bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluid analysis of the cavitation of the microsegment gear pump operating at high-pressure condition
Authors: Han Guangzhi , Huang Kang , Xiong Yangshou , Kong Lingbo , Cang Daijun
Published: December 2023

To investigate the cavitation of the microsegment gear pump and its effect on the performance of the gear pump, the gear equations of the microsegment gear for the pump were given, the cavitation mechanism was described, and the dynamic cavitation model was derived. The fluid analysis of the microsegment gear pump was carried out using the computational fluid dynamics software (Fluent), and the evolution of cavitation and its effect on the outlet flow characteristics were investigated. The results show that: the vortex occurred at the back edge of the microsegment gear pump suction chamber teeth and the top of the teeth, thus producing cavitation; the cavitation presented periodic formation-development-disappearance of the process; cavitation led to increased outlet flow fluctuations and pressure pulsations, and also led to a decrease in the average value of outlet flow and average value of outlet pressure. The periodic cavitation led to the periodic fluctuation in outlet flow and pressure. At the same time, cavitation also caused a decrease in the total head of the microsegment gear pump. Cavitation in the microsegment gear pump increased with increasing the speed and decreasing the suction pressure.
Understanding Diabetes Self-Management Among Vietnamese Americans: A Focused Ethnography
Authors: Sheen Linda H. , Casarez Rebecca , Gallagher Martina R. , Elizabeth Hayes Alexis , Diep Cassandra S. , Engebretson Joan
Published: December 2023

Introduction:

The Vietnamese American (VA) population is projected to grow to 3.9 million by 2030. This demographic shift could affect health care cost as VAs have greater susceptibility for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Few studies have explored diabetes self-management (DSM) among VAs. The aim of this study was to explore and describe how VAs with T2DM perceive diabetes and DSM practices.

Method:

A focused ethnographic design, using semi-structured interviews and participant observation, was used to understand DSM among VAs.

Results:

The following four themes emerged: (a) defining diabetes and its etiology, (b) body awareness as a way of managing diabetes, (c) maintaining strength after being diagnosed with diabetes, and (d) navigating sources of information regarding diabetes.

Discussion:

The study findings suggest that DSM is a complex and recursive process, with integrations of cultural practices and influences from the environment. These findings can help the development of culturally tailored interventions to assist with DSM.
Countering “Fake News” Through Public Education and Advertisements: An Experimental Analysis
Authors: Winger Gregory H. , Oliver Alex , Vićić Jelena , Schaeffer Adam
Published: December 2023

This paper examines whether proactive efforts to educate people about disinformation through advertisements can successfully increase skepticism towards false headlines or if such efforts do more harm than good by inadvertently increasing belief in false information. We analyze a survey experiment that employed three different advertisements that directly addressed “fake news.” We find that all advertisements were effective at increasing skepticism towards “fake news” headlines. We also find no evidence of backfire effects occurring. However, subsequent analysis using Bayesian additive regression trees (BART) finds significant heterogeneity within these treatment effects. While all advertisements were effective, each ad was effective in different ways despite common themes and content. This suggests a more complicated understanding of the counter-disinformation process and highlights BART’s utility in public opinion research.
Using VR for Science Communication: Presence, Message Perception, and Pro-Environmental Effects
Authors: Behm-Morawitz Elizabeth , Shin Haejung
Published: December 2023

This research investigates the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a science communication tool to promote pro-environmental change. A laboratory experiment ( N = 70) was conducted to examine the short-term effects of VR immersive video, in comparison with flat screen video, on level of presence, message perception, and cognition. Viewing the VR video produced greater levels of presence, which was associated with increased positive perceptions of the video, perceived importance of water issues, and pro-environmental attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Implications are discussed in terms of how immersive VR can be used as science communication tool.
A Family Genetic Study of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Youth
Authors: Geller Daniel A. , Grossman Mia
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To use a family genetic study to evaluate familial risk of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and common comorbid illnesses in first-degree relatives of pediatric-onset probands with primary OCD.

Method:

One hundred and thirty youth with OCD and their 133 siblings and 241 parents and 49 pediatric controls were directly evaluated along multiple domains including psychopathology using structured diagnostic interviews and clinical corroboration.

Results:

Rates of anxiety, mood, disruptive behavior, and tic disorders were markedly elevated in the probands while rates in siblings were elevated at rates between the probands and controls. Twenty six percent of first-degree relatives had clinical OCD, 9% had chronic tics or Tourette’s disorder, and 21% met criteria for ADHD.

Conclusion:

Rates of familial transmission of OCD and common comorbid illnesses were significantly higher in our pediatric-onset probands than rates reported in the literature in relatives of those with adult-onset OCD.
Study of the effect of laser textured rotors on the starting performance of metal–rubber mating pairs under different lubricating media environments
Authors: Wang Meiling , Huang Zhiqiang , Qian Weiji , Li Gang
Published: December 2023

To solve the problem of premature failure of the rubber stator of the screw pump due to wear, reduce the frictional resistance torque of the screw pump to solve the problem of difficulty in starting after the shutdown of the screw pump production system in Daqing Oilfield. The effects of micron dot texture and lubricating medium on the tribological properties of 42CrMo metal and acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber mating surfaces were studied by theoretical analysis and tribological tests. The friction coefficient, wear amount, and rubber wear morphology were used as the measurement indexes of drag reduction, wear resistance, and wear degree, respectively. The results showed that the best combination of texture area ratio and the lubricating medium was 10% silicone grease, the friction coefficient and wear amount were reduced by 11% and 10.7%, respectively, compared with untextured, and the main order of chip storage and oil supply effect was 10% > 5% > 15%.
COVAX versus Sinovac: A test for the legitimacy of the World Health Organization in South East Asia
Authors: Landini Irene , Sicurelli Daniela
Published: December 2023

The coronavirus disease-19 crisis has challenged the legitimacy of the World Health Organization as an actor in global health governance and provided the opportunity for China to emerge as a partner of developing countries in facing global pandemics. In this respect, South East Asia represents an emblematic region for testing the legitimacy of the international organisation vis-a-vis the emerging power. This article adopts a sociological interpretation of legitimacy and provides an empirical analysis of the discursive and non-discursive practices in South East Asian countries concerning support to – and criticism against – the World Health Organization–led initiative COVAX. It provides a variegated and dynamic picture of perceptions of the international organisation in the region. Our results partly call into question representations of the weakening of the legitimacy of the World Health Organization in favour of China’s leading role. Finally, the article recognises the need to analyse legitimacy of the World Health Organization in connection both with the broader geopolitical positioning of governments receiving the Organization’s aid and with the levels of trust in the government of the public in competing partners in dealing with global pandemics.
Why does youth unemployment lead to scarring of depressive symptoms in adulthood? The importance of early adulthood drinking
Authors: HammarströM Anne , Bean Christopher , Pingel Ronnie , Janlert Urban , Westerlund Hugo , Östergren Per Olof , Virtanen Pekka
Published: December 2023

Aim:

The aim of the paper is to analyse if alcohol consumption could explain the scarring effect of youth unemployment on later depressive symptoms.

Methods:

The analyses are based on the 24-year follow-up of school leavers in a municipality in Northern Sweden (the Northern Swedish Cohort). Four-way decomposition analyses were performed to analyse if alcohol use at age 30 years could mediate and/or moderate the effect of youth unemployment (ages 18/21 years) on depressive symptoms in later adulthood (age 43 years).

Results:

Excessive alcohol use at early adulthood (age 30 years) mediates 18% of the scarring effect of youth unemployment on depressive symptoms in later adulthood. The scarring effect was seen among both those with and without excessive alcohol use.

Conclusions:

Youth unemployment leads to poor mental health later in life and part of these relations are explained by excessive alcohol consumption in early adulthood. Policy interventions should target the prevention of youth unemployment for reaching a lower alcohol consumption and better mental health.
Prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms among the Icelandic population: gender and regional differences
Authors: Einarsdottir Thora S. , Asgeirsdottir Bryndis Bjork , Sigurvinsdottir Rannveig , Ullman Sarah E. , Gudmundsdottir Berglind
Published: December 2023

Aim:

The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to provide descriptive data about the lifetime prevalence of trauma exposure with a particular focus on sexual violence and natural disasters and to assess the prevalence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the Icelandic population. In addition, the aim was to investigate whether PTSD symptoms, trauma types and prevalence differed by gender and geographical location.

Method:

A representative sample of the population between the ages of 18 and 80 years was randomly selected from the Icelandic National Registrar. The study included a total of 1766 participants consisting of 930 (52.7%) women and 836 (47.3%) men, with an overall mean age of 49.9 years (standard deviation 16.1). Participants were contacted by phone and asked questions from the Lifetime Events Checklist (LEC-5) to assess lifetime exposure to traumatic events. Individuals who had experienced traumatic events completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to assess PTSD symptoms.

Results:

Exposure to trauma is common among the Icelandic population, with 84.3% of the participants experiencing at least one kind of trauma. Of those exposed to trauma, 10.5% fulfilled criteria indicating a higher risk of PTSD. The prevalence of sexual violence and other unwanted sexual experiences was relatively high (16.2% and 24.4%, respectively) compared with other national studies. Women were almost four times more likely than men to have been exposed to sexual violence (24.9% vs 6.4%), and were more likely to have been exposed to other unwanted sexual experience (35.1% vs 12.4%, respectively). Exposure to natural disasters is frequent but with great geographical variation.

Conclusions:

This study highlights the high prevalence of trauma in Iceland, revealing significant gender disparities in sexual violence and geographical variations in natural disaster exposure.
Protocol for a systematic review to understand the long-term mental-health effects of influenza pandemics in the pre-COVID-19 era
Authors: Dimka Jessica L. , Schneider Benjamin M. , Mamelund Svenn-Erik
Published: December 2023

Aims:

This protocol describes a forthcoming systematic review of the question: ‘What are the long-term effects of historical influenza pandemics on mental health, resulting either from illness itself or the social or economic effects of pandemics and public health responses?’

Methods:

We will review studies that investigate associations between influenza pandemics and long-term mental-health impacts. Following the PICO framework, populations (P) may include those with and without pre-existing mental-health symptoms or conditions. Intervention (I) is exposure to an influenza pandemic during the study period encompassing five pandemics (1889–2009). Comparators or controls (C) are not applicable. The review will address outcomes (O) of mental-health morbidity from direct infection and/or related circumstances, including, for example, receiving a disability pension, institutionalisation and/or death.

Results:

Due to societal disruptions, illness and bereavement during pandemics, many people are likely to be affected in myriad ways. Therefore, investigation into mental-health consequences should not be restricted by risk group or diagnosis. To our knowledge, this protocol and forthcoming systematic review are the first to include studies for broad populations and multiple measures of mental-health morbidity. The historical perspective and comparison of pandemics with varying severity but assumed similar causative pathogens also enable insights into the consistency of long-term consequences across pandemics.

Conclusions:

Pandemics likely produce long-term mental-health impacts with relevance for social, health and economic planning. The systematic review based on this protocol will complement other evidence on pandemic impacts and help policymakers incorporate relevant interventions.
Fictionalizing and researching: An approach from collaborative ethnography
Authors: Álvarez Veinguer Aurora , García Soto Rocío , Ranocchiari Dario
Published: December 2023

This article describes the process of making a radio soap opera with Stop Desahucios Granada 15M, a movement fighting for the right to decent housing in southern Spain. The production of the radio soap opera has allowed us to: (i) investigate the affective and political implications of the problem of evictions after the financial crisis of 2008; (ii) reflect on how to produce meanings through co-research (using collaborative ethnography and fiction); (iii) experiment with the use of fiction as a research device, to “do” research and not only to transmit its results; and (iv) investigate the potential of fiction to facilitate new creative forms of knowledge construction.
Enhancing Workforce Pathways: Insights From a Paid Internship Pilot Program Linking Public Health Students and Local Health Departments
Authors: Karnik Harshada , Oldfield-Tabbert Kari , Schulman Rachel , Brueshoff Bonnie , Kirkland Chelsey , Orr Jason
Published: December 2023

The persistent understaffing of the governmental public health workforce has led to program cutbacks, staff burnout at local health departments (LHDs), and an urgent need to replenish staffing. To build recruitment pathways into LHDs and build their workforce capacity, we introduced a paid internship initiative connecting Master’s in Public Health students from a Midwestern university with LHDs in the state. This article presents the pilot program developed and the insights gained from it. Program participants included nine LHDs that hosted 10 students for 12-week internships. Internship projects were developed by LHDs with support from the state’s association of county and city health officials. All students completed their internship projects satisfactorily. The experience highlighted that while students contributed to LHDs through short-term projects, with sustained backing and minor adjustments, this model can serve to reinforce the governmental public health sector’s existing and future capacity in the long term.
Building Research for Academic and Community Equity (BRACE): A Toolkit for Community Research Partnerships
Authors: Dolata Jacqueline , Collins Cyleste , Jewett-Tennant Jeri , Nonguierma Elodie , Merker Julie , Mastnardo Diane , Vue Cathy , Kiley Kimberly , Terstenyak Patricia
Published: December 2023

Health and human service community organizations and researchers have important insights and resources to share with each other, yet often have very little information about how to interact in meaningful and equitable ways. Conceptualized by and for community organization professionals wanting to equitably interact with academic researchers, BRACE (Building Research for Academic and Community Equity) is a toolkit easily accessible to community members which explains research information and jargon in clear terms. BRACE uses community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to guide both community organizations and academics seeking to partner on research. The BRACE toolkit’s two main sections focus on identifying ideal aspects of community-academic research partnerships and writing grant proposals. Tools such as BRACE have the potential to increase the impact of community-engaged research by providing concrete guides for building partnerships and potentially sustaining them through grant funding.
ACT-Enhanced Behavior Therapy for a Hispanic Adult with Trichotillomania: A Case Report
Authors: Donahue Marissa L. , Twohig Michael P.
Published: December 2023

Trichotillomania, also known as Hair-Pulling Disorder, is characterized by recurrent pulling out of one’s hair over brief episodes or sustained periods of time and results in hair loss. ACT-enhanced behavior therapy (A-EBT) has been shown to be an effective approach in the treatment of trichotillomania by promoting psychological flexibility around hair pulling urges and teaching stimulus control and habit reversal training. However, there is limited support of A-EBT for clients with an ethnic minority identity. This case report focuses on an adult, Hispanic female client, Luna (pseudonym), who received eight sessions of A-EBT for the treatment of trichotillomania. At post-treatment, Luna showed significant improvements in number of hairs pulled, trichotillomania specific psychological flexibility, depression and anxiety. Luna’s case highlights barriers to care such as potential resistance in seeking mental health services, the influence of family members’ beliefs on receiving mental health services, and the limited access to specialized treatment of trichotillomania.
A critical friend or the sword of Damocles: Headteachers’ use of micropolitical strategies in inspection
Authors: Tian Meng
Published: December 2023

In England, a new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) was launched in 2019. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OfSTED) describes it as evolutionary in bringing out education improvement. Others criticise its methodology and detrimental impact on schools. This study compares the foci, evidence-collecting methods and inspection decision-making processes between the 2015 Common Inspection Framework and the 2019 EIF. Eight headteachers were interviewed about their inspection experiences. Findings show that the headteachers purposefully employed micropolitical strategies such as acquiring the support of others, creating a favourable impression, shaping discussion and decisions, weakening opposition, and hyper-enacting policy to advance organisational interests. Six out of the eight schools in this study were rated ‘Good’ under EIF. However, the EIF left the power imbalance between OfSTED and schools and fear-induced performativity unchallenged. Headteachers and teachers were forced to engage in a new game at the cost of their physical and emotional well-being. This study aims to advance knowledge of the ongoing inspection reform in England. When other countries use OfSTED frameworks as a benchmark for designing their own inspection systems, it is crucial to carefully examine the potential detrimental impact associated with the inspector-school power imbalance and fear-induced performativity.
Colonial imagery of ‘Arctic hysteria’ and its resignification in Pia Arke’s work of counter-memory
Authors: Zolkos Magdalena
Published: December 2023

The figure of the ‘Arctic hysteric’ emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the discourses of polar explorations and Arctic colonisation as part of photographic and narrative archive of Westerners’ encounter with Greenlandic populations. This racialised and gendered trope made a mark on the European collective memory of Arctic explorations, solidifying an image of native Greenlanders as infantile, frail and in need of protection from the deleterious effects of civilisation. As such, post-colonial scholars have suggested that ‘Arctic hysteria’ cannot be regarded as a solely psychological diagnostic, but needs to be historicised in the context of colonisation and the social disruptions and hardship it brought about for the Inuit. This article, first, undertakes an analysis of the photographic figurations of ‘Arctic hysteria’ to investigate their place in the collective memories of polar explorations, including erasing the role of Indigenous people in these explorations, and, more broadly, construing imaginary geography of the Arctic as an uninhabited and empty place, a canvas for colonial projections, rather than a native homeland. Next, it focuses on artistic resignifications of ‘Arctic hysteria’ in the work of Greenlandic-Danish artist, Pia Arke, and argues that these resignifications are an example of a decolonial project of counter-memory of the Arctic, which is based on a refusal of regarding colonisation as past. Tracing coloniality and its effects in the domains of the body, affect and intimacy, Arke explores the possibilities of creating a shared and relational Arctic memory.
Return-to-Sport Rates After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome in Flexibility Sports Athletes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ifabiyi Muyiwa , Patel Milin , Cohen Dan , Simunovic Nicole , Ayeni Olufemi R.
Published: December 2023

Context:

Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common cause of hip pain in young adults. Flexibility athletes represent an interesting subset due to the extreme range of motion requirements of their sport.

Objective:

The objective of this review was to provide a summary of the outcomes of hip arthroscopy for FAIS in patients who participate in flexibility sports.

Data Sources:

Three online databases (Medline, Embase, and PubMed) were searched from database inception (1946, 1974, and 1966, respectively) to January 10, 2023.

Study Selection:

Studies were screened for literature addressing surgical outcomes for flexibility athletes undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAIS.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Level of Evidence:

Level 4.

Data Extraction:

Various patient-reported outcomes that evaluated the efficacy of hip arthroscopy in this patient population were abstracted and presented in descriptive and analytical format. Abstraction was performed by 2 reviewers.

Results:

Overall, a total of 8 Level 3 or 4 studies and 295 patients (312 hips) were included in this review. The pooled standardized mean differences for the Visual Analog Scale for pain score, Modified Harris Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score - Activity of Daily Living scale, and Hip Outcome Score - Sport-Specific Subscale all demonstrated significant improvement after undergoing arthroscopy for FAIS between 12 and 116 months (N = 175, -1.97, 95% CI -2.5 to -1.4, P < 0.01, I2 = 76%; N = 211, 1.82, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.16, P < 0.01, I2 = 52%; N = 164, 1.75, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.05, P < 0.01, I2 = 28%; N = 211, 1.71, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.04, P < 0.01, I2 = 52%, respectively). Across 289 patients, 75.6% to 98% returned to sport at a similar or higher level than presurgery.

Conclusion:

This review demonstrates a trend of improvement in patient-reported pain, function, quality of life, and return to sport at a minimum of 12 months among flexibility athletes after hip arthroscopy to treat FAIS.
Unconstraining Evaluative Conditioning Research by Using the Reverse Correlation Task
Authors: Rougier Marine , De Houwer Jan
Published: December 2023

In the evaluative conditioning effect, pairing neutral stimuli (conditioned stimuli) with valenced stimuli (unconditioned stimuli) changes the evaluation of the former. We examined this effect with a reverse correlation task that assesses how participants visually remember the conditioned stimuli. Importantly, this measure (1) does not require participants to evaluate stimuli and (2) allows them to capture multiple trait attributions. In a pre-registered experiment with US Prolific Academic users, we observed an evaluative conditioning effect in both an evaluation task and a reverse correlation task. Moreover, the effect in the reverse correlation task went beyond mere changes in valence. Our work opens new empirical and theoretical challenges for future conditioning research.
Cost-effectiveness of endovascular treatment after 6–24 h in ischaemic stroke patients with collateral flow on CT-angiography: A model-based economic evaluation of the MR CLEAN-LATE trial
Authors: Pinckaers Florentina ME , Evers Silvia MAA , Olthuis Susanne GH , Boogaarts Hieronymus D , Postma Alida A , van Oostenbrugge Robert J , van Zwam Wim H , Grutters Janneke PC
Published: December 2023

Background:

The MR CLEAN-LATE trial has shown that patient selection for endovascular treatment (EVT) in the late window (6–24 h after onset or last-seen-well) based on the presence of collateral flow on CT-angiography is safe and effective. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of late-window collateral-based EVT-selection compared to best medical management (BMM) over a lifetime horizon (until 95 years of age).

Materials and Methods:

A model-based economic evaluation was performed from a societal perspective in The Netherlands. A decision tree was combined with a state-transition (Markov) model. Health states were defined by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Initial probabilities at 3-months post-stroke were based on MR CLEAN-LATE data. Transition probabilities were derived from previous literature. Information on short- and long-term resource use and utilities was obtained from a study using MR CLEAN-LATE and cross-sectional data. All costs are expressed in 2022 euros. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were discounted at a rate of 4% and 1.5%, respectively. The effect of parameter uncertainty was assessed using probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA).

Results:

On average, the EVT strategy cost €159,592 (95% CI: €140,830–€180,154) and generated 3.46 QALYs (95% CI: 3.04–3.90) per patient, whereas the costs and QALYs associated with BMM were €149,935 (95% CI: €130,841–€171,776) and 2.88 (95% CI: 2.48–3.29), respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per QALY and the incremental net monetary benefit were €16,442 and €19,710, respectively. At a cost-effectiveness threshold of €50,000/QALY, EVT was cost-effective in 87% of replications.

Discussion and Conclusion:

Collateral-based selection for late-window EVT is likely cost-effective from a societal perspective in The Netherlands.
Trends in Gender of Authors of Patient Blood Management Publications
Authors: Forkin Katherine T. , Render Caroline M. , Staffa Steven J. , Goobie Susan M.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Diverse representation in the field of patient blood management (PBM) may help bring varying perspectives to improve patient care. We assessed trends in gender of first and last authorship of recent PBM publications to evaluate diversity within the field.

METHODS:

Publications from 10 high-impact anesthesiology and blood transfusion medicine journals between 2017 and 2021 were reviewed using 19 keywords to identify PBM-related articles. Each publication title was reviewed independently to determine whether it met the inclusion criteria. A software program was used to identify the gender of each first and last author for the most common first names. Author gender that could not be identified through this process was determined by querying institutional websites and professional social networks (eg, ResearchGate). Any publication where the gender of the first and/or last author could not be reliably determined was excluded from the analysis. Trends over time were assessed using the Cochran-Armitage test.

RESULTS:

A total of 2467 publications met the inclusion criteria of the 2873 yielded by the initial search. Gender of the first and last author was identified for 2384 of these publications and included in the final analysis. Approximately 42.8% of publications featured a woman as the first author with the highest from the journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (48.7%) and Transfusion (48.1%) and the lowest from the journals such as the British Journal of Anaesthesia (24.1%) and Anesthesia & Analgesia (24.4%). Approximately 32.0% of the publications featured a woman as the last author with the highest being Transfusion (36.9%) and Anaesthesia (31.8%) and the lowest being Anesthesia and Analgesia (18.3%) and Anesthesiology (18.6%). Approximately 57.6% of publications had either a woman as the first or last author while 16.3% of the publications had women as both the first and last authors. Women authors comprised 32.6% of the publications with a single author. Women as the first or last authors did not change significantly over the study period (P = .115 and P = .119, respectively). No significant difference was observed in the percentage of PBM articles with a woman as the first or last author, a woman as the first and last author, or a woman as a single author from 2017 to 2021 (P = .089, P = .055, and P = .226, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

The percentage of women as the first and last authors in PBM publications from the 5-year period of 2017 to 2021 was <50%. Gender equity in PBM authorship was identified as an area for potential future improvement. International mentorship and sponsorship of women remain important in promoting gender equity in PBM authorship.
National Sovereignty and the Postcolonial Bildungsroman
Authors: Srikanth Siddharth
Published: December 2023

Recent scholarship on the bildungsroman highlights the ideological implications of bildung in relation to empire and human rights discourse. This essay adds to that scholarship by reading the postcolonial bildungsroman as an expression of the erosion of national sovereignty after decolonization. Bildung in post-SAP (Structural Adjustment Program) novels is contested because the development of a fully modern personality—rational, cosmopolitan, economically agentive, entrepreneurial, nonadversarial—privileged by modernization theory and global institutions symbolically undermines the political sovereignty promised by decolonization. Through an analysis of Pankaj Mishra's The Romantics, this essay argues that such contestation of bildung in post-SAP postcolonial bildungsromans generates narratives of negation in which the imagining of bildung is always deferred to imaginative and political futures. In The Romantics, bildung turns into an enduring historical trauma; Mishra juxtaposes various trajectories of individual and national growth both before and after India's adoption of SAP policies in 1991 to show how the symbolic realization of full and free personality development would paradoxically negate the claims to sovereignty that elevate such personality development as an expression of successful modernization. In The Romantics, as in Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and Mohsin Hamid's How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, the negation of successful bildung—and the deferral of fully formed visions of “development”—become the only registers in which to register liberatory growth in the peripheries of the capitalist world-economy.
Current Debates about the Colonial Economy and Government from the Spanish Royal Treasury Records
Authors: Klein Herbert S.
Published: December 2023

This essay surveys both the traditional findings and new debates that have used the Spanish imperial royal financial accounts to analyze the colonial economy and government. The crisis of the seventeenth century, the relations between colonial elites and royal government, the impact of income transfers among treasury offices, the sale of offices, the system of voluntary loans, the eighteenth-century reforms, and the influence of the tax system on the evolution of the colonial economy and society have all created a new set of questions and debates that historians, economists, and political scientists have engaged in. There is both consensus and disagreement on what these numbers mean for various groups in the society as well as long-term institutional developments. Just as new approaches have opened up new area for research, there are also a great deal of unexplored topics that can be developed using the unpublished primary accounts.
Planning in the Shadow of China
Authors: Ajl Max
Published: December 2023

This article considers the influence of Maoist China on Tunisian development theory in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The shadow—or brilliant light—of the Chinese experience was evident in Tunisia by the late 1950s, where wide-scale agrarian reform within the People's Republic and the use of cooperatives and labor-intensive agricultural technologies to rationalize the use and allocation of labor were immensely impacting foreign technical attaches, young Tunisian economists and agronomists, and people at the periphery of state planning and within the state-funded university system and research centers. In reading these proposals against the grain, this article situates them in their social and political context and the constraints that context imposed: a hewing away from outright enthusiasm for Communist China within the state-funded research centers, and a warmer embrace within more independent fora. It also situates those discussions amid a Tunisian milieu wherein China was increasingly embraced for its support of Algerian national liberation, its own national liberation war, with its experience seen as a third way for the Third World against the industrial-heavy experience of the USSR.
Introduction
Authors: Bsheer Rosie , Alsudairi Mohammed
Published: December 2023

This introduction to the special section “Inter-Asian Cold War Linkages” shows how an interdisciplinary group of ten scholars take up the understudied Cold War linkages between the Middle East, on the one hand, and East and South Asia on the other. They examine how the inter-Asian lens allows us to rethink the history of the twentieth-century Middle East. Central to such rethinking is the destabilization of some of the dichotomous categories that were normalized during the Cold War and that have greatly shaped how we view culture, economy, politics, and society. These include the categories of state/nonstate, national/transnational, revolution/counterrevolution, religion/secularism, and private/public. Instead of taking these dualities for granted, the scholars here foreground the blurred and dialectical relationship between them, utilizing the Middle East as a site of critical analysis, learning, and theorizing and putting its study in conversation with the more Asia-centric and transnationally attuned literatures of the global Cold War.4 In the process, alternative genealogies and relationalities of the Middle East emerge, ones that place the Middle East in the world rather than prioritize how “the world” has acted on the Middle East, usually as a periphery or site of intervention. Doing so brings into view new ways, periodizations, and scales of studying the global Middle East in general and the Cold War in particular.
The Ends of 27 Big Depressions
Authors: Ellison Martin , Lee Sang Seok , O’Rourke Kevin Hjortshøj
Published: December 2023

How did countries recover from the Great Depression? In this paper, we explore the argument that leaving the gold standard helped by boosting inflationary expectations, lowering real interest rates, and stimulating interest-sensitive expenditures. We do so for a sample of 27 countries, using modern nowcasting methods and a new data-set containing more than 230,000 monthly and quarterly observations for over 1,500 variables. In those cases where the departure from gold happened on well-defined dates, inflationary expectations clearly rose in the wake of departure. Instrumental variable, difference-in-difference, and synthetic matching techniques suggest that the relationship is causal. (JEL E31, E32, E42, E43, F30, N10, N20)
Emerging pneumococcal serotypes in Iraq: scope for improved vaccine development
Authors: Dawood Haider N. , Al-Jumaili Ali H. , Radhi Ahmed H. , Ikram Delan , Al-Jabban Ali
Published: December 2023

Pneumococcal disease is a global public health concern as it affects the young, aged and the immunocompromised. The development of pneumococcal vaccines and their incorporation in the immunization programs has helped to reduce the global burden of disease. However, serotype replacement and the emergence of non-vaccine serotypes as well as the persistence of a few vaccine serotypes underscores the need for development of new and effective vaccines against such pneumococcal serotypes. In the Middle East, places of religious mass gatherings are a hotspot for disease transmission in addition to the global risk factors. Therefore, the periodic surveillance of pneumococcal serotypes circulating in the region to determine the effectiveness of existing prevention strategies and develop improved vaccines is warranted. Currently, there is a lack of serotype prevalence data for Iraq due to inadequate surveillance in the region. Thus, this review aims to determine the pneumococcal serotypes circulating in Iraq which may help in the development and introduction of improved pneumococcal vaccines in the country.
Community preventive behaviour and perception on the severity of COVID-19 disease in Indonesia, 2021-2022: Structural equation modelling
Authors: Eryando Tris , Sipahutar Tiopan , Poddar Sandeep
Published: December 2023

Background This study investigated the determinants of community preventive behavior in complying with the Indonesian regulations to prevent COVID-19 local transmission. Methods A cross-sectional study used to collect the data via an online cross using a form created from a google questionnaire forms. A total of 1,802 respondents were gathered at a single point in time. The authors used the Health Belief Model (HBM) approach to measure and create a model for the prevention of local transmission of COVID-19. Results This study found that more than half of the respondents still had low perceived susceptibility (16%) and severity (43%). There were only 3% respondents with perceived barriers and 19% with strong self-efficacy. The findings showed that self-efficacy and perceived barriers had statistically significant relationships with preventive behavior (p-value <0.05). The goodness of fit index showed that the proposed model was not fit for the data (RMSE<0.080, GFI>0.950, AGFI>0.950, SRMR<0.100), which means that it was not fit to describe the empirical phenomenon under study. Conclusions This study found that more than half of the respondents still had low perceived susceptibility (84%) and severity (67%), but more than half had high perceived benefits (54%). Only a few respondents had significant barriers to implementing COVID-19 transmission prevention behaviours (3%). Still, most respondents had low perceived self-efficacy (81%), and only 60% had good behaviours related to COVID-19 prevention. In the context of COVID-19 preventive behaviour, we recommended to improve perceived susceptibility and severity by providing the correct information (which contain information about how people susceptible to the virus and the impact of infected by the virus) with the local cultural context.
A guide to selecting high-performing antibodies for Rab1A and Rab1B for use in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence
Authors: Ruíz Moleón Vera , Fotouhi Maryam , Ayoubi Riham , González Bolívar Sara , Southern Kathleen , McPherson Peter S. , Laflamme Carl ,   NeuroSGC/YCharOS/EDDU collaborative group,   ABIF consortium
Published: December 2023

Rab1 is a highly conserved small GTPase that exists in humans as two isoforms: Rab1A and Rab1B, sharing 92% sequence identity. These proteins regulate vesicle trafficking between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi and within the Golgi stacks. Rab1A and Rab1B may be oncogenes, as they are frequently dysregulated in various human cancers. Moreover, they contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s disease. The availability of high-quality antibodies specific for Rab1A or Rab1B is essential to understand the distinct functions of these Rab1 proteins in both health and diseaseand to enhance the reproducibility of research involving these proteins. In this study, we characterized seven antibodies targeting Rab1A and five antibodies targeting Rab1B for Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. These studies are part of a much larger, collaborative initiative seeking to address the antibody reproducibility issue by characterizing commercially available antibodies for human proteins and publishing the results openly as a valuable resource for the scientific community. While uses of antibodies and protocols vary between laboratories, we encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibodies for their specific needs.
SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF WEED CONTENSION OF GRAIN-GRASS-ROW CROP ROTATION IN THE NORTH-WEST OF RUSSIA
Authors: Shpanev Aleksandr , Smuk Vasiliy
Published: December 2023

The study was carried out to analyze the spatial distribution of weeds in grain-grass-row crop rotation in the North-West region of the Russian Federation. Based on calculations of the index of pairwise species similarity and the coefficient of commonality of specific abundance, it was revealed, on the one hand, a high similarity in the species composition of weeds within the studied crop rotation (0.81...0.94), on the other hand, significant differences in the structure of weediness in fields (30, 4…70.6). The differences in weediness between some fields, both in terms of the number and above-ground mass of weeds, turned out to be statistically significant. Species abundance varied within 6...10 species/m2, numerical composition - 150...312 specimens/m2, phytomass - 51.2...272.5 g/m2 with an average value of this indicator for crop rotation fields of 8 species/m2, 251 ind./m2 and 161.7 g/m2, respectively. Uneven or aggregated distribution in the crop rotation territory, confirmed by high values of the coefficients of variation (151...567) and aggregation (2.1...16.2), turned out to be characteristic of all widespread species of weeds. Geostatic features of the distribution of their mass species in the area of grain-grass-row crop rotation were quite clearly visible on digital maps compiled using special programs. Significant differences in the weed structure of crop rotation fields and the distribution of individual weed species were a consequence of differences in the agrochemical characteristics of the soil, primarily acidity, the amount of exchangeable bases and the content of organic matter. When using herbicides in crop rotation, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of weediness in each field and the spatial distribution of mass species of weeds, which have developed under the influence of long-term agricultural use.
Agile software development approach for 'ad-hoc' IT projects
Authors: Kuciapski Michal , Marcinkowski Bartosz
Published: December 2023

Restrictive Scrum assumptions make the effectiveness of this approach debatable in projects deviating from typical execution conditions. This article delivers a comprehensive software development approach for both academic and commercial Information Technology (IT) projects effectuated by teams that are hampered by significantly unsystematic participation of project members and mercurial internal communication. The nature of ‘ad-hoc’ projects imposes another level of difficulty in terms of both managing the conduct of such a project and ensuring the quality of the end product. Multicyclic action research enabled a gradual adaptation of the Scrum approach to support such project conditions. This study introduces major alterations to Sprint implementation and minor enhancements within the documentation process to streamline knowledge sharing among Development Team members. Proposed key alterations include the evolution of Daily Scrum towards Weekly Scrum, the possibility of extending Sprints length, the eventuality to switch team members during Sprint due to substantial failure to meet deadlines, having at least two team members responsible for a single Product Backlog Item (PBI) at all times, as well as exclusion of Burndown Chart in favor for Development Team members updating their working time. Positive validation of enhancements in mixed settings confirms that the generic Scrum framework can be adapted to support highly volatile projects. The proposed approach is suitable not only for carrying out software development initiatives that rely heavily on the skills of external experts and/or volunteers. It also supports traditional Scrum teams that seek to reduce their exposure to risk arising from organizational changes.
Turkish Experience with Divestiture between 2010 and 2019: A Comparative Historical Evaluation
Authors: Zaifer Ahmet
Published: December 2023

Turkey has pursued a policy of divestiture over the past four decades. Yet, it seems that the scholarly research has largely neglected a full account of the recent divestitures. To fill the gap in the literature, this article employs a Marxian analytical framework to explain divestitures in Turkey in the 2010s. The article argues that the most recent era for divestiture is significantly different from the previous ones in terms of its scope, economic and political implications, and the capital groups benefiting from divestitures. First, divestitures had become narrower and more limited in terms of sectoral scope. Second, they had been geared towards earning revenues for the state and creating new financial resources to address the immediate needs of construction-oriented capital accumulation, instead of enhancing export competitiveness. Third, they had been dominated by Islamic-influenced Anatolian companies that have close relations with the AKP government. This interpretation demonstrates that “short-termism” and “favouritism/particularism” have become more important objectives than enhancing “competitiveness” and “transparency” in the recent conjuncture of Turkish political economy. Yet, unlike most of the existing literature, this does not prevent one from interpreting divestiture as a class-based policy that accelerates capital accumulation and systematically privileges the interests of “capital in general.”