bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weld-line strength prediction for glass fiber reinforced polyamide-6 material through integrative simulation and its experimental validation
Authors: Jadhav Ganesh , Gaval Vivek
Published: November 2023

Injection molding is one of the preliminary production methods for plastic components. Typically, injection molding Moldflow simulations predicts potential issues like air void, weld-line, warpage etc. This work focuses on weld-line defect, which occurs when two or more flow fronts are meets each other during filling of the cavity. Most of the commercial algorithms are based on isotropic and homogeneous material assumptions however plastic materials are anisotropic and heterogeneous in nature. Therefore, accuracy with isotropic solvers may vary with actual reality. To consider material anisotropy and heterogeneous nature of the material, an integrative simulation is advantageous technology which gives more realistic results. A unique approach of integrative simulations has been used in this work to predict the strength of the weld-line as there is no direct standard procedure or software available to get weld-line strength. Moldflow simulation is performed on specially designed plaque wherein the weld-line is reproduced considering 30% glass-filled polyamide-6 material. The new material model is developed by mapping the structural model of tensile specimens on the Moldflow simulated plaque with integrative mapping approach. The mapped model considers fiber orientation and weld-line characteristics of the material which is then solved in the Abaqus structural solver. Experimental validation is performed by manufacturing of weld-line plaques, specimen preparation, and experimental testing. The results correlation is done for an isotropic and anisotropic material model with experimental results. The correlation study shows, a significant difference in results for isotropic simulation and integrative anisotropic simulations. The failure pattern and load-displacement behavior of integrative simulation is close match with experimental results with minimum 93% accuracy.
Artificial intelligence-aided detection of rail defects based on ultrasonic imaging data
Authors: Li Weitian , Wang Jingru , Qin Xuanyang , Jing Guoqing , Liu Xiang
Published: November 2023

Railroads are one of society’s fundamental infrastructures, facilitating the transportation of passengers and goods over vast distances. Rail status data is immensely important for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of railroad networks. However, analyzing ultrasonic inspection data is a labor-intensive process and relies heavily on the expertise of experienced inspectors. To detect internal defects of the rail accurately and automatically, this paper proposes a customized image recognition method based on a convolutional neural network with limited B-scan rail image data collected within the industry. The proposed method uses EfficientNet-b7 as the backbone network to fully extract the B-scan rail image data features. With the help of transfer learning and data augmentation techniques, the backbone network is substantially enhanced so that it can understand high-level features of the object without being trained with large-scale B-scan image data. We establish a real-world internal rail defect dataset with 280 B-scan images and test our proposed method. The results reveal that the highest accuracy of the other mainstream CNN-based methods is 76.25% and the accuracy of the traditional method based on a support vector machine classifier trained with Tamura texture and LBP features is 60.00%. Our proposed EfficientNet-b7 model classifies rail defect B-scan images with an accuracy of 85.00%, precision of 84.71%, and recall of 85.00%. Compared to other rail internal defect detection methods, this method is more accurate. With the help of transfer learning and data augmentation, our proposed method achieves better performance and requires less data.
Impact forces in backward falls: Subject-specific video-based rigid body simulation of backward falls
Authors: Khorami Fatemeh , Obaid Numaira , Bhatnagar Tim , Ayoub Ahmed , Robinovitch Steve N , Sparrey Carolyn J
Published: November 2023

A critical missing component in the study of real-world falls is the ability to accurately determine impact forces resulting from the fall. Subject-specific rigid body dynamic (RBD) models calibrated to video captured falls can quantify impact forces and provide additional insights into injury risk factors. RBD models were developed based on five backward falls captured on surveillance video in long-term care facilities in British Columbia, Canada. Model joint stiffness and initial velocities were calibrated to match the kinematics of the fall and contact forces were calculated. The effect of joint stiffnesses (neck, lumbar spine, hip, and knee joint) on head contact forces were determined by modifying the calibrated stiffness values ±25%. Fall duration, fall trajectories, and maximum velocities showed a close match between fall events and simulations. The maximum value of pelvic velocity difference between Kinovea (an open-source software 2D digitization software) and Madymo multibody modeling was found to be 6% ± 21.58%. Our results demonstrate that neck and hip stiffness values have a non-significant yet large effect on head contact force ( t(3) = 1, p = 0.387 and t(3) = 2, p = 0.138), while lower effects were observed for knee stiffness, and the effect of lumbar spine stiffness was negligible. The subject-specific fall simulations constructed from real world video captured falls allow for direct quantification of force outcomes of falls and may have applications in improving the assessment of fall-induced injury risks and injury prevention methods.
The use of an escape room as an immersive learning environment for building resilience to misinformation
Authors: Cho Yeonhee , Coward Chris , Lackner Jacob , Windleharth Travis Willingham , Lee Jin Ha
Published: November 2023

The rise of misinformation as a prominent societal challenge has given rise to a plethora of educational efforts aimed at equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully navigate this increasingly daunting information environment. Librarians are on the frontlines of this challenge and have called for new approaches that go beyond more conventional information literacy education. One approach gaining attention is games, and several have emerged with promising results, largely due to their immersive nature that allows players to experience the dynamics of misinformation. In particular, game environments can be designed to highlight the psychological and emotional dimensions of misinformation, arguably the most significant shortcoming of more skills-based approaches to discerning misinformation. In this study, we developed a misinformation escape room and conducted a pilot study in five public libraries to study its effectiveness. Initial findings are encouraging. The misinformation escape room program, consisting of the gameplay plus a debrief discussion, appeared to increase awareness of certain misinformation tactics (e.g. deepfakes), generate reflection on the psychological dimensions of misinformation, and shift attitudes in ways that made many players more cautious of misinformation, potentially influencing their future social media behaviors.
Dealing with dissent from the medical ranks: Public health authorities and COVID-19 communication
Authors: Ihlen Øyvind , Vranic Anja
Published: November 2023

During a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health authorities will typically be criticized for their efforts. When such criticism comes from the ranks of medical personnel, the challenge becomes more pronounced for the authorities, as it suggests a public negotiation of who has sufficient expertise to handle the pandemic. Hence, the authorities are faced with the challenge of defending their competence and advice, while at the same time adhering to a bureaucratic/scientific ethos that imposes communicative boundaries. This explorative study analyzes the response strategies used by the Norwegian public health authorities in this regard. A main finding is that the authorities shunned aggressive language and mostly relied on a strategy pointing to well-established values such as proportionality (between the measures and the gravitas of the epidemiological situation) and relevance (the measures should meet the challenge in question).
Antimicrobial susceptibility of U.S. porcine Brachyspira isolates and genetic diversity of B. hyodysenteriae by multilocus sequence typing
Authors: Hakimi Maria , Ye Fangshu , Stinman Chloe C. , Sahin Orhan , Burrough Eric R.
Published: November 2023

Swine dysentery, caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and the newly recognized Brachyspira hampsonii in grower-finisher pigs, is a substantial economic burden in many swine-rearing countries. Antimicrobial therapy is the only commercially available measure to control and prevent Brachyspira-related colitis. However, data on antimicrobial susceptibility trends and genetic diversity of Brachyspira species from North America is limited. We evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of U.S. Brachyspira isolates recovered between 2013 and 2022 to tiamulin, tylvalosin, lincomycin, doxycycline, bacitracin, and tylosin. In addition, we performed multilocus sequence typing (MLST) on 64 B. hyodysenteriae isolates. Overall, no distinct alterations in the susceptibility patterns over time were observed among Brachyspira species. However, resistance to the commonly used antimicrobials was seen sporadically with a higher resistance frequency to tylosin compared to other tested drugs. B. hampsonii was more susceptible to the tested drugs than B. hyodysenteriae and B. pilosicoli. MLST revealed 16 different sequence types (STs) among the 64 B. hyodysenteriae isolates tested, of which 5 STs were previously known, whereas 11 were novel. Most isolates belonged to the known STs: ST93 ( n = 32) and ST107 ( n = 13). Our findings indicate an overall low prevalence of resistance to clinically important antimicrobials other than tylosin and bacitracin, and high genetic diversity among the clinical Brachyspira isolates from pigs in the United States during the past decade. Further molecular, epidemiologic, and surveillance studies are needed to better understand the infection dynamics of Brachyspira on swine farms and to help develop effective control measures.
Supportive Services at End of Life can Help Reduce Acute Care Services: Observations From the Medicare Care Choices Model
Authors: Rowan Patricia , Whicher Danielle , Luhr Marlena , Miescier Lynn , Kranker Keith , Gilman Boyd
Published: November 2023

Objectives

This study identifies the mechanisms through which supportive and palliative care services at the end-of-life helped prevent unnecessary use of acute care services.

Background

From 2016 to 2021, the Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM) tested whether offering Medicare beneficiaries the option to receive supportive and palliative care services through hospice providers, concurrently with treatments for their terminal conditions, improved patients’ quality of life and care and reduced Medicare expenditures. Previous MCCM evaluation results showed that the model achieved its goals, but did not examine in depth the causal mechanisms leading to these results.

Methods

Mixed-methods evaluation based on descriptive analysis of MCCM encounter data and qualitative analysis of interviews with staff from high-performing MCCM hospices.

Results

MCCM hospices provided 217 156 encounters to 7263 enrollees over 6 years. Enrollees received on average 30 encounters with hospice staff while enrolled in the model, representing about 10 encounters per month enrolled. Most encounters were delivered by clinically trained staff in the patient’s home. Hospice staff identified five services critical for keeping patients from seeking acute care services: early and frequent needs assessments, direct observation of patients in their homes, immediate responses to patients’ medical complaints, round-the-clock telephone access to nursing staff, and communication and coordination of care with primary care physicians and specialists.

Conclusions

Palliative care approaches that are high-touch, employ clinically trained staff who visit patients in their homes, routinely evaluate how to manage patient symptoms, and are available when needs arise can improve outcomes and decrease costs at the end of life.
A renewed adversarial network for bearing fault diagnosis based on vibro-acoustic signals under speed fluctuating conditions
Authors: Xing Shuo , Wang Jinrui , Han Baokun , Zhang Zongzhen , Ma Hao , Jiang Xingwang , Ma Junqing , Yao Shunxiang , Yang Zujie , Bao Huaiqian
Published: November 2023

Large discrepancy of sample distribution resulting from speed fluctuation is a great challenge to mechanical equipment health monitoring. Existing fault diagnosis methods are often limited by the acquisition mechanism of single-modal measurement. Considering the above problems, a multidimensional features dynamically adjusted adaptive network (MFDAAN) fused vibro-acoustic modal signals is proposed in this paper. The MFDAAN considers the context information of activation features by Funnel activation (FReLU) function to activate the vibro-acoustic signal features. In order to obtain fusion features, the multidimensional features of vibro-acoustic signals are dynamically adjusted at different stages by channel attention mechanisms, which is capable of considering the global information. Wasserstein distance is employed in the domain-adversarial training strategy to improve the property extracting domain-invariant features. The effectiveness of the MFDAAN is verified by cross-domain fault diagnosis experiments in two different scenarios. The results show that the MFDAAN can achieve good diagnostic effect for the tasks set of cross-domain fault diagnosis.
Understanding the Chasm in the Diffusion of Online Food Benefit Ordering: A Service Ecosystem Approach
Authors: Tang Chuanyi , Zhang Junzhou , Zhang Qi , Fisher Emily , Park Kayoung
Published: November 2023

Although consumers used online grocery shopping more frequently to limit exposure to the COVID-19 virus during the pandemic, the participants of some federal nutrition assistance programs lacked the option to redeem their food benefits online. Some retailers were pilot-testing online food benefit ordering for the participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), one of the largest federal nutrition assistance programs in the United States. Linking the administrative data from a state WIC agency with the online ordering data from a grocery store chain, Study 1 empirically estimates the diffusion of online food benefit ordering among WIC participants, examines the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic-related factors, store strategies, and individual characteristics on the diffusion process, and unveils the existence of a diffusion chasm. Study 2 is a qualitative study in which WIC participants and store employees were interviewed. A service ecosystem framework is developed to explain how the chasm was formed and non-adoptions occurred. The retrospective examination of the diffusion chasm during the pandemic provides important recommendations regarding how to cross the chasm and improve WIC participants’ food well-being.
Poor response to first intravitreal injection for predicting unfavorable outcomes of retinal vein occlusion related macular edema
Authors: Si Shancheng , Chen Anming , Ji Yicong , Wang Jing
Published: November 2023

Purposes

To screen key indicators leading to unfavorable outcomes of retinal vein occlusion related macular edema (RVO-ME) within long-term follow-up duration and to evaluate their predictive values.

Methods

A study involving patients with RVO-ME was conducted between April 2021 and September 2022. All eligible patients were divided into two groups (favorable and unfavorable group) according to their final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and whether neovascular glaucoma (NVG) occurred. The unfavorable group was further divided into subgroups 1 (with BCVA of ≥ 20/400 and < 20/60 and without NVG) and 2 (blindness group, with BCVA of < 20/400 or with NVG). Demographic, past medical history, ocular characteristics and blood parameters were compared between the groups.

Results

A total of 73 eyes from 73 Chinese Han patients (34 males vs. 39 females) with RVO-ME were enrolled. In multivariable regression analysis of continuous variables for unfavorable results, 1-month BCVA after the first intravitreal injection (IVI) was an independent risk factor (odds ratios (ORs) = 2.313, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.387–3.858, P = 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of 1-month BCVA after the first IVI for predicting low vision and blindness was 0.948 (95% CI 0.859–1.000, P < .001) and 0.892 (95% CI 0.744–1.000, P < .001), with a cut-off value of 0.65 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log MAR) (Snellen 20/90) and 1.15 log MAR (Snellen 20/300), respectively.

Conclusion

The most valuable indicator for predicting low vision and blindness was poor 1-month BCVA after first IVI compared with favorable group.
BeReal, Be Happy? Examining the relationships between authentic self-presentations on BeReal and adolescents’ self-esteem
Authors: Vanhoffelen Gaëlle , Schreurs Lara , Meeus Anneleen , Janssens Nele , Beullens Kathleen , Vandenbosch Laura
Published: November 2023

Unlike most social media, the new platform BeReal encourages users to present an authentic self. Since such self-presentations are assumed to have positive effects, this study examined whether adolescents’ authentic self-presentations on BeReal relate to a higher self-esteem and whether self-concept clarity plays a role in that relationship. The relationships between exposure to perceived authentic self-presentations of others, social comparison on BeReal, and self-esteem were also explored. Of the 367 adolescents who participated in our cross-sectional survey, a total of 148 (40.33%, Mage = 16.23, SDage = 1.46; 82.4% girls) had an account on BeReal. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that these adolescents’ authentic self-presentations were not significantly related to their self-concept clarity nor indirectly to their self-esteem. Self-esteem and self-concept clarity were, however, positively correlated. Regarding exposure to others’ content on BeReal, only upward and downward social comparisons on these platforms were significantly related to a lower and higher self-esteem, respectively.
Exploring the interplay between dementia, multiple health conditions and couplehood: A qualitative evidence review and meta-ethnography
Authors: Dunn Rosie , Wolverson Emma , Hilton Andrea
Published: November 2023

Background: On average, people with dementia live with 4.6 additional health conditions. Additionally, two thirds of carers of people with dementia are spouses, and are also likely to live with multimorbidity, given that older age is strongly associated with an increase in health conditions. Consequently, living with dementia and multimorbidity is often a shared experienced as a couple. However, research has not explored how living with both dementia and multimorbidity may impact on couplehood. Method: We conducted a qualitive evidence review using a meta-ethnographic approach, to answer the following question: In what way (if any) does living with dementia and multimorbidity impact on couplehood? No papers were found on couplehood, dementia and multimorbidity, therefore the review consists of a meta-synthesis of couples’ experiences of living with dementia in relation to couplehood, with an additional search for any data related to health within the qualitative findings. Findings: Two major reciprocal themes and five subthemes were identified from the 14 study findings. 1. Change and adjustment in the relationship, which included themes around a sense of ‘togetherness’, change in roles and identity and developing shared coping strategies and 2. Commitment, which was encapsulated by themes on unconditional love and commitment to wedding vows. Health-related findings were limited but included the impact on emotional wellbeing and how other health conditions, rather than dementia, were attributed to a loss in physical sexual intimacy. Conclusion: This review found that couplehood was threatened when dementia symptoms progressed and couples experienced feelings of loss of independence and identity. However, a strong foundation of commitment, love and loyalty to each other developed over the course of the relationship, was the ‘glue’ that helped couples face dementia together. However, further research is needed to explore couples’ experiences of living with both multimorbidity and dementia in relation to couplehood in order to develop holistic, relationship-centred interventions.
A method for yarn quality fluctuation prediction based on multi-correlation parameter feature subspace mechanism in spinning process
Authors: Hu Sheng , Zhang Gang , Zhao Xiaohui , Li Zhe , Li Wen
Published: November 2023

Yarn quality is a key indicator in spinning production process, which directly determines the processing quality of the finished fabric. Considering the problems that the yarn quality is difficult to predict due to many influencing factors and widely monitoring dimensions existed. This paper proposes a multi-correlation parameters-based feature subspace model for yarn quality fluctuation prediction method. Firstly, Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA) algorithm is used to analyze the relationship between the relevant parameters affecting yarn quality, and the characteristic subspace of yarn quality fluctuation is reconstructed. Then, a feature subspace-oriented deep learning prediction structure based on Deep Belief Network (DBN) is constructed, and the intelligent prediction model of yarn quality is established by using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to optimize the modeling parameters. Finally, a case for spinning spun yarn process data set is used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, result shows that the proposed method can effectively analyze the multi-correlation parameters fluctuation law, which shows good effect for predicting yarn quality accurately.
Documenting the January 6 attack on the US Capitol: A comparative case study on German and US perspectives for teaching the historical and the contemporary
Authors: Fitchett Paul G , Hestler Carolin , Rein Franziska
Published: November 2023

The storming of the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021 shocked the world and challenged democratic norms. Considerations on how to teach the events of January 6th remains an open question, not just for the United States but for other democratic nations, including Germany. This comparative case study explored the similarities and differences in how US and German social studies/history teachers made meaning of the January 6th attack and their rationale for teaching (or in some cases not teaching) the event. The international comparison sheds light on how threats to democracy are perceived by educators and their pedagogical rationales for teaching them. Findings suggest that teachers’ analysis of media credibility and instructional decision-making were complicated by their social and cultural connections to the event. German participants expressed a greater willingness to teach the events of the insurrection compared to their US counterparts. This study offers recommendations beyond teaching January 6th for teacher educators and education stakeholders supportive of teaching difficult and controversial histories. Exploring these international comparisons also calls into question how events are remembered and taught, potentially impacting democratic education.
Anaesthesia management for liver transplantation: A narrative review
Authors: Çekmen Nedim , Uslu Ahmed
Published: November 2023

Orthotopic liver transplantation is the definitive standard treatment for end-stage liver disease. Orthotopic liver transplantation anaesthesia management is a complex procedure that requires a multidisciplinary team approach. Understanding the complex pathophysiology of end-stage liver disease and its complications in the affected systems is essential for proper anaesthesia management in orthotopic liver transplantation. Orthotopic liver transplantation is a dynamic process, and preoperative optimisation is essential in these patients. Therefore, anaesthesiologists should focus on rapidly fluctuating physiology, haemodynamics, metabolic, and coagulation status in the anaesthesia management of these patients. Perioperative care and anaesthesia for orthotopic liver transplantation can be divided into preoperative evaluation, anaesthesia induction and management, dissection, anhepatic, neo-hepatic, and postoperative care, with essential anaesthetic considerations at each point. Considering the clinical situation, haemodynamic changes, misapplications, knowledge, attitude, and multimodal and multidisciplinary approach are vital in anaesthesia and the perioperative period. In our review, in line with the literature, we aimed to present the perioperative and anaesthesia management in orthotopic liver transplantation patients.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in South Korea
Authors: Zo Sungmin , Chung Man Pyo , Yoo Hak Young , Lee Kyung Soo , Han Joungho , Chung Myung Jin , Yoo Hongseok
Published: November 2023

Background:

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an interstitial lung disease (ILD) that results from an immune-mediated reaction involving various antigens in susceptible individuals. However, the clinical characteristics and outcomes of HP in South Korea are not well understood.

Objectives:

This study was conducted to identify the clinical characteristics and outcomes of HP in South Korea.

Design:

This is a retrospective observational study investigating patients with pathologically confirmed HP at our center, along with a comprehensive review of published HP cases in the Republic of Korea.

Methods:

This retrospective study analyzed 43 patients with pathologically proven HP at a single tertiary hospital in Korea between 1996 and 2020. In addition, case reports of HP published in Korea were collected. The clinical characteristics, etiologies, treatment, and outcomes of patients from our center, as well as case reports, were reviewed. Patients from our hospital were divided into fibrotic and nonfibrotic subtypes according to the ATS/JRS/ALAT guidelines.

Results:

Among 43 patients with biopsy-proven HP, 12 (27.9%) and 31 (72.1%) patients were classified into the fibrotic and nonfibrotic subtypes, respectively. The fibrotic HP group was older (64.6 ± 8.5 versus 55.2 ± 8.3, p = 0.002) with less frequent complaints of fever (0% versus 45.2%, p = 0.013) compared to the nonfibrotic HP group. The most common inciting antigen was household mold (21, 48.8%), followed by inorganic substances (6, 14.0%). Inciting antigens were not identified in eight (18.6%) patients. Treatment of corticosteroids was initiated in 34 (79.1%) patients. An analysis of 46 patients from Korea by literature review demonstrated that reported cases were relatively younger and drugs were the most common etiology compared to our cohort.

Conclusion:

The analysis of reported cases, as well as our cohort, showed that exposure history and clinical manifestations are heterogeneous for patients with HP in South Korea.
Triple Bottom Line, Sustainability, and Regional Development
Authors: Vukovic Darko B. , Spitsin Vladislav , Akerman Elena , Gammerschmidt Irina
Published: November 2023

In a study of 74 Russian regions over the period of 2013–2018, this paper demonstrates that economic, social, and ecological dimensions of the triple bottom line triad positively and significantly affect regional development, thus validating the growing emphasis on sustainable development found in the literature and among policymakers. Investments in research and development, the creation of new firms, reductions in poverty rates, and lowering emission intensity lead to regional development. The study develops four models to analyze the regional resource allocation efficiency in relation to the economic, social, and ecological goals of sustainable development. To assess regional development, this paper calculates the technical efficiency of the regions concerning technological frontiers using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). As one of our variables (the border region dummy) is time-invariant, the study chose to estimate models with the help of a random effects estimator. The effects of startup rates and ecological factors are moderated by the per capita income within the region. The results suggest that the triple bottom line agenda is justified as a regional development paradigm.
Text Mining Analysis of ESG Management Reports in South Korea: Comparison With Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Yoon Joohye , Han Sujin , Lee Yongseok , Hwang Hyesun
Published: November 2023

The essential value of sustainability has warranted firms to disclose their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) visions. We conducted a significant data analysis using text mining to assess Korean companies’ ESG perceptions in accordance with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) suggested by the United Nations. Bigram frequency, term frequency–inverse document frequency, semantic network, and convergence of iteration correlation analyses were performed in this study. The results indicate that Korean companies focus on consumer protection, especially digital human rights. However, efforts toward global partnerships, as emphasized by the SDGs, were not apparent. These results suggest important ESG values for countries advancing toward the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which will ultimately contribute to global cooperation and sustainable development.
Pro-Environment Behaviors, Efficacy Beliefs, Perceived Individual and Social Norms: A Questionnaire Survey in a Sample of Young Adults From Pakistan
Authors: Acquadro Maran Daniela , Butt Matti Ullah , Begotti Tatiana
Published: November 2023

The aim of this work was to examine the relationships between climate change experiences and perceived individual and social norms related to climate change, individual and collective efficacy, and implementation of pro-environmental behaviors among a group of young adults from Pakistan. We examined these variables among 373 young adults in Pakistan and differentiated them into those who reported direct experience with climate change and those who did not. Findings show that 179 participants felt they had directly experienced a climate change event. Results also show that they were more likely to follow individual and social norms, perceive higher levels of individual and collective efficacy, and were more likely to adopt pro-environmental behaviors. Among participants who reported having had a direct experience, perceived social norms and individual self-efficacy emerged as predictors of pro-environmental behaviors, whereas among participants who reported not having had a direct experience, only perceived social norms were significant predictors. These results underscore the importance of sharing information about good environmental practices.
Correlation of Academic and Clinical Practice Performance of Nursing Students in an Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Course; at Woldia University, Ethiopia
Authors: Yilak Gizachew
Published: November 2023

Mastering clinical practice is one of the hardest tasks of nursing school. It is necessary to combine professional theoretical courses with clinical nursing practice in order to qualify competent and qualified nurses. The connection between the theoretical training and clinical nursing practice, however, has not been the subject of any research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to ascertain the connection between obstetrics and gynecology theoretical courses and obstetrics and gynecology clinical practice. To assess theoretical and Clinical Practice Correlations of Comprehensive nursing students’ performance in an Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Course at Woldia University, Ethiopia. A retrospective cross-sectional study employing a quantitative data collection method was carried out. The data was obtained using a data extraction checklist between September 01/2022 and September 20/2022. A total of 252 people were involved in the study, including 136 regular nursing students, 93 summer nursing students, and 23 post-basic students. Data was gathered by three nursing department academic staff members. EPI data was used to enter the obtained data, which was then exported to SPSS version 22 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed, and the Spearman’s rho correlation (rs) and coefficient of determination (coef) were declared significant at a p-value of .05 and a 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 252 study participants comprised 174 (69.1%) male and 74 (30.9%) female nursing students included in the current study Clinical success in obstetrics and gynecology was strongly and favorably correlated with academic success in obstetrics and gynecology theoretical courses (rs = 0.7–0.89), p < .05. moreover, linear regression results revealed 37.45% to coefficient determination for regular students, 38.2% to 47.3% for summer nursing students and 18.1% to 33% post-basic nursing students. To sum up, a significant positive association existed between students’ achievements in theoretical and clinical practice of obstetrics and gynecology nursing courses. Improving students’ academic performance in obstetrics and gynecology can also enhance their performance in clinical obstetrics and gynecology. However, the variance in performance in obstetrics and gynecology clinical practice was explained by academic achievement in obstetrics and gynecology theoretical courses by 22.35%.
Which Attributes Should be Considered in Regulating the Internet of Things? Evidence From Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Na Ho Seoung , Hwang Junseok , Kim Hongbum
Published: November 2023

With rapid development in the Internet infrastructure, new and innovative services using the Internet of Things (IoT) have emerged. Despite the wide range of topics regarding IoT services that have been discussed, regulatory concerns solely concentrate on personal information and privacy protection in academic research and legislation. In other words, a comprehensive regulatory framework for IoT services should be developed with potential consumers in mind; however, relevant studies are lacking. To bridge this research gap, this study estimates consumer preferences to build an appropriate regulation for IoT service deployment. The study uses conjoint analysis and a layered model to investigate the importance of attributes for IoT services as part of the consideration supporting IoT regulations. Based on the estimation results, all attributes of the IoT services are relevant to potential consumers, and as an example of IoT applications, the Big Data analysis application is more critical to consumers in terms of marginal willingness-to-pay and relative importance. Furthermore, a new type of vertical integration is appealing to potential customers. Policymakers can benefit from the development of various IoT policies, simultaneous pursuits of IoT application innovation and privacy concerns, and nondiscriminatory regulation principles.
A Scoping Review of Oral Health Outcomes and Oral Health Service Utilization of 2SLGBTQ+ People
Authors: Fakhrjahani I. , Tiwari T. , Jessani A.
Published: November 2023

Background:

Oral health is an integral aspect of overall well-being and quality of life. Population groups such as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, including other sexual and gender minorities (2SLGBTQ+), have reported poor oral health outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this review was to investigate the extent and scope of the literature describing 2SLGBTQ+ oral health outcomes, including unmet oral health needs and patterns of oral health care service utilization, as well as the risk factors affecting both.

Methods:

A comprehensive search strategy was developed to review the scope of the literature pertinent to unmet oral health needs and factors affecting access to oral health care among 2SLGBTQ+ members, globally. In total, 6 databases were searched with a combination of keywords relevant to 2SLGBTQ+ oral health status and oral health care utilization.

Results:

Our review identified 10 studies that met the eligibility criteria. Five out of 10 studies were based in India, 4 in the United States, and 1 in Brazil. Two studies reported poorer oral health outcomes among transgender people as compared with cisgender people, while 2 studies reported similar patterns of dental service utilization between their transgender and cisgender participants. Five studies explored the personal and structural risk factors associated with poor oral health outcomes, including financial affordability and income level and perceived discrimination, including instances of misgendering in health care settings. However, further comprehensive studies must be conducted to validate the trends and findings reported by the studies in the review and to generate data from diverse regional contexts.

Conclusions:

Our review identified that the extent of the literature in this research area is sparse and scarce. The evidence indicates poorer oral health status among 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Wider studies with diverse, representative samples are required to gain a comprehensive understanding of 2SLGBTQ+ oral health outcomes.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The results of this review will undoubtedly be important for many years to come as 2SLGBTQ+ oral health equity is prioritized by experts in public health dentistry. This review will allow other researchers to understand and fill literature gaps regarding 2SLGBTQ+ oral health outcomes, furthering this area of research.
Analyzing urban parks’ spatial integration in Budapest to understand changes in visitation patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Bereczki Zoltán , Csomós György , Farkas Jenő Zsolt
Published: November 2023

Globally, dramatic changes in park visitation have accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, cities have experienced an overall increase in park visitation after strict lockdowns imposed in the pandemic’s first wave have been removed. However, previous research conducted in Hungary has demonstrated that park visitation varied across parks with different sizes and locations in the city. We hypothesized that the degree of the park’s integration into the urban fabric significantly affected changes in visitation. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a space syntax analysis. Findings show that community parks with an area of 10.01–50.00 hectares and a mean spatial integration of 83.37 experienced the highest increase in the number of visitors (based on mobile devices’ GNSS data). Surprisingly, large metropolitan parks providing highly complex ecosystem services lost many visitors during the pandemic, which might be due to their low spatial integration.
Mechanism of surface modification on monocrystalline silicon during diamond polishing at nanometric scale
Authors: Ranjan Prabhat , Roy Tribeni , Sharma and Anuj
Published: November 2023

The demand for polished silicon wafers has increased significantly in recent years to cater to the development of the semiconductor industry. For example, polished silicon wafer has direct applications in integrated circuits, radio frequency amplifiers, micro-processors, micro-electromechanical systems, etc. To carry out mechanical polishing, lapping, grinding, or single-point diamond turning of silicon, diamond abrasives were extensively used before the implementation of chemo-mechanical polishing. During the diamond-based polishing, a few problems have already been identified, such as the formation of an amorphous phase, heat-affected zones, low material removal, etc. Some research work has also reported that nano-structured abrasives lead to a thin layer of the amorphous phase and a better material removal rate. In the same direction, a molecular dynamics simulation is carried out in this paper to investigate the mechanism of material removal from monocrystalline silicon during the diamond-abrasive-based polishing process. The present work is mainly focused on the dynamics of material removal phenomena near the abrasive particles at the nanometric scale by considering stress, lattice, cohesive energy, etc. This reveals that a higher value of indentation force results in surface buckling, which creates a zone of both compressive and tensile stresses, which increases the coordination number and forms β-silicon just ahead of the abrasive particle. This mechanism happens by developing a β-silicon phase on the surface with a thickness beyond a certain value of indentation force on the zone of compression. Buckling on this phase happens due to stress localisation in compression, as the flow stress of this phase is less than that of diamond cubic lattices. To avoid the mechanism of surface buckling and process silicon material on the surface, the indentation force needs to be maintained below a critical value. In the present case, it was found that the indentation force of less than or equal to 190 nN for the abrasive size of ϕ8 nm does the material removal by surface processing only without surface buckling. It was also found that surface processing helps to reduce the depth of the amorphous layer significantly without compromising the material removal rate or the generation of a wavy surface. Thus, the present mechanism will help in the polishing of silicon with minimum defects and reduce processing time for the final stage of polishing towards manufacturing ultra-smooth and planer surfaces.
Mortality surrogates in combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema
Authors: Zhao An , Gudmundsson Eyjolfur , Mogulkoc Nesrin , van Moorsel Coline , Corte Tamera J. , Vasudev Pardeep , Romei Chiara , Chapman Robert , Wallis Tim J.M. , Denneny Emma , Goos Tinne , Savas Recep , Ahmed Asia , Brereton Christopher J. , van Es Hendrik W. , Jo Helen , De Liperi Annalisa , Duncan Mark , Pontoppidan Katarina , De Sadeleer Laurens J. , van Beek Frouke , Barnett Joseph , Cross Gary , Procter Alex , Veltkamp Marcel , Hopkins Peter , Moodley Yuben , Taliani Alessandro , Taylor Magali , Verleden Stijn , Tavanti Laura , Vermant Marie , Nair Arjun , Stewart Iain , Janes Sam M. , Young Alexandra L. , Barber David , Alexander Daniel C. , Porter Joanna C. , Wells Athol U. , Jones Mark G. , Wuyts Wim A. , Jacob Joseph
Published: November 2023

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with coexistent emphysema, termed combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) may associate with reduced forced vital capacity (FVC) declines compared to non-CPFE IPF patients. We examined associations between mortality and functional measures of disease progression in two IPF cohorts.

Methods

Visual emphysema presence (>0% emphysema) scored on computed tomography identified CPFE patients (CPFE/non-CPFE: derivation cohort n=317/n=183, replication cohort n=358/n=152), who were subgrouped using 10% or 15% visual emphysema thresholds, and an unsupervised machine-learning model considering emphysema and interstitial lung disease extents. Baseline characteristics, 1-year relative FVC and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) decline (linear mixed-effects models), and their associations with mortality (multivariable Cox regression models) were compared across non-CPFE and CPFE subgroups.

Results

In both IPF cohorts, CPFE patients with ≥10% emphysema had a greater smoking history and lower baselineDLCOcompared to CPFE patients with <10% emphysema. Using multivariable Cox regression analyses in patients with ≥10% emphysema, 1-yearDLCOdecline showed stronger mortality associations than 1-year FVC decline. Results were maintained in patients suitable for therapeutic IPF trials and in subjects subgrouped by ≥15% emphysema and using unsupervised machine learning. Importantly, the unsupervised machine-learning approach identified CPFE patients in whom FVC decline did not associate strongly with mortality. In non-CPFE IPF patients, 1-year FVC declines ≥5% and ≥10% showed strong mortality associations.

Conclusion

When assessing disease progression in IPF,DLCOdecline should be considered in patients with ≥10% emphysema and a ≥5% 1-year relative FVC decline threshold considered in non-CPFE IPF patients.
Inhaled recombinant GM-CSF reduces the need for whole lung lavage and improves gas exchange in autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis patients
Authors: Campo Ilaria , Carey Brenna C. , Paracchini Elena , Kadija Zamir , De Silvestri Annalisa , Rodi Giuseppe , De Amici Mara , Torre Cristina , Zorzetto Michele , Griese Matthias , Meloni Federica , Corsico Angelo Guido , Trapnell Bruce C. , Mariani Francesca
Published: November 2023

Rationale

Whole lung lavage (WLL) is a widely accepted palliative treatment for autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP) but does not correct myeloid cell dysfunction or reverse the pathological accumulation of surfactant. In contrast, inhaled recombinant granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) is a promising pharmacological approach that restores alveolar macrophage functions including surfactant clearance. Here, we evaluate WLL followed by inhaled rGM-CSF (sargramostim) as therapy of aPAP.

Methods

18 patients with moderate-to-severe aPAP were enrolled, received baseline WLL, were randomised into either the rGM-CSF group (receiving inhaled sargramostim) or control group (no scheduled therapy) and followed for 30 months after the baseline WLL. Outcome measures included additional unscheduled “rescue” WLL for disease progression, assessment of arterial blood gases, pulmonary function, computed tomography, health status, biomarkers and adverse events. Patients requiring rescue WLL were considered to have failed their assigned intervention group.

Results

The primary end-point of time to first rescue WLL was longer in rGM-CSF-treated patients than controls (30versus18 months, n=9 per group, p=0.0078). Seven control patients (78%) and only one rGM-CSF-treated patient (11%) required rescue WLL, demonstrating a 7-fold increase in relative risk (p=0.015). Compared to controls, rGM-CSF-treated patients also had greater improvement in peripheral arterial oxygen tension, alveolar–arterial oxygen tension difference, diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide and aPAP biomarkers. One patient from each group withdrew for personal reasons. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

This long-term, prospective, randomised trial demonstrated inhaled sargramostim following WLL reduced the requirement for WLL, improved lung function and was safe in aPAP patients. WLL plus inhaled sargramostim may be useful as combined therapy for aPAP.