bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Reperfusion Injury a Largely Intra-Ischemic Injury?
Authors: Baron Jean-Claude
Published: December 2024

Reperfusion injury (RI) refers to an array of detrimental cellular and biochemical processes that are widely believed to be triggered by reperfusion following focal cerebral ischemia and to contribute to infarct extension and poor outcome despite complete recanalization. Accordingly, it is widely recommended that therapies targeting RI be administered after recanalization. The present topical review demonstrates, however, that the vast majority of, and possibly all, processes considered part of RI are not actually provoked by reperfusion but develop during the ischemic phase. This notion has significant implications for clinical trials. Thus, for optimal efficacy, treatments targeting RI should accordingly be started before recanalization. Conversely, interventions aimed at protecting the ischemic penumbra, either pharmacological or nonpharmacological, during arterial occlusion are likely to also benefit RI-related processes and should probably be continued after recanalization. Overall, that RI is largely an intra-ischemic process has important ramifications for drug development as well as clinical trials, and more broadly for the management of hyperacute ischemic stroke patients prior to, and following, recanalization.
The first aquatic insect fossil from the Cenomanian Konservat-Lagerstätte of Haqel (Lebanon) fills a gap in the fossil record of giant water bugs (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)
Authors: BODERAU MATHIEU , NEL ANDRÉ , MAKSOUD SIBELLE , ABI-SAAD PIERRE , AZAR DANY
Published: December 2024

Libanobelostoma calineae gen. et sp. nov., the first mid-Cretaceous giant water bug, is characterized, illustrated and described from the fossil fish Konservat-Lagerstätte of Haqel, Lebanon. This new discovery is important for both the fossil record of the Belostomatidae and for increasing our understanding of the paleoenvironment of Haqel. The new genus displays a combination of synapomorphies and symplesiomorphies for Belostomatidae, along with putative autapomorphies justifying its taxonomic treatment. Together with Libanoaeshna mikhaeli Azar et al., 2024 they represent the first insect discoveries in the fossil fish Konservat-Lagerstätte of Haqel, making it an additional palaeoentomological site to the numerous other sites in Lebanon.
Cities under state capitalism
Authors: Wijburg Gertjan , Waldron Richard
Published: December 2024

State interventions in urban development and planning are not new to state capitalism, even though intensifying ‘muscular’ state responses to urban challenges can now be observed across the entire geopolitical and urban landscape. This viewpoint explores this intensifying connection between state capitalism, the capitalist state and urban governance. It argues that for strategic geopolitical and economic reasons states increasingly govern, regulate, manage and own parts of the urban built environment. However, regulatory intervention in the city cannot be mistaken for a return to the post-war development state which strongly focused on promoting spatial development and industrial policy and protecting social welfarism and labour conditions. Rather, the new state capitalism is about proactive market intervention so that states and their partners can profit from the growth, wealth and revenue that cities have to offer. As for that, this commentary concludes with four avenues for future research at the boundaries of state capitalism and urban governance. Examples from cities in the Global North, Global South and Global East are given to illustrate the broader argument. Shifting geopolitics are also discussed as a driver of state rescaling and reterritorialisation.
Analyzing the Asymmetric Impact of Tourism Demand on Residents’ Happiness: Evidence from Quantile Estimation
Authors: Zhong Daojun , Guo Wanran , Ali Sajid , Nazar Raima , Anser Muhammad Khalid
Published: December 2024

The extension of the worldwide tourism industry has resulted in a growing interest in understanding the influence of tourism demand on local populations, particularly regarding residents’ happiness. This research investigates how tourism demand affects residents’ happiness in the top 10 nations containing the highest tourist arrivals. Earlier works utilized panel data methodologies for the tourism demand-happiness nexus despite several economies needing to develop such a link individually. On the contrary, this paper uses the Quantile-on-Quantile method, which grants the exploration of time-series reliance in every country separately. The outcomes reveal that tourism demand significantly increases residents’ happiness within particular quantiles of the data distribution across opted nations. The robustness of the QQ estimate is assessed by applying quantile regression and Ordinary Least Squares approaches. Policymakers should tailor tourism development strategies to enhance community engagement, mitigate adverse impacts on residents' quality of life, and promote equitable economic benefits.
Primacy Effect or Recency Effect? The Interplay of Travel Duration and Hedonic Trends in Multi-Destination Tourism
Authors: Liu Yizhi , Wang Yuhong , Liu Yu
Published: December 2024

This study delves into the under-explored dynamics of Primacy and Recency effects in multi-destination tourism, utilizing data from online travelogs. Focusing on attraction sequences (hedonic trends) and travel duration, our analysis reveals key relationships between travel duration and tourists’ emotional experiences. We found that longer travel durations lead to a Recency effect, where later parts of the journey significantly impact overall experience. In contrast, shorter durations demonstrate a Primacy effect, with initial attractions having a more pronounced influence. These findings not only highlight the “dynamic” transition between Primacy and Recency effects based on travel duration but also offer practical insights for itinerary design, aiming to enhance tourist satisfaction. This research contributes a new understanding of the temporal sequencing of attractions and their impact on tourist experiences, enriching both theoretical and practical aspects of tourism management.
Demystifying Symbiotic Rationality in Tourism SMEs: Conceptualization and Scale Development
Authors: Liu Jingyan , Nie Kang , Liu Jiaman , Wu Jialin (Snow)
Published: December 2024

There is a high degree of interdependence between tourism small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and natural resources and between tourism SMEs themselves, necessitating a symbiotic rationality to guide them toward more sustainable practices. Current rational perspectives—instrumental rationality and value rationality—due to their inherently conflicting nature, are inadequate to fundamentally address these inherent symbiotic relationships. This study thus proposes a holistic rationality—termed symbiotic rationality—that integrates both instrumental and value rationality to guide sustainable practices, with the aim of conceptualizing this new rational perspective and developing a validated scale for measuring it. Using a four-stage study with a mixed-methods design, this study’s findings point to a four-dimensional scale consisting of systematic thinking, long-term orientation, reconciliation, and sustainability. This study also finds that symbiotic rationality has a significant positive impact on SMEs’ ecological innovation tendency. By addressing the limitations of singular rational perspectives, this research contributes to the theoretical foundation and practical application of symbiotic rationality. It has the potential to advance future research in rationality and the sustainable development of SMEs while also providing a valuable tool for guiding tourism SMEs in implementing sustainable practices.
‘Sacred spaces’: Restoring safety and trust in faith communities
Authors: Baker Andrea Toledo
Published: December 2024

This plenary address explores the critical challenges faced by faith communities when engaging with younger generations, in light of declining institutional trust, prevalent sexual abuse, and the Church’s response to these issues. Drawing on over two decades of experience serving among sexually exploited persons in Bolivia through Project Suma, the address highlights the disconnection between the Church and the vulnerable. Emphasizing the need for humility, integrity, and authenticity in Christian leadership, the address advocates for a return to Kingdom values as a means of restoring safety, trust, and relevance within faith communities. By examining the barriers to church engagement and proposing actionable steps, the address seeks to inspire a vision where youth are actively involved in and contribute to the thriving of the Church.
From the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt: The Predictive Accuracy of the Arizona Youth Assessment System (AZYAS-Reentry) for Juveniles on Parole Supervision
Authors: Jones Deborah Kurth , Reisig Michael D.
Published: December 2024

This study had two objectives: (1) to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the AZYAS-Reentry tool and (2) to test whether predictive accuracy levels were consistent across sex and race/ethnicity. Data from 249 Arizona adolescents released from secure care on parole supervision between June 2020 and July 2023 were examined. The mean AZYAS-Reentry score classifies much of the sample as moderate risk. Bivariate analyses show a medium effect size for AZYAS-Reentry on parole revocation for the full sample ( r = .344). Predictive accuracy is the highest for African American youth ( r = .534), followed by Hispanic ( r = .398) and white youth ( r = .191). Higher predictive accuracy for African Americans is driven by specific domains (e.g., values, beliefs, and attitudes). The one sex-based difference is the stronger effect of juvenile justice history for females. Findings support using AZYAS-Reentry and highlight the utility of targeting domains to plan interventions across sex and race/ethnicity.
Periodic sampled-data-based dynamic event-triggered consensus of linear multiagent systems via decentralized output feedback stabilization approach
Authors: Chen Yangzhou , Tian Lu , Chen Bing
Published: December 2024

This article investigates the double dynamic event-triggered consensus of linear multiagent systems with periodic sampled-data via a novel decentralized output feedback stabilization approach. A novel dynamic event-triggered strategy based on periodic sampled-data is proposed for the sensor-to-controller channel and controller-to-actuator channel, respectively. This strategy can further reduce the number of triggers without affecting the system’s performance. We use a state linear transformation based on a directed spanning tree of the communication topology to equivalently transform the consensus problem into the decentralized output feedback stabilization problem of the corresponding edge-state system and propose a decentralized pole assignment approach to design the gain matrix for the consensus protocol. Then, by employing the Lyapunov function combined with the lossless S-procedure, we derive consensus criteria containing matrix inequalities. Finally, numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Convergence of multi-agent systems controlled by iterative learning strategies with continuous data losses
Authors: Huang Lixun , Wang Huan , Chen Hui , Zhang Zhe , Jiang Bin , Sun Lijun
Published: December 2024

To address the consistency tracking issue of multi-agent systems operating repetitive tasks with continuous data losses, this paper proposes an iterative learning control (ILC) strategy with data compensation. The convergence of multi-agent ILC systems is demonstrated by analyzing changes in the element values of the transition matrix of input errors. It is worth noting that the analysis also reveals two useful conclusions. One is that the convergence speed decreases as the probability of continuous data loss increases. The other is that the selection of the controller’s learning gain depends on the maximum value of the number of continuous data losses. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed ILC strategy and the theoretical derivations regarding convergence speed and gain selection.
Entropy guided correlated ACMD and Enhanced CYCBD for bearing fault diagnosis
Authors: Ge Zengpan , Zhang Zongzhen , Bao Huaiqian , Wang Jinrui , Han Baokun
Published: December 2024

The failure characteristics of bearings can be difficult to detect. This is due to the influence of strong background noise. To accurately identify the fault characteristics of bearings, a method for extracting features by fusing Adaptive Chirp Mode Decomposition (IACMD) in view of entropy value and correlation coefficient regrouping scheme with the Second-order Cyclostationarity Blind Deconvolution (ECYCBD) based on the sparrow search algorithm and the summation of weighted harmonic (WHS) is proposed in the paper. This method integrates the decomposition capabilities of ACMD for multi-component non-smooth signals and the signal amplification properties of CYCBD. Initially, the signal undergoes decomposition into a string of modal signals using ACMD, followed by the reorganization of these modal signals through a proposed scheme based on entropy value and correlation coefficient. Subsequently, the sparrow search algorithm is used to optimize the length of CYCBD filter. By employing the WHS as an optimization index, all frequencies within the signal spectral range are examined as potential candidates, with the frequency yielding the highest WHS being considered the optimal cyclic frequency. Finally, the reconstructed components are processed through the ECYCBD method to filter the signal,and the square envelope analysis is used to extract features.
Who misses the bare necessities? Material deprivation as an indicator for egotropic economic voting
Authors: De Grauwe Chloé , Hooghe Marc , Stiers Dieter
Published: December 2024

There is strong empirical support for the theory of sociotropic economic voting, stating that voters decide which party to vote for based on their perception of the country’s economic situation. There is less evidence, however, for the occurrence of egotropic economic voting, where electoral preferences are determined by individual economic circumstances. We argue that this lack of support is partly caused by the way in which personal economic evaluations have been measured thus far. A subjective question on financial satisfaction is not necessarily related to real life circumstances, and therefore we rely on less biased indicators of material deprivation (MD). Using the 7th wave of the World Values Survey, we find that subjective perceptions of one’s financial situation are only weakly related to incumbent voting. Our new measure of MD, on the contrary, is significantly related to electoral support for the incumbent and therefore offers a better operationalization of egotropic economic voting.
Patient engagement in rehabilitation: An evolutionary concept analysis
Authors: Jiang Hu , Lin Beilei , Liu Zhiwei , Mei Yongxia , Li Xin , Ma Ling , Zhang Zhenxiang
Published: December 2024

Objective

The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of engagement in rehabilitation by analyzing its application in both theoretical and empirical literature.

Data sources

PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus were searched for relevant studies published from January 1, 2003 to July 14, 2024.

Review methods

A literature-based concept analysis was carried out using Rogers’ six-step evolutionary concept analysis method. Literature screening and data extraction were conducted separately by two researchers according to predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The basic information and the relevant primary data of the included studies were extracted in detail.

Results

In total, 41 studies were included and analyzed. The antecedents included demographic factors, physical health, psychological and emotional factors, cognitive factors, behavioral factors, socio-cultural factors, environmental factors, and rehabilitation programs. The attributes contained collaborative therapeutic relationships, continual commitment and investment, a dynamic process and state, and goal-oriented. The consequences included multidisciplinary collaborations, communication, functional recovery, future independent exercise, and mental health.

Conclusion

This study clarified the concept of engagement in rehabilitation and identified antecedents, attributes, and consequences of the concept. Further research is required to investigate and apply this concept to specific populations and settings.
Commentary: A framework for assessment of adverse events in psychedelic research
Authors: Cheung Katherine , Ehrenkranz Rebecca , Hinkle Jared T , Yaden David B
Published: December 2024

Recent discussions about the methodological rigor of psychedelic clinical trials have focused on potential underreporting or misreporting of adverse events (AEs), with many calling for their systematic assessment to help mitigate these issues. In their recent paper, Palitsky et al. offer a comprehensive framework for the assessment of AEs in psychedelic-assisted therapies, with consideration of the spiritual, existential, religious, and theological impacts that psychedelics can have. In this commentary, we respond to Palitsky et al.’s proposal, discussing the framework, its feasibility, and various assessment methods. We emphasize the need to ensure that AE assessment in psychedelic clinical trials is held to the same rigor and standard as research in other areas, in addition to maintaining and improving transparency and accessibility in AE reporting.
Development of a highly accurate diagnostic model for prostate cancer through the integration of clinical indices with apparent diffusion coefficient values derived from 3.0-T magnetic resonance
Authors: Hao Pan , Xin Ruiqiang , Peng Ruchen , Li Yancui , Na Xu , Zhong Jiali , Lv Xiaoyong , Sun Lixin
Published: December 2024

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of 3.0-T magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in conjunction with clinical indices for prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 181 patients with suspected PCa who underwent MR DWI prior to biopsy at LuHe Hospital, Beijing, between February 2022 and July 2023. Patients were placed into Malignancy and Benign groups according to the biopsy results. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the ADC values and clinical indicators, and then a combination predictive model was developed. The model’s diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curves analysis (DCA), and a nomogram was constructed for the assessment of individual risk.

Results

The ADC value and the free prostate-specific antigen and total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) levels were found to be independent predictors of PCa. tPSA showed the best diagnostic performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.914. However, the combined model had a higher diagnostic accuracy, with an AUC of 0.959.

Conclusion

The combined model has superior predictive performance to other diagnostic methods and should help with the avoidance of unnecessary prostate biopsies.
Usefulness of multiparametric MRI for local staging of bladder cancer
Authors: Paudyal Prajwal , Mete Uttam , Gorsi Ujjwal , Kumar Santosh , Kakkar Nandita
Published: December 2024

Introduction:

Under staging and over staging are not uncommon with traditional MRI while staging bladder cancer. Current improvements in MRI technology due to addition of functional MR sequences that is, dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) have enhanced its clinical utility. The current study was designed to look for staging accuracy of multiparametric MRI (mp-MRI) that is, T2W + DCE + DWI, over conventional MRI.

Material and methods:

Forty patients with bladder cancer were included were subjected to mp-MRI on a 3T scanner with a phased array body coil. Four MR image sets that is, T2W, T2W + DCE, T2W + DWI, and T2W + DCE + DWI were interpreted. Accuracy of each image set was determined separately and was compared with the gold standard histopathological staging.

Result:

Staging accuracy of different image set increased from T2W (55%) to DCE (72.5%) to DWI (80%). Maximum accuracy was seen in mp-MRI (T2W + DWI + DCE) (87.5%). While differentiating non muscle invasive from muscle invasive disease (⩽T1 vs ⩾T2 stage) staging accuracy increased from T2W (65%) to DCE (80%) to DWI (85%) with maximum in mp-MRI (90%).

Conclusion:

mp-MRI offers high staging accuracy for bladder cancer.
Exploring the Perceived Impact of a Multi-Year Campus Hazing Prevention Initiative at Eight Universities
Authors: Allan Elizabeth J. , Kerschner David , Franklin Devin
Published: December 2024

Guided by the Hazing Prevention Framework, this investigation employed quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the perceived impact of a 3-year, multi-campus initiative to implement a comprehensive, public health-based approach to campus hazing prevention. Data were collected from campus staff employed at eight universities participating in the Hazing Prevention Consortium by using the Hazing Prevention Rubric and conducting follow-up interviews. Analysis of rubric scores revealed an average increase of 18.66%, suggesting overall progression for these campuses. Qualitative analysis illuminated commitment, capacity, assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, cultural competence, and sustainability themes and provided further context for interpreting rubric scores. Factors perceived to strongly influence the progression of hazing prevention included the presence of a network of peers for collaboration and assessment data to guide prevention and factors perceived to influence regression included the challenges related to COVID-19 and the lack of senior leader commitment to hazing prevention. Findings contribute new knowledge and add to the literature about hazing prevention and rubrics for evaluating campus-wide prevention initiatives. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.
Nurses’ Professional Values and Attitudes Towards Individualized Care in a City Hospital
Authors: Işık Meryem Türkan , Canlı Fatma , Özdemir Rana Can
Published: December 2024

The aim is to determine nurses’ professional values and individualized care experiences and the affecting factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 470 nurses in a city hospital between September and November 2021. Information Form, Nurses Professional Values Scale (NPVS), and The Individualized Care Scale-Nurse Version (ICS-Nurse) were used for data collection. The average score on the NPVS was 118.16 ± 21.9. The total ICS-Nurse score of the participants was 3.96 ± 0.7. A positive, weak and statistically significant relationship was found between the NPVS and ICS-Nurse in terms of clinical status, personal life, and decision-making subdimension scores ( p < .05). The professional values of nurses were found to be at a moderate level which directly affect their approaches to individualized care. Having high levels of professional values can help nurses provide better individualized care to their patients.
Fixed-time adaptive fault-tolerant output consensus control for heterogeneous multi-agent systems
Authors: Wang Jun , Yang Jiaqi
Published: December 2024

Aiming at the fault-tolerant output consensus problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with external finite energy interference in the case of simultaneous additive and multiplicative faults of the actuators, this paper proposes a fault-tolerant output control strategy combining fixed-time feedforward control and adaptive state feedback control. First, a fully distributed adaptive fixed-time observer is designed for the follower, so that each follower can estimate the leader state and the state matrix within a fixed time. Then, combined with the output adjustment equation with fault matrix, a distributed adaptive fault-tolerant output consensus control scheme is proposed to compensate for the impact of fault on the system, and the sufficient conditions for consensus system output are deduced by using Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method are verified by a heterogeneous multi-agent faulty system composed of a leader and four followers.
Sedimentation rates, coastal delta accretion, and stratigraphic datum of the Late Pleistocene–Mid-Holocene transition in the East Equatorial Atlantic: New concept from calcareous nannoplankton
Authors: Adojoh Onema , Marret-Davis Fabienne , Osterloff Peter , Hart Malcom , Ikeunobe Francisca , Weakley Hunter , Agbogun Henry
Published: December 2024

This study examines the sedimentation rates (SR) during the last 20 kyr in the Niger Delta using selected biostratigraphic datum levels. Three gravity cores (GCs) collected at −40 m below sea level from the shallow offshore Niger Delta (GC1 = Western, GC2 = Central, and GC3 = Eastern) were analysed for their calcareous nannoplankton species ( Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Helicophaera sellii and Reticulofenestra asanoi). Successive datums were established mainly from the informal biozones and ranges of Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Emiliania huxleyi marker species due to their abundance. By correlating the First Occurrence (FOC) and Last Occurrence (LOC) datums of the marker species in the cored sequences (GCs), SRs were reconstructed. Based on the constructions, the FOC of Gephyrocapsa oceanica (20 kyr) reflects a position towards the bottom of the GCs, the FOC of Emiliania huxleyi (11–8.5 kyr) delineates the middle of the GCs, and the LOC of Emiliania huxleyi (6.5 kyr) marks the uppermost part of the GCs. The sediment load by average calculated from each location in the Western, Central, and Eastern Niger Delta shows sequences of sedimentation rates of ~36.7 cm/kyr for the late Pleistocene, ~174 cm/kyr for the early Holocene, and ~18.6 cm/kyr for mid-Holocene time periods. Consequently, on average, ~229.3 cm/kyr of sediment were deposited at −40 m water level over the last 20 kyr, with the early Holocene experiencing the highest sedimentation rates (~174 cm/kyr) across the three locations. Additionally, this study provides evidence that the Niger Delta sink deposits responded to the West African Monsoon (WAM) driven sedimentation rates during the late Quaternary (20–6.5 kyr). Furthermore, this sediment deposit facilitated the development of a high-resolution age-depth and sedimentation rate model linked to the regional sea level of the Eastern Equatorial Atlantic that succinctly delineates the late Pleistocene and early Holocene boundary of the Niger Delta. The outputs of this study bridged the research gap and knowledge on the impact of coastal accretion and depositional processes on sedimentation rates in the shallow offshore Niger Delta.
Transness as insecurity: Anti-trans movements and the security politics of reproduction
Authors: Leigh Darcy
Published: December 2024

This article analyses the security politics of opposition to trans rights in the United States and United Kingdom. It argues that opponents of ‘gender ideology’ view transness as a threat to reproductive ability and therefore as a threat to national, societal and/or racial reproduction. Anti-trans movements articulate reproductive dis/ability along lines of gender, age and race, with an overwhelming focus on (what they imagine as) white girls’ developmental capacity for biologized motherhood, and white men’s developed genital size and sexual appetite. The article first develops an analytic framework combining Alison Howell’s account of global health security with queer, feminist and Trans Studies scholarship on reproductive nationalism. It then outlines a history of transatlantic security politics surrounding reproduction, showing that today’s moral panic extends a long lineage. Turning to contemporary anti-trans movements, the article argues that these approach children’s and/or feminized bodies as sites of national, racial and/or societal security, in need of defence against invasive, reproductively disabling, or racially degenerate trans threats. Overall, the article argues, opposition to transness exposes the broader security politics of reproduction, not least how these configure race, gender and age with dis/ability and health.
Puerarin Promotes Tibial Shaft Fracture Healing in Rats and Its Relationship with BMP-Smad Pathway
Authors: Mao Yini , Li Jun , Zhang Feifei
Published: December 2024

Background

Fracture healing involves multiple growth factors and the interaction between multiple signaling pathways. Pue (puerarin) is a natural compound with multiple biological activities, but its effect on fracture healing and its relationship with the bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-Smad pathway is not yet clear.

Purpose

This study intends to assess the effect of puerarin on fracture healing.

Methods

Seventy rats were used for the study to establish a tibial shaft fracture rat model. The experimental rats were divided into a tibial fracture group, Pue dose group (low, medium, and high), BMP-2 group, Noggin group, Pue + SY-LB-35 group, and Pue + Noggin group through the random number method. We observed the fracture healing through micro-CT and histology, observed the tibial stump tissue with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and detected the expression of genes related to the BMP-Smad pathway through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot.

Results

We found that puerarin can promote tibial shaft fracture healing in rats in a dose-dependent manner; through micro-CT and histological analysis, we observed increased trabecular bone formation during fracture healing in rats treated with puerarin. Callus formation is accelerated, and bone density increases. In addition, puerarin also significantly increased the expression of genes related to the BMP-Smad pathway, including BMP2, Smad1, Smad5, and so on.

Conclusion

Puerarin can promote tibial shaft fracture healing in rats, and its mechanism is related to upregulating the expression of genes related to the BMP-Smad pathway. It further improves the fracture-healing mechanism and provides candidate drugs for the treatment of tibial shaft fracture healing in clinical medicine.
Factors Affecting Smallholder Farmer’s Willingness to Insure in Multiperil Crop Insurance: Evidence from Baghelkhand Region of India
Authors: Shahin Shifa , Pradhan Rudra P.
Published: December 2024

Climate change severely threatens agricultural systems globally, with developing nations particularly vulnerable to adverse impacts. Multiperil crop insurance (MPCI), a key climate finance tool, has become a crucial agricultural risk mitigation strategy to combat its adverse effects. As climate change disproportionately affects farmers across different scales, this study focuses on the overlooked cohort of small, marginal and tribal (SMT) farmers in the Baghelkhand region of India, which is highly unexplored for such research. Departing from conventional climate finance perspectives, the study aims to understand the determinants influencing farmers’ participation in MPCI, particularly in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana context. Using a logit model and surveys from 240 households, the study identifies new factors affecting MPCI adoption, including insurance-related variables. To deepen the analysis, semi-structured open-ended questions were also included to explore farmers’ perceptions and behaviours towards MPCI. Key factors influencing adoption include timeliness, liquidity, insurance history, coverage, awareness and premium ratings based on experience. In contrast, time constraints and limited coverage reduce participation. The study recommends creating tailor-made insurance products for SMT farmers and increasing awareness and outreach during critical cropping seasons to improve the programme’s effectiveness.
Finite element modeling of viscoelastic creep behavior and transverse cracking in fiber-reinforced composite materials
Authors: Hoshikawa Yamato , Ryuzono Kazuki , Onodera Sota , Kawagoe Yoshiaki , Okabe Tomonaga
Published: December 2024

Fiber-reinforced composites are essential in the aerospace industry, highlighting the need for an in-depth understanding of their durability. This study introduces a novel approach that integrates viscoelasticity and damage evolution based on continuum damage mechanics, employing finite element analysis. The method utilizes an anisotropic viscoelastic constitutive law to examine creep behavior under constant stress, decomposing stresses into equilibrium and non-equilibrium components. Moreover, it integrates a transverse crack damage variable associated with crack density. After solving stiffness equations, a detailed analysis of transverse crack propagation is conducted. This technique was applied to creep tests on carbon fiber-reinforced plastics and 3D woven ceramic matrix composites, resulting in strain and crack density profiles. The numerical simulations successfully reproduced experimental outcomes. The developed method offers a comprehensive tool for analyzing transverse crack propagation under viscoelastic creep conditions through finite element analysis, significantly enhancing design considerations by incorporating aspects of long-term durability.
Three Inclusion Barriers: An Examination of Elementary Music Teachers’ Preparation to Teach Learners With Exceptionalities
Authors: Allan Amalia
Published: December 2024

Elementary music teachers are expected to teach students with a wide range of abilities and music education programs must help prepare them for the tasks ahead. Adamek and Darrow presented three inclusion barriers—organizational, knowledge, and attitudinal—that music educators might face when teaching students with special needs. The purpose of this study was to examine elementary music teachers’ perceptions of their preparation to teach students with exceptionalities using Adamek and Darrow’s Three Inclusion Barriers as a framework. Findings revealed that elementary music teachers ( N = 87) may have been in greatest need of inclusion knowledge (i.e., disability, legislative, and interprofessional knowledge), despite their desire to have more music content-specific preparation for organizational strategies. Teachers’ ratings of attitude statements were significantly higher than their ratings of their preparation; however, their short-answer responses revealed a wide range of feelings and attitudes toward teaching in inclusive settings. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
School-Based Health Centers: Providers’ Perceptions Around Mental Health and Eating Disorders and Potential Areas of Improvement
Authors: Tran Alvin , Mathew Krupa Ann , Zhao Yunan , Mattie Heather
Published: December 2024

School-based health centers (SBHCs) play a key role in connecting youth to health services, including primary care. Despite some literature exploring their mental health services, little is known about the role SBHCs play in screening for and treating eating disorders. In this study, we surveyed 56 SBHC providers, assessing their familiarity with providing care and screening for mental health concerns, including eating disorders. We also qualitatively explored areas to improve efforts around mental health care and screening. Results suggest that while the majority of participants indicated that they were familiar with mental health disorders, they were less familiar with eating disorders. Furthermore, despite rating screenings for eating disorders of great importance, the frequency of such screenings was comparably lower. Qualitative findings highlight two emerging themes focused on addressing gaps in mental health care: (a) training, continuing education, and addressing misconceptions around eating disorders; and (b) SBHC staffing and resource constraints.
Highly Elevated Scores on the Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition as an Indicator of Noncredible Symptom Report
Authors: Merten Thomas
Published: December 2024

Some recent studies have revived the approach of investigating extreme levels of self-reported depressive symptoms as indicative of gross exaggeration. While scores above 40 on the Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition (BDI-II) were discussed as indicating exaggerated symptom claims, different cut scores for identifying noncredible responding are now being discussed. A consecutive sample of 242 patients referred for forensic psychological assessment (mean age: 46.0 years, 47.7% women) with full data sets on the BDI-II and the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) were assessed. Of all patients, 13.2% scored above 40 and BDI-II scores correlated with SIMS total scores at .62. For different SIMS cutoffs (>14, >16, >19, >23) used as criterion standard, optimal cut scores for the BDI-II were computed. When specificity was set at a minimum of 90%, sensitivity estimates were below 50% for all four SIMS levels. Extreme scores on the BDI-II should raise concern about the credibility of self-reported depressive symptom load. Diagnosis as well as severity estimates should not be based primarily on self-report instruments. To avoid significant risks of bias, the development of reliable cut scores for BDI-II elevations should be based on more studies with samples from diverse contexts.
Home and beyond: Housework as aesthetic engagement with everyday environment
Authors: Besson Anu M
Published: December 2024

In social sciences, including sociology, gender studies and economics, housework is routinely understood as gendered reproductive labour, which unequally hinders women’s options in life. Based on qualitative interviews with Finnish emigrants, this article shows that we may need a more nuanced understanding of how people experience household chores. Housework sits, inconspicuously yet interestingly, at the intersection of many topical discussions, including migration, transcultural life, self-identity, sense of agency and technological advancement. Yet societal narratives of reproductive labour as something negative or nugatory tend to dismiss and devalue in particular women’s home-related skills, interests and traditions. This article makes a start in exploring how housework in its mundane ubiquity can hold more meaning and existential value than previously recognised: as aesthetic practices that anchor us to the familiar but also allow development of skill, taste and style, supporting self-expression and (re)making of one’s environment.
Numerical investigation on energy absorption characteristics and damage modes of biomimetic thin-walled structures in aircraft
Authors: Du Jianxun , Ge Chengyue , Xue Chengzhou , Xu Chaoqi , Feng Zhengjian , Xie Zhiqiang
Published: December 2024

The crashworthiness of aircraft is essential for both airlines and passengers. Creating lightweight protective structures that achieve a balance between weight and impact resistance while also providing excellent cushioning and energy absorption presents a significant challenge for aircraft designers. The desert beetle's exoskeleton demonstrates remarkable strength and toughness, effectively shielding its body from external threats. This study examines the desert beetle's exoskeleton by developing bio-inspired thin-walled models with three distinct bottom structures based on its cross-section. Numerical simulations were used for calculations and model optimization. The research systematically investigates how various design parameters, such as impact angle, number of support plates, and wall thickness, affect energy absorption performance. The findings indicate that increasing the inclination angle notably decreases the energy absorption capacity of the protective structure, while adding more partitions can significantly enhance this capacity. Additionally, changes in wall thickness directly influence the structure's compressive performance. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the optimized structure's energy absorption characteristics under various conditions is provided. Ultimately, this paper highlights the significance of design optimization for protective structures in micro aerial vehicles and outlines future research directions to better balance performance and practicality.
Predicting transient performance of a heavy-duty gaseous-fuelled engine using combined phenomenological and machine learning models
Authors: Balazadeh Navid , Munshi Sandeep , Shahbakhti Mahdi , McTaggart-Cowan Gordon
Published: December 2024

Decarbonizing long-haul goods transportation poses a substantial challenge. High-efficiency natural gas (NG) engines, which retain the efficiency of a diesel engine but reduce the carbon content of the fuel, offer substantial potential for near-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. A fast-running model that can predict engine performance, GHG and air pollutant emissions is critical to assessing this approach for different applications and vehicle drivetrain configurations. This paper presents the development, validation and application of an engine system model that adapts GT-SUITE™’s phenomenological DI-Pulse predictive model to predict the performance and emissions of a 6-cylinder NG engine using a high pressure direct-injection combustion process. The model includes the engine air exchange system, enabling the prediction of the engine and in-cylinder conditions and overall performance over transient drive cycles. The engine model with a fixed set of calibration parameters captures the complex high-pressure direct injection combustion process and generates time-resolved parameters that are fed into a coupled machine learning model to predict emissions, including nitrogen oxide (NOx) and methane (CH4) emissions. While the 1-D model’s predictions for CH4 were not accurate, coupling the 1-D engine model with a machine learning model has been shown to substantially improve the estimation of CH4 emissions and allow accurate prediction of engine total GHG emissions over different duty cycles. The model has been validated using transient engine dynamometer data and is then applied to assess performance and emissions over several regulatory and real-world long-haul drive cycles. The model showed an average error of less than 5% in steady operation. Cumulative errors of NOx and CH4 emissions in studied cycles were also less than 10%. The results showed that CH4 share in total GHG emissions ranges from 0.2% to 1.4% over various drive cycles. By predicting engine performance and emissions, the developed combined model has considerable potential for use in engine evaluation studies, especially when combined with new technologies across different duty cycles.
First-in-Family students’ roots and routes into higher education: Familial dynamics as drivers for breaking intergenerational cycles of educational attainment
Authors: Lessky Franziska
Published: December 2024

This study fills significant gaps in knowledge around how familial dynamics shape First-in-Family students’ educational pathways, inform how they engage with the higher education setting, and drive them to break intergenerational cycles of educational attainment. Twenty-seven interviews with First-in-Family students in four public universities in Austria revealed three drivers: aligning with familial expectations, leaving one’s social milieu and emancipation from familial orientations. The paper argues that these drivers inform not only the why but also the how they organise their social contacts during their university education (e.g. different forms of engagement and connection to their family milieu and community outside of university). The findings suggest that we need to take these subjective dimensions into account if we aim to improve targeted support and to enhance the quality of learning experiences for all higher education students. Furthermore, we need to acknowledge that a growing diversity in the student population might also mean a greater diversity in the reasons to pursue a higher education, which should be accompanied with critical reflections on how the needs of these students can be met in the post-pandemic university to foster student retention and success.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Relations Between Childhood Adversity and Psychological Adjustment Among Child Welfare-Involved Youth: A Systematic Review
Authors: Tomlinson Camie A. , Stafford McRell Amanda , Gorchow Christian , Cage Jamie , Davis Hope , McDonald Shelby E.
Published: December 2024

This systematic review examined the extent of evidence that meaningfully examines racial/ethnic differences in the association between childhood adversity and psychological adjustment among child welfare-involved youth and synthesized findings. We pre-registered our study rationale and methodological and analytic plan in PROSPERO (#CRD42022350707). We conducted a search for articles on May 11, 2022, in APA PsycInfo, Academic Search Complete, CENTRAL, Child Development and Adolescent Studies, CINAHL, Family Studies Abstracts, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PubMed, Social Services Abstracts, Social Sciences Abstracts, Social Work Abstracts, SocINDEX, Web of Science, and Violence & Abuse Abstracts. Inclusion criteria included: written in English, peer-reviewed, quantitative analysis, examined the association between childhood adversity and psychological adjustment and examined racial/ethnic differences using moderation or multiple group modeling, and included a sample of child welfare-involved youth (i.e., 0–18 years) in the United States. Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed quality. The final sample included 13 articles. There was evidence of racial/ethnic differences in the association between childhood adversity and psychological adjustment; however, some studies found that there were no significant differences across racial/ethnic groups. Variability in findings may be due to inconsistent assessment of childhood adversity and psychological adjustment, differences in sample age ranges and in how race/ethnicity was examined, and/or lack of power. Racial/ethnic differences were primarily between White, Black, and Hispanic racial/ethnic groups, and most studies were cross-sectional. It is important for future research to examine whether racial/ethnic differences exist in the association between childhood adversity and psychological adjustment over time.
Using a Functional Upper Limb Motor Task to Predict Cognitive and Functional Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Koppelmans Vincent , Duff Kevin , Schaefer Sydney Y.
Published: December 2024

Background:

Predicting the rate of cognitive and functional decline over the course of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is vital for advancing clinical care and research initiatives.

Objectives:

The current study examined if a functional upper limb motor task could predict 1-year change in cognition (Mini Mental Status Examination [MMSE]) and daily function (Quick Dementia Rating System [QDRS]) from a sample of 61 cognitively intact, 35 MCI, and 32 AD subjects.

Results:

Analyses adjusted for age, sex, and education showed that performance speed and variability on the motor task significantly predicted change in performance on the MMSE and QDRS over 1 year, and that these effects were small to medium in size (η2 = 0.04-0.05).

Conclusion:

These results suggest the potential of a simple motor task to estimate disease progression in MCI and AD, which could be used to provide additional clinical resources for and enrich clinical trials with those most likely to decline.