Traditional Trajectories Research Articles

Disrupting echo chambers? How social media is related to social tolerance through network diversity: linked lives over a major life course event

ABSTRACT Existing echo chamber studies tend to focus on political attitudes within specific online platforms. We broaden this scope by examining social media use and attitudes within a real-world context that resembles an echo chamber: rural areas characterized by low racial/ethnic diversity and low social tolerance. Rural environments often lack conditions conducive to higher social tolerance due to limited cross-group interaction and lower formal education. However, the rural-to-university transition, a major life course event, typically leads to expanded social circles and increased tolerance for young adults who leave, while leaving tolerance unchanged in rural communities. This is attributed to the university experience, which fosters social mixing and education, coupled with reduced contact with former ties from the rural community. We hypothesize that social media alters these traditional trajectories. Using survey data from five cohorts of student-parent pairs, we investigate how shared use of social media platforms relates to network composition and social tolerance. We find that shared social media use constrains network diversity and tolerance among white university students, while conversely expanding ties to people of color and increasing social tolerance for their parents remaining in rural areas. These results offer new insights into the complex relationship between social media and the composition of personal networks, demonstrating how social media can both disrupt and reinforce echo chambers by linking lives across the life course.

Open innovation and digital transformation in the automotive industry: a comparative analysis of South Korea, Japan and Germany

PurposeA research gap exists regarding the impact of digital transformation on automotive open innovation, despite extensive literature on both topics individually. This study aims to fill this.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzes patent-based open innovation before and after the digital transformation, focusing on US patents filed by automakers from South Korea, Japan and Germany during three periods: 2000–2001, 2010–2011 and 2020–2021. Second, in-depth interviews with selected automotive firms from these countries were conducted to complement the patent analysis and develop grounded theory.FindingsThe common effect of digital transformation on automotive firms’ open innovation channels in all three countries follows a trajectory from R&D collaboration through value chain open innovation to open innovation in other industries. There are notable differences in the primary focus of open innovation among automakers in the three countries, with South Korea emphasizing R&D, Japan focusing on the automotive value chain and Germany engaging in open innovation with other industries.Research limitations/implicationsInvestigating the differences in open innovation channels and structures between electric auto parts and non-electric auto parts through case studies and the statistical research method could be a compelling next research topic as another limitation of this research.Originality/valueFirst, this research demonstrates that firms in the same sectoral innovation system can cultivate different open innovation channels within the knowledge funnel, depending on the regional innovation system (RIS) and national innovation system (NIS). Second, with DT, existing firms’ value chains are evolving and expanding from traditional trajectories to new, information technology-related sub-sectors.

Pars interarticularis screws for posterior cervical fusion – investigating a new trajectory using a CT-based multiplanar reconstruction: Part I

BackgroundLateral mass screw fixation is the standard for posterior cervical fusion between C3 and C6. Traditional trajectories stabilize but carry risks, including nerve root and vertebral artery injuries. Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is gaining popularity, but trajectories present anatomical challenges.Research Question.This study proposes a novel pars interarticularis screw trajectory to address these issues and enhance in-line instrumentation with cervical pedicle screws.Materials and MethodsA retrospective analysis of reformatted cervical CT scans included 10 patients. Measurements of the pars interarticularis morphology were performed on 80 segments (C3-C6). Two pars interarticularis screw trajectories were evaluated: Trajectory A (upper outer quadrant entry, horizontal trajectory) and Trajectory B (lower outer quadrant entry, cranially pointed trajectory). These were compared to standard lateral mass and cervical pedicle screw trajectories, assessing screw lengths, angles, and potential risks to the spinal canal and transverse foramen.ResultsTrajectory B showed significantly longer pars lengths (15.69 ± 0.65 mm) compared to Trajectory A (12.51 ± 0.24 mm; p < 0.01). Lateral mass screw lengths were comparable to pars interarticularis screw lengths using Trajectory B. Both trajectories provided safe angular ranges, minimizing the risk to delicate structures.Discussionand Conclusion.Pars interarticularis screws offer a viable alternative to lateral mass screws for posterior cervical fusion, especially in MISS contexts. Trajectory B, in particular, presents a feasible and safe alternative, reducing the risk of vertebral artery and spinal cord injury. Preoperative assessment and intraoperative technologies are essential for successful implementation. Biomechanical validation is needed before clinical application.

Are consumers still barking up the wrong (palm) tree? Insights into perceptions towards palm oil-related labels and claims

Labels and claims representing inherent health- or environment-related attributes contribute to shaping consumer product preferences and perceptions. Palm oil-related labels and claims foster assumptions about individual, social and planetary health. Although consumers in palm oil-importing countries view this commodity with scepticism, a consumer-endorsed trend towards its elimination may cause unintended shifts in environmental impacts. Instead of eliminating palm oil from industries, scientists often acknowledge the benefits of sustainably produced palm oil as a better alternative. A research gap exists to better explain consumer acceptance or rejection of products containing palm oil. To understand how palm oil-related labels and claims influence the perceived sustainability and healthiness of products, an online study was conducted with German consumers (n = 411). Predictors influencing sustainability perceptions were integrated into a Structural Equation Model to explore how these leverage positive or negative perspectives towards the absence of palm oil or the presence of certified sustainable palm oil. This study reveals that products containing no palm oil are perceived to be healthier and more sustainable. We find that sentiments towards palm oil do not necessarily follow traditional trajectories, but are underpinned by disjoint relationships and previously established judgments. Label heuristics are more influential in shaping these perceptions, making them prone to misinterpretation. A proliferation of ‘free from’ claims haloed with sustainability assumptions compromises the progress achieved within the certified sector. This calls for more sensitivity towards products containing certified palm oil, so that assumptions align with reality and consumer perceptions are not barking up the wrong tree.

Parental socioeconomic status and the transition to adulthood in China: evidence from a holistic approach

ABSTRACT This study used retrospective data to examine the patterns of trajectories to adulthood among Chinese young people born between 1930 and 1979 and the role of parental socioeconomic status in their transition to adulthood. We found that trajectories to adulthood can be classified into four patterns: early transition, intermediate transition, late transition, and diversified transition. Adolescents with highly educated fathers were less likely to follow the traditional trajectories of an early transition to adulthood. Meanwhile, adolescents with fathers with lower occupational statuses were more likely to transition to adulthood before their peers. However, delayed and diverse trajectories to adulthood were observed regardless of the adolescents’ mothers’ occupational statuses. Fathers’ non-party membership and rural hukou played an important role in accelerating Chinese youths’ transition to adulthood and increased the likelihood of this transition following the traditional pathway. Conversely, mothers’ party membership and urban hukou delayed adolescents’ transition to adulthood. In sum, young people with parents with low socioeconomic statuses were more likely to transition to adulthood relatively quickly, while those with parents with higher socioeconomic statuses were more likely to delay this transition.

Cross-media, co-creative and current: New strategies for educating talent for Danish children’s film and television in the 2020s

This article analyses recent developments in Danish film and television education through a case study of a new training initiative for creating content for children and young audiences. Following an outline of traditional training and career trajectories in the Danish screen industries in general, and for working with children’s film and television specifically, the case study investigates the guiding ideas behind Manuskriptskolen for børnefiktion (‘The Cross-Media School of Children’s Fiction’), which was established in 2020. The school marks a new approach to Danish film education in several ways. First, by creating a training ground focusing on a specific audience, rather than on screenwriting or film-making more generally. Second, by thinking of content for this audience as fundamentally multi-platform and teaching students storytelling across different media from the outset. Third, by insisting that creating content for this audience calls for having knowledge about the current lives of young people and their media use, and encouraging strategies for engaging or even co-creating content with them. The article builds on qualitative interviews, document analysis and observations at industry events as part of the research project Reaching Young Audiences: Serial Fiction and Cross-Media Storyworlds for Children and Young Audiences.

Islamic Moral Comedy? The Representation of Islam in Malaysian Comedy Films Syurga Cinta (Paradise of Love, 2009) and Ustaz, Mu Tunggu Aku Datang! (Ustaz, I’m Coming! 2013)

This article examines how Islam is being represented in Malaysian comedy films: Syurga Cinta/Paradise of Love (Ahmad Idham, 2009) and Ustaz, Mu Tunggu Aku Datang!/Ustaz, I’m Coming! (Pierre Andre, 2013). As one of a popular genre in film, comedy and its comical narratives has the ability to critique social, cultural and political conditions within the specific context of Malaysia. Using film narrative analysis, this study identifies that both films revolve around a similar plot of a male quest for haram (forbidden) obsessions, such as fortune or women, and a return to morality (i.e. humility and true love). As these comedies attempt to illuminate the intersection between religion and comical narrative, the way they feature the main characters are not simply as sinful or immoral. Rather, they are portrayed as misguided, but equally amusing in dealing with misfortune and wrongfulness. This article found that the central element of both films lies in its incongruity between the traditional Islamic principle and trajectories which against morality. Besides the call for morality, this article also argues that Malaysian comedy is also shaped in response to the Islamisation of the public sphere, thus, underlines the ‘re-imagine social life’ within the Malay (sian)-Muslim context.

Neural network optimal control in astrodynamics: Application to the missed thrust problem

While high-efficiency propulsion techniques are enabling new mission concepts in deep space exploration, their limited thrust capabilities necessitate long thrusting arcs and make spacecraft more susceptible to missed thrust events. To correct for such mishaps, most spacecraft require updated trajectories that are relayed from Earth. While this solution is viable for spacecraft near Earth, in deep space, where one-way communication time is measured in hours, a delay in transmission may prolong the time of flight or result in a complete loss of mission. Such problems can be alleviated by increasing the spacecraft's onboard autonomy in guidance. This paper demonstrates how a computationally lightweight neural network can map the spacecraft's state to a near-optimal control action, autonomously guiding a spacecraft within different astrodynamic regimes and optimality criteria. The neural network is trained using supervised learning and datasets comprised of optimal state-action pairs, as determined through traditional direct and indirect methods. Additionally, the neural network-designed solutions retain optimality and time of flight corresponding to traditional trajectories. Finally, the same neural networks can autonomously correct for most missed thrust events encountered on long-duration low-thrust trajectories. The presented results provide a path for mitigating risks associated with the use of high-efficiency low-thrust propulsion techniques.

Robot-Assisted Cortical Bone Trajectory Insertion of Pedicle Screws: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Robot-assisted pedicle screw insertion has been slowly gaining popularity in the spine surgery community. In previous studies, robotics has been shown to increase accuracy and reduce complication rates compared to other navigation technologies, although those studies have been conducted using traditional trajectories for pedicle screw insertion. We present a surgical video in which a robotics system (Mazor X; Mazor Robotics Ltd, Caesarea, Israel) was used to create cortical bone trajectories for the insertion of the screws. The patient in this case is a 52-yr-old woman with severe L4-5 disc herniation requiring a transforaminal interbody fusion with the insertion of pedicle screws. The robotic system's scan-and-plan technique was utilized, in which an intraoperative computed tomography (CT) scan generates a real-time operative plan. Other techniques for inserting pedicle screws using cortical bone trajectories include CT navigation and fluoroscopic guidance. These techniques allow the surgeon to manually direct the screw under precise guidance in multiple planes, although the surgeon is still using all 6 degrees of freedom the human hand provides. With robotic guidance, a pilot hole is drilled, which eliminates 4 of 6 degrees of freedom, which can potentially reduce the risk of misplaced screws. To our knowledge, this is the first video demonstrating pedicle screw insertion through cortical bone trajectories using robotic guidance. Future studies are warranted to compare cortical bone trajectory insertion using different navigation techniques to determine the long-term efficacy of each technique. The patient gave informed consent for surgery and video recording. Institutional review board approval was deemed unnecessary.

Information Gain in Event Space Reflects Chance and Necessity Components of an Event

Information flow for occurrences in phase space can be assessed through the application of the Lyapunov characteristic exponent (multiplicative ergodic theorem), which is positive for non-linear systems that act as information sources and is negative for events that constitute information sinks. Attempts to unify the reversible descriptions of dynamics with the irreversible descriptions of thermodynamics have replaced phase space models with event space models. The introduction of operators for time and entropy in lieu of traditional trajectories has consequently limited—to eigenvectors and eigenvalues—the extent of knowable details about systems governed by such depictions. In this setting, a modified Lyapunov characteristic exponent for vector spaces can be used as a descriptor for the evolution of information, which is reflective of the associated extent of undetermined features. This novel application of the multiplicative ergodic theorem leads directly to the formulation of a dimension that is a measure for the information gain attributable to the occurrence. Thus, it provides a readout for the magnitudes of chance and necessity that contribute to an event. Related algorithms express a unification of information content, degree of randomness, and complexity (fractal dimension) in event space.

Changing gender relations, declining fertility? An analysis of childbearing trajectories in 19th-century Netherlands

BACKGROUND A long-standing and still unresolved debate has developed on whether the historical fertility transition was caused by ‘spacing’ (increasing the time between births) or by stopping (terminating childbearing at younger ages). Moreover, there is little consensus about the relative importance of gender relations in effecting reproductive change. OBJECTIVE First, we wish to shed new light on the stopping versus spacing debate by applying a sequence analysis approach, allowing us to describe changes in complete childbearing trajectories. Second, we want to understand the association between gender relations, among other factors, and reproductive trajectories during the historical fertility decline. METHODS We use longitudinal data from GENLIAS, a dataset constructed from linked civil registers of the province of Zeeland, the Netherlands, covering the period 1811‒1911. We employ cluster and sequence analysis to identify different types of childbearing trajectories and logistic regression to estimate their correlates. RESULTS We identified five often-experienced trajectories: two high-fertility traditional trajectories (differing in the length of the reproductive phase), a ‘Stoppers’ trajectory, a ‘Late Starters’ trajectory, and an ‘Almost Childless’ trajectory. Our results show that stopping was the way through which couples controlled their fertility during the early phase of the historical fertility transition in Zeeland, the Netherlands. Although couples with more egalitarian relationships had a higher likelihood to follow a Stoppers trajectory rather than the highest-fertility trajectory, stopping was most clearly linked to birth cohort and social class. CONTRIBUTION Our paper extends the literature on the process of the historical fertility decline and its determinants via a detailed empirical examination of childbearing trajectories and the conditions under which these trajectories took place. With our sequence analysis approach we add both substantively and methodologically to long-standing debates.

“Men like to Eat More Rice and Beans and Things like That”: The Influence of Childhood Experience and Life Course Events on Dietary Acculturation

ABSTRACTLife course perspective provides a framework for examining the immigrant experience within the context of globalization and transnationalism. Life course perspective states that individuals develop food choice trajectories based on childhood experiences with food. This study examined the influence of childhood experiences and life events on eating behaviors of Dominican born women in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and New York City. Findings revealed that women developed traditional or non-traditional food choice trajectories. These food choice trajectories remained stable through transition points, such as immigration, marriage, and divorce. Women discussed changes in the amount of food that was eaten, which may explain weight gain after immigration. These findings highlight the limitations of acculturation theory in understanding the eating behaviors of immigrants and provide an alternative explanation for weight gain after immigration.

Intelligent scan trajectories for pulsed laser polishing

The objective of this work is to generate irregular, smooth, adaptive laser scan trajectories for pulsed laser polishing. Traditionally pulsed laser polishing, like other surface finishing processes has used zig-zag scan paths. Zig-zag trajectories are simple in nature, are comprised of sharp turns, the dynamics of the positioning system are not considered, and more importantly are not adaptable because the path generation is independent of surface condition. In this paper, the authors present an intelligent scan trajectory generation scheme that can overcome these limitations. These trajectories are based on the artificial potential fields method of path planning that take the surface condition into account. Computer simulations are presented to illustrate the characteristics of the path and guidelines are developed for choosing the trajectory generation parameters. Experiments show that these trajectories result in marginal improvements in the average surface roughness when compared to the traditional zig-zag trajectories, all the while overcoming the limitations. Finally, smooth, irregular scan trajectories are generated for a micro end milled Ti6Al4V surface with a feature that needs no polishing, thus illustrating the versatility of the trajectory generations scheme.

Anomaly detection via short local trajectories

Trajectory provides an important motion cue in describing the behavior of the moving object and can be used effectively for anomaly detection. But traditional trajectories or tracklets used for analysis have limitations due to various tracking irregularities. In this paper, we propose a novel idea of detecting anomalies in a video, based on short history of a region in motion. These histories are defined as short local trajectories (SLT). In contrast to traditional tracklets, these SLTs are extracted for super-pixels belonging to foreground objects. This captures both spatial and temporal information of a candidate moving object. Furthermore, the proposed trajectory extraction is suitable across videos having different crowd density, occlusions, etc. The trajectories of persons/objects at a particular location under usual condition have certain attributes. Thus, we have used Hidden Markov Model (HMM) for characterizing the usual trajectory patterns for each defined region. The proposed algorithm takes SLTs as observations and measures the likelihood for each super-pixel of being anomaly based on learned HMMs. In order to avoid the influence of noisy trajectories, we have computed spatial consistency measure for each SLT based on the neighboring trajectories. Thus, anomalies detected by the proposed approach are highly localized as demonstrated from the experiments conducted on three anomaly datasets, namely UCSD Ped1, Ped2 and a newly proposed CHUK-Crowd Anomaly Dataset.

A Conditional Preservation for Ephemeral Sites

The ephemerality of the built environment exists through a multitude of lenses and questions the presumed need for traditional trajectories of preservation and longevity. Established processes tend to focus on ephemerality in terms of growth and decay, responsiveness and interaction, or as visual or phenomenological qualities. The concept of ephemerality is directly confronted in the duality of two media decaying or evolving at varied rates within the environment and is particularly evident along the Louisiana Gulf Coast as land loss, settlement, and culture overlap in a continuous tête-à-tête between biotic processes and the built environment. New methodologies of representation, analysis, and preservation must be developed to address issues of ephemerality within sites of cultural heritage and/or ecological significance. This need is hastened as global climate change identifies coastal edges dramatically altering in the present and near future. To investigate these methodologies, we selected Fort Proctor, a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) site at extreme environmental risk. Fort Proctor is one of several forts built in southeastern Louisiana following the War of 1812, and it has remained in a fluctuating landscape as a static marker or datum, recording major ecological changes within the dynamic coastal environment. This essay will discuss the new procedural methodology authored for the preservation of ephemeral sites at extreme environmental risk.

Illness Trajectories Among Nursing Home Residents (TH318-D)

Objectives Understand trajectories of illness among nursing home residents and how these differ from traditional trajectories in general populations. Understand how trajectories different comorbid conditions, independent of age. Original Research Background: By 2020, 40% of all deaths in the United States are expected to occur in nursing homes. Trajectories of illness prior to death have traditionally been defined using four general patterns to include (a) sudden death, (b) a short period of decline, (c) long-term limitations with intermittent serious episodes, and (d) prolonged dwindling. Research Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if these trajectories are observed among a cohort of nursing home residents. Methods: and analyzed within the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure. Data included diagnoses from 1,617,693 inpatient records; 145,575,072 outpatient visits; and 1,901,354 functional status evaluations given as the Minimum Dataset (MDS). The Barthel Index was constructed from MDS Data using nine ADLs (stair climbing was excluded). Diagnoses originally present as ICD-9 codes were converted to Charlson Comorbidity Categories (Deyo version). Results: A total of 144 trajectories were analyzed for combinations of Charlson comorbidities and Barthel Index items. Daily likelihood ratios (probabilities) of ADL impairments were calculated for the 5-year period preceding MDS evaluation to form trajectories of decline over that period. Four general patterns of trajectories were identified: 1. Steady decline—MI, dementia, renal failure, diabetes, peptic ulcer

Do dietary trajectories between infancy and toddlerhood influence IQ in childhood and adolescence? Results from a prospective birth cohort study.

ObjectiveWe examined whether trajectories of dietary patterns from 6 to 24 months of age are associated with intelligence quotient (IQ) in childhood and adolescence.MethodsParticipants were children enrolled in a prospective UK birth cohort (n = 7652) who had IQ measured at age 8 and/or 15 years. Dietary patterns were previously extracted from questionnaires when children were aged 6, 15 and 24 months using principal component analysis. Dietary trajectories were generated by combining scores on similar dietary patterns across each age, using multilevel mixed models. Associations between dietary trajectories and IQ were examined in generalized linear models with adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsFour dietary pattern trajectories were constructed from 6 to 24 months of age and were named according to foods that made the strongest contribution to trajectory scores; Healthy (characterised by breastfeeding at 6 months, raw fruit and vegetables, cheese and herbs at 15 and 24 months); Discretionary (biscuits, chocolate, crisps at all ages), Traditional (meat, cooked vegetables and puddings at all ages) and, Ready-to-eat (use of ready-prepared baby foods at 6 and 15 months, biscuits, bread and breakfast cereals at 24 months). In fully-adjusted models, a 1 SD change in the Healthy trajectory was weakly associated with higher IQ at age 8 (1.07 (95%CI 0.17, 1.97)) but not 15 years (0.49 (−0.28, 1.26)). Associations between the Discretionary and Traditional trajectories with IQ at 8 and 15 years were as follows; Discretionary; 8 years −0.35(−1.03, 0.33), 15 years −0.73(−1.33, −0.14) Traditional; 8 years −0.19(−0.71, 0.33)15 years −0.41(−0.77, −0.04)). The Ready-to-eat trajectory had no association with IQ at either age (8 years 0.32(−4.31, 4.95), 15 years 1.11(−3.10, 5.33).ConclusionsThe Discretionary and Traditional dietary pattern trajectories from 6 to 24 months of age, over the period when food patterns begin to emerge, are weakly associated with IQ in adolescence.

Editorial: Chemistry Needed: Synthetic Biology as a New Incentive for Interdisciplinarity

Editorial: Chemistry Needed: Synthetic Biology as a New Incentive for Interdisciplinarity

Space, time, and self: Rethinking aging in the contexts of immigration and transnationalism

Critical gerontology views aging as a social construction that reflects the intersections of micro-processes with the macro-level forces of individual aging experiences. In the contexts of immigration and transnationalism, however, the macro-structural conditions, dynamics and experiences of aging have become further diversified and complicated. The dearth of empirical and explanatory knowledge in this area has inhibited us from comprehending aging in a changing world. Drawing on data from a study of Chinese grandparents' experiences of transnational caregiving in Canada, this article examines the impacts of such experiences on three interconnected dimensions – spatial, temporal and cognitive – of aging. Although the practice of transnational caregiving allows skilled immigrant families to mobilize care resources outside Canada, it has not only ruptured the traditional trajectories of aging for their elderly parents, but also complicated the inequalities that they have to bear on individual, familial and transnational levels. I argue that the critical examination of aging in the context of transnational caregiving helps us take into consideration those dimensions (such as place, space, time, and knowledge) that are changed by immigration processes, and rethink aging from a broader perspective that links seniors' experiences with their relationship with their adult immigrant children's families and macro-structures outside national borders.

Internationalization of technology development in China: an evaluation using patent data

PurposeIncreased globalization of the world's economies, along with accelerated technological changes are transforming research and development (R&amp;D) activities around the world. The purpose of this paper is to study the technology development in China, particularly in the light of the globalization of R&amp;D activities.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a detailed analysis of all US patents granted between 1979 and 2007 in which at least one inventor was a resident of China. US patents have been used as a surrogate measure of technology development and a patent developed with a resident Chinese inventor has been assumed to have been developed in China.FindingsThe paper identifies four phases of technical development in China: growth rate of patenting, extent of inventor collaboration, ownership pattern, concentration on technology trajectory and changing role of MNCs characterize each phase. While along the relatively new electrical and ICT technology trajectories, Chinese entities have benefited from the pioneering lead of foreign entities, along the traditional mechanical and chemical trajectories, foreign entities have followed the early work of Chinese entities.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the study include the validity of using US patents as the sole measure of technology development. Other measures of technology development may be necessary to validate the findings reported here.Practical implicationsThe study provides a rich source of information about different aspects of technology development in China and the challenges it faces in its internationalization.Originality/valueThe identification of four distinct phases have highlighted the pioneering role of foreign entities in opening up some technology trajectories as well as the increasing maturity and competence of all‐Chinese researcher teams.