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Many autistic youths experience restricted school participation. The present study investigated the influences of youth, family and school factors on autistic youths' school participation. Parents of 200 Dutch autistic youths (age range: 4–16 years, Mage = 12.23 years, SDage = 2.93 years) filled in questionnaires in a national survey for autistic individuals, reporting the school participation, age and autistic traits of their child, parents' education level and self-efficacy for supporting their child's schoolwork, and the impact of problems their child experienced with the physical and social environments of the school. Multivariate linear regression analysis using imputed data revealed that among the six predictor variables, only the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was negatively associated with their school participation. This study provided support for the essential role of the school environment in predicting autistic youths' school participation, indicating that problematic aspects in the school environment could have a greater impact on autistic youths' school participation than youth factors or family factors. This highlights the need to create a more accommodating environment at school, where autistic youths can participate easily and comfortably. School-aged youths have a basic human right to participate in educational and recreational activities at school. Yet, autistic youths are at high risk of being excluded from school and from school-based activities. It is important to understand how this occurs, to ensure that all autistic youths have opportunities to participate in school activities that are equal to the opportunities of their non-autistic peers. The present study investigated multiple influences on the school participation of autistic youths, including youth factors (age and autistic traits), family factors (parent education level and parental self-efficacy for supporting their child's schoolwork) and school factors (the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical and social environments of school). Using an online survey, we gathered the views and experiences of the parents of 200 autistic youths aged between 4 and 16 years, in the Netherlands. We found that among the factors, only the impact of problems that autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was associated with their school participation. In particular, autistic youths who experienced greater difficulties with the physical environment of school had lower levels of school participation. Our findings highlight the pressing need to modify school environments to better accommodate the needs of autistic youths so that they can participate easily and comfortably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated coherence metrics constitute an efficient and popular way to evaluate topic models. Previous work presents a mixed picture of their presumed correlation with human judgment. This work proposes a novel sampling approach to mining topic representations at a large scale while seeking to mitigate bias from sampling, enabling the investigation of widely used automated coherence metrics via large corpora. Additionally, this article proposes a novel user study design, an amalgamation of different proxy tasks, to derive a finer insight into the human decision-making processes. This design subsumes the purpose of simple rating and outlier-detection user studies. Similar to the sampling approach, the user study conducted is extensive, comprising 40 study participants split into eight different study groups tasked with evaluating their respective set of 100 topic representations. Usually, when substantiating the use of these metrics, human responses are treated as the gold standard. This article further investigates the reliability of human judgment by flipping the comparison and conducting a novel extended analysis of human response at the group and individual level against a generic corpus. The investigation results show a moderate to good correlation between these metrics and human judgment, especially for generic corpora, and derive further insights into the human perception of coherence. Analyzing inter-metric correlations across corpora shows moderate to good correlation among these metrics. As these metrics depend on corpus statistics, this article further investigates the topical differences between corpora, revealing nuances in applications of these metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is aimed to reveal the words showing the human negative character in Turkish, based on the work named "XIII. Yüzyıldan Beri Türkiye Türkçesiyle Yazılmış Kitaplardan Toplanan Tanıklarıyle Tarama Sözlüğü" (Browsing Dictionnary with testimonials collected from books written in Türkiye Turkish in 13th Century). This work is not only one of the most important Turkish dictionaries but also a significant source for researchers in terms of revealing the historical process of Turkish language. There are many aspects of negative side of human character. For instance, here human stinginess is defined as: cığan "parsimonius", his ignorance as: bilmez "ignorant" or bilüsüz "ignorant", his discouragement as: babak "coward". It is important to set which negative characters are stated in which words to reveal the richness of the world of Turkish notion, and therefore to display the power of Turkish language [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the relationship between the lifestyle and the meaning of life in the Stoic school is investigated. An old school that considers the meaning of philosophy as a way of life and claims stylization, and nowadays its teachings have been taken into consideration. How to live a life is one of the concerns of human beings and to identify its strengths and weaknesses, in order to present an ideal life style, the relevant and effective meaning of life should be sought in it. The meaning of life is formed based on ontology, anthropology and valuation. After inferencing it in the Stoic school, it’s behavioral teachings are examined in 4 fields: interaction with oneself, with God, with others and with universe. The existence of gaps and defects such as the way of Substantive interpretation of universe and human being in the intellectual foundations of Stoicism, has caused the emergence of a multifaceted and ambiguous meaning of life. And accordingly the lifestyle resulting from this school has encountered conflicts and challenges such as how to communicate with the Creator and the practical obligations arising from it. Also human communication and how to interact with fellow humans and how to accept modernity and the resilience of the requirements of technological life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores Socrates' interpretation of a poem by Simonides and its implications for human virtue and goodness. Socrates argues that misfortune beyond one's control can lead to a deprivation of knowledge, threatening human achievements. He also suggests that becoming virtuous requires continuous effort and that human goodness is subject to contingencies. Socrates emphasizes the complexity and limitations of human virtue and the ongoing pursuit of living well. He criticizes poetic interpretation for avoiding self-disclosure and emphasizes the importance of speaking in one's own voice. Socrates concludes that philosophical speech must be both self-disclosive and poetic, indicating its own inadequacy while still aiming to convey truth. [Extracted from the article]

Health is one of the main elements in human life. Everyone always gives ample space for their health. However, sometimes people forget this when their life goals are not well understood or are limited to certain achievements. This scientific work examines the reinterpretation of the Catholic faith as a search for human nature and how the Catholic faith and health are actually an inseparable unity because humans are complete creatures. Apart from that, this scientific work also reflects the ideal human attitude in facing crises, especially health crises in the new post-pandemic era, namely "Being human also means being a healthy human being" because humans who are able to find faith can understand it. the importance of health in their lives. For those who understand the integral relationship between the Catholic faith and health, this provides confirmation of the true dignity of human beings, including their relationship to "the Divine". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hiding from war, violence, and persecution in a secret, confined place affects the subjectivity of the occupants. The hideout's material properties and the hiders' silence to avoid detection enter deep into their lives. This co-constitution of subjectivity and hiding becomes manifest in their affects, feelings, and emotions, as will be illustrated by an analysis of Anne Frank's lived experience of hiding for two years from Nazi persecution. She and her fellow hiders maintained a regime of silence in the secret annex of a canal house in Amsterdam to prevent their discovery and deportation. The hideout's material and social restrictions created a subjectivity of hiding that devalued Anne Frank's existence as a human being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic and all of its restrictions dominated public attention and social practices for almost three years. There was declared a state of exception in many national contexts during the pandemic. A revolution took place in the governing of bodies and the obstruction of sociality or the basic togetherness of humans. In a direct, physical way, the pandemic regulations were radically individualizing to a degree that had not been seen in either normal societies or normal crises and emergencies. This pandemic condition of being exposed represented a kind of extreme object existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robert Walpole and his regime are often considered the prime topical target of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera. The significance of Macheath as a mirror for Walpole's political rival, Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbroke, has been obscured. In his parodic representation of the two political creeds dominating the public debate, Whig and Tory, Gay showed how both value systems deployed categories to justify discrimination against two categories of human being: women and the common people. Gay relied on the powers of the aesthetic to ensure that his audience's experience of pleasure defused the operations of this ideological categorization, but the prior identification of the two worldviews circulating those categories was vital to his satiric project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of swimming on bone health remains unclear, namely due to discrepant findings between studies in humans and animal models. Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to identify the available evidence on the effects of swimming on bone mass, geometry and microarchitecture at the lumbar spine, femur and tibia in both humans and rodent animal models. Methods: The study followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered at PROSPERO (CRD4202236347 and CRD42022363714 for human and animal studies). Two different systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, retrieving 36 and 16 reports for humans and animal models, respectively. Results: In humans, areal bone mineral density (aBMD) was similar between swimmers and non-athletic controls at the lumbar spine, hip and femoral neck. Swimmers' tibia diaphysis showed a higher cross-sectional area but lower cortical thickness. Inconsistent findings at the femoral neck cortical thickness were found. Due to the small number of studies, trabecular microarchitecture in human swimmers was not assessed. In rodent models, aBMD was found to be lower at the tibia, but similar at the femur. Inconsistent findings in femur diaphysis cross-sectional area were observed. No differences in femur and tibia trabecular microarchitecture were found. Conclusion: Swimming seems to affect bone health differently according to anatomical region. Studies in both humans and rodent models suggest that tibia cortical bone is negatively affected by swimming. There was no evidence of a negative effect of swimming on other bone regions, both in humans and animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the work of sociologist Charles H. Cooley and his focus on communication as a fundamental element in the shaping of social structures and human development. It highlights the importance of grounding social science in communication theory and emphasizes Cooley's view of communication as the origin of social bonds. It mentions the influence of Albert Schäffle on Cooley's thinking, who emphasized the moral, psychological, and symbolic dimensions of society. In summary, it reflects on the importance of communication in human life and its role in building a better society. [Extracted from the article]

Hydrogels are widely used in various areas of human life. The vast majority of hydrogel materials used are polymer-based. Despite a number of advantages compared to polymer-based materials, studies on inorganic hydrogels are very limited and scattered. They are rarely offered as a basis for development of new functional materials. This review is an attempt to draw attention of researches to inorganic hydrogels. It describes currently existing methods for the synthesis of such hydrogels, their properties, and shows possible applications of the hydrogel materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The actuation of traditional anthropomorphic hands is relatively complex, and there is little research on humanoid skin. In view of the above problems, this study proposed an anthropomorphic hand with biological and kinematic characteristics of the human hand, including structural skeletal parts and humanoid skin. Firstly, the overall structure and control system of the anthropomorphic hand were designed. Then, the humanoid skin was fabricated and its physical and mechanical properties were tested. Based on the overall structure of the rope-driven anthropomorphic hand, its motion characteristics were simulated and analyzed using multi-body dynamics software ADAMS/Cable. Finally, control experiment verifies the performance of the anthropomorphic hand described in this paper. The results are that the proposed anthropomorphic hand can reproduce the movement characteristics of the human hand well, and can grip objects of different shapes, different sizes and different weights stably, with a maximum grip force of 11.91 N measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text analyzes the multiple influence of Socrates' ethical teaching on Plato's philosophical thought. Socrates' effort to establish standards for moral aspiration and action through ethical research through the determination of universal determinants, i.e. the essential meanings of being, is extended by Plato to his Theory of Ideas. Plato's Theory of Ideas is based on the legacy of the idea of the existence of universal determinants that appear as immutable truths, and it extends to the research of their application in the field corresponding to their nature. Socrates believes that the essential determination of being is a prerequisite for gaining knowledge, cultivating virtues, and thus achieving the common goal of the human race - happiness. Movement towards the goal is realized with the help of persistence in the direction of knowledge and moral aspiration, through the medium of the soul. According to Socrates, knowledge is what needs to be nurtured and born from the soul itself. Plato, following in the footsteps of Socrates, underlines the importance of the soul and its nature in relation to the physical, creating a detailed account of the movement of the soul in the direction of knowledge and overcoming the changeable. The soul remembers the knowledge it observed in the preexistent period and acts according to virtue thanks to the correct upbringing and education. Socratic questioning and teaching in favor of the soul's recollection of knowledge, which we get to know through Plato's early dialogues, is extended by Plato to the establishment of an education system that will enable the construction of a state and social community based on knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of local prilocaine infiltration on postoperative pain in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Materials and Methods: The case-control study enrolled 137 patients who underwent PCNL at Çukurova University Balcalı Hospital from April 2022 to December 2022. These patients were categorized into two distinct groups: The case and control groups. While peritubal 2% 10 cc prilocaine local anesthetic infiltration was applied to the cases, local anesthetic was not applied to the control group. Pain was evaluated using an analog scale after surgery. Results: In the study, which included 137 patients, local anesthesia was administered to 46 patients. Receiving local anesthesia was associated with the pain score (p<0.001). Pain scores were lower at the beginning and at the 4th minute in patients receiving local anesthesia (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Infiltration of peritubal prilocaine has been shown to notably diminish pain following PCNL. Our hypothesis suggests that local anesthetic infiltration into the nephrostomy tract could present a superior alternative for postoperative pain control. Nevertheless, extensive and prolonged follow-up studies are imperative for advancing research in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metaphors are part of everyday language as they help us to communicate effectively and allow us to reveal meaning to concepts. Older adults have been described using metaphors like 'Tsunami' in western countries. However, it is unknow which metaphors are used to describe older adults in Turkey. The aim of this study was to reveal the perceptions of the concept of aging among fourth year nursing students through metaphors. This study employed phenomenology, which is a qualitative research design. All fourth-year nursing students in the Nursing Department of the Faculty of Health Sciences of a Turkish university constituted the study population. The study was completed with the participation of 60 students. The data were collected in May-June 2022. To reveal the metaphors that each nursing student considered representative for the concept of 'aging,' they were asked to complete the following sentence: 'Aging is like ... because ....' In qualitative research, metaphors can help simplify complex and/or multidimensional concepts through connecting one familiar concept to another familiar one, resulting in the comparison between the two concepts opening up new possibilities and perspectives. Metaphors provide structure to data and aid understanding of a familiar process in a new light. The metaphors and their justifications, written by students in their own handwriting, were used as the main data source in this study. Students completed the questionnaire in one session. The completion of the form took approximately 20 minutes. The mean age of the students was 22.5 ± 1.4 years, and 78.3% of them were female. In analyzing the data, a content analysis approach comprising coding, the identification of themes, and grouping of data according to codes and themes was used. The metaphors produced by the students were categorized as 'positive' and 'negative.' In the positive category, there were 10 metaphors formed by 43 (71.7%) nursing students. Fourteen metaphors by 17 (28.3%) nursing students were identified in the negative category. The most commonly used metaphors were found to be 'tree,' 'flower,' 'kid,' and 'book.' It was observed that the students perceived the concept of old age as a process that helped individuals gain knowledge and experience and a guiding process. In order to increase and maintain a positive attitude toward the older people, it can be recommended to include more topics and practices related to old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviews recent advances in osteometric, genetic, geochemical, and digital modeling applications since 2014 to demonstrate the expanded range of analyses and skeletal elements that can be used to separate individuals from commingled contexts. While traditional methods remain foundational to commingling resolution, new advances allow increased individuation, identification of human versus non‐human remains, and an amplified scale of assemblages that can be analyzed. This summary offers ways for practitioners to consider the juxtaposition of analytical goals, time, financial concerns, and methods when managing commingled assemblages. Forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology case studies illustrate differences related to application of methods in terms of recovery environments, project goals, and recovered materials. Whether the goal is to isolate and individuate only major elements or as many bones as possible, in nearly all cases, it is best practice to combine several types of methods to fulfill the project scope within the established parameters. This review can help practitioners identify the most appropriate analytical protocols and methods for their projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be a health concern in the United States, particularly in rural settings. Point‐of‐care (POC) STI testing is useful in overcoming access barriers in these settings. The purpose of this project was to implement POC STI testing to increase access to care in rural settings and test the feasibility of this model. Six mobile health clinics were implemented by a nurse‐led team in three rural communities in the Blackbelt region of Alabama utilizing the Binx IO® to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Mobile clinic volunteers participated in focus groups to determine provider satisfaction with clinic workflow. The mobile health clinics were a feasible way to increase access to STI testing in rural settings with reported provider and client satisfaction in work flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas (PAs) are effective in mitigating human pressures, yet their future pressure alleviating effects remain unclear. In this study, we employed the ConvLSTM model to forecast the future human footprint and analyzed human pressure trends using Theil–Sen median and Mann–Kendall tests. We further evaluated the mitigating effects of PAs within their buffer zones (1–10 km) and the contributions of different IUCN categories of PAs to mitigating human pressure using linear regression models. The results indicate that by 2035, the average human pressure value is expected to increase by 11%, with trends exhibiting a polarized pattern. Furthermore, PAs also effectively mitigate human pressure within their 1 km buffer zones. Different categories of PAs vary in their effectiveness in mitigating human pressure, and stricter conservation areas are not always the most effective. This study can offer insights for evaluating the effectiveness of PAs in reducing human pressure and advocate for their targeted management in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing body of literature on Prison Officers and therapeutic practitioners within correctional facilities, comparatively little research exists into prison volunteers. Using semi-structured interviews with caseworkers (n = 5), analyzed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this study explores the experience of being a Prison In-Reach Caseworker, supporting the male ex-Armed Forces population in Greater London prisons. Through identifying three superordinate themes of the inherent moral values of the shared past, compassion and "in" versus "out" of the prison system, the study concludes that the caseworkers, working outside the boundaries of the correctional system, reject the label of "criminal" and its associated consequences, choosing instead to attribute value and dignity to the prisoners, both as ex-Armed Forces personnel, and as human beings. The findings offer an insight into the consequences of positive labeling for perspectives of redemption and desistance and suggest the need for further investigation into the experiences and impact of prison volunteers working with different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative cognitive science often involves asking questions like 'Do nonhumans have C?' where C is a capacity we take humans to have. These questions frequently generate unproductive disagreements, in which one party affirms and the other denies that nonhumans have the relevant capacity on the basis of the same evidence. I argue that these questions can be productively understood as questions about natural kinds: do nonhuman capacities fall into the same natural kinds as our own? Understanding such questions in this way has several advantages: it preserves the intuition that these are substantive empirical questions worth asking; it helps us to understand why they so frequently give rise to disagreements of the kind described; and it provides clues about how to diagnose and resolve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we reassess two of Mises' core methodological claims. The first claim is that action is necessarily rational. The second claim is that all human minds share a logical structure. Neither claim can be unreservedly accepted but, we argue, both contain truth: Mises' reflections remain important contributions to our understanding of action and the mind, hence to economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research has shown a significant link between gut microbiota in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, much remains unknown because of the heterogeneity of disorders and the potential confounders such as dietary patterns and control group variations. Methods: Children aged 6–12 years who had been clinically diagnosed with ASD and/or ADHD, their unaffected neurotypical siblings, and non‐related neurotypical volunteers were recruited cross‐sectionally. The ASD diagnosis was confirmed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule‐2 (ADOS‐2) in all patients, including those with ADHD. Standardized DNA extraction and sequencing methods were used to compare gut microbial alpha‐diversity among the groups. Dietary diversity was calculated from a standardized dietary questionnaire form. We compared the difference in gut microbiome between patients with ASD and/or ADHD with neurotypical siblings and non‐related neurotypical controls. Results: Ninety‐eight subjects were included in the study (18 with ASD, 19 with ADHD, 20 with both ASD and ADHD, 13 neurotypical siblings, and 28 non‐related neurotypical controls). The alpha‐diversity indices, such as Chao 1 and Shannon index, showed a significant difference between the groups in a Linear mixed‐effect model (F(4, 93) = 4.539, p =.02), (F(4, 93) = 3.185, p =.017), respectively. In a post‐hoc pairwise comparison, patients with ASD had lower alpha‐diversity compared with non‐related controls after Bonferroni correction. Dietary diversity shown in Shannon index did not differ among the groups (F(4, 84) = 1.494, p =.211). Conclusions: Our study indicates disorder‐specific microbiome differences in patients with ASD. In future research on gut microbiota in neurodevelopmental disorders, it is necessary to consider the impact of ASD and ADHD co‐occurrence, and strictly control for background information such as diet, to elucidate the gut–microbiota interaction in ASD and ADHD for exploring the potential of therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vivo clearance mechanisms of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) encompass both target-mediated and target-independent processes. Two distinct determinants of overall mAb clearance largely separate of target-mediated influences are non-specific cellular endocytosis and subsequent pH-dependent mAb recycling mediated by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), where inter-mAb variability in the efficiency of both processes is observed. Here, we implemented a functional cell-based FcRn recycling assay via Madin-Darby canine kidney type II cells stably co-transfected with human FcRn and its light chain β2-microglobulin. Next, a series of pH-dependent internalization studies using a model antibody demonstrated proper function of the human FcRn complex. We then applied our cellular assays to assess the contribution of both FcRn and non-specific interactions in the cellular turnover for a panel of 8 clinically relevant mAbs exhibiting variable human pharmacokinetic behavior. Our results demonstrate that the interplay of non-specific endocytosis rates, pH-dependent non-specific interactions, and engagement with FcRn all contribute to the overall recycling efficiency of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. The predictive capacity of our assay approach was highlighted by successful identification of all mAbs within our panel possessing clearance in humans greater than 5 mL/day/kg. These results demonstrate that a combination of cell-based in vitro assays can properly resolve individual mechanisms underlying the overall in vivo recycling efficiency and non-target mediated clearance of therapeutic mAbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have examined developmentally relevant sources of resilience, such as peer social support, among young sexual minority men (SMM) of color experiencing discrimination and mental health distress. To address this gap in the literature, we examined the role of peer social support in the association between discrimination and mental health distress in a sample of young SMM of color. Ninety-four cisgender young SMM of color (aged 16–29) were recruited through community-based organizations in the New York City metropolitan area as part of an effectiveness trial of a tailored Motivational Interviewing intervention. Participants completed a baseline survey that included measures of school/workplace ethnoracial discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, peer social support, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results of multivariable models indicated some evidence of the stress-buffering effects of peer social support. School/workplace ethnoracial discrimination was negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety (B = −0.12, SE = 0.03, p <.001) and depression (B = 0.44, SE = 0.15, p =.005) among young SMM of color with lower levels of peer social support. Peer social support did not moderate the association between sexual orientation discrimination and either depression or anxiety. Findings provide some evidence of the protective role of peer social support. We discuss the implications of the results for practice with young SMM of color with mental health distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humanity has never suffered so much from racial repression, social division and cultural domination as in the contemporary world. Freedom is under the severest attack the mankind has ever seen. Erno and Birk timely seize the issue of human freedom and contend that psychologists must turn their attention to it from a practical, political and interdisciplinary perspective, thereby opening up new avenues to human flourishing and self-actualization. And yet this proposal has given still insufficient heed to the cultural nature of freedom. It is the objective of this essay to argue for and sketch out a cultural-discursive approach that purports to provide not just a systematic and precise account of freedom but also a methodological framework for its research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon are establishing their own autonomous territorial governments to protect their land and resources. Olivia Bisa, the president of the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Chapra Nation, has faced threats and persecution for her activism against illegal economic activities and oil spills in her territory. These autonomous territorial governments represent a new model of territorial governance, aiming to protect their territories and resist extractive activities driven by the state. However, they face challenges in gaining recognition from the Peruvian government and conventional Indigenous organizations. Adriana Castro, a lawyer with expertise in Public International Law, has studied this issue. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Few studies have evaluated the use of laparoscopic staplers in robotic procedures (bedside stapling, BS). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of BS compared with robotic staplers (RS) in bariatric robotic procedures. Methods: Patients who underwent robotic sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass elective procedures between 1/1/2021 and 12/31/2021 were extracted from PINC AI™ Healthcare Data. The following clinical outcomes were compared: blood transfusion, bleeding, anastomotic leak, intensive care unit (ICU) visit, and 30-day readmission, operating room (OR) time, inpatient costs, and length of stay. We evaluated baseline balance in BS and RS and bivariate association between covariates and outcomes using Chi-square or Fisher exact test and t-test or ANOVA. Multivariable general linear mixed models (GLMMs) with respective gamma or binomial distribution and log-link function were used to obtain adjusted outcomes variations between BS and RS. Results: Total of 7268 discharges were included with 1603 (22.1%) BS and 5665 (77.9%) RS cases. RS cases consisted of a higher number of patients who were Hispanic (17.0% vs. 9.4%), had Medicaid (26.9% vs. 19.4%) and underwent sleeve gastrectomy (68.4% vs. 53.5%). Higher proportions of RS cases were done by providers in Northeast region (35.5% vs. 24.3%), smaller size (< 500 beds; 71.1% vs. 52.3%), and teaching hospitals (59.4% vs. 39%). The adjusted outcomes variations demonstrated that patients that had RS were significantly more likely to have blood transfusions, ICU stays, increased ORT (19 min) and costs ($1273). Sensitivity analysis showed similar results, except no significant differences in blood transfusion rates in both groups. Conclusions: Bedside staplers significantly reduce healthcare resource utilization with equivalent effectiveness and fewer ICU stays compared to robotic staplers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowdsourcing is a powerful technique for accomplishing tasks that are difficult for machines but easy for humans. However, ensuring the quality of the workers who participate in the task is a major challenge. Most of the existing studies have focused on selecting suitable workers based on their attributes and the task requirements, while neglecting the requesters' characteristics as a key factor in the crowdsourcing process. In this paper, we address this gap by considering the requesters' preferences and behavior in crowdsourcing systems with competition, where the requester chooses only one worker's contribution as the final answer. A model is proposed in which the requesters' characteristics are taken into consideration when finding suitable workers. Also, we propose new definitions for clarity and the fairness of requesters and propose models and formulations to employ them, alongside task and workers' attributes, to find more suitable workers. We have evaluated the efficacy of our proposed model by analyzing a real-world dataset and compared it with two current state-of-the-art approaches. Our results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method in assigning the most suitable workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milton was both a great poet and in his own time a well-known political writer. Reading Paradise Lost in the light of his republican political writings, however, presents a serious problem because it is Satan and his confederates who speak and act like republicans in that epic poem, as would have been obvious to his contemporary readers. Rather than try to explain this problem away as others have done, this paper argues that Paradise Lost advances a powerful republican argument continuous with Milton's earlier political views. Specifically, Paradise Lost shows that monarchy and other artificial hierarchies are evil because they contradict the natural and equal right to freedom of all human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human race has been confronting the issue of poverty which is threatening its continued existence for a long time. Poor access to finance can lead to poverty this breeds health issues, lack of access to social and recreational facilities, social delinquencies, reduced living standard, malnutrition and economic difficulties. The goal of defeating poverty in its various ramification remains a cardinal concern for policy formulators in the Nigerian state and international bodies such as the World Bank and United Nations. Following the thriving emergence of financial technology (fintech) in Nigeria, there exist a dearth in academic researches to examine how fintech can be a driver in the reduction of poverty. This study examined the impact of financial technology on poverty reduction in Nigeria. Data on poverty rate, financial technology, mortality rate, literacy rate and gross domestic products were obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistical bulletin for the period of 1991 - 2021. This study employed the multiple linear regression estimation technique to analyse collected data as it examines a cross-section of major key independent variables across a time series data, on the premise of a common effect model. Data analysed indicates a negative and significant nexus between poverty rate and financial technology innovation. The result also suggest that literacy rate and poverty rate have a negative and insignificant relationship. The poverty rate was also found to be positively and insignificantly related to mortality rate and gross domestic products respectively. The study findings have several significant policy implications. Firstly, infrastructures that support internet and mobile telephony should be expanded by providing incentives for investment since technology is the backbone of the operations of fintech. Secondly, education on fintech, information communication technology and finance should be increased to fill the gap among citizens who are not technological inclined especially in the rural areas to increase the use of fintech. Lastly, there should be further regulatory interventions through reforms to remove the barriers to credit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The science of physics has been extremely successful over the last four centuries, mainly for one reason: It does everything it can to disregard anything that has to do with non-physical parts of reality. Although the human body is a physical body, large parts of what distinguishes human beings, sometimes briefly called the human condition, does not belong to the physical domain. This implies that physics (and other sciences of the material universe) offers nothing more than self-imposed helplessness when it comes to questions as to what it means to be human. Yet it is possible to scrutinize the way in which physics (and other sciences) is delineated from the rest of reality: to reconsider its boundaries as they were set about four centuries ago. In other words, it is possible to look for features within the physical that are related to something outside the physical which physics itself ignores. The key concept to do so is proposed to be meaning, in its two variants of reference and sense. Meaning provides a viable perspective to illuminate the deep structure of reality as it extends beyond physics and across its boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food and life are intimately entangled. To grasp the underlying complexity of this seemingly simple statement, this article first introduces the approach to food/eating as an assemblage enacted by various heterogeneous components, and further develops it by engaging with actor network theory and material semiotics. Thereafter the focus turns to 'entanglement', as inspired by quantum physics, to elicit the basic dynamics of the entanglement of food and more-than-human beings, conceived of as involving mutual and differential becomings within and among assemblages. The article illustrates these entangled becomings by drawing upon examples from Sri Lanka, which in an intercultural philosophical fashion serve to establish an articulation (in the sense of a connection) between the proposed abstract approach to food and some basic premises of Buddhism and Ayurveda, a South Asian health system. Overall, the article crafts a conceptual toolbox and performs ontological groundwork wherein food and human beings as entangled assemblages provide a productive, refined, and sensitive research apparatus for the intimate study of more-than-human life and organization while also spurring novel theorizations through food/eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the position of people with intellectual disabilities in two areas of study: the theological discourse of the image of God and the scientific study on the evolutionary theory of human origin, exclusively in social Darwinism and Homo sapiens. In Christian interpretations of God's image, this paper succinctly presents and revisits two parts: ancient Christian (Augustine and Irenaeus) interpretations of God's image and several different directions (substantial, relational, functional, and ethical approaches), providing the understanding of the image of God in the modern era. In evolutionary theory, this paper focuses on two parts: the idea of social Darwinism and Homo sapiens. In addition, this paper revisits both ideas in constructing an inclusive paradigm of God's image. The main argument of this paper is that the image of God liberates people with intellectual disabilities from the confines of the exclusive ideas of God's image and Homo sapiens to a concept of Homo Dei. In conclusion, this paper proposes the idea of Homo Dei to portray an abstract concept of God's image vis-à-vis the evolutionary theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a preliminary examination of François Noël's (1651–1729) translation of Zhu Xi 朱熹's (1130–1200) Elementary learning (Xiaoxue 小學, 1187), which was included in Sinensis Imperii Libri Classici Sex (Six Classics of the Chinese Empire, 1711). In particular, by taking the chapter about the Five Human Relationships (wulun 五倫), "Quintuplex humanae conditionis ordo," as case study, the paper will demonstrate how Noël's writing agenda differed from that of his predecessors, with his translation acting as a systematically construed tribute to the sapientia sinica in the background of the Rites Controversy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-view human pose estimation can achieve high accuracy by leveraging complex spatial information from multiple perspectives. However, increasing the number of views can strain the network model, potentially compromising estimation accuracy under limited computing resources. Furthermore, in the current approach of using ResNet for feature extraction, traditional methods involve deconvolution to obtain large-sized feature maps, which can introduce artificial interference. To tackle the above challenges, we propose a perceptual network based on flexible combination view feature fusion. The network is comprised of three crucial modules. The flexible view combination policy module enables high accuracy from just a single reference view. It avoids the problem of increased complexity caused by a large number of views. The up-sampling module, based on sub-pixel convolution, is designed to achieve efficient high-resolution recovery. This resolves the issue of artificial interference introduced by deconvolution. Additionally, the feature fusion module maximizes the utilization of reference view cues to enhance the human pose estimation in the current view. Experiments conducted on the Human3.6m dataset demonstrate a reduction in the average MPJPE to 18.3 mm using our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because it is often assumed that fundamental behavioral differences distinguish Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, the ability to structure space within the sites they occupied into distinct activity areas is often invoked as a key distinctive trait of our species. However, this behavior has never been assessed for both groups at a single site, hindering direct comparisons to date. To help resolve this question, this study uses a single methodology to evaluate the spatial organization in the Protoaurignacian levels (A1-A2, associated with Homo sapiens) and the latest Mousterian levels (MS1-MS2, associated with Neanderthals) at Riparo Bombrini (Liguria, Italy) to assess the changes over these three stratigraphic units vis a vis other information about site use. Combining GIS and quantitative methods allows the study of the spatial distribution of plotted finds and features in these levels, showing that Neandertals and Homo sapiens organized their living spaces in accordance with the duration of occupation, the occupation intensity, the tool assemblage and the faunal exploitation. Our results indicate that there is a logic behind the distribution of plotted finds and the use of the space, suggesting comparable cognitive capacities for both anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals. This contributes further data that undermines the notion of 'behavioral modernity' as a useful heuristic in human origins research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the research problem that arises from evidence that, despite supportive policy contexts, enactment of pedagogies that attend to young children's participation rights in classroom settings is highly variable. We report our exploration of the ways in which the child, and child participation are constructed in early education settings in Wales, where legislation and policy around children's rights has been a key feature of the Welsh Government agenda post‐devolution. Data were gathered via a qualitative online bilingual (English and Welsh) survey offered via email to teachers of children aged 3–7 in Wales. The overarching research question of the project was: How do teachers of children 3–7 years understand and enact the notion of participation as it relates to the children they teach? Data analysis focused on research participants' apparent constructions of the children they teach and their capabilities, and unpacked the ways in which these constructions relate to the reported opportunities for participation. The discussion is informed by the notion of the threshold concept, described by Meyer & Land as akin to a portal that opens new and previously inaccessible ways of thinking. We consider the extent to which the conceptual construction of the capable child maybe a threshold concept in shaping the realisation of children's participation rights in educative contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to renew the discussion about meaning in the field of psychology. A model is presented that, contrary to the classical view of meaning as an entity taken for granted, explains the dynamics through which it comes to be constituted, opening itself to the possibility of being experienced, as a psychological reality. The autoethnographic analysis carried out by von Fircks (IBPS 53(4):632–643, 2023) is used as example to show how such a model enables an understanding of local phenomena through the comprehension of the semiotic dynamics underlying them. Finally, this paper offers insights into the mechanisms that underlie the field of possibility of meaning-making processes, thus of human experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on Fircks (2023), who aims at integrating the theoretical and historical roots of mindfulness into psychology through a bridge between Taoism, relying on the polarity of life and wu wei (the principle of not-forcing) and Mead's Social Psychology, this commentary seeks to further explore how mindfulness, meditation and self-transcendence plays a role in the personal needs hierarchy of the human organism. This is done in the framework of Abraham Maslow's theory of human motivation and his hierarchy of needs, where a model that introduces a new layer in the hierarchy of needs, the need for self-transcendence, is presented. This model containing the new hierarchy of self-transcendence is based on Maslow's own notion of peak-experiences, as well as related to William James' notion of mystical experiences. Fircks' (2023) autoethnographic meditative experience is conceptualized as a peak-experience and analyzed to show how human beings strive to experience this state of being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Black queer men in the UK are increasingly at risk of mental health problems related to anxiety and depression, often triggered by traumatic experiences. This study explored the efficacy of integrative practice with Black queer men who experienced trauma from a decolonised, intersectional and queer‐affirming perspective. Method: One‐to‐one semi‐structured interviews with nine integrative practitioners were completed. Data collected from these interviews were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six stages of reflexive thematic analysis (RTA). Findings: RTA identified four subordinate themes: (1) understanding the experience of Black queer men, (2) developing the working alliance and use of self in practice, (3) effective integrative practice and (4) intersectional differences and considerations. Findings discussed the varying forms of trauma Black queer male clients experienced that impacted their mental health and how developing a strong working alliance with Black queer men was crucial when supporting them to recover from trauma. Additionally, the participants described a breadth of trauma‐informed integrative counselling and coaching practice. A decolonised approach utilising the intersection of race, gender and sexuality of Black queer men was successfully integrated into the approach used by practitioners in this study. Conclusion: Overall, this study evidenced that a decolonised perspective to integrative practice effectively supports Black queer men to recover from trauma. Future research should focus on an integrated approach with Black queer men and other gender and sexual ethnic minority clients who experienced trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of reading storybooks and the presence of different characters such as humans, animals, and fantasy characters in storybooks on children's costly sharing behaviour. A total of 235 children participated in the study. The children were presented with 20 stickers and were asked to choose their 10 favourites. They were then instructed to share as many stickers as they wanted from their chosen 10. The children randomly assigned to following storybook conditions: human, anthropomorphic (animal-like), fantasy characters and a neutral storybook group. After reading the stories, the costly sharing procedure was repeated. As a result, increase in sharing rates from pre-test to post-test, it was determined that the highest increase occurred in children who listened to a storybook with human characters. The increase in costly sharing behaviour of children who listened to the storybook with human characters was significantly higher than the change in the costly sharing behaviour of children who listened to anthropomorphic and neutral storybooks. The increase in sharing behaviour of children who listened to fantasy character storybooks was significantly higher than that of children who listened to neutral storybooks. No other differences were observed among the groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study provides a thematic analysis of some of the criticisms of Sufism within the Iranian-Shi'i tradition since the Safavid period. These criticisms primarily focus on the origin of Sufism and argue that Sufism is alien to Shi'i thought. In addition, "waʿdat al-wujūd" (unity of existence), some Sufi practices that are claimed to be "bid'ah" (unorthodox innovations), and the method of "kashf" (unveiling), which is the method of obtaining knowledge in Sufism, are among the subjects of criticism. Furthermore, the Sufi concepts of "ittiʿād" (union), "ʿulūl" (incarnation), "fanā" (annihilation), and "tajallī" (theophany) are criticized on the basis of the assumption that God and human beings belong to fundamentally different ontological categories. Finally, Sufism is also subjected to criticism regarding "karāmāt" (miracles) which lack rational certainty. This study also aims at times to question the validity of the criticisms based on various arguments and to address the issues objectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and place have always been linked. From prehistoric forest and hydraulic empire to canal network and the networked knowledge economy, the space of flows gives rise to the way human beings perceive the world as well as the objects they perceive. The historical relationship between information and place is important in understanding cyberspace as a space of information that reshapes our engagement with the physical world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Turkish Culture & Haci Bektas Veli Research Quarterly is the property of Turkish Cultur & Haci Bektas Veli Research Quarterly and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Logos: A Journal, of Religion, Philosophy Comparative Cultural Studies & Art (08687692) is the property of Logos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)