Diverse Representations Research Articles

Author Meets Critics: Advertising Revolutionary: The Life and Work of Tom Burrell

Abstract: In this roundtable, Dr. Jason Chambers discusses his book Advertising Revolutionary: The Life and Work of Tom Burrell (University of Illinois Press, 2024), which focuses on Tom Burrell's influence on African American representation in advertising. Participants, including scholars and industry professionals, examine Burrell's leadership style, shaped by his experiences at agencies like Leo Burnett and Needham, where he faced imposter syndrome and challenges in getting his creative work recognized. These experiences inspired his approach to nurturing African American talent and fostering cultural sensitivity. Participants also detail Burrell's philosophy of "positive realism," which focused on authentic, positive portrayals of Black life versus stereotypical media depictions. Burrell's upbringing, particularly his relationship with his father and his mother's chronicling of his career, also influenced his determination and leadership. The conversation covers the generational shift in leadership at Burrell Communications and the ongoing challenges of diversity and authentic representation in the industry. The discussion concludes with advice for future image-makers focused on resilience, cultural understanding, and meaningful engagement with diverse audiences—all of which were keys to Burrell's success and legacy.

Popular Participation And Social Control As A Principle Of The Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)

The following article addresses the importance of popular participation and social control in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), as established by the Federal Constitution of 1988. These principles aim to ensure that health is a universal right and a state duty, and that the community plays an active role in the formulation, implementation, and oversight of health policies. Popular participation allows citizens to influence health decisions and ensures that their needs are reflected in public policies. This is achieved through meetings, consultations, and public hearings. Social control enables citizens to oversee the implementation of health policies, ensuring transparency and accountability among health managers. Health Councils, Health Conferences, and Health Ombudsman Offices are the main mechanisms for implementing these principles. Health Councils, operating at municipal, state, and federal levels, include representatives from the government, health professionals, and users, and are involved in the formulation, evaluation, and oversight of health policies. Health Conferences bring together a broad range of participants to discuss and propose improvements to the SUS, while Ombudsman Offices serve as channels for citizens to file complaints, suggestions, and reports of irregularities. However, the text also highlights challenges such as low community engagement, lack of resources and training, and issues of representativeness. These challenges impact the effectiveness of Health Councils and Conferences. To overcome these issues, it is necessary to promote greater awareness, improve infrastructure, and ensure diverse representation, ensuring that health policies adequately address the needs of the population.

Intrahost evolution leading to distinct lineages in the upper and lower respiratory tracts during SARS-CoV-2 prolonged infection.

Accumulating evidence points to persistent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in immunocompromised individuals as a source of novel lineages. While intrahost evolution of the virus in chronically infected patients has previously been reported, existing knowledge is primarily based on samples from the nasopharynx. In this study, we investigate the intrahost evolution and genetic diversity that accumulated during a prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Omicron BF.7 sublineage, which is estimated to have persisted for >1 year in an immunosuppressed patient. Based on the sequencing of eight samples collected at six time points, we identified 87 intrahost single-nucleotide variants, 2 indels, and a 362-bp deletion. Our analysis revealed distinct viral genotypes in the nasopharyngeal (NP), endotracheal aspirate, and bronchoalveolar lavage samples. This suggests that NP samples may not offer a comprehensive representation of the overall intrahost viral diversity. Our findings not only demonstrate that the Omicron BF.7 sublineage can further diverge from its already exceptionally mutated state but also highlight that patients chronically infected with SARS-CoV-2 can develop genetically specific viral populations across distinct anatomic compartments. This provides novel insights into the intricate nature of viral diversity and evolution dynamics in persistent infections.

Soulbound Tokens: Enabler for Privacy-Aware and Decentralized Authentication Mechanism in Medical Data Storage

Context: The digitalization of the healthcare sector faces significant challenges due to the diverse representation of data and their distribution across various hospitals. Moreover, security is a key concern as healthcare-related data are subject to the legal obligations of GDPR and similar data protection legislations. Standardization efforts like HL7 have been implemented to enhance data interoperability. However, authentication still remains a critical issue, even significant challenges. Aim: This research aims to improve and strengthen the authentication process by introducing a novel architecture for decentralized authentication. Additionally, it proposes a new approach to decentralized data management, which is crucial for handling sensitive medical data efficiently. Methodology: The proposed architecture adopts a user-centric approach, utilizing Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI). It introduced a new non-fungible token (NFT) type called Soulbound token (SBT) in the medical context, which will facilitate user authentication across different hospitals, effectively creating a federation of interconnected institutions. Results: The implementation of the proposed architecture demonstrated a significant reduction in authentication time across multiple hospitals. The use of SBT ensured secure and seamless user authentication, enhancing overall system interoperability and data security. The decentralized approach also mitigated the risks associated with centralized authentication servers. Conclusion: The study successfully presents a novel decentralized authentication architecture for the healthcare domain, leveraging SSI and SBTs. This approach not only accelerates the authentication process but also enhances data security and interoperability among hospitals. Future research should explore the scalability of this architecture and its application in other sectors requiring stringent data security measures.

FROM MARGINS TO MAINSTREAM: EVALUATING WOMEN'S ROLE IN GOVERNANCE

This study explores the impact of women's empowerment on their participation in governance, examining the multifaceted barriers that hinder political engagement. Through qualitative methods, including case studies and focus group discussions, the research captures the experiences of women who have navigated these challenges. The findings reveal that cultural norms, economic limitations, and institutional inadequacies significantly affect women's political involvement. Empowerment initiatives, such as educational programs and supportive networks, were found to enhance women's confidence and motivation to participate in governance. The study emphasizes the need for targeted public policies, including gender quotas and mentorship programs, to create an inclusive political environment. Ultimately, the research highlights that fostering women's empowerment is crucial for ensuring diverse representation and improving the effectiveness of governance, contributing to more equitable decision-making processes in society.

A Retrospective Chart Review of Factors That Influence Outpatient Physical Therapy Care for Individuals With Chronic Constipation Utilizing an Intersectionality Lens

Purpose: This study sought to investigate intersectional factors regarding race, gender, health status, barriers to care, and socioeconomic factors surrounding adult individuals referred to outpatient physical therapy care with chronic constipation in the Miami, Florida metro area. Methods: The study was a retrospective chart review of 200 individuals referred to outpatient physical therapy at the University of Miami Health System over five years. The four primary questions that sought to explain physical therapy wait times, distance driven for care, duration of constipation on initial evaluation, and subjective well-being on the last physical therapy appointment were analyzed through binary logistic regression. Results: Our results demonstrate that subjective well-being at the end of outpatient physical therapy care for chronic constipation was negatively affected by identifying as African American/Black versus Caucasian (77.3%, odds ratio = 0.227 95% confidence interval, 0.061-0.847) and high durations of constipation ≥5 years (86.4%, odds ratio = 0.136; 95% confidence interval, = 0.026-0.723). Additionally, subjective well-being at the end of physical therapy care for CC was positively affected by an increasing number of sessions (9%, OR = 1.09; 95% CI, 1.002-1.194). Conclusion: Our findings indicated race and duration of constipation may impact clinical outcomes for individuals seeking outpatient physical therapy care for chronic constipation. Descriptive statistics also demonstrate the need to reach individuals with chronic constipation sooner and call for a more equitable and diverse representation of individuals in chronic constipation research and clinical care.

Association of candidate gene (INSR & THADA) polymorphism with polycystic ovary syndrome: meta-analysis and statistical power analysis.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder that impacts women before reaching menopause. In addition to notable features (irregular ovulation, elevated androgen levels, and the existence of numerous ovarian cysts), individuals with PCOS frequently encounter diverse metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological conditions. The onset of PCOS is influenced by a combination of factors, and various genetic variations are believed to play a significant role in its progression. The objective of the current study was to explore the link between genetic variations in the candidate genes thyroid-adenoma-associated (THADA) gene and insulin receptor (INSR) and susceptibility to developing PCOS. We conducted an extensive search across various databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and EMBASE, to compile relevant case-control studies and literature reviews for subsequent statistical analysis. In the present study, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist was followed, a guideline for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. While a previous meta-analysis explored the correlation between INSR rs1799817 and THADA rs13429458 and their association with susceptibility to PCOS, our current study did not integrate any findings from these prior investigations. Our research encompassed articles published between 2017 and 2023, and we employed MetaGenyo software to assess the collected data. Statistical power analysis was performed using G*Power 3.1 software. Odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each genetic model. Fifteen studies that met the criteria were analyzed. Out of these, ten studies, involving 1,189 cases and 1,005 controls, examined the INSR rs1799817 gene polymorphism, while five studies, including 783 cases and 553 controls, investigated the THADA rs13429458 gene polymorphism. The meta-analysis results indicated that there was no statistically significant association between the INSR rs1799817 gene polymorphism and the risk of PCOS (p>0.05). In contrast, the THADA rs13429458 gene polymorphism showed a significant association with PCOS risk under the over-dominant model (p<0.05). The present meta-analysis demonstrated a notable association between the THADA rs13429458 gene polymorphism and the likelihood of developing PCOS. Further rigorous studies with expanded sample sizes and diverse ethnic representation will be important to comprehensively evaluate and validate these findings.

Through the Lens of Societal Norms and Experiences: Students’ Conceptualization of Patient Case Data When Diversity is Apparent

ObjectiveThere are increasing calls to improve the representation of diversity within case-based learning materials, yet it is unclear how students interpret the inclusion of diversity data when synthesizing case information. The objective of this study was to determine factors that influence students’ interpretation of written case data for visualization of a patient case. MethodsThis was a qualitative study using interviews. Entry-to-practice pharmacy students from Dalhousie University in Canada were recruited to review 6 cases, each with varying representations of diversity (eg, race, sexual orientation, gender, relationship status, disability, or none). Students were prompted to state how they visualized the case patient and what factors influenced their perceptions. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to interpret themes. ResultsInterviews were conducted with 18 students. Students relied on 5 factors when interpreting case data in the presence of diversity. In addition to the case data itself, these included personal experience (relating to themselves or personal relationships), professional experience (through work or school), population stereotypes, and perceived societal norms. ConclusionThis study found that students rely on their personal and professional experiences, perceptions, and social conditioning when interpreting the presence of diversity within learning materials. Findings support the notion that educators should deliberately and conscientiously expose students to a broad representation of diverse populations to increase students’ knowledge and understanding of populations, and to create intentional time and space to challenge existing stereotypes that contribute to the inequities in health care.

A new species of yellow acorn ant discovered in Italy via integrative taxonomy (Temnothorax luteus-complex, Formicidae)

The Mediterranean, a global hotspot for rare ant species, hosts a significant representation of the global diversity of the mainly Holarctic ant genus Temnothorax. However, several groups still require significant taxonomic efforts. The taxonomy of the T. luteus complex species was revised in 2014 when morphometrics allowed distinguishing two valid species and two synonyms out of four taxa that had been originally described from France. The two species recognized since then are T. luteus, distributed from Iberia to the Alps, and the largely sympatric but much more xerothermophilic T. racovitzai. In Italy, only a few records of the complex were ever published, and the identity of the Italian population was never thoroughly assessed. We combined morphometrics with phylogenomic data to assess the identity of the T. luteus populations that spanned from Sicily to the Italian Alps and discovered that all Italian samples belong to a new cryptic species, which we describe as T. apenninicussp. nov. whose glacial refugium was probably in the southern Apennines.

Teachers as Researchers: Practices, Perspectives, Problems, and a Plan of Action (4Ps)

This study explored the role of teachers in action research, extending beyond traditional classroom instruction to include professional development and scholarly inquiry. The primary aim was to investigate the practices involved in action research, teachers’ understanding of writing action research, and common challenges faced. Using a quantitative approach with a descriptive-correlational design, the study surveyed 497 teachers from 87 public schools across five districts in Agusan del Sur. Data collection focused on teachers’ techniques, skills, motivations, and problems related to action research. The study utilized stratified random sampling to ensure diverse representation and analyzed data using descriptive statistics and correlational analysis through IBM SPSS v29. Findings indicated that while teachers generally demonstrated competency and enthusiasm for action research, challenges such as time constraints, insufficient support, and research complexity were prevalent. The study revealed a strong correlation between teachers’ engagement in action research and their understanding of research methodologies and problem-solving abilities. Recommendations included providing ongoing professional development opportunities, enhancing institutional support, establishing mentorship programs, improving access to research resources, and creating recognition systems for research achievements. These measures aimed to bolster teachers’ research skills, overcome barriers, and foster a supportive environment for action research. The study emphasized the importance of further professional development and institutional support to enhance teachers’ competencies and address significant challenges in action research.

Lessons learnt from the implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the Southwest of England.

Vaccination remains one of the most successful public health interventions in preventing severe disease and death. The roll-out of Covid-19 vaccination programmes has helped protect billions of people around the world against Covid-19. Most of these programmes have been unprecedented in terms of scale and resources, and have been implemented at times of significant humanitarian crisis. This study aims to outline the lessons learnt from the implementation of a regional Covid-19 vaccination programme. These will help inform emergency preparedness and future crisis management. This qualitative study sought to explore the key drivers to the successful implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in a region in the Southwest of England, applying the Normalisation Process Theory lens (NPT) to examine multi-stakeholder perspectives. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with 75 participants. Document analysis was also used to corroborate the findings emerging from the interviews. Inductive thematic analysis of the data was used to identify the key drivers for the successful implementation of the programme. The NPT lens was then applied to map the themes identified to the domains and constructs of the framework. Ten key drivers to the successful implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination programme locally were identified, including: the clarity and consistency of the programme's goal; the diverse representation of stakeholders within the programme leadership team and the mechanisms created by this team to ensure psychological safety, autonomy, operational flexibility and staff empowerment; Communication and data specialists' input, and collaboration with local communities to maximise the reach of the programme; and allocating funding to tackle health inequalities. This study highlights the lessons learnt from the implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination programme at a local level, and the mechanisms that can be used in future crises to respond efficiently to the needs of individuals, communities and governments.

Beyond the Human Genome Project: The Age of Complete Human Genome Sequences and Pangenome References.

The Human Genome Project was an enormous accomplishment, providing a foundation for countless explorations into the genetics and genomics of the human species. Yet for many years, the human genome reference sequence remained incomplete and lacked representation of human genetic diversity. Recently, two major advances have emerged to address these shortcomings: complete gap-free human genome sequences, such as the one developed by the Telomere-to-Telomere Consortium, and high-quality pangenomes, such as the one developed by the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium. Facilitated by advances in long-read DNA sequencing and genome assembly algorithms, complete human genome sequences resolve regions that have been historically difficult to sequence, including centromeres, telomeres, and segmental duplications. In parallel, pangenomes capture the extensive genetic diversity across populations worldwide. Together, these advances usher in a new era of genomics research, enhancing the accuracy of genomic analysis, paving the path for precision medicine, and contributing to deeper insights into human biology.

Moral market compliance: How a logic of activism is used to ‘fem wash’ market violence against women in the user-generated pornography market

In turning to the user-generated pornography market and its mainstreaming sexual violence against women, this paper looks to uncover why women are increasingly participating as self-producing content creators. Specifically, we ask how the institutional logics perspective can help uncover more disguised market dynamics encouraging and coercing women to (re)produce their own abuse through self-produced pornographic content creation. With an institutional logics analysis of archival data from five user-generated pornography websites, our findings uncover how social logics act to disguise market logics. We show that a logic of activism is mobilised through two prominent feminist, social justice imperatives of: (i) the representation of diversity and (ii) appeals to environmentalism, which function together to construct a compliant and duty-bound imperative for women’s content creation. In doing so, this paper introduces a concept of moral market compliance: a dark market dynamic that functions to fem wash and (re)produce market violence against women.

Review of Wind Field Characteristics of Downbursts and Wind Effects on Structures under Their Action

Downbursts belong to sudden, local, and strong convection weather, which present significant destruction for structures. At any given time, there are approximately 2000 thunderstorms occurring on the Earth. Many studies have investigated the effects of downbursts on different structures. However, the extensive range of varying wind field parameters and the diverse representations of wind speeds render the study of structural wind effects complex and challenging under downbursts. This study firstly reviews the research of wind field properties of downbursts according to four common approaches, and the major findings, advantages, and disadvantages of which are concluded. Then, failure analysis of transmission line systems under stationary and moving downbursts is explored. The article also reviews the wind pressure on the roof of different kinds of low-rise buildings, and some dominant parameters, namely roof slope, distance of building from downburst center, wind direction angle, and so on, are discussed. Moreover, the wind effects caused by downbursts on high-rise buildings and some specialized structures are also considered because more and more wind hazards are related to downbursts. Finally, the limitations of the current study are pointed out, and recommendations for further research are given for the accurate assessment of the effects of wind on buildings, with a view to providing safer and more economical wind-resistant design solutions for structures.

Evaluation of E-Learning Platforms under the EASTRIP Project: Enhancing Competency-Based Education and Training through Holographic Technology in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

This study delved into the use of hologram technology to bridge the practical learning gaps in the Competency-Based Education and Training framework when using E-learning platforms. The study utilized a convergent mixed-method, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study focused on 26 public tertiary learning institutions located in Dar es Salaam. It selected 14 widely used e-learning platforms for a comprehensive analysis, ensuring diverse representation. The study's statistical treatment included descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study concluded that the platforms are crucial in delivering content and in teaching, uploading lecture notes and administering tests. However, the use of technology in final examinations and practical assignments indicates notable gaps that need addressing, requiring advanced technologies such as hologram. Addressing these gaps will require technological advancements and continuous professional development for academic staff to optimize the use of e-learning platforms and ensure they meet the comprehensive needs of modern education. This holistic approach will strengthen the alignment of e-learning practices with the CBET framework, fostering a more effective and inclusive learning environment.

Watching Televised Counter-Stereotypes Alone or with Mom: Studying the Effects on Preadolescents’ Gender Attitudes and Beliefs

ABSTRACT Despite the dominant presence of traditional gender portrayals on television, there is a growing effort to incorporate more diverse gender representations, including in youth television series. The impact of such counter-stereotypical portrayals on preadolescents’ gender attitudes and beliefs remains largely unexplored. This mixed-design experimental study among 75 mother-child dyads (M age child = 10.69, SD = 1.37) examined the effects of watching an episode of an entertainment television program that positively portrays a transgender character, either alone or with the mother. The findings indicated that watching the episode lowered preadolescents’ gender essentialism, but did not increase acceptability of and willingness to befriend gender-nonconforming peers. Maternal presence did not further impact the findings. Perceived similarity to and liking of the transgender character did not act as moderators, but had a direct impact on preadolescents’ gender attitudes and beliefs. In conclusion, the results suggest that exposure to counter-stereotypes in entertainment television can influence components of preadolescents’ gender attitudes and beliefs. Gender-diverse television characters who are perceived as highly similar and likeable appear to be particularly influential.

Adapting to AI: exploring the implications of AI integration in shaping the accounting and auditing profession for developing economies

The study investigates the adaptability of the accounting and auditing profession in the face of rapid AI integration, focusing on developing economies with Ghana as a case study. It employs a quantitative approach, using a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from accounting and auditing professionals across various sectors in Ghana. A stratified random sampling technique ensures diverse representation, and the data is analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) tools. The research identifies six key domains and twelve adaptability attributes, including forces of change, leadership qualities, readiness, approach, and resistance to change, which are critical for the profession’s response to disruptive AI technologies. The extracted model, based on these attributes, was validated through a survey, revealing a good model fit with the Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) below 0.08 and a Normed Fit Index (NFI) within an acceptable range. The findings suggest that to remain relevant in the AI era, accounting professionals in developing economies must continuously upskill and reskill, alongside cultivating strong business acumen, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, value-added services, and communication abilities. The study emphasizes the importance of policymakers, professional bodies, and leadership within the profession aligning their strategies with these adaptability attributes to enhance resilience and competitiveness in an AI-driven landscape. This research significantly contributes to the understanding of how the accounting and auditing profession in developing economies can navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.

Innovative Mamba and graph transformer framework for superior protein-ligand affinity prediction

Accurate measurement of the affinity between drug targets is of great importance in the field of drug discovery, as it provides significant information about drug action. However, the diverse representations of compounds and proteins increase the difficulty of this task. Recently, numerous studies have explored the application of various deep learning methods and architectures in Drug-Target Affinity (DTA) prediction tasks, continuously improving performance. In this work, we present a multimodal late-stage fusion prediction model called MGDTA that combines the pioneering Mamba architecture with a hybrid model architecture based on graph transformers and transformers (GTT). For molecular compounds, structural characterisation is extracted using GTT layers. Additionally, a feature integration module is utilized to obtain molecular features from derived molecular fingerprints, culminating in a unified representation of drug molecules through a feature integration module. For proteins, we adopt the state-space model (SSM) module Mamba to learn feature representations from target protein sequences. This represents a preliminary exploration of the Mamba module in protein sequence feature extraction in DTA tasks. Finally, we predict the results by integrating the feature representations of both molecules and proteins. Our results indicate that the proposed model achieves superior performance on benchmark datasets, validating the feasibility of using the Mamba architecture for DTA tasks. Furthermore, sequence feature visualization demonstrates the capability of the Mamba block to focus on binding site residues within drug targets.

Intersectional cognitive schemas of diversity and inclusion in higher education

ABSTRACT Despite efforts towards diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, systemic oppression persists. This study reflects on how initiatives intended to foster inclusion interact with existing exclusionary mechanisms, impeding progress in equity projects. Specifically, we investigate the visual representation of diversity as an inclusion initiative and explore how the new diversity discourse is assimilated into established organizational cultures through intersectional cognitive schemas that help reproduce class, gender, race and ableist relations. Using a gendered lens to analyse university brochure photographs from five universities in Belgium, we identify the distribution of embodied dominant expressions of masculinity and femininity among white and non-white individuals across different professions. Our findings reveal a hierarchy of inclusion based on intersectional cognitive schemas that place non-white individuals under white women and those under white men. These schemas include meritocratic beliefs regarding the required capacities for each profession, with non-white women emerging as the most disadvantaged. The findings suggest that diversity and inclusion initiatives require critical re-evaluation, taking into account the intersectional and systemic nature of oppression.

Artificial Intelligence as a Potential Catalyst to a More Equitable Cancer Care.

As we enter the era of digital interdependence, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a key instrument to transform health care and address disparities and barriers in access to services. This viewpoint explores AI's potential to reduce inequalities in cancer care by improving diagnostic accuracy, optimizing resource allocation, and expanding access to medical care, especially in underserved communities. Despite persistent barriers, such as socioeconomic and geographical disparities, AI can significantly improve health care delivery. Key applications include AI-driven health equity monitoring, predictive analytics, mental health support, and personalized medicine. This viewpoint highlights the need for inclusive development practices and ethical considerations to ensure diverse data representation and equitable access. Emphasizing the role of AI in cancer care, especially in low- and middle-income countries, we underscore the importance of collaborative and multidisciplinary efforts to integrate AI effectively and ethically into health systems. This call to action highlights the need for further research on user experiences and the unique social, cultural, and political barriers to AI implementation in cancer care.