bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Communal egg-laying by the Frontier Bow-fingered Gecko Altiphylax stoliczkai (Steindachner, 1867) in Ladakh, India
Authors: Patel Dimpi , Ramesh Chinnasamy , Ghosal Sunetro , Raina Pankaj
Published: August 2023

Communal egg-laying behaviour in the Frontier Bow-fingered Gecko Altiphylax stoliczkai was investigated within Ladakh’s Indian trans Himalayan region during the summer of 2019. The findings present the first documented evidence of communal egg-laying in the species. Distinct egg-laying sites were identified with crevices containing between four and 10 eggs. Confirmation of species identity was achieved through post-hatching visual identification and genetic tests. Contrary to prevailing notions of one to two eggs per female gekkonid, the observation suggests that communal egg-laying involves multiple females. This behaviour attributes to the unique environmental challenges of high-altitude mountainous terrain, proposing significant reproductive benefits for the species.
Preference of Helopsaltes pleskei (Taczanowski, 1890) (Aves: Passeriformes: Locustellidae) on uninhabited islets (Chengdo, Jikgudo, and Heukgeomdo) in South Korea as breeding sites
Authors: Jeong Young-Hoon , Choi Sung-Hwan , Park Seon-Mi , Lee Jun-Won , Oh Hong-Shik
Published: August 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the habitat and breeding status of the Pleske's Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella pleskei) inhabiting unmanned coastal islets (Cheongdo, Jikgudo and Heukgeomdo) on the Jeju Chuja Marine Provincial Park in South Korea. A total of 13 nesting sites were observed between April 2019 and April 2021. Six Camellia japonica (4 ea), Pinus thunbergii (1 ea) and Eurya emarginata (1 ea) nesting sites were found in the Cheongdo islet. Four C. japonica (2 ea), P. thunbergii (1 ea) and Elaeagnus macrophylla (1 ea) tree sites in Jikgudo islet were found, whereas only three C. japonica sites on the Heukgeomdo islet were observed. During the study period, 36 individuals were observed: 14 in Cheongdo, 10 in Jikgudo and 12 in the Heukgeomdo Islets. Most nesting sites were located in the bushy areas of the inner islets. Thus, birds tended to select nesting locations in response to predation and microclimates to increase reproductive rates and maximize offspring survival. This study highlights the importance of unmanned islands (islets) and the presence of bushy shrubs as important nesting and hiding sites for the ecologically vulnerable Pleske's Grasshopper Warbler.
Camera trap surveys reveal a wildlife haven: mammal communities in a tropical forest adjacent to a coal mining landscape in India
Authors: Palei Nimain Charan , Rath Bhakta Padarbinda , Palei Himanshu Shekhar , Mishra Arun Kumar
Published: August 2023

Having knowledge of the status and distribution of species in a specific geographic area is crucial for creating efficient conservation strategies. In this study, we evaluated the abundance and diversity of medium to large sized mammals in a tropical forest in India that has been greatly impacted by coal mining. Using camera traps between June 2018 and December 2018, we recorded 27 mammal species over 3432 trap-nights in 81 camera trap stations within the study area. The photo-captured species included both common and high conservation value threatened species, such as tiger Panthera tigris, leopard P. pardus, sloth bear Melursus ursinus, Asian elephant Elephas maximus, Gaur Bos gaurus, Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata, and four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis. Wild boar Sus scrofa was found to be the most frequently photo-captured and widespread species. Our study provides valuable data on the species inventory and the relative abundance of species in the area, highlighting its significance for mammal conservation. It also emphasizes the need for effective conservation management strategies to protect the remaining forest fragments containing high diversity of mammals, including several threatened species in India.
Group densities of endangered small apes (Hylobatidae) in two adjacent forest reserves in Merapoh, Pahang, Malaysia
Authors: Adilah Suhailin Kamaruzaman  , Mohd Rameli Nurul Iza Adrina , Lappan Susan , Bartlett Thad Quincy , Nik Fadzly Nik Rosely , Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah , Ruppert Nadine
Published: August 2023

Small ape habitat is rapidly declining due to anthropogenic activities but the current population status of this endangered primate family in Malaysia remains unknown. Group densities of Hylobates lar and Symphalangus syndactylus in two adjacent forest reserves across the Sungai Yu Ecological Corridor (SYEC) in Merapoh, a critical connectivity area of the Central Forest Spine, were assessed. Vegetation assessment and satellite imagery were used to identify habitat characteristics and fixed-point active acoustic triangulation at six listening areas was conducted to estimate small ape group densities. Small ape habitat quality was high in the forested areas of the SYEC. The mean group density of H. lar across these six areas was 3.55 ± 0.9 groups km-² while the mean group density of S. syndactylus was 2.75 ± 1.0 groups km-². The mean group densities of small apes at SYEC were moderately high, compared with densities at other sites in the region, which suggests that the forests here constitute good habitat for both species, despite some observed anthropogenic disturbances. Both species occurred in all listening areas. A nationwide population census for small apes and regular monitoring to inform conservation planning are recommended. Further improvement to connectivity across the SYEC by installing artificial canopy bridges for arboreal animals is important to support the movement of small apes across habitat fragments in Merapoh.
Angefleht und dann beopfert: Zur Beziehung von Mythos und Festritual in hethitischen Texten
Authors: Görke Susanne
Published: August 2023

This article considers the relationship of Hittite festival rituals and mythical accounts, based on the mythical narrative of the feast of the sun god, in which the invited deities are not satiated despite sufficient food and drink. It is shown that the myths of the disappearing and returning deities were originally invocations or supplications (mugawar) incorporated into ritual acts that were intended to summon a deity. From the Middle Hittite period onward, rituals for invoking deities (mukeššar) seem to have been distinguished from ritual offerings to deities, which could then be called festival rituals (EZEN₄). In the process, an occasion-bound invocation of a deity due owing to some emergency situation may have been reinterpreted as an invocation to guarantee the deity’s presence, which in the further course lost its significance for being written down while the ritual descriptions gained in importance. At the same time, the invocations may have been literarily processed and expanded, e.g., by southeast Anatolian descriptions of rites of evocation.
Comparison of amphibian diversity in areas under intensive versus subsistence agriculture in Uganda
Authors: Akoth Sisiria , Kityo Robert , Akite Perpetra , Behangana Mathias , Insingoma Joseph , Babyesiza Sadic Waswa , Sande Eric , Luiselli Luca
Published: August 2023

Agricultural intensification has increasingly destroyed natural habitats, resulting in species declines. Insights into the effects of landscape structure on species’ diversity and distribution are needed to effectively conserve biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. The influence of land use practices on amphibian species diversity was investigated in areas of intensive and subsistence agriculture in Namulonge (Uganda, East Africa) using visual encounter surveys while environmental parameters were also recorded. A total of 19 amphibian species were recorded. Species richness varied minimally between intensive and subsistence agriculture plots. However, there was a significant variation in species’ abundance between the two land use areas and the species diversity was reduced in the intensive-agriculture area. The relationship between habitat characteristics and species distribution was statistically significant: in areas with relatively intact natural vegetation cover more species occurred. Such pockets of vegetation provide microhabitat conditions suitable for foraging, breeding and cover. Therefore, the abovementioned observation suggests that there is value at the landscape level to preserve natural/seminatural pockets of vegetation to enhance biodiversity in any agricultural environment.
Age and growth of the mountain dragon, Diploderma micangshanense (Squamata: Lacertilia: Agamidae)
Authors: Liu Xiuying , Li Guanglu , Liu Changxiu , Xiong Jianli
Published: August 2023

Knowledge of life history is important for understanding population ecology. The genus Diploderma is one of the most diverse genera in the family Agamidae, and no data on the life history traits of Diploderma species have been reported to date. Here, the age and growth of a population of D. micangshanense were revealed using skeletochronology for the first time. Females have greater snout-vent length (SVL) than males, but the mean SVL did not significantly differ between the sexes. Age ranged from one to four years in both sexes, and mean ages were 2.24 ± 0.10 years for males and 2.28 ± 0.12 years for females. No significant sexual differences were detected in either age structure or mean age. Age and body size were significantly positively correlated in both sexes. The growth coefficient k (males: 0.510; females: 0.441) and growth rate (males: 4.33 ± 0.38; females: 4.91 ± 0.39) were similar in both sexes. These results have implications for the population dynamics and management of this species.
Gendered Criminality and Punishment: Does Gender Influence Juvenile Offending and Punishment in Saudi Arabia?
Authors: Pryce Daniel K. , Alotaibi Hajed A. , Boateng Francis D.
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we examine the connection between gendered criminality and punishment in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, we examine how the presence of a criminal associate, type of criminal associate, prior criminality, type of court, and number of presiding judges affect what types of punishments are meted out to juvenile male and female offenders. Using a sample of 437 court cases drawn from several court systems, we found that males were more likely to commit substance use-related crimes, whereas females were more likely to commit the offenses of adultery and fornication. We also found that males were more likely than females to engage in kidnapping, a relatively violent crime. In addition, our findings reveal that juvenile males tended to commit crimes with both juvenile and adult associates, whereas juvenile females were more likely to have only adult criminal associates. Also, males were more likely than females to commit murder than substance use-related crimes if they had criminal associates. Lastly, male offenders whose cases were adjudicated by two or more judges were far more likely than male offenders whose cases were tried by a single judge to receive longer prison sentences. Interestingly, we did not find an association between punishment type and gender. The implications of our findings for the juvenile justice system, policy, and future research are discussed.
The (Im)perfect Automation Schema: Who Is Trusted More, Automated or Human Decision Support?
Authors: Rieger Tobias , Kugler Luisa , Manzey Dietrich , Roesler Eileen
Published: August 2023

Objective

This study’s purpose was to better understand the dynamics of trust attitude and behavior in human-agent interaction.

Background

Whereas past research provided evidence for a perfect automation schema, more recent research has provided contradictory evidence.

Method

To disentangle these conflicting findings, we conducted an online experiment using a simulated medical X-ray task. We manipulated the framing of support agents (i.e., artificial intelligence (AI) versus expert versus novice) between-subjects and failure experience (i.e., perfect support, imperfect support, back-to-perfect support) within subjects. Trust attitude and behavior as well as perceived reliability served as dependent variables.

Results

Trust attitude and perceived reliability were higher for the human expert than for the AI than for the human novice. Moreover, the results showed the typical pattern of trust formation, dissolution, and restoration for trust attitude and behavior as well as perceived reliability. Forgiveness after failure experience did not differ between agents.

Conclusion

The results strongly imply the existence of an imperfect automation schema. This illustrates the need to consider agent expertise for human-agent interaction.

Application

When replacing human experts with AI as support agents, the challenge of lower trust attitude towards the novel agent might arise.
AUKUS and Southeast Asia's Ontological Security Dilemma
Authors: Umar Ahmad Rizky M. , Nuraini Santoso Yulida
Published: August 2023

What does AUKUS mean for Southeast Asia? While some Southeast Asian countries are critical of the new pact, others appear to be more positive or, at least, neutral towards it. We argue that Southeast Asian responses to AUKUS are characterised by a new ontological security dilemma with three different characteristics. First, Southeast Asian countries—particularly Indonesia and Malaysia—face the dilemma of maintaining a balance of power and regional stability amid an environment of increasing engagement with extra-regional actors. A second dilemma relates to the region's need for security against extra-regional threats, primarily from China, which led several Southeast Asian countries—such as Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines—to support AUKUS, either explicitly or implicitly. Third is ASEAN's organisational dilemma of how to strategically utilise its regional frameworks to respond to AUKUS amid the divergent views of major Southeast Asian countries. We then address efforts to mitigate the regional security dilemma by reconsidering ASEAN regional frameworks and rethinking the role of the ASEAN chairman to deal with major regional security issues.
The Impact of Creativity Training on Inter-Group Conflict-Related Emotions
Authors: Fahoum Nardine , Pick Hadas , Shamay-Tsoory Simone
Published: August 2023

Negative emotions toward outgroup members are primary factors in maintaining and escalating inter-group conflicts. Building on studies showing that highly creative individuals exhibit fewer negative emotions toward outgroup members, we examined whether training creativity by means of divergent thinking tasks would reduce negative emotions toward outgroup members in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Experiment 1 examined the effectiveness of a 2-week creativity training program that entailed executing divergent thinking tasks. The results show that individuals trained to think creatively exhibited fewer negative emotions toward the outgroup compared to the control group. Experiment 2 examined the effects of a short creativity intervention and found that the intensity of negative emotions did not change immediately after carrying out divergent thinking tasks. These findings suggest that extended, but not short, creativity intervention may regulate negative emotions toward outgroup members, indicating that emotional change in the context of conflicts is possible only after repeated creativity training.
Public Preferences for Intergroup Assistance in Conflicts Facing Joint External Threats: Lessons From COVID-19 in Israel
Authors: Harsgor Liran , Yakter Alon
Published: August 2023

With global changes, large-scale natural hazards are more frequent and intense, posing a particular challenge for groups in conflict. Do these shared external threats influence group willingness to cooperate and assist the adversary, and how? The literature suggests inconsistent expectations, from increased intergroup cooperation, to exacerbated animosity, to no discernable impact. We explore this question in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a joint exogenous threat for both sides. Using multiple surveys and a conjoint experiment, we examine whether and how COVID-19 threat perceptions affected Jewish-Israeli preferences for collaborating with the Palestinians against the pandemic, including a novel exploration of concrete policy priorities. We find that greater COVID-19 threat perceptions have little effect on collaborative policy preferences, corroborating politics-as-usual arguments: support for out-group assistance, cooperation, and cost-sharing is polarized by ideological orientation. Our findings outline both constraints and opportunities for intergroup collaboration policies in conflicts facing joint outside challenges.
Mindfulness and Agential Control
Authors: Kittle Simon
Published: August 2023

Mindfulness meditation seems to generate the following puzzle: On one hand, mindfulness reveals to the meditator that many of their thoughts are outside of their control and leads to a diminished sense of self; on the other, regular mindfulness practice is supposed to lead to greater self-awareness and self-control. In this article, the author develops an agent-causal account of agential control that explains both claims. It is suggested that the work of phenomenologist Hans Reiner shows us why the feeling of agency extends further than that which is directly controlled; this provides a way of addressing the puzzle above, while also explaining why many beginner meditators are surprised that much conscious thought is uncontrolled. The author then extends the account by appealing to William James’s notion of the fringe of consciousness, a notion that has been extensively developed by thinkers in the phenomenological tradition, in particular, Aron Gurwitsch. Inspired by Bruce Mangan’s use of the fringe in service of “explanatory phenomenology,” the author argues that Gurwitsch’s model of awareness suggests that the fringe makes possible a distinctive type of choice. This facilitates an account of agency that can explain the types of control possessed during different stages of mindfulness practice.
Confronted With Death: Factors Affecting End of Life Decisions in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: ul Hassan Syed Sabih , Ali Wajid , Khan Hamza , Raja Ahsan Raza , Hassan Murtuza , Haque Ghazal , Ayub Farwa , Waqar Muhammad Atif , Latif Asad
Published: August 2023

To determine how often care is limited at the end of life and the factors that are associated with this decision, we reviewed the medical records of all patients that passed away in the intensive care units (ICU) of Aga Khan University. We found that a majority of patients had Do-Not-Resuscitate orders in place at the time of death. Our analysis yielded 6 variables that were associated with the decision to limit care. These are patient age, sex, duration of mechanical ventilation, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤8 at any point during ICU stay, GCS ≤8 in the first 24 hours following ICU admission, and mean arterial pressure <65 mm of Hg while on vasopressors in the first 24 hours following ICU admission. These variables require further study and should be carefully considered during end of life discussions to allow for optimal management at the end of life.
Linking Blood Pressure-Associated Emotional Dampening to Trait Empathy
Authors: Loveless James P. , Sullivan S. Nichole , Hall Hailey , Danford Jamie , Farley Ally , Trogdon Nicholas , Baldwin Jameson
Published: August 2023

Gradual and sustained increases in resting blood pressure are accompanied by gradual and sustained reductions in the capacity to consciously experience several affective and somatosensory processes. Burgeoning theory suggests that this phenomenon, termed cardiovascular emotional dampening, contributes to heart disease risk by interfering with our ability to effectively respond to environmental demands. Interpersonal relationships are contexts in which this risk cascade likely occurs, but prior researchers have paid little attention to how emotional dampening might influence these relationships. As empathy is a construct used to describe facets of emotion-linked responding that facilitate interpersonal relationships, if emotional dampening influences interpersonal relationships, then we might expect resting blood pressure to covary with measures of empathy as it does with other previously studied aspects of affective responding. We recruited 175 healthy undergraduate college student participants (120 Women; M age = 19.17, SD age = 2.08) to complete a counterbalanced procedure in which we measured resting blood pressure and related it to participants’ responses on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy, and a demographic survey. Bivariate comparisons revealed a significant inverse relationship between average resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cognitive empathy, as well as a significant inverse relationship between SBP and affective empathy. Multiple regression analyses revealed that SBP remained a significant predictor of cognitive empathy, but not affective empathy, after controlling for related covariates (i.e., sex, age, and alexithymia). SBP predicted cognitive empathy such that higher SBP was associated with lower cognitive empathy. Thus, people with higher resting blood pressures might experience increased interpersonal distress because of a reduced capacity for empathetic accuracy and perspective-taking. We discuss the implications and future directions of these findings.
Local success in the standards era
Authors: Allensworth Elaine , Desimone Laura M. , Marianno Latrice
Published: August 2023

The Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards were adopted in the early 2010s in most U.S. states with high hopes of improving educational achievement and equity. Almost a decade later, there is little evidence of the hoped-for improvements at the state and national level. However, state and national averages obscure gains that occurred in particular schools and districts. Elaine Allensworth, Laura M. Desimone, and Latrice Marianno share findings from studies of successes in multiple states and in Chicago. Their research shows that improvement was most likely when teachers engage in professional learning that is both flexible and specific, incorporates collaboration, focuses on practice, and offers guidance in using resources.
Career Confidential: New teacher wants a mentor
Authors: Fagell Phyllis L.
Published: August 2023

Phyllis Fagell gives career advice to educators. In this month’s column, a teacher asks if it’s acceptable to Google the names of students who are struggling to see if she can undercover underlying issues. A beginning teacher wants a mentor but isn’t sure how to go about building that relationship. A teacher who’s always willing to pitch in when the principal asks for help wants to get better at saying no.
Dual-path segmentation network for automatic fabric defect detection
Authors: Yu Zhiqi , Xu Yang , Wang Yuekun , Sheng Xiaowei , Xie Guosheng
Published: August 2023

Fabric defect detection plays a crucial role in the production process of the textile industry. Vision-based inspection methods have emerged as an inevitable trend due to their lower labor costs and high detection efficiency. As the accuracy requirements for fabric defect detection, methods must not only identify and locate defects accurately but also describe the morphological features of the defects. This poses a challenge for the algorithm’s design, as it must consider both the semantic and texture information of the fabric. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end dual-path segmentation network called DPNet for fabric defect detection, which can extract and fuse both semantic and texture information to achieve high accuracy. The proposed framework consists of two paths: the semantic path, which has narrow but deep layers to obtain high-dimensional features, and the texture path, which has wide and dense layers to extract low-level details. To enhance the interaction between semantic and texture features, a crossed attention fusion module has been developed. Evaluations show that the proposed method outperforms other methods on different datasets in terms of mIoU, with results of 75.84% for Ngan and 70.69% for AITEX. In addition, we developed an inspection platform and tested the proposed method online. We found that it can achieve online detection at a speed of 40 m/min, making it well-suited for practical production environments.
Digital printing image generation method based on style transfer
Authors: Su Zebin , Zhao Siyuan , Zhang Huanhuan , Li PengFei , Lu Yanjun
Published: August 2023

Digital printing has been widely used in textile printing production. In the process of designing digital printing patterns, an image generative model is needed to assist in obtaining more diversified patterns. However, the current model involves large storage space and high computing cost, which affects the promotion of digital printing customized production. To solve the problem, this article proposes a digital printing image generation method based on style transfer. Firstly, a style transfer method based on exact feature distribution matching is constructed to realize the accurate matching from image content to style features. And a balanced loss function is used to enhance the universality of the proposed method. Furthermore, knowledge distillation is introduced to compress the method proposed to reduce the hardware requirements when processing high-resolution digital printing images. Finally, a segmented training strategy is proposed to solve the performance degradation caused by model compression. The experimental results show that when processing images with a resolution of 3000 × 3000, the storage capacity of the model is only 2.68 MB and only 0.20 TFLOPs is required. The maximum processing resolution is more than 8K. The pattern obtained by this model is of high quality and can meet the needs of digital printing production.
Jesus ‘the Just’
Authors: Bockmuehl Markus
Published: August 2023

While praise of the righteous is endemic in both Jewish and Christian Scripture, its application to named individuals is remarkably rare throughout. In the New Testament, it is reserved for pre-Christian saints and especially for Jesus himself—most clearly in Acts. Responding to the suggestion (by Richard Hays and others) that ‘the Just’ was specifically a messianic title, the article shows instead that its application to figures like James the brother of Jesus and Simon the son of Onias II documents part of a development toward the rabbinic usage of the Tzaddiq. The Just is a typically retrospective honorific designating a rare observant and pious person, possibly suffering and persecuted but divinely vindicated and endowed with charismatic qualities, who facilitates mediation between God and human beings and helps sustain the world.
Impact of Age, Race, and Gender on the Association Between Marital Status and Treatment Outcomes in Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Li Yujiao , You Dan , Hu Chaosu
Published: August 2023

Background: The objective of this study is to assess whether the impact of marital status on oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas (OTSCC) prognosis varied by gender, age, and race. Methods: We examined the clinicopathological variables using chi-squared tests, and we evaluated the association between survival and different variables using the methods of Kaplan–Meier. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the effects of each variable on survival. Results: A total of 5282 patients were analyzed. The rate of being married was higher among Asian or Caucasian, and this rate decreased with higher tumor stage. While both married male and female survivors benefit from their marital status, we found a differential in OS based on gender, with females benefiting more than males (male P = .038; female P = .009, respectively). Patients who were divorced/separated/widowed (male HR = 1.275, 95% CI: 1.085-1.499; female HR = 1.313, 95% CI: 1.083-1.593) and never married (male HR = 1.164, 95% CI: 0.983-1.378; female HR = 1.224, 95% CI: 0.958-1.565) had increased hazard of OS compared with married/partnered patients (male P = .038; female P = .009). Subgroups analysis shows that the effect of marital status was significantly associated with treatment outcome only in Caucasian patients aged 50 years or older who harbored non-metastatic disease and received surgery ( P < .001). Conclusion: While there are survival benefits for married patients with OTSCC, married/partnered females may benefit more than males. Age, race, and gender could affect the correlation between marital status and survival.
Seromucinous Hamartoma of the Sinonasal Cavity
Authors: Park Marn Joon , Seo Youjeong , Joo Soo Hyun
Published: August 2023

Benign tumors or malignant neoplasms must be evaluated in patients with unilateral nasal cavity mass lesions. The 3 most prevalent unilateral benign mass lesions in such individuals are nasal polyps (NPs) and inverted papillomas (IPs). Although rare, it should be kept in mind that sinonasal hamartomas can be occasionally diagnosed as well. Among sinonasal hamartomas, respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma is more prevalent, with seromucinous hamartoma (SMH) being the second most common. Unlike NPs, sinonasal hamartomas are benign tumors with growth potential, which means it should not be undertreated and warrants surgical removal for treatment. However, sinonasal hamartomas do not have local invasion or malignant transformation potential like IPs; hence, it is vital not to overtreat them. Therefore, understanding the histopathology of SMH and thereby establishing proper surgical planning prior to the surgery remains crucial in such cases. Here, we present a successfully treated case of SMH with a distinctive radiographic, gross, and pathological clinical image of SMH.
A Rare Case of Pseudo-Malignant Paranasal Extranodal Rosai–Dorfman Disease
Authors: Tamura Koichi , Tsuda Takeshi , Takeda Kazuya , Obata Sho , Kurashige Masako , Morii Eiichi , Inohara Hidenori
Published: August 2023

Rosai–Dorfman disease is a very rare disease characterized by histiocytic accumulation in the head and neck region and lymph node enlargement. We report a rare pseudo-malignant paranasal extranodal Rosai–Dorfman disease. A 69-year-old-man presented nasal bleeding and nasal obstruction. Paranasal mass was detected in the left nasal cavity and computed tomography (CT) findings are the sphenoid sinus, maxillary sinus, and ethmoid sinus were involved with inconstant bone thickening, however, no bone destruction was detected. Magnetic resonance imaging scans show iso-intensity signal in T1-weighed image and T2-weighed image. Positron emission tomography/CT fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in posterior ethmoid sinus and sphenoid sinus, bilateral cervical lymph node, clavicle, and sternum. Based on the above results, we considered malignant lymphoma and performed a biopsy. After pathological examination, a diagnosis of Rosai–Dorfman disease was established.
Spirituality of Science: Implications for Meaning, Well-Being, and Learning
Authors: Preston Jesse L. , Coleman Thomas J. , Shin Faith
Published: August 2023

Scientists often refer to spiritual experiences with science. This research addresses this unique component of science attitudes— spirituality of science: feelings of meaning, awe, and connection derived through scientific ideas. Three studies ( N = 1,197) examined individual differences in Spirituality of Science (SoS) and its benefits for well-being, meaning, and learning. Spirituality of Science was related to belief in science, but unlike other science attitudes, spirituality of science was also associated with trait awe and general spirituality (Study 1). spirituality of science also predicted meaning in life and emotional well-being in a group of atheists and agnostics, showing that scientific sources of spirituality can provide similar psychological benefits as religious spirituality (Study 2). Finally, Spirituality of Science predicted stronger engagement and recall of scientific information (Study 3). Results provide support for an experience of spirituality related to science, with benefits for meaning, well-being, and learning.
Effects of a low-iodine diet in post-thyroidectomy thyroid cancer patients undergoing I131 therapy at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital
Authors: Hoang Bach Viet , Nguyen Tien Thi Hong , Duong Yen Thi , Nguyen Hoa Thi Thanh , Nguyen Thu Ha , Nguyen Thanh Thi , Nguyen Lieu Thi Thu , Le Huong Thi
Published: August 2023

Background: I131 therapy is regarded as an “internal surgery” (i.e., a non-invasive approach involving no incision or bleeding) that supports “external surgery” (i.e., using a scalpel) in completely eradicating the root cause of thyroid cancer. Limiting iodine intake is of paramount importance in I131 therapy. I131 therapy protocols recommend that patients follow a low-iodine diet, ideally with a maximum iodine intake of 50 μg/day for two weeks before the I131 therapy. Methods: A pre–post compassion uncontrolled clinic intervention study was conducted on a group of over 70 post-thyroidectomy thyroid cancer patients with indications for I131 therapy at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital from December 2020 to December 2022. Aim: It aimed to assess the effects of a low-iodine diet on post-thyroidectomy thyroid cancer patients with indications for I131 therapy. Results: The study found that following the intervention, the percentage of participants at risk of mild to moderate malnutrition, as assessed by the PG-SGA tool, decreased to 4.3% from 40.0% before the intervention, with a statistically significant difference of p < 0.001. There was a considerable improvement in the low calcemia level among the study participants, with 35.7% of patients experiencing hypocalcemia prior to the intervention, which reduced to 17.1% after the intervention. This difference was statistically significant ( p = 0.01). The study also revealed a urinary iodine level improvement among the study participants. Before the intervention, patients’ average urinary iodine level was 14.9 ± 11.3 µg/dl. Following the intervention, it reduced to 12.7 ± 3.9 µg/dl, although this difference was not statistically significant ( p = 0.29). Patients’ quality of life after adhering to the low-iodine diet tended to decline; however, the change in scores before and after the intervention did not show a significant difference. Conclusion: Despite its negative impact on patients’ quality of life, active nutrition counseling and intervention during the low-iodine diet contributed to the substantial improvement in the hypocalcemia level and the reduced urinary iodine level among patients, which in turn could enhance the efficacy of the subsequent I131 therapy.
Entropy and Entropic Differences in the Work of Michel Serres
Authors: Kroth Lilian
Published: August 2023

Michel Serres’s philosophy of entropy takes what he famously calls the ‘Northwest Passage’ between the sciences and the humanities. By contextualizing his approach to entropy and affirming the role of a philosophy of difference, this paper explores Serres’s approach by means of ‘entropic differences’. It claims that entropy – or rather, entropies – provide Serres with a paradigmatic case for critical translations between different domains of knowledge. From his early Hermès series, through to The Birth of Physics and later writings on social and ethical themes, he keeps thermodynamical and informational – or ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ – understandings of entropy apart, while simultaneously exploring their relation. By focusing on the systematic significance of Serres’s ‘entropic difference’, this paper shows how it unfolds not necessarily as an ontological difference but as an operative function between the history and philosophy of science, epistemology, and a theory of negentropic (inter)subjectivity.
‘Not now but in the future’ investigating enablers and barriers to independence and readiness for higher education of learners with vision impairment in Turkey
Authors: Akbayrak Kubra
Published: August 2023

Despite recent emphasis within the literature on developing personal agency of learners with vision impairment through specialist educational provision to enable them to have control over their own life as independent and active individuals, little attention seems to be given to investigating how learners with vision impairment promote their independence skills in schools in Turkey. This study examined the views of 12 young people with vision impairment (aged between 16 and 19) studying at upper-level secondary schools through semi-structured interviews to gain an insight into how young people with vision impairment perceive enablers and barriers to their independence prior to starting higher education in Turkey. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed the following four superordinate themes relating to young people’s perceptions on internal and external factors affecting their independence and readiness for higher education: (1) personal characteristics (i.e., maturity, level of vision), (2) parental factors (i.e., feeling dependent to parents, parental attitudes), (3) educational support (i.e., access to curriculum, independent living skills training), and (4) people’s attitudes (i.e., low expectation, limited knowledge). Demonstrating the views of young people with vision impairment, this article has significance for inclusive educational practice and policy in Turkey since it provides evidence for professionals in considering how they may well provide educational support in order for young people with vision impairment to develop their personal agency. This article also offers valuable insights to previous research in different national contexts as it presents distinctive insights into how young people with vision impairment in Turkey identify the factors that enable or hinder their independence and participation.
The role of political connections in rapid internationalisation: A study among Chinese international new ventures
Authors: Yan Jiayan , Deng Ziliang , Meng Shuai
Published: August 2023

Drawing upon the attention-based view, we examine whether political connections facilitate or hinder the speed of new venture internationalisation. Given the limited managerial attention and information-processing capacities of decision-makers, international new ventures (INVs) need to make a trade-off between domestic business activities and rapid foreign expansion. We hypothesise that INVs with political connections, being embedded in political networks in their home market, tend to focus their attention on domestic business activities rather than rapid internationalisation. We also hypothesise that a high level of subnational trade openness mitigates the baseline negative relationship. Analyses based on the longitudinal data of INVs publicly listed in China support the hypotheses. Our study contributes to the literature by unveiling the dilemma of INVs which are developing board political connections at home and seeking rapid internationalisation abroad.
Corporate governance in international new ventures and born global firms
Authors: Evers Natasha , Gerschewski Stephan , Khan Zaheer , King Tim , Kuivalainen Olli , Puthusserry Pushyarag
Published: August 2023

International new ventures (INVs) and born globals (BGs) play a significant role in the global economy. These firms have rapidly expanded into foreign markets offering unique products and services. Despite the role such ventures play in the global economy, we know relatively little about the role of corporate governance (CG) in INVs and BGs and the challenges these firms face in foreign markets. This introductory article and the papers included in this Special Issue provide important insights into the role of corporate governance and the rapid rise of INVs and BGs and their evolutionary process, and highlight the topics where more research is needed. We also contribute to the current literature by examining corporate governance in early internationalising firms and discussing what sets them apart from well-established multinational enterprises.
Establishment of a national quality improvement process on oxygen delivery index during cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Stammers Alfred H , Chores Jeffrey B , Tesdahl Eric A , Patel Kirti P , Baeza Jennifer , Mosca Matthew S , Varsamis Michalis , Petterson Craig M , Firstenberg Michael S , Jacobs Jeffrey P
Published: August 2023

Targeted oxygen delivery during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has received significant attention due to its influence on patient outcomes, especially in mitigating acute kidney injury. While it has gained popularity in select institutions, there remains a gap in establishing it globally across multiple centers. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the development of a quality improvement process of targeted oxygen delivery during CPB across hospitals throughout the United States. A systematic approach to utilize oxygen delivery index (DO2i) as a key performance indicator within hospitals serviced by a national provider of perfusion services. The process included a review of the current literature on DO2i, which yielded a target nadir value (272 mL/min/m2) and an area under the curve (DO2i272AUC) cut off of 632. All data is displayed on a dashboard with results categorized across multiple levels from system-wide to individual clinician performance. From January 2020 through December 2022, DO2i data from 91 hospitals and 11,165 coronary artery bypass graft procedures were collected. During this period the monthly proportion of DO2i measurements above the target nadir DO2i272 ranged from 60.5% to 78.4% with a mean+/−SD of 70.8 +/- 4.2%. Binary logistic regression for the first 7 months following monthly DO2i performance reporting has shown a statistically significant positive linear trend in the probability of achieving the target DO2i272 ( p < .001), with a crude increase of approximately 7.8% for DO2i272AUC, and a 73.8% success rate ( p < .001). A survey was sent to all individuals measuring oxygen delivery during CPB to assess why a target DO2i272 could not be reached. The two most common responses were an ‘inability to improve CPB flow rates’ and ‘restrictive allogeneic red blood cell transfusion policies’. This study demonstrates that targeting a minimum level of oxygen delivery can serve as a key performance indicator during CPB using a structured quality improvement process.
Exploring attitudes of people with chronic health conditions towards the use of group-based telerehabilitation: A qualitative study
Authors: Barry Walsh Caoimhe , Cahalan Roisin , Hinman Rana S , O’Sullivan Kieran
Published: August 2023

Objective

The study explores the attitudes of people with chronic health conditions towards the use of group-based telerehabilitation.

Design

A qualitative research study.

Setting

The setting involved semi-structured focus groups via videoconferencing software.

Participants

A purposive sample of 18 people with chronic health conditions including cardiorespiratory, neurological and musculoskeletal conditions was recruited via national patient advocacy and support groups in Ireland and clinical contacts. The sample included both those who had, and had not, previously engaged in telerehabilitation programmes.

Procedures

An online questionnaire collected demographic information and data regarding previous telerehabilitation participation and telerehabilitation preferences. Focus groups were conducted using videoconferencing software, in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) Checklist, and analysed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's methodology. Findings were triangulated with quantitative questionnaire data.

Results

Four focus groups were conducted including participants with chronic cardiorespiratory ( n = 8), neurological ( n = 6) and musculoskeletal ( n = 4) conditions. Three themes were identified regarding telerehabilitation: (a) benefits and facilitators (including convenience, increased service accessibility, social connection and technological support), (b) challenges and barriers (including technological access and literacy, limited ‘hands-on’ therapy, safety concerns and social limitations), and (c) preferences (regarding mode of delivery, content, duration and generic programmes for mixed-condition groups).

Conclusions

Telerehabilitation is convenient for people with chronic conditions; however, concerns exist regarding the use of technology and the limitations of this healthcare delivery method. The role of telerehabilitation is valued, and future programmes should acknowledge patient preferences including a hybrid model of care, exercise and educational content, social interaction and synchronous components.
Determining the effects of elevated partial pressure of oxygen on hypercapnia-induced cerebrovascular reactivity
Authors: Sayin Ece Su , Duffin James , Poublanc Julien , Venkatraghavan Lashmikumar , Mikulis David John , Fisher Joseph Arnold , Sobczyk Olivia
Published: August 2023

Evaluation of cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to hypo- and hypercapnia is a valuable test for the assessment of vasodilatory reserve. While hypercapnia-induced CVR testing is usually performed at normoxia, mild hyperoxia may increase tolerability of hypercapnia by reducing the ventilatory distress. However, the effects of mild hyperoxia on CVR was unknown. We therefore recruited 21 patients with a range of steno-occlusive diseases and 12 healthy participants who underwent a standardized 13-minute step plus ramp CVR test with a carbon dioxide gas challenge at the subject’s resting end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen or at mild hyperoxia (PetO2 = 150 mmHg) depending on to which group they were assigned. In 11 patients, the second CVR test was at normoxia to examine test-retest differences. CVR was defined as % Δ Signal/ΔPetCO2. We found that there was no significant difference between CVR test results conducted at normoxia and at mild hyperoxia for participants in Groups 1 and 2 for the step and ramp portion. We also found no difference between test and retest CVR at normoxia for patients with cerebrovascular pathology (Group 3) for step and ramp portion. We concluded normoxic CVR is repeatable, and that mild hyperoxia does not affect CVR.
Point-Counterpoint: Cerebral perfusion pressure is a high-risk concept
Authors: Brasil Sérgio , Panerai Ronney B , Bor-Seng-Shu Edson , Nogueira Ricardo C
Published: August 2023

Cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) is calculated as the difference between mean arterial blood pressure and mean intracranial pressure, being commonly applied in neurocritical care. This commentary discusses recent physiological advances in knowledge as well as bedside practice issues that in combination indicate considering CPP under this perspective may lead to inaccurate assumptions and potentially misleading decision making.