bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“It Had to Be Us”: The Rudolph Effect and the Inclusion of Unconventional Leaders
Authors: Webb Andrew , Cloutier Amélie
Published: July 2024

More insights are needed about how to overcome situations where conventional leadership breaks down. By teasing apart concepts and processes associated with the inclusion of unconventional leaders, Greimas and Courtès’ actantial model is leveraged to collate the relationships threaded by the actors involved with the 2018 rescue mission of the Wild Boars soccer team in Thailand. What we label as the Rudolph Effect describes how outcasts, misfits, and mavericks can be redefined as valuable members of a leadership team. This case study suggests that providing opportunities for unconventional team members to demonstrate their skills and capital allows them to shift from supporting or advisory roles to more decisional and leadership roles. Both theoretical and practical managerial tools that facilitate the development and inclusion of unconventional leaders are provided.
During the Reform: How Teachers’ Lived Experiences Influence Their Beliefs and Practices of Project- Based Learning
Authors: Chen Si
Published: July 2024

The implementation of project-based learning (PBL) heavily relies on the role of teachers in classrooms, but little attention has been paid to how their personal and professional experiences impact their teaching. To address this gap, a qualitative multiple case study was conducted, exploring the beliefs and practices of five high school teachers toward PBL. The study discovered that teachers who had prior exposure to hands-on activities were more likely to engage in PBL. Moreover, external factors such as accountability pressure from standardized tests and school leadership also played a significant role. Therefore, I recommend that policymakers, school leaders, and researchers pay more attention to the real-life experiences of teachers and the challenges they face in their specific contexts. To do that, creating a platform for dialogue among teachers and with them is crucial.
Will Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commitment Improve Manufacturing Firms’ Market Performance? A Signaling Theory Perspective on DEI Announcements
Authors: Li Fei , Lo Chris KY , Tang Christopher S , Zhou Paul
Published: July 2024

Despite an increasing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), there is a noticeable gap in empirical research concerning its implications, particularly within the manufacturing sector. In response, we scrutinize the impact of DEI commitment on publicly traded manufacturing corporations through the lens of signaling theory. We employ an event study methodology and use structural topic modeling to analyze 233 DEI-commitment announcements issued by 161 firms over a 10-year period between 2013 and 2022. Our findings suggest that DEI-commitment announcements can yield positive abnormal stock returns during the announcement period (from day −1 to 0 and from day −1 to 5). The impact is heightened when the announcement places a stronger emphasis on DEI than non-DEI topics and when it focuses on specific DEI-related subjects, which are referred to here as signal strength and signal specificity. We also discuss the managerial implications of our findings.
Ups and Downs in Experience Design
Authors: Chen Hongqiao , Hu Ming , Liu Jingchen , Ravid Yaniv
Published: July 2024

We show how prospect theory uncovers critical decision-making insights in the design of sequential experiences by formulating a general framework and applying it to three experience design settings. First, we study the problem of releasing a piece of good news versus bad news, where a firm may incrementally reveal the news over a preemptive period. We characterize the optimal release strategy for both types of news and show that when the ultimate news is good (resp., bad) and the audience is sufficiently gain-seeking, it is optimal first to release information of a negative (resp., positive) sentiment. Second, we consider the problem of organizing an event such as a concert with performances of known valuations, where an event organizer needs to arrange the sequence of all performances. We show that for both loss-averse and gain-seeking audiences, interior peaks can be optimal, where pleasant and aversive performances are arranged to alternate throughout the event. Lastly, we investigate the problem of simultaneous versus sequential release of a series, such as songs or TV episodes, where a content  provider does not know a priori the audience’s exact valuation of each item. We show that if the audience’s sensitivity to losses is sufficiently small (resp., large), the optimal strategy is to release all items in the series sequentially (resp., simultaneously). Across all of the settings, we show that the audience’s sensitivity to losses relative to a reference point is a critical factor that governs how to design and manage the audience’s evolving experience dynamics.
Selection of Small and Diverse Suppliers and Contractual Performance: Do Set-Asides Pay Off?
Authors: Polyviou Mikaella , Ried Leopold , Wiedmer Robert
Published: July 2024

Despite formal supplier diversity initiatives and lofty goals, corporate spending with diverse suppliers is about 7%. Conversely, the U.S. federal government's spending with these suppliers exceeds 25%. The government's use of set-asides, which limit the bidding on certain contracts to small or small and diverse suppliers, is one reason that might explain this difference. Although set-asides entail socioeconomic benefits for these suppliers, they are controversial. Our study contributes to this debate by investigating the types of federal procurement contracts typically awarded to small and diverse suppliers and whether set-asides help these suppliers win more complex contracts. We also examine contractual performance in terms of cost overruns and delays for contracts performed by small and diverse suppliers versus other suppliers and contracts awarded to small and diverse suppliers through set-asides versus no set-asides. We test these effects by analyzing 38,417 procurement contracts awarded by all U.S. federal departments and independent agencies between 2011 and 2022. Our results show that small and diverse suppliers are more likely to be selected for less complex contracts. Set-asides, however, have a boosting effect, increasing the likelihood that these suppliers are selected even for more complex contracts. Moreover, contracts performed by small and diverse suppliers exhibit (a) similar cost overruns and delays as contracts performed by other suppliers and (b) lower cost overruns and shorter delays when awarded through set-asides rather than without set-asides. Our results have implications for the sourcing literature, small and diverse suppliers, and procurement professionals.
Career Incentives of Political Leaders and Corporate Operational Efficiency
Authors: Cheng Hua , Qi Shusen , Qiu Liangfei
Published: July 2024

Theoretical and empirical evidence point to the ability of political leaders to manipulate economic policies and leverage local firms to elevate their political careers. Despite this, there is limited understanding of how these career incentives impact the operational dynamics of the firms involved. This empirical study delves into this gap, revealing that city leaders with fewer promotional incentives are more inclined to mobilize state-owned enterprises (SOEs) within their jurisdiction to pursue sustainable development, as indicated by heightened corporate operational efficiency. Our analysis further indicates that the career prospects of city leaders significantly influence the operational efficiency of SOEs by driving a shift in focus from rapid growth to sustainable development and firms’ adoption of disruptive technologies. We posit that this increase in operational efficiency not only benefits the SOEs but also generates unique value for stakeholders, resulting in elevated market capitalization and reduced stock price crash risk. Our findings carry direct relevance to the ongoing discourse on political incentives and contribute to operations management research, shedding light on the intricate ways in which the political environment can impact the operational performance of firms.
The role taking dynamics of change recipients: A narrative analysis
Authors: Van der Schaft Annemiek H. T. , Solinger Omar N. , Van Olffen Woody , Ruotsalainen Riku , Lub Xander Dennis , Van der Heijden Beatrice I. J. M.
Published: July 2024

Successful organizational change requires substantial efforts from both the leaders and recipients of change. After a long tradition of focusing on change leaders, academics now increasingly focus on the role of change recipients. The current literature on recipients, however, offers mostly binary categorizations of their roles in change (e.g., supportive vs. unsupportive) obtained from questionnaires. Such an approach does not reveal how events can cause shifts in recipients’ role taking during a change initiative. Actors’ roles change and are changed by change events. We adopted an assisted sensemaking approach using a narrative methodology to study recipients’ various storylines by which they construct and reconstruct their own multiple roles throughout change. Eighty participants were asked to tell the retrospective story of their experience of, and role taking in, a top-down change initiative as if they were crafting chapters of a book. Analysis and classification of these individual stories yielded five underlying composite narratives, each representing typical shifts in perceived role taking by recipients during a change initiative. This study highlights and illustrates how recipients’ role taking is a complex, adaptive, and social process.
Challenges With School Meal Provisions in K-12 Public Schools: Findings From the National School COVID-19 Prevention Study
Authors: Rose India , Merlo Caitlin , Dorleans Cherrelle , McConnell Luke , Murray Colleen , Pampati Sanjana , Lee Sarah , Applebaum Margaret
Published: July 2024

School meals play a vital role in supporting student health. Access to school meals was disrupted during COVID-19-related school closures, impacting student nutritional intake and household food insecurity. Data from the National School COVID-19 Prevention Study Survey and school staff focus groups were used to examine challenges to school meal provision in K-12 public schools. Data were analyzed using R and MAXQDA. Survey data indicated that most schools served breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria or classroom during the 2021–2022 school year. City schools were less likely to experience challenges with receiving the foods and supplies needed for school meal programs. Qualitative data revealed that school meal participation increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, however schools encountered challenges when implementing the program including staff shortages and supply chain issues. Findings from this study can help strengthen the K-12 school meal system to equitably serve students in future public health emergencies.
Evaluation of Local Prescribing Patterns and Antimicrobial Resistance in Women With Acute Pyelonephritis Caused by E. coli
Authors: Seales Callie C. , Welch Tanis , Seifert Charles F.
Published: July 2024

Background:

Owing to increasing local Escherichia coli resistance and current guidelines for the treatment of acute pyelonephritis (APN) over 14 years old, an evaluation of local prescribing patterns is warranted.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate local prescribing patterns and appropriateness of antibiotics in acute uncomplicated APN.

Methods:

This is a retrospective cohort study of female patients aged 18 to 89 years diagnosed with APN and positive urine culture growing E. coli. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, immunocompromised status, and complicated urinary tract infections. Outcomes included antibiotic appropriateness and its effects on hospital admission, hospital length of stay, and 30-day readmission.

Results:

Between 2017 and 2022, 308 female patients were diagnosed with APN and had positive urine cultures, with 104 seen only in the emergency department (ED) and 109 admitted to the hospital. Patients seen in the ED had a significant increase in E. coli resistance to discharge antibiotics (12.5% vs 2.8%, P = 0.0070). In those patients discharged on antibiotics resistant to E. coli, significantly more patients returned to the ED in 30 days (31.3% vs 10.7%, P = 0.0155).

Conclusion and Relevance:

Patients seen only in the ED were more likely to have resistant organisms to discharge antibiotics compared with those admitted to the hospital. Patients discharged on antibiotics resistant to E. coli had a 3-fold increase in returning to the ED within 30 days regardless of admitted location. Follow-up of all cultures should be performed, and patients resistant to discharge antibiotics should be contacted and antibiotic regimens changed.
Who Decides? Media, MAGA, Money, and Mentions in the 2022 Republican Primaries
Authors: Blum Rachel M. , Cowburn Mike , Masket Seth
Published: July 2024

Political elites play an important role in determining who wins primaries, yet comparatively little is known about which voices in party networks matter when different intra-party signals are sent. We examine this question using an original dataset of Republican Senate and gubernatorial primaries in 2022, an election cycle with substantial intra-party conflict in primary elections. We demonstrate that Fox News appearances (media), Trump’s endorsements (MAGA), campaign fundraising (money), and Twitter engagement (mentions) were all positively associated with vote share. We then assess the state of primary fields prior to Trump’s endorsements, showing that endorsed candidates were outperforming their competitors prior to his involvement. Finally, we consider the state of primary fields after Trump endorsed, demonstrating that his support was associated with a thirteen percentage point increase in both fundraising share and polling which lasted through to the primary. These findings provide clarity on the relative weight of different signals in contested party nominations.
Association Between Heart Rate at Diagnosis and Long-Term Recurrence Risk of Pulmonary Embolism in a Historical Cohort Study of Elder Women
Authors: Li Yuan , Li Fang , Li Meizhi , Yi Qiong , Wu Shangjie
Published: July 2024

To investigate the association between heart rate (HR) at diagnosis and long-term pulmonary embolism (PE) recurrence among elderly (≥ 50 year-old) female patients after acute PE (APE). Hospitalized patients with APE were grouped separately according to whether they experienced recurrent PE and whether the HR was  < 80 beats/min. Logistic regression and COX regression analysis were employed to assess the risk of PE recurrence. Kaplan–Meier method was applied to compare the recurrence-free survival of PE recurrence. Eighty-five patients were included, including 24 ones with HR < 80 beats/min and 11 recurrent PE cases. The mean time of PE recurrence were 71.7 ± 26.9 months (n = 6) and 27.7 ± 25.2 months (n = 5) among the patients with low HR and with high HR, respectively ( P < .001). The HR (< 80 beats/min) was a negative predictor of PE recurrence (OR 0.071 (0.090-0.572), P = .013; HR 0.091 (0.016-0.523), P = .007), even after the adjustment for age, BMI, albumin, risk stratification, surgery, immobility ≥ 4 days, the blood cells counts, bilirubin and complications. The cumulative recurrence-free rates of PE recurrence at the 1st-, 2nd-, 5th-, and 10th-years for the low HR group were 100%, 100%, 87.5%, and 58.3%, compared to the 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-years of 94.0%, 93.4%, and 48.0% for the high HR group (log-rank = 0.019). The low HR (< 80 beats/min at diagnosis) among elderly (≥ 50 years old) female patients at APE diagnosis would benefit to the long-term PE recurrence. But limited recurrent cases should be noted.
Danger, Desire, and Disclosure: A Postqualitative Trauma-Informed Approach to the Ethics of Secrets and Emotion in Qualitative Research
Authors: Clay Simon
Published: July 2024

Qualitative research is full of spilled secrets, but what are the ethical implications of researchers/participants disclosing secrets in an interview? In this article, I explore the thicket of ethical issues surrounding disclosure and spilled secrets in qualitative research and propose a postqualitative model of trauma-informed research to navigate this thicket. I apply my unique model to five key ethical issues: (a) the significance of disclosure in interviews and the implications it has for the data collection and analysis process, (b) the catharsis participants can experience from spilling secrets and the risks this cathartic process can pose for the researcher, (c) how “insider” researchers can be adversely affected by participants sharing secrets, (d) the ethical issues that surround reciprocity and researchers sharing their own secrets, and (e) the role of silence and refusal in the interview and whether rapport-building and interviewing techniques can be considered a type of manipulation.
Gender in Post-Pandemic Research: The Potentials of Grounded Theory to Explicitly Guide Gender-Sensitive Inquiry on Discrimination and Violence
Authors: Bading Cornelia , Bosch Claudia
Published: July 2024

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a re-exacerbation of gender inequalities and violence against women was reported. For adequately responding to the causes of this situation and its aftermath, a detailed understanding of the gendered impacts of the pandemic and of subsequent developments is necessary. This aim may be supported by particularly using gender-sensitive modes of inquiry. Against this backdrop, we explore the methodological potential of grounded theory (GT) to explicitly guide gender-sensitive research. Given its methodological variations, we argue that an adequate handling of gender in GT can only be determined in relation to a researcher's positioning within the GT landscape. Thus, to assist readers in translating their gender sensitivity into GT practices, this article outlines various interpretations of GT elements, discussing their relation to gender. Furthermore, strategies addressing gender-related challenges are presented and underlined by, among others, studies on discrimination and violence.
Evaluation of a decomposition-based interpolation method for fourth-order fiber-orientation tensors: An eigensystem approach
Authors: Bauer Julian Karl , Krauß Constantin , Blarr Juliane , Kinon Philipp L , Kärger Luise , Böhlke Thomas
Published: July 2024

We propose and assess a new decomposition-based interpolation method on fourth-order fiber-orientation tensors. This method can be used to change the resolution of discretized fields of fiber-orientation tensors, e.g., obtained from flow simulations or computer tomography, which are common in the context of short- and long-fiber–reinforced composites. The proposed interpolation method separates information on structure and orientation using a parametrization which is based on tensor components and a unique eigensystem. To identify this unique eigensystem of a given fourth-order fiber-orientation tensor in the absence of material symmetry, we propose a sign convention on tensor coefficients. We explicitly discuss challenges associated with material symmetries, e.g., non-distinct eigenvalues of the second-order fiber-orientation tensor and propose algorithms to obtain a unique set of parameters combined with a minimal number of eigensystems of a given fourth-order fiber-orientation tensor. As a side product, we specify for the first time, parametrizations and admissible parameter ranges of cubic, tetragonal, and trigonal fiber-orientation tensors. Visualizations in terms of truncated Fourier series, quartic plots, and tensor glyphs are compared.
Non-coercive problems for elastic plates with thin junction
Authors: Khludnev Alexander M
Published: July 2024

We consider a non-coercive boundary value problem for two elastic Kirchhoff–Love plates connected to each other by a thin junction. The non-coercivity of the problem is due to the Neumann-type conditions imposed at the external boundaries of the plates. A solution existence is proved for suitable given external forces. Passages to limits are justified as a rigidity parameter of the junction tends to infinity and to zero. We prove that the model corresponding to the first limit case describes an equilibrium of elastic plates with a thin rigid junction; the second limit model fits to the equilibrium state of two elastic plates independent of each other.
On the Development of State-of-the-Art Computational Decision Support Systems for Efficient Water Quality Management: Prospects and Opportunities in a Climate Changing World
Authors: Fameso Festus Oluwadare , Ndambuki Julius Musyoka , Kupolati Williams Kehinde , Snyman Jacques
Published: July 2024

The concept of water quality has often generally revolved around the all-round safety of water for human consumption. The quality of much of the 3% of the earth’s humanly consumable water classed as freshwater is under threat of climate change, rising population numbers, indiscriminate land usage, detrimental agricultural practices and contamination from poor waste management. The need for optimal water quality enhancement has become more germane to sustainable socio-economic development. This paper examines the evolution of efforts made by the scientific community over the years to ensure water quality can be characterized and properly managed to ensure the global ever-growing demand for clean water for human consumption is continually met. The development of state-of-the-art computational decision support systems (DSS) should play a vital role. However, efforts in this regard are currently bedevilled by major challenges such as quantifying, measuring, processing and controlling the numerous metrics of water quality, as well as their adaptation and integration into a fully developed universal water quality model. In addressing these challenges, a shift towards simpler modelling approaches and the integration of uni-purpose models which can be cascaded into decision-making systems is being popularly proposed. However, with technological advancements already stimulating a water quality management revolution, there is a shift in paradigm to more universal modelling attempts with great optimism towards overcoming the challenges of developing universal water quality models and DSS. The prospects and opportunities of a water quality management renaissance offered by radical scientific innovations look promising, as the world races with time to provide support systems that can help deal better with the dynamics of sustainable water supply in increasingly contaminable environments and progressively unpredictable climates.
Geospatial Analysis and Physicochemical Assessment of Groundwater Quality Vulnerability to Municipal Solid Waste from Landfills
Authors: Nkwunonwo Ugonna C , Oyem Michael N , Tobore Anthony O , Asano Nelson O , Ebinne Elijah S
Published: July 2024

This study aims to find a more realistic management approach to Municipal solid waste (MSW), focusing on Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State, Nigeria. It employs a combination of geospatial analyses and laboratory examination of water samples from three borehole locations congruent to landfills in the study area. GPS-measured positions of the five landfill sites were plotted on the topographic plan of the study area and analysed. This landfills’ location, which is the southeastern part of the area, is a lowland. By hydraulic gradient and flow pattern of the area deducted from DEM, these landfills are within the pathway of major groundwater resources. Proximity analyses with 5 to 10 km buffer zones show that most of the topographic features are at risk of considerable pollution due to landfill’s leachate into the surrounding area. Groundwater vulnerability map shows 21.5% of the studied area at a high risk of contamination, 7.5% at medium, and ~71% at low risk. The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels from the three boreholes were significant, suggesting severe pollution, and pointing to the landfill as the main cause. Colour showed an unobjectionable state and signified pollution of the wells. Temperature (0°C) ranged from 20 to 26°C, much higher than the 5°C limit, set by the WHO and NSDWQ. The water pH ranges from 6.05 to 7.02, suggesting traces of heavy metals in water samples. Nitrate and nitrite have values ranging from 5.0 to 6.162 and 0.251 to 0.455 mg/l, suggesting the water samples contain some contaminants. Lead (Pb) (from 0.25 to 0.65 mg/l) is practically beyond the WHO and NSDWQ permissible limits for heavy metals. The accumulation of lead in landfills has substantial effects on groundwater pollution. The Heavy Metal Index Calculation scale rated the result of heavy metals analyses as ‘VI,’ representing a ‘Seriously Affected’ water supply system.
Major Dietary Patterns, Exercise Addiction, and Eating Disorders Among a Sample of Physically Active Young Adults
Authors: Khoshro Sahar , Abbasalizad Farhangi Mahdieh
Published: July 2024

Background:

Regular exercise has been widely acknowledged for its numerous health benefits, including improvements in physical fitness, body function, and mental well-being. However, excessive exercise and unhealthy dietary patterns can lead to adverse effects on individuals’ physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine the association of dietary patterns, exercise addiction, and eating disorders among physically active young adults.

Method:

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 200 physically active young adults aged 18-35 years were included. The participants’ dietary intake was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) consisting of 80 food items. To determine dietary patterns, factor analysis was employed. Exercise addiction was evaluated using The Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) and Exercise Dependence Questionnaire (EDQ), and eating disorders were assessed using The Eating Disorder Examination—Questionnaire Short (EDE-QS).

Result:

Three main dietary patterns were identified: western, healthy, and traditional dietary patterns. The western dietary pattern was associated with increased waist-to-hip ratio ( P = .01) that remained significant after adjustment for confounders (eg, age, gender, BMI, and physical activity P = .03), while the adherence to traditional dietary pattern was linked to higher waist circumference and body shape index ( P < .05). Participants that followed the healthy dietary pattern showed a higher score of EAI and body shape concern ( P = .04). Furthermore, in structural equation modelling (SEM), eating disorder was identified as a significant positive predictor of exercise addiction ( r = .17, P < .05).

Conclusion:

According to our finding, those with the higher adherence to healthy dietary pattern had higher scores of exercise addiction and body shape concern. Also, eating disorder was a potential predictor of exercise addiction among young physically active individuals. Further research and targeted interventions are needed to better understand these complex relationships and develop effective strategies to promote healthy behaviors and mitigate the risk of adverse outcomes.
Rescuing the Princess: How phronetic wisdom was learned and deployed on Britain’s railways
Authors: Forsdike Nicola J , Baxter Lynne F , Town J Stephen
Published: July 2024

Previous management learning research on phronesis or practical wisdom has focussed on its local, contextual application rather than its connection to wider ethical and political relationships. Drawing on a new materialities perspective that is helpful in theorising the interconnectedness of contextual practical knowledge and the greater good, this article suggests phronesis is learned by understanding relationships between materialities in different spaces over time. The article is based on a qualitative, longitudinal study of Operation Princess, an actual project that took place on mainland Britain’s railway. Through a composite fiction, we show how under nationalised organisation managers learned phronesis by becoming steeped in wider material relationships over time. Privatisation introduced a financialised perspective that was detached from wider material connections and produced unworkable plans. Operation Princess was rescued by managers who had developed a phronetic appreciation of the interrelationships between employees, trains, services and communities. They learned phronesis through an institutional lengthy formative process of becoming entangled in vital materialities, repeatedly experimenting and doing, supported by intermittent classroom learning. This is a very different approach to the commodified style of management development today which abstracts and condenses, undermining the development of practical wisdom.
Sex/gender inequity in management learning equals violence towards women
Authors: Kroese Ingeborg C
Published: July 2024

With global crises and the rise of misogyny and sexism, progress regarding women’s equality is regressing. In these challenging times, management learning that aims to educate students and professionals on management skills, knowledge, and behaviours, should be deeply concerned with and committed to sex/gender equity; however, sex/gender equity continues to be assaulted in management learning. Exploring the concept of violence, this provocation essay posits that sex/gender inequity in management learning constitutes violence towards women in distinct ways. Violence implies an intense and harmful act and management learning institutions and organisations that do not address sex/gender inequity would be violators, instead of being merely unhelpful. Violence means that change can no longer wait. This essay acknowledges uncertainty and suggests that addressing sex/gender inequity in management learning calls for the sharing of best practices between academia and practice. The essay closes with three core questions that management learning institutions, designers and teachers/facilitators can ask themselves to rewrite their management learning programmes and end this violence towards women.
Simulation study on the effect of eccentricity on the performance of a reciprocating seal
Authors: Guo Fei , Tang Cheng , Shan Lei , Huang Le , Xiang Chong
Published: July 2024

This article establishes a three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model for reciprocating rod seals. Based on this model, a novel method using a two-dimensional FSI model to solve the average sealing performance across multiple sections is proposed for the first time. This method allows for the dimensional reduction of solid mechanics, contact mechanics, and fluid mechanics analysis. The performance of the sealing system was calculated and analyzed under static eccentricity (which does not change with piston rod motion) and dynamic eccentricity (which changes with piston rod motion) using the aforementioned models. The results indicate that the sealing performance calculated by both models is highly consistent, demonstrating that, within the permissible engineering limits, the two-dimensional FSI model can replace the three-dimensional model, thereby reducing computational costs and improving convergence. Additionally, the results show that eccentricity increases the friction and leakage rates of the sealing system, with dynamic eccentricity having a greater impact on sealing performance than static eccentricity due to the viscoelasticity of the rubber.
The influence of Exploratory Practice (EP): How a group of former Brazilian ELT teacher-learners perceive the value of EP years after graduation
Authors: Slimani-Rolls Assia , Miller Inés Kayon de
Published: July 2024

Exploratory practice (EP) is a form of practitioner research that has made inroads in second language learning and teaching since the special issue of Language Teaching Research (2003) in which Allwright et al. proposed its reconceptualization in language teaching. Two decades later, this article reports on the influence that EP has accomplished by having its principled framework integrated in the pre-service language teacher education (LTE) programmes of two Brazilian Universities. A British Council funded project (2018–19) enabled a group of Brazilian teacher educators to carry out a qualitative investigation to identify how 44 of their former teacher-learners who undertook these programmes between 2008 and 2018 perceive the value of EP on their professional lives. The thematic analysis of the discourse generated through face-to-face exploratory conversations (ECs) yielded three major themes: (I) how the teachers understand and integrate EP into their working lives; (II) how they overcome institutional pressures through EP engagement; and (III) how they view EP as a way of humanizing students. These themes are pivotal to the processes of understanding EP’s sustainability through the teachers’ perspectives. Having been socialized into EP, these practitioners assert to have found in EP a sustainable source of professional survival and resistance. That is, years after the completion of their LTE programme, the EP principles have helped these teachers to enhance their awareness of classroom challenges by humanizing their students and adopting a way of being in the classroom.
‘Un futuro mejor para todos’: Towards a critical humanizing English language teaching
Authors: Ortega Yecid
Published: July 2024

During more than 50 years of socio-political unrest in Colombia, extreme violence has profoundly affected marginalized students in public schools. Although these topics have been mainly addressed by history and social studies teachers, English language teaching (ELT) has paid little attention to addressing issues of social injustice in the class. To fill this gap, this critical ethnography looks at how a social justice curriculum has been used in ELT classes to empower students to learn skills that allow them to discuss the violence that occurs both inside and outside of the school environment. The fieldwork was carried out in a public high school for eight months, in Bogotá (the capital of the country) with three English teachers and their young students. Data was collected through focus groups, interviews and classroom observations and then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the activities suggested by the teachers proposed a change in teaching pedagogies toward solving social problems in students’ communities. The findings further suggest that a negotiated curriculum with the students fosters a critical humanizing pedagogy that promotes social cohesion, and as a consequence improves language learning.
‘All my effort in writing the first draft was wasted!’: Engagement with supervisory feedback on undergraduate theses
Authors: Luo Yuehan , Hu Guangwei
Published: July 2024

This multiple case study explores how and to what extent Chinese English-major students engage affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively with supervisory feedback on their English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) undergraduate theses, as well as how motivation and second language (L2) proficiency may mediate their engagement. Data were collected from three students through stimulated recalls, interviews, thesis drafts with supervisors’ feedback comments, and audio recordings of supervisor–student conferences. Qualitative data analyses revealed that the three participants differed markedly in their engagement with supervisory feedback on their undergraduate theses. Driven by different motivations and mediated by their levels of English proficiency, the students took different stances and employed different cognitive strategies in their responses to the supervisory feedback. Based on these findings, pedagogical suggestions are proposed for enhancing student engagement with supervisory feedback in the Chinese context of higher education.
Probation and the shadow carceral state: Legal envisioning from Minnesota
Authors: Phelps Michelle S. , Seligman Eric
Published: July 2024

The transformation of US punishment in the late 20th century was defined not just by mass imprisonment, but the growth of a shadow carceral state of administrative and civil sanctions, including technical violations of probation and parole that smooth the pathway to prison. We consider the role of technical violations in the shadow carceral state through the lens of lived experience, analyzing interviews with adults on probation in Hennepin County, Minnesota, conducted in 2019. Building on the concept of legal envisioning, we ask how people subject to probation experience the threat of violations and what they imagine would be helpful to avoid them. Ultimately, these perspectives illuminate the need for transformative changes to dismantle the shadow carceral state and raise challenging questions about the role of care in punishment.
Rethinking the matrix language: Vietnamese–English code-switching in Canberra
Authors: Nguyen Li
Published: July 2024

Research motivation:

Myers-Scotton’s Matrix Language Framework (MLF) has long been extremely influential, claiming ‘universality of support, no matter which languages are involved’. Support for this model, however, has largely come from language pairs that are typologically different in terms of their clausal word order, or else have vastly different inventories of inflectional morphology. My aim in this work is thus to test the extent to which the underlying principles of the MLF can be applied to Vietnamese–English, that is, two languages that are both subject–verb–object (SVO) and highly analytic.

Approach:

I apply the MLF’s main principles, i.e. the System Morpheme Principle and the Morpheme Order Principle, to Vietnamese–English codeswitching data to determine the extent to which the matrix language of each utterance could be straightforwardly established.

Data and analysis:

Data come from the Canberra Vietnamese English corpus (CanVEC), which contains 45 speakers from both first- and second-generation immigrants. I provide both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the MLF performance on this dataset.

Findings/conclusions:

Results show that MLF model fails to account for the majority of the CanVEC bilingual data, including both first- and second-generation speakers’ production. I further highlight, on empirical grounds, the equivocal nature of assuming speakers’ monolingual code as a basis of comparison, the ‘Composite ML’ notion, and the assumption of null elements in mixed speech.

Originality:

This is the first study that examines Vietnamese–English language contact with respect to the matrix language, using natural language production from the Vietnamese–English bilingual community in Canberra. This is also the first that empirically shows how various parts of the MLF can be both quantitatively and qualitatively problematic.

Significance/implications:

This work addresses a lacuna in the field, where work on minority languages and their speech communities is still much more limited, especially in comparison to English and other Indo-European languages. The data and analysis offered here serve as a modest contribution in this direction, allowing us to address existing biases and to reexamine ‘universal’ assumptions of various kinds.
Making words harmless: Why politicians survive character assassination attacks
Authors: Miskolczy István , Gherghina Sergiu
Published: July 2024

Character assassination, a specific type of negative campaigning, has been intensely investigated through the lenses of the circumstances and content of attacks. However, we know little about why some politicians survive and others do not. The present article addresses this gap in the literature and identifies the reasons for political survival following character assassination attempts. It compares 20 cases from the last two decades and uses qualitative comparative analysis to test the effect of five potential causes: power relations, gender, response, media coverage and the complexity of the attack. The results indicate that male politicians who face attacks from the same level of power, those who adjust their response to the attack’s complexity, and cases where the media do not extensively cover the attack all have higher chances of survival. The findings broaden the understanding of the character assassination dynamics and ways of protection against it.
Airborne transmission and control of respiratory infectious diseases in different scenarios: A bibliometric study
Authors: Kong Benben , Cui Yonglong , Shi Hong , Jiang Yanlong
Published: July 2024

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 has drawn public awareness to the transmission of respiratory infectious diseases. To better comprehend the developments and trends in research on the transmission mechanism of respiratory infectious diseases in the air, the publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database from 2017 to 2023 were utilized to reveal critical information. Herein, the yearly quantitative distribution and the geographical distribution of publications were analysed using a bibliometric method and information visualization technology. In addition, this study focused on the airborne transmission characteristics and influencing factors of respiratory infectious diseases. Research directions in different scenarios were innovatively extracted and the main measures to reduce the infection risk were summarized. Furthermore, some future work suggestions were given. The findings of this study provide several implications that can serve as guidelines for new and experienced researchers to establish a basic framework before initiating future research projects.
Delayed presentation of traumatic diaphragmatic injury and a spleno-pulmonary fistula with haemoptysis as only sign: A case report
Authors: Caragounis Eva-Corina , Högberg Dominika
Published: July 2024

Background

Injury to the spleen caused by blunt trauma is common and may be associated with traumatic diaphragmatic injury. We describe a unique presentation with haemoptysis due to complications of concurrent splenic and diaphragmatic injuries resulting in a spleno-pulmonary fistula.

Case Report

A healthy 37-year-old man presented with severe abdominal pain 3 days after blunt abdominal trauma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and abdomen showed an American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade 3 splenic injury with a large subcapsular haematoma, intraperitoneal blood and ongoing intraparenchymal extravasation managed by successful angioembolization of the proximal splenic artery. The patient returned to the emergency department 5 weeks later with a three–day history of progressively worsening haemoptysis. A new CT showed an increase in the splenic haematoma with protrusion into the thorax and a diaphragmatic rupture. Thoracotomy identified a spleno-pulmonary fistula – the splenic haematoma was evacuated, a non-anatomic lung resection was performed and the diaphragmatic defect closed. Cultures from the splenic haematoma grew Cutibacterium acnes which was treated with intravenous antibiotics.

Conclusion

We report a unique complication of concurrent splenic and diaphragmatic injury with the development of a spleno-pulmonary fistula possibly due to infection of the splenic haematoma at the time of angio-embolization of the spleen. This case shows the importance of diagnosing diaphragmatic injuries promptly, adhering to sterile technique and considering giving prophylactic antibiotics before angio-embolization.
Taming the algorithm: The platform realism of GrabBike delivery workers
Authors: Nguyen-Thu Giang , Munn Luke
Published: July 2024

How do workers conceptualize a platform’s algorithm and adjust their practices to its logic? To pursue this question, we draw on an ethnography of Grab, the leading rideshare platform in Southeast Asia, composed of 60+ trips talking to drivers on the back of bikes, and 10 in-depth interviews. We identify a distinct set of moves that workers perform to survive on the platform, a strategic cluster of practices we term “taming the algorithm.” These practices appear incompatible or contradictory—a bodily enactment of improvising, scrambling, and enduring that nevertheless is registered by the algorithm as routinized productivity. Even if done successfully, taming does not fundamentally disrupt platform logics, but rather makes exploitation more consistent and predictable. Workers adopt what we term “platform realism,” striving for a bleak but concrete agency that maintains their status. The aim is not to disrupt the system or hack the algorithm, but to live with it.
How youth define, consume, and evaluate news: Reviewing two decades of research
Authors: Duvekot Sophie , Valgas Camila Melícia , de Haan Yael , de Jong Wiebe
Published: July 2024

This article offers an overview of 94 scientific studies (published between 2006 and 2022) to examine how young people (ages 10–36) define, consume, and evaluate news. Research on news and youth has exploded over the past decades, but what can we conclude from it, and how should journalism scholars move forward? The systematic literature review reveals that while young people remain interested in news, how they consume it has changed drastically. Social media platforms and algorithms now play a pivotal role in young people’s news consumption. Moreover, due to the overwhelming nature of today’s high-choice digital media landscape, youth engage both actively and passively with news, while sometimes exhibiting avoidance tendencies. The review also demonstrates how the impact of digitalization has reshaped young people’s ability to critically evaluate the credibility of news, often relying on social networks and technology platforms. The review concludes with a research agenda.
Production of sustainable polyester composite building material using industrial waste plastic core, hemp fabric, and shrimp shell powder: Effect of quasi-isotropic fiber stacking and particle loading
Authors: Prasad M Mohan , Ganesan K , Babu N Ramesh
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the mechanical, fatigue, and creep properties of commercial plywood (6 mm) alternative polyester composite prepared using waste plastic core, hemp fiber, and shrimp shell powder. The primary aim of this research was to develop an exact replacement for plywood building material and study the effect of fiber stacking order as well as the volume fraction of shrimp shell biopolymer on load-bearing and time-dependent properties. Composites' distinct quasi-isotropic stacking orders with varying hemp fiber angles and shrimp filler contents of 0%, 1.0%, and 3.0% were prepared via compression molding and tested based on ASTM standards. Results revealed that the “D” stacking order {(−45/45) + (−30/60) + WPC + (−60/30) + (−45/45)} composite consistently outperformed others, exhibiting superior mechanical strength. Specifically, the D2 composite exhibited elevated strength, including a tensile strength of 168 MPa, flexural strength of 199 MPa, compression strength of 181 MPa, impact energy of 6.23 J, interlaminar shear strength of 25.9 MPa, and v-notch rail shear of 19.7 MPa. The addition of shrimp filler, rich in hydroxyl groups, enhanced intermolecular interactions, contributing to a resilient network and improved fatigue resistance. Moreover, the creep resistance was notably influenced by the quasi-isotropic arrangement, with the “D” designation showcasing optimal performance. Microscopic analysis revealed the critical role of shrimp shell content in promoting cohesion and interlocking fiber structures. The findings underscore the intricate synergy between stacking angles; filler composition and content in achieving robust and eco-friendly polyester composite building material to replace the termite, weather, and water affect commercial plywood.