bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-FDX1 Autoantibody as a Potential Biomarker for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Detection
Authors: Li Jing , Cao Xiaobin , Zhang Lulu , Liu Aichen , Liu Siyu , Chen Fengqi , Li Yutong , Ma Hanke , Sun Wenke , Ouyang Songyun , Dai Liping , Liu Jingjing
Published: December 2024

Background:

Autoantibodies can be readily identified prior to biopsy and may serve as valuable biomarkers for cancer detection. Ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) is a key regulator in the process of cuproptosis and affects the prognosis of lung cancer. In this study, we investigated whether the anti-FDX1 autoantibody could serve as a novel biomarker for the detection of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods:

A total of 1,155 plasma samples were divided into the verification and validation groups. The expression levels of the anti-FDX1 autoantibody in 414 patients with NSCLC, 327 patients with benign pulmonary nodules (BPN), and 414 normal controls (NC) were detected using ELISA. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to confirm the ELISA results.

Results:

Plasma anti-FDX1 autoantibody levels were significantly higher in patients with NSCLC than in patients with BPN and NCs in the verification and validation groups. The ELISA results were confirmed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The anti-FDX1 autoantibody distinguished NSCLC from NC and BPN with an AUC (95% confidence interval) of 0.806 (0.772–0.839) and 0.627 (0.584–0.670), respectively.

Conclusions:

Our study demonstrated the potential benefits of the anti-FDX1 autoantibody as a novel biomarker for NSCLC detection.

Impact:

These findings suggested that the anti-FDX1 autoantibody may facilitate the detection of NSCLC.
Lipid‐Lowering Therapy Use When Indicated and Subsequent Ischemic Stroke Severity
Authors: Gordon‐Kundu Barbara , Peyravi Reza , Garg Anisha , Baker Anna , Salas Samantha , Levien Michael , Faridi Kamil F. , de Havenon Adam , Krumholz Harlan M. , Sheth Kevin N. , Forman Rachel , Sharma Richa
Published: December 2024

Background

Elevated low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol is a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including acute ischemic stroke (AIS), due to large‐ and small‐vessel disease. Cholesterol management guidelines recommend lipid‐lowering therapy (LLT) to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events. This study assessed use of LLT at the time of AIS according to guideline recommendations and determined the association of prestroke LLT use with stroke severity.

Methods and Results

We conducted a retrospective study of patients hospitalized with AIS from 2015 to 2020 at a large academic comprehensive stroke center. Patients with AIS secondary to either small‐vessel disease or large‐artery atherosclerosis recorded in the institutional Get With The Guidelines‐Stroke registry and with a prestroke indication for LLT were included. Using propensity score subclassification, adjusted logistic regression models were built to explore the associations between LLT use before AIS when indicated and presenting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >4. There were 384 patients with AIS who met guideline‐recommended criteria for prestroke LLT (median age 70 years, 57% men), of whom only 207 patients (54%) were prescribed LLT before AIS. Not being prescribed LLT when indicated was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of a presenting with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >4, even when adjusted for specific stroke cause (odds ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.03–1.20];
P
=0.006).

Conclusions

LLT is underused in patients who present with atherosclerosis‐related AIS. Lack of prestroke LLT use was associated with more severe stroke symptoms upon presentation. These findings emphasize the need to prescribe LLT when indicated, because its use may mitigate poststroke disability.
Knowledge Acquisition and Audience Retention in Stroke Education: Results From a Global Study by the World Stroke Organization
Authors: Dharmakulaseelan Laavanya , Ceci Galanos Laura , Guerrero Rodrigo , Arsovska Anita , Saposnik Gustavo
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND:

The World Stroke Academy (WSA), the educational platform of the WSO, provides high-quality stroke education to health care professionals worldwide. Understanding the learning needs and preferences of WSA members is crucial for effective knowledge translation. This study aims to (1) assess demographics and professional backgrounds of WSA members, (2) identify preferences in knowledge acquisition, and (3) evaluate audience retention during WSA webinars.

METHODS:

A survey was developed using Qualtrics and distributed via email to all WSA members from May 8 to May 23, 2023. The survey included multiple-choice, rating scale, and ranking questions. Audience retention data were obtained from the latest 6 WSA webinars (May 2023–December 2023). Descriptive variables were reported, and χ
2
analysis and multinomial regression models were used.

RESULTS:

A random sample of 1065 WSO members received the survey; 327 initiated it (participation rate, 30.7%), and 236 completed it (completion rate, 72.2%). The mean age (SD) of participants was 46.7 (±11.6) years; 57.2% identified as male. Most respondents were stroke specialist physicians (65.3%) and were based in Europe (35.2%). Online journal articles represented 41.6% of the total time allocated for stroke education, with 17% allocated to webinars. Social media usage patterns showed X (formerly Twitter) as the top choice (34.7%). Age, profession, and location significantly influenced social media platform use. Audience retention was at 50% at the 57-minute mark and 44.3% at the end of webinars.

CONCLUSIONS:

Tailoring WSA webinar content to meet health care professionals’ needs and enhancing interactive components can improve audience retention. These insights will guide the future development of the WSA portfolio.
Dynamic decision-making in basketball jump shots: exploring parallel processing of shooting and passing
Authors: Wakatsuki Tsubasa , Hibino Tomoya , Hirakawa Takehito , Yamada Norimasa
Published: December 2024

Previous literature has proposed that parallel processing theories can be used to describe the architecture of human information processing. However, it remains uncertain whether these theories apply to decision-making involving movement effectors. This study conducted a field simulation experiment to replicate a basketball player’s decision to switch from a shoot to a pass during a jump shot. In Experiment 1, which examined the effect of changes in the severity of time constraints on the changes in the switching success rate, we found that shooters can switch from a shoot to a pass, even when temporal limits are exceeded, which supports the application of parallel processing principles to human movement dynamics. In Experiment 2, which confirmed the reflection of parallelism in information systems on the movement effectors, we observed strategies in which players paused their elbow joint angle in mid-air and delayed ball release during goal switches, indicating a parallel processing approach. These results exemplify how humans prepare to make two movements with different goals in parallel, which can be transferred to either movement if the movements are differentiated on the way from a common motion. These findings advance our understanding of how human cognition and motor control are intricately linked. By illustrating how parallel processing underlies flexible motor strategies, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that allow humans to adapt to changing environments and make split-second decisions during complex movements. Furthermore, these insights offer new directions for future research on decision-making models that integrate cognitive processing and motor execution in real-world dynamic contexts, refining our theoretical understanding of human adaptability.
Constructing a Sustainable Just Peace: Post-War Accountability for Russian Atrocities in Ukraine as Tools of Trauma Healing and Conflict Transformation
Authors: Hook Kristina
Published: December 2024

This paper addresses the construction and maintenance of a sustainable just peace in a context characterized by Russia’s war of aggression and systematic, widespread atrocity crimes. With Ukraine’s defensive resistance adhering closely to just war traditions, much conflict literature based on intra-state conflict paradigms fails to capture the anomalies of the Russia-Ukraine war, including for post-war accountability issues. In this paper, I argue that acknowledging and addressing Russia’s willful deployment of severe, sustained atrocity crimes as a central military strategy is a necessary precondition for sustainable regional peace and the recovery of global norms. While limited accountability has been suggested as a bargaining chip, such actions would undermine international legal obligations and rights, while failing to address practical realities such as the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children and adults, without which this war cannot be considered resolved. Drawing from trauma healing, conflict transition, and transitional justice literature, I argue that atrocity crimes accountability should not be conceptualized as a punitive “victor’s peace” condition, but rather a necessary mechanism for ensuring peace through victory in Ukraine, the region, and beyond. To enact such recommendations, I suggest a combined framework of individual perpetrator judicial accountability and State responsibility to incorporate best practices and limit the fallout of judicial accountability limitations.
Debating Clitoridectomy in Victorian England: Sexuality, Knowledge and Consent of the Female Patient in the Male Medical Discourse
Authors: Molinari Véronique
Published: December 2024

Clitoridectomy, in the British context, was a relatively short-lived experiment, the telling result of the encounter between gynaecology and alienism that occurred in the mid-nineteenth century. Although the arguments against the practice that were advanced within the medical community have often been interpreted themselves as the expression of a misogynistic medical profession, a more detailed analysis of the correspondence that was published in the bmj and the Lancet at the time, as well as of the debates that took place within the London Obstetric Society, reveal a broad range of arguments and a strong emphasis, in particular, on the issue of informed consent and women’s right to the integrity of their bodies. By examining the debate in its historical context, this paper aims to provide a clearer view of what concurrently led to the dismissal of Isaac Baker Brown from the Obstetric Society and the end of the practice in England.
On some new species of Canuelloida Khodami, Vaun MacArthur, Blanco-Bercial & Martinez Arbizu, 2017 (Crustacea: Copepoda) from a shallow coastal lagoon in north-western Mexico
Authors: GÓMEZ SAMUEL , YÁÑEZ-RIVERA BEATRIZ , GARCÍA-VÁZQUEZ LEONARDO , ARMENTEROS MAICKEL
Published: December 2024

Several benthic copepods were found in sediment samples taken during a short-term project on the diversity and distribution patterns of macro- and meiofauna in Ohuira Bay (northern Sinaloa state, north-western Mexico). The material turned out to belong to two new species, Scottolana tama sp. nov. and Canuellina pacifica sp. nov., and to Longipedia corteziensis Gómez, 2001 previously known from a shallow coastal lagoon not far from Ohuira Bay. New groupings of the species of Scottolana Huys, 2009 and Canuellina Gurney, 1927 are proposed and the description of the new species is provided. Additionally, the distribution patterns of S. tama sp. nov., C. pacifica sp. nov., and L. corteziensis in Ohuira Bay are discussed.
When differentiated empowering leadership hurts team performance: The roles of information sharing and tenure diversity
Authors: Hu Biyun , Han Soojung , Harold Crystal M. , D’Innocenzo Lauren , Lee Soojin
Published: December 2024

The empowering leadership literature supports that empowering team members can result in a host of positive outcomes for work teams. These findings, however, largely assume that leaders uniformly empower their followers and overlook the potential consequences when leaders differentially empower members of the same team. In this study, we develop a theoretical model to delineate how and when differentiated empowering leadership affects team task performance. Drawing from social comparison theory, we position differentiated empowering leadership as adversely affecting team information sharing and subsequent team task performance. Moreover, we propose the indirect effect of differentiated empowering leadership on team task performance via team information sharing is conditional on organizational tenure diversity. To test our proposed model, we conducted a three-wave field study with 74 teams and their leaders from 17 South Korean firms. The results suggest that differentiated empowering leadership negatively affects team task performance through reduced team information sharing. This negative indirect effect was stronger in teams where organizational tenure diversity was low, compared with when it was high. The conclusions drawn from our research can help managers, HR professionals, and leadership coaches better understand and manage the complexities of empowering leadership to enhance team effectiveness.
Diagnosability-optimization design of fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle based on causal matching and tree seed algorithm
Authors: Gu XuPing , Shi Xianjun
Published: December 2024

With mission intensity and difficulty escalating, the future market demand for UAV reliability and safety grows dramatically. So, this paper proposes an optimal design strategy based on causal matching and the Tree Seed Algorithm (TSA) based on structural analysis. First, a novel algorithm is designed for finding the minimum set of consistency relations for diagnosability analysis. The complexity of this algorithm is at a polynomial level, which is a significant improvement over previous algorithms with exponential complexity. A causal consistency search algorithm is also innovatively proposed for causal diagnosability analysis considering the causal constraints of the dynamic variables. Secondly, a diagnosability optimization strategy based on TSA is designed to balance the diagnosability requirements and the design cost of consistency relations. This strategy can satisfy the system’s diagnosability demand under different causal constraints with minimum consistency relations. Finally, a fixed-wing UAV model is established to analyze the diagnosability under different causal constraints qualitatively. Based on the TSA, consistency relations with the minimum integrated diagnosis cost and the best diagnosis performance are preferred.
Life-course perspective on the causal mechanism of social functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorder
Authors: Osicka Dominika A , Hao Jiasi , Tiles-Sar Natalia , Ali Mariam P , Bruggeman Richard , van der Meer Lisette , Alizadeh Behrooz Z
Published: December 2024

Background:

Due to prior emphasis on clinical recovery in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD), improving social functioning (SF) was oftentimes neglected, with ⩽15% of patients achieving social recovery. Priorly, we and others have shown that life-course factors, including childhood adversities, play a role in the occurrence and severity of postmorbid SF impairments, highlighting the need to understand these factors for effective interventions.

Aim:

This study investigates the mechanisms influencing SF in SSD and examines the causal roles of childhood trauma, premorbid adjustment, perceived stigma, self-esteem, and quality of life.

Methods:

This longitudinal study utilized data of 1,057 SSD patients, with measures at baseline, 3 and 6-year follow-up, from the Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis cohort, to unravel the causal mechanism underlying SF utilizing Structural Equation Modeling. Determinants were assessed using validated retrospective and self-report questionnaires. Model development and testing involved a multistage process, encompassing relationships exploration, fit evaluation and model comparison.

Results:

We developed a probable causal model. Impaired premorbid adjustment emerged as a crucial factor, exerting negative influence on long-term SF, with a direct effect of β = −.252, p < .001 on SF at 3-year follow-up and β = −.056, p = .073 at 6-year follow-up. Childhood trauma exhibited a negative direct effect on SF at 3-year follow-up (β = −.087, p = .039), while demonstrating a substantial carry-over, indirect effect. Elevated perceived stigma negatively affected SF at 3-year follow-up (β = −.112, p = .008). The model explained 9.9% of SF variation at the 3-year follow-up and 54.3% at the 6-year follow-up.

Conclusions:

While validation is necessary, we found a foundational basis for causal interpretation. Premorbid adjustment, childhood trauma, and perceived stigma are essential life-course factors shaping postmorbid SF in SSD. We recommend interventions covering both prevention and treatment for individuals with established symptoms—addressing childhood trauma, premorbid adjustment, and perceived stigma—to enhance long-term social outcomes and offer actionable insights for clinicians.
Resilience of young adults in Korea: Navigating the impact of collective trauma and anxiety
Authors: Jung Jeesoo , Shin Jiyun , Lee Wonhyung
Published: December 2024

Background

Amidst increasing occurrences of disasters and traumatic events, there is growing concern about the declining mental health of young adults, who are facing rising societal pressures and uncertainty about their futures.

Aims:

This study investigates the interplay between collective trauma, anxiety, and resilience among young adults in the Korean context. Based on survey data collected in 2023 from 323 Korean young adults aged 18 to 34 years, a multiple linear regression and independent t-tests were used to examine their experiences of collective trauma, collective anxiety, and resilience, taking gender differences into account.

Results

Collective anxiety was associated with resilience, but collective trauma was not. Gender differences were observed: competition- and security-related anxiety, education, and income were positively associated with resilience only for men, while fairness-related anxiety was negatively associated only with women’s resilience. Adaptation-related anxiety was a significant factor for both groups.

Discussion/Conclusion:

Certain types of collective anxiety and socioeconomic status may act as protective factors against trauma. Gender should be considered when designing mental health assessments and services for young adults to address the unique needs and challenges in building resilience and managing anxiety.
Proposal of See-saw model – overcoming LQM difficulty
Authors: Bando M. , Tsunoyama Y. , Suzuki K. , Toki H.
Published: December 2024

We propose the See-Saw (SS) model, which provides a unified description of the biological effect caused by radiation. This can be directly applied to clinical plans in radiotherapy and further provides the basic formula for radioprotection since it correctly describes the effects caused by radiation exposure by taking account of the dose rate effect without any additional concept of dose and dose rate effectiveness factor (DDREF). This can be done by introducing the cell exclusion effect. The model is very simple and intuitively acceptable by expressing the dose-rate effect and can be easily extended to the radiation clinic cases and overcomes the difficulties of the standard method using LQM-based biological equivalent dose (BED). The calculated result of our model reproduces the existing data of the time dependence of the cancer volume during the cancer treatment measurement. We demonstrate that different initial volumes, namely for the cases where irradiation starts with a smaller initial volume are more effective than a larger volume. Especially if the cancer volume is almost full in the tissue, the radiation effect of the cancer treatment is found to be less effective. On the other hand, for the smaller initial volume, the cancer treatment is found to work more effectively to reduce the cancer volume. After explaining the essential difference between our See-saw (SS) model and traditional LQ treatment with the BED index, we report the results of the SS model by displaying the comparison of our prediction with the relevant data. We are arranging the collaboration with the members of the radiation therapy sectional group of Osaka International Cancer Institute and will report detailed results in near future. We can also consider continuous but time-dependent irradiation cases and got interesting outcomes on the time dependence of the tumour volume for various clinic plans. Especially by choosing the value of the dose rate to be balanced with the total growth rate, the tumour volume is kept constant. Finally, I would like to emphasise that our SS model leads us not only with a unified description of radiation therapy but also indicates the misleading principle based on the LNT or LQM hypothesis which is still adopted in the society of radiation protection.
Example of the misleading results caused by LQ model in calculating the fractionation effect in radiation therapy
Authors: Bando M. , Onoue Y. , Tsunoyama Y. , Suzuki Y. , Takanishi Y. , Sato J. , Wada T. , Toki H.
Published: December 2024

The linear quadratic model (LQM) has been commonly used for calculating radiotherapy and/or radioprotection. It is a mechanistic, biologically-based model with few parameters and is used to do quantitative predictions of dose fractionation dependences for cases such as radiation protection, and radiotherapy. Here we demonstrate that LQM does encounter serious pitfalls both from a theoretical and phenomenological point of view. LQM is traced back to the famous Drosophila experiments (Muller, 1927). Scientists had believed that mutation was cumulative and irreversible until the dose-rate effects were found by Russell mega-mouse project (Russell. Unfortunately, this message was not taken correctly except for the difference between low and high dose-rate cases and people were content with such notions as dose and dose rate effectiveness factor (DDREF), dose rate effectiveness factor (DREF), and low dose effectiveness factor (LDEF). However, the concept should have been seriously taken into account the important evidence existing in the biological organism, namely the mutation frequency can be reduced by repairing and cell exclusion mechanisms. Especially an apparent inconsistency of the notion of ‘fractionation effect’, which was thought to be related somehow to the so called Elkind-type Recovery, and is utilised in the treatment of cancer in radiation therapy. Here we take a simple thought experiment to show such fractionation calculus leads complete inconsistent result. Why does it happen? The answer is simple: LQM predicts that the risk stays constant so far as D does not change. In actual cases, however, the risk function changes over time due to preventing mechanism. To this end, we have constructed the ‘Whack-A-Mole’ (WAM) Model to take account of input and output processes. Indeed, calculations of clinical circumstances are getting important. Due to this the mutated cells decreases over time after the irradiation stops, while LQM predicts no change since the accumulated total dose, D remains constant. The details will be seen in a separate ICRP publication.
Reframing the inadvertent human intrusion scenario to improve public understanding of repository safety
Authors: Medri C. , Kremer E.
Published: December 2024

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for implementing Adaptive Phased Management (APM), the federally approved plan for the safe long-term management of Canada's used nuclear fuel. Under this plan, used nuclear fuel will ultimately be placed within a deep geological repository in a suitable host rock formation. The primary objective of a deep geological repository is the long-term containment and isolation of used nuclear fuel. The long-term safety of the repository is based on a combination of the properties of the waste material, engineered barriers, and geology. As the project moves toward site selection and in preparation for the licensing process, the NWMO is performing preliminary post-closure safety assessments of the potential sites. These assessments help determine the potential effects of the repository on the health and safety of people and the environment in the long term after repository closure. In alignment with national and international guidance, these safety assessments consider potential effects during the normal evolution of the repository and disruptive event scenarios, including inadvertent human intrusion scenarios. Such scenarios, in which future humans are assumed to inadvertently drill into the repository and bring fuel and radioactive debris to the surface environment, are used for illustrative purposes. Inadvertent human intrusion scenarios where all repository barriers are bypassed often assume no precautions. Evaluations of these scenarios can lead to high estimates of dose consequences, which do not reflect the repository's safety. This paper frames the human intrusion scenario in a way that aligns with national and international guidance and strengthens public understanding of the safety of the repository.
Don't throw out too many babies with the bathwater, and remember old ideas!
Authors: Valentin J.
Published: December 2024

The retraction in ICRP Publication 103 of assessments of genetic effects after the 2nd generation needs to be corrected, for reasons of public trust at least. The medical management of persons exposed to high doses of radiation needs to be addressed. Experts' desire to achieve ever increasing precision in dose coefficients (unfortunately much appreciated by some regulators) may be at variance with the intention to achieve a comprehensible, defensible practical system. Repeated examinations of patients may lead to excessively high doses and should be investigated. Ethical considerations require that basic philosophical principles of ethics are taken into account, calls for reasonableness are an important theme but some of the most absurd examples of ‘excessive protection’, such as the gold-plated waste handling of ‘spent’ nuclear fuel, will be hard to address. Many good older suggestions are worth re-visiting – e.g. giving greater weight to relatively high doses and to doses incurred now rather than in the far future. ICRP should also re-assess its remit and consider non-ionising radiation [in conjunction with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)], safety and security [with the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG), and general regulatory philosophy.
NTW role in nuclear safety and transparency
Authors: Zeleznik N.
Published: December 2024

Nuclear Transparency Watch (NTW) is a non-governmental organisation, based on French law from 1905, devoted to nuclear safety and transparency, organised as network of NGOs and experts in almost all European countries. Building on the Aarhus Convention, NTW works to ensure that civil society is present at the heart of expertise and decision-making on nuclear safety and security in the European Union. The network's activities cover the entire nuclear cycle, with a particular focus on operational safety, including issues such as life extension of old nuclear power plants, emergency preparedness and response (EP&R), post-accident management, radioactive waste management (RWM), decommissioning and environmental issues. In parallel, the topic of transparency is constantly followed, at the national or European level. Some more important activities included: organisation of thematic Aarhus Convention and Nuclear round tables on important topics like EP&R and RWM with European partners, follow-up of the implementation of the Radioactive Waste Directive (2011/70/EURATOM), participation in the research RWM programme EURAD (The European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management) to access the expertise based on the double wing model utilised, assessment of the independence of nuclear regulators in the different national contexts of the EU, development of rolling stewardship in the context of long term RWM. NTW builds a strong institutional presence and visibility at the European and UN level [links with the European institutions, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (the OSPAR Convention)] and coordinate its members in activities. The main results will be described and discussed.
Eight year results of patients with varicose vein underwent endovenous occlusion using n-butyl cyanoacrylate
Authors: Yasim Alptekin , Eroglu Erdinc , Acipayam Mehmet , Ari Murat
Published: December 2024

Objective

To present the 8-year results of 180 patients on whom we performed endovenous occlusion using N-butyl cyanoacrylate in 2014.

Methods

We have previously published the 30-month results for 168 patients available for follow-up. Thirteen more patients were lost to follow-up in the 8-year research period. The remaining 155 patients underwent clinical examinations and their Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) values were recorded. Doppler ultrasonography was performed, and whether the saphenous vein was occluded, or whether partial or complete recanalization were present was evaluated.

Results

The mean age of the 155 patients we were able to follow-up was 47.4 ± 11.8 years. Sixty-eight of the patients were men, and 87 were women. Mean VCSS scores were 10.2 before the procedure, 2.7 at 30 months, and 2.6 ± 0.7 at 8 years. Complete recanalization was observed in seven patients over the 8 years, and partial recanalization in six. Occlusion rates were 94.1% at 30 months and 91.7% at 8 years.

Conclusion

The long-term results of the use of N-butyl cyanoacrylate in the treatment of patients with varices are highly satisfying in terms of a high ablation rate.
Aeromedical evacuation-relevant hypobaria following traumatic brain injury in rats contributes to cerebral blood flow depression, altered neurochemistry, and increased neuroinflammation
Authors: Proctor Julie L , Xu Su , Guo Sijia , Piskoun Boris , Miller Catriona , Roys Steven , Gullapalli Rao P , Fiskum Gary
Published: December 2024

Aircraft cabins are routinely pressurized to the equivalent of 8000 ft altitude. Exposure of lab animals to aeromedical evacuation relevant hypobaria after traumatic brain injury worsens neurological outcomes, which is paradoxically exacerbated by hyperoxia. This study tested the hypothesis that exposure of rats to hypobaria following cortical impact reduces cerebral blood flow, increases neuroinflammation, and alters brain neurochemistry. Rats were exposed to simulated ground (normobaric) or air (hypobaric 8000 ft) transport, under normoxia or hyperoxia, 24 hr after trauma. Hypobaria exposure resulted in lower cerebral blood flow to the contralateral cortex and bilateral thalamus during flight and increased delayed cortical inflammation (ED1 immunoreactivity) at 14 days post injury. Impacted rats exposed to hypobaria had higher cortical creatine levels compared rats maintained at sea level. Exposure to the combination of hyperoxia and hypobaria resulted in the greatest reduction in cortical blood flow and total creatine during flight which persisted up to two weeks. In conclusion, hypoperfusion during hypobaria exposure could contribute to worsening of neuroinflammation and neurochemical imbalances. The presence of excessive O2 during hypobaria results in long-term suppression of cerebral blood flow, indicating that supplemental O2 should be titrated during hypobaria to maintain normoxia.
Wacquant & Gramsci in eastern crete: Land conflict, stigma, and territorial ‘common sense’
Authors: Korfiati Ioanna
Published: December 2024

This paper aims to bring literature on stigma in conversation with Gramsci’s theory of hegemony and to examine the production of territorial stigmatisation beyond the urban sphere, in a local context of socio-spatial struggle for land. I draw on a rich urban geographical scholarship on territorial stigma to examine how regional taint, built around institutional abandonment and the construct of ‘remoteness’, is mobilised to help legitimise and impose large-scale energy and tourism investments as a form of territorial ‘common sense’ in eastern Crete’s area of Sitia. The paper aims to contribute to the rich body of literature on territorial stigmatisation twofold: by examining the analytical usefulness of the concept to the study of the marginalisation of peripheral regions and the subsequent neoliberal drive for their ‘re-development’ at all costs; and, drawing on Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, by taking a close, critical sociological look at the production and internalisation of stigma within a local context of socio-spatial conflict and struggle.
Examining Changes in Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Work-Related Quality-of-Life of Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Nurses in British Columbia During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Stoll Kathrin , Treissman Jenna , Av-Gay Gal , Kornelsen Jude
Published: December 2024

Background

This survey of rural nurses’ experiences is part of a program evaluation of the Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Networks (RSON), a five-year initiative (2018–2023) to strengthen and stabilize rural hospitals in British Columbia (BC), Canada.

Purpose

Our aim was to measure changes in professional and work-related quality-of-life of rural surgical and obstetrical nurses in eight communities across BC and determine if the RSON initiative mitigated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses’ quality of life.

Methods

This longitudinal evaluation was administered via online surveys in 2021 and 2023. Work-related quality of life was measured with 23 items that assess job satisfaction, general wellbeing, work-life balance, stress level experienced at work, control, and working conditions. Professional quality of life was measured along three dimensions: compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout, and secondary traumatic stress (STS) (10 items each). Responses were linked by code and changes in quality of life were analyzed using paired Student's t-test.

Results

107 nurses participated at time 1 and 28 at time 2. Burnout and secondary traumatic stress scores at time 1 were lower among older nurses and those with children. Over the two-year period (2021 to 2023), significant increases were observed in burnout ( p < 0.001), and secondary traumatic stress ( p = 0.04), while work-related Quality-of-Life decreased significantly ( p = 0.04). Compassion satisfaction decreased over time, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions

While the RSON initiative could not mitigate decreases in professional and work-related quality-of-life during COVID-19, it offered opportunities for clinical education and professional development among rural nurses.
Kingdom within a Kingdom: A solution to the end of nature problem
Authors: Zahn Sam
Published: December 2024

The end of nature problem can be framed as a dilemma: either all human intentional actions are natural or they are all unnatural and destroy nature as an effect. Given the scope of human influence, the latter entails that there is no nature left on Earth. Therefore, the environmentalist project of protecting nature is either unnecessary or futile. Prevailing attempts to forge a middle path – by, for example, distinguishing natural from unnatural human activities – struggle to find metaphysical grounding. I argue that the biological concept of human proper functioning can ground the relevant distinction between natural and unnatural human activities. Only unnatural activities can destroy nature; specifically, those activities that trace back to beliefs about value that diverge from the human lifeform.
What matters: Conservation values in invasion science
Authors: Vermeulen Lowieke , Bovenkerk Bernice , Turnhout Esther
Published: December 2024

Invasive alien species (IAS) are globally considered major drivers of biodiversity loss. Because invasion science—the field studying IAS—informs policy and management, its normative underpinnings have become a subject of controversy. Historically, invasion science has aligned with traditional conservation, which is an ecocentric approach to conservation that recognises intrinsic value in natural collectives. This article examines debates surrounding the field's normative assumptions—focusing on the concepts of ‘origin’, ‘harm’ and ‘naturalness’—and explores three alternative conservation approaches that challenge them: new conservation, convivial conservation and compassionate conservation. New conservation highlights the ecosystem services IAS may offer in novel ecosystems. Convivial conservation stresses the interconnectedness of humans and nature. Compassionate conservation focuses on individual animal welfare, regardless of native or invasive status. Each of these approaches questions rigid native-alien distinctions. They argue that invasion science's focus on nativeness and undisturbed environments overlooks contemporary ecological challenges, urging a re-evaluation of how these categories influence conservation decisions. Discussing these approaches highlights the interplay between scientific evidence and diverse value systems in IAS debates, and reveals controversies often stem from ingrained normative assumptions rather than purely scientific disagreements. The article argues that explicitly addressing these assumptions is crucial for managing the ethical and practical challenges of IAS effectively. It identifies potential convergence among different conservation approaches while acknowledging unavoidable incompatibilities. Accommodating various viewpoints involves recognising a plurality of legitimate concerns and values, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and inclusive deliberation, balancing short-term actions with long-term objectives, and considering both human and non-human rights.
A right to menstrual health in a transition to a circular economy
Authors: Deeb Sarah
Published: December 2024

This article provides a perspective on whether articulating menstrual health as a human right can support a transition to the circular economy. The article analyses a positive right to menstrual health enacted through free product legislation and further analyses how this right can address stigma, education, sanitation and environmental barriers to using reusable menstrual products. The article can inform policymakers of complexities in the uptake of reusable menstrual products.
Adapting Advance Care Planning Interventions for Hispanic Communities Across the U.S.
Authors: Costigan Heather J. , VanDyke Erika , Calo William A. , Tucci Amy , Van Scoy Lauren J. ,   The Project Talk Trial Collaborative Working Group Members
Published: December 2024

Context

Health inequities in Hispanic populations require community-engaged solutions. Engaging Hispanic communities in research related to advance care planning (ACP) is critical to inform the development and evaluation of culturally appropriate interventions.

Objectives

To understand how to best adapt and implement Spanish-language ACP interventions in Hispanic communities across the US.

Methods

We apply the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications to Evidence-based Interventions (FRAME) to detail experiences during implementation of the national Project Talk Trial (PTT) that delivers two ACP interventions using a community-based delivery model. Semi-structured interviews with Hispanic community event hosts and research assistants (RAs) were conducted to explore challenges and solutions to implementation. Thematic analysis was applied to transcripts.

Results

Three themes from the community hosts (n = 9) were: (1) certified translation professional services were inadequate to successfully adapt interventions for diverse Hispanic communities; (2) a lack of Spanish-speaking RAs undermined the intention to address health inequities in the research; and (3) cultural norms, such as RSVP systems, differ in Hispanic populations. Themes from the RA interviews (n = 7) include: (1) discomfort with being unable to communicate appropriately with the research participants; and (2) improved connection and event flow when bilingual RAs attended events.

Conclusion

Our work highlights the value of a strong community-based delivery model, attention to local dialects and cultural nuances, the need for Spanish-speaking workforce and for balancing fidelity across national sites with adaptability when conducting rigorous research.

Trial registered

The trial titled “Engaging underserved communities in end-of-life conversations: a cluster, randomized controlled trial” is registered at clinicaltrials.gov [ NCT04612738 ].
What structural and cultural organizational characteristics affect flexible work environments? Evidence from the 2017 and 2022 Kessler Foundation National Employment & Disability Survey: Supervisor perspectives
Authors: Kim Hyun Ju , Jablonski Erica , Brucker Debra L. , Chen Ada , O’Neill John , Houtenville Andrew J. , Katz Elaine E.
Published: December 2024

Background

As workplace flexibility can promote employment for people with disabilities, people with disabilities need information about the characteristics of organizations that are more likely to provide this environment.

Objective

Using the 2017 and 2022 Kessler Foundation National Employment & Disability Survey: Supervisor Perspectives, we examine organizational characteristics associated with the flexible work accommodations of working from home, flexible work schedules, and job sharing, prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We employ a linear probability model to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of flexible workplaces and explore structural (industry, sector, and size) as well as cultural factors (central accommodation fund and upper management commitments) that are related to the flexible workplace practices.

Results

The pandemic increased flexible workplace practices. Different organizational structural and cultural characteristics are noted as correlates to providing greater workplace flexibility.

Conclusion

Our findings can inform job seekers with disabilities to identify organizations that are more likely to offer flexibility. In addition, this information can be useful to vocational rehabilitation professionals in supporting positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Employers can also use our findings to guide their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Self-Employment Proficiency Scale for vocational rehabilitation counselors: A validation study
Authors: Riesen Tim , Sullivan Molly , Keeton Beth , Snyder Aubrey
Published: December 2024

Background

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs aim to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve employment, economic self-sufficiency, independence, and inclusion. While self-employment is recognized as a viable pathway to achieve these goals, it remains underutilized. One way to increase the use of self-employment is to train professionals and measure specific proficiencies related to substantive service delivery.

Objective

This study addresses the lack of research on vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC) practices in self-employment implementation and is the first step to validating a VRC Self-Employment Proficiency Scale.

Method

The study used a qualitative, descriptive research design with participants engaged in self-employment-related activities. Participants rated proficiency scale items through a survey, interviews, and a focus group.

Results

Results highlight consensus and variations in perceptions across competency domains. Notably, there was a lack of consensus on some descriptors, leading to suggestions for revisions to the final scale. The findings underscore the complexity of operationalizing self-employment and the self-employment process to improve vocational outcomes.

Conclusion

This study provides information about competencies for VRCs who provide self-employment services. The results can be used to inform the development of comprehensive training programs and policies, advancing the broader goals of the Rehabilitation Act.
When Trust Matters: Perceived Characteristics of Behavioral Guidance as Moderators of Trust in Compliance Decisions
Authors: Song Hwanseok , Mbah Prudence Timuche
Published: December 2024

We tested whether perceived characteristics of behavioral measures suggested by a public health authority such as uncertainty, complexity, subjective knowledge, and perceived behavioral control would moderate the effect of trust in that authority on compliance intentions. We also tested how other known determinants of behavior such as attitude, subjective norms, perceived risks and benefits, and freedom threat would moderate trust effects. Findings suggest that trust was more strongly associated with behavioral compliance decisions when individuals felt more confident in their understanding of the suggested behavior. In addition, behavioral characteristics involving affective evaluations appeared to enhance the effects of trust.
Practical model for flexural capacity of corroded PC structures based on interpretable machine learning
Authors: Dai Lizhao , Wu Ping , Yang Hui , Lee Deuckhang , Zhang Wei , Wang Lei
Published: December 2024

This study proposes a machine learning algorithm-based model for flexural capacity of corroded prestressed concrete (PC) structures, which considers the feature parameters including geometric parameters, material parameters and corrosion parameters. First, three black box models are utilized to predict the flexural capacity of corroded PC structures. Then, the sensitivity of feature parameters to the flexural capacity is quantified using the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) additive model, and the model’s key features parameters are extracted. Following this, a practical model is established using Genetic Programming (GP) based on these key feature parameters. The model is verified and compared with the existing models. The results show that the interpretable machine learning model can quantify the influence of the feature parameters on the flexural capacity and obtain the feature importance ranking. The model can fit the calculation formula for the flexural capacity of corroded PC beams by symbolic regression method, which effectively reveal the potential nonlinear relationship between basic feature and flexural capacity. The accuracy and interpretability of the calculation formula are between the existing empirical model and black box models.
‘Let’s buy money before buying food’: a multimodal critical discourse analysis of WhatsApp memes on the Nigerian Naira redesign policy
Authors: Unuabonah Foluke Olayinka , Fifelola Deborah Abiola
Published: December 2024

In October 2022, the Central Bank of Nigeria declared that the three highest denominations of the Nigerian currency would be redesigned in order to strengthen the country’s cashless policy. This led to several protests involving loss of lives, due to scarcity of cash and limited access to electronic payment. This study examines WhatsApp memes that were circulated during the enforcement of the Naira redesign policy, with a view to investigating the ideological representations of the effect of the policy on Nigerians. The purposively selected data are analysed qualitatively from a multimodal critical discourse analytical framework. The findings reveal that the memes are discursively constructed in order to depict Nigerian citizens as victims of the policy, exploitation of the masses by other citizens and inadequacy of commercial banks as perpetrators, amid other representations. The study concludes that the memes are used to project an anti-welfarist ideology of the government.