bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Brutality-Based Approach to Identifying State-Led Atrocities
Authors: Cingranelli David , Mark Skip , Garvey James B. , Hutt Jordan , Lee Yuri
Published: May 2022

The comparative study of atrocities and atrocity prevention faces several obstacles including a lack of consensus on the universe of cases and too few cases to statistically test alternative theories. The brutality-based (BB) conception is based on the idea that widespread, state-led violations of physical integrity rights constitute an assault on the personhood and human dignity of the members of society— a mass atrocity. Applying this idea to all countries annually systematically identifies a larger number of atrocities and facilitates categorization into three levels of intensity. The BB methodology for generating annual atrocity lists is replicable and transparent. The findings show that, between 1981 and 2019, the frequency of atrocities as defined and identified by other projects has been decreasing, but BB atrocities have been increasing. The sequence of different types of widespread physical integrity violations suggests new avenues for research on atrocity occurrence, escalation, de-escalation, and cessation.
A Look Back: A chronicle of Kappan’s coverage of the reading wars
Authors: Preston Teresa
Published: May 2022

Reading instruction has been the subject of significant controversy for more than five decades, and Kappan has allowed advocates of many different types of reading instruction to make their cases in the magazine’s pages. Teresa Preston chronicles the history of the reading wars as they played out in Kappan. Researchers and scholars have debated the merits of phonics, wholeword, and whole-language approaches to reading, as well as the nature of research and instruction in general. But some have wondered how valuable the debate is to educators looking for guidance to help the children in their districts and schools.
Teaching for transfer can help young children read for understanding
Authors: Kim James S. , Burkhauser Mary A.
Published: May 2022

To make progress in improving students’ reading comprehension, we need to rethink the very nature of reading comprehension — it’s not a skill and it requires background knowledge. James Kim and Mary Burkhauser explain that, to help students apply what they learn from one reading task to another reading task, educators should consider developing thematic lessons that organize knowledge around a schema, help students connect new knowledge to a schema, and measure students’ ability to transfer knowledge to novel comprehension tasks. They encourage educators to consider how they might use their knowledge of the role of schemas in reading comprehension to improve children’s ability to read for understanding.
Taking stock of the science of reading: A conversation with Amanda Goodwin
Authors: Heller Rafael
Published: May 2022

Amanda Goodwin, co-editor of Reading Research Quarterly, talks with Kappan about the research findings presented in two special issues of journal focused on the science of reading. The science of reading is a broad body of research, she explains, that includes not just alphabetics, phonics, and word reading, which receive the most attention in the media. Actual science of reading research also incorporates findings related to motivation, dyslexia, digital texts, and multilingualism. In addition, effective reading instruction does not follow a simple prescription but leaves room for teacher discretion.
On Leadership: Are we paying attention to the right things?
Authors: Starr Joshua P.
Published: May 2022

Tools for monitoring student performance often cause parents, teachers, and students to focus on whether students are completing academic tasks up to a certain standards. But Joshua Starr wonders if they put too much emphasis on the product of learning and not enough on the process of learning. He encourages educators to pay more attention to students’ experiences of learning.
Career Confidential: Teacher wants to feel more motivated
Authors: Fagell Phyllis L.
Published: May 2022

School counselor and therapist Phyllis Fagell responds to requests for professional advice from educators. In this issue, two teachers are struggling with negative thoughts. One teacher feels less motivated to try new things and misses the positive feedback from administrators. Another teacher can’t stop worrying about the possibility of violence at school.
Probing into Non-native Learners’ Written Accuracy: Does Feedback Type Matter?
Authors: Sadeghi Karim , Esmaeeli Maryam
Published: May 2022

Corrective feedback (CF) has long been a hot topic in language education circles and has received extensive research attention. However, there is still controversy over the effectiveness of CF use and error correction in language classes. To address this discrepancy, the current study probed the effectiveness of different CF types in improving grammatical accuracy in writing. We recruited 74 female English as a foreign language students within the age range of 16–21 at an intermediate proficiency level and divided them into four treatment groups and one control group. Four feedback types were used in the treatment, namely explicit correction, clarification request, metalinguistic, and elicitation. The experimental groups’ grammatical knowledge of target structures (tense, voice, and agreement) was assessed before and after CF treatments and was compared with that of the control group. The findings revealed that all feedback groups outperformed the control group, highlighting the effectiveness of CF treatment. In addition, the metalinguistic feedback group outperformed all other experimental groups, with no difference observed between elicitation and clarification request groups. Further findings and implications are discussed in the paper.
Gather.Town: A Gamification Tool to Promote Engagement and Establish Online Learning Communities for Language Learners
Authors: Zhao Xin , McClure Colin Derek
Published: May 2022

The use of virtual learning communities has shown great potential for language education. Research suggests that video-conferencing technology can assist teachers in creating such communities for second-language teaching. Gather.Town is a gamified, video-conferencing platform that revolutionizes the traditional static video-conferencing experience for language learners. It provides users with a 2D map with avatar-based game features utilizing proximity-based video-conferencing functionality which enhance student online engagement and promote interaction that resembles real-life conditions. Gather.Town has received increasing attention from educational researchers since its launch in May 2020; however, its adoption in language classrooms has not yet been explored. This review paper aims to introduce Gather.Town to language teachers and researchers to enhance student engagement in virtual learning communities.
Fabrication and characterization of braided auxetic yarns based on a high-speed braiding machine
Authors: Liu Zhuoran , Liu Gui , Xu Qiaoli , Chen Junli , Li Yonggui , Yan Taohai , Du Zhaoqun
Published: May 2022

In recent years, three kinds of auxetic yarns have mainly been developed, namely helical auxetic yarns based on the ring spinning system and the hollow spindle system and braided auxetic yarns based on the braiding system. However, these auxetic yarns have some drawbacks, such as an unstable structure or no obvious auxetic effect. In this paper, auxetic yarns were successfully braided by wrap filaments and a core filament based on a braiding system, which overcame the slippage problem in the traditional helical yarn structure. Yarns were spun by different structural parameters of the core filament, the wrap filaments and braiding filament, including the diameter ratio, braiding speed and different numbers of wrap filaments. The results showed that all parameters have an impact on the Poisson’s ratio of auxetic yarns and, in addition, the braided auxetic yarns can cause the yarns to be in the pre-stretching state; once the stretching effect occurs, the Poisson's ratio will directly change from a negative value. Since the new auxetic yarns were produced using a high-speed braiding machine and filaments, this would pave the way for their mass production. This provides a certain research basis for mass production of the stable auxetic yarn structure, and based on the realization of the pre-stretching state, it also provides more possibilities for future research.
Perceived diversity, threat, and attitudes towards immigrants: the mitigating role of cross-group friendships and empathy
Authors: Swart Hermann , Moeschberger Scott , Kagee Ashraf , Hewstone Miles
Published: May 2022

Little is known about whether the benefits of intergroup contact extend to contexts (e.g., a diverse underdeveloped township) likely to prove demanding for improved intergroup relations. There is a need for further research in these contexts on the potential inhibitors of contact (such as diversity and threat) and their effects. Perceived social diversity has been implicated in the deterioration of intergroup relations. This is particularly salient in the context of immigrant relations, where anti-immigrant sentiments are characterized by perceived threat and lower outgroup trust. Diversity can, however, have an indirect positive effect on outgroup attitudes, via intergroup contact, which reliably predicts lower perceived threat and prejudice. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that empathy could mitigate negative attitudes towards immigrants. We investigated the relationship between perceived neighbourhood diversity, cross-group friendships, realistic and symbolic threat, empathic responding, trust, and outgroup orientation within the volatile context of Black (African) South Africans’ relations with African immigrants. Survey data were collected from South Africans ( N = 317) living in a township. Structural equation modelling showed that perceived diversity was significantly positively associated with both realistic threat (which was significantly negatively associated with outgroup trust) and cross-group friendships (which was significantly negatively associated with realistic threat). There was a significant indirect association between cross-group friendships and positive orientation towards African immigrants via empathic responding towards African immigrants. These findings suggest that cross-group friendships and empathy might mitigate the negative impact of diversity and threat on attitudes towards immigrants, even in this demanding context.
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the larynx: report of a case
Authors: Colizza Andrea , Meliante Piero Giuseppe , Donsante Samantha , Riminucci Mara , Greco Antonio , De Vincentiis Marco , Corsi Alessandro
Published: May 2022

Only 0.3–1% of laryngeal cancer are non-squamous cell neoplasms. Of these, a rare entity is inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT), in which anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1 (ALK-1) is frequently expressed. Just 50 cases of IMT have been reported. Therefore, many otolaryngologists may be unfamiliar with this type of tumour and be prone to its over- or undertreatment.

We report a case of ALK-1–negative IMT treated with transoral endoscopic excision and disease-free 6 months after surgery.
Development of Home-Based Intervention Module for Specific Learning Disorder Mixed Type: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Sahu Anamika , Bhargava Rachna , Sagar Rajesh , Mehta Manju
Published: May 2022

Background:

Despite significant prevalence of specific learning disorder (SLD) in India, insufficient efforts have been taken to deal with its burden. Currently, the workforce is limited and resources are expensive and difficult for families to access. Consequently, developing an alternative remedial program in the form of a home-based intervention (HBI) is imperative. This article describes the development phase of a manualized HBI program for 7 to 12-year-old children with SLD.

Methods:

Extensive literature search, 7 focus group discussions with parents of children with and without SLD and teachers/counselors ( n = 44), and 22 in-depth interviews with SLD children ( n = 9) and professionals ( n = 13) were conducted. A thematic analysis was done. Intervention strategies were identified based on themes. Experts’ feedback about the content and structure of HBI was also taken.

Results:

The design and application of the HBI program integrate several intervention areas, including psychoeducation, learning strategies, cognitive, social, and behavioral techniques, and therapy for parents. HBI comprised 14 parent training sessions, the duration being 45 to 60 min per session, over six months. Parent training consisted of four steps. (a) The researcher/clinician describes the steps of reading, writing, or math strategies to the parents/caregivers; (b) the researcher/clinician implements the strategies with or without the presence of the child and observation by the parent; (c) the parent practices the strategies in front of the researcher/clinician; and (d) the researcher/clinician observes parents’ practice and corrects them if required.

Conclusion:

HBI manual for children with SLD-mixed type has been developed, keeping with all stakeholders’ perspectives. Further study is on the way to assess its acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness.
Internet-Based Learning for Professionals in Addiction Psychiatry: A Scoping Review
Authors: Chawla Nishtha , Gyawali Shreeya , Sharma Pawan , Balhara Yatan Pal Singh
Published: May 2022

Background and Aim:

Distance learning techniques are gaining popularity as the internet today is a faster and more convenient source of spreading exhaustive information. We aim at conducting a scoping review on the utility of internet-based learning in addiction psychiatry.

Methods:

We performed a systematic search of databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Cochrane using the following keywords: Distance education, substance related disorder, teaching, internet, along with the MeSH terms (“Internet” AND “Teaching” AND “Substance Related Disorders”) OR (“Distance Education” AND “Substance Related Disorders”). The reference lists of articles were searched for other relevant literature.

Results:

A total of 34 studies were included. Most of the courses offered online were on specific therapies, for example, training on motivational interviewing, twelve-step facilitation, cognitive behavioral therapy, alcohol screening, and brief intervention. They were based on various aspects of distance learning such as the acquisition of knowledge or skills, feasibility, level of satisfaction of the trainees/students, the cost-effectiveness of the techniques, and the type of trainees who have access to the course. The majority of the studies showed positive findings in terms of the parameter being studied. However, the level of satisfaction among the students is questionable.

Conclusion:

Internet-based teaching programs provide a good alternative to traditional educational methods in terms of effectiveness, feasibility, and acquisition of knowledge and skills. We emphasize the use of internet-based training in addiction psychiatry reinforced by actual practical experiences.
Lived Experiences of Persons with Chronic Schizophrenia Living in the Community
Authors: Rani Akanksha , Raman Kalayasundram Janaki , Ammapattian Thirumoorthy , Antony Sojan , Prabhu Sphoorthi G. , Basavarappa Chethan
Published: May 2022

Background:

Each individual with schizophrenia experiences life uniquely, despite the sameness in their diagnosis. Understanding their experiences is vital for their better community integration and social work practice.

Method:

We used the interpretative phenomenological approach. Persons with schizophrenia seeking outpatient services at a tertiary care institute in Bengaluru, India, were recruited through purposive sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted with six participants.

Results:

Some of the meta-themes and subthemes identified were as follows: (a) perception about self (struggling with the sense of self, desire for normalcy, wanting to be in control of self and desire to live independently), (b) relationship with others (feeling supported by others and feeling rejected by others), (c) coping with consequences of illness (coping with disruptions in personal life and coping with disruptions in family life), and (d) experience of seeking treatment (reasons for seeking treatment, being on medication, and behavior of mental health professionals). The participants tried to find meaning in their lives by making sense of their illness. Family and community can have a significant impact on how persons with schizophrenia perceive their lives.

Conclusion:

Mental health professionals need to encourage persons’ and their families’ greater participation in treatment planning and clinical interventions, which will enhance persons integration within the community and will help decrease the feeling of isolation commonly experienced when one lives with chronic mental illnesses.
COVID-19 Pandemic, Risk, and Blame Attributions: A Scoping Review
Authors: Sharma Manoj Kumar , Amudhan Senthil , Achar Meghna , Vishwakarma Akash
Published: May 2022

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated psychological distress led people to engage in attributing several health-related behaviors and consequences at the community and international levels. A scoping review was conducted to explore the existing literature on the use of attribution theory in understanding the psychological phenomena underlying health-related behavior and consequences during the pandemic.

Methods:

We conducted the literature review using Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for scoping review. Studies were identified through a comprehensive search of the following six databases: MEDLINE through PubMed, ProQuest, JSTOR, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. All databases were searched for entries in English from September 2019 to September 2021 to correspond to the advent of the pandemic.

Results:

Several elements influence attributions and the influences of the attributions on people’s responses to information and the consequences of attributions in influencing people’s responses to information and behavior changes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of attribution errors leading to stigmatization and responsibility framing, both crucial for implementing pandemic control measures and enhancing psychological well-being, were also highlighted.

Conclusion:

More research is needed in this field to inform people-centered policies and pandemic preparedness plans to mitigate the potentially devastating psychosocial consequence of the pandemic or other public health emergencies.
Michel Foucault in the 1950s: Beyond Psychology towards Radical Ontology
Authors: Sabot Philippe
Published: May 2022

This paper is based on the archives of Michel Foucault collected (since 2013) at the Manuscripts Department of the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. Our investigation focuses in particular on a complete manuscript, until now totally unknown and entitled ‘ Phénoménologie et psychologie’ (‘Phenomenology and Psychology’). This manuscript could be the first project for a thesis devoted to ‘The Notion of the “World” in Phenomenology’, written around 1953–4, at the same time as a manuscript on Binswanger and existential psychiatry and as a manuscript on philosophical anthropology. We aim to show the importance that phenomenology seems to have held for Foucault at the beginning of the 1950s and in particular the role that it could have played in Foucault’s distancing himself from a naturalist psychology and a philosophy of consciousness to which he opposes a philosophy of the world, of being and of language. Foucault thus discovers a truth of the phenomenology which rests on the radicality of the transcendental gesture and on the access to an ontology gathering the being, the meaning and the language.
Non-invasive angiographic analysis of dural carotid cavernous fistula using time-of-flight MR angiography and silent MR angiography: a comparative study
Authors: Kandasamy Sathish , Kannath Santhosh Kumar , Enakshy Rajana Jayadevan , Kesavadas Chandrasekaran , Thomas Bejoy
Published: May 2022

Background

A non-invasive, reliable imaging modality that characterizes cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (CSDAVF) is beneficial for diagnosis and to assess resolution on follow-up.

Purpose

To assess the utility of 3D time-of-flight (TOF) and silent magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for evaluation of CSDAVF from an endovascular perspective.

Material and Methods

This prospective study included 37 patients with CSDAVF, who were subjected to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and 3-T MR imaging with 3D TOF and silent MRA. The main arterial feeders, fistula site, and venous drainage pattern were evaluated, and the results were compared with DSA findings. The diagnostic confidence scores were also recorded using a 4-point Likert scale.

Results

Silent MRA correlated better for shunt site localization and angiographic classification (86% vs. 75% and 83% vs. 75%, respectively) compared to TOF MRA. The proportion of arterial feeders detected was marginally significant for silent MRA over TOF MRA sequences (92.8% vs. 89.5%; P=0.048), though for veins both were comparable. Sensitivity of silent MRA was higher for identification of cortical venous reflux (CVR) (90.9% vs. 81.8%) and deep venous drainage (82.4% vs. 64.7%), while specificity was >90% for both modalities. The overall diagnostic confidence score fared better for silent MRA for venous assessment ( P < 0.001) as well as fistula point identification ( P < 0.001), while no significant difference was evident with TOF MRA for arterial feeders ( P=0.06).

Conclusion

Various angiographic components of CSDAVF could be identified and delineated by 3D TOF and silent MRA, though silent MRA was superior for overall diagnostic assessment.
Detection of pitch errors in well-known songs
Authors: Weiss Michael W , Trehub Sandra E
Published: May 2022

We examined pitch-error detection in well-known songs sung with or without meaningful lyrics. In Experiment 1, adults heard the initial phrase of familiar songs sung with lyrics or repeating syllables ( la) and judged whether they heard an out-of-tune note. Half of the renditions had a single pitch error (50 or 100 cents); half were in tune. Listeners were poorer at pitch-error detection in songs with lyrics. In Experiment 2, within-note pitch fluctuations in the same performances were eliminated by auto-tuning. Again, pitch-error detection was worse for renditions with lyrics (50 cents), suggesting adverse effects of semantic processing. In Experiment 3, songs were sung with repeating syllables or scat syllables to ascertain the role of phonetic variability. Performance was poorer for scat than for repeating syllables, indicating adverse effects of phonetic variability, but overall performance exceeded Experiment 1. In Experiment 4, listeners evaluated songs in all styles (repeating syllables, scat, lyrics) within the same session. Performance was best with repeating syllables (50 cents) and did not differ between scat or lyric versions. In short, tracking the pitches of highly familiar songs was impaired by the presence of words, an impairment stemming primarily from phonetic variability rather than interference from semantic processing.
Compound influence of surface and flexoelectric effects on static bending response of hybrid composite nanorod
Authors: Shingare Kishor Balasaheb , Naskar Susmita
Published: May 2022

Nanoscale beams and rods are extensively used in several nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS) and their applications such as sensors and actuators. The surface and flexoelectricity phenomena have an extensive effect on nanosized structures and are related to their scale-dependent characteristics. This article presents the effect of different surface parameters and flexoelectricity on the electrostatic response of graphene-reinforced hybrid composite (GRHC) nanorods (NRs) using the theory of linear piezoelectricity, Euler-Bernoulli (EB), and Galerkin residual method. Based on these theories, the theoretical and finite element (FE) model is produced to investigate the static bending deflection of GRHC NRs when subjected to point and uniformly distributed load (UDL) considering different boundary conditions: cantilever (FC), fixed-fixed (FF), and simply supported (SS). This proposed FE model provides a useful tool for analyzing and investigating the outcomes of analytical models, which are found to be in good agreement. Our results presented in this article reveal that the effect of surface and flexoelectricity on the static bending response of GRHC NRs is noteworthy. These effects diminish with increased thickness/diameter of NR, and hence, these effects can be neglected for large-sized structures. The results presented here would help to identify the desired electrostatic response of GRHC NRs in terms of static bending response for a range of NEMS using different loading and boundary conditions as well as graphene volume fraction. This current study offers pathways for developing new proficient novel GRHC materials with enhanced control authority and present models can be exploited for numerous other materials as well as line-type structural systems such as beams, wires, rods, column/piers, and piles to study their global response.
Universal Criterion for Interpreting Capacity from Load Tests on Piles
Authors: Kodsy Antonio , Iskander Magued G. , Sampurnanand Pandey Akash
Published: May 2022

Interpretation of field load tests on piles has many important practical and financial implications in foundation engineering practice. However, identifying the ultimate capacity or resistance on a continuous load settlement curve remains elusive. The geotechnical engineering literature abounds with over 40 criteria to aid in interpreting the ultimate capacity from static load tests on deep foundations. These include settlement, settlement rate, offset, and creep criteria, among others. Since the 1990s criteria proposed by Davisson, AASHTO, and New York City Building Code as well as the 5% and 10% of diameter criteria have evolved to become the most routinely specified for all foundations, without assessing their performance or what they have been intended for. This study provides a side-by-side comparison of the performance of these methods in relation to usability, accuracy, precision, and length and diameter effects. In addition, the performance is also compared with the recently developed NYU criterion where the capacity is taken as the smallest of (i) a settlement corresponding to the elastic compression plus 0.75 in.; (ii) the capacity at plunging or strain-softening; or (iii) settlement corresponding to 5% of the pile diameter, unless the settlement threshold is modified by the structural engineer of record. Assessment is made possible using a database of 350 load tests conducted on square and round concrete piles, open and closed steel pipe piles, as well as H-piles. Comparison suggests that the NYU criterion is the most versatile, precise, and accurate among the examined methods.
Influence of Balanced Mix Design Approaches on Pavement Design Making Through an Illustrative Example
Authors: Chkaiban Rami , Hajj Elie , John Thomas Hand Adam
Published: May 2022

Laboratory tests have been developed and used over many years to improve the performance-related predictions of volumetric-based asphalt mix designs. Volumetric property requirements were mainly set for improving field pavement performance. These requirements have been established based on specific material properties. However, with the increased use of innovative and recycled materials, these requirements have shifted from guidelines for achieving a better mix design to guidelines limiting innovation and potential improvements. Therefore, it is time to move toward a balanced mix design (BMD), the ultimate goal of Superpave mix design. According to AASHTO PP 105, four major BMD approaches are available providing different levels of freedom compared with the traditional volumetric-based mix design. In this study, BMD approaches are explored using typical northern Nevada materials. An array of performance tests for rutting and cracking were conducted to evaluate the impact of the test selection on BMD. Moreover, the influence of asphalt mixture components (e.g., binder content, reclaimed asphalt pavement [RAP], recycling agents, gradation) on BMD were investigated. The results show that BMD process conversion is influenced by asphalt mixture properties (e.g., mixtures with similar gradation require different BMD approaches to achieve a well-performing asphalt mixture). Binder content was found to significantly influence BMD performance. In addition, it was concluded that asphalt mixtures with higher RAP content do not necessarily imply worse cracking performance. Furthermore, a poor correlation was observed between asphalt mixture costs and performance, where a mixture with the highest cost did not necessarily yield the best overall performance.
Economic and Environmental Impacts of Platoon Trucks on Pavements
Authors: Zhou Qingwen , Al-Qadi Imad L.
Published: May 2022

Truck platoons can improve traffic efficiency, safety, and driving comfort, while reducing fuel and driving costs. However, continuous channelized trucks may increase pavement damage, therefore increasing maintenance costs. In this study, an economic and environmental evaluation of the impact on pavement structure of platoon trucks was performed. Four common pavement structures—thick pavement with weak surface layer, thick pavement with strong surface layer, thin pavement with weak surface layer, and thin pavement with strong surface layer—were considered. In addition, four platoon schemes (all channelized platoons, all human-driven trucks, mix of platoon and human-driven trucks, and optimized platoons) were utilized in the study. Compared with human-driven traffic, truck platoons optimized with respect to lane position could reduce pavement damage by 60% for fatigue and 33% for rutting; life-cycle cost, energy consumption, and global warming potential could be reduced by 48%, 31%, and 37%, respectively, for the cases studied. A sensitivity analysis was performed to quantify the impacts of pavement roughness on life-cycle cost analysis and life-cycle assessment. Results showed that a 1 in./mi increment increase in the International Roughness Index per year would increase total energy consumption by 1.2% and total cost by 1.9%. The study recommends that an optimized pavement-lane-position strategy be implemented before permitting general truck platoons.
The Risk of Iatrogenic Peroneal Nerve Injury in Lateral Meniscal Repair and Safe Zone to Minimize the Risk Based on Actual Arthroscopic Position: An MRI Study
Authors: Chuaychoosakoon Chaiwat , Boonsri Pattira , Tanutit Pramot , Laohawiriyakamol Teeranan , Boonriong Tanarat , Parinyakhup Wachiraphan
Published: May 2022

Background:

Lateral meniscal repair using an all–inside meniscal repair device involves a risk of iatrogenic peroneal nerve injury. To our knowledge, there have been no previous studies evaluating the risk of injury with the knee in the standard operational figure-of-4 position with joint dilatation in arthroscopic lateral meniscal repair.

Purpose:

To evaluate and compare the risk of peroneal nerve injury and establish the safe and danger zones in repairing the lateral meniscus through the anteromedial, anterolateral, or transpatellar portal in relation to the medial and lateral borders of the popliteal tendon (PT).

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Using axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of knees in the figure-of-4 position with joint fluid dilatation at the level of the lateral meniscus, we drew direct lines to simulate a straight all–inside meniscal repair device deployed from the anteromedial, anterolateral, and transpatellar portals to the medial and lateral borders of the PT. If the line passed through or touched the peroneal nerve, a risk of iatrogenic peroneal nerve injury was noted, and measurements were made to determine the safe and danger zones for peroneal nerve injury in relation to the medial or lateral border of the PT.

Results:

Axial MRI images of 29 adult patients were reviewed. Repairing the lateral meniscus through the anteromedial portal in relation to the lateral border of the PT and through the anterolateral portal in relation to the medial border of the PT had a 0% risk of peroneal nerve injury. The “safe zone” in relation to the medial border of the PT through the anterolateral portal was between the medial border of the PT and 9.62 ± 4.60 mm medially from the same border.

Conclusion:

It is safe to repair the body of the lateral meniscus through the anteromedial portal in the area lateral to the lateral border of the PT or through the anterolateral portal in the area medial to the medial border of the PT.

Clinical Relevance:

There is a risk of iatrogenic peroneal nerve injury during lateral meniscal repair. Thus, we recommend repairing the lateral meniscal tissue through the anteromedial portal in the area lateral to the lateral border of the PT and using the anterolateral portal in the area medial to the medial border of the PT, as neither of these approaches resulted in peroneal nerve injury. Additionally, the surgeon can decrease this risk by repairing the meniscal tissue using the all–inside meniscal device in the safe zone area.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Risk of Suicidal and Self-Harm Thoughts and Behaviour: A Systematic Review
Authors: Sinyor Mark , Zaheer Rabia , Webb Roger T. , Knipe Duleeka , Eyles Emily , Higgins Julian P.T. , McGuinness Luke , Schmidt Lena , Macleod-Hall Catherine , Dekel Dana , Gunnell David , John Ann
Published: May 2022

Objective

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a complex impact on risks of suicide and non-fatal self-harm worldwide with some evidence of increased risk in specific populations including women, young people, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds. This review aims to systematically address whether SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 disease confer elevated risk directly.

Method

As part of a larger Living Systematic Review examining self-harm and suicide during the pandemic, automated daily searches using a broad list of keywords were performed on a comprehensive set of databases with data from relevant articles published between January 1, 2020 and July 18, 2021. Eligibility criteria for our present review included studies investigating suicide and/or self-harm in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 with or without manifestations of COVID-19 disease with a comparator group who did not have infection or disease. Suicidal and self-harm thoughts and behaviour (STBs) were outcomes of interest. Studies were excluded if they reported data for people who only had potential infection/disease without a confirmed exposure, clinical/molecular diagnosis or self-report of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Studies of news reports, treatment studies, and ecological studies examining rates of both SARS-CoV-2 infections and suicide/self-harm rates across a region were also excluded.

Results

We identified 12 studies examining STBs in nine distinct samples of people with SARS-CoV-2. These studies, which investigated STBs in the general population and in subpopulations, including healthcare workers, generally found positive associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 disease and subsequent suicidal/self-harm thoughts and suicidal/self-harm behaviour.

Conclusions

This review identified some evidence that infection with SARS-CoV-2 and/or COVID-19 disease may be associated with increased risks for suicidal and self-harm thoughts and behaviours but a causal link cannot be inferred. Further research with longer follow-up periods is required to confirm these findings and to establish whether these associations are causal.
Strategy Uptake in Writing Pal: Adaptive Feedback and Instruction
Authors: Butterfuss Reese , Roscoe Rod D. , Allen Laura K. , McCarthy Kathryn S. , McNamara Danielle S.
Published: May 2022

The present study examined the extent to which adaptive feedback and just-in-time writing strategy instruction improved the quality of high school students’ persuasive essays in the context of the Writing Pal (W-Pal). W-Pal is a technology-based writing tool that integrates automated writing evaluation into an intelligent tutoring system. Students wrote a pretest essay, engaged with W-Pal’s adaptive instruction over the course of four training sessions, and then completed a posttest essay. For each training session, W-Pal differentiated strategy instruction for each student based on specific weaknesses in the initial training essays prior to providing the opportunity to revise. The results indicated that essay quality improved overall from pretest to posttest with respect to holistic quality, as well as several specific dimensions of essay quality, particularly for students with lower literacy skills. Moreover, students’ scores on some of the training essays improved from the initial to revised version on the dimensions of essay quality that were targeted by instruction, whereas scores did not improve on the dimensions that were not targeted by instruction. Overall, the results suggest that W-Pal’s adaptive strategy instruction can improve the quality of students’ essays overall, as well as more specific dimensions of essay quality.
Effect of High Altitude on the Survival of COVID-19 Patients in Intensive Care Unit: A Cohort Study
Authors: Jibaja Manuel , Roldan-Vasquez Estefania , Rello Jordi , Shen Hua , Maldonado Nelson , Grunauer Michelle , Díaz Ana María , García Fernanda , Ramírez Vanessa , Sánchez Hernán , Barberán José Luis , Paredes Juan Pablo , Cevallos Mónica , Montenegro Francisco , Puertas Soraya , Briones Killen , Martínez Marlon , Vélez-Páez Jorge , Montalvo-Villagómez Mario , Herrera Luis , Garrido Santiago , Sisa Ivan
Published: May 2022

Purpose: The effect of high altitude ( ≥ 1500 m) and its potential association with mortality by COVID-19 remains controversial. We assessed the effect of high altitude on the survival/discharge of COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission for mechanical ventilation compared to individuals treated at sea level. Methods: A retrospective cohort multi-center study of consecutive adults patients with a positive RT-PCR test for COVID-19 who were mechanically ventilated between March and November 2020. Data were collected from two sea-level hospitals and four high-altitude hospitals in Ecuador. The primary outcome was ICU and hospital survival/discharge. Survival analysis was conducted using semi-parametric Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Of the study population (n = 670), 35.2% were female with a mean age of 58.3 ± 12.6 years. On admission, high-altitude patients were more likely to be younger (57.2 vs. 60.5 years old), presented with less comorbidities such as hypertension (25.9% vs. 54.9% with p-value <.001) and diabetes mellitus (20.5% vs. 37.2% with p-value <.001), less probability of having a capillary refill time > 3 sec (13.7% vs. 30.1%, p-value <.001), and less severity-of-illness condition (APACHE II score, 17.5 ± 8.1 vs. 20 ± 8.2, p < .01). After adjusting for key confounders high altitude is associated with significant higher probabilities of ICU survival/discharge (HR: 1.74 [95% CI: 1.46-2.08]) and hospital survival/discharge (HR: 1.35 [95% CI: 1.18-1.55]) than patients treated at sea level. Conclusions: Patients treated at high altitude at any time point during the study period were 74% more likely to experience ICU survival/discharge and 35% more likely to experience hospital survival/discharge than to the sea-level group. Possible reasons for these findings are genetic and physiological adaptations due to exposure to chronic hypoxia.
Double Consciousness of Black Millennial Consumers: Their Experiences in the Retail Space
Authors: Hogans Kristian , Lyu Jewon
Published: May 2022

Black consumers have been long overlooked as a major consumer base in the United States, despite their increasing buying power. Few scholars have investigated the factors that influence the purchase behaviors of Black millennial consumers (BMC). Persistent discrimination in retail spaces creates psychological effects leaving BMCs in potentially harmful environments that may alter their consciousness. The racialized environment is central in the conceptualization of Black Critical Theory and W.E.B Du Bois’ double consciousness. Through these lenses, we investigate BMCs’ shopping experiences, in-store perceptions, and purchase intentions in retail spaces. Semi-structured interviews with 10 consumers who self-identified as Black and millennial were conducted. Situations of double consciousness are revealed and explored in the context of shopping in retail spaces. Our study findings are expected to make important contributions by centering relevant and authentic voices of BMCs. Future areas of research are suggested to produce more equitable, safe, and welcoming retail environments.
The Hidden Cost of Trustworthiness
Authors: Mitchell George E. , Calabrese Thad D.
Published: May 2022

The theory of the nonprofit institutional form developed by Henry Hansmann emphasizes the importance of organizational trustworthiness in a sector defined by hard-to-measure outputs. This body of theory effectually rationalizes a normative approach to nonprofit financial management focused on maintaining organizational trustworthiness through fiscal probity signaling. Such signals include measurable indicators of overhead minimization, fiscal leanness, revenue diversification, and debt avoidance, among others. Appropriate signaling behavior may increase organizational trustworthiness as intended, but the effects on mission impact are not well understood. Thus, this article assesses how adherence to common fiscal probity norms affects mission impact, using total spending as a proxy. Based on a panel of donative public charities spanning 1982 to 2019, analysis suggests that norm-adhering nonprofits sacrifice about half of their mission impact over a 10-year period compared with norm-busting nonprofits. This forgone mission impact is the hidden cost of trustworthiness.
Fabrication and grinding performance of CVD diamond abrasive tool
Authors: Lu Ming , Wang Hua , Song Xin , Sun Fanghong
Published: May 2022

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method has become a new choice for the fabrication of diamond grinding tools with excellent wear resistance. Different diamond abrasive particles were deposited on the lapping and sandblasting pretreated silicon nitride ceramic substrate by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method to fabricate CVD diamond abrasive tools. To analyze the influence of pretreatment methods on adhesion strength, the micromorphology, surface roughness, Raman stress, and Rockwell indentation of CVD diamond abrasive tools with different parameters were characterized. Meanwhile, grinding tests on cemented carbide wire drawing dies were carried out, and the grinding performance of different abrasive particles was evaluated. The results show that sandblasting pretreatment can increase the matrix surface roughness, accelerate the growth of diamond abrasive particles and improve the adhesion between the abrasive layer and substrate, and the CVD diamond grinding tool with sandblasting pretreatment substrate and coarse particle has the best dust removal ability and the longest grinding life. The cemented carbide grinding tests of the CVD diamond grinding tool and electroplated diamond grinding tool with the same particle size are processed and compared, it shows that the grinding life of the CVD diamond grinding tool is longer, and the surface roughness value of the workpiece is lower than that of the electroplated diamond grinding tool.
A dual-loop waveform distortion suppression method for electromagnetic vibrators at low frequencies
Authors: Gao Yu , Chen Hongjiang , He Wen , Liu Qian
Published: May 2022

The total harmonic distortions (THDs) of output acceleration waveforms from an electromagnetic vibrator are always large due to the nonlinear stiffness, damping and magnetic intensity, which will affect the vibration calibration precision. To suppress THDs of output acceleration waveforms, a dual-loop waveform distortion suppression method based on current and velocity feedback for electromagnetic vibrators at low frequencies is presented. A counter electromotive force compensator is adopted in the current loop to remove the coupling between the current loop and velocity loop, which improves the performance of the current loop. Besides, a damping adjuster is adopted in the velocity loop to increase the damping ratio, which can improve dynamic characteristics and reduce waveform distortions when the multiple working frequencies coincide with the resonant frequency. Finally, the cooperation of the outer velocity loop and the inner current loop reduces THDs of acceleration waveforms effectively. Especially, the vibration velocity for the velocity loop is extracted by a secondary coil instead of commercial sensors, which is coaxially and separately wound around the driving coil of the electromagnetic vibrator. The proposed method is analyzed in simulation and verified by experiments, whose results show that the THDs of output acceleration waveforms are well restrained from 25% before feedback to less than 3% after feedback at low frequencies.
Impact on Poly(Vinyl chloride) of trimethoprim schiff bases as stabilizers
Authors: Al-Tikrity Emaad TB , Yaseen Anaheed A , Yousif Emad , Ahmed Dina S , Al-Mashhadani Mohammed H
Published: May 2022

Poly(vinyl chloride) PVC materials are used in many industrial and household outdoor applications which exposed to sunlight ultraviolet. This exposure motivates photo-degradation of the PVC and hence, reduces its life time and leads to undesirable physical properties. Herein, three new Schiff bases containing a trimethoprim moiety were investigated as photo-stabilizers for poly(vinyl chloride) against photo-decomposition. Merely 0.5% by weight of these Schiff bases was mixed with the polymer to form blend films with thickness of (40 µm). The films were irradiated for a period of time from 0 to 300 h and the irradiation impact on the PVC stabilization was monitored every 50 h. The efficiency of these additives as photo-stabilizers was investigated as a function of different parameters during the course of irradiation, such as weight loss, growing carbonyl and alkene groups as well as the surface morphology of the prepared films. The changes during irradiation were obvious for the blank films in comparison to the films containing the new additives. Therefore, these Schiff bases were found to act as photo-degradation inhibitors through reducing the elimination of hydrogen chloride molecules and as free radical scavengers or peroxide decomposers.
Effect of surface roughness of electroplating chromium coated steel on bonding strength of polymer coated steel
Authors: Zhang Qingdong , Yu Mingyang , Zhang Boyang , Li Hao
Published: May 2022

The effect of surface roughness of electroplating chromium coated steel on bonding strength of polymer coated steel has been investigated in this paper. The experimental results have shown that the electroplating chromium coated steel with different surface roughness could be obtained through the substrate surface treatment before the electroplating process. The peeling test results have shown that the peeling force of the polymer coated steel would increase with the increase of surface roughness of the electroplating chromium coated steel, but the increase rate would become slow gradually. With the increase of surface roughness of electroplating chromium coated steel, the PET film would be damaged locally and some polymer residues would remain on the electroplating chromium coated steel; when the bonding force is large enough, the plating shedding would occur on the electroplating chromium coated steel. With the appearance of the polymer residues and the occurrence of plating shedding, the failure mode of polymer coated steel would transform from adhesion failure mode to the mixed failure mode.