bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Fuzzy Set-Based Model for Educational Serious Games with 360-Degree Videos
Authors: Felix Zildomar Carlos , Machado Liliane S. , de Toledo Vianna Rodrigo Pinheiro , de Moraes Ronei Marcos
Published: November 2023

Currently, the use of 360° videos combined with virtual reality (VR) techniques in the educational context has been considered a promising field of research. However, there is still a shortage not only of educational serious games (ESG) that implement such resources but also of models that can enhance the player’s experience and evaluate their performance. This work presents a decision model for SGE with 360° videos. The model was developed from artificial intelligence (AI) techniques with the aim of enhancing the player’s learning using immersion mechanisms and pedagogical reinforcement strategies based on the player’s experience and performance evaluation. The model was integrated into the SG The Mystery of Pandora to evaluate its efficiency. The game was evaluated with a sample of 52 participants aged between 13 and 63 (

M
=
33.55

,

SD
=
12.14

). The results showed adjustments made by the model in the final performance of the players based on their exploration in the 360° videos. Such adjustments allowed identifying players with learning difficulties and recommending pedagogical reinforcement to enhance learning. It was also possible to verify that players would win the game without the minimum knowledge expected about the subject if the decision model was not used.
Soliton Solutions to the BA Model and (3 + 1)‐Dimensional KP Equation Using Advanced exp(−ϕ(ξ))‐Expansion Scheme in Mathematical Physics
Authors: Mawa HZ , Islam S. M. Rayhanul , Bashar Md. Habibul , Roshid Md. Mamunur , Islam Jahedul , Akhter Sadia
Published: November 2023

In this manuscript, the primary motivation is the implementation of the advanced exp(−ϕ(ξ))‐expansion method to construct the soliton solution, which contains some controlling parameters of two distinct equations via the Biswas–Arshed model and the (3 + 1)‐dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation. Here, the solutions’ behaviors are presented graphically under some conditions on those parameters. The height of the wave, wave direction, and angle of the obtained wave is formed by substituting the particular values of the considerations over showing figures with the control plot. With the collaboration of the advanced exp(−ϕ(ξ))‐expansion method, we construct entirely the solitary wave results as well as rogue type soliton, combined singular soliton, kink, singular kink, bright and dark soliton, periodic shape, double periodic shape soliton, etc. Therefore, it is remarkable to perceive that the advanced exp(−ϕ(ξ))‐expansion technique is a simple, viable, and numerical solid apparatus for clarifying careful outcomes to the other nonstraight equivalences.
A Review on Treatment of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: Characteristics, Limitations, and Challenges of Stem Cell versus ExosomeTherapy
Authors: Elahi Narges , Ai Jafar , Makoolati Zohreh
Published: November 2023

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a complex disorder that can result in varying degrees of infertility. Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy and its derivatives, such as exosomes, have been introduced as novel strategies for the treatment of POI. This review discusses the features, limitations, and challenges of MSC and exosome therapy in the treatment of POI and provides readers with new insights for comparing and selecting chemical agents, optimizing doses, and other factors involved in study design and treatment strategies. MSC therapy has been shown to improve ovarian function in some animals with POI, but it can also have side effects such as high cost, time‐consuming processes, limited lifespan and cell sources, loss of original characteristics during in vitro proliferation, dependence on specific culture environments, potential immune reactions, unknown therapeutic mechanisms, etc. However, exosome therapy is a newer therapy that has not been studied as extensively as MSC therapy, but that it has shown some promise in animal studies. The evidence for the effectiveness of MSC and exosome therapy is still limited, and more research is needed to determine whether these therapies are effective and safe for women with POI. This study presents a new perspective for researchers to advance their research in the fields of cell‐based and cell‐free therapies.
Second-Level Nurses’ Experiences of Workplace Violence: A Scoping Review
Authors: Recla-Vamenta Gwenn , McKenna Lisa , McDonald Ewan
Published: November 2023

Aim. To synthesise and map what is known about second-level nurses’ workplace violence experience. Background. Workplace violence has become a topic of focus in nursing over recent years. Research demonstrates that there is a growing body of literature focusing on first-level nurses’ workplace violence experiences, but those of second-level nurses, a crucial component of the health workforce in many countries, have not been well explored. Evaluation. A scoping review was conducted from January 2000 up to March 2022 using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and databases, including ABI/Inform Collection, CINAHL, DOAJ, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest Central. Key Issues. Eighteen studies were included in the final review. The review identified three key findings related to second-level nurses’ workplace violence experience. (1) They were found to have experienced physical and non-physical violence. Among non-physical violence, they reported experiencing bullying, mobbing, sexual harassment, racial discrimination, nurse-to-nurse conflict, and electronic abuse. (2) They were more likely than first-level nurses to experience physical violence, and (3) often data from second-level nurses were combined with those of first-level nurses; hence, it was difficult to identify the specific experiences of second-level nurses. Conclusion. The review contributes to new knowledge highlighting the second-level nurses’ workplace violence experiences worldwide. The review indicated that there are gaps identified and there is a need for greater understandings of workplace violence in second-level nurses to understand the scope of their problem and the nature of their experiences. Implications for Nursing Management. Nurse managers play a critical role to develop and implement effective policies and evidence-based interventions to improve the working conditions of the second-level nurses. The results of this current review can be used to guide nurse managers and organisations in providing adequate support to reduce and prevent WPV and advocate for a positive workplace culture.
Study on Tracking Real-Time Target Human Using Deep Learning for High Accuracy
Authors: Nguyen Van-Truong , Chu Duc-Tuan
Published: November 2023

Speed and accuracy are important parts of the human tracking system. To design a system that tracks the target human working well in real time, as well as on mobile devices, a tracking real-time target human system is proposed. First, real-time human detection is performed by the combination of MobileNet-v2 and single-shot multibox detector (SSD). Subsequently, the particle filter algorithm is applied to track the target human. The proposed system is evaluated with the different color shirts and complex background conditions. In addition, the system also works with the support of a depth Kinect-v2 camera to evaluate performance. The experiment result indicates that the proposed system is efficient without the impact of colors, background, and light. Moreover, the system still tracks the human when the human has disappeared or the size of the target has a significant change, and an FPS of 12 (Kinect-v2 camera) and 22 (conventional camera) ensures the system works well in real time.
Mask‐Acne Prevalence and Risk Factors during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Cross‐Sectional Single Institution Study
Authors: Berjawi Ahmad , Salameh Pascale , Fadel Naya , El Khoury Jinane R.
Published: November 2023

Mask usage in healthcare workers became a requirement in all hospitals after the COVID‐19 pandemic. Dermatologists have increasingly been diagnosing facial skin reactions that were attributed to or exacerbated by increased mask usage. “Mask‐acne,” which is defined as a new onset or exacerbation of acne localized to the facial area under the mask, has been increasingly reported in the general population and healthcare workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence, severity, and risk factors contributing to mask‐acne development among healthcare workers at a tertiary care center. The study was carried out via a web‐based questionnaire. We evaluated healthcare workers’ demographics, mask behaviors, confounding factors, and prevalence of mask‐acne. The total number of responders was 201, most responders were physicians (62.7%), and the surgical mask was the most used type of mask (62.1%). Results showed that 40.2% of healthcare workers developed mask‐acne with 62.9% of them having new onset mask‐acne and 37.1% having an exacerbation of preexisting acne. Age <30 years, female gender, and prolonged mask usage >8 hours were significantly associated with mask‐acne development. The study highlights the prevalence of mask‐acne among HCWs and risk factors that contribute to its development in the hospital setting.
High-Temperature Measurement Technology for Microwave Surface Resistance of Metal Materials
Authors: Xie Chunmao , Zhang Yunpeng , Niu Xue , Huang Ming , Gao Chong , Yu Chengyong , Zheng Hu , Li En
Published: November 2023

The resonant cavity method is a commonly used method for high-temperature testing of the complex permittivity of dielectric materials. When a resonant cavity is used for high-temperature testing, the microwave surface resistance of the cavity metal material will deteriorate due to factors such as oxidation reaction and thermal fatigue, resulting in a decrease in testing accuracy and repeatability. Therefore, when designing a high-temperature resonant cavity, the temperature response characteristics of the microwave surface resistance of the cavity metal material should be obtained in advance. In this paper, a high-temperature measurement method of microwave surface resistance of metal materials based on a separate cylindrical resonator is proposed, a mathematical model of microwave surface resistance inversion based on the resonator quality factor is established, and a high-temperature measurement system of microwave surface resistance is integrated. The reliability of the proposed method and system is verified through simulation and experiment. The measurement frequency covers 7-18 GHz, and the maximum test temperature reaches 500°C. Systematic error of microwave surface resistance measurement at room temperature is less than 3%.
Supplementary Table 1 from Multifactorial Remodeling of the Cancer Immunopeptidome by IFNγ
Authors: Newey Alice , Yu Lu , Barber Louise J. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Bassani-Sternberg Michal , Gerlinger Marco
Published: November 2023

Supplementary Table 1. Statistics summary from our peptides which most increase (MIPs) and decrease in intensity (MDPs), derived from proteins with a -1 to +1 log2 fold change, separated by NetMHCpan4.1b-attributed HLA: unique peptide count, distribution and mean and median of allotype-normalized immunopeptidomics FC.
Supplementary Figure 2 from Multifactorial Remodeling of the Cancer Immunopeptidome by IFNγ
Authors: Newey Alice , Yu Lu , Barber Louise J. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Bassani-Sternberg Michal , Gerlinger Marco
Published: November 2023

Supplemental Figure 2. Additional internal validation of difference in amino acid features of peptides between untreated and IFNγ-treated conditions.
Data CRC04 from Multifactorial Remodeling of the Cancer Immunopeptidome by IFNγ
Authors: Newey Alice , Yu Lu , Barber Louise J. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Bassani-Sternberg Michal , Gerlinger Marco
Published: November 2023

RNA, protein and peptide data for CRC04
Data CRC01 from Multifactorial Remodeling of the Cancer Immunopeptidome by IFNγ
Authors: Newey Alice , Yu Lu , Barber Louise J. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Bassani-Sternberg Michal , Gerlinger Marco
Published: November 2023

RNA, protein and peptide data for CRC01
Copy Number Variation Analysis of Aggressive Behaviour in Schizophrenia
Authors: De Luca Vincenzo , Chaudhary Zanib , Al-Chalabi Nzaar , Qian Jessica , Xu Xiaoguang , Gerretsen Philip , Bani-Fatemi Ali , Simpson Alexander , Fischer Corinne , Graff Ariel , Kolla Nathan J.
Published: November 2023

Introduction: An increased proclivity towards violence is often associated with those diagnosed with schizophrenia (SCZ), despite contradictory findings from prior studies exploring the association between violence and SCZ. Evidence has shown that certain comorbidities, specifically the presence of a substance use disorders, can result in increased aggression in those with SCZ. Copy number variation (CNV) load has also previously been implicated in the genetic vulnerability of individuals with SCZ. For this study, we aimed to determine whether CNV load correlates with increased violence in SCZ. Methods: Community-dwelling patients diagnosed with SCZ spectrum disorders (n = 203) were recruited from a non-forensic population. The assessment for aggression was completed using a cross-sectional and retrospective design, and CNV analysis was conducted analysing genomic DNA using the Illumina Omni 2.5 array. Results: No correlation between the number of CNV events (either deletion or duplication) and the severity of the physical violence episode index was found. However, there was a significant association between larger deletion events across the violent behaviours under investigation. Discussion: These results need to be confirmed in more extensive studies using standardized tools developed for non-forensic populations, such as the Brown-Goodwin Scale of Aggression.
Advanced Glycation End Products-Induced Activation of Keratinocytes: A Mechanism Underlying Cutaneous Immune Response in Psoriasis
Authors: Kang Pan , Chen Jianru , Wang Shiyu , Zhang Shaolong , Li Shuli , Guo Sen , Song Pu , Liu Ling , Wang Gang , Gao Tianwen , Zhang Weigang , Li Chunying
Published: November 2023

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease, in which epidermal keratinocytes play a vital role in its pathogenesis by acting both as the responder and as the accelerator to the cutaneous psoriatic immune response. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a class of proinflammatory metabolites that are commonly accumulating in cardiometabolic disorders. Recent studies have also observed the increased level of AGEs in the serum and skin of psoriasis patients, but the role of AGEs in psoriatic inflammation has not been well investigated. In the present study, we initially detected abnormal accumulation of AGEs in epidermal keratinocytes of psoriatic lesions collected from psoriasis patients. Furthermore, AGEs promoted the proliferation of keratinocytes via upregulated Keratin 17 (K17)-mediated p27KIP1 inhibition followed by accelerated cell cycle progression. More importantly, AGEs facilitated the production of interleukin-36 alpha (IL-36α) in keratinocytes, which could enhance T helper 17 (Th17) immune response. In addition, the induction of both K17 and IL-36α by AGEs in keratinocytes was dependent on the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1/3 (STAT1/3) signaling pathways. At last, the effects of AGEs on keratinocytes were mediated by the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). Taken together, these findings support that AGEs potentiate the innate immune function of keratinocytes, which contributes to the formation of psoriatic inflammation. Our study implicates AGEs as a potential pathogenic link between psoriasis and cardiometabolic comorbidities.
Treatment Strategies and Prognosis for Moderate Stroke Patients in China
Authors: Wang Liyuan , Zhou Qi , Gu Hongqiu , Hao Manjun , Xiong Yunyun , Wang Yongjun
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Moderate stroke patients with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of 4–10 and without intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular treatment are basically excluded from current secondary prevention trials. We aimed to explore the effectiveness of mono- versus dual-antiplatelet treatment (DAPT) strategies against subsequent stroke for these patients in a nationwide cohort. Methods: Data were derived from the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III). In this prospective nationwide cohort, moderate ischemic stroke patients with NIHSS scores of 4–10 and without intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular treatment were included and categorized into mono- or dual-antiplatelet groups. Demographics, medical history, NIHSS score, imaging, and laboratory data were collected. The outcomes were stroke recurrence and all-cause mortality at 3 months and 1 year, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to investigate the association of treatment strategies and prognosis. Results: Of a total of 2,414 patients enrolled in the study, 1,633 (67.6%) received clopidogrel or aspirin, and 781 (32.4%) received DAPT. Recurrent stroke occurred in 108 (6.6%) patients of the mono-antiplatelet group and 40 (5.1%) patients of the DAPT group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.73, 95% confidential interval [CI] 0.47–1.13, p = 0.16) at 3 months, and the rate of stroke recurrence was 10.7% in the mono-antiplatelet group and 8.6% in the DAPT group (aHR 0.81, 95% CI 0.58–1.13, p = 0.22) at 12 months. The DAPT paradigm was not significantly associated with death at 3 months (0.6% vs. 0.3%, aHR 0.28, 95% CI: 0.04–2.25) but significantly reduced the mortality at 12 months (2.3% vs. 1.0%, aHR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.17–0.98, p = 0.046). Conclusions: In moderate stroke patients presenting within 24 h of symptom onset, the addition of clopidogrel 75 mg to aspirin might not be associated with lower risk of recurrent stroke than aspirin or clopidogrel alone.
Prevalence and Prognostic Value of Atrial Cardiopathy in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source
Authors: Wu Yueyang , Yang Xiaomeng , Jing Jing , Meng Xia , Li Zixiao , Pan Yuesong , Jiang Yong , Yan Hongyi , Huang Xinying , Liu Liping , Zhao Xingquan , Wang Yilong , Li Hao , Wang Yongjun
Published: November 2023

Introduction: We utilized data from the Third China National Stroke Registry to investigate the prevalence of atrial cardiopathy markers in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) and to assess their association with death and stroke recurrence. Methods: In China, patients experiencing transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke were recruited consecutively by the Third China National Stroke Registry. We compared atrial cardiopathy markers, such as left atrial (LA) enlargement, increased P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (PTFV1), premature atrial contractions, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, advanced interatrial block, prolonged PR interval, prolonged P-wave dispersion, and prolonged P-wave duration between ESUS patients and those with small vessel disease and large artery atherosclerosis strokes. The association between these markers and the recurrence of stroke as well as mortality risk in ESUS patients was evaluated using Cox regression analysis. Results: Of 8,528 ischemic stroke patients who underwent a standard diagnostic workup, 2,415 were identified as having ESUS. Multivariable analysis revealed a significant association between elevated PTFV1 and an increased risk of stroke recurrence (HR: 2.50; 95% CI: 1.53–4.09; p < 0.01) as well as mortality (HR: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.58–8.91; p < 0.01) at 1 year in patients with ESUS. Furthermore, we observed that moderate-severe LA enlargement slightly increased the risk of stroke recurrence in patients with ESUS (HR: 1.95; 95% CI: 0.90–4.26; p = 0.09). Both LA diameter (HR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00–1.06; p = 0.03) and the top quartile of the LA diameter index (HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.03–2.40; p = 0.04) were associated with stroke recurrence in patients with ESUS. Conclusions: PTFV1 was independently associated with an elevated risk of stroke recurrence and mortality in ESUS patients. Additionally, a trend toward a correlation between LA enlargement and high stroke recurrence risk after ESUS was observed.
Foreign Direct Investment and the Digital Economy: Concepts, Challenges and Policies
Authors: Fazaalloh Al Muizzuddin
Published: November 2023

As a result of economic expansion and technical advancement, digitalization is unavoidable. Multinational corporations, often known as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), play an important and vital role in spreading digitalization throughout the global economy. However, not all developing countries have equal access to the benefits of digital technological advancements brought forth by FDI. This can be attributed to limited human resources in underdeveloped countries, which continue to struggle to assimilate new technologies brought in by FDI. As a result, an in-depth investigation of the determinants of FDI that transfers digital technology to developing nations must be communicated in a straightforward and quantitative manner. Furthermore, it is critical to assess the influence of FDI in the digital technology industry on sustainable development in developing nations. Finally, this article will address how effective policies may be developed to attract FDI in the digital technology sector in developing nations in order to contribute to long-term development.
As cartas como depoimentos de recepção de Motivos de Proteo: José Enrique Rodó e seu processo criativo em diálogo
Authors: Santos Elisângela da Silva
Published: November 2023

Este texto analisa o epistolário do escritor uruguaio José Enrique Rodó (1871-1917), conservado no Arquivo Rodó, na Biblioteca Nacional del Uruguay (BNU). Concentrando a análise nas correspondências passivas que giraram em torno da obra Motivos de Proteo (1909). O formato do livro foi concebido pelo autor como aberto, processual e inconcluso. Para tanto, em sua concepção inicial, as correspondências enviadas e recebidas por ele, serviram como oficinas de escrita, pois foram indispensáveis para sedimentar a forma dialógica e contínua. O texto foi difundido por meio das cartas trocadas com diversos autores localizados em muitas partes do mundo, principalmente do continente Latino-Americano. Nossa proposta foi localizar nas correspondências passivas os impactos iniciais ressaltados por seus leitores, e como as críticas e observações tecidas podem ser tomadas como fundamentais para a fortuna crítica do livro. Concluímos que o amplo percurso que a obra percorreu muito se deveu ao esforço artesanal do seu autor em divulga-la e manter o diálogo epistolográfico como fundamental em seu processo criativo, ademais ressalta-se a possibilidade de as cartas serem lidas como extensão ou diversificação da crítica literária.
Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Part 1: What Is it? Can it Be Defined at the Histological Level?
Authors: Kawai Kenji , Finn Aloke V. , Virmani Renu , Garg P , Bhatia H , Allen T , Pouncey A-L , Dichek D , Golledge J , Allison MA , Powell JT
Published: November 2023

While coronary artery disease remains a major cause of death, it is preventable. Therefore, the focus needs to shift to the early detection and prevention of atherosclerosis. Asymptomatic atherosclerosis is widely termed subclinical atherosclerosis, which is an early indicator of atherosclerotic burden, and understanding this disease is important because timely intervention could prevent future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We histologically recognize the earliest lesion of atherosclerosis as pathological intimal thickening, which is characterized by the presence of lipid pools. The difference between clinical atherosclerosis and subclinical atherosclerosis is whether the presence of atherosclerosis results in the clinical symptoms of ischemia, such as stroke, myocardial infarction, or chronic limb-threatening ischemia. In the absence of thrombosis, there are various types of histological plaque that encompass subclinical atherosclerosis: pathological intimal thickening, fibroatheroma, thin-cap fibroatheroma, plaque rupture, healed plaque ruptures, and fibrocalcific plaque. Plaque morphology that is most frequently responsible for acute coronary thrombosis is plaque rupture. Calcification of coronary arteries is the hallmark of atherosclerosis and is a predictor of future coronary events. Atherosclerosis occurs in other vascular beds and is most frequent in arteries of the lower extremity, followed by carotid, aorta, and coronary arteries, and the mechanisms leading to clinical symptoms are unique for each location.
Assessment of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic People In Vivo: Measurements Suitable for Biomarker and Mendelian Randomization Studies
Authors: Garg Parveen K. , Bhatia Harpreet S. , Allen Tara S. , Grainger Tabitha , Pouncey Anna L. , Dichek David , Virmani Renu , Golledge Jonathan , Allison Matthew A. , Powell Janet T.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

One strategy to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease is the early detection and treatment of atherosclerosis. This has led to significant interest in studies of subclinical atherosclerosis, using different phenotypes, not all of which are accurate reflections of the presence of asymptomatic atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of part 2 of this series is to provide a review of the existing literature on purported measures of subclinical disease and recommendations concerning which tests may be appropriate in the prevention of incident cardiovascular disease.

METHODS:

We conducted a critical review of measurements used to infer the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in the major conduit arteries and focused on the predictive value of these tests for future cardiovascular events, independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors, in asymptomatic people. The emphasis was on studies with >10 000 person-years of follow-up, with meta-analysis of results reporting adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs. The arterial territories were limited to carotid, coronary, aorta, and lower limb arteries.

RESULTS:

In the carotid arteries, the presence of plaque (8 studies) was independently associated with future stroke (pooled HR, 1.89 [1.04–3.44]) and cardiac events (7 studies), with a pooled HR, 1.77 (1.19–2.62). Increased coronary artery calcium (5 studies) was associated with the risk of coronary heart disease events, pooled HR, 1.54 (1.07–2.07) and increasing severity of calcification (by Agaston score) was associated with escalation of risk (13 studies). An ankle/brachial index (ABI) of <0.9, the pooled HR for cardiovascular death from 7 studies was 2.01 (1.43–2.81). There were insufficient studies of either, thoracic or aortic calcium, aortic diameter, or femoral plaque to synthesize the data based on consistent reporting of these measures.

CONCLUSIONS:

The presence of carotid plaque, coronary artery calcium, or abnormal ankle pressures seems to be a valid indicator of the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis and may be considered for use in biomarker, Mendelian randomization and similar studies.
Prevalence of Pericardial Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients After Cardiac Surgery: Clinical and Histological Correlations
Authors: Pavon Anna Giulia , Martinez Fernandez Ruben , Arangalage Dimitri , Bergamaschi Luca , Maurizi Niccolò , Colombier Sebastien , Rotman Samuel , Nowacka Anna , Bouchardy Judith , Schwitter Juerg , Kirsch Matthias , Monney Pierre , Rutz Tobias
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

Pericardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is usually associated with active pericarditis, but it is not infrequently found in patients after cardiac surgery even a long time after the intervention. The clinical relevance of this finding and its histological correlates are unknown. We sought to determine the prevalence of chronic pericardial LGE in patients after cardiac surgery.

METHODS:

All consecutive patients with previous cardiac surgery, who were referred to cardiovascular magnetic resonance between January 2017 and December 2021 were enrolled in the study. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance examination protocol was adapted to clinical indication but always included standard LGE acquisitions. Two independent observers blinded to clinical data assessed the presence of pericardial enhancement on LGE sequences. Fifteen patients underwent cardiac reintervention and pericardial biopsies were obtained. The primary study end point was to assess the prevalence of pericardial enhancement after cardiac surgery and identify possible determinants. The secondary end point was to correlate pericardial enhancement with clinical symptoms and histopathology.

RESULTS:

Two hundred four patients were included in the study. The median time between surgery and cardiovascular magnetic resonance was 160 months (35–226 months). Pericardial LGE was observed in 90 patients (44%). All patients were asymptomatic, and no specific treatment for pericarditis was started. All patients remained asymptomatic at a 1-year clinical follow-up. Pericardial LGE was significantly correlated with the number of previous surgeries (
P
=0.03). Pericardial fibrosis was detected in all 15 pericardial biopsy specimens; pericardial LGE was present in 7 patients (47%) who underwent biopsy. Histological signs of low-grade inflammation were detected in 6 patients (40%) with severe, circumferential pericardial LGE but in no patient without pericardial enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS:

Pericardial LGE is a frequent finding even several years after cardiac surgery. Its histological correlate is a chronic subclinical post–pericardiotomy inflammation.
Introduction: How Mental Health Matters
Authors: Becker Anne E. , Raviola Giuseppe , Kleinman Arthur
Published: November 2023

The underpinnings of today's mental health crisis include both social structural inequities and neurobiological vulnerabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded and escalated a long-standing problem, rendering the mental health crisis and its dangerous consequences visible and exigent. We now possess a clearer and more nuanced understanding of the broken mental health care system and its serious inadequacies, as well as its potential for effective caregiving. The professional forms of knowledge and practice are paralleled by an even more substantial system of care involving families, networks, communities, and, of course, those living with mental health conditions themselves. Even when delivered by community care workers, psychotherapy can be as effective as somatic treatments for some mental health conditions. Harm reduction and other public health approaches offer means of preventing or mitigating the disastrous human toll of the substance use disorder epidemic. Social technology offers new opportunities for enhancing mental health and well-being. With these informal systems alongside standardized health care systems, the future could realize a mental health care system with much greater potential to avert the worst harms and offer effective care to many more.
Exploring the Language and Literacy Challenges of Entry-Level Education Students and Experienced Teachers at a South African University: A Stance-Taking Analysis
Authors: Strauss Stuart Garfield
Published: November 2023

The huge number of learners dropping out of the formal schooling system has a significant impact on the ever-increasing unemployment rate in South Africa, which can be perceived as a major reason for numerous parents and caregivers living in dire poverty. Learners from socio-economically deprived areas rarely have access to educational resources and literacy materials and neither do most of them attend schools that do. This post-apartheid South African reality has given rise to an education system which is marred by inequality, exposing the masses of learners from rural areas, townships and other under-resourced locations to difficult and complex challenges at institutions of learning. One such challenge, as emphasised by scholars like Howie (2017) and Spaull (2013), relates to learners’ poor performance in literacy-related tasks, especially when participating in continental and international evaluation programmes. Within the context of these literacy challenges, this study explored the literacy and language practices of students, lecturers and other role-players at a higher education institute in the Western Cape, particularly to establish how these role-players negotiate the challenges relating to their educational interactions. In order to contribute to the study of literacy and language practices at this selected higher education institution, this study deemed it necessary to not only focus on students who are currently studying, but to also include teachers who completed their teacher training four decades ago at the same institution. In this way, the article provides insight into past and present role-players’ engagement with literacy and language as learners, students, teachers and lecturers at the educational institutions they attended. Using a qualitative approach to data collection, the study involved conducting focus groups and semi-structured interviews to gather data relating to participants’ schooling histories, their challenges with language and literacy, and their perception of their educational futures. The data emanating from these methodological approaches are analysed and interpreted, followed by a presentation of the findings with suggestions for future research.
Climate, Environment and Migration: Experiences of Migrants in South Africa
Authors: Jilesen Robin , Wegerif Marc
Published: November 2023

This article examines the impacts of climate- and environment-related adversity on migration from other sub-Saharan African countries to the prominent migration destination of South Africa. It describes factors and processes influencing migration decisions and identifies migration policy implications. Information was gathered through in-depth qualitative research conducted with 20 migrants now residing in South Africa’s Gauteng province, as well as interviews with key informants with expertise on migration and climate change and a review of existing literature.

The principal finding is that although climatic and environmental stresses are not the primary drivers of migration, they play important direct and indirect contributing roles, often intersecting with economic, political, social and demographic drivers. Whether people respond to adverse conditions by migrating depends on the obstacles and facilitating factors, personal and household characteristics, and expectations of the destination. National and international migration policies need to more comprehensively address these increasingly important determinants of migration.
The End of Tuberculosis? A Belgian Sanatorium and Questionable Narratives of the Triumph Over Disease (1947–1986)
Authors: Debroyer Tim
Published: November 2023

The introduction of antibiotics shortly after the Second World War constituted a turning point in the history of tuberculosis, since the disease came to be perceived as a treatable one which was thereby thought to no longer pose a threat to public health. This narrative, however, downplayed the role of the sanatorium in the treatment of tuberculosis, as well as the long-term consequences of the disease for those people who had once been affected. The article explores the emergence, the causes, but also the implications of these narratives of a sudden triumph over tuberculosis by studying the Elisabeth sanatorium of Sijsele in Belgium. The persistence and even resurgence of tuberculosis in the post-war period is reflected in archival information and interviews with former staff members and patients which indicate how the sanatorium and its communal living structures and practices lingered on. Moreover, such triumphalist narratives enabled a societal silence, which made coping with the aftermath of tuberculosis all the more challenging for former patients.
Perspectives of Extraterritorial Jurisdiction for Environmental Damage in the Proposal of the European Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence
Authors: Perrone Nadia
Published: November 2023

The Proposal of the Directive regarding the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence provides new judicial protection for environmental damages and climate litigation caused by corporations, even in an extraterritorial context, considering the Directive’s scope of application. This prompts a discussion about the exercise of an extraterritorial jurisdiction by Member States’ courts. At European Union level, the titles of jurisdiction, identified in the Brussels I Recast Regulation, allow foreign victims to proceed before the court of a Member State, but only if the parent company is established in that specific Member State. Otherwise, these criteria are generally considered inadequate and insufficient. The proposed Directive seems to be a new opportunity to reform the European private international law, aligning it with the right to access to justice, as provided by Article 10 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
A new genus and species in the diverse dung beetle tribe Onthophagini Streubel, 1846 (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from South Africa
Authors: DESCHODT CHRISTIAN M. , SOLE CATHERINE L.
Published: November 2023

A new dung beetle genus and species is described and pictured following its recent discovery on a farm in South Africa. Hathor spinosa Deschodt, new species belongs to the subfamily Scarabaeinae, tribe Onthophagini Streubel, 1846, it shows a unique set of characters. A map is provided to show the type locality of the new genus and species that has a putative association with ants.
4. Models and Simulations
Authors: Ingram David
Published: November 2023

Modelling and simulation have arisen as a third branch of science alongside theory and experiment, enabling and supporting discovery, insight, prediction and action. The Information Age gave rise to an upsurge in the use of models to represent, rationalize and reason about measured and predicted appearances of the real world. This chapter describes different kinds of model—physical, mathematical, computational—and their use in different domains and for different purposes. Solutions of mathematical model equations that defied analytical method and required huge amounts of mental and manual effort for the calculations made, before the computer, became considerably more straightforward to deal with using computational methods and tools developed and refined in the Information Age.

In the examples described, the focus is on pioneers I have been taught by, got to know or collaborated with: John Houghton (1931–2020) on weather and climate modelling, to give a perspective from a non-medical domain; Arthur Guyton (1919–2003) and John Dickinson (1927–2015) on modelling of body systems and clinical physiology; Louis Sheppard on model-based control systems for intensive care, and mathematical models applied to track and predict the course of epidemics and analyze clinical decisions. Other examples are from teams I have been privileged to see firsthand, as a reviewer and advisory board chair of largescale research projects across the European Union.

With colleagues in the UK and Canada, I previously published the Mac Series models of clinical physiology with Oxford University Press. I have established a Cloud-based emulation environment to provide access to these working models—created in the first half of my career and thus now archaic in terms of software interface—to accompany their description in one of the chapter’s examples.
10. Half and Whole
Authors: Ingram David
Published: November 2023

The previous chapter will have left no doubt that there remains a huge amount still to do. Echoing Bon Jovi, this final chapter builds on a theme of being halfway there! We are at halftime in the transition from Information Age to Information Society health care. The chapter is a halftime report to the new teams girding their loins to come on for the second half. Human societies define themselves by their values and traditions and how they adapt and change in times of anarchic transition.

In whatever way we evolve as individuals and communities in the coming years, the information technology and utility that inform, support and enact health care systems and services will only contribute in half measure to what is needed to create and sustain health and health care for the Information Society. I recount, with her approval, the personal struggle through medical accident, intensive care and prolonged rehabilitative care of my doctor wife, over a two-year period. The story of her survival and recovery is bipartite: half about the health care services and support she experienced and half about her character, struggle and determination to get well.

The book comes full circle, having connected around Shiyali Ranganathan’s (1892–1972) circle of knowledge and a cycle of learning about the coevolution of health care with the science and technology of the Information Age. This has been a first half of transition played out on a landscape populated with emerging and immature information technology. It is a preface to a second half, yet to come, to be played out in the context of maturing information technology and new bioscience, artificial intelligence and robotics, accompanied by an emerging and supportive, citizen-centred information utility. It will play out in the context of new device technologies, information systems and networks that enable much more of health care to be based at home and in the local community, be that in city centres or the most remote of outback communities in the world. There will be a continuing adventure of ideas, anarchy of transition and reform, played out around new circles of knowledge and cycles of learning.
Comparative Analysis of the Latest Global Oceanic Precipitation Estimates from GPM V07 and GPCP V3.2 Products
Authors: Behrangi Ali , Song Yang , Huffman George J. , Adler Robert F.
Published: November 2023

Satellites bring opportunities to quantify precipitation amount and distribution over the globe, critical to understanding how the Earth system works. The amount and spatial distribution of oceanic precipitation from the latest versions (V07 and the previous version) of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory instruments and selected members of the constellation of passive microwave sensors are quantified and compared with other products such as the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP V3.2); the Merged CloudSat, TRMM, and GPM (MCTG) climatology; and ERA5. Results show that GPM V07 products have a higher precipitation rate than the previous version, except for the radar-only product. Within ∼65°S–65°N, covered by all of the instruments, this increase ranges from about 9% for the combined radar–radiometer product to about 16% for radiometer-only products. While GPM precipitation products still show lower mean precipitation rate than MCTG (except over the tropics and Arctic Ocean), the V07 products (except radar-only) are generally more consistent with MCTG and GPCP V3.2 than V05. Over the tropics (25°S–25°N), passive microwave sounders show the highest precipitation rate among all of the precipitation products studied and the highest increase (∼19%) compared to their previous version. Precipitation products are least consistent in midlatitude oceans in the Southern Hemisphere, displaying the largest spread in mean precipitation rate and location of latitudinal peak precipitation. Precipitation products tend to show larger spread over regions with low and high values of sea surface temperature and total precipitable water. The analysis highlights major discrepancies among the products and areas for future research.
Evaluation and Intercomparison of Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Used for Atmospheric Research
Authors: de Boer Gijs , Butterworth Brian J. , Elston Jack S. , Houston Adam , Pillar-Little Elizabeth , Argrow Brian , Bell Tyler M. , Chilson Phillip , Choate Christopher , Greene Brian R. , Islam Ashraful , Martz Ryan , Rhodes Michael , Rico Daniel , Stachura Maciej , Lappin Francesca M. , Segales Antonio R. , Whyte Seabrooke , Wilson Matthew
Published: November 2023

Small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) are regularly being used to conduct atmospheric research and are starting to be used as a data source for informing weather models through data assimilation. However, only a limited number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the performance of these systems and assess their ability to replicate measurements from more traditional sensors such as radiosondes and towers. In the current work, we use data collected in central Oklahoma over a 2-week period to offer insight into the performance of five different sUAS platforms and associated sensors in measuring key weather data. This includes data from three rotary-wing and two fixed-wing sUAS and included two commercially available systems and three university-developed research systems. Flight data were compared to regular radiosondes launched at the flight location, tower observations, and intercompared with data from other sUAS platforms. All platforms were shown to measure atmospheric state with reasonable accuracy, though there were some consistent biases detected for individual platforms. This information can be used to inform future studies using these platforms and is currently being used to provide estimated error covariances as required in support of assimilation of sUAS data into weather forecasting systems.
Classification of Warm-Season Precipitation in High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Model Forecasts over the Contiguous United States
Authors: Chen I-Han , Berner Judith , Keil Christian , Kuo Ying-Hwa , Craig George
Published: November 2023

This study uses the convective adjustment time scale to identify the climatological frequency of equilibrium and nonequilibrium convection in different parts of the contiguous United States (CONUS) as modeled by the operational convection-allowing High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) forecast system. We find a qualitatively different climatology in the northern and southern domains separated by the 40°N parallel. The convective adjustment time scale picks up the fact that convection over the northern domains is governed by synoptic flow (leading to equilibrium), while locally forced, nonequilibrium convection dominates over the southern domains. Using a machine learning algorithm, we demonstrate that the convective adjustment time-scale diagnostic provides a sensible classification that agrees with the underlying dynamics of equilibrium and nonequilibrium convection. Furthermore, the convective adjustment time scale can indicate the model quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) quality, as it correctly reflects the higher QPF skill for precipitation under strong synoptic forcing. This diagnostic based on the strength of forcing for convection will be employed in future studies across different parts of CONUS to objectively distinguish different weather situations and explore the potential connection to warm-season precipitation predictability.

Significance Statement

An objective classification metric that can delineate a wide range of forecasts into distinct scenarios can serve as a valuable tool. This study represents a pioneering effort in utilizing the convective adjustment time scale to identify the climatological frequency of warm-season precipitation under varying levels of synoptic forcing in different parts of the contiguous United States (CONUS). The results demonstrate that the convective adjustment time scale is a robust metric for categorizing precipitation events and establishing a direct link to their predictability. Overall, this study provides a valuable framework for future studies focused on the CONUS domain, offering guidance on how to employ the convective adjustment time scale to classify weather regimes and explore the influence of environmental conditions on predictability of convection.
Book review: Mike Chinoy, Assignment China: An Oral History of American Journalists in the People’s Republic
Authors: Krishnan Ananth
Published: November 2023

Mike Chinoy, Assignment China: An Oral History of American Journalists in the People’s Republic (New York: Columbia University Press, 2023), pp. 520, $35.00. ISBN 9780231207997 (Paperback).