bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Morse Index of Sacks–Uhlenbeck α‐Harmonic Maps for Riemannian Manifolds
Authors: Shahnavaz Amir , Kouhestani Nader , Kazemi Torbaghan Seyed Mehdi
Published: June 2024

In this paper, first we prove a nonexistence theorem for α‐harmonic mappings between Riemannian manifolds. Second, the instability of nonconstant α‐harmonic maps is studied with regard to the Ricci curvature criterion of their codomain. Then, we estimate the Morse index for measuring the degree of instability of some particular α‐harmonic maps. Furthermore, the notion of α‐stable manifolds and its applications are considered. Finally, we investigate the α‐stability of any compact Riemannian manifolds admitting a nonisometric conformal vector field and any Einstein Riemannian manifold under certain assumptions on the smallest positive eigenvalue of its Laplacian operator on functions.
Optimal Configuration of Additional Heat Source for CHP System considering Demand Response Based on Comprehensive Benefits
Authors: Zhao Yuting
Published: June 2024

An optimal configuration method for the combined heat and power (CHP) system considering demand response is proposed to scientifically and reasonably configure the parameters of the additional heat source and reduce unnecessary investment and construction costs. First, additional heat sources and demand response are utilized to decouple power generation and heating supply, enhancing the flexibility of the CHP system. Second, a multiobjective optimization configuration model of the CHP system is established, taking the system’s comprehensive satisfaction, economic cost, and wind power consumption capacity as the objectives, the unit output, and the capacity parameters of the additional heat source as the decision variables. Furthermore, an improved memetic algorithm (IMA) combined with a hierarchical sequence method is designed to solve the optimization model characterized by multiple objectives, hierarchical levels, and nonlinearity. The hierarchical sequence method solves problems sequentially based on the importance of optimization goals, ensuring the satisfaction of the configuration scheme. The IMA employs adaptive crossover and mutation probabilities, enhancing the algorithm’s convergence and quality. Finally, case analysis demonstrates that the CHP system achieves the best benefits when heat storage tanks and electric boilers are configured simultaneously. Moreover, compared to the MA, IPSO, and IABC algorithms, the IMA algorithm reduces the average economic cost by approximately 5.11%, 2.70%, and 8.43%, respectively.
Experimental Studies on Microstructural, Physical, and Mechanical Characterizations of Hybrid Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites Incorporated with Cenosphere and Molybdenum Disulphide
Authors: Rajagopal Kousik Kumaar , Kannappan Somasundara Vinoth , Madasamy Senthil Kumar , Stanislaus Arputharaj Beena , Rajendran Parvathy , Hassan Deif Ahmed , Raja Vijayanandh
Published: June 2024

This study addresses a research gap in composite material development by exploring the potential of innovative waste materials to enhance performance. An innovative and cost‐effective waste material serves as a reinforcing agent, with cenosphere and molybdenum disulphide used in proportions ranging from 0% to 4%. Employing a cost‐effective stirring cast technique, composites are fabricated, combining AA7075 alloy with cenosphere particles (AA7075/cenosphere) and molybdenum disulphide particles (AA7075/MoS2). The experimental design, utilizing a central composite design within the response surface methodology framework, examines the weight percentages of cenosphere and MoS2. Scanning electron microscopy reveals strengthening chemicals within the matrix, confirmed by electronic dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy for individual reinforcements in the aluminium alloy matrix. Density determination follows Archimedes’ principle and the OIML G14 standard, while mechanical properties (hardness and ultimate tensile strength) are assessed per ASTM standards. Results demonstrate a significant reduction in composite density with cenosphere reinforcement, while molybdenum disulphide marginally affects density. The incorporation of reinforcements notably enhances both hardness and ultimate tensile strength. In conclusion, this research bridges a composite material development gap, presenting a novel and sustainable approach. By showcasing the potential of unconventional waste materials, the study contributes valuable insights to material science and engineering, opening new avenues for future research.
Exploring Hypertension Etiology and Patient Perspectives on Treatment in Ghana: A Qualitative Investigation
Authors: Atibila Fidelis , Hoor Gill Ten , Donkoh Emmanuel Timmy , Kok Gerjo
Published: June 2024

Background. Hypertension (HTN) is a growing public health concern affecting both economically developed and developing nations. In Ghana, HTN significantly impacts morbidity and mortality. Understanding the perspectives of HTN patients regarding its causes and treatment can enhance HTN management. This study explored patient perspectives on HTN in Ghana. Materials and Methods. An exploratory descriptive approach was used, in conducting in‐depth interviews and focus group discussions. Purposeful sampling was used to select HTN patients, and thematic content analysis was employed for data analysis. Overall, 14 face‐to‐face interviews were carried out, and two FGDs were done. The FGD consisted of a total of 15 participants, 8 females and 7 males. Results. Four key perspectives emerged. These include (1) the description of HTN (patients defined HTN as excessive blood); (2) beliefs about the causes of HTN, some attributed HTN to witchcraft, considering it a curse from the gods and traditional medicine was seen as a potential cure; (3) health‐seeking behavior, a notable discrepancy exists between patient and medical understandings of HTN, potentially causing healthcare delays; and (4) family support. Recommendation. The misunderstanding of HTN may hinder timely healthcare‐seeking and medication adherence, exacerbating HTN‐related complications. Addressing these beliefs through community health promotion programs is urgently needed.
Effect of Nonthermal Plasma on Cation Distribution and Photocatalytic Activity of MgFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Dye Degradation Application
Authors: Busharat Muhammad Aqib , Shukrullah Shazia , Ibrahim Ahmed Ahmed , Naz Muhammad Yasin , Iqbal Mahwish , Khan Yasin , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: June 2024

Nanophotocatalysts are becoming increasingly popular for removing heavy metals from wastewater, degrading organic pollutants, and producing hydrogen. In this work, MgFe2O4 nanoparticles were prepared by a sol‐gel process to study the photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet (CV), rhodamine blue (RhB), and methylene blue (MB) dyes under sunlight irradiation. The prepared MgFe2O4 nanoparticles were calcined at 500°C and then treated with nonthermal microwave plasma for 60 min. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the crystallinity of plasma‐treated MgFe2O4 nanoparticles increased by showing a different cation distribution compared with plasma‐treated nanoparticles based on the intensity ratios of (220), (400), and (420) diffraction peaks. The intensity ratios of XRD peaks decreased, and the lattice parameter increased after plasma treatment. Crystallite size also increases after plasma treatment. The optical band gap energy of the treated ferrites decreased from 2.21 eV to 2.17, showing increased light absorption in the visible region compared with pristine ferrites. The saturation magnetization of magnetic photocatalysts increased from 40.9 emu/g to 62.16 emu/g after plasma modification. The photocatalytic activity for CV, RhB, and MB degradation increased from 60%, 65%, and 53% to 90%, 91%, and 87% after plasma modification. Plasma treatment enhances dye degradation by promoting the formation of reactive species that can effectively break down the dye molecules.
FIGURE 6 from Activation of the Mevalonate Pathway in Response to Anti-cancer Treatments Drives Glioblastoma Recurrences Through Activation of Rac-1
Authors: He Ling , Ioannidis Angeliki , Hoffman Carter J. , Arambula Evelyn , Joshi Purva , Whitelegge Julian , Liau Linda M. , Kornblum Harley I. , Pajonk Frank
Published: June 2024

Treatment-induced upregulation of the mevalonate pathway in glioma affects stemness through prenylation of Rac1. A, HK374 cells were treated with radiation in the presence or absence of QTP (10 µmol/L) and/or atorvastatin (1 µmol/L) for 48 hours. The activated Rac1 was immunoprecipitated by 10 µg PAK-PBD agarose beads from the whole cell lysates and subjected to immunoblotting against Rac1, along with the total proteins. His-tagged Rac1 protein serves as the positive control. B, The densitometry measurements of activated Rac1/total Rac1 using Image J. C, Transwell migration assay of HK374 cells pretreated with radiation in the presence or absence of QTP (10 µmol/L) and/or atorvastatin (1 µmol/L) for 48 hours. D, The quantification of migrated cells using Image J. E, Confocal images of microtubules in HK374 cells treated with radiation in the presence or absence of QTP (10 µmol/L) and/or atorvastatin (1 µmol/L) for 48 hours. White arrowheads: filopodia. Yellow arrowheads: TNTs. F and G, Rac1 knockdown efficiency was evaluated at both mRNA (qRT-PCR) and protein (Western blotting) levels at day 2 and day 7 after siRNA transfection. β-actin was used as the loading control and the densitometry measurements of Rac1 were performed using Image J. H and I, Clonogenic assay of siCtrl or siRac1 transfected HK374 cells treated with radiation in the presence or absence of QTP (10 µmol/L) and/or atorvastatin (1 µmol/L) for 7 days and the resulting plating efficiencies. J, Sphere-forming capacity of siCtrl or siRac1 HK374 spheres treated with radiation in the presence or absence of QTP (10 µmol/L) and/or atorvastatin (1 µmol/L). K, log fraction plot generated by extreme limiting dilution assay (ELDA), where the y axis “log fraction nonresponding” indicates frequency of cells incapable of forming clonal spheres and the x axis “dose (number of cells)” indicates number of cells per mL. The slope of the line is the log-active cell fraction, and dotted lines give the 95% confidence interval. All experiments have been performed with at least three biological independent repeats. P-values were calculated using one-way ANOVA for B and D, unpaired Student t tests for F and G; two-way ANOVA for I and J. ns: not significant.
FIGURE 1 from Activation of the Mevalonate Pathway in Response to Anti-cancer Treatments Drives Glioblastoma Recurrences Through Activation of Rac-1
Authors: He Ling , Ioannidis Angeliki , Hoffman Carter J. , Arambula Evelyn , Joshi Purva , Whitelegge Julian , Liau Linda M. , Kornblum Harley I. , Pajonk Frank
Published: June 2024

Combination therapies that converge on the immediate-early response to radiation through the MAPK cascade universally upregulate the mevalonate pathway. A and C, Western blotting of p-ERK, total ERK, p-P38, and total P38 in patient-derived GBM HK374 and HK217 cell lines upon radiation (RT) in combination with QTP (10 µmol/L) or TMZ (1 mmol/L) or vincristine (250 nmol/L) at 2 hours after treatment. B and D, The densitometry measurements of p-ERK/total ERK and p-P38/total P38 using Image J. E, Heat map showing the results of qRT-PCR for the cholesterol biosynthesis–related genes in both HK374 and HK217 cells treated with radiation in the presence or absence of TMZ (1 mmol/L) for 2 consecutive days. F, Heat map showing the results of qRT-PCR for the cholesterol biosynthesis–related genes in both HK374 and HK217 cells treated with radiation in the presence or absence of vincristine (250 nmol/L) for 24 hours. G, Heat map showing the results of qRT-PCR for the cholesterol biosynthesis–related genes in both HK374 and HK217 cells treated with radiation in the presence or absence of QTP (10 µmol/L) for 2 consecutive days. All experiments have been performed with at least three biological independent repeats. P-values were calculated using one-way ANOVA. The P-values listed in the heat maps were from the comparison of RT + DMSO with RT + TMZ (E) or RT + Vincristine (F) or RT + QTP (G). *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001.
Problemáticas comunes de los alumnos y docentes mexicanos y colombianos: presente y futuro sus sistemas escolares superiores.
Authors: Jiménez Velázquez Oscar
Published: June 2024

En la presente reflexión se efectúa un análisis actual (periodo 2011-2021) de las problemáticas educativas comunes entre México y Colombia, con un enfoque hacia la Educación Media Superior (EMS) y la Educación Superior (ES). Ambos países pertenecen a la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE), por lo cual han intentado implementar las propuestas de este organismo para modernizar sus sistemas escolares. Por lo tanto, en este trabajo se trata de identificar aquellos problemas educativos pendientes que comprometen tanto el presente como el futuro de estas naciones latinoamericanas. A partir de una investigación de documentos y estudios acreditados, se reconoció que una de las problemáticas compartidas es la referente a las zonas rurales de México y Colombia (60 % y 80 %, respectivamente), las cuales presentan las mayores condiciones de pobreza y marginación, las escuelas peor equipadas, los docentes menos capacitados, así como los obstáculos socioeconómicos más notables. Ello se debe, en gran parte, a que las políticas educativas públicas se han centralizado en las principales ciudades, sobre todo en los sectores de clases media y alta. Con respecto a las diferencias entre ambas naciones, radican en dos aspectos particulares: 1) la promoción de sistemas institucionalizados de calidad educativa, donde destacan los exámenes a nivel superior en Colombia, que no ha podido consolidarse en México debido a diversas causas políticas y económicas; y 2) el notable crecimiento de la educación privada en EMS y ES en México, el cual ha permitido que muchos estudiantes puedan continuar su trayectoria académica, pero no con la calidad educativa necesaria, además de que ha llevado a una disminución notable en la inversión estatal en las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) públicas.
Unveiling hidden sources of dynamic functional connectome through a novel regularized blind source separation approach
Authors: Ran Jialu , Wang Yikai , Guo Ying
Published: June 2024

The investigation of the brain’s functional connectome and its dynamic changes can provide valuable insights into brain organization and its reconfiguration. However, the analysis of dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) faces major challenges, including the high dimensionality of brain networks, unknown latent sources underlying observed dFC, and the large number of brain connections that increase the risk of spurious findings. In this paper, we propose a new regularized blind source separation (BSS) method called dyna-LOCUS to address these challenges. dyna-LOCUS decomposes observed dFC measures to reveal latent source connectivity traits and their dynamic temporal expression profiles. By utilizing low-rank factorization and novel regularizations, dyna-LOCUS achieves efficient and reliable mapping of connectivity traits underlying the dynamic brain functional connectome, characterizes temporal changes of the connectivity traits that contribute to the reconfiguration in the observed dFC, and generates parsimonious and interpretable results in identifying whole-brain dFC states. We introduce a highly efficient iterative Node-Rotation algorithm that solves the nonconvex optimization problem for learning dyna-LOCUS. Simulation studies demonstrate the advantages of our proposed method. Application of dyna-LOCUS to the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC) study unveils latent connectivity traits and key brain connections and regions driving each of these neural circuits, reveals temporal expression levels and interactions of these connectivity traits, and generates new findings regarding gender differences in the neurodevelopment of an executive function-related connectivity trait.
Thismia papillata (Thismiaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam
Authors: NURALIEV MAXIM S. , YUDINA SOPHIA V. , DAC LE XUAN , KUZNETSOV ANDREY N. , KUZNETSOVA SVETLANA P. , SEMENYUK IRINA I.
Published: June 2024

Thismia papillata, a new species of Thismiaceae, is described and illustrated. The species was discovered in 2023 in Thanh Hoa Province, northern Vietnam. The new species is readily distinguishable from most of its congeners by the presence of appendages of outer and inner tepals, inner tepals fused into a mitre, absence of a wing-like appendage of supraconnective and absence of interstaminal glands. Thismia papillata is similar to T. abei, T. taiwanensis and T. tuberculata, differing mainly in prominently papillate outer hypanthium surface, appendages of the outer tepals up to 15 mm long, appendages of the inner tepals up to 9 mm long, and column-like placentas. Gaps in understanding of interactions between the inner tepals in Thismia are highlighted that are related to the postgenital tepal fusion and tepal aestivation. Similar uncertainties in determination of fusion between the stamens are also uncovered.
A new species of Onosma (Boraginaceae) from Bakhtiari Mountains in Iran
Authors: KHAJOEI NASAB FARZANEH , ZERAATKAR AMIN
Published: June 2024

A new species, Onosma bakhtiarica (Boraginaceae), has been discovered in Iran’s Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. The plant is found in the Tang-e Beheshtabad and belongs to sect. Onosma subsect. Haplotricha. Morphologically, it is closely related to O. pachypoda and O. sericea. Still, it differs from the mentioned species by the rosette leaf shape, shape of rosette leaf apex, shorter cauline leaf, cauline leaf width and shape, arrangement of setae, corolla color and shape, shorter pedicel length in flowering and fruiting, shorter fruiting calyx, bract shape, nutlet shape and size, nutlet ornamentation, and a hairy annulus. In addition, O. bakhtiarica is distinguished from O. pachypoda by its light brown nutlet, rosette leaf with a long petiole, and cauline leaf with an acute apex. It can also be distinguished from O. sericea by the dense short hairs covering the corolla’s exterior. Diagnostic characters, a comprehensive description, photographs, and a distribution map are provided. An identification key for haplotrichous Onosma species of Iran is also provided.
A new species of Xanthagaricus (Agaricaceae, Agaricales) from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: JAVEED PALVISHA , KIRAN MUNAZZA , HAQNAWAZ MUHAMMAD
Published: June 2024

A new species, Xanthagaricus lahorensis, is described based on collections from the Lahore District, Pakistan. Morphological data and phylogenetic analyses based on nrITS & LSU supported that the species is undescribed earlier. Xanthagaricus lahorensis is characterized by olive–yellow pileus with olive squamules at center going outward, dull yellowish-brown stipe, rough surface without rhizomorphic mycelial mat, absence of annulus, small, lacrymoid, brown walled with olivaceous guttule basidiospores (on average 4.2 × 3.2 µm), clavate, obovoid basidia, obovoid, clavate to broadly clavate cheilocystidia, and presence of clusters of cylindrical caulocystidia. With this new species, seven Xanthagaricus species have been reported from Pakistan. A key to the Pakistani Xanthagaricus species is provided in addition to the new species’ full description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results.
Description of a new species of Andricus Hartig, 1840 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) from China
Authors: DUAN YU-BO , LIU LUAN , ZHU DAO-HONG , ZENG YANG , LIU ZHIWEI
Published: June 2024

A new species of gall wasp, Andricus wugangensis Zeng, Liu, & Zhu sp. nov. is described and illustrated herein from Hunan Province, China. The new species is most similar to A. wuhanensis Ide, Abe, Su & Zhu and A. xishuangbanaensis Melika & Tang in morphology but can be easily distinguished by having 1) a large V-shaped carina on the lower face and 2) a broad transverse depression spanning the region between the inner margin of the eyes on the upper face. The results of a phylogenetic analysis and pairwise genetic distance comparison, based on COI sequences, were consistent with the conclusion of the comparative morphological assessment of the similar species: A. wuganensis, A. wuhanensis and A. xishuangbanaensis, although the morphological differences are more obvious than the small genetic distance of the COI sequences, which is 4.3% and 3% between the new species and A. wuhanensis and A. xishuangbanaensis, respectively. Additionally, a taxonomic key to the known species of Andricus from China is provided.
Implementing an Organizational Trauma-Informed Approach to Olympic Sites: An Urgent Priority to Protect Elite Athlete Well-being During Olympic Games Participation
Authors: McMahon Jenny , McGannon Kerry R.
Published: June 2024

Abuse has been acknowledged as an adverse event which leads to trauma and long-term health effects in sport. Given the high rates of abuse occurring in elite sport contexts, many Olympic athletes will not only be subjected to abuse while residing and competing at the Olympic Games but may also experience trauma and its effects. In this article, we build on the calls for a trauma-informed approach in elite sport to outline a rationale for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to implement an organizational trauma-informed approach to Olympic sites. Such an approach is essential because trauma researchers outside, and inside sport contexts, have outlined that when organizations are not trauma aware, and practices are not trauma-informed, unintended “unsafe” responses may result. To contextualize our rationale for an organizational trauma-informed approach, we provide examples of Olympic athletes’ stories to demonstrate the abuse and trauma they experienced while competing at the Olympic Games. To build on the human right that all athletes participating in the Olympic Games have the right to do so safely and free from harm, we further outline what an organizational trauma-informed approach involves and why it is important to limit re-traumatization risk. We further reflect on how being trauma-informed extends a duty of care to better protect athletes, which should be a responsibility of the IOC.
Perspectives from the frontline: Nurses’ experiences of adolescent engagement in sexual and reproductive health services
Authors: Kelly Jane , Low Maya , Glinski Charné Dee , Laurenzi Christina , Gittings Lesley , Myende Philani , Joska Rachel , Gqaleni-Ntozonke Babalo , Taleni Babalwa , Marikeni Zoliswa , Sidloyi Lulama , Saliwe Bongiwe , Toska Elona
Published: June 2024

Background:

Nurses have a critical role to play in the delivery of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to adolescents and young people. Nurses’ interactions with adolescents and young people can shape sexual and reproductive behaviours and outcomes, including willingness to access and engage with healthcare services. However, little research from low- and middle-income contexts has explored nurses’ firsthand perspectives regarding their relationships with adolescents and young people in the context of SRH service provision, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim:

This study explored nurses’ perceptions of working with adolescents and young people as well as how these impressions manifest in one-on-one exchanges between nurses and young patients.

Method:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 nurses providing SRH services to adolescents and young people and based at public health facilities in urban, peri-urban and rural areas within a health sub-district of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic approach.

Results:

While many nurses described the challenges facing adolescents and young people in an empathic way and expressed a desire and willingness to engage with and educate them, some found it ‘difficult to break through’. Nurses linked this difficulty to the shame adolescents and young people feel when discussing SRH concerns, but also to them having ‘attitude’ and ‘not listening’. Findings highlight how while nurses may genuinely care about providing services to their young patients, internal and social biases may impact their motivation and willingness to effectively support adolescents and young people within the context of SRH service provision. To improve patient–provider relations, we suggest a focus on practical and participatory interventions to improve interpersonal dynamics.
The purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people
Authors: Maher Anthony J , Haegele Justin A , Swanston David
Published: June 2024

Empirical research documents the benefits of summer camps for young people, including disability-specific or medical-speciality residential camps. Using an ethnographic approach which utilized observation and individual and group discussions with the visually impaired young people who attended a summer camp, their parents, and school teachers who staffed the summer camp, we build on the extant research here by exploring, for the first time, the purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people. The qualitative data generated from our research were subjected to thematic analysis. We discuss the summer camp in relation to the following themes: (1) The summer camp facilitates peer interactions and relationship development; (2) the mixing of age groups facilitates the development of life skills; and (3) the summer camp supports the recruitment of visually impaired young people to Fieldway School [pseudonym].
Factors influencing deprescribing in primary care for those towards the end of life: A qualitative interview study with patients and healthcare practitioners
Authors: van der Waal Maike S , Teunissen Saskia CCM , Uyttewaal Allegonda G , Verboeket-Crul Cathelijne , Smits-Pelser Hanneke , Geijteman Eric CT , Grant Matthew P
Published: June 2024

Background:

For people with limited lifetime expectancy, the benefit of many medications may be outweighed by their potential harms. Despite the relevance of reducing unnecessary medication use, deprescribing is poorly enacted in primary care practice.

Aim:

This study aims to describe factors, as identified by primary care professionals and patients, that influence deprescribing in the last phase of life.

Design:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using a thematic approach.

Setting/participants:

This study was performed in primary care settings, including general practices, hospices and community care teams in The Netherlands. Purposefully identified primary care professionals (general practitioners, pharmacists, nurses) and patients with limited lifetime expectancy due to advanced chronic illness or cancer and their caretakers were interviewed.

Results:

Three themes emerged detailing factors influencing deprescribing in the last phase of life in primary care: (1) non-maleficence, the wish to avoid additional psychological or physical distress; (2) reactive care, the lack of priority and awareness of eligible patients; and (3) discontinuity of care within primary care and between primary care and specialty care.

Conclusions:

Deprescribing is an incremental process, complicated by the unpredictability of life expectancy and attitudes of patients and health care professionals that associate continued medication use with clinical stability. Opportunities to facilitate the deprescribing process and its acceptance include the routinely systematic identification of patients with limited life expectancy and potentially inappropriate medications, and normalisation of deprescribing as component of regular primary care, occurring for all patients and continuing into end-of-life care.
Virtual item trade scams: A typology of young victims
Authors: Kristiansen Søren , Jensen Aksel Vassard , Nimgaard Mathias , Ludvigsen Emil
Published: June 2024

This study examined behavioral differences across groups of children and young people who have been victims of virtual item trade scams to explore the potential for grouping this type of victims into meaningful clusters. Using data from a representative survey among Danish children and young people (n = 1,026), three clusters of trade scam victims that showed significant internal homogeneity as well as cross-cluster differences were identified. Based on their modal behavior, these clusters were labeled Moderately Engaged Gamers, Diverse Active Gamers, and Highly Engaged Gamers. The typology represents a first step toward a better understanding of different types of virtual item trade scam victims and their behavioral patterns. Implications for policy and preventive measures on game design, personal, and parental levels are discussed.
Comparative Sensitivity Analysis on Intersection Crash Prediction Models by Control Type: Highway Safety Manual Approach
Authors: Dadvar Seyedehsan , Dimaiuta Michael , Lim In-Kyu
Published: June 2024

A comprehensive, in-depth investigation into the comparative safety of different intersection control types is presented, specifically signalized and minor road stop-controlled intersections across facility types. Employing a rigorous sensitivity analysis, the study scrutinizes intersection crash prediction models (CPMs) rooted in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) methodology. Through meticulous data analyses and thorough comparisons of predictive models across a range of major and minor road traffic volumes, the paper critically examines the portrayal of signalized and stop-controlled intersections within the default HSM Part C CPMs. Additionally, the study delves into the effects of certain crash modification factors on CPMs, further exploring the impacts of calibration factors and locally developed models on crash prediction results. CPMs for signalized intersections do not uniformly lead to fewer crashes compared with stop-controlled intersections, especially under certain traffic volumes and when considering fatal and injury crashes. Therefore, the choice of intersection control should be based on more nuanced criteria than traffic volume alone. Additionally, the research emphasizes the role of intersection geometry and operations, for example, the benefits of adding turn lanes and varying left-turn phasing, in influencing safety outcomes. This study significantly contributes to the understanding of intersection safety and HSM modeling approaches, providing a valuable resource for transportation professionals dedicated to advancing intersection safety. Examining strengths and limitations of existing models provides valuable input for researchers developing future intersection CPMs, and offers essential insights for transportation planners and engineers, informing decision-making for optimizing intersection control strategies and enhancing overall intersection safety and traffic management.
Research on Safety Risk Assessment of Xi'an Metro Operation Based on Structural Equation Model (SEM)-Matter-Element Extension Model (MEA)
Authors: Li Yingwei , Dang Xiaoxu , Yu Mian , Feng Taozhu
Published: June 2024

To ensure the safety of Xi'an Metro operation and improve the level of operational safety risk management, a comprehensive evaluation model of operational safety risk of Xi'an Metro based on structural equation model (SEM)-matter-element extension model (MEA) was established based on 4M theory. Firstly, by analyzing both domestic and international Metro accident cases and literature, four risk factor perspectives were identified as personnel, equipment, management, and environment. Secondly, to accurately assess the safety risk of Xi'an Metro operation, a risk evaluation index system consisting of four primary indicators, eleven secondary indicators and forty-four observation points was established. Finally, the index weights were determined using structural equation modeling, and a comprehensive evaluation utilizing the Matter-element extension model was conducted to obtain precise safety evaluation results. The model was applied to Xi'an Metro Line 2, and the results indicated that the operational safety level of Xi'an Metro Line 2 is relatively secure. According to the evaluation results above, the findings align with the current conditions. Xi'an Metro operating company can utilize these results as a point of reference to propose measures that correspond to varying risks. This will effectively reduce safety risks and ensure the safe operation of Xi'an Metro.
Is Any Job Better Than No Job? Utilising Jahoda’s Latent Deprivation Theory to Reconceptualise Underemployment
Authors: Beck Vanessa , Warren Tracey , Lyonette Clare
Published: June 2024

Underemployment is a widely discussed but complex concept. This article progresses discussions and provides a new sociological conceptualisation. It builds on a classic theory of unemployment, Jahoda et al.’s ‘latent deprivation theory’ (LDT), that identified five ‘latent functions’ provided by jobs, besides a wage: time structure, social relations, sense of purpose/achievement, personal identity and regular activity. LDT was ground-breaking in illuminating previously hidden injuries of joblessness. This article proposes that LDT can be similarly ground-breaking for reconceptualising underemployment: it demonstrates conceptually the multiple ways in which the mere existence of a job is insufficient in protecting individuals from socially and psychologically negative impacts associated with unemployment. A sociology of underemployment can help better understand complex, shifting and precarious work and expose inherent forms of suffering and injustice.
Visualizing the construction of subject librarianship in chinese higher education libraries: A knowledge graph-based analysis
Authors: Lu Chen , Jimei Zhu
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the evolution and current status of subject librarianship in Chinese higher education spanning the past 25 years. Utilizing scientometric analysis, we construct knowledge graphs, encompassing publication trends, co-citation and co-occurrence networks, and the burstiness of keywords. The data are drawn from 504 articles in the Chinese Social Science Citation Index (CSSCI) database. The analysis sheds light on knowledge domains, evolutionary routes, and research hotspots within this field. The graphs delineate intricate connections among subject librarianship in Chinese higher education, involving universities, faculties, students, cooperative enterprises, and government. Significantly, these services play pivotal roles in information resource construction, scientific research, intellectual property support, and propaganda. The progression of subject librarianship in Chinese higher education is driven by innovations in information technology, user demands and policy advocacy. The knowledge graph-based exploration of subject librarianship holds substantial implications for libraries further constructions, particularly in enriching content and enhancing quality, aligning with the criteria of the new education public policy outlined by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
Effects of big data analytics on university libraries: A systematic literature review of impact factor articles
Authors: Shahzad Khurram , Khan Shakeel Ahmad , Iqbal Abid
Published: June 2024

The study aimed to identify the effects of big data analytics (BDA) on university libraries, to reveal the challenges associated with the adoption of BDA, and to develop a framework for the implementation of BDA in university libraries. The research methodology of “Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” (PRISMA) was applied to carry out the study. The 26 most relevant impact factor articles explored through world’s renowned 18 databases were selected to carry out the study. Findings manifested that big data analytics was a game changer for university libraries. BDA transformed library services, and enhanced information services. The study also revealed that awareness and expertise, technical issues, and data integrity and security were the major challenges that causes barriers for the adoption of BDA based services in university libraries. Based on the study’s findings, a framework has been developed for the adoption of big data analytics in university libraries. It is the first systematic review on the effects of big data analytics on university libraries based upon the articles published in worldwide impact factor journals. It has provided theoretical, practical, and social implications through the development of framework to adopt big data analytics in university libraries and to cope with associated challenges efficiently.
Shareholder value orientation, corporate cash piles, and the myth of financial accumulation
Authors: Reddy Niall
Published: June 2024

Financialization scholars argue that the growing financial balance sheets of non-financial corporations indicate a “financial turn in accumulation” driven by the rise of shareholder value orientation (SVO). In this paper, I test whether greater shareholder influence or shareholder-aligning managerial incentives can explain the more rapid accumulation of financial assets among US NFCs. I find that shareholder power is associated with some increase in short-term financial assets but only in the case of certain shareholder types, in particular high turnover institutional investors. The magnitudes of the effect are small however, and only pertain to smaller firms. Moreover, ownership concentration by these impatient investor types is declining. The results suggest that changing corporate governance patterns have little capacity to explain balance sheet financialization. I argue that mainstream accounts focused on the precautionary savings of new, research-intensive firms and tax arbitrage amongst multinationals offer a better explanation for growing financial balances than the financial accumulation hypothesis. Neither of these imply a substitution of financial for real investment, which calls into question an important mechanism thought to connect financialization to secular stagnation and rising inequality.
Stratified reproduction and ableism: Women with disabilities and navigating reproduction and social control in Poland
Authors: Król Agnieszka
Published: June 2024

The article applies the concept of stratified reproduction to analyse experiences of women with disabilities in Poland. Stratified reproduction – rewarding motherhood for some and disempowering others from being parents – and its relation to ableism is explored in a country context, where reproductive rights struggles are prevalent in the public sphere. Based on qualitative empirical research (in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews) with 50 women with disabilities, the article shows that women with disabilities are subjected to mechanisms of social control that limit their reproductive decision-making and discourage them from becoming parents. Social control is explored in the context of withdrawal of information about reproductive health and sexuality, navigating access and fear of custody deprivation based on ableist presumptions. The ambivalence between social expectations related to parenthood versus performing care work is explored. The analysis shows that women with disabilities navigate exclusionary norms and challenge understandings of who can become a parent and who can make decisions about who can become a parent. This article offers the concept of stratified reproduction to explain the structural inequalities experienced by women with disabilities with regard to reproduction, and highlights the importance of studying ableism as an essential factor within the reproductive realm.
Effectiveness and feasibility of the self-administered and repeated episodic future thinking exercises in smoking cessation
Authors: Yılmaz Hakan , Karadere Mehmet Emrah
Published: June 2024

Delay discounting (DD) is associated with smoking behavior and relapses. Episodic future thinking (EFT) is one of the leading interventions shown to reduce DD. The 1-month follow-up study with 60 participants that employed EFT as active intervention and episodic recent thinking (ERT) as control intervention was conducted in participants receiving smoking cessation treatment. In EFT group, there was significant decrease in DD rates from pre-intervention to post-intervention ( p = 0.009), whereas no significant change was observed in ERT group ( p = 0.497). DD rates in EFT group did not change significantly over 1 month ( p = 0.059), while decrease was detected in ERT group ( p = 0.011). Smoking cessation rates between groups were similar ( p = 0.486). Adherence with completing follow-up evaluation forms and performing relevant exercises was higher in EFT group ( p = 0.038, p = 0.006). Adding EFT to usual smoking cessation treatment did not increase smoking cessation rates, however feasibility of the self-administered exercises needs to be improved to clarify clinical effects.
Both because of and in spite of: Towards the reclamation of queercrip joy
Authors: Ingram Megan , Jacobsen Kai
Published: June 2024

Queer, trans, disabled, and neurodivergent people are frequently used to represent pain, suffering, shame, and disgust in dominant heteronormative and ableist discourses. However, many queer, trans, and crip scholars, artists, and activists have reclaimed previously pathologized and denigrated experiences as sites of pleasure and joy. Importantly, this queercrip approach to joy does not position joy as an opposite or replacement for pain, but embraces joy and pain as simultaneous and co-constitutive. This essay explores the proliferations, potentialities, and limitations of queercrip joy as a site of resistance to cisheteronormativity and compulsory able-bodiedness. Specifically, we spotlight gender euphoria and disabled joy alongside the scholarship of authors like Sara Ahmed and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha and the intersecting fields of crip theory, queer theory, trans studies, and affect theory. Ultimately, we argue that queercrip joy exists both because of and in spite of the pain of enduring oppression and physical and psychological pain. As such, queercrip joy is not merely a pure happy object, but a complicated formulation of intimacy, pleasure, pain, validation, refusal, and relationality–an indicator of the very attachments that allow us to be affected. Therefore, celebrating queercrip joy is an insufficient yet necessary tool for queer, trans, and disabled liberation.
Who Owns the Neighborhood? Ethnoracial Composition of Property Ownership and Neighborhood Trajectories in San Francisco
Authors: Dahir Nima , Hwang Jackelyn
Published: June 2024

Property owners play pivotal roles in the trajectories of neighborhoods with discretion over upkeep, residential turnover, and affordability. Yet, little is known about how and why the racial composition of ownership changes over time relative to residents within a neighborhood and, in turn, how this relates to the neighborhood’s change and stability. With a self-constructed dataset of all residential transactions in San Francisco from 1990 to 2017, we consider how the ethnoracial composition of ownership differs from that of residents and how this difference relates to neighborhood change. We find that neighborhoods with more non-White residents have greater differences between the ethnoracial compositions of owners and residents, with the largest differences in neighborhoods with more Black residents. An increase in the divergence between these distributions is related to future increases in White and Asian residents and higher socioeconomic status residents and decreases in Black and Hispanic residents, illustrating that neighborhoods where owners are more ethnoracially distinct from the residents are more prone to neighborhood change and residential turnover. Our findings contribute to understandings of inequalities in property ownership and illuminate the role of ownership in neighborhood change in the contemporary city.
Intravascular Ultrasound May Not Impact Graft Sizing in Endovascular Repair of Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injury
Authors: Falkenhain Alec , Schaper Nicholas , Arismendi Tyler , Smeds Matthew R , Bose Saideep
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is the preferred treatment for severe blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAI). Successful outcomes rely on accurate endograft sizing, but initial imaging may underestimate aortic diameters. This study examines the impact of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) on endograft sizing and clinical outcomes in BTAI patients.

Methods

A prospectively collected multi-institutional dataset from the Aortic Trauma Foundation was analyzed. Patients with BTAI undergoing TEVAR with IVUS were compared to patients who underwent TEVAR alone. Demographics and operative variables were compared, focusing on IVUS effects on endograft sizing by examining maximal proximal and distal aortic diameter on initial CT imaging compared to the graft diameters used during TEVAR.

Results

293 patients underwent TEVAR for BTAI with IVUS utilized in 124 cases (42.3%). The average graft size in the IVUS and non-IVUS groups were similar proximally (26.91 ± 4.3 mm IVUS vs 27.77 ± 4.7 mm non-IVUS, P = 0.116) and distally (25.96 ± 4.7 mm IVUS vs 26.51 ± 4.7 mm non-IVUS). IVUS did not impact the difference between graft size and initial CT measurements proximally (4.32 ± 4.8 mm IVUS vs 4.23 ± 3.9 mm non-IVUS, P = 0.859) or distally (4.17 ± 5.9 mm IVUS vs 4.50 ± 4.3 mm non-IVUS, P = 0.606). Although delayed hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke occurred less frequently in IVUS patients (0.8% IVUS vs 7.1% non- IVUS, P = 0.024), in-hospital mortality was similar between groups (5.6% IVUS vs 7.7% non-IVUS, P = 0.581).

Conclusions

IVUS is not associated with significant changes in endograft sizing compared to sizing based on CT scan alone in BTAI patients. IVUS was not associated with differences in mortality but was associated with a decrease in delayed hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Routine IVUS in BTAI patients may not be necessary for accurate sizing, but there may be a relationship between IVUS and stroke.