bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Identities and Cognitive Information Processing Theory: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Osborn Debra S. , Quiroga Sabrina N. , Tang Edwin , Sherman Lyds J. , Reese Nicholas H. , Verma Khyati , Marks Laura R.
Published: April 2024

Social identities impact the way individuals see themselves and their career options but career theories have been slow to the call in exploring how social identities interface with theoretical assumptions. The purpose of this study was to examine how social identities affect and inform specific dimensions identified by cognitive information processing (CIP) theory as being essential for effective career decision-making, that is, self-knowledge, options knowledge, decision-making process and skills, career beliefs, and overall career decision. Seventy-six students across ten sections of an undergraduate CIP-based career development course answered questions on an anonymous survey related to how their social identities impacted aspects of their career decision-making. Frequencies for social identities were calculated for each CIP dimension, and 11 categories identified for open-ended responses using the consensual qualitative research-modified approach accompanied pre-determined domains based on CIP theory. Across each component, the most common SI was age and generational differences. While students expressed the influence of social identities as occurring in each CIP dimension, statements related to the self-concept category occurred most often and were present in each domain. Our findings support previous work that the presence and impact of SIs on career decision-making components is undeniable, but also not universal. CIP theory provides a structure and avenues for discussing the role of social identities in career decision-making.
Practice diffusion in China’s two-pronged engagement in global technical standardization
Authors: Fuchs Daniel , Eaton Sarah
Published: April 2024

In the context of intensifying geopolitical rivalry, China’s transition from rule-taker to rule-maker in technical standard-setting has generated deep contention with established stakeholders in the Global North. This article analyses how China, as a latecomer to global technical standardization, has navigated this increasingly contested arena of global economic governance. Building on the ‘practice turn’ literature in International Relations and a conceptualization of standard-setting processes as shaped by ‘communities of practice’, this article argues that ‘practice diffusion’ is of crucial significance for China’s rising standards power. Just as it sees mastery of global standardization practice as a key dimension of increasing its influence in established standards developing organizations, China has also begun to diffuse its standardization practice abroad in the effort to lay the foundations of a China-centric standardization regime. The article develops this argument by identifying four specific mechanisms of practice diffusion – learning the basics, learning to lead, learning within the region, learning to build – and by illustrating the role that each has played in Chinese stakeholders’ evolving engagement in global technical standard-setting.
Mundane dynamics: Understanding collaborative governance approaches to ‘big’ problems through studying ‘small’ practices
Authors: La Grouw Yvonne , van der Woerd Oemar , Visser E. Lianne , Blijleven Wieke
Published: April 2024

Collaborative approaches to governance, policymaking, and administration are believed to provide means of adequately handling wicked problems. Simultaneously, many scholars have acknowledged the difficulty of collaboration in practice. In this article, we argue that understanding the ‘small’ practices of collaborative governance and actor-positioning processes illuminates why collaborative governance is such a challenging response to wicked problems. Instead of focussing on ‘big’ collaborative approaches to ‘big’ wicked problems, zooming in on mundane dynamics demonstrates the continuous work that governing and positioning processes require, exposing the provisional nature of elements that have been argued to be vital, such as mutual trust, reciprocity, long-term commitment, authority, or autonomy. Lastly, the mundane uncovers the importance of the material, spatial, and temporal organisation of actor-positioning processes and the potential of language to inhibit or enable collaborative governance. The article ends with a reflection on how analyses of mundane dynamics may help scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and citizens to understand their own processes of engagements in collaborative endeavours and possibly temper expectations.
An intelligent body frame structure modeling and optimization system based on conceptual design
Authors: Hou Wenbin , Wang Xinyu , Han Jingfei , Yao Zaiqi , Wang Changsheng
Published: April 2024

The conceptual design stage is an indispensable and important stage in the development of the modern body. However, due to the lack of sufficient body structure parameter support, the design defects generated at this time are difficult to make up for in the subsequent design stage. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a conceptual design software for body structure that integrates design, analysis, and optimization. This paper proposes an intelligent body frame structure modeling and optimization system based on conceptual design, S-iVCD (Intelligent System for Conceptual Design of Vehicle Body Structure). Based on deep learning methods and body design sketches, a conceptual model of body structure is quickly established. Based on the data parameters stored in the Excel table, the system is seamlessly connected to the domestic independent finite element software SIPESC to calculate the simulated working conditions. The body structure optimization module is driven by the MMA (method of moving asymptotes), and takes the body structure performance and total mass as the optimization goals or constraints of the mathematical model to achieve body structure performance improvement and lightweight design.
Impact of the Czech–Polish intergovernmental Turów dispute on mental distance and cross-border integration: Avoiding problems, or neighbours?
Authors: Böhm Hynek , Novotný Lukáš , Kurowska-Pysz Joanna
Published: April 2024

The Turów lignite coalmine, a decisive economic actor and employer, is situated on the Polish side of the trilateral Euroregion Neisse–Nysa–Nisa. The decision to continue coal mining until 2044 was disputed, as Czech authorities raised concerns about its negative impact on the environment. This resulted in a Czech–Polish dispute that ended with an intergovernmental agreement in February 2022. However, during the 2 years preceding the conflict resolution, the dispute caused controversy in this part of the borderland, which was considered well-integrated thanks to the activities of the Euroregion Neisse–Nysa–Nisa created in 1991. Thus, we examine the impact of this dispute on mental distance in this part of the borderland and the resilience of cross-border integration through interviews with local stakeholders and surveys with local inhabitants. Our research reveals that the impact of the dispute on cross-border integration was twofold: whereas already cooperating actors tended to avoid the controversy with partners from the other side of the border, surveyed local citizens tended to avoid crossing borders to their neighbouring region. We conclude that mutual trust constantly promoted by facilitating various forms of cross-border connections and interactions is a significant precondition for lasting cross-border partnerships and networks, not only in the region under study.
Biomechanical Effects of Hindfoot Alignment in Supination External Rotation Malleolar Fractures: A Human Cadaveric Model
Authors: Seidel Angela , Chidda Amal , Perez Virginie , Krause Fabian , Zderic Ivan , Gueorguiev Boyko , Lalonde Karl-Andre , Meulenkamp Brad
Published: April 2024

Background:

Pressure distribution in the ankle joint is known to be dependent on various factors, including hindfoot alignment. We seek to evaluate how hindfoot alignment affects contact pressures in the ankle joint in the setting of supination external rotation (SER) type ankle fractures.

Methods:

SER fractures were created in 10 human cadaver lower extremity specimens, simulating progressive stages of injury: without fracture (step 0), SER fracture and intact deltoid ligament (step 1), superficial deltoid ligament disruption (step 2), and deep deltoid ligament disruption (step 3). At each step, varus and valgus alignment was simulated by displacing the calcaneal tuberosity 7 mm medial or lateral. Each limb was axially loaded following each osteotomy at a static load of 350 N. The center of force (COF), contact area (CA), and peak contact pressure (PP) under load were measured, and radiographs of the ankle mortise were taken to analyze the medial clear space (MCS) and talar tilt (TT).

Results:

The COF (5.3 mm, P = .030) and the CA (−188.4 mm2, P = .015) changed in step 3 in the valgus hindfoot alignment compared to baseline parameters, indicating the importance of deep deltoid ligament integrity in maintaining normal ankle joint contact stress in the valgus hindfoot. These changes were not seen in the setting of varus alignment (COF: 2.3 mm, P = .059; CA −121 mm2, P = .133). PP were found to not change significantly in either varus or valgus (varus: −4.9 N, P = .132; valgus: −4 N, P = .464). The MCS demonstrated widening in step 3 compared to step 2 (0.7 mm, P = .020) in both varus and valgus hindfoot. The TT increased significantly in step 3 in the valgus hindfoot (2.8 degrees, P = .020) compared to step 0.

Conclusion:

SER-IV fractures with valgus hindfoot alignment showed significant changes in pressure distribution and radiographic parameters when compared to SER-IV fractures with varus hindfoot alignment.

Clinical Relevance:

Based on this cadaver modeling study, patients with SERIV fracture with varus hindfoot alignment and complete deltoid ligament lesion may not need fracture fixation, whereas those with valgus hindfoot alignment likely need fracture fixation.
An Observational Study of Patient Characteristics and Environmental Risk Factors of Stingray Envenomations in San Diego, California
Authors: Arefieva Christa A. , DiLorenzo Kelly , Coffey Christanne H.
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Current literature on stingray envenomations focuses on the incidence, presentation, and complications of these injuries, with some studies providing such data for specific geographic locations. This is the first study to evaluate the influence of environmental factors and human characteristics on stingray envenomation patterns in San Diego, California.

Methods

Incident reports of injuries documented by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department/Lifeguard Division (SDFR-LG) during 2017 were analyzed. Water temperature and tide height were populated based on date and time. Data was analyzed for associations between stingray injuries incidence and tide height, water temperature, time, month, age and sex of the injured person, and whether they were local.

Results

1722 stingray injuries were reported to the SDFR-LG in 2017. Stingray injuries were associated with water temperature (p < 0.001), more frequently occurring between 18.8 °C and 19.5 °C. Most envenomations occurred at tide heights between 1.7 ft and 3.1 ft. Most victims were aged 20–29, and there were more males than females injured. Beaches separated from the greater ocean or with a reef bottom had a lower incidence. Stingray injuries were more frequent during summer months. More stingray envenomations were documented for out-of-town beachgoers.

Conclusions

Beachgoers with certain characteristics had more reported stingray envenomations than others. Males, nonlocal beachgoers, and individuals in their twenties had more injuries than their counterparts. Stingray injuries were more common at water temperatures between 18.8 and 19.5 °C. These findings may lead to future research on the prevention of stingray injuries.
Total hip arthroplasty outcomes in Ehlers-Danlos patients: data from the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System
Authors: Shichman Ittai , Rajahraman Vinaya , Anil Utkarsh , Lin Charles C , Rozell Joshua C , Schwarzkopf Ran
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are genetic connective tissue disorders affecting multiple organ systems that frequently result in connective tissue hyperlaxity and early osteoarthritis. Short- and long-term outcomes after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) in this patient population remain poorly characterised. The primary purpose of this study is to compare postoperative outcomes and survivorship after primary THA in patients with and without EDS.

Methods:

The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database was queried for all patients undergoing primary elective THA between September 2009 and December 2020. Patients with EDS were identified using ICD9 and ICD10 diagnosis codes. Given the relatively low incidence of EDS in this patient population, the cohort was propensity-matched 1:10 to patients without diagnosis of EDS based on demographics characteristics and medical comorbidities as measured by the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index.

Results:

A total of 66 THA patients with and 660 without EDS were included in each group after 1:10 propensity-matching. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or THA indications. Early postoperative outcomes such as length of hospital stay and discharge disposition were similar. Emergency Room visits and inpatient readmission rates at 3 months postoperatively did not significantly differ between groups. Patients with EDS had a higher overall revision rate compared to those without (15.0% vs. 3.2%, p  < 0.001). Revision free survival after primary THA in patients with EDS was significantly lower than those without EDS at 9-year follow-up. Cox proportional hazard regression demonstrated EDS patients had 7-times higher risk of revision (hazard ratio [HR] 7.43; 95% CI, 3.46–16.00; p  < 0.001). Lastly, revision due to instability insignificantly trended higher in the EDS cohort (HR 2.29; 95% CI, 0.95–5.49; p  = 0.063).

Conclusions:

EDS patients undergoing primary THA have increased rate of all cause revision and demonstrate decreased revision free survival compared to non-EDS THA patients.
Follow-up Routines Matter for Adherence to Endocrine Therapy in the Adjuvant Setting of Breast Cancer
Authors: Aurell Carolina , Haidar Alaa , Giglio Daniel
Published: April 2024

Background:

Endocrine therapy (ET) adherence leads to increased survival in breast cancer (BC). How follow-up should be done to maximize adherence is not known.

Objectives:

To assess adherence to ET, factors favouring adherence to ET and effects on survival in a population-based cohort of BC patients in western Sweden.

Design:

This is a retrospective study.

Methods:

We included 358 patients operated for oestrogen receptor-positive BC and recommended 5 years of ET, in Region Halland, Sweden, year 2015 to 2016. Demographical, clinical and pathological data and use of ET were retrieved from the electronic medical records. Patients were considered adherent if taking ET for 5 years or during the full extent of the follow-up, until termination of ET due to BC relapse or death and where renewals of prescriptions of ET covered ⩾80% of the ordinated dose. Two follow-up routines were employed, ie, routine A where patients were contacted annually by nurses and a more passive follow-up routine B where patients were only contacted by nurses at 2 years and 5 years following start of ET.

Results:

Medication persistence for 4 years and more was good and similar between patients initiating aromatase inhibitor (AI) and tamoxifen (75.7% and 72.0%, respectively, P = .43). More patients initiating AIs changed ET due to side effects compared with patients initiating tamoxifen (24.3% vs 9.9%, respectively, P < .0001). Endocrine therapy adherence was better for follow-up routine B than for follow-up routine A (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.71 [1.44-5.09], P = .0027).

Conclusions:

Adherence to ET in BC is high in Western Sweden. Less regular nurse-initiated contacts between BC patients and nursesled surprisingly to a better adherence than a more regular nurse-initiated contact.
Performance analysis of Al stainless steel joints fabricated by friction stir welding: Microstructure, mechanical, and tribology
Authors: Mir Fayaz A , Khan Noor Z , Sheikh Khursheed A , Badruddin Irfan A , Kamangar Sarfaraz
Published: April 2024

Hybrid structures, incorporating both aluminum and steel, hold potential for applications in automobile, aerospace, and marine industries. This research delves into the effects of friction stir welding on dissimilar joints (AA2024-T3 and SS304), with a focus on microstructural, mechanical, and tribological aspects. The study identifies optimal welding conditions at (tool rotational speed 710 r/min, traverse speed20 mm/min, tool pin offset1.5 mm towards aluminum, and tilt angle of 1.75 deg) that yield a well-defined joint interface, contrasting with flaws observed at a 40 mm/min traverse speed due to insufficient heat input. Under optimal conditions at 20 mm/min, a well-clean serrated interface, defect-free microstructural evolution, improved surface characteristics; enhanced mechanical performance resulting in higher ultimate tensile strength of 319 MPa with joint efficiency of 72.5 and better tribological performance were achieved with lower wear rate of 1.1607 × 10−5 g/Nm compared to those at 40 mm/min, highlighting the crucial role of optimized friction stir welding parameters in achieving high-quality dissimilar joints with desirable properties.
Unraveling the links between development, growth, and tourism specialization. A country-panel analysis using self-organizing maps
Authors: Lanzilotta Bibiana , Scaglione Miriam , Segarra Verónica
Published: April 2024

This research explores the relationship between development, economic growth and tourism specialisation in 123 countries between 1995 and 2019. Based on the hypothesis that a single model is inadequate to capture the complex dynamics between these variables, we classify countries before studying the link within each category. The empirical strategy is based on the application of an objective country classification procedure, known as Kohonen’s self-organising maps. This methodology, novel for this field of study, allows countries to be grouped based on the dynamics of several variables. Three distinct groups emerge from this process. We find that causality from tourism specialization to GDP growth and from tourism to human development are observed in low-income countries. While no reverse causality between HDI and tourism is observed in any of the specifications, causality from GDP growth to tourism is verified in the group of high-income countries with heightened tourism specialisation and development.
The formation of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in natural history museum scene: A configuration analysis based on motivation–opportunity–ability theory
Authors: Jiao Yuchen , Wang Yuchen
Published: April 2024

Tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is crucial for the sustainable growth of the tourism sector. While existing studies mainly examine the direct effects of individual factors on such behavior, there is a gap in understanding the comprehensive antecedent system that drives it. In this study, grounded in MOA theory and focused on a natural history museum scene, we developed a comprehensive framework to analyze the antecedent system of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. We argue that the formation of this behavior in museum tourists is not a single element but a combination of three critical factors: motivation, opportunity, and ability (MOA). Using the fsQCA method to analyze data from 276 tourists, we identified four distinct pathways that promote pro-environmental behavior in museum tourists: MOA equilibrium type, motivation–ability-oriented type, motivation–opportunity-oriented type, and ability-oriented type. This study enhances our understanding of the complex interactions among various factors influencing tourists’ pro-environmental behavior and provides insightful implications for the practice of museum tourism.
Answering tendencies on questionnaires: Comparing Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia versus English
Authors: Chee Zhong Jian , Lee Yee Thung , Fani Omid R. , Yong Tze Wei , de Vries Marieke
Published: April 2024

Aims Conducting psychological research in different countries and cultures necessitates measures in different languages. However, the language of a measure might influence responses, even within the same multilingual individual. The cultural accommodation theory proposes that one’s association with a language influences their responses. Moreover, response styles (RSs), such as an extreme or acquiescence RS, might systematically affect responses regardless of the content of the measure. These effects were reported on culture-related measures but are unclear on culture-free measures. Methodology and analyses We aimed to investigate the effects of language on psychological measures that do not explicitly examine cultural factors. Multilingual Malaysians ( n = 111) filled in the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale—21 items (DASS-21), the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE), the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and the Traditional Masculinity-Femininity Scale (TMF) in Bahasa Malaysia and English, or in Mandarin and English Findings. There were no language differences on the ADEXI and TMF. However, several subscales of the Brief COPE, the Stress subscale of the DASS, and the PedsQL scores were higher in Mandarin than in English. On the Brief COPE and the PedsQL, there were also differences in RS between Mandarin and English, which might explain (part of) these differences. There were no differences between Bahasa Malaysia and English in scores. However, there was a more extreme RS in English than in Bahasa Malaysia and a more acquiescence RS in Bahasa Malaysia than in English on the Brief COPE. These differences suggest that the measures are not culture-free or that previously reported language differences did not result from culture alone. The language of a measure might be an additional important factor. When using different translations of the same measure, it is important to take cultural accommodation and RS into account.
Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated: The persistence of neoliberalism in Britain
Authors: Bayliss Kate , Fine Ben , Robertson Mary , Saad-Filho Alfredo
Published: April 2024

Recent declarations of the end of neoliberalism in the United Kingdom, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, are underpinned by diffuse and unstructured understandings of the neoliberal state. We argue that state intervention is both necessary and unavoidable under neoliberalism. This article shows that the ‘market-based’ reforms and the ‘rollback of the state’ that overtly characterise neoliberalism are heavily reliant upon public policy and entail an ongoing role for state intervention both over time and across economic sectors. Using sectoral case studies of housing and water from within the United Kingdom, we demonstrate, through a tight analytical framing of both financialisation and commodification, the variegated though crucial role of the neoliberal state in restructuring provision to facilitate financialised accumulation and their transformations in response to the contradictions, dysfunctions and limitations of neoliberalised social reproduction.
Routine follow-up imaging is not necessary in uneventful early recovery after distal radius fractures treated with volar locking plate in working-aged patients: A retrospective single-center cohort study
Authors: Kärnä Laura , Launonen Antti P. , Luokkala Toni , Reito Aleksi
Published: April 2024

Background and objective:

The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether routine follow-up radiographs after distal radius fracture (DRF) treated with volar locking plate (VLP) influenced clinical decision-making and treatment in working-aged patients (18–65 years). We evaluated the possible correlation between clinical status and problems with follow-up radiographs and analyzed the overall reoperation rate.

Methods:

The study population of this retrospective cohort study consisted of working-aged (18–65 years) patients with DRF who were treated with VLP between January 2010 and December 2020. Baseline data, follow-up visits, and radiographs were collected. Radiographs were classified as either routinely assigned or according to clinical findings. Patients were divided into four groups based on abnormal radiographic findings or major symptoms leading to reoperation. Patients also received patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) questionnaire, which were analyzed.

Results:

A total of 861 patients were included in this study. Routine follow-up radiographs were available for 844 (98%) patients. In 7.0% of patients, 6-week radiographs led to a change of standard treatment protocol, most commonly additional imaging and/or clinical follow-up. Nine (1.1%) patients underwent an urgent reoperation, and 15 (1.8%) patients underwent reoperation later in the follow-up period. All these patients were exceptionally painful/symptomatic. In addition, 33 (3.9%) patients who underwent additional imaging and follow-up after abnormal radiograph, but did not undergo reoperation, were asymptomatic or suffered only mild pain. A total of 89 (10.5%) patients had reoperation for any reason during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

Routine follow-up radiographs after the treatment of DRF with VLP in the working-aged population rarely leads to changes in treatment strategy or reoperation in asymptomatic patients suggesting that it would be safe and cost-effective to reduce routine follow-up radiographs and focus instead on those patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms.
Homo anthropologicus: Unexamined behavioural models in sociocultural anthropology
Authors: Deschenaux Ivan , Matthews William
Published: April 2024

Inferences from ethnography in sociocultural anthropological arguments frequently rely on an unexamined model of the human mind and behaviour. Across a range of theoretical approaches, human thought and behaviour are implicitly understood as coherently following a single underlying cultural logic, described in terms such as ‘ontology’, habitus, political strategy. We term this implicit model Homo anthropologicus, by analogy with Homo economicus. Both simplify human behaviour and can thus lead to errors in its interpretation. We examine examples of Homo anthropologicus in anthropological approaches to ontology, caste, state evasion, and habitus. We propose that such accounts are erroneous in light of the multiple cognitive systems involved in human thought and behaviour, discussed with close reference to dual process theory. Unlike Homo anthropologicus, Homo sapiens’ behaviour is frequently inconsistent. Whilst anthropologists have long acknowledged this is the case, in practice, as we demonstrate through our examples, inconsistency is frequently seen as a problem to be explained away rather than as a feature of behaviour to be accounted for in its own right. We therefore conclude by calling for a greater degree of methodological reflexivity when making inferences from ethnography.
Practical low-temperature gasoline combustion for very high efficiency off-road, medium- and heavy-duty engines
Authors: Dec John E , Lopez Pintor Dario , Vijayagopal Ram
Published: April 2024

Low-temperature gasoline combustion (LTGC) with additive-mixing fuel injection (AMFI) is a new combustion strategy that has been demonstrated to deliver 9%–25% better brake thermal efficiency than similar-sized market-leading diesel engines over the operating map. Moreover, the LTGC-AMFI engine shows near-zero smoke, and NOx emissions are 4–100 times lower than those of a diesel, sufficiently low that no aftertreatment, or only passive NOx aftertreatment, would be sufficient (diesel exhaust fluid is not required). LTGC-AMFI combustion is based on kinetically controlled compression ignition of a dilute charge with a variable amount of low-to-moderate fuel stratification. Fast combustion control is provided by adding minute amounts of an ignition-enhancing additive into the fuel each engine cycle to control its reactivity. This strategy was used to operate a medium-duty (MD) LTGC-AMFI engine at loads from idle to 16.3 bar BMEP and speeds from 600 to 2400 rpm with regular E10 gasoline, which covers nearly the entire operating map of a typical MD engine. Turbine-out temperatures were sufficient for an oxidation catalyst to control hydrocarbon and CO emissions. Autonomie simulations over the GEM ARB Transient and the GEM 55 mph Cruise driving cycles for class-6 trucks using this technology showed fuel economies of 8.1 and 11.4 mpg-gasoline-equivalent, respectively, corresponding to 18.6% and 13.4% improvements over a similar-size diesel engine. Engine-out NOx emissions were 0.024 and 0.01 g/bhp-h, respectively, well below current U.S. emission standards. These results show that switching from diesel to LTGC-AMFI engines would greatly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for off-road, MD and HD applications, which will continue to rely on combustion engines because electrification is not practical in the foreseeable future. With their reduced fuel consumption, the lower cost of gasoline compared to diesel fuel, and much lower aftertreatment costs, LTGC-AMFI engines also offer a significantly lower total cost of ownership.
Before race: A literature review on de/colonial habits in play within early childhood
Authors: Tembo Shaddai , Bateson Simon
Published: April 2024

In this article, we consider the academic literature regarding how racial discrimination is prefigured in societal norms and habits in early learning and childcare in Scotland and England. Specifically, we outline what we see as a salient opportunity to strengthen the existing knowledge base, namely how race and racism are understood in young children’s relational habits and play prior to explicit acts. Leaning on the work of Jones and Okun, the article signals how a broader understanding of coloniality may inform earlier intervention in childhood practice. We conclude by introducing our interest in resurgent Froebelian pedagogies, especially in Scotland where they intersect strongly with national frameworks. We consider their potential affordances for understanding and intervening in childhood colonialities and strengthening childhood decolonialities.
Pivotal Evaluation of Novel Dedicated Venous Stent for Iliofemoral Venous Obstruction: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ma Xiaohui , Yang Jue , Yin Minyi , Liu Feng , Wu Weiwei , Li Yongjun , Qin Xiao , Zhang Lei , Xiao Zhanxiang , Xu Hao , Zhu Yunfeng , Wang Lixin , Zhang Jie , Fan Longhua , Dai Xiangchen , Yang Mu , Chen Bing , Hao Bin , Lin Shaomang , Liao Benlu , Fu Weiguo , Guo Wei
Published: April 2024

Purpose:

The purpose was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of a dedicated venous stent with the tripartite composite segments for the treatment of iliofemoral venous obstruction (IVO) in a mixed cohort of nonthrombotic iliac vein lesion (NIVL) and post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) over a period of 12 months.

Methods:

The Grency Trial is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, open-label, pivotal study, which was conducted at 18 large tertiary hospitals in China from August 2019 to October 2020. A total of 133 hospitalized patients were screened and 110 patients with clinical, etiology, anatomical, and pathophysiology clinical class (CEAP) clinical grade C>3 and iliac vein stenosis >50% or occlusion, including 72 patients with NIVL and 38 patients with PTS, were implanted with Grency venous stents. Primary endpoint was stent patency at 12 months follow-up, and secondary outcomes were technical success; improvement in venous clinical severity score (VCSS) at 3, 6, and 12 month follow-up; and rates of clinical adverse events.

Results:

Among 110 patients who were implanted with Grency venous stents, 107 patients completed the 12 month follow-up. All 129 stents were successfully implanted in 110 limbs. Twelve-month primary patency rate was 94.39% [95% confidence interval [CI]=88.19%-97.91%] overall, and 100% [94.94%-100%] and 83.33% [67.19%-93.63%] in the NIVL and PTS subgroups, respectively. Venous clinical severity score after iliac vein stenting improved significantly up to 12 months follow-up. There were 3 early major adverse events (1 intracerebral hemorrhage and 2 stent thrombosis events related to anticoagulation therapy), and 7 late major adverse events (1 cardiovascular death, 1 intracranial hemorrhage with uncontrolled hypertension, and 5 in-stent restenosis cases without stent fractures or migration).

Conclusions:

The Grency venous stent system appeared excellent preliminary safe and effective for IVO treatment. Further large-scale studies with longer-term follow-up are needed to evaluate long-term patency and durability of stent.

Clinical impact

The design of venous stents for iliofemoral venous obstruction (IVO) must address engineering challenges distinct from those encountered in arterial stenting. The Grency venous stent, a nitinol self-expanding stent specifically tailored for IVO, features a composite structure designed to meet the stent requirements of various iliac vein segments. The Grency Trial is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, open-label pivotal study aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of the Grency stent system. Following a 12-month follow-up period, the Grency venous stent system has demonstrated both safety and efficacy in treating iliofemoral venous outflow obstruction.
Botánicas Function as Health Care Safety Nets Among Hispanic American Immigrants: A Brief Report
Authors: Brenes Francisco , Goldstein Evan V. , Sarduy Ernesto Lázaro , Lazarus Richard , Fernandez Gabriela , Henriquez Federico , Asgarali Dariel
Published: April 2024

As the U.S. population becomes more racially/ethnically diverse, the Hispanic American immigrant population has slowly grown in recent years. In the face of anti-immigrant policies, limited access to care, fear of deportation, discrimination, stigmatization, poverty, and other stressors, Hispanic American immigrants seek services from botánicas for religious, spiritual, medical, and psychosocial health reasons, including the accessibility and affordability of services from folk practitioners in these herbal dispensaries. Hispanics are the primary consumers of herbal remedies and complementary and alternative medicines in the United States. The purpose of this article is to emphasize the critical role of botánicas in the health and wellness of Hispanic American immigrants. Recommendations for health professionals are provided in the care of Hispanic Americans who utilize folk, traditional, and herbal medicines for health and healing.
Tumor Segmentation in Intraoperative Fluorescence Images Based on Transfer Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Hou Weijia , Zou Liwen , Wang Dong
Published: April 2024

Objective

To propose a transfer learning based method of tumor segmentation in intraoperative fluorescence images, which will assist surgeons to efficiently and accurately identify the boundary of tumors of interest.

Methods

We employed transfer learning and deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) for tumor segmentation. Specifically, we first pre-trained four networks on the ImageNet dataset to extract low-level features. Subsequently, we fine-tuned these networks on two fluorescence image datasets (ABFM and DTHP) separately to enhance the segmentation performance of fluorescence images. Finally, we tested the trained models on the DTHL dataset. The performance of this approach was compared and evaluated against DCNNs trained end-to-end and the traditional level-set method.

Results

The transfer learning-based UNet++ model achieved high segmentation accuracies of 82.17% on the ABFM dataset, 95.61% on the DTHP dataset, and 85.49% on the DTHL test set. For the DTHP dataset, the pre-trained Deeplab v3 + network performed exceptionally well, with a segmentation accuracy of 96.48%. Furthermore, all models achieved segmentation accuracies of over 90% when dealing with the DTHP dataset.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this study explores tumor segmentation on intraoperative fluorescent images for the first time. The results show that compared to traditional methods, deep learning has significant advantages in improving segmentation performance. Transfer learning enables deep learning models to perform better on small-sample fluorescence image data compared to end-to-end training. This discovery provides strong support for surgeons to obtain more reliable and accurate image segmentation results during surgery.
Advancements in minimal residual disease detection: a practical approach using single-cell droplet PCR for comprehensive monitoring in hematological malignancy
Authors: Uchiyama Satoshi , Fukushima Kentaro , Katagiri Seiichiro , Tsuchiya Junichi , Kubo Tomohiro , Chi SungGi , Minami Yosuke
Published: April 2024

The identification of chromosomal abnormalities accompanied by copy number alterations is important for understanding tumor characteristics. Testing methodologies for copy number abnormality have limited sensitivity, resulting in their use only for the sample provided at the time of diagnosis or recurrence of malignancy, but not for the monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) during and after therapy. We developped the “DimShift” technology which enable to measure the copy number of target gene/chromosome in each cell, which is given by the single cell droplet PCR. Qualitative result of DimShift given by peripheral blood was perfectly concordant with that of bone marrow. These findings and performances are promising to be the new methodology for MRD detection in malignant diseases utilizing bone marrow as well as peripheral blood.
Domesticating technology: Learning from the use of mobile phone of small women rural entrepreneurs in India during COVID-19
Authors: Chakraborty Debjani , Garg Chhavi
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic and the worldwide lockdowns that followed the same have led to drastic changes in our lifestyles. While the lockdowns marked a global transition to a world of online services and products, the change was neither easy nor smooth for many. From lack of access to technology to the absence of skills to use it, the act of “going digital” was littered with challenges for people across the world. In the South-Asian country of India, this lack of access was further amplified by the presence of a gender digital divide. Among the women from various factions of the society, one such category affected by it was female entrepreneurs from small rural areas in India. These entrepreneurs were cut off from their clientele owing to a nationwide lockdown in the country imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. Most of these women had no prior experience with technology (which is mobile phones in their case) but they not only negotiated access but used it to sustain and grow their entrepreneurial endeavors in a short duration of time. This study, through in-depth qualitative interviews with female entrepreneurs from small rural areas in India maps their usage patterns and their negotiations for domesticating mobile phones. The research found that the first two stages of domestication theory (appropriation and objectification) were easier to navigate for the women entrepreneurs, but gender expectations from them made the last two stages of incorporation and conversion challenging.
An analysis of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections in patients treated in a Swedish Covid-19 intensive care unit
Authors: Lunnemar Petter , Taxbro Knut , Hammarskjöld Fredrik
Published: April 2024

Background:

Catheter-related bloodstream infection is a well-known, severe complication of central venous catheter insertion. Studies that have evaluated the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic’s influence on the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection in intensive care units are limited. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study on catheter-related bloodstream infection in coronavirus disease 2019 intensive care unit with previously documented low incidence rates to evaluate the pandemic’s impact.

Objectives:

To evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on catheter-related bloodstream infection incidence in the intensive care unit.

Methods:

All central venous catheter-inserted patients aged ⩾18 years admitted to the intensive care unit with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection, and the secondary outcome was the detection of catheter-related bloodstream infection-causative microorganisms.

Results:

During the pandemic’s first year, 124 patients were admitted, and 203 central venous catheters were inserted. Two patients developed catheter-related bloodstream infection. The incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection was 0.79/1000 catheter days. The microorganisms responsible for catheter-related bloodstream infection were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli.

Conclusion:

This study revealed a low incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection in the coronavirus disease 2019-intensive care unit, thus suggesting that coronavirus disease 2019 is not a risk factor for catheter-related bloodstream infection and indicating the high resilience of well-established routines aimed at catheter-related bloodstream infection prevention.
The Risk Spillover Effects and Network Connectedness Between Real Estate and Other Sectors in China
Authors: Hu Wenhua , Pang Jing , Li Wei
Published: April 2024

Using a high-dimensional time-varying parameter vector autoregression framework, we propose a volatility spillover network to analyze risk contagion direction, path, and intensity under supply-demand relationships when important events break out in the real estate market. We characterize daily return volatility spillovers across firms from January 2010 to April 2022 and find a high correlation among these firms because the real linkage based on industrial chain structure strengthened. Meanwhile, the outbreak of essential events in the real estate market corresponds to several peak values of return volatility. The empirical results show that excessive correlation induces risk contagion across the network, and spillover effects are significant under extreme market conditions, manifesting as cross-industry contagion and intersectoral diffusion. The volatility spillover effects within real estate firms are higher than spillover effects across markets. In addition, the industrial chain structure better explains the mechanism of cross-industry risk contagion, firms located upstream of the real estate industry chain are risk receivers, and those located downstream are risk spillovers. Real estate firms mainly spread risks to financial institutions and firms that provide production goods. Our findings are of constructive significance to the related policies by regulatory authorities and provide multi-angle empirical evidence support for the risk supervision theory of “too connected to fail.”
A systematic review and meta-analysis of HIV transmission risk behaviors, genetic variations, and antiretroviral (ARV) resistance in LGBT populations
Authors: Sulistina Dewi Ratna , Martini Santi , Prasetyo Budi , Rahman Firman Suryadi , Adji Arga Setyo , Li Chung-Yi , Lusida Maria Inge
Published: April 2024

Background:

Currently, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has become one of the major health problems worldwide, including Indonesia. East Java is one of the provinces in Indonesia with the highest prevalence of HIV infection. One of the causes of HIV infection transmission is lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) practice. Furthermore, the treatment using antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in HIV-1 patients can fail due to the presence of HIV drug resistance.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to identify the behavior at risk of HIV transmission among LGBT, patterns of genetic variation and antiretroviral (ARV) resistance.

Methods:

A systematic review and meta-analysis based on the PRISMA guidelines was conducted. We searched three databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google scholar for studies investigating the non-heterosexual behavior as risk factor of HIV infection and antiretroviral resistance. Only studies published in English are considered. The adjusted estimates of the risk were carried out using best-adjusted OR with 95% confidence interval (CI) and significant p value < 0.05.

Results:

In the quantitative analysis of HIV infection risk factors, a total of 13 studies were included, which investigated non-heterosexual behavior as a potential factor. The studies involved a total of 37,129 participants, comprising 10,449 individuals in the non-heterosexual behavior group (LGBTQ+) and 26,680 individuals in the heterosexual group. The majority of the participants in this study were from the USA, Japan, China, and Brazil, and the main HIV subgenotypes were B and CRF. Additionally, the antiretroviral resistance of HIV patients was examined, involving a total of 3062 individuals, with 1296 individuals in the non-heterosexual behavior group and 1766 individuals in the heterosexual group. Our calculation showed that non-heterosexual behavior was significant as risk factor of HIV infection (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.94–2.43, p < 0.001) and antiretroviral resistance (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.00–1.71, p = 0.05).

Conclusion:

This study concludes that non heterosexual behavior is significant risk factor of HIV infection. A quite prevalent of antiretroviral resistance were found among non heterosexual behavior. The main subgenotype of HIV are B and CRF.
The Acceptability of a Community-Based Perturbation-Based Balance Training to Older Adults and Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Whitten Justin , O’Leary Bryant , Graham David , Grocke-Dewey Michelle , Riley Julie , Harper Danielle , Tarabochia Dawn
Published: April 2024

Background: Perturbation-based balance training (PBT) is a promising fall risk reduction method that involves inducing unexpected perturbations to balance to train participants reactive balance control. Due to the unpredictable nature of PBT, its acceptability to older adults could present a barrier to the implementation of PBT in the community. Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived acceptability of a community-based PBT program to both older adults and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Methods: Nineteen older adults (aged 69.6 ± 6.6 years, 17 women, 2 men) and three HCPs participated in the qualitative study. Participants completed four PBT sessions facilitated in conjunction with HCPs. Interviews, based on the theoretical framework of acceptability, were conducted before and after PBT and analyzed using template analysis. Results: PBT was perceived as effective by older adults and HCPs. However, HCPs perceived the equipment cost as a substantial barrier to feasibility in the community.