bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SIGCSE Technical Symposium 2023: Information for Attendees
Authors: Doyle Maureen , Stephenson Ben , Dorn Brian , Soh Leen-Kiat , Battestilli Lina , Stephens-Martinez Kristin , Yazdansepas Delaram
Published: February 2023

The 2023 SIGCSE Technical Symposium will take place from March 15 - 18, 2023, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. We look forward to welcoming you to Canada for the first ever SIGCSE Technical Symposium outside of the United States. The program for the 2023 Technical Symposium is online now. It is a diverse program that showcases the tremendous work done by so many researchers and educators to improve our craft. We truly believe that it has something for everyone and that your biggest challenge will be identifying which sessions you want to attend when there are so many exceptional options.
Koli Calling Conference Report
Authors: Petersen Andrew , Jormanainen Ilkka
Published: February 2023

Koli Calling is a single-track conference covering a range of topics related to education in the computing disciplines. The 22nd Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research was held in the beautiful Koli National Park from November 17-20, 2022. The conference was held in cooperation with the ACM and SIGCSE and was organized by the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Toronto Mississauga.
ACM CompEd Resumes After Two-year Delay!
Authors: Becker Brett A. , Choppella Venkatesh
Published: February 2023

The ACM Global Computing Education Conference (CompEd) was first held in Chengdu, China in May 2019. Due to the fact that CompEd changes countries - and likely continents - each time it is held, it takes place every two years. CompEd 2021 was planned for Hyderabad, India, however the pandemic forced CompEd to be put on hold. The primary mission of CompEd is to bring the SIGCSE conference experience to parts of the world that have not had the opportunity to host one. The CompEd Steering Committee and SIGCSE board decided against holding a virtual conference. The Board and Steering Committee were also committed to India and decided that 2021 was not cancelled, but delayed. After being put on pause again in 2022, conditions are now such that CompEd 2023 has been given the go-ahead!
Member Spotlight
Authors: Smith Julie M. , Wallace Charles , Peters Anne-Kathrin
Published: February 2023

In this feature of the Bulletin, we highlight members of the SIGCSE community. In this issue's spotlight we hear from Anne-Kathrin Peters, an associate professor of technology education at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Analysis of Crosstalk Effects for Ternary Logic MWCNT Bundled Through Silicon Vias
Authors: Javid Basha Shaik , Venkatramana P.
Published: February 2023

This article presents a technique to improve the crosstalk effects in ternary coupled through silicon vias (TSVs). The effects of crosstalk are investigated in TSVs using multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as metallic liner and polymers such as polyimide, polypropylene carbonate (PPC), benzocyclobutene (BCB) as dielectric liners. The circuit model for coupled TSVs driven by ternary inverter is utilized to analyze the various crosstalk issues. The HSPICE tool is utilized to develop the proposed TSVs. The crosstalk issues for the MWCNT TSVs are investigated and compared to single walled CNT (SWCNT) TSVs. Moreover, the power, power delay product (PDP) and energy delay product (EDP) are analyzed and compared to SWCNT TSVs. All the performances are also studied for different TSV pitches. The coupled TSVs with BCB show high performance for the large pitch values. Moreover, it is noticed that the coupled TSVs with BCB at 5000 μm TSV pitch improved the performance up to 40.03% over the SWCNT TSVs.
Factors Explaining Program Sustainability: A Study of the Implementation of a Social Services Program in Sweden
Authors: Åhlfeldt Emanuel , Isaksson David , Winblad Ulrika
Published: February 2023

Even for successfully implemented programs, there is a great risk that new work practices are not sustained over time. Previous research has yielded a number of factors which influence program sustainability, but little is known about which factors are most important in different contexts or how these factors interact. This study tests a model of sustainability factors in a case where a program for structured needs assessment and documentation was implemented in the Swedish social services. In November 2020, a questionnaire was sent out to local implementing actors in the municipalities. The data include 135 municipal organizations with 1–3 respondents per organization. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used in the analysis. The outcome variable was routinization as one of the most central components of sustainability. The findings show that while the program was implemented at 21.5% of sites, it was both implemented and routinized at only 13.3% of sites. A key factor for successful routinization was an open project strategy, which entails coordination between the implementation process and other change initiatives, the identification of a long-term planning horizon, and development based on continuous feedback. Additional factors found to contribute to routinization were management commitment, user participation, first-line manager commitment, and available resources. Certain factors were identified as pertinent to the implementing actors themselves, such as effective project leadership and rationally planned projects. These latter factors, however, demonstrated less importance towards routinization. These findings are discussed in relation to the fragmented context of the implementation, whereby the recipient organizations were not single, unified organizations, but rather organizational clusters involving both purchaser and provider organizations. The findings have implications for the planning, management, and evaluation of social program implementation and the ability to sustain novel work practices.
Design of a New Coating Agent Based on Graphene Oxide and Antimicrobial/Spermicidal Peptide (Sarcotoxin Pd) for Condom Coating: New Strategy for Prevention of Unplanned Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections
Authors: Zare-Zardini Hadi , Alemi Ashraf , Zahedi Mahlagha , Soltaninejad Hossein , Ghasemi Hassan , Farrokhifar Majid , Hosseini Seyed Ahmad , Dehghanbaghi Neda
Published: February 2023

In this study, sarcotoxin Pd-functionalized graphene oxide (GO-Pd) was synthesized as a new condom-coating agent. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by radial diffusion assay (RDA) and absorbance-based methods. Sperm motility and morphology were assessed in different concentrations of designed nanostructures. Peptide stability on the GO structures was assessed by the CD technique. GO-Pd showed the highest contact angle. The results approved that GO-Pd had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against examined pathogens, especially vaginal infections such as Candida vulvovaginitis. This antimicrobial activity was more than pristine peptides, vancomycin, and fluconazole. GO-Pd also had a higher inhibitory activity on the sperm motility and viability than pristine peptides. GO-Pd had high stability and activity in all examined conditions. But, naked peptides had low stability and activity after incubation in acidic pH and high temperatures (>38°C). In all tests, GO-Pd showed a significant difference compared to naked peptide. Based on the results, GO-Pd can be used as a condom coating to prevent unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Modeling of Nanolubricant-Assisted Machining Process by using Multiple Regression Analysis
Authors: Srikiran S. , Pavani P. N. L. , Palani Kumaran
Published: February 2023

Graphite, due to its hexagonally arranged crystal structure, is a preferred lubricant. The crystal structure within a planar condensed ring system indicates that the layers are stacked in a direction that is parallel to each other. Researchers have reported that the use of graphite powder as a lubricant during machining has exhibited promising results. Mixture of graphite in a carrying medium demonstrated multifunctional lubrication performance due to the separation of sliding surfaces by a liquid lubricant film and protected by solid powder. Scientific literature has pointed out that graphite powder at the nanoscale has been used in various mechanical operations exhibiting promising results. It is found that nanolevel graphite powder has been used previously by researchers in the metal-forming operations and tribological tests. This emphasizes the significance of the present work, which investigates the impact of nanoscale differences in the particle size of graphite powder has on the machining of hardened steel. With SAE 40 oil functioning as the carrying medium and nanocrystalline graphite of various size range performing as the lubricant, the current work attempts to determine the effects of solid-lubricant-assisted machining. It is observed experimentally that the machining parameters have improved with respect to the particle size of the nanopowder. The experimental results show that the cutting forces, tool temperatures, and surface roughness are found to increase as the size of the nanocrystalline graphite powder is reduced from 70–90 to 5–10 nm. Using the experimental values, regression analysis is carried out to develop nonlinear expressions between the input and output variables using SPSS statistical tool. The data are used to develop the models to predict cutting forces, tool temperatures, and surface roughness for the input parameters like size of the nanocrystalline graphite powder, depth of cut, feed rate, and cutting velocity for a considerably good range in a scientific way so that further researchers can use it. Further, the outputs obtained from the experimentation and the regression equations are compared and analysis is carried out in terms of the error percentage.
[Retracted] A Voice Recognition Sensor and Voice Control System in an Intelligent Toy Robot System
Authors: Luo Cong
Published: February 2023

In order to make the toy robot more entertaining, interesting, and intelligent, a voice recognition sensor and voice control system in the intelligent toy robot system are proposed. The system builds an overall system architecture including a client and a server. Through the camera calibration and data transmission module of the client, it collects images and calculates the internal and external parameters of the camera and transmits the image and external parameter data to the server. With the images and external parameter data transmitted from the terminal, a background image is constructed and the camera position and angle are updated in real time to complete the fusion of virtual and real scenes. Through the motion control part of the user interaction module, hearing‐impaired children can control the movement and rotation of smart toys. The experimental results show that the system has high communication synchronization and stability and can realize high‐precision control of smart toys, and the average frame rate can reach 30.97 f/s. The beneficial effect of the system is that it has various functions, has the effect of speech recognition, and is highly interesting.
A New Computational Technique for Analytic Treatment of Time‐Fractional Nonlinear Equations Arising in Magneto‐Acoustic Waves
Authors: Prakasha D. G. , Saadeh Rania , Kachhia Krunal , Qazza Ahmad , Malagi Naveen Sanju
Published: February 2023

This paper presents the study of time‐fractional nonlinear fifth‐order Korteweg–de Vries equations by utilizing an adequate novel technique, namely, the q‐homotopy analysis transform method. The fifth‐order Korteweg–de Vries equation has got its importance in the study of magneto‐sound propagation in plasma, capillary gravity water waves, and the motion of long waves under the influence of gravity in shallow water. To justify the effectiveness and pertinence of the contemplated technique, we take a look at three examples of the time‐fractional fifth‐order Korteweg–de Vries equations. The q‐homotopy analysis transform method offers us to modulate the range of convergence of the series solution using ℏ, called the auxiliary parameter or convergence control parameter. The study of the fractional behaviour of the considered equations expresses the originality of the presented work. There is a visible variation in the obtained solutions for different fractional orders and which can lead to different consequences for future work. As a future research direction, readers can use the hybrid methodologies merging with our projected scheme to achieve better consequences. Additionally, to validate the precision and reliability of the proposed method, we organized suitable numerical simulations. The obtained findings show that the proposed method is very gratifying and examines the complex nonlinear challenges that arise in science and innovation.
Neoisoastilbin Ameliorates Acute Gouty Arthritis via Suppression of the NF‐κB/NLRP3 Pathway
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhang Xiaoxi , Xu Changyu , Yao Yanjing , Wu Chenxi , Xu Wenjing , Li Fenfen , Xia Daozong
Published: February 2023

Acute gouty arthritis (AGA) is an acute inflammatory disease, whose occurrence and development mechanism are associated with inflammatory reaction of joint tissue. This study investigated the role of neoisoastilbin (NIA) in the treatment of AGA and explored the underlying mechanisms. C57BL/6 mice underwent intraarticular injection of monosodium urate (MSU) to establish an AGA model in vivo. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, histopathological hematoxylin‐eosin staining, western blotting, and other methods were used to observe the therapeutic effects of NIA on AGA and investigate the role of the NF‐κB/NLRP3 pathway in the treatment. We found that NIA effectively reduced MSU‐induced joint swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration in a concentration‐dependent manner. NIA also significantly reduced interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels as compared with the respective values in the model mice group. In addition, administration of NIA significantly mitigated the phosphorylation of NF‐κB‐related proteins (IKKα, NF‐κB, and IκBα) and the expression of NLRP3‐related proteins (NLRP3, caspase‐1, and ASC) in MSU‐induced joint tissues. In conclusion, our research indicated that NIA significantly improved AGA, and its underlying mechanism was achieved by simultaneously inhibiting the NF‐κB/NLRP3 pathway and the expression of inflammatory factors. This research preliminarily suggested the potential role of NIA in the treatment of AGA.
A Glaucoma Patient with an Intraocular Pressure Decrease following Total Gastrectomy and Postoperative Anticancer Treatment
Authors: Takada Yukihisa , Sumioka Takayoshi , Tamura Tadahiko , Saika Shizuya
Published: February 2023

We herein report a case of glaucoma with an intraocular pressure (IOP) decrease following total gastrectomy (TG) and anticancer treatment for gastric cancer. A 62-year-old male underwent trabeculectomy of the left and right eyes in August 2011 and July 2012, respectively. During the follow-up, IOP of the right eye was 9-12 mmHg (with bimatoprost, dorzolamide, and timolol maleate), and that of the left eye ranged between 14 and 26 mmHg (with bimatoprost, dorzolamide, timolol maleate, and brimonidine tartrate). In December 2014, TG was performed due to gastric cancer. After surgery, the patient received S-1+CDDP, weekly PAC, and CPT-11 therapies. The patient died on March X, 2017. Before TG, the body mass index (BMI) was 29.5 but decreased to 24.8 before the start of the two courses of weekly PAC therapy. IOP of the right eye was 6 mmHg (with bimatoprost), and that of the left eye was 10 mmHg (with bimatoprost, dorzolamide, and brimonidine tartrate), showing decreases. After the initiation of weekly PAC therapy, BMI was approximately 19. IOP of the right eye ranged between 6 and 10 mmHg until the final ophthalmological examination (January 11, 2017), while that of the left eye ranged between 8 and 15 mmHg. In this patient with glaucoma, IOP was not controlled by eye drop treatment, and TG for gastric cancer and postoperative treatment with anticancer drugs resulted in weight loss and a decrease in IOP.
Optimization of Tree-Based Machine Learning Models to Predict the Length of Hospital Stay Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Mansoori Atefeh , Zeinalnezhad Masoomeh , Nazarimanesh Leila
Published: February 2023

The length of hospital stay (LOS) is a significant indicator of the quality of patient care, hospital efficiency, and operational resilience. Considering the importance of LOS in hospital resource management, this research aims to improve the accuracy of LOS prediction using hyperparameter optimization (HPO). Expert physicians and related studies were reviewed to determine the variables affecting LOS. The electronic medical records of 200 patients in the department of internal medicine of a hospital in Iran were collected randomly. As the performance of machine learning (ML) models can vary based on the characteristics of the features, several models were applied and evaluated in this study. In particular, k-nearest neighbors (KNN), multivariate regression, decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN), and XGBoost have been evaluated and improved. The genetic algorithm (GA) was applied to optimize the tree-based models. In addition, the dummy coding technique, sometimes called the One-Hot encoding, was used to encode categorical features to increase prediction accuracy. Compared with other algorithms, the XGBoost model optimized by GA (XGB_GA) achieved higher accuracy and better prediction performance. The mean and median of absolute errors in the test dataset for this model were 1.54 and 1.14 days, respectively. In other words, the XGB_GA model reduced the mean absolute error by 37%, which is beneficial in the reliable design of a clinical decision support system.
Enhanced Germination and Growth of Alfalfa with Seed Presoaking and Hydroponic Culture in Fe2O3 Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Yang Yunjiao , Li Runtian , Wang Ling , Bi Hongmei , Peng Zhimei , Li Junru , Guo Changhong , Bi Yingdong , Lai Yongcai , Guo Donglin
Published: February 2023

Nanofertilizers can be used as potential contenders to provide macro- and micronutrients to plants. Specifically, iron-oxide-based engineered nanoparticles are promising candidates for next-generation iron-deficiency fertilizers. Aiming to investigate the effect of Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles on plant germination and growth, alfalfa seeds were presoaked by a series of concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/L) of Fe2O3 NPs in this study. The germination rate, root length, chlorophyll content, and activity of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)) were detected. Further, hydroponic alfalfa young seedlings were treated with 50 mg/L Fe2O3 NPs, with 50 mg/L Fe-EDTA as the control. The growth index, chlorophyll content, metal (Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn) content, and ferric-chelate reductase activity were detected. The results indicated that the presoaking of Fe2O3 NPs promoted alfalfa seed germination in all treatments. Short-time of Fe2O3 NPs presoaking has not affected chlorophyll and iron content while increasing antioxidase (SOD, POD, and CAT) activities at 50 and 200 mg/L concentrations. Fe2O3 NPs of 50 mg/L have the most beneficiary impact on alfalfa seed germination by presoaking. Fe2O3 NPs of 50 mg/L enhanced the seedlings’ growth and increased chlorophyll content, Fe content, and Mn content of hydroponic alfalfa compared with the control. Moreover, ferric chelate reductase activity was significantly lower in alfalfa roots exposure to Fe2O3 NPs than in the control. The results showed that 50 mg/L Fe2O3 NPs could be used as an appropriate and effective treatment concentration for seed pretreatment and fertilizer application. The growth-promoting effect of Fe2O3 NPs on alfalfa is related to its nanostructured properties. More in-depth research is still needed to understand the growth-promoting mechanism of Fe2O3 NPs and the impact of Fe2O3 NPs on the field environment.
Low TCR Binding Strength Results in Increased Progenitor-like CD8+ Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes
Authors: Hay Zachary L.Z. , Knapp Jennifer R. , Magallon Roman E. , O'Connor Brian P. , Slansky Jill E.
Published: February 2023

T-cell receptor (TCR) binding strength to peptide-MHC antigen complex influences numerous T-cell functions. However, the vast diversity of a polyclonal T-cell repertoire for even a single antigen greatly increases the complexity of studying the impact of TCR affinity on T-cell function. Here, we determined how TCR binding strength affected the protein and transcriptional profile of an endogenous, polyclonal T-cell response to a known tumor-associated antigen (TAA) within the tumor microenvironment (TME). We confirmed that the staining intensity by flow cytometry and the counts by sequencing from MHC-tetramer labeling were reliable surrogates for the TCR-peptide-MHC steady-state binding affinity. We further demonstrated by single-cell RNA sequencing that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) with high and low binding affinity for a TAA can differentiate into cells with many antigen-specific transcriptional profiles within an established TME. However, more progenitor-like phenotypes were significantly biased towards lower affinity T cells, and proliferating phenotypes showed significant bias towards high-affinity TILs. In addition, we found that higher affinity T cells advanced more rapidly to terminal phases of T-cell exhaustion and exhibited better tumor control. We confirmed the polyclonal TIL results using a TCR transgenic mouse possessing a single low-affinity TCR targeting the same TAA. These T cells maintained a progenitor-exhausted phenotype and exhibited impaired tumor control. We propose that high-affinity TCR interactions drive T-cell fate decisions more rapidly than low-affinity interactions and that these cells differentiate faster. These findings illustrate divergent forms of T-cell dysfunction based on TCR affinity which may impact TIL therapies and antitumor responses.
Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma Developed on Chronic Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Successfully Treated with Cemiplimab: A Case Report
Authors: Ruggiero Angelo , Lauro Wanda , Miano Chiara , Villani Alessia , Fabbrocini Gabriella , Marasca Claudio
Published: February 2023

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an inflammatory skin disease showing a chronic-remitting course. It has been rarely reported that long-term inflammation in HS could lead to serious complications like cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Cemiplimab is a fully human antibody immunotherapy that inhibits programmed cell death protein-1, approved for the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma, or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, in patients not eligible for curative surgery or radiotherapy. Herein, we report the case of a 56-year-old patient developing an invasive SCC on longstanding and unresponsive HS lesions successfully treated with cemiplimab.
Dectin-1 Acts as a Non-Classical Receptor of Ang II to Induce Cardiac Remodeling
Authors: Ye Shiju , Huang He , Han Xue , Luo Wu , Wu Lili , Ye Yang , Gong Yingchao , Zhao Xia , Huang Weijian , Wang Yi , Long Xiaohong , Fu Guosheng , Liang Guang
Published: February 2023

Background:

Cardiac remodeling in heart failure involves macrophage-mediated immune responses. Recent studies have shown that a PRR (pattern recognition receptor) called dectin-1, expressed on macrophages, mediates proinflammatory responses. Whether dectin-1 plays a role in pathological cardiac remodeling is unknown. Here, we identified a potential role of dectin-1 in this disease.

Methods:

To model aberrant cardiac remodeling, we utilized mouse models of chronic Ang II (angiotensin II) infusion. In this model, we assessed the potential role of dectin-1 through using D1KO (dectin-1 knockout) mice and bone marrow transplantation chimeric mice. We then used cellular and molecular assays to discover the underlying mechanisms of dectin-1 function.

Results:

We found that macrophage dectin-1 is elevated in mouse heart tissues following chronic Ang II administration. D1KO mice were significantly protected against Ang II–induced cardiac dysfunction, hypertrophy, fibrosis, inflammatory responses, and macrophage infiltration. Further bone marrow transplantation studies showed that dectin-1 deficiency in bone marrow–derived cells prevented Ang II–induced cardiac inflammation and dysfunction. Through detailed molecular studies, we show that Ang II binds directly to dectin-1, causing dectin-1 homodimerization and activating the downstream Syk (spleen tyrosine kinase)/NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) signaling pathway to induce expression of inflammatory and chemoattractant factors. Mutagenesis studies identified R184 in the C-type lectin domain to interact with Ang II. Blocking dectin-1 in macrophages suppresses Ang II–induced inflammatory mediators and subsequent intercellular cross talk with cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts.

Conclusions:

Our study has discovered dectin-1 as a new nonclassical receptor of Ang II and a key player in cardiac remolding and dysfunction. These studies suggest that dectin-1 may be a new target for treating hypertension-related heart failure.
Perspectives on Computation in Plants
Authors: Del Dottore Emanuela , Mazzolai Barbara
Published: February 2023

Plants thrive in virtually all natural and human-adapted environments and are becoming popular models for developing robotics systems because of their strategies of morphological and behavioral adaptation. Such adaptation and high plasticity offer new approaches for designing, modeling, and controlling artificial systems acting in unstructured scenarios. At the same time, the development of artifacts based on their working principles reveals how plants promote innovative approaches for preservation and management plans and opens new applications for engineering-driven plant science. Environmentally mediated growth patterns (e.g., tropisms) are clear examples of adaptive behaviors displayed through morphological phenotyping. Plants also create networks with other plants through subterranean roots–fungi symbiosis and use these networks to exchange resources or warning signals. This article discusses the functional behaviors of plants and shows the close similarities with a perceptron-like model that could act as a behavior-based control model in plants. We begin by analyzing communication rules and growth behaviors of plants; we then show how we translated plant behaviors into algorithmic solutions for bioinspired robot controllers; and finally, we discuss how those solutions can be extended to embrace original approaches to networking and robotics control architectures.
Dire Straits-Education Reforms
Authors: Gomendio Montserrat , Wert José Ignacio
Published: February 2023

Responding to an ‘educational emergency’ generated largely by the difficulties of implementing education reforms, this book compares education policies around the world in order to understand what works where.

To address the key question of why education reforms are so difficult, the authors take into account a broad range of relevant factors, such as governance, ideology, and stakeholder conflicts of interest, and their interactions with one another.

Drawing on their experiences as policymakers in the Spanish government and as governmental advisors worldwide, Montserrat Gomendio and Jose Ignacio Wert produce a publication like no other, shifting the usual Eurocentric narrative and shedding light on frequently overlooked educational policies from elsewhere. In this context, they dive deeper into details of educational failures and successes, the processes of implementation and investment priorities in different countries. They provide revealing accounts of stakeholder conflicts of interest and the challenges of implementing educational reform during a financial crisis.

The authors also investigate why the evidence from international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) has, contrary to expectation, not generated improvements in most education systems. Gomendio and Wert investigate the evolution of different education systems, closely examining their advances or declines. Gomendio and Wert’s expert voices illuminate the current state of global education systems and the necessary changes to ensure long-awaited improvements. This is a revelatory and informative resource for policymakers, teachers and academics alike.
Causal Forcing Analysis on the Low-Frequency Variations of Eddy Kinetic Energy in the Kuroshio Extension Region
Authors: Wang Qiang , Pierini Stefano
Published: February 2023

The eddy kinetic energy (EKE) in the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region may be affected by two factors: EKE in the Kuroshio large meander (KLM) region and the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO). Previous studies reported that the Kuroshio path variations south of Japan may affect the low-frequency variability of the KE jet and related EKE, but the linear correlation between these phenomena derived from long time series is low and not significant, implying that the linkage between EKE in the KLM and KE regions is still unclear. Besides, whether NPGO has a causal effect on the KE EKE remains under debate. In this study, we investigate the causal forcing of the KLM EKE and NPGO on the KE EKE using the convergent cross mapping (CCM) approach based on satellite sea surface height observations. The analysis shows that the KLM EKE affects the EKE only in the KE upstream area (west of 146°E), with no significant causal effect on the EKE in the downstream area; the NPGO plays, instead, a remarkable role on the EKE in both areas. The effect of the KLM EKE on the KE EKE is found to depend on the Kuroshio latitudinal position over the Izu Ridge. Changes in the KLM EKE affect the downstream advection of eddies and induce changes in the Kuroshio position over the ridge, which cause different EKE levels in the KE upstream region. The NPGO affects the KE EKE through the westward propagation of sea surface height anomalies remotely forced by wind stress anomalies associated with the North Pacific Oscillation.
Searching for lasting biculturalism: An Imitation Game inquiry
Authors: Segersven Otto
Published: February 2023

This article uses a novel method—the Imitation Game—to search for lasting ethnic biculturalism. I address the case of Finland-Swedes and the Finnish-speaking majority in Finland. While it is known that most Finland-Swedes are fluent in two languages, Swedish and Finnish, the question remains whether they are fluent in two respective cultures. The Imitation Game investigates biculturalism and alternative acculturation paths as a function of cultural competences. As part of a mixed-methods analysis, I introduce the Group Relations Graph as a comparative framework to pinpoint acculturation paths based on whether members of the minority can exhibit competence in minority and majority culture. The findings display acculturation as a dynamic process of multiple concurrent acculturation paths: the studied groups are assimilated with respect to values and experiences, and separated in terms of knowledge and linguistic style. Finland-Swedes are a powerful minority group with both the resources and the intention to maintain a unique Finland-Swedish culture, yet in terms of cultural competences they appear indistinguishable from the Finnish-speaking majority—except for within the context of an ethnic enclave institution. Ultimately, the article posits a pessimistic assessment for the possibility of lasting biculturalism and, by extension, a multicultural society.
Gig Work, Telework, Precarity, and the Pandemic
Authors: Schulz Jeremy , Robinson Laura , McClain Noah , Reisdorf Bianca C.
Published: February 2023

This issue examines technology-driven economic developments during the global COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Specifically, the articles cover the ways that gig work, the platform economy, and remote work have evolved during the course of the pandemic. The issue leads with articles that chart the interplay of the platform economy with various facets of the pandemic from the inequalities and risks faced by gig workers to market forces shaping the commercialization of hosting platforms. The following articles concentrate on the ways in which specific structural conditions—digital infrastructure as well as the structure of the economy—influence the unequal distribution of telework in Uruguay and the relationship between informality and remote work opportunities across Latin America. The last two articles explore remote work in Asia and North America. In the first of these two articles remote work in Japan is examined in order to investigate the cultural sources of resistance to the adoption of remote work. In the concluding article, the remote work preferences of U.S. adults are analyzed as a function of technology usage (videoconferencing versus instant messaging) as well as sociodemographic and occupational attributes.
Can Rehabilitation Work in Military Prison? A Theoretical Framework Based on the Israeli Case
Authors: Itzik Lea
Published: February 2023

Israel's military prisons operate a rehabilitation program for imprisoned soldiers based on a psychosocial diagnosis. The program's essential aim is to help soldiers complete their service and avoid re-incarceration. This article describes the program, its function related to the integrative law court, and its role as the army's probation service. It further presents a unique perspective regarding military rehabilitation programs, demonstrating how rehabilitation leads to recidivism. It concludes with a recommendation for incorporating an organizational change in the program that involves redistributing the existing sections to operate under two different authorities.
A methodological approach for modeling the spread of disease using geographical discrete-event spatial models
Authors: Davidson Glenn , Fahlman Aidan , Mereu Eric , Ruiz Martin Cristina , Wainer Gabriel , Dobias Peter , Rempel Mark
Published: February 2023

The study of infectious disease models has become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic. The forecasting of disease spread using mathematical models has become a common practice by public health authorities, assisting in creating policies to combat the spread of the virus. Common approaches to the modeling of infectious diseases include compartmental differential equations and cellular automata, both of which do not describe the spatial dynamics of disease spread over unique geographical regions. We introduce a new methodology for modeling disease spread within a pandemic using geographical models. We demonstrate how geography-based Cell-Discrete-Event Systems Specification (DEVS) and the Cadmium JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) library can be used to develop geographical cellular models. We exemplify the use of these methodologies by developing different versions of a compartmental model that considers geographical-level transmission dynamics (e.g. movement restriction or population disobedience to public health guidelines), the effect of asymptomatic population, and vaccination stages with a varying immunity rate. Our approach provides an easily adaptable framework that allows rapid prototyping and modifications. In addition, it offers deterministic predictions for any number of regions simulated simultaneously and can be easily adapted to unique geographical areas. While the baseline model has been calibrated using real data from Ontario, we can update and/or add different infection profiles as soon as new information about the spread of the disease become available.
Culturally Responsive Teaching through Spatial Justice in Urban Neighborhoods
Authors: Beth Schlemper M. , Shetty Sujata , Yamoah Owusua , Czajkowski Kevin , Stewart Victoria
Published: February 2023

As part of a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project to create culturally responsive curriculum that uses critical spatial thinking and geospatial technologies to address spatial justice in urban neighborhoods, students from a predominantly African American inner-city public high school in Toledo, Ohio participated in two summer workshops in 2015 and 2016. Using a range of data sources including sketch maps, interviews, and neighborhood-based student projects, this paper addresses two research questions: (a) How did students’ spatial narratives of their community change as a result of using a culturally responsive teaching approach to explore neighborhood challenges? (b) How does a culturally responsive teaching approach and a critical geography perspective support spatial justice among youth?
General Self-Esteem as the Mechanism Through Which Early-Childhood Parental Trust and Support Affect Adolescents’ Learning Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Fute Antony , Sun Binghai , Oubibi Mohamed
Published: February 2023

Parental trust and support are machineries for children’s cognitive growth and behaviors exhibited at a later age. Their influence on students’ learning engagement at school has been reported, but little is known about the mechanisms through which such a proposed causal effect occurs. This study tested 2 major proposed hypotheses; (1) general self-esteem (GSE) mediates the causal relationship between parents’ trust and support (PTS) and Learning engagement (LE). (2) The mediation effect is further moderated by students’ college grade level. Data was collected from 1139 college students in Tanzania (Mage = 22.5, SDage = 0.681) who filled out an online-designed questionnaire. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science), PROCESS macro of SPSS, and JASP (Jeffrey’s Amazing Statistical Program) were used for analyzing data. The results indicated that GSE had a mediating effect ( β = .0912, SE = 0.0134, P < .001) on the causal relationship between PTS and LE. The unmediated (direct) effect of PTS on LE ( β = .2125, SE = 0.0419, P < .001) was lower than the total effect ( β = .3037, SE = 0.0553, P < .001) after the mediation. The interaction effects of PTS ( β = .0463, P < .001) and GSE ( β = .0495, P < .001) on students’ college grades were statistically significant, indicating that the mediation effect of GSE on the causal relationship between PTS and LE was moderated by college grades. Parental trust and support enhance students’ behavioral learning at school through their general self-esteem, built from the family level (parenting).
Comparison of the economic performance of the China- and India-born immigrants with US natives
Authors: Potnuru Basant , Khadria Binod
Published: February 2023

Previous studies on the economic performance of immigrants in the United States of America showed that successive immigrants possess lower skills and experience sluggish wage growth, thereby making the wage convergence with the natives almost impossible. However, analysis of variance (ANOVA) post hoc tests using data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2010–2019 on China- and India-born immigrants revealed otherwise. Both immigrant groups have significantly higher levels of education, better occupation and higher earnings compared to all foreign-born immigrants and natives. During 2010–2019, the earnings of China- and India-born immigrants increased faster than the natives’ due to their higher educational attainment. Thus, the general characteristics and experiences of all foreign-born vis-a-vis natives cannot be generalized across specific immigrant groups. Immigrants from different origin countries who have different skill levels and competencies show different earning differentials compared with the natives. Some immigrant groups even become more productive over time due to the increased portability of the human capital of their latest cohorts.
Analyzing the Borderlands: A Regional Report on the Colombia–Ecuador Border on Political, Economic, Social, Legal, and Environment Aspects
Authors: Zou Fangbin , Bhuiyan Miraj Ahmed , Crovella Tiziana , Paiano Annarita
Published: February 2023

This regional report critically analyzes the historical Colombia–Ecuador border issues using a PESL (political, economic, social, and legal) lens, extended in PESTLE, considering this a strategic planning approach, which includes the additional aspects of Legal and Environmental. Most studies of this region focus on terror, drug trafficking, and illegal border crossing, but other problems in this region remain understudied. Our review shows that, apart from the political issues, some social (gender-based violence), economic (unemployment), and legal issues (forced illicit activities) are prevalent in this border region. Mutual effective measures and policy actions are recommended to both the Colombian and Ecuadorian governments to improve border security issues, enhance economic activities, and mitigate social and environmental losses.
The role of working women in social mobility in Spain
Authors: Marqués-Perales Ildefonso , Gómez-Espino Juan Miguel
Published: February 2023

This article addresses what is still an under-examined issue in social mobility literature: the role played by women in the transmission of social advantages and life chances. We include models that incorporate both progenitors for those who were born in Spain between 1926 and 1976. We selected this country due to the far-reaching transformations experienced there for the female population in recent decades in terms of fertility rates, labor market, and educational mobility. Our results show that joint models that consider the influence of both the mother’s and father’s social class more accurately predict children’s social mobility than models that only considers the father’s social class. Contrary to previous studies, we do not find a clear movement toward a more open society, but rather a gendered fluctuation. While the social fluidity of sons has remained constant over time, daughters have experienced an intense process of social fluidity.
What is ‘successful rehabilitation’? A multi-stakeholder nominal group technique study to inform rehabilitation outcome measurement
Authors: Wallace Sarah J , Barnett Amandine , Cheng Bonnie BY , Lowe Joshua , Campbell Katrina L , Young Adrienne M
Published: February 2023

Objective

To explore how stakeholders in rehabilitation conceptualise ‘successful rehabilitation’, to inform the development of a minimum dataset and core outcomes for sub-acute rehabilitation.

Design

Qualitative consensus study using the nominal group technique.

Setting

Online focus groups.

Participants

Consumer representatives ( n = 7), clinicians ( n = 15), and health service managers ( n = 9) from Australia.

Intervention

Participants responded to the question, ‘What does successful rehabilitation look like?’. Following item generation, they prioritised their top five responses, allocating 100 points across items to denote relative importance.

Main measures

Prioritised responses were analysed across stakeholder groups using qualitative content analysis.

Results

Ten themes were identified. ‘Successful rehabilitation’ is: (1) person and family centred; (2) effective; (3) inter-professional; (4) accessible; (5) goal oriented with meaningful outcomes; (6) connected to the continuum of care; (7) evidence-based and supportive of innovation and research; (8) appropriately funded and skilled; (9) satisfying and engaging; and (10) safe.

Conclusions

Stakeholder-defined ‘successful rehabilitation’ aligned with principles of value-based care and evidence-based rehabilitation. Provision and receipt of person and family centred care was the most important indicator of successful rehabilitation. Measures of success should include indicators of structure, process, outcome, and experience, and be conducted at multiple time-points.
InterFaces: On the relationality of vision, face and race in practices of identification. A multimodal intervention
Authors: Plájás Ildikó Zonga
Published: February 2023

This article problematizes vision in practices of identification. It draws on the metaphor of the ‘interface’ to emphasize that vision emerges ‘in between’ eyes, faces, bodies, objects and ideas of belonging and otherness. As such, vision can be a material and political technology that enacts certain people as racial others. To attend to the materiality and politics of vision and its messy relationship with race, I bring together three European stories in which faces are drawn, seen or identified, while race hides or surfaces in intriguing ways. Through these stories we learn that race is saturated with affect and is recalled in objects and bodies. In addition, this article offers a novel methodological approach. It employs the eyes of the reader not only to read but also to watch. Vision itself becomes a technology, this time not to produce or reinforce, but to disturb and perhaps even undo ideas of racial otherness. Through the use of experimental montage, I attend to the complexities and incongruities of seeing faces and race without settling on a single narrative. I actively engage the eyes of the viewer to argue that vision is always relational and partial and therefore, it can also be harnessed to undo racial otherness by fragmenting, multiplying and affecting.
DNA-methylation and immunological response in medication overuse headache
Authors: Carlsen Louise Ninett , Hansen Christine Søholm , Kogelman Lisette J. A. , Werge Thomas Mears , Ullum Henrik , Bybjerg-Grauholm Jonas , Hansen Thomas Folkmann , Jensen Rigmor Højland
Published: February 2023

Objective

To investigate whether medication-overuse headache patients have differential DNA-methylation pattern.

Methods

We collected blood samples from 120 medication-overuse headache-patients, 57 controls (29 episodic migraine patients and 28 healthy controls) in a hypothesis-generating cross-sectional case-control pilot study; 100 of the medication-overuse headache-patients were followed for six months and samples were collected at two and six months for the longitudinal methylation analyses. Blood cell proportions of leucocytes (neutrophils, NK-cells, monocytes, CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells, and B-cells) and the neutrophile-lymphocyte ratio were estimated using methylation data as a measure for immunological analysis and a cell type-specific epigenome wide association study was conducted between medication-overuse headache-patients and controls, and longitudinally for reduction in headache days/month among medication-overuse headache-patients.

Results

We found a higher neutrophile-lymphocyte ratio in medication-overuse headache-patients compared to controls, indicating a higher immunological response in medication-overuse headache-patients (false discovery rate (adjusted p-value)<0.001). Reduction in headache days/month (9.8; 95% CI 8.1–11.5) was associated with lower neutrophile-lymphocyte ratio (false discovery rate adjusted p-value = 0.041). Three genes ( CORIN, CCKBR and CLDN9) were hypermethylated in specific cell types in medication-overuse headache-patients compared to controls. No methylation differences were associated with reduction in headache days in medication-overuse headache-patients after six months.

Conclusion

This pilot study was consistent with higher immunological response in medication-overuse headache-patients which decreased with a reduction in headache days in longitudinal analysis. medication-overuse headache-patients exhibited differential methylation in innate immune cells but did not exhibit longitudinal differences with alterations in headache days. Our study creates hypotheses for further biomarker searches. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02993289