bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case Management in Europe: A Modern Approach to Civil Litigation
Authors: van Rhee C.H.
Published: November 2024

The present paper starts with a discussion of the origins of two fundamental procedural principles: the Verhandlungsmaxime and the Untersuchungsmaxime, first distinguished by the Bavarian legal scholar Nikolaus Thaddäus (von) Gönner (1764–1827). Subsequently, as an example, an early-modern Dutch treatise on civil procedural law by the Flemish jurist Philips Wielant (1441/42–1520) is studied, focusing on the role of the judge and the parties in civil litigation. It is demonstrated that a model of civil litigation based on the learned Romano-canonical procedure (the ancestor of most systems of civil procedural law in Europe) took a balanced approach to the role of the judge and the parties in civil litigation, an approach that is present throughout the literature on civil procedure in the early-modern period. Next, a short overview of European developments as regards the role of the judge and the parties in civil litigation from the 19th until the early 21st century is provided. And finally, the current work of the European Law Institute and Unidroit in drafting European rules of civil procedure, more specifically the rules governing the role of the judge and the parties (and their lawyers), is discussed. One of the aims of this paper is to show how the suggestions made by the working group responsible for drafting rules governing the judge and the parties fit well in European developments that may have started at the time of the introduction of the Romano-canonical model of litigation in the secular courts of the late medieval and early-modern period.
What is Civil Justice, How Does it Change, and How Might it be Improved?
Authors: Andrews Neil
Published: November 2024

The two main functions of the civil process are protection of rights and adjudication of disputes. Changes within the procedural system are attributable to: technological adaptation; economic factors; and the system filtering external ideas by requiring official ‘think-tanks’ to process them. The main challenges are: (i) to increase academic interest and thus promote objective assessment; (ii) to adjust procedure to suit the particularities of cases; (iii) to ensure that justice is available to all, regardless of wealth or position; (iv) to take advantage of technological opportunities for improving efficiency; (v) to improve the attractiveness of the Bench to talented lawyers; (vi) to improve the legal system’s political representation at the heart of government; and (vii) to render the procedural system more efficient, less complicated, and better focused on the essential matters in dispute.
International Commercial Courts in the Litigation Market
Authors: Isidro Marta Requejo
Published: November 2024

The expression “international commercial courts” refers to national judicial bodies set up in the last fifteen years in several jurisdictions throughout the world to suit the specific demands of international commercial litigation. The courts and the proceedings before them share unique features often imported from the common law tradition and the arbitration world, with a view to providing for a dispute resolution mechanism tailored to the subject-matter. This notwithstanding, there is no single model of international commercial court: rather, each of them presents its own distinctive characteristics. This contribution summarises the main traits of several international commercial courts prior to exploring their relationship with international arbitration, on the one hand, and among them, on the other, at a time when dispute resolution mechanisms in competition is seen as an incentive for the improvement within justice systems at a global level, and the term “litigation market” is used matter-of-factly. In this context, elements such as the language of the process, the possibility of being represented by foreign lawyers, or the existence of a network of instruments for the enforcement of decisions abroad, may prove decisive in the choice of the users to file their claim with a court (and which one), or going to arbitration.
Faut-IL S’Adapter? De L’Avenir Du Procès Civil: Reddition Ou Résistance?
Authors: Ferrand Frédérique
Published: November 2024

In our neoliberal society, the state willingly intervenes, also in the justice sector, to impose adaptations presented as necessary in order to be able to resist the wind of wild competition born of globalisation. Injunctions are formulated, aiming at efficiency, transparency, simplification … and budgetary savings. The course given to the reforms is plural and can be seen in many States: it is a question of reinforcing confidence in the judicial institution, both by obligations of transparency and by increased specialisation of the courts, of engaging as much in technologisation as towards a flexibility of the settlement of civil disputes. Faced with this steamroller, a certain resistance should be established in order to safeguard certain values dear to the democratic processualist concerned with fundamental rights.
Analyse Comparative / Comparative Perspectives
Authors: Harsági Viktória
Published: November 2024

This article analyses the reforms undergone by the German system to give an effective response to the massive litigation derived from the so-called “Dieselgate” and, in a special way, the system of the new Musterfeststellungsklage.
Designing Procedure by Contract: Litigation Agreements in Contemporary Civil Procedure
Authors: Cabral Antonio
Published: November 2024

Once envisaged as having a public nature, procedure was the realm of state activity: procedural legal norms were solely drawn up by the legislator and court proceedings were conducted exclusively by judges. Nowadays, many legal systems tend to allow the parties to define, by contract, the shape and form of proceedings before state courts, something previously only permitted in arbitration, but now also in litigation. This article breaks down the arguments for and against the admissibility of litigation agreements, and tries to show how this movement towards a party-driven procedure is revolutionary, reconfigures the judge–parties relationship, rearranges the links between substantive law and procedural law and redefines the approach one must have to litigation in contemporary law, since it tends to begin prior to the filing of the lawsuit, while drafting contracts.
A Quantitative Approach to Study the Normativity of the Jurisprudence of Courts in Countries from the Civil Law Tradition
Authors: Auletta Ferruccio
Published: November 2024

Considering the difference between jurisprudence and precedent in civil law systems, the study focuses on the measurability of the factors determining jurisprudence. Using examples selected from French, Italian and Brazilian law, the author aims to assign a non-arbitrary quotient to each element concurring in the normative value of a decision in order to ascertain when a single judgment (non-binding precedent) could be objectively considered jurisprudence. Without any quantitative parameter to weight jurisprudence and its elements being set, in the civil law systems – where the normative value of jurisprudence is quickly increasing – the efficiency of case management could impact the most effective judicial protection of individual rights.
Courts in Lockdown: Lessons from International Arbitration
Authors: Walker Janet
Published: November 2024

As the pandemic has closed courthouses around the world, civil justice systems have had to find alternatives to in-person hearings to avoid indeterminate delays in resolving disputes. International arbitration practitioners, driven by the commercial interests of the parties, have pioneered the techniques and technologies for virtual hearings, identifying the challenges and developing the best practices needed to support the core procedural values of civil dispute resolution. This article looks at these advances from the perspective of the participants – counsel, judges, arbitrators, witnesses, parties and the public – and considers the options that are emerging and that hold the promise to provide lasting benefits for civil justice systems.
Covid-19 Lessons Learned and New Challenges: A View from Italy
Authors: Silvestri Elisabetta
Published: November 2024

This essay outlines several aspects of Italian society that have been deeply affected by the 2019 coronavirus pandemic. The measures adopted to mitigate the dramatic effects of the virus have been modestly successful, considering that there are no perfect recipes for managing the consequences of such an extraordinary event. From the experience of the first half of 2020, some lessons have been learned, and hopefully they will help Italy overcome the new challenges the pandemic has generated.
Jurisprudence, Securité Juridique et Droit au Procès Équitable:
Authors: Lemo Léonard
Published: November 2024

From the perspective of conciliating the civil and common law systems which prevail in Cameroon, the legislator has introduced, in article 35, paragraph 1i of Law no. 2006/016 of 29 December 2006 on the organisation and functioning of the Supreme Court, non- respect of the Supreme Court’s case law as a ground for a cassation complaint. The present article strives to demonstrate that although the law thus seems to recognise the case law value of precedent, this is an improper way to ally the efficiency of the Supreme Court’s core mission, the legal certainty requirement and the right to a fair trial. Although the reform may be dazzling in form, it is illusory in substance.
A Disruptive Novelty in the New Brazilian Civil Procedure Code: Prospective Overruling
Authors: Alvim Teresa Arruda
Published: November 2024

This article deals with a very interesting legal problem, which consists of the retrospective effect of changes in case law. This is, in fact, what really happens: old cases are decided in the light of a new rule. In some countries, a possible solution has been thought of, and it consists of prospective overruling. Even in civil law jurisdictions, where traditionally it is difficult to face the idea that judges effectively create law, some legal writers have expressed their concern in relation to the need to protect those who trusted the former rule, and acted accordingly.
Orality and Digital Hearings
Authors: Hjort Maria Astrup
Published: November 2024

It has always been a goal for legislators to find a procedure that is fair and just, and at the same time efficient and low in cost. Digital hearings might seem to be the ideal solution. Both travel time and travel expenses vanish, and at the same time one retains the possibility of easily clarifying matters orally. This article discusses the difference between orality in physical hearings and orality in digital hearings and examines whether the considerations behind the principle of orality also apply to digital hearings.
Immediacy, Orality, and Appellate Proceedings
Authors: Strandberg Magne
Published: November 2024

Professor of Law, the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen.
La Remise en Cause de la Chose Jugée et L’exigence D’une Bonne Administration de la Justice
Authors: Akono Rodrigue Oba’a
Published: November 2024

Justice is first and foremost a social undertaking. It must earn the confidence of those subject to its jurisdiction, based on the quality of the justice delivered. In this sense, we can understand that the proper administration of justice, although not formally enshrined, is a requirement that permeates the mission of judges. Questioning their decisions is simply the result of a feeling that justice has not been done. The conditions under which justice is dispensed must therefore be organised in such a way as to enable the truth to be ascertained. However, the search for the truth can lead to endless litigation. This is why, while it seems perfectly normal to allow the parties to raise grievances against the truth enshrined in res judicata, this should only be the exception when the judicial decision has become final and has acquired the authority of res judicata. In the first case, the litigant is simply seeking justice. In the second, on the other hand, justice is given the opportunity to redeem itself.
A Systemic Approach to Civil Justice: Procedural Law and Public Policies – an Ibero-American Perspective
Authors: Campos Santiago Pereira
Published: November 2024

This article analyses the elements making up the civil justice system and the way in which they interact, as well as the relationship between procedural law and public justice policies in the context of the reform processes and other forms of strengthening civil justice in Ibero-America.
Civil Procedure and International Sanctions
Authors: Mehtiyeva Kamalia
Published: November 2024

The present study reveals the functions that civil procedure may fulfil in the context of international sanctions in response to foreign policy. The trend of making civil procedure play the role of protector of the interests of sanctioned parties involved in international litigation has been growing in Russia, where the legislator has granted Russian courts exclusive jurisdiction in cases involving parties targeted by Russian sanctions, thus creating a concurrent jurisdiction to the forum competent either on the basis of international competence rules or a forum-selection or arbitration clause.

To ensure respect of the exclusive jurisdiction, the legislator has introduced a new procedural mechanism allowing any party targeted by Russian sanctions to make an anti-suit injunction application in order either to prevent or to stop a foreign litigation or an international arbitration to which the sanctioned entity is party in favour of Russian courts. This new legislation has been consistently applied by Russian courts, which has in its turn triggered a wave of reactions on behalf of litigants resisting Russian anti-suit injunctions and seeking to obtain in the competent for a anti-anti-suit or anti- enforcement orders. The latter may be efficient when assets are not located in Russia, but are doomed to fail otherwise.

Finally, the study also focuses on the use of other procedural mechanisms, such as discovery applications in the United States, in the context of sanctions. In particular, given that the international mutual legal assistance mechanisms are based on principle of reciprocity, can these mechanisms continue to be used in such context of belligerency?
Flower arrangement and plant architecture in Atraphaxis, Bactria, and Persepolium (Polygonaceae, Polygonoideae, Polygoneae) and their systematic implications
Authors: YURTSEVA OLGA V. , KOSTINA MARINA V.
Published: November 2024

Plant architecture includes patterns of arrangement of vegetative organs and flowers that may be difficult to describe because of the modular nature of plant growth. We disentangle the terminological issues and provide a case study of a clade of Polygonaceae family. The study focuses on the characteristics of thyrses, reproductive shoots, and shoot systems in 37 species of Atraphaxis, 5 species of Persepolium, and Bactria ovczinnikovii from arid regions of Eurasia using a phylogenetic approach. Based on the plastid phylogeny, parsimonious reconstructions of the evolution of 16 traits were obtained. Three types of perennial shoot systems were identified: perennial systems formed by reproductive (Type I) or vegetative (Type II) shoots, or by both (Type III). Type I was found in Persepolium, Bactria, and a basal subclade of the clade Atraphaxis, and was considered the plesiomorphic state. Type II was found in several distal subclades of the Atraphaxis clade, and was derived from Type I, while Type III was found in a distal subclade, corresponding to the section Atraphaxis. The characteristics of inflorescences and shoots differentiate Persepolium from Bactria and Atraphaxis and provide new data for the classification of the latter genus. Our findings confirm the heterogeneity of the section Tragopyrum, which includes species with Types I and II shoot systems, as well as the isolation of sections Atraphaxis and Physopyrum, which differ in the structure of their thyrses.
2. Mapping Digital Humanities at Western Sydney University
Authors: Burrows Simon
Published: November 2024

This chapter discusses efforts to build research capacity in Digital Humanities at Western Sydney University. Western Sydney University is a particularly appropriate subject for such a study because it was the site of the first Chair and earliest formally constituted research cluster in its field in Australia. The chapter charts the challenges, triumphs and disappointments of the university’s Digital Humanities Research Group from formation to maturity, as the group has sought to establish financial stability whilst nurturing an emerging and diverse group of digitally empowered projects. In particular, it focuses on how the group’s leadership has leveraged conferencing, training and networking to build trajectory, reputation and velocity, and has strategically targeted seed-corn funding to support emerging Digital Humanities scholars. It also explores how my own award winning and, by the standards of the field, positively venerable, project on the ‘French Book Trade in Enlightenment Europe’ has drawn on and developed the expertise and activities of colleagues, stakeholders and external collaborators, to bring training, research and funding opportunities to group members and students, and embed us in an ecosystem of ‘like-minded projects’. In these ways, it is hoped that the Digital Humanities Research Group might be viewed as a living laboratory, and its experience serve as a guide to the perils and opportunities inherent in developing Digital Humanities.
3. Netflix and the shaping of global politics
Authors: Colman Diane
Published: November 2024

This chapter begins by outlining the meaning and importance of soft power in global politics and briefly detailing the consideration of popular culture in the International Relations (IR) discipline. It then provides a detailed description of the research design of the database project, taking account of positivist conventions in qualitative studies by utilising the hybrid methodologies in the Digital Humanities interdisciplinary approach. International Relations as a discipline understands power on a global scale. Such understanding includes the concept of ‘soft power’ and the role of popular culture in projecting and universalising hegemonic state values. In the globalised world of today, the power of individuals often transcends state boundaries. This case study is about Netflix, which, as a global actor, is the leading entertainment streaming service. Netflix has considerable capacity to influence its audiences’ ideas about the world, projecting immense soft power worldwide. Examining the ideological basis of this power is important in understanding world politics. The creation of a comprehensive database that categorises all Netflix Original films according to a carefully selected set of ontologies provides the epistemological tools necessary to suit the needs of IR studies.
4. Digital justice
Authors: Tait David , Rossner Meredith
Published: November 2024

Courts have increasingly made use of video technologies to allow witnesses and defendants to take part in hearings. This use increased dramatically as a result of COVID-19. Not only did individuals appear on screens in physical courtrooms, but courts themselves sometimes went virtual. We examine what happens to interactions and rituals when the physical courtroom disappears. We compare the standard form of video conference based on isolating participants into boxes in a gallery, with an alternative approach, the metaverse court, which brings participants together into a shared space.
Assessing the Efficacy of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Olfactory Dysfunction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Iqbal Iman S. , Carnino Jonathan M. , Kariveda Rohith R. , Levi Jessica R.
Published: November 2024

Objective:

This article seeks to systematically review existing literature on the use of acupuncture in treating olfactory dysfunction in order to better understand the methodology and efficacy of this alternative treatment modality.

Methods:

A comprehensive search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted. The review was conducted by 2 independent reviewers that authored this article. Inclusion criteria included all studies analyzing the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of olfactory dysfunction. Articles were excluded if they were duplicates, opinion or review papers, incomplete or unavailable papers, or if they were in a language other than English.

Results:

The review found 10 articles matching the inclusion criteria that overall showed a positive improvement in olfactory dysfunction after acupuncture intervention in multiple settings. Challenges highlighted in this review include variability in acupuncture protocols, such as differences in point selection, session frequency, and overall treatment duration, as well as the lack of standardized outcome measures for assessing olfactory function.

Conclusion:

This systematic review suggests acupuncture may have therapeutic effect on improvement of olfactory function across various types of olfactory disorders, most notably seen in post-viral anosmia. Given the variability in acupuncture protocols and lack of standardized outcome measures, there is a need for further research with standardized methods and larger sample sizes. Olfactory dysfunction is fundamentally a quality-of-life issue; advancing research could solidify acupuncture as a valuable and cost-effective addition to treatment plans, optimizing patient well-being.
Preparing for war by fostering alpine winter tourism: Hermann Czant and his ideas on infrastructure for fighting in high altitude
Authors: Segesser Daniel Marc
Published: November 2024

Neither in historiography of alpine (winter) tourism nor in that on the First World War in mountainous regions has (Austro-)Hungarian mountaineer and officer Hermann Czant received a lot of attention, although he was amongst those, who promoted alpine winter tourism not least as an important training for military operations in a war in mountainous terrain such as the Alps or the Carpathians. This article analyses the ideas of Hermann Czant on the relationship between mountaineering, future military operations in high altitude and the construction of infrastructure in mountainous terrain and claims that he was probably looking for recapturing the Carpathians lost by Hungary in 1918–1920 through the fostering of alpine (winter) tourism and the building of infrastructure related to this process. At the same time he was very much aware of the integrative as well as disintegrative impact of the building of infrastructure in a mountainous environment. Therefore human agency and conduct took precedence over more or less permanent civilian or military infrastructure in such areas.
Integrated diagnosis optimization design of the electronic equipment based on spatial mapping
Authors: Gu Xu-ping , Shi Xian-Jun
Published: November 2024

The complexity of test and fault information within electronic devices makes their integrated diagnosis a challenging problem when designing equipment reliability. Current integrated diagnosis is analyzed for test optimization and test resource optimization. However, this neglects the connection between them. This paper proposes a design strategy for integrated diagnosis optimization based on the spatial mapping principle to quantitatively describe the constraint relationship between them. The integrated diagnosis optimization model is established by constructing the logical mapping relationship between test space, resource space, and fault space, and the optimal test configuration and test resource configuration are sought based on the grey wolf optimization algorithm. Seven high-dimensional benchmark functions and an integrated diagnosis model of electronic equipment are used to verify the efficiency of the algorithm proposed in this paper. The proposed algorithm is compared with the other four in terms of the algorithm’s optimization speed and accuracy. The results indicate that the electronic equipment after integrated diagnosis optimization has critical fault detection, fault detection, fault isolation, and false alarm rates of 100%, 99.99%, 98.99%, and 0.2993%, respectively. After the integrated diagnosis optimization, the number of tests of the equipment is reduced by 88.9%, and the test cost is saved by 89%. Compared with the other algorithms, grey wolf optimization achieves the best optimization results, reduces the number of tests by 42%–55%, and decreases the test cost by 77.63%–83.91%. This strategy not only considers the test optimization of equipment and test resources optimization but also dramatically reduces the test cost while improving the test efficiency.
Can the second phase of contrast-enhanced MRA of the neck provide additional information in the acute stroke setting?
Authors: Shah P , Kale H , Shrivastava M , Sanghvi D , Munshi M , Sangani G , Mundada K
Published: November 2024

Background

Double-concentration magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents are frequently used in contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) of the head and neck. To avoid mistiming the peak concentration of intraluminal contrast (due to shorter duration of peak), a second acquisition is sometimes performed.

Purpose

To evaluate additional information from the second acquisition of CE-MRA and compare the collateral scoring to the hypoperfusion index obtained on MR perfusion, and to investigate presence of pseudo-occlusion using the second phase of CE-MRA.

Material and Methods

A retrospective study was conducted. CE-MRA of the brain/neck, dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MR perfusion scan (in majority) and subsequent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were evaluated in patients with previous acute internal carotid artery (ICA)/middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Evaluation of CE-MRA/MR perfusion and DSA was performed by three experienced neuroradiologists and one neurointerventionist, respectively.

Results

The site of ICA occlusion was seen to be distal to the site noted on early arterial phase (pseudo-occlusion of ICA) in 28.5% of patients. A significant negative correlation was seen between a higher HIR and collateral score.

Conclusion

Evaluation of second phase CE-MRA can provide valuable information that may be otherwise lost if only the early arterial phase is evaluated.
Nineteenth-century narratives of addiction: Relational harm and the child as witness
Authors: Wood Madeleine
Published: November 2024

Through close reading of medical and cultural texts, this article demonstrates how the narrativisation of relational harm underpinned the emerging categorisation of ‘addiction’ in the 19th century: excessive consumption was conceived through its detrimental impact upon others, and more specifically, upon the family. The problem was portrayed as physiological, psychological, and social: ‘addiction’ could not be located securely within a single individual, nor was it conceived simply as a social vice. While other societal themes emerge in the medical writing of the period, such as the relationship between drinking and criminality, and the visibility of drinking in the working-classes, these are not presented as proto-diagnostic criteria in the same way as relational harm. In theorising addiction, medicine relied upon rhetorical devices and narrative modes, and authors and artists took an active role in defining the terms of the debate around drinking, drug use, and gambling. Charles Dickens and George Cruikshank represent childhood through the adult's compulsive behaviour, which the child witnesses, while the adult's behaviour itself is conceived as harm directed towards child. The article demonstrates how 21st-century attitudes, particularly located in the fields of psychiatric diagnosis and child protection social work, echo debates established by 19th-century narratives, arguing that that the disease model of addiction was closely associated with the medico-legal production of childhood. Nineteenth-century narratives of addiction therefore anticipate late 20th- and 21st-century attitudes regarding the impact of parental substance use upon children.
Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients With Ankle Osteoarthritis Affects Contralateral Ankle Alignment and Postoperative Outcome of Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Koyama Tomoki , Mori Yu , Utsumi Shunsuke , Harada Kento , Ito Kentaro , Tanaka Hidetatsu , Aki Takashi , Nagamoto Hideaki , Kamimura Masayuki , Aizawa Toshimi
Published: November 2024

Background:

This study investigated the impact of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on the alignment of the ankle joint, focusing on changes in coronal alignment of both ankles.

Methods:

This retrospective study, conducted at our hospital, included 64 patients older than 70 years who underwent TKA for varus knee osteoarthritis (OA). Using full-length standing radiographs of both lower extremities taken preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively, we assessed ankle OA grading based on the Takakura-Tanaka classification and measured mechanical hip-knee-ankle (mHKA) and the tibiotalar angle (TTA) on both the surgical and contralateral side. Additionally, we examined the impact of ankle OA on postoperative clinical scores, the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, following TKA.

Results:

Based on the classification, ankle OA stage 2 or higher was present in 13 cases on the surgical side and 13 cases on the contralateral side. On the surgical side, mHKA changed from 12.2 to 1.8 degrees varus ( P < .001) and TTA from 1.7 to 1.0 degrees varus ( P = .002). On the contralateral side, mHKA changed from 4.0 to 5.4 degrees varus ( P = .04), and TTA from 2.7 to 3.0 degrees varus ( P < .001). In ankle OA stage 2 or higher patients, contralateral TTA changed from 5.2 to 6.5 degrees varus ( P < .001) and unchanged in stage 1 patients. Ankle OA stage 2 or higher patients had worse ADL outcomes than stage 1 patients (score: 67.2 and 78.3, respectively, P = .03).

Conclusion:

This study suggests an apparent interrelationship between knee and ankle OA and the potential negative influence of TKA on ankle OA.
Identification of Factors Associated with Both Frequency and Severity of Deer-Related Motorcycle Crashes
Authors: Betten David P. , Goulding Benjamin M. , Kostka Phillip J. , Corser William D. , Owen Kristen N.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to injury when encountering large animals such as deer in the roadway. The frequency of these events, factors associated with their occurrence, and the extent of injuries sustained from such crashes are not yet well described.

Methods

A review of 10 years (2012–2021) of statewide motorcycle crash reports from a single state with a large deer population was performed to ascertain the frequency of deer-associated motorcycle crashes. Environmental and roadway conditions, as well as motorcyclist age, gender, and helmet usage, were identified to determine if associations exist with the severity of injuries sustained.

Results

Statewide, 8.5% of reported motorcycle crashes involved deer. Excluding the two most densely populated counties, this rose to 10.7%, with 24.1% of crashes occurring during non-daylight hours being deer related. Factors associated with increased frequency of more severe injury and death included not wearing a helmet, female gender, and rural county crash location. Death and severe injuries were reported in more than twice as many riders who were unhelmeted compared to those wearing helmets (36.1 vs 16.6%; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

In a single midwestern state, deer represent a significant danger to motorcyclists, especially in rural settings during non-daylight hours. A cautious approach to riding during this time, utilizing available safety precautions to minimize risk of severe injury and death, and further exploration of viable interventions to reduce the likelihood of these occurrences should be considered.
Design of continuously radial density-graded aluminum foam with unidirectional and bidirectional and study on blast resistance of sandwich tube
Authors: Yu Xuehui , Wang Anshuai , Wang Mingshi , Li Ting , Wei Guofu , Shao Zhushan
Published: November 2024

This work focuses on investigation of the internal blast resistance of metal sandwich tubes with continuously radial density-graded aluminum foam cores. Based on the 3D-Voronoi technology in polar coordinates, unidirectionally and bidirectionally continuously density-graded aluminum foam were developed for the cores of sandwich tubes in Finite Element (FE) model. And the correctness of core gradient was verified by comparing theoretical design with the actual value generated by FE model. Effects of core density distribution and core density gradient on blast resistance of sandwich tubes were explored and identified. The results indicate that, when the core density gradient is constant, the sandwich tube with negative-gradient core exhibits the smallest maximum deformation of the outer tube, while the negative-middle-low-gradient core tube shows the highest specific energy absorption ( SEA). For negative-gradient core tube, as the core density gradient increases, the maximum deformation of the outer tube decreases significantly, with only slight reduction of the structural SEA. For negative-middle-low-gradient core tube, as the core density gradient increases, the maximum deformation of the outer tube decreases, while the SEA increases.
Is CRPS-1 a Chronic Disabling Disease? A Long-term, Real-Life Study on Patients Treated With Neridronate
Authors: Varenna Massimo , Zucchi Francesca , Orsini Francesco , Crotti Chiara , Calabrese Giulia , Caporali Roberto
Published: November 2024

Background:

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1) is severely debilitating and painful disease that is difficult to treat.

Objective:

The objective was to evaluate the long-term residual disability of patients with CRPS-1 following parenteral neridronate treatment.

Design:

This is real-life retrospective observational study.

Methods:

Patients affected by CRPS-1 of the upper limb were treated with neridronate infusions (400 mg over 10 days) between February 2017 and December 2021 for whom clinical and demographic information was collected. From November 2022, patients treated ⩾1 year previously were recalled for clinical evaluation. A dedicated instrument (DASH questionnaire, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) was employed to assess residual disability. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate predictors of disability.

Results:

Forty-nine patients aged 61.1 ± 11.5 years and 73.5% female with CRPS-1 of the upper limb were included. Disease duration before treatment was 9.9 ± 8.0 weeks, and the mean length of follow-up was 4 years (47.7 ± 22.0 months). The disease had fully resolved in 46 patients (93.9%) for whom the diagnostic criteria were no longer recognized. According to the DASH score, 38 patients (77.6%) resulted free of functional limitations, whereas 11 patients (22.4%) were still suffering from disability. The DASH score was positively correlated with residual visual analogue scale (VAS; Spearman’s Rho = 0.61; P < .001). Predictors of residual disability were younger age (odds ratio [OR]: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63-0.93; P = .012) and delay between disease onset and treatment (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.13-1.96; P = .004).

Conclusions:

In this real-life study, neridronate parenteral treatment provided a full recovery of CRPS-1 in over 3 quarters of patients, provided they are treated early.
Telehealth utilization among patients with chronic disease: Insights from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey
Authors: Lee Minjung , Nam Soohyun
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Telehealth has been effectively used for managing chronic disease conditions; however, utilization patterns vary across populations. This study aims to examine the prevalence of telehealth utilization, the associated factors of telehealth modality (e.g., audio, video) among patients with chronic diseases, and the role of health literacy.

Methods

Participants with at least one diagnosed chronic disease from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6) data (n=3686) were analyzed. Differences in participant characteristics between telehealth users and non-users were compared using χ² statistics. Multinomial logistic regression models were employed to investigate factors associated with telehealth modality.

Results

About 52% of participants reported using telehealth in the past 12 months, with 34.7% using audio-only modality. Telehealth use was highest among participants with depression (61.6%) and lowest among those with high blood pressure (47.6%). Participants over 75 years old (OR, 3.11 [95% CI, 1.99–4.85]; P < 0.001) were more likely to use audio-only modality compared to the youngest group (18–34 years). Respondents with a higher educational level (bachelor's degree: OR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.59–1.00], P = 0.049; post-baccalaureate degree: OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.43–0.82]; P < 0.001) and higher health literacy (OR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.66–0.99]; P =0.04) were more likely to use audio-video modality compared to their counterparts.

Discussion

Telehealth use varied across demographics and chronic diseases, revealing significant disparities. Elderly individuals, those with lower socioeconomic status, and those with lower health literacy tended to use the audio-only modality. Providing support for digital platforms and health literacy can empower patients with chronic diseases to effectively use telehealth for self-management.
‘Some change of feeling and purpose’: The League of Nations Union, emotions, and world citizenship in Britain, 1919–1939
Authors: Wright Susannah
Published: November 2024

Many voluntary associations during the interwar years promoted international understanding in the hope of avoiding another global war. The League of Nations Unions in Britain lobbied the government to advocate for the newly founded League of Nations, whilst also seeking to convince and educate a wider public, promoting a ‘world citizenship’ that crossed national boundaries. Children and young people were a key constituency for the LNU’s promotional efforts as they would be the ones to take its agenda forward in the future. To create world citizenship among this younger generation, the LNU argued that ‘new knowledge’ alone was insufficient; a ‘change of feeling and purpose’ was also required. This article focuses on the ‘change of feeling and purpose’, the emotional terrain of the LNU’s vision of world citizenship, with an emphasis on international friendship, hope and fear. Drawing on selected exemplars from the LNU’s Education Committee publications, school magazines, and memoirs and oral histories, it explores ways in this emotional terrain was envisaged by adults in the LNU, and was experienced and articulated by young people themselves.
Soiled Toilet Paper for Community-based Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance and Enteric Pathogens: A Pilot Study
Authors: Perez-Garcia Gabriela , Gomez Barillas Andrea , Mendizábal-Cabrera Renata , Alvarez Danilo , Ramay Brooke M. , Walas Nikolina , Graham Jay P.
Published: November 2024

In many countries, soiled toilet paper is placed in trash bins rather than flushed down the toilet. We investigated the use of soiled toilet paper in Guatemalan markets to surveil for pathogenic sequence types (STs) of E. coli and third generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli (3GCR-EC). We collected used toilet paper from trash bins in the restrooms of three Guatemalan public markets. We screened samples for E. coli and 3GCR-EC. Whole genome sequencing was used to characterize the isolates. E. coli was successfully cultured from all 30 toilet paper samples. Soiled toilet paper was an effective matrix for surveilling multidrug-resistant E. coli and could be an efficient method in certain contexts.
Pregnancy mobile app use: A survey of health information practices and quality awareness among pregnant women in Australia
Authors: Brammall Bonnie R , Hayman Melanie J , Harrison Cheryce L
Published: November 2024

Background:

Health-related mobile applications (apps) have the potential to improve health knowledge and promote healthy behaviours during pregnancy. Pregnancy apps are popular and extensively used by consumers.

Objective:

This study investigates the usage patterns, decision-making criteria and concerns regarding the quality and credibility of health-related information within pregnancy mobile applications. The aim of this study is to understand consumer perspectives to potentially contribute to guidelines for apps containing health-related information.

Design:

A cross-sectional study, utilising an online questionnaire for data collection.

Methods:

The study surveyed pregnant women in Australia who were recruited via online platforms, including social media and paid Facebook ads. Participants completed a 29-item questionnaire assessing their use of pregnancy apps, sources of health information and perceptions of app quality and safety, with data collected and analysed using the Qualtrics platform and SPSS Statistics.

Results:

The survey was survey completed by 427 current-or-recently pregnant individuals, aged 18 or over and located in Australia. Overall, 62.3% were currently pregnant and 37.7% were recently pregnant, within 6 months. Medical practitioners were the primary source of pregnancy-related health information, and pregnancy apps were the third most common source. Pregnancy apps were considered to be a trustworthy source of information by 63.8% of respondents and the majority used apps during pregnancy (94.2%). Of those who used pregnancy apps ( n = 325), information being safe and trustworthy was their top priority when selecting an app. However, 35.5% ( n = 115) had encountered information in an app they felt was unsafe or conflicted with previous knowledge or advice. Only 4.6% ( n = 15) were aware that health-related apps are not screened for accurate information/undergo quality assurance checks before being made available to download. If provided with a guide to evaluate app quality, 74.6% ( n = 241) would utilise the tool.

Conclusions:

These findings highlight a need to promote the critical assessment of health information within pregnancy apps and to develop resources to support consumers in doing so.
Impact of ambient heat exposure on pregnancy outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Authors: Lakhani Sohail , Ambreen Sobia , Padhani Zahra Ali , Fahim Yusra , Qamar Sana , Meherali Salima , Lassi Zohra S
Published: November 2024

Increasing global temperatures due to climate change have raised serious concerns regarding its potential impact on health outcomes. Pregnant women and their fetuses are among the most vulnerable groups being affected by these dramatic changes resulting in adverse outcomes for both the mother and the developing fetus. Evidence regarding heat-related pregnancy adversities in high-income countries is conclusive, however, such evidence is rare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review was conducted to bridge the knowledge gap by providing evidence-based insights into the specific repercussions of high heat exposures during pregnancy and its effect on birth outcomes in LMICs. A systematic review was conducted to assess the impact of high environmental or ambient temperatures on pregnancy outcomes (abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birthweight (LBW)) in LMICs. Electronic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus. Observational studies published between 2010 and 2023 were included in the review. Screening of studies was done using Covidence software, data was extracted on Excel sheets and quality assessment was done using the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute tool. We included 11 studies. Four of six studies that included preterm births showed an association between heat and preterm births. Four of five studies reported an association between heat exposure and LBW. Three of four studies on stillbirths showed a significant association between heat exposure and stillbirths. One of the two studies that reported spontaneous abortion revealed a significant association of heat with abortion. Meta-analysis could not be performed due to the lack of homogeneity in defining heat exposure. Amongst the included studies, seven were categorized as “good” and four were categorized as “fair” on methodological quality. This study concluded that ambient temperature and heat exposure during pregnancy can impact birth outcomes such as preterm births, LBWs, abortions, and stillbirths in LMICs. Urgent action is imperative on both national and global scales to facilitate a comprehensive and definitive assessment of heat exposure in LMICs, enabling a deeper understanding of its repercussions on pregnant women. Longitudinal studies are paramount for confirming these associations and devising targeted interventions and strategies aimed at enhancing maternal and child health within LMIC contexts. Registration: PROSPERO ID: CRD42023449173.
The Effect of L5 Morphology on Prevention of L5-S1 Degeneration Following Floating Fusion for Degenerative Spine Disorders
Authors: Lin Xiaolong , Zhu Jie , Song Jincheng , Wang Liming , Ge Jianfei , Sha Weiping
Published: November 2024

Study Design

Retrospective Study.

Objectives

The selection of floating fusion or lumbosacral fusion arises when treating patients with instability or stenosis of the lower lumbar spine concomitantly radiographic degeneration of L5-S1. This study aimed to investigate the preoperative anatomical or morphological factors affecting the survivorship of the L5-S1 after floating fusion.

Methods

This study included 77 patients who had undergone floating fusion surgery through the TLIF approach. Preoperative radiographic parameters were evaluated using anteroposterior and lateral lumbar spine radiographs. The patients were divided into two groups according to the Modified Pfirrmann Grading and total endplate score. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to explore the relationships between the anatomical or morphological characteristics of L5 and the degeneration of L5-S1.

Results

The disc degeneration group exhibited a smaller height ratio of the iliac crest (H i) and a less L5 deep position. Furthermore, the right/left height of L4 (H r/H l) and the right/left width of transverse process of L5 (C Rt/C Lt) were significantly higher in the disc and endplate degeneration groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that H i and C Rt were independently associated with L5-S1 disc degeneration, whereas H r was a significant risk factor for L5-S1 endplate degeneration.

Conclusion

Anatomical and morphological characteristics of L5, such as smaller H i, higher C Rt and H r, were associated with an increased risk of L5-S1 degeneration in patients after floating fusion. These findings may indicate the fusion level when addressing lower lumbar degenerative diseases and the concurrent radiographic degeneration of L5-S1.