bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immobilization in External Rotation and Abduction Versus Arthroscopic Stabilization After First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Minkus Marvin , Königshausen Matthias , Pauly Stephan , Maier Dirk , Mauch Frieder , Stein Thomas , Greiner Stefan , Moursy Mohamed , Scheibel Markus
Published: February 2021

Background:

Treatment of first-time shoulder dislocation (FSD) is a topic of debate. After high rates of recurrent instability after nonoperative management were reported in the literature, primary repair of FSD significantly increased. At the same time, new concepts were proposed that had promising results for immobilization in external rotation (ER) and abduction (ABD).

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the recurrence rates (primary outcome) and clinical outcomes (secondary outcome parameters) of immobilization in ER+ABD versus arthroscopic primary stabilization after FSD.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

In a multicenter randomized controlled trial, patients with FSD were randomized to either treatment with immobilization in 60° of ER plus 30° of ABD (group 1) or surgical treatment with arthroscopic Bankart repair (group 2). Clinical evaluation was performed 1, 3, and 6 weeks as well as 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively or after reduction, including range of motion, instability testing, subjective shoulder value, Constant-Murley score, Rowe score, and Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index. Recurrent instability events were prospectively recorded.

Results:

Between 2011 and 2017, a total of 112 patients were included in this study. Of these, 60 patients were allocated to group 1 and 52 to group 2. At the 24-month follow-up, 91 patients (81.3%) were available for clinical examination. The recurrence rate was 19.1% in group 1 and 2.3% in group 2 ( P = .016). No significant differences were found between groups regarding clinical shoulder scores ( P > .05). Due to noncompliance with the immobilization treatment protocol, 4 patients (6.7%) were excluded.

Conclusion:

Immobilization in ER+ABD versus primary arthroscopic shoulder stabilization for the treatment of FSD showed no differences in clinical shoulder scores. However, recurrent instability was significantly higher after nonoperative treatment.
Mild to Moderate Varus Alignment in Relation to Surgical Repair of a Medial Meniscus Root Tear: A Matched-Cohort Controlled Study With 2 Years of Follow-up
Authors: Moon Hyun-Soo , Choi Chong-Hyuk , Yoo Je-Hyun , Jung Min , Lee Tae-Ho , Jeon Byeong-Hun , Kim Sung-Hwan
Published: February 2021

Background:

Increased varus alignment of the lower extremity is known to be a poor prognostic factor for the surgical repair for a medial meniscus root tear (MMRT). However, given the concept of constitutional varus, which is present in a substantial portion of the normal population, the generally accepted surgical indication for MMRT concerning a varus alignment of 5° may be unnecessarily narrow.

Purpose:

To compare the surgical outcomes of arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair of MMRT according to the degree of varus alignment of the lower extremity.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3

Methods:

Patients who underwent isolated arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair of MMRT between January 2010 and July 2017 at one institution and had a minimum follow-up of 2 years were included in this study. Patients were classified into 1 of 2 groups: the experimental group (n = 22) included patients with a preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle between 5° and 10° varus (mild to moderate varus alignment) and the control group (n = 51) included those with a preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle <5° varus (neutral alignment). Clinical scores and radiographic parameters were compared between the groups to assess surgical outcomes, which were statistically matched for potential confounders (age, body mass index, the severity of cartilage lesion) by use of the inverse probability of treatment weighting. A noninferiority trial was performed comparing the experimental and control groups in terms of subjective outcomes (International Knee Documentation Committee subjective and Lysholm scores) and objective outcomes (postoperative medial meniscal extrusion and the rate of osteoarthritis progression).

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in surgical outcomes between the groups in subjective and objective aspects, which were consistent before and after inverse probability of treatment weighting. Apart from the clinical improvement observed in both groups, overall degenerative changes in the knee were found, although progression rates did not differ between the groups. In terms of the noninferiority trial, the overall surgical outcomes in the experimental group were not inferior to those in the control group.

Conclusion:

The short-term surgical outcomes of arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair for MMRT of patients with mild to moderate varus alignment were not inferior to but rather comparable with those with neutral alignment in terms of subjective and objective aspects. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to exclude patients with a diagnosis of MMRT from being indicated for the surgery simply because of mild to moderate varus alignment.
Predictive Accuracy of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 and Vestibular/Ocular-Motor Screening, Individually and In Combination: A National Collegiate Athletic Association–Department of Defense Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium Analysis
Authors: Ferris Lyndsey M. , Kontos Anthony P. , Eagle Shawn R. , Elbin R.J. , Collins Michael W. , Mucha Anne , Clugston James R. , Port Nicholas L.
Published: February 2021

Background:

Vestibular and ocular symptoms in sport-related concussions are common. The Vestibular/Ocular-Motor Screening (VOMS) tool is a rapid, free, pen-and-paper tool that directly assesses these symptoms and shows consistent utility in concussion identification, prognosis, and management. However, a VOMS validation study in the acute concussion period of a large sample is lacking.

Purpose:

To examine VOMS validity among collegiate student-athletes, concussed and nonconcussed, from the multisite National Collegiate Athletic Association–Department of Defense Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium. A secondary aim was to utilize multidimensional machine learning pattern classifiers to deduce the additive power of the VOMS in relation to components of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3).

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Preseason and acute concussion assessments were analyzed for 419 student-athletes. Variables in the analysis included the VOMS, Balance Error Scoring System, Standardized Assessment of Concussion, and SCAT3 symptom evaluation score. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all tools, including Kolmogorov-Smirnov significance and Cohen d effect size. Correlations between tools were analyzed with Spearman r, and predictive accuracy was evaluated through an Ada Boosted Tree machine learning model’s generated receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results:

Total VOMS scores and SCAT3 symptom scores demonstrated significant increases in the acute concussion time frame (Cohen d = 1.23 and 1.06; P < .0001), whereas the Balance Error Scoring System lacked clinical significance (Cohen d = 0.17). Incorporation of VOMS into the full SCAT3 significantly boosted overall diagnostic ability by 4.4% to an area under the curve of 0.848 ( P < .0001) and produced a 9% improvement in test sensitivity over the existing SCAT3 battery.

Conclusion:

The results from this study highlight the relevance of the vestibular and oculomotor systems to concussion and the utility of the VOMS tool. Given the 3.8 million sports-related and 45,121 military-related concussions per year, the addition of VOMS to the SCAT3 is poised to identify up to an additional 304,000 athletes and 3610 servicemembers annually who are concussed, thereby improving concussion assessment and diagnostic rates. Health care providers should consider the addition of VOMS to their concussion assessment toolkits, as its use can positively affect assessment and management of concussions, which may ultimately improve outcomes for this complex and common injury.
The Enhancement Effect of Acetylcholine and Pyridostigmine on Bone-Tendon Interface Healing in a Murine Rotator Cuff Model
Authors: Wang Zhanwen , Chen Yang , Xiao Han , Li Shengcan , Zhang Tao , Hu Jianzhong , Lu Hongbin , Xie Hui
Published: February 2021

Background:

How to improve rotator cuff healing remains a challenge. Little is known about the effect of the parasympathetic transmitter acetylcholine (ACh) and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor pyridostigmine (PYR), both of which have anti-inflammatory properties, in the healing process of rotator cuff injury.

Hypothesis:

ACh and PYR could enhance bone-tendon interface healing in a murine model of rotator cuff repair.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 160 C57BL/6 mice underwent unilateral rotator cuff repair surgery. Fibrin gel (FG) was used as a drug carrier. The mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 40 mice per group: FG group (received FG alone), 10-5 M ACh group (received FG containing 10-5 M ACh), 10-6 M ACh group (received FG containing 10-6 M ACh), and PYR group (received FG containing 25 µg of PYR). Ten mice in each group were euthanized at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively. Histologic, immunohistochemical, and biomechanical evaluations were performed for analysis.

Results:

Histologically, fibrocartilage-like tissue was shown at the repaired site. The proteoglycan content of the 10-5 M ACh group was significantly increased compared with the FG group at 4 weeks. M2 macrophages were identified at the repaired site for all groups at 2 and 4 weeks. At 8 weeks, M2 macrophages withdrew back to the tendon in the FG group, but a number of M2 macrophages were retained at the repaired sites in the ACh and PYR groups. Biomechanically, failure load and stiffness of the ACh and PYR groups were significantly higher than those of the FG group at 4 weeks. The stiffness of the ACh and PYR groups was significantly increased compared with the FG group at 8 weeks ( P < .001 for all). At 12 weeks, most of the healing properties of the ACh and PYR groups were not significantly different compared with the FG group.

Conclusion:

ACh and PYR enhanced the early stage of bone-tendon insertion healing after rotator cuff repair.

Clinical Relevance:

These findings imply that ACh and PYR could serve as potential therapeutic strategies for rotator cuff healing.
rAAV-Mediated Human FGF-2 Gene Therapy Enhances Osteochondral Repair in a Clinically Relevant Large Animal Model Over Time In Vivo
Authors: Morscheid Yannik P. , Venkatesan Jagadeesh K. , Schmitt Gertrud , Orth Patrick , Zurakowski David , Speicher-Mentges Susanne , Menger Michael D. , Laschke Matthias W. , Cucchiarini Magali , Madry Henning
Published: February 2021

Background:

Osteochondral defects, if left untreated, do not heal and can potentially progress toward osteoarthritis. Direct gene transfer of basic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) with the clinically adapted recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors is a powerful tool to durably activate osteochondral repair processes.

Purpose:

To examine the ability of an rAAV-FGF-2 construct to target the healing processes of focal osteochondral injury over time in a large translational model in vivo versus a control gene transfer condition.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Standardized osteochondral defects created in the knee joints of adult sheep were treated with an rAAV human FGF-2 (hFGF-2) vector by direct administration into the defect relative to control (reporter) rAAV- lacZ gene transfer. Osteochondral repair was monitored using macroscopic, histological, immunohistological, and biochemical methods and by micro–computed tomography after 6 months.

Results:

Effective, localized prolonged FGF-2 overexpression was achieved for 6 months in vivo relative to the control condition without undesirable leakage of the vectors outside the defects. Such rAAV-mediated hFGF-2 overexpression significantly increased the individual histological parameter “percentage of new subchondral bone” versus lacZ treatment, reflected in a volume of mineralized bone per unit volume of the subchondral bone plate that was equal to a normal osteochondral unit. Also, rAAV-FGF-2 significantly improved the individual histological parameters “defect filling,”“matrix staining,” and “cellular morphology” and the overall cartilage repair score versus the lacZ treatment and led to significantly higher cell densities and significantly higher type II collagen deposition versus lacZ treatment. Likewise, rAAV-FGF-2 significantly decreased type I collagen expression within the cartilaginous repair tissue.

Conclusion:

The current work shows the potential of direct rAAV-mediated FGF-2 gene therapy to enhance osteochondral repair in a large, clinically relevant animal model over time in vivo.

Clinical Relevance:

Delivery of therapeutic (hFGF-2) rAAV vectors in sites of focal injury may offer novel, convenient tools to enhance osteochondral repair in the near future.
On the difference between the social and the cultural: Reconstructing historical-geographical materialism
Authors: Gündoğan Ercan
Published: February 2021

At the background of this article lies the question of how social sciences can internalize spatial and cultural phenomena and, in the most general sense, the ‘principle of difference’. Therefore, it has more than one problem and tries to see many seemingly contradictory phenomena as parts of a whole by employing a complex dialectical method. It looks at the relationships between the following phenomena: social and cultural; natural and cultural; universal and particular; similar and different. The article proceeds according to this method: it relates the opposites to each other through space and thus tries to show the following dialectical transitions: the social is produced as culture through the social space and the production of the social space itself. The article suggests that the transition between universal and particular constitutes the problematic of space, that space realizes the social as culture, and that this is the only realization of the social. The articles argues that the social is universalizing, and the cultural is particularizing, and that the social/universal can fulfill itself as necessarily cultural/particular. It also defends the principle of universality by stating that differences occur in relation to a whole. The article critically exploits classical social theory, specifically Marxist social theory and spatial Marxists such as Henri Lefebvre and David Harvey, some recent historical sociology, some postcolonial ideas, planetary urbanization theory, and tries to support the development of the theory of historical-geographical materialism.
A mini-review on household solid waste management systems in low-income developing countries: A case study of urban Harare City, Zimbabwe
Authors: Kwenda Phyllis Rumbidzai , Lagerwall Gareth , Eker Sibel , Van Ruijven Bas
Published: February 2021

Among other African cities, in terms of solid waste management (SWM), Harare has been ranked as one of the poorest. The municipality struggles to efficiently provide SWM services to its residents. Considering that SWM systems are complex, the individual behaviour of its components (waste generation, collection, and disposal) determines the overall performance of the system. This mini-review thus aims to understand the management system of the urban city’s biggest source of solid waste which is household solid waste (HSW). The systematic literature review methodology using NVIVO was used to analyse the literature. Out of a selected sample size of 500 journal articles, 26 were selected based on their relevance to the study. The uncertainty of the data provided by the Harare City Council (HCC) and of HSW generation data harvested in the literature was calculated. According to the HCC data records, Harare has an average daily waste generation per capita of on average 0.38±0.1 kg producing about 207, 635, 294±56, 027, 040 kg of HSW generated annually. With the waste collection efficiency in Harare at about 72.4%±7.5%, the city collects approximately 170, 385, 600±33 384 209 kg of HSW annually. All the collected HSW is disposed of in the city’s major MSW dumpsite called Pomona and only about 23, 498, 400±3, 988, 817 kg MSW is recovered annually with the average recovery efficiency at around 9.5%±2.8%, where most of the waste recovery is done by the waste pickers.
On the industrial symbiosis of alumina and iron/steel production: Suitability of ferroalumina as raw material in iron and steel making
Authors: Karamoutsos Spiros , Tzevelekou Theofani , Christogerou Angeliki , Grilla Eleni , Gypakis Antonios , Pérez Villarejo Luis , Mantzavinos Dionissios , Angelopoulos George N
Published: February 2021

The biggest challenge for our society, in order to foster the sustainable circular economy, is the efficient recycling of wastes from industrial, commercial, domestic and other streams. The transition to a circular economy is the goal of the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action, which was first launched in 2015. In 2020 the above action plan announced initiatives along the entire life cycle of the product, with the aim to make sustainable products the norm in the EU. Therefore, it is anticipated that the above action will result in an increase in Europe’s economic competitiveness, sustainability, resource efficiency and resource security. Within this context, the suitability of ferroalumina as a raw material in the blast furnace is investigated. Ferroalumina is the product of the high-pressure filter press dewatering process of the Greek red mud generated during the production of alumina by means of the Bayer cycle. Ferroalumina is a low-cost raw material and its possible charging in the blast furnace and/or steelmaking aggregates is a step towards industrial symbiosis, where the wastes, namely by-products, of an industry or an industrial process, become the raw materials for another. In the present work the effect of ferroalumina addition as a raw material was examined by smelting ferroalumina, blast furnace-slag, lime and scrap at 1550°C in a graphite crucible and a constant slag basicity. The increase of the alumina content in the slag improves the desulfurization capacity. Moreover, the silicon exchange between slag and metal was examined. The results indicate that the alkalis’ capacity of the slag increases with the addition of ferroalumina. The analysis of the finally obtained slag suggests that it could be suitable for utilization in slag-cement production.
Validation of a Subject-Specific Student Self-Assessment Practice Scale (SaPS) Among Secondary School Students in the Philippines
Authors: Mendoza Norman B. , Yan Zi
Published: February 2021

Self-assessment is fundamental to self-regulated learning; however, instruments to measure self-assessment practices are limited to a few developed educational systems. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Self-assessment Practice Scale (SaPS) in the English language subject using data from 778 secondary school students from the Philippines. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch analysis to test the SaPS’ within-network validity, then bivariate correlations and structural equation modeling (SEM) for between-network validity. The CFA supported the scale’s four-factor structure, and the Rasch analysis supported the scale’s dimensionality, rating scale effectiveness, and item fit statistics. The four SaPS subscales were positively correlated to agentic, cognitive, and metacognitive engagement. SEM results show that all SaPS factors (except self-monitoring) had significant associations to the engagement outcomes. This study highlights the sound psychometric properties of SaPS in a new educational context and its applicability as a subject-specific measure of assessment-as-learning strategies.
Does the Public Service Motivation Model Hold in the Caribbean?
Authors: Roach Charlene M. L. , Sabharwal Meghna , Abraham Romeo , Charles-Soverall Wayne
Published: February 2021

Researchers in public administration for the past few decades are interested in exploring how public service motivation (PSM) influences turnover intentions. This study puts the theory of PSM to test in a different cultural context and explores the relationship between PSM and leadership on turnover intentions via person-organization fit (P-O fit) in public sector employees from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. Results of structural equation modeling indicate a significant negative relationship between senior leadership and turnover intentions, but a positive and significant relationship between PSM and turnover intentions. The positive effects of PSM on turnover are different from the Western models of motivation in the public sector. Results also show a partial mediation of PSM and turnover intentions via P-O fit. This research highlights the need for studying leadership, motivation, and turnover by utilizing a cultural and value lens to examine and understand employee behaviors in public organizations outside of North America.
Clustering and Combinatorial Optimization Based Approach for Learner Matching in the Context of Peer Assessment
Authors: Abrache Mohamed-Amine , Bendou Abdelkrim , Cherkaoui Chihab
Published: February 2021

Peer assessment is a method that has shown a positive impact on learners' cognitive and metacognitive skills. It also represents an effective alternative to instructor-provided assessment within computer-based education and, particularly, in massive online learning settings such as MOOCs. Various platforms have incorporated this mechanism as an assessment tool. However, most of the proposed implementations rely on the random matching of peers. The contributions introduced in this article are intended to step past the randomized approach by modeling learner matching as a many to many assignment problem, and then its resolution by using an appropriate combinatorial optimization algorithm. The adopted approach stands on a matching strategy that is also discussed in this article. Furthermore, we present two key steps on which both the matching strategy and the representation of the problem depend: 1) modeling the learner as an assessor, and 2) clustering assessors into categories that reflect learners’ assessment competency. Additionally, a methodology for increasing the accuracy of peer assessment by weighting the scores given by learners is also introduced. Finally, compared to the random allocation of submissions, the experimentation of the approach has shown promising results in terms of the validity of assessments and the acceptance of peer feedback.
A Serial Mediation Approach to Goal Orientations, Learning Strategies and Achievement Outcomes on a Computer-Mediated English Program
Authors: Rivers Damian J.
Published: February 2021

Computer-mediated learning initiatives have recently increased due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Implications are thus created for self-regulation, learning and achievement as computer-mediated learners face unique motivational and metacognitive demands. The current research uses a serial mediation approach to test the effect of goal orientations and the mediatory role of learning strategies on achievement among 195 Japanese university students on a 24-month computer-mediated English program. The tested model shows a good fit to the data and accounts for 28.5% of the achievement variance. Direct effects are observed between a performance-approach orientation and achievement. Mediation effects are also observed between a performance-approach orientation and achievement via a strategic approach to learning. In contrast, the effect of a mastery orientation on achievement is mediated via a strategic approach to learning. A mediated serial effect is also observed between a mastery orientation and achievement via a deep and strategic approach to learning. The challenges facing teachers and students of computer-mediated learning solutions in English as a foreign language (EFL) education and the importance of providing an informed experience that facilitates, supports and rewards adaptive motivations and approaches to learning are discussed.
The novelty news frame: How social identity influences policy attention of minority presidential candidates
Authors: Turcotte Jason , Furey Lauren , Garcia-Ortega J. Omar , Hernandez Nicolas , Siccion Carrisa , Stephenson Emily
Published: February 2021

The 2020 primaries featured the most diverse candidates seeking the U.S. presidency to date; however, news media preoccupied with the novelty of a candidate’s social identity may result in less policy coverage for those underrepresented in electoral politics. Utilizing content analysis, this study explores the prevalence of novelty news frames that emphasize candidate identity across three national news outlets and examines whether these frames diminish the volume of policy coverage for minority candidates.
Private and public ownership in the drive toward digital innovations in newspaper newsrooms
Authors: Wu Yanfang , Garrison Bruce
Published: February 2021

This research explores the impact of ownership on innovations in U.S. newspaper newsrooms by constructing a structural equation model (SEM). The study, using an online survey (N = 1,063), found that social media triggers a paradigm shift—newspapers owned by publicly held, for-profit companies excel in social media innovations and create more social media friendly innovations milieus than newspapers owned by privately held, for-profit companies. Journalists from the publicly held newspapers engage with audiences more on social media than privately held newspapers. The more journalists engage on Twitter, the more they tend to have a negative attitude toward social media. However, the more journalists at publicly held newspapers engage on Facebook, the more they tend to hold a positive attitude toward social media, opposite of journalists at privately held newspapers.
Consumer Approach to Acculturation and Complementary/Alternative Medication: Differences between English Speakers, English Speakers of Color, and Spanish Speakers of Color
Authors: Cancio Roberto
Published: February 2021

The current study implements a qualitative explanatory framework of consumer acculturation to explore the perceptions of Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) among recently medicated persons from three different ethnic and racial groups: whites, Latino minority (English-speakers), and Latino minority (Spanish-speakers) to understand the social mechanisms that contribute to differences in perceptions of and experiences with CAM use. Findings suggest that there is a continuum of receptivity to CAM use based on levels of acculturation. Latinos speaking primarily English mirrored patterns of CAM use among non-Hispanic whites which showed that CAM is complementary rather than a substitute for conventional care. For Spanish-speaking Latinos, CAM was more about expressions of a culture rooted in ethnicity and acculturation. For Spanish-speaking Latinos, CAM is about identity and part of a culture-making process.
“Get a £10 Free Bet Every Week!”—Gambling Advertising on Twitter: Volume, Content, Followers, Engagement, and Regulatory Compliance
Authors: Rossi Raffaello , Nairn Agnes , Smith Josh , Inskip Christopher
Published: February 2021

The internet raises substantial challenges for policy makers in regulating gambling harm. The proliferation of gambling advertising on Twitter is one such challenge. However, the sheer scale renders it extremely difficult to investigate using conventional techniques. In this article, the authors present three U.K. Twitter gambling advertising studies using both big data analytics and manual content analysis to explore the volume and content of gambling ads, the age and engagement of followers, and compliance with U.K. advertising regulations. They analyze 890,000 organic ads from 417 accounts along with data on 620,000 followers and 457,000 engagements (replies and retweets). They find that approximately 41,000 U.K. children follow Twitter gambling accounts, and that two-thirds of gambling advertising tweets fail to fully comply with regulations. Ads for e-sports gambling are markedly different from those for traditional gambling (such as on soccer, casinos, and lotteries) and appear to have strong appeal for children, with 28% of engagements with e-sports gambling ads coming from users under 16 years old. The authors make six policy recommendations: spotlight e-sports gambling advertising, create new social media–specific regulations, revise regulation on content appealing to children, use technology to block users under 18 years from seeing gambling ads, require ad labeling of organic gambling tweets, and deploy better enforcement.
Self-assembled 5-fluorouracil-cinnamaldehyde nanodrugs for greatly improved chemotherapy in vivo
Authors: Fang Qin , Xu Xiaoxiao , Yang Longshun , Xue Yanbing , Cheng Xu , Wang Xin , Tang Rupei
Published: February 2021

The preferred cancer treatment is to achieve a high therapeutic effect as well as reduce side effects. In this study, we developed carrier-free nano drugs based on 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and cinnamaldehyde (CA) to meet the above goals. Two model drugs were spliced by acetal linkage and ester bond, which could self-assemble into nano drug particles (5FU–CA NPs) with a size of ∼170 nm. In vitro cell experiments showed 5FU–CA NPs were efficiently internalized by HepG2 cells. They then quickly exerted dual drug activities by the cleavage of acetal and ester bond, resulting in enhanced cell-killing efficacy and apoptosis. Synergistic mechanisms were achieved via the anti-metabolic effects mediated by 5FU–COOH and the oxidative damage induced by CA. In vivo anti-tumor evaluation further indicated that 5FU–CA NPs had higher tumor growth inhibition than 5FU–COOH/CA mixture (5FU–COOH + CA) and exhibited lower systemic toxicity under the same reducing dose of each drug. Overall, this is a successful synergistic anti-tumor attempt through rational self-assembly of drugs with different mechanisms and it can be extrapolated to other agents.
“Critical Agents of Change?”: Opportunities and Limits to Children’s Participation in Urban Planning
Authors: Mansfield Robyn G. , Batagol Becky , Raven Rob
Published: February 2021

Children’s participation in urban planning impacts communities. A policy environment supports their participation, yet this is far from mainstream, particularly in areas of greatest vulnerability. This literature review demonstrates what we do and don’t know about barriers and enablers to children’s participation in urban planning. We identify key themes within participatory methods, processes, and structures that influence urban planning stages and methods and identify the consequences of children’s inclusion or exclusion. We then argue for a research agenda that examines institutional impacts on urban planning and decisions that include or exclude children to contribute to a transformation of on-ground practices.
Influence of silicone oil on physico-mechanical and tribological properties of hybrid composites reinforced with basalt fiber/PTFE particles based on polyoxymethylene (POM)
Authors: Bazan Patrycja , Nykiel Marek , Kuciel Stanisław
Published: February 2021

The aim of the work was to examine properties of hybrid composites reinforced with basalt fiber (BF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particles based on a polyoxymethylene matrix modified by silicon oil. In the experimental part the basic physico-mechanical properties were determined. Thermal and tribological properties were also investigated. To refer to the effects of reinforcement and determine the structure characteristics SEM images were taken. The addition of basalt fibers and PTFE particles in the amount of 7.5/7.5 wt% reduces the coefficient of friction (from 0.36 to 0.12) and the wear rate (from 0.61 to even 0.37) in relation to neat POM and increases the strength properties. An increase in the filler content to 12.5/12.5 wt% results in an almost twofold raise in stiffness from 2800 MPa to 5120 MPa for tensile, and from 2500 to 4944 MPa for flexural and causes a further reduction in wear rate without affecting on the friction coefficient. Studies have shown that the addition of filler allows to provide excellent tribological properties while maintaining high strength properties.
Correlation of fatigue behavior and dynamic mechanical properties of hybrid composites of polypropylene/short glass fibers/hollow glass beads
Authors: Carvalho Gustavo B , Canevarolo Sebastião , de Sousa José Alexandrino
Published: February 2021

Ternary hybrid composites of Polypropylene (PP)/Short Glass Fibers (GF)/Hollow Glass Beads (HGB) were prepared using untreated and aminosilane-treated HGB, compatibilized with maleated-PP, and with varying total and relative GF/HGB contents. Static/short-term flexural strength properties data revealed, through lower flexural strength values, that the presence of untreated HGB particles induces to fiber-polymer interfacial decoupling at much higher extent than in the presence of aminosilane-treated HGB particles. This phenomenon is also evident when evaluating the data from displacement-controlled three-point bending fatigue tests. Monitored up to 106 cycles, the analyzed hybrid composites presented distinct performance relative to their fatigue stress relaxation rate: the lower the matrix-reinforcements’ interfacial adhesion, more pronounced the stress relaxation rate as a function of the number of fatigue cycles. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) results could successfully reveal the hybrid composites behavior at the microstructural level when they were submitted to both static flexural test and fatigue, depending on the degree of interfacial interactions between the polymer matrix of PP and the hybrid reinforcements of GF and HGB (with and without aminosilane surface treatment).
Normal enough? Krafft-Ebing, Freud, and homosexuality
Authors: Lang Birgit
Published: February 2021

This article analyses the slippery notions of the normal and normality in select works of Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840–1902) and Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) and argues that homosexuality became a ‘boundary object’ between the normal and the abnormal in their works. Constructing homosexuality as ‘normal enough’ provided these two key thinkers of the fin de siècle with an opportunity to challenge societal and medical norms: Krafft-Ebing did this through mapping perversions; Freud, by challenging perceived norms about sexual development more broadly. The article submits that the scientific logic presented in Krafft-Ebing’s seminal case study compilation Psychopathia Sexualis and Freud’s early theoretical writings and cases, including Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality (1905), was itself haunted by notions of norms and the normal that were not always easy to resolve, and sometimes involved a certain amount of inspired conjecture on the part of both thinkers in order to develop and validate their differing tripartite models of normality. Krafft-Ebing imagined homosexuality as a variation of the normal by generalizing a gay male experience. He also recorded the obstreperous cases of homosexual women based largely inside the clinic but by and large ignored this evidence. Freud inextricably bound homosexuality to normality (and vice versa) by redefining homosexuals as a group to include individuals with unconscious same-sex desire. Doing so allowed him to conceptualize the fear of homosexuality as crucial in the formation of neurosis and psychosis, and at the same time put him at odds with relevant early identity politics.
Preparation of porous fluorinated polyimide separator for lithium-ion batteries by non-solvent induced phase separation process
Authors: Shi Yake , Yuan Biao , He Yanzhen , Duan Cuijia , Yan Shuo , Lin Quanfan , Yu Haibin , Chen Zan , Han Enshan
Published: February 2021

A series of novel porous fluorinated polyimide (FPI) separators containing trifluoromethyl group (–CF3) were prepared by the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) strategy. The prepared FPI separator with 60% molar content (fluorinated dianhydride: non-fluorinated dianhydride: diamine = 60: 40: 100) of fluorinated groups (FPI-60%) could stably exist in the electrolyte as a LIBs separator. The resultant FPI-60% separator possesses high thermal stability with the Tg of 289.4°C and exhibits no shrinkage even at 200°C. The morphologies of the FPI-60% separators were adjusted by introducing small molecular non-solvent additives-ethanol, and the FPI-60% separators present the spongy-like and interconnected structure with different porosity as the amount of ethanol changed from 1 wt% to 10 wt%. The FPI-60% separators display excellent electrolyte uptake with 170%–200% and the ionic conductive could reach 1.17 mS/cm which is four times approximately than that of the PP separator. The lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) using FPI-60% separators with 10 wt% ethanol added show better rate capacities (102.8 mAh/g, 70.8 mAh/g of PI-10 and PP separator at 2 C, respectively) and the capacity retention rate is 93.2% after 50 cycles. The results prove that the porous FPI separator is a promising candidate for high-performance LIBs.
Optimization design of rail clip in Vossloh fastening system by uniform design and grey relation analysis
Authors: Cheng Yung-Chang , Kuo Chen-Ming , Lee Cheng-Kang , Xie Min-Sheng
Published: February 2021

This study presents the innovative optimization design procedure to increase the strength and fatigue safety of a fastening system under the static and fatigue loading. Applying the uniform design of experiment, a group of simulation experiment is generated. Utilizing ANSYS/Workbench software, the finite element models are constructed and used to evaluate the von Mises stress of rail clip for EN 13146-1 and EN 13146-2 testing simulations. Furthermore, the fatigue safety factor of rail clip for EN 13146-4 testing simulation is also presented. By the Kriging interpolation method, the surrogate models are rebuilt by the input and output data from the uniform design. Applying grey relational analysis, entropy weighting method, genetic algorithm and Hooke–Jeeves algorithm, the improvement design version is presented by solving the multi-objective optimization problem. Compared with the original design, the maximum von Mises stress of rail clip has been decreased to 25.189 MPa, the fatigue safety factor is upgraded to 3.829. As a result, the strength and fatigue safety of the rail clip in the fastening system is increased.
An improved efficient model for structure-aware lane detection of unmanned vehicles
Authors: Lv Zezheng , Huang Xiaoci , Liang Yaozhong , Cao Wenguan , Chong Yuxiang
Published: February 2021

Lane detection algorithms require extremely low computational costs as an important part of autonomous driving. Due to heavy backbone networks, algorithms based on pixel-wise segmentation is struggling to handle the problem of runtime consumption in the recognition of lanes. In this paper, a novel and practical methodology based on lightweight Segmentation Network is proposed, which aims to achieve accurate and efficient lane detection. Different with traditional convolutional layers, the proposed Shadow module can reduce the computational cost of the backbone network by performing linear transformations on intrinsic feature maps. Thus a lightweight backbone network Shadow-VGG-16 is built. After that, a tailored pyramid parsing module is introduced to collect different sub-domain features, which is composed of both a strip pool module based on Pyramid Scene Parsing Network (PSPNet) and a convolution attention module. Finally, a lane structural loss is proposed to explicitly model the lane structure and reduce the influence of noise, so that the pixels can fit the lane better. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the performance of our method is significantly better than the state-of-the-art (SOTA) algorithms such as Pointlanenet and Line-CNN et al. 95.28% and 90.06% accuracy and 62.5 frames per second (fps) inference speed can be achieved on the CULane and Tusimple test dataset. Compared with the latest ERFNet, Line-CNN, SAD, F1 scores have respectively increased by 3.51%, 2.84%, and 3.82%. Meanwhile, the result from our dataset exceeds the top performances of the other by 8.6% with an 87.09 F1 score, which demonstrates the superiority of our method.
Business models and cost analysis of automated valet parking and shared autonomous vehicles assisted by internet of things
Authors: Chen Junyan , Chen Haibo , Gao Jianbing , Dave Kaushali , Quaranta Romina
Published: February 2021

With the rapid development of autonomous vehicles, it is necessary to explore new business opportunities, especially under the assistance of internet of things, which accelerate the penetration in vehicle markets. Automated valet parking and shared autonomous vehicles will be the most active cases promoted by autonomous driving. In this paper, the business models of automated valet parking and shared autonomous vehicles were proposed, further, the cost structures of autonomous vehicles under two cases were investigated from points of car users and owners. In the business models, autonomous driving packages, internet of things devices, and service provider companies are considered as new stakeholders. The cost structure of automated valet parking users changes greatly, with the development of autonomous driving packages whose cost share decreases from ~60% to ~5%. The total cost of automated valet parking users is much higher than conventional parking before 2024. Additionally, the use of shared vehicles relieves financial burden, without trouble of periodical maintenance. For station-based and free-floating car sharing, the price drop of autonomous driving package brings about huge benefits for companies. Peer-to-peer car sharing business effectively decreases financial burden of car owners such that the decrease is less than 20% starting from 2017.
A study on using expanded perlite with hydroxyapatite: Reinforced bio-composites
Authors: Karip Erdoğan , Muratoğlu Mehtap
Published: February 2021

People are exposed to different kinds of diseases or various accidents in life. Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been widely employed for bone treatment applications. In this study, HA was extracted from sheep bones. Bio-composites were doped with 1, 5, and 10 wt.% of expanded perlite and 5 wt.% of ZrO2–MgO-P2O5. The bio-composites were prepared by the cold isostatic pressing method (250 MPa) and sintered at 900°C for 1 h. In order to evaluate the characteristics of the bio-composites, microhardness, density, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses were carried out on them. Additionally, the specimens whose characteristics were determined were kept in synthetic body fluid (SBF), and their in vitro behavior was examined. As a result, it was observed that microhardness increased as both the weight and the grain size of the expanded perlite were increased. Calcium silicate, tri-calcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite were observed in the XRD analysis of all samples, and the formation of apatite structures was increased by addition of ZrO2–MgO–P2O5.
Prevalence and predictors of asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a Ugandan population most at risk of HIV transmission
Authors: Mabonga Emily , Manabe Yukari C , Elbireer Ali , Mbazira Joshua K , Nabaggala Maria S , Kiragga Agnes , Kisakye Jennifer , Gaydos Charlotte A , Taylor Chris , Parkes-Ratanshi Rosalind
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) in key populations at increased risk of transmission of HIV. Additionally, we aimed to identify the associated risk factors for asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and evaluate the acceptability of self-collected samples. Asymptomatic people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the following categories were offered testing: discordant couples, young adults, pregnant patients and those attending the ‘most-at-risk-population’ clinic. Patients provided first-pass urine, self-collected vaginal swabs or both to test for NG and CT by polymerase chain reaction using BD ProbeTec™. Patients also completed an acceptability questionnaire, including the negative partner of an HIV-positive participant. Three hundred and sixty-three PLHIV had an STI screen. Asymptomatic STIs were only diagnosed in women (prevalence 5.7%), overall prevalence 3.9% ( n = 14). Factors independently associated with an STI in women were being under 25 years (OR 9.63 95% CI 1.56–59.5) and having more than one sexual partner (OR 8.06 95% CI 1.07–60.6). Four hundred and seven completed the acceptability questionnaire. More than 95% of patients found self-sampling easy and comfortable and 83.8% would believe the results. Women significantly preferred the option of self-sampling, 56.9% versus 29.3% of men ( p < 0.001). Acceptability of self-sampling was high. Young women with or at risk of HIV are an important target for STI testing regardless of symptoms. There is need for diagnostic tests that are inexpensive, rapid and accurate especially in resource-limited settings.
Successful integration of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis into a community-based HIV prevention program for female sex workers in Kolkata, India
Authors: Jana Smarajit , Ray Protim , Roy Soma , Kadam Abhijit , Gangakhedkar Raman R , Rewari B B , Moses Stephen , Becker Marissa L
Published: February 2021

We assessed the impact of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the context of a community-based HIV program among female sex workers (FSWs) in Kolkata, India. This was an open-label, uncontrolled demonstration trial. HIV seronegative FSWs over 18 years were eligible. Participants were administered daily tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF-FTC) with follow-up visits at months 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. Drug adherence was monitored by self-report, and a random subset of participants underwent plasma TDF testing. 843 women were screened and 678 enrolled and started on PrEP. Seventy-nine women (11%) did not complete all scheduled visits: four women died of reasons unrelated to PrEP and 75 withdrew, for a 15-month retention rate of 89%. Self-reported daily adherence was over 70%. Among those tested for TDF, the percentage of women whose level reached ≥40 ng/mL was 65% by their final visit. There were no HIV seroconversions, and no evidence of significant changes in sexual behavior. This study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of PrEP for FSWs in Kolkata, with very high levels of adherence to PrEP and no HIV seroconversions. The integration of PrEP into an existing community-based HIV prevention program ensured community support and facilitated adherence.