bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Principal Leadership Management in Increasing the Competence of Elementary School Teachers in Medan City, North Sumatra
Authors: Lisnasari Srie Faizah , Karo Sekali Pelista Br , Jainab Jainab , Widiyarti Gemala , Sidebang Restio , Simbolon Rinci
Published: February 2023

To leadership to the principal of the school plays an important role in improve the competence of teachers in their schools. Efforts to increase this are carried out by making policies that are translated into programs to increase teacher competency. This study aims to describe; (1) Principal Management in Improving Teacher Competence; (2) Principal Management Success in Increasing Teacher Competence; (3) Supporting factors, inhibiting factors and solutions for Principal Management in Improving Teacher Competence at SD N Medan City, North Sumatra. This research is in the form of qualitative research, the data collection method used is observation, interviews, and documentation. The research results show that Principal management in improving teacher competence, namely : (1) Involving teachers in training, training and seminars, (2) Implementation of supervision (3) Prioritizing discipline, (4) Motivating teachers. Application of leadership management school principals in improving teacher competence greatly affect the competence of teachers in SD N Medan City, North Sumatra, namely that the teachers have started apply the basic competency standards regulated by the government as well as possible. In implementing the program there will be supporting factors, inhibiting factors and leadership management solutions principal in improving teacher competence in Elementary School Medan City, North Sumatra.
Teaching during Pandemic Years: Faculty Experiences from Government-Funded Universities in the Philippines
Authors: Potoy Mark Herman S. , Cantina Jovelyn M. , Banquiao Quindhe M.
Published: February 2023

Due to this significant and disruptive change in teaching and learning, teachers, who serve as frontline educators, are faced with several difficulties. This study employed a qualitative phenomenology methodology to investigate faculty members' experiences while lecturing at public universities and colleges in the Philippines during the pandemic and the pedagogical solutions they employed to overcome these difficulties. According to the study, five themes surfaced from instructors' real-life experiences: (1) students’ negative attitudes toward learning; (2) health-related issues; (3) inaccessibility and poor internet connection; (4) limited flexible learning pedagogies; and (5) unavailability and/or insufficiency of ICT resources. Negative student attitudes, health-related problems, poor internet accessibility, a lack of flexible learning pedagogies, and an absence or limited availability of ICT resources are all significant predictors of how well students will engage in and how well teachers will perform when delivering high-quality instruction during a pandemic. It has been determined that the difficulties faced by the faculty play a significant role in predicting how well student engagement and teachers' ability to deliver high-quality instruction during pandemics will fare. Therefore, the government must allot enough money to modernize the facilities and internet connectivity to deliver online instruction, as well as to provide instructors with training and professional growth in online tools and pedagogy. It is possible to implement and sponsor a training program that will provide the faculty with the tools they need to meet the challenges of the new normal.
From Face-to-Screen to Face-to-Face Learning: Students’ Vaccination Status and Willingness for Blended Learning Modality
Authors: Obispo Kristoffer Paul C. , Paguio Darwin P. , Amarille Anna Theresa M.
Published: February 2023

The trend of transitioning back to face-to-face classes from an online, virtual, distance learning and other learning modality during the time of pandemic has started in the Philippines. This study aimed to determine the vaccination status, willingness of the students for the resumption of face-to-face classes as well as parental support or approval of the reopening of in-campus classes. Descriptive design is used in this study with the use of online survey as the primary data gathering method. Using a convenience sampling technique, it garnered 1137 responses at a local college in the Olongapo City, Philippines. Based on the survey result, 84.3% of the students are fully vaccinated with one booster shot while 9.4% are fully vaccinated as of the rollout of this survey. Exactly 50% of the students are willing for the resumption of face-to-face classes, 7.7% are willing with the intention to get vaccinated for the resumption of face-to-face classes. It may seem to have low willingness among the student but among respondents, of about 17.2%, are graduating students, will transfer to another school, and will stop for the next academic year. In terms of parental support and/or approval for the resumption of classes, 64.4% of the parents and guardians showed support to the resumption of in-campus face-to-face classes. Lastly, the result of this survey will serve as an input and basis for the preparation of the academic year 2022-2023 for the blended learning modality with shifting schedule of face-to-face classes.
Immigration and the COVID-19 pandemic in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: impacts, policies and governance
Authors: Uebel Roberto Rodolfo Georg
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges for international migration flows within the Global South. In the case of Brazil, different immigration and emigration flows coexisted over the first two years of the pandemic, forcing the State and subnational governments to formulate and adopt new public policies to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. Thus, this research analyzes these dimensions from the case study of cities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, with a research methodology of comparative studies. Subnational and national policies that have been adapted by these local governments will also be discussed, namely: a) access to health services; b) income transfer through the Emergency Aid (Auxílio Emergencial); c) vaccination against the COVID-19. Preliminary results point to a fragmented and non-aligned governance of cities in relation to state and federal governments, as well as different impacts - and their mitigation - among groups of immigrants and refugees.
Escribir, Sellar y Administrar: Una abordaje del corpus documental de la Tercera Dinastía de Ur a partir de la Epigrafía del Paisaje
Authors: Cabrera Rodrigo
Published: February 2023

En el presente artículo, se propone un abordaje de los textos administrativos de la Tercera Dinastía de Ur en Mesopotamia (c. 2110-2003 a.e.c.) –en particular, de las tablillas pisaĝ-dub-ba– a partir de una perspectiva teórico-metodológica que denominaremos Epigrafía del Paisaje. Por un lado, la importancia de la misma radica en entender a los documentos en sus mismos contextos de producción, circulación y almacenamiento, considerando sus caracteres internos (semánticos) como externos (sintácticos). Por otro, posibilita la comprensión y el reconocimiento, a partir de un riguroso abordaje de la documentación administrativa, de los (i) agentes (humanos y no humanos) junto a sus prácticas, los (ii) objetos/cosas (cultura material) y los (iii) lugares involucrados en la conformación de un paisaje social. Dicho paisaje social, en el caso de la Baja Mesopotamia, se componía de diferentes archivos provinciales, los cuales se subdividían en oficinas menores y otras mayores en tanto reguladoras de los distintos ámbitos económicos y políticos de la época.
Beyond the Nile: Long term Patterns in Nomad-State Interactions across Northeast Africa
Authors: Cooper Julien
Published: February 2023

The fertility brought about by the Egyptian and Sudanese Nile Valley allowed for one of the densest urban populations in the African continent, creating a myriad of different dynasties, states, and cities that dominated trade and politics across Northeast Africa. Despite the Nile-centric axis of this world (and our study of it), almost every boundary of the Egyptian or Nubian states were bordered by desert and savannah ecologies, the abode  of herders or more properly ‘pastoralist nomads’. From the Marmarica coastal steppe of the Mediterranean coast, to the Atbai Hills of the Red Sea, to the Sahel west of the Upper Nubian Nile in Kordofan, Northeast Africa was dominated by nomads. In this thinking, sedentary urban groups on the Nile are spatially the exception rather than the rule, with urban peoples occupying a thin ribbon of agricultural potential on the banks of the river and select oases. The rest of Northeast Africa was ‘nomad land’. The history of nomad-state interactions is one of constant transgression of each other’s realms, with nomadic peoples coming to the Nile for employment and grazing and Nile peoples journeying through the desert for resource exploitation and trade. This Nile-desert nexus is one of the longest documented case studies in nomad-urban interactions in world history.
Dying for a Drink on the Meroitic Frontier: Imported Objects in Funerary Assemblages at Faras, Sudanese Nubia
Authors: Bishop-Wright Henry Cosmo
Published: February 2023

This paper examines the use of imported objects in funerary assemblages at the Meroitic cemetery of Faras in Sudanese Nubia (north Sudan). Excavated at the beginning of the 20th century by Francis Llewellyn Griffith (1862-1934), Faras was situated on the frontier between the Kingdom of Meroë (c.300 BCE – 350 CE) and Ptolemaic-Roman Egypt. Its location granted it access to wide-ranging commercial networks and imported objects were frequently utilised as grave goods. Drawing upon the author’s PhD research, this paper offers a nuanced assessment of how imports were selected and used in funerary practice at Faras. It disputes the traditional idea that the Meroitic frontier functioned as an acculturated buffer of the classical world and demonstrates that, despite centuries of material contact with Egypt, the people of Faras maintained a distinctly Meroitic identity expressed through local mortuary tradition.
Making Sense of Catastrophe: Experiencing and Remembering the Kazakh Famine in a Comparative Context
Authors: Kaşıkçı Mehmet Volkan
Published: February 2023

The Kazakh Famine of 1930–3 is one of the least-known tragedies of the twentieth century even though it took 1.5 million lives. Although more than three decades of scholarship have provided substantial literature on the political and economic dynamics of the famine, the myth that there are only a few eyewitness accounts of the Kazakh famine persists in Western historians’ studies. By covering hundreds of survivor testimonies, mostly in Kazakh, this article debunks that myth. This article provides the first cultural history of the Kazakh famine by focusing on how survivors experienced and made sense of this catastrophe. I focus on meanings associated with the tragedy of mass starvation and show how survivor memories bear the imprint of death and are shaped around the images of ultimate horror. These images of ultimate horror that appear time and again in survivor accounts had come to symbolize the ruthlessness of the catastrophe and the meaning of survivors’ experiences. Through these images, survivors emphasize how all forms of solidarity collapsed amid mass starvation and how dehumanization brought by famine marks a rupture in their lives without a tangible connection to their previous and subsequent lives.
“Choozing” the Best Spelling: Consumer Response to Unconventionally Spelled Brand Names
Authors: Costello John P. , Walker Jesse , Reczek Rebecca Walker
Published: February 2023

An increasingly common strategy when naming new brands is to use an unconventional spelling of an otherwise familiar word (e.g., “Lyft” rather than “Lift”). However, little is known about how this brand naming strategy impacts consumers’ beliefs about the brand and, ultimately, their willingness to support it. Eight experimental studies demonstrate that, in general, consumers are less likely to support unfamiliar brands whose names are spelled unconventionally compared with brands that use the conventional spelling of the same word. This occurs because consumers perceive the choice of an unconventionally spelled name as an overt persuasion attempt by the marketer and thus view the brand as less sincere. Using mediation and moderation, the authors demonstrate that these effects are driven by persuasion knowledge and show robustness by employing different types of unconventional spellings. The studies suggest that although marketers may choose unconventional spellings for new brands with the goal of positively influencing consumers’ perceptions, doing so may backfire. However, unconventionally spelled names do not produce a backfire effect when the motive for selecting the name is seen as sincere. Further, unconventionally spelled brand names may even be desirable when consumers are seeking a memorable experience.
Inter-Rater Reliability Methods in Qualitative Case Study Research
Authors: Cole Rosanna
Published: February 2023

The use of inter-rater reliability (IRR) methods may provide an opportunity to improve the transparency and consistency of qualitative case study data analysis in terms of the rigor of how codes and constructs have been developed from the raw data. Few articles on qualitative research methods in the literature conduct IRR assessments or neglect to report them, despite some disclosure of multiple researcher teams and coding reconciliation in the work. The article argues that the in-depth discussion and reconciliation initiated by IRR may enhance the findings and theory that emerges from qualitative case study data analysis, where the main data source is often interview transcripts or field notes. To achieve this, the article provides a missing link in the literature between data gathering and analysis by expanding an existing process model from five to six stages. The article also identifies seven factors that researchers can consider to determine the suitability of IRR to their work and it offers an IRR checklist, thereby providing a contribution to the broader literature on qualitative research methods.
Key Challenges and Recommendations for In Vitro Testing of Tobacco Products for Regulatory Applications: Consideration of Test Materials and Exposure Parameters
Authors: Moore Martha M. , Abraham Irene , Ballantyne Mark , Behrsing Holger , Cao Xuefei , Clements Julie , Gaca Marianna , Gillman Gene , Hashizume Tsuneo , Heflich Robert H. , Hurtado Sara , Jordan Kristen G. , Leverette Robert , McHugh Damian , Miller-Holt Jacqueline , Phillips Gary , Recio Leslie , Roy Shambhu , Scian Mariano , Simms Liam , Smart Daniel J. , Stankowski Leon F. , Tarran Robert , Thorne David , Weber Elisabeth , Wieczorek Roman , Yoshino Kei , Curren Rodger
Published: February 2023

The Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) is sponsoring a series of workshops to identify, discuss and develop recommendations for optimal scientific and technical approaches for conducting in vitro assays, to assess potential toxicity within and across tobacco and various next generation nicotine and tobacco products (NGPs), including heated tobacco products (HTPs) and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). The third workshop (24–26 February 2020) summarised the key challenges and made recommendations concerning appropriate methods of test article generation and cell exposure from combustible cigarettes, HTPs and ENDS. Expert speakers provided their research, perspectives and recommendations for the three basic types of tobacco-related test articles: i) pad-collected material (PCM); ii) gas vapour phase (GVP); and iii) whole smoke/aerosol. These three types of samples can be tested individually, or the PCM and GVP can be combined. Whole smoke/aerosol can be bubbled through media or applied directly to cells at the air–liquid interface. Summaries of the speaker presentations and the recommendations developed by the workgroup are presented. Following discussion, the workshop concluded the following: that there needs to be greater standardisation in aerosol generation and collection processes; that methods for testing the NGPs need to be developed and/or optimised, since simply mirroring cigarette smoke testing approaches may be insufficient; that understanding and quantitating the applied dose is fundamental to the interpretation of data and conclusions from each study; and that whole smoke/aerosol approaches must be contextualised with regard to key information, including appropriate experimental controls, environmental conditioning, analytical monitoring, verification and performance criteria.
Histological and Biomechanical Effects of Local Anesthetics and Steroids on Achilles Tendon: A Study in Rats
Authors: Kafa Baris , Cakmak Gokhan , Sahin Mehmet Sukru , Helvacioglu Fatma , Fidan Pinar Ayran , Demir Teyfik , Guvercin Ayse Canan Yazici
Published: February 2023

Background:

Peritendinous injection of local anesthetics, alone or in combination with corticosteroids, is widely used in the treatment of tendinopathies. Toxicity of local anesthetics has been demonstrated in many cells, including myocytes, chondrocytes, and neurons. Bupivacaine and lidocaine are known to have time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity in these cells. The effects of these agents on the tendon remain unknown.

Purpose:

To show histological and biomechanical effects after the injection of different local anesthetics and steroids, both single and combined, at different concentrations into the peritendinous sheath of rat Achilles tendon.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

In the study, 100 rats were divided into 10 groups with equal body weights. Inflammation was induced in both Achilles tendons of each rat by means of the ball drop technique; 7 hours later, injections were made into the peritendinous sheaths of both Achilles tendons using lidocaine, bupivacaine, and dexamethasone as appropriate for the rat’s group. At the end of the first week, the right Achilles tendons of the rats were removed for histological study. Left Achilles tendons were evaluated in terms of biomechanics.

Results:

Histological findings demonstrated that the group with the most toxicity to the tendon was the group that received injection of dexamethasone alone. The groups with the least toxicity were those receiving dexamethasone combined with low- or high-dose bupivacaine. Biomechanical findings showed that the experimental groups had similar results to each other with the exception of the groups receiving 0.25% bupivacaine alone and dexamethasone alone, in which tendons revealed higher tensile strength.

Conclusion:

Local anesthetic and steroid applications have different histological and biomechanical effects on the tendon. Although the dexamethasone-injected group was the most affected in terms of histology, these changes could not be demonstrated biomechanically.

Clinical Relevance:

In future clinical studies, the effect of steroids on the tendon should be investigated more comprehensively. Whether biomechanical results overlap with histological results should be investigated further.
Socioeconomic Disparities in Cognitive Functioning Trajectories Among Older Filipinos: Applying the Characteristics Approach
Authors: Vicerra Paolo Miguel Manalang , Estanislao Juniesy M.
Published: February 2023

Health functioning declines with age, but there are disparities in its progression with regard to socioeconomic status, particularly education attainment, income, and wealth. This paper focused on the use of the characteristics approach to present the trajectories of cognitive performance among older adults with different education and wealth levels in the Philippines. Using an analytical sample of 5209 adults aged at least 60 years, extracted from the first wave of the 2018 Longitudinal Study on Ageing and Health in the Philippines, it was observed that having higher levels of education delayed lower cognitive performance, whereby men had further gains than women. Greater wealth and income were also shown to slow diminishing cognitive performance, and women gained more in this regard. Viewing health only from an age perspective is limiting; and the results show that the older population is heterogeneous and social gradients exhibit disparities in health performance at later ages.
Resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic among people living with HIV: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Kıllı Nesrin Ecem , Bakır Çiçek Nur , Canbaz Ata Alpay , Karabulut Kardelen , Mutlu Ali , Karataşlı Şeyhmus , Tekin Süda , Kayı İlker
Published: February 2023

Background

This study aims to investigate the factors shaping resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic among people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods

A total of 341 participants were included in this cross-sectional study. The online survey included scales of resilience, depression & anxiety, loneliness, social support, COVID-19 fear, stress, and sociodemographic information.

Results

Logistic regression test results showed loneliness (OR = 2.548, 95% CI = 1.251, 5.189), social support (OR = 2.217, 95% CI = 1.148, 4.279), income (OR = 2.581, 95% CI = 1.217, 5.472), sexual orientation (OR = 2.707, 95% CI = 1.004, 7.300), age (OR = 1.044, 95% CI = 1.006, 1.083) and COVID-19 fear (OR = 0.891, 95% CI = 0.840, 0.944) were statistically significant factors associated with resilience among PLWH.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reducing COVID-19 fear by providing the correct information about the COVID-19 pandemic, fortifying the level of social support satisfaction, as well as minimising the level of loneliness have the potential to improve psychological resilience among PLWH.
Shared and unique risk factors for readmission exist following upper and lower extremity arthroplasty in the 30-day postoperative period
Authors: Scholten Donald J , Gwam Chukwuweike U , Recker Andrew J , Plate Johannes F , Waterman Brian R
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Joint arthroplasty has become increasingly more common in the United States, and it is important to examine the patient-based risk factors and surgical variables associated with hospital readmissions. The purpose of this study was to identify stratified rates and risk factors for readmission after upper extremity (shoulder, elbow, and wrist) and lower extremity (hip, knee, and ankle) arthroplasty.

Methods

All patients undergoing upper and lower extremity arthroplasty from 2008–2018 were identified using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program dataset. Patient demographics, medical comorbidities and surgical characteristics were examined utilizing uni- and multi-variate analysis for significant predictors of 30-days hospital readmission.

Results

A total of 523,523 lower and 25,215 upper extremity arthroplasty patients were included in this study. A number of 22,183 (4.2%) lower and 1072 (4.4%) upper extremity arthroplasty patients were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Significant risk factors for 30-days readmission after lower extremity arthroplasty included age, Body Mass Index (BMI), operative time, dependent functional status, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score ≥3, increased length of stay, and various medical comorbidities such as diabetes, tobacco dependency, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An overweight BMI was associated with a lower odds of 30-days readmission when compared to a normal BMI for lower extremity arthroplasty. Analysis for upper extremity arthroplasty revealed similar findings of significant risk factors for 30-days hospital readmission, although diabetes mellitus was not found to be a significant risk factor.

Conclusion

Nearly one in 25 patients undergoing upper and lower extremity arthroplasty experiences hospital readmission within 30-days of index surgery. There are several modifiable risk factors for 30-days hospital readmission shared by both lower and upper extremity arthroplasty, including tobacco smoking, COPD, and hypertension. Optimization of these medical comorbidities may mitigate the risk short-term readmission following joint arthroplasty procedures and improve overall cost effectiveness of perioperative surgical care.
The Burden of having to Wonder: Hospice Caregiving Experiences of LGBTQ+ Cancer Family Caregivers
Authors: Cloyes Kristin G. , Reynaga Miranda , Vega Marilisa , Thomas Hebdon Megan C. , Thompson Casidee , Rosenkranz Susan J. , Tay Djin , Reblin Maija , Ellington Lee
Published: February 2023

Background and Objectives

LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be caregivers for family and friends with life-limiting illnesses than non-LGBTQ+ people. LGBTQ+ caregivers may also experience stigma, bias, and discrimination, in addition to caregiving stress. Yet few studies have elicited LGBTQ+ family caregivers’ perspectives on their end-of-life (EOL) experiences of home hospice.

Research Design and Methods

We conducted semi-structured interviews with LGBTQ+ family caregivers of home hospice patients (N = 20). Following an interpretive descriptive approach, interview data were audio recorded, transcribed, and iteratively coded, and themes were developed and synthesized.

Results

The burden of having to wonder expressed caregivers’ uncertainty and concern about whether their negative experiences were common to all EOL caregivers or stemmed from cultural stigma and provider bias. Participants described how invisibility vs. risks of disclosure, anticipatory anxiety, perceived microaggressions, and protective vigilance increased stress and complicated caregiver-provider communication. Navigating EOL universalities vs. minority realities depicted underlying tensions between commonly assumed universalities of EOL caregiving and LGBTQ+-specific experiences. Providers’ discomfort, awkward communication, lack of access to culturally competent EOL support resources, and broader structural and cultural discrimination eroded their sense of connectedness and safety. Together, these themes characterized the impact of minority stress at EOL.

Discussion and Implications

Our findings suggest that LGBTQ+ hospice caregivers are at risk for minority stress in addition to more common sources of EOL caregiving pressures and thus have specific support and communication needs. Providers must understand this to deliver effective EOL care for all families.
Tunneled central venous catheters for hemodialysis—unfairly condemned? Catheter-related complications in a university hospital setting
Authors: Buckenmayer Anna , Möller Bianca , Ostermaier Claudia , Hoyer Joachim , Haas Christian S
Published: February 2023

Background:

Central venous catheters (CVCs) provide an immediate hemodialysis access but are considered to be of elevated risk for complications. It remains unclear, if CVCs per se have relevant impact on clinical outcome. We provide an assessment of CVC-associated complications and their impact on mortality.

Methods:

In a single center retrospective study, CVC patients between JAN2015-JUN2021 were included. Data on duration of CVC use, complications and comorbidities was collected. Estimated 6-month mortality was compared to actual death rate.

Results:

About 478 CVCs were analyzed. Initiation of dialysis was the main reason for CVC implantation. Death was predominant for termination of CVC use. Infections were rare (0.6/1000 catheter days), complications were associated with certain comorbidities. Actual 6-month mortality was lower than predicted (14.3% vs 19.6%).

Conclusion:

(1) CVCs are predominantly implanted for initiation of hemodialysis; (2) serious complications are rare; (3) complications are associated with certain comorbidities; and (4) CVC patients survive longer than predicted.
Critical Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic from the NHS Frontline
Authors: Lloyd Anthony , Briggs Daniel , Ellis Anthony , Telford Luke
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way we live, work, and interact with each other. Nowhere was the pandemic more profoundly experienced than on the frontline of healthcare. From overwhelmed Intensive Care Units to shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and clap for carers, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) became the focal point for the pandemic response. Utilising data from online survey responses (N = 16) complemented by four online interviews and one face-to-face interview (N = 5) with NHS workers primarily during the height of the pandemic, this article offers a preliminary analysis on the challenges the UK’s healthcare workers faced through working in conditions of crisis management. The article particularly addresses NHS workers’ amplification of fear, anxiety, and exhaustion; the absence of widespread solidarity; and implications of the absence of coherent governmental messaging upon the workforce. We situate this discussion within a critical account of neoliberal political economy, the theoretical framework of social harm, and the absence to explicate the harmful conditions of the pandemic’s frontline. While the data are confined to the UK’s NHS workers, its findings are relevant to other countries across the world that enacted similar responses to deal with COVID-19.
Iatrogenic effects of Reboot/NoFap on public health: A preregistered survey study
Authors: Prause Nicole , Binnie James
Published: February 2023

“Reboot,” especially NoFap, promotes abstinence from masturbation and/or pornography to treat “pornography addiction,” an unrecognized diagnosis. While the intention of Reboot/NoFap is to decrease distress, qualitative studies have consistently suggested that “Reboots” paradoxically cause more distress. The distress appears to occur in response to (1) the abstinence goal, which recasts common sexual behaviors as personal “failures,” and (2) problematic and inaccurate Reboot/NoFap forum messaging regarding sexuality and addiction. This preregistered survey asked men about their experience with perceived “relapse” and NoFap forums. Participants reported that their most recent relapse was followed by feeling shameful, worthless, sad, a desire to commit suicide, and other negative emotions. A novel predictor of identifying as a pornography addict in this lower religiosity sample was higher narcissism. Participants reported that NoFap forums contained posts that were misogynist (73.7% of participants), bullying (49.1%), anti-LGBT (42.9%), antisemitic (32.0%), instructing followers to harm or kill themselves (23.5%), or threats to hurt someone else (21.1%). More engagement in NoFap online forums was associated with worse symptoms of erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and more sex negativity. Results support and expand previously documented harms and problems with Reboot/NoFap claims of treating pornography addiction from qualitative research.
“Environmental media” in the cloud: The making of critical data center art
Authors: Hogan Mél
Published: February 2023

Despite the numerous projects and exhibitions dedicated to technology and Internet infrastructure, “Data Center Studies” has not yet fully grappled with art’s role in the wider intervention critical scholarship is making via the data center—as object, cultural image, sociotechnical imaginary, site, metaphor, and concept. In this article, I weave in artworks and insights from artists to make a theoretical intervention about what constitutes environmental media “in the cloud,” and how a critique of Internet infrastructure has spurred a critical data center art movement.
Retrofitting and ruining: Bunkered data centers in and out of time
Authors: Velkova Julia
Published: February 2023

The political economy of the “cloud” depends on the continuous transformation of physical space to support the flow of digital commodities. Retrofitting disused infrastructure has been one of the strategies of data center operators to gain cheap access to such space. Tracking the temporal story of a retrofitted bunker in Helsinki, Finland, its conversion into a data center, and its subsequent dismantling, this article advocates for a processual perspective on data centers that does not take for granted their endurance and solidity, but instead sees them as processes of constant assembly and disassembly that interfere with multiple temporalities. I show how data center retrofitting intersects with and reforms multiple layers of historically entangled urban systems, while ruination stresses the fragility and provisional nature of these transformations, allowing to raise questions about the politics and ethics of data center dismantling that articulate data centers as a relevant object for discard studies.
Development of a numerical simulation model for self-piercing riveting of additive manufactured AlSi10Mg
Authors: Heyser Per , Petker Rudolf , Meschut Gerson
Published: February 2023

Laser additive manufacturing processes are used for the production of highly complex geometric structures due to their high geometric freedom. Additive manufacturing processes, in particular powder-based selective laser melting, are used to produce metallic additive manufactured components for the automotive and aerospace industries. Different materials are often joined together to realize sustainable lightweight construction. The production of such mixed construction joints is often realized using mechanical joining technology (e.g. self-piercing riveting). However, there is currently very little experience with the mechanical joining of metallic additive manufacturing components. Furthermore, there is insufficient knowledge about the effects that occur during the mechanical joining of additive manufacturing components. In this article, a method is presented to investigate the joinability of additively manufactured components with conventionally manufactured components using a numerical simulation of the self-piercing riveting process. For this purpose, the additive manufacturing materials are characterized experimentally, the simulation model is configured, and the joining process with additive manufacturing materials is represented in the numerical simulation. Furthermore, the influence of the building direction on the mechanical properties is shown using miniature tensile specimens. Besides the configuration of the simulation model, the influence of heat treatment on the self-piercing riveting process is presented.
Orientation and action: SME responses to customers and competitors in an international competitive business context
Authors: Riviere Monica , Upson John W.
Published: February 2023

This paper investigates strategic orientations toward three key parties (customers, domestic competitors, and foreign competitors) and considers how each pressures small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to reduce costs and innovate. We surveyed 2792 SMEs from 30 countries, about their business environment and firm innovation. Results indicate that SMEs are selective in responding to pressures from customers, and when they do respond, SMEs do so on their own terms. Further, SMEs differentiate their responses to competitive pressure based on whether pressure arises from foreign or domestic sources. Our study adds to the behavioral perspective of the market orientation literature by focusing on how customers and competitors drive SME behaviors aimed at achieving positional market advantages.
The roles and ethics of psychosocial support workers in integrated health services for sexual and gender-based violence survivors
Authors: Kasherwa Amani Clovis , Alexandre Ali Bitenga , Mugisho Gilbert Mubalama , Foussiakda Agino Cecilia , Balegamire Juvenal Bazilashe
Published: February 2023

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support are integral components of the multisectoral programs addressing wartime sexual violence. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, an integrated framework known as the one-stop centre model was implemented at Panzi Hospital for delivering medical, legal, psychosocial, and socioeconomic support services for wartime sexual violence survivors. While recent developments broadly described this model with more focus on its medical pillar, there is limited knowledge on how its psychosocial support component can be harnessed in addressing wartime sexual violence. This article explored the roles and ethics of psychosocial support in integrated health services based on the research data from 11 in-depth interviews with the psychosocial support workers and desk reviews.

Findings

The findings of this study indicated that the roles and ethics of psychosocial workers in addressing wartime sexual violence are limited by the lack of adequately trained staff members, low professional status, and complex ethical challenges. In this case, psychosocial support draws more from virtue ethics and moral constructivism and less from professional utilitarianism and deontology. While both approaches are integral to providing support services, combining them is necessary for the complementarity and consistency of therapeutic processes. The study's findings also demonstrated the lack of professional social work and mental health interventions in the Congo and suggested coordinated actions engaging social work education, policy, and research developments.

Applications

We conclude that the roles and ethics of psychosocial support should be of serious concern to decision-makers, practitioners, and educators.
A systematic review of the treatment of primary acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
Authors: Welch Matthew , Rankin Sally , How Saw Keng Matthew , Woods David
Published: February 2023

Background

This systematic review aims to comprehensively summarise and present the available evidence for the treatment of primary acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

Five databases were searched for studies investigating the management of ACJ OA. Included were studies with participants with clinical/radiological signs of primary ACJ OA, an intervention and included a functional outcome measure.

Results

Forty-eight studies were included. Treatments consisted of physiotherapy (n = 1 study), medical only (n = 11) and operative management (n = 36). Operative studies included five comparative trials – physiotherapy versus surgery (n = 1) and open versus arthroscopic resection (n = 4). A total of 1902 shoulders were treated for ACJ OA, mean age (51 years), 58% male and mean follow-up (28.5 months). Treatment with injection showed a mean improvement of 50% in pain levels at follow-up (mean = 7.5 months). The commonest surgical procedure was arthroscopic excision of the distal clavicle and operative studies averaged 6 months of conservative management and a mean functional outcome of 87.8%.

Conclusion

Studies varied in indication, intervention and quality but it did not provide evidence that both non-operative and operative interventions are effective. There was no significant difference between open or arthroscopic distal clavicle excision (DCE). Participants having between 0.5 and 2 cm of clavicle excised had good outcomes and those requiring concomitant shoulder procedures had similarly good outcomes.
Soviet Science Diplomacy: How Central Asia was Instrumentalised in Soviet Foreign Policy
Authors: Muratbekova Albina
Published: February 2023

During the years of the Cold War, the opportunities for foreign scientific cooperation by Soviet scholars were limited. However, despite the impediments of the Soviet system, Central Asian science's cooperation with the outside world has continued. In virtue of being of Asian origin and Muslim and having profound knowledge and understanding of the language and civilizational processes of the East, Central Asian people had a special place in Soviet foreign policy. The Central Asians attracted the sympathy of the peoples of the East, which granted them access to their scientific and diplomatic connections. The paper examines how Central Asians used understanding of and ties to the East in diplomacy, for diplomacy, and with diplomacy. First, the paper unpacks the institutional and individual potential of Soviet Central Asian diplomacy and explains how it was used as a tool for Soviet strategy. The paper then examines Oriental studies as a knowledge basis that enabled improved and more in-depth Soviet diplomacy in the East given the pervasive and basic legacy of Oriental studies in studying the East. Further, Soviet involvement in UNESCO programmes in Asia provides insight into how Soviet policy used its soft power through international organisations. In conclusion, the author summarises how science diplomacy was used to further Soviet policy and evaluates the legacy of Soviet science diplomacy in light of recent developments.
Sustained visual attentional load modulates audiovisual integration in older and younger adults
Authors: Ren Yanna , Li Hannan , Li Yan , Xu Zhihan , Luo Rui , Ping Hang , Ni Xuan , Yang Jiajia , Yang Weiping
Published: February 2023

Previous studies have shown that attention influences audiovisual integration (AVI) in multiple stages, but it remains unclear how AVI interacts with attentional load. In addition, while aging has been associated with sensory-functional decline, little is known about how older individuals integrate cross-modal information under attentional load. To investigate these issues twenty older adults and 20 younger adults were recruited to conduct a dual task including a multiple object tracking (MOT) task, which manipulated sustained visual attentional load, and an audiovisual discrimination task, which assesses AVI. The results showed that response times were shorter and hit rate was higher for audiovisual stimuli than for auditory or visual stimuli alone and in younger adults than in older adults. The race model analysis showed that AVI was higher under the load_3 condition (monitoring two targets of the MOT task) than under any other load condition (no-load [NL], one or three targets monitoring). This effect was found regardless of age. However, AVI was lower in older adults than younger adults under NL condition. Moreover, the peak latency was longer, and the time window of AVI was delayed in older adults compared to younger adults under all conditions. These results suggest that slight visual sustained attentional load increased AVI but that heavy visual sustained attentional load decreased AVI, which supports the claim that attention resource was limited, and we further proposed that AVI was positively modulated by attentional resource. Finally, there were substantial impacts of aging on AVI; AVI was delayed in older adults.
Web3 as ‘self-infrastructuring’: The challenge is how
Authors: Nabben Kelsie
Published: February 2023

The term ‘Web3’ refers to the practices of participating in digital infrastructures through the ability to read, write and coordinate digital assets. Web3 is hailed as an alternative to the failings of big tech, offering a participatory mode of digital self-organizing and shared ownership of digital infrastructure through software-encoded governance rules and participatory practices. Yet, very few analytical frameworks have been presented in academic literature by which to approach Web3. This piece draws on the theoretical lens of infrastructure studies to offer an analytical framework to approach the emergent field of Web3 as an exploration in ‘how to infrastructure’ through prefigurative self-infrastructuring. Drawing on qualitative examples from digital ethnographic methods, I demonstrate how the origins of Web3 reveal the intentions of its creators as a political tool of prefiguration, yet its practices reveal the inherent tension of expressing these ideals in coherent technical and institutional infrastructure. Thus, I argue that one of the fundamental challenges Web3 is negotiating through technical and governance experiments is ‘how to self-infrastructure?’.
Enhancing distress tolerance to uplift motivation in recovery: Results from an open development trial
Authors: Bhuptani Prachi H. , Block Amanda , Jiménez Muñoz Paola , Bello Mariel S. , Ramsey Susan , Ranney Megan , Carey Kate , Rich Josiah , Langdon Kirsten
Published: February 2023

Objective

This open pilot study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and qualitative outcomes of an interactive web- and text message-delivered personalized feedback intervention aimed at cultivating motivation and tolerance of distress for adults initiating outpatient buprenorphine treatment.

Methods

Patients ( n = 10) initiating buprenorphine within the past 8 weeks first completed a web-based intervention focused on enhancing motivation and providing psychoeducation on distress tolerance skills. Participants then received 8 weeks of daily personalized text messages that provided reminders of salient motivational factors and recommended distress tolerance-oriented coping skills. Participants completed self-report measures to assess intervention satisfaction, perceived usability, and preliminary efficacy. Additional perspectives were captured via qualitative exit interviews.

Results

In total, 100% of retained participants ( n = 9) engaged with the text messages throughout the entire 8-week period. Mean scores of 27 (SD  = 5.05) on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire at the end of 8-week period indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the text-based intervention. The average rating on the System Usability Scale was 65.3 at the end of the 8-week program, suggesting that the intervention was relatively easy to use. Participants also endorsed positive experiences with the intervention during qualitative interviews. Clinical improvements were observed across the intervention period.

Conclusions

Preliminary findings from this pilot suggest that the content and delivery method of this combined web- and text message-based personalized feedback intervention is perceived by patients as feasible and acceptable. Leveraging digital health platforms to augment buprenorphine has potential for high scalability and impact to reduce opioid use, increase adherence/retention to treatment, and prevent future incidence of overdose. Future work will evaluate the efficacy of the intervention in a randomized clinical trial design.
Associations of improved air quality with lung function growth from childhood to adulthood: the BAMSE study
Authors: Yu Zhebin , Merid Simon Kebede , Bellander Tom , Bergström Anna , Eneroth Kristina , Georgelis Antonios , Hallberg Jenny , Kull Inger , Ljungman Petter , Klevebro Susanna , Stafoggia Massimo , Wang Gang , Pershagen Göran , Gruzieva Olena , Melén Erik
Published: February 2023

Background

The beneficial effect of improving air quality on lung function development remains understudied. We assessed associations of changes in ambient air pollution levels with lung function growth from childhood until young adulthood in a Swedish cohort study.

Methods

In the prospective birth cohort BAMSE (Children, Allergy, Environment, Stockholm, Epidemiology (in Swedish)), spirometry was conducted at the 8-year (2002–2004), 16-year (2011–2013) and 24-year (2016–2019) follow-ups. Participants with spirometry data at 8 years and at least one other measurement in subsequent follow-ups were included (1509 participants with 3837 spirometry measurements). Ambient air pollution levels (particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), particulate matter with diameter ≤10 μm (PM10), black carbon (BC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)) at residential addresses were estimated using dispersion modelling. Linear mixed effect models were used to estimate associations between air pollution exposure change and lung function development.

Results

Overall, air pollution levels decreased progressively during the study period. For example, the median (interquartile range (IQR)) level of PM2.5decreased from 8.24 (0.92) μg·m−3during 2002–2004 to 5.21 (0.67) μg·m−3during 2016–2019. At the individual level, for each IQR reduction of PM2.5the lung function growth rate increased by 4.63 (95% CI 1.64–7.61) mL per year (p<0.001) for forced expiratory volume in 1 s and 9.38 (95% CI 4.76–14.00) mL per year (p<0.001) for forced vital capacity. Similar associations were also observed for reductions of BC and NOx. Associations persisted after adjustment for potential confounders and were not modified by asthma, allergic sensitisation, overweight, early-life air pollution exposure or dietary antioxidant intake.

Conclusions

Long-term reduction of air pollution is associated with positive lung function development from childhood to young adulthood.