bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preserving and Presenting the Rotterdam Erasmus Collection since 1868
Authors: Steen Sanne , Tholen John
Published: October 2024

The unique collection of Erasmiana in the Rotterdam Public Library has a long history in which there has been varying attention to acquisition, preservation and presentation. This article describes how individuals such as donors, directors and curators developed the collection since it was first mentioned in 1868. This development is reconstructed through archival sources such as year reports, newspaper articles and material evidence in the collection itself. From this reconstruction, it is possible to distinguish three phases in the history of the Erasmus Collection in which it was treated as respectively an archival collection, a scholarly source and a heritage collection. The case study shows why it is important for scholars who make use of a collection to understand the historical development of its contents and the status of the collection as such. Furthermore, knowledge of the history of a collection is valuable for exploring today’s balance between preservation and presentation.
Erasmus and the Need for Shared Values
Authors: van Raak Ronald
Published: October 2024

Many people in the Netherlands are familiar with the image of Erasmus, who has become a symbol of wisdom and independence of spirit in this country. Yet it is difficult to truly understand this thinker, in part because he constantly played with language and perspectives and enjoyed wrong-footing readers. At the same time, this playfulness in Erasmus is exactly what makes him so interesting, especially to today’s readers. The philosopher developed a way of thinking that appeals to modern-day people, who value their own individuality but also need shared values: the question of what binds us. This essay is an attempt to unravel Erasmus’ challenging thinking and his philosophical principles, in the expectation that his method of thinking could be helpful in the current discussion about the need for shared values.
Sharing a Stage in the Arena of Agency
Authors: van Ruler Han
Published: October 2024

Exactly five hundred years ago today, Erasmus engaged with Martin Luther in a debate on free will that continues to inspire, even if it evokes a notion of freedom that is no longer ours in every respect. Emphasising the need for a common-sense reading of Holy Scripture that did not require making conjectures about the existence of hidden forms of divine justice inconsistent with our own, Erasmus confronted Luther with the fact that his “necessitating” notion of grace was not in any way representative of earlier theological positions acknowledging the notion of free will. Refusing to be drawn towards an interpretation of grace that denied human beings the ability to activate the full spectrum of their natural reaction patterns, Erasmus stayed clear of translating earlier theological positions on grace in terms of an overruling of human agency. His theology continued to inspire later generations to work on their moral development rather than to act out of fear for divine retribution. Despite his name as a sceptic and a rhetorician, Erasmus’ decidedly this-worldly interpretation of religious doctrine not only reveals his argumentative agility and deep theoretical insight; it also prompts a universalist approach in theology that consistently favours a predisposition towards the humane.
Description of Witkowskia famintsinii sp. nov. (Cymbellales, Bacillariophyceae) with morphological investigation of Witkowskia strigosa comb. et stat. nov.
Authors: MIRONOV ANDREI , GLUSHCHENKO ANTON , KULIKOVSKIY MAXIM
Published: October 2024

In this study, the morphology of two species of diatoms from the Mường Hoa River, Vietnam, was investigated using LM and SEM. The first species was identified as Navicula similis var. strigosa. The second species has been unknown to science until today. As a result, we concluded that in both species areolae in striae are occluded by tectula, a type of pore occlusions, unique for Witkowskia, a recently erected genus of cymbelloid diatoms. Based on this feature, we propose Witkowskia strigosa comb. et stat. nov. in this paper and describe Witkowskia famintsinii sp. nov. below. The species are morphologically compared with other similar representatives of Witkowskia genus. In addition, we suggest that Witkowskia strigosa comb. et stat. nov. and Naviculadicta nanogomphonema, described from Ecuador, should be treated as synonyms. Thus, the taxonomic problem of the genus Naviculadicta is discussed.
Lethrus (Heteroplistodus) kucerai (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae: Lethrinae), a new species from China
Authors: HILLERT OLIVER , KRÁL DAVID , BAGATUROV MIKHAIL , CHULUUNBAATAR GANTIGMAA
Published: October 2024

Lethrus (Heteroplistodus) kucerai Hillert, Král & Bagaturov, new species, from Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi provinces of China is described. Relevant diagnostic characters (e.g. genae margin, surface of head, pronotum and elytra, lateral margin of pronotum and elytra, apical spur of protibia) are compared with the morphologically similar and probably closely related species L. (H.) potanini Jakovlev, 1889. Relevant diagnostic characters including the aedeagus of both species are depicted. Lectotype for Lethrus conformis Frivaldszky, 1890 is designated. Distribution of both species from China and Mongolia is summarized and mapped.
Theoretical Framework for the Response of Barotropic Shelf Current to Along-Shelf Bathymetric Perturbations
Authors: Xiao Canbo , Liu Zhiqiang , Cai Zhongya , Lai Zhigang
Published: October 2024

The mechanism underlying the response of barotropic shelf current to along-shelf bathymetric perturbations is rationalized by a one-dimensional vorticity equation. Fourier analysis of the equation in the wavenumber domain suggests that bathymetric features with relatively short length scales in the alongshore direction drive steady cross-shelf velocity undulations when the shelf circulation is against the direction of Kelvin wave propagation (upwelling regime). In contrast, much weaker and nonoscillatory cross-shelf velocity is expected when the shelf circulation is in alignment with propagating Kelvin waves (downwelling regime). The velocity undulations in the upwelling regime result from a positive feedback mechanism associated with potential vorticity (PV) advection; however, the presence of bottom friction restricts such undulations within a few wavelengths. The characteristic wavelength of undulations is determined by when the normalized drag coefficient , where u is the along-shelf mean flow speed, Hs is the shelf depth, αs is the bottom slope, f is the Coriolis parameter, and r is the linear drag coefficient. Using this formula, a scale of the cross-shelf displacement distance Yt is proposed, aligning with one-layer barotropic simulations over a large parameter space. The study provides a framework for investigating barotropic cross-shelf exchange caused by shelf circulation over irregular bottom bathymetries.
Leadership in the Church of England at a Time of Crisis: Toward a Deconstruction of Normativity
Authors: Percy Martyn
Published: October 2024

All too frequently, privileged white male power is unable to extricate its sense of normalcy from the leadership it exercises. This essay embarks upon a deconstruction of the modes of power and authority at work in the current leadership of the Church of England. This includes upholding a presumptive quasi-regal polity blended with the inevitable executive managerialism—what is termed an “ecclesiocracy” run by “ecclesiocrats,” supporting episcopacy. In beginning to deconstruct the power of the polity, we can see how alterity relates to what is held to be normative. This, in turn, poses searching questions for those who claim to hold presiding-mediating roles in English Anglican polity, which extends the life of some disputes and maintains averse hierarchical approaches to diversity.
Usefulness of the 3-hydroxykynurenine/kynurenic acid ratio as a diagnostic biomarker for diffuse larger B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Yamamoto Yasuko , Goto Naoe , Kambara Kengo , Fujigaki Suwako , Fujigaki Hidetsugu , Takemura Masao , Nabeshima Toshitaka , Tomita Akihiro , Saito Kuniaki
Published: October 2024

Objectives

Reports have shown that the kynurenine pathway, one of the pathways by which tryptophan is metabolized, is activated in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Activation of the kynurenine pathway triggers the production of various metabolites, such as kynurenine (Kyn), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA), kynurenic acid (KA), and anthranilic acid (AA), which contribute to immune tolerance. The current study aimed to investigate the changes in metabolites of kynurenine pathway in DLBCL patients and evaluate their performance predicting DLBCL.

Methods

Changes in metabolites of kynurenine pathway were examined using high-performance liquid chromatography in 35 DLBCL patients (age 61.2 ± 13.5 years) and 44 healthy controls (age 58.5 ± 12.5 years).

Results

DLBCL patients had significantly higher levels of 3-HK, AA, and 3-HAA but lower levels of tryptophan (Trp) and KA compared to healthy controls. Given that the ratio of each metabolite represents the change in the Kyn pathway, the 3-HK/KA ratio was examined. Notably, DLBCL patients had a significantly higher 3-HK/KA ratio compared to healthy controls. In DLBCL, the area under the receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curve for 3-HK/KA (0.999) was higher than that for lactate dehydrogenase (0.885) and comparable to that for soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) (0.997). Based on ROC curve analysis, the 3-HK/KA ratio was found to be useful biomarker for the diagnosis of DLBCL.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the 3-HK/KA ratio is a clinically useful biomarker of DLBCL. Moreover, its combination with existing markers, such as sIL-2R, can improve its effectiveness of diagnosing DLBCL.
Coefficients of variation analyses of internal quality control status for blood lead in China from 2015 to 2023
Authors: Ma Han , Wang Wei , Dong Na , Liu Jiali , Yuan Shuai , Zhang Chuanbao , Zhang Chao , Zeng Jie , Yan Ying , Wang Zhiguo
Published: October 2024

Background

Blood lead test is widely conducted in Chinese laboratories, while the imprecision of blood lead measurement based on internal quality control (IQC) across China has not been comprehensively evaluated nowadays.

Methods

Using the IQC data of blood lead collected through a web-based external quality assessment (EQA) reporting system, we analysed current coefficients of variation (CVs) of blood lead from 2015 to 2023 among Chinese laboratories. Two allowable total error (TEa) imprecision levels from EQA were applied to calculate the pass rates, namely percentages of laboratories meeting precision quality specifications. Besides, CV values and pass rates by different subgroups were further performed to assess potential differences.

Results

Generally, median CV values significantly declined year by year from 6.8% in February 2015 to 5.9% in March 2023. The pass rates based on 1/3 TEa showed upward trends increasing from 15.3% in February 2015 to 20.0% in March 2023, but these percentages were non-ideal with less than 25%. No significant differences in CVs were found between tertiary hospitals and non-tertiary hospitals and between accredited and non-accredited laboratories. Significant time trends were observed in tertiary hospitals and non-accredited laboratories. As for manufacturers, Bohui and self-made QC sample were most widely used with obvious interannual declining trends of CVs.

Conclusions

The CVs of blood lead demonstrated continuous overall improvements in the past twenty years. However, relatively lower pass rates indicated the non-ideal imprecision performance, and more proper performance specifications are warranted. Thus, imprecision improvement and ongoing investigation for blood lead IQC are still needed.
Value Relevance and Share Price Dynamics: An Empirical Analysis of Indian Multinational Corporations
Authors: Goyal Pallavi , Kumar Sanil , Ayushman * , Arya Vijay Vrat
Published: October 2024

The share price is one of the major aspects of taking financial decisions by the investors. This study has investigated the impact of value relevance on the share price of Indian multinational companies. In this study, the top 10 multinational corporations (MNCs) have been taken for the analysis of data from the financial year 2018–2019 to 2022–2023. However, share price has been considered a dependent variable, whereas earnings per share (EPS), book value per share (BVPS), price to book value (PB), price to earnings (PE) and assets turnover ratio (ATR) have been considered independent variables. By employing correlation, ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effect model (FEM), random effect model (REM), Hausman test and the Jarque–Bera test, data have been analysed and significant associations among the given variables have been found. The outcome of the study has revealed that there is a significant impact of value relevance on the share price of the MNCs in India, as the p value derived from the analysis is less than .05. This means that a statistically significant relationship exists between the variables considered in the study.

JEL Codes: G10, M41, Y10
Indian Planning Commission and the Aftermath
Authors: Sarma Atul
Published: October 2024

The article discusses the context and the objectives of setting up a Planning Commission in a mixed economy framework that India had adopted in the post-colonial period. It also deals with its working, the method of framing a Five-Year Plan, the operation of a plan in the federal democratic system and its adaptation in the paradigm shift from a command economy to a market-driven system. The article further discusses both its contributions, as well as the various frailties that have crept into its functioning, and makes a case for restructuring and reforms. The article briefly indicates the shape of things to come after dismantling the Planning Commission in 2015 and replacing it with a new institution called the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, with new mandates.

JEL Code: O29
The effect of climate crisis on bipolar disorder: A qualitative study about experiences of individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder
Authors: Aktaş Mehmet Cihad , Ayhan Cemile Hurrem , Karan Esra
Published: October 2024

Introduction:

It can be said that the bipolar disorder is influenced by weather events. It is stated that climate change can have direct and indirect effects on bipolar disorder. Determining the impact of the climate crisis on individuals with bipolar disorder may assist in the development of preventive, protective and active treatment interventions for this group.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to determine the views and experiences of people with bipolar disorder about the impact of the climate crisis on their illness.

Method:

The study was conducted using the phenomenological method, one of the qualitative study methods. Purposive sampling was used to select the sample for the study. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with the selected sample group. Data saturation was reached with 11 participants and data collection was finalized. The study data was collected using a personal information form and an open-ended structured interview form in which participants were asked about their views and experiences of the climate crisis. Voice recordings were transcribed, and categories, sub-themes and themes were formed.

Results:

Based on the statements of people with a bipolar diagnosis, the study formed the themes of emotional impact, negative physical impact, impact on daily life, impact on symptoms, negative impact on recovery and ways of coping.

Conclusion:

People with a bipolar diagnosis are negatively affected by the impact of the climate crisis in many areas. There is a need to develop intervention programmes to arm people with a bipolar diagnosis against the negative effects of the climate crisis.
When conflict becomes calamity: Understanding the role of armed conflict dynamics in natural disasters
Authors: Hänze Niklas
Published: October 2024

Can armed conflict amplify the societal impacts and humanitarian consequences of natural hazards? Given that these hazards affect millions of people worldwide and that climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, it is paramount that we advance our understanding of what makes societies vulnerable to these hazards. Existing research has focused mainly on political violence as a consequence of natural hazard-related disasters but has neglected that conflict can also be an underlying factor that shapes the impact of these events. Consequently, we know little about whether and how exposure to violent armed conflict increases vulnerability to natural hazards. This study argues that the local dynamics of conflict can have a significant effect on vulnerability and empirically investigates how periods of high-intensity conflict can affect the humanitarian consequences of natural hazards in the context of tropical cyclones in the Philippines. By combining data on physical storm exposure with highly detailed subnational data on disaster fatalities and conflict events, the empirical analysis allows the identification of the independent effect of conflict on hazard impacts. Results show that local periods of high-intensity conflict significantly increase the humanitarian consequences of natural hazards. These results have important implications for research investigating the impacts of disasters on peace and conflict, as they show that the consequences of natural disasters depend fundamentally on pre-existing conflict dynamics.
Preservice Teachers’ Reflecting on Reflections of Critical Incidents: Effects on Professional Development and Identity Construction
Authors: Kabilan Muhammad Kamarul , Karim Abdul , Sultana Shahin , Rahman Mohammad Mosiur
Published: October 2024

This interpretive phenomenological study reports the effects of reflecting on reflections concerning Critical Incidents (CIs) on the pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) professional development and conceptualization of their identity as TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teachers. The study involved nine PSTs who were specializing in TESOL and doing their teaching practicum. The main instrument of the study was reflective writing, which required the PSTs to report CIs, write reflections, and share these for receiving peers’ reflections to further reflect on self-reflection and reflection of peers. The process enabled the participants to pursue professional development and conceive identity as TESOL teachers. This seemingly engaging, thought-provoking and meaningful reflective practice can be additive to the existing reflective practices, which have been questioned and debated in the literature. In pursuit of professional development and teacher identity, PSTs can be assigned to reflect on reflections with diverse elements of focus alongside CIs.
Study on influencing factors of controllable mechanical behavior of rock-like porous materials
Authors: Zhu Xiaojing , Qi Qingxin , Xiao Yonghui , Li Haitao
Published: October 2024

Due to the discrete and non-homogeneous of similar materials and the inability to realize large-size and original scale modeling, it is difficult to restore the structure and stress state of underground coal and rock mass in similar simulation tests. To solve this problem, a lightweight and suitable for large-scale modeling similar material, rock-like porous material has been developed. The quasi-static uniaxial compression experiment was carried out by using the large tonnage multi-module electronic control test system. And the influencing factors of controllable mechanical behavior of rock-like porous materials were studied. The results showed that, under uniaxial compression conditions, the material stress–strain curve exhibits three phases: elastic stage, failure stage, and platform stage. The uniaxial compressive strength, elasticity modulus, stress drop, and softening modulus of rock-like porous materials basically increase with the increase of density. The stress after peak strength changes from a slow decrease to a “stepped” or even “cliff like” downward trend. Polypropylene fibers have the effect of enhancing the uniaxial compressive strength, elasticity modulus, stress drop, softening modulus, shear deformation, and residual strength stability of rock-like porous materials. The rock-like porous material has a critical loading velocity, and it increases with density. At the critical loading velocity, the material shows obvious shear failure, and the shear inclination angle is the largest, and so is the uniaxial compressive strength. Through the experimental research, the influence laws of density, polypropylene fiber, and loading velocity on the failure mode, mechanical parameters, and mechanical behavior of the material are clarified, and the quantitative relationship between density and each mechanical parameter is obtained. The research is helpful to realize the accurate control of mechanical behavior of rock-like porous materials and further inverts the deformation and failure mechanism of underground coal and rock structures through indoor similar simulation tests.
‘The Optimism of the Intellect’: The Wor(l)ds of the Writerly Teacher Upendra Baxi
Authors: Kannabiran Kalpana
Published: October 2024

U Baxi, A Narain, L Liang, S Kakarala, S Chaganti, Of Law and Life: Upendra Baxi in Conversation With Arvind Narrain, Lawrence Liang, Sitharamam Kakarala, Sruti Chaganti, Orient BlackSwan, 2024, xxii + 582 pp., ₹2310, ISBN 978-93-5442-304-8 (Hardcover).

U Baxi, Towards a Sociology of Indian Law, Law and Justice Publishing Company, 2024, xxix + 250 pp., ₹425, ISBN 978-81-19129-94-2 (Paperback).
Some sound, some fury, signifying very little: Frantz Fanon and psychological scholarship in South Africa
Authors: Laubscher Leswin
Published: October 2024

Frantz Fanon has been an inspirational staple to a political, social, and economic understanding of South Africa for nearly 50 years. How, though, has South African psychology wrestled with, and appropriated, Fanon over the course of this time span? A review and analysis of all published references to Fanon in the South African Journal of Psychology, over a period of 40+ years, reveal a disappointingly superficial engagement with Fanonian theory, and a glaring neglect of clinical, research, and educational implications of Fanon’s praxis. Recommendations for a recommitted engagement with Fanon’s writings are provided.
Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine in post-stroke anxiety-A pilot prospective randomized open blinded endpoint (PROBE) study
Authors: Barki Satish , Vibha Deepti , Pachipala Sudhir , Tayade Kamalesh , Misra Shubham , Nath Manabesh , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Kumar Nand
Published: October 2024

Objective

The prevalence of post-stroke anxiety (PSA) is reported to be 20%–25%. There is insufficient evidence on the efficacy of antidepressants for treating anxiety in such patients. This Prospective Randomized Open Blinded Endpoint (PROBE) study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of fluoxetine in PSA.

Methods

In this single-center pilot study conducted in India, post-stroke patients (between 1 to 6 months) were randomized to fluoxetine (intervention group: 20 mg/day for 12 weeks) or standard medical care (control group). The primary outcome was improvement in the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) at 12 weeks. The secondary outcomes were anxiety remission (>50% improvement in HAM-A), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Barthel Index (BI), quality of life (SF-36), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). A linear regression analysis was done for determinants of HAM-A to account for baseline differences in the intervention and control groups.

Results

A total of 60 patients were randomized: (30: intervention, 30: control). The overall prevalence of post-stroke anxiety among participants in the study was 50.8%, and 31.5% experienced both anxiety and depression. The average HAM-A score at baseline was 11, and average follow-up score at study conclusion was 4. There was similar improvement in the HAM-A score at 12 weeks post-randomization in the intervention and control groups [fluoxetine: −8.0 (95% CI = −11.0 to −4.0); control: −7.0 (95% CI = −9.5 to −4.0); P = 0.91]. Likewise, there was no significant difference between intervention and control groups at 12 weeks post-randomization on the mRS, BI, SF-36, or HAM-D. There were no serious adverse events in either group during the study.

Conclusion

Fluoxetine and standard medical care had comparable improvement in HAM-A in post-stroke patients with mild anxiety at 12 weeks. Further study of the pharmacological treatment of post-stroke patients with more severe anxiety is needed.

Clinical trial registration

CTRI/2018/12/016568.
Gender dynamics in dual-earner couples: Spousal occupational status and working hours
Authors: Li Ping , Chen Xinmin
Published: October 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary households, this study explores how a spouse’s job status impacts working hours in dual-earner households, emphasizing gender dynamics. Analyzing data from the 2011–2017 Chinese General Social Survey, it finds that higher occupational status for either spouse correlates with reduced work hours for both genders. Yet, gender-specific differences arise. Husbands with higher job status tend to engage less in household chores, increasing women’s burden. This research deepens the understanding of labor market fairness and household division, emphasizing the necessity for a thorough investigation into these dynamics for precise insight into employment dynamics within dual-income families.
Mutual recognition across generations
Authors: Winter Steven L.
Published: October 2024

‘Sovereignty’, Arendt says, ‘is contradictory to’ the human condition. It is not, in any event, the kind of thing that can be shared across generations. Subsequent generations lack sovereignty to the precise degree that they are bound by the decisions of their predecessors. It is no answer to say that contemporary citizens participate in the sovereignty of a whole, transgenerational people. To paraphrase de Tocqueville, later generations are not free because they are not entirely equal, and they are not equal because they are not entirely free. Where ‘sovereignty’ is a metaphysical concept that transcends time, recognition is an act of the imagination that extends empathy diachronically in both directions. An earlier generation treats its successors with recognition and respect by bequeathing the best system it can manage and entrusting later generations to exercise the same freedom that it enjoyed. Democratic law can exist across generations only through negation. Later citizens may accept as valid the law made by their predecessors. But, in doing so, they implicitly affirm their right to alter, amend, or abolish what came before. Only by freely affirming the choices of their predecessors can current citizens participate in something approaching freedom.
Digital Economy and Urban Carbon Emissions: A Quasi-Natural Experiment of the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone in China
Authors: Pan Liqun , Zhang Yu , Li Jing , Lin Feng
Published: October 2024

In this study, we assess the impact of digital economy development on urban carbon emissions using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach based on the quasi-natural experiment of the national big data comprehensive pilot zone (NBDCPZ) policy and panel data from 168 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2019. We find that the establishment of NBDCPZ has a significant carbon emission reduction effect. This finding is robust to various sensitivity tests. Further mechanism validation illustrates that the construction of NBDCPZ promotes the regional digital development level and reduces urban carbon emissions through three channels: improving energy efficiency to optimize energy consumption, increasing green total factor productivity, and promoting the clustering of high-tech industries. The heterogeneity analysis concludes that the carbon emission reduction effect of NBDCPZ policy varies with different regional locations and different city characteristics. Moreover, using spatial models, we find that the positive impact is characterized by spatial spillover effect. The findings provide detailed empirical evidence to formulate urban development strategies for enabling carbon reduction of the digital economy.

JEL Classification: O30, Q53, Q55, Q58, R10
The arts as a tool for identity development: how an arts-integrated writers’ workshop fostered sense of self and agency in disabled students / Las artes como herramienta para el desarrollo identitario: cómo un taller de escritura que integra las artes fomentó el autoconcepto y la agencia en estudiantes con discapacidad
Authors: Subih Majd , Wojcik Teresa G. , Bialka Christa S.
Published: October 2024

This exploratory, qualitative case study examines the interplay between identity, arts integration and agency in an arts-integrated writing workshop for 10 disabled high school students in the United States. Participants were enrolled in a language arts classroom that offered a writers’ workshop every Tuesday for 16 weeks. Classroom observations, questionnaires, interviews and students’ artefacts provided insight into how the workshop served as a space for students to consider how to integrate their disability identity into their overall sense of self and the agency to choose when and how they wanted to share this part of themselves. This study expands upon current research by highlighting how arts integration equips disabled students with tools to cultivate a sense of self, develop agency and challenge normative discourse.
Exploring Consumer Sentiment toward Affordable Housing
Authors: Thomas Veronica L. , Karande Kiran , Airani Rajeev
Published: October 2024

The goal of this research is threefold: provide a framework of the affordable housing ecosystem, understand non-recipients’ perceptions of affordable housing, and identify communication strategies to garner support for affordable housing. To do so, we reviewed the literature, identifying key participants in the affordable housing ecosystem. Next, we conducted focus groups which revealed six themes comprising consumers’ perceptions of affordable housing: (1) the right to housing, (2) negative connotations of affordable housing, (3) benefits of affordable housing, (4) nuances of affordable housing, (5) the link to education, and (6) challenges due to a lack of affordable housing. These themes suggest that, consistent with past research, negative connotations about affordable housing exist. Importantly, positive associations also arose as participants discussed housing as a right, expressed a desire for more affordable housing, and associated access to housing with facilitating educational attainment, diversity, and a stronger sense of community. Finally, participants noted the critical role of multiple stakeholders in the affordable housing ecosystem to not only create but also ensure the viability of maintaining affordable housing. Drawing on these themes, we then propose broad messaging recommendations as well as potential messaging strategies to garner consumer support for affordable housing.
Consumer Support for Climate Policies Driven by Political Ideologies
Authors: Gomes Aline Ribeiro , Hamza Kavita Miadaira , Ferraz Sofia Batista , Pinochet Luis Hernan Contreras
Published: October 2024

Consumer support for climate policies is essential for new sustainable consumption patterns, which may face challenges considering the left-right political spectrum. This study aims to understand how different types of climate policies receive different levels of support from Liberals (Left), Moderates (Center), and Conservatives (Right). We analyzed data from an online panel with 1000 Brazilians through linear (ANOVA, MANOVA, and Correspondence Analysis) and non-linear predictive (Artificial Neural Networks) methods. Although Liberals are more concerned about overall global warming and climate change than Conservatives, both groups are more prone to support than to oppose climate change public policies. Moreover, while Moderates and Conservatives are getting more concerned about climate change, Liberals are becoming more pessimistic about mitigation strategies. Policies based on opportunity-facilitating or constraining using regulatory or economic instruments are associated differently with Liberals, Moderates, and Conservatives, indicating specific preferences for each political ideology.
Study on power characteristics of wind turbine on the Loess Plateau terrain based on wind tunnel experiment
Authors: Ma Yulong , Li Shoutu , Li Deshun , Gao Zhiteng , Guo Xingduo
Published: October 2024

In order to investigate the impact of the flow field on wind turbine power in northwest China’s Loess Plateau, a wind tunnel experiment was conducted using a self-designed model that simulated the actual terrain. By comparing experiments utilizing an ideal mountain model under varying incoming wind speeds, it was revealed that the Loess Plateau terrain resulted in an increased inflow wind speed for the wind turbine. This higher inflow wind speed led to an approximate 5% increase in output power but also caused about a 6.1% rise in power fluctuations. Through analysis of the power spectrum of the output, it was discovered that turbulence below the decoupling frequency strongly modulates the output power of the wind turbine. This study also provided insights into spatial scale ranges where incoming flow turbulence structures can modulate output power, ranging from approximately 0.3 times to 5 times the diameter of rotor blades.
Association of HLA class II alleles and haplotypes with bullous and mucus membrane pemphigoid risk: A systematic review, a meta-analysis and a meta-regression
Authors: Dhaouadi Tarak , Riahi Awatef , Ben Abdallah Taïeb , Gorgi Yousr , Sfar Imen
Published: October 2024

Although, several studies have assessed the association of HLA Class II and genes with bullous pemphigoid (BP) and mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), results were inconsistent and between-studies heterogeneity needs to be investigated. An electronic literature search for eligible studies among all papers published prior to May 31, 2024, was conducted through PubMed, EMBASE, Web of science and Scopus databases. Meta-analyses together with subgroup analyses and meta-regressions were performed for the three following HLA genes: DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1. Combined analyses revealed a significant increase in pemphigoid risk conferred by the following alleles: DQB1*0301, DRB1*11, DRB1*1101 subtype and DQA1*0505, all p-values <.001. However, there was a moderate to high level of between-studies heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses revealed that the risk conferred by the aforementioned alleles was significantly higher in case of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors induced BP (DBP) comparatively to idiopathic BP and MMP. In addition, the risk conferred by the DQB1*0301 was significantly higher in MMP (OR [95% CI] = 5.25 [4.03–6.84]) than in BP (OR [95% CI] = 2.22 [1.87–2.65]), p = .007. Besides, the DRB1*1101-DQB1*0301 and DRB1*11-DQA1*05-DQB1*0301 haplotypes were significantly associated with an increased pemphigoid risk, both p-values <.001. Conversely, the DQA1*0201 allele was significantly associated with reduced pemphigoid risk (OR [95% CI] = 0.3 [0.17–0.52]), with no between-studies heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, p = .76). This meta-analysis demonstrated that the DRB1*1101, DQA1*0505 and DQB1*0301 were significantly associated with increased pemphigoid risk. These associations were found to be significantly stronger in case of DBP comparatively to idiopathic pemphigoid. The DQA1*0201 allele seems to play a protective role against pemphigoid. Registration: This review has been registered on PROSPERO: CRD42024552821, Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024552821 .
Physical Activity and Acute Care Utilization Among Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
Authors: Bartley Mairead M. , St Sauver Jennifer L. , Schroeder Darrell R. , Khera Nandita , Fortune Emma , Griffin Joan M.
Published: October 2024

People living with dementia have high rates of hospitalizations. Identifying factors that influence hospitalization is important. This study examines the influence of physical activity levels on risk of hospitalization and emergency department (ED) use among older people living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia followed in our primary care practice in Rochester, Minnesota, United States. We included those age 55 years and older, who had a clinic visit between June 1, 2019 and June 30, 2021 and completed a social determinants of health questionnaire about physical activity levels ( n = 3090). Physical activity was classified as sufficiently active, insufficiently active, or physically inactive. Risk of hospitalization and ED visits by physical activity levels were examined. People who were physically inactive were at higher risk of hospitalization and ED visits ( p < .001) compared with those who were sufficiently active. This highlights an area for health promotion in people living with MCI and dementia.
Assessing Older Adults’ Readiness for Adopting Fall Prevention Recommendations Using the Transtheoretical Stages of Change
Authors: Mark Janice A. , Henry Ankita , Moreland Briana , Dobash Dawson , Bergen Gwen
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Reducing fall risk requires older adults (age 65+) to adopt effective prevention strategies. This study has three aims: 1) understand Stage of Change (SOC) for three fall prevention strategies; 2) determine strategies older adults’ use; and 3) understand which characteristics relate to readiness to take action. Methods: A survey of 1063 older adults assessed fall risk, SOC, and use of fall prevention strategies. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results: The most common SOC for older adults by strategy was action for overall fall prevention (61%), contemplation for medication management (45%), and preparation and action for strength/balance (29% each). Believing falls are preventable was most strongly related to being in a Change stage (e.g., action, maintenance) for overall fall prevention (Risk Ratio: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7). Discussion: Health promotion can focus on increasing knowledge of evidence-based fall prevention strategies to encourage older adults to take action.
Serviced Housing for Older People and Prevention of Functional Decline: A One-year Follow-up Study in Japan
Authors: Kawaguchi Kenjiro , Ueno Takayuki , Ide Kazushige , Kondo Katsunori
Published: October 2024

Serviced Housing for Older People (SHOP) is a community-based housing model in Japan that provides barrier-free apartments and support services for residents. Whether the SHOP model has positive effects on residents’ health remains unclear. This follow-up study examines the association between living in SHOPs and functional decline. Using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, we compared functional decline risks at one-year follow-up between older adults living in conventional housing ( n = 2202) and SHOP residents ( n = 160). Functional decline risk was assessed using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and Care-Need Risk Assessment Scale (CNRAS). SHOPs residents had lower KCL and CNRAS scores than older adults living in conventional housing. In sensitivity analyses, these associations remained unchanged. The results, thus, showed that residing in SHOPs was associated with reduced functional decline; therefore, SHOPs designed to support residents’ physical and social health could be important for supporting aging in place.
Reactive oxygen species-responsive nano gel as a carrier, combined with photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy for the treatment of brucellosis
Authors: Qin Yuchang , Xu Yuanyuan , Lin Fuli , Qiu Yinwei , Luo Yujie , Lv Xuan , Liu Tianyu , Li Yongsheng , Liu Zhiyong , Yang Shengchao
Published: October 2024

Brucellosis is an intracellular infectious disease that is primarily treated with antibacterial therapy. However, most antibacterial drugs struggle to penetrate the cell membrane and may be excluded or inactivated within the cell. In a recent study, researchers developed a nanogel coated with polydopamine (PDA) that responds to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and has enhanced adhesion properties. This nanogel encapsulates photosensitized zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and an antibacterial drug, and is further modified with folic acid (FA) for active targeting. The resulting ROS-responsive nanogel, termed PDA@PMAA@ZnPc@DH-FA, can reach temperatures up to 50°C under near-infrared light, leading to a 72.1% improvement in drug release through increased ROS production. Cell staining confirmed a cell survival rate above 75%, with a low hemolysis rate of only 4.633%, indicating excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, the study’s results showed that the nanogel exhibited stronger killing effects against Brucella compared to administering the drug alone. Under near-infrared irradiation, the nanogel achieved a bacteriostatic rate of 99.8%. The combined approach of photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy offers valuable insights for treating Brucella.
Chronicity of Violence Foretold: Toward an Integrated Theory of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Shaked Omer Zvi , Baum Nehami
Published: October 2024

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a worldwide social problem. The current study explores underlining mechanisms of phenomenon by tying together intergenerational transmission theory, socialization theory, and trauma theory. It learns from men how the father figure shaped by their childhood experiences has contributed to their violence, how the father’s socialization to manhood has affected their intimate relations, and how they understand the effect of being exposed to the father’s violence on their own intimate relationships and violence. Interviews with 25 Israeli men were analyzed thematically in the phenomenological approach. Thematic analysis revealed five themes describing men’s experiences of their father’s aggression and detachment; men’s experience of their intimate relations; men’s image of women; men’s fear of being infected or conquered by their partners’ emotionality; and an overarching theme describing the understanding that men and women are destined to live in an intractable conflict that only violence can end. The interviewees explained that when hardened detached men raised by violent fathers interact with an emotional woman, they experience painful feelings and are threatened by her emotionality; consequently, they will use violence against that threat to stop their pain. The findings support a multidimensional integrative perspective of IPV and call for a theoretical synthesis of these men’s models of violence. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Synchronous flying-around control for uncontrolled tumbling spacecraft
Authors: Liu Jianghui , Peng Qibo , Zhang Hailian , Zhou Jianping
Published: October 2024

The problem of synchronous flying-around control for uncontrolled tumbling target spacecraft is investigated in the paper. Firstly, the relative motion equations of the chaser and the target is established based on the line of sight (LOS) coordinate system, and the scenario of the chaser flying-around uncontrolled tumbling target is analyzed. Secondly, the attitude motion model of the uncontrolled tumbling target is established, and the attitude of the target is described by the Modified Rodriguez Parameters (MRPs). The synchronous flying-around problem is transformed into a two-dimensional control problem in the instantaneous rotation plane of LOS (IRPL). The sliding mode controller is designed to control the LOS direction and vertical LOS direction of the chaser in the IRPL, and the stability of the controller is analyzed. In order to verify the effectiveness of the synchronous flying-around control method, three simulation scenarios are designed. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Downregulation of miR-138-5p alleviates propofol-induced neurotoxicity and autophagy by regulating SIRT1
Authors: Zhang Xiaolong , Wang Yiqiao , Xu Feng , Zhao Binbin , Liang Xiangnan , Shu Jianwei
Published: October 2024

Background

Propofol, a commonly utilized anesthetic, has been shown to induce neurotoxicity in developing neurons. A previous study showed that microRNA (miR)-138-5p was dysregulated in hippocampus tissue of mice administrated with propofol. The current study aimed to investigate the functions of miR-138-5p and its target gene in propofol-induced neurotoxicity.

Methods

SH-SY5Y neuronal cells were treated with increasing doses of propofol for indicated time to identify the optimal concentration and treatment time. MiR-138-5p and SIRT1 expression in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells stimulated with propofol were measured by RT-qPCR. Western blotting was performed to quantify protein levels of SIRT1 and autophagy markers. After interference of miR-138-5p and/or SIRT1 expression, the toxicity of SH-SY5Y neuronal cells was evaluated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays and flow cytometry. The formation of autophagosomes was estimated by monodansylcadaverine staining.

Results

Propofol induced neurotoxicity in a dose- or time-dependent manner. Propofol upregulated miR-138-5p while downregulating SIRT1 in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. The propofol-stimulated neurotoxicity and autophagy was inhibited by miR-138-5p knockdown. Moreover, miR-138-5p bound to SIRT1 3′untranslated region. SIRT1 overexpression increased cell viability while inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy in the context of propofol. SIRT1 downregulation reversed the ameliorative effect of miR-138-5p inhibition on propofol-induced neurotoxicity and autophagy.

Conclusion

Downregulation of miR-138-5p alleviates propofol-induced neurotoxicity and autophagy via upregulation of SIRT1.
Procedure Prioritization During a Nationwide Ban on Non-Urgent Healthcare: A Quasi-Experimental Retrospective Study of Hospital Data in Switzerland
Authors: Grischott Thomas , Mehra Tarun , Meyer Matthias R , Senn Oliver , Rachamin Yael
Published: October 2024

Background:

During the COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020, Switzerland restricted non-urgent healthcare services to safeguard capacity. While prioritization of care was supposed to be driven by medical urgency, demographic factors or economic incentives might have influenced the hospitals’ resource allocation decisions.

Objectives:

This study investigates potential determinants of procedure prioritization in hospitalized patients during the lockdown period.

Design:

Quasi-experimental retrospective study of hospital data in Switzerland.

Methods:

We analyzed 496 456 adult patients with known insurance status and a recorded procedure, admitted for cardiovascular, orthopedic/musculoskeletal or oncological reasons from January 2017 (3 years before the COVID-19 outbreak) to mid-April 2020 (in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic), to obtain admission rate ratios (ARRs, “lockdown” admission rates divided by “normal” rates) from negative binomial regression analysis of fortnightly admissions for frequent procedure-diagnosis combinations. Quade and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared ARRs between sex×age, insurance and comorbidity strata.

Results:

Admission rates showed significant reductions for 29 of 53 procedure-diagnosis combinations. Reductions varied strongly by emergency, with largest decreases in orthopedic procedures for arthrosis (osteoarthritis) and non-arthritic joint disorders, and the smallest in cerebral imaging for stroke patients and surgical procedures for malignant neoplasms. The only difference in ARRs between strata was a stronger decrease in admission rates for cardiovascular combinations for patients with private versus basic health insurance.

Conclusion:

While medical procedures were affected to varying degrees by the ban on non-urgent healthcare during the COVID-19 lockdown, we found no robust evidence that factors other than medical urgency influenced healthcare prioritization.