bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Operational Storm Surge Forecasting at the National Hurricane Center: The Case for Probabilistic Guidance and the Evaluation of Improved Storm Size Forecasts Used to Define the Wind Forcing
Authors: Penny Andrew B. , Alaka Laura , Taylor Arthur A. , Booth William , DeMaria Mark , Fritz Cody , Rhome Jamie
Published: October 2023

The primary source of guidance used by the Storm Surge Unit (SSU) at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for issuing storm surge watches and warnings is the Probabilistic Tropical Storm Surge model (P-Surge). P-Surge is an ensemble of Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model forecasts that is generated based on historical error distributions from NHC official forecasts. A probabilistic framework is used for operational storm surge forecasting to account for uncertainty related to the tropical cyclone track and wind forcing. Previous studies have shown that the size of a storm’s wind field is an important factor that can affect storm surge. A simple radius of maximum wind (RMW) prediction scheme was developed to forecast RMW based on NHC forecast parameters. Verification results indicate this scheme is an improvement over the RMW forecasts used by previous versions of P-Surge. To test the impact of the updated RMW forecasts in P-Surge, retrospective cases were selected from 25 storms from 2008 to 2020 that had an adequate number of observations. Evaluation of P-Surge forecasts using these improved RMW forecasts shows that the probability of detection is higher for most probability of exceedance thresholds. In addition, the forecast reliability is improved, and there is an increase in the number of high probability forecasts for extreme events at longer lead times. The improved RMW forecasts were recently incorporated into the operational version of P-Surge (v2.9), and serve as an important step toward extending the lead time of skillful and reliable storm surge forecasts.
Are Data Driving Our Ambulances? Liberal Use of Tranexamic Acid in the Prehospital Setting
Authors: Brito Alexandra M.P. , Stettler Gregory , Fram Madeline R. , Winslow James , Martin R. Shayne
Published: October 2023

Background

Current data on tranexamic acid (TXA) supports early administration for severe hemorrhagic shock. Administration by EMS has been facilitated by developing protocols and standing orders informed by these data. In this study, patterns of TXA use by EMS agencies serving a large level 1 trauma center were examined. We hypothesized that current widespread TXA use often includes administration outside of data-driven indications.

Methods

The trauma registry at a level 1 trauma center was queried for patients who received TXA. To determine the practice patterns and appropriateness of administration of TXA, patients’ physiologic state in the prehospital environment based on EMS records, physiologic state on arrival to hospital, and interventions performed in both settings were examined. Over 20 separately managed EMS systems that administer TXA transport patients to this trauma center, allowing for a broad survey of practices.

Results

From 2016 to 2021 1089 patients received TXA, 406 (37.3%) having treatment initiated by EMS services. Of these, the average prehospital systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 108.2 mmHg and initial ED SBP was 107.8 mmHg. Only 58.4% of these patients received blood transfusion after arrival to this trauma center. Compliance with standard indications was low with only 14.6% of administrations meeting any data-driven SBP indication. Similar levels of compliance were seen across high volume EMS services.

Discussion

Tranexamic acid use has become common in trauma and has been adopted by many EMS systems. These results indicate TXA in the prehospital setting is over-used as administration is not being limited to indications that have shown benefit in prior data.
Designing Calcium Silicate Cements with On-Demand Properties for Precision Endodontics
Authors: Cahyanto A. , Rath P. , Teo T.X. , Tong S.S. , Malhotra R. , Cavalcanti B.N. , Lim L.Z. , Min K.S. , Ho D. , Lu W.F. , Rosa V.
Published: October 2023

Calcium silicate (C3S) cements are available in kits that do not account for patients’ specific needs or clinicians’ preferences regarding setting time, radiopacity, mechanical, and handling properties. Moreover, slight variations in powder components and liquid content affect cement’s properties and bioactivity. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to optimize several cement properties simultaneously via the traditional “one variable at a time” strategy, as inputs often induce trade-offs in properties (e.g., a higher water-to-powder ratio [W/P] increases flowability but decreases mechanical properties). Herein, we used Taguchi’s methods and genetic algorithms (GAs) to simultaneously analyze the effect of multiple inputs (e.g., powder composition, radiopacifier concentration, and W/P) on setting time, pH, flowability, diametral tensile strength, and radiopacity, as well as prescribe recipes to produce cements with predicted properties. The properties of cements designed with GAs were experimentally tested, and the results matched the predictions. Finally, we show that the cements increased the genetic expression of odonto/osteogenic genes, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineralization potential of dental pulp stem cells. Hence, GAs can produce cements with tailor-made properties and differentiation potential for personalized endodontic treatment.
A Bifactor-ESEM Representation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support
Authors: Yılmaz Koğar Esin , Koğar Hakan
Published: October 2023

The aim of this study is to examine the factor structure of Turkish version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and to analyze its psychometric properties through the bifactor-ESEM framework. Using a convenience sample of 1124 Turkish adults, seven different models were tested. The results supported the superiority of a bifactor-ESEM solution that included three specific factors (family, friends, and significant others) and a general factor. In addition, bifactor indices showed that the general factor of MSPSS is not strong enough and its multidimensional structure is supported. For the bifactor-ESEM model, strict measurement invariance was achieved according to the gender variable. Our results supported convergent validity for the general and specific factors of the MSPSS, which were found to be associated with measures of distress, loneliness, and resilience. As a result, MSPSS is a valid and reliable measurement tool with its bifactor-ESEM model.
Evaluation of the performance properties of modacrylic-cotton blended underwear fabrics manufactured for firefighters
Authors: Onuktav Ozan , Ünal Zümrüt , Göktaş Nadir , Türkmen Zührenur , Boyaci Bekir , Acar Eda
Published: October 2023

In this study, the mechanical, comfort and flame-retardant properties of different knitted fabric structures containing modacrylic fibers with different blend ratios were investigated. Single jersey, rib, pique, three-thread fleece and interlock fabrics were produced with modacrylic/cotton blended yarns and evaluated comparatively. In order to understand the effect of antistatic fiber content on the investigated properties, two fabrics with antistatic fiber were produced. Since modacrylic fibers have moderate abrasion resistance, pilling resistances of the fabrics are not excellent. Due to the knitted fabrics having a soft and flexible structure, their fabric stiffness and bursting strength are quite high. It has been determined that water vapor resistances of all fabrics are satisfactory and the moisture management properties of the S1 (60% modacrylic, 40% cotton) and R1 (60% modacrylic, 40% cotton) fabrics are excellent. All the fabrics passed the flame-retardancy tests and it is sufficient that the modacrylic ratio is between 50% and 60% according to the fabric structure. Results also showed that 2% antistatic fiber content had no effect on the mechanical, thermal comfort and flame-retardancy properties. Since the air permeability, water vapor resistance and moisture management properties of S1 and R1 specimens are good enough, it is recommended to use one of them according to different temperature conditions. Evaluation of modacrylic fiber blended fabrics in different knitting types in terms of mechanical strength, thermal comfort and flame resistance properties together constitutes the originality of the work. Thus, it was possible to evaluate the effect of different knitting types and contents on all tests.
Experimental study on mechanical behaviors of polyoxymethylene woven tube-reinforced cementitious composites
Authors: Wei Fayun , Yang Fan , Feng Kai , Yang Zhiqian , Yu Bin , Wang Hailou , Zhang Wei
Published: October 2023

This paper aimed to investigate the mechanical performances of woven tube-reinforced cementitious composites. Polyoxymethylene fibers were used to form woven tubes. The integrated woven tube and splicing woven tube-reinforced cementitious composites were prepared with different textile structures. The compressive and bending properties of woven tube-reinforced cementitious composites were experimentally characterized through compression and bending tests, and the testing processes were recorded by camera. The results showed that both the integrated woven tube and the splicing woven tube could apparently enhance the compressive and bending properties. The compressive and bending strengths of the integrated woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite could reach 44 and 21 MPa, respectively. Due to low splicing strength, the splicing woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite was likely to split, which led to the disassembly. The integrated woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite had higher compressive and bending strengths than the splicing woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite. Moreover, the integrated woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite exhibited better energy absorption ability and integrity after testing than the splicing woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite. The energy absorption of the integrated woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite could reach over 7 MJ/m3 during compression. Under compression, the splicing woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite and pure cement only had one compressive peak stress, which was caused by the damage to the cement, whereas the integrated woven tube-reinforced cementitious composite had two compressive peak stresses: the second compressive peak stress was caused by fiber breakage. In general, the integrated woven tube is more suitable for reinforcing cement than the splicing woven tube.
Two Statistics for Measuring the Score Comparability of Computerized Adaptive Tests
Authors: Wyse Adam E.
Published: October 2023

This study introduces two new statistics for measuring the score comparability of computerized adaptive tests (CATs) based on comparing conditional standard errors of measurement (CSEMs) for examinees that achieved the same scale scores. One statistic is designed to evaluate score comparability of alternate CAT forms for individual scale scores, while the other statistic is designed to evaluate the overall score comparability of alternate CAT forms. The effectiveness of the new statistics is illustrated using data from grade 3 through 8 reading and math CATs. Results suggest that both CATs demonstrated reasonably high levels of score comparability, that score comparability was less at very high or low scores where few students score, and that using random samples with fewer students per grade did not have a big impact on score comparability. Results also suggested that score comparability was sometimes higher when the bottom 20% of scorers were used to calculate overall score comparability compared to all students. Additional discussion related to applying the statistics in different contexts is provided.
The risk of muscle involvement in focal venous malformations in children
Authors: Zhou Jie , Guo Lei , Wang Liang , Li Jing , Liu Zhuang , Sun Jiali
Published: October 2023

Background

Venous malformations (VMs) are the most common vascular malformations, which can be classified as focal, multifocal, or diffuse types. But the risk of focal venous malformations with muscle involvement is not well defined.

Methods

This is a single-center, retrospective review of patients treated for focal VMs between February 2021 and February 2022.

Results

We assessed 26 patients focal VMs with 47 lesions; 18 (69%) were unifocal, 3 (12%) were dual-focal, and 5 (19%) were multifocal type VMs, and 29 (62%) were intramuscular VMs. The lower limbs intramuscular VMs had a significantly elevated risk of focal VMs (relative risk [RR],1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.148–2.394).

Conclusion

Intramuscular involvement of the body should be considered in focal VMs. The lower limbs intramuscular VMs had a significantly elevated risk of focal VMs.
HOMA-IR is an effective biomarker of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in non-diabetic population
Authors: Zeng Pei , Cai Xiangsheng , Yu Xiaozhou , Huang Lu , Chen Xi
Published: October 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the non-diabetic population and establish its diagnostic efficacy.

Methods

This observational study involved participants divided into NAFLD and non-NAFLD groups, and baseline data were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to correlate HOMA-IR with the risk of NAFLD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of HOMA-IR for NAFLD. Subgroup analyses of non-obese individuals were performed.

Results

Overall, 2234 non-diabetic participants were included. The HOMA-IR was significantly higher in the NAFLD group than in the non-NAFLD group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that HOMA-IR was a strong and independent risk factor for NAFLD after correcting for confounding factors. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of HOMA-IR for predicting NAFLD was 0.792. In the non-obese non-diabetic population, HOMA-IR was an independent risk factor for increased risk of lean NAFLD after correcting for confounding factors. The AUC value of HOMA-IR for predicting lean NAFLD was 0.770.

Conclusions

HOMA-IR is independently associated with the risk of NAFLD in the non-diabetic and non-obese non-diabetic populations and has good diagnostic value.
Humans can sense large numbers of objects in a box by touch alone
Authors: Frissen Ilja , Chen Alexander N.
Published: October 2023

Everyday experiences suggest that a container, such as a box of cereal, can convey pertinent information about the nature and quantity of its content. This study investigated how well people can judge large quantities of objects in a container through haptic perception. Stimuli consisted of plastic drinking straws cut to “small” (1.5 cm) or “big” (4.5 cm) pieces contained in plastic food containers. Participants performed both a magnitude estimation of the number of objects and a direct estimation of the proportion of the container perceived to be filled with objects. Overall, participants demonstrated considerable accuracy for both tasks and irrespective of the size of the content. Post-experiment interviews revealed three potential strategies. Participants either focused on the container's contents, the excess space in the container, or the perceived weight of the container (content).
Active learning modules for a numerical methods course
Authors: Haney Matthew R , Dillon Heather E , Kotas Jakob
Published: October 2023

Education research has suggested that students who receive a wider variety of sensory inputs during the learning process will be able to make more connections and more deeply understand course content. To this end, three physical hands-on laboratory learning modules were designed for a computational numerical methods course to help students develop intuition for physical systems, to allow for a comparison of real data against numerical solutions of physics equations, and to increase student engagement. These modules were designed to reinforce specific topics covered in the numerical methods curriculum, including numerical differentiation and numerical solution of ordinary differential equations. Pre- and post-tests showed an increase in student knowledge after module completion. In addition, end-of-term surveys showed that a strong majority of students believed modules helped them visualize and understand key numerical methods concepts, and that most would be interested in learning new material with similar modules in the future.
Eccentric Contraction Enhances Healing of the Bone-Tendon Interface After Rotator Cuff Repair in Mice
Authors: Diao Luyu , Peng Yundong , Wang Juan , Chen Jian , Wang Guanglan , Jia Shaohui , Zheng Cheng
Published: October 2023

Background:

Various muscle contraction modalities have differing effects on the musculoskeletal system. To understand the magnitude of these effects, the authors investigated the effects of eccentric and concentric contractions on the bone-tendon interface after rotator cuff repair in mice.

Hypothesis:

Eccentric contraction promotes healing of the bone-tendon interface after rotator cuff repair in mice better than other muscle contraction patterns.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

The authors performed acute supraspinatus tendon repair of the right shoulder in 104 C57BL/6 mice. Animals were randomized into 4 groups postoperatively: control group (Con group), horizontal running group (Horz group), +15° uphill running group (Up group), and −15° downhill running group (Down group), with 26 animals in each group. At 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, the authors removed the eyeball, collected blood samples, and extracted the supraspinatus tendon–humerus complex for histological, immunological, bone morphological, and biomechanical tests.

Results:

At 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, the Down group exhibited a better collagen cell arrangement and fibrocartilage layer than the other 3 groups. At 4 weeks postoperatively, anti-inflammatory macrophages (M2 macrophages) were observed at the repair site in all groups except for the Con group. At 8 weeks postoperatively, M2 macrophages were withdrawn from the tendon site in all groups. The transforming growth factor β1 concentration in the Down group was greater than that in the other 3 groups at 4 weeks postoperatively, and it was higher than that in the Con group at 8 weeks postoperatively. The bone volume fraction, number of trabeculae, and thickness of trabeculae at the repair site in the Down group, as well as the ultimate strength and failure load in the biomechanical tests, were greater than those in the other 3 groups at 8 weeks postoperatively.

Conclusion:

Eccentric contraction promotes healing of the bone-tendon interface after rotator cuff repair in mice better than other muscle contraction patterns.

Clinical Relevance:

After clinical rotator cuff repair, patients can be rehabilitated by eccentric training to speed up the functional recovery of the shoulder joint.
Identifying and Managing Frailty: A Survey of UK Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Frost Rachael , Robinson Katie , Gordon Adam , Caldeira de Melo Ruth , Villas Boas Paulo J. F. , Azevedo Paula S. , Hinsliff-Smith Kathryn , Gavin James P.
Published: October 2023

Frailty is a common condition that leads to multiple adverse outcomes. Frailty should be identified and managed in a holistic, evidence-based and patient-centered way. We aimed to understand how UK healthcare professionals (HCPs) identify and manage frailty in comparison with UK Fit for Frailty guidelines, their frailty training, their confidence in providing support and organizational pathways for this. An online mixed-methods survey was distributed to UK HCPs supporting older people through professional bodies, special interest groups, key contacts, and social media. From 137 responses, HCPs valued frailty assessment but used a mixture of tools that varied by profession. HCPs felt confident managing frailty and referred older people to a wide range of supportive services, but acknowledged a lack of formalized training opportunities, systems, and pathways for frailty management. Clearer pathways, more training, and stronger interprofessional communication, appropriate to each setting, may further support HCPs in frailty management.
The application of acute oral toxicity computational models in dangerous goods classification
Authors: Moudgal Chandrika , Anger Lennart T , Muster Wolfgang , Nguyen Ruthi , Melnikov Fjodor , Siramshetty Vishal B , Graham Jessica
Published: October 2023

Acute oral toxicity (AOT) data inform the acute toxicity potential of a compound and guides occupational safety and transportation practices. AOT data enable the categorization of a chemical into the appropriate AOT Globally Harmonized System (GHS) category based on the severity of the hazard. AOT data are also utilized to identify compounds that are Dangerous Goods (DGs) and subsequent transportation guidance for shipping of these hazardous materials. Proper identification of DGs is challenging for novel compounds that lack data. It is not feasible to err on the side of caution for all compounds lacking AOT data and to designate them as DGs, as shipping a compound as a DG has cost, resource, and time implications. With the wealth of available historical AOT data, AOT testing approaches are evolving, and in silico AOT models are emerging as tools that can be utilized with confidence to assess the acute toxicity potential of de novo molecules. Such approaches align with the 3R principles, offering a reduction or even replacement of traditional in vivo testing methods and can also be leveraged for product stewardship purposes. Utilizing proprietary historical in vivo AOT data for 210 pharmaceutical compounds (PCs), we evaluated the performance of two established in silico AOT programs: the Leadscope AOT Model Suite and the Collaborative Acute Toxicity Modeling Suite. These models accurately identified 94% and 97% compounds that were not DGs (GHS categories 4, 5, and not classified (NC)) suggesting that the models are fit-for-purpose in identifying PCs with low acute oral toxicity potential (LD50 >300 mg/kg). Utilization of these models to identify compounds that are not DGs can enable them to be de-prioritized for in vivo testing. This manuscript provides a detailed evaluation and assessment of the two models and recommends the most suitable applications of such models.
Airway Pressure Release Ventilation in COVID-19-Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome—A Multicenter Propensity Score–Matched Analysis
Authors: Naendrup Jan-Hendrik , Steinke Jonathan , Garcia Borrega Jorge , Stoll Sandra Emily , Michelsen Per Ole , Assion Yannick , Shimabukuro-Vornhagen Alexander , Eichenauer Dennis Alexander , Kochanek Matthias , Böll Boris
Published: October 2023

Background: There are limited and partially contradictory data on the effects of airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) in COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS). Therefore, we analyzed the clinical outcome, complications, and longitudinal course of ventilation parameters and laboratory values in patients with CARDS, who were mechanically ventilated using APRV. Methods: Respective data from 4 intensive care units (ICUs) were collected and compared to a matched cohort of patients receiving conventional low tidal volume ventilation (LTV). Propensity score matching was performed based on age, sex, blood gas analysis, and APACHE II score at admission, as well as the implementation of prone positioning. Findings: Forty patients with CARDS, who were mechanically ventilated using APRV, and 40 patients receiving LTV were matched. No significant differences were detected for tidal volumes per predicted body weight, peak pressure values, and blood gas analyses on admission, 6 h post admission as well as on day 3 and day 7. Regarding ICU survival, no significant difference was identified between APRV patients (40%) and LTV patients (42%). Median duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of ICU treatment were comparable in both groups. Similar complication rates with respect to ventilator-associated pneumonia, septic shock, thromboembolic events, barotrauma, as well as the necessity for hemodialysis were detected for both groups. Clinical characteristics that were associated with increased mortality in a Cox proportional hazards regression analysis included age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.1; P < .001), severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (HR 2.62, 95% CI 1.02-6.7; P = .046) and the occurrence of septic shock (HR 17.18, 95% CI 2.06-143.2; P = .009), but not the ventilation mode. Interpretation: Intensive care unit survival, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU treatment as well as ventilation-associated complication rates were equivalent using APRV compared to conventional LTV in patients with CARDS.
Elite Universities as Populist Scapegoats: Evidence from Hungary and Turkey
Authors: Grigoriadis Ioannis N. , Işık Canpolat Ece
Published: October 2023

This article explores the reasons for the recent populist assault against elite academic institutions in Hungary and Turkey. After exploring the literature on populism, social mobility, and social pluralism, it focuses on the modalities of the attack against two elite academic institutions established upon the U.S. liberal arts college tradition, the Central European University (CEU) and Boğaziçi University, respectively, and its implications for Hungarian and Turkish politics. Two arguments are put forward: First, such attacks have emerged in the context of a populist narrative against institutions facilitating social mobility. Social mobility undermines the “us versus them” populist narrative where the masses are permanently placed on the “losers” side and therefore depend on the charismatic populist leader. With social mobility facilitated through high-quality academic institutions, these “losers” have the chance to improve their material and non-material well-being through education. Second, these institutions promote social pluralism and critical thinking, cultivating a mode of reflection that contradicts the simplistic populist dichotomies and opposes democratic backsliding.
The ‘Natural’ Accord of DuBois and Washington: An Environmentally Racialized Consciousness
Authors: Roberts Jennifer D.
Published: October 2023

The conflict and discord between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois regarding their premise and approach to racial uplift for Black Americans have been very well documented. While Washington sought equality with accommodation, DuBois functioned through agitation. However, their biophilic accord and unity within the natural environment have been both underrecognized and underappreciated. As an honor to these esteemed racial and social justice giants, this special issue article reveals the universality of their environmental justice ideologies while also celebrating the beauty, power and foresight of their ecological language in script and speech.
Network Types and Functional Health in Old Age: It is Not Just the Size of the Network That Matters
Authors: Ali Talha , Elliott Michael R. , Antonucci Toni C. , Needham Belinda L. , Zelner Jon , Mendes de Leon Carlos F.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Findings on the effect of network size and support on functional health are mixed. We examine whether network types, that simultaneously incorporate multiple network characteristics, are associated with functional health in late life.

Methods

Data are from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project ( N = 3005). We estimated the longitudinal effect of membership in five multidimensional network types on disability in six activities of daily living using negative binomial regression, and on mobility (assessed using a timed walk test) using a generalized linear mixed model.

Results

Compared to those in the large without strain network, older adults in the small, restricted, high contact network had fewer disabilities but worse mobility, while those in the large network with strain also had worse mobility.

Discussion

Care plans focusing on function and mobility should consider multiple aspects of older adults’ social networks including network size, diversity, and relationship strain.
A horse in the funeral rites of the Turks as an ethnocultural marker
Authors: Kaldybayev Marat
Published: October 2023

The presented article is dedicated to such an element of funeral rites of various Turkic cultures as the accompanying burial of a horse and the use of horses in the funeral rites of nomadic and settled peoples of Central Asia. According to the author’s hypothesis, based on source study and his own research, the presence of a horse in funeral rites is one of the ethnocultural markers uniting Turkic cultures, starting from the ancient Turkic time and ending in the late Middle Ages. Thus, the purpose of the article is to investigate the transformation of the Turkic funeral rite in the Middle Ages in order to substantiate the ritual of horse burial as a common cultural marker of the Turkic peoples. The research results propose a comprehensive periodisation of this phenomenon, critically analysing the unique attributes of each period. The materials under study span several cultures from the Middle Ages to the New Age. Each period is scrutinized to elucidate its features and peculiarities that shaped its evolution and exerted influence on the subsequent progression of traditions. The research underscores the key determinants driving the trajectory of these traditions within specific historical epochs for each of the investigated peoples.
Unsettling vulnerability: Queer and feminist interventions
Authors: Zoli Anna , Johnson Katherine , Hazenberg Evan
Published: October 2023

In this Special Issue we invited an international audience to address the aim to unsettle notions of vulnerability and question the research practices associated with its use in the psychology discipline. The seven articles 1 expose the paradoxes of vulnerability by starting from experience in different countries, such as: India, Chile, South Africa, Finland, and the USA. They do so by critically interrogating the notion of vulnerability, often cutting across intersectionalities such as: institutional constructions of vulnerability, populations identified as “vulnerable”, researcher’s own vulnerabilities, and the lived experience of “vulnerability”. The papers are presented in this editorial through a cohesive narrative, which highlights topic and contextual specificities of each as well as commonalities and intersections across them. By encouraging new practices for how feminist and queer researchers view, read, and interpret experience in psychological research and activism, this special issue aims to inspire different understandings of vulnerability, that reflect discourses and experiences that promote agency, resistance, solidarity, and transformative social change through transnational collaboration and connection.
Book review: Jeemol Unni, Vanita Yadav, Ravikiran Naik and Swati Dutta, Women Entrepreneurship in the Indian Middle Class: Interdisciplinary Perspective
Authors: Nair Tara
Published: October 2023

Jeemol Unni, Vanita Yadav, Ravikiran Naik and Swati Dutta, Women Entrepreneurship in the Indian Middle Class: Interdisciplinary Perspective. Orient BlackSwan, 2021, 271 pages, ₹1,075 (Paperback), ISBN: 978-93- 5442-145-7.
Book review: Smita Tewari Jassal, Islamic Conversation: Sohbet and Ethics in Contemporary Turkey
Authors: Fazalbhoy Nasreen
Published: October 2023

Smita Tewari Jassal, Islamic Conversation: Sohbet and Ethics in Contemporary Turkey, (Routledge Islamic Studies Series, Routledge, 2020), 161 pp., ISBN 978-1-138-39119-2.
Between the Devil and the Deep Sea: Tribal Women’s Inheritance Rights in India
Authors: Uma Saumya
Published: October 2023

In recognition of their distinct culture and identity, tribal communities in India enjoy constitutionally guaranteed autonomy and self-governance, which extend to customary laws for marriage, matrimonial rights and inheritance. In contexts where the tribal customary law has denied women inheritance rights, some women have approached the courts of law. The Hindu law on inheritance specifically excludes tribal communities from its application; yet, courts have found a way to apply it by reasoning that the parties to the case were ‘sufficiently Hinduised’. This article examines Indian judicial responses to this issue, and the ramifications for the inheritance rights of tribal women. The article critiques law’s lack of imagination and inability to capture the complex dynamics of social relationships in tribal communities, in a context of their massive dispossession from tribal lands. While highlighting the distinct relationship of property, community and family in tribal communities, it examines how law could ensure that tribal women retain their tribal identity and yet secure equal inheritance rights, rather than force a trade-off between tribal identity and securing inheritance rights on grounds of ‘sufficient Hinduisation’.
Workplace Bullying: The Problem That (Still) Has No Name
Authors: Reddy Raghunandan
Published: October 2023

The article examines how workplace bullying of women employees tends to be unacknowledged and ignored because of the gap between statutory provisions and the selective policies and practices of individual organisations. The study on which this article is based found that there are disjunctures between state laws and organisational policies and that there is poor implementation of statutes that provide protection to women against bullying and harassment. It should therefore be mandatory for organisations to follow state laws. Further, to fully protect women employees at their workplaces it is necessary to explicitly follow rules for the prevention and redressal of bullying and harassment even of a non-sexual nature.
Craniometric and Aesthetic Outcomes in Craniosynostosis Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Choudhary Akriti , Edgar Michael , Raman Shreya , Alkureishi Lee W. , Purnell Chad A.
Published: October 2023

Objective

To systematically review the published comparative aesthetic outcomes, and its determinants, for craniosynostoses surgically treated by minimally-invasive cranial procedures and open cranial vault remodeling (CVR).

Design

PRISMA-compliant systematic review.

Setting

Not-applicable.

Patients/Participants

Articles were included if they compared spring cranioplasty, strip minimally-invasive craniectomy or CVR for outcomes related to aesthetics or head shape. Forty-two studies were included, comprising 2402 patients.

Interventions

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The craniometric and PROM used to determine surgical outcomes.

Results

Twenty-five studies (59%) evaluated sagittal craniosynostosis, with metopic (7;17%) and unicoronal (4;10%) the next most prevalent. Thirty-eight studies (90%) included CVR, 24 (57%) included strip craniectomy with helmeting, 9 (22%) included strip craniectomy without helmeting, 11 (26%) included spring cranioplasty, and 3 (7%) included vault distraction. A majority of studies only used 1 (43%) or 2 (14%) craniometric measures to compare techniques. In sagittal synostosis, 13 (59%) studies showed no difference in craniometric outcomes, 5 (23%) showed better results with CVR, 3 (14%) with strip craniectomy, and 1 (5%) with springs. In studies describing other synostoses, 10/14 (71%) were equivocal. Subjective outcome measures followed similar trends. Meta-analysis shows no significant difference in cranial index (CI) outcomes between CVR and less invasive procedures in patients with sagittal synostosis.

Conclusions

There is no difference in CI outcomes between CVR and less invasive procedures. The majority of literature comparing craniometric and aesthetic outcomes between CVR and less invasive procedures shows equivocal results for sagittal synostosis. However, the heterogeneity of data for other craniosynostoses did not allow meta-analysis.
Racism Despite Integration: Diversity for the Sake of Mission Readiness in the U.S. Military
Authors: Armstrong Martin
Published: October 2023

Is racial justice a feasible normative aim of integration for institutions of war? Proponents have long looked to the U.S. military as an institution through which to pursue racial progress. However, its proponents have not given enough critical attention to the logics of practice that connect militarism and race. Drawing on practice-based ideology theory, I conceptualize racial militarism as an ideological formation which subsumes matters of racial difference to the principle of mission readiness. I then analyze military policies and training procedures to show how racial militarism tolerates diversity superficially, while the militarization process effectively erases social difference and enforces a practical culture of colorblindness. In the final section, I engage critiques of integration to argue that racial militarism blocks the potential for the kind of radical transformation that would be required for racially just integration in the military. Integration as racial justice is not feasible when violence and hierarchy define an institution’s practical logic.
A comprehensive study on the free vibration of adhesive lap joint laminated conical–conical shells adherends
Authors: Ghasemi Ahmad Reza , Meskini Mohammad
Published: October 2023

In this research, the free vibration analysis of lap joint laminated conical shell connected to laminated conical shell with adhesive layer for various boundary conditions are investigated. Based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), the main field equations of the analytical model are derived and the governing differential equations of laminated conical shell to laminated conical shell adherends lap joint are obtained for homogeneous and elasticity adhesive layers by using Hamilton principle method. Then, based on the generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM), the equilibrium equations of the structure adherends are investigated. The influence of the boundary conditions, the type of the composite materials and adhesive layer, the circumferential wave number, the length to radius ratio of the shell, and the length of overlap to length of shell ratio are studied. Furthermore, the thickness to radius ratio and the thickness of adhesive to thickness of shell ratio, as well as the various cone angles of conical shell on the natural frequency of laminated conical adherends shells connected to the conical shells with adhesive layer are investigated. For validation of the numerical results, the results are compared with the previous research and the comparisons show very good agreement. The numerical results show that with the increase of the internal shell and external shell of semi-angle, the non-dimensional frequency of lap joint connection of two laminated conical shells with adhesive layer decreased and increased, respectively. Furthermore, with the increase of the adhesive thickness to conical shell thickness ratio and lap joint length to length of conical shell ratio, the dimensionless natural frequency of the structure increased.
The Nonclinical Assessment of Trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze (E)), a Near Zero Global Warming Potential Propellant for Use in Metered Dose Inhalation Products
Authors: Giffen Paul S. , Kilgour Joanne D. , Jacobsen Matthew , Thacker Karen , Holmberg Ann A.
Published: October 2023

HFO-1234ze (E) is proposed as a near zero global warming propellant for use in metered dose inhaled (MDI) products. This paper describes the non-clinical safety assessment in mice, rats, and dogs and supplements previously reported data (genetic toxicology, short-term toxicology, and reproductive toxicology). In all species, HFO-1234ze (E) was only detectable in blood for a short period after dosing with no evidence of accumulation. HFO-1234ze (E) was without any toxicological effects at very high doses in subchronic (13-week mouse) and chronic (39-week dog) studies. Chronic (26-week) administration to rats at very high doses was associated with an exacerbation of rodent progressive cardiomyopathy, a well-documented background finding in rodents. In a 2-generation study, extremely high doses were associated with the early euthanasia of some lactating female rats. This finding was considered to be significantly influenced by a state of negative energy balance, reflecting the specific vulnerability of rats during lactation. These findings are considered to not pose a risk to humans with typical MDI use given they occurred at doses which far exceed those expected in patients. Overall, the nonclinical safety data for HFO-1234ze (E) support its further development as an MDI propellant.
Functional assessment of component positioning in patients with groin pain after total hip arthroplasty as a tool to guide management
Authors: Waters Georgina C , Jones Christopher , D’Alessandro Peter , Yates Piers
Published: October 2023

Background:

Persisting groin pain post total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common and complex issue that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. Acetabular component positioning is often implicated.

Aims and methods:

We used a previously well described and validated functional positioning protocol to determine if functional acetabular malpositioning was a factor in groin pain post THA and hence to determine if acetabular revision would be indicated. We compared patient-specific functional acetabular positioning to traditional CT evaluation of cup position and assessment of anterior cup overhang.

Results:

39 patients with groin pain post-THA were investigated. Functional acetabular malpositioning was diagnosed in 31% (12/39). Revision THA was performed in those 12 patients, resulting in resolution of functional malpositioning (100%), with an overall accuracy of 5.6° (range 1–12), and resolution of groin pain in 67% (8/12). 33% (4/12) of the revised implants had functional positioning located outside the traditional “40/20 zone”. Comparison with CT indicated that 40% (4/10) of implants with anterior overhang were well positioned, however only 50% (6/12) of functionally malpositioned implants had CT evidence of anterior cup prominence. Of the 8/12 revision patients who had resolution of their groin pain, only 1 had cup prominence.

Conclusions:

This study suggests that the utilisation of a patient specific functional positioning algorithm in the analysis of persistent groin pain following THA can assist in identifying the underlying cause of pain and help to guide treatment. For a functionally malpositioned acetabulum, revision surgery offers a potential resolution of groin pain.
Catering to the impatient digital listener: Accelerated composition patterns in popular music, 1986–2020
Authors: Klimmt Christoph , Sperzel Mareike , Straßburger Jasmin , Winkler Viviane , Schneeweiß Yannick , Gauvin Hubert Léveillé
Published: October 2023

The present study explored trends of compositional acceleration in top hit songs as a potential consequence of streaming platforms and digital habits of music consumption. Many media users have been shifting towards ‘Permanently online, permanently connected’ ( Vorderer et al., 2018 ) behaviors and are thus likely to face choice overload in many episodes of music consumption. In turn, the creative audio industries seem to adjust strategically to altered audience demands that platforms can identify in their mass data traces. Extending a study by Léveillé Gauvin (2018) , we investigate five compositorial features (main tempo, time before voice enters, time before title is mentioned, number of words in song title, and song duration) for Billboard top 10 songs (1986 to 2020) and ‘Spotify’ top 10 songs (2016 to 2020). Across features, long-term trends of accelerated composition have mostly continued in recent years, but only weak evidence was secured for a particular booster effect of the competitive ‘Spotify’ ecology on compositorial acceleration.
Subacute thyroiditis following COVID-19 vaccination: Case presentation
Authors: Tomic Aleksandra Z , Zafirovic Sonja S , Gluvic Zoran M , Samardzic Vladimir S , Macvanin Mirjana T , Radunovic Maja LJ , Isenovic Esma R
Published: October 2023

Background: Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is an organ-specific disease that various drugs, including COVID-19 vaccines, can trigger. COVID-19 infection has been associated with thyroid gland damage and disease SARS-CoV-2 direct action, euthyroid sick syndrome, and immune-mediated mechanisms are all potential mechanisms of thyroid damage. It denotes thyroid gland inflammation, most commonly of viral origin, and belongs to the transitory, self-limiting thyroid gland diseases group, causing complications in approximately 15% of patients in the form of permanent hypothyroidism. Some authors say SAT is the most common thyroid disease associated with COVID-19.

Purpose: The occurrence of SAT many weeks after administering the second COVID-19 vaccine is rare and has limited documentation in academic literature. This study aims to present the occurrence of SAT after administering the COVID-19 vaccine. We present the case of a 37-year-old man who developed SAT 23 days after receiving the second dose of Pfizer BioNTech's COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.

Research design and study sample: Due to neck pain and an elevated body temperature (up to 38.2°C), a 37-year-old male subject presented for examination 23 days after receiving the second Pfizer BioNTech mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. The patient denied ever having an autoimmune disease or any other disease. Painful neck palpation and a firm, slightly enlarged thyroid gland with no surrounding lymphadenopathy were identified during the exam. The heart rate was 104 beats per minute. All of the remaining physical findings were normal.

Data collection and/or Analysis: Data collected during the disease are integral to the medical record.

Results: Hematology and biochemistry analyses at the initial and follow-up visits revealed minor leukocytosis, normocytic anaemia, and thrombocytosis, followed by a mild increase in lactate dehydrogenase and decreased iron levels. The patient's thyroid function and morphology had recovered entirely from post-vaccine SAT.

Conclusions: Results from this study emphasise the need for healthcare professionals to promptly report any case of SAT related to COVID-19 vaccination. Further investigation is warranted to understand the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19-associated thyroiditis and the impact of COVID-19 immunization on this condition.
Nonlinear dynamic analysis of wind pressure variability on standard tall building
Authors: He YH , Shu ZR , Chen FB , Liu HM
Published: October 2023

Understanding the variability of wind pressure on tall building surfaces is of essential importance regarding the control of wind-induced response. In this study, advanced time series analysis techniques, e.g., phase space reconstruction and recurrence analysis, were applied to diagnose the wind pressure variability from a nonlinear dynamic perspective. It is shown that, the wind pressure acting on tall building surfaces exhibit distinct chaotic nature. Due to the complex flow patterns around the building, the underlying dynamics of wind pressure is subject to pronounced region-to-region variability. For windward surface, the wind pressure dynamics at the stagnation region is more deterministic than those of downstream. For the side surfaces, the distribution of recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) indicators follows a clear pattern, where the values are larger at the near-front edge, and decreases towards the rear. The distribution of RQA indicators on the leeward surface is opposite to that of windward surface, in which larger values occur more often at near-ground level. Further upstream, the values are found to decrease. The outcomes provide valuable insights to the wind-structural interaction, thus could help wind-resistant design.