bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flexibilizações orçamentárias diante da pandemia da Covid-19
Authors: Andrade Anne Costa Bittencourt
Published: April 2022

O planejamento orçamentário, designado por meio do Plano Plurianual, da Lei de Diretrizes Orçamentárias e da Lei de Orçamento Anual, é a primeira fase do orçamento público, à qual se segue sua execução, que deve ocorrer segundo as orientações presentes nesta legislação, sem deixar de lado as restrições impostas pela Lei n. 4.320/64 e pela Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal. Há, todavia, alguns mecanismos de flexibilização orçamentária, os quais permitem uma adaptação do orçamento perante as situações em que se verifiquem que as dotações orçamentárias conferidas anteriormente não mais se compatibilizam com as necessidades verificadas durante a execução do orçamento. A atual crise sanitária do novo coronavírus se insere no rol de situações cuja imprevisibilidade torna impossível a compatibilidade das despesas descritas no orçamento anteriormente a ela construído com o efetivamente necessário para seu enfrentamento, dessa maneira, se faz uso dos mecanismos de flexibilização orçamentária de modo a adaptá-lo para permitir que o Poder Executivo aja rapidamente em seu combate. O presente trabalho analisa, a partir do estudo das possibilidades de flexibilização orçamentária, os mecanismos utilizados para flexibilizar o orçamento diante da pandemia, como a recente Lei Complementar n. 173 e a Emenda Constitucional n. 106.
Entre a contenção da criminalidade e o seu suporte: a experiência do desarmamento brasileiro 17 anos após a promulgação do Estatuto
Authors: Ribeiro Rodrigo Marchetti
Published: April 2022

O presente artigo objetiva a examinar a política de desarmamento brasileiro, tendo como perspectiva-base as expectativas parlamentares que surgiram, ao longo da discussão do projeto do Estatuto do Desarmamento, no período de 1999 a 2003. Nesse sentido, o artigo mapeia as previsões de efeitos dos parlamentares envolvidos na discussão do projeto e as compara com a literatura científica que se desenvolveu sobre os seus efeitos. Frente o resultado da comparação, em que todas as previsões parlamentares falharam (e em que a própria literatura tem problemas que a tornam pouco confiável), mas considerando que resta inegável que o Estatuto produziu efeitos, são propostas duas possíveis causas atenuantes para os efeitos do Estatuto do Desarmamento: o não no referendo de 2005 e a consequente não proibição do comércio de armas e a aplicação problemática do dispositivo legal.
Notas e apontamentos acerca das crônicas de Almeida Nogueira das turmas acadêmicas de 1852-1856 e 1858-1862
Authors: Pesso Ariel Engel
Published: April 2022

Este artigo apresenta as crônicas das turmas acadêmicas de 1852-1856 e 1858-1862, redigidas por Almeida Nogueira e publicadas no Correio Paulistano em 1906. Tais crônicas não foram incluídas em sua obra A Academia de São Paulo: tradições e reminiscências (1907-1912, 9 volumes) e, por isso, ainda permanecem inéditas. Foram acrescidas de notas e apontamentos para o melhor entendimento acerca da vida acadêmica da época.
A Divisive Intellectualist Leader
Authors: Urciuoli Emiliano R.
Published: April 2022

Initially, the article concentrates on a major change in ancient Mediterranean religions that can be understood as an “intellectualization of religion.” Focusing on the text-based practices of early Christian religious specialists, it looks at this phenomenon as a facet of an urban religion rather than an inherent quality of early Christ religion. The article goes on to address heterarchy, i.e., the tendency toward a nonhierarchical arrangement of power, as a further element that characterizes city life as well as relations among cities. Not linearly ranked and topographically fractionated, the first urban Christ groups also constituted heterarchical formations shaped by the assorted types of power coalescing in urban environments. Zooming in on the imperial city of Carthage in the mid-3rd century, the article then analyzes the intersection of the two phenomena. It demonstrates the effects that the enforcement of a textually designed and conceptually sophisticated project of Church order produced on the Christ networks by arguing that, in urban contexts characterized by a host of powers, authority claims, and forms of capital, Cyprian’s intellectualized religion contributed to breaking apart existing coalescences of people united by religion.
Contested Hierarchies
Authors: Wagner Simone
Published: April 2022

Early modern cities often harbored several different religious communities. To date, few studies of religion and history have focused on the ranking of religious communities in premodern cities with special regard to social order and the concept of heterarchy. This article focuses on a conflict of precedence between the monasteries of Kreuzlingen and Petershausen in the 17th and 18th centuries, relating especially to religious processions in the city of Constance. Efforts by courts to rank the monasteries displayed hierarchical as well as heterarchical elements. The spatial conditions of the processions made it necessary that monastic communities processed successively. This gave the impression of a clear hierarchical monastic order in the city and stimulated competition between the different communities. However, as this article argues, based on an analysis of lawsuits and related materials, in practice a clear ranking could not be achieved. Courts made contradictory decisions regarding the ranking. The monasteries derived their authority from different conflicting sources such as constitutional status, customary rights, institutional history, and religious lifestyle. Urbanity helped create the need for monasteries to compete with each other and at the same time contributed to a situation characterized by both hierarchy and heterarchy simultaneously.
To Whom to Pray?
Authors: Nicolas Andrea
Published: April 2022

The article discusses Booranticha, a sacrificial ritual among Oromo and some Amhara for the well-being of the family, its herds, and possessions, which is performed once a year by husband and wife in many farming households of central Ethiopia. During the ritual, food offerings are made and a higher spiritual being, also called Booranticha, is addressed in prayer. Contestation through monotheism, particularly by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, however, has led to some major linguistic and performative shifts concerning which divinity is being addressed in the offering, and how the ritual is performed. The article suggests that competition in religiously pluralist settings may constitute a major initializing and catalyzing factor for new exegetical propositions about the nature of the divine. Such conceptualization of contestation as a “trigger” for change invites a closer look at the relationship between religiously pluralist settings, the shaping of moral discourses and the evolvement of new hermeneutic interpretations in sacrificial performances.
Transformative Agreements at Cambridge University Press
Authors: Hill Mandy
Published: April 2022

Like the majority of established publishers, Cambridge University Press (CUP) is in the middle of a major transformation, shifting from pay-to-read to pay-to-publish models; and it has embraced transformative agreements (TA s) as a key lever to support this journey. Importantly, they are seen as a key stepping stone, not a destination or the only route, to full open access (OA). Implementing TA s has required huge change internally and necessitated a new kind of collaboration with librarians. As a publisher with a strong emphasis on humanities and social sciences publishing, CUP sees TA s as providing a route to OA for all of its journals and as ensuring no subject area is disadvantaged by the transformation. The shift to OA does come with challenges; a key one is author equity and how to ensure that in eliminating the financial barriers to read content, no new barriers to publication are created.
At Home in Bookshops
Authors: Noël Sophie
Published: April 2022

Although protected by the law on fixed prices for books, independent bookshops in France have struggled to maintain their market share against bookselling giants such as Amazon and the chains. In trying to do so, they have developed a rhetoric based on the singularity of the experience in physical shops, stressing a sense of intimacy akin to that associated with the domestic sphere. Their being independent – no matter how slippery the notion – has also been a key argument. Using Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic goods, this paper aims to show that this strategy has been effective in singling out something that ‘only’ independent retail can provide, something that proves particularly attractive to certain categories of customers. The article draws on semi-structured interviews carried out with owners of small and medium-sized independent bookshops, together with observation during events and debates, to provide some insight into a key element of physical bookshops’ resilience.
oldestwoodenobjects.net – A Compilation of Wooden Goods with Remarkable Longevity
Authors: Wächter Elisabeth , Grabner Michael , Mayer Konrad
Published: April 2022

The website oldestwoodenobjects.net serves as a platform for the scientific community to collect, display and share early traces of wood utilization. It also serves educational purposes, to teach a wide audience about how multifunctional and durable wood can be, when wisely used. The collection of objects is large and diverse, ranging from simple tools for hunting, like spears, to musical instruments of the high culture, such as violins. The first means of transport, dugout canoes or early infrastructure, like water wells, are remarkably old. Due to weathering, early buildings or constructions are poorly or only partially preserved. But some sacred buildings that are still in use today have an impressive age. At the time of writing this manuscript, a total of 211 prehistoric and historic wooden objects from around the globe were gathered and can be compared at the online application. The oldest item on the list is from 300 000 years before present. To continue expanding the database, the community is encouraged to contribute new entries.
Impatiens jacobdevlasii (Balsaminaceae), a new species from Knuckles massif of Sri Lanka
Authors: BANDARA CHAMPIKA , HERATH SANATH BANDARA , GOPALLAWA BHATHIYA , ATTANAYAKE ACHALA
Published: April 2022

Impatiens jacobdevlasii Herath, C. Bandara & Gopallawa sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae), a new species from Knuckles (Dumbara) massif of Sri Lanka is described and illustrated. The detailed morphological characters, diagnostic comparisons, notes on habitat and ecology are presented. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, I. jacobdevlasii is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) by virtue of its limited distribution range and decline of mature individuals.
Values and Inequality: Prosocial Jobs and the College Wage Premium
Authors: Wilmers Nathan , Zhang Letian
Published: April 2022

Employers often recruit workers by invoking corporate social responsibility, organizational purpose, or other claims to a prosocial mission. In an era of substantial labor market inequality, commentators typically dismiss these claims as hypocritical: prosocial employers often turn out to be no more generous with low-wage workers than are other employers. In this article, we argue that prosocial commitments in fact inadvertently reduce earnings inequality, but through a different channel than generosity. Building on research on job values, we hypothesize that college graduates are more willing than nongraduates to sacrifice pay for prosocial impact. When employers appeal to prosocial values, they can thus disproportionately reduce pay for higher-educated workers. We test this theory with data on online U.S. job postings. We find that prosocial jobs requiring a college degree post lower pay than do standard postings with exactly the same job requirements; prosocial jobs that do not require a college degree, however, pay no differently from other low-education jobs. This gap reduces the aggregate college wage premium by around 5 percent. We present a variety of supplementary evidence using labor market data, worker survey responses, and a vignette experiment with hiring managers. The findings reveal an unintended consequence of employers’ embrace of prosocial values: it offsets macro-level inequality.
The Islamic Mary as a Protagonist and Qur’anic Daughter
Authors: Mirza Younus
Published: April 2022

Scholarship on Christian-Muslim relations often notes that the Islamic Mary (Maryam) is not seen as a figure in her own right but rather is viewed as ancillary to Jesus/‘Īsā. This paper will argue that the Islamic Mary is a protagonist, as the Qur’an defines her role, extols her spiritual state, and places her within its worldview. Maryam fits within the Qur’an’s larger framework of a daughter who is both similar to and distinct from the Christian Mary.
Early Islam: An Arab Christian Perspective
Authors: Raheb Mitri
Published: April 2022

The essay provides an Arab Christian perspective on early Islam. It examines the geopolitical and ecclesial context in which early Islam emerged in the seventh-century Middle East. In a context marked by religious fluidity and national churches, the essay argues that Qur’anic verses form the basis for viewing early Islam as part and parcel of the reception history of the Judeo-Christian tradition of late antiquity.
Quality of Life After Modified Rambo Ear Canal Closure in Pediatric and Adult Patients
Authors: You Peng , Lovin Benjamin D. , Patel Akash J. , Hosek Kathleen E. , Peng Angela , Sweeney Alex D.
Published: April 2022

Objective

To present the surgical and quality of life (QOL) outcomes of patients who underwent blind sac closure of the external auditory canal (EAC) via a modified Rambo approach.

Study Design

Retrospective case review.

Setting

Tertiary academic referral center.

Methods

All patients who underwent EAC closure with a modified Rambo approach between 2015 and 2021 were evaluated. Complication rates, QOL estimations from a validated survey, and subjective cosmetic reports were analyzed.

Results

Thirty‐five ears were closed in 31 patients. The most common indication for surgery was related to cochlear implantation and cochlear malformation or cholesteatoma (31.4%). No case involved an immediate complication requiring revision surgery, and 4 ears (11.4%) were suspected of having cholesteatoma within the surgical cavity at a mean 28.6‐month follow‐up. Adults (≥18 years) had significantly higher QOL scores than children in the medical resource subscale of the Chronic Ear Survey (P < .01), and patients undergoing concurrent EAC closure and skull base tumor removal scored higher than others (P = .04). Females reported higher cosmetic scores than males (P = .04). QOL and cosmetic scores compared favorably to previously published data involving the management of otologic disease.

Conclusions

Ear canal closure can be a useful technique for select adult and pediatric patients. Patient and surgeon concerns regarding QOL and cosmesis in ear canal closure should be explored prior to employing this surgical technique, though the present data suggest that the modified Rambo approach to closure is generally associated with reasonable outcomes in both areas.
“Hero,” a virtual program for promoting prosocial behaviors toward strangers and empathy among adolescents: A cluster randomized trial
Authors: Mesurado Belén , Resett Santiago , Oñate María E , Vanney Claudia
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of the virtual Hero program on the promotion of empathy (emotional contagion, emotional recognition, and perspective taking) and prosocial behavior toward strangers. Moreover, we studied whether promoting empathy strengthened the program’s impact on adolescents’ prosocial behavior. The study included 431 adolescents in the intervention group ( Mage = 13.64, 47% of participants identified as cisgender men, and 53% of participants identified as cisgender women) and 325 participants in the waitlist control group ( Mage = 13.22, 47% of participants identified as cisgender men, and 53% of participants identified as cisgender women). The adolescents lived in the urban zone of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Participants completed measures of prosocial behavior and empathy. The intervention included seven weekly online sessions (a pretest evaluation, five intervention sessions, and a posttest evaluation) of approximately 40 minutes each, while the control group completed only the pretest and posttest evaluations. The research findings show that the Hero virtual program was effective in promoting prosociality directly (when not mediated by emotional contagion and emotional recognition) and indirectly through emotional contagion and emotional recognition. In addition, the Hero program promoted emotional contagion and emotional recognition, but it was not effective at promoting perspective taking. In conclusion, internet-based interventions could play a prominent role in promoting positive behavior among young adolescents.
Relationship Between Atypical Sexual Fantasies, Behavior, and Pornography Consumption
Authors: Stefanska Ewa B. , Longpré Nicholas , Rogerson Hayley
Published: April 2022

Paraphilia is a condition in which the sexual excitement relies on fantasizing and/or participating in unusual sexual behaviors although the line between “normal” and “abnormal” has been disputed. The project aimed to explore which sexual fantasies and behaviors are common and uncommon in the general population. Furthermore, the relationship between sexual fantasies, sexual behaviors, and problematic pornography consumption was examined. Finally, the impact of gender was assessed. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 139 participants. Correlations were found between fantasies, behaviors, and problematic pornography consumption. Furthermore, gender differences were found for both sexual fantasies and problematic pornography consumption. Finally, multiple regression revealed that age, gender [Men], fantasies, and behaviors were significant predictor of problematic pornography consumption. Those findings are in-line with previous studies which highlighted that the threshold to consider a sexual practice as being abnormal needs to be reconsidered on the basis of self-reported fantasies and behaviors in the general population.
The epidemiology of airplane headache: A cross-sectional study on point prevalence and characteristics in 50,000 travelers
Authors: Konrad Fabian , Moritz Andreas , Moritz Michael , Keunecke Johann Georg , Tischler Felix , Prottengeier Johannes
Published: April 2022

Background

The current knowledge on the epidemiology and clinical manifestation of airplane headache is mostly derived from case series and small cohort studies without evidence from large populations.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted over a five-month period in the arrival area of two international airports in Germany. 50,000 disembarking passengers were addressed about headaches during their flight to determine headache prevalence, and those confirming and willing to participate underwent a structured interview.

Results

Headache during travel was reported by 374 passengers (0.75%), and 301 underwent a structured interview. One hundred and one (0.2%) met the diagnostic criteria of airplane headache. Six passengers suffered from migraines and 134 from tension-type headaches. The differences in the age and gender distribution between the airplane headache and non-airplane headache groups were not statistically significant. The onset (79.2%), duration (82.2%), and location (73.3%) of airplane headache mostly complied with current diagnostic criteria but pain intensity (42.6%) and quality (42.6%) did less so.

Conclusion

Our data suggest a substantially lower prevalence of airplane headaches than previously reported. The pain intensity and quality seem less characteristic than assumed, suggesting a need to refine the current diagnostic criteria.
Evaluating Impact of Corrected Optimum Asphalt Content and Benchmarking Cracking Resistance of Georgia Mixtures for Balanced Mix Design Implementation
Authors: Vivanco Sala David , Tran Nam , Yin Fan , Bowers Benjamin F.
Published: April 2022

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) implemented the corrected optimum asphalt content (COAC) approach to reducing the allowable reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) binder contribution for improving mixture durability. The COAC of 60:40 implemented in 2019 allows 60% of the RAP binder to be credited to the total mix, requiring additional virgin asphalt binder equivalent to 40% of the RAP binder to be added to the volumetric optimum binder content. To further enhance the durability of asphalt mixtures, GDOT plans to implement the indirect tensile asphalt cracking test (IDEAL-CT) in the balanced mix design (BMD) method in conjunction with the Hamburg wheel tracking test that is currently specified in the GDOT specifications. To assist GDOT in the implementation effort, this study was conducted to (1) evaluate the effect of the COAC approach on the cracking and rutting resistance of asphalt mixtures using the proposed BMD test methods; and (2) benchmark the cracking resistance (i.e., CTindex) of plant-produced mixtures being produced in the state of Georgia for developing CTindex thresholds for future implementation. The results of this study suggest that the 60:40 COAC helps improve the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures containing high RAP contents with minimum effect on their rutting resistance when compared with the corresponding virgin mixtures. In addition, because of statistical differences in the CTindex results between stone mastic asphalt (SMA), surface, and intermediate/base mixtures tested in this study, different CTindex thresholds are proposed for these three mixture groups for pilot projects. Further research is anticipated to refine these thresholds and verify with field performance for future implementation in mix design approval and acceptance testing.
Warm Mix Asphalt Demonstration Projects in Louisiana: Case Study of Five to Eight Years of Field Performance
Authors: Akentuna Moses , Mohammad Louay N. , Boateng Kwadwo Ampadux , Cooper Samuel
Published: April 2022

Warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology has gained popularity in recent years because of its ability to enhance mixture compaction at relatively low temperatures and to improve environmental sustainability. The role of WMA in sustainable pavement technology means that there is a need for comprehensive research in relation to its field performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the field performance of WMA pavement sections that have been in service for five to eight years. Four rehabilitation projects were evaluated throughout the State of Louisiana. The study included field and laboratory experiments. In the field experiment, WMA test sections were evaluated along with companion conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture sections on each project. Pavement performance indicators (rutting, roughness, and cracking) from the Louisiana Pavement Management System (PMS) were analyzed. The laboratory experiment consisted of evaluation of mixtures from each project to determine mechanical performance indicators such as loaded wheel tracking (LWT) rut depth, flow number, semi-circular bend energy release rate (SCB Jc), and dissipated creep strain energy (DCSE). An analysis was conducted to rank the capability of laboratory mechanical performance properties to predict field performance. Generally, WMA test sections were found to exhibit similar or better rutting and cracking performance compared with their companion control HMA sections. In addition, the LWT rut depth was found to be a better indicator of field rutting performance than the flow number parameter. It is worth noting that the SCB Jc parameter was found to correctly rank more field cracking indicators than the DCSE parameter and therefore it may be a better indicator of field cracking performance.
Evaluation of Law Enforcement Agency Injury Severity Assessments
Authors: Burdett Beau , Bill Andrea , Noyce David
Published: April 2022

Across the United States large discrepancies have been found between law enforcement officers’ injury severity assessments and medically assessed health outcomes of crash victims. This research investigated injury severity discrepancies across law enforcement agencies, analyzing linked crash and medical data for each crash victim from 2010 through 2019 for 520 Wisconsin law enforcement agencies. Serious injury (KABCO “A”) assessments were overestimated in 45% to 90% of crash victims, depending on the agency. Statewide the overestimation rate was 65% across all agencies; the State Patrol overestimated 65% of serious injury assessments, 60% for county sheriff offices, and 64% for municipal police departments. These discrepancies can skew safety estimates and affect the allocation of funds. KABCO definitions were changed to a federally mandated uniform standard in Wisconsin in 2017. Results from an interrupted time series analysis found no significant effects from the changed KABCO definitions, either immediate or over time. At county sheriff’s offices overestimation increased as a function of county population size, and decreased with increasing total reported crashes from a jurisdiction, suggesting workload negatively affects overestimation rate, whereas relative familiarity with crashes and their severities improve overestimation rates. Different trauma scales (MAIS and ISS) and serious injury thresholds were investigated, and ISS of nine was proposed for future KABCO comparisons. Findings show that although KABCO “A” assessment overestimation is an issue everywhere, the magnitude of the issue varies from agency to agency and underscores the importance of uniform injury severity training to ensure accurate serious injury surveillance across the United States.
Social Network Changes and Disclosure Responses After Sexual Assault
Authors: Jaffe Anna E. , Blayney Jessica A. , Schallert Macey R. , Edwards Madison E. , Dworkin Emily R.
Published: April 2022

Social support after sexual assault is important for recovery, but violence and recovery may also challenge relationships. We examined functional and structural social support changes following sexual assault and their association with mental health. College women ( N = 544) with and without a sexual assault history completed a cross-sectional survey assessing current and past egocentric social networks. Functional support (perceived global support, assault disclosure, and perceived helpfulness of responses) and structural support (network density, size, and retention) were examined. Multilevel models revealed that, relative to non-survivors, survivors reported smaller, less dense past networks, but similarly sized current networks. Survivors retained less of their networks than non-survivors, and network members who provided unhelpful responses to disclosure were less likely to be retained. Structural equation modeling revealed that, among survivors, perceived unhelpful responses to disclosure and a greater loss of network members were associated with worse mental health. Findings suggest that survivors may experience a restructuring of social networks following sexual assault, especially when network members respond in unhelpful ways to disclosure. Although survivors appeared to build new relationships, this restructuring was associated with more mental health problems. It is possible that interventions to improve post-assault social network retention may facilitate recovery.
A Novel Model of Hip Femoroacetabular Impingement in Immature Rabbits Reproduces the Distinctive Head-Neck Cam Deformity
Authors: Kamenaga Tomoyuki , Haneda Masahiko , Brophy Robert H. , O’Keefe Regis J. , Clohisy John C. , Pascual-Garrido Cecilia
Published: April 2022

Background:

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a leading cause of hip pain in young adults and often leads to degenerative osteoarthritis (OA). A small animal model of hip deformities is crucial for unraveling the pathophysiology of hip OA secondary to FAI.

Purposes:

To (1) characterize a new minimally invasive surgical technique to create a proximal femoral head–neck deformity in a skeletally immature rabbit model and (2) document the effect of an injury to the medial proximal femoral epiphysis on head–neck morphology at 28 days after the injury.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Six-week-old New Zealand White rabbits (n = 10) were subjected to right hip surgery, with the left hip used as a control. An epiphyseal injury in the medial femoral head was created using a 1.6-mm drill. Hips were harvested bilaterally at 28 days after surgery. Alpha and epiphyseal shaft angles were measured on radiographs. Alpha angles at the 1- and 3-o’clock positions were measured on the oblique axial plane of micro–computed tomography images. Bone bar formation secondary to growth plate injuries was confirmed using alcian blue hematoxylin staining.

Results:

All hips in the study group showed a varus–type head-neck deformity, with lower epiphyseal shaft angles on anteroposterior radiographs versus those in the control group (133°± 8° vs 142°± 5°, respectively; P = .022) and higher epiphyseal shaft angles on lateral radiographs (27°± 12° vs 10°± 7°, respectively; P < .001). The mean alpha angles in the study group were higher at both the 1- (103°± 14° vs 46°± 7°, respectively; P < .002) and 3-o’clock (99°± 18° vs 35°± 11°, respectively; P < .002) positions than those in the control group. Alcian blue hematoxylin staining of all hips in the study group indicated that the injured physis developed a bony bar, leading to growth plate arrest on the medial femoral head.

Conclusion:

The proposed model led to growth arrest at the proximal femoral physis, resulting in a femoral head–neck deformity similar to human FAI.

Clinical Relevance:

Our novel small animal model of a femoral head–neck deformity is a potential platform for research into the basic mechanisms of FAI disease progression and the development of disease–modifying therapies.
In vitro safety and efficacy evaluation of a novel hybrid bioartificial liver system with simulated liver failure serum
Authors: Feng Lei , Wang Yi , Liu Shusong , He Guolin , Cai Lei , Qin Jiasheng , Xu Xiaoping , Jiang Zesheng , Zhou Chenjie , Gao Yi
Published: April 2022

Background:

Acute liver failure (ALF), which can potentially be treated with an artificial liver, is a fatal condition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel hybrid bioartificial liver system (NHBLS) using simulated liver failure serum in vitro.

Methods:

The bioreactor in experimental group was cultivated with primary porcine hepatocytes, whereas in control group was not. Next, the simulated liver failure serum was treated using the NHBLS for 10 h. Changes in albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), ammonia (Amm), total bile acid (TBA), creatinine (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured before treatment (0 h) and every 2 h during treatment. In addition, changes in NHBLS pressures, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lidocaine metabolism were also recorded.

Results:

The NHBLS worked steadily without unexpected occurrences during the treatment. Blood culture showed no bacterial growth after 7 days, and the endotoxin level was less than 0.5 EU. The TBIL, TBA, Cr, and BUN levels in both groups were markedly lower than those at 0 h ( p < 0.05). The Amm level in experimental group was significantly lower than that in control group ( p < 0.05). NHBLS pressures were also stable, and the hepatocytes in the bioreactor functioned well.

Conclusions:

The preparation method for the simulated liver failure serum was optimized successfully, and the safety and effectiveness of the NHBLS in vitro were verified. Furthermore, the NHBLS significantly reduced the levels of Amm which can lead to hepatic encephalopathy.
The Multi-Caregiver Role and Its Relationship to Behavioral Adherence and Weight Among Treatment Engaged Black Women
Authors: Blackman Carr Loneke T. , Samuel-Hodge Carmen D. , Tate Deborah F.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

To examine the relationship between the multiple caregiver role and its perceived barriers to self-care on behavioral adherence in a weight loss intervention.

Design

A secondary analysis of data from a behavioral weight loss intervention.

Setting

The study was conducted in two cohorts from March 2016 to February 2017 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Subjects

Eighty-one Black women with overweight/obesity (age = 48.4 ± 10.9 years [M ± SD], BMI = 36.4 ± 4.5 kg/m2 [M ± SD]).

Measures

Identification with the multiple caregiver role and barriers was assessed with the Multiple Caregiving Measurement Instrument. Weight was measured with a digital scale and height with a stadiometer. The Block food frequency questionnaire evaluated dietary intake. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was measured objectively with an accelerometer. Study adherence was measured by session attendance, self-weighing, and self-monitoring (diet and physical activity) frequency.

Analysis

Generalized linear models were used to examine the relationship between the multiple caregiver scales and the outcomes of interest, controlling for study arm, cohort, and income. Chi-square tests tested correlations.

Results

Greater identification with the multiple caregiver role was associated with decreased session attendance (β = −.56 [SE = .27], P < .05) and a trend towards weight gain (β = .36, [SE = .19], P = .07). Greater multiple caregiver barriers score predicted a decrease in fruit/vegetable intake (β = −.17 [SE = .07], P < .05). All regression results are unstandardized. Negative correlations between multiple caregiver barriers and MVPA ( r = −.24, P = .06) and daily self-weighing ( r = −.19, P = .10) approached significance.

Conclusions

Participants’ identification with multiple caregiving role and barriers can reduce adherence, behavior and weight change. Interventions to address Black women’s multiple roles and barriers during weight loss are needed to maximize outcomes.
Colostrum Use and the Immune System of Premature Newborns: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Colonetti Tamy , de Carvalho Florêncio Isabela , Figueiredo Pâmela , Colonetti Laura , Rodrigues Uggioni Maria Laura , da Rosa Maria Inês , Ceretta Luciane B. , Roever Leonardo , Grande Antonio Jose
Published: April 2022

Background:

Human colostrum has been used in a number of investigations when preterm human infants cannot, for any reason, breastfeed directly from their mothers. One of the growing fields in these investigations is colostrum therapy, which consists of exposing the oropharyngeal mucosa of these preterm newborns to small amounts of raw colostrum.

Research Aim:

To critically review the scientific evidence about colostrum therapy in premature infants and to explore its influences on the immune system.

Methods:

This systematic review was performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA statement). The following databases were searched for potentially eligible studies up to March 10, 2021: Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase. Two reviewers independently screened all titles, abstracts, and full texts for eligibility.

Results:

A total of 12 studies with 996 participants were included. A significant difference in lactoferrin levels in the urine was found ( SMD 0.70; 95% CI [0.03,1.36]; p = .04; I² = 65% two studies, 112 participants, very low-quality evidence).

Conclusion:

Colostrum seems to result in increasing lactoferrin levels in the urine of premature newborns after 1 week of intervention.

Clinical Trial Registration:

The study was registered at PROSPERO with the number CRD42017073624, submitted on August 9, 2017.
Simulation analysis and performance optimization of the combustion process of the opposed cam piston engine
Authors: Tang Yuanjiang , Xu Xiaojun , Zhang Lei , Xu Haijun , Sun Chengliang , Yang Congnan
Published: April 2022

Combining the structural features of cam engines and opposed engines, a kind of opposed cam piston engine is designed, in which a kind of variable sine curves family applied to the cam working surface. Based on the structure of this engine, a thermodynamic zero-dimensional model of the working cycle was established, and the accuracy of it was verified by the numerical simulation model utilizing the engine simulation software AVL BOOST. Based on the zero-dimensional model, the changes in the pressure, temperature, and quality of the working fluid in the cylinder under different cam profiles were calculated, and on this basis, the engine’s thermal efficiency, mechanical efficiency, overall machine efficiency, and power per liter were solved. Compared with common civil vehicle engines, OCPE has higher power per liter and has better economic performance and power performance.
Investigation of flexural properties of epoxy composite by utilizing graphene nanofillers and natural hemp fibre reinforcement
Authors: Hallad Shankar A , Ganachari Sharanabasava V , Soudagar Manzoore Elahi M , Banapurmath NR , Hunashyal Anand M , Fattah Islam MR , Hussain Fayaz , Mujtaba Muhammad A , Afzal Asif , Kabir Mohammad S , Elfasakhany Ashraf
Published: April 2022

This study aims to determine the optimum reinforcement required to attain the best combination of flexural strength of modified green composites (graphene oxide + hemp fibre reinforced epoxy composites) for potential use in structural applications. An attempt was also made for the combination of graphene and hemp fibres to enhance load-bearing ability. The infusion of hemp and graphene was made by the weight of the base matrix (epoxy composite). Results showed that graphene reinforcement at 0.4 wt.% of matrix showed load-sustaining capacity of 0.76 kN or 760 MPa. In the case of hemp fibre reinforcement at 0.2 wt.% of the matrix, infusion showed enhanced load-bearing ability (0.79 kN or 790 MPa). However, the combination of graphene (0.1 wt.% graphene nanofillers) and hemp (5 wt.% hemp fibre) indicated a load-sustaining ability of 0.425 kN or 425 MPa, whereas maximum deflection was observed for specimen with hemp 7.5 % + graphene 0.2 % with 1.9 mm. Graphene addition to the modified composites in combination with natural fibres showed promising results in enhancing the mechanical properties under study. Moreover, graphene-modified composites exhibited higher thermal resistance compared to natural fibre reinforced composites. However, when nanofiller reinforcement exceeded a threshold value, the composites exhibited reduced flexural strength as a result of nanofiller agglomeration.
José Manuel Rodríguez Delgado, Walter Freeman, and Psychosurgery: A Study in Contrasts
Authors: Fins Joseph J. , Vernaglia John S.
Published: April 2022

History has conflated the legacies of José Manuel Rodríguez Delgado and Walter Freeman, midcentury proponents of somatic therapies for neuropsychiatric conditions. Both gained notoriety: Delgado after he appeared on the front page of the New York Times having used his stimoceiver to stop a charging bull in Spain; Freeman as the proponent of lobotomy. Both were the object of critique by the antipsychiatry movement and those who felt that their methods and objectives posed a threat to personal liberty. Using archival sources, we demonstrate that this conflation is a misrepresentation of the historical record and that their methods, objectives, ethics, and philosophical commitments differed widely. Accurate knowledge about historical antecedents is a predicate for ethical analysis and becomes especially relevant information as neuroscience develops circuit-based treatments for conditions such as Parkinson disease, depression, and brain injury. Part of that corrective is to counter the conflation of Delgado’s and Freeman’s life and work. Appreciating their distinctive legacies can help guide neuropsychiatric research done today that might yet haunt future generations.
Targeted chemotherapy in retinoblastoma: A step forward from patient survival to globe survival
Authors: Naseripour Masood , Sedaghat Ahad , Mirshahi Reza , Abdolalizadeh Parya , Koushki Amin , Faranoush Mohammad , Ghorbani Mohammad , Kashkouli Mohsen Bahmani , Sadeghipour Alireza , Chaibakhsh Samira , Mehrvar Azim
Published: April 2022

Background/ Objectives

Despite being the most common intraocular malignancy in childhood, there is a substantial disparity between developing and developed countries in terms of patient and globe survival in retinoblastoma (Rb). The current study intends to determine patient and globe survival before and after the introduction of the new targeted treatment modalities in a developing country.

Methods

Medical records of 350 patients (516 eyes) with retinoblastoma referred to a tertiary referral center for Rb in Tehran, Iran, were reviewed. In order to compare patient and globe survival before and after the availability of the new treatment modalities, including intra-arterial and intravitreal chemotherapy, the patients were divided into group 1 (2001–2007) and group 2 (2008–2018) based on the calendar period of diagnosis.

Results

Two-hundred-twenty-three eyes of 149 patients and 293 eyes of 201 patients were categorized into groups 1 and 2, respectively. The 5-year patient survival was 97% across the current survey, and the overall survival rate was 96% in group 1 and 99% in group 2 (P = 0.08). Overall, 50% of eyes with retinoblastoma underwent enucleation, which was the primary in 63% (116/184) of the unilateral and 30% (99/322) of the bilateral cases. Primary enucleation was significantly lower in group 2 (35%) in contrast to group 1 (50%) (P < 0.001). In addition, globe survival improved significantly in the International Classification of Retinoblastoma Groups D (17% in group 1 vs. 66% in group 2, P < 0.001) and E (1% in group 1 vs. 23% in group 2 P < 0.001) during the two timelines. In enucleated eyes, despite the increased rate of prelaminar involvement in group 2 (13% vs. 2% in group 1, P = 0.003), the rate of high-risk histopathologic findings was similar between the two groups.

Conclusion

Similar to developed countries, the application of new targeted treatment modalities, including intra-arterial and intravitreal chemotherapy, has been associated with significantly improved globe survival in Rb patients. However, it should be noted that even with the availability of these novel treatment options, the decision for on-time enucleation should not be deferred.
News, Threats, and Trust: How COVID-19 News Shaped Political Trust, and How Threat Perceptions Conditioned This Relationship
Authors: de León Ernesto , Makhortykh Mykola , Gil-Lopez Teresa , Urman Aleksandra , Adam Silke
Published: April 2022

This study explores shifts in political trust during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland, examining the role that media consumption and threat perceptions played in individuals’ trust in politics. We combine panel surveys taken before and during the first nation-wide lockdown with webtracking data of participants' online behaviour to paint a nuanced picture of media effects during the crisis. Our work has several findings. First, political trust, an attitude known for its stability, increased following lockdown. Second, consumption of mainstream news on COVID-19 directly hindered this increase, with those reading more news having lower over-time trust, while the relatively minor alternative news consumption had no direct effect on political trust. Third, threat perceptions a) to health and b) from the policy response to the pandemic, have strong and opposite effects on political trust, with threats to health increasing trust, and threats from the government policy response decreasing it. Lastly, these threat perceptions condition the effect of COVID-19 news consumption on political trust: perceptions of threat had the power to both exacerbate and mute the effect of media consumption on government trust during the pandemic. Notably, we show that the expected negative effect of alternative news on political trust only exists for those who did not think COVID-19 posed a threat to their health, while public service news consumption reduced the negative effect produced by government threat perceptions. The paper therefore advances our understanding of the nuanced nature of media effects, particularly as relates to alternative media, especially during moments of crisis.
Maturing Out: Between- and Within-Persons Changes in Social-Network Drinking, Drinking Identity, and Hazardous Drinking Following College Graduation
Authors: Lindgren Kristen P. , Baldwin Scott A. , Peterson Kirsten P. , Ramirez Jason J. , Teachman Bethany A. , Kross Ethan , Wiers Reinout W. , Neighbors Clayton
Published: April 2022

Many college students reduce hazardous drinking (HD) following graduation without treatment. Identifying cognitive mechanisms facilitating this “natural” reduction in HD during this transition is crucial. We evaluated drinking identity as a potential mechanism and tested whether within-persons changes in one’s social network’s drinking were linked to within-persons changes in drinking identity and subsequent within-persons changes in HD. A sample of 422 undergraduates reporting HD was followed from 6 months before graduation until 2 years after graduation. Their drinking, drinking identity, and social networks were assessed online. Within-persons changes in drinking identity did not mediate the relationship between within-persons changes in social-network drinking and personal HD, although significant positive between-persons associations among all constructs were found. Instead, there was some evidence that within-persons changes in drinking identity followed changes in HD, which suggests that drinking identity may function as a marker versus mechanism of “natural” HD reduction during transition out of college.
Comminuted Mandibular Fractures in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report with Review
Authors: Sharma Shivani , Mohammad Shadab , Kanna Shanthosh , Gupta Richa , Kharmawlong Reading Well
Published: April 2022

Background and Introduction:

Maxillofacial fractures are less common in children. Mandibular fractures are less in children because of the protective anatomy in them. Management of the pediatric fracture depends on the type and severity of the fracture displacement. It can vary from conservative management with acrylic splint and arch bar fixation to surgical exposure of the fracture site with internal fixation. Special consideration is needed in children for the interferences of growth and developing tooth buds while going for the surgical management. The hardware for internal fixation can be made up of either titanium or bioresorbable material.

Case Presentation:

Here is the presentation of a case of a 7-year-old male patient who had a history of trauma because of falling from a tractor while playing, 2 days back from reporting. He had multiple mandibular fractures with extensive soft tissue laceration. Following the emergency tracheostomy, he was managed with open reduction and internal fixation of the compound mandibular fracture.

Conclusion:

Displaced mandibular fractures require open reduction and internal fixation of the fractured fragments with either titanium or biodegradable hardware. Open reduction also shortens the period of intermaxillary fixation and hence reduces the possibility of the development of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis.