bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social and Neighborhood Context Moderates the Associations Between Processing Speed and Driving Mobility: A 10-year Analysis of the ACTIVE Study
Authors: Pope Caitlin N. , Wheeler Katie M. , Bell Tyler R. , Carroll Brooke E. , Ross Lesley A. , Crowe Michael , Black Shelia R. , Clay Olivio J. , Ball Karlene K.
Published: November 2023

Objectives: Processing speed is essential to functional independence in later life, such as driving a vehicle. Few studies have examined processing speed and driving mobility in the context of racial differences and social determinants of health (SDoH). This study characterized the longitudinal association between processing speed and driving mobility, and how it varied by race and SDoH. Methods: Using data from the control arm of the Advanced Cognitive Training in Vital Elderly study ( n = 581, 24.5% Black), multilevel models examined longitudinal associations between processing speed and driving mobility outcomes (driving space, exposure, and difficulty). Race and SDoH moderations were explored. Results: Decline in processing speed measures was associated with increased self-reported driving difficulty, but only for older adults with below-average to average scores for neighborhood and built environments and social community context SDoH domains. Discussion: Findings emphasize the influence of physical and social environmental characteristics on processing speed and driving mobility.
Effects of Cognitive Training on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: The Moderating Role of Social Determinants of Health
Authors: Rebok George W. , Gellert Andrew , Coe Norma B. , Clay Olivio J. , Wallace Gail , Parisi Jeanine M. , Aiken-Morgan Adrienne T. , Crowe Michael , Ball Karlene , Thorpe Roland J. , Marsiske Michael , Zahodne Laura B. , Felix Cynthia , Willis Sherry L.
Published: November 2023

Objective: We examined whether social determinants of health (SDoH) are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) risk and the effects of cognitive training over a 20-year follow-up period. Methods: Data were obtained from 1605 participants in ACTIVE. SDoH measures were created using baseline data at the individual and neighborhood level. Incident ADRD was defined using administrative claims data (1999–2019). Cause-specific hazard models estimated associations between SDoH and claims-based diagnosed ADRD. Results: Higher scores on neighborhood and built environment were associated with lower ADRD risk. Trained participants obtained a greater degree of protection from ADRD when they had higher scores for SDoH domains associated with health care and education access. However, there were fewer significant SDoH moderation effects on cognitive training than expected. Discussion: Future work should continue to explore culturally tailored cognitive training interventions to reduce ADRD risk associated with SDoH that disproportionately affects racially diverse aging populations.
Innovative requirements and evaluation methods for slab track design
Authors: Aggestam Emil , Ekberg Anders , Nielsen Jens C. O.
Published: November 2023

With increasing train speeds and reduced time windows for maintenance work, the interest in the application of slab track technology to increase the capacity of high-speed railways has grown. Slab track may still be considered a relatively young technology, but with several different designs available on the market. Current research on slab tracks commonly focuses on improved methods. In contrast, the formulation of requirements, and evaluation towards these, are seldom investigated. In this paper, state-of-the-art simulation models are employed to illustrate and address the needs for innovative requirements in terms of structural integrity and robustness, life cycle cost (LCC) and environmental footprint of new and existing slab track designs. Based on demonstration examples, it is argued that current standards may lead to overly conservative designs inducing higher LCC and environmental footprint than necessary. Extensions of the standards in terms of LCC and environmental footprint are suggested. The conflict of interest between structural integrity and robustness, LCC and environmental footprint is discussed, and suggestions for how to optimise slab track structures are proposed.
Some Modest Proposals for Improving Business Ethics from Primarily an Aristotelian Perspective
Authors: Koehn Daryl
Published: November 2023

The long-term health of business ethics is suspect. In particular, there are some troubling trends within the discipline’s methodology that should be closely monitored and, in some cases, countered. Furthermore, business ethicists and management theorists should take some steps to make business ethics more robust and more relevant to actual business practice. Part 1 of this article argues that, while the dominance of the social science approach should be curtailed, relations between normative and empirical scholars need not be hostile; on the contrary, there are some modest ways in which the two approaches could complement each other more than they have to date. Part 2 examines why business ethics needs more systems thinking. Part 3 explores why business ethicists in general should follow the lead of some of our colleagues who are engaging in powerful and influential research with direct and immediate practical applications. The article closes with a few modest suggestions for enhancing business ethics theorizing and provides some concrete ways for scholars to become more involved with business practitioners and business practice and to learn from the latter in ways that can productively feed research streams.
Does Financial Inclusion Matter for the Socioeconomic Development of Marginalized People? Evidence from India
Authors: Mishra Suyash , Singh Ajay Pal , Kaur Ravinder
Published: November 2023

This research examines the drivers of financial inclusion in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) scheme. Also, it investigates the influence of financial inclusion through PMJDY on the socioeconomic status of marginalized people. Primary data were collected from 393 marginalized people of Himachal Pradesh. This study presents new insights by analysing the demand-side perspective of marginalized people using structural equation modelling approach. The study identified outreach, quality of financial services, usage and accessibility as statistically significant determinants in the PMJDY scheme for financial inclusion. Further, results confirm that financial inclusion promoted by PMJDY substantially improves the socioeconomic status of marginalized people. The study links financial inclusion and the socioeconomic wellness of beneficiaries, with income serving as a moderator; this is the research’s unique contribution to reducing financial exclusion. The research findings have implications for policymakers and financial institutions in formulating effective strategies to attain comprehensive financial inclusion, which can contribute to a strong socioeconomic development of marginalized people through PMJDY.
Dietary Patterns of iTaukei (indigenous) Fijians: Preliminary Findings From a Five-Day Dietary Record in Rural Communities
Authors: Nakamura Naohiro , Wainimala Peni , Ratuyawa Metia , Tawakedina Fulori , Waqa Elisabeta
Published: November 2023

This article presents the preliminary findings from a five-day dietary record of 105 iTaukei (indigenous) Fijians in seven rural communities on remote islands, Fiji. Although the literature on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has discussed the potential reasons for the NCD increase in Fiji, research has relied on secondary data on the consumption patterns of limited food items. Hence, this research is one of the first in the country to analyze detailed dietary patterns. A high body mass index rate in the case study communities is observed. We also find that carbohydrate sources dominate the diet of the participants, while the consumption of protein sources (including canned products) and vegetables/fruits is limited. In addition, the diversity of food items is limited. Meanwhile, the major carbohydrate sources are locally produced cassava, although rice and flour products are also consumed. We suggest integrating these factors into the determination of the cause of the NCD increase.
White interference, bad collaborations and new norms in Indigenous art: Can intellectual property law reforms fix this?
Authors: Ng Jenny
Published: November 2023

Indigenous art has had longstanding issues with Australian copyright law, including the issue of collaborations in Indigenous art. In 2023, a related issue concerning allegations of ‘white interference’ surfaced. Those allegations highlighted the problem of forming ethical collaborations in the Indigenous arts industry relying on existing law. Partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to produce art have also been validly made leading to collaborations known as the ‘new norm'. This article explores white interference, bad collaborations, and new norms in Indigenous art. It analyses existing legal protections and those proposed by IP Australia, the Productivity Commission, and a Parliamentary Standing Committee aimed at protecting communal Indigenous Knowledge and the rights of Indigenous artists.
Study on control limits for track longitudinal irregularities measured by 60 m chord on high-speed railway
Authors: Xin Tao , Dai Chuanqing , Wang Juguang , Yang Fei , Nadakatti Mahantesh M , Wang Sen
Published: November 2023

The high-speed railway (HSR) operates at a high velocity, and the long-wavelength track irregularities can affect its safety and stability. The study was conducted to address control and management issues related to long-wavelength track irregularities on HSRs. It achieved this by establishing a vehicle-track dynamic analysis model based on the multi-rigid-body dynamics theory, aiming to provide recommendations for the development of standards for managing the track irregularities on HSRs. A simulation was conducted to analyze how the train speed, wavelength, and amplitude of track longitudinal irregularities affect the vehicle body’s dynamic response. The variation of the vehicle body’s dynamic response under different working conditions was analyzed, and the most unfavorable wavelength and sensitive wavelength ranges of the track longitudinal irregularities on HSR were studied. The control limits for track longitudinal irregularities measured by a 60 m chord were then determined. The findings indicate that the car body's vertical acceleration gradually decreased with the increase of wavelength but increased linearly with the increase of amplitude. The findings also indicate a gradual increase in the vehicle body’s vertical acceleration as the train speed increases. When the train speed is 250 km/h∼350 km/h, the sensitive wavelength range of long-wavelength track irregularities is 60 m∼110 m. Based on the results, the relationships between the wavelength and the amplitude of track irregularities, train speed, and the vehicle body’s vertical acceleration were acquired by the nonlinear least square method. Finally, a formula for calculating the control limits for track longitudinal irregularities measured by a 60 m chord is proposed.
Wu Masculinities, Traditional Men-Dog Relationships and the Defence of the Dog-Meat Festival in Modernizing Yulin China
Authors: Liu Ying
Published: November 2023

Through an 11-month multispecies ethnography in Yulin where the annual Yulin Lychee and Dog Meat Festival is held, this paper examines various types of men-dog relationships in Yulin and explores how such relationships contribute to men’s understanding and performance of their gender and why local men defend the dog meat festival vehemently. It finds that traditional rural men in Yulin keep local dogs for guarding, hunting, and dogfighting while “useless” dogs are eaten. In all these relationships, dogs are understood as humanlike individuals endowed with and serving men’s “ wu masculinities”, a concept that Kam Louie adopts to denote a type of traditional Chinese masculinities that is often associated with working-class men. With a change of lifestyle in the modernization of Yulin, the dog meat festival became the most important platform for the celebration of wu masculinities and is strongly defended by local men for their dignity.
Reconnecting Māori in a post-COVID-19 world: a blessing in disguise
Authors: Wepa Dianne , Smith Rosemary , Gemmell Laura
Published: November 2023

Connectedness for Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand) is considered a protective factor that maintains hauora (good health) and contributes to holistic wellbeing. A scoping review of the literature was conducted to examine how Māori maintained connectedness during COVID-19. Key themes identified were the digital divide, cultural isolation and revival of traditional practices. Māori methodology and qualitative design involved 10 individual interviews and two hui (gatherings) face-to-face and online with members of Ngāti Kahungunu (an East Coast tribe descended from the eponymous ancestor Kahungunu) from New Zealand to explore how they maintained connectedness during COVID-19. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis identified the following three themes: The digital divide, the pandemic seen as blessing in disguise and preventing marae (traditional meeting places) from becoming white elephants. The findings of this study will assist the community to develop a bigger project and implement protective factors to remain connected beyond physical space and place.
Gintingan in Subang: negotiating the role of Indigenous microfinance institution in the Sunda Region of West Java, Indonesia
Authors: Saefullah Kurniawan
Published: November 2023

Microfinance institutions play essential roles in poverty reduction in Indonesia. However, its practices are often insensitive to local values. Using postcolonial theories, this article explores how Sundanese (an Indigenous ethnic group native to the western region of Java, Indonesia) in the Subang district of the Sunda Region of West Java, Indonesia, utilize gintingan (an Indigenous economic system based on the rice trade) as an Indigenous microfinance practice, to fulfill their significant needs. This research adopts an ethnography approach conducted in four rural villages from 2011 to 2019. Information was gathered mainly through participatory observation and informal interviews with villagers. The analysis yields that people use gintingan to preserve their cultural practices, such as gotong royong (mutual cooperation). The findings suggest how gintingan becomes a space for the people to challenge conventional microfinance institutions. The research invites policymakers to rethink a culturally sensitive and decolonized approach to eradicating economic problems in rural areas.
True Justice through deep listening on Country: decolonising legal education in Australia
Authors: Bird Susan , Rawnsley (Larrakia, Anmetjerre) John Trevor , Radavoi Ciprian
Published: November 2023

This article examines the impact of True Justice, a unique continuing legal education programme introduced in 2022 to increase cultural competency in legal practitioners. The programme achieves its purpose via the incorporation of First Nations principles and pedagogies, taking participants beyond the university classroom to learn deep listening on Country. The feedback from participants in the programme in April and May 2022 reveals the powerful experiences that are possible when the university classroom is abandoned in favour of place-based, trauma-informed learning. Incorporating not only First Nations perspectives but also pedagogies is particularly important in the legal profession, where, if these are ignored, practitioners and educators risk reproducing colonial models.
Ethical intimacy: Relational work of male sex workers in Hong Kong
Authors: Tsoi David Kwok Kwan
Published: November 2023

This article examines the boundary work of ethics in same-sex relationships between sex workers and clients in Hong Kong, a neoliberal cosmopolitan city that decriminalized homosexuality in 1991. Drawing on 11 months of ethnographic fieldwork between August 2019 and June 2020, I investigate the changing same-sex relationships between masseurs and clients in and outside gay massage parlors in Hong Kong. From in-house payment for sex to different off-premise gift exchanges, masseurs and clients transition from a market economy as sex workers and clients to the moral economy as real-life romantic and business partners. I build on Viviana Zelizer’s theory of relational work to examine how various forms of intersections of intimacy and economy are made ethical at different stages of masseur–client relationships. A historically contingent form of ethical intimacy emerges from the same-sex sexual economy as a queer response to socioeconomic inequalities in neoliberal Hong Kong.
A qualitative phenomenological exploration of prolonged grief in New Delhi, India
Authors: Sarkar Siddharth , Gupta Prashant , Sahu Anamika , Anwar Nazneen , Sharan Pratap
Published: November 2023

Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a condition characterized by difficulty in coping effectively with the loss of loved ones. The proposed diagnostic criteria for PGD have been based predominantly on research from developed Western nations. The cultural variations associated with experience and expression of grief and associated mourning rituals have not been considered comprehensively. The current study aimed to understand the experience of prolonged grief in India through a qualitative enquiry with mental health professionals (focus group discussions) and affected individuals (key informant interviews). Several novel findings diverging from the current understanding of manifestation and narratives of PGD emerged from the study, including differences in the social contexts of bereavement and culture-specific magico-religious beliefs and idioms of distress. The findings point to limitations of existing diagnostic systems for PGD. The results of this study suggest that the assumption of content equivalence for psychiatric disorders across cultures may not be justified and that there is a need to develop culturally sensitive diagnostic criteria and assessment scales for PGD.
Peoples’ perspectives on the ‘Future of Europe’ – A comparative study from within and beyond the European Union
Authors: Goldberg Andreas C , Hoffmann Lukas Benedikt
Published: November 2023

Tendencies of European disintegration – culminated in Brexit – have laid bare the lack of a future plan for Europe. Few extant studies contain a future outlook and often lack a public opinion perspective, albeit the latter’s relevance in the ‘constraining dissensus’ between citizens and political elites about European integration. Focusing on European Union–non-European Union relations, this study presents comparative evidence on peoples’ preferences for the future of EUrope and their underlying reasons. We map citizen preferences using original open-ended survey question responses across eight European countries from within and outside the European Union. Our results show that non-European Union citizens’ preferences deviate more strongly from the status quo compared to those of European Union citizens. In contrast, risk-taking attitudes play no role for citizen preferences.
Case-based learning and photovoice in relation to academic performance, satisfaction and self-efficacy in higher education: A cross-sectional study of related samples
Authors: Oliván Blázquez Bárbara , Méndez-López Fátima , León-Herrera Sandra , Asensio-Martínez Ángela , Magallón-Botaya Rosa , García-Uceda Esperanza , Oliván-Bláquez Diego , Sánchez-Recio Raquel
Published: November 2023

Photovoice (PV) is an innovative learning methodology that is gaining relevance in higher education, but research about it is still scarce. Case-based Learning (CBL), for its part, has proven to generate a higher level of student engagement and significant learning. Therefore, due to the lack of evidence related to PV learning, the main aim of this study is to analyse and compare a CBL activity and a PV activity regarding academic performance and undergraduate students’ satisfaction in relation to self-efficacy perception. A cross-sectional study was developed. A total of 107 students did a CBL and a PV activity. The order of the activities was randomised. The collected variables were activity score, satisfaction with each activity and self-efficacy perception. A descriptive, correlational and comparative analysis using T-Student of related samples was performed. The results showed a significant difference in the activities’ scores, with higher marks in the PV activity. There was a good level of satisfaction with both activities and no significant differences across all items asked, except for ‘It encouraged new knowledge acquisition’. This item was evaluated more favourably in the CBL activity. The relation between the marks of both activities and self-efficacy perception were not significant but in the case of PV, the mark is almost significant. In conclusion, CBL and PV activities are effective in order to achieve a good academic performance and the students ‘satisfaction with the activities assessed is high.
Taking the measure of net promoter score: An assessment of construct and predictive validity
Authors: Jaramillo Susana , Deitz George , Hansen John D. , Babakus Emin
Published: November 2023

Although the lay appeal of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is undeniable, scholars have noted concerns over its use based on conceptual and empirical grounds. We address these concerns through an examination of three research questions: (1) To what extent do NPS responses correspond to actual word-of-mouth behaviors? (2) Do NPS responses exhibit measurement invariance across key demographic groupings? (3) How well does NPS perform (as opposed to customer satisfaction scores) as a predictor of financial performance? Study results show that NPS scores correspond to reported word-of-mouth exposure for most, but not all, product categories; NPS responses are invariant across demographic groupings; and that when examined separately, both customer satisfaction and NPS are significant predictors of differences in financial performance, but customer satisfaction explains slightly more variance. We discuss the managerial and theoretical implications arising from these results.
Pulse Survey Approach: Immediate, Actionable Data to Promote Student Success
Authors: Biddix J. Patrick , Williams Amber , Basso Sean C. , Brown Melissa A. , Kyne Kelsey
Published: November 2023

Assessment data play a crucial role in facilitating informed decision-making. In the context of student affairs professionals aiming to empirically demonstrate the significance of connection, belonging, and wellness within a holistic campus learning environment, the need for formative data is becoming increasingly valuable. The article outlines standard characteristics that define the format and principles of pulse surveys for data collection to establish a theoretical framework that prioritizes student needs while providing actionable data to decision-makers. A pulse survey is defined and operationalized as a concise, frequent, consistent set of questions that can be efficiently distributed, answered, and analyzed to support real-time decision-making. A single-site case study is presented, drawing upon two years of data to illustrate the outcomes of a pulse-based assessment approach. The findings from this study are discussed within the context of existing literature and the theoretical framework, addressing challenges, opportunities, and implementation considerations associated with pulse surveys.
How Training Affects Interviewer Performance Over Time: A Field Experiment with a Large-scale National Representative Survey
Authors: Sun Hanyu , Kistler Angie , Hubbard Ryan , Edwards Brad , Swinson-Vick Marcia
Published: November 2023

There is abundant literature about interviewer effects on the survey process, but studies of interviewer training are quite limited. Previous research has produced mixed findings on how training affects interviewer performance. Trainings are often conducted in person despite the mixed findings. There has been no research that examines the use of videoconferencing as a medium for training field survey interviewers. We conducted an interviewer training experiment with the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We randomly assigned 242 field interviewers into three training modes: in person, videoconference (i.e., WebEx), and self-administered training. Each interviewer’s performance was observed before and after the training. As post-hoc analysis, we observed improvement for higher performed interviewers trained in videoconference. Interviewers trained in videoconference rated their experiences similar to their counterparts trained in person.
3D-US and CBCT Dual-guided Radiotherapy for Postoperative Uterine Malignancy: A Primary Workflow Set-up
Authors: Li Yang , Gong Zhen , Liu Mengyu , Li Huixin , Gao Han , Guo Chang , Yu Le , Zhu Chenjing , Sun Zhihua , Sun Li , Xu Hanzi , He Xia
Published: November 2023

Introduction: The consistency of clinical target volume is essential to guiding radiotherapy with precision for postoperative uterine malignancy patients. By introducing a three-dimensional ultrasound system (3D-US) into image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), this study was designed to investigate the initial workflow set-up, the therapeutic potential, and the adverse events of 3D-US and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) dual-guided radiotherapy in postoperative uterine malignancy treatment. Methods: From April 2021 to December 2021, postoperative uterine malignancy patients were instructed to follow the previously standard protocol of daily radiation treatment, particularly a 3D-US (Clarity system) guiding was involved before CBCT. Soft-tissue-based displacements resulting from the additional US-IGRT were acquired in the LT (left)/RT (right), ANT (anterior)/POST (posterior), and SUP (superior)/INF(inferior) directions of the patient before fractional treatment. Displacement distributions before and after treatment either from 3D-US or from CBCT were also estimated and compared subsequently, and the urinary and rectal toxicity was further evaluated. Results: All the patients completed radiation treatment as planned. The assessment of 170 scans resulted in a mean displacement of (0.17 ± 0.24) cm, (0.19 ± 0.23) cm, (0.22 ± 0.26) cm for bladder in LT/RT, ANT/POST, and SUP/INF directions. A mean deviation of (0.26 ± 0.22) cm, (0.58 ± 0.5) cm, and (0.3 ± 0.23) cm was also observed for the bladder centroid between the CBCT and computed tomography -simulation images in three directions. Paired comparison between these two guidance shows that the variations from 3D-US are much smaller than those from CBCT in three directions, especially in ANT/POST and SUP/INF directions with significance ( P = 0.000, 0.001, respectively). During treatment, and 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment, there was no severe urinary and rectal toxicity happened. Conclusion: A primary workflow of 3D-US and CBCT dual-guided radiotherapy has been established, which showed great therapeutic potential with mild to moderate urinary and rectal toxicity for postoperative uterine malignancy patients. But the clinical outcomes of this non-invasive technique need to be investigated further.
MicroRNA 335-5p: The Sodium Channel Silencer
Authors: Wong Jennifer C.
Published: November 2023

[Box: see text]
A Novel Technique of No-Touch Endoscopic Saphenous Vein Harvesting
Authors: Yoshino Kunihiko , Kikuchi Keita , Tamaki Rihito , Sakai Hiroki , Hara Ryota , Sai Youshun , Ito Joji , Abe Kohei
Published: November 2023

No-touch saphenous vein harvesting is considered an ideal procedure for harvesting good-quality veins, whereas endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) is considered ideal for decreasing wound complications. The no-touch EVH (NT-EVH) technique, which was developed in 2018, is one of the best vein-harvesting procedures. We have improved this method in several aspects since our initial experience. Herein, we present the details of this technique.
Robustness in formation control of mobile robots using leader-follower method
Authors: Oh-Hara Shinsuke , Fujimori Atsushi
Published: November 2023

This paper presents the robustness in formation control of multiple mobile robots using leader-follower method. The uncertainty considered is the measured error which is included in the relative state. The robust stability conditions against the relative state error are derived by Lyapunov’s stability theory (direct method). We also obtain the formation steady-state deviation when formation stability is ensured. The formation control environment is constructed on Simulink. The validity of the stability condition and the steady-state deviation is demonstrated by numerical simulation. It is seen that the L-F method provides a robust control law against the relative state error although large formation steady-state deviation is occurred in some cases.
Realistic Spectacle: Arthur Voegtlin's Nineteenth-Century Stagecraft at the New York Hippodrome
Authors: Stalter-Pace Sunny
Published: November 2023

Arthur Voegtlin (1858–1948) designed and oversaw the construction and painting of all the major sets for the New York Hippodrome's first season, from an archway formed by two rearing dragons in the courtyard of a Martian king to the grounds of a military academy at the start of the American Civil War. In this essay, I consider the ways that Voegtlin's sets navigated the distance between fantasy and verisimilitude, bringing together his experience painting sets for immersive, spectacular works with his training as a scene painter for the realistic interiors of the legitimate theatre's comedies and dramas. Voegtlin drew on those techniques to establish the mise en scène of realistic spectacle for which the New York Hippodrome became known. Voegtlin's appeals to photographic accuracy, acute awareness about how he needed to account for the size and scale of the space for which he was designing, and sense of the audience member's embodiment (particularly in relation to that of an amusement park spectator and a viewer of modern paintings) all demonstrate how Voegtlin saw his set designs at the Hippodrome as an extension of the dramatic principles he embraced throughout this period.
Prediction of an intracompartmental septum and its effect on outcomes of endoscopic release for de Quervain’s syndrome
Authors: Cho Jae-Yong , Oh Jin-Chul , Oh Won-Taek , Koh Il-Hyun , Chun Yong-Min , Choi Yun-Rak
Published: November 2023

This study investigates the predictive value of preoperative ultrasonography for the presence of an intracompartmental septum and the effect of a septum on clinical outcomes and complications in patients who underwent endoscopic first extensor compartment release for de Quervain’s syndrome. A total of 170 patients (181 wrists) were examined, and a septum was present in 118 (69%) patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the preoperative ultrasonography were 88% and 94%, respectively. Patients were assessed at a minimum of 12 months after endoscopic release. The Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand score (54 to 4.2), visual analogue scale pain score (8.0 to 1.0) and pinch strength (2.3 to 3.2 kg) were significantly improved compared to the preoperative status ( p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes or complications between patients with and without a septum.

Level of evidence

IV
Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome using a 10-s grip-and-release test with video and machine learning analysis
Authors: Tsukamoto Kazuya , Matsui Ryota , Sugiura Yuta , Fujita Koji
Published: November 2023

We developed a finger motion-based diagnostic system for carpal tunnel syndrome by analysing 10 second grip-and-release test videos. Using machine learning, it estimated presence of carpal tunnel syndrome (89% sensitivity and 83% specificity) and correlated with severity on nerve conduction studies (coefficient 0.68).

Level of evidence

III
Patient-reported significant disability after major traumatic upper extremity amputation
Authors: Pyörny Joonas , Karelson Margit , Sletten Ida Neergård , Ukkola Anniina , Jokihaara Jarkko
Published: November 2023

The aims of this study were to record patient-reported outcomes of treatment of proximal upper extremity amputation injuries and subsequent return to work. A consecutive cohort of 38 patients with a traumatic amputation at or proximal to the carpus had been treated with a replantation or revision (completion) amputation in Tampere University Hospital between 2009 and 2019, and 31 of them participated in this study. The primary outcome was the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Outcome Measure (DASH). Patients reported significant disability indicated by DASH score after replantation (median 30; interquartile range [IQR] 21–47) and revision (completion) amputation (median 33; IQR 16–52). Most patients had cold intolerance and reported low hand function and aesthetics scores. Out of 17 working patients, 10 did not return to their previous work. Our study demonstrates the influence of major upper extremity amputation on daily life activities, even after a successful replantation.

Level of evidence: IV
Analysis of the Effect of Different Physical Exercise Protocols on Depression in Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Correia Érica M. , Monteiro Diogo , Bento Teresa , Rodrigues Filipe , Cid Luís , Vitorino Anabela , Figueiredo Nuno , Teixeira Diogo S. , Couto Nuno
Published: November 2023

Context:

Physical exercise (PE) is an effective treatment for depression, alone or as an adjunct.

Objective:

There is a lack of indicators regarding the frequency, intensity, duration, and type of physical exercise (PE). This study aims to synthesize and analyze the dose-effect of different PE protocols in adult subjects in the treatment of depression, based on the analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Data Sources:

The search was conducted using Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library electronic databases.

Study Selection:

Studies with an exercise-based intervention published by December 31, 2021 were identified. RCTs and meta-analyses involving adults with depression were also included; 10 studies were selected, including a total of 956 subjects.

Study Design:

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Level of Evidence:

Level 1.

Results:

Effect sizes were summarized using standardized mean differences (95% confidence interval) by effected randomized models. The results reinforce that exercise appears to be beneficial in improving depression among adults aged 18 to 65 years. Interventions lasting above 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity and group interventions seem to have a more significant effect on reducing depression. Studies have revealed that aerobic exercise, compared with resistance or flexibility, has a more positive effect on depression.

Conclusion:

PE can be a way to reduce depression and can be used as a possible adjunctive tool for pharmacological and/or alternative treatments. Considering the findings of this study, it is important that health professionals (eg, exercise physiologists, physicians, nurses, psychologists) promote the practice of PE as a complementary alternative and act early to prevent the worsening of depression.

PROSPERO Registration Number:

CRD42020188909
Projecting the Current Salient Relational Situations Into the Past and Future Across Cultures
Authors: Yap Suhui , Ji Li-Jun , Wang Xin-Qiang , Chang Baorui , Mao Mingzhu
Published: November 2023

The present research examined cultural differences in interpersonal memories and forecasts, situated in a currently salient positive or negative interpersonal context. We found that a negative focal event, compared to a positive one, led to more negative memories and forecasts of interpersonal encounters. The effect was stronger among Euro-Canadians than among Chinese. This was true regardless of whether the salient focal event was imagined or a real-life experience. Furthermore, focal thinking—the extent to which individuals think about the salient focal event—mediated cultural differences in interpersonal memories and forecasts as moderated by the focal event valence. Relational memories and forecasts positively predicted perceived relationship quality, willingness to help, and forgiveness. The findings highlight both cultural similarities and differences in interpersonal memories and forecasts, which contribute significantly to the literature on culture and relationships.
Tethered compliance: Exploring the role of the smartphone in online civic engagement among low-income US young people through two pandemic-era case studies
Authors: Schofield Clark Lynn , Jimenez Carlos , Ramirez Johnny C.
Published: November 2023

This article considers the roles that smartphones play as young people living in low-income communities navigate everyday activities, including those of online civic engagement. Drawing on ethnographic data collected during the COVID-19 lockdown, we offer empirical and methodological support for Hartmann’s concept of mediated mobilism, highlighting smartphone-related frictions and tensions that emerge at the intersections of social and political mobilities and immobilities. Specifically, our data demonstrate that as smartphones kept young people on call for parents, caregivers, siblings and others who might need them to help negotiate the heightened demands that characterized family life during the pandemic, young people found themselves in situations that we term tethered compliance, torn between the desire to participate in online civic engagement and political mobilization and the need to fulfill various exigencies of family life that emerged as a result of physical and social immobilities. Whereas scholars previously argued that mobile media held promise for mitigating structural inequality and enhancing youth online civic engagement, our findings suggest that these technologies are instead adding a new layer to be managed.
Data artivism and feminicide
Authors: Suárez Val Helena , D'Ignazio Catherine , Acosta Romero Jimena , Teng Melissa Q , Fumega Silvana
Published: November 2023

Data has become a key format for activists to visibilizar (make visible/call attention to) and denounce social issues. Drawing on the concept of “artivism,” we name as data artivism those works that visually intervene in the contestation around an issue by mobilizing art and craft as a form of resistance and as a method to visualize data. In this commentary, we share three examples of data artivism on the issue of feminicide. Our aim is to inspire the fields of critical data and data visualization studies to engage more deeply with art and find common language with artists, activists and advocacy groups (particularly those in Latin America), who are going beyond conventional visualization to reveal a range of alternative ways to mobilize data.
Lung Cancer Screening Outreach Program in an Urban Native American Clinic
Authors: Robichaux Camille , Anderson Madison , Freese Rebecca , Stately Antony , Begnaud Abbie
Published: November 2023

Objectives:

To evaluate uptake of lung cancer screening in an urban Native American clinic using 2 culturally targeted promotion strategies.

Methods:

Patients eligible for lung cancer screening from July 2019 to July 2021 were randomized to receive either a single culturally-targeted mailer from the clinic regarding possible eligibility for screening, or the same mailer plus a follow-up text message and additional mailing.

Results:

Overall, there were low rates of shared decision-making visit scheduling (8.5%) with no difference between promotion strategy groups (9.4% in control group vs 7.7% in culturally-targeted outreach group). Only about 50% of the lung cancer screening CT exams ordered were completed and returned to the clinic.

Conclusions:

While there was no difference between arms in this intervention, 8.5% of the sample did complete a shared decision-making visit after these low-cost interventions. The gap between the number of screening CTs ordered and number who completed the CT represents an area where further interventions should focus.
Promoting the International Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Through Cross-Border E-Commerce Development
Authors: Wen Huwei , Liu Yutong , Zhou Fengxiu
Published: November 2023

Based on 14,020 observations of Chinese A-share listed SMEs from 2007 to 2021, this study uses the difference-in-differences (DID) model to investigate the impact of cross-border e-commerce on enterprises’ international competitiveness. The results show that the comprehensive pilot zone of cross-border e-commerce significantly promotes SMEs’ overseas business income of SMEs, indicating that cross-border e-commerce is a powerful tool for improving corporate international competitiveness. In addition, the total factor productivity (TFP) of SMEs has been significantly improved in the process of expanding overseas markets. The triple DID model shows that the pilot policies of cross-border e-commerce significantly promoted the TFP of international enterprises, which means that cross-border e-commerce is conducive to improving international competitiveness. This study also verifies the market information mechanism of cross-border e-commerce, which enables SMEs to improve their international competitiveness. Developing and emerging countries should accelerate the institutional reform of digital trade to facilitate SME internationalization.
Advancing the design of trustworthy robots for older adults in home environments: A participatory design approach
Authors: Olatunji Samuel A. , Nguyen Vy , Cao Yi , Evans Henry , Evans Jane , Edsinger Aaron , Kemp Charles C. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: November 2023

Assistive robots have the potential to support independence for older adults with mobility limitations and to alleviate the demands of their care partners. Several design considerations are required to ensure that the users can successfully rely on the robot to carry out their tasks. Therefore, building trustworthy robots is necessary for wider acceptance of these assistive robots. Using a participatory design approach, we assessed various aspects involved in advancing the design of a trustworthy robot in home environments. This is a case study focused on supporting an older adult with mobility limitations and his care partner. Through several iterations of co-active development as a team, most of the tasks were accomplished to meet the needs of the older adult couple interacting with the robot. Our approach highlighted usability challenges, the merits of a multidimensional approach in evaluating trust, and co-design strategies to improve the trustworthiness of the robot.
Driving Automation and Vulnerable Road Users: Peanut Butter & Jelly or Oil & Water?
Authors: Calvo Jose A. , Eisert Jesse , Sandt Laura , Kidd David , Monk Chris , Dadashova Bahar , Klauer Charlie
Published: November 2023

Driving automation and vulnerable road users are two pieces of the enormous puzzle that is roadway safety. Ideally, driving automation will improve the safety of vulnerable road users. However, more research needed to understand the effects driving automation will have on the safety of vulnerable road users. In this panel we will examine the relationship between driving automation and vulnerable road users from several different perspectives. Regulatory and research initiatives will be presented, lessons that can be learned from existing technology will be examined, and questions of equitable solutions will be raised. These interdisciplinary experts are brought together with the audience to discuss the research needs, possible effects of driving automation implementation on vulnerable road users, and to try and determine just how well these two pieces of roadway safety fit together.
Palliative and End-of-Life Care Access for Immigrants Living in High-income Countries: A Scoping Review
Authors: Phiri Gertrude Gondwe , Muge-Sugutt Joyce , Porock Davina
Published: November 2023

This scoping review aimed to explore what is known about palliative and End-of-Life (EOL) care access by immigrants with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background living in high-income Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. CaLD immigrants have low utilization of palliative care services with patients’ family members taking up the role of caring, leading to immigrants not fully benefiting from the specialized services that are offered to alleviate suffering and promote quality of life. While there is some research in this area mainly in Europe, it cannot be said about all high-income OECD countries. Achieving person-centered care in high-income countries, requires identifying and addressing barriers to care access, especially by immigrants with CaLD background. Five-stage methodological framework by Arksey and O’Malley was used to undertake the review. Immigrants in OECD countries experience challenges in accessing palliative and EOL care services. The review also identified limited literature on the subject and establishes need for more research on the subject.
Utilization of Evidence-Based Nursing Practice and Associated Factors Among Nurses Working in Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Ethiopia
Authors: Lamesa Dinka , Seifu Wubareg , Abdella Jabir , Ezo Elias
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Organizations still struggle with the best mechanisms to implement research into practice, and guideline developers need to continue to strive toward collaboration and avoidance of duplication.

Objective

To assess the utilization of evidence-based nursing practice and associated factors among nurses working in Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 September 2022 to 25 November 2022. The total sample size was 418, and a simple random sampling technique was used to select nurses. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered using EpiData version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Multicollinearity was considered by using a variance inflation factor (VIF > 10). The goodness of fit test was done using the Hosmer–Lemeshow model. Binary logistic regression was done, and variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 in the bivariable analysis were taken into the multivariable analysis. Statistical significance was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05 with an adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.

Result

The utilization of evidence-based nursing practice was 58.1% [95% CI: 52.23–63.24]. Male sex [AOR 4.65, 95%CI: 2.51–8.63], work experience of >5 years [AOR 6.83, 95%CI: 2.27–20.58], head nurse role in the hospital [AOR 1.72, 95%CI: 1.02–3.18], master's degree educational status [AOR 2.78, 95%CI: 1.89–8.61], and availability of EBNP guideline in the ward [AOR 1.24, 95%CI: 1.04–5.32] were significantly associated.

Conclusion

About six in 10 nurses utilize EBNP at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. Sex, experience of >5 years, head nurse role in the hospital, master's degree educational status, and availability of EBNP guidelines in the ward were significantly associated with the utilization of EBNP. Therefore, recruiting experienced nurses, learning master`s degrees, and availing the EBNP guidelines in the ward might increase the utilization of EBNP.