bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Policy Solutions: 70 years later, Brown v. Board is the great American underachievement
Authors: Collins Jonathan E.
Published: October 2024

Reflecting on the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, columnist Jonathan E. Collins remembers a teacher at his middle school who helped integrate his school district as a student. Brown overturned another famous court case, Plessy v. Ferguson, which sanctioned racial separation so long as the conditions of those separated facilities were equal in quality. In the years since the Brown decision, the steady progress of school desegregation has slowed, and a third of all U.S. students now attend racially segregated schools.
Backtalk: Let’s get real about out-of-touch professional development
Authors: Stoffel Kimberli
Published: October 2024

How does classroom experience lend itself to improvement in teacher education and professional development? As a teacher educator, Kimberli Stoffel found she grew as a teacher educator when she went back to the classroom after over a decade in higher education. Many teachers told her that they were looking for professional development that was more meaningful than what their districts offered, and research indicates that this desire is common. Stoffel shares how her return to public education enabled her to better understand what kinds of professional learning teachers want and need.
Anisotropy in AISI 316L produced by Binder Jetting 3D printing: Sintering shrinkage and thermal conductivity
Authors: Emanuelli Lorena , Sartori Nicole , Mahmood Haroon , Segata Giacomo , Nicchiotti Valentina , Perina Matteo , Molinari Alberto
Published: October 2024

The inhomogeneous particle packing in green parts manufactured by Binder Jetting 3D printing is responsible for the anisotropy in several phenomena and properties. In this work, the anisotropy of the sintering shrinkage and of thermal conductivity of AISI 316L green specimens is investigated. Shrinkage was investigated by dilatometry. Moreover, the dimensional changes, density, and the thermal conductivity of specimens sintered at intermediate temperatures were measured. The microstructure of the specimens was analysed with the standard metallographic. Sintering shrinkage is basically isotropic during the heating step and becomes anisotropic on approaching the sintering temperature at 1370°C when the full density is achieved. A slight anisotropy in the building plane is observed. Contrarily, thermal conductivity is anisotropic during the heating step and becomes isotropic during the isothermal holding at the sintering temperature. Moreover, there is an inverse relationship between thermal conductivity in the debinded specimen and shrinkage. A hypothesis for this indirect correlation is proposed. The role of the large interlayer pores and the aligned pores caused by the ballistic effect of the binder jet is confirmed.
Statewide Prison Language Mandates: Where Intention and Implementation Diverge
Authors: Kushmerick-McCune Bryce , Ingel Sydney N. , Rudes Danielle S. , Brown Wyatt
Published: October 2024

Person-centered language has increasingly been adopted in criminal legal contexts. Recognizing the harmful effects of stigmatizing language, some states have mandated correctional staff to use person-centered language instead of “prisoner” or “inmate.” However, little is known about the implementation of these mandates. To address this, the current study utilized interviews with 87 incarcerated people and 15 staff members in two prisons in a state that recently adopted a mandate. The findings suggest that the mandate has not substantially altered the terminology used or treatment people receive. This research builds understanding of how language affects the carceral experience, highlighting its limitations when unaccompanied by culture change.
The Impression Management Consequences of Hiding Effort Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Authenticity
Authors: Su Zhongyan , Fang Yuan , Feng Yiping , Chen Zhiyan
Published: October 2024

Hiding effort has become prevalent among adolescents; however, whether this behavior benefits or harms their social impression remains unclear. The study explored whether hiding effort is an effective impression management strategy to obtain high popularity, likeability, interpersonal trust, and cooperation intention from peers. Using hypothetical scenarios, Study 1 ( N = 243) found that hiding effort led to lower popularity, likeability, interpersonal trust, and cooperation intention among adolescents. Study 2 ( N = 176) replicated the findings of Study 1 and found that the hiding-effort adolescents did not realize these negative consequences. Furthermore, Study 2 revealed that authenticity mediated the effect of hiding effort on popularity, likeability, interpersonal trust, and cooperation intention. The findings provided theoretical and practical implications for educators and adolescents. Educators should foster environments where effort and authenticity are rewarded. Adolescents should understand the cost of hiding efforts from peers.
YOLO-Faster: An efficient remote sensing object detection method based on AMFFN
Authors: Tong Yicheng , Yue Guan , Fan Longfei , Lyu Guosen , Zhu Deya , Liu Yan , Meng Boyuan , Liu Shu , Mu Xiaokai , Tian Congling
Published: October 2024

As a pivotal task within computer vision, object detection finds application across a diverse spectrum of industrial scenarios. The advent of deep learning technologies has significantly elevated the accuracy of object detectors designed for general-purpose applications. Nevertheless, in contrast to conventional terrestrial environments, remote sensing object detection scenarios pose formidable challenges, including intricate and diverse backgrounds, fluctuating object scales, and pronounced interference from background noise, rendering remote sensing object detection an enduringly demanding task. In addition, despite the superior detection performance of deep learning-based object detection networks compared to traditional counterparts, their substantial parameter and computational demands curtail their feasibility for deployment on mobile devices equipped with low-power processors. In response to the aforementioned challenges, this paper introduces an enhanced lightweight remote sensing object detection network, denoted as YOLO-Faster, built upon the foundation of YOLOv5. Firstly, the lightweight design and inference speed of the object detection network is augmented by incorporating the lightweight network as the foundational network within YOLOv5, satisfying the demand for real-time detection on mobile devices. Moreover, to tackle the issue of detecting objects of different scales in large and complex backgrounds, an adaptive multiscale feature fusion network is introduced, which dynamically adjusts the large receptive field to capture dependencies among objects of different scales, enabling better modeling of object detection scenarios in remote sensing scenes. At last, the robustness of the object detection network under background noise is enhanced through incorporating a decoupled detection head that separates the classification and regression processes of the detection network. The results obtained from the public remote sensing object detection dataset DOTA show that the proposed method has a mean average precision of 71.4% and a detection speed of 38 frames per second.
The quantifying, mapping, and risk analysis of human-related stressors in the high seas
Authors: Zhao Chang , Zheng Miaozhuang , Ge Yuejing
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Marine biodiversity and ecosystem services in the high seas are threatened by numerous stress factors caused by human activities, including global shipping, high-sea fishing, marine plastic pollution, and anthropogenic climate change. Socioeconomic factors are one of the criteria for the establishment of area-based management tools in the high seas for marine biodiversity conservation beyond national jurisdiction. The aim of the work is to propose a spatiotemporal approach to identify risks from marine human activities and recommendations for high seas governance. Methods: Data related to human activities from 2014 to 2022 were used to calculate the distribution and changes of human-related stressors, and the risk to marine biodiversity in the high seas caused by human activities. Results: The North Atlantic, Philippine Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and East Central Atlantic show high and increasing intensities of human-related stressors, and are therefore particularly at need for the protection and conservation of marine biodiversity. Risks from human activities vary within the marine areas that are prioritized for biodiversity protection. The study recommends that the designation of high seas protected areas should take into account the types of risks to which the different marine areas are exposed, and that the high seas protected areas should be established gradually. At the same time, appropriate management measures should be formulated according to the intensity of human activities in the different marine areas. Conclusions: Quantifying and classifying the risk from human-related stressors could help identify solution for the protection and conservation and facilitate the marine spatial planning, establishment area based management tools, including marine protected areas in the high seas.
Dengue outbreak 2023 in Bangladesh: From a local concern to a global public health issue
Authors: Reza Sumaiya Binte , Shoukhin Md. Masuk-Ur-Rahman , Khan Sakif Ahamed , Rahman Dewan Syed Masudur
Published: October 2024

Dengue, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes, has become a substantial public health issue in Bangladesh. The high population density and subtropical-tropical climate of the nation create conducive environments for the transmission of the virus. The recent increase in dengue cases in Bangladesh prompts an inquiry into the potential for the virus to progress into an epidemic manifestation. Bangladesh is prone to dengue outbreaks due to a multitude of contributing factors. To commence, the virus is endemic to tropical and subtropical regions, and climate change is contributing to the expansion of its range. Additionally, the high population density in Bangladesh amplifies the vulnerability to dengue transmission. Intimate human proximity elevates the probability of contracting mosquito stings and transmitting viruses. The escalating incidence of dengue in Bangladesh is substantiated by the growing count of documented cases. The emergence of severe dengue is a contributing aspect that raises concerns about the potential worldwide consequences of the disease. It could potentially head from Bangladesh to neighboring nations via an infected individual. There exist apprehensions due to the substantial employment of Bangladeshi laborers overseas, compounded by the presence of foreign laborers within Bangladesh. The endeavor to control dengue in Bangladesh continues to face ongoing challenges. This review addresses the complexities of dengue transmission, assesses Bangladesh's readiness for managing epidemics, analyzes risk factors associated with dengue, and suggests preventive measures to mitigate the possibility of worldwide consequences of dengue originating within the nation.
Almost-Invisible White Supremacy: Racism, Silence and Complicity in the Interracial Interaction Order
Authors: Khan Fatima
Published: October 2024

Like all successful hegemonies, white supremacy functions in almost-invisible ways, profoundly shaping society yet remaining unseen. This article positions white silence during explicit interactional racism as a type of racism without racists because it defies scrutiny and conceals its beneficiaries while reproducing white supremacy. It introduces the interracial interaction order, merging Erving Goffman’s iconic but historically illiterate theorising with critical race principles. This epistemological justice-oriented theoretical reparation exposes white supremacy, its beneficiaries and its detrimental impacts on the psycho-social lives of disadvantageously situated individuals in the interactional domain. Reporting on a participatory qualitative study with 32 Muslims aged 16–21, the analysis identifies three insights about white silence during explicit racism: always complicit, it extracts all conceivable benefits towards whiteness; after-the-fact ‘anti-racism’ is often impression management; white speech as anti-racism ephemerally redirects racial privileges towards Muslims. In scrutinising an almost-invisible act in interracial settings this work illuminates fundamental sociological concerns about social (re)creation.
Generative decay: toward a politics of and for earth
Authors: Mitchell Audra
Published: October 2024

This article assesses the possibility of transforming International Relations (IR) and Global Environmental Studies (GES), reflecting on the contributions to this special edition. It argues that despite passionate efforts by critical scholars, activists, practitioners, and others to transform these disciplines, they remain structurally and epistemically rooted in oppressive logics that are fundamentally at odds with the planet and its processes, and aligned with the ‘CRAACHE+ formation’ (a set of interlocking modes of structural violence compromising colonialism, racism, ableism, anthropocentrism, capitalism, heteropatriarchy, eugenics, and their alloys). Instead of working to recuperate IR and GES, the article calls for an ecological approach to knowledge production in which the knowledge and resources accumulated within these disciplines is made available for repurposing by communities and movements working to align their politics with earth processes.
Does Inquiry-Based Learning Instruction Work for Introductory Psychology?
Authors: Pilotti Maura , Abdelsalam Hanadi M. , Waked Arifi
Published: October 2024

Background

Despite the increased popularity of inquiry-based instruction, there is a paucity of research that directly compares the impacts of inquiry-based approaches on student learning outcomes.

Objective

The present field study examined the impact of two types of inquiry-based learning on performance in a research-oriented assignment.

Method

In an introductory psychology course, the assignment was presented through either a partially student-directed learning (SDL) approach (serving as the control condition) or a SDL approach (serving as the treatment condition). Students were first-year students with a didactic instructional past.

Results

Student-directed learning, which was characterized by a high degree of SDL and a limited contribution by the instructor, was found to yield higher performance. Although there were no prior differences in self-efficacy and assignment performance between the two groups, SDL also yielded higher final test performance.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that students can benefit from being challenged, and that initial apprehension may be a motivator for peer cohesiveness and ultimately exerted effort.

Teaching Implications

The SDL approach may be further investigated as a viable instructional method to enrich students’ learning opportunities as well as reinforce their sense of agency.
Causal Relationship Between Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and the Risk of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Insights from Multivariable and Mediation Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Authors: Wu Ce , Zhang Zengxiao , Yan Xudong , Wang Lin , Yu Longgang , Jiang Yan
Published: October 2024

Background: Previous studies have shown an association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, the findings of these studies are controversial, and evaluating this association could help in the treatment of CRS. Thus, we aimed to clarify the relationship between GERD and CRS. Methods: We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Pooled data on CRS, GERD, and their associated risk factors were extracted from large genome-wide association studies. Independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms were rigorously screened as instrumental variables. Causal associations between GERD and CRS were assessed, and mediation analyses were performed using multivariate and 2-step MR. Asthma served as a mediator because of its association with both CRS and GERD. Sensitivity tests were also performed. Results: MR analysis showed that genetically predicted GERD was associated with an increased risk of CRS ( P < .001). Multivariate MR analysis showed that the effect of GERD on CRS was relatively independent. Mediation analysis showed that asthma mediated the association with a mediation effect of 21.07% (95% CI, 2.70%-40.18%). Sensitivity analyses did not reveal any significant effects of pleiotropy and heterogeneity. Conclusions: We found a causal relationship between genetically predicted GERD and an increase in the risk of CRS. As a mediator, asthma contributed to the effect of GERD on CRS. This study provides high-quality causal evidence for the prevention of CRS.
Of Bridges, Translations, and Practical Necessities
Authors: van Wichelen Sonja
Published: October 2024

This essay is part of a Thematic Collection of Science, Technology & Human Values on the work of Adele E. Clarke (1945–2024).
Revisiting the climate general strike: Working through William Connolly’s strategic turn in the Anthropocene
Authors: Bean Conor
Published: October 2024

How can political theory respond to the challenges of mass action in the Anthropocene? In this article, I review criticisms of the recent work of William Connolly and respond by way of a particular mode of theory revision that can be found in Connolly’s work of the last 15 years. I argue that Connolly’s recent work marks a strategic turn in his thought, emphasizing the relationship between revisions to theory and practical experimentation in politics. In the second section, I illustrate this relationship by revising Connolly’s notion of the ‘climate general strike’ in light of failures of climate strikes in recent years. Rosa Luxemburg’s theory of mass strikes guides the revisions advanced in this section. In the third section, I move up a level of abstraction to think through how this suggested revision to climate strike strategy can feed into alterations and clarifications of key concepts in Connolly’s political theory.
role playing games and the gifted student
Authors: Cardwell Paul
Published: October 2024

Role-playing games are commercially available in a wide variety of formats and settings and have been enjoyed worldwide by over ten million players. While there has been some use of these games as part of gifted/talented curriculum, very little has been directed at specific curriculum needs. There are a large number of specific formal academic disciplines which lend themselves to enrichment by means of these games, and an equally large number of learning skills which can be developed through their use. Because role-playing games in general concept, and possibly the specific game itself, are familiar to the students as recreational activities, they are readily accepted by them as part of the curriculum.
the Lincolnshire scene: provision for gifted and able children within an English local education authority
Authors: Stopper Mike , Hancock Colin
Published: October 2024

The writers trace the development of educational provision for more able children in one county in the United Kingdom. The general approach is that of developing an all-embracing practical definition of giftedness; and seeking a collaborative approach to provision whereby the collective skills of teachers, parents and advisers are utilized.
Artificial intelligence and academic integrity: The role of academic librarians
Authors: Filson Christopher K. , Atuase Diana
Published: October 2024

The increasing dependence on Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools among advanced learners has sparked concerns about academic dishonesty, prompting stakeholders to develop ways to maintain academic integrity. The study explored the role of academic librarians in maintaining academic integrity with the prevalence of AI writing tools among students. The study was conducted through qualitative methods with a phenomenological design. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data from twelve academic librarians in six universities in Ghana. The data was analysed thematically with word clouds. The findings of the study revealed that the roles of academic librarians are more tailored towards maintaining research integrity, an aspect of academic integrity. Also, the study observed that academic librarians play relevant roles in empowering students on the ethical use of information in the current dispensation of AI application tools in learning. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended a skill upgrade of library staff in evolving AI technology in response to issues of academic misconduct among students. Furthermore, the study suggests that academic institutions should revise academic integrity policies to address the increasing use of AI writing tools among students.
Why mobile phone matters: The role of ICT in promoting farmers’ access to agricultural information and extension services in a tea outgrowing scheme in Tanzania
Authors: Ndimbo Gabriel Kanuti , Gu Jiaming , Haulle Evaristo , Yu Lerong
Published: October 2024

This article explores the role and effects of mobile phone technologies in ensuring farmers’ access to agricultural information and extension services in a tea outgrowing scheme in Tanzania. Semi-structured interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and Key Informant Interviews were employed to collect the information. The study revealed that the rapid infiltration of mobile phone technologies into Tanzania's rural areas since the late 2000s has simplified the provision of agricultural extension services. Both farmers and extension service workers perceive mobile phone technologies as an essential supplementary mechanism to ensure easy and timely access to agricultural information. In the context of a tea outgrowing scheme, farmers use mobile phone technologies to access information on input distribution, tea collection time, farmers’ meetings, and how to address some agricultural-related challenges independently. Extension service officers also rely on mobile phone technologies for sensitization. The study highlights the importance of complementing traditional and modern extension service mechanisms to ensure farmers’ efficient and timely access to agricultural extension services and information. Mobile phone affordability and its use cost are also a concern when considering improving agricultural extension service mechanisms.
Ambulation in patients with peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and concomitant femoral intra-aortic balloon pump support
Authors: Modi Shan P , Klipa Ilija , Cronin Melissa A , Lukens Jennifer E , Hollowell Leelyn R , Stawski Tracie A , Criste Taylor J , Nissley Trevor J , Ramirez Philip , VanDyck Tyler J
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The mobilization and ambulation of patients with severe cardiogenic shock supported with peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (pVA-ECMO) and concomitant femoral intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support is not well-described. This technical paper describes an ambulation protocol to prevent deconditioning in this critically ill patient population.

Methods

A protocol for the ambulation of patients with pVA-ECMO and concomitant IABP support was created in December 2022 and implemented at a single center. To initiate ambulation, patients were initially placed in a vertical position utilizing the VitalGo Total Lift Bed (VitalGo Systems, Miramar, FL) with mechanical circulatory support device monitoring performed by a critical care multidisciplinary team. Retrospective analysis of successfully ambulated patients was performed from December 2022 to January 2024.

Results

A total of 35 patients out of 112 patients with ECMO support were ambulated in the study period. Four of these patients had pVA-ECMO with concomitant IABP support with this cohort completing a total of 11 sessions during the study period. Patients ambulated an average of 200 feet per session without any adverse events, including cannula and balloon pump migration or displacement. Three of the four patients studied were either bridged to an advanced therapy including orthotopic heart transplant or durable left ventricular assist device or were discharged.

Conclusion

A protocol for ambulation of CS patients with pVA-ECMO support and concomitant femoral IABP support is feasible and can safely be implemented in this critically ill patient population. Further multicenter studies are necessary to determine the overall impact of ambulation on patient outcomes.
In Likert Scale, Is Ticking Options Consecutively at Two Ends Equally Problematic as Ticking in the Middle?
Authors: Wang Melissa Dan , Hau Kit-Tai
Published: October 2024

The popularity of self-report surveys brings to light the issue of insufficient effort responding (IER), where participants lack motivation to respond thoughtfully, thereby compromising data quality. A prevalent form of IER, known as straightlining, occurs when participants consistently select the same response for multiple items, leading to potentially biased outcomes. Typically, researchers apply a uniform threshold criterion across all response options (e.g., nine consecutive identical answers in any option are considered problematic). Considering the diverse or near-normal distribution patterns in questionnaire responses, employing varied thresholds for different options may be more appropriate. This study utilized both simulated data and real, large-scale international survey data to examine the likelihood of straightlining as IER across various options. The findings revealed that legitimate straightlining (non-IER) was more common at the extremes than in the middle options. Moreover, the study highlights the significant risks of incorrectly categorizing non-IER straightlining as IER without corroborating evidence. In conclusion, our results question the conventional approaches to eliminating straightlining, including (a) the application of a uniform cutoff value across different options or adopting stricter criteria for middle options and (b) the direct removal of straightlining as IER without additional verification.
Estimation of Discontinuities from the Introduction of Tablet Based Data Collection on the International Passenger Survey
Authors: Smith Paul A. , van den Brakel Jan , Horsfield Giles
Published: October 2024

The International Passenger Survey (IPS) is undertaken by the Office for National Statistics to measure tourism flows and tourist expenditure, and international migration. It is interviewer-administered, and the questionnaire instrument was changed in 2017 to 2018 from a paper questionnaire (completed by the interviewer) to an electronic questionnaire administered with a tablet. For operational reasons no parallel run was possible, but the new questionnaire was rolled out progressively to sampling locations. This phased introduction supported the estimation of the effects of the new questionnaire on the main outputs from the survey. We describe initial simulations designed to estimate the power of the phased introduction approach to detect important difference in the IPS outputs, and analyses of the survey estimates at different stages up to the end of 2019 using state-space models, to estimate the discontinuities in the survey outputs. We make an assessment of the effectiveness of the overall approach.
Relationship between serum bilirubin concentration and sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Chuan , Jin Chen , Yin Xiaofei , Liu Jidong , Liu Jinbo
Published: October 2024

Objective

The prevalence of sarcopenia is high in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Oxidative stress and inflammation play important roles in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia in diabetes. Bilirubin has been shown to possess anti-oxidative activity. We aimed to explore the relationship between bilirubin and sarcopenia in patients with T2DM.

Methods

A total of 251 patients (124 men and 127 postmenopausal women) with T2DM, aged ≥50 years, participated in a cross-sectional study. The serum concentrations of bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL) and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) were measured. Muscle mass was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Results

TBIL and IBIL were positively associated with appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in men, but not in women. After adjustment for multiple factors in multiple linear regression analysis, TBIL and IBIL were also significantly associated with SMI in men. In multiple logistic regression analysis, participants in the highest quartile of IBIL demonstrated a lower odds ratio for sarcopenia in men.

Conclusions

Both TBIL and IBIL are positively associated with muscle mass in men with T2DM. Furthermore, IBIL may protect against sarcopenia in men with T2DM.
Kinetics of coke-based reduction of oolitic hematite in microwave
Authors: Yong Chao , Lei Ying , Li Yu , Wang Xin
Published: October 2024

The reduction kinetics of oolitic hematite at 1173–1473 K is investigated by the microwave direct reduction. The effects of reduction temperature and time on the reduction of oolitic hematite are investigated in terms of FeO concentration in metalised pellets. The reduced samples are characterised by XRD, SEM and EDS. The results indicate that the degree of carbonisation reduction of iron ore pellets is further increased by the intensification of microwave. The reduction of iron oxide follows the deoxidation process of Fe3+→Fe2+→Fe0, and the FeO concentration gradually reduces and tends to level off with the increase of the reduction degree. Different kinetic models are fitted to the reduction rate to determine that the reduction process conforms to the Ginsley-Brousstein equation, and the limiting link is the gaseous internal diffusion, with an apparent activation energy of 11.535 kJ/mol.
Entrepreneurial growth as strategy: An integrative review and agenda for future research
Authors: Song Xiaochuan , Welbourne Theresa M
Published: October 2024

Organizational growth has been studied extensively, leading to a growing reference to the concept of entrepreneurial growth (EG). However, the construct of EG is unclear, leading us to conduct a systematic literature review. Utilizing Organizational Change Framework, we reviewed and categorized articles on this subject. Aligning with the Four Disciplines of Execution, we found that when EG is used as a process, it is unique and robust for building a strategy used by both new and established firms and facilitating future entrepreneurship research. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Truth to Action: Lived Experiences of Indigenous Healthcare Professionals Redressing Indigenous-Specific Racism
Authors: Bourque Bearskin Mona Lisa , Seymour Meste'si Llucmetkwe Colleen , Melnyk Rose , D’Souza Melba , Sturm Judy , Mooney Tracy , Hunter-Porter Nikki Rose , Ward Audrey Elaine , Bell Blythe
Published: October 2024

Study Background

The experience of discrimination through stereotyping, profiling, and bias-informed care not only leads to poor access to healthcare services, but low retention rates of Indigenous health professionals (IHP). As health systems transformation evolves, a significant gap remains in supporting IHP to safely address racism, to be supported culturally to bring their authentic selves and voices to work, and to attend to one's own intellectual, physical, relational, cultural and spiritual wellness within a westernized model of care.

Purpose

The aim of the study was to investigate the experiences of IHP working in mainstream healthcare in order to understand how their work environment impacts the delivery of cultural safe practices. What is reported in this manuscript, as an exercise in truth-telling, is findings about lived experiences of IHP working in one mainstream provincial healthcare region, and not the whole context and outcomes of the study.

Methods

Using Indigenous research methodologies, we embodied our Indigeneity into every facet of the research process. We facilitated three talking circles with participants grounded in a distinct cultural and ceremonial context following Secwepemc protocols.

Results

The collective voices of IHP revealed the following common experiences: confronting genocide; addressing Indigenous-specific racism; uprooting toxicity and inequities; and upholding Indigenous human rights while enhancing accountability of systems transformation.

Conclusions

The experience of IHP working in health systems goes beyond mere individual employment obligations, its often about a families and communities advocacy for Indigenous rights, culturally safe working environments and access to dignified and respectful healthcare service. This study highlights the need for IHP to be actively involved in health system transformation to ensure the redesigning and restructuring of healthcare service delivery by and for Indigenous Peoples remains centered on Indigenous health and human rights.
Quantifying Toxic Friendship: A Preliminary Investigation of a Measure of Victimization in the Friendships of Adolescents
Authors: Dryburgh Nicole S. J. , Martin-Storey Alexa , Craig Wendy M. , Holfeld Brett , Dirks Melanie A.
Published: October 2024

Although friendship is a key source of support and intimacy for adolescents, adolescent friendships can also involve victimization, which can be harmful to youth well-being. To date, our understanding of victimization in friendship has been limited by a lack of measures that comprehensively capture the variety of negative behaviors occurring in this relationship. This study outlines the development and preliminary validation of the Friendship Victimization Scale for Adolescents (FVS-A), which assesses victimization and controlling behaviors in adolescent friendships. Adolescents ( N = 706, Mage = 15.93, SD = 1.67; 62.3% cisgender girls, 33.7% cisgender boys) from high schools in Canada completed the FVS-A and other measures in the fall of 2019. The factor structure and psychometric properties of the measure were examined. The FVS-A demonstrated excellent internal consistency and a 3-factor structure (relational victimization, physical/verbal victimization, controlling behavior). There was evidence for demographic differences such that cisgender girls reported more overall friendship victimization, as well as relational victimization and control, than did cisgender boys. Greater friendship victimization was associated with greater dating victimization and gender-based bullying and was uniquely associated with greater depressive symptoms after accounting for these other types of victimization. Findings suggest that friendship victimization is common among adolescents. The results provide evidence for the utility of the FVS-A as a measure of an understudied source of interpersonal risk. Future work is needed to understand the long-term implications of friendship victimization and to elucidate the temporal associations between friendship victimization and other indicators of psychosocial adjustment.
Personality change through mindfulness-based interventions: A preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Almenräder Frederick , Heßmann Gerrit S. , Voracek Martin , Tran Ulrich S.
Published: October 2024

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) lead to improvements in mental health, and also increase trait mindfulness. Yet, trait mindfulness shows definitional and empirical overlaps with the personality dimension of neuroticism which is linked to mental health and is malleable through interventions as well. This meta-analysis examined whether previously reported associations between increases in self-reported trait mindfulness and mental health in MBIs, as well as in non-MBIs and treatment-as-usual (TAU) and waitlist controls, are mediated through concomitant changes in neuroticism on the between-study level. Data of 45 intervention studies (39 randomized controlled trials; total N = 2913) were investigated with three-level meta-analysis and the causal steps approach. Change in neuroticism mediated change in trait mindfulness and fully accounted for its mediational effects on mental health. Similar associative patterns were found for the active and TAU and waitlist control groups as well. Accounting for small-study effects did not alter this pattern of results. The findings highlight the relevance of neuroticism for intervention research and may explain previously observed apparent effects of trait mindfulness in non-MBIs and TAU and waitlist controls on mental health. The construct of trait mindfulness may need conceptual reconsideration and resharpening, and the investigation of personality change should be intensified in intervention research.
A reasonable approach to determine structural dimension of FDM fabricated orthopedic orthosis using finite element simulation and simple additive weighting method
Authors: Om Myong-Song , Yang Won-Chol , Choe Chol-Min , Kim Un-Ha , Ri Wi-Song , Sok Sun-Hak
Published: October 2024

Introducing Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques for orthopedic orthosis fabrication is a significant help in treating of patients with fractured wrists. In particular, customized orthosis fabricated by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) can provide best patient comfort with reduced incidence of various complications due to air permeability. The research objective of this paper is to determine reasonable structural dimension for reducing unnecessary material consumption while ensuring strength and safety when fabricating the customized orthopedic orthosis by the FDM technique. This paper presents a reasonable approach to determine structural dimension of the FDM fabricated orthopedic orthosis using Uniform Design (UD), finite element simulation, Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method, multiple regression analysis, and grid search optimization method. Three-dimensional (3D) models of wrist were reconstructed from computer tomography image data for wrist fracture sites. Nine Computer-Aided Design (CAD) 3D models of the wrist orthosis with different shell thickness, lattice thickness and number of vents were designed using the UD method. The stress analyzes with load conditions in different directions were carried out using the finite element simulation and overall performance scores (simple weighted sums) were calculated using the SAW method at each experimental trial. The reasonable structural dimension of the wrist orthosis was determined using multiple regression model and grid search optimization method. The reasonable structural dimension was shell thickness of 2.2 mm, lattice thickness of 6.4 mm, and number of ventilation holes of 15. The fabricated orthosis with the reasonable structural dimension may improve the treatment effect, satisfaction and comfort for patients with fractured wrists. The proposed approach could be actively applied to optimize not only the structural dimension of FDM fabricated orthosis but also FDM process parameters.
Optimized determination of vehicle durability test specification correlated with user-targeted fatigue life using the multi-index decision-making approach
Authors: Yang Yongle , Zhang Zhifei , Xu Zhongming , Peng Liangfeng , Dong Shuai
Published: October 2024

To address the development of vehicle structure durability test specification linked to user’s targeted fatigue life, a novel method is proposed that combines the multi-objective genetic algorithm with CRITIC-TOPSIS multi-index decision-making approach. Firstly, based on pseudo-damage theory, the vehicle’ damage is calculated under different driving conditions and then the damage-equivalent model of the “user-test site” is constructed. Then, NSGA-II algorithm is employed to solve it and the CRITIC-TOPSIS method is applied to obtain an integrated optimal solution considering the inclusion of several decision indexes. Finally, evaluation against traditional least squares method (LSM) demonstrates the effectiveness. Results show that the determined optimal test cycles effectively address the issue of excessive dispersion observed in solutions of LSM, ensuring a balanced reproduction of target damage for each vehicle part. Besides, the mean value and standard deviation of relative pseudo-damage ratio are smaller than LSM’s results, while test mileage and period of established specification exhibit significant improvement. These outcomes illustrate that it can more effectively develop durability test specification on vehicle proving ground that more realistically replicate the effects of fatigue damage to structures under actual user driving conditions.
Entropy generation optimisation in the Maxwell hybrid nanofluid flow through an inclined shrinking sheet when Soret, Dufour and couple stress are significant
Authors: Usharani Potlapula , Reddy B. Ravindra
Published: October 2024

The study of fluid flow over a shrinking sheet is a fundamental problem in fluid mechanics with applications in diverse fields. The concept emerged from the need to understand the behaviour of fluids in contact with moving surfaces that undergo deformation. Understanding the fluid dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of flow over a shrinking sheet is crucial for optimising industrial processes such as polymer processing, metallurgy and paper production. The present work investigates the flow and heat transmission properties of a Maxwell hybrid nanofluid over a shrinking sheet while subjected to various parameters including thermal radiation. The influence of magnetic field, couple stress, Weissenberg number, nanoparticle concentration, Eckert number, thermal radiation, Dufour number, Soret number and chemical reaction on fluid flow, Nusselt number, mass transmission, entropy generation and Bejan number are investigated. The governing equations are transformed and solved numerically using the bvp4c solver. The key findings reveal that a stronger magnetic field and higher nanoparticle concentration impede fluid flow, while higher couple stress parameter ([Formula: see text]) and lower Weissenberg number enhance it. Dufour parameter ([Formula: see text]) and Eckert number elevate the temperature, whereas a stronger chemical reaction depletes the solute concentration. The study also explores the interplay between viscous dissipation and thermal diffusion on entropy generation and Bejan number. Finally, the influence of various parameters on the skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number is presented. At [Formula: see text] there is a noticeable decrease in the friction coefficient, with a rate of 0.08906. It has been revealed that for values of Dufour number within the range of 0.1 to 1.3, there is a notable decrease of 0.05776 in the Nusselt number. For values of Soret number within the range of 0 to 3, it becomes apparent that the Sherwood number demonstrates a consistent downward trend, characterised by a rate of 0.02235.
Effective Naval Diplomacy: German–Italian Submarine Cooperation in the Atlantic, 1939–41
Authors: Fiore Massimiliano
Published: October 2024

On 1 September 1940, the Italian Navy established the Command of the Atlantic Submarine Group in Bordeaux. Between that date and the signing of the armistice on 8 September 1943, 32 Italian submarines sank 109 ships, amounting to a total of 593,864 tons – representing 5.9 per cent of the successes achieved by U-boats in the Atlantic. While Italy’s overall contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic was peripheral, effective naval diplomacy between the two nations bolstered the Axis naval position, complicating Allied merchant shipping operations and causing significant, though not decisive, losses of personnel and equipment.
Networking Behaviour of Agri-entrepreneurs and Systematic Challenges
Authors: Kar Satyaballav , Das Subhasish , Kar Brajaballav
Published: October 2024

Networking helps entrepreneurs in opportunity identification, resource acquisition, overcoming barriers and ensuring sustainability and growth. However, agri-entrepreneurs are locally embedded, and networking can provide limited options to respond to challenges. In a developing economy, agriculture has various systemic risks such as disasters, policy changes, market fluctuations and government policies. Given the large employment and emerging concerns in agriculture, managing such systemic challenges becomes significant. While the literature broadly indicates that the networking behaviour of entrepreneurs helps, little is known if such behaviour helps in mitigating challenges. This study responds to the literature gap by identifying the association between networking behaviour and systemic challenges faced by one of the less developed regions of India. The study considered 14 systematic challenges from the PESTEL framework and 15 levels of networking from the literature. Entrepreneurs from the agriculture sector ( N = 402) were contacted for their responses. Findings suggest that networking behaviour is significantly associated with various systematic challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector. The networking behaviour also varies with the demography of the entrepreneurs. The study contributes to social networking theory, structuration and risk management theory. Networking happens under a social structure, and social networking helps in managing systematic risk. Entrepreneurs, policymakers and educators can understand and facilitate such networking.
Self-Regulation Interventions for Children in Living Poverty in the United States: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wen Hao , Cui Jiawen , Husile Husel
Published: October 2024

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the overall effects of self-regulation interventions for children living in poverty. Methods: The initial search identified 473 publications of randomized controlled trials, including 25 that met the inclusion criteria. We used a random effect meta-analysis with robust variance estimation to calculate the overall and subgroup effects. Meta-regression was used to examine the moderating effects of intervention approach, outcome category, measurement approach, and participant age. Results: A small to medium but significant overall impact was found ( g = 0.35, 95% confidence interval = [0.29, 0.41]). Behavioral interventions had the greatest overall effect and greatest subgroup effects on behavioral outcomes and emotional outcomes. Age and measurement approach were found to have significant moderating effects. Conclusions: Behavioral interventions should be put more attention to during the self-regulation intervention on children living in poverty. In addition, inducing the intervention for children at younger ages might be more efficient.
A Randomized Controlled Trial to Enhance Kunjing Children's Social Communication and Cooperation
Authors: Wang Miao , Jian Miao , Cheng Ziyue , Huang Xiaoyan
Published: October 2024

Purpose: Kunjing children without sufficient parental care (KCw/oSPC) faced great challenges in social interaction. This study aimed to design and implement a school-based group intervention study with a randomized controlled trial to improve the social communication and cooperation of KCw/oSPC and assess its effectiveness. Method: Fifty-seven recruited eligible KCw/oSPC were randomly assigned to the experimental group ( n=24) who participated in four-session training, and the waiting group ( n=33) who did not receive any program intervention. Results: KCw/oSPC in both groups took pre and posttests on social communication and cooperation. Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test results indicated significant changes of KCw/oSPC in the experimental group with medium-size effects (Cohen's d=0.63 for social communication; Cohen's d=0.56 for cooperation). Conclusion: This intervention study, despite limitations, contributed to informing social work services and intervention studies to promote KCw/oSPC's social communication and cooperation in addition to social well-being in China and worldwide.