bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Addressing the Competitive Harms of Opaque Online Surveillance and Recommendation Algorithms
Authors: Jarsulic Marc
Published: January 2022

Facebook and Alphabet operate free internet services that are widely used. They provide these services for free because users are online ad targets. Together Facebook and Alphabet have a large share of the market for online advertising in the U.S. Their dominance delivers monopolistic returns, reflected in the persistently high valuations financial markets place on each company. Online ad sales depend on the ability of these platforms to individually target ads and messages to huge numbers of people. Targeting is made possible by surveillance which is large in scale, scope, and effectiveness. User engagement, which helps determine target numbers, is stimulated and directed by “recommendation” algorithms on Facebook and Alphabet’s YouTube platform. These algorithms can affect what users read and view, and can influence their attitudes, emotions, and behavior. While surveillance has negative effects on user privacy, and algorithms have had powerful effects on user attitudes and behavior, platform users have limited knowledge about how these practices operate or their impacts. These information asymmetries between platforms and users have important competitive effects. They divert users from competing platforms that do not engage in these business practices, and inhibit entry and the innovation it would stimulate, thereby helping sustain the monopoly power of dominant incumbents. Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits “unfair methods of competition” and includes rulemaking authority, may be the most effective way to address anticompetitive practices that are technically complex, can evolve rapidly, and are difficult for industry outsiders to observe.
Carried Along
Authors: Ely Eugene Wesley
Published: January 2022

As a physician, the hardest days in medicine are when I endure great distance from the Lord in my bedside interactions with patients and families. They make me feel like driftwood without vocational direction. Given the enormity of what critically ill patients are experiencing, emotional detachment from Jesus and those I am serving creates swells of grief for me as a Catholic physician. In the intensive care unit, I tend to gravitate to big and bold occurrences. Unfortunately, one tendency I have is to think that small events yield small outcomes, while big events yield big outcomes. Such is not the case with God, whom I tend to force into finite scales when, in truth, the Creator of the universe has no limits. This essay highlights an experience in which God brought a deeper understanding of His grace from a seemingly monotonous patient encounter. I am reminded that because of God’s presence in my relationship with each person, “Nothing shall be impossible.” (Lk 1:37).
Follow-Up at 2 years After Emergency Surgery for Constrictive Pericarditis Complicated With Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Authors: Zhao Xu , Li Chuntian , Zhong Yue , Mao Xin , Liu Guiqing , Wang Feng , Liang Guiyou
Published: January 2022

Chronic constrictive pericarditis (CCP) is one of the common causes of cardiogenic cirrhosis; it is rare for a patient to have both CCP and recurrent black stool, so we consider that CCP causes cardiogenic cirrhosis. Cardiogenic cirrhosis caused portal hypertension which then resulted in gastrointestinal bleeding. Herein, we report a case of a 40-year-old Chinese woman suffering from CCP who had upper gastrointestinal bleed and had to undergo emergency surgery. Two years after the emergency surgery, multiple reexaminations showed significantly improved cardiac functions, hemoglobin, and WBC levels and gastrointestinal functions.
An Atypical Case of Complete Heart Block in Scrub Typhus
Authors: Dalal Preeti , Singla Neeraj
Published: January 2022

Scrub typhus may be associated with a myriad of signs and symptoms. We report the case of a 41-year old male with complete heart block, which resolved with prompt initiation of treatment.
Construction of a low-cost, improvised, negative-pressure, closed tube surgical drain for low resource settings: A preliminary report
Authors: Alayande Barnabas Tobi , Ismaila Bashiru Omeiza , Ojo Emmanuel O. , Isichei Mercy , Bekele Abebe , Sule Augustine Zoomsen
Published: January 2022

We describe construction of an improvised, low-cost, negative-pressure, closed tube surgical drain constructed from an empty intravenous fluid container and an infusion giving set used in the low-resource rural context.
Automatic Identification of Vehicle Partial Occlusion in Data Collected by Roadside LiDAR Sensors
Authors: Zhao Junxuan , Xu Hao , Zhang Yibin , Shankar Venky , Liu Hongchao
Published: January 2022

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors are receiving an increasing amount of attention in traffic detection because of their powerful capacity for providing accurate trajectory data of vehicles and non-motorized road users. When installed at the roadside, LiDAR faces the same occlusion problem as other over-roadway sensors (such as video cameras)—the integrity and reliability of object detection can be reduced when occlusion occurs. Existing occlusion reasoning methods are either developed for video sensors or require sensor fusion. Fast and accurate occlusion determination is an indispensable step in the process of vehicle detection, classification, and tracking. This paper presents a novel algorithm to automatically identify the occurrence of vehicle partial occlusion and the corresponding occluding/occluded relationship from roadside LiDAR data. According to the inherent characteristics of LiDAR sensors, two specifically designed heatmaps (ClusterID heatmap and Distance heatmap) were generated and used as the basis for fast occlusion search. Using the field data collected from two testbeds, it was shown that the proposed method could achieve about 95.60% accuracy for partial occlusion identification and a processing speed of 2 ms per frame (32-laser LiDAR sensor with 0.1 s per frame).
Comparison of Cosyntropin, Vigabatrin, and Combination Therapy in New-Onset Infantile Spasms in a Prospective Randomized Trial
Authors: Knupp Kelly G. , Coryell Jason , Singh Rani K. , Gaillard William D. , Shellhaas Renée A. , Koh Sookyong , Mitchell Wendy G. , Harini Chellamani , Millichap John J. , May Alison , Dlugos Dennis , Nickels Katherine , Mytinger John R. , Keator Cynthia , Yozawitz Elissa , Singhal Nilika , Lockrow Jason , Thomas Jacob F. , Juarez-Colunga Elizabeth
Published: January 2022

Objective: In a randomized trial, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cosyntropin injectable suspension, 1 mg/mL, compared to vigabatrin for infantile spasms syndrome. An additional arm was included to assess the efficacy of combination therapy (cosyntropin and vigabatrin) compared with cosyntropin monotherapy. Methods: Children (2 months to 2 years) with new-onset infantile spasms syndrome and hypsarhythmia were randomized into 3 arms: cosyntropin, vigabatrin, and cosyntropin and vigabatrin combined. Daily seizures and adverse events were recorded, and EEG was repeated at day 14 to assess for resolution of hypsarhythmia. The primary outcome measure was the composite of resolution of hypsarhythmia and absence of clinical spasms at day 14. Fisher exact test was used to compare outcomes. Results: 37 children were enrolled and 34 were included in the final efficacy analysis (1 withdrew prior to treatment and 2 did not return seizure diaries). Resolution of both hypsarhythmia and clinical spasms was achieved in in 9 of 12 participants (75%) treated with cosyntropin, 1/9 (11%) vigabatrin, and 5/13 (38%) cosyntropin and vigabatrin combined. The primary comparison of cosyntropin versus vigabatrin was significant (64% [95% confidence interval 21, 82], P < .01). Adverse events were reported in all 3 treatment arms: 31 (86%) had an adverse event, 7 (19%) had a serious adverse event, and 15 (42%) had an adverse event of special interest with no difference between treatment arms. Significance: This randomized trial was underpowered because of incomplete enrollment, yet it demonstrated that cosyntropin was more effective for short-term outcomes than vigabatrin as initial treatment for infantile spasms.
Domestic Violence Victimization Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China During the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Sun Shufang , Sun Xiaoming , Wei Chongyi , Shi Lingen , Zhang Ying , Operario Don , Yan Hongjing , Zaller Nicholas , Yang Cui
Published: January 2022

Many countries worldwide have implemented dedicated measures, such as shelter at home, to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, those mitigation measures may have major implications for individuals living with someone abusive or controlling. Domestic violence (DV) may be one of the unintended consequences of public health measures due to increased various stressors and reduced access to support and services. There has been a lack of empirical research on DV victimization among gender and sexual minorities, a population vulnerable to interpersonal violence and its associated adverse health outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence of DV victimization among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Jiangsu Province, China, during the COVID-19 lockdown and its correlates with COVID-19–related psychosocial and health stressors. A total of 413 MSM were recruited via snowball sampling, venue-based, and internet-based sampling from four cities in Jiangsu Province. After providing informed consent, all participants completed study questionnaires, followed by HIV testing. Over a quarter of the participants (27.4%) reported DV victimization during the COVID-19 lockdown, including experience of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. After adjusting sociodemographic factors, DV victimization was associated with various adverse experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown, including increased stress or anxiety level, increased alcohol use, and housing instability. Study findings underscore the prevalence of DV victimization among MSM during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The results can inform public health efforts to raise awareness and address DV victimization among MSM in the low- and middle-income country context during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adequate health and social services and economic resources are also critical to address the needs of MSM experiencing DV victimization.
A family of estimators to diagnostic accuracy when candidate tests are subject to detection limits—Application to diagnosing early stage Alzheimer disease
Authors: Xiong Chengjie , Luo Jingqin , Agboola Folasade , Grant Elizabeth , Morris John C.
Published: January 2022

In disease diagnosis, individuals are usually assumed to be one of the two basic types, healthy or diseased, as typically based on an established gold standard. Candidate markers for diagnosing a disease often are much cheaper and less invasive than the gold standard but must be evaluated against the gold standard for their sensitivity and specificity to accurately diagnose the disease. When candidate diagnostic markers are fully measured, receiver operating characteristic curves have been the standard approaches for assessing diagnostic accuracy. However, full measurements of diagnostic markers may not be available above or below certain limits due to various practical and technical limitations. For example, in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease using cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, the Roche Elecsys® immunoassays have a measuring range for multiple cerebrospinal fluid molecular concentrations. Many cognitive tests used in diagnosing dementia due to Alzheimer disease are also subject to detection limits, often referred to as the floor and ceiling effects in the neuropsychological literature. We propose a new statistical methodology for estimating the diagnostic accuracy when a diagnostic marker is subject to detection limits by dividing the entire study sample into two sub-samples by a threshold of the diagnostic marker. We then propose a family of estimators to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve by combining a conditional nonparametric estimator and another conditional semi-parametric estimator derived from Cox's proportional hazards model. We derive the variance to the proposed estimators, and further, assess the performance of the proposed estimators as a function of possible thresholds through an extensive simulation study, and recommend the optimum thresholds. Finally, we apply the proposed methodology to assess the ability of several cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and cognitive tests in diagnosing early stage Alzheimer disease dementia.
Charles Dickens, children’s author: Narrative as rhetoric in A Child’s History of England
Authors: Wales Katie
Published: January 2022

Despite the importance of child characters in the novels of Charles Dickens, his association with children’s literature is often forgotten, and his A Child’s History of England, first published in instalments in his journal Household Words ( January 1851 to December 1853), has frequently been ignored by critics. The aim of this article is to re-evaluate its achievement as an extended piece of story-telling, taking into account the particular context of the writing of juvenile histories in the early 19th century and their likely readership. My approach takes as its starting point Phelan’s (2017) framework which views narrative as a rhetorical action, and which is focused on purpose, resources and audience. I propose two main resources or strategies, interlocutory role-play and dramatization, which contribute to the work’s distinctive style; at the same time as they confirm the narrator’s ethical values as a historian for children.
The Long Afterlife of Slavery in Asset Stripping, Historical Memory, and Family Burden: Toward a Third Reconstruction
Authors: Fergus Devin , Shanks Trina R.
Published: January 2022

For African Americans in particular, the question of financial capability and asset building is as old as Black freedom. Through conceptual frames such as racial capitalism, historical memory, and the family stress model, this article examines the many false starts since Reconstruction in which expectations were raised, but then hopes subsequently dashed when reality produced outcomes that kept tangible economic progress just out of reach of Black families.
Tympanostomy Tubes: Are They Necessary? A Systematic Review on Implementation in Cleft Care
Authors: Stanton Eloise , Kondra Katelyn , Brahme Indraneel , Lasky Sasha , Munabi Naikhoba C.O. , Jimenez Christian , Jacob Laya , Urata Mark M. , Hammoudeh Jeffrey A. , Magee William P.
Published: January 2022

Objective

To understand the indication for and the effects of early ventilation tube insertion (VTI) on hearing and speech for patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP).

Design

We conducted a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA)-guided systematic review of relevant literature.

Setting

Setting varied by geographical location and level of clinical care across studies.

Patients, Participants

Patients with CLP who underwent VTI were included.

Interventions

No interventions were performed.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Primary outcome measures were hearing and speech following VTI. Secondary outcome measures were tube-related and middle ear complications. Early VTI occurred before or at time of palatoplasty while late VTI occurred after palatoplasty.

Results

Twenty-three articles met inclusion criteria. Articles varied among study design, outcome measures, sample size, follow-up, and quality. Few studies demonstrated support for early VTI. Many studies reported no difference in hearing or speech between early and late VTI. Others reported worse outcomes, greater likelihood of complications, or needing repeat VTI following early tympanostomy placement. Several studies had significant limitations, including confounding variables, small sample size, or not reporting on our primary outcome.

Conclusions

No consistency was found regarding which patients would benefit most from early VTI. Given the aforementioned variability and sub-optimal methodologies, additional studies are warranted to provide stronger evidence regarding VTI timing in cleft care.
Morphology of the Occipital Bones and Foramen Magnum Resulting From Premature Minor Suture Fusion in Crouzon Syndrome
Authors: Layton Ryan G. , Pontier Joshua F. , Bins Griffin P. , Sucher Brandon J. , Runyan Christopher M.
Published: January 2022

To identify skull-base growth patterns in Crouzon syndrome, we hypothesized premature minor suture fusion restricts occipital bone development, secondarily limiting foramen magnum expansion.

Skull-base suture closure degree and cephalometric measurements were retrospectively studied using preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans and multiple linear regression analysis.

Evaluation of multi-institutional CT images and 3D reconstructions from Wake Forest’s Craniofacial Imaging Database (WFCID).

Sixty preoperative patients with Crouzon syndrome under 12 years-old were selected from WFCID. The control group included 60 age- and sex-matched patients without craniosynostosis or prior craniofacial surgery.

None

2D and 3D cephalometric measurements.

3D volumetric evaluation of the basioccipital, exo-occipital, and supraoccipital bones revealed decreased growth in Crouzon syndrome, attributed solely to premature minor suture fusion. Spheno-occipital (β = −398.75; P < .05) and petrous-occipital (β = −727.5; P < .001) suture fusion reduced growth of the basioccipital bone; lambdoid suture (β = −14 723.1; P < .001) and occipitomastoid synchondrosis (β = −16 419.3; P < .001) fusion reduced growth of the supraoccipital bone; and petrous-occipital suture (β = −673.3; P < .001), anterior intraoccipital synchondrosis (β = −368.47; P < .05), and posterior intraoccipital synchondrosis (β = −6261.42; P < .01) fusion reduced growth of the exo-occipital bone. Foramen magnum morphology is restricted in Crouzon syndrome but not directly caused by early suture fusion.

Premature minor suture fusion restricts the volume of developing occipital bones providing a plausible mechanism for observed foramen magnum anomalies.
Disparities in Timing of Alveolar Bone Grafting and Dental Reconstruction in Patients With Clefts
Authors: Badiee Ryan K. , Yang Stephen C. , Alcon Andre , Weeks Andrew C. , Rosenbluth Glenn , Pomerantz Jason H.
Published: January 2022

This study sought to identify disparities in the timing of alveolar bone grafting (ABG) surgery and the replacement strategy for missing maxillary lateral incisors for patients with clefts.

A retrospective record review identified patients who underwent ABG. Multivariable regression analyzed the independent contribution of each variable.

This institutional study was performed at the University of California, San Francisco.

Patients who presented under age 12 and underwent secondary ABG between 2012 and 2020 (n = 160).

The age at secondary ABG and the recommended dental replacement treatment for each patient, either dental implantation or canine substitution.

The average age at ABG was 10.8 ± 2.1 years, 106 (66.3%) patients were not White, and 80 (50.0%) had private insurance. Independent predictors of older age at ABG included an income below $ 50 000 as estimated from ZIP code (β = 15.0 months, 95% CI, 5.7-24.3, P = .002) and identifying as a race other than White (β = 10.1 months, 95% CI, 2.1-18.0, P = .01). After ABG, patients were more likely to undergo dental implantation over canine substitution if they were female (odds ratio [OR] = 4.3, 95% CI, 1.3-17.1, P = .02) or had private insurance (OR = 12.5, 95% CI, 2.2-143.2, P = .01).

Patients who were low-income or not White experienced delays in ABG, whereas dental implantation was more likely to be recommended for patients with private insurance. Understanding the sources of disparities in dental reconstruction of cleft deformities may reveal opportunities to improve equity.
Presurgical Orthopedic Treatment of a 3-Year-Old Child with Unoperated Complete Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate and Protruding Premaxilla
Authors: Radojicic Julija , Trifunovic Branislav , Cutovic Tatjana , Radojicic Aleksandra
Published: January 2022

Unoperated patients with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCCLP), who do not receive orthopedic treatment in infancy and present with significant sagittal excess of the premaxilla, are among the most difficult patients to treat. Delay in primary reconstruction reduces the elastic characteristics of the tissues. The resulting rigidity of bony structures accompanied by the wide alveolar and palatal clefts associated with sagittal excess of the premaxilla pose a great challenge for both surgeon and orthodontist. There is no unique protocol for treatment of these conditions. This paper describes the use of orthopedic treatment in an unoperated 3-year-old male child with BCCLP and a protrusive premaxilla whose appearance and function were both severely affected. A modified Meazzini technique, as described in operated BCCLP patients with a downward-displaced premaxilla, was used. The device itself consists of the 2 independent components mutually connected by a 17 × 25 steel arch. The first is an active fan-type expander. The second consists of an acrylic cap covering the premaxilla and 3 brackets used for the steel arch application. They are connected by a rectangular steel 17 × 25 archwire. Reduction of the premaxillary sagittal excess of is carried out with an elastic chain. The use of this orthopedic appliance is a reliable and valuable presurgical treatment in the therapy of children with BCCLP and protrusive premaxilla whose orthopedic and surgical treatment have been delayed.
A Feasibility Study on the Identification of Potential Biomarkers in Pulmonary Embolism Using Proteomic Analysis
Authors: Granholm Fredrik , Bylund Dan , Shevchenko Ganna , Lind Sara B. , Henriksson Anders E.
Published: January 2022

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common emergency with a high morbidity and mortality. Most clinical presentations are non-specific and there is a lack of suitable biomarkers for PE. For example, the traditional D-dimer tests shows a rather high sensitivity for PE, but yet a rather low positive predictive value due to its lack of specificity. Research on novel biomarkers for PE is thus of interest to improve early diagnostics and reduce the number of unnecessary computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) scans performed. In this study we evaluate the feasibility to use label-free quantitative proteomics to discover potential biomarkers for acute PE and to monitor changes in proteins levels in PE patients over time. Blood was collected from 8 patients with CTPA verified PE and from 8 patients presenting with same symptoms but with a negative CTPA. The samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and thirteen protein concentrations were found to be significantly changed in PE patients compared to the CTPA negative controls. This exploratory study shows that proteomic analysis can be used to identify potential biomarkers for PE as well as to monitor changes of protein levels over time.

The complement proteins play a part in PE but further studies are needed to clarify their specific role in the pathophysiological process and to look for more specific proteins.
Accidental Creatures: Whitehead’s Creativity and the Clashing Intensities of More-Than-Human Life
Authors: Rousell David
Published: January 2022

As a principle of unrest stirring at the heart of events, Whitehead’s concept of creativity proposes a novel togetherness of creaturely experience where nothing has executive control, and everything that happens bears the mark of a creative accident. Drawing on stories of return to Bundjalung Country in New South Wales, Australia, this article explores the speculative potentials of Whitehead’s creativity for sensing creaturely relations at the nexus of artistic practice and more-than-human social life. Ranging from termite-riddled book collections to environmentally degraded art installations, each story opens onto a problematic field of creative activity that generates novel contrasts and intensities of experience.
Songspirals Bring Country Into Existence: Singing More-Than-Human and Relational Creativity
Authors: Country Bawaka , Burarrwanga Laklak , Ganambarr Ritjilili , Ganambarr-Stubbs Merrkiyawuy , Ganambarr Banbapuy , Maymuru Djawundil , Lloyd Kate , Wright Sarah , Suchet-Pearson Sandie , Daley Lara
Published: January 2022

Songspirals bring Country into existence. Co-authored by a more-than-human, Yolŋu-led collaboration, this article centers Yolŋu understandings of time and place and elaborates on our work together through a spiral-based framework. Our Indigenous and Country-led Collective nourishes and shares some Yolŋu understandings of songspirals to enable, enrich, and awaken Country; to challenge and expand Western academic frameworks; and to contribute toward more responsive relationships between people and places. To sing or keen the spirals now means the ongoing creation of place and people—an emergent, more-than-human creativity that literally creates and re-creates existence. Songspirals are more-than-human processes that need active engagement to nourish positive relationships and to heal damaged ones. Songspirals are a keening/singing, of, with, by, for, and as Country.
Current molecular and therapeutic advances in liposarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and angiosarcoma
Authors: Tanriverdi Ozgur , Yildiz Aysegul
Published: January 2022

Sarcomas probably develop after malignant transformation of embryonic mesenchymal cells and have broad spectrum histopathologically since they can develop from striated skeletal muscle and smooth muscle, fat and fibrous tissue, bone, cartilage and other mesenchymal tissues. The most common histological subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma in adults are: liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, poorly differentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Molecular and genetic studies of soft tissue sarcomas, which are considered as heterogeneous groups in terms of their molecular and clinical characteristics, are still an important area of ​​interest The heterogeneity of the molecular and genetic alterations of these malignancies, which are mostly treated with surgery and chemotherapy, also offers hope to the researchers in terms of treatment targets. In this article, molecular biologic features of the soft tissue sarcomas including liposarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and angiosarcoma are discussed in the light of recent developments in molecular biology, targeted therapies and immunotherapy.
Cytogenetic guided therapy using blinatumomab and inotuzumab ozogamicin in a patient with relapse/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Ohana Zahava , Serraes Samantha , Elder Christopher , Katusa Nikolina
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive cancer that requires intense chemotherapy and has a high rate of recurrence. Treatments of Relapse/Refractory (R/R) B-cell ALL are limited. Blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager (CD19/CD3) monocolonal antibody, and Inotuzumab Ozogamicin, an anti-CD22 antibody conjugate, are current recommended options.

Case Report

To describe a R/R B-cell ALL patient who failed blinatumomab therapy. Subsequently she received inotuzumab ozogamicin achieving a complete response.

Management & Outcome

Our patient was initially treated with CALGB 10403 regimen but did not achieve a complete response. Blinatumomab was given for relapse/refractory disease however she had an incomplete response despite having 100% expression in CD19 markers. Consequently, she received inotuzumab ozogamicin attributable to 70% expression of CD22. She responded with a complete response and transitioned to a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Discussion

There is limited clinical guidance on the preferred treatment of adult R/R B-Cell ALL. Currently, there are no randomized head-to-head trials comparing efficacy of blinatumomab and inotuzumab ozogamicin. Clinical patterns of blinatumomab resistance has been reported. Our case study remains unclear of why our patient had unsuccessful outcomes with blinatumomab regardless of having CD19 positivity of 100%. Future prospective analysis and comparative studies are needed to determine proper sequencing of these therapies.
Development of low-cost edible coatings based on polysaccharides with active lactic acid bacteria for the protection of fresh produce modeled using fresh cut apples
Authors: Kusnadi Joni , Mahatmanto Tunjung , Marsheli Netya , Fawzia Nur , Rahmawani Della Eko , Alexander Kevin
Published: January 2022

The loss of fresh produce along the supply chain represents a significant contributor to environmental and economic burden. Although technological advances in distribution and storage have provided a means to reduce the loss of fresh produce, in resource-limited settings, these technologies may not be available. One attractive approach to help address this limitation is to use edible coatings to protect fresh produce from biotic and abiotic factors that cause food deterioration. Here, we developed edible coatings from materials that are cheap and easy to prepare: maize starch, κ-carrageenan, and agar as the matrix; glycerol as the plasticizer; and Lactobacillus plantarum TPB21.12 as the active ingredient. Using fresh cut apples as a model substrate, we found that maize starch coating retained color, agar coating delayed browning, and κ-carrageenan coating decreased mass shrinkage of the fresh cut apples. L. plantarum TPB21.12 remained viable in the edible coating suspensions during storage and was active against Escherichia coli TPB21.8, a model bacterium for biotic factor that causes food spoilage. The simplicity of the edible coating formulation and preparation method offers an attractive approach for applications to help protect fresh produce from deterioration and reduce food loss and waste generation.
Infantile Parotid Hemangioma With Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
Authors: Abidi Kamel T , Kamal Naglaa M , Althobaiti Khaled A , Althobaiti Sami D , Halabi Yasser A , Alalyani Saad A
Published: January 2022

Introduction:

Salivary gland tumors are uncommon in children; hemangiomas are one of them. We report a case of infantile hemangioma of the parotid gland which posed a diagnostic dilemma.

Patients and Methods:

Four-month-old infant presented with swelling at the parotid gland region, which was progressively increasing. There was a diagnostic dilemma with initial misdiagnosis as acute parotitis. Imaging studies with ultrasonography and CT with contrast were requested.

Results:

Imaging studies revealed hyperintense lobulated mass suggestive of parotid hemangioma. Vascular consultation recommended conservative management with follow-up after 3 months. On follow-up, there was an increase in mass size, and propranolol was started. Swelling showed a good response on the next follow-up visit and is still on medical management.

Conclusion:

Parotid hemangiomas frequently pose a diagnostic dilemma, but the typical noninflammatory nature of the swelling and radiological evaluation confirms the diagnosis.
Production and comprehension of grammatical gender by Spanish heritage speakers: Evidence from accusative clitic pronouns
Authors: Martinez-Nieto Lourdes , Adelaida Restrepo Maria
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

This study investigates (a) the accuracy of Heritage Speakers (HSs) in production and comprehension of Spanish clitic pronouns when compared to monolingual children, (b) the differences in error patterns between groups, and (c) the possible asymmetry in production and comprehension in gender clitics.

Methodology:

The participants included six groups, a group of Spanish-HS divided into three age groups, PreKinder, 3rd-Grade, and Adults, and a group of Spanish-monolinguals of the same ages. Agreement data were obtained using a cloze-format task for production and a picture selection task for comprehension.

Data and Analysis:

The results compared accuracy and response time scores between HSs and monolingual speakers, between age groups, and target gender using a 2 × 3 multivariable analysis of variance.

Findings:

Children in the HS-group scored lower in accuracy than the monolingual children, but Adult-HS performed at the same level as Adult-Monolinguals. HSs, but not monolinguals, overused the masculine form. Production and comprehension scores showed an asymmetrical development in which speakers are better at clitic production than comprehension. Gender clitic agreement is a difficult aspect at age 4, even in monolingual contexts.

Originality:

The potential contribution of this study is twofold. First, it contributes to the continuing debate on the development of HSs’ grammar by comparing comprehension and production data of monolinguals and HSs, matched for age. Second, it provides evidence of high rates of gender agreement in Adult-HSs.

Significance:

Grammatical gender is a vulnerable aspect of Spanish-HS grammar, but it is not an incompletely acquired representation. Results support a dissociation between production and comprehension of gender clitic.
Joining of aluminium matrix composites using friction stir welding: A review
Authors: Mir Fayaz Ahmad , Khan Noor Zaman , Siddiquee Arshad Noor , Parvez Saad
Published: January 2022

Aluminium matrix composites are one of the most important classes of materials and have become a major focus of attention in aerospace, aeronautical, defense, and automotive industries. Aluminium matrix composites when compared to conventional alloys offer various promising properties like excellent strength-to-weight ratio, higher stiffness, lower coefficient of thermal expansion, better dimensional stability, and tribological behavior. The properties of aluminium matrix composites are highly influenced by the appropriate selection of metal matrix, processing routes, and reinforcement. Various ceramic particles (oxides, carbides, nitrides, borides, etc.) are used as reinforcements for aluminium matrix composites. Significantly different properties may be obtained using various reinforced particles and matrix material, which makes it difficult for the traditional fusion welding techniques to meet the joining requirements of these composites and is restricted to certain grades of materials. Solid-state welding process offers greater advantages over the conventional fusion welding. As a solid-state joining process, friction stir welding has proven to be a better and promising technique for joining aluminium matrix composites. However, it is still subjected to various challenges to join aluminium matrix composites even with considerable progress has been made in recent years. The current review provides an overview of state-of-the-art of friction stir welding of aluminium matrix composite materials. Specific attention and critical assessment have been given to weldability, the macrostructure and microstructure of aluminium matrix composite joints, mechanical properties of joints, fractography, and the wear of friction stir welding tool during welding of aluminium matrix composite. Furthermore, the various existing challenges of friction stir welding of aluminium matrix composites are summarized and the recommendations for future research are proposed.
Experiments on vibration transmission control in a shaft-hull system excited by propeller forces via an activemulti-strut assembly
Authors: Xie Xiling , Ren Mingke , Zhu Yueyue , Zhang Zhiyi
Published: January 2022

The active control of lateral vibration transmission in a shaft-hull system with an active multi-strut assembly was investigated experimentally. The lateral vibration of the shafting system excited by the propeller forces transmits to the hull structure through the active multi-strut assembly, and the embedded actuator in each strut generates control forces to suppress vibration transmission. Modal testing was conducted and the characteristics of the hull structure were obtained. The excitation was exerted by two shakers mounted on the stern bearing housing. The performance of vibration suppression was verified for two control strategies that use three and six error transducers, respectively. Experimental results have demonstrated that the active multi-strut assembly in combination with the adaptive control method is able to suppress the vibration transmission from the shaft to the hull, and accordingly reduces the vibration of the hull surface. Moreover, the control strategy using six error transducers is of stronger cross coupling in the control channels as compared to that using three error transducers, which consequently makes it harder to implement active control.
Impact of an Elementary School-Based Wellness Initiative on Child Obesity Prevalence: LiveWell Kids
Authors: Palacios Christian , Simon Paul , Steward Ali , Garner Tessa , Hameed Heena , Shetgiri Rashmi
Published: January 2022

Despite major public health investments over the past several decades, little progress has been made in reducing the prevalence of obesity among school-aged children in the United States. In 2007, the Redondo Beach Unified School District (RBUSD) and the Beach Cities Health District launched a wellness initiative, LiveWell Kids, that included multi-level interventions to improve nutrition and increase physical activity. The initiative also included annual measurements of height and weight among all kindergartners and first, third, and fifth graders in the eight elementary schools in the RBUSD. To assess trends in obesity prevalence, we analyzed height and weight data collected during the 2008 to 2009 to 2018 to 2019 school years. To more fully assess the impact of the initiative, we conducted a least-squares regression difference-in-differences analysis of data from the California Physical Fitness Testing Program on measured height and weight among fifth graders from the RBUSD, three neighboring school districts, and Los Angeles County overall. Among elementary school students in the RBUSD, obesity prevalence decreased from 13.9% in 2008 to 2009 to 6.4% in 2018 to 2019. Significant declines in prevalence were observed in all eight elementary schools, and across all grade levels and demographic groups. Among fifth graders, a similar decline in obesity prevalence was not observed in the other school districts or the county overall. The findings suggest that interventions that adhere to the socio-ecologic model and engage students, parents, and school personnel at all levels while also addressing school and community environments may reduce obesity prevalence among elementary school-aged children.
Repeat Irrigation and Debridement of Upper Extremity Infections: Do Repeat Cultures Change Antibiotic Treatment Regimens?
Authors: Wiekrykas Bradley D. , Wera Jeffrey C. , Rallis Gavin , Solarz Mark K.
Published: January 2022

Background:

Organism identification and their antibiotic sensitivity profile are critical for the successful treatment of upper extremity infections. Although many infections resolve with antibiotics alone, some require 1 or more surgical procedures in which culture data are obtained. The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeat cultures taken at subsequent irrigation and debridement of upper extremity infections changed antibiotic treatment.

Methods:

A retrospective review was performed using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes to identify all adult patients with an upper extremity infection treated with 2 irrigation and debridement procedures with 2 separate culture data sets over a period of 5 years. Culture organisms and antibiotic sensitivity profiles were compared from each procedure, and changes in antibiotic treatment based on repeat culture information were identified.

Results:

In all, 183 patients who underwent 2 irrigation and debridement procedures with repeat culture data were identified. Organisms identified with repeat culture were the same or there was no growth in 153 patients and were different in 30 patients. The antibiotic treatment did not require a change in 170 (92.9%) of 183 patients. Of the 30 patients with different repeat cultures, antibiotic treatment changed in only 13 patients (43.3%). Patients who had a change in antibiotic treatment were more likely to have hepatitis C ( P = .005).

Conclusions:

Repeat culture data changed antibiotic treatment in only 7.1% of patients from our cohort. Patients with hepatitis C were more likely to require a change in antibiotic management after obtaining repeat cultures.
Rist Guide Catheter for Endovascular Procedures: Initial Case Series from a Single Center
Authors: Waqas Muhammad , Monteiro Andre , Baig Ammad A , Cappuzzo Justin M , Dossani Rimal H , Almayman Faisal , Singh Trisha , Snyder Kenneth V , Levy Elad I , Siddiqui Adnan H , Davies Jason M
Published: January 2022

Background

The transradial approach (TRA) for endovascular procedures has become a frequent practice in neurointervention. Advantages of the TRA include less access-site complications, early ambulation, and less postprocedural pain. The Rist 079 radial access guide catheter (Medtronic) is the first device designed specifically for neurointerventions performed through the TRA. In this study, we report our initial experience with the Rist catheter in a variety of neurointerventional procedures, aiming to evaluate the performance of this device and discuss its limitations.

Methods

A prospectively maintained database was retrospectively searched to identify patients who underwent procedures using the Rist catheter. Information on demographics, procedural details, and complications was recorded.

Results

Seventy-eight patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 60.3 years (range, 25–92 years); 45 (57.7%) were men. The interventional or diagnostic procedure was successfully completed in 77 patients (98.7%). The radial artery was the primary access-site choice in 71 patients (91%). The most frequent type of procedures performed were coiling or stent-assisted coiling (16.7%) and angioplasty and stenting (16.7%), followed by middle meningeal artery embolization (14.1%). Crossover to femoral artery access while maintaining use of the Rist was done in 5 cases (6.4%). Reasons for access or procedural failure included anatomical anomaly of the target vessel, unfavorable geometry of the great vessels, and proximal tortuosity of the supra-aortic vessels.

Conclusion

We demonstrated a high success rate with use of the Rist catheter system for a variety of procedures.
Second law and entropy generation analysis of magnetized viscous fluid flow over a permeable expandable sheet with nonlinear thermal radiation: Brownian and thermophoresis effect
Authors: Zeeshan
Published: January 2022

The second law, thermal, magnetic field, and concentration of viscous fluid across a permeable stretching surface are the focus of this study. The transverse and longitudinal velocities, temperature, and concentration with boundary conditions are computed numerically by applying Runge-Kutta 4th-order method. For this determination the system of governing equations are first converted to the first order ordinary linear equations and then solve by RK4 built-in function in MATHLAB SOFTWARE by taking step size [Formula: see text]. The existing work is compared with the difference between existing and published work. The iteration procedure was stopped until all of the nodes in the η-direction met the convergence condition 10−5. For confirmation of the results, the BVPh2 package is also applied and excellent agreement is found. Both on longitudinal and transverse kinematics, the impact of ferromagnetic and viscoelastic factors are examined. The temperature is studied in relation to the Prandtl number, the magnetism factor, and the heat reference factor. The concentration is also shown, as well as how it varies well with Schmidt number and the magnetic factor. The entropy generation number is calculated using fluid velocity, energy, and volume fraction coefficient. Moreover, the current work is also equated with the available work for limiting cases. The longitudinal and transverse velocities are declined when the viscoelastic and magnetic parameters are increased. The temperature profile enhances as the magnetic parameters and heat source-sink parameters increase, but declines as Prandtl number increases. At the same time, concentration raises as the magnetic parameters rises. From this investigation it is also observed that the concentration falls, as the Sc enhances. The entropy generation number decreases with the increasing values of magnetic parameter. It is perceived that as Pr enhances, the Ns increases near the surface but with increasing η, the situation reverses. For higher values of [Formula: see text], the generation number [Formula: see text] declines at the surface, however, the situation reverses via η rises.
Numerical study on drag reduction and wake modification for the flows over a hydrofoil in presence of surface heterogeneity
Authors: Kouser Taiba , Xiong Yongliang , Yang Dan , Peng Sai
Published: January 2022

In this article, direct numerical simulations of flow around NACA0012 hydrofoil with superhydrophobic surface (SHS) is presented. Surface heterogeneity takes into account by periodic no-slip and shear-free grates on the surface. The study is conducted for a range of [Formula: see text] degree angles of attack and at fixed Reynolds number ( Re) 1000. SHS leads to effective Navier slip on the hydrofoil surface and corresponding changes in velocity profile. Bubble separation delays for higher gas-fraction ( G.F), and minimizes the vortex shedding effects. As a result, flow remains two-dimensional (2D) for higher angles of attack as compared to flow over three-dimensional (3D) hydrofoil with no-slip boundary. Both the drag reduction and enhancement of lift force are observed. Maximum lift are observed at [Formula: see text], while the drag force continues to decrease with the gradual increase in angle of attack and patterned micro-grates fraction. Mode C with smaller wavelength is observed at [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, increase in gas-fraction leads to increase in slip length which thickens the boundary layer and mimics the vorticity implies drag reduction. Thus, replacement of the no-slip surfaces by superhydrophobic surfaces can be treated as a promising drag reduction technology.