bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resisting the Algorithmic Management of Science: Craft and Community After Generative AI
Authors: Bechky Beth A. , Davis Gerald F.
Published: December 2024

This essay in honor of ASQ's 70th volume surveys how technology-driven changes in scholarly publishing have introduced algorithmic management to organizational research. The internet greatly reduced the cost of publishing journals and prompted an orders-of-magnitude increase in the number of journals and articles while also foregrounding quantitative metrics for scholarship. Given the academic incentive system of publish or perish, the new online ecosystem has encouraged problematic practices by scholars and publishers that threaten the standards and values of organizational theory. The advent of generative artificial intelligence within this milieu is almost certain to worsen the publishing trends we have already experienced. Drawing on prior literature about the centrality of deep intellectual engagement through reading, writing, and interactions with colleagues, we propose a set of reforms to preserve the sacredness of craft and community at the core of our scholarly work.
Sustainability and Sociability: Shared Practices and Community Cohesion in U.S. Cohousing
Authors: Berggren Heidi M.
Published: December 2024

This study argues that environmental-sustainability and adjacent practices and identities are conducive to community cohesion in cohousing in the U.S. The theoretical framework draws from cohousing research based on social practice theory and on degrowth concepts. Data came from a Cohousing Research Network combined individual resident- and community-level survey data set (level-1 N = 272, level-2 N = 39). Two multi-level models of community connection among residents included individual-level factors measuring participation in cohousing practices, community-level measures of green identity, and an individual-level attitudinal indicator of potential discord stemming from perceptions of other residents’ insufficient or excessive commitment to sustainability. Keeping in mind data constraints, results from multilevel linear regression analysis were tentatively supportive. The findings suggest that residents indeed connected to their communities through participation in shared practices and through shared green identities. Further confirmatory and exploratory research is needed.
Where Is the Function Allocation Boundary? The Effect of Degree of Automation on Attention Allocation and Human Performance Under Different Reliabilities
Authors: Wang Shuo , Liu Yu , Wang Xuan , Liu Zechen , You Xuqun , Li Yuan
Published: December 2024

Objective

This study investigated the effect of reliability on the function allocation (FA) boundary by examining the interaction effect of degree of automation (DOA) and reliability on routine performance, failure performance, and attention allocation.

Background

According to the lumberjack effect, an increase in DOA will typically improve routine performance, while failure performance may remain undeteriorated until a specific, high DOA threshold is reached. This threshold can be regarded as the FA boundary. Considering that both DOA and reliability can influence failure performance through attention allocation, it is crucial to investigate how reliability affects the FA boundary.

Method

Participants performed three MATB tasks, one of which, the system monitoring task, was supported by four types of automation: information acquisition (IAc), information analysis (IAn), action selection (AS), and action implementation (AI). From IAc to AI, the DOA incrementally increased. Additionally, automation reliability was set to three levels, namely, 87.50%, 68.75%, and 56.25%.

Results

For routine performance, participants assisted by AS reacted more rapidly to gauge malfunctions than those supported by IAc or IAn. For failure performance, participants aided by AI corrected gauge malfunctions less frequently than other participants. Correspondingly, participants supported by AI exhibited fewer fixation counts on the system monitoring task than did others.

Conclusion

It appears that the FA boundary lies between AS and AI. However, there is insufficient evidence to support the effect of reliability on the FA boundary.

Application

These findings can provide useful insights for improving the design of automated systems in complex working environments.
Phantom Spouse; Adaptive Strategies of the Older Adult in the Face of the Death of a Spouse: Content Analysis
Authors: Seraji Asal , Nasrollah Sepideh , Dehghan Nayeri Nahid , Nasrabadi Tahereh
Published: December 2024

The death of a spouse in the older adult is a devastating loss. Given that older adults employ unique strategies for adapting to bereavement, this study was conducted to aim explaining the adaptation strategies of the older adult in the face of death of a spouse. The experiences of 21 participants were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the conventional content analysis approach of Lundman and Granheim’s (2004), which led to the creation “Phantom Spouse” as the main category with four categories: “1-speaking to the deceased, 2- Establishing and maintaining the privacy of the deceased, 3- Being committed to the deceased, 4- Inducing the feeling of the presence of the deceased” and explained fourteen sub-categories. The concept of the phantom spouse represents a novel strategy for maintaining a symbolic and emotional connection with the deceased which leads to facilitating the adaptation process of the older adult to the bereavement of their spouse.
Inference of Correlations Among Testlet Effects: A Latent Variable Selection Method
Authors: Xu Xin , Guo Jinxin , Xin Tao
Published: December 2024

In psychological and educational measurement, a testlet-based test is a common and popular format, especially in some large-scale assessments. In modeling testlet effects, a standard bifactor model, as a common strategy, assumes different testlet effects and the main effect to be fully independently distributed. However, it is difficult to establish perfectly independent clusters as this assumption. To address this issue, correlations among testlets could be taken into account in fitting data. Moreover, one may desire to maintain a good practical interpretation of the sparse loading matrix. In this paper, we propose data-driven learning of significant correlations in the covariance matrix through a latent variable selection method. Under the proposed method, a regularization is performed on the weak correlations for the extended bifactor model. Further, a stochastic expectation maximization algorithm is employed for efficient computation. Results from simulation studies show the consistency of the proposed method in selecting significant correlations. Empirical data from the 2015 Program for International Student Assessment is analyzed using the proposed method as an example.
Integration across linguistic backgrounds: examining intertextual connections in L1 and L2 academic writing / Integración entre orígenes lingüísticos: análisis de las conexiones intertextuales en la escritura académica L1 y L2
Authors: Oaxaca Gala S. Campos , List Alexandra
Published: December 2024

This study examined multiple text integration in the academic writing of L1 and L2 English speakers. Participants read two texts describing the costs of college and rates of college enrollment in Latin America and the United States. Texts were organized either by region (e.g., cost and enrollment rates in the US) or by topic (e.g., discussing cost in both the US and Latin America), requiring students to make either intertextual or intratextual connections to compare regions. Students wrote comparative-contrastive reports, which were scored based on the number of connections (i.e., either intertextual or intratextual) generated. While no differences were found across experimental groups or by language status, supplemental analyses found English L2 students to rate texts about Latin America particularly interesting and comprehensible. Moreover, students were better at describing intratextual and intertextual contrasts rather than comparisons, with this effect also conditional on language status.
Between lists and tables: In what ways do sixth- and seventh-grade students represent quantitative data? / Entre listas y tablas: ¿De qué maneras representan información cuantitativa los estudiantes de sexto y séptimo grado?
Authors: Castellaro Mariano , Peralta Nadia Soledad , Tuzinkievicz María Agustina , Curcio Juan Manuel
Published: December 2024

The ability to interpret, construct, use and communicate statistical information is crucial for contemporary social life. This study investigates how sixth- and seventh-grade students represent primary statistical data, through prompt explicitly requests to construct a contingency table. The aims were: (a) to identify types and levels of format productions; (b) to explore whether: (a) they vary according to: (1) the explicitness of the conventional format assumed by a double-entry table; (2) the presence of an intermediary system (bar graph). Participants were 110 students (sixth = 57; seventh = 53) from a public school in a city near Rosario (Santa Fe, Argentina). The average age was 11.85 years ( SD = .60, Min = 10.65, Max = 12.81). Most students produced lists rather than tables, regardless of the grade level. However, among the lists, those grouped according to height intervals predominated, suggesting some adherence to the task instructions. Variables (1) and (2) generated minor variations. The results corroborate that students prefer organizing a dataset using alternative formats such as lists or graphs, as opposed to tables. That is discussed considering levels of statistical literacy and transnumerative techniques.
Unfractionated heparin monitoring by anti-factor Xa versus activated partial thromboplastin time strategies during venoarterial extracorporeal life support
Authors: Feng Iris , Powley Tanner R. , Yang Christine G. , Kurlansky Paul A. , Sutherland Lauren D. , Hastie Jonathan M. , Kaku Yuji , Fried Justin A. , Takeda Koji
Published: December 2024

Introduction

No clear guidelines exist for unfractionated heparin (UFH) monitoring in adult patients on veno-arterial extracorporeal life support (VA-ECLS) for refractory cardiogenic shock. In this study, we sought to compare outcomes between anti-factor Xa (FXa) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) strategies for UFH monitoring during VA-ECLS.

Methods

This is a single-center, retrospective review of VA-ECLS patients who received UFH in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit between July 2019 and November 2023. Standard protocol for UFH titration was aPTT goal of 45-60 sec ( n = 52) before September 2021, then transitioned to FXa goal of 0.1-0.2 U/mL ( n = 50) thereafter. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance baseline differences between cohorts.

Results

In adjusted analyses, 89.3% of FXa patients and 76.0% of aPTT patients achieved goal range for their respective assay. Total UFH duration (4.0 vs 4.0 days, p = .239) and maximum weight-adjusted UFH dose (9.3 vs 9.4 U/hr/kg, p = .823) remained comparable between adjusted FXa and aPTT cohorts. Moreover, in-hospital mortality (50.3% vs 33.9%, p = .133), major bleeding events (20.6% vs 11.2%, p = .292), and thromboembolic events (30.1% vs 30.1%, p = .998) were not significantly different. Extracorporeal circuit thrombosis and cannula site bleeding were the most frequent events in both groups. Multivariate logistic regression found the FXa strategy was not a significant risk factor for the composite outcome of major bleeding or thromboembolism (OR [95% CI]: 1.539 [0.575, 4.116], p = .393).

Conclusions

In adult VA-ECLS patients at our institution, bleeding and thromboembolic complications occurred at a similar rate regardless of which UFH monitoring strategy was utilized. Further studies in larger and more institutionally diverse cohorts are warranted.
Changes in Risk Tolerance for Ovarian Cancer Prevention Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Discrete Choice Experiment
Authors: Egleston Brian L. , Daly Mary B. , Lew Kaitlyn , Bealin Lisa , Husband Alexander D. , Stopfer Jill E. , Przybysz Pawel , Tchuvatkina Olga , Wong Yu-Ning , Garber Judy E. , Rebbeck Timothy R.
Published: December 2024

Background

Prior to COVID-19, little was known about how risks associated with such a pandemic would compete with and influence patient decision making regarding cancer risk reducing medical decision making. We investigated how the pandemic affected preferences for medical risk-reducing strategies among women at elevated risk of breast or ovarian cancer.

Methods

We conducted a discrete choice experiment. Women about to undergo genetic testing and counseling at 2 medical centers participated. Enrollment occurred between 2019 and 2022, allowing us to investigate changes in preferences from before the pandemic to after the pandemic. Women chose from permuted scenarios that specified type of surgery, age of menopause, quality of menopausal symptoms, and risk of ovarian cancer, heart disease, or osteoporosis.

Results

A total of 355 women, with a median age of 36 y, participated. In 2019, women were less likely to choose prevention scenarios with higher ovarian cancer risk (odds ratio [OR] = 0.42 per 10-point increase in risk, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22–0.61). In June 2020, the effect of higher ovarian cancer risk scenarios on choice was attenuated (OR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.68–1.04), with the effect becoming more salient again by July 2021 (OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.52–0.67) ( P = 0.039 for test of temporal interaction). No other attribute demonstrated a temporal trend.

Conclusion

The risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have attenuated the impact of risk of ovarian cancer on choice of risk-reducing prevention strategies for ovarian cancer. The maximum attenuation occurred at the beginning of the pandemic when access to risk-reducing surgery was most restricted. Our findings highlight how individuals evaluate competing health risks and adjust their uptake of cancer prevention strategies when faced with a future pandemic or similar global crisis.

Highlights

In this discrete choice experiment, women were much less likely to choose prevention scenarios that had higher ovarian cancer risk prior to the COVID-19 pandemic than after the pandemic. The attenuation of preferences may have persisted through 2022. COVID-19 may have altered the relative importance of factors that motivate women to undergo risk-reducing surgeries.
The Paradox of Upgrading: Standards of Social Reproduction and the Gendered Precarization of Garment Work in China
Authors: Zhang Yiran
Published: December 2024

This article presents a comparative case study that traces the reconfiguration of production and social reproduction processes under China’s upgrading reform across the hometown and worksite of a group of internal migrant garment workers. Although an upgrading regime is expected to promote labor formalization, this empirical study documents a gendered precarization in garment work. Investigating this paradox, this article makes two contributions to scholarship on informal work and social reproduction. First, the study proposes an understudied yet crucial factor impacting informal work: the standard of social reproduction. The change in the standard of social reproduction alters the expectations for women’s unpaid childcare duties and may draw workers and micro-entrepreneurs into generating new configurations of informal work. Second, the study identifies the role of the Chinese state’s workforce quality discourse on the development of the standard of social reproduction and demonstrates the upgrading reforms’ contradictory expectations for female informal workers.
Chinese women artists’ Marxist feminist critique of post-socialist work
Authors: Zhang Linzhi
Published: December 2024

Amidst the growing interest in Chinese women artists’ feminist interventions, this article delves into a less-explored theme in their artistic practices: labour. Through a close examination of two artists’ critical engagement with women’s labour in China, I highlight their Marxist feminist concerns. The first artist, Hu Yinping, creates a work utopia that ensures work autonomy for her mother who had taken on precarious part-time jobs after being laid off. The second artist, Feng Lin, appropriates ready-mades derived from a housewife’s life for her critical enquiry into whether domestic labour or home truly shields women from capitalist relations. It is argued that the two artists make women’s problems with work visible in a post-socialist China, where women’s labour becomes increasingly devalued, less conspicuous, and more precarious. Furthermore, both artists experiment with alternatives to capitalist commodified labour. However, it becomes apparent that Hu Yinping cannot sustain her utopian vision without selling her labour as an artist, and Feng Lin demonstrates that a housewife cannot fully escape the capitalist imposition of work. Ultimately, the interventions of these artists serve as a dual critique of capitalist labour and a revelation of its totality.
Planet needle roller bearing with waviness effect in the planetary gear system: Nonlinear dynamic modeling and simulation
Authors: Shi Zhifeng , Liu Jing , Xiao Guijian
Published: December 2024

Planet needle roller bearings (PNRBs) are important components of the planetary gear system (PGS). Waviness exists in PNRB races and can alter the contact and vibration properties of PNRBs. To address this issue, a dynamic model of a PNRB in a PGS is provided using a lumped parameter technique, which includes the roller-cage interaction and waviness effect. The dynamic model takes into account the interactions between the rollers and cage pockets in each PNRB. Furthermore, the waviness model is constructed and included in the roller-race contact deformation. A case of PGS and its PNRBs is adopted to investigate the roller-race contact forces, roller-cage impact forces, and cage dynamic relationships. In particular, the waviness effects on the roller-cage forces and vibrations are discussed. The results demonstrate that waviness has a significant influence on impact force characteristics and affects PNRB vibrations.
Assessing Coastal Residents Health Literacy (HL) and eHealth Literacy (eHL): Implications for Health Governance
Authors: Krishna Vijay , Pai Rajesh R. , Alathur Sreejith
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

This study aims to analyse the medical and non-medical respondents’ health literacy (HL) and eHealth literacy (eHL) across coastal Karnataka with a goal of improving health governance.

Methodology:

This research uses pieces of literature published on HL and eHL and sociodemographic factors to roll out a questionnaire survey for respondents from Karnataka, India. The primary study used the independent T-test to distinguish the 260 participants and Spearman’s correlation to determine HL–eHL association.

Findings:

Independent T-tests showed that medical respondents had a significant higher health literacy in only one scale and a higher mean score as well. The sociodemographic tests revealed that non-medical respondents showed differences based on gender, prescription use and chronic illness. Using Spearman’s correlation, HL and eHL were found to have a positive but weak correlation.

Practical Implications:

The participants’ varied eHL scores, coupled with their high HL scores, underscored a significant inconsistency in the economic strategies and the health governance in coastal regions.

Theoretical Implications:

Sustainable development framework followed in this study provides direct implications for multifaceted theories of UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: good health and well-being, Goal 4: quality education, Goal 5: gender equality, Goal 11: sustainable cities and communities and Goal 17: partnerships for the goals.

Research Limitations:

The study only covers Karnataka’s coastal region, which may differ from other regions in India’s coastal belt. However, the interoperability challenges identified through the differing HL and eHL parameters have broader implications.

Originality/Value:

Previous research found fewer sociodemographic differences in coastal HL and eHL proficiency. The relationship between HL and eHL on India’s coasts has rarely been studied.
A method for the quantitative evaluation of rail corrugation from the vertical acceleration of the axle-box
Authors: Niu Liubin , Zu Honglin , Xu Xiaodi
Published: December 2024

Corrugation has attracted increasing attention in railways due to its destructive nature, and axle-box acceleration can provide an effective method of detecting corrugation. However, there is a lack of direct relationship between axle-box acceleration and unacceptable levels of corrugation. Based on the excitation characteristics of corrugation, this study proposes a method to quantitatively evaluate corrugation via axle-box vertical acceleration (ABVA). First, a 3D wheel-rail dynamics model was established by using parameters from China’s high-speed railway, the transfer characteristics of the wheel-rail system were investigated by steady-state response analysis, and the influence of corrugation wavelength in the range of 40 to 300 mm on ABVA was revealed; Second, ABVA excited by corrugation with grinding limit was numerically simulated at a speed of 300 km/h, the map relationship between corrugation and ABVA was obtained, and then influences of natural frequency and contact behavior of wheel-rail system on the map relationship were discussed, a method based on the intervention value was introduced to quantify the degree of corrugation to be ground. Finally, field measurements in high-speed railways were carried out to verify the feasibility of the method, the results showed that the hit rate between the intervention value and the actual scenarios of corrugations was 90.0%, indicating that the proposed method has a good performance in quantitatively evaluating corrugations. This work can provide a scientific reference for decision-makings on whether or not the corrugation is severe enough to be ground.
Runaway rights: A closer look at different rights visions and entitlement perceptions
Authors: Passini Stefano , Renger Daniela
Published: December 2024

We live in an age of rights in which individual rights and freedoms are highly prioritized, often overshadowing duties and responsibilities. This makes it increasingly challenging to discern the balance between one’s own rights and the protection of the fundamental rights of all individuals. Moghaddam and colleagues (2024) introduced a model illustrating how rights evolve from being contested, to becoming normative, and eventually facing a backlash or exploitation for self-serving interests. In this commentary, we explore differing views on rights and entitlements. From a collective perspective, we identify factors that help distinguish between social movements advocating rights in an individualistic manner and those pursuing them democratically. Social responsibility and moral inclusion serve as key indicators for distinguishing pro-social from anti-social movements. On an individual level, we examine what causes some people to view rights through an individualistic lens, while others ground them in personal and social responsibilities. Specifically, perceptions of equal entitlement (i.e. self-respect) are tied to a focus on universal rights based on shared humanity and dignity, which also includes acknowledging equal rights for others. We discuss how these distinctions are relevant for Moghaddam et al.’s model and how equal entitlement beliefs can be fostered in societies.
False news claims as media criticism: Situating 1930s-1940s U.S. progressive critiques of “falsehood in the daily press”
Authors: Cimaglio Christopher
Published: December 2024

Widespread claims charging news media with intentionally presenting false information to advance a political agenda are commonly understood as a recent phenomenon driven by the rise of right-wing populism. This article unpacks the prominence of charges of false news in the 1930s and 1940s United States among progressives who identified the commercial press as a powerful conservative force working on behalf of economic elites and against progressive movements. It argues that liberal and left critics deployed claims of falsehood in news as they sought to convince audiences that dominant news institutions were unworthy of their trust, underscore the importance of alternative media, and promote reform of newspaper industry labor practices. Bringing a case study from an illustrative past moment into conversation with recent work on post-truth politics and journalistic authority, this article contributes to the literature on “fake news” as media criticism.
Localized structural thinning monitoring with high-order Lamb wave mode enabled by direct-write ultrasonic transducers
Authors: Wong Voon-Kean , Chen Shuting , Wu Jing , Lim David Boon Kiang , Yao Kui
Published: December 2024

This article presents a method for monitoring depth of a localized thinning in a structure by analyzing the arrival time and peak absolute amplitude of selected high-order ultrasonic Lamb waves. The high-order Lamb waves are generated and detected by piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers that are in-situ fabricated on a structure, known as direct-write ultrasonic transducers (DWTs). Unlike conventional discrete ultrasonic transducers, a DWT is lightweight, low-profile, and has high conformality, allowing implementation in confined space due to its reduced design footprint. Additionally, the DWT exhibits enhanced excitability and detectability for the high-order Lamb wave due to its enhanced Lamb wave mode selectivity attributed to its comb-shaped electrode design. This design simplifies signal analysis by directly selecting the high-order Lamb wave mode that possesses the fastest group velocity as shown in the dispersion curves. Our experimental test demonstrates great agreement with the theoretical analyses with the highest percentage error of only 13.46%. Comparing to fundamental Lamb wave mode (S0), selecting high-order Lamb wave mode (S4) for ultrasonic structural health monitoring enables smaller transducer footprint particularly suitable for the applications in small and complex structures.
From Public Culture to Personal Worth: A Sociological Inquiry into the Cultural Roots of Suicide
Authors: Doblytė Sigita
Published: December 2024

In this article, I think through the role of culture in making individuals vulnerable to suicide. I examine the relationship between public culture – embedded in and (re)produced through social institutions – and declarative and nondeclarative personal culture, as well as circumstances under which this relationship can engender suicidal distress. Orders of worth, dominant within public culture and integrated by individuals, are argued to influence individuals’ sense of purpose and to shape their agency and future orientation. Some individuals durably and experientially embody nondeclarative personal culture – dispositions and associations – that differ drastically from their learnt declarative orders of worth, leading to feelings of unworthiness. This mismatch may intensify into the hysteresis effect, where individuals lose their belief in a meaningful future, rendering suicide seem like a possible escape from an eternal present devoid of future prospects. Although this article focuses on suicide, its relevance extends to broader discussions within the sociology of mental health, particularly regarding how public culture and institutions shape individuals’ aspirations, experiences, and consequently, their suffering.
The Power and the Glory: Ecopedagogy, multicultural democracy, and Pete Seeger’s Tomorrow’s Children
Authors: Kleese Nick
Published: December 2024

In this article, I offer a reading of Tomorrow’s Children, the Grammy Award-winning collaboration between Pete Seeger and the Rivertown Kids and Friends Choir, to articulate an ecopedagogy capable of providing elementary students with the values, dispositions, and skills needed to grow of age, together, in a climate-changed world. My central argument is that ecopedagogy’s impacts extend beyond cultivating an understanding of the non-human world to claim that ecopedagogy must include the practice of skills conducive to democracy. I conclude by considering barriers to and opportunities for enacting such an ecopedagogy in the early year’s classroom.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Migrant Workers’ Human Rights in India
Authors: Mukherjee Roustavi , Roy Souvik
Published: December 2024

The COVID-19 epidemic accentuated the pre-existing vulnerability of migrant workers in India, hence centralizing the causes of social and economic disturbances brought about by lockdowns. 3 Often working in the informal sector without social safety nets, migrant workers had great difficulties, including loss of livelihood, lack of access to basic healthcare, poor accommodation and movement limitations. Many of them were left stranded or unable to satisfy basic requirements, so these difficulties seriously affected their rights and social inclusion. This article explores the several struggles migrant workers went through during the epidemic and how it impacted their human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of India. This article also emphasizes the need of building strong and inclusive systems to guarantee that, in the next crises, the welfare and rights of migrant workers are preserved.
Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Posterior Pilon Fracture: Transfibular Approach vs Posterior Approach
Authors: Zhang Hui , Li Yaxing , Gan Tingjiang
Published: December 2024

Category:

Trauma; Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

For posterior pilon fractures, the posterior approach (PA) is widely used but has its limitations. The transfibular approach (TFA) has been adopted to treat posterior malleolar fractures for the advantage of direct visual confirmation of the reduction status intraoperatively, yet the report of its application on posterior pilon fractures is rare. This study aims to compare TFA with PA in terms of their corresponding reduction quality.

Methods:

Clinical data of 85 posterior pilon fracture patients treated via PA (n=62) or TFA (n=23) were retrospectively reviewed. Radiographic and clinical assessments, including articular step-off or gap, syndesmosis reduction quality, signs of ankle arthritis, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, visual analogue scale (VAS), ankle stability, and the active range of motion (ROM) of the ankle, were all evaluated by two readers independently.

Results:

The total incidence of step-off or gap ≥ 1 mm was significantly higher in the PA group (35.5%) than in the TFA group (8.7%, p = 0.015). In all the patients, step-off ≥ 1mm was identified as an independent risk factor for the development of arthritis and a lower AOFAS score (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in ROM and complication incidence between the two groups. Ankle instability was found in neither group during the follow-up.

Conclusion:

TFA could offer a way to intraoperatively evaluate the reduction status with direct visual confirmation and, thereby, might improve the results of reduction for posterior pilon fractures.
Particulated Autologous Cartilage Transplantation for the Treatment of Osteochondral Lesion of the Talus: Can the Lesion Cartilage Be Recycled?
Authors: Woo Shim Dong , Lee Wonwoo , Woo Lee Jin , Soo Kim Bom
Published: December 2024

Category:

Ankle; Arthroscopy

Introduction/Purpose:

Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) are a common cause of disability and chronic ankle pain. Many operative treatment strategies have been introduced; however, they have their own disadvantages. Recently lesion repair using autologous cartilage chip has emerged therefore we investigated the efficacy of particulated autologous cartilage transplantation (PACT) in OLT.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed 32 consecutive symptomatic patients with OLT who underwent PACT with minimum one-year follow-up. Standard preoperative radiography and MRI were performed for all patients. Follow-up second-look arthroscopy or MRI was performed with patient consent approximately one-year postoperatively. Magnetic resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) score and International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grades were used to evaluate the quality of the regenerated cartilage. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Foot Function Index (FFI), and Foot Ankle Outcome Scale (FAOS).

Results:

All patients had ICRS grade IV cartilage lesions, except for one (ICRS grade III). The paired MOCART scores significantly improved from 42.5 (SD 1.53) to 63.5 (SD 22.60) (p = 0.025) in ten patients. Seven patients agreed to undergo second-look arthroscopy; 5 patients had grade I (normal) ICRS scores and two patients had grade II (nearly normal) ICRS scores. VAS, FFI, and all subscales of FAOS were significantly improved postoperatively (p ≤ 0.003).

Conclusion:

PACT significantly improved the clinical, radiological, and morphological outcomes of OLT. We consider this to be a safe and effective surgical method based on the short-term clinical results of this study.
Toward Sustainable Machining: Design and Fabrication of Micro-Textures on Solid Carbide Endmill Using Laser Micromachining
Authors: Das Rudra Prashanna , Mathew Nithin Tom
Published: December 2024

The modern machining industry is in a constant state of search for innovative approaches that can effectively improve productivity maintaining sustainability. Micro-texturing on the cutting tools is one of the innovative methods to improve the performance of the tool. The critical aspect of research related to micro-textured surfaces includes identifying the right texturing pattern, texturing intensity, and method. This article investigates the exploration of implementing projected sinusoidal curves as a novel micro-texturing pattern on the rake face of solid carbide endmill flutes, with a specific focus on the immense potential it holds in revolutionizing machining processes. A simulation using the textured tool was performed to study the chip formation, principal stress, and deflection during the machining process and is compared in the non-textured tool. The result of the study shows a better performance of the micro-textured endmill in comparison with the non-textured endmill. Micro-texturing is accomplished by employing advanced laser technology to create precise and controlled sinusoidal curves on the end mill surfaces at a micro-scale level. The average width and depth of the micro-texture on the endmill is found to be 93 µm and 101 µm respectively.
Demographic and Regional Trends of Colorectal Cancer-Related Mortality in Young Adults in the United States,  1999–2020: A Cohort Study
Authors: Affan Muhammad , Ali Mohsan , Talha Muhammad , Tahir Amina , Naseer Bisal
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Data on mortality trends for colorectal cancer (CRC) in young adults is sparse. So, this study aims to evaluate trends in CRC-related death rates in young adults.

Methods

Data on mortality from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database were examined in this retrospective cohort analysis. We focused on young adults aged 25 to 45 who died with colorectal cancer (CRC) listed as an underlying cause from January 1999 to December 2020. The study was conducted in August 2023. Individuals aged 25 to 45 years with colorectal cancer (CRC) are noted as a factor in or the root cause of death. The study measured age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) for colorectal cancer (CRC) per 100,000 people in the United States, categorized by sex, ethnicity, race, and geographical location.

Results

From 1999 to 2020, there were 37,601 deaths related to colorectal cancer (CRC) among young adults. Of these, 20,621 (54.8%) were men, and 16,980 (45.2%) were women. The deaths included 7,039 (18.7%) Black individuals, 4,667 (12.4%) Hispanic individuals, and 23,684 (63.0%) White individuals. The overall age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) for colorectal cancer (CRC) among young adults rose from 2.0 in 1999 to 2.4 in 2020. Both adult women and men had an increase in mortality, with males consistently exhibiting higher age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs). All ethnic and racial groups saw an increase in age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR), with Black individuals having the highest rates (3.2 in 1999 to 3.3 in 2020). During the same period, the age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) of White and Hispanic people increased from 1.8 to 2.4 and 1.5 to 2, respectively. age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were either steady or dropping for most demographic and regional categories between 1999 and 2012; however, between 2012 and 2020, there was an uptick. States like Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and West Virginia were in the upper 90th percentile rank for colorectal cancer (CRC)-caused mortality, reflecting a higher burden in comparison to states in the lowest 10th percentile rank.

Conclusion

Young adults in the United States had higher rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) death between 1999 and 2020; these rates first stabilized before rising in the latter years. Black individuals faced a 1.38 to 1.65-fold higher age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) compared to Hispanic and White individuals, respectively. Targeted health policies are essential to address the rising burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) in young adults, emphasizing prevention, early detection, treatment, and reducing disparities.
Digitizing Incidence of Orofacial Clefts at a Multidisciplinary Orofacial Cleft Center in Ghana
Authors: Kaplan Nicolas , Gyimah Nana T. A. , Naziru Issah , Yeboah Ama B. , Owusu-Gyamfi Brenda , Obiri-Yeboah Solomon
Published: December 2024

Background: Orofacial cleft care in sub-Saharan Africa has historically relied on international collaboration for both patient care and data recording for local research. This study aims to incorporate a digital database into regular practice at a multidisciplinary orofacial cleft clinic. We hope to demonstrate the utility of this method in promoting accessible, indigenous record collection in our program. Methods: A multidisciplinary cleft clinic at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) developed a REDcap form to collect demographic and clinical data on new presentations to the orofacial cleft clinic. Data was collected retrospectively between April 2021 and April 2022 and prospectively between May 2022 and April 2023. A basic analysis of incidence data was conducted. Results: A total of 116 new patients with cleft were recorded in the clinic during the study period. The median patient age was 3 weeks and ranged between 1 week and 56 years over the entire cohort. 47.4% of patients were male. Diagnosis included: 59 (52.2%) isolated cleft lip, 31 (27.4%) cleft palate, 23 (20.4%) cleft lip and palate. Cleft lip presented unilaterally in 46 (78%) patients, and was incomplete in 25 (42.4%) cases. The ratio of left versus right unilateral cleft was 1.09 in males versus 2.2 in females, though no significant association between patient sex and cleft lip laterality was noted ( P = .08). Conclusions: Our experience incorporating a digital database into a multidisciplinary clinic was positive, with rapid uptake and easy use for both retrospective and prospective data collection. We believe that such approaches are pivotal to continued development of indigenous African orofacial cleft centers and for homegrown outreach efforts. Continued validation of this method will further validate this methodology and improve outreach to the patient base at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
Effect of a Single Live Group Music Therapy Intervention on Anxiety-State and Well-Being Levels During Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial Protocol
Authors: Reyes Aragón Laura , Díaz Ana María , Suárez Raúl , Amarillo Moshé Alonso , Colmenares Mejía Claudia Carolina , Ettenberger Mark
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Many cancer patients experience high levels of anxiety during chemotherapy, which can negatively impact their mental health and their physiological, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Different complementary therapies aim to attenuate these effects, including music therapy. Although there is preliminary evidence on the positive effects of music therapy and music-based interventions in chemotherapy wards, few studies report live group interventions delivered by accredited music therapists.

Objective

To determine the effect of a single live group music therapy intervention on state anxiety and well-being levels of adult cancer patients during chemotherapy.

Methodology

This study protocol follows the SPIRT guidelines and reports a two-arm multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT). The intervention group will receive standard care + a live group music therapy session and the control group will receive standard care only. The primary outcome is state anxiety, measured with the six-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6). The secondary outcome is well-being, measured with the Well-being Numerical Rating Scales (WB-NRSs). The scales will be applied before and after each intervention. Sample size calculation resulted in a total of 102 participants.

Conclusions

This study seeks to contribute to the improvement of psycho-emotional health and well-being of cancer patients during chemotherapy. It is the first multi-center RCT on music therapy with cancer patients in [country, de-identified for peer review] and aims to gather knowledge about music’s role to improve patients’ mental health during acute treatment.

Trial Registration

clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06577324, submission date August 21st, 2024).
Study on the Relationship Between Vibration Signals in CFRP Grinding and Grinding Mechanism
Authors: Li Lichen , Wang Fangyuan , Song Pengda , Jin Kai , Chu Lei , Ding Sansan , Berti Guido A. , Quagliato Luca
Published: December 2024

In the process of grinding carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), the changing state of acceleration vibration signal is closely related to the grinding surface quality. Therefore, the time domain and frequency domain signal changes in acceleration can be used to monitor and control the grinding process to improve machining quality and efficiency. In this paper, changes in acceleration frequency domain signals under different grinding angles are studied, and the relationship between the vibration forms of acceleration frequency domain signals at the beginning, middle and end of grinding as well as the surface morphology and quality of the corresponding grinding position is studied. Combined with the micro-morphology of the grinding area, it can be seen that, a high frequency and low amplitude vibration can improve the grinding surface quality, but a high amplitude will have a negative impact on the grinding quality. The acceleration vibration during grinding is more stable and the corresponding surface quality is better. With an increase in grinding angle, the maximum amplitude of acceleration first increases and then decreases. The length of the surface fiber also initially decreases and then increases. Lastly, the resin residue first increases and then decreases. The purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent grinding state adjustment.
Cancer incidence and mortality in the occupational cohort of a German toxic waste landfill: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Manz Kirsi , Weitmann Kerstin , Theen Sarah , Robers Gabriele , Pritzkuleit Ron , Katalinic Alexander , Hoffmann Wolfgang
Published: December 2024

Background

Employees at the Ihlenberg toxic waste landfill in northern Germany were found to have an increased risk of cancer and cancer-related deaths in previous analyses covering the time period from 1983 to 2008. The present study aimed to quantify cancer risk and all-cause mortality in the employee cohort in 2009 to 2021.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, cancers were identified by linkage with cancer registries, and employee deaths were obtained from population registries. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for cancers and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated to quantify cancer and mortality risk in the employee cohort. The effects of employment duration and different latency periods up to 30 years were additionally considered.

Results

The cohort of 590 employees (432 men, 158 women) who worked at the landfill for at least 3 months between 1983 and 2018 was established from human resource management documentation and followed from January 1, 2009 until December 31, 2021. During this follow-up period, the SIR for all cancers combined was 0.69 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47, 0.98) and the SMR for all-cause mortality was 0.51 (95% CI: 0.35, 0.73). Longer employment at the landfill was not associated with increased cancer incidence or mortality.

Conclusions

Employment at the landfill, expected to reflect occupational exposure to toxic waste, was not associated with increased cancer incidence or mortality in the employee cohort. Preventive measures to reduce exposure and to promote a healthy lifestyle should be maintained at the landfill.
Metacognitive processes, situational factors, and clinical decision-making in nursing education: a quantitative longitudinal study
Authors: Wang FangFang , Liu Dandan , Zhang ManHong
Published: December 2024

Objective

This study examined the longitudinal development of metacognitive skills and clinical decision-making abilities in nursing students, focusing on the interactions between metacognitive processes, situational factors, and individual differences.

Methods

A longitudinal, quantitative design was employed, following 185 third-year nursing students from a major university in China over one academic year. Data were collected at six time points using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, Nursing Decision-Making Instrument, and custom-designed clinical scenario assessments. Latent Growth Curve Modeling, Multilevel Modeling, and Moderation Analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results

Significant positive growth trajectories were observed for both metacognitive awareness (mean slope = 0.07, p < .001) and decision-making skills (mean slope = 0.08, p < .001). Metacognitive regulation emerged as the strongest predictor of decision-making outcomes (β = 0.188, p < .001 for quality; β = 0.168, p < .001 for efficiency). Task complexity negatively impacted decision-making quality (β = -0.129, p < .001), while time pressure more strongly affected efficiency (β = -0.121, p < .001). Cognitive style and emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between metacognitive processes and decision-making outcomes. The effectiveness of metacognitive strategies in mitigating the negative effects of situational factors varied across individuals and over time.

Conclusion

This study provides robust evidence for the complex interplay between metacognitive processes, situational factors, and individual differences in the development of clinical decision-making skills among nursing students. The findings highlight the importance of tailoring educational interventions to enhance specific metacognitive skills, particularly regulation, while considering the impact of situational factors and individual cognitive styles. These insights can inform the design of more effective, personalized approaches to nursing education, potentially enhancing the preparation of nursing students for the complexities of clinical practice.