bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Bayesian Networks to Investigate Psychological Constructs: The Case of Empathy
Authors: Briganti Giovanni , Decety Jean , Scutari Marco , McNally Richard J. , Linkowski Paul
Published: December 2022

Network analysis is an emerging field for the study of psychopathology that considers constructs as arising from the interactions among their constituents. Pairwise effects among psychological components are often investigated by using this framework. Few studies have applied Bayesian networks, models that include directed interactions to perform causal inference on psychological constructs. Directed graphical models may be less straightforward to interpret in case the construct at hand does not contain symptoms but instead psychometric items from self-report measures. However, they may be useful in validating specific research questions that arise while using standard pairwise network models. In this study, we use Bayesian networks to investigate a well-known psychological construct, empathy from the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, in large two samples of 1973 university students from Belgium. Overall, our results support the hypotheses emphasizing empathic concern (i.e., sympathy) as causally important in the construct of empathy, and overall attribute the primacy of emotional components of empathy over their intellectual counterparts. Bayesian networks help researchers identify the plausible causal relationships in psychometric data, to gain new insight on the psychological construct under examination, help generate new hypotheses and provide evidence relevant to old ones.
Temporary populations and sociospatial polarisation in the short-term city
Authors: Brollo Barbara , Celata Filippo
Published: December 2022

Temporary populations – tourists, temporary stayers, non-resident students – constitute a substantial share of many cities’ inhabitants. Their implications are normally the object of separate research, about over tourism, studentification, transnational gentrification. When viewed from the perspective of the sociospatial relations those populations have in and with the city, many similarities emerge in their urban practices, socio economic characteristics, locational and housing preferences. The paper aims to contribute to recent attempts to avoid traditional categorisations and investigate jointly how the inflow of temporary inhabitants produces effects at the urban and sub-urban scales. The COVID-19 pandemic will then be used as a natural experiment to estimate how they distribute in the city of Rome, Italy, which is crucial to a better understanding of their impact. Temporary populations, we argue, are a very visible source of both hard and soft urban changes, and a major driver of not only neighbourhood change but sociospatial polarisation at the whole city scale. The pandemic also offers an occasion to see how dependent cities are on temporary inhabitants and to reflect upon the ambivalence in how they see those populations as either a gain or a burden, something they struggle to attract or as a source of tensions and opposition.
Anxiety among College Students Who Self-Isolated During the Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2 in China
Authors: Hao Zhiqiang , Zhang Wanhong
Published: December 2022

We investigated the prevalence of anxiety and its associated risk factors among college students who self-isolated for 30 days during the emergence of the Omicron variant in China. We sampled college students specializing in four academic majors by cluster sampling and conducted questionnaires separately on days 1, 10, 20, and 30 after self-isolation. Anxiety was assessed using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). An odds ratio ( OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to estimate the strength of associations. A total of 10231 college students responded to the questionnaire 4 times. More students reported experiencing anxiety as the period of self-isolation approached 30 days. Among the students from four different major disciplines, medical students reported the highest rate of anxiety after 30 days of self-isolation, whereas humanities students exhibited the lowest rate of anxiety. Factor analysis indicated that the main reason for anxiety among all participating students was a delay in course completion. For engineering and medical students, there was an association between anxiety and research project delay. This study reveals the level of anxiety associated with COVID-19 pandemic-related self-isolation in college students and finds that it was aggravated by long-term isolation.
Conclusion: Status, ontological insecurity and authoritarianism
Authors: Rumelili Bahar
Published: December 2022

This conclusion to the special issue provides an overview of the contributions.
Defining “happy” in happy birthday: Singing accuracy a construct based on range and intervals
Authors: Nichols Bryan , Hua Alex , Wang Zhiling
Published: December 2022

Singing in tune, or singing accuracy, is a construct dependent on genre, key selection, singers’ ranges, and listener expectations. But across genres, singers are expected to sing in tune with themselves and with others. Because singing a familiar song may be the most common communal singing situation in the lives of non-professional singers and students, we chose to examine previously reported data on the Happy Birthday song as representative of one typical example of a popular song globally and used in previous research. The participants were adult non-professional singers. We designed a predictive model of performance on the large ascending octave based on initial interval performance, providing implications for music education in children or adults and by exploring variables such as range, voice register, and key modulation. We conclude that while initial performance may predict subsequent performance, features such as singer’s range and starting pitch may also account for variability in individual performance.
Management of metastatic urothelial carcinoma: Current approach, emerging agents, and future perspectives
Authors: Iacovelli Roberto , Cicala Carlo Maria , Ciccarese Chiara , Sacco Emilio , Racioppi Marco , Bassi Pier Francesco , Tortora Giampaolo
Published: December 2022

Metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) is a lethal disease for which platinum-based chemotherapy represents the standard of care; however, long-term survival is achieved only in a minority of patients. Recently, along with important advances in the comprehension of the biology of this disease, the treatment paradigm of mUC has undergone a rapid expansion with the approval of several immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted agents in both first- and second-line settings. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy remains the backbone of first-therapy for mUC; nevertheless, for those patients who do not progress after the full course of first-line chemotherapy, maintenance treatment with the anti-PD-L1 avelumab showed to prolong overall survival compared observation alone. Moreover, the disappointing results of chemotherapy in pre-treated patients have led to the investigation and the subsequent approval of the anti-PD-1 pembrolizumab, which showed an unprecedented survival benefit when compared to second-line chemotherapy. Recently, target therapy with the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) enfortumab vedotin, directed against Nectin-4, showed outstanding results in patients treated with both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The FGFR inhibitor erdafitinib and sacituzumab govitecan, an ADC targeting Trop-2, demonstrated encouraging activity in phase II studies and are currently under investigation in randomized phase III trials. ICIs and targeted therapies also demonstrated promising results as first-line treatment of cisplatin-ineligible patients; randomized trials of ICIs alone or in combination with targeted agents are ongoing and may broaden the therapeutic armamentarium for this category of patients. In this review, we describe the current state of art for the treatment of mUC; in addition, we present the latest evidences from the most recent literature and congress presentations. Finally, we illustrate the key ongoing clinical trials, focusing on ICIs and target therapies.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Offending as a Function of Acquired Brain Injury Among Men in a High Secure Forensic Psychiatric Hospital
Authors: Belfry Kimberly D. , Ham Elke , Kolla Nathan J. , Hilton N. Zoe
Published: December 2022

Background

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a serious problem that disproportionately affects individuals in correctional services, but relatively little is known about ABI risks and correlates in forensic psychiatric services.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of all admissions to a high secure forensic hospital in Ontario, Canada from January 2009 to December 2012 ( n = 637) and collected data on ABI, psychiatric diagnoses, developmental disadvantage, criminal offending, and in-hospital aggression. A k-means cluster analysis was employed to assess risk factors by which men with ABI could be identified and multivariate general linear models were used to identify ABI-related differences in offending history and in-hospital aggression.

Results

One-fifth of the men had a documented ABI indicator. Based on our cluster analysis, ABI was more likely to be identified by greater adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), more health problems from pregnancy to childhood, and lower socioeconomic status, suggesting that ABI within the forensic context is associated with greater developmental disadvantage. Men with ABI had more serious pre-admission offences, but not more serious admission offences or in-hospital aggression. Men with ABI were more likely than those without to have higher scores on the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide or to be diagnosed with mood and personality disorders, and less likely to have a schizophrenia diagnosis, suggesting an association between ABI and general mental health pathologies but not with psychotic illness.

Conclusions

The disadvantage of ABI among men in forensic psychiatric hospitals is most likely evinced in antisocial behaviour rather than serious mental illness. Given that ACEs are likely to precede or co-occur with ABI, strategies that mitigate ACEs hold promise for ABI prevention.
Grafting of maleic anhydride on poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite composites augments their ability to support osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Bernardo Marcela P , Rodrigues Bruna C , Sechi Antonio , Mattoso Luiz HC
Published: December 2022

Implantation of bone substitutes is the treatment of choice for bone defects exceeding a critical size, when self-healing becomes impossible. The use of 3D printing techniques allows the construction of scaffolds with customized properties. However, there is a lack of suitable materials for bone replacement. In this study, maleic anhydride-grafted poly (lactic acid) (MAPLA) was investigated as a potential compatibilizer agent for 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) composites, in order to enhance the physicochemical and biological properties of the scaffolds. The grafting process was performed by reactive processing in a torque rheometer, with the evaluation of the use of different concentrations of maleic anhydride (MA). The success of the grafting reaction was confirmed by titration of acid groups and spectroscopic analyses, indicating the presence of succinic anhydride groups on the PLA chain. Morphological analysis of the PLA/HA 3D scaffolds, using SEM, revealed that the use of the compatibilizer resulted in a structure free from voids and holes. The compatibilization also increased the degradation process. On the other hand, TGA and DSC analyses revealed that the use of a compatibilizer had little effect on the thermal properties of the composite. Most importantly, the samples with compatibilizer were demonstrated to have a minimal cytotoxic effect on human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), promoting the osteogenic differentiation of these cells in a medium without the addition of classical osteogenic factors. Therefore, the grafting of PLA/HA composites improved their physicochemical and biological properties, especially the induction of MSC osteogenic differentiation, demonstrating the potential of these scaffolds for bone tissue replacement.
Jewish Greek allusion in theory and in practice: Aristobulus and the Letter of Aristeas
Authors: Leventhal Max
Published: December 2022

This article examines how two Jewish Greek prose writers refer to aspects of the Greek and Jewish literary traditions. The first section studies the fragments of Aristobulus and the multiple models of reading and making meaning that they exhibit and the extent to which this aimed at aligning Greek and Jewish ideas. In the second section, I turn to the Letter of Aristeas. In this text, I propose that an application of Aristobulus’s theorizing can be observed in practice. Through three case studies of under-appreciated and previously unobserved allusions, I demonstrate that the entire range of allusive strategies implied by Aristobulus’s discussions are to be found in the Letter’s narrative and I argue that their use demands a readership able to set Greek and Jewish literary traditions in various configurations. What will emerge is a Jewish Greek literature attuned to the cultural politics of allusion.
Analysis of the steady-state pressure profile of a double-layered porous journal bearing under turbulent regimes
Authors: Some Shitendu
Published: December 2022

This theoretical investigation presented the steady-state pressure profile analysis of a hydrostatic double-layered porous journal bearing dealing with the Newtonian lubricant, including the effect of turbulence. Based on Beavers–Joseph's criterion for slip flow, the modified Reynolds equation applicable to finite porous journal bearings lubricated with Newtonian fluids has been derived. The governing equations for flow in the coarse and fine layers of porous medium and the modified Reynolds equation are solved simultaneously using the finite difference method satisfying appropriate boundary conditions. The effect of various design parameters (namely Reynolds number, slenderness ratio, eccentricity ratio, permeability factor, bearing number, and bearing feeding parameter) on the steady-state pressure profile of bearing is presented for both slip and no-slip conditions under laminar and turbulent flow.
Analyzing the mechanism among rural financing constraint mitigation, agricultural development, and carbon emissions in China: A sustainable development paradigm
Authors: Sun Bohan , Sun Ruiqi , Gao Ke , Zhang Yifan , Wang Shuyue , Bai Puxian
Published: December 2022

Agricultural development in developing countries generally faces increasingly severe financing constraints, and China's practice provides a model for other countries. This article investigates the impact of the policy to alleviate rural financing constraints on agricultural carbon emissions in developing countries by using a quasi-natural experiment, the “Incremental Incentives for Agricultural Loans from County Financial Institutions,” implemented in China, with data from 2005 to 2018, and with a DID approach. It is found that under the influence of this policy, the alleviation of agricultural financing constraints will significantly generate an increase in the intensity of agricultural carbon emissions, which is triggered by the fact that the alleviation of financing constraints increases the production factors invested per unit area in the agricultural production process, while the increase in the mechanization and scale of agriculture will assist to reduce the contribution of the alleviation of financing constraints to carbon emissions. The impact of financing constraint alleviation on agricultural carbon emissions may differ among places with different economic and social development and agricultural bases. Additionally, the alleviation of rural financing constraints can promote agricultural development and increase farmers' income, enabling other developing countries to adjust their policy orientation when adopting such policies, thus promoting agricultural development while controlling agricultural carbon emissions and contributing to the global emission reduction cause.
Exploring the heterogeneous effects of technological innovations on environmental sustainability: Do structural change, environmental policy, and biofuel energy matter for G7 economies?
Authors: Junsong Liu , Lanre Ibrahim Ridwan , Mohammed Abubakar , Al-Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh
Published: December 2022

The global economy has realized that global warming issues should not be treated with levity. Instead, conscientious and meticulous measures must be taken to address the unwavering ravaging impacts of ecological complications of which technological innovations stand out. Despite the emphasis on technology as a viable pathway to zero emissions by the recent 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26), the feasibility of achieving the global target remains vogue from the empirical perspective. Hence, this study presents the first empirically based evidence on the heterogeneous effects of technological innovations on environmental sustainability in Group of Seven (G7) countries from 1995 to 2019. For robust policy insights, the study controls for the functional roles of structural change, environmental policy, biofuel energy, and trade openness in verifying the empirical model. The empirical evidence relies on second-generation estimators comprising cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL), augmented mean group (AMG), common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG), and panel method of moment quantile regression (PMMQR) that are robust for the issues of slope heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. The main findings show that the various components of technological innovations, structural change, environmental policy, and biofuel energy support environmental sustainability by exerting statistically adverse effects on CO2 emissions. In contrast, trade openness appears as a deterrent to sustainable environment by statistically and positively impacting CO2 emissions. Besides, the findings reveal bidirectional and unidirectional causality pathways in the nexuses investigated for G7. Based on the empirical fallouts, viable policy insights that lead to achieving the net zero emissions target are formulated.
‘One Person Cannot Change It; It’s Going to Take a Community’: Addressing Inequity through Community Environmental Education
Authors: Griswold Wendy , Patel Meera , Gnanadass Edith
Published: December 2022

Environmental injustice is often an intersection of economic, social, and environmental disparities. Addressing the inequities borne by communities overburdened with such disparities requires local learning opportunities. Exploring how and what participants learn during community education projects can help inform and improve practice, which was the focus of this study. This study reports on a larger community environmental education project involving participatory action research, which involved community residents in Chicago learning to monitor local air quality using low-cost air sensors. The experiences of 14 volunteer air monitors were collected using focus group interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) approach to thematic analysis. Participant learning focused on new and existing skills related to science/technology, interpersonal communication, and local environment. Volunteers built skills in using low-cost air sensors, taught other community members about air monitoring and local air quality, and devised strategies for improving community air quality and health. This exploration of the experiences of community residents learning to use low-cost air monitors has three applications to community education practice related to addressing inequity: utilizing community members as educators, developing community capacity to engage with science, and normalizing equitable processes. The study’s findings mark a contribution by the field of adult and community education to both Critical Science Agency and low-cost air monitoring literature, in addition to the Education for Sustainability literature by addressing the lack of focus on sustainability and equity by highlighting a community-based PAR project focused on developing local capacity of marginalized communities to address air quality issues.
The Gradual Correction of Adult Severe Rigid Equinus Deformity Using Minimal Invasive U-Osteotomy With Taylor Spatial Frame
Authors: Du Hui , He Xiao-Tian , Yin Xing-Hua , Gu Jian-Ming , Zhou Yi-Xin , Yang Jing , Wu Yong
Published: December 2022

Background:

U-osteotomy with Taylor Spatial Frame correction is a rarely reported treatment method particularly well-suited for severe rigid equinus deformity in adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of deformity correction and clinical outcome using this technique.

Methods:

We present a retrospective review of 30 feet in 26 patients who received U-osteotomy with Taylor Spatial Frame. Radiologic outcomes were measured using the anterior tibiotalar angle (TTA) with conventional weightbearing radiographs. Functional assessments included American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle and hindfoot scores and patient satisfaction using Likert scale.

Results:

The etiology included trauma (9), neglected or relapsed clubfoot (6), spina bifida (5), poliomyelitis (4), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (4), and iatrogenic (2). All patients had equinus deformity with TTA more than 140 degrees (median 157.5, 141-177). There were varus deformity in 19 feet, limb length discrepancy in 6 legs, and genu procurvatum deformity in 2 legs. The duration of gradual correction was 53.6±13.5 days (33-73 days), and the external fixation time was 147.8±25.2 days (98-203 days). At last follow-up, TTA in all patients improved significantly ( P < .001) to 113.5 degrees (111.8-116.0). All patients had plantigrade feet, except for 2 cases of residual mild equinovarus deformity, 2 cases of residual mild hindfoot varus deformity, 1 case of moderate hindfoot varus recurrence. The AOFAS scores significantly improved ( P < .001) from 51.0 points (29.0-66.0) to 76.0 points (69.5-88.0). Eighteen patients were very satisfied, 6 patients were somewhat satisfied, and 2 patients were somewhat dissatisfied.

Conclusion:

Using minimally invasive U-osteotomy with Taylor Spatial Frame to gradually correct the adult severe rigid equinus deformity proved to be an effective and relatively safe method associated with high patient satisfaction rates.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Fault detection using sliding mode multiobserver for nonlinear systems: Validation on a real chemical process
Authors: Montacer Nesrine , Ben Atia Samah , Dehri Khadija , Ben Abdennour Ridha
Published: December 2022

The design of an accurate observer is still a challenging problem for nonlinear systems subject to fault signals. This paper addresses the problem of simultaneous state and sensor fault estimation for discrete-time nonlinear systems. An uncoupled multimodel approach is adopted to deal with nonlinear systems subject to sensor faults. A simple sensor fault dynamic is exploited to transform this fault signal into a pseudo-actuator fault scenario. A new sliding mode multiobserver is proposed for the estimation of sensor faults and system states. This multiobserver is computed as a fusion of a set of local sliding mode observers with respective activation functions. The asymptotic stability of the proposed multiobserver is formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities using the Lyapunov theory. A simulation example is retained to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. As well, a real-time application on a transesterification reactor is carried out to validate the theoretical results.
Epigenomic Links Between Social Determinants of Health and Symptoms: A Scoping Review
Authors: Ray Mitali , Wallace McKenzie K. , Grayson Susan C. , Cummings Meredith H. , Davis Jessica A. , Scott Jewel , Belcher Sarah M. , Davis Tara S. , Conley Yvette P.
Published: December 2022

Social determinants of health (SDoH) impact health and wellness. The link between SDoH and adverse health outcomes, including symptom occurrence and severity, may be explained by an individual’s physiologic response to one or more SDoH. One potential mechanism underlying this physiologic response linking SDoH and symptoms is the dynamic epigenome. The purpose of this scoping review of the literature was to examine differential susceptibility for symptoms by identifying and summarizing research linking SDoH and symptoms through epigenomic mechanisms. PubMed was searched to identify empirical research where at least one SDoH was an independent or dependent variable, at least one symptom was investigated, and the investigation included an epigenomic measure. Of the 484 articles initially retrieved, after thorough vetting, 41 articles met eligibility. The most studied symptom was depressive symptoms followed by anxiety, cognitive function, sleep dysfunction, and pain. The most frequently studied SDoH were: 1) stress, particularly early life stress and acculturative stress; and 2) trauma, predominantly childhood trauma. DNA methylation and telomere length were the most studied epigenomic measures. Four genes ( SLC6A4, BDNF, NR3C1, OXTR) had evidence from multiple studies and across methodological approaches linking SDoH to symptoms. This review supports the inclusion of epigenomic approaches to better understand the link between SDoH and symptoms and provides evidence that SDoH impact telomere length and the methylation of genes involved in neurotransmitter signaling, neuronal survival, behavior, inflammation and stress response.
Survival rates of anatomically shaped and tapered slip cemented femoral implants: an analysis of 76,281 femoral implants of the Dutch arthroplasty register (LROI)
Authors: Heijnens Luc JM , Heyligers Ide C , Boonen Bert , Spekenbrink-Spooren Anneke , van Haaren Emil H , Schotanus Martijn GM
Published: December 2022

Introduction:

In cemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) various shapes and geometries of femoral implants are in use. Collarless, polished, and tapered (CPT) implants, and anatomically shaped (AS) implants are most commonly used. Due to their different design features, this might lead to different survival outcomes. In this register-based study, overall implant survival and short-term complications of CPT and AS cemented implants were evaluated.

Methods:

Data of the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (LROI) were used. Cemented femoral implants, which could be classified as CPT or AS were included in this study. Implants were excluded when no classification could be made or if implanted <100 times. Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariable Cox-proportional hazard analysis.

Results:

76,281 cemented THAs were included. At a mean of 5.1 years follow-up (SD 3.1, range 0–12 years), the overall survival of the AS implants was higher compared with the CPT implants, with a survival, of 99.2% and 99.0% respectively (log-rank; p < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis revealed a higher rate for revision because of loosening of the AS implants (HR 2; CI, 1.4–3.1). AS implants had a lower rate for periprosthetic fractures compared with the CPT implants (HR 0.13; CI, 0.07–0.23).

Conclusions:

Both designs show excellent overall survival rates at short-term follow-up. There is a higher overall survival of AS implants when compared with CPT implants. Revision for implant loosening, however, was statistically significantly higher in AS implants when compared with the CPT implants.
Making worldviews work: A heuristic, a planet scan, a case and their transversal implication
Authors: Renteria-Uriarte Xabier
Published: December 2022

A worldview is, very basically, formed by tenets on the nature of the world and on the way of knowing it held by persons, social groups, intellectual currents or ethnic cultures. It is a term widely used in social sciences, but often left aside in daily research work because of being considered a vague term. Lax definitions are the reason, but such symbolic worlds will not disappear even if we do not refer to them, and we need operational and heuristic conceptualizations, both to analyze such symbolic parameters as a study objective and to refer to them as the appropriate understanding contexts of other topics. Here, definitions with a multidimensional structure that imply heuristic potential are specified as a solution; previous proposals are reviewed; the needs for improvement are set out; and a consequent conceptualization is proposed. Then onto-epistemic tenets of the main cultures on Earth and of history are briefly described as such worldviews, a case in Basque culture tested to assess the heuristic potential, and an outstanding ‘transversal’ implication is advanced: worldviews should not only be considered multidimensional concepts with heuristic potential, but also formed with areas around prototypes by cognitive-linguistic operators across the tenets.
Donor-Recipient Body Surface Area Mismatch and the Outcome of Liver Transplantation in the UK
Authors: Kostakis Ioannis D. , Raptis Dimitri Aristotle , Davidson Brian R. , Iype Satheesh , Nasralla David , Imber Charles , Sharma Dinesh , Pissanou Theodora , Pollok Joerg Matthias
Published: December 2022

Introduction: Too small or too big liver grafts for recipient's size has detrimental effects on transplant outcomes. Research Questions: The purpose was to correlate donor-recipient body surface area ratio or body surface area index with recipient survival, graft survival, hepatic artery or portal vein, or vena cava thrombosis. High and low body surface area index cut-off points were determined. Design: There were 11,245 adult recipients of first deceased donor whole liver-only grafts performed in the UK from January 2000 until June 2020. The transplants were grouped according to the body surface area index and compared to complications, graft and recipient survival. Results: The body surface area index ranged from 0.491 to 1.691 with a median of 0.988. The body surface area index > 1.3 was associated with a higher rate of portal vein thrombosis within the first 3 months (5.5%). This risk was higher than size-matched transplants (OR: 2.878, 95% CI: 1.292-6.409, P = 0.01). Overall graft survival was worse in transplants with body surface area index ≤ 0.85 (HR: 1.254, 95% CI: 1.051-1.497, P = 0.012) or body surface area index > 1.4 (HR: 3.704, 95% CI: 2.029-6.762, P < 0.001) than those with intermediate values. The graft survival rates were reduced by 2% for cases with body surface area index ≤ 0.85 but were decreased by 20% for cases with body surface area index > 1.4. These findings were confirmed by bootstrap internal validation. No statistically significant differences were detected for hepatic artery thrombosis, occlusion of hepatic veins/inferior vena cava or recipient survival. Conclusions: Donor-recipient size mismatch affects the rates of portal vein thrombosis within the first 3 months and overall graft survival in deceased-donor liver transplants.
MiR-3201 as a Prognostic Blood Biomarker for Curative Treatments in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Grisetti Luca , Võ Niệm Văn Thành , Nguyễn Như Nhật Quỳnh , Crocè Lory Saveria , Visintin Alessia , Tiribelli Claudio , Pascut Devis
Published: December 2022

Background: Hepatic resection, radiofrequency ablation (RF), and liver transplantation (LT) represent the only available curative treatments for early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Various studies showed that the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate reaches ∼70% after resection and ∼60% after RF. Objective: To improve the success rate of curative therapies and consequently the OS, an improvement in patients’ selection and management should be pursued. In this regard, microRNAs (miRNAs) can be helpful prognostic biomarkers. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, a miRNA array profiling was performed on 34 HCC blood samples which is collected before therapy (T0), 1 month (T1), and 6 months (T2) after curative treatments (resection and RF) to identify noninvasive biomarker candidates for therapy response and OS. MiRNAs were validated in 80 blood HCC samples using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Patients were divided into complete responder (CR) and partial responder and progressive disease (PRPD). Results: Among the selected miRNAs, miR-3201 is significantly associated with treatment response in the validation phase, showing a 23% reduction ( P = .026) in CR compared to PRPD. MiR-3201 was able to distinguish CR from PRPD (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.69, 71% sensitivity, 70% specificity, P = .0036). Furthermore, lower levels of miR-3201 were associated with longer OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.61, P = .0006). Conclusions: Blood miR-3201 could be used as a prognostic biomarker for curative therapy response and OS in HCC.
A “Social Science of Solutions” for Healthcare
Authors: Vinson Alexandra H.
Published: December 2022

The Unites States healthcare system is a patchwork, and patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers must craft individual solutions to cope with gaps in the system. Sociological thinking is crucial for forming healthcare systems that provide high-quality care, control cost, and increase access without inheriting the flaws of existing systems. Recent work to develop a “social science of solutions” provides both motivation and a roadmap for progress-oriented work toward redressing social problems and building real utopias. Collaborative Learning Health Systems may be a model for real utopias in healthcare, but they must balance their potential with risks as they grow.
Feeling the Squeeze
Authors: Patterson Sarah E.
Published: December 2022

People often provide caregiving to other family members across the life course. “Sandwiched” caregiving, or caring for a child and aging parent at the same time, is a common form of combining care duties. However, adults share more years of life with many different family members due to population level demographic shifts in life expectancy and family formation. This shift means that multigenerational care, or providing for two or more different generations of family members simultaneously, may better reflect the reality of caregiving for contemporary cohorts of adults. Although there is strong public backing for providing supports to caregivers, current policies are often limited.
Sex: Click Here to Upgrade
Authors: Hanson Kenneth R.
Published: December 2022

As the rapidly expanding sex tech industry tries to evolve past its historical connection to patriarchy and misogyny, profits continue to be a key motivator. Can feminist entrepreneurs within the sex tech industry escape exploitative capitalist logics? And to what extent do capitalist logics negate the potential of the industry to lessen sexual and gender inequalities? In this article, I draw on observations of sex tech movers and shakers and interviews with sex tech users to offer a cautiously optimistic view of the future of sex.
Transformations in Sexual Consent
Authors: Aronson Pamela , Fleming Matthew
Published: December 2022

How is the #MeToo movement reshaping everyday life? In this article and our forthcoming book (Gender Revolution: How Electoral Politics and #MeToo are Reshaping Everyday Life, Routledge), we examine the simultaneous profound transformations, and potent challenges to these changes, that we are witnessing in both the public and private arenas. This gender revolution has led to a culture in which people of all genders increasingly reject abuses of power in interpersonal relationships. Transformations in discourses surrounding sexual consent, harassment and assault, although also vigorously contested, are creating gendered social and cultural change at both the political and personal levels.
Revisiting Cancel Culture
Authors: Wong Ryan SC
Published: December 2022

The combination of English letters that spells "cancel culture" is common and divisive. More people now say they are aware of this phrase, but its meaning, implication, and impact are still heavily debated. In this paper, I revisit cancel culture and discuss its impacts. I end this paper by urging application of cancel culture that reflect its root meaning and function, critical self-reflection, and restorative conversations if we are to make meaningful progress with cancel culture.
Pages of Sociological Imagination
Authors: Byrd W. Carson
Published: December 2022

A brief reflection of the past five years as Book Review Editor of Contexts and a list of books that spark editorial team members’ sociological imaginations.
A Micro-Level Explanation for Suicidal Ideation Based on Marriage-Squeeze and Social Support Among Rural Men in China
Authors: Yang Xueyan , Li Rui , Wang Sasa
Published: December 2022

Higher sex ratio at birth often leads to sex imbalance and a severe squeeze on the marriage market. Up to now, no systematic studies have examined the relationship between marriage squeeze and suicidal ideation among rural men in a context of sex imbalance. Using surveys conducted in Chaohu (Anhui Province) and Ankang (Shaanxi Province) in China, this study analyzed the impact of marriage squeeze and social support on suicidal ideation among rural men. The perceived marriage squeeze significantly and positively affected suicidal ideation and the perceived social support negatively affected suicidal ideation among married and unmarried rural men. Objective social support did not significantly affect suicidal ideation among married men; however, it negatively affected suicidal ideation among unmarried men. Marriage squeeze increased the incidence of suicidal ideation among rural men, but perceived social support acted as a protective factor against suicidal ideation. These findings support the main effect hypothesis of social support. Objective social support is a double-edged sword, which may increase suicidal ideation incidence among rural men. The article ends with the conclusions and limitations of this study.
Early reocclusion after successful mechanical thrombectomy for large artery occlusion–related stroke
Authors: Dhoisne Mathieu , Puy Laurent , Bretzner Martin , Bricout Nicolas , Behal Helene , Cordonnier Charlotte , Henon Hilde
Published: December 2022

Background and Purpose:

Despite initial successful recanalization after mechanical thrombectomy (MT), some patients with large artery occlusion (LAO)-related stroke will experience an early reocclusion of the injured vessel which may worsen their prognosis. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, associated factors and prognosis of early reocclusion after successful MT in a large prospective cohort of stroke patients with LAO.

Methods:

We included patients from the Lille reperfusion registry with LAO-related stroke involving M1 segment, internal carotid artery terminus or tandem ICA-M1 occlusion, with successful recanalization after MT and available 24 h imaging follow-up. Early reocclusion was defined as internal carotid artery terminus or M1 occlusion on 24 h magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) vascular imaging. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate factors associated with early reocclusion and its impact on outcomes.

Results:

Between 2015 and 2020, 62 of 1015 included patients experienced an early reocclusion (6.1%). Age (odds ratio (OR) per 15 years decrease: 1.38 (1.05–1.81)) antiplatelet use (OR: 0.41 (0.19–0.89)), several device passes (OR: 2.13 (1.18–3.83)), atherosclerosis cause (OR: 2.38 (1.19–4.78)), and early clinical worsening (OR: 2.45 (1.18–5.07)) were independently associated with early reocclusion. Early reocclusion was independently associated with poor prognosis (OR: 7.15 (3.49–14.65)) and mortality (OR: 2.05 (1.07–3.91)) at 3 months.

Conclusion:

Six percent of patients with LAO-related stroke and initial successful recanalization experienced early reocclusion. This event is associated with a 7-fold increased risk of poor functional outcome and a 2-fold increased risk of mortality. Further efforts are warranted to refine early detection of patients at risk of reocclusion and to improve their management.
A framework based on Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning for the classification of the severity of road accidents from reports
Authors: Valcamonico Dario , Baraldi Piero , Amigoni Francesco , Zio Enrico
Published: December 2022

Road safety analysis is typically performed by domain experts on the basis of the information contained in accident reports. The main challenges are the difficulty of considering a large number of reports in textual form and the subjectivity of the expert judgments contained in reports. This work develops a framework based on the combination of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) for the automatic classification of accidents with the final aim of assisting experts in performing road safety analyses. Two different models for the representation of the textual reports (Hierarchical Dirichlet Processes (HDPs) and Doc2vec) and three ML-based classifiers (Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), Decision Trees (DTs) and Random Forests (RFs)) are compared. The framework is applied to a repository of road accident reports provided by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The best trade-off between accuracy of the classification and explainability of the obtained results is achieved by combining HDP topic modeling and RF classification.
A comparison between computer vision- and deep learning-based models for automated concrete crack detection
Authors: Sales da Cunha Beatriz , das Chagas Moura Márcio , Souto Maior Caio , Cláudia Negreiros Ana , Didier Lins Isis
Published: December 2022

Systems subjected to continuous operation are exposed to different failure mechanisms such as fatigue, corrosion, and temperature-related defects, which makes inspection and monitoring their health paramount to prevent a system suffering from severe damage. However, visual inspection strongly depends on a human being’s experience, and so its accuracy is influenced by the physical and cognitive state of the inspector. Particularly, civil infrastructures need to be periodically inspected. This is costly, time-consuming, labor-intensive, hazardous, and biased. Advances in Computer Vision (CV) techniques provide the means to develop automated, accurate, non-contact, and non-destructive inspection methods. Hence, this paper compares two different approaches to detecting cracks in images automatically. The first is based on a traditional CV technique, using texture analysis and machine learning methods (TA + ML-based), and the second is based on deep learning (DL), using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) models. We analyze both approaches, comparing several ML models and CNN architectures in a real crack database considering six distinct dataset sizes. The results showed that for small-sized datasets, for example, up to 100 images, the DL-based approach achieved a balanced accuracy (BA) of ∼74%, while the TA + ML-based approach obtained a BA > 95%. For larger datasets, the performances of both approaches present comparable results. For images classified as having crack(s), we also evaluate three metrics to measure the severity of a crack based on a segmented version of the original image, as an additional metric to trigger the appropriate maintenance response.
Bulk osteochondral allograft for massive Hill–Sachs defect combined with Latarjet procedure for bipolar bone loss in anterior instability
Authors: Liow Raymond Y L , Adam John , Holland Philip , Bhatti Amjad
Published: December 2022

A proportion of patients with anterior glenohumeral instability present with bipolar bone loss comprising large Hill-Sachs lesions and substantial glenoid defect. These are surgically difficult cases to treat. We describe a novel surgical procedure of bulk size-matched osteochondral allograft reconstruction for massive Hill-Sachs lesions combined with the Latarjet procedure for these challenging cases.
Personality traits are not associated with changes in employment status over 3 years in persons with multiple sclerosis
Authors: van der Hiele K , van Egmond EEA , van Gorp DAM , Jongen PJ , Reneman MF , van der Klink JJL , Beenakker EAC , van Eijk JJJ , Frequin STFM , Hoitsma E , Gerlach OHH , Mostert JP , Verhagen WIM , Heerings MAP , Middelkoop HAM , Visser LH
Published: December 2022

Previous research discovered a protective effect of higher conscientiousness against a 3-year deterioration in employment status in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). To replicate these findings, we used data from a multicentre prospective cohort study where 145 employed pwMS completed questionnaires, neurological and neuropsychological examinations at baseline and after 3 years. A 3-year deterioration in employment status was reported in 31.0%. We observed no differences in personality, demographics or clinical characteristics between pwMS with deteriorated or stable employment status. These null findings may be partly explained by the classification of deteriorated employment status, which does not reflect Dutch labour conditions.
The persevering power of provincial dynasties in Thai electoral politics
Authors: Chambers Paul , Jitpiromsri Srisompob , Takahashi Katsuyuki
Published: December 2022

Provincial clans and dynasties have long been crucial in Thai electoral politics. Their influence was felt since before the 1969 poll. Post-1988 and post-1992 political space gave clans room to expand in power. But their sway has been interrupted by several factors, including military coups, changing constitutions, and national transformations. Thailand's March 2019 general election, December 2020 provincial administrative organization elections, and March 2021 subdistrict administrative organization elections demonstrated the persistence of provincial clan influence owing partly to the 2019 end of military dictatorship but also to the needs by national parties to partner with provincial political families to achieve success and finally because local clans saw an opportunity to revitalize their power. In 2022 Thailand, provincial clans and dynasties appear to be alive and well. This study examines the historical evolution of provincial dynasties involved in Thai electoral politics in four different provinces. The study analyzes the reasons why only some provinces have experienced clan (familial) domination, strategies for and obstacles to dynastic family control over provincial politics, and the future of dynastic provincial families in Thailand's democratic future.