bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing German farmers’ trade-offs between disease resistance and yield in winter wheat varieties
Authors: Zander Kerstin K , Blaise Pascal , Holm-Müller Karin
Published: November 2022

Disease resistant crop varieties are important for both disease control and for reducing chemical pesticide use. However, there is often a trade-off between disease resistance and yield. While the European Union has banned the use of some pesticides in agriculture, large amounts are still applied to various crops, including wheat. Market-based instruments could motivate farmers to adopt more environmentally friendly production methods. In this study we aimed to explore farmers’ adoption of resistant varieties in different wheat price scenarios and their willingness to forgo yield when cultivating more resistant varieties. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 192 farmers using a choice experiment. Results showed that farmers preferred traits of yield stability (fungal disease resistance, lodging resistance and drought tolerance) over yield. Preferences for traits varied with the production system; livestock production was negatively associated with the importance of yield; cultivated land area was positively associated with protein content. The market price scenario did not change preferences. We calculate that farmers are willing to forgo more yield by cultivating highly disease resistant varieties than they are likely to recuperate from reducing costs of pesticides. Overall, we conclude that farmers’ choices are based more on a combination of the production system, drought experience, climate change belief and the potential impact of further regulations to reduce the use of chemical pesticides than on the expected wheat price.
Fiscal Origins of Subnational Democracy: Evidence from Argentina
Authors: Diaz-Rioseco Diego , Alberti Carla
Published: November 2022

Subnational governments are generally funded by fiscal rents, that is, transfers of centrally levied taxes. Existing literature concurs that fiscal federalism breeds rentierism and, consequently, hinders subnational democracy. However, in Argentina, fiscal rents do not always lead to low provincial contestation. Building on research on oil-based rentierism and fiscal federalism, we argue that this variation results from the provincial fiscal institutions that distribute central-government transfers from the province to municipalities. Specifically, we claim that as provincial fiscal institutions decentralize fiscal rents from the province to municipalities, they empower mayors to challenge governors. Conversely, as these institutions centralize rents at the province, they empower governors and weaken opposition from below. Using panel data and a comparison between Tierra del Fuego and Santa Cruz—the provinces that receive the largest fiscal transfers—we show that the effect of fiscal rents on incumbent party advantage decreases and eventually disappears as institutions become province-decentralizing.
Serious, Violent, and Chronic Prison Misconduct: Are the Predictors the Same for Women and Men?
Authors: Logan Matthew W. , Long Joshua , DeLisi Matt , Hazelwood Andrea R.
Published: November 2022

Inmate misconduct is a focal concern among those who live and work in prisons, and is committed primarily by a few offenders with discernable backgrounds. The current study examines the most prolific rule violators (the top 1 and 10%) among a large sample of inmates housed across Ohio correctional facilities. We focus on the characteristics that predict membership into these categories and whether differences in their rates of occurrence exist between males and females. Findings show more similarities than differences between groups. Implication for theory and practice are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.
Psychosocial Intervention Among Orphans: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Darsana  , S Vinod Kumar
Published: November 2022

Background

There has been an increase in the number of orphans around the world as a result of natural or man-made causes. Orphans are likely to face a number of challenges throughout their lives that go unrecognized. Considering these challenges, much focus needs to be given to manage their mental health issues.

Purpose

The aim of the study is to examine the effectiveness of various psychosocial interventions in managing post-traumatic stress symptoms, emotional and behavioural problems, and depression among orphans.

Method

Electronic searches on seven databases was done to identify studies investigating the effectiveness of interventions among orphans. The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms, emotional and behavioural problems, and depression was analyzed in seventeen studies. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Result

The overall intervention effect size of post-traumatic stress symptoms was found to be high with high heterogeneity, while low effect size for emotional and behavioural problems, and depression with substantial heterogeneity. Publication bias and exploratory moderating effects of study design and intervention type were also analyzed.

Conclusion

Psychosocial interventions were more effective in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms when compared to emotional and behavioural problems and depression.
Transformative Learning: English Language Teachers’ Experience of Engagement in Classroom Research in Singapore
Authors: Gwee Susan , Toh-Heng Hwee Leng
Published: November 2022

This qualitative study, situated within an interpretivist paradigm, hypothesized that teachers who engage in their own classroom research are more likely to undergo changes to their habits of mind regarding their pedagogical practices, thus experiencing transformative learning. Twelve English language teachers from Singapore primary and secondary schools, who had received research funding and completed their research projects, participated in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The teacher-researchers’ research studies were found to be student-focused. Their research process was time-consuming and arduous, but their learning experience was emotional. The findings also revealed that teacher-researchers’ research experience from participating in a research project had had an impact on their teaching practices, on their learning, and on their students’ learning and engagement as well as on the educational community. These findings offer evidence that teacher-researchers adopt a certain stance of inquiry towards teaching and learning as a result of engaging in classroom research and that their pedagogical practices have been transformed through the adoption of the habit of having an inquiry stance, and through the adoption of the habit of sharing successful pedagogical practices with others.
Book review: Farhana Ibrahim and Tanuja Kothiyal, eds. 2021. South Asian Borderlands: Mobility, History, Affect
Authors: Sharma Malvika
Published: November 2022

Farhana Ibrahim and Tanuja Kothiyal, eds. 2021. South Asian Borderlands: Mobility, History, Affect. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. x + 286 pp. Maps, tables, figures, notes, references, index. £75.00 (hardback)
The making of the Malayalee public sphere and the exclusion of Mappila women: Language and communal politics in Colonial Malabar
Authors: Sunil Babu C.T.
Published: November 2022

This article discusses the formation and distinctive evolution of the Malayalee public sphere in Malabar from the second half of the 19th century. When the press was introduced, versions of Malayalam, such as Arabimalayalam, Suriyani-Malayalam, and Aryanezhuthu/modern-Malayalam, were seen to be associated with different communities. The varied community and religious orientations of Malayalam were reflected in the newly emerging Malayalee public sphere. The tensions that racked the public sphere on this count compelled the Mappila intelligentsia to turn to modern Malayalam in order to contest claims alluding to their criminality. It led to their withdrawal from Arabimalayalam which was the language of their community. The waning of Arabimalayalam had an impact on Mappila women annihilating the possibility of their voices being heard in the newly emergent public sphere.
Beyond contiguity: Space, caste, and statues in Tamil Nadu
Authors: Janarthanan Dhivya
Published: November 2022

The contiguity of the divine, the human, and the object is routinely noted in scholarship on South Asia. In this article, I re-examine this model of contiguity by focusing on the vandalism of what I term a caste-iconic statue in 2008 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and track the effects of this incident in a village and on its caste groups until 2015. Beyond contiguity, I here offer a relational approach to studying space, caste, and statues.
The hand of the connoisseur: Gems and hardness in Enlightenment mineralogy
Authors: Bycroft Michael
Published: November 2022

Historians of natural history have shown that the study of plants, animals, and minerals was a form of connoisseurship in the eighteenth century. Historians of early modern experiments have linked scientific knowledge to the manual skills of artisans. I combine these two insights, arguing that connoisseurship in the sciences meant learning to touch, not just learning to look. The focus is on gems and mineralogy in eighteenth-century France. I show, firstly, that the study of gems was linked to the connoisseurship (“connoissance”) of paintings. Next, books on gems were closely related to the new mineralogical treatises that emerged in the middle of the eighteenth century. These treatises formalized a distinction between “Oriental” and “Occidental” gems that was also a distinction between hard and soft gems. The best judges of hardness were gem cutters, a group that participated in mineralogy through the culture of collecting. Finally, the knowledge of cutters contributed to the quantification of hardness in the form of the hardness scale and the scratch sclerometer.
Factors Influencing Postoperative Prognosis in Patients with Hypopharyngeal and Laryngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Jingjing , Liang Nan , Sun Chaochan , Zhang Luyi , Yi Tianfei , Liao Qi , Zhou Shuihong
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Despite the increasingly modern surgical techniques in the oncology field, the factors that influence postoperative prognosis in patients with hypopharyngeal and laryngeal carcinoma (HLC) remain unclear. The study aimed to evaluate the factors influencing the prognosis of HLC patients with pathological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma, and the findings are intended to direct follow-up management strategies.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed. The study population included 407 postoperative patients with HLC from 2011 to 2015. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the prognostic factors identified.

Results

Based on univariate analysis results, smoking and alcohol history, tumor differentiation, preoperative radiotherapy, primary tumor sites, flap reconstruction, lymph node invasion (LNI), and preoperative albumin levels (PAL) significantly affects the prognosis of HLC patients ( P < .05). Meanwhile, multivariate analysis revealed that smoking pack-year (OR = 1.002, 95% CI = 1.001 ∼ 1.003), primary tumor sites (OR = 6.241, 95% CI = 1.715 ∼ 18.433), LNI (OR = 2.869, 95% CI = 1.095 ∼ 8.743), and PAL (OR = .020, 95% CI = .004 ∼ 0.104) were associated with complications. Tumor differentiation (OR = 0.650, 95% CI = .383 ∼ 0.855), primary tumor sites (OR = 12.392, 95% CI = 3.290 ∼ 26.679), LNI (OR = 16.323, 95% CI = 2.726 ∼ 47.729), preoperative radiotherapy (OR = 9.300, 95% CI = 3.182 ∼ 27.181), and PAL (OR = .321, 95% CI = .141 ∼ .732) were associated with overall survival rates.

Conclusion

Smoking and alcohol history, tumor differentiation, LNI, primary tumor sites, flap reconstruction, PAL, and preoperative radiotherapy are crucial factors that influence the postoperative prognosis of patients with HLC. In addition, a monogram of five factors was established to predict the survival rates of HLC patients.
A Case of Sphenoid Mucocele Causing Hypopituitarism
Authors: Gozgec Elif , Ogul Hayri
Published: November 2022

Mucocele is rarely seen in the sphenoid sinus. It may cause compression of neighboring structures due to significant destruction of the bony structure and its expansile nature. Although headache is the main symptom, it may present with different symptoms. Imaging methods play an important role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.
Parent–child conversations about refugee newcomers are associated with children’s refugee-specific prosociality
Authors: Peplak Joanna , Jambon Marc , Bottoni Alyssa , Malti Tina
Published: November 2022

We examined Canadian host-society children’s prosociality (i.e., emotions and behaviors that reflect care for the welfare of others) toward refugee newcomer peers and the role of parental socialization (i.e., frequency of parent-child conversations about refugee newcomers) in children’s refugee-specific prosociality. The sample included 168 children (ages 6, 9, and 12 years; 51% girls; 58% European ethnicity) and their primary caregivers. We interviewed children to assess their ethical guilt-related emotions (based on emotions and reasoning) in response to a hypothetical vignette depicting prosocial omission involving a refugee newcomer peer or a non-refugee peer (between-subjects manipulation). A donation task was used to assess prosocial behavior wherein children were given the opportunity to donate chocolate coins to a refugee newcomer peer. Parents reported on how often they typically engage in conversations with their children about refugees and about inclusion. Children experienced similar intensities of ethical guilt-related emotions in the refugee compared with the nonrefugee condition, and donations to refugees increased across age groups. Furthermore, children whose parents engaged them in more frequent conversations about refugees expressed stronger ethical guilt-related emotions toward refugee peers (but not toward host-society peers), and donated more to a refugee peer. No significant associations between conversations about inclusion more broadly and refugee-specific prosociality were found. Encouraging parents to have conversations with their children that focus on the experiences of refugees may be important for fostering kindness between refugees and host-society children. Ultimately, these findings may contribute to initiatives that focus on promoting the inclusion of refugee newcomers in their postmigratory societies.
Enhanced Mood After a Getting-Acquainted Interaction with a Stranger: Do Shy People Benefit Too?
Authors: Sprecher Susan , Miller Rowland , Fehr Beverley , Kanter Jeremy B. , Perlman Daniel , Felmlee Diane
Published: November 2022

People report positive moods and enhanced well-being when they socialize with friends and other close ties. However, because most people routinely have more encounters with acquaintances and strangers (social connections known as weak ties) than with close friends or kin ( strong ties), we deemed it important to examine whether interaction with weak ties also enhances happiness and well-being. This investigation, which analyzed data from two laboratory procedures, examined whether participants’ positive affect (PA) increased and negative affect (NA) decreased, from before to after a getting-acquainted interaction with a stranger. We also considered whether any benefits of the interaction were moderated by the participants’ level of shyness. Participants ( N = 270; 135 dyads) from a U.S. university completed mood indices before and after a getting-acquainted task. Their PA significantly increased and their NA significantly decreased from before to after the interaction. Shy participants experienced greater NA both before and after the getting-acquainted interaction (relative to less shy participants), but the shyness level of our participants did not moderate the pattern of change in their PA and NA. Shy participants experienced increases in PA and decreases in NA that were similar to those of less shy participants. We discuss implications of the results regarding the important role of weak social connections for increasing one’s daily mood, including for those who are shy.
Acquaintance stalking victim experiences of work interference, resource loss, and help-seeking
Authors: Logan TK , Landhuis Jennifer
Published: November 2022

Stalking victimization, regardless of victim–stalker relationship, has been associated with negative consequences including high fear levels, mental health problems, and resource losses. Much of the research on stalking has focused on (ex)partner stalking victim experiences and consequences; however, many women are stalked by acquaintances. This is one of the first studies to examine acquaintance stalking victims who did ( n = 140) and who did not ( n = 222) experience negative work consequences from stalking victimization. Results found that just over half of the acquaintance stalking victims indicated the stalker was someone from work or school. Overall, many acquaintance stalking victims regardless of work losses experienced work interference, although those with work losses experienced increased work interference and job performance problems. Additionally, stalking victims with negative work consequences experienced more stalking threats, life interference, more non-work-related resource losses, and had higher stalking-related fear levels than victims without work losses. Regardless of group, stalking victims lost an average of nine different resources other than work losses, and resource losses were associated with current negative mental health symptoms and help-seeking. Help-seeking, outside of friends or family, even though they endured stalking for an average of almost 2 years, was low for all of the victims. However, acquaintance stalking victims with work losses sought help from more sources on average. Implications from this study suggest that safety at work should be a primary concern for all types of stalking victims, and workplace policies should consider stalking as a separate category of victimization.
Priority-Based Traffic Signal Coordination System With Multi-Modal Priority and Vehicle Actuation in a Connected Vehicle Environment
Authors: Das Debashis , Altekar Niraj Vasant , Head K. Larry
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a priority-based coordination system that provides preferential treatment to vehicles traveling along a coordinated route. A mixed-integer linear program model is enhanced to consider coordination as a form of priority along with the multi-modal priority for eligible emergency, transit, and freight connected vehicles and provides dilemma zone protection to freight vehicles in a connected vehicle environment. The optimization model generates an optimal signal timing schedule that minimizes the total weighted delay of the coordination requests, priority requests, and dilemma zone requests, and maximizes the flexible implementation of the optimal signal timing schedule. The optimal signal timing schedule allows real-time vehicle actuation using traditional vehicle detection. The simulation experiments and statistical analysis show that priority-based coordination can achieve performance equivalent to a traditional coordination system. The priority-based coordination method is integrated into the priority control Multi-modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System and is implemented in the Maricopa County SMARTDrive ProgramSM test bed in Anthem, Arizona, and in Portland, Oregon.
The Post-Concussion Symptom Scale: Normative Data for Adolescent Student-Athletes Stratified by Gender and Preexisting Conditions
Authors: Karr Justin E. , Zuccato Brandon G. , Ingram Eric O. , McAuley Tara L. , Merker Bradley , Abeare Christopher A.
Published: November 2022

Background:

The Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) is a self-report questionnaire measuring symptoms that commonly occur after a concussion; however, these symptoms are nonspecific and can be related to co-occurring orthopaedic injuries (eg, cervical strain) or patient characteristics and preexisting conditions, even in the absence of a recent injury. As such, clinicians may have difficulty determining whether symptom elevations are attributable to a recent concussion as opposed to a confounding injury or a preexisting condition, which may be especially difficult when preinjury baseline symptom data are unavailable.

Purpose:

This study aimed to further validate the 4-factor model of the PCSS (ie, cognitive, sleep-arousal, physical, and affective symptoms) with adolescent student-athletes and provide normative reference data for each factor and the total score, stratified by gender and preexisting health conditions.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Participants were 9358 adolescent student-athletes who completed the PCSS during a preseason baseline evaluation (mean age, 14.9 years; SD, 1.3 years [range, 13-18 years]; 49.3% boys). The 4-factor model of the PCSS was tested for the full sample and separately for boys and girls using confirmatory factor analysis. Symptom severity percentiles were created for the PCSS total score and each factor, stratified by gender and preexisting conditions (ie, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mental health history, headache/migraine history, learning disability/dyslexia, academic problems, and concussion history).

Results:

The 4-factor model of the PCSS replicated in the full sample (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.959) and in both gender groups (boys: CFI = 0.961; girls: CFI = 0.960). The total PCSS score at the 84th percentile varied by preexisting conditions as follows: healthy participants = 8, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder = 18, mental health history = 26, headache/migraine history = 18, learning disability = 19, and academic problems = 17. On all PCSS subscales, participants with a mental health history had the highest scores, and high scores were associated with having >1 preexisting condition. Girls had higher scores than boys for each stratification.

Conclusion:

The 4-factor model of the PCSS replicates for adolescent student-athletes. Gender, number of preexisting conditions, and mental health history are important factors to account for when interpreting PCSS symptom severity. The normative data provided herein could assist clinicians in determining whether an adolescent student-athlete is presenting with persistent postconcussion symptoms or a typical symptom experience based on their gender and personal health history.
Physical Activity Tracker Application in Promoting Physical Activity Behavior among Older Adults: A 24-month Follow-Up Study
Authors: Kari Tuomas , Makkonen Markus , Carlsson Christer
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To investigate whether and how PA tracker application use supports PA behavior among older adults during the first 24 months of use. Methods: The changes in PA levels (i.e., time spent in different PA intensities) and between PA categories (i.e., low, moderate, or high based on total PA) were examined between three different time points: before taking the application into use (t0), after 12 months of use (t1), and after 24 months of use (t2). The data was collected by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire modified for the elderly (IPAQ-E). Results: A statistically significant increase was observed in walking (χ2 (2) = 29.741, p < .001), moderate PA (χ2 (2) = 6.327, p = .042), and total PA levels (χ2 (2) = 11.489, p = .003). The increase was observed between t0 and t1 as well as between t0 and t2. The overall changes between PA categories were statistically significant between t0 and t1 (χ2 (3) = 15.789, p = .001) as well as between t0 and t2 (χ2 (3) = 14.745, p = .002). There were more increasingly active (moved to a higher PA category) than decreasingly active (moved to a lower PA category) participants. Discussion: Overall, the results indicate that PA tracker application use can promote PA behavior among older adults. Stakeholders that work with PA programs and PA promotion, as well as individual users, can utilize digital wellness technologies in supporting PA promotion, especially in exceptional times, like the COVID-19 pandemic, when health care restrictions prevent general gatherings.
Trends in Activity Limitations From an International Perspective: Differential Changes Between Age Groups Across 30 Countries
Authors: Beller Johannes , Luy Marc , Giarelli Guido , Regidor Enrique , Lostao Lourdes , Tetzlaff Juliane , Geyer Siegfried
Published: November 2022

Objectives: Examine trends in limitations among young (15–39), middle-aged (40–64) and older age-groups (>=65) and their socioeconomic differences. Methods: Population-based European Social Survey data ( N = 396,853) were used, covering 30 mostly European countries and spanning the time-period 2002–2018. Limitations were measured using a global activity limitations indicator. Results: Age-differential trends in limitations were found. Activity limitations generally decreased in older adults, whereas trends varied among younger and middle-aged participants, with decreasing limitations in some countries but increasing limitations in others. These age-differential trends were replicated across limitation severity and socioeconomic groups; however, stronger limitation increases occurred regarding less-severe limitations. Discussion: Functional health has improved in older adults. Contrarily, the increasing limitations in younger and middle-aged individuals seem concerning, which were mostly observed in Western and Northern European countries. Given its public health importance, future studies should investigate the reasons for this declining functional health in the young and middle-aged.
Dark Triad traits, engagement with learning, and perceptions of employability in undergraduate students
Authors: Mooney Robyn
Published: November 2022

Whilst student engagement with learning has been consistently linked to positive academic outcomes, there has been an increasing focus among higher education institutions on the importance of producing employable graduates. This study investigated whether individual differences in socially aversive personality traits predict different types of student engagement, students’ understanding of employability or their attitudes towards this construct. Ninety-four undergraduate students completed the Short Dark Triad and questionnaires measuring engagement, understanding of employability and attitudes towards employability. Regression analyses revealed that narcissism positively predicts general and emotional engagement, whilst psychopathy negatively predicts general engagement. Narcissism positively predicts, and Machiavellianism negatively predicts, attitudes towards employability. Although no Dark Triad traits predicted understanding of employability, students who were highly engaged tended to better understand the concept. These findings can aid university educators by informing more individualised approaches to encouraging engagement and fostering employable skills and attributes in university students. The results are also discussed in the context of employability in higher education, with recommendations for improving student engagement and graduate employability outcomes.
The sciences of love: Intimate ‘democracy’ and the eugenic development of the Marathi couple in colonial India
Authors: Sequeira Rovel
Published: November 2022

This article studies the eugenic theories of Marathi sexological writer and novelist Narayan Sitaram Phadke, and his attempts to domesticate the modern ideal of the adult romantic couple as a yardstick of ‘emotional democracy’ in late colonial India. Locating Phadke's work against the backdrop of the Child Marriage Restraint Act (1929) and its eugenicist concerns, I argue that he conceptualized romantic love as an emotion and a form of sociability central to the state's biopolitical schemes of ensuring modern coupledom but as exceeding the state's capacity to rationally order Indian sex life. Consequently, he crafted literary supplements like the bildungsroman to circulate ‘English’ idioms of emotional and corporeal intimacy in Marathi; his novels domesticated eugenic sexology for its ‘vernacular’ audiences by advocating caste-bound romantic love as the blueprint for Indian marital coupling. As exemplified by Phadke's work, an emerging Marathi discourse of love demarcated a space for the young couple to operate as a vehicle of interpersonal openness within the constraints of the upper-caste joint family. By outlining the parameters of this Brahmanical aesthetic discourse, I show that the couple became the locus of a self-styled ‘democratic’ form of emotional attachment aimed at developing a necessary dynamism within endogamous caste-based marital arrangements without radically transforming them. The science performed through the Marathi novel in the 1920s and 1930s consequently explains the increasing prominence of romantic love as a form of developmental ‘democratic’ discourse at a time when both romantic love and democracy-in-practice were widely experienced as absent from Indian society.
Effect of 3-methoxysalicylaldehyde on transparency and mechanical properties of EP modified with aminopyridine-based DOPO derivative
Authors: Chen Rui , Dongmei Bao , Jiang Jiaye , Sun Chuanbo , Chen Han , Zhang Min
Published: November 2022

Two effective flame retardant additives hsalaminopyridine phosphaphenanthrene (HAD) and methoaminopyridine phosphaphenanthrene (MAD) were respectively prepared with DOPO, aminopyridine, salicylaldehyde and 3-Methoxysalicylaldehyde. Subsequently, HAD and MAD was added into epoxy resin (EP) respectively, and flame retardancy of EP/HAD and EP/MAD thermosets were dramatically enhanced. The result of cone calorimeter (CC) test revealed that both HAD and MAD showed perfect smoke suppression performance. In respect of transmittance and mechanical properties, there was a huge difference between HAD and MAD. The introduction of HAD dramatically harmed transmittance and mechanical properties of EP, while, EP/10%MAD was transparent and nearly possessed the same mechanical properties with pure EP.
Electrical discharge machining of polycrystalline diamond: A review
Authors: Wang Xiangzhi , Li Chaojiang , Guo Hun , Ding Songlin
Published: November 2022

Owing to its ultra-hardness and exceptional wear resistance, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is widely used in numerous applications such as bearing, nozzle, metal cutting, oil and gas, and hard rock mining. However, the hardness of diamond means PCD products are incredibly difficult to manufacture. Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is one of the most effective non-traditional methods used for machining PCD materials, although the unique composite structure and low electrical conductivity of PCD lead to low machining efficiency. This paper presents an overview of the methods and newly emerged state-of-the-art technologies to improve material removal rate and surface quality as well as the mechanisms behind these methods. Literature analysis shows that efficiency improvement could be achieved by increasing energy utilization and the sparking gap in EDM. The utilization of discharge energy is highly sensitive to the expansion of single discharge sparks. Further improvement in machining efficiency could be achieved by enhancing discharge expansion and explosive force through changing processing forms, dielectric, electrode shape, and power generator in the future. To provide a comprehensive insight of the machinability of PCD, EDM processes of using PCD as tool electrodes to machine other materials to improve machining performance are also discussed.
Weakening affinity of SUS304 asperities to die surface with TiN coating for preventing delayed cracks in deep-drawn cups
Authors: Tan Chin Joo , Phoo Yoong Hau
Published: November 2022

SUS304 stainless steel surface asperities have a strong affinity to tool steel surfaces. Therefore, the flow of material in the flange portion during the deep drawing process is retarded due to adhesive wear, leading to increase in amount of wall thicknening along the cup edge and rising risk for delayed cracks. In this paper, TiN coating is applied to the drawing die surface to weaken the affinity. Under elevated blank holding forces (BHF), the experimental results showed that the crack-free BHF range for the TiN coated and the uncoated dies are 5–10 and 12 kN, respectively. The crack-free BHF magnitude is successfully lowered and the range is enlarged with the coated die. The weakened affinity is evidenced by the low estimated coefficient of friction (COF) obtained from the finite element (FE) simulation. In contrast, the estimated COF of the uncoated die is high even at low BHF due to adhesive wear. Therefore, delayed cracks are observed under BHF range of 7–11 kN. At BHF 12 kN, the amount of wear fragments formed in the boundary layer increases as a result of the continuous polishing of the SUS304 asperities by the uncoated die surface asperities. The COF is sharpyly decreased due to the smooth relative movement of contacting surfaces facilitated by the fragments. Therefore, the cracks are prevented. However, the fragments tend to penetrate into the SUS304 surface under excessive BHF of 13 kN and above resulting in the formation of the cracks again. To eliminate the cracks, drawn cups must achieve threshold values of less than 32.5% wall thickening and more than 33.3 mm cup height in the valley points.
The development of supported mental health accommodation and community psychiatric nursing in Oxfordshire
Authors: Hall John
Published: November 2022

Overcrowding in British mental hospitals was a major service and political concern when the NHS was introduced in 1948. From 1959, a number of projects were initiated locally in Oxfordshire, based from Littlemore Hospital Oxford, to provide alternative accommodation, primarily for long-stay residents. Two NHS hostels were opened and a network of group homes was developed from 1963. These were administered through the hospital League of Friends and supported by the community psychiatric nursing service led by Helmut Leopoldt. From 1977 a separate local charity, Oxfordshire Mind, also provided supported housing for younger patients. These developments can be seen as an early local case study of the provision of non-hospital (supported) accommodation and other forms of support for people with long-term mental health problems.
Asymmetric impacts of natural gas consumption on renewable energy and economic growth in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Alam Md Shabbir , Adebayo Tomiwa Sunday , Said Radwa Radwan , Alam Naushad , Magazzino Cosimo , Khan Uzma
Published: November 2022

The globe is now in ecological turmoil as a result of the unrelenting increase in global warming. As a result, governments worldwide are committing to decarbonizing the environment, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) playing an important role in this effort. Hence, this paper evaluates the nonlinear (asymmetric) impact of natural gas consumption on renewable energy consumption and economic growth in the KSA and the UAE utilizing data stretching from 1990 to 2020. The study also considers other drivers of renewable energy consumption and economic growth, such as trade openness and CO2 emissions. The study utilizes nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) to evaluate these associations. The outcomes of bounds nonlinear ARDL (NARDL), affirm the long-run association between the variables in both countries. The nonlinear results show that positive and negative shocks in natural gas consumption have a negative impact on renewable energy in both UAE and KSA. In contrast, positive and negative shocks in natural gas consumption impact economic growth positively. The study proposed vital policy recommendations based on these results.
An overview of propensity score matching methods for clustered data
Authors: Langworthy Benjamin , Wu Yujie , Wang Molin
Published: November 2022

Propensity score matching is commonly used in observational studies to control for confounding and estimate the causal effects of a treatment or exposure. Frequently, in observational studies data are clustered, which adds to the complexity of using propensity score techniques. In this article, we give an overview of propensity score matching methods for clustered data, and highlight how propensity score matching can be used to account for not just measured confounders, but also unmeasured cluster level confounders. We also consider using machine learning methods such as generalized boosted models to estimate the propensity score and show that accounting for clustering when using these methods can greatly reduce the performance, particularly when there are a large number of clusters and a small number of subjects per cluster. In order to get around this we highlight scenarios where it may be possible to control for measured covariates using propensity score matching, while using fixed effects regression in the outcome model to control for cluster level covariates. Using simulation studies we compare the performance of different propensity score matching methods for clustered data across a number of different settings. Finally, as an illustrative example we apply propensity score matching methods for clustered data to study the causal effect of aspirin on hearing deterioration using data from the conservation of hearing study.
Characteristics of Enterprises More Likely to Face Constraints in the Unorganised Manufacturing Sector in India
Authors: Mawkhiew Badaiahunlang , Thangkhiew Darishisha War
Published: November 2022

The unorganised manufacturing sector has been facing numerous challenges in spite of its capacity to generate employment. This study analyses the enterprises in the unorganised manufacturing sector in India most likely to face challenges based on different characteristics. The data for the study is extracted from the 73rd Round of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) for the period 2015–2016. The aim is to identify the characteristics of unorganised manufacturing enterprises more likely to encounter problems. Logistic regression techniques have been employed for this purpose. The results show that the larger enterprises, the establishments, are more likely to face problems than the small own-account units. With odds ratios greater than one, rural sector enterprises, registered enterprises, male-owned enterprises, contracting enterprises, enterprises with accounts maintained and enterprises with government assistance have higher risks of problems. Registration status does not reduce the chances of such enterprises encountering problems. Older enterprises are less likely to face problems. Suitable policy measures designed for enterprises with specific characteristics are needed to address the problems of the unorganised manufacturing sector.
Towards the Theory of an Entrepreneurial Firm from the Lens of the Bhagavad Gita
Authors: Sinha Rai Siddhant , Srivastava Sweety
Published: November 2022

Management research has attracted a plethora of research intending to optimize performance within and outside firms. We have seen plenty of progress in various dimensions; however, we also notice domains where the struggle still exists. This work tries to develop a theory of a hypothetical firm that goes beyond the current theories and takes inspiration from the texts of the Bhagavad Gita. We look at the theory of a hypothetical firm through the lens of the Bhagavad Gita. Precisely, this work theorizes about the three aspects of a firm: leadership, governance and motivation. Governance provides a structure to business management; leaderships play a pivotal role in converting inputs to desired outputs; and motivation acts as a catalyst in any process that builds and runs the firm. Moreover, this work integrates the understanding of certain shlokas of the Bhagavad Gita for theorizing.
Understanding the Role of Social Media Users’ Self-Presentation on Social Media Marketing and Brand Loyalty Relationship
Authors: Singh Balgopal
Published: November 2022

The study examined users’ self-presentation in social media and its influence on social media marketing effectiveness. Data were obtained from 324 social media marketing customers of fashion brands aged between 18 and 25. Moderation analysis was conducted to establish the hypothesis regarding the effect of social media marketing on brand loyalty conditioned on users’ self-presentation characteristics. The result of the data analysis supported the effect of users’ self-presentation on social media marketing and brand loyalty relationship. The implication of this study will be in segmenting and targeting social media users based on their social media usage behaviour. This study will complement the information obtained through social media text mining and assist in predictive analytics. This article will help marketing organizations in developing their social media marketing strategy.
Imaginaries, Integration, and Resistance: The Case of Initiatives in Internationalization, Interculturalization and Indigenization in a Canadian University
Authors: Heath Theresa , Johnstone Christopher
Published: November 2022

This article reports on an ethnographically-informed case study of a Canadian university that is experiencing growth and systems change through three initiatives: internationalization, intercultural education, and Indigenization. The article describes the goals of internationalization and “interculturalization” (a term coined at the university) at the site of the case study. The study then examines points of convergence and tensions between internationalization and interculturalization and emerging Indigenization initiatives. The work draws upon conceptualizations of “imaginaries” in higher education, and identifies that plural imaginaries exist within a single institution, creating opportunities for convergence but also over–reach by particular actors. We conclude that imaginaries are a useful conceptual tool for understanding the broad-based goals of higher education and identifying their varied rationales and also for understanding intra-institutional dynamics.
Extranodal Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma of the Head and Neck Region: A Clinicopathological Study of 7 Cases
Authors: Din Nasir Ud , Ahmad Zubair , Rahim Shabina , Fritchie Karen , Tariq Muhammad Usman , Ahmed Arsalan
Published: November 2022

Background. Follicular dendritic cell (FDC) sarcoma is a rare neoplasm arising from follicular dendritic cells (FDCs). It can be nodal or extranodal. Histological diagnosis of extranodal FDC sarcoma in the head and neck region is challenging and a significant percentage are misdiagnosed. Objectives. To report clinicopathological features of head and neck extranodal FDC sarcoma cases and discuss differential diagnoses. Methods. Seven head and neck extranodal FDC sarcomas were retrieved and clinicopathological features were noted. Results. Two tumors each involved parapharyngeal space and tonsil while remaining cases involved the parotid, soft tissue of neck and oropharynx. Age range was 12 to 79 years (mean and median age were 40 and 44 years respectively) and there was a male predilection (6 males: 1 female). All showed spindle to ovoid cells arranged in fascicles, whorls and/or storiform pattern. Mitoses ranged from 3 to 20/mm2. All tumors expressed CD21 and CD23. Two patients died of their disease at 9 and 16 months. Both had tumors larger than 5 cm with ≥10 mitoses/mm2. Three patients were alive at 12, 44 and 184 months. Conclusions. There was a distinct male predominance in our cohort. FDC sarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of spindle cell extranodal neoplasms in the head and neck with a whorled growth pattern and intratumoral lymphocytes. Head and neck region tumors show similar clinicopathologic characteristics as their counterparts at other locations with potential for aggressive behavior especially in tumors greater than 5 cm in size and with high mitotic rates.
Neural adaptive finite-time dynamic surface control for the PMSM system with time delays and asymmetric time-varying output constraint
Authors: Wu Fengbin , Zhang Junxing , Li Shaobo , Li Menghan , Zhou Peng , Yang Bo
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a neural adaptive finite-time dynamic surface control for the permanent magnet synchronous motor system with time delays and asymmetric time-varying output constraint. The core challenge is how to address the time delays and asymmetric output constraint when designing a finite-time control scheme. Given this, a proper Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is introduced to address time delays, and a nonlinear transformation function is considered to convert the output-constrained problem into an unconstrained one. Then, a neural adaptive finite-time dynamic surface control approach is devised in the finite-time backstepping framework, which applies neural networks to estimate the unknown nonlinear functions and introduces first-order filters to solve the “explosion of complexity” problems. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that all the signals of the resulting system are finite-time stable and the tracking error converges to a neighborhood of origin in finite time without violating the output constraint. Finally, the simulation results show that the integration of squared error results, the integral of time and absolute error results as well as the integration of absolute value error results of the proposed scheme is smaller than the tested scheme by 0.3458 [Formula: see text], 22.2977 [Formula: see text], and 2.2513 [Formula: see text], respectively, when the time delays are considered. It further elucidates the availability and superiority of the developed method.
Predictors of community pharmacists’ readiness to manage the effective and safe use of oral anticancer medicines in a developing setting
Authors: Dahmani Sara , Cerbito Emelith Florendo , Hamad Anas , Yusuff Kazeem Babatunde
Published: November 2022

Background

There is a paucity of studies about the readiness of community pharmacists to manage the safe and effective use of oral anticancer medicines (OAMs) in developing settings.

Objectives

Using the readiness component (knowledge and willingness) of the situational theory of leadership, the study assessed community pharmacists’ readiness to manage the safe and effective use of OAMs in Qatar, and also identified its significant predictors.

Methods

A cross-sectional assessment of 252 community pharmacists was conducted with a pre-tested 48-item questionnaire. Readiness was assessed with a 5-point Likert-type scale and the maximum obtainable score was 70. The mean was used as the cut-off point to categorize willingness and knowledge as either high (≥ mean) or low (< mean). Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regression was used for data analyses.

Results

The mean SD score for the readiness of community pharmacists was 39.3 ± 11.2 (min = 11, max = 70). Only a minority of the respondents expressed an excellent understanding of the chemotherapy cycles (19.6%; 45/230), and familiarity with targeted anticancer therapy (14.3%; 33/230), side effects (22.2%; 51/230), and dosing of OAMs (14.4%; 33/230). Employment status, number of OAMs prescriptions dispensed per month and adequacy of the contents related to OAMs in undergraduate training were the significant predictors of readiness ( R2 = 0.558, (F (11, 209) = 3.559, p = 0.0001).

Conclusions

Community pharmacists’ readiness appear inadequate especially regarding its dosing, side effects, handling, and disposal of OAMs. These inadequacies probably underline community pharmacists’ low familiarity and comfortability with dispensing and educating patients on the effective and safe use of OAMs.