Common Focus Research Articles

Bridges and viaducts in Brazil: an analysis of the predominant defects

Bridges and viaducts are essential structures for mobility and transportation but are susceptible to defects that can impact safety and durability. Defect studies are crucial for identifying issues and solutions, assessing the condition of the structures, and determining the need for intervention. Visual inspections were conducted on five structures in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the defects found were either identical or similar to those reported in the literature review referenced in this study. Based on this information, it is possible to identify the most common defects and focus preventive and corrective maintenance efforts to prevent the progression of these issues and minimize the financial costs associated with structural repairs. The methodology used in this work involved the analysis of bibliographic sources, scientific articles and visual inspections.

Gateway to the study of the amygdala and emotion.

The study of the amygdala and its role in the processing of emotions has become a common focus in neuroscience. The modern expansion of research in this area is partly due to the discovery of a subcortical pathway for the transmission of emotional information and the experimental paradigm that was developed to study it. Groundbreaking experiments during the 90s utilized anatomical, neurophysiological, and behavioral lesion studies in a rodent animal model to uncover the neural circuitry of a simple emotional memory. These studies demonstrated the essential role of a specific monosynaptic pathway in emotional memory, using traditional tools and behavioral methods. The development of an animal model with a simple and appropriate classical conditioning paradigm made experimental investigations into the neural basis of emotion tenable and available to a generation of neuroscientists. These tools and a focus on the amygdala's neural connections and their essential role in emotional memory were a driving force in the explosion of research regarding the amygdala and emotion.

Assessing motivational biases in brain and behavior: Event-related potential and response time concomitants of the approach-avoidance task.

The approach-avoidance task (AAT) is designed to measure implicit motivated action biases instantiated by emotional stimuli and alterations in such biases that drive psychiatric disorder. While some research has measured AAT event-related potential (ERP) correlates to establish bias sensitivity even at a neural level, a lack of work with unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral stimuli together and a common focus on psychiatric disorder-matched (rather than generally emotional) content limits conclusions that can be drawn. Thus, current work extends the AAT literature by testing ERP modulations across normatively unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral conditions; and supporting the task's use as an individual difference assessment, it also provides data on AAT reliability and initially explores anxiety-related effects when stimuli are not disorder-matched. In 38 participants including 19 anxiety treatment-seeking individuals, 32 sensor electroencephalography revealed robust N100, N200, and late positive potential (LPP) ERP components and bias-consistent modulations for unpleasant images (reduced N200s on unpleasant push relative to pull trials; enhanced LPP for unpleasant compared to neutral trials). Meanwhile, modulations were less consistent with emotion-driven bias for other conditions-that is, LPPs were enhanced but N200 was not modulated for pleasant images, and for neutral images, N200 was unexpectedly enhanced on push compared to pull trials. Following these analyses, reliability tests revealed excellent raw ERP reliabilities but lower reliabilities for modulation scores, and comparing treatment- to non-treatment-seeking groups showed no preliminary indication of ERP modulation changes when stimuli are not personally relevant. How these findings together inform understanding of AAT as a measure of bias is discussed.

Situating homeostasis in organisms: maintaining organization through time.

Since it was inspired by Bernard and developed and named by Cannon, the concept of homeostasis has been invoked by many as the central theoretical framework for physiology. It has also been the target of numerous criticisms that have elicited the introduction of a plethora of alternative concepts. We argue that many of the criticisms actually target the more restrictive account of homeostasis advanced by the cyberneticists. What was crucial to Bernard and Cannon was a focus on the maintenance of the organism as the goal of physiological regulation. We analyse how Bernard's and Cannon's broad conception of what was required to maintain the organism was narrowed to negative feedback, characterized in terms of setpoints, by the cyberneticists and demonstrate how many of the alternative concepts challenge the role of setpoints - treating them as variable in light of circumstances or in anticipation of future circumstances, or as dispensable altogether. To support our analysis, we draw on the experimental and theoretical work on thermoregulation, a phenomenon that has been considered as a paradigmatic example of homeostasis and has been a common focus of those advancing alternative concepts. To integrate the insights advanced by the original proponents of homeostasis and the theorists proposing replacement notions we advance a framework in which regulation is viewed from the perspective of maintaining the organism.

Improving the process of identification of superior pearl millet populations using Genotype by Yield × Trait (GYT) biplot

Abstract Utilizing a trait-based breeding approach is crucial for developing diverse materials with various agronomic traits, emphasizing a common focus on achieving high grain yield, as seen in many breeding programs. Genotype evaluation based on yield × trait combinations is essential, with yield as the primary variable. Genotype by yield × traits biplot analysis was used in pearl millet to assess associations among yield-trait combinations, trait profiles, and superiority rankings. The Biplot analysis reveals prevalent positive associations among yield-trait combinations, implying that selecting multiple traits can augment grain yield productivity. Notably, ICMV 221 and Dhanashakti exhibit elevated levels of YLD×Fe and YLD×Zn, while SOSAT C88, EC C6, Raj 171, and CZIC 618 excel in combining grain yield with traits such as plant height (PH), panicle length (PL), and days to maturity (DM). Based on overall superiority in yield-trait combinations, populations were ranked as follows: AIMP 92901 > ICMV 221 > SOSAT C88 > CZIC 618 > Raj 171 > ICMP 87307 > EC C6. This study demonstrates the practical utility of the genotype by yield × traits biplot approach for selecting pearl millet germplasm with diverse trait combinations, enhancing the breeding program's effectiveness. Keywords: Trait Association, Trait Profile, Selection Index, Multiple Trait-Based Selection, GYT-Biplot

A Bibliometric Analysis of 100 Top-cited Articles on Cleft Orthodontics.

This bibliometric study seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the 100 most frequently cited articles in the domain of cleft orthodontics. The analysis will reveal key influential publications, collaborative author networks, and identify prevailing research themes within the field. The studies related to Orthodontics in the realm of cleft lip and palate (CLP) were retrieved from the Scopus database on 30th August 2024 using key terms. The results obtained were sorted in descending order of citations and the 100 top-cited articles were hand-filtered. RStudio software version 4.2.0 and Bibliometrix R-package was used for performing scientometrics involving co-citation, co-occurrence, collaboration and co-word analyses, bibliographic coupling and network mapping. A total of n = 3984 articles were retrieved from which top-100 cited articles were filtered. These documents were published during 1950-2019 with peak production in 1997. The United States and the Netherlands were the most prolific countries involved in the given research. The majority of the highly referenced articles pertained to alveolar bone grafting, and treatment outcomes being the second common focus followed by Infant and early orthopedics (Naso-alveolar moulding, Maxillary Protraction) and facial growth during the given period. Thematic mapping depicted bone grafting, alveoloplasty (infant orthopedics) and maxillofacial development as the more developed core topics than the psychology and self-perception of patients with CLP. Recent research trends have shifted towards three-dimensional assessment methods.

Onion Services in the Wild: A Study of Deanonymization Attacks

Tor, the leading anonymization network, routes traffic over multiple relays to ensure client anonymity. Its Onion Services allow users to host services within the Tor network without revealing their location. While these techniques are crucial for users in authoritarian regimes and whistleblowers, they are also exploited by criminals. This paper diverges from the common focus on the technical vulnerabilities of the Tor protocol and instead explores the practical aspects of deanonymizing Onion Service users and operators. Despite Tor's robust security mechanisms, human errors in its usage and operation frequently lead to deanonymization. This study models law enforcement agencies as powerful attackers and evaluates documents from 136 court cases to determine investigative methods. We find that investigators employ different methods depending on the offense, with user mistakes being the dominant angle. Technical attacks, though comparatively rare, are highly effective and can potentially impact a large number of users simultaneously. Attacks on the well-researched Tor protocol are exceptionally rare, but their impact is even more significant. We argue that the human aspect of using Tor is the most critical deanonymization angle and that tailored guidelines for ethical users can help protect them from oppressive retaliation while still enabling the prosecution of criminal activity.

IL CORPO VIVO DELLA LINGUA: ALCUNE CONSIDERAZIONI PRATICO-TEORICHE SULLE LINGUE «SPARGĂ» E «LEOPARDĂ» DI NINA CASSIAN E VIRGIL TEODORESCU

This contribution, starting from the studies of Giorgio Agamben, aims to highlight the peculiarity of two poetic languages invented by Nina Cassian and Virgil Teodorescu: the “spargă” language and the “leopardă” languages. The “spargă” and “leopardă” languages, developed during the surrealist period in Bucharest, embody the intrinsic dynamism of language. On the one hand, they reflect the multiplicity and original complexity of poetic language, where meanings are manifold and semantic closure is not definitive. On the other hand, these two fantastic languages highlight the pulsional heterogeneity underlying culture itself, suggesting that the truth of things does not directly coincide with what is explicitly said, but rather requires an act of translation and interpretation by the subject. Moreover, these two experimental idiolects can also be interpreted as poetic explorations that challenge the normative structures of the symbolic order, introducing elements of the semiotic that materially express the unconscious in art. The connection with Lacan’s “lalangue” is evident in their common focus on the pre-linguistic and affective dimensions of language, which transcend the limitations of ordinary communication.

A descriptive overview of English-language publications in the field of Astronomy Education Research, 1898 to 2022

Discipline-based education research (DBER) takes the theories and methodologies of education research and applies them in the context of a specific discipline, in this example, astronomy. Research in the teaching and learning of astronomy has an extensive history; astronomy education research (AER), as its own separately defined field, is relatively new, stemming from the early to mid-1990s, as a separate track from physics education research (PER). By using a mixed-methods approach to textual analysis considering 2085 English language publications in the field, an order of magnitude larger than the previous largest overviews of the field, this study paints a rich picture of the landscape of AER over the timespan of a century from 1898 to 2022. This paper finds that AER authors started regularly publishing around 1970 and took off significantly in the 1990s with journal articles (~50%) and conference proceedings (~30%) being the most common method of publication. AER, in its early era, was largely a USA endeavour dominated by ASTRO101. This has changed over time and in recent years, the USA has dropped below 50\% of the worldwide AER publication production. “Celestial Motion”, “Instrumentation/Techniques”, and “Planetary Sciences (not Exoplanets)” are the most common content foci while a significant lack of local galactic and extragalactic education research is identified. AER has been heavily focussed on “Content Knowledge”, “Affective”, and “Engagement”. It is found that most articles tend to be general reporting of approaches or results (~43%) rather than full empirical research (~36%) while there is very little theoretical or historical research in AER yet. This overview, based on results input to an online database (istardb.org), provides a resource to researchers, educators, and other interested stakeholders allowing efficient ascertainment of previous research. This supports both researchers, allowing them to develop research questions at the cutting edge of the field, as well as practitioners, to inform their pragmatic approach based on latest research findings. We also present a set of recommendations and future outlook of the field of Astronomy Education Research.

Research on the influence mechanism of college students' mainstream consciousness leadership under the background of mobile Internet

In recent years, the rapid innovation and popularization of mobile communication and new media technologies have brought about profound changes in the mode of social information dissemination. For college students whose ideological values are still in the critical period of development and change, how to enhance their mainstream ideological leadership in the mobile Internet era and guide the ideological and behavioral development of college students with socialist ideology guided by Marxism has become a common focus of attention in society and academia. At present, the research on the mainstream ideological leadership of college students in the academic community mainly focuses on the negative impact of modern communication technologies such as new media on the ideological work of colleges and universities and the corresponding countermeasures, while the theoretical core and internal composition of the mainstream ideological leadership, as well as the deep impact logic, positive and negative impacts and systematic improvement paths of the technological and social changes in the mobile Internet era on the mainstream ideological leadership of college students are still insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to go beyond the research perspective of traditional college ideological education management, deeply explore the basic connotation and force composition of the mainstream ideological leadership, systematically analyze the deep impact logic of the mobile Internet era on the mainstream ideological leadership of college students, sort out its improvement opportunities, and explore the structural dilemmas in it, and propose a systematic path for improving the mainstream ideological leadership of college students.

Gaya Hidup Konsumtif dan Dampaknya terhadap Motivasi Belajar Mahasiswa Tadris IPS UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung

Social change among teenagers today needs to be a common focus so as not to damage culture. Teenagers are the determinants of the fate of the nation. Brilliant teenagers are teenagers who are not eroded by the current of negative social change. This research aims to determine the relationship between consumer lifestyles and their impact on the learning motivation of students at UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung. Consumptive behavior is a form of social change that is widely experienced by teenagers in the transitional age towards adulthood, so it is important for humans today to suppress the problem of negative impacts caused by social change. Various findings of information collected from students as respondents and which have been processed by researchers have resulted in input that consumer behavior increases motivation or enthusiasm for learning because by excessively and impulsively subscribing to goods or services, it creates satisfaction and happiness in itself, plus the large number of stalls available, thus making things easier for respondents. Consumptive attitudes are added to by the desire of students who want to keep up with the times by buying the latest fashion..

Bringing academic disciplines together to focus on literacy: a secondary school case study

PurposeThe purpose of this qualitative study was to bring together teachers from different academic disciplines to engage them in lesson study (LS) cycles with a focus on literacy.Design/methodology/approachThis research employed a qualitative case study and occurred in one secondary school along the Texas (USA) and Mexico border. Ten teachers representing six academic disciplines participated in eight LS cycles to reflect on their knowledge of literacy, including when, if at all, they integrated literacy when planning and teaching lessons. About 20 students shared their impressions, feelings and thoughts about the lessons.FindingsTeachers learned that literacy standards exist in each academic discipline and that integrating reading and writing during lessons allowed for more increased dialogue between/among teachers and students. The principal learned that teachers from all academic disciplines need differentiated, sustained professional learning opportunities on how to teach literacy skills.Originality/valueTeachers often work alone or within their respective academic departments, whereas this project focused on secondary teachers from six academic disciplines taking part in LS cycles with a common focus on literacy. Sustained opportunities for teachers to study their standards and curriculum materials, plan and teach lessons and share perspectives from classroom observations resulted in new knowledge about ways to include literacy in any academic discipline. A schoolwide professional learning community focused on literacy could act as a catalyst for instructional change.

The pitfalls of smart urban infrastructure during a period of unrest: Networked dissent against smart lampposts in Hong Kong

While the notion of the smart city has grown in popularity, the backlash against smart urban infrastructure in the context of changing state-public relations has seldom been examined. This article draws on the case of Hong Kong’s smart lampposts to analyse the emergence of networked dissent against smart urban infrastructure during a period of unrest. Deriving insights from critical data studies, dissentworks theory, and relevant work on networked activism, the article illustrates how a smart urban infrastructure was turned into both a source and a target of popular dissent through digital mediation and politicisation. Drawing on an interpretive analysis of qualitative data collected from multiple digital platforms, the analysis explicates the citizen curation of socio-technic counter-imaginaries that constituted a consent of dissent in the digital realm, and the creation and diffusion of networked action repertoires in response to a changing political opportunity structure. In addition to explicating the words and deeds employed in this networked dissent, this article also discusses the technopolitical repercussions of this dissent for the city’s later attempts at data-based urban governance, which have unfolded at the intersections of urban techno-politics and local contentious politics. Moving beyond the common focus on neoliberal governmentality and its limits, this article reveals the underexplored pitfalls of smart urban infrastructure vis-à-vis the shifting socio-political landscape of Hong Kong, particularly in the digital age.

Mixed Reality in Clinical Settings for Pediatric Patients and Their Families: A Literature Review.

In the post-pandemic context, there has been an increasing demand for technology-based interventions in education and healthcare systems, such as augmented and mixed reality technologies. Despite the promising outcomes of applying mixed reality (MR), there is limited aggregated evidence focusing on child-patient interventions in hospital-based or clinical settings. This literature review aimed to identify and synthesize existing knowledge on MR technologies applied to pediatric patients in healthcare settings. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive search of the Scopus and Web of Science databases was conducted to identify articles published in the last 10 years that address the application of augmented and/or MR technologies in pediatric hospital settings or clinical environments to improve patient and family outcomes. A total of 45 articles were identified, and following a rigorous screening and eligibility process, 4 review articles were selected for qualitative synthesis. From these reviews, 10 studies with relevant interventions and measured effects were extracted. The extracted studies were analyzed based on eight key attributes: country of origin, study design, characteristics of the study population, primary clinical setting, type of MR device used, nature of the intervention, variables measured, and significant effects observed in the outcome variables. The analysis revealed diverse approaches across different clinical settings, with a common focus on improving both emotional well-being and learning outcomes in pediatric patients and their families. These findings suggest that MR-based pediatric interventions generally provide children and their parents with positive emotional experiences, enhancing both learning and treatment outcomes. However, the studies reviewed were heterogeneous and varied significantly in terms of clinical settings and MR applications. Future research should focus on developing more controlled study designs that specifically target the pediatric population to strengthen the evidence base for MR interventions in healthcare.

Educational Policy: Analysis, Action, and Advocacy Across Contexts

This article is the introduction to a special issue of Educational Policy titled, “Educational Policy: Analysis, Action, and Advocacy Across Contexts.” The special issue presents contemporary education policy analyses from the United States, Canada, and Australia, which collectively represent methodological, contextual, and theoretical diversity. Individually, they offer detailed examinations of education policy processes and outcomes with a common focus on equity. The articles represent a spectrum of approaches to analysing education policymaking and enactment and point out various ways that educators, scholars, policymakers, and activists can take action. In this article, the co-editors identify key themes that distinguish the special issue’s contribution and explain the importance of education policy analysis that informs future advocacy toward more equitable policy processes and outcomes across contexts.

Interprofessional education in cardiothoracic surgery: a narrative review.

Interprofessional education, an approach where healthcare professionals from various disciplines learn with, from, and about each other, is widely recognized as an important strategy for improving collaborative practice and patient outcomes. This narrative review explores the current state and future directions of interprofessional education in cardiothoracic surgery. We conducted a literature search using the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, focusing on English-language articles published after 2000. Our qualitative synthesis identified key themes related to interprofessional education interventions, outcomes, and challenges. The integration of interprofessional education in cardiothoracic surgery training programs varies across regions, with a common focus on teamwork and interpersonal communication. Simulation-based training has emerged as a leading modality for cultivating these skills in multidisciplinary settings, with studies showing improvements in team performance, crisis management, and patient safety. However, significant hurdles remain, including professional socialization, hierarchies, stereotypes, resistance to role expansion, and logistical constraints. Future efforts in this field should prioritize deeper curricular integration, continuous faculty development, strong leadership support, robust outcome evaluation, and sustained political and financial commitment. The integration of interprofessional education in cardiothoracic surgery offers considerable potential for enhancing patient care quality, but realizing this vision requires a multifaceted approach. This approach must address individual, organizational, and systemic factors to build an evidence-based framework for implementation.

Anorectal Pathologies in the Course of Acute Leukaemias; Predictive Parameters.

Patients with leukaemia are exposed to infections as long as they are neutropenic. During this period, anorectal pathologies are among the common foci of infection with high mortality. In this study, we aim to investigate the factors that may have a predictive effect on early diagnosis and rapid intervention in perianal complications occurring in neutropenic patients diagnosed with leukaemia. A total of 90 patients with acute leukaemia, including 45 patients with anorectal pathology and 45 patients without anorectal pathology, were analysed. Demographics, blood group, BMI, haemogram and biochemical parameters at the time of diagnosis, and types of perianal pathology were recorded. In the group of patients with anorectal pathology, WBC, lymphocytes, monocytes, and LDH were significantly (p<0.05) higher, and platelets, MPV, and PCT were significantly (p<0.05) lower. The multivariate model showed significant-independent (p<0.05) efficacy of WBC and MPV values in differentiating patients with and without anorectal pathology. A significant efficacy was observed at the WBC cut-off of 17000 [area under the curve 0.656 (0.542-0.770)] and the MPV cut-off of 10 [area under the curve 0.667 (0.554-0.780)] in differentiating patients with and without anorectal pathology. Anorectal pathologies are common foci of infection in patients with acute leukaemia. Having predictive parameters that may help for early intervention will help the clinician. This is the first study in the literature to compare a control group with a group with anorectal pathologies in leukaemia patients providing a cut-off for WBC.

Trends in Sleep Research: From Infancy Through Adolescence

The purpose of this study was to explore research trends in sleep from infancy through to adolescence. To achieve this, an examination was conducted of sleep research published in Korea based on the publication year, developmental stages of the study participants, research designs, measurement tools, and research topics. A total of 362 academic journal articles and theses/dissertations published in Korea up until 2023 were selected. In terms of publication year, the first study was conducted in 1967 and the field became more active from 2010 onwards. The age group studied the most was adolescents, with cross-sectional research being the most common study design. Regarding sleep measurement tools, most scales measuring sleep in infants, preschoolers, children, and adolescents were developed abroad, then adapted or validated in Korea, or were modifications of adult scales tailored for specific studies. Lastly, in terms of research topics, the most common focus was the relationship between sleep and developmental characteristics, particularly its effects on emotional development. Based on these results, future research could focus on developing sleep-related intervention programs and measurement tools.

Research on the Impact of BYD Group’s Green Innovation on Corporate Financial Performance under the Background of “Dual Carbon”

With the increasingly severe global climate change problem, the “dual carbon” goals (peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality) have become a common focus of international attention. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly emphasizes the need to accelerate the green transformation of development models, implement comprehensive strategies for frugal development, support the growth of green and low-carbon industries, and promote the concept of green consumption. At the same time, “Made in China 2025” also elaborates on the strategic concept of innovation-driven and green development centered, and strives for breakthroughs in key industries such as new energy vehicles. In such a macro environment, adopting green innovation measures by enterprises not only contributes to ecological protection but also has an undeniable impact on their economic performance and overall value. This article takes BYD Group as a case study to explore in detail the positive effects of green innovation on its economic performance. We first systematically organized and analyzed BYD’s specific practices in green innovation; Then, by examining three key financial indicators, BYD’s current financial situation was analyzed in depth; On this basis, combined with research data, the positive impact of green innovation on BYD’s financial performance was revealed; Finally, based on the analysis results, relevant suggestions are proposed to provide reference for the sustainable development of enterprises in the context of “dual carbon.”

Towards the Wall or the Bridge? A Case Study of Host–Guest Symbiosis in a Chinese Heritage Tourism Site

The close connection between community residents and tourists in heritage tourism sites strengthens the relationship between people and places. To explore the mechanisms of host–guest interaction and the driving factors of residents’ willingness to participate in tourism in heritage tourism destinations, this study adopts a mixed-method approach combining qualitative research and quantitative analysis. The results of the study show that host–guest symbiosis in heritage tourism destinations goes through four stages: identity qualification, bodily co-presence, common focus, and emotional solidarity. Quantitative research (SEM) reveals the impact of residents’ welcoming nature, emotional closeness, and sympathetic understanding towards tourists on the sense of community belonging, as well as the subsequent response of willingness to participate in tourism. Through the analysis of the host–guest interaction mechanisms and symbiotic relationships in heritage tourism sites, the key emotional factors influencing residents’ participation in tourism are revealed.