bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decadal Enhancement in the Effect of El Niño in the Decaying Stage on the Pre–Flood Season Precipitation over Southern China
Authors: Gao Chujie , Li Gen
Published: September 2023

The abundant precipitation over Southern China during the pre–flood season (PFS) [i.e., April–June (AMJ)] has important socioeconomic impacts on this densely populated region. Using observational and reanalyzed datasets, this study explores how El Niño affected the subsequent PFS precipitation over Southern China during 1961–2020. The results show that the El Niño–related anomalies in sea surface temperature forced a northwestern Pacific anomalous anticyclone (NPAAC) in the decaying AMJ. This NPAAC featured southwesterly wind anomalies in its northwestern flank, which could transport moisture from the South China Sea, and accompanying the NPAAC there was abnormal descending motion over the tropical western Pacific, resulting in weakened regional Hadley circulation with abnormal ascending motion over subtropical East Asia. Before the 1990s, this abnormal ascending motion was located mainly to the east of Southern China with insignificant impacts on the PFS precipitation there. In contrast, after the early 1990s, El Niño–related warm sea surface temperature anomalies were stronger and longer-lasting with westward extension. This enhanced the NPAAC with a decadal westward extension, and consequently, the anomalous regional Hadley circulation was more evident over Southern China after the early 1990s during the El Niño decaying AMJ, causing strong abnormal upward motion and excessive precipitation there. The present results emphasize an enhancing influence of El Niño on the subsequent PFS precipitation over Southern China since the early 1990s, offering better understanding of the interannual precipitation variability over Southern China and with important implications for regional seasonal climate prediction.

Significance Statement

The precipitation over Southern China during the pre–flood season (PFS) contributes between 40% and 50% of the local annual precipitation, with severe floods occurring frequently and tremendous socioeconomic impacts on the region, including on its agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems, disaster mitigation, infrastructure construction, and human health. This study reveals a decadal enhancement in the effect of El Niño on the subsequent PFS precipitation over Southern China since the early 1990s. This is ascribed to a decadal enhancement of El Niño–related warm sea surface temperature anomalies over the equatorial central Pacific, as a result of El Niño warming occurring more frequently over the central Pacific against the backdrop of global warming. To the extent that the central Pacific El Niño events would occur even more frequently for the projected future warming scenarios, a stronger effect of El Niño on the PFS precipitation over Southern China would be expected, implying potentially enhanced seasonal predictability of the regional climate in the future.
On Becoming And Being A Subject Of Sexual Desire
Authors: Harkless Lynne
Published: September 2023

Emergent erotic desire, it is proposed, becomes represented in the mind and body through identification with caregivers as subjects of desire. Here the focus within desire is on erotic desire for another person, both desire for and the wish to be desirable to particular others. Children are seen to identify with caregivers’ modes of embodying erotic desire for others (including ways of moving, dressing, relating, and so on that they fantasize as expressing erotic desire for others) in order to represent, psychically and bodily, their emerging erotic desire. These identifications— desire identifications—have a role in representing desire for others that is comparable to the role played by gender identifications in the representation of gender. Embodiments of desire for others, it is argued, are distinguishable (momentarily) from embodiments of masculinity and femininity. These embodiments of desire are routinely characterized, erroneously, as masculinity or femininity by caregivers and culture, and this misrecognition of desire for others as gender is traumatic to the self in its formation as a subject of desire. An extended clinical case is presented to illustrate how desire identifications might arise in the analytic dyad, relationally, bodily, and erotically in the transference-countertransference.
Did the prevalence of depressive symptoms change during the COVID-19 pandemic? A multilevel analysis on longitudinal data from healthcare workers
Authors: Hoffmann Stephanie , Schulze Susanne , Löffler Antje , Becker Juliane , Hufert Frank , Gremmels Heinz-Detlef , Holmberg Christine , Rapp Michael A , Entringer Sonja , Spallek Jacob
Published: September 2023

Background:

Healthcare workers (HCW) are at high risk to develop mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic because of additional work load, perceived stress, and exposure to patients with COVID-19. Currently, there are few studies on change over time in the prevalence of depressive symptoms during pandemic start among HCW. Thus, the aims of the current study were to examine whether depressive symptoms increased during the pandemic and were associated with perceived stress and own COVID-19 infection and workplace exposure to virus-infected patients.

Methods:

The cohort study used longitudinal data from HCW collected monthly (July 2020 till December 2020) during the first year of the pandemic before vaccination became available. The sample of n = 166 was drawn from a German hospital and included medical (e.g. nurses, therapists, and physicians) and administrative staff. Using multilevel models, we analyzed the change in depressive symptoms [assessed with General Depression Scale (GDS), a validated German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)] and its association with perceived stress across the study period. Laboratory-confirmed own infection was tested as a potential moderator in this context. Subscales of the GDS were used to examine change over time of depressive symptom modalities (e.g. emotional, somatic, and social interactions (β, 95% confidence interval).

Results:

Depression scores increased significantly during the study period (β = .03, 95% CI [0.02, 0.05]). Perceived stress was associated with depressive symptoms (β = .12, 95% CI [0.10, 0.14]) but did not change over time. Exposure to COVID-19 infection was associated with a higher increase of depressive symptoms (β = .12, 95% CI [0.10, .14]). Somatic symptoms of depression increased among medical HCW with workplace exposure to COVID-19 (β = .25, 95% CI [0.13, 0.38]), but not in administrators (β = .03, 95% CI [−0.04, 0.11]).

Conclusion:

Research is needed to identify factors that promote the reduction of depressive symptoms in medical HCW with exposition to COVID-19 patients. Awareness of infection protection measures should be increased.
Advances in Rights-Based Connections of Land and Migration Governance in Africa: Systematic Review of Research Needs and Policy Responses
Authors: Adam Achamyeleh Gashu
Published: September 2023

The importance of land access for migrants as a key integrating factor has gained attention in academia and research. It is also obvious that land policy and governance frameworks are crucial for determining land access for migrants. However, little is known about the extent of policy and governance frameworks in addressing migrants’ access to land in Africa. Moreover, the existing body of research on examining the nexus between land and migration governance is limited. Finally, the review shows that land and migration are largely treated unconnectedly in Africa and has failed to address land access to migrants.
Free-edge effects at circular holes in composite laminates under hygrothermomechanical load
Authors: Kharghani Navid , Mittelstedt Christian
Published: September 2023

In this paper, the free-edge effects which play an important role in the failure analysis of composite laminates are studied. Pure temperature change and its combination with biaxial tension are investigated for a composite plate with a centric circular hole that is adequately small in comparison to the dimension of the plate. Moreover, the laminate is assumed to be thin, the temperature change of all points of the plate is identical and the biaxial tensile load is applied far from the center of the hole. For this purpose, a semi-analytical method based on a two-dimensional thermoelastic boundary layer theory and a minimum potential energy principle is proposed. It is shown that the present method predicts the interlaminar peeling and shear stresses surrounding the hole with good agreement compared to the results obtained by FEM analysis.
Electro-mechanical behavior of multi-functional glass fiber composites under dynamic Mode-I fracture loading
Authors: Sousa Richard , Chalivendra Vijaya
Published: September 2023

An experimental study was performed to investigate damage sensing and fracture toughness of multifunctional conductive glass fiber composites under dynamic mode-I fracture loading. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were dispersed within the epoxy matrix using a shear mixing and sonicating process. An electrostatic wet flocking process was used to reinforce milled short PAN-based carbon fibers onto each of the layers of glass fiber fabric along the thickness direction in the composites. These layers of flocked fabric were stacked, and a vacuum infusion process was employed to fabricate the composites. The parametric study consisted of two carbon fiber lengths (80 μm and 150 μm) and two fiber densities (1000 fibers/mm2 and 2000 fibers/mm2) and was performed to investigate the damage sensing capabilities of a three-dimensional conductive network generated through CNTs and carbon fibers. A double cantilever beam (DCB) configuration was considered, and a modified Hopkinson pressure bar setup along with a high-speed camera was used to investigate dynamic fracture toughness of the composites. The piezo-resistance response of the composites during dynamic fracture was measured using a modified system of four probes. For comparison, composites were also characterized for fracture toughness and piezo-resistance under quasi-static fracture loading conditions. The addition of short, milled PAN-based carbon fibers significantly increased the fracture toughness of glass/epoxy composites. The piezo-resistance response of the composites was easily correlated with instances of sudden crack growth during static fracture loading.
Collective bargaining and low-paid women workers: The promise of supported bargaining
Authors: Charlesworth Sara , Macdonald Fiona
Published: September 2023

This paper assesses the promise of the supported bargaining (SB) stream of multi-employer bargaining to address persistently low wages in feminised industries. Introduced in 2022 amendments to Australia's Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the SB stream replaces the failed low-paid bargaining stream which also sought to widen access to collective bargaining for low-paid workers. We outline the substantive changes introduced by the SB stream: in the contexts of the historical failure of enterprise bargaining to achieve wage increases for women workers; and of gender equality reforms introduced in the 2022 amendments. In assessing the SB stream's potential, we highlight the less restrictive criteria for inclusion and a more active role for the Fair Work Commission in approving and facilitating multi-employer bargaining. We conclude that the continuing primacy of single-enterprise bargaining in the Fair Work Act, the restriction of SB to multi-employer rather than sector-wide bargaining, and the weakness of underpinning awards will limit the effectiveness of SB in achieving meaningful pay increases in feminised sectors. However, the 2022 gender equality reforms offer other potential mechanisms to address low wages in feminised industries, both in wage-setting in annual minimum wage reviews and in award variations through equal remuneration or work value claims.
Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation in Psychological Research: Exploring Data Trends & Researcher Opinions
Authors: Lefler Elizabeth K. , Tabler Jennifer , Abu-Ramadan Tamara M. , Stevens Anne E. , Serrano Judah W. , Shelton Christopher R. , Hartung Cynthia M.
Published: September 2023

Psychology researchers have historically neglected variables related to sex, gender, and sexual orientation, leading to the erasure of sex, gender, and sexual orientation in research, which limits the generalizability of psychological findings. We argue that these important variables need to be considered more consistently by researchers across psychology subdisciplines. In Study 1 we found that 15.1% of a large MTurk sample (i.e., 8500+) identified as a sexual or gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer [LGBTQ+]). In addition, data from Study 1 showed that our youngest cohort (i.e., aged 18–25 years) reported significantly higher rates of LGBTQ+ identification (22.7%) than our oldest cohort (i.e., 65–84 years; 1.3%), suggesting that endorsement of these idnetities is increasing. Next, in Study 2 we found that psychology researchers ( N = 135) tended to rate expansive sex, gender, and sexual orientation demographic variables as important in general, but were much less likely to report actually using these variables in their own studies. Moreover, younger faculty and faculty who identified as women rated these variables as more important than their colleagues. Based on our findings, we conclude that psychology researchers should use expansive sex, gender, and sexual orientation items in their studies, report these demographic variables consistently, and analyze their data by these important variables when possible. Because a substantial and growing proportion of individuals identify as LGBTQ+, and because SGM identity is related to additional life stressors, it is imperative to better understand these individuals. Various resources are offered and challenges are discussed.
Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Donor Site Morbidity Questionnaire Into Turkish
Authors: Arin-Bal Gamze , Kinikli Gizem Irem , Bozgeyik Sibel , Tan Firat , Turhan Egemen , Guney-Deniz Hande
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to translate the ACL Donor Site Morbidity (ACL-DSM) questionnaire into Turkish and assess the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the ACL-DSM questionnaire (ACL-DSM-Tr) among individuals following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The process involved forward and back-translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the ACL-DSM-Tr questionnaire on ninety-nine patients (mean age 30.73 ± 8.55 years). Participants completed ACL-DSM-Tr, International Knee Documentary Committee (IKDC) subjective form, ACL Return to Sport (ACL-RSI), and Forgotten Joint Scale (FJS) questionnaires. The internal consistency, reliability, and validity of the ACL-DSM-Tr were analyzed. The ACL-DSM-Tr demonstrated a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha .755) and excellent test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation r = .811, p < .001; Cronbach’s alpha .890). The ACL-DSM-Tr score exhibited a strong positive correlation with the IKDC score (r = .690, p < .001) and a moderate positive correlation with the FJS score (r = .535, p < .001). Despite a fair correlation between ACL-DSM-Tr and ACL- RSI subgroup scores, no significant correlation was observed with the ACL-RSI total score ( p = .297). In conclusion, the ACL-DSM-Tr demonstrated internal consistency, reliability, and validity in patients with ACL reconstruction. This questionnaire has the potential to yield significant benefits in monitoring patient satisfaction and evaluating the level of comfort experienced at the donor site following ACL reconstruction.
How Principals’ Knowledge and Experiences Inform Their Use of Restorative in Lieu of Exclusionary Practices
Authors: Watkins Linda , Lowery Kendra
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences and knowledge that informed the decision-making of nine principals from a large midwestern urban district who shifted from implementing mainly exclusionary to restorative practices. Framed by Lederach's conflict transformation theory, the research question was: What knowledge and experiences informed school principals’ shifts toward a commitment to restorative practices? Analysis of semi-structured interviews yielded two themes: (1) The importance of professional development and (2) Shifting from punitive toward student-centered thinking. Findings and implications shed light on how to best support principals to shift their lenses towards restorative practices in schools.
Impact of COVID-19 on food behavior and diet in Qatar: A cross-sectional survey on the Omicron variant
Authors: Ben Hassen Tarek , Baya Chatti Chedli , El Bilali Hamid
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The emergence of the Omicron variant in November 2021 appears to have impacted food-related activities and behaviors and caused disruptions in food supply systems. Accordingly, this article aims to explore the effects of the Omicron variant on consumers’ food-related behaviors in Qatar.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is based on an online survey performed in Qatar in December 2021 and January 2022. The survey consisted of 23 questions arranged into three sections, including both multiple-choice and one-option items. There were 459 valid responses in total.

Findings

The Omicron variant has altered diets and food shopping in Qatar. Indeed, the findings indicated (i) consumers in Qatar are shopping less often and purchasing more each trip; (ii) an increase in food online shopping; (iii) an increase in the use of online applications to buy ready-made food; and (iv) an increase in the consumption of healthy foods, especially immunity-boosting ones. Furthermore, consumers’ awareness and general understanding regarding the virus, its transmission, food safety risks, etc., have evolved. On the one hand, consumers take precautionary measures to protect themselves. On the other hand, they are learning to live with the virus.

Originality

This research, along with subsequent ones, will provide the foundation for institutional and governmental readiness in the face of potential shocks, crises, and pandemics. The repercussions of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine on food systems throughout the globe (cf. food prices increase) imply that it's a crucial and pressing issue that needs immediate attention.
Distracted Children? Nighttime Smartphone Use, Children’s Attentional Problems, and School Performance Over Time
Authors: Stevic Anja , Schmuck Desirée , Thomas Marina F. , Karsay Kathrin , Matthes Jörg
Published: September 2023

During early adolescence children are increasingly using their smartphones not only throughout the day, but also before or even during the nighttime. Prior research has revealed that children’s school performance might suffer because of late-night smartphone use. To gain a further understanding of the consequences of nighttime smartphone use on school performance, this study set out to examine whether children’s nighttime smartphone use is associated with children’s attentional problems over time and with their achieved and subjective school performance. We tested these associations using a two-wave panel study among children aged 10–14 years and one of their parents (parent-child pairs, N Time2 = 384). The findings revealed that children’s nighttime smartphone use was positively related to parent-reported perceptions of children’s attentional problems over time which were negatively related to both subjective and achieved school performance. We discuss the implications of these results for the regulation of children’s smartphone use at night.
Longitudinal impacts of pre-existing inequalities and social environmental changes on life recovery: Results of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake recovery studies
Authors: Tatsuki Shigeo , Kawami Fuminori
Published: September 2023

Nearly 50 years of disaster research findings have been accumulated on how pre-existing vulnerability/inequality as well as post-event environmental changes affect the long-term recovery process. While most previous studies have been based on cross-sectional survey results, more recently, studies based on longitudinal surveys have been reported. By following the trajectories of individual recoveries, longitudinal studies allow for a more rigorous analysis of factors related to better recovery. They can also provide findings based on causal inference analysis with a higher level of evidence for factors affecting recovery. This article reviews the results from longitudinal studies conducted over a 10-year period after the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, respectively. The findings are integrated into two broad categories: (1) correlational studies, which investigated factors associated with specific patterns of recovery trajectories, such as stagnation, and (2) causal inference studies, in which evidence is provided on the effect of specific factors on better recovery trajectories. Based on these reviews, a refined model of long-term disaster recovery processes is proposed. The key point of the model illustrates that there are pre-existing vulnerabilities/inequalities and post-disaster social environmental changes that make a longitudinal impact upon both subjective and objective measures of individual and collective recovery. The current review showed such pre-existing vulnerability/inequality variables as smaller size households with older aged, female heads of the household, mental and/or physical health issues, disabilities, unemployment due to disaster, low income, and a lack of social support network. The review also extends domain-knowledge-based inferences to those individuals whose traits/characteristics were not overtly covered. Regarding post-disaster social environmental changes, the improvements in housing, physical and mental health, livelihood as well as community and personal social ties showed evidence to cause upward recovery trajectories. A case study of Chinese community recovery was presented as an example of how these predictor variables were acted upon. Finally, this article reviews how the introduction of disaster case management has accelerated the pace of housing reconstruction and closed the housing reconstruction gap between the haves and have-nots.
Recognition and ethical research practices: The role of community specialists
Authors: Vilá Olivia , A. Bray Laura , B. Cutts Bethany , Crites Margaret , Goins Hannah , McMenamin Nathan , Allen Angela , McLean Sallie
Published: September 2023

Researchers engaged in long-term disaster research are uniquely positioned to influence, inform, and shape long-term disaster recovery trajectories of communities being studied. For this reason, it is crucial for researchers to be critical of their methodological choices and make ethical decisions about the research methods they employ to generate and communicate data. In this article, we argue that making ethical decisions about research processes requires an emphasis on recognition, the acknowledgment, and respect of difference, a key pillar of environmental justice. We share an experience implementing a long-term disaster research protocol (Project Building Resilience through Innovation and Diverse Group Engagement) that includes the deliberate involvement of community members in the research process as Community Specialists and discuss how their engagement contributed to recognition and more ethical research practices. Throughout the article, we provide a blueprint for other long-term disaster researchers seeking to integrate Community Specialists into their own work and discuss potential implementation barriers and recommendations to overcome challenges.
Intersections of small business mobility, adaptive capacity, and resilience during crises
Authors: Pierel Eleanor , Helgeson Jennifer , Dow Kirstin
Published: September 2023

Over 5 years, multiple hurricanes and a pandemic impacted small businesses in Charleston, South Carolina. In order to better understand the impacts of disasters on public-facing small businesses, we conducted a case study of customer, labor, location, and supply chain mobility. Although the disaster contexts of multiple hurricanes and the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic vary considerably, comparing the experiences of small business operators furthers our understanding of local disruptions and the potential for adaptive capacity. Drawing on 2 years of survey data, we focus on the importance of mobility to public-facing (e.g. service and recreation) small business recovery and adaptation. We then consider the relationship between multiple forms of mobility and resilience to two different disaster types. We conclude by identifying additional areas of small business adaptation and resilience inquiry informed by both hurricane and pandemic experiences. In contrast to previous global or regional mobility studies, this case study explores hyper-local small business mobility disruptions.
Postdigital concerns relating to teaching and learning of machine drawing
Authors: Gummaluri Venkata Surya Subrahmanya Sharma
Published: September 2023

The freshmen of the engineering curriculum are trained in the engineering drawing skill set which includes the generation of orthographic projections of any given component. When these freshmen are promoted to the next subsequent academic year, they are ready to learn the generation of three-dimensional computer-aided drawing (CAD) geometric models from the given orthographic projections. In today's postdigital era, the challenges and issues faced by these sophomores in generation of spatially visualized CAD geometric model is discussed in this work. A perceptive visual image of stop valve in a CAD-based environment is formulated, as the stop valves play a major role in product as well as process-oriented industries. The impediments faced by students in generating the spatially visualized CAD geometric model in the postdigital era have been discussed and deliberated at a stretch. Students’ performance assessment before imparting training versus after imparting training in CAD-based geometric modeling skills by employing perceptive visual imagery method is recorded in this work.
Engaging the collective voice of physicians: Optimizing participation in research and policy development in the context of COVID-19 and physician burnout
Authors: McKay Madeleine , Brown Ryan , Mallam Katie , MacDonald Green Amanda , Bernard André
Published: September 2023

Physicians and governments work collaboratively to determine optimal healthcare policy options. Physicians are also engaged by health researchers to participate in studies. Physician engagement can be impeded by limits on physician time and remuneration for engagement, and the impact of physician burnout (exacerbated by COVID-19). Doctors Nova Scotia engaged physicians on various research and policy items throughout the pandemic. Strategies included integrating physicians into research teams, remunerating engagement activities, and leveraging existing tools and networks. Health researchers and policy-makers can improve physician engagement through physician champions, reduction of research duplication, valuing of physician contributions, and integrating networks.
The Validity and Applicability of the Revised Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-R98) for Delirium Severity Assessment in a Critical Care Setting
Authors: Almuhairi Eiman Saeed , Badejo Monica , Peer Aneesa , Pitkanen Mervi , McKenzie Cathrine A
Published: September 2023

Background

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome common in critical illness. Worsening delirium severity is associated with poorer clinical outcomes, yet its assessment remains under-reported with most severity assessment tools not validated for critical care. The DRS-R98 is a widely applied and validated tool. The aim of this project is to report the validation and utility of the DRS-R98 in critical illness.

Methods

This prospective, cohort study was conducted in adults with delirium admitted to a critical care unit and predicted to stay for ≥ 24 h. We excluded patients with severe neurological or communication barriers that would have interfered with the DRS-R98 assessment. Patients were screened using a delirium detection algorithm and the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. Eligible patient informations were collected and reported to qualified assessor/s before visiting clinical areas, confirming delirium presence and undertaking DRS- R98 assessments. To assess the tool's construct validity, an intensivist completed the Clinical Global Impression-Scale (CGI-S). To calculate the inter-rater reliability (IRR) a subset of patients were simultaneously evaluated by two assessors.

Results

We assessed 22 patients, 73% were male, with a median age of 65 years (IQR14). The DRS -R98 mean (SD) severity score was 24 (+/-7.7), total scale was 29 (+/18.0), and CGI-S 3.5 (+/11.5). Assessment duration was 90 min (+/-55) and 15 min (+/-5) for record data extraction and clinical assessment respectively. The CGI-S significantly correlated with DRS-R98 severity (r = 0.626) and total (r = 0.628) scales. The DRS-R98 Cronbach's alpha was 0.896 for severity scale and 0.886 for total scale. The inter-rater reliability (IRR) was assessed in six patients and reported an inter-correlation coefficient of 0.505 (p = 0.124) and 0.565 (p = 0.93) for the severity and total scale respectively.

Conclusions

In critical care, the Delirium Rating Scale R98 had good construct validity, excellent internal consistency, and moderate inter-rater reliability.
Endothelial Glycocalyx Degradation Patterns in Sepsis-Associated Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single Center Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Sallee Colin J. , Hippensteel Joseph A. , Miller Kristen R. , Oshima Kaori , Pham Andrew T. , Richter Robert P. , Belperio John , Sierra Yamila L. , Schwingshackl Andreas , Mourani Peter M. , Schmidt Eric P. , Sapru Anil , Maddux Aline B.
Published: September 2023

Background

Sepsis-associated destruction of the pulmonary microvascular endothelial glycocalyx (EGCX) creates a vulnerable endothelial surface, contributing to the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Constituents of the EGCX shed into circulation, glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans, may serve as biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction. We sought to define the patterns of plasma EGCX degradation products in children with sepsis-associated pediatric ARDS (PARDS), and test their association with clinical outcomes.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a prospective cohort (2018-2020) of children (≥1 month to <18 years of age) receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure for ≥72 h. Children with and without sepsis-associated PARDS were selected from the parent cohort and compared. Blood was collected at time of enrollment. Plasma glycosaminoglycan disaccharide class (heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronan) and sulfation subtypes (heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate) were quantified using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma proteoglycans (syndecan-1) were measured through an immunoassay.

Results

Among the 39 mechanically ventilated children (29 with and 10 without sepsis-associated PARDS), sepsis-associated PARDS patients demonstrated higher levels of heparan sulfate (median 639 ng/mL [interquartile range, IQR 421-902] vs 311 [IQR 228-461]) and syndecan-1 (median 146 ng/mL [IQR 32-315] vs 8 [IQR 8-50]), both p = 0.01. Heparan sulfate subtype analysis demonstrated greater proportions of N-sulfated disaccharide levels among children with sepsis-associated PARDS ( p = 0.01). Increasing N-sulfated disaccharide levels by quartile were associated with severe PARDS (n = 9/29) with the highest quartile including >60% of the severe PARDS patients (test for trend, p = 0.04). Higher total heparan sulfate and N-sulfated disaccharide levels were independently associated with fewer 28-day ventilator-free days in children with sepsis-associated PARDS (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Children with sepsis-associated PARDS exhibited higher plasma levels of heparan sulfate disaccharides and syndecan-1, suggesting that EGCX degradation biomarkers may provide insights into endothelial dysfunction and PARDS pathobiology.
Race, Planning, and Emergency Management: Combating Inequities in Community Planning Policies
Authors: McKnight Steve
Published: September 2023

Disaster preparedness and relief is a key service provided by the American system of government, but emergency management practices have produced varying outcomes. Based on the existing literature, emergency management, community planning, and a history of racial inequities are inextricably interconnected. Based on the concepts presented by social equity, community planning, emergency management, and environmental policy literature, an interdisciplinary approach was used to create an original checklist of considerations for emergency managers, community planners, and policymakers to use in a collaborative manner to proactively address potential threats to their constituents and communities.
Is a Smart City Framework the Key to Disaster Resilience? A Systematic Review
Authors: Seong Kijin , Jiao Junfeng
Published: September 2023

Despite a growing body of research on the smart city framework for disaster resilience, a comprehensive systematic literature review from urban planning perspectives has never been attempted. In this review of smart and resilient cities, we distill vital learning and shared concepts, identify research trends and limitations, and suggest avenues for future research. The results reveal that reviewed articles primarily focused on methodological approaches addressing how to adapt technologies for disaster resilience, yet rarely discussed the sociological approaches to environment, economy, and governance. This study will provide a reference to trace existing research and suggest equitable smart resilience.
Black Women's Physical, Mental, and Sexual Health in the Criminal Legal System: Influences of Victimization, Healthcare Access, and Living Conditions
Authors: Bagwell-Gray Meredith E. , Garcia-Hallett Janet , Lee Jaehoon , Kepple Nancy J. , Sisson Michelle , Comfort Megan , Ramaswamy Megha
Published: September 2023

This study examines pathways from gender-based, racialized violence to health outcomes among formerly incarcerated Black women. We frame violence as gender-based and racialized, with a theoretical stance that we live in a male-dominated society characterized by historic and contemporary race-based oppression. This secondary analysis focused on a subsample of Black women ( N = 288) from three U.S. cities (Oakland, CA; Kansas City, KS, MO; and Birmingham, AL) from March 2019 to June 2020 for the Tri-City Cervical Cancer Prevention Study among Women in the Justice System. Confirmatory factor analysis evaluated psychometric properties of hypothesized latent variables—violence victimization, living conditions, and healthcare access—and their observed indicators. Structural equation modeling estimated their relationships with physical, mental, and sexual health, controlling for sampling location. Violence victimization was associated with mental (β = 0.37, p = .000) and sexual health concerns (β = 0.31, p = .000). Healthcare access was associated with physical health concerns (β = 0.45 , p = .004). Although there were no direct relationships between living conditions and health concerns, mediation analysis indicated worse living conditions were associated with more violence victimization and less healthcare access, with violence victimization fully mediating a relationship with mental and physical health concerns. Regarding control variables, women in Kansas City reported more sexual health concerns (β = 0.19, p = .005). Findings have important implications for treatment and care for Black women with incarceration and violence victimization histories.
Innovative approaches in the management of an educational institution
Authors: Omarov Bakytzhan , Karkulova Aigul , Ukubassova Galiya , Abzhan Zhanat
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of using digital and other types of innovations in the management of educational institutions in the country. The methods of content analysis of documents and scientific papers, institutional, system-structural approaches, and other means of scientific and theoretical analysis were used in the study. The investigation of the main areas of improving the management of educational organisations in Kazakhstan, various management decisions and attempts to implement state programme measures endows this study with socioeconomic and applied research character. This study shows the shortcomings of the management plan on the development of school curricula for mathematics, natural sciences, and humanities using the results of representatives (schoolchildren) of educational organisations of Kazakhstan passing the international assessment and programme verification (Programme for International Student Assessment, Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, and Trends in Mathematics and Science Study). The issues of the importance of advanced training of teachers of higher educational institutions, the reform of the entire education system, the problems of technical and technological provision of educational institutions in rural areas of the Turkestan region, digitalisation of the entire learning process were raised. The issues of material and financial security of educational activities in the region and the development of an inclusive education system were also considered. Based on the research of foreign researchers, the peculiarities of the introduction of innovations in education and the informatisation of education were considered.
Why educative school leadership based on anarcho-syndicalist principles will fail, but is still necessary: A conversation at the intersection of theory and practice
Authors: Chatelier Stephen , Van dermijnsbrugge Elke , Roosenburg Frank
Published: September 2023

This article takes a novel approach to thinking about the practice of educative leadership. An intellectual conversation between two academics and a school principal, it seeks to work through questions regarding the practicalities for a school principal in actually advancing educative leadership based on anarcho-syndicalist principles. Taking these questions seriously, the intention of this article is to think through these questions not from the ‘ivory tower’ but in dialogue. The aim was to write something that was more collaborative than an interview but less formal and academic than a philosophical dialogue. Instead, the authors worked together to have an intellectual conversation bringing together philosophical and practical reflection on how educative leadership based on anarcho-syndicalist principles might be imagined and initiated.
Ketamine Use in Adult and Pediatric Patients Receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): A Systematic Review
Authors: Flanagan Trenton , Mercer Kevin , Johnson Peter N. , Miller Jamie , Yousaf Faeeq S. , Fuller Jordan A.
Published: September 2023

Background: Analgesia and sedation are often critical elements of therapy for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Aside from potential drug-drug interactions, the PK changes associated with ECMO make appropriate analgosedative selection challenging. Ketamine is less lipophilic and has lower protein binding than alternative agents, and may be less impacted by the PK changes during ECMO. Objective: To systematically identify all instances of ketamine use during ECMO support in the literature to elucidate associated efficacy and safety outcomes and prevalence of use, as well as commonly used dosing strategies and pharmacokinetic data. Methods: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and OVID Embase were searched through 02/2023 using keywords ketamine and ECMO or extracorporal life support (ECLS). Case reports, case series, and studies were included that had (1) original data, (2) included patients that were on ECMO and continuous infusion ketamine, and (3) reported pertinent ketamine related clinical endpoints or prevalence of use. Results: Of the 307 articles screened, 25 were identified as relevant and 11 met our inclusion criteria. Heterogeneity of patient population, ketamine indication, reported outcomes, and reported safety endpoints were identified in the included articles. Commonly reported information includes indications, pharmacokinetics, dosing, adverse effects and use in pediatrics for ketamine, and suspected opioid sparing effect. Conclusion: Our review has found a lack of consistency in reporting and results in adult and pediatric patients. Increased consistency in reporting and larger studies are required to increase our knowledge of ketamine use in both the adult and pediatric patient population.
Integration of winglet type vortex generators in finned-tube heat exchangers for a sizeable capacity augmentation
Authors: Arora Amit , Subbarao PMV
Published: September 2023

Compact size of the heat exchange module is an important design consideration in majority of the thermal management systems. Using winglet type vortex generators, a sizeable improvement in the compactness of a widely used finned-tube array is attempted through this study. Since the degree of thermal augmentation changes with the generators’ position, around the tubes, this 3D comprehensive computational investigation aims to develop phenomenological correlations for the positional optimization, which are applicable over a wide range of operating conditions. Besides, this article is dedicated to understanding different aspects of the augmentation mechanism, including the tube-wake management and the performance improvement caused by the best design(s). Based on a parametric investigation, designs that are best suited for obtaining a sizeable performance augmentation of the system are identified. Furthermore, a critical assessment of the best designs is carried out to evaluate their impact on the heat transfer from wake-affected surfaces, both fins and tubes. It is encouraging to observe that the wake-affected surfaces also experience sizeable thermal augmentation, which increases further with the Reynolds number. While the total fin surface experiences a highest Colburn j-factor augmentation of 53.6%, the wake-affected fin undergoes 205.1% rise. An evident manifestation of the augmented Colburn j-factor is the reformed temperature distribution, which bears lower values all over the fins.
Gait planning and optimization of an 18 DOF quadruped robot with compliant shanks
Authors: Singh Sudhanshu , Dutta Ashish
Published: September 2023

Legged robots made of rigid links have disadvantages like poor energy efficiency and large impact forces during foot/terrain contact while walking on 3D uneven terrain. This paper proposes a unique design of an 18 DOF quadruped robot with compliant shanks. Compliance has been added to the quadruped by introducing a “c-section“ in the shank of each leg. The robot dynamics has been modeled using the projected Newton-Euler method, while the “Craig-Bampton Method” has been utilized to model the compliant shanks. Optimal body trajectory and foot placements while maintaining dynamic stability is obtained using an NLP based optimization strategy. A torque-based inverse dynamics control technique ensures that the quadruped follows the desired trajectory. The robot was simulated using Simscape Multibody, which utilizes the robot model’s “.stl,”“.step,” and “.xml” files to follow the optimized joint trajectories. The total energy consumed and joint torques are compared between the complaint and rigid link quadruped robots for walk on different types of terrain with different gaits and C-sections of 3, 4, 6, and 8 mm thickness. The simulation results show a significant reduction in joint torque spikes (more than 70% for all cases) due to the addition of compliance in each leg. This also leads to a reduction in total energy consumption during the walk especially over an uneven terrain. Hence, the results verify that the proposed design of quadruped is functionally more efficient than its rigid counterpart for walking on uneven terrain.
Experimental study on the vibration characteristics of fluid–structure coupling in the transition process of flexible bending pipes
Authors: Wen Xiaoting , Wang Xiaochuan , Hu Jincheng , Li Hongchao , Wu Yizheng , Zhang Tianyi
Published: September 2023

The flexible bending pipes with large aspect ratios are more likely to cause large vibrations in the extraction of offshore oil and gas resources, which can accelerate the fatigue damage of the pipes. In order to explore the characteristics of fluid–structure coupling vibration during the transition period after the flexible bending pipe starts to transport fluid, an experimental platform of flexible bending pipes fluid–structure coupling vibration was created. The strain and vibration displacements of the pipe were measured by a resistance strain gauge and a high-speed camera system, respectively. According to the measure results, the largest values of stress and strain both were discovered at the pipe's two ends, and the maximum values of vibration displacement and vibration velocity were found in the middle of the pipe. The phenomenon indicates that the two ends of the pipe are more prone to fatigue damage. Moreover, the dynamic response and dynamic characteristics of the pipeline during the transition process were investigated. In addition, the effects of fluid flow rate, pipe wall thickness and different pipes on the dynamic response and dynamic characteristics of the pipe were also investigated in the present work.
Does the First Amendment Protect Free Speech or Threats and Scams?
Authors: Goodman Mark
Published: September 2023

Most of the vital legal precedents in US law for the First Amendment were written when free speech meant talking to a crowd of people, publishing a newspaper, and, after 1927, operating a radio station. Congress has passed no laws regulating the Internet since 1996, before social media, text messaging, and the growth of global economics. Free speech now means protections sometimes for fake news, scams, hate speech, and invasions of privacy. In conclusion, are some suggestions for updating the First Amendment.
A historical perspective on nature: Insights from environmental philosophy and the construction of the Erie and Rideau Canals
Authors: Bujaki Merridee , McConomy Bruce , Morrison Leanne
Published: September 2023

We contribute to the accounting history and canal literature and the growing interest in environmental reporting by examining the philosophical approaches evident in the accountability documents of two historical canal projects, the Erie and Rideau Canals. We examine official records of the construction of these canals to identify sentences containing terms related to the environment and classify each sentence according to the environmental philosophy reflected. Of the three main streams of environmental ethics, we find evidence of both virtue ethics and utilitarian philosophical perspectives in the accounts, although the utilitarian perspective dominates. There is only sparse evidence of a deontological approach. We find differences in the ethical themes focused on each canal consistent with the degree of settlement nearby. We also find evidence of some common themes for both canals when analysed by the key phase of their planning and construction activities. We also consider the implications of these findings.