bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Great Expectations: The Moderating Effects of Supplier Service Model and Market Dynamics on Relational Contract Performance
Authors: Acocella Angela , Caplice Chris , Sheffi Yossi
Published: August 2024

Under a relational contract, the value placed on expected future business must outweigh the short-term temptations to deviate for the buyer–supplier relationship to persist. Operational and relational factors that influence this trade-off have been explored, however, there is a considerable lack of research on the moderating effects of supplier and market characteristics. We offer insights into how supplier service models and market dynamics impact suppliers’ decisions to renege on the relational contract. Limited access to transactional and contractual data has restricted previous exploration. We overcome this limitation with a detailed dataset in the for-hire truckload transportation sector. We find that a third-party brokerage service model is better able to overcome operational demand challenges and maintain service due to lower capacity constraints and pooling effects as compared to asset-based providers. Furthermore, when the overall market is capacity-constrained, long-term relationships become less of a deterrent for suppliers to reject business. In addition, during tightly constrained markets, suppliers respond with higher rejection rates to short-term demand surges but not to historical demand variability.
Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net Campaigns for Malaria Control Considering Prioritization and Equity
Authors: de Oliveira Fabíola Negreiros , Alem Douglas , Oliveira Fabricio , Leiras Adriana
Published: August 2024

Malaria remains a significant public health concern in several developing countries. Tropical weather, coupled with poor environmental and socioeconomic conditions, increases mosquito activity and disease transmission in impoverished nations. The most effective strategy to prevent and control malaria is the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets, or LLINs. Ensuring that LLINs are effectively and equitably distributed to those who need them most is crucial yet challenging, especially since financial and health resources are scarce in endemic countries. Through a real-world case study conducted in the Brazilian Amazon, which accounts for 99% of malaria cases in Brazil, we propose a Malaria Vulnerability Index (MVI). This composite index encompasses epidemiological, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Using the MVI, we developed a prioritization-based location-allocation model to maximize the benefits of targeting the most vulnerable municipalities for malaria interventions. Our mathematical model relies on discrete coverage levels, which makes the allocation of LLINs more flexible while ensuring community-wide protection. We also explore the theoretical relationship between our proposed model and classical demand covering problems. Finally, we discuss some approaches to delivering more equitable solutions by minimizing the number of underserved areas. Our results include comparisons between various malaria interventions and provide practical insights. In particular, we show that we can drastically reduce the number of underserved areas without compromising the effectiveness of the LLINs allocation through lexicographic optimization. The results also reveal that with investment levels up to 50% of the ideal, we can fully protect the endemic area after 2 years of successive interventions.
Supplier Selection Criteria Under Heterogeneous Sourcing Needs: Evidence From an Online Marketplace for Selling Production Capacity
Authors: Hu Kejia , Kong Lu , Jia Zhenzhen
Published: August 2024

Supplier selection is critical in the sourcing process: retailers evaluate candidate suppliers across multiple attributes, including price, quality, speed, and service, to locate an ideal supply chain partner. While related theoretical research requires prior knowledge of retailers’ preferences across attributes, little empirical evidence about the criteria has been drawn from actual sourcing decisions. Capitalizing on an innovative online marketplace where manufacturers sell production capacity, our research reveals the relative importance assigned by retailers to over twenty supplier attributes including price, product quality, speed in multiple phases from ordering to delivery, and various ancillary services. Our research enables a direct connection between theoretical models and business practices and solidifies existing survey studies by removing reporting bias and increasing representative samples. Using various machine learning approaches, we discover that speed and price attributes are considered the most important, followed by quality, and finally, service offerings. We further investigate how supplier selection criteria are adjusted based on order sizes and product features. We reveal that, as the order size increases, price and quality attributes become more important while speed and service attributes plummet in importance. Furthermore, we find that retailers attach a higher value to speed and service attributes with trendy innovative products, but care more about the price dimension with long-life-cycle functional products. Based on these findings regarding supplier selection criteria, we provide investment guidelines for suppliers by quantifying the economic value associated with each non-price attribute. Also, to enable more efficient information disclosure, we recommend that online platforms consolidate their service menus by removing services with low enrollment rates and low impact on deal formation.
The Traceability of Presidential Policymaking in the Face of Congressional Sanctioning
Authors: McLain Meredith
Published: August 2024

Do presidents freely issue unilateral directives to evade an obstructionist Congress, or are they constrained by their legislative opponents? Though conventional wisdom purports evasion, scholars actually find consistent evidence of presidential restraint. However, this literature almost exclusively focuses on executive orders, rather than the myriad of other unilateral directives at the president's disposal, and thus offers an incomplete picture of how effective Congress is at constraining unilateral policymaking. Accordingly, I develop a theory of how presidents adjudicate between different types of directives based on trade-offs related to their traceability, presidential incentives, and Congress's ability to retaliate based on available information. I argue that presidents rely on more traceable unilateral directives, specifically executive orders, and published memoranda, when facing ideologically aligned congresses that are less likely to retaliate. However, they use less traceable directives, like unpublished memoranda, to evade legislative opponents, but at the expense of credit claiming opportunities. Using an original dataset of executive orders, published memoranda, and unpublished memoranda issued between 1981 and 2020, I find empirical support for the theory. Overall, this study demonstrates how presidents can overcome legislative checks by controlling the traceability of their unilateral activities.
Isolated Monoclonal T-Cell Receptor Gene Rearrangement in a Lung Adenocarcinoma Harboring MET Exon 14 Skipping: Diagnostic Pitfall
Authors: Shi Wangpan Jackson , Nguyen Joshua , Song Wei , Wang Huan-You , Lin Grace Y. , Fadare Oluwole , Lei Li
Published: August 2024

In the diagnostic workup of poorly differentiated tumors, T-cell receptor (TCR) clonality has long been considered as evidence of T-cell lymphoma. MET exon 14 skipping ( METex14) is a mutation typically seen in lung adenocarcinoma. Herein, we present the first report of METex14 lung adenocarcinoma with isolated monoclonal TCRγ gene rearrangement. A 69-year-old woman presented to an outside hospital with pleural effusions. A pleural decortication demonstrated malignant cells positive for CD30 and CD138 but negative for BerEP4, KRT5, and EMA. An equivocal HHV8 staining was interpreted as positive, leading to the erroneous outside diagnosis of primary effusion lymphoma. Additional workup at our institution revealed a lack of HHV8 and T-cell markers but the presence of TCRγ clonality, pankeratin, and TTF1 expression. Repeat TCRγ testing on the in-house biopsy was negative for clonality. Next-generation sequencing detected METex14, confirming the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma. The potential diagnostic pitfall and prognostic/predictive implications are discussed.
Management and Mechanisms of Diarrhea Induced by Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Sun Kena , Wang Xiaojia , Zhang Huanping , Lin Guang , Jiang Ruiyuan
Published: August 2024

Breast cancer has the highest incidence among female malignancies, significantly impacting women’s health. Recently, numerous HER2-targeted therapies have achieved excellent clinical outcomes. Currently, anti-HER2 drugs are divided into three main categories: monoclonal antibodies, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and antibody-coupled drugs (ADCs). The main toxic side effects of small molecule TKI-based therapy are diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, rash, nausea, and vomiting. Diarrhea is a potential predictor of tumor response, affecting up to 95% of cancer patients treated with TKIs. Severe gastrointestinal toxicity can result in the need for dose reductions and treatment interruptions. This not only compromises the efficacy of TKIs but also deteriorates human nutrition and quality of life. The majority of individuals develop diarrhea within 7 days of starting treatment, with approximately 30% developing grade 3 or higher diarrhea within 2-3 days of starting treatment. The severity of diarrhea typically correlates with the dosage of most TKIs. Current prevention and management strategies are primarily empirical, focusing on symptom alleviation rather than addressing the toxicological mechanisms underlying TKI-induced diarrhea. Consequently, anti-diarrheal drugs are often less effective in managing this condition in cancer patients receiving TKIs. Moreover, our understanding of the toxicological mechanisms responsible for such diarrhea remains limited, underscoring the urgent need to identify these mechanisms in order to develop effective anti-diarrheal medications tailored to this specific context. This review aims to elucidate management approaches and mechanisms for diarrhea induced by TKIs during HER2-positive breast cance.
Vibration suppression of a cylindrical shell structure by transmission path control
Authors: He Peitao , Xie Xiling , Zhang Zhiyi
Published: August 2024

Suppressing vibration transmission from the engine to the cylindrical shell of an unmanned underwater vehicle is an important measure to reduce vibration and sound radiation of the shell structure. Due to the limited space within the cylindrical shell, a compact transmission blocking structure (TBS) that integrates piezoelectric actuators and rubber isolators is proposed to prevent vibration transmission. To verify the feasibility of the transmission blocking structure in vibration control, the dynamic model of the vibration source-TBS-shell coupled system is established with the substructure synthesis method. The characteristics of power flow are analyzed and the effectiveness of the TBS is evaluated. A proof-of-principle experiment was conducted as well. Simulation and experimental results show that the piezoelectric actuators of the TBS can further reduce the harmonics on the basis of broadband attenuation of the vibration of the cylindrical shell.
“I Write With Intent”: Writing as a Black Feminist Research Method and Route to Intimacy
Authors: Ohito Esther O. , Loury Amirah
Published: August 2024

Writing is widely accepted as an appropriate tool for qualitative research, yet the question of how the entanglement of researchers’ politics and positionalities inform the use of this method has been understudied. In this article, we tackle that gap in the extant literature through an improvisational inquiry extending from a Black feminist’s written material. We begin by underscoring the generally purposeful nature of Black women’s writing. Then, we illuminate the connection between Black women’s purposeful practice of writing and the relational, community-building aims of Black feminist research. Broadly, we endeavor to right the wrongful erasure of Black women’s epistemologies by highlighting the concomitant affordances of writing as an instrument for Black feminist-oriented research and as an apparatus for cultivating intimacy with oneself and others (for instance, one’s loved ones) in the context of qualitative inquiry.
An Empowerment-Based Intervention for Chinese Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: Feasibility and Acceptability
Authors: Li Yang , Bloom Tina , Bullock Linda F. C. , Rhee Hyekyun
Published: August 2024

Background:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern, particularly in vulnerable populations such as Chinese immigrant women.

Aim:

This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an empowerment-based intervention integrated with relaxation and self-compassion techniques for Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV.

Methods:

The present study was a part of a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 50 Chinese immigrant women who had experienced IPV in the past year were recruited online and randomized to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention group engaged in seven weekly sessions delivered with a phone call and a mobile application. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through surveys and interviews to evaluate intervention adherence, participants’ perceptions, and areas for improvement.

Results:

64% of the participants completed each weekly session, demonstrating favorable intervention adherence. The intervention was perceived to be helpful by most participants, with reported decreases in stress, anxiety, fatigue, pain, and family conflicts, and with reported improvements in emotion regulation and self-compassion. However, technical issues with the mobile platform and lack of personalization were identified as limitations.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention for Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV and warrants a full-scale RCT to determine its efficacy. It will be essential to personalize the intervention and reduce any barriers to participation.
Trauma, Critical Incidents, Organizational and Operational Stressors: The Relationship Between Harms and Psychological Outcomes for Police
Authors: Drew Jacqueline M. , Williamson Harley
Published: August 2024

Early psychological health studies in policing often focused on trauma and critical incidents (CIs). More recent research builds a compelling argument that significant causes of psychological harm stems from other operational and organizational factors. The current study uses survey data from a large sample of Australian police ( N = 1763), producing strength metrics derived from mediated regression analyses. The relationships between stressors (trauma and CIs, operational and organizational) and psychological health (psychological distress and burnout) were studied. For the relationship between stress and psychological distress, compared to trauma stress, the relationship with organizational stress was three times stronger and the relationship with operational stress was two and half times stronger. No direct relationship between trauma stress and burnout was found. It was fully explained by organizational and operational stress. The findings suggest police leaders must consider the direct and combined impacts of different stressors on the psychological health of their staff.
Characterization of RNA Processing Genes in Colon Cancer for Predicting Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Hu Jianwen , Ning Yingze , Ma Yongchen , Sun Lie , Chen Guowei
Published: August 2024

Objective:

Colon cancer is associated with multiple levels of molecular heterogeneity. RNA processing converts primary transcriptional RNA to mature RNA, which drives tumourigenesis and its maintenance. The characterisation of RNA processing genes in colon cancer urgently needs to be elucidated.

Methods:

In this study, we obtained 1033 relevant samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases to explore the heterogeneity of RNA processing phenotypes in colon cancer. Firstly, Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis detected 4 subtypes with specific clinical outcomes and biological features via analysis of 485 RNA processing genes. Next, we adopted the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) as well as Cox regression model with penalty to characterise RNA processing-related prognostic features.

Results:

An RNA processing-related prognostic risk model based on 10 genes including FXR1, MFAP1, RBM17, SAGE1, SNRPA1, SRRM4, ADAD1, DDX52, ERI1, and EXOSC7 was identified finally. A composite prognostic nomogram was constructed by combining this feature with the remaining clinical variables including TNM, age, sex, and stage. Genetic variation, pathway activation, and immune heterogeneity with risk signatures were also analysed via bioinformatics methods. The outcomes indicated that the high-risk subgroup was associated with higher genomic instability, increased proliferative and cycle characteristics, decreased tumour killer CD8+ T cells and poorer clinical prognosis than the low-risk group.

Conclusion:

This prognostic classifier based on RNA-edited genes facilitates stratification of colon cancer into specific subgroups according to TNM and clinical outcomes, genetic variation, pathway activation, and immune heterogeneity. It can be used for diagnosis, classification and targeted treatment strategies comparable to current standards in precision medicine. It provides a rationale for elucidation of the role of RNA editing genes and their clinical significance in colon cancer as prognostic markers.
Queer media production as soft activism: Insights from a Chinese community project
Authors: Ding Runze
Published: August 2024

The LGBT+ movements in China are increasingly in a precarious situation. Queer media spaces are being eroded as numerous digital media platforms run by LGBT+ rights-advocacy groups and individuals have been blocked over the past few years. Given this context, a liberal model of a gay rights movement, resembling those seen in the West, is unlikely to occur in China. Consequently, softer activism approaches are often employed by Chinese LGBT+ organizations. This article leverages ethnographic insights from one of China’s leading LGBT+ community media projects to offer a critical examination of queer media production and the broader LGBT+ movements within the country. Drawing on the Foucauldian concept of ‘resistance’ and the political significance of ‘voice’, the analysis presented herein underscores the intricate relationship between queer media production and its socio-political milieu. It showcases the adaptive strategies of ‘soft’ activism adopted by Chinese LGBT+ organizations, characterized by non-confrontational tactics and a steadfast commitment to amplifying diverse queer voices.
Introduction to the special issue on theorizing contemporary capitalism
Authors: Masquelier Charles
Published: August 2024

While capitalism continues to be regarded as the dominant socioeconomic system globally, some observers have sought to show that recent economic and technological developments could pave the way for something new and potentially more destructive than capitalism itself. In this special issue, the persistence of capitalism is highlighted. It is treated as a dynamic system, capable of adapting to the different challenges thrown at it, be they economic, political, cultural, or technological. The different contributions take stock of capitalism's latest evolutionary tendencies and offer analyses which reflect two themes central to capitalism's theorization: its characterization and critique. In this introduction I preview each article in the light of those themes and identify the two overarching contributions this special issue makes to the theorization of contemporary capitalism.
Reflections on a double-whammy crisis among hospitality and tourism business operators of a popular tourist destination
Authors: Duarte Alonso Abel , Vu Oanh Thi Kim , Velasquez Santiago , Dang Quyen Thao , Pang Justin Matthew
Published: August 2024

Embracing the underpinnings of ontological security/insecurity and the fresh start mindset, the study examines the reflections of hospitality and tourism business operators/leaders (owners/managers) in the aftermath of two severe crises affecting the ultra-peripheral region of La Palma Island. Specifically, the participants’ perceived impacts and their views regarding the medium- and long-term future of their business following COVID-19 and the recent volcanic eruption were gathered. The study used an inductive approach through semi-structured, in-depth, open-ended interviews, complemented with on-site observations and note-taking. The analysis reveals the significance of seven dimensions. For instance, the financial loss/gain, the turmoil, and dejection dimensions help deepen the understanding of the crises’ impacts. The tailoring and buoyancy dimensions underscore adaptiveness and optimism in responding to unprecedented crises, while the despondency and prudence dimensions indicate pessimism and caution. A developed framework highlights the dimensions’ contribution and theoretical and practical implications for communities facing extreme disruptive challenges.
‘splinter to the heart of the world’: Beverly Buchanan’s shack works
Authors: Richter Sarah
Published: August 2024

For 30 years of her art practice, the black queer land artist Beverly Buchanan (1940–2015) researched and reproduced, though aslant, subsistence housing in the South. Here, the author treats Buchanan’s shack works as an expanded aesthetic project, one explicitly embedded in the forms of indebtedness and indenture extracted from the black household after Emancipation. Buchanan’s shacks spanned sculpture, bric-a-brac assemblage, drawing, portraiture, writing, and oral history. The author argues that, by holding and withholding, giving and taking, building and grounding, the shacks make several interventions in the architectural afterlife of slavery – and dwell, explicitly, with those forms of mutual aid which subsist beneath, and ultimately exceed, the propertied household.
Mind the gap: A scoping review of skills gaps for graduates in the creative industries
Authors: Dooley Kath , Peng Fanke , Neville Sarah , McKibbin Jordan
Published: August 2024

This scoping review paper explores skills gaps for graduates in creative industries as identified and discussed in global industrial and education contexts. Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) system, our review presents findings from 63 texts published from 2007 to 2023 that were located via five databases. These findings suggest that the top-ranked hard skills gaps for graduates are digital or related skills, such as those related to marketing and data analysis. The top-ranked soft skills are communication and collaboration, both of which are cited more frequently than any hard skill gap and appear key for graduate employability. Factors identified as contributing to these skills gaps include higher education offerings, industry needs and cultural policy. These contributing factors are correlated to the rise of creative industries, shifting values in cultural sectors, change in governments in western influenced cultures and digital transformation.
Characteristics of Effective International School Teachers: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Grant Leslie W , Stronge James H , Mendizabal Paola , Smucker Amelie , Mo Yanping
Published: August 2024

Qualities of effective teachers matter because teachers are the number one school-related factor that impacts on student achievement. Although researchers in the United States have studied frameworks for evaluating teacher effectiveness, these frameworks are not focused on teachers working in international schools. Thus, they may not reflect the importance of understanding both the context of working in intercultural settings and the skills that allow teachers to flourish in international schools. Using a systematic configurative synthesis review of 23 studies, this study identifies qualities of effective teachers working in international schools through a synthesis of the study findings. We identified four key attributes that are emphasized, if not unique, in international school effective teacher research: a focus on teacher collaboration and teacher leadership; cultural awareness and responsiveness from multi-national perspectives; and host country language acquisition. Overall, we find that a focus on what makes an effective international school teacher is lacking in the extant research, particularly given the predicted enormous growth of international schools.
Modified Ex Vivo Renal Reconstruction to Facilitate Fenestrated-Branched Endovascular Repair of a Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Stutz Jack , Lima Guilherme Baumgardt Barbosa , Huang Ying , Mendes Bernado C. , Macedo Thanila A. , Oderich Gustavo S.
Published: August 2024

Purpose:

To report the use of modified ex vivo renal artery (RA) reconstruction in a patient with 2 small right RAs (RRAs) in anticipation of planned fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR) of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA).

Case Report:

A staged hybrid repair was utilized in a patient with Extent II TAAA involving celiac axis (CA), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), single left RA (LRA), and 2 small (<3 mm) RRAs. The first-stage operation consisted of hepato-renal bypass using modified ex vivo renal reconstruction with single end-to-end anastomosis to both RAs using a saphenous vein graft. A second stage FB-EVAR was performed using patient-specific manufactured stent-graft with 3 fenestrations for the CA, SMA, and LRA 6 weeks later. The patient recovered with no complications. At 4 years, the patient had widely patent hepato-renal bypass and target vessels with normal renal function.

Conclusion:

The use of adjunctive hybrid procedures may optimize or facilitate FB-EVAR. In this patient, salvage of 2 small RAs was not ideally suited for branch stenting but was possible using modified ex vivo RA reconstruction with preservation of kidney parenchyma and function.

Clinical Impact

This case report illustrates a hybrid approach to overcome one of the most frequent limitations to total endovascular incorporation of renal arteries, eg small diameter, early bifurcation and multiple vessels. The modified ex vivo technique allows meticulous renal artery reconstruction without the deleterious effect of warm ischemia and without the cumbersome reconstruction of ureter and vein that is needed with traditional on table ex vivo auto transplantation. The technique is used in a minority of cases and adds the morbidity of open approach. Case selection is of paramount importance.
Prospective Cohort Study of a Treatment Strategy for a Combination of the Left Common Iliac Vein Compression Stenosis and Pelvic Venous Insufficiency
Authors: Gavrilov Sergey G. , Lebedev Igor S. , Vasilyev Alexey V. , Churikov Dmitry A. , Mishakina Nadezhda Yu , Alenichev Alexander V.
Published: August 2024

Purpose:

To develop a strategy for the iliac vein stenting in patients with a combination of the left common iliac vein (LCIV) compression stenosis and pelvic venous insufficiency (PVI).

Methods:

This prospective comparative cohort study included 55 patients with hemodynamically significant LCIV stenosis out of 285 females with PVI screened in 2014–2022. All 55 patients underwent duplex ultrasound, multi-detector computed venography, ovarian venography, and multiplanar pelvic venography. Patients underwent LCIV stenting or the left gonadal vein (LGV) embolization as the primary intervention. The endpoints (chronic pelvic pain [CPP] relief, patency of stents, and reduction in pelvic venous reflux [PVR]) were evaluated 1 and 10 days, as well as 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. All patients received antithrombotic therapy after the interventions.

Results:

The primary LCIV stenting was performed in 49 patients and resulted in the CPP relief in 69.4%, pain reduction from 7.9±1.3 to 1.7±1.1 visual analog scale (VAS) scores (p=0.005), and substantial reduction of PVR in LGV (from 4.3±0.6 seconds to 1.9±0.3 seconds, p=0.003). The LGV embolization as the second stage of treatment was performed in 30.6% of patients with the LGV reflux greater than 5 seconds as a possible cause for the CPP persistence. The primary LGV embolization failed in 100% of patients (no changes in CPP and PVR). The LCIV stenting at the second stage resulted in the CPP relief within 10 days and the pelvic venous reflux (PVR) reduction. There were no complications of stenting, and the patency of stents in the follow-up period was 100%. Postembolization syndrome occurred in 9.5% of patients. No thromboses of the veins of the pelvis and lower extremities were identified.

Conclusion:

Treatment of patients with a combination of LCIV compression and PVI involves staged endovascular interventions: the LCIV stenting should be considered the first-line treatment, while the LGV embolization is performed when the PVI symptoms persist for more than 6 months and is not acceptable as the first-line treatment.

Clinical Impact

The developed strategy of endovascular treatment for the combination of left common iliac vein (LCIV) and pelvic venous insufficiency (PVI) provides an effective elimination of chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and reflux in the pelvic veins and avoids unnecessary embolizations of the gonadal veins, thereby eliminating possible risks related to complications of embolization. The use of antithrombotic therapy is an effective and safe approach for preventing venous thromboembolic events after endovascular interventions.
A Multimodal Point Cloud-Based Method for Tumor Localization in Robotic Ultrasound-Guided Radiotherapy
Authors: Song Lintao , Li Qixuan , Sai Zhang , Sun Kangkang , Chen Wei , Zhang Heng , Wang Yibo , Jiao Zhuqing , Ni Xinye
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Part of the tumor localization methods in radiotherapy have poor real-time performance and may generate additional radiation. We propose a multimodal point cloud-based method for tumor localization in robotic ultrasound-guided radiotherapy, which only irradiates computed tomography (CT) during radiotherapy planning to avoid additional radiation.

Methods

The tumor position was determined using the CT point cloud, and the red green blue depth (RGBD) point cloud was used to determine body surface scanning location corresponding to the tumor location. The relationship between the CT point cloud and RGBD point cloud was established through multi-modal point cloud registration. The point cloud was then used for robot tumor localization through coordinate transformation between camera and robot.

Results

The maximum mean absolute error of the tumor location in the X, Y, and Z directions of the robot coordinate system were 0.781, 1.334, and 1.490 mm, respectively. The average point-to-point translation mean absolute error between the actual and predicted positions of the localization points was 1.847 mm. The maximum error in the random positioning experiment was 1.77 mm.

Conclusion

The proposed method is radiation free and has real-time performance, with tumor localization accuracy that meets the requirements of radiotherapy. The proposed method, which potentially reduces the risks associated with radiation exposure while ensuring efficient and accurate tumor localization, represents a promising advancement in the field of radiotherapy.
Isolated Abdominal Aortic Dissection With and Without Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Gonzalez-Urquijo Mauricio , Marine Leopoldo , Valdes Francisco , Vargas Jose Francisco , Bergoeing Michel , Mertens Renato
Published: August 2024

Objective

The aim of this study was to report the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of patients treated for IAAD with and without abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a single academic institution in South America.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective review of all patients with IAAD with or without concomitant AAA between January 2002 and December 2023 from a single academic hospital was performed.

Results

Eighteen patients with IAAD were diagnosed of whom 13 (72.2%) were males. Median age was 63 years (range: 43-88 years). Sixteen (88.8%) patients presented with symptoms, and in two (11.1%) asymptomatic patients IAAD was an incidental finding. Ten (55.5%) patients had concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), with a median size of the aneurysm of 49.5 mm (range: 44-66 mm). No statistical differences in baseline characteristics were seen between patients with concomitant IAAD and AAA and patients with only IAAD. Seven (38.8%) patients presented chronic dissection, and 11 (61.1%) patients had acute dissection. Five (27.7%) patients were treated conservatively with blood pressure, pain control, and antiplatelets; endovascular surgery was performed in eight (44.4%) patients and open surgery in five (27.7%) patients. The complication rate was 22.2% (n = 4), and the mortality rate was 0%. Median follow-up was 36 months (range: 6-240 months). Complete remodeling was seen in all patients except two patients who underwent conservative treatment. Of those, one had partial remodeling, and the other no changed.

Conclusion

Isolated aortic dissection of the abdominal aorta is an uncommon condition, with acceptable different treatment strategies, from conservative to invasive treatments. Sometimes IAAD can concur with AAA, and when so, invasive treatment might be considered. More studies describing the natural history of AAA and its association with IAAD are warranted, as well as further research reporting long-term outcomes on aortic remodeling after different treatment modalities.
The Rise of Gaming Nations
Authors: Synmbios Leonardo
Published: August 2024

The article illuminates a paradigm shift in the digital landscape, where blockchain technology, Web 3.0, and gaming communities converge to redefine socio-economic dynamics. By examining the emergence of “Gaming Nations,” this article explores how virtual environments have transcended mere leisure, evolving into thriving economic ecosystems. Through case studies, including the transformative impact of Yield Guild Games during the COVID-19 crisis, the article demonstrates how guilds, traditionally formed for gameplay, are becoming veritable businesses. The integration of blockchain assets, particularly Non-Fungible Tokens, as essential elements of gameplay, blurs the boundaries between digital recreation and traditional economic activities. By envisioning a future where digital homes hold equivalent significance to physical residences, the article provokes contemplation on the changing landscape of human interaction and productivity. This comprehensive analysis offers a forward-looking perspective on the potential socio-cultural and economic impacts of this burgeoning phenomenon at the intersection of gaming, blockchain, and Web 3.0 technologies.
Subordination to Women, Anger, and Endorsement of Violence Against Women: A Test of General Strain Theory
Authors: Scaptura Maria N. , Boyle Kaitlin M. , Rogers Kimberly B.
Published: August 2024

Using Agnew’s (1992) general strain theory (GST), we assess the connection between men’s strained masculinity (stress at subordination to women scenarios), anger produced by strained masculinity, and endorsing friends’ harassment and abuse of women. In a convenience sample of 859 men aged 18 to 32, men who report greater strain and anger in response to hypothetical scenarios and men higher in trait anger are more likely to endorse friends’ violence against women. We contribute to GST by testing the effects of both state and trait anger as a link between strained masculinity and endorsement of violence and exploitation of women.
Traumatic occipital artery pseudoaneurysm: Case report, anatomical considerations, and literature review
Authors: de Oliveira Souza Natália Vasconcellos , Janot Kevin , Dmytriw Adam A , Benalia Victor Hugo , Mendes Pereira Vitor
Published: August 2024

We describe a case of a 22-year-old man with a traumatic occipital artery pseudoaneurysm revealed by a painful expanding neck hematoma after a penetrating knife injury. A neuroendovascular consultation was requested after a computed tomography angiogram showed active pseudoaneurysm bleeding. Anatomical considerations of the upper cervical region including dangerous anastomosis between the vertebral and internal carotid artery are discussed, illustrating how this impacted our treatment strategy. We also discuss other treatment modalities after a thorough literature review of traumatic occipital artery pseudoaneurysms.
The Art of Seeing: From 2D to 3D Visualization in Situational Analysis
Authors: Šíp Radim , Denglerová Denisa
Published: August 2024

This text presents an innovation that expands the methodological possibilities of situational analysis (SA), a framework often used to research complex institutions. Our innovation features the use of 3D visualization, a strategy which makes it easier to analyse the self-organizing processes of institutions. In the introductory part of the article, we describe how and for what reasons the successors of A. Strauss transformed Grounded Theory into SA. Our main focus is on the analytical significance of visualization, a central feature of SA methodology. In the second and third parts, we characterize the role of visualization to enhance the understanding of research phenomena using examples from the development of non-Euclidean geometry as well as the well-known A-not-B error research schema. In the next part, we explain in detail the innovation using an example from a three-year research project of ours during which the innovation was established. At the end, we discuss the importance of our innovation against the background of identifying self-organizing processes as well as reducing the amount of so-called dark data.
Membership categorisation, sociological description and role prompt engineering with ChatGPT
Authors: Housley William , Dahl Patrik
Published: August 2024

Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) have become the latest disruptive digital technologies to breach the dividing lines between scientific endeavour and public consciousness. LLMs such as ChatGPT are platformed through commercial providers such as OpenAI, which provide a conduit through which interaction is realised, via a series of exchanges in the form of written natural language text called ‘prompt engineering’. In this paper, we use Membership Categorisation Analysis to interrogate a collection of prompt engineering examples gathered from the endogenous ranking of prompting guides hosted on emerging generative AI community and practitioner-relevant social media. We show how both formal and vernacular ideas surrounding ‘natural’ sociological concepts are mobilised in order to configure LLMs for useful generative output. In addition, we identify some of the interactional limitations and affordances of using role prompt engineering for generating interactional stances with generative AI chatbots and (potentially) other formats. We conclude by reflecting the consequences of these everyday social-technical routines and the rise of ‘ethno-programming’ for generative AI that is realised through natural language and everyday sociological competencies.
Extending applications of WALANT for free flap harvest and transfer to repair the finger defects
Authors: Xing Shu Guo , Sun Shou Wei
Published: August 2024

The use of wide-awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) in free flap surgery has been limited and discouraged because of the concern that the adrenaline will cause vasoconstriction. We report our positive experience in free flap harvesting and transfer.

Level of evidence: IV
Enhancing the Capabilities of Continuous Glucose Monitoring With a Predictive App
Authors: Herrero Pau , Andorrà Magí , Babion Nils , Bos Hendericus , Koehler Matthias , Klopfenstein Yannick , Leppäaho Eemeli , Lustenberger Patrick , Peak Ajandek , Ringemann Christian , Glatzer Timor
Published: August 2024

Background:

Despite abundant evidence demonstrating the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in diabetes management, a significant proportion of people using this technology still struggle to achieve glycemic targets. To address this challenge, we propose the Accu-Chek® SmartGuide Predict app, an innovative CGM digital companion that incorporates a suite of advanced glucose predictive functionalities aiming to inform users earlier about acute glycemic situations.

Methods:

The app’s functionalities, powered by three machine learning models, include a two-hour glucose forecast, a 30-minute low glucose detection, and a nighttime low glucose prediction for bedtime interventions. Evaluation of the models’ performance included three data sets, comprising subjects with T1D on MDI (n = 21), subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on MDI (n = 59), and subjects with T1D on insulin pump therapy (n = 226).

Results:

On an aggregated data set, the two-hour glucose prediction model, at a forecasting horizon of 30, 45, 60, and 120 minutes, achieved a percentage of data points in zones A and B of Consensus Error Grid of: 99.8%, 99.3%, 98.7%, and 96.3%, respectively. The 30-minute low glucose prediction model achieved an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, mean lead time, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) of: 98.9%, 95.2%, 98.9%, 16.2 minutes, and 0.958, respectively. The nighttime low glucose prediction model achieved an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and ROC AUC of: 86.5%, 55.3%, 91.6%, and 0.859, respectively.

Conclusions:

The consistency of the performance of the three predictive models when evaluated on different cohorts of subjects with T1D and T2D on different insulin therapies, including real-world data, offers reassurance for real-world efficacy.
Concept and Implementation of a Novel Continuous Glucose Monitoring Solution With Glucose Predictions on Board
Authors: Glatzer Timor , Ringemann Christian , Militz Daniel , Mueller-Hoffmann Wiebke
Published: August 2024

The recently CE-marked continuous real-time glucose monitoring (rtCGM) solution Accu-Chek® (AC) SmartGuide Solution was developed to enable people with diabetes mellitus (DM) to proactively control their glucose levels using predictive technologies. The comprehensive solution consists of three components that harmonize well with each other. The CGM device is composed of a sensor applicator and a glucose sensor patch whose data are transferred to the connected smartphone by Bluetooth® Low Energy. The user interface of the CGM solution is powered by the AC SmartGuide app delivering current and past glucose metrics, and the AC SmartGuide Predict app providing a glucose prediction suite enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). This article describes the innovative CGM solution.
Design Considerations for Virtual Reality Intervention for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review
Authors: Yi Ye Ji , Heidari Matin Negar , Brannan Darin , Johnson Michael , Nguyen Anna
Published: August 2024

Objectives

This systematic review aims to explore virtual reality (VR) applications for rehabilitation purposes among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), identify their effects on rehabilitation outcomes, explore themes to consider in VR intervention design, and provide guidance for designers and researchers in creating therapeutic environments using VR technology.

Background

VR has gained increasing attention in healthcare settings to assist in achieving rehabilitation goals for people with IDD. VR is particularly advantageous since it simulates the real world while providing controllable, safe, and versatile environments. It is necessary to expand the current body of knowledge on VR intervention's outcomes by synthesizing further information on VR application characteristics as well as identifying design considerations regarding feasibility, usability, safety, and other aspects that will benefit future VR intervention design and research.

Methods

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framed the current review. Multiple databases were searched to identify studies published between 2001 and 2023. The review qualitatively organized VR environment design considerations according to three themes: feasibility, usability, and safety.

Results

This review included 27 articles and included 868 participants. The overall findings indicated that VR interventions are promising in enhancing rehabilitation outcomes among people with IDD, such as physical, cognitive, emotional, and functional independence domains.

Conclusion

This review provides design recommendations to create effective, usable, and safe VR interventions for individuals with IDD. The suggested design implications should be applied with the awareness that VR is a relatively emerging technology with rapidly evolving features.
Assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of childbearing mothers in the geographically coastal region of Bangladesh for cleanliness and food safety of food security
Authors: Al Mamun Md Abdullah , A Ghani Ruhina Binta , Shill Lincon Chandra , Afroz Farjana , Chowdhury Akibul Islam , Akter Fouzia , Jahan Effat Ara , Rana Md Masud , Li Jianfeng
Published: August 2024

Objectives:

Household hygiene and food safety are essential parts of food security; better food safety and hygiene will help reduce the chances of illness for young children and family members rarely studied in the selected area of coastal Bangladesh. The study aimed to discover the knowledge, attitude, and practice levels for cleanliness, hygiene, and food safety in the household.

Methods:

In this study, we employed a cross-sectional survey with simple random sampling to collect data from 384 childbearing mothers. The survey used the pretested, validated, and standardized (knowledge, attitude, and practice) questionnaire-model-based interview guide.

Results:

According to our study analysis, the knowledge, attitude, and practice scores among mothers were inadequate for household cleanliness and hygiene management. In the area context, knowledge efficiency was related to family type (joint and nuclear). Family economic conditions strongly influenced mothers’ attitudes and behavior toward knowledge, attitude, and practice score. Unemployed and illiterate mothers have lower knowledge, attitude, and practice scores. Educated mothers have better knowledge, attitude, and practice score compared to illiterate mothers ( p < 0.014). Nuclear family knowledge, attitude, and practice attitude was much greater ( p < 0.04) and wealthier families showed better practice ( p < 0.001) toward cleanliness and food safety in the household level.

Conclusions:

The study discovered the mothers’ and household members’ attention need to improve the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward proper hygiene and food safety at the household level of marginalized populations in coastal Bangladesh.