bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Robust Coverless Image Steganography Algorithm Based on Image Retrieval with SURF Features
Authors: Li Fan , Liu Chenyang , Dong Zhenbo , Sun Zhibo , Qian Weipeng
Published: May 2024

With the advancement of image steganography, coverless image steganography has gained widespread attention due to its ability to hide information without modifying the carrier of images. However, existing coverless image steganography methods often require both communicating parties to transmit an amount of additional information including image blocks’ locations or a large number of parameters, which will raise a serious suspicion. In light of this issue, we propose a robust coverless image steganography algorithm based on Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF). Firstly, the proposed method allows both communicating parties to independently create multiple coverless image datasets (CIDs) using random seeds. Then, a mapping rule is designed for creating one-to-one correspondence between hash sequences and images in CIDs. Finally, the secret information will be carried by the images whose hash sequences are equal to the secret segments. At the receiver side, the robust SURF of images is utilized to retrieve the secret information. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms other methods in terms of capacity, robustness, and security. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the proposed method eliminates the need to transmit a large amount of additional information, which is a significant security issue in existing coverless image steganography algorithms.
A Blocking Method for Overload‐Dominant Cascading Failures in Power Grid Based on Source and Load Collaborative Regulation
Authors: Sun Ji , Liu Jiajun , Liu Yue , Li Chenjing , Zhi Na
Published: May 2024

Adjusting generator output and cutting off load can effectively solve the problem of continuous overload and disconnection of power lines caused by power flow transfer. To suppress large‐scale power outages caused by overload‐dominant cascading failures, a blocking method for overload‐dominant cascading failures in the power grid based on source and load collaborative regulation is proposed. The shortest path algorithm was used to identify loads and generators with shorter electrical distances from overloaded lines. Under the premise of meeting the static safety constraints of the power grid, considering the regulation of generator output and the removal of interruptible loads, a multiobjective cascading failure blocking model is established with the minimum overall control cost of the system and the minimum probability coefficient of line failure. Use the NSGA‐II algorithm to solve the model and obtain the optimal plan for adjusting generator output and cutting off load. Through example verification, the proposed method can effectively alleviate the phenomenon of line overload, thereby blocking the continuation of overload‐dominant cascading failures.
Modified Essed–Schroder Technique in Congenital Penile Curvature: Long‐Term Outcomes and Quality of Life Evaluation
Authors: Akdemir Fatih , Kayıgil Önder
Published: May 2024

Background. In this study, long‐term functional, cosmetic, and quality‐of‐life outcomes of patients with congenital penile curvature who were operated on using the modified Essed–Schröder procedure were evaluated. Materials and Methods. Between 2009 and 2022, 233 patients with congenital penile curvature were operated using a modification of the Essed–Schröder technique. The average age of the cases was found to be 23.7 ± 4.6 (18–37). The mean postoperative follow‐up period was 76.1 ± 16.8 (18–153) months. At the end of the follow‐up period, 203 of 233 patients were interviewed retrospectively, and standard questionnaires were filled out to evaluate the functional, cosmetic, and quality‐of‐life results of the procedure. Results. There was a curvature ventral in 103, left lateral in 40, right lateral in 30, dorsal in 17, dorsolateral in 8, and ventrolateral in 5 cases. The mean degree of curvature was found to be 51.7 ± 9.4 (30–80). Recurrent curvature was detected in 16 cases (7.14%), and discomfort due to suture palpation was detected in 17 cases (8.37%). No case reporting erectile dysfunction was detected. 90.6% of the patients reported that they were satisfied with the operation. As a result, the curvature was effectively corrected, and the sensation of postoperative suture palpation was minimized. It has been determined that it increases patient and partner satisfaction and improves the quality of life. Conclusions. The modified Essed–Schröder technique is a relatively simple technique and provides successful functional and cosmetic results. It also provides a significant improvement in quality of life.
Advancements in Predictive Microbiology: Integrating New Technologies for Efficient Food Safety Models
Authors: Taiwo Oluseyi Rotimi , Onyeaka Helen , Oladipo Elijah K. , Oloke Julius Kola , Chukwugozie Deborah C.
Published: May 2024

Predictive microbiology is a rapidly evolving field that has gained significant interest over the years due to its diverse application in food safety. Predictive models are widely used in food microbiology to estimate the growth of microorganisms in food products. These models represent the dynamic interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic food factors as mathematical equations and then apply these data to predict shelf life, spoilage, and microbial risk assessment. Due to their ability to predict the microbial risk, these tools are also integrated into hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) protocols. However, like most new technologies, several limitations have been linked to their use. Predictive models have been found incapable of modeling the intricate microbial interactions in food colonized by different bacteria populations under dynamic environmental conditions. To address this issue, researchers are integrating several new technologies into predictive models to improve efficiency and accuracy. Increasingly, newer technologies such as whole genome sequencing (WGS), metagenomics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are being rapidly adopted into newer‐generation models. This has facilitated the development of devices based on robotics, the Internet of Things, and time‐temperature indicators that are being incorporated into food processing both domestically and industrially globally. This study reviewed current research on predictive models, limitations, challenges, and newer technologies being integrated into developing more efficient models. Machine learning algorithms commonly employed in predictive modeling are discussed with emphasis on their application in research and industry and their advantages over traditional models.
Effects of the Glycosylation of the HA Protein of H9N2 Subtype Avian Influenza Virus on the Pathogenicity in Mice and Antigenicity
Authors: Liang Bing , Fan Menglu , Meng Qi , Zhang Yaping , Jin Jiayu , Chen Na , Lu Yuanlu , Jiang Chenfeng , Zhang Xingxing , Zou Zongyou , Ping Jihui , Su Juan
Published: May 2024

As the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus (H9N2 AIV) evolves naturally, mutations in the hemagglutinin (HA) protein still occur, which involves some sites with glycosylations. It is widely established that glycosylation of the H9N2 AIV HA protein has a major impact on the antigenicity and pathogenicity of the virus. However, the biological implications of a particular glycosylation modification site (GMS) have not been well investigated. In this study, we generated viruses with different GMSs based on wild‐type (WT) viruses. Antigenicity studies revealed that the presence of viruses with a 200G+/295G− mutation (with glycosylation at position 200 and deletion of glycosylation at position 295 in the HA protein) combined with a single GMS, such as 87G+, 127G+, 148G+, 178G+, or 265G+, could significantly affect the antigenicity of the virus. Pathogenicity assays revealed that the addition of GMS, such as 127G+, 188G+, 148G+, 178G+, or 54G+, decreased the virulence of the virus in mice, except for 87G+. The removal of GMS, such as 280G− or 295G−, increased the pathogenicity of the virus in mice. Further studies on pathogenicity revealed that 87G+/295G− could also enhance the pathogenicity of the virus. Finally, we selected the WT, WT‐87G+, WT‐295G−, and WT‐87G+/295G− strains as our further research targets to investigate the detailed biological properties of the viruses. GMS, which can enhance viral pathogenicity, did not significantly affect replication or viral stability in vitro but significantly promoted the expression of proinflammatory factors to enhance inflammatory responses in mouse lungs. These findings further deepen our understanding of the influence of the glycosylation of the HA protein of H9N2 AIV on the pathogenicity and antigenicity of the virus in mice.
Antiglycemic Activity of Vietnamese Scutellaria barbata Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice
Authors: Minh Trang Vu , Van Trung Bui , Minh Giang Phan , Thi Viet Huong Do , Tien Son Nguyen
Published: May 2024

Scutellariabarbata D. Don (S. barbata), a medicinal herb commonly used in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, consists of bioactive neoclerodanes and flavonoids. However, its anti-hyperglycemic activity has not been reported. In this work, we used bioassay-guided fractionation to find effective anti-hyperglycemic fractions of S. barbata. The chemical components of these fractions were also determined structurally; they are scutellarin (1), luteolin (2), naringenin (3), tricin (4), baicalein (5), baicalin (6), apigenin (7), and wogonin (8). The most potent fraction SB6 consisting of flavonoids 5, 6, 7, and 8 showed 89% inhibition of α-glucosidase in the in vitro experiment. In further in vivo experiments on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, SB6 exhibited significant anti-hyperglycemic activity comparable to metformin after 28 days of treatment. This fraction, however, did not show efficiency in reducing the weight gain of the treated mice.
HLA‐DQB1 Allele Polymorphism Associated with Oral Submucous Fibrosis in Hunan, China
Authors: Tan Yisi , Huang Yuting , Guo Linkai , Zhou Linghang , Zhu Keke , Li Yuancong , Tan Jin
Published: May 2024

Background and Objective. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a progressive and irreversible disorder of collagen metabolism, resulting in mucosal fibrosis, oral functional changes, and even malignant transformation. This study investigated the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐DQB1 alleles and the susceptibility to OSF in a Hunan Han population, providing a new basis for clinical prevention and treatment of OSF. Methods. 44 OSF patients and 44 healthy volunteers were included in this study. To detect the expression frequency of HLA‐DQB1 alleles in the two groups and analyze significant allelic subtypes and their relative risk, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequence‐specific primers were used. Subsequently, based on the identification of differential genes, we compare the gene expression levels of OSF patients and healthy volunteers expressing differential genes by real‐time quantitative PCR. Results. The expression frequency of the HLA‐DQB1 ∗05 : 02 allele in the OSF group (36.4%) was significantly higher than in the controls (13.6%), and exposure to the HLA‐DQB1 ∗05 : 02 allele was strongly related to OSF (OR (95% CI) = 3.619 (1.257,10.421), Wald χ2 = 5.681, P = 0.017). However, there were no significant differences in the allele expression frequencies of DQB1 ∗02 : 01, DQB1 ∗03 : 03, DQB1 ∗05 : 01, DQB1 ∗05 : 03, DQB1 ∗06 : 02, DQB1 ∗06 : 03, and DQB1 ∗06 : 04 in the OSF group compared with the controls (all P > 0.05). Furthermore, the relative expression level of the HLA‐DQB1 ∗05 : 02 allele in the OSF group (3.98 ± 3.50) was significantly higher than in controls (0.70 ± 0.41). Conclusions. There are differences in the HLA‐DQB1 allele polymorphisms between the healthy population and patients with oral submucosal fibrosis. Preliminarily, it is suggested that the HLA‐DQB1 ∗05 : 02 allele, which has a strong correlation with OSF and great differential expression between patients with OSF and controls, might be a susceptibility gene for OSF in Hunan.
Production and Characterization of Recycled Polypropylene Composite Reinforced with Cotton Fabric Waste
Authors: Ferede Eyasu , Gebru Genet , Worku Tsigemariam , Jambo Tsigemariam , Atalie Desalegn , Zerefa Worku
Published: May 2024

Composite materials have played an important role throughout human history, from housing early civilizations to enabling future innovations. This study explores the development of composite materials from recycled polypropylene and cotton fabric waste targeted for different applications. The composites were manufactured by the melt‐mixing method. The effects of cotton fabric waste content on various composite characteristics were investigated using tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, impact strength, compressive strength, and water absorption. The study showed that with an increase in cotton fabric waste content, properties such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, impact strength, and compressive strength increase up to the optimum level, while a decrease in these properties is observed after the optimal level. The maximum tensile strength of 57.84 MPa, tensile modulus of 1.31 GPa, flexural strength of 55.32 MPa, flexural modulus of 2.7 GPa, impact strength of 33.06 kJ/m2, and compressive strength of 53.68 MPa were obtained. The water absorption rate increased with an increase in the cotton fabric waste weight proportion. From the result of this study, it can be concluded that the optimal mechanical and water absorption properties were achieved at 30% cotton fabric waste content. Therefore, creating composites from recovered polypropylene and cotton fabric waste can have both environmental and financial benefits.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Cardiotoxicity: A Comparative Meta‐Analysis of Observational Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Sharma Akash , Alexander Grace , Chu Jian H. , Markopoulos Artemis , Maloul Gilgamish , Ayub Muhammad Talha , Fidler Mary J. , Okwuosa Tochukwu M.
Published: May 2024

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have uncommon associations with cardiotoxicity, yet these cardiotoxic effects are associated with high mortality. An accurate assessment of risk for cardiotoxicity is essential for clinical decision‐making, but data from randomized controlled trials often differ from real‐world observational studies.

Methods and Results

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus was performed, including phase II and III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (OSs) reporting myocarditis or pericardial disease, myocardial infarction, or stroke with an immunotherapy. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to pool results between ICIs and other cancer therapy in RCTs and OSs. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guideline was followed. In total, 54 RCTs (N=38 264) and 24 OSs (N=12 561 455) were included. In RCTs, ICI use resulted in higher risk of myocarditis (OR, 3.55 [95% CI, 2.10–5.98]), pericardial disease (OR, 2.73 [95% CI, 1.57–4.77]), and myocardial infarction (OR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.03–3.25]), compared with non‐ICI (placebo or chemotherapy). In OSs, ICI use was not associated with myocarditis, pericardial disease, or myocardial infarction compared with controls; however, combination ICIs demonstrated higher risk of myocarditis compared with single ICI use (OR, 3.07 [95% CI, 1.28–7.39]). Stroke risk was not increased with use of ICIs in RCTs.

Conclusions

We demonstrated increased risk of ICI myocarditis, pericardial disease, and myocardial infarction in RCTs but not OSs. Results of this study suggest there are differences between ICI cardiotoxicity risk, possibly suggesting differences in diagnoses and management, in clinical trials versus the OSs.
Dynamic Mechanism of Cerebral Venous Disruption: Longitudinal Evidence From a Community‐Based Cohort
Authors: Liu Zi‐Yue , Wang Pei , Zhai Fei‐Fei , Ao Dong‐Hui , Han Fei , Li Ming‐Li , Zhou Li‐Xin , Ni Jun , Yao Ming , Zhang Shu‐Yang , Cui Li‐Ying , Jin Zheng‐Yu , Zhu Yi‐Cheng
Published: May 2024

Background

This study aims to investigate the temporal and spatial patterns of structural brain injury related to deep medullary veins (DMVs) damage.

Methods and Results

This is a longitudinal analysis of the population‐based Shunyi cohort study. Baseline DMVs numbers were identified on susceptibility‐weighted imaging. We assessed vertex‐wise cortex maps and diffusion maps at both baseline and follow‐up using FSL software and the longitudinal FreeSurfer analysis suite. We performed statistical analysis of global measurements and voxel/vertex‐wise analysis to explore the relationship between DMVs number and brain structural measurements. A total of 977 participants were included in the baseline, of whom 544 completed the follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging (age 54.97±7.83 years, 32% men, mean interval 5.56±0.47 years). A lower number of DMVs was associated with a faster disruption of white matter microstructural integrity, presented by increased mean diffusivity and radial diffusion (β=0.0001 and SE=0.0001 for both,
P
=0.04 and 0.03, respectively), in extensive deep white matter (threshold‐free cluster enhancement
P
<0.05, adjusted for age and sex). Of particular interest, we found a bidirectional trend association between DMVs number and change in brain volumes. Specifically, participants with mild DMVs disruption showed greater cortical enlargement, whereas those with severe disruption exhibited more significant brain atrophy, primarily involving clusters in the frontal and parietal lobes (multiple comparison corrected
P
<0.05, adjusted for age, sex, and total intracranial volume).

Conclusions

Our findings posed the dynamic pattern of brain parenchymal lesions related to DMVs injury, shedding light on the interactions and chronological roles of various pathological mechanisms.
Voltammetric Determination of Phenylephrine Hydrochloride at Poly (Diphenylamine Sulfonic Acid) Electrode
Authors: Erdoğdu Gamze
Published: May 2024

The electrochemical behaviour was studied, and the determination method of phenylephrine hydrochloride (PHE) at wide pH range at poly (Diphenylamine Sulfonic Acid, DPSA), using cyclic voltammetric (CV), differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) techniques. Optimum conditions and optimization
of parameters for analytical applications were obtained by DPV technique, this technique was selected for the determination. Using optimized DPV technique, the current was linear within a concentration range between 10–100 nM in pH 6.5 phosphate buffer (PBS). Furthermore, poly (DPSA)
electrodes were successfully applied to the determination of PHE in spiked urine and pharmaceutical preparations, rapid and low-cost method. The repeatability, accuracy and precision of the developed technique were checked.
The Political Legacies of Wartime Resistance: How Local Communities in Italy Keep Anti-fascist Sentiments Alive
Authors: Cremaschi Simone , Masullo Juan
Published: May 2024

Can past wartime experiences affect political behavior beyond those who lived through them? We argue that local experiences of armed resistance leave political legacies that “memory entrepreneurs” can translate into contemporary political action via a community-based process of intergenerational transmission consisting of three core activities – memorialization, localization, and mobilization. We empirically substantiate this argument in Italy, where an intense armed resistance movement against Nazi-Fascist forces took place in the 1940s. We combine statistical analysis of original data across Italian municipalities and within-case analysis of a purposively selected locality to show how the past impacts the present via the preservation and activation of collective memories. This study improves our understanding of the processes of long-term transmission, emphasizes armed resistance as a critical source of the long-term political legacies of war, and explores its political effects beyond electoral and party politics.
Living life ‘to the core’: Enacting a calling through configurations of multiple jobs
Authors: Robertson Kirsten , Lautsch Brenda A , Hannah David R
Published: May 2024

Most of us will be familiar with the saying, ‘Find something you love to do, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life’. But is it accurate? Through interviews with individuals who have felt beckoned towards such an activity – in other words, who have a calling – we explain why this saying holds true for some, but not for others. We found that many called individuals have conditions, which are self-determined limitations on how, where and with whom they are driven to engage in their callings. Drawing on this idea, we differentiate a calling core, comprised of activities that meet all an individual’s conditions, from periphery activities that fall within the domain but only meet some or no conditions. Core conditionality can, in turn, explain the configuration of jobs people will be inclined to pursue in turning their calling into a career. For example, some called individuals with conditional cores deliberately eschew all-encompassing callings, instead pursuing stable non-calling work alongside part-time calling jobs that meet all their conditions. We also learned why individuals may change their enactment approaches over time as they develop a clearer understanding of what conditions truly matter to them.
An Analysis of Changes in State Guidelines for Assigning Students With Disabilities to the Alternate Assessment
Authors: Lazarus Sheryl S. , Thurlow Martha L. , Quanbeck Mari K. A.
Published: May 2024

The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act placed a 1.0% cap on the participation of students with disabilities in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). U.S. Department of Education regulations clarified that states must develop participation guidelines and a definition of students with the “most significant cognitive disabilities.” States have developed and refined their guidelines and definitions in the years since these regulations. We present an overview of how participation guidelines and definitions have changed by comparing the results of three analyses of states’ materials related to AA-AAAS participation. We highlight key changes and similarities in participation guidelines across analyses and conclude with a discussion of why changes may have occurred.
Defining hybrid hierarchical models in πHYFLOW
Authors: Barros Fernando J
Published: May 2024

This paper presents πHyFlow, a modular approach to the process interaction worldview (PI). Traditionally, PI supports a set of interacting processes without enabling modular and hierarchical model definition. πHyFlow basic models define a dynamic set of processes while also enabling a modular interface for supporting model composition. πHyFlow allows an exact representation of continuous signals based on the concepts of dense outputs, and generalized sampling. πHyFlow ability to support accurate models of hybrid systems is presented through a DC-DC converter (DCC) based on a resistor–capacitor (RC) electrical circuit. The DCC output voltage can be modeled by a first-order differential equation that is solved using an exponential time differencing (ETD) integrator. The DCC network model uses a digital on-off controller and an ETD. Simulation results are generated by πHyFlow++, a C++ implementation of the formalism.
Appearance and Social Inequalities: Physical Attractiveness as a Part of Occupation-Congruent Appearance
Authors: Sarpila Outi , Koivula Aki , Kukkonen Iida
Published: May 2024

Appearance-based inequalities are gaining increasing interest in sociology. This article is the first to systematically examine the extent to which attractiveness is linked to culturally shared ideas of representatives of different occupations. We conceptualise these cultural expectations as ‘occupation-congruent appearance’. To understand the gendered dynamics between attractiveness and looking ‘congruent’, we analyse large-scale photograph data representing a heterogeneous group of different occupations ( n = 1411), including population-level ratings on those photographs ( n = 3456). We find that for both men and women, attractiveness is generally associated with an increase in perceived occupation-congruent appearance. However, this association is gendered, so the differences between occupational categories are greater for men than for women. Therefore, we argue that attractiveness can magnify appearance-based status differences, particularly among men. The research opens new perspectives to examine appearance and inequalities, not only from the perspective of looking attractive, but also through looking congruent.
Optimization of energy absorption and vibration behaviour of TPMS Schwarz P and Schoen Gyroid lattice structures using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array
Authors: Sathishkumar N. , Kumar K.M. , Selvam R. , Udayakumar A.S.M.
Published: May 2024

In this study, the optimization of printing parameters in fused deposition modeling (FDM) is addressed, focusing on their impact on energy absorption and vibration behaviour of triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattice structures, specifically Pseudo-periodic-based Schwarz P and Schoen Gyroid designs. The experimental design employs a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array involving layer height (0.15 mm, 0.30 mm, 0.45 mm), build orientation (0°, 45°, 90°), and extruder temperature (190°C, 200°C, 210°C) as inputs. These lattice structures are generated through Math Mod and simulated using Blender, with Autodesk Mesh mixer refining the STL file. The lattice fabrication employs PLA (polylactic acid). Comparative analysis is conducted against a high-density solid structure lacking lattice design. Optimal parameters for Schwarz P lattice are found to be 0.45 mm layer height, 0° build orientation, and 200°C extruder temperature, while for Schoen Gyroid lattice, 0.30 mm layer height, 0° build orientation, and 210°C extruder temperature. Solid structure optimization yields 0.30 mm layer height, 90° build orientation, and 190°C extruder temperature. Solid structures outperform Schwarz-P and Schoen-Gyroid in energy absorption and vibration behaviour, with Schwarz P showing superior properties over Schoen Gyroid.
Teaching policy capacity: A collaborative and constructivist workshop
Authors: Cameron Bobby Thomas
Published: May 2024

This article presents an approach for teaching policy capacity to civil servants based on a workshop that took place in 2018 under the auspices of the Government of Prince Edward Island’s Policy Capacity Learning Series. It argues that workshops which introduce civil servants to the concept of policy capacity can enhance skills-based training and knowledge of the policy environment. Through a learner-focused, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy, the workshop involved a group activity where civil servants constructed a visual diagram of their policy environment by categorizing actors, skills, resources, institutions and concepts according to a policy capacity framework. This article discusses the workshop’s planning and delivery requirements which can be used, adapted and improved by practitioners in other jurisdictions. It also provides considerations for future training and education in public administration.
Understanding ethnic minority students’ motivations to pursue higher music education over time
Authors: Guan Tao , Luo Ning , Matsunobu Koji
Published: May 2024

This longitudinal case study aimed to explore changes in ethnic minority students’ motivations to pursue higher music education during the transition from high school to university. The participants were recruited from the Yi, Mongolian and Tibetan ethnic groups in a remote mountainous region of southwest China. Data were collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicated that the ethnic minority students were driven both by intrinsic motivations, including a love of and interest and persistence in music, positive musical experiences and musical ability, and by extrinsic motivations, including the desire to earn a university degree by way of studying music, meet the expectations of their local music teachers and family members and repay their hometowns by serving as local music teachers. However, most of the participating ethnic minority students exhibited a shift in their motivations to study music after 2 years of university education. This shift was attributable to various elements, including peer competition, employment pressure, mentor support and the university environment. Based on these findings, we suggest ways to support ethnic minority students transitioning smoothly from high school to university and continuing their music studies.
Activity-Dependent Compensation at the Hip and Ankle at 8 Years After the Reconstruction of Isolated and Combined Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
Authors: Agres Alison N. , Brisson Nicholas M. , Duda Georg N. , Jung Tobias M.
Published: May 2024

Background:

After posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (PCLR), functional deficits at the knee can persist. It remains unclear if neighboring joints compensate for the knee during demanding activities of daily living.

Purpose:

To assess long-term alterations in lower limb mechanics in patients after PCLR.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 28 patients who had undergone single-bundle unilateral isolated or combined PCLR performed stair navigation, squat, sit-to-stand, and stand-to-sit tasks at 8.2 ± 2.2 years after surgery. Motion capture and force plates were used to collect kinematic and kinetic data. Then, 3-dimensional hip, knee, and ankle kinematic data of the reconstructed limb were compared with those of the contralateral limb using statistical parametric mapping.

Results:

Side-to-side differences at the knee were primarily found during upward-driven movements at 8 years after surgery. The reconstructed knee exhibited lower internal rotation during the initial loading phase of stair ascent versus the contralateral knee ( P = .005). During the sit-to-stand task, higher flexion angles during the midcycle ( P = .017) and lower external rotation angles ( P = .049) were found in the reconstructed knee; sagittal knee ( P = .001) and hip ( P = .016) moments were lower in the reconstructed limb than the contralateral limb. In downward-driven movements, side-to-side differences were minimal at the knee but prominent at the ankle and hip: during stair descent, the reconstructed ankle exhibited lower dorsiflexion and lower external rotation during the midcycle versus the contralateral ankle ( P = .006 and P = .040, respectively). Frontal hip moments in the reconstructed limb were higher than those in the contralateral limb during the stand-to-sit task ( P = .010); during squats, sagittal hip angles in the reconstructed limb were higher than those in the contralateral limb ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

Patients after PCLR exhibited compensations at the hip and ankle during downward-driven movements, such as stair descent, squats, and stand-to-sit. Conversely, residual long-term side-to-side differences at the knee were detected during upward-driven movements such as stair ascent and sit-to-stand.

Clinical Relevance:

After PCLR, side-to-side differences in biomechanical function were activity-dependent and occurred either at the knee or neighboring joints. When referring to the contralateral limb to assess knee function in the reconstructed limb, concentric, upward-driven movements should be prioritized. Compensations at the hip and ankle during downward-driven movements lead to biases in long-term functional assessments.
An ecological inference approach to the origins of proportional representation
Authors: Penadés Alberto , Pavía Jose M.
Published: May 2024

Facing a prospective majority of socialists during the early third of the 20th century, some secular conservative and liberal parties pooled their votes to raise the majority threshold for the left, while others raised it by enacting some form of proportional representation. We use vote transfers, estimated by a new method of ecological inference, to explain those far-reaching choices. We provide a new conceptualization and measurement of the segmentation of the electoral market to test a proposition within the Boix-Rokkan framework: proportional representation reform was chosen when vote transfers foretold coalition failure. To substantiate our claim, we investigate two most similar cases, Denmark during 1910–1918 and New Zealand during 1928–1931, that diverged in the explanatory variable and in the response.
Universal Sexual Violence Intervention Effects in a Cluster-Randomized Trial: Moderation by Sexual Orientation
Authors: Coulter Robert W. S. , Gartner Rachel E. , Cramer Casey , Smith Emil K. , Abebe Kaleab Z. , Miller Elizabeth
Published: May 2024

Sexual minority (e.g., gay/lesbian, bisexual, and queer) students are more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience sexual violence (SV) during college. Interventions that prevent SV and improve SV care-seeking behaviors for sexual minority students are lacking. Giving Information for Trauma Support and Safety (GIFTSS) is an evidence-based universal SV intervention implemented by providers during college health and counseling visits. Compared to controls, GIFTSS participants reported greater self-efficacy to use SV harm reduction strategies and SV disclosure during clinical visits. However, GIFTSS’ effectiveness for sexual minority participants is unknown. The current study examines whether sexual orientation moderates GIFTSS’ effects on numerous SV-related outcomes (i.e., to test whether intervention effects at 4 and 12 months differed based on sexual orientation). Across 28 college campuses in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, 2,291 students participated in a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial. We used mixed models with two- and three-way interaction terms to test whether sexual orientation modified GIFTSS’ effects at 4- and 12-month follow-up on participants’: SV recognition; knowledge of and self-efficacy to enact SV harm reduction strategies; intentions to intervene; knowledge of and self-efficacy to use SV-related services; SV disclosure during visits; and recent SV exposure. Overall, 22.1% of participants were sexual minorities ( n = 507). Sexual orientation moderated GIFTSS effectiveness as indicated by significant three-way interaction ( p = .01) at 12-month follow-up, and knowledge of SV services decreased for heterosexual participants (β = −.23) but increased for sexual minority participants (β = .23). Our study indicates that universal provider-based education may promote greater knowledge of SV services among sexual minority than heterosexual participants, and population-specific interventions are needed that reduce sexual minority students’ SV exposure, service utilization, and other critical aspects of SV prevention on university campuses.

Clinical Trial Registration: Registry name: College Health Center-based Alcohol and Sexual Violence Intervention (GIFTSS), Registration number: NCT02355470, Web link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02355470 , Deidentified individual participant data will not be made available.
Blockchain design for optimal joint production and maintenance over multiple periods for oil-filling production lines
Authors: Al-Refaie Abbas , Al-Hawadi Ahmad
Published: May 2024

Joint maintenance and production planning result in enhanced system efficiency and a significant reduction in expensive costs. Therefore, this research proposed an integrated blockchain design of two optimization models for the joint scheduling and sequencing of production orders and maintenance jobs over multiple periods with probabilistic and stochastic parameters for the oil-filling process. In the scheduling model, the objective function was to minimize total production and maintenance costs. Further, the sequencing model aimed to minimize the total overtime cost and the sum start times of jobs and orders. The proposed models were implemented on five production lines of five-liter lube oil bottles. Results showed that the developed optimization models effectively achieved concurrent production and maintenance planning at minimal total cost. In practice, this results in effective resource utilization, and saving costly production and maintenance costs. In conclusion, the developed blockchain design is valuable in developing, managing, and controlling optimal joint production and maintenance planning of oil-filling production lines.
A new method for determining crack propagation
Authors: Ávila da Silva Claudio R , dos Santos Bruno
Published: May 2024

This paper presents a new method for obtaining approximate closed-form solutions for crack propagation problems. In general, it is not possible to obtain explicit solutions of the parameters and elementary functions of these problems, due to their terms complexity, present in their definitions. In this way, we used numerical methods to obtain approximate numerical solutions. The method presented in this article provides a proposal, which, when defined by differential equations, is applicable and extensible to other problems. The approximate solutions are obtained as an exact solution of a modified initial value problem. The performance is evaluated in relation to problems with known exact solution.
A quantitative method of calculating transient nonlinear heat partition coefficient between clutch friction discs with deep learning
Authors: Zhang Peng , Zheng Changsong , Xiong Cenbo , Ma Biao , Yu Liang , Luo Dengming
Published: May 2024

In the current clutch temperature field study, the generally used constant heat partition coefficient tends to overestimate the separator disc temperature and underestimate the friction disc temperature. Although some researchers have found the characteristics of the time-varying heat partition coefficient, a suitable method is still needed to apply it to temperature calculations. This study provides a quantitative method for the application of the transient nonlinear heat partition coefficient to temperature calculations. The finite difference method is adopted to figure out the time-varying curve of the heat partition coefficient by coupling the contact temperature of the friction components. The numerical results show that the heat partition coefficient is independent of rotation speed with three stages: initial value, rapid time-varying, and steady-state. Different from the analytical method, we apply a deep learning method to train the quantisation function to characterise these three stages, avoiding complex formula derivation. As a result, the quantitative function can characterise the time-varying heat partition coefficient accurately, with an average error of 0.19%, 3.05% and 0.62% for the inert, time-varying, and steady-state stages, respectively. In addition, the accuracy of applying the quantisation function in temperature simulation is verified by friction experiments, and the error is less than 8%. This is superior to the results of solving the temperature field by a constant heat partition coefficient.
Discursive pragmatics of justification in terrorist threat texts: Victim-blaming, denying, discrediting, legitimating, manipulating, and retaliation
Authors: Etaywe Awni
Published: May 2024

This article explores the under-researched area of discursive tactics employed in terrorist threat texts that exploit moral values to constantly justify violence, fostering a ‘discourse of justification’, disaffiliation and conflict. Employing a discursive pragmatic analysis, it delves into the tactics of violent extremists associated with jihadism and far-right ideologies. Utilising the Appraisal framework and the ‘moral disaffiliation’ strategy, the study uncovers verbal practices shaping a dynamic of justification. Findings reveal threateners’ involvement in regulatory discursive functions – manipulation, deontic-retaliation, and boulomaic effect – and practices of ideologically positioning functions – discrediting, blaming, denying and (de)legitimating. The analysis highlights the construction of negative victim individuals and societies while praising the threatener/in-group, anchored predominantly in values of propriety, capacity, valuation and veracity, as the primary dynamic of threatener-victim disalignment. This study contributes insights into threatener profiling, motivations of violence and future research on threat-genre rhetorical structure analysis.
Plasma-Based Scaffold Containing Bone-Marrow Mononuclear Cells Promotes Wound Healing in a Mouse Model of Pressure Injury
Authors: Alvarez-Viejo Maria , Romero-Rosal Luis , Perez-Basterrechea Marcos , García-Gala Jose M. , Hernando-Rodriguez Pablo , Marana-Gonzalez Jesus , Rubiera-Valdes Miriam , Vivanco-Allende Blanca , Fernandez-Rodriguez Angeles , Martinez-Revuelta Eva , Perez-Lopez Silvia
Published: May 2024

Pressure injuries, or pressure ulcers, are a common problem that may lead to infections and major complications, besides being a social and economic burden due to the costs of treatment and hospitalization. While surgery is sometimes necessary, this also has complications such as recurrence or wound dehiscence. Among the newer methods of pressure injury treatment, advanced therapies are an interesting option. This study examines the healing properties of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) embedded in a plasma-based scaffold in a mouse model. Pressure ulcers were created on the backs of mice (2 per mouse) using magnets and assigned to a group of ulcers that were left untreated (Control, n = 15), treated with plasma scaffold (Plasma, n = 15), or treated with plasma scaffold containing BM-MNC (Plasma + BM-MNC, n = 15). Each group was examined at three time points (3, 7, and 14 days) after the onset of treatment. At each time point, animals were subjected to biometric assessment, bioluminescence imaging, and tomography. Once treatment had finished, skin biopsies were processed for histological and wound healing reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) array studies. While wound closure percentages were higher in the Plasma and Plasma + BM-MNC groups, differences were not significant, and thus descriptive data are provided. In all individuals, the presence of donor cells was revealed by immunohistochemistry on posttreatment onset Days 3, 7, and 14. In the Plasma + BM-MNC group, less inflammation was observed by positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging of the mice at 7 days, and a complete morphometabolic response was produced at 14 days, in accordance with histological results. A much more pronounced inflammatory process was observed in controls than in the other two groups, and this persisted until Day 14 after treatment onset. RT-PCR array gene expression patterns were also found to vary significantly, with the greatest difference noted between both treatments at 14 days when 11 genes were differentially expressed.
Effects of Racist Microaggressions and Sexual and Gender Minority Stress on Mental Health Among Latinx Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning + Young Adults
Authors: Salerno John P. , Lea Charles H. , Alcántara Carmela
Published: May 2024

This study examines the effects of racist microaggressions and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ)-related minority stressors (i.e., identity concealment, family rejection, internalized LGBTQ-phobia, victimization, and racialized heterosexism/cisgenderism) on psychological distress among Latinx LGBTQ+ young people, specifically college students. Participants are a Latinx subset ( n = 80) from a national online nonprobability cross-sectional survey of LGBTQ+ college students. The study aim was examined using linear/logistic regression. Findings indicated that racist microaggressions and family rejection were associated with psychological distress. In addition, racist microaggressions were the only stressor associated with clinically significant psychological distress that may warrant psychiatric/psychological treatment. Therefore, racist microaggressions and family rejection are unique stressors that may saliently affect mental health among Latinx LGBTQ+ students. There is a great need to integrate minority stress theory with other critically-oriented theories, such as intersectionality, in research and intervention to eliminate mental health inequities faced by Latinx LGBTQ+ young people.
Living in a Regime of Energy Shortages: Spotlights From Lviv During the War
Authors: Błaszczyk Mateusz , Ilyk Khrystyna , Pachkovskyy Yuriy
Published: May 2024

This article delves into societal functioning amid continuous deficits in access to electricity and heat. As a consequence of the Russian–Ukrainian conflict, Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been sustaining damage, leading to planned and unplanned disruptions in electricity and heat supply. This scenario has created unique circumstances, akin to a natural laboratory, for analysing social action building resilience to sustain social order under energy constraints. The data presented in this article come from systematic observations conducted in Lviv from November 2022 to January 2023. The findings shed light on the social repercussions of energy constraints and modes of adaptation. Despite the preliminary nature of the analyses carried out, discussion with the results allows us to grasp the specific context of war in the processes of creating social resilience to the threat of electricity shortages.
Evaluating the Factors Associated With Increased Risk of Self-Reported Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients With Arthritis
Authors: Sharma Akash , Ananthan Velmurugan Anbu , Yousaf Hamza
Published: May 2024

Introduction. Arthritis has increased systematic repercussions either by extra-articular manifestations or due to limited activities. Methods. In this study, we used the 2020 and 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a large, nationally representative, cross-sectional telephone survey. The data was divided into the participants having arthritis and no arthritis. Results represented as an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). We used a multivariate-adjusted logistic regression model to analyze the results. Fisher’s t-test was used to compare between 2 groups. P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results. BRFSS survey results led to 835,452 participants included in the final analysis. Of the included participant, 267020 has arthritis, and 568432 do not. In the arthritis group, 38.7% were males, and 61.3% were females. We found that patients with arthritis have a higher prevalence of diabetes and stroke. Adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that patients with arthritis have higher odds of reporting ischemic heart disease (IHD) (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.05-1.05, p-value < 0.001). Also, poor health status (mental, general, and physical) patients are more likely to report IHD. Conclusion. Patients with arthritis are more likely to report IHD, which further increases in patients with poor health status.
Vile Sovereignty: The carnival of power
Authors: Hallsworth Simon , Stephenson Svetlana
Published: May 2024

In this paper we seek to extend Bakhtin’s reading of the folk carnival and apply it to help understand the carnivalesque, performative aspects of state power. Drawing on the work of Agamben, Foucault, Lacan and Žižek and recent scholarship on the role of laughter in the Stalinist totalitarian culture, we argue that the state can also laugh and that it has its own carnival tradition as well. To explore what we propose to call the carnival of power, we examine three iterations of this tradition: the festive exercise of state violence, state carnivalisers, and the carnivalesque style in governance.