bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, Who's the Fairest of Them All?
Authors: Xiang Alice
Published: March 2024

Debates in AI ethics often hinge on comparisons between AI and humans: which is more beneficial, which is more harmful, which is more biased, the human or the machine? These questions, however, are a red herring. They ignore what is most interesting and important about AI ethics: AI is a mirror. If a person standing in front of a mirror asked you, “Who is more beautiful, me or the person in the mirror?” the question would seem ridiculous. Sure, depending on the angle, lighting, and personal preferences of the beholder, the person or their reflection might appear more beautiful, but the question is moot. AI reflects patterns in our society, just and unjust, and the worldviews of its human creators, fair or biased. The question then is not which is fairer, the human or the machine, but what can we learn from this reflection of our society and how can we make AI fairer? This essay discusses the challenges to developing fairer AI, and how they stem from this reflective property.
Slaves Holding Slaves: Mükâtebe Contracts, Velâ and a Probate Inventory in the Seventeenth-Century Crimean Khanate
Authors: Yaşa Fırat
Published: March 2024

This article aims to reveal some aspects of relationships between former slaves and their ex-owners in light of seventeenth-century Crimean qadi court records. It elaborates on a number of terms that indicate the social and legal status of slaves in the Crimean Khanate and analyzes a former slave probate inventory. In addition, the paper also examines the phenomenon of the mükâtebe contract in the Crimean Khanate context which allowed slaves to hold slaves; it thus seeks to provide new perspectives on the exercising of the mükâtebe. The paper considers how social fluidity affected the lives of slaves, explores the question of whether manumitted slaves actually attained the same status as the freeborn, and, finally, traces the ways in which dependency relationships evolved between freed former slaves and the slaves held by these latter.
Teaching Human-Animal Studies Courses: Exploring Student Characteristics Across Three Universities
Authors: Grauerholz Liz , Whitley Cameron T. , Kidder Erin N. , Ortiz Kelley J. , Stolley Kathy Shepherd
Published: March 2024

Human-animal studies (HAS) courses are becoming increasingly common in the college curriculum to help mitigate and address environmental and social problems. However, data on who takes these courses are lacking. This study examines differences between students who enroll in sociological HAS courses and those who do not. Survey data from three very distinct universities show that the main commonalities among students in HAS courses is bonding toward nonhuman animals and lower identification as meat-eaters. Differences across institutions further suggest that where instructors teach is perhaps as important as what and how they teach. These findings have implications for course design, pedagogical methods, recruiting, and engaging students who would otherwise not take HAS courses, and addressing potential barriers to transformational learning. The study provides missing baseline data so HAS scholars can assess change over time.
Mourning an Oenophile
Authors: Feys Xander
Published: March 2024

In Petrus Nannius’ posthumously published commentary on Vergil’s Eclogues (Basel: Johannes Oporinus, 1559), one section contains a forgotten mock epitaph ascribed to Erasmus. The short poem, omitted in modern editions of Erasmus’ poetry, is written for a man simply referred to as “Theodoricus”. In the present article, I offer a diplomatic transcription, translation, and contextualization of the epitaph and the commentary section in which it is imbedded. In my discussion of the epitaph, I identify “Theodoricus” as Dirk Martens of Aalst (Theodoricus Martinus Alustensis/Alostensis), Erasmus’ close friend and the publisher of many of his works.
Soret and Dufour Effects on MHD Fluid Flow Through a Collapssible Tube Using Spectral Based Collocation Method
Authors: Kaigalula Victor , Mutua Samuel
Published: March 2024

This paper examine numerical study for soret and dufour effects on unsteady Newtonian MHD fluid flow with mass and heat transfer in a collapsible elastic tube using Spectral Collocation technique. The objective of the study is to determine the velocity, temperature and concentration profiles together with heat and mass transfer rates. The governing equations are continuity, momentum, energy and concentration equation. The system of nonlinear partial differential equations governing the flow solved numerically by applying collocation method and implemented in MATLAB. The numerical solution of the profiles displayed both by graphically and numerically for different values of the physical parameters. The effects of varying various parameters such as Reynolds number, Hartmann number, Soret number, Dufour number and Prandtl number on velocity, temperature and concentration profiles also the rates of heat and mass transfer are discussed. The findings of this study are important due to its wide range of application including but not limited to medical fields, biological sciences and other physical sciences where collapsible tubes are applied.
Crossed Cerebellar Diaschisis and Cerebral Infarction After Cerebral Hyperperfusion Syndrome Following Carotid Artery Stenting: A Case Report
Authors: Ning Wei-Qin , Chen Si-Qi , Diao Sheng-Peng , Zhong Shui-Sheng
Published: March 2024

Crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) often occurs after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke that does great damage to the cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathway (CPCP). Nevertheless, as far as we know, CCD due to cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) following carotid artery stenting (CAS) is rare. We report a case where CCD and new cerebral infarction after CHS following CAS was effectively treated by intravenous use of edaravone and mannitol. The patient was a 74-year-old female. She developed dizziness and vomiting accompanied with weakness of the right limb for 8 days and was admitted to our hospital. Computed tomography angiography scan revealed severe stenosis at the beginning of the left internal carotid artery. Further digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed severe stenosis at the beginning of the left internal carotid artery, with a stenosis rate of approximately 90%. Therefore, she underwent left CAS implantation. After the operation, the patient developed disturbance of consciousness and decreased muscle strength in the right limb. Intravenous infusion of edaravone and mannitol were then started. After 10 days of medical treatment, the condition of patient improved to mild hemiparesis. The findings in this present case strongly suggest that CHS after CAS for carotid artery stenosis may cause transient CCD.
Integrating the neo-Weberian state and public value
Authors: Ongaro Edoardo
Published: March 2024

Two thematic areas have grown in significance in the contemporary scientific literature of public governance, public administration and public management over the past 20 to 30 years: the theory and practice of public value, and theorisation of the neo-Weberian state (NWS). In this paper, we argue that, while these two important thematic areas have so far developed in a mostly unconnected way from each other, they both might benefit from integrating each other's perspective into their theoretical frame, and we outline the contours of such a framework. We argue that the NWS and public value might theoretically be combined in three forms of integration of the respective perspectives: the integration of the NWS conceived of as model with an approach to public value conceived of as an addition of value through the actions by public managers; the NWS as an ideal type with public value conceived of as an addition of value through the actions by public managers; and the NWS as an ideal type with public value conceived of as a contribution to the public sphere. The NWS may benefit from integrating the public value perspective in order to develop some of its core components: how it compounds input legitimacy with output legitimacy, and how it integrates the managerial components into a narrative of managerial action for the public purpose. The perspective of public value may benefit from engaging into a dialogue with NWS, if it aspires to be a truly global paradigm for managing public services.

Points for practitioners

1.  Public managers could and should pursue courses of action aimed at creating public value within the frame of NWS institutions and processes. 2.  The adoption of a public value perspective is compatible with an NWS framework and mutually beneficial. 3.  The development of the NWS in jurisdictions across the world is strengthened by the integration of the public value perspective, which can lead to matching output legitimacy and input legitimacy.
Humanitarian Intervention in Syria: A Critical Analysis
Authors: Pradhan Ramakrushna , Sing Anantagopal
Published: March 2024

In academic and intellectual circles, Humanitarian Intervention (HI) and the duty to protect have historically been seen as morally and ethically right because of its contentious practices have been at the forefront of international relations discourse in recent years. Having failed to come up with a consensus set of rules, parameters and principles to justify intervention, the Just War logic of Humanitarian Intervention falls flat on the face of the sovereign rights of the states. In this milieu, this article critically examines the rationale of humanitarian intervention in Syria and evaluates the concept of just war to claim that it is outdated and its application in the name of humanitarian intervention needs to be assessed. This study adopts the theory of social constructivism to decode the liberal perspective of Humanitarian Invention as a just war or socially constructed to manipulate world public opinion and address the inherent national interests of involved countries or the diplomatic failure of the United Nations Organization.
Efficient homogenization of honeycomb sandwich panels using orthotropic core simplification and Finite Element-based method: A comparative study
Authors: Mousavi Hojjat , Amini Cyrus
Published: March 2024

Composite materials, particularly honeycomb composites, are widely utilized in various industries, including aerospace, due to their high energy absorption against the impact and exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. This study aims to leverage the plastic and elastic properties of these materials to develop a simplified numerical model that incorporates orthotropic properties for core modeling. By doing so, the need for detailed honeycomb structure modeling is eliminated, resulting in reduced computational costs and time. A comprehensive three-dimensional finite element model, accounting for structural intricacies, is presented based on experimental data from a reputable source (isotropic model) and its equivalent finite element model (orthotropic model). The model is validated by the experimental results, demonstrating good agreement. The study also investigates parameters such as energy absorption, the internal energy of the core and faces, maximum displacement, and maximum contact force under low-velocity impact scenarios with spherical and cylindrical projectiles. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the orthotropic model, particularly in showcasing greater energy absorption in the core of the sandwich panel when subjected to a cylindrical impactor.
Diversity and Access to Palliative Care and Medical Assistance in Dying in an Urban Setting
Authors: Fortin Sylvie , Lessard Sabrina , Samson Marie-Ève
Published: March 2024

This article focuses on the end-of-life experiences of migrants and non-migrants from young to old, who died in a Canadian cosmopolitan city in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on interviews with over one hundred relatives of as many deceased, the authors discuss end of life issues, namely access to palliative care and medical assistance in dying. The data indicate unequal access to care at the intersection of several factors, including type of disease, patient’s age, uncertainty of their prognosis, and migrant/non-migrant status. While being young and having cancer were undeniably associated with the provision of care (curative and palliative), those who did not benefit from palliative care tended to be social minorities in the local society and suffered from diseases with ambiguous prognosis. The right to “Die with dignity” is fundamental, with or without palliative care and regardless of where the end of life takes place.
Voices From the Families: Strategies for and Challenges in Raising a Gifted Child
Authors: de Souza Fleith Denise , Vilarinho-Pereira Daniela , Muniz Prado Renata
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this study was to investigate parenting styles and practices, strategies and resources used to develop a child’s potential, and family–school relationships. Nine families with gifted and talented students participated. The instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire, a parenting style scale, and a semistructured interview. The results indicated that the authoritative style was the most representative of parenting practices of this sample. The interviews generated six themes: (a) parental practices, (b) strategies and resources for student development, (c) family–school relationship, (d) challenges, (e) learning, and (f) advice. The findings suggested that parents were concerned not only with developing children’s talents but also with promoting their well-being. If schools were opposed to meeting their children’s needs, parent took their own initiative in meeting these needs. Seeking support from expert professionals in the field and other parents of gifted children was highlighted by the participants.
On that demon time: Black time geographies of reimagining, recovering, and resisting
Authors: King DeWitt
Published: March 2024

This article introduces “Demon Time” as a theoretical concept for examining Black time geographies. Building off the theorization of demonic space, I theorize that demon time is an alternative Black temporality. I use the soundscapes of the Black church, the Black barber/beauty shop, and the strip club to think through demonic temporality as a mode of reimagination, a reimagining of Black subjectivities, a mode of recovery, an iterative process of recovery from anti-blackness, and a mode of resisting, a continual resistance of normative logics and western ideologies. These Black soundscapes produce Black timescapes which are anchored to time-spaces of Black cultural production. Thus, demon time offers us a way to reorient how we understand Blackness in moments of economic, social, and ecological crisis, while also allowing us to think about the incommensurability of Black temporalities across Black regions in the US.
Experiences of music therapy in paediatric palliative care from multiple stakeholder perspectives: A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Kammin Victoria , Fraser Lorna , Flemming Kate , Hackett Julia
Published: March 2024

Background:

Children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families need physical and emotional support to manage the challenges of their lives. There is a lack of synthesised qualitative research about how music therapy is experienced by children, young people and their families supported by paediatric palliative care services.

Aim:

To systematically identify and synthesise qualitative research on experiences of music therapy in paediatric palliative care from stakeholder perspectives.

Design:

A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis was conducted using Thematic Synthesis. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021251025).

Data sources:

Searches were conducted with no dates imposed via the electronic databases PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and CINAHL in April 2021 and updated in April 2022. Studies were appraised for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool (CASP).

Results:

A total of 148 studies were found, 5 studies met the eligibility criteria reporting the experiences of 14 mothers, 24 family members and 4 staff members in paediatric palliative care. There were five overarching themes: emotional and physical reprieve, opportunity for normalised experiences, thriving despite life limited condition, enhance family wellbeing and therapeutic relationship central to outcomes.

Conclusion:

Music therapy provides unique benefits for this paediatric population particularly in supporting child and family wellbeing. The therapeutic relationship, interpersonal skills of the therapist and experience in paediatric palliative care are perceived as central to these positive outcomes.
Some Effects of Sex and Culture on Creativity, No Effect of Incubation
Authors: Kazemian Nastaran , Borhani Khatereh , Golbabaei Soroosh , Christensen Julia F.
Published: March 2024

Results remain mixed regarding the effects of incubation tasks on divergent thinking, a type of creativity, generally assessed via the Unusual Uses Task (UUT). Using a within-subjects design, we compared 64 participants’ performance on the UUT, after four different incubation tasks: copy a simple painting, copy a complex painting, 0-back-task, and rest. We hypothesized that an arts-related activity during incubation (here: copy a painting) would boost subsequent creativity. Five different creativity scores were computed from the raw UUT data, and we provide a step-by-step guide for how to compute these: fluency, flexibility, originality, subjective creativity, and usefulness. Creativity was only modulated by sex; women outperformed men on creative fluency. No other variables, nor the incubations, modulated any of participants’ creativity scores. A within-group comparison showed that the unusual uses of our all-Iranian participants were more useful than unique, echoing previous work suggesting differences between Eastern and Western conceptions of creativity.
Asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural southwestern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ibrahim Azeez Oyemomi , Bello Ibrahim Sebutu , Ajetunmobi Oluwaserimi Adewumi , Olusuyi Kolawole Michael , Ajani Gbadebo Oladimeji , Adewoye Kayode Rasaq , Oguntoye Oluwatosin Oluwagbenga , Sonibare Omowonuola Olubukola , Alabi Ayodele Kamal
Published: March 2024

Objectives

We aimed to identify the prevalence, bacterial isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and factors associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rural southwestern Nigeria.

Methods

We performed a hospital-based cross-sectional study of patients with T2DM and ASB. Demographic and clinical data were collected using questionnaires. Urine samples were cultured using standard laboratory procedures, and bacterial colonies were isolated and antimicrobial sensitivity was performed using the disc diffusion technique. Relationships between variables were assessed using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Of the 280 participants, 73 (26.1%) had ASB (95% CI: 20.9%–31.2%). The most commonly identified isolate was E. coli (45/73; 61.7%), 100.0% of which were sensitive to cefuroxime but resistant to ciprofloxacin. Female sex (AOR, 6.132; 95% CI: 2.327–16.157), living below the poverty line (AOR, 2.066; 95% CI: 1.059–4.029), uncontrolled blood glucose (AOR, 2.097; 95% CI: 1.000–4.404), and a history of indwelling urethral catheterization (AOR, 14.521; 95% CI: 4.914–42.908) were associated with ASB.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that cefuroxime should be used as an empirical treatment, pending urine culture and sensitivity, and that efforts should be made to prevent ASB in rural southwestern Nigeria.
Identification of ANKRD13D as a potential target in renal cell carcinomas
Authors: Zhou Wenqian , Huang Yonghe , Liu Jing , Liu Yiguo , Liu Yuqing , Yu Chen
Published: March 2024

Background

The correlation of the expression of ankyrin repeat domain (ANKRD) family members with renal cell carcinoma prognosis was investigated.

Methods

The GEPIA2, GEO2R, UALCAN, GDC, OncoLnc, TIMER, PanglaoDB, CancerSEA, and Tabula Muris databases were used. Twelve ANKRD family members were identified as having overexpressed renal cell carcinoma samples. The ANKRD13D was identified as a renal cell carcinoma-specific target by cross-referencing the multiple survival databases. To clarify the role of ANKRD13D, the expression of NAKRD13D was analyzed at the single-cell level.

Results

ANKRD13D was mainly expressed in immune cells and positively correlated with Treg cell infiltration. The expression of ANKRD13D was also positively correlated with PDCD1, CTLA4, LAG3, TNFSF14, and ISG20. The overexpression of ANKRD13D in Treg was confirmed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The structure of ANKRD13D was predicted using AlphaFold.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we identified ANKRD13D as a key immune regulator, and targeting ANKRD13D with immune checkpoints blockade may be a promoting strategy for renal cell carcinoma immunotherapy.
The Arts and Historic Preservation: Intersections in the Urban Context
Authors: Ryberg-Webster Stephanie , Loh Carolyn , Ashley Amanda , Crisman Jonathan Jae-an , Ruberto Dianna , Durham Leslie , Louya Kiki
Published: March 2024

The arts and historic preservation are well-established as strategies that can underpin urban planning and development. Although there is documented alignment between the arts and preservation, they are not typically formally integrated in city planning and existing research tends to address one or other, but not their integration. We fill this gap through an exploration of the intersection of the arts and historic preservation. We focus on who employs these strategies and why, the synergies and tensions between these practices, and how the arts and preservation relate to contemporary urban development in terms of gentrification, community control, and placemaking.
Serum fibroblast growth factor 23 concentration and the risk of mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Zhong Zhong , Feng Shaozhen , Fu Dongying , Li Bin , Li Zhijian , Mao Haiping
Published: March 2024

Background:

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphate-regulating hormone that is secreted in large amounts early in chronic kidney disease. In this cohort, we aimed to investigate the association between serum FGF23 concentration and mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Methods:

Serum FGF23 level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a large 15-year prospective cohort study of PD patients with stored serum samples at baseline. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were performed to characterise the relationship of FGF23 with mortality.

Results:

A total of 737 incident PD patients were analysed. The baseline median FGF23 concentration was 683.2 (518.5–896.2) pg/mL. Age, serum phosphorus, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were independently correlated with serum FGF23 concentration. During a median follow-up of 66.7 (41.1–95.4) months, 171 of the 737 participants (23.2%) died, including 84 (49.1%) cardiovascular disease-related and 50 (29.2%) infection-related deaths. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that the adjusted hazard ratios of the highest tertile of serum FGF23 compared with those in the lowest tertile were 1.36 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89–2.07; p = 0.154), 0.75 (95% CI: 0.40–1.38; p = 0.353) and 2.66 (95% CI: 1.15–6.15; p = 0.022) for all-cause, cardiovascular disease-related and infection-related mortality, respectively.

Conclusion:

High serum FGF23 concentration is associated with a higher risk of infection-related death for incident PD patients.
What Does Neoliberalism Mean for Christian Ethics?
Authors: Ward Kate
Published: March 2024

This article reviews three new books analysing the phenomenon of neoliberalism through religious lenses and comments on how Christian ethics should navigate among various distinct uses of the term ‘neoliberalism’ and the solutions a Christian ethical approach proposes to the ways in which neoliberalism harms humans and societies.
Progress in adoptable materials in 3D bioprinting technology for organ and tissue regenerative engineering
Authors: Chowdhry Ayush , Singh Karanpal , Gupta Aprajita , Mohana Dolly , Tomar Shruti , Puri Veena , Jain Ashish , Sharma Shweta , Rai Seemha , Puri Sanjeev , Prakash Chander , Gupta Lovi Raj , Smirnov Vladimir
Published: March 2024

Bioprinting is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field of research where design engineering, materials science, precision of automation engineering, and biology are integrated with biological systems for a medical purpose. Through multidisciplinary research, devoted efforts in this sector have advanced this technology to newer frontiers, giving many fresh materials and approaches to reproduce the complex microenvironment required by cells to promote their growth, migration, and differentiation. This article articulates the process of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting by providing a breakdown of all the processes involved, with a prognosis of a positive future for this technology. In this review article, brief insights into different types of 3D printing technologies have been provided, along with the limitations and advantages they confer. A comparative rundown on the available bio-inks and their ideal usage in the various 3D printing modules is highlighted. Finally, the futuristic concept of integrated organ printing (IOP), together with the view of futuristic technology of four-dimensional (4D) technology, is explained with its recent advances and the current hurdles that need to be overcome to see the full glory of the novel technology of bioprinting.
Human Umbilical Cord–Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Phase I/II Dose-Finding Clinical Study
Authors: Jamali Fatima , Aldughmi Mayis , Atiani Serin , Al-Radaideh Ali , Dahbour Said , Alhattab Dana , Khwaireh Hind , Arafat Sally , Jaghbeer Joud Al , Rahmeh Reem , Abu Moshref Kawthar , Bawaneh Hisham , Hassuneh Mona R. , Hourani Bayan , Ababneh Osameh , Alghwiri Alia , Awidi Abdalla
Published: March 2024

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuro-inflammatory disease resulting in disabilities that negatively impact patients’ life quality. While current treatment options do not reverse the course of the disease, treatment using mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) is promising. There has yet to be a consensus on the type and dose of MSC to be used in MS. This work aims to study the safety and efficacy of two treatment protocols of MSCs derived from the umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) and their secretome. The study included two groups of MS patients; Group A received two intrathecal doses of UC-MSCs, and Group B received a single dose. Both groups received UC-MSCs conditioned media 3 months post-treatment. Adverse events in the form of a clinical checklist and extensive laboratory tests were performed. Whole transcriptome analysis was performed on patients’ cells at baseline and post-treatment. Results showed that all patients tolerated the cellular therapy without serious adverse events. The general disability scale improved significantly in both groups at 6 months post-treatment. Examining specific aspects of the disease revealed more parameters that improved in Group A compared to Group B patients, including a significant increase in the (CD3+CD4+) expressing lymphocytes at 12 months post-treatment. In addition, better outcomes were noted regarding lesion load, cortical thickness, manual dexterity, and information processing speed. Both protocols impacted the transcriptome of treated participants with genes, transcription factors, and microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed compared to baseline. Inflammation-related and antigen-presenting (HLA-B) genes were downregulated in both groups. In contrast, TNF-alpha, TAP-1, and miR142 were downregulated only in Group A. The data presented indicate that both protocols are safe. Furthermore, it suggests that administering two doses of stem cells can be more beneficial to MS patients. Larger multisite studies should be initiated to further examine similar or higher doses of MSCs.
International Student Recruitment and Support in Indonesia: A Systematic Review of Literature from 2012–2022
Authors: Simek Lea , Stewart William H.
Published: March 2024

The Republic of Indonesia has been a significant source country of international students worldwide yet data is scarce about local international students. Increasing international student numbers is in line with the country's strategic development goals yet growth has been limited over the last two decades despite government funding of both long/short-term mobility programs and changing global/regional student mobility trends. This review systematically analyzes 28 papers from 2012–2022 investigating international students in Indonesian higher education regarding recruitment and support via an inductive thematic analysis. Six themes emerged showing that research has focused on the overall scope, rationale, and high-level organizational challenges of internationalization with scholarship only occasionally investigating Indonesia's destination attractiveness or student-centric issues. Research on international students, in Indonesian or English, is nascent and policy/practice suggestions and avenues of future research are discussed.
A new stick-slip type piezoelectric actuator based on asymmetric diamond-shaped flexure hinge structure
Authors: Wang Liang , Wang Heran
Published: March 2024

A new stick-slip type piezoelectric actuator based on asymmetric structure is proposed. The actuator uses a stator with the asymmetric diamond-shaped structure, and the structure size is determined by finite element simulation. First, the structure and working principle of the proposed actuator are introduced. The elongation deformation of the piezo stack is transferred to the driving tip by the used asymmetric diamond-shaped hinge. This produces a diagonal movement on the driving tip, with the lateral motion used for driving and the longitudinal motion used for pressing the slider, respectively. Then, the statics analysis of the proposed piezoelectric actuator is performed by finite element simulation. The simulated displacements of the driving tip under different structures are obtained, and then the structure size is determined. Finally, an experimental system is established to study the performance of the proposed piezoelectric actuator. The experimental results show that the maximum output velocity of the proposed actuator is 5.26 mm/s. The maximum output force is 1.9N when the locking force is 2N and the drive frequency is 660 Hz.
Association of Commonly Prescribed Antepartum Medications and Incidence of Orofacial Clefting
Authors: Laspro Matteo , Brydges Hilliard T. , Verzella Alexandra N. , Schechter Jill , Alcon Andre , Roman Ashley S. , Flores Roberto L.
Published: March 2024

Background

Pharmacologic agents are often used in the antepartum period, however, studies on their effect on fetal development are limited. Thus, this study aims to examine the effect of commonly prescribed antepartum medications on the development of orofacial clefting.

Methods

Utilizing EPIC Cosmos deidentified data from approximately 180 US institutions was queried. Patients born between January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2023, were included. Eight OC cohorts were identified. Gestational medication use was identified by medications prescribed, provider-administered, or reported use by mothers. Medications used in at least 1 in 10,000 pregnancies were included in this analysis.

Results

A total of 12 098 newborns with available maternal pharmacologic data were born with any type of orofacial clefting. Prevalence for all oral clefts, any cleft palate, and any cleft lip were 20.56, 18.10, and 10.60 per 10 000 individuals, respectively. Notable significant exposures include most anticonvulsants, such as lamotrigine (OR1.33, CI 1.10-1.62), and topiramate (OR1.35, CI 1.13-1.62), as well as nearly all SSRIs/SNRIs, including fluoxetine (OR1.34, CI 1.19-1.51), sertraline (OR1.25, CI 1.16-1.34), and citalopram (OR1.28, CI 1.11-1.47). Corticosteroids were also correlated including dexamethasone (OR1.19, CI 1.12-1.27), and betamethasone (OR1.64, CI 1.55-1.73), as were antibiotics, including amoxicillin (OR1.22, CI 1.14-1.30), doxycycline (OR1.29, CI 1.10-1.52), and nitrofuran derivatives (OR1.10, CI 1.03-1.17).

Conclusion

New associations between commonly prescribed antepartum medications and orofacial clefting were found. These findings should be confirmed as causality is not assessed in this report. Practitioners should be aware of the potential increased risk associated with these medications.
Engaging Interdisciplinary Innovation Teams in Federally Qualified Health Centers
Authors: Jung Olivia S. , Satterstrom Patricia , Singer Sara J.
Published: March 2024

To foster bottom-up innovations, health care organizations are leveraging interdisciplinary frontline innovation teams. These teams include workers across hierarchical levels and professional backgrounds, pooling diverse knowledge sources to develop innovations that improve patient and worker experiences and care quality, equity, and costs. Yet, these frontline innovation teams experience barriers, such as time constraints, being new to innovation, and team-based role hierarchies. We investigated the practices that such teams in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) used to overcome these barriers. Our 20-month study of two FQHC innovation teams provides one of the first accounts of how practices that sustained worker engagement in innovation and supported their ideas to implementation evolve over time. We also show the varied quantity of engagement practices used at different stages of the innovation process. At a time when FQHCs face pressure to innovate amid staff shortages, our study provides recommendations to support their work.
Living with dementia in Aotearoa New Zealand: Samoan families’ perspectives
Authors: Fa’alau Fuafiva , Peteru Andrew , Fa’alili-Fidow Jacinta , Roberts Mary , Wilson Sharyn
Published: March 2024

There is very little research about dementia in Aotearoa (New Zealand) New Zealand (NZ) Pacific communities, but information available suggests that Pacific people are presenting with dementia at a younger age and with more severe cognitive symptoms than do non-Pacific. The Samoan ethnic group is NZ’s largest Pacific population. This study explores experiences and understanding of dementia from family sessions with 25 people from 10 Samoan families living with dementia. Thematic analysis of the interviews showed there was no Samoan concept for dementia as a disease of the brain that required special medical attention; instead, Samoan elders spoke of memory loss as part of ageing, signifying the end to one’s purpose in life. A formal medical diagnosis saw family members honouring their obligations to care for their loved one at home, often at great cost. Culturally appropriate services, incorporating Samoan concepts of care and ageing, were rarely available.
Culturally safe health and social service access for urban Métis women: a scoping review
Authors: Jones Carly , Monchalin Renée , Smylie Janet
Published: March 2024

Métis people, one of Canada’s three constitutionally recognized Indigenous groups, experience detrimental impacts on their health, identity, and access to culturally safe services as a result of colonial systems and policies. There is also a critical gap in research surrounding the health of urban Métis women. This scoping review aims to explore the experiences of Métis women seeking to access culturally safe health and social services in urban settings across Canada. To conduct this knowledge synthesis, the authors applied a decolonizing methodological approach to Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for conducting a scoping search. A thematical analysis of relevant literature identified three interwoven themes: (a) racism, discrimination, and marginalization; (b) jurisdictional barriers to health and social services; and (c) lack of culturally safe care. The article concludes with opportunities and recommendations for further development to support culturally safe health and social service access for urban Métis communities.
An Indigenous view of social justice leadership in the Malaysian education system
Authors: Angit (Temiar) Suria , Jarvis Adrian
Published: March 2024

Social justice leadership is a method of building greater inclusivity in a variety of fields, education being prominent among them. This article considers how social justice leadership can improve educational opportunities for Orang Asli (the original people; the Indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia). It explores the concepts of social justice and social justice leadership, arguing that they are useful, but in focusing on the relationship between the individual and the collective, they do not always fully appreciate the epistemological bases of the concepts, thus missing their true import for Orang Asli people. Practical examples of how Orang Asli people suffer in educational settings are given, the emphasis being on underachievement and bullying. Finally, the strands are tied together with a discussion of how social justice leadership can be of benefit, the onus being on how social justice leaders need to be cognisant of Orang Asli culture and forms of knowledge before serious progress can be made.
Identification with an anti-system party undermines diffuse political support: The case of Alternative for Germany and trust in the Federal Constitutional Court
Authors: Arzheimer Kai
Published: March 2024

The rise of the far right is increasingly raising the question of whether partisanship can have negative consequences for democracy. While issues such as partisan bias and affective polarization have been extensively researched, little is known about the relationship between identification with anti-system parties and diffuse system support. I address this gap by introducing a novel indicator and utilising the GESIS panel dataset, which tracks the rise of a new party, ”Alternative for Germany” (AfD) from 2013, when the party was founded, to 2017, when the AfD, now transformed into a right-wing populist and anti-system party, entered the federal parliament for the first time. Employing a panel fixed effects design, I demonstrate that identification with ”Alternative for Germany” reduces trust in the Federal Constitutional Court by a considerable margin. These findings are robust across various alternative specifications, suggesting that the effects of anti-system party identification should not be dismissed.
Perspectives of healthcare workers on integrated management of childhood illness in Pakistan: A phenomenological approach
Authors: Abrar Saidul , Hafeez Asad , Khan Muhammad Naseem , Marwat Muhammad Imran
Published: March 2024

In 2019, an estimated 5.2 million deaths were reported among children less than 5 years of age. At primary healthcare level, healthcare workers (HCWs) mostly rely on history and clinical findings and less on inadequate diagnostic facilities. To enhance case management skills of HCWs, World Health Organization devised an integrated management of childhood illnesses (IMCI) strategy in 1995, modified to distance learning IMCI in 2014. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to explore perceptions of HCWs about standard and distance IMCI. Four focus group discussions were conducted with purposively selected 26 HCWs (IMCI trained) from 26 basic health units of Abbottabad district in Pakistan. Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics were adopted during the inductive thematic analysis. Five themes that emerged are inexorable health seeking behaviors, IMCI being a comprehensive algorithm for consultation, a tedious protocol, scaling up protocol to specialists and private practitioners, and administrative insufficiency by the department of health. Improvement in case management skills of HCWs was reported as a result of IMCI trainings. It needs administrative support, regulations to control poly-pharmacy and provision of drugs without prescription, and a curb on political and bureaucratic interference.
Curating hope in chronocracy: TikTok creation and the offline lives of young men from Pakistan in Greece
Authors: Lindsay Rachael
Published: March 2024

This article investigates the disparity between the everyday lives of young men from Pakistan living in Greece and the impressions created through their TikTok profiles. It asks how creating and curating TikTok content counters the multifarious temporal exclusions, or chronocracy, they experience as they work undocumented and attempt to stay under the radar of the authorities. By shedding light on these young men’s own explanations for their TikTok videos, I ultimately argue that TikTok offers a way for these young men to curate a hope that reflects the futures their families in Pakistan desired for their children, while also connecting them with other young men in similar situations. The article draws attention to how multifarious tensions and pressures can both be eased and played out in curating content online and suggests ethnography as a tool and temporality as an analytic in untangling these ambiguities.
Rethinking #thedress: On the social aesthetics of viral ambiguity illusions
Authors: Schonig Jordan
Published: March 2024

The social media phenomenon known as #thedress, a photograph of a dress that appeared to be either blue and black or white and gold, has been called one of the most viral debates of the twenty-first century. While many scientific explanations have been offered to explain the image’s mysterious color ambiguity, this article analyzes #thedress as an example of a broader genre that I call viral ambiguity illusions, images or sounds that can be perceived in two or more ways, and which invite users to share their perception through likes, comments, and hashtags. Drawing on the social dimensions of aesthetic theory (especially beauty), I argue that viral ambiguity illusions satisfy a distinctly aesthetic desire to share our diverging perceptions with others at historically unprecedented scales, forming what I call aesthetic publics. Ultimately, this aesthetic understanding of viral ambiguity illusions can help nuance assumptions about the polarizing effects of social media.
Thermo-oxidative aging state detection of rubber sandwich structure using synchrosqueezing transform-assisted feature extraction and customized detection indicator
Authors: Zhao Xujun , Tian Ye , Han Dalong , Si Yue , Zhang Meng , He Liandi
Published: March 2024

Rubber sandwich structures (RSSs) are used extensively in mechanical engineering. The aging state detection of such structures is urgently required to avoid disastrous accidents. However, this is still a challenging task owing to the weakness of the rubber layer aging feature information contained in the vibration signal of the RSS and the lack of effective aging feature information extraction techniques. Thus, an aging state detection method for the RSS using synchrosqueezing transform (SST)-assisted feature extraction and a customized detection indicator was proposed in this study. First, the SST was used to decompose the vibration signal of the RSS, and a time-frequency (TF) spectrum with an enhanced aging state feature was obtained. Second, a TF bandpass filter was constructed and used to filter the information unrelated to the aging state feature from the TF spectrum. Subsequently, a hard threshold denoising method was applied to reduce noise in the filtered TF spectrum. Then, the aging state signal was reconstructed using the inverse SST. Finally, a customized detection indicator was constructed and its value was calculated to detect the aging state of the RSS. A thermo-oxidative aging dataset of the RSS from Xi’an Jiaotong University was used to validate the proposed method. The experimental results showed that the proposed method was more effective than other methods.
Low-velocity impact behavior of warp-knitted spacer fabric reinforced with spiderweb shaped stitch
Authors: Yang Aolin , Liu Lele , Dong Zhijia , Ma Pibo
Published: March 2024

Warp-knitted spacer fabrics are a widely considerable material owing to its unique sandwich structure and superior performance, employed across diverse fields such as military, transportation, construction, and personal protection. However, they are inevitably subjected to impacts in practical applications. This work investigated the influence of surface layer structure on the impact resistance property of fabrics by drop weight tests. The damage tolerance of warp-knitted spacer fabrics was also studied through repeated impact experiments. To further improve the impact resistance property of the fabric, a simple sewing method was proposed in this work. Inspired by the spiderweb structure, a spiderweb shape was sewn on the fabric. The results demonstrated that hexagonal mesh as the impact surface provided better impact resistance for the fabric. As the number of impacts increases, the deformation of the fabric gradually intensifies, and the fabric is completely damaged during the fourth impact. The stitch can enhance its impact resistance, and the shape of the stitch had a significant influence on the impact resistance performance.
Back to the Future: Everything You Wish You’d Asked Derrida About ChatGPT When You Had the Chance!
Authors: Pollard Eileen
Published: March 2024

This article considers and then reconsiders what ChatGPT produces and how it produces it, using the work of a range of critical theorists and authors. In particular, it imagines what different philosophers, thinkers, and writers would say about this most recent technological leap, if they were somehow brought back from the past, into this, our new future. To ventriloquise for them, this article plays fast and loose with the work and styles of Douglas Adams, Virginia Woolf, and Alan Turing, among others, to try to demonstrate what ChatGPT can do, having been potentially “trained” on their work, as well as highlighting the nuances of allusion, subtext, paradox, and contradiction as possibly more human aspects of both writing and reading. Such “play” is followed by a more serious analysis of writing and the suggestion of a “Double Signature Signification” at work in the text produced by ChatGPT, meaning one system of signification for writing the text (schematic) and one for reading it (referent), which overlap perfectly. The article concludes by arguing that it is not the consciousness of ChatGPT that beguiles us, it is the possibility of that consciousness, and what gives rise to that sense of possibility is partly the spectral and haunting nature of dialoguing with it. A dialogue with ChatGPT has all the excitement of a séance: it is uncertain, unknown, yet with its traces of the familiar it is also like talking to the dead.
Upper Aerodigestive Tract Endoscopy Combining Rigid Laryngoscopy and Flexible Endoscopy
Authors: Dubray-Vautrin Antoine , Chappey Christian , Taouachi Rabah , Ghanem Wahib , Choussy Olivier
Published: March 2024

Upper Aerodigestive Tract Endoscopy (UATE) is recommended for initial examination of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Reducing delay of initial examination must be a challenge to manage head and neck cancers. We hereby describe the technic combining UATE and flexible endoscopy in a unique general anesthesia with overview of hypopharyngeal, larygeal, tracheal, esophageal, nasopharyngeal sub sites in a unique procedure with system of magnificense and to perform percutaneous gastrostomy during the same time before initiation of therapy.