bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linked Color Imaging with Artificial Intelligence Improves the Detection of Early Gastric Cancer
Authors: Zhao Youshen , Dohi Osamu , Ishida Tsugitaka , Yoshida Naohisa , Ochiai Tomoko , Mukai Hiroki , Seya Mayuko , Yamauchi Katsuma , Miyazaki Hajime , Fukui Hayato , Yasuda Takeshi , Iwai Naoto , Inoue Ken , Itoh Yoshito , Liu Xinkai , Zhang Ruiyao , Zhu Xin
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is the most important tool to detect gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we developed a computer-aided detection (CADe) system to detect GC with white light imaging (WLI) and linked color imaging (LCI) modes and aimed to compare the performance of CADe with that of endoscopists. Methods: The system was developed based on the deep learning framework from 9,021 images in 385 patients between 2017 and 2020. A total of 116 LCI and WLI videos from 110 patients between 2017 and 2023 were used to evaluate per-case sensitivity and per-frame specificity. Results: The per-case sensitivity and per-frame specificity of CADe with a confidence level of 0.5 in detecting GC were 78.6% and 93.4% for WLI and 94.0% and 93.3% for LCI, respectively (p < 0.001). The per-case sensitivities of nonexpert endoscopists for WLI and LCI were 45.8% and 80.4%, whereas those of expert endoscopists were 66.7% and 90.6%, respectively. Regarding detectability between CADe and endoscopists, the per-case sensitivities for WLI and LCI were 78.6% and 94.0% in CADe, respectively, which were significantly higher than those for LCI in experts (90.6%, p = 0.004) and those for WLI and LCI in nonexperts (45.8% and 80.4%, respectively, p < 0.001); however, no significant difference for WLI was observed between CADe and experts (p = 0.134). Conclusions: Our CADe system showed significantly better sensitivity in detecting GC when used in LCI compared with WLI mode. Moreover, the sensitivity of CADe using LCI is significantly higher than those of expert endoscopists using LCI to detect GC.
Difamação da mão: uma análise visual do inconsciente algorítmico
Authors: Coelho Andre Leite
Published: August 2024

O artigo aborda as tecnologias de inteligência artificial generativa de imagens. Para tanto, interpreta as distorções de uma figura criada com esses meios. O exercício hermenêutico procura desenvolver uma crítica dessa técnica a partir de sua dependência em relação ao extrativismo — tanto de dados quanto mineral — e seus desdobramentos socioambientais.
Unpacking Polycentric Climate Governance: Tracing the Evolution of Transnational Municipal Networks over Time
Authors: Kern Kristine , Eckersley Peter , Kochskämper Elisa , Haupt Wolfgang
Published: August 2024

All governance systems are polycentric to some extent in that they comprise multiple actors with varying degrees of autonomy. However, there has been limited theorization as to how we might measure polycentricity, even though this could help us unpack networks and understand governance arrangements better. We present three dimensions of governance to conceptualize degrees of polycentricity—governance of networks (internal organization and management at the network level), governance by networks (their impacts at the membership level), and governance with networks (collaboration with other actors at the system level). We then trace the evolution of three transnational municipal networks (the Climate Alliance, Covenant of Mayors, and 100 Resilient Cities/Resilient Cities Network), which are located at different positions along the polycentric–monocentric spectrum. We examine how these networks have become more or less polycentric over time and highlight trade-offs between different dimensions of polycentric governance, most notably governance of and governance by.
Phylogenetic nomenclature of Notosuchia (Crocodylomorpha; Crocodyliformes)
Authors: Leardi Juan Martín , Pol Diego , Montefeltro Felipe , Da Silva Marinho Thiago , Ruiz Juan Vitor , Bravo Gonzalo Gabriel , Piacentini Pinheiro André Eduardo , Godoy Pedro L. , Nicholl Cecily S. C. , Lecuona Agustina , Larsson Hans C. E.
Published: August 2024

Notosuchia is a large and diverse clade of Mesozoic crocodyliforms that thrived in continental environments especially during the Cretaceous of Gondwana. This clade has been the focus of several phylogenetic studies that led to the consensus of two main topological arrangements, mostly differing in the position of the clade Sebecidae: the sebecosuchian and sebecian hypotheses. In this manuscript we review the main phylogenetic definitions of several clades of notosuchians in the context of these hypotheses. As a result, besides the clade names previously established under the ICPN/Phylocode (including registration in RegNum) by Ruiz et al. (2021) (Notosuchia, Xenodontosuchia, Sphagesauria, Sphagesauridae) and Darlim et al. (2021a) (Baurusuchia, Baurusuchidae, Baurusuchinae, Pissarrachampsinae), eleven clade names have been registered and are defined in this contribution. Ten of these represent converted clade names (Uruguaysuchidae, Mahajangasuchidae, Peirosauridae, Itasuchidae, Ziphosuchia, Sphagesaurinae, Caipirasuchinae, Sebecia, Sebecosuchia, and Sebecia), while one represents a new clade name (Peirosauria). Furthermore, the definition of Xenodontosuchia is emended (unrestricted emendation) so that the name can be used in the context of a wider array of topologies.
Taxonomy of Leodice Lamarck, 1818 (Annelida, Eunicidae) from Northeast Brazil (Tropical Southwest Atlantic Ocean) with description of a new species
Authors: SOUZA THAÍS KANANDA DA SILVA , ZAPFF LUANA , CHRISTOFFERSEN MARTIN LINDSEY , ZANOL JOANA
Published: August 2024

Currently, Leodice has 34 species recorded worldwide. Among these, seven species are known along the Brazilian coast. This study is based on material collected during the Marine Algae project conducted in 1981 along the Continental Shelf of the State of Paraíba, at depths of 10–35 m. In this study, we present three new records: L. pellucida comb. nov. for South America, L. marcusi for northeastern Brazil, and L. unifrons for the State of Paraiba. A new species of Leodice is described from the State of Paraiba, Northeast Brazil, Leodice ivanildae sp. nov. This taxonomic study increases the number of known species of Leodice to 37, with nine occurring in Brazil. Additionally, it expands the species of Leodice known from the State of Paraiba, Brazil, from two to six.
Three new species of the extant genus Eucinetus from mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar (Coleoptera: Eucinetidae)
Authors: LI YAN-DA , ENGEL MICHAEL S. , HUANG DI-YING , CAI CHEN-YANG
Published: August 2024

Three new species of plate-thigh beetles are described and figured from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, all representing the extant genus Eucinetus Germar. The species, Eucinetus debilispinus Li & Cai sp. nov., E. panghongae Li & Cai sp. nov., and E. zhenhuai Li & Cai sp. nov., are distinguished from each other by the forms of the antennomeres, leg spination, and form of the spurs. The genus Eucinetus represents a key example of long-term evolutionary stasis with a subcortical lifestyle. This further demonstrates the role of stable cryptic microhabitats in the persistence of some lineages over vast spans of geological time.
A new species of lobe-lipped bat (Chalinolobus: Vespertilionidae) from southern Papua New Guinea
Authors: PARNABY HARRY E. , KING ANDREW G. , HAMILTON STEVE , ELDRIDGE MARK D.B.
Published: August 2024

The Hoary Bat Chalinolobus nigrogriseus is the only species of the genus known from the island of New Guinea. A new species of Chalinolobus from Papua New Guinea is described based on DNA sequence and morphological criteria using material previously assigned to C. nigrogriseus. The new species most resembles the eastern Australian subspecies of the Hoary Bat C. n. nigrogriseus in general size and appearance but is easily distinguished by an enlarged, rather than rudimentary lobe at the terminal outer ear margin. The new species might also be confused on external characters with smaller individuals of Australian Gould’s Wattle Bat C. gouldii, from which it differs in having bifid first upper incisors and uniform dark dorsal fur. The inclusion of C. nigrogriseus in the bat fauna of New Guinea is now in doubt, pending a re-assessment of the identity of Chalinolobus specimens in world museum collections. Locality records of all Chalinolobus spp. from Papua New Guinea are reviewed. Most localities are below 60 m elevation in coastal savannah and woodlands. The identity of specimens of C. nigrogriseus and C. gouldii from northern Australia should be reviewed to determine whether the new species also occurs in Australia.
Description of four new species of Lamiinae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Panama
Authors: LANUZA-GARAY ALFREDO , RIVERA MARLENY
Published: August 2024

Four new species of Lamiinae from Panama are described: Sternacutus akersae sp. nov.; Trichotithonus barrocoloradensis sp. nov.; Pseudosparna carmenae sp. nov. (Acanthocinini); and Piriana aielloae sp. nov. (Colobotheini).
Molecular phylogenetic and historical biogeographical relationships of Laudakia (Squamata: Agamidae) and intraspecific differentiation of L. stoliczkana inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences
Authors: LIANG QIAN-RU , SHI LEI
Published: August 2024

The rock lizard genus Laudakia is representative agamid species from the arid zone, and its genus division has not been resolved yet. Laudakia stoliczkana, which occurs in both Xinjiang, China, and the Gobi Altai, Mongolia, is divided into two subspecies, Laudakia stoliczkana stoliczkana and Laudakia stoliczkana altaica, based on morphological differences, but little is known about the molecular genetic differences between the two subspecies. This study reconstructs the phylogenetic tree of Laudakia and analyses molecular differences between two subspecies of L. stoliczkana by DNA barcoding (COI and 16S). Our results show that: (1) Laudakia is monophyletic and the phylogenetic tree is broadly divided into three main branches, namely branch A (L. caucasia and L. stoliczkana), which occurs mainly in Central Asia and the Gobi Altai region to the north, branch B (L. stellio), which occurs in the Middle East, and branch C (L. tuberculata, L. papenfussi, L. himalayana, L. wui, L. stellio), which occurs mainly near the Himalayas; (2) The biogeographic analysis of Laudakia suggests that the genus probably originated at 43.72 Ma (95% confidence interval HPD: 23.53–66.12Ma) and is associated with the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the aridification of Central Asias subsequently; (3) Molecular genetic distances and morphological differences support the delimitation of the two subspecies of L. stoliczkana, with divergence between the two subspecies estimated to have occurred at 3.27 Ma (95% confidence interval HPD: 1.58–5.87Ma), in associated with the recent uplift of the Tian Shan Mountains. The results highlight the importance of the uplift of the Central Asian mountains and the Tibetan Plateau for the divergence of Laudakia.
A new intriguing species of the genus Pseudachorutella Stach, 1949 (Collembola: Neanuridae: Pseudachorutinae) from Kyrgyzstan with the supplementation of generic definition and the description of the first instar larva
Authors: STRYCZEK BEATA , SMOLIS ADRIAN
Published: August 2024

Pseudachorutella intricata sp. nov. from Kyrgyzstan is described and illustrated in detail. Among known members of the genus, the new species is distinguished by a strong reduction of furca i.e. absence of mucro. In addition, the morphology of the first instar larva and the key to all Pseudachorutella from the Palearctic are provided.
Żydzi w polskich opowieściach o ratowaniu Żydów (1968-1989)
Authors: Sobczak Kornelia
Published: August 2024

Artykuł jest analizą obrazu osób pochodzenia żydowskiego w polskich opowieściach o ratowaniu Żydów zamieszczanych w prasie PRL. Propozycję ramy metodologicznej stanowi zapożyczony z dyskursu filmoznawczego test Bechdel, w oryginalnym kontekście stosowany jako narzędzie pokazujące sposób obecności kobiet w dziełach filmowych. Autorka analizuje badany materiał pod kątem powtarzających się w nim klisz narracyjnych i porządku dyskursywnego wyznaczającego sposób mówienia o historii Polaków i Żydów w czasie okupacji niemieckiej, próbując jednocześnie sprawdzić, czy w ogóle i jak Żydzi są podmiotami tych opowieści. Konkluzja jest raczej negatywna – Żydzi służą w dyskursie za wehikuł opowieści o bohaterstwie Polaków i mają utwierdzać zarówno wspólnotę narodową, jak i opinię międzynarodową w przekonaniu o godnej postawie Polaków w obliczu zagłady Żydów.
Central and Eastern Europe in Academic Internationalization: Peripherality, Neoliberalism, and Knowledge Production
Authors: Starnawski Marcin , Warren Simon
Published: August 2024

The article reflects on knowledge production in the context of research internationalization, seen as an aspect of a broader trend in the changing higher education and other academic institutions. It focuses on Central and Eastern Europe as a post-communist and (semi)peripheral region, which has been the subject of historical and theoretical analysis often accompanied by epistemological reflection among researchers. As an introduction to the theme of the issue, the article addresses questions concerning epistemic approaches to Central and Eastern Europe via critical reflection on the “post-socialism” framework. The authors discuss major analytical responses of scholars in this research field, including the authors of articles published in this issue of Studia Litteraria et Historica, such as peripherality, postcolonialism, and rethinking of the category of the “East”. In the concluding part, they outline possible directions for further inquiry, including a spatial-temporal conceptualization informed by Wallerstein’s historical social science as well as ethical considerations in the current political context shaped by international security concerns as much as epistemic ones.
Extra-Regional Return Migration to Africa: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Oklikah Desmond Ofori , Kutor Senanu Kwasi , Bandauko Elmond , Asare Akosua Boahemaa , Okwei Reforce , Odoi Amanda , Arku Godwin
Published: August 2024

As global economies become increasingly interconnected, the movement of people across borders has intensified, generating significant debate on the implications for both sending and receiving countries. Amid this debate, studies continue to report the return of some migrants to out-sourcing countries. While extra-regional return migration (henceforth, return migration) to Africa has received scholarly attention, there is no periodic systematic literature review to establish emerging themes on this topic. In this paper, we use standard procedures to analyse twenty peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2022. From the findings, it emerged that return migration is a complex process shaped by multiple factors, such as family considerations and policies. The findings also highlight the differential experiences of returnees as they reintegrate into life in their home countries. Therefore, stakeholders should provide the necessary policy support to enhance the contributions of returnees to development.
Local Control of Pyoderma Gangrenosum Using Human Amniotic Membrane and Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Maier Mark A. , Dennis Jenna R. , Fontenot Cameron J. , Taylor Nicholas A. , Almukhtar Rawaa , Lau Frank H. P. , Smith Alison A.
Published: August 2024

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, chronic, ulcerative disease characterized by non-healing wounds that worsen with debridement, a phenomenon called pathergy. No consensus regarding pathogenesis, diagnosis, or treatment exists for PG. A previous pilot study using dehydrated human amniotic/chorionic membrane (dHACM), following excisional debridement, augmented PG wound healing and allowed for subsequent wound closure through split-thickness skin grafting (STSG). In this clinical trial (NCT05120726), four patients with an established PG diagnosis were enrolled to undergo treatment with dHACM and characterize the pre- and post-treatment transcriptome profiles. RNA sequencing was used to isolate the total RNA from specimens. Genes of particular interest were quantified through real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We observed varied changes to the local expression of inflammatory response, positive regulators of cellular proliferation, and extracellular matrix disassembly cytokines. All PG wounds produced granulation tissue following treatment and were closed using split-thickness skin grafts.
Compaction behaviour of flax-preforms during forming for composites
Authors: Rayyaan Rishad , Yousaf Zeshan , Akonda Mahmudul , Potluri Prasad , Kennon William Richard
Published: August 2024

Flax reinforced composites are becoming popular in automotive and civil industries due to their green production and recycling, and for good specific strength. To manufacture composites, firstly a multi-layer of flax preforms undergo compressive pressure before resin impregnation that causes nesting, wherein, fibres of one layer fit into the adjacent layers. This debulking of the preforms under compression is an important feature that determines the fibre volume fraction of composites. In this study, four flax structures such as: nonwoven tapes, unidirectional fabric, hopsack fabric, and nonwoven tape with glass veils were investigated for compaction behaviour under pressures between 1 and 10 bars, in single and multi-layer states, in dry and wet states, under different loading cycles, and in different ply orientations (0°/0° and 0°/90°). Nesting has been calculated for single- and multi-layer stacks. It was observed that the nonwoven structures shown greater thickness reduction compared to woven structures. Nesting factor was found to be higher than 1 for the nonwoven structures under compaction, indicating lower nesting, compared to the woven structures. In terms of thickness under repeated compaction, the reduction was the highest during first compressions, compared to the 2nd and 3rd compressions, for all the structures. When wettability was examined, thickness reduction for wet plies was higher for all the structures, compared to the dry phase. Finally, a comparative study was shown to evaluate fibre volume fractions of the composites.
Melatonin and Metformin Mitigate Doxorubicin-Induced Alveolar Bone Toxicity
Authors: Srivichit B. , Thonusin C. , Aeimlapa R. , Arinno A. , Chunchai T. , Charoenphandhu N. , Chattipakorn N. , Chattipakorn S.C.
Published: August 2024

Evidence concerning the osteotoxic effects of chemotherapy (doxorubicin) has been previously described. Periodontitis also progressively increases in patients receiving chemotherapy; however, the beneficial effects of melatonin and metformin on the alleviation of doxorubicin-induced osteotoxicity have never been investigated. Therefore, we investigated the negative impact of doxorubicin on alveolar bone homeostasis and the benefits of melatonin and metformin on the attenuation of doxorubicin-induced alveolar bone toxicity. Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups to receive either 1 mL of normal saline solution as a control group, 3 mg/kg of doxorubicin, 3 mg/kg of doxorubicin plus 10 mg/kg of melatonin, or 3 mg/kg of doxorubicin plus 250 mg/kg of metformin. Doxorubicin treatment was given on days 0, 4, 8, 15, 22, and 29, while interventions were given daily on days 0 to 29. Following euthanasia, blood and alveolar bones were collected for evaluation of oxidative stress, bone remodeling, inflammation, microarchitecture, and periodontal condition. We found that doxorubicin increased systemic oxidative stress, decreased antioxidative capacity, increased inflammation, decreased bone formation, increased bone reabsorption, impaired microarchitecture, and impaired periodontal condition of the alveolar bone. Although cotreatment with melatonin or metformin resulted in some improvement in these parameters, cotreatment with melatonin was more effective than cotreatment with metformin in terms of decreasing oxidative stress, reducing bone resorption, and improving microarchitecture and periodontal condition. All of these findings highlight the potential for antioxidants, especially melatonin, to ameliorate doxorubicin-induced alveolar bone toxicity.
Complete Loss of Natural Teeth and Loneliness: A Fixed-Effect Analysis
Authors: Matsuyama Y.
Published: August 2024

Psychosocial properties of oral health have been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the causal effect of complete loss of natural teeth on loneliness by using fixed-effects analysis to control for confounding factors, including unmeasured time-invariant factors. Data from older adults participating in at least 2 consecutive waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing in waves 3 (2006/2007), 5 (2010/2011), and 7 (2014/2015) were analyzed ( N = 18,682 observations from 7,298 individuals). The association between complete loss of natural teeth and loneliness score (ranging from 3 to 9) was examined using fixed-effect linear regression analysis adjusting for time-varying confounders, including sociodemographic and health characteristics. The prevalence of complete tooth loss was 12.7%, 12.8%, and 10.6% in waves 3, 5, and 7, respectively. Individuals who transitioned to complete tooth loss during any 2 consecutive waves had an increase in loneliness score by 0.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03, 0.52), which was greater than those who maintained natural teeth (−0.03; 95% CI −0.05, −0.01). Fixed-effects analysis adjusting for time-varying confounders revealed a significant association between complete loss of natural teeth and an increase in loneliness score by 0.31 (95% CI 0.17, 0.46). Complete loss of natural teeth among older adults in England was associated with loneliness, even after accounting for measured time-varying and (un)measured time-invariant confounders. Retaining natural teeth may reduce the risk of loneliness.
Statistical design for health monitoring in laboratory animal facilities using sentinel animals
Authors: Sorzano Carlos Oscar S , Sánchez Irene , Naranjo Angel
Published: August 2024

Regular health monitoring is crucial in laboratory animal facilities to determine the presence or absence of specific pathogens. One common approach to monitoring involves the use of sentinel animals, which are periodically exposed to biological material from the cages being monitored. At a certain point, some of these sentinel animals are tested for pathogens. This article discusses designing an effective sampling scheme to meet desired quality standards. It addresses questions such as the number of sentinel animals required, the frequency of sampling biological material, the selection of cages based on facility set-up, and the optimal frequency and quantity of sentinel animal tests. While existing design formulas are available for simple random sampling, no quantitative recommendation exists for using sentinel animals to the best of our knowledge. We propose a Monte Carlo simulation-based approach in this article to address this. Our algorithm has been implemented in a publicly accessible web page at http://nolan.cnb.csic.es/sentinelcagesmanager .
Experiences of early career researchers: Influences on the design and reporting of animal experiments, and the practical and emotional support needed to enhance best practice methods
Authors: Morahan Heidi , Hancock Nicola , Bero Lisa , Rooney Kieron
Published: August 2024

While best practice methodology in animal research aims to address reproducibility and translational issues, awareness and implementation remains low. Preclinical systematic reviews have highlighted many flaws, including issues with internal validity and reporting. With early career researchers (ECRs) heavily involved in all aspects of animal experiments, it is crucial we understand what shapes their research practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 ECRs, including research masters, PhD and postdoctoral academics. Data were collected and analysed concurrently using constant comparison techniques and an iterative approach. Findings revealed low-level awareness of best practice recommendations but a desire to engage in dedicated workshops on designing and reporting animal experiments. Current laboratory practices and previous literature were main influences on research practice, more than institutional training. An unexpected finding was the discovery of ethical and emotional dilemmas ECRs faced when working with animals. This highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to better support junior researchers, both emotionally and practically, to encourage responsible science.
Evaluation of the Quality of Management Guidelines for Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Chen Huiling , Ge Shiliang , Yao Penghao , Yang Ting , Cao Xia , Sun Dali
Published: August 2024

Objective: To systematically assess the quality of management guidelines for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, analyze key management recommendation differences and causes among guidelines, and provide better guideline assessments for clinical workers. Methods: Clinical guidelines for managing children and adolescents with autism were systematically retrieved from a database. Four reviewers independently evaluated the guidelines using the assessment guideline tool, Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II), and the intra-group correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to measure the consistency of the assessment guidelines among the four reviewers and the differences and reasons for the recommendations and supporting evidence were compared and analyzed. Results: A total of ten management guidelines for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder published from 2014 to 2022 were included in this study, with high overall agreement between raters (range of intra-group correlation coefficients: 53.3% ∼ 85.0%), and areas with better median scores and ranges in Protocol II were as follows: domain 1 (scope and purpose, median = 86.1%, 59.7%–98.6%), Domain 4 (clarity of statements, median = 88.2%, 38.9%–100.0%) and domain 6 (independence of editors, median = 71.9%, 0.0%–100.0%). Among the ten guidelines the guidelines published by the Scott Intercollegiate Guidelines Network in 2016 and by the National Institute for health and care excellence in 2021 scored high and were recommended for adoption, 88.7%, 84.9%, respectively. Conclusion: There is considerable variation between the quality of guidelines for the management of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.
The Stack Inversion: On Algo-Centrism and the Complex Architecture of Automated Financial Securities Trading Systems
Authors: Hansen Kristian Bondo
Published: August 2024

In this article, I argue that devoting analytical attention to the natively technical concept of “the stack” can help re-sensitize studies of algorithms in Science and Technology Studies (STS) and adjacent fields to the depths of interdependence between different layers and elements of computational systems. Inspired by Bowker and Star's three-decades old methodological gestalt-switch concept of “infrastructural inversion,” I propose a “stack inversion” that seeks to mitigate “algo-centrism”—an overemphasis on algorithms and algorithmic action—by shifting focus to the relational practices and material politics of “stacking.” To demonstrate the analytical value of this stack inversion, I examine and discuss how software developers, data scientists, computer engineers, and other so-called “quants” working in the financial industry talk about and reflect on their own practices of devising and operating automated trading systems. The empirical material I analyze consists of 182 interviews conducted in the US and Europe with people occupying a range of different roles in financial securities trading and investment management. The article contributes to the burgeoning STS-informed literature on algorithms by proposing a conceptual-analytic move that allows for reflexive engagement with the material politics, opacities, and dependencies created in and around automated computational systems.
Attitudes of Special Educators Towards Use of Socially Assistive Robots for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Serbia and the United States
Authors: Stanojevic Cedomir , Piatt Jennifer , Sabanovic Selma
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This research explores the initial attitudes of special educators towards socially assistive robots (SAR) and considers how cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds shape these attitudes. Special educators providing services to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States and Serbia were surveyed, representing distinct cultural and socioeconomic contexts. Comparing their attitudes offers valuable insights into facilitating SAR adoption for ASD treatment across different cultural landscapes. Additionally, this study conducts a comparative analysis of cultural dimensions in the two countries to contextualize attitudes toward SAR use in ASD treatment.

Methods

A nonexperimental quantitative approach was employed utilizing a cross-sectional survey design with purposive samples of special educators who provide services to individuals with ASD in the U.S. and Serbia to establish initial attitudes toward SARs.

Results

The outcomes derived from this investigation reflect the pervasive influence of the cultural contexts. Apprehension has been identified as a significant factor shaping attitudes toward SAR adoption among the Serbian cohort, while a more favorable disposition towards this technology typifies the U.S. participants. The adoption and utilization of SARs, as reported by participants in the U.S., face relatively fewer attitudinal barriers.
A crisis awareness chain warning management model for patients with difficulties cooperating with magnetic resonance examinations
Authors: Wang Dan , Zhang Bicong , Zhao Hongliang , Zhang Yu , Hou Meng
Published: August 2024

Objective

This case–control study tested a crisis awareness-based chain warning management model for patients with difficulties cooperating with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations.

Methods

All participants experienced difficulties cooperating with MRI examinations and underwent cranial magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and MRI at the same hospital in China. The control group (n = 1233) underwent examinations from January to June 2023 and received routine nursing care (pre-examination safety notification, instructions on cooperating during the examination, post-examination observation). A crisis awareness chain warning management model was implemented for the intervention group (n = 1352), who underwent examinations from July to December 2023. The groups were compared on average time for examination completion, quality of care and occurrence of complications. Data were collected using a self-devised data collection form.

Results

The average length of time to complete MRS and MRI was shorter for intervention group patients than for control group patients. The intervention group showed better pre-examination preparation, examination success rate, image quality attainment rate, and one-time examination success rate, and lower incidence of examination-related complications.

Conclusion

This management model could increase MRI examination efficiency, improve quality of care, reduce complications and increase nurses’ understanding of nursing continuity and crisis awareness.
The Kindle™ as Necker Cube
Authors: Smithies James
Published: August 2024

The early decades of the twenty-first century have witnessed various attempts by cultural critics to move beyond the Two Cultures divide posited by C.P. Snow in 1959 , developing modes of critique that seek to bridge the gap between humans and the technology we use. This has resulted in relational interpretations of literature and technology that emphasise the interpenetrative nature of the reading experience, and the complex implications of conceiving of literature and technology as a system. Amazon's Kindle™ ebook reader provides an exceptional use case to ground this conversation, occupying a position somewhere between traditional reading device and techno-corporate publishing mechanism. Analyses of the Kindle™ often fail to take into account useful twentieth-century approaches to the philosophy of technology that offer purchase over the problem domain, however. Work by John Dewey (1859–1952) and Donald Ihde (1934–2024) suggest ways to conceive of the Kindle™ and similar devices as objects embedded in our experience of the world, mediated by technological systems and infrastructure but ultimately contributing to our experience of the world in much the same way as previous modes of publishing.
Approaching literature and culture and/as ‘intelligent systems’
Authors: Baumbach Sibylle , Kuhn Jonas
Published: August 2024

To propose that literature and culture can be viewed as intelligent systems requires a revisiting of what we understand by ‘intelligent systems’. This commentary outlines the potential (and also the limits) of such an approach, and offers a short overview of the connections between literature, culture, and intelligent systems, which are explored in more depth in the contributions to this special issue.
Dynamical systems, literary theory, and the computational modelling of narrative
Authors: Pianzola Federico
Published: August 2024

Narrative can be conceptualised as a complex system, with pragmatic benefits for our description of interpretative and affective processes involved in reading. In this article, I show how systemic thinking has shaped many literary theories, and I offer some suggestions about the modelling of narrative as a complex system. Considering the relations between text, reader, and reading situation as constitutive of narrative requires a way of looking at stories keeping in mind that the reader's experiential background, their cognitive-affective states, and the situational context all play a crucial role in the emergence of what we call a narrative. Here I suggest that Transformer-based language models can be considered artificial systems that simulate a (disembodied) reading process and make it possible to model narrative as a complex system, including the encoded experiential background of the (simulated) reader.
Effects of Quality of Integrity on Clinical and Structural Outcomes of Rotator Cuff Repair: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 504 Cases
Authors: Jo Chris Hyunchul , Lee Jung-in , Kim Kyunghoon , Ahn Eunmi , Oh Sohee
Published: August 2024

Background:

The clinical implications of structural integrity have been a subject of long debate. The oversimplified binary categorization of structural integrity into either healing or retear, along with faulty preoperative baselines for comparison, may contribute to the controversy.

Purpose:

To determine how the quality of structural integrity in a repaired cuff tendon affects both clinical and structural outcomes by dividing the patients into groups based on integrity and using the immediate postoperative baseline (time zero).

Study design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 504 patients with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and were followed up for at least a year with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. The quality of structural integrity was graded using the Sugaya classification. To evaluate clinical outcomes, pain, range of motion, strength, functional scores, and overall satisfaction and function were used for within- and between-group analyses at the last follow-up. For the assessment of structural outcomes, the Goutallier classification for fatty infiltration (FI) and the tangent sign, occupation ratio, and normalized cross-sectional area for muscle atrophy (MA) were used. The baselines for these structural measurements were both the preoperative and the time-zero MRI scans.

Results:

The mean clinical follow-up period was 31.8 ± 27.5 months, and the MRI follow-up period was 10.9 ± 5.3 months. There were 178 (35.3%), 228 (45.2%), 58 (11.5%), 14 (2.8%), and 26 (5.2%) shoulders with Sugaya grades 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Regardless of structural integrity, all clinical outcomes at a mean follow-up of 31.8 months after repair significantly improved compared with those before repair. Only in shoulders with Sugaya grade 1 did the FI of the supraspinatus muscle improve significantly from baseline. FI of the infraspinatus muscle did not change significantly in those with grades 1 and 2 but worsened in those with grades 3 and 5. MA measured using the occupation ratio improved significantly in shoulders with Sugaya grades 1 and 2 but declined in those with grade 5.

Conclusion:

This study established a correlation between improved structural integrity of the repaired cuff tendon and enhanced structural outcomes in rotator cuff muscles. Furthermore, the findings revealed that both FI and MA could be reversed in patients exhibiting high-quality structural integrity. However, these structural improvements were not mirrored in the clinical outcomes.
Matrix-Assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation for the Treatment of Patellofemoral Chondral Lesions: Long-term Results at a Minimum 15-Year Follow-up
Authors: Boffa Angelo , Andriolo Luca , Angelelli Lucia , Pizzuti Valeria , Filardo Giuseppe , Zaffagnini Stefano , Di Martino Alessandro
Published: August 2024

Background:

A few studies have documented the long-term results of chondrocyte-based procedures for the treatment of patellofemoral cartilage lesions, but specific results are lacking after matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) for patellar and trochlear lesions.

Purpose:

To document the clinical results of MACT for the treatment of patellar and trochlear chondral defects at long-term follow-up.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 44 patients were prospectively evaluated after MACT for patellofemoral lesions. There were 24 patients affected by patellar lesions, 16 by trochlear lesions, and 4 with both patellar and trochlear defects. Clinical outcomes were analyzed using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective form, EuroQol visual analog scale, and Tegner score for sport activity level before surgery and at follow-up time points of 5, 10, and a minimum of 15 years (mean final follow-up, 17.6 ± 1.6 years). A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to examine the survival to failure. Failure was defined as the need for a second surgery because of the persistence of symptoms related to the primary defect.

Results:

An overall significant improvement was documented from baseline to the last follow-up. The IKDC subjective score improved in the trochlear group from 41.0 ± 13.3 at baseline to 83.9 ± 21.6 at 5 years ( P < .005), remaining stable up to the final follow-up (81.3 ± 20.5). In the patellar group, the IKDC subjective score improved from 36.1 ± 14.4 at baseline to 72.3 ± 17.5 at 5 years ( P < .005), remaining stable up to the final follow-up (62.0 ± 20.3). Patients with trochlear lesions presented higher IKDC subjective scores compared with those with patellar lesions at 5 ( P = .029), 10 ( P = .023), and ≥15 years ( P = .006) of follow-up. Similar trends were documented for the Tegner score, while no differences were documented for the EuroQol visual analog scale score between patellar and trochlear lesions. There were 4 failures (9.1%) during the follow-up period. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis did not show statistically significant differences between trochlear and patellar lesions.

Conclusion:

This hyaluronic acid–based MACT technique offered positive and durable clinical outcomes with a low failure rate at long-term follow-up in patients affected by patellofemoral cartilage lesions. However, trochlear and patellar lesions demonstrated a notable difference in terms of clinical findings and sport activity level, with significantly higher results for patients with trochlear lesions but less satisfactory outcomes for patients with patellar lesions.
Engaging Asian American Family Caregivers in Clinical Trials: Awareness, Preferences, and Concerns
Authors: Rubovits Eve , Yedavalli Anjali , Sadruddin Sabeen , Lavari Kavin , Mudar Raksha , Leung Vania , Cothran Fawn A. , Raj Minakshi
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Asian American caregivers’ experiences and concerns related to clinical trials and the types of information they trust, use, and prefer before enrolling their older relative in a clinical trial. We conducted an online, cross-sectional survey with Asian American family caregivers between July 2022 and April 2023. Of all respondents ( n = 98), 62.2% reported knowing only a little about clinical trials. Respondents expressed wanting information about (a) the purpose, design, and components of the trial; (b) trial research ethics and safety; and (c) their responsibilities as the caregiver. Greater engagement between clinicians and family caregivers of culturally diverse older adults could help minimize sociocultural barriers to participation in clinical trials. Providing key information to family caregivers in a comprehensive and accessible way without adding burden could help caregivers understand their responsibilities through the clinical trial process.
Pragmatic Competence in an Email Writing Task: Influences of Situation, L1 Background, and L2 Proficiency
Authors: Qin Wenjuan , Jia Roujia , Ren Wei
Published: August 2024

The study examines a corpus of 306 request emails written by 32 English-speaking (ES) teachers and 121 L2 learners from distinctive L1 backgrounds (i.e., Chinese, French, Spanish) and with different levels of L2 proficiency. Pragmatic competence is analyzed through the coding of direct and indirect request strategies used in formal and informal email writing. Findings reveal the influences of communicative situation, L1 background, and L2 proficiency on pragmatic competence in email writing. First, L2 learners show a significantly lower degree of situational variability compared with ES teachers. Second, L1 backgrounds have a significant impact on L2 writing performance. Third, L2 learners with higher English proficiency tend to use more indirect request strategies, but they have not developed pragmatic competence to adjust their usage across written contexts. Findings are discussed in relation to pedagogical implications for developing writing competence of L2 learners, which should be attuned to diverse rhetorical expectations and individual needs.
“But Did You Die?”: Intimate Partner Violence as a Social Determinant of Health
Authors: Morrow So’Phelia
Published: August 2024

Many Black women experience worsening abuse; however, there is a significant number of women experiencing non-physical forms of abuse, what I term hidden abuse. In one in five domestic violence cases, the fatal or life-threatening event was the first episode of physical violence the woman experienced from their partner, suggesting that some Black women die before they receive help. Violence against Black women requires a systems approach that redresses resource inequities. I attempt to expand upon fundamental cause theory, a systems theory used by social science researchers, to show that intimate partner violence is a social determinant of health. I apply this theory to an autoethnographic case study of hidden abuse. Implications for social work research, practice, and policy include developing, advocating for, and evaluating programs and policies that increase financial instability, affordable housing, and access to community networks and social support for victims of violence.
Competing in the “war for talent” in nursing homes: A quantitative investigation
Authors: Gabutti Irene , Martini Lorena , Pandolfi Daniele , Apuzzo Luigi , Mantoan Domenico
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study explores the characteristics of primary care organizations that are likely to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, meeting their expectations and increasing Person-Organization fit. Both “hard” dimensions (ownership) and organizational/managerial traits under the span of control of management are investigated. The objective is to raise awareness on how to mitigate unpopular features of primary healthcare organizations so to effectively compete in the war for talent.

Methods

This study has been carried out based on data extrapolated from a broader study conducted by the Italian National Agency for Regional Health Services and commissioned by the Italian Ministry of Health. Data deriving from Italian nursing homes was extrapolated from the broader public dataset and multiple regressions were carried out to detect associations between managerial variables and staff seniority.

Findings

Several significant associations were detected, suggesting that both physicians and nurses are affected by some investigated variables when deciding where to work and for how long. While some of these are common to the two categories of professionals (e.g., the presence of a nursing director), others are not (e.g., the presence of internal training programs).

Original value

The implications of this study are related to the need of increasing awareness of managers of nursing homes on those features that are likely to increase their attractiveness and long-lasting appeal to professionals. This is a paramount topic in times in which the war for talent is strong. A lack of attention on this field may lead to the inability to attract and retain staff in primary care settings and, in turn, to implement strategic trends of change healthcare systems are facing in Italy and worldwide.
Performance evaluation and comparative study on a novel solar-heat-driven ejection-compression hybrid cooling system with subcooling storage
Authors: Xu Yingjie , Ling Yongjun , Wang Zhiwei , Zheng Yaobo , Sun Zhe , Wang Xiaopo
Published: August 2024

Refrigeration technology contributes to 10∼15% of global energy consumption, resulting in significant carbon emission. Solar-driven ejection-compression refrigeration system is promising for reducing electricity consumption and carbon emissions. However, existing solar ejection-compression refrigeration systems suffer from drawbacks of low heat utilization efficiency, oversized solar collectors, and thermal leakage due to large temperature differences of storage devices. Addressing these challenges, this study proposes and investigates a new solar-assisted ejector-compressor hybrid refrigeration system with subcooling storage coupled at intermediate temperatures. The system model is established, and the ejector model is experimentally validated. Through system modelling, an energetic and exergetic performance comparative analyses are conducted. The results indicate that the COP of the proposed system is 9.7% higher than that of traditional system combinations, producing the same cooling capacity with the same generating heat. Moreover, considering the stored cooling energy can be fully converted to cooling energy at evaporating temperatures, the COPh of the new system reaches 8.29, 24.5% higher than traditional systems. The cooling storage at 15°C with 0.325 ejector entrainment ratio suggests a reduction of approximately two-thirds in energy storage, lower temperature differences, and reduced thermal leakage, leading to decreased space and economic costs and improved energy performance. Additionally, as the COPh, COPgh, and ηex of MCS mode consistently outperform those of ZCS and HCS modes, the MCS mode is prioritized in system operation. This study underscores that the new system offers superior overall energy efficiency and requires smaller storage devices compared to traditional systems, revealing its promising practical applications.