bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulating Wintertime Orographic Cloud Seeding over the Snowy Mountains of Australia
Authors: Chen Sisi , Xue Lulin , Tessendorf Sarah , Chubb Thomas , Peace Andrew , Ackermann Luis , Gevorgyan Artur , Huang Yi , Siems Steven , Rasmussen Roy , Kenyon Suzanne , Speirs Johanna
Published: September 2023

This study presents the first numerical simulations of seeded clouds over the Snowy Mountains of Australia. WRF-WxMod, a novel glaciogenic cloud-seeding model, was utilized to simulate the cloud response to winter orographic seeding under various meteorological conditions. Three cases during the 2018 seeding periods were selected for model evaluation, coinciding with an intensive ground-based measurement campaign. The campaign data were used for model validation and evaluation. Comparisons between simulations and observations demonstrate that the model realistically represents cloud structures, liquid water path, and precipitation. Sensitivity tests were performed to pinpoint key uncertainties in simulating natural and seeded clouds and precipitation processes. They also shed light on the complex interplay between various physical parameters/processes and their interaction with large-scale meteorology. Our study found that in unseeded scenarios, the warm and cold biases in different initialization datasets can heavily influence the intensity and phase of natural precipitation. Secondary ice production via Hallett–Mossop processes exerts a secondary influence. On the other hand, the seeding impacts are primarily sensitive to aerosol conditions and the natural ice nucleation process. Both factors alter the supercooled liquid water availability and the precipitation phase, consequently impacting the silver iodide (AgI) nucleation rate. Furthermore, model sensitivities were inconsistent across cases, indicating that no single model configuration optimally represents all three cases. This highlights the necessity of employing an ensemble approach for a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of the seeding impact.

Significance Statement

Winter orographic cloud seeding has been conducted for decades over the Snowy Mountains of Australia for securing water resources. However, this study is the first to perform cloud-seeding simulation for a robust, event-based seeding impact evaluation. A state-of-the-art cloud-seeding model (WRF-WxMod) was used to simulate the cloud seeding and quantified its impact on the region. The Southern Hemisphere, due to low aerosol emissions and highly pristine cloud conditions, has distinctly different cloud microphysical characteristics than the Northern Hemisphere, where WRF-WxMod has been successfully applied in a few regions over the United States. The results showed that WRF-WxMod could accurately capture the clouds and precipitation in both the natural and seeded conditions.
Numerical Simulations of Internal Tide Dynamics in a Steep Submarine Canyon
Authors: Masunaga Eiji , Alford Matthew H. , Lucas Andrew J. , Freudmann Andrea Rodriguez-Marin
Published: September 2023

This study investigates three-dimensional semidiurnal internal tide (IT) energetics in the vicinity of La Jolla Canyon, a steep shelf submarine canyon off the Southern California coast, with the Stanford Unstructured Nonhydrostatic Terrain-Following Adaptive Navier–Stokes Simulator (SUNTANS) numerical simulator. Numerical simulations show vertical structure and temporal phasing consistent with detailed field observations. ITs induce large (approximately 34 m from peak to peak) isotherm displacements and net onshore IT energy flux up to 200 W m−1. Although the net IT energy flux is onshore, the steep supercritical slope around the canyon results in strong reflection. The model provides the full life span of internal tides around the canyon, including internal tide generation, propagation, and dissipation. ITs propagate into the canyon from the south and are reflected back toward offshore from the canyon’s north side. In the inner part of the canyon, elevated mixing occurs in the middle layer due to an interaction between incident mode-1 ITs and reflected higher-mode ITs. The magnitude of IT flux, generation, and dissipation on the south side of the canyon are higher than those on the north side. An interference pattern in horizontal kinetic energy and available potential energy with a scale of approximately 20–50 km arises due to low-mode wave reflections. Our results provide new insight into IT dynamics associated with a small-scale canyon topography.

Significance Statement

Internal waves play an important role in ocean circulations and ecosystems. In particular, internal waves with frequencies of tides, known as internal tides, strongly enhance energy, heat, and mass transport in coastal oceans. This study presents internal tide dynamics in La Jolla Canyon, California, using a high-resolution numerical model. Model results show energy convergence in the canyon leading to internal tide energy dissipation and mixing. Some parts of internal tide energy reflect back offshore resulting in standing internal waves off California. This study provides new insights into internal tide dynamics and energy budgets in submarine canyons.
Upper and Lower Limbs Acute Fatigue Did Not Mitigate Male Trained Air Force Soldiers’ Marksmanship
Authors: Pedrosa Gustavo Ferreira , Kler Oberdan Souza , Rezende Luiz Felipe Souza Petrocchi , Filho Henrique Levino dos Santos , Soares Ytalo Mota , Avelar Erick Dias , Souza José Carlos Lima de , Cruz Pedro Weldes da Silva , Laporta Lorenzo , Figueiredo Lucas Savassi
Published: September 2023

In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of acute fatigue on pistol shooting performance among Air Force marksmen. We compared the accuracy, precision, speed-accuracy trade-off, shooting cycle time, and hits on a silhouette target among 12 Brazilian Air Force servicemen ( M age = 21.5, SD – 1.6 years) under both fatigue and non-fatigue conditions in a crossover design. In the fatigued condition, the participants performed a fatigue protocol composed of side runs, vertical jumps, push-ups, running, and burpees exercises before shooting. Participants performed the countermovement jump and the plyometric push-ups tests on a contact mat before and immediately after the fatigue protocol to compare the heights achieved pre- and post-fatigue. Paired t-tests showed a significant performance reduction of 34.36% and 40.02% for the countermovement jump and plyometric push-ups, respectively, indicating that participants were fatigued in their lower and upper limbs. In the non-fatigued condition, no exercise was performed before shooting. Results indicated no significant differences between conditions on shooting precision ( p = .125; ES: .54), speed-accuracy trade-off ( p = .261; ES = .33), hits within the silhouette ( p = .167; ES = .41), or shooting cycle times ( p = .868; ES = .05); but accuracy was greater ( p = .025; ES: .54) when fatigued. We concluded that overall shooting performance was not impaired by physical fatigue, and shooting accuracy appeared to be improved. Perhaps physical fatigue was not enough to impair shooting accuracy in this young adult group, as accuracy decline is expected instead when shooters are in an exhausted state. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and test this presumption.
Complete surgical revascularization after NSTEMI and unstable angina in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease: Institutional experience
Authors: Kaya Ibrahim C , Bulut Halil I , Candelario Katherine , Ozbayburtlu Merih , Balkanay Ozan O
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The feasibility and standardization of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and unstable angina (UA) remain topics of ongoing debate. In this study, feasibility and early-term outcomes of CABG in patients with NSTE-ACS and UA were discussed.

Methods

This study enrolled 79 patients who underwent on-pump CABG with complete revascularization between January 2020 and May 2022. the survival rates analyzed using Kaplan Meier test with log rank test. The p value of statistical significance was taken as below 0.05.

Results

Preoperatively, the patients had a mean age of 60.9 years and a BMI of 28.0. The medical history included hypertension (50.6%), peripheral arterial disease and atrial fibrillation (12.7%), and other comorbidities such as COPD (22.8%) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (44.3%). Intraoperatively, the mean distal anastomosis count was 3.4, with average cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times of 84.0 and 49.0 min, respectively. Early-term outcomes revealed low rates of mortality (2.5%) and complications such as myocardial infarction (1.3%), acute kidney injury (5.1%) and transient ischemic attack (5.1%). Post-discharge outcomes demonstrated low cardiac and all-cause mortality rates (2.5% and 3.8%, respectively) and a high overall survival rate (93.7%) at 12-month follow-up.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the feasibility and positive outcomes of complete surgical revascularization in patients with UA and NSTE-ACS. It showed no graft occlusion or stroke, low complication rates and promising survival outcomes. Further research is needed for confirmation and to establish the procedure's efficacy and safety in this patient population.
Incorrect analysis in “Effects of the application of a food processing-based classification system in obese women: A randomized controlled pilot study” has resulted in incorrect conclusions of demonstrated effects where no such effects have been demonstrated
Authors: Becerra-Garcia Luis-Enrique , Cohen Aaron D. , Chen Xiwei , Dickinson Stephanie L. , Macagno Anna L. M. , Allison David B.
Published: September 2023

In their 2023 Nutrition and Health paper “Effects of the application of a food processing-based classification system in obese women: A randomized controlled pilot study”, Giacomello et al. investigated the effects of an educational intervention based on the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population among obese women. The authors concluded that the intervention significantly improved weight loss, quality of life, components of metabolic syndrome, and pain. However, we believe the statistical analysis employed in the study was flawed. The authors used within-group changes to draw conclusions, which is known as a difference in nominal significance error. This error has the potential to inflate Type I error rates substantially. To address this issue, we re-analyzed the data obtained from the authors. We focused on body mass and hip circumference and replicated the incorrectly chosen within-group analyses, which remained significant. However, to properly evaluate the intervention's effectiveness, it is essential to compare the differences between the groups directly. Therefore, we calculated change scores for each participant and used independent samples t-tests and linear mixed models to compare between-group differences. Both methods yielded similar non-significant p-values, indicating that there is no significant effect of treatment on body mass or hip circumference. The original paper's conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the intervention are not supported by the proper statistical analysis. The data should be re-analyzed using appropriate between-group comparisons, and the corrected results should be published, or the incorrect results and original paper should be retracted.
Promoting attachment security during the transition to college: A pilot study of emotionally focused mentoring
Authors: Manvelian Atina , Boyd Savannah , O’Hara Karey L. , Watters Cassandra , Liu Yilin , Sbarra David A.
Published: September 2023

Attachment insecurity is a transdiagnostic marker of risk associated with interpersonal emotion dysregulation and adverse psychosocial outcomes across the lifespan. Few interventions target the enhancement of attachment security in late adolescence. Most programs focus on strengthening the adolescent-caregiver relationship; meanwhile, youth increasingly spend less time with their families and look to peer relationships as a source of connection, particularly as they transition to college. Drawing from the principles of Emotionally Focused Therapy, we developed a psychotherapeutic peer mentorship program to enhance attachment security for insecurely attached youth during the transition to college. We tested the preliminary efficacy of Emotionally Focused Mentorship (EFM) in an open pilot trial by pairing ( N = 82) insecurely attached first-year college students (i.e., “mentees”) with securely attached mentors. Across five weekly sessions, mentors helped mentees identify and express their emotions in close relationships by working through different relational scenarios. Attachment and mental health trajectories were self-reported three times over five weeks and analyzed using Bayesian growth curve models. Across five weeks, participants reported improvements in attachment anxiety and avoidance, emotion regulation difficulties, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and self-esteem. Participants who completed the intervention ( n = 55) noted improvements in their psychological wellbeing and interpersonal relationships. Results are promising and highlight the need to conduct a randomized clinical trial to test if these effects are causal. Given rising mental health demands, trained peer mentors may be a cost-effective way to improve attachment and psychological outcomes for insecurely attached participants during the transition to college.
Learning capacity and diversification, enabling and constraining factors, and external assistance: A cross-national comparative analysis of long-term livelihood recovery
Authors: Choudhury Mahed-Ul-Islam , Wu Haorui
Published: September 2023

Despite a wide recognition of the importance of learning capacity and diversification, enabling and constraining factors, and external assistance in facilitating long-term livelihood recovery (LTLR), there is a paucity of comparison for a nuanced understanding of interconnections among the three themes (learning capacity and diversification, enabling and constraining factors, and external assistance) in different societal and disaster scenarios. Accordingly, this article employs a cross-national comparative approach in examining the interplay of these three factors in LTLR, within rural communities, following the two international post-disaster case studies, the 2007 Cyclone Sidr, Barguna, Bangladesh and the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan, China. This cross-national comparison indicates that the affected communities in both cases experienced extreme challenges in LTLR while illustrating the differences. Learning capacity and diversification facilitated asset loss recovery and risk mitigation in the Sidr case, while the Wenchuan case demonstrated a limited learning opportunity for livelihood diversification. Enabling and constraining factors were identified in both case studies. Particularly, people-place connections positively shaped the LTLR in the Wenchuan case while producing negative results in the Sidr case. External assistance facilitated livelihood provisioning, protection, and promotion for the Sidr case; in contrast, giving little, if any, credence to the local traditional livelihood practice, the top-down external interventions in the Wenchuan case jeopardized the rural communities LTLR. This article defends that promoting grassroots participation in community reconstruction and recovery and strengthening grassroots livelihood learning and practice capacities would advance LTLR.
Human impacts on vegetation carbon sequestration capacity in the Qilian Mountains, northeastern Tibetan Plateau since 2000
Authors: Zeng Biao , Zhang Fuguang , Cao Ying , Shen Yanqi , Meng Zhenhua
Published: September 2023

Vegetation carbon sequestration in alpine areas of West China, such as the Qilian Mountains on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, has been subject to long-term human intervention under a warming climate since the launch of the western development strategy (WDS) in 2000. However, the human impacts on vegetation carbon sequestration capacity during this period remain unclear. In this study, the magnitude and direction of human impacts on vegetation carbon sequestration capacity (defined as net primary production, NPP) were assessed by the deviation of remote-sensing–estimated actual NPP data from the simulated potential NPP. The potential value was derived from natural system coupling under the assumption that human activities ceased during the assessment period. The impacts of natural forces and historic human activities were then effectively exfoliated in our final assessment using a process-based IBISi model. The results indicate that the total actual vegetation carbon sequestration capacity in the Qilian Mountains has reduced compared with its potential value since the WDS launched. This reduction was mainly attributed to grazing in the grasslands. However, deforestation, mineral resource exploitation, and the construction of hydropower facilities have also caused a reduction in vegetation carbon sequestration capacity at the local scales. In contrast, forestry protections and afforestation, and agricultural activities associated with reclamation, cultivation, irrigation, and fertilization, have resulted in local increases in the vegetation carbon sequestration capacity in the corresponding forest lands, shrublands, and croplands. These findings highlight the importance of ecological protections for vegetation carbon sequestration and were expected to provide evidence to verify the improvement of ecological management and the increasing of carbon sinks in West China.
Preparation and performance of electrically conductive decellularized nerve matrix hydrogel conduits
Authors: Yin Shiyun , Zhou Jiangyi , Wang Jinsong , Xia Bin , Chen Guobao
Published: September 2023

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is one of the major clinical treatment challenges following an impact on the body. When PNI manifests as nerve gaps, surgical connections and exogenous grafts are required. Recently, electrically conductive polymers (CPs) based nerve guidance conduits have yielded promising results for treating PNI. Polypyrrole (PPy) has become one of the most commonly used CPs in PNI repair due to its advantages of high conductivity and excellent biocompatibility. In this study, we combined different PPy concentrations with a chitosan (CS) temperature-sensitive hydrogel system containing decellularized nerve matrix (DNM) to construct the electrically conductive nerve conduits. We evaluated the physical and biological properties of four groups of nerve conduits. It was found that the PPy concentrations were proportional to the electrical conductivity of the nerve conduits. The mechanical properties of the nerve conduits increased with higher PPy concentrations but decreased when the PPy concentration was as high as 8%. Meanwhile, the co-blending of PPy and DNM gave the nerve conduit suitable degradation properties. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity assay and live/dead assay demonstrated these conduits could support the adhesion and growth of cells. In summary, the electrically conductive nerve conduits with high conductivity, mechanical properties, biodegradation characteristics, and cytocompatibility had potential applications in the field of peripheral nerve regeneration.
Effects of Sport Stacking on Cognition in Patients With Mild Alzheimer’s Disease and MCI: Preliminary Findings of Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yang Ziying , Yang Jun , Yu Doris S. F. , Liu Dunxiu , Ding Fu
Published: September 2023

Objective

This mixed-method pilot study aims to investigate the feasibility and preliminary effects of sport stacking on cognitive function in individuals with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods

Twenty-four community-dwelling subjects with confirmed mild AD or MCI were evenly randomly assigned to either the 12-week sport stacking intervention group (n = 12) or clinic routine management control group (n = 12). Outcome evaluation included the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study–Activities of Daily Living scale (ADCS-ADL), and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore the overall perception and experience of the sport stacking from the subjects’ perspective.

Results

Twenty-two subjects completed the trial. At 12 weeks post-intervention, compared to the control group, the sport stacking group had significantly greater improvements in AVLT immediate recall ( P < .001, Cohen d = .66) and an increase in plasma BDNF ( P < .001, Cohen d = .64). Subgroup analysis indicated that subjects with MCI had significantly greater increases in AVLT immediate recall ( P = .005, Cohen d = .72), ADCS-ADL ( P = .130, Cohen d = .42) and plasma BDNF ( P = .024, Cohen d = .83). Twelve subjects participating in the post-intervention interviews expressed the benefits (e.g., hand-eye coordination and faster reaction) from sport stacking and their enjoyment of it.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that sport stacking is feasible among individuals with MCI and mild AD. The preliminary effect on episodic memory is encouraging, possibly via upregulation of BDNF.
Examining the Effects of Music Therapy on Decreasing Agitation in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Hill-Wilkes Nakesha , Renales Felicia , Seibenhener Sherry , Jefferson Lenetra L.
Published: September 2023

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a crippling epidemic that is predicted to affect over 15 million people worldwide by the year 2050. Symptoms such as refusal to cooperate, impaired communication and cognition, and agitation and anxiety can play a large part in the difficulties that surround caring for an AD patient. There are medications that are marketed to treat AD symptoms, but many have harmful side effects. Holistic methods, such as music therapy, are gaining attention for their ease of implementation and limited side effects. Aim: The purpose of this project was to implement a music therapy intervention for people with AD in hospice and evaluate the levels of agitation experienced by the patient. Method: The study was conducted over a period of eight weeks. Music therapy was administered nightly for 20 minutes by caregivers and the Pittsburgh Agitation Scale was completed at the beginning of the study, at four weeks into the study, and at the completion of the study. Results: The intervention was found to be significant in reducing aberrant vocalization, motor agitation, aggressiveness, and resisting care. Conclusion: Based on the findings, music therapy may be useful as a holistic intervention for decreasing agitation in individuals with AD.
Civil Wars: What Is Wrong with History?
Authors: Rodrigo Javier , Alegre David
Published: September 2023

Civil wars constitute an element without which the history of humanity is incomprehensible. Since 1917, they alone claimed some 20 million lives and displaced 67 million people, standing alone as the undisputed primary form of armed conflict worldwide since the end of the Second World War. Their definition is crucial to understand them and to place them within intrastate and transnational policies. However, in its definition, the historical dimension has been systematically undervalued. In this paper, we address both a history of the concept and the elements that, in our opinion, help defining civil wars in historical terms.
Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Inferior Vena Cava Agenesis
Authors: Iarossi Michael , Hermans Cedric
Published: September 2023

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is common in the general population, with an annual incidence of 1 to 2 per 1000 people. Inferior vena cava agenesis (IVCA) increased the risk of developing DVT and is found in approximately 5% of young adults (20-40-year-olds) diagnosed with unprovoked proximal DVT. IVCA can be caused by a defective embryological process, or be a result of intrauterine or perinatal thrombosis. Its estimated incidence in the general population ranges from 0.0005% to 1%, usually involving a partial absence of one of the four segments of the inferior vena cava (IVC). The management during the extended phase of patients with DVT associated with IVCA is not yet harmonized, as it is poorly described in the literature. Patients with IVCA are considered to be at high risk of DVT occurrence, prompting physicians to continue extended anticoagulation, often using vitamin K antagonists. In this retrospective study, we present a cohort of 11 patients diagnosed with IVCA following a DVT, who subsequently received extended treatment with a direct oral anticoagulants. These findings offer reassuring insights into the extended utilization of direct oral anticoagulants, demonstrating both antithrombotic efficacy and a favorable safety profile.
Abnormal Uterine Involution May Lead to Atony and Postpartum Hemorrhage: A Hypothesis, With Review of the Evidence
Authors: Heller Debra S. , Cramer Stewart F. , Turner Bradley M.
Published: September 2023

Uterine involution has 2 major components—(1) involution of vessels; and (2) involution of myometrium. Involution of vessels was addressed by Rutherford and Hertig in 1945; however, involution of myometrium has received little attention in the modern literature. We suggest that the pathophysiology of myometrial involution may lead to uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage. The myometrium dramatically enlarges due to gestational hyperplasia and hypertrophy of myocytes, caused by hormonal influences of the fetal adrenal cortex and the placenta. After delivery, uterine weight drops rapidly, with physiologic involution of myometrium associated with massive destruction of myometrial tissue. The resulting histopathology, supported by scientific evidence, may be termed “postpartum metropathy,” and may explain the delay of postpartum menstrual periods until the completion of involution. When uterine atony causes uncontrolled hemorrhage, postpartum hysterectomy examination may be the responsibility of the perinatal pathologist.

Postpartum metropathy may be initiated when delivery of the baby terminates exposure to the hormonal influence of the fetal adrenal cortex, and may be accelerated when placental delivery terminates exposure to human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). This hypothesis may explain why a prolonged third stage of labor, and delays in management, are risk factors for severe hemorrhage due to uterine atony.
Aortic Dissection and a Previously Unreported ACTA2 Missense Variant Mutation in a Young Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Marutani Satoshi , Nishino Takako , Shimokawa Osamu , Pooh Ritsuko K. , Morisaki Hiroko , Inamura Noburu
Published: September 2023

Hereditary connective tissue disease is known to cause aortic lesions at an early age. Familial aortic aneurysm/dissection is caused due to an ACTA2 mutation that affects smooth muscle structure. We present a case of a 15-year-old boy with a mild developmental disorder in whom no abnormalities were identified on previous physical examinations. The patient presented with severe left heart failure, extensive dissection from the ascending aorta to the common iliac artery, and myocardial and cerebral infarctions. He underwent an urgent Bentall surgery. Six months later, the patient underwent surgical reconstruction of the abdominal aorta from the aortic arch and returned to normal daily activities. Pathological examination demonstrated the absence of elastic fibers but presence of abundant reticular fibers and mucopolysaccharides from the tunica intima to the media. Genetic testing revealed a heterozygous missense variant of the ACTA2 gene. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first sporadic case of structurally abnormal smooth muscle organization resulting in clinical symptoms with no previously reported pathogenicity.
Multimodal imaging of focal choroidal excavation and macular choroidal cavitation associated to choroidal neovascularization
Authors: El Matri Khaled , Saidane Rahma , Bouazzaoui Ouafi , Hachicha Iness , Falfoul Yousra , Matri Leila El
Published: September 2023

Purpose: To report multimodal imaging features of an unusual case of multiple focal choroidal excavations (FCE) associated to macular intrachoroidal cavitations (ICC) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in a non-myopic patient with normal choroidal thickness. Methods: Observational case report. Results: A 69-year-old non-myopic male patient with history of macular CNV of unknown etiology in the right eye (RE), initially treated with Bevacizumab intravitreal injections with significant improvement of visual acuity. He presented with acute vision loss in the same eye related to recurrent CNV exudation. Multimodal imaging of the RE confirmed the diagnosis of active type 2 CNV, associated to multiple FCE. Besides, it highlighted incidental unusual macular ICC in the same eye. Choroidal thickness was within normal limits (217 μm). Conclusion: Focal choroidal excavations and intrachoroidal cavitations can be observed in emmetropic patients in the absence of pachychoroid disease. In presence of CNV of unknown etiology, complete multimodal imaging can be of a great help to better define choroidal anomalies, allowing structural and vascular correlations between different lesions. Key words: Focal choroidal excavation; Choroidal cavitation; Multimodal imaging
Imaging of dysthyroid optic neuropathy
Authors: Rana Khizar , Garg Devanshu , Patel Sandy , Selva Dinesh
Published: September 2023

Dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) is a sight-threatening complication of thyroid eye disease and can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated early. Imaging with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can aid in the diagnosis and early recognition of DON. A number of quantitative and qualitative imaging features have been associated with DON. This article summarises the definition, prevalence, and utility of these radiological findings in the diagnosis of DON.
Effects of non-medical infliximab biosimilar switching in ocular inflammatory diseases: A case series from a tertiary care center
Authors: Dolinko Andrew H , Morvey Diana Edem , Apoorva Shimy , Chikovsky Max , Anesi Stephen D , Foster C Stephen
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To describe the course of care and outcomes for 3 uveitis patients formerly on Remicade that were non-medically switched to Inflectra.

Design

Retrospective observational case series.

Methods

• Setting: Tertiary care clinical practice. • Patient population: 3 Uveitis patients, observing both eyes for inflammation as applicable. Patients included if they had been on Inflectra for ≥2 infusions and history of Remicade use. Patients described herein had at least 1 adverse reaction to Inflectra and were switched to Remicade for medical necessity. Patients excluded if they were lost to follow-up or not examined for over 6 months during therapy. • Observation procedures/Interventions: Patients observed for adverse changes in clinical course while on Inflectra. Patients developing these changes on Inflectra were started or restarted on Remicade.

Results

The 3 patients described herein developed adverse complications while on Inflectra that required switching to Remicade. They were originally on Remicade, and their clinical course worsened beyond what had been controlled with Remicade alone. Our findings are limited by our small sample size, and further investigation is necessary to explore the scope of effects of non-medical biosimilar switching.

Conclusion

Non-medical biosimilar switching from Remicade to Inflectra may induce detrimental side-effects and significant worsening of inflammation in patients with uveitis. Non-medical biosimilar switching from Remicade to Inflectra should be discouraged, and physician input should be sought in establishing an effective and medically-necessary treatment plan for patients with uveitis.
Precisional modulation of translaminar pressure gradients for ophthalmic diseases
Authors: Waisberg Ethan , Ong Joshua , Masalkhi Mouayad , Paladugu Phani , Lee Andrew G , Berdahl John
Published: September 2023

The translaminar pressure gradient (TLPG) refers to two forces at the lamina cribosa of the optic nerve: the anteriorly acting intracranial pressure (ICP), and posteriorly-acting intraocular pressure (IOP). It has been proposed that controlling the translaminar pressure gradient at regular intervals may preserve the optic nerve and slow the course of glaucoma. The precisional modulation of this TLPG is a recently introduced concept that may play a role in the treatment of ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma. In this manuscript, we review the applications of pressurized goggles on ophthalmic diseases. We also elaborate upon current investigations in modulation of the TLPG including goggles and the multi-pressure dial goggle. We discuss future research directions for ophthalmic diseases including spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS), a large physiological barrier to future long-duration spaceflight.
Characteristics of pediatric ocular trauma in a tertiary hospital in Israel 2011–2020 – How can public prevention policy be improved?
Authors: Israeli Asaf , Wald Mollie , Safuri Shadi , Hod Keren , Cesarman Adela Escandon , Shalabi Fares , Mezer Eedy
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To describe and analyze characteristics and trends of pediatric ocular trauma during 2011–2020.

Methods

Retrospective descriptive study. Data were collected on all pediatric ocular trauma cases that presented to a Rambam Health Care Campus during 2011–2020. Data included age, gender, visual acuity, diagnosis, injury mechanism and surgical repair.

Results

Median BCVA at presentation was 0.96 (logMAR). Males and non-adolescent males specifically were the most prominent groups (70.6% and 44.7%, respectively). The ratio of ocular trauma cases to total pediatric emergency department (ED) visits was stable during 2011–2020 ( p = 0.714) regardless of gender ( p = 0.832 and p = 0.545 for boys and girls, respectively). The leading causes were partial thickness eyelid laceration, periorbital hematoma, and extraocular muscle contusion, all of which were stable over the study period ( p = 0.678, p = 0.203 and p = 0.398, respectively). Falls and children play were the most common mechanisms (25.8% and 18.4%, respectively), but differed between age groups. Most patients did not require consecutive operation and were treated conservatively ( p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Pediatric ocular injuries to pediatric ED visits ratio remained stable during 2011–2020, regardless of gender. Non-adolescent males accounted for nearly half of all cases, with different mechanisms for each age group. Consecutive surgery was rarely necessary.
Emergency department prediction model for 30-day mortality after hip fracture: the Spanish National Hip Fracture Registry (RNFC) cohort
Authors: Sanz-Reig Javier , Mas-Martinez Jesus , Ojeda-Thies Cristina , Saez-Lopez Maria P , Alonso-García Noelia , Gonzalez-Montalvo Juan I
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

The aim of this study was to design and validate a predictive model for 30-day mortality in a cohort of patients from the Spanish National Hip Fracture Registry (RNFC) with variables collected at the Emergency Department.

Methods:

Retrospective study of a prospective database of hip fracture patients ⩾75 years old between 1 January 2017 and 30 September 2019. Patient characteristics, type of fracture and osteoprotective medication were collected at the Emergency Department. Univariate analysis compared the results between patients alive and deceased 30 days after hospital discharge. The variables associated with 30-day mortality in the regression analysis were age >85 years, male sex, indoors pre-fracture mobility, dementia, ASA score >3, pathological fracture, and vitamin D intake. A score scale was created with these variables. Discriminative performance was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC), calibration was assessed by applying Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test and predicted-to-observed mortality was compared.

Results:

A total of 29,875 hip fracture cases were included in the study. The 30-day mortality of the overall cohort was 7.7%. A scale of 0–9 points was created, with a cut-off point of 4 points for the determination of patients at high risk of mortality. The AUC was 0.886. RNFC score presented good level of calibration ( p = 0.139). The predicted-to-observed ratio was 1.09.

Conclusions:

The RNFC predictive model with variables collected at the Emergency Department showed an excellent predictive capacity for 30-day mortality in patients after hip fracture.
Justifying employee gatekeeping: A video-elicitation and comparative study on resolving the moral unease of hiring
Authors: De Keere Kobe
Published: September 2023

Hiring is an act of evaluation that comes with much organizational and social responsibility, making it a morally sensitive situation. The way employee gatekeepers come to terms with their selections presents itself as an exemplary case to study the moral dimension of organizational life. Relying on a pragmatist perspective and an economies of worth framework, this article uncovers how employers experience moral uncertainty and justify their choices. Through a comparison of gatekeeping in two employment fields, this study covers new ground on how decision logics and regimes of valuation play out and can be structurally conditioned. Through in-depth interviews, combined with a ranking exercise based on video-elicitation, with recruiters and hiring managers from the corporate (n: 23) and cultural (n: 17) fields in the Netherlands, this paper explores how evaluation processes and selections are justified. The interviews show that a sense of moral unease is common among gatekeepers, but much more prevalent among corporate rather than cultural gatekeepers. Larger organizational size, high market pressure and lower supply of candidates does not translate into moral sterility for corporate gatekeepers. Second, the study reveals that a connexionist logic enters as a powerful justificatory regime, transforming candidate selection procedures into test of confession.
Making immersive storytelling accessible: Interactive low-tech implementation in elementary school civic learning
Authors: Kuznetcova Irina , Tilak Shantanu , Wen Ziye , Glassman Michael , Anderman Eric , Lin Tzu-Jung
Published: September 2023

Immersive storytelling (IST) is usually conceptualized within the framework of technologically immersive tools such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. While these tools offer some unique features (such as visual fidelity, interactivity, and embodied, first-person perspective), their level of technological immersion (based on the system’s objective qualities) might not directly translate to the psychological immersion experienced by the user. Such tools also tend to require access to digital or financial resources unavailable to many schools. We propose a low-tech alternative approach leveraging storytelling’s power for learning through affordable, accessible, and familiar classroom technology – Google Slides. We used the Participatory Learning framework to generate curricular design principles that aim to create a sense of psychological immersion through active participation in technology-mediated storytelling. In this design case study paper, we describe the design of a 10-day unit on Native American history implemented across nine teachers’ elementary school classrooms in the US. We examine the interplay between pedagogical and technological constraints in the design process, the role of the theoretical framework in the design, and conclude by detailing future directions for research on low-tech immersive storytelling environments.
Platformed solidarity: Examining the performative politics of Twitter hashflags
Authors: Highfield Tim , Miltner Kate M
Published: September 2023

This paper conceptualises platformed solidarity, describing how platforms change their affordances to support particular social justice causes, sometimes temporarily, and often in response to current events. Such actions allow platforms to perform their support of different interests in response to issues such as racial and gender equality or pro-democratic aims, among other examples. In each case, a specific feature of the platform is modified to visibly promote support, altering how their users experience these spaces. In doing so, these interventions highlight how major platforms demonstrate their politics, raising questions about the differences between the politics that they publicly portray and policies they enact. This paper explores platformed solidarity through an extended examination of Twitter hashflags, typically temporary visuals attached to hashtags of particular commercial, social, and political interests and offering affective emphasis to selected content. While the bulk of hashflags are commercial products, created in partnership with brands to encourage engagement and promotion of a campaign or product, there have been a number of hashflags for major events and causes, from elections to selected social justice campaigns. We suggest that examples of platformed solidarity can elucidate what global platforms see as their role and influence in public communication. However, this raises important questions about what causes, events, and groups are deemed worthy of platformed solidarity? What values do they represent and how – if at all – are these supported by platforms’ policy decisions regarding the same issues? We suggest that, whether cynical or well-intentioned, these surface-level interventions do not always necessarily align with higher-order corporate priorities and decision-making. As such, we suggest that platformed solidarity is a corporate tactic that can have overlap with considerations of ‘woke capitalism’, where visible gestures towards causes and issues are made but underpinned by platforms’ missions to maintain high user numbers, grow engagement, and profit.
On comparison of sensing capabilities of three-dimensional printed wearable sensors
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev , Singh Rupinder , Singh Amrinder P , Stanley Jessica , Wei Yang
Published: September 2023

As reported in the literature, several studies have been performed on the fabrication of wearable sensors using silver-ink screen printing or copper tape on a fabric. But hitherto little has been reported on the four-dimensional capabilities of such sensors fabricated using screen printing/copper tape. In this work, an interfacial layer of thermoplastic polyurethane was three-dimensional printed on the cotton (80%)-lycra (20%) woven fabric. The conductive layers of the sensor were made by screen printing using silver ink or copper tape pasted on fabric to develop two types of wearable sensors. To ascertain the four-dimensional capabilities, a 25 N tensile load as a stimulus was applied to the fabric-based sensor leading to warpage over the silver-ink screen printed surface and delamination of thermoplastic polyurethane from the fabric. The sensor developed as a microstrip patch antenna was designed for a resonance frequency ( Rf) of 2.45 GHz. The specific absorption rate was calculated using a high-frequency structure simulator to be 1.383 W/kg for screen-printed microstrip patch antenna. The specific absorption rate value for copper-tape-based sensors was higher than permissible at 30.52 W/kg, so the patch design was altered (to get it within the range). Finally, the prepared functional sensor with screen-printed silver ink shows an Rf of 2.44 GHz in the industrial, scientific, and medical band, whereas the copper-tape-based sensor has an Rf of 3.04 GHz.
“Remember that?” A temporal perspective on how audiences make sense of the news
Authors: Xia Yiping
Published: September 2023

Despite its recent turn towards audience studies, journalism and political communication research rarely considers how meanings are made from news in the context of everyday life. The relationships between news consumption and time are also understudied, except when the emphasis is on speed. In this study, I seek to answer the question: how do one’s past news engagements (and sometimes, anticipations of future events) shape how this person interprets a news story? I present findings from fieldwork conducted with 42 participants in the Chinese-Canadian community in the Toronto area, including more than 80 hours of in-depth interviews and 42 “news diaries” collected from each participant. The findings are organized into a typology of news meaning-making in time: gathering, threading, weaving, and fitting. Implications of this typology for understanding perceptions of misinformation and promoting public engagement with the news are discussed.
Revisiting the Uncertainty of Outcome Hypothesis and the Loss Aversion Hypothesis in the National Basketball Association: Adding a Predicted Game Quality Perspective
Authors: Hyun Moonsup , Jones Gareth J. , Jee Wonsok (Frank) , Jordan Jeremy S. , Du James , Lee Yohan
Published: September 2023

The unparalleled popularity of major professional sports leagues in the United States has led to numerous sold-out events, regardless of the uncertainty surrounding the game's outcome. This phenomenon prompts us to examine the relationship between outcome uncertainty and attendance, specifically in matchups between high-quality teams compared to games involving lower-quality teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Based on our analyses, we have discovered a notable distinction in the relationship between outcome uncertainty and attendance in high-quality games. When analyzing high-quality games, we observed a linear relationship between these two variables that was only marginally significant. Conversely, when exploring nonhigh-quality games, a U-shaped relationship emerged between outcome uncertainty and attendance. While the attendance of nonhigh-quality games was influenced by varying levels of uncertainty, high-quality games attracted fans irrespective of the outcome uncertainty. This research provides valuable insights into the factors that contribute to the popularity and attendance of NBA games.
Single center experience using 3 mm trevo stent retrievers in medium vessel occlusion thrombectomy
Authors: Zhao Christopher H , Koneru Manisha , Siegler James E , Vigilante Nicholas , Khalife Jane , Tonetti Daniel A , Shaikh Hamza
Published: September 2023

Background

Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy has been shown to benefit select patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by medium vessel occlusion, aided by recent advancements in endovascular mechanical thrombectomy devices that facilitate navigation through narrower vasculature. In this study, we aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using the 3 mm Trevo NXT stent retriever (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI) for endovascular mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by medium vessel occlusion.

Methods

From our single-center registry, we performed a retrospective review of all acute ischemic stroke patients from 2018 to 2022 who underwent endovascular mechanical thrombectomy for medium vessel occlusion with a 3 mm Trevo NXT. We examined efficacy outcomes (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction and puncture-to-revascularization time), clinical outcomes (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale), and procedural complication rate.

Results

Between 2018 and 2022, 44 patients (52.2% female, mean age 71.1 years, median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of 15 [8−22.8]) met our inclusion criteria. The 3 mm Trevo NXT was used in the first pass in 56.9% of individuals, with 72.4% achieving successful recanalization (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥ 2B). The 3 mm Trevo NXT was used as “rescue” after initial revascularization failure in 43.1% of individuals, achieving successful recanalization in 60.0% of passes. Acute complications were reported in 2.4% of cases. Median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at 24 h after intervention was 12 (4−20.8).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that endovascular mechanical thrombectomy using the 3 mm Trevo NXT is a safe and effective treatment option for medium vessel occlusion. The utility of novel stent retrievers in the treatment of medium vessel occlusion should be further explored in future multicenter studies.