bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact localization and force reconstruction for composite plates based on virtual time reversal processing with time-domain spectral finite element method
Authors: Yu Zexing , Xu Chao , Sun Jiaying , Du Fei
Published: April 2023

Composite structures are widely used in different industries as important load-carrying components due to their excellent performance. These structures are prone to be damaged under low-velocity impacts with invisible cracks. Hence, impact identification is a critical part of composite structural health monitoring. In this paper, an approach is developed, which is based on time-reversal (T-R) processing and time-domain spectral finite element method. The spatial and temporal focusing properties of T-R are utilized to locate the impact source and restore the impact force, respectively. Moreover, the impact energy is evaluated by establishing the function of impact force and kinetic energy at the impact moment. The proposed method is validated experimentally for different scenarios. The influences of the signal length and accuracy of the numerical model on the proposed method are discussed in detail. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can correctly locate the impact source in composite structures, and the identified impact force can reproduce the impact event efficiently. The impact localization is essentially independent of the effect of signal length while it is vulnerable to the mesh grid. Besides, the developed method has consistent results in the case of data perturbation of material properties in the numerical model, which shows its good robustness.
Elevating Women’s Voices: The Illinois Maternal Health Digital Storytelling Project
Authors: Holicky Abigail , Glassgow Anne Elizabeth , Myers Allison , Bell April J.
Published: April 2023

Numerous initiatives at the national, state, and local levels are focused on addressing the U.S. maternal health crisis. However, most efforts fail to center women’s voices and personal perspectives about pregnancy experiences and complications. This article describes the Illinois Maternal Health Digital Storytelling Project conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago, in partnership with StoryCenter, a storytelling nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, California. The project aimed to elevate voices (stories) to complement other sources of data on maternal outcomes. We relied on partners to help recruit storytellers with a self-identified perinatal-related challenge. We screened interested individuals using a trauma-informed approach and a social worker provided storytellers with support during the project. Two groups participated in this project, one in 2021 and another in 2022, culminating with 10 digital stories. Both instances were conducted virtually and included group and individual skills-based sessions where storytellers learned to create and edit their digital stories. The storytellers own their digital stories and provided consent to include them in ongoing dissemination efforts. In September 2021, a webpage was launched to house the stories, and this resource is being shared widely. Evaluation efforts of the webpage are ongoing to understand how these digital stories are being used to inform maternal health efforts. Digital stories add richness to ongoing maternal health prevention work and may serve as a powerful tool to elicit understanding among providers, practitioners, and constituents.
Palliative Radiotherapy for Symptomatic Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
Authors: Hoeltgen Line , Meixner Eva , Hoegen Philipp , Sandrini Elisabetta , Weykamp Fabian , Forster Tobias , Vinsensia Maria , Lang Kristin , König Laila , Arians Nathalie , Fremd Carlo , Michel Laura L. , Smetanay Katharina , Schneeweiss Andreas , Wallwiener Markus , Debus Jürgen , Hörner-Rieber Juliane
Published: April 2023

Objective: Women with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) or inoperable local recurrence often suffer from a significantly reduced quality of life (QOL) due to local tumor-associated pain, bleeding, exulceration, or malodorous discharge. We aimed to further investigate the benefit of radiotherapy (RT) for symptom relief while weighing the side-effects. Materials and methods: Patients who received symptom-oriented RT for palliative therapy of their LABC or local recurrence in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Heidelberg University Hospital between 2012 and 2021 were recorded. Clinical, pathological, and therapeutic data were collected and the oncological and symptomatic responses as well as therapy-associated toxicities were analyzed. Results: We retrospectively identified 26 consecutive women who received palliative RT with a median total dose of 39 Gy or single dose of 3 Gy in 13 fractions due to (impending) exulceration, pain, local hemorrhage, and/or vascular or plexus compression. With a median follow-up of 6.5 months after initiation of RT, overall survival at 6 and 12 months was 60.0% and 31.7%, and local control was 75.0% and 47.6%, respectively. Radiation had to be discontinued in 4 patients due to oncological clinical deterioration or death. When completed as initially planned, symptom improvement was achieved in 95% and WHO level reduction of analgesics in 28.6% of patients. In 36% (16%) of patients, local RT had already been indicated >3 months (>6 months) before the actual start of RT, but was delayed or not initiated among others in favor of drug alternatives or systemic therapies. RT-associated toxicities included only low-grade side-effects (CTCAE I°-II°) with predominantly skin erythema and fatigue even in the context of re-RT. Conclusion: Palliative RT in symptomatic LABC or locoregional recurrence is an effective treatment option for controlling local symptoms with only mild toxicity. It may thus improve QOL and should be considered early in palliative patient care management.
Comparative Evaluation of 2 Different Percutaneous Techniques of Simultaneous Needle Biopsy With Microwave Ablation of Suspected Malignant Pulmonary Nodules
Authors: Hu Miaomiao , Wu Linlin , Zhang Xusheng , Yuan Qianqian , Li Peishun , Yang Sen , Wang Baohu , Zhang Kaixian
Published: April 2023

Background: To compare the safety and efficacy of 2 different computed tomography-guided puncture techniques for simultaneous needle biopsy and microwave ablation of suspected malignant pulmonary nodules. Methods: This retrospective comparative before-and-after study analyzed the data of 81 patients (each with a suspected malignant pulmonary nodule) who underwent computed tomography-guided needle biopsy with simultaneous microwave ablation between September 2016 and September 2021. In group A, 41 patients (41 pulmonary nodules) underwent microwave ablation immediately through the biopsy channel, whereas in group B, 40 patients (40 pulmonary nodules) underwent computed tomography-guided percutaneous needle biopsy and microwave ablation through separate needle channels. Clinical data, technical success rates, complications, and short-term efficacy were compared between the groups to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of both techniques. Results: Of the 81 patients, 78 successfully underwent needle biopsy and microwave ablation, with a technical success rate of 96.3%. The incidence of pneumothorax was 56.1% (23 out of 41) and 30% (12 out of 40) in groups A and B, respectively, while that of chest pain was 34.1% (14 out of 41) and 40% (16 out of 40) in groups A and B, respectively. The differences were statistically insignificant ( p = .127 and p = .759). However, the incidence of hemoptysis was 39.0% (16 out of 41) and 17.5% (7 out of 40), respectively, which was statistically significant ( P = .015). Air embolism, bronchopleural fistula, and needle implantation metastasis were not observed in both groups. At a 6-month follow-up, there were no other complications in both groups, and complete ablation was observed in all cases. Conclusion: Computed tomography-guided biopsy combined with microwave ablation is safe and effective for the treatment of suspected malignant pulmonary nodules, and clinicians can use both techniques.
Walking Outcome After Traumatic Paraplegic Spinal Cord Injury: The Function of Which Myotomes Makes a Difference?
Authors: Cathomen Adrian , Maier Doris , Kriz Jiri , Abel Rainer , Röhrich Frank , Baumberger Michael , Scivoletto Giorgio , Weidner Norbert , Rupp Rüdiger , Jutzeler Catherine R. , Steeves John D. ,   EMSCI study group, Curt Armin , Bolliger Marc
Published: April 2023

Background

Accurate prediction of walking function after a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is crucial for an appropriate tailoring and application of therapeutical interventions. Long-term outcome of ambulation is strongly related to residual muscle function acutely after injury and its recovery potential. The identification of the underlying determinants of ambulation, however, remains a challenging task in SCI, a neurological disorder presented with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and recovery trajectories.

Objectives

Stratification of walking function and determination of its most relevant underlying muscle functions based on stratified homogeneous patient subgroups.

Methods

Data from individuals with paraplegic SCI were used to develop a prediction-based stratification model, applying unbiased recursive partitioning conditional inference tree (URP–CTREE). The primary outcome was the 6-minute walk test at 6 months after injury. Standardized neurological assessments ≤15 days after injury were chosen as predictors. Resulting subgroups were incorporated into a subsequent node-specific analysis to attribute the role of individual lower extremity myotomes for the prognosis of walking function.

Results

Using URP–CTREE, the study group of 361 SCI patients was divided into 8 homogeneous subgroups. The node specific analysis uncovered that proximal myotomes L2 and L3 were driving factors for the differentiation between walkers and non-walkers. Distal myotomes L4–S1 were revealed to be responsible for the prognostic distinction of indoor and outdoor walkers (with and without aids).

Conclusion

Stratification of a heterogeneous population with paraplegic SCI into more homogeneous subgroups, combined with the identification of underlying muscle functions prospectively determining the walking outcome, enable potential benefit for application in clinical trials and practice.
Telesurgery’s Evolution During the Robotic Surgery Renaissance and a Systematic Review of its Ethical Considerations
Authors: Frenkel Catherine H.
Published: April 2023

While robotic-assisted surgery is in a Renaissance, telesurgery, facilitated by robotic technology, is evolving in the space between innovative and mainstream clinical practice. This article outlines the current utilization of robotic telesurgery and barriers to adoption, and it performs a systematic review of relevant ethical concerns. It illustrates how telesurgery can be developed to provide safe, equitable, and high quality surgical care.
Ventral-Onlay Buccal Mucosal Graft Urethroplasty of a Perineal Fistula in a 26-Year-Old Patient With 46 XX Male Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Hosseini Jalil , Zamani Hajiabadi Arshia , Mirjalili Ali Mohammad
Published: April 2023

Substitution urethroplasty with either a flap or graft is the gold standard for treating long segment urethral strictures. In 1992, Burger and colleagues rediscovered and popularized buccal mucosal graft (BMG). After that El-Kassaby and colleagues, in 1993, used BMG to repair anterior urethral stricture. De la Chapelle syndrome or 46 XX male syndrome is a rare genetic disorder found in 1 in 20,000–25,000 men. This condition described as a presentation of male phenotype along a 46 xx karyotype. In this case report, we report a reconstructive surgery of a 46 XX male syndrome with ambiguous genitalia who presented with the chief complaint of bulbar urethral fistula opened in the perineal space. In this case, we used a buccal mucous graft with the ventral-onlay urethroplasty technique for reconstructing the failed bulbar urethra and closure of the fistula.
Evaluation of Brown Micro-Algae Synergies With Low Doseγ-Radiation Against Chronic Hepatitis Induced by D-Galactosamine in Rats
Authors: Elsaman Salma , Elsonbaty Sawsan M. , Moawed Fatma S. M. , Hegazy Marwa G. A.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Hepatic inflammation is considered key driver of hepatic tissue impairment.We aimed to explore the interaction of Halamphora coffeaeformis ( Amph.) with low dose ionizing γ radiation ( γR) exposure against D-galactosamine (D-GaIN)-induced chronic hepatitis in Albino rats.

Methods

Chronic hepatitis was induced with single dose of D-GalN (400 mg/kg BW i.p.). Rats received 400 mg Amph/kg BW daily by gastric gavage concomitant with .25 Gy γ-R. Liver oxidative stress and inflammatory status were assessed. Gene expression levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFKB) were estimated by q-PCR. D-Galactosamine injection significantly encouraged hepatic oxidative damage and inflammatory disturbance accompanied with improved intercellular adhesion molecule-1 level (ICAM-1).

Results

messenger RNA gene expression levels of STAT3 and NF-kB were expressively higher in D-GaIN-treated animals. Histopathological examination supported results. Interestingly, Amph treatment with γ-radiation ( γ-R) subjection displayed significant improvement of oxidative and inflammatory status along with controlled signaling molecular factors which was supported by amended histological structure of induced liver hepatitis.

Conclusion

Results conclude the efficacious control of liver hepatitis progression by dual collaboration of Amph. with low dose γ-R via control of vital growth signaling factors linked with inflammation thru anti-inflammation, antioxidative and anti-proliferative activities.
MicroRNA-146a Improved Acute Lung Injury Induced by hepatic Ischemia-reperfusion Injury by Inhibiting PRDX1
Authors: Xu Yiping , Chen Yili , Yao Mengxia , You Yisheng , Nie Bin , Zeng Meina , Jiang Hui
Published: April 2023

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI)–induced acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by high incidence and poor prognosis. The regulatory role of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) in HIRI has been reported, but if miR-146a could affect the progression of HIRI-induced ALI has not been reported. The mice HIRI model was established by ligating left hepatic portal vein and hepatic artery for 60 minutes and then treating with reperfusion for 4 hours. Hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) was performed to establish cell model. The binding site between miR-146a and Peroxidase 1 (PRDX1) was predicted and validated. The levels of inflammation factors and redox markers were detected with commercial kits. Significant lower expression of miR-146a and higher expression of PRDX1 in HIRI animal model were observed. miR-146a inhibited the liver injury after HIRI induction through targeting PRDX1. miR-146a inhibited the lung injury caused by HIRI via regulating PRDX1. The inhibition of cell apoptosis and inflammation factors by miR-146a were reversed by pcDNA-PRDX1. This research demonstrated that miR-146a improved ALI caused by HIRI by inhibiting apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative condition through targeting PRDX1. This study might provide a novel thought for the prevention and treatment of ALI caused by HIRI by regulating miR-146a/PRDX1 axis.
Outcome prediction prior to thrombectomy of the posterior circulation with machine learning
Authors: Feyen Ludger , Rohde Stefan , weinzierl Martin , Katoh Marcus , Haage Patrick , Münnich Nico , Kniep Helge
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Various studies have identified prognostic factors for a favorable outcome of endovascular treatment in posterior circulation. We evaluated various machine learning algorithms in their ability to classify between patients with favorable (defined as 0–2 points on the modified Rankin scale [mRS]), unfavorable (mRS 3–6), poor (mRS 5–6), and nonpoor (mRS 0–4) outcomes at dismissal.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 415 patients that were treated between 2018 and 2021 from the multicentric DGNR registry. Five models (random forest, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbor, neural network [NN], and generalized linear model [GLM]) were trained with clinical input variables and evaluated with a test dataset of 82 patients. The model with the highest accuracy on the training dataset was defined as the best model.

Results

A total of 132 patients showed poor and 162 patients showed favorable outcome. All baseline variables except sex were highly significantly different between patients with favorable and unfavorable outcomes. The variables NIHSS, the presence of wake-up stroke, the administration of IV-thrombolysis and mRS pretreatment were significantly different between patients with poor and nonpoor outcomes. The best-performing NN achieved a sensitivity of 0.56, a specificity of 0.86 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77 on the test dataset in the classification analysis between favorable and unfavorable outcomes. The best-performing GLM achieved a sensitivity of 0.65, a specificity of 0.91 and an AUC of 0.81 in the classification analysis between poor and nonpoor outcomes.

Conclusion

Short-term favorable and poor outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke of the posterior circulation can be predicted prior to thrombectomy with moderate sensitivity and high specificity with machine learning models.
Feasibility studies of micro wind turbines installed on electric vehicles as range extenders using real-time analytical simulation with multi driving cycles scenarios
Authors: Ebaid Munzer SY , Shahin Zin Alabdin AE , Alshawabkeh Mohammad MD
Published: April 2023

The proposed work aims to generate electricity by utilising the air flowing around the vehicle through the micro wind turbines (MWTs). In this case, the electricity produced can be used to charge up the battery or power up additional vehicle accessories, which increases the efficiency or/and range of the vehicle. Three driving cycles have been conducted to examine the model’s performance in moderate, highly dynamic and highway driving scenarios. The analytical works resulted in an 8.38%, 4.6% and 1.01% efficiency increase for the case of the Highway driving cycle (FTP), the new European driving cycle (NEDC) and the standardisation random test aggressive driving cycle (RTS), respectively when adding the micro wind turbines model. In terms of range analysis, 16, 11 and 2 km of the range were added to the full battery charge range of the vehicle when the vehicle was simulated for the case FTP, NEDC and RTS driving cycles scenarios, respectively. The results conclude that the value of micro wind turbines is shimming with highway driving scenarios where the effect of regenerative braking is absent and the drag force acting on the vehicle is at its highest rate.
An establishing method for worn tubing joint model and the influence of wear on stress distribution of joint sealing surface
Authors: Zhou Xing , Di Qinfeng , Chen Feng , Wang Wenchang , Chen Gong
Published: April 2023

Wear has serious influence on the strength and tightness of tubing joint. In this paper, a new joint wear establishment method, “numerical cutting method,” was proposed and the stress distribution characteristics of sealing surface were analyzed. The three-dimensional modeling of a worn tubing joint under complex loads was successfully established and the finite element method was used to calculate the stress distribution on sealing surface. The influence of internal wear on the stress distribution of the sealing surface was analyzed and the failure mechanism of a worn tubing joint was revealed. The results showed that the contact stress of the worn part of the sealing surface decreases with increased wear depth of internal wear. When the internal wear depth reaches 3.0 mm, the maximum contact stress in the worn area decreases by 35.5% than that of the unworn joint along the axial direction and by 27.3% along the circumferential direction of sealing surface. While when the external wear reaches 3.0 mm, the stress distribution of the sealing surface is similar to that of the unworn joint. These mean that more attention should be paid to the prevention of internal wear during operation because an internal wear has more effect on the stress characteristics of the sealing surface than external wear. The sealing belt is located in the middle of the sealing surface, and the width of the sealing belt at different wear depths is roughly the same for two wear forms. This is beneficial to ensure the seal integrity of tubing joint.
Visual application of navigation framework in cyber-physical system for mobile robot to prevent disease
Authors: Nguyen Thanh Phuong , Nguyen Hung , Ngo Ha Quang Thinh
Published: April 2023

In this article, we propose the visual application of a navigation framework for a wheeled robot to disinfect surfaces. Since dynamic environments are complicated, advanced sensors are integrated into the hardware platform to enhance the navigation task. The 2D lidar UTM-30LX from Hokuyo attached to the front of the robot can cover a wide scanning area. To provide better results in laser scan matching, an inertial measurement unit was integrated into the robot’s body. The output of this combination feeds into a global costmap for monitoring and navigation. Additionally, incremental encoders that obtain high-resolution position data are connected to the rear wheels. The role of the positioning sensor is to identify the existing location of the robot in a local costmap. To detect the appearance of a human, a Kinect digital camera is fixed to the top of the robot. All feedback signals are combined in the host computer to navigate the autonomous robot. For disinfection missions, the robot must carry several ultraviolet lamps to autonomously patrol in unknown environments. To visualize the robot’s effectiveness, our approach was validated using both a virtual simulation and an experimental test. The contributions of this work are summarized as follows: (i) a structure for ultraviolet-based hardware was first established; (ii) the theoretical computations for the robot’s localization in the 3D workspace will play a fundamental role in further developments; and (iii) data fusion from advanced sensing devices was integrated to enable navigation in uncertain environments.
Ultra-wide-band-based adaptive Monte Carlo localization for kidnap recovery of mobile robot
Authors: Lin Rui , Dong Shuai , Zhao Wei-wei , Cheng Yu-hui
Published: April 2023

In the article, a global localization algorithm based on improved ultra-wide-band-based adaptive Monte Carlo localization is proposed for quick and robust kidnap recovery of mobile robot. First, two ultra-wide-band modules, the tag installed inside the mobile robot and the anchor installed inside charging station, are used to obtain the relative distance between the mobile robot and the charging station. Second, the global grid map is converted into a map with obstacle noise given the ranging accuracy of the ultra-wide-band modules with different obstacles. Third, while the robot is kidnapped, matching grids are screened based on the range information of ultra-wide-band modules and the obstacle noise of the grids. Finally, global localization algorithm is performed based on ultra-wide-band-based adaptive Monte Carlo localization to convert randomly generated particles from the whole map into randomly generated particles in the local map. Experimental results based on gazebo simulation and a real scenario showed that our global localization algorithm based on improved ultra-wide-band-based adaptive Monte Carlo localization not only significantly helped to improve the chances of the robot global pose recovery from lost or kidnapped state but also enabled the robot kidnap recovery with a smaller number of randomly generated particles, thus reducing the time to recover its accurate global localization. The algorithm was also more effective especially for kidnap recovery in a similar and large scenario.
Reconsidering ‘problematic’ polypharmacy: an opportunity for developing advanced generalist skills
Authors: Bennett James , Reeve Joanne
Published: April 2023

Managing problematic polypharmacy is a complex area of clinical practice and is increasingly recognised as an educational need for newly qualified and experienced GPs. The RCGP curriculum includes this area as a requirement for completion of training, but how this is achieved is devolved to trainers and trainees working in their local training programmes. GPs at all career stages continue to report feeling unconfident in this important, but complex, area of practice. This article aims to address some of these concerns. We will outline the evidence about barriers preventing clinicians from reducing problematic polypharmacy in practice. We will introduce evidence from the Tailor report describing how these barriers can be overcome and focus on the role of trainees and newly qualified GPs in managing problematic polypharmacy. The Tailor report is a recently published synthesis of the evidence surrounding the management of polypharmacy. In particular we will focus on a key output from the report – the DExTruS framework. This has potential applications in GP training and provides a useful structure for developing the skill of deprescribing by AiTs.
Rents, refugees, and the populist radical right
Authors: Held Alexander , Patana Pauliina
Published: April 2023

The recent successes of populist radical right (PRR) parties have caused major upheavals across European political landscapes. Yet, the roots of their rising popularity continue to be widely debated. We contribute to these debates by advancing a thus far underexplored argument of rising rent burden as key to understanding contemporary PRR vote and nativist attitudes. Rising rents lie at the heart of growing concerns related to housing (un)affordability and (over)burden across Western democracies, directly affecting the economic and social well-being of substantial numbers of citizens. PRR parties, we argue, stand to gain from politicizing such concerns in distinct economic and nativist terms, especially amidst challenges like the European refugee crisis, which provoked an urgent need to house unprecedented inflows of refugees. Drawing on individual-level panel data from Germany, we uncover a strong relationship between rising rents, PRR vote, and hostile attitudes toward refugees. In calling attention to rising rents, our study adds important insights into scholarship on the politics of housing markets not only from the perspective of home ownership and housing assets, but also rents. In so doing, we also refine understandings of the conditions under which economic factors shape PRR support
Prevalence and Impact of BK Polyomavirus in the Ureters of Kidney Donors: Research Letter
Authors: Chagnon Sarah-Jane , Zhao Yangfan , Lamontagne Bruno , Royal Virginie , Lamarche Caroline
Published: April 2023

Background:

More than 75% of the population is seropositive for BK polyomavirus (BKV), which remains quiescent in the urothelium in immunocompetent hosts. However, it can reactivate in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), and up to 30% of them will develop BKV viremia in the 2 years following transplant, with a risk of developing BKV-associated nephropathy (BKVAN). Viral reactivation is associated with the level of immunosuppression, but there is currently no way to predict which patients are at high risk for reactivation.

Objective:

As BKV originates from kidney donors, our primary objective was to determine the prevalence of detectable BKV in donor ureters. Our secondary objective was to see if there is a correlation between the presence of BKV in donor urothelium and the development of BKV viremia and BKVAN in KTR.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Single-center academic kidney transplant program.

Patients:

Prospective sequential KTRs that received a kidney transplant between March 2016 and March 2017.

Measurements:

The presence of BKV in donor ureters was determined by TaqMan-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR; qPCR).

Methods:

We performed a prospective study which was done on 35 out of the 100 donors initially foreseen to take part in the study. During surgery, the distal part of donor ureter was kept and analyzed by qPCR (to establish the presence of BKV in the urothelium). The primary outcome was the development of BKV viremia in KTR over a period of 2 years after transplant. Secondary outcome was the development of BKVAN.

Results:

Out of 35 ureters analyzed, only one had a positive qPCR for BKV (2.86%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.07-14.92]). Considering the primary objective would not be met, the study was interrupted after 35 specimens. After surgery, 9 recipients had a slow graft function and 4 had delayed graft function, one of which never recovered graft function. Over the 2-year follow-up, 13 patients developed BKV viremia, while 5 patients developed BKVAN. The patient who received a graft from a positive qPCR donor eventually developed BKV viremia and nephropathy.

Limitations:

The specimen analyzed was a distal rather than a proximal portion of the ureter. However, BKV replication is known to concentrate in the corticomedullary junction.

Conclusion:

BK polyomavirus prevalence in the distal part of donor ureters is lower than previously reported. It cannot be used as a predictor for the development of BKV reactivation and/or nephropathy.
Vertebral giant cell tumour of bone in a domestic shorthair cat
Authors: Caldero Carrete Jordina , Tabanez Joana , Civello Alexander , Rusbridge Clare
Published: April 2023

Case summary

A 10-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was presented with a 5-month history of progressive non-ambulatory paraparesis. Initial vertebral column radiographs revealed an L2–L3 expansile osteolytic lesion. Spinal MRI showed a well-demarcated, compressive expansile extradural mass lesion affecting the caudal lamina, caudal articular processes and right pedicle of the second lumbar vertebra. The mass was hypointense/isointense on T2-weighted images, isointense on T1-weighted images and had mild homogeneous contrast enhancement after gadolinium administration. MRI of the remaining neuroaxis and CT of the neck, thorax and abdomen with ioversol contrast revealed no additional neoplastic foci. The lesion was removed by en bloc resection via a dorsal L2–L3 laminectomy, including the articular process joints and pedicles. Vertebral stabilisation was performed with titanium screws placed within L1, L2, L3 and L4 pedicles with polymethylmethacrylate cement embedding. Histopathology revealed an osteoproductive neoplasm composed of spindle and multinucleated giant cells without detectable cellular atypia or mitotic activity. On immunohistochemical evaluation, osterix, ionised calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 and vimentin labelling were observed. Based on the clinical and histological features, a giant cell tumour of bone was considered most likely. Follow-up at 3 and 24 weeks postoperatively demonstrated significant neurological improvement. Postoperative full-body CT at 6 months showed instability of the stabilisation construct but absence of local recurrence or metastasis.

Relevance and novel information

This is the first reported case of a giant cell tumour of bone in the vertebra of a cat. We present the imaging findings, surgical treatment, histopathology, immunohistochemistry and outcome of this rare neoplasm.
Trileaflet Semilunar Valve Reconstruction: Acute Porcine in Vivo Evaluation
Authors: Hanse Lisa Carlson , Tjørnild Marcell Juan , Karunanithi Zarmiga , Høgfeldt Jedrzejczyk Johannes , Islamagič Lejla , Hummelshøj Nynne Emilie , Enevoldsen Malene , Lugones Germán , Høj Lauridsen Mette , Hjortdal Vibeke Elisabeth , Lugones Ignacio
Published: April 2023

Objective: The surgical treatment of malformed semilunar valves in congenital heart defects is challenging in terms of providing both longevity and the potential to grow with the recipient. We investigated a new surgical technique “Trileaflet Semilunar Valve Reconstruction” in an acute porcine model, a technique with geometrical properties that could remain sufficient and allow for some growth with the child. Methods: An acute 60-kg porcine model was used. With echocardiography, baseline pulmonary valvular geometry and hemodynamics were investigated. On cardiopulmonary bypass, the pulmonary leaflets were explanted, and the Trileaflet Semilunar Valve Reconstruction was performed with customized homograft-treated pericardial neo-leaflets. Off bypass, hemodynamics was reassessed. Results: Twelve animals were investigated. The neo-valves were found sufficient in ten animals and with minimal regurgitation in two animals. The neo-valve had a peak gradient of 3 ± 2 mm Hg with a peak velocity of 0.8 ± 0.2 m/s. The coaptation in the neo-valve had a mean increase of 4 ± 3 mm, P < .001. The neo-valve had a windmill shape in the echocardiographic short-axis view, and the neo-leaflets billowed at the annular plane in the long-axis view. Conclusions: In this acute porcine model, the neo-valve had no clinically significant regurgitation or stenosis. The neo-valve had an increased coaptation, a windmill shape, and leaflets that billowed at the annular plane. These geometric findings may allow for sustained sufficiency as the annular and pulmonary artery dimension increase with the child's growth. Further long-term studies should be performed to evaluate the efficacy and the growth potential.
Impact of Snack Food Packaging Design Characteristics on Consumer Purchase Decisions
Authors: Wang Haiying , Ab Gani Muhamad Abdul Aziz , Liu Chang
Published: April 2023

The recent growth in snack food types has led to increasing demand for attractive snack food packaging. To attract consumers’ attention successfully, it is essential to influence their decisions by meeting their packaging needs. This study examines the interrelationship between different packaging design characteristics and their influence on consumers’ purchase decisions. Twenty-five design professionals and 121 students participated in the study. A survey developed for applying the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method was used to evaluate the importance of design characteristics. The results showed that color, shape, image, line, and typography were the five most essential design characteristics influencing consumer purchase behavior, and that image is the most significant impact factor on consumer purchase decisions. Surprisingly, materials and technology have little influence on consumers’ decisions. Therefore, enhancing these packaging design characteristics can improve the interaction between snack food packaging and consumers and increase food sales.
Digital Transformation and Local Government Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Assessment of Its Impact on the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Palos-Sánchez Pedro R. , Baena-Luna Pedro , García-Ordaz Mercedes , Martínez-López Francisco J.
Published: April 2023

This paper analyzes how Digital Transformation (DT) processes have influenced the Attitude of local governments (LGs) toward the COVID-19 pandemic and their effect on achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The data were collected from LGs in Spain ( n = 124) through a questionnaire in which the IT skills of their workers, the DT processes, budgets, degree of regulatory compliance, and implementation of trust seals were measured, together with the IT security measures adopted. The contrast between the proposed model and the results showed that the direct influence of IT security influences the government’s attitude toward COVID-19 and DT implementing actions to achieve SDGs. The findings of this work are of great value both for the actors involved in the design and implementation of public policies and for those responsible for local governance in their objective to improve citizens’ experience of the services provided and in exceptional situations such as the one experienced as a result, of-COVID-19.
Intellectual Structure of Parenting Style Research: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Arora Ritu
Published: April 2023

The role of parents in child socialization has been an inquisitive subject of inquiry. Parenting style forms one of the widely adopted lenses through which child-rearing patterns have been conceptualized. Though well-researched, gaps persist in comprehending the core works in the parenting style-child socialization relationship domain and their linkages. This study employs bibliometric techniques to present an objective assessment of 1,812 articles containing 93,720 cited documents, using citation and co-citation analysis. Prominent works in the discipline and associated clustering patterns are revealed. Further, the centrality parameters of the parenting style research network are deciphered via social network analysis. The exercise adds to theory by clarifying the scholarly dialog and depicting the intellectual structure of parenting style research. Further, through the findings, potential research directions are outlined.
Hidden Pitches in Major League Baseball: What Are the Injury Implications of These Often Overlooked Pitches?
Authors: Erickson Brandon J. , Buchheit Paul , Rauch Joseph , Segedin Rob , Ciccotti Michael G. , Cohen Steven B.
Published: April 2023

Background:

Pitch counts are tightly monitored in Major League Baseball (MLB). Hidden pitches—including warm-up pitches before and between innings and pitches before the starting/relieving pitcher’s appearance in a game—are not as closely monitored.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

To report the number of hidden pitches thrown per game and over the course of a season for a single organization. We hypothesized that players who threw more hidden pitches would be at an increased risk of injury compared with those who threw fewer hidden pitches.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

All pitchers who played for a single MLB organization in the 2021 season were included. Hidden pitches, in-game pitches, and total pitches thrown during all games in the season were recorded. Injuries to these pitchers were also recorded. Players were defined as having an injury if they spent any time on the injured list.

Results:

Overall, 137 pitchers were included, 66 (48%) of whom sustained an injury and were placed on the IL during the 2021 season (mean time on IL, 53.6 ± 45.6 days). Of the 66 players who sustained an injury, 18 (27.3%) sustained an elbow injury, while 12 (18.2%) sustained a shoulder injury. Only 1 player sustained an ulnar collateral ligament tear. When comparing hidden pitches, in-game pitches, and total pitches between pitchers who sustained an injury and those who did not, there were no significant differences between groups ( P = .150; P = .830; and P = .377, respectively). On average, hidden pitches made up 45.4% of the total number of pitches thrown during the course of the season. When evaluating the number of hidden pitches as a percentage of the total number of pitches thrown in a season, there was no significant difference between pitchers who sustained an injury and those who did not ( P = .654).

Conclusion:

MLB pitchers who sustained an injury did not throw more hidden pitches than those who did not sustain an injury. Larger scale studies are needed to confirm the results of this single-team study.
The Experiences of American Indian Participants and Site Coordinators in a Gestational Diabetes Risk Reduction Trial
Authors: Stotz Sarah A. , Gonzales Kelly , Moore Kelly R. , Fischl Andrea R. , Garrow Heather , O’Banion Nancy , Chalmers Laura , Terry Martha A. , Charron-Prochownik Denise
Published: April 2023

Gestational diabetes mellitus is the most common complication of pregnancy and contributes to increased risk for type 2 diabetes in both the mother and offspring. We developed and evaluated a gestational diabetes risk reduction and preconception counseling program, Stopping GDM (SGDM), for American Indian females. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of American Indian mother-daughter dyad participants and the site coordinators who facilitated the SGDM randomized controlled trial to inform program revisions. We engaged mother-daughter dyads ( n = 22 dyads) and site coordinators ( n = 6) in focus group interviews. Four themes emerged: (1) SGDM sparked valuable quality conversation for dyads; (2) gestational diabetes risk factors and risk reduction was new information for most dyads; (3) all trial sites experienced challenges to recruitment and engagement; and (4) study-improvement recommendations. These findings will be used to enhance SGDM to decrease adverse intergenerational health impacts of gestational diabetes in American Indian communities.
Every Christian Migrant a Potential Missionary: Reflections on the Missiology of the Redeemed Christian Church of God
Authors: Kwiyani Harvey
Published: April 2023

This essay explores a key theme that undergirds Jehu Hanciles’s scholarship—that every Christian migrant is a potential missionary. Using the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) from Nigeria as an example and attempting to discern the RCCG’s popular missiology, the essay grounds Hanciles’s theories to discuss the missionary potential of African Christians scattered around the world. The explosion of the RCCG as a worldwide denomination has been driven by the dispersion of Nigerian Christians from their home country and not necessarily by the sending of missionaries. It thus shows how every Christian migrant can indeed be a missionary.
Seeing the World Through African Eyes: A Tribute to Andrew Walls
Authors: Hanciles Jehu J.
Published: April 2023

This is an autobiographical essay describing the seminal impact that eminent World Christianity scholar Andrew Walls (1928–2021) had on my intellectual life and scholarship from the time I became a student at the Center for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World (at Edinburgh University) up to his passing in 2021. What is presented here is not an account of Walls’s illustrious career and extraordinary legacy; but rather a chronicle of my intellectual journey over a period of more than thirty years, during which Walls shaped my scholarship and academic commitments more profoundly than any other person. The story pulls back the curtain on what was, for me, a life-transforming relationship. It reveals in close detail how Walls’s tutelage, scholarly vision, and winsome brilliance molded and fashioned both my emergence as an African scholar and my evolution into a scholar of World Christianity (including the approaches, perspectives, and core interests that have characterized my work in the last two decades). The tale is told strictly through the lens of personal experience, with all the inherent biases and blind spots that this implies; not to mention the limitations of human memory that every historian knows all too well. Inevitably, however, the narrative arc engenders some coverage of Walls’s pioneering and immense contribution to World Christianity scholarship. It has been said that Walls “may be the most important person you don’t know.” It is my fond hope that this article goes some way to filling this knowledge gap. But, ultimately, this is a story of how a young African from Sierra Leone became a Walls-ian.
The construction and enforcement of East Asia’s air defence identification zones: Grey volumes in the sky?
Authors: Connolly Daniel , Hynd Alexander M.
Published: April 2023

The declaration of China’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over portions of the East China Sea in 2013 has often been interpreted by international relations scholars as an aggressive “land grab” in the sky. However, classical geopolitical perspectives of territory and control, despite their popularity when analyzing the politics of East Asia, fail to present a full understanding of ADIZ creation, adjustment, maintenance, and contestation. Rather than a problem created by the rise of China, conflicts over airspace are a regional phenomenon. By engaging with the critical geography literature on airspace, verticality, and space production, this paper theorizes ADIZs as the partial extension of state sovereignty via assemblages in response to the emergence of new vertical threats and opportunities. It then shows how the Cold War consensus on the function and performance of these volumes has broken down in East Asia, which has paradoxically encouraged both the expansion of ADIZs as well as their systematic violation. These “grey volumes,” which are characterized by debates over the legality, function, and performance of airspace, are explored in a case study of the ADIZs of Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan. Ultimately, these patchworks of ambiguous and overlapping airspaces are difficult to reconcile with classical geopolitics’ one-dimensional assumptions of sovereignty and territory.
Theme issue introduction: The species turn in Indian identity politics
Authors: Narayanan Yamini , Srinivasan Krithika
Published: April 2023

Animals are instrumentalised as symbols, objects, and commodities in the construction of diverse subaltern and elite human identities and identity politics in India, through their imposed identification with various human groups, with enduring implications for animal and human (in)justice and wellbeing. Species, as itself as an axis of social difference, and therefore of identity, however, has hitherto rarely been considered as a core facet of identity politics in Indian political life, despite its central role in shaping the inclusions and exclusions that characterise society. This Theme Issue aims to open the space for animal identities to become political, allowing for a critical multispecies politics of identity. To this end, it asks: In what ways can animals be centred as a core part of democratic political life? What are the consequences of doing so? In other words, what opportunities or concerns emerge with the institutionalization of species difference as an identity category? And last, in what ways does a multispecies approach to identity politics impact the analysis of (in)justice in its varied forms in contemporary India and beyond?
Waterscapes and wet bodies: Beach culture in Atlantic Africa and the diaspora, 1444-1888
Authors: Dawson Kevin
Published: April 2023

Waterscapes and Wet Bodies: Beach Culture in Atlantic Africa and the Diaspora, 1444-1888 considers how Atlantic Africans constructed social, cultural, and spiritual relationships with waterscapes. John Gillis’s historical analyses of human relationships with oceanic coastlines creating, what he called, “human shores” helps us consider how Atlantic Africans perceived and interacted with Atlantic shorelines, as well as shores along rivers and lakes. Believing water was a sacred and secular space, Africans created human shores along saltwater, freshwater, and brackish waterways where they forged enduring connections with waterscapes, a term signifying how water and adjacent lands were seamlessly merged into unifying culturescapes. Africans developed emersionary aquatic traditions—including swimming, underwater diving, surfing, canoeing, and fishing—that inspired and required them to interact with water on a daily basis. Enslaved Africans recreated and reimagined African beliefs about water and aquatic traditions throughout the Americans to help provide their lives with a sense of meaning purpose and value, as well as cultural continuity to the communities they had been stole from. Maritime maroons, who were captives who escaped across water, employed African canoeing, swimming, and paddleboarding skills and understandings of navigation to escape from slavery. They illustrate how Africans and members of the diaspora transformed the Caribbean into a physical and spiritual “sea of islands” that was part of a larger aqueous continent, linking African-descended communities in Africa, the Caribbean, North America, South America, Europe, and the spirit realm, located at the bottom of the ocean, into one vast cultural space.