bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temperature rise of high-speed bearing in gearbox of 5 MW wind turbine based on Bayesian-LightGBM and improved PSO-SVM troubleshooting
Authors: Tang Minan , Tao Zhanglong , Qiu Jiandong , Li Jinping , Wang Mingyu , Wang Hongjie , Rao Chuntao
Published: September 2024

5MW wind turbine gearbox high-speed bearing temperature rise failure is one of the important factors affecting the stable operation of the wind turbine, accurate prediction and timely diagnosis can effectively improve the efficiency of the wind turbine. In this paper, a combined modelling wind turbine gearbox high-speed bearing temperature rise prediction method based on Bayesian-LightGBM and improved PSO-SVM is proposed with a 5 MW wind turbine as the research object. Firstly, the initial dimensionality reduction of SCADA data is performed by sparse random projection matrix, which reduces the redundant data. Secondly, feature selection is performed on the remaining data using Bayesian-LightGBM to identify 13 key input feature parameters. Then, the hyperparameters of the PSO algorithm are optimised using Bayesian algorithm and further, the optimised PSO algorithm is applied to identify the SVM parameters. Finally, a simulation experiment platform is established based on MATLAB to verify the temperature rise of high-speed bearings in gearboxes of wind turbines by example calculation and comparative analysis. The results show that the model established in this paper is effective, the prediction results are accurate and the performance is stable, and then compared with the algorithms such as PSO-SVM, SVM, BP, etc, the coefficient of determination of the algorithm is greater than 0.994 in both the training set and the test set, and the average decision percentage error is around 1.88% in both.
Generative AI, Innovation, and Trust
Authors: Piller Frank T. , Srour Mahdi , Marion Tucker J.
Published: September 2024

Our paper explores the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into organizations’ innovation and new product development processes, focusing on when and how to trust AI-generated outcomes in this context. We propose a framework to assess the level of trust required based on task-specific needs and the distinction between general and expert AI models. While inaccuracies in GenAI outputs can foster creativity during ideation, higher accuracy, and trust are essential for tasks requiring domain-specific expertise. The paper concludes by discussing the necessary human capabilities and organizational strategies for effectively deploying GenAI in innovation management.
Trafficked or Married? Unpacking Dispossession of Matrimonial Choice in Cross-Region Marriage Migration in India
Authors: Kukreja Reena
Published: September 2024

The article, based on original research from 246 villages, discusses contemporary marriage migrations of poor women from India’s development peripheries to rural North Indian men. Anti-trafficking activists and organizations in India assert that migrant brides are trafficked into sexual slavery through ‘coerced’ alliances. Employing a postcolonial feminist lens, this article challenges hegemonic anti-trafficking discourse with its gendered presumptions about widespread ‘bride-trafficking’ by showing that the processes of cross-region marriage mediation and motives are replete with contradictions and ambiguities. Fieldwork reveals a range of actors, including the migrant brides, involved in marriage mediation while poverty and heightened dowry compromise women into such matrimonies.
Stacked generalization ensemble learning strategy for multivariate prediction of delamination and maximum thrust force in composite drilling
Authors: Baraheni Mohammad , Soudmand Behzad Hashemi , Amini Saeid , Fotouhi Mohammad
Published: September 2024

The complexity of drilling carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) requires accurate predictive models. This study addresses the challenge using an ensemble machine learning (ML) approach with stacked generalization. The model captures the relationships between key input variables—such as graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) content, ultrasonic assistance, tool type, stacking sequence, and feed rate—and output parameters, specifically thrust force and delamination. A nested feature scoring (NFS) method was employed for importance analysis, revealing tooling type and feed rate as key features for minimizing delamination and reducing thrust force, respectively. The machinability results revealed that ultrasonic drilling lowered thrust force by improving chip evacuation and reducing fiber breakage. HSS tools with cobalt content, alongside symmetrical stacking sequence, helped to further minimize both thrust force and delamination. However, the inclusion of GNPs led to an increase in thrust force and delamination, attributed to the increased strength of the CFRP/GNP composite. The process involved meticulous training, resulting in four optimal-fit models serving as inputs for the stacked meta-model. Iterative enhancements fortified the ensemble robustness, with fine-tuning of hyperparameters through Bayesian optimization. The ensemble superiority over individual models manifested in a remarkable reduction of mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) by up to 97% and 124% for delamination, and 205% and 154% for thrust force, compared to the best base learner. Visual and statistical assessments effectively illuminated the intricate interactions between variables in the drilling process. The methodology resulted in a highly adaptable predictive model with applications across diverse manufacturing contexts.
Pronunciation of Vowel Digraphs in Nonwords: A Replication and Extension
Authors: Gokdemir Eda Naz , Burkhart Margaret , Semprebon Laurel , Hua Jianjun , Coch Donna
Published: September 2024

In English, the pronunciation of a vowel digraph can vary; for example, ea is pronounced /ɛ/ in bread but /i/ in beach and /eɪ/ in break. We investigated participant-level effects on the pronunciation of ambiguous vowel digraphs in nonwords (e.g., yeath) using standardized test measures of six reading-related skills in 80 young adults. We employed both an established written task and set of nonword stimuli and a spoken version of the task with the same stimuli. We largely replicated the previously reported pattern of preferred nonword pronunciations in both the written and spoken versions of the task. Generalized linear mixed-effects model analyses revealed that individual differences in phonological memory, spelling knowledge, and word reading efficiency contributed to pronunciation choice beyond item-level effects. Overall, taken together with the results of item-level analyses, our findings are consistent with models and theories in which specific reading-related skills, intralexical context, and interlexical pronunciation knowledge influence ambiguous vowel digraph pronunciation in nonword reading in fluently reading young adults.
Flourishing Among Elderly Population: The Role of Social Support and Gratitude
Authors: Anand Pallavi , Choudhary Priya , Bali Mridula , Gupta Richa
Published: September 2024

This paper sets out a framework for exploring flourishing in older age through the lens of social support and gratitude. Flourishing is a relatively new concept in positive psychology. Social support and gratitude are as potential predictors of flourishing among older individuals that considers hedonic and eudaimonic aspects of well-being. The current study evaluated the relationship between social support and gratitude associated with flourishing among elderly people. The proposed relationship was assessed among 413 elderly people from north India aged 60-90 years with a mean age of 67.94 years. The data were analysed using a two-step approach to structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that gratitude as a mediator in the relationship between social support and flourishing. Additionally, a significant indirect relationship was also found between perceived social support and flourishing via gratitude. To the best of our knowledge, the current study is one of the first studies that conceptualizes and assesses flourishing among older adults in India. The findings from the present study make important contributions to the existing literature on well-being among elderly population. It is suggested that health and social care professionals working with older adults adopt a comprehensive approach to identify and propel non-flourishing people toward flourishing in life.
Increased Emergency Department Identification of Young People Experiencing Trafficking During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis
Authors: Panda Preeti , Deng Yaowei , Fang Andrea , Ward Victoria , Wang Ewen , Newberry Jennifer , Mathur Maya , Patel Anisha
Published: September 2024

Objective:

Human trafficking is a public health issue affecting young people across the United States, and trafficked young people frequently present to emergency departments (EDs). The identification of trafficked young people by pediatric EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood. We examined trends in the identification of young people with current or lifetime experiences of trafficking in US pediatric EDs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

We performed an interrupted time-series analysis using the Pediatric Health Information System database, which includes data from 49 US children’s hospitals, to determine differences in rates of trafficked young people identified in pediatric EDs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results:

We included 910 patients; 255 prepandemic (October 1, 2018, through February 29, 2020) and 655 during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020, through February 28, 2023). We found a 1.92-fold increase in the incidence rate of identified trafficked young people at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 (incidence rate ratio = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.47-2.51; P < .001), followed by a decrease over time.

Conclusions:

The observed increase in identified trafficked young people during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic should alert pediatric ED providers to the opportunity to identify and provide services for trafficked young people as an important part of improving preparedness for future disease outbreaks. Our observed identification trends do not represent the true incidence of trafficked young people presenting to pediatric EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future work should seek to better understand the true occurrence and the health and service needs of trafficked young people during emergencies.
Internalized Racism? A Study of Christian Nationalism and Perceptions of Asian Hate and White Privilege Among Asians and Asian Americans
Authors: Nie Fanhao
Published: September 2024

Prior studies have shown that Christian nationalism, an ideology combining Christian identity with American identity, is a powerful predictor of public attitudes toward racism. However, less is known about how Christian nationalism might affect Asians and Asian Americans’ racial attitudes, who have increasingly been the targets of anti-Asian hate crimes since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study surveyed 356 Asian and Asian American adults residing in the US. Among them, a stronger belief in Christian nationalism was associated with the perception that anti-Asian racism had stayed about the same or decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly, this Christian nationalism effect on perceptions of anti-Asian racism during the pandemic was more salient among Asians and Asian Americans, who perceived a greater importance of Asian solidarity. Finally, Asians and Asian Americans who held a stronger belief in Christian nationalism also tended to deny the existence of White privilege.
Quantitative signs on ultrasound biomicroscopy images associated with the status of silicone oil emulsification within the eye
Authors: Zhao Hongmei , Wu Kaicheng , Zong Yuan , Chen Qian , Jiang Chunhui
Published: September 2024

Objectives

Silicone oil (SO) is a commonly used intraocular tamponade in the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). SO emulsification is a common complication after SO injection. This study aimed to investigate correlations between SO emulsification signs on ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and the real number/size of SO droplets.

Methods

An observational, cross-sectional study. Thirty-five RRD patients (19 males; 35 eyes) who underwent pars plana vitrectomy and SO injection were enrolled in the study. SO emulsification signs on UBM (endothelial deposits, floating droplets, ghost images, hyperoleon, anterior chamber angle impregnation, anterior iris surface impregnation, posterior iris surface impregnation and ciliary body impregnation) were acquired and quantified two days before SO removal, while real number/size of the SO droplets with a diameter in 0.4–20 μm in the first 2 mL washout fluid collected intraoperatively during SO removal were assessed by Coulter counter. Then the correlations between these values were explored.

Results

The grade of tissue impregnation and hyperoleon area in the anterior chamber demonstrated significant correlations with the number of large (5–20 μm) SO droplets ( r = 0.336; P = 0.048 and r = 0.350; P = 0.039, respectively); however, no significant correlations were observed with the total number of droplets (0.4–20 μm)or the number of small (0.4–5 μm) droplets (both P ＞ 0.05).

Conclusion

The UBM quantitative grade of tissue impregnation and hyperoleon area in the anterior chamber could provide a noninvasive overview of the actual degree of SO emulsification before SO removal surgery.
Exploring the Interplay of Psychological Need Satisfaction, Well-Being, and Behavioral Intentions in Tourism: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective
Authors: Kim Youngsoo
Published: September 2024

Psychological need satisfaction can contribute to psychological benefits and future actions. Building on self-determination theory, this research suggested the model of psychological need satisfaction–well-being–behavioral intentions in tourism. Specifically, two-stage strategies were utilized to investigate the distinct and integrated role of psychological need satisfaction in positively predicting well-being (hedonic and eudaimonic well-being) that affects behavioral intentions (revisit intention, word-of-mouth intention). The first-stage model identified that a holiday trip offered experiences to fulfill psychological needs, such as autonomy, relatedness, and competence; most of these significantly affected hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, as well as revisit intention. The second-stage model confirmed significant impacts of psychological need satisfaction on well-being, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth intention. Furthermore, hedonic well-being was significantly associated with revisit intention and word-of-mouth intention, while eudaimonic well-being did not significantly predict them. Research findings make significant contributions to tourism literature and practices by extending the role of psychological need satisfaction.
Exploring marital safety: three South African wives living with HIV in nonmutual monogamous marriage
Authors: Makgata Henry Mojalefa , Moodley Prevan
Published: September 2024

For wives who have been sexually monogamous, their being infected with HIV disrupts the cultural assumption of sexual safety in marriage. This phenomenological interview study shows how three married South African women, who were diagnosed with HIV and had reported being monogamous, experienced gendered distress while contemplating the failures of married coupledom in offering safety and familial stability. Constructionist thematic analysis showed three themes to represent changes in the marital unit. The first theme, HIV as Demarcation of Enduring Disruption, pointed to infection as the harbinger of distressing relational dynamics. The second theme, Feeling Controlled, reflected domains in which the wives felt trapped: restricted freedoms and obligatory intimacy. The third theme, Relational Deterioration, showed meanings about infidelity, fights or arguments, and distress about partner disengagement. Highlighted in this analysis is that, for two women, male control and disempowerment after having been infected with HIV added to their experiences of feeling trapped because they felt pressured into regressing into subservient spousal roles. They were required to retreat into household, mothering, and child care duties. The study’s practice implication is that, to address the aftermath of the discovery of HIV infection in heterosexual married couples, wherein sexual monogamy remains the unquestioned norm, health psychology and clinical interventions should incorporate a gendered approach in counselling formulation.
Living in a Diverse Community: Effects of Geographical Variations in Diversity on Partisan Communication
Authors: Lee Seungsu , Cho Jaeho
Published: September 2024

This study examines the effects of geographical variations in diversity on political communication within the context of partisan media and audiences. Partisan heterogeneity, as an indicator of political diversity, was conceptualized as a geographical context of the distribution of party preferences within a county. Using a set of nationwide panel survey data with county-level statistics, we conducted multilevel modeling to test its effects on partisan news use, political discussion, knowledge, and affective polarization. The results indicate that county-level partisan heterogeneity reduced the average levels of like-minded news consumption. Moreover, it attenuated the positive relationship between like-minded news use and political talk with strong ties. Additionally, we found that the context of partisan heterogeneity significantly moderated the mediation effects of partisan news use on political knowledge and affective polarization through political discussion. Implications of these results on partisan communication were discussed.
China’s Modern Ecological History: Bringing the Politics Back In
Authors: Shapiro Judith
Published: September 2024

Stevan Harrell’s systems approach contributes a revelatory metaphor for our understanding of modern Chinese ecological history, upending traditional periodization and geographic conventions. There are risks to this approach, however, in that we lose some of the centrality of the state as an environmental actor. By moving the analysis up a level of abstraction as Harrell does, we risk depoliticizing the environmental history of the Mao Zedong years and beyond.
The Peaks and Ranges of Ecosystem Models
Authors: Harrell Stevan
Published: September 2024

This response to commentaries by Micah Muscolino, Judith Shapiro, Chris Courtney, and Peter Perdue considers whether An Ecological History of Modern China is too political and not ecological enough or too ecological and not political enough; whether it is biased either in favor of or against the Chinese Communist Party regime; whether ecologically based periodization provides a valuable new perspective on the history of the People’s Republic of China; whether ecological change would be better illuminated if viewed at a different scale; and whether valid or useful history can be written primarily using scientific papers available on the internet.
Decolonizing the New Testament Texts: A Postcolonial Task
Authors: Joy C. I. David
Published: September 2024

This essay traces some of the major directions of New Testament interpretation, both in terms of a turn to empire and also specifically in India. Attention to the impact of empire in shaping the world and texts of the New Testament is argued to be a crucial development which provides an important foundation for postcolonial hermeneutics. Postcolonial hermeneutics is shown to be especially influential for interpreters in the Indian context, and various streams and trends within Indian biblical interpretation are presented. Decolonizing the New Testament texts will require such an empire-critical and postcolonial hermeneutic, as well as the incorporation of such concerns within the Western academy. Finally, a reading of Jude 23 is offered as an illustration of this postcolonial hermeneutic in practice. This text illustrates both the imperial context of the early Christian communities and also their efforts to develop a spirituality of resistance.
The Narrative Construction of Peter in the Gospel of Mark in Light of the Reports of Displacement and Exile Due to the Armed Conflict in Colombia
Authors: Casas-Ramírez Juan Alberto
Published: September 2024

A scenario of conflict, as in the Colombian case, may be related to the socio-political context in which the Gospel according to Mark may have been written, and therefore offers new insights for the understanding of the narrative phenomena presented. In effect, Mark could have been a response to the traumatic experiences of the followers of Jesus to whom the Gospel was addressed. Likewise, the experience of those displaced and exiled by the Colombian armed conflict has involved a series of traumatic events, but also bears witness to processes of resilient reparation. Against this background, it is proposed that in Mark, the figure of Peter, courageous and determined at the beginning but cowardly and flighty at the end, is analogous to that of many victims in the Colombian armed conflict who, faced with the imminent danger of losing their lives, were forced to abandon their deepest convictions and even their loved ones to end up fleeing into hiding and exile. Nevertheless, both Mark and the experience of those displaced and exiled because of the conflict in Colombia suggest the possibility of vindication of these victims and their respective narratives, helping them to recognize that their flight was not a betrayal and that, thanks to it, the memory of the events can be reconstructed to guarantee the truth and the non-repetition of the facts.
Mary and Maternal Health: Decolonizing Luke 1–2 Amidst the Crisis of Teen Pregnancy
Authors: Ibita Ma. Marilou S.
Published: September 2024

This study responds to the central question: ‘What do you see as the tasks, methods, and aims of New Testament studies, given the demands and priorities of the context in which you work?’ From a decolonizing perspective, biblical scholarship’s crucial role is fostering interdisciplinary approaches to help address 21st-century challenges set within the communal see-judge-act-evaluate-celebrate/ritualize framework. As a test case, this study characterizes Mary, her maternal health, and the perils of pregnancy in Luke 1–2 from a decolonizing angle within the context of the teenage pregnancy crisis in the Philippines. This decolonizing and interdisciplinary approach involves utilizing a synergy of contextual biblical hermeneutics in interpreting Luke 1–2 as an attempt to ensure that New Testament studies remain a relevant source of inspiration for actionable responses to promote teenage maternal health.
Decolonizing New Testament Studies: A Māori Perspective
Authors: Te Kaawa Wayne
Published: September 2024

Beginning with my personal experience of encountering ideas about decolonization in various settings, and considering what it might mean for New Testament studies in Aotearoa New Zealand, this essay then presents the contributions of the few Māori scholars who have worked in biblical studies, identifying how they reflect on the legacies of colonization and the challenge of decolonization. As an example of a Māori engagement with a New Testament text, I present a reading of the Canaanite woman’s encounter with Jesus as presented in Matthew 15.21–28, focused on issues of racism, people, and land. Finally, the essay concludes with some proposals on what a decolonized New Testament studies would look like based on my experience as a Māori student and then lecturer.
Air turbine starter remaining useful life prediction for bearing based on an improved temporal convolutional network
Authors: Guo Runxia , Yang Yini , Huang Chao
Published: September 2024

The air turbine starter (ATS) is an equipment employed for initiating aircraft engines, in which rolling bearings play a central role. Predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings constitutes a challenging task within the domain of prognostics and health management (PHM). Improving computational efficiency to predict the RUL of bearings is a core problem addressed in this paper, and thus, this paper introduces the parallel causal convolutional hierarchical dilated temporal convolutional network (HD-TCN). HD-TCN effectively captures long-term temporal dependencies and significantly enhances computational efficiency compared to serial convolutional recurrent neural networks (RNNs). In addition, the introduction of the feature data stacking (FDS) module allows features from different hierarchical levels and dimensions to participate in the prediction task, ensuring both computational efficiency and prediction accuracy. To consolidate the extracted multidimensional features, the network incorporates the matrix multiplication dimensionality reduction transformation (MMDRT) module, which reduces the dimensionality of the data and further improves the computational efficiency as well. The introduction of the MMDRT module resulted in reductions of 43.4% in root mean square error (RMSE). The proposed method achieved reductions in RMSE by 38.3% and 46.4% compared to the transformer and long short-term memory (LSTM) models, respectively. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated using the XJTU-SY data set and civil aircraft bearing components RUL prediction test bench bearing data. The results show that the proposed approach can predict the RUL of bearings with high accuracy.
Cervical Lymphadenitis Tuberculosis Coexistent with Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Hachicha Amani , Chouchane Hamdi , Sghaier Yasmine , Ben Rjeb Sarra , Turki Senda
Published: September 2024

Malignant lesions and tuberculosis coexisting at the same anatomical site in a patient are extremely uncommon. We present a case of a 53-year-old female with cervical lymphadenitis tuberculosis combined with metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. Thyroidectomy was performed on the patient with central and lateral neck dissection. The patient received anti-tuberculosis medication and radioactive iodine ablation. No recurrence was observed during a 2-year follow-up period.
Phenomenology and the status quo: Adorno’s mediation argument
Authors: Skirke Christian
Published: September 2024

In this paper, I discuss a well-known challenge against phenomenology as a viable form of social criticism. According to this challenge—the Mediation Argument—phenomenology falls short of the requirement that any kind of critique needs a suitable medium of representation because the phenomenological account of experience prioritizes immediacy or directness. I aim to show through a reconstruction of Adorno’s version of the Mediation Argument against Husserl that this challenge fails: it distorts the phenomenological account of meaning by misattributing problematic ontological commitments as well as an overly simplistic idea of normativity to phenomenology; and it systematically underplays critical aspects of the transcendental methodology of phenomenology by ignoring crucial contrasts between phenomenology and commonsense philosophy. Contrary to what the Mediation Argument suggests, I conclude, phenomenology is well-placed to confront the ontological commitments and normative assumptions that commonly lend ideological support to the status quo.
The Impact of Transportation Infrastructure on Manufacturing Energy Intensity: Micro Evidence from High-Speed Railway in China
Authors: Yang Mian , Wang En-Ze
Published: September 2024

This paper examines the potential of infrastructure improvements, particularly the operation of High-speed railway (HSR), to enhance the energy efficiency of firms. By regarding the operation of the China’s HSR as an exogenous shock, this paper relies on a difference-in-differences estimation to isolate the causal effect of the infrastructure improvement on manufacturing firms’ energy intensity. This paper finds that the operation of HSR has improved the manufacturing firms’ energy intensity through the catalyzing the proliferation of advanced management techniques, and this effect gradually decreases with the increase in distance between the firm and the HSR station. Moreover, HSR indirectly decreases energy intensity by fostering technological innovation, decreasing debt financing costs, and extending debt financing magnitude. The study also uncovers heterogeneous effects of HSR connectivity on manufacturing firms’ energy intensity, which are more pronounced in smaller cities and industries characterized by high concentration and low agglomeration. Furthermore, the impact of HSR connectivity on reducing energy intensity is more substantial in state-owned and larger firms compared to non-state-owned and smaller firms.

JEL Classification: Q43, O13, R41, L60
Sexual Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviors of Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Patel Sahil H. , Desai Nimisha D. , Shah Sandip H.
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Exposure to sexually explicit media influences the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of youth, so studying this among medical students is of utmost importance.

Aim:

To study sexual knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and sources of influence among medical students.

Methodology:

A descriptive, cross-sectional, analytical, web-based study was conducted to assess sexual knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and sources influencing sexuality in medical students via Google Forms. The form consisted of three parts: the first part was an information sheet and consent form, the second part included the participant’s sociodemographic data and the third part related to two study tools, the Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire-II (SKAQ-II) and the sexual behavior and sources of influence scale.

Result:

A total of 300/950 (31.5%) medical students responded to the Google questionnaire. Their mean age was 20.43 ± 1.87 years (range: 18–26 years). The mean score for sexual knowledge and attitude was 24.35 ± 4.93 and 23.79 ± 4.87, respectively, which suggested that they had good sexual knowledge and liberal attitudes toward sexuality with female preponderance. As student’s academic year progresses, their sexual knowledge improves. There was a significant strong positive correlation between sexual attitude and knowledge with a Pearson correlation of r = 0.95, P = 0.004, which means the higher the knowledge, the better the attitude. Medical student’s engagement in sexual behaviors with self- and others was at age 18.45 years. The internet was the major source for getting information related to sexual behaviors for them, but they relied on doctors and friends for guidance.

Conclusion:

Medical students had adequate sexual knowledge, which was the reason for their liberal attitude toward sexuality. Their major source of sexual knowledge was the internet, although they confided in doctors for sexual doubts.
Effects of 8 weeks aquatic exercises on balance recovery strategies and center of pressure sways in blind women: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Salari Asma , Sahebozamani Mansour , Daneshjoo Abdolhamid , Alimoradi Mohammad , Iranmanesh Mojtaba , Mendez-Rebolledo Guillermo
Published: September 2024

Visual impairment presents significant challenges to mobility and daily activities, often resulting in a sedentary lifestyle and decreased physical fitness. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week aquatic exercise protocol on balance recovery strategies and center of pressure (COP) sways in blind women. A total of 30 participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EX, n = 15) or a control group (CO, n = 15). Balance recovery parameters, including hip sways, ankle sways, and the ratio of hip sways to ankle sways, were assessed using motion analysis, while COP sways were measured using a force platform. The aquatic exercise protocol focused on enhancing the somatosensory system through a variety of targeted exercises. The results revealed a significant improvement in balance recovery strategies among participants in the EX group, characterized by reduced hip sways, increased ankle sways, and a decreased hip sways/ankle sways ratio in both anterior–posterior and posterior–anterior directions. Moreover, COP sways significantly decreased, as indicated by reductions in ellipse area and traveled distance in both directions. These findings suggest that the aquatic exercise protocol facilitated a shift from a hip-dominant to an ankle-based strategy, indicating improved adaptive balance recovery mechanisms. The reduced COP sways further indicate enhanced postural stability. These positive outcomes underscore the effectiveness of targeted aquatic interventions in enhancing physical capabilities and overall balance in blind women. Including such exercises in rehabilitation programs may contribute to reducing fall risks and improving the quality of life for individuals with visual impairments.
Towards precision dosing in psychiatry: Population pharmacokinetics meta-modelling of clozapine and lithium
Authors: Lereclus Aurélie , Welzel Julien , Belzeaux Raoul , Korchia Théo , Dayan Frédéric , Blin Olivier , Benito Sylvain , Guilhaumou Romain
Published: September 2024

Background:

Treatment optimization is mandatory in psychiatric diseases and the use of population pharmacokinetics (popPK) models through model informed precision dosing (MIPD) has the potential to improve patient medical care. In this perspective, meta-modelling methods could provide popPK models with improved predictive performances and most of covariates of interest. The aims of this study were to develop meta-models of clozapine and lithium, assess their predictability and propose optimized dosing regimens for both drugs.

Methods:

Two popPK models for each drug were retained to develop the meta-models. For clozapine, the model with the best predictive performances and gender as a covariate and one with smoking status were retained. For lithium, the model with the best predictive performances and fat-free mass as covariate and one with glomerular filtration rate were retained.

Results:

Both meta-models showed improved predictability compared to the original models. Clozapine meta-model simulations allowed us to propose dosing regimen according to gender and smoking status. Steady-state doses ranged from 375 to 725 mg/day for clozapine once daily, and from 350 to 650 mg/day for clozapine twice daily. Lithium meta-model simulations allowed us to propose dosing regimen according to weight, body mass index, gender and GFR. Our steady-state dose propositions ranged from 625 to 1125 mg/day for males, and from 375 to 750 mg/day for females.

Conclusion:

Both meta-models met the acceptability criteria for use in clinical practice on all subpopulations of interest. Those models could be used in the perspective of MIPD for clozapine and lithium.
Pulmonary actinomycosis misdiagnosed as lung cancer: a case report
Authors: Wu Song , Qin Zhonghua
Published: September 2024

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare pulmonary infectious disease that is often challenging to diagnose early and has a high misdiagnosis rate. In some cases, it can be particularly difficult to distinguish pulmonary actinomycosis from lung cancer. We herein report a rare case of pulmonary actinomycosis in which the preoperative examinations strongly suggested lung cancer, leading to the patient undergoing right upper lung resection and bronchoplasty. The patient had a good postoperative recovery; however, the postoperative pathology report indicated pulmonary actinomycosis. In this report, we summarize the key aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary actinomycosis to aid clinicians in reducing the likelihood of misdiagnosis.
Timber Assemblage, Militarization, and Entangled People’s Lives at the Indo (Naga)-Myanmar Borderland
Authors: PS Somingam
Published: September 2024

The paper engages on the assemblage of timber production and transaction at Indo (Naga)-Myanmar borderland, Manipur state, Northeast India, an emerging tributary of India’s Act East Policy, yet characterized by several marginalities in terms of state development parameters [and governance] entwist in historically militarized setting. The paper primarily looks at different factors, actors, flows, and drivers of timber production and transaction across the Indo-Myanmar border from the Sagaing region, Myanmar, to Manipur, India. Rather, this cycle and flows of timber coalesced with economic and geopolitical intricacies of the borderland thereby engender occupation of multiple authorities and governments. The paper provides an account of how these different authorities negotiate and co-regulate over the production and taxation of timber to meet certain revenue goals and aspirations beyond the normative understanding of legality and illegality – frontier of a kind in its own might. In reference to this network of timber trade, the paper further dwells into conversation of everyday experiences of militarization, livelihoods, village roads, and infrastructures are closely entangled around timber production, transaction, and its allied activities. In a nutshell, the paper argues that timber trade at borderland represent an assemblage of multifaceted realities and practices around the intricate socio-political and economic dynamics.
Choice Cuts for Khakaura: New Kingdom Captions in the North Chapel of Senwosret III, Dahshur
Authors: Navratilova Hana
Published: September 2024

The paper analyses a group of New Kingdom hieratic ink-written labels added to the Middle Kingdom relief figures of offering bearers in the North Chapel of the pyramid precinct of King Senwosret III of the 12th Dynasty at Dahshur. It applies a close observation of the spatial properties of the secondary epigraphy combined with contexts of the Egyptian written culture. To a large extent, it is a beginning, rather than a fixed and detailed outline, of a more differentiated, location-specific interpretation of secondary texts and figures added to the decoration of various parts of the royal pyramid complexes. The interpretation of this specific scene suggests that the visitors articulated their status alongside a personal involvement with this prestigious site by labelling the offering bearers in order to achieve a purposeful revivification, and an arrogation, of the offering scene performance.

[Formula: see text]
Sjögren’s disease, occupational performance and quality of life
Authors: Carneiro Cintra Beatriz , Marzola Mateus Maia , Dakuzaku Carretta Regina Yoneko , Reis Oliveira Fabíola , Melani Rocha Eduardo
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Sjögren’s disease is an autoimmune disease with dry eyes and mouth and chronic pain, more frequent in middle-aged women. The aim of this study is to understand the impact of Sjögren’s disease on quality of life and occupational health.

Method:

Quantitative and qualitative comparative study, with 20 Sjögren’s disease and 25 healthy controls. Questionnaires and interviews were applied to assess occupational performance, quality of life, mood disorders, and sleep.

Results:

The combined major diagnostic parameters for Sjögren’s disease (focus score and anti-SSA/Ro positivity) were present in 85% of the Sjögren’s disease group. There was a correlation between the sicca symptom measured by the European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren’s Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), anxiety, and depression measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; r = 0.56; p = 0.009), as well as fatigue measured by the Profile of fatigue and discomfort questionnaire (PROFAD) ( r = 0.78; p < 0.0001). Sjögren’s disease patients reported a loss of physical abilities, sleep disturbance, change in mood, social and occupational participation, and lower quality of life.

Conclusions:

Sjögren’s disease patients have poorer quality of life, loss of competencies, and sleep disturbances compared to controls. Novel strategies are necessary to improve occupational health in SjD.
Pristineness, heritage, and the dissociative power of place imaginaries: Marketing ‘dark places’ in global value chains
Authors: Lang Juliane
Published: September 2024

To qualify products as premium, branding and marketing initiatives often employ imaginaries about the product’s origin to invoke positive associations. Yet, little is known about the dissociative aspects of how these place imaginaries create value. In this paper I examine comparatively how in both one aesthetic and one relatively standardized agri-food market – wine and farmed salmon from Chile – imaginaries of pristine and traditional places are becoming central referents for product quality. I demonstrate how, in the context of rising sustainability demands in global value chains, the value of these place imaginaries lies not only in their power to create positive associations in the end market. Instead, they also help powerful actors to dissociate from locally contentious politics surrounding harmful social and environmental practices. The paper contributes to research on firms’ dissociative practices by disentangling the ideational and relational work through which value chain actors dissociate in qualification processes and draws implications for material changes in production systems in view of their environmental and social sustainability.
Disavowing history
Authors: Johnson Miranda
Published: September 2024

If the secession of formerly colonized countries from large imperial units is a story of political hope, the central actors in Quinn Slobodian’s story perceive the opportunities provided by the proliferation of new jurisdictions following decolonization very differently. According to the “market radicals” of the late 20th and 21st centuries, the break-up of empire is not a story of the potential for the democratization of politics and history-writing. Their ideas do however offer critiques of modernity. In this commentary, I convene critics of modernity – anticolonial leaders, historians of decolonization and the aftermath of empire, Indigenous and tribal peoples and their historians, and decolonial thinkers – in conversation with the capitalist adventurers of Slobodian’s tale, via an exploration of the limits and possibilities of history-writing and the politics of historicist discourse.
Effective Low Noise Rumble Strip Design and Performance
Authors: Donavan Paul R. , Janello Carrie J.
Published: September 2024

The purpose of the NCHRP 15-68 Effective Low Noise Rumble Strips project research was to develop and recommend a rumble strip design to achieve somewhat conflicting goals. The design was to minimize the exterior noise that can affect residences along a roadway while producing sufficient interior noise and vibration inside the vehicle to alert the operator of a lane departure. Review of the previous research indicated that this could best be accomplished with a rumble strip of a sinusoidal profile. The first portion of this research was to develop a recommended test procedure which was presented at the 2022 TRB Annual Winter Meeting. Using this procedure, sinusoidal strips were tested in three different states, which included four different wavelengths, 12, 14, 18, and 24 in. The smallest of these produced sufficient interior noise and vibration; however, it produced higher levels of pass-by noise. The largest of these produced the lowest pass-by levels but insufficient interior noise and vibration relative to existing criteria. To explore the intermediate dimensions, 20 different designs of sinusoidal rumble strips were constructed and tested in Washington State. In addition to wavelength, the peak-to-peak dimension of the sinusoidal shape, and the amount that the shape was recessed relative to the existing pavement surface were tested. From the results of the testing of strips, a wavelength of 14 to 15 in., a peak-to-peak amplitude of 7/16 in., and no recess are recommended.
Toward an Equitable Transport Strategy by Assessing Cycling Initiatives and Identifying Barriers to Implementing Cycling Equity Policies
Authors: Jahanshahi Danial , B. Costello Seósamh , Natasha Dirks Kim , van Wee Bert
Published: September 2024

This study aims to evaluate equity in cycling initiatives and their operational challenges by reviewing a wide range of cycling initiatives implemented in Auckland, New Zealand. The effectiveness of current initiatives with respect to various target groups or resulting beneficiaries is discussed, along with potential additional initiatives, barriers to implementing cycling equity initiatives in practice, and possible solutions to address such barriers. By interviewing policymakers, decision-makers, planners, designers, and transportation professionals, 44 cycling initiatives are identified. Results suggest that the geographical distribution of some of the current initiatives implemented could be more equitable. While some initiatives are equitable, there remain challenges with respect to their implementation. Additionally, there are limited initiatives focusing on the safety of female cyclists in Auckland, and no initiatives specifically aimed at Māori and Pacific people, groups that can both be considered disadvantaged with respect to cycling in Auckland. Potential additional policy initiatives include e-bike/bicycle subsidies, policy and law changes, education and awareness campaigns, better urban planning, policies aimed at making cycling easier, and better monitoring and evaluation. Barriers to the implementation of cycling equity initiatives in practice include sociocultural issues, financial constraints, poor planning, human resource limitations, and the built environment. Suggested strategies to help overcome some of these issues include adopting an equity lens and providing equity assessments for all initiatives, thus providing a wider coverage with respect to diversity in the population, enhanced engagement with the community, and the empowerment of people.
Evaluation of Minimum Web Reinforcement Requirements for Slender and Non-Slender Beams
Authors: Collins Russell J. , Tuchscherer Robin
Published: September 2024

Prescriptive shear requirements in the U.S. from the American Concrete Institute (ACI) 318 (2019), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications (2020), and the fédération international du béton Model Code ( fib MC) (2010) include a minimum web reinforcement requirement. In general, slender beams require a minimum area of web reinforcement equal to 0.08% of the cross-section, while non-slender beams require up to 0.30%, or roughly three times more than the slender beam requirement. This investigation aims to evaluate the discrepancy between these requirements in relation to the strength and serviceability behavior of experimental test data. This is carried out through an analysis of existing and peer-reviewed databases. The results show that the minimum web reinforcement needed to ensure shear strength is consistent with code requirements for slender beams, but not non-slender beams. The minimum web reinforcement needed to restrain crack widths is consistent with code requirements for non-slender beams, but not slender beams. Thus, the prescriptive web reinforcement requirements for slender and non-slender beams do not appear to be derived from the same criteria. The requirement for slender beams is derived based on these members achieving their predicted strength, while the requirement for non-slender beams is derived based on the width of in-service cracks.