bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing students’ creativity in problem-solving through online reading-concept mapping-group investigation
Authors: Safitri Nur Lina , Zubaidah Siti , Rohman Fatchur , Sulisetijono Sulisetijono
Published: January 2024

Enhancement of students’ creativity and problem-solving is essential to science education. The learning accentuating students’ interaction to generate creative ideas becomes the ideal forum for developing those two skills. This study aims to amplify the current understanding of the effects of readingconcept mapping (Remap)–cooperative learning on college students’ creative and problem-solving skills. For cooperative learning, we used group investigation (GI). This study involved 60 college students from three Biology Education classes. Further, each class consists of 20 students with Remap-GI, GI, and conventional learning. The analysis results suggested that the creativity and problem-solving skills of students from all classes increased, with the most significant increase observed in students attending Remap-GI class which also presented substantial differences from the other two classes. In conclusion, GI presents positive effects in enhancing prospective teachers’ skills. However, an additional structured program (Remap) is still required to improve the future teachers’ contribution to their group.
Personality traits and job performance among academic staff in a private academic institution
Authors: Lee Ping Lim , Choon Hee Ong , Owee Kowang Tan , Wu Chi-Hua
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the association between the personality traits of academic staff members and their job performance in a Malaysian private educational institution. The personality traits were based on the Big Five model, which has five dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. About 110 participants from this institution were surveyed using a quantitative questionnaire, and their data were gathered. Throughout the study, the data were examined utilizing multiple regression analysis and factor analysis. According to the study’s findings, conscientiousness, and openness to experience significantly positively affect job performance. However, it was determined that extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism were not statistically significant and had no connection to job performance. As a result, in this institution, openness to experience is the most essential predictor of job performance. The findings of this study showed the management that openness to experience and conscientiousness are crucial for improving job performance inside the institution. Therefore, the management should pay more attention to these areas and recruit new employees with openness to experience and conscientious personality traits.
Catheterization for Congenital Heart Disease Adjustment for Risk Method II
Authors: Quinn Brian P. , Gunnelson Lauren C. , Kotin Sarah G. , Gauvreau Kimberlee , Yeh Mary J. , Hasan Babar , Lozier John , Barry Oliver M. , Shahanavaz Shabana , Batlivala Sarosh P. , Salavitabar Arash , Foerster Susan , Goldstein Bryan , Divekar Abhay , Holzer Ralf , Nicholson George T. , O’Byrne Michael L. , Whiteside Wendy , Bergersen Lisa
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:

Current metrics used to adjust for case mix complexity in congenital cardiac catheterization are becoming outdated due to the introduction of novel procedures, innovative technologies, and expanding patient subgroups. This study aims to develop a risk adjustment methodology introducing a novel, clinically meaningful adverse event outcome and incorporating a modern understanding of risk.

METHODS:

Data from diagnostic only and interventional cases with defined case types were collected for patients ≤18 years of age and ≥2.5 kg at all Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes participating centers. The derivation data set consisted of cases performed from 2014 to 2017, and the validation data set consisted of cases performed from 2019 to 2020. Severity level 3 adverse events were stratified into 3 tiers by clinical impact (3a/b/c); the study outcome was clinically meaningful adverse events, severity level ≥3b (3bc/4/5).

RESULTS:

The derivation data set contained 15 224 cases, and the validation data set included 9462 cases. Clinically meaningful adverse event rates were 4.5% and 4.2% in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The final risk adjustment model included age <30 days, Procedural Risk in Congenital Cardiac Catheterization risk category, and hemodynamic vulnerability score (C statistic, 0.70; Hosmer-Lemeshow
P
value, 0.83; Brier score, 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS:

CHARM II (Congenital Heart Disease Adjustment for Risk Method II) risk adjustment methodology allows for equitable comparison of clinically meaningful adverse events among institutions and operators with varying patient populations and case mix complexity performing pediatric cardiac catheterization.
Sex Disparities in Longitudinal Use and Intensification of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction
Authors: Sumarsono Andrew , Xie Luyu , Keshvani Neil , Zhang Chenguang , Patel Lajjaben , Alonso Windy W. , Thibodeau Jennifer T. , Fonarow Gregg C. , Van Spall Harriette G.C. , Messiah Sarah E. , Pandey Ambarish
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:

Guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) are the mainstay of treatment for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but they are underused. Whether sex differences exist in the initiation and intensification of GDMT for newly diagnosed HFrEF is not well established.

METHODS:

Patients with incident HFrEF were identified from the 2016 to 2020 Optum deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database, which is derived from a database of administrative health claims for members of large commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans. The primary outcome was the use of optimal GDMT within 12 months of HFrEF diagnosis. Consistent with the guideline recommendations during the time period of the study, optimal GDMT was defined as ≥50% of the target dose of evidence-based beta-blocker plus ≥50% of the target dose of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker, or any dose of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor plus any dose of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. The probability of achieving optimal GDMT on follow-up and predictors of optimal GDMT were evaluated with time-to-event analysis with adjusted Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS:

The study cohort included 63 759 patients (mean age, 71.3 years; 15.2% non-Hispanic Black race; 56.6% male). Optimal GDMT use was achieved by 6.2% of patients at 12 months after diagnosis. Female (compared with male) patients with HFrEF had lower use across every GDMT class and lower use of optimal GDMT at each time point at follow-up. In an adjusted Cox model, female sex was associated with a 23% lower probability of achieving optimal GDMT after diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77 [95% CI, 0.71–0.83];
P
<0.001). The sex disparities in GDMT use after HFrEF diagnosis were most pronounced among patients with commercial insurance (females compared with males; HR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.58–0.76]) compared with Medicare (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.77–0.92]);
P
interaction
sex×insurance status=0.005) and for younger patients (age <65 years: HR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.58–0.74]) compared with older patients (age ≥65 years: HR, 87 [95% CI, 80–96])
P
interaction
sex×age=0.009).

CONCLUSIONS:

Overall use of optimal GDMT after HFrEF diagnosis was low, with significantly lower use among female (compared with male) patients. These findings highlight the need for implementation efforts directed at improving GDMT initiation and titration.
Kinase Scaffold Cab39 Is Necessary for Phospho-Activation of the Thiazide-Sensitive NCC
Authors: Ferdaus Mohammed Z. , Koumangoye Rainelli B. , Welling Paul A. , Delpire Eric
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:

Potassium regulates the WNK (with no lysine kinase)-SPAK (STE20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase) signaling axis, which in turn controls the phosphorylation and activation of the distal convoluted tubule thiazide-sensitive NCC (sodium-chloride cotransporter) for sodium-potassium balance. Although their roles in the kidney have not been investigated, it has been postulated that Cab39 (calcium-binding protein 39) or Cab39l (Cab39-like) is required for SPAK/OSR1 (oxidative stress response 1) activation. This study demonstrates how they control the WNK-SPAK/OSR1-NCC pathway.

METHODS:

We created a global knockout of Cab39l and a tamoxifen-inducible, NCC-driven, Cab39 knockout. The 2 lines were crossed to generate Cab39-DKO (Cab39 double knockout) animals. Mice were studied under control and low-potassium diet, which activates WNK-SPAK/OSR1-NCC phosphorylation. Western blots were used to assess the expression and phosphorylation of proteins. Blood and urine electrolytes were measured to test for compromised NCC function. Immunofluorescence studies were conducted to localize SPAK and OSR1.

RESULTS:

Both Cab39l and Cab39 are expressed in distal convoluted tubule, and only the elimination of both leads to a striking absence of NCC phosphorylation. Cab39-DKO mice exhibited a loss-of-NCC function, like in Gitelman syndrome. In contrast to the apical membrane colocalization of SPAK with NCC in wild-type mice, SPAK and OSR1 become confined to intracellular puncta in the Cab39-DKO mice.

CONCLUSIONS:

In the absence of Cab39 proteins, NCC cannot be phosphorylated, resulting in a Gitelman-like phenotype. Cab39 proteins function to localize SPAK at the apical membrane with NCC, reminiscent of the Cab39 yeast homolog function, translocating kinases during cytokinesis.
Stroke Alters the Function of Enteric Neurons to Impair Smooth Muscle Relaxation and Dysregulates Gut Transit
Authors: Kumar Kathryn Prame , Wilson Jenny L. , Nguyen Huynh , McKay Liam D. , Wen Shu Wen , Sepehrizadeh Tara , de Veer Michael , Rajasekhar Pradeep , Carbone Simona E. , Hickey Michael J. , Poole Daniel P. , Wong Connie H. Y.
Published: January 2024

Background

Gut dysmotility is common after ischemic stroke, but the mechanism underlying this response is unknown. Under homeostasis, gut motility is regulated by the neurons of the enteric nervous system that control contractile/relaxation activity of muscle cells in the gut wall. More recently, studies of gut inflammation revealed interactions of macrophages with enteric neurons are also involved in modulating gut motility. However, whether poststroke gut dysmotility is mediated by direct signaling to the enteric nervous system or indirectly via inflammatory macrophages is unknown.

Methods and Results

We examined these hypotheses by using a clinically relevant permanent intraluminal midcerebral artery occlusion experimental model of stroke. At 24 hours after stroke, we performed in vivo and ex vivo gut motility assays, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and transcriptomic analysis. Stroke‐induced gut dysmotility was associated with recruitment of muscularis macrophages into the gastrointestinal tract and redistribution of muscularis macrophages away from myenteric ganglia. The permanent intraluminal midcerebral artery occlusion model caused changes in gene expression in muscularis macrophages consistent with an altered phenotype. While the size of myenteric ganglia after stroke was not altered, myenteric neurons from post–permanent intraluminal midcerebral artery occlusion mice showed a reduction in neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression, and this response was associated with enhanced intestinal smooth muscle contraction ex vivo. Finally, chemical sympathectomy with 6‐hydroxydopamine prevented the loss of myenteric neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression and stroke‐induced slowed gut transit.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that activation of the sympathetic nervous system after stroke is associated with reduced neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in myenteric neurons, resulting in impaired smooth muscle relaxation and dysregulation of gut transit.
Alpha-band Brain Dynamics and Temporal Processing: An Introduction to the Special Focus
Authors: Samaha Jason , Romei Vincenzo
Published: January 2024

For decades, the intriguing connection between the human alpha rhythm (an 8- to 13-Hz oscillation maximal over posterior cortex) and temporal processes in perception has furnished a rich landscape of proposals. The past decade, however, has seen a surge in interest in the topic, bringing new theoretical, analytic, and methodological developments alongside fresh controversies. This Special Focus on alpha-band dynamics and temporal processing provides an up-to-date snapshot of the playing field, with contributions from leading researchers in the field spanning original perspectives, new evidence, comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses, as well as discussion of ongoing controversies and paths forward. We hope that the perspectives captured here will help catalyze future research and shape the pathways toward a theoretically grounded and mechanistic account of the link between alpha dynamics and temporal properties of perception.
Expectation Modulates Repetition Suppression at Late But Not Early Stages during Visual Word Recognition: Evidence from Event-related Potentials
Authors: Song Bingbing , Sommer Werner , Maurer Urs
Published: January 2024

Visual word recognition is commonly rapid and efficient, incorporating top–down predictive processing mechanisms. Neuroimaging studies with face stimuli suggest that repetition suppression (RS) reflects predictive processing at the neural level, as this effect is larger when repetitions are more frequent, that is, more expected. It remains unclear, however, at the temporal level whether and how RS and its modulation by expectation occur in visual word recognition. To address this gap, the present study aimed to investigate the presence and time course of these effects during visual word recognition using EEG. Thirty-six native Cantonese speakers were presented with pairs of Chinese written words and performed a nonlinguistic oddball task. The second word of a pair was either a repetition of the first or a different word (alternation). In repetition blocks, 75% of trials were repetitions and 25% were alternations, whereas the reverse was true in alternation blocks. Topographic analysis of variance of EEG at each time point showed robust RS effects in three time windows (141–227 msec, 242–445 msec, and 467–513 msec) reflecting facilitation of visual word recognition. Importantly, the modulation of RS by expectation was observed at the late rather than early intervals (334–387 msec, 465–550 msec, and 559–632 msec) and more than 100 msec after the first RS effects. In the predictive coding view of RS, only late repetition effects are modulated by expectation, whereas early RS effects may be mediated by lower-level predictions. Taken together, our findings provide the first EEG evidence revealing distinct temporal dynamics of RS effects and repetition probability on RS effects in visual processing of Chinese words.
Church School Students’ Narratives on Their Schools and the Hidden Curricular Effects
Authors: Kodácsy-Simon Eszter , Seres-Busi Etelka
Published: January 2024

The particular atmosphere of church schools in Hungary is an exciting field of research. Of special interest is the question as to how students perceive their schools, what image they construct of them, and what they think about its purposes and hidden messages. In our exploratory research, we conducted 37 student interviews, followed by content analysis, during which we identified “diversity” as a core concept with multiple associations. Diversity was frequently mentioned in relation to different aspects of school life, but was also discussed as an important reference point in connection with their experience of faith. Diversity is also a personal resource for students when they reflect on specifically relevant and sensitive issues in their lives. This paper presents a conceptual web of diversity identified as a core concept in the students’ narratives.
High colonisation by probiotic Escherichia coli A0 34/86 strain is associated with a less diverse microbiome related to children’s age
Authors: Micenková L. , Brodı́ková K. , Smetanová S. , Bosák J. , Šmajs D. , Andrla P. , Budinská E.
Published: January 2024

Probiotic supplementation in childhood serves as an additional source of bacterial colonisers and represents an opportunity to beneficially manipulate the intestinal microbiome. Differences in the ability of probiotic strains to colonise the gut may be related to the variously diversified gut microbiome. We report the results of the association between composition of the gut microbiome and the colonisation capacity of the probiotic strain Escherichia coli A0 34/86 (CNB – Colinfant New Born supplement) in the cases of three healthy children in different development stages (infant, toddler, and pre-school), as a preliminary insight to possible future prospective studies of this subject. Microbiome composition was estimated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of 55 stool samples collected during approximately 3.5-13 months long periods. Detailed characterisation of the E. coli population was performed using colony PCR to detect 33 E. coli genetic determinants. In all children, genetic determinants typical for the probiotic E. coli A0 34/86 strain were detected immediately after administration of the probiotics. Analysis of the initial sample composition (the last sample taken before the probiotic administration) showed that the gut microbiome of infant and toddler with lower bacterial diversity was more successfully colonised by the probiotic strain. In our case report of three children, we showed for the first that supplementation with CNB probiotics in early infancy and toddlerhood was associated with high E. coli A0 34/86 colonisation and a significant change in the composition of the gut microbiome. Our results indicate that administration of CNB for its recommended duration might be efficient only in very early childhood.
L’insémination artificielle entre sélection et optimisation
Authors: Cahen Fabrice
Published: January 2024

Cet article traite des rapports entre les processus naturels et l’intervention humaine à partir d’une réflexion sur la sélection en matière d’’insémination artificielle animale et humaine. Il étudie comment les discours de promotion et de justification de l’insémination se traduisent dans les pratiques des professionnels, dans la France du XXe siècle.

De l’entre-deux-guerres jusqu’à l’institutionnalisation des banques de sperme dans les années 1970 et 1980, la sélection est au cœur de négociations sociales constantes. Initialement promue à des fins de sélection drastique, l’insémination artificielle humaine relève principalement d’une « production du normal ». La sélection se heurte, en médecine, à des contraintes à la fois normatives, structurelles et matérielles qui en restreignent le périmètre, l’intensité et la portée, y compris avec les techniques de la génétique humaine. Il s’agit alors de comprendre dans quelles conditions une sélection de facto voire un eugénisme systémique peuvent exister en dépit de la forte vigilance éthique revendiquée par les acteurs.
Edible dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) as human food – A comprehensive review
Authors: Siddiqui S.A. , Asante K. , Ngah N. , Saraswati Y.R. , Wu Y.S. , Lahan M. , Aidoo O.F. , Fernando I. , Povetkin S.N. , Castro-Muñoz R.
Published: January 2024

The rapid growth of the human population leads to a big concern about the food y and demand worldwide. However, due to the reduction in global arable land area, humans need to find alternative food sources to fulfil their needs. Consequently, edible insects have been identified as a promising solution to ameliorate food security and increase global nutrition. Among more than 2,100 identified edible insect species, dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) are considered as one of nutritious food resources. Nevertheless, detailed information on the frequency and distribution of consumption of odonatans around the world is scattered and poorly documented. Based on this review, at least 61 out of 1,964 species of odonatans were reported consumed by people worldwide. The most consumed dragonflies (suborder Epiprocta; infraorder Anisoptera) are from the family of Libellulidae, followed by Aeshnidae and Gomphidae, whereas the most consumed edible damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are from the Coenagrionidae family. Many nutrients, including proteins, lipids, energy, fibre, vitamins, and minerals are abundant in edible odonatans. Moreover, studies reported that humans employed these insects as therapeutic agents to remedy various ailments. Challenges associated with the consumption of edible odonatans include safety concerns, legal frameworks, and limited information on their bioecology which become barrier for their successful mass-rearing. However, because entomophagy is gradually gaining recognition, new and more improved methods of rearing are now being developed including for edible odonatans, encouraging sustainable insect farming. As the world strives to achieve the sustainable development goals, insect farming will pave a way for resources to be utilised for sustainable economic development.
Bioecology of Imbrasia epimethea (Drury, 1773) caterpillars consumed in Kwilu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Madamo Malasi F. , Francis F. , Caparros Megido R.
Published: January 2024

Imbrasia epimethea is one of the most esteemed and popular caterpillar species for its remarkable organoleptic and nutritional values. Its consumption extends throughout the Kwilu province and nearly the entire Democratic Republic of the Congo, but its supply is very limited. The high anthropogenic pressure and the poor harvesting techniques employed by the population of Kwilu pose a major threat to the conservation of the species. This study aims to investigate the bioecology of I. epimethea in order to develop semi-captive breeding techniques for these caterpillars, making them accessible to the population. In order to determine the host plants of I. epimethea, a survey was conducted among 424 caterpillar collectors from two populated and forested territories in the Kwilu province. To study the influence of changes in the caterpillars’ diet on their growth and determine their developmental cycle, a breeding experiment was conducted. This study revealed that the caterpillars of I. epimethea do not accept transfers from Petersianthus macrocarpus to Funtumia africana. It also confirms the polyphagy of these caterpillars while indicating that, overall, P. macrocarpus proved to be the most suitable host in the Kwilu province. I. epimethea is a social species with a development cycle, from hatching to emergence, lasting approximately 115.33 ± 3.06 days. The larval stage lasts about a month but with a prolonged period of nymphal diapause. Further analysis of the leaves of P. macrocarpus and F. africana, as well as the analysis of the caterpillars themselves, along with several breeding trials, will provide further clarification on this matter.
Sophisticated Attenuated Total Reflection Correction Within Seconds for Unpolarized Incident Light at 45°
Authors: Mayerhöfer Thomas G. , Costa William D. P. , Popp Jürgen
Published: January 2024

The most common mid-infrared (MIR) attenuated total reflection (ATR) accessory has a nominal angle of incidence of 45° and does not have a polarizer. A spectrum recorded with such an accessory does not hold enough information for the sophisticated ATR correction of MIR spectra with strong peaks, which are often strongly affected by refractive index changes due to anomalous dispersion. Here we show that a 45° ATR spectrum recorded without a polarizer and the polarization angle for the same ATR Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy system provide enough information to determine the ATR s-polarized spectrum. Further analysis with an improved non-iterative Kramers–Kronig analysis immediately yields the complex refractive index function. The analysis is about two orders of magnitude faster than iterative formalism and runs within seconds on a typical office PC. The effectiveness of our advanced ATR correction formalism is showcased through its application to water, employing diamond, ZnSe, and Ge ATR crystals, along with two distinct ATR accessories. Additionally, the formalism is applied to octadecane spectra. Potential sources of errors such as incidence angle spread, dispersion of the polarization angle, and the influence of reflection at the air/ATR crystal interface are investigated by simulations.
Are the Classical Symptoms of Hypertension in Children Still Sensitive Enough?
Authors: Mirecka Julia , Stańczyk Małgorzata , Olejniczak Aleksandra , Zamojska Justyna , Gruca Marta , Kowara-Dzik Karolina , Wosiak Agnieszka , Szadkowska Agnieszka , Smolewska Elżbieta , Tkaczyk Marcin
Published: January 2024

The available literature is scarce on the initial symptoms of arterial hypertension in children. Our study aimed to analyze the initial clinical profile of patients referred to the hospital with suspected hypertension and those diagnosed with hypertension for the first time during a hospitalization for other reasons. This study was a retrospective analysis of medical records in 471 patients. More than half of the patients showed no symptoms. The most common symptom reported was a headache—28% (132) of patients. The diagnosis of elevated blood pressure or hypertension was more frequent in asymptomatic patients ( P = 0.001). Headaches were seen more often in healthy patients than in patients with hypertension. Newly diagnosed hypertension is mainly diagnosed in asymptomatic children. Moreover, the symptoms previously described in the literature as the most common did not prove to be predictive of hypertension in our study.
Rotation Local Solutions in Multidimensional Item Response Theory Models
Authors: Nguyen Hoang V. , Waller Niels G.
Published: January 2024

We conducted an extensive Monte Carlo study of factor-rotation local solutions (LS) in multidimensional, two-parameter logistic (M2PL) item response models. In this study, we simulated more than 19,200 data sets that were drawn from 96 model conditions and performed more than 7.6 million rotations to examine the influence of (a) slope parameter sizes, (b) number of indicators per factor (trait), (c) probabilities of cross-loadings, (d) factor correlation sizes, (e) model approximation error, and (f) sample sizes on the local solution rates of the oblimin and (oblique) geomin rotation algorithms. To accommodate these design variables, we extended the standard M2PL model to include correlated major factors and uncorrelated minor factors (to represent model error). Our results showed that both rotation methods converged to LS under some conditions with geomin producing the highest local solution rates across many models. Our results also showed that, for identical item response patterns, rotation LS can produce different latent trait estimates with different levels of measurement precision (as indexed by the conditional standard error of measurement). Follow-up analyses revealed that when rotation algorithms converged to multiple solutions, quantitative indices of structural fit, such as numerical measures of simple structure, will often misidentify the rotation that is closest in mean-squared error to the factor pattern (or item-slope pattern) of the data-generating model.
The Road to Los Angeles: John Fante and the scene of writing
Authors: Marroni Francesco
Published: January 2024

Written in the first person, The Road to Los Angeles is a posthumous novel in which John Fante addresses the topos of literary vocation for the first time through Arturo Bandini, the hero of the saga. The novel's salient aspect concerns 17-year-old Arturo who, completely captivated by his heterogeneous readings, feels an irresistible desire to become like his favourite writers. Thus, he continually envisages the scene of writing that will lead to his literary glory. This overwhelming compulsion to write induces in him a deep-set attitude of rebellion against his Catholic family and society at large. Along with his literary ambition, Bandini is obsessed by an eroticism that stimulates the most perverted fantasies in him. This article argues that Arturo's combined worship of literature and women's bodies defines a hazy territory whose effects are paralysing for his juvenile, albeit authentic, talent. Tellingly, his first attempt to write a novel culminates in an absolute failure which makes him understand that the scene of writing in which he illusorily imagines himself has no real connection with the practical organization of day-to-day life required by creative writing. Hence his abrupt decision to leave behind his family, his work at the cannery and everything else and to move to Los Angeles.
Dana Gioia's transcultural ecopoetics: The Latin legacy of a California poet
Authors: Vellucci Sabrina
Published: January 2024

This article discusses Dana Gioia's poetics of place in its intersections with the author's multiple diasporic legacies (Italian, Mexican, mestizo), which he often refers to as ‘Latin’. It explores the forms of cultural poiesis that has been fashioned by the Californian environments of diaspora and the role played by nature and the environment in the linguistic and literary dialogue resulting from the cultural transitions between America (both the USA and Mexico) and Italy. Gioia's ecopoesis is read as an aspect of the poet's ongoing engagement with public culture and commitment to preventing the decline of poetry's cultural importance. It restates his effort to reconnect poetry with the everyday lives of a wider and diverse reading public, stressing the importance of getting to know one's own specific locale more deeply. Gioia's environmentally oriented poems can thus be comprised within ‘a new third wave of ecocriticism, which recognizes ethnic and national particularities and yet transcends ethnic and national boundaries’ (Adamson and Slovic). Their transcultural vision crosses the frontiers separating the different cultures synthesized by the author's Latin self-identification and represents a crucial space for negotiation and imaginative creation tapping into the language of poetry to find ways to actively address our urgent environmental crises.
Breaking the digital gap to reduce cardiovascular risk in primary care
Authors: González-Suitt Karla , Püschel Klaus , Escalona Gabriel , Varas Julián , Sateler Javiera , Aravena Hernán , Greig Douglas , Rioseco Andrea , Thompson Beti
Published: January 2024

Objective:

The goal of this study was to report on the development and early usability of a new interactive mHealth app for reducing cardiovascular risk in primary care patients of low socioeconomic status attending clinics in Chile.

Design:

Mixed-methods design with qualitative and quantitative components.

Setting:

Three Chilean primary care clinics located in one urban (Santiago) and two rural areas (San Clemente and Chiguayante). Each clinic serves a population of about 24,000 people of generally low socioeconomic status with an average of 8.5 years of education.

Methods:

A qualitative co-design participatory framework was used to develop the Mi Salud-APS mHealth app. Three iterations of virtual workshops were held with healthcare providers and patient participants to develop the new app. Once developed, the usability phase identified, invited and followed up for 3 months a sample of primary care patients with moderate ( N = 119) or high ( N = 329) cardiovascular risk.

Results:

A total of 24 healthcare providers and 24 patients participated in the developmental workshops. Three emergent categories represented the core attributes for the mHealth app design: ‘Friendly’, ‘Interactive’ and ‘Pertinent’. In the usability phase of the sample of 448 patients, 98% downloaded the app, and 64.6% of them logged in and used it for an average of 1.46 (0.5–10) times weekly.

Conclusion:

Findings suggest that patient and healthcare provider contributions to the development of the mHealth app accurately reflect the interests and experiences of both groups and together helped achieve the high usability levels observed among primary care patients enrolled in clinics in underserved communities.
Preventing Machines From Lying: Why Interdisciplinary Collaboration is Essential for Understanding Artefactual or Artefactually Dependent Expert Evidence
Authors: Wilson Tim J , Bergman Jesper , Jackson Adam , Popov Oliver B
Published: January 2024

This article demonstrates a significantly different approach to managing probative risks arising from the complex and fast changing relationship between law and computer science. Law's historical problem in adapting to scientific and technologically dependent evidence production is seen less as a socio-techno issue than an ethical failure within criminal justice. This often arises because of an acceptance of epistemological incomprehension between lawyers and scientists. Something compounded by the political economy of criminal justice and safeguard evasion within state institutions. What is required is an exceptionally broad interdisciplinary collaboration to enable criminal justice decision-makers to understand and manage the risk of further ethical failure. If academic studies of law and technology are to address practitioner concerns, it is often necessary, however, to step down the doctrinal analysis to a specific jurisdictional level.
Passing or Dropping the Baton? Local Area Deprivation, Volunteer Leadership Succession and the Survival of Charitable Organisations
Authors: Clifford David
Published: January 2024

Institutional theories of ‘local area effects’ hypothesise that local area differences in organisational resources are an important feature of inequality in individuals’ residential environments. However, while the organisational dimension of local areas has been identified as an important research priority within urban sociology, empirical work remains limited, with charitable organisations particularly under-researched. Therefore, a key question remains unanswered: why do charities in more deprived local areas have higher dissolution rates, reinforcing a lower prevalence of charities compared with less deprived areas? This article focuses on this research problem. It shows that volunteer leadership succession is less prominent in more deprived local areas, and that this more limited leadership succession helps explain why charities in more deprived areas experience higher dissolution rates. The results promote understanding of a mechanism underlying local area differences in organisational dynamics that lead to persistent differences in institutional resources between more and less deprived local areas.
Stability analysis and control countermeasures of surrounding rock of gob-side entry formed by roof-cutting in inclined coal seams
Authors: Zhen Enze , Dong Shizhuo , Xu Xiaowei , Wang Yajun , Wang Mengxiang
Published: January 2024

The stability of the surrounding rock in the inclined coal seam stope is crucial for the safety of the gob-side entry. In this article, we systematically analyze the surrounding rock stability of the gob-side entry formed by roof-cutting (GEFR) in an inclined coal seam. We identify three forms of roof structure evolution in the formation process of GEFR and analyze the two main modules affecting the deformation of the surrounding rock structure. We determine the critical elements of surrounding rock deformation in different stages of the GEFR retaining process. Further, we propose a classification of the deformation of the surrounding rock structure of GEFR into stress and structural types during stabilization. We analyze the length of the gangue side's bearing area and calculate the lateral gangue's impact energy. We establish three instability modes of the roof based on the fractured state of the roof structure of the GEFR and provide a mechanical criterion of instability. Finally, based on the results of our theoretical analysis, we propose a control principle for the surrounding rock deformation of GEFR and establish countermeasures for controlling the roof-cutting angle and an asymmetric coupling support system. A field case study was conducted under conditions involving an inclined thick coal seam to investigate the surrounding rock deformation and overburden stress evolution using field monitoring data. The field test results confirm that the control measures of the control roof-cutting angle and the asymmetric coupling support system positively impact the stability of the surrounding rock of the roof-cutting entry in an inclined coal seam.
A Contested Script: Conjuring Security through Registration in Italy
Authors: Gargiulo Enrico
Published: January 2024

This article aims to map out the various meanings of security entailed by the different uses and misuses of registration in Italy. As will emerge from this analysis, population registers have been employed either as tools for observing the population and its dynamics or, on the contrary, as devices for identifying its “deserving” members. By drawing this map, this article contributes to the analysis of the “technical shaping of social outcomes” that is at the center of the special issue on the continuum between contingency and obduracy in sociotechnical practices of securitization. Theoretically, population registers are framed in the article as socio-technical and socio-legal devices which embed scripts. As will emerge, they have been historically sub-scribed, de-scribed, or de-inscribed by their users. Methodologically, this analysis relies on a research path focused on registration as a bordering device which has been conducted over the last ten years through several methodological approaches and on a research/action experience which was launched in 2020. Through the author’s participation in a group of political activists, nongovernmental organization members, lawyers, and scholars who are committed to combatting discriminations, original ethnographic, documentary, and discursive data have been collected.
Longitudinal Care Network Changes and Associated Healthcare Utilization Among Care Recipients
Authors: Liu Ruotong , Wyk Brent Vander , Quiñones Ana R. , Allore Heather G.
Published: January 2024

This study examines caregiver networks, including size, composition, and stability, and their associations with the likelihood of hospitalization and skilled-nursing facility (SNF) admissions. Data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study linked to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services data were analyzed for 3855 older adults across five survey waves. Generalized estimating equation models assessed the associations. The findings indicate each additional paid caregiver was associated with higher adjusted risk ratios (aRR) for hospitalization (aRR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.10–1.41) and SNF admission (aRR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.06–1.54) among care recipients, a pattern that is also observed with the addition of unpaid caregivers (hospitalization: aRR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.06–1.20; SNF: aRR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.23). These results suggest that policies and approaches to enhance the quality and coordination of caregivers may be warranted to support improved outcomes for care recipients.
The joint effects of individual-level and classroom-level teacher−child relationships on children’s psychosocial adjustment: A longitudinal study
Authors: Lin Shiang-Yi , Lam Chun Bun , Chung Kevin Kien Hoa
Published: January 2024

This longitudinal study examined the interactive effects of individual- and classroom-level teacher−child relationships on developing externalizing, internalizing, and prosocial behaviors in kindergarten children over time. On two occasions separated by about 1 year, data were collected from 473 kindergarten children (52% boys, Mage = 4.36 years) and their class teachers and mothers in Hong Kong, China. Class teachers reported the closeness and conflict in their relationships with each participating child of their class at Time 1, and mothers reported the child’s externalizing, internalizing, and prosocial behaviors at Times 1 and 2. Results indicated that controlling for child age, gender, grade, maternal education, and prior levels of child adjustment, individual-level teacher−child closeness was negatively associated with internalizing behaviors, and individual-level teacher−child conflict was positively associated with child externalizing behaviors over time. Classroom-level teacher−child closeness and conflict emerged as moderators. The longitudinal association between individual-level teacher−child closeness and externalizing behaviors was negative in low-closeness classrooms but not in high-closeness classrooms. However, the longitudinal association between individual-level teacher−child conflict and child prosocial behaviors was negative in low-conflict classrooms but not in high-conflict classrooms. Despite the statistical significance of the cross-level interaction effects, they were of small effect sizes and explained only very small amounts of variance. Theoretically, our findings demonstrated the interplay of the individual- and classroom-level teacher−child relationships in shaping children’s psychosocial adjustment over time. Practically, our findings highlighted the importance of enhancing teachers’ awareness of the affective quality of their relationships with children at both classroom and individual levels, which could potentially impede or promote child development.
The Logic of Generalization From Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Impact Evaluations
Authors: Littell Julia H.
Published: January 2024

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are viewed as potent tools for generalized causal inference. These reviews are routinely used to inform decision makers about expected effects of interventions. However, the logic of generalization from research reviews to diverse policy and practice contexts is not well developed. Building on sampling theory, concerns about epistemic uncertainty, and principles of generalized causal inference, this article presents a pragmatic approach to generalizability assessment for use with systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This approach is applied to two systematic reviews and meta-analyses of effects of “evidence-based” psychosocial interventions for youth and families. Evaluations included in systematic reviews are not necessarily representative of populations and treatments of interest. Generalizability of results is limited by high risks of bias, uncertain estimates, and insufficient descriptive data from impact evaluations. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses can be used to test generalizability claims, explore heterogeneity, and identify potential moderators of effects. These reviews can also produce pooled estimates that are not representative of any larger sets of studies, programs, or people. Further work is needed to improve the conduct and reporting of impact evaluations and systematic reviews, and to develop practical approaches to generalizability assessment and guide applications of interventions in diverse policy and practice contexts.
The impact of vascular division sequence and epithelial–mesenchymal transition status on postoperative recurrence in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Nishikawa Shigeto , Menju Toshi , Takahashi Koji , Sowa Terumasa , Yoshizawa Akihiko , Date Hiroshi
Published: January 2024

Background

The vascular division sequence in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lung resection is usually determined by the handling difficulty due to the limited surgical view through the scope. However, upfront pulmonary vein division is theoretically desirable to avoid tumor cells spreading by surgical manipulation. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with poor prognosis and an increased number of circulating tumor cells. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of vascular division sequence and EMT on postoperative recurrence.

Methods

We retrospectively investigated tissue microarrays of 282 lung adenocarcinomas surgically resected between 2001 and 2007. We excluded the cases with segmentectomy, wedge resection, dissemination, insufficient material for staining, or lack of medical records. The effect of vascular division sequence and clinicopathologic factors on recurrence was evaluated in 195 cases.

Results

The upfront pulmonary vein division (V-first) was performed in 60 patients, and the upfront pulmonary artery division (A-first) was performed in 135 patients. The recurrence was observed in 67 patients (13 in V-first and 54 in A-first). Epithelial–mesenchymal transition activation was observed in 104 patients. Multivariable analysis with 195 patients revealed that lymph node metastasis and pleural invasion were risk factors for the recurrence. The stratified multivariable analysis showed that vascular division sequence (A-first) was a risk factor only in the EMT-negative group (91 patients). In the EMT-negative subset, the 5-year relapse-free survival rate was significantly lower in the A-first group than the V-first group (72.6% vs. 92.2%, p  =  0.0136).

Conclusions

The upfront pulmonary artery division might be a risk factor in patients without EMT activation.
Associated factors of loneliness among primary school students
Authors: Wang Wenyue , Liang Jiawen , Zhang Dexing , Xu Zijun , Chan Dicken C. C. , Xie Grace Yaojie , Gao Yang , Niu Lu , Lau Elsa , Wong Samuel Y. S.
Published: January 2024

Loneliness is associated with various negative mental and physical health outcomes. Studies on factors associated with loneliness can inform its early screening and prevention. However, little is known about what factors are associated with loneliness among Chinese young children. The present study aimed to identify the various loneliness-associated factors (demographic, personal, school-related, and family-related) among primary school students in Hong Kong. A total of 258 students and their parents from six primary schools in Hong Kong completed an online anonymous survey from June to October 2020. Loneliness (i.e., UCLA Loneliness Scale 3 total score ≥ 3) was reported by 14% of the students. Multivariable mixed effects logistic regression suggested loneliness was positively associated with a lower happiness level at school, poorer independence skills, a lower level of satisfaction with parents, and lower child-rearing expenditure. There was no clustering effect of school on the associations. The current study found important demographic, personal, school-related, and family-related factors of loneliness among school-age children, with caution suggested in their interpretation considering the cross-sectional nature of this study. Future studies with a larger sample, preferably longitudinal ones, are needed to substantiate these associations and uncover their underlying mechanisms.
Liberal use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in combined sequential heart-liver transplantation
Authors: Vinogradsky Alice V , Nguyen Stephanie N , Mathur Abhishek , Takeda Koji
Published: January 2024

Combined heart-liver transplantation (CHLT) is a rarely though increasingly performed procedure with evolving indications. Despite CHLT being performed at only a handful of centers, the use of intraoperative mechanical circulatory support to optimize hemodynamics and facilitate dual-organ transplantation varies widely. At our center, we liberally utilize veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) when a veno-venous shunt is anticipated to be insufficient in mitigating the hemodynamic perturbations associated with liver reperfusion. In this series, we describe our experience with V-A ECMO in sequential (heart-first) CHLT and demonstrate highly favorable outcomes with this strategy.