bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishment of age- and -gender specific reference intervals for amino acids and acylcarnitines by tandem mass spectrometry in Turkish paediatric population
Authors: Kestane Ayşe , Kutnu Müge , Madenci Özlem Çakır , Erdin Soner
Published: October 2023

IntroductionWe determined age- and gender-specific reference intervals (RIs) for acylcarnitines and amino acids by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in the Turkish paediatric population by using laboratory information system (LIS) data. Materials and methodsA total of 9156 MS/MS results of children between 0-18 years of age, were downloaded from the LIS. Premature infants and newborns followed in the intensive care unit were excluded and only the first result of each patient attending outpatient clinics was included. Children with a known or suspected diagnosis of metabolic disease, malignancy, epilepsy, mental retardation, or genetic disorder were excluded. Laboratory results were evaluated and children with any pathological laboratory finding were excluded, resulting in a final sample size of 3357 (2029 boys and 1328 girls). Blood was collected by capillary puncture and spotted on Whatman 903 filter paper cards and analysed by MS/MS (Shimadzu LCMS-8050, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan). Data were evaluated for age and gender differences and age partitioning was performed according to the literature and visual evaluation of the data. Age subgroups were: ≤ 1 month, 2 months-1 year, 2-5 years, 6-10 years, and 11-18 years. ResultsThere were significant age-related differences for the majority of amino acids and acylcarnitines thus age dependent RIs were established. Gender-specific RIs were established for tyrosine, leucine-isoleucine, isovalerylcarnitine (C5) and hexadecanoylcarnitine (C16). ConclusionsEstablishing age-related RIs can enhance the quality of medical care by facilitating early diagnosis and therapy, especially in certain metabolic disorders presenting with mild biochemical abnormalities and subtle clinical manifestations.
Outcomes and Lessons Learned from Implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program at UCAR/NCAR
Authors: Pruitt Allison Scott , Brinkworth Cam , Luna Aponte Kristen
Published: October 2023

Atmospheric science is male dominated and few students of color matriculate into the field, a trend dating back at least 50 years. UCAR/NCAR Equity and Inclusion (referred to as UNEION), which has trained nearly 200 employees, is the institution’s flagship diversity program. UNEION is central to efforts to create a welcoming workplace, engaging participants with peer-led learning to gain knowledge on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) topics, and encouraging participants to implement these learnings through bystander intervention. Evaluation results show that UNEION 1) increases participants’ awareness of inequities, 2) encourages participants to feel responsible for DEI, and 3) teaches participants how to intervene in inappropriate situations.
Toward Rapid Balloon Experiments for Sudden Aerosol Injection in the Stratosphere (REAS) by Volcanic Eruptions and Wildfires
Authors: Dumelié N. , Vernier J.-P. , Berthet G. , Vernier H. , Renard J.-B. , Rastogi N. , Wienhold F. , Combaz D. , Angot M. , Burgalat J. , Parent F. , Chauvin N. , Albora G. , Dagaut P. , Benoit R. , Kovilakam M. , Crevoisier C. , Joly L.
Published: October 2023

Stratospheric aerosols are greatly influenced by medium-to-large volcanic eruptions. Over the last few years, extreme wildfires have been identified as new sources of stratospheric particles, in the form of carbonaceous aerosols injected by pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) events in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, associated with significant impacts on climate and ozone chemistry. To assess the impact of wildfires and volcanic eruptions on stratospheric aerosol loadings in the Northern Hemisphere, the Rapid Balloon Experiments for Sudden Aerosol Injection in the Stratosphere (REAS) project has been initiated. REAS is an international initiative that aims to respond to sudden events impacting stratospheric aerosol composition. Seventeen balloons were launched from Reims, eastern France, between November 2021 and January 2022 to quantify the atmospheric content for both aerosols and trace/greenhouse gases from the ground up to stratospheric levels. The main measurements concerned trace gases (CO/CO2 as tracers of smoke) and aerosol together with ozone using instruments such as a gas collector, optical particle counters, backscatter sondes, an aerosol sampler, an aerosol impactor, and ozonesondes. The Groupe de Spectrométrie Moléculaire et Atmosphérique (GSMA) launch facility provided unique possibilities of combining multiple measurements in one flight thanks to medium flights (corresponding to a 6 kg payload). While no major event impacted the stratosphere during the campaign, we particularly discuss the influence of the aged volcanic plume from La Soufrière volcano (Saint Vincent island) and smoke particles from series of pyroCb events that took place in North America. The burden as well as the optical and microphysical properties of the observed aerosols are quantified from these in situ observations in association with various satellite data.
Evaluation of GPM DPR Rain Parameters with North Taiwan Disdrometers
Authors: Seela Balaji Kumar , Janapati Jayalakshmi , Lin Pay-Liam , Lan Chen-Hau , Huang Mu-Qun
Published: October 2023

Global precipitation demonstrates a substantial role in the hydrological cycle and offers tremendous implications in hydrometeorological studies. Advanced remote sensing instrumentations, such as the NASA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR), can estimate precipitation and cloud properties and have a unique capability to estimate the raindrop size information globally at snapshots in time. The present study validates the Level-2 data products of the GPM DPR with the long-term measurements of seven north Taiwan Joss–Waldvogel disdrometers from 2014 to 2022. The precipitation and drop size distribution parameters like rainfall rate (R; mm h−1), radar reflectivity factor (dBZ), mass-weighted mean drop diameter (Dm; mm), and normalized intercept parameter (Nw; m−3 mm−1) of the GPM DPR are compared with the disdrometers. Four different comparison approaches (point match, 5-km average, 10-km average, and optimal method) are used for the validation; among these four, the optimal strategy provided reasonable agreement between the GPM DPR and the disdrometers. The GPM DPR revealed superior performance in estimating the rain parameters in stratiform precipitation than the convective precipitation. Irrespective of algorithm type (dual- or single-frequency algorithm), sensitivity analysis revealed superior agreement for the mass-weighted mean diameter and inferior agreement for the normalized intercept parameter.
Political icon and role model: Dimensions of the perceived ‘Greta effect’ among climate activists as aspects of contemporary social movement leadership
Authors: Wahlström Mattias , Uba Katrin
Published: October 2023

The 2019 Fridays For Future global climate strikes were extraordinary protest mobilisations in many respects, both in terms of size, age composition and the absence of a specific external triggering event. To properly understand it, one must account for Greta Thunberg's leadership role in the mobilisation – the ‘Greta effect’. We contribute to such an account by linking the ‘Greta effect’ on individual mobilisation to theories of political iconicity and political role models. Empirically, we use unique data from two waves of international surveys of participants in European Fridays For Future protests – on 15 March and 20–27 September 2019 – demonstrating that the perceived individual impact of Greta differs considerably among those who were mobilised in climate strikes. Through multilevel regression analysis, we furthermore show that (a) young women were especially prone to have been inspired and mobilised by Thunberg as a role model and (b) subjectively assessed mobilising influence by ‘Greta’ – in her capacity as a political icon – is positively related to protest participants’ instrumental motivation, sense of solidarity and collective identity. We argue that our results contribute to a better understanding of informal social movement leadership in contemporary political mobilisations.
Machine Learning and Omics Analysis in Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Lareyre Fabien , Chaudhuri Arindam , Nasr Bahaa , Raffort Juliette
Published: October 2023

Aortic aneurysm is a life-threatening condition and mechanisms underlying its formation and progression are still incompletely understood. Omics approach has brought new insights to identify a broad spectrum of biomarkers and better understand cellular and molecular pathways involved. Omics generate a large amount of data and several studies have highlighted that artificial intelligence (AI) and techniques such as machine learning (ML)/deep learning (DL) can be of use in analyzing such complex datasets. However, only a few studies have so far reported the use of ML/DL for omics analysis in aortic aneurysms. The aim of this study is to summarize recent advances on the use of ML/DL for omics analysis to decipher aortic aneurysm pathophysiology and develop patient-tailored risk prediction models. In the light of current knowledge, we discuss current limits and highlight future directions in the field.
Frequency of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Children Aged 4 to 9 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Aslan Doğan Leyla , Gokdemir Ozden , Özçakar Nilgün
Published: October 2023

The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the influencing factors in children aged 4 to 9. The cross-sectional descriptive study included 1176 children between the ages of 4 and 9 who applied for Family Medicine Centers between March 1, 2017 and April 30, 2017 for various reasons. Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms Questionnaire, Roma III Version (QPGS-RIII) was applied to the volunteers (children’s parents or caregivers), and Beck Anxiety Scale was applied to the mothers accompanying their children. A total of 603 (51.9%) of the children included in the study were female and 559 (48.1%) were male. When the applied QPGS-RIII was evaluated with IBS diagnostic criteria, IBS was found in 137 children and IBS frequency was found to be 11.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]). Significant differences were found in socioeconomic level, eating habits, TV-watching habits, and IBS status ( P < .05).
Impact of a diabetes educator-led clinic on the control of type 1 diabetes among adults
Authors: AsSaigal Omer Abdullah , Al-Saigul Abdullah Mohammed , Almutairi Khalid MA
Published: October 2023

Background:

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is on the rise globally. Patient education is a major cornerstone in diabetes management. Diabetes educators play a pivotal role in educating patients with diabetes mellitus.

Objectives:

To estimate the impact of a diabetes educator-led clinic on the control of T1DM among adults. This was measured through mean changes in HbA1c levels and alterations in perceived dietary and physical activity compliance among patients attending a Diabetes Centre in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

We enrolled 97 adult T1DM patients in a quasi-experimental study, conducted at a certified diabetes educator-led clinic. All patients were followed up for 6 months pre-intervention and for a minimum of 6 months post-intervention. Patients’ weight, self-monitoring of blood glucose, hypoglycaemic events frequency, HbA1c level and lipid profiles were routinely recorded. In addition, compliance with advice on dietary plan and physical activity recommendations was also assessed at the pre-intervention, baseline and post-intervention stages.

Results:

Post-intervention, participants reported better compliance with dietary and physical activity advice. Fewer hypoglycaemic events and higher self-monitoring of blood glucose frequencies were also noted. While there was no significant difference between pre-intervention and baseline mean HbA1c levels, mean baseline and post-intervention HbA1c levels showed a clinical and statistically significant difference of 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74–1.28). Mean low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride differences also showed small but significant changes.

Conclusion:

Attendance at a diabetes educator-led clinic had a positive and significant impact on the control of T1DM among adults. We recommend diabetes educator employment at outpatient clinics for adults with T1DM.
Pilot of an early intervention programme for low-risk persons who use drugs in the Philippines
Authors: Baloloy Jim Rey R , Hechanova Maria Regina , Co Trixia Anne C , Angeles Patrick Louis B
Published: October 2023

Objective:

The aim of this study was to pilot and evaluate the feasibility of an early intervention programme for low-risk drug users in the Philippines.

Design:

The early intervention consists of three sessions delivered by paraprofessionals focusing on stress, wellbeing, substance use, family and drug use and communication skills. The study was conducted in two phases. In the pilot phase, a randomised controlled trial design was used. In the second phase, a larger field cohort evaluation study design was implemented.

Setting:

The randomised controlled trial in the first phase was undertaken in four local government units (LGUs). The second phase took place in 13 LGUs in three island clusters in the Philippines.

Methods:

In the first phase, 42 low-risk users from three urban and one rural community were randomly assigned to treatment and wait-control groups. In the second phase, 744 low-risk users undertook the programme. In both phases, the pretest and posttest measured recovery skills, life skills, quality of life, perceived family support, wellbeing and intent to use drugs.

Results:

In the first phase, analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed significant differences in pretest and posttest scores in recovery skills and quality of life of participants compared to those who did not participate in the programmes. In the second phase, paired-sample t-test revealed significant improvements in terms of recovery skills, life skills, quality of life, perceived family support, wellbeing and intent to use drugs. Path analysis provided support for the programme’s theory of change. Facilitators perceived the programme to be effective and easy to implement.

Conclusions:

The study suggests that an early intervention focusing on mental health and substance use delivered by paraprofessionals may be a viable means to reduce drug use and improve mental health in countries such as the Philippines that have little resources and scarce mental health professionals.
A dual adaptive robust control for nonlinear systems with parameter and state estimation
Authors: Chen Ye , Tao Guoliang , Yao Yitao
Published: October 2023

Stabilization and learning are imperative to the high-performance feedback control of nonlinear systems. A dual adaptive robust control (DARC) scheme is proposed for nonlinear systems with model uncertainties to achieve a desired level of performance. Only the output of the nonlinear system is accessible in this work, all the states and parameters are learned online. Firstly, the DARC uses the prior physical bounds of systems to design a discontinuous projection with update rate limits which confines the bounds of parameter and state estimation. Then robustness of the nonlinear system can be guaranteed by the deterministic robust control (DRC) method. Secondly, a dual adaptive estimation mechanism (DAEM) is developed to learn the unknown parameters and states of systems. One part of the DAEM is the bounded gain forgetting (BGF) estimator, which is developed to handle inaccurate parameters and parametric variations. The other is the adaptive unscented Kalman filter (AUKF) synthesized for state estimation. The AUKF contains a statistic estimator based on the maximum a posterior (MAP) rule to estimate the unknown covariance matrix. Finally, simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the suggested method.
Leader-following cluster-delay consensus control for first-order nonlinear multi-agent systems based on event-triggered mechanism
Authors: Li Yan , Li Kewen , Li Yongming
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the event-triggered-based cluster-delay consensus control problem is investigated for leader-following nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs). In control design, both state triggering in the agents’ network and constant time-delay in the leaders’ communication network are considered. Under the framework of Lyapunov function stability theory, the Lipschitz condition is used to overcome the influence caused by time-delay. In order to further effectively utilize data transmission resources, and reduce the communication load of the topology network between each agent, an event-triggered mechanism is established. Subsequently, a robust cluster consensus control strategy is proposed based on event-triggered mechanism, which can ensure all signals of the controlled system are bounded, and the tracking errors converge to zero. In addition, it can also effectively avoid the Zeno behavior. Finally, the effectiveness of the presented control method and theory is verified by a simulation example.
The Influence of African Traditional Religion on Biodiversity Conservation in Anambra East LGA of Anambra State, Southeastern, Nigeria: A Geospatial Information System Study
Authors: Okafor Uchenna Paulinus , Asuoha Godson Chinonyerem , Uzuegbu Charity Ngozi , Mba Lilian Chinedu , Okwor Christopher Okonkwor , Onuorah Chioma Patricia , Onah Nkechi Gloria , Ngele Omaka Kalu , Okoli Blessing Anuli , Onyekwelu Chukwuemeka Anthony
Published: October 2023

This study applies geospatial information techniques in the study of the influence of African traditional religion on biodiversity conservation in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Satellite images of the sacred forests captured along with their surrounding environment constitute spatial data sets which were analyzed for land use/land cover changes (LULCC). Results showed that vegetal covers around Udude Onogu and Olio-olio forest shrines decreased by 10.66% and 30.73%, respectively, while built-up areas of the same environment grew by 15.93% and 7.45% between 1980 and 2020. Findings show that the African traditional religious belief system influences biodiversity conservation.
(Re)connecting anti-racisms: Islamophobia and the politics of police/prison abolition in contemporary Britain
Authors: Harris Scarlet
Published: October 2023

In recent years, questions of policing, prisons and the wider criminal justice system have increasingly taken centre stage in discussions and practices of anti-racism in Britain. More specifically, the Black Lives Matter movement, the Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of the Conservative government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act have all contributed to the emergence of a nascent movement for police and prison abolition. At the same time, ongoing resistance to state-sanctioned Islamophobia – the majority of which has been driven by Muslim-led organisations and communities – has focused on the securitisation of Muslims in Britain and beyond. Yet these two key strands of anti-racist work have tended to remain politically and analytically distinct. This article seeks to develop a dialogue between the theory and practice of police/prison abolition and the issue of Islamophobia in Britain, exploring the possibilities for solidarity-building in the current moment. I consider how (1) sociological theories of race, racism and racialisation, and (2) an engagement with British histories of radical anti-racism (specifically British Black Power) offer resources for revealing key connections between the policing and imprisonment of differently racialised populations and associated forms of resistance. I then explore how a more ‘joined up’ analysis might facilitate coalition-building on the ground in the current moment, before expanding the discussion beyond Britain to consider the Palestinian struggle as a model for developing international, abolitionist solidarity attuned to the relationality of race and racisms.
Leveraging the Multidimensional Poverty Index to estimate Helicobacter pylori prevalence in districts in Karnataka, India
Authors: Venkatesan Aadithiyavikram , Gonuguntla Akhilesh , Abraham Ashwin Peedikayil , Janumpalli Krishna Kalyan Reddy , Lakshminarayana Badareesh
Published: October 2023

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) in India is approximately 64%. However, substantial regional variations necessitate high-fidelity, locality-specific studies to characterise its population distribution in India. We conducted a cross-sectional study including 2998 dyspeptic patients at a tertiary care centre in Karnataka and investigated the relationship between Hp prevalence and the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) by district. Helicobacter pylori prevalence in our population was 43.2% with a significant correlation between district-specific Hp prevalence and MPI. This data can be leveraged for evaluating local Hp infection control strategies, planning interventions for Hp hotspots in Karnataka and predicting a dyspeptic patient's risk of Hp infection.
Collective Bargaining in Fissured Work Contexts: An Analysis of Core Challenges and Novel Experiments
Authors: Forsyth Anthony , Hardy Tess , McCrystal Shae
Published: October 2023

Facilitating access to effective and meaningful collective bargaining is at the heart of the most recent set of reforms to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (‘FW Act’) enacted in the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) 2022 (Act). In the shadow of these reforms, this article explores who can engage in collective bargaining in Australia and under what conditions. While there are a range of issues impeding the effectiveness of the collective bargaining system under the FW Act, this article focuses on the question of bargaining access under both labour and competition laws and reveals some of the formidable challenges facing employed and non-employed workers alike. It examines how the rise in dependent contractors and the disaggregation of firms—through labour hire, subcontracting, franchising and/or digital platforms—has destabilised the binary conception of employment. The decline in formal employment and the growth of the ‘fissured workplace’ have not only perpetuated the problem of ‘wage theft’, they have altered the way in which wages are set in the first place. Moreover, these factors have exposed the tensions that lie between the regulation of mainstream labour markets through worker-orientated labour legislation and the regulation of product markets and business relationships under consumer-orientated competition legislation. The discussion explores the limitations created by the siloing of regulatory approaches to enabling collective bargaining for workers covered by different statutory regimes. We identify that in both labour and competition laws, meaningful access to collective bargaining in fissured work contexts has been frequently stifled by misplaced assumptions about the nature of the regulatory target and the power distribution in business networks. The article contends that a regulatory response to fissuring (or the problem of ‘the networked firm’) would straddle the labour/competition law divide in various ways, to ensure fissured workers are no longer excluded from exercising collective power by both legal domains.
Promoting Student Engagement in the Classroom
Authors: Bundick Matthew J. , Quaglia Russell J. , Corso Michael J. , Haywood Dawn E.
Published: October 2023

Background/Context

Much progress has been made toward a greater understanding of student engagement and its role in promoting a host of desirable outcomes, including academic outcomes such as higher achievement and reduced dropout, as well as various well-being and life outcomes. Nonetheless, disengagement in our schools is widespread. This may be due in part to a lack in the student engagement literature of a broad conceptual framework for understanding how students are engaged at the classroom level, and the ways in which teachers may play an active role in promoting student engagement.

Purpose

The present work seeks to summarize and synthesize the literature on student engagement, providing both a greater appreciation of its importance as well as a context for how it might be better understood at the classroom level. It considers how the primary elements of the classroom environment— the student, the teacher, and the content— interact to affect engagement, and proposes a conceptual framework (based on a previously established model of classroom instruction and learning) for understanding how student engagement may be promoted in the classroom.

Research Design

This study combines a review of the extant research on the structure and correlates of student engagement, with elements of an analytic essay addressing how selected literature on motivation and classroom instruction may be brought to bear on the understanding and promotion of student engagement in the classroom.

Conclusions/Recommendations

This article offers a variety of research-based practical suggestions for how the proposed conceptual model— which focuses on student-teacher relationships, the relevance of the content to the students, and teachers’ pedagogical and curricular competence— might be applied in classroom settings.
Scripted Curriculum: What Movies Teach about Dis/ability and Black Males
Authors: Agosto Vonzell
Published: October 2023

Background/Context

Tropes of dis/ability in the movies and master-narratives of Black males in education and society are typically treated in isolation. Furthermore, education research on Hollywood movies has typically focused on portrayals of schools, principals, and teachers even though education professionals are exposed to a broader range of movies. Analyses of dis/ability tropes in the media also tend to ignore how they work in multiples and intersect with narratives of other social identities such as race and gender.

Focus of Study

This article examines the complexity of portrayals of Black (dis/abled) males that are scripted through dis/ability tropes and master-narratives of race and gender. Trends in these portrayals are juxtaposed with literature on how Black, (dis/abled) male students are treated in schools and society.

Research Design

Critical media analysis is combined with the social model perspective of dis/ability to explore the lessons that movies provide audiences about Black (dis/abled) males. This analysis of several movies produced from 1990 to 2012 is informed by critical perspectives from critical dis/ability studies (CDS), critical race studies in education (CRSE), and curriculum studies and scholarship on education, social science, and popular culture.

Data Collection and Analysis

Data are drawn from major motion pictures produced and distributed nationally in the U.S. (1990-2012) that feature Black male actors in leading or major supporting roles characterized as having a physical dis/ability, impairment (restricted use of major limb or sensory organ), or a debilitating condition according to the Internet Movie Database. Data from media outlets and documents (movie scripts) support the analysis. CDS and CRSE, namely critical race theory (CRT), provide the theoretical framework.

Findings/Results

The narratives of Black (dis/abled) males in movies are more complex than typically described. Rather than operating singularly, dis/ability tropes interpenetrate and intersect with master-narratives of race and gender to portray Black (dis/abled) males through a narrative of intersectional threat coded in themes of marginalization, dysfunction, and miscegenation. The findings are further nuanced through a discussion of the constructs of presence through absence, embodied patriotism, and racialized space in order to illustrate how Black (dis/abled) males’ treatment in the movies echoes in how they are treated in schools and society.

Conclusions/Recommendations

Through an intersectional lens of critique directed toward all forms of cultural texts, educators can resist the normative conceptions that can orient their praxis in schools and society. Attention to how stereotypical narratives in film and education leave out a range of experience among Black (dis/abled) males can generate counter-spaces for a broader range of narratives.
Relationship of Living and Eating Arrangements to Mental Distress Among Older Korean Immigrants: Gender Difference in the Mediating Role of Loneliness
Authors: Park Nan Sook , Jang Yuri , Chung Soondool , Chiriboga David A. , Haley William E.
Published: October 2023

This study examined how different living/eating arrangements were associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms among older Korean immigrants. We examined gender differences considering: (1) patterns of living/eating arrangements and their relations with loneliness and mental distress and (2) indirect effect of living/eating arrangements on mental distress through feeling lonely. Data were drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans that surveyed older; Korean immigrants during 2017–2018 ( N = 2150). Living/eating arrangements were classified in the combination of four categores. Using the PROCESS macro, we tested gender differences in the mediation effect of loneliness on the relationship between living/eating arrangements and mental distress while controlling for background/health characteristics and social connectedness-related variables. The mediating role of loneliness was manifested differentially between men and women. By administering simple measures of living/eating arrangements, practitioners could potentially identify key targets to improve social and mental well-being, particularly among older immigrants with limited resources.
Tambaram, 1938: Christianity's shift to the Global South
Authors: Randall Ian
Published: October 2023

The World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in 1910 was followed in 1928 by a Conference in Jerusalem. Jerusalem emphasised ‘the younger churches’, the term then used for the churches that had resulted from missionary work. This article examines the International Missionary Council's conference of 1938, held at the Madras Christian College, Tambaram, near Madras. It had over 470 participants from 70 nations. A feature of great significance was that participants from what we now call the Global South were in the majority. This aspect has been noted, but not explored in detail. A book that was produced for the Conference, Evangelism for the World Today, edited by John Mott, which included many contributors from the Global South, has received virtually no coverage. This article examines Mott's neglected book, the role of Africans at Tambaram, the voices of women and the ongoing influence of the Conference.
Factors constraining the use of mobile phone technologies for accessing agricultural marketing information by grape smallholder farmers in Tanzania
Authors: Nyagango Alex I , Sife Alfred S , Kazungu Isaac
Published: October 2023

The increased use of mobile phone technology is advocated to assist smallholder farmers in accessing relevant and accurate agricultural marketing information. Unfortunately, the use of mobile phones among smallholder farmers is still evolving, challenging, and debatable among scholars. This study examined factors constraining the use of mobile phones in accessing agricultural marketing information. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted with a sample size of 400 grape smallholder farmers. A structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews were used to gather data. Descriptive, ordinal logistic regression, and thematic approaches were used in data analysis. The study found that mobile phones were used for cross-checking prices and finding buyers. The study revealed that mobile phone use for accessing agricultural marketing information was constrained by illiteracy, inadequate skills and training, and high costs. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the factors were negatively impacting the effective use of mobile phones in accessing agricultural marketing information. It is recommended that concentrated efforts are required to increase training to stimulate the effective use of mobile phones for accessing agricultural marketing information.
Customer care in selected academic libraries in Ghana
Authors: Asimah Amy Pascalia Abra , van der Walt Thomas B.
Published: October 2023

This article reflects on a study done on the state of customer care in five selected academic libraries in Ghana. The study examined the prevailing customer care programmes – the policies, structures, practices, and the effects of customer care on the use of library products and services. Based on a pragmatic assumption, the researchers adopted a mixed-method research approach and a survey design with a sample of 3153 respondents which comprised three strata: students, faculty and library staff from the five selected academic libraries in Ghana. Data was largely collected with questionnaires and interviews were used to gather information from university librarians/heads of customer service. A document review instrument was used to confirm information provided by the respondents. The findings revealed that all five academic libraries had some form of customer care programmes. The article also established that customer care programmes contributed greatly to the improvement of skills, knowledge, experiences, and service performance of the academic library staff, which influenced the patronage of library products and services. However, the researchers identified inadequate financial resources, lack of written customer care policies, shortfalls in the customer care practices and training programmes as some of the challenges facing the implementation of customer care initiatives in academic libraries in Ghana. The article recommends developing written customer service policies and programmes specific to the provision of excellent customer services in academic libraries, adequate funding for regular customer service training of library staff and effective application of modern technology to enhance customer care in academic libraries.
The financial costs of anticipatory prescribing: A retrospective observational study of prescribed, administered and wasted medications using community clinical records
Authors: Morgan Lloyd , Barclay Stephen , Pollock Kristian , Massou Efthalia , Bowers Ben
Published: October 2023

Background:

The prescribing of injectable end-of-life anticipatory medications ahead of possible need is recommended best practice. The financial costs of these medications have been little studied.

Aim:

To identify the costs of anticipatory medications prescribed, used and not used for patients approaching the end-of-life at home and in residential care.

Design:

Retrospective observational study using general practitioner and community nursing clinical records.

Setting/participants:

Data were collected from eleven general practitioner practices using the records of the 30 most recent deaths per practice. Patients were aged 18+ and died between 2017 and 2019 from any cause except trauma, sudden death or suicide.

Results:

Anticipatory medications were prescribed to 167/329 patients, of which 164 were included in the analysis. Costs (GBP) were analysed both at patient-level and drug-level. Median anticipatory prescription cost was £43.17 (IQR: £38.98–£60.47, range £8.76–£229.82). Median administered (used) drug cost was £2.16 (IQR: £0.00–£12.09, range £0.00–£83.14). Median unused (wasted) drug cost was £41.47 (IQR: £29.15–£54.33, range £0.00–£195.36). Prescription, administered and unused costs were significantly higher for the 59 patients prescribed an anticipatory syringe driver. There were wide variations in the unused costs of individual drugs; Haloperidol and Cyclizine contributed 49% of total unused costs.

Conclusion:

The costs of prescribed and unused anticipatory medications were higher than previously reported but remain modest. Usage of prescriptions was lower than previously documented. There may be scope to reduce the quantity of vials that are routinely prescribed without adversely affecting care; further research is needed to investigate this possibility.
Impact of the STK11/KRAS co-mutation on the response to immunotherapy in a real-world pan-cancer cohort
Authors: Olsen Andrea , Lebedeva Alexandra , Nosova Polina , Nikulin Vladislav , Sharova Margarita , Ignatova Ekaterina , Mileyko Vladislav , Ivanov Maxim
Published: October 2023

Introduction:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are highly effective in treating various cancers. We analyzed the significance of the KRAS/STK11 co-mutation in relation to the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in pan-cancer patient cohort.

Methods:

We analyzed data from open-access research: MSK-IMPACT (molecular profiling data from patients receiving systemic antitumor therapy) and MSK-TMB (molecular profiling data from patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors). In both studies, high throughput sequencing was used for molecular profiling.

Results:

A total of 10,336 patients receiving antitumor therapy (MSK-IMPACT study) and 1661 patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (MSK-TMB study) were included in the analysis. Co-mutation STK11/KRAS was found in 156 (1.5%) and 46 (2.8%) patients in the two studies, respectively. Most patients with the STK11/KRAS co-mutation had non-small cell lung cancer (83% and 85% in the two studies, respectively). Among non-small cell lung cancer patients, the STK11 mutation was associated with a worse outcome for patients receiving systemic antitumor therapy, but not immune checkpoint inhibition therapy (HR for OS 1.90 [95% CI 1.36-2.65] and 1.44 [95% CI 0.88-2.37]). Co-mutation STK11/KRAS was also not associated with patient outcome in any of the studies (HR for OS 0.93 [95% CI 0.56-1.52] and 1.09 [95% CI 0.54-2.19]). High tumor mutational burden was associated with better outcome in the cohort of patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. An analogous analysis among patients in the pan-cancer cohort (excluding patients with non-small cell lung cancer) showed STK11 mutations and high tumor mutational burden have a predictive role for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, but not STK11/KRAS co-mutation.

Conclusions:

Co-mutation STK11/KRAS is common among patients with non-small cell lung cancer and is not an independent predictive marker for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Further studies are required to clarify the role of STK11 mutations in immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment response.
Myosin heavy-chain myopathy in 2 American quarter horses
Authors: Faccin Mayane , Landsgaard Kirsten A. , Milliron Sarai M. , Jennings Alexis H. , Keith Chaffin M. , Giaretta Paula R. , Rech Raquel R.
Published: October 2023

A 1.5-year-old American quarter horse gelding (case 1) and an 11-month-old American quarter horse filly (case 2) were presented for acute onset pelvic lameness and lethargy. Case 1 had nasal discharge, while case 2 developed rapid muscle atrophy. Both horses had elevated serum creatine kinase activity. The horses showed similar polyphasic histiocytic and lymphoplasmacytic myositis with necrosis, mineralization, and regeneration. Additionally, case 1 had Streptococcus equi subsp. e qui-induced suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis with renal purpura hemorrhagica and myoglobinuric nephropathy. A focal pulmonary abscess caused by Actinobacillus equuli was found in case 2. Genetic testing revealed case 1 as heterozygous and case 2 as homozygous for the E321G MYH1 variant, supporting the diagnosis of myosin heavy-chain myopathy, with concomitant bacterial disease as potential triggers.
Hypercarbia and high-flow nasal oxygen use during anaesthesia – risking a failure to thrive?
Authors: Pattullo Gavin G , Culwick Martin D , Endlich Yasmin , MacPherson Ross D
Published: October 2023

Prevention of arterial oxygen desaturation during anaesthesia with high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) has gained greater acceptance for a widening range of procedures. However, during HFNO use there remains the potential for development of significant anaesthesia-associated apnoea or hypoventilation and the possibility of hypercarbia, with harmful cardiovascular or neurological sequelae. The aim of this study was to determine whether any HFNO-related hypercarbia adverse incidents had been reported on webAIRS, an online database of adverse anaesthesia-related incidents. Two relevant reports were identified of complications due to marked hypercarbia during HFNO use to maintain oxygenation. In both reports, HFNO and total intravenous anaesthesia were used during endoscopic procedures through the upper airway. In both, the extent of hypoventilation went undetected during HFNO use. An ensuing cardiac arrest was reported in one report, ascribed to acute hypercarbia-induced exacerbation of the patient’s pre-existing pulmonary hypertension. In the other report, hypercarbia led to a prolonged duration of decreased level of consciousness post procedure, requiring ventilatory support. During the search, an additional 11 reports of postoperative hypercarbia-associated sedation were identified, unrelated to HFNO. In these additional reports an extended duration of severe acute hypercarbia led to sedation or loss of consciousness, consistent with the known effects of hypercarbia on consciousness. These 13 reports highlight the potential dangers of unrecognised and untreated hypercarbia, even if adequate oxygenation is maintained.
Prioritizing the Prevention of Diabetic Foot Disease: We Each Have a Role to Play
Authors: Walsh Audrey , Kuhnke Janet L.
Published: October 2023

Background

Individuals living with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at an increased risk for multiple serious health complications including diabetic foot disease (DFD). Daily, DFD contributes to increased morbidity, mortality, increased hospitalization, limb amputation, and reduced quality of life. Prevention of DFD is a foundational component of diabetes management.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore how individuals manage the care required to protect their feet from DM related foot complications.

Methods

This qualitative descriptive study utilized semi structured interviews to explore the perspectives of 23 participants on preventing foot care complications associated with DM. All data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Participants were challenged to consistently make health choices that were congruent with recommended DM self-management for the prevention of DFD. In addition, participants intuited multiple mixed messages from healthcare providers and workplaces that appeared to diminish their individual responsibility to self-manage their DM. Findings were organized under two main themes: a) Ineffective coping: Distancing self from disease b) Vacillating responsibility: Multiple mixed messages.

Conclusions

Nurses are in a unique position to provide the education and support needed to assist individuals in carrying out the many recommended self-care strategies to reduce the risk of DFD. Contextually, nurses must encourage consistent messaging among health care providers and workplaces to prioritize the health needs of individuals living with diabetes and to support the challenging work these individuals must navigate every day. It will take a concerted effort to reinforce the message that diabetes care is a priority for everyone.
On Digital Fetishism: A Critique of the Big Data Paradigm
Authors: Miconi Andrea
Published: October 2023

The article takes into exam the current literature about Big Data and data capitalism, from the perspective of the critical Internet theory. Particular attention will be placed to the ideas of data exploitation and raw data, which will prove to betray a form of digital fetishism: in short, the focus on the final results of the production process, rather than on the social relations by which the very same process is fueled.
Can digital financial inclusion facilitate renewable energy consumption? Evidence from nonlinear analysis
Authors: Bakhsh Satar , Zhang Wei , Ali Kishwar , Anas Muhammad
Published: October 2023

The Paris climate agreement aims to achieve carbon neutrality by reducing carbon emissions all over the world. This can be accomplished by encouraging all stakeholders to switch to more carbon-free production methods, such as renewables, which cannot be achieved without high-level subsidies and financial aid. Therefore, the financial sector is inextricably linked to the renewable energy transition. The entire world is watching India, the world's second-largest importer of fossil fuels and the world's fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. In this context, this work employs a financial development index in three dimensions: the overall financial development, the market-based financial development, and the bank-based financial development. We used the asymmetric nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags econometric model on data from 1980Q1 to 2020Q4 to investigate the effect of financial development on renewable energy consumption (REC) in India. As control variables, the model included real gross domestic product (GDP), trade openness, and oil prices. The empirical evidence shows that negative changes in overall and market-based financial developments (shocks) have a significant impact on REC. Changes in the development of bank-based finance have no immediate impact on REC. In the instantaneous and one-lagged periods, the later effect is both positive and negative. The asymmetric long-run effect of negative and positive changes (shocks) in all three dimensions of financial development has a significant impact on REC. As control variables, the model included real GDP, trade openness, and oil prices. Our empirical findings have significant policy implications.
A roadmap for sustaining marine minerals as the green economy transitions to the blue economy
Authors: Ha Le Thanh
Published: October 2023

This study looks at the impact of green economy activities on marine mineral conservation, emphasizing the critical significance of circular processes in building a sustainable blue economy. The research assesses the long-term viability of European blue economies using six indicators, including the value provided by the extraction of petroleum and natural gas and support activities for mining and quarrying projects. Municipal trash generation per capita and the amount of biowaste in recycling are used to determine circular effectiveness. According to the findings, a robust green economy performance is critical for increasing the sustainability of Europe's blue economy between 2012 and 2019. The link between the green and blue economies is nonlinear, with positive benefits shown when the green economy exceeds a particular threshold. Furthermore, the study validates these findings by investigating the impact of the green economy on ocean energy and marine minerals. These empirical findings have important significances for European authorities and policymakers aiming to effectively implement green programs in order to advance toward a sustainable blue economy and preserve marine mineral levels.