bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic Shame: Emotional Navigation Through Segregation, Migration, and Ethnic Phobia
Authors: Malinina Irina
Published: October 2024

This article explores the experience and implications of shame among migrants and refugees, illustrating how societal attitudes, particularly anti-Muslim and anti-Caucasian sentiments, perpetuate feelings of exclusion and self-depreciation. Utilizing the author’s personal narrative as a refugee, it unveils how negative stereotypes and the mass media’s portrayal of people from the North Caucasus in Russia contribute to a “them vs. US” mind-set. This division fosters a social environment where Caucasians and Muslims feel alienated, not only by their visible ethnicity but also through systemic oppression. Shame emerges as a crucial emotion for those stigmatized due to their ethnic or religious backgrounds, underscoring the need for more inclusive societal attitudes that recognize the diverse contributions of all cultural groups. The article argues that shame is not an individual failing but a consequence of broader social and political narratives that marginalize entire communities, pointing toward the necessity of acknowledging and addressing these issues to foster a more understanding and unified society.
Unraveling the Mediating Role of Buoyancy in the Relationship Between Anxiety and EFL Students’ Learning Engagement
Authors: Liu Honggang , Zhu Zhengfeng , Chen Bin
Published: October 2024

Recent investigators have illuminated the crucial role of positive psychology in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, little is known about academic buoyancy as a potential mediator in the relationship between foreign language anxiety and learners’ academic engagement in English learning. To address this gap, we adopted a quantitative approach to explore these links. We surveyed 970 Chinese high school EFL students to measure their English learning anxiety, academic buoyancy, and learning engagement. Of the four dimensions of engagement – behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement – we discarded the emotional and cognitive dimensions of academic engagement in factor analyses. Structural equation modelling indicated that English learning anxiety directly predicted behavioral but not agentic engagement, and academic buoyancy partially mediated between English learning anxiety and behavioral engagement and completely mediated between English learning anxiety and agentic engagement. These results provide insights for EFL teachers seeking to enhance students’ language learning experiences.
Intra-Executive Dynamics and Presidential Popularity in Semi-Presidential Regimes
Authors: Kujanen Maarika
Published: October 2024

In semi-presidential regimes presidents need to strike a balance between representing the nation and sharing power with prime ministers. The coexistence of the executives may pose challenges to the presidents, but it could also strengthen their public standing. Yet we lack information on how party-political shifts and clashes between the executives shape public opinion on presidents. Covering the period 2000–2020 and including presidents from the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Poland and Portugal, this article reveals that presidential popularity is influenced by the political weakness of the government, as both weak and strong presidents’ popularity ratings increased during minority governments, and by the constitutional strength of the presidency, as people seem to tolerate more confrontational involvement mostly from those presidents with stronger constitutional powers. The impact of cohabitation, in turn, appears to be more context-specific, sometimes benefitting the president’s public standing, while at other times harming it. The results thus suggest that being politically opposed to the government may boost the president’s political capital, but only under certain circumstances.
How green governance empowers high-quality development: An EKC framework-based analysis of ESG and green total factor productivity
Authors: You Zhe , Chen Dandan , Fang Chuandi , Gao Mengjie , Cheng Jinhua
Published: October 2024

High-quality development represents a fundamental shift in China’s economy from scale and speed to quality and efficiency. In this transition, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices are not only closely integrated with China's development strategy but have also become a core standard for measuring development quality. Nevertheless, research on how ESG practices specifically promote high-quality development in Chinese enterprises remains limited. Based on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory framework, this study uses data from the Huazheng ESG Index from 2009 to 2022 and employs fixed effect models, mediation effect models, and heterogeneity analysis to examine the specific impact of China's ESG practices on corporate high-quality development from multiple dimensions. The results show that there is a “U-shaped” relationship between the ESG practices of Chinese listed companies and green total factor productivity (GTFP). Initially, improving ESG practices may temporarily suppress GTFP, but as ESG levels further improve, they exhibit a significant positive impact on GTFP. Corporations significantly boost productivity by alleviating financing constraints and promoting green technological innovation, although the direct impact on technological advancement remains relatively limited. In China's western regions and industries such as manufacturing, electricity, heat, gas, and water production and supply, wholesale and retail, and information transmission, software, and information technology services, the positive effects of ESG on GTFP are particularly evident. Based on these findings, it is recommended that governments and financial institutions collaborate to promote green credit policies and increase support for the research and development of green technologies. Additionally, environmental education and resource use optimization should be strengthened, especially in industries such as agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries, and the exchange of ESG technologies and experiences between industries should be encouraged.
Pancreatic insulinomas: Our 15-year surgical experience
Authors: Karahan Furkan , Karaıslı Serkan , Atay Arif , Dilek Osman Nuri , Hacıyanlı Mehmet
Published: October 2024

Background

Insulinomas are rare endocrine tumors of the pancreas. The majority are benign, sporadic, and solitary. Surgery is the only curative treatment. In this study, we present our experiences with the perioperative management of sporadic and benign pancreatic insulinomas.

Methods

Patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic insulinoma in our clinic between 2008 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data, preferred radiological methods, surgical procedures, and morbidity and mortality data were evaluated. Patients with malignant, invasive, or familial multiple endocrine neoplasia mutations were excluded from the study.

Results

Nineteen patients underwent surgery, with a median age of 49 years (range: 33–85). Symptoms related to hypoglycemia were the most commonly observed. The tumor location was identified preoperatively in 74% of cases using computed tomography. Palpation and intraoperative ultrasound identified the tumor location in 88% of patients. Enucleation (53%) were the most common surgical procedures. Pancreatic fistula occurred in three patients (17%). While serious morbidity was lower in patients who underwent enucleation, the rate of fistula formation was higher.

Conclusion

The accurate localization of insulinomas plays a crucial role in determining the appropriate surgical procedure. With high success rates and lower morbidity, enucleation is the recommended procedure for suitable patients.
Dough kneading load simulation for stand mixer using smoothed particle hydrodynamics approach
Authors: Shrey Shubh , Kothavale Basavraj , Saraf Mangesh , Kusupudi Krishna , Kakade Hrishikesh , Shelke Sujay
Published: October 2024

Stand mixer is a consumer-durable appliance, primarily used for kneading, whipping, shredding, mixing, scrambling, etc. During the kneading process, there arises a situation when the hook gets stuck or the stand mixer starts to wobble or shake. Repercussions of these phenomena could lead to overheating of the transmission system, inability of the stand mixer to provide the required torque, bowl stripping out, etc. Usually, in industries, physical tests are carried out to determine the torque load exerted on the stand mixer. Hence, through this research, we intend to develop a simulation methodology to determine the torque load exerted by the dough on the stand mixer during the kneading process. The proposed research comprises the dough material model, the application of the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approach for representing the dough material, due to its ability to withstand high deformation and shearing loads, and the development of simulation methodology. Sensitivity analysis was also carried out to examine the effect of various parameters on the simulation results.
Rapid simulation of knitted fabrics based on a ribbon yarn model
Authors: Mingming Song , Jiajia Peng , Chenyu Chang , Feng Liu , Zhiwen Lu
Published: October 2024

In the study, an innovative three-dimensional ribbon-based yarn model simulation technique is introduced, aimed at significantly enhancing the realism and speed of knitted fabric simulation through efficient model construction and rendering processes. The method successfully overcomes the limitations of traditional two-dimensional loop models and tubular yarn models, accurately capturing the textural details of knitted fabrics with a vivid three-dimensional representation. Experimental results demonstrate the outstanding performance of this simulation system in simulating the fuzz effects of yarn and in processing speed. This technology offers significant potential in textile design and production, notably in boosting design efficiency and accelerating new product development. By employing low-cost image capture methods, the study effectively reduces technical and financial barriers in knitted fabric simulation, enhancing its practical and industrial applicability.
Resourcing Agency for Sustained Collective Action Amid Creeping Crises
Authors: Karam Charlotte M. , DeJordy Rich , Creed W. E. Douglas , Daouk-Öyry Lina , Scott Shawn P. , Geha Carmen , Daou Alain
Published: October 2024

In the wake of the Beirut blast, we use Lebanon as an empirical context to examine how a group of scholar-activists organized to support ongoing collective action in the context of creeping crisis. Using the lens of resourcing theory, we provide a process model of resourcing agency as a fractal and embodied form of critical action, augmented and transformed by critical reflection, and collective healing and striving. We make four contributions. First, we demonstrate why organizational scholarship needs to attend to the increasing relevance of creeping crises and we model an approach to understanding both the lived experience of creeping crises and the implications for the situated cultivation of agency. Second, we extend resourcing theory by uncovering resourcing agency as an integral, embodied process in the context of crisis, particularly creeping crises, and show how it is itself a vital instantiation of agency. Third, further extending resourcing and process theories, we identify two types of ampliative cycles (sustaining and transformative cycles) implicated in resourcing agency when organizing in support of collective action amid creeping crises. Finally, our findings demonstrate the benefits of using a processual approach that attends to the embodied and fractal nature of action in creeping crises and other extreme contexts. We close with a discussion of the implications for engaged scholarship as a framework for action.
Ain’t I a Migrant?: Global Blackness and the Future of Migration Studies
Authors: Beaman Jean , Clerge Orly
Published: October 2024

In the wake of recent interventions to better connect the subfields of international migration and race and ethnicity through a sociology of racialized immigration, we push this further by arguing for the necessity of a global Blackness perspective on global migration. Such a focus does not just reflect the role of race in the dynamics of migration, and vice versa, but more importantly shifts assumptions about this relationship. So, it is not enough to say that race matters in migration but rather that blackness and Black lives matter in how migration unfolds. Using global blackness as a starting point in our analyses of migration reveals a clearer and closer entanglement of race, racism, colonialism, and migration. We argue that global Blackness structures notions of who migrates and under what conditions, as well as our ideas regarding migrants and their descendants and use the examples of New York City, Paris, and France as paradigmatic sites for understanding this relationship.
The Glaring Gap: Undervalued and Unrecognized Knowledges and Expertise in International Migration Research
Authors: Arias Cubas Magdalena , Mudaliar Sanushka
Published: October 2024

As we reach the 60th anniversary of the International Migration Review, a key question for those engaged in migration research remains: has migration studies become more inclusive of knowledges and expertise outside the Global North? In short, the answer is no, and both the passage of time and the persistent awareness of this inequality require urgent and immediate action. In this article, we draw on our experiences as first- and second-generation migrant women, and as practitioner-researchers working in the humanitarian sector, to reflect on the significance of undervalued and unrecognized knowledges and expertise on migration research. We share insights from our recent work with the Red Cross Red Crescent Global Migration Lab, an initiative established to conduct migration research that informs humanitarian operations and advocacy, and we reflect on key opportunities and challenges that have impacted our efforts to generate knowledge that is more inclusive of migrants, and of practitioners and researchers from the Global South. In doing so, we highlight the possibility—even if still limited—of doing research that engages more ethically and meaningfully with those whose knowledge and expertise has long been excluded from dominant debates. We do this with a sense of hope and urgency that, by the 70th anniversary of this journal, the landscape of migration research will have changed—as a result of a concerted investment of time, resources and new ways of working—to broaden the questions asked, the objects of study and the methodologies adopted.
Gifted, high achieving, and accelerated Learners' mental health through the lens of positive psychology
Authors: Shaunessy-Dedrick Elizabeth , Suldo Shannon M
Published: October 2024

The study of mental health among gifted and accelerated learners has continued to evolve since the publication of a chapter focused on their subjective well-being. This article provides an updated review of mental health research focusing on gifted learners, specifically through understanding flourishing is routed in their experiences of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA theory). We explore literature published between 2017 and 2024 addressing PERMA as it relates to gifted, high-achieving, and accelerated youth. Recommendations for future research and practice are provided.
Domesticating logistical futures: A grounded account of failure
Authors: Gambino Evelina
Published: October 2024

The infrastructures of global logistics are hailed as developmental solutions for countries previously peripheral to global trade routes. Building on ethnographic fieldwork performed in the village of Anaklia, West Georgia, this article proposes a grounded analysis of this developmental promise. It does so by focusing on the attempted construction and failure of a deep-sea port that was set to turn the village into a logistics hub part of the Belt and Road Initiative. In dialogue with ethnographic accounts of infrastructural failure and feminist approaches to the study of global circulation, this article outlines the villager’s efforts to “domesticate” the promise of prosperity attached to the port, mapping how the intimate spaces of the village have been transformed by the mercurial promise attached to Anaklia Port. In the aftermath of the project’s failure, this article shows the mark that the projected logistical future has left on the village’s economy and life. In doing so, it sheds light on the variegated impacts that logistical projects leave behind, even when they remain unfinished.
Race, space, and social reproduction: The spatial organization of racialized labour in Italian food agriculture
Authors: Raeymaekers Timothy
Published: October 2024

This article addresses the question of migrant workers’ exploitation from a feminist political economy and critical race perspective. Overall, my analysis promotes a reinterpretation of workers’ exploitation beyond a narrow focus on labour and production, and towards a consideration of the active social differentiation and reproduction of the work force. Based on my analysis of Black African workers’ conditions in the Italian ‘tomato district’ of Northern Puglia and Basilicata, I argue that recent anti-gangmastering reforms have recalibrated existing tensions between formalizing and informalizing workers’ conditions, tensions that serve the double end of ensuring capital accumulation in agri-food production, while forcing racialized workers to take care of their social reproduction. Formalization, I argue, tends to drive a wedge between ‘productive labour’ and unpaid, ‘unproductive’ work, thus removing responsibility away from firms and state agencies to provide much-needed workers’ welfare. Informalization, I argue, represents a particular racializing dynamic of externalizing the cost of social reproduction to the workers and their extended social networks, who, in this manner, indirectly subsidize parallel circuits of accumulation.
Mixed methods process evaluation of an advance care planning intervention among nursing home staff
Authors: Gilissen Joni , Wendrich-Van Dael Annelien , Gastmans Chris , Deliens Luc , Vander Stichele Robert , Pivodic Lara , Van Den Block Lieve
Published: October 2024

Background:

We developed the ACP+ intervention to support nursing home staff with implementation of advance care planning. While ACP+ was found to improve staff’s self-efficacy, it did not change their knowledge about advance care planning.

Aim:

To describe the level of implementation, mechanisms of impact, and contextual factors.

Design:

Process evaluation embedded in a cluster randomized controlled trial in nursing homes (NCT03521206). Throughout and immediately following the 8-month ACP+ implementation, we collected weekly diaries, post-training surveys, attendance records, facility data, and conducted interviews ( n = 32). We applied descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Setting and participants:

Management, staff, and ACP+ trainers in seven intervention homes.

Results:

Although most participants reported they valued ACP+, 33% of eligible staff across nursing homes attended training (range: 6%–69%) and only a few reported they felt ready to engage in actual care planning conversations. Half of all nursing homes adapted parts of the intervention (e.g., more/fewer/shortened training; assigning a coordinating role for practical management). Enough time to consolidate skills, and management support were key for staff engagement in advance care planning, and limited time and staff shortages were significant barriers. Staff reported increased awareness of the importance of advance care planning and felt there was a more systematic way of organizing advance care planning.

Conclusions:

There was limited staff engagement. Management ownership, clear roles, and collaborative practices may enhance nursing home advance care planning. Accessible and ongoing training for all staff, and ample practical learning opportunities are needed.
The Dynamics of Trust and Trustworthiness Perceptions in a Government Agency: A Longitudinal Perspective
Authors: Van Fossen Jenna A. , Bakare Olatayo , Olson Travis H. , Zwickle Adam , Hamm Joseph A.
Published: October 2024

Although trust is widely recognized as key to effective public administration, little is known about trust dynamics, especially in typical governance relationships. We conducted an intensive longitudinal experience sampling study via a weekly survey of Florida residents’ ( N = 97) trust in and perceptions of the trustworthiness of the (US) National Hurricane Center over a 25-week hurricane season. We estimated two-level time series models to examine reciprocal relationships among four constructs: trust, ability, benevolence, and integrity. All four exhibited significant intraindividual variability such that participants demonstrated change in their ratings of the agency over time. Ability perceptions showed the greatest variability over the study duration. In line with classic models of trust, previous-week trustworthiness perceptions were significant predictors of subsequent trust. Our results also provide some support for self-reinforcing accounts of trust by demonstrating that previous-week trust predicted subsequent trustworthiness. Several of the one-week lagged relationships weakened substantially when tested with two-week lags, suggesting that trustworthiness is the stronger driver of trust. Overall, our results demonstrate that trust is not static, even in business-as-usual governance relationships. Results position perceptions of ability, benevolence, and integrity as partially responsible for changes in trust over time. Further, an exploratory analysis suggested that people who reported higher average integrity perceptions tended to have more stable trust. Thus, all the dimensions of trustworthiness serve as short-term levers for administrators seeking to positively manage relationships with the public, and integrity may be most critical for supporting steady levels of trust.
Plant Agency in the Guianas: Attraction, Assault, and Animacy
Authors: Whitaker James Andrew , Tamboli Vikram , Daly Lewis , Lewy Matthias
Published: October 2024

This article uses ethnographic and ethnobotanical methods to examine relationships between animate and agentive plants and human beings among the Makushi, Pemon, Karinya, and other Indigenous and mixed-Indigenous peoples in the Guianas. It considers representations of these plants and related ontologies in the archival record and contrasts these accounts with more recent ethnographic descriptions based on the authors’ fieldwork across Guyana and Venezuela. It thinks about these plants as agentive beings (with regard to animist ontologies and sometimes physical properties) within a variety of contexts. Today, the territories of these Indigenous peoples tessellate with extractive frontiers, which center around gold, diamond, and bauxite mining, as well as oil prospecting, forestry, and plantation agriculture. In this context, these plants emerge as active and animate agents. They also emerge as such agents in contexts of subsistence, shamanism, and assault sorcery, as well as sexual and romantic attraction, which can act with or without human impetus. The question arises as to the nature of the relationships between such plants and their users, for example, shamans ( piaimen), assault sorcerers ( kanaima), hunters, gardeners, and miners, within a variety of contexts. Based on the authors’ long-term fieldwork, the article examines animate plants and argues that they evince special botanical agencies among the Indigenous communities with whom the authors have worked in the Guianas. How are animate plants positioned within these practices and contexts? And how do they exert agency therein as plant persons?
A controlled study of MR DWI, FS-PDW, and CE-T1W imaging for the evaluation of the internal opening of anal fistulas
Authors: Liu Jingyi , Zhang Tingting , Sheng Lei
Published: October 2024

Background

Anal fistula (AF) is an abnormal tunnel under the skin connecting the anal canal in the colon to the skin of buttocks. Fat-suppressed (FS) proton density-weighted (PDW) imaging is mainly used for the diagnosis of diseases involving bones and joints. Until now, its value in the diagnosis of anal fistula has been rarely reported.

Purpose

To compare three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences – diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), FS-PDW), and contrast-enhanced (CE) T1-weighted (T1W) imaging – for the diagnostic value of the internal opening of AF.

Material and Methods

MRI scans of 132 patients suspected of having AF between December 2021 and April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. In total, 65 patients who underwent preoperative MRI and were treated surgically were included. The lesion conspicuity and accuracy for featuring AF were calculated by evaluating the three imaging datasets DWI, FS-PDW, and CE-T1W imaging, with surgical findings serving as the reference standard for the presence of fistulas. The statistical analysis included the application of the chi-square test and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results

In 65 patients with AF, 87 internal openings of AF were confirmed. In terms of the diagnostic accuracy of the internal openings, both FS-PDW and CE-T1W imaging sequences were significantly better than DWI sequences, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The FS-PDW imaging sequence showed comparable diagnostic performance of the internal opening of AF to CE-T1W imaging, which can provide an important diagnostic basis for clinical procedures.
Performance of radiomics in preoperative determination of malignant potential and Ki-67 expression levels in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sun Chengyu , Fan Enguo , Huang Luqiao , Zhang Zhengguo
Published: October 2024

Empirical evidence for radiomics predicting the malignant potential and Ki-67 expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is lacking. The aim of this review article was to explore the preoperative discriminative performance of radiomics in assessing the malignant potential, mitotic index, and Ki-67 expression levels of GISTs. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The search was conducted up to 30 September 2023. Quality assessment was performed using the Radiomics Quality Score (RQS). A total of 35 original studies were included in the analysis. Among them, 26 studies focused on determining malignant potential, three studies on mitotic index discrimination, and six studies on Ki-67 discrimination. In the validation set, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of radiomics in the determination of high malignant potential were 0.74 (95% CI=0.69–0.78), 0.90 (95% CI=0.83–0.94), and 0.81 (95% CI=0.14–0.99), respectively. For moderately to highly malignant potential, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.86 (95% CI=0.83–0.88), 0.73 (95% CI=0.67–0.78), and 0.88 (95% CI=0.27–0.99), respectively. Regarding the determination of high mitotic index, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of radiomics were 0.86 (95% CI=0.83–0.88), 0.73 (95% CI=0.67–0.78), and 0.88 (95% CI=0.27–0.99), respectively. When determining high Ki-67 expression, the combined sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.74 (95% CI=0.65–0.81), 0.81 (95% CI=0.74–0.86), and 0.84 (95% CI=0.61–0.95), respectively. Radiomics demonstrates promising discriminative performance in the preoperative assessment of malignant potential, mitotic index, and Ki-67 expression levels in GISTs.
Digital Divide Among Homebound and Semi-Homebound Older Adults
Authors: Choi Namkee G. , Choi Bryan Y. , Marti C. Nathan
Published: October 2024

Using the 2022 National Health and Aging Trend Study data, we examined the digital divide among homebound and semi-homebound older adults. About 11% of older Medicare beneficiaries in 2022 were homebound or semi-homebound. Compared to non-homebound older adults, homebound older adults were significantly less likely to own a cellphone. Among those with any information and communication technology (ICT) device, homebound older adults were also less likely to have used email/texting and gone online. Older age, low income, dementia diagnosis, and moderate/severe depressive/anxiety symptoms contributed to the digital divide. Among homebound older adults, Hispanic older adults or those with limited English proficiency were less likely to have used ICT. To reduce the digital inequity among homebound older adults who are low-income, racial/ethnic minority, limited English proficient, and/or residents in non-metropolitan areas, social/structural inequities in accessibility and affordability, along with individual-level barriers, need to be addressed.
Development and Validation of the Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Scale (IPSVS): A Multi-Dimensional Scale to Measure Sexual Violence in Intimate Relationships
Authors: Tarzia Laura , Brown Cynthia , McLindon Elizabeth , Hegarty Kelsey
Published: October 2024

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is defined as any non-consensual sexual behavior perpetrated within an intimate relationship. It is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women and causes significant harm to the health and wellbeing of victim/survivors. Although it is generally accepted that IPSV is globally prevalent, to date, comprehensive instruments to measure IPSV have been lacking. Moreover, existing measurement tools have largely failed to capture the diversity of perpetrator tactics, the deeply degrading and dehumanizing nature of many IPSV behaviors, and the role of perpetrator intent. As a result, there is a dearth of robust quantitative data to help understand the nature and magnitude of the problem. This article describes the development of a new multi-dimensional measurement tool—the Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Scale (IPSVS). The IPSVS is grounded in qualitative evidence from victim/survivors and examines IPSV as a multi-dimensional phenomenon with perpetrator intent as a central organizing principle. Following consultation with experts, a representative sample of 702 women victim/survivors in Australia completed an online survey including 34 IPSV behaviors to establish reliability and validity of the items. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 20 items across 3 factors—“Dominance and humiliation,” “Emotional coercion,” and “Aggressive indifference”—explaining 52.681% of the variance. Cronbach’s alphas ranged from .741 to .890. These domains highlight that different perpetrator motivations may underlie different types of IPSV, challenging the predominant classification of IPSV according to severity or level of physical harm. The IPSVS has the potential to dramatically improve measurement of sexual violence in intimate relationships and has important implications for future research and practice.
Enhanced performance of low-dielectric siloxane-polyimide copolymers: Synthesis and properties
Authors: Li Jian Qiao , Zeng Ming , Xu Xin Hao , Diao Li , Xie Jia Qi , Chen An Hua , Yang Yu Pei , Peng Ya
Published: October 2024

Low-dielectric polyimides (PI) films with outstanding overall performance are attractive for next generation microelectronic applications. Herein, a series of two different FPIs and BPIs derived from 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether (ODA) and two different functional dianhydrides, 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) biphthalic anhydride (6FDA) and 4,4′-(4,4′-isopropyldiphenoxy) biphthalic anhydride (BPADA), respectively, were synthesized by a conventional two-step methodology that included thermoimidatization. Additionally, employing aminopropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane PDMS (molecular weight = 1000) as the source of siloxane-oxygen bonds, a series of polyimide siloxane (SiFPIs and SiBPIs) copolymers were synthesized by varying the siloxane content (ranging from 0 to 5 wt%) within the copolymer structure. The effects of siloxane bond on the thermal, solubility, water resistance, dielectric and mechanical properties of polyimide were investigated systematically. The integration of siloxane significantly enhanced the solubility of these copolymers in polar aprotic solvents (DMAC, DMF, NMP), expanding their applicability in diverse processing environments. Crucially, these copolymers exhibited remarkably low dielectric constants—2.90 for SiFPI at 3% PDMS and 2.92 for SiBPI at 4% PDMS—coupled with low loss values, positioning them as prime candidates for advanced microelectronic applications. All the composite films have high thermal stability near pure PI. The introduction of PMDS into PI can improve the elongation at break and at the same time, the composite films still remained with higher modulus and tensile strength. Extensive hydrophobicity assessments through contact angle and water absorption studies underscored the copolymers’ superior moisture resistance, a critical parameter for their potential deployment in high-performance, environmentally sensitive electronic components.
Chinese Studies: Researches and services in the National Library of China
Authors: He Nianlun
Published: October 2024

Background

The Chinese Studies Center of the National Library of China is an institution focusing on the collection, research and service of Chinese studies literature. Since the last century, the National Library of China (NLC) has started to collect a wide range of Chinese studies literature, and has now formed a huge special collection covering multiple languages and disciplines.

Purpose

This article introduces the origin of construction of the Chinese Studies Center (CSC), its service positioning, development status, major achievements and future outlook, with the aim of clarifying ideas for better development of the NLC’s Chinese studies collection and research services, and for the promotion of the development of Chinese studies to a higher level.

Research Design

The article aims to build a research framework to assess the role and potential of the CSC in promoting Chinese studies by reviewing its history and analyzing its service orientation and development direction. Study Sample: The research sample includes the CSC's resources, services, accomplishments and cooperations. Data Collection and/or Analysis: The article assesses the performance and influence of the CSC by collecting and analyzing information on its resources, services, achievements and academic exchanges.

Results

The CSC has basically formed a multi-dimensional development pattern integrating reading services, consulting and reference services, literature research, website construction, scientific research cooperation and foreign exchanges. Its service positioning has become clearer, its responsibilities richer, its research capability further enhanced, and it has achieved social benefits and a series of good results, making a great contribution to the development of Chinese studies.

Conclusions

The CSC has played an important in promoting Chinese studies and it will continue to enrich the collection of Chinese studies literature, promote the construction of Chinese studies catalogue, create a one-stop research and service platform, and carry out exchanges and cooperation in Chinese studies worldwide, so as to promote the further development of Chinese studies.
Influence of manufacturing errors on the aerodynamic working stability of axial flow compressors
Authors: Kong Lingchen , Li Xiangjun , Lu Qing , Zhu Zhengyu , Zhou Qian
Published: October 2024

In turbomachinery, manufacturing errors in blades have been found to impact aerodynamic performance. This paper aims to investigate the effect of manufacturing errors on the stability of compressor operation. To this end, a geometric uncertainty reduced-order model is developed to generate the normal profile error of rotor blades based on specific tolerances, considering the simultaneous variation of blade parameters during manufacturing. The stability margin improvement of the compressor is then calculated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and a neural network is employed to predict the relationship between the uncertainty input variables and the stability margin improvement. Finally, a large number of samples are generated using the Quasi-Monte Carlo method, and Sobol sensitivity analysis is performed. According to the results, manufacturing errors can reduce the stability margin by an average of 0.9% and up to 3% in the limiting case. The parameters that have the greatest impact on the stability of the compressor are the blade chord length of the hub section and the maximum thickness of the tip section. These two parameters affect blade tip blockage by influencing spanwise secondary flow on the suction surface. Additionally, the decrease in maximum thickness at the tip section affects the separation of the boundary layers on the suction surface, resulting in additional effects.
SLE patient satisfaction with care in Jordan: A single-center study
Authors: Alsawad Ghina , Mahmoud Ayham , Qarain Tareq , Toubasi Ahmad , Adwan Marwan
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multi-systemic autoimmune disease that mainly affects young females. SLE’s chronicity and high level of complications yield frequent clinic visitations & hospital admissions, increasing the necessity to investigate the healthcare system and improve patient satisfaction and quality of life.

Objective

This study aimed to understand SLE patients’ points of view on the healthcare system in Jordan, especially given the chronic nature of the disease. With a clearer understanding, improvements can be made to benefit both the patients and the healthcare system.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 79 patients following up at the University of Jordan Hospital, rheumatology clinics were interviewed over the phone.

Result

The majority of patients were satisfied overall with the treatment services and medications as rated on a Likert scale of 1-5 (4.28 ± 1.01 and 4.19 ± 0.96, respectively) despite a quarter of patients complaining of adverse effects from the medications. The use of oral corticosteroids was significantly associated with a lower General Satisfaction Rate ( p = 0.050), while high income (1000 Jordanian Dinars and above) and fatigue contributed to a lower Medication Satisfaction Rate ( p = 0.016 and 0.000, respectively). A good physician-patient relationship was the most commonly cited reason for general satisfaction (73.4%) and was positively associated with the general ( p = 0.000) and medication satisfaction ( p = 0.004) rates.

Conclusion

SLE patients perceived high satisfaction rates despite adverse effects and symptoms. These higher satisfaction rates were seen predominantly due to good physician-patient relationships.
Identification of Astragalus Polysaccharide as a Neuroprotective Agent via Activating Klotho-mediated Nrf2 Pathway
Authors: Liu Kuo , Ding Nannan , Han Mengying , Shen Shuping , Li Lin , Bian Fang , Chen Li , Zhang Ji , Qu Lailiang , Yang Dan
Published: October 2024

Background

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have become a significant public health problem, and oxidative stress (OS) serves as a pivotal factor in the pathological progression of NDs. Pharmacological research indicates that Astragalus polysaccharide (APS, extract of Astragalus membranaceus) has antioxidant and antiaging effects, closely related to NDs.

Objectives

The potential of APS in treating NDs remains uncertain. Herein, the neuroprotective effect of APS was evaluated.

Materials and Methods

The H2O2-induced PC12 cell damage model was established to assess the neuroprotection of APS. Cell viability was determined by MTT. Cell images were observed using ImageXpress Micro Confocal analysis. Apoptosis of the cells and intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected using flow cytometry. The expression of Klotho, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1), and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) was determined by Western blot (WB).

Results

APS exerted significant protection against H2O2-caused cell death dose-dependently, and APS could significantly reduce the intracellular ROS and relieve cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that APS could upregulate the expression of Klotho and Nrf2 dose-dependently, and the expression levels of Nrf2-mediated antioxidant proteins increased significantly, including HO-1, TrxR1, and NQO1. Moreover, we found that APS upregulated Klotho and Nrf2-mediated antioxidant proteins time-dependently. The expression of klotho peaked at 6 hours after treatment with APS (400 mg/L). Subsequently, the protein level of Nrf2 reached the maximum at 12 hours, and the downstream NQO1, HO-1, and TrxR1 levels peaked at 24 hours.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that APS is promising for further development against oxidative stress-related NDs.
Capitalizing on sport labor migration: The role of ethnic capitalism in the discriminatory, regulatory, and exploitative environment for international college athletes in the United States
Authors: Sethi Simran Kaur , Pericak Kaitlin , Felli Fabio
Published: October 2024

International college athletes (ICAs) are integral to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and lie at a particular social location as they are international students and college sport laborers. However, little research examines the discriminatory regulations toward ICAs by the NCAA, its member institutions, and the US federal government. Recent court rulings that permit college athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) do not benefit ICAs because of outdated and exclusionary restrictions imposed by federal immigration policies, visa laws, and US tax laws, which prohibit ICAs from having equitable rights, building their personal brand and professional careers. To examine the discrimination, regulation, and exploitation of ICAs by the US federal government and the NCAA, we apply the theory of ethnic capitalism, which highlights the marginalization of groups based on their ethnicity and national origin. In this setting, ICAs are treated as bodies of athletic labor, recruited for institutional gain and athletic program reputation to benefit US higher education institutions (HEIs). To conclude, we propose the need for the NCAA and its member institutions to treat ICAs equitably and include, support, and advocate for them, specifically regarding their inclusion in NIL on US lands.
Comparative analysis and validation of posterior cruciate ligament management in mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty: Meta-analysis and animal study
Authors: Zhang Yuan-Shi , Li Hao-Yu , Zhai Lei , Zheng Gui-Zhou , Xing Hong-Bo , Du Shi-Xin , Li Xue-Dong
Published: October 2024

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment for end-stage knee joint diseases. The debate over preserving or sacrificing the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in mobile-bearing TKA (MB TKA) still needs to be solved due to the lack of high-quality evidence, particularly meta-analyses comparing these techniques. This study aims to conduct a meta-analysis to compare the outcomes of PCL retention (CR) and PCL sacrifice (PS) in terms of clinical and functional knee scores, range of motion, complication rates, and revision rates and to validate these findings through animal experiments. A comprehensive search was conducted using MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Embase databases. Relevant studies were selected for the meta-analysis using RevMan 5.3. Additionally, an animal experiment using Sprague-Dawley rats simulated MB TKA to compare the effects of PCL retention and sacrifice surgeries. 12 studies were included in the meta-analysis. No significant differences were found between CR and PS techniques regarding HSS, KSS, KSFS, WOMAC, ROM, and medial/lateral instability. However, CR MB showed slight superiority in NKJS, while PS MB had better outcomes in complication and revision rates. In the animal study, CR rats exhibited significant early postoperative inflammation, but both groups’ knee structures gradually normalized. The meta-analysis indicates that PCL retention (CR MB) and sacrifice (PS MB) have similar effects on various clinical and functional knee scores. However, PS MB is significantly better at reducing complications and revision rates. The animal experiment confirms PS MB’s advantages in reducing inflammation and promoting joint recovery. Despite the strong evidence, long-term follow-up and larger-scale randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these findings.
Histopathologic and ultrastructural findings in oak (Quercus spp.) toxicity on 2 beef cattle farms in Colorado
Authors: Mendieta-Calle Jorge , Hughes Kelly L. , Howerth Elizabeth W. , Schaffer Paula A.
Published: October 2024

Natural oak toxicity, a phenomenon sporadically reported in the United States, is due to consumption of any part of most oak trees ( Quercus spp.). Ruminants, mainly cattle, are disproportionately susceptible to oak toxicity. Toxicity is attributed to degradation of the oak plant hydrolysable tannins by rumen microbes and enzymes into absorbable low-molecular-weight metabolites, which are postulated to bind and damage endothelial cells by unknown mechanisms. The clinical manifestations of acute toxicosis are nonspecific or broadly suggestive of renal disease due to acute tubular injury. Here we document the clinical, gross, histopathologic, and novel ultrastructural features of natural acute oak nephrotoxicity in 3 beef calves on 2 farms in Colorado, USA. Gross postmortem findings included perirenal edema with renomegaly and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Histologically, renal tubular epithelial necrosis was severe, with hemorrhage and intratubular hyaline casts. Transmission electron microscopy revealed extensive involvement of proximal and distal convoluted tubules, with predominantly intact basement membranes, and glomerular and interstitial endothelial injury and necrosis. The ultrastructural details of toxic nephropathy and vasculopathy induced by oak metabolites in natural cases of bovine oak toxicosis have not been described previously, to our knowledge.
Open Dorsal Closing-Wedge Calcaneal Osteotomy for Haglund Exostosis–Related Heel Pain
Authors: Rutishauser Thomas , Stephan Anika , Stadelmann Vincent A.
Published: October 2024

Background:

Dorsal closing-wedge calcaneal osteotomy (DCWCO) is a treatment option for persistent Haglund exostosis–related heel pain after failed conservative management. In modifying the orientation of the calcaneal tendinous insertion site and reducing mechanical stress, the consequences of DCWCO-associated biomechanical changes on everyday foot function remain unknown.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study analyzed routinely collected clinical data as well as data from our foot and ankle registry. One hundred twenty patients (66 males, 54 females, 17-77 years) who underwent DCWCO from January 2016 to December 2019 were included. Adverse events were collected from the patient files. Foot Function Index (FFI) scores were collected before (baseline) and at 6, 12, and 24 months postsurgery. Radiographic parameters including the Achilles tendon moment arm and X/Y ratio were evaluated from standard preoperative and 6-week postoperative radiographs. Correlations between FFI and biomechanical changes were calculated for men and women separately with the Pearson correlation coefficient and Bonferroni correction.

Results:

One intra- and 18 postoperative adverse events were documented. Mean baseline FFI pain decreased from 47.9 ± 17.2 to 12.0 ± 17.5 points at 24 months with an average decrease of −21.8 ± 21.3 points occurring within the first 6 months postsurgery. A similar trend was also seen with the FFI disability score (49.6 ± 20.3 to 12.8 ± 17.6 points). The mean decrease in Achilles tendon moment arm was −8.1 ± 3.8 mm and mean X/Y ratio increased from 2.6 ± 0.3 to 3.8 ± 1.0. There were no significant correlations between the FFI score and radiographic changes.

Conclusion:

DCWCO effectively alleviates exostosis-related heel pain and associated disabilities. Improvements can still be expected up to 2 years after surgery. Radiographic changes of the foot and ankle are significant but do not correlate with patient-reported outcome measures.