bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Traditional Acoustic Measures and Cepstral Analysis of Voice
Authors: Saeedi Saeed , Aghajanzadeh Mahshid , Khoddami Seyyedeh Maryam , Dabirmoghaddam Payman , Jalaie Shohreh , Aghadoost Samira
Published: October 2024

Introduction: In this study, the correlations between traditional acoustic measures (TAMs) and cepstral analysis (CA) were explored in Persian. Methods: This investigation was a cross-sectional study including 179 dysphonic (n = 141) and normophonic (n = 38) speakers. The TAMs (jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio) and CA (cepstral peak prominence and cepstral peak prominence smoothed) values were obtained during vowel prolongation, reading a standard sentence, and a nonstandard running speech sample using Praat software. The difference of acoustic measures between normophonic and dysphonic speakers and intercorrelation among acoustic measures and correlation between the acoustic measures and perceived dysphonia levels were analyzed with independent t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson, Spearman, and Kendall’s Tau-b correlation tests using IBM SPSS Statistics. Results: The findings showed that dysphonic speakers had higher TAM values and lower CA values than normophonic speakers (p < 0.05). In dysphonic speakers, a large correlation was discovered among all acoustic measurements (r = 0.52–0.96; p < 0.05), while in various perceived dysphonic speakers, there was a correlation of varying strength (r = 0.25–0.97; p < 0.05). Ultimately, there was a significant small-to-large correlation between the acoustic measures and perceived dysphonia levels (r = 0.34–0.58; p < 0.05). Conclusion: This research demonstrated that Persian speakers with dysphonia experienced a rise in TAM and a corresponding reduction in CA. In the future, multi-parametric indices can be developed using both TAM and CA to include various aspects of vocal production and yield a single, comprehensive value.
Editorial
Authors: Oliveira Aryanna dos Santos , Arantes Daniel Essenine Takamatsu , Palmeira Natasha Belfort , Santos Ricardo Russano dos
Published: October 2024

A edição de Magma que agora sai a campo traz como texto de abertura o ensaio “Crítica fora do esquadro: homenagem a Antonio Candido”, assinado pelo professor Edu Teruki Otsuka, originalmente redigido por ocasião do IX Seminário de Pesquisa do Alunos de Pós-graduação do DTLLC, da FFLCH/USP, realizado em maio de 2018. De ângulo original e consequente, o autor investiga uma linha pouco comentada da crítica de Candido: as análises dedicadas àquelas obras tidas geralmente como excêntricas por não aderirem às tendências e às convenções literárias de seu tempo e que, por isso mesmo, acabam ocupando uma posição insólita em relação ao cânone — noutras palavras, a literatura “fora do esquadro”.
Antonio Candido, leitor de Machado de Assis: nacionalismos e romantismos
Authors: Rodrigues Guilherme Beltramin de Faria
Published: October 2024

Este artigo propõe a análise da recepção da obra machadiana por Antonio Candido, recorrendo principalmente, mas nãosomente, a dois textos do crítico: “Música e música”, publicado originalmente no Suplemento Literário do jornal O Estadode S. Paulo em 1958; e “Esquema de Machado de Assis”, produzido para ser lido nos Estados Unidos durante o primeirosemestre de 1968. Assim, busca-se argumentar como o crítico observa a obra machadiana em relação às preocupaçõesliterárias nacionais da época, a saber, o romantismo, o nacionalismo e a própria literatura
A literatura de memória, identidade e perda de Michel Laub
Authors: Frighetto Gisele Novaes
Published: October 2024

“Nada pode ser tão banal, mas não é bem disso que estamos falando” (p. 9) é o período que abre o segundo romance de Michel Laub, Longe da água, cuja trama se dá em torno dos temas da culpa, da inevitabilidade da tragédia e dos ritos de passagem à idade adulta. Esse duro tempo de maturação é constante na literatura do escritor, cujos personagens muitas vezes fazem do narrar exercício de rememoração, seja enquanto compreensão do passado, seja como luta contra o esquecimento. Isso se constrói particularmente em Diário da queda, seu romance mais conhecido, traduzido e premiado; leitura obrigatóriado vestibular da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul.
Apresentação
Authors: Frighetto Gisele Novaes , Secches Fabiane
Published: October 2024

Apresentação Voz do Escritor.
Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Hypertension Risk in the REGARDS Cohort Study
Authors: Oladele Carol R. , Khandpur Neha , Johnson Spencer , Yuan Ya , Wambugu Vivien , Plante Timothy B. , Lovasi Gina S. , Judd Suzanne
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND:

This study examined the longitudinal association between ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption and overall hypertension risk and explored the contribution of UPF to racial disparities in hypertension risk.

METHODS:

We analyzed data from 5957 participants from the REGARDS cohort study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Disparities in Stroke) who were free from hypertension during visit 1 (2003–2007), had complete dietary information at visit 1, and completed visit 2 (2013–2016). UPF consumption was measured using the Nova classification system and operationalized as percent calories and grams. The main outcome was incident hypertension. Logistic regression was used for analysis.

RESULTS:

Thirty-six percent of participants developed hypertension at visit 2. Results showed a positive linear relationship between UPF and hypertension incidence. Aggregate model results showed that participants in the highest UPF consumption quartile had 23% greater odds of incident hypertension compared with the lowest quartile. Multivariable results showed that Black and White participants in the highest consumption quartile had 1.26 (95% CI, 0.92–1.74) and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.01–1.47) greater odds of hypertension compared with those in the lowest quartile, respectively. Analyses using UPF consumption as percent grams showed similar aggregate results; however, race-stratified results differed. Findings were not statistically significant among White participants (odds ratio, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.89–1.33]) but showed higher risk of hypertension among Black participants in the highest versus lowest UPF quartiles (odds ratio, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.01–2.02]).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrated that high consumption of UPF is associated with increased hypertension risk. Further research is warranted to better understand differences in the intakes of UPF subgroups that may underpin the racial differences in hypertension incidence observed with different UPF metrics.
Global, Regional, and National Burden of Stroke, 1990–2021: A Systematic Analysis for Global Burden of Disease 2021
Authors: He Qiang , Wang Wenjing , Zhang Yangchang , Xiong Yang , Tao Chuanyuan , Ma Lu , Ma Junpeng , You Chao , Wang Chaohua
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND:

This study aims to perform a comprehensive analysis of stroke burden from the Global Burden of Disease 2021.

METHODS:

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the burden, including prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life year rates, for stroke across 204 countries and regions from 1990 to 2021 using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021. We calculated the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and performed a joinpoint regression analysis to identify the trends. We also explored the association between the stroke burden and sociodemographic index.

RESULTS:

The age-standardized prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life year rates for stroke were 1099.310, 141.553, 87.454, and 1886.196 per 100 000 persons in 2021, respectively. The general stroke burden trends declined in EAPC analysis (age-standardized prevalence: EAPC, −0.37; age-standardized incidence: EAPC, −0.99; age-standardized mortality: EAPC, −1.81; and disability-adjusted life year: EAPC, −1.76). However, we found an increasing burden of stroke in East Asia and Southern Sub-Saharan Africa (EAPC >0). The global burdens of intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke showed a similar trend. The stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke burdens were heavier in men than in women, except for that of subarachnoid hemorrhage in women. Our joinpoint regression analysis revealed that the age-standardized burden rates of stroke decreased from 1990 to 2021 (average annual percent change <0), whereas an upward trend was observed between 2019 and 2021 (average annual percent change >0). The burden of stroke was inversely proportional to the sociodemographic index (
P
<0.05), except in the case of subarachnoid hemorrhage. The actual stroke burden showed an increasing trend for stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke in 2021 (during the coronavirus pandemic).

CONCLUSIONS:

We found age-standardized rates of stroke burden declining over time, but some areas exhibited a notable increase in the prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life year rates.
Chronicity, Women’s Suffering, and Prayer: a Budding Prayer Group’s Response to Chronic Developmental Crises in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mate Rekopantswe
Published: October 2024

This paper uses textual analysis of an audio note that circulated on WhatsApp in 2018 presenting the founder of a rapidly growing predominantly women-only Zimbabwean prayer group. The audio note’s content is taken as an emergent ethnography exposing emic views of women’s lived realities. The analysis uses notions of ‘chronicity’, (Vigh 2008, 10–15) and ‘women’s suffering’ (Cole 2012, 384–6) to ground the audio note’s content in Zimbabwe’s prolonged socioeconomic and political crises. Chronic crises produce unique social actions (Vigh 2008), such as popular religious practices and theologies (Miller-McLemore 2018). The group prefers do-it-yourself (DIY) prayers which demand constant environmental and self-assessment, and comparing with peers. The group’s construction of women’s suffering as anathema to ideal Pentecostal personhoods discussed in four themes discernible from the audio note is revealing (Harnisch 2000). Techniques of DIY prayers echo the feminist notion that ‘the personal is political’. Thus, the group potentially contributes to gender transformation.
Scrobipalpa chardonnayi Huemer and Özden, sp. nov.: a new presumably endemic species from Cyprus (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae)
Authors: HUEMER PETER , ÖZDEN ÖZGE
Published: October 2024

Scrobipalpa chardonnayi Huemer & Özden, sp. nov. is described from the limestone mountains of northern Cyprus and considered as a possible island endemism. The new species shows closer phylogenetic relationships to S. vasconiella (Rössler, 1877) and some related species, but differs phenotypically and in male and female genitalia, as well as through significant divergences in DNA barcode. Morphologically relevant diagnostic characters are compared and figured. Finally, S. vasconiella is reported from Kyrgyzstan for the first time.
Insolubles
Authors: Segrave Walter
Published: October 2024

Paradoxes, such as the Liar (‘What I am saying is false’), fascinated medieval thinkers. What I said can’t be true, for if it were, it would be false. So it must be false—but then it would be true after all. Attempts at a solution to this contradiction led such thinkers to develop their theories of meaning, reference and truth.

A popular response, until it was attacked at length by Thomas Bradwardine in the early 1320s, was to dismiss such self-reference as impossible: no term (here, ‘false’) could refer to (or in medieval terms, “supposit for”) a whole, e.g., a proposition, of which it is part.

In light of Bradwardine’s criticisms, Walter Segrave, writing around 1330, defended so-called restrictivism (restrictio) by claiming that such paradoxes exhibited a fallacy of accident. The classic example of this fallacy, the first of Aristotle’s fallacies independent of language, is the Hidden Man puzzle: you know Coriscus, Coriscus is the one approaching, but you don’t know the one approaching since, e.g., he is wearing a mask. But Aristotle’s account is unclear and Segrave, building on ideas of Giles of Rome and Walter Burley, shows how the fallacy turns on an equivocation over the supposition of the middle term or one of the extremes in a syllogism. Thereby, Segrave is able to counter Bradwardine’s arguments one by one and defend the restrictivist solution. In this volume, Segrave’s text is edited from the three extant manuscripts, is translated into English, and is preceded by a substantial Introduction.
An Ecolinguistic Approach to Kumzari
Authors: O’Dell Emily Jane
Published: October 2024

This research takes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the relationship of the indigenous language of Kumzar and the marine ecology of Kumzar’s natural environment – namely, the sea. Taking an ecocentric approach with the acknowledgement that identity is not just social and cultural, but also always ecological, this chapter frames Kumzari identity as ecocultural “in nature” and analyzes how the marine ecosystem and “aqua-culture” of Kumzar are expressed through language. Exploring the ecological dimensions and expressions of Kumzari reveals the interlinkages and impacts of the environment of Kumzar on both language and identity.

Kumzari is mainly spoken in the fishing village of Kumzar on the Musandam Peninsula in northern Oman, as well as nearby Dibba and Khasab and Larak Island in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Kumzari is an endangered language due to the small population of Kumzar, its unwritten status, and the ubiquitous use of Arabic in the education system and other domains of life. As a result, UNESCO has classified Kumzari as “severely endangered.” With only a few thousand speakers of Kumzari left, the language is teetering on the brink of extinction, though there are increasing efforts among the villagers to preserve and pass on their language. Kumzar’s remote location and geography have largely protected the language and culture of Kumzar from outside influences, and within the academia it has gone almost completely ignored in scholarship until relatively recently (E. Anonby 2008, 2010, 2011; Al-Jahdhami, 2013; al Kumzari, 2009; van der Wal Anonby, 2015).

This research is rooted in Linguistics and Semitic Studies; it draws specifically upon ecolinguistics, cultural anthropology, sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics, geography studies, agriculture studies, and environmental / sustainability studies. Special attention is paid to a collection of Kumzari words and phrases related to fishing, boating, date palm cultivation, goat husbandry, ethnozoological knowledge, tides, and coastal watching. It also explores folk taxonomy, habitat, and migration to metaphorically map the marine ecosystem of Kumzar and indigenous understandings and navigations of it.

Finally, this research, in highlighting the ecological dimensions and assemblages of Kumzari identity, language, and relations, suggests that centering these interlinkages and impacts can help cultivate not just a habitable but a thriving future for both the people of Kumzar and the Kumzari language itself.
Blood Avocados? Trade Liberalization and Cartel Violence in Mexico
Authors: Erickson Megan , Owen Lucas
Published: October 2024

Several prominent studies predict that expanding markets in areas of low state capacity may decrease organized crime due to the opportunity cost mechanism, holding that booms in licit markets shift labor away from illicit markets. We posit an additional mechanism to explain the decrease in criminal violence—an influx in capital allows market actors to invest in self-defense forces to combat criminal incursions. We test this logic using the case of the Mexican avocado industry with a staggered difference-in-differences design and find that trade liberalization throughout the 2010s had a significant negative effect on cartel-related homicides compared to other violence-prone areas. Robust qualitative evidence highlighting the emergence of self-defense groups to deter criminal actors in the avocado industry supports the vigilante mechanism. This article thus contributes to the literature on the consequences of trade liberalization on organized crime by using a unique empirical case to test a novel mechanism.
Assessing the Reversed Gender Gap in the Swedish Crime Survey: Reasons Why Young Women Report Higher Victimization Rates Than Young Men During the Period 2009 to 2016
Authors: Hagerlid Mika , Löfgren Charlotta
Published: October 2024

Self-reported victimization among young women in the Swedish Crime Survey increased during the early- to mid-2010s, resulting in a gender gap, with young women reporting 10% to 15% higher victimization rates than young men. In this study, we use multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to assess whether the increase in victimization rates is due to declines in measurement equivalence across different cohorts of young women during the period 2009 to 2016. The results show cohort differences in how young women interpret the victimization items in the Swedish Crime Survey, especially with regard to the item about sexual victimization. The results show that the increasing victimization rates are likely the result of changes in perceptions about sexual offences, rather than an actual increase.
Impact of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Polymerase Chain Reaction Screening Tests on Duration of Vancomycin Therapy for Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Authors: Jantzen Aleesha , Woolever Nathan , Treu Megan , Stakston Jaclyn , Cai Songlin , Tempelis Jennifer , Kujak Richard Charles , Dierkhising Ross A. , Dababneh Ala S. , Lessard Sarah
Published: October 2024

Background: Recent literature demonstrated a 24-hour reduction in vancomycin duration of therapy (DOT) for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) with a negative methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal screening versus a positive nasal screening. Objective of this study was to investigate vancomycin DOT in patients with SSTIs who received MRSA nasal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening versus those who did not receive MRSA nasal PCR screening. Methods: A retrospective, multi-center, cohort study was completed in admitted adult patients on vancomycin for SSTI from 01/01/2020 to 09/30/2022. Hospital policy permits any clinician to order a MRSA nasal PCR screening test for various indications, including SSTIs, pneumonia and sepsis. Results: One-hundred-fifty-one patients were included, of which 71 had MRSA nasal PCR screening tests obtained, and 80 did not. The median vancomycin DOT in patients with MRSA nasal PCR screening tests was 19.9 versus 36.7 hours ( P = .014) in patients without screening tests. Conclusion: Patients with SSTIs who receive MRSA nasal PCR screening tests have a shortened vancomycin DOT. These results contribute to current data in support of the efficacy and clinical utility of obtaining MRSA nasal PCR screening tests for SSTIs.
Sex Educators’ Strategies for Building Student Trust
Authors: Kaplan Golda
Published: October 2024

Although clinicians have been the focus of research on trust in health care, much of the health guidance Americans receive occurs outside clinical settings. School-based health education is one such setting. Given the importance of interpersonal dynamics to clinicians’ work, trust likely features heavily in achieving health educators’ outcomes. This study asks: How do health educators approach building trust with students? In interviews with 39 sexual health educators in Ohio and Illinois, I find that educators report several strategies that they use in their attempt to build student trust: They use personal anecdotes and informality to distinguish themselves from teachers; adjust their approach based on their race, gender, or age if they perceive these identities impede trust; and emphasize lessons are factual when facing pushback. My findings reveal key differences in how clinicians and nonclinical professionals approach trust and more broadly, how organizational factors impact health professionals’ approach to trust.
To Leave or to Stay? Research on the Double-Edged Sword Effect of Illegitimate Tasks on Employee Turnover Intention
Authors: Yang Jia , Han Jin , Huang Shilin , Huang Haishen
Published: October 2024

Purpose: This study explores the double-edged sword impact of illegitimate tasks on turnover intention and how this influence is manifested. Design/methodology/approach: Multisource data were collected from employees in different industries in South China at two points in time. The hypotheses were tested with hierarchical multiple regression analysis in combination with PROCESS macro-based bootstrapping. Findings: Illegitimate tasks can both weaken employees’ turnover intention by triggering challenge stressor appraisal and enhance employees’ turnover intention by triggering hindrance stressor appraisal. The research results confirm the double-edged sword effect of illegitimate tasks on employees’ turnover intention. Practical implications: To mitigate employees’ turnover intention and reduce turnover rates, organizational managers need to pay attention to the negative impact of illegitimate tasks and be concerned about employees’ subjective cognition of these tasks. Additionally, organizations must optimize work design to reduce unnecessary tasks and assign unreasonable tasks to suitable employees. Originality/value: Based on the cognitive appraisal theory of stress, this study constructs a double-edged sword effect model. The results show that illegitimate tasks not only have negative impacts on employee turnover intention but also have potential positive impacts through two mediating pathways: challenge stressor appraisal and hindrance stressor appraisal. The research results indicate that illegitimate tasks have both a dark side and a bright side.
What happens after ‘modern slavery’ rescues? A case of rescued bonded labourers in ‘waiting’ in India
Authors: Agarwal Pankhuri
Published: October 2024

What happens after rescue from modern slavery, the third largest organized crime in the world? The mainstream perspective suggests that people can be rescued and set free from slavery. This article challenges this assumption by arguing that rescue inflicts more violence and sends workers back to exploitative labour. Based on a multi-sited ethnographic study of 31 workers in the informal sector (and 10 civil society and state officials) in India who have being rescued (under the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1976), this article shows that workers have been stuck/waiting in the legal process for up to 37 years. To demonstrate the same, the article engages with the concept of ‘waiting’. The notion of waiting emerges as a poignant illustration of the profound disjunction between the visions of freedom from slavery held by states (manifested through standard operating procedures) and non-governmental organizations (with their emphasis on rescue and rehabilitation), and the lived experiences of the workers themselves, who perceive the post-rescue process as an enduring state of limbo. By bridging the realms of literature on waiting with that of human trafficking, this article contributes to the field of critical slavery studies, bonded labour and multi-sited ethnography.
Uncontrolled Donation Potential After Circulatory Death in Slovenia Could Lead to More Organ Donations: Extrapolation of SiOHCA Study Data
Authors: Kulovec Domen , Petravić Luka , Miklič Rok , Burger Evgenija , Keše Urša , Poljanšek Eva , Tomšič Gašper , Pintarič Tilen , Faria Lopes Miguel , Turnšek Ema , Gadžijev Andrej , Strnad Matej
Published: October 2024

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is one of the major health challenges faced by developed countries. Donation after circulatory death is a process of retrieving organs from individuals whose death has been confirmed by circulatory or respiratory criteria. In 2018, 136 625 people were listed on the waitlist covering over 16 countries. Out of these 136 625 individuals, 7383 died whilst waiting that year. The aim of this study is to assess the potential for the uncontrolled donation after circulatory death among out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Slovenia. This non-interventional study was conducted using the Slovenian out-of-hospital cardiac arrest registry dataset. The database measured Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Slovenia between September and November 2022. From the database we chose patients who would be identified as donors by the uncontrolled donation after circulatory death guidelines for patient selection. Using the selection criteria we have narrowed the used data set from 294 unique patient records to 19. There were no organ donors in the cohort. With extrapolation we calculated that in 2022 there could be 111 donors in Slovenia that would fit the uncontrolled donation after circulatory death criteria. This equates to 52.4 pmp/y. We conclude that uncontrolled donation after circulatory death program in Slovenia would positively impact patients. Although our study is limited by a small sample of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients and short duration of the Slovenian out-of-hospital cardiac arrest registry inclusion, the results offer a good foundation to further explore uncontrolled organ donation in Slovenia and similar countries.
How Housing Stress Affect Health Care Costs: A Panel Data Study
Authors: Liu Gai , Zhou Jianchao , Wang Yuxiang
Published: October 2024

As housing prices in China continue to escalate and the limitations of the “personal unlimited liability system” for housing loans become more evident, the financial stress on families has significantly increased. This stress not only impacts the physical and mental health of family members but also results in rising health care costs. This paper presents empirical research examining how housing stress influences changes in household health care costs through a panel data analysis. The study is based on the China Family Panel Study (CFPS) database and employs a panel two-way fixed effect model alongside a mediating effect model to examine the impact of housing stress, family income, and health status on health care costs. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between housing stress and health care costs; specifically, for every 1% point increase in housing stress, health care costs rise by 0.141. Robustness tests and propensity score matching (PSM) further validate these findings, even after addressing endogeneity issues. Mediation effect analysis indicates that for every 1% point increase in housing stress, household disposable income decreases by 1.749, and health status declines by 0.468, thereby increasing household health care costs. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that housing stress has a more pronounced impact on health care costs among western, eastern, urban, and rental households. The government should implement various measures, such as promoting a “personal limited liability system” mortgage policy, reducing housing prices, and ensuring equal rights to rent and purchase, to alleviate housing stress, enhance family income, and improve residents’ health status. These actions would contribute to the promotion of both the housing market and medical care, supporting the sustainable development of the health care sector and ultimately improving long-term social welfare.
Health professionals’ perceptions of the South African adapted online Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale – Revised: properties, implementation, and context
Authors: Fadda Arianna Tello , Hassem Tasneem
Published: October 2024

Health professionals are key role players in the uptake of digital mental health tools; however, research on mental health e-Screening tools largely focuses on psychometrics and tool users’ views. There is currently only one online depression screening tool validated for the South African general public: the adapted online Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale – Revised. Because practitioners’ perceptions of the tool are lacking, this qualitative study explored health professionals’ perceptions of its properties and potential implementation. Seven participants, consisting of clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, nurses, and medical doctors in public and private practice in the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape provinces, were purposively recruited. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis yielded four themes: (Mis)fit for Purpose; Living in a (Virtue)al Reality?; Human Meets Machine; and A Targeted Approach. The findings demonstrate that the online screening tool has several positive properties and can be improved further with minor additions to contextualise some items and anticipate privacy risks. The tool can be integrated into practice to complement patient consultations in certain circumstances as deemed appropriate by practitioners. These findings provide initial insights into how the South African adapted online Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale – Revised can be usefully implemented and act as a guide for further tool refinement.
In Plain Sight: Mechanisms of means–ends decoupling in impact investing
Authors: Kaufmann Lauren , Krlev Gorgi , Brown Maoz (Michael)
Published: October 2024

Impact investors are supposed to generate financial returns alongside social and environmental benefits. Increasingly, they must also measure these benefits as a form of performance management to provide robust evidence of impact. However, it is an “open secret” that because of inconsistencies and fragmentation in the applied means of impact measurement, ends are imperfectly met. In this article, we probe how and why means–ends decoupling occurs in impact investing in plain sight. We apply a qualitative and interpretative approach, drawing on 135 interviews and 102 documents gathered from impact investors. We find that impact measurement is not primarily used for performance management but plays a relational role between stakeholders. We uncover and conceptualize three mechanisms that drive decoupling between the ideal and actual functions of impact measurement, namely impact measurement as: (1) communication, (2) categorization, and (3) construction of the domain. We also find an important contingency: decoupling becomes more likely with increasing systemic opacity in an investment field. We outline contributions to the organizational decoupling literature and the sociology of quantification, and we show how the problems that arise from means-ends decoupling could be overcome.
Book review: Asoka Kumar Sen, The Making of a Village: The Dynamics of Adivasi Rural Life in India
Authors: Kumar Chhotelal
Published: October 2024

Asoka Kumar Sen, The Making of a Village: The Dynamics of Adivasi Rural Life in India (London: Routledge, 2021), xi + 226 pp.
Book review: Ambreen Hai, Postcolonial Servitude: Domestic Servants in Global South Asian English Literature
Authors: Samiksha
Published: October 2024

Ambreen Hai, Postcolonial Servitude: Domestic Servants in Global South Asian English Literature (Oxford University Press, 2024), xviii + 398 pp.
Publish or perish? Innovative models for scholarly publishing in Zimbabwe
Authors: Chirisa Nomsa , Ngoepe Mpho
Published: October 2024

Innovative publishing models have emerged to meet the demands of the ‘publish or perish’ philosophy prevalent in academic and scholarly circles. Publishing models serve as the operational blueprint underpinning the value and supply chains of products in the publishing industry, aligning operational plans, design strategies, and production methodologies with the overarching goal of scholarly publishing. The duty of scholarly publishers to advance knowledge and disseminate it widely necessitates their role in supporting researchers to meet the expectations of the ‘publish or perish’ culture. This philosophy becomes even more critical in the endangered landscape of scholarly publishing in Africa, where scholarly publishing is evidently perishing, as researchers in the region face additional challenges in accessing reputable publishing outlets for their work. Zimbabwe has a low research publishing output, and although it ranks second in southern Africa, it lags behind South Africa by an astounding 65%. This intensifies the pressure to publish to maintain visibility and credibility within the global academic community. This paper thus examines the publishing models implemented in the publishing of scholarly works by scholarly publishers in Zimbabwe. Qualitative data were collected through the Delphi Technique design, with publishing experts over three rounds of interviews, and triangulated with data from document analysis. The key findings indicate open access, self-publishing, and collaborative publishing as effective market models for university presses. However, Zimbabwean universities are still lagging behind, as few have established university presses.
Commentary on “AI is Changing the World: For Better or for Worse?”
Authors: Kopalle Praveen K. , Gangwar Manish , Uppal Abhinav
Published: October 2024

This commentary explores three fundamental premises surrounding the human-AI partnership. First, a human-AI collaboration is perhaps superior to either working independently, as AI enhances human capabilities but requires oversight to ensure ethical and accurate outcomes. Second, AI's effectiveness is limited by the quality and biases of its training data, which underscores the need for diverse, unbiased datasets. Without proper data, AI could perpetuate flawed or biased decisions, impacting areas such as hiring, healthcare, and empathy-driven interactions. Finally, generative AI is prone to “hallucinations,” where it produces plausible yet incorrect outputs. These errors pose significant risks in high-stakes sectors like healthcare and security. As AI becomes more ingrained in society, these challenges raise ethical concerns around job displacement, loss of human autonomy, and biased decision-making. Here, we also examine the implications of AI hallucinations and model collapse, stressing the importance of continuous human intervention to mitigate AI-driven inaccuracies. Ultimately, a balanced partnership between human judgment and AI's scalability, along with rigorous oversight, is necessary to unlock AI's potential while safeguarding societal values.
Intraoperative ‘pressure field’ haemodynamic monitoring in a patient with severe aortic regurgitation having laparoscopic robot-assisted colorectal surgery
Authors: Martis Walston R , Allen Charles , Ahmed Rajib , Ismail Hilmy , Woodford Stephen , Riedel Bernhard
Published: October 2024

Laparoscopic robot-assisted colorectal surgery can pose significant haemodynamic challenges for patients with severe aortic regurgitation. The increased afterload caused by pneumoperitoneum and aortic compression, along with concurrent factors like hypercarbia, Trendelenburg positioning and ventilatory impairment, can worsen aortic regurgitation, leading to myocardial ischaemia and heart failure. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) assists haemodynamic management intraoperatively but requires subspecialist skills and enables limited inferences to be drawn regarding the impact of afterload on myocardial performance. Minimally invasive haemodynamic monitoring enabling real-time visualisation of a patient’s ‘pressure field’ has been suggested as a potential adjunct or alternative to TOE, with the added advantage of providing continuous quantitative information about both stroke volume and the afterload to ventricular ejection in a single visualisation. We describe an example of successful concurrent use of pressure field haemodynamic monitoring and TOE in a patient with severe aortic regurgitation having a prolonged laparoscopic robot-assisted pelvic exenteration.
The effect of deep versus awake removal of the laryngeal mask airway on the incidence of emergence delirium in paediatric tonsillectomy: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Kapoor Dhruv , Tweddle Eliza A , Baitch Luke
Published: October 2024

Emergence delirium, characterised by inconsolable crying, perceptual disturbances and thrashing, occurs in young children during the recovery phase from general anaesthesia. Our aim was to determine whether timing of laryngeal mask airway removal (deeply anaesthetised versus awake) influenced the incidence of emergence delirium in children after tonsillectomy. A single-centre, randomised controlled trial was conducted at Albury Wodonga Health, a regional hospital in Australia. Included patients were two to seven years old, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification 1–2, undergoing elective tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy or grommet insertion) under general anaesthesia. Patients were randomised to have their laryngeal mask removed whilst deeply anaesthetised (in the operating theatre) or after awakening (in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU)). Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium score was determined at 5 and 20 min after eye opening, and frequency of complications (cough, vomiting, excessive salivation, oxygen desaturation and laryngospasm) in the PACU were recorded. Sixty-two patients were randomised to deep laryngeal mask removal and 62 to awake. In the awake versus deep groups, 33 (53%) versus 40 (65%) participants had emergence delirium at 5 min (odds ratio (OR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30 to 1.29, P = 0.20). At 20 min, 18 (29%) vs. 19 (31%) participants had emergence delirium (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.00, P = 0.88). A greater incidence of most PACU complications was observed in the awake versus deep group; cough (24% vs. 8%), vomiting (8% vs. 0%), excessive salivation (23% vs. 8%) and oxygen desaturation (16% vs. 0%). We found no significant difference between the two techniques in terms of preventing emergence delirium. However, other PACU complications were more frequent with awake removal.
The Impact of Closing Medicare Part D Coverage Gap on Mental Health of Adults Over Age 65
Authors: Gai Junjie , Arora Kanika
Published: October 2024

Using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data from 2006 to 2019, this study assessed the effect of closing Medicare Part D coverage gap on mental health of older adults. We employed difference-in-differences and compared mental health outcomes of older adults on Medicare with those on private insurance before and after the 2011 policy change. Findings showed a 0.447-point reduction in the Kessler Index 6 (K-6) score after closure. These findings were mainly attributable to women, Hispanics, individuals with multiple chronic conditions, and those in Traditional Medicare. A reduction in out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures appeared to be the primary mechanism for this finding. Our analysis was robust to several specifications, including using different measures of mental health and alternate constructions of treatment and control groups. The closure of the Medicare Part D coverage gap improved mental health among beneficiaries, potentially by reducing financial strain associated with high OOP expenditures.
The Matrix of AI Agency: On the Demarcation Problem in Social Theory
Authors: Anicker Fabian , Flaßhoff Golo , Marcinkowski Frank
Published: October 2024

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) make the question of machine agency a pressing matter. Contrary to the idea that agency is the inherent quality of a system, we argue that agency should be seen as a social status, or more precisely, a socially granted license to issue actions that is acquired and monitored in social practices. From this perspective, we develop criteria for the theoretical demarcation of agents and nonagents to distinguish entities based on their attributed abilities and their relative power in social networks. We derive a matrix of different types of agents and show how this matrix can inform empirical studies on AI.
Enhancing Computational Thinking, Spatial Reasoning, and Executive Function Skills: The Impact of Tangible Programming Tools in Early Childhood and Across Different Learner Stages
Authors: Pellas Nikolaos
Published: October 2024

Tangible programming tools (TPTs) are promising teaching aids in programming courses due to their interactivity and ability to enhance early childhood students’ computational thinking, spatial reasoning, and executive function skills. However, it remains unclear whether TPTs support these skills simultaneously. This study examines the impact of TPTs on enhancing cognitive thinking skills among students at different developmental stages, with a focus on early childhood education. A quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-tests was conducted involving 82 preschoolers aged 5-7. Participants were categorized into three developmental stages (beginner, intermediate, advanced) based on their prior programming experience. A TPT called “Bee-bot Brushing Challenge: A Computational Adventure” was employed during a STEM summer camp program. The findings revealed significant improvements in students’ abstract thinking, problem decomposition, and spatial reasoning skills, particularly among beginners. Participants at intermediate levels showed notable improvement in algorithm design and efficiency. Results also indicate significant differences in cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control between groups, with advanced students outperforming beginners and intermediates while working memory remained unaffected. This research provides important evidence supporting the inclusion of TPTs in early childhood curricula to foster comprehensive cognitive development. It offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers in designing similar learning environments.
How Well Do Employees Know Their Health Savings Accounts? The Need for Improved HSA Communication and Literacy
Authors: Perrault Evan K.
Published: October 2024

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have been around for two decades, with record funds accruing in accounts year-after-year. Despite this growth, little is known regarding how well consumers know what they can spend their HSA funds on to maximize their accounts’ tax advantages. A survey of HSA savers at a large Midwest organization ( n = 732) found that about 1-in-4 employees (29.1%) were unsure or did not know their HSA contributions were not federally taxed. Additionally, employees knew that fewer than half of items asked about (M = 4.71) on a 10-item HSA-eligible quiz could be purchased with HSA funds. Employees had the least awareness that hand sanitizer (22.5%), sunscreen (27.2%), and menstrual care products (33.1%) could be purchased with HSA funds. Knowledge or perceptions did not differ based on employee education level, indicating that HSAs are likely a complicated topic for anyone to fully comprehend. These findings showcase a need to develop more effective communication to help employees better understand the unique benefits HSAs can provide. Additional recommendations for employers are provided.
Census Tract and Neighborhood Racial Change and the Locational Decisions of Financial Services in Metro Detroit
Authors: Friedline Terri , Adu-Mensah Jones , Wedel Xanthippe
Published: October 2024

Scholarship on the geography of US retail financial services consistently finds racialized patterns in the locations of traditional (e.g. banks, credit unions) and higher-cost or alternative (e.g. payday lenders, check cashers) financial services. While scholars tend to offer explanations based on spatial void and market segmentation hypotheses, we theorize these racialized patterns as consistent with a social reproduction of investment and divestment. We use a novel, longitudinal dataset that follows census tract- and neighborhood-level changes in racial demographics and financial services in Detroit during the pre- and post-Recession periods. Changes in the locations of financial services follow changes in racial demographics, which occur in addition to the well-documented practice of targeting or avoiding tracts and neighborhoods based on their racial majority. These racialized patterns are heightened in the post-Great Recession period.
Robust H∞ output-feedback control for lane keeping of autonomous ground vehicles considering the system uncertainties
Authors: Xu Jiaye , Tang Jiaxuan , Liu Congzhi
Published: October 2024

This paper proposed a robust H∞ static output-feedback controller for the lane keeping of autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) while the environment/vehicle parameters are uncertain. The variations in vehicle mass, tire cornering stiffness, and steering ratio, which owing to model computational simplification, are estimated firstly and then handled as parameter uncertainties. Given the expensive cost of accessible equipment for vehicle lateral data measurement, a robust H∞ static output-feedback controller which does not require accurate measurement mentioned above, was proposed in this study. As time-varying nonlinear terms, such as longitudinal velocity, can neither be transformed into a linear one, nor be eliminated by the alter of variables which is normally applied in regular state-feedback controllers, a set of Takagi-Sugeno (TS) based Bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) are solved by Yalmip to achieve the optimum gains. Simulation based on a Prescan–Simulink united platform and a Hardware in the loop (HIL) test have verified the validity of the proposed control approach.
Effect of build orientation on all additively manufactured polyvinylidene fluoride with electrical poling for strain sensing and energy-harvesting application
Authors: Dinesh Kumar A. , Arunachalam N. , Jayaganthan R.
Published: October 2024

The development of highly sensitive and flexible strain sensors is critical for applications in wearable technology, structural health monitoring, and energy-harvesting. Additive manufacturing (AM) presents a promising solution due to its ability to create sensors with complex geometries and tailored microstructures. However, optimizing the fabrication parameters to enhance the performance of these sensors remains a challenge. This study focuses on the fabrication of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based piezoelectric strain sensors using the material extrusion (ME) process, investigating how different printing orientations and poling methods affect their mechanical and piezoelectric properties. PVDF was selected for its strong piezoelectric characteristics and was extruded and printed in three flat orientations: 0°, 45°, and 90°. To improve the β-phase content and enhance piezoelectric performance, two poling methods contact poling and corona poling were applied to the printed samples. Mechanical testing showed that the 45° printing orientation resulted in the highest Young's modulus (131.17 ± 2.25 MPa) and ultimate tensile strength (23.57 ± 0.76 MPa). However, strain-sensing tests revealed that the sample printed in the 0° orientation and subjected to corona poling exhibited superior performance, achieving a maximum output voltage of 11 V, a short circuit current of 0.9 µA, and a power output of 5.5 µW under 20% strain. This work demonstrates that the 0° printing orientation, combined with corona poling, optimizes the sensor's performance, offering both high sensitivity and effective energy-harvesting capabilities. The novelty of this research presents the systematic exploration of orientation and poling effects, advancing the understanding of AM in sensor fabrication and providing a foundation for developing more efficient and responsive piezoelectric devices. These findings not only contribute to the literature on AM of sensors but also open new avenues for the creation of multifunctional devices that can simultaneously act as sensors and energy harvesters, broadening their potential applications.