bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal analysis of unsteady hybrid nanofluid magneto-hemodynamics flow via overlapped curved stenosed channel
Authors: Zaman Akbar , Khan Ambreen A , Mabood Fazle , Abbasi Aamar , Badruddin Irfan A
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we present a detailed mathematical model of the unsteady hybrid blood through the curved overlapping stenosed vessels in the presence of the applied external magnetic field. The governing differential equations of this model are derived from the generic laws of conservation of momentum and energy. These derived differential equations are then rendered dimensionless by incorporating the normalization parameters, which are subsequently followed by the implementation of mild stenotic supposition. The parabolic equations are solved numerically by using the explicit finite difference technique. After that, these numerical calculations are used to simulate several flow characteristics such as velocity, impedance, and wall shear stress using the set of emerging parameters taken from literature. The influence of these emerging parameters on the flow characteristics reveals that the velocity of the hybrid blood flow stream decelerates due to the presence of an induced magnetic field having the inclusion of nanoparticles. Finally, the global behavior of hybrid blood flow within the curved stenosed channels is sketched and analyzed by using various streamline plots.
The study of the vibration under different lubrication states based on Stribeck curve
Authors: Yu Haijie , Wei Haijun
Published: May 2022

The tribology system is a complex nonlinear dynamical system. To study the vibration under different lubrication states, the experiments on full-film lubrication state and mixed lubrication state are designed based on Stribeck curve. In full-film lubrication state, vibration signal energy does not increase, but in mixed lubrication state, vibration signal energy increases with the increase of loading force. Under the condition of full-film lubrication, the autocorrelation function of vibration signal is similar to that of noise signal, which has smooth characteristics. In mixed lubrication state, the autocorrelation function of vibration signals has the characteristics of narrow convergence. Results reflect that for smaller loads there are no friction-induced vibrations due to full-film lubrication and for higher loads the friction-induced vibration comes into existence as the rough peaks between pin and disk surfaces come into play.
Dynamic modeling of reciprocating pump valves with considering the interaction effects between pump and pipeline
Authors: Gu Zhenjie , Bai Changqing , Zhang Hongyan
Published: May 2022

The components of a pump–pipeline system are coupled and interact with each other, but the dynamic analysis of reciprocating pump valves is usually executed without considering the effects of pipeline. In this article, a theoretical study is carried out to investigate the interaction effects between pump and pipeline on the motions of suction and discharge valves. Based on the principle of force balance and the law of mass and energy conservation, a new dynamic model of reciprocating pump valves is presented in order to obtain the motions of pump valve and the flow characteristics of pipeline simultaneously. The computational results are compared with the prior experimental data and the computational fluid dynamics simulation results to validate the proposed model, and good agreement is obtained. With the proposed model, the influences of piping parameters as well as the interaction effects on dynamic behaviors of pump valves and discharge flow rate are analyzed and discussed. It is found that the error between computational and prior experimental maximum valve lifts is less than 5%, and the proposed model has higher precision than the Adolph model in predicting the actual working characteristics of pump valves. The lift of pump valve and the flow rate in pipe are coupled with each other because the cylinder pressure and the leakage are directly related to the working load and the pressure drop of pipeline. The flow resistance of pipe could reduce the maximum value of valve lift but has slight influence on the lag time of valve opening. With the increasing of spring stiffness, the maximum value of valve lift decreases nonlinearly. The variation characteristics of flow rate versus pump operating speed relationships are significantly influenced by the flow resistance of pipeline, which means that the piping effects are significant and non-negligible for the pump design.
A pedagogical stylistics of intertextual interaction: Talk as Heteroglot Intertextual Study in higher education pedagogy
Authors: Gordon John
Published: May 2022

This article presents a pedagogical stylistics of intertextuality in interactive literary study talk. It analyses case study data representing one higher education seminar discussion, where a tutor and student interpret a focal text through reference to diverse intertexts. The article asks: How do participants enact intertextual literary analysis in conversation? How are intertextual voices introduced? How do intertextual voices relate to focal texts and position readers’ orientations to them? The transcript represents the interplay of participant and text voices around Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett. The article examines the intertextual invocations made by participants in interaction including their pedagogic function. It adopts a methodology combining pedagogical stylistics with a conversation-analytic mentality. Commentary adapts Lemke’s four categories of intertextual connection (cothematic, co-orienting, coactional and cogeneric) to describe functions of intertextual invocation in talk, adding two new categories of co-illumination and cogeneration. The results suggest participants in literary study talk use intertextual invocations to develop insights, position the responses of others and sustain co-constructed interpretation. The article proposes the term Talk as Heteroglot Intertextual Study (THIS) to describe this pedagogical format, with linked terminology to identify its multivocal, deictic and organisational traits. This pedagogical stylistics helps researchers and teachers describe and understand the development of intertextual analysis in literary study talk.
Association Between Place of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Depression Among Nonsmoking Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
Authors: Christian Felicia , Kim Yeonsoo
Published: May 2022

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure patterns of children and adolescents are different from those of adults because children and adolescents spend a majority of their time in the home and school. It was aimed to conduct a systematic review of the published literature regarding the association between depression and the place of SHS exposure among children and adolescents. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases were used for the literature review. The studies were screened and selected by two independent reviewers based on the inclusion criteria. All eight studies included in the systematic review measured SHS exposure in participants’ own homes. Two studies measured SHS exposure at school and one study in cars. The majority of the studies showed a positive association between depression and SHS exposure in both private and public places among nonsmoking children and adolescents. Also, they concluded a dose-response relationship between SHS exposure and depression. Health practitioners would be encouraged to work with stakeholders to create smoke-free policies in both private and public places to avoid the adverse effects of SHS exposure.
Improved arthroscopic high-strength suture fixation for the treatment of posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
Authors: Wu Lei , Xu Honggang , Li Bo , Xu Bin
Published: May 2022

Background: To investigate the curative effects of improved non-absorbable high-strength fixation under arthroscopy on posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fracture. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 16 cases of PCL avulsion fracture in 15 patients who underwent high-strength suture fixation under arthroscopy from December 2017 to November 2019. According to the Meyers-McKeever classification, there were 2 cases of type II and 14 cases of type III. The fracture was reduced under arthroscopy, and knotted and fixed under the anterior and medial skin of the knee joint with high-strength sutures and a button plate. Regular follow-up of the knee joint healing and stability, the range of motion and the functional recovery of affected limb was conducted. The last follow-up was completed after the button plate was taken out. The Lysholm score was used to assess the recovery situation. Results: The button plate was taken out 6–9 months (average 7.2 months) after surgery. At the last follow-up, the fractures of the 15 patients were all healed. Moreover, six patients were positive for posterior drawer test within Grade 1 and the others were negative. All patients had no knee extension limitation, and the range of knee flexion reached more than 120°, with an average of (132.4 ± 3.6)°. The average Lysholm score was (93.1 ± 4.7). There were significant differences in knee flexion angle and Lysholm score at different time points after operation, p = 0.000. Conclusion: For the treatment of PCL avulsion fracture, the optimized arthroscopic high-strength suture fixation is easy to perform and repeat, and the fixation is strong and solid. The functions of the knee joint experienced good recovery after the surgery.
Improving the mental health of Australians: A renewed call for primary care psychiatry
Authors: Suetani Shuichi , Sardinha Savio , Gill Neeraj
Published: May 2022

Objective

To describe different ways to improve liaison between psychiatrists and general practitioners in Australia.

Conclusion

Strengthening the links between psychiatry and GPs in primary care is an effective approach to improve the mental health of Australians.
Adaptation of the Quality of Communication Questionnaire for Family Members and Its Validity Evidence for Use in Brazil
Authors: Del Castanhel Flávia , Burg Luciana B. , Maia Nogueira Leonardo , Rodrigues de Oliveira Filho Getúlio , Grosseman Suely
Published: May 2022

Assessment of communication between physicians and patients’ family members is essential to improving healthcare quality. To adapt the Quality of Communication Questionnaire (QoC) for family members and to analyze its validity evidence for use in Brazil. Data were collected between 2017 and 2019, with family members of patients in intensive care (IC) and palliative care (PC) from five public hospitals in the South Brazil. The QoC was adapted for family members for use in Brazil, and its cross-cultural adaptation was carried out. The clarity and cultural appropriateness of the pre-final version were evaluated by 30 family members of patients in IC. The final version was responded by 198 family members of patients. All items were considered clear, and appropriate to Brazilian culture. The goodness of fit index for proposed model had CFI 0.96 (CI95%: 0.94 – 0.98), TLI 0.95 (CI95%: 0.92 – 0.97), RMSEA 0.07 (CI90%: 0.06 – 0.08), and χ2/df 2.18. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α) among family members of patients in PC was 0.88 for the general communication (first subscale) and 0.80 for the end-of-life communication (second subscale). However, among family members of patients in IC, α was 0.86 for the first subscale and only 0.53 for the second subscale. The QoC for family members and its cross-cultural adaptation were carried out successfully. It has strong validity evidence among those with loved ones in PC, but only the QoC general communication subscale has strong validity evidence among those with loved ones in IC.
Time-delay control of quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles: a multiplicity-induced-dominancy-based approach
Authors: Castillo-Zamora José J , Boussaada Islam , Benarab Amina , Escareno Juan
Published: May 2022

The current work exploits the effects of time-delays on the stability of unmanned aerial vehicles s). In this regard, the main contribution is a symbolic/numeric application of the multiplicity-induced-dominancy property in the control of unmanned aerial vehicles rotorcrafts featuring time-delays. The multiplicity-induced-dominancy property is considered to address two of the most representative aerial robotic platforms: a classical quadrotor vehicle and a quadrotor vehicle endowed with tilting rotors. The aforementioned property leads to an effective delayed feedback control design (multiplicity-induced-dominancy tuning criteria), allowing the system to meet prescribed behavior conditions based on the placement of the rightmost root of the corresponding closed-loop characteristic function/quasipolynomial. Lastly, the results of detailed numerical simulations, including the linear and non-linear dynamics of the vehicle, are presented and discussed to validate the proposal.
Crack identification of functionally graded beam using distributed piezoelectric sensor
Authors: Khiem Nguyen Tien , Hai Tran Thanh , Huong Luu Quynh
Published: May 2022

The present paper addresses development of a procedure for crack detection in functionally graded Timoshenko beam using a distributed piezoelectric sensor. Crack is represented by a pair of translational and rotational springs of stiffness calculated from its depth. A piezoelectric layer bonded to the beam is employed as a distributed sensor. Adopting the double beam model for the beam with the sensor, governing equations are conducted and utilized for establishing a database to propose a procedure for detecting a single crack in a functionally graded beam using the sensor output charge. The modal sensor charge provides a novel indicator more efficient for crack identification in functionally graded beams than natural frequencies. The effect of measurement noise, sensor thickness, and material parameters on crack identification has been investigated for beams with different boundary conditions.
Poor Sleep Quality and Other Risk Factors for Unemployment Among Patients on Opioid Agonist Treatment
Authors: Huffman Margo , Cloeren Marianne , Ware Orrin D , Frey Jodi J , Greenblatt Aaron D , Mosby Amanda , Oliver Marc , Imboden Rachel , Bazell Alicia , Clement Jean , Diaz-Abad Montserrat
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) face high rates of unemployment, putting them at higher risk of treatment nonadherence and poor outcomes, including overdose death. The objective of this study was to investigate sleep quality and its association with other biopsychosocial risk factors for unemployment in patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) for OUD.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional survey design, participants from 3 OAT programs for OUD completed questionnaires to measure sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]); pain disability; catastrophic thinking; injustice experience; quality of life; and self-assessed disability. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to test for associations between sleep quality and other study variables.

Results:

Thirty-eight participants completed the study, with mean age 45.6 ± 10.9 years, 27 (71.1%) males, and 16 (42.1%) reporting a high school diploma/equivalent certification as the highest level of academic attainment. Poor sleep quality (defined as PSQI > 5) was identified in 29 participants (76.3%) and was positively correlated with pain disability ( r = 0.657, P < .01), self-assessed disability ( r = 0.640, P < .001), symptom catastrophizing ( r = 0.499, P < .001), and injustice experience ( r = 0.642, P < .001), and negatively correlated with quality of life ( r = −0.623, P < .001).

Conclusions:

There was a high prevalence of poor sleep quality in patients with OUD on OAT and this was associated with multiple known risk factors for unemployment. These findings warrant the consideration of regular screening for sleep problems and the inclusion of sleep-related interventions to improve sleep quality, decrease the unemployment rate, and enhance the recovery process for individuals with OUD undergoing OAT.
The Kynurenine Pathway and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Inflammation as a Common Denominator
Authors: Jovanovic Filip , Sudhakar Aboorva , Knezevic Nebojsa Nick
Published: May 2022

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex metabolic disorder commonly seen in females of reproductive age. The pathophysiology of PCOS is multifactorial and includes dysfunction in ovarian steroidogenesis and folliculogenesis, impaired gonadotropin levels, insulin resistance, gut microbiota imbalance, genetic predisposition, and lifestyle preferences. Low-grade inflammatory conditions such as obesity and impaired glucose tolerance are common metabolic disturbances in women with PCOS. A growing body of literature suggests strong evidence rendering PCOS in close proximity with chronic inflammation as documented by high levels of serum white blood cells, C-reactive protein, and various proinflammatory cytokines seen in this condition. Inflammation seems to be the most common metabolic denominator between the kynurenine pathway and PCOS. The association of tryptophan and kynurenine pathway has already been well documented in mood disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, chronic pain conditions, and different inflammatory states. In this manuscript, we describe the influence of sex steroid hormones on different enzymes of the KP; inflammatory nature of PCOS and CRP as a marker of IDO/TDO activity; and the effects of altered gut flora in women with PCOS. This review provides a novel view of the available evidence of tryptophan and downstream metabolites in PCOS in the context of underlying inflammation.
Once Upon a Time, Materiality: A Possible Scenario for Psychology in the Nature/culture Divide
Authors: Traversa Rosa
Published: May 2022

The present essay draws on the book “What if Culture was Nature All Along?” (Eds. Vicki Kirby, 2017) and on Karen Barad’s influence to discuss some main concepts of the so-called new materialism in social sciences and humanities over the last decade. It will bring the reader to come across the nature/culture divide as something inherently incorrect from an ontological point of view. Moreover, through different case-studies ranging from allergy, race, paternal post-natal depression, etc. I intend to give some insights into the most controversial and the most insightful attempts to see culture as nothing outside biology in social sciences, and psychology as well. I will then argue how Kirby’s and Barad’s perspective can be a good starting point to re-think critical theory and power-relations as always enmeshed in tangibility, and I will suggest some more empirical patterns for a new material psychological knowledge.
Do birds of a feather flock together? Analyzing environmental performance and tourist behavior using a gravity approach
Authors: Shafiullah Muhammad , Khalid Usman , Okafor Luke Emeka
Published: May 2022

This study examines whether international tourism flows are affected by differences in the environmental performance of origin and destination countries by conducting an empirical analysis with a gravity panel dataset of 169 origin countries and 157 destination countries from 2000 to 2015. Estimated results show that the difference between environmental performance of a country pair adversely affects international tourism flows. This implies that tourist behavior is particularly influenced by familiarity, behavior conformity, and the need for virtue-signaling. Results also suggest that better environmental performance of the destination relative to the origin, as captured by an overall environmental performance index or its sub-indices, lowers international tourism more than vice-versa. This effect potentially hinges on the tradeoff between functionality and the image of the international tourist destination. Policies that create an enabling milieu for sustainable tourism and environmental practices—such as ecolabeling and targeted advertising—would help attract more environmentally conscious tourists.
Is consent enough? What the research on normative heterosexuality and sexual violence tells us
Authors: Jeffrey Nicole K
Published: May 2022

In this paper, I first critically review previous research on normative heterosexuality and its intersections with sexual violence to demonstrate that the common focus on consent in Western sexual justice politics, sexuality education, and sexual violence prevention is inadequate for defining and promoting ethical sex and preventing sexual violence. In particular, I demonstrate that a consent focus allows men to (a) hold women responsible for communicating (non)consent; (b) define the conditions of sexual interactions; (c) achieve consent through violence and coercion; (d) accept “yes” as unfettered consent; and (e) minimize and justify sexual violence. I then articulate an alternative view of ethical sex that moves beyond consent and centers care, empathy, co-determination, and ongoing communication and attention, and highlight the importance of social norms and gender transformative approaches to sexual violence prevention.
Risk factors and outcomes associated with ventilator associated pneumonia amongst intubated trauma patients admitted to the general intensive care unit of a major trauma centre
Authors: Hirst Claire , Needham Matthew
Published: May 2022

Background

Despite the use of care bundles, ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a frequently occurring health care-associated infection, increasing costs, length of stay (LOS) and mortality. The incidence is higher amongst trauma patients, although due to variable definitions and study populations risk factors for developing VAP are disputed, with few reports from the UK.

Methods

This 6-year review of intubated trauma patients admitted to the general Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a UK major trauma centre, collected data on suspected risk factors for VAP, as well as demographic information, outcomes and microbiology. Ninety-nine patients who developed VAP within the first 7 days of admission were compared with 191 patient who did not, with multivariable logistic regression used to control for confounding variables.

Results

Univariable analysis suggested that injury severity score (ISS) (34 v 29), head injury (66.7% v 50.8%), polytrauma (79.8% v 68.1%) and ventilator days (10 v 5) were associated with increased risk of VAP, but after adjustment only ventilator days remained significant (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.06). Antibiotics within 24 h of admission were associated with reduced odds of developing VAP, whether this was for pulmonary prophylaxis (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22–0.83, p = 0.013) or non-pulmonary reasons (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.15–0.51, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Only increasing ventilator days was associated with increased odds of developing VAP. The use of early antimicrobials was associated strongly with a reduction in the odds of developing VAP; this could be explained by unmeasured confounding or a prophylactic effect against aspiration.
Playing ethnographically living well together: Collaborative ethnography as speculative experiment
Authors: Fisher Joshua B , Nading Alex M
Published: May 2022

How can we live well together? The question is critical for cities, where “wicked problems” like failing infrastructure, natural and industrial disaster, and epidemic disease pose threats to diverse forms of life. Because such problems are by definition world-shattering, it is notoriously difficult for city-dwellers to agree on how to think about them, much less overcome them. This essay sketches a collaborative ethnographic approach for co-conceptualizing wicked problems. Proyecto Buen Vivir (The Living Well Project) features a series of multisector experimental workshops conducted over four years in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. This workshop model draws on collaborative research design and active learning strategies from both Nicaraguan and North American pedagogical traditions. Collaborative methods have historically identified and addressed the discrete problems. Given that common understanding can be rather more elusive when grappling with wicked problems, this essay argues for collaborative methods oriented to speculation and play might also be more generative.
Negative health impact of tourists through pandemic: hospitality sector perspective
Authors: Ghasempour Ganji Seyedeh Fatemeh , Johnson Lester W , Kazemi Ali , Sadeghian Samaneh
Published: May 2022

Although the impact of tourism development on residents has received a lot of attention in the literature, the health impact of tourism has not been sufficiently addressed. Due to outbreaks of COVID-19, the importance of recognition of the negative health impact of tourism is relevant. Thus, the present study aims to identify the health impact of tourism through COVID-19 outbreaks considering residents’ perspectives. In the current research, we gathered data from semi-structured interviews conducted from 10th August to 30 August 2020 to investigate community perception regarding the negative health impact of tourism through the COVID-19 era. We conducted 30 interviews with some Iranian residents. Data is analyzed by thematic analysis via MAXQDA software. Residents perceived negative health impacts through COVID-19 outbreaks as containing three subthemes including general negative impacts, direct negative impacts, and indirect negative impacts. The results also show that residents use two coping strategies to face these negative health impacts, namely negative coping strategies and positive coping strategies. Perceived negative health impacts, and residents’ coping strategies are two major themes regarding Iranian residents’ perception toward tourism negative health impacts through COVID-19 outbreaks.
Cultures of economic education: Grammar school curricula in a multilingual comparison
Authors: Ruoss Thomas , Ackermann Nicole , Stadelmann Talia
Published: May 2022

Reinforcement of differences in educational systems and school curricula may be expected in Europe due to societal crises and transformations. Thus, it is likely that cultural “variants of a capitalist spirit” and different concepts of economic education will become evident in a corresponding curriculum analysis. In this study, we focused on cultures of economic education at the level of grammar school curricula in a federal, multilingual context. We aimed to compare subject content in curricula and identify structural characteristics (e.g. regional language, graduation rates, and cantonal university) associated with differences in subject content. Taking Switzerland as an example, we compiled a representative dataset with 47 curricula and qualitatively analyzed subject content. The results showed that subject content clearly differs in terms of curriculum language, but no clear pattern was found regarding other structural characteristics. We concluded that cultural “variants of a capitalist spirit” are present differently across language regions. This perspective on local differences may help us to understand conflicting goals and measures when facing economic crises on a global level.
Monitoring the curing process of in-situ concrete with piezoelectric-based techniques – A practical application
Authors: Tang Zi Sheng , Lim Yee Yan , Smith Scott T. , Mostafa Ahmed , Lam Ah Choi , Soh Chee Kiong
Published: May 2022

The stiffness and strength properties of freshly poured concrete develop over time as the concrete hardens due to curing. The monitoring of such properties therefore enables timely construction decisions such as formwork removal. Traditional point-in-time destructive tests can be cumbersome, while continuous non-destructive testing is desirable. Piezoelectric-based electromechanical impedance (EMI) and wave propagation (WP) techniques fall into the latter, and they have been verified for monitoring concrete properties during curing in the laboratory. This paper reports the first field application of the EMI and WP techniques for monitoring concrete curing, where smart aggregate (SA) sensors are embedded into concrete pour strips of a multi-storey residential building during construction. For comparison and verification purposes, destructive compression and non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests were conducted. Results obtained from both EMI and WP techniques were consistent and repeatable. They were also comparable to the UPV result, and they showed a close correlation to the compressive strength tests. The current study has also revealed that the electrical signatures acquired from the EMI and WP techniques have a linear relationship. EMI-based and WP-based semi-analytical models (and their derivations) that can quantify the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of concrete at various curing durations are also presented. This reported study ultimately demonstrates the applicability and practical application of the EMI and WP techniques for real-time measurements, bridging the gap between laboratory-based studies and field applications.
A hybrid structural health monitoring approach for damage detection in steel bridges under simulated environmental conditions using numerical and experimental data
Authors: Svendsen Bjørn T. , Øiseth Ole , Frøseth Gunnstein T. , Rønnquist Anders
Published: May 2022

This paper presents a novel hybrid structural health monitoring (SHM) framework for damage detection in bridges using numerical and experimental data. The framework is based on the hybrid SHM approach and combines the use of a calibrated numerical finite element (FE) model to generate data from different structural state conditions under varying environmental conditions with a machine learning algorithm in a supervised learning approach. An extensive experimental benchmark study is performed to obtain data from a local and global sensor setup on a real bridge under different structural state conditions, where structural damage is imposed based on a comprehensive investigation of common types of steel bridge damage reported in the literature. The experimental data are subsequently tested on the machine learning model. It is demonstrated that relevant structural damage can be established based on the hybrid SHM framework by separately evaluating different cases considering natural frequencies, mode shapes, and mode shape derivatives. Consequently, the work presented in this study represents a significant contribution toward establishing SHM systems that can be applied to existing steel bridges. The proposed framework is applicable to any bridge structure in which relevant structural damage can be simulated and experimental data obtained.
Unsupervised deep learning method for bridge condition assessment based on intra-and inter-class probabilistic correlations of quasi-static responses
Authors: Xu Yang , Tian Yadi , Li Hui
Published: May 2022

Data-driven methods for structural condition assessment have been extensively investigated using deep learning (DL). However, studies on quasi-static response data-based structural health diagnoses are relatively insufficient. The difficulty is that quasi-static response data contain coupled effects of structural parameters and external loads. Considering that the correlation between quasi-static responses subjected to identical external loads is only a function of structural parameters and independent from the external loads, the correlation can therefore be employed as an indicator of the structural condition. This study proposes a condition assessment approach for cable-stayed bridges based on correlation modeling between the deflection of girders and tension in cables. The correlation is modeled by an unsupervised DL network comprising two variational autoencoders (AE) and two generative adversarial networks (GANs). The input and output are marginal probability density functions (PDFs). The DL network is trained as the reconstruction and translation processes to model the intra-class and inter-class correlations. Assumptions of shared latent space and cycle consistency are taken to ensure mutual modeling capacity. The Wasserstein distance between the predicted and ground-truth PDFs of tension in cables is used as an indicator of the structural condition. Using probabilistic correlation of quasi-static responses only requires the PDF of external loads to be identical and does not need the external loads to be precisely identical at any moment, thus relieving time-synchronization restrictions for different sensors. The results show that the predicted PDFs agree well with the ground-truth values under normal conditions. Furthermore, the Wasserstein distance is sensitive to damage and shows noticeable variations when the damage of the stay cable occurs.
Meta-Analysis of Cyber Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization: Different Types and their Associations with Face-to-Face IPV among Men and Women
Authors: Gilbar Ohad , Charak Ruby , Trujillo Oscar , Cantu Jorge I. , Cavazos Valeria , Lavi Iris
Published: May 2022

Cyber intimate partner violence (C-IPV) is a technology-mediated form of violence. It has been examined only in the last 10 years as a form of violence that can cause psychological damage to its victims. How this phenomenon connects to and differs from face-to-face IPV (F2F-IPV) has been, as yet, little studied. Research has not made clear whether sex differences may impact its use, particularly in light of the fact that no physical coercion is used in C-IPV. Thus, the current research aimed to investigate through a meta-analysis: differences between the average levels of different types of C-IPV victimization and perpetration; the association between C-IPV and F2F-IPV victimization and perpetration; and whether the answers to these questions were dependent on sex. The current meta-analysis drew on 46 studies, within 44 papers, with a total sample of 27,491 participants. Findings from 22 of these studies showed no significant sex differences between the average levels of different types of C-IPV victimization and between different types of C-IPV perpetration. These 22 studies showed positive large effect sizes for the correlation between C-IPV and F2F-IPV perpetration and victimization. Moreover, in both perpetration and victimization, sex did not impact the level of association. The findings suggested that C-IPV and F2F-IPV are highly correlated, and though not the same, they may share similar characteristics. Additionally, the results suggested that sex differences do not impact non-physical aggression, such as C-IPV. The implications for preventive strategies include that IPV interventions should also focus on alleviating instances of C-IPV.
Predicting Response to Bolus Insulin Therapy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Eby Elizabeth L. , Kelly Neal R. , Hertzberg Jeffrey K. , Blodgett Moira C. , Stubbins Callie , Patel Raja H. , Meadows Eric S , Benneyworth Brian D. , Faries Douglas E.
Published: May 2022

Background:

The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model to classify people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) into expected levels of success upon bolus insulin initiation.

Methods:

Machine learning methods were applied to a large nationally representative insurance claims database from the United States (dNHI database; data from 2007 to 2017). We trained boosted decision tree ensembles (XGBoost) to assign people into Class 0 (never meeting HbA1c goal), Class 1 (meeting but not maintaining HbA1c goal), or Class 2 (meeting and maintaining HbA1c goal) based on the demographic and clinical data available prior to initiating bolus insulin. The primary objective of the study was to develop a model capable of determining at an individual level, whether people with T2D are likely to achieve and maintain HbA1c goals. HbA1c goal was defined at <8.0% or reduction of baseline HbA1c by >1.0%.

Results:

Of 15 331 people with T2D (mean age, 53.0 years; SD, 8.7), 7800 (50.9%) people met HbA1c goal but failed to maintain that goal (Class 1), 4510 (29.4%) never attained this goal (Class 0), and 3021 (19.7%) people met and maintained this goal (Class 2). Overall, the model’s receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was 0.79 with greater performance on predicting those in Class 2 (ROC = 0.92) than those in Classes 0 and 1 (ROC = 0.71 and 0.62, respectively). The model achieved high area under the precision-recall curves for the individual classes (Class 0, 0.46; Class 1, 0.58; Class 2, 0.71).

Conclusions:

Predictive modeling using routine health care data reasonably accurately classified patients initiating bolus insulin who would achieve and maintain HbA1c goals, but less so for differentiation between patients who never met and who did not maintain goals. Prior HbA1c was a major contributing parameter for the predictions.
A long way to end rape in the European Union: Assessing the commission’s proposal to harmonise rape law, through a feminist lens
Authors: Rigotti Carlotta
Published: May 2022

On 8 March 2022, the European Commission presented a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Inter alia, the proposal includes minimum rules on the definition of certain forms of violence against women and domestic violence, including rape. Building on a historical overview of what counts as rape and on the legal context in which the European Commission has tabled the proposal, this article will critically discuss whether the European Union (hereinafter: the EU) has the competence to harmonise the crime of rape pursuant to Article 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and what the desirable content of EU legislation in this field should be. For this purpose, the article will use long-lasting, feminist scholarship as an analytical tool to address the transformations that these feminist discourses have traditionally brought into rape law, stressing the legal gaps that still need to be filled, and suggesting a possible new synergy between EU criminal law and feminist scholarship and activism.
New drugs in cystic fibrosis: what has changed in the last decade?
Authors: Roda Juliana , Pinto-Silva Catarina , Silva Iris A.I. , Maia Carla , Almeida Susana , Ferreira Ricardo , Oliveira Guiomar
Published: May 2022

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a life-limiting chronic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene, affects more than 90,000 people worldwide. Until recently, the only available treatments were directed to symptom control, but they failed to change the course of the disease. New drugs developed in the last decade have the potential to change the expression, function, and stability of CFTR protein, targeting the basic molecular defect. The authors seek to provide an update on the new drugs, with a special focus on the most promising clinical trials that have been carried out to date. These newly approved drugs that target specific CFTR mutations are mainly divided into two main groups of CFTR modulators: potentiators and correctors. New therapies have opened the door for potentially disease-modifying, personalized treatments for patients with CF.
Rare septic arthritis of the wrist and carpus primary osteoarticular manifestation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A case report
Authors: Angerett Nathan R , Chen Zhongming , Kromka Joseph J , Muzio Anna E , Kahan Michael E , Ingari John V , Maurer Robert J
Published: May 2022

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the oldest and most studied infections, yet it remains one of the most common causes of infection-related death worldwide. The majority concern pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, extrapulmonary cases are rare and are often neglected in the differential diagnosis, especially in chronic musculoskeletal complaints. Nevertheless, osteoarticular manifestation of tuberculosis can cause disabling destruction of bone, cartilage, and surrounding soft tissues which may be exacerbated by a delay in diagnosis. This case report documents a case of primary osteoarticular tuberculosis causing septic arthritis of the wrist and carpus. In our case, the patient had no pulmonary burden of tuberculosis, which further delayed diagnosis and lead to irreversible damage to the wrist as well as carpus. This case illustrates the need to consider this diagnosis in at risk populations in order to prevent a delay in diagnosis and treatment.
Robotic pyeloplasty in a horseshoe kidney: A case report
Authors: Bennett Grace , Zelhof Bachar
Published: May 2022

Objective:

To deliver a case report showing that robotic pyeloplasty in a patient with a horseshoe kidney is not only successful but also potentially superior to laparoscopic surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Method:

PubMed was used to do a literature search. We have excluded papers that were written in foreign languages, or were paediatric case studies.

Results:

Horseshoe kidneys are the commonest congenital abnormality of the renal and are often associated with pelvic-ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO) – in the order of 30%. Minimally invasive surgery is the gold standard for management of PUJO. With the advancement of the Da Vinci robot, this case report presents a patient undergoing pyeloplasty in a horseshoe kidney with PUJO on the left side, using a robotic technique. We performed a robotic pyeloplasty on a 32-year-old woman, with a horseshoe kidney. We felt this is a case worth discussion, giving the alteration in the surgical technique in conjunction with the anatomical abnormalities, and the lack of similar reported cases in the literature. We propose that in some cases, the robotic operative technique is superior to standard laparoscopic technique. Although there is an increased cost when using the Da Vinci robot, this may be offset by the 3D visualisation, enhanced dexterity, tremor filtering and movement scaling, increased range of motion, as well as the reduction of operative time, hospital stay, blood loss, complications, and indeed patient satisfaction. In addition to the benefits of robotic surgery itself, we demonstrate that robotic surgery in this particular case was preferable to other techniques, given the anatomical exclusivity of a horseshoe kidney.

Conclusion:

We propose that in some cases, the robotic operative technique is superior to other minimal access techniques in urological surgery. Level of Evidence: 4
Dietary restrictions – Ingredients and excipients in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) products
Authors: Hawkins Annie
Published: May 2022

Up to 20% of the UK population may have dietary restrictions due to ethical, lifestyle or religious views. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the constituents of what is prescribed, so that the patient can make an informed choice about their medication. This will improve both compliance and the therapeutic relationship. This article looks at the constituents of common HRT preparations currently available in the United Kingdom.
Platformed playworkers: Game video creators’ affective labour and emotional labour on Bilibili
Authors: Zhang Nan , Wu Yunrui
Published: May 2022

This article investigates the game video creators’ playbour on Bilibili, a leading Chinese user-generated content platform with a focus on animation, comics and games. The creators’ labour involves creating content through affective labour and managing the fan communities through emotional labour, situated in a network production model. Current studies of platformed playbour either interchangeably use affective and emotional labour or rarely discuss the interplay between the two concepts. We argue that it is important to recognize their nuance and investigate their relationship. Our research clarifies the difference between affective labour and emotional labour and discovers the conflict between the two types of labour. We argue that the conflict derives from enhanced alienation of leisure activities caused by platformization of playbour. Although the video creators consider strategies to solve conflicts, they can barely escape from the unequal labour relationship, constructed by the platform. This study involves semi-structured interviews with 13 playworkers, one Bilibili employee and three advertisers. The playworkers’ Bilibili channels were also observed online from 2019 to 2020.
Convergence of Service Providers and Managers’ Perspectives on Strengths, Gaps, and Priorities for Rural Health System Redesign: A Whole-Systems Qualitative Study in Washington County, Maine
Authors: West Rebecca L. , Margo Judy , Brown Jeff , Dowley Amy , Haas Susan
Published: May 2022

Introduction:

Both rural residents and state government leaders describe a need to redesign rural health care systems. Community members should be at the center of this effort.

Methods:

We conducted 46 in-depth interviews of direct service providers between September and November 2020 in Washington County, Maine. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

Results:

Existing strengths included collaboration between government and health systems, and community-based services. Gaps included insufficient workforce, restricted scope of licensing and poor reimbursement, lack of coordination between health systems, and limited paramedicine capacity. Strategies for health system redesign included addressing maldistribution of services and resource optimization, changing federal and state legislation around insurance and scope of practice, and moving toward value-based purchasing models.

Conclusions:

Participants provided pragmatic recommendations based on their deep understanding of the community context. Lessons learned are likely to be salient in areas with similar profiles regarding rurality and poverty.
Multi-Factor Collaborative Governance of Controlling Shareholder Expropriation Behavior in Emerging Economies: A Perspective of Double Principal-Agent Conflicts
Authors: Sun Ping , Ma Sheng , Xu Xinxin
Published: May 2022

Controlling shareholder expropriation is an important issue in corporate governance in emerging economies. The existing literature discusses the effects of minority shareholder legal protection, controlling shareholder ownership, and managerial shareholding on controlling shareholder expropriation, which is mainly empirical research with insufficient attention to the internal relationships among the governance factors. This research builds theoretical models to study the interactive mechanisms between minority shareholder legal protection, controlling shareholders’ initial shareholding ratios, managerial shareholding, controlling shareholder expropriation, and management effort. Furthermore, setting reasonable ranges for parameters, we use MATLAB to conduct numerical simulations and expand the detailed analyses to quantitatively reveal the degrees of influence of the governance factors. Our results show that controlling shareholder expropriation is negatively related to the degree of minority shareholder legal protection and controlling shareholders’ initial shareholding ratios, while the optimal managerial shareholding ratio is positively related to the degree of minority shareholder legal protection and controlling shareholders’ initial shareholding ratios. The findings enrich the literature on the governance of controlling shareholder expropriation and provide new approaches to and theoretical explanations for the governance of controlling shareholder expropriation toward sustainability in emerging economies.