bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural immersion, acculturation strategies, and depressive symptoms among first-generation Vietnamese migrants in Germany
Authors: Tuturea Laura Elisabeth , Hahn Eric , Mavituna Selin , Eillinghoff Luisa , Do Thanh Loan , Böge Kerem , Ta Thi Minh Tam
Published: July 2023

Background:

Worldwide migration represents a major challenge of the 21st century. Despite the strong association between acculturation and mental health, research findings on underlining mechanisms remain inconsistent. Prior research urges to investigate sample characteristics in a more structured manner.

Aims:

The purpose of this study was to systematically investigate factors impacting acculturation and depressive symptoms in a large, not exclusively clinical, sample of Vietnamese migrants in Germany.

Method:

This study investigated, with multiple regressions, factors (age at arrival, gender, education, religiousness, language skills, residence status, economic status, occupational status, migration motivation, duration of stay, and depressive symptoms) impacting the two dimensions of acculturation, dominant society immersion (DSI) and ethnic society immersion (ESI), in a not exclusively clinical sample ( n = 582) of first-generation Vietnamese migrants in Germany. Further, this study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms, DSI and ESI with correlations and acculturation strategies with an ANOVA.

Results:

Integration (72.5%) was the most common acculturation strategy, followed by separation (26.8%). In contrast, assimilation (0.5%) and marginalization (0.2%) were very rare acculturation strategies. As predictive factors for DSI lower depressive symptoms scores, male gender, higher education, and better German language skills were found significant. For ESI, less German language skills and older age at arrival were found to be significant. Higher ESI and DSI were correlated to lower depressive symptom scores. Compared to the three other acculturation strategies, integration was linked to the lowest depressive symptoms scores.

Conclusions:

The current study identified crucial factors in the acculturation process, such as depressive symptoms, language skills, education, gender, and age at arrival. Our findings emphasize that immersion into both the dominant and the ethnic culture plays an essential supportive role in the mental health of migrants.
Debunking the Myth of Independence of the NPRC Commissioners in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mwonzora Knowledge
Published: July 2023

Scholars have long been interested in understanding the functions and efficacy of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs) in promoting post-conflict justice and reconciliation, particularly in countries emerging from violent conflict. However, less well understood is how issues of autonomy and independence of commissioners condition the efficacy of TRCs. In joining this debate, I contend that how and why certain people are selected to be commissioners of TRCs has an impact on the legitimacy and success or lack thereof of such bodies. The article unpicks how and why the social status of the commissioners, their level of professionalism, independence and their political leanings (neutrality) impact on the integrity, efficacy and legitimacy of TRCs. Drawing on the Zimbabwean case study, I show how loyalty, past and current allegiance, selection criteria (methods) or appointment and conduct of commissioners shape the efficacy of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC). Such an investigation is relevant in contributing to a deeper understanding of the inner workings and legitimacy of TRCs in Africa and beyond as they seek to promote justice and reconciliation in post-conflict contexts.
The Reflection Room®: Moving from Death-Avoiding to Death-Discussing
Authors: Carter Celina , Giosa Justine , Rizzi Katherine , Oikonen Karen , Stephenson Barry , Holyoke Paul
Published: July 2023

We developed, implemented, and evaluated a participatory arts-based storytelling initiative called the Reflection Room project. Our aim was to investigate if visiting a Reflection Room, (1) creates opportunities for disclosing emotions and processing thoughts, (2) increases comfort discussing dying and death, and (3) supports advance care planning (ACP), conversations. In the pilot phase of the Reflection Room project, a Reflection Room was installed in 25 sites across Canada from 2016–2017. Data collection included reflection cards ( n = 463), and surveys completed by visitors upon exiting a room ( n = 271) and 3 months later ( n = 50). Analysis involved theoretically driven coding, inductive content analysis, and descriptive statistics. We found reflections contained both emotional disclosures and reflective processing. Survey data indicated visiting a Reflection Room increased comfort in thinking and talking about dying and death as well as the likelihood of engaging in ACP. In the future, we will explore the extent to which the project fosters social connections and well-being.
Burnout, Fat Intake, and Body Mass Index in Health Professionals Working in a Public Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Vasquez-Purí Cristabel , Plaza-Ccuno Jhoes Naylin R. , Soriano-Moreno Anderson N. , Calizaya-Milla Yaquelin E. , Saintila Jacksaint
Published: July 2023

Burnout can have a negative influence on dietary intake, promoting unhealthy eating behaviors in health care workers. This study determined the association between burnout, saturated fat intake, and body mass index (BMI) in a group of health care workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 300 health professionals residing in Rioja, Department of San Martin, Peru. Data were collected through an online and face-to-face survey. Burnout was assessed using a scale adapted and validated in the Peruvian population. Additionally, a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess habitual fat intake. Both instruments were validated and adapted to the Peruvian population. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and multivariate logistic regression. Values of P < .05 were considered statistically significant. In the adjusted model, it was found that, for each extra point on intake scale, an average of 1.10 (95% CI, 0.57-1.62, P < .001) points increased burnout scale; these results persisted when compared by gender, 1.17 0.49 1.85, and 1.08 0.16 2.00, respectively female male genders. there no association between bmi ( P > .05). Future programs and interventions should be considered to minimize the effects of burnout on unhealthy food intake in health care workers in Peru to ensure better medical care by health care professionals on behalf of patients.
Depicting European federalists in fiction: Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi in Bernhard Setzwein’s Der böhmische Samurai (2017) and Heinrich Mann in Colm Tóibín’s The Magician (2021)
Authors: Lenehan Fergal
Published: July 2023

This article analyses the representation of Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi in Bernhard Setzwein’s Der böhmische Samurai (2017) and Heinrich Mann in Colm Tóibín’s The Magician (2021). This discussion is situated in a number of wider contexts, including literary European Studies within German and Irish Literary Studies; existing representations of European federalists/Europeanists; the actual European thought of Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi and Heinrich Mann; and the oeuvre of the novelists Bernhard Setzwein and Colm Tóibín. It is argued that the representation of European federalists in recent novels enables us to analyse common attitudes and understandings of Europe and Europeanness in the current environment of Euroscepticism, self-questioning, and self-doubt at the institutional as well as constituent levels. It is also argued that the European federalists Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi and Heinrich Mann are represented as European cosmopolitans: Both are depicted as existing within a wide variety of transnational links, as remaining deeply sceptical of nationalism, especially in its violent form, and as arguing for the extension of the space of the political, beyond the national. Their depiction is, thus, of intellectual figures who laid some of the ideational groundwork for the creation of later European institutions, undertaking this reflective task from the perspective of an idealistic, pacifist and deeply democratic cosmopolitanism.
To Woody Allen’s Rome with Love: Four city profiles
Authors: Zibalas Deividas
Published: July 2023

This article focuses on Woody Allen’s cinematic representation of Rome in To Rome with Love (2012). Rome is undoubtedly one of the most intertextually ‘contaminated’ cityscapes in the world, which means that there are so many pre-existing texts about it, such as paintings, novels, travel guides and films, that our minds are filled with predetermined notions of what the city is like. There are at least two well-established traditions of representing Rome that influence the way the city has been imagined. This article explores where Allen’s film stands within the tradition by focusing on four specific semantic profiles or scripts of the city overlooked by the film’s reviewers.
Enhancing Consumers’ Repurchase Intention in Peer-to-Peer Accommodation Following a Dual Processing Model: A Principal–Agent Perspective
Authors: Wang Xuequn , Huang Songshan (Sam) , Kim Eunjung , Xu Jian
Published: July 2023

In peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation, consumers face high levels of consumption uncertainty from both P2P sites and hosts. Our study applies principal–agent theory to develop a dual processing model in examining how to support consumers’ repurchase intention by reducing consumers’ uncertainty perceptions associated with booking and staying. We selected Airbnb as our context and collected survey data from American consumers. The results show that perceived uncertainty (hosts) has a direct effect on repurchase intention, whereas perceived uncertainty (site) has an indirect effect. Further, perceived utility and trust in the last host can help reduce fears of opportunism (hosts), whereas site quality can alleviate fears of opportunism (site). Our study contributes to the literature by developing a dual-processing model of repurchase intention to clarify how consumers’ repurchase intention can be enhanced. The results can provide important guidelines regarding how to support consumers’ repurchase intention. We also provide suggestions regarding how to deal with additional uncertainties post COVID-19.
Modeling Central Asia’s Choices in Containing COVID-19: A Multivariate Study
Authors: Alfano Vincenzo , Ercolano Salvatore , Pinto Mauro
Published: July 2023

Different countries have adopted different policies in their fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. In this work we aim to model these approaches with respect to the first wave of COVID-19 (from January to October 2020) in the five Central Asian republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). By means of a multivariate approach based on principal component analysis and cluster analysis, we derived three clusters. Each of these represents a different strategy adopted by a group of governments in a given period of the first wave: pre-pandemic, initial reaction, and emergency scenarios. The contribution of these results is two-fold: on the one hand they may help us to understand differences and similarities among Central Asian republics during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak and guide future quantitative or qualitative studies; on the other hand, our findings suggest that, with the exception of Turkmenistan, the different countries adopted very similar strategies and that deaths, more than cases, pushed governments to impose restrictions.
Connectivity-preserving rendezvous in discrete-time multi-agent systems via relative neighborhood proximity graph
Authors: Xie Guangqiang , Zhong Biwei , Xu Haoran , Li Yang , Hu Xianbiao , Wang Chang-Dong
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we focus on the rendezvous problem of discrete-time multi-agent systems. Each agent is equipped with the same sensing, computing, and motion-control capabilities to achieve rendezvous based on the neighbors’ states. First, a convex hull combination algorithm (CHCA) is designed, in which each agent solves a convex problem composed of perceived neighbors in the sensing region and chooses an optimal control strategy to move to the next position with guaranteed connectivity under low-density network topologies. Second, the relative neighborhood graph is incorporated into the CHCA (RNCHCA) as the constraint set to adapt to the high-density network topologies. The convergence and connectivity of the proposed algorithms are proved based on the geometric concept and case analyses. Finally, a large number of simulation results show that under the initially connected topologies with different densities, the RNCHCA can achieve a higher rendezvous speed than that achieved by the traditional circumcenter algorithm, particularly under high-density network topologies.
Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty Combined With Ventilation Tubes Insertion in Children: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Jia Desheng , Chen Yongchao , Wang Xin , Xu Guo , Chen Jing , li Lan , Pan Hongguang , Wu Zebin
Published: July 2023

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) combined with ventilation tube (VT) insertion in pediatric population and to identify the predictive factors for symptom recurrence. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study between August 2018 and February 2022 at Shenzhen Children’s Hospital. The study analyzed the data of pediatric patients who underwent BET + VT insertion, as well as the data of pediatric patients who underwent VT insertion alone. The outcomes were efficacy, safety, and predictive factors of BET combined with VT. Kaplan‒Meier curves were used to examine the failure-free survival rate. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to identify the independent predictors of BET failure. Results: We evaluated the data of 29 pediatric patients (48 ears) who underwent BET with VT insertion (BET + VT group) and the data of 29 pediatric patients (46 ears) who underwent VT insertion alone (VT group). The total effectiveness rates at the first follow-up after VT removal and at 12 months in the BET + VT group were 90.9% and 84.6%, respectively. The decrease in the air-bone gap (ABG) was more significant in the BET + VT group at 12 months (13.7 ± 10.8 vs 6.4 ± 15.3, P < .05). The subgroup analyses did not show any significant difference between the groups in high-risk. For non-high-risk patients, the decrease in the ABG was more significant in the BET + VT group (14.2 ± 10.6 vs 4.3 ± 13.1, P < .05) at 12 months. The multivariate analysis showed that a history of VT insertion was independently associated with a higher rate of recurrence in the BET + VT group (hazard ratio 3.177; 95% CI, 1.027-9.826; P < .05). Conclusions: BET + VT insertion is an effective procedure to decrease the ABG in pediatric patients with eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) who have no risk factors for conventional therapy failure. Treatment of patients with ETDs who have coexisting risk factors remains a challenge that warrants further high-quality prospective research.
Metastatic Prostate Adenocarcinoma Masquerading as Invasive Fungal Sinusitis
Authors: Huynh Stephanie , Strong E. Bradley , Raslan Osama , Ow Randall A.
Published: July 2023

A 58 year old male with a history of prostate adenocarcinoma presented with diplopia, severe headaches, and eye pain, consistent with sinusitis. Imaging was concerning for invasive fungal sinusitis (IFS) and an urgent ENT consultation was requested. Endoscopic sinus surgery was performed revealing metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma to the sinuses and anterior cranial fossa. The distinctive imaging features in this case are very useful when considering the divergent management options of IFS and metastatic sinus disease. These entities are likely to be encountered more frequently as immunomodulating therapies expand and prostate cancer continues to be a leading cause of death in males.
Amyloid Deposition in the Upper Aerodigestive Tract, A Single Institute Experience
Authors: Hou Tieying , Abu-Salah Asma , Cummings Oscar W. , Halum Stacey , Mesa Hector , Zhang Dongwei
Published: July 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical information, laboratory results, and pathologic findings of patients with amyloidosis involving larynx, oral cavity, and pharynx from our institute. Methods: A total of 39 specimens from 28 patients were retrieved from 2000 to 2020. Data collection included clinical presentation, radiographic, laboratory results, and pathologic findings. Results: A total of 12 patients had laryngeal amyloidosis and true vocal cord was the most common location. Protein electrophoresis detected monoclonal protein in 10% (1/10) of patients tested. Two patients had hematopoietic disorder (2/12, 17%) and another patient had a peptide profile consistent with amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) detected by mass spectrometry. Twelve patients showed amyloidosis in the oral cavity with 75% involving the tongue. Monoclonal protein was found in 89% of cases tested. Nine patients (9/12, 75%) had systematic involvement including 6 with hematopoietic malignancy and 3 with biopsy-confirmed systemic light chain amyloidosis. Compared to the laryngeal amyloidosis, amyloid deposition in oral cavity had a significant higher association with systematic disease ( P < .01). Pharyngeal amyloidosis was seen in 7 patients. Three of 6 patients tested (3/6, 50%) were found to have biopsy-confirmed hematopoietic malignancy. Conclusions: Laryngeal amyloidosis is mostly a localized disease. Amyloidosis involving oral cavity is associated with significantly higher risk of systematic involvement which warrants a comprehensive laboratory, radiographic, and pathologic workup. There is limited data about pharynx amyloidosis. Oropharynx and hypopharynx amyloidosis appear to be more likely associated with underlying hematologic malignancy compared to nasopharynx involvement.
What Has COVID-19 Taught Us: Advancing Chinese International Student-Related Research, Policies, and Practices Through Critical Race Perspectives
Authors: Yu Jing
Published: July 2023

As the largest international student group in U.S. higher education, Chinese international students have been made particularly vulnerable due to the resurgence of anti-Asian racism and U.S.-China geopolitical tensions. There is therefore a pressing need to make sense of Chinese international students’ perspectives and experiences around U.S. higher education—and in doing so, to highlight the ever-present educational inequalities rooted in academic capitalism, global unevenness, and institutional racism. This article builds on the results of a critical qualitative research project investigating Chinese international students’ agency, decision-making, and perceptions of race, racism, and power. It aims to unveil global hierarchies and racial inequalities in the field of international education in order to help advance future research and open new paths to practice. Greater critical reflexivity can help enhance the higher education institution’s understanding of and engagement with Chinese international students in today’s highly interconnected but politically polarized society.
The Pedagogy of Gear Touchers: Unearthing Modes of Teaching Within and Through DIY Venues
Authors: Woods Peter J.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Within the body of literature on do-it-yourself (DIY) music scenes, researchers have routinely placed an emphasis on the role of material space in shaping the sociocultural and musical practices of punk music and other related genres. Scholars have also examined the teaching and learning processes of these musical subcultures under the banner of “punk pedagogy” scholarship. However, investigations into the intersection between these two strands of research need to occur because theories of punk pedagogy have largely overlooked the role of physical space within the educative practices of DIY music. Research into the thematically related space of the maker movement amplifies this need, because maker education scholars have repeatedly shown the multiple ways that materials and space shape how individuals learn through DIY production.

Research Questions:

I use this paper to attend to the following questions: How do DIY music venues shape the pedagogical practices of DIY music scenes? And in what ways do those pedagogies align with the ideological and ethical aims of these communities? By focusing on learning within DIY venues, I consider multiple forms of musical production outside of the context of a specific genre (i.e., punk). This study therefore provides insight into the mechanisms through which individuals learn and how those mechanisms relate to the physical affordances of these spaces.

Research Design:

To address these questions, I conducted a year-long comparative case study into two intertwined music series centered on noise music (an experimental subgenre within DIY music’s broad umbrella) and located in two separate DIY venues. Although each of the 13 events in this series included both a workshop and a concert, I focus my analysis on the concert portion of the series to explore a common site of interaction within DIY scenes. Through open and iterative qualitative analyses of field notes generated from observations of concerts in the series and interviews with featured artists and audience members, I provide a nuanced understanding of learning within DIY music venues and the role that both material space and technologies play in shaping that process.

Conclusions:

Drawing on this analysis, I contend that the stageless design of DIY venues provides a physical affordance that allows “gear toucher conversations” to occur. These conversations involve audience members engaging performers in discussions about the music technologies they use mere seconds after they finish performing, thus linking this pedagogical moment to the material attributes of the venue. However, these conversations reinscribe masculine notions of technology and undermine DIY music’s egalitarian politics, a finding that mirrors critical research into maker education. This work therefore calls on both researchers and practitioners to contend with the pedagogies of place and the educative processes that emerge out of situated technologies to further the liberatory praxes that DIY production can produce.
Civic science education for youth-driven water security: A behavioral development approach to strengthening climate resilience
Authors: Trott Carlie D. , Weinberg Andrea E. , Frame Susan M. , Jean-Pierre Peterson , Even Trevor L.
Published: July 2023

Haiti is among the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world, and Haitian youth face disproportionate risks to their health and well-being. Yet, to date, few studies have partnered with young people to position them as agents of change addressing climate change impacts in their communities, particularly in Global South contexts. As a step toward addressing this important gap, the present study used in-depth interviews ( N  = 6) to explore the multi-faceted behavioral developmental impacts on Haitian students (ages 20–30 years) who took part in a participatory environmental education program focused on access to clean water in Jacmel, a coastal city in Southern Haiti. The program combined hydrology and ecosystem education with youth-led water quality testing, community surveys, and data mapping—enabling students to collect, analyze, and visualize locally-meaningful data with real-world significance. Thematic analysis (TA) of post-program interviews conducted with program staff ( n = 2) and students ( n = 4) resulted in three major themes describing program-based developmental impacts equipping youth to address climate-driven threats in their community: (1) learning and skills development: Youth gained a deeper knowledge of hydrological and ecological systems, as well as research, digital, and technology skills; (2) health and environmental behaviors: Youth were experiencing and advocating behavioral shifts associated with preventing waterborne illnesses and protecting local ecosystems; and (3) civic engagement: Youth were developing a critical mindset regarding power relations and social change and were simultaneously motivated to disseminate local data to raise community awareness and engage with local authorities to improve environmental conditions. Findings shed light on the transformative potential of environmental and civic science education to engage young people as key actors in building adaptive capacity and reducing climate vulnerability. Implications for developmental science are discussed.
“Look at them… wasting that good, White skin”: Exploring messages of White privilege in Black Americans’ family discourse
Authors: Nelson Leslie R. , Fitzgerald Samantha , Hutchins Darvelle
Published: July 2023

Grounded in social constructionism, the present study explored messages Black adults received about White folx and White privilege from family members in childhood and beyond. We conducted retrospective interviews with 19 self-identifying Black adults. Four primary themes emerged from participants’ accounts: (1) Black folx must work harder than White folx, (2) Black folx must be respectful to White folx, (3) Black folx must be cautious when dating or associating with White folx, and (4) Black folx will not get away with as much as White folx. Findings demonstrate how Black adults make sense of their racial identity via family messaging about White folx and White privilege. The current study offers unique theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, findings illuminate the connection between social constructionism and racial socialization in Black families. Practically, findings reveal ways professionals can increase awareness and understanding of Black folx’ experiences of racial identity development in family contexts. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.
Postpartum psychosis: A proposed treatment algorithm
Authors: Jairaj Chaitra , Seneviratne Gertrude , Bergink Veerle , Sommer Iris E , Dazzan Paola
Published: July 2023

Background:

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a psychiatric emergency that generally warrants acute inpatient care. PPP is marked by the sudden onset of affective and psychotic symptoms with a rapid deterioration in mental state. Evidence suggests that PPP is a discrete disorder on the bipolar disorder spectrum with a distinct treatment profile and prognosis.

Methods:

We conducted a PubMed database search for various terms involving PPP and its treatment and included peer-reviewed articles published in English.

Objective:

To provide a treatment algorithm for the management of PPP based on available evidence.

Results:

Pharmacological therapy is the mainstay of PPP management in the acute phase. Evidence points to a combination of antipsychotics and lithium in the acute treatment of PPP. Electroconvulsive therapy can offer a rapid treatment response where required. Lithium appears to have the best evidence for relapse prevention and prophylaxis in PPP. Psychoeducation is essential and psychosocial interventions used in bipolar disorder may be effective in PPP.

Conclusion:

Early detection and prompt treatment with antipsychotics and lithium, followed by maintenance treatment with lithium, is associated with a favourable prognosis in PPP.
Associations between regular cannabis use and brain resting-state functional connectivity in adolescents and adults
Authors: Ertl Natalie , Lawn Will , Mokrysz Claire , Freeman Tom P , Alnagger Naji , Borissova Anna , Fernandez-Vinson Natalia , Lees Rachel , Ofori Shelan , Petrilli Kat , Trinci Katie , Viding Essi , Curran H Valerie , Wall Matthew B
Published: July 2023

Background/aim:

Cannabis use is highly prevalent in adolescents; however, little is known about its effects on adolescent brain function.

Method:

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used in matched groups of regular cannabis users ( N = 70, 35 adolescents: 16–17 years old, 35 adults: 26–29 years old) and non-regular-using controls ( N = 70, 35 adolescents/35 adults). Pre-registered analyses examined the connectivity of seven major cortical and sub-cortical brain networks (default mode network, executive control network (ECN), salience network, hippocampal network and three striatal networks) using seed-based analysis methods with cross-sectional comparisons between user groups and age groups.

Results:

The regular cannabis use group (across both age groups), relative to controls, showed localised increases in connectivity only in the ECN analysis. All networks showed localised connectivity differences based on age group, with the adolescents generally showing weaker connectivity than adults, consistent with the developmental effects. Mean connectivity across entire network regions of interest (ROIs) was also significantly decreased in the ECN in adolescents. However, there were no significant interactions found between age group and user group in any of the seed-based or ROI analyses. There were also no associations found between cannabis use frequency and any of the derived connectivity measures.

Conclusion:

Regular cannabis use is associated with changes in connectivity of the ECN, which may reflect allostatic or compensatory changes in response to regular cannabis intoxication. However, these associations were not significantly different in adolescents compared to adults.
Automated diagnosis of 7 canine skin tumors using machine learning on H&E-stained whole slide images
Authors: Fragoso-Garcia Marco , Wilm Frauke , Bertram Christof A. , Merz Sophie , Schmidt Anja , Donovan Taryn , Fuchs-Baumgartinger Andrea , Bartel Alexander , Marzahl Christian , Diehl Laura , Puget Chloe , Maier Andreas , Aubreville Marc , Breininger Katharina , Klopfleisch Robert
Published: July 2023

Microscopic evaluation of hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides is still the diagnostic gold standard for a variety of diseases, including neoplasms. Nevertheless, intra- and interrater variability are well documented among pathologists. So far, computer assistance via automated image analysis has shown potential to support pathologists in improving accuracy and reproducibility of quantitative tasks. In this proof of principle study, we describe a machine-learning-based algorithm for the automated diagnosis of 7 of the most common canine skin tumors: trichoblastoma, squamous cell carcinoma, peripheral nerve sheath tumor, melanoma, histiocytoma, mast cell tumor, and plasmacytoma. We selected, digitized, and annotated 350 hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides (50 per tumor type) to create a database divided into training, n = 245 whole-slide images (WSIs), validation ( n = 35 WSIs), and test sets ( n = 70 WSIs). Full annotations included the 7 tumor classes and 6 normal skin structures. The data set was used to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) for the automatic segmentation of tumor and nontumor classes. Subsequently, the detected tumor regions were classified patch-wise into 1 of the 7 tumor classes. A majority of patches-approach led to a tumor classification accuracy of the network on the slide-level of 95% (133/140 WSIs), with a patch-level precision of 85%. The same 140 WSIs were provided to 6 experienced pathologists for diagnosis, who achieved a similar slide-level accuracy of 98% (137/140 correct majority votes). Our results highlight the feasibility of artificial intelligence-based methods as a support tool in diagnostic oncologic pathology with future applications in other species and tumor types.
A review of cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in dogs: A diagnostician’s guide to allergy
Authors: Bradley Charles W. , Mauldin Elizabeth A. , Morris Daniel O.
Published: July 2023

Allergic dermatoses are common in people and domestic animals. Resultant lesions are routinely biopsied and submitted for histological examination to confirm a diagnosis or rule out diseases with overlapping or atypical clinical features. Diagnostic pathologists and clinicians are often faced with the difficult task of determining whether an allergic reaction pattern is present on both the microscopic and macroscopic levels and correlating histopathologic findings with clinical and historical data to achieve a precise clinical diagnosis. The bulk of the current veterinary literature on allergic dermatoses focuses on atopic dermatitis in dogs, distantly followed by cats, horses, and other animals. The objectives of this review are to demonstrate the key histopathologic and clinical diagnostic features of the various allergy-mediated reaction patterns, and to provide diagnosticians with a practical guide for clinicopathological correlations. Current concepts in the pathophysiology of immediate hypersensitivity reactions, with a focus on atopic dermatitis, are discussed. Points of potential histopathologic overlap between the “classic” allergic reaction pattern and less common inflammatory, predominately eosinophilic, conditions that may mimic this pattern will be discussed with the goal of highlighting the critical need for collaboration between pathologists and clinicians in furthering patient care.
Pattern analysis for the diagnosis of inflammatory skin lesions in domestic animals: An overview
Authors: Affolter Verena K. , Yager Julie A. , von Tscharner Claudia , Mauldin Elizabeth
Published: July 2023

Pattern analysis of inflammatory skin diseases is a technique that offers a systematic approach to the histologic diagnosis of skin diseases. First introduced to human dermatopathology in the 1970s, it was widely adopted by veterinary pathologists for the histologic diagnosis of skin diseases in animals. As the inflammatory pattern reflects, to varying extents, aspects of the underlying disease pathogenesis, its use has contributed to the recognition of novel skin diseases in domestic animals, particularly in dogs and cats. Alternative diagnostic approaches used in human dermatopathology, such as “tissue-reaction pattern” and a purely “anatomic approach” have not been as widely used in veterinary pathology. However, veterinary pathologists often combine pattern analysis with anatomic and etiologic factors. This overview outlines the technique, introduces the patterns, and discusses advantages and limitations of pattern analysis in veterinary diagnostic dermatopathology. While molecular analytic techniques and image informatics will undoubtedly prove to be revolutionary in many areas of diagnostic pathology, it is recognized in both human and veterinary arenas that the light microscopic interpretation of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections will remain the mainstay of routine dermatopathology diagnosis for the foreseeable future.
Investigating Factors that Influence the Intention to Use Electric Scooter Sharing in a Market with Multiple Service Providers: Combined UTAUT2 and Brand Attitude
Authors: Chien Yu-Shyun , Liang Jyun-Kai , Lu Chung-Cheng
Published: July 2023

Electric scooter sharing (ESS) is widely considered to be a solution to first- and last-mile transportation problems in metropolitan areas. With more ESS service providers entering and coexisting in the same market, multiple operators with different brands may influence the usage intentions (UI) of ESS users. To investigate the factors that influence the intention to use ESS in a market with multiple service providers, this study adopted the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) as its conceptual model, extending it by incorporating brand attitude (BA). Focusing on ESS in Taiwan, the study designed a questionnaire and conducted a survey, collecting 411 valid responses. Analysis of the data using structural equation modeling (SEM) found several latent variables had significant positive direct effects on UI and mediation effects on UI through BA. Multigroup analysis also showed that the effects of brand preferences on UI were statistically significantly different, indicating that ESS is heterogeneous as a result of brand disparity, and service providers already had different market positions. The managerial implications and insights derived from the SEM results provide valuable suggestions for the development strategies of government agencies and the marketing strategies of operators.
Highway Managed Lane Usage and Tolling for Mixed Traffic Flows with Connected Automated Vehicles and High-Occupancy Vehicles
Authors: Ng Max T.M. , Mahmassani Hani S.
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates managed lane toll setting and its effect under mixed traffic of connected automated vehicles (CAVs), high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs), and human-driven vehicles (HDVs), with the goal of avoiding flow breakdown and minimizing total social cost. A mesoscopic finite difference traffic simulation model considers the flow–density relationship at different CAV market penetration rates, lane-changing behaviors, and multiple entries/exits, interacting with a reactive toll setting mechanism. The results of Monte Carlo simulation suggest an optimal policy of untolled HOV/CAV use with tolled HDVs in particular scenarios of limited CAV market penetration. Small and targeted tolling avoids flow breakdown in managed lanes while prioritizing HOVs and other vehicles with high values of time. Extensions of the formulation and sensitivity analysis quantify the benefits of converting high-occupancy HDVs to CAVs. The optimal tolling regime combines traffic science notions of flow stability and the economics of resource allocation.
Development of a Laboratory Microcracking Procedure for Full-Depth Recycled Cement Stabilized Materials
Authors: Louw Stephanus Johannes Hofmeyr , Jones David , Harvey John , Hammack Joseph
Published: July 2023

Microcracking of full-depth recycled cement stabilized layers can be an effective method to mitigate the effect of reflective drying shrinkage cracks. To date, no effective method of performing microcracking in the laboratory has been developed. This is needed to determine appropriate levels of microcracking in the field, and to understand how the material will perform after microcracking. This paper covers the development and validation of a nondestructive laboratory procedure that can induce microcracking in specimens to controlled levels. The test setup used in this work was identical to that for the resilient modulus test, which facilitates stiffness measurement before and after microcracking. The use of on-specimen linear variable differential transducers is recommended to exclude end effects that can affect the stiffness result. The results indicate that: stiffness loss is a function of applied energy, and independent of the stress sequence; stiffness should only be calculated at low stress sequences, when the backbone of the stress–strain curve is linear, to accurately represent the stiffness of the material; microcracking effectively reduces the stiffness of the material; the microcracking test is a repeatable and nondestructive test; the stiffness reduction level is controllable; and the test can replicate microcracking effectively in the laboratory to represent microcracking in the field.
Mitigating Stripping in Asphalt Mixtures: Pretreatment of Aggregate by Thermoplastic Polyethylene Powder Coating
Authors: Xiao Rui , Polaczyk Pawel , Huang Baoshan
Published: July 2023

Thermoplastic polyethylene (PE) powder coating is proposed as a new technique to pretreat the aggregate of asphalt mixtures and improve the corresponding moisture resistance. In this paper, ethanol solution is investigated as a fluidized bed to disperse the PE powder. The surface tension of the solution, indicating the wettability of the liquid phase, decreases with increasing ethanol concentration and temperature. The PE powder could be stably dispersed into the solution when 15% ethanol solution heated to 40 to 50°C is used to reduce the surface tension of liquid to less than 40 mN/m. The suspension carrying the PE particles could be uniformly sprayed onto a hot aggregate surface (180–190°C) where the liquid phase evaporates fast while the PE powder melts and stays. The powder coating technique could prevent the aggregate from lumping and achieve a high-quality and efficient coating for aggregate. The PE monolayer model considering a hexagonal close packing of PE on aggregate surface is tentatively proposed to determine the theoretical amount of PE required to perfectly coat the aggregate. The predicted PE content was reasonably lower than that determined by the experimental results considering the ideal monolayer coating was hard to achieve. However, the modeling results could be used to determine the lower bound of the required PE content. The optimum PE content significantly increased with increasing particle size of PE and specific surface area of aggregate. The use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) powder with a smaller particle size was more effective in the coating process. In addition, excessive PE could not further enhance the moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures efficiently. This study can contribute to both the recycling of waste plastic and the construction of durable asphalt pavements.
Charting RAD Research as an Orientation to Creativity in Writing Studies
Authors: Sarraf Krista Speicher
Published: July 2023

Writing studies must conduct replicable, aggregable, and data-supported (RAD) research to understand the relationship between creativity and writing, including how writers use creative thinking to generate texts and how environmental factors mediate writers’ engagement with creative thinking. This article traces research on creativity from selected writing studies journals since the 2011 release of The Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing. Through a systematic literature review, the findings show how RAD research supports domain-specific knowledge-building about writers’ creativity, which can help teachers, scholars, and practitioners to understand what counts as originality in writing, how writers produce creative texts, and how educational institutions can teach advanced writing skills that develop students’ creative thinking.
Contraceptive Sabotage and Contraceptive Use at the Time of Pregnancy: An Analysis of People with a Recent Live Birth in the United States
Authors: Huber-Krum Sarah , Bornstein Marta , D’Angelo Denise , Narasimhan Subasri , Zapata Lauren B. , Tsukerman Kara , Ruvalcaba Yanet
Published: July 2023

Contraceptive sabotage and other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) can interfere with contraceptive use. We used 2012 to 2015 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data from 8,981 people residing in five states who reported that when they became pregnant, they were not trying to get pregnant. We assessed the relationships between ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage and physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (both by the current partner) and contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy using multivariable logistic regression. We also assessed the joint associations between physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy and ever experienced contraceptive sabotage with contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy. Few people ever experienced contraceptive sabotage (1.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4, 2.3) or physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (2.8%; 95% CI: 2.3, 3.3). In models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, and state of residence, ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage was associated with contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.82), but not with physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (aOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.46, 1.02). When examining the joint association, compared to not ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage or physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy, ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage was significantly related to contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy (aOR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.95). However, it was not associated with experiencing physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (aOR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.45, 1.04) or with experiencing both contraceptive sabotage and physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (aOR: 1.21; 95% CI: 0.42, 3.50), compared to not ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage or physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy. Our study highlights that current partner contraceptive sabotage may motivate those not trying to get pregnant to use contraception; however, all people in our sample still experienced a pregnancy.
Mechanical behavior of bio-inspired helicoidal thermoplastic composites
Authors: Lerew Daniel , Flater Philip , Gaskey Bernard , Stava Kristen , Ning Haibin
Published: July 2023

Helicoidal composite has been found naturally existing in many species of crustaceans and it has recently raised a significant amount of interests among researchers due to its great impact performance resulted from unique fiber layup architecture. This work is focused on developing a novel bio-inspired helicoidal thermoplastic composite and studying its mechanical behaviors under different testing conditions. Continuous glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composite preforms were used for compression molding the helicoidal structure with a pitch angle of 16.3° and nonlinear pitch angle. Composites with conventional fiber layups such as 0/90 and quasi-isotropic layup sequences were also prepared and tested for comparison purpose. Various tests at different strain rates, including quasi-static test (flexural test and compression after impact test), low strain rate test (Izod impact test and drop tower impact test), and high strain rate test (Split Hopkinson pressure bar test), were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of the helicoidal composites and conventional composites. The helicoidal composites showed twisting fracture pattern for deflecting cracks involving more areas for energy absorption in addition to common failure mechanisms in the Izod impact test. It was also found that the helicoidal composite showed considerably higher damage tolerance than the conventional composites in high strain rate scenarios.
Failure analysis of spline coupling in an engine starting motor
Authors: Zhao Jingjing , Liu Jinxiang , Xie Liang
Published: July 2023

A failure analysis of starting motor is performed using analytical method and finite element method. The influence of external load and material properties on the stress characteristics were discussed. For 45 steel internal spline, the maximum contact stress is greater than the allowable contact stress. This may cause internal splines failure. The bending stress and shear stress are less than the corresponding allowable stress. To be specific, when the maximum 130 N/m applied to the spline coupling in finite element analysis, the contact stress, bending stress, and shear stress are 260, 144, and 40 MPa, respectively. The corresponding allowable contact stress, allowable bending stress, and allowable shear stress are 197, 400, and 200 MPa, respectively. The stress value at the addendum and side of internal spline is maximum, which has good consistency with the failure position of experimental test. In fact, the calculation results obtained from analytical study may have the possibility of underestimating or overestimating the true stress state. This is mainly because analytical study has certain limitations. Therefore, it is necessary to use finite element method to analyze the stress state of the spline structure under design loads and determine whether its strength meets the design requirements.