bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spectral analysis of acoustic plane waves in ductworks with uniform and varying cross-section waveguides
Authors: Ahmida Khaled M
Published: May 2023

The problem of low-frequency sound propagation in ducts involving varying cross-sections is analyzed. Spectral finite element formulations for the dynamic analysis of varying cross-section ducts are presented as tapered spectral elements. These elements can be used in connected waveguides through dynamic stiffness relations. Linear and polynomial duct types are considered. The elements’ shape functions are established as well as the dynamic stiffness matrices describing the spectral relation between the acoustic pressure and the volume velocity. The presented spectral approach describes the acoustic wave motion at any position along arbitrary multiply connected duct waveguides within the one-dimensional plane-wave assumption. The derived expressions are verified experimentally, and by comparison with 3-D finite element solutions. The modeling of varying cross-section duct waveguides can play an important role in the design of acoustic excitation devices and horn-type loudspeakers. The advantage of the presented formulations lies in the low computational cost when compared to the finite element approach.
The new shift perturbation method with applications to vibrational problems
Authors: Pakdemirli Mehmet
Published: May 2023

Employing variable horizontal and vertical shifts for the unperturbed solution, a new perturbation method is proposed. The new method is named as the shift perturbation method. The existing perturbation methods are interpreted with respect to the horizontal and vertical shifts for the unperturbed solution. The new method is applied to some well-known vibrational problems. The method is capable of producing admissible approximate solutions for a wide range of problems such as the free and forced vibrations of the Duffing equation, equations with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities, variable amplitude nonlinear problems, and boundary layer problems. A variant of the method also produced valid solutions for large perturbation parameters.
Students’ Risks for Out-of-School Suspensions: Indigenous Heritage and Child Protective Services Involvement
Authors: Cho Minhae , Yoon Young Ji , Flanagan Shelby K. , Haight Wendy
Published: May 2023

Disproportionality in out-of-school suspensions (OSS) is a persistent social and racial justice issue. Available research indicates that Indigenous children are disproportionately represented in both OSS and the child protective services (CPS) system. This secondary data analysis followed a cohort of 3rd grade students ( n = 60,025) in Minnesota public schools from 2008– 2014. It examined the relationship between CPS involvement, Indigenous heritage, and OSS. Results from a zero-inflated negative binomial regression indicated that Indigenous students had two times the odds of suspension compared to white students (OR = 2.06, p < .001). Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between CPS involvement and Indigeneity on frequency of OSS (OR = 0.88, p < .05). Indigenous students showed a much higher odds ratio of OSS compared to white students, but the distance between the odds ratios of the two groups decreased as the number of child maltreatment allegations increased. Indigenous students may experience relatively high levels of both CPS and OSS due to systematic racism. We discussed implications for practice and policy to reduce discipline disparities.
Commentary: The Legal System Response to Child Maltreatment
Authors: Cross Theodore P. , Block Stephanie D. , Vandervort Frank E.
Published: May 2023

Legal actions are perhaps the most powerful responses to child maltreatment. Criminal and child protection investigation and forensic interviewing can provide the evidence needed to support a child victim’s disclosure. Prosecution of child maltreatment can hold perpetrators accountable. Juvenile and family court actions can provide for children’s safety and oversee their care in state custody and journey to a permanent home. This commentary introduces readers to a special issue of the journal  Child Maltreatment that focuses on the legal system response to child abuse and neglect. We provide an overview of the issue’s 11 research articles and additional commentary. These works provide crucial new knowledge on gaining information from child victims involved in the legal system, on the law enforcement and prosecution response to child maltreatment, and on the legal framework supporting child protection.
Prevalence of active and passive smoking among asthma and asthma-associated emergency admissions: a nationwide prevalence survey study
Authors: Balan Irina , Mahmood Syed Nazeer , Jaiswal Richa , Pleshkova Yelena , Manivannan Divya , Negit Shayaan , Shah Viraj , Desai Prarthana , Akula Narayana Varalakshmi , Nawaz Muhammad Umair , Gurram Namratha , Tirupathi Raghavendra , Patel Urvish , Venkata Vikramaditya Samala
Published: May 2023

Asthma affects 7% of children and 8% of adults in the United States. There is a paucity of studies examining the association between passive smoking and an increased risk of asthma exacerbations that led the authors to examine the association between various modes of smoking and rates of asthma exacerbations. A retrospective cross-sectional/case-control study was conducted using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset (2013–2018). Out of 312,979 respondents, 35,758 (11.43%) had a history of asthma, 9083 (2.9%) had asthma attacks in the past year, and 4731 (1.51%) had asthma-related emergency room admissions in the past year. Prevalence of asthma-related emergency admissions were higher among active cigarette smoking (46.25 vs 35.46%), e-cigarette smoking (26.63 vs 16.07%), and passive smoking at home (37.53 vs 25.67%), workplace passive smoking (14.35 vs 12.11%), in bar (32.38 vs 26.16%), and car (26.21 vs 14.44%) (p < 0.0001). In multivariate regression analysis, we found regular cigarette smoking (OR 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.009–1.260, p = 0.0252), e-cigarette (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.92–2.36, p = 0.0043), cigar use (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.1–1.33, p < 0.001), ultra-long cigarette length (OR 4.85, 95% CI 3.33–7.06, p < 0.0001), and passive smoking (OR 5.25, 95% CI 3.43–8.06, p < 0.0001) were associated with increased rates of asthma exacerbations over last 12 months. The study shows increased odds of asthma exacerbations among those using ultra-long cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and cigars. Consequently, passive inhalation from even a single smoker in the home, workplace, bars and cars is associated with worsening outcomes in asthma patients.
Short- and long-term outcomes of patients with hyper or hypothyroidism following COVID vaccine
Authors: Markus Efrat , Bel-Ange Anat , Benbassat Carlos , Steinschneider Miriam , Koren Ronit
Published: May 2023

Since the beginning of the wide-scale anti-Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program, sporadic cases of thyroid disease following vaccination have been reported. We describe 19 consecutive cases of COVID vaccine-related thyroid disease. Medical records were reviewed for 9 patients with Graves’ disease (GD) and 10 with Thyroiditis, all of whom were diagnosed following COVID-19 vaccination. In the GD group, the median age was 45.5 years, female/male(F/M) ratio 5:4, thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins were elevated in seven patients. The median time from vaccination to diagnosis was 3 months. Methimazole treatment was given to all but one patient. At a median follow-up of 8.5 months from vaccination, three patients were still on methimazole, five went into remission (data were missing for one). In the Thyroiditis group, the median age was 47 years, the F/M ratio 7:3. Thyroiditis was diagnosed after the first, second, and third doses in one, two, and seven patients, respectively. The median time from vaccination to diagnosis was 2 months. TPO antibodies were positive in three patients. All patients were euthyroid off medication at the last visit. Six patients were diagnosed in the hypothyroid phase at 2.5 months from vaccination. Four resolved spontaneously at 3, 6, 4, and 8 months; the other two were treated with thyroxine at 1.5 and 2 months from vaccination and remained on treatment at their last visit, at 11.5 and 8.5 months, respectively. Thyroid disease should be included among possible complications of COVID-19 vaccine and either a late onset or delayed diagnosis should be considered.
Retrospective study of feline tracheal mass lesions
Authors: Kanemoto Hideyuki , Fujiwara-Igarashi Aki , Kobayashi Tetsuya , Harada Kei , Ichimata Masanao , Kim Sangho , Hosoya Kenji , Tomiyasu Hirotaka , Ohmi Aki , Tsujimoto Hajime
Published: May 2023

Objectives

This multicentre, retrospective observational study aimed to describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, treatment and outcomes of cats with tracheal masses.

Methods

Eighteen cats from five academic or secondary/tertiary animal hospitals were included.

Results

The median age at diagnosis was 10.7 years (mean 9.5; range 1–17). There were nine castrated males, seven spayed females, one intact male and one intact female. Fourteen (78%) were domestic shorthairs, one (6%) was an Abyssinian, one (6%) was an American Shorthair, one (6%) was a Bengal and one (6%) was a Scottish Fold. The most common presenting complaints included chronic respiratory distress or dyspnoea (n = 14), followed by wheezing/gagging (n = 12), coughing (n = 5) and voice changes (n = 5). There was cervical tracheal involvement in 16/18, and two showed involvement of the intrathoracic trachea. The following methods were used for diagnosis: ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (UG-FNB) and cytology (n = 8), bronchoscopic forceps biopsy and histopathology (n = 5), surgical resection and histopathology (n = 3), forceps biopsy via an endotracheal tube (n = 1) and histology of tissue sputtered from a cough (n = 1). Lymphoma was most often diagnosed (n = 15), followed by adenocarcinoma (n = 2) and squamous cell carcinoma (n = 1). Most lymphoma cases received chemotherapy with or without radiation according to various protocols, and partial (n = 5) or complete responses (n = 8) were noted. Kaplan–Meier survival data for cats with lymphoma revealed a median survival time of 214 days (95% confidence interval >149 days), which was significantly longer than that of other types of tumours (21 days).

Conclusions and relevance

Lymphoma was the most prevalent diagnosis, and showed a good response to chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy. Various diagnostic procedures were performed, and UG-FNB and cytology are good diagnostic procedures for cervical tracheal lesions. Owing to the variety of treatment protocols at different centres, it was impossible to compare outcomes.
Recent advances in nanotechnology for the treatment of fungal keratitis
Authors: Zhang Fang , Zhang Jingjing , Zhang Weifen
Published: May 2023

Fungal keratitis (FK) is a serious pathogenic disease usually associated with serious ocular complications. The current mainstay of treatment for FK is topical eye drops; however, poor corneal penetration, low bioavailability of the drug and the need to administer high and frequent doses due to the presence of an effective clearance mechanism in the eye result in poor patient compliance. Nanocarriers can extend the duration of drug action through sustained and controlled release of the drug, protect the drug from ocular enzymes and help overcome ocular barriers. In this review, we discussed the mechanisms of action of antifungal drugs, the theoretical basis for the treatment of FK, and recent advances in the clinical treatment of FK. We have summarized the results of research into the most promising nanocarriers for ocular drug delivery and highlight their efficacy and safety in the therapy.
Ultrasound guided cannulation of the right subclavian vein via a supraclavicular approach for the placement of a ventriculoatrial shunt
Authors: Boskovic Stefan , Weber Stefan , Kim Se-Chan
Published: May 2023

Central venous cannulation is usually performed via the internal jugular vein (IJV) or subclavian vein (SclV) using the Seldinger technique. The puncture of the SclV can be achieved supraclavicular which was described by Yoffa in 1965. The original approach by Yoffa is based on anatomical landmarks. Ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts in patients suffering from hydrocephalus are becoming more common. It is the procedure of choice in patients with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt complications. We present a case of a female patient with a complex cervical venous anatomy and an obscure inaccessible right internal jugular vein (IJV). Subsequently, we decided to use an ultrasound guided supraclavicular approach to the right subclavian vein for implantation of a VA shunt.
A Social Network Analysis Approach to Evaluate the Relationship Between the Mobility Network Metrics and the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Ilbeigipour Sadegh , Teimourpour Babak
Published: May 2023

The emergence of the new coronavirus in late 2019 further highlighted the human need for solutions to explore various aspects of deadly pandemics. Providing these solutions will enable humans to be more prepared for dealing with possible future pandemics. In addition, it helps governments implement strategies to tackle and control infectious diseases similar to COVID-19 faster than ever before. In this article, we used the social network analysis (SNA) method to identify high-risk areas of the new coronavirus in Iran. First, we developed the mobility network through the transfer of passengers (edges) between the provinces (nodes) of Iran and then evaluated the in-degree and page rank centralities of the network. Next, we developed 2 Poisson regression (PR) models to predict high-risk areas of the disease in different populations (moderator) using the mobility network centralities (independent variables) and the number of patients (dependent variable). The P-value of .001 for both prediction models confirmed a meaningful interaction between our variables. Besides, the PR models revealed that in higher populations, with the increase of network centralities, the number of patients increases at a higher rate than in lower populations, and vice versa. In conclusion, our method helps governments impose more restrictions on high-risk areas to handle the COVID-19 outbreak and provides a viable solution for accelerating operations against future pandemics similar to the coronavirus.
Long-Term Care Resident Health and Quality of Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Synthesis Analysis of Canadian Institute for Health Information Data Tables
Authors: Turcotte Luke Andrew , McArthur Caitlin , Poss Jeff W , Heckman George , Mitchell Lori , Morris John , Foebel Andrea D , Hirdes John P
Published: May 2023

Objective:

Long-term care (LTC) homes (“nursing homes”) were challenged during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on resident admission and discharge rates, resident health attributes, treatments, and quality of care.

Design:

Synthesis analysis of “Quick Stats” standardized data table reports published yearly by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. These reports are a pan-Canadian scorecard of LTC services rendered, resident health characteristics, and quality indicator performance.

Setting and participants:

LTC home residents in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario, Canada that were assessed with the interRAI Minimum Data Set 2.0 comprehensive health assessment in fiscal years 2018/2019, 2019/2020 (pre-pandemic period), and 2020/2021 (pandemic period).

Methods:

Risk ratio statistics were calculated to compare admission and discharge rates, validated interRAI clinical summary scale scores, medication, therapy and treatment provision, and seventeen risk-adjusted quality indicator rates from the pandemic period relative to prior fiscal years.

Results:

Risk of dying in the LTC home was greater in all provinces (risk ratio [RR] range 1.10 to 1.29) during the pandemic. Quality of care worsened substantially on 6 of 17 quality indicators in British Columbia and Ontario, and 2 quality indicators in Manitoba and Alberta. The only quality indicator where performance worsened during the pandemic in all provinces was the percentage of residents that received antipsychotic medications without a diagnosis of psychosis (RR range 1.02 - 1.16).

Conclusions and implications:

The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled numerous areas to strengthen LTC and ensure that resident’s physical, social, and psychological needs are addressed during public health emergencies. Except an increase in potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use, this provincial-level analysis indicates that most aspects of resident care were maintained during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fatigue life evaluation on wire rope suspenders of the suspension bridge based on a time-varying degradation process
Authors: Li Guangling , Han Wanshui , Zhang Yumin , Weng Guangyuan
Published: May 2023

Suspenders are critical force transmission components of a suspension bridge and may be more prone to fatigue damage due to environmental aggression and repetitive live loads. To evaluate the safety of the suspender more accurately, a fatigue life evaluation framework of the rope suspender was proposed, where a time-varying fretting-corrosion-fatigue degradation process of the rope wire and probabilistic critical limit states based on failure area were integrated. A case study on the rope suspenders of a prototype suspension bridge was performed under the random vehicle and wind loads, and the reliability indices and fatigue life of the rope suspender were obtained. Results show that the fretting wear had an obvious effect on the degradation process of the wire rope in conjunction with corrosion fatigue, and the fatigue life of the rope suspender would be less than its design life. The proposed method can comprehensively evaluate the service life of wire rope suspenders and provide replacement suggestions more timely, ensuring the safety of the bridge operation.
Governing education, governing early childhood education and care practitioners’ profession?
Authors: Pesonen Jaana , Valkonen Satu
Published: May 2023

Neo-liberal values affect early childhood education through the production of specific teacher subjectivities. These subjectivities are connected not only to the logic of competition, but also to competing definitions of worth, trust and values, as demonstrated by data. Neo-liberal values of accountability are also intertwined with the traditional discourse of child-centred learning. This study contributes to research concerning early childhood education and care staff’s professionalism by focusing on the effects of the commercialization of early childhood education and care teachers’ understanding of their work. With survey data (161 responses) collected from the five largest municipalities in Finland, the authors examine the reasoning that early childhood education and care staff provide for choosing commercial as well as non-commercial digital applications, licensed programmes and ready-made learning materials. The research is highly topical since the number of innovations targeted at early childhood education and care is increasing. Digitalization opens new ways for the privatization and marketization of education by introducing appealing commercially produced programmes and materials. In this study, the authors show how the advertising of these innovations as providing ‘easy solutions’ to improve either children's learning or early childhood education and care practitioners’ working time has become a discourse through which teachers and other staff members evaluate their work and their professionalism. In addition, the authors suggest that Finnish early childhood education and care practitioners seem to have internalized the pressure to enhance efficiency and accountability in early childhood education and care.
Experimental investigation for the different blend ratios of kerosene with diesel on the exergetic performance of a small-scale turbojet engine for UAV missions
Authors: Yucer Cem Tahsin , Nacakli Yavuz
Published: May 2023

The main purpose of this study is to experimentally analyze the exergetic performance of a small-scale turbojet engine that can be used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) when different blend ratios of kerosene with diesel are necessary, like in extraordinary situations. Comparative analysis was performed to understand the effects of the use of various diesel rates on the jet engine’s performance. To maintain air operations when refueling is required, easy-reachable fuels can help for short but important periods. In cases when there is a need for the use of a quick-reachable fuel in war conditions, diesel may be a suitable fuel. The UAV turbojet engine consists of a radial compressor, an annular combustion chamber, an axial turbine, and a propelling nozzle. The compressor, combustion chamber, turbine, and nozzle were evaluated by using the exergy analysis method. The performance parameters to evaluate the turbojet engine components were specific fuel consumption, thrust, overall exergy efficiency, and air-to-fuel ratio. The turbojet engine was operated at different throttle settings to monitor the changes in the performance parameters. As a result of using different kerosene and diesel fuel blends at different throttle settings, it was observed that the findings were consistent. Generally, the maximum exergy efficiencies took place in the turbine except for the full throttle settings. The minimum exergy efficiencies belonged to the nozzle. It was observed that irrespective of which fuel blend was used, thrust specific fuel consumption values decreased as the throttle setting increased. On the other hand, thrust values, overall exergy efficiencies, and air-to-fuel ratios had an increasing trend as the throttle setting was increased.
Insulin biobetters and biosimilars in clinical practice
Authors: Home Philip
Published: May 2023

Insulin injections have never been an entirely satisfactory therapy, and as a result a continuing ‘biobetter’ technological cascade has driven changes in purity and manufacture, in structure and excipients, and in administration devices. The resulting deck of insulin preparations has to be matched by health-care teams and users with individual need. This latter is itself a complex ranging from ambulatory care in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the topic generally addressed by guidelines and funding advice, to in-patient care and the newly diagnosed, plus secondary diabetes with very different effects on insulin need, through to co-morbidities and medications interfering with glucose metabolism. In this article the match of different clinical scenarios to the available insulins is discussed in the context of available evidence, quality guidelines, and diabetes best practice. Additionally the role of biosimilars of the insulin analogues is addressed, their limited but useful price advantage, and the management consequences of substitution for the originator product.
Designing and Evaluating Opioid Misuse Prevention Training for Rural Communities and Health Care Providers
Authors: Eschbach Cheryl L. , Arnetz Bengt B. , Arnetz Judith E.
Published: May 2023

Through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funding, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension partnered with MSU’s Family Medicine and Health Department of Northwest Michigan to implement trainings for community members and health care providers to increase awareness and improve prevention efforts addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. We formed the Michigan Substance Use Prevention, Education and Recovery (MiSUPER) project to design and evaluate opioid misuse prevention trainings. A socio-ecological prevention model was an underlying conceptual framework for this project and drove strategies used in trainings, products created, and measurement. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of one-time online educational training events for rural community members and health care providers on community OUD issues, treatment options, and supports for those in recovery. Between 2020 and 2022, rural participants completed pre- and posttraining, and 30-day follow-up evaluation surveys. We report the demographic characteristics of community ( n = 451) and provider ( n = 59) participants, self-reported knowledge gained, and overall perceptions of the trainings. Findings show community members’ knowledge increased from pre- to posttraining ( p < .001) and was maintained at 3 months, while providers’ knowledge was unchanged over time. Posttraining, community participants felt more comfortable speaking about addiction with family and friends ( p < .001), and providers had better knowledge of local resources for patients who could not afford opioid misuse treatments ( p < .05). All participants reported gaining knowledge of community resources for opioid misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery ( p < .01). Opioid misuse prevention trainings may be most effective when adapted to leverage local resources.
Research on optimal matching of vehicle suspension parameters for improving vehicle ride comfort on bump road
Authors: Gao Jin , Han Peifeng
Published: May 2023

A rigid-flexible dynamics model is built. In view of established 7-DOF vibration model, the expressions of the output indexes are derived and the influence mechanism of suspension parameters on ride comfort is revealed. The effects of different vehicle speeds on ride comfort on bump road are studied in the frequency and time domains by analyzing the suspension dynamic disturbance by taking the vertical acceleration of the foot floor and seat rail, the wheel dynamic loads, and the suspension dynamic deflections of the suspension as the objects of analysis. The effects of dynamic changes in the suspension spring and damper parameters on the time and frequency domain response indices are analyzed. Two window functions are used on the bump road to process and analyze the time domain charts of the front and rear of foot floors and seat rails in the vertical direction, and the [Formula: see text] values of the global and local vibrations of the foot floor and seat rail obtained are used as one of the evaluation indicators of ride comfort. The evaluation index of the total vehicle considering local and global vibration is determined, and the suspension parameters are collaboratively optimized by genetic algorithm to improve vehicle ride comfort.
Examining the prevalence and type of technology-use in people with Down syndrome: Perspectives from parents and caregivers
Authors: Morris Su , Farran Emily K. , Gilligan-Lee Katie A.
Published: May 2023

Familiarity with technology has become a requirement for independent living, however there is limited information on technology access and use for people with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study is to describe technology, gaming, and social-media use in people with DS. Parents/caregivers ( N = 220) of individuals with DS aged 5–35 years (49% female) completed an online questionnaire. They felt that technology and social media use, and to a lesser extent gaming, played an important role in their son/daughter’s life. However, many had concerns about their son/daughter’s safety online, and identified challenges they faced with using technology, such as using a mouse and speech recognition. We also found substantial parental interest in learning more about technology-use in DS, particularly the impact of using social media. This paper summarises important details about technology-use in people with DS, providing foundational information for the design of effective technology-based activities and support.
Increased revision rates in shoulder arthroplasty following shoulder arthroscopy
Authors: Sharma Sribava , Berger Peter Z , Fassihi Safa C , Gu Alex , Stadecker Monica , Tarawneh Omar H , Campbell Joshua C , Best Matthew J , McFarland Ed G , Srikumaran Uma
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse TSA (rTSA) are successful treatments for end-stage shoulder arthritis. However, it is unknown whether prior arthroscopy is associated with an increased risk for revision surgery. This study investigates if undergoing a shoulder arthroscopy in the year prior to primary arthroplasty increases risk of revision surgery within 2 years.

Methods

Patients who underwent TSA or rTSA between 2005 and 2017 were identified in a natinal claims database and stratified into two cohorts: (1) individuals with a history of shoulder arthroscopy prior to arthroplasty and (2) individuals with no documented history of arthroscopy prior to arthroplasty. These cohorts were propensity matched based on demographic and comorbidity factors. Univariate analysis was used to determine differences in revision rates, aseptic loosening, periprosthetic fracture, and infection between the two cohorts.

Results

Seven hundred and eighty-eight patients were successfully matched from the two cohorts. Revision surgery (3.4% vs. 1.4%, p  =  0.001) and aseptic loosening (2.2% vs. 0.8% p  =  0.021) were significantly more common in the arthroscopy cohort. Periprosthetic fracture and periprosthetic infection were not found to be significantly different between cohorts.

Discussion

Shoulder arthroscopy in the year prior to shoulder arthroplasty is associated with an increased risk of complications, including revision and aseptic loosening.
What kind of internet memes do you like? People's preference for the memes expressing the positivity, humor, aggression emotions
Authors: Ying Xiaoping , Wang Yuechen , Fu Ally Aoxue , Luo Jing
Published: May 2023

Although various internet memes (IMs) were disseminated and popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic, the degree to which people appreciate them is unclear. In this study, people's appreciation of three kinds of typical IMs, which respectively conveyed the humorous (H-IM), encouraging (E-IM), and aggressive (A-IM) feelings towards the pandemic and the consequences it brought about, along with one objective description (OD) serving as the control condition, were compared. The results showed that the E-IMs and H-IMs were significantly more appreciated and loved than the A-IMs, thus supporting the prediction of positive psychology and humor regulation of negative emotion but failing to support the theory of psychology catharsis that emphasizes the need of making aggression to release tense and angry feelings caused by the pandemic. The results also showed that creativity played a mediating role for the positivity component in E-IMs and the humor component in H-IMs when predicting their fondness ratings. For the H-IMs, creativity could even fully mediate the impact of humor for exerting regulation effects on negative emotions evoked by the pandemic-related affairs such as home quarantine. This result revealed the creative nature of the IMs and showed that IMs are a kind of insightful cognitive restructuring that people make as a creative adaption to unfavorably changed situations caused by the pandemic.
Edward W. Soja's Radical Spatial Perspective
Authors: Bloch Stefano , Brasdefer Thomas
Published: May 2023

Edward W. Soja saw early in his career that “it is now space more than time, geography more than history, that hides consequences from us.” His life-long scholarly project centered around this contention, inspiring his advocacy of a socio-spatial dialectic, his contribution to the so-called “spatial turn,” and his fervent belief that all matters of justice are matters of geography, necessitating the “reassertion of space in critical social theory.” In his decidedly interdisciplinary and agenda-setting work, he became associated with several schools of thought, from Marxism and cultural studies, to postmodernism and critical theory. But his defining feature remained his radical approach to the study of cities and regions vis-à-vis an investigation of Los Angeles informed by the work of Henri Lefebvre. In doing his decades of investigation of urbanization, restructuring, and political struggle writ large, he developed a lexicon that helped identify, problematize, and speak to an array of otherwise aspatial ontological, epistemological, and phenomenological scholarly positions, always placing space at the center. This paper discusses Soja's personal and intellectual advocacy of a radical spatial perspective, arguing that his neat categorization as a “postmodern geographer” is one that is both real and imagined—as limiting as it is liberating.
A Single Center Experience: A Retrospective Study Over 10-Years Period on Mandible Fractures
Authors: Monarchi Gabriele , Girotto Riccardo , Paglianiti Mariagrazia , Balercia Paolo
Published: May 2023

Study Design

The purpose of this study was to do a retrospective analysis about patients with mandibular fracture who were treated at the department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Regional University Hospital of Ancona, Italy, between 2011 and 2021.

Objective

In this study we evaluated clinical and epidemiological findings of mandible fractures focusing on the association between surgical timing, type of surgical approach and mid- and long-term outcomes.

Methods

Patients were evaluated based on various parameters including age, sex, etiology, symptoms, comorbidity, clinical findings, mandible fracture type, other facial fractures, treatment, waiting time before the operation, complications and sequelae. In the period described, we recorded 1023 mandibular fractures. 93% of patients underwent surgery under general anesthesia, almost exclusively patients undergoing an open approach to internal fixation.

Results

Of the patients, 684 were male (66.86%) and 339 were female (33.13%). The average age of the patients was 42, 38 years (range, 7-94 years). The leading cause of these fractures was traffic accidents (27.3%) and mandibular parasymphysis fractures were the most frequent (34.1%). The most common clinical signs and symptoms were malocclusion, difficulty in chewing, limitation of the buccal opening, hypoesthesia extending through the territory of the inferior alveolar nerve, difficulty in protrusion movements and mandibular lateralization.

Conclusions

The continuous research in epidemiology, etiology, materials, and techniques will further refine the treatments of mandible fractures, which are nowadays more and more customized according to the type of trauma.
Osteoarthritis models: From animals to tissue engineering
Authors: Dou Hongyuan , Wang Shuhan , Hu Jiawei , Song Jian , Zhang Chao , Wang Jiali , Xiao Lin
Published: May 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative osteoarthropathy. Although it has been revealed that a variety of factors can cause or aggravate the symptoms of OA, the pathogenic mechanisms of OA remain unknown. Reliable OA models that accurately reflect human OA disease are crucial for studies on the pathogenic mechanism of OA and therapeutic drug evaluation. This review first demonstrated the importance of OA models by briefly introducing the OA pathological features and the current limitations in the pathogenesis and treatment of OA. Then, it mainly discusses the development of different OA models, including animal and engineered models, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of pathogenesis and pathology analysis. In particular, the state-of-the-art engineered models and their potential were emphasized, as they may represent the future direction in the development of OA models. Finally, the challenges in obtaining reliable OA models are also discussed, and possible future directions are outlined to shed some light on this area.
A surgical case of infected cardiac myxoma
Authors: Kuwauchi Shintaro , Hosono Mitsuharu , Uetsuki Tomohiko , Kawazoe Kohei
Published: May 2023

A 60-year-old woman presented with a fever of unknown origin. Echocardiography revealed a large left atrial tumor protruding into the left ventricle during diastole. Laboratory investigation showed an elevated white blood cell count, C-reactive protein concentration, and interleukin-6 concentration. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperacute microinfarcts and multiple old lacunar infarcts. Surgery was performed under suspicion of cardiac myxoma. A dark red jelly-like tumor with an irregular surface was removed. Histopathological examination revealed cardiac myxoma, the surface of which was covered with fibrin and bacterial masses. Preoperative blood culture was positive for Streptococcus vestibularis. These findings were compatible with a diagnosis of infected cardiac myxoma. We used an antibiotic therapeutic regimen for infective endocarditis, and the patient was discharged home on postoperative day 31. Prompt diagnosis and treatment, including effective and efficient antibiotic therapy and complete tumor resection, increased the chance of a better outcome in patients with infected cardiac myxoma.
Jacquet erosive diaper dermatitis in a child with COVID-19
Authors: Alotaibi Hend M , Alharthi Sawsan A , Alhammad Ghadah
Published: May 2023

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, several reports around the world indicated that the novel coronavirus could be associated with specific dermatologic manifestations. Among earlier articles, encountered features included erythematous maculopapular exanthems, chilblains-like acral skin lesions, vesicular, and urticarial rashes. We describe the first case of Jacquet erosive diaper dermatitis in a 17-month-old girl with a confirmed COVID-19 infection. This article may serve to expand the knowledge of the diverse clinical features of COVID-19 infection, particularly among the pediatric population.
Intestinal manifestation of Buerger’s disease in a middle-age female with subsequent transverse colon perforation: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Bhushan Mishi , Betzold Richard D , Al Diffalha Sameer
Published: May 2023

Thromboangiitis obliterans, or Buerger’s disease, is a relatively rare nonatherosclerotic, segmental inflammatory and obliterative vascular disease that affects the small- and medium-sized arteries, veins, and nerves. In the acute phase, the lesion presents as an inflammatory, nonsuppurative panarteritis or panphlebitis with vascular thrombosis without necrosis. In the late stage of the disease, the thrombus becomes organized leading to varying degrees of recanalization and subsequent gangrene and amputation. There have been rare reports of thromboangiitis obliterans with involvement of the gastrointestinal trace and even more unusual is the occurrence of this manifestation of disease in women. Here, we report a case of a 45-year-old female patient with a history of thromboangiitis obliterans who presented with ischemic colitis.
Cultural studies in science education: A philosophical appraisal
Authors: Matthews Michael R
Published: May 2023

The emergence of cultural studies as a scholarly programme and its adoption in science education are outlined; problems flowing from its commitment to Thomas Kuhn's epistemological relativism and ontological idealism are detailed; the gulf between the citing and the reading of Kuhn is noted; the malaise of obscurantist writing is documented; finally, problems of pursuing cultural studies research without philosophical input are indicated.
I’m Not Habesha, I’m Oromo: Immigration, Ethnic Identity, and the Transnationality of Blackness
Authors: Guluma Beka
Published: May 2023

Sociological research on immigration and Blackness has often focused on how immigrants from majority-Black sending countries negotiate between their racial and ethno-national identities. But as the Black immigrant population continues to grow, so too does the salience of subnational ethnic diversity. This begs the question: how do immigrants negotiate between their various racial and ethnic identity options as they integrate into American society? To tackle this question, I draw on 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with first- and second-generation Oromo immigrants to see how they situate their ethnic and racial identities in the context of integration into American society and continued homeland ethnic conflict. Two themes emerge in how my respondents articulate their ethnic and racial identities. First, respondents draw a sharp distinction between Oromo and Ethiopian as both separate national and ethnic identities. Second, respondents embrace their Black identity in part by relying on narratives of Blackness rooted in a shared history of anti-Black oppression that draw on the language of linked fate. Together, these findings demonstrate how Black immigrants’ identity can inform and be informed by notions of Blackness in both the United States and homeland contexts, and the importance of attending to subnational ethnic diversity in studies of immigration.
Randomized Controlled Study of Cooled vs Room-Temperature Artificial Tears for Reducing Ocular Surface Irritation After Intravitreal Injection
Authors: Mani Smrithi , Jin Haoxing D. , Shonka Bryce , Fortenbach Christopher R. , Russell Jonathan F.
Published: May 2023

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of cooled vs room-temperature artificial tears in reducing ocular discomfort after intravitreal injections (IVIs). Methods: Patients receiving a standard intravitreal injection in the retina clinic who met the eligibility criteria and provided informed consented were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomized to the cooled tears or room-temperature tears intervention group. Both groups rated their ocular discomfort following IVI after cooled or room-temperature tears were administered. Results: The cooled group comprised 48 patients and the room-temperature group, 61 patients. There was no significant difference in the reduction of ocular discomfort between the cooled vs room-temperature artificial tears groups ( P = .387). In addition, there was a similar level of reduction in ocular discomfort after either intervention ( P = .681) regardless of whether or not the patients routinely used artificial tears after previous IVIs. Conclusions: Cooled tears provided no additional benefit in reducing ocular discomfort post-IVI compared with room-temperature tears. Baseline tear use after an IVI may have no true benefit other than a potential placebo effect, recall bias, or both.
The cene scene: Who gets to theorize global time and how do we center indigenous and black futurities?
Authors: Curley Andrew , Smith Sara
Published: May 2023

The Anthropocene, Capitalocene, and Plantationocene are propositions for new ways of understanding the role of people on the planet. The theories hold that humans, capitalism, or the logic of plantation agriculture have so fundamentally reworked the world that we can demarcate these as new eras in the planet's history. In this article, we argue that these narratives privilege Eurocentric narratives of human history, failing to adequately engage Black and Indigenous scholarship and theorizations on the nature and origin of environmental change. We argue for scholars grappling with questions of environmental change to include Black and Indigenous scholarship, experience, and thought when theorizing new histories of the planet.
Linking Safety Net Schemes and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria
Authors: Monyei Francis Ezieshi , Onyekwelu Phina Njideka , Emmanuel Isichei Ejikeme , Taiwo Olabosinde Samuel
Published: May 2023

This article discusses shared experiences of receiving safety net benefits by research participants and whether such benefits help poverty alleviation. Towards that end, it suggests improving safety net schemes. By following a qualitative research approach and purposive and snowball sampling methods, 24 beneficiaries were interviewed in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. With the aid of Nvivo 12pro, content and thematic technique were used to analyse the data. Key themes that shaped the participants’ experiences were: Institutional framework, strategic plan and documentation, continuous improvement and follow-up, community targeting and reliance on state support. It argues that the adoption of safety net schemes towards poverty alleviation needs to have an institutional framework and local engagement. Overall, it reenforces the government’s role in human capacity development by unravelling the relevance of policy and institutional programmes as a guiding path towards ameliorating the poverty level not only in Nigeria but also in similar countries in Africa.
Role of Positron Emission Tomography Cardiac Perfusion Imaging in Clinical Management, Prognosis, and Risk Stratification of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Singh Vijay , Kalimuthu Lokeshwaran M. , Mishra Ayush , Ora Manish , Gambhir Sanjay , Nazar Aftab Hasan
Published: May 2023

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Perfusion abnormalities precede wall motion abnormalities, ECG changes, and angina in the etiology of CAD. myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) can detect perfusion alterations due to pathology at sites such as the endothelium, microvasculature, and epicardial coronary arteries. Thus, it measures the universal burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Nuclear medicine MPI is an important noninvasive imaging modality to evaluate the perfusion of the myocardium. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with or without computed tomography (CT) are 2 primary modalities. PET is a highly sensitive modality with an inherent ability to quantify absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) and variations in MBF due to various stress agents. PET has immense potential to change clinical management, prognosticate, and risk stratify patients presenting with clinical or preclinical CAD. Evidence shows that early PET detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, followed by aggressive intervention for cardiovascular risk factors, can reinstate myocardial perfusion. This may reduce morbidity and mortality. We shall be reviewing the clinical impact of PET in CAD and preclinical CAD patients.
The importance of multimodal play and storytelling in medtech for children: A Case Study of Co-designing a Mixed Realities Play Kit to Prepare 4 to 10-year-Olds for an MRI Scan
Authors: Yamada-Rice Dylan , Love Steve , Thompson Jill , Thompson Sean , McQuillian Helen
Published: May 2023

This article examines the research and development of a mixed realities play-kit to prepare children for an MRI scan to be undertaken without the need for a General Anaesthetic. The kit uses three different types of play; augmented, virtual reality and physical to help children become familiar with the look of an MRI scanner, the noises it makes, the role of the radiographer, what to expect when they go to hospital and to practise staying still. We reflect on the initial multimodal research methods that were used to bring children into the first stages of the design and development process. These included, model making, drawing, play and informal conversations. From which, data were analysed with visual and thematic means to make an original contribution to the field of medtech design for children, in that we found young children (aged six and under) prefer to receive medical information through opportunities for multimodal play and storytelling. As a direct result of this finding, we matched different play types to the various areas of preparation outlined above. In doing so, paying attention to the specific affordances of the different ways in which modes are combined depending on if physical, augmented or virtual reality play are used. Such findings are likely to be useful to other researchers and developers creating medtech products for young children. For those interested in multimodality specifically, this article also provides insight into the connection between information, modes of communication and play and the application of these to research design.