bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Underwater advertisement call of the threatened Telmatobius rubigo (Anura: Telmatobiidae)
Authors: Akmentins Mauricio Sebastián , Gastón María Soledad , Boullhesen Martín
Published: April 2024

Underwater Passive Acoustic Monitoring (UPAM) has been used infrequently to register subsurface vocal behaviour in anurans. This study describes the underwater advertisement call of Telmatobius rubigo based on recordings made with UPAM technique. Telmatobius rubigo call is a low-frequency trill composed of 6 to 22 pulses with amplitude modulation. The spectral and temporal characters showed differences from other Telmatobius species. The UPAM, combined with automated call identification software, showed effectiveness in monitoring the calling behaviour of this aquatic Andean frog in their natural environment. UPAM and soundscape/riverscape analysis should be incorporated as a non-invasive tool for monitoring threatened aquatic species.
Arctic Indigenous Peoples and International Law
Authors: Olsvig Sara , Cullen Miriam
Published: April 2024

Arctic Indigenous Peoples have, through their own persistence, advanced the development of the Western European legal norms in a system that once facilitated their colonisation. The fiftieth anniversary of the Arctic Peoples’ Conference took place in 2023. The occasion was marked with another Conference, this time in Ilulissat, Greenland. It was a moment to reflect on the achievements of Arctic Indigenous Peoples, to build upon the 1973 resolutions and to address contemporary challenges. The resultant Joint Statement addresses the need for enhanced engagement in the forums of international law, intergenerational justice, intersecting rights to wellbeing, land, water and natural resources, and to address the risks posed by climate change and colonialism.
The Othering of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Authors: Sheikh Layeeq Ahmad , Raja Rameez
Published: April 2024

The Ahmadiyya movement is one of the most controversial movements within the South Asian Islam from the late 19th and the 20th century. The movement from the beginning was instrumental in reinvigorating the debate on the Islamic orthodoxy and interpretation and re-interpretation of the Islamic texts among Muslims. These controversies and debates over the period of time have entered into the public consciousness particularly among Muslims of South Asia, which has enabled it to become an accepted feature of the contemporary South Asian Politics. As the movement became more public, the distinct identity of Ahmadi took shape and a notion of Ahmadiyyat as distinct expression of Islam became increasingly politicised. Similarly, the emergence of this Ahmadi identity was influenced by modern South Asian politics as much as South Asian Islam was influenced by the modernists. This influence has widened the dichotomy between Ahmadi Islam and the orthodox Islam. The current study focuses on how South Asian Islam’s narratives grew and developed to build and declare Ahmadis as a non-Muslim minority. It also demonstrates how these narratives were exploited over time by both Muslim groups and famous Muslims to malign and portray the Ahmadiyya community as ‘other’ in the eyes of Muslim and state structures. The study focuses primarily on the narratives of the 20th-century Muslim intellectuals such as Sir Muhammad Iqbal, Abul A’la Maududi, and other groups such as Majlis-i-Ahrar, as well as their role in building and constructing narratives that declared Ahmadis as ‘other’ while also changing their identity and status as Muslims.
The Universal Periodic Review and West Papua: Beyond Invisibility?
Authors: Baird Natalie
Published: April 2024

Major human rights violations are experienced by the people of West Papua, the easternmost part of Indonesia, on an almost daily basis. Some commentators even describe the situation as a ‘slow genocide.’ Yet the plight of the people of West Papua has been almost invisible at the international level. Few states have championed the cause of the West Papuans directly with Indonesia, and international human rights monitoring bodies have largely failed to hold Indonesia to account for the atrocities committed in West Papua. This article examines the actions of the United Nations Human Rights Council on West Papua, focusing on the extent to which the West Papua situation has been addressed during the four cycles of Indonesia’s universal periodic review. Across the four cycles of the universal periodic review, only a small number of states have made a small number of recommendations to Indonesia on the West Papua situation. Encouragingly, the most recent review of Indonesia in 2022 appears to reflect growing internationalisation of the West Papua issue. However, the wider context of claims for self-determination and independence in West Papua, and the gravity of the human rights violations, appears to shackle the upr mechanism such that it fails to fully engage with the human rights challenges in West Papua. For the people of West Papua, this failure is perilous.
Description of new species of Pseudogaurax Malloch (Diptera: Chloropidae) from Brazil, with notes on natural history
Authors: CARVALHO-FILHO FERNANDO S. , CRUZ VANESSA C. , MONTEIRO NILTON J. S. , KLOSS THIAGO G.
Published: April 2024

Pseudogaurax Malloch is a genus of Chloropidae with about 70 described species found in all biogeographic regions, but several additional undescribed species are known. In this study we describe six new species from Brazil: Pseudogaurax alvinae sp. nov., Pseudogaurax amazonica sp. nov., Pseudogaurax braoculatus sp. nov., Pseudogaurax cyclosa sp. nov., Pseudogaurax primavera sp. nov., and Pseudogaurax wheeleri sp. nov. Pseudogaurax trifidus (Duda) and Pseudogaurax unilineatus Hall are newly recorded from South America, and Pseudogaurax tridens Sabrosky is newly recorded from the Brazilian Amazon. Data on host records are provided for P. alvinae sp. nov., P. braoculatus sp. nov., P. cyclosa sp. nov., P. tridens, P. trifidus, and P. trilineatus. The puparia of P. alvinae sp. nov., P. cyclosa sp. nov., and P. longilineatus Sabrosky are described as well.
Arthrobatidae nom. nov., a replacement for the invalid name Arthropteridae Jordan, 1905 (?Chondrichthyes, ?Batomorphii)
Authors: GREENFIELD TYLER
Published: April 2024

N/A
Satellite-Based Estimation of the Role of Cloud-Radiative Interaction in Accelerating Tropical Cyclone Development
Authors: Lee Tsung-Yung , Wing Allison A.
Published: April 2024

Recent modeling studies have suggested a potentially important role of cloud-radiative interactions in accelerating tropical cyclone (TC) development, but there has been only limited investigation of this in observations. Here, we investigate this by performing radiative transfer calculations based on cloud property retrievals from the CloudSat Tropical Cyclone (CSTC) dataset. We examine the radius–height structure of radiative heating anomalies, compute the resulting radiatively driven circulations, and use the moist static energy variance budget to compute radiative feedbacks. We find that inner-core midlevel ice water content and anomalous specific humidity increase with TC intensification rate, resulting in enhanced inner-core deep-layer longwave warming anomalies and shortwave cooling anomalies in rapidly intensifying TCs. This leads to a stronger radiatively driven deep in-up-and-out overturning circulation and inner-core radiative feedback in rapidly intensifying TCs. The longwave-driven circulation provides radially inward momentum fluxes and upward moisture fluxes, which benefit TC development, while the shortwave-driven circulation suppresses TC development. The longwave anomalies, which dominate the inner-core positive radiative feedback, are mainly generated from cloud-radiative interactions, with ice particles dominating the deep-layer circulation and liquid droplets and water vapor contributing to the shallow circulation. Moreover, the variability in ice water content, as opposed to the variability in liquid water content and the effective radii of ice particles and liquid droplets, dominates the uncertainty in TC-radiative interaction. These results provide observational evidence for the importance of cloud-radiative interactions in TC development and suggest that the amount and spatial structure of ice water content are critical for determining the strength of this interaction.

Significance Statement

The limited investigation of tropical cyclone (TC)-radiative interaction in observations impedes our understanding of TC development. This study aims to quantitatively show the spatial variation in radiation in TCs and their effect on TC development by using a set of satellite-based observations. We relate TC-radiative interaction to TC intensification and emphasize the inner-core features. Moreover, we quantitatively demonstrate the relative contribution from clouds, liquid droplets, ice particles, and water vapor to TC-radiative interaction as well as the source of the variation in radiative properties. These results provide an additional observational foundation for the importance of cloud-radiative interactions in TC development and support a quantitative validation for numerical modeling.
Efficacy of Landmark-Guided Transverse Abdominis Plane (LTAP) Block in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Appendectomy
Authors: Motta Monique , Siretskiy Rachel , Avila Azalia , Samuels Shenae , Levene Tamar
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Optimizing perioperative analgesia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery remains a challenge given the side effects of narcotics and the potential for abuse. While transversus abdominis plane block has been shown to improve clinical outcomes, such as decreased opioid consumption and pain scores among adult patients, there is limited data regarding its efficacy for pediatric patients. This study evaluates efficacy amongst pediatric patients undergoing landmark-guided transversus abdominis plane (LTAP) during laparoscopic appendectomy.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of patients, ages 0-18 years old, who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis at a single institution from January 2021 to December 2022 was conducted. Pearson’s chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test and Welch’s t test were used to assess differences between the two cohorts for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Results are statistically significant at P < .05.

Results

Of the 90 patients who met inclusion criteria, 40% (n = 36) underwent LTAP block. Those with LTAP block had a shorter average operative time than those without LTAP block (.6 vs .7 hours; P = .009). Similarly, patients with LTAP block had a shorter average time to discharge (4.1 vs 11.0 h; P = .039). There were no other statistically significant differences in postoperative outcomes including narcotic use between both cohorts.

Discussion

Landmark-guided transversus abdominis plane blocks did not increase operative times yet reduced time to discharge for pediatric patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy at our institution. Larger studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between LTAP administration and postoperative narcotic consumption to make clinical recommendations.
Bordering public institutions through the routinization of borderwork and datafication: Internalized immigration regimes within UK health care and higher education
Authors: Cassidy Kathryn , Davidson Gill
Published: April 2024

The embedding of immigration checks into public institutions constitutes an integral part of contemporary bordering regimes. In this article, we situate recent changes to the UK’s internal borderscape in two parts of the public sector: higher education and health care. We argue that, analyzed from institutional perspectives, these changes reflect not only a dispersal and deterritorialization of the UK’s border regime, but also the emergence of specific relations between the government department responsible for this regime – the Home Office – and other parts of the public sector and its institutions. We maintain that these relations have developed into two main forms: the routinization of borderwork within public sector employees’ roles, drawing workers from across public institutions into relations with the Home Office and subordinating the needs of those institutions to the demands of the UK’s internalized border regime; and the establishment of information systems for datafication, to enable reporting and sharing data between public sector institutions and the Home Office, which are exploited for surveillance purposes. Such relations not only vulnerabilize public sector institutions by draining their resources and destabilizing institutional cultures, but also drive ongoing changes in the bureaucratic field of the state.
The effects of a mindfulness meditation program on enhancing musical perception of time: A pilot study
Authors: Ankaç Berke , Eren Hakkı Cengiz , Sülün Erkan
Published: April 2024

Mindfulness meditation practices have garnered a lot of popularity in recent years. Various psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation have been documented in a myriad of literature. In this pilot study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a short-term mindfulness training program on time-based musical perceptions of pre-service music teachers. Here, time-based perception entails the accurate perception of pattern, meter, and tempo. A one-group pretest–posttest design was implemented as a model. Pre-service music teachers ( n = 8) completed the rhythm, rhythm-to-melody, and tempo subscales of the modular-PROMS before and after undergoing an 8-week-long mindfulness training program. Whereas significant enhancements of rhythm and rhythm-to-melody perceptions were observed, a similar kind of enhancement was not detected with respect to tempo perception.
Mapping the frontiers of sustainable development and human rights as a field of enquiry
Authors: Boshoff Elsabe , Arief Dinie
Published: April 2024

The relationship between human rights, development, and sustainable development is not a straightforward one, yet these concepts can be traced to the notion of protecting and advancing human dignity. The rights-based dimensions of sustainable development can be studied in various ways, and this special issue seeks to delve into and challenge the complex nexus of human rights and sustainable development from theoretical and practical perspectives. The contributions in this special issue show that there currently are two main trends in thinking about the relationship between human rights and sustainable development. The first is a ‘harmonious’ understanding of human rights and sustainable development that seeks to find the interlinkages and commonalities which strengthen both. The second is a ‘creative tension’ understanding, that highlights how the concepts challenge each other's underlying assumptions. In addition to the ‘harmonious interpretation’-‘creative tension’ axis, studies in this field can also be organised along a ‘practice vs theory’ axis. Taken together, these axes provide a field of enquiry into human rights and sustainable development in both the so-called ‘developed’ and ‘developing world’ while setting the scene for further research into this rapidly developing field. 1
Ideology and the contextualization of ancient Chinese judicial opinions
Authors: Han Zhengrui , Bhatia Vijay K. , Fu Xue
Published: April 2024

Legal genres are situation-sensitive and one same genre may take different structural and functional patterns according to the historical context within which it is situated. Judicial opinions of ancient China, for example, look like a totally different genre in contrast with the language of modern Chinese judicial documents. It is not uncommon that county magistrates’ (ancient Chinese judges) writing considerably downplays the task of reasoning and argumentation and becomes fully devoted to the provision of emotional narratives regarding defendants’ wrong-doings and to the meta-communication of imperial ideological values to grassroots. This paper looks into why ideology is a key concern of ancient Chinese judicial writing, what concrete ideological values are actually invoked and how they are interactively disseminated. The analytical framework combines the notion of contextualization (Gumperz, 1982), interactive framing (Tannen, 1993), and footing (Goffman, 1981). Through a nuanced interpretation of the relatedness of imperial ideological values and judicial language structures, the authors attempt to reveal how ancient judicial opinions are built as speech activities of performing identities and activities of presenting ideological stances and beliefs.
Examining meaning-making and decolonial resistance in Pakistani women's stories of navigating coloniality and gender
Authors: Chaudhary Nabiha
Published: April 2024

Although Pakistan attained independence from the British colonial rule in 1947, the effects of colonial violence endure in the psychosocial realities of Pakistani people. Centering the stories about coloniality of two women leaders working in nongovernmental organizations, this article examines how psychological processes of meaning-making and decolonial resistance manifest in women's engagement with (de)coloniality in Lahore, Pakistan. I draw from transnational and decolonial feminisms and critical psychologies to highlight how two women's contextually shaped realities reflect colonial legacies interlaced with local and global inequities, and to document the ways women construe and resist coloniality-driven gender injustices. Using thematic narrative analysis, findings show that these women make sense of and resist coloniality through an intersectional approach, historical counter-narratives, and reimagination. The article discusses how context-specific decolonial strategies demonstrate women's agency and resistance within transnational feminist praxis, contributing to pluralistic and justice-enhancing approaches. The findings contribute to decolonizing psychological research by documenting Pakistani women's psychological processes and advancing non-Eurocentric knowledge and practices.
A Bayesian hierarchical model for the analysis of visual analogue scaling tasks
Authors: Sorensen Eldon , Oleson Jacob , Kutlu Ethan , McMurray Bob
Published: April 2024

In psychophysics and psychometrics, an integral method to the discipline involves charting how a person’s response pattern changes according to a continuum of stimuli. For instance, in hearing science, Visual Analog Scaling tasks are experiments in which listeners hear sounds across a speech continuum and give a numeric rating between 0 and 100 conveying whether the sound they heard was more like word “a” or more like word “b” (i.e. each participant is giving a continuous categorization response). By taking all the continuous categorization responses across the speech continuum, a parametric curve model can be fit to the data and used to analyze any individual’s response pattern by speech continuum. Standard statistical modeling techniques are not able to accommodate all of the specific requirements needed to analyze these data. Thus, Bayesian hierarchical modeling techniques are employed to accommodate group-level non-linear curves, individual-specific non-linear curves, continuum-level random effects, and a subject-specific variance that is predicted by other model parameters. In this paper, a Bayesian hierarchical model is constructed to model the data from a Visual Analog Scaling task study of mono-lingual and bi-lingual participants. Any nonlinear curve function could be used and we demonstrate the technique using the 4-parameter logistic function. Overall, the model was found to fit particularly well to the data from the study and results suggested that the magnitude of the slope was what most defined the differences in response patterns between continua.
Science on the mind: Examining question ordering effects when asking about science on large-scale surveys
Authors: Mackey Cameron D. , Rios Kimberly , Scheitle Christopher P. , Corcoran Katie E. , DiGregorio Bernard D.
Published: April 2024

Previous research has examined people’s attitudes toward science and scientists, highlighting how religious identities, beliefs, or behavior shapes these attitudes. However, survey design choices have been previously shown to influence individuals’ attitudes toward religion and science. We investigated the extent to which question ordering (i.e. presenting questions about science before questions about religion or the paranormal) in a large-scale survey would influence respondents’ attitudes toward science and religion. Utilizing an experimental design, we found that responding to science questions first led to (1) more interest in science, (2) more confidence in the scientific community, (3) increased agreement that science is a way of knowing truth, (4) more confidence in responding to science knowledge items, (5) more agreement to scientific statements, and (6) more trust in scientists. We discuss the implications of question ordering when analyzing attitudes toward science and religion within the same surveys and future directions for research.
Business Success, Philanthropy and Scandals: The Controversial Legacy of Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town?
Authors: Syed Jawad , Mumtaz Areeba
Published: April 2024

This case sheds light on the accomplishments and legacy of a Pakistani entrepreneur who rapidly established a business empire. Malik Riaz Hussain, the founder of Bahria Town, the largest privately held real estate development company in Pakistan, faced allegations of engaging in corrupt activities to sway the system in his favour. Additionally, he was actively engaged in philanthropic endeavours, frequently referring to Islamic principles of charitable giving. This case highlights the intricate and ambiguous nature of ethical conduct in business within a context where religious teachings hold significance despite the prevalent corruption problem.
Demography and Etiology of Ischemic Stroke in 18–45 Years
Authors: Garg Shivangi , Renjen Pushpendra Nath , Ahmad Kamal , Chaudhari Dinesh Mohan , Priyal  , Mishra Anjali
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

The objective of our study was to examine the clinical characteristics and underlying risk factors of acute ischemic stroke in patients aged 18–45.

Materials and Methods:

We prospectively studied etiology of patients aged 18–45 with acute ischemic stroke presenting to our hospital from September to December of the following year. We aimed for 80% statistical power at a 5% significance level with a precision of 0.15, which led us to a calculated sample size of 39.

Results:

Fifty patients were observed. The main risk factors identified were alcohol use (36%), smoking (30%), and hypertension (22%). Prothrombotic states were found to be a significant risk factor in cases where the stroke’s origin was undetermined. The most common stroke subtype was large-artery atherosclerosis, which was followed by strokes with other underlying causes. There was a statistically significant association between hypertension and ischemic stroke subtypes ( P = 0.01). Hypertension was associated with small-vessel disease (92.3%) and strokes with undetermined causes (56.5%), with P = 0.023 and P <0.001, respectively.

Conclusions:

Hypertension was associated with multiple stroke subtypes in young individuals. Therefore, it is essential to strictly control hypertension through antihypertensive therapy and lifestyle changes. As alcohol use and smoking are becoming more prevalent among young individuals, early implementation of awareness programs targeting primary stroke prevention is highly desirable.
An analytical approach for shock response of fractional viscoelastic beams with tip mass
Authors: Heidarpour Behzad , Rahi Abbas , Shahravi Morteza
Published: April 2024

This paper specifically analyzes the behavior of a beam with fractional viscoelastic properties and a tip mass under shock. The shock is applied longitudinally to the beam, and a fractional Kelvin–Voigt model is employed to describe the viscoelastic properties. Additionally, the paper examines the fractional viscoelastic power as a function of time during the shock. The equation of motion for the fractional viscoelastic beam with a tip mass is derived using Hamilton’s principle. In order to ensure accurate analysis of the results, the graphs are carefully analyzed in both the time and frequency domains. To solve the equations, the special technique provided for differential equations of variable order (VO) is used. Two distinct methods, namely, absolute method and square root of the sum of squares method, are thoroughly examined to calculate the absolute acceleration. Subsequently, the most suitable method is selected based on the evaluation results. The study’s results demonstrate that the damping parameters of the viscoelastic beam have a significant impact on shock transmissibility. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that the ability to transfer shocks can be manipulated by modifying the system’s geometry and mass.
Reliability of the transverse acetabular ligament as a landmark for functional cup anteversion in total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Jassim Shivan S , Bhatia Tejasvi , McMahon Jack R D , Pierrepont Jim W , McMahon Stephen J
Published: April 2024

Background:

The transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) can be a useful and reproducible landmark in the orientation of the acetabular cup in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Its role in guiding cup orientation when aiming to implant in a functional anteversion orientation is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the TAL and the planned acetabular cup anteversion when implanted in a function orientation.

Material and Methods:

In a retrospective study the anteversion of the TAL in the contralateral un-replaced hip was measured in CT scans of patients undergoing THA and compared to the functional cup anteversion using the patient-specific spinopelvic parameters. Comparative measurements of the native acetabular version were made from the superior rim to the inferior rim and at 10 mm intervals between the 2, all in reference to the anterior pelvic plane.

Results:

96 hips were measured. The mean TAL anteversion angle was 17.2° ± 4.5°. The mean planned acetabular cup anteversion angle was 26.3° ± 4.7°. Pearson’s correlation coefficient of this measurement with the TAL was −0.03 ( p  = 0.769). There was a significant difference between the planned acetabular cup anteversion and the measurement of the TAL ( p  < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

If cups are implanted parallel to the TAL, almost 80% will be >5° different to targeted functional cup version. It should be aimed to implant cups with more anteversion than the TAL indicates.
Border penality as antagonistic politics
Authors: Pinto Mattia
Published: April 2024

This article examines the socio-political implications of using criminal law to address migration issues in Italy. It delves into the polarised political debate characterised by crimmigration, on the one hand, and calls to criminalise border violence to protect migrants, on the other hand. It argues that both uses of penality reflect and foster penal antagonism, whereby both sides of the debate seek to impose their views using punishment. Penal antagonism leads to more migrants being incarcerated and forecloses possibilities for more political changes to the prevailing anti-immigration paradigm. Drawing on Chantal Mouffe's work, the article proposes agonistic politics as an alternative approach: a political confrontation to assert one's vision about migration, but where the opponent is an adversary to engage politically rather than an enemy to be delegitimised through penality. Moving from penal antagonism to political agonism could help decouple migration from penality and remove a central source of harm for migrants.
Association of cancer with functional decline at old age: a longitudinal study in Danish twins
Authors: Mohammadnejad Afsaneh , Ryg Jesper , Ewertz Marianne , Jylhävä Juulia , Hjelmborg Jacob vB. , Galvin Angéline
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

There is evidence that older adults with cancer have a higher risk of functional decline than cancer-free older adults. However, few studies are longitudinal, and none are twin studies. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between cancer and functional decline in older adult (aged 70+ years) twins.

Materials and methods:

Cancer cases in the Longitudinal Study of Aging Danish Twins were identified through the Danish Cancer Registry. Functional status was assessed using hand grip strength (6 years follow-up), and self-reported questions on mobility (10 years follow-up), and cut-offs were defined to assess functional decline. Cox regression models were performed for all the individual twins. In addition, we extended the analysis to discordant twin pairs (twin pairs with one having cancer and the other being cancer-free), to control to a certain extent for (unmeasured) shared confounders (genetic and environmental factors).

Results:

The analysis based on individual twins showed that individual twins with cancer are at increased hazard of worsening hand grip strength (hazard ratio (HR) 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04, 1.80) than cancer-free twins. Among the discordant twin pairs, twins with cancer had a higher hazard of worsening hand grip strength (HR 3.50, 95% CI 1.15, 10.63) than cancer-free cotwins. In contrast, there was no evidence of a difference between the hazard of experiencing mobility decline for twins with cancer compared with cancer-free twins, in both individual twins and discordant twin pairs analyses.

Discussion:

Cancer was associated with hand grip strength functional decline in old individual twins and discordant pairs. Our results strengthen the importance of comprehensive geriatric assessment in older adults with cancer, as well as the importance of routine assessment of functional status. Promoting physical activity through exercise training programmes could enable the prevention of functional decline in older adults with cancer.
High strain rate response of ABS-M30i-based 3D printed, bio-inspired, bovine bone structure
Authors: Ansari Ali Imran , Sheikh Nazir Ahmad , Kumar Navin
Published: April 2024

To investigate osteoporosis caused by aging and the dynamic behavior of male bovine trabecular bone, three age groups of male bovine trabecular bone were chosen, and micro-computed tomography (CT) analysis was performed to develop an image-based bio-inspired computer-aided design (CAD) model of the bone structure. Further experimental and computational studies were carried out to examine the rate-dependent behavior and compressive energy-absorbing capacity of the structure as a function of age. To evaluate this study, a micro-CT-based CAD model of the structure was 3D printed using ABS-M30i material and subjected to quasi-static compression (low strain rate) and high strain rate (split Hopkinson pressure bar) compression. The findings show that 3D-printed bovine structures have distinct high-rate dependence at strain rates greater than 430 s−1, as well as sensitivity to strain rate in terms of peak stress, plateau stress, and energy absorption capacity. Using rate-dependent properties, the Johnson–Cook damage plasticity model was used in computational analysis to explain the dynamic behavior of bone due to osteoporosis. Overall, there is good agreement between the numerical simulations and the experimental data, which was obtained by verifying and validating the model against the experimental results.
Social workers and xenophobia: The case of Türkiye
Authors: Yanardağ Umut , Zubaroğlu Yanardağ Melek , Gül Meryem
Published: April 2024

In recent years, xenophobia has become an increasingly important area of research in social work. This study was conducted in the South-Eastern Anatolia and the Mediterranean regions of Türkiye, both of which are densely populated by immigrants. In the study, the mixed method was conducted on social workers working in these regions. In the quantitative section, the Xenophobia Scale was applied on 242 social workers. In the qualitative section, 35 social workers were interviewed.

Findings

The findings revealed that married social workers were more xenophobic than their single counterparts ( p ≤ .05). While those who did not receive training on immigration tended to be more xenophobic than those who received training ( p ≤ .000), those who worked in the Mediterranean region tended to be more xenophobic compared to their counterparts who worked in the South-eastern Anatolia region ( p ≤ .05). In the qualitative section featured 35 social workers who fell into three categories: those who did not use xenophobic expressions but were disturbed by the problems that arose with living with immigrants, those who used xenophobic expressions, and those who did not use xenophobic expressions at all.

Applications

This study's findings highlight the significant role of non-xenophobic social workers in the field of migration. Additionally, it emphasizes the necessity for xenophobia-focused trainings for social workers. In conclusion, there is potential for enhancing non-xenophobic practices among social workers in the field.
M.O.I.S.T. Concept for the Local Therapy of Chronic Wounds: An International Update
Authors: Dissemond Joachim , Chadwick Paul , Weir Dot , Alves Paulo , Isoherranen Kirsi , Lázaro Martínez José Luis , Swanson Terry , Gledhill Andrea , Malone Matthew
Published: April 2024

Chronic wounds remain a significant clinical challenge both for those affected and for healthcare systems. The treatment is often comprised and complex. All patients should receive wound care that is integrated into a holistic approach involving local management that addresses the underlying etiology and provides for gold standard therapy to support healing, avoid complications and be more cost effective. There have been significant advances in medicine over the last few decades. The development of new technologies and therapeutics for the local treatment of wounds is also constantly increasing. To help standardize clinical practice with regard to the multitude of wound products, the M.O.I.S.T. concept was developed by a multidisciplinary expert group. The M stands for moisture balance, O for oxygen balance, I for infection control, S for supporting strategies, and T for tissue management. Since the M.O.I.S.T. concept, which originated in the German-speaking countries, is now intended to provide healthcare professionals with an adapted instrument to be used in clinical practice, and a recent update to the concept has been undertaken by a group of interdisciplinary experts to align it with international standards. The M.O.I.S.T. concept can now be used internationally both as an educational tool and for the practical implementation of modern local treatment concepts for patients with chronic wounds and can also be used in routine clinical practice.
Current issues in dose-finding designs: A response to the US Food and Drug Adminstration’s Oncology Center of Excellence Project Optimus
Authors: Thall Peter F , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Wages Nolan A , Halabi Susan , Cheung Ying Kuen
Published: April 2024

With the advent of targeted agents and immunological therapies, the medical research community has become increasingly aware that conventional methods for determining the best dose or schedule of a new agent are inadequate. It has been well established that conventional phase I designs cannot reliably identify safe and effective doses. This problem applies, generally, for cytotoxic agents, radiation therapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapies. To address this, the US Food and Drug Administration’s Oncology Center of Excellence initiated Project Optimus, with the goal “to reform the dose optimization and dose selection paradigm in oncology drug development.” As a response to Project Optimus, the articles in this special issue of Clinical Trials review recent advances in methods for choosing the dose or schedule of a new agent with an overall objective of informing clinical trialists of these innovative designs. This introductory article briefly reviews problems with conventional methods, the regulatory changes that encourage better dose optimization designs, and provides brief summaries of the articles that follow in this special issue.
Foreigners in the probation system in Italy: Substantial discrimination and challenges
Authors: Ravagnani Luisa , Romano Carlo Alberto
Published: April 2024

Foreigners in prison and probation are formally protected by the same rights that are applicable to Italian citizens but official statistics actually offer a different panorama. In fact, no social bonding, scarce or no financial resources, the lack of a permanent domicile and of any regular work activity, heavily affect the access of foreigners to probation regimes. The most evident and direct consequence is that more foreigners are kept inside prison walls than in the probation regime, while an indirect and still understudied aspect is the high percentage of suicides among foreigners in prison. The authors, after presenting the main difficulties experienced by foreigners in accessing the Italian probation system, consider the possible link with the suicide rate, and underline the need for further specific research into this worrying topic.
The Status Foundations of Conspiracy Beliefs
Authors: Roscigno Saverio
Published: April 2024

Prior survey research has mostly centered on the psychological dispositions and political leanings associated with conspiracy beliefs rather than underlying and potentially consequential status dynamics. Drawing on prior scholarship and recent national survey data, I analyze the social patterning of conspiracy beliefs and their variations by several status attributes. Notably, and rather than the typical assumption that such beliefs are mostly held by those of lower education, my findings point clearly to a bimodal (U-shaped) distribution by socioeconomic status. Specifically, and unique to my results, there exists a cluster of graduate-degree-holding white men who display a penchant for conspiracy beliefs. Further analyses highlight important variation between specific beliefs, with distinctly taboo beliefs being exceptionally popular among those in this highly educated group—a pattern corroborated with additional data sources. I conclude by discussing potential mechanisms and avenues that future sociological work on conspiracy beliefs might consider.
Characteristics and outcomes of cerebral venous thrombosis associated with COVID-19
Authors: Scutelnic Adrian , van de Munckhof Anita , Miraclin Angel T. , Aaron Sanjith , Hameed Sajid , Wasay Mohammad , Grosu Oxana , Krzywicka Katarzyna , Sánchez van Kammen Mayte , Lindgren Erik , Moreira Tiago , Acampora Roberto , Negro Alberto , Karapanayiotides Theodoros , Yaghi Shadi , Revert Anna , Cuadrado Godia Elisa , Garcia-Madrona Sebastian , La Spina Paolino , Grillo Francesco , Giammello Fabrizio , Nguyen Thanh N. , Abdalkader Mohamad , Buture Alina , Sofia Cotelli Maria , Raposo Nicolas , Tsivgoulis Georgios , Candelaresi Paolo , Ciacciarelli Antonio , Mbroh Joshua , Batenkova Tatiana , Scoppettuolo Pasquale , Zedde Marialuisa , Pascarella Rosario , Antonenko Kateryna , Kristoffersen Espen S. , Kremer Hovinga Johanna A. , Jood Katarina , Aguiar de Sousa Diana , Poli Sven , Tatlisumak Turgut , Putaala Jukka , Coutinho Jonathan M. , Ferro José M. , Arnold Marcel , Heldner Mirjam R.
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

Previous reports and meta-analyses derived from small case series reported a mortality rate of up to 40% in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 associated cerebral venous thrombosis (COVID-CVT). We assessed the clinical characteristics and outcomes in an international cohort of patients with COVID-CVT.

Patients and methods:

This was a registry study of consecutive COVID-CVT patients diagnosed between March 2020 and March 2023. Data collected by the International Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Consortium from patients with CVT diagnosed between 2017 and 2018 served as a comparison. Outcome analyses were adjusted for age and sex.

Results:

We included 70 patients with COVID-CVT from 23 hospitals in 15 countries and 206 controls from 14 hospitals in 13 countries. The proportion of women was smaller in the COVID-CVT group (50% vs 68%, p < 0.01). A higher proportion of COVID-CVT patients presented with altered mental state (44% vs 25%, p < 0.01), the median thrombus load was higher in COVID-CVT patients (3 [IQR 2–4] vs 2 [1–3], p < 0.01) and the length of hospital stay was longer compared to controls (11 days [IQR 7–20] vs 8 [4–15], p = 0.02). In-hospital mortality did not differ (5/67 [7%, 95% CI 3–16] vs 7/206 [3%, 2–7], aOR 2.6 [95% CI 0.7–9]), nor did the frequency of functional independence after 6 months (modified Rankin Scale 0–2; 45/58 [78%, 95% CI 65–86] vs 161/185 [87%, 81–91], aOR 0.5 [95% CI 0.2–1.02]).

Conclusion:

In contrast to previous studies, the in-hospital mortality rate and functional outcomes during follow-up did not differ between COVID-CVT patients and the pre-COVID-19 controls.
A geo-referenced micro-data set of real estate listings for Spain’s three largest cities
Authors: Rey-Blanco David , Arbues Pelayo , Lopez Fernando , Paez Antonio
Published: April 2024

This article presents an open data product with large geo-referenced micro-data sets of 2018 real estate listings in Spain. These data were originally published on the idealista.com real estate website. The observations were obtained for the three largest cities in Spain: Madrid ( n = 94,815 observations), Barcelona ( n = 61,486 observations), and Valencia ( n = 33,622 observations). The data sets include the coordinates of properties (latitude and longitude), asking prices of each listed dwelling, and several variables of indoor characteristics. The listings were enriched with official information from the Spanish cadastre (e.g., building material quality) plus other relevant geographical features, such as distance to urban points of interest. Along with the real estate listings, the data product also includes neighborhood boundaries for each city. The data product is offered as a fully documented R package and is available for scientific and educational purposes, particularly for geo-spatial studies.
Bird feeding devices exclude unwelcome visitors. More-than-humans shaping the architecture and technology of birdfeeders in twentieth-century Finland
Authors: Lähdesmäki Heta , Aivelo Tuomas , Savolainen Panu
Published: April 2024

In this article, we investigate the evolution of the birdfeeder and analyze it as a multispecies technology, a technological artefact that has co-evolved between multispecies interactions of humans, the target species of the feeding, and unwanted visitors. We use close reading as a method to examine pictures, design descriptions, photos and text sources published in Finnish magazines and newspapers from the late nineteenth century, when birdfeeders were first discussed, until the late twentieth century, with the aim of analyzing how birdfeeder designs and models have changed in relation to various (and especially unwanted) visitor species. Birdfeeders are visited not only by species that humans want to feed but also by several unwanted visitors, such as birds, mammals, bacteria and the weather. Being inspired by posthumanism and Science and Technology Studies (STS), we ask what the role of unwanted visitors has been as co-designers of technological artefacts, here the birdfeeder. Our article discusses the broader subject of how people welcome or exclude other beings from shared environments. We argue that it is vital for environmental humanities scholars to study artefacts and technology and vice versa, for design studies and STS scholars to examine non-humans. We hope to encourage other researchers to ponder how animals, and unwanted users in general, participate in designing technology and artefacts.
First-hit SETBP1 mutations cause a myeloproliferative disorder with bone marrow fibrosis
Authors: Crespiatico Ilaria , Zaghi Mattia , Mastini Cristina , D’Aliberti Deborah , Mauri Mario , Mercado Carl Mirko , Fontana Diletta , Spinelli Silvia , Crippa Valentina , Inzoli Elena , Manghisi Beatrice , Civettini Ivan , Ramazzotti Daniele , Sangiorgio Valentina , Gengotti Michele , Brambilla Virginia , Aroldi Andrea , Banfi Federica , Barone Cristiana , Orsenigo Roberto , Riera Ludovica , Riminucci Mara , Corsi Alessandro , Breccia Massimo , Morotti Alessandro , Cilloni Daniela , Roccaro Aldo , Sacco Antonio , Stagno Fabio , Serafini Marta , Mottadelli Federica , Cazzaniga Giovanni , Pagni Fabio , Chiarle Roberto , Azzoni Emanuele , Sessa Alessandro , Gambacorti-Passerini Carlo , Elli Elena Maria , Mologni Luca , Piazza Rocco
Published: April 2024

SETBP1 mutations are found in various clonal myeloid disorders. However, it is unclear whether they can initiate leukemia, because SETBP1 mutations typically appear as later events during oncogenesis. To answer this question, we generated a mouse model expressing mutated SETBP1 in hematopoietic tissue: this model showed profound alterations in the differentiation program of hematopoietic progenitors and developed a myeloid neoplasm with megakaryocytic dysplasia, splenomegaly, and bone marrow fibrosis, prompting us to investigate SETBP1 mutations in a cohort of 36 triple-negative primary myelofibrosis (TN-PMF) cases. We identified 2 distinct subgroups, one carrying SETBP1 mutations and the other completely devoid of somatic variants. Clinically, a striking difference in disease aggressiveness was noted, with patients with SETBP1 mutation showing a much worse clinical course. In contrast to myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms, in which SETBP1 mutations are mostly found as a late clonal event, single-cell clonal hierarchy reconstruction in 3 patients with TN-PMF from our cohort revealed SETBP1 to be a very early event, suggesting that the phenotype of the different SETBP1+ disorders may be shaped by the opposite hierarchy of the same clonal SETBP1 variants.
Platelet-derived TGF-β1 induces functional reprogramming of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Wang Lingjun , Wang Haoyi , Zhu Mingfang , Ni Xiaofei , Sun Lu , Wang Wanru , Xie Jie , Li Yubin , Xu Yitong , Wang Ruting , Han Shouqing , Zhang Ping , Peng Jun , Hou Ming , Hou Yu
Published: April 2024

Platelet α-granules are rich in transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), which is associated with myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) biology. Responders to thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) revealed a parallel increase in the number of both platelets and MDSCs. Here, anti-CD61 immune-sensitized splenocytes were transferred into severe combined immunodeficient mice to establish an active murine model of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Subsequently, we demonstrated that TPO-RAs augmented the inhibitory activities of MDSCs by arresting plasma cells differentiation, reducing Fas ligand expression on cytotoxic T cells, and rebalancing T-cell subsets. Mechanistically, transcriptome analysis confirmed the participation of TGF-β/Smad pathways in TPO-RA–corrected MDSCs, which was offset by Smad2/3 knockdown. In platelet TGF-β1–deficient mice, TPO-RA-induced amplification and enhanced suppressive capacity of MDSCs was waived. Furthermore, our retrospective data revealed that patients with ITP achieving complete platelet response showed superior long-term outcomes compared with those who only reach partial response. In conclusion, we demonstrate that platelet TGF-β1 induces the expansion and functional reprogramming of MDSCs via the TGF-β/Smad pathway. These data indicate that platelet recovery not only serves as an end point of treatment response but also paves the way for immune homeostasis in immune-mediated thrombocytopenia.