bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Connecting the Social and the Musical: A Longitudinal Study of Swedish Preservice Music Teachers’ Social Positionings
Authors: Borgström Källén Carina , Lindgren Monica
Published: December 2024

In this article, we explore identity construction in specialist music teacher education. In this longitudinal study, we followed 11 preservice music teachers through their education for five years, 2016 to 2021, in a music teacher training program directed toward upper secondary schools in Sweden. For decades, music education researchers have identified tension between the music teacher and musician identities. This tension is today challenged by critical thinking concerning the rapid societal and cultural changes of late modern society and by the need to take social responsibility for music education in a broader context. The data for this report comprise 11 journal entries (designated “personal reflections” and written by each participant in their first year) and five focus group interviews, produced in three steps over five years. Throughout the data production, “past,” “present,” and “future” served as keywords. Content analysis focused on identity constructions was conducted using the concepts of social positioning and music identity. The findings show how the students gradually shifted their social positioning from being cultural bearers in local society to being music specialists, aiming to teach skilled and motivated young people. However, this gradual change was not linear but was multilayered, complex, and contradictory.
Intelligence-led policing in the 21st Century: How increased mobility requires new paradigms of information sharing
Authors: Phythian Rebecca , Kirby Stuart
Published: December 2024

The challenge posed by mobile criminality to law enforcement has increased in the 21st Century, as technology and digital communication have accelerated. This study examines the threat by analysing foreign national suspects data (arrested in a UK police force, n = 293) and UK-based practitioner interviews (n = 36). The evidence reveals the threat from offenders who travel between countries is growing, in quantity and sophistication. To keep pace with this evolution, law enforcement must develop new paradigms of information sharing, using technological advances and machine learning to their benefit and relying less on resource-intensive human practice. It suggests such a change will create cultural challenges.
The Popularity Factor: A Comparative Investigation of Demand-Side Behavioral Personalization
Authors: Quinlan Stephen
Published: December 2024

Conventional wisdom is parliamentary elections have become more personalized. The idea of “leader-centeredness” pervades electoral politics, with leaders supposed to have a critical impact on election performance and popular leaders anticipated to yield significant electoral dividends, perhaps even more than party evaluations. While scholars agree leaders can and do matter to the vote, deliberations continue regarding the manifestation and extent of these effects. Using an original dataset inspired by popularity measures from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems project and incorporating data from up to 87 elections in 30 polities, this article provides the first consistent aggregate quantification of demand-side behavioral personalization, disentangling the distinct and mutual influences of leader and party popularity to the extent possible. It finds that a leader’s popularity directly correlates with party vote share and the likelihood of winning office, evidence of demand-side behavioral personalization. However, the effect of leader popularity on its own is consistently less potent than that of party popularity, providing an imperative nuance to the narrative regarding demand-side behavioral personalization.
Social Media Bashing Assessment Scale (SM-BASH): Development and Psychometric Testing
Authors: Labrague Leodoro J. , Nwafor Chidozie E.
Published: December 2024

The pervasive use of social media exposes individuals to negative experiences, including social media bashing, which profoundly impacts mental health, yet there is a conspicuous lack of a standardized scale to assess these experiences. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Social Media Bashing Assessment Scale (SM-BASH). A total of 978 college students from the Philippines participated in the study. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to determine the underlying structure of the SM-BASH, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the model. The scale’s reliability was examined using Cronbach’s alpha and inter-item/inter-total correlation, while its validity was examined through content and criterion validity tests. The EFA and CFA revealed a two-factor structure model, which explained 70.57% of the total variance, comprising ‘Explicit Social Media Bashing’ and ‘Implicit Social Media Bashing’. The scale demonstrated excellent criterion validity and high internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .92. The 10-item SM-BASH is a valid and reliable tool for quantifying negative encounters on social media platforms, particularly among student populations. Its strong psychometric properties make it appropriate for use in research and potentially in clinical settings to assess and address the impacts of social media bashing on individuals’ well-being.
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Armed Forces & Society: An Introduction
Authors: Shields Patricia M. , Travis Donald S.
Published: December 2024

This commentary introduces the issue that celebrates Armed Forces & Society ( AF&S) at 50. In 1974, during the Cold War, Morris Janowitz launched an international and interdisciplinary journal that helped define a new scholarly field of study. We show how the articles of AF&S reflect the Janowitz’s goals by illustrating how journal content responded to the dynamic societal and security environments. We explore changes in the publishing environment through journal metrics and transformations in publishing technology. We then introduce the articles and commentary that fill the 50th anniversary issue. Two articles take an historical perspective focusing on our parent organization the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society at 70 and description of AF&S articles across the 50 years. Finally, we provide an insightful commentary on 10 impactful articles that demonstrate ways AF&S contributed to our collective understanding of the intersection of military and society.
Cooling of lithium-ion battery using PCM passive and semipassive thermal system immersed in nanofluid
Authors: Qawasmeh Bashar R. , Alrbai Mohammad , George Sami
Published: December 2024

This study introduces a novel comparative analysis of thermal management systems for lithium-ion battery packs using four LiFePO4 batteries. The research evaluates advanced configurations, including a passive system with a phase change material enhanced with extended graphite, and a semipassive system with forced water cooling. A key innovation lies in replacing water with a nanofluid in a single cold plate surrounded by a phase change composite, leveraging the superior thermal properties of nanoparticles. Further advancements are presented in a three-plate system and a complex-plate system, which employ modified cold plate designs and two-dimensional flow dynamics for enhanced cooling. Among these, the complex-plate system with nanofluid proved most effective, reducing the maximum temperature by 17.17% from 88.17 °C in the passive system to 73.03 °C, while extending the operational temperature threshold by 7.41%. Nanoparticles contributed to a 9.46% temperature reduction, highlighting their impact on thermal performance. Notably, the complex-plate system surpassed the three-plate configuration in efficiency, achieving superior cooling with lower pumping power requirements. This study emphasizes the novelty and practicality of integrating nanofluids and advanced cooling designs, setting a benchmark for optimizing lithium-ion battery thermal management systems.
Biased first impressions yield positive illusions that facilitate friendship initiation
Authors: Baker Levi R. , Sizemore Raini N. , Vrshek-Schallhorn Suzanne
Published: December 2024

Quality friendships are highly beneficial, yet relatively little research has identified processes that facilitate the initiation of friendships. One process that motivates relationship maintenance—forming positive illusions about another person—may also occur when interacting with strangers and similarly motivate friendship initiation. We tested this idea in three studies. Study 1 was a dyadic observational study of strangers who had introductory conversations with one another. In Studies 2–3, participants evaluated strangers’ profiles on an online friendship service that was ostensibly being developed. Results indicated that people who were more motivated to form friendships were more likely to form positive illusions about strangers (Studies 2–3) and people were more likely to desire friendship from those strangers to the extent that they formed positive illusions about them (Studies 1–3). Together, these results suggest that people generate positive illusions about unfamiliar others and those illusions increase their desire to form friendships with them.
Gut microbiota-mediated choline metabolism exacerbates cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion
Authors: Li Xiao , Ren Yueran , Gao Xuxuan , Wang Huidi , Zhang Jiafeng , Xie Jiahui , Liang Jingru , Zhao Boxin , Zhou Hongwei , Yin Jia
Published: December 2024

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is a crucial mechanism causing vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Choline is metabolized by gut microbiota into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases and cognitive impairment. However, the impact of choline-TMAO pathway on CCH-induced VCI is elusive. We performed a cross-sectional clinical study to investigate the relationship between the choline-TMAO pathway and cognitive outcome and used a bilateral common carotid artery occlusion rat model to explore the effect of a choline-rich diet on cognition and underlying mechanisms. Plasma choline and TMAO levels were negatively correlated with cognitive scores in CCH patients. A choline-rich diet exacerbated CCH-induced cognitive impairment by encouraging the proliferation of choline-metabolizing bacteria in the gut and subsequent generation of TMAO. The choline-TMAO pathway, mediated by gut microbiota, exacerbates cognitive impairment induced by CCH. Targeted dietary choline regulation based on gut microbiota modulation may ameliorate long-term cognitive impairment.
Testing an HPV Vaccine Decision Aid for 27- to 45-Year-Old Adults in the United States: A Randomized Trial
Authors: Thompson Erika L. , Luningham Justin , Alkhatib Sarah A. , Grace Jessica , Akpan Idara N. , Daley Ellen M. , Zimet Gregory D. , Wheldon Christopher W.
Published: December 2024

Background

In the United States, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among 27- to 45-y-olds (mid-adults) is recommended based on shared clinical decision making with a health care provider. We developed a patient decision aid tool to support the implementation of this mid-adult HPV vaccination guideline. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a patient decision aid tool for HPV vaccination, HPV DECIDE, compared with an information fact sheet among mid-adults who have not received the HPV vaccine.

Method

Participants were recruited between December 2023 and January 2024. We used a randomized Solomon, 4-group, pretest/posttest design with mid-adults aged 27 to 45 y who were unvaccinated for HPV and balanced based on sex ( n = 612). The primary outcome was decisional conflict. Intermediate outcomes included knowledge, behavioral expectancies, self-efficacy, and perceived risk. Variables were measured using validated scales. Pretest sensitization was not present; intervention and control groups were compared. Fixed-effects inverse-variance weighting was used to pool effect estimates and determine meta-analytic statistical significance across tests with and without pretest controls.

Results

Participants in the intervention group had significantly lower total decisional conflict scores (B = −3.58, P = 0.007) compared with the control group. Compared with the control group, participants in the intervention group showed higher knowledge (B = 0.48, P = 0.020), greater intention to receive (B = 0.196, P = 0.049) and discuss the HPV vaccine (B = 0.324, P ≤ 0.001), and greater self-efficacy about HPV vaccine decision making (B = 3.28, P = 0.043). There were no statistically significant results for perceived risks of HPV infection.

Conclusions

The HPV DECIDE tool for mid-adult HPV vaccination shows promise for immediate reductions in decisional conflict and improvement in knowledge, intentions, and self-efficacy about the HPV vaccine. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the effectiveness of this patient decision aid tool in real-world settings.

Highlights

Shared clinical decision making is recommended for HPV vaccination with mid-adults. A patient decision aid for HPV vaccination reduced decisional conflict for mid-adults. The HPV vaccine patient decision aid was acceptable to mid-adults.
Safety and effectiveness of ataluren in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: single-center experience from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ahmad Mushtaha , ElRasoul Alaa , Sedayou Raneem , Tamboosi Mohammed , Mahroos Hanan , Alrashed Shaimaa , Tunkar Mariam , Alzahrani Faisal , Alharbi Mohammed , Aljehani Mona , Alahmari Mousa , Alqarni Khalid , Gashlan Maha , Yilmaz Berna Seker , Alshaikh Nahla M.
Published: December 2024

Objective

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare X-linked neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the DMD gene. This study examined the efficacy and safety of ataluren, the first oral treatment for DMD with nonsense mutations (nmDMD), in patients in the Middle East.

Methods

This retrospective longitudinal study assessed the outcomes of seven boys with nmDMD who received treatment with ataluren and follow-up at a single center since 2016.

Results

The median patient age at treatment initiation was 8.04 years (range: 3.3–9.92), and the median duration of exposure was 3.95 years (interquartile range = 4.42 years). Five patients were still ambulatory at the last follow-up. Ataluren was more effective in individuals with baseline 6-min walking distance (6MWD) ≥300 m, as these patients had smaller declines in 6MWD and North Star Ambulatory Assessment scores. Pulmonary function was well preserved in all patients, with no patients having forced vital capacity <60% at their last follow-up. Six patients maintained normal cardiac function, whereas one patient developed heart failure before starting ataluren treatment.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated both the efficacy and safety of ataluren. Early initiation of ataluren treatment delayed the loss of ambulation and cardiorespiratory milestones.
Thermodynamic analysis of the oxidation behaviour of lanthanum in GH4169 alloy during electroslag remelting
Authors: Zhang Fuli , Liu Yi , Su Xue , Hou Zibing , Zheng Dingli , Wang Yufei , Guo Ruihua , Ma Chao
Published: December 2024

To reduce the lanthanum loss in La-containing GH4169 during electroslag process, the thermodynamic of lanthanum oxidation was investigated based on slag-steel reaction experiments and thermodynamic calculation. The results show that lanthanum in the alloy can react with Al2O3 and TiO2 in the slag, resulting in the loss of lanthanum in the alloy. With the increase of Al2O3 content in the slag from 18.41 wt-% to 24.73 wt-%, the yield of lanthanum decreased from 12.1% to 7.9%. When the La2O3 content in the slag increased from 3.99 wt-% to 10.14 wt-%, the yield of lanthanum in the alloy increased from 7.9% to 18.7%. With the increase of CaF2, Al2O3 and TiO2 contents in the slag, the activity of La2O3 decreases, which is in favour of lanthanum loss in the alloy. The activity of La2O3 increases with the increase of CaO, La2O3 and MgO content in the slag, which would restrain the loss of lanthanum in the alloy during electroslag remelting process.
The development of a resistance to school music scale
Authors: Gülle Alican , Uzun Nezaket Bilge , Akay Cenk
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool measuring secondary school students’ resistance to school music. Construct and content validity studies based on expert reviews, principal component analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, divergent validity, and Horn’s parallel analysis were conducted to provide additional evidence within the scope of the study. For reliability studies, Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability analysis techniques were employed. A 15-item construct consisting of two factors, and explaining 63% of the total variance with their factor loadings ranging between 0.588 and 0.859 was obtained by evaluating the analyses conducted concerning the factor structure and Horn’s parallel analysis. When the sub-factors beneath the factor structure were examined, there were 11 items in the first sub-factor and four items in the second. In the model tested with the confirmatory factor analysis, the results showed that the convergent and divergent validity criteria were satisfied. Finally, it is thought that this research will contribute to the field of music education as the resistance of secondary school students to school music can be determined with the developed scale.
Social reproduction, interrupted? Motherly labour, educational aspirations, and the work for another life
Authors: Verdugo-Paiva Marisol
Published: December 2024

This article interrogates social reproduction theories and their emphasis on the maintenance of capitalist relationships. In a post-industrial city in Chile, working-class mothers use their care work and housework to ensure that their children, especially daughters, avoid domestic responsibilities and continue their studies as a secure path to a good life. In turn, school-aged girls and young women hope that through education they will become economically independent from future male partners while they help their mothers to ‘move forward’ from poverty and machista relations. This gendered intergenerational dependence evinces how dreams of social mobility are not merely individual aspirations – the aim is to build better collective futures. Ethnographic attention to how mothers’ and daughters’ daily work seeks to interrupt the maintenance of social class and gender relations illustrates how the labour of social reproduction is crucial, not only for the continuation of existing capitalist relations, but also for their potential transformation.
“I am All My Identities at Once”: A Qualitative Examination of the Connection of Gender and Sexuality with Trans and Nonbinary Adults
Authors: Tebbe Elliot A. , Greene Madelyne , Love Diana , Moradi Bonnie , Biskowitz Alli
Published: December 2024

We examined how 12 transgender and nonbinary (TNB) adults experienced their gender and sexuality. Participants were recruited from four cities in the Midwestern United States. Semistructured qualitative interviews were used to explore two main research questions: (1) How do TNB individuals experience their gender, sexuality, and gender–sexuality connections? (2) How have TNB individuals experienced shifts in their sexuality over time and in connection with shifts in their gender? Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three major themes and 10 subthemes in the data. The three major themes included (a) language and terminology are helpful in the development of sexual and gender identities; (b) changes in gender identity correspond with changes in sexual experiences; and (c) identity and self-concept coevolve around gender and sexuality. Study findings suggest that sexuality is inextricably linked with gender and is a critical aspect of well-being for TNB people. Participants also described the dynamic coconstruction of their sexuality and gender, including how their experience of sexuality evolved over time and how affirming sexual experiences in turn opened avenues for gender affirmation and deeper self-understanding. Clinical implications include integrating sexuality discussion into gender exploration work in therapy and increasing therapist competency to hold such discussions with TNB clients.
The Effects of ChatGPT-Generated Feedback on Saudi EFL Learners’ Writing Skills and Perception at the Tertiary Level: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Alsofyani Abrar H. , Barzanji Amal M.
Published: December 2024

Corrective feedback plays a critical role in enhancing writing skills among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, but large class sizes often hinder the provision of personalized feedback. Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have emerged as promising solutions that offer immediate and individualized feedback for writing. This study examined the effects of ChatGPT-generated feedback in comparison to teacher-generated feedback on Saudi EFL students’ writing skills and perception at the university level. A mixed-method approach was employed to ensure comprehensive data collection and analyses. Using the pretest-posttest control group design, 102 participants were assigned to an experimental group, which received ChatGPT-generated feedback, and a control group, which received teacher-generated feedback. Pretests, posttests, and a perception survey were used to collect the data. ANCOVA, with pretest scores as a covariate, and content analysis of perception data were conducted. The results indicated no statistically significant differences in posttest scores between the experimental group and the control group, suggesting that ChatGPT-generated feedback was as effective as teacher-generated feedback. The perception survey revealed an overall positive attitude toward the use of ChatGPT for academic writing. The study provides empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of generative AI tools in academic writing contexts.
Dynamic analysis and structural optimization study of porous FG-MEE microplate with impact and hygrothermal loads
Authors: Kar Uttam Kumar , Srinivas Jonnalagadda
Published: December 2024

Functionally graded magnetic-electro-elastic (FG-MEE) materials with their remarkable multifunctional energy conversion capabilities are widely used in several components such as biosensors, micro imaging devices, micro robotics and micro actuators. This paper presents vibration analysis and optimization studies of FG-MEE microplate resting on nonlinear visco-elastic foundation under hygrothermal loads. The equations of motion for a two-dimensional (2D) functionally graded MEE porous microplate are first obtained using four variable higher order shear deformation plate theory in conjunction with the modified couple stress model. By considering the material grading and porosity distribution functions, the dynamic formulation of the microplate is derived using variational approach. The general analytical procedure is employed to obtain the stiffness and mass matrices for different boundary conditions. Initially, the model is validated using free vibration analysis results. Further, dynamic analysis of FG-MEE microplate subjected to different impulse excitations is conducted to obtain the response amplitudes. Parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of grading indices, porosity factor, length-scale parameter, foundation parameters, multi-physical loads on the fundamental frequency and dynamic response. Using design of experiments, it is noticed that five factors only have vital influence on the dynamic response of the microplate. Accordingly, a multilayer perceptron neural network model is trained with parametric data acting as a surrogate model. Finally, the optimal parameters are predicted to improve the stability by solving a constrained optimization problem using firefly optimization scheme with the trained neural network model. From optimization results it is noticed that the fundamental frequency has improved by 63.66% with enormous saving of computational time using the neural network surrogate model.
A new approach to the static bending problem of organic nanoplates
Authors: Tho Nguyen Chi , Tien Dao Minh , Thom Do Van , Minh Phung Van , Doan Dao Van
Published: December 2024

Scientists are growing interested in organic panels because of its effective use in harnessing solar energy for many applications in life and technology. This research used two innovative plate theories to investigate the static bending behavior of organic nanoplates under varying temperature conditions based on analytical solutions, the organic plate consists of five layers of materials including Glass, ITO (indium-doped tin oxide), and PEDOT: PSS (Poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene: poly styrenesulfonate), P3HT: PCBM (Poly 3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester) and Aluminum. The captivating feature of this study is in the identification of the equilibrium equation for organic nanoplates, which is dependent only on a single unidentified factor. This is possible because the produced displacement field only shows one component of bending displacement. Furthermore, the temperature parameter is also included, demonstrating the influence of the thermal environment on the bending behavior of the organic plate. The innovative approach used in this work has yielded a distinct and accurate formulation for the motion of the plate, leaving just one variable still to be determined. The accuracy and dependability of this formulation are confirmed by comparing it with established analytical and numerical techniques that have been published. The static bending response of organic panels was influenced by various geometric, material, and temperature characteristics, as shown by a series of numerical findings. The calculation results have shown that the two plate theories used in this study provide comparable outcomes for the bending issue of organic naoplates.
A comprehensive review on technical developments of methanol-fuel-based compression ignition (CI) engines to improve the performance, combustion, and emissions
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Shahid , Baig Abdullah , Wei Yanju , Liu He
Published: December 2024

Methanol (CH3OH) emerges as a highly promising, economically feasible, environmentally friendly, and renewable energy source amid the rising global energy demand. As contemporary energy utilization techniques advance and the imperative to curtail dependence on depleting fossil fuels intensifies, the focus on methanol-fueled compression ignition (CI) engines, particularly in the automotive sector, becomes dominant. Over the past decade, the exceptional resistance of methanol fuel to engine knocking and its capacity to mitigate harmful emissions have gained substantial attention from researchers. While numerous review articles have been published, few have delved comprehensively into the technical advancements of methanol-fueled CI engines with an increased investigation of their environmental and renewable applications. This research review endeavors to address this gap by offering a comprehensive analysis of methanol, whether in its pure form or as a blended fuel, in technically developed CI engines. The main goal is to review enhanced engine performance, combustion efficiency, and emission characteristics. The review examines the impact of critical parameters, including the incorporation of blended fuels with controlled volume fractions (VF), engine load (EL), engine speed (ES), injection methods, compression ratio (CR), ignition timing (IT), intake fuel temperature, injection timing (I/T), combustion methods, crank angle (CA), and air-to-fuel (A/F) ratio. These parameters are assessed by performance indicators such as brake thermal efficiency (BTE), brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and thermal efficiency (TE). Additionally, combustion parameters, including combustion duration (CD), ignition delay (ID), heat release rate (HRR) and injection timing, phasing, are studied, along with emissions parameters including nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon oxides (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), unburned methanol (UBM), formaldehyde (FA), particulate matter (PM) and soot in methanol-fueled CI engines. Finally, the research summary and future direction of methanol-fueled compression ignition (CI) engines have been concluded based on the previous work.
Design optimisation of catenaries for mixed trains at different speeds
Authors: Wang Hanlei , Zheng Dingyang , Yan Wenyi
Published: December 2024

This research focuses on optimising the catenary for mixed trains with varying operating speeds. A weighted average of the contact force standard deviations at different speeds was set as the objective function for the purpose of improving the electric current collection quality. The dynamic data during the train movement was obtained from the finite element method (FEM) simulations. To expedite the optimisation process, the modified particle swarm - simulated annealing (PSSA) algorithm was applied to optimise catenaries. The algorithm was improved by avoiding repetition of FEM simulations with any duplicated input parameters and replacing the worst-performing model before lowering the simulated annealing temperature, which facilitates a larger scope for identifying the global optimal solution. To assess the effectiveness of the structurally optimised design, a comparison was made between the best optimised system and the original system. The results indicate that the weighted average of the contact force standard deviations of the best optimised catenary design is reduced significantly by 55.1%, which also outperforms the original design when operating in a large speed range and operating with different types of pantographs, and exhibits reduced vertical displacement at supports as well.
Persistence of HPV in cervical smears of vaccinated WLWH support for combined molecular testing and cytology screening
Authors: Pereira Milena Siqueira , Cavalcanti Silvia Maria Baeta , Haddad Kury Charbell Miguel , da Rocha Willker Menezes , Varella Rafael Brandão
Published: December 2024

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection profoundly affects women living with HIV (WLWH). This infection leads to cervical cancer (CC) and increased mortality.

Methods

This study monitored HPV infection in WLWH in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before (T1) and after (T2) 4 years of vaccination. HPV genotyping and the presence of intraepithelial lesions were investigated at both time points.

Results

Among the 156 WLWH who received the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (4vHPV) at T1, 30 (19.2%) were initially found to have HPV DNA. After vaccination, only three (7%) of those who were HPV-negative at T1 tested positive for HPV. Most women who tested positive for HPV DNA at T1 had normal Pap smear results. However, this cohort also demonstrated a significant increase in cases of atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in PCR-negative HPV DNA samples at T2 ( p < .01). Conversely, women who initially tested negative for HPV DNA continued to exhibit normal Pap smear results in 2018 ( p < .01).

Conclusions

This study highlights the persistence of HPV in WLWH despite vaccination and underscores the importance of continued molecular and cytologic screening. The findings enhance our understanding of vaccine effectiveness in this population and emphasize the need for tailored preventive strategies.
Enhancing Sustainable Business Performance Through Environmental Regulations, Corporate Social Responsibility and Green Human Resources Management and Green Employee Behaviour in Vietnam’s Hospitality Industry
Authors: Truong Quang Xuan , Nguyen Phuong Van , Nguyen Sam Thi Ngoc
Published: December 2024

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green human resource management (GHRM) are gaining attention across industries but remain underexplored in hospitality and tourism. This sector heavily impacts the environment with substantial water use, high energy consumption, and waste generation. It faces increasing pressure from stakeholders for greater environmental responsibility, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of green initiatives and their effects. To address this gap, this article investigates how companies pursuing green initiatives influence sustainable business performance. Utilising data from 293 respondents in the hospitality industry in Vietnam, the study employs a partial least squares-structural equation model. The results reveal that CSR, GHRM and green employee behaviour positively impact sustainable business performance sustainability. Moreover, environmental regulation, green culture and green transformational leadership enhance CSR and GHRM. This study offers valuable insights into green initiatives, environmental regulation and CSR for governments, practitioners and academics. Managers can integrate green strategies into their operational practices, complying with environmental compliance, pursuing CSR and ultimately promoting sustainable performance.
Identifying the Sources of Exchange Rate Exposure: Integrating Rolling Window Regression and Panel Data Analysis Approaches
Authors: Rahman Amir , Chisti Khalid Ashraf
Published: December 2024

This article attempts to identify the various sources governing the phenomenon of exchange rate exposure for 336 firms from 2012 to 2022. The study employs the two-step procedure to achieve the desired objective. In the first step, dynamic and time-varying exchange rate exposure coefficients have been estimated using rolling window regression, whereas, in the second step, a fixed-effects model of panel data analysis with Driscoll and Kraay’s (1998) standard errors has been estimated to explore the factors affecting the exchange rate exposure. The study finds a positive relationship between exchange rate exposure and the size of a firm and the level of debt a firm possesses, indicating that corporate hedging in India has not effectively reduced exchange rate risk. Likewise, the firm’s growth, asset utilization, and profitability are the fundamental drivers of growth, whereas export revenue decreases the exchange rate exposure. The study suggests that managers must aim to increase exports to act as an effective tool for hedging the exchange rate risk. Also, financial managers should judiciously use the debt component in the capital structure to avoid adversely affecting the firm’s value.
Determinants of Absenteeism Among Undergraduate Business Students: A Comprehensive Study in Private Universities in Bangladesh
Authors: Habib Fairuz Anjum Binte , Hamid Md. Kaysher
Published: December 2024

The study aims to examine the factors that influence student absenteeism among 352 business students at private universities in Bangladesh. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling techniques have been employed with emphasis on loading, reliability, validity, model fit, and path analysis. The major findings revealed that family dynamics, financial constraints such as tuition, health concerns (both physical and mental), and relationships with peers have a substantial impact on students’ absenteeism. Notably, digital distraction, educational quality, bullying, and transportation challenges had no significant influence. The results provide valuable insight for university administrators, enabling focused interventions that can decrease student absenteeism by addressing significant factors.
The Impact of Therapists Self-Disclosing Sexual Orientation With LGBTQ+ Clients
Authors: Pedersen Shannon , Tadros Eman , Kakacek Sandra , Wunderlich Shawn
Published: December 2024

Therapist self-disclosure is a highly debated topic in the world of mental health professionals, but when done appropriately, can benefit the therapeutic alliance. Furthermore, it is well-researched that a strong therapeutic alliance is one of the strongest indicators for positive therapy outcomes. Currently, there is a gap in research for best practices for LGBTQ+ clinicians and self-disclosure, particularly working with LGBTQ+ clients. This study surveyed LGBTQ+ individuals on their experiences of their therapist's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation and its impact on the therapeutic alliance. Overall, all respondents reported that there was a positive impact of the self-disclosure, regardless of if it was before or during the course of therapy. Respondents also shared that having a therapist that is aware of LGBTQ+ issues were important to them, regardless of if the therapist themselves are a part of the LGBTQ+ was community.
Clinical and Pathological Features of a Schwannoma Harboring a SH3PXD2A::HTRA1 Gene Fusion in a Pre-pubescent Patient
Authors: Glembocki Aida , Siddaway Robert , Arnoldo Anthony , Jakeman Molly , Lafreniere Anthea
Published: December 2024

An 11-year-old girl presented with a soft tissue lesion on the dorsal aspect of the left middle finger. Ultrasound imaging demonstrated a 2.8 cm × 0.8 cm × 0.8 cm lesion overlying the dorsal aspect of the base of the digit near the metacarpophalangeal joint. The patient’s past medical history is remarkable for neuroblastoma, diagnosed at 9 months of age, with no MYCN amplification or 1p loss. We report a pediatric schwannoma harbouring a SH3PXD2A::HTRA1 gene fusion with a distinctive serpentine histology. The lesion consisted of well-circumscribed nodules surrounded by thin EMA-positive perineural capsules. Each nodule was composed of lesional cells arranged in short fascicles with occasional clefting and a distinct “serpentine” palisading pattern. The lesion demonstrated Antoni A regions with Verocay body formation. No significant Antoni B areas were seen. The lesional Schwannian cells were bland with elongated and tapered nuclei, showing strong and diffuse positivity for S100. This pre-pubescent girl (Tanner Stage 2) is currently the youngest reported case of fusion-positive schwannoma. In addition, she has a significant prior history of a malignant neoplasm, and the lesion arose in an appendicular location.
Advancing Regulatory Genomics With Machine Learning
Authors: Bréhélin Laurent
Published: December 2024

In recent years, several machine learning (ML) approaches have been proposed to predict gene expression signal and chromatin features from the DNA sequence alone. These models are often used to deduce and, to some extent, assess putative new biological insights about gene regulation, and they have led to very interesting advances in regulatory genomics. This article reviews a selection of these methods, ranging from linear models to random forests, kernel methods, and more advanced deep learning models. Specifically, we detail the different techniques and strategies that can be used to extract new gene-regulation hypotheses from these models. Furthermore, because these putative insights need to be validated with wet-lab experiments, we emphasize that it is important to have a measure of confidence associated with the extracted hypotheses. We review the procedures that have been proposed to measure this confidence for the different types of ML models, and we discuss the fact that they do not provide the same kind of information.
Digital media and the banalization of deception
Authors: Natale Simone
Published: December 2024

Theories of deception in digital media often rest on the assumption that deception occurs when something in the process of communication does not work as it should – due to an intention to lie, or to faults and mistakes in the communication process. Such perspectives, however, do not fully account for the more subtle practices by which deception becomes normalized in the very functioning of digital media. This article advances the concept of ‘banal deception’ to describe deceptive mechanisms and practices that are incorporated in the functioning of media technologies, to the point that they appear indistinguishable from the media themselves – in other words, to the point of becoming ‘banal’. Through a range of examples encompassing digital and non-digital media, the article illuminates nuanced mechanisms of deception that are often not understood as such but are integral to people’s experiences with media. Banal deception mechanisms applied to media even before digitalization processes, but they are becoming increasingly relevant and ubiquitous due to the automation of communication processes sparked by platform algorithms and AI.
Alzheimer's disease prediction and prevention in a public health perspective: Ethical considerations and collaborations beyond the biomedical paradigm
Authors: Horstkötter Dorothee
Published: December 2024

The prevention of dementia is increasingly a task for public health promotion and aims at the general public. This likewise holds for potentially modifiable lifestyle risk factors and biomarkers indicating susceptibility. This commentary argues that from a public health ethical perspective, there is a significant overlap between the implications and requirements of the biomedical domain and lifestyle approaches. What's more, once public awareness of Alzheimer's disease prevention or risk reduction is further established, the public will likely intermix options and advice. Public health ethical recommendations should pro-actively reflect on upcoming questions, concerns, and remedies, combine but not separate both domains and anticipate their conceivable interactions.
Seed-bombing as recuperative pedagogies: Activating wit(h)nessing in blasted landscapes
Authors: Jobb Cory
Published: December 2024

The practice of seed-bombing, or guerilla gardening, has its roots in radical environmental activism. As a community-generated response to ecological degradation and capitalist ruins by way of development and gentrification of city spaces, seed-bombing as it is commonly practised involves the subversive dispersal of seeds in an attempt to beautify or reclaim spaces otherwise perceived as unsightly or damaged. In this article I think with common worlding and Louise Boscacci’s word-concept wit(h)nessing to explore the possibilities for seed-bombing with young children as a practice of enacting recuperative pedagogies in landscapes shaped, in part, by the ongoing global waste crisis. I draw on moments from practice in a walking-based, post-qualitative inquiry with young children at a former quarry and landfill to explore recuperative pedagogies through the culminating pedagogical gesture. I suggest seed-bombing as an act of thinking and doing recuperation in blasted landscapes, one not limited to a singular event, but a cross-temporal attunement to children's waste relations with particular futures in mind.
Colorectal Cancer Messaging and Gaps in Knowledge Among Screening-Eligible Individuals
Authors: Kincaid Ginny E. , Headley Carolyn , Jaffee Anna , Marlowe Bria , Moehring Ally , Murphy Will A. , Vercammen Laura K.
Published: December 2024

Shifts in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, including guidance from the United States Preventive Services Task Force lowering the recommended screening age from 50 to 45 years in 2021, may leave gaps in clinicians’ understanding of related barriers and beliefs held by patients. This study uses the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework to analyze factors influencing CRC screening uptake among individuals aged 44–54 years and identifies how gaps in knowledge intersect with screening barriers, particularly as they relate to the health care system and sociocultural environment. In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control’s Screen for Life campaign conducted 12 online focus groups to gather audience insights and test materials. Researchers conducted the focus groups in English and Spanish with individuals aged 44–54 years who had never had CRC and had never received a CRC screening. Focus groups gauged participants’ knowledge, awareness, and behavior pertaining to CRC and CRC screening. Results show that participants often lacked knowledge about risk factors and screening modalities and appreciated emotionally resonant communication approaches that addressed gaps in knowledge using demystifying, destigmatizing language and representative imagery. Findings also indicate a need to help patients overcome barriers related to insurance coverage, treatment options, and discrimination. Results may guide the development of future health promotion efforts and empower health care providers to approach conversations with their patients with additional context regarding patients’ needs.
Pre-implantation Scalp EEG Can Predict VNS Efficacy in Children
Authors: Jurková Tereza , Chládek Jan , Doležalová Irena , Aulická Štefania , Chrastina Jan , Zeman Tomáš , Horák Ondřej , Koriťáková Eva , Brázdil Milan
Published: December 2024

Introduction. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is a therapeutical option for the treatment of drug-resistant epileptic patients. The response to VNS varies from patient to patient and is difficult to predict. The proposed study is based on our previous work, identifying relative mean power in pre-implantation EEG as a reliable marker for VNS efficacy prediction in adult patients. Our study has two main tasks. Firstly, to confirm the utility of relative mean power as a feature correlating with VNS efficacy in children. The second is to validate the applicability of our prediction classifier, Pre-X-Stim, in the pediatric population. Material and Methods. We identified a group of children with drug-resistant epilepsy. We included only children in whom EEG contained photic stimulation (Task 1) or was recorded based on the defined acquisition protocol used for development Pre-X-Stim (Task 2). Relative mean powers were calculated. VNS responders and non-responders were compared based on relative mean powers’ values. In the next step, we evaluate the utility of our classifier, Pre-X-Stim, in the children population. Results: We identified 57 children treated with VNS – 17 patients were recruited for the Task 1 and 7 patients for the Task 2. When focusing on relative mean powers in EEG spectra, we observed statistically significant differences in theta range. The Pre-X-Stim algorithm was able to predict VNS efficacy correctly in 6 out of 7 patients (the accuracy 83.3%, the sensitivity 75%, the specificity 100%). Conclusions. Based on our results, it seems that children and adults share a similar pattern of EEG relative mean power changes. These changes can be used for pre-implantation prediction of VNS efficacy.