueca brava, urban cueca from Santiago, has historically been a male-dominated song and dance practice. Its vocal technique, canto gritado, is often considered synonymous with masculine bravado. However, in the 2010s, the singer Josi Villanueva began transforming this scene by teaching women to sing cueca brava. The experiences of participants in Villanueva’s community classes were shaped by Chile’s Mayo Feminista movement in 2018, and her pedagogical practices help participants enact an embodied process of sacando la voz (raising one’s voice) through which women dismantle the limits put on their bodies and voices when they are silenced in musical or social spaces.

Históricamente, la cueca brava, o cueca urbana de Santiago, ha sido una práctica de canto y baile dominada por hombres. Su técnica vocal, el canto gritado, es frequentemente considerado sinónimo de bravuconería masculina. Sin embargo, en la década de 2010, la cantora Josi Villanueva comenzó a transformar este escenario al enseñar a las mujeres a cantar cueca brava. Las experiencias de las participantes en las clases comunitarias de Villanueva fueron moldeadas por el movimiento chileno Mayo Feminista en 2018, y sus prácticas pedagógicas ayudan a las participantes a llevar a cabo un proceso encarnado de “sacar la voz” a través del cual desmantelan los límites impuestos a sus cuerpos y voces cuando son silenciadas en espacios musicales o sociales.
Impact of Endolymphatic Hydrops and Semicircular Canal Dysfunction on the Incomplete Recovery of Acute Low-Frequency Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Jiang Lizhu , Wang Qianying , Chen Lili
Published: August 2023

Objective:

The reasons for short-term, incomplete recovery of some acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (ALFHL) are unclear. We investigated the impact of endolymphatic hydrops and semicircular canal dysfunction on the incomplete recovery of ALFHL.

Methods:

The impact of electrocochleography (EcochG), caloric test, video head impulse test (vHIT), cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) results on the incomplete recovery of 86 patients with ALFHL was analyzed. The correlation between a high abnormal rate of vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) and aural fullness, dizziness, and level of hearing loss was also examined.

Results:

Abnormal oVEMP with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.071 ( P = .002) and EcochG with an OR of 5.919 ( P = .005) were independent risk factors for incomplete recovery in ALFHL, but abnormal cVEMP, caloric test, and vHIT were not independent risk factors for ALFHL. There was no correlation between a high abnormal rate of VEMP and aural fullness, dizziness, or level of hearing loss in ALFHL.

Conclusion:

Abnormal oVEMP and EcochG values rather than caloric test and vHIT were risk factors for incomplete recovery of ALFHL, which may be related to the difficulty of successfully treating utricular and cochlear hydrops. High abnormal rate of VEMP was not correlated with hearing loss level, aural fullness, or dizziness in ALFHL. Abnormal oVEMP and EcochG values can indicate poor short-term prognosis of ALFHL.
A New Residual Approach for Estimating Undocumented Populations
Authors: Warren Robert , Warren John Robert , Zheng Ping
Published: August 2023

Demographers generally agree that the total undocumented population in the United States increased from 3.5 million in 1990 to about 12 million in 2008 and declined from 2008 to 2010. The consensus breaks down after 2010, however, with three of the five organizations that derive annual estimates of the population showing increases from 2010 to 2018 and two organizations reporting substantial declines over the period. The primary reason for this divergence is that organizations use a variety of estimates of emigration of legal residents, and in some cases the data are decades out of date. Reliable information about trends in this population is important for developing legislative and administrative policies to reduce the population and for assessing the effectiveness of enforcement efforts. This research note describes an improved residual method for updating annual estimates of the undocumented population counted in the American Community Survey (ACS; Ruggles et al. 2022); the method incorporates a time-varying estimate of emigration. Data needed to update estimates are available in the year estimates are derived, and a new estimate can be compiled as soon as ACS data are released. The methodology and data needed to update an estimate of the undocumented population each year are described.
A Medical View of the Polyurethane Industry
Authors: Burrows G. E.
Published: August 2023

The polyurethane industry is continually challenged about the toxicity of the materials which it handles. This paper reviews the effects of exposure to various concentrations of TDI and MDI, as the most commonly used isocyanates, and describes the process of risk assessment for chemical carcinogenesis for the isocyanates and their diamines. The role which the industry has adopted both through CIA and III, and, in particular, how the III is supporting relevant research in a responsible and systematic manner are described.
MDI Based Flexible Foam A Status Report on World Developments
Authors: Pham T. , Van Assache J. , Watts A. , Lockwood R.J.
Published: August 2023

Moulded flexible polyurethane foam using hot-cure moulding technology with TDI as the isocyanate component was developed in the mid 1950's. The authors trace the development in the mid 1960's of HR or cold-cure foams which used TDI/MDI blends and more reactive polyether polyols. The logical next step was the introduction of All-MDI based, cold-cure flexible foams in the late 1970's.

Much progress has been made since then, and the changes in processability which have led to better durability and greater comfort in seat cushions – both in the automotive industry and the high quality upholstered-furniture market are reviewed. Comfort properties are defined in terms of persons-sitting experience, and the load-bearing and hardness qualities required are defined to achieve good comfort levels.

Environmental considerations are discussed with respect to the lower vapour pressures at normal processing temperatures given by MDI as compared with TDI. The current concern regarding the effect of CFC's on the atmosphere is discussed and ways in which the levels are being reduced in the All-MDI based foam moulding process are indicated.

Cushions with dual and multiple hardness and pour-in-place techniques are discussed and the commercial experiences with the total range of All-MDI based foam systems – worldwide – is reviewed.
Seminar Report – New Furniture Legislation – Response to Public Pressure in the UK
Authors: Buist J.M.
Published: August 2023

This conference was held before the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, No. 1324 Consumer Protection, were published. The amended regulations are now available from HMSO.
Development of Buoyancy for Flexible Production Riser System for North Sea Sun Oil Balmoral Field
Authors: Seamark Michael J.
Published: August 2023

This paper covers the design, manufacture and hydrostatic pressure testing at the maximum working depth, of some of the largest buoyancy units ever considered in syntactic foam.

Finite element analysis and evaluation of individual polymer material and bond to steel properties, were key elements in the design of these units, which have now been in service in the North Sea for over 2 years of their 20 year life guarantee.
Modifying the Properties of Concrete –Concrete Flexibilisation with Polymers
Authors: Venancio C.M.P. , Bordado J.C.M.
Published: August 2023

Use of polymers as additives for concrete mechanical performance improvement is reviewed with a brief description of the reinforcement mechanisms involved.

Development of polymers for tailoring of concrete properties is one major aim and strategic applied research is now focused on concrete flexibility. The field requires deep knowledge of inorganic polymer structure, but the recent advances on zeolite structure design opens the way to concrete molecular structure modification. Polymers will undoubtedly play a major role on concrete flexibility improvement and the use of modified concrete for road pavement is expected to become more widespread as a result of bitumen shortage (fuel from bitumen by cracking process prevailing). Research approaches for concrete flexibilisation are discussed and structure design of water compatible polymers to be used is outlined.
The Multiple-Impact Performance of High-Density Polyethylene Foam
Authors: Mills N.J. , Hwang A.M.H.
Published: August 2023

The performance of high density polyethylene foam in a series of impacts is evaluated. High compressive strains in the range 80–90% cause some permanent buckling of cell walls, but the majority of the deformation recovers within a 24 hour period. A criterion for the performance of the foam in protective helmets is proposed. After one severe impact the performance deteriorates by 30%, but this is much better than for polystyrene foam.
Dynamic Wave Dispersion and Loss Properties of Conventional and Negative Poisson's Ratio Polymeric Cellular Materials
Authors: Chen C.P. , Lakes R.S.
Published: August 2023

This article describes experimental investigations of the dynamical behaviour of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio foamed materials in torsional vibration. Dispersion of standing waves and cut-off frequencies were observed. Consequently, foamed materials do not obey the classical theory of elasticity or viscoelasticity. The dynamical effects were attributed to microvibrations of the cell ribs in a structural view and were associated with microstructure or micromorphic elasticity in a continuum view. Cut-off frequencies were lower in re-entrant foams with negative Poisson's ratios than in the conventional foams from which they were derived. An analytical model was developed in which the ribs of the conventional foams were modelled as free-free vibrating beams. The predicted cut-off frequencies were comparable to those observed experimentally.
Polyethylene and Hydrocarbons — 20 Years of Harmony in the Fully-Filled Cable
Authors: Verne S. , Puckowski R.T. , Hagger J.M.R.
Published: August 2023

The success of the fully-filled waterproof telecommunication cable has been based upon a good understanding of the two key functional components, polyethylene insulation and hydrocarbon filling compound, and the interaction between them. This paper, as well as reviewing the well-established aspects of compatibility, presents evidence from long-term laboratory ageing tests of up to 10 years duration that premature oxidative degradation of insulation can be avoided by careful selection of combinations of polymer and filling compound and attention to the stabilisation of both components. It also addresses the particular problem of cell filling encountered with cellular insulation, and throws new light on its mechanism. A method of suppressing the phenomenon by a compositional modification is described for the major types of hydrocarbon filling compounds.
Explosive Decompression in Elastomers Internal blistering and fracturing in rubbers after high pressure exposure to gases
Authors: Campion R.P.
Published: August 2023

When elastomers are exposed to gas at high pressures, the gas enters the elastomers by solution and diffusion processes. If the pressure is removed rapidly, the system becomes supersaturated and gas comes quickly out of solution, causing blistering and fracture of the elastomer (so-called explosive decompression). Factors and some theory involved in the gas ingress and decompression stages are discussed. Data are presented from high pressure permeation measurements, showing deviations from simple predictions, and explosive decompression experiments, showing several forms of failure. Important parameters are seen to be the solubility coefficient of gas in elastomer at the actual pressure, and moduli and tearing energy of the elastomer. However the situation remains one of extreme complexity.
Problems Encountered in Testing Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites
Authors: Harper J.F.
Published: August 2023

The problems associated with the testing of fibre reinforced polymer composites arise because of the anisotropic and inhomogeneous nature of the material. The nature of these problems, the approach historically which has been taken to overcome some of them and the current situation with regard to tests and standards are discussed. The effect on test data of specimen design, composite fabrication, test method and the environmental history of the material, are discussed and experimental data taken from the author's own research is used to illustrate the influence of some of these factors.
Planning context: Flexible plans and mayoral authority in French urban planning
Authors: Lindblad Jenny
Published: August 2023

In this article, I consider the relationship between urban planning and context by investigating the planning practices associated with a land-use plan in Bordeaux described as “adapted to context.” Invested with flexible rules, the plan description followed a tendency in French urban planning concerned with being strategic, prospective, and participatory. It was also the result of metropolitan planning. Through an ethnographic account, I show how local politicians’ references to context related to concerns with mayoral authority in times of planning powers transferred to the metropole. Using permit reviewers’ skills, mayors mobilized flexible rules to manipulate building permit decisions prepared in compliance with the metropolitan plan. It is widely acknowledged that urban planning is affected by as well as affecting different contexts. I outline a complementing approach by drawing on engagements with context in anthropology and STS-scholarship, to propose that the practices associated with the same notion in Bordeaux are telling of how urban planning contributes to making contexts. Since calls for context direct attention and shape which issues and local communities are prioritized, these insights on the relationship between planning and context urge attention to how appeals to context, as never value-neutral or ready-made, gain importance across different urban planning issues and settings.
Isothermal and non-isothermal computer simulation of a stretch blow molding process and comparison with experiments
Authors: Woo In Young , Choi Dong-Hae , Lyu Min-Young
Published: August 2023

Environmental pollution by plastic waste has become a serious problem, and there is increasing demand to reduce the weight of PET bottles. To fabricate reduced weight PET bottles, research on the PET blow molding process is essential. In this study, experiments and computer simulations were performed on the stretch blow molding process used to fabricate carbonated soft drink PET bottles. The computer simulations were performed under the same conditions as the experiment using isothermal and non-isothermal models to analyze the blowing phenomena, thickness and temperature distributions, stretch ratio, and the stretching path of PET bottles. Experimental and simulation results were compared, confirming that the stretch blow molding simulation was useful for designing and fabricating improved PET bottles through the stretch blow molding process.
“It's Just Like on TV”: An Analysis of the Mirandizing Process on TV
Authors: Wing Dakota
Published: August 2023

When Mirandizing a suspect, officers sometimes compare the Mirandizing process to their representation on TV. In doing so, officers assume the suspect (and more generally the American public) is familiar with, and understands, their Miranda warnings due to their dissemination on TV. Thus, this paper investigates how the Mirandizing process is presented on TV. An analysis of arrests and custodial interviews on Law & Order: SVU indicates that fictional suspects are rarely adequately Mirandized; they are either not Mirandized at all or are provided a partial version. Moreover, suspects on TV are found to attempt to explicitly invoke their rights only 11% of the time, of which there is about a 50–50 chance of the attempted invocation being successful. In 23% of the time, legal representation appears without any language from the suspect showing them invoking their rights. Attempted and implied invocations on TV are primarily made by persons guilty of the crime they are being accused of, and innocent suspects primarily waive their rights, reinforcing a popular belief that guilty people invoke their rights and innocent people waive them.
Communicative Tensions in Remote Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Suortti Camilla , Sivunen Anu
Published: August 2023

Environmental changes can render latent organizational tensions salient, and tensions can be viewed as a lens through which to study the social interactions of organizational actors. This study aims to uncover what kinds of tensions and their entanglements arise in knowledge workers’ collaboration and technology-mediated communication practices during a transition to remote work. The qualitative dataset was collected through an open-ended online survey at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 from 569 remote workers, and the data were analyzed iteratively according to thematic content analysis methods and applying elements of contrapuntal analysis. The findings indicate emerging tensions and their entanglements in knowledge workers’ remote work and technology-mediated communication practices, here manifesting in process-, task-, and relationship-oriented interactions. The findings provide theoretical and practical implications for how entangled tensions in remote work could be managed to support effective communication, collaboration, and employee well-being during and beyond the pandemic situation.
Design education outside the classroom. A comparative study between two case studies with industry-university collaboration
Authors: Alaali Amani
Published: August 2023

This paper presents the findings of a research study focused on industry-university collaborations within the design studio culture. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review and case studies, to investigate and identify lessons learned from university-industry collaborations for interior design students. Two industry-university collaborations within AU were selected as case studies based on their relevance to the design courses offered in the BSID program. The case studies employed a mixed-methods approach, involving non-participant observations, students’ reflection reports, and semi-structured interviews with instructors and industry staff members. This research contributes to the understanding of industry-university collaborations within design studio culture and provides valuable insights for instructors, universities, and industry partners seeking to engage in such collaborations. By highlighting the experiences of instructors at AU, we aim to provide insights into the benefits and challenges of industry-university collaborations for universities that are new to such partnerships. The findings include the importance of embracing exposure and new partnerships, providing real-world experience, balancing autonomy and dependence, understanding the limitations of scope, considering the scale and limitations, navigating bureaucratic procedures, mitigating conflicting interests, adhering to regulations and guidelines, emphasizing positive social impact, and learning from limitations.
Reliability-based multidisciplinary design optimization of an aeroelastic unpowered guided aerial vehicle
Authors: Pourtakdoust Seid H , Khodabakhsh Amir H
Published: August 2023

Most Aeronautical and Astronautical Systems (AAS) are inherently complex, multidisciplinary, nonlinear, and computationally intensive for design and analysis. Utilizing the Reliability-Based Multidisciplinary Design Optimization framework can address the multidisciplinary nature of these systems while accounting for inherent uncertainties. In this paper, an efficient methodology for Reliability-Based Multidisciplinary Design optimization of an aerial vehicle is developed. The computational burden of reliability assessment could make its integration within a Multidisciplinary Design Optimization cycle a formidable task. In this respect, a multilevel Multidisciplinary Design Optimization architecture is proposed in which the computational cost is reduced by considering the reliability analysis, as needed only for critical subsystems. To this end, a single-level Reliability-Based Multidisciplinary Design Optimization is derived using the Performance Measure Analysis and the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker condition. The work demonstrates the integration of this formulation into the proposed multilevel Reliability-Based Multidisciplinary Design Optimization architecture. The proposed design architecture is implemented for an aeroelastic Unpowered Guided Aerial Vehicle whose outcomes are compared with previous results obtained via a mono-level Uncertainty-Based Multidisciplinary Design Optimization architecture.
Epidemic diseases during the World War I and Dr Server Kamil Tokgöz
Authors: Sarı Mustafa
Published: August 2023

Server Kamil became one of the most prominent doctors during the period of the Ottoman Empirey. Server Kamil, who specialized in bacteriology and sanitation, made a name for himself primarily through his fight in the memories against epidemic diseases on the Caucasus front during World War I. He was sent to the Caucasus front as chief physician of Erzurum Red Crescent (Hilâl-i Ahmer) Hospital, and made great efforts to prevent the disease typhus—which was a major problem in the region—as soon as he reached the front line. He worked long and hard to develop a vaccine to prevent typhus, which affects thousands of soldiers and civilians. He also played a pioneering role in establishing important institutions such as the Sivas Smallpox Vaccine Laboratory and the Rabies Treatment Centre, which accomplished significant work and achieved great success both during the World War I and in the period that followed. This article attempts to clarify the activities of Server Kamil on Caucasus front during World War I based on the documents of the Turkish Red Crescent Archive, the reports of the Red Crescent Society.
Assessment of Resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Connectivity Among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Comparative Study
Authors: Singh Paramdeep , Singh Jawahar , Peer Sameer , Jindal Manav , Khokhar Sunil , Ludhiadch Abhilash , Munshi Anjana
Published: August 2023

Background

Resting-state functional connectivity analysis has a potential to unearth the putative neuronal underpinnings of various disorders of the brain. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is regarded as a disorder arising from alterations in functional networks of the brain.

Purpose

There is paucity of literature on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI) in MDD, especially from the Indian subcontinent. The purpose of our study was to elucidate the differences in Rs-fMRI connectivity between MDD patients and age and gender matched healthy controls (HC).

Methods

In this prospective single institute-based study, the patients were recruited consecutively based on Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D). Age and gender matched HC were also recruited. Rs-fMRI and anatomical MRI images were acquired for all the subjects (MDD and HC group) and subsequent analysis was done using the CONN toolbox.

Results

A total of 49 subjects were included in the final analysis (MDD = 28 patients, HC = 21). HAM-D score was noted to be 24.4 ± 4.8 in the MDD group. There was no significant difference between MDD and HC groups as far as age, gender, employment status, and level of education is concerned. Region-of-interest-based analysis of Rs-fMRI data showed a significantly lower connectivity between the left insula and left nucleus accumbens and between left paracingulate gyrus and bilateral posterior middle temporal gyri in MDD group as compared to HC group.

Conclusion

There is reduced connectivity between certain key regions of the brain in MDD patients, that is, between the left insular cortex and the left nucleus accumbens and between the left paracingulate gyrus and the bilateral posterior middle temporal gyrus. These findings could explain the basis of clinical features of MDD such as anhedonia, rumination of thoughts, reduced visuo-spatial comprehension, reduced language function, and response to external stimuli.
Book review: Swaran Singh and Reena Marwah (eds.), 2023. Multilateralism in Indo-Pacific: Conceptual and Operational Challenges
Authors: Verma Abhishek
Published: August 2023

Swaran Singh and Reena Marwah (eds.), 2023. Multilateralism in Indo-Pacific: Conceptual and Operational Challenges. Routledge, 203 pp., $42. ISBN 978103244693.
Relationships Between Personality Traits and Perceived Stress in Surrogate Decision-Makers of Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Greenleaf Brody , Foy Andrew , Van Scoy Lauren
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Personality traits, specifically neuroticism, are related to stress in surrogate decision-makers (SDMs) in outpatient settings. We hypothesized that intrinsic traits are related to SDM stress in the intensive care unit (ICU) to determine if personality considerations should be included in interventions to support SDMs.

Methods

Eligible participants (adult SDMs of non-capacitated ICU patients) completed validated questionnaires including stress (Impact of Events Scale-Revised, IES-R) and personality (Big Five Inventory, BFI) within 72 hours of ICU admission and again at 3 months post-ICU discharge (in addition to a qualitative interview). Bivariate Pearson correlations explored the relationship between BFI and IES-R at each time point (95% CI) and t-tests explored the relationship between stress and COVID-19. Mixed-methods analysis integrated qualitative and quantitative data.

Results

Of 32 SDMs, 71.9% were female, 93.8% white, and 97.0% were family members. Neuroticism was not significantly correlated to IES-R at 72 hours (r = 0.09; p = 0.64), but r increased 3 months post-discharge (r = 0.32; p = 0.07). Other BFI traits did not show similar patterns. Total stress was greater in surrogates of COVID-19-positive patients (COVID-19-positive: 60.6; COVID-19-negative: 49.8; p = 0.025). Mixed-methods analysis demonstrated that participants with high neuroticism scores had poorer emotional regulation than those with low neuroticism scores.

Conclusions

This study supports that personality, particularly neuroticism, influences the stress of SDMs in the ICU. Further study of personality traits may identify surrogates who are at higher risk of stress-related disorders, which can guide future interventions.
American Muslim Engagement With Advance Care Planning: Insights From a Community Survey
Authors: Yunus Raudah M. , Duivenbode Rosie , Padela Aasim I.
Published: August 2023

Background and Objectives: Advance Care Planning (ACP) is a critical tool in advancing patient self-determination in health care delivery. Despite increasing research into racial/ethnic minorities' engagement with ACP in the US, studies on Muslim Americans are relatively scarce. We aimed to examine levels of ACP engagement among Muslim adults and measure associations between socio-demographic and religiosity characteristics and ACP engagement. Methodology: This was a survey study among Muslims attending mosque seminars in Chicago and Washington DC. Religiosity characteristics were assessed using a modified version of the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) and the Psychological Measure of Islamic Religiousness (PMIR). ACP engagement was measured by the 4-item ACP Engagement Survey (4-ACPES) and 2 additional items covering ACP religious dimensions. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 28.0. Results: Out of 152 respondents, 56.2% to 72.6% were in the pre-contemplation stage of ACP across the 6 ACP items. Bivariate analyses showed that ACP engagement was correlated with participant age, ethnicity, duration of stay in the US and country of birth. Multivariable analyses demonstrated no association between religiosity characteristics and ACP engagement; independent predictors of ACP engagement were race/ethnicity (being South Asian), country of birth (born outside the US) and duration of stay in the US (longer years). Discussion/Conclusion: Our study suggests that American Muslims are largely unprepared to engage with ACP. Moreover, religiosity does not predict ACP engagement. We call for greater community outreach and educational programs that instill awareness and knowledge on the importance of ACP, and provide resources for tailored religiously-oriented conversations that assist individuals with ACP.
Healing through meaning as an aspect of spirituality for Indigenous Australians: a qualitative study
Authors: Smith Peter , Rice Kylie , Schutte Nicola , Usher Kim
Published: August 2023

The spirituality of Indigenous Australians is described in this study, showing its distinctness from mainstream religion and its importance for social and emotional wellbeing. Connection and identity in the literature are defining elements in the spirituality of Indigenous people, and this study set out to understand how connections contribute to meaning and healing. Guided by a semi-structured interview, Indigenous spirituality was explored in terms of both meaning and importance. Four primary themes emerged from the interview data which described the importance of connection: to ancestors, family, country, and belief in God. There were also two sub-themes: nature and interior reality. Although spirituality was centred around these primary themes, for many Indigenous Australians, there has been an amalgamation of traditional beliefs with mainstream religion that reflects the history of colonialism. Participants emphasised the importance for mental health practitioners to acknowledge clients’ spirituality and to consider its importance within the therapeutic setting.
Locating the Global South in Organization
Authors: Srinivas Nidhi
Published: August 2023

This essay tracks how the ‘Global South’ has been represented in Organization’s pages over the past three decades. I argue that although the term remains problematic, discussion of the Global South can and should act as a spur for greater critical attention to the boundaries and content of Management and Organisational Studies.