bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the wear resistance of AISI 410/AISI 2205 hybrid weld cladding on annealed EN 8 medium carbon steel
Authors: Mukherjee Manidipto , Sarkar Parijat , Barman Swapan , Mallisetty Phani K , Paleu Viorel , Bhaumik Shubrajit
Published: May 2024

A new multi-layer and multi-material hybrid configuration of weld cladding an annealed EN 8 substrate has been developed and investigated. The AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel is used as the bottom and top clad layers and the AISI 2205 duplex stainless steel is used as the middle weld cladding layer which creates a composite multi-material clad structure with distinct interfacial characteristics. Examination of microstructure unveiled lamellar morphology of the top layer with martensitic-austenitic constituents with maximum hardness, whereas the intermediate layer exhibited ferritic-austenitic morphology with lower hardness. The bottom layer exhibited a tempered martensite structure with a relatively smaller grain size and exhibited intermediate hardness. The bottom-substrate interface displaying the highest interfacial hardness, followed by the middle-bottom interface and the top-middle interface in descending order. Incorporation of AISI 2205 in the intermediate contributed to an increased toughness of 30 MPa√m. During the ball-on-flat sliding wear test, the coefficient of friction displayed an intriguing pattern after a critical load threshold. Higher applied loads led to decreased absorbed energy and a reduction in wear track dimensions. Elevated heat levels promoted tribofilm formation, contributing to lower wear rates, with the optimum condition observed at 7 N, displaying the lowest volumetric loss and wear rate. The primary wear mechanism predominantly involved plastic deformation and plowing, with no apparent indications of brittle fracture.
The normativist-naturalist puzzle: Functions and assumptions of health assessment tools
Authors: Nielsen Thor Hennelund , Nielsen Lasse , Klausen Søren Harnow
Published: May 2024

While there is no shortage in discussions of health assessment tools, little is known about health professionals’ experience of their practical uses. However, these tools rely on assumptions that have significant impacts on the practice of health assessment. In this study, we explore health professionals’ experiences with health assessment tools, that is, how they define, use, and understand these tools, and whether they take them to measure health and wellbeing. We combine a qualitative, interview-based study of the uses and understandings of health assessment tools among Danish health professionals with a philosophical analysis of these applications and perceptions. Our study shows that contrary assumptions are involved in the use of the tools, to the extent that one can speak of a normativist-naturalist puzzle: health professionals generally apply a normativist conception of health, find health assessment useful and valuable for their clinical practice, but believe that what the tools measure is basically not health proper but some proximal entity of a more naturalist kind. This result demonstrates the complexity of health assessment tools and suggests that they are used with care to ensure both that particular tools are used for the kinds of tasks they are most apt for, and that they are put to use in awareness of their limitations.
‘Gender critical’ feminism as biopolitical project
Authors: Amery Fran
Published: May 2024

In the last few years, latent anti-trans sentiment within some corners of UK feminism has coalesced into a highly organised ‘gender critical’ movement that has seen considerable success in influencing policy and public debate. This article addresses ‘gender critical’ feminism as a lobbying movement, examining its orientation towards governance and power. It argues that the ‘gender critical’ movement must be understood as a biopolitical project indebted both to sexological work aimed at ‘normalising’ trans and intersex minds and bodies, and to 1970s feminist responses to this work. This project strives for the power to manage trans populations, both via direct surveillance of trans lives and indirectly, via attempts to counter the supposed threat to a broader cisfeminist population management project posed by trans identification.
Evaluating health information systems-related errors using the human, organization, process, technology-fit (HOPT-fit) framework
Authors: Yusof Maryati Mohd , Takeda Toshihiro , Shimai Yoshie , Mihara Naoki , Matsumura Yasuhsi
Published: May 2024

Complex socio-technical health information systems (HIS) issues can create new error risks. Therefore, we evaluated the management of HIS-related errors using the proposed human, organization, process, and technology-fit framework to identify the lessons learned. Qualitative case study methodology through observation, interview, and document analysis was conducted at a 1000-bed Japanese specialist teaching hospital. Effective management of HIS-related errors was attributable to many socio-technical factors including continuous improvement, safety culture, strong management and leadership, effective communication, preventive and corrective mechanisms, an incident reporting system, and closed feedback loops. Enablers of medication errors include system sophistication and process factors like workarounds, variance, clinical workload, slips and mistakes, and miscommunication. The case management effectiveness in handling the HIS-related errors can guide other clinical settings. The potential of HIS to minimize errors can be achieved through continual, systematic, and structured evaluation. The case study validated the applicability of the proposed evaluation framework that can be applied flexibly according to study contexts to inform HIS stakeholders in decision-making. The comprehensive and specific measures of the proposed framework and approach can be a useful guide for evaluating complex HIS-related errors. Leaner and fitter socio-technical components of HIS can yield safer system use.
Five key points from the groundbreaking European Court of Human Rights climate judgment in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz v Switzerland
Authors: Hoffmann Anna
Published: May 2024

The opinion focuses on the European Court of Human Right's (ECtHR) recent judgment in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz v Switzerland which was handed down on 9 April 2023. The decision broke new ground by establishing that ‘Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights must be seen as encompassing a right for individuals to effective protection by the State authorities from serious adverse effects of climate change on their life, health, well-being and quality of life’. The opinion discusses five key aspects of this voluminous judgment which will likely have an impact far beyond this individual case, including the points made relating to the role of the ECtHR, courts in general and the Convention as a living instrument.
On the experimental determination and prediction of damage evolution in composites via cyclic testing
Authors: Souza Gabriel Sales Candido , Farahani Behzad V , Guedes Rui Miranda , Gerhardt Eduardo , Amico Sandro Campos , Tita Volnei
Published: May 2024

This study introduces a novel approach to obtaining and predicting damage evolution laws using quasi-static cyclic testing within the framework of continuum damage mechanics. To achieve this, a comprehensive set of characterization and parameter identification tests was performed. Carbon-epoxy specimens were manufactured using the filament-winding technique, and these laminates were tested using a universal testing machine. Digital image correlation was employed in all experiments to capture strain fields, and an alternative method utilizing the combined loading compression device is presented to obtain mechanical properties. Once the material was characterized, cyclic tests were conducted, including [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] tensile tests, and shear v-notch tests. These aim to determine damage evolution laws for both conditions, pure and coupled stress states. From these tests, values for damage onset and threshold were obtained and used to define four new parameters. These parameters permit the estimation of degradation relationships for any arbitrary orientation without requiring additional tests. This approach was tested as the proof-of-concept within the positive range of transverse tension and in-plane shear stress domain. The obtained results are promising, justifying its extension to other failure mechanisms. While acknowledging its limitations, this new approach holds potential for implementation in the analysis of progressive failure in fiber-reinforced composite materials, possibly in conjunction with established failure criteria and computational tools, mainly in the finite element method domain.
Unwritten ground rules of school choice: Excavating capital as a regulator of access to educational goods
Authors: Saltmarsh Jason E
Published: May 2024

District leaders in school choice contexts tend to overlook the many hidden costs of selecting schools in terms of mobility, time, liquidity, and labor. Meanwhile, a body of literature on school choice policies and cultural, social, and political capital shows that middle-class parents use the resources they possess to get the school access they want. In this study, I critically examine the complex interplay between school choice policies and forms of capital. This analysis extends our empirical understanding of the political dimensions of families’ school choices—the way parent resources, relationships, and strategies determine “who gets what, when, and how” (Laswell, 1936) in terms of schooling opportunities, and way these policies help structure disproportionate school access. By attending to families’ affordances of cultural, social, and political capital in studies of school choice, authorities may be more likely to design choice supports that address some demand-side inequities.
The Consequences of A History of Violence on Women’s Pregnancy and Childbirth in the Nordic Countries: A Scoping Review
Authors: Finnbogadóttir Hafrún Rafnar , Henriksen Lena , Hegaard Hanne Kristine , Halldórsdóttir Sigridur , Paavilainen Eija , Lukasse Mirjam , Broberg Lotte
Published: May 2024

Violence against women (VAW) is a global challenge also in the childbearing period. Despite high gender equality, there is a high prevalence of VAW in the Nordic countries. This scoping review aims to explore predictors for and consequences of a history of violence on women’s pregnancy and childbirth in the Nordic countries, including women’s experience of the impact of violence and the interventions used to detect, address consequences, and prevent further violence. The framework by Arksey and O’Malley was followed, and English, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish literature was included. The population was women aged ≥18 residing in the Nordic countries during the perinatal period. Eight databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ASSIA, Social Services-, and Sociological abstracts. There was no limitation of the search time frame. The initial screening resulted in 1,104 records, and after removing duplicates, 452 remained. Finally, 61 papers met the inclusion criteria. The results covering the past 32 years indicated that childbearing women with a history of violence are at greater risk of common complaints and hospitalization during pregnancy, fear of childbirth, Cesarean section, breastfeeding difficulties, and physical and mental health problems. While extensive research was found on the associations between a history of and current violence and outcomes related to pregnancy, there was a lack of intervention studies and studies from Finland. Efforts must be made to scientifically test the methods used to reduce and treat the adverse effects of a history of violence and prevent further violence.
Quantify the Effect of Air Gap Errors on Skin Dose for Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
Authors: Tang Chunbo , Yuan Jun , Guo Hailiang , Dai Zhongyang , Liu Biaoshui , Xi Haiyan , He Ji , Niu Shanzhou
Published: May 2024

Purpose: Determining the impact of air gap errors on the skin dose in postoperative breast cancer radiotherapy under dynamic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques. Methods: This was a retrospective study that involved 55 patients who underwent postoperative radiotherapy following modified radical mastectomy. All plans employed tangential IMRT, with a prescription dose of 50 Gy, and bolus added solely to the chest wall. Simulated air gap depth errors of 2 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm were introduced at depression or inframammary fold areas on the skin, resulting in the creation of air gaps named Air2, Air3, and Air5. Utilizing a multivariable GEE, the average dose ( Dmean) of the local skin was determined to evaluate its relationship with air gap volume and the lateral beam's average angle (AALB). Additionally, an analysis was conducted on the impact of gaps on local skin. Results: When simulating an air gap depth error of 2 mm, the average Dmean in plan2 increased by 0.46 Gy compared to the initial plan (planO) ( p < .001). For the 3-mm air gap, the average Dmean of plan3 was 0.51 Gy higher than that of planO ( p < .001). When simulating the air gap as 5 mm, the average Dmean of plan5 significantly increased by 0.59 Gy compared to planO ( p < .001). The TCP results showed a similar trend to those of Dmean. As the depth of air gap error increases, NTCP values also gradually rise. The linear regression of the multivariable GEE equation indicates that the volume of air gaps and the AALB are strong predictors of Dmean. Conclusion: With small irregular air gap errors simulated in 55 patients, the values of skin's Dmean, TCP, and NTCP increased. A multivariable linear GEE regression model may effectively explain the impact of air gap volume and AALB on the local skin.
Coatings for Permanent Meshes Used to Enhance Healing in Abdominal Hernia Repair: A Scoping Review
Authors: Baker Jason Joe , Rosenberg Jacob
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Hernia meshes are used to reduce recurrence and pain rates, but the rates are still high. This could be improved with coatings of the mesh. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of mesh coatings used to promote healing in abdominal hernia repair and to report beneficial and unbeneficial effects.

Methods

We included human and animal studies with abdominal hernias that were repaired with non-commercially coated meshes. We searched Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Central, LILACS, and CNKI without language constraints.

Results

Of 2933 identified studies, 58 were included: six studies had a total of 408 humans and 52 studies had 2679 animals. The median follow-up was 12 months (range 1-156), and 95% of the hernias were incisional. There were 44 different coatings which included platelet-rich plasma, mesenchymal stem cells, growth factors, vitamin E, collagen-derived products, various polysaccharides, silk proteins, chitosan, gentamycin, doxycycline, nitrofurantoin, titanium, and diamond-like carbon. Mesenchymal stem cells and platelet-rich plasma were the most researched. Mesenchymal stem cells notably reduced inflammation and foreign body reactions but did not impact other healing metrics. In contrast, platelet-rich plasma positively influenced tissue ingrowth, collagen deposition, and neovascularization and had varying effects on inflammation and foreign body reactions.

Conclusion

We identified 44 different mesh coatings and they showed varying results. Mesenchymal stem cells and platelet-rich plasma were the most studied, with the latter showing considerable promise in improving biomechanical properties in hernia repair. Further investigations are needed to ascertain their definitive use in humans.
Establishing a Common Term and Definition for Non-Structural Postoperative Radicular Pain Following Lumbar Decompression: A Scoping Review
Authors: Goldman Samuel N. , Xavier Jorden , Rothchild Evan , Song Hyun , Hui Aaron T. , Parker-Fong Kai , Schwartz Rachel , Schlumprecht Anne , Akioyamen Noel O. , Gelfand Yaroslav , Murthy Saikiran , Krystal Jonathan , Eleswarapu Ananth S. , Yassari Reza , Fourman Mitchell S.
Published: May 2024

Background:

Patients often report recurrent or new radicular pain after direct or indirect lumbar decompressions. Such pain may result from structural causes such as implant subsidence or incomplete decompression, but often the pain lacks a clear structural cause. The wide variability in terms used to define non-structural, postoperative radicular pain complicates its analysis.

Purpose:

We aimed to elucidate the terminology and classification systems used to describe postoperative radicular pain after lumbar decompression and/or fusion surgery without clear structural etiology and to propose a new clinical definition.

Methods:

We conducted a scoping review that followed the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. The search included studies from 2011 to 2023 involving patients over 18 years of age experiencing postoperative radicular pain after lumbar decompression and/or fusion.

Results:

Our analysis of 20 included articles found the most common terms used for non-structural radicular pain after lumbar decompression and/or fusion surgery were “postoperative radiculitis” (8 studies, 40%) and “failed back surgery syndrome” (FBSS) (5 studies, 25%). “Radiculitis” and related terms typically described short-term, self-limited radicular pain; “FBSS” and similar terms referred to chronic, treatment-resistant back, and leg pain. The incidence of non-structural postoperative radicular pain ranged from 0.9% to 43.8%.

Conclusions:

This scoping review found inconsistencies in the terms used to describe postoperative radicular pain after lumbar decompression and/or fusion surgery, and we therefore propose defining “postoperative radiculitis” as transient radicular pain, without structural pathology or motor weakness, typically emerging after initial symptom resolution (within 3 months of surgery) and resolving within 6 months of surgery. Future studies should focus on validating diagnostic metrics, exploring risk factors, and identifying prevention strategies and treatments for postoperative radiculitis.
Research on axial nonlinear vibration characteristics of ball screw feed system considering segmented restoring force
Authors: Wu Qin , Luo Dianli , Wang Xinglian
Published: May 2024

Taking the ball screw feed system as the research object, the two degree of freedom axial dynamic model of the system is constructed firstly. Based on Hertz contact theory, when the ball screw pair adopts variable lead self-preloading to eliminate the assembly clearance between the ball and raceway, considering the nonlinear segmented axial elastic recovery force generated by the uneven contact deformation between the ball and raceway under the action of external excitation force, further derive the nonlinear dynamic equation group of the system. Next, the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method was used to numerically solve the equation system, obtaining the system’s two and three-dimensional phase diagrams, Poincaré sections, time-domain waveform diagrams, frequency spectra, and bifurcation diagrams. Then, the effects of damping constant, initial contact angle between ball and raceway in ball screw pairs, and number of balls on the system’s response characteristics were analyzed, and the influence of external excitation forces on system stability was further studied. Finally, it was verified through experiments that the axial vibration of the system is indeed nonlinear vibration, providing a theoretical basis for the study of the dynamic characteristics of the ball screw feed system.
Building and validating an artificial intelligence model to identify tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica by using bronchoscopic images
Authors: Chen Chongxiang , Tang Fei , Herth Felix J. F. , Zuo Yingnan , Ren Jiangtao , Zhang Shuaiqi , Jian Wenhua , Tang Chunli , Li Shiyue
Published: May 2024

Background:

Given the rarity of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO), many young doctors in primary hospitals are unable to identify TO based on bronchoscopy findings.

Objectives:

To build an artificial intelligence (AI) model for differentiating TO from other multinodular airway diseases by using bronchoscopic images.

Design:

We designed the study by comparing the imaging data of patients undergoing bronchoscopy from January 2010 to October 2022 by using EfficientNet. Bronchoscopic images of 21 patients with TO at Anhui Chest Hospital from October 2019 to October 2022 were collected for external validation.

Methods:

Bronchoscopic images of patients with multinodular airway lesions (including TO, amyloidosis, tumors, and inflammation) and without airway lesions in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were collected. The images were randomized (4:1) into training and validation groups based on different diseases and utilized for deep learning by convolutional neural networks (CNNs).

Results:

We enrolled 201 patients with multinodular airway disease (38, 15, 75, and 73 patients with TO, amyloidosis, tumors, and inflammation, respectively) and 213 without any airway lesions. To find multinodular lesion images for deep learning, we utilized 2183 bronchoscopic images of multinodular lesions (including TO, amyloidosis, tumor, and inflammation) and compared them with images without any airway lesions (1733). The accuracy of multinodular lesion identification was 98.9%. Further, the accuracy of TO detection based on the bronchoscopic images of multinodular lesions was 89.2%. Regarding external validation (using images from 21 patients with TO), all patients could be diagnosed with TO; the accuracy was 89.8%.

Conclusion:

We built an AI model that could differentiate TO from other multinodular airway diseases (mainly amyloidosis, tumors, and inflammation) by using bronchoscopic images. The model could help young physicians identify this rare airway disease.
Group-Based Injustice, but Not Group-Based Economic Inequality, Predicts Political Violence Across 18 African Countries
Authors: Sakstrup Casper , Bartusevičius Henrikas
Published: May 2024

Political violence causes immense human suffering. Scholars pinpoint economic inequalities between ethnic groups as a major cause of such violence. However, the relationships between group-based inequality, group-based injustice, and political violence are not fully understood. Combining insights from social psychological research on collective action and political science research on civil conflict, we underscore that it is group-based injustice that motivates violence. A perception that one’s group has been treated unfairly tends to produce conflict-related emotions (e.g., anger). By contrast, a mere perception that one’s group is of lower economic status rarely produces such emotions. Furthermore, perceived economic disadvantage negatively relates to perceived political efficacy, which may dissuade engagement in political violence. To assess these arguments, we analyzed attitudes toward, intentions to engage in, and self-reported engagement in political violence, utilizing probability samples from 18 African countries ( N > 37,000). We found that measures of group-based perceived injustice, whether controlling or not for group-based economic inequality, predicted all violent outcomes; whereas measures of perceived group-based inequality predicted (negatively) self-reported participation in violence but not the other outcomes. We advance both social psychological and political science literatures, suggesting that group-based injustice and inequality are distinct constructs, relating to political violence via different pathways.
Successful revascularization of inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with positive “Dead Man Sign”: A case report
Authors: Al Ali Mohammed Hilal , Al Yacopy Ali Akeel , Alhatemi Ahmed Qasim Mohammed , Hashim Hashim Talib
Published: May 2024

This case report outlines the management of a 43-year-old male with no past medical history presenting with inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and a positive “Dead Man Sign.” Prompt administration of antiplatelet therapy and emergent percutaneous coronary intervention led to successful revascularization of the occluded right coronary artery and left anterior descending artery. The patient remained asymptomatic throughout hospitalization and was discharged home with instructions for monthly follow-up for 1 year. Subsequent assessments demonstrated normal echocardiography and Electrocardiography (ECG) findings, indicating favorable cardiac recovery. This case emphasizes the critical importance of rapid recognition and intervention in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction cases, as well as the significance of the Dead Man Sign as a predictor of the occluded culprit coronary vessels, demonstrating favorable outcomes achievable with timely revascularization strategies.
Deep learning model for differentiating acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia in peripheral blood cell images via myeloblast and lymphoblast classification
Authors: Park Sholhui , Park Young Hoon , Huh Jungwon , Baik Seung Min , Park Dong Jin
Published: May 2024

Objective

Acute leukemia (AL) is a life-threatening malignant disease that occurs in the bone marrow and blood, and is classified as either acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Diagnosing AL warrants testing methods, such as flow cytometry, which require trained professionals, time, and money. We aimed to develop a model that can classify peripheral blood images of 12 cell types, including pathological cells associated with AL, using artificial intelligence.

Methods

We acquired 42,386 single-cell images of peripheral blood slides from 282 patients (82 with AML, 40 with ALL, and 160 with immature granulocytes).

Results

The performance of EfficientNet-V2 (B2) using the original image size exhibited the greatest accuracy (accuracy, 0.8779; precision, 0.7221; recall, 0.7225; and F1 score, 0.7210). The next-best accuracy was achieved by EfficientNet-V1 (B1), with a 256 × 256 pixels image. F1 score was the greatest for EfficientNet-V1 (B1) with the original image size. EfficientNet-V1 (B1) and EfficientNet-V2 (B2) were used to develop an ensemble model, and the accuracy (0.8858) and F1 score (0.7361) were improved. The classification performance of the developed ensemble model for the 12 cell types was good, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve above 0.9, and F1 scores for myeloblasts and lymphoblasts of 0.8873 and 0.8006, respectively.

Conclusions

The performance of the developed ensemble model for the 12 cell classifications was satisfactory, particularly for myeloblasts and lymphoblasts. We believe that the application of our model will benefit healthcare settings where the rapid and accurate diagnosis of AL is difficult.
A Self-Righteous, Not a Virtuous, Circle: Proposing a New Framework for Studying Media Effects on Knowledge and Political Participation in a Social Media Environment
Authors: Lee Sangwon , Valenzuela Sebastián
Published: May 2024

To explain the participatory effects of news exposure, communication scholars have long relied upon the “virtuous circle” framework of media use and civic participation. That is, news consumption makes people more knowledgeable, and trustful toward institutions and political processes, making them active and responsible citizens, which then leads them to engage in various political activities. In a social media environment, however, the applicability of the “virtuous circle” is increasingly dubious. A mounting body of empirical research indicates that news consumption via social media does not necessarily yield actual information gains. Instead, it often fosters a false perception of being well-informed and politically competent, thereby stimulating political engagement. Furthermore, selective information consumption and interaction within like-minded networks on social media frequently exacerbate animosity toward opposing political factions, which can serve as a catalyst for political involvement. In light of these findings, we propose replacing the “virtuous circle” framework for a “self-righteous” one. In this new model, social media news users develop a heightened sense of confidence in their knowledge, regardless of its accuracy, and consequently become more inclined to engage in politics by reinforcing the perception that the opposing side is inherently wrong and that achieving victory is imperative.
OCB Saints and OCB Sinners in Schools: Effects of Principals’ Leadership Styles on Teachers’ Motivation by OCB Levels
Authors: Berkovich Izhak
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study investigated the relationships between leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive) and teachers’ autonomous motivation (intrinsic and identified) in teachers with high and low levels of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).

Design/Approach/Methods

In a sample of 651 teachers from Israeli schools, several groups were identified: 107 teachers with the highest OCB scores (saints), 104 teachers with the lowest OCB scores (sinners), and 440 teachers with OCB scores in the middle range.

Findings

Regression analysis indicated that the intrinsic motivation of OCB saints was significantly predicted by passive leadership style, whereas that of the OCB norm by transformational leadership style. The analysis further indicated that the identified motivation of OCB sinners was significantly predicted by transactional leadership style, whereas that of the OCB norm by transformational leadership style.

Originality/Value

The results challenge the assumption of a one-size-fits-all approach to “effective” principals’ leadership styles and suggest that to cultivate teachers’ autonomous motivation they should be treated differently in leadership efforts. The implications of the study may be useful in improving school effectiveness and designing training programs for school leaders to enhance their leadership skills.
Social/Emotional Learning Implementation and Student Outcomes
Authors: Weems Colleen
Published: May 2024

This quantitative, nonexperimental study addressed the gap between research-established benefits and outcomes of social/emotional learning (SEL) implementation as compared to actual instances of implementation. Focusing on SEL and the specificity of use of CASEL SELect programs, the research questions of this study explored differences between implementation and usage, length of implementation, poverty classification, student growth composite (as measured by TVAAS composite), and attendance in elementary schools in Tennessee. I discuss specific implications for school counseling practice and consider the implementation of SEL as an intervention for holistic student success.
The Impact of ESG Participation on Firm Innovation: Empirical Findings from International Data
Authors: Lee Jaeho , Kim Jungwook , Cho Jaemin
Published: May 2024

This paper is to explore the association between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions and corporate innovative activities. Given that existing literature in the relationship between ESG and firm performance to date offers no clearly consistent empirical results and large-scale sample studies based on global companies remain scarce, this paper aims to offer a fresh and noteworthy insight about relationship between the ESG and innovation in recent times when ESG has been considered as important tenets of management because of the ESG’s enormous significance for corporate solid performance and sound development of capital markets. To test the hypotheses derived from the theoretical reasoning, this paper selected ESG indicators and financial data of global companies from 1999 to 2009 based on the relationship between ESG activities and corporate innovation, and the effects on corporate innovative product development performance are analyzed according to detailed ESG activities by logistic regression analysis. The study found that positive environmental and social activities appear to enhance innovation outputs by firms in various industries. These results indicate that the firms challenged by environmental issues respond with assertive innovative activities and the firms’ efforts to stimulate certain types of social activities are reflected in a higher level of innovation. Supporting the complex relationship between ESG activities and corporate innovation performance, the findings will help firms’ decision-makers, stakeholders, as well as academics, to improve their awareness of the impact of ESG activities on the innovation performance of the firm, both as a comprehensive factor and individually by pillar.
The Clean Beauty Trend Among Millennial and Generation Z Consumers: Assessing the Safety, Ethicality, and Sustainability Attributes of Cosmetic Products
Authors: Shim Jiyong , Woo Jung , Yeo Hyerin , Kang Sujin , Kwon Boseong , Jung Lee Eui , Oh Jooyoung , Jeong Euitaek , Lim Junman , Gyoo Park Sun
Published: May 2024

The concept of clean beauty lacks a precise definition and its defining attributes remain unclear. This study assesses the impact of clean beauty on Millennial and Generation Z consumers, identifies its main attributes, and provides a new index for determining products’ cleanness. To this end, 120 Korean participants were recruited; they used 10 cosmetic products and completed relevant questionnaires. Clean beauty awareness and product satisfaction were assessed from the cognitive and emotional perspectives. The Reliable Cleanness Score (RCS) was calculated using emotional product satisfaction. Participants’ preference for clean beauty products was correlated with engaged cosmetic shopping behaviors. The key clean beauty attributes were sustainability, safety, and ethicality—in that order. Machine learning-based regression analysis showed that objective and subjective data could be used to calculate the RCS, resulting in an R2 value of .721. With the results of this study, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers will be able to predict RCS.
Psychometric Validation of the Domestic Violence Questionnaire in Swahili Among Congolese Female Survivors of Domestic Violence
Authors: Jansen Stefan , Niyonsenga Japhet , Nsabimana Epaphrodite , Bonaventure Mihigo , Rutembesa Eugene , Slegh Henny , Mutabaruka Jean
Published: May 2024

The Domestic Violence Questionnaire (DVQ) is a measure that captures physical, sexual, economic, and psychological violence perpetrated against women. A team of local academicians and intervention experts evaluated several tools for domestic and gender-based violence, concluding that the DVQ fitted best in the context of evaluating the Living Peace intervention in conflict-affected eastern DRC. The purpose of this validation study was to: (1) validate the factor structure of the Swahili version of the DVQ, (2) to evaluate its convergent and divergent validity, and (3) to examine its internal consistency reliability. The factor structure was evaluated using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) while concurrent validity and internal consistency reliability were evaluated using Pearson correlation and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, respectively. The study participants were women, partners of men that participated in the Living Peace program, a community-based intervention program that works on promoting positive masculinity among men that are perceived to be violent by their community. Data were obtained from two independent purposive samples of 704 participants for EFA and 878 participants for CFA, selected from 60 villages in North and South Kivu, DRC. The results indicated that five and three-factor structures could be meaningfully interpreted in EFA, each with 66% explained variance. For comparative purposes, CFA was conducted on the two newly created factor models and the original factor model. All models reach good fit indexes, with the three-factor model demonstrating the best fit. Its standardized factor loadings ranged from 0.57 to 0.91. The internal consistency was α = .90 for the total scale and ranged from α = .75 to .926 per dimension. Finally, scores of DVQ were negatively correlated with mental well-being ( r = −0.23, p < .001), and positively with depression ( r = .435, p < .001), as hypothesized. The Swahili version of DVQ has excellent psychometric properties and can be applied to evaluate the physical, sexual, economic and psychological violence in victims of domestic violence in humanitarian crisis settings.
Professional Development Among Preschool Teachers: Meta-Conversations About Peer Counseling
Authors: Fimreite Hege , Glosvik Øyvind
Published: May 2024

This article aims to analyze discourse about professional development in preschool, represented by knowledge movements in meta-conversations about peer counseling. Empirically, this article presents a case study based on audio recordings of focus group discussions on peer counseling. The underlying study highlights findings in the form of various speech acts as markers for central discourse among preschool teachers. Habermas’ theory of communicative action is used as a framework for analyzing the preschool teachers’ statements, showing that the concepts of lifeworld and system are central in their discussions. The study highlights knowledge movements pertaining to learning and becoming part of the community, knowledge movements that threaten professional aspects, and dynamics between the participants’ everyday lives and the system. Peer counseling in groups appears to be a crucial transformative learning activity in the preschool setting studied. The findings presented can contribute to bridging preschool teachers’ everyday lives and the system they function within and can be used to improve the education of preschool teachers.
Lower mortality following surgical management for distal femur fractures: A cohort study
Authors: Cheung Yan Yui Benedict , Chan Chun Fung , Chan Wai Ming , Choi Alexander Kai Yiu
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Geriatric distal femur fractures pose a difficult problem for orthopaedic surgeons with an aging population. The present study aims to report mortality rates following distal femur fractures from a geriatric population over 60 years old, with a primary emphasis on determining whether surgical management differentially affects mortality rate as compared to conservative management.

Methods

Patients over 60 years old with distal femur fractures for patients admitted into the New Territories West Cluster from 2012 to 2020 were identified in this retrospective cohort study. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and management characteristics were examined and analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was done to delineate differences in mortality rates between surgical and conservative management. Further analysis was done for patients >80 years old using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to delineate whether surgical intervention still affects the survival in this narrowed geriatric population. Subsequent multivariate cox regression was done to determine variables with significant effect on mortality in this age group.

Results

Of 168 patients, the 1-year mortality rate is 21.5%. The cumulative median survival time of the surgical group (5.98 years) versus the conservative group (2.32 years). Survival analysis on patients >80 years old revealed age, management type, ambulatory status, place of residence, dementia, chronic pulmonary disease, or chronic kidney disease had statistically different median time of survival. In these patients, a reduction in death hazard by 47% (CI 0.28–1.01, p = 0.05) was seen in those with surgical management. On the other hand, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) show an increased death hazard by 2.61 times (CI 1.23–5.53, p = 0.01) and 7.17 times (CI 1.47–34.86, p = 0.02), respectively.

Conclusion

Compared to conservative management, surgical management resulted in higher cumulative survival in geriatric patients with distal femur fractures. Unfavourable factors that may contribute to a lower cumulative survival includes history of COPD and CKD.
Calcium sulphate pellets (Osteoset®) improve bone graft incorporation, but not femoral head sphericity after shelf acetabuloplasty for Perthes’ disease
Authors: Zgoda Marcin , Osman Mohamed Kamal , Thornhill Christopher
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Outcome of shelf acetabuloplasty in management of late onset Perthes’ disease can be affected by shelf resorption and inadequate femoral head containment. Various agents have been tried to enhance bone graft incorporation and reduce its resorption. The aim of this study was to assess whether Osteoset® (calcium sulphate pellets) can stimulate autogenous bone graft incorporation and prevent bone resorption after shelf acetabuloplasty for Perthes’ disease and whether its use can improve femoral head remodelling. Methods: Thirty-two children with Perthes’ disease who underwent shelf acetabuloplasty were divided into two groups. In 15 patients (study group) Osteoset (10 ml) mixed with autogenous bone grafts to create extra ‘shelf’ over deficient acetabulum was used. Seventeen patients who served as a control group were managed by shelf acetabuloplasty using autogenous bone graft without Osteoset. Both groups were similar with regards to age and severity of the condition. The mean age at operation was 9 years and 4 months. The mean follow-up was 53.3 and 61.5 months for Osteoset and control groups, respectively, when all patients reached skeletal maturity. On serial radiographs shelf area, extra-osseous shelf length, acetabular coverage and graft incorporation and femoral head sphericity were assessed. Results: Immediately post-operatively the shelf area and shelf length were similar in both groups. From 6 weeks post-operatively and thereafter shelf area and shelf length were significantly better in patients from the study (Osteoset) group. Patients from the control group showed a steady decline in graft area throughout the follow-up period. Graft incorporation was also faster in the Osteoset group. However, femoral head sphericity assessed by Stulberg classification was similar in both groups. Conclusion: Osteoset pellets improve graft volume, encourage earlier graft incorporation and inhibit later shelf resorption. Adding Osteoset does not improve femoral head remodelling following shelf acetabuloplasty for Perthes’ disease.
Teaching receptive vocabulary to two autistic children: A replicated, clinic-based, single case experimental design
Authors: Gray Rebecca , Muldoon Deirdre M , McCarthy Emily B.
Published: May 2024

Background and aims

This study was conducted in a clinical setting with the aim of replicating previously used procedures for teaching receptive vocabulary. Researchers increased the number of vocabulary words and maintained use of match-to-sample (MtS), prompting, and reinforcement procedures. Researchers were also interested in the efficacy of the intervention from caregivers’ perspectives.

Methods

Using a concurrent multiple baseline design, two autistic preschoolers with receptive language impairment were taught to identify 30 common objects. MtS, prompting, and reinforcement procedures were individualized to support each child. Maintenance checks and generalization probes were completed after a predetermined number of intervention sessions (i.e. three or four clinic sessions). A social validity questionnaire was completed by parents following the final maintenance check.

Results

Receptive object identification improved significantly for both participants. Despite exposure to vocabulary targets for only three or four sessions, they generalized the vocabulary targets to non-identical pictures and maintained words at maintenance checks. Participants were most successful when researchers individualized prompting and reinforcement.

Conclusion

MtS, prompting, and reinforcement were effective procedures for improving object identification, even with a limited number of intervention sessions. To support varying learner profiles, modifying prompting and reinforcement procedures was necessary. Caregivers of both participants reported positive improvements in areas such as communication, attention, and behaviors.

Implications

This replicated study provides support for MtS, prompting, and reinforcement as means of teaching receptive vocabulary to autistic preschoolers in a clinical setting. The materials used were simple and cost-effective. Overall, this study outlines and supports a flexible and effective evidence-based practice to teach receptive language to autistic children.
Low levels of Al stimulate the aboveground growth of Davidia involucrata saplings
Authors: Wang Jun , Guo Jiong , Yang Houqi , Deng Xinqi , Zhang Chunyan
Published: May 2024

Davidia involucrata is a woody perennial and the only living species in the Genus Davidia. It is native to southern China where it holds cultural and scientific importance. However, D. involucrata is now an endangered species and its natural range includes low pH soils which are increasingly impacted by acid rain, nitrogen deposition and imbalanced nutrient cycling. The combination of these stresses also poses the additional risk of aluminum (Al) toxicity. Since the responses of D. involucrata to low pH and aluminum toxicity have not been investigated previously, a hydroponic experiment was conducted to examine the growth of one year old D. involucrata saplings after 50 d growth in a range of pH and Al conditions. Plant biomass, morphology, antioxidant enzyme activity, mineral concentrations and plant ecological strategy were compared at pH 5.8 and pH 4.0 without added Al (AlCl3) and in 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mM Al at pH 4.0. Our results showed that compared with pH 5.8, pH 4.0 (without added Al) not only inhibited root and shoot growth but also limited accumulation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in leaves of D. involucrate. However, low Al concentrations (0.1 and 0.2 mM Al) at pH 4.0 partially restored the aboveground growth and leaf N concentrations, suggesting an alleviation of H+ toxicity by low Al concentrations. Compared with low Al concentrations, 0.5 mM Al treatment decreased plant growth and concentrations of N, P, and magnesium (Mg) in the leaves, which demonstrated the toxicity of high Al concentration. The results based on plant ecological strategy showed that D. involucrate decreased the competitiveness and favored its stress tolerance as pH changed from 5.8 to 4.0. Meanwhile, the competitiveness and stress tolerance of D. involucrata increased and decreased at low Al concentrations, respectively, and decreased and increased at high Al concentration, respectively. These trade-offs in ecological strategy were consistent with the responses of growth and antioxidant enzyme activity, reflecting a sensitive adaptation of D. involucrata to acid and Al stresses, which may aid in sustaining population dynamics. These findings are meaningful for understanding the population dynamics of D. involucrata in response to aluminum toxicity in acid soils.