bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological Prototype Acquisition Based on Biological Coupling in Bionic Design
Authors: Bai Zhonghang , Song Meijia , Zhang Xu , Zhang Jiahui
Published: October 2022

Because the judgment basis in the process of biological prototype screening is highly subjective, and because it is difficult to generate a scheme when using multiple biological prototypes for bionic design, this work proposes a biological prototype retrieval and matching method for multibiological prototype bionic design. Using BioTRIZ in combination with biological coupling mechanism analysis, orthogonal analysis, and the calculation of the goodness value of the scheme, a multibiological prototype bionic design model is constructed. First, the biological prototype contradictions matrix is obtained by BioTRIZ. Then, a biological coupling mechanism analysis is carried out to calculate the goodness value of the auxiliary scheme to further evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the biological prototype. The orthogonal analysis is then conducted to select the optimal biological prototype combination scheme. Finally, the best biological prototype combination scheme is transformed into the final design scheme according to the biological coupling mode prompts. According to this process, the innovative design of an automatic food threading machine was carried out, and an experiment was conducted for verification. The results demonstrate that the machine after bionic improvement could meet the design requirements, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the established design model were verified.
Modeling the Factors Associated with Incomplete Immunization among Children
Authors: Faisal Shahla , Zahid Faisal Maqbool , Kamal Shahid , Shahzad Khawar , Seidu Abdul-Aziz , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku
Published: October 2022

Immunization is a precautionary measure that helps to stop diseases before their occurrence. Vaccine-preventable diseases are a primary cause of death among children under the age of five in many developing nations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the immunization status and associated demographic characteristics among children aged 12–23 months in Punjab, Pakistan. The study used the data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) for Punjab, Pakistan. Data were collected from caregivers using interviewer-administered questionnaires. To summarize the data, descriptive statistics are computed, and logistic regression is used to identify the significant factors that are responsible for complete immunization among the children in Punjab. Odds ratios, 95% CI, and Chi-square statistics were computed to identify the factors associated with no or partial immunization. The prevalence of complete immunization coverage was 89.1%. Women in the rich wealth quantile had the highest odds of completing the immunization for their children (AOR = 2.314; 95% CI: 1.642–3.261) compared to those who are poor. Those in rural areas were more likely to fully vaccinate their children (AOR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.232–1.925) compared to those in urban areas. Those in the highest level of the educational group (AOR = 2.639; 95% CI: 1.800–3.87) are more likely to complete vaccination for their children compared to those with no formal education. However, female children are less likely to complete immunization compared to male children (AOR = 0.813; 95% CI: 0.687–0.963). The immunization status of children shows a significant association with maternal education, wealth status, and area of residence.
Manipulated Faces Detection with Adaptive Filter
Authors: Peng Chaoyang , Sun Tanfeng , Mi Zhongjie , Yao Lihong
Published: October 2022

With the progress of face manipulation techniques, synthesized faces are spreading on the Internet, which raises concerns about potential threats. To prevent these techniques’ abuse, various detection algorithms have been proposed. In this paper, we consider the image’s frequency information, then propose an adaptive filtering algorithm named spatial and adaptive filtering (SAF) Network. SAF is a dual-stream network that considers spatial and frequency domains. In the frequency domain, wavelet transform is used to divide the image into different frequency bands, then an adaptive filter is introduced, which aims to capture more decisive information by giving different weights to different frequencies. To fuse spatial and frequency features, spatial pyramid pooling fusion (SPPF) is proposed, which solves the mismatch of feature maps, and considers the relationship between different patches by attention mechanism. Experiment results show that the performance of SAF is better than the comparison algorithm.
Abundant Bounded and Unbounded Solitary, Periodic, Rogue‐Type Wave Solutions and Analysis of Parametric Effect on the Solutions to Nonlinear Klein–Gordon Model
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Mobarak , Abdeljabbar Alrazi , Roshid Harun-Or , Roshid Md. Mamunur , Sheikh Abu Naim
Published: October 2022

This paper exploits the modified simple equation and dynamical system schemes to integrate the Klein–Gordon (KG) model amid quadratic nonlinearity arising in nonlinear optics, quantum theories, and solid state physics. By implementing the modified simple equation (MSE) technique, we develop some disguise adaptation of analytical solutions in terms of hyperbolic, exponential, and trigonometric functions with some special parameters. We apply the dynamical system to bifurcate the model and draw distinct phase portraits on unlike parametric constraints. Following each orbit of all phase portraits, we originate bounded and unbounded solitary, periodic, and periodic rogue‐type wave solutions of the KG model. These two schemes extract widespread classes of solitary, periodic, and periodic rogue‐type wave solutions for the KG model jointly due to restrictions on parameters. We also analyze the effect of parameters on the obtained wave solutions and discuss why and when it changes its nature. We illustrate some dynamical features of the acquired solutions via the 3D, 2D, and contour graphics.
Reinforcement Learning-Based Continuous Action Space Path Planning Method for Mobile Robots
Authors: Zhang Weimin , Wang Guoyong
Published: October 2022

A reinforcement learning-based continuous action space path planning method for mobile robots is proposed in this article. First, the kinematic model of the mobile robot is analyzed, and on this basis, the optimal state space is constructed according to the minimum depth of the field value in the depth image to characterize the distance between the robot and the obstacle. Then, by setting the reward function of the mobile robot based on the artificial potential field method, the information of the robot’s distance from obstacles is continuous, and a new reinforcement learning training process is proposed. Finally, by introducing a DDPG algorithm, the path planning of a mobile robot in an unknown environment is described as a Markov decision process, and the optimal planning of the mobile robot’s continuous action space path is realized with a high success rate. The results show that compared with other three comparison methods, the final success rates of the proposed method are the highest, which are 97.2%, 99.1%, 98.4%, and 98.6%, respectively.
Novel Therapeutic Mechanism of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Osteoarthritis via Upregulation of BTG2
Authors: Yang Qinyan , Jin Li , Ding Qian , Hu Wei , Zou HaiBo , Xiao Mingming , Chen Keyuan , Yu Yue , Shang Jin , Huang Xiaolun , Zhu Yizhun
Published: October 2022

Background. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating and degenerative joint disease, which is characterized by progressive destruction of articular cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been implicated in the treatment of OA. However, the function of adipose-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) in OA and its underlying mechanism remain obscure. Aim. We aimed to explore the function of AD-MSCs in OA and investigate its potential regulatory mechanism. Methods. A guinea pig model of OA was constructed. AD-MSCs injected into the articular cavity of OA guinea pigs were viewed by in vivo bioluminescence imaging. The effect of AD-MSCs on the gonarthritis of OA guinea pigs was evaluated through both macroscopic and microscopic detections. The detailed molecular mechanism was predicted by GEO databases and bioinformatics tools and then verified via mechanism experiments, including ChIP assay, DNA pulldown assay, and luciferase reporter assay. Results. AD-MSCs had a significant positive therapeutic effect on the gonarthritis of the OA model, and the overall effects of it was better than that of sodium hyaluronate (SH). B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) was significantly downregulated in the articular cartilage of the OA guinea pigs. Furthermore, BTG2 was positively regulated by Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) in AD-MSCs at the transcriptional level. AD-MSCs performed an effect on KLF4 expression at the transcriptional levels. Conclusion. AD-MSCs suppresses OA progression through KLF4-induced transcriptional activation of BTG2. Our findings revealed an AD-MSCs-dominated therapeutic method for OA.
Dynamical Behaviors of Lumpoff and Rogue Wave Solutions for Nonlocal Gardner Equation
Authors: Manafian Jalil , Shahabi Takami Seyedeh Fatemeh , Eslami Baharak , Malmir Somaye , Sood Anju , Sabherwal Amarpreet Kaur
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we got a novel kind of rogue waves with the predictability of (2 + 1)-dimensional nonlocal Gardner equation with the aid of Maple according to the Hirota bilinear model. We first construct a general quadratic function to derive the general lump solution for the mentioned equation. At the same time, the lumpoff solutions are demonstrated with more free autocephalous parameters, in which the lump solution is localized in all directions in space. Moreover, when the lump solution is cut by twin-solitons, special rogue waves are also introduced. Based on the data available in the literature, the resulting soliton solutions are innovative, developed, distinctive, and significant and can be applied to more complex phenomena, and they are immensely active for nonlinear models of classical and fractional-order type. To examine the dynamic behavior of the waves, contour 3D and 2D plots of several obtained findings are sketched by assigning specific values to the parameters. Furthermore, we obtain new sufficient solutions containing cross-kink, periodic-kink, multi-waves, and solitary wave solutions. It is worth noting that the emerging time and place of the rogue waves depend on the moving path of the lump solution.
Association between ALT/AST and Muscle Mass in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Ma Wenjie , Hu Wenchao , Liu Yuantao , He Lanjie
Published: October 2022

Objective. The alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) ratio is thought to be related to metabolic disorders and insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a high-risk population for low muscle mass. This study was performed to evaluate the association between ALT/AST and muscle mass in subjects with T2DM. Method. This cross-sectional study enrolled 1068 subjects (566 males and 502 females) with T2DM. General information, medical history, and blood samples were collected. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was detected using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine the correlation of ALT/AST and low muscle mass in subjects with T2DM. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to evaluate the association between ALT/AST, SMI and other metabolic characteristics. Result. Of all subjects, 115 men (20.3%) and 71 women (14.1%) presented low muscle mass. ALT/AST was related to an increased risk for low muscle mass in both genders. Multiple linear regression analysis displayed that SMI was negatively associated with ALT/AST, age, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) in male group. While in female group, SMI was positively associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and negatively associated with ALT/AST and age. Furthermore, ALT/AST was associated with age and BMI in both genders. Conclusion. ALT/AST was negatively associated with muscle mass in subjects with T2DM.
Colocation and the Stoic Definition of Blending
Authors: Helle Reier
Published: October 2022

This paper considers what function—if any—colocation of bodies may have in the Stoic theory of blending (κρᾶσις), by examining (1) whether colocation is part of the definition of what blending is; and (2) whether colocation is posited by the Stoics as a requirement necessary for the definition to be satisfied. I reconstruct the standard, Chrysippean definition of blending, and I show that the answer to (1) is ‘no’; further, I argue that the evidence gives no reason to affirm (2). Thus, it appears that colocation does not have a central function in the Stoic theory of blending.
Description of Ruehmaphelenchus kuroshioi n. sp. and R. interjectus n. sp. (Tylenchomorpha: Aphelenchoididae) isolated from ambrosia beetles, Euwallacea spp. (Scolytinae), from Japan
Authors: Kanzaki Natsumi , Akiba Mitsuteru , Masuya Hayato , Tsujimoto Satoshi
Published: October 2022

Two Ruehmaphelenchus species were isolated from the ambrosia beetles Euwallacea kuroshio and E. interjectus, collected from Okinawa and Kagoshima, Japan, respectively. Both nematodes were successfully cultured on a lawn of the grey mould Botrytis cinerea. Morphological observation and molecular characterisation revealed that both species are undescribed; therefore, the nematodes are described herein as R. kuroshioi n. sp. and R. interjectus n. sp. Phylogenetically, both species are closely related to R. formosanus, R. fujiensis, R. digitulus and R. asiaticus. Ruehmaphelenchus kuroshioi n. sp. is characterised by a conical male and female tail, which has a terminal projection (mucron), small male spicule with a weakly-developed triangular condylus, dorsal and ventral limbs that are connected to each other by three different tissues, and clearly separated distal pairs of genital papillae (P3 and P4). However, R. kuroshioi n. sp. can be distinguished from its close relatives by a combination of male and female tail characters and its distinctive phylogenetic status. Ruehmaphelenchus interjectus n. sp. is almost identical to R. formosanus, sharing characteristic lateral spikes of the spicule; they form a well-supported phylogenetic clade. However, R. interjectus n. sp. is distinguished from R. formosanus by morphometric values and ribosomal RNA, i.e., a 6-bp difference from the ca 1.7 kb molecular sequence of the 18S ribosomal RNA of R. formosanus, which warrants independent species status.
International Whaling Commission as a Natural Resource Management Regime
Authors: Viikari Lotta
Published: October 2022

Whaling as governed by the International Whaling Commission (iwc) is a global regime of natural resource management, which has experienced significant changes over time. Currently, the iwc regime constitutes a legal framework aiming at protection of both whales and the interests of traditional indigenous whaling populations. The aim of this paper is to examine how the international management of the whale resource has evolved, what kind of an indigenous market it is today and where it might be heading. Although the iwc as a whaling organisation is today geared essentially towards facilitating indigenous whaling, the regime is not indigenous in substance. It is not even a collaborative system. In essence, indigenous whaling within the iwc remains a colonial regime where indigenous interests are subordinate to nation states and Western science. The fundamental ontological mismatch of traditional indigenous conceptions of the world and those on which the iwc is based makes it difficult to introduce changes. Development of participatory rights of indigenous whaling communities within the iwc regime could constitute a procedural first step with potential to contribute to improving also the substantive rights of indigenous whalers. Relational values approach could help to achieve more pivotal ontological change of mindsets to allow indigenous people to gain real agency and organise their relationship with whales in accordance with their worldviews.
Post-1978 Chinese Migration to Brazil: The Qiaoxiang Migration Models and the Rite of Passage
Authors: Shu (束长生) Changsheng
Published: October 2022

The post-1978 migration of Chinese rural peasants to Brazil can be analyzed using the qiaoxiang (migrant-sending regions) models proposed by Woon Yuen-fong (1996), Minghuan Li and Diana Wong (2017) and by Min Zhou and Xiangyi Li (2014, 2018). From a sending-country perspective, we study two major models of Chinese migration in Brazil: one is the Guangdong qiaoxiang model, and the other, the Zhejiang qiaoxiang model. The first is based mainly on the catering services, especially pastelarias (snack bars), while the second is based mainly on the wholesale and retail business of light industrial imports from China. It is well known that transnational migrations contribute to qiaoxiang development while reinforcing the existing social structures of inequality and uneven development that stimulate further migrations. As a result, migration becomes deeply ingrained on the qiaoxiang culture, a “rite of passage” that young adults must experience in their life. Through the “rite of passage,” qiaoxiang migrations are perpetuated and renovated.
Homeland, Host Country, and Beyond: Identity Transformation among Chinese Migrants in Singapore
Authors: Zhan (占少华) Shaohua
Published: October 2022

This paper examines identity transformation among Chinese migrants in Singapore in the context of transnationalism and widespread use of ICT s (Information and Communication Technologies). Based on how strongly migrants identify with the homeland and the host country, the paper constructs four ideal types of identity: transnational, assimilatory, sojourning, and cosmopolitan. The study finds that the most common identity is the transnational sort, characterized by the migrant identifying strongly with both homeland and host country. Nevertheless, migrants also hold other identities including those beyond the four ideal types, demonstrating the diversity and fluidity of migrants’ identity transformation. The paper also examines the factors that affect migrants’ identity transformation.
“Finding the Distant Homeland Here”: Contemporary Indonesian Poetry in Chinese
Authors: Stenberg (石峻山) Josh
Published: October 2022

This article focuses on three themes in contemporary Chinese-language verse from Indonesia: nationhood, language use, and the trauma of history. Through these themes, Chinese-language poets in Indonesia work through the many ways of being a speaker of Chinese in Indonesia, sometimes as an excluded alien, sometimes as a valued ally, and sometimes as an integrated minority. Such work provides unusual perspectives and tones to contribute to the much-discussed questions of Chinese-Indonesian identity, and functions as a reminder that literary corpora diverge within the “same” ethnic minority by linguistic expression. Borrowing a line from one of the most active poets, Sha Ping, this article suggests that Indonesians writing in Chinese are engaged on a quest to “find the distant homeland here” in Indonesia, even as they honor the trauma of history, the achievements of China, and the language of their ancestors.
Sino-Burmese Secondary Migration and Identity: Tracing Family Histories
Authors: Chen (陈天玺) Tienshi
Published: October 2022

This paper investigates Burmese migrants of Chinese descent, particularly those living in Japan. Many migrants’ fathers or grandfathers originally migrated to Burma/Myanmar due to political turbulence back in China. Studies on overseas Chinese often focus on migration to countries such as Japan, the US, Indonesia, or Burma/Myanmar. Little research has thus far considered families who later embark on a secondary migration to Japan. I traced the family histories of two Sino-Burmese leaders of the Burmese community in Japan. Based on interviews and fieldwork in Japan and Burma/Myanmar between 2016 and 2018, I explored what it means to be a Chinese minority living in Burma/Myanmar. Such people faced a glass ceiling due to ethnic discrimination linked to political instability. Roots in China, nativity in Burma/Myanmar, and migration to Japan and the US tend to create multiple identities. After migrating to Japan, they claimed Burmese identity and used their Japan connections and identity to organize Burmese pro-democracy actions. One ran a sushi restaurant after further migration to the US.
Between Lamenting Vicissitudes of Life and Celebrating Ottoman Authority in the Sixteenth Century: Māmayya al-Rūmī’s (d. 985–7/1577–9) Times and Poetry
Authors: Gündüz Hacı Osman
Published: October 2022

This study investigates the status of poets and poetry in sixteenth-century Ottoman Damascus by focusing on soldier-turned-poet Māmayya al-Rūmī (d. 985-7/1577-9). As a poet he received patronage from local centers of prestige; however, such support seems to have been at best sporadic. While his dīwān (collection of poetry) is replete with poems celebrating his poetic ingenuity—notwithstanding the fact that he was not a native Arab, it is also a testimony to his frustrations with lack of financial security and his diminishing social status. In addition to gloomy poetry, he also composed a great number of panegyrics in honor of Ottoman sultans, scholars, and administrators. What was Māmayya’s position in the literary culture of sixteenth-century Damascus as a Rūmī? What was the role of panegyric poetry in this period? Did poets voice their concerns about lack of appreciation? This study explores these questions by focusing on a selection of poems by Māmayya al-Rūmī with references to his contemporary, and later poets.
Poetry as History: An Examination of the Role of Poetry in al-Murādī’s Biographical Dictionary of the Twelfth/Eighteenth Century
Authors: Salem Basil
Published: October 2022

This article approaches early-modern biographical literature, in particular the centenary biographical dictionary of Muḥammad Khalīl al-Murādī, titled Silk al-durar fī aʿyān al-qarn al-thānī ʿashar as an integrated source. The article argues that as a biographer, al-Murādī relied heavily on poetry, not simply for its literary value, but as a historical tool, a primary source, whose contents provided the reader with direct access to the historical figures in question. This approach to the Silk allows the biographical dictionary to serve not simply as a historical reference, as it often does, but as a reflection of the cultural moment it emerged from. The poetry within the Silk, when read as a historical source, affords insight into the history of the self, of self-fashioning, and of the mentality of the learned community of eighteenth-century Ottoman Syria, and Damascus in particular.
Affective and Cognitive Processes in Cancer Narratives
Authors: Kah-Pei Liaw Monica , Ting Su-Hie , Chuah Kee-Man , Jerome Collin
Published: October 2022

Research on cancer narratives has not contextualised emotional and cognitive processes in stages of coping. The study examined linguistic indicators of affective and cognitive processes in narratives of 31 Malaysian cancer survivors. The analysis of the 58,787-word transcript using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (liwc) software revealed that coping with cancer is a case of mind over emotions, with 12.52% of words related to cognitive processes and 4.17% to affective processes. Frequently used words linked to cognitive processes indicated the cancer survivors’ rationalisations of their denial of the diagnosis and explanations of treatment. Frequently used positive affective words reflect their optimism after reaching acceptance. Frequently used negative affective words indicate their trauma and uncertainty about the prognosis and treatment. Linguistic indicators of emotional and cognitive processes may be useful in identifying stages of coping so that appropriate support can be given to cancer patients and survivors.
For the Record: Chinese Investiture Missions to Ryūkyū, 1404–1866
Authors: Pegg Richard A.
Published: October 2022

Every time a Ryūkyū king came to the throne from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries, a mission was sent from the Chinese court in Beijing to Fuzhou, then via investiture ships from Fuzhou to Naha and finally by land to the royal capital of Shuri, Ryūkyū, to officially acknowledge the new king. From 1404 to 1866 there were a total of twentythree such official missions celebrating the new kings.

Each appointed Chinese envoy kept an official record of the entire journey. During the Ming dynasty they took the form of published woodblock-printed books known as Record of a Ryūkyū Mission (Shi Liuqiu lu). During the Qing dynasty a second manuscript format, consisting of a commemorative album containing sets of paintings, also appeared. Both formats, books and albums, are historical records enhancing our understanding of how a part of the wider China Seas maritime trading systems functioned at that time.
History of a Geopolitical Choice of the Russian Empire
Authors: Postnikov Alexey V. , Konstantinov Mikhail V.
Published: October 2022

This article analyses the cession of Russian America (Alaska) to the United States (1867), the role of American geopolitical plans and dreams, and Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky’s strategic decision to concentrate Russia’s resources on its continental regions. He considered Russia’s main task to be the development of the Amur and its consolidation at its mouth and on the Pacific Ocean coast to head off the clear aspirations of Britain and France. The East Asian achievements of Nikolay N. Muravyov-Amursky are recognized, while his personal authorship of the original political plan linking Alaska’s peaceful concession to the United States was a hidden consequence of subsequent events. The undeclared but real connection between the development of the Amur and the cession of Alaska was no mystery to contemporaries in Europe, but in Russia itself, due to the censorship, this issue has not entered the public consciousness, remaining the topic of basic historical works alone.
Bessel Beam Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Spectroscopy for Turbulent Flow Diagnosis
Authors: Li Runfeng , Lan Ruijun , Dong Dashan , Yang Hong , Shi Kebin
Published: October 2022

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy plays an important role in chemical analysis for transient flow dynamics. Due to the turbulent ambient conditions, the CARS spectrum often suffers from a poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and cannot provide a convincing measurement. Here, we report on a CARS spectroscopic method using a Bessel beam to enhance the spectral fidelity and SNR in a quasi-turbulent environment. Compared with traditional CARS, the measurement accuracy is significantly improved by taking advantage of the anti-scattering and self-healing characteristics of the Bessel beam. Our preliminary results indicate that Bessel beam CARS could be a promising method for high precision turbulent flow measurement fields.
‘I do not trust any of them anymore’: Institutional distrust and corrective practices in pro-asylum activism in Finland
Authors: Pirkkalainen Päivi , Näre Lena , Lyytinen Eveliina
Published: October 2022

Although there is extensive research on how institutional trust and distrust play out in the forms political participation takes, the existing research lacks thorough analysis on what trust and distrust actually consist of, that is, how individuals evaluate institutions as trustworthy or not and what consequences this evaluation has for individuals and their relation to the state more broadly. Drawing on qualitative research on Finnish citizens who engage in pro-asylum activism, we examine how institutional distrusting evolves as a reflexive process. By analysing citizens’ trust judgements on institutional practices and actions that follow, we argue that distrust in institutions enhances activists’ attempts to engage in corrective practices, in other words taking over the functions of institutions when noticing mistakes or unfairness in institutional practices. Corrective practices reinforce activists’ distrust in the asylum-related institutions and make them question the ‘myth’ of Finland as an equal and inclusive country. Engaging in corrective practices is emotionally and economically taxing. Despite negative consequences of institutional distrust, activists continue their work indicating that they continue to trust the democratic system in Finland and its capability to absorb their claims in the long run. Institutional distrust and generalised trust can then coexist.
The network society in the ‘new normal times’: Crisis digitalization and adaption of cultural organizations in the COVID-19
Authors: Galkin Konstantin , Parfenova Oksana
Published: October 2022

For the recent 3 years, there has been a growing research interest in adaptation to the new normality and crisis digitalization during pandemic. However, there are a little empirical researches in cultural organizations. This study is in line with some sorts of approaches of network society and autonomy. The aim of the research is to study how cultural institutions integrate into the network society through one of the critical elements in creating a network society – digitalization during COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted using a mixed methodology in 2021 in St. Petersburg. Three blocks of empirical data were collected and analyzed based on theaters, museums, libraries, and creative spaces: 67 questionnaires; 12 expert interviews; webometrics of social networks of 108 organizations. The key difficulties were the weakness of the technical base and the lack of competencies and specialists to produce content and attract an audience online. The key findings are three strategies of adaptation to the conditions of the new normality: deepening digitalization; hybrid and strategy of autonomy from digitalization. The strategy of deepening digitalization is typical mainly for libraries that are active online even before the pandemic. They found themselves in the most advantageous position by building and expanding the previously developed digital activity. The hybrid strategy was mainly characteristic of museums, which intensified the digitization of collections and introduced new formats, including broadcasts from previously closed repositories. The strategy of autonomy from digitalization is more inherent in theaters, for which the transition to online turned out to be the most difficult and in many cases impossible. Crisis digitalization has exposed the structural difficulties associated with (non-)willingness to transform the former autonomy into the new requirements of the network society.
Generalized Mantel–Haenszel Estimators for Simultaneous Differential Item Functioning Tests
Authors: Liu Ivy , Suesse Thomas , Harvey Samuel , Gu Peter Yongqi , Fernández Daniel , Randal John
Published: October 2022

The Mantel–Haenszel estimator is one of the most popular techniques for measuring differential item functioning (DIF). A generalization of this estimator is applied to the context of DIF to compare items by taking the covariance of odds ratio estimators between dependent items into account. Unlike the Item Response Theory, the method does not rely on the local item independence assumption which is likely to be violated when one item provides clues about the answer of another item. Furthermore, we use these (co)variance estimators to construct a hypothesis test to assess DIF for multiple items simultaneously. A simulation study is presented to assess the performance of several tests. Finally, the use of these DIF tests is illustrated via application to two real data sets.
‘Born from a Woman’: Unveiling the Marian Mystery beneath Paul’s Allegory in Galatians 4
Authors: Clarke Kevin M.
Published: October 2022

Does Paul of Tarsus have a Mariology? Patristic exegetes and the liturgical tradition have latched onto his one obvious implication of Mary’s place in the Christian mystery, that is, ‘born from a woman’ in Galatians. While this essay explores the case against a Mariological reading of Gal 4:4, it ultimately shows through plausible philological evidence that Paul intentionally refers to none other than Mary in 4:4. Sonship and motherhood are also taken up and further developed in his famous allegory equating the ‘two women’ of the Abrahamic narrative to ‘two covenants.’ But how many women are there in Galatians 4? The only ones named are Hagar and ‘the Jerusalem above,’ while Sarah and Mary fade unmentioned into the silence of Pauline mystery. This essay unveils some further potential Mariological connections to be found in these women, focusing especially on the development of ‘law,’ ‘slave,’ ‘woman,’ ‘son,’ ‘promise,’ and ‘heir.’
Celebrity Brand Personality and Politics in West Bengal: An Explorative Study
Authors: Biswas Firoj
Published: October 2022

Marketers have traditionally utilized celebrities to boost brand appeal by attracting attention and increasing memory rates, which is true in politics. However, research on the impact of celebrities on politics is new, and results are varied as to whether their endorsements and statements help in changing voters’ attitudes and behaviors. This study aimed to explore the effect of celebrity endorsement for a political party or celebrity candidate on people’s voting behavior. This is a mixed methods study. A community-based cross-sectional design was adopted for the study at Kolkata port and Maniktala constituencies (authors refer to Kolkata city) in the Kolkata district of West Bengal. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data in this study using NVivo 12, whereas data entry and analysis were carried out with the help of Excel and Stata for quantitative data. About 16% of respondents reported being entirely influenced by the actor or actress’s election campaign. In contrast, 24% are not affected. Three-fifths of the respondents are somewhat influenced. It may be inferred that celebrity endorsement in political campaigns is one of the main elements determining the likelihood of a particular political party or candidate winning or losing an election. At the same time, it cannot always be since various individuals have varied perspectives about each party, and not everyone supports a party or candidate just because their favorite celebrity endorses it. More study is needed to understand this neglected arena of research. Thus, this article focuses on credibility as a key dimension.
Lucky Beneficiaries or Collateral Damage? The Irregular Timing and Arrangement of Chinese Watchdog Agencies
Authors: Cai Xiang
Published: October 2022

Exemplified by China’s installation of its National Supervisory Commission, the rise and fall of the Chinese anti-corruption apparatus remains puzzlingly changeable, which contrasts with the calls for its institutionalization. For a country known for informal politics, the role played by politicians behind such a seemingly irregular evolution remains inadequately examined. This research attempts to explain the elite struggle’s influence on Chinese watchdog agencies using a factional framework. From a historical institutional perspective, this research summarizes several patterns of the Leninist party chief’s interaction with watchdog agencies in different factional structures governing the institutional evolution. The analysis finds that the agency’s power is contingent on its factional relationship with the chief, and only specific structures favor “super” watchdog agencies. This research adds to the theoretical understanding of how contingencies shape institutional development and underlines empirical facts about the vulnerability of Chinese anti-corruption institutions.
Adolescents’ Experiences With School-Based Postvention Services: Needs, Supports, and Recommendations
Authors: Mirick Rebecca G. , Berkowitz Larry
Published: October 2022

This exploratory qualitative study of youth (N = 13) exposed to a peer’s suicide death examined responses to the death and needed school-based responses and supports. Youth reported emotions including anger, grief, and fear, described suicide as a profound and impactful experience, and shared beliefs about entitlement to grief. Participants wanted schools to provide support for grief, to feel cared about by adults at school, to receive education about grief and suicide at school, and to have school-based opportunities to commemorate the deceased. Recommendations for schools include strategies for facilitating healthy grieving, supporting students, educating the community, and memorializing the deceased, while remaining cognizant of the need to prevent suicide contagion in the community.
Psychometric Support for a Japanese Version of the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire
Authors: Lee Seung-Min , Horino Hiroyuki
Published: October 2022

In this two-part study, we addressed psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ-J). We analyzed the SIAQ-J factor structure, assessed gender, competitive level, sport type and years of experience differences on the SIAQ-J, and we investigated whether the SIAQ-J was predicted by goal clarity. In Study 1, we translated the original SIAQ (15 items) into Japanese and performed an exploratory factor analysis ( n = 366). In Study 2 ( n = 422), we verified the measurement model established in Study 1 with exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Study 1 found five exploratory factors—skill, strategy, goal, affect and mastery imagery—and these were confirmed through the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) conducted in Study 2. Structural equation modelling supported a model wherein goal clarity positively predicted all SIAQ-J subscales. This study provided additional validation of the original SIAQ. Overall, the SIAQ-J demonstrated good factorial validity, temporal reliability and gender invariance and discriminated among athletes of different competitive levels and years of experience.
Well-Being Profiles of Pre-service Teachers in Hong Kong: Associations with Teachers’ Self-Efficacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lee Alfred S. Y. , Fung Wing Kai , Daep Datu Jesus Alfonso , Chung Kevin Kien Hoa
Published: October 2022

The present study aims to (1) identify the profiles of subjective well-being (SWB) and psychological well-being (PWB) in a sample of pre-service teachers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, and (2) explore how different profiles are linked with teachers’ self-efficacy. Participants were 291 pre-service teachers ( Mage = 21.295, SD = 2.812, female = 89.903%) who were invited to complete self-report measures of SWB, PWB, and teachers’ self-efficacy. Latent profile analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was conducted to identify well-being profiles that emerged in this sample. The results suggested a 3-class model with a high, moderate, and low well-being group. The findings also revealed that the pre-service teachers’ well-being profiles as reflected by SWB and PWB indicators were consistent. Moreover, the pre-service teachers in the higher well-being group reported higher teaching self-efficacy than those in the lower well-being group. Findings highlighted the benefits of supporting pre-service teachers’ well-being (i.e., SWB and PWB) to maintain their teachers’ self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic when teacher education and practicum are significantly disrupted. Interventions targeting various positive psychological skills (e.g., mindfulness, self-compassion, and positive reappraisal) are warranted. Future investigation is needed to examine the longitudinal relationship between pre-service teachers’ well-being and self-efficacy.
Association of Social Media Use Disorder and Orthorexia Nervosa Among Lebanese University Students: The Indirect Effect of Loneliness and Factor Structure of the Social Media Use Disorder Short Form and the Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scales
Authors: Awad Emmanuelle , Rogoza Radoslaw , Gerges Sarah , Obeid Sahar , Hallit Souheil
Published: October 2022

The current study aims to examine the relationship between Social Media Use Disorder (SMUD) and Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), and evaluate the indirect effect of loneliness in this association. This cross-sectional study was carried out between July and September 2021. A total of 363 university students were recruited through convenience sampling through several universities in Lebanon’s governorates. Data about information about the social media applications mostly used (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), the number of times of entry to social media applications, the time spent on these applications, ON, loneliness and SMUD, were also collected. The Mplus v.7.2 software was used to estimate categorical confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) of the SMD and loneliness scales. The one-factorial model of the SMD scale fitted well according to χ2/df (69.71/27 = 2.58), TLI (.967), CFI (.956), and RMSEA values (.066; CI [.047–.085]; pclose = .079). The one-factorial model of the loneliness scale fitted well according to χ2/df (10.30/5 = 2.06) TLI (=0.97), CFI (=0.98), and RMSEA values (=0.054; CI [0.000–0.101]; pclose = 0.379). When entering the social media applications and time spent on these applications as independent variables in a first regression model, using Instagram (Beta = 2.73), using Tumblr (Beta = 3.22), spending 30–60 minutes per day on social media apps compared to less than 30 minutes (Beta = 2.33), higher physical activity index (Beta = 0.04) and loneliness (Beta = 0.67) were significantly associated with more ON. When entering the SMUD score as an independent variable in a second regression model, the results showed that higher SMUD (Beta = 0.50) was significantly associated with more ON. Also, loneliness played a partial indirect role in the association between SMUD and ON (by 16%). The current results can help mental health professionals better detect these potential psychological disorders and might help improve future treatment of issues related to ON and SMUD.
A Sequential Pattern Mining Approach to Tourist Movement: The Case of a Mega Event
Authors: Cheng Mingming , Jin Xin , Wang Ying , Wang Xiaowei , Chen Jinyan
Published: October 2022

The movement of tourists has important economic and social implications for destination management. However, tracking and analyzing such movement can be a challenge both conceptually and methodologically. Using four different sequential pattern mining algorithms, this study investigates the movement of international visitors during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (GC2018) at the level of a specific destination through Twitter data. Results indicate that sequential pattern mining is a powerful technique to reveal complex travel patterns and provides insights into the potential associated destinations of visitors beyond the current point-to-point analysis. This approach can assist destination management and event organizers in identifying the event’s contribution to tourists’ local visitation.
Implementing Limited E-participation on Mobility Policy in Bogotá
Authors: Robertson Dustin
Published: October 2022

The ability of city dwellers to participate in decisions about mobility is a crucial expression of urban democracy. Optimists hope that e-participation—engagement of citizens through information and communication technologies—can deepen democracy and empower the public by giving it a greater decision-making role. In Bogotá, Colombia, during the second administration of the center-right mayor Enrique Peñalosa (2016–2019), however, government agencies implemented limited and constrained forms of e-participation that failed to deliver on this promise. Beyond the perennial digital divide, e-participation was designed and operationalized in ways that restricted the scope for actual democratic improvements. These included limiting participation to superficial decisions, failing to link participation to specific actions, and creating rigorous participation protocols that excluded a majority of the population and avoided dissent.

La capacidad de los habitantes citadinos para participar en las decisiones que afectan la movilidad es una expresión crucial de la democracia urbana. Los optimistas esperan que la participación electrónica (el compromiso de los ciudadanos a través de las tecnologías informáticas y de comunicación) pueda profundizar dicha democracia y empoderar al público al otorgarle un mayor papel en la toma de decisiones. Sin embargo, en Bogotá, Colombia, durante la segunda administración del alcalde de centroderecha Enrique Peñalosa (2016-2019), las agencias gubernamentales implementaron formas limitadas y restringidas de participación electrónica que no cumplieron esta promesa. Más allá de la perenne brecha digital, la participación electrónica se diseñó y puso en práctica de forma que pudiera restringirse el alcance de las mejoras democráticas reales. Estas tácticas incluyeron limitar la participación a decisiones superficiales, no establecer vínculos entre la participación y acciones específicas, así como rigurosos protocolos de participación que excluyeran a la mayor parte de la población y evitaran la disensión.
The Recruitment Process for Grassroots Cadres in a Chinese County: The CCP Organization Department and Its Alarm Function
Authors: Tsai Wen-Hsuan , Tian Gang
Published: October 2022

Through field research conducted within the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) County S Organization Department, this article finds that, under the CCP’s 2012 Eighteenth Party Congress policies of strengthening local governance and “whoever recommends a cadre is responsible for their performance,” the powers of the county organization departments have been enhanced. The main task of an organization department is the selection of cadres for postings. The County S Organization Department can put forward candidates for posts and also exercises an alarm function for the county party committee, although the party committee still has the final say in cadre appointments. The County S Organization Department has also enhanced its management of cadres’ personnel files to provide accurate reference material for use in cadre selection. The strengthening of the powers of the organization departments may provide an effective solution to the problem of information asymmetry faced by the party committees, enabling their leaders to avoid being held to account for mistakes in cadre selection. It appears that, since 2012, more norms have been developed for selecting cadres, thus facilitating the creation of a “political meritocracy” at the grassroots level.
Rural Reform in Republican China: Christian Women, Print Media, and a Global Vision of Domesticity
Authors: Zhou Yun
Published: October 2022

This article explores the Christian efforts to modernize rural women, who were placed at the center of rural reform in Republican China in the 1920s. Rural women represented an important, untapped force for change in rural communities. The Christian magazine Nü xing 女星 (Woman’s Star), launched in 1932, reached out to this group. Through a new model of rural womanhood, a figure called Mrs. Wang, the magazine demonstrated how rural women could transform local communities through domesticity and Christian faith. The modern model of rural womanhood promoted by Nü xing emerged as a part of a global Christian movement in which creating Christian households was the primary goal. The magazine thus represents the integration of a marginalized group of women into a global community founded on shared domestic concerns and spiritual practices. Nü xing reveals how rural women, as historical agents of change, were connected to rural reform and nation-building in China and to a global collective of Christian domestic womanhood.