bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emigration and Cognitive Aging Among Mexican Return Migrants
Authors: Oaxaca Carrasco Ana Luisa , Aguila Emma , Reyes Adriana , Salinas Navarro Sheila
Published: February 2025

This study examines the impact of migration experiences—specifically undocumented status and informal sector participation—on the cognitive aging of Mexican return migrants. Using data from 6,277 participants in the 2018 Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), we assess the likelihood of dementia among return migrants relative to non-migrants. The findings reveal that undocumented return migrants who later work in Mexico’s informal sector have significantly worse cognitive outcomes than both non-migrants—Mexican individuals whom never left Mexico—and undocumented return migrants working in the formal sector. Factors such as rural residency, lack of health insurance, and limited education further exacerbate cognitive decline in this population. Legal precarity, economic insecurity, and limited access to healthcare, accelerates cognitive aging for older return migrants, especially those in the informal sector. These results underscore the importance of formal sector participation, especially in contexts where healthcare access is tied to formal employment. The study adds to the growing body of research underscoring the long-term impact of migration on health and emphasizes the need for inclusive health and social policies to benefit aging vulnerable populations in both the United States and Mexico.
Adaptive Behavior, Self-Determination, and Health in Autistic Young Adults
Authors: Tomaszewski Brianne , DaWalt Leann Smith , Hume Kara , Rentschler Lindsay , Steinbrenner Jessica
Published: February 2025

Adaptive behavior, self-determination, and health are important areas of body functions and activities identified by autistic adults as priorities for research. Past research has suggested that autistic adults have high support needs in adaptive behavior and self-determination, and have poor physical and mental health outcomes. This study included 211 autistic young adults 18–25 years old ( Mage = 20.93) and their caregivers who completed questionnaires and interviews on adaptive behavior, self-determination, and physical and mental health. Correlations were examined among adaptive behavior, maladaptive behavior, self-determination, and health outcomes controlling for IQ. Adult self-reports of self-determination capacity were associated with maladaptive behavior. Reports of self-determination by caregivers were associated with adaptive behavior and maladaptive behavior. Caregiver reports of maladaptive behaviors were associated with physical health outcomes. Findings provide an initial understanding of activities, participation, body functions, and their interactions among autistic young adults.
Exploring How Neighborhood Environment Perceptions Moderate the Health Benefits of Movement Behaviors Among Latinos in Los Angeles
Authors: Perez Lilian G. , Castro Gabriela , Seelam Rachana , Cohen Deborah A. , Han Bing , Mata Michael A. , Larson Anne , Derose Kathryn P.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study examined how the potential health benefits of movement behaviors – physical activity (PA), sedentary time, and sleep – vary by neighborhood perceptions among Latinos.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from churchgoing Latino adults participating in an ongoing randomized controlled trial to promote PA.

Setting

East Los Angeles, California, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Sample

Sample of 728 churchgoing Latinos (77% female, mean age 52 years).

Measures

Movement behaviors included self-reported leisure-time PA and sleep duration, and accelerometer-based sedentary time. Survey assessed perceived neighborhood crime safety, traffic safety, aesthetics, and social cohesion. Outcomes included self-reported stress, depressive symptoms, diabetes, and hypertension; and objectively-measured body mass index.

Analysis

Linear or logistic regression assessed associations of the movement behaviors with neighborhood measures, and their interactions, in relation to the health outcomes.

Results

Sleep was associated with lower perceived stress [B(SE) = −0.41 (0.09), P < .0001] and major depression [OR, 95% CI = 0.54, 0.42-0.69]. Leisure-time MVPA was associated with lower obesity [OR, 95% CI = 0.60, 0.41-0.88] and sedentary time was associated with higher diabetes [OR, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.00-1.05]. Perceived neighborhood safety from crime, social cohesion, and aesthetics had significant interactions with movement behaviors ( P < 0.05) in relation to four outcomes.

Conclusion

Interaction models suggest interventions targeting neighborhood crime safety, aesthetics, and social cohesion may be key for maximizing the health benefits of movement behaviors among Latinos.
Sustainable composites from biodegradable poly (lactic acid) modified with isosorbide-based plasticizer: Preparation and performance
Authors: Mu Guangming , Ren Liang , Liu Xiangpeng , Li Wenbo , Shao Mingliang , Sun Chuang , Luo Shuai , Wang Yaobin , Li Yuchen , Zhang Mingyao
Published: February 2025

Bio-based resin plasticizers not only overcome the toxicity and non-degradability of phthalate plasticizers, but also expand the application areas of polymers. In this study, the environmentally sustainable plasticizer isosorbide dinonanoate (ISN) is chosen to plasticize and toughen PLA for enhancing the impact strength and processability, further expanding the application in the field of flexible packaging materials. Our work primarily focuses on the impact strength, crystallinity, glass transition temperature (Tg), processability, and morphology for PLA composites. The results demonstrate that adding ISN at a concentration of 25 phr reduces the Tg by 22°C, representing a 35.4% decrease relative to neat PLA, thus confirming the effective plasticizing impact of ISN on PLA; the Izod impact strength arrives at 688 J/m, approximately 30-fold increase, demonstrating dramatically enhanced toughness of PLA; and the equilibrium torque is 1.9 Nm, involving improved processability of the composites. DSC tests show that the crystallinity of PLA composites improves when the amount of ISN increases. Notably, the crystallinity increases by 248% from 7.07% to 24.59% when the addition of ISN is 25 phr. Meanwhile, SEM reveals that ISN has good compatibility with PLA, as evidenced by the absence of phase separation on the fracture surfaces of the composites.
Research on lightweight optimization design of lower control arm for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Authors: Liu Shihao , Wang Fei , Qiu Na , Li Jingru , Lin Mao
Published: February 2025

To adapt to the complex layout structure of the chassis of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and to save vehicle material costs, a lightweight optimization design method for the lower control arms of suspension components was constructed. This method integrates finite element modeling technology, response surface methodology, penalty function method, firefly algorithm as one. The static and dynamic characteristics of the lower control arm were analyzed, and the validity of the finite element model and analysis results were verified through modal testing. The structure mass of the lower control arm is selected as the optimization objective, with maximum deformation, maximum stress, and natural frequency as constraints. Through response surface method, the corresponding optimization model is established. Penalty function method is introduced to transform the constraints, and firefly optimization algorithm is employed for optimization, achieving lightweight optimization design of the lower control arm. The optimization results show that the structure mass of the lower control arm after optimization has been reduced by approximately 17.37%, with the maximum stress controlled at 67.32 MPa, a decrease of 9.93% compared to before optimization. This study achieves lightweight optimization of the lower control arm of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, providing a reference method for the optimization of components and overall performance improvement of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Nonlinear model predictive control for aircraft flat-spin recovery
Authors: Salahudden Salahudden
Published: February 2025

In order to address the control-related issues in spin recovery, such as saturation problem, altitude loss, and recovery time, this work focuses on the application of nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) technique to spin recovery. It discusses the design of NMPC, fundamental tenets of NMPC and lists its primary advantages for spin recovery. To illustrate the proposed research, the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) is taken into consideration. The purpose of the current study is to determine whether the NMPC can reduce the negative effects of aerodynamic control surface saturation on spin recovery. The same is confirmed when the findings of the NMPC recovery are placed on the performance envelope of the aircraft under consideration. It has been demonstrated that NMPC lowers the overall control effort needed for spin recovery. Additionally, it is established through closed-loop simulation that the NMPC minimizes altitude loss and cuts down time needed for recovery. The aforementioned claim is backed by a comparison of the findings with a typical robust nonlinear controller, SMC designed in this paper, and results on spin recovery from earlier publications. In this way, the proposed NMPC-based control approach attempts to expand the scope of the current work.
Queer on the home front: Russian LGBTIQ activism and queer security in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine
Authors: Edenborg Emil
Published: February 2025

The article investigates Russian LGBTIQ activism in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, a conflict framed in highly gendered and sexualized geopolitical terms. The study aims to develop a deeper understanding of queer security and is based on interviews with Russian LGBTIQ activists, their international funders, as well as a text analysis of Russian official documents and news media. It shows how the safety of queer and trans people in Russia is undermined by wartime state discourses producing them as hypervisible enemies within, the complex ways in which activists navigate security and visibility, that international allies intervene in these negotiations in ways that may or may not align with activists’ priorities, and how the circumstances of war themselves reshape LGBTIQ activism. The study argues for a notion of queer security as geopolitically shaped but embodied and experienced in the everyday, and realized through horizontal grassroot networking. The findings broaden our understanding of queer security by going beyond the scope of institutionalized rights regimes, decentring the state and international organizations as providers of security for queer and trans people, and invite researchers to consider queer activists as actors of international security.
Learning, Government Budgets and Wage Growth in the Philippines
Authors: Lanzona Leonardo A.
Published: February 2025

The inability of government policies to improve basic education quality thus hampers the country’s progress towards upper-middle-income status. An empirical model is developed to determine how government education budgets in basic education—reflected by the differences in regional shares in basic education government expenditures—may affect wage returns to basic education. The empirical results indicate that increasing government budget shares in regions with lower schooling levels have failed to increase wage returns of schooling despite generating multiplier effects on aggregate demand. These suggest that the highly centralized programmes for basic education were not aligned with the conditions of the labour market, causing labour mismatches and underemployment for more educated individuals. Policies are provided considering these findings.
American Indian Adolescent Perspectives on COVID-19 Impacts Within Great Plains Area Reservations
Authors: Johnson Gina , Purvis Sara , Le Beaux Kelley , Tobey Matthew , Isaacson Mary J.
Published: February 2025

Introduction:

COVID-19 created unprecedented disruption for school-age children and adolescents across the United States. This educational disruption was significant for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. Our study’s purpose was to understand COVID-19’s impact on AI/AN adolescents’ education and their physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual well-being, as well as their coping mechanisms.

Methodology:

We employed a qualitative descriptive design with 14 AI/AN adolescents aged 14 to 18 years among three Tribes in the Great Plains in August 2023.

Results:

Our participants reported several disruptions, yet they found unique ways to stay connected. The themes identified were social network, physical activity, emotional well-being, gaming, responses of reservation schools to COVID-19, and challenges of virtual learning.

Discussion:

There is a lack of focus on the resilience and protective factors among rural AI/AN adolescents. Understanding how these factors may enhance AI/AN well-being is essential for providing culturally responsive care and promoting healthy growth and development.
Retaining a Multicultural Nursing Workforce: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective
Authors: Villamin Princess , Lopez Violeta , Thapa Deependra Kaji , Cleary Michelle
Published: February 2025

Introduction:

The increased globalization of nurses has prompted organizations to explore innovative strategies to retain their workforce. However, due to cultural variations and increased workforce diversity, a one-size-fits-all retention strategy may not be effective.

Methodology:

In this paper, we discuss nurse migration and retention to identify points of intersection and possible theories that can be applied.

Results:

Nurse migration and retention share a common motivation thread, indicating that a motivation theory could effectively integrate both concepts. Self-determination theory (SDT) is particularly relevant as it suggests that the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness influence motivation and retention and that these are universal, transcending cultural boundaries.

Discussion:

Addressing migrant nurse retention is crucial. The continued international recruitment poses a threat, as any intake by host countries further depletes the already scarce pool of nurses in some source countries. The perspective offered by the SDT may prove instrumental in developing effective strategies for retaining migrant nurses.
Evaluating Performance of the Surprise Question to Predict 12-Month Mortality in Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease
Authors: Homann Sarah , Pfaff Jamie , Stovicek Elizabeth , Agarwal Rajiv , Misra Sumathi K. , Pulley Jill M. , Siemann Justin K. , Spann Ashley , Tillman Stacey , Gatto Cheryl L. , Karlekar Mohana
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Patients diagnosed with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) often struggle with a heavy symptom burden that compromises their quality of life. Introduction of specialty palliative care (PC) may help address these issues but is underutilized in ESLD. This study aimed to assess the performance of the surprise question (SQ) in this population as a potential screen to identify patients with a life expectancy of less than 12 months.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis was performed. In a previous study (COMPASS Trial, NCT03022630), attending hepatologists were asked the SQ: “Would you be surprised if this patient were to die in the next 12 months?” as a prompt to consider consultation to specialty PC. Here, we consider the full collection of SQ answers and reconcile against record of death to examine the accuracy of the SQ as a predictor in this patient population.

Results

The SQ had high sensitivity (93%) but low specificity (38%) for predicting 12-month mortality in ESLD patients. The SQ also had a positive predictive value of 42% and a negative predictive value of 92%. Patients who were SQ+ (physician responded: No, I would not be surprised) were more likely to die within the year than those who were SQ−.

Conclusion

In ESLD, the SQ may serve as a useful screening test to identify patients at higher risk of mortality which may prompt PC engagement.
Profiling as a Service Failure
Authors: Lindsey-Hall Kristina K. , Jaramillo Susana , Lorenz Melanie P. , Marti Candice L. , Fennell Patrick B.
Published: February 2025

Profiling occurs when negative stereotype assumptions based on personal characteristics (e.g., gender, age, race, or sexual orientation, among others) are applied to individuals, resulting in discrimination. Using a mixed-methods approach, this work explores how customers experience or anticipate profiling in a service setting, which constitutes a special type of service failure. Using a critical incident technique, study 1 establishes that customers feel stereotyped in retail service settings and that these profiling experiences constitute service failures that generate various emotions and coping behaviors, which are exacerbated when customers anticipate profiling will occur. Study 2 uses in-depth interviews to (1) advance a process framework for profiling as a service failure (PaSF), including pre-and post-coping behaviors as well as related emotions and proposed recovery solutions, (2) further develop and probe a typology of PaSF, and (3) develop characterizations of customer approach styles and responses to profiling. Finally, study 3 empirically tests our framework and appropriate service recovery strategies. Utilizing a stereotype threat theory lens, we broaden our understanding of and contribute to the literature on service failure and recovery, profiling, discrimination, and customer emotions, attributions, and vulnerability. Along with theoretical and managerial implications, we provide an extensive future research agenda to serve as a catalyst for further exploration.
Exposure to Structured Service Environments as a Proactive Strategy for Handling Service Failures
Authors: Khenfer Jamel , Trendel Olivier
Published: February 2025

This research investigates how structured service environments can mitigate negative customer responses to service failures. We propose a proactive strategy that aims to preemptively manage customer expectations. Drawing on the meaning maintenance model, we theorize and find that heightened perceptions of predictability inherent in structured environments reduce customers’ need to make sense of discrepancies between actual and expected outcomes. In turn, customers are less likely to blame the firm and more likely to repurchase from it. Our research includes a field experiment and three online and lab experiments across various contexts. We identify key boundary conditions: structured environments are less effective when failures appear predictable due to recurring causes (stability attribution) or when the firm could have prevented them (controllability attribution). Furthermore, if the firm is merely associated with the failure but not directly involved, the mitigating effect of structured environments does also not occur. These insights offer managers a novel proactive strategy to buffer customer responses to service failures.
Investigation of maternal mortality and stillbirth in feline dystocia after emergency obstetric care interventions: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Sendag Sait , Hardegen Doreen , Koca Davut , Wehrend Axel
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and success of emergency obstetric care interventions for feline dystocia and to analyse the effects of therapeutic interventions on maternal mortality and stillbirth.

Methods

This retrospective, observational study included 153 queens of various breeds and ages that presented to the clinic with dystocia. Anamnesis, signalment, physical examination, ultrasonography, radiography and subsequent intervention data were also collected. Differences in stillbirth rates between the treatment groups were evaluated using the χ2 test. The mean litter size, mean duration of labour and number of stillbirths were calculated in each case. In addition, to obtain information on further breeding of dystocia patients, 51 queen owners were contacted by telephone.

Results

Medical treatment was successful in 17% of patients, and 83% underwent surgical treatment for dystocia. Ovariohysterectomy (59%) was the most common surgical method, followed by conservative caesarean section (35%). En bloc resection was performed in 6% of patients. A total of four (2.4%) queens died. Of 542 kittens from 153 deliveries, 210 (39%) were stillborn. Singleton pregnancies were associated with a high risk of difficult labour. Similarly, prolonged duration of labour increased the stillbirth rate. The fertility status of queens after caesarean section was assessed by interviewing 51 owners, 27 (53%) of whom provided information. Of these, 12 were mated again and nine successfully (they became pregnant with successful natural births in five).

Conclusions and relevance

Similar to previous studies, our data showed that medical management led to success in only a minority of cases. In addition, mortality data for emergency births under modern standardised treatment conditions were provided. Singleton pregnancy is a suspected risk factor for dystocia. Pregnancy after caesarean section is possible with natural unassisted birth.
Use of long peripheral catheters in the infusion therapy of lung cancer patients
Authors: Liu Miao , Fang Tingting , Tao Shan , Zheng Li , Liu Yuying
Published: February 2025

Objective:

To investigate the applicability, safety, and efficacy of long peripheral catheters in the infusion therapy of lung cancer patients.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted to examine the baseline data, catheter placement procedures, associated complications, as well as the costs of catheter placement and maintenance among patients who underwent long peripheral catheter insertion in our lung oncology unit from June to December 2023.

Results:

The average catheterization time was approximately 20 min, achieving a success rate of 71.15% for a single puncture. The catheters remained in place for a duration ranging from 2 to 20 days, with a mean of 10.04 ± 4.61 days. During this period, there were three instances of venous thrombosis, eight cases of fluid leakage from the puncture site, four occurrences of occlusion, three cases of pain, and six instances of swelling at the puncture site. Notably, no cases of catheter-associated bloodstream infection, catheter fracture, or difficulty in catheter removal were reported. Complications in most patients appeared 7 days after insertion of the catheter, with only two patients experiencing complications within the initial 7-day period. The cost of catheter placement and maintenance varied between 654 and 742 RMB.

Conclusion:

The selection of an intravenous infusion route necessitates careful consideration, taking into account the patient’s preferences. If the patient receives a short-term infusion therapy, the infused drug is not vesicant, and the patient actively refuses to have a central venous catheter inserted, a long peripheral catheter may be a viable alternative to meet the needs of routine treatment of patients with lung cancer.
The association between national dialysis catheter use and kidney transplantation activity
Authors: Hofmann Amun G
Published: February 2025

Background:

This study investigates the relationship between national catheter use among hemodialysis (HD) patients and kidney transplantation (KTX) activity, exploring the hypothesis that higher KTX activity may be associated with increased catheter usage. The rationale is based on the idea that shorter waiting times for transplants in high-activity countries could make central venous catheters (CVCs) more favorable as a temporary bridge to transplantation compared to arteriovenous fistulas or grafts which require longer maturation times.

Methods:

Nine national dialysis and transplant registries (Argentina, Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, Sweden, USA, Turkey) were included in this analysis. The included descriptive analysis of baseline information from included countries, followed by crude association analyses using correlation and regression analyses to explore the relationship between CVC usage and kidney transplants per million inhabitants, considering relevant confounders. Adjusted analyses were performed to account for these confounders, providing a more nuanced understanding of the relationship.

Results:

Data from nine different national registries was analyzed. CVC use and KTX activity had a weak to moderate positive correlation ( r = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.39). In all included countries CVC use increased over time. Adjusting for temporal patterns, country-specific factors, and the proportion of female HD patients, there was still strong evidence for a moderate increase of CVCs among prevalent HD patients with increasing KTX activity.

Conclusion:

Higher national KTX activity is associated with a moderate increase in CVCs among prevalent HD patients.
Kaupapa Māori and Multispecies Justice: a reciprocal critique
Authors: McKibbin (Kāi Tahu) Philip
Published: February 2025

Kaupapa Māori (theory and research which centres Māori (the Indigenous people of New Zealand)) and Multispecies Justice operate as sites of critical resistance and generative scholarship. In this article, I introduce the process of reciprocal critique, and I demonstrate that considering these two fields in relation to each other enables us to imagine ways in which they might be further developed. A Multispecies Justice-motivated critique of Kaupapa Māori urges Kaupapa Māori theorists and researchers to move beyond the anthropocentrism which pervades it, so that we can effectively address a broader range of crises. A Kaupapa Māori-motivated critique of Multispecies Justice admonishes Multispecies Justice theorists and researchers to attend more closely to power disparities, the risks inherent in relational research, and the mysterious. This process, reciprocal critique, could also be used in other contexts—for example, in enabling diverse Indigenous research methodologies to learn from, and enhance, each other.
Understanding the circle of care: Indigenous service providers’ perspectives on health and well-being
Authors: Quelch Jenna , Aden Muna , Toombs Elaine , Sanders Chris , Sinoway Candida , Mushquash Christopher , Barkman Linda , Deschamps Melissa , Pooyak Sherri , Young Meghan , Gauvin Holly , Benoit Anita C
Published: February 2025

There is a need for broadening understandings of health and well-being to fill the critical and persistent gap in culturally safe health and social service provision for Indigenous populations. While the importance of Indigenous cultural interventions in healthcare is increasingly recognized and the perspective of Indigenous patients increasingly sought, there has been little research on the views of Indigenous service providers themselves. Our study explores the views of Indigenous service providers and how they conceptualize and deliver health and social services, including how these services link to the principles of harm reduction. We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews and socio-demographic questionnaires with eight Indigenous emergency service providers from Thunder Bay, Ontario, in the Fall of 2021. The results reveal broad conceptions of health and well-being with a particular focus on harm reduction principles in delivering a wide range of services that address physical, mental, and spiritual health needs.
A Cohort Study on Dual Predictive Markers of Immune Combination Therapy for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zheng Maike , Hu Mingming , Liu Yanxia , Li Xiaomi , Wang Guirong , Zhang Tongmei , Zhao Yan
Published: February 2025

Background:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) hold a great promise in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), while only a portion of patients benefited from the treatment, and others could not achieve optimal therapeutic effects from initial immunotherapy, even for those patients with PD-L1 (Programed cell death ligand 1) tested positive. However, the clinical markers for the selection of patients who will benefit from ICIs combination treatment beforehand are largely unknown.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to explore the non-invasive biomarkers that can predict the efficacy of immune combination therapy in advanced/metastatic NSCLC patients.

Design:

This study employed a retrospective cohort design to analyze dual predictive biomarkers in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with immune combination therapy.

Method:

An analysis was conducted on baseline information of 144 patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC who received ICIs treatment from the November of 2018 to the January of 2023 in Beijing Chest Hospital. We established a scoring group chart to make quantitative prediction for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) based on 4 variables, and set up the nomogram model as well as Decision curve analysis (DCA) to assess clinical benefits of ICIs combination in treatment of patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC.

Results:

We found that serum globulin (GLB) >26.6 (g/L) (HR = 1.865, P = .002), absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) (109/L) > 5 (HR = 2.146, P < .001), and bone metastasis (HR = 2.148, P < .001) were independent factors affecting the PFS of NSCLC patients. GLB > 26.6 (g/L) (HR = 1.741, P = .018), ANC (109/L) >5 (HR = 1.807, P = .008), bone metastasis (HR = 1.651, P = .002), and PD-L1 Negative (HR = 2.432, P = .032) were independent factors affecting the OS of NSCLC patients. Same variables and cut-off value have good predictive efficacy in both PFS and OS.

Conclusion:

In patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC receiving ICIs combination treatment, the GLB, ANC, bone metastasis, and PD-L1 may serve as useful predictive markers for the prognosis of NSCLC patients with ICIs combination treatment.
Aerobic capacity moderates the association between cervical cord atrophy and clinical disability in mildly disabled multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Albergoni Matteo , Preziosa Paolo , Meani Alessandro , Dallari Chiara , Valsasina Paola , Rocca Maria A , Filippi Massimo
Published: February 2025

Background:

Spinal cord volume loss is associated with clinical disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Aerobic capacity may mitigate the impact of central nervous system (CNS) damage accumulation, exerting beneficial effects on MS-related disability.

Objectives:

We investigated whether aerobic capacity could moderate the association between spinal cord atrophy and clinical disability in MS.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional analysis, expanded disability status scale (EDSS), peak of oxygen consumption (VO2peak), brain volumetric measures, and the normalized mean upper cervical cord area (nMUCCA) were collected from 51 MS patients and 33 healthy controls (HCs). Low aerobic capacity was defined as having a VO2peak z-score less than –1.64 standard deviations. In MS patients, we explored whether the association between nMUCCA and EDSS is moderated by the level of aerobic capacity.

Results:

The relationship between nMUCCA and EDSS was moderated by aerobic capacity, with a significant nMUCCA × aerobic capacity interaction (β = −0.099, 95% bootstrapped confidence interval [CI] = [−0.172; −0.014], p = 0.012). Lower nMUCCA was significantly associated with higher EDSS score in MS patients with low aerobic capacity (β = −0.073, p < 0.001), but not in those with high aerobic capacity (β = 0.026, p = 0.417).

Conclusions:

In MS patients with mild disability, higher aerobic capacity can potentially mitigate the negative impact of spinal cord damage on clinical disability.
The experiential value of gambling in f2p gamespaces
Authors: Woods Orlando
Published: February 2025

This article explores the experiential value of gambling within free-to-play (f2p) gamespaces. In doing so, it offers a more balanced understanding of the gambling/gaming interplay. Whilst existing understandings tend to focus on the assumedly predatory monetisation techniques that players are subjected to by game developers, I instead argue that a logic of gambling is integral to the f2p experience economy of Asian players. Drawing on an analysis of in-depth interviews with Singapore-based game players/developers, I show how the virtual items and worlds that players engage with through f2p gamespaces are imbued with experiential value, whilst developers leverage the volumes of data generated by players to maximise this value in ways that might eventually lead to their monetisation. Embracing these complementary facets of f2p gamespaces can help expand normative understandings of gambling in/and gaming.
Consumers’ and practitioners’ perspectives on the antipsychotic induced metabolic syndrome and challenges in metabolic monitoring to patient prescribed second generation antipsychotics in severe mental illness
Authors: Poojari Pooja Gopal , Mey Amary , Khan Sohil A , Shenoy Sonia , Pai Keshava , Shetty Sahana , Bhat Sripathy M , Bhandary P Venkataraya , Acharya Leelavathi D , Bose Swarnali , Thunga Girish
Published: February 2025

Second-generation antipsychotics are highly effective in controlling symptoms if taken as prescribed. However, poor medication adherence results in patients continuing to experience psychotic episodes and metabolic disturbances that can cause them to develop abnormal lipid levels, weight gain, and diabetes. Understanding the underlying modulators that impact follow-up appointments and metabolic monitoring is critical. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and their treating psychiatrists across four sites in South India. Narrative data were thematically analyzed, informed by an inductive approach. Patient-reported barriers included medication side effects, lack of awareness about metabolic monitoring, and financial constraints. Psychiatrists reported both patient and resource barriers that impact their provision of care. This study has shed light on key barriers impacting the provision of care and subsequently health outcomes for patients living with severe mental illness to inform strategies that target barriers for both patients and psychiatrists.
Democratising Research Practices With Unaccompanied Refugee Young People Using Participatory Arts-Based Methods
Authors: Lee Charity
Published: February 2025

Democratising and participatory research methods enable vulnerable young people such as refugees to document their experiences of displacement on their own terms, allowing them to resist essentialised tropes highlight their helplessness and vulnerability. Previous research employing just single creative methods have reported many benefits to its participants and the democratising process. This article draws on lessons learnt from using participatory and arts-based methods in a discourse analysis research project with Afghan unaccompanied refugee young people living in Malaysia. It offers suggestions on how to broaden the concept of participation of young people in research including using iterative consent and a flexible flow of sessions and activities, and diverse methods for data collection using arts-based methods. This allows the sharing of refugee experiences across multiple modes that transcends linguistic ability, culture, and age. The flexible nature of the workshops and its focus on the production of embodied knowledge over intellectual knowledge facilitated the participants’ self-determination and trust in the research process. Examples are provided from the analysis of the diverse data set – comprising oral, written, visual, and theatrical narratives – using various discourse analytic methods. The commitment to the diversity in both the methods of eliciting narratives and data analysis aimed at avoiding imposing preconceived representations on an already vulnerable group of people.
‘Like it’s making my heart run’: A strengths-based understanding of the play of autistic children
Authors: O’Keeffe Christina , McNally Sinead
Published: February 2025

Play is a central feature of childhood and a fundamental right of all children. Currently, our understanding of autistic play is based on a deficit perspective, most often framed in comparison to neurotypical ‘norms’ and assumptions where the views of the players themselves have been overlooked. In moving towards a strengths-based neuroaffirmative understanding of autistic play, this study consulted with 19 autistic children (aged 5 to 13 years) using a series of semi-structured interviews and a range of creative and participatory methods. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes where children conceptualised: (1) enjoyment and pleasure as central to the definition of play, (2) social connections as fundamental to play and (3) play as engagement with meaningful materials and activities. Children’s autonomy and agency in play was important to all themes. These findings challenge long-standing deficit-oriented assumptions that have persisted throughout the literature for decades and have implications for future programmes of research, theory and practice, in particular on the importance of providing and facilitating authentic play experiences for autistic children in education and care contexts.

Lay abstract

Autistic play is generally described from a deficit perspective where the players themselves have been overlooked. It is important to consult with autistic children themselves about their understanding of play. We asked autistic children about their views on play using many different creative ways that were chosen by the children themselves. We analysed findings using reflexive thematic analysis. Autistic children in this research described play as involving feelings and emotions of pleasure and joy, autonomy and agency, playing by themselves and with others and engagement with materials and activities as meaningful. It is very important that we ask the players themselves what they think about play rather than relying on deficit framed, non-autistic definitions of autistic play. In this article, we will discuss how these findings will help develop future research, theory and practice in respecting children’s right to authentic play experiences.
Local color: Perceived racial demographics of more and less rural locations
Authors: Sargent Michael J. , Tieken Mara Casey
Published: February 2025

In previous work, respondents overestimated the size of the US Black population, while underestimating the White population. In the present study, we examined perceptions of the racial composition of more specific locations within the US, comparing relatively rural and urban locations to one another. We expected that observers would see more rural places as having smaller Black populations, and larger White populations, compared to less rural places, but these perceived differences would exist independent of actual variation in racial makeup. In three samples, US residents judged 70 locations, estimating their racial demographics, rurality/urbanness, and desirability. Study 1 ( N = 241) tested an all-White sample; Study 2 tested a White subsample ( n = 246) and a Black subsample ( n = 263).As expected, more rural locations were judged as having larger White populations and smaller Black populations than less rural locations, beyond any actual differences in racial composition. These results support the conclusion that the mental images that Black and White respondents have of rural and urban America are characterized by stereotypes of their populations.

Public Significance Statement

Academic and public scholarship has assumed that the meaning of the idea of “rural” is racialized, such that places judged as rural are thought of as White, and places judged as urban are thought of as Black, beyond any actual racial differences among locations. The present data confirm the operation of such biases, demonstrating them among both Black and White observers. The data also speak to how observers estimate the size of Black and White populations in specific locations, supporting the following conclusion: people’s judgments of the racial composition of the residents of places are a product of multiple, not entirely consistent, processes.
How Heterogeneous Are Music Genre Listeners?
Authors: Anesbury Zachary William , Davies Callum , Page Bill , Driesener Carl , Yang Song , Bruwer Johan
Published: February 2025

Understanding music listening behaviour benefits those seeking to market music to the general population and those choosing music to feature in retail environments or advertising. In particular, understanding how consumers consume different genres is important. There are, however, two conflicting bodies of knowledge. One finds segments of music listeners who differ on music genre preferences, while the other finds (media and brand) user profiles are more similar than different. Our research provides additional evidence by surveying over 1,000 representative respondents in the United States regarding their listening behaviour of 13 music genres. The proportion of listeners of each genre is compared with the average profile for all genres using those segmentation variables previously found to cause differing genre preferences (e.g. age and income). While some minor differences exist, notably that younger listeners prefer electronica/dance, the overall results show genre user profiles are more similar than different. The theoretical implication is that using approaches designed to find minor differences will do precisely that and magnify them. At the same time, for those marketing music in the industry, achieving a broader market coverage may be more effective in expanding their listener bases than focussing on narrower segments.
Materials changing the performance of the household energy consumption practices
Authors: Laitinen Sara-Ellen , Syrjälä Henna , Kylkilahti Eliisa , Kääntä Liisa
Published: February 2025

Materials are an essential part of social practices, their performance and sustainability. However, there are different views on the role of materials in practices and the agency they induce in relation to humans. The purpose of this research is to examine the agency of material in the household energy consumption practices. To this end, we analyse consumer narratives ( n = 25) and interviews ( n = 30) on daily home practices. Based on practice-theoretical analysis, we demonstrate that materials can change the performance of a practice in three main ways: by delaying the performance of the practice, shaping its performance, or creating a new practice. Furthermore, by comparing the material agency from human-centric and posthumanist practice theoretical approaches, we pinpoint the variability on the views on material contribution to practices and their sustainability. We show how sustainability is determined by the materiality of the practice, its connection to other practices, and people’s reactions to the disruption caused by the material.
Effect of time, temperature and chemical concentration of peracetic acid treatment on enhancement of crystallinity of jute fibers
Authors: Islam Md. Monirul , Chowdhury Mohammad Asaduzzaman , Talukder Anik , Hossain Nayem , Rana Md. Masud , Patwary Md. Ahadul Islam , Khan Ruhul Amin
Published: February 2025

Jute is a natural fiber that decomposes organically and is widely used in textiles, composites, and many industrial applications. The cellulose’s crystallinity influences jute fibers’ durability, moisture resistance, and mechanical qualities. This study examines the impact of time, temperature, and peracetic acid (PAA) concentration on the crystallinity of cellulose jute fibers. Chemical concentration was varied with time and temperature variation to improve the crystallinity of jute fibers. After the experiment, the crystallinity of jute fibers improved altering chemical structure brought about by PAA’s removal of noncellulosic components from jute fibers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has been performed to find the crystallinity improvement in the fibers. After the chemical treatment which was performed at 2 M for 120 min at 50-60°C temperature, the maximum crystallinity was 75.34%. The findings suggest that longer treatment times and higher temperatures increase crystallinity because the PAA can easily reach the cellulose microfibrils. In addition, it was observed that the enhancement of crystallinity was significantly influenced by the optimal concentration of PAA, with an optimal concentration being identified.
Explaining Automated Vehicle Behavior at an Appropriate Abstraction Level and Timescale to Maintain Common Ground
Authors: Rheem Hansol , Lee Joonbum , Lee John D. , Szczerba Joseph F. , Tsimhoni Omer
Published: February 2025

Automation is becoming increasingly complex, playing a larger role in driving and expanding its operational design domain to dynamic urban roads. Explainable AI (XAI) research in computer science aims to craft explanations of automation that help people understand the behavior of complex algorithms. However, many XAI approaches rely on fixed-format explanations, which may not effectively support drivers with varying levels of automation knowledge and tasks with different timescales. Maintaining common ground is a multilevel process, in which individuals and automation must adjust communication format and abstraction based on knowledge and time constraints. We first draw on existing research to suggest that common ground is a shared understanding between drivers and automation that requires constant maintenance. We applied the abstraction hierarchy (AH) modeling method, which describes complex systems across multiple abstraction levels to match drivers’ cognitive capacity. We modified it to translate vehicle and traffic data into multilevel explanations of automation behavior. We expanded the model into the abstraction–decomposition space, naming it the Driver–Automation Teaming model, designed to generate explanations that account for task timescale. With this modified model, we developed three human–machine interface concepts to demonstrate how it can improve XAI’s support for driver–automation collaboration.
Examining School Leaders’ Expectations From the Perspective of an Asian Pacific American Student
Authors: Liou Daniel D.
Published: February 2025

This case study invites school administrators to re-examine their knowledge and educational expectations of America’s most-heterogeneous and fastest-growing population: Asian Pacific American students. Through David’s retrospective accounts of his adjustment as a newly arrived immigrant at Ohlone Elementary School in California, this case challenges school administrators to confront two persistent and contradictory expectations at the intersection of immigration and education: the model minority and perpetual foreigner stereotypes. By examining this case, school administrators will have the opportunity to reconsider their educational expectations so they can effectively respond to the strengths and needs of Asian Pacific American students.