bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and Outcomes of Hospitalized Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Therapy Patients Who Developed Acute Respiratory Failure
Authors: Kurtz Daniel , Sharma Aditya , Sharma Aditi , Soubani Ayman O.
Published: May 2024

Objectives:The aim of the study was to examine the incidence, baseline characteristics, and outcomes of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy admissions in individuals who developed acute respiratory failure (ARF). The study utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for the years 2017 to 2020. Methods: The study identified CAR-T cell therapy hospitalizations through the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) codes. Patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) were further classified using specific International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze baseline characteristics, comorbidities, complications, and outcomes. Results: Analysis of the NIS Database identified 5545 CAR-T therapy admissions between 2017 and 2020, revealing a rising trend over time. In our study, we found that hypertension (39%), dyslipidemia (21.7%), and venous thromboembolism (13%) were the most frequently observed comorbidities in CAR-T cell therapy admissions. Acute respiratory failure (ARF) was reported in 7.1% of admissions, and they had higher all-cause in-hospital mortality than CAR-T cell therapy admissions without ARF (32.9% vs 1.3%, P < 0.001). ARF admissions that required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) also had higher all-cause in-hospital mortality compared to admissions not requiring IMV (48.9% vs 11.8%, P = 0.001). There was no difference in the mortality rate among admissions with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, and Leukemia that utilized CAR-T therapy. Conclusions: In this largest study to date, we illuminate the incidence and outcomes of CAR-T cell therapy admissions with ARF. Higher mortality rates were observed in CAR-T cell therapy admissions with ARF. The study emphasizes the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration in CAR-T patient management and calls for additional research to clarify ARF's etiology and inform effective management strategies.
How to Evaluate Reports of Intimate Partner Violence? Examining Interpartner Agreement in a Forensic Sample of Different-Sex Couples Where Men are Accused of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Capinha Marta , Rijo Daniel , Matos Marlene , Pereira Marco
Published: May 2024

Research about interpartner agreement on intimate partner violence (IPV) is mainly based on community and clinical samples, with forensic or court-related samples being overlooked. This study assesses interpartner agreement on IPV reports based on the Revised Conflict Tactic Scales, aiming to explore if the proxy method would be reliable in a court-related setting. The study sample comprised 62 different-sex couples identified in the Portuguese judicial system due to an IPV-related crime perpetrated by men. Agreement was assessed based on different indexes: percent agreement and Gwet’s AC1 for occurrence, and Tau-b and intraclass correlations for frequency. Men’s and women’s perpetration were considered. Results showed that interpartner agreement on IPV occurrence (ranging from poor-to-very good) tended to be higher and more consistent among indexes than agreement on IPV frequency (ranging from non-existent to strong). This study highlights the need to collect both partners’ reports in court-related settings.
Personalideer: A comprehensive review of personality studies in cervids
Authors: Esattore Bruno , Masilkova Michaela , Saggiomo Laura
Published: May 2024

Understanding animal personality, that is, consistent behavioural variation among individuals, is essential for elucidating the evolutionary origins of human personality. Despite extensive research on personality in diverse taxa, its significance in deer (i.e. cervids, family Cervidae), a taxon with diverse socioecological strategies, remains largely unexplored. This review summarizes the deer personality literature and highlights the knowledge gap in the studied species, personality assessment methods and traits, the general goal of the study, and implications for human personality research. We identified 32 eligible studies on seven species of deer, representing only a small portion of existing deer taxonomic diversity. More than half of the articles focused on three common deer species, roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus), fallow der ( Dama dama), and elk ( Cervus canadensis). Most studies evaluated reactions to capture, handling, and approaching humans, interpreting these behaviours as ‘Boldness’ or a ‘Coping style’. Also, most articles investigated the personality links to ecological variables, followed by physiological measures, and management applications. We advise researchers to move beyond measuring single traits and adopt a multitrait–multimethod approach, as is common in human personality research. Finally, deer and other animal models might be viable alternatives for studying adaptive value and genetic and environmental underpinnings of personality when research on humans is complicated.
How Psychological Capital Impacts Career Growth of University Students? The Role of Academic Major Choice
Authors: Zhou Wenxia , Feng Yue , Jin Qiuping
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to investigate whether and how university students with high psychological capital (PsyCap) experience more career growth. Based on self-determination theory, we examined the mediating role of self-concordance in choosing majors and the moderating role of career values in this relationship. Results from a two-wave lagged study of 705 Chinese university students over one year provided support for our model. We found that students’ PsyCap upon university entrance was positively related to their career growth one year later through the mediating role of self-concordance in choosing majors; extrinsic career values (external compensation and work-life balance values) mitigated the positive effect of self-concordance in choosing majors on career growth, as well as the indirect effect. We contribute by identifying PsyCap as an antecedent of career growth of university students and by revealing its influence mechanisms in a career choice scenario. Practical implications of the study are also discussed.
Multi-objective optimization of membrane cavity curve of diaphragm compressor and its verification
Authors: Zhao Man , Zhang Xu , Yi De , Wu Dongchen , Liu Jinpeng
Published: May 2024

According to the trend of compressor upgrades in hydrogen refueling stations, this article optimizes the single exponential curve of membrane chamber volume and diaphragm stress that performs poorly. First, set the optimization goals as the membrane cavity volume and the arc length of the curve, use the MOPSO algorithm to optimize the curve, and fit the optimization results to obtain a new curve mathematical model. Then, select three curves for comparison. Theoretical calculations and finite element simulations were performed on the membrane cavity volume and diaphragm stress, and the theoretical calculation methods and results were verified with the help of existing experiments. Finally, it was found that the new curve can increase the membrane cavity volume and reduce the diaphragm stress requirement by changing its own parameters, and the new curve has a small amount of cavity volume near the transition point, which has little impact on the membrane cavity volume. Under the same maximum radial stress, the membrane cavity volume of the new curve can be increased by 5.56% compared to the single exponential curve, while under the same membrane cavity volume, the new curve can reduce the maximum stress on the gas side by 8.9% compared with the single exponential curve, and the maximum stress on the oil sides is reduced by 9.8%.
Prediction of rolling resistance and wheel force for a passenger car tire: A comparative study on the use of different material models and numerical approaches
Authors: Fathi Haniyeh , El-Sayegh Zeinab , Ghoreishy Mir Hamid Reza
Published: May 2024

In this research, the characteristics of tire-road interaction of a 185/65R14 88H passenger car tire are investigated using the Finite Element Method in Abaqus commercial software. Moreover, the effect of various material models on tire performance is studied by implementing Visco-Hyperelastic, Parallel Rheological Framework, and Mullins effect. The novelty of this research is devoted to the development of the complex material models particularly considering the Mullins effect of the rubber compounds in the tire structure for the load-displacement criteria. For this purpose, a tire finite element model was generated using Abaqus/Standard command line in two different methods including an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation for steady state rolling and implementing a pure Lagrangian approach for the transient dynamic analysis carried out implicit and explicit process respectively. Rolling resistance force was computed according to ISO 28580 with 210 kPa inflation pressure and 4155 N vertical load. The footprint test results were extracted in both static and transient dynamic analyses. Additionally, the wheel reaction force was predicted using an indirect method by extracting the tire-terrain contact patch reaction force in Abaqus/Explicit to observe the effect of the material convection along with stress softening phenomena of the rubber compounds of tire structure. In the post-processing analysis, the wheel reaction was filtered by implementing SAE60 filter to reduce the numerical noise in the final response.
Path tracking with personalized handling stability constraints matched to driving styles
Authors: Pan Qianxi , Zhou Bing , Cui Qingjia , Dong Yongxin , Wu Xiaojian
Published: May 2024

In the path-tracking control process, drivers have different expectations of the lateral response of vehicles. To meet drivers’ expectations of handling stability, this paper proposes a model predictive control (MPC)-based path-tracking controller with personalized handling stability constraints matched to driving style. Firstly, the categories of driving styles are obtained by applying the K-Means algorithm to the collected driving data. Then the sideslip angle-longitudinal velocity map is constructed based on the nonlinear dynamics model of the vehicle to generate the front-wheel steering angle constraints that are matched with the maximum sideslip of the vehicle expected by drivers of different styles. After that, an MPC-based path-tracking controller has been built, and the front-wheel steering angle is incorporated into the MPC controller. Furthermore, compared to the strategy of directly using sideslip angle constraints for handling stability control, this approach avoids introducing additional constraint variables, leading to improved real-time performance. Simulation experiments are conducted to compare the dynamic vehicle responses between the handling stability control that takes into account the driving style and the control system that does not consider the driving style. In addition, the subjective evaluation is conducted to verify the proposed path-tracking control method that considers the stability constraints of driving style. The evaluation results show that the proposed method can obtain better subjective evaluation results than a path-tracking controller that does not consider the driving style. Finally, through the hardware-in-the-loop experiments, the real-time computational capability of the proposed controller is verified.
#ResisteGozando (joy as resistance): On the healing power of dance at the US–Mexico border
Authors: Meyer Leslie , Andrews Abigail , Olvera Cañez Paulina
Published: May 2024

This article explores the personal and political significance of dancing for migrants trapped at the US–Mexico border, waiting to apply for asylum in the United States. Past research has often framed waiting as empty, static, boring, or even violent. Nevertheless, an emergent literature shows how people in contexts of violence also exercise creativity and care as embodied paths to collective healing. Drawing on nearly three years of patchwork ethnography at Comunidades, a cultural center and migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, including participant observation in person and over Zoom as well as in-depth interviews with migrants and staff, we explore how dance affects migrants’ relationships to trauma and offers its own mode of politics. We show how forced waiting was affectively complex. On one hand, being stranded at the border left migrants vulnerable to state and cartel abuse. At the same time, dancing helped people ‘come home’ to themselves, practice solidarity, and refuse dominant narratives of their suffering. In short, migrants can use creative practices – including but not limited to dance – for embodied healing, community building, and resistance to larger regimes of violence.
Retrospective Analysis of the Integration of Palliative Care Into the Care of Stroke Patients Admitted to a Regional Stroke Center
Authors: Khosravani Houman , Mahendiran Meera , Sivanandan Brindan , Gardner Sandra , Saposnik Gustavo , Brookes Jahnel , Berall Anna , Perri Giulia-Anna
Published: May 2024

Background: Palliative care (PC) aims to enhance the quality of life for patients when confronted with serious illness. As stroke inflicts high morbidity and mortality, the integration of PC within acute stroke care remains an important aspect of quality inpatient care. However, there is a tendency to offer PC to stroke patients only when death appears imminent. We aim to understand why this may be by examining stroke patients admitted to a regional stroke centre who subsequently died and their provision of PC. Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-centre cohort study of patients who died during admission to the regional stroke centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Baseline demographics were assessed using means, standard deviations (SD), medians, interquartile ranges (IQR), and proportions. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to ascertain relationships between collected variables. Results: Univariate modeling demonstrated that older age, being female, no stroke diagnosis at admission to hospital, ischemic stroke, and comorbidities of cancer or dementia were associated with a higher incidence of palliative medicine consultation (PMC), while admission from an acute care hospital and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) coma classification were associated with a lower incidence of PMC. The multivariate model identified the GCS coma-related category as the only significant factor associated with a higher incidence of death but was non-significantly related to a lower incidence of PMC. Conclusion: These results highlight continued missed opportunities for PC in stroke patients and underscore the need to better optimize PMC.
Analysis and Reporting of Randomized Trials in Cleft Palate Surgery: Learning from the Timing of Primary Surgery (TOPS) Trial
Authors: Fell Matthew , Phippen Ginette , van Eeden Stephanie , Chong David , Swan Marc C. , van Eeden Simon , Carlin John B.
Published: May 2024

The Timing of Primary Surgery (TOPS) trial was published August 2023 in the New England Journal of Medicine and is a milestone achievement for a study focused on cleft palate. Due to the complexity of outcome reporting in cleft and the rarity of such comparative trials, TOPS presents a useful opportunity to critically review the design, analysis and reporting strategies utilised. This perspective article focused on the inclusion of participants, the choice of the primary outcome measure and the analysis of ordinal data within the trial. Considerations for future comparative studies in cleft care are discussed.
Active vibration isolation on electromechanical coupling suspension system of a quarter-vehicle via modal space controller design
Authors: Wu Tian-Yau , Chen Chao-Yang
Published: May 2024

The active vibration isolation of a quarter-vehicle suspension system using an electromagnetic damper was achieved by designing the feedback gain of a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and H-∞ controllers in modal coordinates. The efficacy of vibration isolation was analyzed in the frequency domain, while the performance of vibration suppression and passengers’ comfort quality were evaluated in the time domain. The research results demonstrated that by employing modal coordinate transformation in state space, the designated system’s resonance peaks can be directly suppressed in the frequency domain. The findings also indicate that the active control in modal coordinates can achieve a higher vibration suppression percentage per unit control effort in comparison to traditional active control in physical space. In other words, the modal controller is more efficient in vibration suppression than the controller designed in physical space.
Indigenous People Struggle for Damage Repair: Assessing Shadow Networks Resistance and Pursuit of Resilience in the Context of an Industrial Disaster
Authors: Abreu Mônica Cavalcanti Sá de , Andrade Raphael de Jesus Campos de
Published: May 2024

This study aims to understand the emergence of bottom-up social practices in shadow networks in the context of an industrial disaster. The empirical focus involves the Guarani and Tupinikim indigenous people, victims of the Fundão tailing dam rupture, one of the world’s greatest socio-environmental disasters. We adopted a qualitative approach to identify the indigenous shadow network’s agency, resistance mechanisms, and resilience activation. We interpret indigenous resistance as a way of fighting for their existence, with mechanisms crafted by collective deliberation and community mobilization. We identified the mining industry’s efforts to divide resistance and how the indigenous shadow network rebuilt resistance mechanisms through activating resilience based on indigenous values, interconnected leaderships, and social memory from their ancestral land. We thereby advance in understanding the indigenous shadow network’s agency that allows managers to intervene with on-ground actions to maintain or enhance resistance and resilience in the context of organizational studies.
Emotion Regulation and Organizational Skills in Children With ADHD Symptoms Are Associated With Behavioral Parent Training Adherence
Authors: Hawkey Elizabeth J. , Williams Aya I. , Chung Sara , Owens Elizabeth B. , Pfiffner Linda J.
Published: May 2024

Objective:

Behavioral parent training (BPT) is a well-established treatment for ADHD; however, treatment response is variable. Consistency in parent skill use during BPT is known to influence child outcomes post-treatment, while less research has focused on specific child factors that may be impacting parent skill utilization during treatment. The current study examined associations between child organizational skills and emotion dysregulation (ED) with parent treatment adherence during BPT and post-treatment child impairment.

Method:

Parents of 72 children ( Mage = 8.31) with ADHD symptoms and impairment participated in BPT which was embedded in a 12-week, multicomponent, school-based intervention for children delivered by school mental health clinicians. Outcomes included parent treatment adherence and child improvements in global impairment post-treatment.

Results:

Greater pre-treatment child organizational problems were associated with less parent treatment adherence regardless of ADHD symptom severity. Worse pre-treatment child ED was associated with more impairment post-treatment regardless of ADHD symptom severity whereas the effects of child ED on parent treatment adherence were moderated by child ADHD symptom severity.

Conclusion:

The current study suggests that pre-treatment child ED and organizational difficulties impact parent treatment adherence to behavioral interventions targeting ADHD symptoms, potentially in unique ways, and should be considered in future BPT treatment studies.
Strengthening Public Financing of Primary Healthcare in India: A Perspective
Authors: Kadarpeta Rahul Sankrutyayan Reddy , Anand Jaidev Singh , Achungura Grace
Published: May 2024

Resilient and high-performing health systems that can respond to the global polycrisis hinge upon the effectiveness of their primary healthcare (PHC) system. This requires adequate and sustainable financing for PHC, which should be predominantly government financed. The recent Ayushman Bharat health reforms in India aim to ensure comprehensive PHC services and enhance financial risk protection through increased government financing. The government has augmented investments to fortify the PHC system by establishing Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs), equipped with an expanded benefit package for PHC services & human resource capacity. Aligned with the National Health Mission’s targeted and flexible financial mechanisms, this offers States the opportunity to contextualize solutions and offer incentives to healthcare workers. However, aligning public financing arrangements to service delivery complexities and health outcomes pose intricate challenges in shaping the required reforms. The economic growth and room for increased taxation on health products provide an avenue for increased funding. Smart and efficient payment mechanism with improved accountability should complement increased investment.
The emergence of virtual production – a research agenda
Authors: Swords Jon , Willment Nina
Published: May 2024

Virtual production is increasingly seen as a way to make film and television more efficiently by harnessing the power of game engines to create unique locations and sets, offer directors more flexibility, and to cut carbon emissions. But while the technologies at the centre of virtual production are not new, their combination into filmmaking pipelines is in its infancy and the field is evolving fast. Indeed, so rapid is its evolution that pinning down what virtual production is, or might become, is a challenge in itself. What is clear, however, is that the approach is seen as an important element of filmmaking that is here to stay. In this article, we outline the emergence of virtual production and constituent technologies to pin down its current form. We also examine the emergent orthodoxies about what virtual production can do, what it can’t do and what it might allow filmmakers to do in the future. We finish the article by outlining a research agenda for further work on virtual production for scholars interested in its technologies, impact on working practices, how it might impact equality, diversity and equality agendas, and its implications for existing and emerging skills gaps across the film and TV industry.
Identifying potentially low value surgical care: A national ecological study in England
Authors: Jones Tim , McNair Angus , McLeod Hugh , Morley Josie , Rooshenas Leila , Hollingworth William
Published: May 2024

Objectives

High variation in clinical practice may indicate uncertainty and potentially low-value care. Methods to identify low value care are often not well defined or transparent and can be time intensive. In this paper we explore the usefulness of variation analysis of routinely-collected data about surgical procedures in England to identify potentially low-value surgical care.

Methods

This is a national ecological study using Hospital Episode Statistics linked to mid-year population estimates and indices of multiple deprivation in England, 2014/15-2018/19. We identified the top 5% of surgical procedures in terms of growth in standardised procedure rates for 2014/15 to 2018/19 and variation in procedure rates between clinical commissioning groups as measured by the systematic component of variance (SCV). A targeted literature review was conducted to explore the evidence for each of the identified techniques. Procedures without evidence of cost-effectiveness were viewed as of potentially low value.

Results

We identified six surgical procedures that had a high growth rate of 37% or more over 5 years, and four with higher geographical variation (SCV >1.6). There was evidence for two of the 10 procedures that surgery was more cost-effective than non-surgical treatment albeit with uncertainty around optimal surgical technique. The evidence base for eight procedures was less clear cut, with uncertainty around clinical- and/or cost-effectiveness. These were: deep brain stimulation; removing the prostate; surgical spine procedures; a procedure to alleviate pain in the spine; surgery for dislocated joints due to trauma and associated surgery for traumatic fractures; hip joint replacement with cemented pelvic component or cemented femoral component; and shoulder joint replacement.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that variation analysis could be regularly used to identify potentially low-value procedures. This can provide important insights into optimising services and the potential de-adoption of costly interventions and treatments that do not benefit patients and the health system more widely. Early identification of potentially low value care can inform prioritisation of clinical trials to generate evidence on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness before treatments become established in clinical practice.
‘You never know when you will need an antibiotic’: A qualitative study of structural barriers and cultural assumptions in antibiotic misuse among immigrants in the United States
Authors: Imanpour Sara , McMaughan Darcy Jones
Published: May 2024

Objectives

The use of nonprescribed antibiotics increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a primary public health concern of the 21st century. This study explores structural and cultural determinants of antibiotic misuse among immigrants living in the United States who arrived from home countries with easier access to antibiotics.

Methods

Adopting a qualitative approach, we interviewed 34 immigrants living in the United States and who had traveled back to their home countries within 1 year of the interview. We followed the steps of constructive grounded theory to analyze the data.

Results

We found two primary influences of immigrants’ use of nonprescribed antibiotics. The first was structural barriers to health care access in the host country, including insurance coverage, cost of an emergency department visit, cost of missing a paid day of work, complexity of the healthcare system, and communication issues with health care providers. The second was participants’ cultural assumptions, including their experiences of antibiotics use, beliefs about antibiotics, a habit of self-medication, and uncertainty about future medical needs.

Conclusions

This study informs policymakers concerned with combating antibiotic resistance. Promoting antibiotic stewardship among immigrants from countries with lax antibiotic-prescribing practices and improving access to appropriate channels for preventative and same-day care may reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
Do caring teachers protect African American youth with adverse adolescent experiences from risky behaviors?
Authors: Hong Jun Sung , Kim Dong Ha , Colpin Hilde , Llorent Vicente J , Voisin Dexter R , Johns Shantalea
Published: May 2024

The current study aims to fill the existing research gaps by investigating the role of teacher care in protecting African American adolescents in under-resourced neighborhoods from negative outcomes of adverse life events. The study included 638 adolescents from four under-resourced neighborhoods in Chicago’s Southside who were assessed to determine the moderating role of caring teachers on the relationship between adverse adolescent experiences and risky sexual behaviors, substance use, bullying perpetration, and violent behaviors. Caring teachers had a significant moderating effect on the association between adverse experiences and both bullying perpetration and violent behaviors. Adolescents who perceived their teachers as caring showed lower tendencies towards bullying and violence, even if they had adverse experiences. These results highlight the crucial role of teacher care in supporting African American adolescents from under-resourced neighborhoods who have experienced adverse life events. It emphasizes educators’ role in shaping our youth’s future, especially those facing adversity and at a crossroads in their lives.
Relationship between the presence of meaning in life and sleep quality: A moderated chain-mediation model
Authors: Ge Dandan
Published: May 2024

Sleep is a vital component of health; however, sleep issues are particularly prominent among college students. Identifying protective factors for sleep among college students is of paramount importance. To investigate the mechanisms behind the association between the presence of meaning in life (PML) and sleep quality, we conducted two questionnaire surveys (separated by an interval of 6 months) with 5660 college students to collect longitudinal data. The results show that PML predicted sleep quality and that this relationship was influenced by the mediating effect of depression and the chain mediating effect of coping style and depression; further, the search for meaning in life played a moderating role in the chain mediation model. This study offers new theoretical perspectives on the protective factors of sleep quality and provides empirical insights useful for improving sleep health among college students.
Compensating Service Failures: The Moderating Role of Customers’ Political Ideology
Authors: Oh Hyunghwa (Rick) , Chan Eugene Y.
Published: May 2024

When service failure occurs, the service provide often dispenses compensation to manage customer relations. However, little research has studied who accepts larger or smaller compensation amounts. Presently, we use political ideology as a basis to segment customers. Drawing on prior work on System Justification Theory, we hypothesize that politically conservative customers accept a lower amount of compensation than liberals as conservative customers more likely believe that whatever amount the service provider offers is just and fair. Importantly, we propose that the effects are specific to economic conservatives, not social conservatives. The findings are consistent with our predictions, with (economic) conservatives’ customers’ system justification beliefs serving as a mechanism. Theoretically, our work is the first to examine who accepts different levels of compensation while also broadly suggesting that political ideology is an important customer segmentation basis in the tourism and hospitality sectors. Our work also contributes to the literature on political ideology by being one of the first to empirically tease apart the distinct effects of economic and social conservatism.
Solidarity on a divided continent: Perceptions of ‘centre’ and ‘periphery’ determine European citizens’ willingness to help other EU countries
Authors: Clasen Patrick
Published: May 2024

This article argues that citizens structure their fiscal solidarity with other European Union countries along a ‘centre–periphery’ divide. This claim is empirically investigated using a Heckman probit selection model on two surveys in 2020 and 2021 among citizens of 13 European countries, which allows to account for differences in the familiarity of the issue and other countries. The results show that individuals in centre countries are more likely to express solidarity with other centre countries than with periphery countries, and vice versa. More broadly, the findings show that citizens perceive a power hierarchy among European Union member states, and that there is a spatial relational dimension to European fiscal solidarity. These results underscore the challenges facing the European Union in achieving greater fiscal solidarity. They also highlight the need to address the structural inequalities between member states.
Control of combustion distributions in compression-ignition engines using rate-constrained model predictive control with reference preview
Authors: Ahmed Omar , Middleton Robert , Stefanopoulou Anna , Kim Kenneth , Kweon Chol-Bum
Published: May 2024

To support the transition toward sustainable alternative fuels, advanced combustion control strategies can enable operation of compression-ignition engines with a wide range of fuels under challenging inlet conditions. This work presents a rate-constrained model predictive controller that uses state estimate feedback and integral tracking to control combustion phasing distributions by coordinating fuel injection timing with the power supplied to an electrically heated in-cylinder ignition assist device. The controller was validated in simulation using a statistical virtual engine that replicates both transient and steady-state stochastic combustion behavior. This virtual engine was tuned with data from experiments conducted at a low pressure-temperature inlet condition that induced highly variable combustion behavior akin to operating with a low cetane fuel. The controller achieves rapid tracking of combustion phasing step commands by supplying ignition assist power when needed to support fuel injection timing. All the while, it maintains closed-loop combustion variability at less than 6% higher than the open-loop system variability, and enforces ignition assist power range and rate constraints to reduce thermo-mechanical stress on the actuator. Furthermore, reference tracking is ensured even if combustion sensitivity to the ignition assist actuator deviates by as much as 83% from the controller’s internal model, without the need for retuning control parameters. Finally, the controller can coordinate actuators early and speed up tracking when a reference trajectory is previewed ahead of time, and its horizons can be tuned in a manner that maintains desirable control performance without compromising on computational tractability.
Self-presentation and impression management: Understanding graphicon experience
Authors: Choi Hwanho
Published: May 2024

Prior studies suggest that the primary function of graphicons, such as emoji and stickers, is to enable more effective digital communication between individuals. In a digitally interactive environment, graphicons are an important means of expressing and exchanging sentiments, emotions, and thoughts. However, there is little understanding of the use of graphicons in the context of social and cultural conditions and their effect on impression management. Through analysis of in-depth interview data, the present study identifies three strategic applications of graphicons: social necessity, pursuit of social propriety, and expression of authentic self. Our findings suggest that individuals utilize various tools in the digital space to facilitate impression management. Graphicons are specifically used to convey relational meanings, and their usage is strongly related to social and cultural contexts and norms.
A space marching method for sonic boom near field predictions
Authors: Shen Hao , Lazzara David S.
Published: May 2024

The conventional sonic boom propagation prediction method widely adopted in supersonic aircraft design involves a two-step procedure. In the first step, a compressible viscous or inviscid Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis is applied to the aircraft geometry at flight conditions to produce a flow field solution near the aircraft. Then in the second step, a one dimensional nonlinear Burgers’ equation model is used to propagate sonic boom signature traces from the near field solution at flight altitude to the ground along a ray path. For an accurate ground signature prediction the near field signature must be accurately modeled at a sufficient distance from the aircraft flight path in order to minimize errors in the one dimensional propagation model. This is a very challenging task for general purpose CFD tools in a design environment because the cost of maintaining highly accurate off-body solutions increases dramatically as the radial distance is enlarged in the computational domain. It is also particularly difficult to apply these tools for wave propagation because the algorithms are normally lower order and numerically dissipative and dispersive. In this work a space marching procedure based on an optimized higher order finite difference method is developed and applied in conjunction with a CFD solution concentrated in the close vicinity of the aircraft. This new approach is much more efficient, compared to previous methods, in providing highly accurate near field signatures for full carpet ground predictions. Results indicate that near field signatures retain more waveform shape information farther from the aircraft geometry while reducing the CFD cost significantly. The predicted ground signature is also shown to converge in shape as the radial distance of the near field signature grows, which is indicative of a more ideal initial condition being supplied to the one dimensional wave propagation to ground. This feature is very difficult to replicate in a tractable manner with common CFD approaches used in design.
A scale model study of an engine test facility for alleviating low-frequency howl
Authors: Zaman Khairul BMQ , Dicki Dennis J
Published: May 2024

A scale model experimental study is conducted addressing howl occurring during engine tests in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) of NASA Glenn Research Center. The aim is to understand the sources of the howling noise and find possible remedies. It is shown that a jet discharged into the model of the PSL entrance duct gives rise to high levels of low frequency noise. This occurs apparently due to duct acoustic modes randomly excited by the jet. Wire-mesh screens of various mesh size and configuration as well as tabs, placed at the end of the model duct, are shown to affect the noise. Comparative effects of these configurations are studied, and some are found to alleviate the low-frequency noise significantly. Based on these results, the equivalent of a 4-mesh screen is recommended as the end treatment for the duct of the PSL facility.
Immigrant threat, perception of unsafety, and political articulation of immigration and multiculturalism in European countries
Authors: Abreu Rivera Laisa F. , Piatkowska Sylwia J.
Published: May 2024

A large body of work has examined the relationship between population composition and risk of victimization. Past research has also suggested that the nature of political rhetoric may have profound impacts on perceived threat, fear of crime, and moral panic. This study constitutes the first attempt to examine the relationships between the negative political articulation of both immigration and multiculturalism by extreme right-wing parties and the perception of unsafety risk in European countries. We employ data from the 2018 European Social Survey (ESS), which we merge with data from the Manifesto Project Dataset, a comparative dataset on political statements. The results reveal that individuals who reside in countries with higher levels of negative political articulation of immigration and multiculturalism express greater perceived unsafety. The results also show that higher levels of perceived immigrant threat amplify the relationship between negative political articulation of immigration and perceived unsafety. Finally, news exposure amplifies the effect of the negative political articulation of immigration on the perception of unsafety when perceived immigrant threat is higher. Our findings underscore the importance of the political context and the potential of political elites to shape public perceptions, including the perception of unsafety.
Small Opposition Parties in a Westminster System: How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Participation, Decision-Making and Oversight in the UK House of Commons?
Authors: Thompson Louise , Meakin Alexandra
Published: May 2024

Opposition parties are a key feature of parliamentary democracies, but their participation rights differ markedly. In the UK House of Commons, the institutional operation of the Westminster model facilitates a marked distinction between the rights afforded to the Official Opposition party compared to smaller opposition parties. During times of crisis, these Westminster model dynamics can shift, impacting opposition rights. This article uses a case study of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess institutional inequalities across opposition party groups. Drawing on an analysis of over 4000 contributions to parliamentary debates and interviews with MPs, we examine the pandemic’s impact on the roles of opposition parties beyond the Official Opposition. We find that the pandemic initially generated unprecedented cooperation between the government and small opposition parties but that this was short-lived. In the long term, the pandemic exacerbated existing institutional barriers and the size and geographical concentration of small opposition parties in the devolved nations brought disproportionate participation and oversight barriers. This suggests the need to guarantee formal opposition rights within Westminster systems beyond the Official Opposition party to ensure that all political parties have the capacity to carry out their functions during times of crisis.
Justice for Women After Sexual Assault: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis
Authors: Collaton Joanna , Barata Paula , Morton Mavis , Barton Kim , Lewis Stephen P.
Published: May 2024

Justice after sexual assault is often understood and enacted through the criminal legal system such that the outcomes are binary (i.e., justice is achieved or not achieved). Previous research indicates that survivors have specific wants and needs following an assault in order to experience justice, which may or may not align with current practices. We conducted a critical interpretive synthesis of 5 databases to create a sampling frame of 4,203 records; the final analysis included 81 articles, book chapters, and policy documents. Results indicate that justice is an individualized and dynamic process which may include the experience of voice, connectedness, participating in a process, accountability, and prevention. The experiences of safety and control are central to each of these domains. Survivors may seek and enact these justice domains through several avenues, including the criminal justice and legal systems, restorative justice, medical/mental health spaces, activism, art, and social media. Existing actors within currently available justice systems, including legal, medical, and mental health personnel should encourage survivors to identify and define their own experience of justice, including locating helpful behaviors rooted in safety and control, and resist a binary model of justice. Extant systems should therefore be flexible and accessible to help survivors realize their preferred modes of justice.
Bio-leather: Sustainable clothing fabrics made from simple media ingredients and slime mold Physarum polycephalum
Authors: Bi Zhuoran , Crnković Tea
Published: May 2024

The textile industry contributes significantly to global warming and pollution, especially the leather industry, which uses livestock and toxic tanning processes that have a great environmental impact. Currently, efforts are being made to mitigate the negative impacts of the textile industry by using alternative non-toxic chemicals or by recycling fabric. More recent efforts explore utilization of non-conventional biomaterials and organisms, such as mushroom mycelia, algae or genetically-engineered microorganisms. In this study, we implemented slime mold Physarum polycephalum perfused through leather-like fabrics made from air-dried simple nutritious media in order to develop environmentally friendly, easy-to-manufacture and sustainable fabrics. Plasmodium was validated for its viability and propagation under non-sterile conditions and in contaminated environments on different media compositions made from agar, peach gum, gelatin, carrageenan or glycerol. We determined optimal media components to be agar, gelatin and glycerol which supported plasmodium growth and yielded sturdy and flexible fabric sheets after air-drying. Ultimately, plasmodium-perfused fabric sheets were sewed into apparel and footwear. This study demonstrates the use of simple media as a clothing fabric perfused with plasmodium, which produces intricate colors and patterns on the fabric. Plasmodium has the ability to enhance fabric properties due to its natural problem-solving abilities, such as biosensing, fabric self-repair, and distant fabric communication.
Key Factors Influencing Inclusive Placement Decisions of Students With Extensive Support Needs
Authors: Krishnan Sudha
Published: May 2024

This qualitative study examined educational professionals’ experiences including students with extensive support needs (ESN) in general education settings. Data were collected from 18 education professionals, including 5 special education teachers, 5 paraeducators, 4 administrators, and 4 general education teachers. The researcher used semi-structured interviews and analyzed them using thematic coding. The findings showed that the significant factors influencing successful inclusion were the belief systems of educational professionals, the number of general education classes available for inclusion, selective data collection by educators, superficial inclusion of students, the critical role of paraeducators, and interpersonal relationships among parents and educators. Recommendations included using multiple data collection methods, documenting student work in inclusive settings, revamping the paraeducator hiring and training process, increasing collaboration between general and special education teachers, expanding the number of classrooms available for ESN students, training general education teachers to teach all students, and challenging deficit thinking in teacher education programs.
Mainstreaming anti-Semitism on Turkey’s public broadcaster TRT: ExaminingPayitaht: Abdülhamid
Authors: Çevik Senem B
Published: May 2024

While conspiracy theories have traditionally received attention from the Turkish public and political elite, recently, however, they have proliferated when explaining complex situations. This paper examines conspiracy theories in Turkey and the role of entertainment media, specifically the popular period drama, Payitaht: Abdülhamid, in mainstreaming conspiracy theories. Payitaht: Abdülhamid, as an ideological state apparatus, repurposes anti-Semitism as salient conspiracy theories by creating scapegoats and existential others. This paper argues that the state uses entertainment media to disseminate conspiracy theories and, in effect, endorses anti-Semitism. As a result, anti-Semitism has transformed from a marginal movement to a mainstream movement.
A novel anti-pruritic: Topical co-administration of high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMWH) with protamine, a transdermal transport enhancer
Authors: Green Paul G , Levine Jon D
Published: May 2024

Pruritis, the sensation of itch, is produced by multiple substances, exogenous and endogenous, that sensitizes specialized sensory neurons (pruriceptors and pruri-nociceptors). Unfortunately, many patients with acute and chronic pruritis obtain only partial relief when treated with currently available treatment modalities. We recently demonstrated that the topical application of high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMWH), when combined with vehicles containing transdermal transport enhancers, produce potent long-lasting reversal of nociceptor sensitization associated with inflammatory and neuropathic pain. In the present experiments we tested the hypothesis that the topical formulation of HMWH with protamine, a transdermal transport enhancer, can also attenuate pruritis. We report that this topical formulation of HMWH markedly attenuates scratching behavior at the nape of the neck induced by serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), in male and female rats. Our results support the hypothesis that topical HMWH in a transdermal transport enhancer vehicle is a strong anti-pruritic.