bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonclassical Parametric Variational Technique to Manipulability Control of a Serial-Link Robot That Is Used in Treatment of Femoral Shaft Fractures
Authors: Abd Ghazwa F.
Published: October 2023

Robot-assisted intramedullary nailing is a minimally invasive surgical procedure commonly used to treat femur fractures. Despite its benefits, there are several disadvantages associated with this technique, such as frequent malalignment, physical fatigue, and excessive radiation exposure for medical personnel. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that robotic surgery for fracture reduction is precise and safe. Precise calculation and regulation of the robot’s reduction force are of utmost importance. In this study, we propose a manipulator that utilises robot assistance and indirect contact with the femur to effectively reduce fractures in the shaft. The dynamics of the reduction robot are analysed using the implicit function theorem, which allows us to address the reduced problem. A parametric approach is presented to tackle the initial algebraic constraints, enabling the approximation of the state-space solution while simultaneously controlling the class of constraints in a multiway manner. This approach simplifies the problem from an infinite-dimensional one to a finite-dimensional one, leading to an approximate solution obtained by solving a set of control linear algebraic equations. The proposed robotic-assisted system enhances fracture repositioning while reducing radiation exposure for both the patient and the medical staff. Through numerical results and their practical application, we have developed an efficient method that yields positive outcomes.
Effects of Low-Salinity Environments on Growth, Antioxidant Response, and Intestinal Microorganisms of the Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Authors: Lei XiTing , Yang Xia , Guo JianLin , Zhang ShiHao , Sun ShanShan , Chen NiHui
Published: October 2023

This research revealed that low-salinity environments have positive effects on largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), with the study finding that low-salinity levels can have beneficial impacts on this species. A 8-week experiment was conducted using four salinity gradients S0, S1, S2, S3 (0, 2, 4, 6 psu), and biochemical indicators and 16S rRNA sequencing were analyzed. Results showed relatively good growth performance at S0 and S1, and no significant antioxidant stress response at S3. Na+–K+–ATPase activity was significantly lower in the S2 group. The diversity showed no significant differences between the treatment groups. However, with increasing salinity, the proportion of potentially pathogenic bacteria in freshwater decreased significantly while that in the seawater increased. Indicator species analysis showed a significantly higher abundance of positive microbial species in the 4 psu group. In conclusion, although growth performance decreased at 4 psu, antioxidant damage was relatively small and disease risk was significantly reduced, indicating a positive effect on the largemouth bass.
Simulation of Multiphase Flow and Mixing in a Conveying Element of a Co-Rotating Twin-Screw Extruder by Using SPH
Authors: Dong Tianwen , Wu Jianchun , Ruan Yufei , Huang Jiawen , Jiang Shiyu
Published: October 2023

Multiphase flows and mixing in partially filled conveying elements of twin-screw extruders (TSEs) were simulated by using smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH). A validation of SPH using experiment from the literature for a co-rotating twin-cam mixer indicated good agreement. A two-phase Poiseuille flow was also used to validate the accuracy of our approach. The results of two-phase flow in TSE show that the viscosity ratio significantly affects the flow and mixing of two-phase fluids. The symmetry of flow field is broken with different parameters. In the full filled case, the pressure squeezes particles into the gap, which is conducive to improve the performance of mixing of fluids. On the contrary, in the partially filled case, because there is no background pressure, particles tend to bypass the gap and flow to the cavity of the chamber. This work laid a foundation for further study of polymer blending by simulation.
Gender-Based Violence: Implications for Girl-Child Education in Some Selected Displaced Persons Camps in Maiduguri
Authors: Bawa Adam Gana , Kaur Supreet
Published: October 2023

Factors other than economic development account for disparities between rich and poor countries’ levels of educational achievement. Gender-based violence includes brittleness and hostility that have widened the achievement gap between boys and girls. The intersectionality of violence against women and girls made it to be a multifaceted and multidimensional phenomenon that affects almost every aspect of individual life, including personal and intellectual development which education as society’s basic social institution served. Though, there is no gain in saying that gender violence has no implications on education at all levels. This paper examines gender-related violence and its implications on girl-child education in some selected displaced person camps in Maiduguri. A total of 403 respondents were conveniently selected across displaced persons camps in Maiduguri. However, interviews and questionnaires were used as instruments for data collection and both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. It was revealed that the majority of respondents thought that the magnitude of gender-related violence in displaced person camps in Maiduguri was very immense with detrimental consequences on displaced person’s well-being and the school being among the danger zone for gender violence. The result of the correlation analysis revealed that there is a moderate positive relationship between forceful reiteration, blackmail, degrading, and blame games from/by parents/guardians and gender-based violence indicating that an increase in these factors is found to be associated with gender-based violence. This paper suggested community education on the negative gender stereotypes through community workshops, educational and empowerment programs, and localized campaigns to dismantle harmful gender stereotypes that exacerbate violence against women.
Stimulating Collaborations: Evidence from a Research Cluster Policy
Authors: Carayol Nicolas , Henry Emeric , Lanoë Marianne
Published: October 2023

The production of knowledge relies on collaborations between researchers. However, we do not know to what extent policies may stimulate these interactions. In this paper we show how a large scale public “research cluster” policy in France, which funds local communities of researchers working on a common theme, affects the organization of research. Relying on an identification strategy based on grades awarded by reviewers, we show that members of financed clusters increase their collaborations with other cluster members by up to 30%. Paradoxically, researchers not at the core of the cluster topic benefit the most from the policy.
The Effect of Police Oversight on Crime and Misconduct Allegations: Evidence from Chicago
Authors: Rivera Roman G. , Ba Bocar A.
Published: October 2023

Does police oversight increase crime? Studies examining this relationship often rely on major scandals as shocks, but the simultaneous effect of public outrage on officer behavior and crime contaminates the results. Using a framework distinguishing oversight and outrage, we identify two events that increased oversight but elicited no public reaction. We find that despite a subsequent decline in reported misconduct, these oversight increases likely did not significantly impact crime or officer activity, suggesting oversight can reduce misconduct without increasing crime. However, a major policing scandal likely increased crime but did not increase arrests and decreased stops and uses of force.
Trade Liberalization and Chinese Students in U.S. Higher Education
Authors: Khanna Gaurav , Shih Kevin , Weinberger Ariel , Xu Mingzhi , Yu Miaojie
Published: October 2023

We highlight a lesser-known consequence of China's integration into the world economy: the rise of services trade. We demonstrate how the US's trade deficit in goods cycles back as a surplus in US exports of education services. Focusing on China's accession to the World Trade Organization, we show that Chinese cities more exposed to trade liberalization sent more students to US universities. Growth in housing income/wealth allowed Chinese families to afford US tuition, and more students financed their studies using personal funds. Our estimates suggest that recent trade wars could cost US universities around $1.1 bn in annual tuition revenue.
Early Joiners and Startup Performance
Authors: Choi Joonkyu , Goldschlag Nathan , Haltiwanger John , Kim J. Daniel
Published: October 2023

We show that early joiners—non-founder employees in the first year of a startup—play a critical role in shaping firm performance. We use administrative employer-employee matched data on US startups and utilize premature death as a natural experiment that exogenously separates talent from startups. We find that losing an early joiner has large negative effects on employment and revenues that persist for at least ten years. In contrast, losing a later joiner yields only a small and temporary decline in firm performance. Our results imply that organization capital, an important driver of startup success, is embodied in early joiners.
Efficient Consignment Auctions
Authors: Liu Bing , Loertscher Simon , Marx Leslie M.
Published: October 2023

Consignment auctions are two-stage mechanisms to (re)-allocate emission permits. Firms are first endowed with permits and then allowed to trade them. We determine theoretically endowments that enable efficient allocation, subject to incentive compatibility, individual rationality, and no deficit. All firms prefer efficient consignment auctions to efficient standard auctions, making them politically palatable. Firms' investment incentives align with the first-best in efficient consignment auctions. Grandfathering based on efficient long-run allocations induces efficiency-permitting endowments. A simple calibration to data from Southern California's RECLAIM program validates our no-deficit assumption and shows that grandfathering provides the best theoretical match for the empirically observed endowments.
Public Investment in a Production Network: Aggregate and Sectoral Implications
Authors: Peri Alessandro , Rachedi Omar , Varotto Iacopo
Published: October 2023

Aggregate and sectoral effects of public investment crucially depend on the interaction between the output elasticity to public capital and intermediate inputs. We uncover this fact through the lens of a New Keynesian production network. This setting doubles the socially optimal amount of public capital relative to the one-sector model without intermediate inputs, leading to a substantial amplification of the public-investment multiplier. We also document novel sectoral implications of public investment. Although public investment is concentrated in far fewer sectors than public consumption, its effects are relatively more evenly distributed across industries. We validate this model implication in the data.
Patronage Process in Pre-colonial and Colonial Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Omobowale Ayokunle Olumuyiwa
Published: October 2023

This article contains process-oriented research which historically traces the development and structure of patronage in Ibadan, Nigeria, from the pre-colonial epoch to the colonial era. Ibadan started up first as a camp of marauders and later as a military settlement after the collapse of the Oyo Empire, Ibadan thereafter emerged as a military empire with sovereignty over a large spectrum of Yorubaland by the end of the 19th Century. Ibadan developed a unique patronage structure based on the babaogun clientelistic system. The babaogun system entailed a network of military warlords who had clients who provided military and civil services in exchange for protection. The indirect rule introduced by the British integrated the babaogun system into governance, equipping the chiefs with economic and coercive powers, which sustained a transformed clientelistic system that was only subverted by the educated and economic elite by the 1950s in preparation for independence. Therefore, the foundation of the contemporary patronage system in Ibadan in particular and Nigeria in general could be traced to the political economy of colonial patronage and the succeeding neo-colonial system. Using archival methods, this article provides the context of the process of patronage in pre-colonial and colonial Ibadan.
Who Supported the Career Development of Highly Educated Japanese Women between the 1970s and 1980s?
Authors: Atobe Chisato
Published: October 2023

In this study, the author considers the problems of married women continuing to work after giving birth in the historical case of Japan, a society with significant gender inequality. The author focuses on female elementary school teachers who managed to continue working after getting married and giving birth at a time when married women in Japan were increasingly becoming housewives. The author investigated the trajectories of female teachers who had no relatives in their neighborhoods. The results emphasize the importance of understanding workers in the reproductive and informal sectors who identify as housewives when considering the career formation of women in countries with a significant gender divide.
Segregation in diet composition of two syntopic tree frog species, Hyla simplex and Polypedates megacephalus, in Ben En National Park, Vietnam
Authors: Trinh Hong Thi , Ngo Hai Ngoc , Pham Anh Van , Pham Nhi Thi , Dau Vinh Quang
Published: October 2023

The segregation in one trophic niche of n-dimensional niches can allow many species to coexist in the same habitat. In this study, we conducted surveys in Ben En National Park, Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam to examine stomach contents of two syntopic tree frog species, Hyla simplex and Polypedates megacephalus, using the stomach-flushing method. A total of 21 individuals of H. simplex and 32 individuals of P. megacephalus were sampled revealing 352 food items (H. simplex: 131 invertebrates belonging to 20 prey types of seven orders; P. megacephalus: 215 invertebrates belonging to 22 prey types of 11 orders). Generally, both species consumed slightly diverse and equal prey types. However, ants (Formicidae) and termites (Rhinotermitidae) were identified as the most dominant and important prey for the two tree frog species. With only 38.95% overlap, it is evident that there is tropic segregation between the two syntopic species.
Korean Judicial Decision
Authors: Lee Seokwoo
Published: October 2023

This case involves a dispute over the use of land for the Mongolian embassy in Seoul. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant had encroached upon the boundaries of the plaintiff’s adjacent land by using a portion of it as the defendant’s embassy property and attached property. The plaintiff sought partial demolition of the defendant’s building and delivery of the disputed land, as well as restitution for unjust enrichment. The trial court granted the plaintiff’s primary claim for partial demolition and delivery of the disputed land, but dismissed the claim for restitution of unjust enrichment, citing a lack of jurisdiction over the issue. The plaintiff appealed the dismissal of the claim for restitution, arguing that the trial court had misinterpreted the legal principles regarding state immunity and jurisdiction. The Supreme Court partially accepted the plaintiff’s appeal, affirming the trial court’s judgment on the primary claim but reversing and remanding the claim for restitution for unjust enrichment to be re-tried and decided upon. The judgment was rendered in unanimous agreement by the participating justices.
A “Moors’ Lovefeast” and Masked Enslavement in the Eighteenth-Century Moravian Church
Authors: Köstlbauer Josef
Published: October 2023

This article analyzes context and circumstances of an event described as a “Moors’ lovefeast,” which took place in the Moravian Church settlement of Herrnhaag in December 1742. Several of the “Moors” in attendance hailed from the West Indies, others from North America and Africa. Likewise present were a Malabar, a Tatar, and a German Sinto. Adding to the cosmopolitan luster of the Herrnhaag congregation, their presence broadcasted a powerful message of missionary success and eschatological expectation. Some of these men, women, and children were or had been enslaved, but the prestige bestowed on these so-called “Moors” contributed to masking their enslavement. A close reading of the available sources shows how contemporary practices of enslavement fed into Moravians’ methods of representing missionary success as well as their unique spirituality and eschatological vision.
Silesia, Serfdom, and Slavery
Authors: Steffen Anka
Published: October 2023

From the seventeenth to the twentieth century, Silesian linen production was closely linked to Atlantic slavery. Initially, Silesian linen was a commodity of varying quality, strategically adapted to either satisfy free consumers in Africa or serve as clothing for enslaved Africans or European colonists in the Americas. To keep their selling prices low, Silesian merchants adopted serfdom to exploit spinners and weavers. Later industrialists in the region relied on impoverished factory workers to manufacture competitive products, like tropical clothing for the colonies. This study contributes to a better understanding of the interconnectedness of the Silesian economy with Atlantic slavery by examining the practices through which Silesian actors shaped local conditions that became springboards for business opportunities related to slavery.
The Hinterland of the Holy Roman Empire and the Slave Trade in the Late Eighteenth Century
Authors: Ressel Magnus
Published: October 2023

Residing in Brussels from 1755, Friedrich Romberg, a native of Hemer near Iserlohn in Westphalia and a friend of Emperor Joseph II, may be an exceptional figure in the line of German slave traders with his intensive involvement in the French colonial empire of the 1770s/80s. However, he can also be seen as an emblematic exponent of a profitable niche in the overall panorama of the Atlantic slave trade—namely, the connection of the German and even Italian textile industries with the Caribbean plantation economies. By examining the trading circuits within Romberg’s freight forwarding company and his textile trade and production, we can extend and praxeologically nuance the concept of the central European “slavery hinterland.”
Software for animal randomization: A tool for increasing the reproducibility of science
Authors: da Fonseca Cardoso Liana Monteiro , da Silva Ferreira Natiele Carla , de Araripe Lopes Correa Matheus , da Silva Sérgio Alves , Alves Luiz Anastacio
Published: October 2023

Poorly designed preclinical studies may compromise human health due to erroneous conclusions regarding treatment effects in addition to contributing to experimental irreproducibility and wasted resources. Randomization is one of the crucial steps to enhance scientific rigor and is a commonly recognized bias-reducing instrument that increases the reliability and reproduction of studies involving animals (even with syngeneic animals). This procedure should be considered when planning a study and reported during data publication. In this context, this work aimed to highlight the importance of adopting quality measures in preclinical trials, with an emphasis on animal randomization. The ‘Mouse Randomization’ app was developed to help researchers estimate an adequate sample size to obtain significant statistical power, ensuring the ethical use of animals. This app is freely available on the internet to carry out animal randomization and calculate sample sizes for in vivo experiments. We believe that this brief discussion about animal randomization could raise awareness among researchers on how to improve the quality of preclinical research, increasing reproducibility and avoiding animal misuse.
Public spaces of transport as mobile public spheres and atmospheric publics
Authors: Sheller Mimi
Published: October 2023

Public transport is a contested political terrain and an arena of micro-political struggle: it is always kinopolitical. This reflection on the articles gathered in the special issue on Public Transport as Public Space discusses their connections to prior work in the field and what we can learn from these new studies of public transport as a public space, as a public sphere and as an atmospheric public constellation. It shows how the concept of mobile publics opened up new avenues for exploring the relation between public space and public spheres within the moving spaces of encounter of public transportation systems and their diverse passengers. Qualitative methodologies for the study of the flexible and contingent socialities of the mobile public realm have become especially relevant for the study of public transportation as a public space in which cosmopolitan or collective identities are in tension with alienation and atomisation.
Belief in Faith Healing and HbA1c: Exploring the Mediating Role of Meaning in Life
Authors: Krause Neal , Ironson Gail
Published: October 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between belief in divine healing and HbA1c (a biomarker of blood glucose control). Three major findings emerged from our analysis of data from a nationwide survey. First, a set of descriptive analyses suggest that faith healing beliefs are not the sole province of Conservative Christians. Instead, belief in divine healing is more widely spread in the general population. Second, our analyses indicate there is a nonlinear relationship between belief in divine healing and HbA1c values: HbA1c scores are relatively high (i.e., less desirable) among study participants with low levels of belief in faith healing. However, levels of HbA1c are lower among study participants with a stronger belief in the divine. Third, our analyses further indicate that a religious sense of meaning in life, but not a general sense of meaning, mediates the relationship between belief in faith healing and HbA1c values.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Seminarians: Personal Experiences of Trauma and Implications for Pastoral Well-Being and Ministerial Training
Authors: Holleman Anna , Upenieks Laura , Eagle David
Published: October 2023

Recent research has shown Mainline Protestant clergy evidence poor mental health. In accounting for this, research has focused on occupational factors that impact health, with less attention paid to the role of selection into ministry as it relates to health. We investigate one possible selection characteristic, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), among a sample of 535 seminarians attending a Mainline seminary. Compared with a demographically matched national sample, these seminarians reported higher prevalence of the childhood experiences of emotional abuse, of living with someone with mental illness, and of sexual abuse. These seminarians also reported lower prevalence of parental separation/divorce and of familial incarceration. Furthermore, we found demographic variations in the prevalence of certain ACEs among the sample of seminarians. In addition to informing the scholarly discussion regarding mechanisms associated with clergy well-being, this work highlights the need for seminaries to attend to the ministerial formation of students with these experiences.
Similarity as a safe haven: Similarity leads to satisfaction in prevention focus
Authors: Cheon Jeong Eun , Kim Young-Hoon
Published: October 2023

Despite its association with attraction and liking, similarity fails to reliably predict relationship satisfaction in marriage. This study suggests that individual differences in relationship regulatory focus, i.e., the motivation to prevent negative outcomes or promote positive outcomes in relationships, might address this inconsistency. Specifically, the comforting nature of similarity could potentially enhance marital satisfaction among relationship prevention-focused individuals by fostering a stronger interconnectedness with their partner, compared to relationship promotion-focused individuals. We tested this hypothesis using an online survey with 1,792 participants from Korea and 1,531 participants from the U.S. The results confirmed that relationship prevention-focused individuals experiencing higher self–partner similarity felt a stronger interconnectedness and, consequently, higher marital quality. However, self–partner similarity had a less pronounced effect on relationship promotion-focused individuals. These findings indicate that the perception of similarity plays a more significant role in the marriages of prevention-focused individuals.
The effects of relationship history on social support perceived from friendships
Authors: Williamson J. Austin
Published: October 2023

Perceptions of social support availability may be influenced by internal working models, both of how support figures behave in general, and of how specific support figures behave individually. Participants were 217 first-year college students in the first semester of their involvement with an athletic team or Greek organization. They reported on the support they perceived to be available from three friends in those organizations at four time-points, over the course of 18 months. Regarding generalized working models, participants who had more supportive high school friends perceived more support available from their new college friends, even after controlling for their actual experiences with the college friends. Regarding friend-specific working models, friends who were perceived as more supportive at the beginning of the study were perceived as increasingly supportive over time, even after controlling for actual experiences with that friend. These findings illustrate the influence of relationship history on perceptions of social support. Feeling supported is not determined only by the responses of an individual’s support figures in times of need. Regular investment in relationships is important both for individuals who wish to feel supported and for support figures who wish to best help others.
Application of complete decongestive therapy after lymphaticovenular anastomosis of the lower limb combined with liposuction-A retrospective study research
Authors: Zhou Xuchuan , Ma Gejia , Qi Xi , Qin Aoshuang , Liu Bin
Published: October 2023

Background

Complete decongestive therapy (CDT) is a conservative treatment for lymphedema that combines interventions and lifestyle changes. We evaluated the application of CDT after lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) of the lower limb combined with liposuction.

Methods

A total of 55 patients who underwent LVA of the lower limb combined with liposuction from January 2021 to July 2022 were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into groups A ( n = 24) and B ( n = 31) according to whether they adhered to CDT treatment during the 12-month follow-up. Group A was the non-adherence CDT group and Group B was the adherence CDT group. Lower Extremity Lymphedema Index (LELI) and Lymphoedema Functioning, Disability, and Health Questionnaire for Lower Limb Lymphoedema (Lymph-ICF-LL) were used as prognostic indicators to observe the remission of postoperative lymphedema symptoms in the two groups.

Results

At 6-month and 12-month follow-up, LELI and the score of Lymph-ICF-LL in group B and group A were lower than before the operation ( p < .05). The circumference of the affected limb was reduced, and the quality of life was improved in both groups after the operation. The reduction of LELI and Lymph-ICF-LL in group B was higher than in group A, and the difference was statistically significant ( p < .05).

Conclusion

This study preliminarily proves the effectiveness of CDT after LVA of the lower limb combined with liposuction, which can maintain and strengthen the surgical effect. Further, CDT treatment is still needed after the operation, which is necessary to reduce the circumference of the affected limb and improve patients’ quality of life.
Food security in times of war: Double discourse and violent conflicts. The case of Russia, 2014–2022
Authors: Dufy Caroline
Published: October 2023

The food security doctrine was adopted by the Russian Federation in 2010. Developed under the leadership of President Dmitry Medvedev, it established food security as a central component of national security. The concept emerged as an issue of global public debate in response to the 2006–2008 hunger crisis in the Global South. In Russia though, the initial interpretation of the concept, which emphasised the accessibility of food resources, was transformed into a slogan advocating domestic agri-food production. The article examines the Russian case from 2014 to 2022. It analyses how the narrative on food security constructs common goods such as ‘domestic territory’ or ‘food sovereignty’ and its subsequent implications for the prioritisation of certain values (e.g. production, sovereignty), social groups (e.g. producers over consumers), and roles in economic life (e.g. trade). Finally, this article will incorporate an updated analysis of official discourses on food security produced by the government following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Global, regional and national burden of ischemic stroke attributed to high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 1990–2019：A decomposition analysis and age-period-cohort analysis
Authors: Zhang Jian , Zhu Shijie , Liu Chunlong , Hu Yaofeng , Yang Aoran , Zhang Yonghui , Hong Yang
Published: October 2023

High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) have been associated with an augmented mortality of ischemic stroke. The yearly deaths and mortality data of IS-hLDL-C were derived from the global burden of disease 2019 dataset. The joinpoint, age-period-cohort and decomposition analysis were utilized to evaluate the long-term patterns in the disease burden of IS-hLDL-C, and the effects of population growth and aging. Globally, in 2019, 0.61 million ischemic stroke-related deaths were attributable to high LDL-C, with the highest death burden in the high-middle socio-demographic index (SDI) region. From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized death rate (ASDR) for IS-hLDL-C exhibited a downward trend, with an average annual percentage change of -1.69 [95% confidence interval: −1.90, −1.48)]. The fastest decreasing trends in ASDR were experienced in the high SDI region. In 119 (58.33%) countries, aging increased the disease burden of hLDL-IS, and population growth increased the disease burden of IS-hLDL-C in 163 (79.90%) countries. The trend in disease burden of IS-hLDL-C exhibited variation across countries and regions, particularly in territories with high to middle high SDI. Aging in upper to middle-income countries and population growth in low to middle-income countries further offset endeavors to reduce the burden of ischemic stroke deaths.
Extraperitoneal pelvic packing versus angiographic embolization for hemodynamically unstable pelvic fractures: a retrospective single-center analysis
Authors: Chu Jisen , Xie Changyuan , Fu Jiaojiao , Yao Weigen
Published: October 2023

Objective

To retrospectively analyze the clinical data and treatment procedures of angiographic embolization (AE) and extraperitoneal pelvic packing (EPP) for traumatic pelvic fractures in our center for the purpose of providing recommendations on the selection of treatment protocols.

Methods

We analyzed 110 patients with traumatic pelvic fractures treated with AE and EPP from January 2015 to May 2023. The patients were divided into the AE group (69 men, 41 women) and the EPP group (20 men, 12 women). The primary outcomes were the mortality rate and incidence of complications.

Results

The mortality rate was slightly lower in the AE than EPP group (7.3% vs. 9.4%). The overall blood transfusion volume was lower and the length of hospital stay was shorter in the AE than EPP group (7.79 ± 12.04 vs. 9.14 ± 14.21 units and 20.48 ± 11.32 vs. 22.14 ± 10.47 days).

Conclusions

Both AE and EPP have good treatment effects. AE is preferred for patients in stable condition with severe hemorrhage. This study suggests that EPP should be the primary treatment and that AE should serve as a complementary treatment for critical patients.
Toward effective performance psychology interventions in tertiary music education: An exploration of students’ experiences, attitudes, and preferences
Authors: Suzuki Akiho , Pitts Stephanie
Published: October 2023

Tertiary music students face a variety of challenges in their musical journeys. It is therefore promising that studies have begun to explore the potential of performance psychology interventions to help music students. However, less attention has been given to how such interventions should be designed and delivered for maximum efficacy. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring tertiary music students’ needs, preferences, and attitudes regarding performance psychology. Through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, 11 students shared their experiences of the psychological aspects of being a music student as well as their attitudes toward interventions. Analysis revealed that students currently gained most of their knowledge of performance psychology through experience and personal research. They discussed a range of factors that helped them, as well as personal and environmental factors that created challenges. Participants wanted sessions that were practical, individually tailored, and held in a safe space. Regarding consultants, students placed high importance on personal characteristics and musical background. Time constraints and stigma were the two main barriers that the participants believed may prevent them from benefiting from an intervention. Recommendations for future intervention studies are made based on current and existing findings.
Techno-genesis: Reconceptualising geography’s technology from ontology to ontogenesis
Authors: Keating Thomas P
Published: October 2023

Technologies have been theorised to understand their powers to produce spacetimes – notably through Bernard Stiegler’s reading of technics as constitutive of human ontology. However, less attention has been paid to how technologies shape spacetimes according to their own distinct logics of evolution, the result being a tendency to reduce technological agency to a question of its effects on human being. The first half of the paper elaborates this problem in conversation with geographies of the digital turn. The second half introduces an alternative approach through Gilbert Simondon’s ontogenetic notion of technology characterised by its own logics of evolution – what I term techno-genesis.
Patellar Dislocation in Adolescent Patients: Influence on Cartilage Properties Based on T1ρ Relaxation Times
Authors: Farrow Lutul D. , Elias John J. , Li Mei , Yang Mingrui , Lartey Richard , Hron Alexander J. , Winalski Carl S. , Li Xiaojuan
Published: October 2023

Background:

Adolescents who experience a patellar dislocation have an elevated risk of patellofemoral posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–based T1ρ relaxation times were measured for adolescents to evaluate patellofemoral cartilage after patellar dislocation. Long T1ρ relaxation times are an indicator of cartilage degradation.

Hypothesis:

The primary hypothesis is that patellofemoral cartilage T1ρ relaxation times will be elevated in the acute phase after patellar dislocation. The secondary hypothesis is that T1ρ relaxation times will be higher for knees with multiple rather than single dislocations due to repeated traumatic injury.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

In total, 23 adolescents being treated for a recent patellar dislocation, 13 for a first-time dislocation (47 ± 38 days since most recent dislocation) and 10 for multiple dislocations (55 ± 24 days since most recent dislocation), and 10 healthy controls participated in MRI-based T1ρ relaxation time mapping. For multiple regions of the patellofemoral joint, mean T1ρ values were compared between the 3 groups with multiple group comparisons and post hoc tests. T1ρ relaxation times were also correlated against measures of patellofemoral anatomy and alignment for single and multiple dislocations. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results:

T1ρ relaxation times were significantly longer for injured knees (single and multiple dislocations) than controls at the medial and central patella and central trochlear groove. For the regions on the patella, significant differences between injured and control knees exceeded 15%. No significant differences were identified between single and multiple dislocations. For the initial dislocation group, T1ρ relaxation times within multiple regions of the patellofemoral joint were significantly correlated with lateral patellar alignment or patellar height.

Conclusion:

Elevated patellofemoral cartilage T1ρ relaxation times are consistent with a high risk of long-term patellofemoral osteoarthritis for adolescents who experience patellar dislocations. T1ρ relaxation times were elevated for multiple regions of patellofemoral cartilage. T1ρ relaxation times were expected to increase with additional dislocation episodes, but relaxation times after single and multiple dislocations were similar. After a first dislocation, parameters related to patellar maltracking were correlated with cartilage degradation.
Newer therapies and surgical management of ketamine-induced uropathy: A review
Authors: Katsiari Theodora , Bae Yeong Eun , Darlington Carbin Joseph Danny , Abou Chedid Wissam , Moschonas Dimitrios , Kusuma Venkata Ramana Murthy , Patil Krishna , Perry Matthew James Alexander
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims:

Ketamine use as a recreational drug is becoming more popular nowadays. Ketamine-induced uropathy (KIU) is a late finding observed with long-term use of ketamine. A systematic review of Ketamine-Induced Uropathy was performed to emphasise its key clinical manifestations, mechanism of action and establish an effective treatment pathway.

Methods and Results:

A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE via Pubmed and Cochrane using the keywords ketamine and bladder, ketamine and uropathy, and ketamine and epidemiology. The search strategy was limited to articles published from 2000 to 2023. Both animal and human studies were included. A total of 101 papers were reviewed based on topic relevance from the title and abstracts available. While ketamine is a controlled drug in the United Kingdom (UK) and other countries, 283 ketamine-related deaths have been reported in the UK. There is no definite pathogenesis but multiple potential mechanisms that cause KIU and its related symptoms. KIU involves chronic inflammation of the bladder, ureteral wall thickening, hydronephrosis and finally, chronic renal failure. A multidisciplinary approach is paramount when managing these patients to break the vicious cycle. The mainstay of medical and surgical treatment pathways is continued abstinence to prevent symptom relapse. This review included the pathophysiology, novel medical treatments and surgical management of KIU.

Conclusion:

KIU is a rare but significantly disabling condition often seen among ketamine abusers. With the rising trend in drug addiction, KIU is expected to be more common. Unfortunately, it is a late complication in chronic ketamine abusers and is only partially reversible even with abstinence. This review discusses this rare entity’s newer medical treatments and surgical options.
Exploring the Making of the Economy in South Korea: A Venue for Sociology and Science and Technology Studies
Authors: Lee Kyunghwan
Published: October 2023

Development is a strategic research site to initiate productive conversation between sociology and Science and Technology Studies (STS), because, on one hand, development is a significant social change process, and simultaneously, on the other hand, it is a “contact zone” where diverse social practices from the West and the Global South meet and negotiate with one another. With the case study of the development in South Korea, this project will demonstrate how postcolonial studies of science and technology offer opportunities for innovations in development studies. The lens of STS contributes to elucidating how each development practice could be implemented and compete and negotiate in constituting “development assemblage” in South Korea.
On digital twinning of fused filament fabrication for tensile properties of polyvinylidene fluoride composites-based functional prototypes
Authors: Husain Minhaz , Singh Rupinder , Pabla BS
Published: October 2023

In the last two decades, several studies have been conducted for the process parametric optimization of fused filament fabrication (FFF) with a variety of thermoplastic composites, especially for mechanical properties. But hitherto less has been conveyed, on the development of dynamic reduced order models (ROMs) for digital twining (DT) of tensile properties (of 3D printed implants/scaffolds) with novel thermoplastic-based composites. In this study, for the generation of dynamic ROM (for hybrid analytics), the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio was used to ascertain the best settings of parameters for tensile properties of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite. The study suggests that the best setting of the FFF process, for the 3D printing of PVDF composite (90% PVDF, 8% hydroxyapatite (HAp), and 2% Chitosan (CS) (for maximizing the tensile properties as per ASTM-D638-Type-V) are nozzle temperature (NT) of 235°C, raster angle (RA) 45°, printing speed (PS) of 60 mm/s respectively resulting in peak load (PL) 394.87 N, peak stress (PSt) 33.92 MPa, Young’s modulus (E) 2.606 MPa. For a modulus of toughness (MOT) of 0.484 MPa, the best settings are NT 230°C, RA 90°, and PS 50 mm/s. The results are supported by the morphological analysis.
Enhancing the fiber-matrix interface of r-ABS and bamboo fiber composite developed through melt compounding: An analysis of mechanical and morphological
Authors: Singh Anuj , R Aswathy N , Mohapatra Aswini Kumar
Published: October 2023

In recent years, researchers and scholars have shown growing interest in exploring the applications of natural fibers in polymer composites, driven by their environmentally friendly and sustainable characteristics. This study endeavors to offer an exhaustive examination of the prominent and widely adopted natural fiber reinforced polymer composites and their diverse range of applications. Furthermore, it provides an overview of different surface treatment methods applied to natural fibers and their influence on the properties of, highlighting the significant variations in properties depending on the fiber type, source, and structure. Bamboo fibers (BF) and recycled chemically functionalized acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (r-ABS) composites (BF/rABS) have been blended at 190°C. The composites show a higher tensile and flexural properties than r-ABS. The presence of bamboo fibers functions as stress concentrators, resulting in minimized deformation and consequently reducing the impact strength of the composites in comparison to the matrix. The SEM and FTIR analysis have shown that the adhesion between fiber and the matrix is good which therefore improves the tensile properties of the composite materials. XRD analysis has shown improved crystallinity in composite as compared to matrix.
Design, kinematics, and prototyping of a gripping mechanism to adapt large space
Authors: Ji Junjie , Wei Song-Tao , Zhao Jing-Shan
Published: October 2023

This manuscript introduces a symmetrical gripping mechanism, a significant piece of robotic equipment, adept at adjusting to the variable dimensions of disparate objects within an extensive range. The innovative mechanism presented in this treatise has dual degrees of freedom (DOF), and its parameters can be customized to satisfy diverse requirements. Symbolic computation is employed to dissect both the forward and inverse kinematics of the mechanism. Furthermore, the requisite driving force of the mechanism, when paired with parameterized objects, is discussed. Ultimately, a methodology is suggested for discerning the mechanism’s parameters in relation to variously grasped widths and forces. The article concludes with the introduction of a prototype construction process. Experimental results substantiate the effectiveness and functionality of the proposed mechanism.
Implementation and Preliminary Evaluation of a 12-Week Cognitive Behavioural and Motivational Enhancement Group Therapy for Cannabis Use Disorder
Authors: Trick Leanne , Butler Kevin , Bourgault Zoe , Vandervoort Julianne , Le Foll Bernard
Published: October 2023

Background:

The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary evaluation of treatment outcomes, retention and client satisfaction following a 12-week combined cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational enhancement therapy (MET) group treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD) delivered in an outpatient setting. Implementation of the program is also described.

Methods:

A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted using data collected from medical records and self-report assessments. Participants were treatment-seeking cannabis users at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto. Cannabis use, cannabis-related problems, craving, withdrawal symptoms, self-efficacy for remaining abstinent, depression and anxiety were assessed pre- and post-treatment. Treatment retention was calculated by inspecting clinic attendance records, and client satisfaction was evaluated using an anonymous feedback survey. Potential predictors of treatment outcomes and retention were investigated in exploratory analyses.

Results:

Cannabis use was lower and days of abstinence higher post-treatment (vs pre-treatment). Post-treatment improvements in cannabis-related problems, craving, withdrawal symptoms, self-efficacy and mood were also observed. Completion of group treatment (⩾75% of sessions attended) was 57% and moderate levels of treatment satisfaction were reported.

Conclusions:

This study provides preliminary evidence that a 12-week combined CBT and MET treatment for cannabis use disorder delivered in a novel group setting improves cannabis use outcomes. Potential predictors of reduced cannabis use and retention were identified. Future controlled studies are warranted, and strategies for increasing retention should be explored.
Clinical Features and Outcomes of Primary Breast Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Matched-Pair Study
Authors: Teng Ling-Chiao , Liao Yu-Min , Gau Jyh-Pyng , Hsiao Tzu-Hung , Chen Tsung-Chih , Chen Mei-Hui , Yeh Su-Peng , Teng Chieh-Lin Jerry
Published: October 2023

Background:

The influence of the breast as the primary site on the outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and further changes in therapeutic strategies remain unclear. We aimed to compare the outcomes between primary breast and non-breast DLBCL and analyze the genetic profiles of some of the study cohorts using next-generation sequencing.

Methods:

This matched-pair study reviewed the medical records of 19 patients with stage I and II primary breast DLBCL diagnosed between January 2005 and December 2021 on the basis of the Wiseman and Liao criteria, and we used 1:4 propensity score matching to identify patients with non-breast DLBCL as the control group. The overall response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were the outcome measures.

Results:

Patients with primary breast and non-breast DLBCL had a 5-year PFS of 72.6% and 86.9%, respectively ( P = .206). These 2 groups also had comparable 5-year OS (86.9% vs 87.8%; P = .772). The breast as the primary site was not associated with inferior PFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.14; 95% CI: 0.66-6.96; P = .206) and OS (HR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.27-5.93; P = .772).

Conclusion:

Patients with primary breast DLBCL and those with non-breast DLBCL had comparable PFS and OS under rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) or R-CHOP-like regimens. Further investigations of the mutation profile, its clinical impact, potential central nervous system relapse, and prognosis of primary breast DLBCL are required.