bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental and numerical studies of thermal-structural behavior based on cast iron scaled cylinder head specimen
Authors: Zhang Huabing , Liang Gang , Qiao Xinqi , Li Liting , Zhang Guoyong , Cui Yi
Published: October 2022

In order to clarify the thermal deformation and failure mechanism of the nodular cast iron cylinder head of marine diesel engines during long-term service, a high-efficiency thermal cycling experiment was conducted on scaled cylinder head specimen based on the similarity principle, and the thermal cycling load was simulated by flame heating and water spray cooling method. Then the Chaboche combined hardening model considering temperature and cumulative effect was established. The cyclic plastic behavior of the scaled specimen model during non-uniform thermal cycling was verified from transient temperature, cumulative out-of-round deformation and crack failure. Subsequently, the law of cyclic plastic deformation of specimens under thermal cycling was studied. The results showed that with the increase of the cycle number, the plastic strain of the valve bridge region of the scaled specimens accumulated gradually, showing a large amount of permanent strain of the circular hole within a maximum of 20.3 μm out-of-round deformation. The difference between the calculated and tested deformation is 1.9 μm (10.5%), which shows the excellent predictability of the numerical model. The research findings are valuable for predicting and evaluating the thermal-structural behavior of the prototype cylinder head.
Simulation of micro cracks introduced by environmental stress in amorphous plastics
Authors: Deutges Holger , Athar Muhammad Anas , Stammen Elisabeth , Dilger Klaus , Hartwig Sven
Published: October 2022

Environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) is a major problem especially for amorphous polymers. The interaction between aggressive substances and both mechanical external and residual stresses can lead to a fracture of the plastic part. In a previous study, a method was developed to measure the ESCR. The specimens are bent over a circular jig to introduce external stresses and a softener is applied as aggressive substance. After a certain time, the samples fracture giving a measure for the ESCR. In this study, this method is under further investigation using the example of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Before the sample fractures, there are several micro cracks visible on the surface. The growth of these micro cracks was measured by dye penetrant testing and the shape of the cracks was determined with computer tomographic measurements. From these measurements, artificial samples were constructed for a simulation. Through the simulation, the stresses in the samples were determined to get an insight into the failure mechanism of the samples. It has been shown that the number of the micro cracks in a sample is constant at all times even though there is a great variation in the number of cracks in the different samples. The cracks grow almost linearly with time. This means that all cracks initiate in one specimen at the same time and in the following phase these cracks grow while no more new cracks initiate. This can be explained by the simulation showing that the stress accumulates at the tips of the cracks and the tensile stress at the surface of the specimens decreases. These results were compared with the results from a stress relaxation test which also showed a decrease in the tensile stress at the surface with time, hence verifying the simulative results.
A novel 3D, full-field optical method for measuring gears
Authors: Li Junheng , Zhang Dehai , Li Yanqin , Fu Liang , Zhu Zhifeng , Huang Zifan , Zhang Duanqin , Guo Zhaocan
Published: October 2022

With the aim of solving the problems of high cost, complex maintenance, and low efficiency of existing gear detection technology, a new three-dimensional (3D) full-field optical measurement method for gears is proposed. As an example, the method is verified in the measurement of the 3D error of the gear surface and the gear parameter error of a non-standard right-hand helical gear with a modulus of 1.75 and a number of teeth of 21. The gear accuracy standard GB/T 10095.1-2008 is used to analyze and evaluate the surface 3D error and parameter error measurement results. Based on the results of error analysis, the gear manufacturing improvement measures are analysed and fed back to the gear manufacturing system to realise closed-loop gear processing control and detection in order to produce gear products with higher precision. Our experimental results show that the proposed method can be used to measure the 3D errors at the surface in the X, Y, and Z directions and the parameter errors. The minimum surface error of the gear in the Z-direction of the keyway is −7.24162E-06mm, and the pitch error reaches the allowable value of deviation for a grade 8 precision gear, as set out in the GB/T 10095.1–2008 accuracy standard. A verification process is carried out to show that our method can meet the requirements of modern industrial intermediate precision gear testing.
Towards a cooperative urbanism? An alternative conceptualization of urban development for Johannesburg’s mining belt
Authors: Howe Lindsay Blair
Published: October 2022

This paper explores the multidimensional aspects of inequality that shape urban areas and imagines an alternative future for one such space in Johannesburg, South Africa. It builds on literature from urban studies and planning theory to explore planning practices that politicize inequality, valorize difference and promote the shared management of collective resources. Then, drawing on a decade of qualitative research, the paper imagines how cooperative urbanism could be applied in the factious context of Johannesburg, describing the potential for developing the former mining belt of the Witwatersrand as a series of multi-scalar interventions, networking sites of cooperative action to incrementally address the entrenched inequality of the region. Thus, the paper brings together interdisciplinary conversations on theory with empirical research, discussing concrete ways to continue shifting urban planning and development towards increased environmental and social justice.
Hybrid insurgent citizenship: intertwined pathways to urban equality in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Comelli Thaisa
Published: October 2022

This paper contributes to critical and Southern urban studies by discussing how the notion of hybridity is useful to understand contemporary modes of politics rooted in equality pursuits and crafted by peripheral subjects. It analyses the birth, discourses and tactics of three grassroots groups in Rocinha, an immense peripheral settlement in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to show how modern insurgent claims – based on material urban rights – are intertwined with other grammars of justice, such as the politics of intersectional difference, critical pedagogies, solidarity and care. These cases suggest that contemporary insurgency builds on rights-based citizenship claims to create unique pathways that somehow articulate the universality and relationality of justice. I suggest that hybrid insurgent citizenship operates like a braid in which different strategies are uniquely and interdependently linked over time. Whilst in Rocinha the central thread is insurgency, the same logics could apply to other context-situated political traditions.
Attention Shifts to More Complex Structures With Experience
Authors: Forest Tess Allegra , Siegelman Noam , Finn Amy S.
Published: October 2022

Our environments are saturated with learnable information. What determines which of this information is prioritized for limited attentional resources? Although previous studies suggest that learners prefer medium-complexity information, here we argue that what counts as medium should change as someone learns an input’s structure. Specifically, we examined the hypothesis that attention is directed toward more complicated structures as learners gain more experience with the environment. College students watched four simultaneous streams of information that varied in complexity. RTs to intermittent search trials (Experiment 1, N = 75) and eye tracking (Experiment 2, N = 45) indexed where participants attended during the experiment. Using two participant- and trial-specific measures of complexity, we demonstrated that participants attended to increasingly complex streams over time. Individual differences in structure learning also predicted attention allocation, with better learners attending to complex structures earlier in learning, suggesting that the ability to prioritize different information over time is related to learning success.
Traduire, un processus infini?
Authors: Kristeva Irena
Published: October 2022

On the basis of the problematization of the relationships between translatability and untranslatability, tradition and translation, we try to clear the impact of cultural context on the translator's choices. This impact is illustrated through three French translations of the opening stanza of the famous Hamlet monologue (III, 1), those of Voltaire, François-Victor Hugo and Yves Bonnefoy. The adopted perspective focuses on the philosophical dimension, the cultural horizon and the historicity of the act of translating. The starting hypothesis postulates that the translation can be considered as a rewriting of the original, which reflects a poetics and a worldview that reveal the functioning of the literature of a language-culture at a given time. Then the translational analysis can shed some light on the mechanisms of this conditioning. The developed reasoning leads to the conclusion that even though any translation depends on its cultural and historical space, the ethical aim requires to preserve the letter and the spirit of the source text.
Data-driven clustering of infectious disease incidence into age groups
Authors: Yaari Rami , Huppert Amit , Dattner Itai
Published: October 2022

Understanding the patterns of infectious diseases spread in the population is an important element of mitigation and vaccination programs. A major and common characteristic of most infectious diseases is age-related heterogeneity in the transmission, which potentially can affect the dynamics of an epidemic as manifested by the pattern of disease incidence in different age groups. Currently there are no statistical criteria of how to partition the disease incidence data into clusters. We develop the first data-driven methodology for deciding on the best partition of incidence data into age-groups, in a well defined statistical sense. The method employs a top-down hierarchical partitioning algorithm, with a stopping criteria based on multiple hypotheses significance testing controlling the family wise error rate. The type one error and statistical power of the method are tested using simulations. The method is then applied to Covid-19 incidence data in Israel, in order to extract the significant age-group clusters in each wave of the epidemic.
Race-based readings of safety in public space in Milan, the challenge for urban design
Authors: Holman Nancy , Mace Alan , Zorloni Davide , Navarrete-Hernandez Pablo , Karlsson Jacob , Pani Erica
Published: October 2022

Urban designers have long sought to plan more secure public spaces by encouraging a sense of territory through the surveillant and the surveyed. Nevertheless, the racial dimension of this territorialisation is insufficiently recognised. Our research tool, which we have trialled in Milan, identifies the influence of design in creating a sense of security in public space and, independently, the influence of race. It provides designers with a tool that could facilitate a more radically just practice that takes ownership of the role of race in perceptions of secure public space and challenges existing conscious and unconscious bias and which in so doing makes design practice more resilient to the rise of populist administrations increasingly engaging in bordering practices that conjoin migration, race and security at a national scale, but which are often enacted at the city scale.
Role of Personal Protective Equipment in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Industrial Workers
Authors: D Nandhini , T Frank Sunil Justus
Published: October 2022

With industrialisation, radical alterations in the life of many rapidly developing countries are visible. Lack of well-designed and appropriate safety measures leads to serious adverse health consequences to the workforce found in MSMEs. Workplace injuries are a leading cause of substantial disabilities globally. According to the International Labour Organization, 270 million workplace accidents occur annually. The factors that emerged to significantly influence personal protective equipment (PPE) use included acceptability, availability, attractive and not using PPE despite being trained and aware of the hazard. There was no significant relationship between lack of co-worker/supervisor influence to use of PPE and social demographics. It is recommended that employers and other stakeholder intensify their roles on PPE policy guidelines, training and awareness campaigns, compliance surveillance on PPE use by all workers in these industries as well as ensure a safe working environment. Employers should ensure that PPE are available, accessible, well-fitting and comfortable to wear and that they are used appropriately and consistently by the workers at all times. PPE is any material, device, equipment or clothing used or worn by workers to protect them from exposure or contact with any harmful material or energy which may cause injury, disease or even death. The study assessed the utilisation of PPE among workers in small-scale industries in Chennai city. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select Chennai city. Simple random sampling was used to select 10 industries that were included in the study. Random sampling technique was also used to select a sample of 250 workers from the selected industries.
The Economics of Shadow Economy in Health: The Case of Greek Physicians Sector
Authors: Stasinopoulos D. , Goula A. , Soulis S.
Published: October 2022

The article attempts to measure and report the extent and magnitude of shadow economy in Greek physicians’ sector. Tax evasion of self-employed doctors as well as informal payments to doctors in public health structures are identified as the two main parameters of shadow economy in this sector. This research attempts to create a standard multidimensional methodological model of approach and analysis of the shadow economy in physicians’ sector. This multidimensional model applied in Greece includes two phases of development of the research tools used. In the first phase, the level of tax evasion of self-employed doctors was assessed with a specific innovative methodology based on the following. Household expenditures for services of private doctors for the period 2011–2017 were analysed using data from the annual ‘Household Budget Survey-(HBS)’ of the Greek Statistical Authority and were compared with the financial data of the ‘Statistical Business Register-(SBR)’, which is updated with data from the Hellenic Tax Authority. In the second phase, the amount of ‘informal payments’ to doctors of the public sector was determined for the period 2011–2017. The survey made use of the HBS data on household expenditure for public care, which were compared with the revenue of public hospitals from private patients.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Public Health Professionals towards COVID-19 in India
Authors: Majumdar Piyusha , Gupta S. D. , Sharma Neeraj , Mangal D. K.
Published: October 2022

World is suffering from a pandemic situation due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since December 2019. In this emergency, everyone at individual/country/global level is trying to contribute at their best with their available knowledge and resources. However, more and more research and developmental activities are going on but, the reality is far away for a grass-root level health professional. They rely on the indirect sources, that is, published or unpublished literature, social media, internet etc. Many a time, these sources may share an unrealistic or false positive/negative information. Our study was intended to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices related to COVID-19 among the healthcare professionals of different levels.

We conducted an online survey after the initiation of the first lockdown in India. Our research team in consultation with the subject experts designed a mix method-based study tool and shared it by sending emails to 1,200 participants.

A total of 180 respondents participated in the online survey of which 34% were government health professionals and 24% were working with a research/academic institution. All participants were between 23 and 74 years age group (mean 39 years). Participants shared their views on first, knowledge about symptoms, preventive measures and treatment options for COVID-19. Second, on attitude towards handling COVID-19 pandemic using social distancing, following lockdown and travel advisory, etc. Third, on the practice of non-pharmaceutical measures to prevent COVID-19.

We found that the social media platform acted as one of the most important platforms for awareness generation regarding COVID-19 but it was also generating stigma among people. Till the time of the survey, there is still a dearth of knowledge about social distancing and what it means, especially physical distance of 1–3 metres and correct usage of mask in different situations. Various important issues pertaining to infant feeding practices, mother and childcare and disposal of dead bodies of COVID infected persons require deliberations and awareness.
Addressing Privilege in Teamwork: Design Tools for Critical Management Education
Authors: Villesèche Florence , Teilmann-Lock Stina
Published: October 2022

In this article, we argue that a key diversity issue to be tackled in the classroom is disparity: Some students are more privileged than others, and their inputs are more valued than others’. Therefore, as educators, we need to devise new ways to rebalance benefits and deficits in our classrooms. Complementing critical work on privilege in business schools that has exposed and theorized the problem, we take a practical, By design approach to addressing privilege while avoiding diversity education dilemmas. We propose that such a proactive rather than reactive approach can help mitigate the negative consequences that the exercise of privilege may have on our students’ learning. Specifically, we propose that we can learn from designers how to use tools that help create collaborative, positive-sum environments when conducting team-based activities in the classroom. We present a selection of simple yet powerful design devices: Speaking rules, Problem framing, and Iteration. We discuss how these devices may help address privilege in the classroom with illustrative examples and reflections on the outcomes and limitations of these devices. We thus enrich the underdeveloped conversation on how design methods can be translated and applied to management education.
An Exercise for Expanding Privilege Awareness Among Management Students and Faculty
Authors: Rabelo Verónica Caridad , Bonner Robert L. , Stewart Oscar Jerome
Published: October 2022

The ability to notice and eliminate organizational inequities begins with privilege awareness: an understanding of how individuals and social groups experience exemption from discrimination as well as access to unearned advantages, such as disproportionate access to resources. Thus, privilege awareness is necessary for noticing, naming, and repairing inequities in our workgroups, organizations, and institutions. Engaging with privilege discourse in the classroom can be a monumental task for both management educators and learners without the requisite level of privilege awareness. We introduce an innovative exercise to develop and assess students’ understanding of privilege. The purpose of this exercise is to help learners identify and reflect on privilege in their personal and organizational lives, and build a shared vocabulary for doing so. Learners begin by mapping and reflecting on their various social identity group memberships, then answer a set of reflection questions. We provide an overview of this exercise including learning outcomes, general implementation guidelines, assessment criteria, and activity modifications. We also analyze the activity’s effectiveness based on responses from 83 students. We conclude with a discussion of how facilitators can respond to participant feedback as a resource for self-reflexivity and intersectional awareness.
Endoscopic Strip Craniectomy and Helmet Therapy for Sagittal Craniosynostosis: An Analysis of Cranial Growth Changes in the Early Postoperative Period
Authors: Rudolph Christina M. , Awad Amanda N. , Toth Katie , Adamo Matthew A. , Carpenter Courtney
Published: October 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study is to analyze cranial width and length growth curves in the early postoperative period of patients by undergoing endoscopic sagittal strip craniectomy (ESC) to determine the timing of the maximal growth curve change. By analyzing the complex interplay of cephalic length and width measurements, we hope to better understand the cephalic index (CI) growth curve during this early period. This is the first of a multistep process to elucidate the ideal cranial remolding orthosis (CRO) treatment duration.

Design

Retrospective review.

Setting

Tertiary academic institution.

Patients

Children with isolated sagittal craniosynostosis.

Interventions

ESC and postoperative CRO treatment (2015-2019).

Main Outcome Measures

One cranial orthotist obtained preoperative and postoperative measurements. The maximal rate of change of width, length, and CI were compared against the postoperative week these occurred.

Results

Thirteen children (mean age: 3.3 months, average preoperative CI: 73.4) underwent this intervention. CI reached its highest growth rate by 4.9 average weeks postoperatively, which correlated with the maximal width growth rate (5.2 weeks). Length curves reached their maximal growth rate by 15.5 weeks. CI peaked (81.3) by 22.7 weeks postoperatively, a significant increase from baseline.

Conclusions

Following ESC, in the early postoperative period, the CI growth curve has 4 phases: initial rapid expansion, early and late slowed expansion, and plateau, followed by possible regression phases. This highlights the importance of early postoperative CRO initiation, CRO compliance, and properly fitting CROs, especially in the first 2 phases. This data sets the stage for investigating the ideal treatment length.
Fibrinolytic Changes in Women with Preeclampsia
Authors: Godtfredsen Anne Cathrine , Sidelmann Johannes Jakobsen , Dolleris Britta Blume , Jørgensen Jan Stener , Johansen Emma Kathrine Jungjohan , Pedersen Melissa Fernard Bøg , Palarasah Yaseelan , Gram Jørgen Brodersen
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious complication of pregnancy. The fibrinolytic system play crucial roles regarding placentation and evolution of PE.

Aim

To study comprehensively components of the fibrinolytic system and fibrin lysability in women with PE.

Design and Methods

117 women with PE and matched controls were included. Tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen, PAI-1, plasmin inhibitor (PI), D-dimer, the fibrinolytic potential of dextran sulphate euglobulin fraction (DEF), PAI-2, polymere PAI-2, fibrin clot lysability, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and fibrinogen were assessed.

Results

Women with PE had significantly increased concentrations of t-PA and PAI-1, whereas the plasma concentration of PAI-2 was significantly lower compared to controls, p < 0.0001. Polymere PAI-2 was detected in both groups. DEF, TAFI and fibrinogen were not different between the groups. D-dimer was significantly increased and plasminogen/PI together with fibrin clot lysability time decreased in the PE-group, p  =  0.0004 p  =  0.04, p  =  0.03, p < 0.0001 respectively.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that PE is associated with an affected t-PA/PAI-1 system, decreased PAI-2 and increased fibrin lysability. Furthermore, PAI-2 has the potential to polymerize during pregnancy.
Ophthalmic adverse effects of BRAF inhibitors
Authors: Castillejo Becerra Clara M. , Smith Wendy M. , Dalvin Lauren A.
Published: October 2022

To determine the frequency, characteristics, and clinical course of ophthalmic side effects associated with systemic BRAF inhibitor therapy. Medical records of patients taking BRAF inhibitors for the treatment of systemic malignances at Mayo Clinic, Rochester from 01/01/2010 to 08/30/2021, were retrospectively reviewed. Of 901 patients, 14 (1.6%) patients experienced an ophthalmic side effect. Mean age at presentation of the side effect was 60 years (median 59, range 50–80) and 11 (79%) were male. The most common side effect was uveitis in 7 (50%) patients, followed by dry eye in 4 (29%) patients, and central serous chorioretinopathy in 2 (14%) patients, with singular cases of cranial nerve VI palsy and conjunctival edema. A comparison between individual BRAF inhibitors (vemurafenib vs. dabrafenib vs. encorafenib) revealed that patients taking encorafenib had a shorter interval to any ophthalmic adverse event (mean 55.6 vs. 9.8 vs. 4.0 months, p  =  0.03) and were the only patients to experience documented dry eye syndrome (DES) in this series. Outcomes were known in 13 (93%) patients, and ophthalmic adverse effects resolved or were controlled without discontinuing therapy in 10 (77%). Uveitis was successfully treated with topical corticosteroids in 4 patients, while 3 patients with refractory uveitis (2 with panuveitis and 1 with unspecified uveitis) required discontinuation of BRAF inhibitor therapy. Ophthalmic adverse events related to systemic BRAF inhibitor use are rare, with estimated frequency of 1.6%. Most events can be treated with local ophthalmic therapy. BRAF inhibitors provide life-saving therapy, and their discontinuation should be avoided.
CEUS-guided PTA on stenotic AVF: Morphological and functional point of view
Authors: Taurisano Marco , Mancini Andrea , D’elia Filomena
Published: October 2022

Background:

Stenosis represents the main cause of hemodialysis fistula malfunction. The ultrasound-guided angioplasty with ecographic contrast (CEUS) could provide further advantages to the classical ultrasound guided method improving the morphological characterization of the stenosis and providing quantitative data with the creation of time intensity curves (TIC) collecting functional data comparable between pre and post procedure.

Methods:

A total of 10 CEUS-guided angioplasties were performed on malfunctioning fistulas. The sonographic contrast medium was injected into the vascular tree trough the introducer. Morphological and functional data nature were collected. Were generated TIC curves, obtained by positioning a ROI in correspondence with the post-stenotic tract of the efferent vein. The data collected, regarding the peak intensity reached by the signal (PI) and the time to reach the peak signal intensity (TTP), were compared in the pre and post-procedural phase with flow of vascular access (Qa) and resistance indices (RI).

Results:

Statistically significant correlation ( p < 0.05) was observed between Qa and TTP ( r = 0.77; p = 0.009), RI and TTP ( r = 0.71; p = 0.02), Qa and PI ( r = 0.86; p = 0.0012), and between RI and PI ( r = 0.88; p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

In addition to the advantages associated with the use of ultrasound contrast medium in improving the visualization and characterization of the stenosis by facilitating the PTA procedure, the functional data deriving from the quantitative analysis provide new parameters for evaluating the success of the procedure which could also be used as predictive markers of stenosis recurrence together with the classical ones.
A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Fosfomycin: A Single-Dose Antibiotic Therapy for Treatment of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection
Authors: Kassabian Morgan , Calderwood Michael S , Ohsfeldt Robert
Published: October 2022

Nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) and fosfomycin are first-line therapeutics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTI). While fosfomycin is the most expensive, it is also attractive due to its effectiveness against most uUTI-causing bacteria, limited risk of cross-resistance with other drugs, and single-dose delivery. In light of these competing attributes, a cost-effectiveness analysis can provide useful, standardized information about tradeoffs between fosfomycin and treatment alternatives. This paper assessed cost-effectiveness via incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) that represented a drug’s incremental cost per additional uUTI case resolved with initial course of antibiotic therapy. The study setting was New Hampshire, USA. Total cost of treatment was lowest with TMP-SMX and highest with fosfomycin. ICERs were $84.53 and $78.59 for nitrofurantoin and $2264.29 and $2260.89 for fosfomycin under a payer and societal perspective, respectively. While no standard benchmark for our measure of cost-effectiveness exists, the high national prevalence of antibiotic stewardship efforts suggests that willingness-to-pay to increase the number of people who are successfully treated with an initial course of therapy is non-zero. Ultimately, fosfomycin may currently be considered a cost-effective option for treating uUTI in the US. As a recently off-patent drug, increased competition in the generic market may improve its cost-effectiveness in the future.
Impact of Omicron on sick leave across industries: A population-wide study
Authors: Grøsland Mari , Reme Bjørn-Atle , Gjefsen Hege Marie
Published: October 2022

Aims:

To estimate the industry-specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (Omicron wave) on sick leave.

Methods:

Using individual-level data from the Norwegian Emergency Preparedness Register, the study covers all workers in different industries ( N = 2,733,751 people) on a monthly level in the time periods January–March 2017–2020 (except March 2020) and 2022 (38,199,536 person-months). We estimated the industry-specific increase in monthly average sick leave during the Omicron wave in 2022 compared with the corresponding months in 2017–2020.

Results:

We found an average increase in monthly sick leave rates of 2.92 percentage points (95% CI 2.9–2.94) during the three first months of 2022. The increases were strongest within food and accommodation (4.42 percentage points increase, 95% CI 4.33–4.51) and administrative support services (3.94 percentage points increase, 95% CI 3.85–4.03).

Conclusions:

The Omicron wave resulted in a substantial increase in sick leave, which was unevenly distributed across industries. The results of this study highlight the importance of industry-specific contingency planning when facing the rapid spread of infectious diseases.
Offensive, hateful comment: A networked discourse practice of blame and petition for justice during COVID-19 on Chinese Weibo
Authors: Jin Ying , Tay Dennis
Published: October 2022

Using data from user comments to the official social networking account of the Hubei Red Cross Foundation on a participatory web platform, this study attends to the offensive and hateful comments produced by ordinary Internet users to blame the elite authorities for their malfeasance in managing the donation during the COVID-19 in China. Drawing on Discursive Psychology, we focus on the rhetorical strategies that users employ to legitimise their actions as well-founded evidential blame against a norm-breaking act rather than radical extremist speech. The associated hatred among discussants are moral, social judgements. That said, hate speech also helps construct the moral standards of a normalised society.
Characterization of penetrate and interpenetrate tessellated cellular lattice structures for energy absorption
Authors: Dara Ashok , Johnney Mertens A , Raju Bahubalendruni M V A
Published: October 2022

Recently, cellular lattice structures are gaining research attention due to their lightweight and high energy absorption. Interpenetrated lattice structure is a combination of two or more regular lattices with the same volume and without any contact at the unit level. The interpenetrated tessellated lattice (I-PTL) structures are better known for load sharing and energy absorption applications. In the current research, regular unit cell lattices such as cubic, beam lattice, body-centered cubic, and octahedron are considered to fabricate penetrated and interpenetrated cellular lattice structures and tested for energy absorption on quasi-static loading. These structures were fabricated using a Vat polymerization three-dimensional printer and tested as per the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards, and the results were compared with numerical simulation using ANSYS. The penetrated tessellated lattice structural and I-PTL behavior deliver energy transfer controlled by the surface and solid joint interactions. The enhancement in mechanical properties is observed with the controllable compliance and specific energy absorption of the lattice structure.
Experimental studies of fracture and fatigue crack growth in dissimilar metal welded joints of nickel-based superalloys: Cracks oriented along the weld
Authors: Saju Tom , Velu M
Published: October 2022

Nickel-based superalloys, Inconel 718 and Nimonic 80A, were welded without any interlayer for Blisk manufacturing in aerospace industries. Fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth rate of the dissimilar metal welded joints were experimentally studied to confirm their structural integrity. Cracks were oriented in and along the weld. Base metals, Inconel 718, and Nimonic 80A differ in yield strength but have the same modulus of elasticity. Electron beam welding was used to butt weld Inconel 718 to Nimonic 80A. J resistance curve ( J vs. crack extension) was experimentally found to determine the elastic–plastic fracture toughness. The welded specimens showed lesser fracture toughness and higher crack growth rates than base metals. An increase in load ratio resulted in an increase in fatigue crack growth rate in the high Δ K region and a decrease in Δ Kth. Fractography studies confirmed linear elastic and plane strain fracture all along the fatigue crack growth rate path except for the final fracture with plane stress.
Slow violence, depoliticisation and hope: Cultural landscapes of schooling in Wentworth, South Africa
Authors: Sutoris Peter
Published: October 2022

This ethnographic study of environmental learning in a South African township school unravels how formal education can depoliticise young people’s understandings of environmental decay. Conceptualising environmental learning through Rob Nixon’s notion of ‘slow violence’ and Hannah Arendt’s understanding of ‘action’, the article argues that despite the depoliticization enacted through schooling, individual learners and educators articulate subterranean understandings of the environmental multicrisis rooted in informal learning. This helps us understand the potential of environmental learning outside schools.
Postfeminism, consumption and activewear: Examining women consumers’ relationship with the postfeminine ideal
Authors: Brice Julie , Thorpe Holly , Wheaton Belinda , Longhurst Robyn
Published: October 2022

Activewear (clothing designed specifically for fitness and functional movement) has become a hugely popular fashion style for women around the world. Scholars have critiqued the activewear industry for reproducing postfeminist and neoliberal discourses, with advertising and marketing primarily featuring heteronormative women’s bodies (thin, toned, white, young), with a strong emphasis on consumption and choice. In this article, we contribute to the literature on activewear and feminist consumption practices to examine how women consumers of activewear clothing understand and respond to postfeminist discourses inherent in the industry. In so doing, we speak to how the often-critiqued idealised femininity is ‘taken-up’ and interrogated by women activewear consumers. Specifically, we draw upon focus groups and interviews conducted with women from New Zealand, examining how some women are complicit in the production of particular femininities, while others are critical of the industry partaking in an array of everyday ‘acts of resistance’ against (and within) the industry. We conclude with a brief discussion of some of the women-led changes occurring within the activewear market. Ultimately, this article highlights the complexities and attitudes of some women activewear consumers and their contribution (and challenges) to the production of femininity within society.
A decision support model to evaluate liveability in the context of urban vibrancy
Authors: Kirdar Gulce , Cagdas Gulen
Published: October 2022

Liveability can be accepted as an umbrella term covering all the factors that make a place to live. We recognize the versatility of urban liveability and focus on the vibrancy aspect. Regarding the literature, we compile variables affecting urban liveability under the economic, image, and use value of place. This article aims to present a data-driven decision support system to evaluate different dimensions of vibrancy-focused liveability. We adopt a knowledge discovery process to handle the complexity of the liveability concept. This study develops a conditional-based relationship network of vibrancy parameters through the Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). Then, we assess the BBN's correlations with statistics and causal relations with the survey in this study.These results mostly agree with the findings of the relevant literature. The economic value results show that the high density, diversity and accessibility add a premium to the land value of properties. The use value results also demonstrate that the diversity and density of activities, cultural attributes, and high accessibility support place attractiveness. The selected streetscape variables improve image value, except for building enclosure and condition. The study has the potential for urban planners to vitalize neighborhoods by considering urban activities and urban physical attributes.
Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation of the COVID-19 Response in the Africa Region
Authors: Phori Peter Malekele , Fawcett Stephen , Nidjergou Noemie Nikiema , Silouakadila Cleph , Hassaballa Ruaa , Siku Deogratias Kakule
Published: October 2022

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept throughout the world, it created a demand for information to help understand the public health response and its effects. Limited capacity to see and interpret data—“sensemaking” with measures of progress—affects the use of data for quality improvement. The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) supported partners from the Member States in using a participatory monitoring and evaluation system to document and systematically reflect on the COVID-19 response at the country level. The WHO AFRO’s COVID-19 Response Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team captured and communicated response activities based on available reports from 35 of the 47 member countries. By reviewing reports and communications, the M&E team documented nearly 8,000 COVID-19 response activities during the study period (January 2020 through July 2021). A “sensemaking” protocol was used to support country partners in identifying factors associated with increases or decreases in both new cases and response activities. This report describes this participatory M&E approach and process of shared sensemaking. We illustrate with a country-level case study of the COVID-19 response in the Africa Region.
Efficacy of a Novel Bipolar Radiofrequency Clamp: An Acute Porcine Model
Authors: Yates Tari-Ann , McGilvray Martha , Razo Nick , McElligott Stacie , Melby Spencer J. , Zemlin Christian , Damiano Ralph J.
Published: October 2022

Objective:

Expert consensus guidelines recommend surgical ablation (SA) for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF), but less than half of patients with AF undergoing cardiac procedures receive concomitant SA. Complete isolation of the left atrial posterior wall (LAPW) has been shown to be the most critical part of the Cox maze procedure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of a novel radiofrequency (RF) bipolar device, EnCompass™ (AtriCure, Inc., Mason, OH, USA), designed to isolate the LAPW in a single application.

Methods:

Five adult pigs underwent SA in a beating heart model. After a single ablation, the heart was arrested, explanted, and stained with triphenyl-tetrazolium-chloride for histological assessment. Each lesion was sectioned, and the ablation depth, muscle, and fat thickness were determined. The lesion width, energy delivery, and ablation times were compared with those from a reference RF clamp (Synergy™, AtriCure).

Results:

Transmurality was documented in 100% of lesions (5 of 5) and cross sections (160 of 160). Electrical isolation was documented in every instance. There was no evidence of clot, charring, or pulmonary vein stenosis. Compared with the reference clamp, the lesions created by the EnCompass™ clamp were 1.5 times wider on average. The average energy delivered was 5 times higher over a duration that was 4.5 times longer due to the increased volume of tissue ablated.

Conclusions:

The EnCompass™ clamp reproducibly created transmural isolation of the LAPW with a single application. This may allow for simplification of the SA strategy and increased adoption of AF treatment during concomitant surgery.
Gray-Scale and Power Doppler Ultrasound Findings Predictive of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Severity
Authors: Lee Tony Y. , Dy Christopher J. , Ray Wilson Z. , Colorado Berdale S. , Brogan David M.
Published: October 2022

Background:

The use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) is an attractive alternative to electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies, but its utility is binary with poor severity correlation. We hypothesize that increasing ulnar nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) and power Doppler measurement of intraneural vascularity may predict the extent of disease.

Methods:

We identified 20 elbows from patients with a history of CuTS and 20 elbows in 10 asymptomatic controls. Electrodiagnosis was performed for symptomatic patients. Gray-scale ultrasound and power Doppler ultrasound were performed to measure CSA and intraneural vascularity in all participants. Functional measures, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System surveys were also completed.

Results:

A strong positive correlation was found between CSA and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) decrease between elbow and forearm, which increased when BCTQ >2 was used as a screening criterion. Increased CSA also demonstrated a high positive predictive value (PPV) in predicting MNCV changes, but poor ability to predict axonal loss. In contrast, power Doppler ultrasound demonstrated 100% PPV and 94% negative predictive value (NPV) in predicting severe CuTS (defined as compound motor action potential [CMAP] amplitude <6 mV and electromyography [EMG] findings).

Conclusions:

Cross-sectional area is a sensitive method for identifying changes in MNCV and amplitude but does not stratify disease severity, as defined by diminished CMAP amplitude and/or evidence of denervation on EMG. The presence of increased intraneural vascularity is relatively sensitive but highly specific for axonal loss. The combination of nerve CSA, BCTQ screening, and power Doppler ultrasound may provide an alternative means for CuTS assessment.
Prognostic value of D-dimer to fibrinogen ratio for patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Zhang Litao , Jiang Jiahong , Li Jie , Wang Min , Zhou Jun
Published: October 2022

Objective

Myocardial infarction is a severe disease with high in-hospital mortality without aggressive clinical treatment. The study aims to evaluate prognostic worth of D-dimer-to-fibrinogen (FIB) ratio (DFR) for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods

133 patients (65 (37, 93) years old) from our hospital (China) with AMI were enlisted from January 2017 to December 2019. Patients were assigned into the survivor and nonsurvivor group based on in-hospital outcomes. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and multivariate analysis were fulfilled to analyze the prognostic value of DFR.

Results

The degree of DFR in the nonsurvivor group was significantly higher than that in the survivor group ( p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis presented that DFR (hazard ratio (HR), 2.207; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.050–4.640; p = 0.037) was independently related with in-hospital death. ROC demonstrated that the area under the curve (AUC) of DFR was = 0.808 (0.725–0.892) (sensitivity, 85.3%; specificity, 69.7%).

Conclusion

DFR might be a new independent predictor of in-hospital death for AMI patients. Further studies are needed to validate this preliminary finding.
Estimation for Kies distribution with generalized progressive hybrid censoring under partially observed competing risks model
Authors: Chandra Prakash , Tripathi Yogesh Mani , Wang Liang , Lodhi Chandrakant
Published: October 2022

In this paper, estimation of a competing risks model is discussed with partially observed modes of failure. When latent lifetimes of competing risks follow the Kies distribution under a generalized progressive hybrid censoring, estimation of the unknown parameters is explored under non-order and order restrictions via classical and Bayesian approaches, respectively. The uniqueness and existence of maximum likelihood estimators of parameters are established, and subsequently interval estimators are also derived. Bayesian estimates as well as highest posterior density credible intervals are developed for the model parameters. In addition, when extra order information for the competing risks parameters is available, classical and Bayesian estimates are also established. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to investigate the performance of different methods, and a numerical example is also presented for illustrative purposes.
Can Lateral X-Rays Reliably Determine Which Posterior Malleolus Ankle Fractures Need a CT?
Authors: Thomas Ayush , Fredette Ryan , Han George , Curtin Patrick , Swart Eric
Published: October 2022

Background

For rotational ankle fractures with a posterior malleolus fracture (PMF), the decision to further evaluate the ankle injury with computed tomography (CT) is challenging. The objective of this study is to determine how well PMF fracture size on x-rays correlates with size on CT, and how well x-rays can predict which patients receive PMF fixation after CT review.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of adult ankle fractures with PMFs that had preoperative radiographs and CT imaging over a 5-year period. PMF x-ray and CT measurements were recorded, and relationships between x-ray measurements and final PMF fixation plan after CT review were evaluated.

Results

A total of 98 patients were identified with both x-rays and preoperative CT imaging. Pearson’s rank correlation demonstrated a strong relation between PMF width percentage measured on x-ray and CT (r = 0.724). Of the 45 patients with a PMF size under 20% on x-ray, only one patient (with an apparent incarcerated fragment) underwent PMF fixation after review of the CT.

Conclusions

PMF width on lateral x-ray correlates well with CT size and is sensitive for predicting the need for dedicated posterior malleolus based on one institutional practice pattern. Below 20% fracture width on lateral x-ray, a dedicated CT rarely leads to a decision to perform PMF fixation. Limiting pre-operative CT to those with PMF width >20% could reduce CT utilization by as much as 45% without negatively affecting patient care.

Levels of Evidence:

Level III: Diagnostic