bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Evaluation of an Eco-Friendly Hand Sanitizer Formulation Valorized from Fruit Peels
Authors: Verma J. , Mishra R. , Mazumdar A. , Singh R. , El-Gendy N. Sh.
Published: December 2023

Hand sanitizer usage has proven to be a common and practical method for reducing the spread of infectious diseases which can be caused by many harmful pathogens. There is a need for alcohol-free hand sanitizers because most hand sanitizers on the market are alcohol-based, and regular use of them can damage the skin and can be hazardous. India is the world’s largest producer of fruits and one of the major problems after fruit consumption is their peels, causing waste management problems and contributing to the formation of greenhouse gases leading to air pollution and adding to the problem of climate change. Valorization of such wastes into other value-added products and their incorporation into formulations of eco-friendly alcohol-free hand sanitizers would solve these issues, save the environment, benefit the society, and help in achieving the sustainable development goals. Thus, this research focuses on formulating an effective natural alcohol-free hand sanitizer that harnesses the antimicrobial properties of the various types of bioactive components found in fruit peels of pomegranate, sweet lime, and lemon. The peel extracts and the formulated sanitizer proved considerable antimicrobial activity against the pathogenic Escherichia coli and hand microflora. Molecular docking was also applied to examine ligand-protein interaction patterns and predict binding conformers and affinity of the sanitizer phytocompounds towards target proteins in COVID-19, influenza, and pneumonia viruses. The binding affinities and the protein-ligand interactions virtual studies revealed that the sanitizer phytocompounds bind with the amino acids in the target proteins’ active sites via hydrogen bonding interactions. As a result, it is possible to formulate a natural, alcohol-free hand sanitizer from fruit peels that is effective against pathogenic germs and viruses using the basic structure of these potential findings.
Predicting Computational Thinking in Elementary Science Lessons Using a Multilevel Model Approach
Authors: Pietros Jennifer , Shim Minsuk , Sweetman Sara
Published: December 2023

Computational thinking (CT) is an essential problem-solving skill that students need to successfully live and work with developing technologies. There is an increasing call in the literature by researchers and policy leaders to integrate CT at the elementary level into core subjects to provide early and equitable access for all students. While some critics may claim the concepts and skills of CT are developmentally advanced for elementary age students, subjects such as science can provide real-world and relevant problems to which foundational CT components can be applied. By assessing how CT concepts and approaches integrate authentically into current science lessons, policymakers, and district leaders can be more intentional in supporting implementation efforts. This research used an exploratory survey design to examine the frequencies of CT concepts (decomposition, algorithms, abstraction, and pattern recognition) and approaches (tinkering, creating, debugging, perseverance, and collaboration) that exist in science in K–5 schools in a northeast state in the United States as reported by elementary science teachers (n = 259). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze the influence of teacher and district factors on the amount of time CT concepts and approaches were integrated in the science lessons. Experience, grade level, confidence, and participation in a research–practice partnership were found to be significant predictors of CT. This study contributes to a better understanding of variables affecting CT teaching frequency that can be leveraged to impact reform efforts supporting CT integration in science.
Delamination Characteristics of Aluminum-Composite Bonds: Impact of Reinforcements and Matrices
Authors: Hussain M. , Imad A. , Saouab A. , Abbas A. , Kanit T. , Shahid S. , Nawab Y.
Published: December 2023

Adhesion properties of metal-composite bonds are crucial in defining composite capability with other metallic components, and failures could lead to severe accidents. Hence, the study is aimed at the development and characterization of metal-composite bonds using different rigid adherends and adhesive materials (thermoset and thermoplastics). Among natural fibers, jute was used, while aramid, carbon, and glass woven reinforcements were employed from synthetic fibers. A simultaneous comparison of both thermoset and thermoplastic matrices was done using epoxy, polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl butadiene (PVB) as adhesive materials. Floating roller delamination characterization proved variation in adhesion qualities governing different failure modes by varying adhesive even in a single rigid adherend. The highest fracture toughness was observed for aluminum-jute bonds made with PP and PVB that was due to toughness of matrix and intralaminar failure. Carbon being brittle in nature showed the most fluctuated performance with a 90% difference between the highest value of carbon-PVB and the lowest value of carbon-epoxy. Thermoplastic matrices owing to plasticity offered overall more fracture toughness than brittle thermoset resin. Furthermore, intralaminar was the dominant failure mechanism in the jute-based bond made with thermoplastic matrix.
The Role of Silymarin in Mitigating Inflammation and Cognitive Impairment Induced by Ovariectomy in Wistar Rats
Authors: Moalefshahri Razieh , Javid Hossein , Gheybi Fatemeh , Fallahnezhad Somaye , Hashemy Seyed Isaac
Published: December 2023

Background. Silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid found in milk thistle, has been used to treat liver and brain injuries in humans and animals. The study aims to investigate the protective effects of silymarin on spatial and passive avoidance memory, oxidative stress, and inflammatory factors in the brain and liver tissues of ovariectomized (OVX) Wistar rats. Methods. The study involved 30 female Wistar rats divided into control, sham, and three silymarin-treated groups. After ovariectomy, rats underwent CT scan, and some of them were administered silymarin via gavage for 2 months. Memory and learning were assessed using Morris water maze and shuttle box tests. Brain and liver tissues were analyzed for inflammatory factors (IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-6) and oxidative stress markers (CAT, SOD, and MDA) after sacrifice. Results. Silymarin improved spatial memory and fear learning compared to the sham group (P≤0.05 to P≤0.001). It also significantly reduced IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in the cortex, hippocampus, and liver (P≤0.05 to P≤0.0001) and increased CAT and SOD while decreasing MDA levels (P≤0.05 to P≤0.001) compared to control and sham groups. Conclusion. Long-term administration of silymarin extract can improve learning and memory, reverse cognitive impairment caused by ovariectomy, and reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory factors induced by ovariectomy in the liver and brain of Wistar rats. This is due to the reduction in MDA levels and an increase in CAT activity, although silymarin has some effect on SOD at high doses.
In Vitro Hypoglycemic and Antioxidant Activities of Dichloromethane Extract of Xerophyta spekei
Authors: Ndile Michael Musila , Makori Wycliffe Arika , Kibiti Cromwell Mwiti , Ngugi Mathew Piero
Published: December 2023

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder which has greatly led to an increase in morbidity and mortality globally. Although Xerophyta spekei is widely used for the management of diabetes among the Embu and Mbeere communities in Kenya, it has never been empirically evaluated for its hypoglycemic activity. This study was carried out to verify the hypoglycemic activity of dichloromethane (DCM) extract of Xerophyta spekei as well as its antioxidant activity using various in vitro techniques. Phytochemicals associated with its antioxidant activity were identified through GC-MS. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean (X̄ ± SEM). Comparison between various variables was performed by using unpaired Student’s t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test. The confidence interval was set at 95%. The obtained results were presented in tables and graphs. Results showed that there was no difference in α-amylase inhibition activity between the plant extract and the standard (IC50 525.9 ± 12.34 and 475.1 ± 9.115, respectively; p > 0.05). Besides, the glucose adsorption activity of the extract increased with an increase in glucose concentration (from 5.89 to 32.64 mg/dl at 5 mmol and 30 mmol of glucose, respectively; p < 0.05). The extract also limited the diffusion of glucose more than the negative control (7.49 and 17.63 mg/dl, respectively; p < 0.05). It also enhanced glucose uptake by yeast cells. In addition, the studied plant extract showed notable antioxidant activities. The therapeutic effects exhibited by this plant in managing diabetes mellitus and other ailments could be due to its antioxidant as well as its hypoglycemic activity. The study recommends the evaluation of X. spekei for in vivo hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Besides, the isolation of bioactive phytochemicals from the plant may lead to the development of new hypoglycaemic agents.
The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Travel Behaviour in the Greater Copenhagen Area
Authors: Henrion Vincent , Ingvardson Jesper Bláfoss , Nielsen Otto Anker
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way of living for billions of people and severe restrictions were implemented by governments around the world, affecting the travel patterns of all citizens. This article investigates how travel patterns changed in the Greater Copenhagen area of Denmark during the full two-year period covering 2020 and 2021, thus allowing for an analysis of both the short-term and medium-term impacts as society gradually reopened and restrictions were lifted. The analysis covers large-scale travel survey data as well as a segmentation clustering analysis of public transport smart card data. The results showed that impacts were strongly linked to changes in trip purpose and were thus not uniformly distributed throughout the public transport system. User segmentation analysis revealed that most users changed to less intense travel use of public transport. The results highlight important policy implications in terms of how to adapt service provision within a public transport network more efficiently.
Experiencia de uso de hierro intravenoso para el tratamiento de la anemia en niños y adolescentes. Respuesta terapéutica y evolución
Authors: Notejane Martin , Ifrán Estefanía , Sáenz de Tejada Patricia , Casuriaga Lamboglia Ana Laura , Arce Manuela , García Loreley , Giachetto Gustavo
Published: December 2023

Introducción: El hierro de administración intravenosa (iv) está indicado en los casos en que el tratamiento oral no es posible. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir el perfil de uso, respuesta terapéutica y seguridad de la administración de hierro iv en el tratamiento de la anemia ferropénica en niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) asistidos en un centro de referencia de Uruguay entre 2018 y 2023. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo mediante revisión de historias. Incluyó todos los NNA que recibieron hierro iv. Se registraron variables sociodemográficas, comorbilidades, clínica y severidad de la anemia. Se evaluó: motivos de la indicación y tipo de hierro iv, dosis, tiempo de infusión, respuesta terapéutica y efectos adversos. Resultados: Se incluyeron 35 pacientes, mediana de edad 4 años; 51,4% de sexo masculino, con comorbilidades 37,1%. Todos los menores de 3 años presentaban factores de riesgo para anemia ferropénica, la falta de adherencia al hierro oral se asoció con mayor severidad de la anemia (p<0,05). Motivo principal de indicación de hierro iv fue: severidad de la anemia e inadecuada respuesta al hierro oral concomitante en 37,1%. Todos recibieron hierro sacarato; mediana de dosis: 2 mg/kg y de tiempo de infusión: 1 hora. Se registró un caso de edema y exantema de cara vinculado a la rápida infusión. La evolución fue satisfactoria. Conclusiones: La administración de hierro iv fue segura. Es necesario establecer consensos respecto a la posología y monitorización. Se requieren nuevos estudios para continuar evaluando la eficacia y seguridad del hierro iv en sus diversas formulaciones.
Deferasirox Targeting Ferroptosis Synergistically Ameliorates Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Conjunction With Cyclosporine A
Authors: Ishimaru Kosei , Ikeda Masataka , Miyamoto Hiroko Deguchi , Furusawa Shun , Abe Ko , Watanabe Masatsugu , Kanamura Takuya , Fujita Satoshi , Nishimura Ryohei , Toyohara Takayuki , Matsushima Shouji , Koumura Tomoko , Yamada Ken‐ichi , Imai Hirotaka , Tsutsui Hiroyuki , Ide Tomomi
Published: December 2023

Background

Ferroptosis, an iron‐dependent form of regulated cell death, is a major cell death mode in myocardial ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury, along with mitochondrial permeability transition‐driven necrosis, which is inhibited by cyclosporine A (CsA). However, therapeutics targeting ferroptosis during myocardial I/R injury have not yet been developed. Hence, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of deferasirox, an iron chelator, against hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced ferroptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes and myocardial I/R injury.

Methods and Results

The effects of deferasirox on hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced iron overload in the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid peroxidation, and ferroptosis were examined in cultured cardiomyocytes. In a mouse model of I/R injury, the infarct size and adverse cardiac remodeling were examined after treatment with deferasirox, CsA, or both in combination. Deferasirox suppressed hypoxia‐ or hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced iron overload in the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid peroxidation, and ferroptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes. Deferasirox treatment reduced iron levels in the endoplasmic reticulum and prevented increases in lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in the I/R‐injured myocardium 24 hours after I/R. Deferasirox and CsA independently reduced the infarct size after I/R injury to a similar degree, and combination therapy with deferasirox and CsA synergistically reduced the infarct size (infarct area/area at risk; control treatment: 64±2%; deferasirox treatment: 48±3%; CsA treatment: 48±4%; deferasirox+CsA treatment: 37±3%), thereby ameliorating adverse cardiac remodeling on day 14 after I/R.

Conclusions

Combination therapy with deferasirox and CsA may be a clinically feasible and effective therapeutic approach for limiting I/R injury and ameliorating adverse cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction.
Cardiovascular Risk Stratification of Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: The CARE‐BMT Risk Score
Authors: Vasbinder Alexi , Catalan Tonimarie , Anderson Elizabeth , Chu Catherine , Kotzin Megan , Murphy Danielle , Cheplowitz Halle , Diaz Kristen Machado , Bitterman Brayden , Pizzo Ian , Huang Yiyuan , Xie Jeffrey , Hoeger Christopher W. , Kaakati Rayan , Berlin Hanna P. , Shadid Husam , Perry Daniel , Pan Michael , Takiar Radhika , Padalia Kishan , Mills Jamie , Meloche Chelsea , Bardwell Alina , Rochlen Matthew , Blakely Pennelope , Leja Monika , Banerjee Mousumi , Riwes Mary , Magenau John , Anand Sarah , Ghosh Monalisa , Pawarode Attaphol , Yanik Gregory , Nathan Sunita , Maciejewski John , Okwuosa Tochukwu , Hayek Salim S.
Published: December 2023

Background

Evidence guiding the pre‐hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) cardiovascular evaluation is limited. We sought to derive and validate a pre‐HSCT score for the cardiovascular risk stratification of HSCT candidates.

Methods and Results

We leveraged the CARE‐BMT (Cardiovascular Registry in Bone Marrow Transplantation) study, a contemporary multicenter observational study of adult patients who underwent autologous or allogeneic HSCT between 2008 and 2019 (N=2435; mean age at transplant of 55 years; 4.9% Black). We identified the subset of variables most predictive of post‐HSCT cardiovascular events, defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation or flutter, and sustained ventricular tachycardia. We then developed a point‐based risk score using the hazard ratios obtained from Cox proportional hazards modeling. The score was externally validated in a separate cohort of 919 HSCT recipients (mean age at transplant 54 years; 20.4% Black). The risk score included age, transplant type, race, coronary artery disease, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, creatinine, triglycerides, and prior anthracycline dose. Risk scores were grouped as low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐risk, with the 5‐year cumulative incidence of cardiovascular events being 4.0%, 10.3%, and 22.4%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating curves for predicting cardiovascular events at 100 days, 5 and 10 years post‐HSCT were 0.65 (95% CI, 0.59–0.70), 0.73 (95% CI, 0.69–0.76), and 0.76 (95% CI, 0.69–0.81), respectively. The model performed equally well in autologous and allogeneic recipients, as well as in the validation cohort.

Conclusions

The CARE‐BMT risk score is easy to calculate and could help guide referrals of high‐risk HSCT recipients to cardiovascular specialists before transplant and guide long‐term monitoring.
Bishopric as an Ascent to Philosophy
Authors: Miroshnichenko Eugene I.
Published: December 2023

The article delves into the issue of Synesius of Cyrene’s Christianity. While scholars like D. Roques and Alan Cameron have argued that Synesius was a Christian due to his birth into a Christian family, the author disputes these presumptions. Instead, the author proposes that the question should be approached differently. Specifically, the problem lies not in determining whether Synesius was a Christian or a pagan but in understanding how he, as a Hellenic figure, interpreted Christianity. While we lack reliable information about whether he was ever baptized, we can confidently conclude – based on his view of the bishopric as a means to philosophy – that he did not adhere to Christianity in the traditional sense. Instead, Synesius could be considered a Hellenic believer who leveraged a Christian bishopric to sustain the traditional education and culture of Hellenism in the context of the Christian empire.
“The past does not lie behind us”: Warrior-matriarchs’ retrotopia in Witi Ihimaera’s fiction
Authors: Rodríguez-Salas Gerardo
Published: December 2023

Contrary to an apolitical, pessimistic, and non-feminist perception of Witi Ihimaera’s work, this article contends that his early novel The Matriarch (1986) and its sequel The Dream Swimmer (1997) frame Māori communities as an ancient, patriarchal space in need of revision to accommodate women. Reconsidering the role of tribalism and Māori utopian and cyclical land narratives, this study argues that the confessional male narrator of both novels, Tamatea Mahana, learns to embrace a matrilineal genealogy not only of powerful Māori women leaders of chiefly status, but also of charismatic women in the shadow, like his mother Tiana. Beyond Pākehā imperial democracy and Māori “male utopias of domination”, Tamatea and the exceptional gallery of warrior-matriarchs implement a peculiar and controversial retrotopia — a return to the prematurely buried grand ideas of the past — which, even when dangerously resonating with nostalgia, aims at an open-ended model of democracy through spiral temporality. 1 A predominantly decolonizing theory and methodology is used, drawing on Kaupapa Māori and Mana Wāhine theories.
Implementation Drivers of Data-Based Instruction for Students With Intensive Learning Needs: A Systematic Review
Authors: Choi Seohyeon , Shanahan Emma , Casey-Wilke Bess , An Jechun , Johnson LeAnne
Published: December 2023

Despite decades of research efforts, data-based instruction (DBI) for students with intensive intervention needs are not being widely used in practice as anticipated, and many educators have difficulties in implementing it. This systematic review aimed to examine what kinds of implementation drivers and strategies have been used to support educators implementing DBI and what kinds of implementation outcomes researchers have measured. Eighteen studies were synthesized using the Implementation Drivers framework and Implementation Outcomes taxonomy and were quality appraised. We found that the majority of studies primarily used competency drivers to increase teachers’ DBI expertise, while a limited number of studies focused on organizational and leadership drivers. Acceptability and fidelity were frequently assessed as implementation outcomes. We discussed the implications of the findings, including the need for researchers to incorporate implementation drivers and outcomes at diverse levels to best support educators’ implementation of DBI, as well as the limitations of this review, such as the limited generalizability of the findings.
Psychometric Validation of the Tactical Assessment Instrument in Football for Use in Physical Education and with Youth Sport Teams
Authors: Barquero-Ruiz Carmen , Kirk David , Meroño Lourdes , Arias-Estero José L.
Published: December 2023

Recently, the Tactical Assessment Instrument in Football (TAIS) was developed to address football’s tactical requirements in terms of game phases, learners’ roles, and organizational levels of play. In this study, we sought to evaluate the psychometric properties of this existing instrument in the Physical Education (PE) context and for youth sport teams (ages 8–12 years). Our research design involved: (a) participants playing 37 football games, (b) assessing participants via observation with the TAIS and (c) conducting psychometric analysis on the obtained assessment data. For the psychometric analysis, we carried out our work in four phases: (a) a statistical analysis of the evaluation criteria, (b) analysis of the instrument’s structural dimensions, (c) internal item reliability analysis, and (d) provision of evidence for external validity. Participants were 592 children (156 girls, 436 boys; ages 8–12 years) from 74 PE classes or sport teams (from three institutional contexts - schools, community-based sports, and sports clubs) in Spain. We selected 12 tactical criteria and grouped them into four theoretical dimensions (appropriate attack, inappropriate attack, appropriate defense, inappropriate defense) to confirm the instrument’s structural dimensions. The Cronbach alpha and Omega McDonald coefficients were greater than .70. The TAIS discriminated between participants from the three institutional contexts, offering evidence of the instrument’s external validity. Thus, the TAIS now has sufficient psychometric support for assessing learning of football tactics in PE and youth sport teams. This instrument facilitates an ecological assessment of youth players’ understanding of football tactics through four theoretical tactical dimensions and 12 criteria involving information about four learners’ roles (both attack and defense, on- and off-the-ball) and three organizational tactical levels of play (whole team, small groups of learners, and individual learners).
How and When Inclusive Human Resource Management Promotes Employee Well-Being: The Roles of Ambidextrous Fit and Affective Leadership
Authors: Zhao Fuqiang , Zhu Hanqiu , Chen Yun
Published: December 2023

Researchers and practitioners have largely recognized the importance of human resource management in addressing the growing trend of workforce diversity to improve employee well-being. However, empirical research on inclusive human resource management (IHRM) remains scarce. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory and the person-environment fit framework, the current study constructs a moderated dual-mediation model to explore how IHRM influences employee well-being through ambidextrous fit (i.e., supplementary fit and complementary fit) and further examine the moderating role of affective leadership. Using three-wave data from 382 employees through the questionnaire survey, the empirical findings indicate that IHRM positively affects employee well-being and that this linkage is mediated by supplementary fit and complementary fit. In addition, we find that affective leadership strengthens the positive influences of IHRM on employee well-being, supplementary fit, and complementary fit as well as the indirect effect of IHRM on employee well-being through ambidextrous fit. We discuss some theoretical and practical implications of our findings and provide research directions.
“It’s Gonna Open Up Doors”: Alumni Reflections of Doctoral Community College Leadership Programs
Authors: Nachman Brett Ranon , Pryor Jonathan T. , Miller Michael T.
Published: December 2023

Objective/Research Question: For decades doctoral community college leadership programs have prepared students for the challenges and rewards in steering community college campuses, yet minimal scholarship has explored these programs’ efficacy in serving their students. This study explores community college leaders’ motivations in starting, learning experiences during, and takeaways following participation in doctoral community college leadership programs. Methods: This narrative inquiry study draws on action learning as the theoretical framework and entails interviews with 19 community college administrators who graduated from doctoral community college leadership programs. Results: Findings are threefold, each related to the distinct pieces associated with the research questions at hand. Students’ motivations for enrolling in programing stem from financial and geographic accessibility, institutional credibility, personal fulfillment, and desires to advance their careers. During their time in programs, students benefited from curriculum that prepared them for their dissertations, cohort-based approaches that afforded community, and applicable assignments and activities that directly related to their roles as community college practitioners. Following their doctorate, students reflected on the value of having this degree for propelling their careers and recommended opportunities for programmatic improvement. Conclusion/Contributions: These findings offer new perspective into what doctoral community college leadership programs accomplish in supporting students’ objectives and professional practices, and also unveil ideas toward programmatic adjustments.
The revenge of ‘democratic peace’
Authors: Tan Bann Seng
Published: December 2023

The Russo-Ukrainian war may have given democratic peace a new lease of (research) life. The stronger-than-expected reaction of liberal democracies coupled with the poorer-than-expected battlefield performance of the Russian military, invites us to re-apply the logic of democratic peace. To understand the strong reactions of liberal democracies, I apply a militant interpretation of Kant’s perpetual peace and reexamine the role of trade interdependence in capitalist peace. To understand the battlefield performance of Ukraine, I examine theories of war-fighting with an emphasis on the legitimacy mechanism. To understand the battlefield performance of Russia, I examine the deleterious impact of corruption and preference falsification ( vranyo). To the extent that the field is still generating novel research that advances our understanding of the impact of regime type on international conflict, democratic peace remains a progressive research programme.
Families at Psychosocial Risk. Analysis of the Relation Between Parenting Competencies and Externalizing Problems in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Herrera-Collado Ester , Lanzarote-Fernández María Dolores , Jiménez Lucía , Hidalgo Victoria
Published: December 2023

It is well known that children who grow up in at-risk families tend to have more behavioral problems; however, few studies have addressed this issue from a parenting competencies framework. This investigation analyzed the relation between parenting competencies and children’s externalizing problems. A total of 562 caregivers from at-risk families were assessed through the Interview for the Assessment of Parenting Competencies and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The three competencies in which the families presented more difficulties were parental co-responsibility, child stimulation and family life structuring, and emotional self-regulation. According to the hierarchical regression, the capacity to offer warmth and to establish a healthy communication could explain children’s behavioral difficulties. Family interventions should focus on those competencies where families tend to have more difficulties. Furthermore, to prevent and/or reduce externalizing problems, it is convenient to foster, particularly, communication and warmth among their members.
The ‘professional digital competence’: Exploring the perspective of primary music teachers in Spain
Authors: Mateos-Moreno Daniel , Bravo-Fuentes Paloma
Published: December 2023

The terms ‘Digital competence’ or ‘Professional digital competence’ are frequently used, yet their understanding remains varied and elusive. Moreover, existing research in education heavily focuses on the study of digital competence among students, with comparatively limited attention given to teachers. In this study, we aim to investigate primary music teachers’ perspectives on ‘professional digital competence’ in Spain. This entails understanding their conceptualizations on (1) the term itself, (2) the cultivation of related skills and (3) its practical application with students. Additionally, we seek to compare primary music teachers’ viewpoints with those of teachers from other subjects. Through a qualitative multi-case study involving purposeful sampling of 20 participants, the results suggest that our music teachers, regardless of their self-stated technological skills, possess a limited understanding of the ‘professional digital competence’ and express negative or pessimistic beliefs towards its development and implementation. Furthermore, they feel compelled to use educational technology despite their reservations. Our findings similarly indicate that their beliefs are not meaningfully different from those of non-music teachers in the same context. In discussing the implications, we suggest that these beliefs may lead to stress and anxiety among participants, necessitating support from educational administrators. Additionally, we propose that future research should further investigate both why and how our participants feel/are pressured to use technology, and the particular disadvantages of technology in music education identified in our analysis of their beliefs.
Simmel’s Rome: An Essay on Understanding and Self-Transcendence
Authors: Harrison Thomas
Published: December 2023

Georg Simmel’s essay on Rome gives paradigmatic expression to an imponderable method that the philosopher practices for years, symbolized by the idea of a plumb line cast from the unstable waters of a sea to its firm foundations. Here Simmel shows how a complex and transhistorical city receives meaning through its multiply tense urban relations, constituting nonetheless a strangely coherent whole. Only circular thinking can adequately grasp this form of coherence. It requires seeing beyond conflicting facts as well as the reader’s own subject positions, in navigation of a space between inner and outer features of perceptual experience. The fragmented and variegated layout of Rome allegorizes that complex space of historical and cultural relations into which interpreting selves must venture to experience totalities that are neither self-evident in things nor in minds that seek their order.
Making each point count: Revising a local adaptation of the Jacobs et al.’s (1981) ESL COMPOSITION PROFILE rubric
Authors: Chang Yu-Tzu , Choe Ann Tai , Holden Daniel , Isbell Daniel R.
Published: December 2023

In this Brief Report, we describe an evaluation of and revisions to a rubric adapted from the Jacobs et al.’s (1981) ESL COMPOSITION PROFILE, with four rubric categories and 20-point rating scales, in the context of an intensive English program writing placement test. Analysis of 4 years of rating data (2016–2021, including 434 essays) using many-facet Rasch measurement demonstrated that the 20-point rating scales of the Jacobs et al. rubric functioned poorly due to (a) questionably small distinctions in writing quality between successive score categories and (b) the presence of several disordered categories. We reanalyzed the score data after collapsing the 20-point scales into 4-point scales to simulate a revision to the rubric. This reanalysis appeared promising, with well-ordered and distinct score categories, and only a trivial decrease in person separation reliability. After implementing this revision to the rubric, we examined data from recent administrations (2022–2023, including 93 essays) to evaluate scale functioning. As in the simulation, scale categories were well-ordered and distinct in operational rating. Moreover, no raters demonstrated exceedingly poor fit using the revised rubric. Findings hold implications for other programs adopting/adapting the PROFILE or a similar rubric.
Outcomes of COVID-19 patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A systematic review and meta-Analysis
Authors: Jiang Shouliang , Yan Ping , Ma Zhongyang , Liang Juan , Hu Yong , Tang Jun
Published: December 2023

Background

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been ongoing for over 3 years, during which numerous clinical and experimental studies have been conducted. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the survival probability and complications of COVID-19 patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods

We searched the databases by using Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome-Study Design (PICOS). We conducted a search of the PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases to retrieve studies published until December 10, 2022. A random-effects meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, and assessed the studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score. The results were presented as pooled morbidity with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

The study was conducted on 19 studies that enrolled a total of 1494 patients, and the results showed a pooled survival probability of 66.0%. The pooled morbidity for intracranial hemorrhage was 8.7%, intracranial thrombosis 7.0%, pneumothorax 9.0%, pulmonary embolism 11.0%, pulmonary hemorrhage 9.0%, heart failure 14.0%, liver failure 13.0%, renal injury 44.0%, gastrointestinal hemorrhage 6.0%, gastrointestinal ischemia 6.0% and venous thrombosis 31.0%.

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies focused on the survival probability and complications of COVID-19 patients undergoing ECMO, which are significant in evaluating the use of ECMO in COVID-19 patients and provide a basis for further research.

Trial registration

Our study was registered on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42022382555.
Neural correlates of episodic memory decline following electroconvulsive therapy: An exploratory functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Petersen Jeff Zarp , Macoveanu Julian , Ysbæk-Nielsen Alexander Tobias , Kessing Lars Vedel , Jørgensen Martin Balslev , Miskowiak Kamilla Woznica
Published: December 2023

Background:

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an efficient and rapid-acting treatment indicated for severe depressive disorders. While ECT is commonly accompanied by transient memory decline, the brain mechanisms underlying these side effects remain unclear.

Aims:

In this exploratory functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) study, we aimed to compare effects of ECT versus pharmacological treatment on neural response during episodic memory encoding in patients with affective disorders.

Methods:

This study included 32 ECT-treated patients (major depressive disorder (MDD), n = 23; bipolar depression, n = 9) and 40 partially remitted patients in pharmacological treatment (MDD, n = 24; bipolar disorder, n = 16). Participants underwent neuropsychological assessment, a strategic picture encoding fMRI scan paradigm, and mood rating. The ECT group was assessed before ECT (pre-ECT) and 3 days after their eighth ECT session (post-ECT).

Results:

Groups were comparable on age, gender, and educational years ( ps ⩾ 0.05). Within-group analyses revealed a selective reduction in verbal learning and episodic memory pre- to post-ECT ( p = 0.012) but no decline in global cognitive performance ( p = 0.3). Functional magnetic resonance imaging analyses adjusted for mood symptoms revealed greater activity in ECT-treated patients than pharmacologically treated No-ECT patients across left precentral gyrus (PCG), right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG). In ECT-treated patients, greater decline in verbal learning and memory performance from pre- to post-ECT correlated with higher PCG response ( r = −0.46, p = 0.008), but not with dmPFC or MFG activity ( ps ⩾ 0.1), post-ECT.

Conclusions:

Episodic memory decline was related to greater neural activity in the left PCG, but unrelated to increased dmPFC and MFG activity, immediately after ECT.
“. . .We’re Not Doing Enough:”: Trauma-Informed Care in an Early Childhood Special Education Center
Authors: Chudzik Mia , Corr Catherine , Santos Rosa Milagros
Published: December 2023

Young children with disabilities experience trauma at high rates. To mitigate and address the negative effects of trauma on young children’s development, systematic implementation of trauma-informed care is needed. In schools, it is important that all staff members at every level are trained to implement trauma-informed care. In this qualitative study, we explored the experiences of ECSE professionals in one center, including administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service providers, as they planned and implemented trauma-informed care. We used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to guide the design of the study. Our findings suggest that ECSE professionals are impacted by factors at the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrosystem level of the environment, which influenced the extent to which they were able to successfully implement trauma-informed care.
Bias-Adjusted Predictions of County-Level Vaccination Coverage from the COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey
Authors: Reitsma Marissa B. , Rose Sherri , Reinhart Alex , Goldhaber-Fiebert Jeremy D. , Salomon Joshua A.
Published: December 2023

Background

The potential for selection bias in nonrepresentative, large-scale, low-cost survey data can limit their utility for population health measurement and public health decision making. We developed an approach to bias adjust county-level COVID-19 vaccination coverage predictions from the large-scale US COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey.

Design

We developed a multistep regression framework to adjust for selection bias in predicted county-level vaccination coverage plateaus. Our approach included poststratification to the American Community Survey, adjusting for differences in observed covariates, and secondary normalization to an unbiased reference indicator. As a case study, we prospectively applied this framework to predict county-level long-run vaccination coverage among children ages 5 to 11 y. We evaluated our approach against an interim observed measure of 3-mo coverage for children ages 5 to 11 y and used long-term coverage estimates to monitor equity in the pace of vaccination scale up.

Results

Our predictions suggested a low ceiling on long-term national vaccination coverage (46%), detected substantial geographic heterogeneity (ranging from 11% to 91% across counties in the United States), and highlighted widespread disparities in the pace of scale up in the 3 mo following Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 vaccination for 5- to 11-y-olds.

Limitations

We relied on historical relationships between vaccination hesitancy and observed coverage, which may not capture rapid changes in the COVID-19 policy and epidemiologic landscape.

Conclusions

Our analysis demonstrates an approach to leverage differing strengths of multiple sources of information to produce estimates on the time scale and geographic scale necessary for proactive decision making.

Implications

Designing integrated health measurement systems that combine sources with different advantages across the spectrum of timeliness, spatial resolution, and representativeness can maximize the benefits of data collection relative to costs.

Highlights

The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed massive survey data collection efforts that prioritized timeliness and sample size over population representativeness. The potential for selection bias in these large-scale, low-cost, nonrepresentative data has led to questions about their utility for population health measurement. We developed a multistep regression framework to bias adjust county-level vaccination coverage predictions from the largest public health survey conducted in the United States to date: the US COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey. Our study demonstrates the value of leveraging differing strengths of multiple data sources to generate estimates on the time scale and geographic scale necessary for proactive public health decision making.
Energy-optimal trajectories for skid-steer rovers
Authors: Effati Meysam , Skonieczny Krzysztof , Balkcom Devin J.
Published: December 2023

This paper presents the energy-optimal trajectories for skid-steer rovers on hard ground, without obstacles. We obtain 29 trajectory structures that are sufficient to describe minimum-energy motion, which are enumerated and described geometrically; 28 of these structures are composed of sequences of circular arcs and straight lines; there is also a special structure called whirls consisting of different circular arcs. Our analysis identifies that the turns in the trajectory structures (aside from whirls) are all circular arcs of a particular turning radius, R′, the turning radius at which the inner wheels of a skid-steer rover are not commanded to turn. This work demonstrates its paramount importance in energy-optimal path planning. There has been a lack of analytical energy-optimal trajectory generation for skid-steer rovers, and we address this problem by a novel approach. The equivalency theorem presented in this work shows that all minimum-energy solutions follow the same path irrespective of velocity constraints that may or may not be imposed. This non-intuitive result stems from the fact that with this model of the system the total energy is fully parameterized by the geometry of the path alone. With this equivalency in mind, one can choose velocity constraints to enforce constant power consumption, thus transforming the energy-optimal problem into an equivalent time-optimal problem. Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle can then be used to solve the problem. Accordingly, the extremal paths are obtained and enumerated to find the minimum-energy path. Furthermore, our experimental results by using Husky UGV provide the experimental support for the equivalency theorem.
Comparative Evaluation of Durability and Hygiene Between Multistrand Round Dead Soft and 8-Braid Flat Dead Soft Stainless Steel Retainer Wire
Authors: Gautam Nitu , Nanda Smruti Bhusan , Nayak Tusar K. , Mishra Sumita , Pani Saibalini , Jana Debapratim
Published: December 2023

Aim and Objectives

The present study aims at evaluation and comparison of durability and hygiene between 2 different lingual retainer wires bonded between premolar to premolar, that is, maxillary or mandibular arch in the same patient.

Materials and Methods

Eighty retainer wires were placed in 40 patients. They were assigned to 2 groups and subjected to 2 different types of retainer wires (multistrand round and 8-braid flat).

Results

The mean durability of multistrand round retainer wire (235.7 ± 67.28 days) was more than 8-braid flat retainer wire (153.5 ± 43.85 days) irrespective of arches to which they were bonded, which was statistically significant. Scores for plaque index, calculus index, and gingival index were found more with 8-braid flat retainers and in lower arch than multistrand round retainer and in upper arch but these are statistically not significant.

Conclusion

The mean durability of multistrand round retainer wire was more than 8-braid flat retainer wire. The analysis did not find any statistical significant association for deposition of plaque, calculus, and gingival inflammation between different retainer wires and between arches.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Effect of Biologically Safe Selenium Nanoparticles-coated Clear Aligner—An In vitro Study
Authors: D Hemamalini , Mary Priya Riona , KM Shahul Hameed Faizee , Dhayananth Xavier
Published: December 2023

Objective

To synthesize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) from plant extract, characterize them, coat them on clear aligners, and evaluate their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity.

Materials and Methods

The green synthesis of SeNPs utilized the leaves of Withania somnifera. The biosynthesized nanoparticles are incorporated in clear aligners using sol-gel thin film dip coating method to check for antimicrobial effect against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus species using time kill curve assay. The cytotoxicity of the material was checked using brine shrimp lethality assay.

Results

The optical density values indicated that the SeNPs-coated clear aligners effectively inhibited the growth of Lactobacillus sp. and S. mutans. Time kill curve assessed in varying concentration of 25 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL, and 100 µg/mL revealed greater antibacterial activity at a lower concentration with increasing time.

Conclusion

Clear aligners coated with SeNPs had positive antibacterial effects on suspensions of Lactobacillus sp. and S. mutans and are biocompatible.
Degradation processes of brominated flame retardants dispersed in high impact polystyrene under UV–visible radiation
Authors: Oumeddour Hanene , Aldoori Hussam , Bouberka Zohra , Mundlapati Venkateswara Rao , Madhur Vikas , Foissac Corinne , Supiot Philippe , Carpentier Yvain , Ziskind Michael , Focsa Cristian , Maschke Ulrich
Published: December 2023

In order to protect human health and the environment, several regulations have been introduced in recent years to reduce or even eliminate the use of some brominated flame retardants (BFRs) due to their toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation. Dispersions of these BFRs in polymers are widely used for various applications. In this report, four different brominated molecules, decabromodiphenyl ether (DBDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and tris(tribromophenoxy)triazine (TTBPT), were dispersed in the solid matrix of an industrial polymer, high impact polystyrene (HIPS). The possibility of degradation of these BFRs within HIPS under UV–visible irradiation in ambient air was investigated. The degradation kinetics of DBDE and HBCDD were followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high-resolution two-step laser mass spectrometry (L2MS). The thermal properties of the pristine and irradiated polymer matrix were monitored by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which showed that these properties were globally preserved. Volatile photoproducts from the degradation of DBDE, DBDPE and TTBPT were identified by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Under the chosen experimental conditions, BFRs underwent rapid degradation after a few seconds of irradiation, with conversions exceeding 50% for HIPS/DBDE and HIPS/HBCDD systems.