bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Murine IRF8 Mutation Offers New Insight into Osteoclast and Root Resorption
Authors: Das A. , Yesupatham S.K. , Allison D. , Tanwar H. , Gnanasekaran J. , Kear B. , Wang X. , Wang S. , Zachariadou C. , Abbasi Y. , Chung M.K. , Ozato K. , Liu C. , Foster B.L. , Thumbigere-Math V.
Published: February 2024

Interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8), a transcription factor expressed in immune cells, functions as a negative regulator of osteoclasts and helps maintain dental and skeletal homeostasis. Previously, we reported that a novel mutation in the IRF8 gene increases susceptibility to multiple idiopathic cervical root resorption (MICRR), a form of tooth root resorption mediated by increased osteoclast activity. The IRF8 G388S variant in the highly conserved C-terminal motif is predicted to alter the protein structure, likely impairing IRF8 function. To investigate the molecular basis of MICRR and IRF8 function in osteoclastogenesis, we generated Irf8 knock-in ( KI) mice using CRISPR/Cas9 technique modeling the human IRF8 G388S mutation. The heterozygous (Het) and homozygous (Homo) Irf8 KI mice showed no gross morphological defects, and the development of hematopoietic cells was unaffected and similar to wild-type (WT) mice. The Irf8 KI Het and Homo mice showed no difference in macrophage gene signatures important for antimicrobial defenses and inflammatory cytokine production. Consistent with the phenotype observed in MICRR patients, Irf8 KI Het and Homo mice demonstrated significantly increased osteoclast formation and resorption activity in vivo and in vitro when compared to WT mice. The oral ligature–inserted Het and Homo mice displayed significantly increased root resorption and osteoclast-mediated alveolar bone loss compared to WT mice. The increased osteoclastogenesis noted in KI mice is due to the inability of IRF8 G388S mutation to inhibit NFATc1-dependent transcriptional activation and downstream osteoclast specific transcripts, as well as its impact on autophagy-related pathways of osteoclast differentiation. This translational study delineates the IRF8 domain important for osteoclast function and provides novel insights into the IRF8 mutation associated with MICRR. IRF8 G388S mutation mainly affects osteoclastogenesis while sparing immune cell development and function. These insights extend beyond oral health and significantly advance our understanding of skeletal disorders mediated by increased osteoclast activity and IRF8’s role in osteoclastogenesis.
Developing a narrative theory of deception for the analysis of mock-Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS) accounts
Authors: Moffett Lee , Oxburgh Gavin E , Dresser Paul , Gabbert Fiona
Published: February 2024

Human source intelligence (HUMINT) practitioners are concerned with detecting informant deception, and previous research indicates that the verbal content of an informant’s narrative can be used to identify potential deceit. The current study extends previous research by analysing the narrative structure and narrative identity of accounts provided by 22 participants undertaking the role of a mock-informant. Results indicate that deception affects the structure of a mock-informant narrative, with deceptive mock-informants employing abstract introductions and evaluative remarks to withhold information and to distract their listeners with emotional content. Additionally, deceptive mock-informants are more likely to express a low potency narrative role, such as a victim or tragic hero. Furthermore, there is tentative evidence to suggest that an analysis of narrative identity can also provide an indication of varying levels of motivation and cooperation among truthful mock-informants. These findings have implications for HUMINT practitioners in the field and add to the wider body of deception detection research.
Public Health Accountability in Action: The King County Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group
Authors: Wysen Kirsten , Valenzuela Matías , Barrington Wendy E. , Teferi Yordanos , Evans Aselefech , Kiros Bereket , Merriweather Michelle , Zuniga Martha
Published: February 2024

After a tumultuous 3 years of pandemic-, political-, and race-related unrest in the United States, the public is demanding accountability to communities of color (defined here as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic people) to rectify historic and contemporary injustices that perpetuate health inequities and threaten public health. Structural racism pervades all major societal systems and exposes people to detrimental social determinants of health. Disrupting structural racism within public health systems is essential to advancing health equity and requires organized partnerships between health departments and community leaders. As those who are most affected by structural racism, communities of color are the experts in knowing its impacts. This case study describes the King County Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group (PARCAG) and its use of an innovative accountability tool. The tool facilitated institutional transparency and accountability in the adoption of community recommendations. PARCAG was influential in shaping Public Health–Seattle & King County’s COVID-19 and antiracism work, with 66 of 75 (88%) recommendations adopted partially or fully. For example, a fully adopted recommendation in May 2020 was to report King County COVID-19 case data by race and ethnicity, and a partially adopted recommendation was to translate COVID-19 information into additional languages. PARCAG members were recruited from a 2019 advisory board on Census 2020 and were adept at shifting to advising on COVID-19 and equitable practices and policies. Organizations that have made declarations that racism is a public health crisis should center the experiences, expertise, and leadership of communities of color in accountable ways when developing and implementing strategies to disrupt and repair the effects of structural racism and efforts to promote and protect public health.
Hepatitis C Virus Testing, Infection, and Cases Reported Through Public Health Surveillance During Expanded Screening Recommendations, United States, 2013-2021
Authors: Ly Kathleen N. , Niles Justin K. , Jiles Ruth B. , Kaufman Harvey W. , Weng Mark K. , Patel Priti , Meyer William A. , Thompson William W. , Thompson Nicola D.
Published: February 2024

Objectives:

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common bloodborne infection in the United States. We assessed trends in HCV testing, infection, and surveillance cases among US adults.

Methods:

We used Quest Diagnostics data from 2013-2021 to assess trends in the numbers tested for HCV antibody and proportion of positivity for HCV antibody and HCV RNA. We also assessed National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System 2013-2020 data for trends in the number and proportion of hepatitis C cases. We applied joinpoint regression for trends testing.

Results:

Annual HCV antibody testing increased from 1.7 million to 4.8 million from 2013 to 2021, and the positivity proportion declined (average, 0.2% per year) from 5.5% to 3.7%. The greatest percentage-point increase in HCV antibody testing occurred in hospitals and substance use disorder treatment facilities and among addiction medicine providers. HCV RNA positivity was stable at about 60% in 2013-2015 and declined to 41.0% in 2021 (2015-2021 average, −3.2% per year). Age-specific HCV RNA positivity was highest among people aged 40-59 years during 2013-2015 and among people aged 18-39 years during 2016-2021. The number of reported hepatitis C cases (acute and chronic) declined from 179 341 in 2015 to 105 504 in 2020 (average decline, −13 177 per year). The proportion of hepatitis C cases among those aged 18-39 years increased by an average of 1.4% per year during 2013-2020; among individuals aged 40-59 years, it decreased by an average of 2.3% per year during 2013-2018.

Conclusions:

HCV testing increased, suggesting improved universal screening. Various data sources are valuable for monitoring elimination progress.
Having Plans for the Future in Very Old People
Authors: Bergfrid Martin , Gustafson Yngve , Littbrand Håkan , Olofsson Birgitta , Weidung Bodil
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of having plans for the future among very old people and the factors associated with having such plans. A longitudinal population-based study with home visits for 85-, 90-, and ≥95-year-old participants in Sweden and Finland was used. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional-hazards regression models with a maximum 5-year follow-up period were used. The prevalence of having plans for the future was 18.6% (174/936). More men than women and more people living in Sweden than in Finland had plans for the future. In multivariate models, having plans for the future was associated with speaking Swedish, being dentate, and living in the community in the total sample; speaking Swedish and being dentate among women; and speaking Swedish, having a lower Geriatric Depression Scale score, and urban residence among men. Having plans for the future was associated univariately, but not multivariately, with increased survival.
Spiritual Surrender: Initial Appraisals of Cancer Diagnoses in Black Christian Women
Authors: Hall M. Elizabeth Lewis , Lee Grace E. , McMartin Jason , Abernethy Alexis , Shannonhouse Laura , Park Crystal L. , Aten Jamie , Kapic Kelly , Silverman Eric J.
Published: February 2024

The basis of the meaning-making model is that distress results from discrepancies between one’s global meaning system and one’s situational appraisals of negative life events. This model suggests a preventative function for religion when religious global beliefs inform situational appraisals in ways that minimize distress. Using consensual qualitative research, we evaluated the initial reactions to a cancer diagnosis of 29 Black Christian women. We examined how the women appraised the cancer diagnosis and how this appraisal was related to reported distress. Our results indicated that lower levels of distress were related to believing that God was faithful, while higher levels of distress were related to beliefs in retributive justice and cancer as a death sentence. Lower distress was further related to spiritual surrender, a religious coping practice that combines entrusting the outcome of one’s cancer experience to God and actively pursuing treatment. We discuss spiritual surrender as a collaborative religious coping strategy and highlight its importance in informing culturally sensitive psychological interventions.
Symbolic power of sports journalists as challenged by external recognition of women’s sports performance
Authors: Guyot Robin , Ohl Fabien , Schoch Lucie
Published: February 2024

This study examines journalists’ working experiences to understand how they hinder the recognition of female footballers’ performances. It relies on 16 semi-structured interviews with Swiss sports journalists on Swiss French-speaking television. Guided by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory, the study shows that advancements in the recognition of women’s football are promoted by a combination of external actors’ economic and political powers, while hindrances arise from internal factors within sports journalism. The embodied norms, routines and professional practices of journalists – that define performance as physical capital and naturalize hierarchies between women’s and men’s football – are disrupted by the credit (i.e. symbolic capital) given to women’s football by the Swiss football league and sponsors for political and economic reasons. This specific case of football enhances our understanding of the cultural and social factors that hinder the recognition and appreciation of performances by women in sports. Further, the study largely highlights how texts and their symbolic power are embedded in the social conditions of information production.
Catastrophe to Consensus: Hegemonic performativity in climate adaptation
Authors: Wissman Nichole , Levy David , Nyberg Daniel
Published: February 2024

As the impacts of climate change unfold, coastal cities are beginning to adapt to the emerging physical and financial risks. In our case study of climate adaptation in Boston, we advance the concept of hegemonic performativity, which shows how political pressures lead an assemblage – a network of human and nonhuman actors, including models, algorithms, instruments, market devices, and experts – to converge on a consensus in ways that privilege particular goals, actors, interests, and forms of knowledge. Our findings show how an assemblage is performative in building consensus around a particular climate response that tames uncertainty by excluding extreme risks and incorporating more palatable scenarios and parameters so that adaptation appears manageable and compatible with business-as-(almost)-usual. The mechanism of silencing facilitates consensus by downplaying community voices, equity concerns, and more extreme climate scenarios. Our study highlights how the operation of an assemblage is performative in shaping adaptation plans, physical interventions in urban infrastructure, and associated financial mechanisms with considerable effects on who and what is protected.
Impact of the Work Environment on Nurse Outcomes: A Mediation Analysis
Authors: Boudreau Caroline , Rhéaume Ann
Published: February 2024

Background:

The nursing workforce remains in a vulnerable state post pandemic as working conditions are difficult and exacerbated by a global nursing shortage. Identifying factors leading to turnover intentions are thus critical for health care system recovery.

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of nurses’ work environment and the pandemic on missed nursing care, scope of practice, emotional exhaustion, and intent to leave.

Methods:

This study was a cross-sectional, self-reporting online survey, sent to hospital-based nurses in a Canadian province (n = 419). Mediation analysis was used to examine both direct and indirect effects of work environment and COVID-19 impact on nurse outcomes (emotional exhaustion and intent to leave) through missed care and scope of practice.

Results:

The results showed that 73% of nurses were considering leaving the profession. Several direct and indirect pathways predicted emotional exhaustion and intent to leave. A better work environment was related to both decreased emotional exhaustion and intent to leave. Nurses’ scope of practice partially mediated the relationship between work environment and intent to leave. On the other hand, missed care did not mediate emotional exhaustion or intent to leave.

Conclusions:

While considering the global nursing shortage, it is imperative to implement strategies to promote nurses’ well-being and their retention within the health care system.
Aortic versus axillary cannulation in acute type A aortic dissection repair: A meta-analysis
Authors: Yamashita Yoshiyuki , Sicouri Serge , Dokollari Aleksander , Rodriguez Roberto , Goldman Scott M. , Ramlawi Basel
Published: February 2024

Background

Research comparing the effectiveness of central aortic cannulation to axillary artery cannulation in repairing acute type A aortic dissection is limited and controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to compare early outcomes of central aortic cannulation versus axillary artery cannulation for surgery for acute aortic dissection type A.

Methods

A comprehensive systematic search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to September 1, 2023. The primary endpoints were operative mortality and incidence of postoperative stroke. Secondary endpoints encompassed cardiopulmonary bypass time, myocardial ischemic time, hypothermic circulatory arrest time, postoperative temporary neurological dysfunction, combination of stroke and temporary neurological dysfunction, as well as the need for reexploration for bleeding, renal replacement therapy, and tracheotomy. A random-effect model was utilized to calculate the pooled effect size.

Results

Eleven studies met our eligibility criteria, enrolling a total of 7204 patients (2760 underwent aortic cannulation and 4444 underwent axillary cannulation). The operative mortality and incidence of postoperative stroke did not show statistical differences between the two groups, with a pooled odds ratio of 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 0.73–1.55) and 1.17 (0.95–1.42), respectively. Similarly, none of the secondary endpoints exhibited significant statistical differences between the two groups.

Conclusions

Aortic cannulation can be a viable alternative to axillary artery cannulation for repair of acute aortic dissection type A, as both approaches present similar early clinical outcomes.
Physical assessment for athletes with visual impairments: Perspectives based on sonorous and tactile stimuli
Authors: Kons Rafael Lima , Carvalho Raiane , Dantas João Gabriel Alves da Silva
Published: February 2024

Visual impairment is one of the disabilities that is eligible within the Paralympic system to participate in competitions in specific sports modalities. Competitiveness has grown over the years and athletes are increasingly looking for strategies to maximize their performance, especially related to physical capabilities important for specific tasks in each competition sport. In the direction of this aspect, evaluation of the physical performance of athletes with visual impairment is a relevant factor, mainly because the lack of vision can cause some insecurities when carrying out tests involving high-intensity tasks, which are a part of sports for athletes with visual impairment. In this sense, the current article presents some strategies for adapting physical tests and their prospective applications in athletes with visual impairment, as well as some paths of investigation that can be followed by adaptations based on sound and tactile stimuli, or both together.
What is the impact of antidepressant side effects on medication adherence among adult patients diagnosed with depressive disorder: A systematic review
Authors: Niarchou Eleni , Roberts LH , Naughton Bernard D.
Published: February 2024

Background:

Medication adherence is a prerequisite to achieving beneficial treatment outcomes. In major depressive disorder, many patients fail to complete medication regimens, raising concern for poor treatment outcomes. It is usual to experience adverse drug reactions (ADRs) while taking antidepressants, and relative discomfort is reported by patients.

Aims:

The present review focuses on the presence of antidepressant-related side effects and the subsequent relationship with medication non-adherence.

Methods:

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Following the preliminary research, the research question and eligibility criteria were created based on the PICO framework. All articles retrieved from the selected databases were exported to Covidence, a Systematic Review managing software tool. Two reviewers assessed the papers to identify the risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies. Seven studies with a low–moderate risk of bias fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were conducted from 2013 to 2020 in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Results:

The results demonstrated high levels of suboptimal adherence ranging from 46% to 83% amongst the studied population. A variety of side effects were reported by a significant number of participants predominantly with moderate severity. A correlation between the presence of ADRs and suboptimal rates of adherence to antidepressants was found. Somnolence and headaches among other unspecified ADRs were found to increase the dropout rates for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Conclusions:

The present study elucidates the need for effective interventions to facilitate antidepressant adherence and enhance doctor–patient communication, benefiting both the individuals and the healthcare system and leading to better clinical outcomes and reduction of relapse-related costs.
Apolipoprotein C-III amyloidosis in white lions (Panthera leo)
Authors: Kobayashi Natsumi , Iwaide Susumu , Fukui Hiroto , Une Yumi , Itoh Yoshiyuki , Hisada Miki , Murakami Tomoaki
Published: February 2024

Apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC-III) amyloidosis in humans is a hereditary amyloidosis caused by a D25V mutation in the APOC3 gene. This condition has only been reported in a French family and not in animals. We analyzed a 19-year-old white lion ( Panthera leo) that died in a Japanese safari park and found renal amyloidosis characterized by severe deposition confined to the renal corticomedullary border zone. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis identified ApoC-III as a major component of renal amyloid deposits. Amyloid deposits were also positive for ApoC-III by immunohistochemistry. Based on these results, this case was diagnosed as ApoC-III amyloidosis for the first time in nonhuman animals. Five additional white lions were also tested for amyloid deposition retrospectively. ApoC-III amyloid deposition was detected in 3 white lions aged 19 to 21 years but not in 2 cases aged 0.5 and 10 years. Genetic analysis of white and regular-colored lions revealed that the APOC3 sequences of the lions were identical, regardless of amyloid deposition. These results suggest that ApoC-III amyloidosis in lions, unlike in humans, may not be a hereditary condition but an age-related condition. Interestingly, lion ApoC-III has a Val30 substitution compared with other species of Panthera that have Met30. Structural predictions suggest that the conformation of ApoC-III with Met30 and ApoC-III with Val30 are almost identical, but this substitution may alter the ability to bind to lipids. As with the D25V mutation in human ApoC-III, the Val30 substitution in lions may increase the proportion of free ApoC-III, leading to amyloid formation.
Analysis of triadic interaction between parents, their preterm infants, and a sonorous object
Authors: Jánez-Álvarez María , Moreno-Llanos Iván , Santacatalina-Pulido Cristina , De León-Barrios Yinay José , García-Laredo Eduardo , Del Olmo-Barros María Jesús , Rodríguez-Garrido Cintia
Published: February 2024

In the period between birth and approximately 9 months, adults introduce infants to triadic (adult–infant–object) communication. The objective of this study is to explore how early triadic interactions arise and develop in moderate–late preterm infants. We observed and analyzed seven preterm infants at 2, 3, and 4 months of age in triadic interactions with a caregiver and a sonorous object. In the first 2 months of the infant’s life, the responsibility for the interaction rests with the adult. As time went by, parents used a wider range of semiotic systems to communicate with the child, about and through the object. The results demonstrated the presence of triadic interactions in a preterm population beginning in the third month of life. Interaction is structured with the object, its sound, rhythm, and pauses. The parents’ use of pauses was adjusted to the child’s availability. These pauses became longer and more communicative over time, which allowed more participation on the part of the infants. Communication is facilitated by the rhythmic components of the triadic interaction (time/pauses/structure of the interaction sequence).
Intra-mediary expertise: Trans-science and expert understanding of the public
Authors: Kumaki Hiroko
Published: February 2024

What is the role of experts and their expertise in the context of trans-science, in which issues that are raised in scientific terms cannot be answered by science alone? This article examines the discourses and practices around safety of low-dose exposure to radiation in the ongoing aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in Japan in 2011. Following the nuclear fallout, scientific experts and STS scholars in Japan debated what forms of science communication were adequate to address the situation. Ethnographic research and textual analysis of their debates show a shift in emphasis on the role of experts from cultivating ‘public understanding of science’ for the sake of science and policy to an ‘expert understanding of the public’ for the sake of the public and its diverse everyday concerns. Two forms of expertise are emerging: ‘co-expertise’ and ‘intra-mediary expertise’. Both are parts of a transition from a paternalistic form of expertise to one that acknowledges the need to engage the public to address issues of scientific uncertainty. However, co-expertise ultimately upholds the existing political structures that shape risk governance, while intra-mediary expertise engages those often excluded from current structures of accountability. Discussion of the potentials and limitations of emerging forms of expertise in Japan show that epistemic justice is not enough. Civic justice that acknowledges diverse publics and their needs must be upheld in the uncertain sphere between science, politics, and everyday life.
Acontractile detrusor as an initial presentation of sacral spinal cord lesion: Case series
Authors: Abushamma Faris , Abu Alwafa Rola , Aghbar Amir , Maree Mosab , Sweileh Moutaz , Akkawi Maha
Published: February 2024

Objectives:

This study aims to investigate cases of acontractile bladder as the initial presentation of benign and malignant spinal conditions. The focus is on the challenges in making a diagnosis and the importance of a thorough neurological evaluation.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective case series involving three patients who exhibited symptoms of acontractile bladder. Detailed clinical histories, urodynamic studies, and imaging techniques such as lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were analyzed. Histopathological findings from relevant biopsies were also taken into account.

Results:

Case 1: A 14-year-old female presented with urinary retention, back pain, and an acontractile bladder on urodynamic study. Further examination, including lumbosacral MRI and histopathology, confirmed a diagnosis of metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma. Case 2: A 39-year-old female with urinary incontinence and elevated post-void residual exhibited delayed bladder sensation. Lumbar spine MRI revealed a grade I Schwannoma after surgical resection. Case 3: A 15-year-old male with lower urinary tract symptoms and an acontractile detrusor on urodynamic study was found to have a Tarlov cyst on lumbosacral MRI.

Conclusion:

Atonic or Underactive bladder syndrome may be the initial presentation of a serious spinal condition. Complete neurological evaluation is mandatory if no obvious clinical cause.
Silver nanoparticle reinforced polylactic acid and gelatin composite films for advanced wound dressing
Authors: Akter Yeasmin , Islam Md Minhajul , Akter Md Shamim , Afrin Khodeja , Alam Md Saiful , Haque Papia , Bahadur Newaz Mohammed
Published: February 2024

Multifunctional and biodegradable dressings with high mechanical strength and good antibacterial activity are crucial in fundamental health services. This study was initiated to prepare a novel curative wound dressing film consisting of natural biodegradable gelatin (G) and polylactic acid (PLA) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) where glutaraldehyde (GA) was used as compatibilizer. The prepared composite films addressed the poor thermal and biological stability of G and the limited fluid retention capacity of PLA. Silver nanoparticles were prepared by basic chemical reduction and reinforced on polymer films using simple solvent casting, which obviated common clinical infections and accelerated wound closure rate ( p < .05). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies confirmed composite formation through H-bonding and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed increased crystallinity due to incorporating AgNPs. Films with G, PLA & GA (50:50:5 by volume) introduced the best elasticity & strength with excellent fluid retention properties ( p < .05). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images unfolded surface morphology and presence of agglomerated AgNPs on film surfaces. Prepared films exhibited significant antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas sp. and showed excellent cell viability (>97 %) in Vero cell line. Finally, an in vivo mouse model study showed 99.7 % contraction ( p < .05) within 12 days, which was most effectual and 12 % faster than conventional gauge bandages. These results demonstrated the promising and cost-effective potential of the prepared film for wound healing.
Barriers and Facilitators Impacting Disease and Symptom Management Among College Students With Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study
Authors: McFadden Ny’Nika T. , Wilkerson Amanda H. , Jaiswal Jessica , Chaney Beth H. , Stellefson Michael L. , Carmack Heather J. , Lovett Kylie
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators impacting disease and symptom management among college students living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

Design

A qualitative, phenomenological approach using semi-structured, one-on-one interviews.

Setting

Interviews conducted on Zoom (n = 28) and in-person (n = 3).

Participants

Purposive sample of 31 college students living with T1D for at least 2 years who attended large, 4-year public universities in the Southeastern United States.

Method

This study was theoretically informed using the Middle-Range Theory of Self-Care of Chronic Illness Integration of Symptoms to develop interview questions. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and uploaded in NVivo. Data were analyzed thematically using a codebook developed by the research team using the theory as a framework. Trustworthiness was established using an audit trail, memos, and negative case analysis.

Results

Four themes described barriers: diabetes burnout, challenges adjusting to a college lifestyle, difficulty receiving medical supplies, and insurance limitations. Five themes explained facilitators: years of experience managing T1D, tangible support with medical supplies, informational support for disease management, and emotional/technological support for disease and symptom management.

Conclusion

Barriers and facilitators in this study should be addressed in future T1D interventions for college students. Findings can also guide healthcare professionals, health promotion practitioners, family, friends, and significant others on how to better support college students as they manage T1D.
Nanocomposites of thermoplastic matrices with non-covalent fullerene reinforcement—Structural diversity, physical impact and potential
Authors: Kausar Ayesha , Ahmad Ishaq
Published: February 2024

Fullerene has been acknowledged as a significant nanocarbon nanofiller enhancing the imperative polymer characteristics. Since, thermoplastic polymers constitute a large group of polymeric materials, fullerene has been used as reinforcement in these matrices mostly via non-covalent means. This state-of-the-art review article summarizes thermoplastic polymer nanocomposites reinforced with fullerene nano-additives without involving any covalent interactions. Accordingly, thermoplastic polymer/fullerene nanocomposites of interest have non-covalent or physical interactions in the matrix-nanofiller such as van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and aromatic stacking interactions. Number of thermoplastic polymers including polyamide, polyurethanes, and block copolymers have been non-covalently or physically reinforced with the fullerene molecules. Ensuing high performance thermoplastic polymer/fullerene nanocomposites exhibited improved microstructure, electrical, mechanical, thermal, and other physical properties. Enhancements in the thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of the thermoplastic/fullerene nanomaterials were found dependent upon the nanofiller contents, orientations, interfacial effects, and processing. Consequently, the polyamide/fullerene systems were found efficient to enhance the glass transition up to 260°C, in addition to optimum mechanical properties. Polyurethane/fullerene systems performed better for improved tensile strength and young’s modulus features up to 90 MPa and 48 GPa, respectively. System based on poly (methyl methacrylate) and fullerene has resulted in high thermal degradation temperature in the range of 501-633°C with fine electrical conductivity of 1.3 Scm−1. Using combination of fullerene and graphene nanofiller (due to synergistic effects) has been found to improve the electrical conductivity considerably in the range of 1.8–2.5 Scm−1 for a polystyrene and block copolymer system. However, attaining fine fullerene nanoparticle dispersion of non-covalently reinforced matrices have been found important affecting the final nanocomposite properties. Consequently, processability and essential characteristics of non-covalently fullerene filled nanocomposites can be influenced due to nanoparticle aggregation. Hence, the physical property enhancement potential of physical linking between the non-covalently linked thermoplastics-fullerene has been portrayed in this article. Research on non-covalently interacted thermoplastic polymer/fullerene nanocomposites revealed technical potential ranging from energy/electronic devices to engineering and biomedical sectors. This review article can be a useful guide for the field researchers towards the development of advanced systems using non-covalently linked polymer/fullerene nanomaterials for future technical applications.
Unlocking the Benefits of Gender Diversity: How an Ecological-Belonging Intervention Enhances Performance in Science Classrooms
Authors: Binning Kevin R. , Doucette Danny , Conrique Beverly G. , Singh Chandralekha
Published: February 2024

Gender diversity signals inclusivity, but meta-analyses suggest that it does not boost individual or group performance. This research examined whether a social-psychological intervention can unlock the benefits of gender diversity on college physics students’ social and academic outcomes. Analyses of 124 introductory physics classrooms at a large research institution in the eastern United States ( N = 3,605) indicated that in classrooms doing “business as usual,” cross-gender collaboration was infrequent, there was a substantial gender gap in physics classroom belonging, and classroom gender diversity had no effect on performance. The ecological-belonging intervention aimed to establish classroom norms that adversity in the course is normal and surmountable. In classrooms receiving the intervention, cross-gender interaction increased 51%, the gender gap in belonging was reduced by 47%, and higher classroom diversity was associated with higher course grades and 1-year grade point average for both men and women. Addressing contextual belongingness norms may help to unlock the benefits of diversity.
Effectiveness of FPOs: Credit Performance Evaluation of Farmer Producer Companies in Tamil Nadu
Authors: Mohanasundari T. , Khangar Nihal Singh , Das Arpita
Published: February 2024

Farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in India were introduced as farmer’s cooperative society with the prime objective of enhancing the profitability and productivity of small and marginal farmers by cooperative action. The most crucial element which determines the establishment and success of the farmer producer companies (FPCs) is financial support. Thus, the government is providing direct funding in the form of various grants such as start-up grants, equity grants, mezzanine capital assistance, seed/pulse processing unit and so on. Despite getting huge credit support from the government in the form of various incentives, many companies are struggling and failing to sustain themselves in the long run. The present study evaluated the credit performance of FPCs in Tamil Nadu based on four financial ratio indicators named growth ability, profitability, debt ability/solvency and indicators of per share. The study result indicates that most of the companies fall under the average to low average performance category which highlights the inefficiency in the financial management of study FPCs. Comparatively FPCs’ credit performance was found to be increasing. The results of the analysis shed light on the importance of credit management which is possible through capacity-building training and regular monitoring and guidance for the FPCs in credit handling.
Cultural Values as Moderators of the Relationship between Destructive Leadership and Followers’ Job Satisfaction
Authors: Palmer Joshua C. , Mackey Jeremy D. , McAllister Charn P. , Alexander Katherine C. , Phillipich Michael A. , Mercer Ian S. , Ellen B. Parker
Published: February 2024

Prior organizational research has shown that destructive leadership adversely affects followers’ job satisfaction. However, we still have an incomplete understanding of why the strength of this relationship varies across contexts. In this study, we leverage implicit leadership theory to explain why cross-national differences in cultural values moderate this relationship. First, drawing on implicit leadership theory, we develop theory-based predictions about why the cultural value dimensions from the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) study explain differences in the strength of this relationship across countries. Then, we aggregate findings from 51 primary studies ( k = 51, N = 16,870) conducted across 12 countries to test our hypotheses. Our results indicate that the negative relationship between destructive leadership and job satisfaction weakens in magnitude as uncertainty avoidance, future orientation, power distance, and assertiveness values increase. Conversely, the negative relationship between destructive leadership and job satisfaction strengthens in magnitude as institutional collectivism, in-group collectivism, humane orientation, performance orientation, and gender egalitarianism values increase. We also demonstrate the independent, relative, and collective predictive validity of GLOBE’s cultural values as moderators of the relationship between destructive leadership and followers’ job satisfaction. Collectively, our findings (1) indicate that cross-national differences exist in the relationship between destructive leadership and followers’ job satisfaction and (2) highlight the need to consider destructive leadership in light of the broader cultural context in which it is being examined.
A Bite by Shaw's Short Sea Snake (Hydrophis curtus): A Case of Mild Myotoxicity or a Dry Bite?
Authors: Chathuranga Manoj , Ponnudurai Shanjeeban , Christopher Pariyatha , Sanuj Isuru , Silva Anjana
Published: February 2024

Although sea snakes (Elapidae) are commonly encountered by fishermen, accurately authenticated envenomings by them are uncommon in clinical literature. We report an authenticated case of Shaw's short, or spine-bellied, sea snake ( Hydrophis curtus) bite in a young fisherman from northern Sri Lanka. The patient had clinical and biochemical evidence of mild transient myotoxicity but no evidence of neuromuscular paralysis or significant renal injury. Consideration of the clinical manifestations suggests either a mild envenoming or a dry bite. The patient completely recovered without any antivenom therapy and was discharged on the fourth day. Prolonged observation may be beneficial to exclude complications of sea snake envenoming.
Power to Detect What? Considerations for Planning and Evaluating Sample Size
Authors: Giner-Sorolla Roger , Montoya Amanda K. , Reifman Alan , Carpenter Tom , Lewis Neil A. , Aberson Christopher L. , Bostyn Dries H. , Conrique Beverly G. , Ng Brandon W. , Schoemann Alexander M. , Soderberg Courtney
Published: February 2024

Academic Abstract

In the wake of the replication crisis, social and personality psychologists have increased attention to power analysis and the adequacy of sample sizes. In this article, we analyze current controversies in this area, including choosing effect sizes, why and whether power analyses should be conducted on already-collected data, how to mitigate the negative effects of sample size criteria on specific kinds of research, and which power criterion to use. For novel research questions, we advocate that researchers base sample sizes on effects that are likely to be cost-effective for other people to implement (in applied settings) or to study (in basic research settings), given the limitations of interest-based minimums or field-wide effect sizes. We discuss two alternatives to power analysis, precision analysis and sequential analysis, and end with recommendations for improving the practices of researchers, reviewers, and journal editors in social-personality psychology.

Public Abstract

Recently, social-personality psychology has been criticized for basing some of its conclusions on studies with low numbers of participants. As a result, power analysis, a mathematical way to ensure that a study has enough participants to reliably “detect” a given size of psychological effect, has become popular. This article describes power analysis and discusses some controversies about it, including how researchers should derive assumptions about effect size, and how the requirements of power analysis can be applied without harming research on hard-to-reach and marginalized communities. For novel research questions, we advocate that researchers base sample sizes on effects that are likely to be cost-effective for other people to implement (in applied settings) or to study (in basic research settings). We discuss two alternatives to power analysis, precision analysis and sequential analysis, and end with recommendations for improving the practices of researchers, reviewers, and journal editors in social-personality psychology.
Showing or Hiding? The Impact of Visibility of General Conditions of Use on Retargeted Ad Intrusiveness and Perceived Ethicality of Mobile Apps
Authors: Toti Jean-François , Steils Nadia
Published: February 2024

Although it is legally required to have consumers’ consent to collect and use their personal data for retargeting practices, managers ignore how to design and communicate about privacy policies to drive subsequent acceptance of personalized advertising. Hence, this research examines the impact of the visibility of general conditions of use (GCU) on consumers’ perception of retargeting practices (perceived ethicality and ad intrusiveness) through the lens of attribution theory. Using seven empirical studies, the findings support that having highly visible GCU decreases consumers’ attribution of the responsibility for receiving retargeted advertising to the company. The thereby increased attribution to customers’ own responsibility, in turn, reduces perceived intrusiveness of in-app advertising and increases the perceived ethicality of the company. This relationship is moderated by their privacy concerns and the reminder of GCU acceptance at a different point during the mobile app usage. Results contribute to the online interactive marketing literature by investigating consumers’ subsequent acceptance of data usage and their ethical perception depending on GCU design and configurations.
Just Not Enough: Utilization of Outpatient Psychotherapy Provided by Clinical Psychologists for Patients With Psychosis and Bipolar Disorder in Switzerland
Authors: Jaffé Mariela E , Loew Sou Bouy , Meyer Andrea H , Lieb Roselind , Dechent Frieder , Lang Undine E , Huber Christian G , Moeller Julian
Published: February 2024

Treatment guidelines state that evidence-based psychotherapy is effective for people with psychosis and bipolar disorder and should be offered during every phase of the treatment process. However, research has indicated a lack of outpatient psychotherapeutic services for this patient group, for example, in the United States or Germany. We extend this finding by presenting survey data from Switzerland. We surveyed 112 inpatients with a diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder and assessed outpatient treatment over the 5 years prior to their index hospitalization by using retrospective self-reports. The survey focused on psychotherapy provided by clinical psychologists. Results indicate that only 23.2% of participants retrospectively reported having utilized any outpatient psychotherapy within the reporting period and only 8% of participants reported having received a number of outpatient sessions that reaches recommended levels of psychotherapy. Exploratory analyses did not detect a significant association between self-reported utilization of outpatient psychotherapy sessions and most demographic, psychiatric, and psychological attributes, but patients with a bipolar disorder diagnosis (vs schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis) reported having utilized outpatient treatment more often. These findings are preliminary. When replicated they highlight the need for increased access to outpatient psychotherapy and better alignment between guideline recommendations and outpatient supply.
Modeling doubt: a speculative syllabus
Authors: Mattern Shannon
Published: February 2024

In light of increasing artificial intelligence and proliferating conspiracy, technofetishism and moral panics, faith in ubiquitous data capture and mistrust of public institutions, the ascendance of STEM and the ‘deplatforming’ of the arts and humanities, this article considers doubt as an epistemological condition, a political tool, an ethical force, a rhetorical register, and an aesthetic category. Adapted from the author’s May 2023 inaugural King’s Public Lecture in Digital Humanities at King’s College London, and structured in the form of a syllabus for a speculative class, it aims to identify where humanistic conceptions of doubt do, or could or should, reside within our digital systems: at the interface, within the code, or engineered into hardware and infrastructure.
Pictograms for resistance: historicity and militant design research in Amazonian Ecuador
Authors: Pinto Nathaly , Julier Guy , Tapia Andrés
Published: February 2024

This article focuses on the experiences of developing and using pictograms as visual devices to support Indigenous communities of Amazonian Ecuador. It recognizes the imbalances and contradictions amidst the complex histories and identities of a Latin American state such as Ecuador. The authors emphasize the need to decolonize the design activist imagination and highlight two key issues. The first is in appreciating how historicity operates in this context. The authors show how a non-teleological, historical consciousness is central to processes of deliberation and collaboration. Secondly, they introduce the concept of ‘militant design research’ to understand the role of the activist researcher in this context. These reflections challenge European and North American conceptions of design activism and social design. Consequently, the design-researcher’s subject position shifts away from an extractivist mode and, instead, commits to the tensions and Indigenous political processes within which the pictograms function.