bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Metaheuristic Algorithms Used in Road Maintenance Decision Making
Authors: Tan Ting , Cao Liping , Hou Xiangchen , Dong Zejiao
Published: August 2024

When it comes to road network maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) work, a lack of funds is the main challenge faced by decision makers. At present, how to develop a scientific and reasonable M&R program to maximize the effects of road network maintenance with limited maintenance funds has been the focus of research in the field of road maintenance. In this regard, this study establishes a hierarchical maintenance decision-making (DM) model based on bi-level optimization to enhance the pavement performance of the road network as the maintenance objective. It divides the large-scale road network into sub-networks according to the road network characteristics and maintenance needs to realize the scientific allocation of maintenance resources and accurate M&R of the road network. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the model in maintaining the road network, four population-based metaheuristic algorithms, namely the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), the seagull optimization algorithm (SOA), and the spotted hyena optimizer (SHO), are selected to compute the real road network. The results show that SHO performed the best. Based on the initial road network, the objective function growth rate of SHO is improved by 10.13%, 2.45%, and 5.22% compared with GA, PSO, and SOA. Meanwhile, when compared with the traditional DM model without sub-network delineation, this model presents obvious hierarchical maintenance effects on different sub-networks, and the total pavement quality index (PQI) and the average PQI during the road network maintenance planning period are improved by 14.0% and 134%, respectively.
Research on Data-Driven Methodologies for Expressway Emergency Rescue Point Location
Authors: Hu Xinghua , Wang Zhouzuo , Zhao Jiahao , Wang Ran , Lei Hao , Cai Yifeng , Long Bing
Published: August 2024

The rapid expansion of expressway networks has highlighted the irregular distribution of traffic flow in both spatial and temporal dimensions; there is an escalating demand for more detailed positioning of expressway emergency rescue points. This research delves into the spatiotemporal distribution traits of expressway vehicle models, based on expressway toll data employing community-detection algorithms to partition the operating origin and destination of four basic models, namely, minibuses, buses, minivans, and large trucks. Separate weights are assigned to expressway crash probability and crash intensity for the base model. Then the weighted shape centers are identified by integrating the shape centers of each model community using the K-nearest-neighbor algorithm. Following this, K-dimensional tree algorithms are engaged to match the weighted shape centers with toll stations, using tollbooths as site selection for rescue points. Using vehicle toll data from a Chinese city expressway as a case study, we implement the aforementioned method. With a layout of eight first-level emergency rescue points and 23 second-level emergency rescue points for the region, when juxtaposed with the P-center siting model, our method reduces the average rescue time for first- and second-level crashes by approximately 22.02%. Similarly, for third- and fourth-level incidents, there is a 21.33% reduction in response time. The variability in emergency response times across both siting models also decreases by 37.37% and 16.14%, respectively. These metrics underscore the suitability of our method for addressing the distinct needs of expressway emergency response, enhancing the effectiveness of the rescue-center placement.
Construction of a coagulation prediction model of the extracorporeal circulation circuit during hemodialysis with regional citrate anticoagulant (RCA)
Authors: Gong Yanyan , Zou Menglin , Luo Laimin
Published: August 2024

Objective:

To construct a prediction model of coagulation in the extracorporeal circulation circuit during hemodialysis with regional citrate anticoagulant(RCA) conditions.

Methods:

This was a single-center, retrospective study. The clinical data of patients who received hemodialysis with RCA from February 2021 to March 2022 were collected. The risk predictors of coagulation in the extracorporeal circulation circuit were screened by LASSO regression. On this basis, we used multivariate logistic regression analysis to establish a nomogram prediction model.

Results:

A total of 98 patients received RCA hemodialysis for 362 times. Among them, 155 treatments with complete data were included in the study. Among the 155 treatments, coagulation of the extracorporeal circulation circuit occurred 12 times. The use of arteriovenous fistulas(AVF), the venous pressure at 4 h after hemodialysis initiation, blood flow velocity, dialyzer manufacturer, Systemic iCa2+ at 1 h after hemodialysis initiation, plasma albumin level, and plasma d-dimer level were influencing factors of coagulation in the extracorporeal circuit during hemodialysis with RCA ( p < 0.05). A nomogram model was made out of the above indicators. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for predicting coagulation in the circuit was 0.967 (95% CI: 0.935–0.998). The internal validation result of the memory testing (bootstrap method) showed that the area under the ROC curve was 0.967 (95% CI: 0.918–0.991).

Conclusion:

The nomogram model has good discrimination and calibration and can intuitively and succinctly predict the risk of coagulation in the extracorporeal circulation circuit during hemodialysis with RCA.
A systematic literature review of natural products for male sexual dysfunction
Authors: Abdelwahab Siddig Ibrahim , Taha Manal Mohamed Elhassan
Published: August 2024

This study systematically reviewed the scientific literature on natural remedies for male sexual dysfunction (MSD), including conditions like erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and reduced libido. Limited scientific evidence exists regarding the efficacy and safety of these natural products. To ensure an objective assessment, the study used the Scopus database, followed the PRISMA guidelines, and employed a comprehensive search strategy involving relevant vital concepts, controlled vocabularies, and specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. The analysis included 1504 documents from 624 journals, spanning from 1967 to 2023. The literature showed an annual growth rate of 2.46%, with an average document age of 10.2 years and an average of 23.54 citations per document. India had the highest publication count (319), followed by the United States (164). Conceptual Mapping categorized themes into basic, motor, niche, emerging, and declining categories, including nitric oxide, oxidative stress, phytotherapy, herbal medicine, Asparagus racemosus, and dopamine. This mapping provided a holistic understanding of the field, identified research gaps, and guided the development of new interventions or treatment strategies for MSD. Trend topics include molecular coupling, Ashwagandha, phytochemistry, phosphodiesterase-5, and arginase. The study findings will assist healthcare professionals in making informed decisions when recommending or advising patients about the use of these remedies.
A comprehensive study of temperature data during the filling and post-closure phases at a landfill in Québec, Canada: Application of a thermal–mechanical–biological model
Authors: Alghazali Wameed , Kaur Simran , Van Geel Paul J , Kenny Shawn
Published: August 2024

A 12-year field study on municipal solid waste (MSW) stabilization in Northern climates was conducted at Ste. Sophie landfill in Québec, Canada. Temperature and settlement data were collected from 12 instrument bundles placed at varying depths in two vertical columns within the waste during the filling and post-closure phases. The data demonstrated a 12–18 month delay in temperature rise during the filling stages due to frozen or partially frozen MSW and highlighted ambient temperature effects at shallow depths. A thermal–mechanical–biological (TMB) model was developed and calibrated to simulate the impact of temperatures on MSW stabilization, particularly emphasizing landfills without leachate recirculation in Northern climates. The biological model related anaerobic heat generation from MSW with temperature and expended energy from biodegradation. The resultant heat was integrated into the thermal model, allowing for the simulation of heat transfer through conduction. The thermal parameters were expressed as a function of density, which was updated in the mechanical model that combined a Generalized Kelvin–Voigt model with a biodegradation-induced strain term. This term was represented as the ratio of expended energy over time to total potential expended energy of the waste. The TMB model effectively predicted MSW behaviour, considering temperature rise delays in cold and sharp rises in warm conditions. This is essential for optimizing landfill operations by promoting waste stabilization before applying the final cover.
Place-Making or Place-Taking? The Relationship between Goal Tension and System Performance of U.S. Modern-Era Streetcar Systems
Authors: Mendez Joel
Published: August 2024

Over the past decade, over $1 billion of public funding has been dedicated toward developing streetcar systems in the United States. Most systems in operation today are underperforming. I explore factors that may contribute toward poor system performance by examining the experiences of several U.S. modern-era streetcar systems. Focus is placed on the tension generated between often conflicting goals which drive system development. I find that a failure to adequately balance conflicting goals shapes planning and policy decisions in a manner that often supports a streetcar’s place-making capability while compromising its place-taking capability (i.e., the ability to take people places).
Challenges of higher education institutions students in the United Kingdom and Nepal during COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative comparative exploration
Authors: Shrestha Smriti , Noor Shaista , Qureshi Bushra , Isa Filzah Md
Published: August 2024

The present study is a comparative qualitative exploration of challenges faced by higher education institutions (HEIs) in developed (United Kingdom) and developing (Nepal) nations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research strategy was used, and interviews were conducted via zoom to collect data from undergraduate and graduate students of both countries. The study's findings indicated that students in Nepal and the United Kingdom faced nearly similar challenges. Moreover, the pandemic significantly impacted students’ academic performance and well-being. The students face disparities in accessing the quality of education, and the gap has been widening among privileged and unprivileged students. The crucial issues focusing on academic, psychological, and socioeconomic challenges during online learning are technical problems, limited access to resources, mental health concerns and social isolation. The results clearly show that U.K. students have better technology access than Nepal students, who face multiple infrastructure and economic constraints. These disparities affect students’ ability to engage in online classes and access academic resources. Hence, based on the study's findings, strategies are proposed as a way forward. The study's findings are able to help policymakers, HEIs and the government focus more on flexible assessment policies, mental health support and innovative teaching methodologies for any unforeseen circumstances such as COVID-19.
The prism of exploitation. Marx’s analysis of the world market
Authors: Tomba Massimiliano
Published: August 2024

In this article, I explore Karl Marx’s evolving understanding of the temporal dimensions within capitalism, particularly focusing on his reflections during the 1850s and 1860s. This period marks a significant shift in Marx’s theoretical framework, prompted by his in-depth analysis of the world market and diverse modes of exploitation. The article highlights coexisting forms of exploitation and their entanglement in terms of temporalities. From this perspective, capitalism and its history can be investigated as a complex interplay of temporal layers rather than a linear progression. Marx’s 1858 letter serves as a starting point, emphasizing the importance of accumulation as a long-term process and the challenges of a revolutionary project in a globalized capitalist context. Finally, the paper emphasizes Marx’s mature writings, where he envisions the potential for combining historical layers to challenge capitalism. This nuanced understanding has contemporary implications for globalized capitalism and social change discussions.
Bismarck - Jekyll and Hyde? Reassessing Civil-Military Relations During the Franco-Prussian War
Authors: Nübel Christoph
Published: August 2024

Previous research has highlighted that during the Franco-Prussian War Bismarck kept the ambitions of the military in check. He is seen as a statesman involved in peace-making, while Moltke and the general staff advocated ruthless warfare and struggled to exert influence on the political decision-making process. The article argues that the traditional concept of a separation between civil and military power is misleading when trying to understand civil–military relations in Prussia. Bismarck also tackled military matters and even held the rank of general. During the war, the military and political fields were areas where various parties struggled for power and competed to secure control over the decision-making process.
Book review: Plato, The Republic. Translated by Benjamin Jowett
Authors: Dana Azeem , Damodaran B.
Published: August 2024

Plato, The Republic. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. India: Fingerprint! Publishing, 2023. 351 pp. ₹643. ISBN: 978-9358561678.
The Effect of Green Innovation Strategies on Firm Internal Operations: Evidence from Human Capital Structure Adjustment
Authors: Yi J.-N. , Li Yue
Published: August 2024

Although prior studies have broadly examined the external economic consequences of corporate green innovation (GI) strategies, whether and how GI strategies influence firms’ internal operations is underexplored. To fill this significant gap, we investigate the effect of GI initiatives on firm human capital structure, as represented by the ratio of salesmen (RSE) and accountants (RAE) to total employees. A higher RSE (RAE) plausibly indicates an enhanced position of salesmen (accountants) in human capital and greater importance that firms attach to their crucial role in improving marketing (reporting). Consistent with GI enhancing consumer purchase willingness, we find that GI lowers RSE. In line with GI reducing financing constraints and firms’ emphasis on high-quality financial reporting, we record that GI decreases RAE. Moreover, such inhibitory effects become stronger when stakeholders’ recognition of GI strategies grows, or when firms ex-ante rely more on marketing (reporting) functions of salesmen (accountants).
Nexus among Blockchain Technology, Digital Accounting Practices, Transformational Leadership and Sustainable Performance: Moderated-mediating Model
Authors: Afifa Malik Abu , Nguyen Nha Minh , Bui Duong Van
Published: August 2024

This study examines the link among blockchain technology (BCT), digital accounting practices (DAPs) and sustainable performance (SUP) in the conditions of Vietnam as a developing market. We consider DAPs to be a mediator variable. Furthermore, transformational leadership (TRL) is considered the moderating variable for all nexuses in the research model. Data have been gathered by the survey technique via email with LinkedIn user profiles. 2,000 emails comprising the survey have been dispatched to LinkedIn users of Vietnamese manufacturing firms. The final data set comprised 547 responses. By utilizing partial least squares structural equation modelling, the authors indicate that BCT favourably affects DAPs as well as SUP. Moreover, DAPs favourably mediate the link between BCT and SUP, while TRL demonstrates a significant moderator role in the links among them. As a conclusion, using the perspectives of information processing theory and resource-based view theory, this study adds to the SUP literature by demonstrating the impacts of BCT and DAPs in the context of TRL. Furthermore, this study has been handled as a pioneering investigation that combines DAPs and SUP in the same model in a developing market, specifically Vietnam.
Sanggenol L Reduces LPS-induced Myocardial Injury and Inflammation by Activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Inhibiting NF-κB in Rats
Authors: Wang Haojun , Jin Tao , Mao Yuehan , Wei Yi
Published: August 2024

Background

The manifestation of severe sepsis is sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD), which is the chief cause of elevated death in sepsis patients. Sepsis mainly attacks the heart, and the effective switch of the inflammatory cascades is of prodigious implication in relieving sepsis-allied myocardial impairments. Natural antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties are promptly required as typical anti-septic agents.

Purpose:

Morus alba root bark contains a flavonoid sanggenol L (SL), which exhibits antioxidant, apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Nevertheless, the anti-septic action of SL has not yet been described. Hence, we explored the antioxidative, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory actions of SL on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered sepsis in rats.

Methods

Rats were divided into four sets: group 1: control, group 2: LPS (20 mg/kg bw), group 3: LPS (20 mg/kg bw) + dexamethasone (2 mg/kg bw), and group 4: LPS (20 mg/kg bw) + SL (10 mg/kg bw). We assessed cardiotoxicity, antioxidants, cytokines, histopathology, protein expressions of apoptosis, and inflammatory enzymes.

Results

Data unveiled that SL inhibited toxicity markers, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and histological changes. SL effectively attenuated LPS-induced acute myocardial injury by stimulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and suppressing the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway.

Conclusion

Thus, SL might be a possible anti-septic agent for the treatment of SIMD.
University Leaders’ Perspectives on International Student Support: An Evaluation Using the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Model
Authors: Agostinelli Adam Valentin , Albert Lillie R.
Published: August 2024

This multiple case study analysis investigates the culturally engaging nature of a US campus for international students using the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) model. Semi-structured interviews and professional development workshop observations were conducted with six faculty and administrative leaders who work closely with international students with the aim of answering the overarching question: how do university faculty and student/academic affairs professionals working with international students perceive the institutional support systems for international students through the lens of the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments conceptual model? Salient findings indicated that change is most needed in the areas of opportunities for meaningful cross-cultural engagement, culturally validating environments, proactive philosophies, and availability of holistic support in within the study's campus context. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed in light of the CECE model.
Nephrology Provider Engagement in Comprehensive Shared Decision-Making Discussions With Older Adults: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Montoya Vicki , Conner Norma
Published: August 2024

Background: The largest patient group initiating dialysis for end-stage renal disease is persons over 75 years. Evidence indicates pre-dialysis shared decision-making discussions between nephrology providers and older adults are infrequent and often do not include an option for conservative management of symptoms without dialysis. Aims: To assess and compare behavioral determinants of nephrology providers’ use of comprehensive pre-dialysis shared decision-making discussions with older adults. A secondary aim was to prepare the bases for tailored behavioral intervention(s) for nephrology providers by identifying the determinant(s) that should be targeted to elicit change in comprehensive shared decision-making intentions and the resulting behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior was completed by nephrologists from a state organization and nephrology advance practitioners from a national organization, either in person or online via Qualtrics. Results: Survey respondents included nephrologists (n=29), and nurse practitioners (n=37) and physician assistants (n=7), combined, were predominantly female (83%) and White American (67%). Spearman rho correlation results showed attitude, social norm, and perceived behavioral control were correlated with shared decision-making behavior for one or both groups. Significant differences were present between the two groups for determinants and behaviors. Conclusion: Based on the determinants predominantly influencing SDM behavior of nephrology advance practitioners, behavioral interventions targeting the determinants of Social Norm and Perceived Behavioral Control are warranted. All determinants can be utilized in behavioral interventions for nephrologists.Opportunity exists for collaboration between providers to develop consistent and effective methods of SDM discussion that fit into a typical workday.
Tenecteplase Versus Alteplase: A Comparison of Bleeding Outcomes in Massive Pulmonary Embolism (TACO-PE)
Authors: Crawford Jacquelyn , Roe Austin , Brumit Jessica , Wilson Vera , Tharp Jen
Published: August 2024

Background:

Thrombolysis is recommended in the setting of massive pulmonary embolism (PE) for reperfusion of vessels but carries a serious concern for increased bleed risk. In October 2022, our institution adopted tenecteplase as the formulary thrombolytic. Previous literature is unclear regarding the bleed risk of tenecteplase in massive PE, and no study has yet compared safety outcomes with the current standard of care, alteplase.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of bleeding with tenecteplase versus alteplase in massive PE patients.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, observational cohort study that included adults who received tenecteplase or alteplase for massive PE. The primary outcome was major bleeding as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH). Secondary outcomes included incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), in-hospital mortality, administration of reversal agents, and length of stay.

Results:

A total of 44 patients met inclusion criteria with 20 patients in the alteplase cohort and 24 in the tenecteplase cohort. Seventeen percent of tenecteplase patients compared with 5% of alteplase patients experienced bleeding. The mortality rate was 83% vs 75%, respectively. In addition, 1 patient in the tenecteplase cohort experienced a symptomatic ICH and 2 patients required initiation of massive transfusion protocol.

Conclusion and Relevance:

Although this study was limited in sample size, these results suggest that there may be reason for concern of higher bleeding rates in patients treated with tenecteplase in the setting of massive PE.
Longitudinal Impacts of Housing Cost Burden on Physical and Psychological Aggression of Children From Age 3 to 15
Authors: Marçal Katherine , Maguire-Jack Kathryn , Showalter Kathryn
Published: August 2024

Housing cost burden is stressful for families, interfering with healthy, positive parenting. The present study uses data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the relationship between housing cost burden and aggressive parenting with children age 3 to age 15. Latent growth curve modeling finds that both types of aggressive parenting behaviors decline on average, but that housing cost burden contributes to significant ongoing risk. Results indicate within-time associations between housing cost burden and psychological aggression and associations both within- and across-time between housing cost burden and physical aggression. Housing cost burden poses a significant risk factor for families, and child maltreatment prevention approaches must incorporate strategies for addressing housing cost burden.
Association between physical function and parameters of hip structural analysis in patients with hip fracture
Authors: Umehara Takuya , Kaneguchi Akinori , Watanabe Keita , Katayama Nobuhisa , Teramoto Hidefumi , Kuwahara Daisuke , Kaneyashiki Ryo , Mizuno Toshiyuki , Kito Nobuhiro , Kakehashi Masayuki
Published: August 2024

Objectives:

The current study sought to investigate whether physical function and activity were associated with hip structural analysis (HSA) parameters on the non-fracture side of patients with hip fractures.

Methods:

Participants were patients with unilateral hip fracture treated by surgery. HSA of the proximal femur was conducted based on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry data. HSA parameters in the narrow neck region included cross-sectional area (CSA), cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), section modulus (SM), and buckling ratio (BR). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of HSA.

Results:

Except for the adjustment variables, age, gender and BMI, other variables were extracted. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (standardised partial regression coefficients) identified movement control during one-leg standing on the non-fractured side (0.15) as factors associated with CSA. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (standardised partial regression coefficients) identified hand grip (0.12, 0.23) as factors associated with CSMI and SM, respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (standardised partial regression coefficients) identified presence of steroid (0.23) and cerebrovascular disease (0.19) as factors associated with BR. The coefficients of determination adjusted for degrees of freedom ( R2) were 0.545, 0.331, 0.401, and 0.148 for CSA, CSMI, SM, and BR, respectively.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate that movement control during 1-leg standing and muscle strength may be important for maintaining and improving bone strength.
Urethral Calculus as an Uncommon Cause of Acute Urinary Retention in Women Diagnosis and Management: A Case Report
Authors: El Omri Ghassane , Taghouan Anas , Rais Hamza , Younes Houry , Rachid Moussaab , Heddat Abdeljalil
Published: August 2024

Background:

Urethral calculi causing acute urinary retention is a highly uncommon condition in women, which poses distinctive difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. This report presents the case of a 52-year-old woman who experienced acute urinary retention caused by a urethral stone. It emphasizes the effective use of minimally invasive methods and underscores the importance of comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment.

Case presentation:

A 52-year-old woman patient arrived with acute urinary retention symptoms that lasted 6 hours. She complained of pain in the perineal and periurethral regions. She struggled with poorly managed type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and frequent cystitis. The examination showed the presence of a 2-cm stone in the urethra. The treatment utilised retrograde propulsion and laser fragmentation. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging results were normal, and follow-up care involved managing diabetes and adopting lifestyle changes to prevent the recurrence of cystitis and stones for 6 months.

Conclusion:

Urethral calculi exceptionally cause acute urinary retention in women. To achieve successful outcomes and prevent recurrence, it is crucial to prioritize prompt, minimally invasive treatment, and comprehensive management.
“Porn is blunt […] I had way more LGBTQ+ friendly education through porn”: The experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals with online pornography
Authors: Flory Isabelle Marie , Shor Eran
Published: August 2024

While public and academic discussions on pornography’s effects are often plagued by moralistic claims, research on the self-perceived preferences and effects of pornography has been growing in recent years. Yet, we still do not know enough about the role pornography plays in the lives of regular viewers, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals. In this study, we examine the perceptions and views of 87 regular pornography viewers who identified as non-heterosexual, non-cis-gendered, or both (these 87 were part of a larger sample of 302 regular pornography viewers). Our study joins a growing body of work that explores the views, experiences, and preferences of individuals who consume pornography. We found that pornography played a crucial role for LGBTQ+ individuals, helping them to form their gender and sexual identities, serving as a practical guide for the technical aspects of engaging in non-heterosexual sex, and normalizing non-heterosexual orientations, acts, and identities.
An exploration of self-continuity for rural Indigenous youth: Considering the influence of community and cultural factors on perceiving oneself across time
Authors: Klassen Gillian A.H. , Cole Darrell , Klassen Reg , MacGillvary Tyson , Nepinak Theresa , Murray Jim , Nepinak Cynthia , Park Craig , Oswold Shawn , Hoover Michael , Loran Yaniv , Sutherland Dawn , Burack Jacob A.
Published: August 2024

Research on self- and cultural continuity has contributed to our understanding of resilience processes in Indigenous communities, as connecting oneself to the past, present, and future of one's family, community, and traditional culture has been found to protect against deleterious developmental outcomes. To examine factors associated with self-continuity for Indigenous youth in the current study, Indigenous youth from six rural Ojibway and Métis communities in Treaty 2 Territory completed self-report questionnaires aimed at understanding the relationship between the concept of oneself across time and protective and risk factors at different systemic levels (family, community, culture, and colonial). The concept of oneself across time was measured by self-efficacy (global self-worth) and future orientations (optimism and sense of self in the future). The findings indicated that connectedness to caregivers, siblings, friends, neighborhoods, and culture was associated with higher self-efficacy, seeing oneself as more connected to the future, and seeing the future more positively. These findings support the notion that familial, community, and cultural connectedness are associated positive self-concepts in the present and future, which aligns with our understanding of self- and cultural continuity in Indigenous communities.
Rethinking mobility in social theory: Yann Moulier-Boutang and the motor of history
Authors: Casas-Cortés Maribel , Cobarrubias Sebastian
Published: August 2024

This paper argues for reengaging the work on the primordial role of mobility advanced by Yann Moulier-Boutang, especially in his seminal book De l’esclavage au salariat: Economie historique du salariat bride (1998). His re-centering of historicity highlights the transformative potential of human mobility in broader social processes, resonating with the unique readings advanced by W.E.B. Du Bois. We identify how Moulier-Boutang’s emphasis on the long-term effects of human mobility is key to rethink concepts such as agency, social struggles, and controls. This paper introduces this referential theorist to an English-language audience where his work on migration is less known, despite being praised as one of the early founders of a burgeoning tradition known as autonomy of migration. Ultimately, this paper discerns ways in which the autonomous gaze toward migration and border policies substantially contributes to social theory.
Seismic performance of precast concrete shear walls with spiral stirrup restrained grout-anchored lapped reinforcement connection
Authors: Tang Lei , Guo Zhengxing , Zang Xulei
Published: August 2024

Low-cycle reversed loading tests and finite element analysis were conducted on one cast-in-place (CIP) shear wall specimen and two precast concrete (PC) shear wall specimens with different configurations of spiral stirrup. By comparing the failure modes, load-carrying capacities, hysteresis behaviours, skeleton curves, deformation capacities, stiffness degradation, plastic hinge distributions, and energy dissipation capacities of the PC specimen and the PIC specimen, the mechanical properties of the PC specimen equivalent to those of the CIP specimen were verified. Both the PC and PIC specimens exhibited bending shear failure, consistent with the ductile failure design requirements of “equivalent to cast-in-place”. The peak load capacity of the PC specimen was 3.64% higher than that of the PIC specimen, and the hysteresis curve was as full as that of the CIP specimen. The stiffness degradation performance of the PC specimen was slightly lower than that of the CIP specimen in the cracking stage, but it was comparable to that of the CIP specimen after entering the elastic-plastic stage. During the yielding stage, the maximum difference in energy dissipation performance between the CP specimen and the CIP specimen did not exceed 11.34%. Both the tests and finite element analysis confirmed the effective constraint of spiral stirrup on lap joints. Setting spiral stirrup for the vertical distribution reinforcements on the web had no significant effect on the load-carrying capacity of the PC specimen, but it slightly reduced its ductility and energy dissipation performance, by no more than 6.63%. For economic and safety considerations, it is not recommended to use spiral stirrup in this area.
Baseline load characteristics of transitioning to air-to-air heat pump electric heating in rural areas of northern China
Authors: Chen Xiaoyi , Li Ziqiao , Dai Longkang , Liu Meng
Published: August 2024

Clean heating, represented by the ‘coal-to-electricity’ program, is considered a key strategic approach to addressing severe air pollution in northern China. However, the transition to air-to-air heat pump (AAHP) electrical heating in rural households can significantly impact the electricity load. Therefore, it is crucial to quantify and analyze baseline load characteristics of transitioning to electric heating in rural areas. This study evaluated variations in rural baseline load characteristics under four typical heating patterns and four scenarios with different electric heating transformation rates and heating demands. The results indicate no significant difference in the original baseline load between weekdays and weekends in rural areas. Under the four typical heating patterns, the peak-valley ratio increases while the load rate decreases. In particular, the intermittent heating patterns exhibit peak-valley ratios ranging from 0.89 to 0.95 and load rates ranging from 0.21 to 0.39. When the AAHP heating transformation rates exceed 50%, an increase in substation power supply capacity is needed. Furthermore, under different heating scenarios, the average peak-valley ratios of rural power substations range from 0.41 to 0.60, suggesting significant potential for demand response. These findings have significant implications for energy security and energy planning in rural areas.
Facing blockchain’s double bind: Trustless technologies and “IRL friends” in Berlin’s NFT community
Authors: Kaplan Spencer
Published: August 2024

How does a community remain committed to an imagined digital future despite that future’s inherent contradictions? This article analyzes such a challenge as it was faced by Berlin’s NFT (non-fungible token) enthusiasts. Dominant narratives about NFTs and other blockchain technologies envision a virtual and ostensibly trust-free future, but these enthusiasts’ pursuit of such “trustless technologies” resulted in a double bind. In this bind, they repudiated trust relations on the web without the means to fully obviate such relations, leaving blockchain’s trustless future in doubt. To resolve this bind, Berlin’s NFT enthusiasts expanded their interactions by assembling in-person. In Berlin’s offline spaces, they found trust relations they deemed permissible according to the dominant blockchain ideology. Rather than blur the boundary between the virtual and physical, this community maintained distinct interactional norms in each, enabling them to maintain their imagined blockchain future.
Nonlinear dynamic characteristics analysis method of planetary gear train torsional vibration considering meshing oil film force
Authors: Wu Shi , Wang Mingzhu , Zhu Weidong
Published: August 2024

Planetary gear train is an important part of automatic transmission. The oil film between teeth is one of the key factors affecting the torsional vibration of planetary gear train. Selecting the appropriate oil film stiffness is of great significance for analyzing the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of planetary gear train. A method for analyzing the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of planetary gear system torsional vibration considering the oil film force between teeth is proposed in this paper. A 3-DOF torsional vibration model of planetary gear train considering oil film is established. In this model, the oil film between teeth is equivalent to a time-varying nonlinear spring-damper element, and nonlinear factors such as backlash and meshing error are also considered. The effects of meshing oil film thickness on oil film stiffness and damping are analyzed, and the torsional vibration characteristics of planetary gear train under different meshing stiffness, meshing damping ratio, and rotational speed are analyzed based on bifurcation diagrams. The results show that in one meshing cycle, the meshing oil film thickness first becomes larger and then becomes smaller. When the meshing oil film thickness increases, the meshing oil film stiffness and the equivalent meshing oil film damping become smaller. The torsional vibration of planetary gear train can be effectively reduced by increasing meshing stiffness, damping ratio, rotational speed within a certain range. This method provides technical support for reducing torsional vibration of planetary gear train and realizing stable transmission of planetary gear train.
Beyond goal setting and planning: An examination of college students’ self-regulated learning forethought processes
Authors: Brady Anna C , Wolters Christopher A , Pasque Penny A , Yu Shirley L , Lin Tzu-Jung
Published: August 2024

This study aimed to identify and evaluate major processes college students engage in as they begin their active engagement in learning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 college students. Then, a grounded theory approach was used to identify the forethought processes students described. These processes included identifying goals, ordering and prioritizing tasks, scheduling, storing goals and plans, and regulating goals and plans. Additionally, findings indicated that students perceived their engagement in these forethought processes as connected to their beliefs about the subject domain, prior experiences, and subject domain and context. These results highlight processes that have not been thoroughly captured previously by self-regulated learning frameworks. Thus, articulating these processes provides a deeper understanding of students’ active engagement in self-regulated learning.
On associating (politically) with the unreasonable
Authors: Garofalo Paul
Published: August 2024

Political liberals typically hold that reasonable citizens should not form political associations (e.g., political parties) with unreasonable citizens. This is because unreasonable citizens are unlikely to conform to the duty of civility—the duty to be able, and willing, to use public reasons in their public political deliberations. Here I argue that a general prohibition on political associations with the unreasonable can undermine the fair value of their political liberties. This is because unreasonable citizens can grow up in epistemic environments that make it difficult to be reasonable, and so to direct citizens to not associate with them can deprive citizens from certain social backgrounds the equal opportunity for political influence. I propose instead that political liberals should distinguish between unreasonable citizens who are disposed to support de re publicly justifiable laws and policies and unreasonable citizens who support illegitimate laws and policies. Reasonable citizens may form political associations with the former group, but not the latter group.
Chemical deoxidation with Cr-free solution for less-polluting pretreatment of aviation aluminium alloy
Authors: Li Dongdong , Xu Xinying , Tian Pan , Fu Yu , He Baihang , Wang Yang , Liu Lanxuan
Published: August 2024

Deoxidation via chemical etch is an important step in the pretreatment of aluminium alloy chemical oxidation. Typically, the chemical deoxidation of aluminium alloy is carried out in triacid solution that contains chromic anhydride. While the use of Cr (VI) in triacid solution can cause severe chemical contamination. In this paper, we have developed a Cr-free solution for deoxidation, iron sulphate and etch inhibitors are selected to replace Cr (VI). The formula of deoxidation solution was optimised through the combination of single-factor method and Box-Behnken method. The results show that the Cr-free deoxidation solution we proposed shows a deoxidation effect comparable to that of a triacid solution.
Using Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) to Recruit Women With Criminal Legal System-Involvement (CLSI) During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Anderson Sherri , Schuster Bernard , Li Xinyang , Geana Mugur V. , Ramaswamy Megha , Kelly Patricia J.
Published: August 2024

Recruiting women participants with criminal legal system involvement (CLSI) has always presented challenges, whether gaining access to them in prisons and jails or locating them after release. This research brief describes how the COVID-19 pandemic required us to change our recruitment strategies from previously successful approaches to a hybrid strategy using techniques from respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to recruit CLSI women. The RDS techniques, with internet social media, enabled us to capitalize on the community-based social networks of CLSI women to recruit 255 into our clinical trial of a health education intervention. This new avenue for recruitment can be useful beyond pandemic conditions.
EGFR-TKIs Combined with Allogeneic CD8+ NKT Cell Immunotherapy to Treat Patients with Advanced EGFR-Mutated Lung Cancer
Authors: Ye Fei , Yuan Xiao , Yu Wanjun , Ma Yali , Mao Chaoming , Li Xiaoqin , Li Jian , Dai Chunhua , Qian Fenhong , Li Junrong , Fan Xiujuan , Zhou Yuepeng , Dai Dongfang , Wang Deqiang , Chen Deyu , Xia Sheng , Zhang Minghui
Published: August 2024

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of allogenic CD8 + natural killer T (CD8+ NKT) immunotherapy combined with gefitinib in the treatment of advanced or metastatic EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: This study is prospective. The NSCLC patients with exon 19 (Ex19del) or exon 21 L858R point mutations, and response to gefitinib treatment were enrolled into the trial to be randomly assigned into the gefitinib arm and the gefitinib/NKT arm. Allogenic CD8+ NKT cells were cultured in vitro and adaptive transferred into the patients via vein in the gefitinib/NKT arm. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoint analysis included time to disease progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), levels of serum tumour markers for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the blood, the response rate and safety. From July 2017 to June 2021, 19 patients were randomly assigned to the gefitinib arm (n = 8) and the gefitinib/NKT arm (n = 11). Results: The estimated median survival PFS in the gefitinib/NKT arm was significantly longer than that of the gefitinib arm (12 months vs 7 months). Similar results were also observed for the median TTP. Moreover, the gefitinib/NKT arm had better CEA control than the gefitinib arm. Clinical grade 3 adverse reactions occurred in 64% and 39% of patients in the gefitinib/NKT arm and the gefitinib arm, respectively. The most common grade 3 adverse events in the gefitinib/NKT arm included abnormal liver function in 8 cases (73%) and diarrhoea in 1 case (9%), both of which resolved after drug intervention. Conclusion: The PFS of EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC treated with allogenic CD8+ NKT cells combined with gefitinib was longer than that of gefitinib alone. No obvious serious adverse reactions occurred, and the patients compliance and survival status were good.
Robot-assisted transosseous repair of triangular fibrocartilage complex: a cadaver study
Authors: Wang Zhixin , Wang Jiawen , Li Qiuya , Yin Yaobin , Wang Qianqian , Chen Shanlin
Published: August 2024

The feasibility and accuracy of robot-assisted bone tunnel construction in the transosseous repair of the triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC) were compared with those of freehand arthroscopic repair. A total of 20 cadaveric specimens were randomized into robotic-assisted and arthroscopy-guided groups. Three bone tunnels were constructed in the ulnar foveal region in each specimen. The discrepancy between the planned and actual tunnel exits was determined in the robot-assisted group by merging images. The success rate of tunnel construction, time consumption and number of drilling attempts were compared between groups. The median planned/actual exit discrepancy was 0.8 mm in the robot-assisted group, with 90% of tunnel exits successfully placed in the footprint region, compared to 63.3% in the arthroscopy-guided group. The robot-assisted group spent less time and required fewer drilling attempts to construct bone tunnels. These results indicated that the robot-assisted technique can accurately construct multiple bone tunnels in the foveal region and reduce the difficulty of TFCC transosseous repair.

Level of evidence: III
A safe zone of dorsal scaphoid approach: an anatomic study of proximal dorsal vessel foramina
Authors: Vinitpairot Chaiyos , Sawaddirak Pongsapuk , Sae-Jung Surachai , Jianmongkol Surut
Published: August 2024

The dorsal approach to the scaphoid carries a risk of injuring its nutrient vessels. This cadaveric study identified a safe zone dorsally, which extends from the proximal pole to 11.3 mm distally along the scaphoid axis.

Level of evidence: Level V
Which would you choose again? Comparison of trapeziometacarpal implant versus resection arthroplasty in the same patient
Authors: Nietlispach Viviane , Marks Miriam , Imhof Jenny , Pudic Tanja , Herren Daniel B.
Published: August 2024

We invited 14 women who had undergone implant arthroplasty in one thumb and resection-suspension-interposition arthroplasty (RSIA) in the other to a follow-up visit at a median time of 2.2 and 6.2 years after implant and RSIA, respectively. In total, 12 patients were satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome after implant arthroplasty, while eight patients reported this level of satisfaction for RSIA. Of the patients, 10 would choose an implant again, one would choose RSIA and three patients were undecided. The brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire score and key pinch and grip strengths were significantly higher at follow-up for the thumb with the implant arthroplasty. Two revision operations were done 1.5 years after RSIA. Patients were satisfied with both procedures, but if they had to choose again, they would prefer implant arthroplasty.

Level of evidence: III