bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vital role of clinicians in reducing the NHS carbon footprint through smarter procurement decisions
Authors: Al-Hadithy Nada , Knight Katie , Gopfert Anya , Van Hove Maria , Villa Garcia Xana
Published: August 2023

Background

The NHS’ impact on the environment is significant, accounting for 5.9% of the national carbon footprint of the UK and 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) emissions a year.

The procurement of goods and services is responsible for 72% of the NHS carbon footprint—equivalent to 15.2Mt CO2e. Procurement is, therefore, a priority focus area to consider, if carbon reductions are to be made. The impact of procurement decisions extends over the ‘whole life’—from identification of the need for a product or service through to the provision of the product or service and including the product’s ‘end of life’ process (disposal).

From April this year, any new procurement needs to have a 10% net zero and social value weighting. From April 2023 onward, any new procurement two times per day should incorporate carbon footprint and environmental impact.

This paper aims to introduce clinicians to the concept of green procurement and illustrate the potential greenhouse gases savings possible if procurement decisions were informed by the sustainability credentials such as the carbon footprint of a product or the corporate social responsibility programme of the supplier.

Methods

While seconded at the Department of Health and Social Care, the senior author on this paper collaborated with the NHS Supply Chain to pilot carbon footprinting of one clinical item. We chose to focus on the 20-gauge ‘pink’ cannula as a high-volume familiar article; 25 million cannulas are purchased via the NHS Supply Chain each year, of which the most commonly used size is the 20 gauge.

Results

Of the seven companies approached, five sent us their CSR strategies. Four companies provided product primary data, and of these four, one provided sufficient data to carry out a carbon footprint analysis. The one set of detailed data provided was for two 20-gauge cannulas, 1 with wings and 1 without. The total carbon footprint for Cannula 1 is 33.92 g CO2e. The total carbon footprint for Cannula 2 is 35.45 g CO2e. This amounts to a 1.54 g CO2e difference between the 2 cannulas.

Conclusion

It is both necessary and possible for the NHS to demonstrate leadership in reducing the carbon footprint of healthcare.We have provided an overview of NHS procurement to empower clinicians to get involved with local and national decision-making. We have demonstrated the potential carbon savings that could be made through careful choice of products. We have also highlighted the risks if clinicians do not engage with green procurement.
Fatigue in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a scoping review on definitions, measurement instruments, determinants, consequences and interventions
Authors: Beckers Esther , Hermans Kasper , Van Tubergen Astrid , Boonen Annelies
Published: August 2023

Objectives

To scope published reviews addressing fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia in areas relevant for clinical practice: (1) definition, (2) measurement instruments and diagnosis, (3) determinants, (4) consequences and (5) effectiveness of interventions.

Methods

A systematic literature search of reviews was performed in five bibliographical databases. A hierarchical data extraction was applied based on review type (Cochrane reviews (CRs), followed by non-Cochrane systematic reviews (SRs) and narrative reviews (NRs)) and year of publication. Extracted data were summarised in elaborated narrative syntheses. Results were discussed with a patient panel.

Results

One hundred and thirty-four reviews were included (19 CRs, 44 SRs, 71 NRs). No agreed on definition was reported for general fatigue, nor for types of fatigue. Twenty-five measurement instruments were found, all self-reported. Five instruments proposed a threshold for excessive fatigue. Pain, physical function and depressive symptoms were the most frequently studied disease-related determinants of fatigue; female sex and stress the most frequent contextual determinants. Work performance, followed by impact on pain, physical activity and social roles were the most frequently studied consequences. Whenever quantified, associations between fatigue with determinants and consequences were on average small. For non-pharmacological interventions, if effect sizes were reported, these were negligible to small and for pharmacological interventions negligible to moderate. Patients recommended actions for research and practice.

Conclusion

Syntheses of reviews point to the complexity of fatigue. The extensive amount of evidence could be used to offer tailored management plans to patients in clinical practice and inform future research agendas.
For Regenerative Urban Ecologies: Strategies and Synergy of Integrated Community Hubs
Authors: Seah Chee Huang
Published: August 2023

Within the past decade, the Singapore government has completed four integrated community hubs around the island. These nodal developments leverage their urban context and programmatic offerings in a bid to generate a sustainable hub ecology for the city. A manifestation of the whole-of-government, and now whole-of-society approach, these large-scale communal architecture play a significant role in rejuvenating the heartlands, advocating citizen engagement and advancing civil society. The vision behind this emergent typology is in the creation of synergistic and generative environments. This paper seeks to investigate the potential of this shared urban model of integrated communal architecture as testbed for better-than-sustainable concepts, to advance policy agendas and support wider collaboration to establish and achieve district-based targets in regenerative outcomes. Using Our Tampines Hub and Bukit Canberra as case studies, the paper looks at the complexities of synergistic operations, and analyses specific design strategies and the participatory approach to support an urban-social-natural regeneration framework. It examines not only economic value in land and space optimization, but new synergies produced for circular mind-shift, closed-loop environmental outcomes and social impetus.
Fast Parallel Algorithms for Enumeration of Simple, Temporal, and Hop-constrained Cycles
Authors: Blanuša Jovan , Atasu Kubilay , Ienne Paolo
Published: August 2023

Cycles are one of the fundamental subgraph patterns and being able to enumerate them in graphs enables important applications in a wide variety of fields, including finance, biology, chemistry, and network science. However, to enable cycle enumeration in real-world applications, efficient parallel algorithms are required. In this work, we propose scalable parallelisation of state-of-the-art sequential algorithms for enumerating simple, temporal, and hop-constrained cycles. First, we focus on the simple cycle enumeration problem and parallelise the algorithms by Johnson and by Read and Tarjan in a fine-grained manner. We theoretically show that our resulting fine-grained parallel algorithms are scalable, with the fine-grained parallel Read-Tarjan algorithm being strongly scalable. In contrast, we show that straightforward coarse-grained parallel versions of these simple cycle enumeration algorithms that exploit edge- or vertex-level parallelism are not scalable. Next, we adapt our fine-grained approach to enable the enumeration of cycles under time-window, temporal, and hop constraints. Our evaluation on a cluster with 256 CPU cores that can execute up to 1,024 simultaneous threads demonstrates a near-linear scalability of our fine-grained parallel algorithms when enumerating cycles under the aforementioned constraints. On the same cluster, our fine-grained parallel algorithms achieve, on average, one order of magnitude speedup compared to the respective coarse-grained parallel versions of the state-of-the-art algorithms for cycle enumeration. The performance gap between the fine-grained and the coarse-grained parallel algorithms increases as we use more CPU cores.
Unpacking Human and AI Complementarity: Insights from Recent Works
Authors: Ren Yuqing , Deng Xuefei (Nancy) , Joshi K.D.
Published: August 2023

In this editorial, we draw insights from recent empirical studies to answer some key questions related to human and AI complementarity. There is consensus regarding the strengths of machine intelligence in performing structured and codifiable tasks and complementing two human limitations: lack of consistency and inability to unlearn conventional wisdom. To work effectively with AI, humans need to possess not only AI skills but also domain expertise, job skills, and metaknowledge to accurately assess human capabilities and AI capabilities. We identify several future directions in understanding the effects of human expertise and experiences on algorithmic appreciation, the mutual learning and adaptions between humans and AI, and the boundary conditions of effective human and AI complementarity.
A Design Theory for Certification Presentations
Authors: Lins Sebastian , Becker Jan-Michael , Lyytinen Kalle , Sunyaev Ali
Published: August 2023

Prior information system research remains inconsistent of the effects of system certifications. In their current use, certifications are often reduced to graphical seals. This approach fails to incorporate detailed assurance information emanating from the certification process. To address this gap, we adopt a design science approach and deploy a four-phase research design to clarify how to design impactful IS certification presentations. First, we identify sources of users' limited understanding of seals and formulate a design proposal for a certification presentation by drawing upon the elaboration likelihood model. In the second phase, we formulate and validate a set of design meta-requirements and guidelines to improve certification presentation, using cognitive load theory and Toulmin's model of argumentation as kernel theories. In the third phase, new certification presentations that comply with the proposed guidelines are developed and evaluated for their effectiveness. We show that presentations that augment seal-based certification presentations with richer assurance information improve certification effectiveness. This increases users' assurance and trust perceptions when the presentations align with the users' cognitive information processing needs in ways that reduce their cognitive load and enhance argument quality of assurance information.
Voice Assistant, Buy Coffee Capsules!: Understanding the Determinants of Consumers' Intention to Use Voice Commerce
Authors: Rzepka Christine , Berger Benedikt , Koslow Anton , Hess Thomas
Published: August 2023

Owing to increasing adoption rates of voice assistants (VAs), integrating voice commerce (VC) as a new consumer channel is among the top objectives of businesses' current voice initiatives. VC offers consumers a new way of shopping by using VAs, which comes with benefits but also entails risks that extant literature only partially examines. Therefore, this research seeks to understand consumers' perceived benefits and risks when using VC by means of a mixed-methods design. In the first study, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with VA users to develop a research model of VC risks and benefits. The second study empirically validated the research model using survey data from 176 participants. According to our results, consumers perceive VC as convenient and enjoyable but also perceive risks regarding the VA's reliability, opacity, and controllability. Thus, we shed light on the determinants of channel choice in e-commerce and provide guidelines for designing VC applications.
Transcription Factor Dynamics: One Molecule at a Time
Authors: Wagh Kaustubh , Stavreva Diana A. , Upadhyaya Arpita , Hager Gordon L.
Published: August 2023

Cells must tightly regulate their gene expression programs and yet rapidly respond to acute biochemical and biophysical cues within their environment. This information is transmitted to the nucleus through various signaling cascades, culminating in the activation or repression of target genes. Transcription factors (TFs) are key mediators of these signals, binding to specific regulatory elements within chromatin. While live-cell imaging has conclusively proven that TF–chromatin interactions are highly dynamic, how such transient interactions can have long-term impacts on developmental trajectories and disease progression is still largely unclear. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the dynamic nature of TF functions, starting with a historical overview of early live-cell experiments. We highlight key factors that govern TF dynamics and how TF dynamics, in turn, affect downstream transcriptional bursting. Finally, we conclude with open challenges and emerging technologies that will further our understanding of transcriptional regulation.
Assessment of the Antivirulence Potential of Tamarix aphylla Ethanolic Extract against Multidrug-Resistant Streptococcus mutans Isolated from Iraqi Patients
Authors: Aljubouri Sahira A. , Alobaidi Khalid H.
Published: August 2023

Halophytes have long been used for medicinal purposes. However, their use was entirely empirical, with no knowledge of the bioactive compounds. The plant Tamarix aphylla L. has not drawn the deserving attention for its phytochemical and bioactive explorations, but available data expressed its needs to be attended for its potential. The Streptococcus mutans SpaP gene (cell-surface antigen) mediates the binding of these bacteria to tooth surfaces. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance triggered the research on alternative antimicrobial approaches. Our study aims to explore the activity of T. aphylla ethanolic extract against the virulence gene found in Streptococcus mutans pathogenic bacteria. Samples that were previously collected and identified in our previous work (in press) were obtained from different dental clinics and hospitals in Baghdad. Three nonbiofilm-forming bacterial isolates having multidrug resistance (MDR) for 10 antibiotics (doxycycline, ofloxacin, tetracycline, erythromycin, vancomycin, clindamycin, rifampicin, imipenem, amikacin, and cefepime) were selected to examine the potential of the T. aphylla ethanolic extract. The ethanolic extract showed high antimicrobial activity against MDR. Minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) for the extract was 17.5 mg/ml, while minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 35 mg/ml. The phytochemical compounds present in the ethanolic extract were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which revealed that the leaves contain thirteen different alkaloids, twelve flavonoids, and four vitamins. The extract strongly inhibited a virulence property, the adherence of S. mutans which reduced during critical growth phases. The one-step RT-PCR method was used to study the SpaP gene expression of bacterial isolates which significantly reduced. In conclusion, extraction of T. aphylla leaves showed an antimicrobial effect against MDR S. mutans. The identified phytochemicals in the T. aphylla extract are reported to be biologically important and need further investigation to develop safe and cheap drugs.
Exploring Coinvestment Partner Selection Strategies Using Exponential Random Graph Models
Authors: Ren Jie
Published: August 2023

State-owned private equity funds in China currently oversee assets worth more than 12 trillion RMB. Due to the uncertainty in the private equity market and the presence of information asymmetry, these state-owned private equity firms frequently engage in coinvestments with other private equity firms. The coinvestment strategy allows them to mitigate risks and exchange valuable information and resources. Which types of partners do state-owned private equity firms typically collaborate with? The existing literature built coinvestment partner selection models based on the traditional regression models and ignored the complexity of the network structure. This research analyzes cooperative relationships using exponential random graph models, considering both structural effects and node attributes. The empirical study of 4645 private equity firms operating in the Chinese private equity market shows that state-owned private equities are more likely to collaborate with foreign private equities and domestic private-owned private equities compared to collaborating with other state-owned private equities. Furthermore, in markets characterized by high marketization indexes, state-owned private equities demonstrate greater inclinations to partner with foreign and domestic private-owned private equities. When state-owned private equities allocate their investments to high-tech industries, their likelihood of collaborating with foreign private equities increases.
Data from Small Molecule Inhibitors of TEAD Auto-palmitoylation Selectively Inhibit Proliferation and Tumor Growth of NF2-deficient Mesothelioma
Authors: Tang Tracy T. , Konradi Andrei W. , Feng Ying , Peng Xiao , Ma Mingyue , Li Jian , Yu Fa-Xing , Guan Kun-Liang , Post Leonard
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Mutations in the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) gene that limit or abrogate expression of functional Merlin are common in malignant mesothelioma. Merlin activates the Hippo pathway to suppress nuclear translocation of YAP and TAZ, the major effectors of the pathway that associate with the TEAD transcription factors in the nucleus and promote expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and survival. In this article, we describe the discovery of compounds that selectively inhibit YAP/TAZ-TEAD promoted gene transcription, block TEAD auto-palmitoylation, and disrupt interaction between YAP/TAZ and TEAD. Optimization led to potent analogs with excellent oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics that selectively inhibit NF2-deficient mesothelioma cell proliferation in vitro and growth of subcutaneous tumor xenografts in vivo. These highly potent and selective TEAD inhibitors provide a way to target the Hippo-YAP pathway, which thus far has been undruggable and is dysregulated frequently in malignant mesothelioma and in other YAP-driven cancers and diseases.

Watch the interview with Tracy T. Tang, PhD, recipient of the 2023 Molecular Cancer Therapeutics Award for Outstanding Journal Article: https://vimeo.com/847434464
Data from Immunogenetic Metabolomics Reveals Key Enzymes That Modulate CAR T-cell Metabolism and Function
Authors: Renauer Paul , Park Jonathan J. , Bai Meizhu , Acosta Arianny , Lee Won-Ho , Lin Guang Han , Zhang Yueqi , Dai Xiaoyun , Wang Guangchuan , Errami Youssef , Wu Terence , Clark Paul , Ye Lupeng , Yang Quanjun , Chen Sidi
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Immune evasion is a critical step of cancer progression that remains a major obstacle for current T cell–based immunotherapies. Hence, we investigated whether it is possible to genetically reprogram T cells to exploit a common tumor-intrinsic evasion mechanism whereby cancer cells suppress T-cell function by generating a metabolically unfavorable tumor microenvironment (TME). In an in silico screen, we identified ADA and PDK1 as metabolic regulators. We then showed that overexpression (OE) of these genes enhanced the cytolysis of CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells against cognate leukemia cells, and conversely, ADA or PDK1 deficiency dampened this effect. ADA-OE in CAR T cells improved cancer cytolysis under high concentrations of adenosine, the ADA substrate, and an immunosuppressive metabolite in the TME. High-throughput transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis of these CAR T cells revealed alterations of global gene expression and metabolic signatures in both ADA- and PDK1-engineered CAR T cells. Functional and immunologic analyses demonstrated that ADA-OE increased proliferation and decreased exhaustion in CD19-specific and HER2-specific CAR T cells. ADA-OE improved tumor infiltration and clearance by HER2-specific CAR T cells in an in vivo colorectal cancer model. Collectively, these data unveil systematic knowledge of metabolic reprogramming directly in CAR T cells and reveal potential targets for improving CAR T-cell therapy.
Chryseobacterium indologenes Peritonitis in a Peritoneal Dialysis Patient: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Miyakawa Akira , Fujii Kentaro , Kato Ai , Sugi Wataru , Yoshifuji Ayumi , Komatsu Motoaki , Ryuzaki Munekazu
Published: August 2023

Peritonitis is one of the most important complications in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Appropriate antibiotic treatment against PD-associated peritonitis is necessary to prevent PD catheter removal and withdrawal from PD. Chryseobacterium indologenes is a Gram-negative rod that occurs in the natural environment. C. indologenes is thought to acquire resistance to β-lactam drugs through the production of metallo-β-lactamase and to become resistant to antibiotic therapy through the formation of biofilms. Only a few cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes have been reported to date, and appropriate treatment strategies have not been clarified. In the past, 5 cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes have been reported and 2 patients required catheter removal because of recurrence or refractoriness. In this case, a 51-year-old man with PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes was treated with 2 susceptible antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones to prevent acquired resistance and biofilm formation. There was no recurrence, and catheter removal was not necessary in this case. Collectively, the present case highlighted that PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes should be treated with 2 susceptible antibiotics including fluoroquinolones for 3 weeks.
Further Evidence for RFWD3 Gene Causing Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group W: Detailed Clinical Report of the Second Case in the Literature
Authors: Kocagil Sinem , Şafak İkbal Nur , Saraç Elif , Aydın Can , Artan Sevilhan , Kırel Birgül
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Fanconi anemia (FA) is a heterogeneous genetic disorder that is characterized by progressive bone marrow failure, congenital malformations, predisposition to malignancy, and short stature. The RFWD3 gene was recently associated with FA complementation group W, and only 1 patient is reported in the literature so far. Case Presentation: Here, we report the second patient, a 10-year-old male, who has failure to thrive, central nervous system abnormalities, bilateral radial ray defects, urogenital anomalies, facial dysmorphism, and thrombocytopenia. The patient was suspected to have FA according to the aforementioned findings, and the homozygous c.1501C>T variant in the RFWD3 gene was detected by whole-exome sequencing. The diepoxybutane test and mitomycin C-induced peripheral blood cultures revealed 0.46 and 0.90 chromosomal breaks, respectively. Conclusion: In this article, clinical findings of the second patient with FA complementation group W are discussed in detail, aiming to expand the clinical and molecular spectrums of the disease.
Self-balancing robot: modeling and comparative analysis between PID and linear quadratic regulator
Authors: Lau Lu Bin , Ahmad Nur Syazreen , Goh Patrick
Published: August 2023

A two-wheeled self-balancing robot (TWSBR) is an underactuated system that is inherently nonlinear and unstable. While many control methods have been introduced to enhance the performance, there is no unique solution when it comes to hardware implementation as the robot’s stability is highly dependent on accuracy of sensors and robustness of the electronic control systems. In this study, a TWSBR that is controlled by an embedded NI myRIO-1900 board with LabVIEW-based control scheme is developed. We compare the performance between proportional-integral-derivative (PID) and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) schemes which are designed based on the TWSBR’s model that is constructed from Newtonian principles. A hybrid PID-LQR scheme is then proposed to compensate for the individual components’ limitations. Experimental results demonstrate the PID is more effective at regulating the tilt angle of the robot in the presence of external disturbances, but it necessitates a higher velocity to sustain its equilibrium. The LQR on the other hand outperforms PID in terms of maximum initial tilt angle. By combining both schemes, significant improvements can be observed, such as an increase in maximum initial tilt angle and a reduction in settling time.
Vehicle detection and classification using three variations of you only look once algorithm
Authors: Mohammed Gehad Saleh Ahmed , Mat Diah Norizan , Ibrahim Zaidah , Jamil Nursuriati
Published: August 2023

Vehicle detection and classification are essential for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and even traffic camera surveillance. Yet, it is challenging due to complex backgrounds, varying illumination intensities, occlusions, vehicle size, and type variations. This paper aims to apply you only look once (YOLO) since it has been proven to produce high object detection and classification accuracy. There are various versions of YOLO, and their performances differ. An investigation on the detection and classification performance of YOLOv3, YOLOv4, and YOLOv5 has been conducted. The training images were from common objects in context (COCO) and open image, two publicly available datasets. The testing input images were captured on a few highways in two main cities in Malaysia, namely Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur. These images were captured using a mobile phone camera with different backgrounds during the day and night, representing different illuminations and varying types and sizes of vehicles. The accuracy and speed of detecting and classifying cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and bicycles have been evaluated. The experimental results show that YOLOv5 detects vehicles more accurately but slower than its predecessors, namely YOLOv4 and YOLOv3. Future work includes experimenting with newer versions of YOLO.
The human brain connectome weighted by the myelin content and total intra-axonal cross-sectional area of white matter tracts
Authors: Nelson Mark C. , Royer Jessica , Lu Wen Da , Leppert Ilana R. , Campbell Jennifer S. W. , Schiavi Simona , Jin Hyerang , Tavakol Shahin , Vos de Wael Reinder , Rodriguez-Cruces Raul , Pike G. Bruce , Bernhardt Boris C. , Daducci Alessandro , Misic Bratislav , Tardif Christine L.
Published: August 2023

A central goal in neuroscience is the development of a comprehensive mapping between structural and functional brain features, which facilitates mechanistic interpretation of brain function. However, the interpretability of structure-function brain models remains limited by a lack of biological detail. Here, we characterize human structural brain networks weighted by multiple white matter microstructural features including total intra-axonal cross-sectional area and myelin content. We report edge-weight-dependent spatial distributions, variance, small-worldness, rich club, hubs, as well as relationships with function, edge length, and myelin. Contrasting networks weighted by the total intra-axonal cross-sectional area and myelin content of white matter tracts, we find opposite relationships with functional connectivity, an edge-length-independent inverse relationship with each other, and the lack of a canonical rich club in myelin-weighted networks. When controlling for edge length, networks weighted by either fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, or neurite density show no relationship with whole-brain functional connectivity. We conclude that the co-utilization of structural networks weighted by total intra-axonal cross-sectional area and myelin content could improve our understanding of the mechanisms mediating the structure-function brain relationship.
Localizing Syntactic Composition with Left-Corner Recurrent Neural Network Grammars
Authors: Sugimoto Yushi , Yoshida Ryo , Jeong Hyeonjeong , Koizumi Masatoshi , Brennan Jonathan R. , Oseki Yohei
Published: August 2023

In computational neurolinguistics, it has been demonstrated that hierarchical models such as recurrent neural network grammars (RNNGs), which jointly generate word sequences and their syntactic structures via the syntactic composition, better explained human brain activity than sequential models such as long short-term memory networks (LSTMs). However, the vanilla RNNG has employed the top-down parsing strategy, which has been pointed out in the psycholinguistics literature as suboptimal especially for head-final/left-branching languages, and alternatively the left-corner parsing strategy has been proposed as the psychologically plausible parsing strategy. In this article, building on this line of inquiry, we investigate not only whether hierarchical models like RNNGs better explain human brain activity than sequential models like LSTMs, but also which parsing strategy is more neurobiologically plausible, by developing a novel fMRI corpus where participants read newspaper articles in a head-final/left-branching language, namely Japanese, through the naturalistic fMRI experiment. The results revealed that left-corner RNNGs outperformed both LSTMs and top-down RNNGs in the left inferior frontal and temporal-parietal regions, suggesting that there are certain brain regions that localize the syntactic composition with the left-corner parsing strategy.
A Corpus of Illuminated Qurʾāns from Coastal East Africa
Authors: Hirji Zulfikar
Published: August 2023

This article examines a little-known corpus of illuminated Qurʾān manuscripts that were produced between ca. 1750–ca. 1850 in the Swahili city-states of Pate, Siyu, and Faza on Pate Island in the Lamu archipelago (Kenya). Now dispersed in collections in Kenya, Tanzania, Oman, the UK, and the USA, the manuscripts have many distinctive features: decorative frontispieces, sūra titles, basmalas, and division and prostration markers; locally developed Arabic script styles; colophons containing names of copyists and completion dates; endowment dedications; northern Italian-made paper; and, blind-stamped, leather covers. The list of known manuscripts presented in the appendix is aimed at encouraging the identification, digitization, and study of other manuscripts in the corpus. The study of their content, materiality, and contexts of production can advance scholarship on the histories of Islamic manuscript production in coastal East Africa and provide comparative material for manuscript studies in other regions of Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Revision of Neotrichobia Tuttle & Baker (Acari, Tetranychidae) with ontogenetic development and redescription of N. arizonensis
Authors: HE HU-DIE , YI TIAN-CI , JIN DAO-CHAO , OCHOA RONALD
Published: August 2023

The genus Neotrichobia Tuttle & Baker is redescribed with a revised diagnosis. The type species Neotrichobia arizonensis Tuttle & Baker, 1968 is redescribed based on larvae, protonymphs, deutonymphs and adults including the paratype male and deutonymph.
Redescription of three species of Aponychus from China with ontogenetic development and morphological variations of A. corpuzae (Acariformes: Tetranychidae)
Authors: PAN XIAO-JUAN , JIN DAO-CHAO , YI TIAN-CI
Published: August 2023

Ontogenetic development of leg chaetotaxy, stylophore and striae of the dorsal integument, and variations of leg setal counts and length of idiosomal setae in Aponychus corpuzae are discussed. The following changes were observed during the ontogenetic development of A. corpuzae: the depth of the depression in stylophore increases; the dorsal striae gradually reduce in number and prominence; the length of dorsal setae sc1, c1–2, d1–2 and e1 reduce in size; adult dorsal setae much thicker than those of immature stages. There are a significant number of setae suppressed in A. corpuzae, often resulting in unique patterns and sexual dimorphism. The adult males and females of Aponychus firmianae and A. taishanicus from mainland China are redecribed, and a key to all Aponychus from mainland China is provided.
Clinical Profiles of Children and Adolescents With Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO) and Exercise Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO)
Authors: Fujiki Robert Brinton , Olson-Greb Bryn , Thibeault Susan L.
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

To compare clinical profiles of pediatric patients with Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO), Exercise Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO), and EILO with non-exertion related secondary triggers (EILO+).

Methods:

A retrospective observational cohort design was employed. Four-hundred and twenty-three patients <18 years of age were identified from the electronic medical record of a large children’s hospital. All patients underwent evaluations with a laryngologist and speech-language pathologist and were diagnosed with EILO/ILO. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on dyspnea triggers reported in initial evaluations. Groups consisted of patients with EILO (N = 281), ILO (N = 30), and EILO+ (N = 112). Patient demographics, EILO/ILO symptoms, endoscopy findings, medical comorbidities, medical history, and EILO/ILO treatment information were extracted and compared across EILO/ILO subtypes.

Results:

Patients with EILO experienced higher rates of hyperventilation ( P < .001), sore throat ( P = .023), and chest pain ( P = .003). Patients with ILO were significantly younger in age ( P = .017) and presented with increased rates of nighttime symptoms ( P < .001), globus sensation ( P = .008), self-reported reflux symptoms ( P = .023), and history of gastrointestinal conditions ( P = .034). Patients with EILO+ were more likely to be female ( P = .037) and presented with higher prevalence of anxiety ( P = .003), ADHD ( P = .004), chest tightness ( P = .030), and cough ( P < .001).

Conclusions:

Patients with EILO, ILO, and EILO+ present with overlapping but unique clinical profiles. A prospective study is warranted to determine the etiology of these differences and clarify how the efficacy of EILO, ILO, and EILO+ treatment can be maximized.

Level of Evidence:

4
Innovation and Competency Development in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Gill Monique , Hunt Anne , Duncan Andrea
Published: August 2023

Background: Occupational therapy clinical education was disrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This introduced both challenges and opportunities in clinical fieldwork education and created a naturalistic opportunity to study the innovations that occurred. Purpose: To identify and describe fieldwork education innovations that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and understand how these clinical learning contexts impacted competency development in occupational therapy learners. Method: A qualitative multi-case study methodology was used. The participants ( N = 28) were occupational therapy learners and preceptors who self-identified as having participated in an innovative fieldwork placement during the pandemic either as a preceptor or learner. Data were collected via in-depth interviews and analyzed to identify cases of innovation. Within and across case analyses were conducted to describe innovations and competencies addressed. Findings: Three cases of fieldwork innovations were identified: (a) Virtual Care; (b) Intrapreneurship; and (c) Administration. The commonly addressed competency domains across the cases were OT Expertise, Excellence in Practice, and Communication and Collaboration. The competency domain, culture, equity, and justice, was only addressed in the virtual care case. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that innovative fieldwork placements can support competency development in occupational therapy; however, this development is complex and contextually based.
People Perception Towards e-Services in Hilly Area: A Case Study of e-Districts in Himachal Pradesh
Authors: Sharma Sapna K. , Sharma Babita
Published: August 2023

India is the largest democracy in the world. The revolution of the Internet has brought a new agenda for the government. With the help of information and communication technology, it is possible that we can provide facilities to people sitting away without much physical effort. E-services have been operating for better efficiency and transparency proving to be digital innovation for the hilly areas. This study makes an effort to understand the citizens’ perception to welcome e-district practices in online service delivery. It is based on the field survey of 30 Common Service Centres of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. The results of this study show that Common Service Centres practice are a popular medium in service delivery in rural and hilly areas, but there is still a lack of proper infrastructure and Internet connectivity. The study finds that eliminating the digital divide in the system is necessary in a developing nation like India to implement e-governance services properly.
Drifting Home: The Quests of Chinese Tourist-Migrants in Tibet
Authors: Zhang Jinfu
Published: August 2023

There are heated discussions in tourism studies literature regarding the definition of “home.” This longitudinal ethnography of Chinese tourist-migrants in Tibet finds home to be an ongoing introspective building over time rather than a static state, and it contends that the concept of “home” and “away” should be conceived as different stages and forms in individual life quests for home. Challenging conventional perceptions of home and tourism, the article offers theoretical insights for studies of mobile populations and conceptualizations of home and away based on the author’s non-consecutive fieldwork in Tibet of more than 16 months during a 16-year period. This research also contributes to the field of home studies in tourism mobilities and provides fresh insights into mobility in China’s current society. The search for home suggests new metaphors for understanding the modern urban life and the current mobile society.
Happiness Scholarship and Redistributive Preferences
Authors: Rauf Tamkinat , Freese Jeremy
Published: August 2023

Despite a steep rise in income inequality over the past five decades, Americans’ preferences for redistribution have remained stagnant. Previous research suggests that redistributive preferences are rooted in stable institutional and cultural contexts but can change with exposure to information. We investigate the role of understandings of the link between income and psychological well-being in shaping policy preferences. Further, we consider whether effects differ if similar information is framed in terms of disadvantages for the poor versus advantages for the affluent. In a large, preregistered online experiment (N = 2,751), we examined the effects of three common themes in scholarship on happiness and well-being: Money Prevents Unhappiness, Money Provides Happiness, and Money Doesn’t Matter. Results show that learning that Money Prevents Unhappiness (versus the other two themes) increased egalitarian preferences. Effects were moderated by political ideology, income, and subjective social class but not by race. We discuss the implications of these findings in light of the current cultural discourse about happiness, which often privileges non-income causes and positive emotions.
“I hate all the children, especially mine”: Applying relational dialectics theory to examine the experiences of formerly childfree regretful parents
Authors: Hintz Elizabeth A. , Scharp Kristina M.
Published: August 2023

Guided by relational dialectics theory (RDT), we analyzed 85 first-person testimonials of parental regret written by users of the /r/childfree subreddit. We interrogated how competing discourses animate what it means to be a parent (our semantic object). Contrapuntal analysis revealed dominant and marginalized Discourses of Parenting as Heaven (DPHN) and Parenting as Hell on Earth (DPHL), respectively, as well as a third Discourse of Parenting as (the Only) Choice (DPOC). We identified three kinds of dialogically contractive practices including a new form we call fear of missing out (FOMO), two forms of diachronic separation, four forms of synchronic interplay including a new form we introduce (i.e., allying) that is useful when more than two discourses compete, and one form of dialogic transformation. We argue that FOMO serves as a catalyst for diachronic separation. We offer practical implications for fencesitters (those “on the fence” about having children), counselors, and policymakers.
International consensus on occupational therapy interventions for people with palliative care needs: A European Association for Palliative Care Group Concept Mapping study
Authors: Wæhrens Eva Ejlersen , Morgan Deidre D , la Cour Karen , Lyons Kathleen Doyle , Lozano Mario Lozano , De Carlo Marysia MR Prado , Rezende Gabriela , Pilegaard Marc Sampedro
Published: August 2023

Background:

While evidence shows that occupational therapists can play a key role in the care of people with palliative care needs, more knowledge about effective occupational therapy interventions for this group is needed.

Aim:

To identify, organise and prioritise intervention components considered to be effective within occupational therapy for people with palliative care needs from the perspective of occupational therapy clinicians, managers and researchers.

Design:

Group Concept Mapping utilising a mixed methods participatory approach. Using a focus prompt, participants brainstormed, sorted, labelled and rated generated statements about effective occupational therapy intervention components. Multidimensional scaling analysis and cluster analysis were conducted.

Setting/Participants:

Snowball recruitment was used to recruit participants. Participants included occupational therapists worldwide who were able to read and write in English and were working as clinicians, managers and/or researchers with occupational therapy interventions for people with palliative care needs.

Results:

Seventy-two occupational therapists from 15 countries participated in the study representing Asia ( n = 3, 20%), Europe ( n = 8, 53%), Oceania ( n = 2, 13%) and North America ( n = 2, 13%). A total of 117 statements were identified and organised into five clusters: (1) being client-centred, (2) promoting occupational engagement to optimise quality of life, (3) involving the social and relational environment, (4) enabling occupations and (5) facilitating occupational adaptation.

Conclusions:

Five clusters of core occupational therapy intervention components were considered to be effective when supporting people with palliative care needs. Research should use this knowledge to inform future occupational therapy interventions for this group of people.
The Ottoman International System: Power Projection, Interconnectedness, and the Autonomy of Frontier Polities
Authors: Balci Ali , Kardaş Tuncay
Published: August 2023

This article posits that the Ottoman international system was built on three pillars: power projection, interconnectedness, and autonomy of frontier polities. While its military power projection dwarfed its great power rivals, cultural and organizational capacities of the Ottoman Empire extended its influence to areas out of its military reach. Occupying a central position in trade, pilgrimage, and diplomacy during the early modern period, the Ottoman Empire fostered connections throughout the wider Afro-Eurasian world. The flexible and almost independent status of the peripheral polities not only increased the survival capacity of the empire but also played a central role in the functioning of the Ottoman international system. Rather than presenting either a material or ideational perspective, the present study adopts a via-media approach, integrating both perspectives to elucidate the Ottoman international system, which persisted for nearly three centuries from the early 16th century to the late 18th century. Analyzing such a broad historical phenomenon, this article aims to enrich and contribute to the increasingly popularized historical and non-Western IR subfields. Additionally, it holds potential to deepen our comprehension of heterogeneous international systems and their modus operandi.

Le système international ottoman : Projection de puissance, interconnexion et autonomie des territoires frontaliers
Strategies used by people with systemic sclerosis to perform valued occupations
Authors: Poole Janet L , Baldonado Monica , Powell Aubrie , Hukill Virginia Stofer
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

This study explored the strategies used by people with systemic sclerosis to perform valued obligatory (self-care), committed (home management, care of others, productivity), and discretionary (leisure and socialization) activities.

Method:

This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 92 people with systemic sclerosis who completed the Valued Life Activities Scale (VLA). The VLA categorizes activities into three main domains: obligatory, committed, and discretionary. Participants indicated the type of adaptive strategy used for each activity (assistive devices, personal assistance, limited frequency, and taking more time). Participants also completed a demographic questionnaire and measures of pain, fatigue, depression, and daily activity performance. Frequency counts were calculated for strategies used for each activity. One-way analyses of variance compared the mean use of strategies across the three domains (obligatory, committed, and discretionary). Pearson correlation coefficients calculated relationships between strategy use and pain, fatigue, depression, and daily activity performance.

Results:

Significantly, more strategies were used for committed activities compared to obligatory activities. Limiting the frequency of performing an activity was used significantly more for committed and discretionary activities than for obligatory activities. The least used strategies were assistive devices and assistance from another person. Fatigue and depression were related to strategy use, whereas pain and daily activity performance were not.

Conclusion:

People with systemic sclerosis use adaptive strategies to perform VLA. However, the strategies, most frequently used, such as taking more time or limiting the frequency of performing some activities, may result in relinquishing other valued activities.
Valuation of Infrastructure Projects: Review of the Real Options Literature
Authors: Marques Naielly Lopes , Sanchez Liliana Dennis Mejia , Brandão Luiz Eduardo Teixeira , Bastian-Pinto Carlos de Lamare
Published: August 2023

Given the infrastructure sector development and the worldwide trend to grant infrastructure projects to private investors, a growing number of articles in the literature have been devoted to the issue of evaluating this class of investments. To consider the risk and irreversibility of infrastructure investments, researchers have resorted to the real options approach (ROA), which captures the value of managerial flexibility under uncertainty. This article analyzes the research focus, trends, and design found in the literature devoted to the ROA in infrastructure concession project valuation. The results are presented in a quantitative form. They provide insights that may be of value to researchers, project developers, and policymakers who intend to plan and evaluate infrastructure concession projects.