bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ICJ’S Judgment in Certain Iranian Assets
Authors: Dünkelsbühler Alexander
Published: February 2024

On 30 March 2023, the International Court of Justice awarded Iran a partial victory in its Judgement on merits in Certain Iranian Assets (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States of America). The ICJ ordered the United States to pay compensation to Iranian companies after ruling that Washington had allowed U.S. courts to illegally freeze their assets. However, the Court declined its jurisdiction over USD 1.75 billion in frozen assets from Bank Markazi, Iran’s central bank, held in the United States. This judgment, which is part of a series of ongoing disputes between Iran and the United States based on the same Treaty, raises questions about economic sanctions and international law that are relevant both to State-to-State and investor-State disputes.
A new species of the genus Octomeria (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) from Ecuador
Authors: VÉLEZ-ABARCA LEISBERTH , ITURRALDE GABRIEL A. , GARZÓN HENRY X. , GUTIÉRREZ DEL POZO DIEGO , BAQUERO LUIS E.
Published: February 2024

A new species of Octomeria was found during an orchid research expedition in the southern Ecuadorian Amazon. Octomeria jimenezii is described and illustrated, and information on its distribution, habitat and conservation status is provided. The newly proposed taxon is morphologically similar to O. pacii, from which it differs by the lower lateral lobes, with an obtuse to subacute angle to the anterior margin.
Non-marine Ostracoda (Crustacea) collected from pet shops and a hobbyist’s aquaria in Japan, including two new species
Authors: SMITH ROBIN JAMES , OZAWA HIROKAZU , NISHIDA SUMIKO , NAKAI SHIZUKO
Published: February 2024

Samples obtained from pet shops and a hobbyist’s aquaria in Japan have revealed a diverse non-marine ostracod fauna, consisting of 19 species, all contaminants of aquaria stocked with exotic fish, shrimps and/or aquatic plants. Of these, six are newly recorded for Japan, including two new species, belonging to the genera Pseudostrandesia and Tanycypris. Pseudostrandesia tenebrarum Smith & Ozawa, 2021, previously suspected to be an alien species in Japan, was again found in pet shops in this study. We also report living specimens of Potamocypris acuminata Fuhrmann & Goth, 2011, a species previously only known from Pleistocene deposits of Germany. The six new records for Japan reported herein are likely alien species as evidenced by previous records or congeneric species, with origins in East Asia, South East Asia, and the Americas. Thus, there are now seven ostracod species recognized as probable alien hitchhikers in the Japanese pet trade. This study highlights that the pet trade is a viable route for hitchhiking ostracod species to enter Japan, and such species have the potential to become invasive.
Expanded morphological description of the Drogon’s False Garden Lizard, Pseudocalotes drogon (Squamata: Agamidae) from Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: HONG ZIJIA , ANUAR M.S. SHAHRUL , GRISMER L. LEE , QUAH EVAN S. H.
Published: February 2024

Species in the genus Pseudocalotes are generally rare and known only from a few specimens. Pseudocalotes drogon was described based on a single male from Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. During a recent field survey at Fraser’s Hill, a female specimen was collected and identified as P. drogon based on morphological characters and a molecular phylogenetic analysis. The morphological description of P. drogon is expanded here, based on the male holotype and the newly collected female specimen.
Correlation Analysis Between Serum Cancer Biomarkers and Nutrition Index Score in Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Zhao Yanting , Liu Jiangang , Li Fen , Wang Meiying , Zhang Zhen , Lin Sheng , Yu Huijuan , Zhang Lei
Published: February 2024

This study investigates the correlation between serum cancer biomarkers and nutrition index scores in a retrospective analysis of 200 hospitalized lung cancer patients from March 2018 to March 2022. Benign pulmonary nodule patients (n = 50) and healthy subjects (n = 32)
were randomly selected. The serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), nerve-specific enolase (NSE), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) were measured using a nano-magnetic particle chemiluminescence method. The serum
levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB), total cholesterol, and peripheral blood lymphocyte count were analyzed using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Differential expression analysis was conducted to identify significant serum indexes in lung cancer patients. Based on the serum
nutritional index level, controlling nutritional status (CONUT) scores were calculated for each patient and used to categorize them into high-score or low-score groups. The results demonstrated a significant increase in the expression levels of CEA, NSE, CYFRA21-1, SCCA, CA125, ALB, and ALP
in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Patients with higher CONUT scores were more susceptible to pulmonary infection and cancer pain and had higher CEA, NSE, CYFRA21-1, and ALP levels than those with lower scores. Regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between the CONUT score
and the levels of CEA, NSE, and CYFRA21-1. Therefore, the increase in cancer biomarkers is related to the nutritional status of lung cancer patients, and a declining nutritional score can predict disease progression and assess lung cancer.
How Long Is Too Long? Disentangling the Disposition of Antitrust Cases in the U.S. Federal Courts
Authors: Polemis* Michael L.
Published: February 2024

The contribution of this study is to disclose the main determinants of the duration of the U.S. antitrust federal court decisions, an issue that has been nearly overlooked by most related studies. As an indirect measure for the time needed to dispose cases, this study uses the duration of the case from the filing of the complaint to the date of the opinion. Using this metric, we employ parametric and nonparametric panel data techniques on a sample of 613 appellate court proceedings on U.S. antitrust cases during the period 1995–2018. The empirical research reveals spatial heterogeneity in terms of case duration among the circuits of the appellate U.S. courts. The econometric analysis supports that the duration of appellate antitrust court decisions depends on administrative-related factors including the way the case was filed in the circuit, the jurisdiction in the case, the “ pro se” representation of the undertakings, and the nature of the final judgment. Lastly, based on the flexible semi-parametric analysis, we argue that the impact of these parameters on case duration is linear, regardless of the specification of the parametric part of the model.
Speed control of sensorless PMSM drive based on EKF optimized by variable scale chaotic particle swarm optimization
Authors: Zhao Qiang , Zhao Zihan , Yang Zhao , Liu Wei
Published: February 2024

To investigate the parameter characteristics of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) speed sensorless vector control system and capture the noise matrices quickly and accurately in the speed estimation process of the extended Kalman filter for PMSM, The recursive least square method with forgetting factor is proposed to determine the actual parameters of the system, and then a new variable-scale chaotic particle swarm optimization (VCPSO) algorithm is put forward to accurately obtain the system noise matrix and the measurement noise matrix. The simulation results show that noise matrix optimization of extended Kalman filter by employing VCPSO algorithm under actual motor parameters is better than those employing standard PSO or chaotic PSO algorithms with faster speed and higher accuracy.
A tightly-coupled LIDAR-IMU SLAM method for quadruped robots
Authors: Zhou Zhifeng , Zhang Chunyan , Li Chenchen , Zhang Yi , Shi Yun , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2024

Aiming to address the issue of mapping failure resulting from unsmooth motion during SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) performed by a quadruped robot, a tightly coupled SLAM algorithm that integrates LIDAR and IMU sensors is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the IMU information, after undergoing deviation correction, is utilized to remove point cloud distortion and serve as the initial value for point cloud registration. Subsequently, a registration algorithm based on Normal Distribution Transform (NDT) and sliding window is presented to ensure real-time positioning and accuracy. Then, an error function combining IMU and LIDAR is formulated using a factor graph, which iteratively optimizes position, attitude, and IMU deviation. Finally, loop closure detection based on Scan Context is introduced, and loop closure factors are incorporated into the factor graph to achieve effective mapping. An experimental platform is established to conduct accuracy and robustness comparison experiments. Results showed that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms the LOAM algorithm, the NDT-based SLAM algorithm and the LeGO-LOAM algorithm in terms of positioning accuracy, with a reduction of 65.08%, 22.81%, and 37.14% in root mean square error, respectively. Moreover, the proposed algorithm exhibits superior robustness compared to LOAM, NDT-based SLAM and LeGO-LOAM.
Culture, Critical Pedagogy, and Critical Thinking among ‘Children’ in Ghana: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Childhood Constructions in Ghanaian Proverbs
Authors: Nyamekye Ernest , Zengulaaru John , Addae Ivy , Mutawakil Abdul-Rahman , Ntiakoh Godfred Bonin
Published: February 2024

Recent education reforms in Africa demand that teachers reconsider their position as the overall authorities and repositories of all knowledge in the classroom to develop the critical thinking skills of learners. While such a position demands a critical pedagogical approach to teaching, it is argued in this paper that the sociocultural values and social expectations of a typical African society like Ghana may have a significant impact on teachers’ development of children’s critical thinking skills. Thus, drawing on some selected Ghanaian proverbs, it is argued that how childhood is culturally constructed in the Ghanaian sociocultural setting could militate against the possibilities of developing children’s critical thinking skills in education. The arguments raised were grounded in critical discourse analysis.
Common/wealth: Contested commons and proleptic critique
Authors: van der Vlies Andrew
Published: February 2024

In May 1917, two South African feminist friends and critics of empire then in London sent a telegram to Field Marshal Jan Smuts, the Union of South Africa’s Defence Minister and delegate to the Imperial War Cabinet, in response to his early proposal for a Commonwealth of Nations. It read simply: “Your speech was fine”. Whether intended sincerely (as in “very fine”) or as faint praise (“fine as far as it goes, but”) is not known, but the ambiguity is fitting for an association and description with such contested associations – and one that, by some accounts, originated in the colonies (from an idea proposed by Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and South Africa’s then-Prime Minister J. B. M. Hertzog). It is fitting, too, that one of the cable’s authors was Olive Schreiner (1855-1920), leading novelist of the “New Woman”, advocate of sex equality, and clear-sighted critic of empire’s presumptions, rapacious designs, and gendered and ethnic biases, as well as of the race politics taking shape in South Africa at the start of the twentieth century. Even as we read Schreiner’s work today with an eye to its own prejudices and contradictions, this essay contends that it is worth considering the value of the proleptic critique it embodies for an understanding of the ongoing limitations — but also use-value — of the term “Commonwealth”, as well as of any term that might replace it. The outlines of Schreiner’s critique suggest that the term might yet encode a counter-ideal that points to an ongoing latent potential for the common to be reactivated as promise of a more equal and just division of empire’s spoils.
Saudi Arabia’s costly war in Yemen: a neoclassical realist theory of overbalancing
Authors: Juneau Thomas
Published: February 2024

Saudi Arabia faced multiple threats from Yemen in 2015: its southern neighbor had collapsed; a hostile sub-state actor, the Houthis, was entrenching itself along the border; and the presence of its rival Iran was growing. Responding was rational; it would have been sub-optimal for Riyadh to underbalance by doing little to counter the threat. Instead, however, Saudi Arabia overbalanced by launching a major air campaign and imposing a maritime and air blockade; as a result, it became bogged down in a costly war it cannot win. Why was this the case, and with what consequences? To answer this question, this article develops and applies a neoclassical realist theory of overbalancing. The first objective is nomothetic: to develop a theory of overbalancing, an important phenomenon neglected by the balancing literature. The second is empirical: to shed light on the Saudi decision to launch the war in Yemen.
Active Listening in Integrative Negotiation
Authors: Jäckel Elisabeth , Zerres Alfred , Hüffmeier Joachim
Published: February 2024

Active listening is a promising communication technique to positively affect interactions and communication outcomes. However, theoretical propositions regarding its direct effects on interactions have rarely been empirically investigated. In the present research, we studied the role of naturally occurring active listening in the context of videotaped and coded integrative negotiations. Lag sequential analyses of 48 negotiations with 17,120 thought units show that active listening follows offers that comprise two or more issues (i.e., multi-issue offers) above chance level. These multi-issue offer—active listening patterns in turn promoted integrative statements (e.g., further multi-issue offers) and inhibited distributive statements (e.g., single-issue offers). Moreover, multi-issue offer—active listening patterns (and neither multi-issue offers nor active listening alone) also positively related to the achieved joint economic outcomes in the negotiation. Contrary to common expectations, we did not find evidence that active listening promotes the understanding of the other party or rapport between negotiators.
Mapping a pluralistic continuum of approaches to digital disconnection
Authors: Ross Morgan Quinn , Gilbert Alicia , Klingelhoefer Julius , Matassi Mora , Nassen Lise-Marie , Van Bruyssel Sara , Verlinden Alice , Parry Douglas A
Published: February 2024

The study of digital disconnection – the voluntary non-use of digital media – is a growing research domain characterized by increasingly pluralistic approaches. To map this diverse terrain, we offer an analytical heuristic: a continuum of approaches to digital disconnection. This tool proposes one primary dimension – viewing digital disconnection as individually functional to socially meaningful (ontology) – and two secondary, concomitant dimensions – holding post-positive to interpretivist perspectives on knowledge generation (epistemology) as well as applying quantitative to qualitative methods (methodology). We offer examples of scholarship along the continuum and advocate for the complementarity of different approaches. Although the continuum is not a universal framework, it provides a tool for scholars to review the domain and for digital disconnection researchers specifically to locate themselves on and build bridges across the continuum. We hope that this continuum supports and expands the pluralistic nature of digital disconnection scholarship into the future.
The imitation game: Detecting human and AI-generated texts in the era of ChatGPT and BARD
Authors: Hayawi Kadhim , Shahriar Sakib , Mathew Sujith Samuel
Published: February 2024

The potential of artificial intelligence (AI)-based large language models (LLMs) holds considerable promise in revolutionising education, research and practice. However, distinguishing between human-written and AI-generated text has become a significant task. This article presents a comparative study, introducing a novel dataset of human-written and LLM-generated texts in different genres: essays, stories, poetry and Python code. We employ several machine learning models to classify the texts. Results demonstrate the efficacy of these models in discerning between human and AI-generated text, despite the dataset’s limited sample size. However, the task becomes more challenging when classifying GPT-generated text, particularly in story writing. The results indicate that the models exhibit superior performance in binary classification tasks, such as distinguishing human-generated text from a specific LLM, compared with the more complex multiclass tasks that involve discerning among human-generated and multiple LLMs. Our findings provide insightful implications for AI text detection, while our dataset paves the way for future research in this evolving area.
Novel Approach for Reducing Train Wheel and Brake Shoe Wear Using Speed Profile Optimization
Authors: Adeli Hasan , Mirabadi Ahmad , Yousefi Shahin , Fazel Saeed
Published: February 2024

In this article, we propose a new approach for generating a train’s speed profile that takes into account the wear caused by the wheel–rail interaction and brake shoe wear. This method involves modeling the train and its path and simulating the train’s movement to calculate the wear caused by the wheel–rail interaction and brake shoe wear resulting from mechanical braking. Finally, using the particle swarm optimization algorithm, an optimal speed profile is produced, which minimizes the total wear. The results of implementing this method on the Shahriar–Roodshour route demonstrate that using an optimal speed profile results in a significant wear reduction of over 40%.
Enhanced removal of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) ions from contaminated water using graphene oxide-decorated polyethersulphone membranes: Synthesis and characterization
Authors: Goyat Rohit , Singh Joginder , Umar Ahmad , Ibrahim Ahmed A , Kumari Savita , Malik Sumit , Chaudhary Vivek , Akbar Sheikh , Baskoutas Sotirios
Published: February 2024

This study addresses the urgent issue of water pollution caused by iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) ions. It introduces an innovative approach using graphene oxide (GO) and GO-decorated polyethersulphone (PES) membranes to efficiently remove these ions from contaminated water. The process involves integrating GO into PES membranes to enhance their adsorption capacity. Characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared, and contact angle measurements, were used to assess structural and surface properties. The modified membranes demonstrated significantly improved adsorption compared to pristine PES. Notably, they achieved over 94% removal of Mn2+ and 93.6% of Fe2+ in the first filtration cycle for water with an initial concentration of 100 ppm. Continuous filtration for up to five cycles maintained removal rates above 60%. This research advances water purification materials, offering a promising solution for heavy metal ion removal. GO-decorated PES membranes may find application in large-scale water treatment, addressing environmental and public health concerns.
Risk Factors for Hospitalization Duration Longer Than 24 Hours Following Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Tumours
Authors: Racette Olivier , Zhang Li Xin , Olivié Damien , Vu Kim-Nhien , Giard Jeanne-Marie , Vandenbroucke-Menu Franck , Soulez Gilles , Zehr Justine , Tang An , Billiard Jean-Sébastien
Published: February 2024

Purpose:

Prior studies have described complications of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver tumours. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for hospitalization duration longer than 24 hours following RFA of liver tumours.

Methods:

This retrospective, single-centre study included patients with liver tumours undergoing RFA between October 2017 and July 2020. Medical records were reviewed to collect patient, tumours, and procedure characteristics for each RFA session. The association between potential risk factors and duration of hospitalization (less than or more than 24 hours) was analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regressions.

Results:

Our study included 291 patients (mean age: 65.2 ± 11.2 [standard deviation]; 201 men) undergoing 324 RFA sessions. Sixty-eight sessions (21.0%) resulted in hospitalization of more than 24 hours. Multivariate analysis identified each additional needle insertion per session (OR 1.4; 95% CI [1.1-1.9]; P = .02), RFA performed in segment V (OR 2.8; 95% CI [1.4-5.7]; P = .004), and use of artificial pneumothorax (OR 14.5; 95% CI [1.4-146.0]; P = .02) as potential risk factors. A history of hepatic encephalopathy (OR 2.6; 95% CI [1.1-6.0]; P = .03) was only significant in univariate analysis. Post-hoc, subgroup analysis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (69.8%) did not identify other risk factors.

Conclusion:

Risk factors for a hospitalization duration longer than 24 hours include a higher number of needle insertions per session, radiofrequency ablation in segment V, and use of an artificial pneumothorax.
“My Anxiety Was Through the Roof”: The Gendered Nature of Financial Stress and Its Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being for Women When Undertaking Social Work Placements
Authors: Hodge Lisa , McIntyre Heather , Morley Christine , Briese Jennie , Clarke Joanne , Kostecki Tina
Published: February 2024

Social work practice is not a highly paid or high-status occupation. The historical roots of social work lie in charity work directed toward social needs and poverty, with much of this work previously women's unpaid work. This set the stage for a norm of unpaid labor in the predominantly female occupation. Women who are mature-aged, lone parents, carers and on low income have continuously been the numerical majority within social work. As such, the unpaid field placement disproportionately affects women. This article provides a gendered analysis of qualitative data obtained from women participants in a national survey of social work students from five Australian universities ( n = 409) following 1000 h of field education placement. Open-ended questions aimed to explore the experiences of financial stress from lengthy unpaid placements on the mental health and well-being of social work students. The findings contribute to a growing body of feminist literature critiquing the current field education model and argue for significant reflection, flexibility, and change. To meet the collective social work goals of social justice and dismantling systemic oppression, a new placement model is needed that is both inclusive and sustainable.
The Impact of War on Interethnic Godparenthood in Ukraine
Authors: Doubt Keith , Reutter Sophie
Published: February 2024

The study examines whether kumivstvo, godparenthood, with its, with its moral and spiritual cultural heritage in Ukrainian society, provides normative power from the bottom up rather than top down for maintaining solidarity in a polyethnic society in the face of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A mixed methodology is employed, carried out by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. The quantitative findings report how common kumivstvo is in Ukrainian society, what its density is among different faiths and in different regions, how important the kinship heritage is to Ukrainians today, and what the proportion of interethnic kumivstvo is. The qualitative interviews reveal to what degree Russia’s invasion has desolated the trust and godparent connection between the Ukrainian and Russian peoples. There is immense strain on the integrity of these relationships; however, for some it is imaginable that these bonds may not only endure, but also revive afterward. The study asks whether Ukraine will lose an essential social structure and kinship custom that sustains its cultural hybridity when interethnic kumivstvo becomes unviable after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Two left turns to science: Gramsci and Du Bois on the emancipatory potential of the social sciences
Authors: Battaglini Charles
Published: February 2024

This article identifies two tendencies in left-wing approaches toward the social sciences. The first expresses skepticism towards science as a kind of product of the ruling ideology that solely reproduces the status quo. The second worries about the capacity of scientific inquiry to actually change people's ingrained beliefs and prejudices. Antonio Gramsci and W.E.B. Du Bois are representative of these two diverging approaches. Their views on science, however, offer more commonalities than at first meet the eye. They are both critical of sociological traditions that seek to discover universal laws of society, arguing that such an approach fails to grasp the complexity of causality and the role of human action in shaping their lives and history. On the other hand, both see the potential for rigorous and nuanced scientific analysis to offer grounds for concrete action and warn off wishful thinking. By combining their views, this article presents a conception of the role and potential of social scientific inquiry for progressive movements toward social change that navigates between the double-sided concerns represented by Gramsci and Du Bois.
A stacking-based ensemble learning model for kneading paste quality intelligent prediction: A real case study
Authors: Li Qingzong , Xu Jian , Wang Jianwei , Yang Yuqian , Yang Maolin , Jiang Pingyu
Published: February 2024

Paste kneading is a vital process of prebaked carbon anode production, and the quality of the paste has a great impact on the quality of the final product. However, it is difficult to inspect the paste quality in line. Because the inspection of the paste quality in the laboratory is not real-time, the paste has already entered the next process after the results are obtained. And the manual quality inspection is labor-intensive and unsafe. Therefore, a stacking-based ensemble learning model for kneading paste quality prediction is proposed in this paper. The gradient boosting decision tree, random forest, k-nearest neighbors, and support vector machine are used as base learners, and logistic regression is used as meta-learner. Kneading production data of 572 paste pots are collected for quality prediction, where each pot of paste data contains 44 signals. The correlation coefficient-based feature engineering method was applied, and 10 features with the greatest correlation with paste quality were identified to construct the dataset. The up-sampling and under-sampling methods are used to solve the problem of sample imbalance. Parallel comparison is applied to verify the advantage of the stacking-based ensemble learning model, and the results indicate that the model performs better than every single classifier and has higher accuracy and generalization ability, especially for imbalanced samples.
Dodecyl methacrylate (DM) dispersion-assisted surface modification approach for increasing crystallinity of coir fibers
Authors: Nag Mukesh Kumar , Shrivastava Abhishek
Published: February 2024

Coir fiber crystallinity is crucial since it widens the range of possible uses for natural fiber. To increase the crystallinity of coir fiber, the study describes an easy-to-use, simple-to-implement method that is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and highly productive. With the help of dodecyl methacrylate disperson, hydrocarbon molecules of varying chain lengths are covalently attached to the surface of coir fibers, modulating their surface wettability. There are a few different long-chain hydrocarbon compounds employed, including n-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, and dodecyl methacrylate (DM), but DM has shown to be the most effective. The degree of grafting yield alteration is determined gravimetrically. It has been found that grafting yields of 28–30 wt.% can be used to convert hydrophilic coir fibers into water repellent crystalline fibers (water contact angle 148°). A total of 15 nm of dispersion, a disperson rate of 2 nm/min, DM concentration of 20%, and water content of 10% are fixed as key reaction parameters. Thermal and mechanical analyses show no significant changes in the fiber structure during alteration. The grafting and changes in surface wettability are well supported by the surface morphology of pure and modified coir fiber, which can be seen using scanning electron microscopy.
Integrating affection, emotion, and aesthetics into a General Theory of Learning
Authors: Sánchez Felipe , Sebastián Christian
Published: February 2024

Every learning process is an affective experience. Affect is central in experiencing learning as uncertainty. This article proposes an internal integration of affect into the learning process. The main concepts of learning are articulated with a take on the reflection framework and a dynamic and social understanding of affection, emotions, and aesthetic experiences, helping to integrate concepts like edge-emotions and liminal experiences into the learning process. These concepts support the idea that complex emotions play a central part in learning dynamics, while arguing for reflection as a self-regulatory movement of the learning process. It is argued that there would be no such thing as a merely cognitive learning process. Every time that people learn, they experience edge-emotions and liminal experiences. Furthermore, if the learning process occurs in educational settings, it is possible to think about learning experiences as being mediated by liminal affective techniques and so, open to transformation.
How Do Curbside Feedback Tactics Impact Households’ Recycling Performance? Evidence From Community Programs
Authors: McKie Erin C , Chandrasekaran Aravind , Venkataraman Sriram
Published: February 2024

Much of the responsibility for advancing the circular economy has been directed towards firms, yet many reuse opportunities can only be achieved through environmentally compliant, household-level recycling behaviors. In response, policymakers and recycling organizations are using a range of feedback mechanisms to promote household recycling that meets local quality standards. However, the effectiveness of these tactics remains unclear, and stakeholders are divided on the appropriateness of their use. In this research, we examine the role of two popular feedback mechanisms—information-only and information-plus-penalty—in correcting households’ curbside recycling behaviors. With information-only feedback, households are provided with best practices for recycling and are not penalized for their errors. With information-plus-penalty feedback, households also receive information, but temporarily forfeit their recycling services. While previous studies have explored the use of information and penalties as feedback mechanisms to guide behavioral changes, there is mixed evidence of their effectiveness, particularly in the recycling context. We address this research gap by analyzing unique data collected from a 2019 curbside auditing effort that occurred in a large, Mid-Western city. Our analysis leverages econometric methods, and recycling feedback and performance data from 25,359 audits across 11,899 households and 15 recycling routes. We find that information-only feedback mechanisms, while preferred by some stakeholders, are not associated with improvements in recycling quality (measured using household contamination rates). By contrast, our results indicate that punitive mechanisms (i.e., information-plus-penalty) involving cart refusals are associated with significant reductions in contamination rates: that is, households that receive punitive feedback reduce their contamination rate severity by 59%, and are 75% less likely to commit a violation in the future. More importantly, we do not find evidence that punitive feedback mechanisms generally discourage households’ participation in recycling programs (measured using future set out rates). Our study informs sustainable operations management literature by investigating how curbside feedback mechanisms, with differing levels of severity, influence critical dimensions of households’ recycling performance (i.e., recycling quality and participation). We also inform policymakers on how curbside feedback mechanisms can be more effectively leveraged to enhance opportunities for material reuse.
An experimentally informed continuum grain boundary model
Authors: Ansari S Syed , Acharya Amit , Alankar Alankar
Published: February 2024

A continuum grain boundary model is developed, which uses experimentally measured grain boundary energy data as a function of misorientation to simulate idealized grain boundary evolution in a one-dimensional (1D) grain array. The model uses a continuum representation of the misorientation in terms of spatial gradients of the orientation as a fundamental field. The grain boundary energy density employed is non-convex in this orientation gradient, based on physical grounds. Simple gradient descent dynamics of the energy are utilized for idealized microstructure evolution, which requires higher-order regularization of the energy density for the model to be well set; the regularization is physically justified. Microstructure evolution is presented using two plausible energy density functions, both defined from the same experimental data: a “smooth” and a “cusp” energy density. Results of grain boundary equilibria and microstructure evolution representing grain reorientation in 1D are presented. The different shapes of the energy density functions representing a common data set are shown to result in different overall microstructural evolution of the system. Mathematically, the constructed energy functional formally is of the Aviles–Giga/Cross–Newell type but with unequal well depths, resulting in a difference in the structural feature of solutions that can be identified with grain boundaries, as well as in the approach to equilibria from identical initial conditions. This study also investigates the metastability of grain boundaries. It supports the general thermodynamics belief that they persist for extended periods before eventually vanishing due to the lowest energy configuration favored by fluctuations over infinite time.
Sleep Disordered Breathing and Risk for ADHD: Review of Supportive Evidence and Proposed Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Ivanov Iliyan , Miraglia Ben , Prodanova Dana , Newcorn Jeffrey H.
Published: February 2024

Background:

Accumulating evidence suggests that sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is under-recognized in youth and adults with ADHD. SDB may contribute to exacerbating pre-existing ADHD symptoms and may play a role in the development of cognitive deficits that may mimic ADHD symptoms.

Method:

We conducted a focused review of publications on cross-prevalence, overlapping clinical and neurobiological characteristics and possible mechanisms linking SDB and ADHD.

Results:

Exiting studies suggest that co-occurrence of SDB and ADHD is as high as 50%, with frequent overlap of clinical symptoms such as distractibility and inattention. Mechanisms linking these conditions may include hypoxia during sleep, sleep fragmentation and activation of inflammation, all of which may affect brain structure and physiology to produce disturbances in attention.

Conclusions:

The relationship between SDB and ADHD symptoms appear well-supported and suggests that more research is needed to better optimize procedures for SDB assessment in youth being evaluated and/or treated for ADHD.
Development of a Short Version of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV.es (sADHD-RS-IV.es)
Authors: Vallejo-Valdivielso María , de Castro-Manglano Pilar , Vidal-Adroher Cristina , Díez-Suárez Azucena , Soutullo Cesar A.
Published: February 2024

Objective:

To develop a short version of the Spanish 18-item ADHD-Rating Scale IV.es (sADHD-RS-IV.es) to be used as a potential screening tool in pediatric population.

Methods:

We recruited 652 subjects, ages 6 to 18 (mean ±  SD = 11.14 ± 3.27): 518 patients with ADHD (per DSM-IV criteria); and 134 healthy controls. We performed a stepwise logistic regression to select the best subset of ADHD-RS-IV.es items to create a short-form. We calculated internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s and ordinal alphas) and diagnostic accuracy using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results:

Six items were found to enter the stepwise analysis significantly. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86; ordinal alpha = 0.90) and offered a good concordance with clinician diagnosis and a high discriminatory power (AUC = 0.98) with an optimal cut-off at a score of six points.

Conclusions:

This shorter questionnaire (six items) was able to discriminate ADHD cases from healthy controls.
Laser Applications in Wound and Scar Management Post-Mohs Micrographic Surgery: A Systematic Review
Authors: Le Michelle , Liu Chaocheng , Luo Owen D. , Shojaei Delaram , Sibley Christopher D.
Published: February 2024

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) can lead to complications such as scarring and delayed wound healing, particularly in sensitive areas such as the face, neck, and chest. This study aims to assess the evidence regarding the use of lasers post-MMS for wound healing and scar revision. A comprehensive systematic review of the literature was performed using databases including MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL from inception until July 25, 2022. A total of 2147 unique studies were identified, from which 17 were included in the analysis. A total of 17 studies reported applications of lasers with favourable efficacy including wound healing (n = 1), resurfacing of full-thickness skin grafts and split-thickness skin grafts (n = 4), periscar telangiectasias (n = 1), functional scar contractures (n = 2), and scar texture (n = 9). Minimal adverse effects were reported with the use of lasers post-MMS. Overall, the use of lasers post-MMS is a safe and well-tolerated option for scar revision with high patient satisfaction and is less invasive than surgical interventions.
Probability of detection for corrosion-induced steel mass loss using Fe–C coated LPFG sensors
Authors: Zhuo Ying , Ma Pengfei , Guo Chuanrui , Chen Genda
Published: February 2024

The traditional probability of detection (POD) method, as described in the Department of Defense Handbook MIL-HDBK-1823A for nondestructive evaluation systems, does not take the time dependency of data collection into account. When applied to in situ sensors for the measurement of flaw sizes, such as fatigue-induced crack length and corrosion-induced mass loss, the validity and reliability of the traditional method is unknown. In this paper, the POD for in situ sensors and their associated reliability assessment for detectable flaw sizes are evaluated using a size-of-damage-at-detection (SODAD) method and a random parameter model (RPM). Although applicable to other sensors, this study is focused on long-period fiber gratings (LPFG) corrosion sensors with thin Fe–C coating. The SODAD method uses corrosion-induced mass losses when successfully detected from different sensors for the first time, while the RPM model considers the randomness and difference between mass loss datasets from different sensors. The Fe–C coated LPFG sensors were tested in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution until the wavelength of transmission spectra did not change. The wavelength shift of 70% of the tested sensors ranged from 6 to 10 nm. Given a detection threshold of 2 nm in wavelength, the mass losses at 90% POD are 31.87%, 37.57%, and 34.00%, which are relatively consistent, and the upper-bound mass losses at 95% confidence level are 33.20%, 47.30%, and 40.83% from the traditional, SODAD, and RPM methods, respectively. In comparison with the SODAD method, the RPM method is more robust to any departure from model assumptions since significantly more data are used. For the 90% POD at 95% confidence level, the traditional method underestimated the mass loss by approximately 19%, which is unconservative in engineering applications.
In Brief
Authors: van Stee Elena G. , Muzzerall Parker , Liu Sophie X. , Uscola Colter J.
Published: February 2024

Pioneering puppets, burnout and the corporate ladder, and how we teach history: A snapshot of new research.
The Second Demolition of Wood Street
Authors: Bacon David
Published: February 2024

David Bacon captures the eviction of an unhoused encampment, exposing the bones of capitalism.
Good Schools, Bad Schools
Authors: Ali Syed
Published: February 2024

Syed Ali on the effects of school choice.
Begging for Change
Authors: Avery Jacob
Published: February 2024

Jacob Avery on common humanity.
Acknowledging the Colonial Bias in Early Museum Collection Records
Authors: Bloomfield Tharron
Published: February 2024

As a Māori museum professional, the writer has encountered inaccuracies in the descriptions of Māori material within museum collection records. These inaccuracies not only hinder access but may also perpetuate misconceptions about indigenous communities. Inaccurate records render artefacts less accessible to researchers and community members. In addition to factual accuracy, cultural context is paramount. The writer advocates for museums to actively engage with indigenous cultural knowledge holders to improve collection records and in doing so ensure that indigenous communities can reconnect with their material culture.
Image-Guided VATS in the Hybrid Operation Room Facilitates Early Diagnosis and Concurrent Treatment of Subcentimeter Nonpalpable Lung Nodules
Authors: Partlow Jamie , Thomas Sabrina , Nicolini Michael , Greeno Sarah , Schroeder Carsten
Published: February 2024

Objective:

As lung cancer screening increases, the detection of small, nonpalpable lung lesions is on the rise. The hybrid operation room (OR), which combines percutaneous or endobronchial fiducial placement with on-table computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopic guidance, improves localization and facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of smaller, nonpalpable lung nodules with greater accuracy.

Methods:

In 35 consecutive months, 55 veterans underwent 60 image-guided video-assisted thoracic surgery procedures for lesion resection. Of the cases, 36% were found during lung cancer screening. All patients received their care in the hybrid OR, where cone-beam CT scan technology was used to place an average of 1.6 fiducials percutaneously ( n = 55) or via augmented navigational bronchoscopy ( n = 5).

Results:

A total of 66 lesions were resected. The median lesion size was 8 mm with an interquartile range of 6 to 14. The patients underwent nonanatomical resection with lymph node dissection using radiologic guidance. When indicated, an anatomical resection was subsequently performed. Of 47 total non-small cell lung cancer lesions, 83% were diagnosed at stage IA1 or IA2. The median surgical margin was 15 mm; the margin was usually 1.5 times as wide as the lesion.

Conclusions:

The hybrid OR technology gives a 3-dimensional assessment of the small lung lesions, allowing for a tissue-saving resection while achieving good surgical margins. During lung cancer screening, smaller, nonpalpable lung nodules are frequently found. This technology allows resection of subcentimeter lesions, which would otherwise be unresectable at this early stage, possibly improving survival.
Russian Bans on ‘Fake News’ about the war in Ukraine: Conditional truth and unconditional loyalty
Authors: Sherstoboeva Elena
Published: February 2024

This article examines Russia's practice of the ban introduced by the so-called ‘fake news laws’ during the war against Ukraine. It blends doctrinal legal with discourse analysis to study how and why Russian courts have applied the laws, which epistemology of knowledge they have constructed while limiting fake news about the war and what implications this has for freedom of expression and public debate of the war within Russia. The dataset covers 446 Russian court decisions from 2022 to 2023. A historical approach is utilised to discuss the results in connection to the Soviet Communist ideology. The article argues that Russian courts have used the laws to make truth in Russia conditional and loyalty unconditional, actualising the Soviet principles of ‘partyness’, ‘objectivity’ and ‘scientificalness’. It demonstrates how courts construct a mythologised reality about the ‘imaginary’ ‘military operation’ to help the government monopolise the public debate and misrepresent the war against Ukraine within Russia.
Domesticating international news: China's media coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Authors: Ji Deqiang , Jiang Xiaomei , Wang Longbo
Published: February 2024

As an international issue entangled with geopolitical tensions, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has had significant media coverage in China and is reflected in the battle for global media supported by different powers. This study analyses the domestic context of news production to examine how this ongoing conflict is portrayed by leading news media in China with a special focus on the ‘domestication’ effect in global journalism, reflecting diverse frames in different countries. News coverage was selected from February 2022 to March 2023 from the online databases of Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily and China Daily. By employing the framing analysis, this study discusses the strategies used by the Chinese media in domesticating the global news for the audiences in China.
Debt, sex, and money: Imperialist discourses of transactional sex across three geographic and cultural contexts
Authors: Davis Rachel E
Published: February 2024

Discourses surrounding similar forms of transactional sex in the United States and Europe, Africa, and East Asia exemplify the ways that sexual transactions serve as affectively charged inflection points at which gendered, racialized, and classed forms of power collide. Deconstructing academic discourses and affective strategies surrounding sugar arrangements in the United States and Europe, blessed relationships in Africa, and compensated dating in East Asia uncovers the ways that cultural norms surrounding sex, gender, and money serve to uphold imperialist, patriarchal, racist hierarchies. Outlying examples of intersectional discourses provide a roadmap for challenging these dominant power structures in the academic literature.