bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Divine Mandates and Political Realities: Exploring Power, Religion, and Transition in The Gambia
Authors: Agyemang Danielle , Somiah Vilashini , Ying Hooi Khoo
Published: February 2024

This article analyses the role of religious symbolism and religiosity during The Gambia’s autocracy (1994–2017) and its democratic transition (2017–2023). Former autocratic ruler, Yahya Jammeh, exploited religious symbolism to legitimise his authority, leading to crackdowns, extrajudicial punishment, and political repression. Drawing on community engagements and interviews with 61 civil-society members, political actors, community stakeholders, and girls in rural and urban areas across The Gambia’s West Coast Region, the findings highlight the influence of cultural and value systems, particularly the intersection of religion and politics, in shaping the country’s autocracy. Exploring some of the nuances of religious ideology and religious symbols concerning the state, The Gambia’s political history allows for deeper examinations of power dynamics within the broader cultural and societal context. By adopting a multidimensional perspective of power that incorporates religion, cultural values, and ethnic dimensions, this article offers new perspectives for analysing power structures and transformations in diverse socio-political settings.
The Independent Contractor Workforce: New Evidence on Its Size and Composition and Ways to Improve Its Measurement in Household Surveys
Authors: Abraham Katharine G. , Hershbein Brad , Houseman Susan N. , Truesdale Beth C.
Published: February 2024

Good data on the size and composition of the independent contractor workforce are elusive. The authors carried out a series of focus groups to learn how independent contractors speak about their work. Based on those findings, they designed and fielded a telephone survey to elicit more accurate and complete information on independent contractors. Roughly 1 in 10 workers who initially reported working for an employer on one or more jobs (and thus were coded as employees) were independent contractors on at least one of those jobs. Incorporating these miscoded workers into estimates of main job work arrangements nearly doubles the share who are independent contractors to approximately 15% of all workers. Taking these workers into account substantively changes the demographic profile of the independent contractor workforce. Probing in household surveys to clarify a worker’s employment arrangement and identify all low-hours work is critical for accurately measuring independent contractor work.
Socioeconomic Impacts of the Artisan Implements on the Peasants Living Conditions, the Oromo of Southwestern Ethiopia, Jimma: A Historical Perspective
Authors: Bayisa Deressa , Abdiyo Ketebo , Debu Deressa
Published: February 2024

The study identified the existence of a sustainable socioeconomic correlation between artisan implements and the agrarian society of the Gibe region. Handicraft work among the Gibe Oromo peasants brought about a wide range of socioeconomic and political developments that have made the region famous in all aspects. Blacksmiths, tanners, potters, weavers, woodworkers, basketry, and others are among the major crafts that are attributed to people’s daily living conditions. The utensils of artisans positively influence the livelihoods of the region’s agrarian societies. As a result, without artisan implements, all socioeconomic practices, including agriculture, would be unthinkable. Despite their socioeconomic contributions, the artisans’ are all victims of segregation rooted in legends, riddles, proverbs, and others. Similarly, the implements of artisans have recently been threatened due to discouraging socioeconomic perceptions against the artisans and the expansion of industrial tools. The study used both primary and secondary sources to address the existing literature gaps.
Decentralization and Local Government Performance: Empirical Evidence From Ghana
Authors: Mohammed Asaah S. , Tuokuu Francis Xavier , Bokuma Alex
Published: February 2024

Development agencies often promote decentralization as a solution for poverty reduction and a means of addressing the unique needs of local populations in developing countries. This manuscript examines the District Assembly system’s effectiveness in delivering services within the Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study employs a mixed-methods approach to illuminate two contrasting perspectives on the local assembly’s service provision. On one hand, citizens generally express satisfaction with the delivery of services related to health infrastructure, education, electricity, and water supply. On the other hand, a significant portion of the population is dissatisfied with the local assembly’s performance in governance, sanitation, gender-related issues, and addressing vulnerability. Notably, the study also uncovers that despite the intended objective of decentralization to empower local citizens, a degree of central government control and influence undermines its effectiveness. This study presents practical and theoretical implications and identifies avenues for future research in this field.
Revolutionary days: Introducing the Latin American Guerrillas Dataset
Authors: Kreiman Guillermo
Published: February 2024

The last two decades have witnessed an impressive expansion in the analysis of the causes, dynamics and legacies of internal armed conflicts. However, two relevant limitations persist. First, standard conflict datasets suffer from selection bias. And second, most available data lack a temporal approach that facilitates the analysis of insurgent lifecycles from the inception until the demobilization of non-state armed groups. To partially fill this gap, this article presents a novel dataset on revolutionary socialist insurgencies that were created in Latin America (LA) between 1950 and 2016. The Latin American Guerrillas Dataset (LAGD) covers the actions of 90 guerrilla organizations in 19 countries in the region, including annual level data on a variety of variables, such as level of success, political wings, rebel diplomacy, rebel governance, or number of combatants, among others. The LAGD represents one of the first systematic efforts for collecting comparative evidence on insurgencies operating in LA and should facilitate rigorous analyses on the divergent pathways of armed groups from a processual perspective, while dealing with extant issues of selection bias.
Diagnostic accuracy of conventional orthodontic radiographic modalities and cone-beam computed tomography for localization of impacted maxillary canine teeth
Authors: Salari Behzad , Tofangchiha Maryam , Padisar Parviz , Reda Rodolfo , Zanza Alessio , Testarelli Luca
Published: February 2024

Background:

Orthodontic treatment planning for an impacted canine tooth requires accurate information about its position. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of two conventional orthodontic radiographic modalities with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for localization of impacted maxillary canine teeth.

Materials and Methods:

Panoramic radiographs, lateral cephalograms, and CBCT scans of 30 patients with unilaterally impacted maxillary canine teeth were retrieved from the archives. Eight expert orthodontists evaluated the parameters related to the location of impacted canine teeth by using panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms of patients. After 4 weeks, the same parameters were evaluated on CBCT scans of patients. The diagnostic accuracy of conventional modalities and CBCT was compared with each other and also with the gold standard.

Results:

The conventional radiographic modalities and CBCT had similar accuracy for assessment of the overall inclination ( p = 0.11), apex morphology ( p = 0.18), and mesiodistal position of the apex ( p = 0.12). CBCT had significantly higher accuracy for determination of incisal tip location ( p = 0.001), labiopalatal ( p = 0.001) and vertical ( p = 0.01) position of the crown tip, minimum bone thickness covering the crown ( p = 0.001), and root resorption of the adjacent tooth ( p = 0.001).

Conclusion:

The combination of panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms was sufficiently accurate to assess some diagnostic parameters such as overall inclination, apex morphology, and mesiodistal apex location of impacted canine teeth.
Otitis media with effusion in adults during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic
Authors: Zhang Yu , Yang Feifei , He Yanan , Yan Sinan , Bai Yushuang , Jin Yifan , Shi Hui , Liu Jingrui , Zhang Zhanchi , Luan Feng
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the fluctuations in the prevalence of individuals diagnosed with otitis media with effusion (OME) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, while also evaluating the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in middle ear effusion (MEE) and assessing the effectiveness of tympanocentesis as a treatment modality for OME in this specific period.

Methods

The total number of outpatients and patients diagnosed with OME in our department was recorded for January 2022 and January 2023. Thirty patients (aged 15–86 years) were categorized into two groups: group A (n = 12), who developed OME during their SARS-CoV-2 infection and group B (n = 18), who experienced OME after the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. All patients underwent otoendoscopic tympanocentesis (without a ventilation tube), where MEE and nasopharyngeal secretions were simultaneously collected for SARS-CoV-2 detection by polymerase chain reaction. The time interval from SARS-CoV-2 infection to tympanocentesis, results of SARS-CoV-2 detection, preoperative and postoperative average hearing threshold, and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) scores were documented.

Results

The proportion of outpatients with OME in January 2023 was higher than that in January 2022. There were five patients who had positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 on MEE after tympanocentesis. These 5 patients underwent tympanocentesis at a mean of 28 ± 7.28 days following confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ETDQ-7 scores of group A exhibited a reduction from 21.85 ± 4.8 to 10.00 ± 4.07 following tympanocentesis, while the ETDQ-7 scores of group B also demonstrated a decrease from 21.22 ± 4.65 to 10.11 ± 3.68 after undergoing tympanocentesis. The tympanocentesis was effective in both groups.

Conclusions

The study confirmed that the proportion of outpatients with OME in the Clinics of Otolaryngology during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic increased significantly. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detectable in MEE of COVID-19-related OME patients. Tympanocentesis was therapeutic for OME during SARS-CoV-2 infection, which facilitated viral clearance in MEE.
Place-oriented digital agency: Residents’ use of digital means to enhance neighbourhood change
Authors: Zur Hadas
Published: February 2024

The smart city literature mostly focusses on digital initiatives from above. However, digitalisation also reshapes the city from below. Residents use digital means and platforms to empower their agency in the city. This paper aims to explore how residents utilise digital tools to activate their agency and influence local politics. The paper focusses on one neighbourhood in the city of Tel Aviv where different groups of residents struggle to promote their desired political-spatial vision. The main question is whether digitalisation produces new forms of agency on the neighbourhood scale. The paper argues that: (1) digitalisation provides residents with new forms of connective action, creating digital networks at different scales, using representational practices and forming new spaces for political negotiation; (2) through these practices, they manage to influence the symbolic and political status of the neighbourhood and reframe the struggle over its character and future; (3) groups with higher digital agency gain wider visibility of their claims and needs with politicians, the media and public officials. Importantly, this does not only serve middle-class groups. (4) Ultimately, residents become predominant political actors through digital agency. Methodologically, this paper includes two methods: (i) interviews with residents and municipal workers and (ii) social media analysis and online ethnography. The conclusion elaborates the concept of place-oriented digital agency as a particular type of agency aimed at determining change in a specific locale.
Advantages and Challenges of Implementation and Strategies for Health Insurance in Saudi Arabia: A Systemic Review
Authors: AlJohani Buthaynah Abdullah , Bugis Bussma Ahmed
Published: February 2024

The Saudi Vision 2030 emphasizes the need for health insurance in terms of both economic growth and lowering government healthcare costs. Recently, the Saudi Ministry of Health has requested the private sector to contribute more to health spending through alternative financing and delivery systems, specifically health insurance. The main purpose of this review is to systematically review the benefits and issues of the implementation approach for health insurance in Saudi Arabia. Three electronic databases were used to conduct the systematic search for articles published in 2018 or after as this is a recent review of the last 5 years articles. Articles were considered if they matched the following criteria: Saudi articles concentrating on health insurance in Saudi Arabia, with a particular emphasis on issues, problems, barriers, and challenges related to insurance in Saudi Arabia. Of the many references identified in the initial search, 13 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. The included studies clearly highlighted, explained the current financial methods of the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia, and evaluated Cooperative Health Insurance’s potential contribution to the healthcare system’s success in achieving the Saudi Vision 2030 goals, as well as the benefits and disadvantages of health insurance. This review exemplifies the need for implementation of health insurance in Saudi Arabia to improve economic growth, and to improve efficiency and quality of care. Many of the issues were identified in this review could be addressed by a strong healthcare infrastructure. The Council of Cooperative Health Insurance and Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency should keep monitoring medical services and collaborating toward enhancing Saudi Arabia’s health insurance.
The behaviour of AZ91 magnesium-based alloy with Ni–Al2O3 reinforcement
Authors: Dwivedi Shashi Prakash , Sharma Shubham
Published: February 2024

This study focused on fortifying the AZ91 magnesium-based alloy with Ni–Al2O3 particles using the friction stir process. The resultant AZ91–Ni–Al2O3 composite exhibited a crack-free surface with uniform distribution, showcasing strong interfacial bonding. At 500× magnification, the composite displayed 3213.65 grains per square inch. It demonstrated a 51.75% increase in tensile strength and a 45.76% rise in hardness. The introduction of 2 wt-% Ni–5 wt-% Al2O3 led to a remarkable 76.92% reduction in the wear rate. The composite exhibited a coefficient of friction measuring 0.312. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of Mg, Mg2Al3, Ni and Al2O3. AZ91/5 wt-% Al2O3/2 wt-% Ni composite finds utility in diverse industries in manufacturing components for aerospace, automotive and structural applications.
The surface edge explorer (SEE): A measurement-direct approach to next best view planning
Authors: Border Rowan , Gammell Jonathan D.
Published: February 2024

High-quality observations of the real world are crucial for a variety of applications, including producing 3D printed replicas of small-scale scenes and conducting inspections of large-scale infrastructure. These 3D observations are commonly obtained by combining multiple sensor measurements from different views. Guiding the selection of suitable views is known as the Next Best View (NBV) planning problem. Most NBV approaches reason about measurements using rigid data structures (e.g., surface meshes or voxel grids). This simplifies next best view selection but can be computationally expensive, reduces real-world fidelity and couples the selection of a next best view with the final data processing. This paper presents the Surface Edge Explorer (SEE), a NBV approach that selects new observations directly from previous sensor measurements without requiring rigid data structures. SEE uses measurement density to propose next best views that increase coverage of insufficiently observed surfaces while avoiding potential occlusions. Statistical results from simulated experiments show that SEE can attain similar or better surface coverage with less observation time and travel distance than evaluated volumetric approaches on both small- and large-scale scenes. Real-world experiments demonstrate SEE autonomously observing a deer statue using a 3D sensor affixed to a robotic arm.
The moral economy of the English football crowd: The European Super League and the contingency of football fan activism
Authors: Fitzpatrick Daniel
Published: February 2024

On 18 April 2021, six of the most storied clubs in English football – Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – announced they would be joining a new breakaway European Super League. These proposals triggered vehement opposition from football fans, which catalysed the intervention of the UK government in the form of a fan-led review of football governance. The reaction to the European Super League – which collapsed within 48 hours – demonstrates that the commodification and globalisation of football is contested. This article applies the lens of moral economy to analyse the contemporary mobilisations of football fans in England counter to these processes. The novel application of a moral economy framework provides a fresh perspective within the extant literature on football fan activism. This article represents the first systematic application of a moral economy approach to the political sociology of contemporary sport and its fandom. Employing an expanded understanding of moral economy, the article extends its application beyond the analysis of pre-modern food riots popularised by E.P. Thompson, incorporating the insights of Karl Polanyi and Andrew Sayer. Adopting this broader meaning, the concept of moral economy enables us to explore emergent and dynamic forms of fan activism, which seek to contest the commodification of football. The supporter mobilisations against the European Super League are examined to illuminate this perspective. Through an exploration of the contingency of the moral economy of football fandom, this article expands, in conceptual terms, the literature on football-based social movements, connecting it to the wider commodification and financialisation of football (as an important aspect of everyday life) and the internal contradictions and crisis of advanced capitalism.
Identifying the Optimum Combination of Use of Smartphone Apps and Hedonic Motivation for Increasing Public Transit Loyalty: An fsQCA Approach
Authors: Wu Yang , Chen Jiatao , Zhang Yongping , Zhang Yang , Zhou Lizhen
Published: February 2024

Intensive use of public transit plays an important role in commuting and daily travel in China and many other countries. With the widespread use of smartphones and other information and communication technologies, using mobile applications while on public transit has become increasingly popular, and more passengers rely on them during travel. To understand how the use of smartphone apps during transit travel and hedonic motivation can improve passengers’ willingness to use public transit, this study examines their combined effects. Smartphone apps used during transit travel can be classified into four categories: entertainment; information retrieval; e-ticketing; and mobile working. Drawing on complexity and configuration theories, we propose a theoretical model that is empirically tested using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis. Based on an empirical study of 567 Shanghai residents, we present eight different combinations of the use of smartphone apps during transit travel and hedonic motivation that explain a high degree of public transit loyalty. These can be categorized into three types: (a) mobile working oriented; (b) hedonic motivation oriented; and (c) digital management oriented. The findings suggest that satisfaction and happiness with public transit are sufficient but not necessary conditions for public transit loyalty. If passengers use smartphone apps or experience hedonic motivation during public transit travel, their satisfaction and happiness levels are likely to increase. Overall, this paper provides insights to guide policymakers and public transit operators in considering more external factors that might improve passengers’ travel satisfaction, happiness, and loyalty.
A Combined Treatment of BMP2 and Soluble VEGFR1 for the Enhancement of Tendon-Bone Healing by Regulating Injury-Activated Skeletal Stem Cell Lineage
Authors: Wang Linfeng , Wan Liyang , Zhang Tao , Guan Changbiao , Hu Jianzhong , Xu Daqi , Lu Hongbin
Published: February 2024

Background:

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is an appealing osteogenic and chondrogenic growth factor for promoting tendon-bone healing. Recently, it has been reported that soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 1 (sVEGFR1) (a VEGF receptor antagonist) could enhance BMP2-induced bone repair and cartilage regeneration; thus, their combined application may represent a promising treatment to improve tendon-bone healing. Moreover, BMP2 could stimulate skeletal stem cell (SSC) expansion and formation, which is responsible for wounded tendon-bone interface repair. However, whether the codelivery of BMP2 and sVEGFR1 increases tendon enthesis injury–activated SSCs better than does BMP2 alone needs further research.

Purpose:

To study the effect of BMP2 combined with sVEGFR1 on tendon-bone healing and injury-activated SSC lineage.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 128 C57BL/6 mice that underwent unilateral supraspinatus tendon detachment and repair were randomly assigned to 4 groups: (1) untreated control group; (2) hydrogel group, which received a local injection of the blank hydrogel at the injured site; (3) BMP2 group, which received an injection of hydrogel with BMP2; and (4) BMP2 with sVEGFR1 group, which received an injection of hydrogel with BMP2 and sVEGFR1. Histology, micro–computed tomography, and biomechanical tests were conducted to evaluate tendon-bone healing at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. In addition, flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportion of SSCs and their downstream differentiated subtypes, including bone, cartilage, and stromal progenitors; osteoprogenitors; and pro-chondrogenic progenitors within supraspinatus tendon enthesis at 1 week postoperatively.

Results:

The repaired interface in BMP2 with sVEGFR1 group showed a significantly improved collagen fiber continuity, increased fibrocartilage, greater newly formed bone, and elevated mechanical properties compared with the other 3 groups. There were more SSCs; bone, cartilage, and stromal progenitors; osteoprogenitors; and pro-chondrogenic progenitors in the BMP2 with sVEGFR1 group than that in the other groups.

Conclusion:

Our study suggests that the combined delivery of BMP2 and sVEGFR1 could promote tendon-bone healing and stimulate the expansion of SSCs and their downstream progeny within the injured tendon-bone interface.

Clinical Relevance:

Combining BMP2 with sVEGFR1 may be a good clinical treatment for wounded tendon enthesis healing.
Impact of Weight Concern on Post-Cessation Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, and Program Engagement
Authors: Toyon Anjola , Bursac Zoran , Werner Nicole , Krukowski Rebecca A.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Weight concern is a barrier to smoking cessation. We examined the impact of weight concern on post-cessation weight gain, abstinence and program engagement.

Design

Randomized-controlled trial.

Setting

Telephone-based and group-based intervention sessions.

Subjects

305 participants were randomized and analyzed.

Intervention

Participants were randomized to receive a self-guided intervention, a weight loss intervention, or a weight stability intervention prior to all receiving the same smoking cessation intervention.

Measures

Level of weight concern on three measures, point-prevalence abstinence, weight change, and session attendance at 12 months.

Analysis

Continuous and discrete outcomes were compared between weight-concerned and non-weight-concerned participants using two-sample t-tests and chi-square tests respectively.

Results

There were no significant differences in weight change (range: +1.77, −1.91 kg) when comparing weight-concerned and non-weight-concerned participants. Point-prevalence abstinence ranged from 36% to 64%, with no differences by condition based on level of weight concern. There were no significant differences in session attendance by weight concern (Weight sessions: 50–70%, Smoking cessation sessions: 41–56%, Booster sessions: 28–45%). Weight concern, on all measures, significantly decreased between screening and 2 months (after the weight management intervention), for most of the comparisons made overall and by condition.

Conclusion

It may not be necessary to screen for weight concerns in smoking cessation and/or post-cessation weight management programs, as the trial interventions were beneficial regardless of weight concern.
Design organization and clinical processes around patient characteristics: Evidence from a multiple case study of Hemophilia
Authors: Villa Stefano , De Cristofaro Raimondo , Di Minno Giovanni , Laratro Simone , Peyvandi Flora , Pippo Lara , Villa Sara , De Belvis Antonio G
Published: February 2024

Background: There is growing evidence of the relevance of designing organization of care around patient characteristics; this is especially true in the case of complex chronic diseases.

Purpose: The goal of the paper - that focuses on the analysis of the clinical condition hemophilia in three different centers – is to address two different research questions:1. How can we define, within the same clinical condition, different patient profiles homogeneous in terms of intensity of service required (e.g. number of visits or diagnostics)? 2. What are the conditions to re-organize care around these patient profiles in a multidisciplinary and coordinated manner?

Research design: The authors have used a multiple case study approach combining both qualitative and quantitative methodologies; in particularly the semi-structured interviews and the direct observation were aimed to map the process in order to come up with an estimate of the cost of the full cycle of care.

Study sample: The research methodology has been applied consistently in three different centers. The selection of the structures has been based on two main different criteria: (i) high standards regarding both organizational and clinical aspects and (ii) willingness from management, nurses and physicians to provide data.

Results: The study clearly shows that different patient profiles – within the same clinical condition – trigger a different set of diagnostic and therapeutic activities. It is, thus, important considering patient characteristics in the development and implementation of clinical pathways and this will imply relevant differences in terms of organizational and economic impact.

Conclusions: These process-based analyses are very much critical especially if we want to move to a bundled and integrated payment system but, as shown by this study itself, require a lot of time and efforts since our healthcare information systems are still fragmented and vertically designed.
Freudian naturalism and the assessment of psychoanalysis as a natural science: Psychic phenomenon as process
Authors: de Carvalho Vitor Orquiza , Coelho Nelson Ernesto
Published: February 2024

The long-enduring problem of assessing psychoanalysis as a science is still under debate and perhaps this is because the focus has been more on questions of demarcation than an evaluation of the qualities proper to this psychological approach. Here we outline this discussion and attempt to clarify Freud’s conceptions of natural science and naturalism. We show that Freud commits himself to a nonreductionist view of the mind that is consistent with his phenomenon-oriented attitude. Drawing on a difference between ontological and methodological naturalism, we argue that Freud understood psychic phenomena as a process, and this is key to comprehending the qualities and scope of his metapsychological theory.
Mixed-Keying or Desirability-Matching in the Construction of Forced-Choice Measures? An Empirical Investigation and Practical Recommendations
Authors: Li Mengtong , Zhang Bo , Li Lingyue , Sun Tianjun , Brown Anna
Published: February 2024

Forced-choice (FC) measures are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to single-statement (SS) measures. However, to ensure the practical usefulness of an FC measure, it is crucial to address the tension between psychometric properties and faking resistance by balancing mixed keying and social desirability matching. It is currently unknown from an empirical perspective whether the two design criteria can be reconciled, and how they impact respondent reactions. By conducting a two-wave experimental design, we constructed four FC measures with varying degrees of mixed-keying and social desirability matching from the same statement pool and investigated their differences in terms of psychometric properties, faking resistance, and respondent reactions. Results showed that all FC measures demonstrated comparable reliability and induced similar respondent reactions. Forced-choice measures with stricter social desirability matching were more faking resistant, while FC measures with more mixed keyed blocks had higher convergent validity with the SS measure and displayed similar discriminant and criterion-related validity profiles as the SS benchmark. More importantly, we found that it is possible to strike a balance between social desirability matching and mixed keying, such that FC measures can have adequate psychometric properties and faking resistance. A seven-step recommendation and a tutorial based on the autoFC R package were provided to help readers construct their own FC measures.
VISIBL-MS: A bilingual educational framework to increase awareness of early multiple sclerosis
Authors: Patel Shivam , Rafferty Seamus , Aquino Laura , Chadha Saloni , Ginocchio Richard , Cyr Brooke , Fedorko Joshua , Imitola Jaime
Published: February 2024

Background:

Despite advancements in treatments of multiple sclerosis (MS), there is a lack of awareness of early MS symptoms, especially in students and the public, contributing to delays in diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to identify gaps in tools to increase awareness and to provide a bilingual framework to facilitate recognition of early MS symptoms.

Methods:

We performed a literature review to determine the use of English and Spanish mnemonics in MS education for medical students and patients.

Results:

There is no educational tool to help remember the early signs of MS at present. Here we present a framework for early awareness encompassed in the bilingual mnemonics VISIBLY (English) and VISIBLE (Spanish). VISIBLY stands for (1) Vision changes: Painful vision loss, loss of color vision or double vision; (2) Belly or Back numbness and Balance issues; (3) Limb weakness or Numbness; (4), Young people. Spanish version is included in the manuscript.

Conclusion:

We posit that VISIBL-MS provides a framework for MS awareness that addresses the interconnection between language, culture, health literacy, and health outcomes and can be a useful educational tool to tackle the effects of health literacy on diverse communities.
A prospective longitudinal study of depression, perceived stress, and perceived control in resettled Syrian refugees’ mental health and psychosocial adaptation
Authors: Kuo Ben C. H. , Rappaport Lance M.
Published: February 2024

This prospective study examined the psychosocial adaptation of a community sample of newly resettled Syrian refugees in Canada ( N = 235). Specifically, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and perceived control were collected in Arabic at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Two theory-informed, cross-lagged panel models demonstrated that higher baseline depressive symptoms predicted lower perceived self-efficacy and lower perceived control at 1-year follow-up. Similarly, baseline depressive symptoms were concurrently correlated with higher perceived helplessness, lower perceived self-efficacy, and lower perceived control. Secondary regression analyses further demonstrated that baseline depressive symptoms predicted lower perceived social support and higher anxiety symptoms, though neither were assessed at baseline. Empirical results identify a potentially broad, precipitating, and persistent effect of depressive symptoms on Syrian refugees’ psychosocial resources and adaptation post-migration, which is consistent with both the transactional model of stress and coping and the self-efficacy theory of depression, respectively. Clinically, the study results highlight the importance of early screening for depressive symptoms among refugee newcomers within a culturally and trauma-informed, integrated health setting. Furthermore, this study underscores the value and need for theoretically guided longitudinal studies to advance future research on refugee mental health and psychosocial adaptation.
Metamaterials with step function Poisson's ratio at original state
Authors: Lim Teik-Cheng
Published: February 2024

Two mechanical metamaterials based on fragmentation-reconstitution (FR) deformation mechanism are designed herein not only to establish the condition of Poisson's ratio discontinuity but also to offer a simpler, and hence a technically more feasible, FR metamaterial. Each metamaterial consists of interconnected rigid rhombi with slits within every rhombus such that prescription of on-axis strain would fragment each rhombus unit into six sub-units, while a reversal of the strain would reconstitute every six sub-units into a single rhombus. By geometrical construction, the Poisson's ratio expressions of both metamaterials were developed for infinitesimal and finite deformations. Results show that each metamaterial has no unique Poisson's ratio at the original state, but instead has two distinct Poisson's ratio, with a consolidated value of −1 under compression but abruptly jumps to other values under tension. The observations made for these metamaterials suggest that each of them can behave as two different materials under tension and compression, thereby enabling them to function in ways that cannot be achieved by other materials and metamaterials.
A framework for capturing student learning in challenge-based learning
Authors: Helker Kerstin , Bruns Miguel , Reymen Isabelle MMJ , Vermunt Jan D
Published: February 2024

Responding to calls for more future-oriented teaching and learning, an increasing number of institutions of higher education have recently implemented challenge-based learning (CBL). Through work on open-ended and real-life challenges, CBL aims to stimulate students to take the lead in their own learning, acquire and apply knowledge relevant for responding to the challenge and developing disciplinary and transdisciplinary skills. Prior research on student learning has suggested multiple advantages of such active involvement of students in their learning, which calls for integrating these insights into emerging CBL research. This paper therefore presents a framework for capturing the conditions, process and outcomes of student learning in challenge-based learning, paying specific attention to the distinct levels (microlevel or course context, mesolevel or institutional context and macrolevel or university, societal, local, national or international context) and content (social, physical, and formal) of the context in which CBL takes place. Use of the proposed framework is investigated with data from interviews with eight teachers experimenting with CBL in their courses. The analyses show that the framework is useful for capturing all aspects teachers consider and mention as relevant in implementing CBL courses. The data furthermore suggest interactions between some parts of the framework that need to be examined in future research.
Fostering Psychological Literacy and Student Well-Being Through the First-Year Course Connecting and Working with Nature: A Case Study
Authors: Pearson Elissa , Richardson Amanda , Le Busque Brianna
Published: February 2024

Within psychology education, there is a growing focus on undergraduate students’ psychological literacy; enabling students earlier in their psychological training to directly apply their learning to their lives and in addressing contemporary societal challenges. This growing focus was a key driver for the creation of the course “Connecting and Working with Nature”. This course is a fully online, first-year psychology course that explores the human–nature relationship and sought to grow students’ knowledge and skills relating to nature connectedness and well-being while simultaneously supporting the development of their psychological literacy. To evaluate the course in relation to fostering students’ psychological literacy across personal, professional and community domains, we utilised a range of data sources including surveys, work samples, and focus groups. The findings generated through our mixed methods analyses support that our students did indeed foster their psychological literacy and draw connections between the content and their own lives, across all three domains. Courses that explore the human–nature relationship are well suited to the early development of psychological literacy. This course provided learning experiences that were tangible for all students, while also being a “safer” domain within which to ask students to begin applying their newfound psychological knowledge and skills.
Four Movements From Melbourne: Building Communities Through Collaborative Autoethnographies
Authors: Alexander Bryant Keith , Balla Paris , Doughty Myf , Shen Yanxi , Minutolo Saverio , Gibson Cassandra , Stewart Lauren , Grigor Mish , Park Miranda , Hope Cat , Wyatt Aaron , Ughetti Eugene , Taylor Karissa , Kennedy Iris , Svoboda Helen , Holman Jones Stacy
Published: February 2024

This collaborative autoethnography invited and engaged 16 participants in a workshop to both explore and embody autoethnography as communal activity. Working in four groups, each group determined a prompt for reflection and remembrance, writing individually and sharing communally their diverse but interlocking cultural memory and practice.
The Effect of Distraction Techniques on Pain, Fear, and Anxiety in Children Undergoing Circumcision: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Liu Hongquan , Tang Gonglin , Sun Fengze , Wu Gang , Wu Jitao
Published: February 2024

Circumcision is a common pediatric operation, and distraction technique can be used as an adjunct analgesic method during the perioperative period. The study aims to explore the effect of distraction techniques on reducing pain, fear, and anxiety in children undergoing circumcision. The PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Embase databases were searched for articles published from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2023. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Meta-analysis and forest plots were carried out using Review Manager 5.4.1 software, and outcomes were reviewed by two authors independently. We used the Risk of Bias assessment form (ROB2) developed by the Cochrane Collaboration to assess the quality of included studies. PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used in this article to achieve the quantitative and qualitative synthesis of data. A total of seven RCTs were included. The intervention group consisted of 417 patients, while the control group had 245 patients. The meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis results showed that the distraction technique could significantly relieve pain (MD −1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [−1.61 to −0.99], p < .00001), fear (SMD −1.04, 95%CI −1.68 to −0.4, p = .001), and anxiety (SMD −1.07, 95%CI [−1.64 to −0.51], p = .0002). Similarly, therapeutic play significant could significantly relieve fear (MD −0.4, 95%CI [−0.71 to −0.1], p = .01) and anxiety (SMD -1.31, 95%CI [−2.59 to −0.04], p = .04), virtual reality (VR) could significantly relieve anxiety (SMD −0.67, 95%CI [−0.98 to −0.37], p < .0001). Distraction techniques can alleviate perioperative pain, fear, and anxiety in children undergoing circumcision.
Belt and road initiative membership and voting patterns in the United Nations General Assembly
Authors: Steinert Christoph V , Weyrauch David
Published: February 2024

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is not only an unprecedented cross-continental infrastructure investment program, it is also a key pillar of China’s foreign policy. The Chinese government seeks to tie BRI member states closer to its political system and to enhance its soft power across the globe. Whether this has been successful has been analyzed for individual countries but, as of yet, there is a paucity of cross-national evidence on the geopolitical impact of the BRI. We collected a novel global dataset on bilateral cooperation agreements with China in the context of the BRI for all states across the globe. We rely on voting similarities in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to analyze whether the decision to join the BRI is linked to geopolitical alignment with China. We apply generalized synthetic control models and community detection algorithms to estimate the impact of BRI membership on voting similarity to China. Our findings show that the signature of BRI membership agreements had no discernible short-term impact on voting similarity to China in most regions of the world. The exception is Europe, where BRI membership induced a backlash against China. Our findings suggest that European states counter-balance to the US and signal their independence from China after signing a BRI agreement.
Synthetic data protection: Towards a paradigm change in data regulation?
Authors: Beduschi Ana
Published: February 2024

Synthetic data generated through machine learning algorithms from original real-world data is gaining prominence across sectors due to their potential to provide privacy-preserving alternatives to traditional data sources. However, recent studies have raised concerns about the re-identification risks of synthetic data. This article examines the legal challenges surrounding synthetic data protection, with a focus on the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). After briefly explaining the methods of synthetic data generation and discussing their potential for privacy preservation, the article analyses the shortcomings of the personal/non-personal dualist approach under the GDPR. It then assesses the possibility of a paradigm change in data protection legislation, moving beyond this binary categorisation. The article argues in favour of establishing clear guidelines for the generation and processing of synthetic data, prioritising the principles of transparency, accountability and fairness.
Characterization and thermo-mechanical analysis of centrifugally fabricated aluminium-boron carbide functionally graded composites
Authors: Ambigai R , Prabhu Sethuramalingam
Published: February 2024

This research focuses on developing lightweight functionally gradient composites (FGCs) having graded distribution B4C in aluminium matrix by employing centrifugal casting technique. Two different sizes of reinforcement, that is, 100 and 50 μm was chosen to analyse its effect on the thermo mechanical properties and its distribution were analysed in this study. Advanced characterization revealed smooth graded distribution of the reinforcement across the thickness of the fabricated FGCs. The density and micro Vickers hardness test showed that they are 1.5% higher at outer periphery ensuring the graded distribution of B4C. The tensile strength was 31% higher for 50 μm sized reinforcement in the FGC, due to the increased surface area-to-volume ratio of the reinforcement. The thermal properties like thermal conductivity was 46.4% higher, thermal diffusivity was 27.8% higher for 100 μm sized reinforcement than for 50 μm sized reinforcement in the FGC. The above research work provides a new perspective on deploying aluminium based B4C graded composites for heat exchangers or fins subjected to varying thermal loads.
Impact of Sesamoid Coverage on Clinical Foot Function Following Fourth-Generation Percutaneous Hallux Valgus Surgery
Authors: Lewis Thomas Lorchan , Ferreira Gabriel Ferraz , Nunes Gustavo Araujo , Lam Peter , Ray Robbie
Published: February 2024

Background:

The impact of pronation and sesamoid coverage on clinical outcomes following percutaneous hallux valgus surgery are not currently known. The aim of this study was to investigate if sesamoid coverage was associated with worse clinical outcomes at 12-month follow-up following percutaneous hallux valgus surgery.

Methods:

Retrospective comparative observational study of clinical and radiographic outcomes based on a previously published prospective dataset. Patients were stratified into 3 cohorts based on the degree of sesamoid coverage (normal, mild, or moderate) on 12-month weightbearing radiographs following fourth-generation percutaneous hallux valgus surgery. Primary outcome was a validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ). Secondary outcomes included Euroqol-5D, VAS Pain, and radiographic deformity correction.

Results:

Forty-seven feet underwent primary fourth-generation HV surgery and were stratified into 3 cohorts. There were 19, 16, and 12 feet in the normal, mild, and moderate cohorts respectively. There was no significant difference in either pre- or postoperative foot function (all MOXFQ domains, P > .05) or health-related quality of life (EQ-5D Index or VAS, P > .05). The MOXFQ Index preoperatively was as follows: normal cohort, 56.1 ± 26.9; mild cohort, 54.1 ± 17.9; and severe cohort, 49.6 ± 23.8; and postoperatively was as follows: normal cohort, 15.6 ± 21.5; mild cohort, 11.4 ± 15.5; and severe cohort, 11.4 ± 13.6 ( P = .737-.908). There was significantly worse hallux valgus angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA) between the cohorts ( P < .01). Although HVA and IMA were corrected to normal parameters following surgery in all cohorts, there was a significantly worse postoperative HVA in the moderate sesamoid coverage (5.3 ± 3.9 vs 7.9 ± 5.3 vs 11.4 ± 3.7, P < .01); however, IMA was not significantly different (3.4 ± 2.2 vs 4.1 ± 2.7 vs 5.2 ± 2.9, P = .168).

Conclusion:

This study found that cases where the sesamoids were not reduced had a poorer correction and had worse preoperative deformity. Clinical outcomes and foot function following fourth-generation percutaneous hallux valgus surgery were not affected by sesamoid coverage at the 12-month follow-up. The long-term implications in the difference in radiographic deformity between the 3 cohorts are not known, and further work should explore the relationship of first ray pronation and sesamoid position, particularly with regard to recurrence.

Level of evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study of prospectively collected data.