bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Shaming’ the Court: Ukraine’s Constitutional Court and the Politics of Constitutional Law in the Post-Euromaidan Era
Authors: Nekoliak Andrii
Published: January 2023

Since the Euromaidan events of 2014, Ukraine has embarked on a reformist trajectory to ‘Europeanize’ the country and deliver the promise of good governance to its citizens. The series of legislative and public policy reforms that followed had financial and ideological support from Ukraine’s Western partners. To date, studies have focused on documenting and analyzing the course of international donors’ involvement in Ukraine’s reforms. What is lacking, however, is an analysis of the many different domestic responses to external pressure from donors to implement reforms. Examining Ukraine’s Constitutional Court case law on judicial self-government and anti-corruption from 2020, this article examines this court’s legal response to the politics of reform led by international donors and domestic actors in Ukraine. It reveals the problematic nature of constitutional decision-making in a country that has recently been facing considerable pressure from political incumbents and civil society. The article identifies a pattern that characterizes the political process (a ‘troubled nexus’) around the reforms in Ukraine and draws a parallel between Ukrainian developments and the situation in Moldova and Georgia, two countries that have been confronted with similar reform challenges since the enactment of the respective Association Agreements with the EU in 2016.
Charity for Christian Unity
Authors: Levant Marie
Published: January 2023

At the end of the First World War, a profoundly transformed Middle East faced massive population displacements and health crises, which presented crucial challenges for humanitarian actors. North American philanthropy and charity played a decisive role in this context. Among the organisations involved, the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (cnewa) is not well known. It was established by American Catholics to help Eastern Christians – especially Greek Catholics – and to thwart the influence of Protestantism in the region, mainly by supporting local Churches and missions in their humanitarian and welfare work. cnewa was quickly placed under the supervision of the US episcopate and the Vatican, partly transforming its operations and purposes. Its activity became closely involved with the Eastern policy of the Holy See, which primarily focused on the “return” of Orthodox Christians to the Roman Church. This article, at the crossroads of the history of mission and humanitarian aid, examines the early developments of cnewa and highlights how the Catholic Church dealt with the emergence of modern humanitarian aid in the mid-twentieth century.
Between Traditions of Aid and Political Ambitions: Endowments and Humanitarian Associations in Egypt, Late 19th-mid 20th Century
Authors: El-Neklawy Shaimaa Esmail , Möller Esther
Published: January 2023

The article investigates the emergence and transformation of humanitarian associations in Egypt from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. It argues that on the one hand these associations were new institutions echoing the foundation of new charitable organisations worldwide and in Egypt. The colonial domination of Egypt and its refusal by the Egyptians thereby played a prominent role. On the other hand, the humanitarian associations have to be seen in the continuity of long-established practices and discourses of charity, performed in particular by religious endowments (awqāf). Based on the example of the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is explored through a wide range of un explorer Egyptian, British and Swiss archives as well as a broad historiography in European and Arabic languages, this article emphasises the interconnections between international, regional, national and local institutions in Egypt in the field of philanthropy.
Austinixa bragantina Coelho, 2005: a junior synonym of A. aidae (Righi, 1967) (Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) supported by integrative morphological and molecular data
Authors: ALMEIDA ALEXANDRE O. , ARAÚJO-SILVA CATARINA L. , LUCATELLI DEBORA , BEZERRA LUIS ERNESTO A. , BALBINO FELIPE C. , TAMBURUS ANA F. , MANTELATTO FERNANDO L.
Published: January 2023

Austinixa bragantina Coelho, 2005, described from Ilha Canela, Bragança, state of Pará, Brazil, is established as a junior synonym of A. aidae (Righi, 1967) based on morphological (gross morphology and scanning electron microscopy) and molecular (16S rRNA mitochondrial marker) evidence. The phylogenetic tree was obtained through the Maximum Likelihood method aiming to contextualize A. bragantina among related species. We provide a redescription, an updated synonymy, and remarks on the intra-specific morphological variability of A. aidae to clarify some taxonomic inconsistencies previously reported. Austinixa hardyi Heard & Manning, 1997, a species of uncertain taxonomic status, was confirmed genetically to also be a synonym of A. aidae.
Three new brachypterous species of the genus Coleolissus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from China and India
Authors: KATAEV BORIS M. , WRASE DAVID W.
Published: January 2023

Three new obligatory brachypterous species of the genus Coleolissus Bates, 1892 are described: Coleolissus curtus sp. n. from the southern Gaoligong Mountain Range (Yunnan, China), C. cognatus sp. n. from the Wuliangshan Mountain Range (Yunnan, China), and C. brevis sp. n. from the environs of “Khecheoparin” (Sikkim, India). The relationships of these species are discussed.
Where’s the Bias: No Evidence of Bias by Sex When Testing the Public Safety Assessment
Authors: DeMichele Matthew , Baumgartner Peter , Wenger Michael , Comfort Megan , Witwer Amanda
Published: January 2023

Pretrial assessments are criticized for inherent biases. We conduct research in Kentucky to assess the predictive validity and differential prediction by sex of one pretrial assessment, the Public Safety Assessment (PSA). Our research is unique because we find equal base rates by sex for missing a court date, which allows us to assess for error rate balance by sex. We find the PSA to have predictive validity within acceptable ranges for the criminal legal field. The analyses show a lack of evidence of predictive bias for any arrest or missing a court date, and we find equal error rates for five different error measures. The analyses contribute to methodological debates about how to measure predictive bias with assessments.
A Targeted Review of Open Practices in Special Education Publications
Authors: Cook Bryan G. , van Dijk Wilhelmina , Vargas Isabel , Aigotti Susan M. , Fleming Jesse I. , McDonald Sean D. , Richmond Cassidi L. , Griendling Lindsay M. , McLucas Alan S. , Johnson Rachelle M.
Published: January 2023

Open practices, such as preregistration, registered reports, open materials, open data, open analytic code, replication, open peer review, open access, and conflict-of-interest and funding statements, support the transparency, accessibility, and reproducibility of research and other scholarship. The purpose of this review was to examine the prevalence of these open practices in the special education literature. We reviewed a randomly selected sample of 250 articles published in special education journals in 2020. Results indicated that conflict-of-interest and funding statements were present in most articles; a small but meaningful proportion of articles provided open materials and were open access; and preregistration, registered reports, open data, open analytic code, open peer review, and replication were rarely or never observed. Recommendations for researching and supporting the use of open practices in special education scholarship are provided.
The effectiveness of a nurse-led health development programme on fourth-grade school-age children in North Cyprus: A randomised-controlled trial
Authors: Güler Rasiha , Kublay Gülümser , Fırat Kılıç Hülya
Published: January 2023

Objective:

This study sought to analyse the effectiveness of a nurse-led health development programme for school-aged children in North Cyprus.

Design:

This study utilised a randomised-controlled experimental research design.

Setting:

The study was conducted on fourth-grade students in two primary schools.

Method:

Participants in the intervention group received a 12-week online health education course. Students in both the control ( n = 38) and intervention ( n = 38) groups completed the Food Behaviour Scale, the Children Health Perceptions and Behaviours Scale, and the Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale pre-intervention, at the end of intervention and 3 months post-intervention.

Results:

Post-test scores for the intervention group on the Food Behaviour Scale, Children Health Perceptions and Behaviours Scale, and Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale were significantly higher than their pre-test scores. In contrast, the control group exhibited no statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores on the three scales.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest that a nurse-led health education programme had a positive effect on food behaviour, physical activity self-efficacy, and health perception and behaviours among school-age children.
The Tragedy of Colonialism in a Non-Colonised Society: Italy’s Historical Narratives and the Amhara Genocide in Ethiopia
Authors: Bitew Geremew Birhanu
Published: January 2023

In its attempt to colonise Ethiopia, Italy challenged Ethiopiawinet, claiming that Ethiopia is a mere collection of discrete ethnic groups brought together by Amhara colonialism. Extracting data from a variety of sources including secondary materials, opinions expressed in the broadcast, print and social media platforms, party documents, official letters and key informant interviews, this paper provides a critical reflection on how the colonial presence of Italy made a political mess in Ethiopia by asserting ethnic nationalism. The paper argues that the narratives invented by the Italian colonisers greatly contributed to the emergence of ethnic nationalism following the advent of Marxism-Leninism in Ethiopia. Borrowing narratives from the Italian colonial regime, Ethiopian ethnic elites of the 1960s, who were the advocates of Marxism-Leninism, simplistically categorised the Amhara as oppressor while ‘others’ as oppressed. This categorisation negatively shaped the attitude of ‘others’ towards the Amhara and instigated genocide against these people.
Mechanical properties of extruded continuous glass fiber reinforced wood Particle/HDPE composites: Effects of glass bundle tex and arrangement
Authors: Pourghayoumi Majid , Jamali Ali , Behravesh Amir Hossein , Mazdi Mohammad , Hedayati Seyyed Kaveh , Naeini Hassan Moslemi
Published: January 2023

Mechanical properties considerably reduce in wood-plastic composites (WPCs) due to the use of wood particles, so the structural applications of these composites are scarce. Thus, embedding continuous fibers is considered the most reliable method for increasing mechanical properties, although there are still challenges in employing this method on a large scale. In this study, an elaborated, special modular die with the capability of adjusting 14 rovings of continuous fibers was designed, manufactured, and implemented to simultaneously embed continuous glass fibers into the extruded WPC profile. More precisely, it was aimed to investigate the arrangement of fiber rovings into the desired positions in a WPC profile of 70 wt% wood content. Also, the effect of the glass bundle tex (at three level, 1200,2400 and 4800) and the fiber position (at four levels, 0, 2, 4, and 6 mm of relative movement of the guides) on the mechanical properties of WPCs was evaluated. According to the results, the flexural strength of reinforced specimens for 1200, 2400, and 4800 texes increased by 85.8, 107, and 159.7%, respectively, compared with the non-reinforced composite. Theoretical values were calculated and compared with experimental outcomes. Based on the results, The failure mode was non-catastrophic, which means the specimens were able to carry partial loading; a desirable characteristic for the structural applications.
Mobilization, Repression and Policy Concessions in Authoritarian Regimes: The Cases of Egypt and Jordan
Authors: Sika Nadine
Published: January 2023

In 2018 new economic reform measures were implemented in Egypt and Jordan under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund. These measures were met with public outrage in both countries. In Jordan, mass mobilization, demonstrations and strikes took place, lasted for a month and ended in policy concessions. In Egypt, however, only few independent demonstrations erupted, no mass mobilization occurred, and no policy concessions were enacted by the regime. This article seeks to understand, why activists were able to mobilize large numbers of citizens and attain policy concessions in Jordan, while they were not able to in Egypt. I argue that in authoritarian regimes, different types of repressive strategies against activists and their movements impact their ability to develop networks and advance short-term policy concessions. Targeted repression against activists enables the development of formal and informal networks in addition to coalitions, increasing a movements’ bargaining power. However, widespread repression hampers the development of all types of networks, especially formal networks, which impedes activists’ ability to bargain for policy concessions.
Spatial connection network characteristics and development trend forecast of natural gas industry's sustainable development resilience in China
Authors: Zhao Yanmin , Wang Di
Published: January 2023

Objectively recognizing and improving the sustainable development resilience of China's natural gas industry will help achieve the low-carbon transformation goal of China's energy system. Taking 31 Chinese provinces as the research area, this paper measures the sustainable development resilience (SDR) of China's natural gas industry based on the Drive-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model and entropy method, and integrates the gravity correction model and social network analysis methods to identify the spatial linkages and network patterns among core regions, and further explores the development trend of the SDR of China's natural gas industry using grey model (GM(1,1)) moderated by a variable-weight buffer operator. The results show that: (1) There are significant regional differences in the SDR of the natural gas industry across Chinese provinces. The SDR is a high priority in Shanghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Guangdong and Shandong, while it is low major in Tibet, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Ningxia. (2) The spatial connection network density is low in China's natural gas industry, and the network correlation between provinces is poor. In detail, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Shandong are the core of the entire network and the connection lines between provinces are mainly basic in the whole region with poor connection strength, but there is a trend for the better. (3) The changing trend is significantly different in the SDR of Chinese provinces, and the prediction results show a trend of “polarization” in the SDR index of the provinces in the resource endowment area.
Neuronal network algorithm towards color model of full color gamut yarn and its color prediction research
Authors: Sun Xianqiang , Xue Yuan , Liu Yuexing , Wang Liqiang , Liu Lixia
Published: January 2023

This article builds a gridded color matching model based on digital color mixing of four primary colored fibers in the context of digital spinning, which can separately perform regulation of hue, saturation, and lightness within the full color gamut. Combining the requirements of a neuronal network prediction algorithm, the mixing ratios of primary colored fibers and spectral reflectance were used as input and output parameters for each other, and 41 grid point mixing samples were selected from the constructed gridded color mixing model, 31 of which were chosen as training samples to establish a neuronal network model containing input, hidden, and output layers. The remaining 10 mixed samples were then selected as predicting samples to perform validation of the model's capability to predict the color or the mixing ratio of the four primary colored fibers. The final results showed that the color difference of the mixed samples used for color prediction was 0.90 at the minimum, 2.31 at the maximum, and 1.45 at the average; the mean absolute error for proportional forecasting was 0.19%, and the root mean square error was 0.97%. The findings indicate that the forecasting method has excellent prediction accuracy, and the constructed color matching model of four primary colors and neuronal network algorithm can be applied to the prediction of mixed colors of multiple primary colored fibers, providing technical support for the spinning of colored yarns.
Preparation of a Janus-polyvinylidene fluoride micro/nano fiber membrane by centrifugal spinning and investigation into its unidirectional water transfer and oil–water separation functions
Authors: Yu Xiaotian , Zhang Xian , Zhang Hongjing , Zhou Ke , Chen Xu , Hao Haitao , Li Yongqiang , Huang Yi
Published: January 2023

Traditional oil–water separation membranes have a high energy consumption and complicated operation. To solve this problem, an asymmetric wetting polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fiber membrane with a hydrophobic side and a hydrophilic side was prepared. Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane was grafted onto one side of a centrifugal spun PVDF fiber membrane by plasma initiation, and dopamine was sprayed on the other side of the fiber membrane. The Janus-PVDF fiber membrane prepared can separate a mixture of water and dibromoethane, a toluene–water emulsion and a mixture of n-hexane and water. The initial interception rates were 98.53% ± 1.31%, 98.52% ± 1.12% and 98.61% ± 1.23%, respectively. After five cycles of separation, the separation rates remained at 96.15% ± 1.25%, 95.02% ± 1.21% and 96.91% ± 1.42%, respectively. The Janus-PVDF fiber membrane has excellent unidirectional water transfer capability and possesses well-repeated separability. The preparation of its unique Janus structure also provides a new direction for the field of oil–water separation.
Assessing gender difference in mathematics achievement
Authors: Lu Yujie , Zhang Xuan , Zhou Xinlin
Published: January 2023

Gender differences in math-related professional achievements have been identified as a worldwide problem. Academic achievement assessments, however, have repeatedly revealed gender similarities. The observed gender similarity might be due to biased assessments that heavily rely on reading skills, which favors girls. The current study analyzed 29 international and within-country datasets representing a total of 9,471,692 students from 1,456 regions through four typical, large-scale student academic achievement assessments. The results showed a gender difference in mathematics achievements of greater than 0.76 (Cohen's d), favoring boys for each dataset after controlling for general reading achievements. The gender difference in mathematics achievements favoring boys exceeded 0.35 in each region, with a mean of 0.70 for 79 countries or jurisdictions in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018) after controlling for general reading achievements. Dataset- and region-level gender differences are robust, suggesting that there is a clear gender difference in mathematics achievements that previous analyses have not identified due to the effect of reading achievements differences.
The ProtekDuo dual-lumen cannula for temporary acute mechanical circulatory support in right heart failure: A systematic review
Authors: Brewer Joseph M , Capoccia Massimo , Maybauer Dirk M , Lorusso Roberto , Swol Justyna , Maybauer Marc O
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Acute right ventricular failure (aRVF) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) may be considered as an advanced treatment option. The ProtekDuo is a cannula that can be used to provide acute right ventricular support as part of a temporary percutaneous (tp) right ventricular assist device (RVAD) system. The primary objective of this systematic review is to describe patient survival and complications when the ProtekDuo cannula was used as part of an tpRVAD system.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus were searched from database inception to August 26, 2022. Reference sections of studies were reviewed to screen for database omissions.

Results

Seven studies with 127 patients were eligible for inclusion. The studies included patients with aRVF from a variety of causes. Mean duration of support was between 10 and 58 days in five studies. Patient survival to discharge was between 60% and 85.2% in two studies. Four authors reported 30-day survival between 60% and 85.2%. Devicerelated and non-device related complications were low.

Conclusions

Patients treated with RVAD using the ProtekDuo cannula have comparable survival rates and complications to other tpRVAD systems. Several advantages exist compared to other RVAD systems.
Tradeoffs in Triage of Motor Vehicle Trauma by Rural 911 Emergency Medical Services Practitioners
Authors: Benson Jamie , Wolfson Daniel , van den Broek-Altenburg Eline
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Identification and triage of severely injured patients to trauma centers is paramount to survival. Many patients are undertriaged in rural areas and do not receive proper care. The decision-making processes involved in triage are not well understood and should be assessed to improve the triage process and outcomes.

Methods

Triage decision-making processes were explored through emergency medical services (EMS) practitioner focus groups and a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Attributes of trauma determined from focus groups and the literature included patient demography, injury mechanism, and trauma center distance. DCE data were analyzed using mixed logit models.

Results

High-risk mechanism, decreased age, multiple comorbidities, and pregnancy were found to increase the preference for triage. Greater trauma center distance was found to decrease preference for triage, but practitioners were willing to trade off up to 2 h of travel time to transport a third-trimester pregnancy and 48 min of travel time to transport a 25-y-old than they would a 50-y-old with the same comorbidities, injuries, and stability.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that current forms of EMS protocols may not be appropriately tailored to support the mechanisms underlying practitioner decision making. Public health professionals and researchers should consider using DCEs to better understand EMS practitioner decision making and identify structures and incentives that may improve patient outcomes and optimally guide appropriate triage decisions.

Highlights

Discrete choice experiments are an effective method to elicit prehospital practitioners’ preferences around transport of the traumatized patient. Practitioner biases observed in EMS transport data are recovered in stated preference models incorporating individual preference heterogeneity. There is a discrepancy between the triage priorities recommended by protocol and those measured from prehospital practitioners’ decisions—this may have implications in over- and undertriage rates and prehospital protocol design.
Comparative analysis of three common imaging modalities for nasolabial cysts
Authors: Liu Shengyang , Hao Dingqian , Yu Liang , Ma Hui , Zhao Hui , Sun Shujuan , Yu Peng , Ji Hongzhi , Shi Li , Wan Yuzhu , Chen Aiping
Published: January 2023

Objective

To compare the clinical diagnostic value of ultrasonography (USG), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for nasolabial cysts.

Methods

The clinical and imaging data of 20 patients with 21 nasolabial cysts confirmed surgically and histopathologically were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

The largest cyst was 3.4 × 2.7 × 2.3 cm, and the smallest cyst was 1.1 × 0.7 × 0.5 cm. All cysts were located in the soft tissue between the nasolabial fold and maxillary bone. USG showed sensitivity of 95%, accuracy of 95%, and a missed diagnosis rate of 5%; CT showed sensitivity of 80%, accuracy of 80%, and a missed diagnosis rate of 20%; and MRI showed sensitivity of 85%, accuracy of 85%, and a missed diagnosis rate of 15%.

Conclusions

USG showed higher sensitivity and accuracy and a lower missed diagnosis rate than CT and MRI. Therefore, USG is worth popularizing on a large scale for the diagnosis of nasolabial cysts.
Meter without rhythmic pattern repetitions increases pre-attentive processing
Authors: Gomes Rui , Abreu Regina , Silva Susana
Published: January 2023

Processing musical meter—the organization of time into regular cycles of strong and weak beats—requires abstraction from the varying rhythmic surface. Several studies have investigated whether meter processing requires attention, or if it can be both pre-attentive and attentive. While findings on temporal expectation (processing meter per se) indicate benefits of attention, studies on meter processing in complex, dual-task contexts (meter used for temporal orientation) consistently report pre-attentive processing. Also, while surface-based approaches to meter (meter aided by pattern repetition) show some benefits of attention, structural approaches (meter not aided by pattern repetition, increased complexity) find pre-attentive-only processing. Therefore, in the present study, we hypothesized that pre-attentive processing increases with cognitive load, and we compared surface with structural meter processing. Supporting our hypothesis, we saw improved behavioral performance for surface meter, as well as electroencephalogram (EEG) evidence that structural meter elicits pre-attentive processing while surface meter does not. Our findings highlight the need for increased awareness in approaches to meter processing and support the idea that increased cognitive demand may recruit pre-attentive processing of temporal structure. At the practical level, our findings suggest that focusing listeners’ attention on meter, for example, when practicing dance, may not increase their understanding of meter structure.
Understanding Shifts in US Policies towards the Taliban: A Critical Analysis
Authors: Ibrahimi Niamatullah , Farasoo Abbas
Published: January 2023

The ‘war on terror’ produced discourses, which elevated terrorism as a primary threat to international peace and security and justified the overthrow of regimes that were suspected of supporting terrorism. After two decades, the United States (US) seeks to wind down the war, including through negotiations with groups that it once regarded as terrorist or complicit in terrorism. This article takes a critical approach to examine these shifts in US policy in relation to the Taliban in Afghanistan. It conceives the Taliban as a networked movement that consisted of local roots, transnational jihadist ties and connections to Pakistan’s proxy war in Afghanistan. The article then identifies and problematises key assumptions of American discourses by assessing them against local patterns of terrorism and (in)security and the Taliban’s violent tactics. Drawing on US sources, it finds that the US discourses shifted over time between various aspects of the Taliban movement as signifiers of its identity to justify shifting Washington’s priorities in Afghanistan. These discursive shifts, which reflected US policy priorities, introduced uncertainties and contradictions that contributed to the failure of the war efforts in Afghanistan.

Analyse critique des changements survenus dans la politique américaine à l’égard des talibans
Parole Work in Canada: Tensions in Supervising People Convicted of Sex Crimes
Authors: Ricciardelli Rosemary , Taylor Micheal , Maier Katharina , C. Spencer Dale
Published: January 2023

Internationally, parole work is loaded with tensions, particularly when supervising a people convicted of sex crimes (PCSCs) who, due to their criminal history, are stigmatized and occupy the lowest rungs of the status hierarchy in prison and society more broadly. Drawing on analyses of interview data from federal parole officers ( n = 150) employed by Correctional Service Canada, we interpret their perceptions and feelings about overseeing re-entry preparations and processes for the PCSCs on their caseloads. We unpack the “tensions” imbued in parole officers’ internal reflections and negotiation of complexities in their efforts toward supporting client’s rehabilitation efforts, desistance from crime while negotiating external factors (e.g., the lack of available programming), and being responsible for supervising PCSCs. We highlight facets of occupational stress parole officers experience, finding PCSCs may be more compliant when under supervision but may also require more of a parole officer’s resources, including time and energy. We put forth recommendations for greater empirical nuance concerning parole officer work and their occupational experiences and beliefs about PCSC, particularly as related to parole officer health.
Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratios in blood to distinguish children with asthma exacerbation from healthy subjects
Authors: Pan Ruilin , Ren Yaning , Li Qingqing , Zhu Xuming , Zhang Jian , Cui Yubao , Yin Hao
Published: January 2023

Objective

Airway inflammation is a prominent feature of asthma and may play an important role in disease pathophysiology. Despite the increasing incidence of asthma worldwide, reliable diagnostic biomarkers are lacking and widely lead to asthma misdiagnosis. Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a biomarker of systemic inflammation, in addition to NLR–alanine aminotransferase ratio (NAR) and NLR–albumin ratio (NBR). The aim of this study was to evaluate associations of NLR, NAR, and NBR with diagnosis of childhood asthma to determine if they can aid clinical childhood asthma diagnosis.

Methods

This retrospective case-control study included 89 children with asthma and 53 healthy children from the Wuxi Children’s Hospital affiliated with Nanjing Medical University. We applied various statistical tests to the dataset: Mann–Whitney U test to compare characteristics of the case and control groups; chi-squared test to compare categorical variables; Kruskal–Wallis test to compare statistical differences of asthma indicators among groups; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the diagnostic value of indices; and Spearman correlation analysis to evaluate relationships between NLR and lactate dehydrogenase, albumin, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase levels.

Results

Compared with controls, the asthma case group had significantly higher white blood cell ( p < 0.01), neutrophil, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, and NLR levels ( p < 0.01) and significantly lower lymphocyte ( p = 0.001), platelet ( p = 0.039), and albumin levels ( p = 0.04). We determined optimal cutoff levels for several metrics: 1.723 for NLR, with sensitivity of 0.73 and specificity of 0.906; 0.135 for NAR, with sensitivity of 0.685 and specificity of 0.887; and 0.045 for NBR, with sensitivity of 0.674 and specificity of 0.906. The areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.824 for NLR, 0.788 for NAR, 0.818 for NBR, and 0.83 for the combination of NLR + NAR + NBR.

Conclusion

The combination of NLR, NAR, and NBR biomarkers distinguished asthmatic ones suffering from exacerbation of the condition from healthy children. Thus, our results indicate NLR + NAR + NBR could be used as a clinical biomarker for asthma in children.
Psychotherapy: A kind of clinical philosophy?
Authors: Dalal Farhad
Published: January 2023

I will speak up for philosophy as a deep, questioning attitude and a form of critical thinking. I will argue that the development of this kind of attitude is not only necessary to the therapeutic endeavour, it is identical to it. The work of developing this attitude requires courage not only from the ones-who-come-for-help, but also the ones-who-try-to-help. Amongst other things, I will contest the idea of psychotherapy as ‘treatment’ that seeks to ‘cure’ ‘mental illnesses’. I will say something about how this way of thinking tries to inform the ethos of the group analytic programme in Bengaluru, India. I will draw on my understanding of ‘Eastern’ philosophies, and contrast them with my evolving philosophy of psychotherapy. In this task I will call on a range of philosophers from Wittgenstein to Hume, Mead, Gaita, Keats, Weil, and de Beauvoir.
Reacting to Non-Prototypical Victims: Blame, Empathy, and Willingness to Label Sexual Assaults of Men and Sexual Minority Victims
Authors: Davis Gianna E.
Published: January 2023

Sexual assault is prevalent in the U.S. society, with an estimated 16% of women and 8% of men experiencing some form of sexual violence during their lifetime (Breiding, 2014). Sexual violence crosses all identity lines; however, legislation, cultural representation, and academic scholarship on sexual violence has historically been limited to assaults against women perpetrated by men. This dominant analysis of sexual assault focuses on the impact of sexism on sexual violence, neglecting the impact off other forms of oppression and attitudes related to sexuality and gender. This dominant representation leaves non-prototypical victims, such as men, people of other genders, and sexual minorities of all genders, less visible and less understood. This underrepresentation may lead to negative reactions toward these victims including blame, exoneration of the perpetrator, and reluctance to acknowledge assaults. In the current study, I explored the impact of both victim gender and sexual orientation on reactions to a hypothetical intimate partner sexual assault victim. Results indicated that perpetrators who assaulted a man were blamed less than those who assaulted a woman. Furthermore, study participants had more empathy for women who were assaulted than they did for men. There were no differences in participants’ negative reactions to victims by sexual orientation. Results suggest that, while some advances have been made in public support for sexual assault victims, these advances may not extend yet to men as victims.
Homogeneous material models can overestimate stresses in high tibial osteotomy: A finite element analysis
Authors: Saghaei Zahra , Hashemi Ata
Published: January 2023

Although widely used numerical models can assess the stability of lateral hinges in high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and may provide acceptable results in comparative studies, accurate stress prediction may not be possible due to simplified homogeneous models of the bone. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a heterogeneous versus four homogeneous models on the results of stress and force. Each of the four homogenized FE models utilized the same elastic modulus of 16,700 MPa for the cortical while employing a single elastic modulus varying from 155 to 5000 MPa for the cancellous. In heterogeneous model, the modulus of each element was assigned using the bone density. It was found that stresses at the hinge in homogeneous models were higher than those in the heterogeneous model. The maximum principal stress (MPS) was 437 MPa for the heterogeneous model while that was 2179, 2351, 2581, and 2637 MPa for the homogeneous models with the elastic moduli of 155, 500, 2130, and 5000 MPa, respectively. Also, the opening force was 150 N for the heterogeneous model significantly lower than 649–1534 N range predicted for the homogeneous models. The use of a homogeneous model in the FE analysis of HTO overestimated the stresses and force. Thus, in addition to casting doubt on the use of a single modulus in the numerical analysis of HTO, Future HTO studies can use our results as a benchmark for comparison purposes and highlight the use of patient-specific bone density – elastic modulus relation in simulation.
Influence of surface coatings on the stress distribution by varying friction contact at implant-bone interface using finite element analysis
Authors: Dhatrak Pankaj , Kurup Alekh , Khasnis Neha
Published: January 2023

The present work aims to evaluate the effect of various surface coatings of titanium dental implants by varying the friction coefficient (µ) at the interface between the dental implant and jawbone using finite element analysis (FEA) methods and to provide a comparative analysis between the various surface coatings and implant designs. An accurate model of the dental implant prosthetics consisting of the hard (cortical) and the soft (cancellous) bone, with the various titanium dental implant designs was modelled using a 3D CAD software, and the FE mesh model was generated using HyperMesh 13.0. Three coatings having different coefficient of friction values were selected: Titanium Nitride (TiN) with a friction coefficient of 0.19, Titanium Oxide (TiO2) with a friction coefficient of 0.30 and Zirconium Nitride (ZrN) with a coefficient of friction of 0.49. The non-linear static stress analysis was conducted under three different loading conditions (vertical, lateral and oblique loading) using a CAE solver. The present study showed that surface coatings with high friction coefficients generated lower stresses in the cancellous bone while generating higher stresses in the cortical bone. However, for dental implants having microthreads in their neck region, surface coatings with a high coefficient of friction generated lower stresses at the interface between the cortical bone and the implant. The FEA results indicate that selecting suitable surface coatings would significantly decrease the stresses developed at the bone-implant interface, and future studies should conduct in vivo trials to validate the FEA results obtained.
Output feedback tracking control for nonholonomic wheeled mobile manipulator systems with full-output constraints
Authors: Liu Li , Yue Xiaokui , Wen Haowei , Hao Zhiwei , Wang Zheng
Published: January 2023

An output feedback trajectory tracking control scheme for nonholonomic mobile manipulator robot systems with full-output constraints is presented in this article. Different from the previous methods, the kinematic model of the system is transformed into a special chained form by a rotation-like matrix. A globally exponentially stable speed observer with generalized dynamic scaling function is constructed to obtain the velocity estimation of the system. The output feedback tracking constrained controller is successfully constructed by Barrier Lyapunov function, backstepping and the excellent observer, which considering the system dynamics and the full-output constraints is achieved with only measurable outputs.
The potential causal association of systemic lupus erythematosus with congestive heart failure in the East Asian population: A two-sample mendelian randomization study
Authors: Song Euijun
Published: January 2023

Objective

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, but the causal relationship has remained unknown in the East Asian population. We aim to determine the causal relationship between SLE and congestive heart failure (CHF) in the East Asian population.

Methods

We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization MR study to examine the potential causal association of SLE with CHF, using the East Asian genome-wide association study datasets for SLE (4222 cases, 8431 controls) and CHF (9413 cases, 203,040 controls).

Results

The MR analysis showed that genetic susceptibility to SLE was associated with the increased risk of CHF (odds ratio [OR] 1.032, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.004–1.061, p = .023). After excluding the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) regions, SLE was also associated with a higher risk of CHF (OR 1.034, 95% CI 1.007–1.062, p = .015). The multiple MR sensitivity analyses confirmed that this potential causal association was unlikely to be biased by horizontal pleiotropy.

Conclusions

The findings of this MR study suggest that SLE potentially increases the risk of CHF in the East Asian population. Genetic predisposition to SLE may play a significant role in developing CHF in the East Asian population.
A Guise of Inclusion: The Survival of ‘Non-Ideal’ Students in White Supremacist Heteropatriarchal Systems of Education
Authors: Ekpe Leslie , Roach Whitney N.
Published: January 2023

Since its inception, the United States (U.S.) education system has worked vigorously to stymie and subvert the needs of those deemed to be ‘non-ideal’ (Grumet, 1998; Apple, 2006). From maintaining exclusionary curricula to the manipulation of anti-racist approaches to practice, heteropatriarchal white supremacist structures of education ensure a label of ‘Other’ for those who fail to meet colonial ideals (Pinar, 1998). Marginalized students and practitioners—those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual+ (LGBTQIA+), people with disabilities, and those with low socioeconomic status (SES), are, as Cathy J. Cohen (2005) suggests queer outliers throughout systems of education. To address exclusionary practices, this article underscores the guise of diversity in schooling and its material impacts on those deemed not ideal. By implementing Critical Race Theory (CRT) (Crenshaw, 1995) and Queer of Color Critique (QOCC) (Ferguson, 2004) within counterstorytelling (Crenshaw, 1988; Morris & Perry, 2016), the authors of this manuscript—both cisgender women: (1) heterosexual and Black, and (1) queer and white—share their respective experiences with(in) academic violence(s). The authors’ narrative explorations interrogate individual and aggregate relationships to educational heteronormative Whiteness (Ahmed, 2007; Love, 2019) and establish pathways for educational leaders to reimagine anti-racist, pro-queer, wholly inclusive educational practices.
Supervised Construct Scoring to Reduce Personality Assessment Length: A Field Study and Introduction to the Short 10
Authors: Speer Andrew B. , Perrotta James , Jacobs Rick R.
Published: January 2023

Personality assessments help identify qualified job applicants when making hiring decisions and are used broadly in the organizational sciences. However, many existing personality measures are quite lengthy, and companies and researchers frequently seek ways to shorten personality scales. The current research investigated the effectiveness of a new scale-shortening method called supervised construct scoring (SCS), testing the efficacy of this method across two applied samples. Using a combination of machine learning with content validity considerations, we show that multidimensional personality scales can be significantly shortened while maintaining reliability and validity, and especially when compared to traditional shortening methods. In Study 1, we shortened a 100-item personality assessment of DeYoung et al.'s 10 facets, producing a scale 26% the original length. SCS scores exhibited strong evidence of reliability, convergence with full scale scores, and criterion-related validity. This measure, labeled the Short 10, is made freely available. In Study 2, we applied SCS to shorten an operational police personality assessment. By using SCS, we reduced test length to 25% of the original length while maintaining similar levels of reliability and criterion-related validity when predicting job performance ratings.
Scleral suture fixation of a custom, flexible iris prosthesis
Authors: Amaral Henryque L , Snyder Michael E.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Iris prostheses are an integral tool for the management of symptoms in the setting of damaged, insufficient, or absent irides. Fixation of a custom iris prosthesis in the absence of capsular support raises similar challenges to the fixation of an intraocular lens (IOLs) without capsular support. Centration and planar orientation of these larger iris devices are perhaps even more important than with IOLs.

Methods

We describe two variations of a reliably reproducible suture fixation technique for securing these special devices using a modification of the tiltless, centration-adjustable suture technique for sclerally-fixated posterior chamber IOLs.

Results

We described a few techniques that are safe and reproductible. That have been used in more than 300 cases in our co-hort with success and follow-ups of over 10 year.

Conclusion

We go over the technique step-by-step, highlighting the critical steps and pitfalls to avoid complications and achieve satisfactory results and aiming to get more surgeons to use these techniques and help facilitate the steep learning curve some of the steps might have.
Review of glaucoma management in France
Authors: Prud’homme Léo , Knoeri Juliette , Chamard Chloé , Bennedjai Amin , Bensmail Djawed , Lachkar Yves
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To conduct a review of glaucoma management in France

Method

A 15-question survey was sent to ophthalmologists listed in the journal Réalités Ophtalmologiques and the Syndicat National des Ophtalmologues de France.

Results

459/471 responses were analyzed. Gonioscopy was performed by 64.7% of respondents with a Goldmann three-mirror lens, by 51.4% with a four-mirror lens, and 8.2% preferred to perform the procedure with anterior segment imaging. The visual field was reported to be interpreted without difficulty by 87.8% of the practitioners, and 54.0% utilize a progression software. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was reported to be interpreted without difficulty by 20.0% of practitioners. In cases of severe ocular hypertonia with flat bleb in early postoperative trabeculectomy, 61.7% chose ocular massage as a first-line treatment, 52.9% chose laser suture lysis, 50.5% utilized needling, and 24.8% employed hypotonizing eyedrops. In case of severe ocular hypertonia with flat bleb in early postoperative deep sclerectomy, 53.2% chose goniopuncture as their first treatment, 34.4% employed needling, 31.8% utilized ocular massage, and 23.3% chose hypotonizing eyedrops. The selective laser trabeculoplasty is used as soon as the diagnosis is made by 37.5%, in association with a mono or dual therapy by 93.2%, after trying different combinations of eyedrops by 45.5%, when the visual field deteriorates despite a normalized intraocular pressure by 46.6%, and in cases of hypertonia after filtering surgery by 19.2%. Concerning management for primary angle-closure glaucoma, 80.8% considered peripheral iridotomy, and 18.7% utilized cataract surgery.

Conclusion

The diversity of responses concerning glaucoma management should draw attention to the need for standardized practices.
Pandemic impacts on cinema industry and over-the-top platforms in China
Authors: Yaqoub Muhammad , Jingwu Zhang , Ambekar Suhas Suresh
Published: January 2023

Over-the-top platforms are increasingly being accepted by the younger generation. This study examines the different modes of watching films that have emerged due to the proliferation of over-the-top platforms, smartphones, and 5G technologies during the pandemic period in China. Using survey data, we examine the perception and behavior of 592 respondents. The top five factors in increasing over-the-top platforms to watch movies include easy access, various genres, no time to visit a cinema, pandemic, and new films. Findings also show that users tend to use smartphones to access over-the-top platforms. Bilibili, Tencent Video, and iQIYI are China's most popular over-the-top platforms among viewers. Increasing cinema ticket prices, pandemics, lack of quality content, and film stories are significant challenges for the cinema industry in the near future. These results suggest that the film industry should maintain the quality of the movies, especially those released on the cinema screen. These findings also designate significant substitution between the over-the-top platform and cinema and recommend that competition authorities widen market definitions. The cinema environment and IMAX/3D appear to have little incentive to degrade over-the-top platforms, despite over-the-top's films contributing to declining box office revenue.