bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new clam shrimp (Branchiopoda: Diplostraca: Spinicaudata) from the Upper Jurassic in the Jiyuan Basin, China and its biostratigraphic significance
Authors: LIAO HUAN-YU , FANG SHAO-HUA , FENG ZHUO , GAO JIAN , HUANG DI-YING
Published: December 2023

A new spinicaudatan species Triglypta jiyuanensis Liao & Huang sp. nov. is described from the Upper Jurassic Maao Formation in the Jiyuan Basin, northwestern Henan Province, China. The carapace of the new species is ornamented with punctae, linear arrangements of punctae, and radial lirae. The new species differs from those of the early Triglypta forms from the Middle Jurassic but closely resembles T. jianchangensis Wang, 2014 from the Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of western Liaoning Province. Our study provides new biostratigraphic evidence supporting that the Maao and Tiaojishan formations can be correlated. Moreover, we suggest that the Yangshuzhuang Formation in the Jiyuan Basin could correlate to the Haifanggou and the Longmen formations in the Yanliao area.
A new species of Protopsyllidiidae (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha) from the Middle Jurassic of northeastern China
Authors: LÜ TING , DU SI-LE , LUO XIN-YU , REN DONG , YAO YUN-ZHI
Published: December 2023

Based on two compression fossils from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou Village, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China, a new fossil species, Poljanka curticapillata Lü, Luo & Yao, sp. nov., of the extinct family Protopsyllidiidae is described. It is characterized by the flagellomeres 1–6 slender and 6 small subsections at apex, the presence of genae, the basal tarsomere almost equal to the apical tarsomere of fore and middle legs, and basal tarsomere about 2.11 times as long as apical tarsomere of hind leg, and the forewing veins R longer than M + Cu1, Cu1 with curved Cu1a and Cu1b, and Cu1a/Cu1b ratio 3.46–3.63. These body features and combination of forewing venation characteristics differ the new taxon from all other known species of Poljanka Klimaszewski, 1995. We also provide a key to the species of Poljanka and revise the diagnosis of the genus.
Long-Term Clinical Efficacy of Arthroscopy with Limited Incision in the Treatment of Knee Dislocation with Multiple Ligament Injuries
Authors: Huang Yuqiang , Qin Wanan , Tang Baoqing , Wei Gejin
Published: December 2023

This study retrospectively analyzes the long-term clinical efficacy of single-stage arthroscopy-assisted surgery with limited incision in the treatment of knee dislocation (KD) with multiple ligament injuries (MLI). A total of 19 patients diagnosed with MLI at the First Affiliated Hospital
of Guangxi Medical University and the 923th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army of China from March 2013 to May 2015 were included in this study. The functional levels were assessed using the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, International Knee Documentation
Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation Form, Tegner Activity Score, and range of knee motion preoperatively. Non-parametric and Friedman tests were employed to analyze the surgical outcomes. The Lysholm scores increased from a preoperative value of 43.00 (95% confidence interval: 31.00,
50.00) to 88.00 (82.00, 95.00) at the post-operative follow-up of 10–36 months, and further improved to 90.00 (78.00, 98.00) after 8-year follow-up period. The IKDC scores increased from a preoperative value of 32.20 (28.70, 35.60) to 80.50 (60.90, 86.20) at 10–36 months post-operatively
and further improved to 86.90 (69.00, 93.10) after 8-year follow-up period. The Tegner scores showed improvement from a preoperative value of 0.00 (0.00, 1.00) to 5.00 (3.00, 5.00) at 10–36 months postoperatively and to 4.0 (3.00, 5.00) after 8-year follow-up period. The ranges of active
knee motion increased from preoperative 35.00 (30.00, 40.00) to 130.00 (120.00, 135.00) at 10–36 months and 8 years postoperative follow-up. In conclusion, it is recommended to adopt arthroscopy with limited incision for restoring knee joint stability and motor function.
Automated and Objective Thunderstorm Identification and Tracking Using Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) Data
Authors: Murphy Kelley M. , Carey Lawrence D. , Schultz Christopher J. , Curtis Nathan , Calhoun Kristin M.
Published: December 2023

A unique storm identification and tracking method is analyzed in varying storm environments within the United States spanning 273 hours in 2018. The methodology uses a quantity calculated through fusion of radar-based vertically integrated liquid (VIL) and satellite-based GLM flash rate density (FRD) called VILFRD to identify storms in space and time. This research analyzes GLM data use within VILFRD for the first time (method original: O), assesses four modifications to VILFRD implementation to find a more stable storm size with time (method new: N), larger storms (method original dilated: OD), or both (method new dilated: ND), and compares VILFRD methods with storm tracking using the 35-dBZ isosurface at −10°C (method non-VILFRD: NV). A case study analysis from 2019 is included to assess methods on a smaller scale and introduce a “lightning only” (LO) version of VILFRD. Large study results highlight that VILFRD-based storm identification produces smaller storms with more lightning than the NV method, and the NV method produces larger storms with a more stable size over time. Methods N and ND create smaller storm size fluctuations, but size changes more often. Dilation (OD, ND) creates larger storms and almost double the number of storms identified relative to nondilated methods (O, N, NV). The case study results closely resemble the large sample results and show that the LO method identifies storms with more lightning and shorter durations. Overall, these findings can aid in choice of storm tracking method based on desired user application and promote further testing of a lightning-only version of VILFRD.
Northern Hemisphere Extratropical Cyclone Clustering in ERA5 Reanalysis and the CESM2 Large Ensemble
Authors: Karwat Alexia , Franzke Christian L. E. , Pinto Joaquim G. , Lee Sun-Seon , Blender Richard
Published: December 2023

Extratropical cyclones are a dominant feature of the midlatitudes, and often occur as storm sequences. This phenomenon is known as cyclone clustering, which is common over regions like the eastern North Atlantic and western Europe. Here, intense clustered cyclones may lead to large cumulative socioeconomic impacts. There are several different approaches to quantify cyclone clustering, but a detailed evaluation on how clustering may change in a warmer climate is missing. We perform a cyclone clustering analysis for the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes using the ERA5 reanalysis to characterize clustering during 1980–2020. Moreover, we use large ensemble simulations of the Community Earth System Model version 2 following the SSP3-7.0 scenario to compare clustering during 2060–2100 to 1980–2020. Our model simulations show significant enhancement in cyclone clustering over Europe for 3 and 4 cyclones within 7 days in the future decades, which is increasing by up to 25% on average during 2060–2100 compared to 1980–2020. In contrast, cyclone clustering decreases along the west coast of the United States and Canada by up to 24.3% and by 10.1% in the Gulf of Alaska for the same periods. In a warmer climate, clustered cyclones have lower minimum pressure and larger radii and depths compared to nonclustered events. Our findings suggest that change in future cyclone clustering depends on regions affected by global warming, with implications for the cumulative windstorm risk.

Significance Statement

Storm sequences like the one of December 1999 (Anatol, Lothar, and Martin) have led to large socioeconomic impacts in Europe. It is still unclear how such events will change under global warming. We analyze storm sequences in a reanalysis and a large climate model ensemble for recent (1980–2020) and future climate conditions (2060–2100). Our results show a significant enhancement of storm sequences over Europe for 3 and 4 storms within 7 days, while a decrease is found along the west coast of the United States, western Canada, and in the Gulf of Alaska in future decades. Our findings suggest that the characteristics of cyclone clustering may change in a warmer world, and thus also the associated impacts.
Unveiling Segregation’s Impact: Analyzing the Relationship Between Dimensions and Police-Involved Homicide of Minorities in U.S. Counties
Authors: Zhao Yunhan , He Dan , Reszka Shay
Published: December 2023

Literature on police-involved homicide has failed to explore the influences of differential segregation dimensions. Analyzing data from 584 U.S. counties, we assessed the effects of five segregation dimensions for Blacks and Hispanics. Black police-involved homicide risk was lower in counties with increased evenness and exposure segregation dimensions, but higher in areas with elevated clustering. However, the risk for Hispanics was higher in counties with greater centralization and concentration, yet lower in areas with reduced clustering. Moreover, the association between the outcome and specific segregation indicators was moderated by the minority population share. Different segregation dimensions impact police-involved homicide for minorities through distinct mechanisms. Policies reducing police killings should be tailored by social group and area characteristics.
Drug Interaction Between Favipiravir and Warfarin: A Case Series
Authors: Pornwattanakavee Suphannika , Priksri Watcharapong , Aonkhum Authakorn , Leelakanok Nattawut , Sapapsap Bannawich
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Initiating favipiravir in COVID-19 patients with long-term warfarin use can lead to increased INR. However, data on the onset and duration of the increasing INR are limited. Method: We reviewed patient charts to include COVID-19 adult patients who received favipiravir for at least 5 days and used warfarin at the same dose for at least 12 weeks. Data on demographics, comorbidities, other medical characteristics, international normalized ratio (INR), and signs of bleeding were collected. Result: Eight patients, with a mean age of 70.88 ± 8.49 years old, received the standard dose of favipiravir. The mean maximum INR (4.30 ± 1.26) was statistically different from the baseline INR ( P = .00029) and the change was observed within 4.38 ± 1.99 days after initiating favipiravir. Warfarin was then discontinued without favipiravir discontinuation in most patients, allowing the INR to gradually decrease within 2 to 3 days. Conclusion: Concurrent use of favipiravir and warfarin led to INR prolongation within approximately 4 days. The effect of such interaction can be acute as the prolongation occurred within 1 day in 1 of the patients.
The Group Appeal Strategy: Beyond the Policy Perspective on Party Electoral Success
Authors: Thau Mads
Published: December 2023

Political parties use policy appeals to change their policy images and increase electoral support. Building on the idea that parties’ group images also matter to voters, this article shows that group appeals can benefit parties as well. Combining manifesto data on policy and group appeals covering 50 years, we revisit the shift from class to catch-all politics in Britain and present three findings. First, a vote share analysis shows that the Labour Party benefited from using not just policy but also group appeals to downplay its class image. Second, consistent with a catch-all strategy, survey evidence shows that this boost in Labour support was most prominent outside the traditional base. Third, while group appeals had independent effects, we show how group and policy appeals also interact and reinforce each other. This suggests that non-policy strategies matter to parties’ electoral success on their own but also in combination with policy strategies.
The Effect of Tangible Promotions on an Intangible Environment
Authors: Sharma Abhinav , Santa-María María Jesús , Nicolau Juan Luis
Published: December 2023

Promotions are frequently deployed by firms in service intensive industries like tourism as a way to boost numbers like visitation and occupancy in times when excess capacity may be anticipated. While promotions may indeed augment revenues and other accounting measures commonly used by tourism firms to assess the success of marketing interventions, the impact of these sales tools on long-run finance-based indicators remains largely unexplored. Exploiting a rich dataset consisting of over 300 corporate level hotel promotions spanning nearly three decades, this study shows that promotions can be detrimental to long run performance of tourism firms. This erosion of the market value is particularly acute for promotions that involve tangible monetary components, such as price discounts. While this result supports the tenets of the hierarchy-of-effects theory and prospect theory, the observed effects of the tangible component of sales promotion entail an extension of these theoretical approaches to an intangible environment.
Agomelatine efficacy in treatment resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Nejati Azadeh , Bazrafshan Amir , Mosavat Seyed Hamdollah
Published: December 2023

Background

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent and burdensome mental health condition, often resistant to conventional treatments. Agomelatine (Valdoxan), a compound acting on serotonin and melatonin systems, has shown promise in treating those with treatment-resistant OCD based on anecdotal reports and case studies.

Methods

A randomized, double-blind controlled trial was conducted with 60 patients diagnosed with treatment-resistant OCD. Participants were randomized into an intervention group (receiving agomelatine 50 mg/day) and a control group (receiving placebo). OCD symptoms were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) over a 12-week period.

Results

There were no significant differences in age, gender, or baseline Y-BOCS scores between intervention and control groups. Agomelatine did not demonstrate a significant improvement in OCD symptoms compared to placebo. Adverse events were comparable between groups, and liver enzyme levels remained within the normal range.

Conclusion

This study, while not confirming superior efficacy compared to placebo, underscores the need for continued investigation into agomelatine’s potential for treating specific subgroups of OCD patients, underscoring the need for more comprehensive and well-controlled trials in the future.
Culture for the Masses: Building Grassroots Cultural Infrastructure in China
Authors: Christopher Mittelstaedt Jean
Published: December 2023

This article focuses on the development of “grassroots cultural infrastructure”—namely, “cultural halls” and “cultural stations”—at the county level and below since the Mao Zedong era. Since their formation, the party-state has accorded cultural halls and stations a critical role in propagating policies, educating citizens, and conducting cultural activities. Based on historical gazetteers, Chinese Communist Party histories, government policies, handbooks, and statistical yearbooks, this article shows that frequently changing policy priorities meant cultural halls and stations were wedged in between the demands of the party-state and the people and were ill-equipped to fulfill their role. Mass political campaigns during the Mao era wrought havoc, and commercialization during reform and opening up undermined their relevance. In the mid-2000s, a focus on service provision resulted in higher expectations that were impossible to fulfill. As a remedy, after 2015, cultural infrastructure has been reorganized and increasingly deployed via volunteers and technology. This article therefore sheds light not only on the history of grassroots cultural infrastructure but also its future.
Reverence and Reciprocity in Prioritization of Care to a Parent: The Role of Cultural Ecologies and Implications for Decolonizing Relationality
Authors: Zhao Xian , Adams Glenn , Li Dongyu , Esiaka Darlingtina
Published: December 2023

Relationship research in the dominant psychological science portrays the prioritization of conjugal over consanguine relationships as a healthy standard. We argue that this “standard” pattern is only evident in cultural ecologies of independence. Drawing on the Confucian concept of filial piety, we conducted five studies and two mini meta-analyses to normalize the prioritization of mother over spouse. Cultural ecologies were operationalized by a variety of indexes, including histories of residential mobility, country, manipulated relational/residential mobility, and race. While participants situated in cultural ecologies of independence prioritized care to spouse over mother, participants inhabited in interdependence prioritized care to mother over spouse. Both American and Chinese participants showed greater prioritization of care for mother over spouse when they imagined a relational ecology of interdependence versus independence. Authoritarian filial piety mediated cultural-ecological variation on relational prioritization. Results illuminate cultural-ecological foundations of care and naturalize love as dutiful fulfillment of obligation.
Gender in a ‘caring’ profession: The demographic and cultural dynamics of the feminisation of the probation service in England and Wales
Authors: Tidmarsh Matt
Published: December 2023

The number of women working in occupations that lay claim to professional status has increased markedly in recent decades, but the speed and extent of the ‘feminisation’ of the probation service in England and Wales render it unique. Such change has occurred against the backdrop of attempts to present the service in more ‘masculine’ terms, to increase punitiveness while maximising its efficiency. This article seeks to move explanations for feminisation beyond gender stereotypes about care work. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 38 members of staff from across the probation estate, and with particular regard to the unification of services, it explores the demographic and cultural dynamics of feminisation. The article argues that the sustained (and ongoing) devaluation of probation's professional project, pay and working conditions have impacted retention and recruitment in such a way that has filtered into the gender composition of the service.
Development of urinary diary mobile application and evaluation in patients with urinary incontinence
Authors: Aydın Serdar , Yaşlı Mert , Kunt Atilla
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To develop a feasible smartphone urinary diary application (UDA), and evaluate reliability and patient acceptability as a collection, calculation, and sharing tool.

Materials and Methods:

We developed the UDA for smartphones, which collects voiding, leakage, fluid intake, and grade of urgency data. A two-way cross-sectional study was conducted with 60 participants, participants split into two groups. Thirty participants completed UDA for 3 days either preceded or followed by a standard paper diary. We assessed the paper app reliability of the UDA with the Kappa variable and internal correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results:

29 (96.6%) participants completed the 3-day UDA in the first phase, 92.6% in the second phase, in comparison to 90% and 79.4% in paper form, respectively. Incomplete variable recording was observed at 10.3%–20% in the UDA group in comparison to 33.3%–34.8 % in the PF group. Of the 48 participants who experienced both diaries, 40 (83.3%) preferred the UDA. Paper app correlation was good to very good with ICC ranging from 0.60 to 0.90 for all variables ( p < 0.001). Kappa values for incontinence, stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and increased frequency were 0.95, 0.94, 0.82 0.87, and 0.54; respectively ( p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The performance of developed smartphone UDA is comparable with and highly correlated with paper form with most users finding the app feasible. Convergent validity with urinary incontinence and other lower urinary tract dysfunctions is required.
Sleep Duration Is Associated with Household Food Insecurity and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Women, Infants and Children Participating Children Ages 0-5
Authors: Yepez Catherine E. , Anderson Christopher E. , Frost Erin , Whaley Shannon E. , Koleilat Maria
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To determine associations between child and household characteristics and sleep duration among low-income children in Los Angeles County.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Survey data collected in 2017 and 2020 in Los Angeles County, California.

Sample

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) households with children ages 4-60 months.

Measures

Sleep duration for children 4-60 months old (less than recommended (LTR), recommended range, more than recommended (MTR)), household food insecurity (HFI), sociodemographics, and daily servings of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

Analysis

Multinomial logistic regression, stratified by child age, was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between household/child characteristics and LTR or MTR sleep compared to recommended duration among WIC participating children 4-60 months old.

Results

The final sample included 3512 children ages 4-23 months and 6035 children ages 24-60 months. In the study population, 32% (3-5 years old) to 44% (4-11months) of children under 5 did not meet the recommended hours of sleep per night. HFI was associated with higher odds of LTR (OR 1.27, CI 1.12-1.45) and MTR (OR 1.46, CI 1.15-1.87) sleep among 24-60 month-old children. Each additional daily SSB serving was associated with higher odds of LTR sleep (4-23 months: OR 1.10, CI 1.02-1.19; 24-59 months: OR 1.12, CI 1.08-1.17).

Conclusions

HFI and SSB intake are associated with not getting the recommended amount of sleep among low-income WIC participating children. Nutrition assistance program participants may benefit from receiving information about recommended sleep duration for young children and how to establish sleep routines to optimize sleep duration.
Review on nanofluid preparation, stability analysis, and heat enhancement by nanofluids in pipe with passive elements
Authors: Ashok Kumar Raipilli , Patel Vivek Kumar
Published: December 2023

Heat enhancement applications such as heat exchangers, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, nuclear and chemical plants, etc., help to increase the thermal rating and performance of the system in addition to decreasing the cost, and size of the system. The heat exchanger design is very complex compared to other designing procedures, which requires proper heat transfer value and consideration of pressure drop, performance of the system, reliability, and durability of the system. The major drawback of the conventional fluid is its low thermal conductivity, which creates a negative impact on heat transfer, the nanofluids need to overcome this limitation. This paper reviews the preparation of nanofluid, stability analysis of nanoparticles, typical nanoparticles, and base fluids in heat transfer augmentation. Passive element heat enhancement techniques like twisted tapes showed positive results in laminar flow compared to turbulent flow, and ribs on the geometry, conical nozzles, and rings are better for turbulent flows than laminar flows. This article highlighted the main gaps and challenges for future research.
Running-in behavior of dual-mobility cup during the gait cycle: A finite element analysis
Authors: Hidayat Taufiq , Ismail Rifky , Tauviqirrahman Mohammad , Saputra Eko , Ammarullah Muhammad Imam , Lamura M. Danny Pratama , Bayuseno Athanasius Priharyoto , Jamari
Published: December 2023

The running-in process is considered an essential aspect of the comprehensive wear process. The phenomenon of running-in occurs during the initial stages of wear in the prosthetic hip joint. Within the field of tribology, the running-in phenomenon of the hip joint pertains to the mechanism by which the contact surfaces of the artificial hip joint components are adjusted and a suitable lubricating film is formed. During the process of hip joint running-in, there is an interaction between the metal surface of the ball and the joint cup, which results in adjustments being made until a steady state is achieved. The achievement of desirable wear existence and reliable performance of artificial hip joint components are reliant upon the tribological running-in of the hip joint. Despite the establishment of current modeling approaches, there remains a significant lack of understanding concerning running-in wear, particularly the metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) articulations in dual-mobility cups (DMC). An essential aspect to consider is the running-in phase of the dual mobility component. The present study employed finite element analysis to investigate the running-in behavior of dual mobility cups, wherein femoral head components were matched with polyethylene liners of varying thicknesses. The analysis of the running-in phase was conducted during the normal gait cycle. The results of this investigation may be utilized to design a dual-mobility prosthetic hip joint that exhibits minimal running-in wear.
Application of marginalized zero-inflated models when mediators have excess zeroes
Authors: Sims Andrew , Tiwari Hemant , Levitan Emily B. , Long Dustin , Howard George , Brown Todd , Smith Melissa J. , Cui Jinhong , Long D. Leann
Published: December 2023

Mediation analysis has become increasingly popular over the last decade as researchers are interested in assessing mechanistic pathways for intervention. Although available methods have increased, there are still limited options for mediation analysis with zero-inflated count variables where the distribution of response has a “cluster” of data at the zero value (i.e. distribution of number of cigarettes smoked per day, where nonsmokers cluster at zero cigarettes). The currently available methods do not obtain unbiased population average effects of mediation effects. In this paper, we propose an extension of the counterfactual approach to mediation with direct and indirect effects to scenarios where the mediator is a count variable with excess zeroes by utilizing the Marginalized Zero-Inflated Poisson Model (MZIP) for the mediator model. We derive direct and indirect effects for continuous, binary, and count outcomes, as well as adapt to allow mediator-exposure interactions. Our proposed work allows straightforward calculation of direct and indirect effects for the overall population mean values of the mediator, for scenarios in which researchers are interested in generalizing direct and indirect effects to the population. We apply this novel methodology to an application observing how alcohol consumption may explain sex differences in cholesterol and assess model performance via a simulation study comparing the proposed MZIP mediator framework to existing methods for marginal mediator effects.
Fixed and random effect selections in generalized linear mixed models
Authors: Lu Shou-En , Kim Sinae , Cheng Jerry Q , Lin Changfa , Goyal Sharad , Jabbour Salma K
Published: December 2023

Generalized linear mixed models are commonly used to describe relationships between correlated responses and covariates in medical research. In this paper, we propose a simple and easily implementable regularized estimation approach to select both fixed and random effects in generalized linear mixed model. Specifically, we propose to construct and optimize the objective functions using the confidence distributions of model parameters, as opposed to using the observed data likelihood functions, to perform effect selections. Two estimation methods are developed. The first one is to use the joint confidence distribution of model parameters to perform simultaneous fixed and random effect selections. The second method is to use the marginal confidence distributions of model parameters to perform the selections of fixed and random effects separately. With a proper choice of regularization parameters in the adaptive LASSO framework, we show the consistency and oracle properties of the proposed regularized estimators. Simulation studies have been conducted to assess the performance of the proposed estimators and demonstrate computational efficiency. Our method has also been applied to two longitudinal cancer studies to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with patient health outcomes after cancer therapies.
The role of cities in the reconstruction of Ukraine
Authors: Szpak Agnieszka , Gawłowski Robert , Modrzyńska Joanna , Modrzyński Paweł , Dahl Michał
Published: December 2023

Throughout human history, cities have been targeted in wars due to their significance for politics, economy, communication and population. Today such Ukrainian cities as Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Irpin can be added to this list. This commentary focuses on the long-term challenge of the reconstruction of Ukraine and the role cities may play in this process given their growing role in international decision-making processes. These roles include through the bilateral channels of the twin or sister cities system and international and national city networks. Furthermore, such reconstruction efforts are already evident in Ukraine and highlight how city support activities are not limited only to the post-conflict phase.
Optimisation of an Electronic Call Light System in an Austrian Hospital. Phase I: Current State Analysis
Authors: Klösch Michael , Klösch Christoph , Reiter Maria , Pfeiffer Eva , von Reibnitz Christine
Published: December 2023

Electronic call light systems provide important information and coordination instruments for patient care in the clinical setting. Subjective impressions and impacts on communication and work processes of nursing staff can contribute to a sustainable optimisation of concepts. Studies have not yet been conducted on this topic in Austria. The main objective was to assess subjective attitudes and perceptions as well as emotional reactions of nurses towards an existing call light system. Connections with skill and grade mix should be demonstrated in order to comprehensively record the effects on nursing communication, work processes and financial impact in everyday ward life. For this study a mixed-methods approach was used. The present study was conducted in an Austrian hospital. Nurses for interviews were recruited by using information leaflets. The ward for the open unstructured participant observation was chosen by the nursing director. Inclusion criteria for the interviews refer to the willingness of nurses to participate in the study on a voluntary basis and a good knowledge of German or English. A total of seven short interviews with nurses and 129 observational units were conducted. None of the nurses dropped out. Ward- and staff-related key figures/characteristics were provided by the nursing management. Emotional reactions of nurses and time measurements (distance covered, duration of activity after activation of a call light) were recorded during observations. Subjective impressions were obtained by using structured short interviews. The study took place between June and August 2020. Data analysis of the interviews was carried out by using MAXQDA®. Results of the observations were transferred to excel spreadsheets and analysed in accordance with legal requirements in Austria. Structural, technical, and financial backlogs can be identified from the results. The existing call light system concept has proven to have a negative impact on the quality of care, job satisfaction of nursing staff, and hospital financing. In future, further studies are needed to provide a more detailed analysis of the individual findings. This also implies integrating nursing managers and patients as target groups.
Inclusion of Sexual Health Education for the Wellbeing and Dignity of Secondary School Children: An Indian Rural Perspective
Authors: Mehrolia Sangeeta , Veena A. , Alagarsamy Subburaj
Published: December 2023

The study investigates students’ perspectives on incorporating sexual health education into the curriculum of secondary schools in rural Bangalore. Focused on assessing how such education impacts students’ physical and psychological well-being, confidence, and ability to make informed decisions, the research collected data from 981 students across 6th to 10th grades. A structured questionnaire, measured on a five-point Likert scale, explored students’ perceptions of sexual health education and its outcomes. After a meticulous data cleaning process, which included outlier removal, the study utilized a final sample of 900 students. IBM SPSS 25 and AMOS 25 facilitated the statistical analysis. The findings underscore the significant positive effect of sexual health education on students’ confidence levels. It highlights how this form of education aids in maintaining personal hygiene and fosters balanced decision-making skills among students. The study’s results advocate for the implementation of sexual health education in schools, emphasizing its role in enhancing student wellbeing and confidence. Additionally, it contributes to defining the scope and framework of a sexual health education curriculum from the students’ perspective in rural Bangalore schools, aligning educational objectives with the actual needs and perceptions of the student body.
Dynamic Analysis of Watershed Management and Sustainable Agriculture in Dryland Regions: A Case Study of Purulia District, West Bengal
Authors: Ghosh Srijita , Gupta Kausik
Published: December 2023

Watershed management deals with managing groundwater and drinking water in dryland areas. In this study, a dynamic optimisation model for sustainable agriculture and watershed management is developed, which can help farmers in dryland regions maximise their profit from agricultural production. The steady-state values of water stock, profit and allocation of land between highly water-intensive and less water-intensive crops are determined. This study also carries out sensitivity analysis by perturbing various parameters such as technologies used in crop production, discount rate and annual recharge of groundwater stock. The results show that as the technology used for less water-intensive crops improves, groundwater stock and profit increase. This study captures how upstream and downstream farmers can optimise their net benefit from agriculture when there is water conflict between them. It also demonstrates how their water extraction patterns and benefits can change in the presence and absence of a social planner.
Impact of FinTech Growth on Bank Performance in GCC Region
Authors: Litimi Houda , BenSaïda Ahmed , Raheem Mohamed Mahees
Published: December 2023

This article investigates the effect of financial technology (FinTech) growth on bank performance in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The application is conducted on a panel dataset containing annual observations of banks from 2012 to 2021 using the generalized method of moments (GMM) method. FinTech growth is set as an explanatory variable on three proxies of bank performance, namely, return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and net interest margin (NIM). Moreover, several control variables are added to the model, including bank-specific and macroeconomic variables. The results are significant as all the proxies of bank performance are negatively affected by the growth of FinTech startups. Consequently, banks are urged to proactively invest in FinTech startups and engage in partnerships to avoid the risk of disruption.

JEL Codes: G21, G23, O31
Book review: Adetokunbo Johnson and Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz (Ed.), COVID-19 and Women’s Intersectionalities in Africa
Authors: Srivastava Ankur
Published: December 2023

Adetokunbo Johnson and Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz (Ed.), COVID-19 and Women’s Intersectionalities in Africa, Pretoria UniversitZy Law Press (PULP), 2023, 279 pp.
Three-dimensional dynamic trust-driven consensus model for social network group decision-making with application to sustainable supplier selection in a circular economy
Authors: Zhang Shitao , Zhang Shanli , Yang Hui , Liu Xiaodi
Published: December 2023

The trust degree between individuals plays an important role in social network group decision-making (SNGDM). The majority of current literature assumes that the trust degree between individuals is constant. However, the trust values among decision-makers (DMs) are subject to change over time. Thus, it is necessary to identify potential dynamic trust that is compatible with the actual SNGDM to support the consensus reaching. For this purpose, this article investigates consensus building that considers dynamic trust among DMs in SNGDM with linguistic distribution assessments (LDAs). Firstly, the three-dimensional trust degree among DMs is constructed from three perspectives: the trust relationship from social networks, the confidence level of DMs, and the similarity of DMs' preferences. Secondly, an optimization model is developed with the objective of maximizing consensus to determine how trust degree is assigned to each perspective, thereby determining the weights of DMs. Then, a double feedback-based consensus mechanism incorporating both opinion evolution and trust evolution is developed. Under the guidance of consensus mechanism, an improved SNGDM approach with LDAs is presented. Finally, we demonstrate our proposed approach through a case study of sustainable supplier selection in a circular economy. Comparative analysis and sensitive analysis verify our approach’s effectiveness.
Intelligent rolling bearing compound fault diagnosis based on frequency-domain Gramian angular field and convolutional neural networks with imbalanced data
Authors: Zhang Faye , Yao Peng , Geng Xiangyi , Mu Lin , Paitekul Phanasindh , Viyanit Ekkarut , Jiang Mingshun , Jia Lei
Published: December 2023

The effective fault feature extraction is the core of rolling bearing fault diagnosis. However, rolling bearings usually operate in normal state and fault duration is very short, which will cause imbalance in fault diagnosis data, thus leading to difficulty in fault feature extraction and low diagnosis accuracy. Meanwhile, mutual interference between multiple fault responses will also lead to poor diagnosis performance. To solve these issues, a novel compound fault diagnosis method with imbalanced data based on frequency-domain Gramian angular field (FGAF) and convolutional neural networks optimized by instance normalization and efficient channel attention (IECNN) is proposed. Firstly, FGAF is adopted to map frequency-domain features of fault signals to the polar coordinate to obtain 2D FGAF feature spectrum. Secondly, an instance normalization module is established to reduce internal covariant shift caused by data distribution discrepancy and improve generalization ability. An efficient channel attention module is constructed to further excavate fault features and improve anti-interference ability. Finally, experiments are conducted under imbalanced dataset and imbalance intensified dataset, and the average accuracy of 99.91% and 99.92% were obtained, respectively, which shows the proposed method has better resistance to data imbalance.
Investing in Child Health Through Alternative Payment Models: Lessons From North Carolina Integrated Care for Kids
Authors: James Greeshma , Kasper Elizabeth , Wong Charlene A. , Anderson David M. , Allin Sarah , Steiner Michael J. , Flower Kori B. , Kimberg Daniel , Cholera Rushina
Published: December 2023

Pediatric value-based payment reform has been hindered by limited return on investment (ROI) for child-focused measures and the accrual of financial benefits to non-health care sectors. States participating in the federally-funded Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) models are required to design child-centered alternative payment models (APMs) for Medicaid-enrolled children. The North Carolina InCK pediatric APM launched in January 2023 and includes innovative measures focused on school readiness and social needs. We interviewed experts at NC Medicaid managed care organizations, NC Medicaid, and actuaries with pediatric value-based payment experience to assess the NC InCK APM design process and develop strategies for future child-focused value-based payment reform. Key principles emerging from conversations included: accounting for payer priorities and readiness to implement measures; impact of data uncertainty on investment in novel measures; misalignment of a short-term ROI framework with whole child health measures; and state levers like mandates and financial incentives to promote implementation.
Role of thrombopoietin receptor agonists in chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia: A meta-analysis
Authors: Gurumurthy Gerard , Kisiel Filip , Gurumurthy Samantha , Gurumurthy Juditha
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) is a significant challenge in cancer treatment, often leading to dose reductions and reduced number of cycles. The limited effectiveness of platelet transfusions in managing CIT highlights the need for alternative treatments. Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RA), including romiplostim, eltrombopag and avatrombopag, have shown potential in increasing platelet counts in CIT patients, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of their efficacy.

Methods

This meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines, searching Ovid databases up to 5 October 2023. The primary metric of interest was platelet count changes post-TPO-RA administration in CIT patients.

Results

From the initial 867 studies obtained, 7 studies were selected based on the inclusion criteria. The analysis included 348 patients. A significant association was found between TPO-RA administration and platelet count increase, with a combined-effect increase of 69.52 ± 2.24 × 109/l. Subgroup analysis based on Romiplostim use suggested an increase of approximately 70.11 ± 39.07 × 109/l, while non-Romiplostim TPO-RAs showcased an increase of about 68.09 ± 82.58 × 109/l.

Conclusions

The meta-analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of TPO-RAs in managing CIT. Further research comparing platelet increases across standardised TPO-RA regimens is recommended to refine treatment strategies. This analysis provides valuable insights for clinicians in tailoring CIT treatment using TPO-RAs.
Looping Disruption: A Relational Mechanism Enhancing Treatment Readiness among Individuals Convicted of Sexual Offending?
Authors: Lindegren Stina
Published: December 2023

Many convicted individuals do not enter or complete treatment programs in prisons, which limits effective rehabilitation and prevention of recidivism. Treatment readiness is suggested to be an important construct when addressing this problem. Nevertheless, the underlying processes (e.g., how readiness factors interact) are not well studied, and even less is known regarding readiness in the sub-population of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. This paper aims to open up the “black box” and explore psychosocial and context-specific processes behind treatment readiness from the vantage point of the individuals’ lived experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 adult men convicted of sexual offenses in Swedish prisons, treatment participants (N = 13) as well as non-participants (N = 6). The thematic analysis illustrates readiness obstacles in terms of unintended antagonistic forces in the correctional system operating in the opposite direction of rehabilitative objectives. Nonetheless, a hypothesized relational mechanism, looping disruption, initiated by a non-punitive and supportive response (from prison staff, therapists, close ones, or inmates) to the convicted individual’s negative behaviors or emotions, appeared to reverse such negative, punitive loops, contributing to the mobilization of treatment readiness. Implications for theory, policy, and practice are discussed.
Stimulant Treatment and Potential Adverse Outcomes in Pediatric Populations With Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: O’Connor Hannah , Hutt Vater Chloe , DiSalvo Maura , Faraone Stephen V. , Wozniak Janet
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To explore outcomes of stimulant treatment for ADHD in pediatric populations with particular attention to bipolar disorder (BPD).

Method:

We conducted a literature search of PubMed articles published prior to August 25, 2022 that focused on BPD, mania, and psychosis prior to, or as result of, stimulant treatment. We excluded studies: (1) unrelated to stimulants, (2) general stimulant research, (3) articles older than 40 years, (4) study protocols, or (5) case reports.

Results:

A total of 11 articles met all inclusion/exclusion criteria. Some reports found stimulant treatment safe and well-tolerated in children with comorbid BPD and ADHD. Others found evidence of treatment-emergent mania (TEM), discontinuation, and other adverse events with stimulant treatment.

Conclusion:

Poor outcomes associated with stimulant treatment in pediatric populations with BPD necessitate work to identify patients at risk of serious stimulant-related adverse events. Our results were limited by automated search filters and a pediatric, primarily male sample.
Trans Embodiment, Fitness Wearables and the Queer Pleasures of Datafication
Authors: Biruk Cal
Published: December 2023

This article examines entanglements between a fitness wearable device, the data it collects and visualizes, and the body-mind they claim to represent. Drawing on embodied insights from my experience as a transmasculine-identified member of a ‘science-backed, technology-tracked’ fitness experience and employing discourse and visual analysis of marketing materials and conversations on a public subreddit for enthusiasts, the article places ‘misfit bodies’ – rather than the unmarked, universal ‘body’ – at the centre of conversations about fitness wearables and self-tracking data. Employing queer/trans critique enables analysis of forms of difference that mediate and compose all bodies and illuminates the regulatory norms and technologies through which they are produced. Throughout, the article foregrounds how selves, bodies, data, and technologies are entangled in mutual and open-ended becomings that exceed the assumed transformation of wearable users into neoliberal healthist subjects.
Between Self-Tracking and Alternative Medicine: Biomimetic Imaginary in Contemporary Biohacking
Authors: Lindfors Antti
Published: December 2023

While anthropological and social studies of the body have extensively explored self-tracking cultures, they have so far overlooked the phenomenon of biohacking, which represents a distinct though overlapping mode of contemporary techno-asceticism with its own set of norms and frameworks for bodily self-use. This article seeks to address this gap by examining biohacking within the context of self-tracking cultures and its simultaneous alignment with alternative health cultures. By analysing a substantial collection of recorded Biohacker Summit presentations, the study argues that biohacking reintroduces a dualistic biomimetic imaginary while simultaneously striving to transcend such dichotomies through a univocal emphasis on information processing. In particular, this is evident in the biomimetic impulse to align their interventions with the principles found in nature and to perceive technologies as subordinate to ‘natural’ biological processes, the privileging of the human sensorium as a bridge between science and nature, and the ultimate inclination to discard technology in favour of intuition and embodiment.