bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The production and comprehension of Spanish se use in L2 and heritage Spanish
Authors: García-Tejada Aída , Cuza Alejandro , Lustres Alonso Eduardo Gerardo
Published: May 2021

Previous studies in the acquisition of clitic se in Spanish have focused on the syntactic processes needed to perform detransitivization. However, current approaches on event structure reveal that se encodes aspectual information which is crucial for its acquisition. We examine the use, intuition and interpretation of the aspectual features constraining the clitic se in Spanish with physical change of state verbs and psychological verbs in declarative sentences, and in a set of why-questions. Twenty Spanish heritage speakers (HSs), 20 English-speaking L2 learners of Spanish, and 20 Spanish monolingual speakers participated in the study. Results showed a clear advantage among the HSs over the L2 learners across conditions. In general, the use of se with change of state verbs at advanced levels of proficiency seems to be harder to acquire than with psych verbs due to the aspectual morphological marking in L1 English. Interestingly, L2 learners and HSs were less sensitive to the [+inchoative] feature with psych verbs in why-questions. Results are also discussed in terms of the age of onset of bilingualism as an affecting factor on the acquisition of the aspectual values of inchoative se.
Sadness, despair and anger when a patient dies alone from COVID-19: A thematic content analysis of Twitter data from bereaved family members and friends
Authors: Selman Lucy E , Chamberlain Charlotte , Sowden Ryann , Chao Davina , Selman Daniel , Taubert Mark , Braude Philip
Published: May 2021

Background:

To inform clinical practice and policy, it is essential to understand the lived experience of health and social care policies, including restricted visitation policies towards the end of life.

Aim:

To explore the views and experiences of Twitter social media users who reported that a relative, friend or acquaintance died of COVID-19 without a family member/friend present.

Design:

Qualitative content analysis of English-language tweets.

Data sources:

Twitter data collected 7–20th April 2020. A bespoke software system harvested selected publicly-available tweets from the Twitter application programming interface. After filtering we hand-screened tweets to include only those referring to a relative, friend or acquaintance who died alone of COVID-19. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis.

Results:

9328 tweets were hand-screened; 196 were included. Twitter users expressed sadness, despair, hopelessness and anger about their experience and loss. Saying goodbye via video-conferencing technology was viewed ambivalently. Clinicians’ presence during a death was little consolation. Anger, frustration and blame were directed at governments’ inaction/policies or the public. The sadness of not being able to say goodbye as wished was compounded by lack of social support and disrupted after-death rituals. Users expressed a sense of political neglect/mistreatment alongside calls for action. They also used the platform to reinforce public health messages, express condolences and pay tribute.

Conclusion:

Twitter was used for collective mourning and support and to promote public health messaging. End-of-life care providers should facilitate and optimise contact with loved ones, even when strict visitation policies are necessary, and provide proactive bereavement support.
Clinical significance of changes in serum inflammatory factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary infection
Authors: Zhou Jun , Jin Feng , Wu Feng
Published: May 2021

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often accompanied by pulmonary infection, inflammatory responses, decreased immunity, and decreased lung function. The relationships among the pulmonary inflammation index (PII), lung function, and immunity in COPD patients with pulmonary infection remain unclear.

Methods

This retrospective observational study enrolled 234 participants (patients with COPD and pulmonary infection, patients with COPD without pulmonary infection, and healthy individuals) from January 2017 to December 2019.

Results

Levels of interleukin (IL)-6 were lower and levels of IL-8 were higher in patients with COPD and pulmonary infection. Levels of white blood cells (WBCs), C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and CD8+ cells were higher, while levels of CD3+ and CD4+ cells, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1 % predicted (FEV1%pred), and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEV1%FVC) were lower in patients with COPD and pulmonary infection. Levels of WBCs, CRP, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were negatively associated with FEV1, FEV1%pred and FEV1%FVC.

Conclusions

Patients with COPD and pulmonary infection have high PIIs, decreased immunity, and poor lung function. PII is closely related to lung function and may represent a useful biomarker for the assessment of patients with COPD and pulmonary infection.
Perceived occupational competence and value among university students with premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Authors: Pekçetin Serkan , Özdinç Sevgi , Ata Hilal , Can Hilal Başak , Sermenli Aydın Nimet , Taş Dürmüş Pelin , Çalıyurt Okan
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is defined as a mental health issue and is assessed using DSM-V diagnostic criteria. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder comprises emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms that occur in the premenstrual phase and resolve shortly after the start of menstruation. These symptoms and functional impairment may negatively affect occupational competence and value. This study investigated perceived occupational competence and value in university students with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was performed at a public university with 35 students with PMDD and 35 age-matched students without PMDD. Occupational competence and value were evaluated using the Occupational Self-Assessment (OSA).

Results

There was a significant difference between the groups in OSA competence score ( p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in OSA value score ( p > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that university students with PMDD experience more occupational competence challenges than peers without PMDD. Further studies should be performed to determine the role of occupational therapy in the rehabilitation of PMDD.
Neuropsychological Assessment of the Aging Physician: A Review & Commentary
Authors: Gaudet Charles E. , Del Bene Victor A.
Published: May 2021

Late-career physicians (LCPs) are at risk for cognitive changes that may affect their ability to practice medicine. This review aggregates and discusses research that has examined cognitive functioning among physicians, typically when clinically referred for various medical and psychological reasons that may interfere with their ability to practice medicine. Special consideration is devoted to the role of approaches for examining cognitive functioning (e.g., cognitive screening, cognitive testing, & neuropsychological assessment), normative challenges, and cultural factors that should be considered when evaluating a physician. Based on published studies, there is evidence supportive of the use of cognitive testing and neuropsychological assessment among physicians in a fitness for duty setting. However, prospective studies designed to identify physicians at-risk (i.e., to prevent medical error) are lacking. Additional research is warranted to establish physician-based normative reference groups and aid in test interpretation and prognostication. Moreover, given limitations associated with cognitive testing in isolation, there is a potential role for comprehensive neuropsychological assessment to identify cognitive changes in physicians and provide a supportive pathway to preserve physicians’ ability to practice medicine.
Benchmarking Crisis in Social Media Analytics: A Solution for the Data-Sharing Problem
Authors: Assenmacher Dennis , Weber Derek , Preuss Mike , Calero Valdez André , Bradshaw Alison , Ross Björn , Cresci Stefano , Trautmann Heike , Neumann Frank , Grimme Christian
Published: May 2021

Computational social science uses computational and statistical methods in order to evaluate social interaction. The public availability of data sets is thus a necessary precondition for reliable and replicable research. These data allow researchers to benchmark the computational methods they develop, test the generalizability of their findings, and build confidence in their results. When social media data are concerned, data sharing is often restricted for legal or privacy reasons, which makes the comparison of methods and the replicability of research results infeasible. Social media analytics research, consequently, faces an integrity crisis. How is it possible to create trust in computational or statistical analyses, when they cannot be validated by third parties? In this work, we explore this well-known, yet little discussed, problem for social media analytics. We investigate how this problem can be solved by looking at related computational research areas. Moreover, we propose and implement a prototype to address the problem in the form of a new evaluation framework that enables the comparison of algorithms without the need to exchange data directly, while maintaining flexibility for the algorithm design.
Analysis and synthesis of assistive tools for insertion tasks
Authors: Landuré Jérôme , Gosselin Clément , Laliberté Thierry , Abdallah Muhammad
Published: May 2021

This article studies two types of assembly tasks, namely snap-fit insertions and press-fit hose insertions. Experimental data and theoretical modelling of a snap-fit assembly are used to design a tool that can perform the snap-fit task effectively. The design process of the tool is presented and experimental tests developed to validate its effectiveness are described. Hose insertion experiments are then performed and the results are analyzed in order to develop strategies for the effective insertion of press-fit components in assembly tasks. A motion primitive strategy is first explored, followed by a vibration oriented strategy. Finally, a video demonstrating the experiments accompanies this paper.
Design and comparisons of adaptive harmonic control for a quarter-car active suspension
Authors: Nichiţelea Teodor-Constantin , Unguritu Maria-Geanina
Published: May 2021

Car suspensions have the job to keep the tires in contact with the road surface as much as possible, to deliver steering stability with good handling and to guarantee passenger comfort. Most modern vehicles have independent front suspension and many vehicles also have independent rear suspension. Independent suspensions are preferred instead of dependent suspensions for their better ride handling, stability, steering and comfort but they provide less overall strength and a complex design which increases the cost and maintenance expenses for such a suspension. For this reason, automotive engineers struggle to discover new suspension components or advanced control solutions. Taking a step forward in this direction, the paper presents in the beginning one of the well-known mathematical models of a quarter-car active suspension. The obtained model is then implemented in a MATLAB/Simulink simulation which compares multiple control solutions. The only feedback considered for each control algorithm is the measurement of the body acceleration. Among these investigated control algorithms is the adaptive harmonic control solution proposed by this paper. The controller generates a harmonic control signal with variable amplitude and frequency based on the body acceleration feedback. The comparison analysis shows that the proposed control solution demonstrates quite good potential, generating in some cases better results than the other control algorithms.
Physical Activity, Blood Pressure Control, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Hypertensive Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jiangsu Province, China
Authors: Zhu Zhu , Yan Wu , Wang Xuanxuan , Hu Dan , Zhu Ya , Chen Jiaying
Published: May 2021

Hypertension has become one of the most serious chronic diseases that threaten public health. Regulating self-management is considered a priority and in which physical activity plays a vital role. Based on the Fifth National Health Service Survey (NHSS, 2013), a total of 6079 patients with hypertension were investigated by stratified cluster random sampling. This study explored the relationships between blood pressure control and physical activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Tobit regression and generalized linear regression analysis were used to explore the relationships among participants’ socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviors, and HRQoL. The results showed that 4712 respondents (77.51%) had no problems in any aspect, but the proportion of respondents with problems increased significantly with age ( P for trend <.001). Blood pressure control was significantly correlated with the health utility value ( P < .001). Patients who participated in physical activity and maintained normal daily blood pressure also showed higher health utility value. Physical activity was significantly related to blood pressure control and HRQoL. Therefore, regular physical activity is recommended for hypertensive residents to improve HRQoL.
Factors Influencing Transcultural Self-Efficacy Among Nurses With Foreign Patient Care Experience
Authors: Ham HyunJung , Tak Sunghee H.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

As the cultural diversity among patients increases, it becomes important for nurses to be prepared and efficient in providing culturally congruent care. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing transcultural self-efficacy (TSE) among Korean nurses.

Methodology

A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used, and 131 nurses with foreign patient–care experience were recruited from a university tertiary hospital

Results

The mean TSE score of participants was 5.27 out of 10 ( SD = 1.50). The practical subscale of TSE was the lowest, while the affective subscale was the highest. A regression analysis revealed that education level, cultural competence, and intergroup anxiety are predictors explaining 58.8% of its variance ( F = 27.5, p < .001).

Discussion

A low level of TSE causes avoidant behavior and ineffective communication in foreign patient care, resulting in unsatisfactory clinical performance. Effective education programs and administration guidelines may be critical for nurses to improve their TSE.
Numerical research on a vortex shedding induced piezoelectric-electromagnetic energy harvester
Authors: Li Xia , Li Zhiyuan , Liu Benxue , Zhang Jun , Zhu Weidong
Published: May 2021

To widen the operation wind speed bandwidth of a classic vortex shedding induced vibration piezoelectric energy harvester, a piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester based on vortex shedding induced vibration is designed. The hybrid vortex shedding induced vibration energy harvester (HVSIVEH) includes a vortex shedding induced vibration piezoelectric energy harvester (VSIVPEH) and an electromagnetic vibration energy harvester (EVEH). The electromechanical coupled vibration model of the hybrid structure was established. By comparing the variations of the output power as a function of the wind speed of the HVSIVEH and the classic VSIVPEH, it is found that the power response curve of the HVSIVEH has two peaks. The hybrid structure can broaden the working wind speed range. The lower the requirement on the output power level, the more obvious the effect of widening the wind speed range. By the solution and analysis of the electromechanical coupled model, better values of related parameters of the HVSIVEH are obtained. The first and second peaks of the output power of the HVSIVEH show better values of 1.9 and 2.2 mW, respectively, under these parameters.
General Music and SEL: A Matter of Equity
Authors: Varner Edward
Published: May 2021

As we consider how best to help our students achieve, we must work to ensure that our practices are equitable. That is, we must make certain that each of our students are equipped with the skills and opportunities to be successful in school and in life. Equity must be a central goal for all educators—in all academic areas. A general music classroom alignment with Social and Emotional Learning can, if implemented with fidelity and purpose, help promote equity in a number of important ways by acknowledging systemic inequities, identifying personal bias, and actively disrupting barriers to equity that plague so many schools.
Post-Traumatic Growth Experiences among COVID-19 Confirmed Cases in China: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Sun Wenxiu , Chen Wei-Ti , Zhang Qing , Ma Siyue , Huang Feifei , Zhang Lin , Lu Hongzhou
Published: May 2021

COVID-19 infection can cause psychological distress and profoundly impact patients’ lives, but it can also lead to positive changes and post-traumatic growth (PTG), or positive psychological change in response to challenging life circumstances. Current research on the influence of COVID-19 infection has mainly focused on its negative effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with COVID-19 in China experienced PTG and, if so, what changed for them during the process of PTG. We used a qualitative descriptive approach to conduct this study. Using the purposive sampling recruitment method, patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were recruited from a COVID-19 designated hospital in Shanghai, China, from April to July 2020. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted via cell phone or in person while social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Forty confirmed COVID-19 patients (19–68 years old) were recruited. Several prominent themes and subthemes were extracted from the interview responses regarding participants’ experiences of PTG. The following are among the positive changesthat occurred for these participants after their diagnosis of COVID-19: (1) Reevaluation of their life priorities, which included a greater appreciation of being alive and re-evaluating their values and goals, (2) Improved relationships within their social circles, which included establishing or maintaining closer relationships with family and friends and a greater willingness to help others, and (3) Perceived changes regarding themselves, which included personal growth and increased awareness of the importance of their health. The study identified potential positive impacts of COVID-19 on patients, which could be helpful in the implementation of interventions to facilitate PTG among COVID-19 survivors.
Decision-Making in U.S. Foreign Policy Crises: Presidential Leadership and Outcomes
Authors: Keller Jonathan W. , Yang Yi Edward , James Patrick
Published: May 2021

Scholars of foreign policy decision-making have argued that international interactions ultimately are grounded in people acting singly or in groups. Unfortunately, data limitations prevent many of these crucial foreign policy decision-making theories from being rigorously tested and systematically compared with theories from alternative perspectives. A promising approach to remedying this deficiency is the addition of decision-making variables to existing, large- N data sets. In this study, we coded a series of foreign policy decision-making variables for all U.S. cases in the International Crisis Behavior (ICB) data set, and examined how these decision-making variables compared with structural factors in shaping crisis outcomes. The results reveal that when controlling for structural factors such as conflict setting and power discrepancy, foreign policy decision-making variables related to leaders’ traits, advisory structure, and the political context shaped the severity and centrality of violence employed by the United States. We conclude that including decision-making variables alongside structural variables will enhance the quality of data analysis in the areas of conflict studies and foreign policy analysis.
Critical Qualitative Inquiry in China Studies: Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Hsiung Ping-Chun
Published: May 2021

This Special Issue aims to advance critical qualitative inquiry in China studies and contribute to a vibrant, inclusive global community. It builds upon debates and efforts in the behavioral and social sciences among area specialists in two eras: researchers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the diaspora in the 1980s who sought to sinologize behavioral and social sciences, and sociologists in China in the 2000s who are seeking to indigenize these fields. The Issue takes a two-pronged approach toward advancing critical reflection in knowledge production: (a) it aspires to diminish the current influence of Western and positivistic paradigms on behavioral and social sciences research; (b) it seeks to challenge discursive hegemonic influences to create and sustain space for critical qualitative inquiry. The Issue traverses disciplinary boundaries between history and behavioral and social sciences within China Studies. It opens dialogue with the non-area specialists who are the primary audience of the Qualitative Inquiry.
Biotin-induced thyroid stimulating hormone aberrations in the setting of immunotherapy
Authors: N Ridgway Forrest , A Gold Kathryn , C Barnachea Linda
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are associated with immune-mediated thyroid disease and other endocrinopathies. Biotin is an over-the-counter supplement known to interfere with lab assays, including thyroid function tests. Biotin-induced complications with lab monitoring during immunotherapy have not been previously reported.

Case report

We present a case of a 68-year old woman with hypothyroidism after initiating immune checkpoint blockade therapy and abnormal laboratory monitoring values while concurrently taking biotin supplements. Management & outcome: The patient was initiated on levothyroxine with subsequent dose increases over a period of weeks with resolution of symptoms and normalization of free thyroxine levels. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels appeared to remain elevated until biotin supplements were held and levels normalized.

Discussion

The purpose of this report is to provide the first known incidence of biotin complicating the routine monitoring of immune checkpoint inhibitors with elevated TSH levels and to alert providers to elicit accurate medication histories regarding over-the-counter supplements.
Does Gender Role Conflict Moderate the Relationship Between Lifetime Adversity and HIV Stigma in a Community Sample of HIV-Seropositive Black Men?
Authors: Loeb Tamra Burns , Jauregui Juan C. , Wyatt Gail E. , Chin Dorothy , Hamilton Alison B. , Zhang Muyu , Holloway Ian W. , Patron David J.
Published: May 2021

Previous research highlights the need to better understand the complex relationships between factors marginalizing Black men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) living with HIV, including HIV stigma, trauma, and hegemonic masculinity. We examined associations between gender role conflict (GRC), trauma, and HIV stigma in Black MSMW living with HIV. 117 participants completed the UCLA Life Adversities Screener (LADS), measures of GRC, and HIV stigma. A multivariate model with age, gender role, and the LADS as predictors of stigma was statistically significant F (4, 110) = 12.81, p < .0001. The LADS was significantly associated with stigma ( b = 11.06, t = 4.17, p < .0001) and moderated by GRC ( b = 12.19, t = 2.25, p < .05); stigma increased significantly at high, but not low GRC. High GRC heightens the relationship between trauma and HIV stigma in Black MSMW. Future research must investigate associations among trauma burden, stigma, and GRC among vulnerable populations.
Marx, subsumption and the critique of innovation
Authors: Walsh Shannon
Published: May 2021

This paper advances a Marxist approach to the critical study of innovation. Such an approach offers alternative analytical tools for understanding the social and political aspects of innovation that are increasingly coming into focus within academic and practitioner fields. After outlining the emerging field of critical innovation studies and its key concerns, I turn to the question of how a Marxist critique differs from other forms of critical scholarship. I then introduce Marx’s application of the concept of subsumption to account for the relation between innovation and capital and to demonstrate the strength of a Marxist approach to the critical study of innovation.
Annoyance evaluation of noise emitted by urban substation
Authors: Jun Li , Li Li , Yongxiang Zhang , Zhigang Chu , Xiaopeng Fan
Published: May 2021

In China, noise pollution from substations in urban areas is becoming more and more serious. An annoyance evaluation of the noise emitted by urban substations is presented. First, the subjective evaluation is conducted on the noise samples from urban substations via the semantic differential method. Subsequently, according to the typical characteristics of urban substation noise, 14 acoustical metrics are used to describe the noise samples for objective evaluation. Then the correlation analysis and regression analysis between the objective and subjective evaluation results are carried out. Finally, a regression model for urban substation noise evaluation is established. Practical application shows that the regression model can correctly predict the subjective annoyance of urban substation noise.
Governing the future through scenaristic and simulative modalities of imagination
Authors: Samimian-Darash Limor
Published: May 2021

In this article, I examine several expressions of imaginative practices to unpack the umbrella term scenario. Drawing on my long-term fieldwork on Israel’s annual Turning Point exercises, I examine actual uses of scenarios and distinguish between two different logics of imaginative practices and the modalities in which the future is governed by them, which I refer to as the scenaristic and the simulative. As I demonstrate, these two modalities can be distinguished from each other in terms of their approaches to future uncertainty, their temporalities and the role of imagination within their enactment. To further conceptually develop the logics of imagination, I draw on Deleuze’s and Bergson’s discussions of the concept of fabulation, and I suggest that scenarios and simulations represent two different logics of future-governing that are based on practices of imagination.
Apply IOT technology to practice a pandemic prevention body temperature measurement system: A case study of response measures for COVID-19
Authors: Lin Wei-Ling , Hsieh Chun-Hung , Chen Tung-Shou , Chen Jeanne , Lee Jian-Le , Chen Wei-Chung
Published: May 2021

Today, the most serious threat to global health is the continuous outbreak of respiratory diseases, which is called Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought severe challenges to public health and has attracted great attention from the research and medical communities. Most patients infected with COVID-19 will have fever. Therefore, the monitoring of body temperature has become one of the most important basis for pandemic prevention and testing. Among them, the measurement of body temperature is the most direct through the Forehead Thermometer, but the measurement speed is relatively slow. The cost of fast-checking body temperature measurement equipment, such as infrared body temperature detection and face recognition temperature machine, is too high, and it is difficult to build Disease Surveillance System (DSS). To solve the above-mentioned problems, the Intelligent pandemic prevention Temperature Measurement System (ITMS) and Pandemic Prevention situation Analysis System (PPAS) are proposed in this study. ITMS is used to detect body temperature. However, PPAS uses big data analysis techniques to prevent pandemics. In this study, the campus field is used as an example, in which ITMS and PPAS are used. In the research, Proof of Concept (PoC), Proof of Service (PoS), and Proof of Business (PoB) were carried out for the use of ITMS and PPAS in the campus area. From the verification, it can be seen that ITMS and PPAS can be successfully used in campus fields and are widely recognized by users. Through the verification of this research, it can be determined that ITMS and PPAS are indeed feasible and capable of dissemination. The ITMS and PPAS are expected to give full play to their functions during the spread of pandemics. All in all, the results of this research will provide a wide range of applied thinking for people who are committed to the development of science and technology.
Application research on the time–frequency analysis method in the quality detection of ultrasonic wire bonding
Authors: Feng Wuwei , Chen Xin , Wang Cuizhu , Shi Yuzhou
Published: May 2021

Imperfection in a bonding point can affect the quality of an entire integrated circuit. Therefore, a time–frequency analysis method was proposed to detect and identify fault bonds. First, the bonding voltage and current signals were acquired from the ultrasonic generator. Second, with Wigner–Ville distribution and empirical mode decomposition methods, the features of bonding electrical signals were extracted. Then, the principal component analysis method was further used for feature selection. Finally, an artificial neural network was built to recognize and detect the quality of ultrasonic wire bonding. The results showed that the average recognition accuracy of Wigner–Ville distribution and empirical mode decomposition was 78% and 93%, respectively. The recognition accuracy of empirical mode decomposition is obviously higher than that of the Wigner–Ville distribution method. In general, using the time–frequency analysis method to classify and identify the fault bonds improved the quality of the wire-bonding products.
Alumina-Hydroxyapatite-Silver Spheres With Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Silva-Holguín Pamela Nair , Reyes-López Simón Yobanny
Published: May 2021

Researchers are currently looking for materials that are stable, functional, aesthetic, and biocompatible without infections. Therefore, there is a great interest in obtaining a material that has a balance between aesthetic, biological, mechanical, and functional factors, which can be used as an infection control material. The addition of hydroxyapatite to alumina make highly bioactive scaffolds with mechanical strength. Biomedical applications require antibacterial properties; therefore, this idea leads to great interest in the development of new synthetic routes of ceramic biomaterials that allow the release of nanoparticles or metal ions. This investigation presents the obtention of alumina-hydroxyapatite spheres doped with silver nanoparticles with antibacterial effect against various Gram-positive and negative bacteria related to drug-resistance infections. The microstructural and spectroscopic studies demonstrate that the spheres exhibit a homogeneous structure and crystal hydroxyapatite and silver nanoparticles are observed on the surface. The antimicrobial susceptibility was verified with the agar diffusion and turbidimetry methods in Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) bacteria. All bacteria used were susceptible to the alumina-hydroxyapatite-silver spheres even at lower silver concentration. The composites have a higher possibility for medical applications focused on the control of drug-resistance microorganisms.
Combined dynamics and kinematics networked fuzzy task priority motion planning for underwater vehicle-manipulator systems
Authors: Wei Yanhui , Hou Yongkang , Luo Shanshan , Li Qiangqiang , Xie Jishun
Published: May 2021

The underwater vehicle-manipulator systems (UVMS) face significant challenges in trajectory tracking and motion planning because of external disturbance (current and payload) and kinematic redundancy. Former algorithms can finish the tracking of end-effector (EE) and free of singularity redundancy solution alone. However, only a few analytical studies have been conducted on coordinated motion planning of UVMS considering the dynamics controller. This article introduces a combined dynamics and kinematics networked fuzzy task priority motion planning method to solve the above problems. It avoids the assumption of perfect dynamic control. Firstly, to eliminate the kinematics error, a dynamic transformation method from joint space to task space is proposed. Without chattering, an outer loop sliding mode controller is designed for tracking EE’s trajectory. Further, to ensure the underwater vehicle’ posture stability and joint constraint, a task priority frame with kinematics error is used to planning the coordinated motion of UVMS, in which the posture and joint limits map into the null space of prioritized tasks, and weight gains are adopted to guarantee orthogonality of secondary tasks. On top of that, the gain weighted are updated by the networked fuzzy logic. The proposed algorithm achieves better coordinated motion planning and tracking performance. Effectiveness is validated by numerical simulation.
A review on applications of rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle charging stations
Authors: Ucgun Hakan , Yuzgec Ugur , Bayilmis Cuneyt
Published: May 2021

Today’s technology allows people to remotely control and monitor many systems. In these technological systems, robots or unmanned vehicles are generally used, which are controlled remotely without human interaction. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which does not have a pilot on it, is one of the unmanned vehicles capable of flying either remotely or automatically. UAVs are among the systems that are used in many fields for military, civil, and academic purposes and are constantly developing in parallel with the advancement of technology. One of the biggest problems of UAVs that are effectively used in many areas is undoubtedly flight times. To overcome this situation, charging stations are used and allow the UAV batteries to be charged without human intervention. In this article, a review study about the charging stations developed for charging batteries used in UAVs has been made. In this study, the findings obtained as a result of literature research on charging stations were analyzed and the performances of charging stations were compared. The main purpose of this review study is to guide people who will develop a charging station for rotary-wing UAVs by providing a preliminary research opportunity and to help choose one of the wired or wireless charging stations according to the needs in the applications to be developed.
Social media, police excessive force and the limits of outrage: Evaluating models of police scandal
Authors: Ellis Justin R
Published: May 2021

Recent criminological research has developed a processual conceptualisation of scandal to analyse policing and criminal justice transgression and its attempted management. Through media content analysis and in-depth interviews with police and non-police respondents, this article applies criminological theories of scandal to a case of bystander-filmed police excessive force at the 2013 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade and uploaded to YouTube. The article renders scandal more complex than existing models, emphasising outrage and surprise in cases of bystander social media police scandals involving police excessive force, in conjunction with Mawby’s processual model. However, it argues that despite the mobilising force of outrage through social media, police capture of police complaint mechanisms and political opportunism can normalise police transgression and blur lines of responsibility. Individual transgressions can be linked to a macro, ‘chronic’ scandal of police excessive force, diminishing scandal’s conceptual and practical purchase as a police accountability lever.
Reduced critical care demand with early CPAP and proning in COVID-19 at Bradford: A single-centre cohort
Authors: Lawton Tom , Wilkinson Kate , Corp Aaron , Javid Rabeia , MacNally Laura , McCooe Michael , Newton Elizabeth
Published: May 2021

Background

Guidance in COVID-19 respiratory failure has favoured early intubation, with concerns over the use of CPAP. We adopted early CPAP and self-proning, and evaluated the safety and efficacy of this approach.

Methods

This retrospective observational study included all patients with a positive COVID-19 PCR, and others with high clinical suspicion. Our protocol advised early CPAP and self-proning for severe cases, aiming to prevent rather than respond to deterioration. CPAP was provided outside critical care by ward staff supported by physiotherapists and an intensive critical care outreach program. Data were analysed descriptively and compared against a large UK cohort (ISARIC).

Results

559 patients admitted before 1 May 2020 were included. 376 were discharged alive, and 183 died. 165 patients (29.5%) received CPAP, 40 (7.2%) were admitted to critical care and 28 (5.0%) were ventilated. Hospital mortality was 32.7%, and 50% for critical care. Following CPAP, 62% of patients with S:F or P:F ratios indicating moderate or severe ARDS, who were candidates for escalation, avoided intubation. Figures for critical care admission, intubation and hospital mortality are lower than ISARIC, whilst critical care mortality is similar. Following ISARIC proportions we would have admitted 92 patients to critical care and intubated 55. Using the described protocol, we intubated 28 patients from 40 admissions, and remained within our expanded critical care capacity.

Conclusion

Bradford’s protocol produced good results despite our population having high levels of co-morbidity and ethnicities associated with poor outcomes. In particular we avoided overloading critical care capacity. We advocate this approach as both effective and safe.
Spatial and Temporal Selectivity of Translational Glass Patterns Assessed With the Tilt After-Effect
Authors: Pavan Andrea , Contillo Adriano , Ghin Filippo , Donato Rita , Foxwell Matthew J. , Atkins Daniel W. , Mather George , Campana Gianluca
Published: May 2021

Glass patterns (GPs) have been widely employed to investigate the mechanisms underlying processing of global form from locally oriented cues. The current study aimed to psychophysically investigate the level at which global orientation is extracted from translational GPs using the tilt after-effect (TAE) and manipulating the spatiotemporal properties of the adapting pattern. We adapted participants to translational GPs and tested with sinewave gratings. In Experiment 1, we investigated whether orientation-selective units are sensitive to the temporal frequency of the adapting GP. We used static and dynamic translational GPs, with dynamic GPs refreshed at different temporal frequencies. In Experiment 2, we investigated the spatial frequency selectivity of orientation-selective units by manipulating the spatial frequency content of the adapting GPs. The results showed that the TAE peaked at a temporal frequency of ∼30 Hz, suggesting that orientation-selective units responding to translational GPs are sensitive to high temporal frequencies. In addition, TAE from translational GPs peaked at lower spatial frequencies than the dipoles’ spatial constant. These effects are consistent with form-motion integration at low and intermediate levels of visual processing.
Emergent urinary decompression in acute stone-related urinary obstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hinojosa-Gonzalez David Eugenio , Torres-Martinez Mauricio , Villegas-De Leon Sergio Uriel , Galindo-Garza Cecilia , Roblesgil-Medrano Andres , Alanis-Garza Cordelia , Gonzalez-Bonilla Eduardo , Barrera-Juarez Eduardo , Flores-Villalba Eduardo
Published: May 2021

Introduction:

Emergent urinary decompression through percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) or ureteric stent (URS) remains a mainstay in the management of urethral calculi-related obstruction with associated signs of infection or renal injury. Available evidence has shown similar performance, and current guidelines endorse both treatment strategies.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis criteria up until August 2020. Studies included data on stone size and location, operative time, complications, length of stay, analgesic consumption, quality of life (QoL), and clinical outcomes between URS and PCN.

Results:

Ten studies with a total population of 772, of which 420 were treated with URS and 352 with PCN, were included. No statistical difference in operative time between both techniques was found. Nevertheless, length of stay in PCN was longer than in USR, with a mean difference of −1.87 days ((95% CI −2.69 to −1.06), Z=4.50, p=0.00001). No differences were found in the time to normalization of temperature or white blood cell counts. There were no significant differences in success rates, with an overall odds ratio (OR) of 0.60 ((95% CI 0.26 to −1.40), Z=1.17, p=0.24), or spontaneous passage after emergent drainage between groups. Complication rates ranged from 5% to 25% in URS and from 0% to 38% in PCN. In the studied population, out of the 157 patients from four studies describing complications, only 5% of URS procedures presented complications compared to 2% in PCN, showing a relatively low complication rate for either group (OR=2.07 (95% CI 0.89–4.84), Z=1.68, p=0.09). Differences in QoL were not significant.

Conclusion:

Both methods are equally effective, with no clear advantage for PCN over URS.

Level of evidence:

IV
Testing the accuracy of a novel digital peak flow meter aligned with a smartphone app compared to a lab spirometer: A pilot work
Authors: Sakkatos Panagiotis , Williams Andrew
Published: May 2021

Background

A new digital peak flow meter, known as Smart Peak Flow (SPF), has been developed to monitor asthma patients’ peak expiratory flow (PEF) at home. It is connected wirelessly to any type of smartphone and it is used by asthma patients to self-monitor progress of their clinical condition. Thus evaluation of the SPF’s ability to provide accurate PEF values is essential. The aim of this pilot work was to provide preliminary in-vivo data about the measurement agreement between the SPF and a lab spirometer for a first time.

Methods

PEF measurements were obtained by 9 healthy adults as this pilot work was terminated earlier than it was expected due to COVID-19 restrictions. PEF readings (n=27) were recorded by the comparable devices at the same time during three different expiratory maneuvers performed by each participant. The Bland and Altman plot was used to assess the agreement.

Results

Good agreement between the SPF and the lab spirometer was found with the mean bias being estimated 0.29 L/min. The lower and upper limits of agreement (LOA) were estimated 30.03 L/min and −30.61 L/min respectively.

Conclusion

Due to a small sample size, no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the SPF’s accuracy. However the current promising results encourage further testing in the future.
Do Americans Really Support Black Athletes Who Kneel During the National Anthem? Estimating the True Prevalence and Strength of Sensitive Racial Attitudes in the Context of Sport
Authors: Mueller Lisa
Published: May 2021

Professional athletes in the United States have protested racism in various ways for decades. Kneeling during the national anthem became a prominent form of such activism, ever since American football player Colin Kaepernick popularized the practice in 2016. “Anthem protests” gained renewed attention after the police killing of George Floyd and nationwide unrest in the summer of 2020. This article explores whether public approval of those protests was weaker than scholars and journalists suggested, because survey respondents were reluctant to admit that they considered the protesters disrespectful. A list experiment confirms hidden opposition to anthem protests, especially among people of color, who may feel heightened pressure to support racialized protesters. A second experiment reveals that social desirability bias persists even after respondents hear reassurance that nobody will judge their views. These findings indicate that mainstream surveys misrepresent attitudes toward contemporary racial issues, and that anthem protests have yet to gain wide acceptance in the general U.S. population.
Analysis of Sagittal Thoracic Inlet Measures in Relation to Anterior Access to the Cervicothoracic Junction
Authors: Baker Joseph F.
Published: May 2021

Study Design:

Retrospective radiographic study.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to define the association between thoracic inlet measures in relation to anterior access to the cervicothoracic junction.

Methods:

Trauma CT scans in patients >16 years were analyzed. The projection angle (PA), defined as the angle subtended by a line along the superior endplate of the vertebral body and the line from the anterosuperior corner of the vertebral body to the manubrium, was measured at C7, T1 and T2; angles were positive if the projection was above the manubrium. Thoracic inlet angle (TIA), thoracic inlet distance (TID) and pelvic incidence (PI) were measured.

Results:

65 scans were assessed (33 males; mean age 47.7 years (s.d. 8.7)). The mean TIA 79.9° (s.d. 13.4°; range 52.6° – 112.2°), mean TID 66.1 mm (s.d. 6.6 mm) and mean PI was 50.5° (s.d. 10.2°). Mean values for the projection angles at C7, T1 and T2 were 24.2°, 7.6° and −8.3° respectively. PA were positive in 95% at C7, 73% at T1 and 30% at T2. PA at each level correlated significantly with age (mean r=−0.371; P = .015) and TIA (mean r=−0.916; P < .001) but neither TID nor PI. TIA correlated with age (r = 0.328; P = .008).

Conclusions:

The projection angles of the CTJ vertebrae are influenced by thoracic inlet angle and a lesser degree age. Understanding sagittal spinal parameters in the CTJ can aid in planning surgical strategy and approach.
Bony Stress and Its Association With Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in the Lumbar Spine: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Basic Science Studies
Authors: Chepurin Daniel , Chamoli Uphar , Diwan Ashish D.
Published: May 2021

Study Design:

Translational review encompassing basic science and clinical evidence.

Objectives:

Multiple components of the lumbar spine interact during its normal and pathological function. Bony stress in the lumbar spine is recognized as a factor in the development of pars interarticularis defect and stress fractures, but its relationship with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to examine the relationship between bony stress and IVD degeneration.

Methods:

Online databases Scopus, PubMed and MEDLINE via OVID were searched for relevant studies published between January 1980-February 2020, using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. Two authors independently analyzed the data, noting characteristics and biases in various studies.

Results:

Thirty-two articles were included in the review: 8 clinical studies, 9 finite element modeling studies, 3 in-vivo biomechanical testing studies, and 12 in-vitro biomechanical testing studies. Of the 32 articles, 19 supported, 4 rejected and 9 made no conclusion on the hypothesis that there is a positive associative relationship between IVD degeneration and bony stress. However, sufficient evidence was not available to confirm or reject a causal relationship.

Conclusions:

Most studies suggest that the prevalence of IVD degeneration increases in the presence of bony stress; whether a causal relationship exists is unclear. The literature recommends early diagnosis and clinical suspicion of IVD degeneration and bony stress. Longitudinal studies are required to explore causal relationships between IVD degeneration and bony stress.