bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of tritium production in the helium cooled pebble bed test blanket module mock-up at JET during DTE2
Authors: Fonnesu N. , Angelone M. , Loreti S. , Pillon M. , Villari R. , Batistoni P. , Colangeli A. , Flammini D. , Lungaroni M. , Moro F. , Noce S. , Previti A. , Litaudon X. ,   JET Contributors
Published: October 2024

Quite often, detectors for measuring nuclear performance and radiation quantities of relevance in fusion experiments are requested to withstand harsh working conditions due to intense neutron and gamma radiation fields. High temperature constitutes a further harsh element in some locations of the machine, where it is necessary to perform some on-line measurements, as expected in the breeding blanket. This is an essential component in future fusion power plants to provide tritium self-sufficiency and its performance must be continuously monitored. Some Test Blanket Modules (TBMs) will be installed in ITER to provide the first experimental data to validate the predictions on tritium production and recovery. In the meantime, within EUROfusion program, the mock-up of the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed Test Blanket Module (HCPB TBM), previously used for the TBM experiment at the Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG), had been installed at JET to test some detectors and for benchmarking numerical codes used for breeding blanket assessment during DTE2 campaign. A diamond detector, calibrated to measure the tritium production through neutron detection inside the HCPB TBM mock-up, was tested during some plasma pulses of the DTE2 campaign at JET. The main outcome is that, as far as neutron emission rate is below 1015 s−1, neutrons are properly detected along the plasma discharge evolution by TBM diamond detector, consistently with the JET neutron monitor KN1. Moreover, the amount of tritium measured (E) is 1.40 × 10–12 tritons per source neutron and the comparison with MCNP radiation transport simulation (C) gives a ratio C/E = 0.77. Such measurements, considered promising, and their comparison with calculations are discussed in the present work. Criticalities emerged are analyzed and some improvements proposed with the main purpose of speeding up signal processing to make the system capable of working at higher plasma neutron emission rates.
A Current Phase Decoupler for 5 G Smartphone Multiunit Frame Antenna
Authors: Zhou Hao-Miao , Yuan Chenghao , Wu Di , Fang Yanqun , Zhu Mingmin , Yu Guoliang , Qiu Yang
Published: October 2024

In this paper, based on the three‐dimensional frame structure between the antenna unit and the ground, a decoupling method, the current phase decoupler method, is proposed for the 5 G smartphone multiunit frame antenna. Using this method in a dual‐unit antenna, the additional current path reverses the phase of the coupled current flowing through the ground to the adjacent unit, while weakening the coupled current intensity and significantly suppressing the coupling between the units. The measured results show that the coupling is less than −28 dB, and the maximum efficiency is 85.53% without adding any lossy components. In an eight‐unit smartphone antenna system, the coupling of adjacent units can also be reduced below −24.6 dB with a maximum efficiency of 82.17%. This method has significant advantages over the existing decoupling methods and can be used as the preferred decoupling scheme for the future 5 G smartphone multiunit frame antenna.
Figure 8 from Blocking Tryptophan Catabolism Reduces Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Invasive Capacity
Authors: Kuo Li-Wei , Crump Lyndsey S. , O’Neill Kathleen , Williams Michelle M. , Christenson Jessica L. , Spoelstra Nicole S. , Roy Micaela Kalani , Argabright Amy , Reisz Julie A. , D’Alessandro Angelo , Boorgula Meher P. , Goodspeed Andrew , Bickerdike Mike , Bitler Benjamin G. , Richer Jennifer K.
Published: October 2024

Inhibition TDO2 reduces invasion through AhR-mediated ZEB1 expression. ZEB1 protein expression in (A) BT549 with shTDO2 and (B) with shAhR (C). BT549 cells cultured in suspension for 24 hours were treated with 10 µmol/L AT-0174 or 10 µmol/L StemRegenin for 48 hours. D, BT549 treated with 10 µmol/L KYN for 48 hours. E and F, Invasion assay for BT549 shSCR control and shTDO2-82 or shAhR-85 transfected with control pcDNA3.0 or pcDNA3.0-ZEB1 expression vector. G, Linear regression between AhR and ZEB1 mRNA expression in TCGA Breast Cancer Atlas dataset with Pearson correlation analysis. H, Average AhR and ZEB1 expression in TNBC and HER2-enriched and HR+ breast cancer cell lines (n = 51). I, Average expression of TDO2, AhR, and ZEB1 from patients with basal-like and luminal A/B breast cancers. TDO2, AhR, and ZEB1 average expression from patients stratified with ER+/−. The Gene expression-based Outcome for Breast cancer Online (GOBO) database and analyzed by one-way ANOVA or t test. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001. J, Schematic model showing TNBC with anchorage-independent conditions or inflammatory cytokine treatment can induce TDO2 and uptake TRP through LAT1, and dual inhibition of TDO2/IDO1 using AT-0174 or AhR inhibitor (StemRegenin) reduces invasion mediated by ZEB1. HR, hormone receptor; LAT1, L-type amino acid transporter 1; Lum, luminal; TCGA, The Cancer Genome Atlas.
Figure 5 from Blocking Tryptophan Catabolism Reduces Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Invasive Capacity
Authors: Kuo Li-Wei , Crump Lyndsey S. , O’Neill Kathleen , Williams Michelle M. , Christenson Jessica L. , Spoelstra Nicole S. , Roy Micaela Kalani , Argabright Amy , Reisz Julie A. , D’Alessandro Angelo , Boorgula Meher P. , Goodspeed Andrew , Bickerdike Mike , Bitler Benjamin G. , Richer Jennifer K.
Published: October 2024

Tracing of TRP demonstrates that AT-0174, a dual TDO2/IDO1 inhibitor, decreases TRP catabolism. A, Schematic of the study design: cells in attached vs. forced suspension culture were incubated in 13C11-labeled TRP for 24 hours, and then suspended cells were treated with vehicle control (DMSO) or 1 µmol/L (“+”) or 10 µmol/L AT-0174 (“++”) for 24 or 48 hours at which time cells were harvested, lysed, and analyzed by MS. Intracellular heavy (labeled) TRP catabolites (dark blue) and light (unlabeled) TRP catabolites including (B) TRP, (C) formyl-KYN, (D) KYN, (E) 3-hydroxykynurenine, (G) kynurenic acid, and (F) NAD were measured and are represented as peak area. Biological replicates (n = 3) were conducted for each group, and data are displayed as mean ± SEM with two-way ANOVA analysis. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; **, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.
The Emergence of Modern Prose Narrative in Iraq: Maḥmūd Aḥmad al-Sayyid and the Search for Form
Authors: Bahoora Haytham
Published: October 2024

This paper examines the efforts of the early twentieth century writer Mahmud Ahmad al-Sayyid (1903–1937) to remake literary culture in Iraq. Al-Sayyid’s essays advocated abandoning what he characterized as socially disinterested and decorative prose, urging Arab writers to embrace a literature of social commitment. Al-Sayyid charted a path that sought to distance Arabic cultural production from European influence, envisioning literary rebirth through the politics of anti-colonialism and by establishing solidarity with other colonized peoples. Yet these efforts were itinerant and often contradictory. Al-Sayyid’s circuitous path toward an embrace of the realist short story embodies the complexities of cultural formation during a dramatic historical shift. Aesthetically, these complexities manifest in the syncretism of al-Sayyid’s fiction, which engaged with and reproduced extant Arabic literary forms and themes. This article historicizes the emergence of a modern prose tradition in Iraq through critical assessments of the early modern Iraqi maqāmah and the short prose form of the ruʾyā, arguing that the circulations of these local forms were critical to the making of the reformist prose of al-Sayyid. It then examines the novella Jalāl Khālid, arguing that the text’s formal indeterminacy and narration of romantic and revolutionary failure inscribes an ironic stance toward the project of the nation and its aesthetic corollary, the novel. Finally, the article analyzes al-Sayyid’s short story “Sakrān” (1929), which is emblematic of a decades-long realist trend in Iraqi prose fiction that reoriented Iraqi prose toward a global trend of literary realism in the global south.
On Freedom-Loving Roosters and Beloved Goats: Animals, Humans, and Iraqi Narrative Prose 1948–1954
Authors: Bashkin Orit
Published: October 2024

This article explores the relationships between humans and animals in Iraqi prose fiction from the 1940s and 1950s. It argues that Iraqi authors wrote about animals to underline not only the inhumane conditions in the nation’s rural regions but also the inhumanity of urban existence, which was associated with greed, deception, the absence of family and ethical values, and social death. More specifically, the article studies two short stories: ʿAbd al-Malik Nūrī’s (1921–1992) “The South Wind” (“Rīḥ al-janūb”), and Shalōm (Shālūm) Darwīsh’s (1913–1997) “A Convoy from the Countryside” (“Qāfilah min al-rīf”). Both stories suggest that animals have emotions, and in both, the act of urbanization involves a woman’s sacrifice of an animal. The pairing of these two stories accentuates the need for class-based, anti-sectarian and ecocritical readings of Iraqi narrative prose. Reading texts written by Iraqis of various religions liberates such texts from impositions created by nationalists and from their insistence on allegorical meanings. What determines the humans’ fate in these stories is not their religion but rather their environment, their dwelling in southern Iraq, their relation to capital (and lack thereof), their family relations, and the very meaningful roles animals play in their lives.
Shādhil Ṭāqah’s Elegy for Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb
Authors: Thompson Levi
Published: October 2024

Iraqi poet and statesman Shādhil Ṭāqah (d. 1974) published an elegy in a 1965 issue of the Beirut journal al-Ādāb for fellow poet Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb (d. 1964) titled “Intiṣār Ayyūb” (Job’s Victory). This article attends to how the elegy’s content reflects the poet’s relationship with Sayyāb as well as how it pays homage to Sayyāb’s novel approach to Arabic prosody. Outside of one book-length study of Ṭāqah’s poetry by Bushrā al-Bustānī (2010) and the comments found at the end of Ṭāqah’s collected works edited by Saʿd al-Bazzāz (1977), his poetry has remained relatively unaddressed even in Arabic scholarship. The study thus introduces a key poem from this important but mostly forgotten poet to Anglophone readers while also situating Ṭāqah as a member in the coterie of modernists who became active during and following their time at the Baghdad Teachers College in the late 1940s, a group that included Ṭāqah, Sayyāb, Nāzik al-Malāʾikah (d. 2007), ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Bayātī (d. 1999), and others. Overall, the article establishes Ṭāqah’s work within its Iraqi context as well as within the broader Arabic literary milieu of the 1960s in the Mashriq, situating Ṭāqah as an important contributor to the development of modernist Arabic poetry.
The Riḥlahs and Road Trips of Modern Iraqi Literature: Ṣafāʾ Khulūṣī’s Abū Nuwās fī Amrīkā
Authors: Olsen Pelle Valentin , Schine Rachel
Published: October 2024

This article situates the 1955 novel Abū Nuwās fī Amrīkā by Ṣafāʾ Khulūṣī as an exemplar of and commentary on the dynamics of twentieth-century Iraqi cultural production. Drawing on Margaret Litvin’s application of “travel literature readings” to modern diasporic and expatriate literatures, it analyzes the novel’s protagonist—in the form of a reincarnated, radically reformed version of the Abbasid-era poet Abū Nuwās—as engaging in a “riḥlah-road-trip,” traversing the United States alongside an anonymous narrator. Rather than fashioning a conservative extension of the pre- and early modern riḥlah genre, in view of the author’s historical moment and works, this article argues that Khulūṣī parodies this genre by constructing critical distance and building intertextuality simultaneously. Khulūṣī draws on riḥlahs of the past, in which Iraq is represented as an advanced cosmopolitan destination, to speak to Iraq’s future as a differently globalized, modernizing state that grapples with its perceived temporal and cultural regress, much like the novel’s time-traveling protagonist.
A new species of Meadow Katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalini) from the Apalachicola River Basin of Florida, USA
Authors: WOO BRANDON
Published: October 2024

Odontoxiphidium apalachicolae, sp. nov., is described from seasonally flooded savannah habitats of the Central Panhandle of Florida. The new species differs from the only other member of the genus, O. apterum Morse, in morphology, coloration, calling song, and habitat. Color variation in O. apterum is also discussed. The new species appears to be a member of a unique insect fauna that is endemic to the Apalachicola River Basin, a well-known refugium and center for speciation in vascular plants. Continued exploration of this area is needed to fully document arthropod diversity in the region.
James Edward Keirans (1935–2023): A Bibliography, Described Taxa and Eponyms/Patronyms
Authors: ROBBINS RICHARD G. , DURDEN LANCE A.
Published: October 2024

A bibliography is provided of the 228 scientific publications authored by James E. Keirans, a prominent American tick taxonomist and medical entomologist, together with chronologically organized lists of the tick taxa that he described and the eponyms and patronyms named in his honor.
Absorption Coefficient Estimation of Pigmented Skin Phantoms Using Colorimetric Parameters
Authors: Barbosa da Cruz Junior Luismar , Bernardo de Barros Kaio , Eduardo Girasol Carlos , Mendonça Quaranta Lobão Raissa , Bachmann Luciano
Published: October 2024

The increasing use of light-based treatments requires a better understanding of the light tissue interaction for pigmented skin. To enhance comprehension in this area, this study proposes the use of pigmented-mimicking skin phantoms to assess the optical properties based on their tone, represented by the Individual Typology Angle (ITA) color scale. In this study, an epoxy resin matrix alongside compact facial powder and titanium dioxide was used to mimic the absorption, scattering, and shade properties of human skins. Eight phantoms covering the skin tones, light (ITA = 45.2°), tan (ITA = 23.3°), brown (ITA = 6.9°, −5.7°, and −16.9°), and dark (ITA = –34.6°, −41.6°, and −48.6°), were crafted. The absorption and reduced scattering coefficients were obtained using integrating spheres and calibrated spectrometers in the 500–900 nm range, and tones were measured using a commercial colorimeter. The experimental fitting proposed in this study could estimate the optical properties as a function of the skin tones through ITA values, by using an exponential function with a second-order polynomial exponent. This investigation aligns with prior studies involving human skin samples, and these findings hold promise for future clinical and diagnostic applications, particularly in the realm of light-based treatments to individual dermatological corrections in pigmented skin.
Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter
Authors: Kilaberia Tina R. , Hu Yuanyuan , Ratner Edward R. , Bell Janice F.
Published: October 2024

Older adults were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of sudden-onset social isolation and factors that influenced it among older adults. A qualitative thematic study with a survey component was conducted comparing 18 older adults in two groups: 12 reporting physical health challenges and 6 reporting no physical health challenges. Three qualitative themes describe experiences of (a) avoiding risk to personal health as the reason to postpone healthcare, (b) grieving church and church friends as a lost social connection, and (c) compound stress due to converging factors related to personal health, public health, racial justice movement and critical national events. Those with physical health challenges were less able to postpone seeking healthcare, suffered from compound stress, and were more likely to feel isolated when unable to participate in church activities. Religious, faith, or spiritual supports may be important buffers against social isolation during public health emergencies, especially for older adults with physical health challenges and when there is concurrent social unrest.
Complete renal response of IgA vasculitis with steroid and mycophenolate mofetil in an adult HIV patient
Authors: Pathak Naman Mahesh , Pant Kritika , Aggarwal Jyoti , Samanta Joydeep , Ganguly Satyaki , Rathore Vinay
Published: October 2024

IgA vasculitis in adult HIV patients is rare and not well understood. Data on treatment of IgA vasculitis associated with HIV is sparse and limited to case reports. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is the mainstay therapy for inducing remission. We report a case of a 41-year old HIV patient who presented with palpable purpura, melaena and oedema and was diagnosed with IgA vasculitis with severe renal (crescentic glomerulonephritis), gastrointestinal and skin involvement. He was treated with immunosuppressive drugs and HAART which led to remission of disease. This case is unusual due to the presence of crescentic glomerulopathy and the requirement of immunosuppression for remission induction.
Endoscopic Surgery for a Case of Congenital Cholesteatoma with Ossicular Chain Anomaly
Authors: Qin Haiping , Xu Jinxia , Huang Qingli , Gong Lili
Published: October 2024

The simultaneous occurrence of congenital ossicular anomalies and congenital cholesteatoma (CC) is exceedingly rare. This report describes the case of an 11-year-old boy who presented with conductive hearing loss, characterized by an average air conduction threshold of 50 dB in the left ear, without any prior otologic history. Preoperative assessments suggested the presence of CC, with suspicion of ossicular chain malformation. The patient underwent ear endoscopic surgery, during which the lesion was excised, and the ossicular chain was reconstructed using a titanium ossicular prosthesis. Postoperative follow-up indicated successful healing, with a significant improvement in hearing, as demonstrated by a reduction in the air conduction threshold to 15 and a hearing gain of 35 dB.
Ear Reconstruction for Auricle Defects Using an Expanded Neck Flap: A Case Report
Authors: She Huiming , Chen Xin , Li Gaofeng , Long Xiren
Published: October 2024

This case report describes a patient with a left ear deformity resulting from a flame burn sustained 20 years ago. The patient underwent an ear reconstruction procedure utilizing an expanded neck flap. The autologous rib cartilage was used as the framework, while an expanded neck flap served as the covering for the framework. The surgery was completed in 3 stages. Initially, tissue expanders were implanted and gradually inflated with water. After sufficient expansion, the expanders were removed, and the scar tissue was excised. Subsequently, the expanded flap was used to cover the defects, and the expanded neck flap was rotated to cover the autogenous costal cartilage framework obtained intraoperatively. Finally, the reconstructed ear was repaired by constructing the cephaloauricular sulcus, removing postauricular scars, and trimming the neck-flap pedicle. After a 1-year follow-up, the wound had healed satisfactorily with only minor complications. The shape of the reconstructed ear appeared realistic, and its function was maintained. Most of the scars were repaired, and the scarred alopecia was significantly improved. In patients with limited availability of the postauricular flap, especially burn patients, using an expanded neck flap can lead to superior outcomes.
Book review: Sugata Bose, Asia after Europe: Imagining a Continent in the Long Twentieth Century
Authors: Alqadry Aldi Binaya
Published: October 2024

Sugata Bose, Asia after Europe: Imagining a Continent in the Long Twentieth Century (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2024), 288 pp.
Effect of high-temperature annealing on elemental distribution in CSP-produced automotive steel billets
Authors: Wang Jiahao , Xu Yaowen , Yang Gengwei
Published: October 2024

The distribution of C, Si, Mn, P and S in Q&P 980 automotive steel billets produced via the Compact Strip Production (CSP) process was investigated using Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA). The segregation ratio of each element was calculated. A diffusion kinetics model was established using the finite element method, and the chemical potential equations of different elements were used as the driving conditions for diffusion. Fick's law was applied to numerically calculate the diffusion behaviour and final concentration distribution of C, Si and Mn during the annealing process at 1100 °C. Results indicate that element segregation in the as-cast billet before annealing decreases gradually from the surface to the core. After annealing, the segregation ratio of elements is reduced, leading to a more homogeneous elemental distribution. It was calculated that the diffusion of C at 1100 °C completes in about 10 s, with micrometer-level long-range diffusion occurring in a shorter period. However, the concentration of Mn does not reach equilibrium at the austenite interface even after 20 h of diffusion at 1100 °C.
China, geoeconomics and the ‘new’ state capitalism
Authors: Gonzalez-Vicente Ruben , Cheng Han
Published: October 2024

In contributing to a critical examination of geoeconomics, this article challenges the prevalent phenomenon of ‘geoeconomic othering’ ingrained within certain mainstream International Relations (IR) analyses. Focusing on the case of state capitalism in China, we argue that in typical orientalist fashion, some predominantly Anglo-American analyses tend to disproportionally emphasise China’s distinctiveness at the expense of glaring similarities with Western polities, and use this construct to normalise the neoliberal project and the geopolitical behaviours of the Global North. The task of a critical geoeconomics is to unpack these geographical imaginaries, to transcend essentialising depictions of the state and to explore the dialectic entanglements between state and corporate power.
Does Use of Generic Depictions or Scenarios Matter in Perceptions of Crime Seriousness? An Empirical Test
Authors: van de Weetering Janje , Weinrath Michael , Kohm Steven
Published: October 2024

This study examined the influence of crime type and crime representation in survey design on perceptions of crime severity using one-line crime descriptions and crime vignettes. A unique feature of the study was the use of hate crime as an offence category. A sample of 917 university students completed an online questionnaire measuring perceptions of crime severity for one-line crime descriptions as well as crime scenarios based on actual court cases. Consistent with past research, the results showed that both perceptions of wrongfulness and harmfulness are strong predictors of perceived crime seriousness. Violent crimes ranked highest on measures of wrongfulness, harmfulness, and seriousness, while property crimes like break and enter tended to be ranked lowest in perceived severity. Hate crime was viewed as quite serious by respondents and was rated equivalent to high-scale fraud embezzlement in terms of severity. Comparisons between responses to one-line crime descriptions and crime scenarios revealed that scenarios elicited significantly stronger severity ratings, although hierarchical rankings for crime type remained similar. The representation of crime in academic research may affect participant responses. It is recommended that researchers consider the impact the choice of crime representation in survey tools has on measures of perceived crime severity.
“Ahhh I See”: Educational Philosophy and Pedagogy from 1 Corinthians 13.12
Authors: Sosler Alex
Published: October 2024

Drawing from Jacques Maritain, Flannery O'Connor, and Esther Lightcap Meek, this article describes the proper aesthetic foundation of education. Rather than the modern reductionistic vision of education that starts in doubt and works its way to certainty, utilizing 1 Corinthians 13.12 as a paradigm for education, education, rightly ordered, starts in love and works its way to wonder. This aesthetic education requires the cultivation of vision through attention and a posture of humility.
A deep reinforcement learning framework for achieving super-human hazard perception in autonomous driving agents
Authors: Bizhe Navid , Nahvi Ali
Published: October 2024

Modeling driver behavior can significantly improve autonomous vehicles and intelligent driver assistance/training systems. Hazard perception (HP) is an essential driving skill for preventing driving accidents in potentially dangerous traffic situations. HP is not a Markov decision process, so modeling HP with reinforcement learning techniques is challenging. We introduce a framework for modeling HP scenarios using the soft actor-critic approach. Then, we use this framework to model HP in the emergence of a critical lateral hazard onto the road. The dual environments – the mirror environment for training and the target environment for usage – accelerate the learning process. The agent is employed in the target environment using an interpreter algorithm. The results show that the agent learns HP and outperforms the best human results by 2.6%. The training is implemented 40 times faster in the mirror environment. Evaluation tests show a driving experience similar to real-world scenarios rather than gaming simulations.
Vehicle posture wheelbase preview control of in-wheel motors drive intelligent vehicle on potholed road
Authors: Wang Jiantao , Yang Chao , Liu Shuaishuai , Zhang Lipeng , Fang Jiashuai
Published: October 2024

The in-wheel motors drive intelligent vehicle (IMDIV) has a strong ability of dynamic control, which makes it be a major development path of intelligent vehicles in the future. However, its stability is easily deteriorated by the impact of the road when driving on potholed road. To tackle this issue, a vehicle posture control method based on road feedback and elevation recognition is proposed. Firstly, an elevation recognition algorithm of adaptive Kalman filter (AKF) based on vehicle dynamic response is proposed after considering the flooded road and the system noise uncertainty. Secondly, a vehicle posture controller of fuzzy active disturbance rejection control (FADRC) is designed, with the function of dynamically adjusting the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) parameters. It is designed to implement front suspension feedback control and rear suspension wheelbase preview control. At last, the road elevation recognition algorithm and vehicle posture control method are proved by Simulink simulation and off-line hardware in the loop test. The results revealed that the AKF can effectively recognize both white noise pavement and potholed road, and the recognition accuracy is greater than 90%. The FADRC controller realizes accurate front suspension feedback control and rear suspension wheelbase preview control by adjusting the real-time online parameters of ADRC. The proposed vehicle posture control method can effectively control the pitch and roll motion, which significantly improves the stability of IMDIV on potholed road. This study can serve as a reference for the posture stability control of IMDIV on potholed road.
Predefined time attitude control of aircraft based on predefined time sliding mode control
Authors: Ji Yuehui , Li Pengfei , Lin Yetong , Song Yu , Gao Qiang , Liu Junjie
Published: October 2024

This paper proposes a sliding mode control strategy with predefined time convergence for addressing the attitude control problem of aircraft. Firstly, a predefined time extended state observer is developed to realize the estimation of modelling error, uncertainty and external disturbance of aircraft within a predefined time. Secondly, a predefined time non-singular terminal sliding mode and a predefined time sliding mode reaching law are proposed for attitude control of aircraft. Especially, to address potential singularities arising from negative power terms, a switching strategy is employed. Finally, the numerical simulations and Monte Carlo test are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Joint torque estimation method of industrial robot by combining error compensation model based on LSTM and iterative weighted parameter identification
Authors: Zhang Tie , Chen Yijie , Zou Yanbiao
Published: October 2024

It is essential for human-robot interaction to accurate joint torque value estimation of industrial robots without force/torque (F/T) sensors. The most common method to estimate the value of robot joint torque is based on dynamic model parameter identification. However, no matter how elaborate the modeling methods are used, there are always uncertainty errors when robot’s joint rotation direction changes. In this paper, an identification framework is proposed to estimate optimal model parameters, and a deep learning network is proposed to compensate for the uncertainty errors caused by the unmodeled dynamics part. At first, the dynamic parameters are estimated during the Least Squares (LS) identification process considering the noise influence and data outliers, and the nonlinear friction model is unified into the identification framework. Secondly, based on Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) network, an error compensation model (ECM) is proposed to establish the mapping relationship between the joint motion and the identification errors. Finally, a 6-DOF robot is used for parameter identification and ECM validation. Experimental results show that the proposed identification method is better than the LS method. Compared with the torque value estimated by the identification method, the proposed ECM can compensate for the uncertainty errors and improve the torque estimation accuracy.
Understanding the Socio-economic and Political Ramifications of the 2021 Military Coup on the Communities in the Indo-Myanmar Borderlands
Authors: Inkah Sachoiba
Published: October 2024

Myanmar has experienced two major military coups since its independence in 1948. These coups have had a significant impact on the socio-economic and political landscape of the country, particularly in the Indo-Myanmar border region. The region, which shares a 1,643-km-long border with India, is home to diverse ethnic groups with distinct cultures and languages. Military coups have not only disrupted the lives of these communities but have also perpetuated long-standing conflicts in the region. This article aims to unravel and scrutinise the ramifications, shedding light on the intricacies of socio-economic disparities, political destabilisation and the erosion of fundamental rights and freedoms by elucidating the complex interplay between military rule, socio-economic inequalities and political dynamics and the far-reaching implications of the 2021 military coup in the Indo-Myanmar borderland. The article employs a qualitative research methodology, drawing on primary and secondary sources, to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of military coups on the Indo-Myanmar border region.
Book review: Uma Purushothaman, Locating India in the Global Development Assistance Architecture
Authors: Sablok Avni
Published: October 2024

Uma Purushothaman, Locating India in the Global Development Assistance Architecture (K. W. Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 2024), 250 pp. ₹1,880 (Hardback), ISBN-13: 978-9394915831.
Examining the Impact of Socio-economic, Demographic and Policy Factors on Reverse Migration in India During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Tiwari Piyush , Majumdar Saumen
Published: October 2024

This article examines the factors that determined ‘reverse migration’ of households from urban locations in India in the aftermath of a series of lockdowns that followed the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Positioning reverse migration as a coping strategy to ameliorate negative consequences of loss of livelihood, food shortages and loss of shelter in urban India, this article examines the factors that led to the utilization of this strategy in the aftermath of lockdown during the pandemic outbreak. The article also tests whether returning to hinterland persisted after the period of lockdowns. The lockdowns had exacerbated living conditions for urban poor. Migration to rural areas continued despite various policies and programmes that the national and state governments instituted to counter the negative impact of lockdowns, particularly on low-income households. Examining the socio-economic, demographic and policy factors, this article provides evidence that family support and rural social institutions such as self-help groups played a crucial role in providing support system during pandemic even to those who migrated back from urban areas. Government programmes such as Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and access to public distribution system were also important for reverse migrants. An important result is that the first wave of reverse migration was due to family and emotional reasons that arose because of lockdowns, the second wave of migration was for economic reasons as households continued to struggle in urban areas, and the migration during the third wave was a usual seasonal migration.
A critical appraisal of South African oncology pharmacy standards: A comparison with international best practice standards
Authors: Botha Ruan , Brouwer Derk , Nelson Gill
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The demand for oncology pharmacy services is set to increase as the burden of cancer rises in sub-Saharan Africa. Oncology pharmacists may be exposed to antineoplastic drugs (ADs) and need comprehensive health and safety guidelines. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the local oncology pharmacy practice standards, by critically evaluating them against international best practice standards.

Methods

We compared the Independent Clinical Oncology Network (ICON) administration of ADs standards resource document (ICON standards) and Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) standards with the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) Standards for the safe handling of cytotoxics, and the Quality standard for the oncology pharmacy service (QuaPos), using 10 domains: transport of ADs, working arrangements, education and training, engineering controls, use of personal protective equipment, risk management, medical monitoring of personnel, cleaning procedures, accident management and documentation, labelling and checking procedures.

Results

The ICON standards align closely with international best practice standards, but the GPP standards focus only briefly on the compounding of ADs.The GPP standards are outdated and some of the stipulations are erroneous. Oncology pharmacists would do better to adhere to the more comprehensive ICON standards, although these standards also need to be updated in line with best practice.

Conclusion

Revising and improving both these local standards in consultation with key role players in the oncology pharmacy industry will go a long way in protecting the health and safety of oncology pharmacists in South Africa.
Pediatric refractive surgery: Review article
Authors: Alkharashi Maan , Alowairdhi Moath , Albdaya Norah , Alzabadin Rakan
Published: October 2024

Refractive surgery is one of the most commonly performed elective procedures in ophthalmology; it is mostly performed in patients who are older than 18 years of age. This routine procedure has been time-tested and is proven to be both safe and effective in adults. However, little is known about the safety and efficacy of refractive surgery in pediatric patients. Granted, refractive surgery should not be used in kids merely for the purpose of avoiding spectacles wear, but it can be of valuable help is preserving vision in patients with amblyopia and accommodative esotropia who otherwise couldn't comply with traditional management options. Refractive surgery in pediatric patients is a complex and challenging field due to the unique characteristics of their developing eyes. This review article aims to provide an overview of the current literature on refractive surgery in pediatric patients, focusing on the different surgical options, the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure.
Giant Cell Tumor of the Synovial Pod of the Third Toe on the Right Foot: Report of a Case
Authors: Grimaldi-Valencia Carlos Enrique , Celis-Ochoa Alberto , Ramírez-García José Juan , Flores-Vargas Gilberto , Padilla-Raygoza Nicolás
Published: October 2024

Background:

The giant cell tumor of the tendon pod is a benign neoplasia that can be present in any bone or tendon pod. Its etiology is unknown. Nevertheless, it is related to a chronic inflammatory process. It usually occurs in women between the third and fifth decade as a palpable and painless mass and slow growth, although it can be deformed and lead to limb loss.

Case presentation:

In this report, we present the case of an 11-year-old male patient, which began on June 21, 2020, with a blunt trauma. An ultrasound was performed, reporting compatible data with synovial sarcoma. Magnetic resonance was requested, with mass evidence in soft tissues in central and planting portions. A surgical procedure with a split and biopsy of the mass was carried out. The specimen was sent to the Pathology Department, leading to a diagnosis of a giant cell tumor of the tendon pod.

Conclusions:

The giant cell tumor of the tendon pod is rare. However, in some cases, it is crucial to consider it as a differential diagnosis. The surgical management of this entity has proven to reduce recurrence rates.
Musical metapolitics and the Alt-Right
Authors: de Boise Sam
Published: October 2024

With some notable exceptions, research on the far-right and music has historically focused on rock-derived genres such as punk and metal. As the far-right have shifted political emphasis and sought to mainstream their political views, so, too, has research into the contemporary far-right demonstrated a distancing among political ideologues and parties as well as groups from both extreme lyrics and ‘harsher’ sounding elements. This has gone hand-in-hand with an embracing of a wider range of musical styles. Focusing on the music associated with the Alt-Right, a broad movement which sought to mainstream far-right politics, this article suggests that a cultural shift within the far-right went hand-in-hand with a mode of aesthetic appreciation among Alt-Right adherents, which has implications for the mainstreaming of far-right politics in relation to musical cultures and aesthetics. This form of musical metapolitics emphasized dissonant principles of irony and aesthetic pluralism as a form of strategic ambiguity, but still retained notions of racial superiority at its core despite an avowed openness to genre-based pluralism. Importantly, this process has implications for the mainstreaming of far-right messaging today using a wide variety of musical aesthetics.
Student engagement and accountability in flipped and traditional classrooms: A comparison of concept map and question and answer homework strategies
Authors: Kaye Melisa P. , Hanzalik Sydney M.
Published: October 2024

Flipped classroom structures are increasingly prevalent in higher education and facilitating student preparation is a necessary ingredient to maximize effectiveness of the approach. This research expanded upon a yearlong pilot study comparing two types of accountability homework in flipped and traditionally structured first year master’s level healthcare classrooms. Outcome measures included perceived learning, satisfaction, and usefulness of concept maps (CM) versus question-answer-rationale (QAR) homework. Study sample ( n = 77) participants were randomly assigned to either CM or QAR homework group for a period of 4 weeks. Then, participants completed the alternate homework type for a subsequent 4 weeks. Findings indicated that perceived learning, satisfaction, and usability of the method was significantly greater in the CM group as compared to the QAR group in both traditional and flipped classrooms. The use of accountability homework assignments is discussed for both classroom types.
Exploitation in College Sports: No Longer Just a “Man's Game”
Authors: Agha Nola , Berri David , Brook Stacey L. , Paulson Courtney
Published: October 2024

Previous studies of college athlete compensation have generally focused on the “revenue sports” of football and men's basketball. Hence, wage exploitation is often considered a “man's game.” In the 50 years since Title IX, many women's college sports have reported millions of dollars in revenue, suggesting wage exploitation is possible in college softball. Data on 19,760 athletes from 294 universities from 2012 to 2021, combined with two different sources of athletic revenue reach the same conclusion: wage exploitation exists in college softball. Furthermore, thousands of players generate more revenue in college than the wages they are likely to earn playing professional softball.
The Healthcare Workforce Shortage of Nurses and Physicians: Practice, Theory, Evidence, and Ways Forward
Authors: Michaeli Daniel Tobias , Michaeli Julia Caroline , Albers Sebastian , Michaeli Thomas
Published: October 2024

The healthcare sector is ubiquitously plagued by workforce shortages in economies around the globe. The fragility of this structural shortage becomes apparent when external shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbate the lack of workers in clinical practice. In this article, we summarize current trends in healthcare workforce development across the globe, review theoretical concepts of workforce shortages, and discuss policies to address them. In practice, developed countries often address workforce shortages with targeted migration policies. However, targeted workforce migration policies only intensify workforce shortages in low-and middle-income countries. Theoretical macroeconomic models suggest that supply shortages may result from too low wages, supply lagging behind demand, and social perception. Changes in the wage rate cannot sufficiently increase the supply of health professionals as scholars find inelastic wages for physicians and nurses. Nonpecuniary factors such as working conditions, job satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation are at least equally important as financial incentives. In conclusion, increased wages can only be part of a heterogeneous policy plan to address shortages. Migration and retirement levels of health professionals can temporarily mitigate workforce shortages but rarely change the underlying systemic issues. Increasing the number of places available in medical and nursing schools while also improving, both, financial and nonfinancial incentives for employees are long-term structural policy options.
Implementation of research, education and leadership placements into Operating Department Practitioner training: A 4-pillar practice-based learning approach
Authors: Cadman Victoria , Batty Helen , Law Jennifer
Published: October 2024

Practice-based learning has traditionally focused on clinical practice in pre-registration courses. However, recent national strategies emphasise the importance of incorporation of all four pillars, clinical, education, leadership and research, into practice-based learning (placements). This article details the introduction of practice-based learning in research, education and leadership alongside clinical placements for BSc Operating Department Practice students at Sheffield Hallam University. It provides insights into the benefits of this approach, outlines the components of each placement with examples of completed projects, shares feedback from students and practice partners and addresses challenges. The authors advocate for adoption of this approach across all pre-registration Operating Department Practice courses, to ensure a workforce capable of meeting evolving health care needs and driving the Operating Department Practice profession forwards.
Value-based digital health: A systematic literature review of the value elements of digital health care
Authors: Merino Marisa , del Barrio Jaime , Nuño Roberto , Errea María
Published: October 2024

Objective

To carry out a systematic literature review to identify the Value Based Digital Health elements.

Methods

The search for records was carried out for the period 2012 to January 2024, in two main databases, EMBASE and Scopus. Records were limited to studies published since 2012. Studies presented either a conceptual framework on the concept of Value-Based Digital Health (VBDH), or results from an empirical work to generate evidence on the value of digital health, or a combination of both. The characteristics of the study, the type of digital health and measures and/or their value elements included, are synthesized and interpreted. To synthetize information, the patient journey phases are used as themes, where the identified value elements are allocated. This is analyzed by type of agent (of the general healthcare framework).

Results

The search yielded a total of 606 abstracts for screening. In the end, 67 studies were finally included for data extraction. VBDH elements are presented by phases of the patient journey and by agent. Despite the high heterogeneity of patients, theoretical and empirical works converge in elements such as the value of patient-centered care, education (health literacy) in the use of new digital health technologies, mechanisms to increase patient confidence and their participation in the health decision-making processes, or the importance of collecting patients’ reported outcomes and experiences, among other elements. The review also found empty areas among theoretical and empirical studies, where no VBDH elements were identified.

Conclusion

This systematic review identified the theoretical and empirical elements to measure the value of digital health and provides a framework of VBDH elements. Some of the theoretical elements are actually used in practice. Others, however, despite being relevant from a theoretical point of view, do not seem to be measured empirically. This work provides researchers of a source, for consultation, of value based digital health elements. This is helpful for improving the measurement of the value of digital health.
An assessment of the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the modified Gordon pin infection classification system
Authors: Bafor Anirejuoritse , Skals Regitze Gyldenholm , Shen Ming , Iobst Christopher A , Rahbek Ole , Kold Søren , Fridberg Marie
Published: October 2024

Objectives

A grading system deployed for continuous at-home monitoring of pin sites would potentially increase the chances of early detection of pin-site infections and the commencement of early treatment. The first five grades of the Modified Gordon Pin Site Classification Scheme (MGS) meet the criteria for a visual-only, digital assessment-based grading system. The aim of this study was to assess the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the first five grades of the MGS from digital images.

Methods

We graded 1082 pin sites from 572 digital photographs of patients who underwent external fixator treatment for various conditions using the first five grades of the MGS classification scheme. Percent agreement and kappa values were calculated to determine the inter- and intra-rater agreement. Results were also grouped into two categories: “good” consisting of MGS grades 0–2 and “bad” made up of grades 3 and 4 for sensitivity analysis. We also analyzed reliability based on color only using MGS grades 0 and 2.

Results

A total of 843 of the 1082 pin sites were scored by all raters. There was moderate reliability between raters with a Fleiss kappa value of 0.48 [CI 0.45, 0.51]. The reliability remained moderate based on grouping into “good’ versus “bad” and based on color with Fleiss kappa values of 0.48 [CI 0.45, 0.52] and 0.45 [CI 0.42, 0.49], respectively. Intra-rater reliability demonstrated substantial agreement with kappa values of 0.63.

Conclusion

Scoring pin sites from digital images with the MGS demonstrated only moderate inter-rater reliability. Modifying the use of digital photos is needed for at-home monitoring of pin sites.