bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Full-scale analysis of smart fluid-filled barrier technology: Numerical and experimental study of fixture configurations
Authors: Jenson Sean , Ali Muhammad , Naik Bhaven , Alam Khairul , Stolle Cody
Published: August 2023

Roadside barriers are often deployed to prevent vehicles from colliding with roadside obstacles or hazards and from leaving the road surface. These barriers primarily take the form of guardrails or crash cushions and are designed to absorb energy through severe plastic deformation. Due to the severity of these types of collisions, the energy-absorbing mechanisms can fail resulting in the barrier becoming a hazard. To address this issue, a (US Patented) multi-chambered, smart fluid-filled barrier technology (SFFBT) was proposed as a potential replacement for such roadside barriers. This new patented technology utilizes fluid transport between the internal chambers and viscous dissipation as an additional energy-absorbing mechanism to help reduce the effects the severe deformation imparts on the colliding vehicle and its occupants. Numerical models were developed in ABAQUS dynamic explicit environment, and full-scale experimental testing was conducted at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. Three barrier configurations were considered for this study with two different fluid levels resulting in six unique test samples. The three test configurations were (a) free-standing, (b) abutted against a rigid backstop, and (c) anchored. Fluid levels chosen were 25% and 33% filled volume. The results show that the proposed designs and fluid addition provided an increase in energy absorption while decreasing overall deformation stroke by up to 5%. Additionally, kinetic energy reduction increased by 15% with a nearly 140% increase in fluid energy dissipation. The best-performing configurations were the rigid backstop cases, followed by anchored and free-standing configurations. The effects of varying anchoring schemes provide additional performance evaluations for maximizing the energy-absorbing performance of the SFFBT system for use as an impact attenuator.
Effect of strain rate on tensile behavior of tailor welded blanks
Authors: Amini Ahmad , Nia Ali Alavi
Published: August 2023

The demand for weight reduction, cost savings, more fuel efficiency, and reduced greenhouse gas has led to the increasing application of tailor welded blanks (TWBs) in the automotive industry. The purpose of this study is to investigate the strain rate effect on the tensile behavior of TWB consisting of dissimilar thickness sheets. Hence, a fiber laser was used for welding St14 steel sheets. The weld zone was examined using metallographic and microhardness tests. For investigating the tensile properties, uniaxial tensile tests were performed at strain rates ranging from 0.001 to 10 s−1. It has been found that the presence of Bainitic microstructure in the weld zone increases its hardness. Tensile test results indicate that yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of base metals and TWB enhanced with increasing strain rate. The yield and ultimate tensile strength of TWB are higher than base metals at different strain rates. As the strain rate increases, the total elongation of the TWB decreases, but in base metals, it decreases first and then increases at higher strain rates. In TWB and base metals, by increasing strain rate, uniform elongation decreases, but post-uniform elongation increases. For analysis of plastic deformation of thick and thin parts of TWB, indexes of limiting thickness ratio and difference of ratios (DR) were used. DR decreases with increasing strain rate, which indicates a decrease in the plastic deformation of the thick part of TWB and is consistent with the experimental findings.
Machinability study on laser-based powder bed fusion processed hypo-eutectic aluminium alloy composite (AlSi10Mg + NbC)
Authors: Meghanathan Saravanan , Radhakrishnan Raj Mohan , Ramamoorthi Venkatraman , Srinivasan Raghuraman
Published: August 2023

Understanding the machinability of additively manufactured composite materials is crucial for efficient manufacturing. The study aimed to evaluate the machinability of the composite material (AlSi10Mg + Niobium carbide (NbC)) using the Electro-discharge machining (EDM) process and to investigate the influence of different printing orientations on the EDM process. The Plackett–Burman design was initially employed to determine the significant EDM parameters. Subsequently, the Box–Behnken Design was followed to obtain the optimal settings on the EDM setup. The validation experiment based on the composite desirability approach confirmed the maximum material removal rate (MRRmax) and minimum tool wear rate (TWRmin). The identified configuration of 3 wt. % NbC reinforcement in AlSi10Mg, printed in the 0° orientation, exhibited the best performance in MRRmax: 146.43 mg/min, TWRmin: 0.00072 mg/min, and surface finish of 2.813 µm. These findings enhance the understanding of composite machinability and can assist in optimizing the EDM process for advanced materials.
Noncontact nondestructive ultrasonic techniques for manufacturing defects monitoring in composites: a review
Authors: Mortada Hanadi , El Mousharrafie Sarah , Mahfoud Elie , Harb Mohammad
Published: August 2023

Composite materials are widely used in most industries due to their high specific strength, specific stiffness, and their relatively lighter weight compared to other traditional materials. However, the presence of defects arising from manufacturing processes or during service loads can make these structures more susceptible to a diminished performance. Furthermore, the former defects are inevitable in composite structures, but they can be reduced. Each type of defect requires specific inspection techniques and configurations. In this work, a review of the different types of composites manufacturing processes and their corresponding resultant defects is presented with the various nondestructive evaluation techniques employed for these defects’ characterization. The emphasis of this paper is on ultrasonic inspection and detection techniques for they present high sensitivity to surface/subsurface discontinuities, superior depth of ultrasonic penetration for flaw detection, feasibility on large scales, and instantaneous and detailed images production. Notably, noncontact ultrasonic testing techniques are also reviewed, air-coupled techniques in specific, and highlighted as a fine alternative to conventional contact inspection systems as they reduce the restrictions that coexist with the use of couplants. Moreover, these ultrasonic testing techniques are summarized to show the latest research progress achieved in the field of air-coupled ultrasonic inspection systems for manufacturing defects’ monitoring in composite structures including delamination, porosity, dryness, waviness, and resin lack/excess. Finally, we highlight the type and central frequency of the transducers and experimental results present in literature and obtained in terms of both detection and size of the defects.
A comparison of ultrasonic temperature monitoring using machine learning and physics-based methods for high-cycle thermal fatigue monitoring
Authors: Clarkson Laurence , Zhang Yifeng , Cegla Frederic
Published: August 2023

Failure of pipe network components in so-called mixing zones due to high-cycle thermal fatigue (HCTF) can occur within nuclear power plants where fluids of different thermal and hydraulic properties interact. Given that the consequences of such failures are potentially deadly, a method to monitor HCTF non-invasively in real-time is expected to be of great use. This method may be realised by a technique to determine the inaccessible temperature distribution of a component since thermal gradients drive HCTF. Previous work showed that a physics-based method called the inverse thermal modelling (ITM) method can obtain the temperature distribution from external temperature and ultrasonic time of flight (TOF) measurements. This study investigated whether the long-short-term memory (LSTM) machine learning architecture could be a faster alternative to the ITM method for data inversion. On experimental data, a 25-member ensemble of LSTM networks achieved an ensemble median root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.04°C and an ensemble median mean error of 0.194°C (both relative to a resistance temperature device measurement). These values are similar to the ITM method which achieved a RMSE of 1.04°C and a mean error of 0.196°C. The single LSTM network and the ITM method achieved a computation-to-real-world time ratio of 0.008% and 14%, respectively demonstrating that both methods can invert data in real-time. Simulation studies revealed that LSTM performance is sensitive to small differences between the training and real-world parameters leading to unacceptable errors. However, these errors can be detected via an ensemble of independent networks and, corrected by simply adding a correction factor to the TOF prior to being input into the networks. The results show that LSTM has the potential to be an alternative to the ITM method; however, the authors favour ITM for temperature distribution monitoring given its interpretability.
Constructive developmental interiority: Deliberately transformative action research
Authors: Butler Sheila , Coakley Maria , Doyle Eleanor
Published: August 2023

This paper focuses on the process and theory of action-research for transformation (ART) targeting individual transformation as a required means for global change. Addressing the lack of a practical framework to organize and report transformation, we conceptualise, identify and demonstrate an approach by linking ART with Interiority and Constructive Development Theory. Interiority focuses on the individual’s sense-making as it relates to the sensed world and provides direction for data to be collected. Crucially, the individual’s capacity for sense-making impacts how data are identified, experienced, interpreted and evaluated. It is shifts in this capacity that constitute fundamental transformation required to better handle complexity and ambiguity - intrinsic to ART. We propose Constructive Developmental Interiority (CDI) that provides a lens to recognise, analyse and frame constructive developmental shifts. Two case studies are presented in which researchers engaged in applying CDI for transformation. Both cases highlight, through first-person action-research and reflexive collaboration, that although the will to address developmental transformational challenges was an espoused motivation, its misalignment with the capacities for transformative change is always a possibility. Applying CDI reveals the nature of the challenge (time, effort and support), how transitions were made, and the potential for transformational impact.
Ideas, Policy Feedback and the American Political Economy
Authors: Béland Daniel
Published: August 2023

In their volume The American Political Economy, Jacob S. Hacker et al. seek to renew the study of American political economy (APE) through a direct engagement with other areas of political science, including and especially comparative political economy (CPE). In the introduction of their volume, they lay out the foundations of APE as both a field of research and an approach to American politics that seeks to contribute to the study of the United States as well as to the broader discipline of political science. In this review essay, I will discuss the APE as an intellectual project to stress its key assumptions and its potential contribution to the study of politics and public policy, in the United States and beyond. Then, I will discuss two key issues that, while not explicitly central to APE as developed in The American Political Economy, could help enrich this novel approach. These two issues are policy feedback, a concept already prominent in the institutionalist tradition APE draws on, and the role of ideas in politics, which in recent decades has gained more currency in the study of politics, public policy and CPE.
Trends in cardiovascular burden and mortality among adults with prediabetes in the US, 1999–2018
Authors: Zhang Yi , Lu Ruodi , Wang Jian , Zhang Xingjian , Ma Xiao
Published: August 2023

Background

Trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and mortality have been reported among US adults with diabetes, but not among those with prediabetes. This study aimed to examine and compare the trends in CVD risk factors and mortality in US adults with diabetes and prediabetes.

Methods

In this serial, cross-sectional study, medical records of prediabetic patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) among adults aged 18 years or older were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Data on 17,193 individuals including 7803 with diabetes and 9390 with prediabetes were analyzed from 1999–2000 to 2017–2018. A similar non-linear trend in the mean blood pressure ( p = .991) and plasma fasting glucose ( p = .068) was observed among the population with diabetes and prediabetes. The mean hemoglobin A1c decreased from 7.5% to 7.1% in diabetes and the trend was different from that in prediabetes ( p = .004). Among both groups, a significant decline in the mean total cholesterol was identified while there was a difference in the trend ( p = .003). The prevalence of hypertension remained largely the same for diabetes and it declined from 59.8% to 48.8% for prediabetes ( p = .044). The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased from 40.4% to 53.5% in diabetes and it remained stable for prediabetes. The all-cause mortality decreased from 148.2 to 93.6 per 10,000 person-years between 1999–2006 and 2007–2014 in prediabetes and heart diseases mortality remained unchanged.

Conclusion

In the US from 1999 to 2018, the adults with prediabetes had different secular trends in the mean hemoglobin A1c and the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia compared to those with diabetes. There was a significant reduction in all-cause mortality from 1999 to 2014 for the population with prediabetes. However, heart diseases mortality remained stable among them.
A Rapid Scoping Review of the Dual Advocacy Model for Donation Conversations
Authors: Litsas Diana C. , Mulvania Patricia A. , Roth Stephanie , Siminoff Laura A.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Increasing family authorization for donation is critical to address the shortage of organs for transplantation, yet there is no standardized method for leading conversations with families about donation.

Objective

The aim of this rapid scoping review is to identify research assessing the components of dual advocacy, a model to discuss organ donation with grieving families.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, and grey literature were searched for studies published from 2012 to the present. Data representing the various dual advocacy components that were empirically tested were extracted. Outcomes of interest were authorization for organ donation or family satisfaction with the donation conversation.

Results

Twenty-two articles were identified that tested at least one component of dual advocacy. The most commonly tested component was effective communication about donation ( N = 9), including explaining brain death and the donation process. The primary outcome for the majority of studies was donation authorization or conversion rates. Studies that tested all components of dual advocacy ( N = 9) had overall positive results while studies that tested a single component had mixed results.

Discussion

Although family authorization to donation is critical to addressing the national organ shortage, there has yet to be a standardized method for leading families in the organ donation conversation. Despite the need for organ transplantation in the United States and worldwide, few large-scale studies have rigorously tested the most effective ways to engage families of donor-eligible patients about the organ donation opportunity. There is an urgent need for further research to establish a standard of evidence-based practice.
Usability of Different Methods to Assess and Improve Adherence to Therapeutic Footwear in Persons with the Diabetic Foot in Remission. A Systematic Review
Authors: López-Moral Mateo , Molines-Barroso Raúl J. , Herrera-Casamayor María , García-Madrid Marta , García-Morales Esther , Lázaro-Martínez José Luis
Published: August 2023

Therapeutic footwear (TF) has been demonstrated to decrease the rate of recurrence in patients in remission. TF adherence determines the real effect of such treatment and, therefore, an appropriate evaluation of TF adherence is critical to decrease recurrence. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the usability of different methods of assessing adherence to TF in patients with diabetic foot ulcers under remission. The search strategy retrieved 506 articles. Title and abstract review excluded 472, while the full-text review excluded an additional 18 articles because the included data did not meet the selection criteria. Finally, we included 16 articles in this systematic review. Six (37.5%) of the 16 studies combined objective (OM) and subjective methods (SM). Only five (31.25%) evaluated OM and six (37.5%) studies only evaluated SM. Objective methods (temperature sensor, activity monitor) and subjective methods (survey, questionnaire) have successfully been used in the literature to evaluate TF adherence. Objective methods provided accurate data, whereas subjective methods led to response bias or missing data. Methods of evaluation showed that patients use the TF more frequently outdoors and on weekdays than indoors or on the weekend. In conclusion, objective methods are the most usable way to measure adherence to TF.
Decision Support Systems (DSSs) ‘In the Wild’: The Factors That Influence Users’ Acceptance of DSSs in Naturalistic Settings
Authors: Morrison Ben William , Bergin Kathryn , Kelson Joshua , Morrison Natalie May Virginia , Innes John Michael , Zelic Gregory , Al-Saggaf Yeslam , Paul Manoranjan
Published: August 2023

A richer approach to studying Decision Support System (DSS) interactions is required to understand and predict the nature of actual use in the workplace. We used questionnaire and interview techniques to examine workers’ experiences relating to DSS use in naturalistic settings. We aimed to: 1) Reveal what workers perceive to be the most important factors when deciding whether to accept support from a DSS and 2) Elicit patterns that emerge from DSS users’ recounted experiences using the systems, which may impact their future use. Current and prospective DSS users ( N = 93) from numerous industries responded to a questionnaire relating to the factors they perceive to influence their use of DSSs. Subsequently, a retrospective interview protocol was employed to investigate the experiences of a subset of DSS users ( N = 10). The questionnaire results underscore a range of factors considered to be very important to the acceptance of DSSs (i.e. decision quality; decision importance; decision risk; historical accuracy; decision accountability; and system comprehension). Further, a series of interconnected themes relating to workers’ use of DSSs were identified from the interview transcripts using thematic analysis. We discuss how these issues may impact workers’ intentions to use DSSs in the workplace, and advocate for the use of naturalistic decision-making techniques to study technology acceptance.
No Confidence Whatsoever: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Leadership of a Superintendent in a Large Suburban School District
Authors: Joseph Shawn
Published: August 2023

This case study involves a new school superintendent, unions, parent groups, and a school board. The case demonstrates how the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic impacted the relationships between a school board, teacher and administrator unions, parent organizations, and the school superintendent. It is the story of educational leadership under unprecedented pressure.
Qualitative Study of Paediatric Advance Care Planning Through Simulation: How we did it and the Lessons Learned
Authors: Vemuri Sidharth , Heywood Melissa , O’Neill Jenny , Hynson Jenny , Williams Katrina , Gillam Lynn
Published: August 2023

Simulation is a well-established experiential educational tool in health care, which allows clinicians to learn and practise skills via a replication of reality. However, its use as a research tool is novel and emerging. As we designed a phenomenological study of communication practices around paediatric advance care planning, we came to the view that simulation would be a very useful tool to enable feasible and ethical qualitative study of this complex and sensitive process, which involves discussion about a child’s death in the future and how to prepare for it. There is minimal description in the literature about how to use simulation as a qualitative research method. This article describes how we designed our study, focusing on: (1) the academic rationale for using simulation, (2) designing the simulation-based research method, (3) ensuring psychological safety of all participants in the simulation, (4) trialling the simulation, (5) the logistics of the study and (6) our reflections and learnings after using this novel method. We hope this discussion encourages other researchers to consider simulation as an innovative qualitative research method.
Emotions and the Climate Crisis: A Research Agenda for an Affective Sustainability Science
Authors: Brosch Tobias , Sauter Disa
Published: August 2023

Climate change and loss of biodiversity are advancing rapidly, making a transition to a more sustainable society one of the most pressing tasks facing humanity. This special section shines a spotlight on how emotions shape and are shaped by the climate and biodiversity crises, and how they intersect with pro-environmental behavior. To this end, leading sustainability scholars and policy makers articulate what they believe are the most important questions that emotion research should answer to support a sustainable societal transition. Here, we first provide an overview of the articles in the special section, which include a wide range of topics including global analyses of distress related to climate change and biodiversity loss, case studies on emotional experiences toward locally specific instances of climate change consequences and adaptation or mitigation efforts, discussions of the motivational functions of emotions and their potential to drive pro-environmental action, and reflections on how we can make affective science more salient to policy makers in the sustainability domain. In the second part, we summarize the emerging overarching themes that point to promising research objectives and questions for affective sustainability science. Finally, we discuss how the study of sustainability can also be beneficial for the affective sciences. Our hope is that this special section will put sustainability on the research agenda of emotion researchers and stimulate more research in affective sustainability science.
Survivorship analysis of CAD-CAM total shoulder replacement
Authors: Nayar Sandeep Krishan , Butt David , Prinja Aditya , Rudge Will , Majed Addie , Higgs Deborah , Falworth Mark
Published: August 2023

Background

Glenoid bone loss represents a challenge in shoulder arthroplasty and often precludes standard implants. The CAD-CAM total shoulder replacement (TSR) is an option in these cases. This study aimed to assess survivorship and long-term patient outcomes of the CAD-CAM TSR.

Methods

Fifty-eight patients that underwent a CAD-CAM TSR by three surgeons at a single tertiary referral centre between 2009 and 2017 were reviewed. The mean follow-up was 70 months (28–130). Data was collected on survivorship, range of movement, Oxford shoulder score (OSS, 0–48), subjective shoulder value (SSV, 0–100%), pain score (0–10), and overall patient satisfaction.

Results

CAD-CAM TSR was undertaken as a primary procedure in 28% ( n = 16) for end-stage arthritis with severe glenoid bone loss, and as a revision procedure in 72% ( n = 42). Of the total, 17% ( n = 10) required component revision at a mean of 24 months (4x prosthesis loosening, 3x infection, 3x periprosthetic fracture). Forward elevation improved from 45° ± 27° to 59° ± 29° (P = 0.0056), abduction from 43° ± 29° to 55° ± 26° (P = 0.034) and external rotation from 8° ± 11° to 16° ± 14° (P = 0.031). OSS improved from 15 ± 8 to 29 ± 9 (P = 0.0009), SSV from 18 ± 16 to 62 ± 23 (P < 0.0001), and pain score from 8 ± 2 to 2 ± 2 (P < 0.0001). 88% of patients would undergo the procedure again.

Conclusion

CAD-CAM TSR is reserved for complex cases involving severe glenoid bone loss, offering significant improvements in pain and function with overall positive patient satisfaction.
Group consultations for menopause: A way forward if we can encourage women to join?
Authors: Rushton Sally
Published: August 2023

The number of patients presenting to primary care requiring support with menopause symptoms is increasing and the number of available appointments in general practice is reducing. In attempt to improve access new ways of engaging with these patients may be beneficial. Group consultations could be a solution. Here I describe my experience of setting up group consultations in a GP practice.
A survey of artificial intelligence in tongue image for disease diagnosis and syndrome differentiation
Authors: Liu Qi , Li Yan , Yang Peng , Liu Quanquan , Wang Chunbao , Chen Keji , Wu Zhengzhi
Published: August 2023

The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology has gradually extended from the general field to all walks of life, and intelligent tongue diagnosis is the product of a miraculous connection between this new discipline and traditional disciplines. We reviewed the deep learning methods and machine learning applied in tongue image analysis that have been studied in the last 5 years, focusing on tongue image calibration, detection, segmentation, and classification of diseases, syndromes, and symptoms/signs. Introducing technical evolutions or emerging technologies were applied in tongue image analysis; as we have noticed, attention mechanism, multiscale features, and prior knowledge were successfully applied in it, and we emphasized the value of combining deep learning with traditional methods. We also pointed out two major problems concerned with data set construction and the low reliability of performance evaluation that exist in this field based on the basic essence of tongue diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine. Finally, a perspective on the future of intelligent tongue diagnosis was presented; we believe that the self-supervised method, multimodal information fusion, and the study of tongue pathology will have great research significance.
Medical text classification based on the discriminative pre-training model and prompt-tuning
Authors: Wang Yu , Wang Yuan , Peng Zhenwan , Zhang Feifan , Zhou Luyao , Yang Fei
Published: August 2023

Medical text classification, as a fundamental medical natural language processing task, aims to identify the categories to which a short medical text belongs. Current research has focused on performing the medical text classification task using a pre-training language model through fine-tuning. However, this paradigm introduces additional parameters when training extra classifiers. Recent studies have shown that the “prompt-tuning” paradigm induces better performance in many natural language processing tasks because it bridges the gap between pre-training goals and downstream tasks. The main idea of prompt-tuning is to transform binary or multi-classification tasks into mask prediction tasks by fully exploiting the features learned by pre-training language models. This study explores, for the first time, how to classify medical texts using a discriminative pre-training language model called ERNIE-Health through prompt-tuning. Specifically, we attempt to perform prompt-tuning based on the multi-token selection task, which is a pre-training task of ERNIE-Health. The raw text is wrapped into a new sequence with a template in which the category label is replaced by a [UNK] token. The model is then trained to calculate the probability distribution of the candidate categories. Our method is tested on the KUAKE-Question Intention Classification and CHiP-Clinical Trial Criterion datasets and obtains the accuracy values of 0.866 and 0.861. In addition, the loss values of our model decrease faster throughout the training period compared to the fine-tuning. The experimental results provide valuable insights to the community and suggest that prompt-tuning can be a promising approach to improve the performance of pre-training models in domain-specific tasks.
“#schleichdiduoaschloch” Terror, Collective Memory, and Social Media
Authors: Tambuscio Marcella , Tschiggerl Martin
Published: August 2023

On November 2, 2020, the Austrian capital Vienna experienced the worst terrorist attack in decades: A self-proclaimed Islamist gunman killed four people and injured 23 others. The attack triggered an extremely strong media response, especially in the so-called social media. This article focuses on the days and weeks following the terrorist attack on Twitter as well as its first anniversary and the question of how collective memories formed within a very short time through the jointly negotiated remembrance of the terrorist attack by social media users around the world. The study also shows how the Vienna attack was incorporated into other pre-existing collective memories of other terrorist attacks and how it created memory waves spanning the whole globe. Within the first 48 hr, the narratives that should dominate the debate and the memory of the attack for the coming weeks took shape. The attack in Vienna was primarily reflected in places where comparable attacks had occurred in recent years and became a narrative part of other political or ideological conflicts.
The Ethics of Publicly Available Data Research: A Situated Ethics Framework for Reddit
Authors: Gliniecka Martyna
Published: August 2023

Using user-generated content from open-access platforms such as Reddit for research raises ethical questions and challenges. Research projects involving publicly available data can qualify for an exemption from human research ethics review. However, when the exemption is granted, some scholars move to the data collection phase without attending further to ethical considerations. This does not always result from negligence but can be driven by the lack of coherent guidelines or limitations of procedural ethics. Despite receiving an exemption from ethics review, researchers can still engage with ethical concerns throughout the project. This article argues that a “situated ethics approach” to researching publicly available online data, which pays attention to flexibility, reflexivity, and complexity of research ethics, should be applied to projects working with data from user-led platforms—Reddit or others. Using a reflexive process and drawing iteratively on learnings, this article describes and analyses a situated ethics framework applied to a case study of doctoral research about youth health discussions on Reddit. Through a focus on three key areas: digital context, users’ views, and project specificity, the framework inspired a set of ethical questions that can assist with applying situated ethics to other studies. This paper advocates that a “situated ethics approach” to researching publicly available online data can usefully advance debates and practice in research on user-led platforms with public data, such as Reddit.
Advancing Anti-Racism and Anti-Ableism in Transition: Equity-Oriented Indicators for Research
Authors: Scott LaRon A. , Shogren Karrie A.
Published: August 2023

There is a strong and compelling research base suggesting improved outcomes when youth across disability populations are provided access to evidence-based transition planning. However, there are also systemic inequities in who has been the focus of the research that has established the “evidence” base. There is a need to rethink who is the center of transition research and disrupt race-neutral strategies embedded in interventions and assessments that have been used in transition research, teacher education, and transition practices adopted in schools. The purpose of this article is to put forward a set of equity-oriented indicators for conducting research that can disrupt dominant narratives in transition research and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in research, teacher education, and practice. The indicators introduced in this article will provide direction for conducting equity-focused research with transition-age youth, especially racially and ethnically marginalized youth with disabilities. The indicators advance the adoption of anti-ableist and anti-racist values that center the funds of knowledge of those who are marginalized in our current research, teacher education, and school systems.
Whole Exome Sequencing Identified two Novel Truncation Mutations in the CTNNB1 Gene Associated with Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Language Dysfunction, and Microcephaly in Chinese Children
Authors: Ji Yongchun , Xia Qin , Zhang Hewei , Huo Hongliang , Cao Xujun , Wang Weiwei , Gu Qin
Published: August 2023

Recently, the loss-of-function, heterozygous, and de novo mutations of the CTNNB1 gene have been proven to be partially responsible for intellectual disability in some patients. Herein, we report two unrelated children with neurodevelopmental disorder, abnormal facial features, speech impairments, microcephaly, and dystonia. Based on whole exome sequencing (WES), two new heterozygous and pathogenic mutations in exon 10 (c.1586dupA:p.Q530Afs*42) and exon 4 (c.257dup:p.Y86*) were identified in the CTNNB1 gene for the first time. These findings not only enrich the genetic spectrum of the CTNNB1 gene but also provide evidence for its role in neuronal development.
Decentralization, Governance and Public Service Systems in Tribal Areas of Odisha: A Sociological Perspective
Authors: Naik Iswar Chandra , Desinayak Minati
Published: August 2023

The grassroots government’s top priority is to offer basic amenities to its citizens for their life and livelihood, resulting in the empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized populations who are still denied socioeconomic benefits. Involvement of local people in the planning, execution and monitoring of many rural development programmes is also essential. The presence of staffing shortages in some Gram Panchayats (GPs) has created a problematic scenario for the correct implementation and effective monitoring mechanism to be carried out in the GPs since the workload has much exceeded expectations. As a result, welfare activities in rural areas are hampered by a lack of social capital and the capabilities of designated staff. An in-depth examination of this essential topic reveals the rationale for introspection to refocus on Decentralization, Governance and Public Service Systems in tribal areas of Odisha.
Bama’s Vanmam: The Mob Mentality of the Dalits
Authors: Blessy Jenitha , Bhuvaneswari V.
Published: August 2023

The Dalits in India are still considered as ‘Other’ and treated unjustly by the upper caste. This dominant behaviour ideology of the upper caste makes them execute their power over the powerless. The purpose of this study is to identify the psychological conflicts faced by the Dalits through Bama’s Vanmam. This novel had recognized the internal politics and the dominant behaviour of the upper caste which resulted in executing communal violence among the Dalits themselves. The study uses a method of textual analysis to understand the internal conflicts of the Dalits and also to identify the external political affairs of the upper castes. The study also focuses on the mob psychology of the Dalits as mentioned by the author in the novel. The study aims to bring out the structural hierarchy and social inequality among the Dalits themselves in the novel Vanmam. The study also urges the Dalit community to forget the difference between them and unite as one strong community. It also strongly asserts Ambedkar’s ideology ‘Educate! Organize! and Agitate!’ Bama in this novel echoed the inter-caste rivalry among the Dalit communities in India in general and specifically in Kandampatti village. Further, this article also aims to project the attitude of young, educated Dalits who significantly restore harmony and bring decorum and dignity to the lives of other Dalits in the village. The main objective of the study is to identify the internal psychological differences among the Dalits. It further explores the animosity between two Dalit communities provoked by the upper-caste landlords. It also discusses the pangs of oppression, untouchability, communal violence, negation and marginalization the Dalits experienced under the caste system.
Short-Term Outcomes and Long-Term Implant Survival After Inpatient Surgical Management of Geriatric Proximal Humerus Fractures
Authors: Shi Brendan Y , Upfill-Brown Alexander , Wu Shannon Y , Trikha Rishi , Ahlquist Seth , Kremen Thomas J , Lee Christopher , SooHoo Nelson F
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The most common surgical options for geriatric proximal humerus fractures are open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), hemiarthroplasty (HA), and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. We used a longitudinal inpatient discharge database to determine the cumulative incidence of conversion to arthroplasty after ORIF of geriatric proximal humerus fractures. The rates of short-term complications and all-cause reoperation were also compared.

Patients and Methods

All patients 65 or older who sustained a proximal humerus fracture and underwent either ORIF, HA, or shoulder arthroplasty (SA) as an inpatient from 2000 through 2017 were identified. Survival analysis was performed with ORIF conversion to arthroplasty and all-cause reoperation as the endpoints of interest. Rates of 30-day readmission and short-term complications were compared. Trends in procedure choice and outcomes over the study period were analyzed.

Results

A total of 27 102 geriatric patients that underwent inpatient surgical management of proximal humerus fractures were identified. Among geriatric patients undergoing ORIF, the cumulative incidence of conversion to arthroplasty within 10 years was 8.2%. The 10-year cumulative incidence of all-cause reoperation was 12.1% for ORIF patients and less than 4% for both HA and SA patients. Female sex was associated with increased risk of ORIF conversion and younger age was associated with higher all-cause reoperation. ORIF was associated with higher 30-day readmission and short-term complication rates. Over the study period, the proportion of patients treated with ORIF or SA increased while the proportion of patients treated with HA decreased. Short-term complication rates were similar between arthroplasty and ORIF patients in the later cohort (2015-2017).

Conclusion

The 10-year cumulative incidence of conversion to arthroplasty for geriatric patients undergoing proximal humerus ORIF as an inpatient was found to be 8.2%. All-cause reoperations, short-term complications, and 30-day readmissions were all significantly lower among patients undergoing arthroplasty, but the difference in complication rate between arthroplasty and ORIF was attenuated in more recent years. Younger age was a risk factor for reoperation and female sex was associated with increased risk of requiring conversion to arthroplasty after ORIF.
Republication of “Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: Current Concepts in Diagnosis and Treatment”
Authors: Steele John R. , Dekker Travis J. , Federer Andrew E. , Liles Jordan L. , Adams Samuel B. , Easley Mark E.
Published: August 2023

Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) are a difficult pathologic entity to treat. They require a strong plan. Lesion size, location, chronicity, and characteristics such as displacement and the presence of subchondral cysts help dictate the appropriate treatment required to achieve a satisfactory result. In general, operative treatment is reserved for patients with displaced OLTs or for patients who have failed nonoperative treatment for 3 to 6 months. Operative treatments can be broken down into cartilage repair, replacement, and regenerative strategies. There are many promising treatment options, and research is needed to elucidate which are superior to minimize the morbidity from OLTs.
Republication of “Mucous Cyst at the Interphalangeal Joint of the First Toe Caused by Contact Pressure With the Second Toe due to Hallux Valgus: A Case Report”
Authors: Tonogai Ichiro , Yamasaki Yuhei , Nishisho Toshihiko , Sairyo Koichi
Published: August 2023

A 77-year-old woman presented with a mucous cyst on the lateral aspect of the interphalangeal joint of the first toe caused by contact pressure with the second toe from hallux valgus. She complained of discomfort and discharge from the left first toe for approximately 4 months. Physical examination showed the second toe pressing strongly against the first toe due to hallux valgus and discharge from the skin on the lateral aspect of the interphalangeal joint of the first toe. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a cystic lesion at the same level. The patient underwent a modified scarf osteotomy of the first metatarsal for hallux valgus to resolve the contact pressure between the toes—considered the cause of the mucous cyst—and resection of mucous cyst. Forefoot weight bearing was allowed 6 weeks after surgery. As of 1 year after surgery, she has had no recurrence of the cyst. The score on the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot hallux metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scale improved from 59/100 points to 92/100. This outcome suggests that hallux valgus correction should be considered when a mucous cyst is associated with contact pressure due to a hallux valgus deformity. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports of a mucous cyst caused by contact pressure between the first toe and second toe due to hallux valgus.
Republication of “Perspectives in Treatments of End-Stage Ankle Arthritis Among Orthopaedic Surgeons: Analysis of an American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Member Survey”
Authors: Phisitkul Phinit , Glass Natalie , Ebeling Patrick B. , Klein Sandra E. , Johnson Jeffrey E.
Published: August 2023

Background:

This study aimed to assess the preferred operative treatment for patients over the age of 60 with end-stage ankle arthritis and perspectives on total ankle replacement (TAR) among American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) members. Associated factors were analyzed for potential contraindications among members with different levels of experience.

Method:

A questionnaire containing 6 questions was designed and sent to 2056 members of the AOFAS. Responses were received from 467 orthopaedic surgeons practicing in the United States (76%), Canada (5%), and 26 other countries (20%). Participants were grouped for response comparisons according to country as well as experience level. Differences in contraindications were compared using χ2 tests or exact tests.

Results:

Respondents practicing in the United States and surgeons who perform 11 or more TARs per year tended to recommend operative treatments favoring TAR and displayed recognition of its increasing role (P < .05). Overall, respondents felt that 41% of typical patients over 60 years old with end-stage arthritis would be best treated with TAR. Talus avascular necrosis, morbid obesity (body mass index >40 kg/m2), and poorly controlled diabetes with neuropathy were most recognized as the absolute contraindications to TAR. Surgeon’s experience affected the consideration of these clinical factors as contraindications.

Conclusions:

Total ankle replacement has a substantial and increasing role in the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis in patients over the age of 60. Absolute and potential contraindications of the procedures were indicated from a cross-sectional survey of AOFAS members. Surgeons more experienced with total ankle replacement felt more comfortable employing it in a wider range of clinical settings.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, therapeutic.
Republication of “Congenital Dislocation of the Fifth Metatarsophalangeal Joint in Adults: Operative Technique”
Authors: Jaffe David E. , Brodsky James W.
Published: August 2023

Congenital dislocation of the fifth metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint can cause significant limitations in a patient’s ability to wear a closed shoe. Historic treatment has involved amputation of the digit or attempts at reconstruction. These techniques have had limited success with unreliable correction and/or unacceptable cosmesis. The authors present a detailed, methodical approach to reconstruction of this deformity with a stepwise algorithm that addresses both the bony and soft tissue components of the deformity. With this modern technique, reliable and satisfactory results can be expected.
Republication of “Gelatinous Transformation of Bone Marrow in the Calcaneus, Diagnosed by Open Bone Biopsy in a Patient With Anorexia Nervosa: A Case Report”
Authors: Tonogai Ichiro , Nakajima Daiki , Miyagi Ryo , Sairyo Koichi
Published: August 2023

Gelatinous transformation of bone marrow (GTBM) is a complication of various diseases, one of which is anorexia nervosa (AN). We describe a rare case of a 20-year-old man who presented to our clinic with a 3-month history of heel pain without trauma. At presentation, he was noted to have a low body mass index (BMI) of 16.2 kg/m2 and pancytopenia. On magnetic resonance imaging, the left calcaneus showed low intensity on T1-weighted and high intensity on T2-weighted images. Open biopsy was done because we suspected that the lesion was either a lymphoproliferative tumor or a trabecular-type bone metastatic tumor. However, tissue histology of bone samples showed atrophy of fat cells with deposition of gelatinous material and a decreased hematopoietic cell population. Therefore, we made a diagnosis of GTBM, most likely caused by AN. We started treatment with nutritional support, and 6 months later, the hematological parameters returned to normal and BMI improved to 19.4 kg/m2. He was able to return to work and had no left heel pain. This case indicates that foot and ankle surgeons need to be aware of this rare pathology, although it might be difficult to diagnose without biopsy. To our knowledge, very few descriptions of GTBM in the calcaneus have been reported to date.
Republication of “Uses of Braces and Orthotics for Conservative Management of Foot and Ankle Disorders”
Authors: Elattar Osama , Smith Tyler , Ferguson Adam , Farber Daniel , Wapner Keith
Published: August 2023

Nonsurgical management is almost always considered the first-line treatment for the vast majority of foot and ankle pathologies. Foot orthoses, shoe modifications, and therapeutic footwear are considered essential tools for successful conservative management of different foot and ankle disorders. Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons should have a meticulous understanding of the lower extremity biomechanics as well as the pathoanatomy and the sequelae of diseases affecting the foot and/or ankle. This is essential to the understanding of the desired effects of the different inserts, orthotics, shoe modifications, or braces that may be prescribed for these conditions. In this article, we will summarize the orthoses used for treatment of the most commonly encountered foot and ankle pathologies, with the exclusion of treatment for the diabetic foot because of the unique requirements of that disease process.