bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
14. Postscript
Authors: Graham Philip
Published: March 2023

The twenty-first century has seen a continuation of interest in the influence of Susan Isaacs in the field of education and beyond. Since her death, there has been growing interest in the idea of children as individuals with their own interests and personalities on which both parents and teachers should build. It has become more widely understood however that child centred methods of education are likely to benefit some groups, girls and the highly privileged, more than others.

The twenty first century has also seen greater appreciation of the importance of the ideas of Geoffrey Pyke in the development of the educational philosophy of the Malting House School. It is clear that Isaacs herself developed reservations about the totally free disciplinary approach shown in the early days of the school.

Recent scholarship has given greater prominence to Melanie Klein, indirectly through Susan Isaacs, in the popularisation of psychoanalysis, especially in educational circles, in the 1920s and 1930s. In fact, the increasing profile given to psychoanalytic concepts over this period, had many, highly diverse roots. Given the manner in which, in recent years, the lives of so many children throughout the world have been disrupted by war and civil conflict, it is not surprising that Isaacs’s work on the effects of evacuation and family disruption should have roused interest. Her Evacuation Survey may be seen as one of the earliest relevant studies. Finally, and here the evidence is much more tenuous, Isaacs has been seen as an early anti-colonialist. Such claims are unnecessary to establish Isaacs’s reputation, sufficiently well based as it is on her strong claim to fame in the fields of both early education and psychoanalysis.
8. Three-quarters of the Jewish population lack enough to live on
Authors: Leshchinsky Yankev
Published: March 2023

An analysis of income stratification of Polish Jews since World War I reveals that the wealthiest Jews in the post-war period are mainly nouveaux riches. They tend to be much less wealthy than top Jewish income earners before the war, and the percentage of rich Jews is likely smaller than the percentage of rich non-Jews. Even the merely well to do are fewer in number. In contrast, the stratum of impoverished Jews is much larger than it was before the war, having drawn heavily on Jews from the top and middle strata. Jewish tax lists from Vilna, Lemberg, and Lodz include only those who own at least a little shop or artisanal workshop, excluding those who live from precarious and incidental labour. Based on these lists, Leshchinsky estimates that 55% of Polish Jews are the “poorest of the poor,” 20% are “middling poor,” 15% are “poor owners” of shops or workshops, 5% are “middling owners,” 4% are “well-to-do,” and 1% are rich. In the top stratum of taxpayers, net earnings per year are roughly 17 times higher than in the bottom stratum. Some 75% of Polish Jews earn barely enough to allow their families to subsist or they must go hungry.
Listening to Stakeholders II: Adapting Research Products on Subseasonal to Seasonal Heavy Precipitation Events by Exploring Options with Users
Authors: VanBuskirk Olivia G. , Dickinson Ty A. , Schroers Melanie A. , McPherson Renee A. , Martin Elinor R.
Published: March 2023

Extreme precipitation events can cause significant impacts to life, property, and the economy. As forecasting capabilities increase, the subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) time scale provides an opportunity for advanced notice of impactful precipitation events. Building on a previous workshop, the Prediction of Rainfall Extremes at Subseasonal to Seasonal Periods (PRES2iP) project team conducted a second workshop virtually in the fall of 2021. The workshop engaged a variety of practitioners, including emergency managers, water managers, tribal environmental professionals, and National Weather Service meteorologists. While the team’s first workshop examined the “big picture” in how practitioners define “extreme precipitation” and how precipitation events impact their jobs, this workshop focused on details of S2S precipitation products, both current and potential future decision tools. Discussions and activities in this workshop assessed how practitioners use existing forecast products to make decisions about extreme precipitation, how they interpret newly developed educational tools from the PRES2iP team, and how they manage uncertainty in forecasts. By collaborating with practitioners, the PRES2iP team plans to use knowledge gained going forward to create more educational and operational tools related to S2S extreme precipitation event prediction, helping practitioners to make more informed decisions.
Environmental Control of Wind Response to Sea Surface Temperature Patterns in Reanalysis Dataset
Authors: Desbiolles Fabien , Meroni Agostino N. , Renault Lionel , Pasquero Claudia
Published: March 2023

Sea surface temperature (SST) is characterized by abundant warm and cold structures that influence the overlying atmospheric boundary layer dynamics through two different mechanisms. First, turbulence and large eddies in the lower troposphere are affected by atmospheric stability, which can be modified by local SST, resulting in enhanced vertical mixing and larger surface winds over warmer waters. Second, the thermodynamic adjustment of air density to the underlying SST structures and the subsequent changes in atmospheric pressure drive secondary circulations. This paper aims to disentangle the effects of these processes and explore the environmental conditions that favor them. Two main environmental variables are considered: the large-scale air–sea temperature difference (proxy for stability) and wind speed. Using 5 years of daily reanalyses data, we investigate the 10-m wind response to SST structures. Based on linear regression between wind divergence and SST derivatives, we show that both mechanisms operate over a large spectrum of conditions. Ten-meter wind divergence is strongly impacted by the local SST via its effect on vertical mixing for midwind regimes in slightly unstable to near-neutral conditions, whereas the secondary circulation is important in two distinct regimes: low wind speed with a slightly unstable air column and high background wind speed with a very unstable air column. The first regime is explained by the prolonged Lagrangian time that the air parcel stays over an SST structure while the second one is related to strong heat fluxes at the air–sea interface, which greatly modify the marine atmospheric boundary layer properties. Location and frequency of the environmentally favorable conditions are discussed, as well as the response in low-cloud cover and rainfall.

Significance Statement

The main objective of this study is to explore the wind response to thermal structures at the sea surface under different environmental conditions using the latest atmospheric reanalysis. Recent literature suggests that fine-scale air–sea interactions affect a large spectrum of atmospheric dynamics, from seasonal to weather-type regimes. It is thus important to characterize the atmospheric response to ocean surface variability. Our findings describe the environmental conditions for which the two main physical processes through which the atmosphere responds to sea surface temperature structures are active the most and can guide the development of high-resolution observing missions and campaigns in specific geographical locations and seasons to retrieve data that can be used to improve parameterization in models.
Non-Gaussian Ensemble Filtering and Adaptive Inflation for Soil Moisture Data Assimilation
Authors: Dibia Emmanuel C. , Reichle Rolf H. , Anderson Jeffrey L. , Liang Xin-Zhong
Published: March 2023

The rank histogram filter (RHF) and the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) are assessed for soil moisture estimation using perfect model (identical twin) synthetic data assimilation experiments. The primary motivation is to gauge the impact on analysis quality attributable to the consideration of non-Gaussian forecast error distributions. Using the NASA Catchment land surface model, the two filters are compared at 18 globally distributed single-catchment locations for a 10-yr experiment period. It is shown that both filters yield adequate estimates of soil moisture, with the RHF having a small but significant performance advantage. Most notably, the RHF consistently increases the normalized information contribution (NIC) score of the mean absolute bias by 0.05 over that of the EnKF for surface, root-zone, and profile soil moisture. The RHF also increases the NIC score for the anomaly correlation of surface soil moisture by 0.02 over that of the EnKF (at a 5% significance level). Results additionally demonstrate that the performance of both filters is somewhat improved when the ensemble priors are adaptively inflated to offset the negative effects of systematic errors.
Analysis of Need for Intervention in Low-Grade Traumatic Splenic Injury
Authors: Bontrager Alexandria M. , Ewing John K. , Singh Tanya , Medvecz Andrew J. , Devasahayam Rebekah J. , Smith Michael C. , Guillamondegui Oscar D.
Published: March 2023

Background

Blunt splenic injuries are common traumatic injuries. Severe injuries may require blood transfusion, procedural, or operative intervention. Conversely, patients with low-grade injuries and normal vital signs frequently do not require intervention. The level and duration of monitoring required to safely manage these patients are unclear. We hypothesize that low-grade splenic trauma has a low rate of intervention and may not require acute hospitalization.

Methods

This retrospective descriptive analysis included patients admitted to a level I trauma center with low injury burden (injury severity score <15) and The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grade 1 (G1) and 2 (G2) splenic injuries between January 2017 and December 2019 using the Trauma Registry of the American College of Surgeons (TRACS). The primary outcome was the need for any intervention. Secondary outcomes included time to intervention and length of stay.

Results

107 patients met inclusion criteria. 87.9% required no intervention . 9.4% required blood products, with a median time to transfusion of 7.4 hours from arrival. All patients receiving blood products had extenuating circumstances such as bleeding from other injuries, anticoagulant use, or medical comorbidities. 2 patients required splenic artery embolization, one presenting with return precautions 9 days post-injury and 1 with significant comorbidities. One patient with concomitant bowel injury required splenectomy.

Conclusions

Low-grade blunt splenic trauma has a low rate of intervention, which typically occurs within the first 12 hours of presentation. This suggests that outpatient management with return precautions may be appropriate for select patients after a short interval of observation.
Postoperative discal pseudocyst caused by percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy: two case reports and a literature review
Authors: Gao Kun , Cao Yafei , Yu Weiji , Liu Weidong , Sun Shufen , Wu Yihong
Published: March 2023

Postoperative discal pseudocyst (PDP) is a rare complication that can occur after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD), microendoscopic discectomy, and laminectomy. The PDP pathogenesis and pathological process remain unclear. We described two PDP cases following PELD, with long-term follow-up results. The first patient was an Asian male, 30 years old, who experienced unbearable low back pain with right lower limb radiating pain for 2 years. The second patient was also an Asian male, 21 years old, who experienced low back pain with bilateral lower limb numbness. Both patients were diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation, underwent PELD, and relapsed after discharge. The diagnosis was PDP in each case, and conservative treatment was initiated with oral anti-inflammatory drugs and rest. Eventually, the symptoms in both patients resolved. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the discal cysts had disappeared. The follow-up of these two PDP cases after PELD showed good results, demonstrating that PDP may be a self-healing disease. Conservative treatment is effective, and surgery should be performed only in an emergency. These case reports and literature review can help improve the understanding of PDP.
Perception of Procedural Justice Amongst Previously Incarcerated Youth: Procedural Justice in Incarcerated Youth
Authors: Enujioke Sharon C. , Aalsma Matthew C. , Meagher Carolyn G. , Hunt Abby , Hensley Monique M. , Ott Mary A.
Published: March 2023

Violence among incarcerated youths is a serious public health issue and an area of marked health disparities. Procedural Justice is an ethical framework to guide policy approaches in the criminal justice system. The purpose of our study was to evaluate youth perception of neutrality, respect, trust, and voice while incarcerated. Young people ages 14 to 21 previously incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility were interviewed regarding their perceptions of procedural justice. Participants were recruited from community-based organizations. Interviews were semi-structured, lasting for 1 hr. Interviews were coded for themes related to procedural justice. Twenty-eight participants were interviewed regarding their experience with procedural justice while incarcerated. Key themes included: Neutrality: Participants felt that they were treated impartially regarding everyone receiving the same punishment for offenses; however, levels of punishments for offenses were inconsistent. Respect: Participants often felt disrespected by staff. Trust: The participants did not feel safe to trust. Voice: Participants felt they had no voice while incarcerated. Previously incarcerated youth perceptions indicated a need for more training in the juvenile detention system to enable staff members to have a better understanding of procedural justice and to appropriately utilize it.
Bibliometric Review of Route Optimization in Maritime Transportation: Environmental Sustainability and Operational Efficiency
Authors: Mollaoglu Mahmut , Altay Burak Can , Balin Abit
Published: March 2023

Route optimization in maritime transportation provides enormous cost saving and efficient resource allocation for companies. Shipping companies need to create an optimized route for shipping fleets. That is why route optimization has gained considerable and increasing attention in maritime transportation literature over the past few years. This research aims to identify the theoretical cornerstones, current research trends, and possible research avenues for future studies by reviewing 256 peer-reviewed route optimization articles in maritime transportation literature. For this purpose, first, theoretical cornerstones of route optimization in maritime transportation literature were examined by co-citation analysis and three clusters were identified: fleet routing and deployment; liner shipping rotation; and optimization of fuel consumption and vessel speeds. Second, current research trends of route optimization in maritime transportation literature were uncovered via bibliographic coupling analysis. The analysis results revealed that current research trends could be considered in four clusters: route planning; routing under different weather conditions; liner shipping network and service design; and environmental speed optimization. Finally, author-keyword analysis was performed to specify knowledge gaps and recommend future research areas.
Reliable Traffic State Identification Using High-Resolution Data: A Consistent Offline-Online Dynamic Time Warping–Based Time Series Clustering Approach
Authors: Lu Jiawei , Nie Qinghui , Wang Yuqing , Xia Jingxin , Lu Zhenbo , Ou Jishun
Published: March 2023

Reliable real-time traffic state identification (TSI) provides key support for traffic management and control. Although substantial efforts have been devoted to TSI, considering the high dynamics and stochasticity of traffic flows, there remain challenges in providing reliable and consistent TSI results, especially in online network–level applications. In this study, we propose a time series clustering-based offline-online modeling framework for reliable TSI using high-resolution traffic data. Specifically, in the proposed framework, the offline module extracts representative traffic state patterns from massive historical data, which serve as the state references in the online module when performing real-time TSI with streaming information. Instead of point data, the proposed framework uses high-resolution traffic data in the form of time series, providing rich information on traffic flows and details on their short-term fluctuations and stable long-term trends. In the offline module, considering the fuzziness of traffic states, we introduce a fuzzy c-means based clustering method for offline traffic flow series clustering and traffic state pattern extraction, within which the dynamic time warping algorithm is adopted for measuring the similarity between different time series, and the optimal number of clusters is determined by a proposed critical segment–based method to reach consistent TSI in network-wide applications. In the online module, a dynamic programming–based real-time TSI approach is developed to produce reliable and smooth identification results. Extensive numerical experiments on a 20-mi-long freeway corridor in California, USA, were performed to validate the proposed framework. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty versus high tibial osteotomy for medial knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Bin , Qian Hanguang , Wu Hongfu , Yang Xiaofei
Published: March 2023

We aimed to systematically compare the clinical and functional outcomes between unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for the treatment of medial knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Literatures were searched from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, Wanfang DATA, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and SinoMed database until December 2020. Studies comparing postoperative clinical and functional outcomes of UKA versus HTO were included. Totally, 38 studies were included, including 2368 patients with 2393 knees in HTO group and 6536 patients with 6571 knees in UKA group. There was significant difference in postoperative pain, revision rate, complications, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score between HTO and UKA groups ( p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in excellent/good surgical results, Lysholm, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, Knee Society Knee (KSS) score, knee and function score of Knee Society (KSFS) score and Tegner score between these two groups ( p > 0.05). UKA produced less postoperative pain, less complications and superior WOMAC score, whereas HTO offered extended range of motion (ROM) and less revision rate.
COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Korean American Immigrants in the United States: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Djapri Grace M. , Lange Rose M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction:

Immigrant populations in the United States are at increased risk of reduced COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Currently, no qualitative research focuses on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Korean American immigrants (KAIs). This phenomenological study aims to uncover needs, beliefs, and practices that may affect COVID-19 vaccine acceptance within this immigrant group.

Method:

Twelve study participants answered 10 semi-structured interview questions. Inclusion criteria for participants are as follows: (a) above 18 years, (b) has immigrated from Korea, and (c) can understand and speak English. Interview data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s data analysis method.

Results:

Eight themes emerged from the study. Themes included apprehension and indifference, disruption of normalcy, patterns of acceptance, duty to protect, fear of contagion, perceived self-efficacy, relief and safety, and acceptance of new normal.

Discussion:

Findings from this study can inform health care professionals of cultural factors related to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and health promotion behaviors among the KAIs.
Rectal Carcinoma With a Sarcomatoid Component: A Case Report With Detailed Immunohistochemistry, Molecular Analysis, and Literature Review
Authors: Todori Mikiya , Yanagawa Naoki , Ito Kazuhiro , Ito Yuma , Suzuki Masamichi , Sugimoto Ryo , Osakabe Mitsumasa , Uesugi Noriyuki , Sugai Tamotsu
Published: March 2023

Introduction. Carcinoma with sarcomatoid components is a highly malignant tumor exhibiting both epithelial and stromal malignant differentiation. Its tumorigenesis is associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and phenotypic changes from carcinoma to sarcoma are associated with TP53 mutations. Case presentation. A 73-year-old female with bloody stool was diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma. She underwent trans-anal mucosal resection. Histopathologically, the tumor cells showed 2 morphologically distinct populations. One was composed of well-formed to fused glands or cribriform glands and was considered a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The other consisted of pleomorphic discohesive atypical tumor cells with spindle and/or giant cell features, which was considered a sarcomatous tumor. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that E-cadherin expression changed from positive to negative in the sarcomatous component. On the other hand, ZEB1 and SLUG were positive. Finally, she was diagnosed with carcinoma with a sarcomatoid component. We performed a mutation analysis by next genome sequencing and found KRAS and TP53 mutations in both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. Conclusions. Immunohistochemistry and mutation analyses revealed tumorigenesis of rectal carcinoma with sarcomatoid components correlated with EMT and TP53 mutations.
Effect of direct injection and pivot stiffness on the static performance parameters of tilting pad journal bearings
Authors: Peixoto Thales Freitas , Tuckmantel Felipe Wenzel da Silva , Daniel Gregory Bregion , Cavalca Katia Lucchesi
Published: March 2023

This work presents a thermo-hydrodynamic model of a tilting pad journal bearing (TPJB) supported on flexible pivots and considering direct injection on the bearing gap. It initially investigates separately each effect on the static characteristics of a TPJB and after, the concomitant influence of both mechanisms on the bearing performance. The study reveals both mechanisms of direct injection and pivot deflection affect the lubricant pressure and temperature distribution. Direct injection is a local effect, mainly influencing the pressure around the injection orifice and the temperature downward it. Pivot flexibility reduces the lubricant pressure and the temperature rise, as the film thickness increases with pivot deflection. For soft pivots, direct injection may reduce even further the lubricant temperature. As the pivot stiffness reduces, the journal displacement increases, but the drag torque is reduced, indicating that bearing mechanical efficiency may be increased if the tilting pads are supported on flexible pivots, whether the journal displacement is within acceptable bounds. Each considered mechanism in a TPJB may affect its performance and should be modeled accordingly.
Cross-Quality Impacts of NCAA Division I Baseball and Softball
Authors: Beaudin Laura
Published: March 2023

Fifty years after Title IX, inequalities still exist between men's and women's sports. Most sport studies still fail to examine women's sports. This study explores the cross-quality impacts of Division I baseball and softball teams. The softball team win percentage is positively related to softball and baseball game attendance. However, models produce mixed results for the impact of the quality of the baseball team. Therefore, improving the strength of the softball team could increase softball and baseball game attendance, while improving the strength of the baseball team might only increase attendance at baseball games.
Hyperbaric Oxygen as an Adjunct in the Treatment of Venous Ulcers: A Systematic Review
Authors: Keohane Colum , Westby Daniel , Nolan Fiona C. , Twyford Mark , Tawfick Wael , Walsh Stewart R.
Published: March 2023

Background

The use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in diabetic wounds has been studied extensively. Even though venous insufficiency is the most common cause of lower limb ulceration, there is comparatively little evidence regarding the use of HBOT for Venous Leg Ulcers (VLU). We performed a systematic-review to evaluate and synthesise available evidence, to evaluate whether patients with VLU, when treated with HBOT, had greater rates of (i) complete VLU healing or (ii) reduction in VLU area, than controls.

Methods

In keeping with PRISMA guidelines, database searches of PubMed, Scopus and Embase was performed. After removal of duplicates, titles were screened for relevance by two authors, then abstracts, and in turn full text manuscripts. Data were extracted from relevant sources including one published abstract. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias using the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB-2) and Risk Of Bias In Nonrandomized Studies (ROBINS-I) tools.

Results

Six studies were included. There was significant heterogeneity across the studies, with no standard control intervention, method of outcome reporting, or duration of follow up. Two studies reported 12 week follow up results and pooled analysis of complete ulcer healing showed no statistically significant difference between HBOT and controls for the outcome of complete ulcer healing OR 1.54 (95%CI = .50-4.75) P = .4478. A similar non-signifiacnt result was seen in four studies reporting 5-6 week follow up; OR 5.39 (95%CI = .57-259.57) P = .1136. Change in VLU area was reported in all studies, and pooled standardised mean difference was 1.70 (95%CI = .60 to 2.79) P = .0024, indicating a statistically significant benefit of HBOT in reducing ulcer area.

Conclusion

Existing evidence suggests that HBOT does not significantly affect complete healing of VLU. There is a statistically significant benefit in terms of reducing ulcer size, though in the absence of ulcer healing the clinical significance of this is not established. Current evidence does not justify widespread use of HBOT for VLU.
“I don’t even recognize myself anymore”: An autoethnography of workplace bullying in higher education
Authors: Higgins Patricia
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this autoethnography was to contextualize a personal workplace bullying experience in higher education with the intention to promote action and change within higher education policy and practice. The research questions that guided this study were: How do I tell the story of my experience with workplace bullying in higher education? What are the personal and social impacts of my experience with workplace bullying? What strategies did I use to persevere through the workplace bullying experience? Bullying and incivility in higher education contexts persists despite having knowledge of the negative implications and desire of institutions for change. Three themes emerged in this autoethnography: (1) I don’t even recognize myself anymore; (2) Reliving past trauma: I thought that part of my life was over; and (3) Coping and Survivor’s Guilt. This autoethnography adds to the body of literature surrounding bullying and incivility in the workplace; offers examples of how workplace bullying and incivility impacted a victim’s professional and personal life, along with the victim’s psychological and physical well-being; and facilitates critical reflection on this experience in order to generate innovative methods to address the prevalence and minimize the impacts of similar experiences in the higher education environments.
Differentiation of pure cystic sellar lesions on magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Altintas Taslicay Ceylan , Dervisoglu Elmire , Cam Isa , Yaprak Bayrak Busra , Mese Ismail , Anik Ihsan , Ceylan Savas , Anik Yonca
Published: March 2023

Background and purpose

Cystic pituitary adenomas and cystic craniopharyngiomas may mimic Rathke cleft cysts when there is no solid enhancing component on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aims to investigate the efficiency of MRI findings in differentiating Rathke cleft cysts from pure cystic pituitary adenoma and pure cystic craniopharyngioma.

Materials and methods

109 patients were included in this study (56 Rathke cleft cysts, 38 pituitary adenomas, and 15 craniopharyngiomas). Preoperative magnetic resonance images were evaluated using 9 imaging findings. These findings include intralesional fluid-fluid level, intralesional septations, midline /off-midline location, suprasellar extension, an intracystic nodule, a hypointense rim on T2-weighted images, ≥ 2 mm thickness of contrast-enhancing wall, T1 hyperintensity and T2 hypointensity. p < 0.01 was considered statistically significant.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference among groups for these 9 findings. Intracystic nodule and T2 hypointensity were the most specific MRI findings in differentiating Rathke cleft cyst from the others (98.1% and 100%, respectively). Intralesional septation and thick contrast-enhancing wall were the most sensitive MRI findings ruling out Rathke cleft cysts with 100% sensitivity.

Conclusion

Rathke cleft cysts can be distinguished from pure cystic adenoma and craniopharyngioma with the presence of an intracystic nodule, T2 hypointensity, the absence of the thick contrast-enhancing wall, and absence of intralesional septations.
Thematic analysis of in-group and out-group debates in an online right-wing extremist community
Authors: Hardy John
Published: March 2023

The resurgence of Right-Wing Extremism (RWE) has become a cause for concern in Western countries during the 21st century. An increase in white nationalist sentiment in recent years has provided impetus to understand the contemporary drivers of far-right ideology. This study examines in-group and out-group debates on Stormfront.org, which is the largest and oldest online community dedicated to white nationalism and extreme right-wing political views. It used a dataset of approximately 1m posts collected from the open Opposing Views forum on Stormfront from the period 2001 to 2020 to create a corpus of over 195m words for thematic analysis. A Natural Language Processing (NLP) model was used to analyze the corpus, and a supervised phrase mining algorithm was used to identify key topics in the debate. The study finds that key issues being debated between in-group and out-group members of the Stormfront online community relate to perceptions of white identity, African American identity, racial issues, conservative political issues, and the history and politics of the United States. These findings highlight the issues of mutual importance to in-group and out-group members and identify opportunities for further research into the ideology of online RWE communities.
The Impact of Spinopelvic Alignment on the Facet Joint Degeneration
Authors: Soydan Zafer , Bayramoglu Emru , Altas Okyar
Published: March 2023

Study Design

Retrospective Cohort.

Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the relations between facet joint degeneration (FD) and sagittal spinopelvic parameters. Second, the association of FD with degenerative disc disease (DDD) and lumbar disc herniations (LDH) was assessed.

Methods

The radiologic data of 192 patients was retrospectively analyzed. Total, proximal, and distal lumbar lordosis (LL, PLL, and DLL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), and sacral table angle (STA) were measured on lumbar x-ray plates. DDD and FD was graded on the MRI images. The apex of lumbar lordosis and PI-LL imbalance were noted in each patient. Correlation analyses were performed.

Results

Age and body mass index (BMI) were correlated with FD. LL and DLL are positively associated with upper-level FDs (L1-2 and L2-3) (P < 0,05). PLL were positively associated with lower level FD (L5-S1) (P < 0,05). A significant increase in PI was associated with FD in L2-3 and L4-5. A larger PT was found in FD in L4. The PI-LL imbalance was not correlated with the FD. Correlation between DDD and LDH and FD was observed in each level (P < 0,01). The level of FD is not affected by the apex of the curve.

Conclusion

Age and BMI have a direct impact on FD. However, spinopelvic parameters influence the severity of FD rather than its occurrence. In addition to the effects of lumbar lordosis as a single entity, it is essential to consider separately the effects of proximal and distal lumbar lordosis at the FD level.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on semen quality of uninfected men
Authors: Zhang Wenjun , Wang Li , Sun Jiwei , Cui Linlin , Zhang Haobo , Hu Jingmei
Published: March 2023

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide since its discovery in December 2019. Research published since the COVID-19 outbreak has focused on whether semen quality and reproductive hormone levels are affected by COVID-19. However, there is limited evidence on semen quality of uninfected men. This study aimed to compare semen parameters among uninfected Chinese sperm donors before and after the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and lifestyle changes on uninfected men.

Results

All semen parameters were non-significant except semen volume. The average age of sperm donors was higher after the COVID-19 (all P < 0.05). The average age of qualified sperm donors increased from 25.9 (SD: 5.3) to 27.6 (SD: 6.0) years. Before the COVID-19, 45.0% qualified sperm donors were students, but after the COVID-19, 52.9% were physical laborers (P < 0.05). The proportion of qualified sperm donors with a college education dropped from 80.8 to 64.4% after the COVID-19 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Although the sociodemographic characteristics of sperm donors changed after the COVID-19 pandemic, no decline in semen quality was found. There is no concern about the quality of cryopreserved semen in human sperm banks after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transcriptional profiling of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris in viable but nonculturable state
Authors: Bai Kaihong , Xu Xiaoli , Wang Xudong , Li Yao , Yu Chengxuan , Jiang Na , Li Jianqiang , Luo Laixin
Published: March 2023

Background

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is an important seed-borne plant pathogenic bacteria that can cause a serious threat to cruciferous crops. Bacteria can enter into the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state under stress conditions, and cause potential risks to agricultural production because the VBNC bacterial cells will evade culture-based detection. However, little is known about the mechanism of VBNC. Our previous study showed that Xcc could be induced into VBNC state by copper ion (Cu2+).

Results

Here, RNA-seq was performed to explore the mechanism of VBNC state. The results indicated that expression profiling was changed dramatically in the different VBNC stages (0 d, 1 d, 2 d and 10 d). Moreover, metabolism related pathways were enriched according to COG, GO and KEGG analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The DEGs associated with cell motility were down-regulated, whereas pathogenicity related genes were up-regulated. This study revealed that the high expression of genes related to stress response could trigger the active cells to VBNC state, while the genes involved in transcription and translation category, as well as transport and metabolism category, were ascribed to maintaining the VBNC state.

Conclusion

This study summarized not only the related pathways that might trigger and maintain VBNC state, but also the expression profiling of genes in different survival state of bacteria under stress. It provided a new kind of gene expression profile and new ideas for studying VBNC state mechanism in X. campestris pv. campestris.
Red cell distribution width and mortality in older patients with frailty in the emergency department
Authors: Alakare Janne , Kemp Kirsi , Strandberg Timo , Castrén Maaret , Tolonen Jukka , Harjola Veli-Pekka
Published: March 2023

Background

The red cell distribution width (RDW) reflects the degree of heterogeneity of red blood cells. Elevated RDW is associated both with frailty and with increased mortality in hospital-admitted patients. In this study we evaluate whether high RDW values are associated with mortality in older emergency department (ED) patients with frailty, and if the association is independent of the degree of frailty.

Methods

We included ED patients with the following criteria: ≥ 75 years of age, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) score of 4 to 8, and RDW % measured within 48 h of ED admission. Patients were allocated to six classes by their RDW value: ≤ 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, and ≥ 18%. The outcome was death within 30 days of ED admission. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for a one-class increase in RDW for 30-day mortality were calculated via binary logistic regression analysis. Age, gender and CFS score were considered as potential confounders.

Results

A total of 1407 patients (61.2% female), were included. The median age was 85 with an inter-quartile range (IQR) of 80–89, median CFS score 6 (IQR: 5–7), and median RDW 14 (IQR: 13–16). Of the included patients, 71.9% were admitted to hospital wards. A total of 85 patients (6.0%) died during the 30-day follow-up. Mortality rate was associated with RDW increase (p for trend < .001). Crude OR for a one-class increase in RDW for 30-day mortality was 1.32 (95% CI: 1.17–1.50, p < .001). When adjusted for age, gender and CFS-score, OR of mortality for one-class RDW increase was still 1.32 (95% CI: 1.16–1.50, p < .001).

Conclusion

Higher RDW values had a significant association with increased 30-day mortality risk in frail older adults in the ED, and this risk was independent of degree of frailty. RDW is a readily available biomarker for most ED patients. It might be beneficial to include it in risk stratification of older frail ED patients to identify those who could benefit from further diagnostic assessment, targeted interventions, and care planning.
High diagnostic yield despite a lower completion rates for inpatient versus outpatient colon and pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy: a nested case-control study
Authors: Deane Charlene , Walker Caroline , Ryan Barbara , O’Connor Anthony , O’Donnell Sarah , Breslin Niall , McNamara Deirdre
Published: March 2023

Background

Increased familiarity with capsule endoscopy (CE) has been associated with a growing demand for urgent inpatient procedures. Limited data exists comparing the effect of admission status on colon capsule (CCE) and pan-intestinal capsule (PIC) performance. We aimed to compare the quality of inpatient versus outpatient CCE and PIC studies.

Methods

A retrospective nested case-control study. Patients were identified from a CE database. PillCam Colon 2 Capsules with standard bowel preparation and booster regimen were used in all studies. Basic demographics and key outcome measures were documented from procedure reports and hospital patient records, and compared between groups.

Results

105 subjects were included, 35 cases and 70 controls. Cases were older, were more frequently referred with active bleeding and had more PICs. The diagnostic yield was high at 77% and was similar in both groups. Completion rates were significantly better for outpatients, 43% (n = 15) v’s 71% (n = 50), OR 3, NN3. Neither gender nor age affected completion rates. Completion rates and preparation quality were similar for CCE and PIC inpatient procedures.

Conclusion

Inpatient CCE and PIC have a clinical role. There is an increased risk of incomplete transit in inpatients, and strategies to mitigate against this are needed.
Association of depressive disorders and dementia with mortality among older people with hip fracture
Authors: Olofsson Erika , Gustafson Yngve , Mukka Sebastian , Tengman Eva , Lindgren Lenita , Olofsson Birgitta
Published: March 2023

Background

Hip fracture (HF) is a significant cause of mortality among older people. Almost half of the patients with HF have dementia, which increases the mortality risk further. Cognitive impairment is associated with depressive disorders (DDs) and both dementia and DDs are independent risk factors for poor outcome after HF. However, most studies that evaluate mortality risk after HF separate these conditions.

Aims

To investigate whether dementia with depressive disorders (DDwD) affects the mortality risk at 12, 24, and 36 months after HF among older people.

Methods

Patients with acute HF (n = 404) were included in this retrospective analysis of two randomized controlled trials performed in orthopedic and geriatric departments. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale and cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. A consultant geriatrician made final depressive disorder and dementia diagnoses using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, with support from assessments and medical records. The 12-, 24- and 36-month mortality after HF was analyzed using logistic regression models adjusted for covariates.

Results

In analyses adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, pre-fracture walking ability, and fracture type, patients with DDwD had increased mortality risks at 12 [odds ratio (OR) 4.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75–12.51], 24 (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.71–7.60), and 36 (OR 4.53, 95% CI 2.24–9.14) months. Similar results were obtained for patients with dementia, but not depressive disorders, alone.

Conclusion

DDwD is an important risk factor for increased mortality at 12, 24, and 36 months after HF among older people. Routinely assessments after HF for cognitive- and depressive disorders could identify patients at risk for increased mortality, and enable early interventions.

Trial registration

RCT2: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register, trial registration number: ISRCTN15738119.
Impact of oral statin therapy on clinical outcomes in patients with cT1 breast cancer
Authors: Takada Koji , Kashiwagi Shinichiro , Iimori Nozomi , Kouhashi Rika , Yabumoto Akimichi , Goto Wataru , Asano Yuka , Tauchi Yukie , Morisaki Tamami , Ogisawa Kana , Shibutani Masatsune , Tanaka Hiroaki , Maeda Kiyoshi
Published: March 2023

Purpose

A previous meta-analysis examining the relationship between statin use and breast cancer reported that the inhibitory effect of statins on breast cancer may be more pronounced in early-stage cases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of hyperlipidemia treatment at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and to examine its correlation with metastasis to axillary lymph nodes among patients with so-called cT1 breast cancer whose primary lesion was 2 cm or less and was pathologically evaluated by sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. We also investigated the effects of hyperlipidemic drugs on the prognosis of patients with early-stage breast cancer.

Methods

After excluding cases that did not meet the criteria, we analyzed data from 719 patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer, with a primary lesion of 2 cm or less identified by preoperative imaging, and who underwent surgery without preoperative chemotherapy.

Results

Regarding hyperlipidemia drugs, no correlation was found between statin use and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.226), although a correlation was found between lipophilic statin use and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.042). Also, the disease-free survival periods were prolonged following treatment of hyperlipidemia (p = 0.047, hazard ratio: 0.399) and statin administration (p = 0.028, hazard ratio: 0.328).

Conclusion

In cT1 breast cancer, the results suggest that oral statin therapy may contribute to favorable outcomes.
Effect of targeted coagulopathy management and 5% albumin as volume replacement therapy during lung transplantation on allograft function: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Vajter Jaromir , Vachtenheim Jiri , Prikrylova Zuzana , Berousek Jan , Vymazal Tomas , Lischke Robert , Martin Archer Kilbourne , Durila Miroslav
Published: March 2023

Background

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) after lung transplantation (LuTx) contributes substantially to early postoperative morbidity. Both intraoperative transfusion of a large amount of blood products during the surgery and ischemia–reperfusion injury after allograft implantation play an important role in subsequent PGD development.

Methods

We have previously reported a randomized clinical trial of 67 patients where point of care (POC) targeted coagulopathy management and intraoperative administration of 5% albumin led to significant reduction of blood loss and blood product consumption during the lung transplantation surgery. A secondary analysis of the randomized clinical trial evaluating the effect of targeted coagulopathy management and intraoperative administration of 5% albumin on early lung allograft function after LuTx and 1-year survival was performed.

Results

Compared to the patients in the control (non-POC) group, those in study (POC) group showed significantly superior graft function, represented by the Horowitz index (at 72 h after transplantation 402.87 vs 308.03 with p < 0.001, difference between means: 94.84, 95% CI: 60.18–129.51). Furthermore, the maximum doses of norepinephrine administered during first 24 h were significantly lower in the POC group (0.193 vs 0.379 with p < 0.001, difference between the means: 0.186, 95% CI: 0.105–0.267). After dichotomization of PGD (0–1 vs 2–3), significant difference between the non-POC and POC group occurred only at time point 72, when PGD grade 2–3 developed in 25% (n = 9) and 3.2% (n = 1), respectively (p = 0.003). The difference in 1-year survival was not statistically significant (10 patients died in non-POC group vs. 4 patients died in POC group; p = 0.17).

Conclusions

Utilization of a POC targeted coagulopathy management combined with Albumin 5% as primary resuscitative fluid may improve early lung allograft function, provide better circulatory stability during the early post-operative period, and have potential to decrease the incidence of PGD without negative effect on 1-year survival.

Trial registration

This clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03598907).