bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
5. Environmentalities of Namibian conservancies
Authors: Schneider Ruben
Published: August 2024

This chapter explores how communal area residents in north-west Namibia experience, understand, and respond to their conservancies. Drawing on philosopher Michel Foucault’s concept of ‘governmentality’ and specifically its ‘environmentality’ variant, conservancies are understood as localised global environmental governance institutions which aim to modify local people’s behaviours in both conservation- and market-friendly ways. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork across four conservancies in Kunene Region, the chapter reveals how local communities culturally demystify, socially re-construct, and ultimately govern a global, neoliberal(ising) institutional experiment in return. Confirming stark experiential discrepancies and distributional injustices, the analysis cautions against a simplistic affirmation of the conservation dictum that ‘those who benefit also care’. Instead, it demonstrates that experiences of neoliberal incentives such as ownership and benefits are a limited predictor of local conservation practices. In the context of Namibian conservancies, ‘friction’ between global and local ways of seeing and being in the world produces novel, hybrid environmentalities characterised in part by what political scientist Jean-François Bayart calls ‘the politics of the belly’. The chapter explores how communal area residents seek to opportunistically work the conservancy system to their advantage. It highlights an accountability gap within conservancies which not only entrenches local inequalities but effectively transfers frictions between global and local environmentalities to the community level where they have the potential to develop into intra-community conflicts.
6. The politics of authority, belonging and mobility in disputing land in southern Kaoko
Authors: Olwage Elsemi
Published: August 2024

The focus of this chapter concerns the interwoven politics of authority, belonging and mobility in shaping ‘customary’ land-rights in southern Kaoko. I argue that ancestral land-rights need to be understood as a social and political rather than a historical fact, and one which is relationally established and re-established in practice, over time, and at different scales. The chapter draws on research conducted from 2014 to 2016 comprising a situational analysis of a land and grazing dispute in southern Kaoko, in and around Ozondundu Conservancy. It shows how persons and groups were navigating overlapping institutions of land governance during an extended drought period, in a context shaped by regional pastoral migrations and mobility. This case material illuminates how conservancies and state courts have become key technologies mobilised to re-establish the interwoven authority and land-rights of particular groups. This dynamic is especially so, given a post-Independence shift towards more centralised state-driven land governance, amidst deeply rooted political fragmentation in most places, and land-grabbing by some migrating pastoralists. The chapter concludes by arguing for the importance of engaging socially legitimate occupation and use rights, and decentralised practices of land governance, towards co-producing ‘communal’ tenure and land-rights between the state and localities. This emphasis is critical for evidence-based decision-making and jurisprudence in a legally pluralistic context.
Judges’ interpretation of laws and labor rights protection: a study of labor contract-related court decisions in China
Authors: Huang Chuling (Adam)
Published: August 2024

While labor rights protections in China have been extensively studied, the existing literature lacks a systematic analysis of how workers fare in labor dispute litigations and what factors contribute to the litigation outcomes. Drawing on 108,816 court decisions of labor dispute lawsuits related to the absence of labor contracts, this study examines how migrant status, job titles, and legal representation shape litigation outcomes. We further unpack the decisions ruled against workers based on judges’ justifications. Overall, workers have a winning rate of 69%. Migrant workers are not more likely to lose in general, but they are more likely to lose because judges decide that the employment relationship does not exist, and less likely to lose because they miss the statute of limitations. Workers holding managerial or administrative positions have a lower probability of losing, yet they are more likely to lose for having specialized jobs. Lastly, having a lawyer is associated with better litigation outcomes for both parties, but the benefits of legal representation are considerably larger for employers than for workers. These findings contribute to the literature on labor rights protection and labor dispute resolution.
Decoding Cognitive Control and Cognitive Flexibility as Concomitants for Experiential Avoidance in Social Anxiety
Authors: Jain Tarana , Shukla Ridhima , Panwar Neeraj
Published: August 2024

Background and objectives: Avoidance is regarded as a central hallmark of social anxiety. Experiential avoidance is perilous for social anxiety, specifically among university students (young adults). Additionally, cognitive control and cognitive flexibility are crucial components of executive functions for a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. The current research is a modest attempt to understand how cognitive flexibility and cognitive control affect the emergence of experiential avoidance in social anxiety in young adults. Methods: Using an ex-post facto design, the Social Phobia Inventory was employed to screen university students with social anxiety based on which one hundred and ninety-five were identified. Thereafter, participants completed the standardized measures on experiential avoidance, cognitive control and cognitive flexibility. Results: A stepwise multiple regression analysis was computed wherein the cognitive control predicts an amount of 5% of variance towards experiential avoidance, whereas a 10% of additional variance has been contributed by cognitive flexibility. Interpretation and Conclusions: The statistical outcome indicated that cognitive control is positively associated with experiential avoidance which is a negative correlate to cognitive flexibility among university students. Both also emerged as significant predictors of experiential avoidance and add a cumulative variance of 15% towards the same. This conclusion supports the need for improved and efficient management techniques in counseling and clinical settings.
InVideo AI: Creating Instructional Audiovisual Input for English Learning
Authors: Lin Han , Liu Xiaobin
Published: August 2024

Videos serve as potent multimodal stimuli in the field of EFL instruction, supported by robust theoretical foundations about multimedia learning. However, creating pedagogically appropriate videos presents challenges, particularly in selecting suitable resources for specific instructional objectives. InVideo AI stands out as a powerful platform for streamlined and personalized video creation. Within EFL learning, it offers the conversion of text into engaging video content to enhance comprehension, the creation of supplementary materials for enriching language input, and the facilitation of diverse learning activities through customized settings. This tech review aims to present an in-depth exploration of InVideo AI and its applications in English language learning, highlighting both the advantages and constraints of this innovative platform.
A Path Analysis of Burnout of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Authors: Lu Junfei , Lund Emily M. , Granger Teresa A.
Published: August 2024

Burnout of rehabilitation counselors has a negative impact on counselor’s well-being and the quality of service delivered to clients. Understanding the process of counselor burnout is critical as it can illuminate intervention development. Conceptual models of burnout exist within the literature; however, these are not unique to the counseling profession. To fill this gap, we tested and verified a model of counselor burnout (given five key dimensions in the Counselor Burnout Inventory) using path analysis based on responses from 147 rehabilitation counselors working at State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. The findings described an interesting picture through which a negative work environment could progressively lead to various burnout symptoms in rehabilitation counselors. Moreover, the results revealed that one’s personal life could be negatively influenced by multiple elements in the model. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Varieties of local participation? A vignette survey on local executive politicians’ legitimacy perceptions towards different participatory arrangements
Authors: Goutry Willem , Steyvers Kristof , Verschuere Bram , Haesevoets Tessa
Published: August 2024

This study takes the hitherto understudied perspective of local executive politicians as crucial stakeholders spanning the boundaries of representative and participatory democracy. It aims to examine their legitimacy perceptions of different participatory arrangements. The research was conducted by means of a vignette study in which we included a representative arrangement and six participatory arrangements for which we differentiated for types of initiator (government or citizens) and three types of citizen involvement (consultative, co-decisive and decisive). We found that executives assessed government-initiated arrangements as more legitimate than citizen-initiated ones. Moreover, they perceived the co-decisive arrangement as the most legitimate.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing College Student Athletes and Alcohol Use
Authors: Gannon Christine L. , Gibble Theresa Hunter , Evans Retta R.
Published: August 2024

There is extensive research showing an association between athletics and college alcohol use. However, there is a gap in the literature describing this phenomenon for deaf and hard of hearing students. Researchers explored the experiences and perspectives of Gallaudet University students and staff on deaf and hard of hearing students’ alcohol use by conducting a qualitative case study in American Sign Language. One theme that emerged from this data was athletics: the impact of being a student athlete, the structure of college life for student athletes, networking as an athlete, athletic events, and the role of alcohol use. Researchers found unique experiences for deaf and hard of hearing students, but also consistencies with the literature showing an increased association between athletics, athletic events, and alcohol use.
Effect of slurry concentration on the quality of calcium sulphate hemihydrate in a magnetized water system
Authors: Li Liqin , Li Ruiduo , Lei Dashi , Peng Xiangyu , Wang Yubin
Published: August 2024

Multifunctional calcium sulphate hemihydrate (HH) whiskers were prepared hydrothermally in magnetized water using raw gypsum. The hydrothermal products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that the slurry concentration considerably affected the quality of the hydrothermal HH formed in the magnetized water because the slurry concentration affected the viscosity of the raw gypsum slurry. When the slurry concentration was 6.0%, the slurry had a suitable viscosity, which was conducive to the dissolution of the raw gypsum. The abundance of solution-phase Ca2+ and SO42− ions was the greatest, thus increasing the driving force for the CaSO4·2H2O (DH)-to-HH phase transition.
Personal data as pseudo-property: Between commodification and assetisation
Authors: Bilić Paško , Žitko Mislav
Published: August 2024

The paper discusses how personal data is a crucial resource in the digital age. It explores the complex nature of the economic valorisation of personal data. Recent discussions have focused on the commodification and profit generation from personal data and its role as an asset and a source of rent. Property rights play a significant but contradictory role in each of these cases. From a technical standpoint, personal data does not fall under traditional ownership rights protected by intellectual property laws. It is neither an artistic work covered by copyright nor an outcome of financial investment that could be protected by patents. Instead, the paper focuses on the role of personal data in the capitalist mode of production and digital monopoly conditions. It aims to analyse the successive transformations of everyday activities into machine-readable objects, de facto property, assets, and elements of monopoly capital.
Who Cheats? Adolescents’ Background Characteristics and Dishonest Behavior: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Insights From Two Consecutive Surveys
Authors: Keller Tamás , Kiss Hubert János
Published: August 2024

A growing body of experimental literature investigates how student-level background characteristics are associated with dishonest behavior in early adolescence. However, results from prior studies are mixed. To revisit earlier findings, we conducted a comprehensive literature review and executed two consecutive, large-scale, incentivized surveys in Hungarian primary schools involving the same students in different academic years. We focused on eight student-level background characteristics: social status, cognitive ability, grade point average, disruptive school behavior, patience, age, altruism, and gender. Our analysis revealed no consistent patterns between students’ background characteristics and dishonest behavior. This finding aligns with the results of our detailed literature review, which suggests that adolescents’ dishonest behavior was inconsistently associated with their background characteristics in prior scholarship. We conclude that adolescents’ dishonest behavior is much more spontaneous, probably shaped by situational factors, and less predictable than previously thought.
A Fish-Focused Menu: An Interdisciplinary Reconstruction of Ancestral Tsleil-Waututh Diets
Authors: Efford Meaghan , de la Puente Santiago , George Micheal , George Michelle , Testani Alessandria , Taft Spencer , Morin Jesse , Hilsden Jay , Zhu Jennifer , Chen Pengpeng , Paskulin Lindsey , Toniello Ginevra , Christensen Villy , Speller Camilla
Published: August 2024

The study of past subsistence offers archeologists a lens through which we can understand relationships between people and their homelands. səl̓ilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) is a Coast Salish Nation whose traditional and unceded territory centers on səl̓ilwət (Tsleil-Wat, Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, Canada). səl̓ilwətaɬ people were fish specialists whose traditional diet focused primarily on marine and tidal protein sources. In this research, we draw on the archeological record, ecology, historical and archival records, and səl̓ilwətaɬ oral histories and community knowledge to build an estimated precontact diet that ancestral səl̓ilwətaɬ people obtained from səl̓ilwət. Based on prior archeological research, we assume a high protein diet that is primarily (90–100 percent) from marine and tidal sources. The four pillars of səl̓ilwətaɬ precontact diets (salmon, forage fish, shellfish, and marine birds) offer anchor points that ensure the diet is realistic, evidence-based, and representative of community knowledge. We consider the caloric needs of adults, children, elders, and those who are pregnant or lactating. Finally, we consider the variation in the edible yield from different animal species and their relationships in the food web. Together, these data and anchor points build an estimated precontact diet averaged across seasons, ages, and biological sex from approximately 1000 CE up until early European contact in approximately 1792 CE. The reconstruction of səl̓ilwətaɬ lifeways and subsistence practices, which were based on a myriad of stewardship techniques, aid our understanding of the precontact səl̓ilwətaɬ diet and the relationship between səl̓ilwətaɬ and their territory.
The risk factors affecting the persistence of corpus callosum splenium lesions
Authors: Orhan Varoglu Asuman , Avarisli Aysenur , Keskin Havva , Darici Didem
Published: August 2024

Background

The most compact portion of the corpus callosum (CC) is the corpus splenium (CS).

Purpose

To evaluate the connection between clinical and demographic features to determine whether neuroimaging findings will be permanent or temporary in CS patients.

Material and Methods

We enrolled 93 patients (age range = 18–86 years) with CS lesions. Demographic and clinical information were recorded. We examined the lesions depending on the location. Group 1 (n = 20) had lesions limited to the CS (egg-shaped or round); group 2 (n = 15) had “boomerang sign” lesions; and group 3 (n = 58) had splenium involvement in conditions affecting the whole brain (Boomerang sign+ plus).

Results

Group 1 had a lower mean age, shorter disease duration, and fewer persistent lesions than others ( P < 0.01, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). The mean disease onset age (in years) in group 1 was higher than that of the other groups ( P < 0.045). Group 2 had lower potassium (K) ( P < 0.003) and red cell distribution width levels ( P < 0.029) than the other groups. Age <41.5 years ( P < 0.001), age at illness initiation <48.5 years ( P < 0.002), disease duration <5.5 months ( P < 0.001), and eosinophil level <0.29 uL ( P 0.014) all point to temporary lesions.

Conclusion

Cases with limited CS lesions have younger onset ages, lower disease onset ages, and shorter disease durations. Age, age of disease onset, disease duration, and eosinophil level are risk variables that affect whether CS lesions are permanent or temporary.
Analyzing the Effects of Healthy Older Adults’ Optimism and Executive Function on Hazardous Road-Crossing Using a Bayesian Generalized Linear Mixed Model
Authors: Kimura Toshiaki , Uchiyama Ichiro , Taneoka Chiharu
Published: August 2024

Deteriorating executive function, health, and declining driving experience in older adults have been shown to lead to dangerous road-crossing. Further, positive overconfidence in their capabilities makes efficient compensation difficult. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of hazardous road crossing by focusing on optimism is important. To examine the mechanisms that influence crossing decisions, this study formulated two opposing hypotheses: more optimistic older adults are blind to functional decline and thus make riskier crossing decisions; less optimistic older adults are more aware of their functional decline and thus avoid risky crossings. Forty-eight older adults aged 65 years or older were asked to come to the laboratory and complete a questionnaire on crossing roads; subsequently, their working memory, attentional shifting, and -inhibition abilities were measured. Data were analyzed using a Bayesian generalized linear mixed model. A model was constructed for each item using four scores on dangerous crossing decisions as the objective variables, allowing examination of the effects of “executive functioning,”“subjective health,”“driving frequency,”“optimism,” and “interaction between optimism and the other variables.” In older adults with low optimism, the poorer the attentional shifting and -inhibition function, the more such hazardous crossings were avoided. In those with high optimism, the lower their subjective health, the more hazardous the crossings. These results supported this study’s hypotheses on optimism. In older adults with low optimism, higher levels of working memory, subjective health, and driving frequency were associated with higher-risk-crossing choices, suggesting that optimism is related to risk avoidance and may influence crossing intentions.
Acquisition of Utility Property Interests for Transportation Projects
Authors: Quiroga Cesar , Naranjo Jenny , Campbell John
Published: August 2024

Departments of transportation in the U.S. differ in their practices for the acquisition of utility property interests during the project delivery process. Anecdotal evidence suggests that acquiring utility property interests affects the acquisition of right-of-way for the project, the process and schedule of utility relocations, and the overall project delivery process. However, systematic research to assess practices in this area is conspicuously absent both at the federal and state levels. This paper addresses the question of how and when the identification of utility property interests occurs during the project delivery process. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge by summarizing the results of three sets of activities. First, through a review of laws, regulations, manuals, and other existing documentation, as well as interviews and case studies, the paper describes the state of the practice throughout the U.S. concerning the authority to acquire replacement right-of-way or additional land for utility relocations. Second, the paper describes typical scenarios for acquiring utility property rights. Finally, the paper outlines recommendations to acquire utility property rights in ways that increase the effectiveness of the process and minimize the risk of delays and added costs.
Evaluation of efficacy and safety of Botulinum toxin-A injection at three deferent sites in treatment of premature ejaculation
Authors: Elshahid Ahmed Rashad , Taher Abobakr Osama Abdel-Goad , Nouh Ahmed Hassan
Published: August 2024

Background:

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common sexual problem, resulting in adverse effects on the quality of life, of both the patient and the partner. The idea of muscular contraction inhibition during the ejection phase of ejaculation by Botulinum toxin-A injection may delay ejaculation.

Aim of study:

This study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of Botulinum toxin-A injection in PE treatment.

Material and methods:

This study included 45 married male patients diagnosed with primary PE. All included patients were injected with 75 units of Dysport equal efficacy of 25 units of Botulinum toxin-A (Botox) into three sites: the root of the penis (Group 1), glans penis (Group 2), and each side of the ischiocavernosus muscle (Group 3). All patients were subjected to an assessment of intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) using a stopwatch and answering the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) Questionnaire before and after treatment.

Results:

There was a statistically significant improvement in IELT after treatment in all groups. The most significant improvement was shown in Group 3 (average 108% increase), followed by Group 1 (74%) and Group 2 (40%), respectively. There was a positive correlation between age and the improvement in improved IELT. There was a statistically significant improvement in PEDTq scores in Group 1 and Group 3.

Conclusion:

Botulinum toxin-A injection into the root of the penis and ischiocavernosus muscle could be recommended in the treatment of premature ejaculation.
Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant-led Cardiovascular Surgery Postoperative Intensive Care Unit Staffing Model
Authors: Perry Ralph T. , Weimer John W. , Pratt Carrie , Newcome Marci D. , Bagameri Gabor , Bohman J. Kyle
Published: August 2024

Objectives

To determine whether a nurse practitioner and physician assistant (NP/PA)-led rapid staffing. Model in the cardiac surgical intensive care unit (ICU) can optimize resource utilization without compromising safety or increasing hospital length of stay (LoS).

Design

Retrospective observational cohort study comparing before-and-after implementation of an NP/PA-led rapid recovery pathway.

Setting

A large tertiary referral academic cardiac surgery ICU.

Participants

There were 116 patients in the prerapid recovery cohort and 153 in the postimplementation rapid recovery phase.

Interventions

Low-risk cardiac surgery patients were selected for postoperative care by an NP/PA-led ICU staffing model.

Measurements and Main Results

Mean hospital LoS in the prerapid recovery cohort was 5.7 days compared to 5.2 days in the rapid recovery pathway cohort ( P = .02). Thirty-day hospital readmission in the prerapid recovery pathway cohort was 7.8% compared with 2.0% in the rapid recovery cohort ( P = .04). The ICU readmission rate for prerapid recovery cohort was 4.3%, while the rapid recovery percentage was 2.0% ( P = .30).

Conclusions

Overall, implementation of an NP/PA-led postcardiac surgical ICU team ( rapid recovery pathway) was associated with similar ICU LoS, hospital LoS, ICU readmission rates, 30-day readmission rates, and no significant signal of increased adverse events or safety concerns.
Forty Thousand Fake Twitter Profiles: A Computational Framework for the Visual Analysis of Social Media Propaganda
Authors: George Noel , Sham Azhar , Ajith Thanvi , Bastos Marco
Published: August 2024

Successful disinformation campaigns depend on the availability of fake social media profiles used for coordinated inauthentic behavior with networks of false accounts including bots, trolls, and sockpuppets. This study presents a scalable and unsupervised framework to identify visual elements in user profiles strategically exploited in nearly 60 influence operations, including camera angle, photo composition, gender, and race, but also more context-dependent categories like sensuality and emotion. We leverage Google’s Teachable Machine and the DeepFace Library to classify fake user accounts in the Twitter Moderation Research Consortium database, a large repository of social media accounts linked to foreign influence operations. We discuss the performance of these classifiers against manually coded data and their applicability in large-scale data analysis. The proposed framework demonstrates promising results for the identification of fake online profiles used in influence operations and by the cottage industry specialized in crafting desirable online personas.
Investigation of the influence of the rivet geometry on joint formation for a versatile self-piercing riveting process
Authors: Kappe Fabian , Bobbert Mathias , Meschut Gerson
Published: August 2024

Climate change has led to a large number of countries deciding to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions significantly. As the mobility sector is a major contributor to CO2, various strategies are being pursued to achieve the climate targets set. An increasingly applied lightweight design method is the use of multi-material constructions. To join these structures, mechanical joining technologies such as self-pierce riveting are being used. As a result of the currently rigid tool systems, which cannot react to changing boundary conditions, a large number of rivet–die combinations is required to join the rising number of materials as well as material thickness combinations. Thus, new, versatile joining technologies are needed that can react to the described changes. The versatile self-piercing riveting (V-SPR) process is one possible approach. In this process, different material thicknesses can be joined by using a multi-range capable rivet which is set by a joining system with extended actuator technology. In this study, the V-SPR joining process is analysed numerically according to the influence of the geometrical rivet parameters on the joints characteristics as well as the resulting material flow. The investigations showed that the shank geometry has a decisive influence on the expansion of the rivet. Furthermore, the rivet length could be proven to be an influencing factor. By changing the head radii and the protrusion height, the forming behaviour of the rivet head onto the punch-sided joining part could be improved and thus the formation of air pockets was prevented. Based on the numerical investigations, a novel rivet geometry was developed and produced by machining. Subsequently, experimentally produced joints were analysed according to their joint formation and load-bearing capacity.
Assessing isolation capacity of heavy vehicle’s control air suspensions with three different control cases
Authors: Wang Rui , Ye Renhu , Li Ximei , Zhou Zhihong , Liu Yang
Published: August 2024

Three different control cases in control air suspensions using air springs controlled (ASC), (2) using the damper controlled (DC), and (3) using both ASC and DC (ASDC) are proposed to ameliorate both riding quality and friendliness-road surface of heavy vehicle based on the heavy vehicle’s dynamic model and fuzzy logic control with its control rules optimized by genetic algorithm. The riding quality and friendliness-road surface are assessed through the root-mean-square cabin accelerations ( a wzc and a wϕc) and coefficient of the dynamics load (CDL n) at wheel axles. Research shows that the vehicle’s riding quality and friendliness-road surface are strongly affected by the moving speed and road surface roughness. The a wzc, a wϕc, and CDL n of the control air suspensions are strongly decreased compared to passive air suspensions, particularly with ASDC. Additionally, a wzc and a wϕc of DC are smaller than that of ASC whereas the maximum CDL n with DC is higher than that of ASC. Thus, DC could be used for improving vehicle’s riding quality, ASC should be applied for ameliorating vehicle’s friendliness-road surface, and ASDC should be applied for ameliorating both riding quality and friendliness-road surface of heavy vehicles.
The Introduction of Writing into Achaemenid Gandhāra and the Origin of Pāṇini’s Grammar
Authors: Vergiani Vincenzo
Published: August 2024

In this article, I argue that the composition of Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī (fourth century bce), a sophisticated derivational grammar of Sanskrit, was made possible by the introduction of writing into ancient India in the wake of the Achaemenids’ conquest of Gandhāra in the late sixth century bce. Various theoretical and terminological features of Pāṇini’s grammar can be adduced as evidence that it was produced in a literate environment. Here I present and discuss some of the arguments against Pāṇini’s literacy, pointing out their weaknesses, in particular their underestimation of the radical novelty of Pāṇini’s work, which marked an epochal shift towards the secularisation of knowledge, and reliance on the myth of the powerful orality.
Swearing Oaths and Affixing Seals: Acts of Citizenship and Belonging Among Jews in the Medieval Holy Roman Empire
Authors: Lehnertz Andreas
Published: August 2024

This study investigates ‘acts of citizenship’ and forms of belonging among Jews within the medieval Holy Roman Empire. Positing that citizenship was not just a matter of official status, it looks at ‘acts of citizenship’, such as oath-taking and sealing practices, showing how these were integral elements in the relationship between an individual and the town in which they lived. I argue that both oath-taking and sealing practices, with their performative elements, are therefore valuable indicators of Jewish belonging in urban settings. Through this investigation, a deeper understanding of the multifaceted and ever-changing roles that Jews had and were able to obtain in the medieval Holy Roman Empire can be gained and, ultimately, also applied to other social groups.
‘Free therapy’: Young woman skateboarders, mental health and body self-compassion
Authors: Paechter Carrie , Keenan Michael , Stoodley Lyndsey , Lawton Chris
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we use a theoretical framework derived from Frank's concept of the communicative body, and Berry et al.'s typology of body self-compassion, to examine and understand the mental health benefits of skateboarding, as discussed by young woman skateboarders. In response to the open question, ‘What are the benefits of skateboarding’, we were given a wide variety of mental and, to a lesser extent, physical, health benefits, both short and longer term. Our research combines theoretical approaches from Frank's typology of the body with Berry et al.'s ideas about body self-compassion. Given the relative paucity of research into the mental health benefits of this popular lifestyle sport, our research contributes to the wider literature on lifestyle sports and health, while providing an example of where communicative and compassionate bodies can be found. Specifically, we demonstrate several ways in which young women's skateboarding practice contributes to their mental health, and show the centrality of body acceptance and fluid physical creativity to this relationship. We also note that young women skating together are particularly able to access this and to experience the joy and calm of connected and communal skateboarding.
Current trends and challenges in comparative constitutional law: In search of a new equilibrium
Authors: Baraggia Antonia
Published: August 2024

Comparative constitutional law is currently undergoing a significant transformation on a global scale. Especially in the field of comparative constitutional studies, the recent past has witnessed an unparalleled number of important developments. Heralding an era of bold change and disruptive trends, these diverse developments have redefined the landscape of the field of comparative constitutional law. Not only countries with weak democratic institutions but also more stable and mature democracies are threatened by these phenomena of backsliding or regression: this is a stark reminder of the inherent contradictions and weaknesses of constitutional democracy. In light of these developments, the contribution reflects on the most pressing epiphenomena of the crisis of constitutional democracy and it tries to sketch out possible research itineraries in the field of comparative constitutional law and EU law in search of a new balance between the two defining elements of constitutionalism: power and rights.
The 2024-2025 Commonwealth Budget for Mental Health: Funding unproven initiatives and stings in the tail
Authors: Looi Jeffrey CL , Allison Stephen , Bastiampillai Tarun , Kisely Steve
Published: August 2024

We discuss the ramifications of the Commonwealth of Australia Budget allocations for mental healthcare for 2024–2025. There is funding for population-based mental health initiatives for milder anxiety and depression but no direct funding of services for the most severe and disabling forms of mental illness, other than pre-existing state/territory disbursements from the Commonwealth for state-based health services. There are substantial concerns that the Commonwealth funding has potentially been misallocated to ineffective interventions that are unlikely to reduce the population prevalence of mild anxiety and depression in Australia. Funds may have been better allocated to provide effective care for those with the most severe and disabling illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression.
Teacher Leadership: A Review of Literature on the Conceptualization and Outcomes of Teacher Leadership
Authors: Aliu Jetë , Kaçaniku Fjolla , Saqipi Blerim
Published: August 2024

Teacher leadership is a critical aspect of school change while there is lack of a consistent definition for it. This examines teacher leadership conceptualization and its associated outcomes. The review of 33 articles published 2018–2023 focused on teacher leadership in K-12 setting, found that many authors relied on established definitions, with few offering their own interpretations. These articles depict teacher leadership as an informal and individual form of leadership. The analysis revealed outcomes of teacher leadership at school development level; teacher-level benefits including professional growth; and student-level impacts such as increased achievement and motivation.
Rectifying Controversial Medical Eponyms: Cleansing the Lexicon
Authors: Yale Steven H. , Tekiner Halil , Yale Eileen S.
Published: August 2024

Applying modern race and gender concepts to medical literature before the early 20th century distorts cultural and historical norms. Removing eponyms from medical terminology erases history and contributes to selective memory. Eponyms in medicine provide insight into how societal culture has evolved as it progresses toward achieving gender and racial equality
Incidence-Based Breast Cancer Mortality Trends in Estonia Before and After the Introduction of Organized Mammography Screening: A Register-Based Study
Authors: Baburin Aleksei , Veerus Piret , Lang Katrin , Innos Kaire
Published: August 2024

Background

Despite the relatively low breast cancer incidence in Estonia, mortality remains high, and participation in mammography screening is below the recommended 70%. The objective of this register-based study was to evaluate incidence-based (IB) breast cancer mortality before and after the introduction of organized mammography screening in 2004.

Methods

Breast cancer deaths individually linked to breast cancer diagnosis were obtained from the Estonian Cancer Registry and used for calculating IB mortality. We compared age-specific IB mortality rates across 5-year birth cohorts and 5-year periods. Poisson regression was used to compare IB mortality for one age group invited to screening (50-63) and three age groups not invited to screening (30-49, 65-69, and 70+) during two periods before and after screening initiation (1993-2003 and 2004-2014). Joinpoint regression was used for age-standardized incidence and IB mortality trends.

Results

Age-standardized IB mortality has been decreasing since 1997. Age-specific IB mortality for birth cohorts never exposed to screening showed a continuous increase with age, while in cohorts exposed to organized screening the mortality curve flattened or declined after the age of first invitation. Significant decreases in mortality from 1993-2003 to 2004-2014 were seen in the 30-49 (age-adjusted rate ratio 0.51, 95% CI 90.42-0.63) and 50-63 (0.65, 95% CI 0.56-0.74) age groups, while no decline was seen in the 65-69 and 70+ age groups.

Conclusions

The age specific IB mortality curves in birth cohorts exposed to screening and the significant mortality decline in the target age group after the initiation of the organized program suggest a beneficial effect of screening. Improved treatment without screening has not reduced mortality in older age groups. Our results support raising the upper screening age limit to 74 years.
Empowerment-based Teddy Bear Clinic for Pre-school Children: A Student-led Educational Project
Authors: Pike Adam Raymond , Barrett Brianna , Lewis-Power Nicole
Published: August 2024

Nurses are at the forefront of providing health education for the general public and are leaders in developing health education programs for all ages. Research has shown that the pediatric population often experience anxiety surrounding common medical procedures. However, evidence-based health education has been shown to enhance self-management, increase knowledge, and decrease anxiety in the pediatric population. One such successful evidence-based health education approach designed for the pediatric population is the Teddy Bear Clinic. The purpose of this article is to report on the efficacy of a nursing student-led Teddy Bear Clinic designed to increase the awareness of common medical equipment and procedures in the pre-school pediatric population. This quality improvement project used a program evaluation design to assess the children's knowledge of common medical procedures and equipment. Participants were a convenience sample of 16 children aged 3–5 years old, attending one daycare center in a large city in Atlantic Canada. Findings showed that after participation in the clinic, the pre-schoolers reported a high level of knowledge of common medical equipment and procedures. This project shows that a Teddy Bear Clinic run by senior nursing students can promote community partnerships and enhance health knowledge in pre-school children.
Community Senior Center Intervention to Address Factors Related to Memory Screening Engagement
Authors: Lundquist Tessa S. , Ready Rebecca E. , Coyne Alice E.
Published: August 2024

There are many individual and societal benefits to screen older adults for memory problems. Four theoretically derived psychosocial factors are predictive of dementia screening intention: perceived benefits, perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and knowledge about memory. The current study tested whether these factors could be modified with an educational memory screening intervention given in community senior centers. An educational presentation was designed to address these factors by increasing knowledge about memory and aging, discussing the benefits of screening and older adults’ susceptibility to memory issues, and increasing self-efficacy by teaching about the memory screening process, discussing a vignette, and fielding participants’ questions. The educational presentation was offered four times at three community senior centers. Quantitative data on the psychosocial factors were collected before and after the presentation from 44 older adult participants (age M = 78.70, SD = 7.21). Narrative data on satisfaction and feedback about the intervention were collected. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses were performed to measure change from pre- to post-presentation and follow-up 1 to 2 weeks after the intervention. The educational presentation effectively increased knowledge about aging memory, perceived benefits of screenings, and self-efficacy to seek screening. The presentation intervention was well received by community participants. Results provide guidance about how an intervention based in community senior centers can be refined to address factors predictive of memory screening intention in older adults.
An estimation method of bearing frictional power losses in a propulsion shaft through a tribo-dynamic model
Authors: Xu Yajun , Li Xinbin , Liu Jing , Liu Jianyu , Shi Zhifeng
Published: August 2024

In the propulsion shaft systems, the bearings could support the complicated load conditions due to the unbalanced magnetic pull of the motor together with the propeller thrusts. The contact characteristics and skidding behaviors of balls could aggravate. The previous dynamic models of individual ball bearings subjected to the constant load cannot accurately simulate the phenomenon. To overcome this problem, a tribo-dynamic model of a flexible propulsion shaft system is proposed. The real-time contact characteristics and skidding and spinning behaviors of bearings for a propulsion shaft system are calculated based on Newmark-β and Runge–Kutta methods. The bearings’ power losses are numerically estimated. The main power loss components for the system in different rotation speed conditions are located. The effects of the preload and bearing structural parameters (raceway radius, number of balls, initial contact angle) on the bearings’ power losses are discussed. The results indicate that applying appropriate preload on the supporting bearings and reducing the ball number of thrust bearings can be efficient methods for system power loss reduction.
Attention, memory, and narrative interpretation of Michel Gondry’s The Green Hornet: Comparing 2D and 3D film viewing using eye-tracking and self-report
Authors: Kiss Miklós , Hayes David , Rooney Brendan
Published: August 2024

Historically 3D effect in film has been used as a relatively superficial aesthetic attraction. Here we consider and test the idea that 3D can be used to guide viewer attention and narrative interpretation in film. The current study used self-report measures in conjunction with eye-tracking technology to record attention, memory and narrative interpretation of 32 participants (25 female). Eye-gaze behaviour was recorded while half of the participants were randomly assigned to watch Michel Gondry’s The Green Hornet (2011) in 3D and the other half watched the same film in 2D. We concentrated on a particular moment where the use of 3D technology brings some aspects of the image to the forefront, such as a prop that might have narrative significance for the story as it unfolds. We were unable to confirm that 3D effect in Gondry’s film is effectively used to direct viewers’ visual attention towards narratively relevant information. Also, we found no evidence that the 3D version of Gondry’s film contributes to better memory or narrative interpretation of this particular scene. In discussing our findings, beyond the technical conditions of our eye-tracking research, we consider the role of film genre, narrative mode, viewers’ expectations and media literacy in shaping such visual attention and narrative interpretation.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V/Ni-Ti functionally graded material fabricated by multi-wire arc additive manufacturing
Authors: Han Jian , Meng Meiqing , Liu Hongqiang , Jiang Zhengyi , Zhao Xiaoxin , Xu Youwei , Tian Yinbao , Zhang Xin
Published: August 2024

In this study, a Ti-6Al-4V/Ni-Ti functionally graded material was successfully prepared by multi-wire arc additive manufacturing. Its microstructural, electrochemical, and mechanical properties were studied. The results show that the microstructure is transformed from an α-Ti + β-Ti basket structure to an NiTi columnar crystal. With an increase in Ni content, Icorr decreases from 0.203 ± 0.017 μA/cm2 to 0.145 ± 0.003 μA/cm2, and Ecorr increases from −409 ± 5 mV to −259 ± 3 mV. The microhardness increases from 335 ± 7 HV0.2 to 615 ± 17 HV0.2 in the gradient region and then decreases to 250 ± 8 HV0.2. The ultimate compressive strength of the gradient region is 1253 ± 62 MPa.
Flutter behavior of quadrilateral auxetic core sandwich plate with bio-inspired three-phase composite facings numerical analysis and experimental verification
Authors: Prajapati Vinay Kumar , Pitchaimani Jeyaraj
Published: August 2024

Flutter characteristics of auxetic core quadrilateral sandwich plates with three-phase bio-inspired laminated composite facings are presented. The core is made of aluminum, while the facings are made of graphene nanoplatelets dispersed in bio-inspired glass fiber/epoxy laminates. The equations of motion are obtained using Reissner-Mindlin plate theory and Hamilton’s approach and then solved with the help of differential quadrature method. Experimental verification of free vibration is done for isotropic and hexagonal honeycomb core sandwich panels. Influences of core parameters (aspect ratio, inclined angle, and thickness-to-width ratio), mass fraction of graphene nanoplatelets and fibers, various graphene nanoplatelet distribution patterns, the geometry and aspect ratio of the plate, and bio-inspired layup scheme of laminated facings on the flutter characteristic are explored. The critical aerodynamic pressure is not sensitive to the core parameters and the dispersion pattern of graphene nanoplatelets. Critical aerodynamic pressure of the panel increases significantly with increase in the mass fractions of fiber and graphene nanoplatelet. Furthermore, the increase in the plate angles results in reduced critical aerodynamic pressure. Facing laminate made of helicoidal type bio-inspired lay-up scheme with lower rotation angle enhances the critical aerodynamic pressure compared to the conventional uni-directional, cross-ply, and quasi-isotropic lay-ups.
The lingering laws? Does the Brexit Agreement provide the EU with authority to monitor the UK income tax system?
Authors: Khan Niazi Shafi U , Krever Richard
Published: August 2024

A primary goal of Brexit supporters was the end of EU supervision of UK laws and the re-establishment of full UK sovereignty over all aspects of its legislative and administrative capacity. National sovereignty may, however, be compromised by international treaties in which the UK agrees to constrain the exercise of its sovereignty to gain benefits from its treaty partners and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement governing the post-Brexit relationship between the UK and EU is no exception. In particular, the Agreement appeared to impose four constraints on UK sovereignty in respect of its income tax system. A closer examination of the restrictive articles, however, suggests that three of the measures may have negligible practical impact on UK law-making powers. In contrast, the fourth measure preventing the UK from adopting concessionary tax measures that would amount to ‘state aid’ in EU terminology appears to have a direct impact on UK tax sovereignty. Its impact may be blunted, however, from seemingly incomplete or ineffective enforcement remedies. The final result may be a treaty that appears to constrain UK tax sovereignty and provides the EU with continuing authority to monitor UK tax law and administration, but which has little scope for practical impact.