bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Relationship between Basic Psychological Needs and Motivation in Online Citizen Science
Authors: Dowthwaite Liz , Spence Alexa , Lintott Chris , Miller Grant , Sprinks James , Blickhan Sam , Houghton Robert
Published: December 2024

Understanding engagement with and motivations to contribute to online citizen science projects can improve user experience and aid in attracting and retaining users. This article proposes that the fundamental grounding of self-determination theory, being the satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs, is a fruitful lens through which to understand experiences and motivation to take part in online citizen science. Using an online survey, this article explores how volunteers in online citizen science experience satisfaction and dissatisfaction of needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and how this relates to both their behaviour and motivations to take part. Results suggest that participation in online citizen science on the Zooniverse relates primarily to the satisfaction than dissatisfaction of needs, suggesting that taking part is psychologically beneficial to volunteers. Autonomy is the most supported need and relatedness the least. While results are positive, we observe that measures of need satisfaction must be contextually relevant, especially given the complex nature of autonomy in online citizen science, to aid in further understanding of these relationships. Potential factors related to participation in the Zooniverse that could be enhanced to increase volunteer satisfaction and retention are discussed.
Candida auris: Epidemiology and Antifungal Strategy
Authors: Eix Emily F. , Nett Jeniel E.
Published: December 2024

Candida auris is a recently emerged fungal pathogen that causes severe infections in healthcare settings around the globe. A feature that distinguishes C. auris from other fungal pathogens is its high capacity to colonize skin, leading to widespread outbreaks in healthcare facilities via patient-to-patient transmission. C. auris can persist on skin or in the surrounding environment for extended periods of time, and it exhibits greater antifungal resistance than other Candida species. These factors pose major obstacles for the prevention and treatment of C. auris infection. Recent reports have identified frequently colonized skin sites, risk factors for developing invasive infection, and patterns of antifungal resistance among C. auris strains, all of which help guide therapeutic options. In this review, we highlight key studies of C. auris epidemiology and antifungal resistance, discussing how these factors influence healthcare-associated transmission and treatment outcomes.
Bridging Innovation and Equity: Advancing Public Health Through Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions
Authors: Zainal Nur Hani , Liu Xueqing , Leong Utek , Yan Xiaoxi , Chakraborty Bibhas
Published: December 2024

This review explores the transformative potential of just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) as a scalable solution for addressing health disparities in underserved populations. JITAIs, delivered via mobile health technologies, could provide context-aware personalized interventions based on real-time data to address public health challenges such as addiction, chronic disease, and mental health management. JITAIs can dynamically adjust intervention strategies, enhancing accessibility and engagement for marginalized communities. We highlight the utility of JITAIs in reducing opportunity costs associated with traditional in-person health interventions. Examples from various health domains demonstrate the adaptability of JITAIs in tailoring interventions to meet diverse needs. The review also emphasizes the need for community involvement, robust evaluation frameworks, and ethical considerations in implementing JITAIs, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Sustainable funding models and technological innovations are necessary to ensure equitable access and effectively scale these interventions. By bridging the gap between research and practice, JITAIs could improve health outcomes and reduce disparities in vulnerable populations.
Variant of Uncertain Significance Patterns among Patients with Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Francis Rachel A. , Tavtigian Sean , Horton Carolyn , Holowatyj Andreana N.
Published: December 2024

The increasing burden of colorectal cancer among adults younger than age 50 years (early-onset colorectal cancer) and new National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommending universal genetic testing in early-onset colorectal cancer emphasize the need for accurate and timely variant classification in clinical care. In this study, we investigated germline variant of uncertain significance (VUS) patterns among diverse individuals with early-onset colorectal cancer. A total of 3,980 individuals ages 15 to 49 years when diagnosed with a first primary colorectal cancer, including 1,001 cases identifying as non-White, who underwent genetic testing for 14 colorectal cancer susceptibility genes performed by a clinical testing laboratory were included. A five-tier classification system was applied to all alterations to classify VUSs and was updated in March 2024. Disparities in variant reclassification rates emerged by self-identified race/ethnicity (P < 0.0001). A total of 4.8% of Ashkenazi Jewish, 18.2% of Asian, 12.2% of Black, 7.6% of Hispanic, and 6.7% of White individuals had at least one reclassified VUS. After reclassification, 356 individuals (8.9%) presented with 1+ VUSs. VUSs significantly varied by self-identified race/ethnicity (P = 0.008). Young individuals identifying as Black and Hispanic had significantly higher odds of presenting with a VUS compared with those identifying as White in multivariable logistic regression models. Individuals who identified as Black and Asian were significantly more likely to present with a VUS in PMS2 (OR = 3.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.73–7.48; P = 0.0006) and MSH2 (OR = 3.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.17–8.45; P = 0.02), respectively, compared with those identifying as White. These findings define unique VUS patterns in early-onset colorectal cancer by race and ethnicity, pointing to distinct germline variant spectra and to the potential for the discovery of novel ancestry-specific variants associated with early-onset colorectal cancer that will guide efforts to reduce clinical uncertainty and improve equitable care.

Significance:

Among individuals with early-onset colorectal cancer, germline VUS reclassification as well as rates of VUSs in cancer susceptibility genes differed by self-identified race/ethnicity. These findings point to the importance of VUS reclassification as this may alter clinical management and to distinct germline variant spectra among diverse patients with early-onset colorectal cancer.
Retinoblastoma and Persistent Fetal Vasculature in the Same Eye: Case Report
Authors: Baccega Felipe , Goldfarb Cyrino Laura , Picciarelli Patricia , Vigga Alves e Silva Paulo , Bonanomi Maria Teresa Brizzi Chizzotti
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Retinoblastoma is the most prevalent intraocular tumor in children, commonly manifesting as leukocoria. Persistent fetal vasculature (PFV) is another cause of leukocoria, resulting from the incomplete regression of fetal eye blood vessels. The simultaneous occurrence of retinoblastoma and PFV in the same eye is extremely uncommon and presents significant diagnostic difficulties. Case Presentation: We present a case involving a 2-year-old girl with leukocoria and esotropia in her left eye. Clinical assessments, including biomicroscopy, ocular ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging, identified a retrolental mass with calcifications and a hyperechoic tubular structure, indicating the presence of both retinoblastoma and PFV. Enucleation followed by histopathological analysis confirmed these diagnoses. The histopathology revealed retinoblastoma with Homer-Wright and Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes and signs of PFV, with persistent large vessels in the retrolental region. Conclusion: The coexistence of retinoblastoma and PFV in a single eye is rare and complicates the diagnosis of leukocoria. Comprehensive multimodal imaging is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective management, tailored to the distinct needs of each condition. This case highlights the importance of detailed evaluation in pediatric patients with leukocoria to ensure correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines 2024: Diabetes Technologies – Insulin Delivery
Authors: Biester Torben , Berget Cari , Boughton Charlotte , Cudizio Laura , Ekhlaspour Laya , Hilliard Marisa E. , Reddy Leenatha , Sap Ngo Um Suzanne , Schoelwer Melissa , Sherr Jennifer L. , Dovc Klemen
Published: December 2024

The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) guidelines represent a rich repository that serves as the only comprehensive set of clinical recommendations for children, adolescents, and young adults living with diabetes worldwide. This chapter builds on the 2022 ISPAD guidelines, and summarizes recent advances in the technology behind insulin administration, with special emphasis on insulin pump therapy, especially on glucose-responsive integrated technology that is feasible with the use of automated insulin delivery (AID) systems in children and adolescents.
Elevated Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA Levels Are Associated With Reduced Myocardial Blood Flow but Not Angiographic Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy: The EVIDENT Study
Authors: Moeller Cathrine M. , Oren Daniel , Fernandez Valledor Andrea , Rubinstein Gal , DeFilippis Ersilia M. , Rahman Salwa , Mehlman Yonatan , Donald Elena M. , Lotan Dor , Lin Edward , Oh Kyung T. , Lee Sun H. , Raikhelkar Jayant K. , Fried Justin A. , Majure David , Latif Farhana , Sayer Gabriel T. , Uriel Nir , Clerkin Kevin J.
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) leads to impaired myocardial blood flow (MBF), increasing the risk of cardiovascular death or retransplant among heart transplantation (HT) recipients. Data on elevation in donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) and CAV in the absence of rejection are mixed. We sought to test the hypothesis that CAV with reduced MBF (RMBF) is associated with elevated dd-cfDNA.

METHODS:

A retrospective review was conducted on HT recipients at a high-volume center who underwent dd-cfDNA testing between September 2019 and November 2022. Inclusion criteria included undergoing CAV screening with cardiac positron emission tomography scans and coronary angiograms. Patients were grouped by the presence of angiographic CAV diagnosis and MBF reserve evaluated through cardiac positron emission tomography. The latter was subdivided into normal MBF or RMBF, with RMBF defined as an MBF reserve ≤2. Elevated dd-cfDNA was defined as ≥0.12%.

RESULTS:

Two hundred fifty-six HT recipients were included (median age, 55 years; 27.6% female; median, 8 years [interquartile range (IQR), 5–14] post-HT). Ischemic etiology of heart failure was more prevalent in the RMBF group (36%) compared with the normal MBF group (20%;
P
=0.02). The prevalence and magnitude of a positive dd-cfDNA test with angiographic CAV (29%; median, 0.26% [IQR, 0.15%–0.62%]) were not significantly different from those without CAV (30%;
P
=0.94; median, 0.31% [IQR, 0.17%–0.71%];
P
=0.38). However, RMBF patients exhibited significantly higher dd-cfDNA prevalence and levels (51%; median, 0.81% [IQR, 0.48%–1.11%]) compared with normal MBF patients (27%;
P
<0.001; median, 0.25% [IQR, 0.15%–0.52%];
P
<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

HT recipients with angiographic CAV had similar dd-cfDNA levels and rates as those without. Notably, dd-cfDNA levels and rates were significantly elevated in patients with RMBF assessed by positron emission tomography compared with those with normal MBF.
Electrophysiology Reveals That Intuitive Physics Guides Visual Tracking and Working Memory
Authors: Balaban Halely , Smith Kevin A. , Tenenbaum Joshua B. , Ullman Tomer D.
Published: December 2024

Starting in early infancy, our perception and predictions are rooted in strong expectations about the behavior of everyday objects. These intuitive physics expectations have been demonstrated in numerous behavioral experiments, showing that even pre-verbal infants are surprised when something impossible happens (e.g., when objects magically appear or disappear). However, it remains unclear whether and how physical expectations shape different aspects of moment-by-moment online visual scene processing, unrelated to explicit physical reasoning. In two EEG experiments, people watched short videos like those used in behavioral studies with adults and infants, and more recently in AI benchmarks. Objects moved on a stage, and were briefly hidden behind an occluder, with the scene either unfolding as expected, or violating object permanence (adding or removing an object). We measured the contralateral delay activity, an electrophysiological marker of online processing, to examine participants’ working memory (WM) representations, as well as their ability to continuously track the objects in the scene. We found that both types of object permanence violations disrupted tracking, even though violations involved perceptually non-salient events (magical vanishing) or new objects that weren’t previously tracked (magical creation). Physical violations caused WM to reset, i.e., to discard the original scene representation before it could recover and represent the updated number of items. Providing a physical explanation for the violations (a hole behind the occluder) restored object tracking, and we found evidence that WM continued to represent items that disappeared ‘down the hole’. Our results show how intuitive physical expectations shape online representations, and form the basis of dynamic object tracking.
“Voir cette merveille et la faire voir”
Authors: Ruellet Aurélien
Published: December 2024

This article examines the early circulations of the Drebbelian microscope between France and Italy in 1622–1624 and maps the material and personal links that connected these territories. It addresses the question of the value of those new microscopes for the learned community and the way they could serve as gifts as well as means of introduction or of gaining reputation. The microscope was seen as a curiosity likely to bestow credit on the person who “makes one see,” which explained the attempts to control information about it, until its value declined because of the difficulties to operate the device properly or the absence of persuasive scientific or philosophic uses.
A Celestial Prodigy
Authors: Dall’Aglio Stefano
Published: December 2024

On 16 June 1666 a rare celestial event occurred: a horizontal eclipse, also known as a selenelion, in which the Sun and Moon are aligned at 180 degrees on opposite sides of the Earth and are both briefly visible at the same time. The eyes of all Europe’s astronomers were gazing skywards on that day but adverse weather conditions prevented nearly everybody from observing the phenomenon. The only one who succeeded was the young mathematician Donato Rossetti, sent by Leopoldo de’ Medici to the isle of Gorgona in the Tuscan archipelago. Drawing on a new source, this article retraces the history of that observation and highlights the pivotal role Leopoldo played, initially as promoter of observations in different places and later as reference point of the subsequent debate.
Descriptions of a new species of Callogobius with a congeneric new record and comments on previous records of the genus from Taiwan
Authors: LI HSIEN-EN , CHEN I-SHIUNG
Published: December 2024

A new species of Callogobius from Taiwan, Callogobius aquilus sp. nov., is formally described herein. The new species can be characterized by the following unique combination of characters: D VI-I, 9; A I, 7; P1 16; P2; I, 5; LR 27–28 (modally 27); TR 9–10 (modally 9); D-P 5; Pred 11–12 (modally 12); V 10+16=26 and its own specific head lateral-line system and coloration pattern.
Among the congeners, Callogobius aquilus sp. nov. can be clearly separated from its closely related species­—C. sheni—by very conspicuous differences in both cephalic sensory canal pore patterns and blotch patterns. A brief comparison of the new species with other congeners will also be provided. Descriptions of the new species are then followed by the new record of Callogobius clitellus, which is only known from southern Taiwanese waters. The valid taxonomic records of nominal Callogobius species from Taiwan are discussed.
On a Modified Definition of a Derecho. Part I: Construction of the Definition and Quantitative Criteria for Identifying Future Derechos over the Contiguous United States
Authors: Squitieri Brian Joseph , Wade Andrew R. , Jirak Israel L.
Published: December 2024

The definition of a derecho has been modified to require hurricane-force (33+ m s−1) gusts, a staple for destructive wind events in earlier derecho studies. The new proposed definition states that the derecho is a widespread severe windstorm characterized by a family of destructive downbursts containing hurricane-force gusts and is associated with an extratropical, cold-pool-driven mesoscale convective system. Derecho identification is performed with the use of an algorithm, rendering this study among the first to identify derechos objectively. Through sensitivity tests and qualitative analyses, we propose that the term derecho be used for thunderstorm wind swaths that have pathlengths of at least 400 km, with no more than 1-h or 200-km (temporal or spatial, respectively) gaps allowed between wind reports, with at least five reports of 33+ m s−1 wind gusts, separated by 80 km, required for derecho identification. To account for possible overestimation of wind speeds, at least three 33+ m s−1 thunderstorm wind gust reports, separated by 80 km, need to be measured.
The Influence of Tropical Cyclones on Mixed-Population Flood Frequency Analysis
Authors: Wang Liangyi , Gu Xihui , Slater Louise J. , Li Jianfeng , Lai Yangchen , Zhang Xiang , Dai Juan , Chen Ying
Published: December 2024

Floods induced by tropical cyclones (TCs) and their frequency analysis have received much attention at the regional scale, but little is known about the role of TCs in the mixed flood frequency analysis at the global scale, which is the key for hazard management. Here, we investigated the influence of TCs on the upper tail of flood frequency estimates using discharge observations at 3883 stations influenced by TCs alongside global discharge simulations from the second phase of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP2a). Our results show that TC-induced floods in inland areas are not always found along the TC path but can be located about 1000 km ahead, which is linked to TC-induced predecessor rain events. Extreme floods associated with TCs are generally larger in coastal areas compared to those in inland areas, whereas TC-induced floods in some inland areas tend to be more extreme relative to their local flood magnitude. The flood peaks generated by TCs and other mechanisms compose a mixed population flood series. However, the largest flood peaks in coastal areas are usually affected by TCs. These large TC-induced flood peaks play an important role in making the upper tail of the flood frequency curve heavier. In regions affected by TCs, the flood magnitude with an n-yr return period is greater when estimated from TC-induced floods only. Therefore, regions (especially inland regions) should thoroughly consider the extremity of TC-induced flooding when improving hydraulic infrastructures to ensure a more conservative design, thereby enhancing the safety of these hydraulic projects.

Significance Statement

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are responsible for extreme floods in coastal and inland areas influenced by TCs, which may play an important role in the flood frequency analysis and flood risk management. In this study, we investigated how TCs affect the upper tail of flood frequency estimates at the global scale. We find that extreme floods associated with TCs are generally higher in coastal areas, whereas TC-induced floods in some inland areas tend to be more extreme relative to their regional flood magnitude. These anomalously large TC-induced flood peaks control the upper tail of the flood frequency curve in coastal and inland areas and make the upper tail heavier. Globally, the flood magnitude once in n years is generally greater, estimated from only TC-induced flood peaks than that estimated from all flood peaks. Therefore, regions (especially inland regions) should thoroughly consider the extremity of TC-induced flooding when improving hydraulic infrastructures to ensure a more conservative design, thereby enhancing the safety of these hydraulic projects.
Navigating in the global discourse: The case of Swedish COVID-19 strategy
Authors: Rautalin Marjaana , Alasuutari Pertti
Published: December 2024

This article examines Sweden's COVID-19 strategy from the perspective of the global epistemic field. We propose that the policy choices of national governments are conditioned by the global epistemic field that constitutes the problem, the range of potential techniques to handle it, and relevant viewpoints used in assessing their advantages and risks. New, innovative techniques can emerge, and choices can vary, but they are debated and justified in terms of the evolving global set of discourses premised on the fundaments of the epistemic field. In this article, we examine to what extent deviant policies are part of the global set of discourses that evolved at the outset of the pandemic. To address this question, we take Sweden's COVID-19 strategy as an example and study how it was constructed and justified in the national public in 2020. The results of our empirical analysis show that the argument of epistemic field also applies to deviant policies. Even though Sweden's corona strategy deviated much from other countries, including its neighboring countries, the grounds of justification used in debating the strategy were consistent with the global epistemic field.
Theoretical Calculation and Simulation of Peak Distortion of Absorption Spectra of Complex Mixtures
Authors: Cheng Rui , Mayerhöfer Thomas G. , Kiefer Johannes
Published: December 2024

Attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy in infrared is a standard tool used in most analytical labs, as it allows a rapid chemical analysis with virtually no sample preparation. However, when the sample contains materials with a high refractive index, special care must be taken as the resulting data may be severely biased. This article reports a theoretical approach to correcting distorted ATR spectra. Starting from Snell's law, Lorenz model and Fresnel's equations are combined to obtain the complex relationship between optical constants. With calculating the real and imaginary parts, that is, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, of the complex refractive index from the absorption spectrum, a model for mixtures comprising of a liquid and a solid is established. The effects of distortion and potential misinterpretation of the data are discussed. Proof-of-concept experiments with mixtures of carbonaceous materials and toluene confirm the theoretically predicted observations.
‘Learning can be anywhere’ – On the ground views of what impacts student engagement and attendance in remote Australian schools
Authors: Holmes Catherine , Guenther John , Oliver Rhonda , Ober Robyn
Published: December 2024

Despite contrary evidence, attendance remains a measurement of success in remote First Nations education. This motivation, in part, derives from the Australian Government’s ‘Closing the Gap’ policies, which in the past included attendance targets for First Nations students. These assumed that increased school attendance led to improved school outcomes. Our article provides an account of what students, school staff and community members living, working and studying in remote and very remote communities say leads to increased school engagement and attendance. We argue concerns about school attendance are more often about poor engagement in learning at school than they are about the proportion of children and young people attending school on any day. The factors that either encourage or negatively impact attendance/engagement are discussed, including school environment, leadership, governance, teachers and teaching, student and external factors, systemic and policy issues. The findings have implications for schools, systems, policies, and funding priorities.
Perceptions of Social Mobility, Gender, and Progressive Politics
Authors: van Staalduinen Briitta , Zollinger Delia
Published: December 2024

Extensive research explores the relationship between deepening conflict over socio-cultural issues and stagnating social mobility, typically focusing on men. Upwardly mobile women are routinely mentioned as belonging to the progressive “winners” of the knowledge-based society, yet their experiences and politics have received far less attention. This paper theorizes and investigates how women view their individual and collective trajectories and how these views relate to perceptions of future opportunities and political attitudes. Using survey data from four West European countries, we find that, while experiencing upward intergenerational mobility at the individual level is associated with positive opportunity perceptions, this relationship is not more pronounced among women than men nor linked to especially progressive attitudes. Rather, it is women sharing a sense of upward collective momentum who demand further action to achieve gender equality. This contrasts with men—including those perceiving themselves as upwardly mobile—who also acknowledge women’s collective gains: they more readily accept the still male-dominated status quo.
A Tale of Two Groups: Criminal Activity Among Cannabis Dispensary Purchasers and Non-Dispensary Purchasers
Authors: Cronin Nathan , Leal Wanda E.
Published: December 2024

Most states now allow legal medical or recreational cannabis sales. Researchers believed this shift would reduce the cannabis black-market. However, studies suggest that black-markets have not reduced as expected. One unexplored possibility could be that cannabis dispensary purchasers possess differing characteristics from black-market purchasers, such as criminal involvement. This study uses data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to investigate whether individuals who purchase cannabis from dispensaries are less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system and self-reported offending. Results suggest that cannabis dispensary purchase is negatively associated with self-reported offending, but positively associated with past year parole. The findings highlight the possibility that these may represent two distinct groups of cannabis users.
Exploring Eye Movement Features of Motion Sickness Using Closed-Track Driving Experiments
Authors: Cao Yanlu , Jiang Maosong , Yao Zhuxi , Xia Shufeng , Liu Wenlong
Published: December 2024

Objective

To explore and validate effective eye movement features related to motion sickness (MS) through closed-track experiments and to provide valuable insights for practical applications.

Background

With the development of autonomous vehicles (AVs), MS has attracted more and more attention. Eye movements have great potential to evaluate the severity of MS as an objective quantitative indicator of vestibular function. Eye movement signals can be easily and noninvasively collected using a camera, which will not cause discomfort or disturbance to passengers, thus making it highly applicable.

Method

Eye movement data were collected from 72 participants susceptible to MS in closed-track driving environments. We extracted features including blink rate (BR), total number of fixations (TNF), total duration of fixations (TDF), mean duration of fixations (MDF), saccade amplitude (SA), saccade duration (SD), and number of nystagmus (NN). The statistical method and multivariate long short-term memory fully convolutional network (MLSTM-FCN) were used to validate the effectiveness of eye movement features.

Results

Significant differences were shown in the extracted eye movement features across different levels of MS through statistical analysis. The MLSTM-FCN model achieved an accuracy of 91.37% for MS detection and 88.51% for prediction in binary classification. For ternary classification, it achieved an accuracy of 80.54% for MS detection and 80.11% for prediction.

Conclusion

Evaluating MS through eye movements is effective. The MLSTM-FCN model based on eye movements can efficiently detect and predict MS.

Application

This work can be used to provide a possible indication and early warning for MS.
Skills and Competencies Incompatible With Crime: A Theory of Criminal Lifestyle Change
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: December 2024

This article presents a theory-based model of criminal desistance organized around the four behavioral styles of a criminal lifestyle. These four behavioral styles (irresponsibility, self-indulgence, interpersonal intrusiveness, and social rule breaking) were enlisted for the purpose of identifying four skill sets (accountability, introspection, empathy, and assimilation) with the power to serve as obstacles, deterrents, or barriers to continued criminal activity. Definitions, assessment procedures, intervention strategies, and changes in a person's involvements, commitments, and identifications are outlined for each skill set or competency, all in an effort to demonstrate the purpose, scope, and long-term value of each component of the model.
The Making of an Open Defecation-Free Village: Social Reality of the Swachh Bharat Mission in Tribal Rajasthan
Authors: Yadav Krishna Kant , Mahajan Chakraverti
Published: December 2024

Launched in 2014, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is a flagship programme of the Indian government. In 2018–2019, the official SBM figures claimed that 99.08 per cent of Indian households used toilets, making this the most successful programme in India’s developmental history. This article narrates how the SBM achieved statistical success but failed in promoting toilet use. It is based on fieldwork conducted in Kanpur Gram Panchayat situated in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The field data show that the officials pressured the panchayat functionaries to construct toilets hastily and declared villages as open defecation free (ODF) to achieve statistical goals. This race to get an ODF village status did not do much good at the grassroots level because the constructed toilets remained incomplete or dysfunctional due to scarcity and non-availability of water. In reality, it was found that the toilets were being used to store firewood, dung cakes, and agricultural implements. In the fast urbanising and industrialising landscape of southern Rajasthan, the success of sustainable sanitation infrastructure largely depends on empowering scheduled tribes and flattening structural inequalities.
Looking Beyond Vector Control to Address Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Critical Approaches to Public Health in Honduras
Authors: Hasemann-Lara José Enrique
Published: December 2024

Global systems of capitalist production shape local experiences with health and disease, as well as approaches to infectious disease control. Through participants’ descriptions of health-disease experiences, I explore an alternate route for the prevention and control of mosquito-borne diseases in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, beyond a strict focus on vector control. I identify three local enunciations of health-disease processes through the experiences of five different stakeholders. These local enunciations demonstrate a nuanced understanding of health-disease processes and are indicative of unfulfilled local needs and aspirations. Importantly, these local enunciations point to different experiences of dispossession (e.g., material, political, subjective) under neoliberal regimes.
Economic sustainability enhancement by the integration of renewable energy in a deregulated system: A study
Authors: Chowdary V. Ravindranadh , Gope Sadhan , Dawn Subhojit , Islam Md. Minarul , Ustun Taha Selim
Published: December 2024

The global energy system is continuously changing, driven by increasing power demands and the urgent need to address environmental challenges. This highlights the necessity of integrating renewable energy sources with existing thermal power plants into deregulated power systems. This paper explores how the incorporation of renewable energy can enhance economic sustainability, focusing on the vital roles of smart grids (SGs) and microgrids. By leveraging these advanced grid technologies, more effective integration of renewable energy can be achieved, leading to reduced transmission losses, improved grid stability, and better peak demand management. The paper also emphasizes the current need for energy storage solutions to manage the variability of renewable energy, ensuring a reliable power supply. Furthermore, it discusses the economic benefits of deregulated power markets, where competition drives down energy costs and encourages innovation in grid technologies. The importance of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with renewable energy integration, along with practical recommendations for adopting SG and microgrid technologies to enhance both economic performance and environmental sustainability. Combined, the findings stress the urgent need for policy frameworks and advanced grid management strategies to support the transition to a more resilient and sustainable energy system in today's power market.
Subcutaneous Emphysema as a Complication of Tonsillectomy: Comprehensive Literature Review
Authors: Alkheder Ahmad , Alia Nasser , Abbas Muhammad , Shubat Abdulrahman , Aljammal Ghina
Published: December 2024

Subcutaneous emphysema is a rare but potentially-serious complication of tonsillectomy. This case report presents a 14-year-old male who developed subcutaneous emphysema following tonsillectomy. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify and analyze cases of emphysema following tonsillectomy. The review revealed a diverse range of clinical presentations, from mild neck swelling to severe respiratory distress. Most cases resolved spontaneously with conservative management, but a small subset required surgical intervention. Early recognition, prompt evaluation, and appropriate management are essential to prevent complications and ensure favorable outcomes. This case highlights the importance of considering subcutaneous emphysema as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with neck swelling or respiratory symptoms following tonsillectomy.
Rhinolith Within a Giant Concha Bullosa: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Ashreefa Reem , Salam Rahaf , Alkheder Ahmad , Kalaf Ibrahim
Published: December 2024

Concha bullosa is a common anatomical variation involving pneumatization of the middle turbinate. Although usually asymptomatic, a large concha bullosa can obstruct nasal airflow and cause related symptoms. Rhinoliths, calcified formations typically found in the inferior meatus, rarely appear within concha bullosa. This report presents a rare case of a rhinolith within a giant concha bullosa in a 15-year-old male experiencing progressive, unilateral nasal obstruction. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a densely-calcified mass inside of an extensive concha bullosa, accompanied by nasal septal deviation and maxillary sinus opacity. The patient underwent successful endoscopic sinus surgery with excision of the concha bullosa’s lateral and medial laminae, facilitating complete rhinolith removal and correction of septal deviation. Postoperative follow-up over 6 months showed complete symptom resolution with no recurrence. This case underscores the importance of CT imaging in evaluating unusual nasal obstructions and highlights endoscopic sinus surgery as an effective approach for extensive concha bullosa. The findings emphasize careful consideration of anatomical variations in clinical practice and contribute to the limited literature on rhinolith formation within concha bullosa. Further studies are warranted to understand the pathogenesis of rhinoliths in nasal anatomical variations.
Analysis of Prognostic Factors in Patients with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Deng Gang , Jiang Xiangling , Wang Maohua
Published: December 2024

Background: To explore the relevant risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), constructing prognostic prediction model, formulating effective treatment strategies, and providing reliable theoretical basis for clinical prevention of and treatment for poor prognosis in SSNHL. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 123 patients with SSNHL who received treatment at Zhongxian People’s Hospital of Chongqing from March 2022 to March 2024. According to the prognosis, they were divided into an effective group (68 cases with an average hearing threshold increase of ≥15 dB, as good prognosis) and an ineffective group (55 cases with an average hearing threshold increase of <15 dB, as poor prognosis). The clinical data from the two patient groups were subjected to both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, allowing for the identification of factors associated with the prognosis of patients with SSHNL. The prediction accuracy of the model was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: The results of univariate analysis showed that patients with disease onset time ≥7 days ( X2 = 35.54, P < .01), past hearing loss ( X2 = 5.05, P = .03), combined vertigo ( X2 = 9.45, P < .01), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ( t = 0.46, P = .04) were associated with poor prognosis of SSNHL. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that disease onset time ≥7 days [odds ratio (OR) = 0.09, P < .01], combined vertigo (OR = 0.24, P < .01), and NLR (OR = 0.92, P = .036) were independent risk factors for the poor prognosis of SSNHL. These factors could also be used as reliable indicators to predict the poor prognosis of SSNHL [area under the ROC curves = 0.766, 0.612, 0.553 respectively]. Conclusion: Disease onset time ≥7 days, combined vertigo, and NLR are independent risk factors and reliable indicators to predict the poor prognosis of SSNHL. Treatment strategies should be developed for high-risk patients of the above types to reduce the occurrence of poor prognosis.
Synchronous Parathyroid Carcinoma and Breast Carcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Zhang Li , Xie Lin-Jun , Xu Ren-Yuan , Che Hong-Ying
Published: December 2024

The occurrence of parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is rare, which can lead to difficulties in diagnosis and complicate treatment. However, synchronous PC and breast carcinoma (BC) are rarer, which makes diagnosis and development of a treatment plan more difficult and requires the assistance of clinical evidence, imaging data, and histological examination results. This case report presents a patient with a final diagnosis of synchronous PC and BC.
Measuring Depressive Symptoms in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): A Scoping Review
Authors: Angel Lisa , Ailey Sarah H. , Delaney Kathleen R. , Mohr Lynn
Published: December 2024

Background:

Research indicates a high prevalence of depressive disorders in individuals with autism spectrums disorders (ASD), highlighting a need for depression screening in this population. Both depression screening tools used in the general population and tools developed specifically for individuals with ASD are used in the ASD population. Because depressive symptoms may manifest differently in individuals with ASD, it is important to establish the psychometric properties of depression instruments in individuals with ASD to determine whether and how these instruments can be applied in assessing these individuals.

Objective:

Our objective was to synthesize knowledge regarding the psychometric properties of (a) depression instruments developed for the general populations and (b) depression instruments developed specifically for individuals with ASD.

Methods:

A scoping review was conducted using Covidence to identify, screen, and review available literature on the use and psychometric properties of generalized and ASD-specific depression instruments in individuals with ASD.

Results:

Results for both generalized and ASD-specific instruments indicated moderate psychometric strength, enough for these instruments to be potentially helpful in psychiatric assessments but not enough to be conclusive on their own. The data are limited by the small number of studies examining this population, that is, only 1 to 3 articles for each instrument, and the often-limited number of psychometric measurements taken in each study.

Conclusions:

As the prevalence of depression in individuals with ASD is high, reliable and valid measures are needed. Current research shows some support for existing instruments, although additional, more robust research is needed.
Family socioeconomic status and Chinese preschoolers’ early academic skills: parenting style and self-regulation as sequential mediators / El nivel socioeconómico familiar y las competencias académicas tempranas de los preescolares chinos: el estilo de crianza y la autorregulación infantil como mediadores secuenciales
Authors: Xia Xiaoying
Published: December 2024

Family socioeconomic status (SES) has been widely reported to relate to children’s academic achievement, but limited research has focused on the link between SES and Chinese preschoolers’ early academic outcomes, or the underlying mechanism through which family SES influences children’s early academic skills. This study examined the relations between family SES and Chinese preschool children’s early academic skills (i.e., literacy and numeracy) as well as the mediating role of parenting style (i.e., authoritative and authoritarian parenting) and self-regulation in this association. Participants were 307 children aged 5–6 years old and their parents from four kindergartens in Shanghai, China. Results of structural equation modelling indicated that: (1) family SES was positively related to preschool children’s early literacy and numeracy skills; (2) authoritative parenting partially mediated the relation between family SES and children’s literacy skills; authoritarian parenting was not identified as a significant mediator in this relationship; (3) authoritative and children’s self-regulation sequentially mediated the relationship between family SES and children’s literacy and numeracy skills. Implications for early childhood education and suggestions for further studies were discussed.
The Words of (Non-)Humanity: Sexist Slurs Elicit Self-Dehumanization in Women
Authors: Cervone Carmen , Lucarini Alice , Salvador Casara Bruno G. , Filippi Silvia , Scatolon Andrea , Bettinsoli Maria L.
Published: December 2024

Derogatory labels increase dehumanization in bystanders; research however has yet to investigate whether the same applies to victims themselves. In three preregistered studies ( Ntotal  = 1146), we predicted that women targeted with sexist slurs would dehumanize themselves. Participants imagined or recalled a situation in which a man addressed them with a generic insult, a sexist slur, or no insult. Then, we assessed self-dehumanization (primary and secondary emotions, perceptions of the self as an object or a person, and self-attributed warmth and competence) and meta-dehumanization (studies 2 and 3), namely the perception of the dehumanizing intentions of the speaker. Sexist slurs led participants to consider themselves as less human- and more object-like, and this effect was partially mediated by meta-dehumanization. Therefore, sexist slurs can affect women's self-perception by eliciting self-dehumanization, which negatively impacts women's wellbeing and life outcomes. Findings are discussed especially considering the debate around hate speech policing.
The end of the ‘time of the streets’: Temporality in the life course of a Russian ex-gangster
Authors: Stephenson Svetlana , Safin Rustem
Published: December 2024

We present the analysis of two biographical narratives by an ex-gangster from the Russian city of Kazan. We address the different times in his life – his childhood, youth, and adulthood, his time on the streets, his decision to leave the gang, and his reflections and memories of his past as reconstructed through these different narratives. We analyze the synchronicity of macro, meso, and micro scales of time in his biography and show how his memory of the time in the gang has dramatically changed between the first and second interviews, as he looked retrospectively on his former self from the vantage point of his current law-abiding life. In our analysis, we use the theoretical and conceptual framework of processual sociology and Bakhtin’s concept of chronotope.
Validation of the World Health Organization Rehabilitation Competency Framework: An illustration using physiotherapy
Authors: Mocke Marieke , Unger Marianne , Hanekom Susan
Published: December 2024

Objective

The World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 initiative represents a new strategic direction for the worldwide rehabilitation community and their Rehabilitation Competency Framework (RCF) was designed to describe the requirements of a rehabilitation workforce. This study aimed to identify and review global physiotherapy competencies and explore their congruence with the WHO-RCF.

Design

A document review and thematic analysis were conducted on competency documents sourced from World Physiotherapy member countries.

Methods

A three-pronged search strategy was used to identify physiotherapy competencies in all World Physiotherapy members that were listed on their website at the time of the study. All competency statements identified were sorted using the definitions of the five domains of the WHO-RCF. A desktop inductive thematic analysis of competencies was conducted to derive a conceptual framework for future competency framework development.

Results

Two thousand and one competency statements were extracted from 20 documents, all accommodated within the WHO-RCF. From the dataset, a conceptual framework was developed consisting of 17 themes and 59 sub-themes across five domains. Technological competence, entrepreneurship and broader competencies to advance the social justice agenda were identified as gaps.

Conclusion

To promote homogeneity, it is recommended that all rehabilitation professionals utilise a similar methodology using the WHO-RCF to develop future frameworks that are contextually relevant. Competencies needed for change in support of equitable access and better health for all should be included.