bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To change or not to change: Transformations of ecological metaphors in Chinese government microblogs
Authors: Yang Kaiwen , Sun Ya
Published: July 2024

In the wake of global environmental change, China’s focus on ecological civilization has intensified. Political leaders’ ecological thoughts are predominantly manifested through language, such as ecological metaphors within ecopolitical discourse, and their authoritative statements are disseminated by other political entities across various platforms. This study presents a refined framework for metaphor change analysis, aiming to examine how the ‘Life Community’ metaphor is communicated in Chinese government microblogs. Results show that the ‘Life Community’ metaphor undergoes transformations on the linguistic level, forming a continuum of metaphor change that spans from incremental change to fundamental change. Furthermore, the beneficial ecological orientation of the metaphor does not change in communication. Two new modes of fundamental changes are identified for the first time, including changing the source domain into the target domain, and integrating the source domain with the target domain. This study offers valuable insights into the role of eco-metaphors in Chinese ecopolitical discourse.
Influence of graphene nanoplatelet on carboxymethyl cellulose for enhanced electrochemical performance
Authors: Islam Muhammad Remanul , Nasib Izuan , Nafiz Syed , Beg Mohammad Dalour , Pickering Kim , Al-Fatihhi Mohd , Ahmad Yahaya Ahmad Naim , Bin Safie Sairul Izwan , Smdani Md. Gulam
Published: July 2024

Renewable and bio-based polymers are favored over conventional synthetic polymers because of their low-cost, abundance and sustainability, but due to their average electrochemical performance, sometimes their application is limited as battery material. This study investigates the electrochemical properties of nanocomposites composed of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) at varying GNP ratios. Four samples with GNP weight ratios ranging from 0 to 0.33 wt.% were subjected to analysis using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The sample containing 0.33% GNP exhibited the most favorable electrochemical behavior, demonstrating an ionic conductivity of approximately 2.54 × 10−5 S/cm at 25 °C. Cyclic Voltammogram and Nyquist plots indicated an electrochemical process governed by diffusion processes, particularly evident with 0.33% GNP. This sample displayed the highest specific capacitance at 4.290 F/g, representing an 83.07% improvement over the Pure CMC sample, along with a favorable electrochemical window at 375 mV. Bode plot analysis underscored the influence of diffusion and charge transfer on resistance and conductivity, highlighting enhanced ion mobility in this sample. SEM micrographs revealed improved GNP dispersion in the CMC matrix at higher GNP concentrations, enhancing contact. FTIR analysis confirmed effective CMC–GNP interaction, characterized by a specific peak at 1589 cm−1. These findings provide valuable insights into the electrochemical potential of CMC–GNP composites, offering prospects for their application in diverse electrochemical devices.
Subjectivity and method: Why psychology needs more armchair scholarship
Authors: Teo Thomas
Published: July 2024

The argument is based on the premise that method follows subject matter. A representational view of methodology is discussed, arguing that a natural–scientific approach based on variabilization and subdivision of mental life is epistemically insufficient. Subjectivity as the subject matter of psychology must be studied with methods that are capable of addressing wholistic entities and integrating a mostly sociohistorical object, which can be addressed through the psychological humanities. The methodologism of psychology leads to a representational self-misunderstanding that simulates knowledge about human subjectivity but is based on artificial distinctions that are embedded in research practices removed from psychosocial reality. The case is made for representational as well as nonrepresentational psychologies that are grounded in the idea that parts of subjectivity address what is possible and not only what exists. It is concluded that psychology needs a much broader knowledge base and methodological canon, including armchair reflection, for an understanding of human mental life.
Phenomenology and natural science: What kind of a discipline is psychology?
Authors: Wertz Frederick J.
Published: July 2024

The historical representation of natural science as the experimental testing of causal hypotheses with reductionistic, mechanistic explanations has been rightly rejected as an exclusive approach for psychology. However, this representation of science is simplistic and misleading. Interdisciplinary science studies show how biology, physics, and empirical psychology include reflection, empathy, imagination, qualitative analysis, and the creative use of ordinary language in natural scientific practice. Beyond causal experimentation in research and mechanistic explanation in theory, practices across all sciences include intentionality, meaning, holism, values, teleology, temporality, and agency in phenomena. Psychophysical subject matter requires unique methodological norms that interrelate intentional meanings and their external physical, vital, and social realities. Understanding psychology’s complex relation to natural science begs for a closer, more probing, comparative examination of the actual practices of scientists. Only on this basis will methodological norms adequately clarify, justify, and integrate the diverse, pluralistic approach required by psychology’s paradoxical identity.
Changing with the times: From agricultural potential to spatially explicit reconstructions of past land use
Authors: Willett Patrick T , Carleton W Christopher , Broothaerts Nils , Vandam Ralf
Published: July 2024

Past land-use reconstructions are a key tool for studying long-term human ecodynamics and addressing pressing questions about the origins and evolutionary dynamics of the Anthropocene. In particular, agricultural landcover reconstructions are vital for understanding long-term human-environment dynamics. Most past agricultural land-use models, however, rely heavily on modelling assumptions, make limited use of known archaeological site locations to constrain or inform their estimates and tend to be limited to general estimates of percentages of plant types within catchments around pollen trapping lakes. The lack of information outside catchment areas and low spatial resolution even within catchments constrain the utility of these models. To address this problem, we propose a new approach that combines archaeological predictive modelling with pollen-based agricultural landcover reconstructions to produce more accurate, spatially explicit past landcover estimates. Here, we present the results of a case study deploying the new approach to produce improved past landcover maps for a region in the Western Taurus Mountains, southwestern Turkey. The study area surrounds Sagalassos, an antique urban centre with a regional settlement history encompassing nine millennia. We produced five archaeological predictive models for the study region using the ‘Locally Adaptive Models of Archaeological Potential’ (LAMAP) method spanning the Hellenistic through Late Ottoman period. We then combined those predictive surfaces with ‘Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites’ (REVEALS) pollen landcover reconstructions for the same periods based on pollen from sediment cores extracted from three catchments within the study area. Lastly, we compared the resulting hybrid landcover models to the archaeological record using data not used to make the predictions. We found that the hybrid landcover model aligned very well with the known extents of agricultural land-use from the study area. These results indicate that the proposed approach is a viable way to combine pollen-based landcover models with archaeological data and produce more accurate, empirically-based landcover reconstructions reflecting real human activity in the past.
Teaching Supportive Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents in Psychiatric Residency Programs
Authors: Rothe Eugenio M.
Published: July 2024

Supportive psychotherapy occurs in almost every doctor-patient encounter and is the psychotherapeutic treatment provided to the vast majority of patients who are seen by residents and fellows in psychiatric clinics and mental health centers, yet very few scholarly articles are written that help explain its principles or how it works.
Conceptualizing Co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Gender Diversity in Adolescents: A Narrative Review
Authors: Lieneman Corey , Guastello Andrea , Munson Melissa , Barthle-Herrera Megan , Bailey Brittany , Higham Miranda , Druskin Lindsay R. , McNeil Cheryl B.
Published: July 2024

Differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adolescents is difficult due to similar behavioral topography. For instance, restrictive, repetitive behavior, cognitive rigidity, anxiety, and avoidance contribute to impairment in social relationships and daily living skills in both conditions. The diagnostic picture for youth with ASD and/or OCD may be further clouded by high rates of co-occurring gender-diverse clinical concerns, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, tic disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders With increased prevalence and improved identification of ASD, OCD, and gender-identity-related distress, more adolescents are seeking treatment. It is vital that providers are knowledgeable about best practices for diagnosing and treating these overlapping symptoms. This review describes the state of the literature regarding presentation and prevalence of ASD, OCD, and gender-identity concerns separately and as co-occurring phenomena. Sex differences and gender-diversity among individuals with ASD and OCD are also reviewed. We briefly describe evidence-based behavioral treatments for ASD, OCD, gender-identity-related distress as separate and co-occurring considerations. Recommendations for tailoring within these therapies and family involvement are discussed.
Racialisation and the inequitable experiences of racialised minority coaches in men's professional football club youth academies in England
Authors: Bradbury Steven , Conricode Dominic
Published: July 2024

This article offers an empirical and theoretical examination of racialisation and the inequitable experiences of racialised minority coaches in men's professional football club youth academies in England. More specifically, it examines the ways in which the normative application of racialised ideologies, discourses and practices has engendered some inequitable interactions, representations, evaluations and outcomes for racialised minority coaches in the sports coaching context under review. In doing so, it draws on semi-structured interviews with racialised minority academy coaches ( n = 26) and academy managers ( n = 10) from dominant and marginalised ethnicities to ascertain their experiences and reflections on four inter-related areas of focus: firstly, club academies as racialised spaces; secondly, club academies and racialised stereotypes; thirdly, club academies and racialised assessments; fourthly, club academies and racialised outcomes. The article contextualises these findings from a Critical Race Theory perspective and draws clear linkages between the processes, experiences and outcomes of racialisation in club academies, and the ideological, definitional and discursive power of whiteness and racialised meaning making embedded in elite sports coaching contexts more broadly. The article concludes by outlining some operational implications for club academies and proposed educational activities designed to challenge racialised assumptions and encourage stronger cultural reflection amongst club academy staff.
School Nursing Practice in Education Settings in Spain
Authors: Armas Junco Laura , Alonso Martínez Laura , Fernández Hawrylak María
Published: July 2024

School nurses and pediatric nurses play vital roles in providing healthcare for children and adolescents in educational and healthcare settings. School nurses operate within educational institutions, serving as caregivers and facilitating communication between the school, families, and the healthcare system. These professionals closely collaborate with pediatric nurses. The primary objective of this study was to examine the state of school nursing in Spain. The research comprised 27 nurses, including 18 school nurses and 9 pediatric nurses, chosen through theoretical sampling. These nurses participated in in-depth interviews as part of the data collection process. Grounded theory, following Charmaz's process, was employed for data analysis. The findings underscore the nurses’ call for their mandated presence and regulation in all Spanish educational institutions to address contemporary health challenges and ensure inclusive education.
Medication Adherence and Treatment Satisfaction With Lipid-Lowering Drugs Among Patients With Diabetes and Dyslipidemia
Authors: Alfadda Assim A. , Youssef Amira M. , Al-Sofiani Mohammed E. , Amin Hussein Saad , AlOtaibi Obeed , Mohamed Nourhan , Algohani Hossam Ayed , Isnani Arthur , Rafiullah Mohamed
Published: July 2024

Background:

Poor adherence to lipid-lowering drugs in diabetic patients with dyslipidemia increases has been linked with an increased cardiovascular risk. A better understanding of the determinants of adherence to lipid-lowering drugs and treatment satisfaction among people with diabetes and dyslipidemia is crucial.

Objective:

We aimed to assess the prevalence of adherence to lipid-lowering drugs, identify its determinant factors, and evaluate treatment satisfaction among users of lipid-lowering drugs who have diabetes and dyslipidemia.

Methods:

We surveyed 398 adult patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia, using a validated medication adherence survey (Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale) and a validated treatment satisfaction survey (Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, TSQM). Sociodemographic and medical history data were collected through questionnaires.

Results:

The prevalence of poor medication adherence was 36%. Factors associated with poor adherence included adverse reactions to medications, lack of medication availability, and lack of family support. Adherent patients reported lower low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol levels, higher treatment satisfaction, and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and comorbidities. Having a family history of dyslipidemia was negatively associated with adherence, while the number of comorbidities positively influenced it. The scores of TSQM components such as effectiveness, global satisfaction, and convenience were significantly higher in people who were adherent or achieved the LDL-C target.

Conclusion and Relevance:

Our findings highlight the need for interventions targeting several factors impacting adherence to lipid-lowering drugs in patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia. Managing adverse effects, leveraging family support, and ensuring medication access represent crucial aspects of improving adherence and potentially mitigating cardiovascular risks in this high-risk population.
Outcome of Drug-Induced Parkinsonism in the Elderly: A Permanent Nonprogressive Parkinsonian Syndrome May Occur Following Discontinuation of Cinnarizine and Flunarizine
Authors: Calzetti Stefano , Negrotti Anna
Published: July 2024

Parkinsonism induced by dopamine receptor antagonists, traditionally considered completely reversible following offending drug withdrawal, may unmask a degenerative parkinsonism in the patients with an underlying subclinical disease. In elderly patients, parkinsonism induced by the calcium channel blockers such as piperazine derivates cinnarizine and flunarizine may persist following drug discontinuation resulting in a permanent nonprogressive syndrome fulfilling the criteria for tardive parkinsonism. Whether this outcome occurs also following exposure to dopamine receptor antagonists such as neuroleptics and benzamide derivates or represents a class effect of the voltage-gated L-type calcium channel blockers, such as cinnarizine and flunarizine, due to their complex pharmacodynamic properties remains to be established.
Integrating Sex Therapy with Emotionally Focused Therapy to Treat Sexual Desire Discrepancy
Authors: Borden Lynna , Allan Robert
Published: July 2024

Much has been written about the need for greater integration between the fields of sex therapy and couples therapy, as sex is an integral part of many intimate relationships. Sexual desire discrepancy (SDD) is a common relationship issue that couples therapists are likely to encounter; however, they receive limited and varying degrees of training on how to approach and treat sexual issues like SDD. Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) is an empirically supported approach to couples therapy that offers a structure for strengthening relational bonds. The current literature on using EFT for sexual issues in general, and desire discrepancy specifically, focuses on adapting EFT to treat sexual issues by mapping out the sexual cycle and using an attachment lens to increase emotional safety. The PLISSIT model and its extension the Ex-PLISSIT model are multi-pronged approaches commonly used in sex therapy that provide a guide for how to initiate and progress therapeutic treatment of sexual issues. This article explores how incorporating the PLISSIT and Ex-PLISSIT models into EFT can offer additional benefits to clients and practitioners alike.
Evaluating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale across multiple countries, languages, and gender identities
Authors: Fournier Loïs , Bőthe Beáta , Demetrovics Zsolt , Koós Mónika , Kraus Shane W. , Nagy Léna , Potenza Marc N. , Ballester-Arnal Rafael , Batthyány Dominik , Bergeron Sophie , Briken Peer , Burkauskas Julius , Cárdenas-López Georgina , Carvalho Joana , Castro-Calvo Jesús , Chen Lijun , Ciocca Giacomo , Corazza Ornella , Csako Rita I. , Fernandez David P. , Fujiwara Hironobu , Fernandez Elaine F. , Fuss Johannes , Gabrhelík Roman , Gewirtz-Meydan Ateret , Gjoneska Biljana , Gola Mateusz , Grubbs Joshua B. , Hashim Hashim T. , Saiful Islam Md. , Ismail Mustafa , Jiménez-Martínez Martha C. , Jurin Tanja , Kalina Ondrej , Klein Verena , Költő András , Lee Sang-Kyu , Lewczuk Karol , Lin Chung-Ying , Lochner Christine , López-Alvarado Silvia , Lukavská Kateřina , Mayta-Tristán Percy , Miller Dan J. , Orosová Oľga , Orosz Gábor , Ponce Fernando P. , Quintana Gonzalo R. , Quintero Garzola Gabriel C. ,   Sungkyunkwan University Research Team, Ramos-Diaz Jano , Rigaud Kévin , Rousseau Ann , De Tubino Scanavino Marco , Schulmeyer Marion K. , Sharan Pratap , Shibata Mami , Shoib Sheikh , Sigre-Leirós Vera , Sniewski Luke , Spasovski Ognen , Steibliene Vesta , Stein Dan J. , Strizek Julian , Tsai Meng-Che , Ünsal Berk C. , Vaillancourt-Morel Marie-Pier , Van Hout Marie Claire , Billieux Joël
Published: July 2024

The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Model and the various psychometric instruments developed and validated based on this model are well established in clinical and research settings. However, evidence regarding the psychometric validity, reliability, and equivalence across multiple countries of residence, languages, or gender identities, including gender-diverse individuals, is lacking to date. Using data from the International Sex Survey ( N = 82,243), confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance analyses were performed on the preestablished five-factor structure of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to examine whether (a) psychometric validity and reliability and (b) psychometric equivalence hold across 34 country-of-residence-related, 22 language-related, and three gender-identity-related groups. The results of the present study extend the latter psychometric instrument’s well-established relevance to 26 countries, 13 languages, and three gender identities. Most notably, psychometric validity and reliability were evidenced across nine novel translations included in the present study (i.e., Croatian, English, German, Hebrew, Korean, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese—Portugal, and Spanish—Latin American) and psychometric equivalence was evidenced across all three gender identities included in the present study (i.e., women, men, and gender-diverse individuals).
Development and Validation of the Ease of Imagery Questionnaire
Authors: Williams Sarah E. , Fergus Thomas A. , Ginty Annie T.
Published: July 2024

The present series of studies aimed to develop and provide initial validation of the Ease of Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ)—a measure assessing ease of imaging different positive and negative imagery content reflective of valence and engaging or disengaging in adverse situations. Five studies were conducted to collectively examine the questionnaire’s factor structure and concurrent validity. Study 1 ( N = 336) and Study 2 ( N = 207) informed the development of 16 items of the EIQ, with a four-factor structure supported in Studies 3 ( N = 219), 4 ( N = 135), and 5 ( N = 184) using confirmatory factor analysis. Study 3 also supported concurrent validity with significant bivariate correlations ( p < .05) with the similar Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire subscales, while studies 4 and 5 demonstrated criterion validity in the EIQ’s prediction of challenge and threat appraisal tendencies, perceived stress, stress mindset, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Overall, the EIQ demonstrates a replicable four-factor structure and appears to assess ability to image content associated with positive and negative emotions as well as demanding stress-evoking situations.
Examining the Sustainability of Core Capacity and Evidence-Based Interventions for FIT-Based CRC Screening: California Colorectal Cancer Control Program
Authors: Omelu Ndukaku , Kempster Marilyn , Velasquez LeeAnn , Nunez de Ybarra Jessica , Littaua Renato , Davis-Patterson Shauntay , Coelho Marco , Darsie Brendan , Hunter June , Donahue Celena , Carrillo Socorro , Arias Raquel , Pinal Sonia
Published: July 2024

Objectives

We examined the extent to which funded satellite clinics could sustain the California Colon Cancer Control Program (C4P) strategies implemented in health systems to increase uptake of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the absence of future C4P funds.

Introduction

Seven health systems consisting of 38 satellite clinics participated in C4P to examine the sustainability of the program in the absence future Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding.

Methods

Quantitative and qualitative methods with a close and open-ended survey approach, and a prospective cohort design were used to examine the sustainability of the C4P in health systems.

Results

A total of 61% of satellite clinics could not sustain funding stability. Only 26% could sustain funding stability. About, 71%, 26%, and 21% of the satellite clinics could sustain the small media platform, patient navigation services, and community health workers (CHWs), respectively. All the satellite clinics sustained the provider reminder system and professional development. Roughly, 71% and 42% of funded satellite clinics could not sustain the patient navigators and CHWs, respectively. The satellite clinics that could sustain funding stability, sustained patient navigation services and CHWs. Health systems that could not sustain funding stability, could not sustain patient navigation services and CHWs. Qualitatively, the need to support uninsured priority populations, health educators, patient navigators, care coordination activities, outreach services, and provision of enhanced services emerged. The need to support enhanced quality measures, expansion of funding, Medi-Cal Public Hospital Redesign and Incentive coverage, health plan, community linkages, resource sharing, and best practices specifically on CRC screening emerged. Themes such as automated reminder, limited personalized care delivery and capacity, transportation barriers, staff salary, expansion of care through patient navigation, and culturally appropriate media campaign also emerged.

Conclusion

Overall, to address sustainability barriers, funding stability should be maintained in the health systems.
H∞ tuning rules for positive position feedback controllers: The single-degree-of-freedom case and beyond
Authors: Dietrich Jennifer , Raze Ghislain , Deraemaeker Arnaud , Collette Christophe , Kerschen Gaëtan
Published: July 2024

This paper presents an exact H ∞ tuning methodology for a positive position feedback (PPF) controller applied to a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system. To this end, an equivalence between the closed-loop receptances of a PPF controller and a resistive–inductive shunt with a negative capacitance is put forward, which, in turn, enables us to adopt the existing shunt tuning rule in the active control case. The resulting tuning procedure is demonstrated using two numerical examples, namely, an SDOF system and a finite element model of a cantilever beam. Based on the results obtained on the cantilever beam, it is shown that the influence of higher-frequency modes cannot be neglected to obtain effective vibration damping. The design procedure proposed for the PPF controller is then extended to this case and validated using an experimental cantilever beam.
Active nonlinear vibration control of a buckled beam based on deep reinforcement learning
Authors: Zhang Yi-Ang , Zhu Songye
Published: July 2024

Vibration control in civil engineering is often challenging due to the nonlinear nature of structures. Traditional control strategies have limitations in terms of modeling accuracy and scalability, especially when analyzing complex nonlinear systems. To solve this problem, this study proposes a model-free active vibration control technique specifically for nonlinear systems, which employs deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to train a neural network controller. The effectiveness and practicality of the proposed method have been validated on a shallow, simply supported buckled beam. The results prove that DRL can significantly increase the safety margin and effectively mitigate buckling under high load levels without requiring extra energy. Compared with conventional model-based linear and polynomial controllers, the proposed control strategy demonstrates excellent adaptability and ease of implementation. This research aims to supplement and expand the existing understanding of DRL applications in structural control, pointing towards a promising direction for future technological advancements and real-world applications.
Explaining the Unexplainable: Balancing Responsibility, Expectations, and Identity in Narratives of Sexual Recidivism
Authors: Sandbukt Ingeborg Jenssen
Published: July 2024

When someone is caught and punished for a sexual offense, recidivism prevention is of high priority. While a growing body of qualitative research has investigated the desistance process of those who have sexually offended, few studies have examined the narratives of individuals who have sexually recidivated in order to understand how they make sense of their reoffending. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the recidivism process and broader life stories of 16 imprisoned men through semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrate how these men explain their recent “failures,” the obstacles they face when doing so, and how they attempt to overcome these obstacles in their narratives. Thus, the analysis in this study is both thematic and narrative. Finally, the findings’ practical implications are discussed to show how ambiguity in narratives can be a powerful tool in correctional and clinical interventions.
Transfer matrix for a weakly nonlocal elastic layer and Lamb waves in layered nonlocal composite plates
Authors: Thi Ngoc Anh Vu , Vinh Pham Chi , Tuan Tran Thanh
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we establish the transfer matrix for an orthotropic elastic layer made of nanomaterial that is modeled by the weakly nonlocal elasticity model. This model is proposed recently and different from other existing nonlocal models of elasticity it has been proved to be well-posed for any problem of plane waves. Since the established transfer matrix is totally explicit, it is a convenient tool in investigating various problems of plane waves propagating in layered nonlocal elastic media. To prove this point, we use it to derive the dispersion equation of Lamb waves propagating in a composite plate consisting of two weakly nonlocal orthotropic layers. The dispersion equation in explicit form of Lamb waves has been derived, and it is shown that the derivation of this equation is much more simple than the one using the traditional technique. The obtained explicit dispersion equation will be used to establish techniques monitoring the health of layered nanostructures.
Transient heat transfer analysis of a sandwich panel with a cracked honeycomb core
Authors: Yang Wenzhi , Gao Ruchao , Liu Jinxing , Chen Zengtao
Published: July 2024

Sandwich structures with ceramic honeycomb cores are extensively employed in thermal protection systems owing to their exceptional ability to resist high temperatures. This work aims at exploring the effect of cracking on the transient thermal process of the sandwich panel subject to impulsive and cyclic thermal loadings. Both the conventional and re-entrant hexagonal alumina honeycombs are considered for the core material. By the integral transform method, combined with singular integral equations, the transient temperatures of the whole sandwich panel are determined from the semi-analytical solution. The straightforward temperature difference of the crack face’s midpoints is exploited to characterize the heat intensification near the crack. Parametric investigations are carried out for the internal cell angle, the relative density, crack length, crack position, and thickness of face sheets, which provides a better understanding of the honeycomb materials working in thermal protection systems.
Sensory evaluation and chemical composition of Solanum nigrum and Solanum torvum herbal tea and spice
Authors: Asante Jemima Owusuah , Wireko-Manu Faustina , Larbie Christopher , Kpodo Gertrude Nunana , Oduro Ibok
Published: July 2024

Herbal teas are ingested for various purposes and by diverse populations across the globe. There is a growing recognition among individuals of the advantages associated with the use of this beverage, leading to a heightened demand for the manufacture of herbal tea derived from therapeutic plants. Spices on the other hand add flavour to food but could pose harm if it is high in phytates and oxalates. The objective of this study was to develop natural spices and herbal tea with health beneficial properties using Solanum nigrum and Solanum torvum berries. Herbal tea samples from S. nigrum were prepared by sorting berries, maceration, divided into two (fermenting at 18 °C and non-fermenting) and dried at 60 °C for 12 h in a hot oven. Spices from S. torvum and S. nigrum were prepared by removing the berries from the stalk, freeze-drying and smooth milling into fine powder. In addition, antinutrient, phytochemical and sensory evaluation studies were conducted on these spices and herbal teas. A nine-point hedonic scale was utilized for the purpose of conducting a consumer acceptability sensory evaluation test using 101 untrained panelists. Data was then analyzed by t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the level of significance (p < 0.05) was assessed using Tukey's and Dunnett's multiple comparison tests. The panellists expressed a favourable perception towards Solanum nigrum unripe unfermented green herbal tea (6.65 ± 2.08) as compared to the other formulated teas due to the components working together in a way that produces a nice tea sample. Both Solanum nigrum and Solanum torvum spices contained various levels of catechins, saponins, flavonoids, oxalates, phytates and tannins comparable to literature. The herbal tea samples exhibited a range of catechin content, varying from 0.255 to 0.756 mg/g. The antioxidant activity of the various herbal tea samples ranged from 66.37 ± 0.24 to 78.53 ± 0.18 µg/mL GAE as determined by the DPPH free radical assay Fermented black herbal teas recorded higher total phenols (2.80 ± 0.09d), total flavonoids (21.84 ± 1.84c) and showed greater antioxidant activity (78.53 ± 0.18a) as compared to the unfermented green herbal teas. The process of fermentation resulted in a decrease in pH from 7.22 to 6.53 within a period of 12 h. The Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) grew as the fermentation period progressed, whereas the Total Soluble Solids (TSS) decreased. Phytates were the least antinutrients among the two Solanum species accounting for 0.02 mg/100 g and 0.03 mg/100 g in S. torvum berries (STBs) and ( S. nigrum berries) SNBs respectively.
The Business of Murder: Business Types and the Moderating Effects of Neighborhood Context on Homicide
Authors: Chamberlain Alyssa W. , Deryol Rustu , Boggess Lyndsay N.
Published: July 2024

Retail or commercial businesses in a neighborhood may act as crime generators or attractors, providing opportunities for crime, including homicide. However, different types of businesses may be more likely to be associated with homicide relative to others. Businesses such as restaurants that encourage clientele to stay on the property tend to have more active forms of guardianship, such as waitstaff or bouncers, whereas off-site or takeaway businesses like gas stations have more passive surveillance measures such as video cameras in place. Further, the relationship between businesses and homicide might vary based on neighborhood characteristics, including disadvantage. Using negative binomial regression models, we predict the number of homicides across several different types of businesses, controlling for neighborhood factors. We find that both off-site and on-site businesses are associated with more homicides, but find limited evidence that the effects are worsened when these businesses are located in socially disorganized neighborhoods. This suggests that businesses associated with lower levels of guardianship may contribute to homicide, but do not alone explain the concentration of homicide in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Decoding the Dynamics of Cultural Change: A Cultural Evolution Approach to the Psychology of Acculturation
Authors: Kunst Jonas R. , Mesoudi Alex
Published: July 2024

Although acculturation psychology is extensively studied in the social sciences, research progress has slowed due to overused methodologies and theories and emerging challenges to core conceptual tenets. Here, we seek to stimulate scientific inquiry into acculturation by integrating underutilized cultural evolutionary perspectives. We propose that cultural evolutionary mechanisms, such as (anti)conformity, prestige bias, payoff bias, and vertical transmission are instrumental in understanding when, why, and how minority- and majority-group members acculturate. The direction and potency of these mechanisms are proposed to be modulated by a combination of contextual and individual factors, resulting in acculturation strategies that at the population level form “cultural evolutionary equilibria.” These equilibria in turn have consequences for the long-term, population-level dynamics of cultural evolution. We outline how our integration of perspectives can allow researchers to model the dynamics of large-scale cultural change, increasing our understanding of the complex challenges faced by today’s diverse societies.

Public Abstract

Acculturation describes the cultural and psychological changes resulting from intercultural contact. Here, we use concepts from “cultural evolution” to better understand the processes of acculturation. Cultural evolution researchers view cultural change as an evolutionary process, allowing them to borrow tools and methods from biology. Cultural evolutionary mechanisms such as conformity (copying the numerical majority), anti-conformity (copying the numerical minority), prestige bias (copying famous individuals), payoff bias (copying successful people), and vertical cultural transmission (copying your parents) can cause people to adopt elements from other cultures and/or conserve their cultural heritage. We explore how these transmission mechanisms might create distinct acculturation strategies, shaping cultural change and diversity over the long-term. This theoretical integration can pave the way for a more sophisticated understanding of the pervasive cultural shifts occurring in many ethnically diverse societies, notably by identifying conditions that empower minority-group members, often marginalized, to significantly influence the majority group and society.
The natural course of an iridoschisis: A case report
Authors: Lombardo Marco , Meliante Laura Antonia , Di Marco Ernesto , Ricci Federico , Nucci Carlo , Cesareo Massimo
Published: July 2024

Background

Iridoschisis is a rare ophthalmological disorder that presents with the separation of the anterior fibers of the iris from the posterior ones at the level of the stromal layer. Fibers resulting from the disintegration of the anterior iris layers can be encountered in the anterior chamber of the affected eyes. This condition mostly affects females and has been associated with both open-angle and angle-closure glaucoma. The pathogenesis has not been clarified yet, and the treatment is still a matter of discussion.

Objective

We want to contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis and natural course of the disease as well as to document with multimodal imaging a new case of this very rare disease.

Case report

We present a case of a 71-year-old woman affected by iridoschisis in both eyes followed by 3 consecutive visits every 4 months. We performed an extensive ophthalmologic examination, including gonioscopy, endothelial cell microscopy, and optical coherence tomography of the anterior segment.

Conclusion

In our report, we documented a possible natural course of iridoschisis, characterized by an acute worsening followed by a phase of stability, and formulated some hypotheses on the pathogenesis of this rare disease.
Objective assessment of tear film in blepharospasm, facial hemispam and aberrant regeneration with periocular botulinum toxin-A
Authors: Galindo-Ferreiro Alicia , Fraile García Marta , Schellini Silvana , Sanchez-Tocino Hortensia
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Study the effect on the tear film in blepharospasm (BEB), facial hemispasm (FH), or aberrant regeneration (AR) treated with Botulinum Toxin (BTX-A).

Methods

A prospective study was used to evaluate the tear film in patients with BEB, FH, or AR treated with BTX-A. Schirmer tests, break-up time (BUT), optical coherence tomography (OCT) meniscus measurement, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, and Oxford scale were documented before; 1 month after; and 3 months after BTX-A treatment. Comparisons were made with the Friedman test and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test was used. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 35 eyes from 27 patients were included. The mean patient age was 66.81 ± 12.94 years and 18 (66.7%) were female. Ten (37%) patients had BEB, six (22.2%) had FH, and 11 (40.74%) had AR. BTX-A improved the lid spasms. One month after BTX-A, Schirmer tests showed slight increments (Schirmer 1 p = 0.009; Schirmer 2 p = 0.05) and at 3 months they became similar to pre-treatment ( p = 0.5). The BUT test was not significantly different at 1 month ( p = 0.450) or at 3 months. On OCT 1 month after BTX-A, there was an increase in tear meniscus area ( p = 0.004), height ( p = 0.007), and depth ( p = 0.004), and at 3 months the measurements also became similar to the pre-BTX-A values. No significant changes in the OSDI ( p = 0.717) and Oxford scale ( p = 0.255).

Conclusion

OCT is a good tool to detect the increase in tear meniscus after periocular BTX-A in BEB, FH, and AR.
Formatting work: Cloud platforms and the infrastructuring of capitalist asymmetries in software work
Authors: Randerath Sebastian
Published: July 2024

Since the 2000s, so-called cloud computing infrastructures have had a profound impact on the capitalist relationship among labor, software, and organizations. This infrastructuring did not only affect the outsourcing of servers and databases but extends to the on-demand delivery of middleware and operating systems through so-called platforms-as-a-service (PaaS). As a result, the capitalist relationship between labor, organization, power, and software has shifted – both regarding the ways in which software development is organized and the ways in which work processes are organized through software. Such a shift is particularly evident in the development and application of so-called customer relationship management (CRM) software, which is used to plan and record sales and work processes. No longer limited to performance measurement and automated management within sales processes, the widely used Salesforce CRM software is leveraged to document and assess the work performance of employees meticulously, among other applications. To demonstrate how PaaS became central organizational media by reformatting labor and power asymmetries, the paper provides a critical analysis of the CRM software of Salesforce and the various actors and interfaces entangled with its PaaS. Thereby, the paper develops a critical media theoretical framework to analyze how the political economy of adapting PaaS is entangled with power dependencies between organizations and the labor of coding and implementing. Drawing on a platform historiographical analysis of Salesforce developer interfaces, the paper shows how organizational hierarchies and asymmetries manifest in the work of implementing specific sets of operational rules in software development (the work of formatting) and the platform capitalist standardization of work coordination in existing organizations (the formatting of work).
Wire-feeding friction stir welding for large-gap width tolerances
Authors: Dong Wenjiang , Meng Xiangchen , Xie Yuming , Zhang Xinmeng , Zhang Zeyu , Sun Xiuwen , Guo Ruitao , Tian Huijia , Huang Yongxian
Published: July 2024

A novel method, named wire-feeding friction stir welding, was proposed for welding large-gap-width joints. Continuous wire feeding and welding systems were designed. AA6082-T6 aluminium alloy plates with a gap width of 2 mm were welded using Al–Si alloy wires as the filler materials. Sound joints were obtained even if the gap width reached over 2/3 thickness of the base materials. Fine microstructures were obtained via dynamic recrystallisation induced by severe plastic deformation. The ultimate tensile strength of the joints reached 253.4 ± 1.3 MPa. The adaptability to working conditions of friction stir welding was improved for long welds of high-speed railway, ship and aircraft.
Word searching in multilingual dementia: An interdisciplinary approach
Authors: Landmark Anne Marie Dalby , Hansen Pernille Bonnevie , Simonsen Hanne Gram , Knapskog Anne-Brita , Svennevig Jan
Published: July 2024

Aims and objectives:

This study investigates how multilingual speakers with dementia mobilise their multilingual and interactional resources when searching for words in a naming test setting, and how their word-search behaviour relates to lexical retrieval processes characteristic of multilinguals, as well as to aspects of cognitive decline.

Methodology and approach:

The study takes an interdisciplinary approach by combining conversation analysis (CA) with psycholinguistic perspectives on lexical access and neurological perspectives on cognitive decline.

Data and analysis:

Data for the study are video/audio-recordings of seven multilingual speakers with dementia carrying out a naming test in their two common languages, English and Norwegian. CA was used for analysing the data and developing a coding scheme for word-search strategies. These findings were explored with statistical analysis based on language background, test scores, word proprieties/psycholinguistic properties, and cognitive/diagnostic assessment.

Findings/conclusions:

Multilingual speakers with dementia mainly used six general word-search strategies in the Norwegian and English naming test sessions: turn-holding, semantic searches, phonetic searches, embodied demonstrations, code-switching to another language, and inviting help from the conversation partner. The participants used more search-strategies in English, although it was their stronger language. Code-switching appeared to be the most successful strategy in English and phonetic searches appeared to be the most successful strategy in Norwegian. In-depth analysis of two participants indicate a benefit of using multiple strategies, drawing on their full linguistic repertoire.

Originality:

The study adds new knowledge to the interrelated, but previously separated areas of psycholinguistic word-finding difficulties and interactional word-searching behaviour, in the context of multilingual dementia.

Implications:

The study has implications for our understanding of the relation between observable word-searching behaviour and mental processes of word finding in multilinguals with dementia. The study also contributes to our growing understanding of test situations as interaction, with implications for everyday interaction and clinical practice.
Verb placement in embedded clauses in heritage Norwegian
Authors: Jensberg Helene R. , Anderssen Merete B. , Lohndal Terje , Lundquist Björn , Westergaard Marit
Published: July 2024

Purpose:

This study examines embedded clauses with adverb/negation in heritage speakers of Norwegian in North America. We ask (a) whether the production of these structures is different from the baseline, (b) how the production is different, and (c) why it is different.

Methodology:

50 second to fifth-generation speakers from the Corpus of American Nordic Speech (CANS) are compared with a baseline consisting of 13 first-generation speakers from the same corpus and a large corpus study on verb placement in embedded clauses in European Norwegian.

Findings:

The speakers behave differently from the baseline, as they use main clause word order in embedded clauses, especially when the finite verb is an auxiliary. Furthermore, there is a correlation between main clause word order in embedded clauses and V2 violations in main clauses. We propose a combination of crosslinguistic influence, language-internal drift, differential acquisition, and activation of the heritage language as possible factors affecting the speaker’s production.

Originality:

Whereas several studies have looked at main clause word order in the same and similar populations, not as much work has been done on embedded clauses. We also combine data from the same informants from a previous study to look at correlations between the behaviour in main and embedded clauses.

Implications:

This study illustrates how heritage languages are affected by different factors across speakers; where some speakers seem to simplify the language, others have held on to fine-grained distinctions.