bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived Risk of Solitary Death and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults Living Alone in Seoul: Can Structural and Functional Social Support Buffer the Impact?
Authors: Ha Seok Cheol , Nam Eunji , Lee Sun Young
Published: November 2023

Although older adults living alone are at a greater risk of solitary death, there is a dearth of literature in this area. Using the 2018 Seoul Elderly Survey, we investigated the extent to which older adults living alone in Seoul perceive the risk of solitary death and examined the association between the perceived risk of solitary death and depressive symptoms. Additionally, we explored the role of structural and functional support in that association as a buffering factor. Results showed that more than half of the older adults living alone in Seoul perceived that they could be victims of solitary death. The perceived risk of solitary death among older adults living alone was independently associated with depressive symptoms. Additionally, the structural aspect of social support moderated the impact of the perceived risk of solitary death on depressive symptoms. Interventions that enhance the structural aspect of social support should be primarily considered.
Understanding the Link Between Retirement Timing and Cognition: A Scoping Review
Authors: Yauk Jessica , Veal Britney , Dobbs Debra
Published: November 2023

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have increased the age for full retirement benefits to alleviate financial pressures. Older age is linked to higher rates of cognitive impairment. Therefore, it is crucial for public policymakers to understand the relationship between retirement timing and cognition. The purpose of this scoping review was to review the retirement timing and cognition literature and to assess possible modifying factors. A search across three databases yielded a total of 10 studies. Five studies revealed mixed findings regarding the relationship between retirement timing and cognitive decline, with reported positive, negative, and null associations. In contrast, five studies found that later retirement age reduced the risk of dementia. More cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are needed to investigate modifiable factors such as job characteristics and leisure activities to clarify the mechanisms underlying the relationship between retirement timing and cognition.
Family Caregivers’ Role in Navigating Diet: Perspectives from Caregivers of Older Asian Americans
Authors: Lim Katherine , Quintero Silva Laura , Raj Minakshi
Published: November 2023

Family caregivers uphold significant healthcare responsibilities including language translation and diet management. This study sought to understand family caregivers’ experiences and challenges navigating and managing their older Asian American relative’s diet. We conducted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study with family caregivers involving (1) qualitative interviews ( n = 40) and (2) a nationwide survey ( n = 100). Interviewees discussed their role and challenges with (a) applying American/Western clinical dietary recommendations to their relative’s traditional meal preferences and (b) managing misalignment between their relative’s traditional dietary preferences and the food offered in hospitals and long-term care environments. Survey responses triangulated; almost 65% of family caregivers prepared and brought traditional meals to healthcare facilities upon observing a lack of culturally relevant food options. Culturally relevant nutrition training for family caregivers can help them support their relative in community settings. Creating an inclusive healthcare system requires transforming the food environment within healthcare facilities.
A Community-Based Study of Cognitive Impairment Caregiving Outcomes Pre- and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Khan Noreen , Malingagio Amanda , Briceño Emily M. , Mehdipanah Roshanak , Lewandowski-Romps Lisa , Heeringa Steven G. , Garcia Nelda , Levine Deborah A. , Langa Kenneth M. , Gonzales Xavier F. , Morgenstern Lewis B.
Published: November 2023

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal caregiving was examined in a Mexican American (MA) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) population-based cohort. 395 participants age > 65 years were recruited via door-to-door and phone recruitment as part of the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi-Cognitive (BASIC-C) project. Both recipients and caregivers answered questions regarding the recipient’s health and the COVID-19 pandemic. 15% of caregivers saw their caregiving recipient less than before the pandemic and 18% saw their recipient more than before. 55% of caregivers reported a slight to severe impact of the pandemic on their caregiving, and 45% reported no impact. For most caregivers, their caregiving role did not change markedly during the pandemic. MA and NHW caregivers had similar survey responses.
Development and validation of teachers’ psychological empowerment scale in Ethiopian context
Authors: Berhanu Kelemu Zelalem
Published: November 2023

The low motivations of teachers in Ethiopia reflect the psychological deempowerment of teachers. Thus, developing a scale is required to know exactly the empowerment level of teachers. Therefore, this study aimed at developing and validating a psychological empowerment scale in the Ethiopian context. The data were gathered from two different groups of 720 teachers (300+420) from 83 schools using a questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results discovered four dimensions with a total variance of 69.685%. To know the fitness of the instrument in this study, the researcher carried out confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with the LISREL 8.7 program with 420 participants. RMSEA (RootMean Square Error of Approximation) = .065 level, GFI (Goodness of Fit Index) = .93, adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) = .90, incremental fit index (IFI) = .98, relative fit index (RFI) = .96, non-normed fit index (NNFI) = .98 and comparative fit index (CFI) = .98. These values depict the good fitness of the model. Regading reliability, Cronbach’s alpha for goal internalization. Meaning, influence, and competence dimensions were 0.87, 0.842, 0.777, and 0.789, respectively. Total Cronbach’s alpha was .904. For this scale, the Average Variance Extracted and Combined Reliability are more than .7. Thus, the findings revealed that the psychological empowerment Scale, consisting of four dimensions and 15 items, was a valid and reliable instrument in Ethiopian school settings.
The Ethics of Perfection: Exploring the Ethical Implications of Wesley's Doctrine of Perfection
Authors: Simants Michael D.
Published: November 2023

If one were to prioritise the most important contributions of John Wesley, within that list would be the contribution of his Doctrine of Christian Perfection. The development of this doctrine was a life-long project for Wesley, who always held the core belief that the telos of perfection was love for God and one's neighbour. Wesley's Doctrine of Christian Perfection found its most comprehensive outline in his 1743 manuscript, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. This article will argue that Wesley's ethics, as found in his teaching and the work of the Methodist movement, are built on the view that the life of the Christian should be a journey of an ever-growing love for God and love for neighbour. This article will explore Thoughts upon Slavery as a critical text in the Wesley corpus to see how the Doctrine of Christian Perfection influenced Wesley's thoughts on slavery. Finally, this article offers a way of doing Wesleyan ethics today. Wesleyan ethics are communally understood in that all holiness is social holiness, and Wesleyan ethics have as their primary concern Wesley's charge to do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.
Decolonial Homophobia: Is Decolonisation Incompatible with LGBT+ Affirmation in Christian Ethics?
Authors: Day Caleb M.
Published: November 2023

I evaluate the argument advanced in politics and Christian ethics that I term ‘decolonial homophobia’: that decolonisation and LGBT+ affirmation are contradictory because LGBT+ rights are a global Northern phenomenon that is imperialistically imposed on the global South. I suggest one premise of the argument is valid—neo-colonial imposition of LGBT+ rights does happen and should be opposed. However, the overall argument fails because it erases or distorts diverse views and complexities of pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial history, and it tacitly supports ‘homophobic nationalism’ that is oppressive even when advanced in ostensibly decolonial causes. I grant that there are tensions within many current expressions of decolonisation and LGBT+ rights, but argue that Christians should support both decolonisation and LGBT+ rights as intersecting justice issues. I close by suggesting we listen to global Southern LGBT+ activists like Uganda's kuchus on how to navigate this tension and pursue intersectional justice in all societies.
Sub-optimal routine HIV testing rates in an urban HIV and infectious disease clinic
Authors: Salvatori Cristiana Grace , Jeyaraju Maniraj , Schmalzle Sarah Ann
Published: November 2023

Background: Routine opt-out HIV testing is central to ending the HIV epidemic, as early case finding improves outcomes and reduces transmission. Despite strong evidence-based guideline recommendations, adoption of routine opt-out testing has been sub-optimal. Methods: A survey of providers and staff at an urban HIV and infectious disease clinic assessed awareness and knowledge of guidelines, screening practices, testing barriers, and possible interventions to improve testing. Responses were compared against actual testing data. Results: 86% of survey responders reported familiarity with guideline recommendations, and 37% reported routinely offering opt-out testing to all patients. A review of presumed HIV-negative patients over a two-year period showed that 7% of eligible patients had HIV screening ordered. Despite reported awareness of recommended routine HIV testing, testing was associated with perceived risk rather than offered uniformly, and potentially hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and utilization of telemedicine visits. Provider education and electronic reminders, patient education, and rapid HIV test availability were proposed interventions to improve screening rates. Conclusions: Routine HIV testing was underutilized, with tests ordered based on perceived acquisition risk rather than offered uniformly.
Persephone at Mid-Life: Revisiting Feminist Archetypal Theory in a Personal Journey Through Menopause
Authors: Pickard Susan
Published: November 2023

This article suggests that feminist archetypal theory provides a helpful and empowering framework through which to understand embodied change as experienced in contemporary times. A mainstream approach associated with second-wave feminism, it has fallen victim to poststructuralist critiques and is rarely used, despite a renewed popularity of goddess archetypes in broader lay culture. I argue that this framework deserves revisiting as, in generating positive images and plots, it can serve as a source of empowerment and strength for women and especially so where hegemonic contemporary discourses are overwhelmingly negative and medicalised, as in the case of menopause. Using auto-ethnographic methods, I illustrate this with reference to my own lived experience of menopausal transition. Finally, and just as importantly, I show how this approach configures a different and more holistic kind of knowledge that recognises connection, relationality and communion of self, others and world, rather than separation and domination.
The Body Speaks: Art as Language
Authors: Clay Megan
Published: November 2023

The idea of the female body as a site of oppression often can seem lost in the unconscious of many women. Even now in the twenty-first century, we still live in a system that has fostered this way of thinking and acting throughout Christianity and beyond. Bringing new ways of thinking and being can prove difficult to many women who think that they are now both equal and free. Yet for those women who are aware of these challenges continue the revolution in ways that are understood by them both personally and politically. Feminist liberation theologies have long been seeking and finding tools to liberate and change the way women are seen, heard and more importantly how they see themselves. I argue that visual art is another way of giving voice to the female body and as a feminist liberation theologian and visual artist, I propose visual art and body theology are fitting companions for this venture. Bodies of knowledge are bursting to speak and relate through creative practice; this is another way of speaking and all of the arts come under this umbrella. The fluid boundaries of the arts and the use of the somatic practice of psychology will enable me to look at how bodies see, hear and remember experience through movement and dance. The new cosmology, a branch of science that has at its heart creative praxis, will help the conversation further, as it looks at fields of energy in all sentient beings including the planet itself. Thus, holding a relational quality within all of creation. I see that enabling women’s voices to communicate through the language of the visual arts opens the door to knowledge behind which has hidden the incarnational value of women’s divine being.
Enter the Crone: Wisdom and the (Ageing) Female Body
Authors: Clack Beverley
Published: November 2023

The sociologist Arthur Frank, in his discussion of chronic illness, argues that we live ‘at the will of the body’. Contemporary Western attitudes suggest, to the contrary, that the body lives ‘at the will of the mind’. This article explores the problems of adopting an overly optimistic approach that ignores the role of the body for identity. I offer, instead, an approach grounded in the pessimistic tradition in philosophy. This approach runs contrary to what we as individuals, and as a society, might like to be the case. In addition, this approach poses a challenge to some dominant strands in contemporary feminist thought, made apparent by bringing to the fore the ageing female body. It might be assumed that a pessimistic philosophy such as the one pursued in this article is wholly negative; yet, it need not be read in this way. A pessimistic perspective may well reflect a healthy realism about the universe we inhabit that, paradoxically, enables us to live more flourishing lives. As Joshua Foa Dienstag (2006), philosopher of the varieties of pessimism, writes, ‘pessimism is a terror that liberates’ (p. 178), and I suggest how this might be of use in addressing climate change.
A review on the current approach for the sustainable production of nanocomposites from agricultural wastes and their application for the adsorption of organophosphate flame retardants
Authors: Ivbanikaro Anna E , Okonkwo Jonathan O , Sadiku Emmanuel R , Maepa Charity E
Published: November 2023

Water pollution caused by emerging organic pollutants such as the halogenated organophosphate flame retardants, has exacerbated the issue of water scarcity. An eco-friendly technology, e.g., the adsorption technique, requires the use of affordable and safe adsorbents. Agricultural waste materials are promising adsorbents for wastewater remediation due to their relative abundance, biodegradability, non-toxic and cost-effective properties. However, most agricultural wastes are not ideal for adsorption in their raw forms and may require physical or chemical pre-treatments/modification, in order to increase the materials' compatibility and natural adsorption properties. Cellulose is an important constituent of plant residues that can be used as a precursor for the production of greener and sustainable industrial nanomaterials. Therefore, in this review, a discourse on the most recent approach/strategies for the modification of a range of agricultural wastes is presented. The result from their applications showed agricultural wastes has great prospects as adsorbents. The challenges encountered in the synthesis of plant-based adsorbents and the development of 3-D structured nanocomposites from cellulose, to circumvent these difficulties is extensively reviewed. Furthermore, the prospects in the application of cellulose beads/ZnO nanocomposites (CB-ZnO) derived from the maize tassel, for the adsorption of the halogenated organophosphate esters from aqueous matrices are presented in this review
Development of a Model for the Assessment of the Performance of Rural Producers’ Cooperatives: A Case Study of Isfahan Province, Iran
Authors: Najafi Maryam , Nouri Hedayat , Amini Amir Mozafar
Published: November 2023

The present study pursues a two-fold objective: to evaluate the performance of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan Province, Iran, and to develop a general model for this purpose. To develop a model for the comprehensive assessment of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan, the survey method is employed in the present descriptive-analytical study and use is made of an especially-designed questionnaire as well as the structural equation modelling. Efforts are also made to include in a most comprehensive and systematic manner all the parameters involved in rural producers’ cooperatives. The statistical population comprises all the membership and decision-making bodies (including the General Assembly, Board of Directors and Inspectors) of the cooperatives in Isfahan. The sample size as determined by Cochran’s formula comprises 375 people. Sampling is accomplished using a two-stage stratified and cluster sampling with simple random sampling included. Results indicate that 63.36% of the cooperatives investigated record a satisfactory performance and that, from among the independent variables, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) behaviour records the highest direct impact on the performance of the cooperatives. Finally, the model fit indices reveal the capability of the proposed model in performing a comprehensive assessment of rural producers’ cooperatives.
Identifying Environmental Elements and Attributes that Contribute to Indoor Wayfinding: An Exploratory Study Utilizing Think-Aloud Protocol
Authors: Jamshidi Saman , Pati Debajyoti
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the elements of the interior environment and their attributes that contribute to interior wayfinding. While the majority of the literature on wayfinding has examined specific causal relationships, few studies have systematically investigated the wayfinding process of users to uncover several environmental elements and attributes that may influence wayfinding, particularly from a qualitative approach. Thus, an exploratory research design comprising qualitative methods and quantitative descriptive techniques was adopted. Eleven participants (female, n = 6; male, n = 5) were asked to locate 12 destinations in two university buildings. The primary data types were a think-aloud protocol and digital video recording. Findings showed that the environmental elements that contributed to wayfinding were landmarks, corridors, nodes, regions, stairs, central spaces, courtyards, entrances, connecting halls, voids, doors, interior windows, and outdoor views. The attributes of identified environmental elements that influence wayfinding are reported. The outcomes of the present study are expected to further our theoretical understanding of the phenomena and provide a foundation for additional investigations to develop guidelines and recommendations for design decision-making in practice.
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee
Authors: Bell Lacrecia Mebans
Published: November 2023

In her book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, historian Heather McGhee tallies the cost of racism and identifies a zero-sum thinking for everyone who engages in the us-versus-them ideology. Chronicling racial hierarchy dating back to colonial America, McGhee uncovers the impact of racism in almost every societal sector including politics, the economy, education, housing, criminal justice, and climate change. McGhee challenges the fallacy that racial equity is only for people of color, demonstrating that political, socioeconomic, and financial equity for Black and Brown people is equity for all people.
The Lived Experience of African American Persons with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Ladores Sigrid , Woods Brittany M , Pitts Leslie N , Belay Deyana , Washington Lauren , Bray Leigh Ann
Published: November 2023

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 people in the United States (US). African American persons with CF are even rarer, comprising approximately 5% of this population. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American persons with CF to identify potential disparities in health care. Methods: Descriptive phenomenology was used to explore lived experiences of African American persons with CF over age 18 recruited from CF Foundation-accredited Centers in the US, CF-specific social media, and via snowball sampling. Study data was obtained through telephone interviews that were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Colaizzi's method of thematic analysis. Results: Six men and six women (ages 23–45) completed the study. Interviews revealed three themes: (1) Accepting a Diagnosis of CF; (2) Desiring a Normal Life while Living with an Invisible Disease; and 3) A Slippery Slope of Subtle Racism. Each theme had 2–3 subthemes. Conclusions: It is critical to explore the unique challenges faced by African American persons with CF in order to develop interventions that improve their daily lives and create better futures. Implications for Practice: Findings highlight the unique challenges faced by underrepresented groups with CF and the need to address health inequities to improve care delivery.
Dynamic continualization of masonry-like structured materials
Authors: Diana Vito , Bacigalupo Andrea , Gambarotta Luigi
Published: November 2023

Block-lattice materials featuring periodic planar running-bond tessellation of regular rigid blocks and linear elastic homogeneous isotropic interfaces are considered. The governing equations of the discrete masonry-like Lagrangian model are properly manipulated via the novel enhanced continualization scheme, in such a way as to obtain equivalent integral type non-local continua, whose band structure turns out to be coincident with that of the corresponding discrete models. The formal Taylor series expansion of the integral kernels allows deriving homogeneous generalized micropolar higher-order continuum models, characterized by non-local constitutive and inertial terms. The enhanced continualization exhibits thermodynamic consistency in the definition of the overall non-local constitutive tensors, as well as qualitative agreement and quantitative convergent matching of the complex frequency band structure in the regime of both homogeneous and non-homogeneous Bloch waves. The theoretical findings are effectively validated by studying the dispersion relations and the spatial attenuation properties, as referred to realistic representative cases of masonry-like block-lattice micro-structures.
New mountain ridge modes in a film/substrate bilayer
Authors: Fu Yuxin , Wang Yuesheng , Fu Yibin
Published: November 2023

This article is concerned with the buckling of a film-substrate bilayer in a state of plane strain when it is subjected to a uni-axial compression along its free surface. Previous numerical simulations have indicated that pre-stretching the substrate in such a bilayer may lead to the formation of a mountain ridge mode as a secondary bifurcation. We present a scenario in which such a localized mode is also possible as a first bifurcation. It is first shown through a linear bifurcation analysis that by applying a pre-compression to the substrate, the stretch [Formula: see text] versus wavenumber [Formula: see text] may develop a local minimum in addition to the local maximum that already exists in the absence of a pre-compression when the film is stiffer than the substrate. As a result, the [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text] may become larger than the local maximum if the pre-compression exceeds a threshold value, and hence becomes the critical stretch for bifurcation. This case is considered in this article, and it is shown through a weakly nonlinear analysis that multiple long wavelength modes may bifurcate subcritically from the uniform solution and quickly localize in the form of a mountain ridge. The solutions thus found are probably unstable, but form an essential part in the understanding of the global bifurcation behavior. It is hoped that our analytical results will guide future numerical simulations and experimental studies.
Sergeant Coffee Needs You: Evaluation of a Police Officer Bystander Intervention Program
Authors: Pelfrey William V.
Published: November 2023

Police encounters with suspects may produce unfortunate outcomes, particularly when defiance of authority leads to usage of force. Application of excessive force may be interrupted, or obviated by the actions of bystander officers who become intervening officers. This study evaluated officer and supervisor perceptions of a training program which taught intervention strategies and tactics to help officers intervene with other officers to prevent harm. Data were collected very early in program implementation and approximately one year later. Survey data were collected with officers and qualitative focus groups were conducted with officers and supervisors. Findings indicate a marked change in perceptions by officers. Both quantitative and qualitative findings collected in early phase indicate a high degree of officer resistance. Late phase data indicate significantly higher endorsement of officer intervention strategies and participants reported higher frequencies of intervening with other officers. Findings suggest officer-based de-escalation and intervention training warrants implementation consideration from agency decision makers.
Examination of Maternal Allostatic Load Among Postpartum Women With Distinct Postpartum Symptom Typologies
Authors: Scroggins Jihye Kim , Yang Qing , Dotters-Katz Sarah K. , Brandon Debra , Reuter-Rice Karin
Published: November 2023

Background

An increased allostatic load (cumulative physiologic wear and tear of the body) can lead to adverse health outcomes. Symptom experiences are known to influence allostatic load. Yet, the relationships between postpartum symptom typologies and maternal allostatic load remain unknown.

Methods

We used Community Child Health Network data and included participants with allostatic load data at 6, 12, or 24 months postpartum. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine associations between postpartum symptom typologies and (a) overall allostatic load, (b) allostatic load subscales for body systems (neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory), and (c) individual biomarkers within the subscale.

Results

Overall allostatic load at 12 months postpartum was different by symptom typologies before ( p = .042) and after adjusting for confounders ( p = .029). Postpartum women in typology 5 ( high overall) had the highest adjusted overall allostatic load (M = 4.18, SE = .27). At 12 months, adjusted allostatic load for the cardiovascular subscale was higher in typologies 3 ( moderate-high sleep symptoms, M = 1.78, SE = .13) and 5 ( high overall, M = 1.80, SE = .17). Within the cardiovascular subscale, those in typology 3 had higher adjusted odds for a clinically significant level of pulse rate (aOR = 2.01, CI = 1.22, 3.31).

Conclusion

Postpartum women who experienced high symptom severity across all symptoms (typology 5) at 6 months had higher overall allostatic load at 12 months postpartum. Typologies 3 and 5 had the highest symptom severity in sleep-related symptoms and higher cardiovascular subscale scores. Postpartum symptom management should target symptom burden in an effort to reduce allostatic load thereby improving postpartum women’s health outcomes.
Cardioprotection of Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), Wood Apple (Limonia acidissima) and Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity and Oxidative Stress in Rat Model
Authors: Mukta Maisha Majid , Hossain Md. Jamal , Akter Mousumi , Banik Badhan , Mithun MD. Mahbub Zaman , Sarwar Sneha , Arefin Md. Saidul , Islam Md. Rabiul , Islam Sheikh Nazrul
Published: November 2023

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacological efficacy of 3 functional foods (Water spinach, Wood apple, and Linseed) against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and oxidative stress in rat models.

Methods:

Twenty-five Wistar Albino rats (male and female) were equally classified into 5 groups. Except for the normal control (NC) group, the animals received 2.5 mg/kg doxorubicin (DOX) intra-peritoneal injection at 48 hours intervals to create a dose of 15 mg/kg overall for 14 days. Simply a standard diet was given to the NC and DOX groups. In the 3 treatment groups such as water spinach (DOX + WS), wood apple (DOX + WA), and linseed (DOX + LS), rats were given 14 gm/day/rat fried water spinach, mashed wood apple, roasted linseed, respectively mixed with regular rat diet at 1:1 ratio. Blood and heart samples were collected by sacrificing all the rats on the last of the experiment day (the 15th day). LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), CK-MB (creatine kinase myocardial band), MDA (malondialdehyde), and SOD (superoxide dismutase) were analyzed. Additionally, histopathological analysis was conducted for final observation.

Results:

The functional foods were indicated to lower the serum cardiac biomarkers (LDH and CK-MB) as well as stress marker (MDA) significantly ( P < .05) and improved heart function and oxidative stress. However, the change in serum SOD level was noted as statistically insignificant ( P > .05). The biochemical outcomes of the food intervention groups were supported by the histological findings found in those groups.

Conclusion:

Consuming the investigated foods containing antioxidant phytochemicals may combat cardiac toxicity and oxidative stress. Nonetheless, thorough investigations and clinical monitoring are required to understand these functional foods’ mechanism of action and dose-response effects in treating cardiotoxicity and oxidative stress.
Reconstructing and Deconstructing Neighborhoods: Horizontality, Materialities, and Struggles in the Case of Pinheirinho do Palmares district, Brazil
Authors: Machado Igor José de Renó , Barretti Fabrício dos Santos
Published: November 2023

Based on an ethnography developed with social movements derived from the eviction process of an old popular district in the city of São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil, we analyze how an idea of neighborship is applied to the processes of struggle and their outcomes. In 2004, a land of over 1,000,000 m2, owned by a bankrupt industry, was occupied by an entire district of over 5,000 people. This “illegal” occupation had been going on for almost 8 years when a court decision ordered the land to be vacated. The case of the Pinheirinho dos Palmares neighborhood, as it was known, became an emblematic example of Brazilian housing policies, with its violent eviction drawing the entire country’s attention. This article deals with the struggles that the evicted residents started and that resulted, at the end of almost 5 years, in the construction of a new district by the state, based on a new housing program. We are going to analyze how concerns about organizing the new neighborship from the old neighborhood relations were fundamental in the geographical and architectural production of the new district. The article seeks to intertwine the notions of resistance and neighborship, responsible for the new configuration of the district.
L2 Vocabulary learning from reading: Effects of word-focused activity type, learner variables, and announcement
Authors: Kang Hyeonah , Fedzechkina Masha , Nicol Janet
Published: November 2023

Classroom studies have shown that learning new vocabulary from reading can be enhanced if the reading task is followed by a word-focused activity, such as a fill-in-the-blank activity. However, little is known about: (1) whether a post-reading word-focused activity can also positively affect vocabulary uptake in out-of-classroom contexts when there is no instructor support, (2) whether vocabulary gains differ based on proficiency levels, and (3) whether awareness of an upcoming post-reading word-focused activity influences learning gains. The present study addresses these issues by having native (high-proficient) or nonnative (L2 high-intermediate) English speakers read a narrative containing 16 recurring non-word target items. Within each proficiency group, one subgroup of participants was instructed that they would be given the word-focused activity after they finished reading, another subgroup was not. Participants then engaged in a word-focused activity that involved either the non-word target items or real words from the narrative. Finally, all participants were given a vocabulary test. We found that, compared to the real-word activity, the target-item activity led to significantly greater vocabulary gains, especially for the L2 high-intermediate learners, regardless of whether or not participants were forewarned of an upcoming word-focused activity.
Disability stereotyping is shaped by stigma characteristics
Authors: Granjon Marine , Rohmer Odile , Popa-Roch Maria , Aubé Benoite , Sanrey Camille
Published: November 2023

The literature suggests that people with invisible disabilities face more social difficulties than those with visible ones. Thus, the visibility criterion can constitute a core factor to understand the stigmatisation of people with disabilities. The main aim of this research is to examine if the “warm but incompetent” stereotype associated with disability varies according to the visibility criterion. A complementary aim is to investigate how taking onset controllability into account can help to understand the stereotyping faced by people with a disability. To do this, we conducted four studies, using between- (pilot study) and within-subject (Studies 1a, 1b, and 2) designs. Our results consistently support the hypothesis that stereotypes associated with disabilities vary according to visibility. Specifically, people with invisible disabilities are perceived to be less warm but more competent than those with visible disabilities. Furthermore, more surprisingly, perceived controllability increases both warmth and competence perceptions. These findings highlight the importance of considering the characteristics of a disability to understand stigmatisation.
Cyclic performance of prefabricated composite shear stud connectors for accelerated bridge construction
Authors: Li Chengjun , Heng Junlin , Zhou Zhixiang , Zhan Yulin , Dong You
Published: November 2023

This study examines the cyclic shear-slip performance of a novel prefabricated composite shear stud (PCSS) connector designed for accelerated bridge construction (ABC) of composite structures. An in-depth experimental procedure is employed involving the design and fabrication of four push-out specimens with two different stud configurations. The specimens are then tested under both monotonic and cyclic-to-monotonic loading protocols. Upon completion of the testing phase, a meticulous inspection of the fractography is conducted to delineate and qualify the failure mode of the PCSS connectors. Simultaneously, a comprehensive shear-slip curve is derived from the measured data, enabling a detailed analysis over the mechanical performance. Furthermore, the study calculates a series of deformation-associated indicators from the shear-slip curve, effectively quantifying the ductility, recoverability, and capacity of the PCSS. The test results accentuate a well-deformed and ductile failure mode of the tested PCSS specimens, marked by the stud fracture and crushing of surrounding concrete. This could be attributed to the constraint of vertical plates of the PCSS on the concrete, which improves the capacity and recoverability of the PCSS. Whereas, the performance of the PCSS is also notably influenced by the group nail effect, for which the ductility and per-stud capacity degrade with the increase in the number of studs. Especially, the PCSS specimen exhibits full elastic-to-plastic hysteresis loops under cyclic loads, together with the satisfied ductility, implying an excellent potential of the PCSS to dissipate energy under impact loads. In addition, the PCSS displays a robust stiffness across different cyclic loading blocks. Hence, satisfactory post-damage ductility has still been observed in the PCSS under the monotonic loading after the cyclic loading. In conclusion, this work elucidates the superiority of the PCSS in terms of capacity, ductility, and recoverability, providing a promising basis for their application in the accelerated construction of composite bridges.
A comprehensive description and application of the FloodW simulation code for flooded ship problems: From still water to irregular wave scenarios
Authors: Acanfora Maria , Altosole Marco , Coppola Tommaso , Martino Riccardo
Published: November 2023

This paper provides a compendium of the numerical model that goes under the name of FloodW. This code is a fast tool for the simulation and the analysis of the effects of flooding water on ship dynamics and loads in time domain, developed for safety purposes. It has been recently involved in the international benchmark study on simulation of flooding and motions of damaged Ropax vessels within the EU Horizon 2020 project FLARE, where the name FloodW was given for the first time. Indeed, the development of the code started almost 10 years ago for still water applications, limited to ship motions, up to flooding simulation in regular waves with the possibility to study also non-linear hull girder loads. The core feature of the flooding water modeling is in the assumption of a free surface normal to the apparent gravity vector, which is evaluated accounting for ship and water dynamics. Although this approach, from validations with experimental data, was found accurate in the whole range of filling levels of the damaged compartment, with finer accuracy for intermediate fillings, an alternative method was also proposed and implemented, pertinent to low filling levels. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive description of the FloodW code together with its applications, including also the recent developments in participating to the benchmark FLARE, regarding ship flooding in irregular wave scenario.
The Pink Doughnut Sign—A Clinical Clue to Recognize Basal Cell Carcinoma Presenting as Chronic Leg Ulcer
Authors: Madanchi Matiar , Müller Alina , Zehnder Mara Lynda , Müller Simon Mirari
Published: November 2023

Chronic lower leg ulcers (LLUs) are a very common and associated with a high subjective and economic burden. They can be caused by a variety of factors. We have observed a common clinical feature in patients suffering from LLUs, which ultimately proved to be basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). We have nicknamed this sign “the pink doughnut sign.” The pink doughnut sign can aid in the early recognition of such BCCs, which is crucial to prevent unnecessary suffering, treatment costs, and poor local outcomes.
Increasing the Volume of Outpatient Total Joint Arthroplasty Procedures: An Evaluation of a Novel Rapid Recovery Pathway Program Within an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Gebrelul Aaron , Malhotra Shiv , Sigueza Anna L. , Singer Esme , Ast Michael P. , Sheth Neil P.
Published: November 2023

Background:

There has been a national trend toward shifting joint arthroplasty procedures to the outpatient setting. These cases are often performed in freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), which are often not accessible to surgeons within academic practices.

Purposes:

We sought to investigate a novel rapid recovery program used to transition arthroplasty patients to an outpatient-based care system within an academic medical center.

Methods:

All patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty between November 2019 and April 2021 were retrospectively evaluated for their eligibility for a rapid recovery pathway through the Extended Stay Unit (ESU) based on clinical and social criteria. Once admitted, patients were evaluated for whether they were discharged from the unit or if hospital admission was necessary.

Results:

Out of the 444 patients deemed candidates for the rapid recovery program, 188 patients were admitted to the ESU (42.3%); 18 (9.6%) required inpatient hospital admission, with the majority of these due to failing physical therapy (16; 88.9%). Of the ESU patients who were successfully discharged home, 55 (32.4%) were discharged on postoperative day (POD) 0 and 115 (67.6%) on POD 1 (<23 hours).

Conclusion:

As total joint arthroplasties shift toward the outpatient setting, surgeons in academic institutions must employ strategies to increase their volume of patient candidates for outpatient procedures. Our retrospective study of prospectively collected data suggests the feasibility of creating a separate rapid recovery unit within the hospital that can be an effective method by which to eventually transition to the ASC setting.
Simulation investigates on operation characteristics of free piston internal combustion generator
Authors: Yubo Meng , Yuchun Huang , Haishu Ma , Yunfu Dong , Long Li
Published: November 2023

To study the influence of the free piston generator structure on its stable operation, this paper chose the combining mathematical and physical methods to build a simulation model to investigate the influence factors. According to the dynamic and thermodynamic equation, the mathematical model of the free piston internal combustion generator system was established. the simulation model was built with the help of MATLAB/Simulink software, and the validity of the model was verified. Based on this, the influences of ignition position and piston group mass on the operation characteristics of free piston generator were investigated. The simulation results show that the factors such as ignition position, piston group mass have significant effects on the compression ratio, cylinder pressure, maximum acceleration, etc. of the free piston generator, which provides a theoretical basis for the stable operation control of the free piston internal combustion generator.
How news media visually dehumanize victims of humanitarian crises through framing disparities: A quantitative comparative analysis
Authors: Xu Zhe , Zhang Mengrong
Published: November 2023

News images have been powerful agents in chronicling humanitarian crises, shaping public engagement with vulnerability, and inhibiting or supporting societal and political interactions. Research critically indicates that refugees frequently face dehumanizing visuals in news media. However, the humanitarian communication literature has primarily limited itself to surveying the vulnerability of the global South as visualized by Western media. This study addresses this gap by employing an inductive-then-deductive framing approach to compare how the news media in the UK, the US, and China visually depict the humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine. The analysis shows that the way humanitarian crises are visualized in the news media is influenced by journalism culture across media systems and the geographical origins of suffering. The UK and US media perpetuate a post-humanitarian routine of cultural assimilation, while Chinese authoritarian media instrumentalize distant humanitarian crises for geopolitical purposes, both reinforcing the visual dehumanization of humanitarian vulnerability.
IBD barriers across the continents – East Asia
Authors: Mak Joyce Wing Yan , Ho Agnes Hiu Yan , Ng Siew Chien
Published: November 2023

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic illnesses with significant morbidities and impact on patients’ quality of life. There has been a rapid increase in the incidence of IBD in East Asia in recent decades. However, there is a huge unmet need in the diagnosis and management of IBD in this region. With the increasing awareness of IBD in East Asia and a persistently high rate of tuberculosis in this region, this poses a significant challenge in the diagnosis and management of IBD. In this review, we will explore the barriers to the diagnosis and management of IBD in the East Asia, hoping to provide an insight on how to improve the healthcare system in the management of this complex disease.
Cemiplimab combined with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: an updated EMPOWER-Lung 3 trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Zhu Gaofeng , Cai Hongfu , Zheng Zhiwei
Published: November 2023

Objective:

Cemiplimab combined with chemotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment option for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Accordingly, this study has been conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of this combination therapy in comparison to chemotherapy alone from the perspective of the United States healthcare system.

Methods:

The present study is based on a partitioned survival model developed from clinical data obtained during the 2-year follow-up of the phase III EMPOWER-Lung 3 part 2 trial. The purpose of this investigation is to estimate the 10-year life expectancy and total healthcare costs of patients with advanced NSCLC by leveraging primary outcomes that evaluated costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).To establish the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold for the analysis, a value of $150,000/QALY was adopted. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the impact of varying levels of uncertainty on the results of this study.

Results:

When compared to chemotherapy alone, the addition of cemiplimab to chemotherapy has been demonstrated to result in an incremental gain of 1.593 QALY at an additional cost of $109351.298. This equates to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $68644.883/QALY. One-way sensitivity analyses were conducted on the model, which acknowledged the influence of several parameters, such as subsequent costs, the utility of progressive disease, the cost of best supportive care, the cost of cemiplimab per mg, and the utility of progression-free survival on the outcomes. Nonetheless, none of these parameters yielded an ICER lower than the WTP threshold.

Conclusions:

From the perspective of the United States healthcare system, the utilization of cemiplimab in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment option for NSCLC appears to be a cost-effective approach as compared to using chemotherapy as a standalone therapy.