bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indoor thermal environment and energy performance in a central air heating system using a heat pump for a house with underfloor space for heat distribution
Authors: Kindaichi Sayaka , Kindaichi Tomonori
Published: August 2022

Central air heating systems with heat pumps can use the underfloor space, rather than air ducts, for heat distribution in houses. To minimize the energy consumption, the actual thermal environment and energy performance of these systems must be evaluated through continuous field measurements. This study evaluates the thermal environment, operational characteristics, and energy performance of a central air heating system with a heat pump during two winters in a two-story house in Japan. In the first winter (i.e., before case), the supply air was automatically controlled at a relatively high average temperature of 45°C with low air flow rates, resulting in a non-uniform temperature distribution among the rooms and low energy efficiency. In the second winter (i.e., after case), an increase in the fan speed improved the heat distribution, with operational conditions of high air flow rates at a lower average temperature of 39°C. This led to average energy savings of 11% while maintaining thermal comfort.
Surgeon Preference on Sending Routine Tonsillectomy Specimens for Pathological Evaluation
Authors: Rossi Nicholas A. , Freeman Cecilia G. , Ohlstein Jason F. , Daram Shiva , Darling Robert A. , McKinnon Brian J. , Pine Harold S.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Despite the presence of a growing body of literature suggesting cost-ineffectiveness of routine pathologic analysis of tonsillectomy specimens, little is known about common institutional policies and practice patterns of pediatric otolaryngologists. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of routine pathological evaluation of tonsillectomy specimens for uncomplicated pediatric adenotonsillectomy procedures and to evaluate opinions regarding this controversy among board-certified pediatric otolaryngologists.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional survey study sent to board-certified pediatric otolaryngologists currently practicing and registered with the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) assessing their institutions’ or practices’ current policies on sending routine tonsillectomy specimens for pathology, their experience with this practice, and their opinions on whether routine pathologic analysis should be employed. Basic statistical analysis was then conducted.

Results

Respondents mostly practiced in an academic setting (68.4%), with the next most common being academically affiliated private practice (21.8%), and private practice was the least common (9.8%). Most respondents (85.1%) did not agree with routine pathologic analysis of otherwise uncomplicated pediatric tonsillectomy specimens.

Conclusion

Most pediatric otolaryngologists who responded to this survey do not support routine pathological analysis of otherwise uncomplicated pediatric tonsillectomy specimens. However, the results are likely biased and should be interpreted carefully, since only a small percentage of pediatric otolaryngologists responded to the survey. Potential cost savings could be seen by patients, payers, and hospital systems with judicious use of surgical pathology, specifically in cases with concurrent signs or symptoms suspicious for malignancy.
Flexible Item Response Models for Count Data: The Count Thresholds Model
Authors: Tutz Gerhard
Published: August 2022

A new item response theory model for count data is introduced. In contrast to models in common use, it does not assume a fixed distribution for the responses as, for example, the Poisson count model and extensions do. The distribution of responses is determined by difficulty functions which reflect the characteristics of items in a flexible way. Sparse parameterizations are obtained by choosing fixed parametric difficulty functions, more general versions use an approximation by basis functions. The model can be seen as constructed from binary response models as the Rasch model or the normal-ogive model to which it reduces if responses are dichotomized. It is demonstrated that the model competes well with advanced count data models. Simulations demonstrate that parameters and response distributions are recovered well. An application shows the flexibility of the model to account for strongly varying distributions of responses.
The effect of co-opinion on the cocitation-based information retrieval systems’ effectiveness evaluated by semantic similarity
Authors: Yaghtin Maryam , Sotudeh Hajar , Nikseresht Alireza
Published: August 2022

The co-opinionatedness measure, that is, the similarity of cociting documents in their opinions about their cocited articles, has been recently proposed. The present study uses a wider range of baselines and benchmarks to investigate the measure’s effectiveness in retrieval ranking that was previously confirmed in a pilot study. A test collection was built including 30 seed documents and their 4702 cocited articles. Their citances and full-texts were analysed using natural language processing (NLP) and opinion mining techniques. Cocitation values, syntactical similarity and contexts similarity were used as baselines. The distributional semantic similarity and the linear and hierarchical Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) similarities served as benchmarks to evaluate the effect of the co-opinionatedness as a boosting factor on the performance of the baselines. The improvements in the rankings were measured by normalised discounted cumulative gain (nDCG). According to the findings, there existed significant differences between the nDCG mean values obtained before and after weighting the baselines by the co-opinionatedness measures. The results of the generalisability study corroborated the reliability and generalisability of the systems. Accordingly, the similarity in the opinions of the cociting papers towards their cocited articles can explain the cocitation relation in the scientific papers network and can be effectively utilised for improving the results of the cocitation-based retrieval systems.
Does the European left have to choose between the nation-state and internationalism? Some considerations following Richard Rorty
Authors: Seeliger Martin , Kiess Johannes
Published: August 2022

By applying the concept of democracy and the state proposed by Richard Rorty, the article aims to make a theoretical contribution to understanding frames of political mobilization and solidarity. While Rorty’s conceptual instruments stem from the field of epistemology and moral philosophy and have, so far, not been widely applied to theorizing statehood in general and labour market policy in particular, his ideas can help to understand leftist politics between inter- and re-nationalization. By drawing on empirical findings on debates and negotiations between European trade union organizations, the text proposes an idea on how to overcome a dualistic framework beyond a footloose cosmopolitanism and national protectionism.
An evaluation of a musical learning exchange: A case study in a U.S. prison
Authors: Harry Adam G , Cohen Mary L , Hollingworth Liz
Published: August 2022

Our research evaluates the effectiveness of a community musical learning exchange (MLE) that included group singing, guided conversations, and reflection. The respondents ( N = 290) who participated in the MLE included members of the Soweto Gospel Choir ( n = 17), Soweto Gospel Choir Crew ( n = 3), prison choir incarcerated singers ( n = 41), prison choir non-incarcerated singers ( n = 41), and community guest-participants ( n = 188). We studied: To what extent did respondents engage in singing and conversations during the learning exchange? To what degree did the respondents perceive the various components of the learning exchange helped them reflect upon the theme? What similarities and differences existed among various groups regarding these perceptions? Results suggest the MLE model was effective for intercultural sharing and most respondents engaged in singing and conversations. The guided conversations within a musical event were novel experiences, with the majority describing these as very effective components of the MLE. Respondents noted that both these guided conversations and spoken reflections prior to song selections from prison choir members and singing together most effectively helped them engage with the theme. We offer suggestions for musical leaders to implement MLEs and we make recommendations for future related research.
Patient-centered weaning from venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: “A practice-oriented narrative review of literature”
Authors: Hermens Jeannine AJ , Meuwese Christiaan L , Szymanski Mariusz K , Gianoli Monica , van Dijk Diederik , Donker Dirk W
Published: August 2022

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) is increasingly used in cardiogenic shock for rapid stabilization and bridging towards recovery, long-term mechanical circulatory support or transplant. Although technological advances have instigated its widespread use, the complex, long-lasting ECMO care creates a significant strain on hospital staff and resources. Therefore, optimal clinical management including timely decisions on ECMO removal and further therapy are pivotal, yet require a well-structured weaning approach. Although dedicated guidelines are lacking, a variety of weaning protocols have distillated echocardiographic and hemodynamic predictors for successful weaning. Nevertheless, a strikingly high mortality up to 70% after initial successful weaning raises concerns about the validity of current weaning strategies. Here, we plead for a patient-tailored approach including a bailout strategy when weaning fails. This should account not only for left- but also right ventricular function and interdependence, as well as the temporal course of cardiac recovery in function of extracorporeal support. Patients with a high risk of weaning failure should be identified early, enabling timely transportation to an advanced heart failure center. This review summarizes predictors of successful weaning and discusses all relevant elements for a structured weaning approach with a central role for patient-specific clinical considerations and echocardiography.
Diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis: a preliminary study on the added value of R2*MFGRE sequence in magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Xu Yifan , Yao Yuan , Pylypenko Dmytro , Xu Xinghua , Li Shuyi , Wang Qing
Published: August 2022

Background

Identifying and locating endometriotic lesions is crucial for preoperative planning, so new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques are urgently needed to improve the diagnostic sensitivity for pelvic endometriosis.

Purpose

To evaluate the feasibility of R2* multiple fast gradient recalled echo (MFGRE) imaging in the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis.

Material and Methods

A total of 46 patients with suspected endometriosis underwent routine pelvic MRI and R2*MFGRE imaging. Clinical diagnosis was pathologically confirmed one month after MRI examination. Three radiologists who were blinded to the pathological results evaluated the number of ovarian endometriomas (OMAs) and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) lesions using routine MRI and its combination with R2*MFGRE. The diagnostic sensitivity for OMA or DIE using the two examination methods was determined. Two-correlation sample rank-sum tests were used to compare both methods. Additionally, for all lesions, the R2* values were measured and statistically analyzed.

Results

Among 46 patients, 47 OMAs and 30 DIE lesions were found surgically and pathologically confirmed. The diagnostic sensitivity of the routine MRI was 87.2% for OMA and 46.7% for DIE. The diagnostic sensitivity of the routine imaging combined with R2*MFGRE was 100% for OMA and 90% for DIE. The two-correlation sample rank-sum test showed a significant difference between both methods (P<0.01, z = −4.26). The median R2* value was 25.20 (IQR=14) for the OMA group, and 45.21 (IQR=40) for the DIE group. The difference between both groups was statistically significant ( P<0.01, z = −4.89).

Conclusion

R2*MFGRE imaging, as a supplement to the routine MRI, could improve the diagnostic sensitivity for pelvic endometriosis, especially for DIE.
Oral medicine services: a two-centre study of 99,603 patients between 2015 and 2020
Authors: Han Chengbing , Mei Li , Liu Anyang , Hassan Sara Ya Mohammad , Polonowita Ajith , Guan Guangzhao
Published: August 2022

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the patterns of patients managed at the oral medicine service centres at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, New Zealand and Weifang People’s Hospital, Weifang, China.

Materials and methods

Patients’ clinical records were collected from 2015 to 2020. Patient data from electronic and paper records were examined. The data included in this study for each patient were age, sex, ethnicity, source of referral, clinical investigation, diagnosis, and management.

Results

There were 99,603 patients included in the analysis. Most of the patients (56.5%–71.0%) were women aged 50 to 70 years. Referrals were typically from internal sources (20.0%–52.7%), medical practitioners (27.5%–29.6%), and dental practitioners (18.3%–28.3%). The main clinical investigations included blood tests (22.1%–25.4%), diagnostic imaging (12.2%–28.3%), and biopsy (9.4%–12.8%). Oral and maxillofacial pathology accounted for 73.9% to 83.3% of all diagnoses. The main treatment was self-care (15.2%–36.6%), and the most prescribed medication was a corticosteroid (26.4%–30.2%).

Conclusions

Most patients in oral medicine clinics were 50 to 70-year-old women. Blood tests, imaging, and biopsy were the main clinical investigations. Most of the diagnoses were oromucosal diseases. The main treatments were self-care and corticosteroid prescriptions.
Car-Following Characteristics of Commercially Available Adaptive Cruise Control Systems and Comparison With Human Drivers
Authors: Ye Yingjun , Sun Jie , Sun Jian
Published: August 2022

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) system, as one of the most fundamental modules of automated vehicles, is widely used in commercially available vehicles. It inevitably influences the traffic flow, from both the individual perspective, that is, its interaction with other traffic participants, and the traffic system perspective, that is, traffic string stability and road capacity. However, subject to limited data availability, no consistent conclusions on these impacts have been reached in the literature. Meanwhile, the similarities and differences between ACC vehicles and human-driven vehicles (HDV) have not been fully discussed and comparisons among different commercially available ACC systems remain to be untangled. Therefore, to fill this gap, this study investigates the car-following characteristics of various ACC systems and compares them with human drivers based on the open-access OpenACC database. We first identify the proper surrogate car-following model for denoting the driving behaviors of ACC vehicles and HDVs from five widely used car-following models, among which the best-fitted one is the intelligent driver model. Then, we implement the Gaussian mixture model and Jensen-Shannon divergence to describe the similarities between ACC systems and human drivers. Moreover, the string stability of different ACC platoons in various traffic conditions are investigated with a series of simulation experiments. Results show that all the ACC systems are string unstable, and more unstable than human drivers. The behavior of the Ford-ACC system is most similar to human drivers with a relative low instability, while the Peugeot-ACC system behaves most differently to human drivers, and aggressively with the highest instability.
Identity in Family Firms: Toward an Integrative Understanding
Authors: Bettinelli Cristina , Lissana Elena , Bergamaschi Mara , De Massis Alfredo
Published: August 2022

To take stock of the literature on identity in family firms (IFF), we examine 122 journal articles published between 2006 and 2020. We then develop a thematic map to help scholars understand the structure of IFF studies and the direction that IFF research is taking. Providing a consistent vocabulary and categorization, the thematic map serves to strengthen the IFF conceptualization and locates potential ambiguities and fragmentation. Thereafter, we analyze the antecedents, outcomes, and contingencies of the different themes identified. Drawing on this foundation, we identify gaps and suggest new directions and stimuli for future research.
The Dynamics of Control of Migrant Agency Workers: Over-Recruitment, ‘The Bitchlist’ and the Enterprising-Self
Authors: Tarrabain Chloe , Thomas Robyn
Published: August 2022

This article explores migrant workers’ experiences of organisational control while undertaking temporary agency work. This study is based on a ‘covert’ ethnographic study set at a temporary employment agency that short-term contracts workers to the catering and hospitality industry. The findings show how control is perceived by workers to emerge from the over-recruitment, coupled with the allocation of work through an informal ranking system. Migrant workers’ specific socio-economic circumstances and their race and gender identities informed their responses to these systems, resulting in the buy-in to discourses of enterprise. The result was actors who are complicit, if not active, participants in self and peer regulation. As such, this article contributes to the literature on enterprising-selves, control of temporary agency workers and the wider manufacturing consent literature.
Comparative energy storage study on solar pond with PCM coupled with different Nano particles
Authors: Poyyamozhi N , Karthikeyan A
Published: August 2022

Non-conventional energy is one of the clean energy resources. In this, solar energy is plentiful and contains high exergy among non-conventional energy sources. Thermal energy storage is a method of storing thermal energy by heating a storage material that may subsequently be used for heating or power generating. This study focused on the development of solar ponds for effective solar energy storage. The study depicts the heat fluctuation in a solar pond with phase change material and Nanomaterial. Paraffin wax was used as a phase change material and the performance has been investigated and compared with the addition of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and silver-titanium oxide. The experiment was conducted out on the solar pond without and with phase change material, as well as with carbon nanotubes and silver-titanium oxide inclusion. The experimental results exhibit that the phase change material used to store the majority of solar energy, the temperature difference measured at night for the solar pond with nanoparticle-infused phase change material was minimal. The energy storage capacity of the solar pond increases by 7.8%, 21.8%, and 25% when it is coupled with paraffin wax, silver-titanium oxide/paraffin wax, and carbon nanotubes/paraffin wax. The average temperature variation of the solar pond was observed on the weekly basis by 3°C, 5°C, and 7.5°C when it is coupled with paraffin wax, silver-titanium oxide/paraffin wax, and carbon nanotubes /paraffin wax respectively. It is concluded that compared to simple phase change material, the silver-titanium oxide, and carbon nanotubes have better performance in the storage of thermal energy.
Quality assurance, especially in adhesive bonding
Authors: Adams Robert. D.
Published: August 2022

With the increased use of adhesives in industrial applications, there is a need to consider not only strength and stiffness, but also how bonded joints will perform in the long term. In aerospace and automotive applications, this means at least 10 years. In buildings and civil engineering structures, much greater timescales are needed. All classes of bond are important whether they be structural or for ‘less important’ applications such as trim, sound deadening. Vehicles which become ‘shabby’ with trim beginning to detach may not lead to warranty claims, but can easily cause loss of reputation. The objective of this paper is to illustrate some of the traps into which a designer might fall and how to avoid them. For a given configuration and expected set of loads, this involves correct choice of the adhesive, specification of the surfaces and some means of checking consistency of the adhesives on delivery to the client, together with the processes used in production.
Friction stir spot welding of dissimilar quality galvanized steel sheets meant for automotive applications using a consumable sheet
Authors: Gupta Suraj , Das Sukanta , Narayanan R Ganesh , Asati Brajesh
Published: August 2022

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a solid-state spot-joining method used to join aluminum alloys to other materials for fabricating lightweight components. However, the FSSW tool experiences wear and tear during the spot welding of steel-grade sheets. To overcome this problem, in the present work, friction stir spot welding using a consumable sheet (FSSW-C) is proposed, in which the tool does not contact the steel sheet during the entire welding cycle. The main aim of this study is to investigate the application of FSSW-C to dissimilar galvanized steel sheets at various rotational speeds via lap shear tests and examination of the joint macro/microstructures. The lap shear performance was also compared to that of the Self Pierce Rivet (SPR) joint. The results revealed that galvanized steel sheets were successfully spot welded using FSSW-C with a lap shear fracture load of 1.5 kN–2.2 kN, which is approximately 50% of that of SPR joints. The microstructures revealed important features, including microstructural zones such as the stir zone, thermomechanically-affected zone, and heat-affected zone. Intermetallic compound formation was not observed at the joint interface. As the rotational speed increased, the axial force and torque decreased, whereas the temperature increased during FSSW-C. The energy generated increased with an increase in the rotational speed and was significantly different when compared to the data for conventional FSSW.
Influence of material heterogeneity on the mechanical response of articulated cartilages in a knee joint
Authors: Raju Vaishakh , Koorata Poornesh Kumar
Published: August 2022

Structurally, the articular cartilages are heterogeneous owing to nonuniform distribution and orientation of its constituents. The oversimplification of this soft tissue as a homogeneous material is generally considered in the simulation domain to estimate contact pressure along with other physical responses. Hence, there is a need for investigating knee cartilages for their actual response to external stimuli. In this article, impact of material and geometrical heterogeneity of the cartilage is resolved using well known material models. The findings are compared with conventional homogeneous models. The results indicate vital differences in contact pressure distribution and tissue deformation. Further, this study paves way for standardizing material models to extract maximum information possible for investigating knee mechanics with variable geometry and case specific parameters.
Nexus between energy intensity and capital-output ratio: A holistic approach
Authors: Amin Sakib Bin , Taghizadeh-Hesary Farhad , Al Kabir Foqoruddin , Khan Farhan
Published: August 2022

The incremental capital-output ratio indicates the extent of capital efficiency as firms gradually become technically efficient. Therefore, we aim to empirically assess the linkage between energy intensity and incremental capital-output ratio from a holistic point of view, the first of its kind, by analyzing data from select South Asian countries, lower- and middle-income, and high-income countries. We use standard and robust cross-sectional augmented econometric methodologies for the empirical analysis using data from 1990 to 2018. We reveal unidirectional causation from the incremental capital-output ratio to energy intensity in five South Asian countries and 52 high-income countries. However, bidirectional causality is found between the incremental capital-output ratio and energy intensity for the 34 lower- and middle-income countries. The elasticity of the incremental capital-output ratio to energy intensity for South Asian countries is 0.15 in the long-run. By contrast, the same elasticities for lower- and middle-income and high-income countries are 0.11 and 0.003, respectively. The effect of the incremental capital-output ratio on energy intensity is significantly lower in high-income countries than in the other two groups due to technical inefficiency. Our results are expected to guide the policymakers in developing and emerging economies in adopting optimal policies to achieve efficient and sustainable production and consumption.
Promoting the Chinese martial arts internationally: Is it ‘Kung Fu’ or ‘Wushu’?
Authors: Han Qing-song , Theeboom Marc , Zhu Dong , Derom Inge
Published: August 2022

The term ‘Kung Fu’ is used internationally more often than its official name ‘Wushu’ to depict the Chinese martial arts. Yet the latter term has been promoted by the Chinese government for nearly 50 years and also used by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) during the past three decades. This paper examines the distinction in the meaning between both terms through Stuart Hall's Representation Theory, based on 20 in-depth interviews with international expert witnesses. Findings suggest that the term ‘Kung Fu’ is mostly associated with traditional Chinese martial arts, Kung Fu cinema, Oriental imagination, and fighting practicability. For expert witnesses, Kung Fu represents an identity of traditional Chinese martial arts and a way to experience ‘Chineseness’. By contrast, although the IWUF has made efforts to package Wushu as the term representing Chinese martial arts, ‘Wushu’ is regarded as a competitive sport, shaped significantly by IWUF's Olympic ambition. Also, three key aspects regarding the representation of the Chinese martial arts in relation to both terms are discussed.
Risk perception research informing recommendations for COVID-19 preventative health measures and public messaging
Authors: Maguire Paul A , Looi Jeffrey C L
Published: August 2022

Objective

To provide a commentary on evidence-based recommendations for COVID-19 pandemic risk communication for more effective public health measures.

Method

We apply the principles of risk communication to address key issues in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Risk perception and communication research usefully informs preventative health education and public messaging during disease outbreaks such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those with severe mental illness.

Conclusions

Key recommendations for pandemic public health risk communication are: clear, timely and balanced information from a reputable source; accurate and non-sensationalised depiction of infection, morbidity and mortality rates; awareness of fear as a powerful motivator for adoption of protective measures against the causative virus; promotion of self-efficacy and sense of control in terms of mitigating the health threats associated with a pandemic; correction of mis- and disinformation regarding the pandemic and associated protective measures; and messaging may need to be modified for people with a mental illness to avoid exacerbations of depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Association Between Illness Perception and Care-Seeking Intention in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Asai Katsuhito , Hatamochi Chieko , Minamimura Fumiyo
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to investigate the association between illness perception and care-seeking intention in Japanese patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 CHF outpatients with reference to the framework of the Common-Sense Model. Illness perception was measured using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ). Care-seeking intention was assessed based on the intent to consult medical care at the onset of varying symptoms. Association between illness perception and the care-seeking intention was analyzed by logistic regression analysis after univariate analysis. In the univariate analysis, illness perception was only associated with care-seeking intention at the onset of dyspnea at rest. Treatment control, which means the expected effectiveness of treatment in B-IPQ, was associated with care-seeking intention at the onset of dyspnea at rest ( OR: 1.261, 95% CI [1.025–1.550]). It may be necessary to assess the patients’ perceptions of their treatment and explain its effects.
Real World Studies of Psoriasis and Mental Illness in Newfoundland and Labrador
Authors: Badaiki Winifred , Penney Michelle , Pyper Evelyn , Lester Kendra , Skeard Janelle , Shin Janey , Fisher Brenda , Gulliver Susanne , Gulliver Wayne , Rahman Proton
Published: August 2022

Background

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease with an implied connection to psychiatric disorders.

Objective

This study aims to illustrate an association between psoriasis and psychiatric disorders using real world data gathered from the Newfoundland and Labrador population.

Methods

Data on 15,100 patients with psoriasis and 75,500 controls (1:5) was collected from the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information’s Electronic Health Records. The cases and controls were matched for age, sex, and geography. Indicators for psychiatric disorders include diagnosis of mental illnesses from physician’s visits and hospitalization records (all coded for mental health using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes).

Results

9,991 (66.2%) cases were identified to have at least one visit with a diagnostic code for mental illness compared to 42,276 (56.0%), P < .0001 in the control group. The percentage of people coded for anxiety was 36.50% compared to 28.95%, P < .0001; depression was 37.04% compared to 30.19%, P < .0001; and adjustment disorder was 6.89% versus 5.48%, P < .0001, among those with and without psoriasis, respectively. The greatest risk for anxiety [OR 1.4 (1.20, 1.67)] and depression [OR 1.65 (1.36, 2.00)] among psoriasis patients was between the 0 to 20 age group. Women with psoriasis are more likely to have anxiety [OR 1.08 (1.03, 1.13)], depression [OR 1.04 (1.01, 1.09)] and adjustment disorder [OR 1.07 (0.98, 1.17)] compared to female controls.

Conclusion

Our result shows that patients with psoriasis have an increased prevalence of mental illness. Using real world data to carry out further investigations will better elucidate this association and provide an increased understanding of the association between psoriasis and mental disorders.
Impact of COVID-19 in mental health trusts
Authors: Mannion Russell , Konteh Frederick H , Jacobs Rowena
Published: August 2022

Objective

To explore how mental health trusts in England adapted and responded to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of identifying lessons that can be learned during and beyond the pandemic.

Methods

Following a scoping study, we undertook 52 semi-structured interviews with senior managers, clinicians, patient representatives and commissioning staff across four case study sites. These sites varied in size, location and grading awarded by a national regulatory body. We explored how services have been repurposed and reorganized in response to the pandemic and the participants’ perceptions of the impact of these changes on quality of care and the wellbeing of staff.

Results

Mental health trusts have shown great flexibility and resilience in rapidly implementing new models of care and developing creative digital solutions at speed. New collaborative arrangements have been stimulated by a shared sense of urgency and enabled by additional funding and a more permissive policy environment. But there has also been a significant negative impact on the wellbeing of staff, particularly those staff from a minority ethnic background. Also, there were concerns that digital technology could effectively disenfranchise some vulnerable groups and exacerbate existing health inequalities.

Conclusions

Many of the service changes and digital innovations undertaken during the pandemic appear promising. Nevertheless, those changes need to be urgently and rigorously appraised to assure their effectiveness and to assess their impact on social exclusion and health inequalities.
What does Lawfare mean in Latin America? A new framework for understanding the criminalization of progressive political leaders
Authors: Vegh Weis Valeria
Published: August 2022

This article addresses the origins of the term lawfare, as well as different definitions developed in the Global North and the Global South while proposing a conceptualization linked to the particularities of this socio-legal phenomenon in Latin America. Focusing on the cases of Brazil and Argentina the article deploys the notions of phycological, judicial and media warfare to analyze the different dimensions that an analysis of lawfare opens in relation to democracy, the penal system, and mainstream media. The article also explores different dimensions of lawfare and a notion in Spanish with the potential to replace the anglicism: dripping coup (golpe por goteo). Finally, the article proposes different measures to counteract lawfare in the judicial, educational, media, and social spheres. In particular, the conclusions refer to the relevance of social movements in what can be conceptualized as a “cautionary popular criminology”.
Experimental investigation of the compressive strength of hybrid composite sandwich beams with double-corrugated sinusoidal core reinforced by graphene and polyurethane foam
Authors: Azadi Reza , Gorji Hamid , Pashaei Mohammad Hadi , Bakhshi Jooybari Mohammad , Rostamiyan Yasser
Published: August 2022

In this paper, the effects of some system parameters such as nanographene, core geometry, and polyurethane foam on the compressive strength of composite sandwich beams with double corrugated lattice core subjected to flatwise-compression load are investigated experimentally. The face sheets and core of the sandwich beams are made of 10-layers bidirectional carbon fibers using the vacuum infusion process. According to the results of the flatwise-compression test, it was revealed that some factors, including height and angle of the core, the weight percentage of nanographene, and polyurethane foam, can be considered as effective parameters to enhance the compressive strength of the composite sandwich beams. Scanning electron microscopy images were utilized to observe the composition and distribution of the nanoparticles. It was observed that adding nanographene particles to the composite laminates significantly affects the mechanical properties and flexural strength of the sandwich beams. In addition, experimental results showed that the shape of the core can be an effective parameter to control the elasticity and strength of the sandwich beams, and also polyurethane foam dramatically increases the compressive strength and can postpone core failure.
Remote wireless monitoring of localized corrosion using compact solitary waves
Authors: Jalali Hoda , Misra Ritesh , Dickerson Samuel J , Rizzo Piervincenzo
Published: August 2022

This article presents a method to monitor corrosion remotely, based on highly nonlinear solitary waves, which are compact and nondispersive. In the study presented in this article, two types of solitary wave transducers were used to monitor accelerated localized corrosion on a steel plate. The first type consists of a chain of spherical particles surmounted by a commercial solenoid wired to, and controlled by, a data acquisition system used to lift and release the first particle of the chain and induce the mechanical impacts and stress waves in the chain. The chain included a piezoelectric wafer disk, also wired to the same data acquisition system, to sense, digitize, and store the propagating waves for post-processing. The second type of transducer was identical to the first one but the data acquisition system was replaced by a wireless node that communicated with a mobile device using a Bluetooth connection. Eight transducers were used to monitor the plate for over a week to detect the onset and progression of localized corrosion. Corrosion detection was performed by extracting a few features from the time waveforms and feeding these features to an outlier analysis algorithm based on the Mahalanobis distance. The results of the experiment showed the effectiveness of the proposed monitoring approach at detecting defects close to the transducers and confirm previous numerical predictions by the authors. The experiments also provided evidence that the performance of the wireless transducers is nearly identical to the performance of their wired counterparts, paving the way to a new paradigm for the structural health monitoring of remote structural components in harsh environments.
Predicting Leadership Success in Extreme Organizations: A Prospective Study From Pre-Recruitment Through Leading in Real-Life
Authors: Olinover Mili , Gidron Maor , Yarmolovsky Jessica , Lipschits Or , Geva Ronny
Published: August 2022

Organizations performing in stressful life-risking environments have unique features that directly influence human lives and communities’ well-being. Such organizations allocate vast resources to identify potential leaders as early as possible to direct and train them for leadership positions. Combat military contexts represent such organizations. The current manuscript offers a 5-year prospective study, addressing a critical gap in the literature regarding the generalization of established predictive leadership success models to leadership in extreme conditions. The study integrates leaders’ characteristics, followers’ perceptions, leadership training, and real-life contexts. Findings show that leadership traits measured years before enlistment related to leadership success, years down the line, when congruent with specific training contexts. Candidates higher in both task and relationship characteristics and in leadership emergence progressed to the senior leadership course compared to dropouts. Leadership emergence, measured in the first phase of leadership training, was the most relevant, stable, and reliable leader’s success predictor, directly and indirectly, of leadership development, above and beyond leadership characteristics. Findings emphasize the important influence of contextual congruency on leadership success in extreme organizations. Current findings may foster better leadership prospects for communities’ well-being and may improve cost-effectiveness in the leadership development processes in extreme occupations.
“After All, They Don’t Know Me” Exploring the Psychological Mechanisms of Toxic Behavior in Online Games
Authors: Liu Yansheng , Agur Colin
Published: August 2022

Toxic behavior is commonplace in online games and has negative consequences for players. Although previous studies have illustrated common types and features of in-game toxic behavior, it remains unclear what psychological mechanisms can explain why toxic behavior emerges and evolves in gaming environments. To fill this research gap, guided by Online Disinhibition Effect theory, this study applies a qualitative interview approach to understand when, how, and why people engage in toxic behavior in online games. Specifically, by interviewing players of the game Honor of Kings (a popular Chinese mobile multiplayer online battle arena game), this study illustrates the evolving processes of both verbal and behavioral in-game toxic behavior and identifies six major motivations for players’ toxic behavior and three theoretical explanations for how the online gaming environment facilitates players’ toxic behavior. Implications of this study on future research are also discussed.
Numerical investigations on the Stirling engine power and the efficiency of Stirling engine generator
Authors: Li Jiqiang , Wang Fuping
Published: August 2022

With the development of social economy, facing the challenge of depletion of fossil fuel energy, countries in the world have paid close attention to the development of new energy sources in recent years attention is being focused on power engines that use new renewable energy. The Stirling engine is such a power engine. Compared with traditional combustion engines, Stirling engine has the advantages of wide fuel sources, no knocking, high thermal efficiency, low noise, low operating costs, low gas pollution, and high economy. Then, the waste heat can be used to power the Stirling engine. This waste heat will be used in aviation, aerospace, land, ocean, and other fields. The study studied the changes in power and efficiency by changing the ratio according to the dynamic configuration of the Stirling engine and by changing the thermodynamic ratio of the engine. In addition, when installing the regenerator in the Stirling engine system, the changes in output and efficiency were also studied. The results show that the dynamic parameter α is increased, the engine efficiency decreases. When the temperature ratio β increased, the engine efficiency decreased. Then, the efficiency of the Stirling engine with a regenerator was found to be higher than that of the Stirling engine without the regenerator. The results focused on dynamic configuration of the Stirling engine to utilize new renewable energy. This work provides a reliable model and theoretical guidance for improving the FPSE’s performance.
Continuum fault trees
Authors: Taylor John Robert , Kozine Igor
Published: August 2022

The motivation for this paper is the observation that combinations of small deviations in continuous performance parameters can combine to cause failure of an entire system, even though no one of these deviations is sufficient of itself to cause any failure. To be able to trace the change of continuous parameters and predict their transfer to non-permissible regions of the system state space, we suggest construction of continuum fault trees, which allow combinations of small, continuous deviations of system parameters as well as discrete failures. The construction of continuum fault trees suggests also developing equation bi-graphs, a causal diagram visualizing and combining all continuous performance parameters. The bi-graphs serve several purposes, one of which is the explication of feedback loops and hidden loops, that allow identification of hazards attributed to the loops as a whole rather than to individual components. Construction of both bi-graphs and continuum fault trees is demonstrated on the example of an automobile engine, the performance of which is presented by an analytical model. We consider the potential for employing continuum fault trees for analysis of AI-driven systems, as their performance is built on neural networks that have underlying continuous analytical models. An example for this is also provided. The general applicability of continuum fault trees is also considered
How Information Flows from the World to China
Authors: Lu Yingdan , Schaefer Jack , Park Kunwoo , Joo Jungseock , Pan Jennifer
Published: August 2022

Government censorship—internet shutdowns, blockages, firewalls—impose significant barriers to the transnational flow of information despite the connective power of digital technologies. In this paper, we examine whether and how information flows across borders despite government censorship. We develop a semi-automated system that combines deep learning and human annotation to find co-occurring content across different social media platforms and languages. We use this system to detect co-occurring content between Twitter and Sina Weibo as Covid-19 spread globally, and we conduct in-depth investigations of co-occurring content to identify those that constitute an inflow of information from the global information ecosystem into China. We find that approximately one-fourth of content with relevance for China that gains widespread public attention on Twitter makes its way to Weibo. Unsurprisingly, Chinese state-controlled media and commercialized domestic media play a dominant role in facilitating these inflows of information. However, we find that Weibo users without traditional media or government affiliations are also an important mechanism for transmitting information into China. These results imply that while censorship combined with media control provide substantial leeway for the government to set the agenda, social media provides opportunities for non-institutional actors to influence the information environment. Methodologically, the system we develop offers a new approach for the quantitative analysis of cross-platform and cross-lingual communication.
Advances in Ureteroscopy: New technologies and current innovations in the era of Tailored Endourological Stone Treatment (TEST)
Authors: Juliebø-Jones Patrick , Keller Etienne Xavier , Haugland Julie Nøss , Æsøy Mathias Sørstrand , Beisland Christian , Somani Bhaskar K , Ulvik Øyvind
Published: August 2022

Ureteroscopy has undergone many advances in recent decades. As a result, it is able to treat an increasing range of patient groups including special populations such as pregnancy, anomalous kidneys and extremes of age. Such advances include Holmium laser, high-power systems and pulse modulation. Thulium fibre laser is a more recent introduction to clinical practice. Ureteroscopes have also been improved alongside vision and optics. This article provides an up-to-date guide to these topics as well as disposable scopes, pressure control and developments in operating planning and patient aftercare. These advances allow for a custom strategy to be applied to the individual patient in what we describe using a new term: Tailored endourological stone treatment (TEST).

Level of evidence: 5
Hip Fracture Care in Parkinson Disease: A Retrospective Analysis of 1,239 Patients
Authors: Huyke-Hernández Fernando A. , Parashos Sotirios A. , Schroder Lisa K. , Switzer Julie A.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Compared to other patients, Parkinson disease (PD) patients may experience suboptimal outcomes after hip fracture. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare characteristics and outcomes of hip fracture patients with PD to those without PD.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included all patients admitted for hip fracture within a large healthcare system between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019. Demographics, injury characteristics, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), treatment characteristics, and outcomes including complications, readmissions, and mortality were extracted. Patients with PD were compared to those without PD. Chi-square tests, two-sample t-tests, and Fisher exact tests were conducted to identify group differences.

Results

A total of 1239 patients were included (4.0% PD and 96.0% non-PD). PD patients were mostly male (59.2%) compared to mostly female non-PD patients 69.4%, P < .001). PD patients on average had a higher CCI (2.3 vs 1.7, P = .040) and more frequently had dementia (42.9% vs 26.7%, P = .013). No PD patients were discharged home without additional assistance compared to 8.1% of patients without PD. More PD patients were discharged to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) than non-PD patients (65.3% vs 48.2%, P = .021). Only 22.4% of PD patients were previously prescribed osteoporosis medication, and only 16.3% were referred for osteoporosis follow-up after fracture. In-house complications, readmissions, and mortality up to 1 year were comparable between groups ( P>.191).

Conclusions

Outcomes between PD patients and non-PD patients were mostly equivalent, but more PD patients required discharge to a higher-level care environment compared to non-PD patients. Although PD seems to be a risk factor for hip fracture regardless of age and sex, most patients had not undergone proper screening or preventative treatment for osteoporosis. These results emphasize the need for early bone health evaluation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and care coordination in preventing and treating hip fractures in PD.