bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation Exists in Service Delivery: Similarities and Differences in the Provision of a Whole Genome Sequencing Service for Paediatric Rare Disease Patients in the National Health Service in England
Authors: Laskowski Nastazja Monika , Clarke Angus , Patch Christine , Pichini Amanda , Hill Melissa , Whyte Sinead , Lewis Celine
Published: November 2024

Introduction: The National Health Service (NHS) in England is the first to offer whole genome sequencing (WGS) as part of standard care. As a high-income country with a universal healthcare system, England contributes a valuable perspective to global developments in WGS. Methods: We used an implementation science approach with mixed methods to characterise delivery of WGS for paediatric rare diseases: observations and field notes of consent appointments in clinical genetics and mainstream settings and follow-up qualitative semi-structured interviews with the clinical team. Process maps were developed for each department to identify similarities and variations between sites and thematic analysis of interview data to understand barriers and facilitators. Results: Data collection occurred in 12 departments (7 genetic, 3 neurology, 1 cardiology, and 1 general paediatric) across 7 NHS Trusts. 26 observations of 21 healthcare professionals were conducted, alongside 19 follow-up interviews. Two master maps were developed – one for clinical genetics and one for the mainstream. We identified 11 steps involved in delivering WGS, including 9 variations and 9 similarities. We identified most variation in the processes related to the “who,” “when,” “how,” and “where” as these were aspects that could be adapted to fit into the specific set-up of the department. Barriers included reluctance to uptake in the mainstream and difficulties tracking samples. Conclusion: Recommendations include developing standard operating procedures and hiring healthcare professionals responsible for facilitating consent alongside administrative aspects. These would reduce the burden on clinical geneticists and improve turnaround times as well as contribute to streamlining and standardisation of the service.
Predicting reprisal of solid cancer treatment and 60-month survival after Medical Intensive Care. A single-centre cohort study.
Authors: Ferrari Victoria , Morand Lucas , Hyvernat Hervé , Schiappa Renaud , Dellamonica Jean , Martis Nihal
Published: November 2024

Introduction. Our study aimed to identify relevant features associated with the reprisal of antineoplastic treatment in patients with solid cancers after unplanned admittance to the intensive care unit (ICU) and to assess 60th-month survival in patients with solid neoplasms admitted to the ICU.
Methods. This single-centre retrospective study of critically ill patients with active cancers was performed over a 13-year period (2005-2018). Patients’ characteristics, overall survival and antineoplastic treatment reprisal were extracted from digital medical files and compared.
Results. 134 patients were included in the study. Solid neoplasms were mostly localised to the head and neck (n=53) followed by lung cancers (n=29). Sepsis was the leading cause of ICU admission (62.1%) with 41/82 patients presenting with septic shock. Antineoplastic treatments were resumed in 40 patients. An age ≤60 years and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) ≤1 were found to be predictors for treatment reprisal, with odd ratios of, respectively, 2.83 (95%CI, 1.15-6.99) and 5.45 (95%CI, 2.01-14.82); area under the ROC curve of 72% (95%CI, 63-81%). Survival after the immediate discharge from the ICU was 101/134 (75%) and the 60-month survival rate was 29% and significantly higher in the treatment-reprisal group.
Conclusions. Age and ECOG PS were found to be predictors for treatment reprisal in patients with solid neoplasms admitted to the ICU. The latter benefit from better long-term survival.
CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE COURSE OF CORONAVIRUS INFECTION DEPENDING ON THE PERIOD OF ILLNESS
Authors: Saienko О. S. , Chemych M. D.
Published: November 2024

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the persistence of Long COVID symptoms is of particular concern, which significantly affects the quality of life and ability to work.
The aim of the study is to establish the peculiarities of clinical and epidemiological data in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 depending on the period of illness.
Patients and methods. We examined 108 patients divided into three groups: those with confirmed COVID-19, those with Long COVID, and practically healthy persons. The epidemiological and clinical features of the course were determined based on the analysis of medical records and the developed questionnaire.
Results. Women predominated among the study subjects (56 %) with an average age of 41.44 years. The main symptoms that characterized the clinical picture of COVID-19 were generalized weakness/fatigue (94 %), headache (74 %), fever/body aches and cough in 71 % of patients (p<0.05). In the Long COVID group, compared to the COVID-19 group, generalized weakness/fatigue (40 %), headache (29 %), fever/body aches (3 %), and cough (9 %) were significantly less common, sleep disorders / insomnia (17 %), muscle pain (11 %), shortness of breath (17 %), runny nose / sneezing (6 %), loss (worsening) of appetite (3 %), sore throat (6 %), difficulty concentrating (6 %), abdominal pain (3 %) (p<0.05).
Conclusions. Reduced access to healthcare services leads to delayed hospitalization, prolonged treatment, and complications.
The level of vaccination does not affect the risk of Long COVID.
Clinical signs of Long COVID: generalized weakness/fatigue, anxiety, mood disturbance, headache are detected in one third of patients and cause a decrease in overall quality of life. The most persistent are general weakness/fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, sleep disorders/insomnia and persist in 34-42 % of patients from the moment COVID-19 is confirmed.
КІЛЬКІСНА МОРФОЛОГІЧНА ОЦІНКА ВІКОВОГО РЕМОДЕЛЮВАННЯ ВЕНОЗНОГО РУСЛА ЛІВОГО ТА ПРАВОГО ПЕРЕДСЕРДЬ У ЕКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНИХ ТВАРИН
Authors: Гнатюк М. С. , Чолач С. Ю. , Татарчук Л. В. , Cтець Н. Я.
Published: November 2024

РЕЗЮМЕ. Серцево-судинні захворювання на сьогодні є важливою медичною та соціальною проблемою.  В останній час досягнуті значні успіхи в діагностиці, корекції  та профілактиці уражень серця, проте структурно-функціональні особливості міокарда продовжують вивчати морфологи та клініцисти.
Мета – дослідити вікові закономірності кількісних морфологічних змін  венозних судин передсердь у лабораторних статевозрілих білих щурів-самців.
Матеріал і методи.  Комплексом морфологічних методів вивчено венозне русло лівого та правого передсердь 40 щурів-самців, які були розділені на 2-і групи. 1-а група нараховувала 20 інтактних  тварин віком 6 місяців, 2 – 20 щурів віком 24 місяці. Евтаназія тварин здійснювалася кровопусканням в умовах тіопенталового наркозу. З передсердь виготовляли гістологічні препарати, на яких визначали діаметри закапілярних венул, венул, зовнішній  та внутрішній діаметри, товщину стінки  венозних судин, площу ендотеліоцитів,  їх ядер, ядерно-цитоплазматичні відношення в цих клітинах, відносні об'єми пошкоджених ендотеліоцитів. Морфометричні параметри обробляли статистично.
 Результати. Виявлено, що з віком виникає  ремоделювання венозних судин передсердь. Так, діаметр закапілярних венул збільшився на 6,2 %, венул на 5,7 %. У правому передсерді 24-місячних тварин вказані морфометричні параметри відповідно змінилися на 5,7 % та 5,1 % (р<0,001). Товщина стінки венозних судин лівого передсердя з віком зменшилася на 3,2 %, відносний об'єм пошкоджених едотеліоцитів зріс у 2,3 рази, у правому передсерді відповідно – на 3,3 % та у 2,1 рази.
Висновки. Проведені дослідження та отримані результати свідчать, що у лабораторних статевозрілих білих щурів-самців з віком виникає виражене ремоделювання вен передсердь, яке характеризується розширенням венозної ланки гемомікроциркуляторного русла, венозних судин, зменшенням товщини їх стінок, атрофією ендотеліоцитів, зростанням відносного об’єму пошкоджених ендотеліоцитів при збереженій стабільності клітинного структурного гомеостазу. Ступінь вікової структурної перебудови венозного русла домінує у закапілярних венулах та венулах лівого передсердя 24-х місячних експериментальних тварин.
ОЦІНКА ГЕНДЕРНО-ВІКОВИХ ПАРАМЕТРІВ ПАЦІЄНТІВ ІЗ ХРОНІЧНИМ ПАНКРЕАТИТОМ
Authors: Шевченко Н. О. , Бабінець Л. С.
Published: November 2024

РЕЗЮМЕ. Знання гендерно-вікових особливостей перебігу хронічного панкреатиту дозволить проводити раціональне лікування і профілактику захворювання, запобігати його незворотним наслідкам та ускладненням.
Мета дослідження – оцінити результати дослідження гендерно-вікових параметрів пацієнтів із хронічним панкреатитом.
Матеріал і методи. Обстежено 341 пацієнта із ХП поза загостренням із супутньою патологією. Вік пацієнтів становив від 21 до 78 років, що в середньому склало (58,17±2,46) років. Обстеження проводилось на базі Комунального Некомерційного підприємства «Одеський обласний клінічний медичний центр» Одеської обласної ради та в поліклінічному відділенні КНП «Тернопільська комунальна міська лікарня № 2». Джерелом інформації були «Медичні карти амбулаторного хворого» (ф. 025/о) і «Медичні карти стаціонарного хворого» (ф.027/о) пацієнтів різного віку і статі, що хворіли на ХП, впродовж 2015–2023 рр. Проведено аналіз отриманих даних завдяки статистичним методам дослідження.
Результати. Аналіз груп за віком дозволив довести, що серед молодих хворих на ХП чоловіків було на 31,6 % більше, ніж жінок (65,8 % проти 34,2 %). Середній вік пацієнтів становив (37,66±3,41) років. Різниця чоловіків і жінок в середній віковій категорії склала 10,4 % на користь чоловіків. Середній вік – (59,32±4,33) років. Серед пацієнтів старшого і похилого віку було більше жінок, ніж чоловіків, на 20,6 % (60,3 проти 39,7 % %). Середній вік – (71,34±1,45) років.
Висновок. Встановлені особливості гендерно-вікових характеристик груп дослідження за віком за міжнародною класифікацією ВООЗ потребують диференційованого підходу до ведення пацієнтів з хронічним панкреатитом, що потребує подальшого вивчення клініко-патогенетичних особливостей вікових груп пацієнтів із даним захворюванням.
ОЦІНКА ВИБОРУ МЕТОДУ ГЕМОСТАЗУ ПРИ ГОСТРИХ ГАСТРОДУОДЕНАЛЬНИХ ВИРАЗКОВИХ КРОВОТЕЧАХ, ЩО СПРИЧИНЕНІ ПРИЙОМОМ МЕДИКАМЕНТОЗНИХ ПРЕПАРАТІВ
Authors: ШАПРИНСЬКИЙ В. О. , КАМІНСЬКИЙ О. А. , БІЛОЩИЦЬКИЙ В. Ф. , ГМОШИНСЬКИЙ М. В. , РОМАНЧУК В. Д. , ЧЕРНИЧЕНКО О. І. , ВЕРБА М. А.
Published: November 2024

Мета роботи: визначення ефективності неоперативних та оперативних методів гемостазу в лікуванні хворих із гострими гастродуоденальними виразковими кровотечами, викликаними прийомом медикаментозних препаратів.
Матеріали та методи. Проведено аналіз лікування 215 пацієнтів з гострими гастродуоденальними виразковими кровотечами, що спричинені прийомом медикаментозних препаратів. Чоловіків було 116 (53,9 %) та 99 (46,1 %) жінок. Середній вік хворих становив (51,4±0,54) років. Для зупинки кровотечі використовували консервативні методи гемостазу; ін'єкційні медикаментозні ендоскопічні методи гемостазу, аргоноплазмову коагуляцію та механічні методи – ендоскопічне кліпування судин у виразці. Кровотечі, які не вдалось зупинити консервативними та ендоскопічними методами, а також рецидивні кровотечі, підлягали хірургічній корекції.
Результати. У хворих з гострими гастродуоденальними виразковими кровотечами, що спричинені прийомом медикаментозних препаратів, основним напрямком лікування було призначення гемостатичної та кровозамісної терапії. Для 202 (93,95 %) хворих методом зупинки кровотечі було обрано ендоскопічний гемостаз: обколювання судинозвужувальними та склерозуючими розчинами кровоточивої судини виконано у 73 (36,14 %) хворих, у 67 (33,17 %) хворих використано кліпування, аргоноплазмова коагуляція – у 35 (17,33 %) та використання поєднаних методів – у 27 (13,37 %) хворих. Гастродуоденальні виразкові кровотечі, які не вдалося зупинити медикаментозними та ендоскопічними методами гемостазу, а також рецидивні кровотечі підлягали хірургічній корекції. У 38 (17,67 %) хворих було виконано наступні операції: висічення виразки – у 17 (44,74 %) хворих, екстериторизація виразки з подальшою дуоденопластикою та пілородуоденопластикою – у 8 (21,1 %) хворих, секторальна резекція шлунка – у 6 (15,79 %) хворих, резекція шлунка за Більрот-І – у 4 (10,53 %) хворих та прошивання виразки – у 3 (7,89 %) хворих. Летальність після хірургічного лікування склала 5,58 % (9 пацієнтів померли після первинних операцій, а 3 – після операції з приводу рецидиву кровотечі).
ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПРОЦЕСІВ ЛІПІДНОЇ ПЕРОКСИДАЦІЇ В ПЕЧІНЦІ ЩУРІВ З ЧЕРЕПНО- МОЗКОВОЮ ТРАВМОЮ, ТУПОЮ ТРАВМОЮ ЖИВОТА ТА СКЕЛЕТНОЮ ТРАВМОЮ
Authors: ЛЕВЧУК Р. Д.
Published: November 2024

Мета роботи: порівняльна оцінка порушень процесів ліпідної пероксидації в печінці в динаміці стандартизованих моделей черепно-мозкової травми (ЧМТ), тупої травми живота (ТТЖ) та скелетної травми (СКТ).
Матеріали і методи. У статевозрілих щурів-самців лінії Вістар в умовах тіопенталонатрієвого наркозу моделювали черепно-мозкову травму (ЧМТ), тупу травму живота (ТТЖ) та скелетну травму (СКТ). Щурів виводили з експерименту в умовах наркозу через 3, 7, 14, 21 та 28 діб посттравматичного періоду. В екстракті гомогенату печінки визначали вміст реагентів до тіобарбітурової кислоти (ТБК-активних продуктів).
Результати. За умов моделювання ЧМТ, ТТЖ та СКТ в організмі піддослідних щурів на системному рівні виникає оксидативний стрес, який виявляють збільшенням вмісту ТБК-активних продуктів ПОЛ у печінці протягом 28 діб посттравматичного періоду, який тільки у щурів з СКТ нормалізується до закінчення експерименту. Для кожної за локалізацією травми в динаміці посттравматичного періоду характерні індивідуальні амплітудно-часові коливання вмісту ТБК-активних продуктів ПОЛ у печінці: при ЧМТ показник зростає до 14 доби, а далі до 28 доби знижується, не досягаючи контролю; при ТТЖ показник змінюється коливально з першим підвищенням через 7–14 діб і другим – через 28 діб посттравматичного періоду; при СКТ відмічають два періоди зростання показника: перший – через 3 доби посттравматичного періоду і другий з меншою амплітудою – через 21 добу. Через 7, 14 та 28 діб посттравматичного періоду вміст ТБК-активних продуктів ПОЛ суттєво більший на тлі моделювання ТТЖ, що пов’язано з безпосереднім механічним впливом на органи черевної порожнини; через 3 доби показник так само домінує за умов СКТ, через 21 добу – після нанесення ЧМТ.
Winners or Losers? Two Academic Years in Experiences of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Milovanović Ivana M. , Matić Radenko M. , Banjac Brigita , Pišot Saša
Published: November 2024

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic declared on March 11th, 2020, has had a substantial impact on the lives of all over the world. The student population, being one of the most vulnerable and substile ones, was forced to face specific unexpected circumstances for the first time in their lives. Objective. In this paper, the authors explored the reflections of the COVID-19 experience and basic segments of everyday life of university students after the first academic year under pandemic measures and a follow-up year with their subjective perception of to what extent their lives have changed and how they were able to adapt to COVID-19 emergency measures. Design. The field research was conducted among students in two European countries: Slovenia and Serbia. The qualitative semi-structured interviews with students (N=20, 50% male) were executed in June-July 2020 and June-July 2021. Results. The basic segments of students' daily lives underwent significant changes, yet they successfully coped and adapted to the COVID-19 emergency measures. Notably, improvements were observed in study strategies, reducing fear and loneliness. Above all, the primary longing was for social contact and gathering with friends. In their private lives, they were more concerned about opportunities but on the other hand, they gained more free time for various non-academic activities. Finally, sports science students have proven better-coping mechanisms with extraordinary circumstances. Conclusion. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the changes in the daily lives of students during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Competitive Anxiety and Mood States in High-Performance Cuban Student Athletes
Authors: Ríos-Garit Jesús , Cañizares-Hernández Marta , Reyes-Bossio Mario , Pérez-Surita Yanet , Touset-Riverí Raul
Published: November 2024

Background. The study of competitive anxiety and its relationship with mood states in high-performance athletes is relevant for predicting performance and enabling timely interventions to ensure successful outcomes in competitions. Due to the complex psychological demands arising from dual careers, the study of competitive anxiety and mood states contributes valuable insights into the emotional well-being of these student athletes. Objective. To examine and describe competitive anxiety and mood states in a sample of high-performance Cuban university athletes across different sports and genders. Design. A descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted involving 46 Cuban student athletes from national teams across 16 sports and included both male and female athletes, with an average chronological age of 20.70 years and 6.98 years of experience in a high-performance sport. The Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory and Brunel Mood Scale were administered in their Spanish versions. The data were examined using descriptive statistics analysis including the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results. Although no statistically significant differences were found in competitive anxiety and mood states in relation to gender and type of sport, female athletes tend to present higher mean scores in competitive anxiety and negative mood states. Additionally, female athletes in team sports experienced slightly more intense emotions. Anxiety shows positive correlations with tension, depression, and vigour, suggesting its influence on certain mood states. Conclusion. The results indicate that, in general, the intensity of certain moods in Cuban university student athletes is influenced by levels of competitive anxiety. An increase in anxiety during competition can lead to heightened tension, depression, and vigour, with no significant differences observed between female and male athletes or based on the type of sport practiced.
Agentic Self-regulation of Capoeira Athletes of Different Sports Qualifications
Authors: Molodozhnikov Ilya A. , Guseinov Alexander Sh.
Published: November 2024

Background. In the present study, an attempt was made to address self-regulation at the agentic (higher) level, which contributes a person's success not only in sports, but also in the organization of their own life. A group of capoeiristas was chosen as the sample. Objective. To identify the features of agentic self-regulation in athletes engaged in capoeira with different levels of sports qualification. Design. 202 capoeira athletes, aged M= 29.6 years, SD=6.6, were interviewed. The sample was divided into three subgroups based on different sport types and comparisons were made on the scales of the following techniques: style of self-regulation of behavior, strategies for coping with stressful situations, action control, personality protest activity, psychosocial maturity, personality harmony. ANOVA analysis in IBM SPSS Statistics 26 program was used for these comparisons. Results. The Masters subgroup outperformed the lower grade subgroups on the parameters: action control in planning, assertiveness, personal self-regulation, and psychological defense (p ≤ .05). The Master Candidates group had a significantly lower level of escapism (p ≤ .05), an indicator of destructive agentic activity, compared to the rated athletes group. Master Candidates outperformed Masters in the coping strategy of caution (p ≤ .05) and outperformed rated athletes on personality harmony scales, including satisfaction with life, relationships with people, life self-determination, and life self-actualization (p ≤ .05). On the scales of conscious self-regulation, no significant differences were found between the three subgroups (p > .1). Conclusion. As capoeiristas advance in sportsmanship they enrich their regulatory experience through the development of agentic qualities such as constructive coping strategies, personal maturity and personal harmony, while reducing the manifestation of destructive activity, such as escapism.
Aristotle’s Nature-Bound Theology in Metaphysics Λ
Authors: Meister Samuel
Published: November 2024

In Metaphysics Λ, Aristotle appeals to the prime mover: an unmoved mover that is the first moving cause of the world. Elsewhere, he calls the science concerned with the prime mover ‘theology’ (Meta. E.1, 1026a19). But what is the point of this science? On a common view, its purpose is to give an account of the prime mover itself, and especially to prove its existence. By contrast, I argue that Aristotle’s theology in Metaphysics Λ is ‘nature-bound’: it ultimately aims at explaining facts about the perceptible world, in particular the motion of heavenly bodies and the cycle of generation of perishable substances.
Trust in the Mass Media and Media Landscape of Kazakhstan
Authors: Beldibekova Aliya T. , Ashirbekova Gulmira Sh. , Akseiit Galiya M. , Serdali Bekzhigit K. , Abiev Bahytzhan M.
Published: November 2024

This study examines mass media as an intermediary between individuals and public institutions. The goals are to determine why people trust and distrust mass media and predict their outcomes. Analysis, synthesis, historical analysis, classification and typologization of system analysis, generalization, and comparison were used to complete the study and complete the tasks. The study examines media influence under the assumption that free media promotes healthy democracy in a changing society. Media activity is focused on audience socio-political engagement. A rise in information flow, and most importantly, a lack of critical understanding and filtering by the audience, can harm the opposition, which is a sign of democratic weakness.
Democracy and Crime in Latin America
Authors: Ferreira da Silva Geélison , Bonifácio da Silva Robert , Santos Mateus Rennó , Duarte de Moura Rafael Soares
Published: November 2024

Do firm stances against crime, up to a level at which they disregard Human Rights, overflow the sphere of crime control and associate with a preference against democracy? This study determines whether victimization of crime encourages support for the death penalty, the desire to own a firearm, and broader authoritarian political attitudes. The hypothesis is tested in Latin America using the LAPOP (2018/2019) database in 17 countries. Three sets of indicators are observed in the logistic models: a) dependent variables (desire to own a firearm, support for the death penalty, perception of democracy as the best form of government, support for a coup in the case of high crime, satisfaction with democracy, and trust in institutions); b) independent variables (victimization by crime); and c) control variables (waiting time for police response, and sociodemographic factors). Although no significant effects were found on democracy as the best form of government, victimization increases the likelihood of wanting a firearm, favoring the death penalty, and supporting coups, while it reduces the satisfaction with democracy and trust in institutions. Therefore, the results confirm that crime not only favors public support for harsh measures to control it but also weakens democracy and its institutions.
Writing Indigenousness
Authors: Wilke Carsten
Published: November 2024

When Central European Jews underwent massive urbanization during the nineteenth century, their German-language narrative fiction retold this experience in a historical garb. Based on six literary examples, this article argues that during the 1850s, Jewish writing radically changed from an outsider to an insider perspective, while nonetheless emphasizing the precarious position of Jews in the city. The first three examples, The Rabbi of Bacharach (c. 1825) by Heinrich Heine, “Letters and Walks of a Jewish Student” (1850) by Ludwig Philippson, and “Franzefuß” (1855) by Leopold Kompert, retrospectively evoke the anguish of Jewish migrants in the urban labyrinth. Three later novels, The Girls of Khaybar (1859) by Salomon Wassermann, The Y Aguilar Family (1873) by Markus Lehmann, and Jettchen Gebert (1906) by Georg Hermann, imagine Jewish elite families rooted in idyllic cityscapes of the Arabian, Spanish, and German historical pasts, where they must confront the threat of barbarous invaders.
Combining Geo-Archaeology and Historical Nile Records to Understand Predynastic Settlement Patterns in the Region of the Nile’s First Cataract, Egypt
Authors: Gatto Maria Carmela , Siegel Oren
Published: November 2024

This paper aims to contribute new data to understanding early Predynastic settlement patterns in Egypt at the beginning of the state formation process in the 4th millennium bce. It focuses on the early settlements of the First Nile Cataract region. We employ three different datasets to address the issue retrieved from a recent archaeological investigation and drill coring and from Nile records available from archaeological and historical sources. The analysis is performed in a gis-based environment and through inundation modelling. Data suggest early Predynastic settlements at the First Cataract may have been settled all year round. They appear to be deliberately placed above the annual high flood level and have water resources for most of the year. The new geo-archaeological data further suggests that the average high inundation level for the early 4th millennium bce was similar to that documented for the end of the millennium.
Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Kinetics are Variable: An In-Vivo Analysis
Authors: Esce Antoinette R. , Nicholas Robert G. , Syme Noah P. , Olson Garth T. , Boyd Nathan H.
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) monitoring has become routine in parathyroid surgery to facilitate less invasive techniques to treat hyperparathyroidism. Despite this, little is known about in vivo IOPTH kinetics, which can greatly affect the reliability of its interpretation.

Methods:

A prospective cohort of patients undergoing routine parathyroidectomy was studied. During each case, IOPTH was measured frequently, during all key perioperative events. Qualitative, univariate, and multivariate analysis was performed to better understand the patterns of in vivo IOPTH kinetics.

Results:

The IOPTH increased from preoperative baseline in every case, but some patients had a rapid spike after gland manipulation while others had a more gradual increase. The IOPTH peak occurred prior to excision in almost every case. The IOPTH began to fall prior to excision, typically returning to preoperative baseline levels just before excision. The average in vivo half-life of parathyroid hormone (PTH) was 5.2 minutes.

Conclusion:

There is substantial variation in the in vivo IOPTH kinetics and more research is needed to understand predictors of kinetic patterns and PTH half-life during parathyroidectomy.
Simultaneously inhabited lifeworlds: A phenomenological approach to understanding peace and conflict
Authors: Mac Ginty Roger
Published: November 2024

This article seeks to show the value of a phenomenological lens in understanding conflict-affected societies. In particular, it uses a phenomenological lens to unpack how individuals and communities simultaneously inhabit a number of lifeworlds as part of navigating through life in conflict-affected contexts. A lifeworlds approach, and its emphasis on the micro-dynamics of everyday life, sheds light on the apparent contradictions experienced and lived in conflict-affected contexts. The article utilises Van Manen’s four-part framework of ‘existentials’: lived space (spatiality), lived body (corporeality), lived time (temporality) and lived human relations (relationality or communality) to show how people construct lifeworlds that hold contradictions. In one reading, these contradictions help perpetuate division. In another reading, this ability to inhabit multiple and often contradictory lifeworlds represents everyday diplomacy or a non-escalatory conflict management that allows society to function, even in a dysfunctional way. The article draws on detailed and highly localised research in Colombia, Lebanon and Northern Ireland.
An improved multi-objective artificial physics optimization algorithm based on R2 indicator and its application
Authors: Sun Bao , Chang Yihong , Gao Min , Li Zhanlong , Liu Jiankang , Wang Jinbin
Published: November 2024

Artificial Physics Optimization (APO) algorithms in solving constrained multi-objective problems often encounter challenges such as uneven population distribution and imbalances between global and local search capabilities. To address these issues, we propose the Constrained Rank Multi-Objective Artificial Physical Optimization based on the R2 indicator (R2-ICRMOAPO) algorithm. This algorithm integrates non-dominated sorting with the R2 indicator and updates the external storage set using the contribution value derived from the R2 indicator formula, ensuring both set distribution and convergence. It also dynamically adjusts inertia weights and gravitational factors to enhance its global and local search capabilities. To evaluate the performance of the R2-ICRMOAPO algorithm, we compared it with four other multi-objective optimization algorithms using standard test functions. The results indicate that it demonstrates superior distribution and optimization performance. Furthermore, we applied it to optimize the parameters of a hydro-pneumatic suspension system. The experimental results show that it can reduce the root mean square value of car body vertical acceleration by approximately 21.4% and the root mean square value of dynamic tire load by about 19.6%. This reduction effectively enhances vehicle smoothness within a reasonable range. Consequently, these results confirm the feasibility of the R2-ICRMOAPO algorithm to solve practical problems.
Designing optimized geometry and fiber orientation of composites for dynamic tension via artificial intelligence
Authors: Gomez Consarnau Rafael , Whisler Daniel
Published: November 2024

Machine learning is quickly becoming an invaluable tool for examining large databases to find patterns and predictions based on similar parameters tested in previous studies. A natural application of this subset of artificial intelligence revolves around material data sets where tests are repeated for basic studies (e.g. tension, compression, bending, or shear) and extrapolating the data for tests not yet considered. Dynamic testing and validation with machine learning is examined here, as a significant time and cost is required for understanding larger-sized specimens (cm scale and larger) especially when the samples are composite materials in tension. This is due in part to the challenges involved in ensuring failure at the region of interests for an anisotropic material and minimizing the number of repeated tests. In this study, the data sets were generated artificially via finite element analysis with failure, and a machine learning code applied to infer the shape of the tensile test coupon knowing only the failure and stress field. Then the algorithm was run to generate a library of ideal coupon geometries based on ply angle and area location of failure within the test specimen. The result is a highly efficient prediction algorithm that can create the ideal specimen shape for tensile testing at speeds orders of magnitude faster than comparable finite element codes.
Machine learning based segmentation of delamination patterns from sparse ultrasound data of barely visible impact damage in composites
Authors: Nguyen Don , Davidson Paul , DeMille Karen , Ranatunga Vipul
Published: November 2024

Composite laminates, known for their strength and flexibility, are widely used but can delaminate under certain barely visible impact. Ultrasound Transmission (UT) scans can detect such failures, but the noise in the scans makes automation of delamination morphology challenging. Machine learning could solve this, but it requires substantial training data. Furthermore, given the considerable time and cost of conducting impact tests on composite laminates, such data remains sparse. This study overcomes data sparsity by enlarging UT scan dataset using image augmentation techniques and synthetic data generation methods. A combination of rotation and elastic deformation of real UT images produced augmented data. Synthetic data was generated by mimicking the statistical variations in real data, including delamination length and rotation per ply, and adding gradients to match the original image noise. A U-Net based machine learning segmentation approach was utilized to capture local and global information through a series of convolutions to apply per-pixel classification. Systematic experimentation was conducted to study the influence of adding augmented and synthetic data on segmentation accuracy. The results show that the use of augmented data increases accuracy significantly. With the addition of synthetic data to the augmented data, there is a marginal improvement in accuracy. However, feature edge accuracy is significantly improved. The preliminary results presented here show the promising use of machine learning techniques for complex, non-destructive inspection methods.
Surrogate PHFGMC micromechanical models for multiscale analysis: AI-enhanced low-velocity impact analysis of hat-stiffened composite panels
Authors: Hochster Hadas , Ranatunga Vipul , Shemesh Noam NY , Haj-Ali Rami
Published: November 2024

The Parametric High-Fidelity Generalized Method of Cells (PHFGMC) has been established as an advanced micromechanical approach well-suited for analyzing the material nonlinearity and failure behavior of diverse periodic composite materials. In order to overcome the prohibitive computational cost of integrating micromechanical models into multiscale structural analyses as constitutive models, a proxy-surrogate modeling approach has been proposed by implementing a reduction modeling approach with deep Artificial Neural Networks (DNNs or ANNs). The PHFGMC-ANN approach has been employed to investigate the low velocity impact (LVI) analyses of hat-stiffened laminated composite panels under impact loading at various locations and energies with two different support conditions. Subsequent analysis of stiffened panels under compression loading has been conducted to understand the failure behavior of impacted panels. Further investigation was conducted into the separation between the skin and the stiffener, focusing on a single hat-stiffened coupon subjected to LVI. The analysis results have been compared against the experimental tests, and the comparison of interlaminar delamination has been used to demonstrate the efficacy of the new framework in integrating refined nonlinear micromechanical models within a multiscale analysis.
Numerical modeling and experimental validation of low velocity impact of woven GFRP/CFRP composites
Authors: Sommer Drew E , Berkowitz Katherine , Werner Brian T , Long Kevin N , Skulborstad Alyssa J
Published: November 2024

Low-velocity impact of 2D woven glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite laminates was studied experimentally and numerically. Hybrid laminates containing blocked layers of GFRP/CFRP/GFRP with all plies oriented at 0° were investigated. Relatively high impact energies were used to obtain full perforation of the laminate in a low-velocity impact setup. Numerical simulations were carried out using the in-house transient dynamics finite element code, Sierra/SM, developed at Sandia National Laboratories. A three-dimensional continuum damage model was used to describe the response of a woven composite ply. Two methods for handling delamination were considered and compared: (1) cohesive zone modeling and (2) continuum damage mechanics. The reduced model size achieved by omission of the cohesive zone elements produced acceptable results at reduced computational cost. The comparison between different modeling techniques can be used to inform modeling decisions relevant to low velocity impact scenarios. The modeling was validated by comparing with the experimental results and showed good agreement in terms of predicted damage mechanisms and impactor velocity and force histories.
Childhood Unpredictability is Associated With Religious Coping Through Attachment to God and Divine Forgiveness
Authors: Maranges Heather M. , Fincham Frank D.
Published: November 2024

Because a majority of the world’s population is religious and believes in some higher power, it is important to understand what may facilitate or hinder religious psychological processes that give rise to well-being. The current work therefore threads together behavioral ecological, attachment, and forgiveness theoretical perspectives to assess candidate correlates of divine forgiveness and religious coping. Study 1 ( N = 441) showed, via a single path model, that childhood unpredictability was positively associated with avoidant attachment to God, which was in turn negatively associated with divine forgiveness, such that avoidant attachment to God fully mediated the association between childhood unpredictability and divine forgiveness. Study 2 ( N = 417) extended the investigation to religious coping, again analyzing data via a single path model. Childhood unpredictability was associated with positive (but not negative) coping through a mediation sequence of insecure attachment (avoidant and anxious) and, in turn, divine forgiveness. For avoidance, unpredictability was positively associated with avoidant attachment, which was negatively associated with divine forgiveness, which was positively associated with positive religious coping. For anxious attachment, unpredictability was positively associated with anxious attachment, which was positively associated with divine forgiveness, which was positively associated with positive religious coping. Notably, avoidant attachment was also curvilinearly associated with anxious attachment and coping, such that people high and low (vs. average) in avoidance are high in anxious attachment as well as positive and negative religious coping. Thus, the work provides insights important to both the study of early childhood environments and the study of religious psychological processes.
Perceived Causes of Sleep Problems in Higher Education Students: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Ruivo Marques Daniel , Allen Gomes Ana , de Azevedo Maria Helena Pinto
Published: November 2024

The major purpose of the present study was to explore higher education students’ perceptions of the causes of their sleep problems. The data were drawn from a previous cross-sectional online survey, from which only the questions relevant to this study were selected, including items on sleep disturbances and their causes. The participants included 1519 full-time students (76% women), aged 18–30 years ( M = 20.9, SD = 2.3); 95.3% were single and studying for a Bachelor’s degree (75.2%) across diverse fields of study. Overall, 30% of the students reported suffering from insomnia, 17.8% met the criteria for clinical insomnia (according to the Insomnia Severity Index), and 12.5% reported being dissatisfied with their sleep. The most significant perceived causes of sleep difficulties were stress (85%), academic problems (67%), and general worries (56.5%). Other causes included affective/love problems (28.4%), family issues (27.5%), changes in sleeping habits (25.9%), financial problems (13.7%), transition to higher education (10.4%), pain (7.1%), and general illness (5.5%). These findings may have important implications for interventions aimed at improving sleep health among higher education students.
Reliability optimization through soft digital twins
Authors: Jones Gerald , Li Xueping , Berg Thomas , Lawson Scott , Swanson Kimon , Holmes Alexander , Smith Benjamin , Lamberti Vincent , Birt Luke , Atchayagopal Pugazenthi
Published: November 2024

This paper presents a framework for developing a “soft digital twin” (SDT) for reliability optimization through modeling and simulation. The focus is on demonstrating the effectiveness of the SDT in modeling maintenance task processes within mission-critical facilities, which is particularly essential for reliable operations in critical infrastructure such as nuclear facilities. The need for efficient completion of maintenance tasks (MTs) to ensure high reliability and minimal downtime underscores the challenge faced by managers, who desire a predictive tool akin to a “crystal ball” for optimal resource configuration in the face of uncertainties from equipment failures, staffing issues, and supply chain disruptions. The proposed SDT functions as this predictive tool, leveraging the simulation’s versatility to provide insights into resource configurations and staff planning. This work extends the prior research by incorporating additional model validation, sensitivity testing, and analysis of the impact of various resource changes on the system. It employs a combination of data-driven frameworks and stochastic modeling methods to construct an adaptive SDT capable of accommodating changes in system behavior. The work provides a framework for the construction of SDT, testing and validation of its results, and its application to a case study of a mission-critical facility focused on replication and then optimizing of two key performance indicators based on human resource mixtures. Initial findings suggest that the SDT yields reliable results comparable to retrospective test datasets, offering the potential to minimize MTs’ time in the system while maximizing throughput within specified time frames through scenario experimentation and optimization.
STL4IoT: a statechart template library for IoT system design
Authors: Rempillo Clyde , Mustafiz Sadaf
Published: November 2024

The engineering of IoT systems brings about various challenges due to the inherent complexities associated with such heterogeneous systems. In this paper, we propose a library of statechart templates, STL4IoT, for designing complex IoT systems. We have developed atomic statechart components modeling the heterogeneous aspects of IoT systems including sensors, actuators, physical entities, network, and controller. Base system units for smart systems have also been designed. A component for calculating power usage is available in the library. In addition, a smart hub template that controls interactions among multiple IoT systems and manages power consumption has also been proposed. The templates aim to facilitate the modeling and simulation of IoT systems. Our work is demonstrated with a smart home system consisting of a smart hub of lights, a smart microwave, a smart TV, and a smart fire alarm system. We have created a multi statechart with Itemis CREATE based on the proposed templates and components. A smart home simulator has been developed by generating controller code from the statechart and integrating it with a user interface.
University and the Pursuit of a ‘Career’ for Working-Class Youth in Deindustrial Rochdale
Authors: Singh Amit
Published: November 2024

This article examines the way in which working-class young people in Rochdale, a former industrial town in the north-west of England, imagine their future transitions from college to work through qualitative research at Rochdale’s only A-Level college. It explores how students’ aspirations to attend university reflect their desire for a ‘career’ in the absence of alternative forms of work and as a symbolic marker of upward social mobility that is subsequently differentiated from other forms of work as a form of distinction, as a great deal of emphasis is placed on the moral and cultural worth of a ‘career’. In doing so, this article highlights how such perceptions are shaped by the material conditions faced by these young people, such as inequality, financial precarity, and relative poverty against the backdrop of deindustrialisation.
Challenging patriarchal motherhood: A critical analysis of fictional mothers in Caryl Phillips’ The Final Passage and The Lost Child
Authors: Güzen Aybüke , Yıldız Hülya
Published: November 2024

This study explores the literary mother figures in Caryl Phillips’ novels The Final Passage (1985) and The Lost Child (2015) through the critical lens of matricentric feminism, focusing on patriarchal notions of motherhood including normalisation, idealisation, depoliticalisation and naturalisation. Extensive research has been conducted on these novels, but their representations of mother characters have remained relatively under-explored. With the aim of addressing that gap in the literature, we argue that Caryl Phillips problematises idealised, universal and traditional conceptions of motherhood by offering multiple and, particularly, otherised mother figures in these novels. Deconstructing such conceptions of motherhood, he exposes the socio-political and economic inequalities arising from racial discrimination, class inequalities, patriarchal oppression and colonial experiences that affect his characters’ mothering adversely. Through an intersectional reading of the mother characters in these two novels, this study aims to highlight the characters’ complexities and significance, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the novels and enriching the discourse surrounding the representation of motherhood in literature and culture. A comparative study of these novels further reveals that they encompass various settings for multiple depictions of motherhood and different stages of imperialism, presenting haunting continuities and discontinuities in different centuries.
Environmental Degradation, Socio-economic Disparity, and Western Economic Interests in Egypt
Authors: Marren Marina
Published: November 2024

Egypt not only suffers from a history of colonial exploitative practices, but also lives in a present that is shaped by new forms of oppression. One clear indication of this fact is the clash between economic interests and environmental concerns. The pattern of Western investments into Egyptian industry and the Egyptian government’s deal-making with the Western stakeholders shows utilization of the region for profit-making without sufficient resource contribution that could offset the damage to the natural environment. Focusing on Egypt, this study contributes to understanding the larger pattern of injustice in the Global South, perpetuated by the Global North.
Role Hierarchy as a Status Construction Machine: A Replication
Authors: Lyu Yujia
Published: November 2024

Status construction theory offers a framework for investigating inequality-justifying consequences of microlevel encounters. While organizational role hierarchies (e.g., manager-employee or customer-server) dominate our daily encounters with categorically different others, there is no systematic empirical evaluation of the status construction effect of role hierarchies. I replicated the classic status construction experiment both in the lab and online to answer these questions. Results show that (1) the categorical membership consistently associated with a high-status role was stereotypically perceived as more respectable and leader-like but not more competent compared with the group linked to a low-status role and (2) only behavioral experience of the role hierarchy was sufficient to produce consensual status beliefs. Future implications and limitations are discussed.