bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An SBM and TBSS Analysis in Early-stage Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementias, and Corticobasal Syndrome
Authors: Giannakis Alexandros , Vartholomatos Evrysthenis , Astrakas Loukas , Anyfantis Emmanouil , Tatsioni Athina , Argyropoulou Maria , Konitsiotis Spiridon
Published: November 2024

Objective

To compare gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Lewy body dementias (LBD), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and healthy controls (HC).

Methods

Surface-based morphometry (SBM) was assessed on 3D T1-weighted images using FreeSurfer image analysis and WM microstructure was studied using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) in 12 AD, 15 LBD, 10 CBS patients, and 10 HC.

Results

Patients with AD, compared with HC, exhibited reduced cortical surface area and volume in the superior frontal, middle frontal, and medial orbitofrontal cortex. In TBSS, AD patients, compared with HC and LBD, displayed decreased fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, and increased radial diffusivity in all major WM tracts. Other comparisons between the groups yielded no differences, either in the SBM or the TBSS analysis.

Conclusions

The results indicate significant early structural changes in the GM of the frontal lobe, along with WM alterations early in AD patients.
Numerical investigation of the magneto-hydraulic-thermal performance of a nanofluid in a semi-porous wavy channel
Authors: Sheikhpour Nejat , Lavasani Arash Mirabdolah , Salehi Gholamreza
Published: November 2024

The present study was conducted to evaluate the thermal efficiency of the wavy channel. To achieve this goal, heat transfer (HT), friction factor, and Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC) of nanofluid flow were investigated in a semi-porous wavy channel in the presence of a magnetic field (MF). The nanofluid flow was considered to be laminar, steady state, and incompressible. The Reynolds number (Re) 200 ≤ Re ≥ 500 was considered. In this numerical research, the finite volume method and fluent software are used to solve the governing equations. Effects of changes in a MF, porous media (PM), and Re number were studied. The results showed that in all cases, with the increase in the MF intensity, the pressure drop and the friction factor increased; but the Nusselt number (Nu) also increased well, and as a result, the overall hydraulic-thermal performance improved. By increasing the Hartmann number (Ha) from 0 to 10, the hydraulic- thermal performance of the channel increased from 13 to 56%. The increase in Darcy’s number (Da) and permeability in the PM caused an increase in the Nu and a decrease in the friction factor. So that the lowest hydraulic-thermal performance was at 0.00001 Da and the best at 0.01 Da. According to the obtained results, the present work can provide useful guidelines for the design of heat channels with MF and PM.
Fragmented urban water governance: a case study of textile mills and water tanks in colonial Bangalore
Authors: Beleyur Prajna Ravindra
Published: November 2024

Extreme water events such as flooding and scarcity are becoming a common occurrence in the city of Bengaluru, India. I use case studies of textile mills in colonial Bangalore to argue that continued uncoordinated industrial and urban planning has resulted in ineffectual water governance in the contemporary period. First, I point out that fragmented governance of urban water associated with industry is a historical phenomenon with roots in the colonial period. Second, I show that, in addition to the fragmented governance, the political-economic nature of the relationship between textile mills and the state allowed concessions and bypasses, making negotiation a key process for powerful stakeholders to navigate access to urban resources. Last, I highlight fundamental continuities in the way contemporary industries are planned and governed at the urban scale, particularly in their relationship with urban natural resources.
Real world application of the 2023 ACR/EULAR antiphospholipid antibody syndrome classification criteria in a pharmacist directed anticoagulation clinic
Authors: DeFazio Catherine , Horvath Lara , Morgan Jennifer , Murphy Meaghan B. , Shtoyko Ashley N. , Phillips Elizabeth M.
Published: November 2024

Objectives

To determine the number of patients that met classification for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) after applying the 2023 American College of Rheumatology and the European Alliance for Associations of Rheumatology (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria, to identify reasons patients did not meet the new criteria, and determine the number of patients who were single, double, or triple positive based on laboratory criteria.

Methods

A single center, retrospective chart review of patients with APS on anticoagulation managed by ambulatory care clinical pharmacists. Data collected included patient demographics, type of anticoagulation, and clinical and laboratory criteria for APS as defined by the 2023 ACR/EULAR criteria. Data is presented using descriptive statistics.

Results

A total of 51 patients previously diagnosed with APS were included. There were 42 patients on warfarin (82.3%), 4 patients on direct oral anticoagulants (19%), 3 patients on low molecular weight heparin (5.8%), and 2 patients on fondaparinux (3.9%). Of the 51 patients, 12 (23.5%) met classification criteria, 33 (64.7%) did not meet classification criteria and 6 (11.7%) had insufficient data. Of the 27 patients that did not meet criteria, 13 patients did not meet the laboratory criteria (39.4%), 6 patients did not meet the clinical criteria (18.2%) and 14 patients did not meet both laboratory and clinical criteria (42.4%). Of the 12 patients that met classification criteria, 2 patients were triple positive (16.7%), 3 were double positive (25%), and 7 were single positive (58.3%).

Conclusions

Results from this study indicate that APS continues to be a complex disease state with challenges in diagnosis and classification. Since only a small number of patients in our clinic continued to meet the classification criteria, opportunities for patient re-evaluation of management strategies at our institution could be considered.
‘The Slight Effect of Little Bullets’: Challenges to Established Military and Medical Certainties During the ‘Lethality Panic’ of the 1890s
Authors: Wren Stephen
Published: November 2024

This article discusses developments in military rifle ammunition at the end of the nineteenth century. It extends and challenges existing scholarship by showing how claims about the efficiency and humanity of ‘modern’ bullets were quickly challenged by soldiers and doctors in many nations. It shows why some imperial powers believed they faced particular challenges that required bullets designed to cause huge damage to supposedly ‘uncivilised’ bodies and how their fears were exacerbated by difficulties in measuring bullet effectiveness. Finally it will show how these concerns were stemmed by further technological change and the horrors of the Great War.
Triage ethics in mass casualty incident simulation: A phenomenological exploration
Authors: Watson Adrianna Lorraine , Drake Jeanette , Anderson Matthew , Heaston Sondra , Schmutz Pyper , Reed Calvin , Rasmussen Rylie
Published: November 2024

Background

Disaster scenarios challenge both novice and experienced nurses to navigate complex ethical dilemmas in resource-limited environments. Traditional nursing education often leaves new nurses unprepared for the ethical demands of disaster nursing. Utilitarianism must often guide triage ethics and decision-making. There is a critical need to equip nursing students with these ethical competencies.

Research question/Aim

This study explores nursing students’ lived experiences using introductory triage ethics in mass casualty incident simulation (MCIS).

Research design

A qualitative, interpretive phenomenological approach was employed, analyzing reflective journal responses from senior nursing students following MCIS participation.

Participants and research context

Participants were senior-year nursing students from a private university in the U.S., engaging in MCIS as part of their curriculum, which simulated resource-limited disaster scenarios requiring real-time ethical decisions.

Ethical considerations

The study received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, and participants provided informed consent. Data were anonymized and did not affect academic evaluation.

Findings

Two major themes emerged: 1. Living in Ethical Dilemmas (subthemes: We Could Have Saved Them If…, Looking Past Obvious Suffering, How Can We Be Prepared?, We Can’t Abandon Them). 2. Development of Ethical Competency (subthemes: Knowing You’ve Done Enough, Finding New Perspectives, There Is No Right Answer). Students grew in moral reasoning and emotional resilience, transitioning from patient-centered care to utilitarian decision-making.

Conclusions

Participation in the mass casualty incident simulation allowed nursing students to confront and navigate complex ethical challenges in real time, fostering significant growth in moral reasoning and emotional resilience. Through immersion in simulated ethical dilemmas, students grappled with the tension between patient-centered care and the realities of utilitarian decision-making. This experience catalyzed a deeper understanding of ethical ambiguity and the development of moral clarity, equipping them with foundational skills for ethically navigating crises. Nursing curricula should recognize and incorporate opportunities that facilitate this ethical growth through experiential learning.
Practical Recommendations for Accommodating Students With Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in Adult Education Programs in the United States
Authors: Housel David A. , Nikoui Maz
Published: November 2024

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) affirms that millions of people across the globe are displaced annually because of “persecution, conflict, violence, and human rights violations.” Given the abrupt departures from their countries of origin and their time in resettlement camps, these migrants are typically denied access to educational opportunities. They thus arrive in countries like the United States as students with limited or significant interruptions in their formal educations (SLIFE). They then access adult education, often ESOL, programs that are typically ill-equipped to address their unique needs and staffed by instructors who are ill-prepared to provide impactful instruction. The purpose of this inquiry was to explore the extant research literature to formulate policies and practices that could be implemented to address the needs of adult SLIFE, ideally in more culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and decolonized ways. In addition to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the approach most often cited in this literature review was the Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigm (MALP) as devised by DeCapua and Marshall (2023). Using this paradigm and its corollaries as a conceptual foundation, the authors offer practical suggestions regarding administrative policies and instructional practices for adult education programs to address the psychosocial and instructional needs of adult SLIFE more effectively. Areas for future investigation and implementation were identified, including incorporating these best practices into preservice preparation and continuous professional development for instructors of adults, especially those of emergent bi/multilingual learners
“Instead of Building More Buildings, They Should Plant More Trees”, a Photovoice Study of Determinants of Happiness and Sadness Among East London Adolescents
Authors: Stephens Madison , Rahmanfard Nargis , Conneely Maev , Bird Victoria , Knight Alec , Heritage Paul , Waseem Laiba , Nath Sopnil , Ansar Ariba , Choudhury Rida , Larkin Holly , Ali Wahaj , Lassoued Mariam , Vasanthakumar Lakshana , Sanchez Meagan Jade , Ullah Ali , Kiernan James Richard , De Padua-Johnson Roxanne , Kandasamy Amsika
Published: November 2024

Globally, mental health problems in adolescents, alongside associated morbidity and mortality, have never been higher. Local living, working and environmental conditions, socio-economics, and intra-individual and inter-individual processes impact mental health. The risk of developing mental health problems is higher in certain areas, including East London. However, limited research explores East London adolescents’ experiences of mental health. An in-depth and locally situated understanding of determinants shaping East London adolescents’ happiness and sadness is needed. This study used Photovoice, a qualitative method within a community-based participatory research methodology, to generate photographic and textual data, which was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. This method allows participants to be part of knowledge production and authors to present the data. Our findings underscore the bidirectional interplay between environmental factors and adolescents’ happiness and sadness. Gratitude for nature was described as increasing happiness: adolescents connected to nature to memories, appreciation, and leisure opportunities. Adolescents were concerned about the fragility of nature in response to urban development. The urban environment was perceived as imposing, inspiring, and offering therapeutic benefits blighted by pollution. Beautiful areas were described as paradisical and lacking, revealing urban development and economic productivity disparities. Our research documents the voices of an under-researched group, revealing novel insights while empowering adolescents as co-producers of mental health research. This study indicates participatory research is valuable for granting adolescents autonomy and addressing misrepresentation. The findings implicate multiple stakeholders, including “Health in All Policies.” By deepening our understanding of adolescent mental health in East London, our study can be leveraged to bolster the effectiveness and relevance of interventions for East London adolescents.
Voices From the Frontline: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis Illuminating Perioperative Practice Realities in Southern Ethiopian Teaching Hospitals
Authors: Mulugeta Hailemariam , Zemedkun Abebayehu , Mergia Getachew , Abate Semagn Mekonnen , Gebremariam Mintesnot , Nenko Getachew , Gebremichael Genet , Besha Aschalew , Aregu Mekonnen Birhanie
Published: November 2024

Despite national efforts, gaps persist in Ethiopian perioperative care. This reflexive thematic analysis aimed to investigate the contextual challenges faced in delivering perioperative care. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 healthcare professionals, including anesthetists, nurses, and surgeons, to gain a frontline perspective of perioperative practice realities. The analysis revealed eight interconnected themes: systemic infrastructure vulnerabilities, workforce expansion uncertainties, workforce demoralization, fragile perioperative safety culture, hierarchical structures and communication barriers, financial barriers to care, fragmented information systems, and fragile governance with sociopolitical instability. Local deficiencies in resources and equipment were amplified by global challenges, creating a precarious care environment. While workforce numbers increased, concerns persisted about competency and training quality. Systemic pressures and unmet professional needs contributed to staff demoralization. Inconsistent safety practices and top-down quality improvement initiatives hindered sustainable progress. Rigid hierarchies and departmental silos impeded effective teamwork and resource coordination. Financial constraints created significant barriers to care access and ethical dilemmas for providers. Incomplete digitalization and inconsistent documentation practices compromised continuity of care and data-driven improvements. Overarching sociopolitical instability and weak governance cascaded into healthcare system disruptions. The findings underscore the need for a multifaceted approach to strengthen perioperative care, including improving infrastructure, enhancing workforce development, fostering a culture of safety, breaking down hierarchical barriers, addressing financial accessibility, implementing robust information systems, and building resilient governance structures amidst adversity.
Community Socioemotional Wealth as the Glue that Binds Distinct Communities in Enterprising: A Tale of Success From Colombia
Authors: Siraz Sonia S. , Claes Björn , Sanchez Preciado Deycy J. , Theodorakopoulos Nicholas
Published: November 2024

Recent advances in research have shed light on why and how community-based enterprises (CBEs) emerge. Nevertheless, little is known about the underlying factors that contribute to their success over time. This lack of attention is intriguing, given CBEs’ widespread proliferation as an instrument for socioeconomic development. We contribute to the CBE literature by applying and extending socioemotional wealth (SEW) to the CBE context. Our findings demonstrate how the presence of community socioemotional wealth (CSEW) enables CBEs to achieve enduring success. Beyond the presence of SEW's five traditional dimensions, we identify two new dimensions (empowerment and holistic mission) unique to CBEs. When jointly present, these seven dimensions explain how CSEW creates a favorable terrain for the CBE to succeed.
Toward an Anti-Racist Music Education: A Critical Pedagogy of Popular Music Teacher Education
Authors: Mullen Jess , Luna Rainamei
Published: November 2024

In this article, we propose a framework for a critical pedagogy of popular music for teacher education to better prepare music teachers to enact anti-racist praxis within their classrooms. Although a growing body of literature in music education addresses issues of racism within the field, fewer scholars have studied this within teacher education. Drawing from critical pedagogy, our framework centers popular music as a means for music teacher educators to interrogate issues of identity and power and (re)contextualize pedagogy, considering the socio-political contexts and communities from which music practices originate. These processes facilitate reflection on how racisms shape taken-for-granted practices within music education by centering the socio-political contexts of popular music. Through our framework, music teacher educators could prompt pre-service music educators to consider the multiple racialized epistemologies of musical value students and teachers bring to the classroom, working toward the possibility of enacting a multicentric approach to music education.
Family Therapy and School Discipline Concerns: A 20-Year Scoping Review of Interventions by Family Therapists and Clinical Mental Health Counselors
Authors: Thompson Cara M. , Fields Alexander M. , Schneider Kara M. , Perez Lucas M. , Limberg Dodie
Published: November 2024

Family therapy in schools is gaining increasing focus in both education and counseling fields. To explore existing literature on family therapy in schools, this scoping review examines and synthesizes key concepts of peer-reviewed literature on family therapy or family-focused interventions. Empirical and conceptual articles were included if the article included behavioral or discipline-related concerns and involved family therapy or family-focused interventions within the context of K-12 education provided by clinical mental health counselors (CMHC) or marriage and family therapists (MFT). This PRISMA scoping review synthesizes themes including the school and behavioral contexts, the target population and sample characteristics, the interventions provided, and the outcomes assessed. Implications for this review include serving as a foundation for future research, such as a systematic review, informing family therapy program development within schools, and informing training objectives for counselor educators.
Child Protection Responses to Domestic Violence Exposure: Co-Occurring Safety Concerns and Investigation Outcomes
Authors: Rebbe Rebecca , Victor Bryan , Cuccaro-Alamin Stephanie , Palmer Lindsey
Published: November 2024

Childhood exposure to domestic violence (CEDV) poses significant risks to children’s safety and wellbeing, yet its prevalence and impact on child protection outcomes remains understudied. This study examined administrative data for child protection investigations in Los Angeles County, California between January 2018 and March 2021 to determine the prevalence of CEDV safety concerns, associated case characteristics, and child protection outcomes (case openings and foster care placements). Results indicated that 5.9% of investigations had CEDV concerns and CEDV investigations represented 17.9% of placements. Investigations with CEDV concerns had higher co-occurring indicated safety concerns than investigations without, including substance abuse (31.1%) and mental health (14.2%). Investigation outcomes for those with CEDV concerns included the substantiation of more than one individual (36.6%), while 28.4% resulted in case openings (without placement) and 30.2% resulted in placements. The study underscores the importance of moving beyond punitive frameworks and exploring the use evidence-based service planning to address the complex needs of families affected by CEDV.
Online News Paying Intent Antecedents: The Culture of Free, Fairness of Having to Pay for News, and the Moderating Role of Political Interest
Authors: Goyanes Manuel , Scheffauer Rebecca , Tóth Tamás , Demeter Márton , Gil de Zúñiga Homero
Published: November 2024

Drawing on a Spanish representative two-wave panel survey, this study examines the role predicting the intent for paying for news of (a) a culture of free mindset, and (b) pay for news injustice. Findings suggest that both variables negatively predict citizens’ intent to pay for public affairs information. Furthermore, the study also advances the moderating role of political interest on these effects, which increases the intentions to pay for news, particularly for those who report low levels of culture of free mindset and pay for news injustice.
Four-Week GLP Immunotoxicity Assessment of Lactoferrin Alpha Produced by Komagataella phaffii in Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Peterson Ross , Crawford Robert B. , Blevins Lance K. , Kaminski Norbert E. , Clark Anthony J. , Malinczak Carrie-Anne
Published: November 2024

Oral toxicity and toxicokinetic properties of human lactoferrin (LF) alpha produced in Komagataella phaffii (effera™) were investigated in adult Sprague-Dawley rats over a 28-day period under good laboratory practice conditions. Main study dosing used groups of 10 rats/sex/dose, and a secondary study evaluating toxicokinetic parameters used 6 rats/sex/dose. The vehicle control group received sodium citrate buffer, test groups received daily doses of 200, 600, and 2000 mg of effera™ per kg body weight, and the comparative control group received 2000 mg bovine LF (bLF)/kg body weight per day. T-cell-dependent antibody response against keyhole limpet hemocyanin and immunophenotyping of the spleen were performed as measures of immunotoxicity. Clinical observations, body weight, hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, immunotoxicity, gross necropsy, and histopathology were assessed. Toxicokinetic parameters were analyzed as an indication of LF bioavailability, and anti-LF antibody assays were conducted to detect antibodies produced against LF to measure immunogenicity. No treatment related toxicologically significant changes were observed. Based on the absence of toxicologically relevant changes, effera™ is well tolerated in rats at doses up to 2000 mg rhLF/kg/day, an amount ∼400 times that of the estimated daily intake at the 90th percentile proposed for human adult use.
Serological and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in cats in Europe with evaluation of associated risk factors for pathogen contact/infection
Authors: Schäfer Ingo , Binder Franka , Kerner Katharina , Breu Doris , Müller Elisabeth
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular coccidian pathogen, with domestic cats and other members of the Felidae family serving as its definitive hosts. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for positive test results.

Methods

A laboratory database was screened for T gondii PCR results from faecal samples and serology results (IgM, IgG) from serum/plasma taken from cats in Europe between January 2008 and December 2022. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with positive T gondii results, such as breed, age, sex, neuter status, regionality, seasonality, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) status. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated.

Results

A total of 45,523 cats were included: 14,500 (31.9%) tested positive by direct and/or indirect detection methods for T gondii (PCR: 126/7896 [1.6%], IgG: 14,148/37,882 [37.3%], IgM: 1539/37,882 [4.1%]). Age >5 years (IgG: OR 2.591, P <0.001; IgM: OR 1.954, P <0.001), European domestic shorthair cats/cross breeds (IgG: OR 3.848, P <0.001; IgM: OR 2.152, P <0.001), male sex (IgG: OR 1.134, P <0.001), neuter status in male (IgG: OR 0.536, P <0.001) and female cats (IgG: OR 0.577, P <0.001), FeLV antigen positivity (IgG: OR 1.358, P = 0.030) and FIV antibody positivity (IgG: OR 2.350, P <0.001; IgM: OR 2.650, P <0.001) significantly impacted the serological results. In PCR testing, neuter status had a significant impact in male (OR 2.455, P = 0.002) and female cats (OR 2.988, P <0.001). Serological and PCR results were significantly influenced by regionality for IgG (central: OR 1.454, P <0.001; north: OR 0.768, P <0.001; south: OR 0.526, P <0.001; east: OR 0.768, P <0.001; west: OR 0.709, P <0.001), IgM (central: OR 0.616, P <0.001; north: OR 1.456, P <0.001; south: OR 1.767, P <0.001; east: OR 1.456, P <0.001) and PCR testing (central: OR 0.460, P <0.001; north: OR 3.020, P = 0.002; east: OR 3.020, P = 0.002). Seasonality had a statistically significant impact on IgM (summer: OR 1.402, P <0.001; winter: OR 0.732, P <0.001) and PCR testing (autumn: OR 1.473, P = 0.038).

Conclusions and relevance

Breed, age, sex, neuter status, seasonality and regionality significantly impacted serological results. Neuter status, seasonality and regionality significantly impacted the PCR results. Immunosuppression (FeLV/FIV) had a significant impact on serological results. PCR-positive cats shed oocysts and spread infection to other susceptible hosts, including humans. Surveillance is therefore recommended, taking into consideration the associated risk factors.
Skirmishing toward a general theory of evidence and proof
Authors: Clermont Kevin M.
Published: November 2024

Traditional probability fundamentally assumes bivalence and additivity: there is only truth and falsity, whose odds add to one. The consequence is many problems and paradoxes for factfinding, all attributable to the assumptions’ exclusive focus on random uncertainty. By contrast, multivalent belief theory abjures those two assumptions, thereby allowing consideration of epistemic uncertainty. This theory divides the factfinder's state of mind into three, not two, gradated concepts: belief, uncommitted belief representing epistemic unknowns, and disbelief. This theory utilises a more general but perfectly valid logic that accounts for all relevant kinds of uncertainty and so explains the law's wise practices. In practice, legal factfinding rightly rejects probabilism. It favours instead the multivalent theory of evidential proof based on inner convictions or beliefs. Other theories compete with multivalent belief theory in trying to overhaul probabilism to fit practice, but they prove clumsy in achieving that goal.
Reducing bias in healthcare artificial intelligence: A white paper
Authors: Sun Carolyn , Harris Shannon L
Published: November 2024

Objective: Mitigation of racism in artificial intelligence (AI) is needed to improve health outcomes, yet no consensus exists on how this might be achieved. Methods: At an international conference in 2022, experts gathered to discuss strategies for reducing bias in healthcare AI. Results: This paper delineates these strategies along with their corresponding strengths and weaknesses and reviews the existing literature on these strategies. Conclusions: Five major themes resulted: reducing dataset bias, accurate modeling of existing data, transparency of artificial intelligence, regulation of artificial intelligence and the people who develop it, and bringing stakeholders to the table.
Deconstructing Barbenheimer: a feminist analysis of gender and the representation of nuclear war
Authors: Faux Emily
Published: November 2024

This article's investigation of Barbenheimer demonstrates the importance of feminist engagement with memes. More specifically, it navigates nuclear weapons politics through visual narratives, online participatory culture and fragmented senses of humour, underscoring the significance of popular culture as a reflector and producer of the social world. As everyday knowledge about nuclear weapons becomes increasingly fragmented and intertextual, scholars must turn their attention to the politics of the anecdotal and accidental. Nuclear weapons have a narrative power that exists external to the weapons themselves. These narratives are shown to construct and reconstruct popular imaginings about nuclear weapons and war; their beginnings, middles and ends. Recentring nuclear weapons and war around the Barbie film makes visible those gendered and militarised discourses that may otherwise be backgrounded or normalised. We should encounter those broader questions of feminism and militarisation with attention to the fragmented aspects of world politics; the parts of politics that live and breathe, move and bend, confront and challenge us. The Barbiefication of the images of nuclear war make visible the characters, settings and plot of nuclear weapons as they exist in the popular imagination. The making and sharing of memes demonstrates those aspects of the nuclear story that seem fixed, as well as those that can be edited, distorted and played with. Discourses of gender and militarism exist not only within the ‘high’ politics of technostrategic defence planning or policymaking but also as fragments of humour, sentiment and affect scattered across the internet and approached as play – not politics.
A Bayesian approach for variable selection in mixture of logistic regressions with Pólya-Gamma data augmentation
Authors: Bogoni Mariella A. , Zuanetti Daiane A.
Published: November 2024

We present Bayesian methods for estimating and selecting variables in a mixture of logistic regression models. A common issue with the logistic model is its intractable likelihood, which prevents us from applying simpler Bayesian algorithms, such as Gibbs sampling, for estimating and selecting the model since there is no conjugacy for the regression coefficients. We propose to solve this problem by applying the data augmentation approach with Pólya-Gamma random variables to the logistic regression mixture model. For selecting covariates in this model, we investigate the performance of two prior distributions for the regression coefficients. A Gibbs sampling algorithm is then applied to perform variable selection and fit the model. The conjugacy obtained for the distribution of the regression coefficients allows us to analytically calculate the marginal likelihood and gain computational efficiency in the variable selection process. The methodologies are applied to both synthetic and real data.
COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and indigenous knowledges informing the future of social work
Authors: Dennis Mary Kate , Bell Finn McLafferty
Published: November 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed more fully social, economic, racial, and environmental disparities and offers a glimpse into the future. We recognize this moment as an opportunity to not only address the current pandemic, but also the climate crisis, which promises even more intense disruptions and disasters. This is not new for Indigenous people who have already experienced the end of their worlds through colonization. Indigenous people have adapted to change by relying on the knowledge of their lands which ensured their survival and will help them to prepare for climate change. Social work must seize this moment to address conditions by focusing on environmental and Indigenous ways of knowing to remain relevant as a positive force for social change. We identify four places to seek transformation in the 21st century: social work practice by moving towards anticolonial practice, the capitalist economy by moving to degrowth, hierarchical social welfare by promoting mutual aid, and the industrial food system by moving to food sovereignty. Through an exemplary case study, we illustrate how these approaches incorporate Indigenous knowledges and translate to social work practice. We explore the roles that social work can use to create a future that ensures justice, prevents harm and promotes a thriving world.
Interest in booter services and distributed denial of service attacks: Insight from Google search data
Authors: Moneva Asier , Leukfeldt E. Rutger
Published: November 2024

Cybercrime as a service is lowering the barrier to entry for crime. Aspiring criminals can access cybercrime services through the clear web using search engines. One such cybercrime service is booters, web platforms that offer affordable distributed denial of service attacks for hire. Law enforcement agencies have tried to counter this trend by running online ad campaigns on platforms like Google. For these campaigns to effectively divert and deter potential cybercriminals, they must first reach the intended audience. Yet, it remains uncertain whether this is the case. This study assesses Google online search data from two campaigns deployed in the Netherlands in 2021 to determine whether the campaigns actually reached potential cybercriminals. The results indicate that certain online searches likely had criminal intent, implying that the campaigns – to some extent – successfully reached the intended population. Furthermore, the findings reveal that online searches can serve to identify active booters, providing valuable assistance to law enforcement agencies in taking down such services.
Examining ransomware payment decision-making among small- and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Matthijsse Sifra R. , Moneva Asier , van ’t Hoff-de Goede M. Susanne , Leukfeldt E. Rutger
Published: November 2024

Ransomware is currently one of the most prominent cyberthreats for organizations. Small- and medium-sized enterprises are particularly vulnerable to ransomware victimization and more inclined toward paying the ransom. However, while a few studies have been conducted on victimization of ransomware, little is known about how small- and medium-sized enterprises respond to victimization and what factors contribute to the decision to pay the ransom. This study uses a survey with a vignette experiment conducted among 445 owners and managers of Dutch small- and medium-sized enterprises to gain more insight into the factors that are related to the decision to pay the ransom in the event of ransomware victimization. Findings show that the likelihood that the ransom is paid is low. While the affordability of the ransom demand seems unrelated to the likelihood of paying, being advised by a cybersecurity company to pay the ransom and not having a back-up significantly increases the likelihood of the ransom being paid. The findings provide insight into factors that make ransomware victims vulnerable to extortion. Furthermore, implications for how ransomware attacks can be mitigated are discussed.
Effect of metastable pitting on stress corrosion cracking in 2205 duplex stainless steel welded joints
Authors: Wang Dengyun , Ye Wenhui , Zhang Houwei , Zheng Qing , Su Hang , Fu Anqing , Xu Lining
Published: November 2024

The behaviour of metastable pitting and its effect on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) welded joints were investigated through microstructure characterisation, immersion experiments, electrochemical experiments and slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) experiments. The study revealed that the corrosion in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and weld metal (WM) increased with longer immersion time due to the environment and welding thermal cycle. The majority of the metastable pitting occurred at inclusions in the ferrite phase and ferrite (α)/austenite (γ) interface. Metastable pitting can increase the DSS SCC susceptibility, with cracks typically initiating at the bottom of pits in the ferrite phase and propagating in the direction of slip bands as either transgranular-stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) and intergranular-stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC).
The Centering of Youth Voice in the Development of a Virtual, Instructor-Led Physical Activity Program
Authors: Beemer Lexie R. , Tackett Wendy , Kinnett-Hopkins Dominique , Templin Thomas , Miller Alison , Robinson Leah E. , Eisman Andria B. , Hasson Rebecca E.
Published: November 2024

Background. Providing youth the opportunity to express their attitudes toward and recommendations for improvement of a home-based physical activity (PA) program may help to improve engagement in virtual PA program activities. Youth voice is an often-overlooked component that may be necessary for understanding what contributes to low participation and may have important implications for long-term adherence. Purpose. Informed by Self-Determination Theory, this study aimed to formatively evaluate home-based exercise videos, incorporating youth feedback for improvement in the development of the videos. Methods. Youth participated in four (8-minute) PA videos varying in type (strength; cardio; mindfulness; sports skill). Youth accessed the videos and answered open-ended questions via an online survey. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify emerging themes in responses. Results. Sixty-eight K-12 youth in the United States (52% girls; 38% non-White; 55% in K-5 grade; 17% in 6–8 grade; 28% in 9–12 grade) participated in this study. Overall, 61.9% of affective responses were positive, with mindfulness rating the highest and strength the lowest. Children were satisfied with the video structure, enjoyed having an opportunity to move at home and reported liking the engaging instructors. Suggestions were also given related to modifying video length, adding modifications for varying fitness levels, adding more kid-like features, and providing incentives. Conclusions. Youth recommendations may be used to create tailored adaptations and implementation supports for PA programs in the home. Findings from this study demonstrate that incorporating youth voice may be an important step toward increasing engagement in home-based PA programming.
Predicting Calcein Release from Ultrasound-Targeted Liposomes: A Comparative Analysis of Random Forest and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Shomope Ibrahim , Percival Kelly M. , Abdel Jabbar Nabil M. , Husseini Ghaleb A.
Published: November 2024

The type of algorithm employed to predict drug release from liposomes plays an important role in affecting the accuracy. In recent years, Machine Learning (ML) has shown potential for modeling complex drug delivery systems and predicting drug release dynamics with a greater degree of precision. In this regard, Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are two ML algorithms that have been extensively applied in various biomedical and drug delivery contexts. Yet, direct comparisons of their predictive accuracy in modeling ultrasound-triggered drug release from liposomes remain limited. Existing studies predominantly focus on drug release under static conditions or with limited external stimuli rather than the dynamic, nonlinear responses observed under ultrasound exposure.

Objective

This study presents a comparative analysis of RF and SVM for predicting calcein release from ultrasound-triggered, targeted liposomes under varied low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS) power densities (6.2, 9, and 10 mW/cm2).

Methods

Liposomes loaded with calcein and targeted with seven different moieties (cRGD, estrone, folate, Herceptin, hyaluronic acid, lactobionic acid, and transferrin) were synthesized using the thin-film hydration method. The liposomes were characterized using Dynamic Light Scattering and Bicinchoninic Acid assays. Extensive data collection and preprocessing were performed. RF and SVM models were trained and evaluated using mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), coefficient of determination (R²), and the a20 index as performance metrics.

Results

RF consistently outperformed SVM, achieving R2 scores above 0.96 across all power densities, particularly excelling at higher power densities and indicating a strong correlation with the actual data.

Conclusion

RF outperforms SVM in drug release prediction, though both show strengths and apply based on specific prediction needs.
Ultrasound-Based Radiation Enhancement: Concepts, Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Sharma Deepa , Czarnota Gregory J.
Published: November 2024

Microbubbles have emerged as versatile carriers used both for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Microbubbles in the presence of ultrasound waves undergo cavitation, generating bioeffects near the cell's vicinity. Studies have shown ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles (USMB) to cause mechanical perturbation of endothelial cells, resulting in acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase)-induced ceramide production. Disruption of endothelial cells further causes vascular deterioration, leading to secondary tumor cell death. These effects are known to be synergistically higher when USMB is combined with radiation. This paper provides insight into the use of USMB as a potential radioenhancer. The possible underlying mechanism and therapeutic effects of combining USMB and radiation therapy are also presented.
Functional Cognition: Moving the Field Forward
Authors: Giles Gordon Muir , Goverover Yael , Foster Erin R. , Connor Lisa Tabor , Farrar Edwards Dorothy , Baum Carolyn , Toglia Joan
Published: November 2024

The concept of functional cognition has been variously defined, but at its core relates to how cognitive and performance abilities are integrated and used in everyday life. Functional cognition is a fundamental element of occupational performance, and functional cognitive assessment and intervention are central to how occupational therapy can improve client outcomes. Attendees at a conference convened by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation identified areas where the construct of functional cognition required further clarification. This paper briefly reviews these issues setting the stage for further conceptual analysis. The paper also examines the practical challenges that must be addressed before functional cognitive assessment and intervention can be fully integrated into occupational therapy practitioners’ professional practice. Potential routes to address these challenges are identified.
Early Impairment of Face Perception in Post-Stroke Depression: An ERP Study
Authors: Zhang Pingshu , Cao Lingyun , Yuan Jianxin , Wang Changming , Ou Ya , Wang Jing , Duan Liqin , Qian Hongchun , Ling Qirong , Yuan Xiaodong
Published: November 2024

Objective: Face recognition is an important cognitive function of the human brain. Post stroke depression (PSD) is a common mental complication after stroke, which has a serious impact on individual physical function recovery and quality of life. This study aims to explore the face perception characteristics of PSD through electrophysiological indicators N170 and VPP, and provide an objective basis for the early evaluation of facial cognitive dysfunction in PSD. Methods: 58 patients in the cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) with depressive symptoms (PSD) and 188 patients in the pure CSVD (NPSD). At the same time, 30 healthy subjects were selected as the healthy controls (HC). The differences of N170 and VPP components between the three groups were compared under the stimulation of inverted faces and upright faces. Results: PSD patients exhibited significantly longer peak latency and lower amplitude of N170 and VPP under both inverted and upright face stimulation compared to HC and NPSD. These results suggest that PSD patients have defects in early face recognition, there are abnormalities in the early perception and structural encoding of face information, and both the “overall mechanism” and “feature mechanism” of face recognition are damaged. Conclusions: These findings provide neuroelectrophysiological evidence for impaired emotionless face recognition in PSD patients.
Evolving Methods and Application of a 3D Printed Model in the Current Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Elevation
Authors: Woo Soo Jin , Kim Su Yong , Ahn Il Young , Hong Ki Yong , Choi Jinil , Lee Se Yeon , Kim Woo Ju , Kim Sun Joo , Kang Shin Hyuk , Chang Hak
Published: November 2024

Background

The choice of the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap for breast reconstruction has increased. Three-dimensional (3D) models of DIEP flaps have been introduced with advances in 3D technology to assist the tedious intramuscular dissection of the pedicle. This study presents the process of creating an ideal 3D model for a DIEP flap.

Methods

Collaboration among various professionals, including surgeons, radiologists, and 3D-printing model makers, is essential for manufacturing suitable 3D-printing DIEP models. Our team facilitated the collaboration process by sharing the virtual 3D model via a uniform resource locator (URL) using an online platform accessible on mobile devices.

Results

During collaboration in 3D DIEP model-making, we continuously upgraded the model to a better version. The model was modified according to the surgeon’s preference from a 1:1 ratio size to a handheld size. Additionally, we achieved significant advancements over conventional methods, including improved visualization of detailed vessel pathways with separation of arteries and veins, tissue transparency, and superficial inferior epigastric vein (SIEV).

Conclusions

Through 3D model-making collaborations, our team successfully developed a 3D DIEP model with translucency and visualized arteries and veins separately with accentuation of the perforators, including SIEV tracing, which is more accurate. This ideal 3D model for the DIEP flap enables the selection of a perforator vessel that is safe and easy to dissect to lower complications and procedure time and will be of great help to less experienced surgeons.
Comparative Outcomes Between Surgical and Conservative Management of Mallet Thumb: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis
Authors: Hirslund Emily , Patience Chad , Hang Philip , Dabbagh Armaghan , Szekeres Mike
Published: November 2024

Background:

While mallet finger remains a relatively common injury of the hand, mallet thumb is much rarer in occurrence. Mallet thumb management has been noted infrequently within the literature and reliable evidence regarding the most effective method of management remains absent. The aim of this review is to assess the quality of literature that exists pertaining to mallet thumb to determine whether conservative or surgical management is superior.

Methods:

A search was completed in February 2023 of Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus with no limitation on study type, and date of publication. Comparative outcomes of thumb interphalangeal (IP) joint range of motion, tip, lateral pinch and grip strength, complications, outcome measure scores, and follow-up period were recorded. We assessed 103 mallet thumbs (51 surgically and 52 conservatively managed) across the 23 studies of low to moderate quality based on the Structured Effectiveness Quality Evaluation Scale. The authors adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Results:

While recommendations remain weak due to low quality of evidence, our review found a lower complication rate and higher IP joint flexion in thumbs managed conservatively.

Conclusion:

These findings demonstrate a need for future research to shift toward ensuring standardized patient-rated outcome measures are utilized and functional outcomes are included in research planning and operationalization in order to contextualize clinical outcomes.