bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Letter to the Editor for "The lactation and chestfeeding/breastfeeding information, care and support needs of trans and non-binary parents: An integrative literature review"
Authors: Gribble Karleen
Published: July 2024

Dear Editors, Gargiulo-Welch et al. (2023) aimed to identify the lactation and “chestfeeding/ breastfeeding” needs of transgender and non-binary people to inform midwifery care. Their paper implies that individuals who have had chest masculinisation surgery are quite likely to be able to breastfeed. Unfortunately, this is not the case and midwives who read this article may be misled.
Letter to the Editor for “The lactation and chestfeeding/breastfeeding information, care and support needs of trans and non-binary parents: An integrative literature review”
Authors: Jones Robin
Published: July 2024

Dear Editors, This article includes several unqualified statements, e.g.: “Not all people who breastfeed/chestfeed are women” and “Unchallenged trans-exclusionary services can foster the assumption that all people who come to PHCPs [Perinatal Healthcare Providers] will be female”.
Contra el espacio infinito en cosmología: una defensa del finitismo físico.
Authors: Alemañ Berenguer Rafael Andrés
Published: July 2024

La finitud o infinitud del universo dividió a los antiguos filósofos alimentando un debate entrelazado con las sutilezas del propio concepto de infinito y la plausibilidad de su realización en el mundo físico. Mientras el siglo XIX dio los primeros pasos en el dominio formal del infinito matemático, la cuestión del tamaño del cosmos quedaba abierta en espera de mejor evidencia empírica. Al término del siglo XX los datos observacionales de la cosmología parecen decantarse por un volumen infinito, si bien en muy pocas ocasiones se subrayan los delicados problemas físicos y metafísicos que tal opción comporta. A consecuencia de ello en este artículo se defenderá, desde una posición finitista que rechaza el infinito factual, la imposibilidad de un volumen tridimensional infinito para el cosmos y, por tanto, la necesidad de revisar este aspecto de nuestros actuales modelos cosmológicos.
Il faut défendre la societé. Epistemología jurídica y escepticismo: ley y violencia en la Europa de los siglos XVI y XVII.
Authors: González Fernández Martín
Published: July 2024

Desde el Cours du Collège de France (1975 /1976) de Michel Foucault, titulado Il faut defender la societé (la 1ª edición en español, lo tituló: Genealogía del racismo: de la guerra de razas al racismo de Estado, sin justificación o base editorial e institucional alguna) se hace un análisis del poder (fuerza y ley) en el vacío o violencia estructural que existe hasta la consolidación de la teoría o doctrina jurídica—política de la soberanía de los contractualistas, especialmente Thomas Hobbes. Se aportan tres ejemplos: dos muestras, guerra de los campesinos alemanes de 1525 y guerra civil en Inglaterra que termina en 1650. Todo ello, tercer elemento, examinado a partir del concepto de justicia, que tiene un escéptico, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), y sus reflexiones religiosas y civiles que asolaron Francia durante todo el siglo XVI. Palabras clave: Foucault; Montaigne; Guerra; Guerras de religión; Códigos legales
Comunicação e democracia: as relações entre mídia e cidadania no Brasil e na Alemanha
Authors: Kraus Luvizotto Caroline , Lemos da Costa Ana Beatriz , Faria Guedes Coelho Jairo , Bezerra Kalianny
Published: July 2024

Este texto aborda as dinâmicas do acesso à internet, da responsabilização da mídia, do serviço público de radiodifusão e da transparência da mídia e suas implicações no direito e acesso à informação e à comunicação, contribuindo de maneira descritiva e reflexiva acerca da relação entre mídia e cidadania nos contextos do Brasil e da Alemanha. O percurso metodológico segue os procedimentos da revisão da literatura e da análise documental. A reflexão tem início com considerações acerca do acesso à internet, dos desafios relacionados à convergência dos serviços tradicionais e da plataformização. Na sequência, aborda a responsabilização da mídia e do serviço público de radiodifusão, com base em análises de instrumentos de participação social em empresas de mídia pública dos dois países. O último aspecto debatido no texto demonstra como veículos midiáticos e, mais especificamente, organizações de notícias nos dois países articulam recursos de transparência em suas práticas. Os resultados sugerem que o estudo do acesso à internet, da responsabilização da mídia e da transparência nos contextos do Brasil e da Alemanha revela insights importantes sobre seu impacto na participação cívica e na manutenção da democracia.
Lineamientos estratégicos de desarrollo sostenible para el área de influencia del embalse Topocoro en Betulia (Santander)
Authors: García Lozano Cristhian Fernell , Mosquera Tellez Jemay , Jaimes Gauta Gendler Alexander
Published: July 2024

La metodología aplicada para el desarrollo del proceso investigativo se enmarca en una funda­mentación conceptual asociada al enfoque sistémico del territorio y a las unidades de paisaje como herramienta para su planificación multiescalar; y al diagnóstico territorial municipal que permitió evidenciar las potencialidades y los conflictos de uso del territorio asociados a la construcción y puesta en marcha del embalse multipropósito Topocoro. Como resultado, se obtiene una serie de lineamientos estratégicos de desarrollo sostenible que sirve de base para la estructuración de un modelo de ordenamiento territorial sostenible que permite organizar el municipio de Betulia en macrounidades y unidades de paisaje enfocadas a configurar unidades parcelarias en predios que no afecten mayormente la masa biótica y abiótica, y contribuyan a la reactivación económica y al mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de las comunidades locales.
Research roundup
Authors: Cetroni Amanda , Jack Kathryn
Published: July 2024

A brief overview of recently published articles on hepatology
Analysis of Drug-Related Tinnitus Based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System Database
Authors: Wang Luwei , Tang Yanqin , Zhuge Pan
Published: July 2024

Aims/Background Tinnitus is a very common condition, and is a side effect of many medications. The panorama of drug-induced tinnitus has widened in recent decades, and post-marketing data are needed to gain a better insight into adverse drug reactions related to tinnitus. However, there are currently few studies on drug-induced tinnitus. We aimed to explore the details of real-world drug-related tinnitus.

Methods We collected data on adverse drug reactions related to tinnitus from the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database for the fourth quarter of 2012 to the fourth quarter of 2023. The top 25 tinnitus-associated drugs and indications were analyzed, and reporting odds ratios (RORs) were used to assess the association between drugs and adverse events (AEs).

Results A total of 29,460 patients were enrolled in our study, with a greater proportion of women (59.1%) than men (31.7%). Among all tinnitus-related drugs, duloxetine (n = 1510, ROR [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 11.99 [11.38–12.63]), ciprofloxacin (n = 938, ROR [95% CI] = 9.96 [9.33–10.63]), and adalimumab (n = 759, ROR [95% CI] = 0.68 [0.64–0.73]) displayed the strongest associations. Among all tinnitus-related indications, depression (n = 1172), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 947), and multiple sclerosis (n = 914) were the most relevant indications. Vertigo (n = 2443, ROR [95% CI] = 7.51 [7.21–7.82]), deafness (n = 1740, ROR [95% CI] = 13.50 [12.86–14.18]), and hypoacusis (n = 1550, ROR [95% CI] = 6.11 [5.81–6.43]) were the most common concomitant ototoxic AEs in patients reporting tinnitus.

Conclusion Our study mined and analyzed the AEs signals of drug-induced tinnitus and provided a reference for the safe clinical application of the drugs.
Necessary Exorcisms: Intercessory Law in S. Ansky's The Dybbuk
Authors: Eisenstein Paul
Published: July 2024

Abstract: "Necessary Exorcisms" reads S. Ansky's The Dybbuk in the context of Ansky's travels during World War I as a relief aid worker with the Jewish Committee to Help War Victims. Ansky's description of the fate of Jews in occupied Galicia—in the fragments of a diary he kept during these years and in a longer memoir published after the war—confronts us with two motifs at the heart of The Dybbuk : a blurring of the threshold between life and death, and the important role that law, litigatory practices, and lawful authorities play as entities to which one could appeal to prevent a wrong from occurring and/or to adjudicate a wrong after it has occurred. To read The Dybbuk alongside Ansky's account of what happened to Jews in Galicia during World War I is to see the play as a dramatic exploration of issues at the heart of what Giorgio Agamben has theorized as a state of exception—the geopolitical space in which there is no law or lawful authority to which to appeal when one's rights as a citizen have been revoked and one has become exposed to arbitrary violence. To read The Dybbuk as a play obliquely linked to the fate of Jews in occupied Galicia is to complicate contemporary readings that see Ansky staging the law's malign power to punish illicit desires so as to uphold patriarchal and classist norms. Reading The Dybbuk as a postwar play, "Necessary Exorcisms" discerns in it an apology for the law and its intercessions.
Unidirectional self-imaging in multiple shifted photonic crystal interfaces
Authors: Yuan Yining , Liu Lei , Zhou Yuzhong , Sang Tian , Yang Guofeng , Wang Yueke
Published: July 2024

In this study, we investigate the unidirectional self-imaging phenomenon in the shifted photonic crystal (PC) heterostructure. A spin-locked topological edge state, which originates from the mismatch of the Wannier center positions, can propagate along the shifted PC interface without backscattering. When the neighboring shifted PC interfaces are close enough, the coupling between the edge states happens, and coupled edge states (CES) can be found. Based on the finite element method (FEM) simulation, the spin-locked multimode interference (MMI) and self-imaging phenomenon of CES, including paired and symmetrical interference, are achieved in multiple shifted PC interfaces. To illustrate the application of the frequency splitters, the T-shaped and double cross-shaped structures with backscattering immunity and spin-locked characteristics are proposed. Our work provides an alternative way toward the design of a topological splitter by utilizing the photonic frequency and spin degrees of freedom at the same time.
High-speed 3D integral imaging for sensing and visualization of dynamic underwater events
Authors: Joshi Rakesh , Lee Jiheon , Javidi Bahram
Published: July 2024

The study of high-speed phenomena in underwater environments is pivotal across diverse scientific and engineering domains. This paper introduces a high-speed (3D) integral imaging (InIm) based system to 1) visualize high-speed dynamic underwater events, and 2) detect modulated signals for potential optical communication applications. The proposed system is composed of a high-speed camera with a lenslet array-based integral imaging setup to capture and reconstruct 3D images of underwater scenes and detect temporally modulated optical signals. For 3D visualization, we present experiments to capture the elemental images of high-speed underwater events with passive integral imaging, which were then computationally reconstructed to visualize 3D dynamic underwater scenes. We present experiments for 3D imaging and reconstruct the depth map of high-speed underwater dynamic jets of air bubbles, offering depth information and visualizing the 3D movement of these jets. To detect temporally modulated optical signals, we present experiments to demonstrate the ability to capture and reconstruct high-speed underwater modulated optical signals in turbidity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on high-speed underwater 3D integral imaging for 3D visualization and optical signal communication. The findings illustrate the potential of high-speed integral imaging in the visualization and detection of underwater dynamic events, which can be useful in underwater exploration and monitoring.
Identifying the strains of dengue circulating in the western province of Sri Lanka during 2019–2022
Authors: Abeygoonawardena Harshi , Dassanayake Kanchana , Kariyawasam Jayani , Chathuranga Teshan , Sundralingam Tharmini , Gunasekara Hansani , Wevita Sathyani , Premawansa Gayani , Premawansa Sunil , Wijewickrama Ananda , Wijesinghe Namal , Navaratne Varuna , Weiskopf Daniela , Sette Alessandro , Punchihewa Chandanamali , De Silva Aruna Dharshan
Published: July 2024

A study conducted from July 2019 to May 2022 at several hospitals in the Western Province, Sri Lanka, focused on dengue virus strains during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among 417 febrile patients, 47% were PCR-positive for dengue. Serotyping revealed DENV-1 (12.8%), DENV-2 (46.4%), DENV-3 (37.2%), and DENV-4 (3.6%). Sequencing identified two genotypically distinct variants of DENV-3 and two genotypically distinct variants of DENV-1, while DENV-2 showed a single genotype cluster. Notably, the study found concurrent circulation of two DENV-3 and two DENV-1 genotypes, along with DENV-2, during the pandemic in the area. This data suggests the presence of multiple dengue strains, including several DENV-1 and DENV-3 variants, without major epidemic outbreaks reported in the Western Province. Continuous monitoring and research are essential to understand the dynamics of these dengue strains in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ad hoc policy decisions” in the news: Media framing analysis of a pesticide import ban in Sri Lanka
Authors: Schölin Lisa , Hashini Pramila , Kanapathy Rajaratnam , Schalkwyk May CI van , Eddleston Michael , Konradsen Flemming , Weerasinghe Manjula
Published: July 2024

Modern agriculture relies on pesticides to maximise outputs. While many highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) are banned in places like the European Union due to concerns about harm to the environment and human health, their use continues in many low- and middle-income counties (LMICs). Pesticide suicide is a public health problem unique to countries where HHPs are used, and Sri Lanka has successfully implemented several HHP bans as part of a suicide prevention strategy. On 27 April 2021, the Sri Lankan government announced an imminent import ban of all fertilizers and pesticides which was later revoked in November 2021. The aim of this article was to explore the media framing of the import ban as it pertained to pesticides. Guided by Entman’s typology of frame functions, we analysed newspaper articles from nine Sri Lankan newspapers (N = 102) between 20 April to 31 October 2021. Overall, most framings were supportive of the ban, captured by framings that articulated the ban through a health, environment, and organic farming narrative. Framings that foregrounded farmer or industry livelihoods and the pesticide market were primarily adopted to express opposition to the ban. The presence of frames opposing the ban within media articles increased over time during the study period. There was a greater proportion of opposing frames in private newspapers compared to government (78% vs 22%). Many of the articles analysed described the widespread impact of the ban, but only 11% of articles represented the voices of policy end users. This study adds understanding to the ways communication via outlets like mainstream newspapers may shape public support or opposition to pesticide bans in a LMIC. Mass media is an under-recognised factor in policy implementation and this study may inform planning to implement pesticide bans in other countries.
Optimal dispatching of regional power grid considering vehicle network interaction
Authors: Hua Yuanpeng , Wang Shiqian , Wang Yuanyuan , Zhang Linru , Liu Weiliang
Published: July 2024

When large-scale electric vehicles are connected to the grid for unordered charging, it will seriously affect the stability and security of the power system. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a regional power network optimization scheduling method considering vehicle network interaction. Initially, based on the user behavior characteristics and charging and discharging characteristics of electric vehicles, a charging and discharging behavior model of electric vehicles was established. Based on the Monte Carlo sampling algorithm, the scheduling upper and lower limits of each scheduling cycle of electric vehicles were described, and the scheduling potential of each scheduling cycle of electric vehicles was obtained. Then, the electricity price is then used as an incentive parameter to guide EV users to charge during periods of low electricity prices and participate in discharge during periods of peak electricity prices. Aiming at the highest economic efficiency, the best consumption effect of new energy and the smoothest demand-side power curve of regional power grid, a three-objective optimal dispatching model was established. In the later stage, uncertainty factors are taken into consideration by introducing the concept of interval numbers, and an interval multi-objective optimization dispatching model is established. The two dispatching models are solved by NSGA-II algorithm and improved NSGA-II algorithm, and the Pareto solution set is obtained. Finally, based on the analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the optimal scheduling scheme is determined. The Monte Carlo sampling method is used to simulate the user side charging demand, and the effectiveness of this method is verified. In addition, the results of the interval multi-objective optimization model and the deterministic multi-objective optimization model are compared, and it is proved that the solution results of the interval multi-objective model are more adaptive, practical and robust to the uncertain factors.
Revealing the translator’s style: A corpus-based study of english translations of Mencius
Authors: Gao Yaoyao , Zhou Guijun
Published: July 2024

Based on the self-built English translation corpus of Mencius, this study conducts a lexical, syntactical and textual comparative analysis of Mencius English translations by James Legge (1861), Leonard A.Lyall (1932) and D.C.Lau (1970) through adopting a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods and employing Tokenizer, Tree Tagger, WordSmith8.0, AntConc and Readability Analyzer software. By analyzing representative translation examples and the para-text of each translation, this study explores the relationship among the historical background, translator’s cultural identity and translation motivation. The results reveal that the translator’s style is closely related to the translation strategy determined by the translation purpose rooted in translator’s cultural identity in different historical and social backgrounds.The study findings will bring a new perspective for the translator’s cultural identity research, contribute to the translator’s style study and deepen the understanding of the English translation and overseas dissemination of Mencius with the help of corpus technology.
“When we have served meat, my husband comes first”: A qualitative analysis of child nutrition among urban and rural communities of Rwanda
Authors: Albin Maria Qambayot , Igihozo Gloria , Musemangezhi Shuko , Namukanga Edith Nachizya , Uwizeyimana Theogene , Alemayehu Gebremariam , Bekele Abebe , Wong Rex , Kalinda Chester
Published: July 2024

Background

Stunting among children under five years of age is a global public health concern, especially in low-and middle-income settings. Emerging evidence suggests a gradual reduction in the overall prevalence of stunting in Rwanda, necessitating a qualitative understanding of the contributing drivers to help develop targeted and effective strategies. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of women and men to identify key issues that influence childhood nutrition and stunting as well as possible solutions to address the problem.

Methods

Ten (10) focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with fathers and mothers of children under five years of age from five districts, supplemented by forty (40) in-depth interviews (IDIs) with Nurses and Community Health Workers (CHWs). Transcripts were coded inductively and analysed thematically using Dedoose (version 9.0.86).

Results

Three themes emerged: (1) Awareness of a healthy diet for pregnant women, infants, and children with subthemes Knowledge about maternal and child nutrition and feeding practices; (2) Personal and food hygiene is crucial while handling, preparing, and eating food with subthemes, food preparation practices and the feeding environment (3) factors influencing healthy eating among pregnant women, infants, and children with subthemes; Barriers and facilitators to healthy eating among pregnant women and children.

Conclusion

Several factors influence child stunting, and strategies to address them should recognise the cultural and social contexts of the problem. Prioritisation of nutrition-based strategies is vital and should be done using a multifaceted approach, incorporating economic opportunities and health education, especially among women, and allowing CHWs to counsel households with conflicts.
Patient perceptions of the impact of inducible laryngeal obstruction on quality of life
Authors: McConville Katherine M. , Thibeault Susan L.
Published: July 2024

Background

Inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) accounts for or contributes to dyspnea in a noteworthy proportion of treatment seeking populations including those misdiagnosed with asthma. Despite increasing awareness of the disorder, literature exploring patient experience is limited. The aim of this work is to report patient perspectives on ILO and the way in which it impacts quality of life.

Methods

This qualitative study utilized methods detailed in the literature on grounded theory and phenomenological research to analyze interviews collected from participants diagnosed with ILO. Interviews were conducted, audio recorded, and transcribed. Transcriptions underwent content-analysis using Burnard’s 14 step method [15], which included review of content codes across multiple raters until consensus regarding analyses was reached.

Results

Twenty-six participants were included in the study. Most participants were female (92%). Ages ranged from 18–72 with a mean age of 45 for female participants and 37 for male participants. Without specific prompting to do so, all participants offered descriptions of the specific symptoms they experienced and the triggers for their symptoms. In the content analysis process, "descriptions of symptoms and triggers” was thus labeled a theme that was present in all interviews. Seven additional themes were shared consistently and judged to encapsulate the interview material. These themes were: 2) diagnosis and treatment, 3) emotional impact of ILO, 4) perception of health and prognosis, 5) ameliorating factors, 6) influence of ILO on lifestyle, 7) the physical impact of ILO, and 8), social consequences of ILO. In addition, 54 subthemes were identified.

Conclusions

Patients appear to place particular emphasis on the emotional and psychosocial consequences of ILO as well as factors that ameliorate the condition. As such, future efforts to treat ILO and to collect outcomes measures should account for these aspects of the patient experience.
Youth-friendly health service in Ethiopia: Assessment of care friendliness and user’s satisfaction
Authors: Alamdo Andamlak Gizaw , Debelle Fanna Adugna , Gatheru Peter Muriuki , Manu Adom , Enos Juliana Yartey , Yirtaw Tewodros Getinet
Published: July 2024

Background

Health facilities’ level of readiness to provide adolescent and youth-friendly health services (AYFHS) is crucial for preventing and reducing teenage pregnancies and maternal mortality. This study examined friendliness and satisfaction with AYFHS among users.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 419 adolescents and youths recruited from six health institutions in the East Shewa Zone, Oromia region, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from August 1 to October 28, 2022. Based on the WHO Quality Assessment Guidebook, the friendliness of AYFHS was evaluated as a proxy for the quality of care. Descriptive measures were computed to summarize the participants’ socio-demographic characteristics. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the potential association between each independent variable and client satisfaction. The type, magnitude, and precision of association were presented using an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) and a p-value of < 0.05 ascertained statistical significance.

Results

The overall friendliness was 69%: Specifically, 82% of the participants stated the service was accessible, 72% said it was acceptable, and 90% thought it was effective. However, only 33% and 34% of respondents reported the services were equitable and appropriate respectively. The overall satisfaction with AYFHS was 25.3%. Increased age (AOR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.57–0.86), being female (AOR = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.04–0.33), no prior information about AYFHS (AOR = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.10–0.44), and higher number of sexual partners (AOR = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.21–0.65) were factors statistically associated with client satisfaction with AYFHS.

Conclusions

The overall quality of AYFHS was sub-optimal and did not meet the four components of WHO’s good quality standards; equity, appropriateness, acceptability, and accessibility must be improved. Female and older adolescents and youths and those with a higher number of sexual partners should be targeted for intervention.
An improved mountain gazelle optimizer based on chaotic map and spiral disturbance for medical feature selection
Authors: Li Ying , Geng Yanyu , Sheng Huankun
Published: July 2024

Feature selection is an important solution for dealing with high-dimensional data in the fields of machine learning and data mining. In this paper, we present an improved mountain gazelle optimizer (IMGO) based on the newly proposed mountain gazelle optimizer (MGO) and design a binary version of IMGO (BIMGO) to solve the feature selection problem for medical data. First, the gazelle population is initialized using iterative chaotic map with infinite collapses (ICMIC) mapping, which increases the diversity of the population. Second, a nonlinear control factor is introduced to balance the exploration and exploitation components of the algorithm. Individuals in the population are perturbed using a spiral perturbation mechanism to enhance the local search capability of the algorithm. Finally, a neighborhood search strategy is used for the optimal individuals to enhance the exploitation and convergence capabilities of the algorithm. The superior ability of the IMGO algorithm to solve continuous problems is demonstrated on 23 benchmark datasets. Then, BIMGO is evaluated on 16 medical datasets of different dimensions and compared with 8 well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The experimental results indicate that BIMGO outperforms the competing algorithms in terms of the fitness value, number of selected features and sensitivity. In addition, the statistical results of the experiments demonstrate the significantly superior ability of BIMGO to select the most effective features in medical datasets.
A treadmill training program in a gamified virtual reality environment combined with transcranial direct current stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bosch-Barceló Pere , Climent-Sanz Carolina , Martínez-Navarro Oriol , Masbernat-Almenara Maria , Pakarinen Anni , Ghosh Pradip K. , Fernández-Lago Helena
Published: July 2024

Background

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects movement and cognition, and physiotherapy, particularly treadmill gait training, has potential in addressing movement dysfunctions in PD. However, treadmill training falls short in addressing cognitive aspects and adherence. Virtual reality (VR) and gamification can enhance motor and cognitive retraining and improve adherence. People with Parkinson’s Disease (PWPD) have decreased motor skill learning efficiency, but tDCS can improve motor and cognitive learning.

Methods

78 participants with PD will be randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three groups: (1) treadmill + Gamified Virtual Reality Environment (GVRE) + tDCS training group; (2) treadmill + GVRE training group or (3) treadmill training group. Participants will follow a 6-week, 12-session treadmill gait training plan, gradually increasing session duration from 20 to 45 minutes. Participants in (1) and (2) will undergo a GVRE training protocol, with (1) also receiving tDCS for the first 20 minutes of each session. Assessments will occur at baseline, post-intervention, and at a 6-week follow-up. The primary outcome measure will be gait speed during single and dual-task performance. Secondary measures will include additional gait parameters, executive tests for cognitive performance, and clinical outcomes for disease stage, cognitive status, and physical condition.

Discussion

This randomized clinical trial presents an innovative neurorehabilitation protocol that aims to improve gait and cognition in PWPD. The study also examines how tDCS can enhance motor and cognitive training. Results could contribute to enhancing the motor and cognitive state of PWPD through a GVRE and tDCS-based neurorehabilitation protocol.

Trial registration

NCT05243394. 28/02/2024 –v3.2
Older Age as a Worrisome Feature in Patients With Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms: A Long-Term Surveillance Study
Authors: Tange Shuichi , Oyama Hiroki , Kawaguchi Yoshikuni , Hakuta Ryunosuke , Hamada Tsuyoshi , Ishigaki Kazunaga , Kanai Sachiko , Noguchi Kensaku , Saito Tomotaka , Sato Tatsuya , Suzuki Tatsunori , Tanaka Mariko , Takahara Naminatsu , Ushiku Tetsuo , Hasegawa Kiyoshi , Nakai Yousuke , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro
Published: July 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Aging has been implicated in the development of various cancer types. No study has specifically investigated age at intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) diagnosis in relation to the long-term risk of pancreatic carcinogenesis.

METHODS:

Within a prospective cohort of 4,104 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cysts, we identified 3,142 patients with IPMNs and examined an association of age at IPMN diagnosis with the incidence of pancreatic carcinoma. Using the multivariable competing-risks proportional hazards regression model, we estimated subdistribution hazard ratios (SHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for pancreatic carcinoma incidence according to age at IPMN diagnosis.

RESULTS:

During 22,187 person-years of follow-up, we documented 130 patients diagnosed with pancreatic carcinoma (64 with IPMN-derived carcinoma and 66 with concomitant ductal adenocarcinoma). Older age at IPMN diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer incidence (P
trend = 0.002). Compared with patients younger than 55 years, patients aged 55–64, 65–74, and ≥ 75 years had adjusted SHRs of 1.80 (95% CI, 0.75–4.32), 2.56 (95% CI, 1.10–5.98), and 3.31 (95% CI, 1.40–7.83), respectively. Patients aged 70 years and older had a numerically similar adjusted SHR compared with patients younger than 70 years with worrisome features defined by the international consensus guidelines (1.73 [95% CI, 1.01–2.97] and 1.66 [95% CI, 0.89–3.10], respectively).

DISCUSSION:

Older patients with IPMNs were at a higher risk of developing pancreatic carcinoma during surveillance. Surgically fit elderly patients may be good candidates for periodic surveillance aimed at a reduction of pancreatic cancer-related deaths.
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a method of immune prevention of type 1 diabetes mellitus: possibilities and prospects
Authors: Chernaya M. E. , Khalimov Y. Sh. , Volkova A. R. , Lisker A. V. , Nersesyan A. A. , Orlovskaya A. D. , Polushin A. Y. , Zalyalov Y. R. , Kulagin A. D.
Published: July 2024

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common autoimmune disease that is treated with lifelong insulin therapy. Non-target indicators of glycemic control, which are observed in 71% of patients, lead to the formation and progression of diabetes complications, early disability and mortality. In this regard, the search for new approaches to the treatment and prevention of type 1 DM seems to be relevant. Various methods of immunological prophylaxis for the development of type 1 DM have been studied, in particular, the use of monoclonal antibodies. Thus, in November 2022, teplizumab was approved to slow down the clinical progression of the stage of type 1 DM. The prospects for the use of new options for islet cell transplantation are being studied — in June 2023, an allogeneic donor β-cell transplant obtained from the pancreas of donors after death was approved. Another pathogenetically substantiated method for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases is high-dose immunosuppressive therapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HDIT-HSCT). HDIT-HSCT demonstrated its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in various clinical trials. This review provides up-to-date information on modern methods of immunological prophylaxis of type 1 DM.
Badges in the Carpe Diem MOOC
Authors: Lokuge Dona Kulari , Gregory Janet , Salmon Gilly , Pechenkina Ekaterina
Published: July 2024

Throughout March and April 2014, the Learning Transformations Unit at Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia) developed and delivered the Carpe Diem MOOC (CD MOOC) via the Blackboard CourseSites platform (coursesites.com). The CD MOOC, which attracted 1426 registrations, provided participants with the opportunity to learn about the Carpe Diem learning design process and to apply it to their own educational practice. We discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by the CD MOOC designers and moderators in offering participants the opportunity to obtain digital badges for recognition and reward of their participation and completion of tasks in the CD MOOC. Here we present findings of research into the impact of badges on the completion of learning tasks and the motivation of participants. We demonstrate that many of the CD MOOC participants, who were generally well-educated and mature professionals, were motivated by digital badges – some through to course completion.
Outcomes from a Digital Literacy Project
Authors: Day Stephanie , Corner Lynda
Published: July 2024

The Digital Literacy Project was launched in response to recognising that the use of technologies to enable dual campus collaborative teaching and learning required an improvement in the digital skills of staff. The project used a process of self-assessment and competency based training to address identified needs in workplace, educational and communication technology skills. On completion of the project, staff were surveyed and asked about their experiences of the self assessment and training processes. Staff indicated that while the needs self-assessment process was cumbersome, time-consuming and sometimes confusing, the training received was beneficial, but needed to be timely, personally relevant and easily accessible. As a result of this research, it is recommended that the self-assessment process be consolidated and that the Institute consider mechanisms to measure the overall effectiveness of ongoing training initiatives with respect to training delivery, embedding of new skills and Institutional Return on Investment.
Breaking BAD to bridge the reality/rhetoric chasm
Authors: Jones David , Clark Damien
Published: July 2024

The reality of using digital technologies to enhance learning and teaching has a history of falling short of the rhetoric. Past attempts at bridging this chasm have tried: increasing the perceived value of teaching; improving the pedagogical and technological knowledge of academics; redesigning organisational policies, processes and support structures; and, designing and deploying better pedagogical techniques and technologies. Few appear to have had any significant, widespread impact, perhaps because of the limitations of the (often implicit) theoretical foundations of the institutional implementation of e-learning. Using a design-based research approach, this paper develops an alternate theoretical framework (the BAD framework) for institutional e-learning and uses that framework to analyse the development, evolution, and very different applications of the Moodle Activity Viewer (MAV) at two separate universities. Based on this experience it is argued that the reality/rhetoric chasm is more likely to be bridged by interweaving the BAD framework into existing practice.
Rhetoric and reality
Authors: Gregory Sue , Gregory Brent , Wood Denise , Butler Des , Pasfield-Neofitou Sarah , Hearns Merle , De Freitas Sarah , Farley Helen , Warren Ian , Jacka Lisa , Stokes-Thompson Frederick , Cox Robert , Crowther Patricia , Atkins Clare , McDonald Marcus , Reiners Torsten , Wood Lincoln , Sim Jenny , Grant Scott , Campbell Chris , Hillier Mathew , Meredith Grant , Steel Caroline , Jegathesan Jay Jay , Zagami Jason , Sukunesan Suku , Gaukrodger Belma , Schutt Stefan , Le Rossignol Karen , Hill Matt , Rive Pete , Wang Xiangyu
Published: July 2024

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members’ institutions. Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuation of the initial rhetoric in the early years of virtual world education, to those whose reality is fraught with challenges that belie the rhetoric. Although there are concerns over institutional resistance, restrictions, and outdated processes on the one-hand, and excitement over the rapid emergence of innovation on the other, the prevailing reality seems to be that virtual world education is both persistent and sustainable. Explored are critical perspectives on the rhetoric and reality on the educational uptake and use of virtual worlds in higher education, providing an overview of the current and future directions for learning in virtual worlds.
Having your cake and eating it too
Authors: Thorneycroft Sarah , Landrigan Brian
Published: July 2024

Despite significant change in higher education, the structure of professional development for academic staff has remained largely unchanged, consisting primarily of workshops and other forms of face-to-face development. While this is the accepted and often demanded mode of delivery, workshop-based programs are resource-heavy and often unsustainable. Until 2012, the central support unit at the University of New England had been offering a traditional program based on workshops. While the program attracted positive reviews, it was becoming increasingly apparent that there were significant issues in the structure that could no longer be ignored. An alternative, innovative solution was sought, which would allow far more flexibility and scalability while improving the experience and outcomes of professional development. This paper outlines the design of a new program according to the above rhetoric, and then examines the reality of analytics and participant experience data to draw conclusions about the success and viability of such a redesign.
Software literacies in the tertiary environment
Authors: Hight Craig , Khoo Elaine , Cowie Bronwen , Torrens Rob
Published: July 2024

This paper reports on findings from a two-year funded research project exploring software literacy - how it is understood, developed and applied in tertiary teaching-learning contexts and how this understanding serves new learning. The project has looked at MS PowerPoint (a widely used application) and software specific to two disciplines (Media Studies and Engineering). Data was collected through online student surveys and focus groups. Findings revealed that students tend to rely upon informal learning strategies when learning to use all software, and to demonstrate variations in their understanding of software affordances and their ability in applying software to their learning. However, in all cases they were generally not able to critique applications beyond a superficial level, suggesting a need for formal recognition of software literacy as a means to empower students to more critically engage with a variety of / forms of software.
E-teaching craft and practice
Authors: Watling Sue
Published: July 2024

Staff at the University of Lincoln, UK, are repositioned as students on the virtual learning environment (VLE) for the teacher education programme ‘Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age’ (TELEDA). Modules explore the social relations of virtual learning through a community approach to sharing practice, and using tools like wikis, journals and forums to demonstrate the challenges of digital scholarship enables ‘insider’ knowledge of the craft of e-teaching to be gained through experiential learning. As sector-wide shifts to flexible design and delivery increase, greater attention to the digital confidence and capabilities of staff who teach and support learning is required. Investigating the uncertain spaces between the rhetoric and the reality of teaching online has shaped the author’s doctoral research into digital education. This paper offers emerging research findings which include how experiential approaches like TELEDA are worthy investments of time and resources and reinforce the value of embedding the craft elements of e-teaching into CPD and teacher education programmes.
Designing virtual worlds for effective peer feedback
Authors: Blyth Phil , Loke Swee-Kin
Published: July 2024

Despite the importance and reliability of peer feedback, medical students currently have few formal opportunities to give and receive peer feedback on their clinical practice. To provide medical students with such opportunities, a multi-user virtual hospital was developed. In the Otago Virtual Hospital, medical students role-play as junior doctors and manage realistic clinical cases within the Emergency Department. To encourage effective peer feedback, the instructional design of the virtual world needs to follow sound pedagogical principles. In this paper, we describe five of these principles and how the Otago Virtual Hospital has been redesigned to fulfill them. These redesign practices can serve to guide educators and instructional designers interested in implementing scalable and effective peer feedback on student performance.
Using visual analytics to explore Community Engaged Learning and Teaching at the University of Otago
Authors: Hesson Gala , Moskal A.C.M. , Shephard Kerry
Published: July 2024

Community Engaged Learning and Teaching (CELT) is an interdisciplinary practice involving students and the wider community. Through CELT, students acquire skills that may not be so readily learned in formal classwork. Practitioners at this university came together to promote CELT to the wider institution, but faced difficulty in clearly defining the boundaries of the practice. To aid the development of a shared understanding of CELT, practitioners engaged in a process of ‘visual analytics’. This method involved analysing data on CELT programmes through the collaborative development of interactive visualisations. In the end, the visual analytics approach proved useful for co-constructing a shared understanding of the CELT space.
A Badge of Honour
Authors: Liu William , Northover Mark
Published: July 2024

AUT University is developing a certification checklist and support materials to encourage and acknowledge ‘green teaching’. Green teaching includes using less resources (e.g., paper, energy, transport, etc.), making more use of online tools and activities, and including conservation and sustainability concepts in course content. Lecturers can earn a green teaching label for their course, which is displayed in the University’s Learning Management System. This is designed to support a global sustainability imperative, and to align with a key strand in the University’s strategic themes. As a part of this project we have also developed an understanding of ‘open badges’, allowing our users to earn a verified award that can be displayed in a variety of other online systems.
Developing interactive mathematical visualisations
Authors: Pettigrew Jim , Shearman Donald
Published: July 2024

In early 2014, researchers at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) developed a suite of interactive mathematical visualisations (IMVs) aimed at improving students’ understanding of key concepts in first-level mathematics. This paper outlines the pedagogical and interaction design considerations that informed this development, as well as the processes adopted in preparing the IMVs for classroom use. Guidelines for interaction design that draw on research in human computer interaction, information visualisation and cognitive technologies are reviewed and contextualised for the specific learning needs of mathematics students at UWS. Examples are given of how these guidelines were factored-in to the IMV development. In addition to the pedagogical and technological dimensions of this work, research-based methods for analysing and evaluating the educational effectiveness of the IMVs are examined. It is expected that these methods will underpin a formative evaluation approach to ongoing design and development of the IMVs.
Fostering online student interaction using the OB3 web application for online study
Authors: Daellenbach Rea , Davies Lorna , Kensington Mary , Tamblyn Rodney
Published: July 2024

The School of Midwifery at CPIT in Christchurch is undertaking an action research study on midwifery students and blended learning that commenced in 2010. This paper focusses on one aspect of this research which is the student’s experience of social isolation whilst working through the online component of the blended delivery. In response the teaching team initiated an intervention as a result, and replaced the existing content authoring software tool with a system that enables students to engage and interact with each other more effectively. We subsequently adopted the OB3 web application which has ameliorated this problem to a large extent. This paper sets out to explain why the OB3 web application was chosen and what effect this has had in terms of the student’s learning and the educators’ teaching experiences.
Students’ perceptions of BYOD open-book examinations in a large class
Authors: Seow Teck Keong , Soong Swee Kit Alan
Published: July 2024

A bring-your-own-laptop high-stakes open-book final examination for a General Biology course with an enrolment of 672 students was held in November 2013 at the National University of Singapore. Pre- and post-exam online surveys were conducted to solicit the perceptions of the students with regards to the introduction of a bring-your-own-device open-book electronic final examination. Focus group discussions were also held to deliberate on the perceptions in greater detail. Both the surveys and discussions revealed several key areas of satisfaction and also areas for improvement, which will be explicated in this paper. The implementation and limitations of the exam will also be discussed.