bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
7. Integrating ethnographic and physical science methods in interdisciplinary research projects
Authors: Johnson Amy Leigh , Oven Katie , Rosser Nick , Basnet Dipak , Dorjee Bhotia Nyima , Bahadur Dong Tek , Puri Anuradha , Tamang Sunil , Kincey Mark
Published: February 2025

Researchers and ‘in-country’ Research Associates in interdisciplinary teams combine expertise and experience to tackle transdisciplinary problems. However, there is little instruction available to guide researchers or Research Associates when stepping outside disciplinary comfort zones. The authors discuss how a Critical Physical Geography approach supported team members in developing boundary crossing research in the Sajag-Nepal project. They share three pedagogical moments in team training and effects: 1) Knowledge (learning across disciplines); 2) Sensibility (ethnography as a stepping stone for interdisciplinary fieldwork); and 3) Practices (sensing landslides). Personal reflections from Sajag-Nepal Research Associates underscore lessons learned. It is argued that the purpose of interdisciplinary training is less to teach methods than it is to foster appreciation and curiosity about disciplinary boundary experiences in shared practice contexts. It is essential to invest time and attention to the pedagogy of interdisciplinarity to create equitable fields of knowledge, sensibility, and practice among team members.
11. Introduction to the research recipes
Authors: Lane Stuart , Lave Rebecca
Published: February 2025

This short chapter introduces Section 2 of the Field Guide, which provides compelling examples of mixed methods environmental research “recipes.” We note three common characteristics amongst the chapters: deep engagement with place, which allows the researchers to slow down and more carefully tailor their research methods to their field sites; the importance of collaboration with researchers from other disciplines and/or local people, who bring their own knowledge of the field site; and innovative combinations of seemingly disparate methods that allow the authors to see their field sites from multiple perspectives.
18. Antarctic mosaic
Authors: Chignell Stephen M. , Howkins Adrian , Fountain Andrew
Published: February 2025

Different methods use different metaphors, and the way we write can reflect our underlying philosophical assumptions, positionalities, and values. To mix methods, it follows, is also in a very tangible sense to mix metaphors. In this chapter, we use the metaphor of a mosaic, as well as several others, to help us reflect on our experiences of working together on a decade-long historical research project about the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research site in East Antarctica. We describe our process of ‘going with the flow’, using whichever methods we thought might help produce insights. We also describe the challenges and benefits of collaboratively writing together and offer several practical takeaways that may be useful for others conducting interdisciplinary mixed-methods research.
19. Engaging remote sensing and ethnography to seed alternative landscape stories and scripts
Authors: Kelley Lisa C.
Published: February 2025

In this chapter, I draw on experiences studying land and labor transformations in Sulawesi, Indonesia to reflect on practices for integrating remotely sensed (RS) and ethnographic research methods in a critical physical geographical account of socio-environmental relations. I offer three suggestions for going beyond the existing emphasis on eliminating barriers to integration to foster more convivial, generative, and flexible approaches to joining RS and ethnography. The first emphasizes the importance of staying with place and process in developing ‘intuitive’ approaches to integration. The second highlights how attention to the tensions between RS and ethnographic findings can deepen knowledge reflexivity while nuancing or even upending existing research understandings. The third explores how integrative instincts can inform approaches to re-fashioning RS and ethnographic methods, whether this involves more explicitly spatializing ethnographic research or leveraging RS to develop an ethnographically “thick” description of place-based relations.
23. Arts-based environmental research
Authors: Ingram Mrill
Published: February 2025

Arts-based research engages with a broad range of creative mediums and genres to gather data and to communicate ideas, experiences, and feelings about the environment. The tremendously diverse range of creative arts-based methods greatly expands traditional environmental data gathering tools and offer new techniques for capturing otherwise elusive environmental experiences. Creative research provides opportunities to explore meaning, ritual, symbolism, and the visceral, sensory, embodied, and affective elements of environmental experience, as they can represent valid ways of knowing but may not be well represented in traditional environmental research approaches.
33. Oral history
Authors: Chakov Alexandra , Chang Tom , Covey Henry , Dickson Taylor , Goggins Sydney , Harris Nora , Purna Sujash , Widell Sydney , Gottschalk Druschke Caroline
Published: February 2025

This primer introduces readers to oral histories, focusing on the importance of both process and product, situating oral histories within a suite of other related methods, and considering the ethics and potential complications of the methodology.
40. Social network analysis
Authors: Chignell Stephen M.
Published: February 2025

This chapter introduces social network analysis (SNA), providing a brief overview of its history, applications, and relationships with other methods.
Comparing Justification of Morally Dubious Behavior and Violence Across Immigrant Generations and Native-Born Individuals: A Cross-National Assessment
Authors: Choi Jaeyong , Hsu Ko-Hsin , Lee Julak
Published: February 2025

A fair amount of research has shown that immigrants do not necessarily commit more crimes than native-born individuals. However, it remains unclear why patterns of crime vary across first-generation immigrants, second-generation immigrants, and native-born individuals. Using a sample of individuals from the World Value Survey Wave 6, we conduct a multilevel analysis to examine the impact of various factors on the justification of morally dubious behavior and violence across different countries. Specifically, we explore individual-level attributes and country-level structural factors and test whether these variables explain distinct crime patterns between different generations of immigrants and native-born individuals. Additionally, we investigate whether geopolitical contexts specific to immigration (e.g., the proportion of immigrants in the population and discrimination) are linked to crime patterns of different immigrant generation statuses.
Shortening Psychological Scales: Semantic Similarity Matters
Authors: Kilmen Sevilay , Bulut Okan
Published: February 2025

In this study, we proposed a novel scale abbreviation method based on sentence embeddings and compared it to two established automatic scale abbreviation techniques. Scale abbreviation methods typically rely on administering the full scale to a large representative sample, which is often impractical in certain settings. Our approach leverages the semantic similarity among the items to select abbreviated versions of scales without requiring response data, offering a practical alternative for scale development. We found that the sentence embedding method performs comparably to the data-driven scale abbreviation approaches in terms of model fit, measurement accuracy, and ability estimates. In addition, our results reveal a moderate negative correlation between item discrimination parameters and semantic similarity indices, suggesting that semantically unique items may result in a higher discrimination power. This supports the notion that semantic features can be predictive of psychometric properties. However, this relationship was not observed for reverse-scored items, which may require further investigation. Overall, our findings suggest that the sentence embedding approach offers a promising solution for scale abbreviation, particularly in situations where large sample sizes are unavailable, and may eventually serve as an alternative to traditional data-driven methods.
Then—and now: Sino–American Relations in World War II and the 2020s
Authors: Dai Boyuan , Pruessen Ronald W
Published: February 2025

During the current period of Sino-American tensions, historians should contribute to policy-making deliberations. The rich literature on US-China relations during World War II offers a suggestive test case that demonstrates the rewards of comparative and multi-disciplinary analysis–and highlights complexities too easily obscured by the fog of current war talk. In particular, the bilateral dynamics of 1940–1945 and the 2020s reveal two countries weighing powerfully countervailing calculations of security, economic, and psychological concerns. Then and now, this produces a context within which China and the US might be seen as balancing on the edge of a volcano–though it is important to recognize that the balancing is as important as the potential for eruption. Here, a Chinese historian and a Canadian-American historian collaborate to suggest the broad relevance of historical sensitivity to contemporary policy analysis–and the particular value of scholarly cooperation across fraught national boundaries.
‘Constantly invalidated by an intolerant and uncaring world’: Perceived etiology of suicidal thoughts among transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive black, indigenous, and other people of color
Authors: Gamio Cuervo Álvaro , Del Rio Michelle
Published: February 2025

Background:

Transgender, nonbinary, gender-expansive (TNGE) Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC) have one of the highest rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. As recommended by the cultural framework of suicide, examining culturally relevant lay beliefs and attitudes, such as community perspectives on where suicidal ideation originates, is integral for suicide prevention. Doing so may aide in identifying avenues of support for TNGE BIPOC with chronic suicidal ideation.

Aims:

This study aimed to examine how TNGE BIPOC community members perceive the etiological foundation of suicidal ideation.

Method:

Short-answer responses were collected from 110 participants in a national cross-sectional survey within the United States. Data were analyzed utilizing a directed content analysis approach to thematically categorize etiological factors.

Result:

Participants described four major areas regarding perceived etiology of suicidal thoughts including: (1) chronic trauma and stress; (2) societal and cultural expectations; (3) biological factors; and (4) structural oppression. The most salient etiological factor was structural oppression which was endorsed by 60% of the sample.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that experiences of structural oppression should be incorporated in assessing TNGE BIPOC clients’ beliefs about suicide and suicide prevention, given its relative saliency within this sample. Further research is needed to adequately understand how cumulative stress and social-cultural expectations impact the development of suicidal ideation among TNGE BIPOC.
Dam as Estrangement: Collective Memory and Development Questions in the Tribal Resistance Against Hydropower Project in Tripura, Northeast India
Authors: Malsom Thomas
Published: February 2025

The Government of India’s developmental plans to transform its Northeastern region into a major hub for large-scale hydropower projects on nearly all its perennial rivers has incited significant Indigenous tribal resistance. Many of these resistances arise from the previous experiences of the dam and in response concerns were expressed that such new dam construction could further impact river ecosystems, the livelihoods, and the cultural heritage of Indigenous communities that are linked to their epistemologies. Using the lens of collective memory, this paper examines how past experiences of dam have coerced Indigenous tribes to resist the new dam construction, with a special focus on a newly proposed dam over the Haora (Saidra) River in Tripura—a last corner state of Northeast India.
Punk as a method of qualitative inquiry: Pogo-bricoleur and dirty research practice
Authors: Szwabowski Oskar , Zańko Piotr
Published: February 2025

This article explores the metaphor of punk as qualitative inquiry, which, according to the authors, expands research possibilities by opening the researcher to what is instinctive, emotional, angry, dirty and noisy – those dimensions of human existence that in traditional methodological reflection are omitted or treated as waste, data to be cleared. We propose the figure of the pogo-bricoleur to introduce a different variety of engaged, critical qualitative inquiry. By analyzing pogo dancing and noise associated with punk rock, we investigate the critical dimension of such research in the spirit of critical qualitative inquiry and their relationship to theory.
Docklessness, aesthetic governance, and the urban ‘micromobility mess’
Authors: Leszczynski Agnieszka , Cinnamon Jonathan , Asa Suzi , Jahiu Lindi
Published: February 2025

Dockless micromobility sharing systems have wrought significant visual changes to urban streetscapes worldwide. These changes are often described in terms of the ‘mess’ of micromobility, characterised by dockless vehicles abandoned in roadways, sidewalks, and recreational paths, tossed into waterways, and graffitied, burned, and otherwise vandalised. In this paper, we argue that efforts to govern this dockless micromobility mess – which most frequently comes in the form of parking regulations – effectively impose and enforce normative visual order on the cityscape. Based on an analysis of primary image data and publicly available documents, we identify that efforts at governing docklessness also have the effect of governing the aesthetics of urban space in three ways: through (1) visual-material interventions (e.g. parking corrals and mats, app interfaces); (2) linked strategies of visual verification (digital image capture and assessment) and computer vision (the use of AI and machine learning); and (3) visual erasure (e.g. impounds and bikeshare graveyards). We discuss the implications of the aesthetic effects of micromobility governance for docklessness itself and the utilisation of dockless micromobilities and potential impacts on transportation equity and sustainability, and most significantly, for the right to the city.
End Users’ Perspective of Digital Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS) Performance at Public Health Facilities of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonen Zelalem Tilahun , Cho Denny J. , Cheikhrouhou Naoufel , Blanchet Karl , Gedif Fenta Teferi
Published: February 2025

The healthcare supply chain relies on real-time logistics Management Information System (LMIS). Despite Ethiopia’s adoption of a digital LMIS in 2009, ongoing evaluation of software, infrastructure, and sustainability remains essential for improving performance from users’ and health system’s perspectives. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of the facility version of digital LMIS at public health facilities in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was used. Out of 102 surveyed facilities, only 37 implemented the digital LMIS. Data was collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Out of 37 facilities using digital LMIS, 28 (75.7%) were functional. The average frequency of use across 27 sub-dashlets was 3.13 ± 0.67 out of 4. End users rated the digital LMIS performance as 3.21 ± 0.43 out of 5 (64.2%). Significant differences in LMIS performance related to organizational support were found due to varying end users’ experience and internet access ( P-value < .05). The digital LMIS performance from end users’ perspective was 64.2%, with significant differences in agreement related to health system and organizational support, influenced by internet access and users’ experience.
A Qualitative Examination of Early College High School Students’ Academic and Interpersonal (In)Validation in Texas
Authors: Allen Taryn Ozuna , Cuellar Stephanie , Camargo Elsa , Delgado Maria Yareli
Published: February 2025

Objective: Increasing college readiness and college success is a national priority. Early College High Schools (EC) are a popular educational reform employed to prepare typically minoritized students for postsecondary success. This qualitative study examined the schooling experiences of 13 EC graduates in Texas. Methods: This qualitative study examined the schooling experiences of 13 early college high school (EC) graduates in Texas. More specifically, this study employed validation theory to examine students’ academic and interpersonal validating and invalidating experiences. During one-on-one, in-person interviews, students described their interests in applying to an EC, their academic and interpersonal experiences at their EC, and how those experiences influenced their overall educational experience. Results: The findings revealed students experienced academic validation through the EC application process but invalidation in their degree completion trajectory, relationships, and overall mental health. Furthermore, the participants shared interpersonal validation through close relationships with peers, teachers, and faculty, but they also felt isolated in their schooling experience. Contributions: Implications include validating students through their educational pathway, providing realistic academic advising, supporting students’ mental health, including students in course selection, and encouraging faculty connect with students.
Welcome Refugees? The Asylum System in Spain
Authors: Iglesias Juan , Bermejo Rut
Published: February 2025

The Spanish asylum system and refugee reception program demonstrate persistent problems involving initial access to asylum and the processing of applications; access to assistance from the reception system; and the process of integration of asylum seekers, which is characterized by social segregation. This article analyzes these issues and seeks to explain them by looking beyond the immediate circumstances of the substantial increase in applications, mainly from Latin Americans, that has taken place in Spain since 2015. The deficiencies of the asylum system are explained in terms of the restrictive refugee paradigm employed by Spain and the European Union as a whole, as well as the development of a restricted, isolated reception model focused more on the initial assistance process than on social integration. Our analysis is based on two recent studies and provides empirical evidence in an area of study that has been scarcely addressed in Spain.

El sistema de asilo español y su programa de acogida presentan problemas persistentes relacionados con el acceso al asilo y la tramitación de las solicitudes, el acceso y la intervención del sistema de acogida, y los procesos de integración de los solicitantes, marcados por la segregación social. El artículo analiza dichos problemas, y trata de explicarlos yendo más allá de la coyuntura del fuerte crecimiento de las solicitudes ocurrido en España desde el año 2015, protagonizado principalmente por solicitantes latinoamericanos. Se apunta, así, que los déficits del asilo se explican por la existencia de un paradigma restrictivo del refugio en España y en la UE, y el desarrollo de un modelo de acogida restringido, aislado y centrado en el proceso de atención inicial más que en la integración. El análisis se apoya en dos investigaciones realizadas recientemente, aportando evidencia empírica a un área de estudio poco estudiada en España.
Characterization of the coir fiber from different coconut varieties to enhance the performance of coir fiber-reinforced natural rubber composites
Authors: Fernando Jayakodi A. K. M. , Yalegama Chandi , Fernando Nandana , Samarakoon Upeka K. , Edirisinghe Dilhara , Sampath Manju
Published: February 2025

The manufacture of composite materials reinforced with bristle fiber that possess distinct properties is highly attractive for novel applications. The quality variations in coir fiber-reinforced rubber composites (CFRC) are mainly affected by several factors, including the type of rubber matrix used, the interfacial adhesion between the coir fiber and the rubber matrix, the fiber length, and fiber loading. The objectives of this study were to assess and characterise coir fibers extracted from diverse Sri Lankan coconut varieties to identify high-quality coir fiber suitable for the fabrication of high-performance coir fiber-reinforced rubber composites, and the optimal range of coir fiber length and loading was investigated to maximize the mechanical properties of the composites. In this research, the extracted bristle fiber from different coconut varieties was examined for distinct properties and chemical composition. The varying lengths, specifically ranging from 0 to 0.5 mm and 0.5-1.0 mm of fiber from selected coconut varieties, were used for making CFRC. Different loadings of the selected range of coir fiber were used for partial replacement of carbon black in CFRC. Results showed that the Kamandala and Tall x Tall varieties had significantly high tensile strengths, with the Tall x Tall variety selected due to its superior mechanical properties and high abundance. The replacement of carbon black filler in natural rubber composites with 10 phr of coir fiber obtained from the Tall x Tall variety, with a length range of 0 to 0.5 mm, possessing coir-to-carbon black weight ratios of 10/40 phr, demonstrated superior properties in terms of tensile strength, tear strength, and elongation compared to composites containing 10 phr of coir fiber with a length range of 0.5-1 mm and other coir fiber to carbon black ratios. These findings provide insightful information for the development of composite materials and promote the sustainable and responsible utilization of coconut resources.
Multidimensional Community-level Impacts of Cement Production Development Projects in Mon State, Myanmar
Authors: Than Myint
Published: February 2025

This study explores the socioeconomic and environmental impact of top-down development interventions on local communities. It examines the case of extractive mining and cement operations in Myanmar to articulate a critique of development mentalities and practices as a modernization project. The findings showed strong evidence that Mawlamyine Cement Limited’s (MCL) cement production represents examples of extractivism in the Phar Taung area. MCL’s operation had pressured and constrained the aquatic life, habitats, and reproduction processes in the river while endangering the local ecology and community health due to its exploitative and non-reciprocal relationship with the community and its resources.
Gendered leadership and political structures: A global analysis of crisis responses across 150 countries
Authors: Hasanaj Valon , Stadelmann-Steffen Isabelle
Published: February 2025

This study explores the role of leaders’ gender and its interaction with political structures in shaping countries’ responses to the recent pandemic crisis, analysing data from over 150 countries. We investigate how leadership – during the early, peak and later stages of the crisis – impacted national strategies across various dimensions, including politics, health and the economy. A key focus is on whether female leaders differed from male leaders in their crisis responses and how the presence of women in parliament and the level of democratic freedoms might alter these dynamics. Our initial findings indicate that female leaders tended to implement more rigorous measures at the beginning of the crisis across all examined dimensions. However, the difference in responses between genders diminished over time, underscoring the evolving nature of leadership influence. Additionally, our research shows that the effects of a leader’s gender on policy responses are significantly shaped by the country’s political environment, particularly the extent of democratic freedoms and female representation in parliament.
The relationship between English language proficiency test scores and academic achievement: A longitudinal study of two tests
Authors: Barkaoui Khaled
Published: February 2025

English-medium universities often accept scores from various English language proficiency (ELP) tests as evidence of ELP from non-English background students. This practice raises the question of how these tests compare in terms of their ability to predict academic achievement. This longitudinal study addresses this question by examining the strength of the associations between total scores on the IELTS Academic and the TOEFL iBT, on one hand, and the academic achievement of 6481 non-English background undergraduate students in the first 10 semesters of their study at a Canadian, English-medium university, on the other. Findings revealed that the association between ELP and academic achievement varied across ELP tests and disciplines. Furthermore, students with different IELTS scores exhibited significantly different grade point average (GPA) trajectories over time. Specifically, students with lower IELTS scores tended to exhibit a more substantial decline in GPA over the 10 semesters compared to students with higher scores who displayed less decline in GPA, suggesting greater resilience. The findings and their implications for research concerning the relationship between ELP and academic achievement over time are discussed.
Asian family members’ participation in advance care planning: An integrative review
Authors: Pan Jing-Da , Ho Ka Yan , Guan Gui-fen , Chang Min-Min , Tan Cui-Rong , Qiu Xin-Yan , Liu Hong-Li , Lin Ke-Lan , Xu Wen-Ting , Pan Shan , Liu Qi , Mao Ting , Lam Katherine Ka Wai , Ling Dong-Lan
Published: February 2025

Background:

Family members play a pivotal role in advance care planning for patients with life-limiting illnesses, particularly in Asia, where cultural values stress family-centeredness and paternalism.

Aim:

To synthesize the evidence pertaining to the extent of Asian family members’ involvement in advance care planning.

Design:

An integrative review was conducted.

Data sources:

Data sources included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, PubMed, Wan Fang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, Google Scholar, and Open Gray.

Results:

21 studies were included. The willingness of Asian family members to participate in advance care planning is high, while their actual engagement remains low. Based on the barriers, facilitators, and Asian family members’ roles influencing participation identified in our study, a six-dimensional conceptual model was developed: Asian family members’ roles, problem-solving skills, communication, affective responsiveness, affective participation, and controlling behavior in advance care planning. Barriers to effective participation were identified: inadequate advance care planning legislation, insufficient public education, and influences from Confucianism or traditional beliefs. Additionally, filial piety was shown to have a paradoxical effect on Asian family members’ participation in advance care planning in Asian countries.

Conclusions:

This study proposes a culturally sensitive model to illustrate family members’ participation in advance care planning in Asia. This lays a foundation to develop culturally specific interventions to enhance family participation in advance care planning in the future. We recommend that Asian governments should enact legislations, enhance public education, and incorporate cultural characteristics into relevant policy frameworks to foster greater family involvement in advance care planning.
Changing Time Representation in Microsimulation Models
Authors: Wong Eric Kai-Chung , Isaranuwatchai Wanrudee , Sale Joanna E. M. , Tricco Andrea C. , Straus Sharon E. , Naimark David M. J.
Published: February 2025

Background

In microsimulation models of diseases with an early, acute phase requiring short cycle lengths followed by a chronic phase, fixed short cycles may lead to computational inefficiency. Examples include epidemic or resource constraint models with early short cycles where long-term economic consequences are of interest for individuals surviving the epidemic or ultimately obtaining the resource. In this article, we demonstrate methods to improve efficiency in such scenarios. Furthermore, we show that care must be taken when applying these methods to epidemic or resource constraint models to avoid bias.

Methods

To demonstrate efficiency, we compared the model runtime among 3 versions of a microsimulation model: with short fixed cycles for all states (FCL), with dynamic cycle length (DCL) defined locally for each state, and with DCL features plus a discrete-event-like hybrid component. To demonstrate bias mitigation, we compared discounted lifetime costs for 3 versions of a resource constraint model: with a fixed horizon where simulation stops, with a fixed entry horizon beyond which new individuals could not enter the model, and with a fixed entry horizon plus a mechanism to maintain a constant level of competition for the resource after the horizon.

Results

The 3 versions of the microsimulation model had average runtimes of 515 (95% credible interval [CI]: 477 to 545; FCL), 2.70 (95% CI: 1.48 to 2.92; DCL), and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.26 to 2.61; DCL-pseudo discrete event simulation) seconds, respectively. The first 2 resource constraint versions underestimated costs relative to the constant competition version: $20,055 (95% CI: $19,000 to $21,120), $27,030 (95% CI: $24,680 to $29,412), and $33,424 (95% CI: $27,510 to $44,484), respectively.

Limitations

The magnitude of improvements in efficiency and reduction in bias may be model specific.

Conclusion

Changing time representation in microsimulation may offer computational advantages.

Highlights

Short cycle lengths may be required to model the acute phase of an illness but lead to computational inefficiency in a subsequent chronic phase in microsimulation models. A solution is to create state-specific cycle lengths so that cycle lengths change dynamically as the simulation progresses. Computational efficiency can be enhanced further by using a hybrid model containing discrete-event-simulation-like features. Hybrid models can efficiently handle events subsequent to exit from an epidemic or resource constraint model provided steps are taken to mitigate potential bias.
Forward design method of VH-CATT cylindrical gears based on RTCA analytical modeling
Authors: Guo Rui , Wei Yongqiao , Liu Yongping , Luo Lan
Published: February 2025

A novel method called Real Tooth Contact Analysis (RTCA) is proposed to elucidate the tooth-face contact law of the cylindrical gear with variable hyperbolic circular-arc-tooth-trace (VH-CATT cylindrical gears) and predict the direction and size of the contact pattern. This study establishes a coating surface model for the tooth surface coated with red lead powder of a specific thickness, and a contact analysis model considering installation errors. Utilizing a three-dimensional complete tooth surface mathematical model and TCA technology, an algorithm based on the surface intersection principle is devised to solve the model. Studied the effects of gear geometric parameters and installation errors on tooth surface contact trajectory and instantaneous contact pattern. A quantitative relationship is established through fitting, revealing that the ratio between the nominal cutter radius and the contact patch length is nonlinearly proportional only to the gear modulus. Based on these quantitative correlations, the concept of a critical radius-to-width ratio for VH-CATT cylindrical gears is introduced. This provides methods for predicting the contact pattern length and determining the permissible range of other geometrical parameters for such gears under specific operating conditions, thereby offering a crucial theoretical foundation for their forward design.
The Controlled Release of Platelet-Rich Plasma–Loaded Alginate Repairs Muscle Damage With Less Fibrosis
Authors: Felipone William Kenzo , Mambro Luana de , Ranieri Beatrice Rodrigues , Ivanov Giovana Zaneti , Meves Robert , Martins Leonardo , Stilhano Roberta Sessa
Published: February 2025

Background:

Muscle injuries often result in dysfunctional muscle repair and reduced muscle strength. While platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a new treatment option in orthopaedics, its use for muscle injuries remains controversial.

Hypothesis:

Encapsulating PRP within alginate hydrogels will achieve a localized and sustained release of growth factors at the site of the muscle injury, thereby enhancing skeletal muscle repair and reducing fibrosis.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Bimodal blends of hydrogels were formulated using 1% oxidized high– and low–molecular weight alginate. There were 2 types of PRP prepared: leukocyte-rich PRP (L-PRP) and pure PRP (P-PRP). These PRP types were loaded onto 75L25H alginate hydrogels, and the release of TGF-β1 was quantified over time. A laceration injury was induced in mice, which was then treated with various agents: alginate only, L-PRP, L-PRP–loaded alginate (L-PRPA), P-PRP, and P-PRP–loaded alginate (P-PRPA). An additional 2 groups were formed: injury with no treatment and control with no treatment or injury.

Results:

Our in vitro experiments showed that after an initial burst, TGF-β1 was released in a sustained manner for approximately 1 week after the encapsulation of both PRP preparations. The in vivo experiments showed that the groups treated with bolus injections of L-PRP or P-PRP did not show significant changes in the fibrotic area. However, the L-PRPA and P-PRPA groups demonstrated a 50% reduction in the fibrotic area ( P < .05), resulting in a higher ratio of regenerating myofibers and higher levels of myogenic markers (myogenin and MyHC-emb) compared with all the other groups ( P < .05). The L-PRPA group demonstrated significantly improved performance on the rotarod test; interestingly, this group also had more type I collagen than type III collagen.

Conclusion:

The administration of L-PRP and P-PRP after a muscle injury did not reduce fibrosis. However, when loaded onto alginate hydrogels, they led to benefits, resulting in a smaller area of fibrosis and greater tissue regeneration.

Clinical Relevance:

The encapsulation of different preparations of PRP by alginate hydrogels was more effective in treating muscle lacerations than injections of PRP alone. This information is relevant for future clinical studies of PRP.
Active surveillance in low risk prostate cancer: Role of multiparametric MRI and cancer progression predictors
Authors: Simforoosh Nasser , Dadpour Mehdi , Narouie Behzad , Madani Mohammad Hamidi
Published: February 2025

Introduction:

To evaluate the outcomes of active surveillance (AS) strategy for patients with favorable risk prostate cancer (PCa) and identify multiparametric MRI role and PCa progression predictors.

Method:

This was a 5-year follow-up cohort study which enrolled 153 favorable-risk PCa patients in an AS program from April 2017 to February 2023. Patients were included in this study based on AS protocol inclusion criteria. MpMRI was also a part of this protocol. Active surveillance outcomes such as adherence to AS treatment strategy and the oncologic outcomes were assessed.

Results:

During the 4.23 ± 0.5 years follow-up, 39 of 153 patients left the AS protocol by their own decision (14) or other physicians’ advice, due to the concern of cancer progression; 5 of 153 died from another cause other than PCa; 9 of 153 revealed cancer progression during this time and underwent radical prostatectomy; The remaining 100 patients stayed on the AS protocol during the follow up. Adherence to AS strategy protocol was 60.55% in our study. Older age, positive family history for PCa, initial clinical stage, higher total PSA, greater PSA density, more positive cores, and greater core involvement were the most common predictors for progression. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of mpMRI for cancer progression detection were 55.55%, 97%, 62.25%, and 96%, respectively.

Conclusion:

AS can be a suitable alternative treatment for low-risk and very low risk prostate cancer to avoid the probable complications of radical prostatectomy. MpMRI is valid and reliable for identifying PCa progression and provides useful information when combined with biopsy.
Where is the Cross? On Gillian RoseInterview with J.M. Bernstein
Authors: Lazarus Michael , Bernstein J.M.
Published: February 2025

In this interview with Michael Lazarus, Jay Bernstein reflects on the history of his intellectual friendship with Gillian Rose—until her early death, his dearest friend. It was a friendship rooted in a shared passion for Hegel's philosophy as the ground origin and abiding source of Marxist Critical Theory. In the course of the interview, Bernstein comments on the role of speculative propositions in Rose's reading of Hegel; her modernist understanding of the meaning of style even after her critique of Adorno on style; on her obsession with critiquing post-structuralism; her continuing allegiance to Marxism; his understanding of her turn to political theology; the significance of Marx's “On the Jewish Question” for her and him; the meaning of law in Rose's thought as well as in his; the power and courage of her last book, Love's Work, its work of affirmation. He concludes with a reflection on his sense that she is a thinker whose fate is to be loved, studied, forgotten, and then discovered anew.
Enhancing Business Students’ Big Data Learning: Integrating Augmented Reality, Mind Mapping, and STEM Strategies
Authors: Chiang Yu-Hung , Su Yu-Chen , Wang Wei-Tsong , Huang Tien-Chi
Published: February 2025

As big data and artificial intelligence become integral to business decision-making, business management students require proficiency in data science and big data. However, the use of instructional technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and mind mapping to teach these subjects is limited. This study introduces an innovative pedagogical model that integrates VAR materials and mind mapping with STEM teaching strategies to enhance learning outcomes and flow experiences among business management students. The researchers divided eighty-two participants into two experimental groups and a control group to assess (a) the impact of AR materials on learning big data expertise (b) the effectiveness of mind mapping combined with STEM strategies on programming skills and understanding big data concepts; and (c) the influence of a combined virtual and physical classroom model on learning achievement, learning experience, and flow experience. The results indicated that the implemented teaching model significantly enhanced learning achievement, experience, and immersion, with mind mapping and STEM strategies proving particularly effective. In conclusion, the integration of AR with Mind mapping and STEM strategies markedly improves learning performance, quality of learning, students’ attitudes, interest, and the overall educational experience in big data education.
Bus Rapid Transit Impact on Property Prices: Comparing Two Natural Experiments in El Paso, TX
Authors: Song Yang , Lee Chanam , Noh Yougre , Li Wei , Lee Hanwool
Published: February 2025

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has been increasingly popular recently. This study compiles longitudinal house transaction data and carries out two natural experiments in El Paso, TX, to explore the effect of BRT stations on residential property values. A synthetic control methodology, which creates counterfactual groups for identifying matching controls, has been used. Transportation corridors are used as our spatial control pool. The results reveal a significant variation in the impact of BRTs on housing prices even within the same City. It appears that BRT may have greater benefits in lower-income neighborhoods and less popular housing markets.
Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Drug Use: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties
Authors: Gresham Abriana M. , Kjærvik Sophie L. , Thomson Nicholas D.
Published: February 2025

Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is a risk factor for drug use, which has the potential to negatively impact survivor health and well-being. However, few studies have explored the role of emotion regulation in the association between IPV exposure and drug use. Understanding whether difficulties with emotion regulation mediate the association between IPV victimization and drug use may be important to better understand the mechanisms driving drug use and identify potential intervention targets. Thus, the present study aims to test the role of emotion dysregulation in the link between IPV exposure and drug use among violently injured adults. A total of 367 adults who had experienced a violent injury from any source ( Mage = 32.7, 73% male, 80% Black/African-American) from an Urban Level 1 Trauma Center were recruited. Participants completed self-report surveys on their IPV victimization experiences, emotion regulation difficulties, and drug use. Results showed that IPV victimization was associated with greater emotion regulation difficulties and higher levels of drug use. In addition, several domains of emotion regulation difficulties (strategies, non-acceptance, goals, and impulse) were associated with more engagement in drug use, and those domains of emotion regulation difficulties partially mediated the associations between IPV victimization and drug use. These findings highlight the importance of exploring mechanisms of IPV victimization outcomes, such as drug use that can guide education (e.g., stigma prevention), prevention (e.g., early and hospital-based screening), and intervention (e.g., treatments to target emotion regulation) efforts.
Response Times and Self-Reporting: Response Patterns Across Countries and World Regions Using Data From a Large Scale Computer-Based Assessment
Authors: Vonkova Hana , Papajoanu Ondrej , Bosko Martin
Published: February 2025

Understanding reporting behavior in questionnaires is a key issue in enhancing cross-national data comparability and policy decisions. Computers help improve the analysis of careless or insufficient effort (C/IE) responding by logging response times and other response behavior, ensuring data quality. We introduce a response-time based approach, built on an analysis of the relationship between a survey item and a related external variable, to cross-national research. Using PISA 2015 data from 58 countries/economies, we analyze patterns of correlations between the enjoyment of science and science test scores across response time. We focus on C/IE responding towards the beginning of the response time spectrum. Results indicate rather diligent responding in Eastern Asia and a part of Northern Europe. Yet in other regions (e.g., part of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe), C/IE responding might be distorting the data. We provide other researchers with information regarding when and to what extent C/IE responding can occur across countries. We enhance the understanding of heterogeneity in reporting behavior across countries.
Public University Degree Audits: Who Incurs Excess Credit and Why
Authors: Rivera Marcos D. , Jaggars Shanna S. , Cepeda Rebecca
Published: February 2025

Most college graduates in the United States earn excess credit hours (ECH) that do not apply to their degree. In response, multiple U.S. states and college systems have shifted the costs of ECH away from taxpayers and toward students—a response which implies ECH is primarily driven by students who engage in frivolous course-taking. To better understand how and why college students accrue ECH, this study uses detailed degree audits from a large public university in the Midwest to identify four unique types of graduates with ECH: Pioneers, Duplicators, Clean Slates, and Jump-Starters. Results suggest ECH is a complex product of multiple circumstances and behaviors which differ across types of students, and that in general, punitive student-facing policy measures are misguided. Instead, institutions and academic programs may need to address internal policies and practices that unintentionally generate ECH.
Measuring Mini SmartApp usability for ankylosing spondylitis from the perspective of patients and health providers
Authors: Wang Zepu , Chen Longji , Wang Anqi , Cheng Lin , Fan Jiaxin , Fu Ting , Sang Yan , Shen Hongwu
Published: February 2025

Objective

To identify beneficial experiences, areas needing improvement, and potential additional value, with a view to providing a reference for the application of mobile health management in clinical practice.

Methods

This study applied a mixed research approach to measure the mini smartApp usability among participants who were diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at rheumatology and immunology department of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University between October 2022 to March 2023 and research staff. This study lasted two weeks. We using the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) and face-to-face semi-structured interview to evaluate the mini smartApp's usability.

Results

Altogether 105 participants having follow-up data at 2 weeks were included, of which 94 were AS patients and 13 were research staff. All participants thought the mini SmartApp was useful, with regard to the scores of PSSUQ between baseline was 1.1 (SD:0.63) and 2-week intervention period was 0.98 (SD:0.53). Four themes emerged from test of usability, participants thought mini SmartApp easy to use and can bring several benefits. However, the theme of needing more useful function revealed that mini SmartApp need further improvement in future use.

Conclusion

Overall, the mini SmartApp has the potential to be a valuable tool in assisting AS patients with home-based exercise and improving their overall management of the disease.
A Cross-Disciplinary Bibliometric Review of Family-Friendly Work Activities and Agenda for Future Research
Authors: Chang Yingyi , Cobb Haley R. , Kepes Sven , Her Da Yeon , Zhou Yuyang , Matthews Russell A.
Published: February 2025

Over the past few decades, scholarship on managing the work-family interface has expanded, particularly regarding family-friendly work activities (FFWAs) designed to alleviate various forms of work-family conflict. We bring together the broad, cross-disciplinary research on FFWAs using bibliometric performance and mapping techniques. Using these techniques, we review 40 years of FFWA research across different scientific disciplines to then synthesize the existing knowledge and identify its contributing entities (e.g., authors, journals), collaborations among some of the entities (e.g., co-author relationships), and main themes, and collaborations among authors. In other words, we map and describe the intellectual, social, and conceptual structures of the FFWA literature. Based on this, we organize and integrate the cross-disciplinary literature across levels of analysis using the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) model into a nomological network of FFWAs’ antecedents and consequences. Then, we use this nomological net to further delineate research questions and provide avenues for future research. Taken together, our comprehensive review offers clarity on the current state of FFWAs research and provides recommendations for future studies to advance theory, research, and practice.