bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Don’t lose it on the bus!’: Casting the normative biosexual citizen in early Scottish pre‐exposure prophylaxis provision
Authors: Young Ingrid , Boydell Nicola
Published: March 2023

The introduction of HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) raises important questions around how new biotechnologies are negotiated within contemporary settings and how they can shape the moral governance of biocitizens, or as we explore, biosexual citizens. This article draws on qualitative interviews and focus groups to consider how the normative biosexual citizen was cast at the start of provision in Scotland by clinical and community practitioners. Our findings show how practitioners navigated ideas around who was deserving of support and access to PrEP in the context of limited resources, interpreted what legitimate risk narratives might look like for different groups and translated particular gendered, sexualised and racialised risk profiles in the context of PrEP provision. This draws attention to how normative biosexual citizenship was not determined through meeting a set of clinical criteria and adhering to a prophylaxis regime but cast through ongoing negotiations with clinical and community practitioners in relation to normative ideas of essential care, constrained resources, risk narratives and gendered and racialised bodies. Our research indicates how access to PrEP will continue to demand particular enactments of normative biosexual citizenship that may well be at odds with the experiences and needs of communities affected by HIV.
Understanding racial disparities in pretrial detention recommendations to shape policy reform
Authors: Skeem Jennifer , Montoya Lina , Lowenkamp Christopher
Published: March 2023

Research Summary

Federal pretrial services and probation officers assess defendants and make influential recommendations that defendants be either released or detained, based on their threat to community safety and risk of flight. To inform efforts to reduce disparities in pretrial detention, we examined officers’ decision making about 149,815 defendants across 81 districts. Overall, the probability of a detention recommendation was 34% higher for Black than White defendants. Racial disparities were most pronounced in ambiguous cases that invoked substantial officer discretion—including cases where the defendant had little or no criminal record. Nevertheless, mediation analyses revealed that up to 79% of the racial disparity in detention recommendations operates through institutionalized factors (i.e., pretrial policy) rather than personally mediated factors (e.g., implicit racism or classism). The lion's share of the disparity operates through one institutionalized factor alone: criminal history.

Policy Implications

This study illustrates an empirical strategy for understanding the pathways through which disparities operate, which is crucial for shaping effective solutions. Providing officers with training and decision guides could reduce personally mediated bias—which is crucial for high discretion cases. However, this study shows that disparities mostly flow through institutionalized bias. So, greater gains may be had by making strategic shifts in policies and their implementation. One promising direction is to corral criminal history by adopting a tight definition that demonstrably predicts violence and failure to appear, and limiting the weight assigned to criminal history versus other predictive factors, when making recommendations. Another promising direction is to adopt risk‐based release policies that leverage an existing tool to reduce both detention rates and racial disparities.
Epidemiological landscape of esophageal cancer in Asia: Results from GLOBOCAN 2020
Authors: Zhu Hongcheng , Wang Zezhou , Deng Bingbin , Mo Miao , Wang Honggang , Chen Ke , Wu Haoxuan , Ye Ting , Wang Boyan , Ai Dashan , Hao Shennan , Tseng Ihsuan , Zhao Kuaile
Published: March 2023

Background

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a global health problem. Asia represents a huge burden of EC globally, and incidence and mortality vary considerably across different Asian regions.

Methods

Data on incidence, mortality, and preference were extracted from GLOBOCAN 2020. Age‐standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated overall by sex, age, country, region, and continent. The predicted burden of incidence and mortality in 2040 was calculated based on global demographic projections.

Results

It was estimated there were 481 552 new cases of and 434 363 deaths from EC in Asia in 2020, accounting for 79.7% and 79.8% of world EC cases and deaths, respectively. EC incidence and mortality in Asia ranked the highest among all continents. Eastern Asia represents the highest age‐standardized world incidence rate (ASWIR) of 12.3 per 100 000 for all Asian regions. Western Asia represents the lowest ASWIR of 1.7 per 100 000, accounting for 0.7% of the globe. There exist obvious differences in epidemiological features in Asian countries, including incidence, mortality, prevalence, and mortality incidence ratio. There is forecast to be up to 781 000 new cases of EC in Asia by 2040, with increasing rates of 63% for incidence and 72% for mortality from 2020.

Conclusions

Asia has an increasing number of EC cases and deaths. Strategies for targeting in high‐incidence areas, the elderly, and survival should be prioritized to reduce the global EC burden, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries in Asia.
The impacts of COVID‐19 measures on drug markets and drug use among a cohort of people who use methamphetamine in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Rathnayake Kasun , Agius Paul A. , Ward Bernadette , Hickman Matthew , Maher Lisa , Stoové Mark , Doyle Joseph S. , Hellard Margaret , Wilkinson Anna , Quinn Brendan , Crawford Sione , Sutton Keith , Dietze Paul
Published: March 2023

Background and Aims

Few studies of the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) public health measures on drug markets and drug use patterns have used longitudinal data. We aimed to examine whether COVID‐19 measures were associated with increases in methamphetamine price, decreases in methamphetamine use frequency and subsequent changes in secondary outcomes of other drug use frequency in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Design

Longitudinal analysis framework was used from a longitudinal cohort of people who use methamphetamine.

Setting

Victoria state, Australia.

Participants

One hundred eighty‐five VMAX study participants who reported a methamphetamine purchase after the onset of the pandemic were used for the price paid analysis. Methamphetamine or other drug use frequency analysis was performed using 277 participants who used methamphetamine during the pandemic or in the year before the pandemic.

Measurements

Price paid per gram of methamphetamine derived from the most recent purchase price and most recent purchase quantity. Frequency of methamphetamine and other drug use measured as the average number of days per week used in the last month.

Findings

Compared with pre‐COVID‐19 period, methamphetamine prices increased by AUD351.63 (P value <0.001) and by AUD456.51 (P value <0.001) in Melbourne and regional Victoria, respectively, during the period in which the most intense public health measures were implemented in Victoria. Although prices decreased after harder restrictions were lifted (by AUD232.84, P value <0.001 and AUD263.68, P value <0.001, in Melbourne and regional Victoria, respectively), they remained higher than pre‐COVID‐19 levels. A complementary 76% decrease was observed in relation to methamphetamine use frequency in regional Victoria (P value = 0.006) that was not offset by any changes in the frequency of use of other drugs such as alcohol, tobacco or other illicit drugs.

Conclusion

COVID‐19 public health measures in Victoria state, Australia, appear to have been associated with major price changes in the methamphetamine market and decreased frequency of use of the drug.
Second‐trimester amniotic fluid proteins changes in subsequent spontaneous preterm birth
Authors: Marcellin Louis , Batteux Frédéric , Chouzenoux Sandrine , Schmitz Thomas , Lorthe Elsa , Mehats Céline , Goffinet François , Kayem Gilles
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The global sequence of the pathogenesis of preterm labor remains unclear. This study aimed to compare amniotic fluid concentrations of extracellular matrix‐related proteins (procollagen, osteopontin and IL‐33), and of cytokines (IL‐19, IL‐6, IL‐20, TNFα, TGFβ, and IL‐1β) in asymptomatic women with and without subsequent spontaneous preterm delivery.

Material and methods

We used amniotic fluid samples of singleton pregnancy, collected by amniocentesis between 16 and 20 weeks' gestation, without stigmata of infection (i.e., all amniotic fluid samples were tested with broad‐range 16 S rDNA PCR to distinguish samples with evidence of past bacterial infection from sterile ones), during a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial to perform a nested case–control laboratory study. Cases were women with a spontaneous delivery before 37 weeks of gestation (preterm group). Controls were women who gave birth at or after 39 weeks (full term group). Amniotic fluid concentrations of the extracellular matrix‐related proteins and cytokines measured by immunoassays were compared for two study groups. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00718705.

Results

Between July 2008 and July 2011, in 12 maternal‐fetal medicine centers in France, 166 women with available PCR‐negative amniotic fluid samples were retained for the analysis. Concentrations of procollagen, osteopontin, IL‐19, IL‐6, IL‐20, IL‐33, TNFα, TGFβ, and IL‐1β were compared between the 37 who gave birth preterm and the 129 women with full‐term delivery. Amniotic fluid levels of procollagen, osteopontin, IL‐19, IL‐33, and TNFα were significantly higher in the preterm than the full‐term group. IL‐6, IL‐20, TGFβ, and IL‐1β levels did not differ between the groups.

Conclusions

In amniotic fluid 16 S rDNA PCR negative samples obtained during second‐trimester amniocentesis, extracellular matrix‐related protein concentrations (procollagen, osteopontin and IL‐33), together with IL‐19 and TNFα, were observed higher at this time in cases of later spontaneous preterm birth.
Histopathological Helsinki score of colorectal liver metastases predicts survival after liver resection
Authors: Reijonen Pauliina , Nordin Arno , Savikko Johanna , Poussa Tuija , Arola Johanna , Isoniemi Helena
Published: March 2023

Several perioperative scoring systems have been created to predict outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer; however, these rarely include histological parameters. We evaluated histological factors used for patients with liver metastases operated between 2000 and 2019 and compared the results with the Fong score. Many scoring models for overall disease‐free survival (DFS) were established and compared using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Statistically significant predictors at a 5% level in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate models using the backward and forward selection methods. Per these models, we established a score of eight histological factors. We defined low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐risk groups and compared them using the Kaplan–Meier survival and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses. The histological score's accuracy was compared with the modified Fong clinical risk score. The following factors constituted the Helsinki score: advanced pT stage, node‐positive primary, ≥2 metastases, size >50 mm, vitality >30%, margin <5 mm, vascular invasion and biliary invasion. The high‐risk group had significantly worse DFS and overall survival. In ROC analyses, the Helsinki score was slightly better than the modified Fong clinical risk score. Helsinki score challenges physicians to acknowledge histological factors as important outcome measures.
Review article: An analysis of the pharmacological rationale for selecting drugs to inhibit vomiting or increase gastric emptying during treatment of gastroparesis
Authors: Sanger Gareth J. , Andrews Paul L. R.
Published: March 2023

Background

Drugs which can inhibit nausea/vomiting and/or increase gastric emptying are used to treat gastroparesis, mostly ‘off‐label’. Within each category, they act at different targets and modulate different physiological mechanisms.

Aims

Address the questions: In gastroparesis, why should blocking one pathway causing vomiting, be more appropriate than another? Why might increasing gastric emptying via one mechanism be more appropriate than another?

Methods

Drugs used clinically were identified via consensus opinions and reviews, excluding the poorly characterised. Their pharmacology was defined, mapped to mechanisms influencing vomiting and gastric emptying, and rationale developed for therapeutic use.

Results

Vomiting: Rationale for 5‐HT3, D2, H1or muscarinic antagonists, and mirtazapine, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, are poor. Arguments for inhibiting central consequences of vagal afferent transmission by NK1antagonism are complicated by doubts over effects on nausea. Gastric emptying: Confusion emerges because of side‐effects of drugs increasing gastric emptying: Metoclopramide (5‐HT4agonist, D2and 5‐HT3antagonist; also blocks some emetic stimuli and causes tardive dyskinesia) and Erythromycin (high‐efficacy motilin agonist, requiring low doses to minimise side‐effects). Limited trials with selective 5‐HT4agonists indicate variable efficacy.

Conclusions

Several drug classes inhibiting vomiting have no scientific rationale. NK1antagonism has rationale but complicated by limited efficacy against nausea. Studies must resolve variable efficacy of selective 5‐HT4agonists and apparent superiority over motilin agonists. Overall, lack of robust activity indicates a need for novel approaches targeting nausea (e.g., modulating gastric pacemaker or vagal activity, use of receptor agonists or new targets such as GDF15) and objective assessments of nausea.
How transgressor's moral identity leads to high‐quality apologies: The positive effects of guilt
Authors: Iwai Tatiana , de França Carvalho João Vinícius , Islam Gazi
Published: March 2023

Comprehensive apologies are effective strategies to solve interpersonal conflict and promote reconciliation. However, transgressors tend to avoid providing comprehensive apologies because it is more threatening to do so. As a result, transgressors usually offer perfunctory apologies and hinder their own chances of being forgiven. Given the importance of promoting high‐quality apologies, we investigate the role of moral identity in increasing apology comprehensiveness. Across three studies using a combination of experimental and correlational designs with autobiographical recall paradigm, we demonstrate that transgressors high in moral identity feel guiltier after committing a transgression. As a result, they offer more comprehensive apologies. Moreover, the effects of guilt on transgressors' apologizing are conditional on the perceived apology effectiveness. Guilt is particularly important to boost apology quality when perceived apology effectiveness is low. In such cases, guilt leads transgressors to make more reparative efforts towards reconciliation despite the low possibility of apology's acceptance.
Transurethral ventral inlay buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty: technique and intermediate outcomes
Authors: Sterling Joshua , Daneshvar Michael , Nikolavsky Dmitriy
Published: March 2023

Objective

To outline our step‐by‐step surgical technique for a transurethral ventral buccal mucosa graft inlay urethroplasty to treat fossa navicularis and distal urethral strictures.

Methods

The transurethral ventral inlay urethroplasty is accomplished in four steps. First, after obtaining proper exposure the cicatrice is excised via a transurethral ventral urethrotomy until the lumen is at least 24fr. Second, double arm 6‐0 polydioxanone suture is used to deliver the triangular buccal mucosal graft to the proximal extent of the urethrotomy and secured externally. Third, the graft is secured to the meatus with 5‐0 polyglactin sutures and additional 6‐0 double arm polydioxanone sutures are used to quilt the graft for spread fixation. Finally, a 16fr silicone catheter is placed. Patients are discharged the same day and return for void trial after one week. A retrospective, single institution review was conducted to include all patients who underwent this procedure with a minimum of 1 year follow‐up. Patients were analyzed for recurrences, and pre‐ and post‐operative urine flow rates, post void residuals, and patient questionnaires were also reviewed.

Results

44 patients met our inclusion criteria. Median surgical time was 120 minutes. At a mean follow up of 36 months (IQR 22‐50) 95% of patients are patent without additional interventions. The 2 patients that did have stricture recurrence were found to have urethral stenosis that extended more proximally, and both were successfully treated with a dorsal onlay buccal urethroplasty. There were significant improvements in urine flow rate, post void residuals, international prostate symptom score and quality of life scores post operatively. There was no difference in post operative sexual function scores.

Conclusion

This minimally invasive transurethral ventral urethroplasty has excellent intermediate term outcomes in terms of traditional objective measures of urethroplasty success and patient reported outcomes.
Cut‐point values for classifying active children and validity and reliability of physical activity questionnaire for children in Morocco
Authors: Baddou Issad , el Harchaoui Imane , Benjeddou Kaoutar , Reilly John J. , el Menchawy Imane , el Hamdouchi Asmaa
Published: March 2023

Background

The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ‐C) is widely used to assess physical activity in populations; however, there is a lack of information about the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) and about the PAQ‐C score meaning in populations from low‐middle income countries.

Aims

The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of PAQ‐C and to determine the cut‐point values of PAQ‐C using accelerometry as a reference in a group of Moroccan children.

Methods

In a sample of 171 children and adolescents aged 8 to 14 years, physical activity was assessed with the GT3X + accelerometer and the PAQ‐C. PAQ‐C was administered for a second time (retest) after 1 week for a subsample (n = 73). Reliability was analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The PAQ‐C was compared against count per minute CPM and moderate to vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) obtained by accelerometry. Receiver operating curve analyses were performed to assess the performance of PAQ‐C in identifying MVPA as measured by accelerometry (reference method).

Results

Test–retest reliability was poor with an ICC = (0.48 [0.27; 0.63] for the whole sample, while for the ≥11 year group, the intra‐class correlation coefficient was moderate (0.71 [0.42; 0.86]. PAQ‐C scores were significantly related to accelerometry‐derived metrics of physical activity, CPM (R = 0.29, P < 0.001) and MVPA (R = 0.26, P < 0.001). For the age group ≥11 years, the associations between PAQ‐C Scores and CPM and MVPA were stronger, respectively, R = 0.37 (P < 0.001), R = 0.38 (P < 0.0001). We identified that a PAQ‐C Score cut‐point of 2.33 (95%CI [0.43–0.68]) discriminated adequately between those who met physical activity guidelines and those that did not in the overall sample.

Conclusions

The PAQ‐C is valid and useful to assess population level physical activity in those ≥11 years in Morocco and so might be helpful in population surveillance of physical activity in Moroccan adolescents.
Zonula occludens‐1 distribution and barrier functions are affected by epithelial proliferation and turnover rates
Authors: Imafuku Keisuke , Iwata Hiroaki , Natsuga Ken , Okumura Makoto , Kobayashi Yasuaki , Kitahata Hiroyuki , Kubo Akiharu , Nagayama Masaharu , Ujiie Hideyuki
Published: March 2023

Zonula occludens‐1 (ZO‐1) is a scaffolding protein of tight junctions, which seal adjacent epithelial cells, that is also expressed in adherens junctions. The distribution pattern of ZO‐1 differs among stratified squamous epithelia, including that between skin and oral buccal mucosa. However, the causes for this difference, and the mechanisms underlying ZO‐1 spatial regulation, have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we showed that epithelial turnover and proliferation are associated with ZO‐1 distribution in squamous epithelia. We tried to verify the regulation of ZO‐1 by comparing normal skin and psoriasis, known as inflammatory skin disease with rapid turnover. We as well compared buccal mucosa and oral lichen planus, known as an inflammatory oral disease with a longer turnover interval. The imiquimod (IMQ) mouse model, often used as a psoriasis model, can promote cell proliferation. On the contrary, we peritoneally injected mice mitomycin C, which reduces cell proliferation. We examined whether IMQ and mitomycin C cause changes in the distribution and appearance of ZO‐1. Human samples and mouse pharmacological models revealed that slower epithelial turnover/proliferation led to the confinement of ZO‐1 to the uppermost part of squamous epithelia. In contrast, ZO‐1 was widely distributed under conditions of faster cell turnover/proliferation. Cell culture experiments and mathematical modelling corroborated these ZO‐1 distribution patterns. These findings demonstrate that ZO‐1 distribution is affected by epithelial cell dynamics.
Superiority of ibrutinib plus bendamustine and rituximab in newly diagnosed patients with mantle‐cell lymphoma ineligible for intensive therapy: A network meta‐analysis
Authors: Sheng Zhixin , Wang Lida
Published: March 2023

Because of lacking of head‐to‐head comparison among recently effective novel agents’ combination regimens for newly diagnosed patients with mantle‐cell lymphoma (MCL) who are ineligible for intensive therapy like autologous stem‐cell transplantation, the optimal option for these patients still remains undefined. We searched relevant published reports. Three randomized controlled trials with 1459 subjects were identified. In the network meta‐analysis, ibrutinib plus bendamustine and rituximab (Ibru + BR) significantly improved progression‐free survival (PFS) when compared to bortezomib, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (VR‐CAP; hazard ratio [HR]: 0.55, p = .03) and rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R‐CHOP; HR: 0.35, p < .001) for newly diagnosed patients with MCL ineligible for intensive therapy. Among these first‐line treatment regimens (Ibru + BR, VR‐CAP, R‐CHOP, and BR), Ibru + BR had the highest probability of 94.9% to be the best intervention in PFS analysis. No significant difference was found in adverse events analysis. Our data indicated that Ibru + BR seemed to prolong the PFS when compared to VR‐CAP and R‐CHOP for newly diagnosed patients with MCL ineligible for intensive therapy. Considering our limits, prospective clinical trials directly comparing these regimens are warranted.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on clinical autonomic practice in Europe: a survey of the European Academy of Neurology and the European Federation of Autonomic Societies
Authors: Fanciulli Alessandra , Leys Fabian , Krbot Skorić Magdalena , Reis Carneiro Diogo , Calandra‐Buonaura Giovanna , Camaradou Jennifer , Chiaro Giacomo , Cortelli Pietro , Falup‐Pecurariu Cristian , Granata Roberta , Guaraldi Pietro , Helbok Raimund , Hilz Max J. , Iodice Valeria , Jordan Jens , Kaal Evert C. A. , Kamondi Anita , Pavy Le Traon Anne , Rocha Isabel , Sellner Johann , Senard Jean Michel , Terkelsen Astrid , Wenning Gregor K. , Moro Elena , Berger Thomas , Thijs Roland D. , Struhal Walter , Habek Mario ,   the Collaborators of European Network of Neurological ANS laboratories
Published: March 2023

Background and purpose

The objective was to investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on European clinical autonomic practice.

Methods

Eighty‐four neurology‐driven or interdisciplinary autonomic centers in 22 European countries were invited to fill in a web‐based survey between September and November 2021.

Results

Forty‐six centers completed the survey (55%). During the first pandemic year, the number of performed tilt‐table tests, autonomic outpatient and inpatient visits decreased respectively by 50%, 45% and 53%, and every third center reported major adverse events due to postponed examinations or visits. The most frequent newly diagnosed or worsened cardiovascular autonomic disorders after COVID‐19 infection included postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, orthostatic hypotension and recurrent vasovagal syncope, deemed to be likely related to the infection by ≥50% of the responders. Forty‐seven percent of the responders also reported about people with new onset of orthostatic intolerance but negative tilt‐table findings, and 16% about people with psychogenic pseudosyncope after COVID‐19. Most patients were treated non‐pharmacologically and symptomatic recovery at follow‐up was observed in ≥45% of cases. By contrast, low frequencies of newly diagnosed cardiovascular autonomic disorders following COVID‐19 vaccination were reported, most frequently postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and recurrent vasovagal syncope, and most of the responders judged a causal association unlikely. Non‐pharmacological measures were the preferred treatment choice, with 50%–100% recovery rates at follow‐up.

Conclusions

Cardiovascular autonomic disorders may develop or worsen following a COVID‐19 infection, whilst the association with COVID‐19 vaccines remains controversial. Despite the severe pandemic impact on European clinical autonomic practice, a specialized diagnostic work‐up was pivotal to identify non‐autonomic disorders in people with post‐COVID‐19 orthostatic complaints.
Compressed lightweight deep learning models for resource‐constrained Internet of things devices in the healthcare sector
Authors: Habib Gousia , Qureshi Shaima
Published: March 2023

The performance of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in image classification and object detection has been remarkable, even though they contain millions and billions of parameters. This over‐parameterization of CNN makes them both memory‐intensive and computationally complex and exhaustive. This greatly hinders the application of CNNs in resource‐constrained environments such as Internet of things (IoT) and edge devices. This poses a critical challenge for CNNs in deploying these powerful computer vision tools to mobile devices, which needs immediate attention. In this study, we have proposed a novel technique based on non‐convex optimization, max‐norm regularization. The max‐norm will structurally prune the number of parameters without compromising the model's performance. The proximal gradient descent algorithm is used for network optimization while using this non‐convex regularizer. The max‐norm is combined with the channel pruning to achieve more sparse CNN networks. Later, the pruned network can be easily deployed in the resource‐constrained application environment. The proposed technique is tested on several benchmark datasets for validation. In addition, in this study, the sparsified CNNs are used for biomedical image analysis using the BRAIN MRI dataset. This sparsely trained CNN model can later serve as the best lightweight model applicable in the IoT healthcare sector for detecting and classifying three types of brain tumours, one of the most life‐threatening diseases whose early detection can save the costly lives of human beings. This is the first paper to propose the novel max‐norm regularizer to enforce sparse learning through CNNs. The paper provides a detailed analysis of convex and non‐convex regularizers before presenting the proposed novel max‐norm regularizer. Finally, the paper compares the proposed max‐norm regularizer with existing regularization methods using state‐of‐the‐art CNN models.
Rapid evaluation of fatigue limit using energy dissipation
Authors: Mahmoudi Ali , Khonsari Michael M.
Published: March 2023

Four different experimental approaches for rapid estimation of fatigue limit (endurance limit) based on energy dissipation during cyclic loading are discussed. The presented approaches use energy dissipation and thermography and can reliably evaluate the fatigue limit of material by conducting the fatigue test on a single specimen. Results show that the released energy due to damage accumulation at the stress levels above the fatigue limit changes the trend of energy dissipation and that this trend can be used to predict the fatigue limit. Experimental results on CS 1018 and SS 304 specimens are presented to illustrate the utility of the proposed methods.
Influence of braking sequence on railway brake disc's radial crack propagation behavior
Authors: Lu Chun , Shen Jiacheng , Mo Jiliang , Martinez‐Esnaola Jose Manuel
Published: March 2023

The influence of braking sequence on railway brake disc's radial crack propagation behavior is analyzed considering the effect of crack geometry features, material elastoplasticity, and crack closure. The results show that when the residual stress generated in the initial braking is low, the peak stress in the subsequent braking will be low, and the average response state is more inclined to compression. The influences of the braking sequence are mainly reflected in the mid‐late stage of crack growth. In the early stage, the radial cracks almost synchronously expand inward and outward. While in the mid‐late stage, the cracks mainly expand inward. When the initial braking is relatively mild, the brake disc's stress–strain response and crack propagation behavior can be improved. It is beneficial to extend the brake disc's service life by designing a suitable prefabricated working condition or introducing an appropriate residual stress field through surface treatment.
Droughting a megadrought: Ecological consequences of a decade of experimental drought atop aridification on the Colorado Plateau
Authors: Finger‐Higgens Rebecca , Bishop Tara B. B. , Belnap Jayne , Geiger Erika L. , Grote Edmund E. , Hoover David L. , Reed Sasha C. , Duniway Michael C.
Published: March 2023

Global dryland vegetation communities will likely change as ongoing drought conditions shift regional climates towards a more arid future. Additional aridification of drylands can impact plant and ground cover, biogeochemical cycles, and plant–soil feedbacks, yet how and when these crucial ecosystem components will respond to drought intensification requires further investigation. Using a long‐term precipitation reduction experiment (35% reduction) conducted across the Colorado Plateau and spanning 10 years into a 20+ year regional megadrought, we explored how vegetation cover, soil conditions, and growing season nitrogen (N) availability are impacted by drying climate conditions. We observed large declines for all dominant plant functional types (C3and C4grasses and C3and C4shrubs) across measurement period, both in the drought treatment and control plots, likely due to ongoing regional megadrought conditions. In experimental drought plots, we observed less plant cover, less biological soil crust cover, warmer and drier soil conditions, and more soil resin‐extractable N compared to the control plots. Observed increases in soil N availability were best explained by a negative correlation with plant cover regardless of treatment, suggesting that declines in vegetation N uptake may be driving increases in available soil N. However, in ecosystems experiencing long‐term aridification, increased N availability may ultimately result in N losses if soil moisture is consistently too dry to support plant and microbial N immobilization and ecosystem recovery. These results show dramatic, worrisome declines in plant cover with long‐term drought. Additionally, this study highlights that more plant cover losses are possible with further drought intensification and underscore that, in addition to large drought effects on aboveground communities, drying trends drive significant changes to critical soil resources such as N availability, all of which could have long‐term ecosystem impacts for drylands.
An examination of relational dynamics of power in the context of supported (assisted) decision‐making with older people and those with disabilities in an acute healthcare setting
Authors: O′Donnell Deirdre , Davies Carmel , Christophers Lauren , Ní Shé Éidín , Donnelly Sarah , Kroll Thilo
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Supported (assisted) healthcare decision‐making (ADM) focuses attention on how people with disabilities, including cognitive impairments, can be best supported to make decisions about their health and social care on an equitable basis with others. Meaningful implementation of legal frameworks for ADM challenges long‐held presumptions about who has access to valued decision‐making resources, influence and power within a particular socio‐cultural setting. This study aims to explore the relational power dynamics around ADM with older people in acute care settings.

Methods

This study adopts a critical hermeneutic approach to qualitatively explore the lived experience of ADM from the perspectives of Health and Social Care Professionals (N = 26). This is supported by an exploration of the experiences of older people (N = 4), older people with a diagnosis of dementia (N = 4) and family carers (N = 5).

Results

We present three themes of data analysis that represent three spaces where the relational aspects of power in ADM are manifested. The first space, centralising decision‐making power within multidisciplinary teams identified the privileging of physicians in traditional hierarchical leadership models that may lead to the implicit exclusion of family carers and some Health and Social Care Professionals in the ADM process. Privileging cognitive and communication competence identified a tendency to attribute decision‐making autonomy to those with cognitive and communication competency. The final space, balancing the duty of care and individual autonomy, recognises acute care settings as typically risk‐averse cultures that limit autonomy for decisions that carry risk, especially for those with cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

Findings indicate the need to address cultural sources of power operating through social norms premised on ageist and ableist ideologies. It is necessary to challenge institutional barriers to meaningful ADM including positional power that is associated with hierarchies of influence and protectionism. Finally, meaningful ADM requires resistance to the disempowerment created by structural, economic and social circumstances which limit choices for decision‐making.

Patient or Public Contribution

A public and patient involvement panel of older people were consulted in the development of the grant application (HRB: APA‐2016‐1878). Representatives from Alzheimer's Society Ireland and Family Carers Ireland were steering committee members guiding design and strategy.
Long‐term success for people living with HIV: A framework to guide practice
Authors: Lazarus Jeffrey V. , Wohl David A. , Cascio Mario , Guaraldi Giovanni , Rockstroh Jürgen , Hodson Matthew , Richman Bruce , Brown Gina , Anderson Jane , Fuster‐RuizdeApodaca Maria J.
Published: March 2023

Objectives

In recent decades, the needs of people living with HIV have evolved as life expectancy has greatly improved. Now, a new definition of long‐term success (LTS) is necessary to help address the multifaceted needs of all people living with HIV.

Methods

We conducted a two‐phase research programme to delineate the range of experiences of people living with HIV. The insights garnered from these research phases were explored in a series of expert‐led workshops, which led to the development and refinement of the LTS framework.

Results

The insights generated from the research phases identified a series of themes that form a part of LTS. These themes were subsequently incorporated into the LTS framework, which includes five outcome pillars: sustained undetectable viral load, minimal impact of treatment and clinical monitoring, optimized health‐related quality of life, lifelong integration of healthcare, and freedom from stigma and discrimination. A series of supporting statements were also developed by the expert panel to help in the achievement of each of the LTS pillars.

Conclusions

The LTS framework offers a comprehensive and person‐centric approach that, if achieved, could help improve the long‐term well‐being of people living with HIV and support the LTS vision of ‘every person living with HIV being able to live their best life’.
Optimisation and identification of anchovy antimicrobial peptides by enzymolysis and untargeted proteomic profiling
Authors: Zhang Huiyan , Qi Shizhe , Yu Wenhao , Zhao Shan , Jin Yan , Zhao Qiancheng , Qi Yanxia
Published: March 2023

Natural antimicrobial peptides are promising antibiotics without inducing high bacteria resistance and have wide applications in the medical health and food industry. Herein, we prepared and optimised anchovy antimicrobial peptides (AAMPs) by degreasing and enzymolysis of anchovy extracts under different conditions. The enzymolysis mixtures at optimised preparation conditions exhibited concentration‐dependent inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Then, we applied the mass spectrometry‐based proteomics analysis to globally profile the peptide constitutes within the active peptide mixture and finally, 4 unique peptides coming from 68 proteins were confidently identified. We compared the peptide sequences with the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) database and synthesised 4 potential AAMPs. As a result, peptide GTEDELDKY exhibited inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli, and peptides DREGESGPS, YIGRPIPQ and YEDEINKR exhibited inhibitory activity against SA. Our work established a useful workflow for discovering novel AMPs from fish proteins, which may play important role in the development of effective antibiotics.
Enhancing effect of chia seeds on heterocyclic amine generation in meatball
Authors: Elbir Zeynep , Ekiz Elif , Aoudeh Eyad , Oz Emel , Savaş Adem , Brennan Charles , Proestos Charalampos , Khan Mohammad Rizwan , Elobeid Tahra , Brennan Margaret , Oz Fatih
Published: March 2023

The impact of using chia seeds at different rates (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) in meatball on the water content, pH and lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), cooking loss and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) content of meatballs cooked at 150, 200, and 250 °C was investigated. The chia seed significantly affected water content (P < 0.01), cooking loss (P < 0.05), pH (P < 0.05) and total HAAs content (P < 0.01), whereas no significant impact (P > 0.05) was detected on TBARS value. With cooking, water content decreased (P < 0.01), while the pH and TBARS values increased (P < 0.01). Cooking temperatures significantly affected (P < 0.01) the water content, cooking loss and total HAAs content. The content of total HAAs of the meatballs increased with increasing the cooking temperature. The results illustrated that IQ, 7,8‐DiMeIQx, 4,8‐DiMeIQx, AαC and MeAαC were below the detectable limit (<LOD) in all samples, while MeIQx was the dominant compound among the detected HAAs compounds. The research indicated that the use of chia seeds increased the total HAA content, and the highest level was found in meatballs prepared with 1% chia seeds.
Preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for selective extraction of xylazine in milk
Authors: Chen Cen , Zhang Yuhang , Tang Yulong , Huang Guangrong , Jiang Han
Published: March 2023

Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) were prepared by surface precipitation polymerisation, which used xylazine as its template molecule and Fe3O4 as its support. The characterisation analysis and adsorption experiments of MMIPs were carried out. At the same time, promethazine, chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, acepromazine and perphenazine were selected as structural analogues for selective experiments. The results showed MMIPs were successfully prepared with small particle size, excellent magnetic and thermal stability, high adsorption capacity and selectivity for xylazine. The maximum adsorption capacity of MMIPs for xylazine was 4.2017 mg g−1, and the adsorption reached binding equilibrium within 30 min. The magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) based on MMIPs and traditional solid phase extraction (SPE) based on SPE column for xylazine in milk samples were compared and xylazine was analysed by HPLC. Although the difference between the two SPE methods was not significant, the MSPE method procedure took only about 35 min, which was faster than the traditional SPE method (>100 min), and the MSPE method had lower LOD (2.62 ng mL−1). MSPE has the advantages of simple operation, short extraction time, low cost and friendly to the environment, it has good application potential in the detection of xylazine in milk samples.
Relationship between cortical and medullary thickness and glomerular filtration rate among living kidney donors
Authors: Kuhnel Lukas , Vu Thomas , Wood Simon T. , Francis Ross S. , Trnka Peter , Ellis Robert J.
Published: March 2023

The relationship between the kidney cortex and medulla is not well understood in healthy populations. This study characterised the relationship between cortical/medullary thickness and measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in 390 living kidney donors. A positive relationship was observed between medullary, but not cortical, thickness and GFR. We propose that this reflects a correlation between juxtamedullary nephron number and GFR.
Analysis of the location problem of emergency attendance teams for a railroad through optimization
Authors: Troian Rodrigo , Santos Gisele Tessari , Campos Rodrigo Alexandre Celestino
Published: March 2023

Rail operators worldwide are seeing an increase in demand for services, driven by expanding global trade and the use of export commodities. Punctual service in a train stopped on the railroad is extremely important since the delay in service significantly impacts performance, asset utilization, and railroad productivity. The present work addresses the development and the solution of an optimization model for locating railway service teams that serve locomotives that need emergency maintenance on a Brazilian railway. Additionally, a hypercube model was solved to estimate several performance measures that assist in decision‐making. From the result analysis of different scenarios, it was found that the optimized maintenance teams' location provides superior results to the current ones considering the same resources. Also, it was possible to increase the coverage with double attendance in the studied system, monitoring different indicators such as attendance teams' average system travel time and workload.
Clustered vehicle routing problem for waste collection with smart operational management approaches
Authors: Kim Jungmin , Manna Apurba , Roy Arindam , Moon Ilkyeong
Published: March 2023

Waste collection is one of the essential tasks in a smart city. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a promising technology that offers potential solutions for transforming traditional systems. An IoT‐based smart bin is a modern technology that offers real‐time fill level information to a cleaning authority. However, high uncertainty associated with the smart bin's fill levels and improper operation hinder efficient waste collection. In order to tackle the uncertainty in a smart bin and improve the waste collection operation, the IoT sensor's usage must be combined with optimization procedures. The present work introduced two operational management approaches to define dynamic optimal routes and combined ant colony optimization with a k‐means clustering algorithm to solve the clustered vehicle routing problem for waste collection on a large scale. Operational management approaches reflect practical constraints when using IoT‐based smart bins. A hybrid metaheuristic is proposed and performed with these approaches thereby showing the potential of building a smart waste collection system.
Propaganda: More Than Flawed Messaging
Authors: Wimberly Cory
Published: March 2023

Most of the recent work on propaganda in philosophy has come from a narrowly epistemological standpoint that sees it as flawed messaging that negatively impacts public reasonableness and deliberation. This article posits two problems with this approach: first, it obscures the full range of propaganda's activities; and second, it prevents effective ameliorative measures by offering an overly truncated assessment of the problems to be addressed. Following Ellul and Hyska, I argue that propaganda aims at shaping actions and not just beliefs, and that the propaganda activities that shape action include modifying beliefs but also much more. Examining this larger set of activities results in a shift in how we conceptualize the way that propaganda works. In particular, I add a novel argument that propaganda works by creating and reshaping publics, transforming who they are and their characteristic action. This article concludes that a more complete philosophical account of propaganda cannot just draw on epistemology but must also call on the tools of social ontology and political philosophy to create a more robust critical account.
The perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities on their experience of voting in UK general elections
Authors: Manktelow Nicholas , Chadwick Darren D. , Brewster Stephanie , Tilly Liz
Published: March 2023

Background

People with intellectual disabilities' voting rate within the United Kingdom remains significantly below the population average despite government enacted voting promotion measures. No published academic literature directly involves people with intellectual disabilities when considering their UK general election experiences – this study aims to address this omission.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with people with intellectual disabilities (N = 20) about their election experiences during the 2017 (n = 18) and 2019 (n = 8) general elections. Six participants were interviewed around both elections. Data was analysed with template analysis.

Results

Eight themes were produced – election information, political knowledge, political opinions, voting choice process, polling station experience, voting outcome, capacity and support. Theme interactions impacted on election experiences.

Conclusions

While acknowledging diverse experiences, voting outcomes and experiences were particularly impacted by factor interactions concerning election information and/or polling station accessibility, capacity and support. Voting promotion interventions and future research should consider these areas.