bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research skills modules for further education college based top-up degrees
Authors: Braun Martin
Published: October 2023

This case study investigated to what degree the research skills needed for college based top-up degrees differ from each other. The four academic areas studied ranged from natural and formal science subjects to social science and visual arts. They were explored by means of a thematic analysis of both their individual module handbooks on research skills and interviews with lecturers on these modules. The results were compared against the relevant subject benchmark statements, Biglan’s framework of classifying academic fields and related research. The interviews suggest that the research skills development needs of students at top up degree level can be met through a dedicated module in an effective way. Both the handbooks and the interviews intimated that there is a certain amount of overlap when it came to secondary research, which may be effectively met by a suitable librarian. Furthermore it was found that only two dimensions of Biglan’s framework are necessary to explain the needs of detailed ethics consideration for student projects and the existence of primary research tools and techniques peculiar to a certain field. Further work could include the definition of more generic primary research tools and techniques for academic fields where a paradigm consensus is relatively weak.
Public beliefs about good teaching
Authors: Haas Eric , Fischman Gustavo , Pivovarova Margarita
Published: October 2023

In this article, we describe public beliefs about the pedagogical approaches of very good teachers. Using an online survey of 334 adult participants and conducting an exploratory factor analysis, an analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis, along with descriptive statistics, we found that participants believed that very good teachers embraced predominantly caring and supportive pedagogical approaches and had strong subject matter knowledge. Further, they estimated that more than two-thirds of their teachers were good or very good teachers, and only 12% were bad or very bad. The best predictor for the level of agreement with the pedagogical approach that focused on relationship as opposed to delivery of the content was the proportion of very good teachers remembered by participants. Participants’ beliefs did not vary significantly across gender, race, and political orientation.
A fieldwork manual as a regulatory device: Instructing, prescribing and describing documentation work
Authors: Huvila Isto , Sköld Olle
Published: October 2023

Research on how archaeological fieldwork manuals, a sub-category of methods handbooks, regulate research documentation is limited. Qualitative content analysis of 25 English-language archaeological field manuals from the early 1900s to 2010s showed that they instruct how to describe the documentation work, prescribe practices and workflows, and function as often pre-coordinated descriptions of work. A manual forms a ‘working space’ that is sometimes adopted as such by following the detailed advice given in some of the texts but likely more often used as a more general point of reference. The fact that many manuals do not provide exact recipes for the fieldwork as a whole means that they function as comprehensive representations and documentation (paradata) of actual fieldwork practices only when read in parallel with field documentation.
Forming a new and unexpected relationship through digital technologies: Lessons for child and family social work
Authors: Cree Viviene E , MacKenzie Robert
Published: October 2023

This article is not a research paper in the conventional sense. Instead, it is a reflexive account of the building of a relationship which would not have happened without the existence of digital technologies and might not have happened but for the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was through reading a digitised resource (an online PhD thesis) in the first UK ‘lockdown’ that Bob, now a semi-retired academic in the field of adult and organisational learning, began to reappraise his upbringing in a children’s home in Scotland. Meanwhile, it was in getting to know Bob (through emails and Zoom meetings) and by accessing Bob’s retrospectively digitised case record that Viv, the author of the PhD thesis and now a semi-retired social work academic, was stimulated to revisit her early research from a fresh perspective. We argue that our real-life example, serendipitous and unique as it undoubtedly is, demonstrates the democratising potential of the digital transformation that is currently being played out in child and family social work. Furthermore, it seems likely that digital technologies will continue to bring new and unexpected opportunities for forming such relationships in the future.
We can connect: Imagining the future of digital practice with and by care-experienced children and young people
Authors: Larkins Cath , Crook Deborah , O’Riordan Zoe , Casey Helen , Froggett Lynn , Karolina Ismail , Farrelly Nicola
Published: October 2023

A participatory study with care-experienced children and young people identified longstanding problems in social work with children and recommended service improvements. The authors reflected on a digital resource co-created by this study and speculated on future digital adaptations that might address some of the service development needs that children and young people identified. This was inspired by Haraway’s (1985) call to imagine cyborgification in order to break from dominant thinking while being cautious of how power operates in human-machine conjunctures.

The imagined digital adaptations focus on connecting to people and places, leisure, education, accommodation, journey planning through care and systems accountability. Imagining cyborgification highlighted how digital adaptations are embedded in, and not a substitute for, trusting relationships. Adaptations must be co-developed by intergenerational groups of children and professionals. Bourdieu’s (1985 , 1986 ) notions of habitus, field and capitals could guide theoretically informed feasibility testing, drawing attention to distributions of resources. Key questions relate to: When can digital adaptations challenge the dominant habits and politics of social care, strengthen deep relationships and secure social, cultural and economic capital in the hands of young experts and their adult allies, so that systems can redress inequalities and promote accountability?
Psychometric Properties of Positive and Negative Schedule Scale for Children-Short Form in Diverse American Adolescents
Authors: Ahmed Wondimu
Published: October 2023

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children-Short Form (PANAS-C-SF) in a diverse sample of 15-year-olds in the United States [N = 4382]. Multiple measurement models, including a one-factor model, two-factor orthogonal and oblique models, a three-factor model (PA, Fear, and Distress), and a bifactor model, were tested. The results supported a three-factor structure, with distinct factors for PA, Fear, and Distress. The PANAS-C-SF scores evidenced good internal consistency reliability. Measurement invariance analyses indicated that the three-factor structure was invariant across gender and racial-ethnic groups, suggesting the generalizability of the PANAS-C-SF across diverse populations. Furthermore, the three factors demonstrated criterion validity, with PA positively associated with life satisfaction and meaning in life, and Distress negatively associated with these outcomes. These findings support the psychometric properties of the PANAS-C-SF, highlighting its practical utility in assessing affect across diverse adolescent population.
Law enforcement and political misinformation
Authors: Yamaguchi Yohei , Yahagi Ken
Published: October 2023

Why is criminal law enforcement increasingly punitive, despite that the situation has improved for decades? This paper investigates this question from the perspective of political misinformation. To this end, we develop a law enforcement model with political competition and examine how political parties’ campaigns affect voters’ perceptions of crime and equilibrium law enforcement policy. In a political campaign stage, we show that one political party has an incentive to overstate the severity of crime, while the other party has an incentive to correct voters’ beliefs. However, although the two parties attempt to change voters’ beliefs in opposite directions, we find that the total effect of a political campaign is more likely to drive both parties’ policies in a harsh direction.
Parametric optimisation on the performance of the journal bearing using Taguchi approach
Authors: Mandal Suman Kumar , Bhattacharjee Biplab , Biswas Nabarun , Choudhuri Kishan , Chakraborti Prasun
Published: October 2023

Hydrodynamic journal bearings are widely used to support high-speed rotating equipment due to their excellent strength and load-bearing capacity. Therefore, bearings are essential mechanical elements to improve the quality of rotating equipment. Bearing performance depends on various factors but pressure and frictional torque plays a vital role in load carrying capacity of bearing. In this present work, both experimental and analytical approach of a typical journal bearing has been carried out to determine the optimal performance of the bearing. Taguchi-based optimisation method has been proposed for journal bearing. Taguchi L27 orthogonal array has been planned to study peak pressure and frictional torque with three input parameters speed, load and viscosity index. The result shows that loading criterion influences much on performance of bearing. The experimental data is obtained from a journal bearing test rig and the analytical data are generated by MINITAB 18. From the experiment, it can be confirmed that speed – 2000 rpm, load – 600 N and viscosity index – 150 are the ideal process parameters for lower peak pressure and less frictional torque.
Thermal performance and economic sustainability of flat plate solar collectors using MgO and ZnO nanofluids: A comparative analysis
Authors: Choudhary Suraj , Kumar Vikash , Singhal Varun
Published: October 2023

Considering the higher outlet temperature, the present study assessed the performance of Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanofluid-based flat plate solar collector at a low volumetric flow rate, that is, 30 L/h. The lower solar irradiance results in a low percentage enhancement in collector efficiency; therefore, it constraints the use of the nanofluid-based collector at such conditions. The collector efficiency was nearly 67.98% and 65.22% for 1 vol% ZnO and 0.2 vol% MgO, respectively, almost 20.57% and 16.53% more than base fluid (ethylene glycol: distilled water). For 1 vol% ZnO and 0.2 vol% MgO, the heat absorption parameter intensified by 20.48% and 17.12%, respectively. The payback period at the optimum concentrations of ZnO and MgO nanofluid-based flat plate solar collector compared to electric heating was ∼2.97 and 3.69 years, respectively. In terms of present worth, the cost savings in a life span of 15 years was approximately 1918.18 and 1839.05 USD for 1 vol% ZnO and 0.2 vol% MgO, respectively. Such gains could be extended using large-sized areas of collectors. The 1 vol% ZnO at the flow rate of 30 L/h has the shortest payback period and highest cost-saving; hence, profoundly recommended in the flat plate solar collector instead of the base fluid.
Functional proportional hazards mixture cure model with applications in cancer mortality in NHANES and post ICU recovery
Authors: Ghosal Rahul , Matabuena Marcos , Zhang Jiajia
Published: October 2023

We develop a functional proportional hazards mixture cure model with scalar and functional covariates measured at the baseline. The mixture cure model, useful in studying populations with a cure fraction of a particular event of interest is extended to functional data. We employ the expectation–maximization algorithm and develop a semiparametric penalized spline-based approach to estimate the dynamic functional coefficients of the incidence and the latency part. The proposed method is computationally efficient and simultaneously incorporates smoothness in the estimated functional coefficients via roughness penalty. Simulation studies illustrate a satisfactory performance of the proposed method in accurately estimating the model parameters and the baseline survival function. Finally, the clinical potential of the model is demonstrated in two real data examples that incorporate rich high-dimensional biomedical signals as functional covariates measured at the baseline and constitute novel domains to apply cure survival models in contemporary medical situations. In particular, we analyze (i) minute-by-minute physical activity data from the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2006 to study the association between diurnal patterns of physical activity at baseline and all cancer mortality through 2019 while adjusting for other biological factors; (ii) the impact of daily functional measures of disease severity collected in the intensive care unit on post intensive care unit recovery and mortality event. Our findings provide novel epidemiological insights into the association between daily patterns of physical activity and cancer mortality. Software implementation and illustration of the proposed estimation method are provided in R.
Relaxation Effect of Schisandrol A on Isolated Thoracic Aorta and its Mechanism in Rats
Authors: Qiu Xudong , Dong Yang , Wang Bihan , Yang Shuo , Sun Jinghui , Li He , Chen Jianguang , Du Xingxu , Wang Chun Mei
Published: October 2023

Background

Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) is a drug commonly used in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, the specific components and mechanisms of its action are still unclear. We screened six kinds of lignans from S. chinensis with high content and found that schisandrol A and schisantherin A had a strong vasorelaxant effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relaxation and underlying mechanism of schisandrol A in the isolated thoracic aorta of rats.

Materials and Methods

Isolated rat endothelium-intact and endothelium-removed thoracic aorta strips were pre-constricted with phenylephrine (PE), and the relaxation of schisandrol A on the strips was observed. Then, the mechanism was explored by pre-incubating the strips with nitric oxide synthetase inhibitor Nɷ-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), cyclooxygenase inhibitor (indomethacin), potassium channel blockers 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), barium chloride (BaCl2), tetraethylamine (TEA), and glibenclamide, respectively, and changing the calcium concentration in the bath. In addition, expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (eNOS) mRNA and protein in rat thoracic aorta were detected.

Results

Schisandrol A induced both endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxation of isolated thoracic aorta strips of rats, and the mechanism might be related to promoting the synthesis of NO, inhibiting Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and blocking the Ca2+ channels.

Conclusion

These discoveries may provide a theoretical basis for the traditional application of S. chinensis to treat cardiovascular disease.
Development and Validation of a Short Broad Job Crafting Scale
Authors: Vanbelle Els , Griep Yannick , Van den Broeck Anja , De Witte Hans
Published: October 2023

The dominant perspectives in the job crafting literature have different views on “what elements of their job employees craft” and “why employees craft their jobs”. To better grasp both perspectives, we developed and validated a short 4-item instrument (BJCS) to capture job crafting as the self-initiated changes made to one’s job with the intention to optimize one’s functioning. We validated the BJCS through five phases: (1) we developed the BJCS and conducted a qualitative study to establish content validity, (2) we establish its reliability and psychometric properties, (3) we demonstrated discriminant and convergent validity of the BJCS in relation to existing job crafting measures, and (4 & 5) the BJCS showed to be predictive and incrementally valid over and above existing measures in relation to indicators of optimal and dysfunctional functioning. Taken together, we demonstrated the validity of a broad short measure for job crafting which is especially relevant for the use in repeated measurement research.
The narrativization of ludic elements in videogame fanfiction
Authors: Wu Yuhua Hanna , Martin Paul
Published: October 2023

Existing scholarship on videogame fanfiction focuses on how these fictions transform game characters and narrative settings. However, this misses out on an important trope in videogame fanfictions, where authors transplant game procedures, systems, mechanics, and play styles into their stories. We term this trope the narrativization of ludic elements. This article examines how three popular fanfictions based on the Chinese MMO Jian 3 narrativize ludic elements in a way that reinforces hegemonic masculinity. The article contributes to a fuller understanding of the rhetorical strategies of fanfiction writers and explores the ideological implications of the intermedial relation between fanfictions and their source texts.
News media reporting on Scottish cases in which women kill following domestic abuse
Authors: McPherson Rachel
Published: October 2023

This paper presents the results of a feminist analysis of news media reports related to Scottish cases in which women killed following domestic abuse. The findings show that problematic narratives have prevailed within the reporting of cases of this type and that, at a time when knowledge and understanding of domestic abuse was improving in Scotland, news media presentations of women who kill following abuse were worsening. It is argued that the reporting landscape was changed by an especially high-profile case of this type, and that judicial statements also exert a significant influence on how cases of this type are reported. It is concluded that more must be done to ensure that reporting of these cases follows national guidelines related to the reporting of violence against women, especially since reporting is likely to influence public perceptions and understandings of the subject matter.
Establishing a Panel Study of Refugees in Germany: First Wave Response and Panel Attrition from a Comparative Perspective
Authors: Jacobsen Jannes , Siegert Manuel
Published: October 2023

This article analyzes whether response patterns in surveys differ between the general population, regular immigrants, and recent refugees. Analyses show that the address quality of refugees contacted in the first wave of a panel study is worse than that of the general population, but of a similar quality to that of other recent immigrants. Once contacted, people in refugee households are more willing than others to participate in the first wave. In subsequent waves, this pattern changes. Address quality remains relatively low, and the motivation to participate deteriorates and is worse in comparison with other populations. However, Cox regression models of individual response behaviour reveal that this is mostly a composition effect. When socio-demographic and interviewer characteristics are taken into account, refugees have a lower risk of attrition than other immigrants, but they have a similar risk as the general population. This article provides important insights for the implementation of research about recent immigrants and refugees into ongoing panel studies.
Health-Related Quality of Life Outcome Measures in Individuals With Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Scoping Review
Authors: Gong Anna J. , Garg Tushar , Khalil Adham , Gowda Prateek C. , Mathai Stephen C. , Rowan Nicholas R. , Merlo Christian A. , Weiss Clifford R.
Published: October 2023

Background

Studies evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) have expanded rapidly in the past decade. These studies have evaluated QOL aspects ranging from the general QOL for patients living with HHT to intervention-specific outcomes. However, few tools have been fully validated across the spectrum of disease manifestations and interventions in HHT.

Objective

In this scoping review, we aim to map the literature on HHT-QOL metrics, identify gaps, inform future QOL research, and facilitate future metric development.

Methods

We analyzed articles in English that assessed at least 1 measure of general HRQOL, including physical health, mental health, social health, or intervention-specific QOL in patients with HHT. Searches across 2 bibliographic databases (PubMed and Scopus) yielded 186 articles after duplicates were removed. Sixty-three studies met eligibility criteria: 22 prospective studies (34.9%), 20 retrospective studies (31.7%), 12 cross-sectional studies (17.5%), 6 randomized controlled trials or secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trials (9.5%), 2 qualitative studies (3.2%), and 1 case-control study (1.6%). Two additional studies—1 prospective and 1 cross-sectional study—were identified at the October 2022 14th International HHT Conference and included, making a total of 65 studies.

Results

The 65 eligible studies used 30 QOL instruments. Twenty studies characterized baseline HRQOL, and 45 studies evaluated QOL before and after treatment. Of those 45 studies, 37 evaluated HRQOL before and after therapies targeting epistaxis and nasal symptoms, 4 targeted therapies for liver arteriovenous malformations and high-output heart failure, 3 evaluated therapies for both epistaxis and gastrointestinal bleeding, and 1 evaluated treatment targeting gastrointestinal bleeding alone.

Conclusions

Comparison of results across studies remains challenging given the heterogeneity in outcomes measures. Further development of HHT-specific patient-reported outcomes instruments that capture the global illness experience of HHT is needed.
Three-Patch Reconstruction of Hourglass Supravalvar Pulmonary Artery Stenosis Mid-Term Results
Authors: Amir Gabriel , Lowenthal Alexander , Bruckheimer Elchanan , Dagan Tamir , Schiller Ofer , Shostak Eran , Frenkel Georgy , Birk Einat
Published: October 2023

Background

Some patients with pulmonary stenosis present with a complex multilevel disease that involves the valve, the leaflets, and the sinotubular junction (STJ) forming an hourglass appearance. We herein report the mid-term results of our experience with the reconstruction of the supravalvar narrowing using three pericardial patches.

Material and Methods

Retrospective analysis of patient charts and echocardiography studies of patients who underwent three-patch reconstruction of the pulmonary valve (PV) from 2013 to 2022. After PV transection distal to STJ, vertical incisions into the sinuses were performed, and leaflets were trimmed and thinned. The three sinuses were augmented using three pericardial patches.

Results

Nineteen patients underwent repair of hourglass supravalvar pulmonary stenosis. Mean weight at surgery was 9.4 kg (median 7.2, range 4.7-35); 16 patients underwent previous catheterization with unsuccessful balloon dilatation of the PV (13 pts.). Preoperative aortic/pulmonary annulus ratio was 1.02 (median 1, range 0.89-1.25). After surgery, gradients across the PV were significantly reduced (94 ± 26 vs 29 ± 9 mm Hg, P = .02). Postoperatively, 14 patients had mild or no pulmonary insufficiency (PI) and five had mild to moderate PI. At a mean follow-up of 71 months (median 78 months, range 8-137), gradients continued to decrease (29 ± 9 vs 15 ± 5 mm Hg, P < .001).

Conclusion

The three-patch technique for the repair of supravalvar pulmonary stenosis is simple, reproducible, and achieves excellent and long-standing relief of the right ventricular outflow tract gradient.
Assessing Spatial Knowledge and Mental Map Development Under Virtual Training Conditions
Authors: Bendell Rhyse , Williams Jessica
Published: October 2023

Mental maps are the core of wayfinding because they contain representations of point, route, and configuration related spatial knowledge. Currently, methods spatial knowledge do not clearly separate these theoretically disparate facets. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships between point-related, route-related, and configuration-related spatial knowledge tests administered to participants in the context of training to comprehend a virtual environment. Results indicated that measures which are often interchanged under the assumption that they are reflective of spatial knowledge may in fact measure different and unrelated constructs. Futher, analyses showed that measures that are commonly used to tap point-related and route-related knowledge may have different influences on the development of configuration knowledge, and little to none on the ability for individuals to leverage their holistic mental map for wayfinding.
Is trust a belief, observation, or state: Results from an active inference analysis of driver-automation transitions of control
Authors: Wei Ran , McDonald Anthony D. , Garcia Alfredo , Mehta Ranjana K.
Published: October 2023

Transitions of control are an important safety concern for human-automation teams and automated vehicle safety. While trust and situation awareness have been observed to influence transitions of control in automated vehicles, there are few objective measurements, making these concepts difficult to operationalize in increasingly automated decision systems. In this study, we take a step towards quantifying trust by mapping latent driver beliefs extracted from an active inference-factor analysis model of driver behavior and cognitive dynamics to subjective responses to trust questionnaires. Our results show that subjective trust is primarily correlated with model parameters affecting perceptual evidence accumulation rate, and the same parameters are significantly correlated with driver age.
The Relationship Between Partial-Automation Use and Driver Sentiment Toward Automation
Authors: Haus Samantha H. , Gershon Pnina , Mehler Bruce , Reimer Bryan
Published: October 2023

In this study we utilize naturalistic driving data and semi-structured interviews from the MIT Advanced Vehicle Technology naturalistic driving study to explore the relationship between partial-automation use behaviors and driver sentiment by connecting automation use, prevalence of Elevated Driving Kinematic (EDK) events, and incidence of drops in steering support, with participant sentiments towards partial-automation performance and trust in partial-automation. We found that higher automation users expressed more positive statements about system use ( p = 0.012). Additionally, participants that experienced more EDKs during automation use expressed lower sentiments concerning automation performance. Participants that experienced more drops in automated steering support expressed lower trust in automation and lower sentiments toward automation performance. This work takes an important step in connecting driver sentiment to observed and measurable behaviors in real-world driving to aid in design of more useful and trustworthy automation.
25 years of Neuroergonomics: Will we get to the Golden Jubilee?
Authors: Mehta Ranjana K. , Tyagi Oshin , Kim Ji-Eun , Yu Denny , Baldwin Carryl
Published: October 2023

Twenty-five years ago, Raja Parasuraman – the pioneer of neuroergonomics – wrote the first book on neuroergonomics. Since then, neuroergonomics, the science of the brain and behavior at work, has contributed significantly to our understanding of human behavior in use-inspired domains. Aided by considerable advancements in sensor technologies, neuroergonomics has made seminal impacts in the design of safer and more efficient human-machine systems. However, there remain some challenges that create barriers to entry for new researchers and practitioners to adopt neuroergonomic approaches, including training requirements, consensus on emerging data analytics and their interpretation, (mis)alignments with behavioral research paradigms, resource burden, lack of community, and ethical considerations. In this panel, we will discuss these challenges and provide insights into and recommendations for overcoming these barriers. The panel will also discuss what the future (and hopefully the next twenty-five years) of neuroergonomics holds.
Analyzing Driver Strategy for Scheduled Takeovers Under the Effect of Multi-stage Takeover Request Design
Authors: Tan Xiaomei , Zhang Yiqi
Published: October 2023

For scheduled takeover events in conditional driving automation, a longer lead time of takeover request (ToR) up to 60 seconds was recommended for drivers’ better situation awareness and subjective evaluations. However, the long ToR lead time could impair drivers’ estimation of the urgency of situation, which potentially results in risky takeover behavior. Four multi-stage ToR designs varying in warning modality that communicate the urgency within a long lead time were thus proposed to mitigate the negative effects. The present study involved a driving simulator experiment with 32 participants performing 12 takeover tasks for exiting a freeway with the aim to analyze driver strategy for scheduled takeover events and evaluate the multi-stage ToR designs. Eight driver strategies for attention management and takeover were identified. Using multi-stage ToR designs advanced drivers’ takeover actions by decreasing the likelihood of alternating attention between non-driving activities and road and reducing the duration of takeover preparation.
Navigating Hierarchical Menus Through Sound
Authors: Perry Andrew C. , Terry Lucas A. , Werner Steffen
Published: October 2023

Much of the current user experience navigating digital information relies on visual displays. Providing auditory alternatives enables access for visually impaired and blind users. The current study evaluated hierarchical navigation in a novel spatialized auditory interface compared to a screen reader and visual navigation mode. Past studies suggest that spatialized audio may provide performance improvements. Sixteen participants navigated menu structures of varying depth / breadth to select a target item with three different interface styles (spatial audio, screen reader, and visual). Time-to-completion, errors, and SUS scores were compared across interfaces. Results showed that spatial audio was significantly slower, more error prone, and less usable than the other conditions. However, the problems of spatial audio might be overcome with simple changes in the interaction mode and optimization of display space. Our experience shows that designers must solve the problem of auditory clutter and spatial selection to achieve usable auditory navigation.
HF/E Opportunities in Healthy Work Design: Updates on NORA Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Council Activities
Authors: Fox Robert R.
Published: October 2023

The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) is a research framework for the nation and for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Cross-Sector (HWD) council was formed in 2016 to improve the design of work, work environments, and management practices with the goal of advancing worker safety, health, and well-being. Within the healthy work design framework, worker well-being encompasses positive physical, emotional, mental, and economic health, and how these aspects of health relate to work and worker experiences from a comprehensive and holistic perspective. The NORA Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Cross-Sector Council brings together individuals and organizations to share information, form partnerships, and promote adoption and dissemination of solutions that work. The Council seeks to facilitate the most important research, understand the most effective intervention strategies, and learn how to implement those strategies to achieve sustained improvements in workplace practices.
The Effects of Varying Degrees of Information on Teamwork a Study on Fighter Pilots
Authors: Ohlander Ulrika , Alfredson Jens , Riveiro Maria , Helldin Tove , Falkman Göran
Published: October 2023

A team of fighter pilots in a distributed environment with limited access to information rely on technology to pursue teamwork. In order to design systems that support distributed teamwork, it is, therefore, necessary to understand how access to information affects the team members. Certain factors, such as mutual performance monitoring, shared mental models, adaptability, and backup behavior are considered essential for effective teamwork. We investigate these factors in this work, focusing on how visually communicated information affects fighter pilots’ perception of these factors. For that, a questionnaire including the teamwork factors in relation to certain defined scenarios that contain various levels of information was distributed to fighter pilots. We show that the studied factors are affected by the level of information available to the pilots. Especially, mutual performance monitoring increases with the degree of available information.
Perceptions of Cycleway Risks Before and After Running
Authors: Blakely Megan J. , Smith Samantha L. , Russell Paul N. , Helton William S.
Published: October 2023

Fatigue may influence risk perception for subsequent physical activities. Participants volunteered to fill out a questionnaire, rating the perception of risk of cycleway pictures either before or after running a half or a full marathon race. The after race running group also reported workload, flow state, and stress state measures. We found the runners who responded after the race rated the cycleways as riskier than those who responded before the race. This effect was partially moderated by the length of the race run; runners who ran a full marathon were more likely to rate the cycleways as personally risky. The full marathon runners also reported more physical and mental fatigue than the half-marathon runners, but interestingly, they rated the race as less mentally and physically demanding. Fatigue may impact the perception of physical risks.
Towards an approach to define transparency requirements for maritime collision avoidance
Authors: van de Merwe Koen , Mallam Steven , Engelhardtsen Øystein , Nazir Salman
Published: October 2023

This study discusses an approach to support human supervision of autonomous maritime collision avoidance systems by disclosing the system’s perceived information, internal reasoning, decisions, and planned actions as layers of transparency. Information requirements, identified through a cognitive task analysis, were structured using the information processing model by Parasuraman, Sheridan, and Wickens (2000). This model was contextualized to the maritime collision avoidance setting such that the information from the analysis could be structured into unique and distinct layers. A set of minimum information requirements was identified depicting the system’s decisions and planned action, supported by additional layers to reveal its internal reasoning. This approach aims at supporting humans in effectively supervising autonomous collision avoidance systems in their operational context by providing understandability and predictability about what the system is doing, why it is doing it, and what it will do next, i.e., transparency.
On Validating a Generic Video-Based Blink Detection System for Cognitive Load Detection
Authors: Biondi Francesco N. , Graf Frida , Pillai Prarthana , Balasingam Balakumar
Published: October 2023

This work aims to validate using a video-based blink detection system for detecting changes in cognitive load. Participants completed a cognitive task with increasing levels of difficulty. Blink rate was recorded via both our video-based system and a scientific-grade eye-tracker. Results showed no differences in the blink rates recorded by the two systems. However, while strong evidence was found that the blink rate recorded through the eye-tracker increased under greater cognitive task demand, no such pattern was observed for the output from the video-based system. Our findings show that the overall performance of the video-based system was comparable with that of the eye-tracker's, but its sensitivity in detecting changes in cognitive load was inferior to that of its counterpart's.
Decolonisation, gentrification, and the settler-colonial city: Reappropriation and new forms of urban exclusion in Israel
Authors: Schwake Gabriel , Yacobi Haim
Published: October 2023

Focusing on the immigration of upper-middle-class Palestinian families to the Israeli town of Upper-Nazareth, originally built by the state to enhance Jewish presence in the area, this paper frames the concept of decolonising gentrification. Accordingly, it studies a unique inconsistency between economic class and ethnonational hegemony, which enables upwardly Arab minority families to overcome ethnic barriers and to exercise social and spatial mobility. Therefore, this paper explains how these socio-political dynamics challenge the local settler-colonial aspects of urban development and enable the reappropriation of colonised urban space. Focusing on the case of Upper-Nazareth and its former ‘Officers’ Neighbourhood’, we examine a distinctive contradiction between political power and economic abilities that triggers a unique case of gentrification, where the colonised minority gentrifies the colonising hegemony. At the same time, this decolonising gentrification, as we argue, takes place in restricted urban enclaves, and relies on an ethno-class price gap as it is only the minority upper-class who is willing to pay the increasing prices, due to their limited options. Therefore, as this paper shows, decolonising gentrification simultaneously challenges and recreates urban settler-colonialism, enabling limited market-oriented reappropriation while triggering ethnic-based accumulation and new forms of neoliberal exclusion.
Organized Immaturity in a Post-Kantian Perspective: Toward a critical theory of surveillance capitalism
Authors: Scherer Andreas Georg , Neesham Cristina
Published: October 2023

Organized immaturity has been defined as the erosion of the individual’s capacity for the public use of reason, pressured by control patterns of socio-technological systems built on obscure operating principles, ideologies, or regimes. Recent studies of surveillance capitalism explore the technological advancements of digitalization and analyse their negative impacts on information integrity and user autonomy. We identify organized immaturity as a deeper cause of these impacts and develop elements of a critical theory to explain the maturity-eroding effects of surveillance capitalism and to theorize an agenda for countermeasures. We first identify, describe and analyse infantilization, reductionism and totalization as emerging patterns of surveillance capitalism, which organize immaturity in human individuals and collectives. We then define the individual abilities and public deliberation principles needed to exercise maturity in private and public life, using Habermas’s theory of communicative action, as applied to human moral development, and Kant’s mentalist approach to individual maturity. Finally, we use these principles as a critical foundation and guide for citizens to nurture and protect individual maturity and democratic society from the infantilization, reductionism and totalization induced by surveillance capitalism.
Directionality and polarization of response spectral ordinates in the 2023 Kahramanmaras, Türkiye earthquake doublet
Authors: Girmay Nathan , Poulos Alan , Miranda Eduardo
Published: October 2023

Until recently, the orientation of maximum horizontal spectral response was generally believed to not have a predominant orientation at rupture distances greater than 5 km. However, a recent study found that the orientation of maximum spectral response for strike-slip earthquakes in the NGA-West2 database tends to occur close to the epicentral transverse orientation, that is, an orientation perpendicular to a line connecting the epicenter to the station. This article investigates directionality in the 6 February 2023 Türkiye doublet earthquakes ( Mw 7.8 and 7.5) with strike-slip faulting. The orientation of the maximum response of 5%-damped linear elastic oscillators was studied. The spatial distribution of the level of polarization, which in this article refers to the amount of directionality, and intensities at specific orientations were also studied. The maximum spectral response was found to occur systematically close to the epicentral transverse orientation, consistent with previous observations for other strike-slip earthquakes. For the Mw 7.8 event where the location of maximum slip was relatively far from the epicenter, it was found that the orientation of maximum spectral response is, on average, closer to the maximum slip transverse orientation (i.e. perpendicular to a line connecting the station to the surface projection of the point of maximum slip) when compared to the epicentral transverse orientation over most period ranges. This suggests that the maximum slip transverse orientation may be a better estimator for determining the orientation of maximum spectral response in large-magnitude strike-slip earthquakes, although further study using more events is warranted. Polarized motions were observed over large geographical areas, and the orientation of maximum spectral response was found to be close to the epicentral or maximum slip transverse for Joyner–Boore distances up to the farthest studied (400 km). These findings further support the case for the development of orientation-dependent ground motion models for strike-slip earthquakes.
Overall survival following stereotactic radiosurgery for ten or more brain metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rozati Hamoun , Chen Jiarong , Williams Matt
Published: October 2023

Background

Brain metastases are the most common intracranial tumours. Variation exists in the use of stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with 10 or more brain metastases. Concerns include an increasing number of brain metastases being associated with poor survival, the lack of prospective, randomised data and an increased risk of toxicity.

Methods

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess overall survival of patients with ten or more brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery as primary therapy. The search strings were applied to MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Log hazard ratios and standard errors were estimated from each included study. A random-effects meta-analysis using the DerSimonian and Laird method was applied using the derived log hazard ratios and standard errors on studies which included a control group.

Results

15 studies were included for systematic review. 12 studies were used for pooled analysis for overall survival at set time points, with a predicted 12 month survival of 20–40%. The random-effects meta-analysis in five studies of overall survival comparing ten or greater metastases against control showed statistically worse overall survival in the 10 + metastases group (1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.18, p-value = < 0.01, I2 = 6%). A funnel plot showed no evidence of bias. There was insufficient information for a meta-analysis of toxicity.

Discussion

Overall survival outcomes of patients with ten or more brain metastases treated with SRS is acceptable and should not be a deterrent for its use. There is a lack of prospective data and insufficient real-world data to draw conclusions on toxicity.

PROSPERO ID

CRD42021246115
A case of tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome accompanied by subclinical choroiditis
Authors: Arita Takuya , Namba Kenichi , Iwata Daiju , Suzuki Kayo , Ogino Yo , Mizuuchi Kazuomi , Hiraoka Miki , Kitaichi Nobuyoshi , Ishida Susumu
Published: October 2023

Background

Tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) syndrome is an uveits characterized by complications of idiopathic acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, and most cases present only anterior uveitis. We report a case of TINU syndrome in which the presence of choroiditis was revealed by multimodal imaging.

Case presentation

A 12-year-old male visited our hospital with a 6-day history of ocular pain and hyperemia. Conjunctival and ciliary injections, 1 + flare and 3 + cells of anterior chamber inflammation with mutton fat keratic precipitates were observed in both eyes (OU), together with redness and swelling of the optic disc OU. Laboratory tests showed slightly high levels of soluble IL-2R and serum β2 microglobulin and markedly high levels of urinary β2 microglobulin. The diagnosis of probable TINU syndrome was established on the basis of bilateral uveitis and urinalysis results in accordance with a clinical criteria of tubulointerstitial nephritis. With treatment with oral prednisolone (PSL) at 20 mg/day, ocular findings improved, and the dose of PSL was gradually reduced and withdrawn 6 months later. However, 1 month later from the withdrawal, ocular inflammation recurred with the presence of retinal exudates and snowball vitreous opacities in the peripheral retina OU. Fluorescein angiography showed leakages from peripheral retinal vessels and staining corresponding to retinal exudates. Indocyanine green angiography showed hypofluorescent dots scattered over the ocular fundus. Optical coherence tomography revealed the presence of choroidal thickening. Laser speckle flowgraphy color map showed a relatively cooler color. Findings from these multimodal images indicated the presence of subclinical choroiditis; therefore, oral PSL was administered again, and ocular inflammatory findings were improved.

Conclusions

TINU syndrome can exhibit subclinical choroiditis detected with multimodal imaging. Further studies are necessary to determine the frequency of subclinical choroiditis in TINU syndrome.
3D printing as a pedagogical tool for teaching normal human anatomy: a systematic review
Authors: Brumpt Eléonore , Bertin Eugénie , Tatu Laurent , Louvrier Aurélien
Published: October 2023

Background

Three-dimensional-printed anatomical models (3DPAMs) appear to be a relevant tool due to their educational value and their feasibility. The objectives of this review were to describe and analyse the methods utilised for creating 3DPAMs used in teaching human anatomy and for evaluating its pedagogical contribution.

Methods

An electronic search was conducted on PubMed using the following terms: education, school, learning, teaching, learn, teach, educational, three-dimensional, 3D, 3-dimensional, printing, printed, print, anatomy, anatomical, anatomically, and anatomic. Data retrieved included study characteristics, model design, morphological evaluation, educational performance, advantages, and disadvantages.

Results

Of the 68 articles selected, the cephalic region was the most studied (33 articles); 51 articles mentioned bone printing. In 47 articles, the 3DPAM was designed from CT scans. Five printing processes were listed. Plastic and its derivatives were used in 48 studies. The cost per design ranged from 1.25 USD to 2800 USD. Thirty-seven studies compared 3DPAM to a reference model. Thirty-three articles investigated educational performance. The main advantages were visual and haptic qualities, effectiveness for teaching, reproducibility, customizability and manipulability, time savings, integration of functional anatomy, better mental rotation ability, knowledge retention, and educator/student satisfaction. The main disadvantages were related to the design: consistency, lack of detail or transparency, overly bright colours, long printing time, and high cost.

Conclusion

This systematic review demonstrates that 3DPAMs are feasible at a low cost and effective for teaching anatomy. More realistic models require access to more expensive 3D printing technologies and substantially longer design time, which would greatly increase the overall cost. Choosing an appropriate image acquisition modality is key. From a pedagogical viewpoint, 3DPAMs are effective tools for teaching anatomy, positively impacting the learning outcomes and satisfaction level. The pedagogical effectiveness of 3DPAMs seems to be best when they reproduce complex anatomical areas, and they are used by students early in their medical studies.