bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in Transition Metal‐Based Catalysts for Ethylene Copolymerization with Polar Comonomer
Authors: Ullah Khan Wasim , Mazhar Hassam , Shehzad Farrukh , Al‐Harthi Mamdouh A.
Published: January 2023

The synthesis of polar functionalized polyolefin (PFP) offers improvement in mixing properties, polymer surface, and rheological properties with the potential of upgraded polyolefins for modern and ingenious applications. The synthesis of PFP from metal‐based catalyzed olefin (non‐polar in nature) copolymerization with polar comonomers embodies energy‐efficient, atom‐efficient, and apparently an upfront methodology. Despite their outstanding success during conventional polymerization of olefin, 3rd and 4th group (early transition metal)‐based catalysts, owing to their electrophilic nature, face challenges mainly due to Lewis basic sites of the polar monomers. On the contrary, late transition metal‐based catalysts have also made progress, in recent years, for PFP synthesis. The recent past has also witnessed several advancements in the development of dominating palladium‐based catalysts while their lower resistance towards ligand functional groups has limited the practical application of abundant and cheaper nickel‐based catalysts. However, the relentless efforts of the scientific community, during the past half‐decade, have indicated rigorous progress in the development of nickel‐based catalysts for PFP synthesis. In this review, we have abridged the recent research trends in both early as well as late transition metal‐based catalyst development. Furthermore, we have highlighted the role of transition metal‐based catalysts in influencing the polymer properties.
Isolation of Salmonella species of public health concern from commonly fed dried meat dog treats
Authors: Morgan Genever , Saal Mikhela , Corr Aoife , Jenkins Claire , Chattaway Marie Anne , Pinchbeck Gina , Williams Nicola
Published: January 2023

Background

Dried non‐heat‐treated meat treats, such as ears, skin and tails, are popular supplementary dog foods. Previous studies have demonstrated Salmonella spp. contamination on treats, particularly in pig ears and chicken products. This small, exploratory, cross‐sectional study investigated Salmonella spp. presence in dried treats available in the UK.

Methods

A selection of dried treats from local pet shops and online retailers underwent bacterial culture for Salmonella spp. and subsequent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, with Salmonella serotype determined by whole genome sequencing.

Results

Eighty‐four samples were tested, with 16% being Salmonella spp. positive. Five Salmonella serotypes were identified, each associated with specific treat types. An antimicrobial‐resistant phenotype was identified in 39% of isolates. All serotypes identified are known to cause human infection.

Limitations

This study was limited by a small sample size and limited number of retail sources.

Conclusion

Salmonella spp. of public health concern were present in some dried dog treats in this study. Dog owners, pet food retailers and veterinary professionals should be aware of the potential zoonotic disease risk associated with these treats, and appropriate hygiene measures, including thorough hand washing, should be utilised if they are fed.
Epidemiology of Ixodid tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens in small ruminant from Enarje Enawuga, North Western Ethiopia
Authors: Tamrat Habtamu , Tagel Wudu , Belayneh Negus
Published: January 2023

Background

Small ruminant playing significant economic development and cultural roles for smallholders and reared in different agroecological systems in Ethiopia. However, ticks and tick‐borne haemopathogens are major threats to the health of small ruminants leading to loss of production and productivity in Ethiopia especially in north‐western Ethiopia, due to climate and agroecological system favourable to the tick survival in the area.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of Ixodid tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens, to identify the existing Ixodid tick species and to investigate major risk factors associated with tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens.

Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted on 396 small ruminants (sheep =198 and goats = 198). Ticks were identified to the species level according to their morphological key structures. Thin blood smear were prepared and laboratoricaly examined to investigate tick‐borne haemopathogens. Logistic regression was employed to assess the association between potential risk factors with tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens.

Results

The overall prevalence of tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens were 47.22% and 4.29%, respectively. Age, species, body condition, agroecological system and season were found significantly (p < 0.05) associated with tick infestation. Season was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with occurrence of tick‐borne haemopathogen. Amblyomma variegatum (18.2%) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (13.4%) were the predominant tick species encountered. Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma marginale and Babesia ovis were prevalent tick‐borne haemopathogens.

Conclusions

The present study reported that there was higher tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens infections on small ruminants in the study area. Therefore, based on tick epidemiology, a strategic tick control programs were needed in this region. Further detailed studies on the role of Ixodid tick species in causing tick‐borne diseases in small ruminants and their economic impact on livelihoods should be conducted.
Introduction
Authors: Membretti Andrea , Taylor Susan Jean , Delves Jess L.
Published: January 2023

This introductory chapters presents aims, approach and main contents of the edited volume, framing a practical discussion about sustainable development in Phuthaditjhaba, a southern-african informal town which is facing multilevel social, political and environmental challenges. By employing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout, the Goals serve as a common reference point which unites the written contributions and which can be employed by researchers, policy makers and practitioners alike. The book brings together diverse contributions from scholars and practitioners on Phuthaditjhaba and the area of the former homeland QwaQwa. Each chapter addresses the city from a different disciplinary perspective, with the overall objective of shedding light on the challenges and opportunities presented with regards to sustainable development.
Phuthaditjhaba: The Rise and Fall of a Homeland Capital
Authors: Marais Lochner
Published: January 2023

Grand Apartheid in South Africa created ten ‘homelands’, each of which had a capital city. These capitals became places of power and symbolism. The apartheid government allocated large subsidies to support industrial development in these capitals, through the regional industrial development programme. Phuthaditjhaba became the capital of the QwaQwa homeland, with a parliament building, houses for chief ministers, and public spaces and buildings named after leaders. However, with the incorporation of QwaQwa into South Africa after the transition to a democratic government, Phuthaditjhaba lost its capital status. Despite one statue being removed, most of its public places named after homeland leaders remained. Today, Phuthaditjhaba is part of the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality and stands to benefit from funding from the intermediate city support programme. However, poor financial management, political infighting and allegations of corruption are preventing it from accessing these funds. City planners would do better to focus on Phuthaditjhaba’s regional services function and the sustainable development role in the mountainous context and promote rural development.
Planning for the Expansion of Phuthaditjhaba CBD Through UN Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Mocwagae Kgosi , Nel Verna
Published: January 2023

In the 1980s, the QwaQwa government established the Phuthaditjhaba Central Business District (CBD), locally known as Setsing. Currently, measuring approximately 60 ha, Setsing hosts a mixture of formal businesses in shopping complexes and a large informal sector trading on pavements. Setsing is enclosed by four of 13 township sections of Phuthaditjhaba that have limited vacant land for expansion. The enclosing townships consist of privately-owned residential homes, without any municipal land available to expand the CBD needed to address the business demands of Setsing. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable is applied to address the issues stated in the study. The study employed exploratory qualitative research methods to determine the land use planning practices to allow the CBD to expand into the enclosing township sections and unlock economic value for property owners in these sections. The study participants included municipal officials, homeowners, business owners and property developers. Content analysis was used to determine land use management practices that will allow Setsing to expand and create possible spin-offs for the local economy. The chapter makes three contributions to Setsing through the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The first contribution is that homeowners felt that zoning interventions could assist with the expansion of Setsing. The second contribution plans for densification through increasing basic infrastructure to support the consideration of multi-storey buildings. The last contribution is the development of a new CBD with careful consideration that will not lead to a negative effect on livelihoods in the existing CBD.
Surviving the Limits Imposed by a Changing Climate: The Case of Urban Drought and Water Supply Sustainability in Phuthaditjhaba
Authors: Mukwada Geofrey , Mutana Sarudzai
Published: January 2023

In urban environments, sustainable access to water resources depends on many factors, including climatic, social and economic conditions characterizing the surrounding environment. For urban areas in mountain environments these conditions are compounded by stressors resulting from climate change, such as drought, as well as physical remoteness, economic marginalization and poverty, phenomena which impose limits on access to water. Based on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 6 and 13, which were part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by UN member states in 2015, in this paper we assess the impact of urban drought on water security in the mountain city of Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa. World Meteorological Organization - Time Series (4.04) climate (precipitation and maximum temperature) data for Phuthaditjhaba were analysed for trends for the period between 1960 and 2019. Trends of Standardized Precipitation Index values and Maximum Temperatures were used to determine how climate change has affected Phuthaditjhaba’s sources of water supply, namely the Fika Patso and Metsimatsho dams. A sample of Landsat images from the same period was used to determine how the two water bodies have responded to the change over time. The results indicate that the two reservoirs have shrunk due to climate change induced drought, thus worsening water insecurity in the city. The results also indicate that mean annual stream discharge is projected to decrease by 39% for the 2016–2045 period. Lastly, based on government reports on water shortages in Phuthaditjhaba and other secondary sources, the results also indicate that though 90% of Phuthaditjhaba’s population has access to potable water, only 55% of the residents have access to reliable water supply. We conclude that without urgent government intervention the future of the livelihoods of the poor majority of Phuthaditjhaba’s residents will remain bleak due to dwindling water resources, making SDG 6, and those influenced by it, unattainable.
AI Is Leaving the Lab and Entering Society
Authors: Sheikh Haroon , Prins Corien , Schrijvers Erik
Published: January 2023

Since the birth of AI in 1956, various applications of the technology have left the lab and spread through society. Expert systems have been in widespread use for decades and the first neural networks entered the financial sector some time ago. Thus far, however, the impact has been modest due to the limited scope for utilizing such forms of AI.
Contextualization
Authors: Sheikh Haroon , Prins Corien , Schrijvers Erik
Published: January 2023

The term ‘contextualization’ concerns the uses to which AI is put. This overarching task is a key part of the transition from laboratory to society. It is also a complex and often underestimated process. In practice AI will have to operate in specific contexts, each with its own systems, practices, rules and logic. This process is known as contextualization and involves adaptation and integration, which are both very time-consuming. That delays the maturation of new system technologies. As a result, it often takes longer than we might expect for them to become part of our everyday lives. The overarching task of contextualization therefore raises the following question: ‘how will AI work?’
Control of high-speed jumps: the rotation and energetics of the locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
Authors: Goode C. K. , Sutton Gregory P.
Published: January 2023

Locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) jump using a latch mediated spring actuated system in the femur-tibia joint of their metathoracic legs. These jumps are exceptionally fast and display angular rotation immediately after take-off. In this study, we focus on the angular velocity, at take-off, of locusts ranging between 0.049 and 1.50 g to determine if and how rotation-rate scales with size. From 263 jumps recorded from 44 individuals, we found that angular velocity scales with mass−0.33, consistent with a hypothesis of locusts having a constant rotational kinetic energy density. Within the data from each locust, angular velocity increased proportionally with linear velocity, suggesting the two cannot be independently controlled and thus a fixed energy budget is formed at take-off. On average, the energy budget of a jump is distributed 98.7% to translational kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy, and 1.3% to rotational kinetic energy. The percentage of energy devoted to rotation was constant across all sizes of locusts and represents a very small proportion of the energy budget. This analysis suggests that smaller locusts find it harder to jump without body rotation.
Efficacy of Silexan in patients with anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Authors: Dold Markus , Bartova Lucie , Volz Hans-Peter , Seifritz Erich , Möller Hans-Jürgen , Schläfke Sandra , Kasper Siegfried
Published: January 2023

Introduction

We report on a meta-analysis of Silexan, a proprietary active substance produced from Lavandula angustifolia, in subthreshold anxiety, mixed anxiety and depressive disorder (MADD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Methods

The present analyses are based on all currently completed 5 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials investigating Silexan in adult out-patients who received Silexan 1 × 80 mg/day or placebo for ten weeks according to random assignment (n = 1213). Efficacy was assessed based on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), several anxiety self-rating scales, the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health status questionnaire.

Results

After ten weeks’ treatment, Silexan was significantly superior to placebo in reducing the HAMA total score (including the psychic and somatic anxiety sub-scores) and self-rated anxiety. Based on a ≥ 50% HAMA total score reduction, the responder rate ratio was 1.34 favoring Silexan, and the rate ratio of subjects much or very much improved according to the CGI was 1.51. Silexan was also significantly superior in improving the physical and mental health summary scores of the SF-36. There were no significant between-group differences concerning the occurrence of adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, and premature withdrawal due to AEs.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis demonstrates that Silexan exerts significant anxiolytic effects in subthreshold anxiety, GAD and MADD that were consistently reflected in investigator ratings and patient-reported outcomes, including improvement of health-related life-quality, while showing favorable tolerability and safety.
Beitrag der universitären Ausbildung und Forschung zur Reduktion der Unfallzahlen im Bergbau
Authors: Sifferlinger Nikolaus August , Haider Katharina , Mädel Owain , Maier Alfred
Published: January 2023

Der Artikel beschäftigt sich mit dem möglichen Beitrag der universitären Ausbildung und Forschung zur Reduktion der Unfallzahlen im Bergbau.

In der Ausbildung werden die zukünftigen Bergleute an die möglichen Gefahren und die notwendigen Sicherheitsmaßnahmen herangeführt.

Ein wesentliches Ausbildungsziel in der universitären Ausbildung ist es, den zukünftigen, in leitender Funktion tätigen Rohstoffingenieuren das selbständige Erkennen und Reduzieren der Risiken in der Arbeit zu ermöglichen.

In den letzten 30 Jahren haben sich die Sicherheitsverhältnisse im internationalen Bergbau erheblich verbessert, und die Unfallzahlen sind stark zurückgegangen.

Durch Automation und Robotik wird es im 21. Jahrhundert gelingen, die Bergleute noch weiter aus möglichen Gefahrenzonen zu entfernen.

Die Sicherheitsforschung für den Bergbau der Montanuniversität Leoben ist vielfältig aufgestellt.

Um aus dem Unfallgeschehen lernen zu können, ist es nötig, anonymisierte Unfallberichte zu analysieren. Leider sind diese Unfallberichte in Europa seit etwa 20 Jahren nicht mehr zugänglich, sondern nur statistische Zahlen, und es muss auf die sehr guten Unfallberichte in den USA und Australien als Ersatz zugegriffen werden.
Refinement of Hélein’s conjecture on boundedness of conformal factors when $$n = 3$$
Authors: Plotnikov Pavel I. , Toland John F.
Published: January 2023

For smooth mappings of the unit disc into the oriented Grassmannian manifold $${\mathbb {G}}_{n,2}$$

G

n
,
2

, Hélein (Harmonic Maps Conservation Laws and Moving Frames, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2002) conjectured the global existence of Coulomb frames with bounded conformal factor provided the integral of $$|{{\varvec{A}}} |^2$$

|

A

|

2

, the squared-length of the second fundamental form, is less than $$\gamma _n=8\pi $$

γ
n

=
8
π

. It has since been shown that the optimal bounds that guarantee this result are: $$\gamma _3 = 8\pi $$

γ
3

=
8
π

and $$\gamma _n = 4\pi $$

γ
n

=
4
π

for $$n \ge 4$$

n
≥
4

. For isothermal immersions in $${\mathbb {R}}^3$$

R

3

, this hypothesis is equivalent to saying the integral of the sum of the squares of the principal curvatures is less than $$\gamma _3$$

γ
3

. The goal here is to prove that when $$n=3$$

n
=
3

the same conclusion holds under weaker hypotheses. In particular, it holds for isothermal immersions when $$|{{\varvec{A}}} |^2$$

|

A

|

2

is integrable and the integral of $$|K |$$

|
K
|

, where K is the Gauss curvature, is less than $$4\pi $$

4
π

. Since $$2|K |\le |{{\varvec{A}}} |^2$$

2
|
K
|

≤

|

A

|

2

this implies the known result for isothermal immersions, but $$|K |$$

|
K
|

may be small when $$|{{\varvec{A}}} |^2$$

|

A

|

2

is large. The method, which is purely analytic, is then developed to examine the case $$n=3$$

n
=
3

when $$|\varvec{A} |$$

|

A

|

is only square-integrable. The possibility of extending that result in the language of Grassmannian manifolds to the case $$n>3$$

n
>
3

is outlined in an Appendix.
Clinical spectrum of Chinese hospitalized lung cancer patients with concomitant interstitial lung disease: before and after the new era of LC treatment
Authors: Chen Ruxuan , Shao Chi , Liu Xiangning , Huang Hui , Pan Boju , Xu Kai , Zhu Rui , Li Mei , Zhao Yang , Chen Keqi , Wang Mengzhao , Xu Zuojun
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to explore the general characteristics and spectrum of hospitalized Chinese patients suffering from lung cancer with concomitant interstitial lung disease (LC-ILD). Furthermore, we compared their features before and after the period of immunotherapy for lung cancer. A retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics of hospitalized LC patients with definite pathological diagnoses was performed from 2014 to 2021. ILD was defined after the review of chest CT imaging. There were 13,085 hospitalized LC patients. Among them, 509 patients (3.89%) had 551 cases of ILD. There were variable underlying causes of ILD, including idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (360 patients), LC treatment-associated ILD (134 cases), and connective tissue disease-associated ILD (55 patients). Although most LC-ILD patients were suffering from adenocarcinoma (204/40.1%), SCLC patients were prone to concomitant ILD (10.8% of all SCLC cases), followed by SCC (9.6% of all SCC cases). All but 10 LC-ILD patients received anti-LC treatment; however, only 39 (10.8%) LC-IIP patients received anti-ILD treatment. There were more LC-ILD patients in the 2018–2021 group than in the 2014–2017 group (5.16% vs. 2.03%, p < 0.001). The underlying causes of ILD were significantly different between the 2018–2021 group and the 2014–2017 group (p < 0.001). After adjusting for the number of hospitalized patients having the same LC pathological pattern, SCLC was determined to be the most likely to be concomitant with ILD, followed by SCC. Most LC-ILD patients were scheduled for anti-LC therapy; however, treatments for concomitant IIP were usually ignored. LC treatment-associated ILD should receive more attention than before.
A novel pump-free ultrafiltration rate modulation system for continuous renal replacement therapy applications
Authors: Ventresca Alessandra , Comai Guido , Severi Stefano
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Extracorporeal ultrafiltration is an attractive alternative to diuretics for removing excess plasma water in critically ill patients suffering from fluid overload. In continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), ultrafiltration occurs in isolated form (SCUF) or supplemented by replacement fluid infusion (CVVH) and the net fluid removal rate is controlled by peristaltic pumps. In this work, a pump-free solution for regulating the ultrafiltration rate in CRRT applications is presented.

Methods

The system consists of a motorized clamp on the ultrafiltration line, whose intermittent opening is modulated with a closed-loop control system based on monitoring of ultrafiltrate collected and any replacement fluid infused. The system was tested on two platforms for SCUF and CVVH, with “low-flux” and “high-flux” hemofilter, with various ultrafiltration setpoints and patient net weight loss targets.

Results

In all configurations the set ultrafiltration rate was achieved with a maximum error of 5% and the values recorded were kept within ± 100 ml/h with respect to the setpoint, as recommended by international standard IEC 60601-2-16. The net fluid removal trend was highly correlated with that expected (95%<R2<99%) and the weight loss target was reached in the expected time. For low ultrafiltration rates (60-150 ml/h) the system accuracy was better with the “low-flux” hemofilter.

Conclusion

The developed clamp system represents a valid alternative to state-of-the-art solutions with peristaltic pumps in terms of performance, with potential usability advantages. The compliance with safety requirements given by international standard IEC 60601-2-16 is a prerequisite for clinical use.
Experimental investigation of the acoustic emission of an electrically driven propeller in thrust and recuperation mode in a wind tunnel
Authors: Hille Sebastian , Meyers Philippe , Mayntz Joscha , Dahmann Peter , Stumpf Eike
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the results of an experimental performance study of an electrically driven propeller in thrust and power recuperation mode in a subsonic wind tunnel. Using the reverberation chamber method, acoustic measurements were performed to evaluate them as a reference in relation to the performance data obtained. The three approaches to recuperation were investigated: Fixed pitch propeller at speed reduction (case 1), controllable pitch propeller with negative angle of attack (case 2), and inverted, backward running propeller (case 3). Results show that in-flight recuperation can be optimized in terms of low noise emissions and generating shaft power from the flow efficiently by choosing the respective operating point. For the latter, case 3 shows the greatest potential for a two bladed propeller, while case 2 has the lowest noise emissions and might reach higher values in recuperated power by increasing the propeller blade number.
Bi-directional Scan Pattern Effects on Residual Stresses and Distortion in As-built Nitinol Parts: A Trend Analysis Simulation Study
Authors: Monu Medad C. C. , Afkham Yalda , Chekotu Josiah C. , Ekoi Emmanuel J. , Gu Hengfeng , Teng Chong , Ginn Jon , Gaughran Jennifer , Brabazon Dermot
Published: January 2023

In this paper, a part-scale simulation study on the effects of bi-directional scanning patterns (BDSP) on residual stress and distortion formation in additively manufactured Nitinol (NiTi) parts is presented. The additive manufacturing technique of focus is powder bed fusion using a laser beam (PBF-LB), and simulation was performed using Ansys Additive Print software. The numerical approach adopted in the simulation was based on the isotropic inherent strain model, due to prohibitive material property requirements and computational limitations of full-fledged part-scale 3D thermomechanical finite element approaches. In this work, reconstructed 2D and 3D thermograms (heat maps) from in situ melt pool thermal radiation data, the predicted residual stresses, and distortions from the simulation study were correlated for PBF-LB processed NiTi samples using selected BDSPs. The distortion and residual stress distribution were found to vary greatly between BDSPs with no laser scan vector rotations per new layer, whereas negligible variations were observed for BDSPs with laser scan vector rotations per new layer. The striking similarities between the reconstructed thermograms of the first few layers and the simulated stress contours of the first lumped layer provide a practical understanding of the temperature gradient mechanism of residual stress formation in PBF-LB processed NiTi. This study provides a qualitative, yet practical insight towards understanding the trends of formation and evolution of residual stress and distortion, due to scanning patterns.
Recognition of Children’s Learning in Educational Research, Policy and Practice: Herbison Invited Lecture, NZARE Annual Conference 2022
Authors: O’Neill John
Published: January 2023

For Jean Herbison, learning in her early 20th century childhood world was relatively uncomplicated and predictable. Life was shaped by unambiguous family, faith and settler colonial prescriptions about how children should behave and what they should become. Approaching the centenary of her birth, children today must navigate a very different society of ‘unlimited can’; an achievement society that generates a debilitating compulsion to self-improve (Byung Chul-Han).

In this Herbison lecture, I offer a personal reflection on the contemporary ‘triangle’ of education research, policy and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. Viewed as a culturally and historically specific ‘form of life’ (Rahel Jaeggi), I ask whether, over the last thirty five years, this triangle may have unwittingly contributed to a collective failure to give adequate recognition to children’s learning. Despite our best intentions, have we simply reified students and in doing so alienated them from learning in all its complexities and dimensions (Knud Illeris)?

More than mere acknowledgement of ‘the other’, recognition theory highlights the importance of socially developed qualities such as confidence, respect and esteem (Axel Honneth) to each child’s capacity to develop meaningful relationships to or ‘resonance’ with an ever accelerating and uncontrollable world (Hartmut Rosa) and the people and communities in it. In practical terms, then, what can we draw on that is already immanent in our research, policy and practice triangle to transform children’s institutionalised learning?
Trust, Brutality, and Human Dignity: How “Partial Birth Abortion” Helps Shape American Biopolitics
Authors: Annas George J.
Published: January 2023

In this Article, I explore how nearly continuous public rhetorical challenges to abortion in the political realm first led the public and the courts to turn away from a particular abortion procedure (intact dilation and extraction, also known as partial-birth abortion) which political agitators labeled as “barbaric” and then to view physicians who performed abortions not as legitimate professionals, but simply as “abortionists,” and sometimes as evil “Frankensteins.” “Abortionists” use no “medical judgment” and are unworthy of deference by state legislatures, Congress, or the courts when deciding how or when to perform an abortion. The concentration on the welfare of fetuses and the actions of physicians permitted the abortion debate to bypass discussion of both the rights and welfare of pregnant patients, including their right to health, and to virtually never mention that abortion restrictions primarily affect people in poverty who cannot afford to seek reproductive health care, including an abortion, by traveling to a nonrestrictive state. Understanding the power of extreme rhetoric, including the use of social media in political campaigns and the use and misuse of concrete terms such as murder, infanticide, brutality, and dismemberment, and abstract concepts such as “human dignity,” can help us plot a post-Dobbs way forward. Perhaps the demise of Roe can lead to a birth of a new rhetoric on abortion, one that concentrates on the right to health of everyone, including the right to make reproductive decisions, and requires moving abortion back into the realm of contemporary medicine, complete with a meaningful doctor-patient relationship protected by privacy and financed in a way that is accessible to all pregnant patients.
Pregnant Women and Opioid Use Disorder: Examining the Legal Landscape for Controlling Women’s Reproductive Health
Authors: Madden Lynn M. , Oliva Jenn , Eller Anthony , DiDomizio Elizabeth , Roosa Mat , Blanchard Lisa , Kil Natalie , Altice Frederick L. , Johnson Kimberly
Published: January 2023

Women with opioid use disorder (“OUD”) are more likely than other women to experience sexual assault, unintentional pregnancy, transactional sex and coercion regarding reproductive health care choices than women without OUD. Laws described as family friendly may be punitive rather than helpful to women and rarely apply to men. Laws regarding reproductive health and OUD are unevenly enforced and therefore biased against poor, minority women. As part of a larger study oriented toward strengthening systems of care related to the intersection of HIV and OUD, we conducted an analysis of state laws related to pregnant and postpartum women with OUD. Data on disparities in child removals and pregnant women’s use of evidence-based treatment for OUD by income and race were captured for the five states with the most restrictive laws in both categories. Laws that were purportedly designed to improve reproductive health outcomes for women with OUD and/or their children often have the opposite of the expressed intended outcome. There is a relationship between restrictive reproductive choice and coercive OUD treatment policy for women. Restrictive state regulations for pregnant women with OUD persist despite negative outcomes for maternal and child health. Altering coercive and/or criminalizing regulation and redefining ‘family friendly’ may improve outcomes for individuals and families.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Subtype Presentation in Patients Without COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Sawicka Katherine M. , Catanese Luciana , Williams Janice , Crellin Lisa , Francis Troy , Katsanos Aristeidis H. , Shoamanesh Ashkan , Chen Jennifer , Pikula Aleksandra , Schaafsma Joanna D.
Published: January 2023

Background & Aims:

It is unknown if the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures had an immediate impact on stroke subtypes and etiologies in patients not infected with COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate if the proportion of non-COVID-19-related stroke subtypes (ischemic vs. hemorrhagic) and etiologies (cardioembolic, atherosclerosis, small vessel disease, and others) during the pandemic’s first wave were different from prepandemic.

Methods:

For this retrospective cohort study, we included patients without COVID-19 with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at two large Canadian stroke centers between March–May 2019 (prepandemic cohort) and March–May 2020 (pandemic cohort). Proportions of stroke subtypes and etiologies were compared between cohorts using chi-square tests.

Results:

The prepandemic cohort consisted of 234 stroke patients and the pandemic cohort of 207 stroke patients. There were no major differences in baseline characteristics. The proportions of ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke were similar (ischemic stroke: 77% prepandemic vs. 75% pandemic; hemorrhagic stroke:12% prepandemic vs. 14% pandemic; p > 0.05). There were no differences in etiologies, except for a decreased proportion of ischemic stroke due to atherosclerosis in the pandemic cohort (26% prepandemic vs. 15% pandemic; difference: 10.6%, 95%CI: 1.4-19.7; p = 0.03). Notably, during the pandemic, the cause of ischemic stroke was more often unknown because of incomplete work-up (13.3% prepandemic vs. 28.2% pandemic, difference: 14.9%, 95%-CI: 5.7–24.2; p = <0.01).

Conclusions:

In this study, the pandemic had no clear effect on stroke subtypes and etiologies suggesting a limited impact of the pandemic on stroke triggers. However, the shift from atherosclerosis toward other causes warrants further exploration.
Antimicrobial use and opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship in pediatric postacute and long-term care settings
Authors: Johnson Candace L. , Neu Natalie , Saiman Lisa
Published: January 2023

We performed a point-prevalence study of antimicrobial prescriptions in 9 pediatric postacute and long-term care (pPALTC) settings. Antimicrobials were prescribed for 5%–7% of residents including infectious (41%), noninfectious (24%), prophylaxis (24%), and unknown (11%) indications. Macrolides were often prescribed for noninfectious indications. Developing treatment guidelines are antimicrobial stewardship opportunities for pPALTC.
Locking Down Violence: The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Non-State Actor Violence
Authors: BRANCATI DAWN , BIRNIR JÓHANNA , IDLBI QUTAIBA
Published: January 2023

Although the effects of non-state actor violence on public health outcomes are well known, the effects of public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic on non-state actor violence are not. Lockdown measures, widely used to stop the spread of disease in crises, we argue, are likely to reduce non-state actor violence, especially in urban and non-base areas. These measures deplete actors’ resources, reduce the number of high-value civilian targets, and make it logistically more difficult to conduct attacks. Using the example of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and taking advantage of the exogenous nature of COVID-19 lockdowns, we find that curfews and travel bans significantly reduce violence, especially in populated and non-base areas. These effects are most likely due to short-term changes in ISIS’s targets and logistics rather than its resources. These findings provide important insights into the security aspects of public health crises and offer novel findings into the general effectiveness of two common counterinsurgency tools.
Nd–Sr–Pb isotopes systematics of the Jurassic Evros ophiolite, eastern Circum-Rhodope Belt, NE Greece
Authors: Bonev Nikolay , Dotseva Zornitsa , Chiaradia Massimo
Published: January 2023

We report on the isotopic compositions of the Jurassic supra-subduction zone Evros ophiolite mafic rocks exposed in the eastern Circum-Rhodope Belt of northeastern Greece. These mafic units consist of low-Ti gabbroic and basaltic rocks, whose Nd–Sr–Pb isotopes are compatible with dominant mantle-derived MORB component mixed with a detectable amount of crustal material and/or sediment invoved in their melt source in the subduction zone. These isotopic features are consistent with an intra-oceanic arc origin of the mafic ophiolite rocks, and the Evros ophiolite Nd and Pb isotopes are comparable to those of the counterpart mafic rocks from the Mandritsa unit in Bulgaria.
Terrorist Attacks in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1970 through 2020: Analysis and Impact from a Counter-Terrorism Medicine Perspective
Authors: Hata Ryan , Hart Alexander , Hertelendy Attila , Tin Derrick , Taubman Cara , Cheng Lenard , Ciottone Gregory R.
Published: January 2023

Background:

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has become a hotspot for global terrorism, with nearly 50% of global terror-related deaths occurring in SSA in 2021. With a large population and complex geopolitical and social climate, terrorist activity further burdens an already strained medical system. This study provides a retrospective descriptive analysis of terrorist-related activity in SSA from 1970-2020.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) was performed for the region of SSA from 1970-2020. Data were filtered using the internal database search function for all events in the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, People’s Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Rhodesia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Number of attacks, deaths, and injuries, as well as primary weapons types, country where attacks occurred, and primary target types, were collated and analyzed.

Results:

A total 19,320 attacks were recorded, resulting in 77,565 deaths and 52,986 injuries. Firearms were the most frequent weapons used (8,745), followed by explosives (6,031), unknown (2,615), and incendiary (1,246), with all others making up the remainder (683.) Private citizens and property were the most frequently targeted entities (8,031), followed by general government facilities (2,582), police (1,854), business (1,446), military (805), diplomatic government facilities (741), and religious figures/institution (678), with all other targets making up the remainder (3,183).

Conclusion:

The majority of deaths from terrorism in SSA are the result of firearm attacks and explosions. Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan have had the largest number of attacks since 1970, and Nigeria has the largest number of people killed and injured. The health implications of terrorist attacks are often compounded by violence and pose unique challenges to governments, populations, and aid organizations. By understanding the impact and scope of terrorist activity in SSA, Counter-Terrorism Medicine (CTM) initiatives can be employed to improve health care outcomes.
Rethinking Multilingual Experience through a Systems Framework of Bilingualism: Response to Commentaries
Authors: Titone Debra A. , Tiv Mehrgol
Published: January 2023

In Rethinking Multilingual Experience through a Systems Framework of Bilingualism (Titone & Tiv, 2022), we encouraged psycholinguists and cognitive neuroscientists to consider integrating social and ecological aspects of multilingualism into a collective understanding of its cognitive and neurocognitive bases (i.e., to rethink experience). We then offered a framework – the Systems Framework of Bilingualism– and described empirical challenges and potential solutions with applying this framework to new research. Since the paper's publication, several eminent colleagues read and commented on our Keynote, noting both its strengths and areas for improvement. We read each commentary with enthusiasm and gratitude. Here, we briefly respond to several salient points raised, which led us to clarify and improve our theoretical approach. We first address what the commentaries agreed were strengths of the framework. We follow this with a discussion of what the commentaries stated could be improved or extended. We conclude with ways that we modified our model to collectively address concerns raised in the commentaries.
Understanding weight status and dietary intakes among Australian school children by remoteness: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Jacobs Jane , Strugnell Claudia , Becker Denise , Whelan Jill , Hayward Josh , Nichols Melanie , Brown Andrew , Brown Victoria , Allender Steven , Bell Colin , Sanigorski Andrew , Orellana Liliana , Alston Laura
Published: January 2023

Objective:

To determine whether primary school children’s weight status and dietary behaviours vary by remoteness as defined by the Australian Modified Monash Model (MMM).

Design:

A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct secondary analysis of baseline data from primary school students participating in a community-based childhood obesity trial. Logistic mixed models estimated associations between remoteness, measured weight status and self-reported dietary intake.

Setting:

Twelve regional and rural Local Government Areas in North-East Victoria, Australia.

Participants:

Data were collected from 2456 grade 4 (approximately 9–10 years) and grade 6 (approximately 11–12 years) students.

Results:

The final sample included students living in regional centres (17·4 %), large rural towns (25·6 %), medium rural towns (15·1 %) and small rural towns (41·9 %). Weight status did not vary by remoteness. Compared to children in regional centres, those in small rural towns were more likely to meet fruit consumption guidelines (OR: 1·75, 95 % CI (1·24, 2·47)) and had higher odds of consuming fewer takeaway meals (OR: 1·37, 95 % CI (1·08, 1·74)) and unhealthy snacks (OR = 1·58, 95 % CI (1·15, 2·16)).

Conclusions:

Living further from regional centres was associated with some healthier self-reported dietary behaviours. This study improves understanding of how dietary behaviours may differ across remoteness levels and highlights that public health initiatives may need to take into account heterogeneity across communities.
Navigating the Australian Welfare System for Those Relying on Emergency and Community Food Assistance
Authors: McKenzie Hayley , Lindberg Rebecca , McKay Fiona H.
Published: January 2023

More than one in ten Australians live in poverty, with many relying on government provided support and emergency payments. These payments are insufficient to cover basic costs of living, and as a result, many people are forced to engage with emergency and community food assistance. The aim of this article is to explore the experiences of those who, despite being in receipt of an Australian welfare payment and engaged with the welfare system, rely on charitable food assistance for some or all of their weekly food supply. Interviews were conducted with seventy-eight people and were thematically analysed. The main findings of this study are the significant challenges faced by people who are on very low incomes when navigating the government-provided welfare and non-government charity systems and the insufficiency of the welfare system in providing income to meet basic costs of living.
Globalizing the international: Bull's metaphysics of order
Authors: Burles Regan
Published: January 2023

As the origin story of the present world political order the globalization of international society serves as a unifying frame for the discipline of international relations. This paper considers the consequences of the shift from the ‘expansion’ to the ‘globalization’ of international society in relation to two main texts: Hedley Bull's The Anarchical Society and Tim Dunne and Christian Reus-Smit's The Globalization of International Society. The analysis shows that Bull's conception of world order depends on a key distinction between aggregate and system which marks the difference between an aggregate of local political orders and a systematically unified world political order (a global international system). Because recent histories of the globalization of international society remain guided by Bull's distinction, they are unable to explain this transition in historical terms without transforming the global international order from the explanandum of the globalization of international society to its explanans. As a result, global histories of the globalization of international society grant a global international system a structural permanence the original expansion story was meant to contest. In doing so they change profoundly the kind of questions that can be asked regarding the origins, character, and future of political order on earth.
Plato and Classical Civilisation A Level
Authors: Towey Alan
Published: January 2023

The incorporation of Plato into the current OCR Classical Civilisation A Level syllabus, as part of the Love and Relationships topic (LR) presents a challenge for the classroom teacher. While the specification makes study of Plato mandatory the content description in practice effectively relegates the topic to the side-lines. Having described this problem the article goes on to suggest how Plato's ideas can be taught within the framework of the existing specification in a pupil-friendly manner which is true to the spirit of Plato's own philosophical practice.
Wenn Abhängigkeit verletzlich macht: Ansprüche von Pflegeheimbewohnenden an eine würdevolle Pflege
Authors: Widmer Aurelia , Wiegand Kim , Huber Evelyn
Published: January 2023

Zusammenfassung. Einleitung: Aufgrund der zunehmenden Hochaltrigkeit ist es wichtig in Erfahrung zu bringen, was es braucht, damit Menschen nach einem Umzug in ein Pflegeheim ein würdevolles Leben führen können. Ziel: Diese Arbeit will die Bedürfnisse von Pflegeheimbewohnenden erfassen, um herauszufinden, wie sie sich in ihrer Würde respektiert und geschützt fühlen. Methode: Es wurde ein narrativer Literaturreview in den Datenbanken CINAHL Complete und PubMed durchgeführt und sechs qualitative Studien eingeschlossen, deren Ergebnisse hinsichtlich gemeinsamer Themen einander gegenübergestellt wurden. Ergebnisse: Der Schutz der Würde wird nicht nur durch die Abhängigkeit der Bewohnenden bedroht, sondern auch durch das Pflegepersonal, das soziale Umfeld und die Gesellschaft. Bewohnenden war es wichtig, als individuelle Person angesehen und respektvoll behandelt zu werden, möglichst selbstständig und unabhängig zu sein und an bedeutungsvollen Aktivitäten teilzuhaben. Diskussion: Förderung der Mitarbeitenden sowie flache, dezentrale Führungsstrukturen sind zum Schutz der Würde von Bewohnenden wichtig. Bedürfnisse wie soziale und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe wurden durch die Covid-19-Pandemie zusätzlich bedroht. Gleichzeitig brachte die Pandemie Innovationen hervor, die den Schutz der Würde von Pflegeheimbewohnenden stärken können. Schlussfolgerung: Diese Erkenntnisse helfen dem Pflegepersonal im Umgang mit Bewohnenden, im Pflegeheimalltag und während den Pflegehandlungen deren Würde zu schützen.