bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dendrimer-Conjugated Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II Inhibitor Restores Microglial Changes in a Rabbit Model of Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Sah Nirnath , Zhang Zhi , Chime Alicia , Fowler Amanda , Mendez-Trendler Antonio , Sharma Anjali , Kannan Rangaramanujam M. , Slusher Barbara , Kannan Sujatha
Published: March 2023

We have previously shown that maternal endotoxin exposure leads to a phenotype of cerebral palsy and pro-inflammatory microglia in the brain in neonatal rabbits. “Activated” microglia overexpress the enzyme glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) that hydrolyzes N-acetylaspartylglutamate to N-acetylaspartate and glutamate, and we have shown previously that inhibiting microglial GCPII is neuroprotective. Glutamate-induced injury and associated immune signaling can alter microglial responses including microglial process movements for surveillance and phagocytosis. We hypothesize that inhibition of GCPII activity could alter microglial phenotype and normalize microglial process movement/dynamics. Newborn rabbit kits exposed to endotoxin in utero, when treated with dendrimer-conjugated 2-(phosphonomethyl)-pentanedioic acid (D-2PMPA), a potent and selective inhibitor of microglial GCPII, showed profound changes in microglial phenotype within 48 h of treatment. Live imaging of hippocampal microglia in ex vivo brain slice preparations revealed larger cell body and phagocytic cup sizes with less stable microglia processes in CP kits compared to healthy controls. D-2PMPA treatment led to significant reversal of microglial process stability to healthy control levels. Our results emphasize the importance of microglial process dynamics in determining the state of microglial function in the developing brain and demonstrate how GCPII inhibition specifically in microglia can effectively change the microglial process motility to healthy control levels, potentially impacting migration, phagocytosis, and inflammatory functions.
Novos Timisidas Brasileiros
Authors: Soares B. M.
Published: March 2023

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Espécies novas das famílias strongylosomidae e leptodesmidae da ordem proterospermo- phora do interior dos Estados de São Paulo e de Mato-Grosso
Authors: Schubart Otto
Published: March 2023

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Alox15/15-HpETE Aggravates Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Promoting Cardiomyocyte Ferroptosis
Authors: Cai Wenbin , Liu Le , Shi Xuelian , Liu Yanan , Wang Jin , Fang Xuan , Chen Zhipeng , Ai Ding , Zhu Yi , Zhang Xu
Published: March 2023

Background:

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury causes cardiac dysfunction to myocardial cell loss and fibrosis. Prevention of cell death is important to protect cardiac function after I/R injury. The process of reperfusion can lead to multiple types of cardiomyocyte death, including necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. However, the time point at which the various modes of cell death occur after reperfusion injury and the mechanisms underlying ferroptosis regulation in cardiomyocytes are still unclear.

Methods:

Using a left anterior descending coronary artery ligation mouse model, we sought to investigate the time point at which the various modes of cell death occur after reperfusion injury. To discover the key molecules involved in cardiomyocyte ferroptosis, we performed a metabolomics study. Loss/gain-of-function approaches were used to understand the role of 15-lipoxygenase (Alox15) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (Pgc1α) in myocardial I/R injury.

Results:

We found that apoptosis and necrosis occurred in the early phase of I/R injury, and that ferroptosis was the predominant form of cell death during the prolonged reperfusion. Metabolomic profiling of eicosanoids revealed that Alox15 metabolites accumulated in ferroptotic cardiomyocytes. We demonstrated that Alox15 expression was specifically increased in the injured area of the left ventricle below the suture and colocalized with cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, myocardial-specific knockout of Alox15 in mice alleviated I/R injury and restored cardiac function. 15-Hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HpETE), an intermediate metabolite derived from arachidonic acid by Alox15, was identified as a trigger for cardiomyocyte ferroptosis. We explored the mechanism underlying its effects and found that 15-HpETE promoted the binding of Pgc1α to the ubiquitin ligase ring finger protein 34, leading to its ubiquitin-dependent degradation. Consequently, attenuated mitochondrial biogenesis and abnormal mitochondrial morphology were observed. ML351, a specific inhibitor of Alox15, increased the protein level of Pgc1α, inhibited cardiomyocyte ferroptosis, protected the injured myocardium, and caused cardiac function recovery.

Conclusions:

Together, our results established that Alox15/15-HpETE–mediated cardiomyocyte ferroptosis plays an important role in prolonged I/R injury.
Transcriptomics-Based Subphenotyping of the Human Placenta Enabled by Weighted Correlation Network Analysis in Early-Onset Preeclampsia With and Without Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Ackerman William E. , Buhimschi Catalin S. , Brown Thomas L. , Zhao Guomao , Summerfield Taryn L. , Buhimschi Irina A.
Published: March 2023

Background:

Placental disorders contribute to pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction (FGR), but debate regarding their specific pathobiology persists. Our objective was to apply transcriptomics with weighted gene correlation network analysis to further clarify the placental dysfunction in these conditions.

Methods:

We performed RNA sequencing with weighted gene correlation network analysis using human placental samples (n=30), separated into villous tissue and decidua basalis, and clinically grouped as follows: (1) early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE)+FGR (n=7); (2) normotensive, nonanomalous preterm FGR (n=5); (2) EOPE without FGR (n=8); (4) spontaneous idiopathic preterm birth (n=5) matched for gestational age; and (5) uncomplicated term births (n=5). Our data was compared with RNA sequencing data sets from public databases (GSE114691, GSE148241, and PRJEB30656; n=130 samples).

Results:

We identified 14 correlated gene modules in our specimens, of which most were significantly correlated with birthweight and maternal blood pressure. Of the 3 network modules consistently predictive of EOPE±FGR across data sets, we prioritized a coexpression gene group enriched for hypoxia-response and metabolic pathways for further investigation. Cluster analysis based on transcripts from this module and the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis metabolic pathway consistently distinguished a subset of EOPE±FGR samples with an expression signature suggesting modified tissue bioenergetics. We demonstrated that the expression ratios of
LDHA
/
LDHB
and
PDK1
/
GOT1
could be used as surrogate indices for the larger panels of genes in identifying this subgroup.

Conclusions:

We provide novel evidence for a molecular subphenotype consistent with a glycolytic metabolic shift that occurs more frequently but not universally in placental specimens of EOPE±FGR.
Stable Income, Stable Family
Authors: Lindo Jason M. , Regmi Krishna , Swensen Isaac D.
Published: March 2023

We document the effect of unemployment insurance generosity on divorce and fertility using an identification strategy that leverages state-level changes in maximum benefits over time and comparisons across workers who have been laid off and those that have not been laid off. The results indicate that higher maximum benefit levels mitigate the effects of layoffs. In particular, they mitigate increases in divorce associated with men's layoffs; increases in separations associated with women's layoffs; reductions in fertility associated with men's layoffs; and increases in fertility associated with women's layoffs.
Evaluating Policies Early in a Pandemic: Bounding Policy Effects with Nonrandomly Missing Data
Authors: Callaway Brantly , Li Tong
Published: March 2023

During the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic, national and local governments introduced a number of policies to combat the spread of Covid-19. In this paper, we propose a new approach to bound the effects of such early-pandemic policies on Covid-19 cases and other outcomes while dealing with complications arising from (i) limited availability of Covid-19 tests, (ii) differential availability of Covid-19 tests across locations, and (iii) eligibility requirements for individuals to be tested. We use our approach study the effects of Tennessee's expansion of Covid-19 testing early in the pandemic and find that the policy decreased Covid-19 cases.
Selecting Top Bureaucrats: Admission Exams and Performance in Brazil
Authors: Dahis Ricardo , Schiavon Laura , Scot Thiago
Published: March 2023

In the absence of strong incentives, public service delivery is crucially dependent on bureaucrat selection. Despite wide adoption by governments, it is unclear whether civil service examinations reliably select for job performance. We investigate this question focusing on state judges in Brazil. Exploring monthly data on judicial output and cross-court movement, we estimate that judges account for at least 23% of the observed variation in the number of cases disposed. With novel data on admission examinations, we show that judges with higher grades perform better than lower-ranked peers. Our results suggest competitive examinations can be an effective way to screen candidates.
Announcement-Specific Decompositions of Unconventional Monetary Policy Shocks and Their Effects
Authors: Lewis Daniel J.
Published: March 2023

I propose to identify announcement-specific decompositions of asset price changes into monetary policy shocks exploiting heteroskedasticity in intraday data, accommodating both changes in the nature of shocks and the state of the economy across announcements. I compute decompositions with respect to Fed Funds, forward guidance, asset purchase, and Fed information shocks from January 1996 to December 2019. The decompositions illustrate which announcements of unconventional policy measures had significant effects during the Great Recession. Overall, forward guidance and asset purchases have significant effects on yields, spreads, equities, and uncertainty, but the effects of monetary policy vary over time, particularly asset purchases.
Influence-Seeking in U.S. Corporate Elites' Campaign Contribution Behavior
Authors: Teso Edoardo
Published: March 2023

I show that U.S. corporate elites use contributions to political campaigns as a tool of political influence by leveraging a new panel on the contributions to members of U.S. Congress (MCs) from 401,557 corporate leaders of 14,807 U.S. corporations over 1999-2018. Donations increase by 11% when a politician is assigned to a committee dealing with policy issues relevant to a corporate leader's company. The effect is driven by donations to MCs with the greatest power in the committees. I estimate that, absent an influence motive, donations from corporate leaders during this period would have been lower by $20 million.
Opposing effects of vigilance and foraging on escape behaviour in hooded crows
Authors: Novčić Ivana
Published: March 2023

Escape represents an important component of animals’ antipredator behaviour entailing both benefits and costs dependent on a moment an animal flees upon predator’s approach. In this study, I examined how the level of vigilance and foraging activity affected escape decision in the urban hooded crow Corvus cornix, predicting that alert distance (AD) and flight initiation distance (FID) should be positively affected by the level of vigilance and negatively affected by foraging activity, whereas buffer distance (BD) should be negatively affected by the level of vigilance and positively affected by foraging activity. Using LMMs it was shown that percent of time crows allocated to vigilance was positively correlated with AD and FID, whereas foraging activity of crows had negative impact on AD and FID. In addition, both AD and FID were positively related to starting distance (SD), while AD was also positively influenced by tree coverage. BD was positively affected by foraging activity and AD. This study demonstrated that more vigilant birds detected predators earlier, which is in accordance with the major function of vigilance. Also, it was shown that foraging crows delayed their escape, once the predator has been detected, as benefits of delayed flight, such as feeding on a profitable food item or within a profitable patch, may outweigh costs, which is consistent with the optimal escape theory.
Small Spaces and Multiple Contexts: Nootka Sound’s Global Locality 1774–1794
Authors: Berg Maxine
Published: March 2023

This article conveys the power of place in global history through the multiple perceptions of space and possession in one small remote locality – Nootka Sound on the Northwest coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This space was, for a brief period between the 1770s and 1790s, connected with many parts of the world. Microhistorical methodologies applied to the texts of traders and explorers and turned to the study of a locality such as Nootka Sound reveal the close global connections of agents and events and help us to challenge the frameworks of global history.
Introduction: Global Microhistory of the Local and the Global
Authors: Berg Maxine
Published: March 2023

This Special Issue addresses recent discussions of the potential historical approach of “global microhistory.” The six articles gathered here are based in the study of Africa, South Asia, the northwest Pacific coast of North America, and Europe, as well as in the recent methodologies of global history and microhistory. They focus on methodology and on the empirical study of ways of connecting local spaces and networks with global dynamics. All are set in social and economic formations that have too often been bypassed in the cultural and literary approaches of some microhistory and the political approaches of some global history.
Feminist Ecological Pacifism and Care in the Anthropocene
Authors: Väyrynen Tarja
Published: March 2023

The shared materiality of all living entities on the planet and their connectivity becomes an invitation to rethink pacifism to explore new forms of being in the world. This paper asks how we can think about the environment, violence, and pacifism when the older conceptions of violence do not capture all of its complex and interrelational features in the Anthropocene. Feminist new materialism moves away from anthropocentrism and offers an alternative trajectory for thinking about the environment and practicing pacifism in light of environmental, slow, and epistemic violence. It emphasises that since we are always already part of the world and thereby ethically responsible for the intra-actions we share with all beings, we bear a ‘response-ability’ (Barad 2012, 206–207). As a radical theory and practice, feminist environmental pacifism makes visible the violent socio-political complexities of human – nature connections and suggests caring about earthly co-existence with all beings.
A Time – and a Project – for Pacifism and Nonviolence Studies
Authors: Cady Duane L.
Published: March 2023

Why is it time to take pacifism and nonviolence studies more seriously? I attempt to show that pacifism and nonviolence studies are not only helpful but are necessary to understand and root out a presumption about violence that has persisted throughout human history, a presumption through which the vast majority of humans on earth experience our world. I am referring to the seemingly universal human inclination to take violence for granted as a necessary – even moral – means for human thriving, safety, and progress. We are told that it is human nature to fight or flee danger. In what follows I explore the possibility that fighting and fleeing may not be natural but cultural, and that they may not exhaust human options in response to danger. I then discuss the presumption of violence and consider the role of pacifist and nonviolence studies in analyzing and even deconstructing it by exploring a reasonable alternative view.
Pacifism and Nonviolence: Discerning the Contours of an Emerging Multidisciplinary Research Agenda
Authors: Christoyannopoulos Alexandre
Published: March 2023

Pacifism and nonviolence have separable foci and origins, yet also share important similarities, and their respective histories are mutually imbricated. Both have, furthermore, been attracting growing scholarly interest. However, that scholarship has so far been scattered in disparate sub-disciplinary debates and specialist publications. The time has come for an ambitious multidisciplinary agenda to coordinate research on topics including: the varieties of approaches to nonviolence and pacifism; accusations against pacifism; tensions between pacifism and nonviolence; theories and practices outside the Global North; the multiple consequences of violence; violence and nonviolence in political thought; the relationship between violence/nonviolence and gender, race, and other social identities; the religious roots of pacifism and nonviolence; the place of violence and nonviolence in popular culture; practical nonviolent policies of governance; predominant assumptions concerning violence in ir; the threshold characteristics of ‘violence’; and methodological challenges in the study and pedagogy of nonviolence and pacifism.
The Critical Challenge of Pacifism and Nonviolent Resistance Then and Now: From Sand Creek, and Ukraine to Climate Change
Authors: Crawford Neta C.
Published: March 2023

Pacifism and nonviolence are ethical, political, and practical policy/strategy arguments that articulate alternative visions of politics, security, and social relations. They bring different perspectives to the problem of aggression and resistance to it, such as in the Ukraine war, and to the longer term climate crisis. Because pacifism and the potential efficacy of nonviolent action challenge militarist assertions about the morality and effectiveness of military force, they provide tools for an effective critique of the war system, not only at the fringes where one is debating policy alternatives, but at the core. Research should explore the spectrum of pacifism and nonviolence—from peaceful societies to nonviolent direct action and defensive defense. The non-participation of US soldiers in the Sand Creek Massacre illustrates both the bravery and limits of non-participation and the potential importance of the philosophical links between pacifism and cognate movements in shaping the motivation to resist violence.
Afrosystolederus garmsi (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae), a new genus and species from Mount Gibi (Liberia) with remarks on Systolederus, Pseudosystolederus and Teredorus
Authors: DEVRIESE HENDRIK , HUSEMANN MARTIN
Published: March 2023

A new genus, Afrosystolederus, and a new species, Afrosystolederus garmsi, are described from Mount Gibi in Liberia. This African genus is most similar to Pseudosystolederus Günther, 1939 from Africa and Madagascar and to some members of Systolederus Bolivar, 1887 from Asia. The taxonomic difficulties of genera and species with a narrow fastigium are discussed. Teredorus aztecus nov.comb. is transferred from the genus Paratettix Bolivar, 1887. It is proposed to transfer all Indo-Malayan species from Teredorus Hancock, 1907 to Systolederus Bolivar, 1887, resulting in 26 new combinations and six replacement names: Systolederus albimarginus (Zheng & Zhou, 1996) nov. comb., Systolederus bashanensis (Zheng, 1993) nov. comb., Systolederus bhattacharyi (Shishodia, 1991) nov. comb., Systolederus bidentatus (Zheng, Huo & Zhang, 2000) nov. comb., Systolederus bipulvillus (Zheng, 2006) nov. comb., Systolederus brachynotoides Zheng, Ou & Lin, 2012 nov. comb., Systolederus brachynotus (Zheng & Xu, 2010) nov. comb., Systolederus camurimarginus (Zheng, 1998) nov. comb., Systolederus carmichaeli (Hancock, 1915) nov. comb., Systolederus chiangraensis (Za, Wen, Kang & Hyde, 2016) nov.comb., Systolederus combfemorus (Za, Wen, Kang & Hyde, 2016) nov. comb., Systolederus ebenotus (Zheng & Li, 2001) nov. comb., Systolederus eurylobatus (Zheng, Shi & Mao, 2010) nov. comb., Systolederus flatimarginus (Zheng & Liang, 2000) nov. comb., Systolederus flavistrial (Zheng, 2006) nov. comb., Systolederus frontalis (Hancock, 1915) nov.comb., Systolederus guizhouensis (Zheng, 1993) nov. comb., Systolederus hainanensis (Zheng, 1993) nov. comb., Systolederus longipulvillus (Zheng, 1988) nov. comb., Systolederus nigropennis (Deng, Zheng & Lu, 2013) nov. comb., Systolederus parvipulvillus (Deng, Lei & Zheng, 2014) nov. comb., Systolederus prominemarginis (Zheng & Jiang, 1993) nov. comb., Systolederus taibeiensis (Zheng & Xu, 2010) nov. comb., Systolederus xishuiensis (Zheng, Li & Shi, 2003) nov. comb. , Systolederus wuyishanensis (Zheng, 1993) nov. comb., Systolederus lii Devriese nov. nom., Systolederus lini Devriese nov.nom., Systolederus oui Devriese nov. nom., Systolederus rongduensis Devriese nov. nom., Systolederus yuanlingensis Devriese nov. nom., Systolederus zhengi Devriese nov. nom.
A Gridded Monthly Precipitation Merged Rain Gauge and Satellite Analysis Dataset for the Tian Shan Range between 1981 and 2019
Authors: Zhao Chuancheng , Yao Shuxia , Ding Yongjian , Zhao Qiudong
Published: March 2023

An accurate and reliable precipitation product on regular grids is essential for understanding trends and variability within climate studies, for weather forecasting, and in hydrology and agrometeorology applications. However, the construction of high-resolution spatiotemporal precipitation grid products is challenging for complex terrain with sparse rain gauge networks and when only coarse spatial resolutions of satellite data are available. The objective of this study was to consequently provide a practical method to create a grid precipitation product by merging accurate quantitative observations from weather stations with continuous spatial information and from a satellite-based estimate product. The new gridded precipitation product exhibits a monthly temporal resolution and a spatial resolution of 0.01° for the Tian Shan range, extending back to 1981. To overcome the limitation of low densities and sparse distributions of meteorological stations in the complex terrain of the Tian Shan, a suitable interpolation of Australian National University Spline (ANUSPLIN) was used to interpolate grid precipitation based on in situ data. The interpolation grid precipitation was then merged with the satellite precipitation product developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Climate Hazards Group. After evaluation and validation using withheld stations and comparison to reference datasets, the result indicated that the merged product exhibits considerable promise for application in complex terrain. The method can be widely applied and is expected to construct precipitation products with high spatial and temporal resolution by merging multiple precipitation data sources.

Significance Statement

The purpose of this study is to construct a gridded precipitation dataset by merging the interpolation precipitation based on in situ observation and a satellite precipitation product in arid mountain regions. This is important because gridded precipitations are essential to the evaluation of climate model output and detection of trends in mean climate and climate extremes. Our results present a guide on merging frameworks to construct precipitation datasets used multisource data sources for regions with complex topography, precipitation scarcity, and ungauged and sparse collection.
Propagation Diversity of Quasi-Biweekly Oscillation of Summer Precipitation in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River
Authors: Yao Suxiang , Liu Yishan , Huang Qian
Published: March 2023

Summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR) has obvious characteristics of intraseasonal oscillation, but there are different inferences about its propagation. Based on observed precipitation and ERA5 data, the propagation diversity of summer quasi-biweekly precipitation in the MLYR is analyzed. The results show that summer precipitation in the MLYR has obvious quasi-biweekly oscillation (QBWO) characteristics, and precipitation QBWO events can be classified into three categories: southward, northward, and local oscillation events. The frequency of southward events is significantly higher than that of northward or local oscillation events. For southward events, a wave train is observed in the mid–high latitudes and propagates southward in East Asia. The northward and local oscillation events are closely related to the QBWO of the northwest Pacific in low latitudes. The meridional asymmetry of quasi-biweekly divergence and background wind is responsible for the diversity of QBWO propagation. Quasi-biweekly convergence is usually located on the south of the quasi-biweekly cyclone, so the convergence interacts with geostrophic vorticity to guide the quasi-biweekly cyclone to move southward; in the southerly basic flow, north of the quasi-biweekly cyclone is positive relative vorticity advection, which leads the quasi-biweekly cyclone to move northward. Therefore, quasi-biweekly disturbances originating from north of the MLYR, with weak basic wind, mainly move southward under the influence of convergence. However, quasi-biweekly disturbances at low latitudes move northward under the guidance of relative vorticity advection due to the strong basic flow. A disturbance originating from the MLYR presents local oscillation under the coaction of quasi-biweekly relative vorticity advection and divergence.
A Submonthly Scale Causal Relation between Snow Cover and Surface Air Temperature over the Autumnal Eurasian Continent
Authors: Komatsu Kensuke K. , Takaya Yuhei , Toyoda Takahiro , Hasumi Hiroyasu
Published: March 2023

Snow cover (SC) is an important contributor to atmospheric predictability on subseasonal to seasonal time scales. This paper evaluates the submonthly scale cause-and-effect relationship between SC and surface air temperature (SAT) in Eurasia, which has been typically overlooked in previous statistical analyses of subseasonal to seasonal atmospheric predictability. We focus on the November east–west dipolar SC pattern, a dominant large-scale SC phenomenon. We use an information flow analysis, based on information theory, to infer causal relations not revealed by conventional correlation analysis. This analysis indicates a one-way causality from SAT to SC around the west pole (Europe) in boreal autumn (November), implying that SC has little influence on the time evolution of SAT. In contrast, causality from SC to SAT is significant around the east pole (the Mongolian Plateau). An atmospheric model experiment suggests that the SAT response to SC can persist for a month via snow–albedo feedback, although the response of the upper atmosphere in the model is small. Furthermore, the subseasonal hindcasts show that the contribution of SC may affect the predictability of SAT for up to four weeks around the east pole. We suggest that the geographical and climatological atmospheric conditions are favorable for generating a positive albedo feedback as a “hotspot” of SC–SAT coupling around the east pole in autumn. The agreement of our causality analysis with other analytical and modeling approaches underscores the cause-and-effect relationship between SC and SAT and its contribution to the subseasonal predictability over autumnal Eurasia.
Contained Giant Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Secondary to Type I and III Endoleaks Requiring Open Repair With Endograft Explantation
Authors: Zamin Syed A. , Devalla Raviteja , Mitchell Marc E.
Published: March 2023

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is a minimally invasive treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Common complications include endoleaks, which are continued blood flow into the aneurysm sac external to the graft. Type I endoleaks occur proximally or distally, resulting from inadequate seals between the graft and artery. Type III endoleaks stem from defects between components in modular grafts or fabric tears. Re-intervention is indicated for type I and III endoleaks due to pressurization of the aneurysm sac resulting in a high risk of rupture. A 68 year-old man presented with an infrarenal AAA and underwent EVAR. He developed a late type I endoleak requiring reintervention with a stent graft cuff, and later presented with a recurrent type I endoleak and type IIIb endoleak. The AAA increased in size to 18 cm with contained rupture, requiring emergent endograft explantation and repair with a bifurcated Dacron graft. His postoperative course was uncomplicated.
Intimate Partner Violence Victimization: Assessing the Applicability of Social Interactionist Theory
Authors: Zavala Egbert , Garza Alondra D.
Published: March 2023

A growing body of research has applied Felson’s social interactionist theory to understand violent victimization. The theory claims that individuals experiencing stressful life events or negative affective states behave in an aversive demeanor and this behavior motivates others to attack them. Since its inception, however, this framework has not been applied extensively to intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Using data collected from the International Dating Violence Study, the present study tested Felson’s social interactionist theory by examining the direct and indirect effects of stressful conditions, negative affective states, and aversive demeanor on IPV victimization. Results revealed that social interactionist theory of victimization modestly explained the relationship between stressful conditions and IPV victimization. Implications for theory, research, and policy are discussed.
Factors Affecting Pedestrians’ Perceptions of Safety, Comfort, and Pleasantness Induced by Public Space Lighting: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Trop Tamar , Shoshany Tavory Sharon , Portnov Boris A.
Published: March 2023

Public space lighting (PSL), if adequately designed, may significantly enhance pedestrians’ sense of safety and comfort. Yet, the accumulated knowledge about subjective evaluation of PSL is still insufficient. This paper presents a systematic literature review, carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines, of factors affecting pedestrians’ perceptions of safety, comfort, and pleasantness induced by PSL. The screening process, which focused on studies combining technical- and observer-based environmental assessments, yielded 53 eligible papers, which were then synthesized according to an adapted model for outdoor place-human relationship. This framework-based review comprehensively highlights a few common findings and practical implications, as well as multiple gaps in research coverage, many inconsistencies, and significant generalization and transferability constraints. As the review indicates, one size does not fit all, and much further research is needed to improve the tailoring of PSL to a range of contextual conditions, such as different climates, cultures, and city characteristics.
My air Armada: Italo Balbo's transatlantic flights as a multimedia storytelling machine
Authors: Cavarocchi Francesca
Published: March 2023

This article reconstructs the steps that, starting in 1928–1929, led to the planning of Italo Balbo's most famous transatlantic flights. These events were characterized by a narrative that addressed different domestic and international audiences and used a multimedia communication strategy.
Occupied by non-violence: Exploring male Palestinian resistance activists’ use of strategic silences in (re)narrating the Palestinian struggle
Authors: Swan Emma
Published: March 2023

Liberal peacebuilding has had its fair share of critiques. Along with highlighting its neo-liberal and Western-centric foundations, scholars have also drawn attention to its disregard for Indigenous peace frameworks. Peacebuilding in Palestine is no exception. Based on ethnographic research in the West Bank, this paper examines Orientalist narratives of Palestinian men embedded within the liberal peacebuilding framework and highlights the way that men engaged in unarmed resistance have navigated this terrain through the adoption of public transcripts which (re)narrate the Palestinian story/experience. I argue that this adoption can be interpreted as an act of critical agency where the silencing of their own beliefs is turned on its head to empower and further their agenda and goals. In this way, representation, knowledge, and silence can be understood as not only tools of colonial control, but also tools for Indigenous resistance to Western discourses, narratives, and representations.
State capacity matters in ‘the middle:’ A new perspective on domestic terrorism
Authors: Chae Seung Hoon , Kim Wukki
Published: March 2023

When it comes to domestic terrorism (DT), state capacity matters in ‘the middle.’ Our article aims to bring together two apparently separate strands of terrorism research: one concerning the effects of regime type; and another concerning the effects of state capacity. We argue that state capacity can reduce DT in anocracies, but not so much in full dictatorships and democracies. Terrorists seek to maximize the reach of their attacks by exposing themselves to a larger audience. As a result, regimes with higher audience costs tend to be more vulnerable to domestic terror attacks. In anocracies, there is room for state capacity to influence the audience costs of a domestic terrorist attack. In full democracies and dictatorships, on the other hand, state capacity has little influence on the audience costs of DT. Consequently, if previous studies have purported linear, U-shaped, and inverted- U-shaped links between democracy and terrorism, we argue that the shape of the relationship is contingent on the level of state capacity. Theoretically, we substantiate our argument with a two-player simultaneous game between a terrorist group and a government. On the empirical side, we conduct a series of negative binomial panel regressions upon a time-series cross-sectional dataset of no less than 108 countries from 1970 to 2007.
Agencies Displayed by Patients, Medical Teams, and Caregivers at the End of Life from the Perspectives of Family Members – A Qualitative Study
Authors: Tawil Yoel , Bodas Moran , Shaulov Adir , Ziv Arnona , Kaplan Giora , Velan Baruch
Published: March 2023

Background: End-of-life (EoL) Care is challenging for terminally-ill patients and their caregivers. This research is aimed to examine the relational agencies of the patients, the caregivers, and the medical teams in the context of EoL care, with a particular emphasis on the caregivers. Methods: This study is based on the qualitative analysis of interviews with 12 individuals who were closely supported a loved one to their death from a terminal illness. Results: Information collected revealed several agency-related themes. Family caregivers are significant entities in managing the ‘case’ of a seriously ill individual. At the final or more advanced stages of the EoL process, caregivers gradually shift from a supportive role to being active agents, but not always backed by the necessary experience, knowledge, or the requisite emotional resilience. Conclusions: Based on recognizing their agentic proactivity, a clear and elaborate articulation of the family caregivers' roles is needed.
Benefits and Detriments of Social Collaborative Memory in Turn-Taking and Directed Forgetting
Authors: Nie Aiqing , Guo Bingyan
Published: March 2023

Collaborative recall by groups of people can evoke both memory detriments (e.g., collaborative inhibition) and benefits (e.g., error pruning and post-collaborative memory benefit). Yet, it remains indeterminate whether these effects are due to the emotional valence of stimuli and/or the specific subtypes of episodic memory tested (i.e., item memory and source memory), and whether they are related to the research procedure of directed forgetting (DF). We introduced item-method DF into collaborative memory research using a turn-taking procedure. The to-be-recalled words were studied in different emotional valences and were followed by either an R or F cue, which, respectively, instructed participants to remember or forget the words presented. We conducted two recall sessions (Recall 1 and Recall 2) that included the two subtypes of episodic memory. Recall 1 was performed either individually or collaboratively, while Recall 2 was always performed individually. We observed three major findings: (a) a collaborative memory decrement - collaborative inhibition - was minimally affected in both item memory and source memory tasks by either the emotional valence of the stimuli or the DF cue; (b) a collaborative memory benefit - error pruning of item memory - persisted within both ongoing and post-collaboration, while error pruning of source memory only presented in ongoing collaboration, thus demonstrating the relevance of dual-process models that differentiate automatic familiarity and effortful recollection processes; and (c) there was no post-collaborative memory benefit, indicating the importance of the type of collaborative procedure. We discuss these results in terms of various theories, including the retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis (RSDH) which asserts that memory strategies tend to be disrupted in collaboration but are facilitated within post-collaboration. Also, we describe the implications of these results and directions for exploring other influential factors in future research.
Disparity Studies: Isomorphic Discrimination?
Authors: Lungu Maria , Atkinson Christopher , McCue Clifford , Saginor Jesse
Published: March 2023

This research explores the veracity and reliability of existing approaches to conducting disparity studies by methodologically drawing on a 54-city, nine-firm analysis, with over 900 diverse businesses surveyed. Despite efforts to initiate systemic development opportunities for diverse businesses, disparity studies merely alert society to obstinate challenges that hinder access to government contracts for diverse businesses. The intended rationale for a disparity study is to provide a “strong basis on the evidence” to support race-conscious remedial tools in government procurement. They establish evidence of discrimination that affects businesses, however, the nature of their content and structural form limits their potential for economic reform. This inefficiency presents questions on methods used to procure these studies, implies criticism of the industry that produces these studies, and suggests questions on whether localities are remedying discriminatory practices. A large portion of disparity studies do not adequately address the historical context, challenges to inclusive procurement, or contextual understanding of the communities affected. While some studies have policy chapters that address these issues, this material is not standardized. The tendency towards isomorphism reaffirms past practices for these studies while ignoring the present, enervating challenges faced within these communities.
Leading for Justice, Leading for Learning: Conceptualizing Urban School Leadership for Antiracist Mathematics Teaching and Learning
Authors: Rigby Jessica G. , Forman Stephanie
Published: March 2023

Urban school leaders can support mathematics instruction that acknowledges and sustains students’ racialized and cultured ways of knowing and being. Yet, leadership for racial justice is often discussed separately from instructional improvement. In this conceptual inquiry, we investigate how leadership can integrate antiracist practices into teaching and learning. We synthesize justice-focused leadership and antiracist mathematics literatures to present a framework of interconnected leadership practices and elaborate on this vision through an example drawn from our collaboration with practitioners. This manuscript and framework provide precise descriptions of leadership actions to support practitioners and researchers seeking to support antiracist, ambitious mathematics instruction.
National climate: Zhu Kezhen and the framing of the atmosphere in modern China
Authors: Frank Mark E.
Published: March 2023

Can climate be Chinese, and if so, then how? Drawing on personal writings, popular discourse, and scientific reports, this essay considers the work of early Chinese meteorologists in relation to the revolutionary national politics of the early twentieth century. Historians of China have established that nationalism motivated the pursuit of meteorology and other natural sciences, but I advance the more radical position that there was no clear distinction between the practice of climate science and the political ideology that motivated it. With special attention to the career and legacy of Zhu Kezhen from the Xinhai Revolution through World War II, I test this thesis in two arenas: Chinese meteorologists’ production of spatial knowledge, and their production of cultural knowledge. The nation was integral to the questions, methods, and analyses of atmospheric science, which helped to reify the Chinese nation-state.
Event Space and Firm Value: Chinese Listed Firms in the US–China Trade War
Authors: Lu Jane Wenzhen , Zhou Xiaoyu
Published: March 2023

Although past studies in crisis management usually have taken a geography-focused approach to study how physical proximity increases firms’ exposure to a crisis, this study draws on event system theory and proposes that independent of firms’ geographic locations, an event can have multiple spatial directions and proximities to the firms in the event space. To further unpack the effects of event space, we develop an integrated framework that considers how the event space interacts with entity attributes—which are found to help firms cope with external challenges affecting their market value. Using the shock of the 2018 US–China trade war on listed firms in China’s stock market, we find that the trade war has significantly reduced the market value of firms that have spatial proximity to the product market (i.e., firms that belong to target industries) and to the geographic market (i.e., firms that export to the United States) in event space. This negative effect also spills over onto peer organizations with business activities related to target industries or the United States. Moreover, there are differential moderating effects from entity attributes, such as corporate political connections and corporate social responsibility, on the different event spatial directions, pointing to the distinct natures of event spatial directions. This study introduces a novel, multidimensional view of event space and uses it to develop an event space model for geopolitical events, and in so doing, we complement extant work on the role of crises in shaping corporate strategy and performance.
“Sometimes, During Deployment, It Seems Like We Won’t Make It”: U.S. Military Deployment Transition Issues as a Precursor to Couples’ Reintegration Issues
Authors: Weiss Julia K. , Anzur Christine K.
Published: March 2023

The bulk of the literature on the Relational Turbulence Model relating to U.S. military couples clusters around examining relational turbulence and communication issues when a service member returns from a deployment and reintegrates back into the home. Lacking in comparison is a deeper examination of turbulence and all of its related variables when the service member leaves the home to go on the deployment. The current study examines these components as they relate to overseas military deployment. A thematic analysis of participants’ perceptions uncovered major themes of Relational Uncertainty, Partner Interferences, and Relational Turbulence along with several subthemes and additional subtheme-types. If we consider the well-established relational communication issues couples face during reintegrating, these findings suggest that those issues may actually stem from the perceptions of relational turbulence in the initial parts of the deployment cycle during deployment.
Female music educators’ stress and well-being in the height of a global pandemic in the United States
Authors: Koner Karen , Potter-Gee Jennifer , Borden Brianne
Published: March 2023

Stress can affect teachers’ mental and physical health, student-teacher relationships, and energy levels. During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators around the world experienced stress in terms of worry for their students and for their own well-being in terms of energy levels, sleep and anxiety. The purpose of this study was to examine female music educators’ stress, stressors, and well-being during 1 year in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined these factors with participants, approximately 1 year into the pandemic in spring 2021 and this study explored the same educators’ stressors 1 year later in spring 2022. Through this comparative case study, eight self-identified female music educators completed a questionnaire and participated in focus groups. We approached data collection through the theory of wellbeing and uncovered four themes; (a) self-care and mental health; (b) pressure and frustration; (c) scheduling and reprioritization; and (d) accommodation. Results suggest female participants experienced personal and professional stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted their well-being, with feelings of burnout, anxiety, and desires to possibly leave the teaching profession.
Mechanical life support algorithm for emergency management of patient receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Akhtar Waqas , Pinto Sofia , Gerlando Emanuele , Pitt Timothy , Banya Winston , Dunning John , Bowles Christopher T , Rosenberg Alex
Published: March 2023

Background

There are limited practical advanced life support algorithms to aid teams in the management of cardiac arrest in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods

In our specialist tertiary referral centre we developed, by iteration, a novel resuscitation algorithm for ECMO emergencies which we validated through simulation and assessment of our multi-disciplinary team. A Mechanical Life Support course was established to provide theoretical and practical education combined with simulation to consolidate knowledge and confidence in algorithm use. We assessed these measures using confidence scoring, a key performance indicator (the time taken to resolve gas line disconnection) and a multiple choice question (MCQ) examination.

Results

Following this intervention the median confidence scores increased from 2 (Interquartile range IQR 2, 3) to 4 (IQR 4, 4) out of maximum 5 ( n = 53, p < 0.0001). Theoretical knowledge assessed by median MCQ score increased from 8 (6, 9) to 9 (7, 10) out of maximum 11 ( n = 53, p0.0001). The use of the ECMO algorithm reduced the time taken by teams in a simulated emergency to identify a gas line disconnection and resolve the problem from median 128 s (65, 180) to 44 s (31, 59) ( n = 36, p 0.001) and by a mean of 81.5 s (CI 34, 116, p = 0.001).

Conclusions

We present an evidence based practical ECMO resuscitation algorithm that provides guidance to clinical teams responding to cardiac arrest in ECMO patients covering both patient and ECMO troubleshooting.