bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial Intelligence in Hand Surgery – How Generative AI is Transforming the Hand Surgery Landscape
Authors: TAN Ruth En Si , TEO Wendy Zi Wei , PUHAINDRAN Mark E.
Published: March 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has witnessed significant advancements, reshaping various industries, including healthcare. The introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022 marked a pivotal moment, showcasing the potential of generative AI in revolutionising patient care, diagnosis and treatment. Generative AI, unlike traditional AI systems, possesses the ability to generate new content by understanding patterns within datasets. This article explores the evolution of AI in healthcare, tracing its roots to the term coined by John McCarthy in 1955 and the contributions of pioneers like John Von Neumann and Alan Turing. Currently, generative AI, particularly Large Language Models, holds promise across three broad categories in healthcare: patient care, education and research. In patient care, it offers solutions in clinical document management, diagnostic support and operative planning. Notable advancements include Microsoft’s collaboration with Epic for integrating AI into electronic medical records (EMRs), enhancing clinical data management and patient care. Furthermore, generative AI aids in surgical decision-making, as demonstrated in plastic, orthopaedic and hepatobiliary surgeries. However, challenges such as bias, hallucination and integration with EMR systems necessitate caution and ongoing evaluation. The article also presents insights from the implementation of NUHS Russell-GPT, a generative AI chatbot, in a hand surgery department, showcasing its utility in administrative tasks but highlighting challenges in surgical planning and EMR integration. The survey showed unanimous support for incorporating AI into clinical settings, with all respondents being open to its use. In conclusion, generative AI is poised to enhance patient care and ease physician workloads, starting with automating administrative tasks and evolving to inform diagnoses, tailored treatment plans, as well as aid in surgical planning. As healthcare systems navigate the complexities of integrating AI, the potential benefits for both physicians and patients remain significant, offering a glimpse into a future where AI transforms healthcare delivery.

Level of Evidence: Level V (Diagnostic)
Towards Robust Rumor Detection with Graph Contrastive and Curriculum Learning
Authors: Zhuang Wen-Ming , Chen Chih-Yao , Li Cheng-Te
Published: March 2024

Establishing a robust rumor detection model is vital in safeguarding the veracity of information on social media platforms. However, existing approaches to stopping rumor from spreading rely on abundant and clean training data, which is rarely available in real-world scenarios. In this work, we aim to develop a trustworthy rumor detection model that can handle inadequate and noisy labeled data. Our work addresses robust rumor detection, including classic and early detection, as well as five types of robustness issues: noisy and incomplete propagation, label scarcity and noise, and user disappearance. We propose a novel method, Robustness-Enhanced Rumor Detection (RERD), which mainly leverages the information propagation graphs of source tweets, along with user profiles and retweeting knowledge, for model learning. The novelty of RERD is four-fold. First, we jointly exploit the propagation structures of non-text and text retweets to learn the representation of a source tweet. Second, we simultaneously utilize the top-down and bottom-up information flows with relational propagations for graph representation learning. Third, to have effective early and robust detection, we implement contrastive learning on graphs with early and complete views of information propagation so that small snapshots can foresee their future shapes. Last, we use curriculum pseudo-labeling to mitigate the impact of label scarcity and noisy labels, and to correct representations learned from corrupted data. Experimental results on three benchmark datasets demonstrate that RERD consistently outperforms competitors in classic, early, and robust rumor detection scenarios. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to simultaneously cope with early and five robust detections of rumors.
Effective Video Summarization by Extracting Parameter-Free Motion Attention
Authors: Han Tingting , Zhou Quan , Yu Jun , Yu Zhou , Zhang Jianhui , Zhao Sicheng
Published: March 2024

Video summarization remains a challenging task despite increasing research efforts. Traditional methods focus solely on long-range temporal modeling of video frames, overlooking important local motion information that cannot be captured by frame-level video representations. In this article, we propose the Parameter-free Motion Attention Module (PMAM) to exploit the crucial motion clues potentially contained in adjacent video frames, using a multi-head attention architecture. The PMAM requires no additional training for model parameters, leading to an efficient and effective understanding of video dynamics. Moreover, we introduce the Multi-feature Motion Attention Network (MMAN), integrating the PMAM with local and global multi-head attention based on object-centric and scene-centric video representations. The synergistic combination of local motion information, extracted by the proposed PMAM, with long-range interactions modeled by the local and global multi-head attention mechanism, can significantly enhance the performance of video summarization. Extensive experimental results on the benchmark datasets, SumMe and TVSum, demonstrate that the proposed MMAN outperforms other state-of-the-art methods, resulting in remarkable performance gains.
Strong Backdoors for Default Logic
Authors: Fichte Johannes Klaus , Meier Arne , Schindler Irena
Published: March 2024

In this article, we introduce a notion of backdoors to Reiter’s propositional default logic and study structural properties of it. Also we consider the problems of backdoor detection (parameterised by the solution size) as well as backdoor evaluation (parameterised by the size of the given backdoor) for various kinds of target classes (CNF, KROM, MONOTONE) and all SCHAEFER classes. Also, we study generalisations of HORN-formulas, namely QHORN, RHORN, as well as DUALHORN. For these classes, we also classify the computational complexity of the implication problem. We show that backdoor detection is fixed-parameter tractable for the considered target classes and prove a complete trichotomy for backdoor evaluation. The problems are either fixed-parameter tractable, para-DeltaP2-complete, or para-NP-complete, depending on the target class.
Crossing Linguistic Barriers: Authorship Attribution in Sinhala Texts
Authors: Sarwar Raheem , Perera Maneesha , Teh Pin Shen , Nawaz Raheel , Hassan Muhammad Umair
Published: March 2024

Authorship attribution involves determining the original author of an anonymous text from a pool of potential authors. The author attribution task has applications in several domains, such as plagiarism detection, digital text forensics, and information retrieval. While these applications extend beyond any single language, existing research has predominantly centered on English, posing challenges for application in languages such as Sinhala due to linguistic disparities and a lack of language processing tools. We present the first comprehensive study on cross-topic authorship attribution for Sinhala texts and propose a solution that can effectively perform the authorship attribution task even if the topics within the test and training samples differ. Our solution consists of three main parts: (i) extraction of topic-independent stylometric features, (ii) generation of a small candidate author set with the help of similarity search, and (iii) identification of the true author. Several experimental studies were carried out to demonstrate that the proposed solution can effectively handle real-world scenarios involving a large number of candidate authors and a limited number of text samples for each candidate author.
Diversity of Production Techniques and Microbiology of African Cereal-Based Traditional Fermented Beverages
Authors: Madilo Felix Kwashie , Parry-Hanson Kunadu Angela , Tano-Debrah Kwaku , Saalia Firibu Kwesi , Kolanisi Unathi
Published: March 2024

Traditional fermented beverages are culturally and socially accepted products for consumption, drinking, entertainment, customary practices, and for religious purposes. The purpose of this review was to identify some cereal-based fermented beverages and determine the differences in their production technologies. There are many unique regional variations in the preparation of each of the identified fermented beverages. They are prepared from raw materials such as maize, millet, rice, and sorghum. Majority of the fermented alcoholic beverages (binuburan, amba beer, sake, dolo, pito, and tchoukoutou) were produced using spontaneous fermentation and industrial fermentation (use of starter cultures) techniques. The various microbial communities associated with the traditional fermentation processes were dominated by Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum for Lactic acid bacterial (LAB) species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida mycoderma for Saccharomyces and Candida species (yeasts), respectively; and Aspergillus aceti and Rhizopus stolonifer for Aspergillus and Rhizopus species (molds), respectively. Acetobacter, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Weissella, Achromobacter, Flavobacterium, Micrococcus, and Bacillus dominated other microbial genera. The involvement of lactic acid bacteria contributed to the safety and extension of the shelf life of the final products. Most of these beverages were found to be very rich in proteins, carbohydrates, calories, and B-group vitamins including thiamine, folic acid, riboflavin, and nicotinic acid. This article reviewed the available information, such as processing techniques of African traditional beverages, the raw materials used to producing them, and the microorganisms associated with the production processes.
Vertical Equity Analysis of Parking Reservation Based on the Auction Strategy
Authors: Chen Rong , Gao Ge , Pan Fahui , Liu Shuo , Mao Xinbo
Published: March 2024

As an on‐demand mobility service, parking reservations can greatly alleviate the issue of parking challenges. There are currently three primary strategies for parking reservation: first‐come‐first‐served, permit reservation, and auction. In contrast to the first‐come‐first‐served and permit‐reserved strategies, the auction strategy uses dynamic pricing to allocate parking supplies efficiently based on the auction, which attracts more scholars for the research. However, parking reservations based on the auction process may have an inequity issue because drivers’ age, gender, income level, and location of residence fluctuate. This inequity may limit the growth of reserved parking by influencing parking drivers’ acceptance of reserved parking. But currently, very few scholars focus on the issue of reserved parking equity, and even fewer measure this nebulous and personal issue. In consideration of this, the Lorenz curve of parking reservation and the vertical equity index of parking reservation are proposed in this paper along with the calculation method for the index, which enables the problem of reserved parking vertical equity to be visualized and made concrete. The numerical experimental method is used to analyze the vertical equity of drivers with varying income levels, utilizing the Vickrey–Clarke–Groves (VCG) auction process as an example. According to the research, loss‐averse drivers are more than gain‐neutral and gain‐seeking drivers when the income levels of the drivers using reserved parking are the same. With the increasing number of high‐income drivers involved in the parking reservation, medium to low‐income drivers would lose their chances of successful reservations because of their uncompetitive bid price which leads to inequity issues when the number is less than the number of parking spaces. In contrast, the vertical equity index changes more for gain‐seeking drivers while being generally steady when loss‐averse and gain‐neutral drivers participate. For instance, when the profit and loss coefficient is 3 and 15% of drivers with high‐income levels use the parking reservation platform, the vertical equity index rises from 0.09128 to 0.45434. The reference price has a moderating influence on the vertical equity index when the number of driver participants at high‐income levels remains constant. In general, within a reasonable range, the higher the reference price, the more equitable the parking reservation procedure and the lower the vertical equity index.
Sand Improvement by Surface Percolation Method Using Urease-Containing Substance Extracted from Soybean Seed
Authors: Pirghazani Amirreza , Katebi Hooshang , Samadi Kafil Hossein , Fahmi Ahmad
Published: March 2024

Background. In recent decades, the microbial and plant-derived urease have been used for sand stabilization by the calcium carbonate precipitation method, especially with Sporosarcina pasteurii. However, calcium carbonate precipitation using plant-derived urease has received less attention. Purchasing the extracted and purified commercially available plant-derived urease for the sand improvement is costly. The plant-derived urease-containing crude extract (enzyme substance) is cheaper than purified (commercial) urease. In the present study, the feasibility of sand improvement by enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation method was investigated with urease-containing crude extract (extracted from soybean). Methods. The distilled water, instead of phosphate buffer, was used to provide the main enzyme extraction medium. Also, the effects of temperature, time, and dilution on the activity of the urease-containing crude extract by the electrical conductivity meter were investigated. Results. The results showed that the extraction temperature had a significant effect on the behavior of the enzymes, and according to the results, the temperature range between 19 and 25°C is suitable for the enzyme extraction. The four-layer surface percolation method was used to improve the sand, and 0.75 equimolar (eqM) concentration of urea-CaCl2 cementation solution is suitable for sand improvement using the UCE extracted from soybean seed. Conclusion. Silica sand was successfully improved by the EICP method using the four-layer surface percolation method, and significant unconfined compressive strength and elasticity modulus were obtained. XRD and XRF analysis also confirmed the successful precipitation of calcium carbonate between the sand particles.
Exploring the Nutritional Potential of Spent Coffee Grounds as a Substitute for Rice Bran in Feeds for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: An Evaluation of Growth Performance and Biological Indices
Authors: Phinrub Wikit , Sookying Sontaya , Srisuttha Phanit , Sutthi Nantaporn , Panase Paiboon
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to assess the viability of replacing rice bran with spent coffee grounds (SCG) in the diets of Oreochromis niloticus (average body weight, 48.8 ± 0.42 g). The fish were randomly allocated into four sets of three groups each and placed in net cages (1 m × 2 m × 0.5 m) at a density of 30 fish per cage. They were fed diets with four different replacement levels: 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% of SCG over a period of 90 days. Growth and serum biochemical indices were monitored three times at 30, 60, and 90 days. During the experiment, there were no significant differences (P  > 0.05) observed in growth indices, including weight gain (WG), daily WG, specific growth rate, feed conversion rate, protein efficiency ratio, and survival rate among the groups at 30, 60, and 90 days. Serum biochemical indices, such as aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, showed a similar trend with significant differences observed only on day 30, while the lowest and highest levels were found in the control and 15% SCG replacement groups, respectively. For total cholesterol, a significantly different result was found only on day 30. However, these differences were not sustained in subsequent assessments. Conversely, serum glucose, total protein, albumin, and globulin remained unaffected by SCG replacement throughout the experiment. The findings indicate that replacing rice bran with up to 15% SCG did not adversely impact the growth performance or key serum biochemical indices of Nile tilapia. To the researchers’ knowledge, these findings are the first in the field to substitute SCG for rice bran, opening a new avenue for further research.
Balancing Data Privacy and 5G VNFs Security Monitoring: Federated Learning with CNN + BiLSTM + LSTM Model
Authors: Maiga Abdoul-Aziz , Ataro Edwin , Githinji Stanley
Published: March 2024

The cloudification of telecommunication network functions with 5G is a novelty that offers higher performance than that of previous generations. However, these virtual network functions (VNFs) are exposed to internet threats when hosted in the cloud, resulting in new security challenges. Another fact is that many VNFs vendors with different security policies will be implied in 5G deployment, creating a heterogeneous 5G network. The authorities also require data privacy enhancement in 5G deployment and there is the fact that mobile operators need to inspect data for malicious traffic detection. In this situation, how can network traffic inspections be conducted effectively without infringing on data privacy? This study addresses this gap by proposing a novel state-of-the-art hybrid deep neural network that combines a convolutional neural network (CNN) stacked to bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) and unidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM) for the deep inspection of network flow for malicious traffic detection. The approach utilizes federated learning (FL) to facilitate multiple VNFs vendors to collaboratively train the proposed model without sharing VNFs’ raw data, which can mitigate the risk of data privacy violation. The proposed framework incorporates transport layer security (TLS) encryption to prevent data tempering or man-in-the-middle attacks between VNFs. The framework was validated through simulation using open-access benchmark datasets (InSDN and CICIDS2017). They achieved 99.99% and 99.58% accuracy and 0.048% and 0.617% false-positive rates for the InSDN and CICIDS2017 datasets, respectively, for FL. This study demonstrates the potential of hybrid deep learning-based FL for heterogeneous 5G network VNFs security monitoring.
Joint Association of Low Nadir Serum Sodium and Potassium with Worse Outcomes after Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Feng Zijuan , Chen Ting , Liu Peng , Zhang Ziyi , Wang Zhetao , Wang Yanan , Song Quhong , Ye Chen , Liu Ming , Zhang Shuting
Published: March 2024

Background. Potassium and sodium are inextricably linked to the maintenance of cell potential and electrolyte homeostasis. Few studies have examined their joint relationship with outcomes after stroke. The objective of this study is to ascertain whether combined low nadir serum sodium and potassium levels are correlated with an unfavorable outcome in ischemic stroke. Methods. Retrospective cohort study of 2,920 consecutive patients with first‐ever ischemic stroke. Serum sodium and potassium levels were measured at 10 consecutive time points over 10 days poststroke. The Youden Index was performed to identify patients with low nadir sodium (<140 mmol/L) and potassium (<3.65 mmol/L) levels, defined as a NaK score of 2. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analysis were used to evaluate the independent relationship of sodium and potassium levels with clinical outcomes at three months. Results. A total of 2,920 patients with ischemic stroke were analyzed (mean age 62.14 ± 14.13 years; 60.19% male), of whom 740 (25.3%) with both low nadir sodium and potassium levels had a quintuple 3‐month case fatality compared to other patients (10.6% vs. 2.1%). Multivariable analyses identified NaK = 2 as an independent predictor of 3‐month death (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17‐4.53; p = 0.019) and an unfavorable shift in the distribution of scores on the modified Rankin scale (adjusted OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.12‐2.04; p = 0.007). Conclusions. Low sodium and potassium levels are common after ischemic stroke and are independent predictors of subsequent death.
Population under Stress: The Coping Mechanisms of Lebanese Adults in Times of Intermingling Crises and Their Relationship with Stress
Authors: Iaali Hazem , Eid Karine , El Darzi Alex , Joukhdar Jennifer , Khoury Nour , Jaffa Miran A.
Published: March 2024

The Lebanese population has faced numerous stressors due to multiple crises in the past four years. This study aims to measure the perceived stress of the Lebanese population, identify the coping mechanisms being used, and determine whether they are associated with their stress levels. A cross-sectional study of 205 individuals randomly selected from Beirut was conducted. Frequency distribution, descriptive analysis, and multivariable cumulative logit models were used to determine the associations between coping mechanisms and perceived stress. Our results indicated that 95.4% of our population had moderate to high perceived stress levels. Problem-focused coping was the most adopted mechanism and was associated with a statistically significant lower stress level, whereas avoidant coping was associated with a statistically significant higher stress level. Our study can pave the way for raising awareness on the importance of managing stress with adaptive coping mechanisms.
Ebselen: A Promising Repurposing Drug to Treat Infections Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Microorganisms
Authors: Alves de Lima e Silva Agostinho , Rio-Tinto André
Published: March 2024

Bacterial multiresistance to drugs is a rapidly growing global phenomenon. New resistance mechanisms have been described in different bacterial pathogens, threatening the effective treatment of even common infectious diseases. The problem worsens in infections associated with biofilms because, in addition to the pathogen’s multiresistance, the biofilm provides a barrier that prevents antimicrobial access. Several “non-antibiotic” drugs have antimicrobial activity, even though it is not their primary therapeutic purpose. However, due to the urgent need to develop effective antimicrobials to treat diseases caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens, there has been an increase in research into “non-antibiotic” drugs to offer an alternative therapy through the so-called drug repositioning or repurposing. The prospect of new uses for existing drugs has the advantage of reducing the time and effort required to develop new compounds. Moreover, many drugs are already well characterized regarding toxicity and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties. Ebselen has shown promise for use as a repurposing drug for antimicrobial purposes. It is a synthetic organoselenium with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytoprotective activity. A very attractive factor for using ebselen is that, in addition to potent antimicrobial activity, its minimum inhibitory concentration is very low for microbial pathogens.
Derecognition Diplomacy: a Study of Morocco’s Foreign Policy on the Western Sahara
Authors: Hecht Caroline
Published: March 2024

International recognition, and its revocation, derecognition, have important legal and practical implications. This article addresses the issue of derecognition as a foreign policy strategy answering the question: what are the strategies that origin states pursue to achieve the derecognition of contested states? Analysis of the foreign policy of Morocco towards the Western Sahara shows that origin states do indeed seek derecognition as a policy goal, primarily using economic and domestic political tools. International law and identity linkages appear to play a more rhetorical than influential role. Power politics is notably absent from recogniser state decision-making, but lack of great power interest may foster the sense of ambiguity under which derecognition thrives. This article provides a theory of derecognition foreign policy; a taxonomy of recogniser states into holdouts, reversers and cyclers; and a plausibility probe of the relationship between recogniser states and their associated foreign policy tools.
Unraveling goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) diversification: insights from phylogeography and species distribution modeling
Authors: Asadollahi Mojgan , Ahmadzadeh Faraham , Keyghobadi Nusha
Published: March 2024

The impact of climate fluctuations on the genetic diversity and distribution of species is of particular concern for large mammals that are already at risk of extinction. In this study, we investigated the genetic status of populations, the evolutionary relationships, and the current and future state of population dispersion of the goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, using 109 mtDNA sequences (cytb) and species distribution modeling. We assessed the impact of past (Last Glacial Maximum [lgm: 21 Kya] and Mid-Holocene [6 Kya]), current, and future (2070) climate on the phylogeography and spatial distribution of the species. Our results indicate evidence of divergence of two main clades (G. subgutturosa subgutturosa, and G. subgutturosa yarkandensis) (1.052 Mya) and a further split between two clades of G. s. subgutturosa (Middle Eastern and Central Iranian) in the middle Pleistocene. Historical species distribution models suggest the species’ range has not changed much across all periods examined, but there has been a decreasing trend from 21k to the current. Future climate projections (bcc-csm1 and ccsm4, rcp s 4.5 and 6 scenarios) predict a contraction of suitable habitat at the northern and southern edges of the species’ current distribution, shifting the range to the center of the study area. Biogeographic analyses suggest that vicariance and dispersal events have shaped the genetic structure of G. subgutturosa. Our findings suggest that the current genetic structure of the species is potentially related to Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and refuges (Alborz, Zagros, and Kope Dagh Mountains) during cold periods. The study highlights the importance of understanding the genetic status of populations and their evolutionary relationships to effectively prevent further declines of species at risk of extinction.
New Miocene fossil taxa illuminate the evolution and paleobiogeography of the Ponto-Caspian gammaroid amphipod radiation
Authors: Copilaş-Ciocianu Denis , Ionesi Viorel
Published: March 2024

The Ponto-Caspian radiation of gammaroid amphipods is one of the world’s most diverse lacustrine crustacean radiations as well as the only lacustrine amphipod radiation with a fossil record (dating back 9 Ma). However, the phyletic relationship between fossils and extant species was never formally investigated, hampering our evolutionary understanding of this diverse clade. Here, we present the first morphology-based phylogeny (114 characters) of Ponto-Caspian gammaroids that includes 99% of extant taxa, all previously known fossils, as well as newly discovered fossil specimens from the Late Miocene (10.5 Ma) of eastern Romania. Our phylogenetic and phenetic results strongly support the monophyly of all fossil taxa. However, despite its widespread Late Miocene distribution throughout the Paratethys Sea, this fossil clade left no modern descendants. Its exact phylogenetic position is ambiguous, although it is nested in the radiation’s crown group. Morphometric analyses further indicate that fossil species occupy a narrower and peripheral morphospace relative to extant taxa. Our results support the assignment of the newly discovered Romanian fossils to a new genus, Eogmelina gen. nov. with two new species Eogmelina moldavica gen. et sp. nov. and Eogmelina prisca gen. et sp. nov. Finally, our findings call for a fundamental systematic restructuring of Ponto-Caspian gammaroids at genus and family level.
A new entomopathogenic fungus, Ophiocordyceps xifengensis sp. nov., from Liaoning, China.
Authors: FEI GANG-XIANG , GUAN JING-QIANG , TIAN HUI-LING , ZHOU YE-MING , QU JIAO-JIAO , XU ZHONGSHUN , ZOU XIAO
Published: March 2024

Ophiocordyceps is an entomopathogenic fungal genus with global distribution and considerable economic implications in both biological control and biomedicine. However, the species diversity of Ophiocordyceps remains to be further investigated. In this study, a new species, Ophiocordyceps xifengensis, found parasitizing lepidopteran pupae, was discovered during a survey of insect pathogenic fungi in Xifeng County, Liaoning Province. Morphological comparative analysis revealed that this species characterized by having solitary, non-branching, woody, cylindrical asci and filamentous ascospores. Compared to its closely related species, the new species exhibits inclined embedded perithecia (0.38–0.43 mm) and smaller asci (164.8–178.9 × 7.4–10.2 μm), with its anamorphic features. Phylogenetic analysis based on multiple gene sequence data infers that Ophiocordyceps xifengensis, forming a distinct branch from other closely related species.
The Cost of Poverty: The Relationship Between Insurance Status, Length of Stay, and Discharge Disposition in Trauma Patients
Authors: Bontrager Alexandria M. , Medvecz Andrew J. , Smith Candice , Smith Michael C.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Insurance status (IS) is known to be associated with length of stay (LOS). The impact of IS on excess LOS (ELOS), days between medical readiness and discharge date, has not been explored.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients with pelvic fractures at a level I trauma center. Outcomes included ELOS (primary), discharge disposition (secondary), and ELOS-associated complications (secondary).

Results

185 patients were included. Uninsured patients were the youngest and had the least baseline comorbidities (31.3 years (median), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) .1) while publicly insured patients were the oldest and had the most baseline comorbidities (58.4 years (median), CCI 2.32). Excess LOS and associated complications did not differ among groups. After regression analysis, UIPs had longer LOS than PRPs (2.07 days, 95% CI .28-3.85). UIPs were recommended to go to inpatient rehabilitation 51.6% of the time but were discharged home 93.6% of the time; 81.0% of these changes were attributed to insufficient financial resources.

Conclusions

Excess LOS and complications associated with ELOS were not associated with IS. Although UIPs were younger and had fewer baseline comorbidities, they had longer LOS after regression analysis. While discharge recommendations differed based on insurance status, UIPs had limited access to rehabilitation due to financial disparities. Despite initial treatment team recommendations, UIPs had to be sent home as their lack of insurance precluded inpatient rehabilitation placement.
Safety and Treatment Outcomes of Infants and Children Treated With Daptomycin: Six-Year Experience From a Pediatric Academic Medical Center
Authors: Vonasek Bryan J. , Samuel Allison M. , Henderson Sheryl L. , Strayer Jill R. , Bogenschutz Monica C.
Published: March 2024

Daptomycin is a common treatment for serious infections caused by gram-positive bacteria in adult patients; however, data regarding its safety and efficacy in the pediatric population are limited. This was a retrospective chart review of adverse reactions and treatment outcomes associated with daptomycin use in children <13 years old who received at least 1 dose of daptomycin. At least 1 dose of daptomycin was received by 147 patients. Seventy-two patients received daptomycin for 5 or more days. New-onset loose stools on daptomycin initiation were reported for 14 (9.5%) patients, elevations in creatine kinase in 3 (2%) patients, and elevated aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase in 13 (8.8%) and 9 (6.1%) patients, respectively. Two patients (1.4%) had daptomycin discontinued due to specific concerns for adverse drug reactions. Daptomycin was found to be safe and effective in this pediatric cohort that included young children and infants with a variety of types and severities of infections.
Severe Hypophosphatemia After Ferric Carboxymaltose Infusion: A Case Report
Authors: Arranz-Pasqual N. , Torrent-Rodríguez A. , Miana-Mena M.T. , López-Suñé E. , Corominas-García N. , Blanco I. , Soy-Muner D.
Published: March 2024

Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) allows for rapid and total correction of iron deficiency with a lower risk of hypersensitivity reactions compared to other IV iron preparations. However, FCM is associated with potentially serious adverse events, including hypophosphatemia, following the infusion. The mechanism behind FCM-induced hypophosphatemia is not well understood, but pre-existing risk factors can increase the likelihood of severe and persistent hypophosphatemia. We report a clinical case of a male patient who developed severe hypophosphatemia (1.0 mg/dL) after administration of FCM for the treatment of post-cardiotomy normocytic anemia. He required hospital admission and 16 weeks of phosphorous supplementation.
Working at the frontier: Swiss educational information and communication technology coordinators as mediators and intermediaries of the digital transformation
Authors: Geiss Michael , Röhl Tobias
Published: March 2024

This article examines Swiss educational information and communication technology (ICT) coordinators (‘Pädagogischer ICT-Support’; PICTS) in Swiss compulsory schools in their ambivalent role between active agents of change and mere facilitators for their colleagues. Using a qualitative research design, it explores the history, self-perception and current roles of PICTS in the canton of Zurich and their interaction with other actors in the education system and the cantonal authorities. This paper draws on science and technology studies to understand the unique role of educational ICT coordinators. The results show that the perceptions and self-understanding of PICTS have remained consistent since their establishment, even though the digital technologies they deal with have evolved rapidly. Their dual role allows PICTS to be both active agents of change and part of a school’s teaching staff. Working at the frontier, they are ambiguous figures, embodying the contradictions of digital transformation in education without necessarily making them explicit.
A Systematic Review Examining Multi-Level Policy and Practice Recommendations, and Calls for Research, on Food Insecurity at American Community Colleges
Authors: D’Andrea-Baker Charity-Ann J. , Kapinos Brian
Published: March 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine policy and practice recommendations, along with calls for future research, aimed at addressing food insecurity for community colleges across the U.S. Argument/Proposed Model: This article will provide a detailed methodology for the systematic literature review, as well as the findings gathered from a range of peer-reviewed articles on this topic. The authors analyzed six significant themes that surfaced from the current literature related to policy and practice at the federal, state, local, and institutional levels. Conclusions/Contributions: Six chief themes are discussed in-depth, including but not limited to: important tools and approaches for marketing and communications, data-driven decision-making, and the augmentation of food support with other public benefits and institutional resources. These thematic findings address the issue of food insecurity on community college campuses, and also offer a range of techniques and areas for consideration. This systematic literature review offers a compilation of policy and practice recommendations steeped in actionable strategies for researchers, policymakers, campus leaders, and practitioners alike. The strategies can be implemented and/or tailored to meet the needs and nuances of any community college population.
Asynchronously finite-time control of discrete-time impulsive switched positive delayed systems via admissible edge-dependent switching signals
Authors: Li Wenzi , Wang Yue-E
Published: March 2024

This paper focuses on the asynchronous finite-time control of discrete-time impulsive switched positive time-delay systems (SPLTSs). The admissible edge-dependent average dwell time (AED-ADT) approach, in which the switching behavior is represented by a directed graph, is adopted in this paper to reduce the conservatism of the mode-dependent average dwell time (MDADT) method. The new sufficient conditions for the existence of a family of asynchronously switched controllers are derived by constructing the co-positive Lyapunov functional (CLF) for asynchronous intervals and the multiple piecewise co-positive Lyapunov functional (MPCLF) for synchronous intervals, ensuring that the resulting closed-loop system is finite-time stable. Then, the desired controller gains can be obtained by solving a standard linear programming (LP) problem. Finally, two numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the validity of the developed results.
A Case Report of Superficial Solitary Fibrous Tumor in the Right Parotideomasseteric Region
Authors: Kidokoro Yoshinobu , Kusunoki Takeshi , Matsumoto Toshiharu , Wada Ryo , Matsumoto Fumihiko
Published: March 2024

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are rare mesenchymal tumors that occur in various soft tissues and organs throughout the body. Superficial SFTs in the head and neck region are uncommon and reports of such cases are limited. An elderly Japanese woman in her 80s presented to our clinic with a smooth mass in the right parotideomasseteric region. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-defined subcutaneous mass measuring 20 mm. For a definitive diagnosis and treatment, surgical resection was performed under local anesthesia. Intraoperatively, a brown-colored tumor was identified beneath the skin, without surrounding tissue adhesion, and was completely excised. Immunohistochemistry, revealing the expression of STAT6, confirmed the diagnosis of SFT. Based on the SFT risk classification, this case was classified into the low-risk group, and no recurrence occurred during the 4 year postoperative period. According to the 2020 World Health Organization Classification of Soft Tissue Tumors, SFTs belong to the intermediate category with recurrence potential. In previous studies, cases of positive margins and recurrence have been reported in superficial SFTs, and SFTs may show benign features on clinical presentation but require precise surgical manipulation. Therefore, it is crucial for otolaryngologists to gain a comprehensive understanding of this tumor for appropriate treatment.
The effects of tranexamic acid in patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after cardiac surgery
Authors: Chen Wei , Du Zhongtao , Wang Liangshan , Wang Mengjun , Wang Hong , Hou Xiaotong
Published: March 2024

Background

The lysine analog tranexamic acid (TXA) is used as a blood protective drug in cardiac surgery, but efficacy and safety outcomes in patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after surgery remain poorly understood.

Methods

From January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2022, we retrospectively analyzed patients assisted by ECMO after cardiac surgery and divided them into TXA and control groups depending on whether TXA was used or not. The primary study outcome was red blood cell (RBC) transfusion during ECMO.

Results

In total, 321 patients treated with ECMO after cardiac surgery were assessed; 185 patients were eligible for inclusion into to the TXA-intervention group and 136 into to the control group. RBC transfusion during ECMO was 8.0 IU (4.0 IU–14.0 IU) in the TXA group versus 10.0 IU (6.0 IU–16.0 IU) in the control group ( p = .034). Median total chest drainage volume after surgery was 1460.0 mL (650.0–2910.0 mL) and 1680.0 mL (900.0–3340.0 mL) in TXA and control groups, respectively ( p = .021). Postoperative serum D-dimer levels were significantly lower in the TXA group when compared with the control group; 1.125 µg/mL (0.515–2.176 µg/mL) versus 3.000 µg/mL (1.269–5.862 µg/mL), p < .001. Serious adverse events, including vascular occlusive events, did not differ meaningfully between groups.

Conclusions

In patients treated with ECMO after cardiac surgery, TXA infusion modestly but significantly reduced RBC transfusions and chest tube output when compared with the control group.
A five-year review of chemoradiotherapy practice in anal cancer: Radiotherapy audit results from a cancer centre in Wales, UK
Authors: Tunio Mutahar A. , Davies Nicki , Caparros Elliot , Davies Janis , Foyle Stuart
Published: March 2024

Aim:

To review a five-year clinical practice of radical chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for anal cancers at a cancer centre in Wales.

Methods:

A retrospective audit examined the quality of radical CRT for anal cancers treated between November 2016 and November 2021 by investigating seven critical indicators set by Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and ACT II trials, (1) 95% completion of computed tomography simulation within 14 days of consent, (2) 100% CRT delivery within 28 days of computed tomography simulation, (3) 100% CRT delivery within 28 days of consent, (4) overall treatment time of RT 38 days with > 2 days breaks <5%, (5) 75% completion of concurrent chemotherapy, (6) <2% CRT related colostomies, and (7) <2% the 30-days mortality rate.

Results:

A total of 80 anal cancers received CRT over five years. Around 95.0% underwent computed tomography simulation within 14 days of consent. The observed slight deviation was related to the Covid pandemic in 2020. About 96.3% started CRT within 28 days of computed tomography simulation. The mean duration of CRT was 37.9 days. Radiotherapy (RT) interruptions > 2 days were about 5%, and 67.5% started CRT within 28 days of consent. About 92.5% and 76.2% completed mitomycin and capecitabine without breaks, respectively. The colostomy rate was 1.2%, and the 30-day mortality was 1.2%.

Conclusion:

Audit results matched with the standards in six domains. Overall treatment time of 37.9 days, colostomy rates of 1.2%, and the 30-day mortality rate of 1.2% were commendable. Overall time interval between consent and CRT delivery can be achieved by time-constrained measures.
Which ‘globalisations’ explain the overseas expansion of Chinese multinational enterprises through city-networks?
Authors: Zhang Weiyang , Sigler Thomas
Published: March 2024

This paper analyses the overseas expansion of Chinese multinational enterprises using city-network analysis, with the focus on identifying the ‘globalisations’ that influence Chinese firm expansion. Applying a stepwise regression model to explain the world city networks of Chinese multinational enterprises (CMNEs), we find that variables linked to political, infrastructural, economic and cultural attributes explain the overall network. We then analyse in detail the connectivities produced by CMNEs in four main economic sectors: advanced producer services (APS), general services (GS), manufacturing (MF) and building, energy and mining industry (BEM), finding evidence of multiple, overlapping globalisations across sectors. This conforms to intensive globalisation in APS, extensive globalisation in GS and MF, and politically oriented globalisation in BEM, driven largely by Belt and Road, and related initiatives. The state presence in CMNEs’ overseas expansions suggests that globalisation by firms is tied to state-led globalisation objectives in some contexts, which complements the narratives that cast firm-led globalisation as market-oriented and stateless.
Progressive failure prediction of laminated composite thin skew plates under transverse loading using nonlinear strains
Authors: Chatterjee Dona , Ghosh Arghya , Chakravorty Dipankar
Published: March 2024

A review of literature about industrially important composite skew plates, which are used as roofing and flooring units to cover non-rectangular parallelogram shaped plan areas, shows that the aspect of progressive failure has not received any attention from researchers which is essential to comprehensively understand failure behaviour from initiation to the ultimate stage. In the present approach stiffness degradation of a damaged plate is considered only at the point of damage in the corresponding lamina at all stages of first and progressive failure and the present outputs match excellently with published experimental results. This realistic modelling of failure behaviour is the novelty of this paper. Apart from reporting the failure load values, the failure zones and nature of damage progress on the skew plate surfaces are also presented which are expected to be valuable inputs for non-destructive health monitoring.
Unraveling Heterogeneity in Online Shopping and Travel Behavior Through Latent Class Modeling
Authors: Titiloye Ibukun , Sarker Md Al Adib , Jin Xia
Published: March 2024

While existing literature has extensively explored the impact of online shopping on travel behavior, few studies have undertaken segmentation analysis to uncover hidden behavioral heterogeneity. This study fills this gap by addressing heterogeneity and identifying distinct shopper segments based on online shopping and shopping travel behaviors, with a focus on product types. Data collected in November and December 2021 from 1,747 shoppers in Florida were analyzed using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) with covariates. Sociodemographic and residential characteristics, COVID-19 influences, attitudes, and perceptions of channel-specific factors served as active and inactive covariates to predict class membership. Our model identified six classes of shoppers, with short-distance dual-channel shoppers representing the largest class (28.4%) and exclusive online shoppers the smallest (6.2%). Dual-channel shopaholics, overrepresented by Gen Zers, Millennials, Blacks, and workers, exhibited high average monthly vehicle miles traveled (VMT) across all product types and a strong potential for complementary shopping behavior. Conversely, exclusive online shoppers overrepresented by members of the silent generation, those who live alone, have no vehicle, and do not enjoy shopping, demonstrated potential substitutive shopping behavior. In general, single-channel shoppers showed lower monthly VMT than their dual-channel counterparts across all product types. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of shopping behavior, offering insights for a more accurate quantification of the net traffic and environmental impacts of e-commerce. Additionally, they provide valuable considerations for designing segment-specific policies aimed at minimizing complementary shopping and maximizing substitutive shopping.
Comparative Analysis of Three Modeling Approaches for Predicting Pavement Conditions
Authors: Wang Jing , Comert Gurcan , Begashaw Negash , Huynh Nathan , Kouyate Amara , Mullen Robert , Gassman Sarah , Pierce Charles
Published: March 2024

States, counties, and municipalities rely on pavement performance models to forecast future pavement conditions in their jurisdictions. Accurate prediction is essential for budget planning and the identification of candidates for rehabilitation. This study compares the performance of three different approaches to predict pavement conditions: (1) a sigmoidal or S-shaped curve; (2) a grey system model (GM); and (3) Gaussian process regression (GPR). All three models are trained on the same dataset for two types of pavements, asphalt with and without overlay and composite (i.e., asphalt over concrete), with each having two types of maintenance activities frequently performed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation. The trained models are then applied to separate test datasets. The prediction results indicate that GPR is the best model in three out of four cases using mean absolute error as the performance metric; the exception is the case involving the prediction of pavement serviceability index for asphalt pavement with mill-and-replace 1–2 in. + overlay 400 pounds per square yard rehabilitation treatment. When using mean absolute percentage error and root mean squared error as the performance metrics, the GPR model is the better model for predicting conditions of composite pavements, while the [Formula: see text] model is the better model for predicting conditions of asphalt pavements.