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A vigorously debated issue in the psychiatric literature is whether long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) show clinical benefit over antipsychotics taken orally. In addressing this question, it is critical that systematic reviews incorporate risk of bias assessments of trial data in a robust way and are free of undue industry influence. In this paper, we present a case analysis in which we identify some of the design problems in a recent systematic review on LAIs vs oral formulations. This case illustrates how evidence syntheses that are shaped by commercial interests may undermine patient-centered models of recovery and care. We offer recommendations that address both the bioethical and research design issues that arise in the systematic review process when researchers have financial conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the fact that publications serve as an important criterion to evaluate the scientific accomplishments of an individual within respective fields in academia, there has been an increasing trend to publish scientific articles whereby multiple authors are defined as primary, co-, or corresponding authors according to the roles performed. This article analyzes the authorship pattern in 4,561 papers (including 60 single-authored papers) from 1990 till 2020 of 94 academics who hold a position as professors and are affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at three different research universities in Malaysia. Only 708 papers (15.5% of 4,561 papers) were authored by less than three authors. In 3,080 papers (67.5% of 4,561 papers), those academics appeared as coauthors. Using different years as cutoff periods, it was observed that the appearance as coauthor in the papers had steeply risen around the years: 2006, 2007, 2008 and onwards. The increased number of authors in the multi-author papers and the appearance of the selected academics as coauthors reflect the extent of boosting of collaborative research in that period which corresponds to the adoption of the "publish or perish policy" by the Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2024 volume of Accounting and Business Research begins with a themed issue focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics. The issue contains four articles that explore various aspects of ESG-related accounting issues. The first article examines the effect of feedback timing and incentives on managers' effort and their partners' willingness to collaborate. The second article investigates the impact of taxation on corporate donations in socially responsible areas. The third article evaluates how audit pricing considers disaster risk associated with natural disasters. The fourth article compares ESG-related information disclosure by firms in different market economies. The journal encourages further research on ESG-related accounting issues and welcomes studies from various theoretical perspectives and methodologies. [Extracted from the article]

Firms' partners often face a wide range of risks and may experience detrimental effects when these firms do not meet certain targets. In this study, we examine how timing of feedback about target outcomes and the presence of incentives for managers to meet these targets influence managers' effort and their partners' willingness to collaborate. We test our hypotheses in a representative ESG setting using a multi-period investment game with a 2 × 2 design where a collaborating partner only realises a return on her investment if the manager of the firm with whom she contracts meets an ESG norm. The risk of not meeting this norm decreases when managers provide costly effort. While results show no significant effect of feedback timing on managers' effort in the absence of incentives, providing incentives to the manager may be detrimental for effort provision when target outcomes become available after a short time period. We also find that in the absence of incentives, firms' partners invest more when outcomes become available after a short time period than after a longer time period. Further, when outcomes become available after a short time period, partners invest less when managers receive incentives compared to when managers receive no incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examine whether firms engage in more corporate philanthropy in response to greater tax enforcement. Using the introduction of a new tax administration system as a proxy for increased tax enforcement, I find stricter tax enforcement results in more corporate donations, especially for tax aggressive firms. These results are concentrated in firms that have a greater demand for political connections or firms that have higher potential reputational costs. In summary, this study suggests that firms strategically use corporate philanthropy to respond to increased tax enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of natural disasters on the pricing of audit services. Using a staggered difference-in-differences (DiD) design and a sample of 1481 firm-year observations over the period 2014–2019 in China, we find that firms headquartered in areas affected by natural disasters are charged lower fees by auditors. This fee discount is not likely to be driven by a decrease in audit efforts exerted by auditors. We document that the negative relation between natural disasters and audit fees is more pronounced among (i) client firms that are audited by top domestic audit firms, (ii) client firms that are economically and politically important to auditors, and (iii) larger and more complex client firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the potential differences in topic-specific corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure between companies located in liberal market economies (LMEs) and coordinated market economies (CMEs). We also examine the potential convergence of the reporting practices that characterise these two economies over time. We analyse a sample of 5,939 CSR reports issued by European and U.S. firms over 2008–2019. We use textual analysis to examine how explicitly such reports address specific CSR topics. Following Matten and Moon (2008), we focus on three thematic areas: 'human resources', 'environmental protection', and 'society at large'. Each area comprises three distinct topics. Our results show that companies operating in LMEs report more explicitly on these thematic areas, with one exception: those operating in CMEs report more explicitly on parental policies. Additionally, the reporting practices of companies operating in these two types of economies converge for most of the topics under study. For the disclosure of parental leave policies, biodiversity, and waste, no distinct trend is observable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no comprehensive and up-to-date overview of audiovestibular approach to the posterior fossa tumors in the literature. This paper reviewed the literature relating to tumors at the posterior cranial fossa to find red flags alerting a posterior fossa lesion from audiovestibular perspectives. This review was developed from articles published in those journals listed on the journal citation reports. Through the PubMed database, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library, 60 articles were finally obtained based on the PRISMA guidelines for reporting reviews. The presence of one red flag indicates a positive predictive value of 33% for detecting a posterior fossa lesion. Clinical features, namely, 1) mid-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), 2) bilateral sudden SNHL, and 3) rebound nystagmus may indicate a posterior fossa lesion, representing one, two, and three red flags, respectively. Those with 1) mid-frequency sudden SNHL, 2) bilateral sudden SNHL, and 3) rebound nystagmus trigger one, two, and three red flags, respectively, alerting clinicians the possibility of a posterior fossa lesion, which warrant MR imaging to exclude life-threatening or treatable conditions. Patients with posterior fossa tumors may have potential life-threatening outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of the population is associated with an increase in the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Our research aim was to determine how technology can help to improve the support for behavioral and psychological challenges of dementia. A systematic review of the literature was performed following PRISMA guidelines. Papers meeting the inclusion criteria and reporting technological devices aimed to the management of these challenges. After screening 1085 papers, 18 studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. Technologies identified in this search (e.g., robots, mobile, apps, computer, software, GPS, wearables, assistive technology) suggest that this non-pharmacological approach may be useful in projects aimed to the management and control of behavioral and psychological manifestations in people living with Alzheimer. The manifestations that are most successfully supported by means of technological applications and devices are depression, sleep disorders, anxiety, apathy, motor activity, and agitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial robots experience posture-dependent inertial variation and interference forces between joints, which in turn generates undesired vibrations due to the inherent elasticity of the reduction gears, making it difficult to control each axis independently. Conventionally, dynamic compensation is used to compensate the robot dynamics and decouple each axis, while state feedback control based on a two-inertia model is used for dealing with the vibrations caused by the elasticity of the reduction gears. However, the control design for this approach usually assumes a fixed moment of inertia, so its performance is compromised when large and fast changes in the robot posture occurs. In this paper, a posture-variant approach that takes into account the posture-dependent inertial variation in real time is proposed to achieve exact dynamic compensation and independent control of each axis regardless of the robot posture. The state equations of the posture-variant two-inertia system model for each robot axis are discretized using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and adapted on both the dynamic compensation and feedback control parts, allowing to easily redesign the whole control system considering the inertial variation at each control cycle. The effectiveness of the method is confirmed by experimental verification on a 6-axis industrial robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission of an airborne disease can occur when an individual exhales respiratory particles that contain infectious pathogens. Surgical face masks are often used to reduce the amount of respiratory aerosol emitted into the environment by an individual while also lowering the concentration of particles the individual inhales. Respiratory aerosol generation is activity-dependent with high person-to-person variability. Moreover, mask fit differs among people. Here, we measure the efficacy of surgical masks (EN14683 Type IIR) in reducing both aerosol (0.3 − 20 µm diameter) and droplet (20 − 1000 µm diameter) emission during breathing, speaking and five speech and language therapy tasks performed by a human cohort. When participants wore a surgical face mask, measured particle number concentrations at the front of the mask were always lower than that for breathing without mitigation in place. For breathing and speaking, the through-mask filtration efficiencies were 80% and 87%, respectively, while for voice therapy tasks the through-mask filtration efficiencies ranged from 89% ("Hey!") to 95% (/a::/). Size-dependent through-mask filtration efficiencies were high (80 – 95%) for particles 0.5 − 2 µm diameter, with masks filtering a greater fraction of larger particle sizes. For particle sizes >4 µm diameter, filtration efficiencies of surgical face masks for all tested respiratory tasks were ∼100%. Surgical face masks significantly reduced the number of particles emitted from all respiratory activities. These results have implications for developing effective mitigations for disease transmission through inhalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an advanced optical method to measure the phase function of circular intensity differential scattering (CIDS), i.e., the normalized Mueller matrix element -S14/S11, from individual single flowing through aerosol particles. Here, a 32-anode photomultiplier tube and its associated electronics, combined with an elliptical reflector, were used to record the scattering phase functions, when a particle were illuminated by a left-handed and a right-handed circular polarization laser beam around the focus of the reflector successively. The new design does not need lock-in amplifier, polarization modulator, and rotating goniometer as the traditional setup. It can reach a particle detection ability with a maximum rate of 50,000 particle/sec. CIDS phase functions from tryptophan particles, polystyrene latex microspheres, aggregates of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis spores, Yersinia rohdei, and bacteriophage MS2 were measured, the results showed that this method has the ability to rapidly discriminate between single bioaerosol and non-bioaerosol particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanometer-sized particles of the solid acid electrolyte material CsH2PO4 have been prepared by electrospray synthesis. Using a differential mobility analyzer to provide real-time particle-size information, the role of electrospray parameters, such as precursor solution composition, surface tension, and conductivity, sheath gas temperature and flow rate, and solution flow rate, were evaluated. The results are compared with particle sizes calculated using well-established scaling laws. The much smaller sizes of the detected particles in comparison to the sizes expected from the predicted initial droplet sizes suggests that droplets undergo fission along the path toward deposition. In flight fission events may also explain the observed counterintuitive result that aerosol particle size decreases with increasing solute concentration. The in situ feedback provided by this system enabled rapid identification of solution and process parameters that result in mean particle sizes of ∼15 nm, substantially smaller than any prior results. Copyright © 2023 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older carers play a vital role supporting population health and protecting health and social care systems, yet there has been little research on understanding the effect of the pandemic on this group. In this paper, we investigate caring as a factor contributing to mental and self-rated health. We investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between provision of family care and mental health and wellbeing using longitudinal data from 5,149 members of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who responded to Wave 9 (2018/2019) and two COVID-19 sub-studies (June/July 2020; November/December 2020). We use logistic or linear regression models depending on outcome measures, controlling for pre-pandemic socioeconomic, demographic, and health-related variables. Before the pandemic, 21% of respondents cared for family or friends. Older people caring for someone inside the household mostly continued to provide care during the pandemic, with more than a quarter reporting an increase in the amount of care provided. Co-resident carers were disproportionately female, older, in the lowest wealth quintile, and more likely to report disability and chronic conditions. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses suggest that, compared to those caring for people living outside the household, co-resident carers were significantly more likely to report poorer mental health and self-rated health. The health of older carers worsened disproportionately in the first year of the pandemic, a period also characterised by disruptions to support and closure of respite services. Support for carers' mental and physical health requires greater policy attention, especially in pandemic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been growing concerns that social distancing and stay-at-home mandates have exacerbated loneliness for older people. Empirical evidence about older people's experiences of loneliness and COVID-19 have quantified this phenomena without considering how older people themselves define and understand loneliness. This paper explores how older New Zealanders conceptualized and experienced loneliness under 'lockdown' stay-at-home measures. This multi-methods qualitative study combines data from letters (n = 870) and interviews (n = 44) collected from 914 people aged over 60 and living in Aotearoa, New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a reflexive thematic analysis to conceptualise this data. We identify three interconnected ways in which older people conceptualised and experienced loneliness: (1) feeling disconnected relating to lack of emotional closeness to another often resulting from being physically separated from others and not being able to touch; (2) feeling imprisoned relating to separation from preferred identities and activities and was frequently associated with boredom and frustration; and (3) feeling neglected which often related to feeling let down by generalised and idealised forms of support, such as one's neighbourhood and health care system. Older New Zealanders experienced lockdown loneliness in three interconnected ways rather than as a stable and homogenous experience. Māori, Pacific, Asian and New Zealand European older people often discussed loneliness in different ways; attesting to loneliness being a culturally-mediated concept shaped by expectations around desirable social interaction. We conclude the paper with implications for research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are several psychosocial and ethical issues surrounding the decision to be a living kidney donor. The present study aimed to determine the perceptions of psychosocial and ethical issues that living kidney donors may have, and analyze their psychological characteristics. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 donors. Thematic analysis was then performed to categorize the thematic elements of the transcripts. All procedures were approved by the relevant review board. Four main categories were identified: Awareness of family dynamics, barriers to a proper understanding, contrasting psychological effects of recipient presence in clinical practice, insufficient information explained in informed consent. Donors felt that they took on the "role as a care giver" for the recipient and were less aware of themselves as patients. This is a new concept that has not been shown in previous studies. Donors exist within the recipient and family, and the range of their autonomy may go beyond the traditional concept of autonomy and be rooted in relational autonomy. This study suggested that medical treatment in the presence of the recipient promotes the relational autonomy of the donor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) and cluster detection and response (CDR) programs as key features of the United States (US) HIV strategy since 2018 has caused major controversies. HIV surveillance programs that re-use individuals' routinely collected clinical HIV data do not require consent on the basis that the public benefit of these programs outweighs individuals' rights to opt out. However, criticisms of MHS/CDR have questioned whether expanded uses of HIV genetic sequence data for prevention reach beyond traditional public health ethics frameworks. This study aimed to explore views on consent within MHS/CDR among critical stakeholders. In 2021 we interviewed 26 US HIV stakeholders who identified as being critical or concerned about the rollout of MHS/CDR. Stakeholders included participants belonging to networks of people living with HIV, other advocates, academics, and public health professionals. This analysis focused on identifying the range of positions among critical and concerned stakeholders on consent affordances, opt-outs, how to best inform people living with HIV about how data about them are used in public health programs, and related ethical issues. Participants were broadly supportive of introducing some forms of consent into MHS/CDR. However, they differed on the specifics of implementing consent. While some participants did not support introducing consent affordances, all supported the idea that people living with HIV should be informed about how HIV surveillance and prevention is conducted and how individuals' data are used. MHS/CDR has caused sustained controversy. Among critical stakeholders, consent is generally desirable but contested, although the right for people living with HIV to be informed was centrally supported. In an era of big data-driven public health interventions and routine uses of HIV genetic sequence data in surveillance and prevention, CDC and other agencies should revisit public health ethics frameworks and consider the possibility of consent processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of medicine frequently involves the unconsented restriction of liberty. The reasons for unilateral liberty restrictions are typically that being confined, strapped down, or sedated are necessary to prevent the person from harming themselves or others. In this paper, we target the ethics of chemical restraints, which are medications that are used to intentionally restrict the mental states associated with the unwanted behaviors, and are typically not specifically indicated for the condition for which the patient is being treated. Specifically, we aim to identify the conditions under which chemical restraints are ethically permissible. It is wrong to assume that what is morally true of physical restraints is also true of chemical restraints. Our aim is thus to identify the conditions under which chemical restraints are permissible while distinguishing these conditions from those of the application of physical restraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to examine the basic and conceptual structure of the research area about addiction in adolescents by examining studies in an international index (Web of Science (WoS) database: SCI-Expanded, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI) through bibliometric analysis. Research on addiction in adolescents has been examined using bibliometric analysis and mapping techniques. Accordingly, a total of 5558 studies from the WoS database were analyzed in line with the criteria for inclusion. Although there were partial decreases in some years for adolescent studies about addiction, the general progression was increasing. Regarding resource categories, first were addictive behaviors, followed by drug and alcohol dependence. Although smoking is related to substance use, it differs from other types of addiction. In addition, Internet addiction, one of the behavioral addictions, are among the strong research themes. University of Pittsburgh produced most institution-based publications, and the USA was the country with most publications and most cited publications in the world. Research about adolescent addiction focuses mostly on substance abuse/use and psychiatry disciplines. Since publications in the research area are not within the limits of Lotka's law, authors in this research area need more publication productivity for two or more publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Process/behavioral addictions (PBAs) have become more frequently identified and diagnosed within the previous decade. For this reason, licensed counseling professionals (LCPs) are likely to work with clients with PBAs. In this study, we examined the experiences of LCPs treating clients with PBAs. Through constant comparison analysis, findings include three major themes, each with several subthemes. Treatment implications and the importance of education about PBAs for counselors in training are discussed. We advocate for continued training and research about PBAs for professional counselors to provide best practices to their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pilot study examined the feasibility and satisfaction of the Recovering Safety group, an outpatient empowerment, psychoeducational skills group for women with substance use disorders who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Patient satisfaction, empowerment, and safety were assessed at three time points. Participants (N = 8) reported high satisfaction with the group and rated the IPV-informed content, women-only participants, and female therapist as important factors; empowerment increased from pre- to post-group. These results support initial feasibility; further study of such treatments is needed to examine efficacy of this group intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic responses to substance use disorder (SUD) have been an individual and community health challenge for many years. Mutual support fellowships continue to make important contributions. The peer-based, 12 Step meeting model has existed for nearly a century, and these meetings in general, and Cocaine Anonymous (CA) meetings in particular, are therapeutic. How specific topics are engaged in meetings is not well understood, especially topics related to emotional regulation. Research suggests that addiction recovery is quite similar to, and strongly linked with, a prolonged or pathological grief. How grief and healing matter in these meetings is an important area for research. This paper explores these interlinked processes in CA meetings to understand how they contribute to resilience. Shares on grief-related topics from more than 100 CA meetings and over seven years of data collection are analyzed. Addressing grief in these meetings contributes to improved health outcomes. Grief-related topics emerged into five (5) themes. These grief discussions contributed to the presence of four (4) dimensions of a social ecology of resilience in recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing research on peer recovery specialists and community health workers (CHWs) in fields such as substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support, their workplace experiences are little understood. Through semi-structured interviews with 21 CHWs and peer recovery specialists working within substance use disorder treatment and/or traditional health care settings, we identified six prevalent themes: Benefits/Pleasures of the Role; Reciprocity; Challenges; Duality of Lived Experience; Relationships with Medical Professionals and Supervisors; and Defining Metrics. These themes reveal a complex narrative of system failures, organizational hierarchies, and experiential realities in which shared experiences and personal connections with clients undergird both positive and negative aspects of the role. In the words of one study participant: "We have not taken a vow of poverty, we need to get paid for our value." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, a national study titled The DUHEI (Drug Use in Higher Educationin Ireland) was conducted to determine the prevalence and problem of drug use among students in institutes of higher education. The findings of the DUHEI revealed that drug use is prevalent among college students in Ireland, with over half reporting they use or hadused drugs in the past.The study also uncovered a subpopulation of students who have recovered from a previous problem with drug or alcohol use in thepast, known as students in recovery. These students were identifiedas a unique and vulnerable population in need of specific support on college campuses. The authors of the report recommend the establishment of collegiate recovery programs in institutes of higher education in Ireland to support these students in active recovery from addiction. Collegiate recovery programs are well established in the U.S and are emerging in the UK and Canada. This perspective article echoes, and extends upon the DUHEI recommendationto implement CRPs in Ireland, by highlighting the evidence base which demonstrates the efficacy of collegiate recovery programs. Itis important that Irish colleges and Universities follow international best practice by establishing collegiate recovery program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of personhood has been central to bioethics debates about abortion, the treatment of patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious states, as well as patients with advanced dementia. More recently, the concept has been employed to think about new questions related to human-brain organoids, artificial intelligence, uploaded minds, human-animal chimeras, and human embryos, to name a few. A common move has been to ask what these entities have in common with persons (in the normative sense), and then draw conclusions about what we do (or do not) owe them. This paper argues that at best the concept of "personhood" is unhelpful to much of bioethics today and at worst it is harmful and pernicious. I suggest that we (bioethicists) stop using the concept of personhood and instead ask normative questions more directly (e.g., how ought we to treat this being and why?) and use other philosophical concepts (e.g., interests, sentience, recognition respect) to help us answer them. It is time for bioethics to end talk about personhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers recommendations for online graduate students, instructors, and universities to better meet the needs of students with disabilities who increasingly participate in online courses. Using semi-structured interviews, researchers asked what recommendations participants from respective disability categories have for supporting them in their pursuit of a graduate education in an online environment. Thirteen graduate participants represented five disability classifications including learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychological disorders, chronic health impairments, or visual impairments. Interview transcripts were analyzed to identify disability-specific recommendations through constant comparison of individual data sets. Recommendations for students, instructors, and universities focused on instructor-student communication and relationships, online course design, and a changing and active role of institutional support services. The collaborative efforts of all are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online classroom introduces a sense of anonymity unlike that in the physical classroom. In some ways, online education seems as if it could be more equitable or even free from racism because physical characteristics are mostly absent from which racialized judgments are made. However, students' feelings about how technology afforded anonymity do not always indicate online education is free of identity bias or racialization. This mixed-methods study investigates students' feelings (n = 174) about fair grading practices and anonymity in undergraduate online classes. Findings suggest that online students perceive anonymity, and their identities factor into grading, in both positive and negative ways. Rubrics and clear expectations can help alleviate concern over unfair grading practices. Institutions intent on offering online instruction should not rely on students' perceptions of anonymity to create equitable learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation activates and sustains one's behaviors toward a goal, and it is one of the most important factors affecting students' learning outcomes, especially for online learning. With the widespread of COVID-19, distance education has become more prevalent in today's universities and colleges. Understanding college students' motivation in taking online classes becomes more urgent for instructors to prepare, organize, and deliver their teaching materials effectively. This research is built upon self-determination theory to explore how specific online learning activities affect students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and online learning performance. The results suggest that online learning activities may not promote students' motivation and learning performance if those activities are not well-designed and developed. The learning activities need to be tailored to the specific coursework, and continuous improvements and revisions are necessary to make learning activities more effective in the course delivery. This study also provides evidence that extrinsic motivation could play a more crucial role than intrinsic motivation, and older students could be more self-motivated in online learning environments. Besides, amotivation may be considered a potential measure for the healthiness of online classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from a survey of parents of school age children in Louisiana to understand their knowledge of and attitudes toward sex education. Louisiana adolescents rank amongst the highest in the nation for teen births and sexually transmitted infections. Louisiana does not require instruction in sex education at any grade level. Survey results provide clear evidence that the majority of Louisiana parents support sex education in school curricula that emphasizes abstinence but also provides broad information on sexual health. With continued efforts to engage local communities statewide, these data stand to redirect state and local level policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Journalism Historians Association will be hosting its 43rd annual convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from October 3-5, 2024. The convention invites submissions of original research papers, panel proposals, and research in progress abstracts until June 1, 2024. Additionally, American Journalism is accepting applications for the Rising Scholar Award, which provides research assistance for junior faculty members working on media history projects. Nominations are also open for the 2024 National Award for Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes educators who teach the history of journalism and mass communication. [Extracted from the article]

In 1827, Gauss proved that Gaussian curvature is actually an intrinsic quantity, meaning that it can be calculated just from measurements within the surface. Before, curvature of surfaces could only be computed extrinsically, meaning that an ambient space is needed. Gauss named this remarkable finding Theorema Egregium. In this paper, we discuss a discrete version of this theorem for polyhedral surfaces. We give an elementary proof that the common extrinsic and intrinsic definitions of discrete Gaussian curvature are equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the various meanings of precision during the early modern period in Europe. In contrast with existing literature focused on assessing the precision of early instruments, this study delves into the intended significance of the term 'precision' as understood by historical figures such as J. Stöffler, P. Nunes or F. Mordente. By analysing a selection of instruments equipped with scales, both in their physical form and as they are described in instrument texts, several facets of precision emerge. Some findings demonstrate that the precision of scales can be enhanced through corrections obtained from tables. In other cases, visual estimation is substituted with a method for obtaining values of multiple sexagesimal places. Furthermore, certain instruments designed to represent theoretical concepts achieve greater precision by incorporating the most intricate details of these notions. This investigation into lesser-known meanings of precision underscores the need of comprehensively exploring the concepts, the practices and the terminology surrounding precision that were in use over the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instrumental character of Francis Bacon's natural and experimental histories was often noted, but never fully investigated. In this paper I aim to reconstruct the theoretical and methodological background which supports this feature. I claim that we can read large parts of the second book of Bacon's Novum organum as a guide to laboratory practices; and that it was read in this manner by some of Bacon's seventeenth century followers. Key to this guide is Bacon's theory of prerogative instances which, in turn, provides the grounding for a whole theory of instruments of detection and instruments of measurement. I show, in particular, how Bacon suggested that such instruments can be used for 'charting' virtues and powers; a process in which instruments of detection can be transformed into instruments of measurement. I also show that Bacon's views on instruments entail an elaborated conception of measurement which departs from the ethos of artisanal perfection. Instead of pursuing the 'best results', Bacon's instrumental natural and experimental histories aim to offer a large enough corpus of correlations, estimates and calculations which, taken together, can represent more or less accurately changes and variations of natural virtues and powers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of mathematical instrument makers in establishing a public culture of precision measurement in early-modern England. I argue that this culture was promoted through trials and demonstrations, in the context of which artisans held a privileged position. The trials described here cover land surveying, the measurement of magnetic variation, and standards of measurement for customs and excise. These trials were decisive moments in the 'cultural biographies' of precision instruments. I ask how it was that instrument makers were able to assume positions of authority, and what this means for our understanding of the socio-material system of precision measurement in the early-modern period, and the contemporary rise of 'experimental' and 'philosophical' trials. Because practical mathematics was a self-consciously economic activity – motivated by trade, commerce, exploration and colonization – direct connections to natural philosophy are significant, a point explored in my conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1720s two Jesuit astronomers working at the court of King João V of Portugal, in Lisbon, received several instruments produced by the best makers in London, Paris and Rome. With the crucial help of the Portuguese diplomatic network contacts with academies, savants and instrument makers were established, seeking technical advice and the best astronomical instruments available at the time. It was in this context that in April 1726 a set of Latin instructions accompanying pendulum clocks made by George Graham were dispatched from London to Lisbon. These unpublished instructions are now preserved in the papers of Giovanni Battista Carbone, one of these Jesuit astronomers, offering a significant window into the procedures and technical details involved in the setting, operation and transport of Graham's astronomical clocks. In this paper, I will not only discuss this important document in the framework of Graham's contributions to astronomy and horology, but also in the perspective of the search for accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision was not a quality expected from ordinary watches in the eighteenth century, which required specific maintenance to function correctly. The precautions to be taken to ensure the accuracy of pocket chronometers, whose going would influence navigation or the results of scientific activities, were even more vital. However, the remarkable attention that horological studies have devoted to the origins of chronometry has neglected these aspects. It has erroneously assumed that the success of chronometers was guaranteed by their innovative impact and technological advancement. To illustrate the importance to examine the birth of chronometry from the point of view of manipulating technology and the user experience, my paper will discuss the case of the small series of pocket chronometers manufactured between 1782 and 1794 by the London workshop of the Swiss watchmaker Josiah Emery. The article shows that not all the users possessed the necessary technical knowledge nor training to handle and employ chronometers appropriately and that the instructions given by the artisan to his clients played a fundamental role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores discussions centred on the activities of the British Board of Longitude to consider the ways in which some men of science, instrument makers and others thought about questions of precision and accuracy, both in principle and in terms of what was possible in practice when making observations at sea. It considers firstly the terminology used in some eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century texts, highlighting the concept of exactness, which was more commonly used to describe one of the desirable qualities of instruments and methods. It then looks at some of the discussions and debates in which the Board of Longitude was involved from the 1760s to think about different actors' expectations of what levels of exactness might be either desirable or possible for day-to-day navigation. The focus is on the ability to make accurate shipboard observations and on the question of what degree of exactness might have been accepted as good enough for routine navigational purposes when at sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine chronometers, often considered precision instruments, proliferated in navigational practices during the nineteenth century. This paper examines their use in the hands of naval officers in the early-nineteenth century. It argues that both the instruments and their operators required careful management and regulation. In addition, officers learnt and adapted observatory practices relating to the process of data collection and management. Through these means, chronometric data was collected, organized, and reduced to negotiate accurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment is an essential part of aphasia management. There are many tools available for aphasia assessment, but relatively scant attention has been paid to how speech pathologists carry out their assessment sessions, or how these sessions are experienced by people with aphasia and their families. The evidence that is available suggests that people with aphasia do not always understand the purposes of the assessments they undertake or receive much useful feedback on their performance. Connections between adult learning and aphasia therapy are being made more explicit, such as through the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia, but the potential for a relationship between adult learning and aphasia assessment has not yet been fully recognised. This paper aims to stimulate thinking to improve current aphasia assessment practices. It uses an adult learning lens and explores theoretical approaches underpinning assessment in adult education contexts. In this commentary paper, we summarise the current, dominant practices around aphasia assessment and then briefly review evidence-based recommended practice for assessment in higher and professional education. We explore useful parallels between the two fields and discuss how we might reassess assessment in aphasia rehabilitation. Aphasia assessments have greater potential to be therapeutic than we currently assume. Ideas from adult education are useful to challenge clinicians to reconsider aspects of their practice. Assessments can be a powerful motivator for learning and engagement in therapy. Through a greater focus on formative and sustainable assessment, and changed feedback practices, there are opportunities to capitalise more fully on the potential for learning during these sessions. Attention to the rich development of ideas about assessment in education is a useful way to challenge our assumptions and perhaps prepare our clients with aphasia for a more productive and sustainable learning journey to support their recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an initial value problem for a nonlinear time-fractional Schrödinger equation with a singular logarithmic potential term is investigated. The considered problem involves the left/forward Hadamard-Caputo fractional derivative with respect to the time variable. Using the test function method with a judicious choice of the test function, we obtain sufficient criteria for the absence of global weak solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using variational methods we show the existence of solutions for the following class of elliptic Kirchhoff–Boussinesq-type problems given by \[ \Delta^{2} u -\Delta_p u +u = h(u), \quad \mbox{in} \ \mathbb{R}^{N} \] Δ 2 u − Δ p u + u = h (u) , in R N and \[ \Delta^{2} u - \Delta_p u = f(u), \quad \mbox{in} \ \mathbb{R}^{N}, \] Δ 2 u − Δ p u = f (u) , in R N , where $ 2 2 < p ≤ 2 N N − 2 for $ N\geq 3 $ N ≥ 3 and $ 2_{**}=\infty $ 2 ∗ ∗ = ∞ for N = 3, N = 4, $ 2_{**}=\frac {2N}{N-4} $ 2 ∗ ∗ = 2 N N − 4 for $ N\geq 5 $ N ≥ 5 and h and f are continuous functions that satisfy hypotheses considered by Berestycki and Lions [Nonlinear scalar field. Arch Rational Mech Anal. 1983;82:313–345]. More precisely, the problem with the nonlinearity h is related to the Positive mass case and the problem with the nonlinearity f is related to the Zero mass case. The main argument is to find a Palais–Smale sequence satisfying a property related to Pohozaev identity, as in Hirata et al. [Nonlinear scalar field equations in RN: mountain pass and symmetric mountain pass approaches. Topol Methods Nonlinear Anal. 2010;35:253–276], which was used for the first time by Jeanjean [On the existence of bounded Palais-Smale sequences and application to a Landesman-Lazer- type problem set on $ \mathbb {R}^N $ R N . Proc R Soc Edinb Sect A. 1999;129:787–809]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]