bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anatomically Detailed Simulation of Human Torso
Authors: Lee Seunghwan , Jiang Yifeng , Liu C. Karen
Published: July 2023

Many existing digital human models approximate the human skeletal system using rigid bodies connected by rotational joints. While the simplification is considered acceptable for legs and arms, it significantly lacks fidelity to model rich torso movements in common activities such as dancing, Yoga, and various sports. Research from biomechanics provides more detailed modeling for parts of the torso, but their models often operate in isolation and are not fast and robust enough to support computationally heavy applications and large-scale data generation for full-body digital humans. This paper proposes a new torso model that aims to achieve high fidelity both in perception and in functionality, while being computationally feasible for simulation and optimal control tasks. We build a detailed human torso model consisting of various anatomical components, including facets, ligaments, and intervertebral discs, by coupling efficient finite-element and rigid-body simulations. Given an existing motion capture sequence without dense markers placed on the torso, our new model is able to recover the underlying torso bone movements. Our method is remarkably robust that it can be used to automatically "retrofit" the entire Mixamo motion database of highly diverse human motions without user intervention. We also show that our model is computationally efficient for solving trajectory optimization of highly dynamic full-body movements, without relying any reference motion. Physiological validity of the model is validated against established literature.
Juxtaform: interactive visual summarization for exploratory shape design
Authors: Pandey Karran , Chevalier Fanny , Singh Karan
Published: July 2023

We present
juxtaform
, a novel approach to the interactive summarization of large shape collections for conceptual shape design. We conduct a formative study to ascertain design goals for creative shape exploration tools. Motivated by a mathematical formulation of these design goals, juxtaform integrates the exploration, analysis, selection, and refinement of large shape collections to support an interactive divergence-convergence shape design workflow. We exploit sparse, segmented sketch-stroke visual abstractions of shape and a novel visual summarization algorithm to balance the needs of shape understanding,
in-situ
shape juxtaposition, and visual clutter. Our evaluation is three-fold: we show that existing shape and stroke clustering algorithms do not address our design goals compared to our proposed shape corpus summarization algorithm; we compare juxtaform against a structured image gallery interface for various shape design and analysis tasks; and we present multiple compelling 2D/3D applications using juxtaform.
CISing Up Service Learning: A Systematic Review of Service Learning Experiences in Computer and Information Science
Authors: Robledo Yamamoto Fujiko , Barker Lecia , Voida Amy
Published: July 2023

The benefits of service learning in computer and information science (CIS) are believed to be significant, ranging from providing students with real-world experiences to retaining students to positively impacting community partners. Although there are many benefits of service learning, the CIS domain does impose unique costs for integrating service learning into the curriculum. Yet there is little systematic research to help the CIS community understand best practices for maximizing benefits while minimizing costs. Experience reports about service learning courses in CIS have appeared in the literature annually since 2000, and thus we address this gap in knowledge by conducting a systematic review and content analysis of 84 experience reports from the
The ACM Guide to Computing Literature
. We synthesize the current state of service learning in CIS as well as derive recommendations for best practices and future research directions.
Decolonizing Museums: Toward a Paradigm Shift
Authors: Wali Alaka , Collins Robert Keith
Published: July 2023

This review examines the discourses and practices that have produced a lively literature on museum decolonization created by scholars of museum practices and curators. We consider the trajectory of decolonization efforts in museums, focusing especially on the care of Native North American heritage, with comparison to similar trajectories internationally. We begin with a discussion of decolonizing moments in theory and practice, with particular attention to 1990s critique of ethnographic museums and developments after the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Following this discussion is a review of works on concerns regarding Native American representation and public displays, involvement in collections care, and the varied collaborations that are changing museum practices. The final section foregrounds the fluorescence of tribal museums and their contributions to the decolonization and indigenization of museums, as well as emerging paradigm shifts in both the anthropology of museums and anthropology in museums.
Is a Psychotic Anthropology Possible? Or How to Have Inclusive Anthropologies of Subjectivity and Personhood
Authors: Marlovits John , Wolf-Meyer Matthew J.
Published: July 2023

Dominant anthropological theories of mind, cognition, and consciousness reify particular ways of being in the world as “normal,” which marginalizes the experiences of people who do not meet normative expectations of personhood or exhibit nonnormative subjectivities. By focusing on atypical forms of communication and self-representation in the ethnographic record, which draws from work in the anthropology of disability and psychological anthropology, we argue for the need to attend to interactions and behavior as the necessary basis for anthropological studies of personhood and subjectivity. These foci, which build on a foundation provided by affect theory and disability studies, stand to open up anthropological conceptions of personhood and subjectivity and resituate the process of attribution in making persons and subjects. We articulate a psychotic anthropology that centers atypical forms of consciousness and seeks to unsettle anthropological assumptions about mind, cognition, and consciousness.
Editors’ Choice—AutoEIS: Automated Bayesian Model Selection and Analysis for Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Runze , Black Robert , Sur Debashish , Karimi Parisa , Li Kangming , DeCost Brian , Scully John R. , Hattrick-Simpers Jason
Published: July 2023

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a powerful tool for electrochemical analysis; however, its data can be challenging to interpret. Here, we introduce a new open-source tool named AutoEIS that assists EIS analysis by automatically proposing statistically plausible equivalent circuit models (ECMs). AutoEIS does this without requiring an exhaustive mechanistic understanding of the electrochemical systems. We demonstrate the generalizability of AutoEIS by using it to analyze EIS datasets from three distinct electrochemical systems, including thin-film oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysis, corrosion of self-healing multi-principal components alloys, and a carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer device. In each case, AutoEIS identified competitive or in some cases superior ECMs to those recommended by experts and provided statistical indicators of the preferred solution. The results demonstrated AutoEIS’s capability to facilitate EIS analysis without expert labels while diminishing user bias in a high-throughput manner. AutoEIS provides a generalized automated approach to facilitate EIS analysis spanning a broad suite of electrochemical applications with minimal prior knowledge of the system required. This tool holds great potential in improving the efficiency, accuracy, and ease of EIS analysis and thus creates an avenue to the widespread use of EIS in accelerating the development of new electrochemical materials and devices.
Nafion-Assisted Electrochemical Detection of Copper(I) Oxide Nanoparticles Under Neutral Conditions
Authors: Sawatmuenwai Pantipa , Sunon Pachanuporn , Ngamchuea Kamonwad
Published: July 2023

Herein, a rapid and straightforward electrochemical sensor was developed for the detection of Cu2O nanoparticles under neutral conditions via the use of a semipermeable Nafion membrane. This work successfully addresses the challenges associated with quantitative and onsite analysis of Cu2O nanoparticles at ultra-low concentrations. The electroreduction of Cu2O nanoparticles was significantly enhanced by improving the neutralization of the generated OH‒ ions through proton transfer facilitated by Nafion. The sensor exhibited linear detection ranges of 0.00–0.20 μg and 0.20–2.0 μg of Cu2O, with sensitivities of 107 ± 3 μA μg‒1 and 23 ± 3 μA μg‒1, respectively. The limit of detection (3SB/m) was determined to be 0.23 ng. The sensor demonstrated good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation below 5% and proved to be effective in detecting Cu2O nanoparticles in various water samples.
Development of a Disposable Pencil Graphite Electrode Modified with Poly 1,5-Diaminonaphthalene for Voltammetric Determination of Flufenamic Acid
Authors: Omar N. M. , Mabrouk E. M. , El-Etre A. Y. , Ali A. I. , Beltagi A. M.
Published: July 2023

Due to their comparable electrical properties, pencil graphite electrodes (PGE) have become a more popular electrode in electrochemical applications than traditional carbon electrodes, mostly because of their affordability and availability, which allows for disposable applications. Both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) techniques were used to develop a new disposable modified pencil graphite electrode based on the electropolymerization of 1,5-diaminonaphthalane (1,5-DAN). Characterization results confirmed that the modified p-1,5-DAN/PGE(CV) sensor showed much enhanced sensitivity and lower resistivity than the bare and p-1,5-DAN/PGE(CA) sensor, therefore, it was used for the sensitive and selective voltammetric determination of flufenamic acid (FFA). Under the optimum experimental conditions, the p-1,5-DAN/PGE(CV) sensor showed limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) of 4.97 × 10−10 (0.14 ng ml−1) and 1.66 × 10−9 M (0.47 ng ml−1), respectively, applying square wave anodic stripping voltammetry method. The p-1,5-DAN/PGE(CV) sensor also exhibits good accuracy, repeatability, storage stability and selectivity for detecting FFA in biological fluids. These results confirms that the developed p-1,5-DAN/PGE(CV) sensor is more sensitive to measuring FFA in biological fluids, pharmaceutical formulations, and pharmacokinetic studies compared with the previous electrochemical sensors.
The role of torque feedback in standing balance
Authors: Missen Kyle J. , Assländer Lorenz , Babichuk Alison , Chua Romeo , Inglis J. Timothy , Carpenter Mark G.
Published: July 2023

Using model simulations and a novel experimental approach, we tested behavioral predictions of a sensory torque feedback mechanism involved in the control of upright standing. Torque feedback is thought to reduce the effort required to stand and play a functional role in slowly aligning the body with gravity. Our results provide experimental evidence of a torque feedback mechanism and offer new and valuable insights into the sensorimotor control of human balance.
Increasing Phosphorus Digestibility in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) Farming Using Phytase and Citric Acid
Authors: Malý Ondřej , Zugárková Iveta , Radojičić Marija , Poštulková Eva , Mareš Jan
Published: July 2023

The presence of antinutritional substances, such as phytate, in fish feed affects the digestibility and absorption of minerals and nutrients by fish, while reduced availability of phosphorus (P) in wheat-based feeds used in fish farming can increase pollution in the aquatic environment. Phosphorus digestibility can be effectively increased in aquaculture through the addition of both phytase and citric acid. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of phytase enzyme and citric acid addition on P digestibility, production parameters and blood parameters in farmed common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). Two trials were undertaken using the following experimental diets: control with no additives (C), low enzyme content (500 FTU/kg; L), high enzyme content (1,000 FTU/kg; H), low enzyme contents with 3% citric acid (LA), high enzyme contents with 3% citric acid (HA). Initial results showed that LA increased P digestibility by 27% and HA by 26%, with no increase detected using L and H. In the second trial, in which production and blood parameters were examined, use of LA and HA resulted in a 20% decreased feed conversion ratio and 11% higher specific growth rate. Furthermore, acidified diets resulted in an increased blood plasma calcium and inorganic P, without negative effects on any parameter. Addition of phytase and citric acid to C. carpio granulated feeds also has a positive influence on the environment by reducing excreted P.
Early Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Preserves Muscle Size and Quality and Maintains Systemic Levels of Signaling Mediators of Muscle Growth and Inflammation in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Vieira Luciana , Silva Paulo Eugênio , de Melo Priscilla Flavia , Maldaner Vinicius , Durigan Joao Q. , Marqueti Rita de Cassia , Nobrega Otavio , Mathur Sunita , Burtin Chris , Barin Fabrício , Machado-Silva Wilcelly , Ramalho Sergio , Chiappa Gaspar R. , Gomes Nadia Oliveira , Carvalho Celso R. F. , Cipriano Graziella F. B. , Cipriano Gerson
Published: July 2023

Objective. To investigate the effects of an early neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) protocol on muscle quality and size as well as signaling mediators of muscle growth and systemic inflammation in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design. Two‐arm, single‐blinded, parallel‐group, randomized, controlled trial with a blinded assessment. Setting. Trauma intensive care unit at a university hospital. Participants. Forty consecutive patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) secondary to TBI were prospectively recruited within the first 24 hours following admission. Interventions. The intervention group (NMES; n = 20) received a daily session of NMES on the rectus femoris muscle for five consecutive days (55 min/each session). The control group (n = 20) received usual care. Main Outcome Measures. Muscle echogenicity and thickness were evaluated by ultrasonography. A daily blood sample was collected to assess circulating levels of insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), inflammatory cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). Results. Both groups were similar at baseline. A smaller change in muscle echogenicity and thickness (difference between Day 1 and Day 7) was found in the control group compared to the NMES group (29.9 ± 2.1 vs. 3.0 ± 1.2, p < 0.001; −0.79 ± 0.12 vs. −0.01 ± 0.06, p < 0.001, respectively). Circulating levels of IGF‐I, pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IFN‐y), and MMP were similar between groups. Conclusion. An early NMES protocol can preserve muscle size and quality and maintain systemic levels of signaling mediators of muscle growth and inflammation in patients with TBI. This trial is registered with https://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br under number RBR-2db.
Natural Killer Cell Activation by Ubiquitin-specific Protease 6 Mediates Tumor Suppression in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Jain Kanika , Henrich Ian C. , Quick Laura , Young Robert , Mondal Shreya , Oliveira Andre M. , Blobel Gerd A. , Chou Margaret M.
Published: July 2023

Ewing sarcoma is a rare and deadly pediatric bone cancer for which survival rates and treatment options have stagnated for decades. Ewing sarcoma has not benefited from immunotherapy due to poor understanding of how its immune landscape is regulated. We recently reported that ubiquitin-specific protease 6 (USP6) functions as a tumor suppressor in Ewing sarcoma, and identified it as the first cell-intrinsic factor to modulate the Ewing sarcoma immune tumor microenvironment (TME). USP6 induces intratumoral infiltration and activation of multiple innate immune lineages in xenografted nude mice. Here we report that natural killer (NK) cells are essential for its tumor-inhibitory functions, as NK cell depletion reverses USP6-mediated suppression of Ewing sarcoma xenograft growth. USP6 expression in Ewing sarcoma cells directly stimulates NK cell activation and degranulation in vitro, and functions by increasing surface levels of multiple NK cell-activating ligands. USP6 also induces surface upregulation of the receptor for the apoptosis-inducing ligand tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), providing an additional route for enhanced sensitivity to NK cell killing. Furthermore, USP6-expressing Ewing sarcoma and NK cells participate in a paracrine immunostimulatory feedforward loop, wherein IFNγ secreted by activated NK cells feeds back on USP6/Ewing sarcoma cells to induce synergistic expression of chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10. Remarkably, expression of USP6 in subcutaneous Ewing sarcoma xenografts induces systemic activation and maturation of NK cells, and induces an abscopal response in which growth of distal tumors is inhibited, coincident with increased infiltration and activation of NK cells. This work reveals how USP6 reprograms the Ewing sarcoma TME to enhance antitumor immunity, and may be exploited for future therapeutic benefit.

Significance:

This study provides novel insights into the immunomodulatory functions of USP6, the only cancer cell–intrinsic factor demonstrated to regulate the immune TME in Ewing sarcoma. We demonstrate that USP6-mediated suppression of Ewing sarcoma tumorigenesis is dependent on NK cells. USP6 directly activates NK cell cytolytic function, inducing both intratumoral and systemic activation of NK cells in an Ewing sarcoma xenograft model.
Interaction of Filamin C With Actin Is Essential for Cardiac Development and Function
Authors: Zhou Xiaohai , Fang Xi , Ithychanda Sujay Subbayya , Wu Tongbin , Gu Yusu , Chen Chao , Wang Li , Bogomolovas Julius , Qin Jun , Chen Ju
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

FLNC (filamin C), a member of the filamin family predominantly expressed in striated muscles, plays a crucial role in bridging the cytoskeleton and ECM (extracellular matrix) in cardiomyocytes, thereby maintaining heart integrity and function. Although genetic variants within the N-terminal ABD (actin-binding domain) of FLNC have been identified in patients with cardiomyopathy, the precise contribution of the actin-binding capability to FLNC’s function in mammalian hearts remains poorly understood.

METHODS:

We conducted in silico analysis of the 3-dimensional structure of mouse FLNC to identify key amino acid residues within the ABD that are essential for FLNC’s actin-binding capacity. Subsequently, we performed coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent assays to validate the in silico findings and assess the impact of these mutations on the interactions with other binding partners and the subcellular localization of FLNC. Additionally, we generated and analyzed knock-in mouse models in which the FLNC-actin interaction was completely disrupted by these mutations.

RESULTS:

Our findings revealed that F93A/L98E mutations completely disrupted FLNC-actin interaction while preserving FLNC’s ability to interact with other binding partners ITGB1 (β1 integrin) and γ-SAG (γ-sarcoglycan), as well as maintaining FLNC subcellular localization. Loss of FLNC-actin interaction in embryonic cardiomyocytes resulted in embryonic lethality and cardiac developmental defects, including ventricular wall malformation and reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation. Moreover, disruption of FLNC-actin interaction in adult cardiomyocytes led to severe dilated cardiomyopathy, enhanced lethality and dysregulation of key cytoskeleton components.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data strongly support the crucial role of FLNC as a bridge between actin filaments and ECM through its interactions with actin, ITGB1, γ-SAG, and other associated proteins in cardiomyocytes. Disruption of FLN-actin interaction may result in detachment of actin filaments from the extracellular matrix, ultimately impairing normal cardiac development and function. These findings also provide insights into mechanisms underlying cardiomyopathy associated with genetic variants in FLNC ABD and other regions.
Comparison of Out‐of‐Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes Between Asian and White Individuals in the United States
Authors: Gupta Kashvi , Raj Rohan , Asaki S. Yukiko , Kennedy Kevin , Chan Paul S.
Published: July 2023

Background

Disparities in bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and survival have been reported for Black and Hispanic individuals with out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Whether Asian individuals have lower rates of bystander CPR and survival for OHCA, as compared with White individuals, remains unknown.

Methods and Results

Within the US‐based CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival), we identified 278 989 OHCAs in Asian and White individuals during 2013 to 2021. Using hierarchical Poisson logistic regression with emergency medical service agency modeled as a random effect and patient and OHCA characteristics as fixed effects, we compared rates of bystander CPR, survival to discharge, and favorable neurological survival between Asian and White individuals with OHCA. Overall, 14 835 (5.3%) OHCAs occurred in Asian individuals. Compared with White individuals with OHCA, Asian individuals were older (67.0±17.6 versus 62.8±16.9 years) and were less likely to have drug overdose as the cause of OHCA (1.3% versus 6.6%) and a shockable arrest rhythm (19.2% versus 22.4%). Layperson bystander CPR rates were similar between Asian and White individuals (42.6% versus 42.1%; adjusted relative risk for Asian individuals, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.97–1.02];
P
=0.69). However, rates of survival to discharge were lower in Asian individuals with OHCA (8.2% versus 10.3%; adjusted relative risk 0.92 [0.86–0.98]
P
=0.006). Similarly, the rate of favorable neurological survival was lower for Asian individuals (6.5% versus 8.7%; adjusted relative risk, 0.85 [0.79–0.91];
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

Despite similar rates of bystander CPR, Asian individuals with OHCA have lower survival rates than White individuals with OHCA. The reasons for the lower survival rate deserve further study to determine whether there are disparities in resuscitation care between Asian and White individuals with OHCA.
A new species of Candolleomyces (Psathyrellaceae, Agaricales) from Western Ghats, India
Authors: NAYANA P.K. , CK PRADEEP
Published: July 2023

Continuing survey of the Psathyrellaceae of Kerala State, India, has resulted in the discovery of a remarkable Candolleomyces species from the tropical forests. Both morphological and molecular analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) region confirmed the novelty and placement of the species in the genus Candolleomyces. The species is described with macro and microphotographs, phylogeny and a comparison with related species of Candolleomyces.
Project VVV and the Issue of Revitalising Valoc’
Authors: Scetti Fabio , Salamino Federica
Published: July 2023

This article provides an insight into the complex issue of producing the first edition of the dictionary of Valoc’ – a variety of Lombard spoken in Val Masino, lower Valtellina (northern Italy). This new lexicographic project was initiated in 2017 and is called Vocabolär del Valoc’ de la Val Mäśen – VVV [Vocabulary of Valoc’ of Val Masino].
Our research team works on the material of an unpublished dictionary based on interviews collected in the 1960s and 1970s. Our methodological approach is both that of dialectology and sociolinguistics as we complement our study with observations and interviews among Valoc’ speakers of different ages, genders and occupations, to see how it is still used today. Moreover, our approach allowed us to observe the process of the transmission of Valoc’ from one generation to another as well as some discourses among speakers on its uses.
In conclusion, this contribution brings us to reflect on how the new “global” society may influence the process of transmission of this endangered language which needs to be revitalised. Interventions at primary and secondary school have been offered in order to introduce Valoc’ as a language of everyday communication and not only as the “dialect” of pupils’ grandparents. We examine the importance of developing a dictionary in order to promote a norm of reference in writing as a way to preserve Valoc’ for the future.
The Origins of Pomerania’s Choronyms in the Light of Linguistic Material
Authors: Bandur Maciej
Published: July 2023

This article presents an analysis of linguistic data concerning the origins of Pomerania’s choronyms and revisits two conflicting hypotheses. One of them assumes endonymy, the other a borrowing from (Old) Polish-speaking neighbours from the south. The aim of the presented analysis is to include in the debate, so far dominated by historians and archaeologists, linguistic data from Kashubian, Polish and Polabian, as well as to propose a possible solution to this question.
Moist Baroclinic Instability of Mid–High-Latitude Intraseasonal Oscillations
Authors: Cui Jing , Li Tim , Wang Lijuan
Published: July 2023

The origin of mid–high-latitude intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) was investigated through both observational and theoretical studies. It was found that maximum intraseasonal variability centers appear near 60°N, which is at odds with maximum synoptic variability centers that are located along the upper-tropospheric jet stream (∼45°N). The ISO along 60°N is characterized by a typical zonal wavelength of 7700 km and a westward phase speed of −3 m s−1. A marked feature of the mid–high-latitude ISO is a tight coupling among moisture and precipitation and circulation. Motivated by this observational discovery, a moist baroclinic theoretical model was constructed. The analysis of this model indicates that under a realistic background mean state, the model generates the most unstable mode along the reference latitude (60°N), which has a preferred zonal wavelength of 7000 km, a westward phase speed of about −3 m s−1, a westward tilted vertical structure, and a zonal structure of perturbation moisture/precipitation being located to the east of the low-level trough, all of which resemble the observed. The cause of the instability arises primarily from the moisture–precipitation–circulation feedback under a moderate background vertical shear.
Processes Controlling the Seasonally Varying Emergence of Forced Arctic Longwave Radiation Changes
Authors: Shaw Jonah K. , Kay Jennifer E.
Published: July 2023

Most observed patterns of recent Arctic surface warming and sea ice loss lie outside of unforced internal climate variability. In contrast, human influence on related changes in outgoing longwave radiation has not been assessed. Outgoing longwave radiation captures the flow of thermal energy from the surface through the atmosphere to space, making it an essential indicator of Arctic change. Furthermore, satellites have measured pan-Arctic radiation for two decades while surface temperature observations remain spatially and temporally sparse. Here, two climate model initial-condition large ensembles and satellite observations are used to investigate when and why twenty-first-century Arctic outgoing longwave radiation changes emerge from unforced internal climate variability. Observationally, outgoing longwave radiation changes from 2001 to 2021 are within the range of unforced internal variability for all months except October. The model-predicted timing of Arctic longwave radiation emergence varies throughout the year. Specifically, fall emergence occurs a decade earlier than spring emergence. These large emergence timing differences result from seasonally dependent sea ice loss and surface warming. The atmosphere and clouds then widen these seasonal differences by delaying emergence more in the spring and winter than in the fall. Finally, comparison of the two ensembles shows that more sea ice and a more transparent atmosphere during the melt season led to an earlier emergence of forced longwave radiation changes. Overall, these findings demonstrate that attributing changes in Arctic outgoing longwave radiation to human influence requires understanding the seasonality of both forced change and internal climate variability.
Adverse Events Associated With Disparity Between Patients’ BMI and Operating Table Size—A Need for Improved Surgical Innovations
Authors: Watts Emelia , Patel Diti , Hoops Heather , Elkbuli Adel
Published: July 2023

Background

The lack of proper equipment to accommodate patients with high BMI can jeopardize the safety of the patients and medical staff. In this review, we aim to discuss the availability of obesity accommodations in the operating room, along with its impact, implications, and future recommendations.

Methods

Four databases were searched for articles pertaining to surgical table dimensions and the implications for safety, with a special focus on patients with larger BMIs. Articles were separated into 4 categories: Existing OR Table Options, Safety Implications for Patients, Reported Adverse Events Associated with Operating Table Inadequacy, and Safety Implications for Medical Staff.

Results

A total of 18 articles and documents were included in this review. Most of the literature that discusses surgical tables with higher weight capacity is specific only to weight loss surgeries. Operating table dimensions have changed little in the past 100 years and standard operating tables have weight limits of 500 pounds. Several case reports underline the hazards of inadequately sized surgical tables.

Conclusions

This review demonstrates that a lack of proper equipment, such as surgical tables with adequate width and weight limits, can be a major contributor to the endangerment of bariatric surgical patients and the medical professionals who care for them. Further research and surgical innovation may be required to develop superior operating tables to address the unique concerns of this patient populations.
Book review: Fuzuo Wu, Energy and Climate Policies in China and India: A Two-Level Comparative Study
Authors: Kaulgud Mihir Vikrant
Published: July 2023

Fuzuo Wu, Energy and Climate Policies in China and India: A Two-Level Comparative Study (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018), XV + 314 pp. US$ 30.99 (Paperback), ISBN: 1108420400
Caring Administration with Gender-centricity: Interrogating Kanyashree Programme in West Bengal
Authors: Chattopadhyay Pratip
Published: July 2023

Gender remains an important issue area in governance in post-colonial democracies like India, which have a long past of patriarchal social structure. In West Bengal even after thirty-four years of continuous Left Front rule, gender never became the mainstay of Bengal politics. Trinamul Congress government in West Bengal from 2011 addressed the issue of gender parity perspective. During the period of Mamata Banerjee, as Chief Minister, women candidates were fielded in large numbers while girls were also encouraged to be economically self-dependent and socially aware. Taking policy perspective of women’s empowerment, this article deals with Kanyashree programme. Experience of the last ten years indicates that social violence against women and empowerment-centric progammes go together in creating a puzzle regarding awards received by GoWB on women-centric programmes. This article argues that the degree of inclusiveness of Kanyashree dodges initial politicisation, gradual normalisation and recurring criticisms and translates ‘development as freedom’ in practice in a highly politicised democratic milieu of our time.
Constitutional Morality and Authoritarianism: Percolating Constitutionalism Through Judicial Interpretation
Authors: Ahmad Md. Zeeshan , Wani Showkat Ahmad
Published: July 2023

Modern political and democratic thinking is broadly dominated by liberal constitutionalism. Precisely, in post-colonial constitutions, one witnesses the preoccupation with the idea of constitutionalism. However, at the same time, the extent to which politics informs the working of a Constitution has made it difficult to distinguish between the regular politics and the politics that guides constitutionalism. In this list, populism also threw challenges in the path of constitutional–democratic governance of a polity; however, lately, things have taken a sharp shift. The emergence of legal autocrats espousing strategies to undermine constitutionalism has raised questions over the liberal constitutional project and what sovereignty means. Although Hungary and Poland are often flagged as textbook examples of autocratic legalism, it does not mean that established democracies have insurance from the same. The USA under Donald Trump showcased the vulnerabilities of democracy to the autocratic pull despite having a long history of democracy and a tradition of robust institutions. Given this backdrop, the immediate challenge is to determine how constitutionalism could be rejuvenated whilst safeguarding fundamental rights. In this paper, we examine India’s recent political and legal developments and attempt to read them through autocratic legalism. Given this, the judiciary has the potential to tame this autocratic march, given its constitutional mandate. In this, we propose that the evolving jurisprudence of constitutional morality (CM), despite its patent limitations, would not just address the constitutional malaise but would, as a result, deepen constitutionalism.
Optimization of scheduling scheme for self-driving vehicles by simulation algorithm
Authors: Jianqiao Xu
Published: July 2023

As a new logistics technology, self-driving electric vehicles not only improve freight efficiency but also promote energy saving and emissions reductions. Aiming at logistics technologies based on self-driving electric vehicles, planning the vehicle scheduling scheme as a whole reduces energy consumption and improves economic and environmental benefits. Targeting an actual freight problem based on a two-way single-lane road connecting the pickup and delivery points and including electric charging stations, this paper proposes a method for optimizing the scheduling scenario and parameters of self-driving vehicles through computer simulations. An optimization model based on dynamic programming is established, and an optimization simulation algorithm is designed to solve the model, effectively solving the overall planning problem of vehicle scheduling. The experimental results show that the model and algorithm have good universality. After specifying an appropriate road length, total number of vehicles, number of spare vehicle batteries, duration of freight transportation, and other necessary information, the simulation algorithm is executed and the optimal scheduling scheme and the total amount of freight transported are output. The efficiency of the algorithm is extremely high, requiring only 1.5 s to complete the whole simulation process of scheduling 150 vehicles for 1000 h over a road with a length of 10 km.
Enduring Borders: Precarity, Swift Falls and Stretched Time in the Lives of Migrants Experiencing Homelessness in the UK
Authors: Stewart Simon , Sanders Charlotte
Published: July 2023

In this article, we draw attention to the border and border governance as key mechanisms of class and ‘race-making’ in the context of an increasingly hostile immigration environment. Focusing on the life story narratives of migrants experiencing homelessness, we extend the reach of analysis beyond the experiences of asylum seekers to gain a stronger understanding of migrant experiences more broadly. In our analysis, we reveal the temporal continuum of suffering endured, ranging from the ‘slow violence’ of the everyday, rooted in precarity and restricted access to the labour market and support services, to moments of rupture where there is a swift decline in circumstances, leading to homelessness. When, at last, the tempo of suffering slows again, these individuals are increasingly excluded from meaningful calendars of activity as they spend their time waiting, often in vain, for an outcome of a Home Office application or for the possibility of some longer-term accommodation.
Do Inclusive Workplace Policies Foster Employer Attractiveness? Comparative Evidence From an Online Employer Review Platform
Authors: Satzger Melissa , Vogel Rick
Published: July 2023

Public sector employers increasingly promote inclusive workplaces, but the impact of such policies on employees’ perceptions of employer attractiveness has rarely been studied. A deeper understanding of how inclusive workplaces relate to employer attractiveness, and how this relationship differs between employment sectors, may inform recruitment policies and retention management. This study tackles this issue and provides a large-scale analysis of an online employer review platform, covering more than 16,000 Germany-based organizations as rated and recommended (or not) by more than 715,000 current and former employees. More specifically, it builds on person–organization fit theory and analyzes how employee referrals are associated with ratings in three dimensions of inclusive workplaces (i.e., inclusion of women, elderly, and disabled). The results show that inclusive workplaces are positively and significantly related to employer attractiveness, both on aggregate and across the three dimensions. The overall relationship is stronger in the case of public employers when compared with private employers, while there are no sector differences in the relationship when comparing public and nonprofit employers. The findings suggest that inclusive workplaces are advantageous in terms of employer attractiveness, not just for the beneficiaries of such policies, but even more so in the public sector.
Experiences of Black Male Doctoral Students in Psychology: A Focus on Protective Factors
Authors: Stanley David C.
Published: July 2023

Black male doctoral students in psychology face unique challenges that impact their learning environment and experience, especially with issues like race-related stress. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand their lived experience as well as the specific sociocultural factors that helped to foster their resiliency. It suggests a strengths-focused approach to understanding proactive measures that can positively impact Black male students’ success in doctoral psychology programs and their subsequent positive consequences for the profession. A phenomenological study was conducted, interviewing five Black men in clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs. A thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was utilized to analyze the interview responses. The findings suggest a community of support (family, mentors, peers, faculty, and relationships at professional conferences) helps, to foster awareness (educational, self-awareness, and contextual awareness) which, in turn, leads to the students engaging in meaningful action (representation, giving back, and self-care), returning to serve as members who make up the community of support for others within their community.
Trauma, Help-Seeking, and the Strong Black Woman
Authors: White C. Nicole , Swan Suzanne , Smith Bobbi
Published: July 2023

Research suggests when confronted with hardship, Black women in the United States seek help less than other. This finding may be explained by the cultural stereotype of the Strong Black Woman (SBW). SBW consists of three factors: Mask of Strength, Self-Reliance/Strength, and Caretaking. The current study examined the connection between self-endorsement of SBW and help-seeking behavior and intention, following a traumatic event for Black college women. The SBW full scale was not significantly related to actual help-seeking or intention to seek help. However, post-hoc analyses indicated the three SBW subscales had both positive and negative effects. Greater endorsement of the Caretaking and Self-Reliance subscales positively predicted actual help-seeking and formal actual help-seeking, respectively. However, greater endorsement of the Mask of Strength subscale predicted less help-seeking and fewer intentions to seek help. The findings indicated a more nuanced approach may be needed when studying SBW or working in clinical settings. It may be helpful to bolster aspects of the stereotype, such as the desire to be a good caretaker, while redefining other aspects, such as emotional invulnerability.
Representations of Mental Illness in a Ga Community in Southern Ghana
Authors: Dzokoto Vivian Afi , Tutu Annabella Osei , Kpobi Lily , Banks Kira Hudson , Ryder Andrew G.
Published: July 2023

This study explored lay concepts about and attributions of mental illness in a Ga community in southern Ghana. The study’s sample consisted of 11 Ga men and 12 Ga women, ranging in age from 30-81. Participants completed one-on-one interviews. Participants ascribed to polyphasic attributions of mental illness including biomedical and spiritual explanations. Attributions informed understandings of help-seeking behavior. Stigma was recognized as an important factor in the lived experience of people with mental illness. The recognition of individual distress as a marker of mental illness seemed less prominent than social indicators. Our interviewees’ narratives highlighted the importance of the social context in identifying and making meaning of mental illness in the community of study.
The erosion of media freedom in Ghana: A signal democratic backsliding?
Authors: Kwode Paul Achonga Kabah , Asekere George , Ayelazuno Jasper Abembia
Published: July 2023

Ghana is a poster child of the consolidation of liberal democracy in Africa, the signal evidence of which is the freedom of the Ghanaian media as the fourth estate of the realm. However, recent developments in the media landscape of the country, such as sustained death threats, assaults, use of unwarranted brute force, suspicions and murder of journalists seem to mar the democratic image of Ghana. These incidents have raised concerns about the erosion of freedom and independence of the media in Ghana, a situation that is worrying enough to ignite a debate on whether the dark days of the culture of silence are returning to the country under democratic governance. Drawing on qualitative data collected through personal in-depth interviews and grey literature of media attacks and intimidations, the article examines the extent of the erosion of press freedom in Ghana. We argue that media freedom seems to be under increasing threat by elements of the state, despite public rhetoric of freedom of the press. Specifically, the threats are coming from officials of state such as national security operatives, the police and political party supporters. Concluding, the article calls for sustained civic activism against these threats.
“I want to be a bridge”? The digital identity positioning of transnational bloggers on Chinese social media platforms: Between ethnic differences and cultural affinities
Authors: Liu Yuting
Published: July 2023

How do transnational bloggers position their digital identities on Chinese social media platforms? To answer this question, this study builds a coordinate system of digital identity positioning with intensity of ethnic differences and cultural affinities as the horizontal and vertical coordinates. Four digital identities are found: culturalists, individualists, cultural otherness, and cultural admirers. Transnational bloggers may have overlapping or changing digital identities rather than a single, defined identity. This reflects the process and multiplicity of identity formation, which involves negotiation and flow between ethnic differences and cultural affinities. This study traces transnational bloggers in local digital cultural spaces, raises awareness about the types of split identities in the digital age, and provides an analytical framework for digital identities. Considering the transformation of digital society, researchers should continue to investigate new forms of digital identity building in global and local digital cultural spaces: linking actions, ideologies, and experiences in Internet spaces to broader social, cultural, and political contexts.
The Feminization of Migration and Mental Health of Older Parents Left Behind: Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Kumar Sneha
Published: July 2023

With female outmigration for work on the rise, it becomes pertinent to examine how the evolving gender composition of labor migrant streams influences the well-being of those left behind at origin. This study investigates whether a daughter's outmigration for work distinctly affects the mental health of older parents left behind, drawing on the case of Indonesia — one of the largest sources of male and female migrant labor in the world. It uses individual fixed effects regressions to model changing mental health outcomes for a representative panel of 2,133 older parents, ages 50 or more, from the 2007–2008 and 2014–2015 Indonesia Family Life Survey. It finds that older parents, specifically older mothers, who had a daughter migrate for work between waves saw a greater increase in depression over time compared to those who had (a) no labor migrant children in either wave, and (b) only labor migrant sons in both waves. Possible reasons for these gendered mental health implications are discussed, including loss of preferred caregivers at origin, concerns about migrant children's precarity at destination, worries about married migrant daughters’ family stability, and anxieties about unmarried migrant daughters engaging in premarital relationships at destination. This study underscores the need to consider gender-based heterogeneities in future investigations on the impact of migration on those left behind, and in social protection efforts for vulnerable elderly.
The impact of management gender diversity on productivity: The contextual role of industry gender composition
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Shin Duckjung , Yang Yang
Published: July 2023

Managers of different genders play an important role in the success of an organization. Little is known, however, about how management gender diversity is associated with employee productivity at different levels of diversity and the context that might influence this relationship. Integrating the knowledge-based view with role congruity theory, we propose a U-shaped relationship between management gender diversity and employee productivity. As role congruity–related gender stereotypes can be salient in male-majority industries, we advance knowledge by proposing industry gender composition as a key contingency. Building on the integration of theories, we propose that the U-shaped curvilinear relationship will be more pronounced in male-majority industries than in female-majority industries. The predictions were tested using data collected from 248 medium- to large-sized for-profit organizations in Australia via a human resource manager survey and an archival source. The regression results indicate a U-shaped curvilinear relationship across industries and provide the first evidence of a U-shaped curvilinear relationship in male-majority industries and an inverted U-shaped curvilinear relationship in female-majority industries. The findings support the integration of the knowledge-based view and role congruity theory, advance knowledge of industry gender composition dynamics, and provide leaders insights into the specific effects of various management gender compositions.

JEL Classification: M12, M14