bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling fuel break effectiveness in southern Spain wildfires
Authors: Ortega Macarena , Silva Francisco Rodríguez y , Molina Juan Ramón
Published: April 2024

Background

Fuel breaks aim to reduce the energetic progression of a wildfire, facilitating safe and efficient suppression. Changes in fire regimes are creating increasingly complex scenarios in which a higher percentage of wildfires exceed control capabilities, and a significant increase in firefighting costs is expected. Therefore, it is necessary to redefine fuel break networks incorporating science-based criteria. This change entails the improvement of the existing fuel breaks, the abandonment of those whose effectiveness does not justify the investment in their maintenance, and the development of new optimized designs. Fuel break effectiveness is understood as the probability of controlling a fire in the treated area. We analyzed 563 intersections between fires and fuel breaks that occurred during wildfires from 2011 to 2018 considering topographic, meteorological, fuel, design feature, suppression, and fire behavior factors. The main goal of this study is to quantitatively analyze the effectiveness of fuel breaks during wildfires in southern Spain and to develop models to predict potential fuel break effectiveness in fire containment capabilities by comparing machine learning techniques with a classic statistical approach.

Results

Fuel breaks were effective in containing the fire in 46.9% of cases. The most influential factors in effectiveness were the type of suppression work executed on fuel breaks (aerial, ground, or combined firefighting), the flame length, and the intersection angle between the fire and fuel break. Although the most accurate results were achieved with an artificial neural network, a decision tree could be the easiest model for end-user operational application.

Conclusions

This study entails a change in effectiveness assessment to an empirical approach in real wildfires in Spain. Our findings can be used to support decision-making for optimizing fire containment capability and firefighter safety.
The role of psychosis and clozapine load in excessive checking in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: longitudinal observational study
Authors: Fernandez-Egea Emilio , Chen Shanquan , Sangüesa Estela , Gassó Patricia , Biria Marjan , Plaistow James , Jarratt-Barnham Isaac , Segarra Nuria , Mas Sergi , Ribate Maria-Pilar , García Cristina B. , Fineberg Naomi A. , Worbe Yulia , Cardinal Rudolf N. , Robbins Trevor W.
Published: April 2024

Background

A significant proportion of people with clozapine-treated schizophrenia develop ‘checking’ compulsions, a phenomenon yet to be understood.

Aims

To use habit formation models developed in cognitive neuroscience to investigate the dynamic interplay between psychosis, clozapine dose and obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS).

Method

Using the anonymised electronic records of a cohort of clozapine-treated patients, including longitudinal assessments of OCS and psychosis, we performed longitudinal multi-level mediation and multi-level moderation analyses to explore associations of psychosis with obsessiveness and excessive checking. Classic bivariate correlation tests were used to assess clozapine load and checking compulsions. The influence of specific genetic variants was tested in a subsample.

Results

A total of 196 clozapine-treated individuals and 459 face-to-face assessments were included. We found significant OCS to be common (37.9%), with checking being the most prevalent symptom. In mediation models, psychosis severity mediated checking behaviour indirectly by inducing obsessions (r = 0.07, 95% CI 0.04–0.09; P < 0.001). No direct effect of psychosis on checking was identified (r = −0.28, 95% CI −0.09 to 0.03; P = 0.340). After psychosis remission (n = 65), checking compulsions correlated with both clozapine plasma levels (r = 0.35; P = 0.004) and dose (r = 0.38; P = 0.002). None of the glutamatergic and serotonergic genetic variants were found to moderate the effect of psychosis on obsession and compulsion (SLC6A4, SLC1A1 and HTR2C) survived the multiple comparisons correction.

Conclusions

We elucidated different phases of the complex interplay of psychosis and compulsions, which may inform clinicians’ therapeutic decisions.
Datopotamab Deruxtecan in Advanced or Metastatic HR+/HER2– and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Results From the Phase I TROPION-PanTumor01 Study
Authors: Bardia Aditya , Krop Ian E. , Kogawa Takahiro , Juric Dejan , Tolcher Anthony W. , Hamilton Erika P. , Mukohara Toru , Lisberg Aaron , Shimizu Toshio , Spira Alexander I. , Tsurutani Junji , Damodaran Senthil , Papadopoulos Kyriakos P. , Greenberg Jonathan , Kobayashi Fumiaki , Zebger-Gong Hong , Wong Rie , Kawasaki Yui , Nakamura Tadakatsu , Meric-Bernstam Funda
Published: April 2024

PURPOSE

Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate consisting of a humanized antitrophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) monoclonal antibody linked to a potent, exatecan-derived topoisomerase I inhibitor payload via a plasma-stable, selectively cleavable linker.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

TROPION-PanTumor01 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03401385 ) is a phase I, dose-escalation, and dose-expansion study evaluating Dato-DXd in patients with previously treated solid tumors. The primary study objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of Dato-DXd. Secondary objectives included evaluation of antitumor activity and pharmacokinetics. Results from patients with advanced/metastatic hormone receptor–positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HR+/HER2–) breast cancer (BC) or triple-negative BC (TNBC) are reported.

RESULTS

At data cutoff (July 22, 2022), 85 patients (HR+/HER2– BC = 41, and TNBC = 44) had received Dato-DXd. The objective response rate by blinded independent central review was 26.8% (95% CI, 14.2 to 42.9) and 31.8% (95% CI, 18.6 to 47.6) for patients with HR+/HER2– BC and TNBC, respectively. The median duration of response was not evaluable in the HR+/HER2– BC cohort and 16.8 months in the TNBC cohort. The median progression-free survival in patients with HR+/HER2– BC and TNBC was 8.3 and 4.4 months, respectively. All-cause treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; any grade, grade ≥3) were observed in 100% and 41.5% of patients with HR+/HER2– BC and 100% and 52.3% of patients with TNBC. Stomatitis was the most common TEAE (any grade, grade ≥3) in both HR+/HER2– BC (82.9%, 9.8%) and TNBC (72.7%, 11.4%) cohorts.

CONCLUSION

In patients with heavily pretreated advanced HR+/HER2– BC and TNBC, Dato-DXd demonstrated promising clinical activity and a manageable safety profile. Dato-DXd is currently being evaluated in phase III studies.
Trans-Ancestral Genetic Risk Factors for Treatment-Related Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Authors: Im Cindy , Neupane Achal , Baedke Jessica L. , Lenny Brian , Delaney Angela , Dixon Stephanie B. , Chow Eric J. , Mostoufi-Moab Sogol , Yang Tianzhong , Richard Melissa A. , Gramatges M. Monica , Lupo Philip J. , Sharafeldin Noha , Bhatia Smita , Armstrong Gregory T. , Hudson Melissa M. , Ness Kirsten K. , Robison Leslie L. , Yasui Yutaka , Wilson Carmen L. , Sapkota Yadav
Published: April 2024

PURPOSE

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a prevalent long-term complication of treatment in survivors of childhood cancer, with marked racial/ethnic differences in burden. In this study, we investigated trans-ancestral genetic risks for treatment-related T2D.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Leveraging whole-genome sequencing data from the St Jude Lifetime Cohort (N = 3,676, 304 clinically ascertained cases), we conducted ancestry-specific genome-wide association studies among survivors of African and European genetic ancestry (AFR and EUR, respectively) followed by trans-ancestry meta-analysis. Trans-/within-ancestry replication including data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (N = 5,965) was required for prioritization. Three external general population T2D polygenic risk scores (PRSs) were assessed, including multiancestry PRSs. Treatment risk effect modification was evaluated for prioritized loci.

RESULTS

Four novel T2D risk loci showing trans-/within-ancestry replication evidence were identified, with three loci achieving genome-wide significance ( P < 5 × 10–8). Among these, common variants at 5p15.2 ( LINC02112), 2p25.3 ( MYT1L), and 19p12 ( ZNF492) showed evidence of modifying alkylating agent-related T2D risk in both ancestral groups, but showed disproportionately greater risk in AFR survivors (AFR odds ratios [ORs], 3.95-17.81; EUR ORs, 2.37-3.32). In survivor-specific RNA-sequencing data (N = 207), the 19p12 locus variant was associated with greater ZNF492 expression dysregulation after exposures to alkylators. Elevated T2D risks across ancestry groups were only observed with increasing values for multiancestry T2D PRSs and were especially increased among survivors treated with alkylators (top v bottom quintiles: ORAFR, 20.18; P = .023; OREUR, 13.44; P = 1.3 × 10–9).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest therapy-related genetic risks contribute to the increased T2D burden among non-Hispanic Black childhood cancer survivors. Additional study of how therapy-related genetic susceptibility contributes to this disparity is needed.
Association of COVID-19 symptoms and functional status of the COVID-19 survivors in a tertiary health care center in a developing country
Authors: Islam Mohammad Tariqul , Mahjabin Afsana , Islam Md Mahbubul , Tasnim Anika , Khan Fahmida Afroz , Khan Iffat Islam , Alim Abdul , Khasru Moshiur Rahman , Uddin Taslim
Published: April 2024

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people globally, causing widespread illness and functional limitations. Methods This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between COVID-19 symptoms and the functional status of COVID-19 survivors at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in Bangladesh. A total of 244 COVID-19 survivors were enrolled in the study, and their symptoms and functional status were assessed using standardized questionnaires. The post-COVID-19 functional status scale (PCFS) was used to assess the entire range of functional outcomes. Results Among the participants 57.4% were male and 42.6% were female. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 44.6 ±14.7 years where 37.7% were from the 20-35 years age group. The mean duration of suffering from COVID-19 was 15.9 ±6.1 days where 61.5 % of the patients had a duration of suffering of 11-20 days. Out of the 244 patients, 40 patients had no functional limitation (grade 0 functional status in the PCFS scale) while 100 had negligible functional limitation and 14 had severe functional limitation. We found patients who were suffering from multi-symptoms were statistically significant with PCFS scale grade 4, whereas grade 1 was found to be statistically significant with only respiratory distress. There was a significant association between the duration of COVID-19 symptoms and post-COVID-19 functional status for patients who experienced symptoms for 14 days or more (p<0.05). Conclusions Considering the negative impact of COVID-19 symptoms on functional status, comprehensive care and support are required for COVID-19 survivors.
In silico analysis of molecular mimicry between human aquaporin 3, Aspergillus fumigatus aquaporin and aquaporins from allergic sources
Authors: Sánchez Andrés , Padilla Yaquelin , Lorduy Adriana , Sanchez Jorge , Munera Marlon , Baena Claudia , Bernal Carlos , Urrego Juan
Published: April 2024

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that has a significant impact on quality of life. The immune response and allergy symptoms in AD are triggered by the recognition of specific allergens by IgE antibodies. Cross-reactivity can lead to auto-IgE responses, potentially worsening AD symptoms. Our research aimed to enhance our understanding of allergenic sources, including A. fumigatus, and their role in AD. We focused on molecular mimicry between human AQP3 and A. fumigatus aquaporin. Methods In our in-silico analysis, we compared the amino acid sequences of human aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and A. fumigatus aquaporin with 25 aquaporins from various allergenic sources, sourced from the UniProt and NCBI databases. Phylogenetic relationship analysis and homology-based modeling were conducted. We identified conserved antigenic regions located within the 3D structures. Results The global identity levels among the studied aquaporins averaged 32.6%. One antigenic site exhibited a remarkable local region, with a conserved identity of 71.4%. We categorized the aquaporins into five monophyletic clades (A–E), with group B showing the highest identity (95%), including six mammalian aquaporins, including AQP3. When comparing A. fumigatus aquaporins, the highest identity was observed with Malassezia sympodialis at 35%. Both human and A. fumigatus aquaporins have three linear and three discontinuous epitopes. Conclusions We identified potential linear and conformational epitopes of AQP3, indicating a possible molecular mimicry between humans and A. fumigatus aquaporins. This suggests autoreactivity and potential cross-reactivity, although further validation using in vitro and in vivo experiments is required.
Exploring virtual funding committee practices in the allocation of National Institute for Health and Care Research funding: A netnographic study
Authors: Blatch-Jones Amanda Jane , Boxall Cherish , Asante Emmanuel , Meadmore Katie
Published: April 2024

Background Funding committees, comprising members with a range of knowledge, skills, and experience, are considered integral to the decision-making process of funding organisations for recommending or allocating research funding. However, there is limited research investigating the decision-making processes, the role of members and their social interactions during funding committee meetings conducted both virtually and face-to-face. Methods Using a mixed-methods design and following netnography principles, the study observed nine National Institute for Health and Care Research programmes funding committee meetings conducted virtually during October 2020 to December 2021; complemented by interviews with committee chairs and members (18 interviews) and NIHR staff (12 interviews); an online survey (50 responses); and documentary analysis. Personal reflections through immersive journals also formed part of the analysis. Results Three main themes were identified from the observations, interviews, and online survey: efficiency of virtual committee meetings (importance of preparation, and the role of formality, process, and structure); understanding the effect of virtual committee meetings on well-being (effects of fatigue and apprehension, and the importance of work life balance); understanding social interactions and engagement (levels of engagement, contribution and inclusivity, awareness of unconscious bias and the value of social networking). Conclusions Examining the decision-making practices of one funding organisation across several research programmes, across multiple committee meetings over one year has generated new insights around funding committee practices that previous studies have not been able to explore or investigate. Overall, it was observed that fair and transparent funding recommendations and outcomes can be achieved through virtual funding committees. However, whilst virtual funding committees have many benefits and opportunities, such as the potential to increase membership diversity and inclusivity, and be more environmentally sustainable, more evidence is needed to evaluate their effectiveness, with particular focus on issues of fatigue, engagement, and committee cohesion, especially when new committee members join.
A Study on Cosmological Model of Anisotropic Universe with Electromagnetic Field and Cloud Strings in the Frame Work of General Relativity
Authors: Tenneti Ramprasad
Published: April 2024

In this study, we have investigated the Bianchi type-III anisotropic cosmological model in the presence of cloud strings with the electromagnetic field in the general theory of relativity. Exact solutions of field equations are obtained using the fact that shear scalar is proportional to scalar expansion and constant decelerating parameter, which is derived from the variation law of Hubble parameter proposed by Berman(Nuovo Cimento B 74, 182 (1983))and linearly varying decelerating parameter proposed by Akarsu and Dereli(International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 51,612(2012)). The dynamics and significance of the physical parameters of the model are discussed using a graphical representation of these parameters. The dynamics and significance of the physical parameters of the models are discussed.
Analyzing CT Scan Images towards the Early Detection of Lung Cancer using Medical Images based Edge Feature Preserving CT Scan Medical Image Coder (EZWT - EFPIC)
Authors: Thirumoorthi C. , P Manikandaprabhu , Sundar P. V. Praveen
Published: April 2024

With the current improvements in virtual image processing techniques have received several benefits. Today, all of the scientific techniques produce virtual scientific pictures, through healthcare specialists analyze and diagnose the abnormality. The frequent view of scientific picture processing might also additionally appear simpler; however, it entails many challenges. As the scientific pics are interconnected with human lives, the laptop-aided scientific image processing structures have to be overcautious, if we want to eliminate inaccuracy rates. The utility of medical image processing techniques for the analysis of CT scan images similar to lung cancer cells has been gaining momentum in recent years. This paper discusses the use of a Transform Edge Feature preserving CT scan Medical Image Coder (EZWT - EFPIC) using Computed Tomography (CT) images to help in the early diagnosis of lung cancer. We discuss and explore the design and significance of an EZWT-EFPIC-CT image-processed model in cancer diagnosis.
Digitalisation Impacting Marketing Strategies and Practices
Authors: Jaiwant Vincent Sunanda
Published: April 2024

Digitalization through social media and the internet has altered the way marketers market their offerings and attract their customers and also the way consumers act, attend, buy and use the offerings and communications of the companies. Digitalization have revolutionized the marketing arena giving the organisations hordes of avenues and opportunities to lowers costs, raises brand awareness, and boosts sales. This article presents an insight into the impact of digitalization over the marketing strategies and practices. The study highlights the advent and role of advanced digital technologies like artificial intelligence, marketing using augmented reality, digital content management, mobile marketing and advertising, B2B marketing, electronic word of mouth, and related ethical concerns. The study evaluates how digital revolution affects businesses that employ digital marketing.
Bitcoin in the BRICS: A Decade of Adoption and Economic Impact
Authors: Sam Shiney
Published: April 2024

The Bitcoin market has expanded its wings and overshadowed the globe at a remarkable speed over its short span of time. Introduced in 2008, this financial innovation possesses properties of both, a currency as well as an asset. Over the past decade, BRICS i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy. Seeking the growing prominence of Bitcoin, the present study aims at exploring its status of Bitcoin in the BRICS nations. Using the secondary data of Google Trend time series, Google Trend country interest point and Bitcoin core software download, its status in BRICS nations is analysed. The findings imply that amongst the BRICS, China and Russia are the economies which are highly embracing this new fintech innovation. This financial mechanism can facilitate increased free flow of capital and international trade, thus,integrating the international financial market to ensure sustainable development of BRICS.
Book Review "The Tacit Dimension" by Michael Polayni
Authors: Gudadinni Mallikarjun
Published: April 2024

The book The Tacit Dimension by the author Michael Polanyi speaks about the different dimensions of Knowledge of the world in a philosophical context. The author deals with the many facets of Knowledge, knowing its emergence and how society explored it in the three chapters. He tried to enumerate the above things. The book is for insightful reading to an ordinary man who understands how Knowledge works and how different associations of Knowledge are in our society with academic, societal, intellectual, and personal endeavors. The book shifts the reader's attention from intimate Knowledge to a philosophical knowledge perspective. The author finds Knowledge is of different dimensions where it is subjected to every individual's upbringing, perception, sensations, and the way s/he interacts with intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Various paradoxes we frequently encounter in the world are subjected to how things exist, how things appear, and how we perceive them with our information
Sustainable Marketing: Electric Vehicles' Commitment to a Sustainable Future
Authors: Kurian Anita
Published: April 2024

The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India is seen as a crucial step towards a sustainable future. As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, EVs have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional gas-powered vehicles. Sustainable marketing emphasizes the importance of social, environmental, and ethical considerations in business practices. Companies that produce and market EVs can use sustainable marketing tactics to showcase their commitment to a sustainable future and appeal to consumers who prioritize responsible choices. This includes promoting the environmental and economic benefits of EVs, using eco-friendly materials in production and packaging, and partnering with organizations that promote sustainable practices and causes. By exploring the intersection of sustainable marketing and EVs, this research paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of how businesses can drive sustainability and promote responsible consumer behaviour. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to identify the sustainability factors that drive countries to promote EVs. To conclude, this paper examined articles published after 2015. The researcher examined various papers to better understand the true sustainability threat posed by EVs.
Modernity and Disenchantment: Charles Taylor on the Identity of the Modern Self
Authors: George Anoop , Muhammed Shareef K K
Published: April 2024

In his magnum opus, Sources of the Self: The Making of Modern Identity (1989), Charles Taylor gives an exhaustive and teleologically interpretive history of the modern self. He, in fact, is in search of the core of the modern identity. By ‘identity’ Taylor means the ensemble of the understanding of what is to be a ‘human agent’, a ‘person’, a ‘self’. Taylor in generating the ontology of the self is greatly inspired by the understanding of Dasein in Heidegger. This paper also focuses on how Taylor uses Heidegger’s hermeneutics of the self in several ways to give to modernity a base that is not Cartesian. Taylor’s central argument is ‘how the assertion of the modern individual has spawned an erroneous understanding (identity) of the self’, where one experiences a loss of horizon. He has turned our attention, more than anyone else, towards the communitarian constitution of the self, and pointed out the limitations of insights within liberal individualism. For Taylor, as for early Heidegger, the self is not neutral or atomic. The self exists only in terms of questions and constitutive concerns, and it is not amenable to arbitrary determination, but can be made sense of only in terms of its life as a whole at any moment.
Hasta sentirla mía. Infraestructura del comercio esmeraldero en el centro de Bogotá
Authors: Gómez Díaz Valeria
Published: April 2024

El centro de Bogotá es un punto estratégico del comercio de esmeraldas colombianas. Hace décadas, los comerciantes y comisionistas de estas piedras preciosas se reúnen allí para comprar y vender la materia prima extraída de las minas. Los movimientos inquietos e incesantes, tanto de las esmeraldas como de las personas, y la manera cómo han cambiado por la formalización minera y la presencia de las multinacionales en el occidente de Boyacá son aspectos que se siguen esta investigación. La autora argumenta que la luz, las calles y los sobres son infraestructuras del comercio tradicional que sostienen la circulación de piedras, personas e información y que fueron transformadas por infraestructuras propias de la formalización como el Rucom, el RUT y el Certificado de Origen generando nuevos arreglos creativos como los ruteros, las oficinas de exportación y las gangas.
Ongoing Study Reveals High Aquatic Fungal Diversity; An Untouched Component in Sri Lankan Biodiversity
Authors:   Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, Yunnan Province 655011, China, Wimalasena Madhara K. ,   Faculty of Graduate Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri Lanka,   Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale 50300, Sri Lanka, Wijayawardene Nalin N. ,   Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, Yunnan Province 655011, China,   Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale 50300, Sri Lanka,   Tropical Microbiology Research Foundation, 96/N/10, Meemanagoda Road, Pannipitiya 10230, Sri Lanka, Bamunuarachchige Thushara C. ,   Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale 50300, Sri Lanka, Jayalal R.G. Udeni ,   Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri Lanka, Bhat Darbhe J. ,   Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia,   Biology Division, Vishnugupta Vishwavidyapeetam, Ashoke, Gokarna, 581326, India,   Formerly, Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa, 403207, India, Dawoud Turki M. ,   Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia, Rathnayaka R.M. Kalindu ,   Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 11600, Sri Lanka, Dai Dong-Qin ,   Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, Yunnan Province 655011, China
Published: April 2024

Sri Lanka is an island nation with diverse ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, grasslands, and vast coasts. The country showcases a rich aquatic ecosystem that includes both coastal and inland waters. Freshwater habitats such as rivers, streams, marshes, and man-made reservoirs are the host for diverse fungal communities. However, documentation and identification of freshwater fungi in Sri Lanka have not yet been done as they face significant challenges, including unexplored taxa, misidentification, and hitherto reliance on morphological data, as well as limited funding, awareness, and expertise. This study aims to assess the limitations, potentials, and conservation efforts related to the identification of fungi in freshwater habitats in Sri Lanka. The assessment has revealed several potential opportunities for future research, including the exploration of novel fungal strains that are found in freshwater habitats, identification and classification of existing fungi, setting up and utilization of the freshwater fungal repository, access to reference databases, and identification of industrial applications.
ARE NEUROVASCULAR CHARTS APPROPRIATE FOR DIAGNOSING COMPARTMENT SYNDROME?
Authors: Sharkey Samantha , Round Joanne , Britten Simon
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Compartment syndrome can be a life changing consequence of injury to a limb. If not diagnosed and treated early it can lead to permanent disability. Neurovascular observations done on the ward by nursing staff, are often our early warning system to those developing compartment syndrome. But are these adequate for detecting the early signs of compartment syndrome? Our aim was to compare the quality and variability of charts across the UK major trauma network.

Materials & Methods

All major trauma centres in England and Scotland were invited to supply a copy of the neurovascular chart routinely used. We assessed how such charts record relevant information. Specific primary data points included were pain scores, analgesia requirements, pain on passive stretch and decreased sensation in the first web space specifically. As secondary objectives, we assessed how late signs were recorded, whether clear instructions were included, quantitative scores and the use of regional blocks recorded.

Results

A response rate of 46% was achieved. Of the charts reviewed, 25% documented pain scores or pain on passive movement. Pain on movement and analgesia requirements were documented in 33% and 8% respectively. Specific sensation within the 1st webspace was recorded in 16%. No charts recorded use of regional block. All charts recorded global sensation, movement (unspecified), pulse and colour whilst 66% documented capillary refill and 83% temperature. Instructions were included in 41% of charts.

Conclusions

In 2016, the BOA supported publication of an observation chart for this purpose however, it is not widely used. In our study, late signs of compartment syndrome were generally well recorded. However, documentation of early signs and regional blocks was poor. This may lead to delays in diagnosis with significant clinical and medicolegal consequences. Standardisation of documentation by updating and promoting the use of the pre-existing chart would ensure highest quality care across the network.
A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF THE THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF SOFT TISSUE AND JOINT RANGE OF MOTION DURING LOWER LIMB LENGTHENING IN CHILDREN
Authors: Mackarel Christina , Tunbridge Rebecca
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Sheffield Children's Hospital specialises in limb lengthening for children. Soft tissue contracture and loss of range of motion at the knee and ankle are common complications. This review aims to look at therapeutic techniques used by the therapy team to manage these issues.

Materials & Methods

A retrospective case review of therapy notes was performed of femoral and tibial lengthening's over the last 3 years. Included were children having long bone lengthening with an iIntramedullary nail, circular frame or mono-lateral rail. Patients excluded were any external fixators crossing the knee/ankle joints.

Results

20 tibial and 25 femoral lengthening's met the inclusion criteria. Pathologies included, complex fractures, limb deficiency, post septic necrosis and other congenital conditions leading to growth disturbance. All patients had issues with loss of motion at some point during the lengthening process. The knee and foot/ankle were equally affected. Numerous risk factors were identified across the cohort. Treatment provided included splinting, serial casting, bolt on shoes, exercise therapy, electrical muscle stimulation and passive stretching.

Conclusions

Loss of motion in lower limb joints was common. Patients at higher risk were those with abnormal anatomy, larger target lengthening's, poor compliance or lack of access to local services. Therapy played a significant role in managing joint motion during treatment. However, limitations were noted. No one treatment option gave preferential outcomes, selection of treatment needed to be patient specific. Future research should look at guidelines to aid timely input and avoid secondary complications.
THE MANCHESTER PATTERN KNEE-SPANNING EXTERNAL FIXATOR: A MECHANICAL COMPARISON WITH TRADITIONAL EXTERNAL FIXATOR CONSTRUCTS
Authors: Ahmed Tarig , Upadhyay Piyush , Menawy Ziad El , Kumar Vishal , Jayadeep Jayachandran , Chappell Michael , Siddique Aliya , Shoaib Amer
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Knee dislocations, vascular injuries and floating knee injuries can be initially managed by a external fixator. Fixator design constructs include the AO pattern and the Diamond pattern. However, these traditional constructs do not adhere to basic principles of external fixation. The Manchester pattern knee-spanning external fixator is a new construct pattern, which uses beam loading and multiplanar fixation. There is no data on any construct pattern. This study compares the stability of these designs.

Materials & Methods

Hoffman III (Stryker, USA) external fixation constructs were applied to articulated models of the lower limb, spanning the knee with a diamond pattern and a Manchester pattern. The stiffness was loaded both statically and cyclically with a Bose 3510 Electroforce mechanical testing jig (TA Instruments). A ramp to load test was performed initially and cyclical loading for measurement of stiffness over the test period. The results were analysed with a paired t-test and ANOVA.

Results

The mean stiffness with the diamond pattern fixator was significantly less stiff than the Manchester pattern fixator – by a factor of 3 (40N/mm vs 115N/mm). Displacement increased in all patterns over simulated loading equating to six weeks. The diamond pattern demonstrated a 50%% increase in displacement over time. The Manchester pattern demonstrated only 20% increase in displacement over time. These are all statistically significant (p<0.01)

Conclusions

The aim of an external fixator in knee dislocations and vascular injuries is to provide stability, prevent displacement and protect repairs. Vascular injuries often require fixation for several weeks to protect a repair. The Manchester pattern, applying the principles of external fixation, provides a stiffer construct and also confers greater stability over the time a fixator may be required. We commend this more informed design for the management of knee dislocations and vascular injuries.
Land Rich, Cash Poor: The Settler-Colonial Beginnings of the University of New Brunswick, 1785-1829
Authors: Yeomans Richard
Published: April 2024

Abstract: Cet article examine les débuts des établissements qui ont précédé l'Université du Nouveau-Brunswick – la Fredericton Academy et le College of New Brunswick – et l'incidence qu'a eue le développement de l'éducation collégiale sur celui de l'État colonisateur. Il fait valoir que les élites coloniales qui cherchaient à construire une école pour leurs enfants non seulement le firent sur les terres non cédées des Wolastoqey, mais de plus assurèrent son financement et son fonctionnement par l'appropriation indue d'autres fonds et en contravention du droit britannique en vigueur. Les actions de l'exécutif de la colonie concernant l'école collégiale construite à Fredericton permirent à la Chambre d'assemblée d'accroître son autonomie politique et son pouvoir de contribuer à façonner l'avenir de la province. Abstract: This article investigates the early history of the predecessor institutions of the University of New Brunswick – the Fredericton Academy and the College of New Brunswick – and considers how the development of collegiate education influenced that of the settler state. It argues that colonial elites who sought to build a school for their children not only did so on unceded Wolastoqey lands, but also supported and operated their school through the misappropriation of other funds and in opposition to established British law. The actions of the colony's executive regarding the collegiate school built in Fredericton allowed the House of Assembly to gain greater political autonomy and power to help shape the province's future.
Fashioning Flannel: Wales, Female Masculinity, and Same-Sex Desire in the Novels of Amy Dillwyn
Authors: Bohata Kirsti
Published: April 2024

Abstract: This article explores how in her novels of the 1880s, Amy Dillwyn uses Welsh flannel to convey a queer female masculinity that is rough, “savage,” working class, and Welsh. Feminine fashions are divested or destroyed: ballgowns go up in flames, corsets are resisted, girls undress to avoid maternally imposed gender constraints. But fine clothes and jewellery are also eroticized proxies for desired women, who are watched voyeuristically from a distance. Dillwyn often pairs her female protagonists with male doubles, and the final section of the essay traces the comic juxtaposition of a masculine woman with an elaborately dressed dandy. Informed by Jack Halberstam’s theories of female masculinity and shadow feminism, this article also draws on Dillwyn’s life writing and her interest in the social and political dimensions of vestimentary codes.
“A Pair of Scissors, and One Daring, If Trembling, Snip—!”: Making Mrs. Oliphant’s Dress
Authors: Ferry Emma
Published: April 2024

Abstract: Devised and edited by the Reverend W.J. Loftie, the Art at Home Series, published by Macmillan & Co. between 1876 and 1883, was a highly successful collection of domestic advice manuals aimed at a growing lower-middle-class readership. This paper focuses upon the volume in the series devoted to the subject of the book Dress , written in 1878 by the well-known Scottish novelist Mrs. Margaret Oliphant (1828–97). Drawing upon previously unpublished sources from the Macmillan Archive and contemporary reviews, this article charts the book’s production and initial reception to suggest Dress reveals as much about the expedient world of Victorian writing and publishing practices as it does about fashion. Demonstrating Oliphant’s skill in “writing with scissors,” it reveals the intertextual relationship that Dress has with many other literary and visual sources. Whether we interpret this as an example of plagiarism or a creative strategy, I argue that while Dress should be considered a cultural document of the late-Victorian period, it can never be treated as straightforward evidence of how people dressed in the past.
Contesting the English Sartorial Style in Trollope’s The West Indies and the Spanish Main : Self-Fashioning in the Caribbean
Authors: Tang Ge
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The article examines Anthony Trollope’s affective responses to dress in the Caribbean, with a view to revealing how they shaped his clothing practices while travelling and informed his resistance to transplanted English sartorial codes. Drawing upon Jane Bennett’s conceptualization of distributive agency, I approach Trollope’s clothed body, his attire, and the tropical environment as interdependent vital forces that affected his relationship to clothing’s materiality and its symbolic significance. I argue that his dress exerted its agentic force through its materiality—the colour, the fit, and the texture—in the tropical climate and its surrounding environment. The tropical heat and humidity afflicted Trollope when he was dressed in dark, tight English attire, causing him physical discomfort and emotional anxiety that he dramatized and diffused through humour. These feelings motivated him to ponder clothing’s materiality and the need to adapt it to the environment. I shall argue that the tropical weather, in causing digestive discomfort and even physical breakdown, threatened Trollope’s sense of masculinity. He therefore resorted to alternative forms of clothing to fashion and refashion his masculinity. His masculine self-fashioning, however, was met with resistance from the capricious tropical climate. Adopting an environmentally-inflected cultural materialist approach to clothing, this article illuminates the challenges posed by what Jane Bennett might term clothing’s “agentic” power to travellers in the colonies, contributing to the recent increase in materialist studies of clothing.
“Penitential and Self-Mortifying”: Mourning Crape in Fashion
Authors: Scaturro Sarah
Published: April 2024

Abstract: In 2014, while preparing for the fashion exhibition “Death Becomes Her: A Century of Mourning Attire” organized by the Costume Institute (CI) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the author, who was then the CI’s head conservator, encountered a question. Was the material being displayed toxic? This question arose upon discovering that nineteenth-century periodicals cautioned against wearing mourning crape, which is a crispy, crinkled, and dull black silk fabric worn in the first stages of Victorian mourning. According to these sources, mourning crape was poisonous. Seeking answers, the author would soon find out that, indeed, there was something to those warnings after all. In fact, an investigation into Victorian mourning crape reveals the incongruous story of a wretched and dangerous fabric that rose to the height of luxurious fashion. This article recounts this tale by exploring the history and materiality of English mourning crape to provide insight into both the macabre meaning of the fabric and the dreadful experience of wearing it.
High-performance photodetection based on black arsenic utilizing photoconductive effect
Authors: YU TINGQIU , Zhang Shi , Wu Huilin , Su Jiayi
Published: April 2024

Two-dimensional materials have gained considerable attention owing to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Among these, black phosphorus (BP) stands out for its tunable bandgap and high carrier mobility. However, its application is limited by its instability in the ambient condition. The emergence of black arsenic (b-As), which offers good environmental stability, is a promising 2D material candidate for black phosphorus, exhibiting tremendous potential in optoelectronic properties. Here, we demonstrate a high-performance b-As photodetector based on the dominance of the photoconductive effect, achieving a broadband spectral range from 520 nm to 1550 nm. This self-powered photodetector exhibits a rapid photoresponse speed, with impressive rise and fall times of 118 μs and 115 μs, respectively. Furthermore, characterized by a high responsivity of 1.826 A•W-1 and outstanding external quantum efficiency of 436%, the photodetector demonstrates its potential in IR optical communication and imaging capability. Our study introduces a novel photodetector material with broadband detection, fast photoresponse, high responsivity, and versatility, thereby providing a competitive alternative for the development of advanced optoelectronic devices.
Reinventing Sacred Ground Amidst Natural Disaster: The Holy Islamic Tomb in Seventeenth-Century Quanzhou
Authors: Wu Sylvia
Published: April 2024

The Holy Islamic Tomb at Lingshan Mountain in Quanzhou, China, is believed to be the final resting place of two of the Prophet Muhammad’s disciples who were dispatched as missionaries in the early seventh century. While prior scholarship has centred on verifying the tradition’s chronology, this article foregrounds the role of environmental actors in the tomb site’s ascent to prominence. I argue that the holy tomb (shengmu) tradition did not emerge until the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, so its invention should be analysed alongside concurrent climate hazards that plagued late Ming China (1368–1644). Uncommon episodes of snowfall, flooding, drought, and associated famines drove Quanzhou’s local communities towards popular religious practices. Muslim visitation practices in Quanzhou, which experienced a restrained period following the decline of Mongol rule, re-emerged into universal consciousness and became integral to the city’s spiritual landscape by aligning with Chinese allegorical narratives. Through this reinvented tradition, the Holy Islamic Tomb was characterized as a site blessed by the heavens during times of cosmic disturbances. Instead of passive assimilation, through which religious identities may be diluted, the active participation of Quanzhou Muslims in local practices empowered them to elevate and honour Islamic traditions within a predominantly non-Muslim society.
The Déesse and the Dam: Extractive Audacity, Montage, and the Politics of Ecological Devastation on the Euphrates
Authors: Considine Meghan Clare
Published: April 2024

A montage in Syrian filmmaker and activist Omar Amiralay’s Film Essay on the Euphrates Dam (1970) juxtaposes the dam’s industrial machinery with an eighteenth-century

bce

limestone statue of the goddess Ishtar, excavated from the Syrian site of Mari on the Euphrates River and known as the déesse au vase jaillissant (goddess with a flowing vase). This article analyses Amiralay’s visual and semiotic conflation of the dam’s architectural infrastructure and the déesse, raising questions regarding the politics of preservation under the Syrian Assad family regime (1971–present). Amiralay’s film valorises industrial labour while presenting a view of the rural lifeways that surround the Euphrates through the lens of salvage ethnography, suggesting that the advent of the dam will render these rural ways obsolete. The documentary records the months before over 60,000 people evacuated the region that would soon become the dam’s reservoir, Lake Assad. I argue that, read alongside film and literature that recentres the dam’s displaced (al-maghmurin; the drowned), Film Essay offers a counter-narrative to the ‘climate thesis’ of the Syrian Civil War (2011–present) and ties the conflict to longer histories of false promises and political subjugation embodied by the Tabqa Dam project.
Architecture and Development: Israeli Construction in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Settler Colonial Imagination, 1958–1973, Ayala Levin (2022)
Authors: Shoked Noam
Published: April 2024

Review of: Architecture and Development: Israeli Construction in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Settler Colonial Imagination, 1958–1973, Ayala Levin (2022)

Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 320 pp., 53 b&w and 16 colour illus.,

ISBN: 9781478015260, $107 (hardback)
Kanizsától Olmützig
Authors: Végh Ferenc
Published: April 2024

The incursion of the Swedish army into Moravia in 1642 caught the Habsburg leadership by surprise, and they did everything they could to bolster the numbers of their fighting forces, including the deployment of irregulars recruited from Hungary and Croatia. Until now it hasn’t been common knowledge that by the advice of palatine Miklós Esterházy a thousand soldiers were transferred from the frontier regions of Lower Hungary, Győr and Kanizsa to the imperial theatre. From the region of Kanizsa 219 soldiers accepted foreign deployment for a three month period. It is exceptionally lucky that the whole list of the group’s members remained, and the broader context and circumstances of the foundation of this unit could also be reconstructed fairly well. One company of this contingent participated in the blockade of Olmütz (Olomouc, CZ), a city seized by Swedish forces in the early summer. Interestingly István Svatics, the captain of the Zala castle, who led the group recruited from the forts near Kanizsa, wrote two field reports about the deployment in Hungarian that can still be read today, giving us information about the unit’s involvement in the war. From these reports we can learn so far unknown details about the blockade fights in Olmütz, specifically about the involvement of the Hungarian units, as well as the characteristics and tasks of these groups.
Situation Model of the Transport, Transport Emissions and Meteorological Conditions
Authors: Beneš Viktor , Svítek Miroslav , Michalíková Alžbeta , Melicherčík Miroslav
Published: April 2024

Air pollution in cities and the possibilities of reducing this pollution represent one of the most important factors that todays society has to deal with. This paper focuses on a systemic approach to traffic emissions with their relation to meteorological conditions, analyzing the effect of weather on the quantity and dispersion of traffic emissions in a city. Using fuzzy inference systems (FIS) the model for predicting changes in emissions depending on various conditions is developed. The proposed model is based on traffic, meteorology and emission data measured in Prague, Czech Republic. The main objective of the work is to provide insight into how urban planners and policymakers can plan and manage urban transportation more efficiently with environmental protection in mind.